Kaspar, the Serpent Prince
Once upon a time, in a small house on the outskirts of the capital, there lived an old man and an old woman. They had no children."Time passes... Who will take care of us when we become frail? Who will bury us when we die? We have no children, no grandchildren...," the old woman sighed bitterly every day.
"Wife, the Lord is merciful," her husband replied, "He will take care of us. So don't worry, we won't starve."
The old couple made a living by chopping firewood in the forest and then selling it. In the cold and frost, they went from house to house, selling their goods to put bread on the table.
One day, as the old man was shouldering a bundle of freshly chopped firewood, he noticed a wild duck flying out of the bushes.
"Let me see what's there," the old man said to himself.
Pushing aside the bushes, he found three eggs. The old man picked them up and brought them home.
"This is a gift from heaven," he said to the old woman, "three duck eggs. I'm very hungry, wife. Fry one egg, let's have dinner."
The next day, the old man asked his wife to prepare the second egg for dinner.
"The neighbor's hen could have hatched these eggs. We could have raised ducks, and we would have fresh eggs every day," the old woman suggested.
"Cook one egg, and do as you wish with the remaining one," the old man replied.
They ate the second egg, and the old woman set aside the third and last egg to place it under a brooding hen. The next day, when the old man returned from the forest with firewood, the old woman saw that the third egg had cracked in half, and a... snake had hatched from it. The woman was so frightened that she screamed and ran to her husband.
"What happened, wife? Why are you screaming like that?"
"From the egg I set aside for hatching, a snake has hatched!"
"What nonsense?! Those eggs were left by a duck. How could a snake hatch from a duck egg?"
"Quick, grab a stick and kill it."
"Where is the stick?"
While the old woman searched for her husband's walking stick, the Snake crawled into the room. The old couple turned pale. The Snake spoke in a human voice:
"What, are you looking for a stick or something heavy to finish me off, huh? There is no one in the whole world who can kill me. If instead you obey me and do as I say, you will have no harm from me. On the contrary, from now on your life will be easy and carefree. If you refuse, I will kill you both. You have prayed to God for so long to send you a child, well, the Lord has heard your prayers. He sent me to be your son. So, dear father, I want you to go to the king tomorrow and tell him that you want to marry your son to his youngest daughter."
"Are you out of your mind?" the astonished old man replied. "Who am I to speak to the king like that? We are beggars. Do you want me to lose my head? Besides, you are a snake. Why do you need to marry a girl?"
"I am not a snake, I am a man. The day will come when I will tell you who I really am. But keep in mind: no one should know that I am not a snake. Otherwise, I will disappear, and you will never see me again."
What could the poor old man do? He was already glad that the Snake had not killed them. Besides, there is a saying: a snake in the house brings good luck. In the morning, he took his walking stick and went to the royal palace. The guards at the entrance drove him away from the gates. They began to laugh at the old man when they learned that he wanted to sit on the stone bench opposite the palace gates. One of the soldiers threw a copper coin to the old man and, with a broad smile, said:
"Listen, weirdo! This bench is here for those who want to marry the king's youngest daughter. Whoever sits on it thereby makes it clear to the king of his intention to become the suitor of his daughter, and maybe even his son-in-law. If you, old man, have come here to complain about someone, you have come to the wrong place. Go to the judge."
"For God's sake, guys, let me in. I really need to talk to the king," the old man began to beg.
A royal nobleman came out of the palace at the noise:
"What's going on here?"
"This beggar old man wants to speak to the king."
"What do you want to talk to the king about?" the nobleman asked, addressing the old man.
"My son wants to marry the youngest princess, that's what I want to talk to him about."
The nobleman returned to the palace and said to the king:
"I want to congratulate Your Majesty, a suitor has appeared who offers your daughter his hand and heart. His father wants to talk to you about it."
"Well, let him in, let's hear what he has to say," the king replied.
"I want to warn you that this man does not belong to the circle of people from whom you would like to see your son-in-law. He is just an ordinary beggar."
"Is that so?" the king raised his eyebrows. "Now every beggar rogue thinks it's possible to become my son-in-law. In my opinion, democracy in our country has gone too far... Hey, advisor!"
"Yes, my king."
"Take this rogue to the executioner. After he does his job, throw the corpse outside the city for the stray dogs to eat. It will be a good lesson for the others."
The king's order was carried out. The Snake knew what had happened.
"Mother," he addressed the old man's wife.
"What is it, son?"
"The king's people killed father this morning. They put his body in a sack and are now carrying it along the road to throw it outside the city for the stray dogs. The people carrying the sack will pass by the threshold of our house. Tell them that you are the wife of the unfortunate man and persuade them to give you the sack."
The old woman sat at the threshold and began to wail. The people carrying the sack with the remains of the old man were glad to get rid of their terrible burden. Leaving the sack in the old woman's house, they left. The poor woman fell on the sack and wailed even louder:
"They killed him! They killed him! It's all because of you," she turned to the Snake. "You ruined our lives."
"They only quartered him, that's all," the Snake replied. "Don't grieve so much, he is alive. Go, prepare his bed."
The woman went to make the bed for her husband. When she returned, an incredible sight met her eyes: her husband was lying on the floor, peacefully asleep. The woman exclaimed with joy—her husband was indeed alive! With the help of the Serpent, she carried him to the bed. When the old man woke up the next morning, he was, as they say, alive and well, feeling as if he had been reborn. The Serpent slithered up to him and said:
"Father, I sent you to the king yesterday. What did he say?"
