Previously, we examined the social science space of Russian fairy tales using the example of the fairy tale “Vasilisa the Beautiful.” An article on this topic was presented on the Internet on the Russian People's Line under my name. As a feature of the presentation of the fairy tale “Vasilisa the Beautiful,” it can be noted that it, to a greater extent than some other fairy tales, tells about the geopolitical circumstances of Russian history. The Russian fairy tale “The Copper, Silver and Golden Kingdom” can also be attributed to this type of social science prediction - prophecy [1]. Russian fairy tales are in many ways predictions, because... they predict a lot. Perhaps it is better to call some Russian fairy tales not fairy tales, but predictions.

Russian fairy tale - the prediction “Two Ivans” [1] is of a slightly different type than those noted above, it is more concerned with political issues and life predictions modern Russia, and is filled for us with sensations of the near future.

The summary of the tale is as follows. Once upon a time there were two brothers: Ivan the rich and Ivan the poor. Their understanding of life was completely different, and moral values ​​were also very far from each other. Ivan the rich gave Ivan the poor all things only at high interest rates. Moreover, Ivan the rich even took things that belonged to Ivan the poor, through vile deception, from his brother the poor. Ivan the rich lived only with his wife; their bins were bursting with abundance. They lived - they didn’t grieve. Ivan, a poor man, besides his wife, had seven more children. Ivan the poor man, for all his social and political gullibility and simplicity, also possessed a number of strong qualities of his nature and soul. He had a strong belief in justice, an indestructible will to live, and excellent ingenuity. This always gives Poor Ivan the opportunity to turn the unfavorable current course of our life into a just direction and return to the original roots of our people's life.

We proceed directly to the consideration of the text and content of the fairy tale.

“Once upon a time there were two brothers, two Ivans: Ivan the rich and Ivan the poor.”

You don’t need any special imagination or ingenuity to understand: if we are talking about the Ivans, then we are talking about Russia. Ivan the rich and Ivan the poor are symbols of divided Russia, rich and poor Russia. We know this from today's life. There is rich Russia, there is poor and very poor Russia. In the fairy tale, as in life, it is noted that the rich part of the country is very small (Ivan the rich lived only with his wife), and the poor part of the country is significant (Ivan the poor lived with his wife and 7 children). The poor part of the country lived in poverty. So our Russian fairy tale, in principle, outlines for us the general social and political situation in the country.

Further, the fairy tale introduces us, in general terms, to market relations. Ivan the rich gives Ivan the poor a bowl of flour, but demands that he give him a bag of flour. A very interesting and important detail of the tale’s narrative: the relationships and clashes between Ivan the rich and Ivan the poor occur in an era of global instability and great changes, when geophysical phenomena and elements greatly influence people’s living conditions. In the fairy tale, these geo-nonstationarities are represented by wind, sun and cold. Today we are all familiar with such phenomena firsthand; we are all witnesses to the non-stationary behavior of the sun, atmosphere, magnetic field, winds, frost and heat. Geo-instability is a characteristic component of our life today.

The element of wind swoops in and takes away the last crumbs of flour from poor Ivan. Now we know more severe consequences games of the elements, when people are deprived of not only food, but also shelter and loved ones. However, what is typical in these conditions for the real Ivan, the poor man, is that he does not lose heart, he rushes after the wind, interacts with it, and converges with it to such an extent that something arises that allows him to solve the pressing problem of providing people with the necessary sources nutrition. After Poor Ivan interacted with a powerful geophysical force and achieved significant results, the narrative of the Russian folk tale becomes especially interesting and significant for us. We can note with satisfaction that the relationship between Ivan the poor man and the wind was creative; Ivan mastered the energy of the wind at a qualitatively new level and turned the wind into his powerful assistant. So, folk prediction tells us a very important thing. In the near future, we will have a new powerful means using wind energy to effectively solve food security problems, abandoning the supply of food through speculator merchants.

In the language of Russian folk tales, the solution to this important problem of food security is called a “self-assembled tablecloth.” This achievement of Russian ingenuity and will aroused envy and anger among the rich, and they decided to steal the invention from poor Ivan. The tale “The Two Ivans” once again reminds us that Russia’s successes always cause its spiritual and physical enemies to attack with envy, lies and deceit. They always fraudulently want to deprive Russia and the Russian Ivans of their advantages, their scientific and technical developments and their ingenuity. This statement is not my guess. The fairy tale directly states that Ivan the rich man dirtyly deceived Ivan the poor man and took the self-assembled tablecloth for himself.

What is important to note today? New adversities and hardships do not deprive Ivan the poor man of his will. He interacts with the sun and turns the powers of the sun for the benefit of himself and all of Russia. Further, the fairy tale “Two Ivans” tells us another important predictive thing: in the near future, even more grandiose discoveries and inventions will be made in Russia, which will plunge the market world into shock. The fairy tale says that these discoveries and inventions will be made by Russian people not from among the rich, but by Russian nuggets from the disadvantaged part of Russian society.

“It’s okay,” says the sun, “I hurt you, I’ll help you.” I'll give you a goat from my herd. Feed it with acorns, milk it for gold” [1].

These lines concisely and symbolically outline the results of the interaction of Ivan the poor man with the sun and the socio-economic situation in Russia, the features of the life of Ivan the poor man, his family and his loved ones.

The expected achievements of Russia’s interaction with our wonderful luminary will decisively transform the country’s financial sector and its gold reserves. The problem of monetary and financial support for the country will be reduced, according to the fairy tale, not to the printing of unsecured colored pieces of paper on secret machines, but to the large-scale industrial and technological production of gold.

But the Russian people will again be saved by their natural resourcefulness, love of life, ingenuity and technical talent.

Justice is one of the main Orthodox and Russian spiritual values. Justice will be restored, and Russia will again live its natural and harmonious life. It is characteristic that the fairy tale says directly, without mincing words: “Don’t believe, poor man, the rich man! Don’t trust, poor man, your rich brother, learn to be wise!” Do not believe ideological fantasies, but believe truth and justice. They have the last word in our public life. This is how the fairy tale goes:

“As soon as evening came, Ivan the rich came running.

Where have you been, Ivan? What did you get, Ivan? (this is now called market thinking or business).

Brother, I was near the frost and took out a wonderful bag. Just say: “Two from the bag!” - two will jump out and do what needs to be done.

Oh, brother, Ivan is a poor man, give me a handbag for one day! My roof fell apart and there was no one to fix it.

Take it, Ivan - get rich! Ivan the richer brought the bag to his home and locked the doors (behavior similar to the behavior of Ivan the richer is now often called “the shadow economy and gray schemes”).

- “Two from the bag!”

How they will jump out, how two pine clubs will jump out of the bag, how they will start beating Ivan - the rich man, saying: “Don’t offend the poor man, rich man!” If you're rich, give Ivan the tablecloth and the goat.

Ivan ran - the rich man to the poor man, and the clubs followed him.

Save me, brother! I’ll give you the tablecloth – the self-assembled cloth and the goat” [ 1 ].

Here it is appropriate to recall the famous words of John the Theologian, spoken by him in the 1st conciliar letter: “Whoever says: “I love God,” but hates his brother, is a liar: loving brother his own, whom he sees, how can he love God, whom he does not see? And we have this commandment from Him, that he who loves God should also love his brother” [2].

Continuing the important thought of John the Theologian about love for a brother, it should be noted that he who loves God must also love the entire community of his brothers. And the largest group of our brothers living together lives in our country, in our Fatherland and Motherland, which is the collector and guardian of our brothers. From what has been said it follows: whoever does not love his homeland does not love God. He who loves God loves his Fatherland and his Motherland, and his brothers living in them.

Conclusion

Someone may say that the parallels found by the author between the event situations in the fairy tale and the events of Russian history are accidental. But that's not true. In support of my position, I will cite the prophetic words of the outstanding saint of the Russian Orthodox Church, Theophan of Poltava.

Saint Theophan departed to the Lord, leaving us a testimony about the fate of Russia ordained by God. This testimony was recorded by Archbishop Averky (Taushev):

“I am not speaking on my own behalf... The Lord will have mercy on Russia according to His ineffable mercy, the people of God will be healed and turn to repentance and faith. Something that no one expects will happen. Russia will rise from the dead, and the whole world will be surprised.

Orthodoxy will triumph in it. But the Orthodoxy that existed before will no longer exist. The people themselves will restore the Orthodox monarchy. God Himself will place a strong King on the Throne. He will be a great reformer and he will have a strong Orthodox faith. He will be an outstanding personality, with a pure, bright soul and strong will. He will come from the Romanov dynasty on his mother's side. He will be God's chosen one, obedient to Him in everything. He will transform Siberia. But this Russia will not last long. Soon there will be what John the Theologian speaks about in the Apocalypse.”

Russia and the Russian people have their own destiny. Neither Russia nor the Russian people can be understood only in terms of the market, profit and dislike. Russia and the Russian people do not live only in the material world. The Lord has Russia at his disposal. Russian fairy tales, with rare exceptions, talk about exactly this.

Literature

1.Russian fairy tales, St. Petersburg - Lenizdat, 1994

2. First conciliar letter of St. John the Evangelist, chapter 4. Art. 20.21.

In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived a man. The time has come - they signed him up as a soldier; he leaves his pregnant wife, begins to say goodbye to her and says: “Look, wife, live well, good people don’t be ridiculous, don’t ruin the house, manage it and wait for me; Maybe God willing, I’ll retire and come back. Here's fifty rubles for you; Whether you give birth to a daughter or a son, save your money until you are old enough: if you marry your daughter, she will have it in hand.

given; and if God gives him a son and he will go on to great years, that money will also be of considerable help to him.” He said goodbye to his wife and went on a hike where he was ordered. About three months later the woman gave birth to two twin boys and named them Ivan, the soldiers’ sons.

The boys grew up; Like wheat dough on dough, it stretches upward. When the children turned ten years old, their mother sent them to science; they soon learned to read and write, and the boyars' and merchants' children were outdone - no one could read, write, or give answers better than them. The boyars and merchants' children were jealous and let those twins be beaten and pinched every day. One brother says to another: “How long will they beat and pinch us? Mother can’t even sew a dress for us, she can’t buy hats; Whatever we wear, our comrades will tear it to shreds! Let's deal with them our way." And they agreed to stand by each other and not betray each other. The next day, the boyars’ and merchants’ children began to bully them, but they just put up with it! - how they went to give change: out of sight, out of hand, out of sight! They killed every single one of them. The guards immediately came running, tied them up, good fellows, and put them in prison. The matter reached the king himself; he called those boys to him, asked about everything and ordered them to be released. “They,” he says, “are not to blame: God is with the instigators!”

