They led Ilya through deep underground passages.  There were cellar doors covered with sand and blocked by thick oaken logs.  Ilya dug out the sand by hand and pushed away the trees with his feet.  In the cellar he found forty kings, forty czars, and forty bogatyrs.  And that is why the princess lured guests to her gold-covered towers.

Ilya said to the men, “Go to your lands and remember Ilya Murometz.  If not for me, you would die in this deep cellar.”  Ilya carried the princess by her braids into the sunlight and cut off her cunning head.

Then he returned to the stone, removed the inscription, and wrote a new one: “I took the straight road and wasn’t married.”

Forsaken wealth.  “Well, now I’ll take the road that leads to riches,” he decided.  He had only ridden three versts when he saw a huge rock, weighing three hundred poods (10,800 pounds).  On it was written, “Whosoever has the strength to turn this stone shall be rich.”

Ilya planted his feet, strained, sunk into the ground to his knees, tossed his strong shoulders–and turned the stone from its place.  Under the stone was a deep cellar with inestimable riches: silver, gold, enormous pearls and sapphires!

Ilya loaded Burushka with the treasure and took it to Kiev.  There he built three stone church-fortresses, so that there would be a place to flee from enemies and fires.  The remaining silver, gold, and pearls he gave to widows and orphans, not leaving himself even a quarter kopeck.

He mounted Burushka, rode to the white stone, removed the old inscription, and wrote a new one: “I took the left road and didn’t become rich.”

For all this, eternal praise and honor went to Ilya Murometz, the great bogatyr.  Even now, if a deep fog arises from the sea, or snow blankets the fields Ilya Murometz still rides the Russian steppe.

The Frog Princess

Long ago there lived a czar with three sons.  He said to them, “While I am not yet old, I want you to marry, so I can see my grandchildren.”