The Tale of the Rejuvenating Apples and the Living Water
In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived a king who had three sons: the eldest was named Fyodor, the second Vasily, and the youngest Ivan.The king had grown very old and his eyesight had failed him. But he had heard that beyond thrice nine lands, in the thirtieth kingdom, there was a garden with rejuvenating apples and a well with living water. If an old man ate one of these apples, he would grow young again, and if a blind man washed his eyes with this water, he would regain his sight.
The king held a feast for the whole world, inviting princes and boyars, and said to them:
"Who among you, my brave lads, would volunteer, would step forward as a hunter, and travel beyond thrice nine lands to the thirtieth kingdom to bring me rejuvenating apples and a jug of living water with twelve spouts? I would grant half my kingdom to this rider."
At this, the eldest began to hide behind the middle one, and the middle one behind the youngest, but the youngest remained silent.
Then Prince Fyodor stepped forward and said:
"We have no desire to give the kingdom to strangers. I will go on this journey and bring you, Father Tsar, the rejuvenating apples and a jug of living water with twelve spouts."
Prince Fyodor went to the stables, chose an untamed horse, bridled it with an unbridled bridle, took a whip that had never been used, and fastened twelve girths with an extra one—not for beauty, but for strength. Prince Fyodor set off on his journey. People saw him mount his horse, but they did not see in which direction he rode away...
He rode for a long time or a short time, high or low, until the evening, when the red sun began to set. He reached a crossroads where three roads met. There lay a stone slab with an inscription:
"If you go to the right, you will save yourself but lose your horse. If you go to the left, you will save your horse but lose yourself. If you go straight, you will be married."
Prince Fyodor thought for a while and said, "Let me take the road where I will be married."
And he turned onto the road that led to marriage. He rode and rode until he came to a mansion with a golden roof. There, a beautiful maiden ran out to him and said:
"Prince, let me help you dismount. Come with me to share bread and salt and rest."
"No, maiden, I do not wish for bread and salt, nor do I have time to rest. I must press on."
"Prince, do not hurry to ride, but hurry to do what pleases you."
With that, the beautiful maiden helped him dismount and led him into the mansion. She fed him, gave him drink, and put him to bed on a soft bed.
As soon as Prince Fyodor lay down by the wall, the maiden quickly turned the bed, and he fell into a deep pit...
After some time, the king held another feast, inviting the princes and boyars, and said to them:
"Here, my brave lads, who among you will volunteer to bring me the rejuvenating apples and a jug of living water with twelve spouts? I would grant half my kingdom to this rider."
Once again, the eldest hid behind the middle one, and the middle one behind the youngest, but the youngest remained silent.
Then the second son, Prince Vasily, stepped forward:
"Father, I have no desire to give the kingdom to strangers. I will go on this journey and bring you these treasures, placing them in your hands."
Prince Vasily went to the stables, chose an untamed horse, bridled it with an unbridled bridle, took a whip that had never been used, and fastened twelve girths with an extra one.
Prince Vasily set off on his journey. People saw him mount his horse, but they did not see in which direction he rode away... He reached the crossroads where the stone slab lay and read:
"If you go to the right, you will save yourself but lose your horse. If you go to the left, you will save your horse but lose yourself. If you go straight, you will be married."
Prince Vasily thought and thought, then chose the road that led to marriage. He rode until he came to the mansion with the golden roof. The beautiful maiden ran out to him and invited him to share bread and salt and rest.
"Prince, do not hurry to ride, but hurry to do what pleases you..."
She helped him dismount, led him into the mansion, fed him, gave him drink, and put him to bed.
As soon as Prince Vasily lay down by the wall, she turned the bed, and he fell into the pit.
From below, a voice asked:
"Who is falling?"
"Prince Vasily. And who is sitting here?"
"Prince Fyodor."
"Well, brother, we're in trouble!"
After some time, the king held a third feast, inviting the princes and boyars:
"Who among you will volunteer to bring me the rejuvenating apples and a jug of living water with twelve spouts? I would grant half my kingdom to this rider."
