The Flying Ship - a Russian fairy tale adapted by V..

Read the fairy tale “The Flying Ship” online

Once upon a time there lived an old man and an old woman. They had three sons - the two eldest were considered smart, and everyone called the youngest a fool. The old woman loved her elders - she dressed them cleanly and fed them delicious food. And the youngest walked around in a holey shirt, chewing black crust.

He, the fool, doesn’t care: he doesn’t understand anything, he doesn’t understand anything!

One day the news reached that village: whoever builds a ship for the king that can sail the seas and fly under the clouds, the king will marry his daughter to him.

The older brothers decided to try their luck.

Let us go, father and mother! Perhaps one of us will become the king's son-in-law!

The mother equipped her eldest sons, baked them white pies for the journey, fried and cooked some chicken and goose:

Go, sons!

The brothers went into the forest and began to cut down and saw trees. They chopped and sawed a lot. And they don’t know what to do next. They began to argue and swear, and the next thing they knew, they would grab each other’s hair.

An old man came up to them and asked:

Why are you guys arguing and swearing? Maybe I can tell you something that will help you?

Both brothers attacked the old man - they did not listen to him, cursed him with bad words and drove him away. The old man left.

The brothers had a fight, ate all their provisions that their mother gave them, and returned home with nothing...

As soon as they arrived, the youngest began to ask:

Let me go now!

His mother and father began to dissuade him and hold him back:

Where are you going, you fool, the wolves will eat you along the way!

And the fool knows his own thing repeats:

Let me go, I’ll go, and don’t let me go, I’ll go!

Mother and father see that there is no way to deal with him. They gave him a crust of dry black bread for the road and escorted him out of the house. The fool took an ax with him and went into the forest. I walked and walked through the forest and spotted a tall pine tree: the top of this pine rests on the clouds, only three people can grasp it.

He cut down a pine tree and began clearing its branches. An old man approached him.

“Hello,” he says, “child!”

Hello, grandpa!

What are you doing, child, why did you cut down such a big tree?

But, grandfather, the king promised to marry his daughter to the one who would build him a flying ship, and I am building it.

Can you really make such a ship? This is a tricky matter, and perhaps you won’t be able to handle it.

The tricky thing is not tricky, but you have to try: you see, and I succeed! By the way, here you are: old, experienced, knowledgeable people. Maybe you can give me some advice.

The old man says:

Well, if you ask me for advice, listen: take your ax and chop this pine tree from the sides: like this!

And he showed how to trim.

The fool listened to the old man and hewed the pine the way he showed. He is cutting, and it’s amazing: the ax moves just like that, just like that!

Now, says the old man, trim the pine from the ends: like this and like that!

The fool doesn’t let the old man’s words fall on deaf ears: as the old man shows, so he does.

He finished the work, the old man praised him and said:

Well, now it’s not a sin to take a break and have a little snack.

Eh, grandpa,” says the fool, “there will be food for me, this stale piece of meat.” What can I treat you with? You probably won’t bite my treat, will you?

“Come on, child,” says the old man, “give me your crust!”

The fool gave him some crust. The old man took it in his hands, examined it, felt it, and said:

Your little bitch is not so callous!

And he gave it to the fool. The fool took the crust and couldn’t believe his eyes: the crust turned into a soft and white loaf.

After they had eaten, the old man said:

Well, now let's start adjusting the sails!

And he took out a piece of canvas from his bosom. The old man shows, the fool tries, he does everything conscientiously - and the sails are ready, trimmed.

Now get into your ship,” says the old man, “and fly wherever you want.” Look, remember my order: along the way, put everyone you meet on your ship!

Here they said goodbye. The old man went his way, and the fool boarded the flying ship and straightened the sails. The sails inflated, the ship soared into the sky, and flew faster than a falcon. It flies a little lower than the walking clouds, a little higher than the standing forests...

The fool flew and flew and saw a man lying on the road with his ear pressed to the damp ground. He came down and said:

Hello, uncle!

Nice, well done!

What are you doing?

I listen to what is happening at the other end of the earth.

What's going on there, uncle?

Wow, what an earworm you are! Get on my ship and we'll fly together.

Rumor did not make excuses, boarded the ship, and they flew on.

They flew and flew and saw a man walking along the road, walking on one leg, and the other leg tied to his ear.

Hello, uncle!

Nice, well done!

Why are you jumping on one leg?

Yes, if I untie my other leg, I’ll cross the whole world in three steps!

You are so fast! Sit down with us.

The speedboat did not refuse, climbed onto the ship, and they flew on.

You never know how much time has flown by, and lo and behold, there’s a man standing with a gun, taking aim. It’s unknown what he’s aiming at.

Hello, uncle! Who are you aiming at? No animal or bird is visible around you.

What are you! Yes, I won’t shoot close. I’m aiming at a black grouse that’s sitting on a tree about a thousand miles away. This is how shooting is for me.

Sit down with us, let's fly together!

They flew and flew and saw: a man was walking, carrying a huge sack of bread behind his back.

Hello, uncle! Where are you going?

I'm going to get some bread for lunch.

What more bread do you need? Your bag is already full!

Whats up! Put this bread in my mouth and swallow it. And to eat my fill, I need a hundred times that amount!

Look what you are! Get on our ship and we'll fly together.

They fly over forests, they fly over fields, they fly over rivers, they fly over villages and villages.

Lo and behold: a man is walking near a large lake, shaking his head.

Hello, uncle! What is it you are looking for?

I'm thirsty, so I'm looking for somewhere to get drunk.

There's a whole lake in front of you. Drink to your heart's content!

Yes, this water will only last me one sip.

The fool marveled, his comrades marveled and said:

Well, don't worry, there will be water for you. Get on the ship with us, we will fly far, there will be plenty of water for you!

It is unknown how long they flew, they just see: a man is walking into the forest, and behind his shoulders is a bundle of brushwood.

Hello, uncle! Tell us: why are you dragging brushwood into the forest?

And this is not ordinary brushwood. If you scatter it, a whole army will immediately appear.

Sit down, uncle, with us!

They flew and flew, and lo and behold: an old man was walking, carrying a sack of straw.

Hello, grandpa, gray little head! Where are you taking the straw?

To the village.

Is there really not enough straw in the village?

There is a lot of straw, but there is no such thing.

What is it like for you?

Here's what it is: if I scatter it in the hot summer, it will suddenly become cold: snow will fall, frost will crackle.

If so, the truth is yours: you won’t find such straw in the village. Sit down with us!

Kholodlo climbed into the ship with his sack, and they flew on.

They flew and flew and arrived at the royal court.

The king was sitting at dinner at that time. He saw a flying ship and sent his servants:

Go ask: who flew on that ship - which overseas princes and princes?

