Folk-lore and Legends: Russian and Polish 19

Folk-lore and Legends: Russian and Polish 19

The Czar was very much astonished, and said—

 

“You, too, have nothing to learn.”

 

Then he spoke to the fifth brother—

 

“And you, Simeon, what handiwork or what art will you learn?”

 

“I want to learn nothing, your majesty,” said he, “but if my eldest

brother will make me a gun, I will shoot with it any bird that flies,

however far off it be, so that I am able to see it.”

 

“You will be an excellent sportsman,” said the Czar.

 

Then he asked the sixth brother—

 

“Well, Simeon, what art do you wish to learn?”

 

“I wish to learn no art, your majesty,” said he, “but if my fifth

brother shoots a bird, I will catch it before it comes to the ground and

bring it to your majesty.”

 

“That is very clever,” said the Czar. “You will do instead of a dog in

the field.”

 

Then the Czar asked the last brother—

 

“And you, Simeon, what handiwork or art will you learn?”

 

“I want to learn neither handiwork nor art, your majesty,” replied he,

“for I already know a precious art.”

 

“What is it,” asked the Czar, “that is so good?”

 

“I am so skilful at stealing,” said he, “that no one can beat me at it.”

 

When the Czar heard that the lad was acquainted with such a wicked art,

he was angry, and said to his nobles—

 

“My lords, let me have your advice as to how this thief, Simeon, should

be punished. What death should he die?”

 

“Your majesty,” said they all, “why should he die? It is not unlikely,

since he is such a clever thief, that he may prove useful in some case.”

 

“How so?” asked the Czar.

 

“Your majesty,” said they, “has during the last ten years sought the

hand of the Czarina, the beautiful Helena, in vain, and lost many armies

and much treasure. Now this thief, Simeon, may devise some means of

stealing the Czarina for your Majesty.”

 

“You say well, my friends,” observed the Czar, and he went and said to

the thief—

 

“Now, Simeon, can you wander over seven and twenty countries into the

thirtieth and steal for me the beautiful princess, Helena? I love her

very much, and if you procure her for me you shall be well rewarded.”

 

“We will see to it,” said he, “you have but to command.”

 

“I do not merely command,” said the Czar, “but I beg of you not to

remain longer at my court, but to take what armies you wish to effect

your purpose.”

 

“I do not want either your armies or your treasure,” said the thief.

“Only send all of us together, for I can do nothing without the others.”

 

The Czar did not wish for all the brothers to go, but though he thought

it hard, he was obliged to consent.

 

In the meantime the eldest brother had completed the iron column in the

smithy in the court of the palace. The second brother climbed up to the

top, and from there he saw the kingdom of the fair Helena’s father. He

called out to the Czar Ados—

 

“Your majesty, beyond twenty-seven countries in the thirtieth there

sits, at a window, the Czarina, the beautiful Helena. How fair she is!

One can see every blue vein in her white skin.”

 

Then the Czar was more in love with her than ever, and cried out to the

Simeons—

 

“My friends, set out as quickly as you can and return soon. I can live

no longer without the beautiful Helena.”

 

The eldest Simeon smithied a gun for the third brother, and carried

bread for the journey. The thief took with him a cat, and so they set

out. Now the thief had so trained the cat that it ran after him

everywhere, just like a dog, and when he stood still it stood by him, on

its hind-legs, rubbing against him and purring. So they went on till

they came to the shore of a sea over which they must pass. For a long

time they walked about on the shore and looked for wood, in order to

build a ship, and at last they came to a great oak. The third brother

took his axe and cut away at the root. The oak was brought to the

ground, and a ship was in a moment built from it, filled with all kinds

of precious things. The brothers entered the ship and sailed away.

 

After some months they came to the place they sought, and cast anchor in

the harbour. The next day the thief, taking his cat, went into the town,

and, coming to the Czar’s palace, stood in front of the Princess

Helena’s window. His cat at once stood up on its hind-legs and began to

rub itself against him, and to purr. Now a cat had never before been

seen in that kingdom, nor, indeed, had the people knowledge that there

was any such animal.

