TRUYỆN CỔ TÍCH TIẾNG ANH

Thach Sanh - Ly Thong
Once upon a time, there was a tall strong young man named Thach Sanh. An orphan, Thach Sanh lived alone at the edge of a forest. He made his living by gathering and cutting wood in exchange for rice and some other food. He was dirt-poor and owned nothing but a loincloth and an ax, but he was happy and kind-hearted.
Thach Sanh had a very dear friend, Ly Thong, whom he looked up to as if he were his older brother. Ly Thong was a dishonest man and a cheat. He lived in the village with his mother whom Thach Sanh loved as if she were his own. Thach Sanh came to visit her very often because he missed the love of a family.
In the area near the village was a beast that looked like a serpent. It had magic power and frequently terrified the villagers. The King sent many troops to kill it but none could get near the beast. Finally, the King had to make peace with it and promise to offer it a human being every year at its temple.
That year, it was Ly Thong's misfortune to draw the lot and become the human offering to the beast. Ly Thong, being a cheat, thought of a way to fool Thach Sanh who was very naive in taking his place.
Ly Thong invited Thach Sanh to his house for a feast. He offered Thach Sanh some wine, and then said:
"It is my turn to guard the beast's temple tonight but my mother is sick, I don't want to leave her alone. Could you please go in my place?"
It was only a small favor to do for his friend, so Thach Sanh gladly accepted. At midnight, the beast came to eat his feast of the year. The wind blew in a terrible smell. All the trees around the temple trembled. Thach Sanh suddenly noticed a beast in the form of a huge serpent opening its large mouth to eat him. Thach Sanh fought the beast with all his might and killed it.
He cut off the beast's head and burned the rest. From the ashes he saw a golden bow and several golden arrows. Thach Sanh brought everything back to Ly Thong's house.
At that time, Ly Thong and his mother were sleeping, confident that Thach Sanh by now must be in the beast's stomach. Awakened by Thach Sanh's voice calling at the door, they became afraid and believed it to be Thach Sanh's spirit coming back to haunt them. Ly Thong quickly knelt on the floor and pleaded:
"Please forgive me and go away. We will give offerings to your soul and pray for you."
Upon hearing that, Thach Sanh knew that Ly Thong had fooled him. But being kind-hearted, he was not angry. He said:
"Don't be scared, I'm still alive. I have killed the beast and brought back his head."

Ly Thong was relieved. He immediately thought of another scheme. He opened the door for Thach Sanh and acted very concerned. He said:
"Oh! Didn't you know that the beast was worshipped by the King? You'll be in trouble for killing him. You'd better flee."
Thach Sanh believed him again. He fled to the forest. Ly Thong brought the beast's head to the King's court and announced that he was the one who killed the beast. He was rewarded with a lot of gold and was given official honors.
The King had only a daughter named Quynh Chau who had come of age. Royal princes had come to ask for her hand but she declined them all.
One day, she was strolling in the royal garden when suddenly a huge bird flew down from the sky and grabbed her then flew away.
Thach Sanh was cutting wood in the forest when he saw the bird with Quynh Chau in its claws. He shot a golden arrow at the bird. The bird was wounded. Its blood dropped on the ground. Thach Sanh followed the blood to a deep **** but there was no way he could climb down into the ****. He had to go home.
The King was devastated at the loss of his only daughter. He ordered Ly Thong, the hero who had killed the serpent beast, to find the princess and kill the bird. Ly Thong was afraid of the task. He tried to look for information by sending messengers all over the country.
Words reached Thach Sanh. He went into the capital to tell Ly Thong about his encounter with the bird and the girl. Ly Thong then ordered troops to go with him and Thach Sanh to the deep **** where the bird disappeared.
The **** was so deep that nobody would volunteer to go down. Thach Sanh told Ly Thong to drop a long rope into the **** so that he could climb down.
At the bottom of the **** Thach Sanh lighted a torch and followed the blood on the ground to a room. He saw a girl sitting at the door crying. Thinking she was the princess, Thach Sanh said:
"Please follow me, Your Highness. Don't be afraid."
The princess then told Thach Sanh that the huge bird was hurt badly and was resting in the room. He was still very dangerous and had magic power.
Thach Sanh led her to the rope and tied her to it. He then gave signals for Ly Thong to pull the rope up. The princess was pulled up to safety. Ly Thong again thought of a way to cheat. He simply did not drop the rope down to pull Thach Sanh up, but instead brought the princess back to the court after he had the troops push a large boulder to cover the ****.
Waiting at the bottom of the ****, Thach Sanh did not see the rope but only darkness as the boulder covered up the ****. Thach Sanh now knew that he had been tricked again. He had to look for a way out. He returned to the chamber where the bird was resting and courageously fought it. Thanks to the golden arrows, he killed the bird after a long fight.
As he was looking for a way out, Thach Sanh stumbled upon a large cage. There was a sad young man inside it. Thach Sanh asked for his name. The Young man replied:
"I am the son of the Dragon God, King of the Sea. I have been kidnapped and kept here for a long time. This cage neutralized my magic power. Please break it for me."

Thanh Sanh broke the cage. The Dragon Prince regained his magic power. He brought Thach Sanh and himself out of the ****. He then took Thach Sanh to the bottom of the sea to meet his father, the Dragon King. The King thanked Thach Sanh with all his heart. He gave Thach Sanh a magic lute and brought him back to land.
Thach Sanh now knew that Ly Thong never considered him a brother and was always ready to take advantage of him. He went to the capital to look for Ly Thong. When he reached Ly Thong's mansion, he was captured by Ly Thong's servants and put in prison. Once again, he was a lonely and poor woodcutter with no friends in the world.
Meanwhile, Ly Thong had drugged Quynh Chau with a special concoction that made her a mute so that she could not tell her father about what he did at the ****. Ly Thong told the King again that he was the one who killed the magic bird and rescued Quynh Chau. The King rewarded him with a lot of gold and gave him a promotion.
Thach Sanh brought out the magic lute and started playing, pouring his sorrow into the music of the lute. Upon hearing the lute music, Quynh Chau suddenly found her voice. She told the King that Thach Sanh was the real hero, and that Ly Thong was a cheat. Hearing the truth, the King was so outraged at such lies that he ordered Ly Thong and his mother put in prison at once.
Thach Sanh was released and rewarded. He asked the King to forgive Ly Thong and his mother. As a favor to the hero, the King spared Ly Thong and his mother from the death sentence, but ordered them sent back to the village. On the way, they were caught in a storm and died when they were struck by lightning.
Thach Sanh married Princess Quynh Chau and became heir to the throne. When the King passed away, Thach Sanh became a kind-hearted King who brought enormous happiness to all his subjects. Thach Sanh and Quynh Chau lived happily ever after.
- THE END -

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hay quá..............còn đây là Hoàng Tử Ếch..........
Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess who had a golden ball. She lived in a palace with her father, the king, and her seven sisters. Every day she played with her ball in the garden of the palace.
At the end of the garden there was a deep dark pond. When the weather was hot, the princess liked playing near the pond.
Unfortunately one day she dropped her ball into the water. She was very unhappy and she sat on the grass and started to cry.
Suddenly she heard a voice:??? Don??Tt cry, princess???.
She opened her eyes and saw a large green frog. ??oOh, please help me!??? she said, ??oI can??Tt get my ball.???
??oI??Tll help you???, said the frog, ??oif I can come and live with you in the palace!???
??oYes, yes, of course. I promise???, said the princess.
So the frog jumped into the water and came back with the ball. The princess laughed and took the ball. She ran quickly back to the palace and forgot all about the frog.
The frog was very angry. He followed the princess into the palace and told his story to the King.
??oA promise is a promise???, said the frog.
??oYes???, said the King and called her daughter. ??oA promise is a promise, my daughter. Take this frog to your room and look after him carefully???.
The princess cried again, but she took the frog and put him on her bed. The frog looked at her and said quietly ??oplease kiss me, princess???. She closed her eyes and kissed him. Immediately, the frog turned into a handsome prince. Of course, he and the princess fell in love. One week later they married and they lived happily ever after.
TV@

http://www.nhandan.org.vn/english/folklore/index.html
Có Trạng Quỳnh trong link trên .

