In a certain kingdom , in a thrice - ten realm that lay far away , beyond the thrice - nine lands , there once lived a mighty king . The king had an archer who was as brave as he was strong , and the archer had a horse that was as strong as it was fleet of foot . One day the archer got on his horse and rode off to the forest to hunt . He rode along a road , and a wide road it was , and he saw a fire - bird 's feather lying there and flaming like fire . ' Said his horse to the archer : " Leave the feather where it is , for if you don 't you will know a great misfortune . " Now , this made the archer stop and think . In the end , he decided to take it , and , picking it up , carried it away with him and presented it to the king . " Many thanks to you , Archer ? " said the king . " But since you were able to fetch its feather , you must fetch me the fire - bird itself If you don 't it 'll be out with my sword and off with your head ? " The archer went back to his horse weeping bitterly . " Why do you weep . Master ? " the horse asked . " The king has ordered me to fetch him the fire - bird . " " I told you not to take the feather ' Still , you must not fear or give way to despair . You are in no great trouble now , there is worse to come ! Just go to the king and ask him for a hundred bags of corn to be strewn over that field yonder . " This the archer did , and the king had a hundred bags of corn strewn over the field . At dawn on the following day the archer rode to the field . He unbridled his horse , let it roam there at will and himself hid behind a tree . All of a sudden the wind swept over the forest and sent it rustling , the sea rose in waves , and the fire - bird came flying to the field . Down it dropped and began pecking the corn , and the archer 's horse ran up and stepped hard on one of its wings , pinning it to the ground . The archer then rushed out from behind the tree , and , binding the fire - bird with a rope , got o the horse with it and rode at a gallop for the palace . He presented the fire - bird to the king , who was greatly pleased , thanked the archer for serving him . so well , promoted him and at once set him another task . " You were able to fetch the fire - bird , so you should be able to fetch me the maid I wish to marry , Princess Vassilissa . She lives at the very end of the earth , where the bright sun rises , and it is her I want and none other . If you bring her to me , I will shower you with gold and silver , but if y ou don 't , it 'll be out with my sword and off with your head ! " The archer went back to his horse weeping bitterly . " Why do you weep , Master ? " the horse asked . " The king bids me fetch him Princess Vassilissa . " " Do not weep or be sad . You are in no great trouble , there is worse to come ! Go to the king and ask him for a gold - topped tent and for food and drink for you to take with you on your journey . " The king gave him food and drink and a tent with a top of gold , and the archer got on his horse and set off on his way . Beyond thrice - nine lands he traveled , and whether a short or a long time passed nobody knows , but he came at last to the end of the earth , where the bright sun rises from the blue sea . And there on the sea , in a silver boat that she pushed with a paddle of gold , was Princess Vassilissa herself . The archer unbridled his horse and let it roam at will in the green meadow and pick at the fresh grass , and then he set up the gold - topped tent , put foods and drinks on a table , and sat down to eat and drink while he waited for Princess Vassilissa . And Princess Vassilissa saw the gold top gleaming in the sunlight , paddled to shore , and , stepping out of the boat , stood there looking admiringly at the tent . " Good morrow to you , Princess Vassilissa ! " the archer said . " Pray come in and share of my board and taste of the wines I brought from far - off lands . " Princess Vassilissa came into the tent and she and the archer ate and drank and made merry . A whole glass of wine did she drink and was so overcome that she fell fast asleep . The archer called his horse , and when it came running , folded the tent with the top of gold , picked up Princess Vassilissa , mounted the horse with now , there is worse to come ! Just go to the king and ask him for a hundred bags of corn to be strewn over that field yonder . " This the archer did , and the king had a hundred bags of corn strewn over the field . At dawn on the following day the archer rode to the field . He unbridled his horse , let it roam there at will and himself hid behind a tree . All of a sudden the wind swept over the forest and sent it rustling , the sea rose in waves , and the fire - bird came flying to the field . Down it dropped and began pecking the corn , and the archer 's horse ran up and stepped hard on one of its wings , pinning it to the ground . The archer then rushed out from behind the tree , and , binding the fire - bird with a rope , got on the horse with it and rode at a gallop for the palace . He presented the fire - bird to the king , who was greatly pleased , thanked the archer for serving him so well , promoted him and at once set him another task . " You were able to fetch the fire - bird , so you should be able to fetch me the maid I wish to marry , Princess Vassilissa . She lives at the very end of the earth , where the bright sun rises , and it is her I want and none other . If you bring her to me , I will shower you with gold and silver , but if you don 't , it 'll be out with my sword and off with your head ! " The archer went back to his horse weeping bitterly . " Why do you weep , Master ? " the horse asked . " The king bids me fetch him Princess Vassilissa . " " Do not weep or be sad . You are in no great trouble , there is worse to come ! Go to the king and ask him for a gold - topped tent and for food and drink for you to take with you on your journey . " The king gave him food and drink and a tent with a top of gold , and the archer got on his horse and set off on his way . Beyond thrice - nine lands he traveled , and wheth er a short or a long time passed nobody knows , but he came at last to the end of the earth , where the bright sun rises from the blue sea . And there on the sea , in a silver boat that she pushed with a paddle of gold , was Princess Vassilissa herself . The archer unbridled his horse and let it roam at will in the green meadow and pick at the fresh grass , and then he set up the gold - topped tent , put foods and drinks on a table , and sat down to eat and drink while he waited for Princess Vassilissa . And Princess Vassilissa saw the gold top gleaming in the sunlight , paddled to shore , and , stepping out of the boat , stood there looking admiringly at the tent . " Good morrow to you , Princess Vassilissa ! " the archer said . " Pray come in and share of my board and taste of the wines I brought from far - off lands . " Princess Vassilissa came into the tent and she and the archer ate and drank and made merry . A whole glass of wine did she drink and was so overcome that she fell fast asleep . The archer called his horse , and when it came running , folded the tent with the top of gold , picked up Princess Vassilissa , mounted the horse with her in his arms , and set off home . As fast as an arrow he flew and was soon in the palace . The king was overjoyed at the sight of Princess Vassilissa . He thanked the archer for having served him so well and gave him a still higher rank . But when Princess Vassilissa awoke and learnt that she was far , far away from the blue sea , she began sobbing and weeping and her face turned dark with grief . And though the king pleaded with her not to be sad , there was nothing he could do . He begged her to marry him , but she said : " Let him who brought me here go to my realm at the end of the earth and fetch my wedding dress which lies under a large rock in the middle of the sea . I will not marry without it ! " The king sent for the archer . " Go at once to the end of the earth where the bright sun rises . In the middle of the sea you will find a large rock and under it Princess Vassilissa 's wedding dress . Bring the dress here , for I wish to wed without delay ! If you bring it , I shall reward you richly , more so than ever before , but if you don 't , it 'll be out with my sword and off with your head ! " Back went the archer to his horse weeping bitterly . ' 1 will not escape death this time ! " said he to himself . " Why do you weep , Master ? " the horse asked . " The king bids me fetch him Princess Vassilissa 's wedding dress from the bottom of the sea . " " Didn 't I tell you not to take the fire - bird 's feather ? But never fear , you are in