Russian fairy tales about a talking mirror. Fairy of Mirrors

How many secrets does it hold?

An object familiar to everyone.
Where does the mirror beckon us?
So what is his secret?

(Tatiana Lavrova)

A mirror is the most mysterious and mystical object that we encounter every day. Have you thought about this? What is it really, what is the true meaning of a magical object made by human hands?

The history of the mirror goes back to the distant past, the first mirrors appeared in India, Egypt, and later, Venetian masters elevated the craft of making mirrors to the rank of art. The first explanation of the mystical properties of the mirror belongs to Paracelsus, who considered the mirror to be a tunnel connecting the material and subtle worlds. Using this theory, doctors of the past used a mirror to influence a person’s consciousness, for suggestions and hypnosis. The Slavs used mirrors for fortune telling, and, often, during fortune telling it was necessary to abandon sacred powers and therefore, it was believed that a mirror was a gift from the Devil, allowing a person to talk to himself.

The history of mirrors is full of secrets, mysteries and amazing events. Ivan the Terrible, for example, ordered blind craftsmen to make mirrors, and in those days it was believed that a mirror could easily “pick up” damage and transmit it to anyone who looked into it. In Europe, they also believed in the mysticism of mirrors, using them to “reflect” evil spells, intentions and troubles. Mirrors were mounted in windows, placed next to “dubious” buildings, and even sewn into clothes, believing that the mirror reflected all misfortunes. Today, like many centuries ago, the mirror fascinates, intrigues with its mystery and does not let go. We get scared of a broken mirror, look into it when returning home, wash the mirror after a visit from unpleasant people, and curtain it if there is a dead person in the house.

The mysticism of the mirror is still alive and there is no difficulty in finding those who claim to communicate with the other world, learn about the past and predict the future. Fortune telling and ancient rituals cannot be done without mirrors; signs are associated with mirrors, and this list can be continued endlessly. Throughout its history, the mirror has given us many opportunities for research, study and simply looking at our reflection.

Today, from all the variety of research, I suggest you talk about the symbolism and role of the mirror in fairy tales. Why in fairy tales? Because a fairy tale is the most ancient way of storing information and in it, as in the experience of our ancestors, we can see the true roles of this subject.

Fairy tales, myths and legends are the knowledge, wisdom and experience of generations encrypted in a metaphor. Fairytale language allows you to better comprehend and remember; it is universal for everyone and understandable to absolutely everyone, even through centuries. Let us remember the legends where mirrors are mentioned.

In the well-known ancient Greek myth, Perseus killed the Gorgon Medusa, using a shiny shield as a mirror. The mirror is an assistant in the fight against evil.

In the Russian folk tale “Elena the Wise” (A. Afanasyev) we read:

“Ivan sat on the eagle, grabbed it tightly with his arms, the eagle flapped its wings, rose high up and climbed beyond the third clouds. Looks like he's hidden well, no one can find him. Yes, Elena the Wise has such a mirror: you just have to look into it, and the whole universe will open up, and you will immediately find out where and what is going on in this world. So she came up to this mirror, looked into it and immediately found out all the ins and outs. “Enough, cunning one! - Elena shouted in a loud voice. “I see that you flew beyond the third clouds, a gray-winged eagle carried you, and now it’s time to come down to earth.”

In this fairy tale we see the role of the mirror in the ability to see any person at any point in space. Such an eternal dream of humanity, reflected in many fairy tales, where, with the help of a mirror, its owner observes the one he wants to see.

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The fairy tale “The King’s Son and His Uncle” (A. Afanasyev) says:“The next day he drives the royal horses to water, and the goblin man comes towards him again. “Let's come visit me!” He brought him and asked the middle daughter: “What will you award to the king’s son?” “I’ll give him a mirror: whatever you want, you’ll see everything in the mirror.”

The magical ability of a mirror in this fairy tale, as in other folk tales, is to see one’s destiny.