The old man told the Serpent everything that had happened to him:
"I felt the executioner's sword strike, and then I woke up in my own bed. I still don't understand how I got there. I told you, I have no business in the palace. The king doesn't even want to talk to people like me. Everyone should know their place and—"
"Go and ask him again. Don't be afraid. One way or another, I need to know his answer."
The old man went to the palace. At the gates, he sat down again on the stone bench. Seeing him sitting there, the nobleman reported to the king:
"That beggar old man has returned."
The king jumped to his feet:
"So you didn't carry out my order?!" Ten advisors, who had witnessed the execution, swore before the nobleman and the king that the old man had indeed been quartered.
"This time, don't quarter him—chop him into tiny pieces. Put the remains in a sack and throw it into the river," the king commanded.
The king's order was carried out immediately. The Serpent learned of this and said:
"Mother, Father is not in the best shape today. They really did chop him into tiny pieces. Soon, two men will pass by our house carrying a sack. They are taking Father to throw him into the river."
The weeping old woman sat down by the threshold again. She saw the two men carrying the sack.
"My sons, that is my husband," she said. "Who can resist the king's wrath? Good people, for God's sake, give me that sack. I want to bury my husband."
The king's servants left the sack in the garden by the house and went away. The old woman began to weep bitterly over her husband's remains. The Serpent slithered up and said:
"Don't cry, Mother. Better close the gates and prepare his bed."
The old woman closed the gates, and while she was preparing the bed, the Serpent bit the sack so that every piece was smeared with venom. The old woman went out into the yard and saw her husband sitting on the ground, whole and unharmed. She rushed to him, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed his cheeks. But the Serpent stopped her:
"Mother, you can kiss him later. Right now, he needs bed rest. I want to talk to him."
The old woman led her husband to the bedroom and put him to bed. The Serpent began to question him:
"What news, Father?"
"My son, this time they didn't even talk to me."
"I need to know the king's answer. Ask him again. He'd better agree, or I'll turn his throne upside down."
"My son," the old woman interjected, "do you really want them to turn my husband into mincemeat again? They've already killed him twice."
"Mother, don't worry about that in vain. I'm not just any Serpent. I am the Serpent Prince, and I can always bring him back to life, even if they kill him a hundred times."
The beggar old man once again went to the palace to see the king. Just then, the king came out of the palace accompanied by advisors and nobles. Seeing the old man sitting on the stone bench, he asked:
"Who is this man? What does he want?"
The advisors and nobles froze in fear, afraid to utter a word.
"I asked you a question—why aren't you answering?"
"Long live the king," began the nobleman responsible for carrying out the king's orders. "This is that same beggar old man we have already executed twice."
"This is strange. There's something behind this, and we need to find out what it is. I think there's some magic involved. Tell him to come forward."
The king returned to the palace and sat on the throne. The old man was brought in. He carefully bowed seven times.
"What do you want, old man?" asked the king.
"My son wants to marry your daughter, so the Lord has brought me here to ask for her hand."
"Have you been here before?"
"Twice."
"And what answer did you receive?"
The old man told the king everything and added:
"But I have returned, and now we can speak face to face."
Turning to the nobles and advisors, the king said:
- Leave us alone; I will personally deal with this old man's matter.
- May your years be long, O King, replied the advisors and withdrew.
- Well then, old man, tell me, what does your son do? the king began to inquire.
- My son doesn’t work anywhere. In my opinion, he doesn’t even know any trade. His favorite pastime is lying curled up in the corner of the room. The thing is, he’s a snake.
- Well, well. So, your son isn’t even a human?
- My son is Prince Snake.
The king pondered for a moment, then said:
- Very well. If this Prince Snake of yours, as you say, wishes to marry my daughter, let him first build a palace for her, one so tall that its shadow completely covers my palace. Everything must be ready by tomorrow morning.
When the old man heard these words, he was thunderstruck. At home, the Snake began questioning him:
- Father, you look so troubled. What happened? What news did you bring?
- Son, the king wants you to build a palace for his daughter, one so large that its shadow completely covers the king’s palace. And he demands it be ready by tomorrow morning, or he won’t give you his daughter’s hand.
- Father, do you remember the place where you found three eggs?
- Of course, I remember where those bushes grow.
- If you look there carefully, you’ll see a snake’s burrow. Lean down to it and say, “Young mistress, the young master wants you to send him a small palace with furnishings and twelve servants.”
The old man returned to the forest and spoke these words over the snake’s burrow. A voice from underground replied:
- We’re sending it already, grandfather!
When the old man returned to his home, he was amazed and overjoyed to see a magnificent seven-story palace standing in its place. In front of the palace was a square with multicolored roses. Around the palace were gardens with blooming trees. In the gardens were marble pools. The palace itself was adorned with carpets, paintings, and sculptures. The king’s palace seemed like a mere hut in comparison. The old man’s neighbors stood around the marvel, gaping in awe.
Servants helped the old man change into royal garments so splendid they were worth no less than a thousand silver coins. They draped a sable fur cloak over his shoulders, worth five hundred silver coins. Finally, they handed him a staff adorned with precious stones, also worth at least a thousand silver coins. The Snake slithered out to meet the old man and said:
- Father, now you can boldly go to the king and ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage. I’m sure everything is leading to a wedding.
The old man strode proudly to the palace, where a nobleman greeted him with a bow.
- Why are you standing there gawking at me? Go and inform the king that I am here.
The nobleman rushed to the king, who replied:
- Let him enter.
The old man entered the throne room and stood before the king. The king was puzzled: the old man looked as if he were a king himself. Could this really be the same beggar?