The servants ran up to the ship and saw that ordinary men were sitting on the ship.

The royal servants did not even ask them who they were and where they came from. They returned and reported to the king:

Anyway! There is not a single prince on the ship, not a single prince, and all black bones are simple men. What do you want to do with them?

“It’s shameful for us to marry our daughter to a simple man,” the Tsar thinks. “We need to get rid of such suitors.”

He asked his courtiers - princes and boyars:

What should we do now, what should we do?

They advised:

It is necessary to ask the groom various difficult problems, maybe he won’t solve them. Then we will turn the corner and show him!

The king was delighted and immediately sent his servants to the fool with the following order:

Let the groom get us, before our royal dinner is over, living and dead water!

The fool thought:

What am I going to do now? Yes, I won’t find such water in a year, or maybe even my whole life.

What am I supposed to do? - says Skorokhod. - I’ll handle it for you in a moment.

He untied his leg from his ear and ran across distant lands to the thirtieth kingdom. I collected two jugs of living and dead water, and thought to myself: “There’s a lot of time left ahead, let me sit for a while and I’ll be back in time!”

He sat down under a thick, spreading oak tree and dozed off...

The royal dinner is coming to an end, but Skorokhod is gone.

Everyone on the flying ship was sunbathing - they didn’t know what to do. And Slukhalo put his ear to the damp earth, listened and said:

What a sleepy and drowsy one! He sleeps under a tree, snores with all his might!

But I’ll wake him up now! - says Strelyalo.

He grabbed his gun, took aim and shot at the oak tree under which Skorokhod was sleeping. Acorns fell from the oak tree - right on Skorokhod’s head. He woke up.

Fathers, yes, no way, I fell asleep!

He jumped up and at that very moment brought jugs of water:

Get it!

The king stood up from the table, looked at the jugs and said:

Or maybe this water is not real?

They caught a rooster, tore off its head and sprinkled it with dead water. The head instantly grew larger. They sprinkled it with living water - the rooster jumped to his feet, flapping his wings, “cuckoo!” shouted.

The king became annoyed.

Well,” he says to the fool, “you have completed this task of mine.” I'll ask another one now! If you are so clever, you and your matchmakers will eat in one sitting twelve roasted bulls and as much bread as was baked in forty ovens!

The fool became sad and said to his comrades:

Yes, I won’t even eat one piece of bread all day!

What am I supposed to do? - says Obedalo. - I can handle both the bulls and their grain alone. It won't be enough yet!

The fool ordered to tell the king:

Drag the bulls and the grain. Let's eat!

They brought twelve roasted bulls and as much bread as had been baked in forty ovens.

Let's eat the bulls, one by one. And he puts bread in his mouth and throws loaf after loaf. All the carts were empty.

Let's do more! - Obedalo shouts. - Why did they supply so little? I'm just getting the hang of it!

But the king has no more bulls or grain.

Now,” he says, “there is a new order for you: to drink forty barrels of beer at a time, each barrel containing forty buckets.”

“I can’t even drink one bucket,” says the fool to his matchmakers.

What a sadness! - Opivalo answers. - Yes, I’ll drink all their beer alone, it won’t be enough!

Forty barrels were rolled in. They began to scoop up beer in buckets and serve it to Opivale. He takes a sip - the bucket is empty.

What are you bringing me in buckets? - says Opivalo. - We'll be messing around all day!

He picked up the barrel and emptied it all at once, without stopping. He picked up another barrel - and the empty one rolled away. So I drained all forty barrels.

Isn’t he, he asks, still have some beer? I didn't drink to my heart's content! Don't get your throat wet!

The king sees: nothing can take the fool. I decided to destroy him with cunning.

Okay,” he says, “I’ll marry my daughter to you, get ready for the crown!” Just before the wedding, go to the bathhouse, wash and steam thoroughly.

And he ordered the bathhouse to be heated.

And the bathhouse was all cast iron.

For three days the bathhouse was heated, red-hot. It radiates with fire and heat; you can’t approach it within five fathoms.

How will I wash? - says the fool. - I'll burn alive.

“Don’t be sad,” Kholodylo answers. - I'll go with you!

He ran to the king and asked:

Would you allow me and my fiancé to go to the bathhouse? I'll lay out some straw for him so he doesn't get his heels dirty!

What to the king? He allowed: “That one will burn, that both!”

They brought the fool and the Refrigerator into the bathhouse and locked him there.

And Kholodillo scattered straw in the bathhouse - and it became cold, the walls were covered with frost, the water in the cast iron froze.

Some time passed and the servants opened the door. They look, and the fool is alive and well, and the old man too.

“Eh, you,” says the fool, “why don’t you take a steam bath in your bathhouse, how about riding on a sled!”

The servants ran to the king. They reported: So, they say, and so. The king was tossed around, he didn’t know what to do, how to get rid of the fool.

I thought and thought and ordered him:

Place a whole regiment of soldiers in front of my palace in the morning. If you do, I’ll marry my daughter to you. If you don’t throw me out, I’ll throw you out!

And on his own mind: “Where can a simple peasant get an army? He won't be able to do this. That’s when we’ll kick him out!”

The fool heard the royal order and said to his matchmakers:

You, brothers, have helped me out of trouble more than once or twice... And now what are we going to do?

Eh, you found something to be sad about! - says the old man with brushwood. - Yes, I’ll field at least seven regiments with generals! Go to the king, tell him - he will have an army!

The fool came to the king.

“I will carry out,” he says, “your order, only for the last time.” And if you make excuses, blame yourself!

Early in the morning, the old man with brushwood called the fool and went out into the field with him. He scattered the bundle, and a countless army appeared - both on foot and on horseback, and with cannons. Trumpeters blow trumpets, drummers beat drums, generals give commands, horses beat their hooves into the ground...

The fool stood in front and led the army to the royal court. He stopped in front of the palace and ordered the trumpets to be blown louder and the drums to be beaten harder.

The king heard it, looked out the window, and became whiter than a sheet of paper in fright. He ordered the commanders to withdraw their troops and go to war against the fool.

The governors brought out the tsar’s army and began to shoot and fire at the fool. And the foolish soldiers march like a wall, crushing the royal army like grass. The commanders got scared and ran back, followed by the entire royal army.

The king crawled out of the palace, crawled on his knees in front of the fool, asking him to accept expensive gifts and marry the princess as soon as possible.

The fool says to the king:

Now you are not our guide! We have our own mind!

He drove the king away and never ordered him to return to that kingdom. And he himself married the princess.

The princess is a young and kind girl. There is no fault on her!

And he began to live in that kingdom and do all sorts of things.

