IVAN AND THE GRAY WOLF
NCE upon a time, in a certain kingdom, in a certain realm, lived a Tsar named Vuislaf. He had three sons of princely birth: the first was Prince Dimitri, the second Prince Yasili, and the third was Prince Ivan. This Tsar had a garden so rich that there was none like it in any country, and in this garden grew all kinds of precious trees that bore fruit and did not bear fruit; and the Tsar had one favourite apple-tree which bore nothing but golden apples. Now the Magic Bird was in the habit of flying into the Tsar's garden, and this bird had golden feathers and eyes like Oriental crystal. It used to fly into the garden every night and sit on the Tsar's favourite apple-tree and strip it of the golden apples and then fly away again.
The Tsar became greatly distressed on account of his apple-tree; therefore he summoned his three sons and said to them: "My beloved children! Which of you is able to catch the Magic Bird in my garden? To the one who will capture him alive I will give the half of my realm while I am still alive, and all of it after I am dead."
Then his sons cried with one voice: "Beloved sovereign and father, we will, with the greatest delight, try to capture the Magic Bird alive."
The first night Prince Dimitri went into the garden to watch; and taking his seat under the very apple-tree from which the Magic Bird robbed the apples, he fell asleep and did not hear a sound when the bird came flying over and took a great quantity of the fruit.
In the morning the Tsar summoned his son, Prince Dimitri, and asked him: "Well, my son, did you see the Magic Bird or not?"
He replied to his father: "No, my beloved sovereign and father, it did not make its appearance last night."
The next night Prince Vasili went into the garden to watch for the Magic Bird. He took his seat under the same apple-tree, and after he sat there an hour, and then another hour of the night, he fell so sound asleep that he did not hear the Magic Bird come flying over to strip off the apples.
In the morning the Tsar called him into his
All that was left in his hand was one tail feather
presence and asked him: "Well, my beloved son, did you see the Magic Bird or not?"
"My dear sovereign and father," he answered, "it did not make its appearance last night."
On the third night Prince Ivan went into the garden to watch, and he took his place under the same apple-tree. He sat there an hour, then a second and then a third, and suddenly the whole garden was lighted up as if it had been illuminated with a multitude of bonfires. It was the Magic Bird, which came flying over and lighted on the apple-tree and began to steal the apples.
Prince Ivan crept up to it so stealthily that he was able to seize it by the tail. He could not hold it, however, and all that was left in his hand was one tail feather.
In the morning the Tsar had hardly awakened from his sleep ere Prince Ivan came to him and gave him the pretty feather. The Tsar was mightily glad that his youngest son had succeeded even in obtaining one feather from the Magic Bird. This feather was so wonderful and bright that if it were taken into a dark room it lighted it up as if it had been the red sun.
The Tsar put this feather into his cabinet as a thing that ought to be preserved forever. From that time forth the Magic Bird came no more into the garden.
Then the Tsar again summoned his three sons and said to them: "My dearly beloved children, go forth with my paternal blessing and capture the Magic Bird and bring it to me alive, and what I promised before shall be given to the one who brings the bird to me."
Prince Dimitri and Prince Vasili had conceived a bitter hatred against their youngest brother, Prince Ivan, because he had succeeded in getting a feather from the Magic Bird's tail. They received their father's blessing and went forth together to hunt for the bird. Then Prince Ivan also began to ask his father for his blessing. However much the Tsar strove to detain Ivan he could not help letting him go, because he was so urgent in his beseeching. So the young man got his father's blessing, chose a horse for himself, and started on his journey, not knowing at all what way it would take him.
As he rode along, far and near, high and low—and so quickly that it is more easily said than done—he came at last to a bare field, to green meadows. And in the bare field stood a stone monument, and on the monument were inscribed these words:
WHOEVER COMES STRAIGHT UP TO THIS MONUMENT
WILL BE COLD AND HUNGRY
WHOEVER COMES UP TO THE RIGHT SIDE
WILL HAVE HEALTH AND WEALTH
BUT HIS HORSE WILL DIE
AND WHOEVER COMES UP TO THE LEFT SIDE
WILL BE HIMSELF KILLED
BUT HIS HORSE WILL BE LEFT ALIVE AND WELL.
