Sivka-Burka

Once upon a time, there lived an old man who had three sons. The youngest was called Ivan the Fool by everyone. One day, the old man sowed wheat. The wheat grew well, but someone started trampling and ruining it.

So the old man said to his sons:
— My dear children! You must guard the wheat every night in turns and catch the thief!

The first night came. The eldest son went to guard the wheat, but he felt sleepy. He climbed into the hayloft and slept until morning.
When he came home in the morning, he said:
— I didn’t sleep all night, guarding the wheat! I froze, but I didn’t see the thief.

On the second night, the middle son went. He also slept all night in the hayloft.

On the third night, it was Ivan the Fool’s turn. He took a pie, put it in his pocket, grabbed a rope, and went. He came to the field, sat on a stone, and waited for the thief, chewing on his pie.

At midnight, a horse appeared in the wheat—one hair silver, the other gold. It ran, making the ground tremble, smoke pouring from its ears, and flames shooting from its nostrils. The horse began to eat the wheat, trampling more than it ate. Ivan crept up to the horse and threw a rope around its neck. The horse struggled with all its might, but to no avail! Ivan jumped onto its back and held on tightly to its mane. The horse carried him around the field, galloping and jumping, but couldn’t throw him off.

The horse begged Ivan:
— Let me go, Ivan, and I’ll serve you greatly.
— Alright, said Ivan, but how will I find you later?
— Go to the open field, whistle three times like a brave lad, and shout like a hero: “Sivka-Burka, the wise steed, stand before me like a leaf before grass!”—and I’ll appear.

Ivan released the horse and made it promise never to eat or trample the wheat again.
In the morning, Ivan returned home.
— Well, what did you see? his brothers asked.
— I caught a horse—one hair silver, the other gold.
— Where is the horse?
— It promised not to come back to the wheat, so I let it go.

The brothers didn’t believe Ivan and laughed at him. But from that night on, no one touched the wheat...

Soon after, the king sent messengers to all villages and towns with a proclamation:
— Gather, nobles and merchants, peasants and common folk, to the king’s court. The king’s daughter, Elena the Beautiful, sits in her high tower by the window. Whoever rides a horse to her and takes the golden ring from her hand shall marry her!

On the appointed day, the brothers prepared to go to the king’s court—not to ride themselves, but to watch others. Ivan begged them:
— Brothers, give me at least some old nag, I want to see Elena the Beautiful!
— Where do you think you’re going, fool? Sit on the stove and sift ashes!

The brothers left, and Ivan said to their wives:
— Give me a basket, I’ll go to the forest to pick mushrooms.

He took the basket and went, pretending to gather mushrooms. He reached the open field, threw the basket under a bush, whistled three times, and shouted: “Sivka-Burka, the wise steed, stand before me like a leaf before grass!”
The horse came running, making the ground tremble, smoke pouring from its ears, and flames shooting from its nostrils. It stopped before Ivan.
— What do you need, Ivan?
— I want to see the king’s daughter, Elena the Beautiful! Ivan replied.
— Climb into my right ear and out of my left!

Ivan climbed into the horse’s right ear and came out of the left—transformed into a handsome young man, beyond description! He mounted Sivka-Burka and rode to the city. He overtook his brothers on the way, leaving them in a cloud of dust.

Ivan reached the square in front of the palace. He saw a crowd of people, and in the high tower, by the window, sat Princess Elena the Beautiful. On her hand sparkled a priceless ring, and she was the most beautiful of all. Everyone looked at her, but no one dared to ride up to her—no one wanted to break their neck.

Ivan spurred Sivka-Burka... The horse snorted, neighed, and jumped—falling just three logs short of the princess. The crowd was amazed, but Ivan turned Sivka and rode away.
Everyone shouted:
— Who is he? Who is he?

But Ivan was already gone. They saw where he came from but not where he went. Ivan returned to the open field, dismounted, climbed into the horse’s left ear, and came out of the right—turning back into Ivan the Fool.

He released Sivka-Burka, filled his basket with toadstools, and brought them home:
— Look, what nice mushrooms!
His brothers’ wives scolded him:
— What kind of mushrooms did you bring, fool? Only you would eat them!
Ivan smiled, climbed onto the stove, and sat there.

