The Tale of the Running Boots, book nine. The great envious man puts on his walking boots

Magic shirts are found in Russian and European mythology.

The area of ​​magical action and application is quite wide (unlike the narrowly targeted boots of walkers, for example)

This is the ability to become a werewolf in such a shirt (From a swan to a human and back, and other animals). I remember that the process of making such shirts was very long and painstaking and even painful at times, since the nettles to create werewolf shirts had to be torn and crushed with bare hands and feet, and they also require the fulfillment of complex temporary taboos, such as the fact that one cannot no one to talk to for a year, but it’s nothing if you really want to make a magic shirt.

There were also shirts belonging to the class of flight clothing, which allowed its owner to easily fly through the air without turning into a bird. Here, apparently, you need to take a closer look at the process of creating clothes and think about what is better, to make a flight or werewolf shirt to turn into a bird, however, werewolf shirts can turn you not only into a bird, but also other animals, and a flight shirt has only one action.

According to legend, flight shirts are made from the lightest material - poplar or dandelion fluff, which must be collected on certain days with the accompanying use of all sorts of special elements, a bunch of prohibitions and other special rules, but, of course, having made such a shirt, they opened up for the hero great opportunities roam around enemy cities with impunity, stealing other people's brides or ancient and other magical relics.

Well, there’s nothing to say about shirts with a spell from a sword and a knife, since these did, or rather spelled, an ordinary shirt, all and sundry, starting from seasoned sorcerers and magicians, and ending with a good and smart wife or sister. And I think you can charm a shirt not only from a sword and a knife, but also from drunkenness, so to speak (so that the husband does not go to the pub. He will put on such a shirt, he just wants to turn towards the pub, but the shirt will pull him off, it will become too small, chest it will squeeze and my husband will want to go straight home, quickly undress and go to sleep).

Apparently, embroidery and decorations on shirts remained from past times precisely as part of the ritual action to create a magic shirt. Magic runes and signs used to have a certain meaning, now they are just for decoration, but before they were with directed intent. As well as the fact that we strive to wear natural clothes made from natural materials, since it is impossible to put magic into synthetics, and it is not very suitable for creating magic shirts.

Walking boots

Walking boots: most often present in Russian or Slavic epics and fairy tales, but are also found among other peoples.

As a rule, they first belong to either an evil cannibal giant, a sorcerer, or a witch, and the hero has to take them by force.

The boots have no size and are apparently made of some special, magical material, which, when put on by the owner, takes on his shape. That is, anyone who puts on these wonderful boots will fit at the right time, taking the shape and size of the owner’s feet (good practice for future fashion designers). This makes me think that the boots were made of some kind of bio-material...

And after the hero or heroine has put on these magic boots, the most important thing begins; if desired, they can transport the owner over long distances without physical strain for its owner.

True, there is a danger of not getting into the right place if you do not have a good eye, since the boots need an exact order to what distance to carry, mental or vocal, it makes no difference.

This is not always the case, of course, there are boots that simply increase walking speed, but it is not said whether the owner’s legs were tired from this particular model of boots. One can only guess about this, but the fact remains that walking boots help to run or jump long distances in an instant, and instead of long tedious weeks of hiking, the hero finds himself in another country in one minute.

By the way, our dear Santa Claus uses such boots before the New Year, when he rushes around the world and takes care of his winter pre-holiday affairs, such as painting glass with frosty patterns or dressing trees in winter outfits. One must think that without them he definitely would not have managed it and would never have been able to do everything quickly.

Many fairy tales, both Russian and European, are characterized by the use of magical objects, the purpose of which is to help the heroes in carrying out their planned accomplishments and great feats. For example, making them invisible, invulnerable to evil, giving strength and endless capabilities to the body. One can confidently include walking boots as such artifacts. In what fairy tale is this device found, an element of clothing that gives the character wearing it enormous speed of movement in space? Or maybe there are several such works? Our article answers these and other equally interesting questions.

From Ancient Greece

The essence and purpose of the attribute are more than clear. It is clear that such shoes did not exist in those days, and probably do not exist to this day (the exception is specialized developments perhaps for James Bond or the inventions of crazy inventors). But mention of it can be found with fair regularity in various fairy tales of some peoples of the world and in original ones written by specific storytellers. Where did such a miracle come from and in what fairy tale are there running boots, where, so to speak, do legs grow? The first known mention of such shoes is in ancient Greek myths. Of course, not boots, but special sandals with porches that Hermes, who was also the divine postman, had. They helped him when he had to spread messages and cover vast distances in a matter of minutes. Of course, this will not be a completely correct answer to the question of which fairy tale has running boots. Because a myth is not exactly a fairy tale (and some scientists even believe that it is not a fairy tale at all). But still, the root cause of the appearance of the magical object itself becomes clear, as does its essence: to greatly accelerate movement in space.

Which fairy tale has running boots?

Now let's get down to the fairy tales themselves. Russian and European, original and folk, they also contain references to such a useful thing as walking boots. From which fairy tale the name took root among the people is difficult to say. Let's pay attention to several of the most popular ones at once.

"Prophetic dream"

In it main character- Ivan, son of a merchant. The fairy tale is Russian, presented in the processing of the famous collector of oral literature of the people, Afanasyev. It tells the story of a Russian guy who disobeyed his father’s will. For this he was tied naked to a post and thrown in the middle of the road. The prince helps him, but soon Ivan angered him too, for which he was thrown into a stone bag. Then the prince nevertheless releases him in order to use him instead of himself in one important matter. And Ivan goes on a journey, equipping a small squad, dressed in similar caftans, numbering 12 people. In the forest, the young man meets the elders who inherited from his father: an invisibility hat, a flying carpet, and walking boots. And by deception he takes possession of powerful artifacts. Subsequently, with the help of them, he performs good deeds. Thus, to the question of which fairy tale has running boots, one of the answers is “ Prophetic dream».

Fairy tale "The Enchanted Princess"

In it, a retired soldier - the main character - marries the princess, who temporarily took on the image of a bear. Here, too, by deception, he took possession of the same three magical devices, but for some reason he does not use the walking boots - this item. Which fairy tale mentions an artifact? This question can be answered: “The Enchanted Princess.”

Charles Perrault

In one of the author’s fairy tales of this famous storyteller (certainly based on folk materials) - “Tom Thumb” - there is a direct mention of seven-league boots. In some translations they are even referred to as walking boots. The main character steals them from the Ogre. In addition, Thumb gets a job as a messenger for the king and, with the help of this magical attribute, earns a lot of money, helping his family in need.

Other works

Another fairy tale has a tablecloth, running boots, an invisible hat and others. You can note from Russian folk tales: “Marya Morevna”, “Invisible hat, magic whip and seven-league boots”. In the latter, the attributes are offered by the devil, which indicates a somewhat negative attitude of the people towards such magic. You can also note such as “Divka”, where the magic boots had to burn, “Night Dances”, “Self-assembled Bag”, where the shoes go to the soldier. And, for example, in Nosov’s author’s fairy tale about Dunno, there is also a mention of miracles.

From foreign countries: in Hauff’s fairy tale about Little Muk, the hero’s magic shoes are moved over long distances, which he successfully uses for his own purposes. Andersen has a fairy tale “Galoshes of Happiness”, where the hero is also moved by magic shoes - only in time. And in Baum’s “The Wizard of Oz,” the magic of the shoes transports the main character home from her wanderings in a foreign land!

Let's sum it up

This is what they are - many-sided and variegated running boots. We have analyzed which fairy tales contain a magical attribute (and more than one!). But no matter how the magic shoes look, their main purpose remains the same in all works: fast movement. By the way, the famous Santa Claus also, undoubtedly, according to some sources, has running boots: somehow he manages to fly around all the children overnight and give them the gifts ordered in letters!

Part one
Gift from life
Carnival
Santa Claus returned from the holidays, tired but happy as usual. I entered the mansion and decided to rest a little. And the snowmen, who did not like to rest, continued to have fun. They organized their carnivals, masquerades, and competitions in the mansion, the winners of which were given special prizes. The snow men did not tell anyone about these carnivals, since it was their little secret.
Santa Claus was not against their fun, since the noise and fun delighted him and gave him unusually joyful dreams. But the mouse Belyanochka woke up every now and then, listened to what the snow men were talking about and, subsequently, surprised everyone by revealing many of their secrets.
But the current carnival turned out to be unusually fun. The Snow Kolobok was to blame for everything. He could transform into anyone and amuse his friends. Even the mouse, this time could not resist, got out of the collar of his grandfather’s fur coat and ran into the hall, where a real celebration was seething. She immediately joined in the action, and even managed to win the competition several times.
Having played enough, the snowmen began sorting out orders, waiting for grandpa to wake up. Everyone was eager to hear his story, which the mouse Belyanochka knew about. But she, who knew how to keep a secret, remained silent, which provoked everyone even more by evasively answering countless questions.
Finally, Grandfather Frost woke up.

