The tale of the sea king and the basilisa. Tale of the Sea King and Vasilisa the Wise
For distant lands, in the thirty-tenth state there lived a tsar with a tsarina; they had no children. The tsar traveled through foreign lands, along the distant sides, for a long time he had not been home; at that time the tsarina bore him a son, Ivan Tsarevich, and the tsar did not even know about that.
He began to make his way to his state, began to drive up to his land, and the day was hot, hot, the sun was so hot! And a great thirst fell upon him; whatever to give, just to drink water! Looked around and sees not far away big lake; drove up to the lake, dismounted from the horse, lay down on the ground and began to swallow the icy water. Drinks and does not smell trouble; and the king of the sea caught him by the beard.
Let me go! - asks the king.
I won't let you in, don't you dare drink without my knowledge!
Take whatever ransom you want - just let it go!
Give what you don’t know at home.
The king thought, thought ... What does he not know at home? It seems that he knows everything, he knows everything, and he agreed. I tried it - no one keeps a beard; got up from the ground, got on his horse and rode home.
So he comes home, the queen meets him with the prince, so joyful; and as he found out about his lovely child, he burst into bitter tears. He told the princess how and what had happened to him, and we wept together, but there’s nothing to do, tears cannot fix things.
They began to live in the old way; and the prince grows and grows like dough on dough - by leaps and bounds - and has grown big.
“No matter how much you keep to yourself, the tsar thinks, but you have to give: it's inevitable!” He took Ivan Tsarevich by the hand and led him straight to the lake.
Look here, - he says, - my ring; I accidentally dropped it yesterday.
He left one prince, and turned home himself.
The prince began to look for the ring, walked along the shore, and an old woman came across to him.
Where are you going, Ivan Tsarevich?
Get off, don't bother, old witch! And it's a shame without you.
Well, stay with God!
And the old woman went to the side.
And Ivan Tsarevich pondered: "Why did I scold the old woman?" Let me turn it over; old people are cunning and quick-witted! Perhaps he will say something good. " And he began to turn the old woman:
Come back, grandma, forgive my stupid word! After all, out of frustration, I said: my father made me look for the ring, I go and look out, but the ring is gone!
You are not here for a ring: your father gave you to the king of the sea; will come out sea king and will take you with him to the underwater kingdom.
The prince wept bitterly.
Don't grieve, Ivan Tsarevich! There will be a holiday on your street; just obey me, old woman. Hide behind that currant bush and hide quietly. Twelve doves will fly here - all red maidens, and after them the thirteenth; will swim in the lake; And in the meantime, take the last shirt from the last one and still do not give it back until she gives you her ringlet. If you fail to do this, you are lost forever; the sea king has a high palisade around the whole palace, for as much as ten versts, and on each spoke a head is stuck; only one empty, do not please get on it!
Ivan Tsarevich thanked the old woman, hid behind a currant bush and waits for a time.
Suddenly twelve doves arrive; they hit the ground on the cheese and turned into red maidens, every one of their unspeakable beauty: neither think, nor guess, nor write with a pen! They threw off their dresses and set off into the lake: they play, splash, laugh, sing songs.
The thirteenth dove flew after them; hit the ground on the cheese, turned into a beautiful girl, threw off her shirt from her white body and went swimming; and she was the nicest, most beautiful of all!
For a long time, Ivan Tsarevich could not take his eyes off, for a long time he looked at her and remembered what the old woman had said to him, crept quietly and took away the shirt.
A red girl came out of the water, missed it - no shirt, someone carried it away; rushed to look for everything: looking, looking - not to be seen anywhere.
Don't look, dear sisters! Fly home; I myself am to blame - I overlooked, and I myself will answer.
Sisters - red maidens hit the ground on the cheese, became doves, flapped their wings and flew away. There was only one girl left, looked around and said:
Whoever is who has my shirt, come out here; if an old man- you will be my dear father, if you are middle-aged - you will be a beloved brother, if you are my equal - you will be a dear friend!
Just said the last word, Ivan Tsarevich appeared. She gave him a golden ring and said:
Ah, Ivan Tsarevich! That you haven't come for a long time? The king of the sea is angry with you. This is the road that leads to the underwater kingdom; walk on it boldly! You will find me there too; for I am the daughter of the king of the sea, Vasilisa the Wise.
Vasilisa the Wise turned around like a dove and flew away from the prince.
And Ivan Tsarevich went to the underwater kingdom; sees - and there the light is the same as ours; and there are fields and meadows and green groves, and the sun is warming.
He comes to the king of the sea. The sea king shouted at him:
That you haven't been there for so long? For your fault, here's your service: I have a wasteland thirty miles long and across - only ditches, gullies and sharp stones! So that by tomorrow it would be smooth there like a palm, and rye would be sown, and it would grow b to early morning so high that a jackdaw could hide in it. If you don’t do that, your head is off your shoulders!
Ivan Tsarevich walks from the sea king, he himself sheds tears. Vasilisa the Wise saw him through the window from her mansion and asks:
Hello, Ivan Tsarevich! Why are you shedding tears?
How can I not cry? - the prince answers. - The king of the sea forced me in one night to level the ditches, gullies and sharp stones and sow rye so that by the morning of sleep a jackdaw could grow and hide in it.
This is not a problem, there will be trouble ahead. Go to bed with God; the morning is wiser than the evening, everything will be ready!
Ivan Tsarevich went to bed, and Vasilisa the Wise went out on the porch and shouted in a loud voice:
Hey you, my faithful servants! Level the deep ditches, demolish the sharp stone, sow spike rye so that it ripens by morning.
Ivan Tsarevich woke up at dawn, looked - everything was ready: there were no ditches or gullies, the field was smooth like a palm, and rye flaunts on it - so high that the jackdaw would be buried.
I went to the sea king with a report.
Thank you, - says the sea king, - that he was able to do the service. Here's another job for you: I have three hundred ricks, each stack of three hundred kopecks - all white wheat; Thresh for me by tomorrow all the wheat cleanly, clean, to a single grain, and do not break the ricks and do not break the sheaves. If you don’t do it, your head is off your shoulders!
Listen, your majesty! - said Ivan Tsarevich; again walks through the yard and sheds tears.
What are you crying about? - Vasilisa the Wise asks him.
How can I not cry? The king of the sea ordered me to thresh all the stacks in one night, not to drop the grains, and not to break the stacks and not to break the sheaves.
This is not a problem, there will be trouble ahead! Go to bed with god; The morning is wiser than the evening.
The prince went to bed, and Vasilisa the Wise went out onto the porch and shouted in a loud voice:
Gay you creeping ants! No matter how many of you in this world there are - all crawl here and pick out the grain from the priest's stacks cleanly and cleanly.
In the morning, the sea tsar Ivan Tsarevich calls:
Did you serve?
Served, your majesty!
Let's go see.
They came to the threshing floor - all the stacks are intact, they came to the granary - all the bins are full of grain.
Thank you brother! - said the king of the sea. - Make me a church of pure wax, so that it will be ready by dawn: this will be your last service.
Again, Ivan Tsarevich walks through the courtyard and washes his face with tears.
What are you crying about? - Vasilisa the Wise asks him from the high tower.
How can I not cry, good fellow? The king of the sea ordered to make the church out of pure wax in one night.
