At the same time an orphan named Danila lived in the village. He was weak and couldn’t work at the factory. But he was full of dreams and liked to observe nature. Once he tried to help an old herdsman, but when he played his flute, the old shepherd felt asleep and several cattle were eaten by wolves. Danila and the herdsman were were severely punished.

A kind old woman took Danila into her house and healed him using many herbs and flowers. She taught him the lore of plants, and one day told him about the Stone Flower from Malachite Mountain. She told him it was the most beautiful flower in the world. But she also warned him, “Whoever finds that flower will never be happy.”

After Danila recovered, the manager of the factory sent him to Prokopyich to study gem carving. He was surprisingly gifted. Prokopyich was a widow without children, and he loved the boy as if he were his own son. Several years passed. Danila became a strong, handsome young man.

One day the owner of the factory sent him a commission to make a vase from malachite, along with a sketch of what he wanted. Danila began the intricate task, but he was unsatisfied with the idea on the sketch. Every day he went to the woods looking for inspiration and observing many flowers and plants. He worked for a long time and at last completed a vase like the one in the sketch. When he showed it to the other craftsmen, they liked it and praised it. But Danila said, “This vase is made precisely according to the sketch, but there is no living beauty in it. When you look at the simplest flower, joy fills your heart because of its beauty. Where is there such beauty in the stone?”

One very old craftsman warned him, “Don’t even think that way. Otherwise you could become a servant of the Mistress of Copper Mountain. Her workers live and work in the Mountain and nobody ever sees them. Once I was lucky enough to see their work. Magnificent! Our work can’t compare with theirs, because they have seen the Stone Flower and understand the beauty of the stone.”

After this conversation Danila went to the woods more often looking for a block of stone for his own vase. Prokopyich was worried about him and urged him to marry the nice girl named Katya to whom Danila was engaged. But Danila said, “I want to wait! First I need to make my own vase and then we will think about marriage.”.

One day he was in the woods looking for stone and suddenly heard a whisper saying, “Danila-Craftsman, look for stone on Serpent Hill.” He turned around and saw the dim outline of a woman, which vanished in a second. He thought, “Perhaps it was the Mistress of Copper Mountain!” So he went to Serpent Hill and found a huge block of malachite. He was very glad, took the stone home and started to carve the vase.

But soon again he was disappointed with the result and said sadly, “Maybe I am just not able to understand the power and the beauty of the stone.” So he and Katya announced the date of their wedding. The day before the wedding he went for a walk to Serpent Hill again, sat down and thought about the Stone Flower. “How I desire to see that Flower!” he mused.

All a sudden the Mistress of Copper Mountain appeared before his eyes. Danila began to implore her: “There is no life for me without seeing that Flower!”

She replied, “I could show it to you, but afterwards you will regret it. Those who have seen my Flower have left their family and come to live in my mountain. Think about Prokopyich and Katya who love you.”

“I know,” shouted Danila, “but I must see it.” “All right,” she said. “Let’s go then to my garden.” So she took him and showed him the wonderful Stone Flower.

In the evening Danila came to the village. His fiancee Katya had a party the day before the wedding. At first he had fun, danced, and sang songs, but then he became sadder and sadder. To Katya’s questions he replied that he had a headache. After the party he returned home, broke his vase and ran away.

The village was full of rumors after he disappeared, but no one knew where he had gone. Three years passed. Katya did not marry. After her parents died she came to live with old Prokopyich and helped him in his work. But soon Prokopyich died, too, and Katya lived on her own. She did not have any money, so she decided to try making some brooches.

She went to Serpent Hill hoping to find good pieces of stone. But at the hill she remembered her beloved Danila and wept. Suddenly she saw a beautiful piece of malachite. Katya took it home and tried to carve several brooches. She worked hard and well and her carving beautifully set off the natural patterns in the stone. Katya was happy when she sold her works to a merchant in the village. She thought, “My brooches are the best in his store. I was lucky finding that malachite. Maybe Danila helped me?”

She ran again to Serpent Hill looking for another good stone. But she thought again of Danila and burst into tears, sobbing, “Where are you, my beloved friend? Why did you leave me?” When Katya looked around it seemed to her she stood in an unfamiliar woods, and the mountain opened before her eyes. “Here is the magic mountain,” she thought. “Maybe I could see my Danila.”

When Katya looked down, she saw a man who looked just like Danila. The man raised his hands toward her. She wanted to jump down to him, but the vision disappeared. She told her relatives what she had seen but they did not believe her and decided that she must be ill.

The next day Katya ran to the hill hoping desperately to see Danila. Her sister followed her. Katya came to the same place and found herself in the magic woods. She started to call out, “Danila, where are you? Answer me!” The echo answered: “He is not here! He is not here!” Then suddenly the Mistress of Copper Mountain appeared and demanded, “Why did you come to my garden? If you need the stones, take what you wish and go away.”

Brave Katya replied, “I don’t need your dead stones. Give me my Danila back. You don’t have the right to take another’s fiance.” The Mistress laughed. “Do you have any idea whom you are speaking to?” Katya cried out, “I am not blind, I know who you are. I am not afraid of you! Not at all! And I know that Danila wants to come back to me.” The Mistress said, “All right, let him speak then.”

At the same moment Katya saw Danila. The Mistress said, “You have to choose, Danila-Craftsman. If you go with her, you will forget everything you saw and learned in the mountain. If you want to stay here, you have to forget the rest of the world.”