Two Ivan soldiers’ children grew up and asked their mother: “Mother, is there any money left from our parent? If you have any left, give it to us; We’ll go to the city to the fair and buy ourselves a good horse.” The mother gave them fifty rubles - twenty-five per brother, and ordered: “Listen, children! How will you go

to the city, bow to everyone you meet and cross.” - “Okay, darling!” So the brothers went to the city.

They came to the horse riding, they looked - there were a lot of horses, but there was nothing to choose from; everything is beyond them, good fellows! One brother says to the other: “Let’s go to the other end of the square; Look, there’s a crowd of people there, visibly and invisibly!” They came there, crowded around - two stallions stood at the oak pillars, on the iron

chained in chains: one on six, the other on twelve; The horses break from their chains, they bite the bits, they dig the ground with their hooves. No one can get close to them."

“What will your stallions be worth?” - Ivan the soldier’s son asks the owner. “It’s not your place to poke your nose in here, brother! There is a product, but not for you; There’s nothing to ask.” - “Why know what you don’t know; maybe we’ll buy it; you just have to look it in the teeth.” The owner grinned: “Look, if you don’t feel sorry for the head!” Immediately one brother approached the stallion that was chained with six chains, and the other brother approached the stallion that was held by twelve chains. They began to look in the teeth - where to go! The stallions reared up and were snoring... The brothers hit them in the chest with their knees - the chains scattered, the stallions jumped back five fathoms, landing upside down. “What was Bona boasting about! Yes, we won’t take such nags for nothing.” The people gasp and marvel: what strong heroes have appeared! The owner is almost crying: his stallions galloped out of the city and let’s walk all over the open field; no one dares to start approaching them; no one can figure out how to catch them. The soldiers' children took pity on Ivana's owner, went out into the open field, shouted in a loud voice, with a valiant whistle - the stallions came running and stood rooted to the spot; Then the good fellows put iron chains on them, led them to oak posts and chained them tightly. We got the job done and went home.

They are walking along the road, and a gray-haired old man meets them ; They forgot that their mother was punishing them and walked past without saying hello, but only after one of them realized:

“Oh, brother, what have we done? They didn’t bow to the old man; let’s catch up with him and bow.” They caught up with the old man, took off their hats, bowed at the waist and said: “Forgive us,

grandfather, who passed without saying hello. Mother strictly punished us: no matter who we met on the way, we should give honor to everyone.” - “Thank you, good fellows! Where has God taken you? - “We went to the city to the fair; we wanted to buy ourselves a good horse, but there aren’t any that would be useful to us.” - "How to be? Would you like me to give you a horse?” - “Oh, grandfather, if you give it to me, we will forever be God’s help for you.”

pour." - “Well, let's go!” The old man led them to a large mountain, opened the cast-iron door and brought out the heroic horses: “Here are the horses for you, good fellows! Go with God, enjoy your health!” They thanked him, mounted their horses and rode home; They arrived at the yard, tied the horses to a post and entered the hut. The mother began to ask: “What, kids, did you buy yourself a horse?” - “We didn’t buy it, we got it for nothing.” - “Where are you taking them?” - “They placed it near the hut.” - “Oh, kids, look, no one would take it away.” - “No, mother, these are not horses like that: let alone take them away, and you can’t approach them!” The mother came out, looked at the heroic horses and burst into tears: “Well, sons, it’s true that you are not my breadwinners.”

The next day, the sons ask their mother: “Let us go to the city, we’ll buy ourselves a saber.” - “Go, my dears!” They got ready and went to the forge; come to the master. “Do it,” they say, “we’ll have a sword each.” - “Why do it! There are ready-made ones; as much as you want - take it! - “No, brother, we need sabers that weigh three hundred pounds.” - “Oh, what did they come up with! But who will move such a colossus? And you won’t find a forge like this in the whole world!” There is nothing to do - the good fellows went home and hung their heads;

They are walking along the road, and the same old man comes across them again. “Hello, young boys!” - “Hello, grandfather!” - “Where did you go?” - “To the city, to the forge; they wanted to buy themselves a saber, but there aren’t any that would fit our hand.” - “This is bad! Would you like me to give you a sabre?” - “Oh, grandfather, if you give it to me, we will forever pray to God for you.” The old man led them to a large mountain, opened the cast-iron door and brought out two heroic sabers. They took the sabers, thanked the old man, and their souls became joyful and cheerful! They come home, the mother asks: “What, kids, did you buy yourself a saber?” - “We didn’t buy it, we got it for nothing.” - "Where

Are you dividing them? - “They placed it near the hut.” - “Make sure no one takes it away!” - “No, mother, let alone take it away, you can’t even take it away.” The mother went out into the yard and looked - two heavy, heroic sabers were leaning against the wall, the hut was barely standing! Filled up

zami and says: “Well, sons, it’s true that you are not my breadwinners.”

The next morning Ivana, the soldiers' children saddled their good horses, took their heroic sabers, and came to the hut. They pray to God and say goodbye to their own mother. “Bless us, mother, on our long journey.” - “Be above you, kids, my indestructible parental blessing! Go with God, show yourself, see people; Do not offend anyone in vain, and do not yield to evil enemies.” - “Don’t be afraid, mother! We have this saying: when I go, I don’t whistle, but if I run too far, I don’t let go!” The good fellows mounted their horses and rode off.

It’s close, it’s far, it’s long, it’s short, it soon tells, it doesn’t take long to get the job done, they come to a crossroads, and there are two pillars standing there. On one pillar it is written: “Whoever goes to the right will be king”; on another pillar it is written: “Whoever goes to the left will be killed.” The brothers stopped, read the inscriptions and thought: where should anyone go? If both of them take the right road, it’s not an honor, not a praise to their god-like strength, their brave prowess; driving alone to the left - no one wants to die! “There’s nothing to do,” one of the brothers says to the other: “Well, brother, I’m stronger than you; Let me go to the left and see what could cause my death? And you go to the right: maybe God willing, you will become a king!” They began to say goodbye, gave each other a handkerchief and made the following covenant: each one should go his own way, put up pillars along the way, write about himself on those pillars for the nobility, for knowledge; Every morning, wipe your face with your brother’s handkerchief: if there is blood on the handkerchief, it means that your brother has died; with this, go looking for the dead.

The good fellows dispersed in different directions. When he turned his horse to the right, he reached the glorious Kingdom. In this kingdom lived a king and a queen; they had a daughter, Princess Nastasya the Beautiful. Tsar Ivan saw the soldier's son, fell in love with him for his heroic prowess and, without thinking for a long time, gave his daughter in marriage to him, named him Ivan Tsarevich and ordered him to rule the entire kingdom. Ivan Tsarevich lives in

joy, admires his wife, gives order to the kingdom and amuses himself with animal hunting.

At some time, he began to get ready for a hunt, put harness on his horse, and found in the saddle two bottles of healing and living water sewn up; looked at those bubbles and put them back in the saddle. “We must,” he thinks, “save it for the time being; It’s not even an hour - we’ll need it.”

And his brother Ivan, the soldier’s son, who took the left road, rode tirelessly day and night; a month passed, and another, and a third, and he arrived in an unfamiliar state - straight to the capital city. There is great sadness in that state; the houses are covered with black cloth, people seem to be staggering sleepily. He rented the worst apartment from a poor old woman and began asking her: “Tell me, grandma, why are all the people in your state so sad and why are all the houses hung with black cloth?” - “Oh, good fellow! Great grief overwhelmed us; every day a twelve-headed serpent emerges from the blue sea, from behind a gray stone, and eats a person at a time, now it’s the king’s turn... He has three beautiful princesses; just now they took the eldest one to the seaside - a snake to be eaten.”

Ivan the soldier's son mounted his horse and galloped to the blue sea, to the gray stone; A beautiful princess stands on the shore - chained to an iron chain. She saw the knight and said to him: “Get out of here, good fellow! The twelve-headed serpent will soon come here; I will be lost, and you will not escape death either: a fierce snake will eat you!” - “Don’t be afraid, red maiden, maybe you’ll choke.” Ivan the soldier's son approached her, grabbed the chain with a heroic hand and tore it into small pieces, like rotten twine; then he lay down on the red girl’s lap: “Well, look in my head! Don’t look in your head so much as look at the sea: as soon as the cloud rises, the wind makes noise, the sea ripples - immediately wake me up, good fellow.” The red maiden obeyed, not so much looking in his head as looking at the sea.

Suddenly a cloud moved in, the wind began to rustle; the sea shook - a serpent comes out of the blue sea, up the mountain

rises. The princess woke up Ivan the soldier's son; he stood up, just jumped on the horse, and the kite was flying: “You, Ivanushka, why did you come? After all, this is where I belong! Now say goodbye to the white light and quickly climb into my throat - it will be easier for you!” - “You’re lying, damned snake! If you don’t swallow, you’ll choke!” - answered the hero, drew his sharp saber, swung, struck and cut off all twelve heads of the snake; he picked up a gray stone, put his heads under the stone, threw his body into the sea, and he himself returned home to the old woman, ate and drank, went to bed and slept for three days.

At that time, the king called for a water carrier. “Go,” he says, “to the seaside, collect at least the princess’s bones.” The water carrier arrived to the blue sea, saw that the princess was alive, unharmed in any way, put her on a cart and brought her into the thick, dense forest; I took it to the forest and let’s sharpen the knife. “What are you going to do?” - asks the princess. “I’m sharpening a knife, I want to cut you!” The princess cried: “Don’t cut me; I haven’t done you any harm.” - “Tell your father that I delivered you from the snake, so I will have mercy!” Nothing to do, she agreed. Arrived at the palace; the tsar was delighted and granted that water carrier a colonel.

That’s how Ivan the soldier’s son woke up, called the old woman, gave her money and asked: “Go, grandma, to the market, buy what you need, and listen to what people say among people: is there anything new?” The old woman ran into the market, bought various supplies, listened to people's news, came back and said:

“There is such a rumor among the people: our king had a big dinner, princes and envoys, boyars and eminent people were sitting at the table; At that time, a red-hot arrow flew through the window and fell in the middle of the hall; to that arrow was tied a letter from another twelve-headed serpent. The serpent writes: if you do not send the middle princess to me, I will burn your kingdom with fire and scatter it with ashes. Today they will take her, poor thing, to the blue sea, to the gray stone.”

