In some kingdom there lived a tsar and his wife Nastasya the Gold Plait. They had tree sons: Piotr Tsarevich, Vasiliy Tsarevich and Ivan Tsarevich.
One day Tsaritsa Nastasya the Gold Plait went to stroll in the garden. Suddenly the horrible monster Whirlwind flew in the garden, grasped the tsaritsa and took her away somewhere. The tsar grieved deeply but didn’t know what to do. The years passed and the tsar’s sons grew up.
Once Piotr Tsarevich and Vasiliy Tsarevich came to the tsar and said:
“Father, let us go to look for our mother!”
The tsar gave his blessing to his elder sons and they left the kingdom. Three years passed but Piotr Tsarevich and Vasiliy Tsarevich didn’t come back.
The youngest son Ivan Tsarevich decided to find his mother and brothers. The tsar blessed him and Ivan started on his journey.
He passed many kingdoms and at last came to the Glass Mountain. The mountain was so high that its summit touched the skies. Under the mountain two marquees were set. In these marquees Ivan Tsarevich found his brothers.
“Hello, Ivanushka, where are you going?” the brothers asked Ivan.
“I am looking for you and our mother,”
“We’ve found where our mother is long ago, but we can’t reach that place. Our mother lives somewhere on this mountain. We can’t clamber up the mountain because its surface is glassy and slippery. We have been staying here for three years and can’t climb the mountain.”
“I’ll try to climb it!” exclaimed Ivan Tsarevich.
He began clambering up the mountain. Taking a step forward on hands and knees he fell head over heels ten steps beneath. In tree days Ivan Tsarevich managed to reach the summit of the Glass Mountain.
“I will go to look for our mother. Stay here and wait for my return. If I don’t come back in three years you may go home.” cried Ivan to his brothers from the summit of the mountain.
Ivan was wandering on the mountain for a long time till he came to the copper palace. The horrible dragons were chained to the palace’s gates. They were breathing with fire trying to reach for the well situated nearby. The copper chains were short and the dragons couldn’t reach the well.
Ivan Tsarevich took the copper dipper hanging on the copper chain near the well and gave the dragons water to drink. The dragons grew quiet and let Ivan enter the copper palace.
Tsaritsa of the Copper Kingdom met the lad blandly.
“Who are you? What are you doing here? asked she.
“I’m Ivan Tsarevich. I’m looking for my mother, Tsaritsa Nastasya. Do you know where I can find her?”
“The horrible monster Whirlwind has stolen your mother. I am also in his captivity. Not far from here my middle sister lives. I think she will help you.”
Then Tsaritsa of the Copper Kingdom gave Ivan Tsarevich a copper ball and said:
“Roll this ball, it will show you the road to my sister.”
The ball started rolling along the road and Ivan went after it. Soon the lad came to the Silver Kingdom where the silver palace was situated. The horrible dragons were chained to the palace’s gates. The dragons were trying to reach for the well but couldn’t do it because the chains were too short.
Ivan Tsarevich took the silver dipper hanging on the silver chain near the well and gave the dragons water to drink. The dragons grew quiet and let Ivan enter the silver palace.
Tsaritsa of the Silver Kingdom ran out of her room to greet Ivan Tsarevich.
“Who are you? What are you doing here? asked she.
“I’m Ivan Tsarevich. I’m looking for my mother, Tsaritsa Nastasya. Do you know where I can find her?”
“No, I don’t know. May be my younger sister Elena the Beautiful can help you. Take this silver ball, it will show you the road to my sister. If you manage to kill Whirlwind, please, don’t forget about me. I have been in captivity for three years, please, release me.”
The ball started rolling along the road and Ivan went after it. The ball stopped near the magnificent gold palace. The horrible dragons were breathing with fire near the palace’s gates. Nearby the well was situated. At the well a gold dipper was chained. The dragons wanted to drink but couldn’t do it because they were chained to the gates with the gold chains that were too short.
Ivan Tsarevich took the gold dipper hanging on the gold chain near the well and gave the dragons water to drink. The dragons grew quiet and let Ivan enter the gold palace.
Tsaritsa of the Gold Kingdom, Elena the Beautiful, met Ivan. She was so beautiful that the lad fell in love with her at first sight.