New story
“Grandfather, grandfather,” the snowmen shouted, “how did you sleep, what did you dream about?”
-WITH Good morning, my dears! I know, I know what you're hinting at. Do you want to listen to the story?
The kids jumped for joy.
“Yes, yes, you guessed it,” said the Bullfinch, “we all dream of watching this story that your grandfather told us about.” Do you remember that you told me that you had such a case when all the circumstances were simply terrible, but later turned into a real gift from life. But the Computer doesn’t show us anything without your permission, and the mouse keeps secrets.
“That’s great, my friends,” agreed Santa Claus, “I also want to watch this story again.” Come on, my friend Computer, look for us that page when the mouse Belyanochka and I found ourselves in a difficult situation.
“What to look for,” said the Computer, “everything is ready, I was just waiting for your permission, grandfather.”
At the same moment, distant expanses, endless forests, high mountains. There, along one of the roads, from one end to another, with a backpack on his shoulder and a mouse in his bosom, Santa Claus walked.
“It was in those distant times when Belyanochka and I did not know that the forest witch, from whom we once escaped, was Bifania herself,” Grandfather Frost began to explain. “We then walked around all the lands, gave gifts to children, entertained them, taught them different games. Sometimes the children themselves taught us games.

A terrible incident
“So, after a long journey,” the voice of the Computer sounded, “Santa Claus was resting with the mouse Belyanochka on the ocean shore.” Foamy waves crashed noisily against this high, rocky shore. Above him, in the endless heights of the sky, clouds floated, playing hide and seek with the rosy sun.
Santa Claus, with his arms outstretched, lay on the soft, lush grass. The little white mouse was dozing next to him, near his palm.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a falcon fell from the sky like a stone and, grabbing the mouse Belyanochka, quickly flew up. But Santa Claus was not taken aback, and instantly grabbed the falcon’s paw with his hand. The huge bird flapped its wings several times, but apparently it couldn’t bear Grandfather’s weight, and it screamed, opened its beak and dropped Belyanochka.
Seeing that the mouse was falling into the seething waves, Santa Claus let go of the falcon's paws and picked up White Girl near the water, plunging with her into the foamy waves. With his free hand, Santa Claus bent the tops of his boots, and they immediately brought them to the surface of the shifting waves. But, either from the water, or from the excitement experienced, the boots stopped obeying their owner, and instead of turning to the shore, which was a few steps away, they rushed into the open sea. At first they rode along the crests of the waves, but then they began to fall more and more into their white foam. The boots got wet and suddenly began to lose their magical power.
There was not even a hint of the shore anywhere, the prospect loomed depressingly. Eventually, the boots got completely wet and stopped working altogether. The magic bag was also wet, and it was impossible to get into its pocket.
-Grandfather, what should we do? - Whispered the mouse Belyanochka, sitting on the head of Santa Claus, tightly clutching the masters' ribbon sling, which grandfather put on when he took off his hat.
- It’s okay, Belyanochka, it’s good to have at least a hat and a fur coat in our magic bag, in a diminutive pocket. Otherwise, you and I would probably have already drowned, because clothes in the water become very heavy.
-And then what would become of us? - asked the puzzled mouse Belyanochka.
“Nothing special,” answered Santa Claus, “we would have ended up in the kingdom of Neptune.” Did you tell him he's a distant relative?
“No,” answered the mouse, “he is a distant relative to Aunt Muskrat, but not to me.” And in general, I don’t want to go to Neptune. In his kingdom, they say, it is always dark and cold. And I love the sun and free wind.
-I love the sun too, but I’m so tired, my dear. And the shore is nowhere to be seen. “It’s good that the sea has calmed down, the waves have subsided,” said Santa Claus, “perhaps I’ll turn over on my back, it will be easier, and you get over to my beard.” Come what may.
With these words, Santa Claus turned over on his back, the mouse moved onto his chin, grabbing his mustache with all its paws. The sea had completely calmed down, and it was possible to rest a little.

Savior
Suddenly something from the direction of the water touched grandfather’s back, and he felt relieved. Lying on something hard, Santa Claus immediately guessed that it was a fish. This big fish, she came to the rescue!
- Apparently the master of the seas himself sent us salvation, seeing our suffering! - exclaimed Santa Claus. “I felt better; I seemed to be lying on the back of a big fish.”
-It’s not a fish, it’s a whale! - Belyanochka also exclaimed, - look, grandfather, a fountain is coming out of the water.
“Keith, buddy, thank you,” Santa Claus patted his savior on the back, “you felt that we were in trouble and came to our aid.”
“Yes,” the whale boomed, “and I wasn’t the only one who saw that you were in trouble.” The owner of the seas and oceans himself saw this and sent me to your aid. He also ordered me to ask where you would like me to take you. If you want to go to the shore, or if you want to visit the lord of the sea, he will be glad to see you.
“Convey your great gratitude to your master,” answered Santa Claus, “and you’d better take me to the shore.” This is what my friend, the mouse Belyanochka, wants.
The mouse nodded and said quietly.
-To the shore, of course, to the shore, where else? We were already soaked through.
“Okay,” Keith answered amid the noise of the fountain, “and, splashing his wide triangular tail, he swam through the water.” Soon the silhouette of a rocky coast appeared in the bluish sea haze.

Part two
On the shore
Green Valley
-Earth, earth! - the mouse shouted, - grandfather, we are saved!
And indeed, the whale soon swam to the sheer rocky wall of some steep shore. He swam a little along the shore and stopped near a small stone ledge sticking out of the water.
“The exit to land is here,” he said, “on this stone you will climb to the shore and pass into the green valley.” The climb here is steep for you, but unfortunately I can’t stop anywhere else, it’s shallow everywhere.
“Thank you, buddy,” said Santa Claus, “don’t worry about us, we’ll get here.” Convey greetings and gratitude to the lord of the sea, your master. We will always remember you and your kindness.
Santa Claus moved from the back of the whale to the solid shore, onto a stone ledge, and like a mountain goat began to make his way to the sandy shore, beyond which a green valley could be seen.
With difficulty, overcoming the treacherous place, Santa Claus finally reached a sandy scree, turning into a flat, rocky plateau. And only here he was able to take a breath and look around.
He looked at the endless expanses of the sea, where the recent savior could be seen as a dark dot with a tiny fountain. Santa Claus waved to him.
The plateau smoothly turned into a green valley, in the depression of which a small river ran.
-It's a good beach here. “Here we will settle down for the night,” said Santa Claus, “and have dinner with bananas.” Here they are growing nearby on a banana palm. And in the morning we will explore the valley. Is that what I say, Belyanochka?
“So you say, grandfather, I agree,” answered the mouse Belyanochka, “in fact, the valley is not big at all.”
They looked around; around the valley stood mountains like an impregnable wall, occasionally covered with glaciers, from which this cheerful and babbling river flowed.
We had to stay in the valley for several days while we washed ourselves off the sea salt, dried the magic bag and its contents, as well as our boots. After that, Santa Claus and Belyanochka began to think about what to do next, where to go. After all, they had no idea where they were. It was certainly possible to live in that fertile valley. But without human society, a person cannot stay for long.

Let's hit the road
Santa Claus patiently waited for the boots to dry. He was afraid that sea ​​water the boots lost their bearings and the ability to listen to him, because they carried him into the open ocean. True, he hoped that, once dry, the boots would remember their skills, but this did not happen. Having experienced such a shock, the boots could not recover. Even washed in fresh water and dried out of the sun, they refused to work. Therefore, it was simply impossible to get out of this valley with the help of their magical power.
Seeing an abyss or a cave, the boots panicked and did not want to jump. We had to go back and spend another night in the hut. Subsequent attempts also came to nothing. And then Santa Claus decided to quietly cross the mountain gorges and abysses himself.
Having packed supplies of food into his small pocket, Father Frost set off along mountain paths, along gentle slopes and screes. A mountain goat showed him the way, with whom Santa Claus and the mouse Belyanochka managed to become friends during their stay in the valley. The mountain goat went on reconnaissance and found out where, on which side of the mountain ranges people live, and led his friends in that direction.
They made their way for a long time, many times they almost fell into the grass, but they kept walking and walking. Until suddenly, in the evening of the third day, a very tired Santa Claus slightly neglected the goat path.
Before that, he followed the trail, but, stepping on a fragile stone that the goat went around, Santa Claus swayed, lost his balance and flew into the deepest abyss, at the bottom of which rushed a noisy mountain river.
The goat screamed in a trumpet voice. Above the mountain range, an echo picked up this sound, and at the same instant an eagle, appearing here from nowhere, grabbed grandfather by the shoulders and carried him over the roaring gorge. Santa Claus froze in amazement, and even Belyanochka, safely hidden in the inner pocket of her grandfather’s fur vest, looked out for a moment, but, stunned by the terrible height, she climbed back.
The eagle flew evenly, cutting through the air with its mighty wings, so that the noise from this flight was like strong wind whistled along the gorge. Usually eagles fly silently, maneuvering in air currents, but it was not easy to carry such a load, so he worked hard with his wings.
Santa Claus looked around and thought.
- Well, it’s okay, he will take us across the abyss that we and our mountain goat, our guide, skirted while walking along a mountain path, and he will fly further.
But the eagle, flying over the bush, flew on. He apparently adapted to the considerable weight of Santa Claus he had saved, leveled his flight and flew silently.
Mountain peaks flashed below, on which gray glaciers occasionally gleamed white. Sometimes the clouds shrouded them in a milky fog, but the eagle flew and flew. And ahead the travelers saw a green valley. Santa Claus's heart rejoiced, so Belyanochka looked out and asked.
-What is it, grandfather?
“Apparently the mountains end,” he answered in a whisper, afraid to distract the eagle, but he still heard.
“That’s right, you say,” his voice sounded above, “that’s right.” We are close to the goal, there is a pearl valley in front of us, people live in it. I will let you go at the edge of the valley, you yourself will go further. People don't like eagles; my brothers sometimes steal their calves and poultry. I never bother people. But they don't know this. Therefore, goodbye.
The eagle smoothly glided down, flying over a stormy, waterfall river, and lowered Santa Claus onto a green meadow, and flew up again.
“Thank you, mighty friend, I will always remember your kindness,” Santa Claus shouted and waved his hand.
The eagle made a circle above him and disappeared into the heavenly heights, as if he had never existed.
Santa Claus approached the river, drank some water, and gave the mouse Belyanochka, who still could not come to her senses from the dizzying flight, a drink.
“Wow,” said the mouse White, “one mighty bird almost killed us, another saved our lives.”
“That’s right, Belyanochka, life is varied,” said Santa Claus philosophically, “you never know what awaits you in the next minute.” The main thing is to believe that in difficult times someone will certainly come to the rescue, and this will definitely happen.

