Ivane and the Maidens

Once upon a time, there was a king who had a wrestler of unparalleled strength (a *palavan*—a hero-wrestler). In appearance, the *palavan* looked just like a *dev*—a giant, covered in thick bristles—and so he was nicknamed *Devkatsi*, the *dev*-man. The king was proud of his *palavan*: no one in the entire kingdom could defeat him. And yet, the king wished to find someone stronger than *Devkatsi*.

The king sent messengers to all the cities and villages to search for a wrestler who could overcome *Devkatsi*. The king's servants scattered across all roads, traversed forests and fields, mountains and valleys, and exhausted themselves, but no one dared to face certain death! The rumor of the mighty *Devkatsi* had spread throughout the kingdom, and no one dared to challenge him.

The king's servants were returning when they saw a ragged boy sitting by the road, gnawing on a crust of bread. His name was Ivane.

"Take me with you, I want to see the king's palace," the boy asked them.

The king's messengers laughed and walked past him. The boy followed them, refusing to fall behind.

"Run home instead," one of the servants told him. "In the palace, you'll meet *Devkatsi*, and he'll give you a hard time."

"I'm not afraid of your *Devkatsi*!" the boy said.

"Look at this brave one!" the servants laughed. "Maybe you'll wrestle him? We're looking for such a daredevil."

"Why not wrestle?" replied Ivane.

The king's servants found it amusing and were glad they had found someone to take on the challenge. It didn't matter that he was small. "What do we care if he doesn't defeat *Devkatsi*? He volunteered to wrestle him," they decided, and took Ivane to the palace.

When the king saw the boy, he didn't know whether to laugh or get angry.

"Listen, little brave one," the king said. "Are you really going to wrestle my *Devkatsi*?"

"Why not? What's so special about your *Devkatsi*? Feed me well for a month, and then you'll see."

The king agreed, if only for amusement.

Ivane ate and drank, ate and drank from morning till night. Others wouldn't grow as much in a year as Ivane grew in a day.

A month passed. The day of the match between *Devkatsi* and Ivane was set.

From early morning, crowds of people flocked to the square from all corners to watch the contest. A huge crowd gathered. The king sat in the place of honor with his family.

*Devkatsi* stepped into the center of the circle. Ivane rushed toward him. Not rushed—he flew! He moved around the circle as if floating in the air, his feet not touching the ground!

*Devkatsi* twisted and turned, waving his arms, but he couldn't catch the boy. Ivane jumped high, high into the air and landed on *Devkatsi* with such force that he pinned him down!

Everyone shouted, applauding the winner, laughing at *Devkatsi*, and shouting insults at him: "Biybuu!"

From that day on, Ivane became the king's *palavan*.

Ivane spent his days strolling in front of the palace and in the garden. He did nothing but eat, drink, and rest. His only occupation was to show off his strength and agility, amusing the king.

A year passed, then another, and many more days went by.

The king had a daughter, and she was mean and arrogant.

Ivane happened to see her on the terrace. He walked past the princess and said something playful to her in a peasant manner. The haughty princess was offended. She didn't like that a village boy dared to speak to her—the king's daughter. She decided to teach Ivane the *palavan* a lesson: she would give him a task he couldn't handle, so everyone would laugh at him.

She went to the king and said:

"In the garden of the Fire *dev* grows the Tree of Immortality. Whoever tastes its fruit will live forever. It would be good if this tree grew in our garden!"

"That would be good, but who would dare to go to the Fire *dev*?"

"Surely our Ivane the *palavan* can defeat the *dev*! Send him for the tree."

The idea of the Tree of Immortality took root in the king's mind. He summoned Ivane and said:

"Listen, my *palavan*. In the garden of the Fire *dev* grows the Tree of Immortality. Transplant it into my garden."

"With great pleasure!" Ivane replied.

After a long journey, Ivane reached the garden of the Fire *dev*. There stood the tree, glowing with red-golden apples.

Ivane kicked the trunk, and the apples fell to the ground, rolling away—not a single one remained on the branches!

Ivane sat under the tree, ate his fill of apples, and lay down in the shade to nap.

The Fire *dev* sensed the scent of a human and entered the garden. He saw Ivane under the tree and marveled at his audacity.

"Who are you? How dare you tread on my garden's soil?" he roared. Ivane jumped up, lifted the Fire *dev* above his head, and buried him up to his neck in the ground. Then he raised his sword to cut off the *dev*'s head.

