The Son of the Raven

Once upon a time, or maybe not, there lived an old man and an old woman. They had nothing except for one mare. Every morning, the mare would go to graze in the forest, and in the evening, she would return with a foal. The old man would sell the foal and buy bread and cheese. That’s how the old couple managed to survive.

The mare was upset that her foals were being taken away from her. One day, she went into the forest and never returned to the old couple.

The mare now lives in the forest. She grazes there with her foals—she has a whole herd now.

It’s hard for the mare to look after them all, and one day she said:

"Oh, if only I had a human son, he could tend to the foals!"

As soon as she said it, a boy appeared—not just a boy, but a bright little sun.

He grew up to be a handsome young man. He began tending to the foals, but he wanted to see the world and seek his fortune. The mare tried to dissuade him, begging him not to leave her, but the young man stood firm.

"Very well, my son, if that’s the case, choose a horse, mount it, and go."

The young man chose a horse from the herd, but the horse grumbled:

"Where has it ever been seen—a younger brother riding on an older one?"

The young man didn’t understand these words and repeated them to the mare.

"Choose another," she said. But the second horse grumbled the same words as the first. And the third horse wouldn’t let the young man ride him either.

So the young man decided to go on foot—he didn’t want to upset the horses.

As he walked, he thought: "What if people ask me whose son I am, what my name is, what will I say?" He turned back and asked the mare for his name.

"If they ask who you are, answer like this: 'I am the son of Voronoy, born in the forest,'" she said.

So the son of Voronoy went wherever his eyes led him, wherever his heart desired.

The path led him to a road, and the road led him to a village.

The day was already drawing to evening. It was time to find a place to sleep. The young man saw an old woman hobbling along the road, carrying water from the spring. He caught up to her and asked for a drink.

After drinking the cold water, he asked if she would let him stay the night.

"Why not, my son, a guest is always welcome." She took him to a little house on the edge of the forest. She fed him, gave him something to drink, and asked where he was going and why.

"I want to see the world and seek my fortune."

"Don’t go any further. The king’s servants will catch you and send you to fetch a handful of untouched earth for the king."

"Why does the king need a handful of untouched earth?"

"Our king has grown old. The wise men say he will grow young again and his life will double if someone brings him a handful of untouched earth. Many brave men, eager for gold, have gone in search of it, but no one has found it. Now the king is forcing people to search for it. You’d better stay here and be my herdsman. I can’t manage my horses anymore."

The son of Voronoy laughed: he had left the horses, only to come back to them. Still, he agreed to work for a month. And for his labor, the old woman promised him a horse.

At dawn, the son of Voronoy would drive the herd to graze on the mountain slopes, and at midday, he would shelter them in the forest.

The month came to an end. It was time to take the horses out to pasture one last time.

The old woman called him and said:

"I’m pleased with you, my son. If you bring all the horses back tomorrow, without losing a single one, you may choose any horse you like."

The old woman spoke, but to herself, she thought: "As if I’d let you take one of my horses!"

The son of Voronoy went to sleep, but the old woman went to the stable and ordered the horses:

"Tomorrow, scatter to the ends of the earth! And you, my white horse, hide beyond nine mountains, rise into the sky, sink into the water—just make sure the boy doesn’t find you!"

In the morning, the son of Voronoy, as usual, drove sixty horses to the pasture. He let them graze and lay down in the shade of a tree. The horses nibbled the grass and kept an eye on the herdsman, waiting for him to doze off.

The son of Voronoy was overcome by sleep.

He slept for a while, but then he was woken by bees. They buzzed angrily right next to him. The young man opened his eyes and saw: the bees were quarreling on a wild rose flower—pushing each other off.

"How foolish!" laughed the young man. "There are so many branches with flowers, and you’re all crowding onto one!"

He spread the bees out onto different branches.

"Thank you, human, for teaching us wisdom."

"Do you need our help? Whatever we can do, we’ll help—just say the word!" buzzed the bees.

The son of Voronoy looked at the sky—the sun had set, it was time to drive the horses home. He looked around—not a single horse was in sight! The young man ran around, searching for the horses, but couldn’t find them. Then he called on the bees for help.

"My bees, my bees, help me! My horses have scattered, there were sixty of them, and now not one is left! Fly in all directions, find them, and drive them back here."

"That’s no trouble, we’ll gather them in no time," buzzed the bees.

The bees flew off in all directions. Whenever they found a horse, they stung it and drove it back to the son of Voronoy. They even found the white horse beyond nine mountains.

The bees drove the herd back to the old woman’s house, and the young man ran ahead, shouting:

"Open the stable, mother, take the horses!"

The old woman counted them—all were present! She was amazed that the young man had outsmarted her. "He’s not a man, but a devil’s hoof," she thought. The old woman led the young man into the house, sat him down to eat, and then went to the stable.

"Didn’t I tell you to hide beyond nine mountains? Why did you disobey me?" she scolded the white horse.

She took a whip and began lashing the horse—she left him covered in stripes.

Then she brought the young man to the stable and said:

"Choose any horse you like." The old woman was sure the young man wouldn’t take the white horse—there wasn’t a spot on him left unharmed.

The son of Voronoy looked over the horses one by one but couldn’t decide. He approached the white horse, and suddenly the horse whispered to him in a human voice:

"Take me, save me from this wicked old woman." The son of Voronoy felt sorry for the poor horse. He loved horses—he had grown up with them.

"Give me the white horse!" he said to the old woman.

"What do you want with him, he’s weak and sickly! Look at all these strong, sleek ones!"

"No, I don’t want any other!" The old woman had no choice but to agree. The son of Voronoy led the white horse by the reins. He didn’t saddle him until his wounds had healed.
- Let me rest for three days, the old woman has lashed me hard," said the horse to the youth. "I will serve you faithfully, and repay your kindness with kindness."