Proverbs for the fairy tale flying ship

Have you ever wondered: “What proverb fits the fairy tale of the flying ship?” If yes, then here are a few proverbs that can be correlated with the main idea of ​​the fairy tale.

• A tree is held together by its roots, and a person is held together by its friends. (Russian proverb)
• Choose your companion before you set out. (Arabic proverb)
• Help yourself first, and then accept help from a friend. (Mongolian proverb)
• Wheat will be born in the field every year, but a kind person will always come in handy. (Russian proverb).

There was a grandfather and a woman, they had three sons: two reasonable, and the third a fool. The woman loved the first ones and dressed them cleanly; and the latter was always poorly dressed - he wore a black shirt. They heard that a document had arrived from the king: “whoever builds a ship so that it can fly will marry the princess.” The older brothers decided to go try their luck and asked the old men for blessings; their mother equipped them for the journey, gave them white palyanits1, various meats and a flask of a burner, and sent them on their way. Seeing this, the fool began to ask himself to be released too. His mother began to persuade him not to go: “Where are you going, you fool; The wolves will eat you!” But the fool got one thing right: I’ll go, I’ll go! Baba saw that he couldn’t be dealt with, so she gave him some black palyanits and a flask of water for the road and sent him out of the house.

The fool walked and walked and met an old man. We said hello. The old man asks the fool: “Where are you going?” - “Yes, the king promised to give his daughter to the one who makes a flying ship.” - “Can you make such a ship?” - “No, I can’t!” - “So why are you going?” - “God knows!” “Well, if so,” said the old man, “then sit here; Let's relax together and have a snack; take out what you have in your bag.” - “Yes, there’s something here that’s embarrassing to show to people!” - “Nothing, take it out; what God has given is what we will eat!” The fool untied the bag and couldn’t believe his eyes: instead of black buns, there were white rolls and various seasonings; gave it to the old man. “You see,” the old man told him, “how God favors the foolish ones! Even though your own mother doesn’t love you, you are not deprived either... Let’s drink some burners in advance.” In the flask, instead of water, there was a burner; They drank, had a snack, and the old man said to the fool: “Listen, go into the forest, go to the first tree, cross yourself three times and hit the tree with an ax, and fall on your face on the ground and wait until they wake you up. Then you will see a ready-made ship in front of you, get into it and fly where you need to; and along the way, take with you everyone you meet.”

The fool thanked the old man, said goodbye to him and went to the forest. He approached the first tree, did everything as he was told: he crossed himself three times, hit the tree with an ax2, fell to the ground on his face and fell asleep. After a while, someone started to wake him up. The fool wakes up and sees a ready ship; He didn’t think twice, got into it, and the ship flew through the air.

He flew and flew, and lo and behold, there was a man lying below on the road, his ear pressed to the damp ground. “Hello, uncle!” - “Hey, my goodness.” - "What are you doing?" - “I listen to what is happening in the next world.” - “Get on the ship with me.” He didn’t want to make an excuse, boarded the ship, and they flew on. They flew and flew, and lo and behold, a man was walking on one leg, and the other was tied up to his ear. “Hello, uncle! Why are you jumping on one leg?” - “Yes, if I had untied the other one, I would have crossed the whole world in one step!” - “Sit down with us!” He sat down and flew off again. They flew and flew, and lo and behold, there was a man standing with a gun, taking aim, but nobody knew what. “Hello, uncle! Where are you aiming? Not a single bird is visible." - “Why, I’ll shoot close! I could shoot an animal or a bird a thousand miles from here: then they’re shooting at me!” - “Sit down with us!” This one also landed, and they flew on.

They flew and flew, and lo and behold, a man was carrying a skin full of bread behind him. “Hello, uncle! Where are you going?" “I’m going,” he says, “to get bread for lunch.” - “Yes, your bag is already full on your back.” - "Whats up! For me, this bread is not enough to bite into.” - “Sit down with us!” Obedalo boarded the ship and flew on. They flew and flew, and lo and behold, a man was walking around the lake. “Hello, uncle!” What are you looking for? - “I’m thirsty, but I can’t find water.” - “Yes, there is a whole lake in front of you; Why don’t you drink?” - “Eka! This water won’t last me one sip.” - “So sit down with us!” He sat down and flew off again. They flew and flew, and lo and behold, a man was walking into the forest, with a bundle of firewood behind him. “Hello, uncle! Why are you carrying firewood into the forest?” - “Yes, this is not ordinary firewood.” - “And which ones?” - “Yes, like this: if you scatter them, then suddenly a whole army will appear.” - “Sit down with us!” He sat down with them and flew on. They flew and flew, and lo and behold, a man was carrying a sack of straw. “Hello, uncle! Where are you taking the straw? - "To the village". - “Isn’t there enough straw in the village?” - “Yes, this is such straw that no matter how hot the summer is, but if you scatter it, it will suddenly become cold: snow and frost!” - “Sit down and join us!” - “Perhaps!” This was the last meeting; They soon arrived at the royal court.

At that time, the king was sitting at dinner: he saw a flying ship, was surprised and sent his servant to ask: who flew on that ship? The servant approached the ship, saw that all the men on it, did not even ask, but, returning back to the chambers, reported to the king that there was not a single gentleman on the ship, but all black men. The king decided that there was no need to give his daughter to a simple man, and began to think about how to get rid of such a son-in-law. So I came up with the idea: “I’ll start asking him various difficult tasks.” He immediately sends to the fool with an order to get him, while the royal dinner is over, healing and living water.

While the king was giving this order to his servant, the first person he met (the same one who listened to what was happening in the next world) heard the king’s speeches and told the fool. “What am I going to do now? Yes, I won’t find such water in a year, or maybe even my whole life!” “Don’t be afraid,” the walker told him, “I can handle it for you.” A servant came and announced the royal order. “Say: I’ll bring it!” - responded the fool; and his comrade untied his leg from his ear, ran and instantly picked up the healing and life-giving water: “I’ll have time,” he thinks, “to return!” - sat down under the mill to rest and fell asleep. The royal dinner is coming to an end, but he is gone; Everyone on the ship began to fuss. The first person he met pressed himself to the damp earth, listened and said: “What! He sleeps under the mill." The shooter grabbed his gun, fired at the mill and with that shot woke up the walker; The walker ran and in one minute brought water; The king had not yet risen from the table, but his order was carried out as accurately as possible.