Andersen's fairy tales are a large and beloved world of magical adventures and mysterious stories since childhood. The great writer gave many fairy tales to the world, ancient fairy tales, rewritten taking into account his own neurosis, of course, but still, I think, if we talk about mirrors, then there is a high probability of the same meaning as the original source, namely, people.

So, in the fairy tale “The King’s New Clothes”. Do you remember the main scene of the fairy tale? “And now, Your Royal Majesty, deign to undress and stand here, in front of a large mirror! - the deceivers told the king. We will dress you up. The king undressed, and the deceivers began to dress him up: they pretended to put one piece of clothing on him after another and finally attach something at the shoulders and waist - they put the royal robe on him! And at this time the king turned in front of the mirror in all directions. - God, how it’s going! How wonderful it sits! - they whispered in the retinue. - What a pattern, what colors! Luxurious dress!.. -I'm ready! - said the king. - Does the dress fit well? And he once again turned in front of the mirror: it was necessary to show that he was carefully examining his outfit.”

The deceivers in front of the mirror dress the king in an invisible dress, literally mock him and, for fear of being punished, no one tells the truth. The king looks at his reflection and does not dare to go against public opinion. Flattery defeats honesty, lies are superior to truth, and there is no hope for justice. The king is the strongest of all, he can show his will, punish all those responsible and not be left a fool, but he chooses a different option. More simple and comfortable. What is the role of the mirror in this fairy tale? The mirror shows the truth and each of us has a choice: follow the truth or continue to be in illusion, believe other people's words or our own eyes.

Another fairy tale by G. Andersen is “The Snow Queen”. At the very beginning of the fairy tale, we are introduced to the story of a broken mirror, which turns the good side of the world inside out and strengthens evil.

“It shattered. Millions, billions, countless fragments did much more damage than the mirror itself. Some of them, the size of a grain of sand, scattered throughout the world and sometimes got into people’s eyes; they remained there, and from then on people saw everything topsy-turvy or noticed only the bad sides in everything: the fact is that each tiny fragment had the same power as a mirror. For some people, the fragments went straight into the heart - this was the worst thing - the heart turned into a piece of ice. There were also fragments so large that they could be inserted into the window frame, but it was not worth looking through these windows at your friends. Some fragments were inserted into glasses, but as soon as people put them on to take a good look at everything and make a fair judgment, trouble happened..."

Because of such a fragment, Kai ends up with the Snow Queen, where there is another mirror - the “Mirror of the Mind”, which, in fact, performs the same functions as the trolls’ mirror at the beginning of the fairy tale. “...In the middle of the largest deserted snowy hall there was a frozen lake... in her opinion, it was the only and best mirror in the world … " It reflects the world in the light of evil, being for us a complete description of the disposition and character of the Snow Queen. But we know that Gerda, as a symbol of love and life, will defeat cold and hatred. The role of the mirror in this fairy tale is provocative; it tests everyone who has fallen for the hook of evil: “How will you behave if you find yourself in the power of evil? Will your heart turn into a piece of ice?

In A.S. Pushkin’s fairy tale “About the Dead Princess and the Seven Knights,” the image of a mirror is perhaps the most charming and fabulous. In fact, in this fairy tale, the mirror is a separate, full-fledged hero with his own character. Such an uncompromising fighter for honesty and justice under threat of death.

“You are beautiful, no doubt, but the princess is still prettier, more rosy and whiter...”

“Throwing the mirror under the bench, she called the black girl to her”... “Breaking the mirror on the floor” -...

As a result, the inner beauty of the young princess defeats the outer beauty of the stepmother according to all the rules of competition. What does the mirror show us in this fairy tale?: “External beauty is an empty space without inner beauty.”

A separate, interesting and alluring theme in fairy tales is through the looking glass. This is a magical, mysterious country on the other side of the mirror, contrary to all prejudices, about an eerie and terrible other world. The opportunity to belong to two worlds, to travel back and forth is an incredibly tempting idea, embodied by the authors of several fairy tales. “The Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors”, “Alice Through the Looking Glass” - magical stories where the heroines, fulfilling the long-standing dream of humanity, live in two worlds. In these fairy tales, a mirror is a window to another world, a symbolic door to another space.