Prisoner
Throwing his small bag over his shoulder, Santa Claus slowly walked towards the village that could be seen not far away, nestled against the edge of a gentle mountain peak. Santa Claus walked, joyfully anticipating a meeting with people, because, having been stuck in a mountain valley due to frightened boots, he no longer expected to meet people in the near future. Santa Claus was thinking about who he would meet in that village, about how he would spend the holidays.
“I wonder, grandfather,” said the mouse Belyanochka, “do they know you in this village?”
“I’m thinking about this myself,” answered Santa Claus, “I’m thinking about what songs I will sing with their children.”
But Santa Claus didn’t have to sing anything. As soon as they approached the territory of the settlement, they attacked it strangers, tied up and thrown into some dark shack littered with hay and some sticks.
“What’s the matter, grandfather,” whispered the mouse Belyanochka when the guards left, “why did they do this to us?”
“I don’t know,” answered Santa Claus, “I myself don’t understand what happened.” Well, at least I managed to hold my bag. The attacking people almost snatched it from me. But even now I can’t use it, I’m tied up so tightly that I can’t even move my hand.
“Let me help you,” Belyanochka suggested, “I’ll get out now and gnaw through the ropes, you’ll put on an invisibility hat, and we’ll quietly run away from these rude people.”
But the mouse Belyanochka did not have time to do anything. Two men armed with sticks with metal tips entered the hut. They motioned for the prisoner to stand up and follow him. Winding through narrow streets among children and animals of different ages, accompanied by guards, one of whom walked in front and the other behind, Santa Claus finally reached a beautiful building that looked like a tower or a small palace. It was located on the edge of a steep part of the mountain, so that you had to go there along a hanging bridge over a stream or small river hissing below.
“It’s good that I took off my boots and put on my bast shoes,” thought Santa Claus, “otherwise my boots would have gotten scared and refused to walk across the bridge.”
The mouse was also afraid of such a height and hid in grandfather’s vest. On small area near the building, in the shadow of a white stone gazebo, a half-naked man was reclining on soft pillows. In front of him stood a dish of ripe fruit. The man was served by two boys: one held a jug of water, the other a towel. With a wave of his hand, he ordered the boys to leave, and they quickly left. They were replaced by two armed guards.

Leader
-Who it? - the man said sternly and rose from the soft pillows, - I see you look out of place. Not otherwise a spy from the enemy camp. Tell me why you came here, otherwise we will throw you into the abyss to feed the vultures.
“My name is Santa Claus, I came to amuse the children,” the grandfather tried to justify himself, “I fell into the sea, a whale saved me.”
“Tell me, tell me,” the man burst out laughing and fell back onto the pillows, “he fell into the sea and was saved by a whale.” Yes, here you know how far it is to the sea, and it’s impossible to get there unless you fly on the back of a bird. You're lying all the time.
“I’m telling the truth,” Santa Claus sighed, “I actually flew on a bird, but not on its back...
“What are you whispering there, wicked man,” the man who rose from the pillows said menacingly, “are you trying to plot against me?”
Santa Claus sighed and decided to remain silent. But the man, apparently tired of idleness and loneliness, wanted to speak out. He shouted at the prisoner, blaming him for all his problems. From the protracted monologue, Santa Claus and the mouse Belyanochka realized that this rich man was the head of a local family, the local leader. That he has long been at enmity with his neighbor, the leader of a neighboring tribe, who stole a relic from him, a small golden cup with a symbol of happiness on it.
“Now, if you don’t return this relic to me,” the leader finished his speech, “I will throw you to be devoured by the vultures.”
“It never gets any easier,” whispered the mouse Belyanochka, “where can we find her?”
-Where is this bowl? - asked Santa Claus.
“If I had known this,” the leader grinned, “I would have returned her to myself long ago.” And you probably know this, cunning defector.
Santa Claus understood that it was useless to argue with such a person. He will never believe in the truth of his existence. Therefore, he only asked about the location of the village of the leader who stole the thicket.
“I got lost in these mountains,” said Santa Claus, “so I don’t know where to go.” Order your people to take me there, and I will try to find the thicket.
“Yeah, so I believed you,” the leader got angry, “that’s all you need.” I will let you go, and you will disappear from my eyes and will not return. I will send my man with you, and you will give the cup to him. And if he doesn’t return, I will go to war against them and destroy them all.
“Well, it’s your will,” agreed Santa Claus, “just order me to untie me, otherwise your enemy will see me and won’t believe that you let me go with goodness.”
“You’re right, white-bearded,” the leader smiled slyly, “Karen, untie him and go with him to unworthy lands.”
“I obey, sir,” said one of the warriors standing nearby. He quickly untied the prisoner’s ropes and said briefly, “Let’s go.”
Then the warrior left the leader’s castle through the stone gates, looked around, checking whether the prisoner was following him, and, making sure that he was obediently following him, stepped onto the hanging bridge. Santa Claus and the warrior walking behind also went out onto the bridge. The strong wind swayed him violently from side to side.
“It’s good that they freed my hands,” thought Santa Claus, grabbing the mesh railings of the bridge, “otherwise I would have fallen into this terrible abyss.”
The warrior walking in front walked smoothly, as if not on a bridge, but on an ordinary road, as if the wind was not rocking this seemingly frail structure. Looking at him, Santa Claus calmed down, walked more smoothly, and they soon crossed the bridge swayed by the wind. The warrior walking behind escorted them to the end of the settlement and returned back. Then Santa Claus and Karen went alone.

Mountain roads
They made their way along mountain, goat paths, overcoming steep descents and ascents, crossing stormy streams and rivulets. During the entire time, Karen did not utter a word, nor did Santa Claus try to get him to talk. He silently helped the old man overcome obstacles on the way: he offered his hand on the descents, carried him across rivers, and helped him on the ascents. And he did all this in silence, indicating actions only with gestures. And if not for the words that he said in the presence of the leader, Santa Claus would have thought that this man did not know how to talk. And only in the evening of the second day, when the tired travelers began to settle down for the night, Karen suddenly spoke.
“Tomorrow morning we will come to the village of our leader’s brother, with whom he is at enmity,” said the warrior and looked carefully at the former captive.
-Brother? - Santa Claus exclaimed in amazement, - how is it that they didn’t share, why don’t they get along?
“I see, indeed, you are not a local person,” said Karen, “who are you, and how did you get to our inaccessible lands, where only we and the free wind live.”
Santa Claus again spoke about himself, deliberately keeping silent about the boots and the magic bag. Because it was dangerous to talk about it here. Karen listened to the old man's story with a slight grin.
“I’ve been to different valleys,” he said after a pause, “I heard about such an eccentric, I thought it was all fairy tales, but it turns out that it’s not.” But I still don’t believe it. Just make sure that a roasted kid or lamb appears here right now, as well as baked flatbreads, then I’ll believe it.
“I can’t do a lamb,” Santa Claus sighed, “it’s not in my rules to kill a living being, but fruits, flatbreads and sweets are welcome.” And not now, - Santa Claus cheated, - I’m very tired. In the morning I will give you what you ask.
“In the morning, so in the morning,” the guide said, yawning, lay down on the ground and immediately fell asleep.
Having waited for the guard to fall asleep properly, Santa Claus took out various fruits and sweets in colored paper bags from his backpack, ate it himself, treated the mouse Belyanochka, then laid everything out on the stones, not far from the sleeping warrior.
“It will be funny when the warrior wakes up,” the mouse whispered, “I wonder if he will believe in you, grandfather.”
“I don’t know, we’ll see tomorrow,” Santa Claus answered, putting his backpack under his head, “let’s go to sleep, I’m so tired, walking through these mountains.”
“Sleep, my dear grandfather,” thought Belyanochka, “and I will watch over you, as on previous nights.” I’m not tired, I don’t need to walk in the mountains, I’m with you, in the pocket of my fur vest, sleeping during the day.
But this time the mouse fell asleep, warming up next to his grandfather’s soft beard. They woke up from a loud cry, which turned out to be the joyful cry of a warrior.
“You were telling the truth, old man,” he said, seeing that he had woken up, “it was in vain that my master didn’t believe you.” It would be nice if he could live with you, eat what you want, do nothing, just rule the whole world.
“It’s as if your master is doing something,” objected Santa Claus, “I saw that the servants did everything for him, and you also served him.”
“I still serve him, and I’m going with you only to return his relic to my leader.”
-And I want the same thing too. Help yourself, don’t be afraid, everything is good, of high quality,” Santa Claus smiled and, taking the apple, began to eat it, “I just don’t know what thing he is looking for, and why it was lost.”