Danila sighed, “I am sorry. I can’t forget the people I love. I think about Katya every minute of my life.” The Mistress smiled and said, “All right, Danila. Go back home. And for your honesty and loyalty I will give you a present. You will not lose your knowledge that you have learned here. But do not tell people about the mountain. If somebody asks you where have you been, just say that you went away to improve your skill.”

Katya and Danila returned home, filled with joy. Katya’s sister could not find her in the woods and returned home. When she came into the house she saw Danila and Katya. She cried out, “Danila, where have you been?” Danila just smiled. “I went to study my craft with a master who lives far away. “Katya and Danila lived happily together for many years. He became known far and wide as the greatest carver in the Ural Mountains.

Russian Stories From the Old Days…

Fairy Spring had to hide her daughter from the Sun God, whose rays could easily destroy the beautiful girl, so for a very long time Snow-maiden lived deep within the woods. But it was very lonely there, and one day Snow-maiden decided to take a long walk. As she walked she heard a beautiful sound. At first it was very far away, but it drew Snow-maiden closer and closer to its source. Snow-maiden followed it for a long time, all the way to the edge of the forest. There in an open field sat Lyle, a farm boy, playing his flute. Snow-maiden listened and watched form the edge of the forest, and became enchanted with Lyle.

Snow-maiden went to the edge of the forest every day to listen to the farm boy play his flute. Lyle always ignored the beautiful girl standing in the shade of the trees, and instead danced with the girls who sat with him in the field. This broke Snow-maiden’s tender heart, and she decided to go speak with her mother about it. “Mother,” Snow-maiden began, “please let me feel real love.” Fairy Spring understood that her daughter wanted the farm boy to fall in love with her. “If you want real love,” Fairy Spring answered, “you must leave the protection of the forest and go into the open field where the boy plays his flute.”

The next day Snow-maiden once again followed the sweet sound of Lyle’s music to the edge of the woods. She stepped out of the trees, and walked into the opening. Lyle turned to look at her, and thought she was the most beautiful girl that he had ever seen in his life. Just then Snow-maiden stepped into a ray of sunshine, which illuminated her beauty to its fullest. But the Sun God’s ray was to strong for Snow-maiden, and she melted before Lyle’s eyes…

Russian Stories From Russia…

“We are growing so old. Who will take care of us?” the wife would ask from time to time.

“Do not worry, old woman. God will not abandon us. He will come to our aid in time,” answered the old man.

One day, in the dead of winter, he went into the forest to chop wood and his wife came along to help him. The cold was intense and they were nearly frozen.

“We have no child,” said the woodcutter to his wife. “Shall we make a little snow girl to amuse us?”

They began to roll snowballs together, and in a short while they had made a “snegurochka,” a snow maiden, so beautiful that no pen could describe her. The old man and the old woman gazed at her and grew even sadder.

“If only the good Lord had sent us a little girl to share our old age!” said the old woman.

They thought on this so strongly that suddenly a miracle happened. They looked at their snow maiden, and were amazed at what they saw. The eyes of the snow maiden twinkled; a diadem studded with precious stones sparkled like fire on her head; a cape of brocade covered her shoulders; embroidered boots appeared on her feet.

The old couple looked at her and did not believe their eyes. Then the mist of breath parted the red lips of Snegurochka; she trembled, looked around, and took a step forward.

The old couple stood there, stupefied; they thought they were dreaming. Snegurochka came toward them and said:

“Good day, kind folk, do not be frightened! I will be a good daughter to you, the joy of your old age. I will honor you as father and mother.”

“My darling daughter, let it be as you desire,” answered the old man. “Come home with us, our longed-for little girl!” They took her by her white hands and led her from the forest.

As they went, the pine trees swayed goodbye, saying their farewell to Snegurochka, with their rustling wishing her safe journey, happy life.

The old couple brought Snegurochka home to their wooden hut, their ‘isba,’ and she began her life with them, helping them to do the chores. She was always most respectful, she never contradicted them, and they could not praise her enough, nor tire of gazing at her, she was so kind and so beautiful.

Snegurochka, nevertheless, worried her adopted parents. She was not at all talkative and her little face was always pale, so pale. She did not seem to have a drop of blood, yet her eyes shone like little stars. And her smile! When she smiled she lighted up the isba like a gift of rubles.

They lived together thus for one month, two months; time passed. The old couple could not rejoice enough in their little daughter, gift of God.

One day the old woman said to Snegurochka: “My darling daughter, why are you so shy? You see no friends, you always stay with us, old people; that must be tiresome for you. Why do you not go out and play with your friends, show yourself and see people? You should not spend all your time with us, aged folk.”

“I have no wish to go out, dear Mother,” answered Snegurochka. “I am happy here.”

Carnival time arrived. The streets were alive with strollers, with singing from early morning until late at night. Snegurochka watched the merrymaking through the little frozen window panes. She watched … and finally she could resist no longer; she gave in to the old woman, put on her little cape, and went into the street to join the throng.

In the same village there lived a maiden called Kupava. She was a true beauty, with hair as black as a raven’s wing, skin like blood and milk, and arching brows.

One day a rich merchant came through town. His name was Mizgir, and he was young and tall. He saw Kupava and she pleased him. Kupava was not at all shy; she was saucy and never turned down an invitation to stroll.

Mizgir stopped in the village, called to all the young girls, gave them nuts and spiced bread, and danced with Kupava. From that moment he never left town, and, it must be said, he soon became Kupava’s lover. There was Kupava, the belle of the town, parading around in velvets and silks, serving sweet wines to the youths and the maidens and living the joyful life.