Once again, the eldest hid behind the middle one, and the middle one behind the youngest, but the youngest remained silent.
Then Prince Ivan stepped forward and said:
"Father, give me your blessing, from my wild head to my swift feet, to travel to the thirtieth kingdom to find the rejuvenating apples and living water for you, and to search for my brothers as well."
The king gave him his blessing. Prince Ivan went to the stables to choose a horse wisely. Whichever horse he looked at trembled, and whichever horse he touched fell to the ground...
Prince Ivan could not find a horse to his liking. He walked with his head hung low. An old woman met him on the way.
"Hello, dear child, Prince Ivan! Why are you walking so sad and troubled?"
"How can I not be sad, grandmother? I cannot find a horse to my liking."
"You should have asked me sooner. A good horse is chained in the cellar, on an iron chain. If you can take him, he will be the horse you seek."
Prince Ivan went to the cellar, kicked the iron slab, and it rolled away from the cellar. He jumped onto the good horse, and the horse placed its front hooves on his shoulders. Prince Ivan stood still, not moving a muscle. The horse broke the iron chain, leaped out of the cellar, and pulled Prince Ivan out with him. Then Prince Ivan bridled the horse with an unbridled bridle, saddled it with an unsaddled saddle, and fastened twelve girths—not for beauty, but for the glory of a brave young man.
Prince Ivan set off on his journey. People saw him mount the horse, but they did not see in which direction he rode away... He reached a crossroads and pondered:
"If I go to the right, I will lose my horse—but what would I do without a horse? If I go straight, I will get married—but that is not why I set out on this journey. If I go to the left, I will save my horse—this is the best road for me."
And he turned onto the road where he would save his horse but lose himself. He rode for a long time or a short time, low or high, through green meadows and stone mountains. He rode from morning till evening, from sunrise to sunset, and came upon a hut.
The hut stood on chicken legs, with one window.
"Hut, hut, turn your back to the forest and your front to me! Let me enter as I wish to leave."
The hut turned its back to the forest and its front to Prince Ivan. He entered, and there sat Baba Yaga, an old woman. She was spinning silk thread and throwing it across the room.
"Ugh, ugh," she said, "I have never heard of the Russian spirit, nor seen it, but now the Russian spirit has come to me."
And Prince Ivan replied:
"Ah, you, Baba Yaga, with your bony leg, you scold without knowing the man. You should rise and feed me, a good young man, a traveler, give me drink, and prepare a bed for the night. I would lie down, and you would sit at my head and ask questions, and I would tell you who I am and where I come from."
So Baba Yaga did all this—she fed Prince Ivan, gave him drink, and laid him down to sleep. She sat at his head and began to ask:
"Who are you, traveler, good young man, and where do you come from? What land are you from? Whose son are you?"
"I, grandmother, am from such-and-such a kingdom, from such-and-such a state, the son of a king, Prince Ivan. I am traveling beyond thrice-nine lands, beyond thrice-nine lakes, to the thirtieth kingdom for the living water and rejuvenating apples."
"Well, my dear child, you have a long way to go: the living water and rejuvenating apples are with the mighty warrior maiden Sineglazka, my niece. I do not know if you will succeed..."
"And you, grandmother, lend me your wisdom, guide me with your mind."
"Many young men have passed through here, but few have spoken so politely. Take, dear child, my horse. My horse is swifter; it will take you to my middle sister, and she will teach you."
Prince Ivan rose early in the morning, washed himself clean, thanked Baba Yaga for the night's lodging, and rode off on her horse.
Suddenly, he said to the horse:
"Stop! I dropped my glove."
And the horse replied:
"By the time you spoke, I had already galloped two hundred versts..."
Prince Ivan rode for a long time or a short time, from day to night. And he saw ahead another hut on chicken legs, with one window.
"Hut, hut, turn your back to the forest and your front to me! Let me enter as I wish to leave."
