In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived an old man and an old woman, and they had a son, Martinka. All his life the old man was engaged in hunting, he beat the beast and the bird, he himself was fed by this, and he fed his family. The time has come - the old man fell ill and died. Martinka remained with his mother, they mourned and wept, but there was nothing to do: you cannot bring back the dead. We lived for a week and ate all the bread that was in stock.
The old woman sees that there is nothing else to eat, that she must take money, and the old man left them two hundred rubles. She did not want to start the egg, but no matter how fast she was, she needed to start - not to die of hunger! She counted out a hundred rubles and said to her son:
Well, Martynka, here's a hundred of your soldiers, go ask your neighbors for a horse, go to town and buy some bread. Maybe we'll get through the winter somehow, and in the spring we'll start looking for work.
Martynka begged for a cart with a horse and went to the city. He rides past butcher shops - noise, abuse, a crowd of people. What's happened? And then the butchers caught hunting dog, tied to a post and beat her with sticks - the dog is torn, squeals, snaps ... Martynka ran up to those butchers and asked:
Brothers, why do you beat the poor dog so mercilessly?
But how can you not beat him, the damned one, - the butchers answer, - when he ruined a whole carcass of beef!
Complete, brothers! Don't hit him, better sell to me.
Perhaps buy it, - one man says jokingly. - Come on, a hundred rubles.
Martinka pulled out a hundred from his bosom, gave it to the butchers, and untied the dog and took it with him. The dog began to caress him, and twirls his tail: he understands, then, who saved him from death.
When Martynka came home, her mother immediately began to ask:
What did you buy son?
Bought my first happiness.
What are you lying about! What happiness is there?
And here he is, Zhurka! - And shows her the dog.
Didn't buy anything else?
If there was money left, maybe I would have bought it, only the whole hundred went for the dog.
The old woman scolded.
We, - she says, - have nothing to eat on our own, today I collected the last scrapes from the bins and baked a cake, and tomorrow it won’t be!
The next day the old woman pulled out another hundred roubles, gave it to Martynka and punished him:
On, son! Go to the city, buy bread, but don't throw money away for free.
Martinka arrived in the city, began to walk the streets and look closely, and an evil boy caught his eye: he caught a cat, hooked it around the neck with a rope and began to drag it to the river.
Wait! Martin shouted. - Where are you dragging Vaska?
I want to drown him, damn it!
For what fault?
He pulled the cake off the table.
Don't drown it, better sell it to me.
Perhaps buy. Come on, a hundred rubles.
Martinka did not hesitate for a long time, reached into his bosom, pulled out the money and gave it to the boy, and put the cat in a bag and took him home.
What did you buy son? the old woman asks him.
Cat Vaska.
Didn't buy anything else?
If there was money left, maybe I would have bought something else.
Oh, you are such a fool! the old woman shouted at him. - Get out of the house, look for bread for strangers!
Martynka went to a neighboring village to look for work. He walks along the road, and Zhurka and Vaska run after him. To meet him pop:
Where are you going, light?
I'm going to be hired as a laborer.
Come to me. Only I take workers without a row: whoever serves me for three years, I won’t offend him anyway.
Martynka agreed and worked tirelessly for three summers and three winters for the priest. The time has come for reckoning, the owner calls him:
Well, Martinka, go and get it for your service.
He brought him to the barn, showed him two full bags and said:
Whatever you want, take it.
Martynka looks - there is silver in one bag, and sand in the other, and he thought.
"This joke has been prepared for a reason! It's better that my labors be lost, and I'll try, I'll take the sand - what will come of it?"
He says to the owner:
I, father, choose a bag with fine sand.
Well, light, your good will. Take it if you disdain silver.
Martinka put the bag on his back and went to look for another place. He walked and walked and wandered into a dark, dense forest. There is a clearing in the middle of the forest, a fire burns in the clearing, and a girl sits in the fire, and such a beauty that you can’t think of it, you can’t imagine it, you can only tell in a fairy tale. The red girl says:
Martin, widow's son! If you want to make yourself happy, deliver me: fill this flame with sand, for which you served for three years.
"Indeed," thought Martinka, "than to carry such a burden with you, better man help. Wealth is small - sand, there is a lot of this good everywhere!
He took off the bag, untied it and let's pour it. The fire immediately went out, the red maiden hit the ground, turned into a snake, jumped up on the good fellow’s chest and wrapped herself in a ring around his neck.
MAGIC RING
Russian folktale
In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived an old man and an old woman, and they had a son, Martinka. All his life the old man was engaged in hunting, he beat the beast and the bird, he himself was fed by this, and he fed his family. The time has come - the old man fell ill and died. Martinka remained with his mother, they mourned and wept, but there was nothing to do: you cannot bring back the dead. We lived for a week and ate all the bread that was in stock.
The old woman sees that there is nothing else to eat, that she must take money, and the old man left them two hundred rubles. She did not want to start the egg, but no matter how fast she was, she needed to start - not to die of hunger! She counted out a hundred rubles and said to her son:
Well, Martynka, here's a hundred of your soldiers, go ask your neighbors for a horse, go to town and buy some bread. Maybe we'll get through the winter somehow, and in the spring we'll start looking for work.
Martynka begged for a cart with a horse and went to the city. He rides past butcher shops - noise, abuse, a crowd of people. What's happened? And then the butchers caught a hunting dog, tied it to a pole and beat it with sticks - the dog is torn, squeals, snaps ... Martynka ran up to those butchers and asked:
Brothers, why do you beat the poor dog so mercilessly?
But how can you not beat him, the damned one, - the butchers answer, - when he ruined a whole carcass of beef!
Complete, brothers! Don't hit him, better sell to me.
Perhaps buy it, - one man says jokingly. - Come on, a hundred rubles.
Martinka pulled out a hundred from his bosom, gave it to the butchers, and untied the dog and took it with him. The dog began to caress him, and twirls his tail: he understands, then, who saved him from death.
When Martynka came home, her mother immediately began to ask:
What did you buy son?
Bought my first happiness.
What are you lying about! What happiness is there?
And here he is, Zhurka! - And shows her the dog.
Didn't buy anything else?
If there was money left, maybe I would have bought it, only the whole hundred went for the dog.
The old woman scolded.
We, - she says, - have nothing to eat on our own, today I collected the last scrapes from the bins and baked a cake, and tomorrow it won’t be!
The next day the old woman pulled out another hundred roubles, gave it to Martynka and punished him:
On, son! Go to the city, buy bread, but don't throw money away for free.
Martinka arrived in the city, began to walk the streets and look closely, and an evil boy caught his eye: he caught a cat, hooked it around the neck with a rope and began to drag it to the river.
Wait! Martin shouted. - Where are you dragging Vaska?
I want to drown him, damn it!
For what fault?
He pulled the cake off the table.
Don't drown it, better sell it to me.
Perhaps buy. Come on, a hundred rubles.
Martinka did not hesitate for a long time, reached into his bosom, pulled out the money and gave it to the boy, and put the cat in a bag and took him home.
What did you buy son? the old woman asks him.
Cat Vaska.
Didn't buy anything else?
If there was money left, maybe I would have bought something else.
Oh, you are such a fool! the old woman shouted at him. - Get out of the house, look for bread for strangers!
Martynka went to a neighboring village to look for work. He walks along the road, and Zhurka and Vaska run after him. To meet him pop:
Where are you going, light?
I'm going to be hired as a laborer.
Come to me. Only I take workers without a row: whoever serves me for three years, I won’t offend him anyway.
Martynka agreed and worked tirelessly for three summers and three winters for the priest. The time has come for reckoning, the owner calls him:
Well, Martinka, go and get it for your service.
He brought him to the barn, showed him two full bags and said:
Whatever you want, take it.
Martynka looks - there is silver in one bag, and sand in the other, and he thought.
“This joke is prepared for a reason! Let my labors be lost, and I will try, I will take the sand - what will come of it?
He says to the owner:
I, father, choose a bag with fine sand.
Well, light, your good will. Take it if you disdain silver.
Martinka put the bag on his back and went to look for another place. He walked and walked and wandered into a dark, dense forest. There is a clearing in the middle of the forest, a fire burns in the clearing, and a girl sits in the fire, and such a beauty that you can’t think of it, you can’t imagine it, you can only tell in a fairy tale. The red girl says:
Martin, widow's son! If you want to make yourself happy, deliver me: fill this flame with sand, for which you served for three years.
“Indeed,” thought Martinka, “than to carry such a burden with you, it’s better to help a person. Wealth is small - sand, there is a lot of this goodness everywhere!
He took off the bag, untied it and let's pour it. The fire immediately went out, the red maiden hit the ground, turned into a snake, jumped up on the good fellow’s chest and wrapped herself in a ring around his neck.
Martin got scared.
Don't be afraid! the snake told him. - Go now to distant lands, to the distant state, to the underworld, where my father reigns. When you come to his courtyard, he will give you a lot of gold, and silver, and semi-precious stones - you don’t take anything, but ask him for a little ring from his little finger. That ring is not simple: if you throw it from hand to hand, twelve fellows will immediately appear, and whatever they are ordered to do, they will do everything in one night.
The good fellow went on his way. Is it close, is it far, is it soon, is it short - does it come to the thirtieth kingdom and sees a huge stone. Then a snake jumped off his neck, hit the damp earth and became, as before, a red maiden.
Follow me! - says the red maiden and led him under that stone.
For a long time they walked along the underground passage, suddenly a light dawned - brighter and brighter, and they went out into a wide field, under a clear sky. A magnificent palace was built on that field, and in the palace lives the father of the red maiden, the king of that underground side.
Travelers enter the white-stone chambers, the king greets them kindly.
Hello, - he says, - my dear daughter! Where have you been hiding for so many years?
Light you are my father! I would have completely disappeared if not for this man: he freed me from an evil, inevitable death and brought me here, to my native places.
Thank you, good fellow! - said the king. - You should be rewarded for your virtue. Take for yourself gold, and silver, and semi-precious stones as much as your soul desires.