Ivan the soldier's son now saddled his good horse, sat down and galloped to the seaside. The princess tells him: “Why are you, good

Well done? Let it be my turn to accept death, to shed hot blood; A

Why should you disappear? - “Don’t be afraid, red maiden! Maybe God will save you." As soon as he had time to say, a fierce snake flies at him, scorches him with fire, and threatens him with death. The hero struck him with a sharp saber and cut off all twelve heads; He put his head under a stone, threw his body into the sea, and returned home, ate and drank, and went to bed again for three days, three nights.

The water carrier arrived again, saw that the princess was alive, put her on a cart, took her into the dense forest and began sharpening the knife. The princess asks: “Why are you sharpening the knife?” - “And I’m sharpening a knife, I want to cut you. Swear that you will tell your father what I need, so I will have mercy on you.” The princess gave him an oath; he brought her to the palace; the king rejoiced and granted the water carrier the rank of general.

Ivan the soldier's son woke up from sleep on the fourth day and ordered the old woman to go to the market and listen to the news. The old woman ran to the market, came back and said: “The third serpent has appeared, sent a letter to the king, and in the letter demands: take the little princess out to be devoured.” Ivan the soldier's son saddled his good horse, sat down and galloped towards the blue sea. A beautiful princess stands on the shore, chained to a stone on an iron chain. The hero grabbed the chain, shook it and tore it like rotten twine; then he lay down on the red girl’s lap: “Look in my head!” Don’t look in your head so much as look at the sea: as soon as the cloud rises, the wind makes noise, the sea ripples - immediately wake me up, good fellow.” The princess began to search his head...

Suddenly a cloud moved in, the wind began to rustle, the sea began to ripple - a snake emerged from the blue sea and rose up the mountain. The princess began to wake up Ivan the soldier’s son, pushed and pushed, no, he didn’t wake up; she cried tearfully, and a hot tear fell onto his cheek; That’s why the hero woke up, ran up to his horse, and the good horse had already knocked out half an arshin of earth under him with his hooves. A twelve-headed serpent flies, bursting with fire; looked at the hero and exclaimed:

“You are good, you are handsome, good fellow, but you may not live; I’ll eat you with bones!” - “You’re lying, damned snake, you’ll choke.” They started to fight

by mortal combat; Ivan the soldier's son waved his saber so quickly and forcefully that it became red-hot, you can't hold it in your hands! He prayed to the princess: “Save me, red maiden! Take off your expensive handkerchief, soak it in the blue sea and let it wrap your saber.” The princess immediately wet her handkerchief and gave it to the good fellow. He turned the saber around and started cutting the snake; he cut off all twelve of his heads, put those heads under a stone, threw the body into the sea, and he galloped home, ate and drank and went to bed for three days.

The king again sends a water carrier to the seaside; a water carrier arrived, took the princess and took her to a dense forest; He took out the knife and began to sharpen it. "What are you doing?" - asks the princess. “I’m sharpening the knife, I want to cut you!” Tell your father that I defeated the snake, so I’ll have mercy.” He frightened the red maiden and swore to speak according to his words. And the youngest daughter was the king’s favorite; When he saw her alive, unharmed in any way, he rejoiced more than ever and wanted to favor the water carrier - to marry the younger princess to him.

Rumors about it spread throughout the state. Ivan the soldier's son found out that the Tsar was planning a wedding, and went straight to the palace, and there was a feast going on, the guests were drinking and eating, and playing all sorts of games. The younger princess looked at Ivan the soldier’s son, saw her expensive handkerchief on his saber, jumped out from behind the table, took him by the hand and began to prove to his father: “Sovereign Father! This is who delivered us from the fierce serpent, from vain death; and the water carrier only knew how to sharpen a knife and say: “I’m sharpening a knife, I want to cut you!” The tsar became angry, immediately ordered the water carrier to be hanged, and married the princess to Ivan, the soldier’s son, and they had great fun. The young people began to live and live well and make good money.

While all this was happening, this is what happened to the brother of Ivan the soldier’s son, Ivan Tsarevich. Once he went hunting, and he came across a fleet-footed deer. Ivan Tsarevich hit the horse and set off in pursuit; rushed, rushed and drove out into a wide meadow. Here the deer disappeared from sight. The prince looks and thinks where to direct the path now? Lo and behold, in that meadow a stream is flowing, two gray ducks are swimming on the water.

He took aim with his gun, fired and killed a couple of ducks; I pulled them out of the water, put them in my bag and moved on. He rode and rode, saw white stone chambers, got off his horse, tied it to a post and went into the rooms. Everywhere is empty - there is not a single person, only in one room the stove is heated, there is a frying pan on the stove, the utensils are ready on the table: a plate, a fork, and a knife. Ivan Tsarevich took the ducks out of the bag, plucked them, cleaned them, put them in a frying pan and put them in the oven; fried it, put it on the table, cut it and eat it.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a beautiful maiden appears to him - such a beauty that you can’t even write it in a fairy tale or write it with a pen, and says to him: “Bread and salt, Ivan Tsarevich!” - “You are welcome, red maiden! Sit down and eat with me." - “I would sit with you, yes, I’m afraid: your horse is magical.” - “No, red maiden, I didn’t recognize it! My magic horse stayed at home, I came on a simple one.” When the red maiden heard this, she immediately began to sulk, puffed up and became a terrible lioness, opened her mouth and swallowed the prince whole. This was no ordinary girl, she was the sister of the three snakes who were beaten by Ivan, the soldier’s son.

Ivan the soldier's son thought about his brother, took a handkerchief out of his pocket, wiped it off, and looked - there was blood all over the handkerchief. He was greatly saddened: “What a parable! My brother went to good side, where could he be a king, but he received death! He asked his wife and father-in-law for leave and rode on his heroic horse to look for his brother, Ivan Tsarevich. Whether close, far, or soon, he arrives in the very state where his brother lived; I asked about everything and found out that the prince had gone hunting and disappeared - he never came back. Ivan the soldier's son went hunting along the same road; He also comes across a fleet-footed deer. The hero set off in pursuit of him; drove out into a wide meadow - the deer disappeared from sight; looks - a stream flows in the meadow, two ducks swim on the water. Ivan the soldier's son shot the ducks, arrived at the white stone chambers and entered the rooms. Everywhere is empty, only in one room the stove is heated, there is a frying pan on a shelf

costs. He roasted the ducks, took them out into the yard, sat on the porch, cut them and eat them.

Suddenly a red maiden appears to him: “Bread and salt, good fellow! Why are you eating in the yard?” Ivan the soldier’s son answers: “Yes, reluctantly in the upper room; It will be more fun outside! Sit down with me, red maiden! - “I would gladly sit down, but I’m afraid of your magic horse.” - “Enough, beauty! I came on a simple horse.” She foolishly believed it and began to sulk, pouting like a terrible lioness and just wanted to swallow the good fellow, when his magic horse came running and hugged her with his heroic legs. Ivan the soldier's son drew his sharp saber and shouted in a loud voice: “Stop, damned one! Have you swallowed my brother Ivan Tsarevich? Throw it back, otherwise I’ll chop you into small pieces.” The lioness belched and threw out Ivan Tsarevich: he himself was dead, he had gone to rot, his head was peeling off. Here Ivan the soldier’s son took two bottles of healing and living water from the saddle; sprinkled his brother with healing water - flesh and meat grow together; sprinkled with living water - the prince stood up and said: “Oh, how long I slept!” Ivan the soldier’s son answers: “You would sleep forever if it weren’t for me!” Then he takes his saber and wants to cut off the lioness’s head; She turned into a soulful maiden, such a beauty that it was impossible to tell, and began to cry tearfully and ask for forgiveness. Looking at her indescribable beauty, Ivan the soldier’s son had mercy and set her free. The brothers arrived at the palace and held a three-day feast; then we said goodbye; Ivan Tsarevich remained in his state, and Ivan the soldier’s son went to his wife and began to live with her in love and harmony.

At some time, Ivan the soldier’s son went out into the open field for a walk; a small child comes across him and asks for alms. The good fellow felt sorry, took a gold piece out of his pocket and gave it to the boy; the boy accepts alms, but he sulks - he turns into a lion and tears the hero into small pieces. A few days later the same thing happened to Ivan Tsarevich: he went out into the garden for a walk, and

an old man meets him, bows low and asks for alms; the prince gives him gold. The old man accepts alms, but sulks himself - he turns into a lion, grabs Ivan Tsarevich and tears him into pieces. And so the mighty heroes perished, and their serpentine sister tormented them.

MARYA MOREVNA

In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived Ivan Tsarevich; he had three sisters: one Marya the Princess, the other Olga the Princess, the third Anna the Princess. Their father and mother died; dying, they punished their son: “Whoever will be the first to marry your sisters, give it to him - don’t keep it with you for long!” The prince buried his parents and, out of grief, went with his sisters to take a walk in the green garden. Suddenly a black cloud appears in the sky and a terrible thunderstorm arises. “Let’s go home, sisters!” - says Ivan Tsarevich. As soon as they arrived at the palace, thunder struck, the ceiling split in two and a clear falcon flew into their room, the falcon hit the floor, became a good fellow and said:

“Hello, Ivan Tsarevich! Before I was a guest, but now I came as a matchmaker; I want to woo your sister Marya the Princess.” - “If you love your sister, I don’t stop her - let her go with God!” Princess Marya agreed; the falcon married and took her to his kingdom.

Days go by days, hours run by hours - a whole year has never happened; Ivan Tsarevich and his two sisters went for a walk in the green garden. Again a cloud rises with a whirlwind and lightning. “Let’s go home, sisters!” - says the prince. As soon as they arrived at the palace, thunder struck, the roof fell apart, the ceiling split in two and an eagle flew in; hit the floor and became a good fellow: “Hello, Ivan Tsarevich! Before I was a guest, but now I came as a matchmaker.” And he wooed Princess Olga. Ivan Tsarevich answers: “If you love Princess Olga, then let him marry you; I’m not taking her freedom away.” Olga the princess agreed and married the eagle; the eagle picked her up and carried her to his kingdom.

Another year has passed; Ivan Tsarevich says to his younger sister: “Let’s go for a walk in the green garden.”

eat!" We walked a little; again a cloud arises with a whirlwind, with lightning. “Let's go home, sister!” We returned home and before we could sit down, thunder struck, the ceiling split in two and a raven flew in; The raven hit the floor and became a good fellow: the previous ones were good-looking, but this one is even better. “Well, Ivan Tsarevich, before I was a guest, but now I’ve come as a matchmaker; give it for me

Anna the princess." - “I don’t take away my sister’s freedom; If she likes you, let her marry you.” Princess Anna married the crow, and he took her to his state.