“Who are you? What are you doing here?” asked Elena the Beautiful.
“I’m Ivan Tsarevich. I’m looking for my mother, Tsaritsa Nastasya. Do you know where I can find her?”
“She lives not far from here. Take this gold ball, it will show you the road to the Pearl Kingdom where your mother lives. If you manage to kill Whirlwind, please, don’t forget about me. Take me away from here.”
Ivan took the gold ball and went to the Pearl Kingdom. The ball stopped near the marvelous place adorned with gold, silver, pearls and precious stones.
The horrible six headed dragons were breathing with fire near the palace’s gates. Ivan gave the dragons water to drink and they let him enter the palace. In the palace he found his mother.
Tsaritsa Nastasya was sitting on the high throne. She was dressed in rich, tsar's clothes; her head was adorned with the gold crown.
“Ivanushka, what are you doing here?” exclaimed she.
“I’ve gone here to release you from captivity!”
“It will be very difficult. Whirlwind is very strong.”
Then Tsaritsa Nastasya led Ivan to the cellar and said showing at two barrels of water:
“Ivanushka, drink water from the barrel which is situated on the right of you.”
Ivan drank water and felt that he became stronger.
Tsaritsa Nastasya asked him:
“Do you feel that you became stronger?
“Yes, I can get the palace moving forward with my left hand!”
“It isn’t enough. Drink more water!”
Ivan took a sip and felt that his strength increased.
Tsaritsa Nastasya asked him again:
“What do you feel?”
“I feel that I can get the whole world moving forward!”
“It’s enough,” said Tsaritsa Nastasya “Now rearrange these barrels. The barrel that is located on the right of you, should be placed on the left.”
Ivan Tsarevich rearranged the barrels. Then Tsaritsa Nastasya said:
“The left barrel contains the magic water which increases strength and the right barrel contains the ordinary water. When Whirlwind battles with somebody he always drinks the magic water. That is why he always wins a victory. This time you will drink the magic water and you will be a winner. But remember the only thing: try to seize Whirlwind’s club and don’t lose hold of it!”
As soon as she said these words, it grew dark, the earth trembled and Whirlwind appeared flying high in the sky. The monster noticed Ivan Tsarevich at once and cried loudly:
“Pray to God! Now I will eat you!”
Ivan Tsarevich ran to Whirlwind and seized his club.
Whirlwind flew up in the skies and started carrying Ivan Tsarevich over mountains, forests, seas, oceans, fields, towns and villages. Ivan held on the Whirldwind’s club strongly. The monster flew all over the world and at last got tired. He descended and went straight to the cellar. Having run to the barrel located on the right he began drinking water from it. Ivan Tsarevich rushed to the barrel located on the left and also began drinking water. Whirlwind lost his strength with each gulp and Ivan became more and more stronger. In a second the lad turned into a mighty bogatyr. He took his sharp sword and cut the Whirlwind’s head at once. Then Ivan ran to Tsaritsa Nastasya and said:
“Mother, let’s go! Brothers are waiting for us. On the way we must take three tsaritsas along!”
At first Ivan Tsarevich and his mother came to the Gold Kingdom to take Elena the Beautiful away. Elena rolled a gold egg and hid the whole her kingdom in this egg. Then she said:
“Thank you, Ivanushka, you’ve saved me from Whirlwind! Take this gold egg; the whole my kingdom is concealed in it and you may marry me, if you want!”
Ivan Tsarevich took the egg and kissed Elena the Beautiful.
Then Ivan Tsarevich, his mother and Elena the Beautiful came to the Silver and Copper Kingdoms to take the tsaritsas away. They also took a long scrap of cloth that could help them to descend from the Glass Mountain.
At first Ivan Tsarevich lowered his mother. Elena the Beautiful was the second who descended and at last her two sisters followed her.
Ivan’s brothers who were waiting beneath saw their mother and three tsarisas. They looked at Elena the Beautiful and her sisters and lost their wits. They had never seen so beautiful girls. The elder brother Piotr Tsarevich said:
“Our brother Ivan is very young. It is shameful that we didn’t manage to save our mother but he did. Let’s tear off the cloth to prevent Ivan from descending! I will marry Elena the Beautiful, you will marry Tsaritsa of the Silver Kingdom and the general will marry Tsaritsa of the Copper Kingdom. Let’s leave Ivan on the mountain!”
