Marya Morevna

In a certain kingdom, in a certain land, there lived Ivan Tsarevich. He had three sisters: the eldest was Marya Tsarevna, the second Olga Tsarevna, and the youngest Anna Tsarevna. Their father and mother had died, and as they lay on their deathbeds, they said to their son, "Whoever comes to court one of your sisters first, give her to him in marriage. Do not keep your sisters with you for long."

After the Tsarevich had buried his parents, he went with his sisters to walk in the green garden, feeling sad and sorrowful. Suddenly, a black cloud rose in the sky, and a terrible storm was brewing. "Let us go home, sisters," said Ivan Tsarevich. They had barely entered the castle when thunder roared, the ceiling split open, and a bright falcon flew into the room. The falcon struck the floor, turned into a handsome young man, and said, "Hail, Ivan Tsarevich! Earlier I came as a guest, but now I am a suitor. I wish to marry your sister, Marya Tsarevna."

"If you are pleasing to my sister, I will not stop her. Let her go with God." Marya Tsarevna agreed, the Falcon married her, and carried her away to his own kingdom.

Days followed days, hours chased hours, and a whole year passed as if it had been nothing. Ivan Tsarevich went with his two sisters to walk in the green garden. Again a cloud rose with whirlwind and lightning. "Let us go home, my sisters," said the Tsarevich. They had barely entered the castle when a thunderclap came, the roof fell apart, the ceiling opened, and an eagle flew in. The eagle struck the floor and became a gallant youth. "Hail, Ivan Tsarevich! Earlier I came as a guest, but now I am a suitor." And he asked for Olga Tsarevna in marriage.

Ivan Tsarevich answered, "If you are pleasing to Olga Tsarevna, then let her marry you; I do not take her will from her." Olga Tsarevna consented and accepted the Eagle in marriage. The Eagle caught her up and bore her away to his own kingdom.

Another year passed. Ivan Tsarevich said to his youngest sister, "Let us go to walk in the green garden." They walked a little, and again a cloud rose with whirlwind and lightning. "Come home, my sister, come!" They returned to the castle, but had not sat down when a thunderclap came, the ceiling opened, and a raven flew in. The raven struck the floor and became a gallant youth. The others had been handsome, but he was even better. "Well, Ivan Tsarevich! Earlier I came as a guest, but now I am a wooer. Give me Anna Tsarevna."

"I do not take her will from my sister. If you have pleased her, take her in marriage." Anna Tsarevna married the Raven, and he bore her away to his own kingdom.

Ivan Tsarevich remained alone. He lived a whole year without his sisters and grew weary. "I will go," he said, "to seek out my sisters."

He made ready for the road, traveled and traveled, and saw an army, a great host lying slain on the field. Said Ivan Tsarevich, "If there is a living man here, let him speak. Who killed this great army?" A living man answered, "Marya Morevna, the fair Korolyevna, killed all this great army."

Ivan Tsarevich went farther and came to white tents. Marya Morevna, the fair Korolyevna, came forth to meet him. "Hail, Tsarevich! Where does God bear you? Of your own will, or against your will?"

Ivan Tsarevich answered, "Good heroes travel not against their will."

"Well, if you are not in a hurry, be a guest in my tents." Ivan Tsarevich was glad; he spent two nights in the tents, pleased Marya Morevna, and married her. Marya Morevna, the fair Korolyevna, took him with her to her own kingdom. They lived together for a time, and then the Korolyevna had a thought to make war; she left her husband in charge of her household and said, "Go everywhere, see after all things, but do not look in this closet."

Ivan Tsarevich could not endure this, but when Marya Morevna had gone, he rushed to the closet, opened the door, and looked. There Koshchéi the Deathless was hanging inside, fastened with twelve chains. Koshchéi implored the Tsarevich, "Take pity on me, give me water to drink. Twelve years have I sat here in torment; I have not eaten nor drunk; my throat is parched."

The Tsarevich gave him a whole three-gallon tub of water. He drank it and begged, "With one tub my thirst cannot be quenched." The Tsarevich gave him another tub. Koshchéi drank that and begged for a third; and when he had drunk the third tub, he regained his former strength, shook his chains, and in one moment broke all twelve.

"God save you, Ivan Tsarevich!" said Koshchéi the Deathless. "Now you will never see Marya Morevna again, any more than your own ears." And he went out as a terrifying whirlwind, flew through the window, overtook Marya Morevna on the road, seized her, and bore her away.

But Ivan Tsarevich cried bitterly, bitterly, made ready, and went on his road, on his way. "Whatever may happen, I will find Marya Morevna." He traveled one day, he traveled a second; at the dawn of the third day he saw a wonderful palace. Near the palace stood an oak, and on the oak sat a bright falcon. The falcon flew down from the tree, struck the earth, turned into a gallant youth, and shouted, "Ah! My dear brother-in-law, how does God favor you?"

