"Emelya and the Magic Pike"
Once upon a time there were three brothers. Two were clever and the third was a noodle. One day the clever brothers decided to go to the town to buy various supplies and said to their younger brother:
"Emelya obey our wives and do as they say and we will buy you red boots, a red caftan, and a red shirt in the town." After the brothers have left the house, one of the wives said: "Emelya, you can't do anything but lie on the stove. The least you can do is to go and fetch some water."
Emelya took the pails and went to the waterhole. He drew the water and there was a pike in one of the pails. To his surprise, the pike spoke to him in a human voice and said: "Don't eat me. Put me back in the water and I will stand you in good stead."
"What you will do for me?" asked Emelya.
"You should say 'By the pike's command, by my own request, do thus and so' - and it will be done," replied the fish.
Emelya ordered: "By the pike's command, by my own request, pails, go home by yourselves and stand on your accustomed place!"
As soon as Emelya had said this, the pails went home and stood on their regular place. The brothers' wives saw this and were very amazed. They said: "He is not a noodle. He is indeed clever - otherwise how could the pails have come home by themselves?" And they decided to give him another errand. "Don't lie on the stove. Go and fetch wood so that we can cook the dinner." - they ordered.
Emelya sat in the sled and whispered, "By the pike's command, by my own request, go into the woods, sled!" The sled took off as though someone were driving it with strong horses. It ran into everything that stood in its way - people, animals, huts, everything in the town.
In the woods Emelya commanded: "Axes, cut wood!" The wood was chopped and set evenly on the sled. Emelya sat on top of the wood and the sled rushed swiftly, again running into everything that was in its way. But this time the people were ready for him. They caught Emelya and began beating him. Emelya took up a stick and ordered it to protect him. The stick jumped up and set about hitting out to the left and right, till the crowd released Emelya. Emelya came home and went to his accustomed place on the stove.
The people were angry with Emelya and went to the Tsar to ask him to banish Emelya from the kingdom. They decided that the best way to make Emelya to come to the palace is to promise him red boots, a red caftan and a red shirt. Emelya arrived at the palace sitting on the stove, which drove by itself. The Tsar wanted to kill him but his younger daughter suddenly fell in love with Emelya and begged her father to release him and let her marry him. The Tsar couldn't dissuade her daughter from her decision. He was very furious with his daughter and finely he gave his content to their wedding. After the marriage, the Tsar put the newlyweds into a barrel and threw it into the sea.
The barrel sailed on the water for a short time or for a long time, no one knows. Finely, Emelya ordered: "By the pike's command. By my own request, let this barrel be thrown on the shore, but do not let us be hurt in any way." They climbed out of the barrel and Emelya's wife asked him to build a house for them.
Emelya commanded: "By the pike's command, by my own request, let a marble palace be built and let this palace be opposite the Tsar's palace!" His desire was at once fulfilled.
The next morning the Tsar saw the wonderful palace and sent his messengers to find out who was living in it. When he heard that it belonged to Emelya and his daughter, he ordered them to appear before him. The Tsar blessed the newly-weds from the bottom of his heart.
Emelya and his bride lived happily in their beautiful marble palace and prospered over the years.
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