"Don't kill me, I'll be your slave forever, I'll save you from any trouble," the *dev* pleaded. "I'll give you a magical mirror. Look into it, and you'll turn into any animal you wish; look into it again, and you'll become human once more."

"Fine, I'll spare your life, you'll be my brother," Ivane said. The Fire *dev* led his sworn brother into his house, treated him to a meal, and gave him the magical mirror. Ivane told him why the king had sent him.

"Very well, take the tree—no need to quarrel over it!" the Fire *dev* said, and he himself uprooted the tree.

Ivane put the mirror in his pocket, hoisted the Tree of Immortality onto his shoulder, and prepared to return.

"If you get into trouble, call me—I'll come in an instant," the *dev* said as they parted.

Ivane returned and planted the tree in front of the palace.

Time passed, but the tree didn't bloom or bear fruit. The haughty princess mocked Ivane the *palavan*:

"What kind of *palavan* are you? You couldn't defeat the Fire *dev*! And you deceived the king—you planted an ordinary tree."

The princess mocked him and plucked leaves from the tree. But the tree lashed her with its branches in retaliation.

"Fine, I'll destroy you, Ivane," the princess decided. She went to the king and said:

"Ivane failed to get you the Tree of Immortality. Let him fetch the golden-maned *rashi* horses, steal them from the three *dev* brothers. After all, you feed and clothe him for a reason."

The king summoned his *palavan*:

"Do me a service, Ivane, show your bravery. Bring me the golden-maned *rashi*."

"With great pleasure," Ivane replied.

Ivane took a large, sharp sword and set off on his journey.

He walked along the road, not knowing how to obtain the golden-maned *rashi*. Then Ivane remembered his sworn brother. He called for the Fire *dev*. In an instant, the *dev* appeared before him.

"What do you need, brother?" the *dev* asked.

"The king won't leave me in peace. He ordered me to bring him the golden-maned *rashi*, but I don't know where to find them."

"Don't worry, brother, I'll help you. I'll take you to the domain of the *devs* who have the golden-maned *rashi*," the Fire *dev* said.

The Fire *dev* led Ivane to a wide river, beyond which lived three *devs*—three brothers. He sat on the riverbank under a tree, filled a bowl with water, placed a candle on its edge, and said to his sworn brother:

"I'll stay here on the bank, and you go to the road, steal the *rashi* from the *devs*. If you can't manage, I'll come to your aid. When the water turns red and the candle goes out, I'll know you're in trouble."

Ivane crossed the river and hid in the bushes near the road where the *devs* returned home.
The hour of dinner had come. The eldest dev appeared—a three-headed creature riding a golden-maned rashi. As soon as he approached the bushes, Ivane shouted:

"Khvit!"

And the rashi reared up beneath the dev.

"Whoa, wolf's spawn!" roared the dev. "What are you afraid of? Ivane the warrior is far from us."

"Not so far!"

Ivane the warrior leaped at the dev and with a single stroke lopped off all three of his heads. He took the golden-maned rashi by the reins and hid again in the bushes.

Next appeared the middle dev—a six-headed creature, also riding a golden-maned rashi. As soon as he approached the bushes, Ivane shouted:

"Khvit!"

And the rashi under the dev froze in place, too afraid to take a step.

"Whoa, wolf's spawn!" roared the dev. "Don't be afraid, Ivane the warrior is far from us."

"Not so far!"

Ivane sprang from the bushes, swung his sword, and cut off all six of the dev's heads. He took the second rashi by the reins and sat down to wait for the third dev.

Finally, the youngest dev appeared—a nine-headed creature! As soon as he approached the bushes, Ivane shouted:

"Khvit!"

And the golden-maned rashi bolted.

"Whoa, wolf's spawn!" thundered the towering dev. "Ivane the warrior won't attack us here."

"But I will!" replied Ivane, and he leaped at the nine-headed dev. The dev was enormous, and Ivane couldn't manage to cut off his heads. The dev grabbed Ivane, sat him on his palm, and laughed:

"If I want, I can crush you into powder, turn you to ash, ha-ha-ha!" And he threw Ivane to the ground.

Ivane sank into the earth up to his chest. The dev drew his sword, and Ivane said to the monster:

"Let me smoke your pipe one last time, and then do with me as you please."