Martyn, the widow's son, answers him:
Your royal majesty! I do not need any gold, or silver, or semi-precious stones! If you want to favor, give me a ring from your royal pen - from the little finger. I am a single man, I will look at the ring more often, I will begin to think about the bride, thereby driving away my boredom.
The tsar immediately took off the ring and gave it to Martin:
On, own on health! Yes, look - don't tell anyone about the ring, otherwise you will drag yourself into a big trouble!
Martin, the widow's son, thanked the tsar, took the ring and a small amount of money for the journey, and set off back the same way as before. Whether it was close, far, or short, he returned to his homeland, sought out his old mother, and they began to live and live together without any need or sadness.
Martynka wanted to get married; he stuck to his mother, sends her as a matchmaker.
Go, - he says, - to the king himself, marry the beautiful princess for me.
Hey, son, - the old woman answers, - if you cut a tree by yourself, it would be better! And then you see what he thought! Well, why should I go to the king? It is a known fact that he will be angry with both me and you orders to be executed.
Nothing, mother! Probably, if I send, then boldly go. What will be the answer from the king, tell me about it, and without an answer, do not return home.
The old woman gathered and trudged to the royal palace. She came to the yard and straight to the front staircase, and rushing without any report. Sentinels seized her:
Stop, old witch! Where the hell are you taking? Here, even the generals do not dare to go without a report ...
Oh you are so-and-so! cried the old woman. - I came to the king with good deed, I want to marry his daughter-princess for my son, and you grab me by the floor!
Made such a noise! The king heard the screams, looked out the window and ordered the old woman to be admitted to him. So she entered the room and bowed to the king.
What do you say, old lady? asked the king.
Yes, I've come to your mercy. Not in anger to tell you: I have a merchant, you have goods. The merchant is my son Martynka, very clever, and the goods are your daughter, the beautiful princess. Will you give her in marriage to my Martinka? There will be a couple!
What you! Or have you gone crazy? the king shouted at her.
No, your royal highness! Feel free to give an answer.
The king at the same time gathered all the gentlemen of the ministers to himself, and they began to judge and decide what kind of answer to give this old woman. And so they decided: let de Martynka build the richest palace in a single day, and that a crystal bridge be made from that palace to the royal one, and trees with golden and silver apples would grow on both sides of the bridge, different birds would sing on the same trees. Moreover, let him build a five-domed cathedral: it would be where to accept the crown, it would be where to celebrate the wedding. If the old woman's son does all this, then you can give the princess for him: it means that he is painfully wise. And if he doesn’t, then both the old woman and him will be cut off for the offense of the head.
With such an answer, the old woman was released. She goes home - staggers, floods with burning tears. I saw Martin. Rushed towards him.
Well, - he says, - I told you, son, do not start too much, and you are all yours! Now our poor little heads have disappeared, we will be executed tomorrow.
Complete, mother! Let's stay alive. Lie down to rest - the morning, it seems, is wiser than the evening.
Exactly at midnight Martyn got out of bed, went out into the wide yard, threw the ring from hand to hand - and...
Fast navigation backward: Ctrl+←, forward Ctrl+→In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived an old man and an old woman, and they had a son, Martinka. All his life the old man was engaged in hunting, he beat the beast and the bird, he himself fed himself and fed his family. The time has come - the old man fell ill and died. Martinka and her mother grieve and cry, but there is nothing to do: you cannot bring back the dead. We lived for a week and ate all the bread that was in stock. The old woman sees that there is nothing else to eat, it is necessary to take money for money. The old man left them two hundred rubles. She really did not want to mend the little egg, however, no matter how fast she was, she needed to be mended - not to die of hunger!
She counted out a hundred rubles and said to her son:
“Well, Martynka, here’s a hundred clerks for you; go ask your neighbors for a horse, go to town and buy bread; maybe we’ll somehow make it through the winter, and in the spring we’ll start looking for work.
Martynka begged for a cart with a horse and went to the city. He rides past butcher shops - noise, abuse, a crowd of people. What's happened?
And then the butchers caught a hunting dog, tied it to a post and beat it with sticks; the dog is torn, squeals, snaps... Martynka ran up to those butchers and asked:
— Brothers! Why are you beating the poor dog so mercilessly?
“But how can you not beat him, the damned one,” the butchers answer, “when he ruined a whole carcass of beef!”
“Enough, brothers! Don't beat him, sell it to me.
“Perhaps buy it,” one man says jokingly, “give me a hundred rubles.”
Martinka pulled out a hundred from his bosom, gave it to the butchers, and untied the dog and took it with him.
The dog began to caress him, and twirls his tail: he understands who saved him from death.
When Martynka came home, her mother immediately began to ask:
What did you buy, son?
— I bought my first happiness.
- What are you lying about, what kind of happiness is there?
- And here he is - Zhurka! And he shows her a dog.
“Didn’t you buy anything else?”
- If the money had remained, maybe I would have bought it; only the whole hundred went for the dog. The old woman scolded:
“We,” she says, “have nothing to eat ourselves: today I gathered the last scraps from the bins and baked a cake, and tomorrow there won’t be even that!”
The next day the old woman pulled out another hundred roubles, gave it to Martynka and punished him:
- On, son! Go to the city, buy bread, but don't throw money away for free.
Martinka arrived in the city, began to walk the streets and look closely. An evil boy caught his eye: that boy caught the cat, hooked it around the neck with a rope and let's drag it to the river.
— Wait! Martin shouted. - Where are you dragging Vaska?
"I want to drown him, damn it!"
- For what fault?
He pulled the cake off the table.
Don't drown it, better sell it to me.
- Perhaps, buy: give a hundred rubles.
Martinka did not hesitate for a long time, reached into his bosom, pulled out the money and gave it to the boy, and put the cat in a bag and took him home.
What did you buy, son? the old woman asks him.
- Cat Vaska.
“Didn’t you buy anything else?”
- If there was money left, maybe I would buy something else
“Oh, you fool! - the old woman shouted at him - Go out of the house, look for bread for yourself among strangers.
Martynka went to the neighboring village to look for work; goes along the road, and Zhurka and Vaska run after him.
To meet him pop:
— Where, light, are you going?
- I'm going to be hired as a laborer.
- Come to me; only I take workers without a row: whoever serves me for three years, I won’t offend him anyway.
Martynka agreed and worked tirelessly for three summers and three winters for the priest.
The time for reckoning has come, the owner calls him:
- Well, Martinka! Go get it for your service. He brought him to the barn, showed him two full bags and said:
- Whatever you want, that one take it!
Martynka looks - there is silver in one bag, and sand in the other - and he thought: “This thing was prepared for a reason! It would be better if my labors perish, and I will try, I will take sand - what will come of it?
He says to the owner:
- I, father, choose a bag with fine sand.
- Well, light, your good will; take it if you disdain silver.
Martinka put the sack on his back and went to look for another place; walked and walked and wandered into a dark, dense forest. There is a clearing in the middle of the forest, a fire burns in the clearing, a girl sits in the fire, and such a beauty that you can’t think of it, you can’t imagine it, you can only tell in a fairy tale.
The red girl says:
- Martin, widow's son! If you want to make yourself happy, save me, fill this flame with sand, for which you served for three years.
“Indeed,” he thought. Martinka, - than to carry such a burden with you, it is better to help a person. Wealth is not great - sand, there is a lot of this goodness everywhere!”
He took off the bag, untied it, and let's pour it: the fire immediately went out.
The red maiden hit the ground, turned into a snake, jumped up on the good fellow's chest and wrapped herself in a ring around his neck.
Martin got scared.
- Don't be afraid! the snake told him. - Go now to distant lands, to the thirtieth state - to the underworld; there my father reigns. When you come to his courtyard, he will give you a lot of gold, and silver, and semi-precious stones, you do not take anything, but ask him for a ring from his little finger. That ring is not simple: if you throw it from hand to hand, twelve fellows will immediately appear, and whatever they are ordered to do, they will do everything in one night.
The good fellow went on his way. Is it close, is it far, is it soon, is it short, does it come to the thirtieth kingdom and sees a huge stone. Then a snake jumped off his neck, hit the damp earth and became, as before, a red maiden.
- Follow me! - says the red maiden and led him under that stone. For a long time they walked along the underground passage, suddenly a light dawned - brighter and brighter, and they came out into a wide field, under a clear sky. A magnificent palace was built on that field, and in the palace lives the father of the red maiden, the king of that underground side.
Travelers enter the white-stone chambers, the king greets them kindly.
“Hello,” he says, “my dear daughter, where have you been hiding for so many years?”
- Light you are my father! I would have completely disappeared if not for this man: he freed me from an evil inevitable death and brought me here to my native places.
- Thank you, good fellow! the king said. “Your virtue must be rewarded. Take for yourself gold, and silver, and semi-precious stones, as much as your soul wants.
Martyn, the widow's son, answers him:
"Your Royal Majesty!" I do not need any gold, or silver, or semi-precious stones: if you want to favor, give me a ring from your royal hand - from the little finger. I am a single person; I’ll look at the ring more often, I’ll start thinking about the bride, thereby dispelling my boredom.
The tsar immediately took off the ring and gave it to Martin:
“Here, own it to your health, but look: don’t tell anyone about the ring, otherwise you will drag yourself into big trouble!”
Martyn, the widow's son, thanked the king, took the ring and a small amount of money for the journey, and set off back the same way as before. Close, far, soon, short, he returned to his homeland, sought out his mother, and they began to live and live together without any need or sorrow. Martynka wanted to get married, he stuck to his mother, sent her as a matchmaker:
“Go to the king himself, marry the beautiful princess for me.”
“Oh, son,” the old woman answers, “if you were to cut a tree by yourself, it would be better.” And then, you see, what you thought up! Well, why should I go to the king? Knowingly, he will be angry and orders me and you to be executed.
- Nothing, mother! Probably, if I send, then boldly go. What will be the answer from the king, tell me about it; and without an answer, do not turn back home.
The old woman gathered and trudged to the royal palace; came into the yard and straight to the front staircase, and rushing without any report.
