The Three Kingdoms - Part Nine

Ivan was stunned because the dining table set itself up and various food and wine appeared on the table as Ivan and his mother dined. There were invisible musicians who  played music in the background. That way, they had a lavish meal.

Then Ivan decided that they had to leave this place. “Mother, your two older sons wait for us down outside the cave and we also have to save the three Tsaritsas who are living in the other castles.”

Mother and son packed all the things that they needed and then they set off and first went to the Golden castle and then the silver and copper castle. The other Tsaritsas took as much lenin and other things from the castle.

Soon, all of them reached the place where they would have to go down the mountain.

Using the lenin, Ivan first let his mother down the mountain. After that, Ivan sent Yelena and her two sisters down the mountain.

Meanwhile down the mountains, Ivan’s brothers Pyotr Tsarevich and Vassili Tsarevich saw their mother and three beautiful Tsaristas.

Pyotr Tsarevich had an evil idea and turned to his brother. “We will take our mother and the three Tsaristas to our father and tell him that we rescued all of them. I will marry Yelena, the Beautiful and you can marry the Tsarevich of the Silver kingdom. We will give the Tsarista of the Copper Kingdom to some general in the army.”

So before Ivan Tsarevich could get down the mountain, his two brothers down on the mountain side tore the linen away.

Ivan was stranded on the top of the mountain.

The Three Kingdoms - Part Eight

 

As soon as Whirlwind came inside the castle he looked around suspiciously. “I smell someone new.”

The Tsaritsa shook her head. “I do not know why that seems so to you.”

As Whirlwind came forward, Ivan grabbed the club from Whirlwind. 

Whirlwind roared and flew out through the window and up into the sky. Whirlwind flew over mountains wanting to smash Ivan, but Ivan held on. Whirlwind flew over seas and wanted to drown Ivan but Ivan still held on.

Finally, Whirlwind began to get tired. 

He rushed to the cellar where Nastasya Golden Tress has been kept and took the tub of water from the right hand side.

However, as soon as Whirlwind drank the water he became weak. Ivan drank the water from the other tub.

Ivan became a powerful mighty hero after that.

Whirlwind had become weak and Ivan took the sharp sword from Whirlwind and killed Whirlwind with a single blow.

As soon as Ivan did that, voices around him called him. “You have to strike Whirlwind again, or he will come to life.”

But Ivan remembered his mother’s instructions. “A hero’s hand will strike only once.” 

Then Whirlwind fell dead as Ivan burnt the body and scattered Whirlwind’s ashes to the wind.

Ivan’s mother was thrilled. “We must leave this place immediately. But before that we must eat.”

Ivan was confused. “I have not seen anyone else in the castle. Who will serve us here?”

Ivan’s mother nodded mysteriously. “You will see.”

Adapted from Russian Folktales

The Three Kingdoms - Part Seven

 

Ivan’s mother took him to the cellar of the castle. There, there were two tubs of water - one on the right and the other on the left.

Nastasya, Golden Tress asked her son to drink from the right tub once. “How do you feel now?” The Tsaritsa asked her son.

Iva Tsarevich felt powerful and turned to the Tsaritsa. “I feel strong enough to overturn the entire castle.”

The Tsaritsa asked Ivan to drink from the tub on the right hand tub once more. After that, Ivan felt strong enough to turn the entire world.

Then the Tsaritsa asked Ivan to interchange the tubs and told Ivan the reason. “The tub on the right hand will give you immense strength and the tub on the left will make you weak. Whirlwind always drinks the tub on the right hand after coming here. Now that you have interchanged it, it means that Whirlwind cannot be as strong as you.”

Then the Tsaritsa asked Ivan to hide under her purple robe because Whirlwind was to come to the place very soon and the Tsaritsa also gave clear instructions to Ivan on what to be done when Whirlwind came there.

“Grab the club with Whirlwind’s hands and never let it go, no matter what happens. That will weaken Whirlwind and he will come to the castle to drink from the tub. Be careful of which tub you drink from, at that time. After that, grab Whirlwind’s sword and strike him only once and no matter what do not strike him more than once.”

Ivan had barely hidden under the robe when the entire castle grew dark and everything shook.

Whirlwind flew inside the castle and he entered the castle with a club in his hands.

Adapted from Russian Folktales

The Three Kingdoms - Part Six

Following the silver ball, Ivan Tsarevich came to a golden castle. The castle glowed like fire. Just like the copper castle and the silver castle, this castle also had a golden entrance with golden snakes and a golden well and bucket nearby. 

After calming the golden snakes with the water from the golden well, a girl came out of the castle. She was Yelena the Beautiful.

“Who are you?” Yelena asked the young man.

Ivan told the girl everything including how his search for his mother had led him to this place. “Do you know where my mother is?”

Yelena nodded eagerly. “She lives close by. Whirlwind visits her once a week and Whirlwind comes to my palace once a month.”