Prince Ivan read this inscription and went up to the monument by the right side, having this in his mind: that though his horse would be killed, still he himself would be left alive.
At first nothing happened, and he rode on one day, two days, three days, when suddenly there came running up to meet him an enormous Gray Wolf, who said: "Oho, young man, Prince Ivan, didn't you read what was inscribed on the monument?—that your horse would be killed? Why then did you come this way?"
The Gray Wolf uttered these words, then he tore Prince Ivan's horse in two and went off to one side.
Prince Ivan wept bitterly for his horse, but he pushed ahead on foot. He walked a whole day and was unspeakably weary, and was just thinking about sitting down to rest, when suddenly the Gray Wolf overtook him and said to him:
"I am sorry for you, Prince Ivan, because you are so tired walking. Good! Get on my back, on the Gray Wolf's back, and tell me where you want to go and why!"
Ivan told the Gray Wolf where he wanted to go, and the Gray Wolf galloped off with him faster than the horse, and after some time, toward nightfall, he brought him to a stone wall not so very high, and there the Wolf stopped and said:
"Now, Prince Ivan, get down from my back, from the Gray Wolf's back, and climb over this stone wall. There on the other side of the stone wall is a garden, and in that garden sits the Magic Bird in a golden cage. You may take the bird, but do not touch the cage. If you do they will seize you instantly."
Prince Ivan climbed over the wall into the garden, and there he saw the Magic Bird in a golden cage, and he was greatly charmed by her. He took the bird out of the cage and started back, but then he recollected himself and said in his heart:
"Here I have taken the Magic Bird, but what have I got to put her in?"
So he returned on his steps; but hardly had he taken up the golden cage ere there was a sudden noise and commotion throughout the whole garden, because strings were attached to the golden cage. The guards instantly woke up and came running into the garden, and they seized Prince Ivan with the bird and earned him off to the Tsar, whose name was Dolmat.
Tsar Dolmat was to the last degree wroth with Prince Ivan and roared at him in a thunderous angry voice: "Young man, aren't you ashamed for being a thief? Now who are you, and of what country, and who is your father, and what is your name?"
Prince Ivan answered him, saying: "I am the son of Tsar Vuislaf, and they call me Ivan. Your Magic Bird used to fly every night into our garden and rob my dear father's favourite apple-tree of its golden apples, and so my father sent me off to capture the bird and bring her to him."
"Oho, young man, Prince Ivan," replied the Tsar Dolmat. "Do you think it was a pretty way to do as you did? If you had come to me, I would have given you the Magic Bird honourably. But now wouldn't it be well for me to send out and proclaim to all nations how dishonourably you have acted in my realm? However, go forth, Prince Ivan, if you would do me a service. If you will proceed to the thirtieth realm beyond the thrice-ninth kingdom and get Tsar Afron's gold-maned horse for me, then I will forgive you your crime, and I will present the Magic Bird to you as a great mark of honour."
Prince Ivan was very downcast and went from Tsar Dolmat to the Gray Wolf and told him all that Tsar Dolmat had said. "Oho, young man, Prince Ivan," replied the Gray Wolf, " why did you not heed my words and let the gold cage alone?"
"I am to blame before you!" said Prince Ivan to the Wolf.
"All right, be it so!" replied the Gray Wolf. "Sit on my back, on the Gray Wolf's back; I will take you where you have to go."
Prince Ivan got on the Gray Wolf's back, and the Wolf ran as fast as an arrow flies, and how long he ran one cannot tell; but at last he came by night to the realm of Tsar Afron. As they came up to the Tsar's white marble stables the Gray Wolf said to Prince Ivan:
"Make your way into these marble stables, Prince Ivan, and take the horse of the golden mane. But there is hanging on the wall a golden bridle: do not touch it, or you will get yourself into trouble."
Prince Ivan, making his way into the white marble stables, took the horse, and started to go away again; but he saw the golden bridle hanging on the wall, and it pleased him so much that he took it down from the nail. But no sooner had he touched it than there came a rumble and a commotion throughout all the stables, because strings were attached to that bridle.
The stableguards came running in, and they seized Prince Ivan and took him to Tsar Afron. In a rage Tsar Afron began to ply him with questions:
"Oho, you are a fine young man! Tell me from what country you come, and who is your father, and what is your name?"
