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Hast thou also a trade?" "My trade, Tsar Archidei Aggeivitch, is not a fair one, for I am a blacksmith. If thou wouldst order a shop built for me, I at once would forge a self-shooting gun, and no eagle far above in the sky or wild beast in the wood would be safe from that gun." "Not bad either," answered the Tsar Archidei, well pleased. "Thy turn now, sixth Simeon."
Soon the ship is anchored, the crystal bridge prepared, and the korolevna Helena, the beautiful princess, appears like a never-setting sun, her eyes like bright stars, and oh! how happy is the Tsar Archidei!
The Tsar himself came out to meet the beautiful princess, took her white hands and helped her into the palace. "Welcome! welcome!" said the Tsar Archidei. "Thy fame, korolevna Helena, reached me, but never could I imagine such beauty as is thine. Yet, though I admire thee, I do not want to separate thee from thy father. Say the word and my faithful servants will take thee back to him.
"We are the Tsar Archidei Aggeivitch's peasants, farmers, and we are brothers, sons of one father and mother. The name for all of us is Simeon, so you understand we are seven Simeons." This answer was faithfully delivered to the Tsar Archidei by the envoys, and the Tsar at once desired to see the brave peasants, and ordered them to be called before him.
"Hasten, my dear nurses, and you, swift maidens, find out what kind of strangers are these coming to our royal palace." All of the nurses, all of the maidens, ran out with questions ready. The seventh Simeon answered them thus: "We are merchant guests, peaceful people. Our native land is the country of the Tsar Archidei Aggeivitch, a great Tsar indeed.
Only order thine advisers to decide whether we ought to fight for or peacefully court the beautiful princess." "Now, my warriors brave, my advisers sage," spoke the Tsar Archidei to his men, "How will you decide upon this matter? Who among you will go to fight for the princess, or who will be shrewd enough to bring her peacefully here? I will pour gold and silver over that one.
The Tsar Archidei remained for a long time in thoughtful silence and finally addressed his court people: "My warriors and advisers: I have but one wish; I want the princess Helena for my wife. But tell me, how can I reach her?" The wise advisers remained silent, hiding themselves behind each other.
If I ask them, perchance I shall find that they have met somewhere a princess, beautiful and clever, suitable for me, the Tsar Archidei." Without delay the order was given to call the sea merchants into the halls of the palace. The merchant guests appeared, prayed to the holy icons hanging in the corner, bowed to the Tsar, bowed to the wise advisers.
He told how one king was fighting another, where there was war and where there was peace, and with other things the second Simeon even mentioned deep secrets, quite surprising secrets, which made the Tsar Archidei smile; and the courtiers, encouraged by the royal smile, roared with laughter. Meantime the third Simeon was accomplishing something in his line.
"Thanks, thanks, my brave fellows, faithful peasants, tillers of the soil!" exclaimed the Tsar Archidei gayly. "I see now plainly that all of you are men of trade and I wish to reward you. But now go to your dinner and rest awhile." The six Simeons bowed to the Tsar very low, prayed to the holy icons and went.
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