Koschei the Deathless

In a certain kingdom lived Prince Ivan and his three sisters, Princess Marya, Princess Olga and Princess Anna. As their father and mother lay dying, they told their son, “Let your sisters marry the first suitors who come for them. Don’t keep them at home with you.”

After he had buried his parents, Ivan walked with his sisters in the green garden to ease his sorrow. Suddenly a black cloud swept over the sky and a fierce storm broke. “Inside, sisters!” he cried. They had barely reached the palace when thunder crashed, the ceiling split, and a bright falcon flew into the room. It struck the floor and became a handsome young man. “Greetings, Prince Ivan,” he said. “I came here once as a guest. Now I come as a suitor. I ask for your sister, Princess Marya.” “If my sister likes you, I won’t stand in her way,” said Ivan. “Let her marry you, and God bless you both.” Marya agreed, and the Falcon married her and carried her off to his own kingdom.

Day followed day and a whole year passed. Again Ivan was walking in the garden with his two remaining sisters when a storm cloud rose with wind and lightning. They hurried in, the thunder boomed, the roof caught fire, the ceiling cracked in two, and an eagle flew in, struck the ground and turned into a young man. He too said he had come once as a guest and now came as a suitor, and he asked for Princess Olga. Ivan told him that if Olga liked him she was free to choose. She agreed, and the Eagle took her away to his kingdom.

Another year went by. Ivan said to his youngest sister, “Let’s walk in the garden.” Once more a storm blew up, they ran indoors, and before they could even sit down the thunder crashed, the ceiling opened and a raven flew in. It struck the floor and became a young man even handsomer than the other two. “Prince Ivan, I came once as a guest; now I come as a suitor. Give me Princess Anna for my wife.” “I won’t take away my sister’s freedom,” said Ivan. “If you win her heart, marry her.” So Anna married the Raven and he carried her off to his realm.

Now Ivan was alone. He lived a whole year without his sisters and grew so lonely that he said, “I will go and look for them.” He made ready and rode for a long time, until one day he came upon a whole army lying dead across a plain. “If anyone here is still alive, answer me!” he shouted. “Who destroyed this great army?” One living man replied, “The beautiful Princess Marya Morevna defeated all of them.”

Ivan rode on and came to a white tent, and out came Marya Morevna herself to meet him. “Greetings, Prince. Where are you going? Do you ride by choice or because you must?” “Brave young men ride where they choose,” said Ivan. “Then if your errand isn’t urgent, rest in my tent for a while.” Ivan was glad to. He stayed two nights, Marya Morevna came to love him, and she married him and took him home to her kingdom.

After some time together, the princess decided to go off to war. She handed Ivan the running of the household and said, “Go everywhere and look after everything, but do not look inside that closet.”

Ivan could not resist. As soon as she had gone he ran to the closet and threw open the door. Inside hung Koschei the Deathless, bound with twelve chains. “Have pity on me and give me a drink,” Koschei begged. “For ten years I have hung here in torment with nothing to eat or drink. My throat is dried out.” Ivan brought him a bucket of water. He gulped it down and said one bucket was not enough. Ivan brought a second, and Koschei drank that and asked for a third. When he had swallowed the third, his old strength came back. He shook his chains and snapped all twelve at once.

“Thank you, Prince Ivan!” cried Koschei. “Now you’ll see your own ears sooner than you’ll see Marya Morevna!” He flew out of the window as a terrible whirlwind, overtook the princess on her road, seized her and carried her off to his home. Ivan wept bitterly. Then he got ready and set off, saying, “Whatever happens, I will find Marya Morevna.”

He travelled for two days, and at dawn on the third he saw a splendid palace with an oak beside it, and a bright falcon sitting in the oak. The Falcon flew down, struck the ground, became a young man and called out, “Dear brother-in-law, how are you?” Princess Marya came running out, hugged her brother, asked how he was and told him all her news. Ivan stayed three days. Then he said, “I can’t stay. I must look for my wife.” “She will be hard to find,” said the Falcon. “Leave us your silver spoon, so that we can look at it and think of you.” Ivan left the spoon and rode on.