This time, Yelena gave a golden ball to Ivan Tsarevich. She asked Ivan to follow the ball and that would lead him to his mother. Yelena also gave a golden ring to Ivan that represented the entire golden kingdom and she asked him to save her after Ivan had defeated Whirlwind.

Ivan Tsarevich followed the golden ball and came upon a castle that was almost blazing with diamonds and precious stones.

At the gate of this castle too, there were six-headed serpents. Ivan Tsarevich gave the serpents water to drink. 

The serpents let Ivan Tsarevich pass.

Ivan walked through great chambers and came to another huge room and in the centre, his mother sat on a lavish throne.

Ivan’s mother was thrilled to see him. “How did you come here?”

“I have come here for you, mother.”

Ivan’s mother sighed. “It will not be easy. In the mountains, the evil Whirlwind is powerful and all the spirits here obey him.” Ivan’s mother studied him. “If however, you have to fight Whirlwind then I can help you.”

Adapted from Russian Folktales

The Three Kingdoms - Part Five

Ivan Tsarevich agreed to help the Tsaritsa of the Copper Kingdom after he had saved his mother from Whirlwind. 

After that, he threw the ball before him.

The copper ball rolled forward and this time, the ball landed before the Silver Kingdom. Just like the Copper kingdom, this time everything in the palace, including the terrible serpents at the gate of the place were made of silver. This time Ivan Tsarevich drew water from the silver bucket and gave the water to the serpents and quietened them.

After that the Tsaritsa of the Silver Kingdom came out and she was stunned to see someone else other than the monster Whirlwind. “It has been three years since Whirlwind has imprisoned me here. Who are you? What are you doing here?”

When Ivan Tsarevich told the woman the reason he was here, she too told him that she did not know where Whirlwind or his mother was. But she gave him a silver ring and a silver ball. The silver ring represented the entire Silver kingdom and the silver ball would lead Ivan Tsarevich to the Golden kingdom. The Tsaritsa of the Silver kingdom wanted Ivan to ask his questions to the woman in the Golden kingdom and she hoped that the woman in the Golden kingdom would know the answer to Ivan’s questions.

Ivan thanked her and took the ball when the woman asked Ivan to save her from Whirlwind after he had saved his mother. This time too, the silver ring represented the entire silver kingdom and using that, Ivan could summon the entire kingdom including the Tsaritsa after he had defeated Whirlwind.

Ivan promised to help her too and followed the silver ball.

Adapted from Russian Folktales

The Three Kingdoms - Part Four

 

After reaching the top, Ivan Tsarevich was tired. He rested a little. 

Then he started walking. He walked along the mountain for a long time and then reached a copper castle.

The copper castle has a huge gate where many snakes were fastened by copper chains. There was a well next to the gate and there was a copper bucket hung by a copper chain there.

Ivan drew water from the well and the water to the snakes to drink.

Immediately after that, the snakes became quiet. 

Then the Tasrita of the Copper kingdom raced out to meet him. “What are you, brave one?”

“I am Ivan Tasrevich.”

“Have you come here of your own free will?”

Ivan nodded. “Yes. I have come here in search of my mother - Nastasya, Golden Tress. A Whirlwind carried her away.” Ivan looked hopeful. “Have you heard of my mother?”

The Tsaritsa of the copper kingdom shook her head. “No I have not.” The Tsaritsa was not yet done. “My second sister of the silver kingdom lives a little further away.” The Tsaritsa nodded at Ivan. “Probably, she will be able to help you in finding your mother.”

Ivan nodded when the Tsaritsa handed him a copper ball and a copper ring. “This ball will lead you to my sister in the Silver kingdom.” Ivan accepted it and studied the copper ring. 

The Tsaritsa of the Copper kingdom continued. “This ring represents the whole of the copper kingdom. Whirlwind has imprisoned me here and he comes to this place once in three months.”

Ivan as surprised as the Tsaritsa continued. “When you overcome Whirlwind take me away from this place to the free world.”

Adapted from Russian Folktales

The Three Kingdoms - Part Three

 

“What are you doing here, Ivan?” The elder brothers asked him.

Ivan Tsarevish shrugged. “I was tired waiting for you. I decided to look for mother too. So send your armies away and let us all go and look for mother.”

The two princes - Pyotr Tsarevich and Vassili Tsarevich sent their armies back. 

The three princes then rode on and followed the ball.

They had traveled a good distance when they saw huge mountains. The mountains were so large that they touched the very sky.

The ball rolled into one of the caves in the mountain. 

Ivan Tsarevich got off his horse and nodded at his brothers. “I will go inside the cave and climb up the mountain and look for mother. Wait for me for three months.” The two brothers were surprised as Ivan continued. “There is no use in waiting longer than three months for me.”

The two elder brothers were not entirely sure how Ivan could climb such a high mountain.

They were sure that anyone who climbed these mountains would break their head. So they accepted Ivan’s requests. “We will wait for you here.”

Inside the cave, Ivan saw a door made of iron. Ivan hit the door with all his power and the door opened. 