Well, this is not a problem, there will be trouble ahead. Go to sleep; The morning is wiser than the evening.
The prince went to bed, and Vasilisa the Wise went out onto the porch and shouted in a loud voice:
Gay, you hardworking bees! No matter how many of you there are in this world, all fly here and mold the church of God out of pure wax, so that by morning it will be ready.
In the morning, Ivan Tsarevich got up, looked - there was a church made of pure wax, and went to the king of the sea with coolness.
Thank you, Ivan Tsarevich! Whatever servants I had, no one was able to please as you. Be then my heir, the guardian of the whole kingdom; choose any of my thirteen daughters to be your wife.
Ivan Tsarevich chose Vasilisa the Wise; they were immediately married and feasted with joy for three whole days.
No more time passed, Ivan Tsarevich yearned for his parents, he wanted to go to Holy Russia.
What is so sad, Ivan Tsarevich?
Ah, Vasilisa the Wise, I felt sad for my father, for my mother, I wanted to go to Holy Russia.
This trouble has come! If we leave, there will be a great pursuit for us; the king of the sea will be angry and will put us to death. We must contrive!
Vasilisa the Wise spat in three corners, locked the doors in her mansion and ran with Ivan Tsarevich to Holy Russia.
On the next day, early sent from the sea king come - to raise the young, to call the king to the palace. Knocking on doors:
Wake up, wake up! Father is calling you.
It's still early, we haven't slept enough: come back after! one saliva answers.
The messengers left, waited for an hour or two, and knocked again:
It's not time to sleep, it's time to get up!
Wait a bit: let's get up, get dressed! another saliva answers.
For the third time, the sent ones come:
The king of the sea is angry, why do they chill for so long.
We'll be right now! - the third saliva answers.
The sent ones waited and waited and let's knock again: no response, no response! They broke down the door, and the mansion is empty.
They reported to the king that the young had fled; he became embittered and sent a great pursuit after them.
And Vasilisa the Wise with Ivan Tsarevich is already far, far away! They gallop on greyhound horses without stopping, without breathing.
Come on, Ivan Tsarevich, fall to the damp earth and listen, is there a pursuit from the sea king?
Ivan Tsarevich jumped off his horse, put his ear to the damp earth and said:
I hear the word of the people and the horse top!
They are chasing us! - said Vasilisa the Wise, and immediately turned the horses into a green meadow, Ivan Tsarevich - an old shepherd, and she herself became a meek sheep.
The pursuit comes:
Hey old man! Have you not seen - have not a good fellow galloped here with a red maiden?
No, good people, I have not seen, - Ivan Tsarevich replies, - forty years since I have been pasturing in this place, - not a single bird flew past, not a single animal prowled past!
The chase turned back:
Your royal majesty! They did not run into anyone on the way, they only saw: a shepherd grazing a lamb.
What were you missing? After all, they were! - shouted the sea king and sent a new pursuit.
And Ivan Tsarevich and Vasilisa the Wise have been riding greyhounds a long time ago.
Well, Ivan Tsarevich, fall to the damp ground and listen, is there a pursuit from the sea king?
Ivan Tsarevich dismounted from his horse, put his ear to the damp earth and said:
I hear the word of the people and the horse top.
They are chasing us! - said Vasilisa the Wise; she herself became a church, she turned Ivan Tsarevich into an old priest, and horses - trees.
The pursuit comes:
Hey father! Have you not seen, did not a shepherd pass here with a lamb?
No, good people, I have not seen it; For forty years I have been working in this church - not a single bird flew past, not a single beast prowled past.
The chase turned back:
Your royal majesty! Nowhere was a shepherd with a lamb found; only on the way and saw that the church and the priest-old man.
Why didn't you break the church down, didn't you capture the priest? After all, they were the very ones! - shouted the sea king and himself galloped in pursuit of Ivan Tsarevich and Vasilisa the Wise.
And they have gone far.
Vasilisa the Wise says again:
Ivan Tsarevich! Fall to the damp ground - not hear the chase!
Ivan Tsarevich got off his horse, put his ear to the damp earth and said:
I hear the word of the people and the horse top more than ever.
It is the king himself who rides.
Vasilisa the Wise turned horses into a lake, Ivan Tsarevich turned into a drake, and she herself became a duck.
The king of the sea galloped to the lake, immediately guessed who the duck and the drake were; hit the ground on the cheese and turned into an eagle. The eagle wants to kill them to death, but it was not of course: what would not fly from above ... the drake is about to hit, and the drake will dive into the water; is about to hit the duck, and the duck dives into the water! I fought, I fought, I could not do anything. The king of the sea rode to his underwater kingdom, and Vasilisa the Wise and Ivan Tsarevich waited good time and went to Holy Russia.
How long or short, they arrived in the thirtieth kingdom.
Wait for me in this little forest, - says Ivan Tsarevich Vasilisa the Wise, - I will go and report to my father, mother.
You will forget me, Ivan Tsarevich!
No, I won't forget.
No, Ivan Tsarevich, don't tell me, you'll forget! Remember me even then, as two doves begin to fight at the windows!
Ivan Tsarevich came to the palace; his parents saw him, threw themselves on his neck and began to kiss and pardon him; in joy Ivan Tsarevich forgot about Vasilisa the Wise.
Lives a day and another with his father, with his mother, and on the third he decided to marry some princess.
Vasilisa the Wise went to the city and hired herself to serve as a worker. They began to cook broths; she took two pieces of dough, molded a couple of doves and put them in the oven.
Guess, mistress, what will be of these doves?
What will happen? Let's eat them - that's all!
No, I didn't guess!
Vasilisa the Wise Stove opened, opened the window - and at that very moment the pigeons started up, flew straight into the palace and began to beat against the windows; no matter how hard the tsar's servants tried, nothing could drive them away.
Only then Ivan Tsarevich remembered about Vasilisa the Wise, sent messengers to all ends to ask and look for her, and found her at the soup; He took the white ones by the hands, kissed the sugar lips, brought them to their father, to their mother, and they all began to live together and live and make good money.
For distant lands, in the thirty-tenth state there lived a tsar with a tsarina; they had no children. The king rode through foreign lands, along the distant sides; I have not been at home for a long time; at that time the tsarina bore him a son, Ivan Tsarevich, and the tsar did not even know about that.
He began to make his way to his state, began to drive up to his land, and the day was hot, hot, the sun was so hot! And a great thirst fell upon him; whatever you give, just to drink water! He looked around and saw a large lake not far away; drove up to the lake, dismounted from the horse, lay down on his belly and let's swallow the icy water. Drinks and does not smell trouble; and the king of the sea caught him by the beard.
Let me go! - asks the king.
- I won't let you in, don't you dare drink without my knowledge!
- Take whatever ransom you want - just let it go!
- Give what you don’t know at home.
The king thought, thought - what does he not know at home? It seems that he knows everything, he knows everything, and he agreed. I tried it - no one keeps a beard; got up from the ground, got on his horse and rode home.
So he comes home, the queen meets him with the prince, so joyful; and as he found out about his lovely child, he burst into bitter tears. He told the queen how and what had happened to him, and we wept together, but there’s nothing to do, tears cannot fix things.
They began to live in the old way; and the prince grows and grows like dough on dough - by leaps and bounds, and has grown big.
