Emelya and the Talking Pike
A lazy fellow, a magical fish, and a journey to love and power
Page 1
Once upon a time, in a small, snow-covered village, there lived a young man named Emelya. He was known throughout the village for his extraordinary laziness. While his two brothers and their wives worked hard every day, Emelya preferred to lie on the warm stove, staring at the ceiling and dreaming. His sisters-in-law often grumbled loudly, saying he did nothing but eat and sleep, never helping with chores. The winter was cold and long, and the humble log hut required constant attention, but Emelya seemed utterly unconcerned by hardship or work. He would only move if he absolutely had to, and even then, he would try to find a magical way to avoid the effort. Life in the small, bustling hut carried on with the constant sounds of his sisters-in-law urging him to help, and Emelya's slow, sleepy answers, drifting from his cozy perch.
Page 2
One day, his sisters-in-law desperately needed water for cooking and cleaning, but the supply had run out. "Emelya!" they cried, their voices sharp with impatience, "Go fetch water from the river at once!" Emelya sighed deeply, a long, drawn-out sound of protest from his warm spot on the stove. "I am too lazy," he mumbled. But they insisted, promising him special treats and scolding him relentlessly until, at last, he slowly and reluctantly rolled off the stove. He pulled on his warmest, thickest coat, grabbed two empty wooden pails, and began his long, tiresome journey. The path to the river was icy and treacherous, winding through a silent, stark forest of bare, snow-dusted trees. Every step felt like a great, heavy effort. The air was still and bitterly cold, biting at his nose and cheeks, making his breath plume. He shuffled along, dragging his feet, wishing he were back on his warm stove, dreaming of a way to avoid such tedious chores forever and escape the cold.
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Finally, after what felt like an endless walk, Emelya reached the frozen river. He found a spot where a small, dark hole had already been cut through the thick, gleaming ice, revealing the murky water below. He carefully lowered one of his pails into the dark opening. But instead of the gentle resistance of water filling the pail, he felt a sudden, strong tug on the rope. He pulled and pulled with surprising strength, and to his utter astonishment, he drew out a large, gleaming pike! This was no ordinary fish, its scales shimmering with an unusual light. As Emelya held it, preparing to drop it into his pail, the pike spoke. "Emelya, good Emelya, let me go!" it pleaded in a clear, small, human-like voice. Emelya blinked, wondering if the cold had made him imagine things. "If you let me go," the pike continued, its eyes fixed on his, "I will grant your every wish. Just say, 'By the Pike's Command, let it be done!'" Emelya's eyes widened. A talking fish with wishes! This was far more interesting than merely fetching water.
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Emelya thought about the pike's extraordinary promise. What use was a mere fish, however large, when he could have magical wishes granted? So, with a sense of wonder, he carefully released the pike back into the icy water. The fish disappeared with a quick, powerful flick of its tail, leaving only ripples. Emelya stood there for a moment, the cold wind nipping at his face, then decided to test the magic. He pointed at his empty pails, still sitting idly on the ice. "By the Pike's Command," he said aloud, his voice clear and firm, "let these pails go home by themselves and fill with water!" To his utter amazement, the pails lifted from the ice, swayed clumsily for a moment, and then began to clank their way back along the path, as if an invisible person carried them, splashing water as they moved! Emelya, with a wide, triumphant grin, followed slowly behind, no longer needing to carry a single thing. His sisters-in-law would be quite surprised indeed.
Page 5
When Emelya returned, his sisters-in-law were utterly amazed by the sight of the full pails, which had mysteriously arrived by themselves, but Emelya simply climbed back onto his warm stove, pretending he had done nothing. Soon enough, they needed more wood for the ever-hungry fire to keep the hut warm. "Emelya! Get up and go chop wood!" they demanded, their voices filled with frustration. Emelya sighed deeply, his eyes still half-closed. "I am too lazy," he replied. But they kept nagging and scolding. So, from his cozy spot on the stove, Emelya decided to use his magic once more. "By the Pike's Command," he murmured, barely moving his lips, "let the axe go out and chop wood, and let the wood come into the hut and stack itself neatly!" Outside, to the utter astonishment of his sisters-in-law, the axe flew from its hook near the woodpile and began to chop logs all by itself. Logs split with a satisfying crack and then, as if guided by invisible hands, floated through the open door, stacking themselves neatly beside the stove. Emelya, meanwhile, remained perfectly warm and comfortable, barely opening an eye, a faint smile playing on his lips.
