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There was a certain king Kartaus (Kirkous), and his uncle was Prince Lazar Lazarevich; That Lazar had a son, Eruslan Lazarevich. When Eruslan was ten years old, he began to go out on the street and joke, not very kindly: whoever he takes by the hand, he will rip out his arm, whoever’s leg, he will break his leg. The king ordered him to be expelled from the kingdom. Eruslan does not grieve about this, but grieves about one thing, that he does not have a horse, according to his thoughts: not a single horse can lift him. So they built him a stone chamber by the blue sea and sent him out of the kingdom. Eruslan taught him to walk along the seashore and shoot geese-swans in the quiet backwaters: when he draws his bow and shoots, it’s like thunder bursts out of a cloud, and at what he shoots, he doesn’t sin (he doesn’t miss).
One day a man rode up to him, got off his gray horse, hit him low with his forehead and said: “God grant health to our sovereign Eruslan Lazarevich!” - “Why do you know me?” - “How can I not know you! I, sir, am your father's old groom, a much greater archer, strong fighter; I’ve been guarding the herd for thirty years, and my name is Ivashko.” Eruslan admitted to him: “I’m sad that I don’t have a horse in my mind.” Ivashko said: “There is, sir, a stallion in his father’s herd for the third summer; I’ve never had it in anyone’s hands before, but for you, I’ll have some tea, according to your thoughts.” When he drove the herd to watering, Eruslan threw a ribbon bridle on that stallion and gave him the name of the prophetic Arash; but the stallion was not nearly as big as a chamber. The hero sat on his horse, galloped into an open field and ran into the army-force of Prince Danil the White, who came under the kingdom of Kartausovo and boasted of destroying this entire kingdom, taking the king himself and his twelve heroes in full. Eruslan wants to enter into battle with Danila; his father says to him: “You are still young, military service is not your custom!” - “Sovereign Father! - answered the son. “Don’t teach Gogol to swim on water, don’t teach us, heroes, to go to war.”
He rode his good horse against the army-force of Danil Bely and began to beat it. There was a lot of enemy troops - you couldn’t go around in any direction or look around! Eruslan decided everything, how many he beat, and twice as many fell to the ground from his loud voice and died; He let Danila himself go with his word, so that in the future he would no longer come under the state of Kartausovo. Having accomplished such a feat, Eruslan sets off on his journey; He travels for many days and sees that in an open field a great army has been beaten: he called out in a heroic voice: “Is there a man alive in this massacre?” A living man responded to him, and Eruslan asked him: “Whose army was it that was beaten: and who beat it?” - “This is the army of Theodul the serpent, and Ivan the Russian hero beat her, and he beat not just this army, but many: he wants the serpent to understand his daughter-princess for himself.”
Eruslan went to look for Ivan the Russian hero; Whether it’s close or far away, there’s a tent with a golden crown standing in an open field; At the hero’s tent the horse is alarmed. Eruslan placed his horse next to the Beloyarsk wheat and entered the tent; and there lies Ivan the hero, fast asleep. Eruslan lay down next to him and fell asleep himself. Ivan the Russian hero woke up, looked at his guest and was horrified; looked out of the tent - the very prophetic Arash beat his good horse away from the stern. Ivan wields a sharp sword and wants to cut off Yeruslan’s head, but he thinks in his mind: “It’s not an honor to kill a sleepy man! He himself came at a time when I was sleeping in a heroic sleep, and it was his will to kill me, sleepy, and he did not kill me, but gave me life.” He woke up Eruslan, and they went out to try their strength. Eruslan hit Ivan the hero with the blunt end of a spear against the heart and knocked him to the damp ground; and the prophetic Arash stepped on his necklace with his hoof. Eruslan gave the defeated man his belly; here they called themselves brothers: Eruslan the big one, and Ivan the younger one.
Eruslan helped his sworn brother in the war with Feodul the serpent, and when the serpent fled, he galloped after him. They both had fast stallions - siblings born from glorious water (sea) horses; they flew like falcons clear field and they jumped across the lake on top of the water, as if on a bridge. Eruslan finally overtook Feodul the serpent and cut him open, and Feodulova’s daughter, beautiful princess, gave it to Ivan the Russian hero. Ivan lay down with his beauty, holding him in bed and began to ask: “My darling, the red princess of light! I pestered you with both kindness and dashing, tell me the truth: is there somewhere more beautiful than you, and my brother Eruslan is more remote? The princess answered: “Why am I beautiful and beautiful? There are, sir, in the field - two princesses wandering, and those princesses have girls more beautiful than me who serve water in their hands; and your brother Eruslan is further away Ivashko Belaya Polyanitsa (option: White Epancha), the Indian king’s watchman; It stands in the Ukraine, and no one can pass by it.”
Eruslan Lazarevich heard these speeches and wanted to go and see those princesses and talk to Ivashk Belaya Polyanitsa; and before that he decided to visit his father and mother and hit them with his forehead. He comes to the kingdom of Kartausovo, and it is completely empty, he only found one person and learned from him that the third year after Danilo Beloy fought the entire kingdom, King Kartaus, Prince Lazar and twelve heroes were taken, dug out their eyes and planted in his city in a strong dungeon, and flogged the rest of the people with a sword. Eruslan galloped to the state of Danilovo, killed all the guards at the prison and visited the prisoners. Prince Lazar said to him: “My son! If you want to serve the great King Kartaus and me, your father, and the twelve heroes, then go beyond the quiet waters, beyond the warm sea, to the free king Fiery Shield, the Flaming Spear; kill him and extract bile from him.” Eruslan went to look for the free king, and ran into a mallet oak tree in the middle of the field, and stopped under it, not knowing which road to take.
Exactly at noon, a great flock of laughing birds flies, sits around an oak tree and teaches them to be tormented by red maidens. Eruslan caught one girl. “You,” he says, “have wings; you fly across many lands and kingdoms; Haven’t you heard where the free king Fire Shield lives?” - “There is such a king, but no man can see him.” - “Don’t say that, but rather put me in his kingdom; Otherwise, you won’t be alive, and don’t expect me to let you go!” - “Mr. Eruslan, close your eyes, and I will put you where you need to be.” Eruslan closed his eyes and stepped three times on his good horse - and found himself right in an open field under the state of the free king of the Fire Shield. On that field, you know, there is a great massacre, in the midst of the massacre lies the heroic head of a good man.
The head says to Eruslan: “There is a sword under me such that, besides that sword, no iron will take a free king. And I rode out with that sword against the king of the Fire Shield, hoping to kill him: but he rode out on an octopus horse, and, without allowing it, he burned me, and I, falling from the horse, threw my sword under my head. Nothing can be done against a free king except by cunning.” Eruslan listened to his head and decided: where it is impossible to overcome by force, take it with cunning. He came to the free king Fire Shield, asked to serve him and volunteered to get him a miraculous sword from under the giant’s head. The head itself rolled down and gave him the sword with the following order: “Do not flog the king more than once; If you hit the other one, you won’t be alive.” How soon did he move in? Imperial Courtyard, King Fire Shield, not expecting betrayal, rushed to meet him; and Eruslan let him come close, struck him with a sword and cut him in two. Falling to the ground, the free king said: “Suddenly cut me in a row!” - “Bogatyrs don’t whip twice!” - answered Eruslan, ripped open the mighty chest of the King of the Fire Shield, took out the bile (option: he took hot blood and fresh liver in a wax jar) and put it in the bag. Then he went to the giant’s head and anointed it with bile - and that hero became alive. Then they kissed and each went in their own direction. Returning to Kartaus, Eruslan anointed him, his father Lazar and the twelve heroes with bile - and they immediately received their sight; and Danil Bely was put to death for his deception and false oath.
Having returned freedom and lands to King Kartaus, Eruslan went to distant countries to reach the vaunted princesses. He arrived at their tent, took the eldest one to bed and began to ask: “Are there any more beautiful princesses than you, and more distant than me?” The princess answered: “Yes, sir, the Indian king has a red princess; We are both no match for her. And you are farther away from Ivashko Belaya Polyanitsa.” Eruslan got angry, knocked her head off and took his younger sister in with him. To the question asked of her, she answered: “There is Ivashko Belaya Polyanitsa, the Indian king’s guard - he is strong, but you, sir, are brave; God knows both of you which of you will be the most daring.”
