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“Prince Danila-Govorila”
- University Press of Mississippi
- Chapter
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67 Prince Danila-Govorila Once there lived an old princess. She had a son and daughter who were still growing, both so noble and good.41 An evil witch took a dislike to them and wondered how she could ruin them. She mulled it over and came up with an idea. She turned herself into a fox, went to their mother, and said,“My dear gossip! Here’s a little ring for you. Put it on your son’s finger. It’ll make him rich and quick on the uptake, if only he never takes it off and if he marries a girl whose finger fits the ring!” The old woman believed her and was happy. As she was dying, she ordered her son to marry a girl whose finger fit the ring. Time passed, and her son was growing up. He came of age and started to look for a bride. One pleased him, another caught his eye, but when they tried on the ring it was either too small or too big. It didn’t fit one or the other. He traveled and traveled through towns and cities, tried all the lovely maidens, but didn’t find anyone to be his intended. He came home and got pensive.“What are you upset about, brother?” asked his sister. He revealed his misfortune to her, told her his grief. “What odd kind of ring is this?” asked the sister.“Let me try it on.” She put it on her slender finger—and the ring tightened, shone, and fit on her hand as if it had been poured on purpose just for her. “Ah, sister, you’re my intended, it’s you who’ll be my wife!” “What are you saying, brother? Think about God, think about sin! Do people marry their own sisters?” But her brother wouldn’t listen. He danced with joy and ordered the wedding preparations. She dissolved in bitter tears, left the sunlit room, and sat on the threshold. Her tears poured like a river! Some old pilgrim women were passing by. She invited them in to have some food and drink. They asked: what was troubling her, what was her sorrow? There was no point hiding it, so she told them everything. Prince Danila-Govorila 68 “Well, don’t cry, don’t grieve, but listen to us. Make four dolls, set them in the four corners. When your brother starts calling you to join him under the marriage crown, go. When he starts to call you into the sunlit room, don’t be in a hurry. Hope in God. Farewell.” The old women went away. The brother and sister got married. He went into the sunlit room and said,“Sister Katerina, come to bed!” She answered,“In a moment, brother. Let me take off my earrings.” And the dolls in the four corners began to lament: Cuckoo, Prince Danila! Cuckoo, Govorila! Cuckoo, you want to marry, Cuckoo, your own sister. Cuckoo, earth split open, Cuckoo, sister fall through! The earth began to split open, and the sister began to fall in. The brother shouted,“Sister Katerina, come to bed!” “In a moment, brother! Let me untie my belt!” The dolls kept on lamenting: Cuckoo, Prince Danila! Cuckoo, Govorila! Cuckoo, you want to marry, Cuckoo, your own sister. Cuckoo, earth split open, Cuckoo, sister fall through! By now you couldn’t see anything but her head. Her brother called again.“Dear sister Katerina, come to bed!” “Right away, brother! Let me take off my slippers.” The dolls kept on lamenting, and the earth closed over her. Her brother called again. He called even louder—no answer! He got angry, came running, slammed into the doors, and the doors flew open. He looked everywhere—but it was as if his sister had never been there. Only the dolls sat in the corners, and they kept on lamenting:“Earth split open, sister fall through!” He grabbed an axe, cut off their heads, and threw them all into the stove. [3.237.235.148] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 16:50 GMT) Prince Danila-Govorila 69 But the sister walked and walked under the ground, and she saw a house standing on chicken legs. It stood there and turned around. “Little house, little house! Stand with your back to the forest and your front to me.” The house stood still, and the doors opened. In the little house sat a lovely maiden. She was embroidering a piece of cloth with...