no great trouble , there is worse to come ! Get on my back and let us go to the blue sea . " Whether a short or a long time passed nobody knows , but the archer came to the end of the earth and stopped on the shore of the blue sea . A huge lobster came crawling over the sand toward him , and the horse saw it and stepped on its tail with its hoof . Said the lobster : " Spare me , Horse , do not let me die ! I will do whatever you ask . " And the horse said in reply : " There is a great rock lying on the bottom of the sea and hidden under it is Princess Vassilissa 's wedding dress . Fetch the dress for me ! " The lobster gave a great roar that carried over the whole of the sea , the sea rose in waves , and lobsters , big and small , came crawling to the shore from all sides . And so many were they that there was no counting them ! The lobster who had called them and who was their elder bade them fetch the dress , and they plunged into the sea and came back with it before an hour had passed . The archer brought the dress to the king , but Princess Vassilissa was as stubborn as ever and said that she would not marry him until he had made the archer take a dip in boiling water . The king at once ordered an iron cauldron to be filled with water , the water to be heated , and as soon as it came to the boil , the archer to be thrown in it . Everything was soon ready , the water began to seethe and to boil , sprays of it flying to all sides , and the archer was led in . " Poor , unhappy man that I am ! " thought he . " What made me take the fire - bird 's feather ? Why didn 't I listen to my horse ? " And recalling the horse , he said to the king : " 0 great king , my ruler , allow me to bid my horse goodbye before I die ! " " Very well , " said the king . The archer went to see the horse , and the tears poured from his eyes . " Why do you weep , Master ? " the horse asked . " The king bids me dip myself in boiling water . " " Fear nothing and do not weep , you will not die ! " said the horse , and he cast a spell over the archer that he might not get scalded by the boiling water . The archer left the stall , and the king 's servants seized him and threw him into the cauldron . He took a dip and another and jumped out of the cauldron , and lo ! ? so handsome had he become as neither pen can write nor tongue tell ! Seeing this , the king took it into his head to take a dip himself . He jumped into the cauldron and was boiled alive ! And after he was buried the archer was chosen to rule the realm in his stead . He married Princess Vassilissa and they lived together for many long years and were as happy as happy can be . Once upon a time there lived a Cat and a Cock who loved one another dearly . The Cat would play his fiddle and the Cock would sing , the Cat would go out to get food for the two of them , and the Cock would stay at home and look after the house . Every time the Cat prepared to go out he would say to the Cock : By and by the Cat went out hunting as usual , and the Cock opened the window and looked out . There was no one about , he saw , but there , scattered on the ground , lay some luscious grains of wheat . The Cock was eager to eat them and said to himself : But no sooner did he step over the threshold than the Fox was upon him . She seized him by the scruff of his neck and away she ran to her own house ! And the Cock called out to the Cat : Now , the Cat was a long way off and he did not hear the Cock , and by the time he returned home it was too late for him to go after the Fox . He tried to overtake her , but could not , so back he went home and wept and cried . But he got to thinking after a while , and , taking his fiddle and a bright - pictured sack , set out for the Fox 's house . The Fox 's second daughter went out to see who it was playing , and the Cat rapped her on the nose and whisked her into his sack . And the very same thing happened to the Fox 's two younger daughters . There sat their brother Pilipko in the house and waited for his sisters , but they did not come back . He stepped outside , and the Cat rapped him on the nose too and whisked him into the sack ! Then he hanged the sack on a dry willow tree and ran into the Fox 's house . He found the Cock and untied him , and the two of them ate all of the Fox 's food , overturned the pot of boiling water , broke all the dishes and ran home . And the Cock did just as the Cat told him ever after and never , never disobeyed him . Little by little , the pierce of wood they called Teryosha began to change into a real child , and before long he grew into a big and clever boy . The old man made a boat for him , painting it white , and a pair of paddles , which he painted red . Teryosha got into the boat , and said : Teryosha , hearing his mother 's voice from afar , would paddle to the bank and come ashore . His mother would take the fish he had caught , give him his lunch , change his shirt and belt , and let him go out in his boat again . The Witch saw and heard all this . And so , one day she came to the bank and called in her ugly voice : Teryosha knew it was not his mother 's voice , and urged his little white boat to take him as far away from the bank as it could . The Witch ran to the blacksmith and told him to re - fashion her throat so that her voice would sound as sweet as that of Teryosha 's mother . The blacksmith did his best . And then the Witch came to the bank and called : Teryosha thought it was his mother calling , for the voice was exactly like hers , and paddled to the bank . The Witch grabbed him , stuffed him into her bag , and carried him to her cottage in the forest . She told her daughter Alynoka to light the stove and roast Teryosha for dinner , while she was away doing more wickedness . Alyonka got the fire going , and when the oven was very , very hot , ordered Teryosha to lie flat on the shovel . But he sat on it , instead of lying down , threw out his arms and legs and try as she might Alyonka could not push him into the oven . " I told you to lie flat , " she snapped at him . " I don 't know how . You show me … " , Teryosha replied . " Lie down the way cats sleep and dogs sleep , that 's how . " " You show me anyway " . Alyonka lay down on the shovel , and Teryosha quickly pushed her into the oven and clamped the oven door shut . He ran outside and climbed to the top of an old oak , because he saw the Witch returning home . The Witch opened the oven , gobbled up Alyonka and picked the bone clean . When she had stuffed herself , she came outside and started rolling in the grass , chanting : And again Teryosha said : " With Alyonka 's meat you 're full . " The Witch looked up and saw him sitting in the tree . She rushed at the oak and tried to bite it across . She bit and she bit , broke two of her front teeth , and ran to the blacksmith : " Make me two iron teeth , quickly . " Yhe blacksmith made her two iron teth , and she went back to bite the oak across . She bit and she bit , and broke two of her lower front teeth . She ran to the blacksmith again , and told him to make her two more iron teeth . The blacksmith did as he was told . Now she went at the oak so hard that chips flew to right and left . The oak was beginning to creak and sway . What was Teryosha to do ? Suddenly he saw a flock of geese flying overhead , and he begged them : And the geese replied : " There 's a pecked young goose coming behind us , he 'll take you home ! " The Witch had only a little way to go before the oak toppled . The pecked young goose came , and Teroysha begged him : The pecked young goose took pity on Teryosha , came down to let him climb on to his back , and carried him home to mother . They came to the cottage and alighted on the grass right under the window . The old women had made some pancakes to remember Teryosha by , and handing one to the old man she said : " here 's a pancake for you , and here 's one for me . " " What about me ? " Teryosha asked from where he was . The old woman heard him , and said to the old an : " Go outside and look who 's asking for a pancake . " The old man went outside , saw Teryosha , took him home to the old woman , and she could not kiss and hug her darling son enough ! They gave the pecked goose all the food and water he wanted , and let him run free in the yard until he grew into a big and strong bird . He leads the flocks now , flaps his wide wings and often remembers Teroysha . " I am the buzzing mosquito . Come live with me ! " And a little field mouse ran by and knocked on the door , " Who is it that lives in this nice tall tower ? " " No , I won 't ! " The bear sat down on the roof , and smashed the little tower . All of the other animals managed to jump out of the