Sentinels seized her:
"Stop, old witch!" Where the hell are you taking? Here, even the generals do not dare to go without a report ...
“Oh, you are so-and-so,” cried the old woman, “I came to the king with a good deed, I want to marry his daughter-princess for my son, and you grab me by the floor.
She made such a fuss that God forbid! The king heard the screams, looked out the window and ordered the old woman to be admitted to him. So she entered the sovereign's room, prayed for the icons and bowed to the king.
What do you say, old lady? the king asked.
- Yes, I came to your mercy; not in anger to tell you: I have a merchant, you have goods. The merchant is my son Martynka, a very clever man; and the commodity is your daughter, the beautiful princess. Will you give her in marriage to my Martinka? There will be a couple!
- What are you, or are you out of your mind? the king shouted at her.
“No, your royal highness! Feel free to give an answer.
The king at the same time gathered all the gentlemen of the ministers to himself, and they began to judge and decide what kind of answer to give this old woman. And they decided this: let de Martynka build a palace in a single day, and that a crystal bridge be made from that palace to the royal one, and trees with golden and silver apples would grow on both sides of the bridge, different birds would sing on those trees, yes even let him build a five-domed cathedral: it would be where to accept the crown, it would be where to celebrate the wedding.
If the old woman's son does all this, then you can give the princess for him: it means that he is painfully wise; and if he doesn’t, then both the old woman and him will be cut off for the offense of the head.
With such and such an answer, the old woman was released; she goes home - staggers, bursts into burning tears.
I saw Martin
- Well, - he says, - I told you, son: do not start too much; and you are all yours. Now our poor little heads have disappeared, we will be executed tomorrow.
- That's enough, mother, maybe we'll stay alive; lie down to rest; the morning is wiser than the evening.
Exactly at midnight Martyn got up from his bed, went out into the wide yard, threw the ring from hand to hand - and immediately twelve fine fellows appeared before him, all on the same face, hair to hair, voice to voice.
— What do you need, Martin, widow's son?
- And here's what: make me a rich palace to the light in this very place, and so that from my palace to the royal one there would be a crystal bridge, trees with golden and silver apples would grow on both sides of the bridge, different birds would sing on those trees, yes also build a five-domed cathedral: it would be where to receive a crown, it would be where to celebrate a wedding.
Twelve fellows answered:
Everything will be ready by tomorrow!
They rushed across different places, drove the craftsmen and carpenters from all sides and set to work: everything is argued with them, the work is done quickly. The next morning Martinka woke up not in a simple hut, but in noble, luxurious chambers; he went out onto the high porch, looks - everything is as it is ready: the palace, and the cathedral, and the crystal bridge, and trees with golden and silver apples. At that time, the king also stepped out onto the balcony, looked through the telescope and was dismayed: everything was done according to the order! Calls to himself a beautiful princess and orders to equip herself for the crown.
“Well,” he says, “I didn’t think, I didn’t guess to give you in marriage to a peasant’s son, but now it’s impossible to avoid it.
While the princess was washing, polishing herself, dressing herself in expensive dresses, Martyn, the widow's son, went out into the wide courtyard and threw his ring from hand to hand - suddenly twelve young fellows seemed to have grown out of the earth:
- Anything you need?
- And here, brothers, dress me in a boyar caftan and prepare a painted carriage and six horses.
- Now it will be ready!
Before Martinka had time to blink three times, they brought him a caftan.
He put on a caftan - just right, as if tailored to measure.
I looked around - a carriage was standing at the entrance, wonderful horses were harnessed in the carriage - one piece of hair was silver and the other was gold. He got into the carriage and drove to the cathedral. They've been ringing for mass there for a long time, and the people have rushed in, apparently, invisibly.
Following the groom, the bride arrived with her nannies and mothers, and the king with his ministers.
They stood up for mass, and then, as it should, Martin, the widow's son, took the beautiful princess by the hand and accepted the law with her. The king gave a rich dowry for his daughter, rewarded his son-in-law with a great rank and set a feast for the whole world.
Young people live for a month, and two, and three. Martinka, every day, builds new palaces and plants gardens. Only the princess is hurt not to her heart that they married her not to a prince, not to a prince, but to a simple peasant. I began to think how to get him out of the world; pretended to be such a fox that you should go! She takes care of her husband in every possible way, serves him in every possible way, and asks everything about his wisdom. Martinka fastens, does not say anything.
Once he was visiting the king, he drank well, returned home and lay down to rest. Then the princess stuck to him, let's kiss him, pardon him, affectionate words to seduce her, and yet she cajoled her: Martynka told her about his miraculous ring. “Okay,” the princess thinks, “now I’ll do it with you!”
As soon as he fell into a sound sleep, the princess grabbed his hand, took off the ring from her little finger, went out into the wide courtyard and threw that ring from hand to hand.
Immediately twelve young men appeared before her:
“Whatever you need, fair princess?”
- Listen, guys! So that by morning there would be no palace, no cathedral, no crystal bridge, but the old hut would still stand; let my husband remain in poverty, and take me away to distant lands, to the distant kingdom, to the mouse state. From one shame I do not want to live here!
We are glad to try, everything will be done!
At the same moment, the wind picked her up and carried her to the thirtieth kingdom, to the mouse state.
In the morning the king woke up, went out onto the balcony to look through a telescope - there is neither a palace with a crystal bridge, nor a five-domed cathedral, but only an old hut stands.
“What would that mean? the king thinks. “Where did it all go?”
And without delay, he sends his adjutant to find out on the spot what happened.
The adjutant rode on horseback, examined and, turning back, reported to the sovereign:
— Your Majesty! Where there was a richest palace, there still stands a thin hut, in that hut your son-in-law lives with his mother, but the beautiful princess and the spirit are gone, and it is not known where she is now.
The king convened a big council and ordered his son-in-law to be judged, for some reason he seduced him with magic and ruined the beautiful princess.
They condemned Martynka to put him in a high stone pillar and not give him anything to eat or drink: let him die of hunger. The masons appeared, brought out a pillar and walled up Martinka tightly, leaving only a small window for light.
He sits, poor, in prison without drinking, without eating for a day, and another, and a third, and sheds tears.
The dog Zhurka found out about that attack, ran into the hut, and the cat Vaska lies on the stove, purring, and attacked him to swear:
- Oh, you scoundrel Vaska! You only know to lie on the stove and stretch, but you don’t know that our master is imprisoned in a stone pillar. Apparently, he forgot the good old, how he paid a hundred rubles and freed you from death; if not for him, the worms would have exuded you long ago! Get up soon! We must help him with all our might.
The cat Vaska jumped down from the stove and, together with Zhurka, ran to look for the owner; ran to the post, climbed up and climbed into the window:
— Hello, master! Are you alive?
- Barely alive, - answers Martynka, - completely emaciated without food, had to die of starvation.
- Wait, do not grieve; we will feed and drink you, - said Vaska, jumped out the window and went down to the ground.
“Well, brother Zhurka, our master is dying of hunger; How can we manage to help him?
“You fool, Vaska! And you can't imagine it! Let's go around the city; as soon as the baker meets the tray, I will quickly jump under his feet and knock the tray off his head; here you look, do not make a mistake, grab the rolls and rolls as soon as possible and drag them to the owner.
They went out into the big street, and a peasant with a tray met them. Zhurka threw himself at his feet, the peasant staggered, dropped the tray, scattered all the bread and ran away in fright: he was afraid that the dog, perhaps, was rabid - how long before trouble! And the cat Vaska grabbed the bun and dragged him to Martynka; gave one - ran after another, gave another - ran for a third.
They also scared the man with sour cabbage soup and obtained more than one bottle for their master. After that, the cat Vaska and the dog Zhurka decided to go to the thirtieth kingdom, to the mouse state - to get a miraculous ring: the road is long, a lot of time will leak ...
They dragged Martynka biscuits, rolls and all sorts of things for whole year and say:
“Look, master, eat and drink and look around so that you have enough supplies before our return.
We said goodbye and went on our way.
Whether close, whether far, whether soon, whether short, they come to the blue sea.
Zhurka says to Vaska the cat:
“I hope to swim across to the other side, what do you think?”
Vaska answers:
- I'm not a master of swimming, now I'm drowning!
“Well, sit on my back!”
The cat Vaska sat on the dog's back, clung to the wool with his claws so as not to fall off, and they swam across the sea.
They crossed over to the other side and came to the thirtieth kingdom, to the mouse state. Not a human soul can be seen in that state, but there are so many mice that it is impossible to count: wherever you go, they go in packs!
Zhurka says to Vaska the cat:
- Come on, brother, start hunting, starting to choke and crush these mice, and I will begin to rake in and put them in a pile.
Vaska is accustomed to that hunt. How he went to deal with mice in his own way; whatever it bites, the spirit is out! Zhurka barely has time to pile up. In a week I laid a big stack! A great turmoil fell upon the whole kingdom. The mouse king sees that among the people his shortcoming turns out to be that many subjects of evil death are betrayed.
He crawled out of the hole and prayed to Zhurka and Vaska:
- I strike you with my forehead, mighty heroes! Have pity on my people, do not destroy to the end; better tell me what you need? Whatever I can, I will do everything for you.
Zhurka answers him:
- There is a palace in your state, a beautiful princess lives in that palace; she stole a miraculous ring from our master. If you don’t get us that little ring, then you yourself will perish and your kingdom will perish: we will devastate everything as it is!
“Wait,” says the mouse king, “I will gather my subjects and ask them.
He immediately gathered the mice, both large and small, and began to ask: would any of them undertake to sneak into the palace to the princess and get the miraculous ring? One mouse volunteered.
“I,” he says, “I often visit that palace; during the day, the princess wears a ring on her little finger, and at night, when she goes to bed, she puts it in her mouth.
- Well, try to get it; if you serve this service, I will reward you royally.
The little mouse waited for the night, made his way to the palace and quietly lay down in the bedroom. Looks - the princess is fast asleep. He crawled onto the bed, stuck his tail into the princess's nose and began to tickle her nostrils. She sneezed and the ring popped out of her mouth and fell onto the carpet.
