“Why should I not weep? The Sea Tsar has bidden me thresh clean thirty hayricks of barley without destroying a hayrick or a single sheaf, and all in a single night.” “That is an easy task. Harder tasks are to come. Sleep in peace, for the morning is wiser than the evening.” So Iván Tsarévich went and lay down. Vasilísa went to her window and cried out in a threatening voice, “Hail, ye creeping ants, as many as there be of you in the white world, all creep here and pick out all the corn of my father’s hayricks quite cleanly.” In the morning the Sea Tsar asked Iván Tsarévich if he had done this service. “I have, your Majesty.” “Let us go and see.” So they went to the barn floor, and there all the hayricks stood untouched; and they went to the granary, and all the lofts were filled to the top with corn. “Thank you, brother,” said the Sea Tsar. “Now you must make me a church out of white wax, to be ready to-night, and this shall be your last task.” Once again Iván Tsarévich went to the courtyard and began to weep. “Why are you weeping, Iván Tsarévich?” “Why should I not weep? The Sea Tsar has bidden me in a single night build a church of white wax.” “That is an easy task: harder tasks are near at hand. Lie down in peace, for the morning is wiser than the evening.” So Iván Tsarévich went to sleep. Then she went to her window and called to her all the bees in the white world, “Hail, ye bees my servants, do ye build me a church of your white wax, and let it be finished before the morning.” In the morning Iván got up, looked, and saw the church stood there made of clean wax, and he went to the Sea Tsar and reported. “Thank you, Iván Tsarévich: of all the servants I have had, none of them have been able to do as well as you. Now be my heir and the preserver of my kingdom. Now select yourself a bride out of my twelve daughters. They are all alike, face for face, hair with hair, clothing with clothing. If you guess three times the same one, she shall be your bride; if you do not, you shall suffer.” Vasilísa the Wise learned of this, chose her opportunity, and said to the Tsarévich, “The first time I will wave my dress, the second time I will smooth my dress, and the third time there shall be a fly buzzing round my head.” Thus he was able to guess Vasilísa all three times. And they were betrothed, and there was a merry feast for three days. Time went by, may-be little, may-be much. Iván Tsarévich grew anxious to see his father and mother, and he wished to go back to Holy Russia. “Why are you so grieved, Iván Tsarévich?” “O Vasilísa the Wise, I am afflicted for my father and my mother, and desire to behold Holy Russia.”