 Baba Yaga of Old Peter's Russian Tales. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org, recording by Jenny Lundack. Old Peter's Russian Tales by Arthur Ransom. Baba Yaga. Tell us about Baba Yaga, begged Marusha. Yes, said Vanya, please, grandfather, and about the little hut on Hen's legs. Baba Yaga is a witch, said Old Peter, and a terrible old woman she is, but sometimes kind enough. You know, it was she who told Prince Ivan how to win one of the daughters of the Tsar of the Sea, and that was the best daughter of the bunch, Vasalisa the very wise. But then Baba Yaga is usually bad, as in the case of Vasalisa the very beautiful, who was only saved from her iron teeth by the cleverness of her magic doll. Tell us the story of the magic doll, begged Marusha. I will someday, said Old Peter. And has Baba Yaga really got iron teeth? asked Vanya. Iron like the poker and tongs, said Old Peter. What for, said Marusha? To eat up little Russian children, said Old Peter, when she can get them. She usually only eats bad ones, because the good ones get away. She is bony all over, and her eyes flash, and she drives about in a mortar, beating it with a pestle, and sweeping up her tracks with a bosom. So you cannot tell which way she has gone. And her hut, said Vanya. He had often heard about it before, but he wanted to hear about it again. She lives in a little hut which stands on Hen's legs. Sometimes it faces the forest. Sometimes it faces the path. And sometimes it walks solemnly about. But in some of the stories she lives in another kind of hut, with a railing of tall sticks and a skull on each stick. And all night long, fire glows in the skulls and fades as the dawn rises. Now tell us one of the Baba Yaga stories, said Marusha. Please, said Vanya. I will tell you how one little girl got away from her. And then, if ever she catches you, you will know exactly what to do. And old Peter put down his pipe and began. Baba Yaga and the little girl with the kind heart. Once upon a time there was a widowed old man who lived alone in a hut with his little daughter. Very merry they were together, and they used to smile at each other over a table just piled with bread and jam. Everything went well until the old man took it into his head to marry again. Yes, the old man became foolish in the years of his old age, and he took another wife. And so the poor little girl had a stepmother. And after that everything changed. There was no more bread and jam on the table, and no more playing bo peep, first this side of the semavar and then that, as she sat with her father at tea. It was worse than that, for she never did sit at tea. The stepmother said that everything that went wrong was the little girl's fault. And the old man believed his new wife. And so there were no more kind words for his little daughter. Day after day the stepmother used to say that the little girl was too naughty to sit at table, and then she would throw her a crust and tell her to get out of the hut and go eat it somewhere else. And the poor little girl used to go away by herself into the shed in the yard and wet the dry crust with her tears and eat it all alone. Ah, me! She often wept for the old days, and she often wept at the thought of the days that were to come. Only she wept because she was all alone, until one day she found a little friend in the shed. She was hunched up in the corner of the shed, eating her crust and crying bitterly when she heard a little noise. It was like this, scratch, scratch. It was just that, a little gray mouse who lived in a hole, out he came, his little pointed nose and his long whiskers, his little round ears and his bright eyes, out came his little humpy body and his long tail. And then he sat up on his hind legs and curled his tail twice around himself and looked at the little girl. The little girl, who had a kind heart, forgot all her sorrows and took a scrap of her crust and threw it to the little mouse. The little mousykin nibbled and nibbled and there. It was gone and he was looking for another. She gave him another bit and presently that was gone and another and another until there was no crust left for the little girl. Well, she didn't mind that. You see, she was so happy seeing the little mouse nibbling and nibbling. When the crust was done, the mousykin looks up at her with his little bright eyes and says, thank you, he says in his little squeaky voice. Thank you, he says, you are a kind little girl and I am only a mouse and I know crust but there is one thing I can do for you and that is to tell you to take care. The old woman in the hut and that was the cruel stepmother. One sister to Baba Yaga, the bony legged, the witch. So if ever she sends you on a message to your aunt, you come and tell me. For Baba Yaga would eat you soon enough with her iron teeth if you did not know what to do. Oh, thank you, said the little girl. And just then she heard the stepmother calling to her to come in and clean up the tea things and tidy the house and brush off the floor and clean everybody's boots. So off she had to go. When she went in she had a good look at her stepmother and sure enough she had a long nose and she was as bony as a fish with all the flesh picked off and the little girl thought of Baba Yaga and shivered, though she did not feel so bad when she remembered the mousykin out there in the shed in the yard. The very next morning it happened. The old man went off to pay a visit to some friends of his in the next village. Just as I go off sometimes to see old Fedor, God be with him. And as soon as the old man was out of sight, the wicked stepmother called the little girl, you are to go today to your dear little aunt in the forest, says she, and ask her for a needle and thread to mend a shirt. But here's a needle and thread, says the little girl. Hold your tongue, says the stepmother, and she gnashes her teeth and they make a noise like clattering tongs. Hold your tongue, she says. Didn't I tell you you are to go today to your dear little aunt to ask for a needle and thread to mend a shirt? How shall I find her, says the little girl, nearly ready to cry, for she knew that her aunt was Baba Yaga, the bony legged, the witch. The stepmother took hold of the little girl's nose and pinched it. That is your nose, she says. Can you feel it? Yes, says the poor little girl. Now you must go along the road into the forest till you come to a fallen tree. Then you must turn to your left and then follow your nose and you will find her, says the stepmother. Now be off with you, lazy one. Here is some food for you to eat, by the way. She gave the little girl a bundle wrapped up in a towel. The little girl wanted to go into the shed to tell the mousykin she was going to Baba Yaga and to ask what she should do. But she looked back and there was the stepmother at the door watching her. So she had to go straight on. She walked along the road through the forest till she came to the fallen tree. Then she turned to the left. Her nose was still hurting where the stepmother had pinched it. So she knew she had to go straight ahead. She was just setting out when she heard a little noise under the fallen tree. Scratch, scratch. Then out jumped the little mouse and sat up in the road in front of her. Mousykin, mousykin, says the little girl. My stepmother has sent me to her sister and that is Baba Yaga, the bony-legged, the witch, and I do not know what to do. It will not be difficult, says the little mouse, because of your kind heart. Like all the things you find in the road and do with them what you like. Then you will escape from Baba Yaga and everything will be well. Are you hungry, mousykin, said the little girl? Boo, I think, says the little mouse. The little girl unfastened the towel and there was nothing in it but stones. It was what the stepmother had given the little girl to eat, by the way. Oh, I am so sorry, says the little girl. There's nothing for you to eat, said the mousykin, and as she looked at them the little girl saw the stones turn to bread and jam. The little girl sat down on the fallen tree and the little mouse sat beside her and ate bread and jam until they were not hungry any more. Keep the towel, says the little mouse. I think it will be useful and remember what I said about the things you find on the way, says he. Goodbye, says the little girl and runs along. As she was running along she found a nice new handkerchief lying in the road. She picked it up and took it with her. Then she found a little bottle of oil. She picked it up and took it with her. Then she found some scraps of meat. Perhaps I'd better take them too, she said, and she took them. Then she found