Eruslan left her alive and went to the Indian kingdom; He rode and rode, and saw that at the border of that kingdom a man was sleeping on a horse, propped up with a spear. Eruslan woke him up and told him who he was. “I heard about you,” Ivashko answered, “but two heroes don’t live in a field!” They began to measure their strength: Eruslan knocked him off his horse and said: “I would feel sorry for you, but I’ll kill you because the girls are bragging about you!” And he pierced him with a spear. He arrives in the Indian state, and there a misfortune happened: a miracle (snake) with three heads began to emerge from the lake and eat a person every day: it was already the princess’s turn. Eruslan volunteered to protect her from the miracle, and the king promised to give him his daughter in marriage and with her half of the kingdom. They took the princess to the lake, and Eruslan went: “Don’t be afraid! - he says to the girl. “Pray to God and look at the lake: when the waves begin to appear, wake me up.” And he fell asleep soundly. The waves began to rise - a miracle began to appear, the princess woke him up and could not wake him up in any way, took out a knife and stabbed him in the hip. Eruslan woke up and the battle began. The miracle gives him a great ransom for his life - a semi-precious stone. Eruslan took the stone and killed the enemy.
Eruslan married the princess and began to ask her if there was anyone more beautiful than her, and he, a fine fellow, was more daring? “Why, sir, am I red and good? There is a sunny city on the sea, and in that city a princess reigns, and her servants are all girls; and that princess is seven times more beautiful than me, and I am beyond the reach of those girls who serve her in beauty and goodness. And there is no one more distant and stronger than you!” Eruslan slept with her one night, and in the morning he got up, gave her a semi-precious stone and said: “Dear red princess! A son will be born to you after me, and you place a semi-precious stone on his hand; and a daughter will be born to you, and you will make earrings for her from that stone.” Eruslan himself went to a sunny city, where a maiden reigns, the most beautiful in the whole world, and taught her to live in love for many years.
While Eruslan was enjoying the love of an indescribable beauty, his wife - the daughter of an Indian king - gave birth to a son, named him Eruslan Eruslanovich and gave him a semi-precious stone on his hand. He grew up, felt the heroic power within himself and went to look for his father. He approaches the sunny city, stops at the end of the bridge and whistles with a heroic whistle; At that time his father was alarmed: “It was not a simple man who whistled, but a mighty hero!” He sat down on his prophetic Arash, and now the struggle begins between father and son, who do not recognize each other. The son hit his father with the blunt end of a spear, and Eruslan Lazarevich did not fall from his horse - he held on to the saddle pommel. The heroes suddenly gathered in a row; the father hit his son with the blunt end and knocked him off his horse to the ground, and the prophetic Arash stepped on his necklace. It’s a pity for Eruslan to kill the little boy, because he’s kindly young; and the young man, in his hearts near Eruslan, tears his father’s damask spear, and that is why his hand is exposed. Eruslan Lazarevich saw a semi-precious stone on his hand, identified his son and taught him to ask: “Tell me, brother, what kind of person are you?” Here everything was explained and ended well; Eruslan left the sunny city forever and, together with his son, returned to his wife.
The text of the tale about Eruslan Lazarevich, published in the Chronicles, ends like this: “And (the son of Eruslan) wanted to taste the shoulder of his hero and wanted to become famous in many hordes for his success; but he didn’t want to live with his father. He wanted to receive his honor and wanted to send his glory into many hordes.” Eruslan Eruslanovich, having received a blessing from his parents, goes on a journey, wanders for five years, and finally he meets a small old man: he stands on the road and does not allow passage. The hero wants to crush him, and the little old man mocks: “Why do you want to kill me, little old man? There’s nothing to take off of me!” The hero became even more angry, picked up his treasure sword and rushed at the old man; and he bowed down and blew on Eruslan Eruslanovich, so powerfully that he couldn’t even sit on his horse - he fell to the damp ground like a sheaf of oats! Then the little old man took pity on the knight and let him go home.
Eruslan Lazarevich Korolkova fairy tale for children
In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived a man named Lazar Lazarevich with his wife Epistolia. They had a son. They called him Eruslan.
Eruslan grew by leaps and bounds and even as a child showed his heroic strength. When he was one and a half years old, he broke the steel cradle and tore the strong silk canopy. When Eruslan turned twelve years old, he began to go to the boyar’s courtyard and play games with the boyar’s children. But no one can stand against him. Whoever is grabbed by the hand, the hand hurts for a week; whoever is grabbed by the leg, the hand limps for a week. And whoever gets hit lightly with the palm of his hand falls to the ground. The boyars did not like these jokes; they began to complain to the tsar that boyar children were not allowed to go into the yard. The Tsar summoned Lazar Lazarevich and gave the order: to expel his son, Eruslan Lazarevich, from the Russian state, so that his spirit would not exist. Lazar Lazarevich became sad, but there was nothing to do - he had to carry out the royal order. Eruslan Lazarevich saw his father from a high tower. He jumped out to meet him: “Father Lazar Lazarevich!” Why are you so sad, hanging your wild little head on your white chest? Lazar Lazarevich answers:
-How can I not be sad, how can I not grieve? The king ordered to expel you from our state for your childish jokes. -Oh, father! This is not grief, but joy for me. One problem, I don’t have a heroic horse for me. There are many horses in our stable, but they are not suitable for me. I’ll go up to the horse, put my hands on the backbone, and the horse falls to its knees. There is nothing to do, you will have to go on foot to the wild steppes, to distant countries. Eruslan Lazarevich said goodbye to his father and mother, bowed to them to the damp ground, put on heroic armor, took a Cherkassy saddle, a belt whip, a silk bridle and a white tent and set off on the road. Eruslan Lazarevich walked for a month, walked for three months, walked for six months. Soon the fairy tale is told, but not soon the deed is done. He walks and walks, and he himself thinks: where can he find a heroic horse? And he didn’t notice how he came out onto a wide road, carved out by hooves. Met him stranger. Met and greeted: - Hello, great hero Eruslan Lazarevich! Where are you going, where are you heading? -How do you know that I am Eruslan Lazarevich? - Yes, I knew you when you were still an unintelligent child. -I’m going to the wild steppes, to distant lands. What are you doing here, good man? - Yes, I’m grazing horses.
-Won’t you have a horse for me? -I have a heroic horse. If you catch it, it's yours. Go to the crystal lake, lie down under the oak tree and wait. Eruslan Lazarevich spread out his white tent, put his Cherkassy saddle under his head and fell asleep in a heroic sleep. The next morning I woke up, washed myself with spring water, dried myself with a white towel and began to wait and wait for the heroic horse. Eruslan Lazarevich hears it as if thunder is thundering. The earth trembles, trees bend, dust rises in a column. It’s not thunder that thunders, but a heroic horse that flies. Smoke pours from his mouth, fire blazes from his nostrils, and sparks fly from under his hooves. The forest animals roared, the birds flew away beyond the clouds, the fish swam to the very bottom. The horse ran up to the lake and began to drink the spring water. Eruslan Lazarevich’s blood began to boil and his heart began to beat. He jumped up from the damp ground, ran up to the horse, and hit him with half his strength. The horse trembled, but stood still. He neighed affectionately, sensing his master. Eruslan Lazarevich sat on the heroic horse, took a long spear in his hand, hung a belt and set off on a long journey. He traveled for a month, and two, and three. I ran into a white tent. A brown horse stood by the tent and ate white wheat. Eruslan Lazarevich let his horse graze, and he himself went into the white tent. He sees a stranger sleeping in a tent. Eruslan Lazarevich stood and stood, lay down next to him and also fell asleep. How long or how long did he sleep, but he woke up from a loud voice. - What kind of ignoramus lies here? Eruslan Lazarevich jumped up and said: -Good people guests are greeted and welcomed. They ask for your first name and patronymic, and don’t be rude like you. -Who are you going to be? What is your name, what is your patronymic? -And I will be a hero of the Russian land. My name is Eruslan, by my patronymic they call me Lazarevich. It would be nice for us to mount our horses and measure our strength. “Okay,” says the stranger. They mounted their heroic horses and began to fight. Not two whirlwinds collide, not two eagles fly together, but two heroes come together. They fought for an hour, fought for another, fought for a third. And Eruslan Lazarevich hit the unknown hero with his long spear - as if lightning flashed. The hero fell on the damp ground like a sheaf of oats. Eruslan Lazarevich jumped up to him, took out a sharp saber, and wanted to cut off the violent head. I just raised my hand and thought: it’s not an honor to hit someone who is lying down. Eruslan Lazar threw a sharp saber, raised a stranger to his feet, kissed him on the sugar lips. Either the sun is shining clear in the sky, or two heroes are fraternizing. A stranger says: “I am a hero of the glorious