🧚 Opening, part 8 · page 2

But the younger son smote his mare with the back of his hand and said, “You are a mare; now become a maiden!”80 So the mare turned into the fair Tsarévna.81 They made peace, became friends and wedded.82 It was a magnificent wedding.83

I was there, I drank mead and it flowed up to my beard, but none came into my mouth.84

MARK THE RICH85

In a country, in a kingdom far away, once upon a time there lived a merchant, Mark the Rich; and, what with all his estates and revenues, you couldn’t count them.86 He lived, and was merry, and never suffered the poor man to come to his door, so ungracious was he.87

One day he had a dream: “Make ready, Mark the Rich, and wait.88 God Himself will be thy Guest!”89 In the morning Mark got up, called his wife, and bade her make a banquet.90 He covered all of his courtyard with scarlet velvet and golden brocade, and at every side-path he posted journeymen and servants to keep out all the hunger-brothers and scare them outside.91 Then Mark the Rich came, and sat awaiting the Lord.92 The hours went by, and never a guest.93 And then the poor heard that there was a great feast at the house of Mark the Rich.94 They all gathered round for the hallowed gifts; but the journeymen and servants drove them all away.95 But one poor beggar, bent with age, and all in rags, went up to the door of Mark the Rich.96 And as Mark the Rich saw him from the window, he cried out in a fierce voice: “Hi, you sluggards and louts!97 Eyes and no eyes?98 Look at the beast that is traipsing up and down our courtyard: get rid of him.”99

And all the servants scampered up, laid hold of the poor old fellow, and rushed him out the back way.100 One good old woman saw him, and said: “Come to me, you poor old beggar; I will feed and rest you.”101 She took him in, fed him, gave him to drink, and laid him to sleep; and thus Mark the Rich had never found the Lord for whom he was waiting.102

At midnight the lady had a dream, and heard some one knock at the window and ask: “Old and righteous man, are you sleeping here to-night?”103 “Yes,” said the old man.104 “In a village near by a poor peasant has had a son; how will you reward him?”105 The poor man said: “He shall be lord of all the domains of Mark the Rich!”106 Next day the poor old man left his hostess and went forth to roam.107 The old peasant woman went to Mark the Rich and told him of her dream.108

Mark went to the peasant and asked for the baby.109 “Give him to me—I will adopt him; he shall grow up; I will teach him well; and when I die he shall have all my wealth.”110 This was what he said, but his thoughts were quite different.111 He took the little boy, went home, and threw him into a snow-drift.112 “Lie there and freeze; that’s the way to become master of Mark’s wealth!”113 But that same night hunters, passing by, hunting for hares, found the boy, took him home, and brought him up.114

Many years passed by, and much water flowed in the river, and one day Mark the Rich went out with those huntsmen, saw the young boy, heard his story, and spoke about him, and knew it was the same he had cast forth.115

So Mark the Rich asked the youth to go home and take a letter to his wife; but in that letter he bade her poison the boy like a dog.116 The poor foundling set out on his road; when on his way, he met a poor man with nothing on but a shirt; but this beggar was Christ Himself.117 He stopped the wayfarer, took the letter, and held it for one minute, and the letter was changed in all it said.118 The wife of Mark the Rich was to receive the bearer with all honour, and marry him to her daughter.119 It was said, and it was done.120

Mark the Rich returned home; and was very wroth at seeing his new son-in-law, and said: “In the evening go to my distillery and look after the work”; whilst he secretly told the men to hunt him into the burning cauldron as soon as ever he appeared.121 So the boy made ready to go to the distillery; but a sudden sickness befell him, and he had to go back home.122 Mark the Rich waited his time, and went to see what had become of his son-in-law, and tumbled into his own distillers’ clutches, into the burning cauldron!123

BY COMMAND OF THE PRINCE DANIEL124

Once upon a time there was an aged queen who had a son and a daughter, who were fine, sturdy children.125 But there was also an evil witch who could not bear them, and she began to lay plots how she might contrive their overthrow.126

So she went to the old Queen and said: “Dear Gossip, I am giving you a ring.127 Put it on your son’s hand, and he will then be rich and generous: only he must marry the maiden whom this ring fits.”128

The mother believed her and was extremely glad, and at her death bade her son marry only the woman whom the ring fitted.129

Time went by and the boy grew up: he became a man and looked at all the maidens.130 Very many of them he liked, only as soon as he put the ring on their finger it was either too broad or too narrow.131 So he travelled from village to village and from town to town, and searched out all the fair damsels, but he could not find his chosen one, and returned home in a reflective mood.132

“What’s the matter, brother?” his sister asked him.133 So he told her of his trouble, explained his sorrow.134 “What a wonderful ring you have!” said the sister.135 “Let me try it on.”136 She tried it on her finger, and the ring was firmly fixed as if it had been soldered on, as though it had been made for her.137

“Oh, sister! you are my chosen bride, and you must be my wife.”138

“What a horrible idea, brother!139 That would be a sin.”140

But the brother would not listen to a word she said.141 He danced for joy and told her to make ready for the wedding.142 She wept bitter tears, went in front of the house, and sat on the threshold and let her tears flow.143

Two old beggars came up, and she gave them to eat and to drink.144 They asked what her trouble was, and she needs must tell the two.145 “Now, weep no more, but do what we say.146 Make up four dolls and put them in the four corners of the room.147 After your brother calls you in for the betrothal, go; and if he calls you into the bridal chamber, ask for time, trust in God, and follow our advice.”148 And the beggars departed.149