The day Snegurochka first strolled in the street, she met Kupava, who introduced all her friends. From then on Snegurochka came out more often and looked at the yours. A young boy, a shepherd, pleased her. He was named Lel. Snegurochka pleased him too, and they became inseparable. Whenever the young girls came out to stroll and to sing, Lel would run to Snegurochka’s isba, tap on the window and say: “Snegurochka, dearest, come out and join the dancing.” Once she appeared, he never left her side.

One day Mizgir came to the village as the maidens were dancing in the street. He joined in with Kupava and made them all laugh. He noticed Snegurochka and she pleased him; she was so pale and so pretty! From then on Kupava seemed too dark and too heavy. Soon he found her unpleasant. Quarrels and scenes broke out between them and Mizgir stopped seeing her.

Kupava was desolate, but what could she do? One cannot please by force nor revive the past! She noticed that Mizgir often returned to the village and went to the house of Snegurochka’s old parents. The rumor flew that Mizgir had asked for Snegurochka’s hand in marriage.

When Kupava learned this, her heart trembled. She ran to Snegurochka’s isba, reproached her, insulted her, called her a viper, a traitor, made such a scene that they had to force her to leave.

“I will go to the Tsar!” she cried. “I will not suffer this dishonor. There is no law that allows a man to compromise a maiden, then throw her aside like a useless rag!”

So Kupava went to the Tsar to beg for his help against Snegurochka, who she insisted had stolen her lover.

Tsar Berendei ruled this kingdon; he was a good and gracious Tsar who loved truth and watched over all his subjects. He listened to Kupava and ordered Snegurochka brought before him.

The Tsar’s envoys arrived at the village with a proclamation ordering Snegurochka to appear before their master.

“Good subjects of the Tsar! Listen well and tell us where the maiden Snegurochka lives. The Tsar summons her! Let her make ready in haste! If she does not come of her will we will take her by force!”

The old woodcutters were filled with fear. But the Tsar’s word was law. They helped Snegurochka to make ready and decided to accompany her, to present her to the Tsar.

Tsar Berendei lived in a splendid palace with walls of massive oak and wrought-iron doors; a large stairway led to great halls where Bukhara carpets covered the floors and guardsmen stood in scarlet kaftans with shining axes. All the vast courtyard was filled with people.

Once inside the sumptuous palace, the old couple and Snegurochka stood amazed. The ceilings and arches were covered with paintings, the precious plate was lined up on shelves, along the walls ran benches covered with carpets and brocades, and on these benches were seated the boyars wearing tall hats of bear fur trimmed with gold. Musicians played intricate music on their tympanums. At the far end of the hall, Tsar Berendei himself sat erect on his gilded and sculptured throne. Around him stood bodyguards in kaftans white as snow, holding silver axes.

Tsar Berendei’s long white beard fell to his belt. His fur hat was the tallest; his kaftan of precious brocade was embroidered all over with jewels and with gold.

Snegurochka was frightened; she did not dare to take a step nor to raise her eyes.

Tsar Berendei said to her: “Come here, young maiden, come closer, gentle Snegurochka. Do not be afraid, answer my questions. Did you commit the sin of separating two lovers, after stealing the heart of Kupava’s beloved? Did you flirt with him and do you intend to marry him? Make sure that you tell me the truth!”

Snegurochka approached the Tsar, curtsied low, knelt before him, and spoke the truth; that she was not at fault, neither in body nor in soul; that it was true that the merchant Mizgir had asked for her in marriage, but that he did not please her and she had refused his hand.

Tsar Benendei took Snegurochka’s hands to help her to rise, looked into her eyes and said: “I see in your eyes, lovely maiden, that you speak the truth, that you are nowhere at fault. Go home now in peace and do not be upset!”

And the Tsar let Snegurochka leave with her adoptive parents.

When Kupava learned of the Tsar’s decision she went wild with grief. She ripped her sarafan, tore her pearl necklace from her white neck, ran from her isba, and threw herself in the well.

From that day on, Segurochka grew sadder and sadder. She no longer went out in the street to stroll, not even when Lel begged her to come.

Meanwhile, spring had returned. The glorious sun rose higher and higher, the snow melted, the tender grass sprouted, the bushes turned green, the birds sang and made their nests. But the more the sun shone, the paler and sadder Snegurochka grew.

One beautiful spring morning Lel came to Snegurochka’s little window and pleaded with her to come out with him, just once, for just a moment. For a long while Snegurochka refused to listen, but finally her heart could no longer resist Lel’s pleas, and she went with her beloved to the edge of the village.

“Lel, oh my Lel, play your flute for me alone!” she asked. She stood before Lel, barely alive, her feet tingling, not a drop of blood in her pale face!

Let took out his flute and began to play Snegurochka’s favorite air.

She listened to the song, and tears rolled down from her eyes. Then her feet melted beneath her; she fell onto the damp earth and suddenly vanished.

Lel saw nothing but a light mist rising from where she had fallen. The vapor rose, rose, and disappeared slowly in the blue sky…

Russian Stories From The Old days…

On the first night the eldest son went to the field, but did not try hard enough to stay awake and fell asleep. On the second night the middle son went to the field, but he too fell asleep and did not see anything.

On the third night Ivanushka went there. At midnight he saw a great chestnut-gray stallion wearing a gold saddle and a silver bridle. The stallion started to eat and trampled the wheat. Ivanushka managed to catch the wonderful horse. The stallion said, “Let me go free, I will be your friend. If you need something, go to the field, whistle and say, “Sivka-Burka, appear here!” I will come and help you.”

