One soldier on service served twenty five years. The service conducted fairly and correctly, and with companions liked jokes to joke: will tell that — neznaemo that, and on the truth similar, another and believes, yet will not come round. The soldier's service though also long was, yes not all time of soldiers bears service: and the soldier should amuse itself. Families at it are not present, about a dinner, of a lodging for the night starshoj cares, has defended soldiers time for hours — and fairy tales tells. That to it! Such and this was, Ivan-soldier. It has received resignation clean, it is time to it home to native to go, and its house far where, and from native Ivan has weaned for a long time. The soldier has sighed:
- Eh! — speaks, — all life, consider, on soldier's service has left: twenty five years has served, and the tsar did not see. The relatives in village, what such is the tsar and that I will tell will ask me? Ivan to the tsar has gone. And in that state the tsar was Agej, and liked Agej fairy tales to listen. While Agej to a fairy tale will not listen, it and oars did not happen. The Agej-tsar too liked fairy tales and riddles to speak; he that listened to him also liked, and liked even more, that in its fairy tales believed, and riddles did not solve. Ivan comes to I Ageju-reign. Agej speaks:
- That to you, the fellow countryman?
- And the person your imperial to have a look. I have served twenty five years, and you in the person did not see. Tsar Agej ordered to sit down to the soldier on a chair from a carved tree, that against the tsar stood.
- Look, — speaks. — sit, the soldier, on a chair, while devils have not blown up you, — and itself laughs. Well, Ivan sits on a chair; he quails before the imperial person and thinks: whether "bad tsar Agej? To That so rejoices — really to that devils of the soldier will blow up!"
- And that, the soldier, zaganu I to you a riddle, — the Agej-tsar speaks: — How much light is great, how you think? Ivan from the person sureznym became.
- Instead of it is hefty it is great, a sovereign, your imperial majesty. At twenty five o'clock without small the sun circle of all light bypasses. The tsar has told to Ivan:
- And that, the soldier. And how much from the earth to the height sky will be? Whether it is a lot of, a little?
- Yes too, a sovereign, it is not hefty: there knocks — here it is audible.
Tsar Agej sees, the truth is spoken by the soldier, yes is insulting to it, that the soldier on mind fast such, whether will be faster than the tsar.
- And now tell, service: how much sea depth is deep?
- And that it is deep! About that it is not known. My grandfather served on the sea, has sunk in water to that forty years, and now it is not present. The Agej-tsar understands, to idle time zagadkoju the old soldier not to overcome. Ordered to give to it of money for house acquisition and for its table has planted, tea to drink.
- Present me, sluzhivyj, now history, and then I home will release you. And the soldier rich does not happen, he where as was delighted to money. Became Ivan and at the tsar boringly, and to it it is not necessary to tea.
- Permit to me, a sovereign to take a walk to go. Twenty five years I service served, permit wilfully to be. And I after will present history to you. Ivan from the tsar has left and has gone to a tavern. Days of soldiers walked, all imperial money has shirked, there was with it one old penny. He has drunk wines on last penny, yes the, it is visible, has not drunk up, and more it wanted.
- Submit, — speaks, — still to me of wine and a food, a merchant! And the merchant of a deceit is afraid, he and asks:
- And at you gold or silver?
- Gold: silver to the soldier to carry hard. The merchant gives to the soldier a food, and itself has a seat against it.
- Where, service, you go now? — Asks. — the Relatives are live or died?
- From the tsar I go, — the soldier speaks, — whence! And the relatives are not necessary to the soldier, it and so all svojstvenniki. Drink, a merchant, I treat you! The merchant with the retired soldier has drunk.
- I to you, — speak, — sbavku I will make, I will take cheaper. And soldier Ivan to it:
- Let's get even. Drink still, a merchant, be treated! The merchant has got used to a food, it is full lives, and he likes conversation.
- Tell to me, — speaks, — sluzhivyj, byl what is.
- And what to you byl to tell, a merchant?
- And tell that hosh: where you lived, where by the ground went...
- And that I to you will tell: there was I to service in bears yes in wood of veins — and now a bear and tozh to wood go. The merchant uslyhal such and on pervosti has quailed: at it the after all zavedene, in zavedene is a lot of good-goods, and from a bear the loss can be — that from it will ask!
- Well, — the merchant, — al the truth speaks?
