Russian Magic Tales from Pushkin to Platonov (Penguin Classics) by Unknown Page B

and flew high into the sky. A drake swooped down and gave it such a blow that it dropped the egg it was carrying straight into the blue sea. This was more than Ivan Tsarevich could bear – he sat down by the shore and began to weep tear after bitter tear.
    All of a sudden a pike swam up to the shore. In its mouth it was holding an egg. Ivan took the egg and went straight to where Koshchey lived. Seeing the egg in Ivan’s hands, Koshchey began to tremble. Ivan Tsarevich began playing with the egg, tossing it from one hand to the other. Koshchey writhed and struggled and swayed from side to side. Then Ivan cracked the egg, took out the needle and snapped off the tip – and that was the end of Koshchey. Ivan went into Koshchey’s stone house. There he found Vasilisa the Wise, and he took her back with him to his own land.
    When they got back, Ivan’s father invited the whole country to a banquet in their honour. After that they lived happily together for many years.

Pig Skin
    A great prince had a beautiful wife and he loved her with all his heart. His wife died and he had only his daughter, who was as like her mother as one drop of water is like another drop of water. The prince said to his daughter, ‘Dear daughter, I shall marry you!’ The girl went to the cemetery, to her mother’s grave, and began to weep bitterly. The mother said, ‘Order a dress to be bought for you – a dress covered in stars!’ The prince bought the girl just such a dress and fell in love with her more than ever. The girl went to talk to her mother again. The mother said, ‘Order a dress to be bought for you – a dress with the silver moon sewn on its back and the golden sun on its front.’ The father bought the dress and fell still more deeply in love. The girl went to her mother again and wept bitterly: ‘Mother, my father now loves me more than ever.’ ‘Well, my child,’ said the mother, ‘now you must order a pig skin to be made for you.’ The father had that made too; and, as soon as the skin was ready, the daughter put it on. The father spat on her and threw her out of their home. He didn’t allow her any maids, nor did he even give her any bread to take with her. The girl crossed herself and walked out through the gate. ‘I’ll go,’ she said, ‘wherever God wills.’ She walked for a day, and for a second day, and for a third day; she entered unknown lands.
    Storm clouds appeared and it began to rain. Where could she shelter? The princess saw a huge oak tree; she climbed up and sat in its branches. Just then a tsarevich came past; he was going hunting. His dogs rushed at the oak; they leaped at the tree and barked at it. The tsarevich was curious; why, he wondered, were his dogs barking at a tree? He sent his servant tolook. The servant came back and said, ‘your Highness! There’s a beast sitting up in the oak tree – only it’s not a beast but a marvellous wonder, a wondrous marvel!’ The tsarevich went to the foot of the tree and asked, ‘What kind of a marvel are you? Can you or can you not speak?’ The princess replied, ‘I am Pig Skin.’ Instead of going on with his hunting, the tsarevich sat Pig Skin in his carriage and said, ‘I shall show my mother and father this marvellous wonder, this wondrous marvel.’ His mother and father marvelled at Pig Skin and had her put in a special room.
    Soon afterwards the tsar gave a ball; everyone at court went to make merry. Pig Skin asked one of the servants, ‘May I stand by the door and watch the ball?’ ‘Don’t even think of it, Pig Skin!’ She went out into open steppe and put on a dress that was scattered with glittering stars. She let out something between a shout and a whistle – and there beside her was a carriage. Off she drove to the ball. She arrived, went in and began to dance. Everyone marvelled: where had such a beauty appeared from? She danced and danced, and then she disappeared; she put on her pig skin and ran back to her room. The tsarevich