​

Unprecedented dish: stone sprout stew
At the seigniorial palace, feasts and banquets were daily happenings. His Seigneury filled his stomach each day with exquisite-and succulent-dishes. To take in rare games, to ingest strange sea products, oh! To utmost satiety. His Seigneury had been fed up with it.
One morning, the Seigneur felt his stomach heavy, his mouth bitter, and was sick of everything. As Trang Quynh was by his side, he complained of his fate:
- I think I have tasted all extremely rare and savoury food articles in the world. But it is strange that I have not eaten any dish with appetite. Why so, doctor?
- Has Your Highness eaten stone sprouts any time? Trang Quynh asked.
The Seigneur was stupefied:
- Stone sprouts? Very strange! Stone has also sprouts? It must be very difficult to find them!
- Quite difficult, Your Highness. To pick one of them, much prowess is required.
The Seigneur implored, insisting obstinately:
- No matter about prowess. I will have you supplied with whatever you need. For the time being, I'm fagged out, I eat with no appetite at all. I formally order you to prepare for me, your supreme master, this dish of stone sprouts. At any cost! Go on.
One week after, very early Trang Quynh sent a card to the Seigneur inviting him to his home for an extra special feast. At sunrise, the Seigneur had come, his heart joyful and gay. Hours passed seemingly now in speed, now at slow pace. At noon, Trang Quynh was always busy in kitchen. Now and then, he went out of it and ran before the room where the Seigneur was lying, impatiently waiting. Then he came in again, streaming with sweat, the front lap of his dress thrown over his shoulder, the sleeves tucked up to the elbows. The Seigneur kept sight on him in a compassionate way:
- No doubt, the work must be very hard! The doctor has to put his shoulder to the wheel!
And again the Seigneur watched patiently, more hours passed... The sun was setting, he felt more and more hungry, his belly appeared to be nibbled and gnawed. He called out:
- Eh! Doctor, why is the cooking so long? If I had known it I would not have come.
Trang Quynh wiped his wet face and respectfully expounded:
- Seigneur, I have your appetite at heart, I've made utmost efforts. Let your Majesty deign to wait a bit, a little bit more, and it will be ready.
Now and then, the poor petty king would question, press, and in his mind, insulted the doctor. The minutes that followed were full of maledictions. The malicious doctor scraped his head, uttered encouragements:
- Still some effort, small effort. The stone sprouts must be stewed until they soften, if not they are indigestible!
At nightfall, nothing was served. From the kitchen in the neighbourhood, the exquisite smell of grilled meat, of fish cooked with pickling-brine exhaled. What a misfortune, why was the Seigneur's sense of smell was so sharp? The more he sniffed, the more his doggish hunger increased, the more his mouth watered. Trang Quynh saw him press his belly with his hands, his lips grew pale.
- I'm too hungry, I can't wait anymore! Let me have something, anything. Have it served, quick!
Trang Quynh shouted to the kitchen:
- Still more logs to the hearth! The fire must be kept ardent, the stone sprouts perfectly softened! Halloo! Have you heard? Good. Now immediately serve rice with some available dishes so that our Seigneur might deceive his wolfish hunger!
In a twinkle of an eye, the table was laid. Cooked rice, boiled water morning-glory. A small faience jug with a red paper label on which the words 'Dai Phong,' could be read in Chinese characters.
There was no time for being surprised. In a few seconds, he emptied two, three bowls of rice with water morning-glory dipped in the sauce taken from the small pitcher. But so good it was! Truly appetising! Eh! another bowl, doctor, this thick liquid is extremely rare, isn't it? The cunning doctor was holding carefully, .jealously the jug, each time he poured some small spoonfuls only. Having eaten to satiety, the Seigneur was sipping up his tea while regarding his host:
- He, doctor, what is this jug labelled 'Dai Phong'?
- Seigneur, it is but a habitual daily foodstuff of the common people.
The Seigneur did not believe:
- 'Dai Phong', what is its meaning?
The doctor smiled:
- Your Highness is a great scholar. You'll have only to read...
- Well! Dai Phong is a great wind, a hurricane, isn't it?
Trang Quynh nodded in agreement:
- Seigneur, you resemble a student not knowing his lesson.
Then he explained:
- The tornado blows down the pagoda, what happens, Seigneur?
Astounded, the Seigneur remained open-mouthed. Trang Quynh continued:
- The pagoda tumbles down. Bonzes and bonzesses run away. No more bananas, no more cones of glutinous rice. No more cakes of dry flour... Nothing left to eat. In consequence, the statues are anxious, that is to say 'tuong lo'.
The Seigneur kept silent.
-Very simple, Seigneur. Even a child knows it. Speak back-slang and all will be clear. 'tuong lo' become 'lo tuong' or the jar of soya sauce. By dint of eating 'minced pea**** and phoenix' you have forgotten the popular foodstuffs. I concoct a trifle of trick: I want you to have your stomach completely empty. Our fathers have said: 'A hungry belly takes everything with delight.' Therefore, you have just had good appetite with the common 'Dai Phong' soya sauce. As for steam-cooking stone sprouts till they soften, you didn't feel it smacking a lie, a farce?
Laughing on the wrong side of his mouth, the Seigneur thanked the doctor. 'The guy has played a dirty trick on me, but he has actually given me real appetite that has been absent for so long. How can I chastise or punish him?'
Henceforth, at each of his meal, on his tray there is always a cup of soya sauce which reminds him of the non-existent stewed stone sprouts.
Compiled by NGUYEN DUC HIEN
Translated by NGUYEN DINH PHUONG

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Cinderella
by the Grimm Brothers
The wife of a rich man fell sick, and as she felt that her end was drawing near, she called her only daughter to her bedside and said, "Dear child, be good and pious, and then the good God will always protect you, and I will look down on you from heaven and be near you."
Thereupon she closed her eyes and departed. Every day the maiden went out to her mother's grave, and wept, and she remained pious and good. When winter came the snow spread a white sheet over the grave, and by the time the spring sun had drawn it off again, the man had taken another wife.
The woman had brought with her into the house two daughters, who were beautiful and fair of face, but vile and black of heart. Now began a bad time for the poor step-child. "Is the stupid goose to sit in the parlor with us," they said. "He who wants to eat bread must earn it. Out with the kitchen-wench." They took her pretty clothes away from her, put an old gray bed gown on her, and gave her wooden shoes.
"Just look at the proud princess, how decked out she is," they cried, and laughed, and led her into the kitchen. There she had to do hard work from morning till night, get up before daybreak, carry water, light fires, cook and wash. Besides this, the sisters did her every imaginable injury - they mocked her and emptied her peas and lentils into the ashes, so that she was forced to sit and pick them out again. In the evening when she had worked till she was weary she had no bed to go to, but had to sleep by the hearth in the cinders. And as on that account she always looked dusty and dirty, they called her Cinderella.
It happened that the father was once going to the fair, and he asked his two step-daughters what he should bring back for them.
"Beautiful dresses," said one, "Pearls and jewels," said the second.
"And you, Cinderella," said he, "what will you have?"
"Father break off for me the first branch which knocks against your hat on your way home."
So he bought beautiful dresses, pearls and jewels for his two step-daughters, and on his way home, as he was riding through a green thicket, a hazel twig brushed against him and knocked off his hat. Then he broke off the branch and took it with him. When he reached home he gave his step-daughters the things which they had wished for, and to Cinderella he gave the branch from the hazel-bush. Cinderella thanked him, went to her mother's grave and planted the branch on it, and wept so much that the tears fell down on it and watered it. And it grew and became a handsome tree. Thrice a day Cinderella went and sat beneath it, and wept and prayed, and a little white bird always came on the tree, and if Cinderella expressed a wish, the bird threw down to her what she had wished for.
It happened, however, that the king gave orders for a festival which was to last three days, and to which all the beautiful young girls in the country were invited, in order that his son might choose himself a bride. When the two step-sisters heard that they too were to appear among the number, they were delighted, called Cinderella and said, "comb our hair for us, brush our shoes and fasten our buckles, for we are going to the wedding at the king's palace."
Cinderella obeyed, but wept, because she too would have liked to go with them to the dance, and begged her step-mother to allow her to do so.
"You go, Cinderella," said she, "covered in dust and dirt as you are, and would go to the festival. You have no clothes and shoes, and yet would dance." As, however, Cinderella went on asking, the step-mother said at last, "I have emptied a dish of lentils into the ashes for you, if you have picked them out again in two hours, you shall go with us."
The maiden went through the back-door into the garden, and called, "You tame pigeons, you turtle-doves, and all you birds beneath the sky, come and help me to pick

