--- title: Opening, part 34 — Russian Folk-Tales · full text with trees description: Opening, part 34, «Russian Folk-Tales» by A. N. Afanas'ev: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: The merchant was frightened, fell on his knees and besought pardon. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/34/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Russian Folk-Tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/) / Opening, part 34 # Opening, part 34 Opening, part 34 of «Russian Folk-Tales» by A. N. Afanas'ev: the whole text, 137 sentences and 2670 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/34/page/2/) The merchant was frightened, fell on his knees and besought pardon.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") “Very well,” said the snake, “I will forgive you, but on condition that whoever meets you first, when you reach home, you must give me for all eternity; and, if you deceive me, do not forget, nobody can ever hide himself from me: I shall find you wherever you are.”[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") The merchant agreed to the condition and came back home.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") And the youngest daughter saw him from the window and ran out to meet him.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the merchant hung his head, looked at his beloved daughter, and began to shed bitter tears.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") “What is the matter with you? why are you weeping, \_bátyushka\_?”[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") He gave her the blossom and told what had befallen him.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") “Do not grieve, \_bátyushka\_,” said the youngest daughter, “it is God’s gift: perhaps I shall fare well.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") Take me to the snake.”[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") So the father took her away, set her in the palace, bade farewell, and set out home.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the fair maiden, the daughter of the merchant, went in the different rooms, and beheld everywhere gold and velvet; but no one was there to be seen, not a single human soul.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") Time went by and went by, and the fair damsel became hungry and thought, “Oh, if I could only have something to eat!”[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") But before ever she had thought, in front of her stood a table, and on the table were dishes and drinks and refreshments: the only thing that was not there was birds’ milk.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") Then she sat down to the table, drank and ate, got up, and it had all vanished.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") Darkness now came on, and the merchant’s daughter went into the bedroom, wishing to lie down and sleep.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") Then a boisterous wind rustled round and the three-headed snake appeared in front of her.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") “Hail, fair maiden! put my bed outside this door!”[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") So the fair maiden put the bed outside the door and herself lay on the bedstead.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") She awoke in the morning, and again in the entire house there was not a single soul to be seen.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") And it all went well with her: whatever she wished for appeared on the spot.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") In the evening the snake flew to her and ordered, “Now, fair maiden, put my bed next to your bedstead.”[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") She then laid it next to her bedstead, and the night went by, and the maiden awoke, and again there was never a soul in the palace.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") And for the third time the snake came in the evening and said, “Now, fair maiden, I am going to lie with you in the bedstead.”[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") The merchant’s daughter was fearfully afraid of lying on a single bed with such a formless monster.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") But she could not help herself, so she strengthened her heart and lay down with him.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") In the morning the serpent said to her, “If you are now weary, fair maiden, go to your father and your sisters: spend a day with them, and in the evening come back to me.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") But see to it that you are not late.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") If you are one single minute late I shall die of grief.”[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") “No, I shall not be late,” said the maiden, the merchant’s daughter, and descended the steps; there was a barouche ready for her, and she sat down.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") That very instant she arrived at her father’s courtyard.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the father saw, welcomed, kissed her, and asked her, “How has God been dealing with you, my beloved daughter?[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") Has it been well with you?”[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") “Very well, father!”[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") And she started telling of all the wealth there was in the palace, how the snake loved her, how whatever she only thought of was in that instant fulfilled.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") The sisters heard, and did not know what to do out of sheer envy.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") Now the day was ebbing away, and the fair maiden made ready to go back, and was bidding farewell to her father and her sisters, saying, “This is the time I must go back: I was bidden keep to my term.”[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") But the envious sisters rubbed onions on their eyes and made as though they were weeping: “Do not go away, sister; stay until to-morrow.”[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") She was very sorry for her sisters, and stayed one day more.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") In the morning she bade farewell to them all and went to the palace.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") When she arrived it was as empty as before.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") She went into the garden, and she saw the serpent lying dead in the pond\![41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") He had thrown himself for sheer grief into the water.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") “Oh, my God, what have I done!” cried out the fair maiden, and she wept bitter tears, ran up to the pond, hauled the snake out of the water, embraced one head and kissed it with all her might.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") And the snake trembled, and in a minute turned into a good youth.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") “I thank you, fair maiden,” he said.[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") “You have saved me from the greatest misfortune.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") I am no snake, but an enchanted Prince.”[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") Then they went back to the merchant’s house, were betrothed, lived long, and lived for good and happy things.[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") THE SNAKE PRINCESS[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") A Cossack was going on his road and way, and he arrived in the sleepy forest, and in that forest, in a glade, stood a hayrick.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") So the Cossack stood in front just to have a little rest, lay down in front of the hayrick and smoked his pipe, went on smoking, smoking, and never saw that a spark had fallen into the hay.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") After his rest he again mounted his horse and went on his road.[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") But he had gone only some dozen paces, when a flame blazed out and lit up the wood.[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the Cossack looked back steadily, and saw the hayrick burning, and in the middle of the flame a fair maiden standing, saying in a threatening voice, “Cossack, good man, save me from death!”[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") “How shall I save you?[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") I see flames all around and cannot get up to you.”[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") “Thrust your pike into the flame: I will jump out on to it.”[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") So the Cossack thrust his pike into the flame and leapt to avoid the great heat.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the fair maiden turned into a snake, crept on to the pike, crawled round the Cossack’s neck, coiled herself round his neck three times and put her tail between her mouth.[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") The Cossack was frightened and had no notion what he should do or what should come to him.[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the snake spoke to him in a human voice: “Do not be frightened, good youth; bear me on your neck for seven years, and go to seek the Kingdom of Tin: when you arrive in that kingdom stay there and live there seven years more, and do not ever leave it: if you serve this service you shall be happy.”[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") So the Cossack went to look for the Kingdom of Tin; much time went by, much water flowed in the river, and at the end of the seventh year he at last reached a steep mountain, and on that mountain stood a castle of tin, and around the castle was a lofty white stone wall.[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") So he climbed up the mountain, and the wall opened in front of him, and he arrived at a broad courtyard.[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") At that same instant the snake disentangled herself from his neck, struck the grey earth, and turned into the maiden of his soul, vanished from his eyes as though she had never been there.[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") The Cossack stabled his horse, went into the palace, and began looking at the rooms: there were looking-glasses all about, silver and velvet, but never a soul of a man to be seen.[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") “Ah!” thought the Cossack, “Wherever have I got to?[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") Who will give me food and drink?[67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") I must here die of thirst and hunger.”[68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") And whilst he was thinking this, lo and behold! in front of him stood a covered table, and on the table was food and drink, enough for all.[69](69/ "tree and pragmatics") So he tasted what he would, drank what he would, strengthened his body, and thought of mounting on his horse to survey.[70](70/ "tree and pragmatics") He went into the stable, and the horse was standing in the stall and was eagerly devouring oats.[71](71/ "tree and pragmatics") **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/34/page/2/) - ← previous: [Opening, part 33](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/33/) - next →: [page 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/34/page/2/) - ↑ back to [Russian Folk-Tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/)