Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar/The Quick Runner
THE QUICK RUNNER.
In a very distant kingdom, a long, long time ago, there were a number of impassable swamps and bogs to be found, round which went a circuitous road. Now this road was so long that it took three years at the least to complete the circuit, and that with very fast riding; but at a slower pace it took five and more!
Near this road there lived a poor old man with his three sons; the first was named Ivan; the second, Vasselie, and the third, Simeon-the-Youthful.
One day it struck the old man that it would be a very grand thing to cleanse the swamps and the bogs, and make a straight road and build little bridges here and there, so that foot-travellers might pass through in three weeks, and those on horseback in three days and nights, travelling without a break. So he set to work with his sons, and after some time everything was ready. They bridged the worst part of the swamps and bogs by means of branches of the elder-tree, and so completed their straight road across. This done, the old man returned to his little hut, and after the lapse of a few days, he said to his eldest son, Ivan,—
"Go, my dear son, and hide yourself behind one of the little bridges, and listen to what the people say about us; whether they abuse us or praise us."
Ivan obeyed, and concealed himself in a sheltered place under one of the little bridges. He had not very long to wait before he saw two old magicians coming along the straight road. When they were quite close to where Ivan lay hidden, he heard one say to the other,—
"I wonder who it was that cleansed these swamps and bogs? Whoever it was, he ought to be well rewarded."
"Yes, brother!" said the other. "Whatever he asks for, whatever he wishes, shall be granted him at once."
As soon as Ivan heard these words he came from his hiding-place, and said to the magicians,—
"My father, my brothers, and I made the road and the bridges."
"What do you ask from us?" asked one magician.
"I should like to have sufficient money to last me during the whole of my life."
"Granted. Go to the green field on the other side of the circuitous road; there you will find a rotten old tree, under which is a large cave full of gold and silver and precious stones. Take your spade and dig up the earth. You will then have enough money to last you your lifetime."
Away went Ivan to the green field, and found everything just as the magicians had said. He took some of the gold, silver, and precious stones, leaving the rest in the cave for safety, and went home.
"Well, my son," asked the old man, "did you see any one in the road? What did they say?"
Ivan told his father all about the magicians, what they had said, and how they had granted his wish.
On the following day the old man sent his second son, Vasselie, to listen to what the people said about them.
Vasselie went, seated himself near the straight road behind some stray branches, and waited. Very soon he saw two magicians coming along.
"Everything that the man who cleansed these swamps may wish for shall be granted him," Vasselie heard one of the magicians say.
"Who is the good man, do you know?" asked the other.
Vasselie at once sprang forward,—
"I did it all, with my father and brothers!" he said.
"What do you want us to give you as a reward?"
"I should like to have sufficient bread to eat all the days of my life."
"Very well, go home, cut down the early ears of corn as they appear, sow them again, and you will have enough bread to last you your lifetime."
Vasselie thanked the magicians and returned home. He told his father what had happened, and then set to work to cut down and sow the corn as he had been told.
On the third day, Simeon-the-Youthful, the youngest of the three brothers, went and hid himself near the road. He had not to wait long before he saw two old magicians coming along, and talking to each other; he listened, and as they came nearer to him he heard them say,—
"Whoever helped to cleanse these swamps shall be rewarded by having all his wishes fulfilled."
Simeon-the-Youthful came out of his hiding-place, and approaching the two magicians, said to them,—
"I helped my father and brothers to cleanse the swamps and bogs."
"What is your greatest wish?"
"I want to become a soldier, and serve our great king."
"Have you no other wish, good youth? for a soldier's life is a hard one; if you become a soldier you will be taken captive by the King of the Sea, and then you will shed many a tear."
"How odd old people are! Do you not know that if we do not cry in this world sometimes, we are sure to do so in the next."
"Well, if you have made up your mind to become a soldier, go! and receive our blessings."
So saying the magicians put their hands on Simeon's shoulders, but the moment they did so he was changed into a swift-footed stag, and bounded away homewards.