land of Persia; but you are stronger and braver than me. Our land is spacious, and the roads on it go in all directions of the world. Let's separate and not interfere with each other. I will never raise a sword or a spear against you. If necessary, I will become your assistant. The heroes said goodbye and left for different sides. Eruslan Lazarevich traveled for a month, and two, and three. I ran into the white tent again. Three sisters are sitting in a tent, doing needlework. The eldest embroiders in gold and silver on crimson velvet, the middle sister threads stingray pearls, and the youngest cooks dinner. Eruslan Lazarevich bowed to them and said: “Don’t be afraid of me, red maidens!” I am a Russian hero Eruslan Lazarevich. - Welcome! - said the eldest. “We are glad to have an unexpected guest,” said the middle one. - Welcome to the table! - said the smaller one. Eruslan Lazarevich thanked the sisters and sat down at the oak table. After dinner he asks his sisters: “Have you heard: is there an invincible hero in this world?” The red maiden, his younger sister, answers him: “I didn’t see, but I heard.” There is such a hero Ivashka - a white epancha, Sorochinsky hat. A bird will not fly past him, an animal will not run past him, and a hero will not pass by. Eruslan Lazarevich’s blood began to sparkle and he wanted to measure his strength with Ivashka, the white cape. Eruslan Lazarevich said goodbye to his sisters, thanked them for the bread and salt, and left. I drove and drove. A decrepit old man approaches. - Be healthy, glorious fellow Eruslan Lazarevich! It's you that I need. I am coming from the very heart of the Russian land. Our mother land was captured by a cruel king named Fire Shield. He ruined everything, drove away the young people, blinded the old people and put them in prison. Both your father Lazar Lazarevich and your mother Epistolia are in prison. Yeruslan Lazarevich’s blood began to boil. He spurred the heroic horse. The horse made the first leap a whole mile away, but the second leap was impossible to even see. Eruslan Lazarevich approaches his city. He sees that everything is ruined and destroyed. He galloped up to the damp dungeon, pulled out his sword, chopped up all the guards, and broke the oak doors. Screamed in a loud voice: - Good afternoon! Come out everyone! His father and mother heard the voice of Eruslan Lazarevich and recognized their dear son. - Our beloved son, brave Eruslan Lazarevich! Good day, our day is still ahead. We sit here blinded, we don’t see the white light! - How can I help you? - Go to King Fire Shield. If you defeat him, you will take the healing ointment from his chest and anoint our eyes. Eruslan Lazarevich said goodbye to his father and mother and set off on his journey. He sees a battlefield strewn with human bones. Yeruslan Lazarevich shouted in a loud voice: “Is there anyone alive here?” No one answered him, only the black crow scattered. And Yeruslan Lazarevich shouted again: “Is there anyone alive here?” And again no one answered him. He then shouted for the third time: “Is there anyone alive here?” A head the size of a beer kettle answers him: “I am neither alive nor dead, brave Russian hero Eruslan Lazarevich!” I won’t help you, but you help me. Go to the other end of the field, you will see my body there. Next to him lies my enchanted treasure sword. Take this sword and kill King Fireshield with it. When the king begins to burn you with fire, scorch you with flame, you fall on your knees before him, promise to serve him. He will take you in for service and trust you. And you take it and cut off his head. Eruslan Lazarevich took the treasure sword and moved on. The Fire Shield comes to the king. King Fire Shield began to shoot it with fire. And Eruslan Lazarevich thought: “It’s not good for a Russian hero to be a pretender.” He did not kneel down, but in a fair fight he took out his treasure sword, waved it and cut off the head of King Fire Shield. Eruslan Lazarevich took the healing ointment from the chest and went back. He approaches a battlefield strewn with bones. He pulled the severed head to the body and smeared it with healing ointment. The hero came to life. He sneezed so hard that the ground shook, birds flew away, animals ran away. Eruslan Lazarevich gave him the treasure sword, thanked him and went to his state. He brought out damp dungeon all the prisoners, he anointed their eyes with Healing Ointment, and everyone received their sight. He freed native land from foreign yoke. Father and mother said to Eruslan Lazarevich: “Stay with us, dear child.” Be a consolation to us in our old age. Eruslan Lazarevich answers: “The time has not yet come for me to return home.” I must measure my strength with Ivashka the white epancha, the Sorochinsky hat. He said goodbye to his father and mother and left. He reached neighboring state. He sees that people are suffering here, they have no water. He asks, “Why are you in such trouble?” They answer: “There’s a huge frog under our oak tree.” She stopped up all the springs. Eruslan Lazarevich rode up to the oak tree, dismounted from his heroic horse and uprooted the oak tree. A spring stream flowed, sparkled like silver in the sun, rivers, lakes and deep wells filled with water. And the frog burst with anger. Eruslan Lazarevich went further. He traveled for a month, and two, and three. Finally, I met the hero Ivashka-white epancha, Sorochinsky cap. Ivashka saw Eruslan Lazarevich and began to show off: “The bird didn’t fly past me, the beast didn’t run past me.” Where did you come from, you ignoramus? Eruslan Lazarevich’s heart leaped. He answers Ivashka: “An ignoramus is one who is uselessly insolent, who denigrates good people.” And such words are answered in heroic battle! Not two falcons flew together, but two mighty heroes came together. The heroic horses reared up, the sound of their hooves shook the earth; They fought for three days and three nights. The heroic horses are tired. The heroes dismounted from their horses and fought hand-to-hand. Eruslan Lazarevich swung his sword and hit Ivashka from the right shoulder, cutting off his violent head. Eruslan Lazarevich rested in the tent and set off on a long journey to his father and mother. He began to live well, to protect the Russian land from enemies.
In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived a king. He had many princes, boyars and various nobles in his palace. One was a courtier whose name was Lazar Lazarevich, and his wife’s name was Ustinya.
They had a son, they called him Eruslan Lazarevich. Eruslan Lazarevich was small and very handsome. His mother used to buy him, put him in the cradle, and he lays crystal - like crystal. She will not be overjoyed, she will kiss him on the cheeks, and on the eyes, and on the lips three times. Eruslan Lazarevich grew by leaps and bounds, exerting his heroic strength in a year and a half: he tore the silk canopy and broke the steel cradle.
When Eruslan Lazarevich was fourteen years old, he began to go to the boyar’s courtyard and joke with the boyar’s children. If you grab your hand, there is no hand; if you grab your leg, there is no leg. And whoever is lightly hit on the cheek will fall to the ground.
The boyars did not like Eruslanov’s jokes. They began to complain to the king. The king called Lazar Lazarevich and said:
- Send your son out of my state so that his spirit is not here, for his bad jokes.
Lazar Lazarevich began to cry and walked. Eruslan Lazarevich saw from the window of a high tower and quickly jumped out to meet him and said:
- My precious parent Lazar Lazarevich, why are you so sad, hanging your violent head on your white chest?
- Eh, my dear child, how can I not feel grief, not be sad, we have never seen grief, now we have a lot of grief.
- The king ordered you to leave the state so that your spirit would not be, for your bad jokes.
And Eruslan says:
- This is not grief, but joy, one problem - I don’t have a heroic horse for me. Any horse, if I put my hand on its back, it falls to its knees. And Eruslan Lazarevich had previously asked his father to wander, but he wouldn’t let him go - he was the only son, it was a pity, and there was no suitable horse.
There is nothing to do now. Eruslan Lazarevich took a white tent, a belt whip, a silk bridle, said goodbye to his father and mother, and went on a long journey, to wander into the wild steppe.
He walked through velvet meadows and dense forests. And he thought about the horse:
- Where to get?
Eruslan Lazarevich did not notice how he came out to wide road, it was dug knee-deep by horse-drawn potholes. And he did not notice how he caught up with a stranger on a red horse.
The man says:
- Great, Eruslan Lazarevich.
- Hello, stranger. How can you tell that I am Eruslan Lazarevich?
“Why, I saw you as a small child, I have been grazing your father’s herd of horses for thirty-three years in the rich reserved meadows.”
“Wouldn’t you have a heroic horse, otherwise I don’t put my hand on the back of any horse, everyone falls to his knees.”
The groom answers:
- There is a horse called Storm, if you catch it, it will be yours.
They walked along the road and came to a crystal lake. The forest ends and at the edge of the forest stands a huge oak tree, spreading its branches like a tent. And from this forest, beyond the reach of the eye, lay the endless wild steppe. So the groom says:
- Eruslan Lazarevich, rest under this oak tree, and tomorrow I will bring the horses here to water, and you will see for yourself - he will run ahead.
The groom went, and he pitched a white tent, laid out some felt, a Cherkassy saddle, and went to bed.
I woke up - the sun was already under the oak tree. He approached the crystal lake, washed himself with spring water, dried himself with a white towel and waited for the herd.
Suddenly he sees, as if dust were flying in clouds, he stood up and looked - a horse was running ahead, the earth was trembling under him, fire was blazing from his mouth, smoke was pouring out of his nostrils, sparks were flying from under his hoof.