“No matter how much you keep to yourself,” thinks the tsar, “you must give it back: it's inevitable!” He took Ivan Tsarevich by the hand and led him straight to the lake.
Look here, - he says, - my ring; I accidentally dropped it yesterday.
He left one prince, and turned home himself. The prince began to look for the ring, walked along the shore, and an old woman came across to him.
Where are you going, Ivan Tsarevich?
- Get off, don't bother, old witch! And it's a shame without you.
- Well, stay with God!
And the old woman went to the side.
And Ivan Tsarevich pondered: “Why did I scold the old woman? Let me turn it over; old people are cunning and quick-witted! Perhaps he will say something good. " And he began to turn the old woman:
- Come back, grandmother, but forgive my stupid word! After all, out of vexation, I said: my father made me look for the ring, I go and look out, but the ring is gone!
- You are not here for the ring; The father gave you to the king of the sea: the king of the sea will come out and take you with him to the underwater kingdom.
The prince wept bitterly.
Don't grieve, Ivan Tsarevich! There will be a holiday on your street; just obey me, old woman. Hide behind that currant bush and hide quietly. Twelve doves will fly here - all red maidens, and after them the thirteenth; will swim in the lake; And in the meantime, take the last shirt from the last one and do not give it back until she gives you her ringlet. If you fail to do this, you are lost forever; the sea king has a high palisade around the whole palace, for as much as ten versts, and on each spoke a head is stuck; only one empty, do not please get on it!
Ivan Tsarevich thanked the old woman, hid behind a currant bush and waits for a time.
Suddenly twelve doves arrive; they hit the ground on the cheese and turned into red maidens, every one of their unspeakable beauty: neither think, nor guess, nor write with a pen! They threw off their dresses and set off into the lake: they play, splash, laugh, sing songs.
The thirteenth dove flew after them; hit the ground on the cheese, turned into a red girl, threw off her shirt from her white body and went swimming; and she was the nicest, most beautiful of all!
For a long time Ivan Tsarevich could not take his eyes off, for a long time he looked at her and remembered what the old woman had said to him, crept up and took away the shirt.
A red girl came out of the water, missed it - no shirt, someone carried it away; rushed to look for everything, searched, searched - not to be seen anywhere.
Don't look, dear sisters! Fly home; I myself am to blame - I overlooked, and I myself will answer.
Sisters - red maidens hit the ground on the cheese, became doves, flapped their wings and flew away. There was only one girl left, looked around and said:
- Whoever it is, who has my shirt, come out here; if you are an old man, you will be my dear father, if you are middle-aged, you will be my beloved brother, if you are my equal, you will be a dear friend!
As soon as she said the last word, Ivan Tsarevich showed up. She gave him a golden ring and said:
- Oh, Ivan Tsarevich! That you haven't come for a long time? The king of the sea is angry with you. Here is the road that leads to the underwater kingdom; walk on it boldly! You will find me there too; for I am the daughter of the king of the sea, Vasilisa the Wise.
Vasilisa the Wise turned around like a dove and flew away from the prince.
And Ivan Tsarevich went to the underwater kingdom; sees - and there the light is the same as ours, and there are fields, and meadows, and green groves, and the sun is warming.
He comes to the king of the sea. The sea king shouted at him:
- Why haven't you been there for so long? For your fault, here's your service: I have a wasteland thirty miles long and across - only ditches, gullies and sharp stones! So that by tomorrow it would be smooth there like a palm, and rye would be sown, and by early morning it would grow so high that a jackdaw could hide in it. If you don’t do that, your head is off your shoulders!
Ivan Tsarevich walks from the sea king, he himself sheds tears. Vasilisa the Wise saw him through the window from her mansion and asks:
- Hello, Ivan Tsarevich! Why are you shedding tears?
- How can I not cry? - the prince answers. - The king of the sea made me in one night level the ditches, gullies and sharp stones and sow rye so that by morning it would grow and a jackdaw could hide in it.
- It's not a problem, there will be trouble ahead. Go to bed with God; the morning is wiser than the evening, everything will be ready!
Ivan Tsarevich went to bed, and Vasilisa the Wise went out on the porch and shouted in a loud voice:
- Hey you, my faithful servants! Level the deep ditches, take down the sharp stone, sow with spike rye so that it ripens by morning.
Ivan Tsarevich woke up at dawn, looked - everything was ready: there were no ditches, no gullies, the field was smooth like a palm, and rye flaunts on it - so high that the jackdaw would be buried.
I went to the sea king with a report.
Thank you, - says the sea king, - that he was able to do the service. Here's another job for you: I have three hundred ricks, each stack of three hundred kopecks - all white wheat; Thresh for me by tomorrow all the wheat cleanly, clean, to a single grain, and do not break the ricks and do not break the sheaves. If you don’t do it, your head is off your shoulders!
- Listen, your majesty! - said Ivan Tsarevich; again walks through the yard and sheds tears.
- What are you crying about? - Vasilisa the Wise asks him.
- How can I not cry? The king of the sea ordered me to thresh all the stacks in one night, not to drop the grains, and not to break the stacks and not to break the sheaves.
- It's not a problem, there will be trouble ahead! Go to bed with God, the morning is wiser than the evening.
The prince went to bed, and Vasilisa the Wise went out onto the porch and shouted in a loud voice:
- Hey you, creeping ants! No matter how many of you in this world there are - all crawl here and pick out the grain from the priest's stacks cleanly and cleanly.
In the morning, the sea tsar Ivan Tsarevich calls:
- Did you serve?
- Served, your majesty!
- Let's go and see.
They came to the threshing floor - all the stacks are intact, they came to the granaries - all the bins are full of grain.
Thank you brother! - said the king of the sea. - Make me a church of pure wax, so that it will be ready by dawn: this will be your last service.
Again Ivan Tsarevich walks through the courtyard, washing his face with tears.
What are you crying about? - Vasilisa the Wise asks him from the high tower:
- How can I not cry, good fellow? The king of the sea ordered to make the church out of pure wax in one night.
- Well, this is not a problem, there will be trouble ahead. Go to bed, the morning is wiser than the evening.
The prince went to bed, and Vasilisa the Wise went out onto the porch and shouted in a loud voice:
- Hey you, hard-working bees! How many of you are there in this world - all fly here and mold the church of God out of pure wax, so that by morning it will be ready!
In the morning, Ivan Tsarevich got up, looked - there was a church made of pure wax, and went to the sea king with a report.
Thank you, Ivan Tsarevich! Whatever servants I have, no one has been able to please as you. Be then my heir, the saver of the whole kingdom; choose any of my thirteen daughters to be your wife.
Ivan Tsarevich chose Vasilisa the Wise; they were immediately married and feasted with joy for three whole days.
No more time passed, Ivan Tsarevich yearned for his parents, he wanted to go to Holy Russia.
What is so sad, Ivan Tsarevich?
- Ah, Vasilisa the Wise, I felt sad for my father, for my mother, I wanted to go to Holy Russia.
- This is the trouble! If we leave, there will be a great pursuit for us; the king of the sea will be angry and will put us to death. We must contrive!
Vasilisa the Wise spat in three corners, locked the doors in her mansion and ran with Ivan Tsarevich to Holy Russia.
On the next day, those sent from the sea king come early - to raise the young, to call the king to the palace. Knocking on doors:
- Wake up, wake up! Father is calling you.