The little mouse jumped out of bed, grabbed the ring in his teeth and took it to his king. The Mouse King gave the ring to the mighty bogatyrs, the cat Vaska and the dog Zhurka. They gave thanks to that king and began to hold advice with each other: who better ring save?
Vaska cat says:
“Give it to me, I won’t lose it for anything!”
- All right, - says Zhurka, - look, take care of him more than your own eyes.
The cat took the ring in his mouth, and they set off on their way back.
Here we come to blue sea, Vaska jumped on Zhurka's back, grabbed hold of his paws as tightly as possible, and Zhurka into the water - and swam across the sea. An hour floats, another floats; suddenly out of nowhere - a black raven flew in, stuck to Vaska and let's gouge him in the head.
The poor cat does not know what to do, how to defend himself from the enemy? If you put your paws into action - what good, you will capsize in the sea and go to the bottom; if you show your teeth to a raven, you will probably drop the ring. Trouble, and only! He endured for a long time, but in the end it became unbearable: the raven pecked his violent head until it bled; Vaska became embittered, began to defend himself with his teeth - and dropped the ring into the blue sea. The black raven rose up and flew off into the dark forests.
And Zhurka, as soon as he swam ashore, immediately asked about the ring. Vaska stands with his head bowed.
“Forgive me,” he says, “it’s my fault, brother, in front of you - after all, I dropped the ring into the sea.”
Zhurka attacked him:
“Oh, you damned fool! Happy is your god that I did not recognize it before; I would have you, razinu, drowned in the sea! Well, with what are we going to the owner now? Now get into the water: either get the ring, or disappear yourself!
- What is the profit if I disappear? Better let's contrive: as we used to catch mice, so now we will hunt for crayfish; perhaps, fortunately for us, they will help us find the ring.
Zhurka agreed; they began to walk along the seashore, they began to choke the crayfish and put them in a heap. A big heap has been laid! At that time, a huge crab crawled out of the sea, wanted to take a walk on clean air.
Zhurka and Vaska now groped him and, well, disturb him in all directions.
“Don’t strangle me, mighty heroes. I am the king over all cancers; whatever you say, I'll do it.
— We dropped the ring into the sea; find him and deliver him if you want mercy, and without this we will destroy your entire kingdom to the end!
The Tsar-Rak at the same moment summoned his subjects and began to ask questions about the ring.
One small cancer volunteered.
“I,” he says, “know where it is: as soon as the ring fell into the blue sea, the beluga fish immediately picked it up and swallowed it before my eyes.
Then all the crayfish rushed across the sea to look for the beluga fish, grabbed it, the poor one, and let's pinch it with claws. Already they drove her, drove her, they just don’t give her peace for a single moment; the fish to and fro, twirled and twirled and jumped ashore.
The king-cancer got out of the water and said to the cat Vaska and the dog Zhurka:
- Here you are, mighty heroes, beluga fish. Pull her mercilessly, she swallowed your ring.
Zhurka rushed to the beluga and began to pee her from the tail. “Well,” he thinks, “now we’re full!”
And the rogue cat knows where to find the ring as soon as possible - he set to work on the beluga belly, gnawed a hole, pulled out the intestines and quickly attacked the ring.
Grabbed the ring in his teeth and God bless his feet; that there is strength running, and in his mind he has such a thought: “I will run to the owner, give him the ring and boast that he alone arranged the whole thing; will be my master and love and favor more than Zhurka!”
Meanwhile, Zhurka ate his fill, looking - where is Vaska? And he guessed that his comrade was on his own mind: he wants to curry favor with the owner by lying.
"So you're lying, you rogue Vaska!" Here I will catch up with you, tear you into small pieces.
Zhurka ran in pursuit, whether for a long time, whether for a short time, he catches up with the cat Vaska and threatens him with inevitable disaster. Vaska saw a birch in the field, climbed up on it and sat down at the very top.
“All right,” says Zhurka. “You can’t sit on a tree all your life, someday you want to get down; and I won't take a step from here.
For three days the cat Vaska sat on a birch, for three days Zhurka guarded him, never taking his eyes off him; both got hungry and agreed to a peace settlement.
They reconciled and went together to their master, ran to the pillar.
Vaska jumped into the window and asked:
Are you alive, master?
- Hello, Vasenka! I thought you weren't coming back; I've been living without bread for three days.
The cat gave him a miraculous ring. Martinka waited until dead midnight, threw the ring from hand to hand - and immediately twelve fine fellows appeared to him.
- Anything you need?
- Set up, guys, my former palace, and a crystal bridge, and a five-domed cathedral, and transfer my unfaithful wife; to be ready by morning.
No sooner said than done. In the morning the king woke up, went out onto the balcony, looked through a telescope: where the hut stood, a high palace was built there, a crystal bridge stretches from that palace to the royal one, trees with golden and silver apples grow on both sides of the bridge.
The king ordered the carriage to be laid down and went to find out whether everything had really become the same as before, or only he had imagined. Martynka meets him at the gate, takes him by the white hands and leads him to his painted chambers.
“So and so,” she reports, “this is what the princess did to me.
The king ordered her to be executed: at his word to the king, they took the unfaithful wife, tied her by the tail to a wild stallion and let her into the open field. The stallion flew like an arrow and opened it white body along yarugas, along steep ravines.
And Martynka still lives, chews bread.
It seemed to the old woman, whose son was called Martin, that her child was doing incomprehensible things, erroneous and inexplicable. But time has shown that Martyn did everything right, everything was calculated and thought out for him. Many incredible events happened in a fairy tale, many different miracles happened. Everything moved towards a successful ending. The cat Vaska and the dog Zhurka were Martyn's assistants. And the red maiden supported him. And the main assistant in the fairy tale was Magic power called "kindness". Exactly what Martin was kind person who knows how to respond to someone else's misfortune, ultimately helped him.
"Magic Ring"
Russian folktale
In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived an old man and an old woman, and they had a son, Martinka. All his life the old man was engaged in hunting, he beat the beast and the bird, he himself fed himself and fed his family. The time has come - the old man fell ill and died; Martinka stayed with his mother, they mourned and wept, but there was nothing to do. We lived for a week and ate all the bread that was in stock; the old woman sees that there is nothing more to eat, it is necessary to take money for money.
You see, the old man left them two hundred rubles; she did not want to open the egg-pod painfully, but no matter how hard she fastened, she had to open it - she wouldn’t die of hunger! She counted out a hundred rubles and said to her son: “Well, Martynka, here's a hundred rubles for you; go - ask your neighbors for a horse, go to the city and buy bread; maybe we’ll somehow float through the winter, and in the spring we’ll start looking for work.
Martynka begged for a cart with a horse and went to the city; he rides past butcher shops - noise, abuse, a crowd of people. What's happened? And then the butchers caught a hunting dog, tied it to a post and beat it with sticks, the dog is torn, squeals, snaps ... Martynka ran up to those butchers and asked: “Brothers! Why are you beating the poor dog so mercilessly?” - “Yes, how can you not beat him, the damned one,” the butchers answer, “when he spoiled a whole carcass of beef!” “Enough, brothers! Don't beat him, better sell to me." - “Perhaps buy it,” one man says jokingly, “give me a hundred rubles.” Martinka pulled out a hundred from his bosom, gave it to the butchers, and untied the dog and took it with him. The dog began to caress him, and twirls its tail: it means that it understands who saved it from death.
Here Martynka comes home, the mother immediately began to ask: “What did you buy, son?” - "I bought my first happiness." - “What are you lying about, what kind of happiness is there?” - “But he is Zhurka!” - and shows her the dog. "Didn't you buy anything else?" - “If there was money left, maybe I would buy it; only the whole hundred went for the dog. The old woman scolded. “We,” he says, “we ourselves have nothing to eat; today I gathered the last scraps from the bins and baked a cake, and tomorrow it won’t even be!”
The next day the old woman pulled out another hundred rubles, gave it to Martinka and punished him: “Here, son! Go to the city, buy some bread, but don't throw money away for free.
Martinka arrived in the city, began to walk the streets and look closely, and an evil boy caught his eye: that boy caught a cat, hooked it around the neck with a rope and began to drag it to the river. “Wait! Martin shouted. - Where are you dragging Vaska? - "I want to drown him, the damned one!" - "For what fault?" - "I pulled the pie off the table." - "Don't drown it, better sell it to me." - “Perhaps buy; give me a hundred rubles. Martinka did not hesitate for a long time, reached into his bosom, pulled out the money and gave it to the boy, and put the cat in a bag and took him home. "What did you buy, son?" the old woman asks him. "Cat Vaska". "Didn't you buy anything else?" - "If there was money left, maybe I would buy something else." “Oh, you fool! the old woman shouted at him. - Go out of the house, look for bread for strangers.
Martynka went to the neighboring village to look for work; goes along the road, and Zhurka and Vaska run after him. To meet him pop: "Where, light, are you going?" - "I'm going to hire laborers." - “Come to me; only I take workers without a row: whoever serves me for three years, I won’t offend him anyway. Martinka agreed and tirelessly worked for the priest for three summers and three winters; the time has come for reckoning, the owner calls him: “Well, Martinka! Go - get for your service. He brought him to the barn, showed him two full bags and said: “Whatever you want, take it!” Martynka looks - there is silver in one bag, and sand in the other, and he thought: “This thing was prepared for a reason! Let my labors be lost, and I will try, I will take the sand - what will come of it? He says to the owner: “I, father, choose a bag of fine sand for myself.” - “Well, light, your good will; take it if you're squeamish about silver."
Martinka put the sack on his back and went to look for another place; walked-walked, walked-walked and wandered into a dark, dense forest. There is a clearing in the middle of the forest, a fire burns in the clearing, a girl sits in the fire, and such a beauty that you can’t think of it, you can’t imagine it, you can only tell in a fairy tale. The red maiden says: “Martyn is a widow's son! If you want to make yourself happy, deliver me: fill this flame with sand, for which you served for three years. “Really,” thought Martynka, “than to carry such a burden with you, it’s better to help a person. Wealth is not great - sand, there is a lot of this goodness everywhere! He took off the bag, untied it and let's pour; the fire immediately went out, the red maiden hit the ground, turned into a snake, jumped up on the good fellow’s chest and wrapped herself in a ring around his neck. Martin got scared.