Two more days passed, and at dawn on the third he saw an even grander palace with an eagle in the oak beside it. The Eagle flew down, became a young man and called, “Princess Olga, come out! Our brother is here!” Olga ran to kiss and hug him and tell him everything. Ivan stayed three days, then said he must go on searching. “She will be hard to find,” said the Eagle. “Leave us a silver fork to remember you by.” He left the fork and went on.

After two more days he reached a palace finer than both the others, with a raven in the oak. The Raven became a young man and shouted, “Princess Anna, come quickly! Our brother is coming!” Anna ran out to greet him with kisses and news. After three days Ivan said goodbye. “She will be hard to find,” said the Raven, “but leave us your silver snuffbox so we can remember you.” Ivan gave it to them and set off.

On the third day after that he came to where Marya Morevna was. When she saw him she threw her arms round his neck and cried, “Oh, Ivan, why did you disobey me and look in the closet and let Koschei out?” “Forgive me, Marya Morevna. Let’s not talk about what’s done. Come away with me now, while Koschei is out of sight. Maybe he won’t catch us.” So they made ready and fled.

Koschei was out hunting. As he rode home that evening, his horse stumbled under him. “Why are you stumbling, you old nag? Do you sense trouble?” “Prince Ivan has come and taken Marya Morevna.” “Can we catch them?” “We could sow wheat, wait for it to grow, reap it, thresh it, grind it into flour, bake five pies, eat them, and only then set out, and we would still catch them.” Koschei galloped after them and overtook Ivan. “This time I’ll forgive you, because you gave me water,” he said. “I’ll forgive you a second time too. But the third time, watch out, for I’ll cut you to pieces.” He took Marya Morevna and carried her away.

Ivan sat down on a stone and cried. Then he went back for her. Koschei was away from home again. “Let’s run, Marya Morevna!” “Oh, Ivan, he’ll catch us.” “Let him. At least we’ll have had an hour or two together.” So they fled. As Koschei rode home his horse stumbled, and when he asked why, it told him Ivan had taken Marya Morevna. “Can we catch them?” “We could sow barley, wait for it to grow, reap and thresh it, brew beer, drink until we were merry, sleep it off, and then set out, and still be in time.” Koschei galloped off and caught them. “Didn’t I tell you that you would see her no sooner than your own ears?” he said, and he carried her home again.

Alone once more, Ivan wept, and then went back a third time while Koschei was out. “Let’s run, Marya Morevna!” “Oh, Ivan, he’s sure to catch us and cut you down.” “Let him. I can’t live without you.” So they fled, and once again Koschei’s horse stumbled on the way home and told him what had happened. This time Koschei caught Ivan and killed him with his sword. He packed the body into a barrel, sealed it with pitch, bound it with iron hoops and threw it into the blue sea. Marya Morevna he carried back to his house.

At that very moment the silver spoon, fork and snuffbox Ivan had left with his brothers-in-law turned black. “Something terrible has happened,” they said. The Eagle swooped to the sea, seized the barrel and dragged it to shore. The Falcon flew off to fetch the Water of Life, and the Raven to fetch the Water of Death. When the three met again, they broke open the barrel, lifted Ivan out, washed him and laid him out properly. The Raven sprinkled him with the Water of Death, and his wounds closed and his body was whole again. Then the Falcon sprinkled him with the Water of Life, and Ivan shivered, stood up and said, “My, what a long time I’ve been asleep!” “You’d have slept a great deal longer without us,” said his brothers-in-law. “Now come and stay with us.” “No, brothers. I’m going to find Marya Morevna.”

