The Flying Ship

Once upon a time, there lived a man and his wife. They lived in love and harmony, and they had a son named Kolya. One day, the wife fell ill with an unknown sickness and passed away. The man grieved for a while, but then he remarried because it was hard for him to manage the household without a wife.

At first, Kolya lived well. His stepmother loved him like her own son. But after a year or two, it was as if someone had replaced her. She began to burden Kolya with all sorts of chores, constantly scolding and reproaching him. He would work all day, so exhausted that he could barely make it to bed, but his stepmother was never satisfied. Still, Kolya was kind and patient. He never complained to his father, not wanting to upset him. And so, he lived like this until he turned fifteen.

One day, the wicked stepmother put some stale crusts in Kolya’s bag and sent him to the forest to fetch firewood. The forest was far away—over ten miles. The poor boy walked and walked, lost in thought about his bitter life. He grew sad and began to cry. Suddenly, he saw an old gray-haired man approaching him. The old man said:

— Hello, my boy! Where are you headed?
— Hello, grandfather, — Kolya replied. — I’m going to the forest for firewood.
— Why are you crying, my boy?
— How can I not cry, grandfather? My life is bitter. I have no mother, and my stepmother has worn me out with work and keeps me half-starved. I never hear a kind word from her—only reproaches.

The old man sighed, shook his head, and said:

— I see. Well then, my boy, let’s sit down, rest, and eat. Take out what you have in your bag.
— But, grandfather, you won’t want to eat. All I have in my bag are stale crusts.
— It’s all right. Let’s see what you have.

They stepped off the road and sat on the grass. Kolya reached into his bag and pulled out not the crusts his stepmother had given him, but a soft loaf of wheat bread. He was astonished, and the old man chuckled:

— You see, my boy, what you had in your bag. And you said I wouldn’t eat it.

Kolya stared at the bread, unsure what to say, but the old man urged him:

— Eat, my boy. I’ll join you.
They began to eat. Kolya hadn’t tasted such delicious bread in a long time. He ate his fill, and there was still a slice left. He put it back in his bag, and another loaf appeared inside. Kolya was even more amazed.

The old man thanked him for the meal and said:

— Listen, my boy, to what I’m about to tell you. You’re a good lad, but you live poorly. I want to help you. If you do as I say, your life will improve. Go into the forest and find a clearing where a large oak tree grows. Strike the oak three times with your axe, then lie face down and wait until people approach you. They’ll offer you all sorts of things, but don’t get up and refuse everything. However, when they ask:
— “Do you need a flying ship, young man?” — you must jump up and say, “I need a flying ship!” It will appear before you. Board the ship, raise the sail, and set off for the capital city. And whoever you meet along the way, take them with you!

Kolya thanked the old man. They said their goodbyes, and the old man went on his way while Kolya headed into the forest. He found the clearing with the large oak tree, struck it three times with his axe, and lay face down on the ground. After a while, he heard people approaching and asking:

— Hey, young man, would you like something to eat?
— No, I don’t want anything, — Kolya replied.
— Maybe you need some money?
— No, I don’t need any.
— Perhaps you’d like some fine clothes?
— I don’t want fine clothes either!
The mysterious people offered Kolya all sorts of things, but he refused everything. Finally, they asked:
— Do you need a flying ship, young man?

At that, Kolya jumped to his feet and said:

— I need a flying ship!

And immediately, a flying ship appeared before him. Kolya boarded the ship, raised the sail, and flew off.

As he flew, he kept looking down at the ground. Suddenly, he saw a man walking along the road, carrying a basket of bread on his back.

Kolya flew closer and asked:

— Where are you going, good man?
— I’m heading to the village for bread. I’m hungry.
— But you have a full basket of bread on your back!
— Oh, this bread? I’d eat it all in one bite!
Kolya was amazed—what a gluttonous man! Remembering the old man’s instructions, he said:
— Come aboard, uncle. Let’s fly to the capital city. There’s plenty of bread there.

The man agreed, and they flew on together. They flew and flew until they saw a man lying on the road, pressing his ear to the ground and listening. Kolya stopped the ship and asked:

— Hello, good man! What are you doing?
— I’m listening to what people are saying in the capital city.
— We’re flying there right now. Come with us!