The dev filled his pipe with tobacco and handed it to Ivane. The pipe was long and enormous—it held a whole sack of tobacco.

Ivane slowly lit the pipe—buying time, unwilling to die, waiting for the Fire Dev to come to his aid.

Meanwhile, his sworn brother had dozed off. He didn't see the water in the bowl turn red or the candle go out. But when the candle went out, the Fire Dev opened his eyes. He jumped up and rushed like a whirlwind to rescue Ivane.

The Fire Dev attacked the nine-headed monster and with a single blow cut off all nine heads.

The sworn brothers mounted the golden-maned rashis and prepared to return. Ivane decided to check if anyone remained in the dev's house.

"Wait for me here," he told his sworn brother. "I'll go see what's happening in the devs' house."

He took out a magic mirror, looked into it, turned into a cat, and sneaked into the house.

A fanged old woman sat by the hearth, talking to herself:

"Why haven't my sons returned? Has something happened to them? Has someone killed them? I'll burst into flames on the villain's path, I'll turn him to ash. I'll descend as a snowstorm and bury him, I'll flood him with a torrent."

Ivane slipped out into the yard, looked into the mirror, and turned back into a man. He told his sworn brother how the fanged mother of the devs was threatening them.

They mounted the golden-maned rashis and raced off at full speed. Before they could leave the devs' domain, flames erupted on the road.

"That old woman wants to burn us," Ivane told his sworn brother.

He drew his sword and struck at the tongues of flame. The fire vanished instantly.

They rode on. Soon they reached a river, but it was impossible to cross. The river raged, churned, and foamed. Suddenly, a rickety bridge appeared across the river.

"That old woman won't leave us alone," said Ivane. "She's turned herself into a bridge. It'll collapse under us, and we'll drown in the river."

He drew his sword and struck the bridge. It crumbled, and the river calmed at once. The sworn brothers crossed to the other bank and rode on.

Suddenly, snow swirled, and a huge snowdrift grew on the road—impossible to go around, it kept growing and growing.

"That's the old woman again!" said Ivane.

He drew his sword and struck the snowdrift. It crumbled instantly, and the road was clear.

Then the sworn brothers parted ways, each going his own path.

Ivane the warrior brought the golden-maned rashis to the king. The king rejoiced, boasting to everyone about the magical wonder-horses. But the haughty princess was not pleased. She seethed with anger at Ivane for completing every task. She lost her peace, constantly scheming to send the warrior on another mission from which he couldn't return.

She soon learned that in a distant sea, there were buffaloes with diamond horns, and she went to the king:

"I've heard that in a distant sea, beyond seven mountains, there are buffaloes with diamond horns. Order the warrior to fetch them."

The king sent Ivane the warrior to bring back the buffaloes with diamond horns.

Ivane went out into the field and called for the Fire Dev. His sworn brother appeared.

"What new trouble have you found, brother?" asked the dev. Ivane told him about the king's latest task.

"Don't worry, this isn't hard," said the Fire Dev. "The buffaloes come ashore in the evening to drink water from a well. They don't like seawater—it's salty and bitter. The well is guarded by giant ants. Ask the king for twelve packs of cotton, twelve jugs of wine, and forty sheep carcasses. And prepare fresh water in advance. Throw the carcasses to the ants; they'll attack the meat, and in the meantime, drain the well with the cotton and fill it with wine. You'll figure out the rest."

Ivane did everything as the Fire Dev instructed and waited.

When the sun set, the diamond-horned buffaloes emerged from the sea. They approached the well but immediately recoiled—they didn't like the smell of wine! They circled the well, tormented by thirst.

The buffaloes saw Ivane and pleaded:

"Give us water, human, and we'll serve you forever!" Ivane gave them water and drove them to the king.

Those buffaloes were all-knowing—they knew everything.

"You're a fine man," the buffaloes told him. "Brave and strong, but the foolish king and the wicked princess will destroy you unless we save you from their schemes."

Ivane returned with the buffaloes.

The king, the princess, and the viziers came out of the palace to see the wondrous diamond-horned buffaloes. The buffaloes lowered their heads and charged straight at the king and princess. They barely managed to leap aside and fled in terror.

And no one saw them again.

The people gathered and chose Ivane the warrior as their king. That same day, the tree of immortality blossomed in front of the palace, and its red-golden apples glowed with fire.

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Ivane and the Maidens

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