When he found her, he said, “Find out from Koschei where he got such a wonderful horse.” Marya Morevna waited for a good moment and asked. Koschei told her, “Beyond three times nine lands, in the thirtieth kingdom, on the far side of the fiery river, lives a Baba Yaga. She has a mare so fine that she rides it round the whole world every day, and many other splendid mares too. I herded them for three days without losing one, and as payment she gave me a foal.” “But how did you cross the fiery river?” “I have a special handkerchief. When I wave it three times to the right, a tall bridge springs up that the flames can’t reach.” Marya Morevna told all this to Ivan, and she stole the handkerchief and gave it to him.

Ivan crossed the fiery river and went on toward Baba Yaga’s. He walked a long way with nothing to eat or drink. At last he came upon a strange foreign bird with her chicks. “I’ll eat one of these chicks,” he said. “Please don’t, Prince Ivan,” begged the bird. “One day I will help you.” Farther on he found a beehive in the forest. “I’ll take some honeycomb,” he said. “Leave my honey alone, Prince Ivan,” said the queen bee. “One day I will help you.” So he left it. Then he met a lioness with her cub. “I’ll eat that cub,” he said. “I’m so hungry I feel ill.” “Please leave us be, Prince Ivan,” said the lioness. “One day I will help you.” “Very well, as you wish,” he said.

Weak with hunger, he walked on until he reached Baba Yaga’s house. Around it stood twelve poles in a ring. On eleven of them was a man’s head; the twelfth was empty. “Good day, granny.” “Good day, Prince Ivan. Why have you come? By your own wish, or because you must?” “I’ve come to earn a hero’s horse from you.” “So be it. You won’t need to serve a year, only three days. Look after my mares well and you’ll have your horse. If you don’t, then don’t be surprised to see your head on the last pole.”

Ivan agreed. Baba Yaga fed him and sent him to work. But as soon as he drove the mares into the field they flicked up their tails and galloped off across the meadows in every direction, and in a moment they were gone. Ivan wept and fretted, then sat on a stone and fell asleep. As the sun was setting, the foreign bird flew down and woke him. “Get up, Prince Ivan. The mares are home.” He went back and found Baba Yaga raging at the mares. “Why did you come home?” “How could we help it? Birds came flying from every corner of the world and nearly pecked our eyes out.” “Then tomorrow don’t run across the meadows. Scatter into the thick forest.”

Next morning Baba Yaga warned Ivan that if he lost even one mare his head would go on the pole. He drove them out, and at once they flicked their tails and vanished into the deep woods. Again he sat on the stone, wept and fell asleep. At sunset the lioness came running. “Get up, Prince Ivan. The mares are all rounded up.” When he went back, Baba Yaga was screaming at the mares worse than before, and they told her that wild beasts had rushed at them from every part of the world and nearly torn them apart. “Then tomorrow run into the blue sea,” she said.

On the third morning she sent him out with the same threat. The mares flicked their tails, disappeared and ran into the blue sea, where they stood up to their necks in the water. Ivan sat on his stone, wept and slept. After sunset a bee came flying to him. “Get up, Prince. The mares are gathered. But when you get back, don’t let Baba Yaga see you. Go into the stable and hide behind the mangers. You will find a scruffy colt rolling in the dirt there. Steal it, and ride away in the middle of the night.”

Ivan crept into the stable and lay behind the mangers while Baba Yaga shrieked at her mares, who told her that swarms of bees had come from every part of the world and stung them all over. When the witch was asleep, at the darkest hour, Ivan took the scruffy colt, saddled it and galloped to the fiery river. There he waved the handkerchief three times to the right, and out of nowhere a magnificent bridge appeared, hanging high over the flames. He rode across, then waved the handkerchief only twice to the left, and the bridge became thin, very thin.

In the morning Baba Yaga found the colt gone and raced after it in her iron mortar, pushing with her pestle and sweeping away her tracks with her broom. At the fiery river she looked at the bridge and said, “What a fine bridge!” She drove onto it, but halfway across it snapped in two, and she tumbled into the river and perished there.