a gay blue ribbon and she took that. Then she found a little loaf of good bread and she took that too. I dare say somebody will like it, she said. And then she came to the hut of Baba Yaga, the bony legged, the witch. There was a high fence rounded with big gates. When she pushed them open they squeaked miserably as if it hurt them to move. The little girl was sorry for them. How lucky, she says, that I picked up the bottle of oil. And she poured the oil into the hinges of the gate. Inside the railing was Baba Yaga's hut and it stood on Hen's legs and walked about the yard. And in the yard there was standing Baba Yaga's servant. And she was crying bitterly because of the tasks Baba Yaga set her to do. She was crying bitterly and wiping her eyes on her petticoat. How lucky, says the little girl, that I picked up a handkerchief. And she gave the handkerchief to Baba Yaga's servant who wiped her eyes on it and smiled through her tears. Close by the hut was a huge dog, very thin, gnawing on a dry crust. How lucky, says the little girl, that I picked up a loaf. And she gave the loaf to the dog and he gobbled it up and licked his lips. The little girl went bravely up to the hut and knocked on the door. Come in, says Baba Yaga. The little girl went in and there was Baba Yaga, the bony-legged, the witch, sitting weaving at a loom. In a corner of the hut was a thin black cat, watching a mouse-hole. Good day to you, Auntie, says the little girl, trying not to tremble. Good day to you, niece, says Baba Yaga. My stepmother has sent me to you to ask for a needle and thread to mend a shirt. Very well, says Baba Yaga, smiling and showing her iron teeth. You sit down at the loom and go on with my weaving while I go and get you the needle and thread. The little girl sat down at the loom and began to weave. Baba Yaga went out and called out to her servant, go make the bath hot and scrub my niece, scrub her clean, I'll make a dainty meal of her. The servant came in for the jug. The little girl begged her, be not too quick in making the fire and carry the water in a sieve. The servant smiled but said nothing because she was afraid of Baba Yaga, but she took a very long time about getting the bath ready. Baba Yaga came to the window and asked, Are you weaving, little niece? Are you weaving, my pretty? I am weaving, Auntie, says the little girl. When Baba Yaga went away from the window, the little girl spoke to the thin black cat who was watching the mouse-hole. What are you doing, thin black cat? Watching for a mouse, says the thin black cat. I haven't had any dinner for three days. How lucky, says the little girl that I picked up some scraps of meat. And she gave them to the thin black cat. The thin black cat gobbled them up and said to the little girl, little girl, do you want to get out of this? Cat can, dear, says the little girl. I do want to get out of this, for Baba Yaga is going to eat me with her iron teeth. Well, says the cat, I will help you. Just then Baba Yaga came to the window. Are you weaving, little niece? She asked. Are you weaving, my pretty? I am weaving, auntie, says the little girl, working away while the loom went clickety-clack, clickety-clack. Baba Yaga went away, says the thin black cat to the little girl. You have a comb in your hair and you have a towel. Take them and run for it while Baba Yaga is in the bathhouse. When Baba Yaga chases after you, you must listen. And when she is close to you, throw away the towel and it will turn into a big wide river. It will take her a little time to get over that. But when she does, you must listen. And as soon as she is close to you, throw away the comb and it will sprout up into such a forest that she will never get through it at all. She'll hear the loom stop, says the little girl. I'll see to that, says the thin black cat. The cat took the little girl's place at the loom. Clickety-clack, clickety-clack. The loom never stopped for a moment. The little girl looked to see that Baba Yaga was in the bathhouse and then she jumped down from the little hut on Hen's legs and ran to the gates as fast as her legs could flicker. The big dog leapt up to tear her to pieces. Just as he was going to spring on her, he saw who she was. Why, this is the little girl who gave me a loaf, says he. A good journey to you, little girl. And he lay down again with his head between his paws. When she came to the gates, they opened quietly, quietly without making any noise at all. Because of the oil she had poured into their hinges. Outside the gates, there was a little birch tree that beat her in the eyes so that she could not go by. How lucky, says the little girl, that I picked up the ribbon and she tied up the birch tree with the pretty blue ribbon. And the birch tree was so pleased with the ribbon that it stood still, admiring itself and let the little girl go by. How she did run. Meanwhile, the thin black cat sat at the loom, clickety-clack, clickety-clack sang the loom. But you never saw such a tangle as the tangle made by the thin black cat. And presently, Baba Yaga came to the window. Are you weaving, little niece? She asked, are you weaving, my pretty? Says the thin black cat, tangling and tangling while the loom went clickety-clack, clickety-clack. That's not the voice of my little dinner. Says Baba Yaga and she jumped into the hut, gnashing her iron teeth. And there was no little girl but only the thin black cat. Sitting at the loom, tangling and tangling the threads. Grrr, says Baba Yaga and jumps for the cat and begins banging it about. Why didn't you tear the little girl's eyes out? In all the years I have served you, says the cat. You have only given me one little bone, but the kind little girl gave me scraps of meat. Baba Yaga threw the cat into the corner and went out into the yard. Why didn't you squeak when she opened you? She asked the gates. Why didn't you tear her to pieces? She asked the dog. Why didn't you beat her in the face and not let her go by? She asked the birch tree. Why were you so long and getting the bath ready? If you had been quicker, she never would have gotten away, said Baba Yaga to the servant. And she rushed about the yard, beating them all and scolding at the top of her voice. I said the gates, in all the years we have served you, you have never even eased us with water. But the kind little girl poured good oil into our hinges. Ah, said the dog. In all the years I have served you, you never threw me anything but burnt crust. But the kind little girl gave me a good loaf. Ah, said the little birch tree. In all the years I have served you, you never tied me up even with thread. But the kind little girl tied me up with a gay blue ribbon. Ah, said the servant. In all the years I have served you, you have never given me even a rag. But the kind little girl gave me a pretty handkerchief. Baba Yaga gnashed at them with her iron teeth. Then she jumped into the mortar and sat down. She drove it along with the pestle and she swept up her tracks with the bosom and flew off in pursuit of the little girl. The little girl ran and ran. She put her ear to the ground and listened. Bang, bang, bangety bang. She could hear Baba Yaga beating the mortar with the pestle. Baba Yaga was quite close. There she was, beating with the pestle and sweeping with the bosom. Coming along the road as quickly as she could, the little girl took out the towel and threw it on the ground. And the towel grew bigger and bigger and wetter and wetter and there was a deep, broad river between Baba Yaga and the little girl. The little girl turned and ran on. How she ran. Baba Yaga came flying up in the mortar but the mortar could not float in the river with Baba Yaga inside. She drove it in but only got wet for her trouble. Tongues and pokers tumbling down a chimney are nothing to the noise she made as she gnashed her iron teeth. She turned home and went flying back to the little hut on Hen's legs. Then she got together all her cattle and drove them to the river. Drink, drink! She screamed at them and the cattle drank up all the river to the last drop. And Baba Yaga sitting in the mortar drove it with the pestle and swept up her tracks with the bosom and flew over the dry bed of the river and on in pursuit of the little girl. The little girl put her ear to the ground and listened. Bang, bang, bangity bang! She could hear Baba Yaga beating the mortar with the pestle. Nearer and nearer came the noise and there was Baba Yaga beating with the pestle and sweeping with the bosom coming along the road close behind. The little girl threw down the comb and grew bigger and bigger and its teeth sprouted up into a thick forest. Thicker than this