Part 5

The archer passed through many countries and kingdoms, and the ball kept rolling ever onwards. Whenever they came to a river the ball expanded into a bridge, and whenever the archer wished to rest, the ball widened into a downy bed. Whether the time be long or whether it be short the tale is quickly told, though the deed be not quickly done; suffice it to say that at last the archer came to a vast and wealthy palace; the ball rolled right up against the door and vanished. The archer fell a-thinking. "I had better go straight on," thought he, so he went up the staircase into a room, and there met him there three lovely damsels. "Whence and wherefore hast thou come hither, good man?" said they. "Alas! lovely damsels, ye ask me not to rest from my long journey, but ye begin to torment me with questionings. First ye should give me to eat and drink and let me rest, and then only should ye ask me of my tidings!" They immediately laid the table, gave him to eat and drink, and made him lie down to rest. The archer slept away his weariness, rose from his soft bed, and the lovely damsels brought him a washing-basin and an embroidered towel. He washed himself in the clear spring-water, but the towel he would not take. "I have my handkerchief wherewith to wipe my face," said he, and he drew out the handkerchief and began to dry himself. And the lovely damsels fell a-questioning him. "Tell us, good man! whence hast thou got that handkerchief?"--"My wife gave it to me."--"Then thou must have married one of our kinswomen." Then they called their old mother, and she looked at the handkerchief, recognizing it the same instant, and cried: "This is indeed my daughter's handkerchief!" Then she began to put all manner of questions to the archer. He told her how he had married her daughter, and how the King had sent him I know not whither, to fetch I know not what. "Alas! my dear son-in-law, not even I have heard of this marvel. But come now, perchance my servants may know of it." Then the old woman fetched her book of spells, turned over the leaves, and immediately there appeared two giants. "What is thy pleasure, and what is thy command?"--"Look now, my faithful servants, carry me together with my son-in-law to the wide sea Ocean, and place us in the very centre of it--in the very abyss." Immediately the giants caught up the archer and the old woman, and bore them, as by a hurricane, to the wide sea Ocean, and placed them in the centre of it--in the very abyss; there they stood like two vast columns, and held the archer and the old woman in their arms. Then the old woman cried with a loud voice, and there came swimming up to her all the fish and creeping things of the sea, so that the blue sea was no longer to be seen for the multitude of them. "Hark! ye fishes and creeping things of the sea. Ye who swim everywhere, have ye perchance heard how to go I know not whither, to fetch I know not what?" And all the fishes and creeping things exclaimed with one voice, "No, we have never heard of it." Suddenly a lame old croaking frog forced its way to the front and said, "Kwa, kwa; I know where this marvel is to be found."--"Well, dear, that is just what I want to know," said the old woman, and she took up the frog and bade the giants carry her and her son-in-law home. In an instant they found themselves in their own courtyard. Then the old woman began to question the frog. "How and by what road can my son-in-law go?" And the frog answered, "This place is at the end of the world--far, far away. I would gladly lead him thither myself, but I am so frightfully old, I can scarcely move my legs. I could not get there in fifty years." The old woman sent for a big jar, filled it with fresh milk, put the frog inside, and said to her son-in-law, "Hold this jar in thy hand and the frog will show thee the way." The archer took the jar with the frog, took leave of his mother-in-law and his sisters-in-law, and set out on his way. On he went, and the frog showed him the way. Whether it be far or near, long or short, matters not; suffice it that he came to the fiery river; beyond this river was a high mountain, and on this mountain a door was to be seen. "Kwa, kwa," said the frog, "let me out of the jar, we must cross over this river." The archer took it out of the jar and placed it on the ground. "Now, my good youth, sit on me. More firmly. Don't be afraid. Thou wilt not smash me." The youth sat on the frog and pressed it to the very earth. The frog began to swell; it swelled and swelled till it was as large as a haystack. All that the archer now thought of was the risk of falling off. "If I fall off it will be the death of me," thought he. The frog, when it had done swelling, took a leap and leaped with one big bound right across the fiery stream, and again made itself quite little. "Now, good youth, go through that door and I'll wait for thee here; thou wilt come into a cavern, and take care to hide thyself well. In a short time two old men will come; listen to what they are saying, and see what they do, and when they are gone, say and do as they." The archer went into the mountain, opened the door, and in the cavern it was dark enough to put one's eyes out. He fumbled his way along and felt all about him with his arms till he felt an empty chest, into which he got and hid himself. And now, after he had waited some time, two old men entered and said: "Hi! Shmat-Razum! [30] come and feed us." At that very instant--there's no telling how--lightning-flashes lit candelabras, it thundered plates and dishes, and various wines and meats appeared upon the table. The old men ate and drank, and then they commanded--"Shmat-Razum! take it all away." And immediately there was nothing, neither table, nor wine, nor meats, and the candelabras all went out. The archer heard the two old men going out, crept out of the chest, and cried: "Hi! Shmat-Razum!"--"What is your pleasure?"--"Feed me." Again everything appeared. The candelabras were lighted, the table was covered, and all the meats and drinks appeared upon it. The archer sat down at the table and said, "Hi! Shmat-Razum. Come, brother, and sit down with me, let us eat and drink together. I can't stand eating all alone." And an invisible voice answered him: "Alas! good man, whence hath God sent thee? 'Tis thirty years since I have served right trustily the two old men here, and during all that time they have never once asked me to sit down with them." The archer looked about him and was amazed. He saw nobody, yet the meats disappeared from the dishes as if some one was sweeping them away, and the wine bottles lifted themselves up, poured themselves into the glasses, and in a trice the glasses were empty. Then the archer went on eating and drinking, but he said: "Hearken, Shmat-Razum! Wilt thou be my servant? Thou shalt have a good time of it with me."--"Why should I not? I have long been growing weary here, and thou, I see, art a good man."--"Well, get everything ready and come with me." The archer came out of the cave, looked around him, and there was nothing. "Shmat-Razum, art thou there?"--"I am here. Fear not. I'll never desert thee." "Right," replied the archer, and he sat him on the frog. The frog swelled out and leaped across the fiery stream; he placed it in the jar, and set off on his return journey. He came to his mother-in-law and made his new servant regale the old woman and her daughters right royally. Shmat-Razum feasted them so bountifully that the old woman very nearly danced for joy, and ordered the frog three jars of fresh milk every nine days for its faithful services. The archer then took leave of his mother-in-law and wended his way homewards. He went on and on till he was utterly exhausted, his swift feet trembled beneath him, and his white arms sank down by his side. "Alas!" said he, "Shmat-Razum, dost thou not see how weary I am? My legs fail me."--"Why didst thou not tell it me long ago? I will bring thee to the place alive and well." And immediately the archer was seized by a whirlwind and carried through the air so quickly that his hat fell from his head. "Hi! Shmat-Razum! Stop a minute. My hat has fallen from my head."--"Too late, master. Thou canst not get it. Thy cap is now 5000 miles behind thee." Towns and villages, rivers and forests, melted away beneath the feet of the archer.

