“That a robe be ready by to-morrow morning exactly such as Yelena the Beautiful wore in Whirlwind’s house.”
“We obey; it will be ready.”
Ivan Tsarevich woke at daylight; the robe was on the table, shining like fire, so that the whole chamber was lighted up. Then he roused his master, who rubbed his eyes and asked, “What! have they come to cut my head off? Give the spirits here this minute.”
“But the robe is ready.”
“Is that true? When did we make it?”
“In the night, of course; dost thou not remember cutting it thyself?”
“Ah, brother, I just remember,—see it as in a dream!”
The shoemaker took the robe and ran to the palace.
Yelena the Beautiful gave him much money and the command, “See that to-morrow by daylight the Golden Kingdom be on the sea, seven versts from shore, and from it to our palace let there be a golden bridge with costly velvet spread upon it, and at the railings on both sides let wonderful trees be growing, and let there be wonderful song-birds singing, with various voices. If thou wilt not have it done by morning, I’ll give orders to quarter thee.”
The shoemaker went from Yelena the Beautiful with drooping head. His friends met him. “Well, brother?”