forest where we live. So thick that not even Baba Yaga could force her way through. And Baba Yaga gnashing her teeth and screaming with rage and disappointment turned around and drove away home to her little hut on Hen's legs. The little girl ran on home. She was afraid to go in and see her stepmother so she ran into the shed. Scratch, scratch, out came the little mouse. So you got away all right, my dear, says the little mouse. Now run in, don't be afraid. Your father is back and you must tell him all about it. The little girl went into the house. Where have you been? says her father. And why are you so out of breath? The stepmother turned yellow when she saw her and her eyes glowed and her teeth ground together until they broke. But the little girl was not afraid and she went to her father and climbed on his knee and told him everything just as it had happened. And when the old man knew that the stepmother had sent his little daughter to be eaten by Baba Yaga, he was so angry that he drove her out of the hut and ever afterwards lived alone with the little girl. Much better it was for both of them. And the little mouse, said Ivan. The little mouse, said old Peter, came and lived in the hut and every day it used to sit up on the table and eat crumbs and warm its paws on the little girl's glass of tea. Tell us a story about a cat, please, grandfather, said Vanya, who was sitting with Vladimir curled up in his arms. The story of a very happy cat, said Marusha. And then scratching bayon's nose, she added. And afterwards a story about the dog. I'll tell you the story of a very unhappy cat who became very happy, said old Peter. I'll tell you the story of the cat who became head forester. End of Baba Yaga, recording by Jenny Lundak, South Padre Island, Texas. Chapter Six of Old Peter's Russian Tales. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Ashwin Jain. Old Peter's Russian Tales by Arthur Ransom, Chapter Six, the cat who became head forester. If you drop Vladimir by mistake, you know he always falls on his feet. And if Vladimir tumbles off the roof of the hut, he always falls on his feet. Cats always fall on their feet, on their foes, and never hurt themselves. And as in tumbling, so it is in life. No cat is ever unfortunate for very long. The worst things look for a cat, the better they're going to be. Well, once upon a time, not so very long ago, an old peasant had a cat and did not like him. He was a dumb cat, always fighting. And he had lost one ear and was not very pretty to look at. The peasant thought he would get rid of his old cat and buy a new one from a neighbor. He did not care what became of the old tomcat with one ear. So long as he never saw him again, it was no use thinking of killing him. For it is a life's work to kill a cat. It's likely enough that the cat would come alive at the end. So the old peasant, he took a sack, and he bundled the tomcat into the sack, and he sewed up the sack and slung it over his back and walked off into the forest. Off he went, cruising along in a summer sunshine, deep into the forest. And we had gone very, very worse into the forest. He took the sack with the cat in it and threw it away among the trees. You stay there, says he. And if you do get out in this desolate place, much good may do to you. Old, quarrelsome bundle of bones and fur. And with that, we turned round and switched home again and bought a nice-looking, quiet cat from a neighbor in exchange for a little tobacco and settled down comfortably at home with a new cat in front of the stove. And there he may be to this day. So far as I know, my story does not bother with him, but only with the old tomcat tied up in a sack away there in the forest. The bag flew through the air and plumped down through a bush to the ground. And the old tomcat landed on his feet inside it, very much frightened but not hurt. Things he, this bag, just fly through the air, this bump, mean that my life is going to change. Very well, there's nothing like something new now and again. And presently, he began tearing at the bag with his sharp claws. Soon, there was a hole he could put a paw through. He went on, tearing and scratching. And there was a hole he could put two paws through. He went on with his work. And soon he could put his head through, all the easier because he had only one ear. A minute or two after that, he had wiggled out of the bag and stood up on his four paws and stretched himself in the forest. This world seems to be lighter than the village. He said, I will walk on and see what there is in it. He washed himself all over, curled his tail proudly up in the air, cocked the only ear he had left and set off walking under the forest trees. I was the headcat in the village, says he to himself. If all goes well, I shall be head here too. And he walked along as if he were the Tsar himself. Well, he walked on and on. And he came to an old hut that had belonged to a forester. There was nobody there, nor had been for many years. And the old Tomcat made himself quiet at home. He climbed up into the loft under the roof and found a little rotten hay. A very good bed, says he, and curls up and falls asleep. When he woke up, he felt hungry. So he climbed down and went off in the forest to catch the birds and mice. There were plenty of them in the forest. And when he had eaten enough, he came back to the hut, climbed into the loft and spent the night there very comfortably. You'd have thought that he would be content. Not he, he was a cat. He said, this is a good enough lodging, but I have to catch all my own food. In the village, they fed me every day and I only caught mice for fun. I ought to be able to live like that here. A person of my dignity ought not to have to do all the work for himself. Next day, he went walking into the forest. And as he was walking, he made a fox, a vixen. A very pretty young thing, gay and giddy, like all girls. And the fox saw the cat and was very much astonished. All these years, she said, for though she was young, she thought she had lived a long time. All these years, she said, I have lived in the forest, but I have never seen a wild beast like that before. What a strange looking animal. And with only one ear, how handsome. And she came up and made bows to the cat and said, tell me, great Lord, who you are? What fortunate change has brought you to this forest? And by what name am I to call you Excellency? Oh, the fox was very polite. It is not every day you meet a handsome stranger walking in the forest. The cat arched his back and said all his fur on end and said, very slowly and quietly, I have been sent from the far forests of Siberia to be the head forester over you. And my name is Cat Ivanovich. Oh, Cat Ivanovich, said the pretty young fox. And she makes more bows. I did not know. I beg your Excellencies pardon. Will your Excellency honor my humble house by visiting it as a guest? I will, says the cat. And what do they call you? My name, your Excellency, is Lissapeta Ivanovena. I will come with you, Lissapeta, says the cat. And they went together to the fox's earth. Very snug, very neat, it was inside. And the cat called himself up in the best place, while Lissapeta Ivanovna, the pretty young fox, made ready a tasty dish of game. And while she was making the meal ready and dusting the furniture with her tail, she looked at the cat. At last she said, Shaili, tell me, Cat Ivanovich, are you married or single? Single, says the cat. And I too am unmarried. She's a pretty young fox and goes busily on with her dusting and cooking. Suddenly she looks at the cat again. What if we were to marry, Cat Ivanovich? I would try to be a good wife to you. Very well, Lissapeta, says the cat. I will marry you. The fox went to her store and took out all the dainty's she had and made a wedding feast to celebrate her marriage to the great cat Ivanovich, who had only one ear and had come from the far Siberian forest to be a forester. They ate up everything there was in the place. Next morning, the pretty young fox went off busily into the forest to get food for a grand husband. But the old town cat stayed at home and cleaned his viscose and slept. He was a lazy one, was a cat in proud. The fox was running through the forest looking for game. When she met an old friend, they had some young wolf and he began making polite speeches to her what had become of you gossip. Say, Zee, I have been to all the best earths and not found you at all. Let me fool, says the fox very shortly. Don't talk to me like that. What are you jealous about? Formerly, I was a young and married fox. Now I am a married wife. Whom have you married, Elizabeth Ivanovna? What, says the