When the old man and his two sons saw the lovely stag run up, they rushed out of the hut to catch it; but the stag was too quick for them, and ran off, far, far away out of sight, and overtook the two magicians, who at once changed him into a hare. And this hare, after jumping about a little, fled home, where the father and his sons stood looking out of window; they ran out of their hut when they saw the little animal and were about to seize it, but before they could do anything the hare had vanished from their sight and had overtaken the magicians. This time they changed Simeon into a tiny little bird with a golden head. Away flew the little thing straight home and perched itself on the open window. The moment the father and sons saw it, they rushed to catch it, but before they got to the window the bird was off, and fluttered down upon the two magicians, who now changed it into Simeon-the-Youthful again.
"Now go to the king's court," said the magicians, "and become a soldier. If you are obliged to go anywhere quickly, you can change yourself into a stag, hare, or into a little bird with a golden head; we have taught you how to do it."
Simeon-the-Youthful thanked them, and returned home and asked his father to let him go to the king and become a soldier.
"Become a soldier!" cried the old man. "Why you are not half tall enough, and not over clever; how could you be a soldier?"
"Please let me go, father; I have got the magicians' blessing, so that I am sure to serve the king well."
His father at last gave his consent, and Simeon-the-Youthful dressed himself up in his Sunday best, took leave of his father and brothers, and started off to the king's court.
In due course he arrived at the palace, and was brought before the king, who at once asked him what he wanted.
"Your Majesty," he said, going down on his knees before the king; "I have come to ask you to take me into your royal service as a soldier."
"But you are not tall enough, young man! How can you become a soldier?"
"Though I am not so tall as I should like to be, Your Majesty, I will serve you as well as the tallest of your court, if you will but try me."
The king at last agreed, and took him as a soldier, and told him always to be near him.
After some time of peace and quiet a king of a neighbouring kingdom declared war against Simeon's master, who began to equip himself for the campaign and get his forces ready. Simeon begged the king to let him join the army and accompany him to the war. At first the king was reluctant, but Simeon begged so very hard that he at last consented.
The whole army assembled and started on the march; they passed through many lands, and went on and on until they were very near to the enemy's camp. Suddenly the king found that both his sharp-edged sword and mace were missing. What could he have done with them? Had he left them at the palace? If so, what was he to do? How was he to get them? The palace was many, many thousand miles away; he had nothing to defend himself with, and nothing with which he could beat down the enemy. He called to his army to halt, and asked his men whether any of them would undertake to go with all possible speed to the palace and bring him his sword and mace; whoever would do this service for him, to him he would give his daughter, the lovely Princess Nastasia, for a bride, and half of his kingdom besides.
Some of the men said they could do it in a year, some in six months, some in three months. At last Simeon-the-Youthful came up to the king, saying,—
"I can go to the palace, your Majesty, and bring you your sword and mace in three days."
The king was delighted, and taking Simeon by the hand he embraced him, and wrote a note for him to give to Princess Nastasia, in which he told her to give the bearer his sword and mace, which he had forgotten. Simeon took the note and went on his journey.
As soon as he was out of sight, and was sure that no one saw him, he quickly changed himself into a swift-footed stag, and bounded away over stock and stone, up hill and down dale, until he grew tired; he then changed himself into a hare, and away he went until his little feet became so tired that he changed himself into a pretty little bird with a golden head. He flew and flew, and at about noon the next day he reached the palace. He changed himself into his proper shape again, and entering the palace, gave the princess the note.
Princess Nastasia broke open the seal, and after reading the note, turned to Simeon, and said,—
"How did you manage to get over so much ground in so short a time?"
Simeon explained how he had changed himself first into a stag, then into a hare, and lastly into a little bird with a golden head; and so that she might believe him, he changed himself into a stag and ran about in the princess's chamber, and then came up to her and rested his pretty head on her lap. The princess took her little silver knife and cut off a tuft of the fur; this done, the stag changed into a hare, and jumped about the room for a little while, and then sprang up on to the princess's lap. She again took her little knife and cut off a little of the fur. The hare then changed into a little bird with a golden head, and flew about in the room, and then perched itself on the princess's shoulder. Princess Nastasia cut one of the little golden feathers off the bird's head, and then tied the two tufts of fur and the feather up in her handkerchief, and hid them in her dress, while Simeon became himself again.
