halt see God's light nor the bright
sunshine nor the silvery moon. Thou shalt never walk at liberty
through the wide fields, but thou, my dear guest, shalt dwell in a
palace where no sunny ray ever penetrates. You, my servants, take him,
chain his hands and his feet and lead him to my chief jailor. And you
six Simeons follow me. You have my grace and reward. To-morrow every
one of you will begin to work for me according to his gifts and
capacities."

The six Simeons followed the Tsar Archidei, and the seventh brother,
the youngest, the beloved one, was fallen upon by the servants, taken
away to the dark prison and heavily chained.

The Tsar Archidei ordered carpenters to be sent to the first Simeon,
as well as masons and blacksmiths and all sorts of workingmen. He also
ordered a supply of bricks, stones, iron, clay, and cement. Without
any delay, Simeon, the first brother, began to build a column, and
according to his simple peasant's habits his work progressed rapidly,
and not a moment was wasted in clever combinations. In a short time
the white column was ready, and lo, how high it went! as high as the
great planets. The smaller stars were beneath it, and from above the
people seemed to be like bugs.

The second Simeon climbed the column, looked around, listened to
all sounds, and came down. The Tsar Archidei, anxious to know about
everything under the sun, ordered him to report, and Simeon did so. He
told the Tsar Archidei all the wonderful doings all over the world. He
told how one king was fighting another, where there was war and
where there was peace, and with other things the second Simeon even
mentioned deep secrets, quite surprising secrets, which made the Tsar
Archidei smile; and the courtiers, encouraged by the royal smile,
roared with laughter.

Meantime the third Simeon was accomplishing something in his line.
After crossing himself three times the fellow rolled up his sleeves
to the elbow, took a hatchet and--one, two--without any haste built
a vessel. What a curious vessel it was! The Tsar Archidei watched
the wonderful structure from the shore and as soon as the orders were
given for sailing, the new vessel sailed away like a white-winged
hawk. The cannon were shooting and upon the masts, instead of rigging,
were drawn strings upon which musicians were playing the national
tunes.

As soon as the wonderful vessel sailed into deep water, the fourth
Simeon snatched the prow and no trace of it remain