Once upon a time there lived a czar who had a pear tree which bore
golden fruit in his courtyard.
Then something started to steal those pears. It happened like this.
One day the courtyard was lustrous with the pears, then, during the
night, they disappeared - only the leaves were leit.
The czar also had three sons. He called them together and said,
“You will take turns watchs the pear tree.”
When night came, the oldest brother took his long-handled axe and
some food and went to the pear tree. After some time had passed, he
sat down and began to eat supper. Suddenly a mouse appeared from
somewhere, looked at him and said, “Son of the Czar, give me a crust.
of bread.”
Lae prince was annoyed. “Why would I, a czar’s son, give a mouse
ood?”
The mouse burst into tears and left him.
He sat and sat, and then he fell asleep. When he woke up, it was broad
daylight and there was not a pear on the tree.
The czar was very angry and banished him from home. The next day
he sent the middle son to watch the pear tree. He also took his long-
handled axe and some food. He came to the pear tree and began to eat
his supper. The mouse came again, looked at him and begged, “Son of the
Czar, give me a crust of bread.”
He replied, “Where was it ever heard of, that a czar’s son fed mice?
Be off with you!”
She burst into tears and left him. He fell asleep right away. When _ he
eee up in the morning and looked-the pear tree had nothing but
eaves.
The czar also banished this son from home.
On the third night, the youngest son went to guard the pear tree. He
arrived, lit a fire and began to broil some bacon, when the mouse
appeared:
“Son of the Czar, give me some bread.”
When the young prince saw how pitifully she begged, he spread fat
on some bread and gave it to her. |
She ate it and said, “Now, go to sleep. At midnight Pll awaken you.
A golden bird with a golden basket will fly here and pick the pears.
Hon cue the pear tree so that it will not hear you and maybe you'll
“eatch 16” |
So, she awakened him at midnight. He looked, and up in the pear tree
he saw a very beautiful golden bird put a golden basket among the
branches and start to pick the pears.
Slowly, slowly he climbed -the pear tree, crept up to the bird and
grabbed it by the tail. The bird jerked hard an flew off, leaving only
its tail in his hand. He took. the feathers and the basket and carried
them home.
“Well, Son, did you look after the pear tree?” the czar asked.
“I did,” he replied, “but I did not catch the thief. I only brought
back its tail and basket.” 7
He told his father what had happened. When he had finished, he asked,
“Father, give me a good horse and I’ll ride off and find this bird, for
it will come to steal again.” _
The czar gave him a good horse and away he rode. He rode and rode,
until he came to a fork in the road. Here, there was a sign which said,
“If you take the first road, you will die; if you take the second, you will
not return; if you take the third, the iron wolf will eat you.”
He thought and thought about which way to go and decided to take
the third road. He rode until he came to.a mountain, when he heard a
aun in the air. He looked and saw an iron wolf approaching, its jaws
wide open.
The boy quickly jumped off his horse and said, “Don’t eat me, Wolf,
eat my horse instead. Just see what a fine horse it is.”
The wolf looked.
“It is a fine horse,” he agreed. :
He ate the horse, then asked, “Where are you travelling, Boy?”
“T am seeking the golden bird.”
“Ah, that is a long, long journey. You will not get there alone. Just
sit on my back and hang on tight.” = 7
He sat on the wolf, and they set off on their journey. They came to
another country, which was ruled by an evil czar. The wolf stopped
by the forest.
“Well, Son,” he said, “go into the czar’s courtyard and Pll make sure
the guard -won’t see you as you go through the gate. The golden bird
is in a golden Bape on the terrace of the palace. Take the bird, but be
sure not to take the cage, or you will be caught.”
So the boy passed through the gate and approached the terrace. Sure
enough, there was the golden bird in a golden cage. He opened the
cage and took the bird. ,
The cage glowed so, shone so! He thought, “My, what a beautiful
cage! How can I leave it? I’ll take the cage as well.”
He no sooner put his hand on it than there began a great rattling
and clamour. The guards seized him and took him to the evil czar. When
the czar found out that he wanted to take the golden bird out of his
kingdom, he said, “If you bring me the golden-maned horse from the
next kingdom I shall set you free, but if not-by my sword - your
head will come off your shoulders. Wherever you may be, I shall find
you, for I have an old man who has only to look in his books to find
out who is going where.”