- Did you do what I asked? the king inquired.
- Step out onto the balcony and see for yourself.
The king stepped onto the balcony and saw a beautiful palace so large that his own palace was completely hidden in its shadow: seven stories high, built of gold and silver bricks, shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow thanks to decorations of precious stones. The king’s palace was only five stories high and made of ordinary brick. The old man’s palace reflected the sunlight, blazing and shining so brightly that it illuminated the entire city.
- Well, from now on, I won’t call you an old man. I will call you my friend, the king said. You know, I can’t believe my eyes. How did you do it, eh? By the way, I have one more request for you.
- I will do my best to fulfill it, Your Majesty.
“This old man might just take my daughter away if I don’t act quickly,” thought the king, and he said:
- Well, we’ll see about that. I want you to bring me seven camels loaded to the brim with diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, and rubies. Let them be delivered to my palace by a driver who is an arshin tall but with a beard seven arshins long.
When the old man returned home, the Snake asked him:
- Father, what did the king say?
- He wants seven camels loaded to the brim with diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, and rubies delivered to his palace. And the driver of this caravan must be an arshin tall but with a beard seven arshins long.
- Very well, we’ll handle this too. Go to the forest, to the snake’s burrow, and say, “Young mistress, the young master wants you to send him seven camels loaded to the brim with diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, and rubies. And let the driver be an arshin tall but with a beard seven arshins long.”
The old man did as the Snake instructed. A voice from underground replied:
- The caravan is already on its way.
Returning to his palace, the old man saw a caravan of seven camels with a driver who was an arshin tall but with a beard seven arshins long. The beard was cleverly wrapped around the driver’s waist. The old man led the caravan to the king’s palace and said:
- Long live the king! I have brought you the jewels you requested.
The king ordered all the precious stones to be moved to his treasury. Scooping up a handful of the first stones he saw, he showed them to his jewelers and asked:
- How much will the smallest one cost?
- A thousand silver coins, was the reply.
The delighted king called the old man over:
- My dear friend, you have, of course, brought what I asked for. That is true. But I have another task for you. I want the road from the gates of my palace to the gates of the church, as well as from the gates of the church to the gates of your palace, to be covered with one seamless carpet.
“Well, he definitely won’t be able to handle this. So I won’t have to give my daughter away to just anyone,” thought the king.
At home, the old man was greeted by the Serpent:
- What did the king say this time?
- The king wants the road from the gates of his palace to the gates of the church, as well as from the gates of the church to the gates of my palace, to be paved with a seamless carpet. In addition, along the entire road, plane trees should grow so large that four grown adults, stretching out their arms...
- Well, that’s no problem. We’ll manage, father. Go to the forest, to that snake hole, and tell the young mistress that I need such a carpet. Also ask that trees be planted along the road, and that sweet-voiced nightingales sing in their branches.
A voice from underground answered the old man:
- You only had to ask, and we’ve already done it.
Returning from the forest, the old man saw that the road was paved with a carpet, and along it grew trees almost reaching the sky.
- Father, everything is in order. Go to the king, let’s see what he says this time.
The old man went to the royal palace. At the gates, he was met by a nobleman.
- Tell the king that his friend has come and wishes to see him.
The old man was led into the throne room. The king asked:
- Well, have you done what I asked of you?
- Step out of the palace and see for yourself.
The king stepped out onto the balcony and realized that the old man had once again completed the task:
- What do I hear? Birds singing?!
- Long live the king. I thought the singing of nightingales in the branches of these plane trees would be a pleasant surprise for you. Let it be not out of duty, but out of friendship.
- Well, if that’s the case, then here’s my final task before the wedding: bring my daughter a wedding dress, sewn without a single stitch, and made from a material that doesn’t exist in my kingdom. I also want seven orchestras of bagpipers and drummers to play at the wedding. Let them play so that the music can be heard, but they themselves remain invisible. If you do as I’ve said, then you may come next time with your Serpent Prince.
The old man returned home.
- So, what does the king want this time? asked the Serpent.
The old man told him what the king had said.
- Go back to the snake hole and say: “Young mistress, the young master asks for a wedding dress for his bride, sewn without a single stitch from a material that doesn’t exist in this kingdom. He also asks that seven orchestras of bagpipers and drummers play at the wedding. Let them play so that the music can be heard, but they remain invisible.”
The old man went to the forest and received a walnut from the snake hole.
- Take this walnut. Inside it is the bride’s dress, said the voice. We are also sending you seven invisible orchestras.
- We invite you to the wedding, shouted the old man.
- Oh, no, we cannot! It’s too far. Don’t be upset, we’ll celebrate the wedding here, underground.
The old man returned to the city. And what did he hear? The sounds of music filled the streets. The Serpent met him at the doorstep and said:
- Father, gather the neighbors and let’s go to the king.
They invited all the neighbors to the wedding and, led by the Serpent, set off for the royal palace.
The king ordered his nobles to greet the guests with honors. Accompanied by two advisors, the Serpent was brought before the king.
- My dear friend, I hear the sound of bagpipes and drums, but I don’t see the musicians. Excellent. But now let’s see the wedding dress you were supposed to bring, the king addressed the old man.
He handed him the walnut. Cracking it open, the king pulled out a wedding dress of unparalleled beauty, made from the finest material. The king sent a servant for his wife and three daughters, two of whom were already married. When they all entered the throne room, the king said:
- Examine this wedding dress very carefully, for nothing like it exists in my kingdom. It must be sewn without a single stitch. If that is indeed the case, then dress my youngest daughter in it and prepare for the wedding ceremony.