There is nothing to do, you need to set another task. The king ordered the fool to say: “Well, if you are so cunning, then show your daring: eat twelve roasted bulls and twelve bags of baked bread with your comrades at one time.” The first comrade heard and announced that it was a fool. The fool got scared and said: “I won’t even eat one piece of bread at a time!” “Don’t be afraid,” Oedalo replies, “it won’t be enough for me yet!” A servant came and revealed the royal decree. “Okay,” said the fool, “let’s eat.” They brought twelve roasted bulls and twelve sacks of baked bread; He ate everything alone. “Eh,” he says, “not enough! If only they’d give me at least a little more...” The king ordered the fool to be told to drink forty barrels of wine, each barrel holding forty buckets. The fool's first comrade overheard those royal speeches and conveyed them to him as before; he got scared: “Yes, I can’t even drink one bucket at a time.” “Don’t be afraid,” says Opivalo, “I’ll drink for everyone; It won’t be enough yet!” They filled forty barrels with wine; The opiate came and without pause drank every single one; drank and said: “Eh, not enough! Another drink."

After that, the king ordered the fool to prepare for the crown, go to the bathhouse and wash himself; But the bathhouse was cast iron, and he ordered it to be heated hot, so that the fool in it would suffocate in one minute. The bathhouse was heated red hot; The fool went to wash himself, and behind him came a man with straw: he needed some spreading. They locked them both in the bathhouse; the man scattered the straw - and it became so cold that as soon as the fool washed himself, the water in the cast iron began to freeze; he climbed onto the stove and lay there all night. In the morning they opened the bathhouse, and the fool was alive and well, lying on the stove and singing songs. They reported to the king; he was saddened and doesn’t know how to get rid of the fool; I thought and thought and ordered him to send a whole regiment of troops, but on his mind: “Where can a simple peasant get an army? He won’t do that!”

When the fool found out about this, he got scared and said: “Now I’m completely lost! You, brothers, have helped me out of trouble more than once; and now, apparently, nothing can be done.” - "Oh you! - responded the man with a bundle of firewood. -Have you forgotten about me? Remember that I am a master at this kind of thing, and don’t be afraid!” A servant came and announced the royal decree to the fool: “If you want to marry the princess, send a whole regiment of troops by tomorrow.” - “Okay, I’m dying!” Only if the king continues to make excuses after that, then I will conquer his entire kingdom and take the princess by force.” At night, the foolish comrade went out into the field, brought out a bundle of firewood and let’s scatter it in different directions - immediately a countless army appeared; both horse and foot, and with cannons. In the morning the king saw it and in turn was afraid; He quickly sent expensive clothes and dresses to the fool and ordered him to the palace to ask him to marry the princess. The fool dressed himself up in those expensive clothes and became such a fine fellow that it’s impossible to say! He appeared to the king, married the princess, received a large dowry and became reasonable and shrewd. The king and queen fell in love with him, and the princess doted on him.

1 Flatbreads (Ed.).

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flying ship

Once upon a time there lived an old man and an old woman. They had three sons - the two eldest were considered smart, and everyone called the youngest a fool. The old woman loved her elders - she dressed them cleanly and fed them delicious food. And the youngest walked around in a holey shirt, chewing black crust.
- He, the fool, doesn’t care - he doesn’t understand anything, he doesn’t understand anything!
One day the news reached that village: whoever builds a ship for the king that can sail the seas and fly under the clouds, the king will marry his daughter to him.
The older brothers decided to try their luck.
- Let us go, father and mother! Perhaps one of us will become the king's son-in-law!
The mother equipped her eldest sons, baked them white pies for the journey, fried and cooked some chicken and goose:
- Go, sons!
The brothers went into the forest and began to cut down and saw trees. They chopped and sawed a lot. And they don’t know what to do next. They began to argue and swear, and then they would grab each other by the hair.
An old man came up to them and asked:
- Why are you guys arguing and swearing? Maybe I can tell you something that will help you?
Both brothers attacked the old man, did not listen to him, cursed him with bad words and drove him away. The old man left. The brothers had a fight, ate all their provisions that their mother gave them, and returned home with nothing...
As soon as they arrived, the youngest began to ask:
- Let me go now!
His mother and father began to dissuade him and hold him back:
- Where are you going, you fool, the wolves will eat you along the way! And the fool knows his own thing repeats:
- Let me go, I’ll go, and don’t let me go, I’ll go! Mother and father see that there is no way to deal with him. Dali
He had a piece of dry black bread on his way and was escorted out of the house. The fool took an ax with him and went into the forest. I walked and walked through the forest and spotted a tall pine tree: the top of this pine rests on the clouds, only three people can grasp it. He cut down a pine tree and began to clear it of its branches. An old man approached him.
“Hello,” he says, “child!”
- Hello, grandfather!
- What are you doing, child, why did you cut down such a big tree?
- But, grandfather, the king promised to marry his daughter to the one who would build him a flying ship; I'm building it.
- Can you really build such a ship? This is a tricky matter, and perhaps you won’t be able to handle it.
- It’s not a tricky thing, but you have to try: you’ll see and I’ll get it right! By the way, you came here: old people, experienced, knowledgeable. Maybe you can give me some advice.
The old man says:
- Well, if you’re asking me for advice, listen: take your ax and chop this pine tree from the sides - like that!
And he showed how to trim.
The fool listened to the old man and hewed the pine the way he showed. As he hews, he’s amazed: the ax moves on its own, just like that!
“Now,” says the old man, “finish the pine from the ends - like this and like that!”
The fool doesn’t let the old man’s words fall on deaf ears: as the old man shows, so he does. He finished the work, the old man praised him and said:
- Well, now it’s not a sin to take a break and have a little snack. “Eh, grandpa,” says the fool, “there will be food for me: this stale piece of meat.” What can I treat you with? You probably won’t bite my treat?
“Come on, child,” says the old man, “give me your crust!”
The fool gave him some crust. The old man took it in his hands, examined it, felt it, and said:
- Your little bitch is not so callous!
And he gave it to the fool. The fool took the crust and couldn’t believe his eyes: the crust turned into a soft and white loaf. After they had eaten, the old man said:
- Well, now let's start adjusting the sails! And he took out a piece of canvas from his bosom.
The old man shows, the fool tries, he does everything conscientiously - and the sails are ready, trimmed.
“Now get into your ship,” says the old man, “and fly wherever you want.” Yes, remember my order: on the way, put everyone you meet on your ship!
Here they said goodbye. The old man went his way, and the fool boarded the flying ship and straightened the sails. The sails inflated, the ship soared into the sky, and flew faster than a falcon. It flies a little lower than the walking clouds, a little higher than the standing forests...
The fool flew and flew and saw a man lying on the road with his ear pressed to the damp ground. He came down and said:
- Great, uncle!
- Nice, well done!
- What are you doing?
“I’m listening to what’s going on at the other end of the earth.”
- What's going on there, uncle?
- The vocal birds are singing and singing, one is better than the other!
- What a rumored person you are! Get on my ship and we'll fly together.
Rumor did not make excuses, boarded the ship, and they flew on. They flew and flew and saw a man walking along the road, walking on one leg, and the other leg tied to his ear.
- Great, uncle!
- Nice, well done!
- Why are you jumping on one leg?
- Yes, if I untie my other leg, I’ll cross the whole world in three steps!
- You're so fast! Get on our ship. The speedster did not refuse, he climbed onto the ship,
and they flew on.

