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The classic Russian fairy story of a Prince who goes in search of the mystical and wonderful firebird or yar-bird.

The Firebird and the Grey Wolf!
And we'd d like to thank Daniel, Ava, Julian and Ian, and their mother Julia who kindly support storynory!

Hello, hello, and welcome to Storynory. You’re listening to Jana and I’m here with a traditional tale from Russia, from the time of the Tsars. They were the kings or emperors of Russia. The story involves a magical bird that appears in quite a few Russian tales - this is a firebird, with feathers that shine at night.
There’s also another animal associated with Russia - a grey wolf.

But before we start, I’d just like to dedicate this story to Daniel, Ava, Julian and Ian who kindly support Storynory.

In a faraway kingdom, there was a tsar named Vyslav Andronovich. He had three sons: Dmitry, Vasily, and the youngest, Ivan. The tsar owned a garden so grand that there was no garden in any country in the world that could compare with it. In the middle of the garden stood his most precious tree, one that grew golden apples.

But then a Firebird became a regular visitor to Tsar Vyslav's garden; it had golden feathers, and its eyes were like oriental crystals. This magical bird flew to the garden every night and sat on Tsar Vyslav's favourite apple tree. It sat for a while, lighting up the garden with a golden glow, before nibbling at some apples. The Firebird then plucked a particularly large one, gripped it tightly in its talons, and flew away.

Tsar Vyslav became more and more upset, because every night he lost more and more of his golden apples. Eventually he called his three sons to him and said:

“My dear children, which of you can catch the Firebird in my garden? Whoever succeeds shall have half my kingdom now and the rest when I am gone.”

His children, the princes, cried out with one voice:
“Dear father, your royal majesty! We will do our utmost to catch the Firebird alive!”
On the first night, Prince Dmitry went to keep watch in the garden and sat under the apple tree from which the Firebird was picking apples. Unfortunately he fell asleep and did not hear how the magical bird flew in and picked a great many apples. In the morning, Tsar Vyslav Andronovich called his son Dmitry to him:

“Well, my dear son, have you seen the Firebird or not?”

Dmitry answered:

“No, my dear lord-father! She did not fly in last night.”

The next night, Prince Vasily went into the garden to watch for the Firebird. He sat under the same apple tree and, after sitting for an hour or two, fell soundly asleep. He too did not hear the Firebird fly in and nibble on the apples. In the morning, Tsar Vyslav called him and asked:

“Well, my dear son, have you seen the Firebird or not?”

“Dear sir-father! She did not fly in last night.”

On the third night, Prince Ivan went into the garden to keep watch and sat under the same apple tree. He sat there for an hour, then another, and then another. Suddenly the whole garden lit up as if by a great star! The Firebird flew in, sat on the apple tree and began to pluck the apples. Ivan crept up to it so skillfully that he grabbed it by the tail. However, he wasn’t able to hold on to it. The Firebird broke free and flew away. Ivan was left with only one feather from the tail in his hand. In the morning, as soon as Tsar Vyslav awoke from his sleep, Ivan gave him a feather from the Firebird. Tsar Vyslav was very happy that his youngest son managed to get at least one feather from the Firebird. This feather was so wonderful and bright that if you brought it into a dark room, it would shine as if a great many candles were lit in that room. Tsar Vyslav put that feather in his study as a thing that should be kept forever. After losing a feather, the Firebird did not fly into the garden again.

Tsar Vyslav again called his children to him and said to them:
“My dear children! Go on a journey, find the Firebird and bring it to me alive; and as I promised before, the one who brings the Firebird to me will receive half of my kingdom.”