The hut turned its back to the forest and its front to him. Suddenly, a horse neighed, and the horse under Prince Ivan answered.
The horses were from the same herd. Baba Yaga—even older than the first—heard this and said:
"It seems my sister has come to visit."
And she came out to the porch:
"Ugh, ugh, I have never heard of the Russian spirit, nor seen it, but now the Russian spirit has come to me."
And Prince Ivan replied:
"Ah, you, Baba Yaga, with your bony leg, greet a guest by his clothes, but see him off by his mind. You should tend to my horse, feed me, a good young man, a traveler, give me drink, and lay me down to sleep..."
Baba Yaga did all this—she tended to the horse, fed Prince Ivan, gave him drink, laid him down to sleep, and began to ask who he was, where he came from, and where he was going.
"I, grandmother, am from such-and-such a kingdom, from such-and-such a state, the son of a king, Prince Ivan. I am traveling for the living water and rejuvenating apples to the mighty warrior maiden Sineglazka..."
"Well, my dear child, I do not know if you will succeed. It is wise of you to seek the maiden Sineglazka!"
"And you, grandmother, lend me your wisdom, guide me with your mind."
"Many young men have passed through here, but few have spoken so politely. Take, dear child, my horse, and ride to my eldest sister. She will teach you better than I can."
So Prince Ivan spent the night with this old woman, rose early in the morning, washed himself clean, thanked Baba Yaga for the night's lodging, and rode off on her horse. And this horse was even swifter than the last.
Suddenly, Ivan the Tsarevich says:
"Stop! I dropped my glove."
And the horse replies:
"By the time you spoke, I had already galloped three hundred versts..."
Things are not done quickly, but tales are told swiftly. Ivan the Tsarevich rides from day till evening, from sunrise to sunset. He comes across a hut on chicken legs, with one window.
"Hut, hut, turn your back to the forest and your front to me! I won't live here forever, just spend one night."
Suddenly, the horse neighs, and the horse beneath Ivan responds. Out comes Baba Yaga, an old woman, even older than the previous one. She looks—the horse belongs to her sister, and the rider is a stranger, a fine young man...
Here, Ivan the Tsarevich politely bows to her and asks for a place to stay for the night. What can you do? You don't carry lodging with you—lodging is for everyone: for those on foot and on horseback, for the poor and the rich alike.
Baba Yaga takes care of everything—she tends to the horse, feeds and waters Ivan the Tsarevich, and then begins to ask who he is, where he's from, and where he's headed.
"I, grandmother, am from such-and-such a kingdom, such-and-such a state, the tsar's son, Ivan the Tsarevich. I was with your younger sister, and she sent me to the middle sister, and the middle sister sent me to you. Lend me your wisdom, guide me with your mind and reason, so that I may obtain the living water and rejuvenating apples from the maiden Sineglazka."
"So be it, I will help you, Ivan the Tsarevich. The maiden Sineglazka, my niece, is a strong and mighty warrior. Around her kingdom stands a wall three sazhens high and one sazhen thick, with thirty warriors guarding the gates. They won't even let you through the gates. You must ride at midnight on my good horse. When you reach the wall, strike the horse on its sides with an unwhipped lash. The horse will leap over the wall. Tie the horse up and go into the garden. You'll see an apple tree with rejuvenating apples, and beneath it, a well. Pick three apples, no more. And draw living water from the well into a twelve-spouted jug. The maiden Sineglazka will be asleep; don't enter her chamber, but mount the horse and strike its steep sides. It will carry you back over the wall."
Ivan the Tsarevich did not spend the night with this old woman but mounted her good horse and rode off into the night. The horse leaps, skipping over mossy swamps, rivers, and lakes, sweeping them aside with its tail.