Marya Tsarevna ran out, met Ivan Tsarevich joyfully, asked about his health and his life, and told about her own life and household.

The Tsarevich stayed three days with them and said, "I cannot stay longer; I am searching for my wife, Marya Morevna, the fair Korolyevna."

"It is hard to find her," said the Falcon. "In any case, leave your silver spoon here; we will look at it and think of you." Ivan Tsarevich left his silver spoon and went his way.

He traveled a day, he traveled a second; at the dawn of the third day he saw a castle better than the first, and at the side of the castle stood an oak, and on the oak sat an eagle. The eagle flew from the tree, struck the ground, turned into a gallant youth, and shouted, "Rise up, Olga Tsarevna; our dear brother is coming." Olga Tsarevna ran out that moment to meet him; she began to kiss and embrace her brother, to ask about his health, and to tell of her own life and household.

Ivan Tsarevich remained three days with them and then said, "I have no time to visit longer; I am going to seek my wife, Marya Morevna, the fair Korolyevna." Said the Eagle, "It is hard for you to find her. Leave us your silver fork; we will look at it and remember you." He left the fork and went his way.

He traveled a day, he traveled a second; and on the dawn of the third day he saw a castle better than the other two. At the side of the castle stood an oak, and on the oak a raven was perched. The raven flew down, struck the earth, turned into a gallant youth, and cried, "Anna Tsarevna, hurry out; our brother is coming." Anna Tsarevna ran out, met him joyfully, began to kiss and embrace her brother, to ask about his health, and to tell about her own life and household.

Ivan Tsarevich stayed with them three short days and said, "Farewell, I am going to look for my wife, Marya Morevna, the fair Korolyevna." The Raven said, "It is hard for you to find her; but leave your gold ring with us, we will look at it and remember you. If the ring is bright, it means that you are alive and well; if dim, then we shall know that evil has come upon you."

Ivan Tsarevich left his gold ring and went his way. He traveled a day, he traveled a second; and on the third day he came to Marya Morevna. She saw her dear one, rushed onto his neck, covered herself with tears, and said, "Ivan Tsarevich, why did you not obey me? Why did you look in the closet and let out Koshchéi the Deathless?"

"Forgive me, Marya Morevna; remember not the past. Better to go with me while Koshchéi is not here; perhaps he will not overtake us." They made ready and went. Koshchéi was out hunting; toward evening he was coming home, and his good steed stumbled under him. "Why do you stumble, hungry crowbait; or do you feel some misfortune?" The horse answered, "Ivan Tsarevich came and took Marya Morevna away." "Can we overtake them?" "You might sow wheat, wait till it ripens, reap it, thresh it, make flour, bake five ovens of bread, eat that bread, go in pursuit, and overtake them."

Koshchéi galloped on, overtook Ivan Tsarevich. "Well," said he, "I forgive you the first time for your kindness, because you gave me water to drink; and a second time I will forgive you: but for the third have a care; I will hew you to pieces." He took Marya Morevna and led her away.

Ivan Tsarevich sat on a stone and wept; he cried and cried, then went back for Marya Morevna. Koshchéi the Deathless was not at home. "Let us go, Marya Morevna." "Ah, Ivan Tsarevich, he will overtake us!" "Let him overtake us; anyhow, we shall spend a couple of hours together." They made ready and started away. Koshchéi the Deathless was coming home; his good steed stumbled under him. "Why do you stumble, hungry crowbait; or do you feel evil?" "Ivan Tsarevich came and carried Marya Morevna away." "Can they be overtaken?" "Barley might be sown, waited for till ripe, harvested, threshed, and beer made of it; we might drink the beer, sleep after drinking, then pursue and catch them." Koshchéi galloped on, rode up, and overtook Ivan Tsarevich. "But I have said that you can no more see Marya Morevna than look at your own ears." He took her away and led her home.

Ivan Tsarevich remained alone; he cried and cried, and went back for Marya Morevna. That time Koshchéi was not at home. "Let us go, Marya Morevna." "Ah! Ivan Tsarevich, he will come up with us and hew you to pieces." "Let him hew me; I cannot live without you." They made ready and started. Koshchéi the Deathless was coming home; his good steed stumbled under him. "Why do you stumble, hungry crowbait; or do you feel evil?" "Ivan Tsarevich came and took Marya Morevna away." Koshchéi galloped on, caught up with Ivan Tsarevich, hewed him into small pieces, put him in a pitched barrel, strengthened it with iron hoops, and cast it into the blue sea. Marya Morevna he took home.