The brothers tore off the cloth and Ivan didn’t know how to go down the Glass Mountain. He cried bitterly and started strolling along the mountain. He was bored to death and began to play with the Whirldwind’s club.
As soon as Ivan threw the club over his shoulder Lame Man and One-Eyed Man appeared.
“What do you want?” they asked. “We can fulfill your three orders!”
“I want to eat!” ordered Ivan Tsarevich.
As soon as he said these words the table crammed with different food appeared. Having finished his supper Ivan threw the club over his shoulder for the second time and ordered:
“I want to sleep!”
As soon as he said these words the oak bed appeared. Ivan feel asleep. Having woken up he again ordered:
“Bring me to my native kingdom!”
Lame Man and One-Eyed Man fulfilled the order and Ivan found himself in the middle of the market situated in his kingdom. There he met a merry shoe-maker.
“Let me be your apprentice and work with your!” asked Ivan the shoe-maker.
“Can you sew?”
“Yes, I can sew everything, even a dress!”
The shoe-maker agreed to take Ivan in hand. When they came home the shoe maker said:
“Sew shoes! I will check your skill at sewing!”
At night Ivan took the gold egg and rolled it along the road. In a second the magnificent gold palace appeared from the egg. Ivan entered the palace, took the gold shoes and hid the gold palace to the egg again. In the morning the shoe-maker looked at the gold shoes and gasped with surprise.
“Only tsaritsa may wear these shoes!”
Meanwhile in the palace three weddings were arranging. Piotr Tsarevich was going to marry Elena the Beautiful, Vasiliy Tsarevich was going to marry Tsaritsa of the Silver Kingdom and the rich general was going to marry Tsaritsa of the Copper Kingdom.
The shoe-maker brought the gold shoes to the palace. Elena the Beautiful looked at them and understood that Ivan was safe and sound. She said to the tsar:
“I want to marry only in a beautiful gold dress adorned with precious stones. Let the shoe-maker who has sewed me these gold shoes sew me a gold dress!”
The shoe-maker returned home and said to Ivan Tsarevich:
“The bride of the tsar’s son wants to marry only in a beautiful gold dress adorned with precious stones. The tsar ordered me to sew it. I am just a shoe-maker, I can’t sew such a dresses. In the morning the tsar will order to kill me!”
“Don’t worry,” replied Ivan Tsarevich “In the morning the dress will be ready.”
When the shoe-maker fell asleep Ivan Tsarevich took the gold dress from the gold palace hidden in the gold egg. In the morning the shoe-maker brought the dress in the palace.
Elena the Beautiful thanked the shoe-maker and said him:
“I want you to build a gold palace surrounded with a wonderful garden on the bank of the river. If you don’t fulfill this task I will order to kill you.”
The shoe-maker returned home and cried bitterly:
“Elena the Beautiful ordered me to build a gold palace. I won’t be able to build such a palace even in ten years. In the morning I will be killed!”
“Don’t worry,” said Ivan Tsarevich “In the morning the palace will be ready.”
As soon as the shoe-maker fell asleep Ivan went to the river and rolled the gold egg. In a second the magnificent gold palace surrounded with the wonderful garden appeared and the gold bridge was thrown over the river.
In the morning Elena the Beautiful looked through the window, saw the gold palace and said to the tsar.
“My bridegroom Ivan Tsarevich lives in this palace. Let’s go there!”
So, the tsar, Elena the Beautiful and court circle coached to the gold palace along the gold bridge.
Meanwhile Ivan Tsarevich was nailing up the last nail to the handrails of the porch. Elena the Beautiful ran up to him and said:
“This is my bridegroom. He has saved me and my sisters!”
Then Elena the Beautiful told the tsar everything that had happened on the Glass Mountain. The tsar was very angry and even wanted to execute his elder sons, but Ivan Tsarevich was so glad that he asked the tsar to forgive his brothers.
Three weddings were celebrated in the palace. Ivan Tsarevich married Elena the Beautiful, Piotr Tsarevich married Tsaritsa of the Silver Kingdom and Vasiliy Tsarevich married Tsaritsa of the Copper Kingdom. The sumptuous feast was arranged in the palace that day.