The Red Fairy Book Page 5

  So he walked and he rode, and it seemed to him that the wood would never come to an end. But on the evening of the second day he saw a light shining through the trees.

  'If only there were some people up there I might warm myself and get something to eat,' thought Halvor.

  When he got to the place where the light had come from, he saw a wretched little cottage, and through a small pane of glass he saw a couple of old folks inside. They were very old, and as grey- headed as a pigeon, and the old woman had such a long nose that she sat in the chimney corner and used it to stir the fire.

  'Good evening I good evening!' said the old hag; 'but what errand have you that can bring you here? No Christian folk have been here for more than a hundred years.'

  So Halvor told her that he wanted to get to Soria Moria Castle, and inquired if she knew the way thither.

  'No,' said the old woman, 'that I do not, but the Moon will be here presently, and I will ask her, and she will know. She can easily see it, for she shines on all things.'

  So when the Moon stood clear and bright above the tree-tops the old woman went out. 'Moon! Moon!' she screamed. 'Canst thou tell me the way to Soria Moria Castle?'

  'No,' said the Moon, 'that I can't, for when I shone there, there was a cloud before me.'

  'Wait a little longer,' said the old woman to Halvor, 'for the West Wind will presently be here, and he will know it, for he breathes gently or blows into every corner.'

  'What! have you a horse too?' she said when she came in again. 'Oh! let the poor creature loose in our bit of fenced-in pasture, and don't let it stand there starving at our very door. But won't you exchange him with me? We have a pair of old boots here with which you can go fifteen quarters of a mile at each step. You shall have them for the horse, and then you will be able to get sooner to Soria Moria Castle.'

  Halvor consented to this at once, and the old woman was so delighted with the horse that she was ready to dance. 'For now I, too, shall be able to ride to church,' she said. Halvor could take no rest, and wanted to set off immediately; but the old woman said that there was no need to hasten. 'Lie down on the bench and sleep a little, for we have no bed to offer you,' said she, 'and I will watch for the coming of the West Wind.'

  Ere long came the West Wind, roaring so loud that the walls creaked.

  The old woman went out and cried:

  'West Wind! West Wind! Canst thou tell me the way to Soria Moria Castle? Here is one who would go thither.'

  'Yes, I know it well,' said the West Wind. 'I am just on my way there to dry the clothes for the wedding which is to take place. If he is fleet of foot he can go with me.'

  Out ran Halvor.

  'You will have to make haste if you mean to go with me,' said the West Wind; and away it went over hill and dale, and moor and morass, and Halvor had enough to do to keep up with it.

  'Well, now I have no time to stay with you any longer,' said the West Wind, 'for I must first go and tear down a bit of spruce fir before I go to the bleaching-ground to dry the clothes; but just go along the side of the hill, and you will come to some girls who are standing there washing clothes, and then you will not have to walk far before you are at Soria Moria Castle.'

  Shortly afterwards Halvor came to the girls who were standing washing, and they asked him if he had seen anything of the West Wind, who was to come there to dry the clothes for the wedding.

  'Yes,' said Halvor, 'he has only gone to break down a bit of spruce fir. It won't be long before he is here.' And then he asked them the way to Soria Moria Castle. They put him in the right way, and when he came in front of the castle it was so full of horses and people that it swarmed with them. But Halvor was so ragged and torn with following the West Wind through bushes and bogs that he kept on one side, and would not go among the crowd until the last day, when the feast was to be held at noon.

  So when, as was the usage and custom, all were to drink to the bride and the young girls who were present, the cup-bearer filled the cup for each in turn, both bride and bridegroom, and knights and servants, and at last, after a very long time, he came to Halvor. He drank their health, and then slipped the ring which the Princess had put on his finger when they were sitting by the waterside into the glass, and ordered the cup-bearer to carry the glass to the bride from him and greet her.

  Then the Princess at once rose up from the table, and said, 'Who is most worthy to have one of us—he who has delivered us from the Trolls or he who is sitting here as bridegroom?'

  There could be but one opinion as to that, everyone thought, and when Halvor heard what they said he was not long in flinging off his beggar's rags and arraying himself as a bridegroom.

