Once upon a time there was an old man, he had three sons. The older ones took care of the housework, were smart and dapper, but the younger one, Ivan the Fool, was so-so - he loved to go to the forest to pick mushrooms, but at home he sat more and more on the stove.

The time has come for the old man to die, so he punishes his sons:

When I die, you go to my grave for three nights in a row and bring me bread.

This old man was buried. Night comes, the big brother has to go to the grave, but he is either lazy or afraid, so he says to the younger brother:

Vanya, replace me this night, go to your father’s grave. I'll buy you a gingerbread.

Ivan agreed, took some bread, and went to his father’s grave. He sat down and waited. At midnight the earth parted, the father rises from the grave and says:

Who is here? Are you my greatest son? Tell me what is happening in Rus': are dogs barking, are wolves howling, or is my child crying?

Ivan answers:

The father ate bread and lay down in the grave. And Ivan headed home and picked mushrooms along the way. The eldest son comes and asks him:

Have you seen your father?

Did he eat bread?

Ate. I ate my fill.

The second night has arrived. The middle brother needs to go, but he is either lazy or afraid - he says:

Vanya, go to your father for me. I'll weave bast shoes for you.

Ivan took some bread, went to his father’s grave, sat down, and waited. At midnight the earth parted, the father rises and asks:

Who is here? Are you my middle son? Tell me what is happening in Rus': are dogs barking, are wolves howling, or is my child crying?

Ivan answers:

It's me, your son. But in Rus' everything is calm.

The father ate bread and lay down in the grave. And Ivan went home and picked mushrooms again on the way. The middle brother asks him:

Did your father eat bread?

Ate. I ate my fill.

On the third night it was Ivan’s turn to go. He said to the brothers:

I went for two nights. Now you go to your father’s grave, and I will rest.

The brothers answer him:

What are you doing, Vanya, you became familiar there, you better go.

OK.

Ivan took the bread and went. At midnight the earth parted, the father rose from the grave:

Who is here? Are you my youngest son Vanya? Tell me what is happening in Rus': are dogs barking, are wolves howling, or is my child crying?

Ivan answers:

Your son Vanya is here. But in Rus' everything is calm.

The father ate his fill of bread and said to him:

You alone fulfilled my order, you were not afraid to visit my grave for three nights. Go out into the open field and shout: “Sivka-burka, prophetic kaurka, stand in front of me like a leaf in front of the grass!” The horse will come running to you, you get into his right ear and get out of his left. You'll be a great guy. Get on your horse and ride.

Ivan took the bridle, thanked his father and went home, picking mushrooms again along the way. At home his brothers ask him:

Have you seen your father?

Did he eat bread?

The father ate his fill and did not order him to come again.

At this time, the king shouted a cry: all good fellows, single, unmarried, come to the royal court. His daughter, Incomparable Beauty, ordered to build herself a tower with twelve pillars, with twelve crowns. In this mansion she will sit on the very top and wait for someone to jump up to her and kiss her on the lips. For such a rider, no matter what his family, the king will give his daughter, Incomparable Beauty, as a wife, and half his kingdom in addition.

The Ivan brothers heard about this and said to each other:

Let's try our luck.

So they fed the good horses oats, took them out, dressed themselves cleanly, and combed their curls. And Ivan sits on the stove behind the chimney and says to them:

Brothers, take me with you to try your luck!

Fool, bake! Better go into the forest to pick mushrooms, there’s no point in making people laugh.

The brothers mounted their good horses, shook their hats, whistled, whooped - only a column of dust. And Ivan took the bridle and went into an open field. He went out into an open field and shouted, as his father taught him:

Sivka-burka, prophetic kaurka, stand in front of me like a leaf in front of the grass!

Out of nowhere the horse runs, the earth trembles, flames burst from its nostrils, and smoke pours out of its ears. He stood rooted to the spot and asked:

What are you saying?

Ivan stroked the horse, bridled it, got into his right ear, and out of his left ear and became such a fine fellow that he couldn’t even think of it, guess it, or write it with a pen. He mounted his horse and rode to the royal court. Sivka the Burka runs, the earth trembles, covers the mountains and valleys with his tail, and lets tree stumps run between his legs.

Ivan arrives at the royal court, and there are apparently and invisible people there. In a high mansion with twelve pillars and twelve crowns, at the very top in the window sits the princess Incomparable Beauty.

The king came out onto the porch and said:

Which one of you, good fellows, can gallop on horseback to the window and kiss my daughter on the lips, to him I will give her in marriage and half the kingdom into the bargain.

Then the good fellows began to gallop. It’s high up there, you can’t reach it! Ivanov's brothers tried, but didn't make it to the middle. It was Ivan's turn.

