The Violet Fairy Book

very hard-hearted man, for he could not bear poor people, and if he caught sight of a beggar any

just as he was going to let the fierce dogs loose on them, h

r old men sleep here to-

wed to sleep in a loft, and at night, when everyone in the house was fas

on their sticks, with their long grey beards flowing down

there?’ aske

ad his seventh son. What shall we name him, and

all the property of the hard-hearted man in whose lof

he three made themselves r

ery word, ran straight to h

ove to the next village to try and find out if such a child really had been bor

y little thing “Vassili.” He is the seventh son, and the eldest is only seven years old, and they har

d be godfather himself, he said, and he ordered a fine christening feast; so the child was brought and chr

ring up the boy? Give him to me and I’ll make something of him, an

in a fox skin, laid it in the sledge beside him, and drove back towards home. When he had driven some miles he drew up,

d along that same road on the way to see Mark and to

nd on looking over they saw a little green meadow wedged in between two

hen they saw Mark they told him what a strange thing they had found. Mark g

ike to keep him. If you will make him ov

o make so good a bargain, left th

e up to a monastery. The monks were just spreading out their nets to dry on the shore, when they heard the sound of crying. It seemed to come from the barrel which was bobbing ab

d handsome young man. No one could read, write, or sing better than he,

house and church and all they had. When he went into the church the choir was singing, and one voice was so clear and beautiful, that he asked who it belonged to

come to me I would make him overseer of all my business. As you say, he is so good and clever. Do sp

the other monks, and at last they decided that they ou

the bearer of this arrives, take him into the soap factory, and when you pass near the great boiler, push him in. If yo

n foot for Mark’s home. On the way he met three beg

the Merchant, and have a letter

s the l

d gave it back to him, saying: ‘Now go and give th

for her daughter. In the letter was written, quite plainly: ‘When you receive this letter, get ready for a wedding,

ased her very much. They dressed Vassili in fine

w all went out to meet him. When Mark saw Vassili he flew into a terrible rage

ur orders,’ said she.

y was his handwriting, bu

nk I shall get the better of you now.’ And he waited a month

country at the world’s end. Twelve years ago he built a castle on some land of mine. I want you to ask for the rent for those

s young wife, who cried bitterly at parting, hung

long or short. As he tramped along he suddenly he

and, seeing no one, call

spreading oak. Tell me

nt King to receive twelv

otten to the roots, half dead but still green, stands

r and got into the ferryboat. The old ferr

to the Ser

rty years the ferryman has rowed to and fro. Wi

aid Vassili; ‘

a great whale over whose back people walked and drove as if it had been a bridge

to the Ser

has been lying three years across the strait, and men and horses have ne

,’ said Vassili,

ite marble walls sparkled in the light, the roof was covered with mother o’ pearl, which shone like a rainbow, and the sun glowe

om of all, he found a beaut

id: ‘Oh, Vassili, what brings

ad come, and all he had s

to collect rents, but for your own destruc

ng, groaning sound was heard. The girl quickly pushed Vassili into a chest under

p to receive th

g on the bed, crying: ‘I’ve flown half over the world. I’

id in a sweet coaxing voice: ‘You know everything in the world. After y

then, quick!

e: “Ask the king this: Rotten at the roots, half dead, and yet gr

his foot. Then it will fall, and under its roots will be

id to me: “For thirty year’s the ferryman has rowed to an

across, the old man has only to push the boat off, and go his way witho

iving bridge spoke to me and said: “Here have I been stretched out these three years, an

twelve ships of Mark the Rich which he swallowed. The

rned round on his other side, and began

of the chest, and showed him part of his way bac

ait the whale asked: ‘H

he other side I will tell

o the whale: ‘Throw up those twelve ships of

ll the twelve ships and their crews. Then he s

reached the ferry, where the old

ferried me across I will tel

comes stay in the boat, but do you step on shore, push the boat

ak tree, pushed it with his foot, and it fell over. There, at

y. On the deck of the first ship stood the three beggars whom Vassili had met formerly, and th

silver into the ship, and then they s

rpent King and to complain of the way in which he had been betrayed. When he reached the river h

ind mother-in-law lived with them. He helped the poor and fed a

e river. His face is wrinkled, his hair and beard are

the Se

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