And now the archer was flying over the deep sea, and Shmat-Razum said to him: "An thou wilt let me, I would make a golden bower on this sea, and thou wilt be able to rest and be happy!"--"Do so then," said the archer, and straightway they began descending towards the sea. Then, for a moment, the waves splashed high, and then an islet appeared, and on the islet was a golden pleasure-house. Shmat-Razum said to the archer: "Sit in this pleasure-house and rest and look out upon the sea; three merchant vessels will sail by and stop at the islet. Thou must invite the merchants hither, hospitably entertain them, and exchange me for three wondrous things which the merchants will bring with them. In due time I will return to thee again." The archer kept watch, and lo! from the west three ships came sailing up, and the merchantmen saw the islet and the golden pleasure-house. "'Tis a marvel!" said they; "how many times have we not sailed hither, and nothing was to be seen but the sea! and now, behold! a golden pleasure-house is here. Come, friends, let us put to shore and feast our eyes upon it!" So immediately they lowered the sails and cast the anchor, three of the merchants sat them in a light skiff, and they came to the shore. "Hail, good man!"--"Hail, ye wayfaring merchants, ye men of many marts! be so good as to turn in to me, stroll about at your ease, make merry and repose; this pleasure-house was built expressly for guests that come by sea!" The merchants entered the bower and sat them down on footstools. "Hi! Shmat-Razum!" cried the archer; "give us to eat and drink." The table appeared, and on the table was wine and savoury meats; whatever the soul desired was there with the wishing. The merchants sighed for envy. "Come," said they, "let us make an exchange. Thou give us thy servant, and take from us what marvels thou likest best."--"But what marvels have ye then?"--"Look and see!" And one of the merchants drew out of his pocket a little casket, and he had no sooner opened it than a lovely garden spread out all over the island with fragrant flowers and pleasant paths; but when he shut the casket the garden immediately disappeared. The second merchant drew from beneath the folds of his garment an axe, and began to tap with it: "Rap-tap!" out came a ship. "Rap-tap!" out came another ship. A hundred times he rapped, and made a hundred ships with sails and guns and crews complete; the ships sailed, the sailors stood by the guns and took orders from the merchant. The merchant gloried in it for a while, but then he concealed his axe and the ships vanished out of sight just as if they had never been. The third merchant produced a horn, blew into one end of it, and immediately an army appeared, both horse and foot, with cannons and banners, and through all the ranks went the roll of martial music, and the armour of the warriors flashed like fire in the sunlight. The merchant rejoiced in it all, then he took his horn and blew into the other end of it, and there was nothing to be seen, the whole of that martial might was no more.

