Russian fairy tales with a sea princess. Children's fairy tales online

For distant lands, in the thirtieth state lived - there was a king with a queen; they had no children. The king went to foreign lands, to distant lands, he did not go home for a long time; at that time the queen bore him a son, Ivan - a prince, and the king does not know about that.
He began to keep his way to his state, began to drive up to his land, and the day - it was hot - hot, the sun was hot! And a great thirst fell upon him; whatever to give, if only to drink water! Looked around and sees not far away big lake; rode up to the lake, dismounted from the horse, lay down on the ground and let's swallow the icy water. Drinks and does not smell trouble; and the king of the sea seized him by the beard.
- Let go! - asks the king.
- I won't let you, don't you dare drink without my knowledge!
- Whatever you want, take a ransom - just let go!
- Let's do something 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 a beard - no one holds it; got up from the ground, got on his horse and rode home.
Here he comes home, the queen meets him with the prince, so joyful, and as soon as he found out about his dear brainchild, he burst into bitter tears. He told the queen how and what happened to him, they cried together, but there’s nothing to do, you can’t fix things with tears.
They began to live in the old way; and the prince grows for himself and grows, like dough on dough, - not by the day, but by the hour, - and he has grown big.
“No matter how much you keep with you,” the tsar thinks, “but you have to give it away: it’s inevitable!” He took Ivan the 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 he turned home. The prince began to look for a ring, walks along the shore, and an old woman comes across him.
- Where are you going, Ivan - Tsarevich?
- Get off, do not bother, the old witch! And it's boring without you.
- Well, stay with God!
And the old woman went to the side.
... And Tsarevich Ivan thought about it: "Why did I scold the old woman? Let me turn her back; old people are cunning and quick-witted! Perhaps he will say something good." And he began to turn the old woman:
- Come back, grandmother, forgive my stupid word! After all, I said out of annoyance: my father made me look for a ring, I go - I look out, but there is no ring!
- You are not here for a ring: your father gave you to the sea king; will come out sea ​​king 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 listen to 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 bathe in the lake; meanwhile, take away the shirt from the last one and don’t give it back until she gives you her little ring. If you fail to do this, you are lost forever; near the sea king, all around the palace, there is a high palisade, 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 the time - time.
Suddenly twelve pigeons fly in; hit the damp earth and turned into red maidens, all to a single beauty indescribable: 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.
They were followed by the thirteenth dove; hit the ground on the cheese, turned into a red maiden, threw off white body shirt and went to swim; and she was prettier than all, prettier than all!
For a long time, Ivan the Tsarevich could not take his eyes off, looked at her for a long time and remembered what the old woman had told him, crept quietly and took away the shirt.
A red maiden came out of the water, missed - no shirt, someone carried it away; everyone rushed to look; searched, searched - not to be seen anywhere.
- Do not look, dear sisters! Fly home; I myself am to blame - I overlooked it, I myself will answer. Sisters - red maidens hit the damp ground, became doves, flapped their wings and flew away. Only one girl remained, looked around and said:
- Whoever it 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 my beloved brother, if you are equal to me - you will be a dear friend!
Just said the last word Ivan appeared - Tsarevich. She gave him a golden ring and said:
- Oh, Ivan - Tsarevich! Why haven't you come for a long time? The sea king is angry with you. Here is the road that leads to the underwater kingdom; step on it boldly! You will find me there too; because I am the daughter of the sea king, Vasilisa the Wise.
Vasilisa the Wise turned into 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 warm.
He comes to the sea king. The sea king shouted at him:
- Why haven't you been here for so long? For your guilt, here is your service: I have a wasteland thirty miles long and across - only ditches, gullies and a sharp stone! So that by tomorrow it would be smooth as a palm there, and the rye would be sown, and by early morning it would grow so high that a jackdaw could be buried in it. If you don't, your head is off your shoulders!
Ivan is coming - the prince from the sea king, he is shedding tears. Vasilisa the Wise saw him through the window from her towering tower and asked:
- Hello, Ivan - Tsarevich! Why are you shedding tears?
- How can I not cry? - answers the prince. - The king of the sea made me level ditches, gullies and sharp stones in one night 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!
Tsarevich Ivan went to bed, and Vasilisa the Wise went out onto the porch and shouted in a loud voice:
- Hey you, my faithful servants! Level - deep ditches, demolish sharp stones, sow spiked rye, so that it ripens by morning.
Ivan woke up at dawn - the prince, looked - everything is ready: there are no ditches, no gullies, there is a field as smooth as a palm, and rye flaunts on it - so high that a jackdaw will be buried.
I went to the sea king with a report.
- Thank you, - says the king of the sea, - that he managed to serve. Here's another job for you: I have three hundred stacks, in each stack there are three hundred kopecks - all white wheat; thresh for me by tomorrow all the wheat clean - clean, to a single grain, but do not break the stacks and do not break the sheaves. If you don't, your head is off your shoulders!
- Listen, your majesty! - said Ivan - Tsarevich; again he walks around 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 grain, but not to break the stacks and not to break the sheaves.
- It's not a problem, the trouble is 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 there are in the whole wide world - all crawl here and pick out the grain from the father's stacks cleanly - cleanly.
In the morning, the sea king calls Ivan the Tsarevich:
- Did you serve?
- Contributed, your majesty!