For three days, the white horse grazed on the mountainside. And on the fourth day, all his wounds had healed.

The youth jumped onto the horse and said:

- Take me across the wide world!

They rode through dense forests, through desolate places, and came across shepherds. The shepherds seated the traveler by the fire, fed him bread and sheep's cheese.

From the mountain where they sat, the youth noticed a distant light. "Probably a dwelling," he thought, "I'll ride there and ask for lodging for the night." He bid farewell to the shepherds and urged his horse onward. As he approached, he saw: a feather glowing on the grass, shining, sparkling with moonlight.

The feather rose into the air and said:

- Take me, and you'll regret it; don't take me, and you'll regret it.

- Don't take it," said the horse, "you'll only find trouble."

The youth didn't listen to the horse, grabbed the feather, and hid it in his pocket.

Whether it was a long or short journey, the son of Voronoy rode on, and he encountered the king's servants. They seized the youth and led him to the palace.

They brought the youth to the palace and left him under the terrace to wait until the king finished his dinner. The king's table was laden with delicacies—it would take a while for the king to finish! The youth took the feather from his pocket to examine it, and such a light emanated from it that the lights in the palace dimmed!

- What's happening? What is shining there?" shouted the king.

The servants descended to the terrace and saw: the feather was glowing! They brought the youth to the king. The king was breathless with delight. He snatched the feather from the youth's hands and said:

- Such a treasure is only fit for a king!

- Well, take it then! If I want, I'll get the bird from which this feather came," boasted the youth.

- If you get it, I'll make you my heir; if not, I'll take your head for your boasting," said the king. "I give you three days."

It's easy to promise, but hard to deliver. The son of Voronoy went to seek advice from his white horse.

- I told you not to take the feather! Alright, I'll help you, but next time be more careful and don't be so quick with your words. Go tell the king to slaughter a buffalo and give you its entrails.

So the youth did. He prepared for the journey, taking the buffalo entrails with him.

The white horse carried the youth to the seashore.

- Do you see that island in the sea?" said the horse. "I'll take you there. I'll hide in the sea, and you lie on the shore and cover yourself with the entrails. A huge bird will swoop down, and you grab its wings and hold on tight. Now, whip me with the lash."

The youth whipped the horse with all his might. The horse stretched out like an arrow and carried the youth to the island.

The son of Voronoy lay on the shore, covered himself with the entrails, and the horse disappeared into the waves. As soon as the horse disappeared—there was a noise, and the wind rose. A huge bird swooped down, shimmering and glittering. It grabbed the entrails, and the youth seized the bird's wings and held on tightly, not letting go. The bird soared into the sky. It was hard for the bird to lift the youth, so it descended to the ground, rested, then flew up again, and descended once more. It rose and fell until it was exhausted.

The white horse emerged from the sea and carried the son of Voronoy with his prize to the king.

- You deceived me," shouted the king, "you didn't catch the right bird; its feathers don't shine!"

- And they won't shine in captivity!" replied the youth. "Release the bird, and you'll see—its feathers will burn like fire!"

- Release it, Your Majesty, but with a condition: let him bring you the girl who owned this bird," whispered the chief vizier into the king's ear.

- Bring me the girl who owned this bird. If you don't, I'll kill the bird—what use is it to me?" threatened the king.

The son of Voronoy felt sorry for the bird. He didn't know what to do. He went to seek advice from his wise horse.

- I told you not to take the feather. Next time, you'll listen to me! Alright, I'll help you this time too. Get on, we'll go fetch the girl.

The horse carried him to the seashore and said:

- I'll take you to that island again. In the garden on the island, a girl is sleeping. Sneak up behind her quietly—even though she's asleep, she sees with her eyes closed. The beauty has twelve braids. Grab her by the two middle ones and hold on tight. She'll scream and beg, but don't let her go until she swears to come with you.

At dawn, the son of Voronoy crept into the garden. He saw: the girl was sleeping, facing the rising sun. With one leap, the youth was behind her, grabbing her two middle braids. The girl woke up, screaming, begging to be released.

- Swear you'll come with me, then I'll let you go," said the youth.

The beautiful girl swore. Then the white horse emerged from the sea and carried them to the old king's palace.

The king saw the beauty and wanted to make her his wife.

But the girl was stubborn:

- I won't become your wife; you're too old.

- I'm not old at all," the king retorted. "When they bring me a handful of untouched earth, I'll become young again."

And he ordered the youth to go fetch the untouched earth.

But the girl didn't want to marry the king, neither old nor young—she had fallen for the brave youth.

- Wait, Your Majesty, don't rush," she said to the king. "Prove you're not old. Dance on a narrow board over a cauldron of boiling water, then I'll marry you."

They brought a huge cauldron of boiling water and laid a narrow board over it. But the king was afraid to step onto the board and resorted to a trick.

- Let the youth dance first; we'll see how the young ones dance," he said to the girl.

The son of Voronoy easily jumped onto the board and began to dance.

The king subtly lifted one side of the board—and the youth fell into the cauldron! The servants pulled him out and threw him lifeless behind the palace.

The faithful white horse sensed trouble, broke free from its tether, and rushed to its friend. It licked the youth from head to toe and revived him.

The son of Voronoy returned to the palace. The king was stunned—how had he come back alive!

- Why aren't you dancing, King? Have you forgotten the condition?" said the girl.

Groaning, the king climbed onto the board. He trembled, shook, couldn't lift his legs—how could he dance? From fear, his vision darkened, and he plunged into the boiling water.

- Let's leave this place," said the girl to the son of Voronoy. "What do you need a kingdom for?"

They released the wondrous bird, mounted the white horse, and set off to wander the world.

↑ To the top

The Son of the Raven

More fairy tales