  'Yes, he is the right one,' cried the youngest Princess when she caught sight of him; so she flung the other out of the window and held her wedding with Halvor.[2]

  The Death of Koshchei the Deathless

  *

  IN a certain kingdom there lived a Prince Ivan. He had three sisters. The first was the Princess Marya, the second the Princess Olga, the third the Princess Anna. When their father and mother lay at the point of death, they had thus enjoined their son: 'Give your sisters in marriage to the very first suitors who come to woo them. Don't go keeping them by you!'

  They died, and the Prince buried them, and then, to solace his grief, he went with his sisters into the garden green to stroll. Suddenly the sky was covered by a black cloud; a terrible storm arose.

  'Let us go home, sisters!' he cried.

  Hardly had they got into the palace, when the thunder pealed, the ceiling split open, and into the room where they were came flying a falcon bright. The Falcon smote upon the ground, became a brave youth, and said:

  'Hail, Prince Ivan! Before I came as a guest, but now I have come as a wooer! I wish to propose for your sister, the Princess Marya.'

  'If you find favour in the eyes of my sister, I will not interfere with her wishes. Let her marry you, in God's name!'

  The Princess Marya gave her consent; the Falcon married her and bore her away into his own realm.

  Days follow days, hours chase hours; a whole year goes by. One day Prince Ivan and his two sisters went out to stroll in the garden green. Again there arose a storm-cloud, with whirlwind and lightning.

  'Let us go home, sisters!' cries the Prince. Scarcely had they entered the palace when the thunder crashed, the roof burst into a blaze, the ceiling split in twain, and in flew an eagle. The Eagle smote upon the ground and became a brave youth.

  'Hail, Prince Ivan! I Before I came as a guest, but now I have come as a wooer!'

  And he asked for the hand of the Princess Olga. Prince Ivan replied:

  'If you find favour in the eyes of the Princess Olga, then let her marry you. I will not interfere with her liberty of choice.'

  The Princess Olga gave her consent and married the Eagle. The Eagle took her and carried her off to his own kingdom.

  Another year went by. Prince Ivan said to his youngest sister:

  'Let us go out and stroll in the garden green!'

  They strolled about for a time. Again there arose a storm-cloud, with whirlwind and lightning.

  'Let us return home, sister!' said he.

  They returned home, but they hadn't had time to sit down when the thunder crashed, the ceiling split open, and in flew a raven. The Raven smote upon the floor and became a brave youth. The former youths had been handsome, but this one was handsomer still.

  'Well, Prince Ivan! Before I came as a guest, but now I have come as a wooer! Give me the Princess Anna to wife.'

  'I won't interfere with my sister's freedom. If you gain her affections, let her marry you.'

  So the Princess Anna married the Raven, and he bore her away into his own realm. Prince Ivan was left alone. A whole year he lived without his sisters; then he grew weary, and said:

  'I will set out in search of my sisters.'

  He got ready for the journey, he rode and rode, and one day he saw a whole army lying dead on the plain. He c
ried aloud, 'If there be a living man there, let him make answer! Who has slain this mighty host?'

  There replied unto him a living man:

  'All this mighty host has been slain by the fair Princess Marya Morevna.'

  Prince Ivan rode further on, and came to a white tent, and forth came to meet him the fair Princess Marya Morevna.

  'Hail, Prince!' says she; 'whither does God send you? and is it of your free will or against your will?'

  Prince Ivan replied, 'Not against their will do brave youths ride!'

  'Well, if your business be not pressing, tarry awhile in my tent.'

  Thereat was Prince Ivan glad. He spent two nights in the tent, and he found favour in the eyes of Marya Morevna, and she married him. The fair Princess, Marya Morevna, carried him off into her own realm.

  They spent some time together, and then the Princess took it into her head to go a warring. So she handed over all the house- keeping affairs to Prince Ivan, and gave him these instructions:

  'Go about everywhere, keep watch over everything; only do not venture to look into that closet there.'