- Let's go see.
They came to the threshing floor - all the stacks are untouched, they came to the granaries - all the bins are full of grain.
- Thank you, brother! - said the sea king.
- Make me another church of pure wax, so that it will be ready by dawn; this will be your last service.
Ivan is walking again - the prince is walking around the yard and washing himself with tears.
- What are you crying about? - asks him from high tower Vasilisa the Wise.
- How can I not cry, good fellow? The sea king ordered to make a church out of pure wax in one night.
- Well, it's not a problem yet, the trouble is 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, hard-working bees! No matter how many of you there are in the world, you all fly in flocks and mold the church of God from pure wax, so that by morning it will be ready.
In the morning, Ivan, the prince, 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 had, no one has been able to please like you. Therefore, be my heir, the saver of the whole kingdom, choose any of my thirteen daughters as your wife.
Ivan - Tsarevich chose Vasilisa the Wise; they were immediately married and feasted with joy for three whole days.
Not much time has passed, Ivan the 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.
- Here comes the trouble! If we leave, there will be a great chase after us; the sea king will be angry and put us to death. Gotta be smart!
Vasilisa the Wise spat in three corners, locked the doors in her chamber and ran with Ivan the Tsarevich to Holy Russia.
The next day, messengers from the sea king come early - to raise the young, to call the king to the palace. Knocking on the door:
- Wake up, wake up! Father is calling you.
- It's still early, we didn't get enough sleep: come after! - answers one saliva.
So the messengers left, waited an hour or two, and knocked again:
- It's not time - time to sleep, it's time - time to get up!
- Wait a bit: get up, get dressed! - answers the second saliva.
The third time the messengers come:
- The king - de sea is angry, why they are so long to cool off.
- Let's go now! - answers the third saliva.
They waited - the messengers waited and let's knock again: no response, no response! They broke down the doors, but the tower is empty.
They reported to give, the young ran away for tea; he became angry and sent a great chase after them.
And Vasilisa the Wise and Ivan the Tsarevich are already far away! They ride greyhound horses without stopping, without rest.
Come on, Ivav - prince, crouch down on 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:
- I hear people's talk and horse top!
- They're after 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 chase is on:
- Hey old man! Didn't you see - didn't you jump here good fellow with the red girl
“No, good people, I haven’t seen it,” Ivan the Tsarevich answers, “I’ve been grazing in this place for forty years, not a single bird has flown past, not a single beast has roamed past!
The chase is back:
- Your Royal Majesty! They didn’t run into anyone on the way, they only saw: the shepherd is grazing a sheep.
- What did you miss? After all, they were! - shouted the sea king and sent a new pursuit.
And Ivan - the tsarevich with Vasilisa the Wise long ago - has long been galloping on greyhound horses.
- Well, Ivan - Tsarevich, lie down on the damp earth and listen, is there a chase from the sea king?
Ivan - Tsarevich got off his horse, put his ear to the damp earth and said:
- I hear people's talk and horse top.
- They're after us! - said Vasilisa the Wise; she herself became a church, turned Ivan the Tsarevich into an old priest, and horses into trees.
The chase is on:
- Hey, father! Did you not see if a shepherd with a sheep passed by here?
- No, people: kind, I haven’t seen it; I have been working in this church for forty years - not a single bird has flown by, not a single beast has roamed past.
Turned the chase back:
- Your Royal Majesty! Nowhere did they find a shepherd with a sheep; only on the way they saw that the church and the priest - the old man.
- Why didn’t you break the church, didn’t capture the priest? After all, they were the ones! - shouted the sea king and he himself galloped in pursuit of Ivan the Tsarevich and Vasilisa the Wise.
And they have gone far.
Vasilisa the Wise again says:
- Ivan Tsarevich! Lie down on the damp earth - do not hear the chase?
Tears Ivan - Tsarevich from the horse, dropped his ear to the damp earth and says:
- I hear people's talk and horse top more than ever.
- This is the king himself jumping.
Vasilisa the Wise turned the horses into a lake, Ivan the Tsarevich into a drake, and she herself became a duck.
The king of the sea galloped to the lake, immediately guessed who the duck and drake were; hit the ground and turned into an eagle. The eagle wants to kill them to death, but not here - it was: what does not scatter from above ... just about - a drake will hit, and a drake will dive into the water; here - here the duck will hit, and the duck will dive into the water! He fought, fought, so he could not do anything. The king of the sea galloped into his underwater kingdom, and Vasilisa the Wise and Ivan the Tsarevich waited good time and went to holy Russia.
How long, how short, they arrived in the thirtieth kingdom.
- Wait for me in this forest, - says Ivan - Tsarevich Vasilisa the Wise, - I will go and report in advance to my father, mother.
- You will forget me, Ivan - Tsarevich!
- No, I won't forget.
- No, Ivan - Tsarevich, do not say, you will forget! Remember me even when two doves start beating at the windows!
Ivan - Tsarevich came to the palace; his parents saw him, threw themselves on his neck and began to kiss - pardon him; in joy, Ivan the Tsarevich forgot about Vasilisa the Wise.
He 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 as a worker for a prosvirna. They began to cook prosvira; she took two pieces of dough, molded a pair 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 opened the stove, opened the window - and at that very moment the doves started up, flew straight into the palace and began to beat at the windows; no matter how hard the tsar's servants tried, they could not drive away.
It was only then that Ivan the Tsarevich remembered Vasilisa the Wise, sent messengers in all directions to question and search for her, and found her at the mallow; took the white hands, kissed the sugar lips, brought him to his father, to his mother, and they all began to live together and live and make good. That's