Ivanushka agreed and let him go free. It happened about that time that the tsar, who had no son, organized a contest to determine who would succeed him as tsar. He placed his beautiful daughter on the top floor of a very tall tower and announced that the man who could reach the princess jumping on a horse and could take the ring from her finger would win her hand in marriage and rule the land. The older brothers decided to go to the competition, but Ivanushka stayed home.

When his brothers left, he whistled and called Sivka-Burka, who rose thundering out of the ground. Ivanushka climbed in his right ear and climbed out of the left ear a very handsome, well-dressed young man. Then he rode to the competition to try his luck. Sivka jumped trying to reach the princess. Ivan was very close to her, but couldn’t quite reach the ring. He quickly turned the horse and galloped home. There he turned back into his previous self. When his brothers came from the tsar’s courtyard they told Ivanushka about the handsome man who almost reached the princess. Ivanushka only laughed at them.

The next day the same thing happened. On the third day, Ivanushka and Sivka-Burka reached the princess and took the ring from her finger. Then they galloped away so quickly that nobody could even see Ivanushka’s face. At home he turned back into his previous self but he had one hand in a bandage. His brothers asked him, “What is wrong with your hand?” He laughed and said, “Nothing serious, just a scratch.”

Three days later, the tsar invited everyone to a feast. The old peasant came with his three sons. They sat at the table ate, drank and had fun. At the end of the feast the tsar’s daughter herself served honey to the guests. When she approached Ivanushka, she noticed the bandage on his hand and asked him, “Good young man, why do have a bandage on your hand? Let me look at it!” And there everyone saw the ring on his finger. The princess said, “Dear father, here is my fiance!” Ivanushka called Sivka-Burka, turned into the handsome man and married the princess.

Russian Stories from Russia!

“Top of the morning, Grandma! Do give me a light, and I will do as much for you some day.”

“Very well, Sister Fox,” the Old Woman said. “Sit down and warm up while I take my baking out of the oven.”

Now, the Old Woman was baking some poppy-seed cakes. She took them out of the oven and put them on the table to cool. And the Fox took one look at them, and, snatching up a cake, made off with it. She ate up the poppy-seed filling, stuffed the cake full of straw, covered it with the crust and set off on her way again at a run.

She ran and she ran till she saw two shepherd boys driving a herd of cows to water.

“Good morning, my fine lads!” the Fox called.

“Good morning to you, Sister Fox!”

“Let’s trade! You give me a young bull and I’ll give you this poppy-seed cake.”

“Very well.”

“But mind you don’t eat the cake till I leave the village.”

So the Fox gave the shepherds the cake in return for a young bull. She made off with the bull for the forest, and the shepherds began to eat the cake and found it stuffed full of straw.

Sister Fox came to her hut and she cut down a tree and made herself a sledge. She harnessed the bull-calf to the sledge and went driving along, and by and by who should come running toward her but Brother Wolf.

“Good morning, Sister Fox!” called the Wolf.

“Good morning to you, Brother Wolf!”

“Where did you get the sledge and the little bull?”

“I made them.”

“Do let me ride with you a little way, Sister Fox!”

“How can I do that? You’ll break my sledge.”

“No, I won’t. I’ll just put one of my legs on it.”

“Oh, very well.”

So the Fox and the Wolf went driving along together, and by and by the Wolf said:

18

“I think I’ll put my second leg on the sledge, Sister Fox!”

“Don’t, for you’ll break the sledge, Brother Wolf.”

“No, I won’t.”

“Well, go ahead, then!”

So the Wolf put another leg on the sledge, and he and the Fox went driving along again when suddenly there came a great c-r-rack!

“Hey there, you’re breaking my sledge, Brother Wolf!” the Fox cried.

“No, I’m not, Sister Fox, I was only cracking a nut.”

“Oh, well, if that was all!”

So the two of them went driving along again, and by and by the Wolf said:

“I think I’ll put my third leg on the sledge now, Sister Fox.”

“Don’t be silly! You’ll break the sledge, and then what will I have to carry my firewood in?”

“I won’t break it. Never you feral”

“Oh, very well, then.”

So the Wolf put his third leg on the sledge, and something went cr-r-ack! ? again.

“Dear me! You’d better go away, Brother Wolf, or you’ll break my sledge!” said the Fox.

“No, Sister Fox, I was only cracking a nut,

“Give me one!”

“I haven’t any more- That was the last.”

They went driving along again, and by and by the Wolf said:

“I think I’ll climb into your sledge now, Sister Fox.”

“You mustn’t, Brother Wolf, you’ll break the sledge!” No, I won’t. I’ll be careful.”

“Well, see that you are!”

So the Wolf climbed into the sledge and of course it broke under him and fell to pieces!

The Fox was furious. She scolded the Wolf and she scolded him. And -en she said:

“Go and cut down a tree. You bad so-and-so, and chop it up into logs, enough to keep my house warm and to make a new sledge too, and then put the logs here!”

“How will I do that?” said the Wolf. “I don’t know which tree You want.”

“You bad so-and-so!” the Fox cried. “You knew how to break my sledge, but when it comes to chopping down a tree, You pretend You don’t know how to do it.”

She scolded and scolded him and then she said:

“As soon as You come to the forest You must say: “Fall do crooked and straight! Fall down, tree, crooked and straight!”

Off the Wolf went, he came to the forest and said:

“Fall down, tree, crooked and crooked! Fall down, tree, crock crooked!”

The tree fell down, and the logs were so twisted and knobby even a stick could be made out of them, let alone sledge runners.

The Wolf took the logs to the Fox, and the Fox took one look and began scolding the Wolf harder than ever.

