Folk-lore and Legends: Russian and Polish 22

Folk-lore and Legends: Russian and Polish 22

“Listen, my friend. Go out at once and destroy the hostile army which is

encamped outside the city, and do it so that folk will think that I am

the vanquisher. In return for this service, I promise to give you back

the writing by which you agree to let me have your title and to serve

me.”

 

The prince put on his armour, jumped on his horse, and, going out of the

town, called thrice on the Invisible Prince.

 

“Here I am,” said a voice close to him. “What do you wish? I will do

whatever you tell me, for it was you who saved my daughter from

Koshchei, and that is a service I shall never forget.”

 

Prince Slugobyl showed him the army he wished destroyed. The Invisible

Prince whistled, and said—

 

“Magical horse with the golden mane, come to me, not on the ground but

through the air, quick as an arrow, nimble as the lightning’s flash.”

 

That moment, in the midst of a whirlwind of smoke, there came a

magnificent horse of an iron grey colour, and with a golden mane. It

flew like the wind. Fire came from its nostrils. Its eyes sparkled like

stars, and its ears smoked.

 

The Invisible Prince jumped upon it, and said to Prince Slugobyl—

 

“Take my sword and go and exterminate the left wing, while I destroy the

right and the centre.”

 

So the two set off, each to his place, and attacked the enemy with fury.

To the right and to the left the soldiers fell like mown down grass. The

slaughter was dreadful. The soldiers fled in all directions, but the two

princes pursued them, and only ceased their labour when there remained

on the field of battle only the dead and the dying. Then the two

returned to the town. When they came near to the palace they shook

hands. The Invisible Prince disappeared, and Prince Slugobyl went back

to his stable.

 

It chanced that the king’s daughter had been in such trouble that she

had not been able to sleep. So she had gone out upon her balcony, and

from there she had observed all that had occurred. She had heard the

conversation between the false prince and his servant. She had seen

Slugobyl call the Invisible Prince to assist him, and she had seen him

give his clothes and armour to the impostor, while he told him all that

he had done during the night. The princess divined all, but she resolved

to be careful, and not to speak till the right time.

 

The next day the king ordered that the victory gained by his guest over

the hostile army should be celebrated by great festivities. Calling his

daughter to him at the banquet, he was about to give her to the false

prince, when she, leaving the table, made her way among the servants,

and embracing Slugobyl, who stood amongst them, brought him forward.

 

“My father,” said she, “and all you who are here present, here is he who

gained the victory, and whom Heaven has sent me to be my husband. He

whom you have been honouring is nothing more than a vile impostor, who

has robbed his master alike of his name and of his rights. Last night I

could not sleep, and, going out upon my balcony, I saw things such as

eye had never before seen, and heard things such as ear had never before

been acquainted with. I will tell you all, but first of all command that

traitor to show you the paper by which he claims to be what he

pretends.”

 

The false prince then produced the paper signed by his master, and it

was found to contain these words—

 

“Let the bearer of this paper, the traitorous and wicked servant of

Prince Slugobyl, receive the punishment he well deserves for his

treachery.

 

(Signed), PRINCE SLUGOBYL.”

 

“What!” cried the traitor, “do you say that that is what the writing

means?”

 

“Yes,” cried they all. “That is what is here.”

 

Then he threw himself at the king’s feet and begged for mercy, but he

only received what he deserved. He was tied to four wild horses and torn

to pieces.

 

Prince Slugobyl married the princess. I, who tell you of these things,

was there myself, and I there drank wine and hydromel, but, though my

beard was wetted, none of the drink went into my mouth.

 

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PRINCESS MARVEL.

 

 

UPON an island in the midst of the sea dwelt a princess, and with her

lived twelve female attendants. The princess was of extraordinary

beauty. Her face was calm and lovely as the moon, her lips were rosy

red, and when she spoke her voice was full of music. Her eyes were

remarkable. If they looked upon one with favour, her glance filled him

with delight; but if they were cast upon one in anger, he was at once

changed into a block of ice. All the princess’s attendants were very

beautiful, and devoted to their mistress. In time the fame of the

princess’s extraordinary loveliness was spread abroad. Folk came from

all parts to see her, and the island became full of people.

 

Many princes sought the princess in marriage, but she rejected them all.

Those who took her refusal in good part returned to their homes safe and

sound, but woe to him who endeavoured to obtain the hand of Princess

Marvel by force! Having landed with an army on the island, he saw his

soldiers miserably perish, and he himself, pierced by a glance from the

princess’s eye, became a block of ice.