Ivan Tsarevich was left alone; He lived without his sisters for a whole year, and he became bored. “I’ll go,” he says, “to look for my sisters.” He got ready to go on the road, walked, walked, and saw a beaten army lying in the field. Ivan Tsarevich asks: “If there is a person alive here, respond!” Who defeated this great army? A living man responded to him: “All this great army was beaten by Marya Morevna, the beautiful princess.” Ivan Tsarevich set off further, ran into the white tents, Marya Morevna, the beautiful princess, came out to meet him: “Hello, Tsarevich, where is God taking you - by will or by captivity?” | Ivan Tsarevich answered her: “Good fellows do not travel in captivity!” - “Well, if it’s not in a hurry, stay in my tents.” Ivan Tsarevich was glad of this, spent two nights in tents, fell in love with Marya Morevna and married her.

Marya Morevna, the beautiful princess, took him with her to her state; They lived together for some time, and the princess decided to get ready for war; She leaves the entire household to Ivan Tsarevich and orders: “Go everywhere, look after everything; But you couldn’t look into that closet!” He couldn’t bear it, as soon as Marya Morevna left, he immediately rushed into the closet, opened the door, looked - and there was Koschey the Immortal hanging there, chained to twelve chains. Koschey asks Ivan Tsarevich: “Have mercy on me, give me a drink! I’ve been suffering here for ten years, I haven’t eaten or drunk - my throat is completely dry!” The prince gave him a whole bucket of water; he drank and asked again: “I can’t quench my thirst with just a bucket; Give more!" The prince brought another bucket; Koschey drank and asked for a third, and when he drank the third bucket, he took his former strength, shook the chains and immediately all twelve

vomited. “Thank you, Ivan Tsarevich! - said Koschey the Immortal. “Now you will never see Marya Morevna again!” - and flew out the window in a terrible whirlwind, caught up with Marya Morevna, the beautiful princess, on the road, picked her up and carried her away to him. And Ivan Tsarevich cried bitterly and bitterly; I got ready and went on the road: “Whatever happens, I’ll find Marya Morevna!”

One day goes by, another goes, at dawn on the third he sees a wonderful palace, an oak tree stands near the palace, a falcon sits on a clear oak tree. A falcon flew from the oak tree, hit the ground, turned into a kind young man and shouted: “Ah, my dear brother-in-law! How does the Lord have mercy on you? Princess Marya ran out, greeted Ivan Tsarevich joyfully, began asking about his health and telling about her life. The prince stayed with them for three days and said: “I can’t stay with you for a long time; I’m going to look for my wife, Marya Morevna, the beautiful princess.” “It’s hard for you to find her,” the falcon answers. “Leave your silver spoon here just in case: we’ll look at it and remember you.” Ivan Tsarevich left his silver spoon with the falcon and went on the road.

He walked one day, walked another, at the dawn of the third he saw a palace even better than the first, near the palace there was an oak tree, an eagle sitting on the oak tree. An eagle flew from a tree, hit the ground, turned into a good fellow and shouted:

“Get up, Princess Olga! Our dear brother is coming." Princess Olga immediately ran to meet him, began to kiss and hug him, ask him about his health, and tell him about her life. Ivan Tsarevich stayed with them for three days and said: “I have no time to stay longer; I’m going to look for my wife, Marya Morevna, the beautiful princess.” The eagle answers: “It is difficult for you to find her; leave the silver fork with us: we will look at it and remember you.” He left the silver fork and went on the road.

One day passed, another passed, at dawn of the third he saw the palace better than the first two, there is an oak tree near the palace, a raven sits on the oak tree. A raven flew from the oak tree, hit the ground, turned into a kind young man and shouted: “Princess Anna! Come out quickly, our brother is coming.” Princess Anna ran out, waved him joyfully,

catch and hug, ask about health, tell about your life. Ivan Tsarevich stayed with them for three days and said: “Farewell! I’ll go look for my wife - Marya Morevna, the beautiful princess.” The raven answers: “It is difficult for you to find her; Leave the silver snuff box with us: we’ll look at it and remember you.” The prince gave him the silver snuff box, said goodbye and went on the road.

One day went by, another went, and on the third I reached Marya Morevna. She saw her beloved, threw herself on his neck, burst into tears and said: “Ah, Ivan Tsarevich! Why didn’t you listen to me - you looked into the closet and released Koshchei the Immortal?” - “Fly by, Marya Morevna! Don’t remember the old things, it’s better to go with me until we see Koshchei the Immortal; maybe he won’t catch up!” They packed up and left. And Koschey was hunting; in the evening he tosses and turns home, the good horse stumbles under him. “Why are you, hungry nag, stumbling? “Ali, do you sense any misfortune?” The horse answers: “Ivan Tsarevich came and took Marya Morevna away.” - “Is it possible to catch up with them?” - “You can sow wheat, wait until it grows, compress it, grind it, turn it into flour, prepare five ovens of bread, eat that bread, and then drive after it - and then we’ll be in time!” Koschey galloped and caught up with Ivan Tsarevich: “Well,” he says, “for the first time I forgive you for your kindness in giving me water to drink; and next time I’ll forgive you, but the third time, beware - I’ll chop you into pieces!” He took Marya Morevna from him and took him away; and Ivan Tsarevich sat down on a stone and began to cry. He cried and cried and went back again for Daria Morevna; Koshchei of the Immortal House did not happen. “Let's go, Marya Morevna!” - “Ah, Ivan Tsarevich! He will catch up with us." - “Let him catch up; We’ll spend at least an hour or two together.” They packed up and left. Koschey the Immortal returns home, the good horse stumbles under him. “Why are you, hungry nag, stumbling? “Ali, do you sense any misfortune?” - “Ivan Tsarevich came and took Marya Morevna with him.” - “Is it possible to catch up with them?” - “We can sow barley, wait until it grows, compress and grind it, brew beer, get drunk, get a good night’s sleep, and then drive after it - and then we’ll be in time!” Koschey galloped and caught up with Ivan Tsarevich: “After all, I’m

he said that you won’t be able to see Marya Morevna like your own ears!” He took her away and took her to his place.

Ivan Tsarevich was left alone, cried and cried, and returned again for Marya Morevna; At that time Koshchei was not at home. “Let's go, Marya Morevna!” - “Ah, Ivan Tsarevich! After all, he will catch up with you and chop you into pieces.” - “Let him chop it up!” I can not live without you". We got ready and went. Koschey the Immortal returns home, the good horse stumbles under him. “Why are you tripping? “Ali, do you sense any misfortune?” - “Ivan Tsarevich came and took Marya Morevna with him.” Koschey galloped, caught up with Ivan Tsarevich, chopped him into small pieces and put him in a tar barrel; He took this barrel, fastened it with iron hoops and threw it into the blue sea, and took Marya Morevna to his place.

At that very time, Ivan Tsarevich’s sons-in-law’s silver turned black. “Ah,” they say, “apparently something bad has happened!” The eagle rushed to the blue sea, grabbed and pulled the barrel ashore, the falcon flew for living water, and the raven for dead water. All three flew to one place, broke the barrel, took out the pieces of Ivan Tsarevich, washed them and put them together as needed. The raven splashed dead water - the body grew together, united; the falcon splashed living water - Ivan Tsarevich shuddered, stood up and said: “Oh, how long I slept!” - “I would have slept even longer if it weren’t for us!” - the sons-in-law answered. “Let’s go visit us now.” - “No, brothers! I’ll go look for Marya Morevna.”

He comes to her and asks: “Find out from Koshchei the Immortal where he got himself such a good horse.” So Marya Morevna seized a good moment and began to question Koshchei. Koschey said: “Behind the distant lands, in the thirtieth kingdom, beyond the fiery river lives Baba Yaga; She has a mare on which she flies around the world every day. She also has many other nice mares; I was her shepherd for three days, I didn’t miss a single mare, and for that Baba Yaga gave me one foal.” - “How did you cross the fiery river?” - “And I have such a scarf - as soon as I wave it in right side three times, it will become a high, high bridge, and the fire will not reach it!” Marya Morevna listened, told everything to Ivan Tsarevich and took the scarf and gave it to him.

Ivan Tsarevich crossed the fiery river and went to Baba Yaga. He walked for a long time without drinking or eating. An overseas bird with small children came across him. Ivan Tsarevich says: “I’ll eat one chicken.” - “Don’t eat, Ivan Tsarevich! - asks the overseas bird. “I’ll be useful to you in a while.” He went further; sees a hive of bees in the forest. “I’ll take some honey,” he says. The queen bee responds: “Don’t touch my honey, Ivan Tsarevich! You'll need me some time." He left it alone and moved on; a lioness with a lion cub comes towards him. “I’ll even eat this lion cub; I’m so hungry, I’m so sick!” “Don’t touch me, Ivan Tsarevich,” the lioness asks. “I’ll be useful to you in a while.” - “Okay, let it be your way!” He wandered hungry, walked, walked - there was the house of Baba Yaga, there were twelve poles around the house, on eleven poles there was a human head, only one was unoccupied.

“Hello, grandma?” - “Hello, Ivan Tsarevich. Why did you come - of your own free will or out of necessity? - “I came to earn a heroic horse from you.” - “If you please, prince! I don’t have to serve for a year, but only three days; if you take care of my mares, I’ll give you a heroic horse, and if not, then don’t be angry - your head will stick out on the last pole.” Ivan Tsarevich agreed; Baba Yaga fed him, gave him something to drink and told him to get down to business. He had just driven the mares into the field, the mares lifted their tails and all ran away across the meadows; Before the prince had time to raise his eyes, they completely disappeared. Then he cried and became sad, sat down on a stone and fell asleep. The sun is already at sunset, an overseas bird has flown in and wakes him up: “Get up, Ivan Tsarevich! The mares are now at home.” The prince got up and returned home; and Baba Yaga makes noise and shouts at her mares: “Why did you return home?” - “How could we not return? Birds came from all over the world and almost pecked our eyes out.” - “Well, tomorrow you don’t run through the meadows, but scatter through the dense forests.” Ivan Tsarevich slept through the night; the next morning Baba Yaga says to him: “Look, prince, if you don’t take care of the mares, if you lose even one, your wild little head will be on a pole!” He drove the mares into the field; they are the one-

for an hour they raised their tails and scattered through the dense forests. Again the prince sat down on a stone, cried, cried, and fell asleep. The sun set behind the forest; the lioness came running:

“Get up, Ivan Tsarevich! The mares are all collected.” Ivan Tsarevich got up and went home; Baba Yaga is louder than ever and shouts at her mares: “Why did you come home?” - “How could we not return? Fierce animals came running from all over the world and almost tore us to pieces.” - “Well, tomorrow you will run into the blue sea.”