Whether it was long or short, low or high, Ivan the Tsarevich arrives at the high wall at midnight. The guards at the gates are asleep—thirty mighty warriors. He reins in his good horse and strikes it with an unwhipped lash. The horse, angered, leaps over the wall. Ivan the Tsarevich dismounts, enters the garden, and sees an apple tree with silver leaves and golden apples, and beneath it, a well. Ivan the Tsarevich picks three apples and no more, then draws living water from the well into a twelve-spouted jug. And he desires to see the strong, mighty warrior maiden Sineglazka himself.
Ivan the Tsarevich enters the chamber, where twelve warrior maidens sleep—six on one side and six on the other—and in the middle lies Sineglazka, sleeping like the roaring of a strong river rapid.
Ivan the Tsarevich couldn't resist; he leaned in, kissed her, and left... He mounted the good horse, and the horse speaks to him in a human voice:
"You didn't listen, Ivan the Tsarevich; you entered the chamber of the maiden Sineglazka. Now I cannot leap over the wall."
Ivan the Tsarevich strikes the horse with an unwhipped lash.
"Ah, you horse, wolf's food, bag of grass! We're not here to spend the night but to lose our heads!"
The horse, angrier than before, leaps over the wall, but one horseshoe scrapes it—strings on the wall begin to sing, and bells ring out.
The maiden Sineglazka wakes up and sees the theft:
"Rise, we've been robbed!"
She orders her warrior horse to be saddled and rushes after Ivan the Tsarevich with her twelve warrior maidens.
Ivan the Tsarevich rides at full gallop, and the maiden Sineglazka chases him. He reaches the eldest Baba Yaga, and her horse is already prepared. He dismounts from his horse, mounts this one, and rides on... Ivan the Tsarevich goes out the door, and the maiden Sineglazka enters, asking Baba Yaga:
"Grandmother, has a beast passed through here?"
"No, my dear."
"Grandmother, has a fine young man ridden through?"
"No, my dear. But you, from your journey, should have some milk."
"I would, grandmother, but it takes too long to milk the cow."
"What are you saying, my dear? I'll manage quickly..."
Baba Yaga goes to milk the cow—she milks, but not hurriedly. The maiden Sineglazka drinks the milk and continues chasing Ivan the Tsarevich.
Ivan the Tsarevich reaches the middle Baba Yaga, changes horses, and rides on. He goes out the door, and the maiden Sineglazka enters:
"Grandmother, has a beast passed through, or a fine young man ridden by?"
"No, my dear. But you, from your journey, should have some pancakes."
"But you'll take too long to bake them."
"What are you saying, my dear? I'll manage quickly..."
Baba Yaga bakes pancakes—she bakes, but not hurriedly. The maiden Sineglazka eats and continues chasing Ivan the Tsarevich.
He reaches the youngest Baba Yaga, dismounts, mounts his own warrior horse, and rides on. He goes out the door, and the maiden Sineglazka enters, asking Baba Yaga if a fine young man has ridden through.
"No, my dear. But you, from your journey, should bathe in the sauna."
"But you'll take too long to heat it."
"What are you saying, my dear? I'll manage quickly..."
The witch Baba Yaga heated up the bathhouse and prepared everything. The maiden Sineglazka (Blue-Eyes) steamed herself, rolled in the snow, and then raced off again. Her horse leaped from hill to hill, sweeping rivers and lakes with its tail. She began to catch up with Ivan Tsarevich.
He saw the pursuit behind him: twelve warrior maidens with the thirteenth—the maiden Sineglazka—were intent on overtaking him and taking his head off his shoulders. He began to slow his horse, and Sineglazka galloped up, shouting at him:
"Why did you, thief, drink from my well without asking and leave it uncovered?"
And he replied:
"Well then, let's part ways for three horse leaps and test our strength."
So Ivan Tsarevich and the maiden Sineglazka leaped three horse lengths apart, took up their war clubs, long spears, and sharp sabers. They clashed three times, broke their clubs, and blunted their spears and sabers—but neither could unseat the other. There was no point in continuing on their good horses, so they dismounted and grappled hand-to-hand.