"Don't be afraid! the snake told him. - Go now to faraway lands, to the thirtieth state - to the underworld; there my father reigns. When you come to his courtyard, he will give you a lot of gold, and silver, and semi-precious stones; do not take anything, but ask him for a ring from your little finger. That ring is not simple; if you throw it from hand to hand, twelve fellows will immediately appear, and whatever they are ordered to do, they will do everything in one night.
The good fellow went on his way; Is it close, is it far, is it soon, is it short, does it approach the thirtieth kingdom and sees a huge stone. Then a snake jumped off his neck, hit the damp earth and became, as before, a red maiden. "Follow me!" - says the red maiden and led him under that stone. For a long time they walked along the underground passage, suddenly a light dawned - brighter and brighter, and they went out into a wide field, under a clear sky; on that field a magnificent palace was built, and in the palace lives the father of the red maiden, the king of that underground side.
Travelers enter the white-stone chambers, the king greets them kindly. “Hello,” he says, “my dear daughter, where have you been hiding for so many years?” - “Light you are my father! I would have completely disappeared if not for this man: he freed me from the evil imminent death and brought me here to my native places. - “Thank you, good fellow! - said the king. - You should be rewarded for your virtue; take for yourself gold, and silver, and semi-precious stones, as much as your soul desires.
Martyn's widowed son answers him: “Your royal majesty! I do not need any gold, or silver, or semi-precious stones; if you want to favor, give me a ring from your royal hand - from the little finger. I am a single person; I’ll look at the ring more often, I’ll start thinking about the bride, thereby driving away my boredom.
The tsar immediately took off the ring and gave it to Martin: “Here, keep it to your health, but look: don’t tell anyone about the ring, otherwise you will drag yourself into big trouble!”
Martyn, the widow's son, thanked the tsar, took the ring and a small amount of money for the journey, and set off back the same way as before. Close, far, soon, short, he returned to his homeland, found his old mother, and they began to live together without any need and sorrow.
Martynka wanted to get married, he stuck to his mother, sends her as a matchmaker: “Go, - he says, - to the king himself, marry the beautiful princess for me”, - “Oh, son,” the old woman answers, “you would cut a tree by yourself - it’s better would come out. And then you see what he thought! Well, why should I go to the king? Knowingly, he will be angry and orders me and you to be executed.” - “Nothing, mother! Probably, if I send, then boldly go. What will be the answer from the king, tell me about it; and without an answer, don’t turn back home.”
The old woman gathered and trudged to the royal palace; came into the yard and straight to the front staircase, and rushing without any report. Sentinels grabbed her: “Stop, old witch! Where the hell are you taking? Here, even the generals do not dare to go without a report ... "-" Oh, you, such and such, - the old woman shouted, - I came to the king with a good deed, I want to marry his daughter-princess for my son, and you grab me by the skirts. She made such a fuss that God forbid!
The king heard the screams, looked out the window and ordered the old woman to be admitted to him. So she entered the state's room and bowed to the king. "What do you say, old lady?" asked the king. “Yes, I came to your mercy; not in anger to tell you: I have a merchant, you have goods. The merchant is my son Martynka, very clever; and the product is your daughter, the beautiful princess. Will you give her in marriage to my Martinka? There will be a couple! - “What are you, or are you crazy?” the king shouted at her. “No way, your royal highness! Please give me an answer."
The king at the same time gathered all the gentlemen of the ministers to himself, and they began to judge and judge, what answer should they give to this old woman? And the decision was as follows: let Martynka build the richest palace in a single day, and that a crystal bridge be made from that palace to the royal one, and trees with golden and silver apples would grow on both sides of the bridge, different birds would sing on those trees, and even let him build a five-domed cathedral: it would be where to accept the crown, it would be where to celebrate the wedding. If the old woman's son does all this, then you can give the princess for him: it means that he is painfully wise; and if he doesn’t, then both the old woman and him will be cut off for the offense of the head.
With such and such an answer, the old woman was released; she goes home - staggers, bursts into burning tears; she saw Martynka: “Well,” she says, “I told you, son: do not start too much; and you are all yours. Now our poor little heads are gone, we will be executed tomorrow. - “That's it, mother, maybe we'll stay alive; pray to God and lie down to rest; The morning is wiser than the evening".
Exactly at midnight Martyn got out of bed, went out into the wide yard, threw the ring from hand to hand - and immediately twelve young men appeared before him, all on the same face, hair to hair, voice to voice. "What did you need, Martin's widow's son?" - “And here's what: make me a richest palace to the light in this very place, and so that from my palace to the royal one there is a crystal bridge, trees with golden and silver apples would grow on both sides of the bridge, different birds would sing on those trees, and even build a five-domed cathedral: it would be where to accept the crown, it would be where to celebrate the wedding.
Twelve fellows answered: “By tomorrow everything will be ready!” They rushed to different places, drove the craftsmen and carpenters from all sides and set to work: everything is argued with them, the work is done quickly. The next morning Martinka woke up not in a simple hut, but in noble, luxurious chambers; went out onto the high porch, looks - everything is ready as it is: the palace, and the cathedral, and the crystal bridge, and trees with golden and silver apples. At that time, the king stepped onto the balcony, looked into spyglass and I was amazed: everything was done according to the order!
Calls to himself a beautiful princess and orders to equip herself for the crown. “Well,” he says, “I didn’t think - I didn’t guess to give you in marriage to a man’s son, but now it’s impossible to avoid it.”
So, while the princess was dressing up in expensive dresses, Martyn, the widowed son, went out into the wide courtyard and threw his ring from hand to hand - all of a sudden twelve good fellows grew up as if from the earth: “Whatever, what is needed?” - "Here, brothers, dress me in a boyar caftan and prepare a painted carriage and six horses." - "Now it will be ready!" Martynka had no time to blink three times, and already they dragged him a caftan; he put on a caftan - just right, as if tailored to measure. I looked around - a carriage was standing at the entrance, wonderful horses were harnessed in the carriage - one piece of hair was silver and the other was gold. He got into the carriage and drove to the cathedral; they have been ringing for mass there for a long time, and the people have rushed in, apparently, invisibly. Following the groom, the bride arrived with her nannies and mothers, and the king with his ministers. They defended mass, and then, as it should, Martin took the widowed son of the beautiful princess by the hand and married them. The king gave a rich dowry for his daughter, rewarded his son-in-law with a great rank and set a feast for the whole world.
Young people live for a month, and two, and three; Every day Martinka builds new palaces and plants gardens. Only it hurts the princess not to her heart that they married her not to a prince, not to a prince, but to a simple peasant; began to think how to get him out of the world; pretended to be such a fox that you should go! She takes care of her husband in every possible way, serves him in every possible way, and asks everything about his wisdom. Martinka fastens, does not say anything.
Once he was visiting the king, he drank well, returned home and lay down to rest; then the princess clung to him, let's seduce him with affectionate words, and still cajoled him: Martinka told her about his miraculous ring. “Okay,” the princess thinks, “now I’ll do it with you!” As soon as he fell into a sound sleep, the princess grabbed his hand, took off the ring from her little finger, went out into the wide courtyard and threw that ring from hand to hand. Immediately twelve fellows appeared before her: “Whatever you need, beautiful princess?” - “Listen, guys! So that by morning there would be no palace, no cathedral, no crystal bridge, but the old hut would still stand; let my husband remain in poverty, and take me away to distant lands, to the distant kingdom, to the mouse state. From shame alone, I don’t want to live here!” - “We are glad to try, everything will be done!” At the same moment, the wind picked her up and carried her to the thirtieth kingdom, to the mouse state.
In the morning the king woke up, went out onto the balcony to look through a telescope - there is neither a palace with a crystal bridge, nor a five-domed cathedral, but only an old hut stands. “What would that mean? the king thinks. "Where did it all go?" And, without delay, he sends his adjutant to find out on the spot what happened? The adjutant rode on horseback, examined and, turning back, reported to the sovereign: “Your Majesty! Where there was a richest palace, there still stands a thin hut, in that hut your son-in-law lives with his mother, but there is no beautiful princess and spirit, and it is not known where she is now.
The king convened a big council and ordered his son-in-law to be judged, for some reason he seduced him with magic and ruined the beautiful princess. They condemned Martynka to put him in a high stone pillar and not give him anything to eat or drink: let him die of hunger. The masons appeared, erected a pillar and walled up Martinka tightly, leaving only a small window for light. He sits, poor, in prison without drinking or eating for a day, and another, and a third, but sheds tears.
The dog Zhurka found out about that attack, ran into the hut, and the cat Vaska was lying on the stove, purring, and attacked him to swear: “Oh, you scoundrel Vaska! You only know to lie on the stove and stretch, but you don’t know that our master is imprisoned in a stone pillar. Apparently, he forgot the old good, how he paid a hundred rubles and freed you from death; If it weren't for him, the worms would have exuded you, the damned one! Get up soon! We must help him with all our might."
The cat Vaska jumped off the stove and, together with Zhurka, ran to look for the owner: he ran to the post, climbed up and climbed into the window: “Hello, owner! Are you alive? - “Barely alive,” Martynka answers, “he was completely emaciated without food, he had to die of starvation.” - “Wait, do not grieve; we will feed and drink you, ”said Vaska, jumped out the window and went down to the ground. “Well, brother Zhurka, our master is dying of hunger; how can we manage to help him?” - “You are a fool, Vaska! And you can't imagine it! Let's go around the city; as soon as the baker meets the tray, I will quickly jump under his feet and knock the tray off his head; here you look, do not make a mistake, grab the rolls and rolls as soon as possible and drag them to the owner.