the good into the pot,the bad into the crop."
Then two white pigeons came in by the kitchen window, and afterwards the turtle-doves, and at last all the birds beneath the sky, came whirring and crowding in, and alighted amongst the ashes. And the pigeons nodded with their heads and began pick, pick, pick, pick, and the rest began also pick, pick, pick, pick, and gathered all the good grains into the dish. Hardly had one hour passed before they had finished, and all flew out again.
Then the girl took the dish to her step-mother, and was glad, and believed that now she would be allowed to go with them to the festival.
But the step-mother said, "No, Cinderella, you have no clothes and you can not dance. You would only be laughed at." And as Cinderella wept at this, the step-mother said, if you can pick two dishes of lentils out of the ashes for me in one hour, you shall go with us. And she thought to herself, that she most certainly cannot do again.
When the step-mother had emptied the two dishes of lentils amongst the ashes, the maiden went through the back-door into the garden and cried, "You tame pigeons, you turtle-doves, and all you birds beneath the sky, come and help me to pick

the good into the pot,the bad into the crop."
Then two white pigeons came in by the kitchen-window, and afterwards the turtle-doves, and at length all the birds beneath the sky, came whirring and crowding in, and alighted amongst the ashes. And the doves nodded with their heads and began pick, pick, pick, pick, and the others began also pick, pick, pick, pick, and gathered all the good seeds into the dishes, and before half an hour was over they had already finished, and all flew out again. Then the maiden was delighted, and believed that she might now go with them to the wedding.
But the step-mother said, "All this will not help. You cannot go with us, for you have no clothes and can not dance. We should be ashamed of you." On this she turned her back on Cinderella, and hurried away with her two proud daughters.
As no one was now at home, Cinderella went to her mother's grave beneath the hazel-tree, and cried,

"Shiver and quiver, little tree,Silver and gold throw down over me."
Then the bird threw a gold and silver dress down to her, and slippers embroidered with silk and silver. She put on the dress with all speed, and went to the wedding. Her step-sisters and the step-mother however did not know her, and thought she must be a foreign princess, for she looked so beautiful in the golden dress. They never once thought of Cinderella, and believed that she was sitting at home in the dirt, picking lentils out of the ashes. The prince approached her, took her by the hand and danced with her. He would dance with no other maiden, and never let loose of her hand, and if any one else came to invite her, he said, "This is my partner."
She danced till it was evening, and then she wanted to go home. But the king's son said, "I will go with you and bear you company," for he wished to see to whom the beautiful maiden belonged. She escaped from him, however, and sprang into the pigeon-house. The king's son waited until her father came, and then he told him that the unknown maiden had leapt into the pigeon-house. The old man thought, "Can it be Cinderella." And they had to bring him an axe and a pickaxe that he might hew the pigeon-house to pieces, but no one was inside it. And when they got home Cinderella lay in her dirty clothes among the ashes, and a dim little oil-lamp was burning on the mantle-piece, for Cinderella had jumped quickly down from the back of the pigeon-house and had run to the little hazel-tree, and there she had taken off her beautiful clothes and laid them on the grave, and the bird had taken them away again, and then she had seated herself in the kitchen amongst the ashes in her gray gown.
Next day when the festival began afresh, and her parents and the step-sisters had gone once more, Cinderella went to the hazel-tree and said,

"Shiver and quiver, my little tree,Silver and gold throw down over me."
Then the bird threw down a much more beautiful dress than on the preceding day. And when Cinderella appeared at the wedding in this dress, every one was astonished at her beauty. The king's son had waited until she came, and instantly took her by the hand and danced with no one but her. When others came and invited her, he said, "This is my partner." When evening came she wished to leave, and the king's son followed her and wanted to see into which house she went. But she sprang away from him, and into the garden behind the house. Therein stood a beautiful tall tree on which hung the most magnificent pears. She clambered so nimbly between the branches like a squirrel that the king's son did not know where she was gone. He waited until her father came, and said to him, "The unknown maiden has escaped from me, and I believe she has climbed up the pear-tree." The father thought, "Can it be Cinderella." And had an axe brought and cut the tree down, but no one was on it. And when they got into the kitchen, Cinderella lay there among the ashes, as usual, for she had jumped down on the other side of the tree, had taken the beautiful dress to the bird on the little hazel-tree, and put on her gray gown.
On the third day, when the parents and sisters had gone away, Cinderella went once more to her mother's grave and said to the little tree,

"Shiver and quiver, my little tree,silver and gold throw down over me."
And now the bird threw down to her a dress which was more splendid and magnificent than any she had yet had, and the slippers were golden. And when she went to the festival in the dress, no one knew how to speak for astonishment. The king's son danced with her only, and if any one invited her to dance, he said this is my partner.
When evening came, Cinderella wished to leave, and the king's son was anxious to go with her, but she escaped from him so quickly that he could not follow her. The king's son, however, had employed a ruse, and had caused the whole staircase to be smeared with pitch, and there, when she ran down, had the maiden's left slipper remained stuck. The king's son picked it up, and it was small and dainty, and all golden.
Next morning, he went with it to the father, and said to him, no one shall be my wife but she whose foot this golden slipper fits. Then were the two sisters glad, for they had pretty feet. The eldest went with the shoe into her room and wanted to try it on, and her mother stood by. But she could not get her big toe into it, and the shoe was too small for her. Then her mother gave her a knife and said, "Cut the toe off, when you are queen you will have no more need to go on foot." The maiden cut the toe off, forced the foot into the shoe, swallowed the pain, and went out to the king's son. Then he took her on his horse as his bride and rode away with her. They were obliged, however, to pass the grave, and there, on the hazel-tree, sat the two pigeons and cried,

"Turn and peep, turn and peep,there's blood within the shoe,the shoe it is too small for her,the true bride waits for you."
Then he looked at her foot and saw how the blood was trickling from it. He turned his horse round and took the false bride home again, and said she was not the true one, and that the other sister was to put the shoe on. Then this one went into her chamber and got her toes safely into the shoe, but her heel was too large. So her mother gave her a knife and said, "Cut a bit off your heel, when you are queen you will have no more need to go on foot." The maiden cut a bit off her heel, forced her foot into the shoe, swallowed the pain, and went out to the king's son. He took her on his horse as his bride, and rode away with her, but when they passed by the hazel-tree, the two pigeons sat on it and cried,

"Turn and peep, turn and peep,there's blood within the shoe,the shoe it is too small for her,the true bride waits for you."
He looked down at her foot and saw how the blood was running out of her shoe, and how it had stained her white stocking quite red. Then he turned his horse and took the false bride home again. "This also is not the right one," said he, "have you no other daughter." "No," said the man, "there is still a little stunted kitchen-wench which my late wife left behind her, but she cannot possibly be the bride." The king's son said he was to send her up to him, but the mother answered, oh, no, she is much too dirty, she cannot show herself. But he absolutely insisted on it, and Cinderella had to be called.
She first washed her hands and face clean, and then went and bowed down before the king's son, who gave her the golden shoe. Then she seated herself on a stool, drew her foot out of the heavy wooden shoe, and put it into the slipper, which fitted like a glove. And when she rose up and the king's son looked at her face he recognized the beautiful maiden who had danced with him and cried, "That is the true bride." The step-mother and the two sisters were horrified and became pale with rage, he, however, took Cinderella on his horse and rode away with her. As they passed by the hazel-tree, the two white doves cried,

"Turn and peep, turn and peep,no blood is in the shoe,the shoe is not too small for her,the true bride rides with you."
And when they had cried that, the two came flying down and placed themselves on Cinderella's shoulders, one on the right, the other on the left, and remained sitting there. When the wedding with the king's son was to be celebrated, the two false sisters came and wanted to get into favor with Cinderella and share her good fortune. When the betrothed couple went to church, the elder was at the right side and the younger at the left, and the pigeons pecked out one eye from each of them. Afterwards as they came back the elder was at the left, and the younger at the right, and then the pigeons pecked out the other eye from each. And thus, for their wickedness and falsehood, they were punished with blindness all their days.