 

One day the great ogre Koshchei, looking around the world, took it into

his head to see all the different kings, queens, princes, and princesses

it contained.

 

All of a sudden his glance fell upon the island where dwelt the

princess. He looked, and saw the twelve beautiful attendants, and in

their midst the lovely princess, asleep. As she slept the princess

dreamt of a man who wore gold armour, was mounted on a fiery charger,

and who was armed with an invisible club, and she felt that she loved

the chevalier more than life itself.

 

Meanwhile Koshchei had fallen deep in love with the princess. Stamping

three times upon the ground, he was at once transported to the island,

but the princess, when he presented himself, rejected him with scorn,

for she felt that she could be the wife of none but him whom she had

seen in her dream. As Koshchei was determined to carry off the princess

by force, if need be, she assembled her troops, and went out to meet

him. Koshchei with his poisonous breath laid all the troops prostrate on

the ground in a deep sleep. The princess, however, escaped, for, casting

one of her angry glances on Koshchei, he was turned into a block of ice,

and the princess returned to her palace. Koshchei did not long remain in

that condition. When the princess came to her palace she found all the

people within it asleep, and Koshchei, following her there, and not

daring to appear before her for fear of again feeling the power of her

eyes, built a wall of iron around the palace, placed a dragon with

twelve heads at its gate, and waited, thinking that the princess would

at length tire of being a solitary prisoner, and would agree to become

his wife.

 

All upon the island were asleep, save the princess and Koshchei. Weeks

and months passed away and Koshchei came to the gate of the palace time

after time to tell the princess that he loved her, that resistance must

be vain, and that, as his wife, she should be queen of all the

underground world. Princess Marvel, however, listened to him in silence.

 

Solitary and sad, she thought of him she had seen in her dream. She

thought of his shining armour, his fiery horse, his invisible club, and

the glances he had cast upon her, assuring her he loved her. She was

always thinking of him. One day, as she looked out, she saw a cloud

passing along the sky, and said to it—

 

“Stop on your way through the blue sky, cloud, and tell me where is he

whom I love, and whether he ever thinks of me.”

 

“I do not know,” said the cloud. “Ask the wind.”

 

The princess, seeing a breath of wind playing amongst the flowers, said

to it—

 

“Wind, you travel far and wide and are so happy in your freedom, have

pity upon me, who am so miserable and helpless. Tell me where is he whom

I love, and whether he ever thinks of me.”

 

“Ask the stars,” said the wind. “They know more than I do.”

 

Princess Marvel lifted up her eyes to the bright, shining stars, and

said—

 

“Stars, that shine so bright, can you see my eyes so full of tears

without having pity on me? Tell me where is he whom I love, and whether

he thinks of me.”

 

“You had better ask the moon,” said the stars. “She knows more that goes

on upon the earth than we do.”

 

Then Princess Marvel said to the moon—

 

“Beautiful moon, look on me for a moment, and tell me where is he whom I

love, and whether he thinks of me.”

 

“Princess,” answered the moon, “I know nothing about your friend. Wait a

few hours, and then you will see the sun. Ask him. There is nothing hid

from him, and he will tell you all.”

 

The princess waited till morning, and when the sun rose she said to him—

 

“Sun, look on me, and tell me where is my love, and if he thinks of me.”

 

“Princess Marvel,” replied the sun, “dry up your tears and take courage.

The prince is coming to you. He has obtained the magic ring from the

depths below; he has collected together an innumerable army to come to

your rescue, and to punish Koshchei. All will, however, be useless

unless the prince takes another course, for Koshchei can overthrow all

the prince’s forces. I will go to the prince and give him some advice.

Good-bye. I go to him who loves you. Be of good cheer, for he will come

and rescue you, and you shall be happy.”

 

Then the sun looked down upon the country where Prince Junak, clothed in

golden armour and mounted on a fiery horse, got ready his army to go and

attack Koshchei. Three times had the prince seen the Princess Marvel in

his dreams, and he loved her deeply.

 

“Leave your army,” said the sun to him, “for it will be of no service

whatever against Koshchei. You can only deliver the princess from him by

killing him, and to learn how you are to do that you must go to old

Yaga. She can tell you how he can be killed. I will tell you how to get

a horse which will carry you direct to her. Go towards the east until you come to a vast plain in the middle of which grow three oaks. Near to these you will find in the ground an iron door. Open it, and in a corner you will find the horse and the invisible club, which you must have to effect your wishes. You will afterwards learn how to proceed.”