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Updated: May 17, 2025
Leap over the wall and approach the maiden; she will rejoice to see you, for it is now six years since she was carried off from her father's court by the deathless Kashtshei. Enquire of this maiden how you can obtain the Self-playing Harp, and she will direct you." Thereupon Prince Astrach mounted his good steed and rode far and fast, and came into the kingdom of the deathless Kashtshei.
Then, after rewarding the man for his trouble, the Prince mounted his steed and returned to the Tsarevna Darisa. As soon as he arrived and told her that he had found the egg, the Princess said: "Now fear nothing; come with me straight to Kashtshei."
"Tell me, good youth, whither art thou travelling to what far country? and dost thou go of thine own free will or no?" And Prince Astrach answered: "Willingly as I go, yet I go twice as unwillingly through thrice nine lands into the thirtieth kingdom, the domain of the deathless Kashtshei, to fetch the Self-playing Harp." "Ho! ho! ho!" cried the old witch.
"Assuredly never," replied Kashtshei. "Then," said the Princess, "where is your death? Is it here?" "Certainly," he replied; "it is in the broom under the threshold." Thereupon Tsarevna Darisa instantly seized the broom and threw it into the fire; but, although the besom burned, the deathless Kashtshei still remained alive.
And when he asked her she said: "Go your way, in God's name, and when you come to the realm of the deathless Kashtshei, manage to arrive exactly at noon. Near his golden palace is a green garden, and in this garden you will see a fair Princess walking about.
So saying he seized his sword from the wall to slay the Tsarevna; but at the same moment Astrach, the King's son, crushed the egg, and Kashtshei fell dead upon the ground like a sheaf of corn. Then the Tsarevna Darisa led Astrach into the palace, where was the Self-playing Harp, and said to him: "The Harp is now thine take it; but in return for it, conduct me back to my home."
Then he dug up the worm from the roots of the largest, and having killed it, he returned to the Tsarevna Darisa, and said to her: "Does the deathless Kashtshei still live? I have found the worm and destroyed it." And she replied, "Kashtshei is still alive." Then said Prince Astrach, "Go again and ask him right lovingly where is his death."
Then the Tsarevna said to him: "My beloved, you do not love me sincerely, for you have not told me truly where is your death; nevertheless, I am not angry, but love you with my whole heart." And with these fawning words, she entreated Kashtshei to tell her in truth where was his death. Then he said with a laugh: "Have you any reason for wishing to know?
Then the Tsarevna Darisa answered: "If you will take me with you from this place I will tell you how to obtain the Harp." So Prince Astrach gave her his promise. Then she told him to wait in the garden, and meanwhile she herself went to the deathless Kashtshei and began to coax him with false and flattering words. "My most beloved friend and intimate, tell me, I pray you, will you never die?"
So the Princess went, and said to him with tears: "You do not love me, and don't tell me the truth, but treat me as a stupid"; and at last King Kashtshei yielded to her entreaties, and told her the whole truth, saying: "My death is far from hence, and hard to find, on the wide ocean: in that sea is the island of Bujan, and upon this island there grows a green oak, and beneath this oak is an iron chest, and in this chest is a small basket, and in this basket a hare, and in this hare a duck, and in this duck an egg; and he who finds this egg, and breaks it, at that same instant causes my death."
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