The End
Easy come, easy go
apricot

The Apples of Youth and the Living Water.
(Russian)
In a certain kingdom, in a certain land, there lived a Tsar, and he had three sons. The eldest was named Fedor, the second was named Vasilii, and the youngest was named Ivan.
This Tsar was in his old age, and his eyesight was poor. And he heard that past three-nine lands, in the three-tenth kingdom, there was an orchard where apples of youth grew, and where a well full of living water could be found. If the old man could eat such an apple, he would find youth, and if he could wash his eyes with that water, his sight would be restored.
Therefore the Tsar ordered a great feast to be prepared, and he called all the princes and all the boyars, and he told them:
"Who among you, faithful noblemen, would be first among the chosen, first to volunteer, who would ride beyond three-nine lands, into the three-tenth kingdom, and would bring me some apples of youth and a ewer full of living water? I would give half my kingdom *****ch a man.
But then the eldest hid behind the younger, and the younger hid behind the youngest, and the youngest kept his mouth shut.
Prince Fedor came out, and said:
"We do not wish to give the kingdom away to a stranger. I will go on that errand, and I will bring you some apples of youth and a ewer full of living water.
Fedor went to the stables, chose a green-broke horse, put on it a brand-new bridle, took out a brand-new whip, and secured the saddle with twelve straps, and one more: he did not do it for looks, but for strength. Then prince Fedor took off on his errand: he was seen mounting up, but no one saw which way he went.
He rode far, or he rode near, he rode high, or he rode low â?" he rode from dawn to dusk. He arrived at a crossroads where three roads met. There was a flat stone at that crossroads, and there was an inscription inscribed on it:
"Whoever takes the right road will save himself and lose his horse. Whoever takes the left road will save his horse and lose himself. Whoever rides straight ahead will find a wife."
Fedor thought to himself: "I shall ride where I will find a wife."
And he went straight ahead. He rode, and he rode some more, and he arrived to a tall castle with golden roofs. A beautiful maiden ran out to greet him:
"O prince, I shall help you dismount, come with me, partake of my hospitality."
"No, fair maiden, I do not wish to dine, and sleep will not make the road grow shorter. I must ride on."
"O prince, do not hasten to ride on, hasten to take pleasure in life."
Then the fair maiden helped him dismount and took him inside the castle. She fed him, and gave him to drink, and led him to bed.
No sooner did prince Fedor lie down by the wall that the maiden turned over the bed, and the prince fell down into the cellar, deep into a dungeon.
SKIP
2. After a time, long or short, the Tsar again ordered a great feast to be prepared and he called all the princes and all the boyars, and he told them:
"Who among you, faithful noblemen, would be first among the chosen, first to volunteer, who would ride beyond three-nine lands, into the three-tenth kingdom, and would bring me some apples of youth and a ewer full of living water? I would give half my kingdom *****ch a man.
But then the eldest hid behind the younger, and the younger hid behind the youngest, and the youngest kept his mouth shut.
Prince Vasilii came out, and said:
"We do not wish to give the kingdom away to a stranger. I will go on this errand, and I will bring you some apples of youth and a ewer full of living water."
Vasilii went to the stables, chose a green-broke horse, put on it a brand-new bridle, took out a brand-new whip, and secured the saddle with twelve straps, and one more: he did not do it for looks, but for strength. Then prince Vasilii took off on his errand: he was seen mounting up, but no one saw which way he went.
He rode far, or he rode near, he rode high, or he rode low â?" he rode from dawn to dusk. He arrived at a crossroads where three roads met. There was a flat stone at that crossroads, and there was an inscription inscribed on it:
"Whoever takes the right road will save himself and lose his horse. Whoever takes the left road will save his horse and lose himself. Whoever rides straight ahead will find a wife."
Vasilii thought to himself: "I shall ride where I will find a wife."
And he went straight ahead. He rode, and he rode some more, and he arrived to a tall castle with golden roofs. A beautiful maiden ran out to greet him:
"O prince, I shall help you dismount, come with me, partake of my hospitality."
"No, fair maiden, I do not wish to dine, and sleep will not make the road grow shorter. I must ride on."
"O prince, do not hasten to ride on, hasten to take pleasure in life."
Then the fair maiden helped him dismount and took him inside the castle. She fed him, and gave him to drink, and led him to bed.
No sooner did prince Vasilii lie down by the wall that the maiden turned over the bed, and the prince fell down into the cellar, deep into a dungeon. Return
As he fell, a voice called out to him:
"Who falls?"
"Prince Vasilii. Who has fallen?"
"Prince Fedor."
"Well, brother, we certainly fell for it!"
3. After a time, long or short, the Tsar ordered for the third time a great feast to be prepared and he called all the princes and all the boyars, and he told them:
"Who among you, faithful noblemen, would be first among the chosen, first to volunteer, who would ride beyond three-nine lands, into the three-tenth kingdom, and would bring me some apples of youth and a ewer full of living water? I would give half my kingdom *****ch a man.
But then the eldest hid behind the younger, and the younger hid behind the youngest, and the youngest kept his mouth shut.
Prince Ivan came out, and said:
"Father, give me your blessing to go on this errand, to bring you some apples of youth and some living water, and also to look for my brothers."
The Tsar gave him his blessing. Prince Ivan went to the stables to look for a horse *****it him. But when he looked at a horse, it shook all over, and when he put his hand on a horse, it fell to its knees.
Ivan could find no horse *****it him. He went out, his brash head bowed low. An old woman came up to him, and asked:
"Good morning, child, prince Ivan! Why are you so glum?"
"How can I not be glum, grandmother, when I cannot find a horse to ride on my errand."
"You only needed to ask me! There is a good horse that will suit you in the dungeon, tied down with an iron chain. If you can take it, you will find it a good horse."
Prince Ivan went to the dungeon, he removed an iron plate from the opening. He ran up to the good horse, and the horse put its forelegs on Ivan's shoulders. Ivan did not flinch. The horse tore off the iron chain, burst out of the dungeon, taking Ivan with it. Ivan put a brand-new bridle, and a brand-new saddle on the horse, and twelve straps, and one more â?" he did not do it for looks, but for strength.
Then prince Ivan set out on his errand: he was seen mounting up, but he was not seen leaving. He reached the crossroads and stopped to consider the inscription.
"If I go right, I'll lose my horse. And what would I do without a horse? If I go straight, I'll be wed. That's not what I'm after. If I go left, I'll save my horse. That's the best way for me."
4. And he turned onto the road where he would save his horse, but lose himself. He rode for a time, long or short, he rode high, or he rode low, over green fields, over rocky mountains, he rode from dawn to dusk, and reached a small izba.
The izba stood on chicken legs. It had only one window.
"Izba, little izba, turn your back on the forest, your front towards me! As I enter, so will I leave."
The little izba turned its back on the forest, and its front towards prince Ivan. He went in, and saw a baba-yaga of the bony leg, her shoulders stretched from corner to corner, her nose had grown into the ceiling.
"Ugh, Ugh," she said, "I haven't heard a Russian in a long time, haven't seen one even longer, and here's one coming to me! Are you seeking something, or running away from it?"
"How so, baba-yaga, you question me even before you greet me! Won't you offer me food and drink, and a bed for the night? Then I will tell you all about me and my errand."
The baba-yaga did just that, gave food and drink to Ivan, and made his bed, sat down by his side, and asked:
"Well now, where are you from, good man, brave youth? What land? Who are your father and your mother?"
"Grandmother, I am from such-and-such a kingdom, such-and-such a land, I am prince Ivan the Tsar's son. I am riding beyond three-nine lands, beyond three-ten kingdoms, to fetch apples of youth and living water."
"Oh, my dear child, you have far to travel: the apples of youth and the living water belong to a powerful warrior-maiden, to Sineglazka. She is my own niece. I don't know whether you will be able to obtain those goods..."
"Well, grandmother, would you lend your head to my shoulders, and advise me on what to do?"
"Many a youth went this way, few spoke courteously. Take my horse, child. My horse runs faster, it will take you to my middle sister, she will advise you."
