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Updated: June 1, 2025
When the brothers noticed him, one almost choked himself with wine, the other was suffocating over a piece of swan. They looked at him, opened wide their eyes, and remained silent. Ivanoushka the Simpleton bowed to his father-in-law and told the story as the story was.
The brothers came home talking and discussing the wonderful matter. "Indeed," they shook their heads; "only think of it! The fellow succeeded and our Tsarevna has a bridegroom. But who is he? Where is he?" "Brothers, the fellow is I," said Ivanoushka the Simpleton, smiling. "Keep still, I and I ," and the brothers almost slapped him.
The road was long, and before he reached his town Ivanoushka, according to his habit, pitched his tent with a diamond top, and laid him down for rest. The brothers came along gloomy they were, fearing the Tsar's anger. Lo! they heard neighing; the earth trembled it was the golden-maned mare! Though in the dusk of evening the brothers saw her golden mane shining like fire.
Ivanoushka the Simpleton crawled into the horse's left ear, transformed himself and reappeared at the right ear, such a handsome fellow that in no book is there written any description of him; no one has ever seen such a fellow. He jumped onto the horse and touched his iron sides with a silk whip.
The brothers thought the matter over and finally decided to give the desired price. Ivanoushka cut the toes off, gave them the apple tree, and the happy brothers brought it to the Tsar and there was no end to their bragging. "Here, all-powerful Tsar," they said. "We went far, and had many a trouble on our way, but thy wish is fulfilled."
Behold! the star was shining in the middle of his forehead. The Tsarevna took Ivanoushka by the hand, brought him before Tsar Pea, and said: "He it is, my Tsar and father, who is destined to become my groom, thy son-in-law and heir." It was too late to object. The Tsar ordered preparations for the bridal festivities, and our Ivanoushka the Simpleton was wedded to the Tsarevna Baktriana.
"No, nobody struck me. I, myself, struck the door with my forehead. The door remained all right, but on my forehead there is a knob." The brothers laughed and went. Soon after them Ivanoushka left home and went straight to the window of the Tsarevna, where she sat leaning on the window sill and looking for her betrothed.
But as soon as the brothers left home, Ivanoushka started to the wide field and shouted out loud with a mighty voice: "Arise, bay horse thou wind-swift steed, Appear before me in my need; Stand up as in the storm the weed!" and here came the horse, the earth trembling under his hoofs, the sparks flying around, his eyes like flames, and out of his nostrils smoke curling up.
Before he arrived at his town Ivanoushka pitched his tent and lay down for a rest. Along the same road came his brothers. The two were proud no more, but rather depressed, not knowing what answer to give the Tsar. They perceived the tent with silver top and near by the wonderful apple tree. They came nearer and "There is our Simpleton!" exclaimed the brothers.
If you do it my reward will be great; if not, your fate is to become peasants as before." The brothers went, two sad heroes. Their march was slow; where to go they did not know. Ivanoushka also jumped upon a stick and went leaping toward the field.
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