tower , and went back to the forest to live . A long time ago in one Urals village there lived a famous craftsman named Prokopyich . He made jewelry and other things from malachite and was renowned as the best gem carver in the Urals . The rulers ordered him to teach some boys his profession , but none of them was talented enough . At the same time an orphan named Danila lived in the village . He was weak and couldn 't work at the factory . But he was full of dreams and liked to observe nature . Once he tried to help an old herdsman , but when he played his flute , the old shepherd felt asleep and several cattle were eaten by wolves . Danila and the herdsman were were severely punished . A kind old woman took Danila into her house and healed him using many herbs and flowers . She taught him the lore of plants , and one day told him about the Stone Flower from Malachite Mountain . She told him it was the most beautiful flower in the world . But she also warned him , " Whoever finds that flower will never be happy . " After Danila recovered , the manager of the factory sent him to Prokopyich to study gem carving . He was surprisingly gifted . Prokopyich was a widow without children , and he loved the boy as if he were his own son . Several years passed . Danila became a strong , handsome young man . One day the owner of the factory sent him a commission to make a vase from malachite , along with a sketch of what he wanted . Danila began the intricate task , but he was unsatisfied with the idea on the sketch . Every day he went to the woods looking for inspiration and observing many flowers and plants . He worked for a long time and at last completed a vase like the one in the sketch . When he showed it to the other craftsmen , they liked it and praised it . But Danila said , " This vase is made precisely according to the sketch , but there is no living beauty in it . When you look at the simplest flower , joy fills your heart because of its beauty . Where is there such beauty in the stone ? " One very old craftsman warned him , " Don 't even think that way . Otherwise you could become a servant of the Mistress of Copper Mountain . Her workers live and work in the Mountain and nobody ever sees them . Once I was lucky enough to see their work . Magnificent ! Our work can 't compare with theirs , because they have seen the Stone Flower and understand the beauty of the stone . " After this conversation Danila went to the woods more often looking for a block of stone for his own vase . Prokopyich was worried about him and urged him to marry the nice girl named Katya to whom Danila was engaged . But Danila said , " I want to wait ! First I need to make my own vase and then we will think about marriage . " . One day he was in the woods looking for stone and suddenly heard a whisper saying , " Danila - Craftsman , look for stone on Serpent Hill . " He turned around and saw the dim outline of a woman , which vanished in a second . He thought , " Perhaps it was the Mistress of Copper Mountain ! " So he went to Serpent Hill and found a huge block of malachite . He was very glad , took the stone home and started to carve the vase . But soon again he was disappointed with the result and said sadly , " Maybe I am just not able to understand the power and the beauty of the stone . " So he and Katya announced the date of their wedding . The day before the wedding he went for a walk to Serpent Hill again , sat down and thought about the Stone Flower . " How I desire to see that Flower ! " he mused . She replied , " I could show it to you , but afterwards you will regret it . Those who have seen my Flower have left their family and come to live in my mountain . Think about Prokopyich and Katya who love you . " " I know , " shouted Danila , " but I must see it . " " All right , " she said . " Let 's go then to my garden . " So she took him and showed him the wonderful Stone Flower . In the evening Danila came to the village . His fiancee Katya had a party the day before the wedding . At first he had fun , danced , and sang songs , but then he became sadder and sadder . To Katya 's questions he replied that he had a headache . After the party he returned home , broke his vase and ran away . The village was full of rumors after he disappeared , but no one knew where he had gone . Three years passed . Katya did not marry . After her parents died she came to live with old Prokopyich and helped him in his work . But soon Prokopyich died , too , and Katya lived on her own . She did not have any money , so she decided to try making some brooches . She went to Serpent Hill hoping to find good pieces of stone . But at the hill she remembered her beloved Danila and wept . Suddenly she saw a beautiful piece of malachite . Katya took it home and tried to carve several brooches . She worked hard and well and her carving beautifully set off the natural patterns in the stone . Katya was happy when she sold her works to a merchant in the village . She thought , " My brooches are the best in his store . I was lucky finding that malachite . Maybe Danila helped me ? " She ran again to Serpent Hill looking for another good stone . But she thought again of Danila and burst into tears , sobbing , " Where are you , my beloved friend ? Why did you leave me ? " When Katya looked around it seemed to her she stood in an unfamiliar woods , and the mountain opened before her eyes . " Here is the magic mountain , " she thought . " Maybe I could see my Danila . " When Katya looked down , she saw a man who looked just like Danila . The man raised his hands toward her . She wanted to jump down to him , but the vision disappeared . She told her relatives what she had seen but they did not believe her and decided that she must be ill . The next day Katya ran to the hill hoping desperately to see Danila . Her sister followed her . Katya came to the same place and found herself in the magic woods . She started to call out , " Danila , where are you ? Answer me ! " The echo answered : " He is not here ! He is not here ! " Then suddenly the Mistress of Copper Mountain appeared and demanded , " Why did you come to my garden ? If you need the stones , take what you wish and go away . " Brave Katya replied , " I don 't need your dead stones . Give me my Danila back . You don 't have the right to take another 's fiance . " The Mistress laughed . " Do you have any idea whom you are speaking to ? " Katya cried out , " I am not blind , I know who you are . I am not afraid of you ! Not at all ! And I know that Danila wants to come back to me . " The Mistress said , " All right , let him speak then . " At the same moment Katya saw Danila . The Mistress said , " You have to choose , Danila - Craftsman . If you go with her , you will forget everything you saw and learned in the mountain . If you want to stay here , you have to forget the rest of the world . " Danila sighed , " I am sorry . I can 't forget the people I love . I think about Katya every minute of my life . " The Mistress smiled and said , " All right , Danila . Go back home . And for your honesty and loyalty I will give you a present . You will not lose your knowledge that you have learned here . But do not tell people about the mountain . If somebody asks you where have you been , just say that you went away to improve your skill . " Katya and Danila returned home , filled with joy . Katya 's sister could not find her in the woods and returned home . When she came into the house she saw Danila and Katya . She cried out , " Danila , where have you been ? " Danila just smiled . " I went to study my craft with a master who lives far away . " Katya and Danila lived happily together for many years . He became known far and wide as the greatest carver in the Ural Mountains . There was once a daughter born to Fairy Spring and Father Frost . This daughter was the most beautiful maiden that had ever been known , she had skin as pale as the snow , eyes blue like the sky , and thick blond hair that hung to her waist . She was named Snow - maiden . Fairy Spring had to hide her daughter from the Sun God , whose rays could easily destroy the beautiful girl , so for a very long time Snow - maiden lived deep within the woods . But it was very lonely there , and one day Snow - maiden decided to take a long walk . As she walked she heard a beautiful sound . At first it was very far away , but it drew Snow - maiden closer and closer to its source . Snow - maiden followed it for a long time , all the way to the edge of the forest . There in an open field sat Lyle , a farm boy , playing his flute . Snow - maiden listened and watched form the edge of the forest , and became enchanted with Lyle . Snow - maiden went to