The queen and the two elder princesses fell to their knees before the king and pleaded:
"How can you, as a king, give your daughter in marriage to the Serpent? There are so many wonderful unmarried princes around us, and among them, we could surely find a worthy suitor."
"I belong to that breed of people who keep their word. I cannot go back on what I have promised," replied the king, stamping his foot and shouting, "Dress the bride immediately!"
The queen and the two elder princesses, with tears in their eyes, dressed the bride, the most beautiful girl in the kingdom. When everything was ready, they returned to the throne room.
"Here is your bride," said the nobleman to the Serpent.
The Serpent stretched up on his tail and bowed to the king seven times. Then he turned to the people gathered in the throne room and bowed to them seven times as well. Then, grabbing the hem of the bride's dress with his teeth, he dragged her away to the church to be married. Thus, the king's youngest daughter married the Serpent Prince. The wedding feast lasted seven days and seven nights. All this time, invisible musicians played, nightingales sang in the crowns of plane trees, and the guests rejoiced and danced.
When the feast ended, the guests dispersed to their homes, and the bride was taken to the groom's palace. The newlyweds retired to their chambers.
"Close the door," said the Serpent to the princess.
The girl approached the door, locked it, and then returned and sat down next to her groom.
"Royal daughter, do not fear me. Step on my tail."
As soon as the girl stepped on the Serpent's tail, he cried out, shed his serpent skin, and transformed into a handsome young prince. The princess stared in disbelief at what had happened. The young man took her hand and said:
"Royal daughter, I am a prince. By day, I am a serpent; by night, a man. My name is Kaspar. I beg you, keep this a secret. The enchantment will last for forty more days, after which I will be able to live with you only as a man. But during these forty days, not a word, not a hint of what you now know must escape your lips. Otherwise, I will disappear. This palace and everything in it will vanish as well."
"I promise not to utter a word," the joyful wife replied.
They embraced, kissed each other, and went to sleep. In the morning, Kaspar put on the serpent skin again, turned into the Serpent, coiled up, and lay in the corner of the room. The king summoned the queen and the two elder princesses to the throne room:
"Go to the old man's palace and see how our youngest princess is doing," he told them.
The princess and her two elder daughters went to visit. Passing through a marvelous garden with marble pools, they entered the richly decorated halls of the palace. The old man showed the guests where the young couple's chambers were.
"They retired to their rooms last evening. I haven't seen or heard from them since," said the old man.
"No wonder. With such a husband, one can't even have a conversation!" declared the queen and knocked on the door.
The smiling youngest princess opened the door.
"How are you, my dear?" the queen smiled back.
"Thank God, everything is fine."
"And how is your... Serpent?"
"He's lying coiled up in the corner. Poor thing."
"We couldn't sleep last night. We were so worried about you."
"Oh, you needn't worry anymore. I am very happy."
The princess served her mother and sisters breakfast. The dishes were so delicious that even the royal palace didn't have such delicacies on holidays. Before leaving, the queen whispered to the princess:
"You see, the king cannot break his word. But why should you live with this monster? Take a stone and crush his head."
"Mother, I want you to leave my house at once. I don't want to see you here as long as you hate my husband."
"So, how is our daughter?" the king asked the queen.
"She is as happy as if she were in seventh heaven. She even got angry when I suggested she crush the Serpent's head with a stone."
Ten days passed. During this time, the royal family did not see their youngest daughter. The measured life of the city was interrupted by the king's heralds. Walking through all the streets and squares, they announced that the king was hosting a great celebration, the highlight of which would be a three-day knightly tournament. Any man skilled in handling a lance and a mace, with a good horse, could challenge and fight for the royal prize.
A thousand warriors gathered on the royal arena before the palace. Many tables were set with treats for the guests. The city came alive with the sounds of bagpipes and war drums. All the most skilled warriors and representatives of the kingdom's noble families were present at the celebration. All conversations, one way or another, revolved around the upcoming tournament.
"Let's call our daughter to watch the tournament," the king said to the queen. "It will cheer her up and do her good."
The Serpent Prince said to his wife:
"Royal daughter, your mother is coming here to invite you to the tournament. I will also participate, dressed in white armor and riding a white horse. You will see how I knock my opponents out of their saddles with a white mace. But remember this: no one must know our secret! Your sisters will boast about their husbands to you. 'And you are married to a Serpent!' they will say to you. Do not reply, 'My husband is not a Serpent, he is a prince.' Do not boast about me. If you disobey me, you will never see me again. I will turn into a black cloud and disappear from this world. Everything we have will vanish: our palace, this marvelous garden, and all our marble pools."
The Serpent had barely finished speaking when the queen entered the room:
"Come, my dear, watch the tournament with us," she said.
"How can I go alone? I cannot leave my husband alone."
"Oh, you mean the Serpent! It will do him good to be alone for a while. Think about it: he'll be alone for just a little while. Such a softie!"
The serpent replied:
- Mother, why don’t you want to take me with you? I would also like to see the tournament.
- And what will you do there? At the tournament? Maybe you want the horses to trample you to death?
The princess, together with her mother, went to the royal palace. She kissed the king’s hand, and he kissed her on the forehead and said:
- Don’t worry, my dear, you won’t have to endure this monster by your side for much longer.
The king, queen, and the three princesses watched the progress of the tournament from the royal box. The husbands of the elder sisters, armed and on horseback, were also among the participants. The knights divided into two armies, five hundred horsemen in each. Meanwhile, Caspar shed his serpent skin, donned royal garments, mounted a magnificent white stallion, and rushed into the arena, brandishing a white mace. The horse was a match for the rider, its hooves striking sparks.