To these questions Prince Ivan replied: "I am the son of the Tsar Vuislaf, and they call me Ivan!"
"Oho, young man, Prince Ivan," said Tsar Afron, " is this the deed of an honourable knight? If you had come to me, I would have given you the gold-maned horse with all honour. But now would it not be well for me to send out and proclaim to all nations what a dishonourable thing you have done in my realm? However, go forth, Prince Ivan, if you would do me service. Go to the thrice-ninth kingdom from here, to the thirtieth realm, and get for me Queen Helena the Beautiful, whom I have long loved with all my heart and all my soul, but cannot reach; then I will forgive you your crime and I will present you with the gold-maned horse and the golden bridle with all honour. But if you do not do me this service, then I will proclaim it abroad to all the nations that you are a dishonourable thief."
Prince Ivan went away from the palace and wept bitterly. He came to the Gray Wolf and told him what had happened to him.
"Oho, you are a fine young man, Prince Ivan!" exclaimed the Gray Wolf. "Why did you disobey my word and take the golden bridle?"
"I am to blame before you!": said Prince Ivan to the Wolf.
"Very good, so be it!' continued the Gray Wolf. "Mount on my back, on the Gray Wolf's back; I will take you where you want to go."
Prince Ivan mounted on the Gray Wolf's back, and the Wolf ran as swiftly as an arrow, and at last he came to the realm of Queen Helena the Beautiful, to the golden streamlet which bordered a magical garden; and the Gray Wolf said to Prince Ivan:
"Now, Prince Ivan, dismount from me, from the Gray Wolf, and go back along the same road and wait for me in the open field under the green oak."
Prince Ivan went back whither he was bidden. The Gray Wolf sat down near the golden streamlet and waited until Queen Helena the Beautiful came down to walk in her garden.
Toward evening, when the dear sun was beginning to drop very near to the west, Queen Helena the Beautiful came to walk in the garden with her maidens and nobles. When she came close to the very place where the Gray Wolf was sitting, behind the streamlet, the Gray Wolf suddenly sprang across the streamlet into the garden, and seizing Queen Helena the Beautiful, sprang back again and galloped off with her with all his might and main.
He galloped up to the open field, where Prince Ivan was waiting under the green oak, and said to him: "Prince Ivan, get on my back, on the Gray Wolf's back, as quickly as possible."
Prince Ivan mounted on his back, and the Gray Wolf carried them both to Tsar Afron's realm. The maidens and nobles of Queen Helena's court ran all about and sent out in pursuit of them, but none of all the messengers was able to overtake the Gray Wolf, and so they had to go back home.
Prince Ivan, as he sat on the Gray Wolf's back with the beautiful Queen Helena, fell over head and ears in love with her, and she with him, and when the Gray Wolf came galloping into Tsar Afron's realm the prince was utterly dejected and began to weep tearfully.
The Gray Wolf asked him: "What are you weeping about, Prince Ivan?"
And in reply Prince Ivan said to him: "My friend Gray Wolf, how can I help weeping and help feeling dejected? I have fallen over head and ears in love with the beautiful Queen Helena and now I must give her up to Tsar Afron in exchange for the gold-maned horse; and if I don't give her up to him, then Tsar Afron will proclaim me dishonourable to all the nations."
"I have served you greatly, Prince Ivan," said the Gray Wolf, "but I will serve you in this service also. Listen, Prince Ivan! I will take the form of the beautiful Queen Helena, and you must give me to Tsar Afron and take the gold-maned horse. He will regard me as the real queen. And when you have mounted the gold-maned horse and have gone far, far away, then I will ask Tsar Afron to go and take a walk in the open field. And as soon as he lets me go with the maidens and nobles of the court, and I am with them in the open field, then do you call me to mind and I will be with you again."
Prince Ivan came with the pretended Helena
When the Gray Wolf had uttered this speech he knocked against the damp earth and was changed into the beautiful Queen Helena. Prince Ivan took the Gray Wolf and went to Tsar Afron's court, and he bade the beautiful Queen Helena herself to wait for him behind the city. When Prince Ivan came to Tsar Afron with the pretended Helena, the Tsar was perfectly delighted in his heart because he had come into possession of the treasure that he had been desiring so long, and he handed over to Prince Ivan the horse of the golden mane.