When he entered the door, iron claws entered his hands and feet by themselves.

He started climbing the mountain with the claws.

He climbed up the mountain for a month.

Adapted from Russian Folktales

The Three Kingdoms - Part Two

In the broad court of the castle, Ivan saw an old man.

“Who are you, you brave man?” The old studied Ivan curiously.

“I  am Ivan Tsarevich, son of Tsar Bailyanyin and Tsaritsa Nastasya, Golden Tress.”

“That makes you my nephew.” The old man cried happily. “What are you doing here, in my kingdom.”

“I am searching for my mother who was taken away by Whirlwind.” On learning that he was the older man’s nephew, Ivan told the old man everything about how his mother had gone missing and how his brothers had gone in search of her. “Do you know where my mother is?” Ivan asked the older man hopefully.

The old man shook his head. “I do not know where your mother is. But I can help you.”

Ivan was surprised. 

The old man handed over a ball to him. “Roll this ball and follow it, wherever it goes.”

Ivan was curious as the old man continued. “The ball will lead you to a steep mountain.  In that mountain, you will find a cave. Go inside the cave and you will find iron claws there. Wear those claws in your hands and legs and climb up that mountain.” The old man nodded slowly. “There is a chance that you will find your mother there.”

Ivan thanked the old man for his help.

Then Ivan threw the ball. The ball rolled on and on and Ivan followed it from behind his horse.

As Ivan rode on, he was surprised. Because Ivan saw his brothers with their troops camped on a huge open field.

Adapted from Russian Folktales

The Three Kingdoms - Part One

In a kingdom there was a Tsar called Bail Bailyanyin. The Tsar’s wife was Tsaritsa Nastasya Golden Tress. The royal couple had three sons - Pyotr Tsarevich, Vasili Tsarevich and Ivan Tsarevich.

Once, the Tsaritsa and her companions went for a walk in the garden.

Unfortunately at that time, a great Whirlwind struck the place. It was terrible and the whirlwind dragged away the Tsaritsa with it.

The Tsar was sad and depressed when his wife went missing.

After his sons grew up, the Tsar asked his sons to go and find their mother.

The first two sons got ready and went their way, but no news came from them for some time.

Soon, the third son asked his father for permission to go and look for the Tsaritsa.

The Tsar initially refused. “Please do not leave me alone. Do not leave an old man to his loneliness.”

“But father!” Ivan Tsarevich pleaded with the Tsar. “I want to go into the world and try and find my mother.”

No matter how much the Tsar tried to dissuade his son, Ivan remained firm.

Finally having no choice, the Tsar gave his son permission to go and find his mother.

Ivan picked a nice horse for himself and rode away from the castle.

Soon, Ivan came to a forest.

In the middle of the forest was a grand castle.

Ivan got down the horse and went into the castle.

Adapted from Russian Folktales

The Car and the Mice - Part Three

The cat was furious that the mice had found a way out. But she disguised her feelings and decided to give the mice one more chance.

The two mice Ambe and Rambe had however seen that the cat was frustrated. The two mice advised the other mice to be ready to run during the evening procession before the cat.

In the evening, when the mice came on a procession, the cat was beyond anger because this time too the two mice had called each other to make sure that all of them had crossed the cat without any incident.

The cat furiously pounced on the mice on seeing this.

But thanks to Ambe and Rambe’s advice, the mice ran from the place immediately.

The  mice were fast and the cat was old and unfortunately the cat could not catch any of the mice.

After that day, the mice realized that the cat was treacherous and did not venture out at all.

The cat meanwhile  died because of starvation, because the mice were very clever.

Adapted from Tibetan Folktales

The Car and the Mice - Part Two

The cat’s plan was very simple. Every day, the processing of mice came before her to wish her. They walked away in a line. The cat caught the last mouse in the line and ate that mouse.

So twice every day, the cat ate the last mouse in the line.

With this plan, the cat lived very comfortably for some time.

However among the mice there were two very clever and cunning mice. They were called Rambe and Ambe. 

Within a short time, the two mice realized that the number of mice kept decreasing. The two mice saw that the cat was not hunting any of the mice, but still their numbers decreased.

The two mice were more or sure that the cat was involved in this. 

So they came up with a plan to help them during the procession that they made before the cat.

Ambe would be the last of mice and Rambhe would be the first. They decided to call out for each other randomly while walking in the procession.

So when the next day, Rambhe first before the cat, he wished the cat and then shouted in a shrill voice. “Ambe are you there?”

The last of the mouse - Ambe - shouted back. “I am here.”

The cat was stunned when Ambe and Rambhe kept this up for the entire procession until Rambhe walked away from the cat.

The cat went hungry that time, because of this.

The cat thought about this and  hoped that this was an accident. The cat decided that the next time, she would catch the last fat mouse and make up for this.

Much to the cat’s dismay, the next time, Ambe and Rambe did the same thing again.

This time too the cat went hungry.

Adapted from Tibetan Folktales