The White Knight entered the battle. Reaching his brothers-in-law—the husbands of the princess’s sisters—he knocked them out of their saddles. No one knew who this mysterious knight was, fighting on a lightning-like steed. Few spectators doubted that the White Knight would be the best fighter that day.
- May he fall off his horse and break his arm, one of the sisters said bitterly.
- Why do you say that? This knight has the same right to participate in the tournament as your husband, protested the youngest princess.
- But my husband is a man! And yours? A serpent coiled up by the wall! You can’t even talk to him.
- If it was God’s will for me to marry the serpent, then I accepted it with joy.
The first battle of the tournament was over: the White Knight emerged victorious. He approached the king and received his prize.
- What is your name? asked the king.
- I will tell you my name on the last day of the tournament. For now, farewell, my king, and the White Knight rode away, enveloped in clouds of sparks struck by his horse’s hooves.
The king, queen, and princesses returned to the palace.
- Don’t go back to your serpent, the king insisted. Stay with us.
- No, no, I can’t. I must go, the princess replied to her father.
- But how can you live with a serpent, my dear?
- What else can I do? You yourself gave me to him in marriage. If it is my fate to marry a serpent, then why complain?
She rose and went home. The serpent was waiting for her, coiled up in the corner.
- Wife, close the door and step on my tail.
The princess stepped on the serpent’s tail, and with a loud noise, it shed its serpent skin. They embraced and kissed each other. The enchanted prince said:
- Princess, I am glad you were able to keep our secret. Soon these forty days will be over, and I will go with you to the palace to appear before the king in my true, human form, as befits my rank.
Ten days later, the king announced another celebration. Knights from all over the country gathered to take part in the second day of the tournament.
- Let our daughter come with us, watch the tournament with her sisters, and dispel her boredom, the king said to the queen.
She went to the palace, built of gold and silver bricks, to call the princess. The serpent said:
- Wife, princess, your mother is coming. She will call you to watch the tournament. This time I will ride a red horse, dressed in all red and armed with a red mace. Be careful not to reveal our secret, no matter what your mother or sisters say.
The queen entered the room and said:
- Get ready, my dear. Let’s go and watch the tournament.
- Mother, let her go when she’s ready. I have neither hands nor feet. Even to prepare food, I need help. Without my wife, I am helpless, the serpent interjected.
"If I were taking care of you, you would have already starved to death," the queen thought to herself. When the Red Knight appeared in the arena, his horse’s hooves striking sparks, he raised his hand, clutching the red mace, and challenged a thousand knights to a duel. Once again, he emerged victorious and received the prize from the king’s hands. The two elder princesses lamented that the Red Knight was not their husband and mocked their younger sister and her husband, the serpent.
Who was this Red Knight? No one knew. All they saw were the clouds of sparks flying from the horse’s hooves as the Red Knight rode away like lightning. The crowd of spectators dispersed. The princess again refused to stay with her parents and went to the palace, to her husband. The serpent was waiting for her:
- Excellent, princess. I was getting worried. The thought that you might reveal the secret was weighing on me.
- Never! Do you hear me? Never will I reveal our secret.
A few days later, all the tournament participants gathered in the arena to take part in the final, third day of the competition.
- This is the last day of the tournament, the king said, and we will conclude it with a glorious feast.
The queen came to her youngest daughter to invite her to the spectacle. Meanwhile, the serpent prince said to his wife in a sad voice:
- Your mother is coming here. She will take you with her to watch the tournament. This time, I will be riding the Raven Horse, dressed in black armor, and armed with a black mace. Today, you will see me in all my glory. Your sisters, parents, and everyone around will wonder who I am. There are only three days left until the end of the forty-day period, after which it won’t matter to me whether they know me or not. In three days, I will no longer be the Serpent. The king will invite me to his palace, seat me at his table, and we will eat, drink, and celebrate together. So let me warn you one last time: do not reveal our secret. Do you remember what I told you? If I disappear, the palace and everything in it and around it will vanish as well. If that happens, to find me, you will have to put on iron sandals, take a steel staff, and journey to the ends of the earth. When your sandals are worn through, when only the handle of your staff remains, only then will you reach the place where you can find me.
The queen entered and took her daughter to watch the tournament.
- Today is the final day of the competition. After it ends, there will be a grand feast, so we will have a splendid time, - said the queen.
To the sound of drums and bagpipes, the spectators filled the stands of the arena. The youngest princess watched the spectacle with her sisters from the royal box. They saw the Black Knight, lightning-fast, gallop across the arena and present himself before the king. The Black Knight bowed and said:
- Long live the king! Here are a thousand knights, and I wish to fight them all at once.
- Very well. Let it be so. Let it be a battle of one against a thousand, - the king agreed.
The eyes of all the spectators and all the tournament participants were fixed on the Black Knight. The husbands of the princess’s older sisters watched him warily: after being unhorsed twice, their sides ached.
The Black Knight charged into battle. The ranks of warriors thinned where he carved his path on his Raven Horse, tirelessly swinging his black mace. The Black Knight unhorsed one opponent after another. When the clash ended, he was the only knight still mounted.
Caspar’s wife smiled and laughed. This angered her sisters, and they scolded her:
- Why are you laughing? Who is your husband? Instead of fighting like a man, as our husbands did, your worm is only good for patching cracks in walls. A serpentling!