Dmitry and Vasily were already jealous of their younger brother Ivan, because he had managed to pull a feather from the tail of the Firebird. They took a blessing from their father and went off together to find the magical bird. And Ivan also began to ask his father for a blessing for this. Tsar Vyslav said to him:

“My dear son, my dear child! You are still young and not used to such a long and difficult journey. Why leave me? What if all three of you do not return for a long time? I am already old. What if God, in his wisdom, calls to the next world while you are gone? The kingdom will be left without a ruler.”
But try as he might, he could not dissuade young Ivan from trying his hand at finding the Firebird, and he too set out on his way.
Along his journey, Ivan came to a sign with three directions: straight ahead promised hunger and cold, the right promised to cost him his horse but spare his life, and the left threatened to take his life but spare his horse. Ivan chose the right path.

After riding for many days, a great grey wolf jumped out in front of weary Ivan.
“Oh, you Goy!” said the Wolf, which is something like, “Your Highness!” Did you not read the sign that said you would lose your horse if you came this way?”

“I did, sir Wolf,” replied Ivan. “But it was better than freezing to death or losing my life.”
And as soon as he said those words, the horse threw him to the ground and ran off.
Ivan was very sad about his horse. But this was no time to cry! He continued on foot, incredibly tired and longing to sit down to rest. Then the grey wolf caught up with him and said:

“ I feel sorry for you, Ivan, that you are exhausted on foot. Climb on my back, and tell me where to take you!”
Ivan explained his quest for the Firebird. The grey wolf knew exactly where to go. He rushed faster than a horse. By the start of night, he brought Ivan to a stone wall that was not very high, stopped and said:

“Well, Ivan, we’ve arrived. Time to slip off my back and climb over this stone wall. There is a garden behind the wall, and in that garden the Firebird sits in a golden cage. You take the Firebird, but do not touch the golden cage. If you take the cage, you will not be able to escape from the garden. You will be caught immediately!”

Ivan climbed over the stone wall into the garden, saw the Firebird in a golden cage, gleaming and lighting up the whole garden. He took the shining bird out of the cage and went back. But just as he was about to climb out of the garden, he said to himself: "Why did I take the Firebird without a cage, where shall I put it?" He returned and as soon as he took off with the golden cage, there was a dreadful knocking and thunder throughout the garden. The guards immediately woke up, ran into the garden, and caught Ivan with the Firebird. They brought him to their king, whose name was Dolmat. King Dolmat became very angry with Ivan and shouted at him in a loud and angry voice:

“Aren't you ashamed of stealing, young man! Who are you, where are you from, and who is your father?”
Ivan said to him:
“I am from the kingdom of Vyslav, and my name is Ivan. The Tsar is my father. Your Firebird flew into our garden every night, and plucked golden apples from my father's favourite apple tree. For this reason my father sent me to find the Firebird and bring it to him.”
“Well You have gone the wrong way about it!” said King Dolmat, angrily. “But I shall give you a chance if you do me a favour. Go to the thrice-nine lands, and fetch me a golden-maned horse from Tsar Afron. If you do this, I will forgive you and give you the Firebird with great honour. But if you fail to do this favour, then I will let all the world know that you are a dishonest thief!”

Ivan left King Dolmat in great shame, promising to fetch the golden-maned horse.
“Oh, you goy, young man, Ivan son of the Tsar!” - the grey wolf said to him. “Why did you not listen to me? Why did you take the golden cage?”

“I am guilty before you,” Ivan said to the wolf.
“Very well, so be it!” said the grey wolf. “Climb on my back. I will take you where you need to go.”

Prince Ivan sat on the grey wolf's back and the wolf ran as fast as an arrow. They finally reached the kingdom of Tsar Afron at night. And, having come to the white-stone royal stables, the grey wolf said to Prince Ivan:
“Go now to these white-stone stables. The grooms on guard are all fast asleep! Take the golden-maned horse. When you see a golden bridle hanging on the wall, do not take it, or it will be bad for you.”

Ivan crept into the white-stone stables, took his horse and was about to escape. Then he saw a golden bridle on the wall and was so tempted by it that he took it off the nail. As soon as he did this, there was thunder and noise throughout the stables. The grooms woke up, came running, caught Ivan and led him to Tsar Afron. Tsar Afron began to ask him:

“Oh, you goy, young man! Tell me your country, your father, and your name.”

