XI.
The old devil had done up the two brothers, and now went to Iván. The old devil took the shape of a general, and he came to Iván and tried to persuade him to provide himself with an army.
"It will not do for a king to live without an army," he said. "Just command me, and I will gather soldiers from among your people, and will get you up an army."
Iván took his advice.
"All right," he said, "get me up an army: teach them to play good music,—I like that."
The old devil started to go over the kingdom, to gather volunteers. He said that they should go and get their crowns shaved, for which they would get a bottle of vódka each, and a red cap.
The fools laughed at him.
"We have all the liquor we want," they said, "for we distil it ourselves, and as for caps, our women will make us any we want, even motley ones, with tassels at that."
Not one of them would go. The old devil went to Iván and said:
"Your fools will not go of their own will; you will have to force them."