Mar
Russian Fairytale: Tale of the Golden Cockerel
Somewhere in a Thrice-Nine kingdom there lived the famous Tsar Dadon. When he was young, he was fierce and brave, so, all his neighbors were afraid of him. But when he grew old he wanted to live in peace, to have a rest from wars, but then his neighbors began to make him much trouble often invading his kingdom. To defend the kingdom borders the Tsar had to maintain a mighty army, which fought day and night, led by the glorious chiefs practically without sleeping. Tsar Dadon and his army were so tired that the Tsar decided to ask for help the wise Astrologer, old eunuch from the east.
The Astrologer came with a sack, from where he took out a Golden Cockerel and said, “Place it on the top of your palace and this golden bird will be your faithful watch. If it is peaceful on the border it will sit quietly. But when there is threat of war the Cockerel will give a loud crow and face the side of danger source. The Tsar thanked the Astrologer and vowed him to grant his premier will in acknowledgement.
The Golden Cockerel was guarding the kingdom borders well: if it saw the danger, it turned to the side it was coming from and issued a loud cry, “Cock-a-doodle-doo! Reign in peace, but something do!” Since then the neighbor rulers grew quiet and did not dare to begin wars.
Two years went by peacefully. But one day Tsar Dadon was waken by loud noise. His general said that the Golden Cockerel again began to cry being turned eastside. The Tsar sent the army led by his elder son to the East.
Eight days passed, but there was no news. Suddenly the Golden Cockerel again began to crow, and the Tsar collected a new army with his younger son. As before no news was sent within the eight days. And once more the Golden Cockerel began to crow. This time the Tsar led the third army himself.
The troops were marching day and night, they were deadly tired, but they saw neither battlefield nor campground. By the end of the eighth day among the mountains they saw a silken tent around which the dead armies were lying. And in front of the tent the Tsar saw two dead bodies without helmets and armor, the bodies of his sons. “Oh, my children! Woe is I! Both my falcons are dead! I want nothing but to die!” All the army grieved, and echo caught up their howl and moan.
Suddenly the silky door opened and the young Queen of Shamakhan came out quietly of the tent to meet the Tsar. She was bright as dawn and the Tsar was silenced looking at her eyes. He forgot at once his dead sons. She took his hand tenderly and led him inside the tent where she feasted him with different dainties and then laid him to rest onto a brocade bed. Tsar Dadon stayed at Shamakhan Queen for a week, he was enchanted, caught in trap, he fell in love with her to distraction.
After seven days the Tsar decided to return to his kingdom together with his army and young maiden. They were met by crowds of people who shouted and greeted them, and lo! The Tsar noticed among noisy people his old wise acquaintance with white hair – the Astrologer. “How are you, father,” called him the Tsar. And the old eunuch reminded Tsar Dadon his promise to grant the Astrologer’s premier will as a reward for the Golden Cockerel. He requested to gift him the Queen of Shamakhan. The Tsar was greatly amazed. “Are you mad?” asked he, “What for you demand the girl? Yes, I promised, but there must be some limits in your desires! Choose anything else.” But the old man answered, “I want nothing but this maiden.” Tsar Dadon got angry and cried, “Like hell! You will get nothing at all! Take him out of here!” The old man wanted to argue, but the Tsar hit him by his iron baton at the forehead. The Astrologer fell down and departed. The maiden laughed at him, and the Tsar gave a gentle smile to her though he was anxious very much. The Tsar’s carriage began to move on and they rode into the town. Suddenly in the presence of all folk the Golden Cockerel fluttered away from the palace spire, sat on the Tsar’s head and pecked him in the very crown. Then he soared off, and Tsar Dadon fell on the ground from the carriage and was dead. And what about the Queen? She disappeared as if she had never been there.
Far from true used to be the fairytales,
But include a pair of hints for young males.
Written by famous Russian poet Aleksandr Sergeevich Pushkin