He dispersed Sivka-burka, whooped, gasped, and jumped - but he didn’t get two crowns. It flew up again, flew apart another time - it didn’t get one of the crowns. He spun around again, spun around, got the horse hot and galloped like fire, flew past the window, kissed the princess Incomparable Beauty on the sugary lips, and the princess hit him on the forehead with a ring and applied a seal.

Then all the people shouted:

Hold it, hold it!

And there was no trace of him. Ivan galloped into an open field, climbed into Sivka-Burka’s left ear, and came out of his right ear and became Ivan the Fool again. He let the horse go and went home, picking mushrooms along the way. He tied a rag around his forehead, climbed onto the stove and lay there.

His brothers arrive and tell him where they were and what they saw.

They were good fellows, and one of them was better than all of them - he kissed the princess on the mouth while flying away on horseback. They saw where they came from, but did not see where they went.

Ivan sits at the pipe and speaks.

Sivka-burka

The old man had three sons: two were smart, and the third

Ivan the Fool; day and night the fool on the stove

lying around.

The old man sowed wheat, and the wheat grew rich, yes

someone got into the habit of pounding that wheat at night and

poison So the old man says to the children:

My dear children, watch the wheat every night

one by one, catch the thief for me.

The first night comes. The eldest son went to wheat

guard, but he wanted to sleep: he climbed onto

hayloft and slept until the morning. Comes home in the morning and

He says: he didn’t sleep all night, he was cold, but he didn’t see the thief.

On the second night the middle son went and also throughout the night

slept in the hayloft.

On the third night it is the fool's turn to go. He took it

lasso and went. He came to the boundary and sat down on a stone: sitting

Not sleeping, waiting for the thief.

At midnight, a motley crew galloped into the wheat

horse: one hair is gold, the other is silver,

runs - the earth trembles, smoke pours out of his ears,

the nostrils are full of flames. And that horse began to eat wheat: no

eats as much as tramples.

The fool crept up on all fours to the horse and at once

threw a lasso around his neck. The horse rushed with all his might

Not so. The fool resisted, the lasso pressed his neck. AND

Then the fool's horse began to pray:

Let me go, Ivanushka, and I will do you a great service

“Okay,” answers Ivanushka the Fool. - Yes, how do I like you?

will I find it later?

Go outside the outskirts, says the horse, whistle three

times and shout: “Sivka-burka, prophetic kaurka!

in front of me like a leaf in front of the grass!" - I will be here.

Ivanushka the Fool released the horse and took his word -

No more eating or trampling wheat.

Ivanushka came home.

Well, you fool, have you seen it? - the brothers ask.

I caught, says Ivanushka, a motley

horse He promised not to go to the wheat field again - so

I let him go.

The brothers laughed to their hearts' content at the fool, but only with

No one touched the wheat that night.

Soon after this they began to ring privet in villages and towns

(herald) walk from the king, call out:

gather together, boyars and nobles, merchants and townspeople and

simple peasants, all to the king for a holiday, on three

day; take the best horses with you; and who is on his horse

he will reach the princess's mansion and hold the princess's hands

The king will take off the ring, and the king will give the princess in marriage.

Ivanushkin’s brothers also began to gather for the holiday:

either to jump ourselves, or at least on others

look. Ivanushka also asks to go with them.

Where are you going, fool! - say the brothers. - People that

do you want to scare? Sit on the stove and eat ashes

pour it over.

The brothers left, and Ivan the Fool took from his daughters-in-law

basket and went to pick mushrooms. Ivanushka went out into the field,

He threw the basket, whistled three times and shouted:

leaf in front of the grass!

The horse runs - the earth trembles, flames come from the ears, from the nostrils

smoke is pouring out. He came running and stood in front of the horse

Ivanushka stood rooted to the spot.

Well,” he says, “get into my right ear, Ivanushka,”

and get out to the left.

Ivanushka climbed into the horse's right ear, and climbed out into the left - and

became such a fine fellow that he couldn’t even think of, guess, or

say in a fairy tale.

Then Ivanushka sat on his horse and rode off to the holiday.

to the king. He galloped to the square in front of the palace and saw -

visible and invisible to the people; and in a high mansion, by the window,

the princess is sitting: there is a ring on her hand - there is no price, by herself

beauty of beauties. No one will jump before her

thinks: no one really wants to break their neck.

Here Ivanushka hit his horse on the steep thighs,

the horse got angry and jumped - only three crowns to

The princess did not jump to the window.

The people were surprised, and Ivanushka turned his horse and galloped

back. His brothers did not quickly move aside, so he

lashed me with a silk whip. The people shout: "Hold it,

hold him!” - and Ivanushkin was already gone.

Ivan rode out of the city, got off his horse, climbed into his

left ear, came out into the right and became the same again

Ivanushka the Fool. Ivanushka released his horse and dialed

basket of fly agarics and brought it home.

Here are some fungi for you, hostesses, he says.