Beyond distant lands, in a distant state, there lived a king with a queen; they had no children. The king went to foreign lands, to distant lands, he did not go home for a long time; at that time the queen bore him a son, Ivan Tsarevich, but the king does not know about it.

He began to keep 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, if only to drink water! He looked around and saw a large lake not far off; rode up to the lake, dismounted from the horse, lay down on the ground and let's swallow the icy water. Drinks and does not smell trouble; and the king of the sea seized him by the beard.

Let it go! - asks the king.

I won't let you in, don't you dare drink without my knowledge!

Whatever you want, take a ransom - just let go!

Let's do something you don't know at home.

The king thought and thought ... What does he not know at home? It seems that he knows everything, he knows everything, - and he agreed. I tried a beard - no one holds it; got up from the ground, got on his horse and rode home.

Here he comes home, the queen meets him with the prince, so joyful, and as soon as he found out about his dear brainchild, he burst into bitter tears. He told the queen how and what had happened to him, they cried together, but there was nothing to do, tears couldn’t improve things.

They began to live in the old way; and the prince grows for himself and grows, like dough on dough, - not by the day, but by the hour, - and he has grown big.

“No matter how much you keep with you,” the tsar thinks, “but you have to 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 he turned home. The prince began to look for a ring, walks along the shore, and an old woman comes across him.

Where are you going, Ivan Tsarevich?

Get off, don't bother, you old witch! And it's boring without you.

Well, stay with God!

And the old woman went to the side.

... And Ivan Tsarevich thought about it: “Why did I scold the old woman? Let me turn her back; old people are cunning and quick-witted! Perhaps he will say something good. ” And he began to turn the old woman:

Come back, grandmother, forgive my stupid word! After all, I said out of annoyance: my father made me look for a ring, I go and look, but there is no ring!

You are not here for a ring: your father gave you to the sea king; the sea king 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 listen to 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 bathe in the lake; meanwhile, take away the shirt from the last one and don’t give it back until she gives you her little ring. If you fail to do this, you are lost forever; near the sea king, all around the palace, there is a high palisade, 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 waited for the time.

Suddenly twelve pigeons fly in; hit the damp earth and turned into red maidens, all to a single beauty indescribable: 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.

They were followed by the thirteenth dove; hit the ground on the cheese, turned into a red maiden, threw off her shirt from her white body and went to bathe; and she was prettier than all, prettier than all!

For a long time Ivan Tsarevich could not take his eyes away, he looked at her for a long time and remembered what the old woman had told him, crept quietly and took away the shirt.

A red-haired girl came out of the water, missed - no shirt, someone took it away; everyone rushed to look; searched, searched - not to be seen anywhere.

Look no further, dear sisters! Fly home; It's my own fault, I overlooked it, and I will answer myself. The sisters-red maidens hit the damp ground, became doves, flapped their wings and flew away. Only one girl remained, 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 equal to me, you will be a dear friend!

As soon as she said the last word, Ivan Tsarevich appeared. She gave him a golden ring and said:

Ah, Ivan Tsarevich! Why haven't you come for a long time? The sea king is angry with you. Here is the road that leads to the underwater kingdom; step on it boldly! You will find me there too; because I am the daughter of the sea king, Vasilisa the Wise.

Vasilisa the Wise turned into 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 warm.

He comes to the sea king. The sea king shouted at him:

Why haven't you been there for so long? For your guilt, here is your service: I have a wasteland thirty miles long and across - only ditches, gullies and a sharp stone! So that by tomorrow it would be smooth as a palm there, and the rye would be sown, and by early morning it would grow so high that a jackdaw could be buried in it. If you don't, your head is off your shoulders!

Ivan Tsarevich comes from the Sea Tsar, shedding tears himself. Vasilisa the Wise saw him through the window from her towering tower and asked:

Hello, Ivan Tsarevich! Why are you shedding tears?

How can I not cry? - answers the prince. - The king of the sea made me level ditches, gullies and sharp stones in one night 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 onto the porch and shouted in a loud voice:

Gay you, my faithful servants! Level deep ditches, demolish sharp stones, sow spiked rye, so that it will ripen by morning.

Ivan Tsarevich woke up at dawn, looked - everything is ready: there are no ditches, no gullies, there is a field as smooth as a palm, and rye flaunts on it - so high that a jackdaw will be buried.

I went to the sea king with a report.

Thank you, - says the sea king, - that you managed to serve. Here's another job for you: I have three hundred stacks, in each stack there are three hundred kopecks - all white wheat; thresh for me by tomorrow all the wheat, clean and clean, to a single grain, but do not break the stacks and do not break the sheaves. If you don't, your head is off your shoulders!

Listen, Your Majesty! - said Ivan Tsarevich; again he walks around 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 grain, but not to break the stacks and not to break the sheaves.

It's not a problem, trouble is 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 creepy ants! No matter how many of you there are in this world - all crawl here and pick the grain from the father's stacks clean and clean.

In the morning, the sea king calls Ivan Tsarevich:

Did he serve?

Served, Your Majesty!

Let's go see.

They came to the threshing floor - all the stacks are untouched, they came to the granaries - all the bins are full of grain.

Thank you brother! - said the sea king.

Make me another church of pure wax, ready for dawn; this will be your last service.

Again Tsarevich Ivan walks through the yard and washes himself with tears.

What are you crying about? Vasilisa the Wise asks him from the high tower.

How can I not cry, good fellow? The sea king ordered to make a church out of pure wax in one night.

Well, it's not a problem yet, the trouble is 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 hard-working bees! No matter how many of you there are in the world, you all fly in flocks and mold the church of God from 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 had, no one has been able to please like you. Therefore, be my heir, the saver of the whole kingdom, choose any of my thirteen daughters as your wife.

Ivan Tsarevich chose Vasilisa the Wise; they were immediately married and feasted with joy for three whole days.

Neither more nor less 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, she felt sad for her father, for her mother, she wanted to go to Holy Russia.

Here comes the trouble! If we leave, there will be a great chase after us; the sea king will be angry and put us to death. Gotta be smart!

Vasilisa the Wise spat in three corners, locked the doors in her chamber and ran with Ivan Tsarevich to Holy Russia.

The next day, messengers from the sea king come early - to raise the young, to call the king to the palace. Knocking on the door:

Wake up, wake up! Father is calling you.

It's still early, we didn't get enough sleep: come after! - answers one saliva.

So the messengers left, waited an hour or two, and knocked again:

It's not time to sleep, it's time to wake up!

Wait a bit: get up, get dressed! - answers the second saliva.

The third time the messengers come:

The Tsar-de-Marine is angry, why do they cool off for so long.

Now we will! - answers the third saliva.

The messengers waited and waited and let's knock again: no response, no response! They broke down the doors, but the tower is empty.

They reported to give, the young ran away for tea; he became angry and sent a great chase after them.

And Vasilisa the Wise and Ivan Tsarevich are already far, far away! They ride greyhound horses without stopping, without rest.