Once upon a time there lived an old man and an old woman. They had three sons - the two eldest were considered smart, and everyone called the youngest a fool. The old woman loved her elders - she dressed them cleanly and fed them delicious food. And the youngest walked around in a holey shirt, chewing black crust.

“He, the fool, doesn’t care: he doesn’t understand anything, he doesn’t understand anything!”

One day the news reached that village: whoever builds a ship for the king, so that he can sail the seas and fly under the clouds, the king will marry his daughter to him. The older brothers decided to try their luck.

- Let us go, father and mother! Perhaps one of us will become the king's son-in-law!

The mother equipped her eldest sons, baked them white pies for the journey, fried and cooked some chicken and goose:

- Go, sons!

The brothers went into the forest and began to cut down and saw trees. They chopped and sawed a lot. And they don’t know what to do next. They began to argue and swear, and the next thing they knew, they would grab each other’s hair.

An old man came up to them and asked:

- Why are you guys arguing and swearing? Maybe I can tell you something that will help you?

Both brothers attacked the old man - they did not listen to him, cursed him with bad words and drove him away. The old man left.

The brothers had a fight, ate all their provisions that their mother gave them, and returned home with nothing... As soon as they arrived, the youngest began to beg:

- Let me go now!

His mother and father began to dissuade him and hold him back:

- Where are you going, you fool, the wolves will eat you along the way!

And the fool knows his own thing repeats:

- Let me go, I’ll go, and don’t let me go, I’ll go!

Mother and father see that there is no way to deal with him. They gave him a crust of dry black bread for the road and escorted him out of the house.

The fool took an ax with him and went into the forest. I walked and walked through the forest and spotted a tall pine tree: the top of this pine rests on the clouds, only three people can grasp it.

He cut down a pine tree and began clearing its branches. An old man approached him.

“Hello,” he says, “child!”

- Hello, grandfather!

“What are you doing, child, why did you cut down such a big tree?”

- But, grandfather, the king promised to marry his daughter to the one who would build him a flying ship, and I am building it.

“Can you really make such a ship?” This is a tricky matter, and perhaps you won’t be able to handle it.

- The tricky thing is not tricky, but you have to try: you look, and I succeed! Well, you came by the way: old people, experienced, knowledgeable. Maybe you can give me some advice. The old man says:

“Well, if you’re asking me for advice, listen: take your ax and chop this pine tree off from the sides: like this!”

And he showed how to trim.

The fool listened to the old man and hewed the pine the way he showed. He is cutting, and it’s amazing: the ax moves just like that, just like that!

“Now,” says the old man, “finish the pine from the ends: this way and that way!”

The fool doesn’t let the old man’s words fall on deaf ears: as the old man shows, so he does. He finished the work, the old man praised him and said:

- Well, now it’s not a sin to take a break and have a little snack.

“Eh, grandpa,” says the fool, “there’s food for me, this stale piece of meat.” What can I treat you with? You probably won't bite my treat?

“Come on, child,” says the old man, “give me your crust!”

The fool gave him some crust. The old man took it in his hands, examined it, felt it, and said:

“Your bitch is not so callous!”

And he handed it to the fool. The fool took the crust and couldn’t believe his eyes: the crust turned into a soft and white loaf.

After they had eaten, the old man said:

- Well, now let's start adjusting the sails!

And he took out a piece of canvas from his bosom. The old man shows, the fool tries, he does everything conscientiously - and the sails are ready, trimmed.

“Now get into your ship,” says the old man, “and fly where you want.” Look, remember my order: along the way, put everyone you meet on your ship!

Here they said goodbye. The old man went his way, and the fool boarded the flying ship and straightened the sails. The sails inflated, the ship soared into the sky, and flew faster than a falcon. It flies a little lower than the walking clouds, a little higher than the standing forests...

The fool flew and flew and saw a man lying on the road with his ear pressed to the damp earth. He came down and said:

- Great, uncle!

- Nice, well done!

- What are you doing?

“I’m listening to what’s going on at the other end of the earth.”

- What's going on there, uncle?

- What a great listener you are! Get on my ship and we'll fly together.

Rumor did not make excuses, boarded the ship, and they flew on.

They flew and flew and saw a man walking along the road, walking on one leg, and the other leg tied to his ear.

- Great, uncle!

- Nice, well done!

- Why are you jumping on one leg?

- Yes, if I untie my other leg, I’ll cross the whole world in three steps!

- You're so fast! Sit down with us.

The speedboat did not refuse, climbed onto the ship, and they flew on.

You never know how much time has passed, and lo and behold, there’s a man standing with a gun, taking aim. It’s unknown what he’s aiming at.

- Great, uncle! Who are you aiming at? No animal or bird is visible around you.

- What are you! Yes, I won’t shoot close. I’m aiming at a black grouse that’s sitting on a tree about a thousand miles away. This is how shooting is for me.

- Sit down with us, let's fly together!

- Great, uncle! Where are you going?

“I’m going to get some bread for lunch.”

- What more bread do you need? Your bag is already full!

- Whats up! Put this bread in my mouth and swallow it. And to eat my fill, I need a hundred times that amount!

- Look what you are! Get on our ship and we'll fly together.

Lo and behold: a man is walking near a large lake, shaking his head.

- Great, uncle! What is it you are looking for?

“I’m thirsty, so I’m looking for somewhere to get drunk.”

- Yes, there is a whole lake in front of you. Drink to your heart's content!

- Yes, this water will only last me one sip. The fool marveled, his comrades marveled, and said:

- Well, don’t worry, there will be water for you. Get on the ship with us, we will fly far, there will be plenty of water for you!

- Great, uncle! Tell us: why are you dragging brushwood into the forest?

- And this is not ordinary brushwood. If you scatter it, a whole army will immediately appear.

- Sit down, uncle, with us!

They flew and flew, and lo and behold: an old man was walking, carrying a sack of straw.

- Hello, grandpa, gray little head! Where are you taking the straw?

- To the village.

“Isn’t there enough straw in the village?”

- There is a lot of straw, but there is no such thing.

- What is it like for you?

- Here’s what it is: if I scatter it in the hot summer, it will suddenly become cold: snow will fall, frost will crackle.

- If so, the truth is yours: you won’t find such straw in the village. Sit down with us!

Kholodlo climbed into the ship with his sack, and they flew on.