Prince Ivan arose early in the morning. He thanked the baba-yaga for her hospitality, and rode off on her horse.
Suddenly he said to the horse:
"Stop! I dropped my gauntlet!"
The horse answered:
"While you were speaking, I traveled two hundred versts!"
5. Prince Ivan traveled far, or maybe near, he traveled all day till dark. Then he saw a small izba ahead. It stood on a chicken leg, and had only one window.
"Izba, little izba, turn your back on the forest, your front towards me! As I enter, so will I leave."
The little izba turned its back on the forest, and its front towards Ivan. Suddenly, a horse neighed and the horse Ivan rode neighed in answer. The horses were herd-mates.
The baba-yaga in the izba (even older than the first one) heard the horses and said:
"Sounds like my sister comes to visit."
And she came out on the porch.
"Ugh, Ugh," she said, "I haven't heard a Russian in a long time, haven't seen one even longer, and here's one coming to me! Are you seeking something, or running away from it?"
"How so, baba-yaga, you question me even before you greet me! Won't you offer me food and drink, and a bed for the night? Then I will tell you all about me and my errand."
The baba-yaga did just that, gave food and drink to Ivan, and made his bed, sat down by his side, and asked:
"Well now, where are you from, good man, brave youth? What land? Who are your father and your mother?"
"Grandmother, I am from such-and-such a kingdom, such-and-such a land, I am prince Ivan the Tsar's son. I am riding beyond three-nine lands, beyond three-ten kingdoms, to fetch apples of youth and living water from the mighty warrior-maiden Sineglazka."
"Oh, child, I don't know whether you will be able to obtain what you seek. The road is difficult to the abode of the maiden Sineglazka!"
"Well, grandmother, would you lend your head to my shoulders, and advise me on what to do?"
"Many a youth went this way, few spoke courteously. Take my horse, child. My horse runs faster, it will take you to my older sister, she can advise you better than I."
Prince Ivan arose early in the morning. He thanked the baba-yaga for her hospitality, and rode off on her horse.
Suddenly he said to the horse:
"Stop! I dropped my gauntlet!"
The horse answered:
"While you were speaking, I traveled three hundred versts!"
6. A tale is soon told, a deed is done slowly. Prince Ivan traveled the whole day from dawn to dusk. He arrived to a small izba. It stood on a chicken leg, and had only one window.
"Izba, little izba, turn your back on the forest, your front towards me! As I enter, so will I leave."
The little izba turned its back on the forest, and its front towards Ivan. Suddenly, a horse neighed and the horse Ivan rode neighed in answer. Another baba-yaga came out, old, even older than the second. She looked at the horse, recognized it as her sister's, but the rider was a stranger, a handsome young man.
Then Prince Ivan bowed to her courteously, and asked her for her hospitality. The baba-yaga had to offer him her hospitality: it was due to all, to those who came on horseback and those who came on foot, to rich and poor alike.
The baba-yaga took care of everything in no time at all: she stabled the horse, and gave food and drink to Prince Ivan, and then she questioned him.
"Well now, where are you from, good man, brave youth? What land? Who are your father and your mother?"
"Grandmother, I am from such-and-such a kingdom, such-and-such a land, I am prince Ivan the Tsar's son. I was at your youngest sister's, and she sent me to your middle sister, who sent me to you. I am riding beyond three-nine lands, beyond three-ten kingdoms, to fetch apples of youth and living water from the mighty warrior-maiden Sineglazka."
"Oh, child, I don't know whether you will be able to obtain what you seek. The road is difficult to the abode of the maiden Sineglazka!"
"Well, grandmother, would you lend your head to my shoulders, and advise me on what to do?"
"Many a youth went this way, few spoke courteously. Oh, well, I will help you. The maiden Sineglazka is my niece, she is a powerful and mighty warrior. Her kingdom is surrounded by a wall three sazhens high, one sazhen thick. There is a watch of 33 warriors at the gate, they won't even let you in. You have to go there in the middle of the night, on my own good horse. Once you're at the foot of the wall, whip the horse with a never-lashed whip: it will jump the wall. Tie down the horse and go into the garden. You will see the apple tree with the apples of youth, and a well under the tree. Take three apples, not one more. And fill a ewer with the water. The maiden Sineglazka will be sleeping, don't you go into her chambers, get back on the horse and whip him stoutly: he'll jump the wall again."
7. Ivan did not spend the night at this old woman's, he mounted her good horse and rode off in the dark. This horse hopped over swamps and bogs, jumped over rivers and lakes.
After a long time or a short, having ridden high, or maybe low, Prince Ivan arrived in the middle of the night to the foot of a towering wall. There was a guard of thirty three warriors at the gates. Ivan squeezed the horse with his legs, whipped him with his never-lashed whip. The horse was angered, and jumped over the wall. Prince Ivan dismounted, went into the garden, and saw: there stood an apple tree with silver leaves and golden apples, and there was a well under the tree. Prince Ivan picked three apples and filled his ewer from the well. And then he desired to see the powerful, mighty warrior-maiden Sineglazka with his own eyes.
Prince Ivan went into the castle, where everybody was sleeping: on one side slept six warrior-maidens, and on the other side slept six warrior maidens, and in the middle the warrior-maiden Sineglazka was sprawled all over her bed in her sleep, roaring like mountain rapids.
Prince Ivan could not resist. He kissed her and left. He mounted his good horse, but the horse said to him in a human voice:
"You did not do as you were told, Prince Ivan, you went into the castle to see the maiden Sineglazka! Now I won't be able to jump over the wall."
Prince Ivan whipped the horse with his brand-new whip.
"You old nag, wolf fodder, bag of grass, we won't just spend the night here, we'll lose our heads!"
The horse was angered more than ever, and he jumped over the wall, but he caught a shoe on the top of the wall: strings sounded and bells rang.
The maiden Sineglazka awoke and saw that she had been burglarized.
"Awake, awake! We have been robbed of our goods!"
She commanded that her warrior's horse be saddled, and raced off with the twelve warrior-maidens in pursuit of Prince Ivan.
8. Prince Ivan was riding as fast as his horse could go, and the maiden Sineglazka was hard on his heels. Prince Ivan arrived to house of the oldest baba-yaga, and she had a horse all ready for him. Ivan changed horses on the fly and raced off. He was scarcely out the gates when Sineglazka rode in, asking the baba-yaga:
"Grandmother, did an animal pass by here?"
"No, child."
"Did a man ride by here?"
"No, child. But won't you have a cup of milk after all this riding?"
"I would, grandmother, but it takes a long time to milk a cow."
"Oh, no, child, it won't take but a moment."
The baba-yaga went to milk the cow, and she took her time. The maiden Sineglazka had a cup of milk and set off again in pursuit of Prince Ivan.
Prince Ivan arrived at the house of the younger baba-yaga, changed horses, and raced on. He was scarcely out the gates when Sineglazka rode in.
"Grandmother, did an animal pass by, did a man ride by here?"
"No, child. But won't you have some pancakes after all this riding?"
"It will take you so long to fry them!"
"Oh, no, child, it won't take but a moment."
The baba-yaga fried a mountain of pancakes, taking her time to prepare them. The maiden Sineglazka ate them and raced off after Prince Ivan.
Prince Ivan arrived at the house of the youngest baba-yaga, dismounted and got on his own good horse, and raced off. He was scarcely out the gates when Sineglazka rode in and asked the baba-yaga whether a man had ridden by.
"No, child. But won't you take a nice bath after all this riding?"
"It will take you so long to heat up the bath house!"
"Oh, no, child, it won't take but a moment!"
The baba-yaga heated up the bath house, and prepared everything. The maiden Sineglazka had a steam bath, and then raced off after Prince Ivan. Her horse jumped from mountain to mountain, hopped over rivers and lakes. Soon she started catching up after Ivan.
9. Ivan saw that he was pursued: twelve warrior maidens, and a thirteenth â?" the maiden Sineglazka. They were about to catch up with him, and they were ready to behead him. He slowed down his horse, and the maiden Sineglazka rode up to him and yelled:
"You thief, why did you drink from my well and did not replace the cover?"
He answered:
"Let's ride three horse-jumps apart and measure our strength against each other."