Come on, Ivan Tsarevich, crouch down on 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:

I hear people's talk and horse top!

They are after 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 chase is on:

Hey old man! Didn't you see - didn't a good fellow ride here with a red maiden?

No, good people, I haven’t seen it, - answers Ivan Tsarevich, - for forty years I’ve been grazing in this place, - not a single bird has flown past, not a single beast has roamed past!

The chase is back:

Your royal majesty! They didn’t run into anyone on the way, they only saw: the shepherd is grazing a sheep.

What was missing? 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 for a long time.

Well, Ivan Tsarevich, crouch down on the damp earth and listen, is there a chase from the sea king?

Ivan Tsarevich got off his horse, put his ear to the damp earth and said:

I hear people's talk and a horse top.

They are after us! - said Vasilisa the Wise; she herself became a church, turned Ivan Tsarevich into an old priest, and horses into trees.

The chase is on:

Hey dad! Did you not see if a shepherd with a sheep passed by here?

No, people: kind, I haven’t seen it; I have been working in this church for forty years - not a single bird has flown by, not a single beast has roamed past.

Turned the chase back:

Your royal majesty! Nowhere did they find a shepherd with a sheep; only on the way and saw that the church and the priest-old man.

Why didn’t you break the church, didn’t capture the priest? After all, they were the ones! - shouted the sea king and he himself galloped in pursuit of Ivan Tsarevich and Vasilisa the Wise.

And they have gone far.

Vasilisa the Wise again says:

Ivan Tsarevich! Lie down on the damp earth - do not hear the chase?

Ivan Tsarevich got down from his horse, put his ear to the damp earth and said:

I hear people's talk and horse top more than ever.

This is the king himself riding.

Vasilisa the Wise turned the horses into a lake, Ivan Tsarevich into a drake, and she herself became a duck.

The king of the sea galloped to the lake, immediately guessed who the duck and drake were; hit the ground and turned into an eagle. The eagle wants to kill them to death, but it wasn’t there: what doesn’t fly from above ... the drake is about to hit, and the drake dives into the water; the duck is about to hit, and the duck will dive into the water! He fought, fought, so he could not do anything. The king of the sea galloped to his underwater kingdom, and Vasilisa the Wise and Ivan Tsarevich waited a good time and went to holy Russia.

How long, how short, they arrived in the thirtieth kingdom.

Wait for me in this forest, - says Ivan Tsarevich to Vasilisa the Wise, - I will go and report to my father and mother in advance.

You will forget me, Ivan Tsarevich!

No, I won't forget.

No, Ivan Tsarevich, don't say, you'll forget! Remember me even when two doves start beating 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.

He 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 as a worker for a prosvirna. They began to cook prosvira; she took two pieces of dough, molded a pair of doves and put them in the oven.

Guess, mistress, what will become of these doves?

And what will happen? Let's eat them - that's all!

No, I didn't guess!

Vasilisa the Wise opened the stove, opened the window - and at that very moment the doves started up, flew straight into the palace and began to beat at the windows; no matter how hard the tsar's servants tried, they could not drive away.

It was only then that Ivan Tsarevich remembered Vasilisa the Wise, sent messengers in all directions to question and search for her, and found her at the mallow; took the white hands, kissed the sugar lips, brought him to his father, to his mother, and they all began to live together and live and make good.

W and distant lands, lived in a distant state - there was a king with a queen; they had no children. The king went to foreign lands, to distant lands, he did not go home for a long time; at that time the queen bore him a son, Ivan - a prince, and the king does not know about it.

He began to keep his way to his state, began to drive up to his land, and the day - it 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 off; rode up to the lake, dismounted from the horse, lay down on the ground and let's swallow the icy water. Drinks and does not smell trouble; and the king of the sea seized him by the beard.

— Let go! the king asks.

“I won’t let you in, don’t you dare drink without my knowledge!”

- Whatever you want, take a ransom - just let it go!

- Let's do something you don't know at home.

The king thought - thought ... What does he not know at home? It seems that he knows everything, everything is known to him, - and he agreed. I tried a beard - no one holds it; got up from the ground, got on his horse and rode home.

Here he comes home, the queen meets him with the prince, so joyful, and as soon as he found out about his dear brainchild, he burst into bitter tears. He told the queen how and what had happened to him, they cried together, but there’s nothing to do, you can’t fix things with tears.

They began to live in the old way; and the prince grows for himself and grows, like dough on a dough, - not by the day, but by the hour, - and he has grown big.

“No matter how much you keep with you,” the tsar thinks, “but you have to give it back: it’s inevitable!” He took Ivan the 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 he turned home. The prince began to look for a ring, walks along the shore, and an old woman comes across him.

“Where are you going, Ivan the Tsarevich?”

“Get off, don’t bother, old witch!” And it's boring without you.

- Well, stay with God!

And the old woman went to the side.

... And Ivan the Tsarevich thought about it: “Why did I scold the old woman? Let me turn her back; old people are cunning and quick-witted! Perhaps he will say something good. ” And he began to turn the old woman:

- Come back, grandmother, forgive my stupid word! After all, I said out of annoyance: my father made me look for a ring, I go - I look out, but there is no ring!

- You are not here for a ring: your father gave you to the sea king; the sea king 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 listen to 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 bathe in the lake; meanwhile, take away the shirt from the last one and don’t give it back until she gives you her little ring. If you fail to do this, you are lost forever; near the sea king, all around the palace, there is a high palisade, for as much as ten versts, and on each spoke a head is stuck; only one empty, do not please get on it!

Ivan the Tsarevich thanked the old woman, hid behind a currant bush and waited for the time.

Suddenly twelve pigeons fly in; hit the damp earth and turned into red maidens, all to a single beauty indescribable: 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.

They were followed by the thirteenth dove; hit the ground on the cheese, turned into a red maiden, threw off her shirt from her white body and went to bathe; and she was prettier than all, prettier than all!