They flew and flew and arrived at the royal palace. The king was sitting at dinner at that time. He saw a flying ship and sent his servants:

- Go ask: who flew on that ship - which overseas princes and princes?

The servants ran to the ship and saw that ordinary men were sitting on the ship.

The royal servants did not even ask them who they were and where they came from. They returned and reported to the king:

- Anyway! There is not a single prince on the ship, not a single prince, and all black bones are simple men. What do you want to do with them? “It’s shameful for us to marry our daughter to a simple man,” the Tsar thinks. “We need to get rid of such suitors.”

He asked his courtiers - princes and boyars:

- What should we do now, what should we do?

They advised:

“We need to ask the groom various difficult problems, maybe he won’t solve them.” Then we will turn the corner and show him!

The king was delighted and immediately sent his servants to the fool with the following order:

- Let the groom get us, before our royal dinner is over, living and dead water!

The fool thought:

- What am I going to do now? Yes, I won’t find such water in a year, or maybe even my whole life.

- What am I supposed to do? - says Skorokhod. - I’ll handle it for you in a moment.

He untied his leg from his ear and ran across distant lands to the thirtieth kingdom. I collected two jugs of living and dead water, and thought to myself: “There’s a lot of time left ahead, let me sit for a while and I’ll be back in time!”

He sat down under a thick, spreading oak tree and dozed off...

The royal dinner is coming to an end, but Skorokhod is gone.

Everyone on the flying ship was sunbathing - they didn’t know what to do. And Slukhalo put his ear to the damp earth, listened and said:

- What a sleepy and dozy one! He sleeps under a tree, snores with all his might!

- But I’ll wake him up now! - says Strelyalo. He grabbed his gun, took aim and shot at the oak tree under which Skorokhod was sleeping. Acorns fell from the oak tree - right on Skorokhod’s head. He woke up.

- Fathers, yes, no way, I fell asleep!

He jumped up and at that very moment brought jugs of water:

- Get it!

The king stood up from the table, looked at the jugs and said:

- Or maybe this water is not real?

They caught a rooster, tore off its head and sprinkled it with dead water. The head instantly grew larger. They sprinkled it with living water - the rooster jumped to his feet, flapping his wings, “cuckoo!” shouted.

The king became annoyed.

“Well,” he says to the fool, “you have completed this task of mine.” I'll ask another one now! If you are so clever, you and your matchmakers will eat in one sitting twelve roasted bulls and as much bread as was baked in forty ovens!

The fool became sad and said to his comrades:

- Yes, I won’t even eat one piece of bread in a whole day!

- What am I supposed to do? - says Obedalo. “I can handle both the bulls and their grain alone.” It won't be enough yet!

The fool ordered to tell the king:

- Drag the bulls and the grain. There will be!

They brought twelve roasted bulls and as much bread as had been baked in forty ovens. Let's eat the bulls, one by one. And he puts bread in his mouth and throws loaf after loaf. All the carts were empty.

- Let's do more! - Obedalo shouts. - Why did they supply so little? I'm just getting the hang of it!

But the king has no more bulls or grain.

“Now,” he says, “there is a new order for you: to drink forty barrels of beer at a time, each barrel containing forty buckets.”

“I can’t even drink one bucket,” says the fool to his matchmakers.

- What a sadness! - Opivalo answers. - Yes, I’ll drink all their beer alone, it won’t be enough!

Forty barrels were rolled in. They began to scoop up beer in buckets and serve it to Opivale. He takes a sip - the bucket is empty.

- What are you bringing me in buckets? - says Opivalo. “We’ll be messing around all day like that!”

He picked up the barrel and emptied it all at once, without stopping. He picked up another barrel and it rolled away. So I drained all forty barrels.

“Isn’t there some more beer?” he asks? I didn't drink to my heart's content! Don't get your throat wet!

The king sees: nothing can take the fool. I decided to destroy him with cunning.

“Okay,” he says, “I’ll marry my daughter to you, get ready for the crown!” Just before the wedding, go to the bathhouse, wash and steam thoroughly.

And he ordered the bathhouse to be heated. And the bathhouse was all cast iron.

For three days the bathhouse was heated, red-hot. It radiates with fire and heat; you can’t approach it within five fathoms.

- How will I wash myself? - says the fool. - I'll burn alive.

“Don’t be sad,” Kholodilo answers. - I'll go with you!

He ran to the king and asked:

“Would you allow me and my fiancé to go to the bathhouse?” I'll lay out some straw for him so he doesn't get his heels dirty!

What to the king? He allowed: “That one will burn, that both!”

They brought the fool and the Refrigerator into the bathhouse and locked him there. And Kholodila scattered straw in the bathhouse - and it became cold, the walls were covered with frost, the water in the cast iron froze.

Some time passed and the servants opened the door. They look, and the fool is alive and well, and the old man too.

“Eh, you,” says the fool, “why don’t you take a steam bath in your bathhouse, how about riding on a sled!”

The servants ran to the king. They reported: so, they say, and so. The king was tossed around, he didn’t know what to do, how to get rid of the fool.

I thought and thought and ordered him:

- Place a whole regiment of soldiers in front of my palace in the morning. If you do, I’ll marry my daughter to you. If you don’t throw me out, I’ll throw you out!

And on his own mind: “Where can a simple peasant get an army? He won't be able to do this. Then we’ll kick him out!”

The fool heard the royal order and said to his matchmakers:

- You, brothers, helped me out of trouble more than once or twice... And now what are we going to do?

- Eh, you found something to be sad about! - says the old man with brushwood. - Yes, I’ll at least field seven regiments with generals! Go to the king, tell him - he will have an army!

The fool came to the king.

“I will carry out,” he says, “your order, just for the last time.” And if you make excuses, blame yourself!

Early in the morning, the old man with brushwood called the fool and went out into the field with him. He scattered the bundle, and a countless army appeared - both on foot and on horseback, and with cannons. Trumpeters blow trumpets, drummers beat drums, generals give commands, horses beat their hooves into the ground... The fool stood in front and led the army to the royal palace. He stopped in front of the palace and ordered the trumpets to be blown louder and the drums to be beaten harder.

The king heard it, looked out the window, and became whiter than a sheet of paper in fright. He ordered the commanders to withdraw their troops and go to war against the fool.

The governors brought out the tsar’s army and began to shoot and fire at the fool. And the foolish soldiers march like a wall, crushing the royal army like grass. The commanders got scared and ran back, followed by the entire royal army.

The king crawled out of the palace, crawled on his knees in front of the fool, asking him to accept expensive gifts and marry the princess as soon as possible.

The fool says to the king:

- Now you are not our guide! We have our own mind!

He drove the king away and never ordered him to return to that kingdom. And he himself married the princess.

- The princess is a young and kind girl. There is no fault on her!

