Return To The Kingdom [End of Story]

The hunter then took leave of his mother in law and wended his way homewards. He went on and on till he was utterly exhausted, his swift feet trembled beneath him, and his white arms sank down by his side.

"Alas!" said he, "Shmat-Razum, does you not see how weary I am? My legs fail me."

"Why didst thou not tell it me long ago? I will bring thee to the place alive and well."

And immediately the hunter was seized by a whirlwind and carried through the air so quickly that his hat fell from his head.

"Hi! Shmat-Razum! Stop a minute. My hat has fallen from my head."

"Too late, master. Thou canst not get it. Your cap is now 5000 miles behind thee."

Towns and villages, rivers and forests, melted away beneath the feet of the hunter.

And now the hunter was flying over the deep sea, and Shmat-Razum said to him:

"An thou wilt let me, I would make a golden bower on this sea, and thou wilt be able to rest and be happy!"

"Do so then," said the hunter, and straightway they began descending towards the sea.

Then, for a moment, the waves splashed high, and then an islet appeared, and on the islet was a magnificent resort house. Shmat-Razum said to the hunter:

"Sit in this resort house and rest and look out upon the sea; three merchant vessels will sail by and stop at the islet. Thou must invite the merchants hither, hospitably entertain them, and exchange me for three wondrous things which the merchants will bring with them. In due time I will return to thee again."

The hunter kept watch, and lo! from the west three ships came sailing up, and the merchant men saw the islet and the magnificent mansion he lives in.

"'Tis a marvel!" said they; "how many times have we not sailed hither, and nothing was to be seen but the sea! and now, behold! a golden mansion is here. Come, friends, let us put to shore and feast our eyes upon it!"

So immediately they lowered the sails and cast the anchor, three of the merchants sat them in a light skiff, and they came to the shore.

"Hail, good man!"

"Hail, you wayfaring merchants, all men of many marts! Be so good as to turn in to me, stroll about at your ease, make merry and repose; this mansion was built expressly for guests that come by sea!"

The merchants entered the bower and sat them down on footstools.

"Hi! Shmat-Razum!" cried the hunter; "give us to eat and drink."

The table appeared, and on the table was wine and savoury meats; whatever the soul desired was there with the wishing. The merchants sighed for envy.

"Come," said they, "let us make an exchange. Thou give us your servant, and take from us what marvels thou likest best."

"But what marvels you have then?"

"Look and see!" And one of the merchants drew out of his pocket a little casket, and he had no sooner opened it than a lovely garden spread out all over the island with fragrant flowers and pleasant paths; but when he shut the casket the garden immediately disappeared. The second merchant drew from beneath the folds of his garment a crystal bowl, and began to tapped on it:

"Rap - tap!" out came a ship.

"Rap - tap ~!" out came another ship.

A hundred times he tapped, and made a hundred ships with sails and weapons and crews complete; the ships sailed, the sailors stood by the weapons and took orders from the merchant. The merchant gloried in it for a while, but then he concealed his bowl and the ships vanished out of sight just as if they had never been. The third merchant produced a horn, blew into one end of it, and immediately an army appeared, both horse and foot, with cannons and banners, and through all the ranks went the roll of martial music, and the armour of the warriors flashed like fire in the sunlight. The merchant rejoiced in it all, then he took his horn and blew into the other end of it, and there was nothing to be seen, the whole of that martial might was no more.

"Your marvels are well enough, but they are of no use to me," said the hunter; "your hosts and your fleets would do honour to a Tsar, but I am only a simple hunter. If you would change with me, then must you give me all your three wonders in exchange for my one invisible servant."

"But won't that be too much?"

"Know ye that I'll make no other exchange."

The merchants considered amongst themselves:

"What's the use of this garden, these ships, and these hosts to us? It will be better to make the exchange; at any rate we shall always be able to eat and drink our fill without the least trouble." So they gave the hunter their wonders, and said:

"Well, Shmat-Razum, we'll take thee with us; wilt thou serve us well and loyally?"

"Why should I not serve you? 'Tis all one with me with whom I live."

The merchants returned to their ships and regaled all their crews right royally.

"Hi! Shmat-Razum! Be stir yourself!"

And every one on board ate and drank his fill and lay down and slept heavily. But the hunter sat in his golden bower and grew pensive, and said:

"Alas! my heart yearns after my faithful servant, Shmat-Razum. I wonder where he is now!"

"I am here, master!" The hunter was glad. "Is it not time for us to hasten home?"

And he had no sooner spoken than a whirlwind as it were seized him and bore him into the air.

The merchants awoke from their sleep and wanted to drink away the effects of their carouse:

"Hi! Shmat-Razum, give us some more drink by way of a pick me up!"

But no one answered, no one rendered them that service. Order and shout as they might, things remained precisely as they were.

"Well, gentlemen! This hunter has befooled us! The devil take him, and may the island vanish and the golden bower perish."

Thus the merchants lamented and lamented, then they spread their sails and departed whither their business called them.

The hunter flew back to his country, and descended in a waste place by the blue sea.

"Hi, Shmat-Razum, can we not build us a little castle here?"

"Why not? It shall be ready immediately."

And immediately the castle sprang up, more beautiful than words can tell, That was twice as good as a royal palace. The hunter opened his casket and a garden immediately appeared round the castle with pleasant country paths and marvellous flowers. There sat the hunter at the open window, and quite fell in love with his garden.

Suddenly a swan flew in at the window, plumped down upon the ground, and turned into his lovely young wife. They embraced and greeted each other. And the wife said to the hunter,

"Ever since you did leave the house I have been flying as a white swan among the woods and groves. How happily we will now live together for evermore!"

Early the next morning the King came out on his balcony and looked towards the blue sea, and behold! on the very shore stood a new castle, and round the castle was a colorful garden.

"Who then is this presumptuous stranger who builds on my land without my leave?"

Then his couriers ran thither, asked questions, and came back and told him that this castle was built by the hunter, and he himself dwelt in this castle and his wife with him. The King was more angry than ever, and he bade them assemble a host and go to the shores of the sea, to root up the garden, to smash the castle into little bits, and to bring the hunter and his wife to him.

The hunter saw the King's army coming against him, and it was very strong; then he seized his bowl quickly and tapped with it,

"Rap-tap!"

Out came a ship.

He tapped one hundred times, and made one hundred ships.

Then he seized his horn and blew once, and a host of footmen rolled out. He blew in the other end, and a host of horse rolled out.

The commanders of all the corps came rushing up to him, and asked him for orders. The hunter bade them begin the battle.

The music struck up, the drums rolled, the regiments moved forwards against the royal host. The infantry, like a solid wall, broke down their centre, the horse cut them off at the wings and took them captive, and the guns from the fleet played upon the capital.

The King saw that all his host was fleeing, rushed forward to stop them but how? He could not do it, and in a moment he was swept from his horse in the midst of the fierce fight and trampled underfoot. When the fight was over the people assembled together and begged the hunter to accept the whole realm from their hands.

To this he gave his consent, and he ruled that kingdom with his wife peacefully all the days of his life.

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Well, that's all for now. Thank you all Dear Reaeders who enjoyed this short ride with me :)