For a long time, Ivan the Tsarevich could not take his eyes off, looked at her for a long time and remembered what the old woman had told him, crept quietly and took away the shirt.

A red-haired girl came out of the water, missed her - there was no shirt, someone took it away; everyone rushed to look; searched, searched - not to be seen anywhere.

- Do not look, dear sisters! Fly home; I myself am to blame - I overlooked it, I myself will answer. Sisters - red maidens hit the damp ground, became doves, flapped their wings and flew away. Only one girl remained, 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 equal to me, you will be a dear friend!

As soon as she said the last word, Ivan appeared - the prince. She gave him a golden ring and said:

- Oh, Ivan - Tsarevich! Why haven't you come for a long time? The sea king is angry with you. Here is the road that leads to the underwater kingdom; step on it boldly! You will find me there too; because I am the daughter of the sea king, Vasilisa the Wise.

Vasilisa the Wise turned into 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 warm.

He comes to the sea king. The sea king shouted at him:

- Why haven't you been here for so long? For your guilt, here is 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 as a palm there, and the rye would be sown, and by early morning it would grow so high that a jackdaw could be buried in it. If you don't, your head is off your shoulders!

Ivan is coming - the prince from the sea king, he is shedding tears. Vasilisa the Wise saw him through the window from her towering tower and asked:

- Hello, Ivan - Tsarevich! Why are you shedding tears?

How can I not cry? the prince answers. - The king of the sea made me level the ditches, gullies and sharp stones in one night and sow rye, so that by morning it would grow and a jackdaw could hide in it.

- It's not a problem, the trouble is ahead. Go to bed with God, the morning is wiser than the evening, everything will be ready!

Tsarevich Ivan went to bed, and Vasilisa the Wise went out onto the porch and shouted in a loud voice:

- Hey you, my faithful servants! Level deep ditches, demolish sharp stones, sow spiked rye, so that it will ripen by morning.

Ivan woke up at dawn - the prince, looked - everything is ready: there are no ditches, no gullies, there is a field as smooth as a palm, and rye flaunts on it - so high that a jackdaw will be buried.

I went to the sea king with a report.

“Thank you,” says the sea king, “that you managed to serve. Here's another job for you: I have three hundred stacks, in each stack there are three hundred kopecks - all white wheat; thresh for me by tomorrow all the wheat cleanly - cleanly, to a single grain, but do not break the stacks and do not break the sheaves. If you don't, your head is off your shoulders!

“Listen, Your Majesty! - said Ivan - Tsarevich; again he walks around 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 grain, but not to break the stacks and not to break the sheaves.

- It's not a problem, the trouble is 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 there are in the whole wide world - all crawl here and pick the grain from the father's stacks cleanly - completely.

In the morning the sea tsar calls Ivan the Tsarevich:

Did he serve?

“Served, your majesty!”

- Let's go see.

They came to the threshing floor - all the stacks are untouched, they came to the granaries - all the bins are full of grain.

- Thank you, brother! the sea king said.

“Make me another church of pure wax, so that it will be ready by dawn; this will be your last service.

Ivan is walking again - the prince is walking around the yard and washing himself with tears.

- What are you crying about? Vasilisa the Wise asks him from the high tower.

- How can I not cry, good fellow? The sea king ordered to make a church out of pure wax in one night.

- Well, it's not a problem yet, the trouble is 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:

- Hey you, hard-working bees! No matter how many of you there are in the world, you all fly in flocks and mold the church of God from pure wax, so that by morning it will be ready.

In the morning, Ivan, the prince, got up, looked - there was a church made of pure wax, and went to the sea king with a report.

Thank you, Ivan the Tsarevich! Whatever servants I have had, no one has been able to please like you. Therefore, be my heir, the saver of the whole kingdom, choose any of my thirteen daughters as your wife.

Ivan the Tsarevich chose Vasilisa the Wise; they were immediately married and feasted with joy for three whole days.

Not much time has passed, Ivan the Tsarevich yearned for his parents, he wanted to go to Holy Russia.

“Why are you so sad, Ivan the Tsarevich?”

- Ah, Vasilisa the Wise, I felt sad for my father, for my mother, I wanted to go to Holy Russia.

- Here comes the trouble! If we leave, there will be a great chase after us; the sea king will be angry and put us to death. Gotta be smart!

Vasilisa the Wise spat in three corners, locked the doors in her chamber and ran with Ivan the Tsarevich to Holy Russia.

The next day, messengers from the sea king come early - to raise the young, to call the king to the palace. Knocking on the door:

- Wake up, wake up! Father is calling you.

“It’s still early, we didn’t get enough sleep: come after!” - answers one saliva.

So the messengers left, waited an hour or two, and knocked again:

- It's not time - time to sleep, it's time - time to get up!

"Wait a little, let's get up and get dressed!" - answers the second saliva.

The third time the messengers come:

“The Tsar-de-Marine is angry why they are cooling off for so long.

- Let's go now! - answers the third saliva.

They waited - the messengers waited and let's knock again: no response, no response! They broke down the doors, but the tower is empty.

They reported to give, the young ran away for tea; he became angry and sent a great chase after them.

And Vasilisa the Wise and Ivan the Tsarevich are already far, far away! They ride greyhound horses without stopping, without rest.

Come on, Ivan - Tsarevich, crouch down on the damp earth and listen, is there a chase from the sea king?

Ivan the Tsarevich jumped off his horse, put his ear to the damp earth and said:

- I hear people's talk and a horse top!

- They're after 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 chase is on:

- Hey, old man! Didn't you see - didn't a good fellow ride here with a red maiden?

“No, good people, I haven’t seen it,” Ivan the Tsarevich replies, “I’ve been grazing in this place for forty years, not a single bird has flown past, not a single animal has roamed past!

The chase is back:

"Your Royal Majesty!" They didn’t run into anyone on the way, they only saw: the shepherd is grazing a sheep.

- What did you miss? After all, they were! - shouted the sea king and sent a new pursuit.

