(Russian)
In a certain far-off country there once lived a king and queen. And they had an only son, Prince Ivan, who was dumb from his birth. One day, when he was twelve years old, he went into the stable to see a groom who was a great friend of his.
That groom always used to tell him tales (skazki), and on this occasion Prince Ivan went to him expecting to hear some stories (skazochki), but that wasn’t what he heard.
“Prince Ivan!” said the groom, “your mother will soon have a daughter, and you a sister. She will be a terrible witch, and she will eat up her father and her mother, and all their subjects. So go and ask your father for the best horse he has—as if you wanted a gallop—and then, if you want to be out of harm’s way, ride away whithersoever your eyes guide you.”
Prince Ivan ran off to his father and, for the first time in his life, began speaking to him.
At that the king was so delighted that he never thought of asking what he wanted a good steed for, but immediately ordered the very best horse he had in his stud to be saddled for the prince.
Prince Ivan mounted, and rode off without caring where he went. Long, long did he ride.
At length he came to where two old women were sewing, and he begged them to let him live with them. But they said:
“Gladly would we do so, Prince Ivan, only we have now but a short time to live. As soon as we have broken that trunkful of needles, and used up that trunkful of thread, that instant will death arrive!”
Prince Ivan burst into tears and rode on. Long, long did he ride. At length he came to where the giant Vertodub was, and he besought him, saying: “Take me to live with you.”