"Your marvels are well enough, but they are of no use to me," said the archer; "your hosts and your fleets would do honour to a Tsar, but I am only a simple archer. If you would change with me, then must you give me all your three wonders in exchange for my one invisible servant."--"But won't that be too much?"--"Know ye that I'll make no other exchange." The merchants considered amongst themselves: "What's the use of this garden, these ships, and these hosts to us? 'Twill be better to make the exchange; at any rate we shall always be able to eat and drink our fill without the least trouble." So they gave the archer their wonders, and said: "Well, Shmat-Razum, we'll take thee with us; wilt thou serve us well and loyally?"--"Why should I not serve you? 'Tis all one with me with whom I live." The merchants returned to their ships and regaled all their crews right royally. "Hi! Shmat-Razum! bestir thyself!" And every one on board ate and drank his fill and lay down and slept heavily. But the archer sat in his golden bower and grew pensive, and said: "Alas! my heart yearns after my faithful servant, Shmat-Razum. I wonder where he is now!"--"I am here, master!" The archer was glad. "Is it not time for us to hasten home?" And he had no sooner spoken than a whirlwind as it were seized him and bore him into the air.

The merchants awoke from their sleep and wanted to drink away the effects of their carouse: "Hi! Shmat-Razum, give us some more drink by way of a pick-me-up!" But no one answered, no one rendered them that service. Order and shout as they might, things remained precisely as they were. "Well, gentlemen! this sharper has befooled us! The devil take him, and may the island vanish and the golden bower perish." Thus the merchants lamented and lamented, then they spread their sails and departed whither their business called them.

The archer flew back to his country, and descended in a waste place by the blue sea. "Hi, Shmat-Razum, can we not build us a little castle here?"--"Why not? It shall be ready immediately." And immediately the castle sprang up, more beautiful than words can tell, 'twas twice as good as a royal palace. The archer opened his casket and a garden immediately appeared round the castle with pleasant country paths and marvellous flowers. There sat the archer at the open window, and quite fell in love with his garden. Suddenly a dove flew in at the window, plumped down upon the ground, and turned into his lovely young wife. They embraced and greeted each other. And the wife said to the archer, "Ever since thou didst leave the house I have been flying as a blue dove among the woods and groves. How happily we will now live together for evermore!"