Again Tsarevich Ivan slept through the night; the next morning Baba Yaga sends him to graze the mares: “If you don’t save him, your wild little head will be on a pole.” He drove the mares into the field; they immediately raised their tails, disappeared from view and ran into the blue sea; standing in water up to their necks. Ivan Tsarevich sat down on a stone, cried and fell asleep. The sun set behind the forest, a bee flew in and said:

“Get up, prince! The mares are all collected; but when you return home, don’t show yourself to Baba Yaga, go to the stable and hide behind the manger. There is a mangy foal there - lying in the dung; you steal it and leave the house in the dead of midnight.”

Ivan Tsarevich got up, made his way into the stable and lay down behind the manger; Baba Yaga makes noise and shouts at her mares: “Why did you come back?” - “How could we not return? Bees have apparently swooped in from all over the world and let us sting us from all sides until we bleed!”

Baba Yaga fell asleep, and at midnight Ivan Tsarevich stole her mangy foal, saddled it, sat down and galloped to the fiery river. I reached that river, waved my handkerchief three times to the right - and suddenly, out of nowhere, a tall, glorious bridge hung across the river. The prince crossed the bridge and waved his handkerchief to the left side only twice - there was only a thin, thin bridge across the river! In the morning Baba Yaga woke up - there was no sign of the mangy foal! She gave chase; He gallops at full speed on an iron mortar, urges with a pestle, and covers his tracks with a broom. She galloped up to the fiery river, looked and thought: “It’s a good bridge!” I drove across the bridge, and as soon as I got to the middle, the bridge broke off, and Baba Yaga fell into the river; Then a cruel death happened to her! Ivan Tsarevich fattened the foal in the green meadows; he became a wonderful horse.

The prince comes to Marya Morevna; she ran out and threw herself on his neck: “How did God resurrect you?” “So and so,” he says. “Come with me.” - “I'm afraid, Ivan Tsarevich! If Koschey catches up, you will be cut down again.” - “No, it won’t catch up! Now I have a glorious heroic horse, like a bird flies.” They got on their horse and rode off. Koschey the Immortal is tossing and turning home, and his horse stumbles under him. “Why are you, hungry nag, stumbling? “Ali, do you sense any misfortune?” - “Ivan Tsarevich came and took Marya Morevna away.” - “Is it possible to catch up with them?”

- "God knows! Now Tsarevich Ivan has a heroic horse better than me.” “No, I can’t resist,” says Koschey the Immortal, “I’ll go in pursuit.” Whether long or short, he caught up with Ivan Tsarevich, jumped to the ground and wanted to cut him with a sharp saber; At that time, Ivan Tsarevich’s horse hit Koshchei the Immortal with all its might and crushed his head, and the Tsarevich finished him off with his club. After that, the prince piled a pile of wood, lit a fire, burned Koshchei the Immortal on the fire and threw his very ashes into the wind.

Marya Morevna mounted Koshcheev's horse, and Ivan Tsarevich mounted his, and they went to visit first the raven, then the eagle, and then the falcon. Wherever they come, they are greeted with joy: “Oh, Ivan Tsarevich, we really didn’t expect to see you. Well, it’s not for nothing that you bothered: if you look for such a beauty as Marya Morevna in the whole world, you won’t find another!” They stayed, feasted and went to their kingdom; They arrived and began to live and live for themselves, make good money and drink honey.

In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived a man. The time has come - they signed him up as a soldier; He leaves his wife, begins to say goodbye to her and says:

- Look, wife, live well, don’t make good people laugh, don’t ruin the house, manage it and wait for me; maybe I'll come back. Here's fifty rubles for you. Whether you give birth to a daughter or a son, save your money until you grow up: if you marry your daughter off, she will have a dowry; and if God gives a son, let him enter into big years- that money will also be of considerable help to him.

He said goodbye to his wife and went on a hike where he was ordered. About three months later, the wife gave birth to two twin boys and named them Ivan - soldier's sons.

The boys grew up; Like wheat dough on dough, it stretches upward. When the children turned ten years old, their mother sent them to science; soon they learned to read and write and put the boyars' and merchants' children in their belts - no one could read, write, or give answers better than them.

The boyars and merchants' children were jealous and let those twins be beaten and pinched every day.

One brother says to another:

“How long will they be beating and pinching us?” Mother can’t even sew a dress for us, she can’t buy hats; Whatever we wear, our comrades will tear it to shreds! Let's deal with them in our own way.

And they agreed to stand by each other and not betray each other. The next day, the boyars’ and merchants’ children began to bully them, but they just put up with it! — let’s go give change. Everyone got it! The guards immediately came running, tied them up, good fellows, and put them in prison.

The matter reached the king himself; he called those boys to him, asked about everything and ordered them to be released.

“They,” he says, “are not to blame: they are not the instigators!”

Two Ivans grew up - soldiers' children and asked their mother:

- Mother, is there any money left from our parent? If you have any left, give it to us: we will go to the city to the fair and buy ourselves a good horse.

The mother gave them fifty rubles - twenty-five per brother - and ordered:

- Listen, kids! As you go into the city, bow to everyone you meet and cross.

- Okay, darling!

So the brothers went to the city, came to the horse riding, they looked - there were a lot of horses, but there was nothing to choose from; everything is beyond them, good fellows!

One brother says to another:

- Let's go to the other end of the square; Look at the crowd of people there - apparently and invisible!

We arrived there, pushed forward - two stallions stood at the oak pillars, chained to iron chains: one at six, the other at twelve; The horses break from their chains, they bite the bits, they dig the ground with their hooves. No one dares to come close to them.

- What will the price be for your stallions? - asks Ivan, the soldier’s son, to the owner.

- Don’t stick your nose in here, brother! There is a product, but it’s not for you, there’s no need to ask.

- Why know what you don’t know? Maybe we’ll buy it, we just have to look it in the teeth.

The owner grinned:

- Look, if you don’t feel sorry for the head!

Immediately one brother approached the stallion that was chained with six chains, and the other brother approached the stallion that was held by twelve chains. They began to look in the teeth - where! The stallions reared up and started snoring...

The brothers hit them in the chest with their knees - the chains scattered, the stallions jumped five fathoms and fell to the ground.

- That's what he was bragging about! Yes, we won’t take these nags for nothing.

The people gasp and marvel: what strong heroes have appeared! The owner is almost crying: his stallions galloped out of the city and let’s walk all over the open field; no one dares to start approaching them; no one can figure out how to catch them.

The soldiers' children took pity on Ivana's owner, went out into the open field, shouted in a loud voice, with a valiant whistle - the stallions came running and stood rooted to the spot; Then the good fellows put iron chains on them, led them to oak posts and chained them tightly. We got the job done and went home.

They are walking along the road, and a gray-haired old man meets them; They forgot that their mother was punishing them and walked past without bowing, and then one of them realized:

- Oh, brother, what have we done? They didn’t bow to the old man; let's catch up with him and bow down.

They caught up with the old man, took off their hats, bowed at the waist and said:

- Forgive us, grandfather, for passing by without saying hello. Mother strictly punished us: no matter who we met on the way, give honor to everyone.

- Thank you, good fellows! Where did you go?

- To the city for the fair; we wanted to buy ourselves a good horse, but there weren’t any that would be useful to us.

- How to be? Would you like me to give you a horse?

- Oh, grandfather, if you give it to me, we will thank you forever!

- Well, let's go!

The old man led them to a large mountain, opened the cast-iron door and led out the heroic horses:

- Here are your horses, good fellows! Go with God, enjoy your health!

They thanked him, mounted their horses and rode home.

We arrived at the yard, tied the horses to a post and entered the hut. The mother began to ask:

- What, kids, did you buy yourself a horse?

-Where are you taking them?

- They placed it near the hut.

- Oh, kids, look - no one would steal it!

- No, mother, these are not horses like that: let alone take them away - and you can’t approach them!

The mother came out, looked at the heroic horses and burst into tears:

The next day the sons ask their mother:

- Let us go to the city, we’ll buy ourselves a saber.

- Go, my dears!

They got ready and went to the forge; come to the master.

“Do it,” they say, “we’ll have a sabre.”

- Why do it! There are ready-made ones, take as many as you like!

- No, brother, we need sabers that weigh three hundred pounds.

- Oh, what did you come up with! But who will move such a colossus? And you won’t find a forge like this in the whole world!

There is nothing to do - the good fellows went home and hung their heads.

They are walking along the road, and the same old man comes across them again.

- Hello, young boys!

- Hello, grandfather!

-Where did you go?

“They wanted to go to the city, to the forge, to buy themselves a saber, but there aren’t any that would suit our needs.”

- That's bad! Anything to give you a sabre?

- Oh, grandfather, if you give it to me, we will thank you forever!

The old man led them to a large mountain, opened the cast-iron door and brought out two heroic sabers. They took the sabers, thanked the old man, and their souls became joyful and cheerful!

They come home and their mother asks:

- What, kids, did you buy yourself a saber?

- We didn’t buy it, we got it for nothing.

-Where are you taking them?

- They placed it near the hut.

- Make sure no one takes it away!

- No, mother, let alone take it away, you can’t even take it away.

The mother went out into the yard and looked - two heavy, heroic sabers were leaning against the wall, the hut was barely standing! She burst into tears and said:

- Well, sons, it’s true, you are not my breadwinners.

The next morning, the Ivans - the soldiers' children saddled their good horses, took their heroic sabers, came to the hut, said goodbye to their mother:

- Bless us, mother, on our long journey.

- Be above you, children, my indestructible parental blessing! Go with God, show yourself, see people; Do not offend anyone in vain, and do not yield to evil enemies.

- Don't be afraid, mother! We have this saying: when I go, I don’t whistle, but when I get too full, I don’t let go!

The good fellows mounted their horses and rode off.

Whether it’s close, far, long, short - soon the tale is told, but not soon the deed is done - they come to a crossroads, and there are two pillars standing there. On one pillar it is written: Whoever goes to the right will become a prince; on another pillar it is written: Whoever goes to the left will be killed.