In a neighboring tribe
“You’ll soon find out,” the warrior answered, taking the fruit and tasting the sweets.
They thoroughly refreshed themselves and hit the road again. Closer to noon, guards met them not far from the village and took them to their leader. Contrary to expectations, the guests were greeted kindly, listened to with due patience, and even fed from the host's table. The guests, in turn, treated the owner and his servants to the sweets left over from the morning meal. The warrior accompanying them carried all this in his hands, wrapped in the skirts of his canvas caftan. Of course, Santa Claus could have offered him a basket, but he was afraid to reveal the secret of his magic bag to this evil and distrustful warrior.
The leader of this tribe, who looked like two peas in a pod like his brother, the leader of the hostile tribe, was very happy that the envoys had come from his brother. He had long been looking for options for reconciliation, but his brother was unshakable. He either killed the envoys or brought them back, conveying cruel threats. Therefore, for many years the local leader has not made any attempts at rapprochement. That’s why he was so happy about the people who came from the other side, and in response to Santa Claus’ requests, he promised to tell the story of their quarrel, thinking that it was unlikely that anyone on the other side knew the truth. Having retired to a secluded place, leaving only a few guards with him, the leader began the story.
“It was a long time ago,” he began the story with a sigh, “back then our parents were still alive, and we were playful boys.” My brother and I lived together, having fun. There were only two boys in our family - my brother and I, we are twin brothers. We had many sisters, and they were all elders. Their parents gave them to marry rich suitors in neighboring villages. Many of these villages are located in valleys, I go there sometimes, visiting relatives. There I heard about the wonderful old man you say you are. But even if this is so, I will not ask you to find the second gold medallion in the shape of a golden bowl, which belonged to my brother, this is impossible, this bowl was carried away by a large bird that flew into our house. She flew away in an unknown direction. Years of searching have yielded no results. Where will you find it? Apparently this is fate.

Golden bowl
There was one relic in our family, passed down from generation to generation through the male line. This is a golden bowl with the image of a symbol of happiness. It was passed on to the first boy born in the family. He became the heir and continuer of the family. For many generations everything was fine, but then we were born. There are two of us: no one knew who was first and who was second, since we were born on the day of the earthquake, and our mother was far away at home at that time. In order not to offend his children, the father ordered to melt the bowl and make two of the same, only smaller in size, and write a symbol of happiness on each. True, the elders said that this cannot be done, one must choose one son and pass on the inheritance to him.
But my father loved us equally and did not want to choose, so he ordered the cup to be melted and made into two. My brother and I were happy and had already cast lots as to who would rule which village, since our father had two settlements in his possession: this, where I rule now, and the village where my brother is, where you came from. But something irreparable happened. Once an unknown bird flew into my brother’s room, grabbed a golden cup, and they were hanging on silver chains on our wall at the head of our room. After we came of age, they were hung in our rooms.
-Isn’t this the golden cup that’s on your chest on the silver chain? - asked Santa Claus, seeing a gold medallion on the leader’s neck.
“Yes, that’s exactly what he was,” said the leader, “and he disappeared without a trace.” Many servants saw how the bird carried him away. My brother and I saw this, but at first we didn’t know whose clan symbol it was. We ran to our rooms and saw that our brother’s medallion was missing. The elders said that fate itself decreed this. My father grieved and agreed, I became the heir. And when my father died, my brother declared war on me. I loved my brother and did not want to quarrel with him, so I gave him possession of the village that he got by lot, it is better than the one here, there is a beautiful palace there, our parental home.
“Well, I wouldn’t say that this is so,” objected Santa Claus, “you have a wonderful settlement: clean, spacious.” And your palace is no worse.
-It has become like this now. I worked a lot with my people to improve our settlement. But my brother does nothing at all. He is offended by everyone. Of course, I want to try on him, but I don’t know how. He will not be reconciled if the cup is not found.
“Well, I’ll try to help you,” said Santa Claus, “but I need to think a little.”
“And I’m not in a hurry, settle down, be my guest as long as you want,” said the leader.
-What should I do? - asked the warrior, - I must deliver this thicket to my master.
“Where can I get it,” the leader spread his hands, “stay and you, there’s enough room for everyone, and as soon as the cup is found, we’ll all take it to my brother together.”
That's what we decided. Santa Claus remains in the lands of his good master. He began to ask local population about whether anyone knows anything about the missing family heirloom. People marvel at the questions of the white-bearded old man; they know nothing. They send a stranger to the local sage who lives in a white cave.
Santa Claus thought, consulted with the mouse Belyanochka, and they went to the sage. The warrior does not lag behind them a single step, and the local leader also sent two of his warriors to accompany them. They walk in a line along stone paths, moving slowly, the path is difficult. They look, an old man is coming to meet them, leaning on the stones with a stick. He caught up with the soldiers and asked why you were climbing these mountains here. Santa Claus stepped forward and told the sage about the purpose of their trip. The sage listened and said that he knew where that relic was kept, but did not advise going there.
“Many brave travelers and adventurers went there, but no one returned,” the sage sighed, “I saw off many, but did not meet anyone.” It’s already getting dark, night is close, stay with me, spend the night, and come back in the morning.
With nothing to do, Father Frost and the soldiers stayed overnight in the sage’s cave, hoping that in the morning he would persuade the owner of these places to show them the way to unknown lands. And when the sage woke up at dawn, he saw that the white-bearded guest was nowhere to be found, and the warrior alone had disappeared somewhere. The sage became alarmed and woke up the remaining warriors. They search, but cannot find it anywhere.
“Eh,” a warrior from a neighboring tribe gets angry, “it’s not for nothing that I didn’t trust this stranger.” He pretended to be kind, but deceived himself, and decided to take the golden cup for himself.

Part three
In the kingdom of the gnomes
In the dungeon
But Grandfather Frost did not even think of deceiving anyone. At night, the dwarfs dragged him sleepy. And while they were carrying it, they accidentally woke up one of the warriors, and the dwarves had to take him with them so that he wouldn’t wake up the others. After all, without Santa Claus, the gnomes could not return. The king of the gnomes himself ordered the gnome guards to deliver him this white-bearded wanderer. After all, trouble has struck in their underground kingdom. All the birds here declared an ultimatum to the gnomes: either the return of the golden cup to the people, or a war between the birds and the gnomes. For a long time now the bird species has been indignant at the dwarf's iron magpie. She did a lot of unseemly things, stole a lot of jewelry from people, and people are angry with the birds because of her.
The gnomes told Santa Claus about this, he was surprised.
-Tell me, lord of the underworld, is it really that you don’t have enough wealth of your own that you steal from people? Did he invent the iron bird and teach him to do unrighteous things?
“Oh, dear man,” the king of the gnomes sighed, “if I had invented it, I would have taught it righteous deeds.” The fact is that our smallest gnome found it when he was walking in the open air. This mechanical bird was lifeless, something inside it was broken. And the little gnome is crying, he feels sorry for this creature, he liked his find. Our gnome craftsmen took pity on him, fixed the mechanism, and the bird came to life.
We didn’t know then that this magical magpie belonged to Div the Ninth; he somehow found her in his lands and noticed that she loved to collect precious stones. And then he decided to use her skill for selfish purposes. Forty brought him precious stones, from his and the surrounding lands, for her there are no borders, so she flew into the lands of Koshchei and began to pick up stones in copies of Koshchei the Immortal.
Koshcheev's servants noticed the thief, found out who she was carrying the stones to and why, and decided to teach the owner a lesson. They began to throw stones of little value to the magpie, immature ones, which Koshchei did not need. And when Div the Ninth tried to buy something with them in the star store, his stones were not accepted, they said that every wizard has such goodness in abundance. It takes time for the stones to ripen and gain strength, but now they are no good for anything, they will crumble during processing, and there is nothing to talk about magical power. Div realized that the magpie deceived him, took him where it was easier, and not where he needed it, he got angry, returned home, broke the magpie and threw it away. This is where our little gnome found her. The magpie came to life and began its work again. She recognized the little gnome as her master, and since then she has been bringing him different jewelry from everywhere. We tried to explain to her that this was not good, that one should not engage in such work, that one must acquire wealth through one’s labor. Soroka doesn’t even want to listen, he says, I’m already working hard, getting riches. If I don’t bring them, you will break me and throw me out, like the previous owner. She didn’t understand, poor thing, why Div was angry with her, and he doesn’t believe us.
In our underworld, the law is this: whatever falls into our lands immediately belongs to us. We are obliged to register a thing: a find or a gift and sacredly keep it, protecting it from damage and encroachment.
-So, the leader’s family heirloom is also registered with you and stored in your storerooms? - asked Santa Claus after listening to the long speech of the king of the gnomes.
“Of course,” the king said smugly, opening the thick book of registration records, “here, in the chapter of “offerings” it is numbered five hundred and fifty-five.
-Has the forty really brought so many jewels? - Santa Claus exclaimed in amazement.
-Why is the bird working? Moreover, she also taught some natural birds: magpies, crows and pigeons to their craft.
“Well, well,” sighed Santa Claus, “this is no good, you’ll need to talk to your magpie, she’s doing something bad.”
-Talk, dear guest, maybe she will come to her senses, otherwise we are ashamed of her deeds in front of other kingdoms of the fairy land.
-The fact that I am your guest is not precisely said. They come to visit of their own free will, but I was secretly brought here, it’s not otherwise that your forty taught you such methods,” said Santa Claus reproachfully, “and they also brought the warrior here with me.”

