Once upon a time there was an old man who had three daughters. The eldest daughter and the middle daughter never thought about anything except clothes and how beautiful they'd look if they could only buy a new this or that. Mary; the youngest daughter, did all the housework and felt happy just as she was. Not that she wasn't pretty. Her dark brows arched over the beautiful eyes of a falcon, and ample brown hair flowed down to her waist.
One day the father had to go to the fair. He asked his daughters what presents they'd like.
"I would like some crimson silk to make myself a new sarafan, "said the eldest daughter.
"And you, little one, what do you want? "the father asked Mary. "I want a feather of Finist the Bright Falcon," she replied.
The father was very surprised, but he did not say anything. He got into his cart and set off. He bought two rolls of silk for his eldest daughters, but the could not find a feather of Finist the Bright Falcon anywhere.
When he got back, he gave his eldest daughters their presents. They were both very happy.
"There you are, my dears. I have brought what you asked for. But Mary, I could not find a feather of Finist the Bright Falcon anywhere," he added, turning to his youngest, favorite daughter.
The elder sisters worked away, cutting out their patterns, sewing their hems, stopping from time to time to make fun of their little sister. She just pretended not to hear.
The eldest daughters each asked for a silk shawl. Mary asked for a feather of Finist the Bright Falcon.
The father got into his cart and set off. He bought two beautiful shawls but, though he looked high and low, he could not find a feather of Finist the Bright Falcon anywhere.
"Golden earrings!" his two eldest daughters answered together. "I'd like a feather from Finist the Bright Falcon," said Mary.
The father finished his business at the fair, bought his eldest daughters their earrings and began asking everyone if they knew where he could buy a feather of Finist the Bright Falcon. No one had even heard of such a thing. Sadly, wearily, he climbed into his cart.
The father happily gave him the thousand rubles and rode back home with a light heart.
His daughters met him at the gate. He gave the two eldest their earrings. Then he gave Mary the little box.
Mary threw herself into his arms, took the box, hugged it to her breast and kissed it.
"I'm just talking to myself," she answered.
The Prince jumped up, stamped against the floor and became a feather once again. She put the feather away in the box and opened the door. Her sisters searched under the bed, peered into the dresser wardrobe and generally turned the whole room upside down. No one was to be found. As soon as they left, the feather turned back into a Prince.
He kissed her once more, turned into a bright falcon and flew back to the dark forest. Mary watched until he disappeared from sight, shut the window and lay down to sleep.
From then on Finist came to visit her every night.
On Sunday her sisters started getting ready to go to church. They put on their golden earrings, their new sarafans, and their silk shawls. Then they began making fun of their little sister again.
The elder sisters set off in their smart clothes. Mary sat at her window and watched everyone go by.
When everyone was gone, she stepped outside, looked around again to make sure no one was there, and waved her feather over her right shoulder. In the twinkling of an eye, there appeared a coach made of crystal, six fine horses, servants dressed in gold braid, a beautiful dress, and all kinds of fine jewelry, made of precious gems. She dressed, took her seat in the carriage and galloped to church. Everyone there stared at her in wonder. They could not take their eyes off of her.
"It must be some Princess from beyond the thrice-ninth land, from the thrice- tenth kingdom," they whispered.
When the service was almost over, she slipped out of the door and galloped off. Everyone rushed out to see where she'd gone. They were too late. Even the dust from her carriage had already settled.
Mary got back and waved the feather over her left shoulder. Her servants undressed her, the carriage vanished, and everything was the same as before. When the sisters came back, Mary was sitting quietly at the window. She was watching people pass by on their way back from church.
The same thing happened on the next Sunday, and the Sunday after that. Mary fooled the whole village, and her family as well. On the third Sunday, though, she made a mistake. She forgot to take out one diamond hairpin.
Her elder sisters came back and started telling her about the Princess. Then they saw the diamond hairpin.
Mary ran upstairs and hid in her room. She couldn't think what to say. After that her sisters never gave her a moment's peace.
They followed her around all day, watching her out of the corners of their eyes and whispering to each other. Mary, just smiled to herself and kept her mouth shut.
One night the elder sisters stood and listened outside Mary's door. They heard her talking with Finist.
"Father," they shouted out. "Our sister's got a young man in her room." The father went up to look. Finist turned into a feather and Mary hid him away in her box. Her father didn't find anyone there.
After that the elder sisters watched Mary more closely than ever. Three times they saw Finist fly in at her window. Then they had an idea. Next evening, just after sunset, they fetched a ladder, climbed up to Mary's window and lined the inside of the frame with sharp, jagged knives and rusty nails. Then they sat down and waited to see what would happen.
That night Finist couldn't get in. He struggled and struggled. He tore his wings and cut a great gash in his chest.
Mary heard him through her sleep. She tried and tried to wake up, but she couldn't. When she did wake up, it was morning. The sun was high in the sky and she hadn't seen a sign of Finist the Bright Falcon. Then she looked at window.
There were rusty nails and sharp, jagged knives all the way around the frame. Drops of blood were dripping onto the ledge. She closed her eyes and threw up her hands in horror.
"My sweetheart! What's happened? What have they done to you?" That day and the next day Mary didn't stop crying. She didn't sleep at night. She just sat by the window and waited. She went out a few times and waved her feather in the air but nothing happened. There wasn't a sign of Finist or any of his servants.
Her father was very sad, but he let her go. She went to the blacksmith's and had him forge three iron staffs and three pairs of iron shoes. She took three stone loaves. She slipped one pair of iron shoes onto her feet, took one iron staff in her hand and set off. She went the way Finist used to fly in the mornings.