fox? You have not heard that the great cat Ivanovich was only one ear has been sent from the far Siberian forest to be the head forester over all of us. Well, I am now the head forester's wife. No, I had not heard. Elizabeth Ivanovna, and when can I pay my respects to his excellency? Not now, not now, says the fox. Cat Ivanovich will be ranging angry with me if I let anyone come near him. Presently, he will be taking his food. Look here, get asleep and make it ready and bring it as a greeting to him to show him that he is welcome and that you know how to treat him with respect. Leave the sheep nearby and hide yourself so that he shall not see you. For, if he did, things might get awkward. Thank you, thank you, Elizabeth Ivanovna, says the wolf. And off he goes to look for a sheep. The pretty young fox went highly on, taking the ear, for she knew that the wolf would save her the trouble of looking for food. Presently, she met a bear. Good day to you, Elizabeth Ivanovna, says the bear. As pretty as ever, I see you are. Bandit-legged one, says the fox. Fool. Don't come running me. Formally, I was a young, unmarried fox. Now I am a wedded wife. I beg your pardon, says the bear. Whom have you married, Elizabeth Ivanovna? The great cat Ivanovich has been sent to the far Siberian forest to be the head forester over us all. And cat Ivanovich is now my husband. Says the fox. Is it forbidden to have a look at his excellency? It is forbidden. Says the fox. Cat Ivanovich will be raging angry with me if I let anyone come near him. Presently, he will be taking his food. Get along with you quickly, make ready an oaks, and bring it by way of welcome to him. The wolf is bringing a sheep. And look, you, leave the oaks nearby and hide yourself so that the great cat Ivanovich shall not see you. Or else, brother, things may be awkward. The bear shambles off as fast as he could go to get an oaks. The pretty young fox enjoying the fresh air of the forest went slowly home to her earth and crept in very quietly. So as not to wake, the great head forester, cat Ivanovich, weighed only one ear and was sleeping in the best place. Presently, the wolf came through the forest, dragging a sheep he had killed. It did not dare to go too near the fox's earth because of cat Ivanovich, the new head forester. So he stopped, well out of sight and stripped off the skin of the sheep and arranged the sheep so as to see a nice tasty mussel. Then he stood still, thinking what to do next. He heard a noise and looked up. There was the bear struggling along with the dead oaks. Good day, brother. Michael Ivanovich says the wolf. Good day. Brother Levon Ivanovich says the bear. Have you seen the fox? Lizabetta Ivanovna with her husband, the head forester. No, brother. Says the wolf. For a long time I have been waiting to see them. Go on and call out to them. Says the bear. No, Michael Ivanovich. Says the wolf. I will not go. Do you go? You are bigger and bolder than I. No, no Levon Ivanovich. I will not go. There is no use in risking one's life without need. Suddenly, as they were talking, a little hare came running by. The bear saw him first and ruled out. The eyes, Queen Dye, trod along here. The hare came up slowly, two steps at a time, trembling with fright. Now then, you squinting rascal, says the bear. Do you know where the fox lives over there? I know, Michael Ivanovich. Get along there quickly and tell her that Michael Ivanovich the weir and his brother, Levon Ivanovich the wolf have been ready for a long time and have brought presents of a sheep and an ox as greetings to his Excellency. His Excellency mind. Says the wolf. Don't forget, the hare ran off as hard as he could. Gov, glad to have escaped so easily. Meanwhile, looked about for good places in which to hide. It will be best to climb trees. Says the bear. I shall go up to the top of this fur. But what am I to do? Says the wolf. I can't climb a tree for the life of me. Brother Michael, Brother Michael, hide me somewhere or other before you climb up. I beg you, hide me. Or I shall certainly be killed. Crouch down under these bushes. Says the bear. And I will cover you with the dead leaves. May you be rewarded. Says the wolf. And he crouched down under the bushes. And the bear covered him with dead leaves. So that at Malik, the tip of his nose could be seen. Then the bear climbs slowly up into the fur tree. Into the very top. And looked out to see the fox and cat Ivanovich were coming. They were coming. Oh yes, they were coming. They ran up and knocked on the door and said to the fox, Michael Ivanovich the bear and his brother Levan Ivanovich the wolf have been ready for a long time and have brought presents of a sheep and an ox as greetings to his excellency. Get along. Squinty. Says the fox. We are just coming. And so the fox and the cat sit out together. The bear up in the top of the tree saw them and called down to the wolf. They are coming. Brother Levan is coming. The fox and her husband but what a little one he is to be sure. Quiet, quiet. We suppose the wolf will hear you. And then we are done for. The cat came up and asked his back and set all his foes on end and threw himself on the ox and began tearing the meat with his teeth and claws. And as he tore he purred and the bear listened and heard the purring of the cat and it seemed to him the cat was angrily muttering small, small, small and the bear whispers he is no giant but what a glutton. Why we couldn't get through a quarter of that and he finds it not enough. Even help us if he comes after us. The wolf tried to see but could not because his head all but his nose was covered with the dry leaves. Little by little he moved his head so as to clear the leaves away from in front of his eyes. Try as he would to be quiet. The leaves wrestled so little ever so little enough to be heard by the one ear of the cat and the cat stopped tearing the meat and listened. Having caught a mouse today he thought once more the leaves wrestled. The cat leapt to the ear and dropped with all four paws and his claws out on the nose of the wolf. How the wolf helped the leaves flew like dust and the wolf leapt up and ran as fast as his legs could carry. Well, the wolf was frightened I can tell you but he was not so frightened as the cat. When the great wolf leapt up out of the leaves the cat screamed and ran up the nearest tree and that was the tree where Michael Ivanovich the bear in the top most branches he has seen me Cat Ivanovich has seen me thought the bear he had no time to climb down and the cat was coming up in long leaves the bear trusted to Providence and jumped from the top of the tree many were the branches he broke as he fell many were the bronze he broke when he crashed to the ground he picked himself up and stumbled off groaning the pretty young fox sat still and cried out run, run for the level quicker on your pins for the Michael his Excellency is behind you his Excellency is close behind ever since then all the wild beasts have been afraid of the cat lived merrily together and eat fresh meat all the year round wish the other animals kill for them and leave a little way off and this is what happened to the old Tom Cat with one eye who was soon up in a bag and thrown away in the forest just think what would happen to our handsome Vladimir if we were to throw him away said one year End of Chapter 6 Recording by Ashwin Jain Chapter 7 of Old Peter's Russian Tales This is a Library of Recording All Library of Recording are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer visit LibriVox.org Recording by Ashwin Jain Old Peter's Russian Tales by Arthur Ransom Chapter 7 Spring in the Forest Warmer the sun shone and warmer yet the pines were green now all the snow had melted off them drip drip the falling drops of water making tiny wells in the snow under the trees and the snow under the trees was melting too much had gone much had gone and now there were only patches of snow in the forest like scraps of a big white blanket shrinking every day isn't it lucky our blankets don't shrink like that said Marusia Old Peter laughed what do you do when the warm weather comes he asked do you still wear sheepskin coats or do you still roll up at night under the rugs no said Marusia I throw the rugs off and put my fluffy coat away till next winter well said old Peter and God the Father of us all he does for the earth just what you do for yourself but he does it better for the blankets the earth in winter gets smaller and smaller as a warm weather comes in little by little day by day and then a hard frost comes Grandfather said he won God knows all about that little one said old Peter that is for the