Prince Ivan mounted this horse and rode off outside the city. There he took Helena the Beautiful on with him and rode away, keeping to the road that led to the realm of Tsar Dolmat. The Gray Wolf lived with Tsar Afron one day, a second day, and then a third day, in the place of the beautiful Queen Helena; but on the fourth day she went to Tsar Afron and asked permission to go to walk in the open field in order to drive away the terrible homesickness that tormented her.
How loud did Tsar Afron swear: "Ah! my beautiful Queen Helena, I will do everything for you!" And immediately he commanded the maidens and all the nobles of his court to accompany the beautiful queen into the open field.
Meantime Prince Ivan had been on his way with the real Helena, and was talking with her, and he forgot all about the Gray Wolf, when suddenly he remembered: "Ah, where is my Gray Wolf?"
And instantly arriving from somewhere the Gray Wolf stood before Prince Ivan and said to him: "Mount me, Prince Ivan, mount the Gray Wolf, and let the beautiful queen ride on the gold-maned horse."
Prince Ivan mounted the Gray Wolf, and they rode together to Tsar Dolmat's realm. How long they rode no one knows, but when they reached that realm they stopped three miles from the city. Prince Ivan began to ask the Gray Wolf:
"Listen, my dear friend, Gray Wolf, you have done me many a service. Serve me in this last affair also. Couldn't you turn into the gold-maned horse? Because it seems to me as if I could not part with this gold-maned horse!"
Suddenly the Gray Wolf struck the moist earth and turned into a gold-maned horse. Prince Ivan left the beautiful Queen Helena in a green meadow with the real horse, mounted the Gray Wolf, and rode to the palace, to Tsar Dolmat. And as soon as he got there, Tsar Dolmat recognised Prince Ivan coming on the gold-maned horse. He immediately rushed out of his palace, met the prince in his wide court, kissed him on his mouth, took him by the right hand, and led him into his white marble palace.
Tsar Dolmat in return for such a pleasure ordered a great feast prepared, and they took their places at the oaken tables, at the checked linen tablecloth. They ate, drank, and made merry, and thus feasted for two days, and on the third day Tsar Dolmat rewarded Prince Ivan with the Magic Bird and the golden cage.
The prince took the Magic Bird, went out of the city, sat on the gold-maned horse, together with the beautiful Queen Helena, and rode toward his own fatherland. Now Tsar Dolmat, on the following day, determined to ride his gold-maned horse in the open field, and he had hardly spurred up the horse when it threw him, and again becoming the Gray Wolf galloped off and overtook Prince Ivan.
"Prince Ivan!' he cried. "Mount me, the Gray Wolf, and let the beautiful Queen Helena ride on the gold-maned horse."
Prince Ivan mounted the Gray Wolf, and they proceeded on their way. As soon as the Gray Wolf had brought Prince Ivan to the place where he had torn the horse to pieces he stopped and said:
"Now, Prince Ivan, I have served you with ample faith and truth. Here in this place I tore your horse in two, and I have brought you back to this very place. Dismount from me, from the Gray Wolf. Now you have a gold-maned horse and I will no longer be your servant."
The Gray Wolf spoke these words and galloped off to one side, and Prince Ivan wept bitterly at parting with the Gray Wolf, but he rode on his way with the beautiful queen. How long he rode with Helena on the gold-maned horse it were hard to say, but when he came within twenty miles of his own realm, he stopped, dismounted, and sat down with the beautiful queen to rest under a tree. He fastened the gold-maned horse to the same tree, and set the cage and the Magic Bird in its golden cage and the golden bridle near him. And as they rested on the soft turf and talked together they fell asleep; and just at that time Prince Ivan's brothers, Prince Dimitri and Prince Vasili, coming from different lands,
Prince Ivan mounted the Gray Wolf
and without having succeeded in finding the Magic Bird, happened to be returning to their fatherland empty-handed. And by chance they came upon their brother Prince Ivan asleep. When they caught sight of the gold-maned horse on the turf and the Magic Bird in its golden cage, they were covetous of them, and they conceived the idea of killing their brother. Prince Dimitri unsheathed his sword and ran it through Prince Ivan. Then he aroused the beautiful Queen Helena and began to ply her with questions. "Beautiful girl! from what country do you come and who is your father, and what is your name?"