 

The princess sat at the window, and, when she saw the cat, she sent out

her servants and maids to ask Simeon if he would sell it, and if so,

what he wanted for it. The servants came to Simeon, and asked him what

kind of animal the cat was, and whether he would sell it.

 

“Tell her majesty, the beautiful Helena,” said the thief, “that the

animal is called a cat. I cannot sell it, but, if her majesty pleases, I

desire the honour of making her a present of it.”

 

The attendants took the message to the princess, who, when she heard it,

was delighted, and coming out of her chamber she asked Simeon why he

would not sell the cat.

 

“I cannot sell the cat, your majesty,” said he, “but, if you please, I

will give it to you.”

 

The princess took the cat in her arms, and going back to her apartment,

told Simeon to follow. When they were in the palace, she went to her

father, the Czar Say, showed him the cat, and told him that a stranger

had given it to her. The Czar was very much pleased with the strange

animal, and ordered that the thief Simeon should be brought to him. When

he came, the Czar wished to give him treasures in return for the cat,

but, as Simeon refused all, the Czar said to him: “My friend, stay for a

while in my palace. The cat will become more familiar to my daughter if

you are here.”

 

Simeon, however, did not wish to stay, and said—

 

“It would give me the greatest pleasure, your majesty, to stay in your

palace if I had not a ship in which I came to your country, and which I

can leave in charge of no one. If, however, your majesty wishes it, I

will come every day to the palace, and get the cat accustomed to your

daughter.”

 

So the Czar ordered him to come. Simeon went every day to the beautiful

Princess Helena, and one day he said to her—

 

“Gracious lady, I have come a long while to you, but I have noticed that

you never go out. Would you not like to see my vessel? I could show you

fine goods, gold-stuff, and diamonds, such as you have never seen.”

 

The princess went away to her father, and begged his permission for her

to take a walk on the quay. The Czar gave it her, but told her to take

her attendants and maids with her. So the princess went with Simeon.

When they had come to the quay, Simeon invited the princess on board his

vessel, and, calling his brothers to show her all the various goods, he

said, after a time—

 

“Tell your servants and maids to leave the ship so that I can show you

some costly things they must not see.”

 

So the princess bade them leave the vessel. When she was alone, the

thief ordered his brothers to cut the cable, set all sail, and put out

to sea. In the meanwhile he amused the princess, showing her the things,

and giving presents to her. So they spent several hours examining the

goods. At last the princess told him that it was time for her to go

home, as the Czar would be expecting her. But when she went up out of

the cabin, she saw that the vessel was already far out at sea, and that

she was far away from the coast. Then she beat upon her breast, changed

herself to a swan, and flew upwards; but the fifth Simeon, seizing his

gun, shot at her, and the sixth caught her as she was falling into the

water and brought her to the vessel. The princess became a young woman

once more.

 

The attendants and maids, who had gone to the quay with the princess,

and had seen the ship sail away with her, told the Czar of the trick

Simeon had played them, and he ordered that all his fleet should go in

pursuit. It had come near to Simeon’s vessel, when the fourth brother

laid hold of the vessel by the prow and dragged it off to the

underground kingdom. The sailors of the fleet saw the vessel vanish, and

they thought that it had sunk with the beautiful princess; so, going

back to the Czar Say, they told him of the ship’s disappearance.

 

The brothers came safely home, and led the fair Princess Helena to the

Czar Ados, who gave the Simeons, in reward for their great service,

their freedom and much gold, silver, and many precious stones. And he

lived with the princess for many years, prosperous and happy.

 

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SILA CZAROVITCH AND IVASCHKA.

 

 

THERE was once upon a time a Czar called Chotei, who had three sons. The

first was called Aspe, the second Adam, and the third, the youngest,

Sila. The elder brothers came to their father and asked him to let them

go and travel in other countries, so that they might see the world and

learn how things were. The Czar gave them his permission, and let them

each have a vessel in which they might sail. Then the youngest brother

came to the Czar and asked him to let him go with his brothers.“My dear son,” said the Czar, “you are too young to bear the fatigues of a journey. Stop here then at home, and do not think of going abroad.”