The daughters-in-law got angry with Ivan:

What kind of mushrooms did you bring, fool? Are you alone?

Ivan grinned and climbed onto the stove again.

The brothers came home and told their father how they were

they were in the city and what they saw, and Ivanushka is lying on the stove and

chuckles.

The next day the older brothers went to the holiday again

Let's go, and Ivanushka took the basket and went to pick mushrooms.

He went out into the field, whistled, and barked:

Sivka-burka, prophetic kaurka! Stand in front of me like

leaf in front of the grass!

The horse came running and stood rooted to the spot in front of Ivanushka.

Ivan changed his clothes again and galloped to the square. Sees -

there are even more people in the square than before; all for the princess

they admire, but no one thinks to jump: who wants to neck

break! Here Ivanushka hit his horse on the steep

hips, the horse got angry, jumped - and only two crowns

I couldn’t reach the princess’s window. Ivanushka turned his horse,

he whipped the brothers to make them move aside, and galloped away.

The brothers come home, and Ivanushka is already lying on the stove,

listens to what the brothers are saying and chuckles.

On the third day the brothers went to the holiday again,

Ivanushka also galloped up. He lashed his horse with a whip.

The horse became more angry than before: he jumped and reached

window. Ivanushka kissed the princess and rode away, not

forgetting to beat the brothers with a whip. Here is the king and

The princess began to shout: “Hold him, hold him!” - A

Ivanushkin disappeared without a trace.

Ivanushka came home - one hand was wrapped in a rag.

What do you have? - Ivan’s daughters-in-law ask.

Yes, - he says, - looking for mushrooms, a twig

got stuck. - And Ivan climbed onto the stove.

The brothers came and began to tell us what happened and how it happened. A

Ivanushka on the stove wanted to look at the ring:

As soon as he lifted the rag, the whole hut lit up.

Stop fooling around with fire, fool! - they shouted at

his brothers. “You’ll still burn the hut.” It's time for you, fool,

drive me out of the house completely!

Three days later a cry comes from the king for all the people

no matter how much there is in his kingdom, he was going to visit him

feast and so that no one dares to stay at home, and who

If he disdains the royal feast, his head will be taken off his shoulders.

There is nothing to do here, the old man himself went to the feast with all his

They arrived and sat down at the oak tables; drink and eat

speeches are booming.

At the end of the feast, the princess began to drink honey from her hands.

carry around Walked around everyone, approached Ivanushka

the last one; and the fool is wearing a thin dress, covered in

soot, hair standing on end, one hand with a dirty rag

tied... just passion. |

Why is your hand tied, good fellow? -

asks the princess. - Untie it.

Ivanushka untied his hand, and on the princess’s finger was a ring

So he shone on everyone.

Then the princess took the fool by the hand, led him to his father and

Here, father, is my betrothed.

The servants washed Ivanushka, combed his hair, dressed him in royal clothes

dress, and he became such a fine fellow that his father and brothers

They look and don’t believe their eyes.

Once upon a time there lived an old man, and he had three sons. Everyone called the youngest Ivanushka the Fool.
Once the old man sowed wheat. The wheat was good, but someone just got into the habit of crushing and trampling that wheat.
So the old man says to his sons:
- My dear children! Guard the wheat every night in turns, catch the thief!
The first night has arrived.
The eldest son went to guard the wheat, but he wanted to sleep. He climbed into the hayloft and slept until the morning.
He comes home in the morning and says:
- I didn’t sleep all night, guarding the wheat! I was all cold, but I didn’t see the thief.
On the second night the middle son went. And he slept all night in the hayloft.
On the third night, it’s Ivan the Fool’s turn to go.
He put the pie in his bosom, took the rope and went. He came to the field and sat down on a stone. He sits awake, chews the pie, and waits for the thief.
At midnight a horse galloped into the wheat - one hair was silver, the other was gold; he runs - the earth trembles, smoke pours out of his ears, flames blaze from his nostrils.
And that horse began to eat wheat. It doesn't eat as much as it tramples with its hooves.
Ivanushka crept up to the horse and immediately threw a rope around his neck.
The horse rushed with all his might - but that was not the case! Ivanushka jumped on him deftly and grabbed him tightly by the mane.
The horse carried him and carried him across the open field, galloped and galloped - he could not throw him off!
The horse began to ask Ivanushka:
- Let me go free, Ivanushka! I will do you a great service for this.
“Okay,” Ivanushka answers, “I’ll let you go, but how will I find you later?”
- And you go out into an open field, into a wide expanse, whistle three times with a brave whistle, bark with a heroic cry: “Sivka-burka, prophetic kaurka, stand in front of me like a leaf in front of the grass!” - I’ll be here.
Ivanushka released the horse and made him promise never to eat or trample wheat again.
Ivanushka came home in the morning.
-Well, tell me what you saw there? - the brothers ask.
“I caught,” says Ivanushka, “a horse—one hair is silver, the other is gold.”
-Where is the horse?
- Yes, he promised not to go to the wheat field anymore, so I let him go.
The brothers didn’t believe Ivanushka and laughed at him to their hearts’ content. But since that night, no one has really touched the wheat...
Soon after that, the king sent messengers to all the villages, calling out to all the cities:
- Gather, boyars and nobles, merchants and simple peasants, to the Tsar’s court. The Tsar's daughter Elena the Beautiful is sitting in her high mansion by the window. Whoever on horseback reaches the princess and takes the gold ring from her hand, she will marry him!
On the indicated day, the brothers are going to go to the royal court - not to ride themselves, but at least to look at others. And Ivanushka asks with them:
- Brothers, give me at least some horse, and I’ll go and look at Elena the Beautiful!
- Where are you going, you fool! Do you want to make people laugh? Sit on the stove and pour out the ashes!
The brothers left, and Ivanushka the fool said to his brothers’ wives:
- Give me a basket, I’ll at least go into the forest and pick some mushrooms!
He took the basket and went as if picking mushrooms.
Ivanushka went out into an open field, into a wide expanse, threw his basket under a bush, and he whistled with a valiant whistle and barked with a heroic cry:

-What do you want, Ivanushka?
- I want to look at the Tsar’s daughter Elena the Beautiful! - Ivanushka answers.
-Well, get into my right ear, get out of my left!
Ivanushka climbed into the horse's right ear, and came out into the left - and became such a fine fellow that he could not even think of it, guess it, tell it in a fairy tale, or describe it with a pen! He boarded the Sivka-burka and rode straight to the city.
He caught up with his brothers along the road, galloped past them, and showered them with road dust.
Ivanushka galloped onto the square - straight to royal palace. He looks - apparently and invisibly to the people, and in a high mansion, by the window, sits Princess Elena the Beautiful. The ring sparkles on her hand - it has no price! And she is the most beautiful of beauties.
Everyone looks at Elena the Beautiful, but no one dares to jump to her: no one wants to break their neck.
Here Ivanushka hit Sivka-burka on the steep sides... The horse snorted, neighed, jumped - only three logs short of the princess.
The people were surprised, and Ivanushka turned Sivka and galloped away.
Everyone shouts:
- Who is this? Who is this?
And Ivanushka is already gone. We saw where he galloped from, but didn’t see where he galloped off.
Ivanushka rushed into an open field, jumped off his horse, climbed into his left ear, and climbed out into his right ear and became still Ivan the Fool.
He released Sivka-burka, picked up a basketful of fly agarics and brought them home:
- Eva, what good fungi!
The brothers’ wives got angry with Ivanushka and started scolding him:
- What kind of mushrooms did you bring, fool? Only you can eat them!
Ivanushka grinned, climbed onto the stove and sat.
The brothers returned home and told their wives what they saw in the city:
- Well, housewives, what a fine fellow came to the Tsar! We've never seen anything like this before. He was only three logs short of reaching the princess.
And Ivanushka lies on the stove and chuckles:
- Dear brothers, wasn’t it me there?
- Where should you be, you fool?! Just sit on the stove and catch flies!
The next day, the older brothers went to the city again, and Ivanushka took a basket and went to pick mushrooms.
He went out into an open field, into a wide expanse, threw the basket, whistled with a valiant whistle, and barked with a heroic cry:
- Sivka-burka, prophetic kaurka, stand in front of me like a leaf in front of the grass!
The horse is running, the ground is trembling, smoke is pouring out of the ears, flames are burning from the nostrils.
He came running and stood in front of Ivanushka, rooted to the spot.
Ivanushka Sivka-burka climbed into the right ear, and climbed out into the left and became a fine fellow. He jumped on his horse and galloped to the courtyard.
He sees that there are even more people in the square than before. Everyone admires the princess, but no one even thinks about jumping: they are afraid of breaking their neck!
Here Ivanushka hit his horse on the steep sides. Sivka-Burka neighed and jumped, only to be two logs short of the princess’s window.
Ivanushka turned Sivka and galloped off. We saw where he galloped from, but didn’t see where he galloped off.
And Ivanushka is already in the open field.
He let Sivka-burka go and went home. He sat down on the stove, sitting, waiting for his brothers.
The brothers come home and say:
- Well, housewives, the same fellow came again! He missed the princess only by two logs.
Ivanushka says to them:
- Sit down, you fool, keep quiet!..
On the third day the brothers are getting ready to go again, and Ivanushka says:
-Give me at least a bad horse: I’ll go with you too!
- Stay home, fool! Only you are missing there!
They said and left.
Ivanushka went out into an open field, into a wide expanse, whistled with a valiant whistle, and barked with a heroic cry:
- Sivka-burka, prophetic kaurka, stand in front of me like a leaf in front of the grass!
The horse is running, the ground is trembling, smoke is pouring out of the ears, flames are burning from the nostrils. He came running and stood in front of Ivanushka, rooted to the spot.
Ivanushka climbed into the horse’s right ear and came out into the left. The young man became a fine fellow and galloped off to the royal court.
Ivanushka galloped to the high tower, lashed Sivka-burka with a whip... The horse neighed more than ever, hit the ground with its hooves, jumped - and reached the window!
Ivanushka kissed Elena the Beautiful on her scarlet lips, took the treasured ring from her finger and rushed off. They only saw him!
Then everyone made a noise, shouted, waved their hands:
- Hold him! Catch him!
And there was no trace of Ivanushka.
He released Sivka-burka and came home. One hand is wrapped in a rag.
- What happened to you? - the brothers’ wives ask.
- Well, I was looking for mushrooms and got stuck on a twig...
And he climbed onto the stove.
The brothers returned and began to tell what happened and how:
- Well, housewives, that fellow jumped so hard this time that he reached the princess and took the ring off her finger!
Ivanushka is sitting on the stove, but you know:
- Brothers, wasn’t it me there?
- Sit down, fool, don’t talk in vain!
Then Ivanushka wanted to look at the princess’s precious ring.
As soon as he unwound the rag, the whole hut lit up!
-Stop fooling around with fire! - the brothers shout. “You’ll still burn the hut.” It's time to get you out of the house completely!
Ivanushka didn’t answer them, but tied the ring with a rag again...
Three days later, the king again shouted the cry: so that all the people, no matter how many there are in the kingdom, gather at his feast and so that no one dares to stay at home. And whoever disdains the royal feast will have his head off his shoulders!
There was nothing to do, the brothers went to the feast, taking Ivan the Fool with them.
We arrived, sat down at oak tables, patterned tablecloths, drinking, eating, talking.
And Ivanushka climbed behind the stove, into a corner, and sat there.
Elena the Beautiful walks around, treating the guests. She offers wine and honey to everyone, and she looks to see if anyone has her treasured ring on their hand. Whoever has the ring on his hand is her groom.
But no one has a ring in sight...
She walked around everyone and came up to the last one - Ivanushka. And he sits behind the stove, his clothes are thin, his bast shoes are torn, one hand is tied with a rag.
The brothers look and think: “Look, the princess is bringing wine to our Ivashka!”
And Elena the Beautiful handed Ivanushka a glass of wine and asked:
-Why is your hand tied, good fellow?
- I went to the forest to pick mushrooms and got stuck on a branch.
- Come on, untie it, show it!
Ivanushka untied his hand, and on his finger he had the princess’s treasured ring: it shines and sparkles!
Elena the Beautiful was delighted, took Ivanushka by the hand, led her to her father and said:
- Here, father, my fiancé has been found!
They washed Ivanushka, combed his hair, dressed him, and he became not the fool Ivanushka, but a fine fellow, you wouldn’t even recognize him!
There was no waiting and no reasoning - a merry feast and a wedding!
I was at that feast, I drank honey and beer, it flowed down my mustache, but it didn’t get into my mouth.