And Ivan the Tsarevich and Vasilisa the Wise have been riding greyhound horses for a long time.

- Well, Ivan - Tsarevich, crouch down on the damp earth and listen, is there a chase from the sea king?

Ivan the Tsarevich dismounted from his horse, put his ear to the damp earth, and said:

- I hear people's talk and a horse top.

- They're after us! - said Vasilisa the Wise; she herself became a church, she turned Tsarevich Ivan into an old priest, and the horses into trees.

The chase is on:

— Hey, father! Did you not see if a shepherd with a sheep passed by here?

- No, people: kind, I haven’t seen it; I have been working in this church for forty years - not a single bird has flown by, not a single beast has roamed past.

Turned the chase back:

"Your Royal Majesty!" Nowhere did they find a shepherd with a sheep; only on the way did they see that the church and the priest were an old man.

- Why didn't you break the church, didn't capture the priest? After all, they were the ones! - shouted the sea king and he himself galloped in pursuit of Ivan the Tsarevich and Vasilisa the Wise.

And they have gone far.

Vasilisa the Wise again says:

- Ivan Tsarevich! Lie down on the damp earth - do not hear the chase?

Ivan, the prince, got off his horse, put his ear to the damp earth and said:

- I hear people's talk and a horse top more than ever.

- It's the king himself riding.

Vasilisa the Wise turned the horses into a lake, Ivan the Tsarevich into a drake, and she herself became a duck.

The king of the sea galloped to the lake, immediately guessed who the duck and drake were; hit the ground and turned into an eagle. The eagle wants to kill them to death, but not here - it was: what will not scatter from above ... here - here the drake will strike, and the drake will dive into the water; here - here the duck will hit, and the duck will dive into the water! He fought, fought, so he could not do anything. The king of the sea galloped to his underwater kingdom, and Vasilisa the Wise with Ivan the Tsarevich waited a good time and went to holy Russia.

How long, how short, they arrived in the thirtieth kingdom.

- Wait for me in this forest, - says Ivan - Tsarevich to Vasilisa the Wise, - I will go and report in advance to my father, mother.

- You will forget me, Ivan - Tsarevich!

- No, I won't forget.

- No, Ivan - Tsarevich, do not say, you will forget! Remember me even when two doves start beating at the windows!

Ivan the Tsarevich came to the palace; his parents saw him, threw themselves on his neck and began to kiss - to have mercy on him; to celebrate, Ivan the Tsarevich forgot about Vasilisa the Wise.

He 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 as a worker for a prosvirna. They began to cook prosvira; she took two pieces of dough, molded a pair of doves and put them in the oven.

“Guess, mistress, what will become of these doves?”

— And what will happen? Let's eat them - that's all!

— No, I didn't guess!

Vasilisa the Wise opened the stove, opened the window - and at that very moment the doves started up, flew straight into the palace and began to beat at the windows; no matter how hard the tsar's servants tried, they could not drive away.

Here only Ivan the Tsarevich remembered Vasilisa the Wise, sent messengers in all directions to ask questions and look for her, and found her at the mallow; took the white hands, kissed the sugar lips, brought him to his father, to his mother, and they all began to live together and live and make good.

The Sea King and Vasilisa the Wise - Russian folk tale- Russian tales

The Sea King and Vasilisa the Wise

Beyond distant lands, in a distant state, there lived a king with a queen; they had no children. The king went to foreign lands, to distant lands, he did not go home for a long time; at that time the queen bore him a son, Ivan Tsarevich, but the king does not know about it.

He began to keep 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 off; rode up to the lake, dismounted from the horse, lay down on the ground and let's swallow the icy water. Drinks and does not smell trouble; and the king of the sea seized him by the beard.

Let it go! - asks the king.

I won't let you in, don't you dare drink without my knowledge!

Whatever you want, take a ransom - just let go!

Let's do something you don't know at home.

The king thought and thought ... What does he not know at home? It seems that he knows everything, he knows everything, - and he agreed. I tried - no one keeps a beard; got up from the ground, got on his horse and rode home.

Here he comes home, the queen meets him with the prince, so joyful; and as soon as he learned about his dear offspring, he burst into bitter tears. He told the princess how and what had happened to him, we cried together, but there’s nothing to do, you can’t fix things with tears.

They began to live in the old way; and the prince grows for himself and grows like dough on a dough - not by the day, but by the hour - and he has grown big.

“No matter how much you keep with you,” the tsar thinks, but you need to give it away: 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 he turned home.

The prince began to look for a ring, walks along the shore, and an old woman comes across him.

Where are you going, Ivan Tsarevich?

Get off, don't bother, you old witch! And it's boring without you.

Well, stay with God!

And the old woman went to the side.

And Ivan Tsarevich thought about it: “Why did I scold the old woman?” Let me turn her back; old people are cunning and quick-witted! Perhaps he will say something good.” And he began to turn the old woman:

Come back, grandmother, forgive my stupid word! After all, I said out of annoyance: my father made me look for a ring, I go and look, but there is no ring!

You are not here for a ring: your father gave you to the sea king; the sea king 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 listen to 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 bathe in the lake; meanwhile, take away the shirt from the last one and still don’t give it back until she gives you her little ring. If you fail to do this, you are lost forever; near the sea king, all around the palace, there is a high palisade, 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 waited for the time.

Suddenly twelve pigeons fly in; hit the damp earth and turned into red maidens, all to a single beauty indescribable: 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.

They were followed by the thirteenth dove; hit the damp ground, turned into a beautiful girl, threw off her white shirt and went to bathe; and she was prettier than all, prettier than all!

For a long time Ivan Tsarevich could not take his eyes away, he looked at her for a long time and remembered what the old woman had told him, crept quietly and took away the shirt.

A red-haired girl came out of the water, missed - no shirt, someone took it away; Everyone rushed to look: they searched, searched - not to be seen anywhere.

Look no further, dear sisters! Fly home; I myself am to blame - I overlooked it, I myself will answer.