The horse began to drink, the mane fell apart on both sides and curled all over in rings.
The brave blood began to boil in Eruslan Lazarevich, he ran up to the horse quickly, like a flying arrow from a tight bow. He ran up and hit him on the ridge with all his might - the horse continued to drink, as if he hadn’t noticed.
Eruslan Lazarevich laid out a piece of felt, put a Cherkassy saddle on this felt, tightened it with girths, threw on a silk bridle, took a belt whip, waved it - and onto the horse.
The horse seemed to sense the owner or rider, walked at a sedate pace, and snored like a fierce beast, moving his ears and beating his hooves.
It sinks into the ground, brush by brush, and when it shakes off the brush, it throws out pebbles two miles away.
Eruslan Lazarevich looked, and the herd was still drinking, the horse had gone far away. He stopped and began to wait.
When the groom arrived, Eruslan Lazarevich thanked him, got him several gold coins, said goodbye and drove off.
He rides and thinks to himself:
- What kind of horse name is this - Whirlwind? Let me call him Arshaveshiy.
He waved his palm and patted his steep neck.
“You are my beloved horse, your name is Arshaveshchiy, I will cherish and take care of you, you carry me through dense forests and wild steppes, you recognize me as a young master.”
They rode through forests and fields and came across a white tent, near this tent stood a red horse and ate white wheat. He jumped off the empty horse. Arshaveshchy began to eat the white wheat, and that horse walked away and began to nibble silk grass and green ants. Eruslan Lazarevich entered a white tent, and there lay a sleeping hero.
Eruslan Lazarevich wanted to kill him, but he said to himself:
“It’s no honor, no glory for a good fellow, a Russian hero, to kill a sleepy, dead man.” Let me lie down at the other end of the tent and sleep. He lay down and fell asleep.
The hero, the owner of the tent, wakes up and looks: an unknown hero is sleeping in his tent, and an unknown horse is eating white wheat, and his horse is eating silk grass. He pulled out a sword, wanted to cut off his head, wanted to kill Eruslan, but he also thought:
“It’s no honor for me to kill the sleepy or the dead.” Let me wake him up.
He woke him up and began to find fault, and called Eruslan Lazarevich a scoundrel, and he sat down, looked the hero straight in the eyes and said:
- You are a bad person and inhospitable. But we Russians don’t do that. You would have given me something to drink, feed me, ask me who I am and where I’m from, and then we would have mounted our horses, rode into the wild steppe, wrapped our rangefinder spears with blunt ends and hit each other in the chest, and you would have seen how in the palm of your hand, which of us is a scoundrel, you or me.
Eruslan Lazarevich convinced that hero, he apologized, did so right away, invited him to the table, ate, drank, and talked. They mounted good horses and rode off into the wild steppe. These are not two whirlwinds scattering, not two eagles scattering, but two heroes on their good horses riding apart in the wild steppe.
They dispersed far away, wrapped their long spears in blunt ends and struck each other in the chest. It sounded like thunder and flashed like lightning (they were both in armor).
The unknown hero fell out of the saddle like a sheaf of oats, and Arshaveshiy pressed him to the ground with his left hoof.
Eruslan Lazarevich jumped off his horse, hurriedly raised the hero, hugged him, kissed him and asked:
- Well, who is the scoundrel? You or me?
That hero replies:
- I am a hero of the Persian land, you will be my named greater brother. We will never fight, and if we do, then whoever you are, so will I.
And Eruslan Lazarevich says:
- I am a Russian hero, I will fight for the Russian people and for the Russian land.
So they took their horses by the reins and went.
We reached the tent, released the horses, killed the game, and cooked dinner. Eruslan stayed with the hero for five or six weeks, or even more.
I said goodbye and went.
Eruslan traveled for a month, two, three. He ran into a white tent, entered, and three sisters were sitting in it.
Two for handmade: one embroiders in gold and silver on crimson velvet, the other lowers large pearls, as if on a necklace, the third is preparing dinner.
Big one said:
- Welcome.
The middle one said:
- We are glad to have an uninvited guest.
The younger one said:
- Please bring some bread and salt to the table. Well, he didn’t refuse - he had lunch with them, sat and talked.
He invited all three of them to walk in the protected arcs.
The big one and the middle one refused, but the smaller one went. They walk along the wild steppe, and he asks:
— Is there such a brave hero in the world as Eruslan Lazarevich?
And he points to his white breasts.
“I didn’t see, but I heard.” There is a hero Ivashka Belaya Epancha Sorochinskaya Shapka; an animal did not gallop past him, a bird did not fly past him, and the hero never even passed by.
- Is there such a beauty in the world as you? She lowered her eyes and answered, and so the speech flowed like a brook gurgled:
- What kind of beauty am I?! I'm in front of a beauty, like dark night before the day.
- Where is there something more beautiful than you?
“I didn’t see, but I heard that Tsar Vakhramey has a daughter, Nastasya Vakhrameyevna, who is truly a beauty.” She is as fresh as a spring flower, she is as tall as a tall palm tree, she walks like a swan swimming in free waters, her chest is like sea foam, her cheeks are like fiery ananettes, her lips are red like roses, fire burns in her eyes. , the moon shines in the spit, eclipses the white light, and illuminates the earth at night. She has a mature stance, is actually businesslike, her gait is frequent and her speech is thick, she will see how she will give you gold.
Eruslan Lazarevich’s blood began to boil: to die and see Nastasya Vakhrameevna. We walked around, walked around, and returned to the tent. He stayed with them for a week or more, thanked them for the bread, for the salt, went out, and approached Arshavesch. The younger sister came out to see him off. It's a pity it hurts her. Two diamond tears rolled out of her eyes. And he leaned in the saddle and said a few words to her in a whisper, so that the birds of the air would not overhear, and the violent winds would not carry his words away:
“Don’t cry, beauty, I’ll be alive and I’ll be back.” He said and went. She watched everything for a long time until he disappeared from sight. Then I went to the tent.
He rode and rode, for months, years, and suddenly he met an old, old old man, who had already lived for another century (more than a hundred years) and said:
— Hello, Eruslan Lazarevich.
- Hello, grandfather, how can you tell that I am Eruslan Lazarevich?
“Why, my dear, I’m from the Russian kingdom, I knew you as a small child.”
- Where are you going?
- Wherever your eyes look.
- Why don’t you live in Russia, because the proverb says: “Where you were born, you were good for it.”
- Eh, my dear, you are still young, you don’t know anything. The enemy came to war and destroyed the entire state, leaving no stone unturned. He beat all the old and young people, took the rest, put them in prison, gouged out their eyes, and your father and mother are in prison there.
Eruslan Lazarevich took out a few coins for subsistence, touched his horse’s sides with his spurs and flew off like a whirlwind. The horse did not walk or run, but flew as if through the air, flying between its legs. dark forests, velvet meadows, silver rivers.
He landed right next to the dungeon, there were thirty guards there. He began to ask that the prison be opened so that he could give alms. They didn’t open it for him. Then he pulled out his sword, the street waved to the right, and the alley waved to the left.
Beat everyone, opened the doors:
- Good afternoon, happy moment! His father and mother recognized him by his voice, began to cry and sob, and he said:
- My precious parents, Father Lazar Lazarevich and Mother Ustinya and you, good people, do not cry, but tell me, can I help you in trouble?
- We can help, we need to go to Far Far Away kingdom to the king Fiery Shield Flaming Spears, cut off his head, take out the bile and anoint our eyes, and we will see.
He handed them several gold coins, jumped on Arshaveshi and flew like a mountain eagle.
He was driving and ran into a battlefield.
He shouted:
- Is there anyone alive in that army? Not a sound, just black crows sitting and cawing.
The second time no one answered either. He shouted a third time. The head answered
the size of a beer kettle, a whole span between the eyes.
- I'm not alive, I'm not dead. a kind person, Russian hero Eruslan Lazarevich, you are going to the king Fiery Shield Flaming Spears, you will ride along the battlefield, you will see my body, under it is my sword - a treasure, there is a secret hidden in it, it will be useful to you. When you approach, the king will burn with fire, scorch with flame, you fall on one knee and say: “I am coming, Fire King, to serve you faithfully.”
When he is confident in you, swing your sword and cut off his head. The nobles will say: “Add it, add it,” but you say: “A Russian hero beats once, does not add,” pick out the bile and go. On the way back, roll your head to your body, anoint it alive, I will come to life and will help you, I will be your sworn brother.
Eruslan Lazarevich went, he was walking - his body was lying not far away, he picked it up, there was a treasure sword there. He took it and went. He approached the border of the kingdom of the Fire Shield Flame Spears. The king saw him and began to burn him with fire, scorch him with fire (wow, what a passion!).
