son and heir to
you."

The Tsar and Tsaritza listened attentively to the words of their
bright Tsarevna, and finally they said: "According to thy wish shall
it be done."

In no time the hall was ready, a very high hall adorned with Venetian
velvets, with pearls for tassels, with golden designs, and thirty-two
circles on both sides of the window high above. Envoys went to the
different kings and sovereigns, pigeons flew with orders to the
subjects to gather the proud and the humble into the town of the Tsar
Pea and his Tsaritza Carrot. It was announced everywhere that the
one who could jump through the circles, reach the window and exchange
golden rings with the Tsarevna Baktriana, that man would be the lucky
one, notwithstanding his rank--tsar or free kosack, king or warrior,
tsarevitch, korolevitch, or fellow without any kinfolk or country.

The great day arrived. Crowds pressed to the field where stood the
newly built hall, brilliant as a star. Up high at the window the
tsarevna was sitting, adorned with precious stones, clad in velvet and
pearls. The people below were roaring like an ocean. The Tzar with his
Tzaritza was sitting upon a throne. Around them were boyars, warriors,
and counselors.

The suitors on horseback, proud, handsome, and brave, whistle and ride
round about, but looking at the high window their hearts drop. There
were already several fellows who had tried. Each would take a long
start, balance himself, spring, and fall back like a stone, a laughing
stock for the witnesses.

The brothers of Ivanoushka the Simpleton were preparing themselves to
go to the field also.

The Simpleton said to them: "Take me along with you."

"Thou fool," laughed the brothers; "stay at home and watch the
chickens."

"All right," he answered, went to the chicken yard and lay down. But
as soon as the brothers were away, our Ivanoushka the Simpleton walked
to the wide fields and shouted with a mighty voice:

"Arise, bay horse--thou wind-swift steed,
Appear before me in my need;
Stand up as in the storm the weed!"

The glorious horse came running. Flames shone out of his eyes; out
of his nostrils smoke came in clouds, and the horse asked with a man's
voice:

"What is thy wish?"

Ivanoushka the Simpleton crawled into the horse's left ear,
transformed himself and reappeared at the right ear, such a handsome
fellow that in no book is there written any description of him; no one
has ever seen such a fello