- Serpent, Serpent, is that all you can say? The Black Knight is my husband! - the youngest princess flared up. - The White Knight, the Red Knight, and the Black Knight are all the same person. And I am married to this warrior, to Prince Serpent.
Riding up to the king on his Raven Horse, the Black Knight said:
- Oh, my king, I promised to reveal my name, I wanted to be your guest in three days, but you will never see me again. Your youngest daughter will tell you why.
At that moment, the Raven Horse stamped its hoof, and the Black Knight disappeared. The people only saw a black cloud rise into the sky and disperse. Caspar’s wife burst into tears. All the spectators and participants of the tournament began to disperse. The king and queen returned to the palace with their daughters. Weeping, the youngest princess told them what Prince Serpent had told her:
- There were only three days left, and the enchantment would have been lifted. He would have ceased to be the Serpent forever. He always reminded me not to reveal this secret. But my sisters boasted about their husbands, laughing at me and my husband, the Serpent. So...
- Oh, youth and inexperience! - the king exclaimed bitterly. - Couldn’t you have waited just three more days?
The princess did not stay for the feast. She went home. Approaching the place where the palace should have been, the princess looked: there was no palace, no gardens, no marble pools. Everything had vanished. Only a wretched hut remained, and inside, an old man and an old woman were weeping. The princess also wept. The next morning, she went to the blacksmith and said:
- Master Markar, make me a pair of iron sandals and a steel staff. I have a long journey ahead. And I will pay you well for your work.
The next day, the order was ready. Dressed as a dervish, the princess put on the iron sandals, took the steel staff in her hands, kissed the hands of the old couple, and bid them farewell. Then she went to the palace, bowed to the king, and said:
- I am going to search for my husband. I will do as he once told me.
The king, the queen, and the princess’s older sisters begged her not to go. They hoped that with time, the princess would forget about Prince Serpent. But no matter what they said, nothing could shake her resolve. She kissed the king’s hand, kissed the queen’s hand, shook her sisters’ hands, and bid them farewell:
- Farewell, I am leaving!
- Go, daughter, may the Lord help you, - the king replied.
How long the princess wandered, only she could tell. Finally, she reached a castle made of bricks. The princess looked: a girl with two clay jugs in her hands was going to the spring for water.
- Dear girl, tell me, have you seen Caspar in this castle? - the princess asked.
- No, no. Caspar is not here! Look for him in the Crystal Castle, - the girl replied, filling her jugs with water.
The poor princess continued her journey. Her iron sandals and steel staff carried her along many roads, across mountains and valleys, until she reached the Crystal Castle. The princess looked: the same girl as before was going to the spring for water, with two crystal jugs in her hands.
- Dear girl, tell me, have you seen Caspar in this castle?
- Caspar is not here. Look for him in the Copper Castle.
For a whole year, the princess walked to the Copper Castle. She looked: the same girl as before was going to the spring for water, with two copper jugs in her hands.
- Dear girl, tell me, have you seen Caspar in this castle?
- No. The man you are looking for is not here. Look for him in the Iron Castle.
The princess walked for a long time, losing track of the days. Finally, she reached the Iron Castle. The princess looked: the same girl as before was going to the spring for water, with two iron jugs in her hands.
- Dear girl, tell me, is Caspar in this castle?
- No, no! Caspar is not here. Look for him in the Steel Castle.
Battling through forests, crossing mountains and rivers, the princess reached the Steel Castle. She looked: the same girl as before was going to the spring for water, with two steel jugs in her hands.
- Dear girl, tell me, have you seen Caspar in this castle?
- No, no, Caspar is not here! Look for him in the Silver Castle.
The princess spent an entire year on her journey to the Silver Castle. As she looked around, she saw the same girl walking to the spring to fetch water, carrying two silver jugs in her hands.
"Dear girl, tell me, is there a man named Caspar in this castle?"
"No, no. Caspar is not here. Look for him in the Golden Castle."
The poor princess set off on her journey once more. For an entire year, she made her way through mountains and valleys to reach the Golden Castle. By the time she arrived, her iron sandals were worn to shreds, and all that remained of her steel staff was the handle. Exhausted, the princess sat down to rest in the shade of a green pomegranate tree near a spring of cold, clear water. "I can't take another step," thought the princess. "My husband must be here." A thousand thoughts raced through her mind as she saw the same girl walking to the spring, now carrying two golden jugs.
"Dear girl, tell me, have you seen Caspar in this castle?"
"Yes, yes. He is here in the castle. You know, I am utterly exhausted from carrying water for this Caspar. It has been over three years since he began demanding cold water to keep from dying. The thing is, his heart is burning. He screams in pain day and night, 'I am burning with love for the princess.' And we have to constantly pour cold water over him. But there is no end to this torment. Only when Caspar's love for the king's daughter burns out—may the devil take her—will I be able to marry him. That king's daughter betrayed him and condemned him to live in this Golden Castle with us."
"Dear girl, I know a way to heal Caspar's ailment. Let me just drink a little water from the jug before you take it to pour over him. He will recover, you'll see."
The girl handed the dervish one of the golden jugs. She did not notice how the princess took off her wedding ring and dropped it into the jug before returning it. The girl went back to the Golden Castle.
"Why are you so late? What have you been doing all this time?" shouted the witch, her mother.
"I met a dervish at the spring and spoke with him. He said he knows a way to cure the prince."
As soon as the girl poured the water over Caspar, he said:
"I feel relief. I am well now."
No one noticed how Caspar caught and hid the ring that had fallen from the jug. He recognized it immediately—it was his wife's wedding ring.
"Bring that dervish here. I want to see him," said the witch as Caspar began to dress.