That's good, they went out into the big street, and towards them a peasant with a tray; Zhurka threw himself at his feet, the peasant staggered, dropped the tray, scattered all the bread and ran away in fright: he was afraid that the dog, perhaps, was rabid - how long before trouble! And the cat Vaska grabbed the bun and dragged him to Martynka; gave one - ran for another, gave another - ran for the third. In exactly the same manner they frightened the peasant with sour cabbage soup. After that, the cat Vaska and the dog Zhurka decided to go to the thirtieth kingdom, in the mouse state - to get a miraculous ring: the road is long, a lot of time will leak ... They dragged Martynka crackers, rolls and all sorts of things for a whole year and say: “Look, master, eat “Drink, but look around so that you have enough supplies before our return.” We said goodbye and went on our way.
Whether close, far, soon, short, they come to the blue sea. Zhurka says to Vaska the cat: “I hope to swim across to the other side, what do you think?” Vaska answers: “I’m not a master of swimming, now I’ll drown!” - "Well, sit on my back!" The cat Vaska sat on the dog's back, clung to the wool with his claws so as not to fall off, and they swam across the sea; they crossed over to the other side and came to the thirtieth kingdom, to the mouse state. Not a human soul can be seen in that state; but there are so many mice that it is impossible to count: wherever you go, they go in packs! Zhurka says to the cat Vaska: “Come on, brother, start hunting, start strangling and crushing these mice, and I will rake in and put them in a pile.”
Vaska is accustomed to that hunt; how he went to deal with the mice in his own way: whatever he bites, the spirit is out! Zhurka barely manages to pile up in a heap and in a week he folded a large stack! A great torment has fallen upon the whole kingdom; the mouse king sees that among the people his shortcoming turns out to be that many subjects of an evil death are betrayed; crawled out of the hole and prayed to Zhurka and Vaska: “I strike you with my forehead, mighty heroes! Have pity on my people, do not destroy to the end; better tell me what you need? Whatever I can, I'll do everything for you." Zhurka answers him: “There is a palace in your state, a beautiful princess lives in that palace; she stole a miraculous ring from our master. If you don’t get us that little ring, then you yourself will perish and your kingdom will perish: we will devastate everything as it is! - "Wait," says the mouse king, "I will gather my subjects and ask them."
He immediately gathered the mice, both large and small, and began to ask: would any of them undertake to sneak into the palace to the princess and get the miraculous ring? One little mouse volunteered: “I,” he says, “I often visit that palace; during the day, the princess wears a ring on her little finger, and at night, when she goes to bed, she puts it in her mouth. - “Well, try to get it; if you serve this service, I will reward you royally.
The little mouse waited until night, made his way to the palace and climbed slowly into the bedroom, looking - the princess was fast asleep; he crawled onto the bed, stuck his tail into the princess's nose and began to tickle her nostrils. She sneezed - the ring popped out of her mouth and fell on the carpet. The little mouse jumped out of bed, grabbed the ring in his teeth and took it to his king. The mouse king gave the ring to powerful heroes, the cat Vaska and the dog Zhurka. They thanked the king and began to hold advice with each other: who better to save the ring? Cat Vaska says: “Give it to me, I won’t lose it for anything!” - "Okay, - says Zhurka, - look, take care of him more than your own eyes." The cat took the ring in his mouth, and they set off on their way back.
Then they reached the blue sea, Vaska jumped on Zhurka's back, grabbed hold of his paws as tightly as possible, and Zhurka into the water - and swam across the sea. An hour floats, another floats, suddenly it didn’t come from anywhere - a black raven flew in, stuck to Vaska and let’s peck him in the head. The poor cat does not know what to do, how to defend himself from the enemy? If you put your paws into action - what good, you will capsize in the sea and go to the bottom; if you show your teeth to a raven, you will probably drop the ring. Trouble, and only! He endured for a long time, but in the end it became unbearable: the raven pecked his violent head until it bled; Vaska became embittered, began to defend himself with his teeth - and dropped the ring into the blue sea. The black raven rose up and flew off into the dark forests.
And Zhurka, as soon as he swam ashore, immediately asked about the ring. Vaska stands with his head bowed. “Forgive me,” he says, “it’s my fault, brother, in front of you - after all, I dropped the ring into the sea.” Zhurka attacked him: “Oh, you damned fool! Happy is your god that I did not recognize it before; I would have you, razinu, drowned in the sea! Well, with what are we going to the owner now? Now get into the water: either get the ring, or disappear yourself!” - “What is the profit if I disappear? Better let's contrive: as we used to catch mice, so now we will hunt for crayfish; maybe for our luck they will help us find the ring.
Zhurka agreed; they began to walk along the seashore, they began to choke the crayfish and put them in a heap. A big heap has been laid down! At that time, a huge crayfish crawled out of the sea, he wanted to take a walk in the fresh air. Zhurka and Vaska now grabbed him and shook him on all sides: “Do not strangle me, mighty heroes, I am the king over all cancers; whatever you say, I'll do it." - “We dropped the ring into the sea; find him and deliver him if you want mercy, and without this we will destroy your entire kingdom to the end!
The Tsar-Rak at the same moment summoned his subjects and began to ask questions about the ring. One small cancer volunteered: “I,” he says, “know where it is; as soon as the ring fell into the blue sea, the beluga fish immediately picked it up and swallowed it in front of my eyes. Then all the crayfish rushed across the sea to look for the beluga fish, grabbed it, the poor one, and let's pinch it with ticks; they already chased her, chased her, they just don’t give her peace for a single moment; the fish to and fro, twirled and twirled and jumped ashore. The king-cancer got out of the water and said to the cat Vaska and the dog Zhurka: “Here you are, mighty heroes, a beluga fish; tease her unmercifully; She swallowed your ring." Zhurka rushed to the beluga and began to peck her from the tail: “Well, he thinks, now we’ll eat our fill!” And the rogue cat knows where to find the ring rather, set to the beluga belly, gnawed a hole and quickly attacked the ring. Grabbed the ring in his teeth and God bless his feet; he runs with all his strength, but he has such a thought in his mind: “I will run to the owner, give him the ring and boast that he alone arranged the whole thing; I will be the master and love and favor more than Zhurka!
Meanwhile, Zhurka ate his fill, looks - where is Vaska? And he guessed that his comrade was on his own mind: he wants to curry favor with the owner by lying. “So you’re lying, rogue Vaska! Here I will catch up with you, tear you into small pieces. Zhurka ran in pursuit; for a long time, for a short time, he catches up with the cat Vaska and threatens him with inevitable disaster. Vaska saw a birch in the field, climbed up on it and sat down at the very top. "OK! Zhurka says. - You can’t sit on a tree all your life, someday you want to get off; I won't take a step from here." For three days the cat Vaska sat on a birch, for three days Zhurka guarded him, never taking his eyes off him; both got hungry and agreed to a peace settlement.
They reconciled and went together to their master; ran to the post, Vaska jumped into the window and asked: “Is he alive, master?” - “Hello, Vasenka! I thought you weren't coming back; I've been sitting without bread for three days." The cat gave him a miraculous ring; Martinka waited until dead midnight, threw the ring from hand to hand - and immediately twelve fellows appeared to him: "Whatever, what is needed?" - “Put, guys, my former palace, and a crystal bridge, and a five-domed cathedral, and transfer my unfaithful wife here; to be ready by morning."
No sooner said than done. In the morning the king woke up, went out onto the balcony, looked through the telescope: where the hut stood, a high palace was built there, a crystal bridge stretches from that palace to the royal one, trees with golden and silver apples grow on both sides of the bridge. The king ordered the carriage to be laid down and went to find out if everything was really the same, or was it just a dream to him?
Martynka meets him at the gate, takes him by the white hands and leads him to his painted chambers. “So and so,” she reports, “that’s what the princess did to me.” The king ordered her to be punished to the fullest extent.
And Martynka still lives, but chews bread.
Questions to the Russian folk tale "The Magic Ring"
In what kingdom did the old man and the old woman and their son Martyn live?
What legacy did the old man leave to his wife and son?
How did Martin spend the money?
Why do you think Martyn did not listen to his mother and spent the money at his own discretion?
Why did Martyn refuse a bag of silver and take a bag of sand?
How did Martin help the daughter of the king of the underworld?
Why is the ring magical in the fairy tale?
Who helped Martyn in the construction of a palace with a crystal bridge?
Why didn't the king's daughter want to see Martin in her husbands?
How did the cat Vaska and the dog Zhurka help Martyn?
What proverb fits this story?
In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived an old man and an old woman, and they had a son, Martinka. All his life the old man was engaged in hunting, he beat the beast and the bird, and by this he himself fed and fed his family. The time has come - the old man fell ill and died. Martinka remained with his mother, they mourned and wept, but there was nothing to do: you cannot bring back the dead. We lived for a week and ate all the bread that was in stock.
The old woman sees that there is nothing else to eat, that she must take money, and the old man left them two hundred rubles. She did not want to start the egg, but no matter how fast she was, she needed to start - not to die of hunger! She counted out a hundred rubles and said to her son:
- Well, Martynka, here's a hundred solkoviki for you, go ask your neighbors for a horse, go to the city and buy bread. Maybe we'll get through the winter somehow, and in the spring we'll start looking for work.
Martynka begged for a cart with a horse and went to the city. He rides past butcher shops - noise, abuse, a crowd of people. What's happened? And then the butchers caught a hunting dog, tied it to a pole and beat it with sticks - the dog is torn, squeals, snaps ... Martynka ran up to those butchers and asked:
- Brothers, why do you beat the poor dog so mercilessly?
- Yes, how not to beat him, - the butchers answer, - when he spoiled a whole carcass of beef!
- That's it, brothers! Don't hit him, better sell to me.
- Please, buy, - says one man jokingly. - Come on, a hundred rubles.
Martinka pulled out a hundred from his bosom, gave it to the butchers, and untied the dog and took it with him. The dog began to caress him, and twirls his tail: he understands, then, who saved him from death.
Here Martynka comes home, the mother immediately began to ask;
What did you buy son?
- I bought my first happiness.
- What are you lying about! What happiness is there?
- And here he is, Zhurka! - and shows her the dog.
- Have you bought anything else?