In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived a widower merchant; he had a son, a daughter, and a brother... At one time, this merchant is going to go to foreign lands, buy various goods, takes his son with him, and leaves his daughter at home; he calls his brother and says to him:

I entrust you, dear brother, with my entire house and household and earnestly ask: look after my daughter more closely, teach her to read and write, and do not allow her to be spoiled!

After that, the merchant said goodbye to his brother and daughter and set off on his journey. And the merchant’s daughter was already old and of such indescribable beauty that even if you walked around the world, you wouldn’t find another like her! An unclean thought came into his uncle’s head, it gave him no rest day or night, and he began to pester the red maiden.

“Or,” he says, “commit a sin to me, or you won’t live in the world; and I myself will disappear and kill you!..

Once a girl went to the bathhouse, her uncle followed her - just through the door, she grabbed a basin full of boiling water and doused him from head to toe. He lay there for three weeks and barely recovered; terrible hatred gnawed at his heart, and he began to think: how to laugh off this ridicule? I thought and thought, and finally wrote a letter to my brother: your daughter is doing bad things, wandering around other people’s yards, doesn’t spend the night at home and doesn’t listen to me. The merchant received this letter, read it and became very angry; says to his son:

Your sister has disgraced the whole house! I don’t want to have mercy on her: go this very minute, chop the scoundrel into small pieces and bring her heart with this knife. Let good people not laugh at our kind-tribe!

The son took a sharp knife and went home; I arrived in my hometown on the sly, without telling anyone, and began to scout around: how does such and such a merchant’s daughter live? Everyone praises her with one voice - they cannot boast enough: she is quiet, and modest, and knows God, and listens to good people. Having found out everything, he went to his sister; she was delighted, rushed to meet him, hugs him, kisses him:

Dear brother! How did the Lord bring you? What is our dear father?

Oh, dear sister, don’t rush to rejoice. My arrival is not good: my father sent me and ordered your white body to be chopped into small pieces, your heart to be taken out and delivered to him on this knife.

My sister started crying.

“My God,” he says, “why such disfavor?

But for what! - the brother answered and told her about his uncle’s letter.

Ah, brother, I am not guilty of anything!

The merchant's son listened to how and what happened and said:

Don't cry, sister! I myself know that you are not guilty, and even though the priest did not order you to accept any excuses, I still don’t want to execute you. You’d better get ready and leave your father’s house wherever you look; God will not leave you!

The merchant's daughter did not think long, got ready for the journey, said goodbye to her brother and went, where she herself does not know. And her brother killed a yard dog, took out the heart, put it on a sharp knife and took it to his father. Gives him a dog's heart:

“So and so,” he says, “on your parental orders, I executed my sister.”

Come on! Dog's death! - answered the father.

How long or how short did the red maiden wander around the white world, and finally entered a dense, dense forest: from behind the tall trees the sky was barely visible. She began to walk through this forest and accidentally came out into a wide clearing; in this clearing there is a white stone palace, around the palace there is an iron lattice.

Let me, the girl thinks, I’ll go into this palace, not everyone is evil, maybe the worst will happen!

She enters the chambers - there is not a human soul in the chambers; I was about to turn back - suddenly two powerful heroes galloped into the courtyard, entered the palace, saw the girl and said:

Hello beauty!

Hello, honest knights!

“Here, brother,” said one hero to another, “you and I were grieving that there was no one to manage our house; and God sent us a sister.

The heroes left the merchant's daughter to live with them, called her their own sister, gave her the keys and made her the mistress of the whole house; then they took out sharp sabers, pressed them against each other’s chests and made the following agreement:

If one of us dares to encroach on his sister, then we will cut him down without mercy with this very saber.

Here is a red maiden living with two heroes; and her father bought overseas goods, returned home and a little later married another wife. This merchant's wife was of indescribable beauty and had a magic mirror; look in the mirror - you will immediately find out where everything is being done. Once the heroes gathered to hunt and punished their sister:

Look, don’t let anyone in until we arrive!

