Russian Folk-TalesAfanas'ev, A. N. (Aleksandr Nikolaevich)
General
Russian Folk-Tales
Afanas'ev, A. N. (Aleksandr Nikolaevich)
Folklore -- Russia
But there was still no light in the bath, and the old woman shrieked out
to him, “Dark! much too dark!” It was not any good. So she went out,
brought a lamp, and enjoyed her steam bath.
On the third day the old man went to Vóron Vóronovich. He got there.
“How shall I regale you?” asked Vóron Vóronovich.
“Oh,” said the old man, “I don’t want anything!”
“Well, let us come and sleep on the perch.”
So the Crow put a ladder up and climbed up there with his father-in-law.
Crow Crowson settled himself comfortably with his head under his wing.
But as soon as ever the old man dropped off to sleep both of them fell
down and were killed.
THE LEGLESS KNIGHT AND THE BLIND KNIGHT
In a certain kingdom in a certain land a Tsar and his Tsarítsa lived.
They had a son called Iván Tsarévich, and the son had an attendant who
was called Katomá Dyádka[57] of the oaken-cap. When the Tsar and the
Tsarítsa had reached a great age both of them became ill, and they felt
that they would never become hale again. So they called Iván Tsarévich,
and said to him: “If we die, always follow Katomá’s advice, and do well
by him, then you will live happily; but if you do not, you will falter
and fail like a fly.”
Next day the Tsar and the Tsarítsa died. Iván Tsarévich buried his
parents, heeded their advice, and always took counsel with Katomá before
undertaking any enterprise.
Very soon, maybe a long time, maybe short, he grew up, and he wanted to
marry. He said to Katomá: “Katomá, Oaken-cap, it is so melancholy living
by oneself; I want to marry.”
“Tsarévich,” Katomá replied, “you are of the age at which you ought to
look for a bride: go into the great hall, where you will see pictures of
all the Korolévny[58] and Tsarévny in the world. Gaze on them carefully,
and select for yourself a bride, one who pleases you, and you shall
marry her.”
Iván Tsarévich went into the great hall, looked at the pictures, and he
was most delighted with Anna the Fair. She was so fair that she was
fairer than any princess in the world. But under her portrait there was
a legend: “_He who can set her a riddle she cannot solve is to marry
her. Anyone whose riddle she solves dies._”
Iván Tsarévich read the legend, and was very sad. He went up to Katomá
and said: “I was in the great hall, and I selected as my bride Anna the
Fair: but I do not know whether I can woo her.”
“Yes, Tsarévich, it will be hard for you; if you had to go there by
yourself, you would never win her. Take me. Do what I say, and all will
go well.”
Then Iván Tsarévich begged Katomá Oaken-cap to fare there with him, and
pledged him his word of honour he would obey him in joy and sorrow.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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