The brothers stopped, read the inscriptions and thought: where should anyone go? If both of them take the right road, it’s not an honor, it’s not a praise to their heroic strength, their brave prowess; driving alone to the left - no one wants to die!

“There’s nothing to do,” one of the brothers says to the other:

- Well, brother, I’m stronger than you; Let me go to the left and see what could cause my death? And you go to the right: maybe God willing, you will become a king!

They began to say goodbye, gave each other a handkerchief and made the following covenant: each one should go his own way, put up pillars along the way, write about himself on those pillars for the nobility, for knowledge; wipe your face with your brother’s handkerchief every morning: if there is blood on the handkerchief, it means your brother has died; In such a disaster, go and look for the dead.

The good fellows dispersed in different directions.

Whoever turned his horse to the right reached the glorious kingdom. In this kingdom lived a king and a queen; they had a daughter, Princess Nastasya the Beautiful.

The Tsar saw Ivan, a soldier’s son, fell in love with him for his heroic prowess and, without thinking for a long time, gave his daughter in marriage to him, named him Ivan Tsarevich and ordered him to rule the entire kingdom.

Ivan Tsarevich lives in joy, admires his wife, maintains order in the kingdom and amuses himself with animal hunting.

At some time, he began to get ready for a hunt, put harness on his horse, and found in the saddle two bottles of healing and living water sewn up; looked at those bubbles and put them back in the saddle. We must, he thinks, save it for the time being; It’s not even an hour - you’ll need it.

And his brother Ivan, a soldier’s son, took the left road and rode tirelessly day and night.

A month passed, and another, and a third, and he arrived in an unfamiliar state - right in the capital city.

There is great sadness in that state: the houses are covered with black cloth, people seem to be staggering sleepily.

He rented the worst apartment from a poor old woman and began asking her:

“Tell me, grandma, why are all the people in your state so sad and why are all the houses hung with black cloth?”

- Oh, good fellow! Great grief has overwhelmed us: every day a twelve-headed serpent emerges from the blue sea, from behind a gray stone, and eats a person at a time, now it’s the king’s turn... He has three beautiful princesses; just now they took the eldest one to the seaside - a snake to be eaten.

Ivan, the soldier’s son, mounted a horse and galloped towards the blue sea, towards the gray stone; A beautiful princess stands on the shore - chained to an iron chain.

She saw the knight and said to him:

- Get out of here, good fellow! The twelve-headed serpent will soon come here; I will be lost, and you will not escape death either: a fierce snake will eat you!

“Don’t be afraid, red maiden, maybe you’ll choke.”

Ivan, the soldier’s son, approached her, grabbed the chain with a heroic hand and tore it into small pieces, like rotten twine; then he lay down on the red girl’s lap.

The red maiden obeyed and began to look at the sea.

The princess woke up Ivan, the soldier’s son; he stood up, just jumped on the horse, and the kite was flying:

- Why did you come, Ivanushka? After all, this is where I belong! Now say goodbye to the white light and quickly climb into my throat - it will be easier for you!

- You're lying, damned snake! If you don't swallow, you'll choke! - Ivan answered, drew his sharp saber, swung, struck and cut off all twelve heads of the snake; he picked up a gray stone, put the heads under the stone, threw the body into the sea, and he himself returned home to the old woman, ate and drank, went to bed and slept for three days.

At that time, the king called for a water carrier.

“Go,” he says, “to the seaside, at least collect the princess’s bones.”

The water carrier arrived to the blue sea, saw that the princess was alive, unharmed in any way, put her on a cart and took her to a dense, dense forest; I took it to the forest and let’s sharpen the knife.

- What are you going to do? - asks the princess.

“I’m sharpening a knife, I want to cut you!”

The princess cried:

“Don’t cut me, I didn’t do you any harm.”

“Tell your father that I delivered you from the snake, so I’ll have mercy!”

There is nothing to do - I agreed. Arrived at the palace; the tsar was delighted and granted that water carrier a colonel.

This is how Ivan, the soldier’s son, woke up, called the old woman, gave her money and asked:

“Go, grandma, to the market, buy what you need, and listen to what people say: is there anything new?”

The old woman ran to the market, bought various supplies, listened to people's news, came back and said:

- There is such a rumor among the people: our king had a big dinner, princes and envoys, boyars and eminent people were sitting at the table; At that time, a red-hot arrow flew through the window and fell in the middle of the hall; in that arrow there was a letter tied from another twelve-headed serpent. The serpent writes: if you do not send the middle princess to me, I will burn your kingdom with fire and scatter it with ashes. Today they will take her, poor thing, to the blue sea, to the gray stone.

Ivan, the soldier’s son, now saddled his good horse, sat down and galloped to the seaside. The princess tells him:

- Why are you doing this, good fellow? Let it be my turn to accept death, to shed hot blood; why should you disappear?

- Don't be afraid, red maiden!

As soon as he had time to say, a fierce snake flies at him, scorches him with fire, and threatens him with death.

The hero struck him with a sharp saber and cut off all twelve heads; He put his head under a stone, threw his body into the sea, and returned home, ate and drank, and went to bed again for three days, three nights.

The water carrier arrived again, saw that the princess was alive, put her on a cart, took her into the dense forest and began sharpening the knife. The princess asks:

- Why are you sharpening the knife?

“And I’m sharpening a knife, I want to cut you.” Swear that you will tell your father what I need, so I will have mercy on you.

The princess gave him an oath, he brought her to the palace; the king rejoiced and granted the water carrier the rank of general.

Ivan, the soldier’s son, woke up from sleep on the fourth day and told the old woman to go to the market and listen to the news.

The old woman ran to the market, came back and said:

“The third serpent appeared, sent a letter to the king, and in the letter he demanded: take out the lesser princess to be devoured.

Ivan the soldier's son saddled his good horse, sat down and galloped towards the blue sea.

A beautiful princess stands on the shore, chained to a stone on an iron chain. The hero grabbed the chain, shook it and tore it like rotten twine; then he lay down on the red girl’s lap:

“I’ll sleep, and you look at the sea: as soon as the cloud rises, the wind makes noise, the sea ripples - immediately wake me up, good fellow.”

The princess began to look at the sea...

Suddenly a cloud moved in, the wind began to rustle, the sea began to ripple - a serpent emerges from the blue sea and rises up the mountain.

The princess began to wake up Ivan, the soldier’s son, she pushed and pushed - no, he didn’t wake up; she cried tearfully, and a hot tear fell onto his cheek; That’s why the hero woke up, ran up to his horse, and the good horse had already knocked out half an arshin of earth under him with his hooves.

A twelve-headed serpent flies, bursting with fire; looked at the hero and exclaimed:

“You’re good, you’re handsome, you’re a good fellow, but if you’re not alive, I’ll eat you with the bones!”

“You’re lying, damned snake, you’ll choke.”

They began to fight to the death; Ivan, the soldier’s son, waved his saber so quickly and forcefully that it became red-hot, you can’t hold it in your hands! He prayed to the princess:

- Save me, beautiful maiden! Take off your expensive handkerchief, soak it in the blue sea and let it wrap your saber.

The princess immediately wet her handkerchief and gave it to the good fellow. He turned the saber around and started cutting the snake; he cut off all twelve of his heads, put those heads under a stone, threw the body into the sea, and he galloped home, ate and drank and went to bed for three days.

The king again sends a water carrier to the seaside. A water carrier arrived, took the princess and took her to a dense forest; He took out the knife and began to sharpen it.

- What are you doing? - asks the princess.

“I’m sharpening the knife, I want to cut you!” Tell your father that I defeated the snake, so I’ll have mercy.

He frightened the red maiden and swore to speak according to his words.

And the youngest daughter was the king’s favorite; When he saw her alive, unharmed in any way, he rejoiced more than ever and wanted to favor the water carrier - to marry the younger princess to him.

Rumors about it spread throughout the state. Ivan, the soldier's son, found out that the king was planning a wedding, and went straight to the palace, and there was a feast going on, the guests were drinking and eating, and playing all sorts of games.

The younger princess looked at Ivan, the soldier’s son, saw her expensive handkerchief on his saber, jumped out from behind the table, took his hand and said to his father:

- Sovereign Father! This is who delivered us from the fierce serpent, from vain death; and the water carrier only knew how to sharpen a knife and say: I’m sharpening a knife, I want to cut you!

The tsar was angry, immediately ordered the water carrier to be hanged, and married the princess to Ivan, the soldier’s son, and they had great fun. The young people began to live and live well and make good money.

While all this was happening to the brother of Ivan, the soldier’s son, this is what happened to Ivan Tsarevich. Once he went hunting, and he came across a fleet-footed deer.

Ivan Tsarevich hit the horse and set off in pursuit; rushed, rushed and drove out into a wide meadow. Here the deer disappeared from sight. The prince looks and thinks where to direct the path now? Lo and behold, a stream flows in that meadow, two gray ducks are swimming on the water.

He took aim with his gun, fired and killed a couple of ducks; I pulled them out of the water, put them in my bag and moved on.

He rode and rode, saw white stone chambers, got off his horse, tied it to a post and went into the rooms. Everywhere is empty - there is not a single person, only in one room the stove is heated, there is a frying pan on the stove, the utensils are ready on the table: a plate, a fork, and a knife. Ivan Tsarevich took the ducks out of the bag, plucked them, cleaned them, put them in a frying pan and put them in the oven; fried it, put it on the table, cut it and eat it.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a beautiful maiden appears to him - such a beauty that you can’t even write in a fairy tale, not even with a pen - and says to him:

- Bread and salt, Ivan Tsarevich!

- You are welcome, red maiden! Sit down and eat with me.

“I would sit with you, but I’m afraid: your horse is magical.”

- No, red maiden, I didn’t recognize it! My magic horse stayed at home, I came on a simple one.

When the red maiden heard this, she immediately began to sulk, puffed up and became a terrible lioness, opened her mouth and swallowed the prince whole. This was no ordinary girl, she was the sister of the three snakes who were beaten by Ivan, the soldier’s son.

Ivan, the soldier’s son, thought about his brother; He took the handkerchief out of his pocket, wiped it off, and looked - there was blood all over the handkerchief. He became very sad:

- What a parable! My brother went to a good place, where he could be king, but he received death!

He asked his wife and father-in-law for leave and rode on his heroic horse to look for his brother, Ivan Tsarevich.

Whether close, far, soon, briefly - he arrives in the very state where his brother lived; I asked about everything and found out that the prince had gone hunting and disappeared - he never came back.

