Ivan Tsarevich-the-Firebird-and the-Grey-Wolf

IVAN TSAREVICH, THE FIREBIRD AND THE GREY WOLF

There lives a Tsar Berendey. He has got three sons. The youngest son’s name is Ivan. The Tsar has a wonderful garden. There grows a tree with golden apples. Someone starts coming to Tsar’s garden. He steals the apples. The Tsar becomes very upset about it. He sends some guards there.

The guards can’t track the thief. The Tsar stops eating and drinking. He becomes sad. His sons try to help him: “Dear father, don’t be sad! We will guard the garden!”

The oldest son says: “Today is my turn to watch over the garden.” And the oldest son goes to guard the garden.

In the evening, there isn’t a trace of anyone. He lies down on the soft grass and falls asleep. In the morning the Tsar asks him: “Well, tell me, did you see the thief?”

“No, father, all night I didn’t sleep, my eyes never closed, but I didn’t see anything.”

The next day the middle son goes to stand guard. He sleeps the whole night, but in the morning says that he didn’t see the thief.

At last it’s time for the youngest son to stand guard. And Ivan goes to guard his father’s garden. It’s getting dark. He is sitting there afraid. But he doesn’t want to lie down on the grass. He knows he may fall asleep.

Midnight comes. Suddenly he sees the light in the garden. It gets brighter and brighter. All the garden is bright now!

He sees the Firebird! It’s sitting on the apple tree and it’s eating golden apples! Ivan Tsarevich comes up quietly to the apple tree … And he grabs the bird by the tail. The Firebird flaps its wings and flies away. But it leaves one feather in Ivan’s hand.

In the morning Ivan Tsarevich goes to his father.

“Well, my dear Vanya, did you see the thief?”

“Dear father, I did. Here is a feather of a very clever thief. Dear father, it’s a Firebird!”

The Tsar takes the feather, calls for the other sons and says: “My sons, you have to find the Firebird. Go about the wide world, to places unknown, where you can find the Firebird!”

The children bow to their father. They saddle good horses and set out on their way. The oldest son goes in one direction, the middle son in another. Ivan Tsarevich goes in the third direction.

Ivan goes for a long time. He gets very tired. He gets down from his horse, lies down on the grass and falls asleep.

A long time or a short time passes. Ivan Tsarevich wakes up and sees a stone. “He who goes straight will be hungry and cold. He who passes to the right will be safe, but his horse shall die. He who passes to the left will be killed, but his horse will be safe.” Ivan decides to go to the right and rides for three days. Suddenly a grey wolf appears out of nowhere and attacks the horse. Ivan is safe and sound but he has got no horse now! Ivan is very sad but he continues to go. He has to find the Firebird! He walks for the whole day and becomes very tired. He sits down on the grass. The grey wolf suddenly appears again.

“What, Ivan Tsarevich, sitting there grieving, your head hanging?”

“How can I not grieve, Grey Wolf? I haven’t got a horse. You ate it.”

“I’m sorry I ate your horse,” the Wolf says, “and made you go all this way on foot. I’ll take you where you want to go!”

Ivan tells the Wolf that he needs to find the Firebird.

“So, and it will be, I ate your horse, and I will serve you. It’s only right! I alone know where the Firebird lives. Jump on my back and hold on tight.”

He climbs on the wolf’s back and they run like a flash.

For a long time, or a short time, they fly to a palace of Afron. The Grey Wolf says: “Listen to me, Ivan Tsarevich, and remember. Crawl over the wall. Don’t be afraid. It’s a lucky hour – all the guards are asleep. You will see in the window a golden cage. The Firebird is in this cage. Take the bird but don’t touch the cage!”

Ivan crawls over the wall, sees the window. There is the golden cage! And in the cage sits the Firebird! He takes the bird and looks at the cage.

“Oh, such a golden cage! How can I not take it!”

He remembers that the Grey Wolf said to him. He only touches the cage but all the guards wake up. They grab Ivan Tsarevich and carry him to Tsar Afron.

Tsar Afron is very angry and says: “Who are you?”

“I am Ivan Tsarevich, the son of tsar Berendey,” says Ivan.

“Ah, what a shame! A tsar’s son stealsfrom other people!” cries Tsar Afron.

“But what about your bird? It flies into our garden and destroys it!” says Ivan Tsarevich.

“You can always ask. You don’t have to steal! Well, all right, do me a service. There lives Tsar Kusman. He has got a horse with a golden mane. Bring him to me, then I will give you the Firebird with the cage.”

Ivan Tsarevich goes to the Grey Wolf. But the Wolf says to him: “I told you, don’t touch the cage! Why didn’t you listen to me?”

“Well, please, Grey Wolf, help me, asks Ivan.”

“Well, well… Alright, jump on my back. Take the rope, don’t say that it is not strong.” The Grey Wolf sets off again with Ivan Tsarevich.

For a long time, or a short time, they fly to the other palace. There is the horse with the golden mane.

“Crawl, Ivan Tsarevich, over the wall. The guards are asleep, go to the stable. Take the horse and look, but don’t touch the bridle!”

Ivan Tsarevich crawls into the palace, all the guards are asleep. He goes to the stables, takes the horse with the golden mane. He looks at the bridle. It is gold with beautiful stones. Ivan Tsarevich touches the bridle, and a loud noise goes all through the palace. Pipes are piping, the guards awaken. They grab Ivan and carry him to Tsar Kusman.