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Word of Emelya's strange and undeniable magic, and his incredible laziness, eventually reached the Tsar himself. The Tsar was both curious about this powerful peasant and a little annoyed by someone who openly defied his commands, even from his stove. He promptly sent his General, a stern and imposing man known for his strict discipline, to summon Emelya to the royal palace. The General, accompanied by a small troop of mounted soldiers, rode into the sleepy village, making quite a stir with the clatter of hooves and the gleam of armor. They soon found Emelya's humble hut, and the General dismounted, demanding in a booming voice to see the lazy fellow. Emelya, still comfortably ensconced on his stove, simply refused to come. "I am too lazy," he called out, his voice muffled. The General grew furious, threatening to drag him by force. But Emelya, with a secret, mischievous smile, used the pike's command, and the General and his men suddenly found themselves unable to move, rooted to the spot as if turned to stone, to the astonishment of the villagers.
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Realizing that threats and force would not work against Emelya's mysterious power, the General, now able to move again, returned to the Tsar to report Emelya's stubbornness. The Tsar, now even more intrigued by this defiant peasant, ordered his men to try again, this time promising Emelya new clothes, delicious food, and even a title if he would only come to the palace. Emelya, still on his stove, decided to accept the invitation. "By the Pike's Command," he said, "let my stove go to the Tsar's palace, and let it go swiftly!" With a mighty rumble and a creak, the large brick stove lifted itself and began to move, carrying Emelya on its back. It rolled right through the astonished village and all the way to the grand palace courtyard, where the Tsar, Princess Marya, and his entire court had gathered in eager anticipation to see this marvel. Emelya, still lounging casually, caught sight of the beautiful Princess Marya standing beside her father, and for the first time, he felt something more than mere laziness stir in his heart.
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After arriving at the palace, Emelya, charmed by Princess Marya, used his magic to become handsome and wise, and he and the Princess fell deeply in love. The princess saw Emelya's kind heart and special gift, not his rough beginnings. But the Tsar was absolutely furious. How could his royal daughter, a princess, fall for a simple peasant, even a magically changed one? He decided he had to get rid of Empletely and his own daughter once and for all. He ordered his soldiers to seize Emelya and Princess Marya, place them quickly inside a large wooden barrel, and seal it tight with thick bands of iron. Then, the heavy barrel was rolled down to the desolate seashore. The Tsar commanded his men to push the barrel into the vast, grey waves, to send them far away from the kingdom forever. The barrel bobbed in the cold, dark water, slowly drifting out to sea, leaving the shore empty and quiet once more.
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Inside the dark, rocking barrel, drifting on the endless, cold sea, Emelya did not despair. He knew his magical pike would help them. He gathered Princess Marya close and whispered, "By the Pike's Command," he said, his voice firm and clear, "let this barrel be washed ashore on a beautiful, uninhabited island, and let a magnificent palace appear on it, larger and grander than the Tsar's, with everything we could ever need, and let us be dressed in royal robes!" The barrel soon bumped gently onto a sandy shore, then settled softly. When Emelya and Marya emerged, blinking in the sunlight, they found themselves on a beautiful island, lush with greenery. Before them stood a palace more splendid than any they had ever seen, sparkling in the sun, and they were dressed in the finest royal clothes. They moved in, happy and content, living like true royalty, surrounded by beauty and luxury, and the calm sea stretched out, endless and blue, around their new home.
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Time passed, and one day, the Tsar, sailing past the mysterious new island, saw the magnificent palace he had never noticed before. Astonished by its splendor, he immediately sent his General ashore to discover who lived there and what marvel had appeared. The General returned to report that it was Emelya and Princess Marya, living in unimaginable splendor and ruling a beautiful domain! The Tsar, filled with wonder and a touch of regret for his past actions, immediately ordered his ship to shore to visit them. When he saw his daughter so happy and Emelya transformed into a wise and noble ruler, respected by all, he finally understood Emelya's unique nature. He embraced Emelya, giving his heartfelt blessing to their marriage and their new kingdom. Emelya, no longer lazy but still kind-hearted and just, ruled wisely with Princess Marya by his side, and they lived a long and joyful life, all thanks to a talking pike and a little magic.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)
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