You bad so-and-so,” she said, You must have said the wrong

“Oh no, Sister Fox! What I said was: ‘Fall down, tree, crooked and crooked!’”

“I knew it! What a blunder-head You are! Sit here, and I’ll go and chop down a tree myself.”

And off the Fox went.

There sat the Wolf, and by and by he began to grow very hungry. He looked all over the Fox’s hut but found nothing. He thought and he thought and said to himself:

“I think I’ll eat the little bull and run away.”

He made a hole in the bull’s side, ate up his insides, stuffed the bull full of sparrows, sealed the hole with a handful of straw and himself ran away.

By and by the Fox came back. She made herself a beautiful new sledge, climbed in and called:

“Giddy-up, little bull!”

But the bull-calf never stirred from the spot.

Then the Fox took up a stick and she gave the bull such a blow that the handful of straw fell from his side, and the sparrows flew out with a wh-o-o-sh!

“You wicked, wicked Wolf!” cried the Fox. “You wait, I’ll pay You back for this!”

And off she went.

She stretched herself out on the road and lay there very quietly.

By and by some chumak carters came driving up with a wagon caravan loaded with fish. The Fox lay there without stirring and pretended to be dead.

The men looked and were much surprised.

“Let’s take the Fox and sell it, brothers,” said they. “We ought to be able to get enough money for it to buy some liquor.”

They threw the Fox into the last wagon and drove on. The Fox saw that they never looked back and began to throw the fish one after another out onto the road. Then, leaving the cart only half full, she climbed down herself.

The men drove on, and the Fox gathered up the fish, sat down and began to eat.

By and by the Wolf came running up.

“Hello there, Sister Fox!” he called.

“Hello yourself, Brother Wolf!”

“What are You doing, Sister Fox?”

“Eating fish.”

“Give me some!”

“Go catch them yourself.”

“I can’t, I don’t know how to do it!”

“Well, that’s your business, You won’t get as much as a bone from me.’-

” Won’t You at least tell me how to do it”

And the Fox said to herself:

“You wait, Little Brother! You ate my little bull and now I’ll pay You back for it!”

Then she turned to the Wolf and said:

“Go to the river, put your tail into an ice hole, move it slowly back and forth and say: ‘Come and be caught, fish, big and small!’ That way you’ll catch all the fish You want.”

“Thank You for telling me,” said the Wolf.

He ran to the river, let down his tail into an ice hole, moved it slowly, back and forth and said:

“Come and be caught, fish, big and small!”

And the Fox looked out at him through the reeds on the bank and said:

“Freeze, freeze, Wolf’s tail!”

Now, there was a bitter frost out, and the Wolf kept moving his tail back and forth and saying:

“Come and be caught, fish, big and small!”

And the Fox kept repeating:

“Freeze, freeze, Wolf’s tail!”

There the Wolf stayed catching fish till his tail was frozen fast to the ice, and when that happened the Fox ran to the village and cried:

“Come, good people, and kill the Wolf!”

And the villagers came running with pokers, prongs and axes. They fell on the poor Wolf and killed him.

And as for the Fox, she still lives in her hut as snug as You please.

Russian Stories From the Old Days…

The old man and the old woman died, and Alyonushka and Ivanushka were left all alone in the world.

Alyonushka set off to work and took her little brother with her. They had a long way to go, and a wide field to cross, and after they had been walking for a time, Ivanushka began to feel very thirsty. “Sister Alyonushka, I am thirsty,” he said. “Be patient, little brother, we shall soon come to a well.” They walked and they walked, and the sun was now high up in the sky, and so hot were the two that they felt very blue. They came upon a cow’s hoof filled with water, and Ivanushka said: “May I drink out of the hoof, Sister Alyonushka?”

“No, little brother. If you do, you will turn into a calf.”

Ivanushka obeyed, and they walked on a bit farther. The sun was still high up in the sky, and the heat was so bad that they felt very sad. They came upon a horse’s hoof filled with water, and Ivanushka said: May I drink out of the hoof. Sister Alyonushka?”

“No, little brother. If you do, you will turn into a foal.”

Ivanushka sighed and they walked on again. They walked and they walked, but the sun was still high up in the sky, and the air was so dry that they felt they could die. They came upon a goat’s hoof filled with water, and Ivanushka said: “May I drink out of the hoof, Sister Alyonushka?”

“No, little brother. If you do, you will turn into a kid.” But Ivanushka did not heed his sister and drank out of the goat’s hoof. And the moment he did so he turned into a little white goat. Alyonushka called her brother, and instead of Ivanushka the goat came running up to her.

Alyonushka burst into tears. She sat sobbing on the ground by a stack of hay while the little goat skipped round in play. Just then a Merchant chanced to be riding by.

“What are you crying for, pretty maid?” asked he. Alyonushka told him of her trouble. Said the Merchant:

“Marry me, pretty maid. I will dress you in gold and silver, and the little goat will live with us.”

Alyonushka thought it over and agreed to marry the Merchant.

They lived together happily, and the little goat lived with them and ate and drank with Alyonushka out of the same cup.

One day the Merchant went away from home and all of a sudden a Witch appeared out of nowhere. She stood under Alyonushka’s window and begged her ever so sweetly to go and bathe in the river with her.

Alyonushka followed the Witch to the river, and when they got there the Witch fell upon Alyonushka and, tying a stone round her neck, threw her into the water and herself took on her shape.

Then she put on Alyonushka’s clothes and went to her house, and no one guessed she was not Alyonushka but a Witch. The Merchant came home and even he did not guess.