the edge of the forest every day to listen to the farm boy play his flute . Lyle always ignored the beautiful girl standing in the shade of the trees , and instead danced with the girls who sat with him in the field . This broke Snow - maiden 's tender heart , and she decided to go speak with her mother about it . " Mother , " Snow - maiden began , " please let me feel real love . " Fairy Spring understood that her daughter wanted the farm boy to fall in love with her . " If you want real love , " Fairy Spring answered , " you must leave the protection of the forest and go into the open field where the boy plays his flute . " The next day Snow - maiden once again followed the sweet sound of Lyle 's music to the edge of the woods . She stepped out of the trees , and walked into the opening . Lyle turned to look at her , and thought she was the most beautiful girl that he had ever seen in his life . Just then Snow - maiden stepped into a ray of sunshine , which illuminated her beauty to its fullest . But the Sun God 's ray was to strong for Snow - maiden , and she melted before Lyle 's eyes … Once upon a time there lived a woodcutter and his old wife . They were poor and had no children . The old man cut logs in the forest and carried them into town ; in this way he eked out a living . As they grew older they became sadder and sadder at being childless . They thought on this so strongly that suddenly a miracle happened . They looked at their snow maiden , and were amazed at what they saw . The eyes of the snow maiden twinkled ; a diadem studded with precious stones sparkled like fire on her head ; a cape of brocade covered her shoulders ; embroidered boots appeared on her feet . " Good day , kind folk , do not be frightened ! I will be a good daughter to you , the joy of your old age . I will honor you as father and mother . " " My darling daughter , let it be as you desire , " answered the old man . " Come home with us , our longed - for little girl ! " They took her by her white hands and led her from the forest . Snegurochka , nevertheless , worried her adopted parents . She was not at all talkative and her little face was always pale , so pale . She did not seem to have a drop of blood , yet her eyes shone like little stars . And her smile ! When she smiled she lighted up the isba like a gift of rubles . One day the old woman said to Snegurochka : " My darling daughter , why are you so shy ? You see no friends , you always stay with us , old people ; that must be tiresome for you . Why do you not go out and play with your friends , show yourself and see people ? You should not spend all your time with us , aged folk . " Carnival time arrived . The streets were alive with strollers , with singing from early morning until late at night . Snegurochka watched the merrymaking through the little frozen window panes . She watched … and finally she could resist no longer ; she gave in to the old woman , put on her little cape , and went into the street to join the throng . One day a rich merchant came through town . His name was Mizgir , and he was young and tall . He saw Kupava and she pleased him . Kupava was not at all shy ; she was saucy and never turned down an invitation to stroll . Mizgir stopped in the village , called to all the young girls , gave them nuts and spiced bread , and danced with Kupava . From that moment he never left town , and , it must be said , he soon became Kupava 's lover . There was Kupava , the belle of the town , parading around in velvets and silks , serving sweet wines to the youths and the maidens and living the joyful life . The day Snegurochka first strolled in the street , she met Kupava , who introduced all her friends . From then on Snegurochka came out more often and looked at the yours . A young boy , a shepherd , pleased her . He was named Lel . Snegurochka pleased him too , and they became inseparable . Whenever the young girls came out to stroll and to sing , Lel would run to Snegurochka 's isba , tap on the window and say : " Snegurochka , dearest , come out and join the dancing . " Once she appeared , he never left her side . One day Mizgir came to the village as the maidens were dancing in the street . He joined in with Kupava and made them all laugh . He noticed Snegurochka and she pleased him ; she was so pale and so pretty ! From then on Kupava seemed too dark and too heavy . Soon he found her unpleasant . Quarrels and scenes broke out between them and Mizgir stopped seeing her . Kupava was desolate , but what could she do ? One cannot please by force nor revive the past ! She noticed that Mizgir often returned to the village and went to the house of Snegurochka 's old parents . The rumor flew that Mizgir had asked for Snegurochka 's hand in marriage . " I will go to the Tsar ! " she cried . " I will not suffer this dishonor . There is no law that allows a man to compromise a maiden , then throw her aside like a useless rag ! " " Good subjects of the Tsar ! Listen well and tell us where the maiden Snegurochka lives . The Tsar summons her ! Let her make ready in haste ! If she does not come of her will we will take her by force ! " The old woodcutters were filled with fear . But the Tsar 's word was law . They helped Snegurochka to make ready and decided to accompany her , to present her to the Tsar . Once inside the sumptuous palace , the old couple and Snegurochka stood amazed . The ceilings and arches were covered with paintings , the precious plate was lined up on shelves , along the walls ran benches covered with carpets and brocades , and on these benches were seated the boyars wearing tall hats of bear fur trimmed with gold . Musicians played intricate music on their tympanums . At the far end of the hall , Tsar Berendei himself sat erect on his gilded and sculptured throne . Around him stood bodyguards in kaftans white as snow , holding silver axes . Tsar Berendei said to her : " Come here , young maiden , come closer , gentle Snegurochka . Do not be afraid , answer my questions . Did you commit the sin of separating two lovers , after stealing the heart of Kupava 's beloved ? Did you flirt with him and do you intend to marry him ? Make sure that you tell me the truth ! " Meanwhile , spring had returned . The glorious sun rose higher and higher , the snow melted , the tender grass sprouted , the bushes turned green , the birds sang and made their nests . But the more the sun shone , the paler and sadder Snegurochka grew . Once upon a time in a Russian village lived an old peasant . He had three sons . The two elder sons were clever , but the youngest was a fool named Ivanushka . The family had a wheat field . One day they noticed that at night something had come into the field and trampled the wheat . The old peasant sent his sons to guard the field . On the third night Ivanushka went there . At midnight he saw a great chestnut - gray stallion wearing a gold saddle and a silver bridle . The stallion started to eat and trampled the wheat . Ivanushka managed to catch the wonderful horse . The stallion said , " Let me go free , I will be your friend . If you need something , go to the field , whistle and say , " Sivka - Burka , appear here ! " I will come and help you . " Ivanushka agreed and let him go free . It happened about that time that the tsar , who had no son , organized a contest to determine who would succeed him as tsar . He placed his beautiful daughter on the top floor of a very tall tower and announced that the man who could reach the princess jumping on a horse and could take the ring from her finger would win her hand in marriage and rule the land . The older brothers decided to go to the competition , but Ivanushka stayed home . When his brothers left , he whistled and called Sivka - Burka , who rose thundering out of the ground . Ivanushka climbed in his right ear and climbed out of the left ear a very handsome , well - dressed young man . Then he rode to the competition to try his luck . Sivka jumped trying to reach the princess . Ivan was very close to her , but couldn 't quite reach the ring . He quickly turned the horse and galloped home . There he turned back into his previous self . When his brothers came from the tsar 's courtyard they told Ivanushka about the handsome man who almost reached the princess . Ivanushka only laughed at them . The next day the same thing happened . On the third day , Ivanushka and Sivka - Burka reached the princess and took the ring from her finger . Then they galloped away so quickly that nobody could even see Ivanushka 's face . At home he turned back into his previous self but he had one hand in a bandage . His brothers asked him , " What is wrong with your hand ? " He laughed and said , " Nothing serious , just a scratch . " Three days later , the tsar invited everyone to a feast . The old peasant came with his three sons . They sat at the table ate , drank and had fun . At the end of the feast the tsar 's daughter herself served honey to the guests . When she approached Ivanushka , she noticed the bandage on his hand and asked him , " Good young man , why do have a bandage on your hand ? Let me look at it ! " And there everyone saw the ring on his finger . The princess said , " Dear father , here is my fiance ! " Ivanushka called Sivka - Burka , turned into the handsome man and married the princess . Russian Stories from Russia ! There was once a Fox who built herself a hut and lived there as snug as you please . But winter came , it was cold in the hut , and so off the Fox ran to the village to fetch a light for her stove . She came to an Old Woman 's house and said : Now , the Old Woman was baking some poppy - seed cakes . She took them out of the oven and put them on the table to cool . And the Fox took one look at them , and , snatching up a cake , made off with it . She ate up the poppy - seed filling , stuffed the cake full of straw , covered it with the crust and set off on her way again at a run . There sat the Wolf , and by and by he began to grow very hungry . He looked all over the Fox 's hut but found nothing . He thought and he thought and said to himself : They threw the Fox into the last wagon and drove on . The Fox saw that they never looked back and began to throw the fish one after another out onto the road . Then , leaving the cart only half full , she climbed down herself . Alyonushka set off to work and took her little brother with her . They had a long way to go , and a wide field to cross , and after they had been walking for a time , Ivanushka began to feel very thirsty . " Sister Alyonushka , I am thirsty , " he said . " Be patient , little brother , we shall soon come to a well . " They walked and they walked , and the sun was now high up in the sky , and so hot were the two that they felt very blue . They came upon a cow 's hoof filled with water , and Ivanushka said : " May I drink out of the hoof , Sister Alyonushka ? " Ivanushka obeyed , and they walked on a bit farther . The sun was still high up in the sky , and the heat was so bad that they felt very sad . They came upon a horse 's hoof filled with water , and Ivanushka said : May I drink out of the hoof . Sister Alyonushka ? " Ivanushka sighed and they walked on again . They walked and they walked , but the sun was still high up in the sky , and the air was so dry that they felt they could die . They came upon a goat 's hoof filled with water , and Ivanushka said : " May I drink out of the hoof , Sister Alyonushka ? " " No , little brother . If you do , you will turn into a kid . " But Ivanushka did not heed his sister and drank out of the goat 's hoof . And the moment he did so he turned into a little white goat . Alyonushka called her brother , and instead of Ivanushka the goat came running up to her . Alyonushka burst into tears . She sat sobbing on the ground by a stack of hay while the little goat skipped round in play . Just then a Merchant chanced to be riding by . Only the little goat knew what had happened . He went about with drooping head and did not touch food or drink . Morning and evening he never left the river bank and , standing at the water 's edge , called : The servant ran home and told his master what he had heard and seen . The Merchant called some people together , they went down to the river and , casting a silken net , dragged Alyonushka out on to the bank . They untied the stone which was round her neck , dipped her in spring water and dressed her in bright clothes . And Alyonushka came back to life and was more beautiful than ever . There was once a man who had a dog named Sirko . The dog was very , very old , and one day his master drove him out of the house . Sirko went roaming the fields , and he felt very sad and woebegone . " Well , then , listen to me . Your master and mistress will soon go out to the fields to reap , and the mistress will leave her baby beside a stack of straw to sleep there while she is helping her husband . Now , you must stay close to the baby so I 'll know where it is . I 'll come running up and carry it off , and you must run after me and try to take it away . Then I 'll pretend I 'm frightened and let it go . " The time to reap the wheat came , and the master and mistress went to the field . The mistress left her baby beside a straw stack and herself joined her husband and set to work . They were not at it very long when the Wolf ran up . He seized the baby and ran off with it across the field . Sirko ran after him , and his master cried : Now , it was on that very day that the wedding was held . Sirko went outside , took the Wolf into the house and hid him under the table . The he seized a bottle of vodka and a big piece of meat from the table and gave them to the Wolf . The guests wanted to beat Sirko , but the master stopped them . A long time ago , there was an old widowed hunter named Kokovanya . He was lonely so he adopted Daryonka , a poor little orphan girl . When he took Daryonka into his home with him , he also let her bring her scrawny kitten . Kokovanya , Daryonka , and the kitten were not rich but they had a good life . While the old man hunted , Daryonka would clean the cottage and cook soup . Her cat kept her company . At night , Kokovanya told wonderful tales , but the girl ? s favorite was the one about Silver Hoof , the magical goat . Legend had it that Silver Hoof was a very special goat . Where most goats have two horns , Silver Hoof has antlers with five tines . On his right forefoot he had a silver hoof . When he stamped his foot , a gem would be left there . If he stamped it twice there would be two , but if he pawed the ground there would be a whole pile of gems . So the old man , the young girl , and the cat headed deep into the woods . By now the cat was a very healthy and hearty cat and could offer them protection . They stayed in a cabin that the old man had there . The hunter hunted many goats , but he never found Silver Hoof . Towards the end of winter , he told Daryonka that he had so many goat skins and meat that he would have to go into town to get a horse to help bring it all home . It would take him several days . On the 2nd day that Daryonka was by herself in the cabin , she heard a pitter patter outside . It was Silver Hoof ! She opened the door and called out to him , but he ran away . On the 3rd day the cat went out to play but did not return . Daryonka was worried so she went outside to find him . There he was in the glade with Silver Hoof . Both were nodding their heads as if they were talking to each other . Then they began to run about in the snow . The goat would run and stamp all around the cabin . Then he jumped upon the roof and stamped some more . Precious stones flashed out like sparks - red , green , light blue , dark blue , and many other colors . It was then that Kokovanya returned , but he did not recognize his hut . It was covered in gems and sparkled in the moonlight . Suddenly , Silver Hoof and the cat just disappeared from the roof . They were gone . The old man gathered some of the stones in his hat and then he and Daryonka went in to sleep . They had such wonderful dreams . When they awoke they ran outside to look at the wonder , but all the gems were gone . All they had left were the ones the old man had put in his hat . But that was enough to let them live happily ever after . No one ever saw Silver Hoof or the cat again , but sometimes people still find stones in the glade where the goat played that night . In the north of Holy Russia lies the mighty and glorious town of Novgorod , known to all as Lord Novgorod the Great . And once there lived in great Novgorod a bard , a musician of some repute , by name : Sadko . He had little in the way of gold , and to support himself he made the rounds of the noble feasts and banquets , entrancing and delighting everyone , whether prince or boyar , merchant or peasant , with his marvelous skill on the gusli and his golden voice and his skill at weaving words and music into mighty visions of the exploits of Russian folk . He was always in demand and he looked forward to a day when he might have saved enough money to allow him to sing and play simly for pleasure rather than sustenance . Alas ! Misfortune strikes us all , and so it struck Sadko . A day arrived when no one called for his presence , and he did not sing that day , neither did he receive any payment for his music . A second day passed without feast or banquet calling for his