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The Tale of Tsarevna Olenka
🕑 Added 2025-09-10 13:24:50 +0000 UTCA long time ago there lived a tsar who had two children – a son with raven-black hair and a daughter whose hair was so bright that the moonlight seemed to shine within it.
The time came to find a wife for his son. The tsar desired for him a maiden whose hair reflected the glow of the moon, yet nowhere could he find such a bride. At the urging of his advisors, he resolved to give his daughter in marriage to her own brother.Terrified by what she heard, Olenka wished the earth would swallow her whole. Speaking a spell three times, she found herself in the underworld. Wandering there, she came upon a dark forest, at the center of which stood a vast castle. Having nothing to lose, she raised her hand to knock at the gates – but they opened on their own.
At the threshold appeared a maiden who looked exactly like Olenka. Seeing their likeness, the two girls decided to flee from the realm of darkness. Yet the stranger was guarded by a cat with twelve heads, for she had been destined to become the bride of the Zmey*. A plan of escape quickly formed in their minds. They began to play with the cat until it grew weary and fell into a deep sleep. Then they sealed each of its mouths with clay and hurried toward the gates.
Before long, the cat realized what had happened. Spitting out the clay, it let out such a piercing cry that the Zmey himself heard it and gave chase after his bride-to-be.
Olenka threw a comb behind her, and at once a thick forest rose up before the monster, through which he could scarcely force his way. Then she cast a currycomb, and iron cliffs grew up before him. Finally she flung a towel behind her, and where it fell a great sea spread wide. Unable to cross it, the Serpent drank all the water – and burst into a thousand pieces.
Overjoyed, the girls spoke the spell once more, and the earth released them from its grasp.
When Olenka’s brother saw the two of them side by side, he could not tell which was his sister. But when the truth was revealed, he joyfully took the beautiful stranger as his bride.
*A Slavic dragon, sometimes regarded as an incarnation of Veles – lord of the underworld.
I think this will be my new series titled: "Slavic Folktales" inspired by some of the oldest slavic tales. What do you think about this idea?
Love, Erinthul.