Reading time: 4 minutes.

Once upon a time there lived a girl named Olya. She was no different from her friends. She, just like them, loved to eat ice cream, go to the cinema and collect photographs of beautiful actresses.

Olya studied well at school, she acquired knowledge easily, without stress.

Her parents loved her very much and did not refuse her anything. Everything was fine, but Olechka was unhappy.

She thought so. Olya dreamed that the girls from the neighboring house would be friends with her.

These girls did not attend school, but a gymnasium, wore beautiful uniforms to classes and spoke in a special way.

They had a funny lisp and slightly dragged out their vowels. So Olya decided to become like this.

It seemed to her that it was precisely these girls who enjoyed special honor and attention from most people. First of all, she told her parents that she was not interested in going to her old school, so her parents had to transfer her to a gymnasium.

Then Olya quarreled with all her old friends, changed her hairstyle, and began to talk differently. Now she too had a slight lisp and drawled her words.

It seemed that her dream had come true, but she noticed that such a change did not make her any happier.

On the contrary, now, instead of having fun playing ball with her friends or going to see a new play at the local theater, she sat for hours with new friends and looked at stupid magazines or listened to her new friends say nasty things about those girls who were not with her. near them.

Among other things, it was necessary to give up your favorite ice cream, because it contains a lot of calories and can put you on weight. If earlier she could easily communicate with boys, now she had to curl her lips, roll her eyes and, raising her head, walk away.

This continued until Olya somehow, completely by accident, took out her old mirror and decided to look into it.
Strange as it may sound, she did not see her image in it.

A tear-stained girl with sad eyes looked at her.
- Who are you? – Olya asked her.

- I am the mirror fairy. You completely forgot about me. That's why I cry and feel sad.

- Here again, all this is fiction!
- No, just look at who you have turned into.

You are constantly rude to your parents, you quarreled with your best friends, and what did you get in return?
“I have a great life and I don’t complain.”

“That’s how it is, but can eternal pretense be called life?” You lost the love of your friends, but gained a soap bubble.

Think about it.
For several days Olya didn’t walk around like herself. She answered the teachers at school inappropriately, and was silent when her new friends asked her about something.

It was as if a curtain had fallen from her eyes, blocking the whole real world from her.

“We need to do something,” Olya decided.
First of all, she apologized to her parents for behaving badly lately and being rude to them.

Then she asked her mother to help her bake a delicious pie, and then she called all her old friends and invited them to visit.

When everyone arrived, she, just like before her parents, asked them for forgiveness and promised to behave prudently in the future. Her friends were kind and easy-going girls, they quickly forgave Olya for her ridiculous behavior and soon everyone was having fun and sharing news, like in the good old days.

And then Olya invited everyone to the cafe for ice cream, and the girls happily agreed.
From that day on, Olya’s life returned to its old course.

However, she did not leave the gymnasium, because in principle, it doesn’t matter at all where you study, the main thing is to gain knowledge and develop your mind.

Several weeks flew by, and Olya again picked up the magic mirror.

She really wanted to know how the mirror fairy was doing. She saw a cheerful girl sitting in a clearing surrounded by animals.

- How are you doing, fairy?
“Everything is fine with me now, because you are now cheerful and have made peace with your parents and friends.”

You know, I advise you to be on good terms with everyone.

This way you will be calmer, and even if someone offends you, do not be angry with him, but forgive him the way your friends have forgiven you.
- Yes, I understand, and I will gladly take your advice.

Olya waved goodbye to the fairy and a moment later saw her reflection in the mirror.

- Goodbye, good fairy, with your advice you helped me become truly happy.

MAGIC MIRROR

In ancient times, in a big, big city, there lived a glorious king. He had more money and all sorts of goods than ten other kings together.

But old age has nothing to do with that: the king drives her out the door, and she climbs into his window. He doesn’t even want to hear that he can grow old, or even become decrepit, like any beggar.

