THE REALM OF STONE
In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, once there lived a soldier who had served long and faithfully and knew all about the Tsar's service, the reviews, and always came up to parade looking clean and smart. The last year of his service came along, and, to his ill-luck, his superior officers, great and small, did not like him, and as a result he was soundly thrashed. This grieved the soldier, and he thought of deserting. So, with his wallet on his back and his gun on his shoulder, he began to bid farewell to his comrades, who asked him, "Where are you going? Do you want to enter a battalion?"
"Do not ask me, my brothers; just buckle my wallet firmly on, and do not think evil of me."
Then the good youth set forth whither his eyes gazed. May be far, may be near, he went on and on, and arrived at another kingdom, saw the sentry-guard and asked "May I rest here?"
So the sentry-guard told the Corporal, the Corporal told the Officer, and the Officer told the General, and the General told the King himself. And the King ordered the soldier to be brought before him in order that he might see him with his own eyes. And the soldier appeared before him in his proper regimentals, with musket on his shoulder, as though he were rooted to the ground.
Then the King asked him, "Tell me on your faith and oath, whence are you and where are you going?"
"Your kingly Majesty, do not have me punished!
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