best it's good to have a nap or two in the spring to make you feel alive perhaps it's his way of telling the earth to wake up for the whole earth is only his little one after all that night when it was story time Ivan and Marusia consulted together and when old Peter asked what the story was to be they were ready with an answer the snow is all melting away said Ivan the summer is coming said Marusia we would like the tale of the little snow girl said Ivan the little doctor of the snow said Marusia old Peter shook out his pipe and closed his eyes under his bushy eyebrows thinking for a minute then he began end of chapter 7 recording by Ashwin Jain chapter 8 of old Peter's Russian Tales this is her LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Ashwin Jain old Peter's Russian Tales by Arthur Ransom chapter 8 the little doctor of the snow they were once an old man as old as I am perhaps and an old woman his wife and they lived together in a hut on the edge of the forest there were many people in the village quite a town it was 8 hertz at least 30 or 40 souls good company to be had for crossing the road but the old man and the old woman were unhappy in spite of living like that in the very middle of the world and why do you think they were unhappy? they were unhappy because they had no little Vanya and no little Marusia think of that some would say they were better off without them would you say that, grandfather? I asked Marusia we are a stupid little pigeon said old Peter and went home well, these two were very unhappy all the other herds had babies in them yes there was no one playing about in the road outside and having to be shouted at when anyone came driving by but there were no babies in their hut and the old woman never had to go to the door to see where her little one had said to because she had no little one and these two the old man and the old woman used to stand whole hours just peeping through their window playing outside they had dogs and a cat and cocks and hens but none of these made up for having no children these two would just stand and watch the children of the other herds the dogs would bark but they took no notice and the cat would curl up against them but they never felt her and as for the cocks and hens well they were fed but that was all the old people did not care for them and spent all the time in watching the Vanya and Maruzia who belonged to the other herds in the winter the children in their little sheepskin coats like ours asked Vanya and Maruzia together like yours and the little sheepskin coats he went on played in the crisp snow they pelted each other with snowballs and shouted and laughed and then they rolled the snow together and made as no woman a regular snow Baba Yaga a snow witch such an old fright and the old man watching from the window saw this and he says to the old woman wife let us go into the yard behind and make a little snow girl and perhaps she will come alive and be a little daughter to us husband says to the old woman there is no knowing what may be let us go into the yard and make a little snow girl so the two old people put on their big coats and went into the yard where nobody could see them and they rolled up the snow and began to make a little snow girl very very tenderly they rolled up the snow to make her little arms and legs the good god helped the old people and the little snow girl was more beautiful than ever you could imagine she was lovelier than a birch tree in spring well towards evening she was finished a little girl all snow with blind white eyes and a little mouth with snow lips tightly closed oh speak to us says the old man wouldn't you run about like the others little white pigeon says the old woman and she did you know she really did in the first twilight they saw her eyes shining blue like the sky on a clear day and her lips flushed and opened and she smiled and there were her little white teeth and look she had back hair and stood in the wind she began dancing in the snow like a little white spirit tossing her long hair and laughing softly to herself widely she danced like snowflakes world in the wind her eyes shone and her hair flew around her and she sang while the old people watched and wondered and thank god this is what she sang no warm blood in me doth glow water in my veins doth flow yet I laugh and sing and play my frosty night and frosty day little daughter of the snow but whenever I do know that you love me little then I shall melt away again back into the sky I'll go little daughter of the snow god of mine isn't she beautiful said the old man run wife and fetch a blanket to wrap her in while you make clothes for her the old woman fetched a blanket and put it around the shoulders of the little snow girl and the old man picked her up and she put her little old arms around his neck he must not keep me too warm she said well they took her into the hut and she lay on the bench in the corner farthest from the store while the old woman made her a little coat and the old man went out to buy a fur hat and boots from a neighbor for the little girl the neighbor laughed at the old man but a ruble is a ruble everywhere and no one turns it from the door and so he sold the old man a little fur hat and a pair of little boots with fur around the tops then they dressed the little snow girl too hot too hot said the little snow girl I must go out in the cool night but you must go to sleep now said the old woman by first night in first day sang the little girl now I will play by myself in the yard all night and in the morning I will play in the road with the children nothing the old people said could change her mind I am the little daughter of the snow she applied to everything and she ran out into the yard into the snow how she danced and ran about in the moonlight on the white frozen snow the old people watched her and watched her at last they went to bed but more than once the old man got up in the night to make sure she was still there and there she was running about in the yard using her shadow in the moonlight and throwing snowballs at the stars in the morning she came in laughing to have breakfast with the old people she showed them how to make porridge for her and it was very simple they had only to take a piece of ice and crush it up in a little wooden bowl then after breakfast she ran out in the road with the other children and the old people watched her oh proud they were I can tell you to see a little girl of their own out there playing in the road they are fairly longed for a slush to come driving by so that they could run out into the road and called to the little snow girl to be careful and the little snow girl how she played she could run faster than any of them her little red boots flashed as she ran about not one of the other children was a match for her at snow balling and when the children began making a snow woman a Baba Yaga you would have thought the little daughter of the snow would have died of laughing she laughed and laughed like ringing pearls the little glass pearls but she held in the making of the snow woman only laughing all the time when it was done all the children threw snowballs at it till it fell to pieces and the little snow girl laughed and laughed and was so quick she threw more snowballs than any of them the old man and the old woman watched her and were very proud she is all our own said the old woman our little white pigeon said the old man in the evening she had another bowl of ice porridge and then she went off again to play by herself in the yard he will be tired my dear says the old man he will sleep in the hut tonight won't you my love says the old woman after running about all day long but the little daughter of the snow only laughed by frosty night and frosty day she said and ran out of the door laughing back at them with shining eyes and so it went on all through the winter the little daughter of the snow was singing and laughing and dancing all the time all night and played by herself till dawn then she would come in and have her ice porridge then she would play with the children then she would have ice porridge again and off she would go out into the night she was very good she did everything the old woman told her only she would never sleep in those all the children of the village loved her they did not know how they had ever played without her it went on so till just about this time of year perhaps it was a little earlier anyhow the snow was melting and you could get about the paths often the children went together a little way into the forest in the sunny part of the day the little snow girl went with them it would have been no fun