She made her way through dark forests. She walked across deserts and sinking sands. She climbed over high, high mountains. She crossed deep, fast flowing rivers. I don't know how long she walked. Each mountain she climbed was higher than the one before. Each forest she came to was thicker and darker. She wore out one iron staff and trod down one pair of iron shoes. She was just eating the last crumbs of a stone loaf when she came to a clearing. In front of her was a hut. It stood on chicken's legs and turned round and round in circles.
The hut spun round till its door was right in front of her. She went in. There on the floor lay Baba-Yaga. Her bony legs stretched right to the far corner. Her lips rested on a shelf on the wall. Her nose almost touched the ceiling.
Baba-Yaga threw a ball down the path and told Mary to follow it wherever it went.
Mary thanked the old woman and set off after the ball. She walked through the dark forest. The trees grew taller and taller and closer together. Their tops seemed to touch the sky. Mary wore out another iron staff and trod down another pair of iron shoes. She'd just finished her second stone loaf when she found the ball had stopped in a clearing. In front of her was a hut. I stood on chicken's legs and turned round and round in circles.
"Foo, foo, foo!" snorted Baba-Yaga. "In the old days you never so much as glimpsed at a Russian soul in these parts. Now I can see them and hear them and smell them and they even walk into my hut. Where are you going to, my pretty girl? What are you looking for? Or what is it you're running away from?
Mary said goodbye and set off after her little ball. She walked on further through the dark forest. It grew denser and denser, darker and darker. Soon she wore out her last iron staff, trod down her last pair of iron shoes, and finished her last stone loaf. Then her ball stopped by little hut in a clearing. It stood on chicken's legs and turned round and round in circles.
Mary burst out crying, thanked the old woman and set off after her ball. The forest grew thinner and thinner. After awhile she came to the sea. In the distance there were white towers and golden domes that blazed like fire. "This must be Finist's Kingdom." she thought. She sat down on the sand, got out her silver distaff and golden spindle and began spinning. A crowd of people gathered to watch. They'd never seen anyone spin pure gold.
"How much do you want for your distaff and spindle?
The Princess nearly got very angry indeed. Then she thought what fun it would be to have such a wonderful toy.
The Princess took the distaff and spindle back home with her. That evening she mixed a sleeping potion into Finist's wine. After he'd gone to bed, she sent one of her servants to take Mary into his room.
Mary stood by his bed and cried: Finist, Finist Bright Falcon! It's me! It's Mary! I've worn out three iron staffs. I've trodden down three pairs of iron shoes. I've eaten three stone loaves. Now I've found you at last. Wake up!" Finist the Bright Falcon hardly stirred.
That afternoon Mary sat down on the shore and began playing with her golden egg and saucer. Soon the Princess came along.
The Princess agreed at once. She was afraid Mary might change her mind. In the evening she gave Finist another sleeping potion.
Finist the Bright Flacon hardly stirred.
That afternoon Mary sat down by the sea feeling sadder than ever. She was holding the golden embroidery frame in one hand. The needle sewed away by itself. A crowd of people were watching. Along came the Princess.
"I only want one thing," answered Mary. "I want to see Finist the Bright Falcon tonight." The Princess went back to her palace with the golden embroidery frame and needle. In the evening she gave Finist his sleeping potion. She waited till he was fast asleep and let Mary into his room.
Mary stood by his bed again and wept.
"Wake up, Finist! It's Mary! Wake up! I've worn out three iron staffs. I've trodden down three pairs of iron shoes. I've eaten three stone loaves. Now I've found you at last. Finist! Wake up!
She threw her arms around him. One of her tears fell on his cheek and burnt him, and he woke up. He opened his eyes and saw who she was. At once he felt happier than he'd ever felt in his life.
Mary told him her whole story from beginning to end. She told him about her sisters. She told him about her journey, about the wonderful presents she'd been given and the iron staffs and shoes she'd worn out. She told him how she'd had to bargain with his wife.
After that Finist loved her even more. He kissed her sweet lips and went straight out to call a conference of all his nobles, all his counselors, and everyone else in the Kingdom. He told them all that had happened.
The one who walked through forests and crossed deserts and sinking sands. The one who climbed steep mountains and forded deep rivers." Finist the Bright Falcon did as they said. Trumpets trumpeted, cannons boomed, a huge feast was prepared, and they were married. And as far as I know, they lived happily forever after.
Special thanks to Linda Pritzker whom I met in New York City last year. She honored me with permission to bring her story to you, here on my blog.
When I started reading the book I couldn't put it down as the story flowed within me so naturally as if I was there. It transported me once again to the imaginary world of fantasy, where I saw myself as a little girl, fascinated with stories that my parents used to tell me. I felt even happier when I recognized some stories which I'd first heard in my native language which was just added to the magic. I do believe that stories told to us as children have a huge effect and influence on a person, even in one's adult life!
My intention to share this book with you is to stimulate and inspire so that we may continue the legacy of telling stories to our children. In this book there are collections of Faerie Tales from around the world … with an interpretation, should you choose to indulge in it.
The dream that you don't fight for can haunt you for the rest of your life.
Thank you so much for your opinion on Finist the Falcon Rhônya Holman! I totally agree with you. It is great to see a fresh outlook on this and I look forward to more.
Wow! Amazing really amazing story!
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Cool, there is actually some good points in this story. I will send the link to friends, many thanks.