Only the little goat knew what had happened. He went about with drooping head and did not touch food or drink. Morning and evening he never left the river bank and, standing at the water’s edge, called:

“Sister, dear Sister Alyonushka!
Swim out, swim out to me”.

The Witch learned of this, and she asked her husband to kill the little goat.

The Merchant was sorry for the little goat, for he had become very fond of him. But the Witch kept coaxing and wheedling so that there was nothing to be done, and he gave in at last.

“All right, you kill him then,” he said. The Witch had big fires kindled, big pots heated and big knives sharpened.

The little goat found out that he was going to be killed, so he said to the Merchant:

“Let me go to the river before I die and have a last little drink.” “Go,” said the Merchant.

The little goat ran to the river, stood on the bank and cried piteously:

“Sister, dear Sister Alyonushka!
Swim out, swim out to me.
Fires are burning high,
Pots are boiling,
Knives are ringing,
And I am going to die.”

And Alyonushka answered from out the river:

“Brother, dear Brother Ivanushka!
A heavy stone lies on my shoulders,
Silken weeds entangle my legs,
fellow sands press hard on my breast.”

“Go and find the goat and bring him to me.”
The servant went to the river, and what did he see but the little goat running up and down the bank, calling piteously:

“Sister, dear Sister Alyonushka!
Swim out, swim out to me.
Fires are burning high,
Pots are boiling,
Knives are ringing,
And I am going to die.”

And from the river someone’s voice called back:

“Brother, dear Brother Ivanushka!
A heavy stone lies on my shoulders,
Silken weeds entangle my legs,
Yellow sands press harden my breast.”

The servant ran home and told his master what he had heard and seen. The Merchant called some people together, they went down to the river and, casting a silken net, dragged Alyonushka out on to the bank. They untied the stone which was round her neck, dipped her in spring water and dressed her in bright clothes. And Alyonushka came back to life and was more beautiful than ever.

The little goat was wild with joy, he turned three somersaults, and lo and behold! He was changed into his proper shape again.

And the wicked Witch was tied to a horse’s tail and the horse turned loose in an open field to be drug until the end of her days.

Russian Stories From Old…

“I served my master for so many years and watched over his house,”

said he to himself, “and now that I’m old and weak he grudges me even a crust of bread and has driven me out of the house.”

He wandered on, thinking these thoughts, when all of a sudden who should come up to him but a Wolf.

“What are you doing, roaming about like that?” asked the Wolf.

“There’s nothing else I can do, for my master has driven me out of the house,” Sirko replied.

“I can help you if you like,” the Wolf said. “If you do as I say, your master will take you back again.”

“Please, please help me, my dear friend!” Sirko cried. “I will find a way to repay you for your kindness.”

“Well, then, listen to me. Your master and mistress will soon go out to the fields to reap, and the mistress will leave her baby beside a stack of straw to sleep there while she is helping her husband. Now, you must stay close to the baby so I’ll know where it is. I’ll come running up and carry it off, and you must run after me and try to take it away. Then I’ll pretend I’m frightened and let it go.”

The time to reap the wheat came, and the master and mistress went to the field. The mistress left her baby beside a straw stack and herself joined her husband and set to work. They were not at it very long when the Wolf ran up. He seized the baby and ran off with it across the field. Sirko ran after him, and his master cried:

“Catch him, Sirko!”

Sirko caught up with the Wolf, snatched the baby away from him, and brought it back to his master. And his master got out some bread and a piece of bacon from a sack and said:

“Here, Sirko, eat your fill! This is to thank you for saving our baby.”

Evening came, the master and mistress went home, and they took Sirko with them. They went into the house, and the master said:

“Make us an extra dish of dumplings, wife, and don’t spare the fat!”

The dumplings were soon ready, and the master seated Sirko at the table and sat down beside him.

“Serve the dumplings, wife!” said he. “We’re going to have our supper.”

The mistress set the dumplings on the table, and the master filled a dish full of them and gave the dish to Sirko. And he blew on them lest Sirko burn himself while he ate.

“This is all the Wolf’s doing,” said Sirko to himself. “I must repay him for his kindness.”

Now, Sirko’s master, who had waited till it was the season for eating meat, prepared to marry off his eldest daughter.

Sirko went out into the field, found the Wolf there and said to him.

“Come to our vegetable garden toward evening on Sunday. I will take you into the house and repay you for your kindness.”

The Wolf waited till Sunday came round and went where Sirko ha told him to.

Now, it was on that very day that the wedding was held. Sirko went outside, took the Wolf into the house and hid him under the table. The he seized a bottle of vodka and a big piece of meat from the table and gave them to the Wolf. The guests wanted to beat Sirko, but the master stopped them.

“Do not touch Sirko!” he said. “He has done me a great service, an I will be kind to him always.”

And Sirko took some of the best pieces from the table and gave them to the Wolf. So well did he feast him that the Wolf who had had to much to drink could not stop himself and said:

“I’m going to sing!”

“Please don’t or you’ll get into trouble,” Sirko begged. “I’ll give yo some more vodka if only you promise to keep quiet.”

He gave the Wolf another bottle of vodka, and the Wolf drained it dry.

“I’m going to sing no matter what you say!” he cried.

“Don’t do it or we’ll both pay with our lives for it!” Sirko said.

“I can’t help myself, I’m going to sing and that’s the end of it!” the Wolf cried again, and he let out a terrific howl from under the table!

The guests jumped up in fright, they rushed hither and thither, and some of them wanted to beat up the Wolf. So then Sirko jumped on top of him and made as though he was about to kill him.

