So this week in the fairy tales class, our assignment is to write a Russian fairy tale of our own. Unfortunately, we were given a pretty strict set of guidelines to follow, and told we'd be marked down from either missing or adding components to it, so there's only so much originality that could be had. Regardless, here's my Russian fairy tale. Pardon the simplicity, and enjoy!
He
journeyed onward, straight ahead, for a long time or a short time, and
eventually came upon a rabbit, caught in a trap. Ivan the Bold said to himself,
“I am very hungry, I could eat this rabbit!” The rabbit heard him and cried
out, “Save me, and some day I shall be of use to you!” Being a kind and
generous person, Ivan the Bold set the rabbit free. The rabbit thanked him and
gave him three hairs from its tail, saying, “If ever you are in need, throw
these into the air and say ‘O rabbit, come to my aid’ and I will be there.”
Ivan the Bold
In a
certain time and a certain kingdom, there lived a poor farmer who had three
sons. When the time came for the farmer to die, he called together his three
sons. To the oldest son, he gave his house. To the middle son, he gave his
farmlands. But when his youngest son, Ivan the Bold, stepped forward, the
farmer had nothing left to give. “You must go out into the world, my son, and make
your own fortune,” he said, then turned his face to the wall and died.
The older
brothers were sorry to see Ivan go, because he was a very hard worker, but Ivan
simply said, “Farewell, brothers. I will go out into the world to seek my
fortune, and when I have found it, I will return home!” Without further ado,
Ivan the Bold walked out into the forest.
Ivan the
Bold continued walking through the forest, straight ahead, for a long time or a
short time, and he came upon a wolf, caught in a trap. He said to himself, “I
am very hungry, I could eat this wolf!” The wolf heard him and cried out, “Save
me, and some day I shall be of use to you!” Being a kind and generous person,
Ivan the Bold set the wolf free. The wolf thanked him and gave him three hairs
from its tail, saying, “If ever you are in need, throw these into the air and
say ‘O wolf, come to my aid’ and I will be there.”
Ivan the Bold continued walking
through the forest, straight ahead, for a long time or a short time, and he
came upon a bear, caught in a trap. He said to himself, “I am very hungry, I
could eat this bear!” The bear heard him and cried out, “Save me, and some day
I shall be of use to you!” Being a kind and generous person, Ivan the Bold set
the bear free. The bear thanked him and gave him three hairs from its tail,
saying, “If ever you are in need, throw these into the air and say ‘O bear,
come to my aid’ and I will be there.”
Ivan the
Bold continued walking- for speedily a tale is spun, but with less speed a deed
is done- and after a while he saw a castle in the distance. He asked a peasant
who was walking down the road to whom the castle belonged. “Koschei the Deathless
lives there,” said the peasant, “surrounded by all the riches he has stolen
over the years. If you go in there, he will hunt you down and kill you!” But
Ivan the Bold was not afraid, and he went up to the castle to see the riches of
Koschei the Deathless.
When he
entered the castle, he found that the master of the house was not at home. After
walking for a bit, he found a room full to the brim with gold, jewels, fine
clothes, and beautiful tapestries- all
of the riches Koschei the Deathless had stolen from other hard-working folks.
Ivan the Bold said, “This will keep my brothers and I for many years!” He
filled a sack with as much as he could carry, and left the castle.
Ivan the
Bold walked back into the woods in order to return home and share his fortune
with his brothers. He had not gotten very far, however, when he felt a strong
wind, and he knew that Koschei the Deathless had come back to his castle. Ivan
the Bold heard him screech, “Fie, fie, the Russian smell was never heard of nor
caught sight of here, but now I smell it at my door! I will find the one who
has stolen from me; I will hunt him down and kill him!”
Immediately,
Ivan the Bold felt a strong wind at his back, and knew that Koschei the
Deathless was coming for him. He pulled the three rabbit hairs out from his
bag, threw them into the air, and said, “O rabbit, come to my aid!” The rabbit
appeared before him, and told Ivan the Bold to hide in its white winter coat.
No sooner had he done so than Koschei the Deathless appeared in a rage, and
asked the rabbit if he had seen a Russian thief. “I saw him pass by here,” said the rabbit,
“but he was going the other way. Hurry and you may find him!”
Koschei the
Deathless gnashed his teeth and flew off. Ivan the Bold climbed out of the
rabbit’s coat, and continued walking. After a while, he felt another strong
wind at his back, and knew that Koschei the Deathless was after him once more.
He pulled the three wolf hairs out from his bag, threw them into the air, and
said “O wolf, come to my aid!” The wolf appeared before him, and bid him to
hide in its thick winter coat. As soon as he had done so, Koschei the Deathless
appeared, more angry than before, and asked the wolf if it had seen a Russian
thief. “I saw him pass by here,” said the wolf, “but he was going the other
way. Hurry and you may find him!”
Koschei the
Deathless howled with anger and flew off. Ivan the Bold climbed out of the
wolf’s coat, and continued walking. Before long, though, he felt another strong
wind at his back, and knew that Koschei the Deathless was hunting him again. He
pulled the three bear hairs out of his bag, threw them in the air, and said “O
bear, come to my aid!” The bear appeared before him, and bid him hide in its
shaggy winter coat. Just as he had done so, Koschei the Deathless appeared,
frothing mad, and demanded if the bear had seen a Russian thief. “I saw him
pass by here,” said the bear, “but he was going the other way. Hurry and you
may find him!”
Koschei the Deathless shook his fists and screamed at the
sky, then stomped his feet so hard that the ground cracked open and swallowed
him up. Ivan the Bold climbed out of the bear’s coat, and continued walking. After
a long time or a short time, he reached the home that his oldest brother owned,
but he hid in the bushes to see what sort of men his brothers had become. He
had not lain there long when the two of them came home from working in the
fields that belonged to his middle brother, and he overheard their conversation.
“Oh, if only we knew what had
become of our youngest brother, Ivan the Bold,” said the eldest. “The house is
so empty with only two of us in it!” “I agree,” said the middle brother, “He
worked hard in the fields, and with only two of it, it is hard to live well!”
At this, Ivan the Bold jumped out of the bushes, and said, “Do not grieve,
brothers; here I am, and I have brought home riches, that none of us need to be
poor again!” The brothers were overjoyed to see their youngest sibling
returned, and they threw a great feast to celebrate.
I was there
at the feast, but no matter how much I drank, only my mustache got wet!
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