The old woman immediately suspected that the dervish might be Caspar's wife in disguise. The witch's daughter went to the spring to bring the dervish to the Golden Castle. Caspar looked at the iron sandals on the dervish's feet and saw that only the handle of the staff remained. Caspar was so agitated that he feared he might give himself away. The witch turned to the dervish:
"You shameless girl, I see right through you. You won't fool me. For over three years, day and night, I have poured cold water over Caspar to cool his love for you. It's all because of you! I'll tear you to pieces so he can see you get what you deserve!"
"Leave us alone," Caspar begged the witch. "I will send her back to where she came from."
"Or perhaps you plan to go with her, huh? I'll skin her alive if she takes you away from us!"
"I said: Leave us alone."
"Silence! Fine, stay alone with this wretch."
When the witch and her daughter went to the garden to gather vegetables and fruits for dinner, Caspar was left alone with his wife. He said to her:
"I am so happy you found me! My soul was withering from being apart from you. By evil magic, I was placed in this castle, where I fell under the power of the old witch and her daughter. We must think of a way to escape."
When the old witch returned, she ordered the princess to go to her sister's house to fetch a rolling pin.
"Tell my sister I need a rolling pin to roll out dough. I am preparing for my daughter's wedding. Meanwhile, we will go to the forest to gather firewood."
When the witch and her daughter went to the forest for firewood, Caspar said to his wife:
"Even if you reach her sister's house, she will devour you. She is also a witch."
"What should I do then? The old witch will kill me if I don't go."
"I will teach you. On your way to the witch's sister, you will come across a dirty, muddy ditch. Drink from it and say, 'Ah, this is water from the immortal spring.' The muddy stream will part and let you pass. Then your path will lead through impassable thorny bushes and thickets of burning, prickly grass. Pluck a thistle flower, smell it, and say, 'Ah, this is the flower of immortality!' The thorns will part and let you through. Then you will encounter a wolf and a ram. They will block your path. In front of the wolf will be a pile of hay, and in front of the ram, a fat ham. You must place the hay in front of the ram and the ham in front of the wolf. Then they will let you pass. Next, you must enter a closed door and close an open door. Finally, when you enter the witch's house, you will see the rolling pin hanging on the wall by the door. Say to the witch, 'Auntie asks for the rolling pin to roll out dough for her daughter's wedding.' The witch will reply, 'Sit down, dear, and have a bite before you go back.' She will prepare you an omelet and then leave the house to sharpen her teeth. That is when you grab the rolling pin and run as fast as you can. The witch will chase you, but run forward without looking back and without fear."
The princess did as Caspar advised. The witch's sister treated her to a fried omelet, and as soon as she stepped outside, the princess grabbed the rolling pin hanging by the door and ran as fast as she could. The witch, realizing the girl had escaped, let out a long howl and shouted:
"Doors, stop the thief!"
"Why us?" the doors asked in surprise. "We are tired of constantly opening and closing. Let her pass."
"Ram, stop her!"
"Why me?" the ram wondered. "I was starving. Now I have fragrant hay."
"Wolf, stop her!"
"Why me?" the wolf asked. "I'm busy; I'm having lunch."
"Thorns, stop the thief!"
"Why us? By the way, we are not thorns but flowers of immortality," they replied and let the girl pass.
"Ditch with dirty, muddy water, stop the thief!"
"Why me? Actually, I like being the spring of immortality, not a ditch with dirty water. Go ahead, girl," the ditch replied and let the princess pass.
After this, the witch gave up the chase and returned home. Back in the Golden Castle, the princess handed the rolling pin to Caspar:
"You know, if you hadn't taught me what to do, I would never have brought it here," she said.
When the old witch saw that the princess had returned alive and well, she thought, "I must roast and eat her before Caspar can teach her any more tricks." The old hag and her daughter took ropes and went to the forest to gather more firewood.
- They will put you in the oven and bake you alive if we don't manage to escape from here, - said Kaspar.
He burned a hair from the mane of his White Horse, and the White Horse immediately appeared before him. Kaspar donned white armor, took a white mace in his hands, and said:
- We need to take a pouch of salt, a bottle of water, and a few combs with us.
Then he seated the princess on the horse beside him and, spurring it, galloped away from the castle.
The Golden Castle had already disappeared from view when the old witch and her daughter returned to it with two bundles of firewood.
- Go after them! - the witch ordered her daughter. - I will skin them alive!
The witch's daughter rushed after them like a black cloud.
- Princess, - Kaspar said to his wife, - look, is anyone chasing us?
The princess looked back:
- I see someone rushing after us, like a black whirlwind.
- That's the witch's daughter, - said Kaspar. - Throw the comb!
As soon as the princess threw the comb, a tall, dense forest with thorny bushes and trees sprang up. The witch's daughter was scratched bloody as she struggled through it.
- Princess, look back, what's happening?
- She made it out of the forest.
- Throw the salt.
The thrown salt turned into a whole mountain of salt. As the witch's daughter climbed over it, the salt got into her open wounds and stung painfully. Despite this, she continued the chase.
- Pour the water! - said Kaspar.
The water, hitting the ground, turned into a wide lake.
- Princess, look back, what's happening?
- She has already crossed the lake.
- Then we'd better stop. She will catch up with us anyway, - said Kaspar and jumped off the horse.
He turned the White Horse into black grapes, his wife into white grapes, and himself into an old man selling grapes by the roadside.
- Hey, old man, have you seen a man and a woman riding a white horse? - asked the witch's daughter.
- How many pounds of grapes do you need?