Queen's relative
“Forgive us generously,” said the king, “how much more shame will we endure because of this magpie.” We found out that you are looking for a golden cup, we know that you have a friend, the mouse Belyanochka, and she is a relative of the Queen of the Eternal Swamps herself. We don’t want a scandal across all the fairy lands, and until she told the queen what you were looking for, we decided to invite you here. We know that you will not part with Belyanochka, and now she is here.
“Of course here,” the mouse said, peeking out of grandfather’s vest, “well, you have methods of invitation.”
“Don’t be angry with us, dear Belyanochka,” we did this because we were afraid that the sage would come here and see all those whom he sent in search of the golden cup.
-So that means you have them! - exclaimed Santa Claus.
“Yes, with us, they liked it here so much that they don’t want to leave here,” the king said, smiling.
-Or maybe you also registered them and don’t want to let them go? - the mouse Belyanochka expressed a guess.
“Well, what are you, what are you,” the king said embarrassedly, “as possible, as possible.”
“Okay, we’ll find out when we talk with the knights,” Santa Claus stroked his beard, “and now tell the king, can I look at this cup.” I have a good suggestion. We can return the family heirloom to the leader, and there will be no shortage in your storerooms.
-Aren’t you deceiving? - the king became wary.
-How can I deceive you when I don’t even know how to get out of here, since I didn’t walk, I didn’t notice the road.
“Okay, Dwarf Rubin, bring here exhibit number five hundred and fifty-five,” said the king, “let’s see what this sage will do.”
“He is not a sage, he is Santa Claus,” said the mouse Belyanochka.
“We don’t know about this,” the king answered, “we know you, we know your relative the queen, but he doesn’t.”
-Nothing, you’ll find out soon and remember it forever! - exclaimed the mouse Belyanochka.
“Here, great ruler,” said the dwarf Rubin, holding out a small box, numbered five hundred and fifty-five.
The ruler took the box, pulled out a gold medallion on a silver tip and showed it to Santa Claus.

Copy
“Oh, this is it,” exclaimed Santa Claus, “this is exactly the kind of family heirloom that the brothers are looking for.” Give me the locket for a minute and you'll see what happens.
-The king of the gnomes held out the medallion and looked at the guest with interest.
Santa Claus put the medallion in his bag, shook it and pulled out two completely identical medallions and handed them to the king.
A cry of surprise rang through the throne room of the royal caves.
“Oh, you’re a real wizard,” exclaimed the king of the gnomes, twirling two absolutely identical medallions in his hands. Even my gnome masters can’t do this. Call me the main jewelry expert. Now everything depends on what he says. If these medallions are absolutely identical, then I can give one of them to you, but if they differ even in a small scratch. We will keep the second one for ourselves, registering it under a different number.
At the same moment, behind the hastily running messenger, a gray-bearded dwarf with a shining diamond on his cap, who was the main expert in the underworld, majestically entered.
He slowly examined both exhibits and calmly said, “Your royal majesty, I have two absolute copies in my hands, according to the law of our kingdom, we have no right to store such, what should we do with the second one?”
-Which one is a copy? Which is the original? - asked the king of the gnomes?
“This is the original, and this is a copy,” the expert said confidently. They differ in production time.
“That’s great,” the king of the gnomes smiled and, taking a copy, handed it to Santa Claus, “this difficult problem has finally been solved, now the birds will leave us alone.” Take this medallion, gray-bearded guest, we will not register it, these are our laws. This medallion is now yours, and from now on you can do with it as you wish.
-Thank you, king of the gnomes, for your trust in me. But before I leave here, I would like to meet those who came before me for this medallion.
“Yes, there is no need for that,” the king answered evasively. - They like it here. Why bother them?
“Moreover,” answered Santa Claus, “I want to meet happy people.”
-Wow, you are stubborn. Understand that you can’t go there now, work is underway into the tunnels. I can't put my guests in danger. What will the Queen of the Eternal Swamps say then?
“I told you, grandfather,” the mouse whispered to Santa Claus, “there’s something wrong here.”
- Why do you have gnomes working in the tunnel without a break? - Santa Claus said, smiling slyly, - then they are not your people. And the robots.
- Well, they have a break... - the king of the gnomes sighed, realizing that it would not be possible to free himself from the guest so easily.
“That’s great,” exclaimed Santa Claus, “then we’ll go through this break.” How long until the break?
“No, not for long,” the king sighed again and called his companions, realizing that for the first time in all the time he would have to call a break on the robot in the tunnel.

In the underground palace
Santa Claus with the mouse Belyanochka, with a warrior and two accompanying gnomes in identical caps walked along a dimly lit tunnel, which then turned in one direction and then in the other.
-Grandfather, what if they take us to a place where we won’t be able to get out? - asked the mouse Belyanochka in fright.
- That’s impossible, they are afraid of your relative, the Queen of the Eternal Swamps, to whom someone will certainly report this.
After walking through unknown labyrinths for some time, the travelers came out into a well-lit tunnel, along which gnomes stood and, taking off their caps, bowed to the guests of their kingdom approaching them.
The walls of the tunnel were decorated with beautiful ornaments made of multi-colored stones. The empty room with a high dome, into which the tunnel opened, was also elegantly decorated. Carved columns supported vaults decorated with blue shining stones that resembled the sky.
“Here we are,” the guides said in one voice.
“Where are the people?” asked Santa Claus.
-And they have a break, just like the gnomes.
“Well, let’s sit and wait,” said Santa Claus, sitting down on an openwork bench made of transparent stone. The break is never long, so we'll rest a little.
The accompanying gnomes looked at each other and sat down nearby.
At the same time, another gnome in the same cap as the guides approached and said that the warriors remaining at the top were looking for them and he was instructed to escort the guests from underground kingdom.
-Nothing. They will wait,” said Father Frost, stroking his beard, “but I will not leave here until I meet people who have been awaited in their families for many years by their mothers, wives, and brothers and sisters. I’ll have to tell them at the top how things are going here. If it’s really good for them here, then I will console their relatives, and if not, then we’ll take them with us into the free air, right little mouse Belyanochka? And you, the gnome guide, will see us off, so sit down, let’s wait.

Master
But at this time some strange noise was heard, a magpie flew into the hall, and a small gnome in a white cap ran in after it.
“Here he is,” the magpie shouted and flew up to Santa Claus, “listen, hide me in that bag, I’ve heard a lot about his capabilities.” No one will find me there.
-Who should find you?
- My master. And I'm afraid of him. I've done so many things.
-Isn’t this your master? - said Santa Claus, pointing his hand at the gnome in a white cap. As I understand it, his name is the little gnome?
“This is the one,” the magpie chattered, “but he’s like my second owner, he’s good and kind, but my first owner, I’m so afraid of him, oh, please hide me.”
-Well, it’s not difficult to hide, but first tell me, what have you done that you’re so afraid of him?
-Yes, you understand. He tormented me simply by collecting pebbles, finding precious ones all over the planet, since they did not belong to anyone, but I took all sorts of ones that I found, even those that belonged to anyone. Now I'm afraid of him. Well, hide it, they are coming very close.
“Well, hide her grandfather, you know how wonderful he is,” said the mouse Belyanochka.
“I know, I know,” said Santa Claus, opening the bag, “hide here, no one will find you.”
“Grandfather, you should hide me too,” the little gnome said timidly, I’m afraid of him too, and they’ll immediately determine from me where the magpie is.
- Well, you climb here, into the diminutive pocket of the magpie, there’s enough room for everyone there.
As soon as Santa Claus put the bag on his shoulder, the Tsar himself entered the hall with his retinue and some stranger in strange sparkling clothes.
“Listen, Santa Claus,” said the king of the gnomes, coming closer, “a stranger has arrived to us, he is saying something, but we cannot understand him, we do not know such dialects.” I heard that the mouse Belyanochka can speak and understand magical languages, and he is in all likelihood a wizard, since he got here unnoticed.
-If only he weren’t a wizard! - exclaimed the mouse Belyanochka, - yes, this is the most famous magician from the magnetic planets. He knows all the dialects of the entities of all the planets, it’s strange that you didn’t understand him.
The magician smiled smugly and spoke in pure dwarven dialect, well, of course, I understood everything, but I needed to know if my magpie was here and what you did with it.
“That’s right,” the king of the gnomes was surprised, “that’s what I would have said right away, we didn’t do anything with your magpie, now we’ll send for it.” We didn't know you were looking for her.
-Not only am I looking for her, but I am also her owner.
“Oh, and the owner,” he taught the bird bad deeds and threw it away, and now we can clean it up. Look how much is due to no problems. I almost had to fight with the birds of the earth.
“But my bird is not earthly,” the guest objected. - And I didn’t teach her anything bad.
-What do you think is good about stealing? – the king was indignant.
-Steal? I didn’t teach her, she just helped me in the magnetic galaxy to collect stones on uninhabited planets, but she knows a lot about stones. She was a good assistant.
-Why did you kick her out then? After all, she herself flew to Diva the Ninth and asked to live in his lands. And she didn’t tell me anything about you.

