The Frog Princess

Once there was a Tsar who had three sons. Wishing to see them wed, the Tsar devised a test. He gave each son a bow and an arrow. "Shoot your arrows," he said, "and wherever each arrow falls, there shall you find your bride." The eldest prince's arrow fell in a boyar's courtyard, where a noble girl picked it up. The middle prince's arrow landed at a rich merchant's porch, to be retrieved by the merchant's fair daughter. But the arrow of the youngest, Prince Ivan, soared high and far – and plunked straight into a murky marsh. When Ivan went searching, he found his arrow held in the mouth of a big green frog!

To his dismay, the frog croaked, "Ribbit, here is your arrow. Marry me, Prince Ivan!" Ivan was aghast – a frog for a wife? But a promise is a promise, and the Tsar had decreed it. With great reluctance, Ivan Tsarevich brought the frog back to the palace and wed her.

The two elder brothers married their lovely human brides, mocking Ivan's strange choice. Even the Tsar was uneasy, but he did not break his word. In truth, the frog was no ordinary creature – she was under an enchantment. By day she hopped clumsily and croaked, but at night in private she shed her frog-skin and became Vasilisa the Wise, a beautiful princess as clever as she was beautiful.

Some weeks later, the Tsar decided to test his daughters-in-law to see who was most worthy. He summoned the three young wives and announced: "By tomorrow, each of you must bake me soft white bread." The elder princesses scurried off to their chambers and bragged how they knew all about baking. Ivan returned to his rooms very sad, for how could a frog bake bread? But the frog only said, "Don't worry, go to sleep. The morning is wiser than the evening."

Late at night, Vasilisa the Wise emerged from the frog-skin and called aloud, "Nanny, nanny, help me prepare the bread I delight in when at my father's!" – and invisible hands began to work. In the morning, the two elder brides presented the Tsar with burnt, heavy loaves. But the frog wife sent Ivan with a perfect karavai, a bread soft and white, artfully decorated on the sides with city walls and turrets.

Soon after, the Tsar set a new task: each daughter-in-law must weave a beautiful carpet by the next day. Again, Vasilisa's magic produced a gorgeous rug woven with intricate patterns of gold and silver that dazzled the eye.

✦Vasilisa ventured into the dark woods, guided by the magical doll her mother had given her.✦

Finally the Tsar announced a grand feast. During the dinner, the two elder princesses tried to imitate Vasilisa's every move. When Vasilisa drank wine, they raised their goblets; when she finished with the bones of the roast, Vasilisa casually dropped them into her right sleeve. The other wives saw this and began stuffing chicken bones up their sleeves too.

After the feast, the guests danced. Vasilisa, light of foot, whirled and swayed. From her left sleeve, a trickle of wine flowed – and lo, a little lake formed on the ballroom floor. From her right sleeve, bones fell – and turned into a grove of trees right there in the hall! A magical forest by a lake appeared, astounding all. When the elder wives attempted the same, only messes resulted – sleeves full of grease and bones plopping out, making everyone laugh.

Prince Ivan was overjoyed with his bride. Later that night, he rushed home ahead of Vasilisa and found the discarded frog-skin. In his ignorance, he thought the enchantment must be a curse and threw the frog-skin into the fireplace, where it burned to ashes. When Vasilisa arrived and saw what he had done, she wept. "Oh, Ivan," she cried, "why did you do that? I would have been free soon, but now I must go back to my sorcerer captor. Farewell! Seek me beyond the Seven Lands and the Seven Seas – in the kingdom of Koschei the Deathless." With that, she turned into a gray cuckoo bird and flew out the window.

Desperate to regain his love, Ivan set out at once in search of Vasilisa. He journeyed through wild forests and high mountains, meeting helpers along the way. Eventually, his quest led him to the castle of Koschei the Deathless, where Ivan found Vasilisa the Wise imprisoned. Ivan fought Koschei and, with Vasilisa's help, discovered the secret of Koschei's death hidden in an egg. When Ivan crushed the egg, Koschei perished, turning to dust.

And so Ivan Tsarevich and Vasilisa the Wise were reunited. Ivan brought his beloved wife back home, where they lived in happiness. The Tsar was delighted at Vasilisa's return and even more pleased that his son's brave deed had rid their realm of the dreaded Koschei. Prince Ivan and Vasilisa the Wise inherited the kingdom and ruled together with wisdom and kindness for many years.