🧚 Opening, part 38 · page 2

Iván Tsarévich went up to the horse, laid his hand on its back, put his foot into the stirrup, and the magical horse stood there as though he were made of stone, and never pricked an ear.73 The Tsarévich mounted it, and the horse bowed deep to the earth.74 Then his twelve chains were taken off.75 And he stood with a heavy even tread, whilst the sweat ran down his back in streams.76

“What a hero he is!77 What enormous strength!” all the people said as Iván Tsarévich paced by.78

So the bride and the bridegroom were betrothed, and went hand-in-hand out of the church.79

The Tsarévna still wanted to test her husband’s strength, and squeezed his hand, but she squeezed so hard that he could not stand it, and his blood mounted to his head, and his eyes almost fell out of their sockets.80 “That’s the manner of hero _you_ are!” she thought.81 “Your man, Katomá Oaken-cap, has deceived me finely.82 But I shall soon be even with him.”83

Anna Tsarévna the Fair lived with her God-sent husband as a good wife should, and always listened to his words.84 But she was ever thinking how she might destroy Katomá.85 If she knew that, she could very easily dispose of the Tsarévich.86 But, however many slanders she might think of to tell him, Iván Tsarévich never believed her, but held Katomá fast.87

One year later he said to his wife: “Dear wife, beautiful Tsarévna, I should like to go home with you.”88

“Yes, we will go together.89 I have long wished to see your kingdom.”90

So they set out, and Katomá sat behind the coachman.91 As they drove out Iván Tsarévich dozed off.92

Then Anna the Fair suddenly roused him from his sleep and complained.93 “Listen, Iván Tsarévich: you are always asleep and notice nothing.94 Katomá will not obey me, but is purposely taking the horses over all the cobbles and into all the ditches, as if he wanted to destroy us.95 I spoke to him very gently, but he only laughs at me.96 I will not go on living if you do not punish him!”97

Iván Tsarévich was drowsy, and very angry with Katomá, and said to the king’s daughter: “Do with him as you will.”98

So the king’s daughter at once made her servants cut off Katomá’s legs.99 He submitted to his torturers and thought: “If I must suffer, still the Tsarévich will soon learn something of what trouble is.”100

His two legs were cut off: the Tsarévna looked round and noticed a lofty stump at the edge of the road.101 She bade her servants set Katomá on it.102 And as to the Tsarévich, she tied him to a rope behind the carriage, and so returned to her own kingdom.103 Katomá sat on his tree stem and wept bitter tears.104

“Farewell, Iván Tsarévich: forget me not!”105

Iván Tsarévich had to leap behind the carriage, and knew very well that he had made a mistake, but it could not be cured.106

When Anna the Fair had again reached her kingdom the Tsarévich had to mind the cows.107 Every morning he drove them into the open field, and every evening drove them back into the royal courtyard; and the Tsarévna sat on the balcony and saw that none of the cows was missing.108 Iván Tsarévich had to count the cows and to stable them all, and to give the last one a kiss under its tail.109 The cow knew what was expected of her, and remained standing at the door and lifted her tail up.110

Katomá all day long sat on his tree-stump without meat or drink, but could not descend, and he thought: “I must die of hunger.”111 But near by there was a thick forest, and there a knight lived who was blind but very strong.112 This knight used to scent the animals which ran by, run after them and catch them, not minding whether it were a rabbit, or fox, or a bear.113 He could roast them for lunch.114 And he could run so fast, faster than any animal that leaps.115 One day a fox came by, and the knight heard him and ran after him.116 The fox ran up to the tree on which Katomá sat, and turned round there.117 In his haste the blind man struck the tree so hard with his forehead that it fell out with its roots.118 Katomá tumbled down and asked: “Who are you?”119

“I am the blind knight, and for three years I have lived in the wood, feeding myself on the animals I can catch and bake on my fire; otherwise I should have died of hunger.”120

“Were you blind from birth?”121

“No; Anna the Fair put my eyes out.”122

“Brother!” said Katomá, “she also cut off my legs, both of them.”123

So the two knights decided they would live together and aid each other.124

The blind man said to Katomá, “Sit on my back and show me the way: I will serve you with my feet and you me with your eyes.”125 The blind man lifted Katomá up, and the legless man cried out, “Left; right; straight on!”126 So for a long while they lived in the wood and used to catch rabbits, foxes and bears for their food.127

One day Katomá said: “Why should we live alone here?128 I am told that there is in the town a rich merchant and his daughter.129 She, they say, is indescribably kind towards the poor men and cripples, and gives them alms with her own hands.130 Brother, we must carry her off.131 She shall live with us as the mistress of the house.”132

So the blind man took a barrow, put the legless knight into it, and ran him into the town, up to the merchant’s house.133 When the daughter looked out of the window she instantly rushed out in order to give them alms.134 She came to Katomá and said, “Take this as God’s blessing!”135

He accepted her gift and laid hold of her hand, dragged her into the barrow, and cried out to the blind man, who ran away so fast, faster than any horses could overtake him.136 It was all in vain for the merchant to try to overtake the two knights.137 The knights brought the merchant’s daughter to their _izbá_[60] in the wood and said: “Stay with us as our sister, and become the mistress of the house.138 We poor folk have no one to cook our food or to do the washing.139 God will not desert you therefor.”140

So the merchant’s daughter remained with them, and the two knights honoured and loved her as though she were their own sister.141 Sometimes they went a-hunting, and then the sister remained alone in the house looking after the domestic service, cooking the food and doing the washing.142 But one day Bába Yagá with the bony legs came into the hut and sucked the blood out of the fair maiden’s breast.143 And whenever the two knights went away on the chase, Bába Yagá came back, so that very soon the merchant’s fair daughter became thin and feeble.144 But the blind man did not notice: only Katomá noticed that something had gone wrong, so he told his companion, and both asked their sister what was the cause.145