Eruslan Lazarevich jumped off Arshaveshchy and fell on one knee:
- Yours imperial majesty, I am going to serve you faithfully.
Here they talked.
The king loved him. They began to walk side by side, talk about business and joke. They walked side by side, Eruslan Lazarevich hit the king with a backhand on the neck, like they beat sorcerers, and his head flew off.
The nobles shout:
- Turn it up! Turn it up!
He says:
“Russian heroes strike once and never repeat.” He opened the skull, took out the bile, sat down and went back. He reached the battlefield, rolled that head to his body, anointed it, and the hero came to life, it turned out that he was a hero of the Turkish land. They fraternized, and he gave his word to Eruslan Lazarevich that he would not fight against the Russian hero and the Russian people. The hero gave him a sword, but Eruslan Lazarevich refused, he says:
- Here, little brother, is your sword, I have mine made of pure damask steel, reliable.
They said goodbye, and Eruslan Lazarevich went to his state. He comes to the prison, anointed the sight of the blind, people all received their sight, and Eruslan Lazarevich began to raise war against the white king, he gathered old and young, husbands and wives, and went to war against the white king. He crushed the entire state of the white king, left no stone unturned, destroyed everything fine sand. Returned to his Russian kingdom and said:
- The Russian people, the Russian land are invincible by anyone and never, no one could stay on the Russian Land, there were many enemies here, but everyone here slipped and broke their heads. Someone else's cute - let your enemies pass by. Who is on Russian soil with the sword will come, under the sword and will die.
Eruslan Lazarevich established order in his state, said goodbye to his father and mother and went to see Ivashka Belaya Epancha Sorochinskaya Shapka.
We saw Eruslan Lazarevich sitting, but we didn’t see him driving.
He rode for a year, maybe two. I don’t know this, my job is only to tell fairy tales.
When Eruslan Lazarevich drove up to the border where Ivashka Belaya Epancha Sorochinskaya Shapka was driving around, he saw him and made a noise in a thunderous voice, as if a storm had rumbled:
“A bird didn’t fly past me, an animal didn’t prowl, a hero didn’t pass by, but what kind of scoundrel is this?”
He jumped on his horse and rode up to Eruslan Lazarevich. And a fierce battle ensued between them. They fought for three days on their good horses. The horses were tired, they let their horses go and began to fight hand-to-hand. Ivashka Belaya Epancha Sorochinskaya Shapka beat Eruslan Lazarevich knee-deep into the ground and wounded him in left leg above the knee. Eruslan Lazarevich swung his treasure sword and hit Ivashka flat on the crown of his head, he fell. Eruslan cut off Ivashka's head. He took out a handkerchief, bandaged the wound, and lay down right there on the wall.
Because he was so tired, he slept for nine Dawns.
When he woke up, he killed the game, made a hot dinner, put his hand on Arshaveshchy, and the horse seemed tired. Eruslan decided to stay here. I stayed there for two months, the horse had a rest. He saddled him and rode to King Vakhramey. The Tsar meets him, welcomes him as his most dear guest, immediately learned that he had beaten Ivashka White Epancha Sorochinskaya Shapka (after all, Ivashka defended his borders), invited him to the white-stone chambers.
When they sat down to dinner, an empty golden device stood opposite him. He thought - now his daughter will come out too.
When she opened the door, their eyes met, Eruslan Lazarevich’s brave blood boiled, and he immediately proposed to his father for her hand.
The father did not argue, he agreed to marry his daughter to Eruslan Lazarevich, because he knew that he would take her by force.
They brought golden crowns and celebrated the wedding.
Eruslan Lazarevich lived with his wife for three years, they had a son, they named him Alexander.
When Alexander was three years old, Eruslan Lazarevich said to his wife:
“I’ll soon get tired of the house, I’ll go into the wild steppe and have a walk.”
Here he hands his wife two scarves and a diamond stone the size of an egg and says:
“If there are clean scarves, I’m alive, if there are dirty ones, I’m dead.” Here is a diamond pearl the size of a chicken egg; if it shines, I am alive; if it goes out, I am dead.
He said goodbye and left. A year, two, sixteen years passed. Alexander turned nineteen, he dared and asked:
- Mom, did I have a dad?
She answers:
“There was a Russian hero, but he left to wander.
And she took out two scarves and a pebble.
“Dad said, if I’m alive, then the scarves are clean and the stone sparkles.” That's how it is for now. That means he's alive.
Alexander put all this in his pocket, bought a horse and furniture, sat down and went to look for his father. I traveled for a long time.
He will go to a village or city and ask:
— Did the hero Eruslan Lazarevich pass here?
— I passed by about five to seven years ago. He was on his way to India.
In another village:
— I passed through three years ago, on my way to China.
He drove around and met his father, they parted, wrapped their long spears with blunt ends and hit each other in the chest. Alexander rolled onto the grass like a ball and dropped his father’s stone.
Eruslan Lazarevich immediately guessed that Alexander was his son. He jumped off his horse, picked him up, and kissed him three times.
“My beloved child, you are still young to fight with me, you are not yet capable of fighting.”
“Dad, let’s go home, mom has been waiting for you for a long time, she’s already gone all her youth.”
Eruslan Lazarevich decided so, came to his wife, took them and went to his state.
“Eh,” he says, “I’ll go to my land.” After all, if you die, it’s where you were born.
He came to his state, lived for two hundred years and died.
There are many heroes in the Russian bright land to this day, so these heroes are the grandchildren and great-grandsons of Eruslan Lazarevich.
That's the whole story, but the saying will be tomorrow afternoon, after eating soft bread.
So Lazar decided to start a family. He chose a good and pretty wife, young and beautiful. They got married, began to live happily, and after a while their child was born. The boy was born strong and healthy. They called him Eruslan, after his father - Lazarevich.
In ancient times, there lived in the kingdom of Kartausa the glorious hero Lazar, and according to his father - Lazarevich. Was it the bravest and strong hero in the kingdom. More than once he saved the royal family and all the inhabitants from raids different troops enemy Karthaus had only hope for him.
So Lazar decided to start a family. He chose a good and pretty wife, young and beautiful. They got married, began to live happily, and after a while their child was born. The boy was born strong and healthy. They called him Eruslan, after his father - Lazarevich. And he began to grow so quickly that his parents sometimes forgot how old he was. At the age of five he already possessed such strength that own father, a brave and strong hero, he could overcome.
And even though he was a big and strong boy, he was still a child. And he wanted to play with other guys. And he had great strength. So other children often cried because of him. He thinks he is playing, but the children run away from him in tears and complain to their parents.
The boyars tolerated these Eruslanov games for some time, and then decided to complain to the king. They said that even though Erus-lan is Lazar’s son, this cannot continue.
Then the king called Lazar Lazarevich to him and said:
Come on, my best and faithful hero, let’s decide what to do with your son. I see that a good replacement is growing for you, but people are complaining about him. He doesn’t know how to calculate his strength, he mocks the boyars’ children. I suggest you send him away from my kingdom. Let him wander, grow up, and gain wisdom. And then we’ll see, maybe he’ll return home and begin to serve, like you.
Lazarus was saddened. But he did not dare to disobey the royal order. There was nothing to do. The hero returned home, called his wife and son to him and told everything without concealing it.
The beautiful wife burst into tears and threw herself on her husband’s neck:
Don't send your son far from home, Lazarus! How is it possible, he is still very small. How will he live without parental care?
Don’t be sad, mother,” Eruslan says then. - I am only small in years, but in intelligence and strength I am already a young man. I'll live somehow. I will wander around the world, develop my heroic strength, I will become like a priest. People will talk about me, good glory will go around. Just give me a zealous horse, heroic armor and some kind of weapon.
Father then says to Eruslan:
Go, son, to those meadows where my herds of horses graze. Frol herds them, he will help you choose a heroic horse that is suitable for you. But know that those horses are wild, they have never sensed their rider, so be careful with them.
Then Eruslan said goodbye to his parents, put on his heroic armor, took his weapon and went to choose a horse for himself.
He came to those meadows where the shepherd Frol watched over his father's flocks. He looks, and the horses are grazing in the meadows - one is more beautiful than the other. They are all strong, their fur is shiny, their manes flutter in the wind. And the most beautiful horse stands in front of everyone.
Then Eruslan approached Frol, greeted him, told his story and asked for this horse, the most beautiful one. And Frol says:
This horse has never been given to anyone so easily, just try to ride it. If you succeed, you will own it. But know that this is not so easy to do. This horse is strong and proud. He runs across the field, the earth shakes, clouds of dust rise.
“I’ll try anyway,” Eruslan answers. - I am a hero, the son of Lazarus. I have Silushka too.