Then Prince Ivan and the maiden Sineglazka rode three horse-jumps apart, took out their war-maces, their long-measured lances, their sharp sabers. They met each other three times, they broke their maces, they split their lances, they dulled their sabers, and yet neither could throw the other to the ground. There was no point in fighting a-horseback: they jumped off, and fought on bare-handed.
They fought from morning till night, thill the bright sun set. Prince Ivan's leg slipped, he fell to the ground. The maiden Sineglazka put her knee on his broad chest, and took out her great dagger to stab him in the heart.
Prince Ivan said to her:
"Do not slay me, fair maiden Sineglazka, take me instead by my white hands, help me rise from the ground, kiss me on my sweet lips."
Then the maiden Sineglazka helped Prince Ivan to stand up, and kissed him on his sweet lips. They set up their pavillion in the wide field, in the open plain, on the green grass. They spent three days and three nights there. There they were betrothed and exchanged rings.
The maiden Sineglazka said to him:
"I will ride home, and you go home as well, but beware: do not turn from your path anywhere... Await me in your kingdom three years hence."
They mounted up and rode away. After a long time, or maybe a short â?" events happen slowly, but a tale is quickly told â?" Prince Ivan arrived at the crossroads where the flat stone lay, and thought:
"This is not good! I am riding home, and my brothers are lost without a trace."
10. He did not follow the orders of the maiden Sineglazka, he turned onto the road that promised marriage. He arrived to the castle with the golden roofs. Suddenly Prince Ivan's horse neighed, and his brothers' horses responded, for the horses were herd-mates.
Prince Ivan went up the stairs to the porch and knocked the ring so hard the finials on the rooftops shook and the window frames became crooked. A beautiful maiden ran out.
"Oh, Prince Ivan, I have been waiting for you for so long! Come, partake of my hospitality, and spend the night."
She took him into the castle, and served him a real feast. Prince Ivan did not eat so much as he threw under the table, he did not drink so much as he poured out under the table. The fair maiden took him into the bedroom:
"Lie down, Prince Ivan, rest comfortably."
But Prince Ivan threw her onto the bed, he turned the bed upside down, and the fair maiden fell into the cellar, the deep dungeon.
Prince Ivan leaned over the dungeon and called out:
"Who's alive down there?"
And he was answered:
"Prince Fedor and Prince Vasilii!"
Prince Ivan pulled them out of the dungeon: their faces were black with dirt, moss had begun to grow on them. Prince Ivan washed his brothers off with living water, and they became as before.
They mounted up on their horses and rode off. After a long while, or a short, they arrived at the crossroads. Prince Ivan told his brothers:
"Watch my horse while I rest a little.:
11. He lay down on the silky grass and fell into a deep warrior's sleep. But Prince Fedor said to Prince Vasilii:
"If we return without apples of youth or living water, there will be little fame for us, our father will send us to watch the geese."
Prince Vasilii answered:
"Let's throw Prince Ivan into a deep ravine, and let's take these things and hand them over to our father."
So they took the apples of youth and the living water out of Ivan's pocket, and threw Ivan into a deep ravine. Prince Ivan fell for three days and three nights before he reached the bottom.
Prince Ivan fell onto a sea shore, came to, and saw that there was nothing around him, just the sky and the water, and under an old oak tree, some fledgling birds were calling, for the sea was pummeling them.
Prince Ivan took off his caftan and covered up the fledglings, and hid under the oak tree.
The weather calmed, and the great bird Nagai came flying.
She arrived, landed under the tree, and asked her fledglings:
"My dear little children, did you suffer from the terrible weather?"
"Do not cry, mother, a Russian saved us, he covered us with his caftan."
The bird Nagai asked Prince Ivan:
"How did you happen to be here, good man?"
"My own brothers threw me into the ravine for the apples of youth and the living water I had."
"You protected my little ones, ask anything you want: gold, silver, precious stones,"
"I do not need anything, Nagai: I do not need gold, or silver, or precious stones. But can I return to my native land?"
The bird Nagai answered him:
"Find two barrels, each full of some twelve puds of meat."
So Prince Ivan shot many geese and swans by the sea shore. He put the meat into two barrels, and put one barrel on the right shoulder of the bird Nagai, the other on the left, and sat on her back. Then he began feeding the bird, and she took off and rose higher and higher.
She flew, and Prince Ivan kept feeding and feeding her. They flew a long time thus, or maybe a short time, and Ivan fed both barrels to the bird. And Nagai turned her beak to him again. Ivan took out his knife, cut a chunk off his thigh, and gave it to the bird Nagai. She flew further, and turned her beak to him again. Ivan cut a chunk off his other leg and fed it to her. They were almost there, and the bird turned to Ivan a third time, and he cut a chunk off his chest and fed it to her.
Then the bird Nagai arrived in Prince Ivan's native land.
"You fed me well the whole time, but the last piece was the most delicious, I have never eaten the like of it."
Prince Ivan showed her his wounds. The bird Nagai regurgitated the last three chunks, and said:
"Put them back where they belong."
Prince Ivan did so, and the chunks adhered to his bones.
"Now dismount, Prince Ivan, I shall fly home."
The bird Nagai rose in the air, and Prince Ivan went his way home.
12. He arrived at the capital, and found out that Prince Fedor and Prince Vasilii had brought their father the apples of youth and the living water, and that the Tsar was healed: he recovered his good health and his sight.
Prince Ivan did not go to his father, or to his mother. He gathered all the drunkards, the barflies, and went from tavern to tavern.
At that time, beyond three-nine lands, in the three-tenth kingdom, the mighty warrior Sineglazka gave birth to two sons. They grew hour by hour, not day by day. A tale is quickly told, a deed is done slowly: three years passed. Sineglazka took her sons, gathered her army, and rode out in search of Prince Ivan.
She arrived in his kingdom, and set up her white pavilion in the wide field, in the open plain, on the green grass. She carpeted the path to the pavilion with bright cloth. And she sent a messenger to the capital to say to the Tsar:
"Tsar, give up your son. If you do not, I will trample your whole kingdom, I will burn it, I will take you prisoner."
The Tsar was frightened and he sent his oldest son, Prince Fedor. Fedor walked on the bright cloth, and arrived at the white pavilion. Two boys ran out.
"Mother, mother, is this our father coming?"
"No, children, this is your uncle."
"What should we do with him, mother?"
"Treat him as he deserves, children."
The two little boys took some switches and began whipping Prince Fedor just below his back. They whipped him stoutly, and he barely managed to get away.
And Sineglazka sent another messenger to the Tsar: "Give up your son!..."
The Tsar was even more frightened, and he sent his middle son, Prince Vasilii . He arrived at the white pavilion. Two boys ran out:
"Mother, mother, is this our father?"
"No, children, this is your uncle. Treat him as he deserves."
The two little boys took some switches again and began whipping Prince Vasilii just below his back. They whipped him stoutly, and he barely managed to get away.
And Sineglazka sent a third messenger to the Tsar:
"Go find your third son, Prince Ivan. If you do not find him, I will trample and burn your whole kingdom."
The Tsar was frightened even more than before, and sent for Prince Fedor and Prince Vasilii, and ordered them to find their brother, Prince Ivan. But the brothers fell to their knees and confessed how they took the living water and the apples of youth from the sleeping Prince Ivan and threw him into a deep ravine.
Upon hearing this, the Tsar shed many tears. At that time, Prince Ivan was making his way by himself to Sineglazka's pavilion, and all the barflies went with him. They tore up the bright cloth underfoot and tossed it to the wind.
Prince Ivan arrived at the white tent. Two boys ran out:
"Mother, mother, some drunkard is coming here with many barflies!"
Sineglazka answered them:
"Take him by his white hands, bring him into the tent. This is your own father. He has been suffering for no reason for three years!"
The boys took Prince Ivan by his white hands and brought him into the tent. Sineglazka washed him and combed his hair, put fresh clothes on him, and put him to bed. Then she gave a drink to each barfly and they went their way.
The following day, Sineglazka and Prince Ivan arrived at the Tsar's palace. Then there was a great feast, and wedding to follow. Prince Fedor and Prince Vasilii earned little fame: they were thrown out from the palace to spend a night here, a night there, and the third nowhere.
Prince Ivan did not remain in his kingdom, he went away with Sineglazka to her own kingdom.
And that is the end of the story.