Early the next morning the King came out on his balcony and looked towards the blue sea, and behold! on the very shore stood a new castle, and round the castle was a green garden. "Who then is this presumptuous stranger who builds on my land without my leave?" Then his couriers ran thither, asked questions, and came back and told him that this castle was built by the archer, and he himself dwelt in this castle and his wife with him. The King was more angry than ever, and he bade them assemble a host and go to the shores of the sea, root up the garden, smash the castle into little bits, and bring the archer and his wife to him. The archer saw the King's army coming against him, and it was very strong; then he seized his axe quickly and rapped with it, "Rap-tap!" Out came a ship. He rapped one hundred times, and made one hundred ships. Then he seized his horn and blew once, and a host of footmen rolled out. He blew in the other end, and a host of horse rolled out. The commanders of all the corps came rushing up to him, and asked him for orders. The archer bade them begin the battle. The music struck up, the drums rolled, the regiments moved forwards against the royal host. The infantry, like a solid wall, broke down their centre, the horse cut them off at the wings and took them captive, and the guns from the fleet played upon the capital. The King saw that all his host was flying, rushed forward to stop them--but how? He could not do it, and in a moment he was swept from his horse in the midst of the fierce fight and trampled underfoot. When the fight was over the people assembled together and begged the archer to accept the whole realm from their hands. To this he gave his consent, and ruled that kingdom peaceably all the days of his life.

KUZ'MA SKOROBOGATY. [31]

There was once a peasant and his wife, and they had one son, and he, though good, was a block-head, and no good at all for working in the fields. "Husband mine," said the mother, "there is not much wit in our son, and he will eat us out of house and home; send him away, let him live by himself, and make his own way in the world." So they sent away their son; they gave him a most wretched little nag, a tumble-down hut in the wood, and a cock with five hens. And little Kuz'ma lived alone, all alone in the dark wood.