Eruslan said this and went to the horse. And he just went to the stream to drink water. As he galloped, Eruslan Lazarevich stopped him, grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and held him tightly. No matter how hard the horse tried to escape, it did not work. Eruslan saddled him and headed towards Frol.
I see you managed the horse! - Frol was surprised. - Well done, I recognize the son of Lazar Lazarevich, your father’s great strength was passed on to you. Feats of arms await you, people will still talk about you.
Thank you, Frol,” answered Eruslan. - Now I’ll go further. I will travel, I want to see the world and show myself. I want to meet brave heroes and compete with strength. Goodbye!
Eruslan jumped onto his horse, and his trace disappeared, only the dust rose in clouds.
Eruslan rode for a day, rode for two, three. He sees: the field in front of him is wide. Eruslan came closer, looked at the field and couldn’t believe his eyes: a whole army lay on the field. The hero thinks: “Who could beat an entire army? What kind of hero showed up in these parts?” Suddenly Eruslan Lazarevich hears, as if someone is calling him. He turned around and saw the only person alive in the entire field.
What happened to your army? Who did this to you? - asks Eruslan.
This is all the Russian hero Ivan. He defeated the entire army alone and moved on. If you find him, avenge our army.
Eruslan moved on. He drove one day, drove another, and finally arrived at the next field. And then he sees the same picture - an army lies in the field. Eruslan looks, wants to see at least one living person. He hears someone calling him. He turns around and there is a man lying down. The hero approached him and asked:
What happened to your army? Who beat you?
The Russian hero Ivan beat us. It is he who takes revenge on our king Theodul. Ivan wanted to marry Theodul’s daughter, but he was against it. So Ivan promised to destroy the entire kingdom of Feo-Dulovo. He has now moved on. If you catch up with him, then avenge us.
Eruslan Lazarevich drove on, and he thought: “Strong and brave is this Russian hero Ivan. I need to get to know him and measure my strength.” Eruslan sees: clouds of dust are rising ahead. This is a Russian hero riding on his horse. Eruslan decided to catch up with him. One day he rode, another day he rode, and there was no dust in sight ahead. On the third day I came to the forest. In a clearing in the forest, a tent is pitched. Eruslan got off his horse, went up to the tent, looked into it, and there a man was sleeping in a heroic sleep. And Eruslan is so tired that he is falling asleep. And so he fell asleep next to the unknown hero.
Eruslan woke up, and there was no one in the tent. He went out into the clearing, and there, sitting by the fire, was the man who was lying in the tent. And that man says to Eruslan:
I am the Russian hero Ivan, and who are you, an unexpected guest?
I am Eruslan, after Father Lazarevich. I've heard a lot about you, Ivan. They say you have great strength. I even wanted to compete with you.
I heard about you too, Eruslan. And I heard about your father. I know that you are a mighty hero.
I may be powerful, but you have surpassed me. Maybe we won’t measure our strength? Let's fraternize, be my big brother!
This is where the heroes fraternized. And Ivan told his story:
They say about me that I brutally beat two armies, that I am taking revenge on King Theodulus. But in truth, he himself was the first to go to war against me, and I am defending myself and Mother Rus'. Yes, he has a daughter. I really liked her, I want to marry her. I need to show my strength and bring fear to the kingdom of Feodulovo. He will understand that I have great strength, that if necessary, I can be of use to him, and he will give his daughter for me. I want to go to his kingdom again. What if he agrees to play the wedding? If you want, Eruslan, come with me!
Why not go, let's go!
And two heroes, two brothers named, went to King Theodul.
They drove for a day, drove another day, and on the third day they reached the kingdom of Feodulov.
And there is panic going on. Theodul learned that both his troops had been defeated. He is afraid that the Russian hero will kill the entire kingdom.
Theodul thought and decided that such a husband would probably be suitable for his daughter and would also be useful in the service. He ordered Ivan and Eruslan to be let in and went out with the queen and his daughter to meet the guests.
Hello, Ivan! I know that you defeated both my troops. This means that you are a mighty hero, what they say about you is true. I just don’t want to fight with you anymore. You showed off your strength. I also see that you will not give up on your goal. Let's forget all our quarrels. If you want to marry my daughter, know that I agree. With such a husband, my beauty girl will not be lost. Get married and live happily and raise me grandchildren. We'll have a wedding today. In the meantime, go along with your friend, relax, and get ready for the holiday.
The guests went to the kingdom of Feodulovo, rested, slept, and in the evening they had a feast and a wedding. All the boyars and merchants gathered for the holiday, drank, ate, had fun, and sang songs. The tables were full of treats. And Eruslan walked at the wedding. So he looks at Ivan with his beautiful wife and thinks: “And I need to start a family someday. I wonder if there are still such beautiful and pretty girls in the whole world?”
Ivan approached the girl and asked:
Tell me, wife of my named brother, Ivan is the strongest hero, and you are the most beautiful girl, right? Or is there anyone else in the world who is more beautiful than you and stronger than Ivan?
“Oh, Eruslanushka,” the princess answers, “the earth is full of rumors.” I heard about Ivan, that he is a strong hero and brave, and I heard about you, about your brave prowess. And I heard about your father, Lazarus, and I also heard about the hero Ivashka the Saracen Cap. This hero serves in the Indian state. It's been thirty years and three years. And during this time no one passed him unnoticed. They say that even a fly will not fly past him. And I also know about beautiful girls. I heard that far, far away from here, behind the fields, behind the meadows, behind the high mountains, there live three sisters, one more beautiful than the other.
Thank you, princess! Live happily with my named brother, raise your children. And I will go on wandering and arrange my own destiny.
No matter how much the young Eruslan tried to persuade him to stay with them, he got ready to set off on his journey. He said goodbye, jumped on his horse and rode over the fields, over the meadows, over the mountains. high three look for sisters.
Eruslan rode for a long time, not a day, not two, not a week. Finally he came to the kingdom beyond the fields, beyond the meadows, beyond high mountains. He sees a gate in front of him. He knocked and three girls opened the door for him, one more beautiful than the other.
Who are you, hero, will you be? - they ask.
I am Eruslan, after Father Lazarevich. From the kingdom I am Kartausova. I heard about your beauty, girls. I wanted to see it with my own eyes. I see that I was not deceived. And you are really good, handsome.
Come to the table, Eruslan,” the girls invited. - Sit down and help yourself.
Thank you, beauties.
Eruslan walked to the table, the girls placed treats in front of him, Eruslan was eating and drinking and couldn’t stop looking at the beauties.
All of you girls are dear to the heroic heart, you are all beautiful. I probably couldn’t find a more beautiful one.
One sister says here:
We, Eruslanushka, may be beautiful and handsome, but the earth is full of rumors. We heard that there is a king Vakhramey in the world, and he has a daughter named Maria. So they say about that Maria that there is no one more beautiful than her in the whole world, that she is good-looking, and smart, and a wonderful housewife. A hero like you needs just such a wife. We also heard about your heroic strength.
Have you, girls, heard about any other heroes stronger than me? - asks Eruslan.
We heard about your father Lazarus, who serves in the kingdom of Kartaus. Have you heard about the Russian hero Ivan? They say that he alone defeated two Feodulov troops. We’ve also heard about Ivashka the Saracen hat. This mighty hero has been serving in the Indian state for thirty years and three years. They say that not a single animal, not a single person, not even a fly can slip past it.
Thank you, girls, for your story. I myself know Ivan, the Russian hero, well. But this is the second time I’ve heard about Ivashka the Saracen Cap, but I’ve never seen it. I need to find him and measure my strength. And you need to go to the kingdom of Vakhramevo. And I haven’t been home for a long time; I need to visit my parents.
Eruslan rested a bit with the girls, then got ready, said goodbye, jumped on his horse and went to visit his parents on the way to the kingdom of Kartausov.
Whether Eruslan has been traveling for a long time or not, he is already approaching his native kingdom. He sees from afar: the gate is tightly locked. He hears some kind of hum, like the sound of a weapon. Eruslan was worried whether everything was all right in the kingdom of Kartaus. He decided to drive closer, and then someone was jumping towards him. Eruslan Lazarevich called out to the rider, rode closer, and it was Frol! There was so much joy here! Old acquaintances hugged and rejoiced at the meeting. Here Frol tells Eruslan:
You, the hero, arrived at the right time in your native kingdom. Here the trouble happened such that only you can cope with it. Prince Danila attacked the Kartau kingdom. Kartaus has no defenders except your father. So we turned out to be easy prey for robbers. As long as they have enough strength, they won’t let foreign troops into the gates, but how long will our fellows hold out...
I see, Frol, that without me there is no one to cope with the enemy’s power; my father alone will not defeat them. You run, and I will go into battle.
