Alyonka

Once upon a time, there lived an old man and an old woman. They had a daughter named Alyonka. But none of the neighbors called her by her name; instead, everyone called her Nettle.

"Look," they would say, "Nettle has taken Sivka out to graze."

"Look, Nettle has gone mushroom-picking with Lyska." All Alyonka ever heard was "Nettle, Nettle..."

One day, she came home from the street and complained to her mother:

"Why is it, Mama, that no one calls me by my name?"

Her mother sighed and said:

"Because you, my dear, are our only child: you have no brothers or sisters. You grow up like a nettle under the fence."

"And where are my brothers and sisters?"

"You have no sisters," said her mother, "that's true, but you did have three brothers."

"Where are they, Mama?"

"Who knows. When you were still in your cradle, they went off to fight the fiery snakes—the smokas—to bring happiness to themselves and others. They never returned since then..."

"Mama, I will go and look for them! I don’t want to be called Nettle anymore!"

No matter how her father and mother tried to dissuade her, they couldn’t change her mind.

Then her mother said:

"I won’t let you go alone: you’re still too young for such a journey. Harness Sivka and ride. Sivka is old and wise—she will take you to your brothers. But remember, don’t stop anywhere for the night: travel day and night until you find your brothers."

Alyonka harnessed Sivka, took some bread for the road, and set off.

As she rode out of the village, she saw their old dog Lyska running after the cart. Alyonka wanted to send her back, but then she changed her mind: let her run along—it’ll be more cheerful on the road.

She rode and rode until she came to a crossroads. Sivka stopped and looked back. Alyonka asked her:

Neigh, neigh, my mare,
Tell me, Sivka dear:
Which road should I take,
Where should I seek my brothers?

Sivka raised her head, neighed, and pointed to the left road. Alyonka let her go down the left road.

She rode through open fields, through dark forests. At dusk, she arrived at a dense forest. There, by the road, stood a small hut. As Alyonka approached the hut, a hunchbacked, bony old woman with a long nose ran out. She stopped Alyonka and said:

"Where are you going, foolish girl, riding at night? The wolves will eat you! Stay here for the night, and in the morning, when it’s light, you can go on."

Lyska heard this and barked softly:

Yap, yap!
Mother told you not to stay overnight!
Yap, yap!
This isn’t an old woman speaking to you—
It’s the witch Barabakha,
Plotting evil...

Alyonka didn’t listen to Lyska and stayed the night in the hut.

The witch Barabakha asked Alyonka where she was going. Alyonka told her everything. The witch was so delighted that she almost jumped for joy: Alyonka’s brothers, she thought, must be the very heroes who had wiped out her entire kin. Now she would deal with them...

In the morning, the witch got up, dressed as if for a fair, and hid all of Alyonka’s clothes. Then she woke her:

"Get up, let’s go find your brothers!" Alyonka got up and saw that her clothes were gone.

"How can I go?" said Alyonka. The witch brought her some old, tattered rags.

"Here," she said, "this will do just fine for you."

Alyonka dressed and went to harness Sivka. The witch took a knife and a pestle, sat in the cart like a lady, and made Alyonka sit as the driver.

They rode on, and Lyska ran alongside, barking:

Yap, yap!
Mother told you not to stay overnight!
Yap, yap!
The witch Barabakha
Sits like a lady,
But she looks at you, Alyonka,
Like a snake...

The witch Barabakha heard this, grabbed the pestle, and threw it at Lyska. Lyska yelped—the witch had broken her leg.

Alyonka cried:

"Poor, poor Lyska, how will you run now!"

"Be quiet," the witch threatened her, "or the same will happen to you!"

They rode on, and Lyska didn’t fall behind, hopping on three legs. They reached another crossroads. Sivka stopped. Alyonka asked her:

Neigh, neigh, my mare,
Tell me, Sivka dear:
Which road should I take,
Where should I seek my brothers?

Sivka neighed and pointed to the right road. They rode all night through the dark forest along the right road. At dawn, they came out onto a meadow and saw a silk tent ahead, with three horses grazing nearby. Sivka neighed happily and took Alyonka and the witch straight to the tent. Alyonka was overjoyed:

"My brothers must live here!" The witch snorted angrily:

"Better keep quiet. These aren’t your brothers, they’re mine!"

They approached the tent. Out came three tall, handsome young men—all looking alike, with the same voice and hair.

The witch jumped off the cart and ran to them:

"How are you, brothers? I’ve traveled the world, worn myself out, looking for you..."

"So you’re our younger sister?" asked the brothers.

"Yes, yes," said the witch, "your own sister..."

The brothers rushed to her, kissing and hugging her, tossing her in their arms. They were so happy, it’s hard to describe.

"Look," they marveled, "how long we’ve been fighting: in that time, our sister not only grew up but even aged... But never mind: we’ve killed all our enemies, only the witch Barabakha remains. When we find her, we’ll burn her, and then we’ll go home."

The witch heard this and just smirked: we’ll see who burns whom!

"And who is this girl with you, sister?" asked the eldest brother.

"Oh, this is my servant," replied the witch Barabakha. "She drives my cart and tends my mare."

"Good," said the brothers, "she can tend our horses too."

The witch turned and barked at Alyonka:

"What are you sitting around for? Unharness Sivka and take her to graze!"

Alyonka cried as she unharnessed Sivka. Meanwhile, the brothers carried the witch Barabakha into the tent, treating her to food and drink.

The witch ate and drank, thinking to herself: "When they fall asleep, I’ll kill them all..."

Meanwhile, Alyonka sat by the horses on the meadow, singing tearfully:

Sun, sun,
Damp earth,
Tiny dew,
What is my mother doing?
The earth and sun reply:
She weaves linen,
She weaves linen,
Twisting golden patterns,
Waiting for her daughter Alyonka
And her brothers to return...

The youngest brother came out of the tent and listened.

"Listen, sister, brothers, is that a bird chirping on the meadow, or is it a girl singing? So mournfully, it tugs at the heart."

"That’s my servant," said the witch Barabakha. "She’s clever with her tricks, but lazy at work."

Then the middle brother came out to listen, though the witch tried to stop him.

He listened to Alyonka’s mournful song, and then he heard Lyska barking:

Yap, yap!
The witch Barabakha
Sits in the tent,
Looking at the brothers
Like a viper,
Eating bread, drinking wine,
Sipping honey,
While her true sister
Sheds tears.

The middle brother returned and said to the eldest:

"You should go and listen too."

The eldest brother went, while the middle one kept an eye on the witch Barabakha.

The eldest brother listened to Alyonka’s song, heard what Lyska said about the witch Barabakha, and understood everything.

He ran to Alyonka, picked her up, and carried her into the tent.

"Here," he said to his brothers, "is our real sister! And this is the deceiver, the witch Barabakha!"

The brothers built a big fire and burned the witch Barabakha, scattering her ashes in the open field so that no trace of her remained. Then they packed up the silk tent and rode happily with Alyonka back to their parents.

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Alyonka

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