Ivan fed the colt on the green meadows until it grew into a wonderful horse. Then he rode to Marya Morevna, who ran out and flung her arms round him. “How did God bring you back to life?” “Like this, and like this,” he said, and told her. “Now come with me.” “I’m afraid, Ivan. If Koschei catches us, he’ll kill you again.” “He won’t catch us. Now I have a hero’s horse that flies like a bird.” They climbed onto its back and rode away.

As Koschei rode home, his horse stumbled. “Why are you stumbling, you old nag? Do you sense trouble?” “Prince Ivan has come and taken Marya Morevna.” “Can we catch them?” “Heaven knows. Prince Ivan has a horse now that is better than I am.” “I can’t bear it,” said Koschei. “I’m going after them.” In time he caught up with Ivan, leapt to the ground and raised his sharp sword. But at that moment Ivan’s horse kicked Koschei with all its strength and cracked his skull, and Ivan finished him with a club. Then Ivan built a great pile of wood, burned Koschei the Deathless on it and scattered his ashes to the wind.

Marya Morevna mounted Koschei’s horse, Ivan rode his own, and they went to visit the Raven, then the Eagle, and then the Falcon. Everywhere they were welcomed with joy. “Ah, Prince Ivan, we had given up hope of seeing you,” said the brothers-in-law. “But all your trouble was worth it. You could search the whole world over and not find a beauty like Marya Morevna.” They visited and feasted, and afterward the two of them rode home to their own kingdom.

About this tale

In Andrew Lang’s The Red Fairy Book (Project Gutenberg #540) this tale is called “The Death of Koshchei the Deathless,” and a footnote credits it to Ralston. Lang’s text follows Ralston’s English closely. The page keeps the site’s spelling, “Koschei,” and Lang’s order of events: the three bird brothers-in-law, the forbidden closet, three escapes, the barrel in the sea, the Waters of Death and Life, and Baba Yaga’s mares.

The tale follows a strict rule of threes. There are three sisters and three silver keepsakes. The bird, the lioness and the bee each pay back Ivan’s mercy, and Koschei forgives him twice before the third chase. In Lang’s text Koschei cuts Ivan to pieces before the barrel; here that is told as his death by the sword, and the rescue that follows is unchanged.

Read the original: Andrew Lang, The Red Fairy Book (Project Gutenberg #540)

For older readers: includes abduction, a field of dead soldiers, severed heads, Ivan’s killing and supernatural revival, and Koschei’s crushed skull and burning body.

The fourth escape changes the conditions

Ivan’s first three attempts repeat the same plan against a faster horse. His determination is sincere, but it does not solve the problem. After his rescue by the bird brothers, he asks Marya to find out where Koschei obtained his mount. Information, animal help and a better horse make the next attempt different.

Marya is more than a reward for the journey: she is a warrior who initially controls her kingdom, then gathers knowledge and steals the handkerchief during captivity. Ivan also respects his sisters’ choices of husbands at the beginning. Those relationships supply the support that later saves him.

Mark what changes between attempts

Compare the first three escapes with the final one. List the new knowledge, objects, allies and abilities involved. Then trace the separate jobs of the Waters of Death and Life: one repairs the body and the other revives it, within the tale’s magic.

Questions to ask

• Marya Morevna tells Ivan not to open the closet. Why do you think he opens it, and what does it cost him?
• How do the silver spoon, fork and snuffbox help save Ivan’s life?
• Which act of mercy on the road to Baba Yaga’s house turns out to matter most? Explain your choice.

You may also like

• The Tsarevna Frog — a Russian prince who must also face Koschei the Deathless
• Vasilisa the Beautiful — another visit to Baba Yaga’s hut
• The Firebird, the Horse of Power, and Princess Vasilisa — a Russian hero helped by a wonderful horse