Sisters - red maidens hit the damp ground, became doves, flapped their wings and flew away. Only one girl remained, 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 equal to me, you will be a dear friend!

Just said the last word, showed up Ivan Tsarevich. She gave him a golden ring and said:

Ah, Ivan Tsarevich! Why haven't you come for a long time? The sea king is angry with you. Here is the road that leads to the underwater kingdom; step on it boldly! You will find me there too; because I am the daughter of the sea king, Vasilisa the Wise.

Vasilisa the Wise turned into 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 warm.

He comes to the sea king. The sea king shouted at him:

Why haven't you been there for so long? For your guilt, here is your service: I have a wasteland thirty miles long and across - only ditches, gullies and a sharp stone! So that by tomorrow it would be smooth as a palm there, and the rye would be sown, and by early morning it would grow so high that a jackdaw could be buried in it. If you don't, your head is off your shoulders!

Ivan Tsarevich comes from the Sea Tsar, shedding tears himself. Vasilisa the Wise saw him through the window from her towering tower and asked:

Hello, Ivan Tsarevich! Why are you shedding tears?

How can I not cry? - answers the prince. - The king of the sea made me level ditches, gullies and sharp stones in one night and sow rye, so that by the morning of sleep it would grow and a jackdaw could hide in it.

Beyond distant lands, in a distant state, there lived a king with a queen; they had no children. The king went to foreign lands, to distant lands, he did not go home for a long time; at that time the queen bore him a son, Ivan Tsarevich, but the king does not know about it.

He began to keep 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 off; rode up to the lake, dismounted from the horse, lay down on the ground and let's swallow the icy water. Drinks and does not smell trouble; and the king of the sea seized him by the beard.

— Let go! the king asks.

“I won’t let you in, don’t you dare drink without my knowledge!”

- Whatever you want, take a ransom - just let it go!

- Let's do something you don't know at home.

The king thought and thought ... What does he not know at home? It seems that he knows everything, everything is known to him, - and he agreed. I tried - no one keeps a beard; got up from the ground, got on his horse and rode home.

Here he comes home, the queen meets him with the prince, so joyful; and as soon as he learned about his dear offspring, he burst into bitter tears. He told the princess how and what had happened to him, we cried together, but there’s nothing to do, you can’t fix things with tears.

They began to live in the old way; and the prince grows for himself and grows like dough on dough - not by the day, but by the hour - and he has grown big.

“No matter how much you keep with you,” the tsar thinks, but you have to 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 he turned home.

The prince began to look for a ring, walks along the shore, and an old woman comes across him.

Where are you going, Ivan Tsarevich?

“Get off, don’t bother, old witch!” And it's boring without you.

- Well, stay with God!

And the old woman went to the side.

And Ivan Tsarevich thought about it: “Why did I scold the old woman?” Let me turn her back; old people are cunning and quick-witted! Perhaps he will say something good.” And he began to turn the old woman:

- Come back, grandmother, forgive my stupid word! After all, I said out of annoyance: my father made me look for a ring, I go and look, but there is no ring!

- You are not here for a ring: your father gave you to the sea king; the sea king 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 listen to 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 bathe in the lake; meanwhile, take away the shirt from the last one and still don’t give it back until she gives you her little ring. If you fail to do this, you are lost forever; near the sea king, all around the palace, there is a high palisade, 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 waited for the time.

Suddenly twelve pigeons fly in; hit the damp earth and turned into red maidens, all to a single beauty indescribable: 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.

They were followed by the thirteenth dove; hit the damp ground, turned into a beautiful girl, threw off her white shirt and went to bathe; and she was prettier than all, prettier than all!

For a long time Ivan Tsarevich could not take his eyes away, he looked at her for a long time and remembered what the old woman had told him, crept quietly and took away the shirt.

A red-haired girl came out of the water, missed her - there was no shirt, someone took it away; Everyone rushed to look: they searched, searched - not to be seen anywhere.

- Do not look, dear sisters! Fly home; I myself am to blame - I overlooked it, I myself will answer.

Sisters - red maidens hit the damp ground, became doves, flapped their wings and flew away. Only one girl remained, 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 equal to me, you will be a dear friend!

As soon as she said the last word, Ivan Tsarevich appeared. She gave him a golden ring and said:

- Oh, Ivan Tsarevich! Why haven't you come for a long time? The sea king is angry with you. Here is the road that leads to the underwater kingdom; step on it boldly! You will find me there too; because I am the daughter of the sea king, Vasilisa the Wise.

Vasilisa the Wise turned into 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 warm.

He comes to the sea king. The sea king shouted at him:

- Why haven't you been here for so long? For your guilt, here is 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 as a palm there, and the rye would be sown, and by early morning it would grow so high that a jackdaw could be buried in it. If you don't, your head is off your shoulders!

Ivan Tsarevich comes from the Sea Tsar, shedding tears himself. Vasilisa the Wise saw him through the window from her towering tower and asked:

- Hello, Ivan Tsarevich! Why are you shedding tears?

How can I not cry? the prince answers. - The king of the sea made me level ditches, gullies and sharp stones in one night and sow rye, so that by the morning of sleep it would grow and a jackdaw could hide in it.

- It's not a problem, the trouble is ahead. Go to sleep with God; the morning is wiser than the evening, everything will be ready!

Ivan Tsarevich went to bed, and Vasilisa the Wise went out onto the porch and shouted in a loud voice:

- Hey you, my faithful servants! Level deep ditches, demolish sharp stones, sow spiked rye, so that it will ripen by morning.

Ivan Tsarevich woke up at dawn, looked - everything is ready: there are no ditches, no gullies, there is a field as smooth as a palm, and rye flaunts on it - so high that a jackdaw will be buried.

I went to the sea king with a report.

“Thank you,” says the sea king, “that you managed to serve. Here's another job for you: I have three hundred stacks, in each stack there are three hundred kopecks - all white wheat; thresh for me by tomorrow all the wheat, clean and clean, to a single grain, but do not break the stacks and do not break the sheaves. If you don't, your head is off your shoulders!