And he began to live in that kingdom and do all sorts of things.

Alternative text:

— Russian folk tale processed by A.N. Afanasyev.

An old man lived with an old woman. They had three sons: two were smart, and the third was a fool. They feel sorry for the smart ones, every week the old woman gives them clean shirts, but everyone scolds the fool, laughs at him, and he sits on the stove in a pile of millet, in a dirty shirt, without pants. If they give it, he will eat, but if not, he will go hungry. And at that time there was a rumor, so they say, and so: the royal order flew to the king to gather for dinner, and whoever builds such a ship to fly and comes on that ship, the king will give his daughter to him.

This is what smart brothers advise:

We should go too, maybe our happiness is hidden there! After thinking about it, they ask the father and mother:

Let's go, they say, to the Tsar for dinner: if we lose, we won't lose anything, and maybe our happiness will be found there!

The father dissuades them, the mother dissuades them.

No, let's go, that's all! Bless you on your way. The old people - there was nothing to do - took them and blessed them on the road: the old woman gave them white blankets; I roasted a pig, gave me a flask of vodka, and off they went.

And the fool sits on the stove and asks himself:

“I’ll go,” he says, “and I’ll go where the brothers went!”

Where should you go, you fool? - says the mother, - the wolves will eat you there!

No,” he says, “they won’t eat it: I’ll go!”

At first the old men laughed at him, and then they began to scold him. Well, they see that nothing can be done about the fool, and they say:

Well, go, and don’t come back, don’t call yourself our son.

His mother gave him a bag, put black stale bread in it, gave him a flask of water and sent him out of the house. So he went.

He walks and walks, and suddenly he comes across a grandfather along the way. Such a gray-haired grandfather, his beard is all white, right down to his waist!

Hello, grandpa!

Hello, son!

Where are you going, grandpa? And he says:

I walk around the world, helping people out of trouble. And where are you going?

To the king for lunch.

Do you really know how to make a ship so that it can fly itself? - asks the grandfather.

No, he says, I can’t.

So why are you going?

And God knows, he says, why! If I lose it, I won’t lose it, but maybe my happiness will be found there.

“So sit down,” he says, “rest a little, let’s have lunch.” Take out what you have in your bag.

Eh, grandpa, I have nothing - just stale bread, you won’t be able to bite it.

Nothing, get it!

Now the fool gets it, lo and behold, from that black bread and such white palyanitsa have become that he has never eaten anything like them in his life: to put it bluntly, just like the lords.

Well, well,” says the grandfather, “how can you not drink and have an afternoon snack?” Do you have any vodka in your bag?

But where can I get it? There is only one flask of water!

Get it, he says.

He took it out, tasted it, and there it became such a vodka!

So they spread out the scrolls on the grass, sat down and began to have afternoon tea. We had a good bite, the foolish old man thanked him for the bread and the vodka and said:

Well, listen, son, now go into the forest, go up to the tree and, crossing yourself three times, hit the tree with an ax, and quickly lie down on the ground and lie there until someone wakes you up. So a ship will be built for you, and you sit on it and fly where you want, and pick up everyone you meet along the way.

The fool thanked his grandfather and they said goodbye. Grandfather went his way, and the fool headed into the forest.

So he entered the forest, went up to a tree, hit it with a hatchet, fell to the ground and fell asleep. I slept and slept. Suddenly, after a while, he hears: someone is waking him up.

Get up, your happiness is already ripe, get up! The fool woke up and saw a ship standing there, golden itself, silver masts, silk sails, so inflated by the wind - just right to fly!

So, without hesitation, he boarded the ship, took off the ship and flew... And he flew below the clouds, above the ground, which you couldn’t even see with the eye.

He flew and flew, and suddenly he saw a man with his ear to the ground and listening. He shouted to him:

Hello, uncle!

Hello, darling!

What are you doing?

“Well, I’m listening,” he says, “to see if the king’s guests have already gathered for dinner.”

Are you going there?

So sit down with me, I'll give you a ride. He sat down. Let's fly.

They flew and flew... lo and behold, a man was walking along the road: one leg was tied to his ear, and he was jumping on the other.

Hello, uncle!

Hello, honey!

Why are you jumping on one leg?

Well, if I, he says, untied the other one, then in one step I would go around the whole world. “But I,” he says, “don’t want to.”

Where are you going?

To the king for lunch.

So sit down with us.

He sat down. They flew again.

They flew and flew, and lo and behold, a hunter was standing on the road, taking aim with a bow, but nothing was to be seen anywhere, neither a bird nor an animal.

Hello, uncle! Where do you aim if there is no bird or animal in sight?

So what's not visible? You can’t see it, but I can see it!

Where do you see her?

Eh, there, a hundred miles away, he’s sitting on a dry pear tree!

Well, sit down with us! He sat down. Let's fly.

They flew and flew, and suddenly they saw a man walking, carrying a full sack of bread behind his back.

Hello, uncle!

Great!

Where are you going?

“I’m going,” he says, “to get bread for lunch.”

Yes, you already have a full bag.

What kind of bread! I don’t even have enough breakfast for one meal.

Sit down with us!

He sat down too. Go.

They flew and flew, and lo and behold, a man was wandering by the lake, as if looking for something.

Hello, uncle!

Great.

Why are you walking here?

“I’m thirsty,” he says, “but I can’t find water.”

There’s a whole lake in front of you - why don’t you drink?

Oh, what about this water! It’s not enough for me even for one sip.

So sit down with us!

Fine.

He sat down. Let's fly.

They flew and flew, and suddenly they saw a man walking into the village and carrying a bag of straw.

Hello, uncle! Where are you taking the straw?

To the village, he says.

That's it! Is there no straw in the village?

There is, he says, but not like that!

What is this?

Yes, it’s like that,” he says, “that no matter how hot the summer is, scatter it and instantly, out of nowhere, frost will strike and snow will fall.

So sit down with us! He sat down. They flew on.

They flew and flew, and suddenly they saw a man walking into the forest and dragging a bundle of firewood over his shoulders.

Hello, uncle!

Great!

Where are you taking the firewood?

That's it! Isn't there any firewood in the forest?

Why not? There are, he says, but not like that.

What are these?

There are simple ones, but these are such that you just scatter them, and suddenly, out of nowhere, an army will appear in front of you!

So sit down with us. This one agreed and sat down. Let's fly.

Whether it was a long or short flight, they arrived at the Tsar for lunch. And there in the middle of the courtyard the tables are set, covered, barrels of honey and wine are pumped out: drink, dear soul, eat whatever you want! And to put it bluntly, half the kingdom of people came together, old and young, lords, rich people, and poor old men. Like going to a fair. The fool arrived with his comrades on that ship, went down to the king’s window, they got out of the ship and went to dinner.

