The Gray Wolf and Tsarevich Ivan

Old Yelena and I meet every week, for one hour only. Inside her tent on the circus grounds, she tells me stories for this hour. Though it is her profession, she never charges me anything – because I, Alexi Yershov, am going to put them all in a book. Suki, her granddaughter is to draw the pictures. And together, we shall have a bestselling masterpiece, because truly, the fairytales of my homeland Russia, are wonderful.

Take the story of Tsarevich Ivan and the Gray Wolf – the young prince is really rather silly, but the Gray Wolf is so very intelligent. Together they have tracked first the Fire Bird, then the Horse with the Golden Mane. Now Yelena begins Tsarevich Ivan's story again, from where she last left off – Tsarevich Ivan has been caught trying to steal the Tsar Kusman's magical horse with its Golden Bridle and must now do as the Tsar bids or have his family's name dishonoured.

"The Gray Wolf is running. Beneath his paws, the landscape flashes past in a blur. On his back a boy clings. They are now on their way to get the beautiful young maiden known as Ksenia the Fair for the Tsar Kusman. Finally after the sun has set and the moon had risen many, many times they come to the tsardom of Tsar Dlmat and in the garden of his castle, Ksenia the Fair is strolling with her women and maids.

"This time I shall do everything myself," said the Gray Wolf. Telling Tsarevich Ivan to wait some way off, the Wolf slunk into the garden and hid behind a bush and watched Yelena the Fair. At the one moment when her maids were looking away, he pounced on her, and throwing her onto his back with his great jaws, took to his heels. It was not long before he came to where Tsarevich Ivan was, and Ksenia was so relieved to see another human being that she promptly fell in love with the handsome prince and he with her.

The Gray Wolf ran with the speed of the wind back the way they had come, back towards Tsar Kusman's palace. But the closer they got, the sadder both Tsarevich Ivan and Ksenia the Fair became. Finally the Gray Wolf asked Tsarevich Ivan what bothered him, and he said, "How can I help being sad, Gray Wolf! It breaks my heart to part with such loveliness – to think that I must exchange Ksenia the Fair for a horse!"

Sighing, the Gray Wolf said, "Alright, dearest master, we shall hide her somewhere, and I shall turn myself into Ksenia the Fair instead." So they hid her in a hut in the forest and the Gray Wolf turned a somersault and low and behold he was Ksenia the Fair.

In short order Tsarevich Ivan had made the exchange with Tsar Kusman – Ksenia the Fair for the Horse with the Golden Mane and the Golden Bridle. Later Tsar Kusman held a wedding and a feast and he feasted all day long. But when he led her to the privacy of their bedroom and lifted her veil, what should he see but the muzzle of a Wolf instead of the face of his young wife! So frightened was the Tsar that he tumbled out of bed and the Gray Wolf sprang up and ran away.

When he finally caught up with Tsarevich Ivan and Ksenia the Fair he was surprised to find them both still sad. When he asked for the reasons behind this strange mood, Tsarevich Ivan said, "How can I help being sad? I cannot bear the thought of exchanging the Horse with the Golden Mane for the Fire Bird!" "Cheer up," said the Wolf, "I will help you."

Soon they came to the tsardom of Tsar Afron. "Hide the horse and Ksenia, and I shall turn myself into Golden Mane and you shall take me to Tsar Afron," said the Wolf. And when the two were hid, he turned a somersault and low and behold, he was Golden Mane.

Tsar Afron was very pleased with his horse, and gave Tsarevich Ivan both the Fire Bird and the Golden Cage. Tsarevich Ivan went back into the woods, put Ksenia the Fair on Golden Mane's back, and taking the Golden Cage with the Fire Bird in it, set off joyfully homewards. His journey would soon be at an end.

In the meantime, Tsar Afron had the gift horse brought to him, and he was just about to get on its back when it turned into a gray wolf! So frightened were both he and his guards that they all fell over backwards and the Gray Wolf escaped, running so fast that he soon caught up with Tsarevich Ivan and Ksenia the Fair.

"And now I must say goodbye," said he, "for I can go no further." Once more, Tsarevich Ivan was sad, but this time there was nothing his friend and servant could do to help him. Filled with gratitude, Tsarevich Ivan got off his horse, bowed three times, and thanked the Gray Wolf humbly.

"Do not say goodbye for good, for you may still have need of me," said the Gray Wolf." Old Yelena grins at me when I groan. Tsarevich Ivan is on his way home now, what could possibly go wrong I ask her.

"Many things," she replies. "The world is a wild and dangerous place, Alexi, but with a good friend by your side, there is never any reason to be sad."

So saying she nudges me out of her tent. She has work to do. "Come back next week, Alexi," she says, waving, "We shall have ourselves a merry time. Besides you do want to find out how the tale of Tsarevich Ivan ends, do you not?" I do.