At midnight, Dogada sent one of her attendants into the bedroom of the shoemaker, desiring her to steal away the stone from the table. But hardly had the girl entered the apartment, and was about to run off with the stone, than the servant Prituitshkin, who was lying by the door, jumped up and exclaimed: “Is it not a shame for you, pretty girl, to rob your future lord and master! You must leave me now a pledge for your conduct.” So saying, he drew off the maid’s slipper and head-dress and dismissed her. Then the girl went to her mistress and told her the whole affair; but Dogada did not despair, and, after an hour, thinking that Goria and his servant Prituitshkin would now be asleep, she sent another maid to steal the stone. When the girl entered the bedchamber, up jumped Prituitshkin again as before, pulled off her slipper, head-dress and jacket, and let her go. But after another hour had passed, Dogada, again thinking they must have fallen asleep, resolved to go herself and fetch the stone. Scarcely, however, had she entered the bedroom of the shoemaker Goria, and laid her hand upon the stone, than up jumped Prituitshkin, and, seizing her, exclaimed: “How! is it not a shame for your Grace to contrive such wickedness? It is not becoming the daughter of so renowned a father to be plotting such tricks; therefore, I must beg of you, fair lady, to leave me a pledge.” No sooner said than done: Prituitshkin slipped off her jacket, slipper, and head-dress, and dismissed Dogada in shame and remorse.
Early the next day, when the shoemaker Goria arose, his servant Prituitshkin told him all that passed during the night, and advised him, when Mistafor should propose to him a riddle, to answer: “Riddle me no riddle, but I will give you a riddle, and then,” continued he, “propose to Mistafor this riddle: ‘I went to walk in your green meadows and caught three goats, and stripped from each of them three skins.’ If Mistafor doubts, and says that it is impossible for a goat to have three skins, call me and order me to bring the skins.”
When Goria received these directions from his servant Prituitshkin, he went to Mistafor, who at once began to propose to him a riddle, but Goria answered; “I will give you a riddle.” And he continued: “I went to walk in your green meadows and caught three goats, and stripped from each of them three skins.” Mistafor doubted greatly and said: “It is impossible for a goat to have three skins.”
“At all events ’tis quite true,” replied Goria; and so saying, he ordered Prituitshkin to bring the three skins which he had taken from the three goats. So the servant immediately brought them to him.
When Mistafor beheld his daughter’s dress he was troubled, scolded her in his heart, and asked the pretended Tsarevich how Dogada’s dress had come into his hands. So the shoemaker told him all that had happened. Mistafor, enraged against his daughter, exclaimed: “Look ye, did you not say that this was not Prince Dardavan, but the shoemaker Goria Krutshinin? I have no longer patience—prepare instantly for your wedding.” And Goria the shoemaker married the Princess Dogada that very day.
Sometime after this the servant Prituitshkin came to Goria and said: “Now that I have made your fortune, do something for me in return: I have a request to make. In your garden is a pond, in which I formerly lived. A maiden was one day washing linen, and dropped a ring into the pond, and by that means she drove me from it. Order now the water to be let off and the pond to be cleaned out: desire that whoever finds the ring shall bring it to you, and when it is found, order the pond to be filled with clear water and a boat to be built; and in this boat sail with your wife and me. I will then throw myself into the water, and when your wife exclaims: ‘Ah! the servant Prituitshkin is drowned!’ only reply: ‘The devil take him!’”
When Goria the shoemaker heard this, he ordered the pond in the garden to be emptied and cleaned, and that whatever was found in it should be brought to him. And when the pond was drained, the ring was found at the bottom by a boy, who brought it to Goria the shoemaker. Then Goria ordered the water to be let into the pond, and a boat to be built. As soon as all was ready, he seated himself, with his wife and servant, Prituitshkin, in the boat, and sailed out into the middle of the pond. But on a sudden Prituitshkin jumped into the water, and Dogada exclaimed: “Ah! see, the servant Prituitshkin is drowned!” Then said Goria: “The devil take him! I want him no longer.”
Prince Dardavan, the real affianced husband of Dogada, was sent out to battle, and there lost his life. Goria the shoemaker ever after went by his name, and lived many years with Dogada in great happiness, forgetting his former unhappy fate.