Now the silver grew black at the houses of Ivan Tsarevich's brothers-in-law. "Oh," said they, "it is clear that some evil has happened!" The Eagle rushed off to the blue sea, caught the barrel, and drew it to shore; the Falcon flew for the living water, and the Raven for the dead water. All flew together to the same place, broke the barrel, took out the pieces of Ivan Tsarevich, washed them, and put them together in proper order. The Raven sprinkled them with dead water, the body grew together and united; the Falcon sprinkled the body with living water. Ivan Tsarevich trembled, rose up, and said, "Oh, how long I have been sleeping!" "You would have slept still longer without us," answered the brothers-in-law. "Come now to our houses." "No, brothers, I shall go to seek Marya Morevna." He came to her and said, "Find out from Koshchéi the Deathless where he found such a steed."

Behold, Marya Morevna seized a favorable moment and inquired of Koshchéi. Koshchéi said, "Beyond the thrice-ninth land, in the thirtieth kingdom, beyond the fiery river, lives Baba-Yaga; and she has a mare on which she flies round the world each day; she has many other glorious mares. I was her herdsman for three days. I let not one mare stray from her, and for that service Baba-Yaga gave me a colt." "But how did you cross the river of fire?" "I have a kerchief of such sort that when I wave it on the right side three times, a bridge is made, lofty and high; the fire cannot reach it." Marya Morevna listened, told all to Ivan Tsarevich, carried away the kerchief, and gave it to him.

Ivan Tsarevich crossed the fiery river and went to Baba-Yaga. Long did he go without eating and drinking; a bird from beyond the sea, with her little children, happened in his way. "I'll eat one little chick," said Ivan Tsarevich. "Eat it not, Ivan Tsarevich," begged the bird from beyond the sea; "in time I will serve you." He went farther and saw in the forest a swarm of bees. "I'll take some honey," said he. The queen bee called out, "Touch not my honey, Ivan Tsarevich; in time I will serve you." He left the honey and went on. Then a lioness and her whelp met him. "At least I'll eat this little lion; I feel such hunger that I am sick." "Touch him not, Ivan Tsarevich; in time I will serve you." "Well, let it be as you say." He went on hungry; he traveled and traveled, and there is the house of Baba-Yaga. Around the house stand twelve stakes; on eleven are heads of men, and only one stake is unoccupied.

"Hail to you, grandmother!" "Hail to you, Ivan Tsarevich! Have you come of your own good will, or from need?" "I have come to earn from you a heroic steed." "Very well, Tsarevich; no need to serve a year with me, but three days in all. If you will herd my mares, I will give you a heroic steed; but if not, be not angry, your head will be on the last stake." Ivan Tsarevich consented. Baba-Yaga gave him food and drink and ordered him to begin the work. As soon as he had driven the mares a-field, they raised their tails and all ran apart through the meadows. The Tsarevich could not cast his eyes round before they had vanished. Then he began to weep and grow sad; he sat on a stone and fell asleep. The sun was going down when the bird from beyond the sea flew up and roused him. "Rise, Ivan Tsarevich; the mares are now home." The Tsarevich stood up and came home, but Baba-Yaga was screaming and crying at her mares. "Why did you come home?"

"How could we help it, when birds from the whole world flew together and almost picked our eyes out?" "Well, tomorrow don't run in the meadows, but scatter through the sleeping forest." Ivan Tsarevich slept the night; in the morning Baba-Yaga said, "See to it, Tsarevich. If you do not herd the mares, if you lose even one of them, your stormy head will be on the stake." He drove the mares a-field. That moment they raised their tails and ran through the sleeping forest. Again the Tsarevich sat down on a stone, cried and cried, then fell asleep. The sun had gone behind the forest when the lioness ran up. "Rise, Ivan Tsarevich; the mares are driven in." Ivan Tsarevich stood up and went home. Baba-Yaga was screaming and crying more than before at her mares. "Why did you come home?" "How could we help coming? Savage beasts ran at us from the whole world, and nearly tore us to pieces." "Well, run tomorrow into the blue sea."

Ivan Tsarevich slept that night; next morning Baba-Yaga sent him to herd the mares. "If you do not guard them, your stormy head will be on the stake."

He drove the mares to the field; that moment they raised their tails and vanished from the eye, ran into the blue sea, and stood to their necks in the water. Ivan Tsarevich sat on a stone, cried, and fell asleep. The sun had gone beyond the forest when a bee flew up and said, "Ivan Tsarevich, the mares are driven in. But when you are home, do not show yourself before the eyes of Baba-Yaga; go to the stable and hide behind the manger. There is a mangy little colt lying on the dung-heap; steal him, and at dark midnight leave the place." Ivan Tsarevich rose up, made his way to the stable, and lay down behind the manger. Baba-Yaga screamed and cried at her mares: "Why did you come home?" "How could we help coming home when bees, seen and unseen, flew from the whole world and began to sting us on every side till the blood came!"