​

THE WOLF AND THE NANNY GOAT
(Russian)
Once upon a time there lived a nanny goat and her kids.
The nanny goat often had to go into the forest while her children remained at home.
Lock the door, no one is coming, and don't let anyone in, she said.
When the nanny goat came home, she tapped on the door and sang:
Dear little childrem, dear little babies,
Open the door, lift the latch,
Your mother has returned bringing milk.
The children heard their mother's voice and opened the door.
But a wolf also heard.
When the nanny goat left again, the wolf crept up to the little izba and sang in a gruff voice:
Dear little childrem, dear little babies,
Open the door, lift the latch,
Your mother has returned bringing milk.
Listen! Listen!
That is not our mother's voice! Our mother sings in a high voice!
The wolf hurried to the blacksmith in the village.
Blacksmith, Blacksmith,
Make me a high voice
Or I will eat you up!
The Blacksmith made a high voice for the wolf.
The wolf went back to the nanny goat's little izba,
He knocked on the door and sang:
Dear little childrem, dear little babies,
Open the door, lift the latch,
Your mother has returned bringing milk.
The little goats heard the high voice and opened the door.
The wolf leapt into the izba and grabbed all the little goats.
Only the very smallest goat had climbed into the stove,
and the wolf didn't find him.
The nanny goat returned home.
Mama, Mama, a grey wolf came,
He grabbed all of us,
I alone am remaining!
Oh woe is me! exclaimed the nanny goat.
The nanny goat went into the forest to find the wolf.
She saw him asleep under a bush.
She went toward the bush and screamed at him.
The wolf jumped up and ran away,
and the little goats came out safe and sound.
The goats went home,
and they began to live happily ever after.
​

​

The Snow Maiden
(Russian)
Once upon a time there was an old man and his wife.
They had everything they wanted,
A cow, a sheep, and a cat on the hearth,
but they didn't have any children.
Often they were sad and grieved.
One day during winter the white snow fell up to their knees.
The neighbor's children rushed out onto the street.
They slid on their sleds and threw snowballs,
and began to make a snowman.
Grandfather looked out of the window,
watched, and said to Grandmother:
"Well, wife, we sit here looking at the neighbor's children in our old age,"
"Let's you and I go out and build a snowman too."
And the old lady became merry as well.
"Well, let's go, Grandfather, onto the street."
"but why build a snowman, when I already have you?"
"Let's build a daughter, Snyegurochka!" (Snow Maiden)
No sooner said than done!
The old people went out into the garden and began to build a daughter.
They used two deep blue beads for eyes,
made two dimples in her cheeks,
and a piece of red ribbon for her mouth.
How good, their snow daughter, Snyegurochka.
Grandmother and grandfather looked and looked at her,
they loved her, and couldn't take their eyes off of her.
All of a sudden Snyegurochka's mouth began to smile,
her hair began to curl.
She began to move her arms and legs and then she walked through the garden and into the izba!(small wooden house)
Grandmother and grandfather couldn't believe their eyes,
they were so surprised they couldn't move!
"Grandfather!" cried Grandmother,
"Yes, it is, we have a living daughter, our dear little Snyegurochka!"
And into the izba they rushed, and what a joy it was!
Snyegurochka grew, not by the day, but by the hour.
And with each day, Snyegurochka grew more beautiful.
Grandmother and grandfather wouldn't let her out of their sight.
They doted on her.
Snyegurochka was as white as the snow,
her eyes were like deep blue beads,
her blond hair reached down to her waist.
But Snyegurochka didn't have any color in her cheeks or lips.
Still, she was so beautiful!
Spring came,
the leaves came out on the trees,
the bees flew about the fields,
the skylark sang.
All the boys were as happy as could be,
and the girls sang gay songs of spring.
But Snyegurochka grew sadder and sadder,
She looked out of the window and wept.
Then came bright summer,
the flowers blossomed in the gardens,
the grain ripened in the fields.
Snyegurochka grew more and more sad,
she avoided the sun,
she would stay in the cool shady places,
and best of all, she liked the rain.
Grandmother and Grandfather were very worried,
They kept asking her:
"Are you ill, little daughter?"
"I am fine, Grandmother." she would answer,
but she remained in her corner, feeling sad,
she wouldn't walk on the street.
One day her friends came,
they were going into the forest to gather berries,
raspberries, bilberries, and wild strawberries.
They came and called to Snyegurochka:
"Come with us, do come Snyegurochka!"
Reluctant Snyegurochka was to go into the forest,
reluctant Snyegurochka was to go into the sun,
but Grandmother and Grandfather insisted:
"Go, go, Snyegurochka,"
"go, go, little daughter,"
"you will have fun with your friends."
Snyegurochka took a little basket,
and went into the forest with her friends.
Her friends walked about the forest,
wove garlands of flowers, and sang songs.
But Snyegurochka found a cool stream and sat by it,
she sat looking at it, and dipped her fingers in it,
playing with the droplets.
Evening came.
The girls played even more merrily,
wearing their garlands,
they built a bonfire and began jumping over it.
Reluctant was Snyegurochka,
to play with them at this.
Her friends kept asking her to join them,
so she walked up to the fire.
She stood ther trembling,
her face as white as could be,
her hair fell loose about her.
"Jump, Jump, Snyegurochka!
Cried her friends.
Snyegurochka took a deep breath and jumped!
Over the fire was a hissing sound,
and Snyegurochka....
VANISHED!!
Rising from the fire was a wisp of steam.
It formed a cloud, and rose higher and higher,
into the sky.
Snyegurochka had melted.
If you are reading this to children, and don't want to upset them, you can explain to them that now Snyegurochka is a helper to Grandfather Frost (Santa Claus).
​