songs , and then a third . His money pouch was quicky being depleted , and his plans for an easier life being thwarted . Sighing with regret , Sadko journeyed down to the shores of Lake Ilmen and sat upon a rock by the waters . He began to pluck the strings of his faithful gusli , and to sing a song of lament . All the day , from just after the rising of the great , red sun until late in the afternoon as that same sun sank toward the western hills , Sadko played and sang . First a lament , then a mighty ballad of a great bogatyr , then a love song , then another lament , and so on through the passing hours . Just as evening fell , as he finished another song , there was a disturbance in the waters of the lake . Suddenly the waves began to swirl and a great noise of thunder rose from the depths of the waters . Great clouds of sand darkened the lake still further . Sadko , quite frightened , tucked his gusli under his arm and fled back to the town of Novgorod . The dark night passed and once again the sun rose into the heavens , but once again no invitation to perform came to Sadko . Being forced into idleness is tremendously wearing , so the bard went once again to the lovely shores of Lake Ilmen , sat upon the rocks by the blue waters , and began to sing . This day he sang new songs , songs he was only then composing in his mind . He sang to the glory of Novgorod , and to the prince , and he sang to the glory of Christ our Lord and to His Mother , the Theotokos . He sang new tales of Russian bogatyri and of magical beings who played tricks on unwary travelers . All the day long he played , and as it grew on toward dusk , there was a disturbance in the waters of the lake . Suddenly the waves began to swirl and a great noise of thunder rose from the depths of the waters . Great clouds of sand darkened the lake still further . Sadko , once more afraid , returned swiftly back to Novgorod . On the third morning the door remained undarkened by anyone inviting Sadko to play at feasting , and so for the third time he went again to the stones on the shore of Lake Ilmen and sat in the warm sun and played his gusli while he sang sweet songs . As on the previous two days , at dusk the waves began to swirl and a great noise of thunder rose from the depths of the waters . Great clouds of sand darkened the lake still further . This time , however , Sadko remained in his place atop a great boulder and continued to sing and to play . He played as the night came on , a long while or a short while , it matters not a bit , for all of a sudden the waves grew high and crashed at the baseof Sadko 's stone , and the thunderous roar of the waters grew louder than ever before . Then , before the terrified bard could move a muscle , the waters sank back into quietude and parted ! Up from the depths of Lake Ilmen strode the mighty form of the King of the Blue Seas ! " Many thanks to you , O Sadko the Bard of Novgorod , " cried the King , and his voice was like the crashing of waves and rushing of waters . " For three days now you have greatly entertained us , for I have been holding feastday in my palace beneath Lake Ilmen . All have been bewitched by the golden tones of your voice , the dexterity of your fingers on the gusli , and the wit and wisdom of your words . Would that we could reward you adequately , but I know not how I should … But wait ! Go now to your home in Novgorod , O Sadko , and on the morrow you shall be called to perform at the banquet of the wealthiest merchant of the city . Everyone will be present , from the veche , to the prince , to the merchants . As always happens with men , when they have eaten and drunk all they desire , they will begin to boast , and oh , such boasting as would make a bard 's ears tingle with ideas for rollicking songs ! One will brag of his great wealth , another of his noble steed , yet another of his great might and prowess in battle , and even more of his youth . Wisdom will boast of his elderly father and mother , foolishness will boast of his sweet young wife . But you , Sadko the Bard , will make a boast to shame theirs ! Say to them : ' I , Sadko the Bard , knowthat dwelling in Lake Ilmen are fish with fins of pure gold ! " Those rich ( and ignorant ) merchants of Novgorod will delight t ridiculing your words , and they will contradict you and deny that such fish are in Lake Ilmen . Thereupon you must wager with them , setting your turbulent head against all their shops and precious goods . When they accept ( and they will , for foolish men always do ) , take a net of silk and come here , casting the net into the lake three times . Whenyou do this , I will send you each time a fishwith fins of pure gold . And in this way you will win markets full of shops and become Sadko the richest merchant of Novgorod , and you will be able to play and sing solely for pleasure rather than sustenance ! " Sadko returned to Novgorod , sighing over the tricks of a head left to sit too long in the heat of the sun . But lo and behold ! on the morrow when he went forth from his bed he was greeted by the chamberlain of the richest merchant in town , and invited to grace a great feast with song and story . And everything happened just as the King of the Blue Sea had predicted . When everyone present , the veche , the prince , and the rich merchants , had eaten and drunk all they desired , they began to boast and oh ! the braggarts told tales that would make fodder for many fine witticisms of Sadko the Bard for long years to come ! One boasted of his great riches and endless treasures , another of his noble steed descended from the most ancient and worthy bloodlines , yet another of his knightly bearing on the field of battle and his prowess a arms , while a wise man boasted of his elderly and saintly father and mother , and a fool bragged of his sweet young wife . All the while , Sadko sat and spoke not a word . When the feasters had finished their bragging , the host of the banquet turned to the silent and smiling Sadko and asked him whether he had nothing to boast of . Laying aside his gusli , Sadko arose and said : " Aie me ! O noble merchants of Novgorod , o mighty prince , o all - powerful veche , what could a poor man such as I , Sadko the Bard , have to match against your glorious boasts ? I have no goden treasure , I have no sweet wife . My music is a gift of God and not mine to boast of . I know of only one thing whereof I could boast , for I alone know that in Lake Ilmen swim fish with fins of gold ! " " Ah , if I were rich , like you , " lamented Sadko , " I would be able to wager much gold on the truth of my words . But alas ! I have nothing but my own turbulent head to offer as stakes . " Then Sadko took a net of silk and went straightaway to the shores of Lake Ilmen and cast it into the waters . When he drew it out , there lay within it a tiny fish with fins of pure gold . The merchants were amazed , but Sadko did as the King of the Blue Sea had bidden him and cast the net into the lake twice more , and each time he drew forth a tiny fish with fins of pure gold . Without argument and seeing that the bard had spoken truth ( for the merchants of Novgorod prided themselves on their honesty ) , they turned over to Sadko the shops in the Great market and all their fine goods . Thus did Sadko the Bard become one of the richest merchants in the glorious town of Novgorod , and no more sang for sustenance , but rather for pleasure . Old Soviet Stories Long , long ago , in days of yore , there lived a king who had three sons , all of them grown to manhood . One day the king called them to him and said , " My sons . let each of you make a bow for himself and shoot an arrow . The maiden who brings your arrow back will be your bride ; and he whose arrow is not returned will stay unwed . " The eldest son shot an arrow and a prince 's daughter brought it back . The middle son loosed an arrow and a general 's daughter brought it back . But young Prince Ivan 's arrow fell into a marsh and was brought back by a frog holding it between her teeth . The first two brothers were joyful and happy , but Prince Ivan was downcast and cried : " How can I live with a frog ? Marrying is for a lifetime , it isn 't like wading a stream or crossing a field ! " He wept and wept but there was nothing for it : he had to marry the frog . All three couples were wed together according to the custom - the frog being held aloft on a platter . Some time passed . One day the king wished to see which bride was the best needle - woman . So he ordered them to make him a shirt . Poor Prince Ivan was again downcast and cried : " How can my frog sew ? I 'll be a laughing stock . " The frog only jumped across the floor