The Russian Grandmother's Wonder TalesHoughton, Louise Seymour
General
The Russian Grandmother's Wonder Tales
Houghton, Louise Seymour
Slavs -- Folklore
The Emperor said, "It would surely go hard with the eldest and the
second, but I would do nothing to the youngest." Then she told him
of her youngest brother's arrival.
The Falcon-emperor commanded his wife to bring her brother before
him, and as soon as he beheld him he fell upon his neck and kissed
him. "Welcome, dear brother-in-law!"
"A lucky and joyful meeting, dear sister's husband!" answered the
Prince; upon which they sat down to supper.
After supper the Emperor asked his brother-in-law concerning the object
of his journey, and the Prince replied that he was seeking Steelpacha,
and told him all his adventures. But the Emperor began to counsel him.
"Give up your journey," said he. "Just let me tell you something
about Steelpacha. That very day on which he stole your wife I was
awaiting him with five thousand falcons, and waged a fearful battle
with him. Blood flowed knee-deep around us, yet we could not prevail
against him. And how shall you, a single man, overmaster him? So I
give you this well-meant advice: Go back home. So much of my treasure
as your heart desires is yours; take it and go."
But the Prince answered, "Hearty thanks for your offer, but go back
with my task unperformed I will not. No, never! I must yet find
Steelpacha." For he thought to himself, "Why should I not? Have I
not three lives?"
When the Falcon-emperor became convinced that he could not move him
from his purpose he drew a feather out of his wing and gave it to him,
with these words, "Here, take this feather of mine, and if you come
into great danger strike a fire and burn it. I will come at once to
your aid with all my forces."
So the Prince took the feather and set forth to seek Steelpacha.
For a long time he went up and down through the wide world, until at
last he reached a third city. He had hardly entered it when a woman
called to him from a balcony, "Dismount and come into the court!"
The Prince turned his horse and rode into the court. Behold, here is
his youngest sister! They fall into each other's arms and lavish kisses
upon each other. She led the horse into the stable, the brother into
the castle. Then the Prince asked, "Sister, whom have you married?"
And she answered, "My consort is the Emperor of the Eagles; it is he
whom I have married."
When the Eagle-emperor came home that night his wife met him
affectionately; but he paid no attention to her greeting, but asked
her, "What man has come into my castle? Tell me at once!"
She answered, "There is no one here," and they sat down to
supper. During supper she asked him, as if by chance, "Would you do
any harm to my brothers if they should suddenly arrive?"
The Emperor answered, "The eldest and the second I should kill without
hesitation, but not the youngest. On the contrary, I would hasten to
his aid at any time, as far as it was in my power."
Then she said to the Emperor, "My youngest brother is come to pay us
a visit."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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