  He couldn't help doing so. The moment Marya Morevna had gone he rushed to the closet, pulled open the door, and looked in— there hung Koshchei the Deathless, fettered by twelve chains. Then Koshchei entreated Prince Ivan, saying:

  'Have pity upon me and give me to drink! Ten years long have I been here in torment, neither eating nor drinking; my throat is utterly dried up.'

  The Prince gave him a bucketful of water; he drank it up and asked for more, saying:

  'A single bucket of water will not quench my thirst; give me more!'

  The Prince gave him a second bucketful. Koshchei drank it up and asked for a third, and when he had swallowed the third bucketful, he regained his former strength, gave his chains a shake, and broke all twelve at once.

  'Thanks, Prince Ivan!' cried Koshchei the Deathless, 'now you will sooner see your own ears than Marya Morevna!' and out of the window he flew in the shape of a terrible whirlwind. And he came up with the fair Princess Marya Morevna as she was going her way, laid hold of her and carried her off home with him. But Prince Ivan wept full sore, and he arrayed himself and set out a- wandering, saying to himself, 'Whatever happens, I will go and look for Marya Morevna!'

  One day passed, another day passed; at the dawn of the third day he saw a wondrous palace, and by the side of the palace stood an oak, and on the oak sat a falcon bright. Down flew the Falcon from the oak, smote upon the ground, turned into a brave youth, and cried aloud:

  'Ha, dear brother-in-law! how deals the Lord with you?'

  Out came running the Princess Marya, joyfully greeted her brother Ivan, and began inquiring after his health, and telling him all about herself. The Prince spent three days with them; then he said:

  'I cannot abide with you; I must go in search of my wife, the fair Princess Marya Morevna.'

  'Hard will it be for you to find her,' answered the Falcon. 'At all events leave with us your silver spoon. We will look at it and remember you.' So Prince Ivan left his silver spoon at the Falcon's, and went on his way again.

  On he went one day, on he went another day, and by the dawn of the third day he saw a palace still grander than the former one and hard by the palace stood an oak, and on the oak sat an eagle. Down flew the Eagle from the oak, smote upon the ground, turned into a brave youth, and cried aloud:

  'Rise up, Princess Olga! Hither comes our brother dear!'

  The Princess Olga immediately ran to meet him, and began kissing him and embracing him, asking after his health, and telling him all about herself. With them Prince Ivan stopped three days; then he said:

  'I cannot stay here any longer. I am going to look for my wife, the fair Princess Marya Morevna.'

  'Hard will it be for you to find her,' replied the Eagle. 'Leave with us a silver fork. We will look at it and remember you.'

  He left a silver fork behind, and went his way. He travelled one day, he travelled two days; at daybreak on the third day he saw a palace grander than the first two, and near the palace stood an oak, and on the oak sat a raven. Down flew the Raven from the oak, smote upon the ground, turned into a brave youth, and cried aloud:

  'Princess Anna, come forth quickly I our brother is coming.'

  Out ran the Princess Anna, greeted him joyfully, and began kissing and embracing him, asking after his health and telling him all about herself. Prince Ivan stayed with them three days; then he said:

  'Farewell! I am going to look for my wife, the fair Princess Marya Morevna.'

  'Hard will it be for you to find her,' replied the Raven. 'Anyhow, leave your silver snuff-box with us. We will look at it and remember you.'

  The Prince handed over his silver snuff-box, took his leave, and went his way. One day he went, another day he went, and on the third day he came to where Marya Morevna was. She caught sight of her love, flung her arms around his neck, burst into tears, and exclaimed:

  'Oh, Prince Ivan! why did you disobey me and go looking into the closet and letting out Koshchei the Deathless?'

  'Forgive me, Marya Morevna! Remember not the past; much better fly with me while Koshchei the Deathless is out of sight. Perhaps he won't catch us.'

  So they got ready and fled. Now Koshchei was out hunting. Towards evening he was returning home, when his good steed stumbled beneath him.

  'Why stumblest thou, sorry jade? Scentest thou some ill?' The steed replied:

  'Prince Ivan has come and carried off Marya Morevna.' 'Is it possible to catch them?'

  'It is possible to sow wheat, to wait till it grows up, to reap it and thresh it, to grind it to flour, to make five pies of it, to eat those pies, and then to start in pursuit—and even then to be in time.' Koshchei galloped off and caught up Prince Ivan.