The man agreed, and the ship flew on. They flew and flew until they saw a marksman standing on the road, aiming his bow, though there was nothing in sight. Kolya greeted him and asked:

---

(To be continued, if needed!)
— Who are you aiming at? There's no one around here.
— I don’t shoot at close targets, — replied the archer. — I only shoot at distant ones. Right now, in the capital city, there’s a fly sitting on the cross of the bell tower. And I want my arrow to hit that fly in its right eye.
— Can you really see a fly from so many miles away?
— That’s nothing! — said the archer. — I can see even farther.
— We’re actually flying to the capital. Come with us!

The archer agreed. The ship flew on. They flew and flew, and then they saw a man hopping on one leg, with the other tied to his ear.

— Hello, good man, — said Kolya. — Why are you hopping on one leg?
— Because if I stood on both, I’d circle the entire world in five steps. And I don’t want to, — replied the man.
— Where are you headed?
— To the capital.
— Come with us!

The man boarded the flying ship. They flew on. They flew and flew, and then they saw a man walking along the shore of a lake, as if searching for something. Kolya flew up to him and asked:

— What are you looking for, good man?
— I’m thirsty, — replied the man, — but I can’t find any water.
— But there’s a whole lake in front of you! Why don’t you drink from it?
— There’s not enough water in it! It wouldn’t even be enough for one gulp!
— Then come with us! We’re flying to the capital. It’s on a big river; you’ll drink your fill there!

The man boarded, and they flew on. They flew and flew, and then they saw a man walking toward the forest, carrying a whole bundle of firewood on his back. Kolya flew up to him and asked:

— Why are you carrying firewood to the forest, good man? You can chop as much as you want there!

And the man replied:

— This isn’t ordinary firewood; it’s magical. If someone offends me, I’ll throw these logs on the ground, and an invincible army will appear—infantry, artillery, and cavalry!
— Would you like to fly with us to the capital?

The man agreed. They flew on. They met another man. He was walking and dragging a sack of straw. Kolya greeted him and asked:

— Where are you taking the straw?
— To the village.
— Doesn’t the village have straw?
— It does, but not like this. My straw isn’t ordinary. No matter how hot it gets, no matter how the sun beats down, as soon as I scatter this straw, it becomes cold, and everything around gets covered in frost.
— Would you like to fly with us to the capital?

The man agreed. They flew on. They flew for a long time, and finally, they arrived at the capital of the kingdom. The king of this kingdom had a beautiful daughter. When Kolya landed his ship in the square, the entire city gathered to see this wonder. When the princess saw the flying ship, she wanted to take a ride on it. She invited Kolya to the palace and began to plead:

— Take me for a ride on the flying ship. I want to see the capital from above!
And Kolya said:
— I’ll take the fair maiden who agrees to marry me for a ride.

The princess went to her father and said:

— I really want to ride on the flying ship. But this peasant wants me to marry him in return. How can I, a princess, marry a peasant? We need to think of something.

The king and the princess began to think and scheme about how to take the flying ship. They decided to destroy Kolya through trickery. The king summoned Kolya to the palace and said:

— Alright, I agree to give my daughter to you in marriage. Send your matchmakers, and I’ll set out a feast for them—forty loaves of bread and a forty-barrel cask of wine. If they eat and drink it all in one sitting, I’ll give you my daughter. If not—here’s my sword, and your head will roll!

The Listener heard all this and told his companions.

Kolya returned from the palace, his head hanging low, sighing. He thought about boarding the flying ship and leaving the capital quietly. But then the Glutton and the Drunkard approached him and said:

— Why are you so down, Kolya? Have you forgotten about us? We’ll help you. Send us to woo the princess!

Kolya was overjoyed and sent them to the palace.

The matchmakers arrived at the palace and sat at the table. The Glutton began to devour the food—he ate all forty loaves and asked for more. And the Drunkard downed the forty-barrel cask of wine in one go and also asked for more.

The king was amazed. He had never seen such gluttons and drinkers before. He went to the princess, and they began to think and scheme again about how to get rid of Kolya. They came up with a new challenge. The king summoned Kolya to the palace and said:
— I will give you my daughter, but first you must give her a wedding ring. And this ring is in a distant kingdom, far beyond the thrice-nine lands. If you don’t bring this ring within three hours, I will order your head to be cut off.

Sly Ear heard all of this and told his comrades.