- Whether and is not present? — Retired speaks. — Have a look, who we. I a bear, and you a bear! The merchant and at all was stupefied: with whom, say, it I to trade to a camp, in bears being! The merchant has had a look at the retired soldier, has felt itself and sees: the soldier a bear, and it, a merchant, too now a bear.
- That we will do, sluzhivyj? Really to us in wood to run? And retired Ivan answers:
- It is not necessary. Look, in wood hunters will beat us. In wood we will be in time.
- And that now it is necessary for us? Golovushka our bitter! Bears we! Retired not srobel:
- And that it is necessary for us? Bears in merchants do not happen. Call visitors from all volosts, we will walk. Not to vanish to your goods-good! The merchant sees — the truth is spoken by Ivan retired. He to the servant ordered to call visitors from all volosts. Visitors — and those whom called, and those who about call have from apart heard were. Visitors have eaten, had a drink, neither crumbs, nor a drop in a tavern have not left also a cup-spoon home pobrali: to what to a bear ware? There was a merchant without good, without the goods. It has climbed with the retired soldier to spend the night on polati.
- How to me to be? — Speaks.
- And we in wood will leave at night, — speaks the retired. — in a city, whether in posade to bears to live it is necessary, to the law is not present, the penalty will be. Ivan has woken up at night and speaks to a merchant:
- Jump, a bear! In wood it is time to us. And I for you to runaway, and that you will lag behind me. The merchant was adjusted, has jumped with polatej and has hurt a stomach about a floor. He has lain down, has regained consciousness, sees — anything is not present in a tavern, visitors have eaten all trade for nothing, and that retired soldier is not present, and it not a bear, and again a merchant, yes is poorer, than was. The merchant on court of retired soldier Ivan began to search. And where it to find, when Ivan on will has left! And the people of the soldier everywhere welcome, in nakazane it will not give. Has complained then a merchant I reign Ageju. The tsar has called a merchant and asks it:
- For what you in insult on the old soldier?
- Yes that, a sovereign, — the merchant speaks, — after all it in a bear has turned me! I sglupu also have believed, and the soldier has fed your all my goods, both food, and a drink as there are all to visitors for nothing also itself to satiety ate. Tsar Agej has laughed over a merchant.
- Go, — speaks, — acquire good at first. protivu mind to the law is not present, and from nonsense always the loss. Also it wanted here to the tsar — let the soldier will present it history that what is not present, would be as under the truth. The Tsar thought: "Perhaps the soldier is not cleverer than me! Time I the tsar, a fairy tale it will not overcome me, and I over it will laugh". Tsar Agej ordered to find retired soldier Ivan where it is where in vain walks. Ivan — its tsar klichet has heard, and sow hour was.
- I here it, a sovereign, — speak. — that to you? The tsar at first ordered to put a samovar on a table and tea to drink ordered to Ivan. Ivan has given some tea in a silver mug, has cast from it in a saucer and wanted was to sit down again on a chair from a carved tree, yes villages on a stool. The tsar then speaks to it:
- You, Ivan, the good fellow. I have heard: you have turned a merchant into a bear. And you can and to me a piece to present, trouble what?
- I can, a sovereign, I privykshi, yes am afraid.
- Be not afraid, service, I like a fairy tale-trouble.
- We know, — Ivan has told. — yes here I to you will tell a fairy tale, instead of you to me... And which now hour, a sovereign? The tsar has answered:
- To what to you hour? And the first as if.
- So, time! — the retired soldier has told. He has told and has suddenly exclaimed still:
- Water, a sovereign, potoplenie! We run otsjudova more soon, and a fairy tale I after you will tell, where will be dry. You see, vodopole in a palace has found! The tsar potoplenija does not see, and water anywhere is not present, and sees: the retired soldier sinks, air on top chokes also with a mouth swallows. The tsar shouts to it:
- Come round, service! Lo and behold, and and most to breathe there is already nothing: in a water breast it was typed, and in its stomach full, and in guts it is poured.
- Rescue me, soldiers! Ivan-soldier has seized the tsar:
- Agej, float more vigorously! Tsar Agej has floated. He sees — in front of its fish floats. Fish has turned back to it.
- Be not afraid, — fish speaks, — Agej, it I, your service. The tsar has looked at itself: and it fish became. The tsar was delighted:
- Now we will not sink.
- No, in any way is not present, — fish Ivan answers it. — we will be live! They float further. From a palace have departured, on free water float. And suddenly before the tsar fish Ivan away was gone. The tsar hears only — shouts to it from the retired soldier:
- Hey, Agej, float more left, and that in front a network, in an ear you will is! The tsar of the soldier has heard, and to think was not in time — and it has got to a fishing network. The tsar — and fish Ivan there and then has looked.
