The Real Thing and Other Tales

for twice seven years. After that she took him into a forest and told him to

s. When she had suckled him for thrice seven years, she took him to the forest again and to

So you are Victor (Ví?azko).

ly tell me what

and then you can take me there," sa

a club, he started in search of a house for his mother. Following the wind, he walked

illed the griffins; their bodies he flung over the wall, and then he went for a walk through the castle. He was pleased with everything he saw. The rooms were nice,

doing here?"

ers have chained me here. Untie my bonds

own brothers tied you there. I won't un

ot open the tenth room, and he forbade her to enter that room, for otherwise there would be trouble. As soon as Ví?azko left the house, the mothe

doing here, an

ned my bonds again, but your son has killed them all. Untie my bonds and

Ví?azko say?" an

ut him out of the world, and

last she consented, and then she asked

fetch me a cup of wine f

, crash! the first chain fell down. The mother brought him another cup and-well! the second chain snapped. So he begged her

son when he comes back?"

e you, say that nothing can save you but a suckling of the eart

for his mother, she groaned and complained: "Alas! my dear son, your toil has been in v

you, and I will bring it for you, even though it were from hel

if I get the suckli

rth sow. He wandered through the country, poor soul! for he did not know wh

u going?" ask

et one of her sucklings. My mothe

u to get that piglet. However, I will help

w it exactly. So first she gave him

, and the sow, hearing it, will start up and run round the earth in a moment. But she won't see you [21]or anybody else, and so she will tell the pigs that if they squeak again she will tear

far it was-where the earth sow lay buried in the earth. Ví?azko pricked one of the pigs, and it squeaked terribly. The sow started wildly up and

s, I will tear you al

is, she buried

didn't squeak at all, and the magic horse began t

w did it go?" aske

t as you said, and

Take it to y

ck to its stall, thanked Holy Sunday, and, hanging the pi

id not expect Ví?azko, and here he was. They ran

"and when he asks you what will save you, tell him that only the Water of Life and

to his mother, but she still went on groaning and complaining

at will cure you, so that I may bring it

the Water of Life and the Water of Death, and

ng about it. He grasped his beech

oing, Ví?azko?"

e Water of Life and the Water of Death, for my m

g forth the Water of Life and the Water of Death. The right bank opens at noon, and from beneath it gushes the Water of Life. The left bank opens at midnight, and beneath it is the Water of

Water of Life gushed forth, then, crash! the bank fell down again, and it was a wonder that it did not take Ví?azko's heels off. Quickly Ví?azko mounted the magic horse and made haste for the left bank. There they waited till midnight. When the bank lift

w have you fared?"

ly Sunday; and here is the water,"

full of spring water and told him to take them to

expect that he would ever return-and there he was just outside. They w

ou won't recover unless you get the Pelican bird,

er was still groaning and complaining; even that

at will cure you, and I shall be glad to

see the Pelican bird. Where could yo

and it was no trouble to him t

u going?" ask

sick; the water did not cure her either, and she says she m

hakes his wings, he raises such a wind that the trees begin to shake. Here is a gun; mount my magic horse, and he will bring you to the place where the Pelican bird lives. But be c

lt the Pelican bird. There the magic horse stopped. Now Ví?azko perceived that the wind was blowing strongly on his left cheek, so he pointed the gun in that direction, and,

ow did t

, but I did what you commanded," answered V

hen she gave Ví?azko another gun to shoot an eagle with. He went out into the forest, and returne

?azko would never come back, but he was already near. They were te

the golden apples from the garden of the Griffin. If he goes there the Griffin wi

ll kept on groaning; nothing was any good, only the golde

ko, and without resting, he start

you going

od. Mother is still sick, for only the golden app

for you. Still, I will help you all I can. Here is a ring for you; put it on your finger, and, when you are in need, think of me, tur

?azko could never have got into the garden, but the horse flew like a bird over the rampart. Ví?azko leapt down [29]from the horse, and instantly began to look for a tree with golden apples.

m a king's daughter, and the Griffin carried me off and brought me to this garden and put me in charge of the apples. Go b

ring and handed it to Ví?azko, saying: "Take this ring, and when you think of me and turn this ring round on you

to the [30]centre of the garden. In the middle of the garden stood an appl

murderer of my brother

pples from this tree," ans

pples unless you wrestle with me

legs wide apart and they began to wrestle. In the first round the Griffin moved Ví?azko a little, but Ví?azko drove him int

help, the Griff

" said th

will you

old and silver as

I will [31]give you all those h

," said the raven. "Bu

rms round the Griffin's waist and drove him down into the ground above his knees. The black raven dipped his wings in a spring, and then he alighted on Ví?azko's head and sprinkled cool drops over Ví?azko's hot cheeks, and thus he cooled him. Then Ví?azko turned the other ring and thought

pples for him. She thanked him too for delivering her, an

would go with you at once. But if you really love me, and if y

for him. And so they said good-bye to each other. Ví?azko mounted his horse, cleared the

you fared?" as

have fared very badly," answered Ví?azko, and he told her everything. She told him to g

he tenth room at once and hid himself there. When Ví?azko had given the apples to his mother, she pretended that the mere sight of them had cured her, and, rising from the bed, she put the finest of food before Ví?azko and then began to caress him as she used to do sometimes when he was

mother to wind the cord round him. When she had finish

I will wind this thin silk cord round

lie like a baby in its swaddling-clothes. Now the griffin hastened to cut his head off; he hewed the body in pieces and hung the heart from th

so you can carry him dea

t, but flew off, and

ubbed the body with the Water of Death, then she put it together and poured the Water of Life over it.

ll doomsday if I hadn't awakened

it's funny: it's as thoug

en't got a heart," ans

an it be

anging from the crossbeam?" said Holy Sunday,

oly Sunday gave him a fiddle and sent him to the castle. He was to play on the fiddle, and, as a reward,

ow, so she called the old fiddler (for Holy Sunday had put that shape upon him) into the castle and asked him to play. He played, and the mother danced with the gri

that money? I am too old

you, then? It is for you

king round the room. "Oh! give me that

and the mother took it down and gave it to Ví?azko. He than

terwards in the Water of Life, and then she put it in the bill of the Pelican bird. The bird stretched out his long neck and replaced the he

e castle and deal out justice. Take the form of a pigeon

h other when suddenly a pigeon alighted on the window-sill. As soon as the mother saw the pigeon she sent the griffin to shoot him, but before the gr

ot be afraid-I will not do you any harm. Let God judge between us." He took her hand and led her to the castle yard, unsheathed his sword, and said: "

t darted past Ví?azko's head, and sm

[38]in his hand, and went to his beautiful princess. He found her with her royal father, who had tried to make her marry various kings and princes, but she wou

princess joyfully, as soon as she sa

gave his kingdom into their hands, and tha