- If there was money left, maybe I would have bought it, only the whole hundred went for the dog.
The old woman scolded.
“We,” she says, “we have nothing to eat ourselves, today I have collected the last scrapes from the bins and baked a cake, and tomorrow there won’t be even that!”
The next day the old woman pulled out another hundred roubles, gave it to Martynka and punished him:
- On, son! Go to the city, buy bread, but don't throw money away for free.
Martinka arrived in the city, began to walk the streets and look closely, and an evil boy caught his eye: he caught a cat, hooked it around the neck with a rope and began to drag it to the river.
Wait! Martin shouted. - Where are you dragging Vaska?
- I want to drown him, the damned one!
- For what fault?
- Pulled the pie off the table.
- Don't drown it, better sell it to me.
- Maybe buy it. Come on, a hundred rubles.
Martinka did not hesitate for a long time, reached into his bosom, pulled out the money and gave it to the boy, and put the cat in a bag and took him home.
What did you buy son? the old woman asks him.
- Cat Vaska.
- Have you bought anything else?
- If there was money left, maybe I would buy something else.
- Oh, you're such a fool! the old woman shouted at him. - Get out of the house, look for bread for strangers!
Martynka went to a neighboring village to look for work. He walks along the road, and Zhurka and Vaska run after him. To meet him pop:
- Where, light, are you going?
- I'm going to be hired as a laborer.
- Come to me. Only I take workers without a row: whoever served me for three years, I won’t offend him anyway.
Martynka agreed and worked tirelessly for three summers and three winters for the priest. The time has come for reckoning, the owner calls him:
- Well, Martinka, go - get it for your service.
He brought him to the barn, showed him two full bags and said:
- Whatever you want, take it.
- Looks Martynka - silver in one bag, and sand in the other, and thought:
“This joke is prepared for a reason! Let my labors be lost, and I will try, I will take the sand - what will come of it?
He says to the owner:
- I, father, choose a bag with fine sand.
- Well, light, your good will. Take it if you disdain silver.
Martinka put the bag on his back and went to look for another place. He walked and walked and wandered into a dark, dense forest. There is a clearing in the middle of the forest, a fire burns in the clearing, a girl sits in the fire, and such a beauty that you can’t think of it, you can’t imagine it, you can only tell in a fairy tale. The red girl says:
- Martin, widow's son! If you want to make yourself happy, deliver me: fill this flame with sand, for which you served for three years.
“Indeed,” thought Martinka, “than to carry such a burden with you, it’s better to help a person. Wealth is small - sand, there is a lot of this goodness everywhere!
He took off the bag, untied it and let's pour it. The fire immediately went out, the red maiden hit the ground, turned into a snake, jumped up on the good fellow’s chest and wrapped herself in a ring around his neck. Martin got scared.
Don't be afraid! the snake told him. - Go now to distant lands, to the distant state, to the underworld, where my father reigns. When you come to his courtyard, he will give you a lot of gold, and silver, and semi-precious stones - you do not take anything, but ask him for a ring from his little finger. That ring is not simple: if you throw it from hand to hand, twelve fellows will immediately appear, and whatever they are ordered to do, they will do everything in one night.
The good fellow went on his way. Is it close, is it far, is it soon, is it short - does it come to the thirtieth kingdom and sees a huge stone. Then a snake jumped off his neck, hit the damp earth and became, as before, a red maiden.
Follow me! - says the red maiden and led him under that stone.
For a long time they walked along the underground passage, suddenly a light dawned - brighter and brighter, and they went out into a wide field, under a clear sky. A magnificent palace was built on that field, and in the palace lives the father of the red maiden, the king of that underground side.
Travelers enter the white-stone chambers, the king greets them kindly.
Hello, - he says, - my dear daughter! Where have you been hiding for so many years?
- Light you my father! I would have completely disappeared if not for this man: he freed me from an evil, inevitable death and brought me here, to my native places.
- Thank you, good fellow! - said the king. - You should be rewarded for your virtue. Take for yourself gold, and silver, and semi-precious stones, as much as your soul wants.
Martyn, the widow's son, answers him:
- Your Royal Majesty! I do not need any gold, or silver, or semi-precious stones. If you want to favor, give me a ring from your royal hand - from the little finger. I am a single man, I will look at the ring more often, I will begin to think about the bride, thereby driving away my boredom.
The tsar immediately took off the ring and gave it to Martin:
- On, own on health! Don't tell anyone about the ring, or you'll drag yourself into big trouble!
Martin, the widow's son, thanked the tsar, took the ring and a small amount of money for the journey, and set off back the same way as before. Is it close, is it far, is it soon, Is it short - returned to his homeland, found his old mother, and they began to live together without any need and sorrow.
Martynka wanted to get married; he stuck to his mother, sends her as a matchmaker.
Go, - he says, - to the king himself, marry the beautiful princess for me.
- Hey, son, - the old woman answers, - if you cut a tree by yourself, it would be better! And then you see what he thought! Well, why should I go to the king? It is a known fact that he will be angry with both me and you orders to be executed.
- Nothing, mother! Probably, if I send, then boldly go. What will be the answer from the king, tell me about it, and without an answer, do not return home.
The old woman gathered and trudged to the royal palace. She came to the yard and straight to the front staircase, and rushing without any report. Sentinels seized her:
- Stop, old witch! Where the hell are you taking? Here, even the generals do not dare to go without a report ...
- Oh, you are so-and-so! cried the old woman. - I came to the king with a good deed, I want to marry his daughter-princess for my son, and you grab me by the floor!
Made such a noise! The king heard the screams, looked out the window and ordered the old woman to be admitted to him. So she entered the room and bowed to the king.
What do you say, old lady? asked the king.
- Yes, I came to your mercy. Not in anger to tell you: I have a merchant, you have goods. The merchant is my son Martynka, very clever, and the goods are your daughter, the beautiful princess. Will you give her in marriage to my Martinka? There will be a couple!
- What you! Or have you gone crazy? the king shouted at her.
- No, your royal highness! Feel free to give an answer.
The king at the same time gathered all the gentlemen of the ministers to himself, and they began to judge and decide what kind of answer to give this old woman. And so they decided: let de Martynka build the richest palace in a single day, and that a crystal bridge be made from that palace to the royal one, and trees with golden and silver apples would grow on both sides of the bridge, different birds would sing on the same trees. Moreover, let him build a five-domed cathedral: it would be where to accept the crown, it would be where to arrange the wedding. If the old woman's son does all this, then you can give the princess for him: it means that he is painfully wise. And if he doesn’t, then both the old woman and him will be cut off for the offense of the head.
With such an answer, the old woman was released. She goes home - staggers, floods with burning tears. I saw Martin. Rushed towards him.
Well, - he says, - I told you, son, do not start too much, and you are all yours! Now our poor little heads have disappeared, we will be executed tomorrow ...
- That's it, mother! Let's stay alive. Lie down to rest - the morning, it seems, is wiser than the evening.
Exactly at midnight Martyn got out of bed, went out into the wide yard, threw the ring from hand to hand - and immediately twelve young men appeared before him, all on the same face, hair to hair, voice to voice.
What do you need, Martin, widow's son?
- And here's what: make me a richest palace to the light in this place and so that from my palace to the royal one there is a crystal bridge, trees with golden and silver apples would grow on both sides of the bridge, different birds would sing on those trees. Moreover, build a five-domed cathedral: it would be where to accept the crown, it would be where to celebrate the wedding.
Twelve fellows answered:
Everything will be ready by tomorrow!
They rushed to different places, drove the craftsmen and carpenters from all sides and set to work: everything is argued with them, the work is done quickly.
The next morning Martinka woke up not in a simple hut, but in noble, luxurious chambers; went out onto the high porch, looks - everything is ready as it is: the palace, and the cathedral, and the crystal bridge, and trees with golden and silver apples. At that time, the king stepped onto the balcony, looked through the telescope and was amazed: everything was done according to the order! Calls to himself a beautiful princess and orders to equip herself for the crown.
Well, - he says, - I didn’t think, I didn’t guess to give you in marriage to a peasant’s son, but now it’s impossible to avoid it.
So, while the princess was washing, rubbing herself, dressed in expensive dresses, Martyn, the widow's son, went out into the wide courtyard and threw his ring from hand to hand - suddenly twelve fine fellows seemed to have grown out of the earth:
Whatever is needed?
- And here, brothers, dress me in a boyar caftan and prepare a painted carriage and six horses.
- Now it will be ready!
Martynka had no time to blink three times, and already they dragged him a caftan; he put on a caftan - just right, as if tailored to measure. I looked around - a carriage was standing at the entrance, wonderful horses were harnessed to the carriage - one piece of hair was silver and the other was gold. He got into the carriage and drove to the cathedral. They have been ringing for mass there for a long time, and the people have rushed in, apparently, invisibly. Following the groom, the bride arrived with her nannies and mothers, and the king with his ministers. They stood up for mass, and then, as it should, Martin, the widow's son, took the beautiful princess by the hand and accepted the law with her. The king gave a rich dowry for his daughter, rewarded his son-in-law with a great rank and set a feast for the whole world.
Young people live for a month, and two, and three. Martinka, every day, builds new palaces and plants gardens.
Only the princess is hurt not to her heart that they married her not to a prince, not to a prince, but to a simple peasant. I began to think how to get him out of the world. She pretended to be such a fox that you should go! She takes care of her husband in every possible way, serves him in every possible way, and asks everything about his wisdom. Martinka fastens, says nothing.
Once Martynka was visiting the king, he returned home late and lay down to rest. Then the princess stuck to him, let's kiss him, pardon him, seduce him with affectionate words - and still cajoled him: Monkey could not stand it, he told her about his miraculous ring.
“Okay,” the princess thinks, “now I’ll deal with you!”
As soon as he fell into a sound sleep, the princess grabbed his hand, took off the ring from her little finger, went out into the wide courtyard and threw that ring from hand to hand. Immediately twelve young men appeared before her:
“Whatever you need, beautiful princess?”