Once upon a time there lived an old man, and he had three sons. Everyone called the youngest Ivanushka the Fool.

Once the old man sowed wheat. The wheat was good, but someone just got into the habit of crushing and trampling that wheat.

So the old man says to his sons:
- My dear children! Guard the wheat every night in turns, catch the thief!

The first night has arrived.

The eldest son went to guard the wheat, but he wanted to sleep. He climbed into the hayloft and slept until the morning. He comes home in the morning and says:
- I didn’t sleep all night, guarding the wheat! I was all cold, but I didn’t see the thief.

On the second night the middle son went. And he slept all night in the hayloft.

On the third night, it’s Ivan the Fool’s turn to go.

He put the pie in his bosom, took the rope and went. He came to the field and sat down on a stone. He sits awake, chews the pie, and waits for the thief.

At midnight a horse galloped into the wheat - one hair was silver, the other was gold; he runs - the earth trembles, smoke pours out of his ears, flames blaze from his nostrils.

And that horse began to eat wheat. It doesn't eat as much as it tramples with its hooves.

Ivanushka crept up to the horse and immediately threw a rope around his neck.

The horse rushed with all his might - but that was not the case! Ivanushka jumped on him deftly and grabbed him tightly by the mane.

The horse carried him and carried him across the open field, galloped and galloped - he could not throw him off!

The horse began to ask Ivanushka:
- Let me go free, Ivanushka! I will do you a great service for this.
“Okay,” Ivanushka answers, “I’ll let you go, but how will I find you later?”
- And you go out into an open field, into a wide expanse, whistle three times with a valiant whistle, bark with a heroic cry: “Sivka-burka, prophetic kaurka, stand in front of me like a leaf in front of the grass!” - I’ll be here.