The king had three sons.

The two eldest are strong, healthy and smart, the third is unaware that the child is small. His older brothers called him either a fool or a fool. The younger one didn’t even think of being offended by this.

One day the king called his eldest sons to him and said to them:

Apparently, old age is getting the better of me: my hair is turning white, my head is going bald. As a boy, I heard from one lame old man that there was a mirror in the world that makes everyone who looks into it look younger. Get me this mirror - I will give you half the kingdom. You can take whatever you want on the road. Be diligent and try to get this wonder! After all, it will bring happiness to you too.

The sons liked their father’s order, and they said:

Give us a carriage with six horses and a bag of gold, and we will find a magic mirror even at the end of the world!

The king agreed to everything.

The next day they harnessed six horses, put a bag of gold in the carriage, the coachman sat on the box, and the sons set off on the road.

I heard about this matter and I'm a fool. He came to the king and also asked to let him go in search of a mirror.

Hearing his son’s request, the king only laughed and said:

What do you mean, you fool? You won’t even get out of the city, but if you do get out, you’ll fall off at the first stone. It would be better if you went and hung around near the house, your brothers will find a mirror without you.

But the younger son pestered the king until he finally gave in:

Well, for me, go ahead! Just don't count on my help. I cannot trust you with either a living creature or, especially, gold. It will be your own fault if you die on a difficult road.

The youngest son thanked the king for permission and promised to immediately set off on the road.

So the little guy counted his last pennies, but didn’t even get ten thalers.

“Whatever happens, I’ll try my luck with this little thing. But I can’t go on foot - I’ll buy myself a nag.”

He made a deal with someone and bought a white gelding, very decrepit, for ten thalers.

I sat on it and drove off.

The old gelding no, no, and even trotted, but mostly at a walk.

“It’s not a problem,” thought the prince, “after all, we’ll move forward!”

By evening the traveler reached a large tavern, almost the size of a royal palace.

He sees the brothers' horses at the door.

Magic mirror

Russian folktale

I entrust you, dear brother, with my entire house and household and earnestly ask: look after my daughter more closely, teach her to read and write, and do not allow her to be spoiled!

“Or,” he says, “commit a sin to me, or you won’t live in the world; and I myself will disappear and kill you!..

Dear brother! How did the Lord bring you? What is our dear father?

My sister started crying.

“My God,” he says, “why such disfavor?

But for what! - the brother answered and told her about his uncle’s letter.

Ah, brother, I am not guilty of anything!

The merchant's son listened to how and what happened and said:

“So and so,” he says, “on your parental orders, I executed my sister.”

Come on! Dog's death! - answered the father.

Let me, the girl thinks, I’ll go into this palace, not everyone is evil, maybe the worst will happen!

She enters the chambers - there is not a human soul in the chambers; I was about to turn back - suddenly two powerful heroes galloped into the courtyard, entered the palace, saw the girl and said:

Hello beauty!

Hello, honest knights!

“Here, brother,” said one hero to another, “you and I were grieving that there was no one to manage our house; and God sent us a sister.

If one of us dares to encroach on his sister, then we will cut him down without mercy with this very saber.

Look, don’t let anyone in until we arrive!

They said goodbye to her and left. At this very time, the merchant’s wife looked into the mirror, admired her beauty and said:

There is no more beautiful me in the world!

And the mirror in response:

You are good - no doubt about it! And you have a stepdaughter, she lives with two heroes in a dense forest - she’s even more beautiful!

The stepmother did not like these speeches and immediately called the evil old woman to her.

Here,” he says, “here’s a ring for you; go into the dense forest, in that forest there is a white-stone palace, my stepdaughter lives in the palace; bow to her and give her this ring - say: brother sent it as a souvenir!

The old woman took the ring and went where she was told; comes to the white-stone palace, the red maiden saw her, ran out to meet her - she wanted, therefore, to try for news from her native side.

Hello, grandma! How did God bring you? Is everyone alive and well?

They live and chew bread! My brother asked me to check on your health and sent me a ring as a gift; come on, show off!