Eruslan said this and directed his horse straight to the gates of the kingdom. The enemy troops saw the unfamiliar hero and were frightened. They see: the horse under him is faster than lightning, and the hero himself is mighty.
And Eruslan burst into the enemy army at full gallop and scattered the robbers. And the horse tramples them without pity. Eruslan is already approaching the gate, and Prince Danila himself is standing there. His accomplices got scared and left him alone. There is nothing to do - Danila realized that he would have to fight the hero one on one. He then turned to Eruslan:
Tell me, hero, at least your name, so that I know with whom I have to measure my strength.
My name is Eruslan, and according to my father, Lazarevich. Since you, Danila, had the courage to attack the Kartaus kingdom, now come out and fight against me. The opponents drove out into the clearing, drove off in different directions and galloped at each other. Eruslan swung his spear and threw Danilo off his horse. He fell to the ground, realized that he could not defeat Eruslan, and said:
I realized that you are a mighty hero, there is no need for me to fight with you. Let's agree: I will no longer send my warriors to the Kartau kingdom. Just don’t kill me, we’ll part ways on good terms.
“Okay,” Eruslan answered, get out of here with your troops and don’t appear again.
Danila gave the command to his soldiers to retreat. The inhabitants of the kingdom and the king himself saw that the uninvited guests had left. They went out and opened the gate. Kartaus sees: Eruslan Lazarevich is standing in front of him. He then rushed to hug and kiss him, thanked him for saving him and asked for forgiveness for old grievances.
Come back home, Eruslanushka, and your parents are waiting for you.
Then the father and mother ran out, rejoiced at the return of their son, asking where he had been and what he had seen. And Eruslan says:
I’ve been to many places and acquired my brother, the Russian hero Ivan. Yes, I have now decided to start a family. But before that, I need to measure my strength with one more hero. So, my beloved parents, I am now heading to the Indian state, and then to the kingdom of Vakhramevo. I want to bring my wife from there.
Eruslan rested a little in his parents’ house, ate, drank, gave his horse a rest and began to get ready for the journey. His parents saw him off and blessed him. Eruslan went to the Indian state.
He didn’t travel for a day, not two, not a week. Finally he sees: the Indian state has appeared ahead. Eruslan looks out for the hero Ivashka the Saracen cap, but doesn’t see it. He drove up almost to the gate, suddenly he saw: lying on the ground, on a painted carpet and on a pillow soft man. “Apparently, this is Ivashka the Saracen hat,” thinks Eruslan.” He got closer and shouted next to the hero!
Ivashka woke up, jumped to his feet and shouted:
Who are you to scare me so much? And why did he come to the Indian state?
I am Eruslan, according to my father - Lazarevich. I’ve heard a lot about you, Ivashka, so I came to see if you are as mighty a hero as they say about you. Yes, I see that people are telling lies. What kind of hero are you when you sleep in the middle broad daylight instead of protecting the state from enemies. I don’t even want to compare strength with you. Here Eruslan turned his horse, and Ivashka said to him:
No, since I’ve arrived, let’s measure ourselves. Let's go to the clearing.
The heroes drove out into the clearing, parted in different directions and galloped at each other. Eruslan swung his spear and threw Ivashka off his horse. He fell to the ground and said:
Excuse me, hero. I see that you are stronger than me. Be my elder brother.
Eruslan agreed.
Ivashka invited him to meet the Indian king. Eruslan went straight to the king’s chambers. He greeted him warmly, immediately ordered the servants to set the table and began asking Eruslan:
Since my hero Ivashka let you through, it means you are a worthy person, who will you be?
I am Eruslan, according to my father - Lazarevich. I came to you from the Kartaus kingdom. I heard a lot of stories about the hero Ivashka the Saracen Cap, so I came to see him.
I see that you are a mighty hero, and your zealous horse is just right for you. I invite you to stay in my kingdom. Here you will be honored and respected. You will relax, take a walk in my gardens, and then decide what to do. You can remain in my service; together with Ivashka you will guard the kingdom-state. Or you can continue on your way.
Thank you, King of India. But I can’t stay with you. I decided to start a family. They say that there is a kingdom in the world called Vakhrameevo. And Vakhramey has a daughter, Maria. Yes, they say she is such a beauty that there is no one else like her in the world. So I won’t refuse to rest and gain strength, and then I’ll go further to wander, to look for Mary. And then I will return home and serve there together with my father Lazar Lazarevich.
That’s what Eruslan did. He rested, gained strength, and gave his horse a rest too. Then he thanked the Indian king for his hospitality, got ready, said goodbye to his younger brother named Ivashka and headed to the kingdom of Vakhramey.
Eruslan rode for a long time, not a day, not two, not a week. He finally sees: the kingdom lies ahead. I drove up to the gate, and there were guards there. Eruslan asks:
Is this the kingdom of Vakhramee?
Yes, it is, but who are you, why did you come?
I am Eruslan, according to my father - Lazarevich. I arrived from the Kartau-owl kingdom. I want to marry Vakhrameeva’s daughter, Maria.
Then the guards opened the gate and let Eruslan through. Eruslan entered the city. He sees: the windows and doors are all tightly closed. The hero thinks: “Something wrong is happening in the kingdom of Vakhrameev, people are hiding from someone.” Eruslan went straight to the royal chambers. Vakhramey came out to meet him:
Hello, hero, who are you?
I am Eruslan Lazarevich from the Kartaus kingdom, I came to your daughter to woo your daughter.
I heard about you, Eruslan, I’m glad that you came to us. I myself thought of looking for you and asking for your help. A great misfortune happened in my kingdom. Once every three days a monster comes to us from the sea and steals the inhabitants of my kingdom. He has already killed many people. So we are hiding from him. You see: all the doors and windows are locked.
I will try to help you, king. I'll go to the sea and meet this monster.
And Eruslan went to the sea. He arrived, stopped on the shore and called out to the monster.
Then the waves rose, the wind swirled, and a monster with three heads came ashore.
Eruslan says to the monster:
What are you doing? Why do you steal people? Is there really not enough food for you in the sea?
“I, hero, have three heads,” the monster answers, “and each one wants to eat.” And there are a lot of people in the Vakhrameev kingdom! And now there will be one less!
This monster said, opened its middle mouth and walked straight towards Eruslan, wanting to eat him. And Eruslan took out his sword, swung it and in one fell swoop cut off two heads of the monster.
Then the monster perked up, backed away, and said:
I see you are a mighty hero. Please don't kill me. I'll give you a ransom. If you want, I will give you a precious stone, the likes of which you will not find in the world. Only I have one like this at the bottom of the sea.
Bring your stone,” says Eruslan.
The monster disappeared under the water, and after a while it appeared again and held a stone in its paw. And it sparkles so much that Eruslan even closed his eyes! Eruslan took the stone, but he thought: “We can’t let this monster go. If it gets into the habit of stealing people, it will never stop. The last head must be cut off so that the inhabitants of the kingdom of Vakhrameev can live in peace.”
Eruslan swung and cut off the last head of the monster. And then he returned to Vakhramey and told him the good news.
Then the people gathered and went to the seashore to look at the dead monster with their own eyes. And when the residents were convinced that they could now live in peace, they buried the monster, went home, opened the windows and lived happily as before.
And Vakhramey began to prepare a feast in honor of the guest of honor. The oak tables were set, beer and wine were brought, the boyars and merchants came to the feast. The guests are eating and drinking. Vakhrameyev’s daughter, Maria, also came out to the feast. Eruslan only looked at her and realized that they told him the truth - there is no more beautiful girl in the world than Maria.
Then Eruslan took out the precious stone that the monster had brought him and gave it to Mary. He turned to Vakhramey:
Let me marry your daughter!
If my daughter agrees, I won’t mind either. I need such a son-in-law. And I won’t be afraid for my daughter when she’s under such protection.
Maria became embarrassed, and then said:
I, father, agree to marry Eruslan.
That same evening, a magnificent wedding was celebrated - the whole kingdom was partying! And then Eruslan went with his young wife to the Kartau kingdom and introduced Maria to his parents. And the young people began to live happily and raise children.
In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived a king. He had many princes, boyars and various nobles in his palace. One was a courtier whose name was Lazar Lazarevich, and his wife’s name was Ustinya.
They had a son, they called him Eruslan Lazarevich. Eruslan Lazarevich was small and very handsome. His mother used to buy him, put him in the cradle, and he lays crystal - crystal. She will not be overjoyed, she will kiss him on the cheeks, and on the eyes, and on the lips three times. Eruslan Lazarevich grew by leaps and bounds, exerting his heroic strength in a year and a half: he tore the silk canopy and broke the steel cradle.