They wrestled from morning till evening, until the red sun set. Ivan Tsarevich's nimble leg gave way, and he fell to the damp earth. Sineglazka knelt on his white chest and drew a damask dagger to pierce his chest. Ivan Tsarevich said to her:
"Do not kill me, maiden Sineglazka. Instead, take my white hands, lift me from the damp earth, and kiss my sugar lips."
Then Sineglazka lifted Ivan Tsarevich from the damp earth and kissed his sugar lips. They pitched a tent in the open field, on the wide expanse, on the green meadows. There they reveled for three days and three nights. There they became betrothed and exchanged rings.
Sineglazka said to him:
"I will go home, and you go home too, but mind you do not stray from your path... In three years, wait for me in your kingdom."
They mounted their horses and rode off... Whether it was long or short, the deed was not quickly done, but the tale is quickly told—Ivan Tsarevich reached the crossroads where three roads met, where a stone slab lay, and thought:
"This is not good! I am going home, but my brothers are missing."
And he disobeyed Sineglazka, turning onto the road where a married man should go... And he came upon a tower with a golden roof. There, his horse neighed beneath him, and his brothers' horses answered. The horses were from the same herd...
Ivan Tsarevich climbed the steps, struck the ring—and the domes of the tower swayed, the windows tilted. A beautiful maiden ran out.
"Ah, Ivan Tsarevich, I have been waiting for you for so long! Come with me to share bread and salt and to rest."
She led him into the tower and began to feast him. Ivan Tsarevich ate little, tossing most under the table, and drank little, pouring most under the table. The beautiful maiden led him to the bedroom:
"Lie down, Ivan Tsarevich, and rest."
But Ivan Tsarevich pushed her onto the bed, quickly turned the bed, and the maiden flew into a deep pit beneath the floor.
Ivan Tsarevich leaned over the pit and called:
"Who is alive down there?"
And from the pit came the reply:
"Fyodor Tsarevich and Vasily Tsarevich."
He pulled them out of the pit—their faces were black, and they had begun to grow moss. Ivan Tsarevich washed his brothers with the water of life, and they became their former selves again.
They mounted their horses and rode off... Whether it was long or short, they reached the crossroads. Ivan Tsarevich said to his brothers:
"Watch over my horse while I rest."
He lay down on the silken grass and fell into a deep, heroic sleep. But Fyodor Tsarevich said to Vasily Tsarevich:
"If we return without the water of life and the rejuvenating apples, we will have little honor, and our father will send us to tend geese."
Vasily Tsarevich replied:
"Let's throw Ivan Tsarevich into the abyss, take these things, and hand them to our father."
So they took the rejuvenating apples and the jug of the water of life from his bosom, and they threw him into the abyss. Ivan Tsarevich fell for three days and three nights.
He landed by the seashore, came to his senses, and saw only sky and water. Under an old oak by the sea, chicks were chirping—the storm was battering them.
Ivan Tsarevich took off his coat and covered the chicks, then sheltered under the oak.
The storm subsided, and the great bird Nagai flew in. It landed under the oak and asked its chicks:
"My dear children, did the storm harm you?"
"Do not cry, mother, a Russian man saved us, covering us with his coat."
The bird Nagai asked Ivan Tsarevich:
"Why have you come here, dear man?"
"My own brothers threw me into the abyss for the rejuvenating apples and the water of life."
"You saved my children. Ask of me what you wish: gold, silver, or precious stones."
"I need nothing, bird Nagai: neither gold, nor silver, nor precious stones. But can you help me return to my homeland?"
The Naga-bird replied to him:
- Fetch me two cauldrons—each weighing about twelve poods—of meat.
So Ivan the Tsarevich went and shot geese and swans by the seashore, filled the two cauldrons, placed one on the Naga-bird's right shoulder and the other on its left, and then sat on its back. He began to feed the Naga-bird, and it rose high into the sky.
