Volga Vseslavich the Wizard

The red sun sank behind the lofty mountains, behind the broad sea, stars studded the clear heavens; then Volgá Vseslávich was born in Holy Mother Russia, the son of Márfa Vseslávievna and a Dragon.

Mother Earth trembled, the wild beasts fled to the forests, the birds flew up to the clouds, and the fish in the blue sea scattered. At an hour and a half old, Volgá spoke thus to his lady mother: "Swathe me not in cocoon-like bands, neither gird me about with silken bonds. But swathe me, mother mine, in strong steel mail; on my head set a helm of gold; in my right hand put a mace, a heavy mace of lead, in weight three hundred poods."

In due course Lord Volgá learned all wisdom and all cunning, and divers tongues. When he attained to fifteen years he collected a body-guard, bold and good — thirty heroes, save one; and he himself was the thirtieth. To them Lord Volgá spoke:

"Good and brave druzhina mine! listen to your ataman. Weave snares of silk, spread them on the damp earth, amid the dusky forest, and take martens, foxes, wild beasts and black sables for the space of three days and three nights."

His good body-guard hearkened to their elder brother, to their chief, and did the thing commanded: but no single beast could they take. Then Lord Volgá transformed himself into a lion, and trotted over the damp earth to the gloomy forest, headed off the martens, foxes, the wild beasts and black sables, the far-leaping hares and little ermines, capturing as many as he would.

Again, on a day, Lord Volgá was in Kief town, with his nine and twenty heroes; and he said to them:

"Good my body-guard! twine now mighty cords. Make them fast to the topmost crests of the trees in the dark forest; and catch therewith geese, swans, clear falcons, and little birds of all the various sorts. And this ye shall do for the space of three days and nights."

And when they did so, and caught nothing, Lord Volgá turned himself into an ostrich-bird, and turned all back, geese, swans, clear falcons and lesser bu'ds.

Again he ordered his good body-guard to take axes of stout metal, and build oaken vessels, and to knot silken nets, wherewith to take salmon, dolphins, pikes, flat fish and precious sturgeons, for three days and as many nights. And when they could not, he transformed himself into a pike, and drove all the fishes back.

And being again in Kief town, with his body-guard. Lord Volgá spoke: "Brave and good druzhina mine! Whom shall we send to the Turkish land, to learn the Tzar's mind, — what the Tzar thinketh, whether he meaneth to come against Holy Russia? If we send an old man, there will be long to wait; if a young one, he will sport with the maidens, he will divert himself with the young damsels, and hold converse with the old crones, and so also we shall have long to wait. Plain is it then that Volgá himself must go."

Then Volgá became a little bird, and flew above the earth, and came speedily to the Turkish land. There he alighted over against the Tzar's little window, and listened to the secret talk between the Tzar and his Tzaritza.

"Ai, my Tzaritza Pantálovna! I know what I know. In Russia the grass groweth not as of yore.

the flowers bloom not as of old; plainly, Volgá, is no longer among the living."

To this the Tzaritza Pantálovna made answer:

"And thou my Tzar, thou Turkish Santal! the grass still groweth as of yore in Russia, and the flowers blossom as was their wont. Last night and in my dreams I saw a little titmouse fly from the East, and from the West a black raven. They flew against each other in the open plain, and fought. The little bird tore the black raven asunder, and plucked out his feathers, and scattered all to the winds."

Then Tzar Santal the Turk made answer: "I am minded to march against Holy Russia shortly. Nine cities will I take and bestow upon my nine sons, and for myself I will fetch a rich furred cloak."

"Thou shalt never take nine cities," quoth Pantálovna, "for thy nine sons, nor shalt thou fetch for thyself a rich furred cloak."

"Thou old devil!" spake Tzar Santal the Turk, "thou hast but slept and dreamed."

Therewith he smote her upon her white face, and, turning, smote the other cheek, and flung the Tzaritza upon the floor of brick; and yet a second time he flung her.

"Nay, but I shall go to Holy Russia!" quoth he, "and I shall take nine cities for my nine sons, and a rich furred cloak for my own wearing."

Then Lord Volgá Vseslávich transformed him-, self to a little ermine, crept into the armory, turned back into a goodly youth, snapped the stout bows, broke the silken cords, all the fiery arrows, and the locks upon the weapons, and drenched all the powder in the casks. Again Lord Volgá turned himself into a gray wolf, and galloped to the stable, and tore open the throats of all the good steeds therein. When that was done. Lord Volgá flew back to Kief town, to his good body-guard, in the form of a little bird.

"Let us go now, my bold, good guards, to the Turkish land," he said.

So they rode thither, and took all the Turkish host captive.

"Let us now divide the prisoners," quoth Lord Volgá. What lot was dear, and what was cheap? Sharp swords were rated at five rubles, weapons of damascened steel at six rubles: — and but one lot was exceeding cheap — the women. Old women were valued at a quarter of a kopék, young women at half a kopék, and beauties at a copper farthing.