Ivanushka released the horse and made him promise never to eat or trample wheat again.

Ivanushka came home in the morning.

Well, tell me, what did you see there? - the brothers ask.
“I caught,” says Ivanushka, “a horse—one hair is silver, the other is gold.”
- Where is that horse?
- Yes, he promised not to go to the wheat field anymore, so I let him go.

The brothers didn’t believe Ivanushka and laughed at him to their hearts’ content. But since that night, no one has really touched the wheat...

Soon after that, the king sent messengers to all the villages, calling out to all the cities:
- Gather, boyars and nobles, merchants and simple peasants, to the Tsar’s court. The Tsar's daughter Elena the Beautiful is sitting in her high mansion by the window. Whoever on horseback reaches the princess and takes the gold ring from her hand, she will marry him!

On the indicated day, the brothers are going to go to the royal court - not to ride themselves, but at least to look at others. And Ivanushka asks with them:
- Brothers, give me at least some horse, and I’ll go and look at Elena the Beautiful!
- Where are you going, you fool! Do you want to make people laugh? Sit on the stove and pour out the ashes!

The brothers left, and Ivanushka the fool said to his brothers’ wives:
- Give me a basket, I’ll at least go into the forest and pick mushrooms!

He took the basket and went as if picking mushrooms.

Ivanushka went out into an open field, into a wide expanse, threw his basket under a bush, and he whistled with a valiant whistle and barked with a heroic cry:

Anything, Ivanushka?
“I want to look at the Tsar’s daughter Elena the Beautiful!” Ivanushka answers.
- Well, get into my right ear, get out of my left!

Ivanushka climbed into the horse's right ear, and came out into the left - and became such a fine fellow that he could not even think of it, guess it, tell it in a fairy tale, or describe it with a pen! He boarded the Sivka-burka and rode straight to the city.

He caught up with his brothers along the road, galloped past them, and showered them with road dust.

Ivanushka galloped to the square - straight to the royal palace. He looks - apparently and invisibly to the people, and in a high mansion, by the window, sits Princess Elena the Beautiful. The ring sparkles on her hand - it has no price! And she is the most beautiful of beauties.

Everyone looks at Elena the Beautiful, but no one dares to jump to her: no one wants to break their neck.

Here Ivanushka hit Sivka-burka on the steep sides... The horse snorted, neighed, jumped - only three logs short of the princess.

The people were surprised, and Ivanushka turned Sivka and galloped away.

Everyone shouts:
-Who is this? Who is this?

And Ivanushka is already gone. We saw where he galloped from, but didn’t see where he galloped off.

Ivanushka rushed into an open field, jumped off his horse, climbed into his left ear, and climbed out into his right ear and became still Ivan the Fool.

He released Sivka-burka, picked up a basketful of fly agarics and brought them home:
- Eva, what good fungi!

The brothers’ wives got angry with Ivanushka and started scolding him:
- What kind of mushrooms did you bring, fool? Only you can eat them!

Ivanushka grinned, climbed onto the stove and sat. The brothers returned home and told their wives what they saw in the city:
- Well, housewives, what a fine fellow came to the Tsar! We've never seen anything like this before. He was only three logs short of reaching the princess.

And Ivanushka lies on the stove and chuckles:
- Dear brothers, wasn’t it me there?
- Where should you be, you fool? Just sit on the stove and catch flies!

The next day, the older brothers went to the city again, and Ivanushka took a basket and went to pick mushrooms.

He went out into an open field, into a wide expanse, threw the basket, whistled with a valiant whistle, and barked with a heroic cry:
- Sivka-burka, prophetic kaurka, stand in front of me like a leaf in front of the grass!

The horse is running, the ground is trembling, smoke is pouring out of the ears, flames are burning from the nostrils.

He came running and stood in front of Ivanushka, rooted to the spot.

Ivanushka Sivka-burka climbed into the right ear, climbed out into the left and became a fine fellow. He jumped on his horse and galloped to the courtyard.

He sees that there are even more people in the square than before. Everyone admires the princess, but no one even thinks about jumping: they are afraid of breaking their neck!

Here Ivanushka hit his horse on the steep sides. Sivka-Burka neighed and jumped, only to be two logs short of the princess’s window.

Ivanushka turned Sivka and galloped off. We saw where he galloped from, but didn’t see where he galloped off.

And Ivanushka is already in the open field.

He let Sivka-burka go and went home. He sat down on the stove, sitting, waiting for his brothers.

The brothers come home and say:
- Well, housewives, the same fellow came again! He missed the princess only by two logs.

Ivanushka says to them:

- Sit down, you fool, keep quiet!..

On the third day the brothers are getting ready to go again, and Ivanushka says:
- Give me at least a bad horse: I’ll go with you too!
- Stay home, fool! Only you are missing there!