  'Now,' says he, 'this time I will forgive you, in return for your kindness in giving me water to drink. And a second time I will forgive you; but the third time beware! I will cut you to bits.'

  Then he took Marya Morevna from him, and carried her off. But Prince Ivan sat down on a stone and burst into tears. He wept and wept—and then returned back again to Marya Morevna. Now Koshchei the Deathless happened not to be at home.

  'Let us fly, Marya Morevna!'

  'Ah, Prince Ivan! he will catch us.'

  'Suppose he does catch us. At all events we shall have spent an hour or two together.'

  So they got ready and fled. As Koshchei the Deathless was returning home, his good steed stumbled beneath him.

  'Why stumblest thou, sorry jade? Scentest thou some ill?'

  'Prince Ivan has come and carried off Marya Morevna.'

  'Is it possible to catch them?'

  'It is possible to sow barley, to wait till it grows up, to reap it and thresh it, to brew beer, to drink ourselves drunk on it, to sleep our fill, and then to set off in pursuit—and yet to be in time.'

  Koshchei galloped off, caught up Prince Ivan:

  'Didn't I tell you that you should not see Marya Morevna any more than your own ears?'

  And he took her away and carried her off home with him.

  Prince Ivan was left there alone. He wept and wept; then he went back again after Marya Morevna. Koshchei happened to be away from home at that moment.

  'Let us fly, Marya Morevna!'

  'Ah, Prince Ivan! he is sure to catch us and hew you in pieces.'

  'Let him hew away! I cannot live without you.

  So they got ready and fled.

  Koshchei the Deathless was returning home when his good steed stumbled beneath him.

  'Why stumblest thou? Scentest thou any ill?'

  'Prince Ivan has come and has carried off Marya Morevna.'

  Koshchei galloped off, caught Prince Ivan, chopped him into little pieces, put them into a barrel, smeared it with pitch and bound it with iron hoops, and flung it into the blue sea. But Marya Morevna he carried off home.

  At that very time the silver articles turned black which Prince Ivan had left with his brot
hers-in-law.

  'Ah!' said they, 'the evil is accomplished sure enough!'

  Then the Eagle hurried to the blue sea, caught hold of the barrel, and dragged it ashore; the Falcon flew away for the Water of Life, and the Raven for the Water of Death.

  Afterwards they all three met, broke open the barrel, took out the remains of Prince Ivan, washed them, and put them together in fitting order. The Raven sprinkled them with the Water of Death—the pieces joined together, the body became whole. The Falcon sprinkled it with the Water of Life—Prince Ivan shuddered, stood up, and said:

  'Ah! what a time I've been sleeping!'

  'You'd have gone on sleeping a good deal longer if it hadn't been for us,' replied his brothers-in-law. 'Now come and pay us a visit.'

  'Not so, brothers; I shall go and look for Marya Morevna.'

  And when he had found her, he said to her:

  'Find out from Koshchei the Deathless whence he got so good a steed.'

  So Marya Morevna chose a favourable moment, and began asking Koshchei about it. Koshchei replied:

  'Beyond thrice nine lands, in the thirtieth kingdom, on the other side of the fiery river, there lives a Baba Yaga. She has so good a mare that she flies right round the world on it every day. And she has many other splendid mares. I watched her herds for three days without losing a single mare, and in return for that the Baba Yaga gave me a foal.'

  'But how did you get across the fiery river?'

  'Why, I've a handkerchief of this kind—when I wave it thrice on the right hand, there springs up a very lofty bridge, and the fire cannot reach it.'

  Marya Morevna listened to all this, and repeated it to Prince Ivan, and she carried off the handkerchief and gave it to him. So he managed to get across the fiery river, and then went on to the Baba Yaga's. Long went he on without getting anything either to eat or to drink. At last he came across an outlandish bird and its young ones. Says Prince Ivan:

  'I'll eat one of these chickens.'

  'Don't eat it, Prince Ivan!' begs the outlandish bird; 'some time or other I'll do you a good turn.'

  He went on farther and saw a hive of bees in the forest.