The girl is so happy, so glad that it’s impossible to tell; She brought the old woman into the room, treated her to all sorts of snacks and drinks, and ordered her brother to bow deeply. After an hour, the old woman trudged back, and the girl began to admire the ring and decided to put it on her finger; put it on - and at that very moment she fell dead.

Two heroes arrive, enter the chambers, but the sister does not greet them: what is it? We looked into her bedroom; and she lies dead, doesn’t say a word. The heroes were inflamed: what was most beautiful was that death suddenly took hold!

It is necessary, they say, to put her in new clothes and put her in a coffin.

They began to clean up, and noticed one ring on the red girl’s hand:

Is it really possible to bury her with this ring? Let me take a picture and leave it as a souvenir.

As soon as he took off the ring, the red maiden immediately opened her eyes, sighed and came to life.

What happened to you, sister? Didn't anyone come to see you? - the heroes ask.

An old lady I knew from home came in and brought me a ring.

Oh, how naughty you are! After all, it was not for nothing that we punished you so that you wouldn’t let anyone into the house without us. Make sure you don't do this next time!

After some time, the merchant's wife looked into her mirror and found out that her stepdaughter was still alive and beautiful; she called the old woman, gave her a ribbon and said:

Go to the white stone palace where my stepdaughter lives and give her this gift; say: brother sent!

Again the old woman came to the red maiden, told her about three boxes of different things and gave her the ribbon. The girl was delighted, tied a ribbon around her neck - and at that very moment fell onto the bed, dead. The heroes came from the hunt, looked - my sister was lying dead, they began to put her in new outfits and as soon as they took off the ribbon, she immediately opened her eyes, sighed and came to life.

What's wrong with you, sister? Was there an old woman again?

“Yes,” he says, “an old woman from my native land came and brought me a ribbon.”

Oh, what are you! After all, we asked you: don’t accept anyone without us!

Sorry, dear brothers! I couldn’t stand it, I wanted to hear news from home.

A few more days passed - the merchant's wife looked in the mirror: her stepdaughter was alive again. She called the old woman.

Just a hair's breadth, he says! Go to your stepdaughter, be sure to kill her!

The old woman took advantage of the time when the heroes went hunting, and came to the white stone palace; The red maiden saw her through the window, could not stand it, ran out to meet her:

Hello, grandma! How does God have mercy on you?

As long as you're alive, my dear! I was wandering around the world and came here to visit you.

The red maiden brought her into the room, treated her to all sorts of snacks and drinks, asked about her relatives and ordered her to bow to her brother.

“Okay,” says the old woman, “I will bow.” But you, my dear, have no one to look for tea in your head? Let me look.

Look, grandma!

She began to look in the head of the red maiden and wove a magic hair into her braid; As soon as she wove this hair, the girl at that very moment became dead. The old woman grinned evilly and left quickly so that no one would catch her or see her.

The heroes arrive, enter the rooms - the sister lies dead; For a long time they peered and looked closely to see if there was anything superfluous on it? No, you can't see anything! So they made a crystal coffin - so wonderful that you couldn’t even think of it, couldn’t imagine it, only say it in a fairy tale; they dressed the merchant's daughter in a shiny dress, like a bride to the crown, and placed her in a crystal coffin; That coffin was placed in the middle of the large chamber, and above it they placed a canopy of red velvet with diamond tassels with gold fringes, and twelve lamps were hung on twelve crystal pillars. After that, the heroes burst into burning tears; They were overcome with great melancholy.

What, they say, do we need to live on in this world? Let's go decide for ourselves!

They hugged, said goodbye to each other, went out onto the high balcony, held hands and rushed down; hit sharp stones and ended their lives.