The king looked out the window, and there someone arrived on a golden ship, and said to the servant:

Go and ask who arrived on the golden ship!

The servant went, looked, and came to the king:

“What a man,” he says, “ragamuffins!” The king doesn't believe it.

“How is it possible,” he says, “for the men to come on a golden ship!” You probably didn't ask well.

He took it and went to the people himself.

Who here, he asks, flew on this ship? The fool spoke:

“I am,” he says.

As soon as the king saw that he was wearing a scroll - a patch on a patch, and his knees were hanging out on his pants - he grabbed his head: “How can I give my daughter to such a slave!” What to do here? And give him tasks to make.

Go,” he says to the servant, “and tell him that even though he arrived on a ship, if he doesn’t get water that heals and lives while the guests dine, then not only won’t I give up the princess, but here’s the sword, and his head will be off his shoulders!”

The servant went.

And I heard and overheard what the king was saying, and told the fool about it. The fool sits on the bench, sad, does not eat, does not drink. Skorokhod saw this.

Why, he asks, don’t you eat?

Where can I eat! And it doesn’t go into your mouth. And he said, like this, like this:

The king wished for me that while the guests were having dinner, I would get living and healing water. How will I get it?

Do not be sad! I'll get it for you!

Well look!

A servant comes and gives him a royal order, but he has long known how and what.

Tell me,” he says, “what I’ll bring!” The servant has left.

And Skorokhod untied his leg from his ear, and as he moved, he immediately picked up living and healing water.

I dialed it and got tired. “While there,” he thinks, “it’s lunch, I’ll have time to return, but now I’ll sit by the mill and rest a little.”

I sat down and fell asleep. The guests are finishing dinner, but he’s still not there. The fool sits neither alive nor dead. “Gone!” - thinks.

And Hearing took his ear to the ground and let’s listen. Listened and listened.

“Don’t worry,” he says, “the enemy’s son is sleeping near the mill!”

What should we do now? - asks the fool. - How can I wake him up?

The shooter says:

Don't be afraid: I'll wake you up!

And as soon as he pulled the bow, as he fired, the arrow hit the mill straight, and the chips flew... Skorokhod woke up - hurry there! The guests are just finishing lunch, and he is already carrying water.

What should the king do here? Let's think of another problem.

Go,” he says to the servant, “and tell him: if he and his comrades eat in one sitting six pairs of roasted oxen and as much bread as can be baked in forty ovens, then,” he says, “I will give my daughter for him.” If he doesn’t eat it, here’s my sword, and his head is off his shoulders!

And Slukhalo overheard, and told the fool about it.

What should I do now? I won’t even eat one piece of bread! - says the fool.

He became sad again and almost cried. And Oedalo says:

Do not Cry! I will sing for all of you, and it won’t be enough.

The servant comes: so, they say, so.

Okay, says the fool, let them give it!

So they roasted twelve oxen and baked forty ovens of bread. And as soon as he began to eat, he ate everything completely and asked for more.

Eh,” he says, “not enough!” At least they gave me a little more! The king sees that he is like this, again he comes up with a problem - so that he drinks forty-forty barrels of water in one gulp, and forty-forty barrels of wine, but if he doesn’t drink, here is my sword, and his head is off his shoulders!

He overheard and told. The fool is crying.

Do not Cry! - says Opivala. “I,” he says, “will drink one, and it won’t be enough.”

So they rolled out forty-forty barrels of water and wine for them. And when Opivala started drinking, he blew it all away and chuckled.

Eh,” he says, “not enough.” I wish I had a drink!.. The king sees that nothing can be done about him, and thinks:

“We must drive him, the enemy’s son, out of the world, otherwise he will take possession of my daughter!” And he sends a servant to the fool:

Go and announce that the king ordered you to go to the bathhouse before the crown.

And he orders another servant to go and tell the cast-iron bathhouse to be heated: “Now he, so-and-so, will be fried!” The stoker has heated the bathhouse and it’s just smoking hot... the devil himself could be fried!

They told the fool. So he goes to the bathhouse, and Morozko follows him with straw. We just entered the bathhouse, and it was so hot there that it was simply impossible! Morozko scattered the straw - and suddenly it became so cold that the fool could barely wash himself, but quickly went to the stove, and fell asleep there - he was thoroughly frozen! They open the bathhouse in the morning, they think that only ashes are left from him, and he lies on the stove; they woke him up.

Oh, he says, how soundly I slept! - Yes, and left the bathhouse.

They reported to the Tsar, so, so and so: he slept on the stove, and in the bathhouse it was so cold, as if it had not been heated for the whole winter.

The king was deeply saddened: what to do here. I thought and thought...

Well,” he says, “if he sends me a whole regiment of troops by tomorrow, then I’ll give him my daughter in marriage, and if he doesn’t show me, it’s my sword, and his head is off his shoulders!”

And on his own mind: “Where can a simple peasant get a regiment of troops? I am a king, and even that!..” So he gave the order.

And Rumor overheard it, and told the fool about it. The fool is sitting again, crying; "What should I do now? Where can I get so many troops?

Goes to the ship to see his comrades:

Oh, brothers, help me out! We have helped you out of trouble more than once, and now you will help us out! Otherwise I'm lost!

Do not Cry! - says the one who carried the firewood. - I'll help you out.

A servant arrives.

“The king ordered,” he says, “that if you field a whole regiment of troops, then the princess is yours!”

Okay, it will be done! - says the fool. “Just tell the king, if he doesn’t give it up now, I’ll go to war against him and take the princess by force.”

The comrade took the fool out into the field at night and carried with him a bundle of firewood. And let's throw them in different directions; Whatever he throws, so does the man; whatever he throws, so does the man! And there was such an army, my God! The next morning the king wakes up and hears them playing. Asks:

Why are they playing so early?

Yes, it is, they say, that he is training his army, that he arrived on a golden ship.

Then the king saw that nothing could be done, and ordered him to be called to him.

A servant comes and asks. And the fool has become such that you can’t even recognize him - so his clothes are shining, his Cossack cap is golden, and he himself is so handsome, my God! He leads his army, in front he is on a black horse, and behind him is the foreman.

He approached the palace.

Stop! - he shouted. The army lined up in the lava, all as one!

I went to the palace. The king hugs him and kisses him:

Sit down, my dear son-in-law!

The princess also entered. As soon as she saw it, she laughed: what a handsome husband she would have!

So they quickly got married and gave such a feast that the smoke went right up to the sky and stopped on a cloud.

And I was walking from that feast, and as soon as I looked at the cloud, I fell. And he fell and got up. You ask for a fairy tale, and I told it, neither long nor short, but just like it was from you before me. And I would tell you more, but I can’t.