As it flew, he kept feeding it... Whether they flew for a long time or a short time, Ivan the Tsarevich eventually emptied both cauldrons. The Naga-bird turned its head again. He took a knife, cut a piece of flesh from his own leg, and fed it to the Naga-bird. It flew on and then turned its head once more. He cut a piece of meat from his other leg and fed it. They were almost there when the Naga-bird turned its head again. This time, he cut a piece of meat from his chest and fed it to the bird.
Finally, the Naga-bird carried Ivan the Tsarevich to his homeland.
- You fed me well all the way, but I have never tasted anything sweeter than that last piece.
Ivan the Tsarevich showed the bird his wounds. The Naga-bird burped and spat out three pieces of flesh:
- Put them back in place.
Ivan the Tsarevich placed the pieces, and the flesh grew back onto his bones.
- Now, Ivan the Tsarevich, dismount. I must fly home.
The Naga-bird soared into the sky, and Ivan the Tsarevich set off on the road to his homeland.
When he reached the capital, he learned that Fyodor the Tsarevich and Vasily the Tsarevich had brought their father the water of life and rejuvenating apples, and the tsar had been healed: he was as strong and sharp-eyed as before.
Ivan the Tsarevich did not go to his father or mother. Instead, he gathered drunkards and tavern riffraff and began carousing in the taverns.
Meanwhile, far away in a distant kingdom, the mighty warrior maiden Sineglazka had given birth to two sons. They grew not by the day but by the hour. As the saying goes, a tale is quickly told, but a deed is not quickly done—three years passed. Sineglazka took her sons, gathered an army, and set out to find Ivan the Tsarevich.
She arrived in his kingdom, pitched a white linen tent in an open field, and laid out a path of colorful cloths from the tent. Then she sent a message to the tsar:
- Tsar, hand over the tsarevich. If you do not, I will trample and burn your entire kingdom and take you captive.
The tsar was frightened and sent his eldest son, Fyodor the Tsarevich. As Fyodor walked along the colorful cloths toward the white tent, two boys ran out:
- Mother, mother, is that our father coming?
- No, children, that is your uncle.
- What shall we do with him?
- Treat him well, my children.
The two boys took canes and began to whip Fyodor the Tsarevich below the back. They beat him until he barely escaped with his life.
Sineglazka sent another message to the tsar:
- Hand over the tsarevich...
The tsar grew even more frightened and sent his middle son, Vasily the Tsarevich. When Vasily approached the tent, the two boys ran out again:
- Mother, mother, is that our father coming?
- No, children, that is your uncle. Treat him well.
The boys once again whipped their uncle with canes. They beat him until he barely escaped.
Sineglazka sent a third message to the tsar:
- Go and find your third son, Ivan the Tsarevich. If you do not, I will trample and burn your entire kingdom.
The tsar grew even more terrified. He summoned Fyodor and Vasily and ordered them to find their brother, Ivan the Tsarevich. The brothers fell at their father's feet and confessed everything: how they had taken the water of life and rejuvenating apples from the sleeping Ivan the Tsarevich and left him in a chasm.
The tsar wept bitterly upon hearing this. Meanwhile, Ivan the Tsarevich himself was approaching Sineglazka, accompanied by a crowd of tavern riffraff. They tore up the colorful cloths and scattered them.
As he approached the white tent, the two boys ran out:
- Mother, mother, some drunkard is coming with a crowd of tavern riffraff!
Sineglazka replied:
- Take him by his white hands and lead him into the tent. This is your father. He has suffered innocently for three years.
They took Ivan the Tsarevich by his white hands and brought him into the tent. Sineglazka washed and combed him, changed his clothes, and put him to bed. She gave the tavern riffraff a drink and sent them home.
The next day, Sineglazka and Ivan the Tsarevich arrived at the palace. A grand feast began, celebrating both the honorable gathering and the wedding. Fyodor the Tsarevich and Vasily the Tsarevich were shown little honor and were driven from the court—left to find shelter wherever they could.
Ivan the Tsarevich did not stay there but left with Sineglazka for her maiden kingdom.
And here the tale ends.
More fairy tales