Many, many years have passed. It happened that one prince was out hunting; He drove into a dense forest, sent his dogs loose in different directions, separated from the hunters and rode alone along a dead path. He drove and drove, and there was a clearing in front of him, in the clearing there was a white stone palace. The prince dismounted from his horse, climbed the stairs, and began to inspect the chambers; Everywhere the decorations are rich, luxurious, but the owner’s hand is not visible on anything: everything was abandoned a long time ago, everything was neglected! In one chamber there is a crystal coffin, and in the coffin lies a dead girl of indescribable beauty: there is a blush on her cheeks, a smile on her lips, as if she were alive, she is sleeping.

The prince approached, looked at the girl, and remained in place, as if an invisible force was holding him. He stands there from morning until late evening, unable to take his eyes off, anxiety in his heart: he was riveted by a girl’s beauty - wonderful, unprecedented, which cannot be found anywhere else in the whole world! And hunters have been looking for him for a long time; They were already scouring the forest, blowing trumpets, and raising voices - the prince was standing at the crystal coffin, hearing nothing. The sun set, the darkness deepened, and only then did he come to his senses - he kissed the dead girl and drove back.

Oh, your highness, where have you been? - the hunters ask.

I was chasing the beast, but got a little lost.

The next day, just before it’s light, the prince is getting ready to go hunting; galloped into the forest, separated from the hunters and along the same path arrived at the white-stone palace. Again I stood at the crystal coffin all day, not taking my eyes off the dead beauty; I only returned home late at night. On the third day, on the fourth everything was the same, and so a whole week passed.

What happened to our prince? - say the hunters. “Let us, brothers, keep an eye on him, make sure that nothing bad happens.”

So the prince went hunting, released his dogs through the forest, separated from his retinue and headed his way to the white-stone palace; The hunters immediately follow him, come to the clearing, enter the palace - there is a crystal coffin in the chamber, a dead girl lies in the coffin, the prince stands in front of the girl.

Well, your Highness, it’s not for nothing that you spent a whole week lost in the forest! Now we won’t be able to leave here until the evening.

They surrounded the crystal coffin, looked at the girl, admired her beauty, and stood in one place from morning until late evening. When it got completely dark, the prince turned to the hunters:

Do me, brothers, a great service: take the coffin with the dead girl, bring it and place it in my bedroom; Yes, quietly, secretly, so that no one finds out about it, does not find out. I will reward you in every possible way, I will reward you with a golden treasury, like no one has rewarded you.

Your will is to favor; and we, prince, are happy to serve you anyway! - said the hunters, picked up the crystal coffin, took it out into the courtyard, set it up on horseback and took it to the royal palace; They brought it and placed it in the prince’s bedroom.

From that very day the prince stopped even thinking about hunting; he sits at home, doesn’t leave his room anywhere - he keeps admiring the girl.

What happened to our son? - the queen thinks. “It’s been a long time, but he’s still sitting at home, doesn’t leave his room and doesn’t let anyone in.” Did sadness or melancholy set in, or did you feign some kind of illness? Let me go look at him.

The queen enters his bedroom and sees a crystal coffin. How and what? She asked and found out and immediately gave the order to bury that girl, as was customary, in the damp earth.

The prince began to cry, went into the garden, picked wonderful flowers, brought them back and began to comb the dead beauty’s brown hair and cover her head with flowers. Suddenly a magic hair fell out of her braid - the beauty opened her eyes, sighed, rose from the crystal coffin and said:

Oh, how I slept for a long time!

The prince was incredibly happy, took her hand, led her to her father, to her mother.

“God gave it to me,” he says! I can't live without her for a single minute. Allow me, dear father, and you, dear mother, allow me to get married.

Get married, son! Let’s not go against God, and we can’t look for such beauty in the whole world!

Tsars never stop for anything: an honest feast on the same day and even for a wedding.

The prince married a merchant's daughter and lives with her - he couldn't be happier. Some time passed - she decided to go in her own direction, to visit her father and brother; The prince, not averse to it, began to ask his father.

“Okay,” says the king, “go, my dear children!” You, prince, go on a detour by land, inspect all our lands and find out the order, and let your wife sail on the ship in a direct way.

So they prepared the ship for the voyage, dressed the sailors, appointed the initial general; The princess boarded the ship and went out to the open sea, and the prince went by land.