- Listen guys! So that by morning there would be no palace, no cathedral, no crystal bridge, but the old hut would still stand. Let my husband remain in poverty, and take me away to distant lands, to the distant kingdom, to the mouse state. From one shame I do not want to live here!
- We are glad to try, everything will be done!
At the same moment, the wind picked her up and carried her to the thirtieth kingdom, to the mouse state.
In the morning the king woke up, went out onto the balcony to look through a telescope - there is neither a palace with a crystal bridge, nor a five-domed cathedral, but only an old hut stands.
“What would that mean? thought the king. "Where did it all go?"
And, without delay, he sends his adjutant to find out on the spot: what happened? The adjutant rode on horseback and, turning back, reported to the sovereign:
- Your Majesty! Where there was a richest palace, there still stands a thin hut, in that hut your son-in-law lives with his mother, but there is no beautiful princess and spirit, and it is not known where she is now.
The king convened a big council and ordered his son-in-law to be judged, for some reason he seduced him with magic and ruined the beautiful princess. They condemned Martynka to put him in a high stone pillar and not give him anything to eat or drink - let him die of hunger. The masons appeared, brought out a pillar and walled up Martinka tightly, leaving only a small window for light. He sits, poor, in custody, does not eat, does not drink for a day, and another, and the third, and sheds tears.
The dog Zhurka found out about that attack, ran into the hut, and the cat Vaska lies purring on the stove. Zhurka attacked him:
- Oh, you scoundrel Vaska! You only know to lie on the stove and stretch, but you don’t know that our master is imprisoned in a stone pillar. Apparently, he forgot the old good, how he paid a hundred rubles and freed you from death. If it weren't for him, the worms would have exuded you, the damned one, long ago. Get up soon! We must help him with all our might.
Here Vaska jumped off the stove and, together with Zhurka, ran to look for the owner. He ran to the post, climbed up and climbed into the window:
- Hello, master! Are you alive?
- Barely alive, - replies Martynka. - I was completely emaciated without food, I have to die of starvation.
- Wait, don't worry! We will feed and drink you, - said Vaska, jumped out the window and went down to the ground. - Well, brother Zhurka, because the owner is dying of hunger! How can we manage to help him?
- You're a fool, Vaska! And you can't imagine it. Let's go around the city. As soon as the baker meets the tray, I will quickly jump under his feet and knock the tray off his head. Here you look not bad! Grab the rolls and rolls as soon as possible and drag them to the owner.
So they went out into the big street, and towards them a man with a tray. Zhurka threw himself at his feet, the peasant staggered, dropped the tray, spilled all the bread, and in fright began to run to the side: he was afraid that the dog, perhaps, was rabid - how long before trouble! And the cat Vaska grabbed the bun and dragged him to Martynka; gave one - ran for another, gave another - ran for the third.
After that, the cat Vaska and the dog Zhurka decided to go to the thirtieth kingdom, to the mouse state - to get a miraculous ring. The road is long, a lot of time will flow away ...
They dragged Martynka biscuits, rolls and all sorts of things for a whole year and they say:
- Look, master! Eat, drink, and look around so that you have enough supplies before our return.
We said goodbye and went on our way. Whether close, far, soon, short - they come to the blue sea. Zhurka says to Vaska the cat:
- I hope to swim to the other side. What do you think? Vaska answers:
- I'm not a master of swimming, now I'll drown.
- Well, sit on my back!
The cat Vaska sat on the dog's back, clung to the wool with his claws so as not to fall off, and they swam across the sea. They crossed over to the other side and came to the thirtieth kingdom, to the mouse state.
Not a human soul can be seen in that state, but there are so many mice that it is impossible to count: wherever you go, they go in packs! Zhurka says to Vaska the cat:
- Come on, brother, start hunting, start strangling and crushing these mice, and I will begin to rake in and put them in a pile.
Vaska is accustomed to that hunt; how he went to deal with mice in his own way, whatever he bites, then the spirit is out! Zhurka barely manages to pile up in a heap and in a week laid down a large stack.
A great turmoil fell upon the whole kingdom. The mouse king sees that among the people his shortcoming turns out to be that many subjects of evil death are betrayed, crawled out of the hole and prayed to Zhurka and Vaska:
- I bow my forehead to you, mighty heroes! Have pity on my people, do not ruin to the end. Better tell me what you need? Whatever I can, I will do everything for you.
Zhurka answers him:
- There is a palace in your state, a beautiful princess lives in that palace. She stole a miraculous ring from our master. If you don’t get us that little ring, then you yourself will perish and your kingdom will perish: everything is as it is desolated!
- Wait, - says the mouse king, - I will gather my subjects and ask them.
He immediately gathered the mice, both large and small, and began to ask: would any of them undertake to sneak into the palace to the princess and get the miraculous ring? One mouse volunteered.
I, - he says, - often visit that palace: during the day the princess wears a ring on her little finger, and at night, when she goes to bed, she puts it in her mouth.
- Come on, try to get it. If you serve this service, I will not be stingy, I will reward you royally.
The little mouse waited for the night, made his way to the palace and slowly climbed into the bedroom. Looks - the princess is fast asleep. He crawled onto the bed, stuck his tail into the princess's nose and began to tickle her nostrils. She sneezed - the ring popped out of her mouth and fell on the carpet. The little mouse jumped out of bed, grabbed the ring in his teeth and took it to his king. The mouse king gave the ring to powerful heroes - the cat Vaska and the dog Zhurka. They thanked the king and began to hold advice with each other: who better to save the ring?
Vaska cat says:
Give it to me, I won't lose anything!
- All right, - Zhurka says. - Look, take care of him more than your own eyes.
The cat took the ring in his mouth, and they set off on their way back.
Here we come to the blue sea. Vaska jumped on Zhurka's back, grabbed hold of his paws as tightly as possible, and Zhurka jumped into the water and swam across the sea.
An hour floats, another floats. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a black raven flew in, stuck to Vaska and let's peck him in the head. The poor cat does not know what to do, how to defend himself from the enemy. If you put your paws into action - what good, you will capsize in the sea and go to the bottom; if you show your teeth to a raven, you will probably drop the ring. Trouble, and only! He endured for a long time, but in the end it became unbearable - the raven gouged his violent head to the point of blood. Vaska became embittered, began to defend himself with his teeth - and dropped the ring into the blue sea. The black raven rose up and flew off into the dark forests.
And Zhurka, as soon as he swam ashore, immediately asked about the ring. Vaska stands with his head bowed.
“Forgive me,” he says, “it’s my fault, brother, in front of you: after all, I dropped the ring into the sea!”
Zhurka attacked him:
- Oh, you fool! Happy are you that I didn’t recognize you before, I would have drowned you in the sea! Well, with what are we going to the owner now? Now get into the water: either get the ring, or disappear yourself!
- What is the profit if I disappear? Better let's contrive: as we used to catch mice, so now we will hunt for crayfish; perhaps, fortunately for us, they will help us find the ring.
Zhurka agreed; they began to walk along the seashore, began to catch crayfish and put them in a heap. A big heap has been laid! At that time, a huge crayfish crawled out of the sea, he wanted to take a walk in the fresh air. Zhurka and Vaska now groped him and, well, disturb him in all directions!
Do not strangle me, mighty heroes! I am king over all cancers. What you order, I will do.
- We dropped the ring into the sea, look for it and deliver it if you want mercy, and without this we will destroy your entire kingdom to the end! The Tsar-Rak at the same moment summoned his subjects and began to ask questions about the ring. One small cancer volunteered.
“I,” he says, “know where it is. As soon as the ring fell into the blue sea, the beluga fish immediately picked it up and swallowed it before my eyes.
Then all the crayfish rushed across the sea to look for the beluga fish, grabbed it, the poor one, and let's pinch it with ticks; already they drove, drove her - just for a single moment they do not give rest. Fish back and forth, twirled and twirled and jumped ashore.
The king-cancer got out of the water and said to the cat Vaska and the dog Zhurka:
- Here you are, mighty heroes, a beluga fish, pull it mercilessly: it swallowed your ring.
Zhurka rushed to the beluga and began to pee her from the tail. “Well,” he thinks, “now we’ll get enough!”
And the rogue cat knows where to find the ring rather, set to the beluga belly and quickly attacked the ring. He grabbed the ring in his teeth and God bless his legs - that there is strength to run, but in his mind he has such a thought: “I will run to the owner, give him the ring and boast that one arranged everything. The owner will love and favor me more than Zhurka!”
Meanwhile, Zhurka ate his fill, looks - where is Vaska? And he guessed that his comrade was on his own mind: he wants to curry favor with the owner by lying.
- So you're lying, rogue Vaska! Here I will catch up with you, tear you into small pieces!
Zhurka ran in pursuit; for a long time, for a short time - he catches up with the cat Vaska and threatens him with inevitable disaster. Vaska saw a birch in the field, climbed on it and sat down at the very top.
- OK! Zhurka says. “You can’t sit on a tree all your life, someday you’ll want to get down, and I won’t take a single step from here.
For three days the cat Vaska sat on a birch, for three days Zhurka guarded him, never taking his eyes off him; both got hungry and agreed to a peace settlement. They reconciled and went together to their master. They ran to the pole. Vaska jumped into the window and asked:
- Are you alive, master?
- Hello, Vaska! I thought you weren't coming back. I've been sitting without bread for three days.
The cat gave him a miraculous ring. Martynka waited until dead midnight, threw the ring from hand to hand - immediately twelve fellows came to him:
- Anything you need?
- Put, guys, my former palace, and a crystal bridge, and a five-domed cathedral, and transfer my unfaithful wife here. To have everything ready by morning.
No sooner said than done. In the morning the king woke up, went out onto the balcony, looked through a telescope: where the hut stood, a high palace was built there, a crystal bridge stretches from that palace to the royal one, trees with golden and silver apples grow on both sides of the bridge. The king ordered the carriage to be laid down and went to find out whether everything was really the same as before, or only he dreamed it. Martinka meets him at the gate.
- So and so, - reports, - that's what the princess did to me!
The king ordered her to be punished. And Martynka still lives, chews bread.