without her and then one day they went too far into the wood and when they said they were going to turn back the little snow girl tossed her head under a little fur hat and ran on laughing among the trees the other children were afraid to follow her it was getting dark they had waited as long as they did and then they ran home holding each of these hands and there was the little daughter of the snow out in the forest alone she looked back for the others and could not see them she climbed up into a tree but the other trees would take ground her and she could not see farther than she was on the ground she called out from the tree hey hey little friends happy on the little snow girl an old brown bear heard her and came shambling up on his heavy paws what are you crying about little daughter of the snow oh big bear says the little snow girl how can I help crying I have lost my way and dusk is falling and all my friends are gone I will take you home says the old brown bear oh big bear says the little snow girl I am afraid of you I think you would eat me I would rather go home with someone else so the bear shambled away and left her an old grey wolf heard her and came galloping up on his swift feet he stood under the tree and asked what are you crying about little daughter of the snow oh grey wolf says the little snow girl how can I help crying I have lost my way it is getting dark and all my little friends are gone I will take you home says the old grey wolf oh grey wolf says the little snow girl I am afraid of you I think you would eat me I would rather go home with someone else so the wolf galloped away and left her an old red fox hider coming up to the tree on his little pats he called out cheerfully what are you crying about little daughter of the snow oh red fox says this little snow girl how can I help crying I have lost my way it is quite dark and all my friends are gone I will take you home says the old red fox oh red fox I am not afraid of you I do not think you will eat me I will go home with you if you will take me so she scrambled down from the tree and she held the fox by the hair of his back and they ran together to the dark forest presently they saw the lights in the windows of the hut and in a few minutes they were at the door of the hut that belonged to the old man and the old woman crying and lamenting oh what has become of a little snow girl oh where is our little white pigeon here I am says the little snow girl the kind red fox has brought me home you must shut up the dogs the old man shut up the dogs we are very grateful to you says he to the fox are you really says the old red fox for I am very hungry here is a nice crust for you says the old woman oh says the fox but what I would like would be a nice plump hen after all your little snow girl is worth a nice plump hen very well says the old woman but she grumbles to her husband husband says she we have our little girl again we have says he thanks be for that it seems waste to give away a good plump hen it does says he well I was thinking says the old woman and then she tells him what she meant to do and he went off and got two sacks in one sack they put a fine plump hen and in the other they put the fairest of the dogs they took the bags outside and called to the fox the old red fox came up to them licking his lips because he was so hungry they opened one sack and the hen fluttered the old red fox was just going to see sir when they opened the other sack and out jumped the fierce dog the poor fox saw his eyes flashing in the dark and was so frightened she ran all the way back into the deep forest and never had the hen at all that was well done said the old man and the old woman we have got our little snow girl and not had to give away our plump hen then they heard the little snow girl singing in the hut this is what she sang old ones old ones now I know lest you love me than a hen I shall go away again goodbye ancient ones goodbye back I go across the sky to my mother kin I go little daughter of the snow they ran into the house there were a little pool of water in front of the stove and a fur hat and a little gold and yet it seemed to the old man and the old woman they saw the little snow girl with a bright eyes and a long hair dancing in the room do not go do not go they begged and already they could hardly see the little dancing girl but they heard her laughing and they heard her song old ones old ones now I know lest you love me than a hen I shall meet away again to my mother kin I go little daughter of the snow and just then the door blew open from the yard and a cold wind filled the room and the little daughter of the snow was gone you always used to say something else grandfather Saint Marusia old Peter battered her head and went on I have been forgotten the little snow girl leapt into the arms of frost her father and snow her mother and they carried her away over the stars to the far north and there she plays all through the summer on the frozen seas in winter she comes back to Russia and someday you know when you are making a snow woman you may find the little daughter of the snow standing there instead wouldn't that be lovely Saint Marusia Vanya thought for a minute and then said I would love her much more than a hen end of chapter 8 recording by Ashwin Jain Prince Ivan the witch baby and the little sister of the son once upon a time very long ago there was a little Prince Ivan who was dumb never a word had he spoken from the day that he was born not so much as a yes or a no or a please or a thank you a great sorrow he was to his father because he could not speak indeed neither his father nor his mother the sight of him for they thought a poor sort of czar will a dumb boy make they even prayed and said if only we could have another child whatever it is like it could be no worse than this tongue-tied brat who cannot say a word and for that wish they were punished as you shall hear and they took no sort of care of the little Prince Ivan and he spent all his time in the stables of an old groom he was a wise man with the old groom and he knew the past and the future and what was happening under the earth maybe he had learnt his wisdom from the horses anyway he knew more than other folk and there came a day when he said to Prince Ivan little Prince says he today you have a sister and a bad one at that she has come because of your father's prayers and your mother's wishes a witch she is and she will grow like a seed of corn in six weeks she'll be a grown witch and with her iron teeth she will eat up your father and eat up your mother and eat up you too if she gets the chance there's no saving the old people but if you are quick and do what I tell you you may escape and keep your soul in your body and I love you my little dumb Prince and do not wish to think of your little body between her iron teeth you must go to your father and ask him for the best horse he has and then gallop like the wind and away to the end of the world the little Prince ran off and found his father there was his father and there was his mother and a little baby girl was in his mother's arms screaming like a little fury well she's not dumb said his father as if he were well pleased father says the little Prince may I have the fastest horse in your stable and those were the first words that ever left his mouth what says his father have you got a voice at last yes take whatever horse you want and see you have a little sister a fine little girl she is too she has teeth already it's a pity they are black but time will put that right little Prince Ivan little Prince Ivan shook in his shoes when he heard of the black teeth of his little sister for he knew that they were iron he thanked his father and ran off to the stable the old groom saddled the finest horse there was such a horse you never saw black it was and its saddle and bridle were trimmed with shining silver and little Prince Ivan climbed up and sat on the great black course and waved his hand to the old groom and galloped away on and on over the wide world it's a big place this world thought the little Prince I wonder when I shall come to the end of it you see he had never been outside the palace grounds and he had only ridden a little finished pony and now he sat high up perched on the back of the great black horse who galloped with hoofs that thundered beneath him and leapt over rivers and streams and hillocks and anything else it came in his way on and on galloped the little Prince on the great black course there were no houses anywhere to be seen it was a long time since they had passed any people and little Prince Ivan began to feel very lonely and to