Ivan, the soldier’s son, went hunting along the same road; He also comes across a fleet-footed deer. The hero set off in pursuit of him. I drove out into a wide meadow - the deer disappeared from sight; looks - a stream flows in the meadow, two ducks are swimming on the water. Ivan, the soldier’s son, shot the ducks, arrived at the white stone chambers and entered the rooms. Everywhere is empty, only in one room the stove is heated, and there is a frying pan on a stove. He roasted the ducks, took them out into the yard, sat on the porch, cutting them and eating them.

Suddenly a red maiden appears to him:

- Bread and salt, good fellow! Why are you eating in the yard?

- Yes, it’s reluctant in the upper room, it will be more fun in the yard! Sit down with me, red maiden!

“I would gladly sit down, but I’m afraid of your magic horse.”

- That's enough, beauty! I arrived on a simple horse.

She believed it and began to sulk, pouting like a terrible lioness and just wanted to swallow the good fellow, when his magic horse came running and grabbed her with his heroic legs.

Ivan, the soldier’s son, drew his sharp saber and shouted in a loud voice:

- Stop, damned one! Have you swallowed my brother Ivan Tsarevich? Throw it back, otherwise I will chop you into small pieces.

The lioness threw out Tsarevich Ivan: he himself was dead.

Here Ivan, the soldier’s son, took two bottles of healing and living water from the saddle; sprinkled healing water on his brother - flesh and meat grew together; sprinkled with living water - the prince stood up and said:

- Oh, how long I slept!

Ivan, the soldier’s son, answers:

- You would sleep forever if it weren’t for me!

Then he takes his saber and wants to cut off the lioness’s head; She turned into a soulful maiden, such a beauty that it was impossible to tell, and began to cry tearfully and ask for forgiveness. Ivan, the soldier’s son, looked at her indescribable beauty and let her go free.

The brothers arrived at the palace and held a three-day feast; then we said goodbye; Ivan Tsarevich remained in his state, and Ivan the soldier’s son went to his wife and began to live with her in love and harmony.

In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived a man. Time passed - they signed him up as a soldier; He leaves his wife, begins to say goodbye to her and says:

Look, wife, live well, don’t make good people laugh, don’t ruin the house, manage it and wait for me; maybe I'll come back. Here's fifty rubles for you. Whether you give birth to a daughter or a son, save your money until you grow up: if you marry your daughter, she will have a dowry; and if God gives him a son and he will go on to great years, that money will also be of considerable help to him.

He said goodbye to his wife and went on a hike where he was ordered. About three months later, the wife gave birth to two twin boys and named them Ivan - soldier's sons.

The boys grew up; Like wheat dough on dough, it stretches upward. When the children turned ten years old, their mother sent them to science; soon they learned to read and write and put the boyars' and merchants' children in their belts - no one could read, write, or give answers better than them.

The boyars and merchants' children were jealous and let those twins be beaten and pinched every day.

One brother says to another:

How long will they beat and pinch us? Mother can’t even sew a dress for us, she can’t buy enough hats; Whatever we wear, our comrades will tear it to shreds! Let's deal with them in our own way.

And they agreed to stand by each other and not betray each other. The next day, the boyars’ and merchants’ children began to bully them, but they just put up with it! - how did you go to give change? everyone enjoyed it! The guards immediately came running, tied them up, good fellows, and put them in prison.

The matter reached the king himself; he called those boys to him, asked about everything and ordered them to be released.

They, he says, are not to blame: they are not the instigators!

Two Ivans grew up - soldiers' children and asked their mother:

Mother, is there any money left from our parent? If you have any left, give it to us: we’ll go to the city to the fair and buy ourselves a good horse.

The mother gave them fifty rubles - twenty-five per brother - and ordered:

Listen, kids! As you go into the city, bow to everyone you meet and cross.

Okay, darling!

So the brothers went to the city, came to the horse riding, they looked - there were a lot of horses, but there was nothing to choose from; everything is beyond them, good fellows!

One brother says to another:

Let's go to the other end of the square; Look, what a crowd of people there is - apparently and invisibly!

We arrived there, pushed forward - two stallions stood at the oak pillars, chained to iron chains: one at six, the other at twelve; The horses break from their chains, they bite the bits, they dig the ground with their hooves. No one dares to come close to them.

What will the price be for your stallions? - asks Ivan, the soldier’s son, to the owner.

Don't stick your nose in here, brother! There is a product, but it’s not for you, there’s no need to ask.

Why know what you don’t know; Maybe we’ll buy it, we just have to look it in the teeth.

The owner grinned:

Look, if you don’t feel sorry for your head!

Immediately one brother approached the stallion that was chained with six chains, and the other brother approached the stallion that was held by twelve chains. They began to look in the teeth - where? The stallions reared up and started snoring...

The brothers hit them in the chest with their knees - the chains scattered, the stallions jumped five fathoms and fell to the ground.

What was he bragging about? Yes, we won’t take these nags for nothing.

The people gasp and marvel: what kind of strong heroes have appeared? The owner is almost crying: his stallions galloped out of the city and let’s walk all over the open field; no one dares to start approaching them; no one can figure out how to catch them.

The soldiers' children took pity on Ivan's owner, went out into the open field, shouted in a loud voice, with a valiant whistle - the stallions came running and stood rooted to the spot; Then the good fellows put iron chains on them, led them to oak pillars and chained them tightly. We got the job done and went home.

They are walking along the road, and a gray-haired old man meets them; They forgot that their mother was punishing them and walked past without bowing, and then one of them realized:

Oh, brother, what have we done? They didn’t bow to the old man; let's catch up with him and bow down.

They caught up with the old man, took off their hats, bowed at the waist and said:

Forgive us, grandfather, for passing by without saying hello. Mother strictly punished us: no matter who we met on the way, give honor to everyone.

Thank you, good fellows! Where did you go?

To the city for the fair; we wanted to buy ourselves a good horse, but there weren’t any that would be useful to us.

How to be? Would you like me to give you a horse?

Oh, grandfather, if you give it to me, we will thank you forever!

Well, let's go!

The old man led them to a large mountain, opened the cast-iron door and led out the heroic horses:

Here are the horses for you, good fellows! Go with God, enjoy your health!

They thanked him, mounted their horses and rode home.

We arrived at the yard, tied the horses to a post and entered the hut. The mother began to ask:

What, kids, did you buy yourself a horse?

Where do you put them?

They placed it near the hut.

Oh, kids, look - no one would steal it!

No, mother, these are not horses like this: let alone take them away - and you can’t approach them!

The mother came out, looked at the heroic horses and burst into tears:

Well, sons, it’s true, you are not my breadwinners.

The next day the sons ask their mother:

Let us go to the city, we’ll buy ourselves a sabre.

Go, my dears!

They got ready and went to the forge; come to the master.

Do it, they say, and we’ll get a sabre.

Why do it! There are ready-made ones, take as many as you like!

No, brother, we need sabers that weigh three hundred pounds.

Oh, what did you come up with! But who will move such a colossus? And you won’t find a forge like this in the whole world!

There is nothing to do - the good fellows went home and hung their heads. They are walking along the road, and the same old man comes across them again.

Hello, young boys!

Hello, grandpa!

Where did you go?

In the city, to the forge, they wanted to buy themselves a saber, but there weren’t any that would fit our hand.

That's bad! Anything to give you a sabre?

Oh, grandfather, if you give it to me, we will thank you forever!

The old man led them to a large mountain, opened the cast-iron door and brought out two heroic sabers. They took the sabers, thanked the old man, and their souls became joyful and cheerful!

They come home and their mother asks:

What, kids, did you buy yourself a saber?

We didn’t buy it, we got it for free.

Where do you put them?

They placed it near the hut.

Make sure no one takes it away!

No, mother, let alone take it away, you can’t even take it away.

The mother went out into the yard and looked - two heavy, heroic sabers were leaning against the wall, the hut was barely standing! She burst into tears and said:

Well, sons, it’s true, you are not my breadwinners!

The next morning, the Ivans - the soldiers' children saddled their good horses, took their heroic sabers, came to the hut, said goodbye to their mother:

Bless us, mother, on our long journey.

Be above you, children, my indestructible parental blessing! Go with God, show yourself, see people; Do not offend anyone in vain, and do not yield to evil enemies.

Don't be afraid, mother! We have this saying: when I go, I don’t blow it, but when I get too full, I don’t let go!

The good fellows mounted their horses and rode off. Whether it’s close, far, long, short - soon the tale is told, but not soon the deed is done - they come to a crossroads, and there are two pillars standing there. On one pillar it is written: “Whoever goes to the right will be king”; on another pillar it is written: “Whoever goes to the left will be killed.”

The brothers stopped, read the inscriptions and thought: where should anyone go? If both of them set out on the same road, it is not an honor, not a praise to their heroic strength, their brave prowess; driving alone to the left - no one wants to die!

“There’s nothing to do,” one of the brothers says to the other:

Well, brother, I'm stronger than you; Let me go to the left and see what could cause my death? And you go to the right: maybe God willing, you will become a king!

They began to say goodbye, gave each other a handkerchief and made the following covenant: to each go his own way, to put up pillars along the way, to write about himself on those pillars for the nobility, for knowledge; wipe your face with your brother’s handkerchief every morning: if death happens; in such a disaster, go looking for the dead. The good fellows dispersed in different directions. Whoever turned his horse to the right reached the glorious kingdom.

In this kingdom lived a king and a queen; they had a daughter, Princess Nastasya the Beautiful.

The Tsar saw Ivan, a soldier's son, fell in love with him for his heroic prowess and, without thinking for a long time, gave his daughter in marriage to him, named him Ivan Tsarevich and ordered him to rule the entire kingdom. Ivan Tsarevich lives in joy, admires his wife, maintains order in the kingdom and amuses himself with animal hunting.

At some time, he began to get ready for a hunt, put harness on his horse, and found in the saddle two bottles of healing and living water sewn up; looked at those bubbles and put them back in the saddle. “We must,” he thinks, “save it for the time being; It’s not even an hour - we’ll need it.”

And his brother Ivan, a soldier’s son, took the left road and rode tirelessly day and night. A month passed, and another, and a third, and he arrived in an unfamiliar state - right in the capital city. There is great sadness in that state: the houses are covered with black cloth, people seem to be staggering sleepily. He rented the worst apartment from a poor old woman and began asking her:

Tell me, grandma, why are all the people in your state so sad and why are all the houses hung with black cloth?