Kolya came back gloomier than a storm cloud. He didn’t know what to do. He thought, maybe it would be better to flee the capital while his head was still intact! But Swiftfoot said to him:

— What’s wrong, Kolya? Why so down? I’ll help you. Not in three hours, but in two, you’ll have the ring for the princess.

Swiftfoot untied his leg from his ear, took a couple of steps, and found himself in the thrice-ninth kingdom. He got the wedding ring and turned back. He took one step, and suddenly felt like resting a bit. He lay down under a shady oak tree and fell into a deep sleep.

Kolya waited for Swiftfoot. Two hours had already passed, but he still hadn’t returned. Kolya grew anxious. “I’m doomed,” he thought. Sly Ear saw Kolya sitting there, neither alive nor dead. He approached him and asked:

— What’s wrong with you?
— Well, Swiftfoot said he’d be back in two hours, but it’s already nearing the third hour. My head is lost!

Then Sly Ear put his ear to the ground and started listening. After a moment, he said:

— Don’t worry, Kolya. He’s asleep, the rascal, under an oak tree. Snoring and whistling through his nose!
— What are we going to do now? — asked Kolya. — How do we wake him up? Then Sharpshooter said:
— Don’t worry, I’ll wake him up right now! Sharpshooter took his rifle, aimed, and fired straight at the oak tree. The bullet knocked off a branch. It fell on Swiftfoot. He woke up, jumped to his feet, and clapped his hands.
— How did I sleep so long? He took one step and appeared before Kolya. Kolya took the wedding ring from him and ran to the palace.
— Here, princess, is the ring. I brought it in time.

The king and princess were amazed. They started thinking and plotting again about how to destroy Kolya. And they came up with something. The king summoned him to the palace again and said:

— You must, young man, go to the bathhouse before the wedding, wash, and steam yourself.
— Alright, — said Kolya. Meanwhile, the princess ordered the servants to heat the iron bathhouse until it glowed red-hot. It was impossible to approach it, let alone wash in it.

But Sly Ear had heard the king and princess conspiring to destroy Kolya and told his comrades.

The servants led Kolya to the bathhouse, and Frosty followed him with his bundle of straw. As they approached the bathhouse, flames were blazing from the door, and the heat was unbearable. The servants rushed forward, shoved Kolya and Frosty inside, and barred the door. But Frosty spread out his straw, and instantly the bathhouse became so cold that even the walls were covered in frost.

An hour or two passed. The king called his servants.

— Go to the bathhouse and see what’s happening. Surely, only ashes remain of the groom and the peasant.

The servants went to the bathhouse and opened the door. Kolya was sitting on the stove and said:

— The king’s bathhouse is terrible! It’s so cold, as if it was never heated. We’re completely frozen!

The servants ran back to the king and told him about this miracle.

The king and princess were amazed and started thinking and plotting again about how to get rid of Kolya. They decided to take his flying ship by force, throw him into a dungeon, and starve him to death.

The king summoned his generals and ordered them to gather their troops and capture Kolya. Of course, Sly Ear heard all of this and told his comrades.

Kolya was terrified — he had never fought in a war or even seen one. He decided to board his ship and fly far away from this hateful kingdom. But then a peasant with a bundle of firewood approached him and said:

— Why are you scared, Kolya? I’ll help you deal with the king’s army.

At that moment, the king’s troops marched onto the square and surrounded the flying ship.

The peasant took his bundle off his shoulders and started tossing logs in all directions. An invincible army appeared before the king’s troops — infantry, cavalry, and artillery. The army stood ready, waiting for the signal to start the battle. Kolya gave the signal, and the magical army struck the king’s troops. Before the king and princess could blink, all their soldiers had scattered, and they themselves were captured. Kolya sent the king to the very bathhouse where they had tried to burn him alive. Then he approached the princess and said:

— I don’t want to marry you. You and the king wanted to destroy me, but it didn’t work. My comrades helped me. Now you must choose — either leave this kingdom forever or sit in the iron bathhouse with your father until you freeze.

The princess fell to her knees before Kolya and begged for forgiveness. She swore she would become kind and good, pleading with him to marry her.

But Kolya didn’t marry the princess. Instead, he chased her and the king away. The people were overjoyed because Kolya had freed them from the evil king’s rule.

And from that day on, there was never another king in that land.

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The Flying Ship

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