The princess ordered food and wine to be brought him, and then gave him her father's sharp-edged sword and mace. After that they embraced each other and parted. Simeon changed himself into a stag again, and started off on his journey back to the king; transforming himself, when tired, into a hare, and then into a bird. Towards the end of the third day he came in sight of the king's encampment. When he came within thirty paces of the army he lay down under some bushes near the sea-shore to rest his weary limbs, and putting the sword and the mace by his side, he soon fell fast asleep.
Just at that time a general happened to be passing by the bushes, and on seeing the sleeping Simeon, he stopped, and pushing him into the sea with his foot, took the sword and mace, and went to the king.
"Your Majesty," he said, "I have brought you the sword and mace myself, for that stupid fellow Simeon is not likely to return for at least three years."
The king thanked the general, and the battle commenced. In a very short time the king defeated his enemy, and gained a splendid victory.
We have already said that Simeon-the-Youthful fell into the deep blue sea. As he was falling the King of the Sea caught him in his arms and took him down into the very depths below. He lived with that king for about a year, and then growing very dull and miserable, began to cry bitterly.
"What is the matter, Simeon-the-Youthful?" asked the King of the Sea. "Do you find it dull down here?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, I am beginning to feel dull."
"Would you like to have a look at the Russian world?"
"I should like nothing better, if Your Majesty will allow me."
The King of the Sea took him up at midnight, and left him on the shore, while he vanished in the sea.
Simeon-the-Youthful, when left to himself, began to pray to the saints for sun. His wish was granted, but just as the sun rose, the King of the Sea appeared, and seizing Simeon carried him off once more into the depths below.
Simeon-the-Youthful lived with the King of the Sea for another whole year, and again became very dull and miserable, and shed many a tear.
"What, are you beginning to feel dull again?" asked the King of the Sea.
"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Simeon.
"Would you like to have another look at the Russian world?"
"I should very much, Your Majesty."
At midnight the King of the Sea took Simeon, and putting him again on the shore, left him there.
Simeon-the-Youthful began at once to pray to the saints for sunlight.
This time the rays of the sun shed so powerful a light over the whole earth that the King of the Sea was unable to show himself, and take Simeon captive.
Simeon-the-Youthful then changed himself into a stag, and bounded away with all possible speed to his master's kingdom; on, on he ran, changing himself into a hare and then into a bird, until he at last reached the palace.
While all this had been taking place with Simeon, the king had returned from the war, and had given his lovely daughter, the Princess Nastasia, in marriage to the deceitful general.
When Simeon-the-Youthful came to the palace, he walked into the very hall where the king, his daughter, the general, and some of the courtiers were seated at table, dining. The moment Princess Nastasia beheld Simeon, she rose from the table, and turning to the king, her father, said,—
"Father, I should like to be allowed to speak."
"Speak out, my darling daughter. What is it you wish to say?"
"That man who has just entered is my bride-groom, and not the one who is seated at table!"
Then turning to Simeon, she said,—
"Show my father how you managed to get here in three days from the battlefield, to fetch his sword and mace."
Simeon-the-Youthful at once obeyed; he changed himself into a swift-footed stag, and ran about the hall, and then stopped before the princess, who took out the tuft of fur from her handkerchief and showed the king the place from whence she had cut it.
"Look, father," she said, "behold the proof!"
The stag then changed into a hare, and after jumping about the room, came to a standstill before the princess, who took out the bit of fur which she had cut off, and showed it to her father.
The hare then changed into a little bird and flew about in the room, and then perched on the princess's arm. Princess Nastasia brought out the little golden feather and showed that also.
The king then understood the whole thing, and ordered the wicked general to be thrown into prison, and gave Princess Nastasia in marriage to Simeon-the-Youthful, whom he made his heir; and they all lived happily ever after.