“Don’t touch the Wolf or you’ll hurt Sirko!” the master said. “And don’t you worry, he’ll teach him a good lesson!”

Sirko took the Wolf to the field and said:

“You did me a kindness once, and now I have paid you back for it!”

They bade each other goodbye and went their separate ways.

Soviet Stories…

Kokovanya, Daryonka, and the kitten were not rich but they had a good life. While the old man hunted, Daryonka would clean the cottage and cook soup. Her cat kept her company. At night, Kokovanya told wonderful tales, but the girl?s favorite was the one about Silver Hoof, the magical goat. Legend had it that Silver Hoof was a very special goat. Where most goats have two horns, Silver Hoof has antlers with five tines. On his right forefoot he had a silver hoof. When he stamped his foot, a gem would be left there. If he stamped it twice there would be two, but if he pawed the ground there would be a whole pile of gems.

Kokovanya told Daryonka that he had been trying for years to find Silver Hoof and that when Autumn came he would be going into the woods to find him. Daryonka begged the old man to let her go with him, since she would be so lonely in the cottage and because she truly wanted to see Silver Hoof also.

So the old man, the young girl, and the cat headed deep into the woods. By now the cat was a very healthy and hearty cat and could offer them protection. They stayed in a cabin that the old man had there. The hunter hunted many goats, but he never found Silver Hoof. Towards the end of winter, he told Daryonka that he had so many goat skins and meat that he would have to go into town to get a horse to help bring it all home. It would take him several days.

On the 2nd day that Daryonka was by herself in the cabin, she heard a pitter patter outside. It was Silver Hoof! She opened the door and called out to him, but he ran away. On the 3rd day the cat went out to play but did not return. Daryonka was worried so she went outside to find him. There he was in the glade with Silver Hoof. Both were nodding their heads as if they were talking to each other. Then they began to run about in the snow. The goat would run and stamp all around the cabin. Then he jumped upon the roof and stamped some more. Precious stones flashed out like sparks — red, green, light blue, dark blue, and many other colors.

It was then that Kokovanya returned, but he did not recognize his hut. It was covered in gems and sparkled in the moonlight. Suddenly, Silver Hoof and the cat just disappeared from the roof. They were gone. The old man gathered some of the stones in his hat and then he and Daryonka went in to sleep. They had such wonderful dreams. When they awoke they ran outside to look at the wonder, but all the gems were gone. All they had left were the ones the old man had put in his hat. But that was enough to let them live happily ever after. No one ever saw Silver Hoof or the cat again, but sometimes people still find stones in the glade where the goat played that night.

Alas! Misfortune strikes us all, and so it struck Sadko. A day arrived when no one called for his presence, and he did not sing that day, neither did he receive any payment for his music. A second day passed without feast or banquet calling for his songs, and then a third. His money pouch was quicky being depleted, and his plans for an easier life being thwarted.

Sighing with regret, Sadko journeyed down to the shores of Lake Ilmen and sat upon a rock by the waters. He began to pluck the strings of his faithful gusli, and to sing a song of lament. All the day, from just after the rising of the great, red sun until late in the afternoon as that same sun sank toward the western hills, Sadko played and sang. First a lament, then a mighty ballad of a great bogatyr, then a love song, then another lament, and so on through the passing hours. Just as evening fell, as he finished another song, there was a disturbance in the waters of the lake. Suddenly the waves began to swirl and a great noise of thunder rose from the depths of the waters. Great clouds of sand darkened the lake still further. Sadko, quite frightened, tucked his gusli under his arm and fled back to the town of Novgorod.

The dark night passed and once again the sun rose into the heavens, but once again no invitation to perform came to Sadko. Being forced into idleness is tremendously wearing, so the bard went once again to the lovely shores of Lake Ilmen, sat upon the rocks by the blue waters, and began to sing. This day he sang new songs, songs he was only then composing in his mind. He sang to the glory of Novgorod, and to the prince, and he sang to the glory of Christ our Lord and to His Mother, the Theotokos. He sang new tales of Russian bogatyri and of magical beings who played tricks on unwary travelers. All the day long he played, and as it grew on toward dusk, there was a disturbance in the waters of the lake. Suddenly the waves began to swirl and a great noise of thunder rose from the depths of the waters. Great clouds of sand darkened the lake still further. Sadko, once more afraid, returned swiftly back to Novgorod.

On the third morning the door remained undarkened by anyone inviting Sadko to play at feasting, and so for the third time he went again to the stones on the shore of Lake Ilmen and sat in the warm sun and played his gusli while he sang sweet songs. As on the previous two days, at dusk the waves began to swirl and a great noise of thunder rose from the depths of the waters. Great clouds of sand darkened the lake still further. This time, however, Sadko remained in his place atop a great boulder and continued to sing and to play. He played as the night came on, a long while or a short while, it matters not a bit, for all of a sudden the waves grew high and crashed at the baseof Sadko’s stone, and the thunderous roar of the waters grew louder than ever before. Then, before the terrified bard could move a muscle, the waters sank back into quietude and parted! Up from the depths of Lake Ilmen strode the mighty form of the King of the Blue Seas!