“Who are you?” cries Tsar Kusman.

“I am Ivan Tsarevich,” says the young man.

“What a shame! To steal a horse! But I can forgive you…Well, Ivan Tsarevich, do me a service. Tsar Dalmat has got a daughter, Elena the Beautiful. Go and get her, bring her to me. And I will give you the horse with the golden mane and his bridle.”

Ivan Tsarevich goes to the Grey Wolf.

“I told you, Ivan Tsarevich: Don’t touch the bridle! You didn’t listen to me.”

“Well, please, Grey Wolf, help me!” asks Ivan.

“Well, well…Alright, jump on my back.”

Again the Grey Wolf runs quickly with Ivan Tsarevich. They rush to Tsar Dalmat. He has got a garden near his palace. Elena the Beautiful walks as usual with her mother and her nurse in the garden.

The Grey Wolf says: “This time I will go. You go back the way we came. I will soon catch up with you.”

Ivan Tsarevich goes back the way they came. The Grey Wolf jumps over the wall and into the garden. He sits in the bush watching.

Elena the Beautiful comes out with her mother and nurse. They walk and walk. Her mother and nurse stop for a moment. The Grey Wolf grabs Elena the Beautiful. He jumps over the wall and rushes

Ivan Tsarevich is going along the way. Suddenly the Grey Wolf appears with Elena the Beautiful on his back. Ivan Tsarevich is very happy, but the Grey Wolf says to him: “Jump on my back quickly.”

The Grey Wolf runs away with Ivan Tsarevich and Elena the Beautiful the way they came. For a long time, or for a short time, they hurry to Tsar Kusman. The Grey Wolf asked: “Why, Ivan Tsarevich, are you so sad?”

“But how can I not be sad, Grey Wolf? How can I give Elena the Beautiful away for a horse?”

The Grey Wolf answers: “we will hide her somewhere. I will turn myself into Elena the Beautiful. And you will bring me to the Tsar.”

They hide Elena the Beautiful in the forest. The Grey Wolf turns into Elena the Beautiful. Ivan Tsarevich takes him to Tsar Kusman. The Tsar is very happy and begins to thank him:

“Thank you, Ivan Tsarevich! Take the horse with the golden mane and bridle.”

Ivan Tsarevich takes the horse and returns to the real Elena the Beautiful. Tsar Kusman is having a big wedding. They celebrate and drink and eat a lot. But in the evening Elena the Beautiful turns into the Grey Wolf! The tsar is very angry with him. The Wolf runs off. He meets Ivan Tsarevich and asks:

“Why are you so sad, Ivan Tsarevich?”

“How can I not be sad? How can I give such a strong horse away,” says Ivan.

“Don’t be sad, I will help you.” and they travel to Tsar Afron.

The Wolf says:

“Hide the horse and Elena the Beautiful. I will turn myself into the horse with the golden mane. And you will bring me to tsar Afron.”

They hide Elena the Beautiful and the horse with the golden mane in the forest. The Grey Wolf turns himself into the horse with the golden mane. Ivan Tsarevich takes him to Tsar Afron.

The Tsar is very happy! He gives Ivan the Firebird with the golden cage.

Ivan Tsarevich returns on foot to Elena the Beautiful. He takes the horse and the Firebird. They travel home.

Tsar Afron wants to ride his new horse. But the horse turns into the Grey Wolf.

The Tsar is so surprised that he falls down. The Wolf rushes away. He meets Ivan Tsarevich.

“Now, goodbye, I can’t go any further.” Ivan Tsarevich gets down from his horse. He bows three times to the ground. He thanks the Grey Wolf.

Ivan Tsarevich and Elena the Beautiful travel home. They have only a little bread left. They eat the bread and lie down on the grass. They want to have a little rest. Ivan Tsarevich falls asleep.

His brothers suddenly appear. They travelled to other lands, looking for the Firebird. They have nothing to make their father happy. And now they can see that Ivan has got the Firebird, a strong horse and a beautiful girl. Then they say:

“Let us kill our brother.” And so they do. They kill Ivan Tsarevich. They saddle the horse with the golden mane. They take the cage with the Firebird. They have Elena the Beautiful. They go home.

“At home, don’t say anything,” says the eldest son.

Ivan Tsarevich lies on the ground. Two crows are already flying over him. Suddenly the Grey Wolf appears. He sees that Ivan has been killed. He catches the crow and his wife.

“You fly, crow, for the water of life and death. Bring me the water of life and the water of death, and then I will let your wife go.”

The crow flies for a long time or a short time. He brings the water of life and the water of death. The Grey Wolf sprinkles the water of life. And Ivan gets up.

“Ivan Tsarevich, your brothers killed you and took all that you have. One of your brothers wants to marry Elena the Beautiful. Jump on my back quickly!” cries the Wolf. They rush home. Ivan’s eldest brother wants to marry Elena the Beautiful. Ivan Tsarevich enters the palace of his father, Tsar Berendey. Elena the Beautiful sees Ivan safe and sound. She is very happy and she tells the Tsar the truth. Two brothers killed Ivan and took everything Ivan had. The Tsar is very angry! He puts the two brothers into the prison. Then Ivan Tsarevich marries Elena the Beautiful. And they live happily ever after.