When Eruslan Lazarevich was fourteen years old, he began to go to the boyar’s courtyard and joke with the boyar’s children. If you grab your hand, there is no hand; if you grab your leg, there is no leg. And whoever is lightly hit on the cheek will fall to the ground.
The boyars did not like Eruslanov’s jokes. They began to complain to the king. The king called Lazar Lazarevich and said:
- Send your son out of my state so that his spirit is not here, for his bad jokes.
Lazar Lazarevich began to cry and walked. Eruslan Lazarevich saw from the window of a high tower and quickly jumped out to meet him and said:
- My precious parent Lazar Lazarevich, why are you so sad, hanging your violent head on your white chest?
- Eh, my dear child, how can I not grieve, not be sad, we have never seen grief, now we have a lot of grief.
- Which?
- The king ordered you to leave the state so that your spirit would not be, for your bad jokes.
And Eruslan says:
- This is not grief, but joy, one problem - I don’t have a heroic horse for me. Any horse, if I put my hand on its back, it falls to its knees. And Eruslan Lazarevich had previously asked his father to wander, but he wouldn’t let him go - he was the only son, it was a pity, and there was no suitable horse.
There is nothing to do now. Eruslan Lazarevich took a white tent, a belt whip, a silk bridle, said goodbye to his father and mother, and went on a long journey, to wander into the wild steppe.
He walked through velvet meadows and dense forests. And he thought about the horse:
- Where to get?
Eruslan Lazarevich did not notice how he came out onto a wide road; it was dug knee-deep by horse-drawn potholes. And he did not notice how he caught up with a stranger on a red horse.
The man says:
- Great, Eruslan Lazarevich.
- Hello, stranger. How can you tell that I am Eruslan Lazarevich?
- Why, I saw you as a small child, I have been grazing your father’s herd of horses for thirty-three years in the rich reserved meadows.
“Wouldn’t you have a heroic horse, otherwise I don’t put my hand on the back of any horse, everyone falls to his knees.”
The groom answers:
- There is a horse - a storm, nicknamed Whirlwind, if you catch it, it will be yours.
They walked along the road and came to a crystal lake. The forest ends and at the edge of the forest stands a huge oak tree, spreading its branches like a tent. And from this forest, beyond the reach of the eye, lay the endless wild steppe. So the groom says:
- Eruslan Lazarevich, rest under this oak tree, and tomorrow I will bring the horses here to water, and you will see for yourself - he will run ahead.
The groom went, and he pitched a white tent, laid out some felt, a Cherkassy saddle, and went to bed.
I woke up - the sun was already under the oak tree. He approached the crystal lake, washed himself with spring water, dried himself with a white towel and waited for the herd.
Suddenly he sees, as if dust were flying in clouds, he stood up and looked - a horse was running ahead, the earth was trembling under him, fire was burning from his mouth, smoke was pouring out of his nostrils, sparks were flying from under his hoof.
The horse began to drink, the mane fell apart on both sides and curled all over in rings.
The brave blood began to boil in Eruslan Lazarevich, he ran up to the horse quickly, like a flying arrow from a tight bow. He ran up and hit him on the ridge with all his might - the horse continued to drink, as if he hadn’t noticed.
Eruslan Lazarevich laid out a piece of felt, put a Cherkassy saddle on this felt, tightened it with girths, threw on a silk bridle, took a belt whip, waved it - and onto the horse.
The horse seemed to sense the owner or rider, walked at a sedate pace, and snored like a fierce beast, moving his ears and beating his hooves.
It sinks into the ground, brush by brush, and when it shakes off the brush, it throws out pebbles two miles away.
Eruslan Lazarevich looked, and the herd was still drinking, the horse had gone far away. He stopped and began to wait.
When the groom arrived, Eruslan Lazarevich thanked him, got him several gold coins, said goodbye and drove off.
He rides and thinks to himself:
- What kind of name is this horse - Whirlwind? Let me call him Arshaveshiy.
He waved his palm and patted his steep neck.
- You are my beloved horse, your name is Arshaveshchiy, I will cherish and take care of you, you carry me through dense forests and wild steppes, you recognize me as a young master.
They rode through forests and fields and came across a white tent, near this tent stood a red horse and ate white wheat. He jumped off the empty horse. Arshaveshchy began to eat the white wheat, and that horse walked away and began to nibble silk grass and green ants. Eruslan Lazarevich entered a white tent, and there lay a sleeping hero.
Eruslan Lazarevich wanted to kill him, but he said to himself:
“It’s no honor, no glory for a good fellow, a Russian hero, to kill a sleepy, dead man.” Let me lie down at the other end of the tent and sleep. He lay down and fell asleep.
The hero, the owner of the tent, wakes up and looks: an unknown hero is sleeping in his tent, and an unknown horse is eating white wheat, and his horse is eating silk grass. He pulled out a sword, wanted to cut off his head, wanted to kill Eruslan, but he also thought:
- It’s not an honor for me to kill the sleepy or the dead. Let me wake him up.
He woke him up and began to find fault, and called Eruslan Lazarevich a scoundrel, and he sat down, looked the hero straight in the eyes and said:
- You are a bad person and inhospitable. But we Russians don’t do that. You would have given me something to drink, feed me, ask me who I am and where I’m from, and then we would have mounted our horses, rode into the wild steppe, wrapped our rangefinder spears with blunt ends and hit each other in the chest, and you would have seen how in the palm of your hand, which of us is a scoundrel, you or me.
Eruslan Lazarevich convinced that hero, he apologized, did so right away, invited him to the table, ate, drank, and talked. They mounted good horses and rode off into the wild steppe. These are not two whirlwinds scattering, not two eagles scattering, but two heroes on their good horses riding apart in the wild steppe.
They dispersed far away, wrapped their long spears in blunt ends and struck each other in the chest. It sounded like thunder and flashed like lightning (they were both in armor).
The unknown hero fell out of the saddle like a sheaf of oats, and Arshaveshiy pressed him to the ground with his left hoof.
Eruslan Lazarevich jumped off his horse, hurriedly raised the hero, hugged him, kissed him and asked:
- Well, who is the scoundrel? You or me?
That hero replies:
- I am a hero of the Persian land, you will be my named greater brother. We will never fight, and if we do, then whoever you are, so will I.
And Eruslan Lazarevich says:
- I am a Russian hero, I will fight for the Russian people and for the Russian land.
So they took their horses by the reins and went.
We reached the tent, released the horses, killed the game, and cooked dinner. Eruslan stayed with the hero for five or six weeks, or even more.
I said goodbye and went.
Eruslan traveled for a month, two, three. He ran into a white tent, entered, and three sisters were sitting in it.
Two are at work by hand: one is embroidering in gold and silver on crimson velvet, the other is setting large pearls as if on a necklace, the third is preparing dinner.
Big one said:
- Welcome.
The middle one said:
- We are glad to have an uninvited guest.
The younger one said:
- Please bring some bread and salt to the table. Well, he didn’t refuse - he had lunch with them, sat and talked.
He invited all three of them to walk in the protected arcs.
The big one and the middle one refused, but the smaller one went. They walk along the wild steppe, and he asks:
- Is there such a brave hero in the world as Eruslan Lazarevich?
And he points to his white breasts.
- I didn’t see, but I heard. There is a hero Ivashka Belaya Epancha Sorochinskaya Shapka; an animal did not gallop past him, a bird did not fly past him, and the hero never even passed by.
A little silence, they move on. He asks:
- Is there such a beauty in the world as you? She lowered her eyes and answered, and so the speech flowed like a brook gurgled:
- What kind of beauty am I?! I am before the beauty, like a dark night before the day.
- Where is there something more beautiful than you?
- I didn’t see, but I heard that Tsar Vakhramey has a daughter, Nastasya Vakhrameyevna, who is truly a beauty. She is as fresh as a spring flower, she is as tall as a tall palm tree, she walks like a swan swimming in free waters, her chest is like sea foam, her cheeks are like fiery ananettes, her lips are red like roses, fire burns in her eyes. , the moon shines in the spit, eclipses the white light, and illuminates the earth at night. She has a mature stance, is actually businesslike, her gait is frequent and her speech is thick, she will see how she will give you gold.
Eruslan Lazarevich’s blood began to boil: to die and see Nastasya Vakhrameevna. We walked around, walked around, and returned to the tent. He stayed with them for a week or more, thanked them for the bread, for the salt, went out, and approached Arshavesch. The younger sister came out to see him off. It's a pity it hurts her. Two diamond tears rolled out of her eyes. And he leaned in the saddle and said a few words to her in a whisper, so that the birds of the air would not overhear, and the violent winds would not carry his words away:
- Don’t cry, beauty, I’ll be alive and I’ll be back.