Star Mage
-Oh, this is a long story. The Queen of the Eternal Swamps ordered me a magnetic bracelet, and she asked me to deliver it personally and bring with me her unusual bird, which helps me find pebbles. I packed the bracelet in a beautiful box and took my magpie, but I had to put it in a golden cage. Since these are the customs on this planet, they keep their domestic birds in cages. Apparently the magpie was offended by me for this when I was already returning and flew out of solar system, then I discovered that the cage was empty and my bird was nowhere to be found, it had flown away somewhere.
I looked for her for a long time on different planets. After all, this bird is magical, you won’t find it right away, even if it doesn’t want to, it knows how to confuse its tracks well. With the help of my magic, I still figured out what was on this planet and what’s more, it was underground. I thought and decided to come to you, because the greatest underground state is yours. The state of the gnomes, that’s why I pretended that I didn’t know your language, I needed to find out if my magpie was here.
“Ho, then we told you everything,” exclaimed the king of the gnomes. We thought you didn't understand. And they spoke freely about the problems of today, and they were precisely connected with your bird.
- Yes, I understood everything, and now I would like to see my magpie.
At this time, a gnome in a blue cap ran out of a small door and shouted that the magpie was nowhere to be found, and neither was the little gnome. We have searched our entire kingdom.
The gnomes sitting on the bench next to Santa Claus looked at each other and looked at him questioningly.
“What will you do with the magpie when it is found,” asked Santa Claus, “after all, here she took stones that already belonged to someone.”
“I don’t think she knew that,” the magician sighed. I just wish I could find her. I miss her so much, she was so cheerful and perky.
-What if she knew that they belonged to someone? And yet she took it, then what? - asked the mouse Belyanochka.
-Then we will return everything she took.
“But this is not possible,” exclaimed the king of the gnomes, “everything is registered with us, we cannot give these values ​​away.”
-Oh, that’s it, so much the better. Then it’s not her fault, since you took it all, you should settle accounts with those who lost it. Give me my magpie.
“Please take it, but I don’t know where it is,” the king sighed.

Little magpie
Then a tiny magpie flew out of a diminutive pocket and squeaked like a mosquito,
-This is me, your magpie, forgive me, I won’t do this again.
The magician looked around and, seeing a tiny bird on his shoulder, said in surprise, “But you are not mine, I have a big magpie, and you are smaller than a mosquito.”
-Hey, magpie! - exclaimed the mouse Belyanochka, - you forgot to touch the valve of the diminutive pocket, that’s why you remained small, fly back.
“Oh-oh, they won’t let me in,” came from the pocket where the magpie had just flown into.
“What is it, what’s the matter,” said Santa Claus in alarm.
“But I don’t want to part with her,” a little gnome in a white cap said, looking out of his diminutive pocket, “I like her too, I also managed to make friends with her, I found her broken, we fixed her, now she’s mine.”
“That’s right,” the magician was amazed, “who broke it?”
“Yes, this is Div the Ninth, he doesn’t live here,” explained the gnome in the blue cap. He got angry with the magpie and threw it away, but it broke
-Okay, we won’t figure out what and how now, then everything will become clear, dear little gnome, let go of my magpie, I’ve really been looking for her for a long time. Thank you for helping her, I will be forever grateful to you.
Then a gnome emerged from his diminutive pocket, clutching a magpie to himself, bitter tears flowing down his cheeks.
Well, the magpie was sorry to part with him. And she furtively brushed away the flowing tears with her wing.
“Wow,” sighed the mouse Belyanochka, “I understand them, I wouldn’t want to part with you, grandpa, either.”
“Yes, we don’t have to part,” said Santa Claus thoughtfully, “dwarf, I think magpie was visiting you, and now you should visit her.” Is this possible, dear magician?
“Of course,” the magician exclaimed, of course, so the prophecy came true, it said that I would find my magpie only when I took on a white-headed student, I couldn’t understand what white-headed meant? And now I understand that my student will simply wear a white cap, do you agree to be my student?

Student
“Oh, this is great happiness,” exclaimed the king of the gnomes, “our family has long dreamed of sending our gnome to a magic school.” But the inhabitants of the underworld were not taken there.
“Of course, I agree, I really want to learn,” the little gnome jumped up and down, and the magpie taught me magic reading and writing.
“That’s great, then get ready to go,” the magician smiled.
“No, no,” objected Santa Claus, “but what about why I’m here?” I think it would be fair if the magpie takes this medallion back to where she got it from, then with a calm heart she can return to her owner, am I saying so?
“This is fair,” said the magician, “otherwise remorse will interfere with the magpie’s life, and I will be ashamed of it in front of all the wizards.”
-Well, then I will return to the free air all the people who came for the medallion. Otherwise, I too will be tormented by remorse,” said the king of the gnomes, “after all, they worked in the dungeons all this time, and their life here was not very sweet.”
“Here is another prophecy that has come true,” the magician from the magnetic galaxy smiled, “it says that friendship will return to earth when free people emerge from the underground labyrinths.”

Part four
Holiday
The Returning Talisman
“Oh, leader,” exclaimed the returning warrior, sent with Santa Claus to the neighboring tribe, “the white-bearded wanderer deceived us, he ran away.” But he did not fulfill his promise.
“That’s it,” the leader roared indignantly, “now we will arrange for them, we will destroy these wicked people.” My faithful warriors, prepare for battle. The time has come to defend the honor of our family,” the leader ran to the wall and extended his hand to grab the curved sword hanging on the wall.
And at that same moment he saw a bird fly into the window, carrying in its beak a silver chain on which a gold medallion dangled.
The bird flew up to the astonished leader and, placing the medallion in his hand, flew back out.
The servants and the warriors who did not have time to leave froze in amazement.
The leader examined the medallion from all sides and, making sure that it was their family talisman, said thoughtfully.
-Where did this bird get it? Isn’t it different with my brother? It turns out that she decided to frame me, that now I stole the medallion from my brother. But, as the elders say, such a coincidence of circumstances does not bring happiness. I will return this medallion to him, and then in a fair battle I will destroy their entire tribe. “The leader squeezed the medallion in his hand and shouted loudly, “We are preparing, my brave warriors, for battle.”
It didn’t take long to gather an army; it was always ready. Therefore, they immediately set out on a campaign.
Quickly reaching the lands of his brother, the leader demanded him to come to him.
The brother came immediately, since his warriors had long noticed the moving troops of the neighboring tribe and were ready to meet them.
“Take your medallion,” exclaimed the leader jumping off his horse, “I need someone else’s... – but the leader did not have time to finish. He noticed on his brother's neck exactly the same medallion as his. Opening his hand in surprise, he looked at the medallion and looked back at his brother.
-Where did you get that. - asked the brother who approached?
-The bird brought it.
“So she returned your medallion,” the white-bearded wanderer fulfilled his word.
-He didn’t do it, he ran away! - exclaimed the warrior guard who stepped forward.
But then everyone noticed how Santa Claus was descending towards them along the mountain path with a warrior who disappeared with him that night, and behind them, looking around in surprise, walked a line of people who had once expressed a desire to find a talisman for their owners.
People, recognizing their relatives, rushed to meet them with joyful exclamations. The brothers, looking at the joy of their people, also smiled and hugged, vowing eternal friendship.

Bird Day
On the same day, two villages that for a long time could not communicate with each other, although among them there were a lot of relatives who were finally able to meet. Great joy came to the land of the brothers, and in honor of this joy and the friendship that came to the land, as well as the bird that returned their family heirloom, Bird Day began to be celebrated in these mountainous countries. On this day, people bake dough pies in the shape of birds, visit each other, ask each other for forgiveness, and have fun. And for the birds, holiday feeders are built and tasty treats, various seeds and grains are poured into them.
But in the underground kingdom of the gnomes, in honor of this day, friends’ day is now celebrated. On this day, a magician flies to them with his magpie and his student, a little gnome in a white cap with gold stars. On this holiday, all work stops, and fun fills the entire underground kingdom.
Grandfather Frost stayed with the brothers for some more time, helped bring joyful holidays, and went further, descending into the mountain valleys where the sisters of the reconciled brothers lived.
Since then, many peoples living in the mountains have New Year It is celebrated in the spring, and the host of these holidays is the white-bearded sage, who managed to melt the cold and ice, giving the world joy and hope for a happy future. And so that the birds bring only joy and no longer kidnap necessary for a person values, they began to feed them, also celebrating Bird Day.

What then?
-Is that all? Wow! - Ledoc was amazed.
“But grandfather,” Snow Maiden said, raising her eyebrows, “at first you promised to tell us that you had such a case when the circumstances were simply terrible, but later turned into a real gift from life.” Just who, I don’t understand, who gave you this gift, and where is it?
-Isn’t it a gift from fate that I found myself in a mountainous country and met its inhabitants? After all, I wouldn’t dare to just climb into the mountains; I would walk through valleys and plains. I also reconciled two villages, freed people from the underworld, and I also met a great magician from the magnetic galaxy.
“And I, grandfather,” sighed the Snow Maiden, “really expected that someone would give you something, otherwise you give everything.”
“My dear girl,” laughed Santa Claus, “there are different gifts, - the most valuable gift is good communication, the kind that remains in the memory for a lifetime.” Some children who come to the holidays receive gifts and win prizes, but others do not. But still, the cheerful spirit of the holiday itself remains in the memory. And the older the children become, the more pleasant the memories. After all, even adults and gray-haired old people remember their childhood with joy. This is the most expensive gift. On my journey, I made friends with a whale, with a mountain goat, with a mighty, kind eagle, with a magic magpie, with gnomes, isn’t this a gift from life?
“What you say is correct, grandfather,” agreed Snowy Kolobok, “so I became friends with you, you took me into your friendly company, and I am very happy.” I now understand that the most valuable gift from life is meeting true friends.