wonder if indeed he had come to the end of the world and could bring his journey to an end suddenly on a wide sandy plain he saw two old old women sitting in the road they were bent double over their work sewing and sewing and now one and now the other broke a needle and took a new one out of a box between them and threaded the needle with thread from another box and went on sewing and sewing their old noses nearly touched their knees as they bent over their work Prince Ivan pulled up the great black horse in a cloud of dust and spoke to the old women grandmothers said he is this the end of the world let me stay here and live with you and be safe from my baby sister who is a witch and has iron teeth please let me stay with you and I'll be very little trouble and thread your needles for you when you break them Prince Ivan my dear said one of the old women this is not the end of the world and little good would it be to you to stay with us for as soon as we have broken all our needles and used up all our thread we shall die and then where would you be my sister with the iron teeth would have you in a minute the little prince cried bitterly for he was very little and all alone he rode on further over the wide world the black horse galloping and galloping and throwing the dust from his thundering hoofs he came into a forest of great oaks the biggest oak trees in the whole world and in that forest was a dreadful noise the crashing of trees falling the breaking of branches and the whistling of things hurled through the air the prince rode on and there before him was the huge giant tree-rooter hauling the great oaks out of the ground and flinging them aside like weeds I should be safe with him thought little prince Ivan and this surely must be the end of the world he rode close up under the giant and stopped the black horse up into the air please great giant says he is this the end of the world and may I live with you and be safe for my sister who was a witch and grows like a seed of corn and has iron teeth prince Ivan my dear says tree-rooter this is not the end of the world and little good would it be to you to stay with me for as soon as I have rooted up trees I shall die and then where would you be your sister would have you in a minute and already there are not many big trees left and the giant set to work again pulling up the great trees and throwing them aside the sky was full of flying trees little prince Ivan cried bitterly for he was very little and was all alone he rode on further over the wide world the black horse galloping and galloping under the tall trees and throwing clouds of earth from his thundering hoofs he came among the mountains and there was a roaring and a crashing in the mountains as if the earth was falling to pieces one after another whole mountains were lifted up into the sky and flung down to earth so that they broke and scattered into dust and the big black horse galloped through the mountains and little prince Ivan sat bravely on his back and there close before him was the huge giant mountain tosser picking up the mountains like pebbles and hurling them to little pieces and dust upon the ground this must be the end of the world thought the little prince and at any rate I should be safe with him please says he is this the end of the world and may I live with you and be safe from my sister who is a witch and has iron teeth and grows like a seed of corn prince Ivan my dear says mountain tosser resting for a moment and dusting the rocks off his great hands this is not the end of the world and little good would it be to you to stay with me for as soon as I have picked up all these mountains and thrown them down again I shall die and then where would you be your sister would have you in a minute and there are not very many mountains left and the giant set to work again lifting up the great mountains and hurling them away the sky was full of flying mountains little prince Ivan wept bitterly for he was very little and was all alone he rode on further over the wide world the black horse galloping and galloping along the mountain paths and throwing the stones from his thundering hoofs at last he came to the end of the world and there hanging in the sky above him was the castle of the little sister of the sun beautiful it was made of cloud and hanging in the sky as if it were built of red roses I should be safe up there thought little prince Ivan and just then the sun's little sister opened the window and beckoned to him prince Ivan padded the big black horse and whispered to it and leapt up high into the air and threw the window into the very courtyard of the castle stay here and play with me said the little sister of the sun and prince Ivan tumbled off the big black horse into her arms and laughed because he was so happy Mary and pretty was the sun's little sister and she was very kind to little prince Ivan they played games together and when she was tired she would let him do whatever he liked and run about her castle this way and that he ran about the battlements of rosy cloud hanging in the sky over the end of the world but one day he climbed up and up to the top most turret of the castle from there he could see the whole world and far far away beyond the mountains beyond the forests beyond the wide plains he saw his father's palace where he had been born the roof of the palace was gone and the walls were broken and crumbling and little prince Ivan came slowly down from the turret and his eyes were red with weeping my dear says the sun's little sister why are your eyes so red it's the wind up there says little prince Ivan and the sun's little sister put her head out of the window of the castle of cloud and whispered to the winds not to blow so hard but next day little prince Ivan went up again to that top most turret and looked far away over the wide world to the ruined palace she has eaten them all with her iron teeth he said to himself and his eyes were red when he came down my dear says the sun's little sister your eyes are red again it is the wind says little prince Ivan and the sun's little sister put her head out of the window and scolded the wind but the third day again little prince Ivan climbed up the stairs of cloud to that top most turret and looked far away to the broken palace where his father and mother had lived and he came down from the turret with the tears running down his face why you are crying my dear says the sun's little sister tell me what it is all about so little prince Ivan told the little sister of the sun how his sister was a witch and how he wept to think of his father and mother and how he had seen the ruins of his father's palace far away and how he could not stay with her happily until he knew how it was with his parents perhaps it is not yet too late to save them from her iron teeth though the old groom said that she would certainly eat them and that it was the will of God but let me ride back on my big black horse do not leave me my dear says the sun's little sister I am lonelier by myself I will ride back on my big black course and then I will come to you again what must be must be says the sun's little sister though she is more likely to eat you than you are to save them you shall go but you must take with you a magic comb a magic brush and two apples of youth these apples would make young once more the oldest things on earth then she kissed little prince Ivan and he climbed upon his big black horse and leapt out of the window of the castle down on the end of the world and galloped off on his way back over the wide world he came to mount and toss her the giant only one mountain left and the giant was just picking it up sadly he was picking it up for he knew that when he had thrown it away his work would be done and he would have to die well little prince Ivan says mountain tosser this is the end and he heaves up the mountain but before he could toss it away the little prince threw his magic brush on the plane and the brush swelled and burst and there were range upon range of high mountains touching the sky itself why says mountain tosser I have enough mountains now to last me for another thousand years thank you kindly little prince and he set to work again heaving up mountains and tossing them down while little prince Ivan galloped on across the wide world he came to tree-router the giant there were only two of the great oaks left and the giant had one in each hand ah me little prince Ivan says tree-router my life has come to its end for I have only to pluck up these two trees and throw them down and then I shall die pluck them up says little prince Ivan here are plenty more for you and he threw down