The little she-fox scented out the fowls that were right under her very nose in the wood, and determined to pay a visit to Kuz'ma's hut. One day little Kuz'ma went out to hunt, and no sooner had he left the hut than the little fox, who was on the watch all the time, ran up, killed one of the hens, roasted it, and ate it up. Little Kuz'ma returned, and behold! one of the hens was gone. And he thought: "I suppose the vulture must have pounced down on it!" The next day he again went out hunting. He happened to fall in with the fox, and she asked him: "Whither away, little Kuz'ma?"--"I am going a-hunting, little fox!"--"Well, good-bye!" And immediately she scampered off to his hut, killed another hen, cooked it, and ate it. Little Kuz'ma came home and counted his hens, and another was missing. And it occurred to him: "What if the little fox has tasted of my hens!" On the third day he nailed up the door and window of his hut strongly, so strongly, and went about his business as usual. And the fox turned up from somewhither and said to him: "Whither away, little Kuz'ma?"--"I go a-hunting, little fox!"--"Well, good-bye!" Off she ran to Kuz'ma's hut, and he followed her track back too. The fox ran all round the hut, and saw that the door and window were nailed up strongly, oh so strongly; how was she to get into the hut? So up she climbed and disappeared down the chimney; then up came Kuz'ma and caught the fox. "Ah-ha!" cried he; "look what a thief pays me visits! Wait a bit, my little lady; you shall not get out of my hands alive." Then the little fox began to implore Kuz'ma: "Don't kill me! I'll get thee betrothed to a rich bride. Only please roast me one more fowl, the fattest, with lots of nice oil!" Little Kuz'ma fell a-thinking, and then he killed one more fowl for the little fox: "There, eat, little fox, and much good may it do thee!" The fox ate it up, licked her chaps, and said: "Behind this wood is the tsardom of the great and terrible Tsar Ogon, [32] his wife is the Tsaritsa Molnya, [33] and they have a daughter, a most beauteous Tsarevna; I'll marry thee to her."--"Who would take a poor fellow like me?"--"Silence! that's not thy business." And the little fox set off to Tsar Ogon and the Tsaritsa Molnya. She ran all the way to them, entered their palace, made a low obeisance, and said: "Hail, mighty, potent Tsar Ogon, and terrible Tsaritsa Molnya!"--"Hail to thee, fox! What nice little piece of good news hast thou brought us?"--"Well, I have come to you as a match-maker. You have the bride and I have the young bridegroom, Kuz'ma Skorobogaty."--"Where is he buried that he does not come himself?"--"He cannot quit his principality. He rules over the wild beasts, and takes his pleasure with them."--"So that's the sort of bridegroom you present us with! Well, go back to him and say that he must send us forty forties of gray wolves, and then we'll accept him as the bridegroom." Then the little fox ran to the meadows which lay beneath this very wood and began rolling about in these meadows. A wolf came running up and said: "I see, gossip, that you've had a good feed somewhere or you would not roll about like that."--"I wish I wasn't so full; I've been at a banquet with the Tsar and the Tsaritsa. Do you mean to say that you've not been invited there, gossip? Impossible! Why, all the wild beasts were there, and as for the sables and ermines there was no end to them! The bears were still sitting there when I left, and eating like anything!" The wolf began to beg the fox humbly: "Little fox, can't you take me to the Tsar's banquet!"--"Why not! Hearken! Go you and collect by to-morrow forty forties of your brethren, the gray wolves, and I'll lead the whole lot of you thither." On the following day the wolves assembled and the fox led them to the Tsar's white stone palace, placed them all in rows, and announced to the Tsar: "Mighty and potent Tsar Ogon and terrible Tsaritsa Molnya, thy destined son-in-law has sent thee gifts; lo! a whole herd of gray wolves does obeisance to you, and the number of them is forty forties." The Tsar bade them drive all the wolves into the enclosure, and said to the fox: "If my destined son-in-law is able to send me wolves as a present, let him now also send me just as many bears." The little fox ran to little Kuz'ma and bade him roast another fowl, ate her fill of it, and ran off again to the fenced meadows of the Tsar. Thither she went and fell a-rolling about under the selfsame wood. And out of the wood came running a shaggy bear and looked at the fox. "Well, gossip fox," said he, "you have plainly had your fill, or what has come over you to make you roll about in the grass so merrily?"--"Had my fill! I should think so. Why I've been to the Tsar's banquet; there was a whole lot of us beasts there, and of sables and ermines no end. The wolves are eating there now, and a nice dinner they are making of it." Bruin straightway began to beg the fox to let him go: "Little fox, won't you lead me also to the Tsar's banquet?"--"Very well; hearken. Bring together by to-morrow forty forties of black bears, and I'll lead you thither with pleasure, for of course the Tsar's cooks would not make ready for you alone." Old bandy-legs wandered all about the woods, proclaimed the news to all the bears, and got together as many bears as the fox had commanded, and she led them to the Tsar's white stone palace, arranged them in rows, and announced: "Mighty and potent Tsar Ogon, and terrible Tsaritsa Molnya, your destined son-in-law salutes you with a present of forty forties of black bears." The Tsar bade them drive the bears also into the enclosure, and said to the fox: "If my destined son-in-law can send me so many bears and wolves as a gift, let him now send us also just as many martens and sables." The fox again hastened off to Kuz'ma, bade him roast the last hen, together with the cock, and when she had eaten them in his honour she went again to the fenced meadows of the Tsar, and began rolling about in the grass. A sable and a marten came running by. "Where have you been feeding so fatly, sly Mrs. Foxy?" they asked. "What! ye live in the wood and yet don't know that I am held in great honour by the Tsar? This day I have conducted the wolves and the bears to his banquet; by this time they will be unable to tear themselves away from the Tsar's tit-bits; never have they had such a feed from the day of their birth." Then the sable and the marten also began wheedling the fox. "Dear little dovey gossip! wilt not thou lead us to the Tsar? We will only look on afar off while the others eat."--"If ye will bring together forty forties of your sables and martens a dinner shall be got ready for the whole lot of you. But a couple of you all alone would not even be admitted into the courtyard." The next day the sables and the martens came together, and the fox led them to Tsar Ogon, made obeisance to him on behalf of his future son-in-law, and presented him with the forty forties of sables and martens. The Tsar accepted the gift, and said: "Thanks! Tell my destined son-in-law to come to me himself; we want to have a look at him, and it is time he saw his bride."