They said and left.

Ivanushka went out into an open field, into a wide expanse, whistled with a valiant whistle, and barked with a heroic cry:
- Sivka-burka, prophetic kaurka, stand in front of me like a leaf in front of the grass!

The horse is running, the ground is trembling, smoke is pouring out of the ears, flames are burning from the nostrils. He came running and stood in front of Ivanushka, rooted to the spot.

Ivanushka climbed into the horse’s right ear and came out into the left. The young man became a fine fellow and galloped to the royal palace.

Ivanushka galloped to the high tower, lashed Sivka-burka with a whip... The horse neighed more than ever, hit the ground with its hooves, jumped - and reached the window!

Ivanushka kissed Elena the Beautiful on her scarlet lips, took the treasured ring from her finger and rushed off. They only saw him!

Then everyone made a noise, shouted, waved their hands:
- Hold him! Catch him!

And there was no trace of Ivanushka.

He released Sivka-burka and came home. One hand is wrapped in a rag.

What happened to you? - the brothers’ wives ask.
- Yes, I was looking for mushrooms, I got stuck on a twig...

And he climbed onto the stove.

The brothers returned and began to tell what happened and how:
- Well, mistresses, that fellow galloped so hard this time that he reached the princess and took the ring off her finger!

Ivanushka is sitting on the stove, but you know:
- Brothers, wasn’t it me there?
- Sit down, fool, don’t talk in vain!

Then Ivanushka wanted to look at the princess’s precious ring.

As soon as he unwound the rag, the whole hut lit up!

Stop fooling around with fire! - the brothers shout. “You’ll still burn the hut.” It's time to get you out of the house completely!

Ivanushka didn’t answer them, but tied the ring with a rag again...

Three days later, the king again shouted the cry: so that all the people, no matter how many there are in the kingdom, gather at his feast and so that no one dares to stay at home. And whoever disdains the royal feast will have his head off his shoulders!

There was nothing to do, the brothers went to the feast, taking Ivan the Fool with them.

We arrived, sat down at oak tables, patterned tablecloths, drinking, eating, talking.

And Ivanushka climbed behind the stove, into a corner, and sat there.

Elena the Beautiful walks around, treating the guests. She offers wine and honey to everyone, and she looks to see if anyone has her treasured ring on their hand. Whoever has the shade on his hand is her groom.

But no one’s ring is visible...

She walked around everyone and came up to the last one - Ivanushka. And he sits behind the stove, his clothes are thin, his bast shoes are torn, one hand is tied with a rag.

The brothers look and think: “Look, the princess is bringing wine to our Ivashka!”

And Elena the Beautiful handed Ivanushka a glass of wine and asked:
- Why is your hand tied, good fellow?
- I went to the forest to pick mushrooms and got stuck on a branch.
- Come on, untie it, show it!

Ivanushka untied his hand, and on his finger he had the princess’s treasured ring: it shines and sparkles!

Elena the Beautiful was delighted, took Ivanushka by the hand, led her to her father and said:
- Here, father, my fiancé has been found!

They washed Ivanushka, combed his hair, dressed him, and he became not the fool Ivanushka, but a fine fellow, you wouldn’t even recognize him!

There was no waiting and no reasoning - a merry feast and a wedding!

I was at that feast, I drank honey and beer, it flowed down my mustache, but it didn’t get into my mouth.

The old man had three sons: two were smart, and the third, Ivanushka, was a fool; day and night the fool lies on the stove.

The old man sowed wheat, and the wheat grew rich, but someone got into the habit of pounding and poisoning that wheat at night. So the old man says to the children:

My dear children, guard the wheat every night in turn, catch the thief for me.

The first night comes. The eldest son went to guard the wheat, but he wanted to sleep: he climbed into the hayloft and slept until the morning. He comes home in the morning and says: he didn’t sleep all night, he was cold, but he didn’t see the thief.

On the second night, the middle son went and also slept the whole night in the hayloft.

On the third night it is the fool's turn to go. He took the lasso and went. He came to the boundary and sat down on a stone: he was sitting, not sleeping, waiting for the thief.

At midnight, a motley horse galloped into the wheat: one hair is golden, the other is silver, it runs - the earth trembles, smoke pours out of its ears, flames blaze from its nostrils. And that horse began to eat wheat: not so much eating as trampling.

The fool crept up to the horse on all fours and at once threw a lasso around his neck. The horse rushed with all his might - but that was not the case. The fool resisted, the lasso pressed his neck. And then the fool’s horse began to pray:

Let me go, Ivanushka, and I will do you a great service!

“Okay,” answers Ivanushka the Fool. - How will I find you then?

Go outside the outskirts, says the horse, whistle three times and shout: “Sivka-burka, prophetic kaurka! Stand in front of me like a leaf in front of the grass!” - I’ll be here.