To this Ivan answered him:

“I myself am from the kingdom of Vyslav, the son of Tsar Vyslav, and my name is Prince Ivan.”

“Well, Prince Ivan, you have done wrong. But I will give you this chance. Fetch me Princess Elena the Beautiful. I have long loved her with my soul and heart. Do me this favour and I shall forgive you and give you the golden bridle with honour.. But if you do not do me this favour, then I will let all the world know that you are a dishonest thief!”
Then Ivan promised Tsar Afron to fetch the princess Elena the Beautiful, and felt ashamed at what he had done.

“Oh, you goy, young man, Ivan son of the Tsar!” - the grey wolf said to him. “Why did you not listen to me? Why did you take the golden bridle?”

“I am guilty before you,” Ivan said to the wolf.

“Very well, so be it!” - said the grey wolf. “Climb on my back. I will take you where you need to go.”

The grey wolf once again carried Ivan on his back and ran swiftly, covering vast distances in a short time. At last, they reached the kingdom where Princess Elena the Beautiful lived. A golden fence surrounded her wondrous garden, and the wolf stopped just outside it.
“Now, Ivan,” said the grey wolf, “you must follow my instructions carefully. I will leap over this fence and capture Princess Elena myself. You wait for me here under this oak tree, and when I return, you must not hesitate. Jump on my back immediately, and we shall make our escape.”

Ivan agreed. The wolf leapt gracefully over the golden fence and waited in hiding until evening, when Princess Elena came into the garden with her attendants. As soon as she approached, the wolf darted out, seized her gently but firmly, and bounded back over the fence

“Quick Ivan!” the wolf called. “Jump onto me now!”

Ivan climbed onto the wolf's back, and they sped away with Princess Elena. Despite the commotion raised in the palace, no one could catch them, and soon they were far from the kingdom. As they travelled, Ivan and Elena began to talk, and before long, they had fallen deeply in love.

When they neared the kingdom of Tsar Afron, Ivan became sorrowful. “How can I give up the princess I now love with all my heart?” he lamented.

The grey wolf, ever loyal, comforted him. “Do not despair, Ivan. I will transform myself into the likeness of Princess Elena. Take me to Tsar Afron. He will be very pleased and let you have the golden mained Horse… little will he realise that his beautiful bride is a gray wolf in disguise!”

Ivan was delighted with this plan. He climbed down from the Gray Wolf’s back and then, all of a sudden, there were not one, but two Princess Elena’s standing before him. Now that was magic! He escorted the one who was really the wolf in disguise to Tsar Afron. Tsar Afron was delighted and happily exchanged the horse with the golden main and the golden bridle for the princess. Then Ivan returned to where he had left the real princess Elena and lifted her onto the horse with the golden main. They travelled to the court of King Dolmat who happily exchanged the Firebird for the horse, and at last they set off for home!
But on the way they ran into his brothers, Dmitry and Vasily, who were furious to see that their little brother Ivan was returning not only with the Firebird but with a beautiful princess too. They drew their swords and were about to attack their little brother when the grey wolf jumped out of the bushes and filled them with terror! They galloped away on their horses as fast as they could and did not dare return for a very long time.
So Ivan - without his brothers - came to his father the Tsar and presented him with the Firebird. His father was overjoyed to see him - though worried about his other sons. Ivan and Princess Elena the beautiful were married and eventually became Tsar and Tsarina of the Kingdom and lived happily ever after, while the Firebird lit up the garden at night with golden light - and only ate the apples that it was given. And as for the grey wolf he lived in the gatehouse of the palace with his wife and cubs, making sure that no thieves or bad people ever entered the grounds.

And that was the tale of the Firebird and the Gray Wolf, from Russia.

We really hope you enjoyed this adventurous fairytale.

And I’d like to thank Daniel, Ava, Julian and Ian, and their mother Julia who kindly support storynory!