- It's still early, we haven't slept enough, come back after! one saliva answers.
The messengers left, waited for an hour or two, and knocked again:
- It's not time to sleep, it's time to get up!
- Wait a bit: let's get up, get dressed! - the second saliva answers.
For the third time, the messengers come: the king of the sea is angry, why do they cool off for so long.
We'll be right now! - the third saliva answers.
The sent ones waited and waited and let's knock again: no response, no response! They broke down the doors, but the mansion is empty.
They reported to the king that the young had fled; he became embittered and sent a great pursuit after them.
And Vasilisa the Wise with Ivan Tsarevich is already far, far away! They gallop on greyhound horses without stopping, without breathing.
Come on, Ivan Tsarevich, fall to the damp earth and listen, is there a pursuit from the sea king?
Ivan Tsarevich jumped off his horse, put his ear to the damp earth and said:
- I hear the word of the people and the horse top!
They are chasing us! - said Vasilisa the Wise, and immediately turned the horses into a green meadow, Ivan Tsarevich - an old shepherd, and she herself became a meek sheep.
The pursuit comes:
- Hey, old man! Have you not seen - have not a good fellow galloped here with a red maiden?
“No, they are good people, I haven’t seen it,” Ivan Tsarevich replies. - Forty years since I have been grazing in this place - not a single bird flew past, not a single animal prowled past!
The chase turned back:
- Your royal majesty! They did not run into anyone on the way, they only saw: the shepherd grazes the lamb.
- What did you miss? After all, they were! - shouted the sea king and sent a new pursuit.
And Ivan Tsarevich and Vasilisa the Wise have been riding greyhound horses long ago.
Well, Ivan Tsarevich, fall to the damp ground and listen, is there a pursuit from the sea king?
Ivan Tsarevich dismounted from his horse, put his ear to the damp earth and said:
- I hear the word of the people and the horse top.
- They are chasing us! - said Vasilisa the Wise; she herself became a church, she turned Ivan Tsarevich into an old priest, and horses - trees.
The pursuit comes:
- Hey, father! Have you not seen, did not a shepherd pass here with a lamb?
- No, good people, I have not. For forty years I have been working in this church - not a single bird flew past, not a single beast prowled past!
The chase turned back:
- Your royal majesty! Nowhere was a shepherd with a lamb found; only on the way and saw that the church and the priest-old man.
- Why didn't you break the church down, didn't you capture the priest? After all, they were the very ones! - shouted the sea king and himself galloped in pursuit of Ivan Tsarevich and Vasilisa the Wise.
And they have gone far.
Vasilisa the Wise says again:
- Ivan Tsarevich! Fall to the damp ground - not hear the chase?
Ivan Tsarevich got off his horse, put his ear to the damp earth and said:
- I hear the word of the people and the horse top more than ever.
- It is the king himself who rides.
Vasilisa the Wise turned horses into a lake, Ivan Tsarevich turned into a drake, and she herself became a duck.
The king of the sea galloped to the lake, immediately guessed who the duck and the drake were, hit the ground on the cheese and turned into an eagle. The eagle wants to kill them to death, but it was not so: whatever flies from above ... the drake is about to hit, and the drake dives into the water; is about to hit the duck, and the duck dives into the water! He fought, fought, and could not do anything. The king of the sea galloped to his underwater kingdom, and Vasilisa the Wise with Ivan Tsarevich waited a good time and went to Holy Russia.
How long or short, they arrived in the thirtieth kingdom.
Wait for me in this little forest, - says Ivan Tsarevich Vasilisa the Wise, - I will go and report to my father, mother.
- You will forget me, Ivan Tsarevich!
- No, I won't forget.
- No, Ivan Tsarevich, do not tell, you will forget! Remember me even then, when two doves begin to fight at the windows!
Ivan Tsarevich came to the palace; his parents saw him, threw themselves on his neck and began to kiss and pardon him. In joy, Ivan Tsarevich forgot about Vasilisa the Wise.
Lives a day and another with his father, with his mother, and on the third he decided to marry some princess.
Vasilisa the Wise went to the city and hired herself to serve as a worker. They began to cook the bread, she took two pieces of dough, made a couple of doves and put them in the oven.
Guess, mistress, what will be of these doves!
- And what will happen? Let's eat them - that's all!
- No, I didn't!
Vasilisa the Wise Stove opened, opened the window - and at that very moment the pigeons started up, flew straight into the palace and began to beat against the windows; no matter how hard the tsar's servants tried, nothing could drive them away.
Only then Ivan Tsarevich remembered about Vasilisa the Wise, sent messengers to all ends to ask and look for her, and found her at the soup; He took the white ones by the hands, kissed the sugar lips, brought them to their father, to their mother, and they all began to live together and live and make good money.
Sea King and Vasilisa the Wise - Russian folk tale- Russian tales
The Sea King and Vasilisa the Wise
For distant lands, in the thirty-tenth state there lived a tsar with a tsarina; they had no children. The tsar traveled through foreign lands, along the distant sides, for a long time he had not been home; at that time the tsarina bore him a son, Ivan Tsarevich, and the tsar did not even know about that.
He began to make his way to his state, began to drive up to his land, and the day was hot, hot, the sun was so hot! And a great thirst fell upon him; whatever to give, just to drink water! He looked around and saw a large lake not far away; drove up to the lake, dismounted from the horse, lay down on the ground and began to swallow the icy water. Drinks and does not smell trouble; and the king of the sea caught him by the beard.
Let me go! - asks the king.
I won't let you in, don't you dare drink without my knowledge!
Take whatever ransom you want - just let it go!
Give what you don’t know at home.
The king thought, thought ... What does he not know at home? It seems that he knows everything, he knows everything, and he agreed. I tried it - no one keeps a beard; got up from the ground, got on his horse and rode home.
So he comes home, the queen meets him with the prince, so joyful; and as he found out about his lovely child, he burst into bitter tears. He told the princess how and what had happened to him, and we wept together, but there’s nothing to do, tears cannot fix things.
They began to live in the old way; and the prince grows and grows like dough on dough - by leaps and bounds - and has grown big.
“No matter how much you keep to yourself, the tsar thinks, but you have to give: it's inevitable!” He took Ivan Tsarevich by the hand and led him straight to the lake.
Look here, - he says, - my ring; I accidentally dropped it yesterday.
He left one prince, and turned home himself.
The prince began to look for the ring, walked along the shore, and an old woman came across to him.
Where are you going, Ivan Tsarevich?
Get off, don't bother, old witch! And it's a shame without you.
Well, stay with God!
And the old woman went to the side.
And Ivan Tsarevich pondered: "Why did I scold the old woman?" Let me turn it over; old people are cunning and quick-witted! Perhaps he will say something good. " And he began to turn the old woman:
Come back, grandma, forgive my stupid word! After all, out of frustration, I said: my father made me look for the ring, I go and look out, but the ring is gone!
You are not here for a ring: your father gave you to the king of the sea; the sea king will come out and take you with him to the underwater kingdom.
The prince wept bitterly.
Don't grieve, Ivan Tsarevich! There will be a holiday on your street; just obey me, old woman. Hide behind that currant bush and hide quietly. Twelve doves will fly here - all red maidens, and after them the thirteenth; will swim in the lake; And in the meantime, take the last shirt from the last one and still do not give it back until she gives you her ringlet. If you fail to do this, you are lost forever; the sea king has a high palisade around the whole palace, for as much as ten versts, and on each spoke a head is stuck; only one empty, do not please get on it!