- That now, service, we will do? — The tsar asks.
- To die, a sovereign, we will be. And to the tsar to live hunting. It was hammered into networks, to jump out has wanted, yes the network is strong. Fishermen have pulled out a network outside. Tsar Agej as one fisherman has seized Ivan-fish has seen, has peeled from it a knife scales and in a copper has thrown. "Well, — the tsar has thought,
- From me scales will not tear up ". The fisherman has seized fish, the compartment to it has away thrown a head and that head, and a trunk in a copper has put. Also hears then the tsar a voice of the retired soldier:
- Sovereign you our father, and where your head? Tsar Agej has wanted to answer the soldier: "And your skin where? From you scales all have torn off! That have you not rescued me, damned?" Yes neither to tell, nor shout the tsar could not: he has recollected — the head at it is not present. The tsar hands has seized the head. It here has come round and to look around the beginnings. The tsar sees — it sits in a palace, as always happened, sits on a soft chair, and against it on a stool retired soldier Ivan sits also tea from a saucer drinks.
- It you, Ivan, fish was?
- I, a sovereign. Who else!
- And who thought, when at me heads were not? Ivan speaks:
- Besides I, a sovereign. There was nobody. The tsar on Ivan has exclaimed here:
- From my kingdom go! And that to spirit of yours it was not audible, and that my people did not remember you, and have forgotten! The retired soldier has left from the tsar and to tea only half-saucers has drunk. And tsar Agej immediately on all kingdom has ordered, that nobody dared to accept in Ivan's house, the retired soldier. Ivan has gone to go. Where will come, where the Tsar will ask — "to start up you did not order", — speak also a collar to it do not unlock. Ivan has blundered at first. It has reached the relatives — and the relatives it do not recognise: the tsar, say, did not order to welcome you. Ivan has gone further. What there? Ivan asks for log hut to spend the night:
- Start up, the kind person.
- Would start up, yes not veleno, — the owner speaks. — and if a dense forest, so unless for a fairy tale. You are able, whether are not present, fairy tales to tell? Ivan has thought:
- I am able, perhaps! Its peasant has let to spend the night. Ivan has told to it a fairy tale. At first the owner listened without hunting: "That, — thinks, — the soldier will tell! Will lie yes porridges will ask". Lo and behold — in the middle of a fairy tale the owner has smiled, has then reflected, and towards the end of a fairy tale and at all itself has forgotten, who he such, — thinks, as it not the muzhik, and the robber, besides: and the tsar it sea, instead of that simply poor, yes the wise person or the fool. And after all also is not present as if anything: one retired soldier sits, with lips moves also words mutters. opamjatovalsja the owner also asks still a fairy tale from the soldier. That has still told, other fairy tale. On a court yard already to dawn the beginning, and the soldier with the owner to sleep did not lay down. Ivan-soldier speaks which fairy tale, and the owner sits opposite to it and cries pleasant tears.
- Will be, — Ivan has told here. — after all I to you of all business — a fairy tale have combined. That in vain tears you spend!
- Yes from your fairy tale, — the owner, — to a shower happiness and to mind meditation answers.
- And tsar Agej rasserchal on me, — has recollected Ivan, — away ordered to leave to me where eyes look.
- So to that and to be it is necessary, — the owner has told: — that to the tsar in insult, to the people in pouchene. Ivan from a place has risen, began to be excused with the owner, and that speaks to it:
- Take in a log hut that you want. Anything now it is not a pity to me, and you in road, look, it is required that.
- And at me all is, the owner, it is necessary nothing for me. Thanks you.
- Instead of to see that is at you! The retired soldier has grinned:
- And here also there is nothing at me, and you give any good. Means, is on what with me to vary.
- And your truth, — the owner has agreed. — well, farewell yes henceforth come, the visitor you will be. Since then Ivan on court yard, on another's villages also has gone. Everywhere it for obeshchane, that he a fairy tale will tell, to spend the night started up also a supper fed: the fairy tale has appeared more strongly the tsar. Only happened, if till a supper it begins a fairy tale to have supper there was no time, and people who listened to it, are did not want, therefore the retired soldier always a Russian cabbage soup supped before fairy tales. So it was more correct. From one fairy tale, not evshi, too you will not live.