The brothers returned home and told their wives what they had seen in the city:
— Well, wives, what a fine lad came to the king! We’ve never seen anyone like him. He only fell three logs short of the princess.
Ivan lay on the stove and chuckled:
— Brothers, wasn’t that me?
— You, fool? Stay on the stove and catch flies!

The next day, the older brothers went to the city again, and Ivan took his basket and went to the forest. He reached the open field, threw the basket, whistled three times, and shouted: “Sivka-Burka, the wise steed, stand before me like a leaf before grass!”
The horse came running, making the ground tremble, smoke pouring from its ears, and flames shooting from its nostrils. It stopped before Ivan.

Ivan climbed into the horse’s right ear and came out of the left—transformed into a handsome young man. He mounted Sivka and rode to the palace. He saw an even larger crowd than before. Everyone admired the princess, but no one dared to ride up to her—they were afraid of breaking their necks. Ivan spurred Sivka-Burka. The horse neighed, jumped—and fell just two logs short of the princess’s window.

Ivan turned Sivka and rode away. They saw where he came from but not where he went. Ivan returned to the open field, released Sivka, and went home. He sat on the stove, waiting for his brothers.

The brothers returned and told their wives:
— Well, wives, the same lad came again! He only fell two logs short of the princess.
Ivan said:
— Brothers, wasn’t that me?
— Sit, fool, and be quiet!..

On the third day, the brothers prepared to go again, and Ivan said:
— Give me at least some old nag: I want to go with you!
— Sit, fool, at home! We don’t need you there!
They left.

Ivan went to the open field, whistled three times, and shouted: “Sivka-Burka, the wise steed, stand before me like a leaf before grass!”
The horse came running, making the ground tremble, smoke pouring from its ears, and flames shooting from its nostrils. It stopped before Ivan. Ivan climbed into the horse’s right ear and came out of the left—transformed into a handsome young man. He mounted Sivka and rode to the palace.

Ivan reached the high tower, spurred Sivka-Burka... The horse neighed louder than before, struck the ground with its hooves, jumped—and reached the window! Ivan kissed Elena the Beautiful on her crimson lips, took the ring from her finger, and rode away. That was the last they saw of him!
Everyone shouted and waved their hands:
— Catch him! Stop him!
But Ivan was already gone.

He released Sivka-Burka and returned home. One of his hands was wrapped in a rag.
— What happened to you? his brothers’ wives asked.
— I was looking for mushrooms and scratched my hand on a branch...
He climbed onto the stove.

The brothers returned and told their wives what had happened:
— Well, wives, that lad jumped so well this time that he reached the princess and took the ring from her finger!
Ivan sat on the stove and said:
— Brothers, wasn’t that me?
— Sit, fool, and stop talking nonsense!

Then Ivan wanted to look at the princess’s precious ring. As soon as he unwrapped the rag, the whole hut lit up!
— Stop playing with fire, fool! the brothers shouted. You’ll burn the house down! It’s time to kick you out!
Ivan said nothing but wrapped the ring in the rag again...

Three days later, the king issued another proclamation: all the people in the kingdom must gather for a feast, and no one was allowed to stay home. Anyone who refused would lose their head! The brothers had no choice but to go to the feast, taking Ivan the Fool with them. They arrived, sat at the oak tables, ate and drank, and talked. Ivan hid behind the stove in a corner.

Elena the Beautiful walked around, serving the guests. She offered wine and honey to everyone, looking to see if anyone wore her precious ring. Whoever had the ring on their hand would be her groom. But no one had the ring...

She went around to everyone and finally approached the last one—Ivan. He sat behind the stove, wearing ragged clothes and torn shoes, one hand wrapped in a rag. The brothers thought: “Look, the princess is serving wine even to our Ivan!”

Elena the Beautiful handed Ivan a glass of wine and asked:
— Why is your hand wrapped, young man?
— I was looking for mushrooms and scratched it on a branch.
— Unwrap it, show me!
Ivan unwrapped his hand, and on his finger was the princess’s precious ring—shining and sparkling!

Elena the Beautiful was overjoyed. She took Ivan by the hand, led him to her father, and said:
— Father, here is my groom!
They washed Ivan, combed his hair, dressed him, and he was no longer Ivan the Fool but a handsome young man, unrecognizable!
They didn’t wait long—the wedding feast began! I was at that feast, drank mead and beer, but it ran down my beard and didn’t reach my mouth.

↑ To the top

Sivka-Burka

More fairy tales