croaking . But no sooner was Prince Ivan asleep than she went outside , cast off her skin and turned into a beautiful maiden , calling . " Maids and matrons , sew me a shirt ! " The maids and matrons straightway brought a finely - embroidered shirt : she took it , folded it and placed it alongside Prince Ivan . There upon she turned back into a frog as if nothing had happened . In the morning Prince Ivan awoke and was overjoyed to find the shirt which he took forthwith to the king . The king gazed at it and said : " Now there 's a shirt for you , fit to wear on holy days ! " Then the middle brother brought a shirt , at which the king said , " This shirt is fit only for the bath - house ! " And taking the eldest brother 's shirt , he said , " And this one is fit only for a smoky peasant hut ! " The king 's sons went their separate ways , with the two eldest muttering among themselves , " We were surely wrong to mock at Prince Ivan 's wife ; she must be a cunning sorceress , not a frog . " Presently the king again issued a command : this time the daughters - in - law were each to bake a loaf of bread , and bring it to him to judge which bride was the best cook . The other two brides had made fun of the frog , but now they sent a chamber - maid to see how she would bake her loaf . The frog noticed the woman , so she kneaded some dough , rolled it out , made a hole in the stove and tipped the dough straight into the fire . The chambermaid ran to tell her mistresses , the royal brides , and they proceeded to do the same . But the crafty frog had tricked them ; as soon as . the woman had gone , she retrieved the dough , cleaned and mended the stove as if nothing had happened , then went out on to the porch , cast off her skin and called , " Maids and matrons , bake me a loaf of bread such as my dear father used to eat on Sundays and holidays . " In an instant the maids and matrons brought the bread . She took it , placed it beside Prince Ivan , and turned into a frog again . In the morning Prince Ivan awoke , took the loaf of bread and gave it to his father . His father was receiving the loaves brought by the elder brothers : their wives had dropped the dough into the fire just as the frog had done , so their bread was black and lumpy . First the king took the eldest son 's loaf , inspected it and dispatched it to the kitchen . The Princess Frog then he took the middle son 's loaf and dispatched it thither too . Then came Prince Ivan 's turn : he presented his loaf to his father who looked at it and said , " Now this is bread fit to grace a holy day . It is not at all like the burnt offerings of my elder daughters - in - law ! " After that the king thought to hold a ball to see which of his sons ' wives was the best dancer . AU the guests and daughters - in - law assembled ; everyone was there except Prince Ivan , who thought : " How can I go to the ball with a frog ? " And the poor prince began - to weep bitterly . " Do not cry , Prince Ivan , " said the frog . " Go to the ball . I shall follow in an hour . " Prince Ivan was somewhat cheered at the frog 's words , and left for the ball . Then the frog cast off her skin and turned into a lovely maid dressed in finery . When she arrived at the ball , Prince Ivan was overjoyed , and the guests clapped their hands at the sight of such beauty . They began to eat and drink . But the frog - princess would eat and slip the bones into her sleeve , then drink and pour the dregs into her other sleeve . The elder brothers ' wives saw this and followed suit , slipping bones into one sleeve and dregs into the other . When the time came for dancing , the king called upon his elder sons ' wives but they insisted on the frog - princess dancing first . And she straightway took Prince Ivan 's arm and came forward to dance . She danced and danced , whirling round and round , to the delight of all . When she shook her right sleeve , woods and lakes appeared ; when she shook her left sleeve , all kinds of birds flew about . The guests were filled with wonder . When she finished dancing , everything disappeared . Then the wives of the two elder sons began to dance . They wished to do as the frog - princess had done , so they shook their right sleeves and bones flew out hitting folk about them ; and when they shook their left sleeves , water splashed all over the onlookers . The king was most displeased and soon called an end to the dancing . The ball was over . Prince Ivan rode off ahead of his wife , found the frog - skin and burnt it . So when his wife returned and looked for the skin , it was nowhere to be seen . She lay down to sleep with Prince Ivan , but just before daybreak she said to him , " Oh , Prince Ivan , if only you had waited a little longer I would have been yours . Now God alone knows when we shall meet again . Farewell . If you wish to find me you must go beyond the Thrice - Nine Land to the Thrice - Ten Kingdom . " And the frog - princess vanished . A year went by , and Prince Ivan still pined for his wife . As a second year began , he made ready to leave , seeking first the blessing of his father and mother . He rode for a long way and eventually chanced upon a little hut facing the trees , with its back to him . " Little hut , little hut , " he called . ' Turn your face to me , please , and your back to the trees . " The little hut did as he said and Prince Ivan entered . There before him sat an old woman , who cried , " Fie , Foh ! There was neither sight nor sound of Russian bones , yet now they come marching in of their own free will ! Whither go you , Prince Ivan ? " " First give me food and drink and put me to bed , old woman , then ask your questions . " So the old woman gave food and drink and put him to bed . Then Prince Ivan said to her , " Grannie , I have set out to rescue Yelena the Fair . " " Oh , my child , " the old woman said , " you 've waited too long ! At first she spoke of you often , but now she no longer remembers you . I haven 't seen her for a long time . Go now to my middle sister , she knows more than me . " In the morning Prince Ivan set out , came to another little hut , and cried , " Little hut , little hut , turn your face to me , please , and your back to the trees . " The little hut did as he said and Prince Ivan entered . There before him sat an old woman , who cried , " Fie , Foh ! There was neither sight nor sound of Russian bones , yet now they come marching in of their own free will ! Whither go you . Prince Ivan ? " " I seek Yelena the Fair , Grannie - , " he replied . " Oh , Prince Ivan , " the old woman said , " you 've waited too long ! She has begun to forget you and is to marry another . She is now living with my eldest sister ; go there now , but beware : as you approach they will know it is you . Yelena will turn into a spindle , her dress will turn to gold . My sister will wind the gold thread around the spindle and put it into a box which she will lock . But you must find the key , open the box , break the spindle , toss the top over your shoulder and the bottom before you . Then she will appear . " Off went Prince Ivan , came to the old woman 's hut , entered and saw her winding gold thread around a spindle ; she then locked it in a box and hid the key . But Prince Ivan quickly found the key , opened the box , took out the spindle , broke it as he had been told , tossed the top over his shoulder and the bottom before him . All of a sudden , there was Yelena the Fair standing in front of him . " Oh , Prince Ivan , " she sighed , " how long you were in coming ! I almost wed another . " And she told him that the other bridegroom would soon arrive . But , taking a magic carpet from the old woman , Yelena the Fair sat upon it and they soared up and away like birds . The bridegroom set off quickly in pursuit . He was clever and guessed that they had fled . He was within ten feet of them when they flew on the carpet into Russia . Just in time ! He could not follow them there , so he turned back . But Prince Ivan and Yelena the Fair flew home to the rejoicing of all ; and lived happily ever after . Now , in the forest beyond the field there lived a Dragon , and he came and filled in the furrow the brothers had made with earth and made a furrow of his own which led to the door of his house . And when Olenka went out to take her brothers dinner to them she followed it and walked straight into the Dragon 's courtyard . And the Dragon seized her and held her captive . They went to the iron threshing floor , but they did not fight long . For the Dragon struck them once and drove them into the floor . Then he pulled them out , more dead than alive , and threw them into a deep dungeon . At this the Dragon pounced on