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 149 The Three Kingdoms In a certain kingdom, in a certain state there lived a tsar named Bel Belyanin;80 he had a wife, Nastasia Zlatokos,81 and three sons: Prince Pyotr, Prince Vasilii, and Prince Ivan. The tsaritsa went out to walk in the garden with her nurses and nannies. Suddenly a strong whirlwind arose and—oh my God!—grabbed the tsar’s wife and carried her off, no one knew to where. The tsar was sorrowful and mournful and he didn’t know what to do. The tsar’s sons grew up, and he said to them, “My dear children! Who among you will go to seek and find your mother?” The two older sons got together and set out, and after that the youngest began to ask his father to go.“No,” said the tsar,“don’t you go away, my son! Don’t leave me alone, an old man.” “Permit me, Dad! I have a terrible desire to go wander through the white world and to search out my mother.” The tsar tried and tried, but he couldn’t talk him out of it.“Well, there’s nothing to be done. Go, and may God be with you!” Prince Ivan saddled his good horse and set off on his way. He rode and rode, for a long time or a short time; quickly may a tale be spun, but not so soon a deed is done. He came to a forest. In that forest stood a very rich palace. Prince Ivan rode into the broad courtyard; he saw an old man and said,“May you be well for many years, old man!” “Welcome! Who may you be, good lad?” “I am Prince Ivan, son of tsar Bel Belyanin and tsaritsa Nastasia Zlatokos.” “Ah, my own nephew! And where is God taking you?” “Well, it’s like this and like that,” he said.“I’m traveling to search out my mother. Can you not tell me, dear uncle, where to find her?” “No, nephew, I don’t know. I’ll be of service to you as much as I can. Here’s a ball for you, toss it in front of you, and it will roll and lead you to steep, high mountains. In those mountains there’s a cave. Go inside it, take  The Three Kingdoms 150 the iron claws, put them on your hands and feet, and climb up on the mountains . Mayhap you’ll find your mother Nastasia Zlatokos there.” So very well. Prince Ivan said good-bye to his uncle and let the ball go ahead of him. The ball rolled and rolled, while he rode after it, for a long time or for a short time, and then he saw his brothers Prince Pyotr and Prince Vasilii standing in the open field in a camp, and they had a multitude of soldiers with them. The brothers met him,“Bah! Where are you going, Prince Ivan?” “What do you think?” he said. “I got lonely at home and got the idea of riding out to look for our mother. Send the armies home, and let’s go together.” That’s what they did; they let the army go and rode off all three together after the ball. They caught sight of the mountains from far away—so steep, so high, that oh my God! their summits pierced the clouds. The ball rolled right up to the cave. Prince Ivan dismounted and said to his brothers,“Here you are, brothers, take my good horse. I’m going into the mountains to look for our mother, and you remain here; wait for me exactly three months, and if I’m not back here in three months there’s nothing to wait for!” The brothers thought,“How can you climb up on these mountains, you could crack your head open here!” “Well,” they said,“go with God, and we’ll wait for you here.” Prince Ivan went up to the cave. He saw an iron door and pushed it with all his might, and the door opened. He went inside; the iron claws put themselves onto his hands and his feet. He began to make his way onto the mountains, climbed and climbed; he labored for a whole month and barely made it to the top.“Well,” he said,“God be praised!” He rested a little bit and then set off through the mountains. He walked and walked, walked and walked, and looked: there stood a...

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