The boy returned to the wolf. ;
“Didn’t I say to you ‘Don’t touch the cage’?” the wolf asked. “It is
lucky you got away in one piece. Well, what’s done is done. We'll go to
the other evil czar for the horse.”
When they arrived, the wolf told him, “Go through the gate. Nobody >
will see you. Go into the stable, where you will see the golden-maned
horse. Lead him out, but do not take the bridle, or they will hear you
right away and you will be caught.”
The boy passed through the gate, and opened the stable door. Sure
enough, there was the golden-maned horse, its bridle shining in golden
splendour. When he saw it, he immediately forgot the wolt’s advice.
He no sooner grabbed the bridle than a great hue and cry began -
what a din! The guards came running, seized him and led him to the
czar.
“So, Thief,” said the czar. “You wanted to take the golden-maned
horse from my kingdom. Well-here is the sabre-off with your head!”.
The boy quickly told the whole story. Then the czar said, “In a certain
kingdom, there is a golden-haired girl. If you do not get her for me,
I shall find you even at the farthest corners of the earth.” | |
Sethe boy went to the wolf and told him the whole story. The wolf
angrily said, “Didn’t I tell you to leave the bridle alone? But no, you
wou n’t listen to me!” And he gave him a resounding slap on the
cheek.
ae obes he said, “is so that you will listen. Now get on-we’ll go for
the girl.” ;
They came to the third eng om, and approached the palace of the
royal family. The wolf said, “I’ll go for the girl myself, for you will not
be able to bring her. Wait for me here, but sit quietly, for if they catch
you here you will surely die.” ,
And so he went. When he came to the gate, he changed into a
handsome little dog and went fawningly up to the guard. One picked
him up and took him into the palace courtyard. Then the golden-haired |
girl, the czar’s daughter, came out and immediately took a liking to him.
“Oh, how I wish he were mine!” she cried.
They Ave her the dog. As she walked through the garden, the dog
followed her. When everyone went in to dinner the dog looked around -
there was no one in sight. te he oa changed back into a wolf, threw
the girl over his back, and fled. He hurried to the boy, who mounted
him, and they sped away. 7
That czar had a horse with twelve legs. When he discovered what
had happened, he immediately mounted that horse and chased after
the wolf. The wolf ran swiftly, ‘but he soon heard them catching up.
He turned to face the horse. He shook his paw, and there appeared
an iron hill so high that no horse could ever jump it. |
They rode on until they came to the place where the wolf had eaten
the boy’s horse.
“You stay here with the girl,” the wolf said, “and Ill go for the
golden bird and the golden-maned horse.”
And away he went. After a while he returned, leading the golden-maned
horse and carrying the bird. He gave them to the boy and said, “Now
I’ll stay here, and you return to your own country. But mind you do not
fall asleep on the way, or it will go hard with you.”
They got off the horse, leaving him to graze while they sat down
to rest. They were so tired that they fell asleep right away.
The czar from whom the golden bird was stolen waited and waited
for the boy to bring the horse. Finally he called the old man who could
see anything happening anywhere.
The old man looked into his books.
“There he is,” he said. “And he is asleep. Allow me to go there, Czar,
because I know the road best.”
The boy only laughed. Then he took the bird and the girl, they mounted
the horse and rode away to his own country. When they arrived, what
a sight-his brothers were sweeping the street! When they saw him,
they hid and consulted each other, saying, “Let us take what he has
gained and drive him away. We’ll tell Father that we acquired it all.”
So they seized him and threatened, “If you tell Father that we did not
acquire all this, you’ll die a cruel death.”
The boy promised not to tell. He said, “Pll go away from here to the
ends of the earth.” |
So they took the golden-haired girl, the golden-maned horse and
the golden bird and rode to the palace.
The youngest son wandered here and there, and in two years he
returned, very poor and wretched. The golden-haired girl was so happy
to see him! She took him by the hand and led him to the czar.
When the czar asked him why he was so pee he answered, “Father,
I can not tell you. Let this girl tell you the whole story.”
And that is exactly what she did.
When she had finished, the czar banished the two older sons and
the youngest married the girl and himself became czar.
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