The Bird Language
In a certain town, there lived a merchant and his wife, and the Lord blessed them with a son who was wise beyond his years, named Vasily.One day, the three of them were having dinner together, and above the table hung a nightingale in a cage, singing so mournfully that the merchant couldn't bear it and said:
"If only there were a person who could truly tell me what the nightingale is singing about and what fate it foretells—I would gladly give them half of my estate during my lifetime and leave them much of my wealth after my death."
The boy—he was about six years old at the time—looked into his parents' eyes and said:
"I know what the nightingale is singing about, but I'm afraid to say it."
"Speak without hiding anything!" his father and mother urged him.
And Vasily, with tears in his eyes, said:
"The nightingale foretells that a time will come when you will serve me: Father will bring me water, and Mother will hand me a towel to wipe my face and hands."
These words deeply upset the merchant and his wife, and they decided to get rid of their child. They built a small boat, placed the sleeping boy in it on a dark night, and set it adrift on the open sea.
At that moment, the prophetic nightingale flew out of its cage, came to the boat, and perched on the boy's shoulder.
So the boat sailed on the sea, and a ship came speeding toward it with all sails set. The ship's captain saw the boy, felt pity for him, took him aboard, asked about everything, and promised to care for and love him as his own son.
The next day, the boy said to his new father:
"The nightingale is singing that a storm will rise, break the masts, and tear the sails; we must turn to a safe harbor."
But the captain did not listen.
And indeed, a storm arose, broke the masts, and tore the sails.
There was nothing to be done; what was past could not be undone. They set up new masts, repaired the sails, and sailed on. And Vasily said again:
"The nightingale is singing that twelve ships are coming toward us, all pirate ships, and they will capture us!"
This time, the captain listened, turned toward an island, and saw how those twelve pirate ships sailed past. The captain waited as long as necessary and then sailed on.
Not long after, the ship docked in the city of Khvalynsk; and for several years, a raven, a female raven, and a young raven had been flying and cawing outside the palace windows, giving no one peace day or night.
No matter what was done, no tricks could drive them away from the windows; even shot didn't work! And the king had ordered that a proclamation be posted at all crossroads and docks: whoever could drive the raven and his mate away from the palace windows would be rewarded with half the kingdom and the hand of the younger princess in marriage; but whoever attempted the task and failed would lose their head.
Many were eager to become related to the king, but all laid their heads beneath the axe.
Vasily heard about this and begged the captain:
"Let me go to the king to drive away the raven and his mate."
No matter how much the captain tried to dissuade him, he couldn't hold him back.
"Well, go," he said, "but if something bad happens, blame yourself!"
Vasily came to the palace, spoke to the king, and ordered the very window near which the ravens flew to be opened.
He listened to the birds' cries and said to the king:
"Your Majesty, you see for yourself that three are flying here: the raven, his wife, and their young raven; the raven and his wife are arguing over whom the young one belongs to—the father or the mother—and they ask you to judge between them. Your Majesty! Tell me, to whom does the young one belong?"
The king said:
"To the father."
As soon as the king spoke these words, the raven and the young raven flew to the right, and the female raven flew to the left.
After that, the king took the boy into his service, and he lived with him in great favor and honor; he grew up and became a fine young man, married the princess, and received half the kingdom as a dowry.
One day, he decided to travel to different lands, to see people and show himself: he prepared and set off to wander.
In one town, he stopped to spend the night; he slept, got up in the morning, and ordered that water be brought for him to wash.
The host brought him water, and the hostess handed him a towel; the prince started talking to them and realized that they were his father and mother. He wept with joy and fell at their feet; afterward, he took them with him to the city of Khvalynsk, and they all lived together, prospering and accumulating wealth.
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