“Listen, Your Majesty! - said Ivan Tsarevich; again he walks around 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 grain, but not to break the stacks and not to break the sheaves.

- It's not a problem, the trouble is 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 there are in the whole wide world - all crawl here and pick the grain from the father's stacks clean and clean.

In the morning, the sea king calls Ivan Tsarevich:

Did he serve?

“Served, your majesty!”

- Let's go see.

They came to the threshing floor - all the stacks are untouched, they came to the granary - all the bins are full of grain.

- Thank you, brother! the sea king said. “Make me another church of pure wax, ready by dawn; that will be your last service.”

Again Tsarevich Ivan walks through the yard and washes himself with tears.

- What are you crying about? Vasilisa the Wise asks him from the high tower.

- How can I not cry, good fellow? The sea king ordered to make a church out of pure wax in one night.

- Well, it's not a problem yet, the trouble is 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:

- Hey you, hard-working bees! No matter how many of you there are in the world, all fly here and mold the church of God from 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 chill.

Thank you, Ivan Tsarevich! What servants I did not have, no one managed to please like you. Be then my heir, the guardian of the whole kingdom; choose any of my thirteen daughters for your wife.

Ivan Tsarevich chose Vasilisa the Wise; they were immediately married and feasted with joy for three whole days.

Neither more nor less time passed, Ivan Tsarevich yearned for his parents, he wanted to go to Holy Russia.

“Why are you so sad, Ivan Tsarevich?

- Ah, Vasilisa the Wise, I felt sad for my father, for my mother, I wanted to go to Holy Russia.

- Here comes the trouble! If we leave, there will be a great chase after us; the sea king will be angry and put us to death. Gotta be smart!

Vasilisa the Wise spat in three corners, locked the doors in her chamber 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 to the palace to the king. Knocking on the door:

- Wake up, wake up! Father is calling you.

“It’s still early, we didn’t get enough sleep: come after!” - answers one saliva.

So the messengers left, waited an hour or two, and knocked again:

"It's not time to sleep, it's time to get up!"

"Wait a little, let's get up and get dressed!" replies another saliva.

The third time the messengers come:

“The Tsar-de-Marine is angry why they are taking so long to cool off.

- Let's go now! - answers the third saliva.

The messengers waited and waited, and let's knock again: no response, no response! They broke down the door, but the tower is empty.

They reported to the king that the young had run away; he became angry and sent a great chase after them.

And Vasilisa the Wise and Ivan Tsarevich are already far, far away! They ride greyhound horses without stopping, without rest.

- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, lie down on 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:

- I hear people's talk and a horse top!

- They're after us! - said Vasilisa the Wise, and immediately turned the horses into a green meadow, Ivan Tsarevich into an old shepherd, and she herself became a meek sheep.

The chase is on:

- Hey, old man! Didn't you see - didn't a good fellow ride here with a red maiden?

“No, good people, I haven’t seen it,” Ivan Tsarevich answers, “I’ve been grazing in this place for forty years, not a single bird has flown past, not a single beast has roamed past!

The chase is back:

"Your Royal Majesty!" They didn’t run into anyone on the way, they only saw: the shepherd is grazing a sheep.

- 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 for a long time.

- Well, Ivan Tsarevich, lie down on the damp earth and listen, is there a chase from the sea king?

Ivan Tsarevich got off his horse, put his ear to the damp earth and said:

- I hear people's talk and a horse top.

- They're after us! - said Vasilisa the Wise; she herself became a church, she turned Ivan Tsarevich into an old priest, and the horses into trees.

The chase is on:

— Hey, father! Did you not see if a shepherd with a sheep passed by here?

- No, good people, I haven’t seen it; I have been working in this church for forty years - not a single bird has flown by, not a single animal has roamed past.

Turned the chase back:

"Your Royal Majesty!" Nowhere did they find a shepherd with a sheep; only on the way and saw that the church and the priest-old man.

- Why didn't you break the church, didn't capture the priest? After all, they were the ones! - shouted the sea king and he himself galloped in pursuit of Ivan Tsarevich and Vasilisa the Wise.

And they have gone far.

Vasilisa the Wise again says:

- Ivan Tsarevich! Lie down on the damp earth - do not hear the chase!

Ivan Tsarevich got down from his horse, put his ear to the damp earth and said:

- I hear people's talk and a horse top more than ever.

- It's the king himself riding.

Vasilisa the Wise turned the horses into a lake, Ivan Tsarevich into a drake, and she herself became a duck.

The king of the sea galloped to the lake, immediately guessed who the duck and drake were; hit the ground and turned into an eagle. The eagle wants to kill them to death, but it didn’t happen: what doesn’t fly from above ... the drake is about to hit, and the drake dives into the water; the duck is about to hit, and the duck will dive into the water! He fought and fought and couldn't do anything. The king of the sea galloped to his underwater kingdom, and Vasilisa the Wise and Ivan Tsarevich waited a good time and went to holy Russia.

How long, how 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 and mother in advance.

- You will forget me, Ivan Tsarevich!

- No, I won't forget.

- No, Ivan Tsarevich, don't say, you'll forget! Remember me even when two doves start beating 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.

He 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 as a worker for a prosvirna. They began to cook prosvira; she took two pieces of dough, molded a pair of doves and put them in the oven.

“Guess, mistress, what will become of these doves?”

— And what will happen? Let's eat them - that's all!

— No, I didn't guess!

Vasilisa the Wise opened the stove, opened the window - and at that very moment the doves started up, flew straight into the palace and began to beat at the windows; no matter how hard the tsar's servants tried, nothing could drive them away.

It was only then that Ivan Tsarevich remembered Vasilisa the Wise, sent messengers in all directions to question and search for her, and found her at the mallow; took the white hands, kissed the sugar lips, brought him to his father, to his mother, and they all began to live together and live and make good.