The leading general, seeing the beautiful princess, envied her beauty and began to flatter her; Why be afraid, he thinks, - after all, she is now in my hands, I do whatever I want!

Love me,” he says to the princess, “if you don’t love me, I’ll throw you into the sea!”

The princess turned away, did not give him an answer, only burst into tears. One sailor overheard the general’s speeches, came to the princess in the evening and began to say:

Don't cry, princess! Dress yourself in my dress, and I will put on yours; You go on deck, and I’ll stay in the cabin. Let the general throw me into the sea - I’m not afraid of that; Maybe I can handle it and swim to the pier: fortunately the land is close now!

They exchanged dresses; the princess went on deck, and the sailor lay down on her bed. At night, the leading general appeared in the cabin, grabbed the sailor and threw him into the sea. The sailor set off swimming and reached the shore by morning. The ship arrived at the pier, the sailors began to go ashore; The princess also went down, rushed to the market, bought herself a cook's clothes, dressed up as a cook and hired herself to serve in the kitchen for her own father.

A little later, the prince comes to the merchant.

“Hello,” he says, “father!” Accept your son-in-law, because I am married to your daughter. Where is she? Have you been to Al yet?

And here the initial general with a report appears:

So and so, your highness! A misfortune happened: the princess was standing on the deck, a storm arose, rocking began, her head began to spin - and before she could blink, the princess fell into the sea and drowned!

The prince strained and cried, but you can’t turn him back from the bottom of the sea; Apparently, this is her destiny! The prince stayed with his father-in-law for some time and ordered his retinue to prepare for departure; the merchant gave a big feast at parting; Merchants, boyars, and all his relatives gathered to see him: his brother, the evil old woman, and the chief general were there.

They drank, ate, cooled off; one of the guests says:

Listen, honest gentlemen! If you keep drinking and drinking, it won’t do any good; Let's better tell fairy tales.

OK OK! - they shouted from all sides. - Who will start?

One doesn’t know how, the other is not good at it, and the third has lost his memory of wine. What should I do? The merchant clerk responded:

We have a new cook in our kitchen, he has traveled a lot in foreign lands, seen many all sorts of marvels and is such a master at telling fairy tales - guess what!

The merchant called that cook.

Amuse my guests, he says!

The cook-princess answers him:

What should I tell you: a fairy tale or a true story?

Say something that happened!

Perhaps, it’s possible to have a blast, only with this agreement: whoever interrupts me will get a plague in the forehead.

Everyone agreed to this. And the princess began to tell everything that happened to her.

So and so,” he says, “the merchant had a daughter; the merchant went overseas and instructed his brother to look after the girl; Uncle covets her beauty and does not give her a moment of peace...

And my uncle hears that they are talking about him and says:

This, gentlemen, is not true!

Oh, don't you think it's true? Here's a plague to your forehead!

After that, it came to the stepmother, how she interrogated the magic mirror, and to the evil old woman, how she came to the heroes in the white stone palace - and the old woman and stepmother shouted in one voice:

What nonsense! This can't be true.

The princess hit them on the forehead with a chumichka and began to tell how she lay in a crystal coffin, how the prince found her, revived her and married her, and how she went to visit her father.

The general realized that things were not going well, and asked the prince:

Let me go home; I have a headache!

No problem, sit down for a while!

The princess began to talk about the general; Well, he couldn’t bear it either.

All this, he says, is not true!

With a blow to his forehead, the princess threw off her chef's dress and revealed herself to the prince:

I'm not a cook, I'm your legal wife!

The prince was delighted, and so was the merchant; they rushed to hug and kiss her; and then they began to judge the court; the evil old woman and her uncle were shot at the gate, the stepmother-sorceress was tied to a stallion by the tail, the stallion flew into an open field and scattered her bones through the bushes, along the yarugs; The prince sent the general to hard labor, and in his place he gave a sailor, who saved the princess from trouble. From that time on, the prince, his wife and the merchant lived together - happily ever after.