The beautiful queen, seeing Ivan lying dead, was terribly frightened, and amid bitter tears replied:
"I am Queen Helena. Prince Ivan, whom ye have done to a cruel death, came and got me. Ye would have been good brothers-in-law if ye had come with him into the open field, and beaten him in fair fight; but now ye have killed him while he was asleep, and what advantage will ye receive from such a deed?"
At this Prince Dimitri pointed his sword at the beautiful Queen Helena's heart and said to her:
"Listen, Helena! You are now in our hands; we are going to take you to our sire, Tsar Vuislaf, and see to it that you tell him that it was we who got you and the Magic Bird and the gold-maned horse. If you fail to tell him this, we shall instantly put you to death!"
Helena, frightened out of her wits, agreed to this, and promised that she would say what they bade her say.
Then Prince Dimitri and Prince Vasili began to draw lots for the beautiful Queen Helena and the gold-maned horse. And according to the lot the queen fell to Prince Vasili, and the gold-maned horse to Prince Dimitri; and away they went to the city.
Prince Ivan lay dead in that place for thirty days, and at the end of that time the Gray Wolf came running up to him and recognised by the scent that it was Prince Ivan. He wanted to bring him to life again, but he did not know how to do it. Just then the Gray Wolf saw an old raven and two young ones flying over the body, and they were about to alight and devour Prince Ivan's flesh.
The Gray Wolf sprang behind a bush, and as soon as the young ravens had alighted on the ground and began to peck at Prince Ivan's body, he leaped out, seized one of the young ravens, and was going to tear it to pieces.
Then the old raven flew down to the ground, lighted not far from the Gray Wolf, and said to him: "Oho there, you Gray Wolf! Do not touch my little birdling; he has never done anything to you."
"Listen, then, Raven!" replied the Gray Wolf. "I will not touch your little birdling if you will serve me in a service. Fly away beyond the thrice-nine lands, to the thirtieth kingdom, and bring me the Water of Life and the Water of Death."
At this the raven said to the Gray Wolf: "I will serve you in this matter, only don't touch my son!"
These words said the raven, and flew away.
On the third day he came flying back and with him he brought two vials; in one the Water of Life, and in the other the Water of Death, and he gave the vials to the Gray Wolf. The Gray Wolf took the vials, tore the little raven to pieces, sprinkled it with the Water of Death and instantly the young raven grew together again; he sprinkled it with the Water of Life, the little raven spread its wings and flew off.
Then the Gray Wolf sprinkled the Water of Death over Prince Ivan; his dead body grew whole again. He sprinkled him with the Water of Life; Prince Ivan got to his feet and demanded: "Have I been asleep long?"
In reply the Gray Wolf said to him: "Yes, Prince Ivan, you would have slept an eternity if it had not been for me. You see your brothers killed you, and took for themselves the beautiful Queen Helena and the gold-maned horse and the Magic Bird. Now make haste as quickly as possible to your home. Your brother Vasili is going to marry your bride to-day—the beautiful Queen Helena. And in order that you may get there as quickly as possible, you had better mount me—mount the Gray Wolf; I will take you home."
Prince Ivan mounted, the Gray Wolf galloped with him to the realm of the Tsar Vuislaf, and after he had been a long or short time on the way he took him to the city. Prince Ivan dismounted from the Gray Wolf, hurried into the city, and going to the palace he learned that his brother Prince Vasili had returned with the queen from the wedding ceremony and was sitting at table.
Then Helena the beautiful caught sight of Prince Ivan and instantly sprang from the table and began to kiss his lips crying:
"This is my darling husband, Prince Ivan, and not that wicked wretch who is sitting at table!"
Then the Tsar got up from his place and began to question her as to the meaning of all this. And Helena told him all the truth in regard to what had taken place.
Tsar Vuislaf was bitterly indignant with Prince Dimitri and Prince Vasili, and sent them to jail. But Prince Ivan married the beautiful Queen Helena, and lived with her so lovingly that neither one could endure to exist a single instant without the other.