lived quite happily. Then he said to his father-in-law: “Good father, let me go home and have a Mass said for my father and mother, and once more see my home.” And the king said: “My beloved son, Iván, the merchant’s son, I will not withstand your wish, but do return hither. You see yourself I am no longer young, and I have no heir. When you return I will give you my kingdom, and you will live happily and merrily.”
So they set out on their journey, and arrived at their own kingdom, to their native land. And Iván took Olyóna with him. When they arrived at the island of the bricks, they loaded all the vessels, and there were many ships, and they excavated the entire island.
One day the old man began to cut firewood, took them to the opposite side of the island and said: “Ivánushka, my well-doer, I must now speak with you.” And he bade them come where the firewood was stacked. He lit the firewood; and when it was in flame he took Olyóna, threw her down, trod on one leg, and pulled her apart into two halves, taking hold of the other leg. Iván did not know what to say! And the old man put both halves on the fire, and out of the fire there then crept snakes, frogs, and all sorts of reptiles. Then he took the two parts out of the fire, rinsed them thoroughly in the sea, sprinkled them over with water, made the sign of the cross, and Olyóna arose such a beauty as no tale can tell and no pen can write. Then he said: “Now, my well-doer, Ivánushka, you are to be a mighty king; Iván, the merchant’s son, you are now rich and famous and happy, so see to it that you do not forget God and the poor. I shall see you no more.”
Iván and Olyóna knelt down and began to beseech him, but the old man said: “Beg no more of me, but rather thank God for sending me to you. I loved you and your father, Iván, and you even more, because you kindly gave me alms; and now you are rich and famous, do not forget to give alms to the poor.” Then he vanished.
Iván and Olyóna praised God, went back to the ships, and sailed farther on.
When the poor saw that Iván had arrived with untold wealth, they crowded to the shore and began to kiss Iván’s hands, his feet, and the hem of his garment; and all present were so joyous that the tears flowed from their eyes.
Iván put up crosses on his parents’ grave, clothed the poor, gave them his house, and returned to his father-in-law, and for many years governed his kingdom. And he lived so long that he saw in his old age his sons, his grandsons, and his great-grandsons. And he ever prayed and blessed God and Nicholas the Wonder-Worker for the mercy they had manifested to him.
In that kingdom where he was king, to this very day King Iván and his wife Olyóna the Fair are remembered.33
The Potter
Once a potter was journeying on his road with his goods and dozed off. The Tsar Iván Vasílyevich came driving by in his carriage and said, “Peace be to you!”
The potter looked up and said, “I thank you very much and wish you the same.”
“Have you been asleep?”
“Yes, my lord. Do not fear a man who sings songs; but fear a man who slumbers!”
“You are a bold fellow, potter: I have seen very few such, and I like them. Coachman, slower! Potter, tell me, have you been long at your trade?”
“Ever since my youth, and I am now middle-aged.”
“Can you keep your children with it?”
“Yes, I do not sow, nor plough, nor mow, nor reap, and no frosts can do me any harm.”
“Right, potter; but there are still misfortunes left in the world.”
“Yes, I know three of them.”
“What are the three?”
“The first is an evil neighbour, the second an evil wife, and the third a weak understanding.”
“Yet now, tell me which is the worst of these evils?”
“The evil neighbour can be escaped; so can the evil wife if one has children enough, but the weak intellect can never be got rid of.”
“Yes, that is true, potter; you are a sensible fellow. Listen! You suit me and I suit you. When there are geese flying over Russia, will you pluck a feather out of them or let them fly by in peace?”
“If it suit me, I should let them fly by as they should; otherwise I should pluck them bald.”
“Potter, hold in your horse a little while I look at your stock.”
The potter stopped and displayed his goods.
“Can you make any such for me?”
“How many?”
“Ten cartloads.”
“How long will you require?”
“One month.”
“In a fortnight I can bring them into the town. I suit you and you suit me.”
“Thank you, potter.”
“Will you be in the city when I bring the goods?”
“Yes, I shall be there as the merchant’s guest.”
So the Tsar drove into the city and ordered that at all his feasts the plates should be neither of silver nor of pewter, nor of copper nor of wood, but only of clay. The potter carried out the Tsar’s orders and brought his goods into the city. A boyár rode up to the potter and said to him: “God be with you, potter.”
“Thank you, your honour.”
“Sell me all your goods.”
“I cannot; they are already sold.”
“What does that matter? Take my money for it; you will be doing no wrong, as long as you have received no orders for the work. What do you want?”
“I want every plate filled with money.”
“Listen, potter—that is too much.”
“Very well, then: one filled with money and two empty. Do you agree?”
So they agreed at that: “You suit me and I suit you.”
They filled up the plates and again emptied them, and they went on filling plates