Ivan Tsarevich thanked the old woman, hid behind a currant bush and waits for a time.
Suddenly twelve doves arrive; they hit the ground on the cheese and turned into red maidens, every one of their unspeakable beauty: neither think, nor guess, nor write with a pen! They threw off their dresses and set off into the lake: they play, splash, laugh, sing songs.
The thirteenth dove flew after them; hit the ground on the cheese, turned into a beautiful girl, threw off her shirt from her white body and went swimming; and she was the nicest, most beautiful of all!
For a long time, Ivan Tsarevich could not take his eyes off, for a long time he looked at her and remembered what the old woman had said to him, crept quietly and took away the shirt.
A red girl came out of the water, missed it - no shirt, someone carried it away; rushed to look for everything: looking, looking - not to be seen anywhere.
Don't look, dear sisters! Fly home; I myself am to blame - I overlooked, and I myself will answer.
Sisters - red maidens hit the ground on the cheese, became doves, flapped their wings and flew away. There was only one girl left, looked around and said:
Whoever is who has my shirt, come out here; if you are an old man, you will be my dear father, if you are middle-aged, you will be my beloved brother, if you are my equal, you will be a dear friend!
I just said the last word, I showed myself Ivan Tsarevich... She gave him a golden ring and said:
Ah, Ivan Tsarevich! That you haven't come for a long time? The king of the sea is angry with you. This is the road that leads to the underwater kingdom; walk on it boldly! You will find me there too; for I am the daughter of the king of the sea, Vasilisa the Wise.
Vasilisa the Wise turned around like a dove and flew away from the prince.
And Ivan Tsarevich went to the underwater kingdom; sees - and there the light is the same as ours; and there are fields and meadows and green groves, and the sun is warming.
He comes to the king of the sea. The sea king shouted at him:
That you haven't been there for so long? For your fault, here's your service: I have a wasteland thirty miles long and across - only ditches, gullies and sharp stones! So that by tomorrow it would be smooth there like a palm, and rye would be sown, and by early morning it would grow so high that a jackdaw could hide in it. If you don’t do that, your head is off your shoulders!
Ivan Tsarevich walks from the sea king, he himself sheds tears. Vasilisa the Wise saw him through the window from her mansion and asks:
Hello, Ivan Tsarevich! Why are you shedding tears?
How can I not cry? - the prince answers. - The king of the sea forced me in one night to level the ditches, gullies and sharp stones and sow rye so that by the morning of sleep a jackdaw could grow and hide in it.
For distant lands, in the thirty-tenth state there lived a tsar with a tsarina; they had no children. The tsar traveled through foreign lands, along the distant sides, for a long time he had not been home; at that time the tsarina bore him a son, Ivan Tsarevich, and the tsar did not even know about that.
He began to make his way to his state, began to drive up to his land, and the day was hot, hot, the sun was so hot! And a great thirst fell upon him; no matter what to give, just to drink water! He looked around and saw a large lake not far away; drove up to the lake, dismounted from the horse, lay down on the ground and began to swallow the icy water. Drinks and does not smell trouble; and the king of the sea caught him by the beard.
Let me go! - asks the king.
I won't let you in, don't you dare drink without my knowledge!
Take whatever ransom you want, just let it go!
Give what you don’t know at home.
The king thought, thought ... What does he not know at home? It seems that he knows everything, he knows everything, and he agreed. Tried a beard - no one holds; got up from the ground, got on his horse and rode home.
So he comes home, the queen meets him with the prince, so joyful, and as he learned about his sweet child, he burst into bitter tears. He told the queen how and what had happened to him, and we wept together, but there’s nothing to do, tears cannot fix things.
They began to live in the old way; and the prince grows and grows like dough on dough - by leaps and bounds - and has grown big.
“No matter how much you keep to yourself,” thinks the tsar, “you must give it back: it's inevitable!” He took Ivan Tsarevich by the hand and led him straight to the lake.
Look here, - he says, - my ring; I accidentally dropped it yesterday.
He left one prince, and turned home himself. The prince began to look for the ring, walked along the shore, and an old woman came across to him.
Where are you going, Ivan Tsarevich?
Get off, don't bother, old witch! And it's a shame without you.
Well, stay with God!
And the old woman went to the side.
... And Ivan Tsarevich pondered: “Why did I scold the old woman? Let me turn it over; old people are cunning and quick-witted! Perhaps he will say something good. " And he began to turn the old woman:
Come back, grandma, forgive my stupid word! After all, out of frustration, I said: my father made me look for the ring, I go and look out, but the ring is gone!
You are not here for a ring: your father gave you to the king of the sea; the sea king will come out and take you with him to the underwater kingdom.
The prince wept bitterly.
Don't grieve, Ivan Tsarevich! There will be a holiday on your street; just obey me, old woman. Hide behind that currant bush and hide quietly. Twelve doves will fly here - all red maidens, and after them the thirteenth; will swim in the lake; And in the meantime, take the last shirt from the last one and do not give it back until she gives you her ringlet. If you fail to do this, you are lost forever; the sea king has a high palisade around the whole palace, for as much as ten versts, and on each spoke a head is stuck; only one empty, do not please get on it!
Ivan Tsarevich thanked the old woman, hid behind a currant bush and waits for a time.
Suddenly twelve doves arrive; they hit the ground on the cheese and turned into red maidens, every one of their unspeakable beauty: neither think, nor guess, nor write with a pen! They threw off their dresses and set off into the lake: they play, splash, laugh, sing songs.
The thirteenth dove flew after them; hit the ground on the cheese, turned into a red girl, threw off her shirt from her white body and went swimming; and she was the nicest, most beautiful of all!
For a long time, Ivan Tsarevich could not take his eyes off, for a long time he looked at her and remembered what the old woman had said to him, crept quietly and took away the shirt.
A red girl came out of the water, missed it - no shirt, someone carried it away; everyone rushed to search; searched, searched - not to be seen anywhere.
Don't look, dear sisters! Fly home; I myself am to blame, I overlooked, and I will answer myself. The red sisters hit the ground on the cheese, became doves, flapped their wings and flew away. There was only one girl left, looked around and said:
Whoever is who has my shirt, come out here; if you are an old man, you will be my dear father, if you are middle-aged, you will be my beloved brother, if you are my equal, you will be a dear friend!
As soon as she said the last word, Ivan Tsarevich showed up. She gave him a golden ring and said:
Ah, Ivan Tsarevich! That you haven't come for a long time? The king of the sea is angry with you. This is the road that leads to the underwater kingdom; walk on it boldly! You will find me there too; for I am the daughter of the king of the sea, Vasilisa the Wise.
Vasilisa the Wise turned around like a dove and flew away from the prince.
And Ivan Tsarevich went to the underwater kingdom; sees - and there the light is the same as ours; and there are fields and meadows and green groves, and the sun is warming.
He comes to the king of the sea. The sea king shouted at him:
That you haven't been there for so long? For your fault, here's your service: I have a wasteland thirty miles long and across - only ditches, gullies and sharp stones! So that by tomorrow it would be smooth there like a palm, and rye would be sown, and by early morning it would grow so high that a jackdaw could hide in it. If you don’t do that, your head is off your shoulders!