Pea - Roll Along and struck him such a blow that he sank ankle - deep into the iron threshing floor . But Pea - Roll Along was out again in a flash and he gave the Dragon an answering blow with his mace and drove him knee - deep into the floor . The Dragon heaved himself out and he again came at Pea - Roll Along and drove him as deep into the floor as he had just been driven himself . But Pea - Roll Along was not one to be frightened . He struck the Dragon a blow which drove him waist - deep into the floor , and then another that killed him on the spot . And Pea - Roll Along slept on and felt nothing . He slept for a day and he slept for a night , and he woke to find himself bound to the oak tree . But he jerked and heaved , and lo ! - out came the tree , roots and all , from the ground , and Pea - Roll Along threw it over his shoulder and went home . And lo ! - there climbed over the threshold the tiniest old man that ever was , with a beard so long that it dragged over the floor . The little old man caught Move - Mountain by the hair and hung him on a nail on the wall . Then he ate all there was to eat and drank all there was to drink , and after cutting a long strip of skin from Move - Mountain 's back , went away . " You 'll soon see what I want ! " said the little old man . He stretched out his hand and was about to seize Pea - Roll Along by the hair , but Pea - Roll Along cried out , " Oh , so that 's the sort you are ! " and caught him by the beard instead . Then , taking an axe , he dragged the little old man outside and up to an oak tree , split the oak tree in two , and thrust the little old man 's beard deep into the cleft , pinning it fast . " All right , then , I 'll do it ! " said Pea - Roll Along . " But I 'll need a rope . Let 's plait one ! " They began letting him down , and it took them a long time , for so deep was the hole that to reach its bottom was like trying to reach the nether world itself . But they got him down at last , and Pea - Roll Along set out to explore the place . On he walked , and by and by he came across a huge palace . He went inside , and everything in the palace sparkled and shone , for it was made of gold studded with precious stones . He passed from chamber to chamber , and all of a sudden who should come running toward him but a princess , and so beautiful was she that her equal could not have been found anywhere in the world . " He won 't kill me , " said Pea - Roll Along . " It was I who caught him by the beard and stuck it in the cleft . But who are you ? " On and on he walked , and all of a sudden the sky became overcast , and it began to rain and to hail . Pea - Roll Along hid under an oak tree , and as he stood there he heard the chirping of baby griffins coming from a nest at the top of the tree . He climbed the tree , and , taking off his coat , covered the birds with it . " That is not easy to do , but if we take six barrels of meat and six of water with us I may be able to do it , " the griffin said . " Every time I turn my head to the right you will throw a piece of meat into my mouth , and every time I turn it to the left you will give me a sip of water . If you don 't do it we 'll never get there , for I 'll die on the way . " They took six barrels of meat and six of water . Pea - Roll Along put them on the griffin 's back and climbed on himself , and away they flew ! And whenever the griffin turned his head to the right Pea - Roll Along put some meat into his mouth , and whenever he turned it to the left he gave him a sip of water . Once there lived an old widower and his daughter . In due time , the man remarried to an older woman who had a daughter herself from a previous marriage . The woman doted on her own daughter , praising her at every opportunity , but she despised her stepdaughter " Take her somewhere so that my eyes no longer have to see her , so that my ears no longer have to hear her . And don 't take her to some relative 's house . Take her into the biting cold of the forest and leave her there . " The old man grieved and wept but he knew that he could do nothing else ; his wife always had her way . So he took the girl into the forest and left her there . He turned back quickly so that he wouldn 't have to see his girl freeze . Oh , the poor thing , sitting there in the snow , with her body shivering and her teeth chattering ! Then Morozko ( the Father Frost ) , leaping from tree to tree , came upon her . " Are you warm , my lass ? " he asked . At first , Morozko had wanted to freeze the life out of her with his icy grip . But he admired the young girl 's stoicism and showed mercy . He gave her a warm fur coat and downy quilts before he left . In a short while , Morozko returned to check on the girl . And indeed she was warmer . So this time Morozko brought a large box for her to sit on . A little later , Morozko returned once more to ask how she was doing . She was doing quite well now , and this time Morozko gave her silver and gold jewelry to wear , with enough extra jewels to fill the box on which she was sitting ! Meanwhile , back at her father 's hut , the old woman told her husband to go back into the forest to bring back the body of his daughter . He did as he was ordered . He arrived at the spot where had left her , and was overjoyed when he saw his daughter alive , wrapped in a sable coat and adorned with silver and gold . When he arrived home with his daughter and the box of jewels , his wife looked on in amazement . The old man did as he was told . Like the other girl at first , the old woman 's daughter began to shake and shiver . In a short while , Morozko came by and asked her how she was doing . " Are you blind ? " she replied . " Can 't you see that my hands and feet are quite numb ? Curse you , you miserable old man ! " Dawn had hardly broken the next day when , back at the old man 's hut , the old woman woke her husband and told him to bring back her daughter , adding : " Be careful with the box of jewels . " The old man obeyed and went to fetch the girl . A short while later , the gate to the yard creaked . The old woman went outside and saw her husband standing next to the sleigh . She rushed forward and pulled aside the sleigh 's cover . To her horror , she saw the body of her daughter , frozen by an angry Morozko . She began to scream and berate her husband , but it was all in vein . Later , the old man 's daughter married a neighbor , had children , and lived happily . Her father would visit his grandchildren every now and then , and remind them always to respect Old Man Winter … Old Soviet Stories Masha and her friends came to the forest and began to hunt for the mushrooms and berries . From bush to bush , from tree to tree went Masha . Before she knew it she had strayed away from her friends . When at last she saw that she was all alone she began to halloo and call to them , but her friends did not hear her and made no answer . Masha went here and there , she walked all over the forest , and there before her she saw a little hut . Masha knocked on the door but there was no answer , so she gave the door a push and lo ! the door opened . Masha went into the hut and sat down on a bench by the window . " I wonder who lives here she thought " . Now in that hut lived a great big bear , only he was out walking in the forest just then . It was evening by the time he came home and when he saw Masha he was very pleased . So Masha sat thing of how she could get away from the bear . All around was the forest and there was no one to ask which way to go . She thought and thought until she knew what to do . " I 'll put the pies in the basket and you can take them to my Grandma and Grandpa . But mind you are not to open the basket on the way and you are not to eat any of the pies . I am going to climb to the top of the big oak tree and watch that you do not open the basket . " The bear went out on the porch to make sure that it was not raining . When he did , Masha crawled into the basket and covered herself with the pies . The bear came in , and there was the basket all ready to go . So he strapped the basket on his back and started off . Tramp - tramp went the bear amid the spruce trees . Clumpity - clumphe went amid the birch trees , up hill and down dale went his long winding trail , and on and on he walked . At last he got tired and sat down to rest . The old man lifted the top , and looked and he could not believe his eyes . For there in the basket sat Masha alive and well . The old man and woman were overjoyed . They kissed and hugged and embraced . Masha and they said she was as clever as clever can be , as indeed all our readers will surely agree . 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