The Frog Tsarevna

Many, many years ago, there lived a Tsar who had three sons. One day, seeing that his sons had grown to manhood, the Tsar called them to him. They stood before him, each tall and strong – each a prince in his own right.

Judging the time was right, he said to them, "While I am still strong and healthy, I should like to see you married and to rejoice with you at the sight of your children and my grandchildren." And the sons replied: "If that is your wish Father, then give us your blessing. Who would you like us to marry?"

Their father, it turns out had hit upon what was surely an unusual solution to their problem. He said, "Now then, my sons, you must each take an arrow and go out into an open field. You must shoot the arrows, wherever they fall, there will you find your destined brides."

(Perhaps you expect that the princes would rebel? That they would be unhappy and sulk for days. Certainly, I would, had I to choose a husband in such a way. But this, dear reader is a fairytale, and things do tend to work out in the end.) The sons bowed respectfully to their father and, each of them taking an arrow, went out into the open field. There they drew their bows and let fly their long, quivering arrows.

The eldest son's arrow fell in a boyar's courtyard and was picked up by the boyar's daughter. The middle son's arrow fell in a rich merchant's yard and was picked up by the merchant's daughter. And as for the youngest son, Tsarevich Ivan, his arrow shot up and flew away he knew not where. Long did he search for it, and having reached a marshy land, he nearly gave up his search. But, there! What did he see but a frog sitting there with an arrow in its mouth!

Then Tsarevich Ivan spoke to the frog and pleaded: "Frog, Frog, give me back my arrow." (For the young man still hoped that he could return to his father and say simply: "Father, no bride have I found.”) But his hopes were shattered when the frog replied, "I will, but only if you marry me!"

Tsarevich Ivan was considerably annoyed. "What do you mean? How could I possibly marry a frog?" But the frog was more determined than he. "You must," she said unrelentingly, "for I am your destined bride." Tsarevich Ivan was sad and crestfallen. But what could be done? The frog knew its rights. Miserable now, he picked up the frog and walked back home.

In the next week, three weddings were celebrated: The eldest son the Tsar married to the boyar's daughter, his middle son, to the merchant's daughter, and poor Tsarevich Ivan, to the frog. And so the Tsar allowed his sons to settle down with their wives. And only after some months had passed did he call them to him to say, "I want to see which of your wives is the better needlewoman," said he, "Let them each make me a shirt by tomorrow morning."

Tsarevich Ivan came home and sat down and hung his head. And the frog hopped over the floor and up to him and asked: "Why do you hang your head, Tsarevich Ivan? What is it that troubles you?""Father bids you make him a shirt by tomorrow morning," said the despairing prince. The Frog replied, "Do not grieve, Tsarevich Ivan, but go to bed, for morning is wiser than evening."

(And that, you will find, is the best thing he could have done... What will morning bring? You'll just have to wait till next week to see).