Once upon a time there lived a merchant, he had two sons: Dmitry and Ivan. One evening their father said to them:

- Well, children, if anyone dreams of anything, tell me in the morning; and whoever conceals his dream, I will order him to be executed.

The next morning the eldest son comes and says to his father:

“I dreamed, father, that brother Ivan was flying high in the sky on twelve eagles; and it’s as if your favorite sheep has disappeared.

- What did you dream, Vanya?

- I will not say! - Ivan answered.

No matter how much his father forced him, he stubbornly resisted all admonitions and kept repeating one thing: “I won’t tell!” yes “I won’t tell!” The merchant got angry, called his clerks and ordered them to take his disobedient son and tie him to a post on the high road.

The clerks grabbed Ivan and, as they say, tied him tightly to a post. The good fellow had a bad time: the sun baked him, hunger and thirst tormented him.

It happened that a young prince was driving along that road; he saw the merchant’s son, took pity on him and ordered him to be released, dressed him in his clothes, brought him to his palace and began to ask:

-Who tied you to the post?

- My own father was angry.

- What have you done wrong?

“I didn’t want to tell him what I saw in my dream.”

- Oh, how stupid your father is to punish such a trifle so cruelly... What did you dream about?

- I won’t tell, prince!

- How can you not tell? I saved you from death, and you want to be rude to me? Speak now, otherwise it will be bad!

“I didn’t tell my father and I won’t tell you!”

The prince ordered him to be put in prison; soldiers immediately came running and took him to a stone bag.

A year passed, the prince decided to get married, got ready and went to a foreign state to woo Elena the Beautiful. That prince had a sister, and soon after his departure she happened to be walking near the dungeon itself.

Ivan, the merchant’s son, saw her through the window and shouted in a loud voice:

- Have mercy, princess, set me free! Maybe I can come in handy too. After all, I know that the prince went to Elena the Beautiful to woo; But he won’t get married without me, and maybe he’ll pay with his head. Tea, I myself heard how cunning Elena the Beautiful is and how many suitors she sent to the next world.

“Are you going to help the prince?”

“I could help, but the falcon’s wings are tied.”

The princess immediately gave the order to release him from prison.

Ivan, the merchant's son, recruited his comrades, and there were twelve of them, including Ivan, and they looked alike like brothers - tall in height, voice in voice, hair in hair. They dressed up in identical caftans, sewn to the same size, mounted good horses and set off on their journey.

We drove for a day, and two, and three; On the fourth, they approached a dense forest, and they heard a terrible scream.

- Stop, brothers! - says Ivan. - Wait a little, I’ll follow that noise.

He jumped off his horse and ran into the forest; looks - three old men are arguing in the clearing.

- Hello, old people! What are you arguing about?

- Do you want me to separate you?

- Do me a favor!

Ivan the merchant's son pulled his tight bow, placed three arrows and launched it at different sides; He tells one old man to run to the right, another to the left, and the third he sends straight ahead:

- Whichever of you brings the arrow first will receive the invisibility cap; whoever comes second will receive the magic carpet; and let the last one take the walking boots.

The old men ran after the arrows, and Ivan, the merchant’s son, took all the wonders and returned to his comrades.

“Brothers,” he says, “let your good horses go free and sit down on my magic carpet.”

Everyone quickly sat down on the magic carpet and flew to the kingdom of Helen the Beautiful.

They flew to her capital city, landed at the outpost and went to look for the prince. They come to his yard.

- What do you need? - asked the prince.

- Take us, good fellows, into your service; We will please you and wish you well from the bottom of our hearts.

The prince accepted them into his service and distributed them: some as cooks, some as grooms, some in different places.

That same day, the prince dressed up for the holidays and went to introduce himself to Elena the Beautiful. She greeted him kindly, treated him to all sorts of dishes and expensive drinks, and then began to ask:

“Tell me, Tsarevich, honestly, why did you come to us?”

- Yes, I want, Elena the Beautiful, to woo you; will you marry me?

- I guess I agree; just complete three tasks in advance. If you do, I will be yours, but if not, prepare your head for a sharp ax.

- Give me a task!

“I’ll have it tomorrow, but I won’t say what; Manage, Tsarevich, and bring your unknown to my mate.

The prince returned to his apartment in great distress and sadness. Ivan, the merchant’s son, asks him:

- Why, Tsarevich, are you unhappy? Ali, what annoyed Elena the Beautiful? Share your grief with me, it will be easier for you.

“So and so,” the prince answers, “Elena the Beautiful asked me such a problem that not a single sage in the world could solve it.”

- Well, this is still a small problem! Get some sleep; The morning is wiser than the evening, tomorrow we will judge the matter.

The Tsarevich went to bed, and Ivan, the merchant’s son, put on an invisibility cap and walking boots - and marched to the palace to see Helen the Beautiful; went straight into the bedroom and listened. Meanwhile, Elena the Beautiful gave the following order to her beloved maid:

“Take this expensive material and take it to a shoemaker: let him make a shoe for my foot, as quickly as possible.”

The maid ran where she was ordered, and Ivan followed her.

The master immediately set to work, quickly made a shoe and placed it on the window; Ivan the merchant's son took that shoe and quietly hid it in his pocket.

The poor shoemaker began to fuss; his work disappeared from under his nose; He already searched and searched, searched all corners - all in vain! “What a miracle! - thinks. “No way, the unclean one was joking with me!” There was nothing to do, I took up the needle again, the other shoe worked and carried it to Elena the Beautiful.

- What a slowpoke you are! - said Elena the Beautiful. - How long did it take to fiddle with one shoe!

She sat down at her work table and began embroidering the shoe with gold, decorating it with large pearls, and setting it with semi-precious stones.

And Ivan immediately found himself, took out his shoe and did the same: which pebble she takes, that’s what he chooses; Where she sticks a pearl, so he plants it.

Elena the Beautiful finished her work, smiled and said:

- The prince will show up with something tomorrow!

“Wait,” Ivan thinks, “it’s still unknown who will outwit whom!”

He returned home and went to bed; at dawn he got up, got dressed and went to wake up the prince; woke him up and gave him a shoe.

“Go,” he says, “to Elena the Beautiful and show her the shoe - this is her first task!”

The prince washed himself, dressed himself up and galloped off to the bride; and her room is full of guests - all boyars and nobles, people of the Duma. As soon as the prince arrived, music immediately started playing, the guests jumped up from their seats, and the soldiers stood guard.

Elena the Beautiful brought out a shoe, studded with large pearls and set with semi-precious stones; and she herself looks at the prince and grins. The prince tells her:

“It’s a good shoe, but without a pair it’s good for nothing!” Apparently, we need to give you another one just like it!

With that word, he took another shoe out of his pocket and put it on the table. Here all the guests clapped their hands and shouted in one voice:

- Oh yes, prince! Worthy to marry our empress, Elena the Beautiful.

- But we’ll see! - answered Elena the Beautiful. - Let him perform another task.

Late in the evening, the prince returned home even more gloomy than before.

- Enough, prince, to be sad! - Ivan, the merchant’s son, told him. - Go to bed, the morning is wiser than the evening.

He put him to bed, and he put on his walking boots and an invisibility hat and ran to the palace to see Helen the Beautiful. At that very time she gave an order to her beloved maid:

- Go quickly to the poultry yard and bring me a duck. The maid ran to the poultry yard, and Ivan followed her; the maid grabbed the duck, and Ivan grabbed the drake and came back the same way.

Elena the Beautiful sat down at her work table, took a duck, decorated its wings with ribbons, and its crest with diamonds; Ivan the merchant's son looks and does the same thing to the drake.

The next day, Elena the Beautiful has guests again, music again; She released her duck and asked the prince:

— Did you guess my problem?

- You guessed it, Elena the Beautiful! Here's a couple for your duck, and the drake immediately lets go...

- Well done, Tsarevich! Worthy to take Elena the Beautiful for yourself!

- Wait, let him complete the third task in advance. In the evening the prince returned home so gloomy that he didn’t even want to talk.

- Don’t worry, prince, better go to bed; morning is wiser than evening,” said Ivan, the merchant’s son.

He quickly put on his invisibility hat and walking boots and ran to Elena the Beautiful. And she got ready to go to the blue sea, got into the carriage and rushed at full speed; only Ivan, the merchant’s son, is not a step behind.

Elena the Beautiful came to the sea and began to call her grandfather. The waves swayed, and an old grandfather rose from the water - his beard was golden, his hair was silver. He went ashore:

- Hello, granddaughter! I haven't seen you for a long time: all your hair is tangled - comb it.

He lay down on her lap and fell into a sweet sleep. Elena the Beautiful is scratching her grandfather, and Ivan, the merchant’s son, is standing behind her.

She saw that the old man had fallen asleep, and plucked three silver hairs from him; and Ivan, the merchant’s son, snatched out a whole bunch of hair. Grandfather woke up and shouted:

- What you! It hurts!

- Sorry, grandpa! I haven’t scratched you for a long time, all my hair is tangled.

Grandfather calmed down and a little later fell asleep again. Helen the Beautiful tore out three golden hairs from him; and Ivan the merchant’s son grabbed him by the beard and almost tore it all off.

The grandfather screamed terribly, jumped to his feet and rushed into the sea.

“Now the prince is caught! - thinks Elena the Beautiful. “He can’t get that kind of hair.”