- I don't need grapes! I'm asking you: have you seen a man and a woman on a White Horse? Are you deaf or something? Can't you hear?
- The price is two coppers per pound.
Spitting in frustration, the witch's daughter turned back. After restoring everyone to their original forms, Kaspar and the princess set off again. The old witch met her daughter:
- Why are you alone? What happened, why didn't you catch them?
- All I met along the way was an old man selling grapes by the roadside. There was no one else, so I came back.
- That was Kaspar! You should have bought the grapes - his magic would have been broken. Then we could have brought them back to the castle. Now go and buy the grapes.
The witch's daughter rushed off in a furious pursuit. Kaspar said to the princess:
- Look back, wife, see if anyone is following us.
The princess turned and said:
- I see another whirlwind approaching, raising clouds of dust.
Again, she threw the comb, which turned into a dense forest with thorns and brambles. As she struggled through it, the witch's daughter was scratched bloody once more. Then the princess threw a pinch of salt on the ground. The salt turned into a salt mountain. Next, she had to pour water on the ground. The water became a huge lake. Nothing helped: the pursuer was getting closer. Then Kaspar turned himself into a gardener and the horse and his wife into pumpkins. As the witch's daughter caught up with him, she asked:
- Have you seen a woman and a man riding a White Horse?
- A copper per pound.
- Hey! I'm asking if you've seen a man and a woman on a White Horse?
- That's the final price. I won't sell the pumpkins for less.
Spitting in frustration, the witch's daughter galloped back.
Kaspar released the tired White Horse. He burned a hair from the mane of the Red Horse. The Red Horse immediately appeared before him. Donning red armor and a red cloak, Kaspar seated the princess in the saddle and galloped forward. Meanwhile, the witch's daughter returned to the Golden Castle.
"Where are they? What happened this time?" shouted the witch.
"I couldn't find them. I met another old man. He was a gardener selling pumpkins by the side of the road."
"You're going to get it now! That was Kaspar! Why didn't you buy the pumpkins? That would have broken his magic, and we could have brought them back to the castle."
"Well, they won't fool me now," declared the witch's daughter resolutely.
"Keep in mind, they're now on the Red Horse."
The witch's daughter rushed in pursuit.
"Princess, look back and see if anyone is following us," asked Kaspar.
"I see a storm cloud coming toward us."
"Throw the comb!"
The princess looked: the witch's daughter emerged from the forest, crossed the salt mountain, and swam across the lake.
"She's catching up to us," she shouted to her husband.
He jumped off the horse and turned it and his wife into sheep, while he himself became a shepherd.
"Brother shepherd, have you seen a man and a woman riding a Red Horse?"
"I haven't seen people in years. Travelers don't like to wander this road."
The witch's daughter spat in frustration and turned back.
Kaspar released the Red Horse and burned a hair from the mane of the Black Horse. The Black Horse immediately appeared before him. Donning black armor and a black cloak, Kaspar seated his wife in the saddle and galloped forward.
"Are you completely clueless? Where are they?" the old witch lashed out at her daughter.
"I couldn't find them. I only saw a shepherd with sheep."
"You're such a fool! That was Kaspar! He's now riding away on the Black Horse. That's his fastest horse. Stay here, this time I'll catch them myself. They won't escape me, I know all their tricks. I'll catch them and skin them alive!"
Kaspar said to his wife:
"Princess, look back and see if there's any pursuit."
"I see a whole storm approaching, lifting heavy stones into the air like dust."
Kaspar also looked back and saw that the earth and sky had merged into chaos, a swirling mass of dust clouds.
"That's the old witch herself, damn her. She's faster than my Black Horse."
Kaspar turned the horse into a rose bush, his wife into a rose flower, and himself into a serpent coiled around the rose bush. Like a demon emerging from hell, the witch appeared from the hot dust clouds and shouted in a loud, malevolent voice:
"Kaspar, you ungrateful wretch! We fed you, gave you drink, and cared for you, and you repaid our kindness with black ingratitude. I'm not like my daughter, you can't fool me! I know all your tricks. This time you won't escape, I'll smash your head."
As the witch bent down to pick up a stone, Kaspar darted like lightning and bit her in the neck. The old witch immediately breathed her last. Kaspar and the princess returned to their human forms and breathed a sigh of relief—now no one threatened them. Returning to their hometown, they headed to the hut where the childless old couple lived. They had become poor again and mourned Kaspar and his wife every day.
Seeing them alive and well, they embraced, kissed each other, and cried with joy.
As soon as the king learned that his youngest daughter had returned with her husband, he came with tears of joy in his eyes to congratulate them on their return. He saw that Prince Snake had become a handsome warrior, the finest in the entire kingdom. The king offered for everyone to move into his palace, but Kaspar and the princess decided to stay and live with the old couple.
On the very first night, Kaspar himself went to the snake's burrow and spoke with the young mistress. By morning, the old couple's hut had turned into a beautiful seven-story palace, more splendid than before, built of gold and silver bricks and adorned with precious stones. Next to the palace were gardens with blooming trees. In the gardens were marble pools with azure water. Everything was as it had been before, and even better.
The neighbors, and indeed all the townspeople, rejoiced at what had happened, sharing in the happiness of Kaspar and his wife. The king held a new wedding feast. The guests ate, drank, danced, and celebrated for seven days and seven nights straight. The princess bore Kaspar many children, and the old couple who had raised Kaspar lived in honor and prosperity, passing away in deep old age, maintaining clear minds and excellent health until their last days. Their dreams had come true, so may your dreams come true as well.
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