Ivan Tsarevich walks from the sea king, he himself sheds tears. Vasilisa the Wise saw him through the window from her mansion and asks:
Hello, Ivan Tsarevich! Why are you shedding tears?
How can I not cry? - the prince answers. - The king of the sea forced me in one night to level the ditches, gullies and sharp stones and sow rye so that by morning it would grow and a jackdaw could hide in it.
This is not a problem, there will be trouble ahead. Go to bed with God, the morning is wiser than the evening, everything will be ready!
Ivan Tsarevich went to bed, and Vasilisa the Wise went out on the porch and shouted in a loud voice:
Hey you, my faithful servants! Level the deep ditches, take down sharp stones, sow spike rye so that it ripens by morning.
Ivan Tsarevich woke up at dawn, looked - everything was ready: there were no ditches or gullies, the field was smooth like a palm, and rye flaunts on it - so high that the jackdaw would be buried.
I went to the sea king with a report.
Thank you, - says the sea king, - that he was able to do the service. Here's another job for you: I have three hundred ricks, each stack of three hundred kopecks - all white wheat; Thresh for me by tomorrow all the wheat cleanly, clean, to a single grain, and do not break the ricks and do not break the sheaves. If you don’t do it, your head is off your shoulders!
Listen, your majesty! - said Ivan Tsarevich; again walks through the yard and sheds tears.
What are you crying about? - Vasilisa the Wise asks him.
How can I not cry? The king of the sea ordered me to thresh all the stacks in one night, not to drop the grains, and not to break the stacks and not to break the sheaves.
This is not a problem, there will be trouble ahead! Go to bed with god; The morning is wiser than the evening.
The prince went to bed, and Vasilisa the Wise went out onto the porch and shouted in a loud voice:
Gay you creeping ants! No matter how many of you in this world there are - all crawl here and pick out the grain from the priest's stacks cleanly and cleanly.
In the morning, the sea tsar Ivan Tsarevich calls:
Did you serve?
Served, your majesty!
Let's go see.
They came to the threshing floor - all the stacks are intact, they came to the granaries - all the bins are full of grain.
Thank you brother! - said the king of the sea.
Make me a church of pure wax, so that it will be ready by dawn; this will be your last service.
Again, Ivan Tsarevich walks through the courtyard and washes his face with tears.
What are you crying about? - Vasilisa the Wise asks him from the high tower.
How can I not cry, good fellow? The king of the sea ordered to make the church out of pure wax in one night.
Well, this is not a problem, there will be trouble ahead. Go to sleep; The morning is wiser than the evening.
The prince went to bed, and Vasilisa the Wise went out onto the porch and shouted in a loud voice:
Gay, you hardworking bees! No matter how many of you in this world there are, all fly flocks and mold the church of God out of pure wax, so that by morning ‘it’s ready.
In the morning, Ivan Tsarevich got up, looked - there was a church made of pure wax, and went to the sea king with a report.
Thank you, Ivan Tsarevich! Whatever servants I have, no one has been able to please as you. Be then my heir, the saver of the whole kingdom, choose for yourself any of my thirteen daughters to be your wife.
Ivan Tsarevich chose Vasilisa the Wise; they were immediately married and feasted with joy for three whole days.
No more time passed, Ivan Tsarevich yearned for his parents, he wanted to go to Holy Russia.
What is so sad, Ivan Tsarevich?
Ah, Vasilisa the Wise, I felt sad for my father, for my mother, I wanted to go to holy Russia.
Now this trouble has come! If we leave, there will be a great pursuit for us; the king of the sea will be angry and will put us to death. We must contrive!
Vasilisa the Wise spat in three corners, locked the doors in her mansion and ran with Ivan Tsarevich to Holy Russia.
On the next day, those sent from the sea king come early - to raise the young, to call the king to the palace. Knocking on doors:
Wake up, wake up! Father is calling you.
It's still early, we haven't slept enough: come back after! one saliva answers.
The messengers left, waited for an hour or two, and knocked again:
It's not time to sleep, it's time to get up!
Wait a bit: let's get up, get dressed! - the second saliva answers.
For the third time, the sent ones come:
The king of the sea is angry, why do they chill for so long.
We'll be right now! - the third saliva answers.
The sent ones waited and waited and let's knock again: no response, vet response! They broke down the doors, but the mansion is empty.
They reported a gift, the young people ran away for tea; he became embittered and sent a great pursuit after them.
And Vasilisa the Wise with Ivan Tsarevich is already far, far away! They gallop on greyhound horses without stopping, without breathing.
Come on, Tsarevich Ivav, fall to the damp earth and listen, is there a pursuit from the sea king?
Ivan Tsarevich jumped off his horse, put his ear to the damp earth and said:
I hear the word of the people and the horse top!
They are chasing us! - said Vasilisa the Wise, and immediately turned the horses into a green meadow, Ivan Tsarevich - an old shepherd, and she herself became a meek sheep.
The pursuit comes:
Hey old man! Have you not seen - have not a good fellow galloped here with a red maiden?
No, good people, I have not seen, - Ivan Tsarevich replies, - forty years since I have been pasturing in this place, - not a single bird flew past, not a single animal prowled past!
The chase turned back:
Your royal majesty! They did not run into anyone on the way, they only saw: a shepherd grazing a lamb.
What were you missing? After all, they were! - shouted the sea king and sent a new pursuit.
And Ivan Tsarevich and Vasilisa the Wise have long been galloping on greyhound horses.
Well, Ivan Tsarevich, fall to the damp ground and listen, is there a pursuit from the sea king?
Ivan Tsarevich dismounted from his horse, put his ear to the damp earth and said:
I hear the word of the people and the horse top.
They are chasing us! - said Vasilisa the Wise; she herself became a church, she turned Ivan Tsarevich into an old priest, and horses - trees.
The pursuit comes:
Hey father! Have you not seen, did not a shepherd pass here with a lamb?
No, people: kind, have not seen; For forty years I have been working in this church - not a single bird flew past, not a single beast prowled past.
The chase turned back:
Your royal majesty! Nowhere was a shepherd with a lamb found; only on the way and saw that the church and the priest-old man.
Why didn't you break the church down, didn't you capture the priest? After all, they were the very ones! - shouted the sea king and himself galloped in pursuit of Ivan Tsarevich and Vasilisa the Wise.
And they have gone far.
Vasilisa the Wise says again:
Ivan Tsarevich! Fall to the damp ground - not hear the chase?
Ivan Tsarevich got off his horse, put his ear to the damp earth and said:
I hear the word of the people and the horse top more than ever.
It is the king himself who rides.
Vasilisa the Wise turned horses into a lake, Ivan Tsarevich turned into a drake, and she herself became a duck.
The king of the sea galloped to the lake, immediately guessed who the duck and the drake were; hit the ground on the cheese and turned into an eagle. The eagle wants to kill them to death, but it wasn’t it: what doesn’t fly from above ... the drake is about to hit, and the drake will dive into the water; is about to hit the duck, and the duck dives into the water! I fought, I fought, I could not do anything. The king of the sea galloped to his underwater kingdom, and Vasilisa the Wise with Ivan Tsarevich waited a good time and went to Holy Russia.