​

Ruslan and Ludmila
In days long since past, Prince Vladimir of Kiev held a magnificent feast in honor of the marriage of his daughter Ludmila and the knight Ruslan. Three jealous suitors looked on--Rogday, Farlaf, and Ratmir. The festivities lasted for hours and when they were over, Ruslan led his beautiful young bride to the waiting nuptial bed. Suddenly a light flashed through the night sky and a clap of thunder shook the ground. A strange mist appeared and from somewhere inside it a strange voice spoke. Ruslan turned to embrace his bride, but she had vanished without a trace.
After learning of her disappearance, Prince Vladimir was angry and sick with worry. He immediately annulled the marriage and offered Ludmila's hand to anyone who could find her and bring her home.
Without delay, Ruslan, Rogday, Farlaf, and Ratmir mounted their spirited horses to search for the kidnapped maiden. For awhile, the four rode together, but eventually they separated.
Rogday was rather high-strung and could be heard muttering under his breath, "I'll murder the kidnapper. I'll kill him!" Once he thought he had found the guilty man and pursued him as he fled on horseback. In no time at all he chased him down and threw him into a ***ch. To his chagrin, he discovered that it was his rival Farlaf whom he had caught. He left the scene without saying a word.
Farlaf, the most cowardly of the four knights, was counting his blessings in the ***ch when he was met by a wicked old witch named Naina. She told him to let one of the others rescue Ludmila. Then, when they were returning home, Farlaf could snatch her from the rival.
Ratmir, meanwhile, was taking a southern route in his search and one evening came across a castle inhabited by beautiful, attentive maidens. He was never heard from again!
Ruslan was making the most progress in the quest to find the beautiful Ludmila. Early in his search he found a **** where he met an old wizard who said that he had become a wizard to win the love of a beautiful girl he knew when he was a youth in his native country of Finland. With the aid of magic, he finally won her heart many years later, but by then she was evil, decrepit, and hunchbacked. (In fact, this old woman was none other than the wicked witch Naina.) Since that time, the Finn had lived in solitude.
The wizard said that the wicked sorcerer Chernomor was the one who stole Ruslan's bride, but he gave Ruslan his assurance that everything would work out in the end.
Encouraged by this, Ruslan took to the road again. Soon he ran into his jealous rival Rogday and was forced into a battle with him. On horseback, the two fought each other tooth-and-nail for some time. Finally, Ruslan managed to throw Rogday off his horse and to his death into the raging waters of the Dnieper River.
A short while later, Ruslan found a giant head in his path! With mad laughter, the head would blow at Ruslan, creating a powerful gust of wind that almost toppled both Ruslan and his horse. But the mighty knight managed to thrust a spear into the head's tongue, taking away its powerful breath, and then knocked it on its side with his heavy glove. Ruslan was ready to deliver the final blow with a shining sword he found underneath his foe, when the head surrendered completely and promised to be obedient to Ruslan.
It happened that the head knew Ludmila's abductor, Chernomor, very well--he was his brother. The sorcerer had cut off his head in a dispute over the shining sword that Ruslan had just found. The head told the knight that all of Chernomor's power was contained in his beard. Cut off Chernomor's beard and his power would be gone as well. Ruslan went on his way again, leaving the head in peace.
Where was Ludmila all this time? Indeed, she had been abducted by the evil Chernomor, who wanted her for himself. He took her to his castle where she could live comfortably. Outside her room, she could walk freely in an enchanted garden amid fantastic trees and fairy birds. But she missed Ruslan and could never be happy there.
At one point, Ludmila repelled Chernomor's amorous advances and, in the process, took his hat, which she discovered made her invisible when she wore it backwards. Naturally, she kept wearing the magic hat so that Chernomor didn't know where she was! But the evil sorcerer was relentless in his pursuit of the beautiful maiden and changed his form to disguise himself as Ruslan. When Ludmila saw him, she took off the hat and rushed into his arms. Realizing she had been tricked, she fell to the ground, unconscious.
An instant later, the real Ruslan arrived and the showdown began. First, he put the hat back on Ludmila so that she would be invisible and safe again. Then for two days Ruslan and Chernomor battled. Chernomor used the magical powers of his beard to force the fight hundreds of feet in the air. But Ruslan hung on and finally sliced off the sorcerer's beard with the shining sword. The two descended back to earth since Chernomor had lost all his powers with his beard gone. He was now no match for the mighty Ruslan.
After subduing Chernomor, Ruslan frantically searched the grounds for his young bride. Suddenly, a chance swing of his sword dislodged Ludmila's hat, exposing the pretty maiden, who was still unconscious. In his head Ruslan heard the voice of the old Finn wizard who said that Ludmila would awaken once they were back in Kiev.
On the journey back, they met the giant head, now near death from the wounds suffered in his earlier struggle with Ruslan. After seeing that Ruslan had emerged victorious over his brother, the head took one last breath in peace, content that justice had been done.
Leaving the head and drawing closer to Kiev, Ruslan and the others set up camp for the night. While they were sleeping, the cowardly and evil Farlaf, aided by the ugly witch Naina, plunged a sword three times into Ruslan, leaving our hero there to die. If only the old Finn wizard was there to do his magic now...
Farlaf then carried Ludmila back to Kiev himself and was greeted with much jubilation by the people there. Ludmila, however, remained unconscious. Not only that, the city of Kiev itself was besieged by enemy nomads.
But as the battle for Kiev raged on, a powerful warrior was seen in the distance cutting down everyone in his path. It was Ruslan! The wizard had discovered him earlier at death's door and magically brought him back to life using special "life and death" waters. In no time at all, Ruslan practically singlehandedly managed to defeat the enemy attackers and save the city.
It was now time for him to see about his lovely, but still unconscious, Ludmila. Ruslan went to her room and tried to wake her with a magical ring given to him by the wizard. After a few anxious moments, Ludmila finally opened her eyes, and
Marveled at the long night.
Suddenly she beheld the sight
of her knight. Ruslan she faced
and passionately her hero she embraced.
Ruslan and Ludmila were together again and lived happily for the rest of their lives.

​

The Tale of Finist the Falcon
Many years ago there was a rich, widowed merchant who had three daughters. The two elder daughters were only interested in parties and clothes, but the youngest, Marya (MAR-ya), took on the duties of housekeeping for her father.
One day the merchant was going to the local market and asked his daughters what presents they would like him to bring them. The two elder daughters asked him to bring them expensive new fabric for dresses, but Marya humbly said, "All I want, dear father, is the feather of Finist the Falcon."
When the father came home from the market, he brought new beautiful fabric, but he told his youngest daughter that he could find no one at the market who had ever heard of the feather of Finist the Falcon.
On his next trip, he went to a market much further away from his home. His elder daughters asked to him to buy them new silk scarves, but Marya again asked only for the feather of Finist the Falcon. Again he brought home expensive presents for the elder daughters, but no one at the market had ever heard of the feather.
When the merchant next planned to go to market, this time at a great distance from home, the elder daughters asked for new earrings, and Marya asked only for the feather of Finist the Falcon. In the market he found beautiful earrings for the elder daughters. On the way back he met an old man with a small box in his hands.
"What do you have in the box, good man?" asked the merchant. "The feather of Finist the Falcon" the old man replied. "Please, sell it to me," begged the merchant, and the old man replied "This feather is not for sale, but I can it as a present to a kind man, as you are."
When he returned home with the feather, Marya thanked him with great joy and ran into her room to open the box. She took out the feather, waved it in the air, and a falcon appeared; she rapped on the floor, and the bird turned into a handsome young man. They talked happily with each other far into the night. The elder daughters thought they heard a man's voice in her room and knocked on the door, demanding to come in. Before they could get in, however, Finist flew out the window. Breaking into the room and finding no one there, the sisters were very annoyed and left filled with suspicion.
Every night for the next three nights, Finist flew in through the window to visit Marya when she took out and waved the feather. But on the third night the two wicked sisters saw him leaving. While Marya was out, they stuck sharp knives and needles into the windowframe. Marya did not suspect anything and that night, while waiting for Finist, she dozed off. When Finist tried to enter the room he flew into the sharp objects, which cut him and injured his wings, so he called sadly in to her, "Good bye, my dear. If you love me, you will find me." And he flew away...
In the morning Marya discovered the knives covered with blood on the windowframe. She wept and called out to Finist; when there was no answer, she decided to go to find her sweetheart. She walked for days and days through the forest and finally came to a small hut.
An old woman came to the door, and asked her, "Where are you going, my beauty?"
Marya answered, "To find Finist the Falcon."
"Oh, it's a long way," said the old woman. "I will help you. Take this silver plate and golden egg. Don't give them away for money, but trade them for a word with Finist."
Marya took the present, thanked the old lady and continued on her journey. She came to two more small houses, where the sisters of the first old woman entertained her and gave her two other presents--a golden needle and a golden spindle. Finally, Marya came to a palace. She heard that Finist was there and that the princess of the land wanted him to marry her. Marya went to the kitchen and begged for work as a servant, and was hired to do scullery work.
One evening, after a long hard day of work, she sat down and played with the silver plate and the golden egg. The princess happened to see her and immediately demanded that Marya sell her these rare treasures. Marya, remembering the advice of the three old women, replied,
"I cannot sell them. But if you let me speak to Finist the Falcon this evening, I will give them to you as a gift."
The princess agreed, but she was suspicious so she put sleeping powder in Finist's supper. Later that evening Marya went to Finist's room and started to call to him: "My darling, Finist the Falcon, wake up."
But he was fast asleep and could not hear her. The next day the same thing happened when the princess saw Marya playing with the golden needle. On the third night, when she had won the right to speak with him by giving up the spindle, she entered the room and knelt by his bed as she called to him, but he again had been drugged and could not hear her. Knowing she had lost her last chance, she began to cry, and one burning tear fell on his cheek. This time he felt her sorrow, opened his eyes, and exclaimed,
"Dear Marya, I am so glad to see you again!" She told him all about her adventures since they had last met. They embraced each other and fled from the princess' palace. When they came back to Marya's house, they forgave Marya's sisters, married and lived happily after that.
The End.
Được milou sửa chữa / chuyển vào 27/06/2002 ngày 00:42