Oh, good fellow! Great grief has overwhelmed us: every day a twelve-headed serpent emerges from the blue sea, from behind a gray stone, and eats a person at a time, now it’s the king’s turn... He has three beautiful princesses; Just now they took the eldest one to the seaside - a snake to be eaten.

Ivan the soldier's son mounted his horse and galloped to the blue sea, to the gray stone; A beautiful princess is standing on the shore - chained to an iron chain. She saw the knight and said to him:

Get out of here, good fellow! The twelve-headed serpent will soon come here; I will be lost, and you will not escape death either: a fierce snake will eat you!

Don’t be afraid, red maiden, maybe she’ll choke.

Ivan, the soldier’s son, approached her, grabbed the chain with his heroic hand and tore it into small pieces, like rotten twine; then he lay down on the red girl’s lap.

The red maiden obeyed and began to look at the sea.

Suddenly a cloud moved in, the wind began to rustle, the sea began to ripple - a snake emerged from the blue sea and rose up the mountain. The princess woke up Ivan, the soldier's son; he stood up, just jumped on the horse, and the kite was flying:

Why did you come, Ivanushka? After all, this is where I belong! Now say goodbye to the white light and quickly climb into my throat - it will be easier for you!

You're lying, damned snake! If you don't swallow, you'll choke! - Ivan answered, drew his sharp saber, swung, struck and cut off all twelve heads of the snake; He picked up a gray stone, put their heads under the stone, threw the body into the sea, and he himself returned home to the old woman, ate and drank, went to bed and slept for three days.

At that time, the king called for a water carrier.

“Go,” he says, “to the seaside, and collect at least the princess’s bones.”

The water carrier arrived to the blue sea, saw that the princess was alive, unharmed in any way, put her on a cart and took her to a dense, dense forest; I took it to the forest and let’s sharpen the knife.

What are you going to do? - asks the princess.

I'm sharpening a knife, I want to cut you!

The princess cried:

Don't cut me, I haven't done you any harm.

Tell your father that I delivered you from the serpent, so I will have mercy!

There is nothing to do - she agreed. Let's go to the palace; the tsar was delighted and granted that water carrier a colonel. This is how Ivan, the soldier’s son, woke up, called the old woman, gave her money and asked:

Go, grandma, to the market, buy what you need, and listen to what you say between people, is there anything new?

The old woman ran to the market, bought various supplies, listened to people's news, returned and said:

There is such a rumor among the people: our king had a big dinner, princes and envoys, boyars and eminent people were sitting at the table; At that time, a red-hot arrow flew through the window and fell in the middle of the hall; to that arrow was tied a letter from another twelve-headed serpent. The snake writes: if you don’t send the middle princess to me, I will burn your kingdom with fire and scatter it with ashes. Today they will take her, poor thing, to the blue sea, to the gray stone.

Ivan the soldier's son now saddled his good horse, sat down and galloped to the seaside. The princess tells him:

Why are you doing this, good fellow? Let it be my turn to accept death, to shed hot blood; why should you disappear?

Don't be afraid, red maiden!

As soon as he had time to say, a fierce snake flies at him, scorches him with fire, and threatens him with death.

The hero hit him with a sharp saber and cut off all twelve heads; He put his head under a stone, threw his body into the sea, and returned home, ate and drank, and lay down again for three days, three nights. The water carrier arrived again, saw that the princess was alive, put her on a cart, took her into the dense forest and began sharpening the knife. The princess asks:

Why are you sharpening your knife?

And I’m sharpening a knife, I want to cut you. Swear that you will tell your father what I need, so I will have mercy on you.

The princess gave him an oath, he brought her to the palace; the king rejoiced and granted the water carrier the rank of general.

Ivan, the soldier’s son, woke up from sleep on the fourth day and told the old woman to go to the market and listen to the news.

The old woman ran to the market, came back and said:

The third serpent appeared, sent a letter to the king, and in the letter he demanded: take out the smaller princess to be devoured.

Ivan the soldier's son saddled his good horse, sat down and galloped towards the blue sea.

A beautiful princess stands on the shore, chained to a stone on an iron chain. The hero grabbed the chain, shook it and tore it like rotten twine; then he lay down on the red maiden’s lap:

I’ll sleep, and you look at the sea: as soon as the cloud rises, the wind makes noise, the sea ripples - immediately wake me up, young man.

The princess began to look at the sea... Suddenly a cloud moved in, the wind rustled, the sea shook - a snake emerged from the blue sea and rose up the mountain. The princess began to wake up Ivan, the soldier’s son, she pushed and pushed - no, he didn’t wake up; She cried tearfully, and a hot tear fell on his cheek: that’s why the hero woke up, ran to his horse, and the good horse knocked out half an arshin of earth under him with his hooves. A twelve-headed serpent flies, bursting with fire; looked at the hero and exclaimed:

You are good, you are handsome, good fellow, may you die alive, I will eat you with the bones!

You're lying, damned snake, you'll choke.

They began to fight to the death; Ivan, the soldier’s son, waved his saber so quickly and forcefully that it became red-hot, you can’t hold it in your hands! He prayed to the princess:

Save me, beautiful maiden! Take off your expensive handkerchief, soak it in the blue sea and let it wrap your saber.

The princess immediately wet her handkerchief and gave it to the good fellow.

He turned the saber around and started cutting the snake; he cut off all twelve of his heads, put those heads under a stone, threw the body into the sea, and he galloped home, ate and drank and went to bed for three days.

The king again sends a water carrier to the seaside. A water carrier arrived, took the princess and took her to a dense forest; took out the knife and began to sharpen?

What are you doing? - asks the princess.

I sharpen the knife, I want to cut you! Tell your father that I defeated the snake, so I will have mercy.

He frightened the red maiden and swore to speak according to his words. And the youngest daughter was the king’s favorite; When he saw her alive, unharmed in any way, he rejoiced more than ever and wanted to favor the water carrier - to marry the younger princess to him.

Rumors about it spread throughout the state. Ivan, the soldier's son, found out that the king was planning a wedding, and went straight to the palace, and there there was a feast, the guests were drinking and eating, and playing all sorts of games.

The younger princess looked at Ivan, the soldier’s son, saw her expensive handkerchief on his saber, jumped up from the table, took him by the hand and said to his father:

Sovereign Father! This is who delivered us from the fierce serpent, from vain death; and the water carrier only knew how to sharpen a knife and say: I’m sharpening a knife, I want to cut you!

The tsar became angry, immediately ordered the water carrier to be hanged, and married the princess to Ivan, the soldier’s son, and they had great fun. The young people began to live and live well and make good money.

While all this was happening to the brother of Ivan, the soldier’s son, this is what happened to Ivan Tsarevich. Once he went hunting, and he came across a fleet-footed deer. Ivan Tsarevich hit the horse and set off in pursuit; rushed, rushed and drove out into a wide meadow. Here the deer disappeared from sight. The prince looks and thinks where to direct the path now? Lo and behold, a stream flows in that meadow, two gray ducks are swimming on the water. He took aim with his gun, fired and killed a couple of ducks; I pulled them out of the water, put them in my bag and moved on.

He rode and rode, saw white stone chambers, got off his horse, tied it to a post and went into the rooms. Everywhere is empty - there is not a single person, only in one room the stove is heated, there is a frying pan on the stove, the utensils are ready on the table: a plate, a fork, and a knife. Ivan Tsarevich took the ducks out of the bag, plucked them, cleaned them, put them in a frying pan and put them in the oven; fried it, put it on the table, cut it and eat it.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a beautiful maiden appears to him - such a beauty that you can’t even tell it in a fairy tale or write it with a pen - and says to him:

Bread and salt, Ivan Tsarevich!

You are welcome, red maiden! Sit down and eat with me.

I would sit with you, but I’m afraid: your horse is magical.

No, red maiden, I didn’t recognize it! My magic horse stayed at home, I came on a simple one.

When the red maiden heard this, she immediately began to sulk, puffed up and became a terrible lioness, opened her mouth and swallowed the prince whole. This was no ordinary girl, she was the sister of the three snakes who were beaten by Ivan, the soldier’s son.

Ivan, the soldier's son, thought about his brother; He took the handkerchief out of his pocket, wiped it off, and looked - there was blood all over the handkerchief. He became very sad:

What a parable! My brother went to a good place, where he could be king, but he received death!

He asked his wife and father-in-law for leave and rode on his heroic horse to look for his brother, Ivan Tsarevich. Whether it’s close, whether it’s far, whether it’s soon, in short - he comes to the very state where his brother lived; I asked about everything and found out that the prince had gone hunting and disappeared - he never came back. Ivan, the soldier's son, went hunting along the same road; He also comes across a fleet-footed deer. The hero sets off in pursuit of him. I drove out into a wide meadow - the deer disappeared from sight; looks - a stream flows in the meadow, two ducks swim on the water. Ivan, the soldier’s son, shot the ducks, arrived at the white stone chambers and entered the rooms. Everywhere is empty, only in one room the stove is heated, and there is a frying pan on a stove. He roasted the ducks, took them out into the yard, sat on the porch, cutting them and eating them.

Suddenly a red maiden appears to him:

Bread and salt, good fellow! Why are you eating in the yard?

Yes, it’s reluctant in the upper room, it will be more fun in the yard! Sit down with me, red maiden!

I would gladly sit down, but I’m afraid of your magic horse.

That's enough, beauty! I arrived on a simple horse.

She believed it and began to sulk, pouted like a terrible lioness and just wanted to swallow the good fellow, when a magic horse came running and grabbed her with its heroic legs.

Ivan the soldier's son drew his sharp saber and shouted in a loud voice:

Stop, you damned one! You swallowed my brother Ivan Tsarevich! Throw it back, otherwise I will chop you into small pieces.

The lioness threw out Ivan Tsarevich: he himself was dead.

Here Ivan, the soldier’s son, took two bottles of healing and living water from the saddle; sprinkled his brother with healing water - flesh and meat grow together; sprinkled with living water - the prince stood up and said:

Oh, how long I slept!

Ivan, the soldier’s son, answers:

You would sleep forever if it weren’t for me!

Then he takes his saber and wants to cut off the lioness’s head; She turned into a soulful maiden, such a beauty that it was impossible to tell, and began to cry tearfully and ask for forgiveness. He looked at her indescribable beauty, Ivan, the soldier’s son, had mercy and set her free.

The brothers arrived at the palace and held a three-day feast; then we said goodbye; Ivan Tsarevich remained in his state, and Ivan the soldier’s son went to his wife and began to live with her in love and harmony.

People - Community