How long or short, they arrived in the thirtieth kingdom.
Wait for me in this little forest, - says Ivan Tsarevich Vasilisa the Wise, - I will go and report to my father, mother.
You will forget me, Ivan Tsarevich!
No, I won't forget.
No, Ivan Tsarevich, don't tell me, you'll forget! Remember me even then, as two doves begin to fight at the windows!
Ivan Tsarevich came to the palace; his parents saw him, threw themselves on his neck and began to kiss and pardon him; in joy Ivan Tsarevich forgot about Vasilisa the Wise.
Lives a day and another with his father, with his mother, and on the third he decided to marry some princess.
Vasilisa the Wise went to the city and hired herself to serve as a worker. They began to cook broths; she took two pieces of dough, molded a couple of doves and put them in the oven.
Guess, mistress, what will be of these doves?
What will happen? Let's eat them - that's all!
No, I didn't guess!
Vasilisa the Wise Stove opened, opened the window - and at that very moment the pigeons started up, flew straight into the palace and began to beat against the windows; no matter how hard the royal servants tried, they could not drive away.
Only then Ivan Tsarevich remembered about Vasilisa the Wise, sent messengers to all ends to ask and look for her, and found her at the soup; He took the white ones by the hands, kissed the sugar lips, brought them to their father, to their mother, and they all began to live together and live and make good money.
For distant lands, in the thirty-tenth state there lived a tsar with a tsarina; they had no children. The king rode through foreign lands, along the distant sides; I have not been at home for a long time; at that time the tsarina bore him a son, Ivan Tsarevich, and the tsar did not even know about that.
He began to make his way to his state, began to drive up to his land, and the day was hot, hot, the sun was so hot! And a great thirst fell upon him; whatever you give, just to drink water! He looked around and saw a large lake not far away; drove up to the lake, dismounted from the horse, lay down on his belly and let's swallow the icy water. Drinks and does not smell trouble; and the king of the sea caught him by the beard.
- Let me go! - asks the king.
- I won't let you in, don't you dare drink without my knowledge!
- Take whatever ransom you want - just let it go!
- Give what you don’t know at home.
The king thought, thought - what does he not know at home? It seems that he knows everything, he knows everything, and he agreed. I tried it - no one keeps a beard; got up from the ground, got on his horse and rode home.
So he comes home, the queen meets him with the prince, so joyful; and as he found out about his lovely child, he burst into bitter tears. He told the queen how and what had happened to him, and we wept together, but there’s nothing to do, tears cannot fix things.
They began to live in the old way; and the prince grows and grows like dough on dough - by leaps and bounds, and has grown big.
“No matter how much you keep to yourself,” thinks the tsar, “you must give it back: it's inevitable!” He took Ivan Tsarevich by the hand and led him straight to the lake.
- Look here, - he says, - my ring; I accidentally dropped it yesterday.
He left one prince, and turned home himself.
The prince began to look for the ring, walked along the shore, and an old woman came across to him.
- Where are you going, Ivan Tsarevich?
- Get off, don't bother, old witch! And it's a shame without you.
- Well, stay with God!
And the old woman went to the side.
And Ivan Tsarevich pondered: “Why did I scold the old woman? Let me turn it over; old people are cunning and quick-witted! Perhaps he will say something good. " And he began to turn the old woman:
- Come back, grandmother, but forgive my stupid word! After all, out of vexation, I said: my father made me look for the ring, I go and look out, but the ring is gone!
- You are not here for the ring; The father gave you to the king of the sea: the king of the sea will come out and take you with him to the underwater kingdom.
The prince wept bitterly.
- Do not grieve, Ivan Tsarevich! There will be a holiday on your street; just obey me, old woman. Hide behind that currant bush and hide quietly. Twelve doves will fly here - all red maidens, and after them the thirteenth; will swim in the lake; And in the meantime, take the last shirt from the last one and do not give it back until she gives you her ringlet. If you fail to do this, you are lost forever; the sea king has a high palisade around the whole palace, for as much as ten versts, and on each spoke a head is stuck; only one empty, do not please get on it!
Ivan Tsarevich thanked the old woman, hid behind a currant bush and waits for a time.
Suddenly twelve doves arrive; they hit the ground on the cheese and turned into red maidens, every one of their unspeakable beauty: neither think, nor guess, nor write with a pen! They threw off their dresses and set off into the lake: they play, splash, laugh, sing songs.
The thirteenth dove flew after them; hit the ground on the cheese, turned into a red girl, threw off her shirt from her white body and went swimming; and she was the nicest, most beautiful of all!
For a long time Ivan Tsarevich could not take his eyes off, for a long time he looked at her and remembered what the old woman had said to him, crept up and took away the shirt.
A red girl came out of the water, missed it - no shirt, someone carried it away; rushed to look for everything, searched, searched - not to be seen anywhere.
- Don't look, dear sisters! Fly home; I myself am to blame - I overlooked, and I myself will answer.
Sisters - red maidens hit the ground on the cheese, became doves, flapped their wings and flew away. There was only one girl left, looked around and said:
- Whoever it is, who has my shirt, come out here; if you are an old man, you will be my dear father, if you are middle-aged, you will be my beloved brother, if you are my equal, you will be a dear friend!
As soon as she said the last word, Ivan Tsarevich showed up. She gave him a golden ring and said:
- Ah, Ivan Tsarevich! That you haven't come for a long time? The king of the sea is angry with you. This is the road that leads to the underwater kingdom; walk on it boldly! You will find me there too; for I am the daughter of the king of the sea, Vasilisa the Wise.
Vasilisa the Wise turned around like a dove and flew away from the prince.
And Ivan Tsarevich went to the underwater kingdom; sees - and there the light is the same as ours, and there are fields, and meadows, and green groves, and the sun is warming.
He comes to the king of the sea. The sea king shouted at him:
- Why haven't you been there for so long? For your fault, here's your service: I have a wasteland thirty miles long and across - only ditches, gullies and sharp stones! So that by tomorrow it would be smooth there like a palm, and rye would be sown, and by early morning it would grow so high that a jackdaw could hide in it. If you don’t do that, your head is off your shoulders!
Ivan Tsarevich walks from the sea king, he himself sheds tears. Vasilisa the Wise saw him through the window from her mansion and asks:
- Hello, Ivan Tsarevich! Why are you shedding tears?
- How can I not cry? - the prince answers. - The king of the sea forced me in one night to level the ditches, gullies and sharp stones and sow rye so that by morning the jackdaw could grow and hide in it.
- It's not a problem, there will be trouble ahead. Go to bed with God; the morning is wiser than the evening, everything will be ready!
Ivan Tsarevich went to bed, and Vasilisa the Wise went out on the porch and shouted in a loud voice:
- Hey you, my faithful servants! Level the deep ditches, take down the sharp stone, sow with spike rye so that it ripens by morning.
Ivan Tsarevich woke up at dawn, looked - everything was ready: there were no ditches or gullies, the field was smooth like a palm, and rye flaunts on it - so high that the jackdaw would be buried.
I went to the sea king with a report.
- Thank you, - says the sea king, - that he was able to do the service. Here's another job for you: I have three hundred ricks, each stack of three hundred kopecks - all white wheat; Thresh for me by tomorrow all the wheat cleanly, clean, to a single grain, and do not break the ricks and do not break the sheaves. If you don’t do it, your head is off your shoulders!