“Many thanks to you, O Sadko the Bard of Novgorod,” cried the King, and his voice was like the crashing of waves and rushing of waters. “For three days now you have greatly entertained us, for I have been holding feastday in my palace beneath Lake Ilmen. All have been bewitched by the golden tones of your voice, the dexterity of your fingers on the gusli, and the wit and wisdom of your words. Would that we could reward you adequately, but I know not how I should… But wait! Go now to your home in Novgorod, O Sadko, and on the morrow you shall be called to perform at the banquet of the wealthiest merchant of the city. Everyone will be present, from the veche, to the prince, to the merchants. As always happens with men, when they have eaten and drunk all they desire, they will begin to boast, and oh, such boasting as would make a bard’s ears tingle with ideas for rollicking songs! One will brag of his great wealth, another of his noble steed, yet another of his great might and prowess in battle, and even more of his youth. Wisdom will boast of his elderly father and mother, foolishness will boast of his sweet young wife. But you, Sadko the Bard, will make a boast to shame theirs! Say to them: ‘I, Sadko the Bard, knowthat dwelling in Lake Ilmen are fish with fins of pure gold!” Those rich (and ignorant) merchants of Novgorod will delight t ridiculing your words, and they will contradict you and deny that such fish are in Lake Ilmen. Thereupon you must wager with them, setting your turbulent head against all their shops and precious goods. When they accept (and they will, for foolish men always do), take a net of silk and come here, casting the net into the lake three times. Whenyou do this, I will send you each time a fishwith fins of pure gold. And in this way you will win markets full of shops and become Sadko the richest merchant of Novgorod, and you will be able to play and sing solely for pleasure rather than sustenance!”

Sadko returned to Novgorod, sighing over the tricks of a head left to sit too long in the heat of the sun. But lo and behold! on the morrow when he went forth from his bed he was greeted by the chamberlain of the richest merchant in town, and invited to grace a great feast with song and story. And everything happened just as the King of the Blue Sea had predicted.

When everyone present, the veche, the prince, and the rich merchants, had eaten and drunk all they desired, they began to boast and oh! the braggarts told tales that would make fodder for many fine witticisms of Sadko the Bard for long years to come! One boasted of his great riches and endless treasures, another of his noble steed descended from the most ancient and worthy bloodlines, yet another of his knightly bearing on the field of battle and his prowess a arms, while a wise man boasted of his elderly and saintly father and mother, and a fool bragged of his sweet young wife. All the while, Sadko sat and spoke not a word. When the feasters had finished their bragging, the host of the banquet turned to the silent and smiling Sadko and asked him whether he had nothing to boast of. Laying aside his gusli, Sadko arose and said:

“Aie me! O noble merchants of Novgorod, o mighty prince, o all-powerful veche, what could a poor man such as I, Sadko the Bard, have to match against your glorious boasts? I have no goden treasure, I have no sweet wife. My music is a gift of God and not mine to boast of. I know of only one thing whereof I could boast, for I alone know that in Lake Ilmen swim fish with fins of gold!”

At first there was silence, then a snicker, and finally the merchants of Novgorod roared with laughter! Then they began to argue and contend with the bard, asserting that no such fish existed in the lake, or even in the wide world.

“Ah, if I were rich, like you,” lamented Sadko, “I would be able to wager much gold on the truth of my words. But alas! I have nothing but my own turbulent head to offer as stakes.”

“We gladly accept your wager, Sadko!” chuckled the over-confident merchants. “We say no fish with fins of gold are in Lake Ilmen, and we shall wager all of our shops in the Great Market and all of their fine goods against your turbulent head!”

Then Sadko took a net of silk and went straightaway to the shores of Lake Ilmen and cast it into the waters. When he drew it out, there lay within it a tiny fish with fins of pure gold. The merchants were amazed, but Sadko did as the King of the Blue Sea had bidden him and cast the net into the lake twice more, and each time he drew forth a tiny fish with fins of pure gold. Without argument and seeing that the bard had spoken truth (for the merchants of Novgorod prided themselves on their honesty), they turned over to Sadko the shops in the Great market and all their fine goods. Thus did Sadko the Bard become one of the richest merchants in the glorious town of Novgorod, and no more sang for sustenance, but rather for pleasure.

So once upon a falling night he
Bowed down beside his droopy shack
And meekly prayed to the Almighty.
The grove was turning slowly black;
Above the lake a mist was lifting;
Through milky clouds across the sky
The ruddy moon was softly drifting,
When water drew the friar’s eye…

He looks there, puzzled, full of trouble,
A fear he cannot quite explain,
And sees: the waves begin to bubble
And suddenly grow calm again.
Then — white as first snow in the highlands,
Light-footed as nocturnal shade,
There comes ashore and sits in silence
Upon the bank a naked maid.

She eyes the monk and brushes gently
Her hair and water off her arms.
He shakes with fear and looks intently
At her and at her lovely charms.
With eager hands she waves and beckons,
Nods quickly, smiling from afar,
Then — shoots within two flashing seconds
Into still water like a star.

The glum old man slept not an instant
All night, all day not once he prayed:
Before his eyes still hung and glistened
The wondrous girl’s persistent shade…
The grove puts on the gown of nightfall;
The moon walks on the cloudy floor;
And there’s the maiden, pale, delightful,
Reclining on the spellbound shore.

She looks at him, her hair she brushes,
Nods, sends him kisses drolly wild,
Plays with the waves — caresses, splashes, –
Now laughs, now whimpers like a child,
Moans tenderly, calls louder, louder…
“Come, monk, come, monk! To me, to me!..”
Then — vanishes in limpid water…
And all is silent instantly…

On the third day the ardent hermit
Was sitting by the shore, in love,
Awaiting the enticing mermaid,
As shade was lying on the grove…
Dark ceded to the sun’s emergence;
By then the monk had disappeared,
No one knew where, and only urchins,
While swimming, saw a hoary beard.

A. S. Pushkin, 1819