Ivanushka the Fool released the horse and made him promise not to eat or trample any more wheat.

Ivanushka came home.

Well, you fool, have you seen it? - the brothers ask.

“I caught,” says Ivanushka, “a motley horse.” He promised not to go to the wheat field again - so I let him go.

The brothers laughed to their hearts' content at the fool, but from that night no one touched the wheat.

Soon after this, biryuchi (heralds) from the tsar began to walk through the villages and cities, calling out the cry: gather, boyars and nobles, merchants and townspeople and simple peasants, all to the tsar for a holiday for three days; take the best horses with you; and whoever on his horse reaches the princess's mansion and takes off the ring from the princess's hand, the king will give the princess in marriage.

Ivanushka’s brothers also began to gather for the holiday: not just to jump themselves, but at least to look at others. Ivanushka also asks to go with them.

Where are you going, fool! - say the brothers. - Do you want to scare people? Sit on the stove and pour out the ashes.

The brothers left, and Ivan the Fool took the basket and went to pick mushrooms. Ivanushka went out into the field, threw his basket, whistled three times and shouted:

The horse runs - the earth trembles, flames come out of its ears, smoke pours out of its nostrils. He came running and the horse stood rooted to the spot in front of Ivanushka.

Well,” he says, “get into my right ear, Ivanushka, and get out into my left.”

Ivanushka climbed into the horse's right ear, and came out into the left - and became such a fine fellow that he could not even think of it, guess it, or say it in a fairy tale.

Then Ivanushka mounted his horse and rode off to the Tsar for the holiday. He galloped to the square in front of the palace, he saw - the people were visible and invisible; and in a high mansion, by the window, the princess sits: on her hand is a ring - there is no price, she is the beauty of beauties. No one even thinks about jumping up to her: no one really wants to break their neck.

Here Ivanushka hit his horse on the steep hips, the horse became angry, jumped - only three crowns did not jump to the princess's window.

The people were surprised, and Ivanushka turned his horse and galloped back. His brothers did not quickly move aside, so he whipped them with a silk whip. The people shout: “Hold him, hold him!” - and Ivanushkin is already gone.

Ivan rode out of the city, got off his horse, climbed into his left ear, climbed out into his right ear, and again became the same Ivan the Fool. Ivanushka released his horse, picked a basket of mushrooms and brought them home.

The brothers came home and told their father how they were in the city and what they saw, and Ivanushka lay on the stove and chuckled.

The next day, the older brothers went to the holiday again, and Ivanushka took a basket and went to pick mushrooms. He went out into the field, whistled, and barked:

Sivka-burka, prophetic kaurka! Stand before me like a leaf before the grass!

The horse came running and stood rooted to the spot in front of Ivanushka.

Ivan changed his clothes again and galloped to the square. He sees that there are even more people in the square than before; Everyone admires the princess, but no one thinks of jumping: who wants to break their neck! Here Ivanushka hit his horse on the steep hips, the horse became angry, jumped - and was only two crowns short of the princess’s window. Ivanushka turned his horse, whipped his brothers so that they would move aside, and galloped off.

The brothers come home, and Ivanushka is already lying on the stove, listening to what the brothers are saying, and chuckling.

On the third day, the brothers went to the holiday again, and Ivanushka also rode up. He lashed his horse with a whip. The horse became more angry than before: he jumped and reached the window.

Ivanushka kissed the princess and rode off, not forgetting to hit his brothers with a whip. At this point both the king and princess began to shout: “Hold him, hold him!” - and Ivanushkin disappeared without a trace.

Ivanushka came home - one hand was wrapped in a rag.

The brothers came and began to tell us what happened and how it happened. And Ivanushka on the stove wanted to look at the ring: when he lifted the rag, the whole hut lit up.

Stop fooling around with fire, fool! - the brothers shouted at him. “You’ll still burn the hut.” It's time to drive you out of the house completely, you fool!

Three days later, a cry comes from the king so that all the people, no matter how many there are in his kingdom, gather at his feast and that no one dares to stay at home, and whoever disdains the royal feast will have his head taken off his shoulders.

There is nothing to do here, the old man himself went to the feast with his whole family.

They arrived and sat down at the oak tables; They drink and eat, they chatter.

At the end of the feast, the princess began to carry honey from her hands to the guests. She walked around everyone and came up to Ivanushka, the last one; and the fool is wearing a thin dress, covered in soot, his hair is on end, one hand is tied with a dirty rag... just passion.

Why is your hand tied, good fellow? - asks the princess. - Untie it.

Ivanushka untied his hand, and on the princess’s finger, the ring shone on everyone.

Then the princess took the fool by the hand, led him to his father and said:

Here, father, is my betrothed.

The servants washed Ivanushka, combed his hair, dressed him in a royal dress, and he became such a fine man that his father and brothers looked at him and couldn’t believe their eyes.