his comb there was a noise of spreading branches of swishing leaves of opening buds all together and there before them was a forest of great oaks stretching farther than the giant could see tall though he was why says tree-router here are enough trees to last me for another thousand years thank you kindly little prince and he set to work again pulling up the big trees laughing joyfully and hurling them over his head while little prince galloped on across the wide world he came to the two old women they were crying their eyes out there is only one needle left as the first there is only one bit of thread in the box sobs the second and then we shall die they say both together mumbling with their old mouths before you use the needle and thread just eat these apples says little prince Ivan and he gives them the two apples of youth the two old women took the apples in their old shaking fingers and ate them bent double mumbling with their old lips and hardly finished their last mouthfuls when they sat up straight smiled with sweet red lips and looked at the little prince with shining eyes they had become young girls again and their gray hair was black as the raven thank you kindly little prince says the two young girls you must take with you the handkerchief we have been sowing all these years throw it to the ground and it will turn into a lake of water and someday it will be useful to you thank you says the little prince and off he gallops on and on over the wide world he came at last to his father's palace the roof was gone and there were holes in the walls he left his horse at the edge of the garden and crept up to the ruined palace and peeped through a hole inside in the great hall was sitting a huge baby girl in the whole hall there was no room for her to move she had knocked off the roof with a shake of her head and she sat there in the ruined hall sucking her thumb and while prince Ivan was watching through the hole he heard her mutter to herself eaten the father eaten the mother and now to eat the little brother and she began shrinking getting smaller and smaller every minute it was only just time to get away from the hole in the wall when her pretty little baby girl came running out of the ruined palace you must be my little brother Ivan she called out to him and came up to him smiling but as she smiled the little prince saw that her teeth were black and as she shut her mouth he heard them clink together like pokers come in says she and she took little prince Ivan with her to a room in the palace all broken down and cobwebbed just on the floor well little brother says the witch baby you play on the dulcimer and amuse yourself while I get supper ready but don't stop playing or I shall feel lonely and she ran off and left him little prince Ivan sat down and played tunes on the dulcimer sad enough tunes you would not play dance music if you thought you were going to be eaten by a witch but while he was playing a little gray mouse came out of a crack in the floor some people think that this was the wise old groom who had turned into a little gray mouse to save Ivan from the witch baby Ivan, Ivan says the little gray mouse run while you may your father and mother were eating long ago and well they deserved it but be quick or you will be eaten too your pretty little sister is putting an edge on her teeth little prince Ivan thanked the mouse and ran out from the ruined palace and climbed up on the back of his big black horse with its saddle and bridle trimmed with silver away he galloped over the wide world the witch baby stopped her work and listened she heard the music of the dulcimer so she made sure he was still there she went on sharpening her teeth with a file and growing bigger and bigger every minute and all the time the music of the dulcimer sounded among the ruins as soon as her teeth were quite sharp she rushed off to eat little prince Ivan she tore aside the walls of the room there was nobody there only a little gray mouse running and jumping this way and that on the strings of the dulcimer when it saw the witch baby the little mouse ran across the floor and into the crack and away so that she never caught it how the witch baby gnashed her teeth poker and tongs what a noise they made she swelled up bigger and bigger till she was a baby as high as the palace and then she jumped up so that the palace felt pieces about her then off she ran after little prince Ivan little prince Ivan on the big black horse heard a noise behind him he looked back and there was the huge witch towering over the trees she was dressed like a little baby and her eyes flashed and her teeth clanged as she shut her mouth she was running with long strides faster even than the black horse could gallop and he was the best horse in all the world little prince Ivan threw down the handkerchief that had been sown by the two old women who had eaten the apples of youth it turned into a deep broad lake so that the witch baby had to swim and swimming is slower than running it was a long time to get across and all that time prince Ivan was galloping on never stopping for a moment the witch baby crossed the lake and came thundering after him close behind she was and would have caught him but the giant tree-router saw the little prince galloping on the big black horse and the witch baby tearing after him he pulled up the great oaks and armfuls and threw them down just in front of the witch baby and the witch baby had to stop and gnaw her way through them with her iron teeth it took her a long time to gnaw through the trees and the black horse galloped and galloped ahead but presently prince Ivan heard a noise behind him he looked back and there was the witch baby thirty feet high racing after him clanging with her teeth close behind she was and the little prince sat firm on the big black horse and galloped but she would have caught him if the giant mountain-tosser had not seen the little prince on the big black horse and the great witch baby running after him the giant tore up the biggest mountain in the world and flung it down in front of her and another on top of that she had to bite her way through them while the little prince galloped and galloped at last little prince Ivan saw the cloud castle of the little sister of the son hanging over the end of the world and gleaming in the skies if it were made of roses he shouted with hope and the black horse shook his head proudly and galloped on the witch baby thundered after him nearer she came and nearer ah little one screams the witch baby you shan't get away this time the son's little sister was looking from a window of the castle in the air and she saw the witch baby stretching out to grab little prince Ivan she flung the window open just in time the big black horse leapt up and threw the window and into the courtyard with little prince Ivan safe on its back how the witch baby gnashed her iron teeth give him up she screams I will not says the son's little sister see you here says the witch baby and she makes herself smaller and smaller and smaller till she was just like a real little girl let us be weighed in the great scales and if I am heavier than prince Ivan I can take him and if he is heavier than I am I'll say no more about it the son's little sister laughed at the witch baby and teased her and she hung the great scales out of the cloud castle so that they swung above the end of the world little prince Ivan got into one scale and down it went now says the witch baby we shall see and she made herself bigger and bigger and bigger till she was as big as she had been when she sat and sucked her thumb in the hall of the ruined palace I am the heavier she shouted and gnashed her iron teeth then she jumped into the other scale she was so heavy that the scale with the little prince in it shot up into the air it shot up so fast that little prince Ivan flew up into the air up and up and up and came down on the top most turret of the cloud castle of the little sister of the son the son's little sister laughed and closed the window and went up to the turret to meet the little prince but the witch baby turned back the way she had come and went off gnashing her iron teeth until they broke since then little prince Ivan and the little sister of the son played together in the castle of the cloud that hangs over the end of the world they borrowed the stars to play at ball and put them back at night whenever they remember so when there are no stars asked Maruja it means that prince Ivan and the son's little sister have gone to sleep over their games and forgotten to put their toys away end of prince Ivan the witch baby and the little sister of the son