- Listen, your majesty! - said Ivan Tsarevich; again walks through the yard and sheds tears.
- What are you crying about? - Vasilisa the Wise asks him.
- How can I not cry? The king of the sea ordered me to thresh all the stacks in one night, not to drop the grains, and not to break the stacks and not to break the sheaves.
- It's not a problem, there will be trouble ahead! Go to bed with God, the morning is wiser than the evening.
The prince went to bed, and Vasilisa the Wise went out onto the porch and shouted in a loud voice:
- Hey you, creeping ants! No matter how many of you in this world there are - all crawl here and pick out the grain from the priest's stacks cleanly and cleanly.
In the morning, the sea tsar Ivan Tsarevich calls:
- Did you serve?
- Served, your majesty!
- Let's go and see.
They came to the threshing floor - all the stacks are intact, they came to the granaries - all the bins are full of grain.
- Thank you, brother! - said the king of the sea. - Make me a church of pure wax, so that it will be ready by dawn: this will be your last service.
Again Ivan Tsarevich walks through the courtyard, washing his face with tears.
- What are you crying about? - Vasilisa the Wise asks him from the high tower.
- How can I not cry, good fellow? The king of the sea ordered me to make a church out of pure wax in one night.
- Well, it's not a problem, trouble will be ahead! Go to bed, the morning is wiser than the evening.
The prince went to bed, and Vasilisa the Wise went out onto the porch and shouted in a loud voice:
- You gay, hard-working bees! How many of you are there in this world - all fly here and mold the church of God out of pure wax, so that by morning it will be ready!
In the morning, Ivan Tsarevich got up, looked - there was a church made of pure wax, and went to the sea king with a report.
- Thank you, Ivan Tsarevich! Whatever servants I have, no one has been able to please as you. Be then my heir, the guardian of the whole kingdom; choose any of my thirteen daughters to be your wife.
Ivan Tsarevich chose Vasilisa the Wise; they were immediately married and feasted with joy for three whole days.
No more time passed, Ivan Tsarevich yearned for his parents, he wanted to go to Holy Russia.
- What is so sad, Ivan Tsarevich?
- Ah, Vasilisa the Wise, I felt sad for my father, for my mother, I wanted to go to Holy Russia.
- This is the trouble! If we leave, there will be a great pursuit for us; the king of the sea will be angry and will put us to death. We must manage!
Vasilisa the Wise spat in three corners, locked the doors in her mansion and ran with Ivan Tsarevich to Holy Russia.
On the next day, those sent from the sea king come early - to raise the young, to call the king to the palace. Knocking on doors:
- Wake up, wake up! Father is calling you.
- It's still early, we haven't slept enough, come back after! one saliva answers.
The messengers left, waited for an hour or two, and knocked again:
- It's not time-time to sleep, time-time to get up!
- Wait a bit: let's get up, get dressed! - the second saliva answers.
For the third time, the messengers come: the king of the sea is angry, why do they cool off for so long.
- Now we will! - the third saliva answers.
The sent ones waited and waited and let's knock again: no response, no response! They broke down the doors, but the mansion is empty.
They reported to the king that the young had fled; he became embittered and sent a great pursuit after them.
And Vasilisa the Wise with Ivan Tsarevich is already far, far away! They gallop on greyhound horses without stopping, without breathing.
- Come on, Ivan Tsarevich, fall to the damp earth and listen, is there a chase from the sea king?
Ivan Tsarevich jumped off his horse, put his ear to the damp earth and said:
- They are chasing us! - said Vasilisa the Wise, and immediately turned the horses into a green meadow, Ivan Tsarevich - an old shepherd, and she herself became a meek sheep.
The pursuit comes:
- Hey, old man! Have you not seen - have not a good fellow galloped here with a red maiden?
“No, they are good people, I haven’t seen it,” Ivan Tsarevich replies. - Forty years since I have been grazing in this place - not a single bird flew past, not a single animal prowled past!
The chase turned back:
- Your royal majesty! They did not run into anyone on the way, they only saw: a shepherd grazing a lamb.
- What did you miss? After all, they were! - shouted the sea king and sent a new pursuit.
And Ivan Tsarevich and Vasilisa the Wise have been galloping on greyhound horses long ago.
- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, fall to the damp earth and listen, is there a pursuit from the sea king?
Ivan Tsarevich dismounted from his horse, put his ear to the damp earth and said:
- I hear the word of the people and the horse top!
- They are chasing us! - said Vasilisa the Wise; she herself became a church, she turned Ivan Tsarevich into an old priest, and horses - trees.
The pursuit comes:
- Hey, father! Have you not seen, have not passed here, shepherd with a lamb?
- No, good people, I have not seen. For forty years I have been working in this church - not a single bird flew past, not a single beast prowled past!
The chase turned back:
- Your royal majesty! Nowhere was a shepherd with a lamb found; only on the way and saw that the church and the priest-old man.
- Why didn't you break the church down, didn't you capture the priest? After all, they were the very ones! - shouted the sea king and himself galloped in pursuit of Ivan Tsarevich and Vasilisa the Wise.
And they have gone far.
Vasilisa the Wise says again:
- Ivan Tsarevich! Fall to the damp ground - not hear the chase?
Ivan Tsarevich got off his horse, put his ear to the damp earth and said:
- I hear the word of the people and the horse top is more than ever!
- It is the king himself who rides.
Vasilisa the Wise turned horses into a lake, Ivan Tsarevich turned into a drake, and she herself became a duck.
The king of the sea galloped to the lake, immediately guessed who the duck and the drake were, hit the ground on the cheese and turned into an eagle. The eagle wants to kill them to death, but it was not so: whatever flies from above ... the drake is about to hit, and the drake will dive into the water; is about to hit the duck, and the duck dives into the water! I fought, I fought, I could not do anything. The king of the sea rode to his underwater kingdom, and Vasilisa the Wise and Ivan Tsarevich waited a good time and went to Holy Russia.
How long or short, they arrived in the thirtieth kingdom.
- Wait for me in this forest, - Ivan Tsarevich says to Vasilisa the Wise, - I will go and report to my father, mother.
- You will forget me, Ivan Tsarevich!
- No, I won't forget.
- No, Ivan Tsarevich, do not tell, you will forget! Remember me even then, when two doves begin to fight at the windows!
Ivan Tsarevich came to the palace; his parents saw him, threw themselves on his neck and began to kiss and pardon him. In joy, Ivan Tsarevich forgot about Vasilisa the Wise.
Lives a day and another with his father, with his mother, and on the third he decided to marry some princess.
Vasilisa the Wise went to the city and hired herself to serve as a worker. They began to cook the bread, she took two pieces of dough, made a couple of doves and put them in the oven.
- Guess, mistress, what will be of these doves!
- What will happen? Let's eat them - that's all!
- No, I didn't!
Vasilisa the Wise Stove opened, opened the window - and at that very moment the pigeons started up, flew straight into the palace and began to beat against the windows; no matter how hard the tsar's servants tried, nothing could drive them away.
Only then Ivan Tsarevich remembered about Vasilisa the Wise, sent messengers to all ends to ask and look for her, and found her at the soup; He took the white ones by the hands, kissed the sugar lips, brought them to their father, to their mother, and they all began to live together and live and make good money.