THE FIREBIRD AND PRINCESS VASILISA

IN A CERTAIN KINGDOM, beyond the thrice ninth land, in the thrice tenth realm, there lived a strong and mighty king. This king had a brave huntsman and the brave huntsman had a valiant horse. One day the huntsman went on his valiant horse to hunt in the woods. He rode and rode along the broad path, and suddenly he came upon a golden feather of the Firebird; it shone bright as a flame! The valiant horse said to him: "Take not the golden feather; if you take it, you will know trouble!" And the brave youth turned the matter over in his mind: should he pick up the feather or not? If he picked it up, he thought, and presented it to the king, he would be generously rewarded; and who does not value the king's favor?
So the huntsman did not heed his horse; he picked up the feather of the Firebird and brought it to the king as a gift. "Thank you!" said the king. "But since you have found the feather of the Firebird, get me the bird itself. If you do not, by my sword your head shall fall!" The huntsman wept bitter tears and went to his valiant horse. "Why are you weeping, master?" the good steed asked. "The king has ordered me to get him the Firebird." "Did I not warn you not to take the feather, or you would know trouble? Well, fear not, grieve not. This is not trouble yet the real trouble lies ahead! Go to the king, ask that by tomorrow one hundred measures of corn be strewn on the open field."

Next day at dawn the brave huntsman rode to that field, set his horse loose, and hid behind a tree. Suddenly the woods rustled and the waves rose on the sea-the Firebird was flying. She arrived at the field, alighted, and began to peck the corn. The valiant horse approached the Firebird, stepped with his hoof on her wing, and pressed it hard to the ground; the brave huntsman jumped from behind the tree, ran to the Firebird, tied her with cords, mounted his horse, and galloped to the palace. He presented the Firebird to the king. The king gazed upon the bird with delight, thanked the huntsman for his services, promoted him to noble rank, and straightway charged him with another task. "Since you were able to get the Firebird," the king said, "you must now get me a bride. Beyond the thrice ninth land, at the very edge of the world, where the red sun rises, lives Princess Vasilisa-it is she whom I desire. If you get her, I will reward you with silver and gold; if you do not, by my sword your head shall fall!"

The huntsman shed bitter tears and went to his valiant horse. "Why are you weeping, master?" asked the horse. "The king has commanded me to get Princess Vasilisa for him." "Weep not, grieve not. This is still not trouble-the real trouble lies ahead! Go to the king, ask for a tent with a golden top and all kinds of meats and drink for the journey." The king gave him meats and drink and a tent with a golden top as well. The brave huntsman mounted his valiant horse and rode beyond the thrice ninth land. After some time, a short time or a long time, he came to the edge of the world, where the red sun rises from the blue sea. He looked out; on the blue sea Princess Vasilisa was sailing in a silver boat rowed with golden oars. The brave huntsman set his horse loose to roam in the green meadows and eat fresh grass. As for himself, he pitched his golden-topped tent, set out all sorts of food and drink, sat in the tent, and regaled himself while he waited for Princess Vasilisa.

Princess Vasilisa spied the golden top of the tent, sailed to the shore, stepped off her boat, and admired the tent. "Greetings, Princess Vasilisa!" said the huntsman. "Welcome! pray be my guest and taste my foreign wines." Princess Vasilisa entered the tent; they began to eat, drink, and enjoy themselves. The princess drank a glass of foreign wine, became drank, and fell sound asleep. The huntsman called his valiant horse, and the horse came running; the huntsman folded his golden topped tent, mounted the valiant horse, laid the sleeping Princess Vasilisa across his saddle, and set out on his way, as swiftly as an arrow flies from a bow.

They came to the king, who, when he beheld Princess Vasilisa, rejoiced greatly; he thanked the huntsman for his loyal service, rewarded him with an enormous treasure, and promoted him to high rank. Princess Vasilisa awoke, discovered that she was far from the blue sea, and began to weep and grieve. Her fair face was completely beclouded. No matter what the king said to comfort her, all was in vain. The king wanted to marry her, but she said: "Let him who brought me here go to the blue sea. In the middle of that sea lies a great stone, under that stone my wedding gown is hid. Without that gown I will not wed!" The king at once sent for the brave huntsman and said to him: "Hasten to the edge of the world, where the red sun rises; there in the blue sea a great stone lies, and under that stone Princess Vasilisa's wedding gown is hid. Get that gown and bring it here; it is time to celebrate my wedding! If you get it, I will reward you even more richly than before; if you do not, by my sword your head shall fall!"

The huntsman shed bitter tears and went to his valiant horse. "This time," he thought, "I surely shall not escape death!" "Why are you weeping, master?" asked the horse. "The king has commanded me to get Princess Vasilisa's wedding gown from the bottom of the sea." "Now you see! Did I not tell you not to take the golden feather, or you would know trouble? Well, fear not; this is not trouble yet the real trouble lies ahead! Sit on me and let us go to the blue sea."
After some time, a short time or a long time, the brave huntsman came to the edge of the world and stopped at the shore of the sea. The valiant horse saw a huge crab crawling on the sand, and stepped on its neck with his heavy hoof. The crab spoke out: "Do not give me death, give me life! I will do whatever you want." The horse answered: "In the middle of the blue sea there lies a great stone, under that stone Princess Vasilisa's wedding gown is hid. Get me that gown!" The crab called in a loud voice all over the blue sea; at once the sea became agitated, and from all sides big and little crabs came crawling to the shore-a numberless multitude! The chief crab gave them a command and they jumped into the water. After an hour's time they dragged Princess Vasilisa's wedding gown from the bottom of the sea, from under the great stone.

The brave huntsman came to the king, bringing the princess' gown; but Princess Vasilisa was still obdurate. "I will not marry you," she said to the king, "unless you order the brave huntsman to bathe in boiling water." The king had an iron cauldron filled with water; he ordered that it be heated and that the huntsman be thrown in when the water came to the boiling point. Everything was ready, the water was boiling and bubbling; the unfortunate huntsman was led to the cauldron. "Now this is trouble!" he thought. "Ah, why did I ever pick up the golden feather of the Firebird? Why did I not heed my horse?" He recalled his valiant steed and said to the king: "King, my sovereign! Let me say farewell to my horse before I die." "Very well, go, say farewell to him," said the king.

The huntsman came to his valiant horse and wept bitter tears. "Why are you weeping, master?" the horse asked. "The king has commanded me to bathe in boiling water." "Fear not, weep not, you will live!" And the horse quickly charmed the huntsman, so that the boiling water would not harm his white body. The huntsman came back from the stable; servants seized him at once and threw him straight into the cauldron. He ducked his head once or twice, jumped out of the cauldron -and turned into such a handsome man as no tale can tell of nor pen describe. The king, seeing that his huntsman had become so handsome in the boiling water, wanted to bathe in it too; he foolishly plunged into the cauldron and was boiled on the spot. He was buried, and in his place the brave huntsman was enthroned; he married Princess Vasilisa, and lived long years with her in love and concord.