The next day guests gathered to visit her; The prince also arrived. Elena the Beautiful shows him three silver and three golden hairs and asks:

- Have you ever seen such a miracle?

- I found something to brag about! Do you want me to give you a whole bunch?

He took out and gave her a tuft of golden hair and a tuft of silver.

Elena the Beautiful got angry, ran to her bedroom and began to look into the magic book: was the prince guessing himself or who was helping him? And he sees from the book that it is not he who is cunning, but his servant, Ivan, the merchant’s son, who is cunning.

She returned to the guests and pestered the prince:

- Send your favorite servant to me.

- I have twelve of them.

- They came the one called Ivan.

- Yes, they are all called Ivans!

“Okay,” he says, “let everyone come!” - But in his mind he keeps: “I’ll find the culprit even without you!”

The prince gave the order - and soon twelve good fellows, his faithful servants, appeared at the palace; everyone looks the same, height to height, voice to voice, hair to hair.

-Which one of you is the big one? - asked Elena the Beautiful.

They all shouted at once:

- I'm big! I'm big!

“Well,” she thinks, “you won’t find out anything easily here!” - and she ordered eleven simple glasses, and the twelfth gold one, from which she always drank; I filled those glasses with expensive wine and began to treat the good fellows.

None of them takes a simple glass, everyone reaches for the golden one and starts snatching it from each other: they just made a noise and spilled the wine!

Elena the Beautiful sees that her joke was not a success; She ordered these fellows to be fed and watered and put to sleep in the palace.

That night, when everyone was fast asleep, she came to them with her magic book, looked at that book and immediately recognized the culprit; She took the scissors and cut off his temple.

“By this sign I will recognize him tomorrow and order his execution.”

In the morning, Ivan, the merchant’s son, woke up, took his head with his hand, and his temple had been shorn; He jumped out of bed and let’s wake up his comrades:

- Get some sleep, trouble is coming! Take the scissors and cut your temples.

An hour later, Elena the Beautiful called them to her and began to look for the culprit... What kind of miracle? No matter who you look at, everyone's temples have been cut off. Out of frustration, she grabbed her magic book and threw it into the oven.

After that, she couldn’t make excuses; she had to marry the prince. The wedding was fun; For three days the people were having fun, for three days the taverns and taverns were open - whoever wants to come, drink and eat at the public expense!

As soon as the feasts were over, the prince got ready to go with his young wife to his state, and sent twelve good fellows ahead.

They went outside the city, spread out a flying carpet, sat down and rose above the walking cloud; They flew and flew and landed right next to that dense forest where they had abandoned their good horses.

As soon as they had time to get off the carpet, they saw an old man running towards them with an arrow. Ivan the merchant's son gave him the invisibility cap. After that, another old man came running and received a flying carpet, and then a third one - this one got walking boots.

Ivan says to his comrades:

- Saddle up your horses, brothers, it’s time to hit the road.

They immediately caught the horses, saddled them and rode off to their homeland.

They arrived and went straight to the princess; She was very happy with them and asked about her brother: how did he get married and will he be home soon?

“What should I reward you with,” he asks, “for such service?”

Ivan, the merchant’s son, answers:

- Put me in prison, in the old place.

No matter how the princess tried to persuade him, he insisted on his own: the soldiers took him and took him to prison.

A month later the prince arrived with his young wife; the meeting was solemn: music played, cannons were fired, bells were rung, so many people gathered that you could even walk on their heads!

The boyars and all sorts of ranks came to introduce themselves to the prince; he looked around and began to ask:

- Where is Ivan, my faithful servant?

“He,” they say, “is sitting in prison.”

- Like in a dungeon? Who dared to imprison? The princess tells him:

“You yourself, brother, took a shine to him and ordered him to be kept in tight captivity.” Do you remember that you asked him about some dream, but he didn’t want to tell?

- Is it really him?

- He is; I let him go to you for a while.

The prince ordered Ivan, the merchant's son, to be brought, threw himself on his neck and asked him not to remember the old evil.

“You know, prince,” Ivan tells him, “everything that happened to you was known to me in advance, I saw all this in a dream; That’s why I didn’t tell you about the dream.

The prince awarded him the rank of general, endowed him with rich estates and left him to live in the palace.

Ivan, the merchant's son, sent his father and older brother to live with him, and they all began to live and get along together, making good money.

Alternative text:

— Russian folk tale processed by A.N. Afanasyev.

Remember the power that shoes were given in ancient fairy tales. The running boots could instantly get anywhere. The silver shoes of the evil Gingema from Alexander Volkov’s fairy tale “The Wizard of the Emerald City” could “teleport” heroes anywhere in the world. And how important and businesslike Puss in Boots immediately became! But each pair of these shoes was made by an ordinary shoemaker (“shoemaker” in the old way). In former times, people of this profession were highly respected and were even equated with wizards. “Odessa Life” decided to recall fairy tales in which shoes play a very important role.

Crystal slippers and gold-plated sandals

The story of Cinderella is one of the most popular stories, which has over a thousand incarnations in fairy tales. different nations peace. Many people know about the glass slipper in different variations. But few people know that the “great-grandmother” of the shoe was a gilded sandal. This version of the tale is found on ancient Egyptian papyri.

The main character of this tale is called Rhodopis. She was born in Greece. One day beautiful girl kidnapped by pirates, brought to Egypt and sold into slavery. The owner liked the fragile girl so much that he bought her elegant gold-plated leather sandals. While Rhodopis was bathing in the river, a falcon stole her sandal and carried it off to the pharaoh. The sandal was so small that the pharaoh wanted to see its owner, equipped a ship and rushed in search. When he found Rhodopis, he married her.

Such different “Red Shoes”

There are at least two fairy tales with a similar title. But if in the case of the glass slippers the stories are at least somewhat similar, then the two stories about the red slippers have nothing in common.

One of them is the mystical fairy tale “The Red Shoes” by Hans Christian Andersen, written by the writer in 1845. In this story, shoes play a cruel joke on the main character, Karen. The first pair was sewn for her by an old shoemaker from scraps of red cloth - she simply felt sorry for the poor girl who walked barefoot in the cold. The girl wore them to her mother's funeral. Karen got her second pair of expensive satin shoes when she got older. She lived with a childless rich young lady who spoiled her. Due to the fact that the girl put on these same shoes out of place and could not think about anything else, one elder decided to teach her a lesson - as soon as Karen’s feet started dancing, they could never stop, and it was almost impossible to even take off the shoes impossible. Based on this fairy tale, a film was made in Great Britain in 1948 about how a passion for dance can cause the death of a ballerina. In it, shoes turned into satin pointe shoes.

And 30 years ago, the Ukrtelefilm studio made a children's musical film “The Red Shoes” based on Ukrainian folk tales. These shoes are endowed with a completely different power - they are able to cleanse the forest of rot and filthy mushrooms, and grow magical insensible grass. And the magic herb will heal Mariyka’s mother and other village residents from terrible illnesses. But only the most honest, resourceful and courageous person who has passed many tests can put them on. The shoes are kept by the forest king, who must give them only to those who earn his trust.

Bast shoes, sneakers, felt boots...

In some fairy tales, the shoes on animals are far from magical, but rather ordinary. Simply, by putting on boots, the Dog or the Cat becomes like nobles and even people take their opinion into account (cartoons “Puss in Boots” of 1968 and “Dog in Boots” of 1981).

In the musical film “Shoes with Golden Buckles,” filmed at the Odessa Film Studio in 1976, shoes become part of a detective story. The fact is that the Tsar-Father “lost” his shoes with gold buckles, which were given to him by a friendly king. And after the loss is found, the Tsar offers them to Ivan the Fool as a ransom - so that Ivan will abandon the Tsar’s daughter, Princess Maryushka. Ivan, in love, of course, does not agree to the royal gift, because he is more comfortable in bast shoes.

In Nikolai Gogol's story “The Night Before Christmas,” Oksana sends her lover Vakula to buy slippers that the queen herself wears.

And in the cartoon “Winter in Prostokvashino” based on the fairy tales of Eduard Uspensky, the cat Matroskin and the dog Sharik quarreled because of different views on winter shoes and stopped talking:

“I told this hunter: buy yourself felt boots!” And what did he do: he went and bought sneakers - they are, he says, more beautiful,” says the practical Matroskin

- He did this without thinking. “Even our students don’t wear sneakers in winter,” echoes postman Pechkin.

Running boots in children's fairy tales

In many fairy tales, there are running boots (or seven-league boots). In Charles Perrault's fairy tale "Tom Thumb", the main character steals seven-league boots from the Ogre. The kid got a job in the royal service as a messenger and, with the help of magic shoes, earned a lot of money and helped the family get out of poverty.

In the fairy tale “Prophetic Dream,” the main character Ivan is a merchant’s son. It so happened that in a not entirely honest way, he took possession of important fairy-tale attributes - an invisibility hat, a flying carpet and running boots for doing good deeds.

The main character of the fairy tale “The Enchanted Princess,” a retired soldier, had to marry the princess, who was in the form of a bear. To break her spell, he steals a flying carpet, an invisibility hat and walking boots. True, while performing all the fabulous deeds, I didn’t have to use boots.

TV movies: "Cinderella" (1947), "Smart Things" (1973)

Cartoons: "The Night Before Christmas" (1951), "Puss in Boots" (1968), "The Wizard of Oz" (1973), "Mook the Runner" (1975), "Dog in Boots" (1981), "The Red Shoes" ( 1986), “The Old Shoemaker” (1987).

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