“What then is the meaning?  Tell us the whole truth; do not hide it from us,” said the father and mother.

“Oh, how sad it sounds!” replied the son.  “How much better would it be never to have been born!”

“Do not frighten us,” said the parents, alarmed.  “If thou dost really understand the meaning of the song, tell us at once.”

“Do you not hear for yourselves?  The nightingale says:  ’The time will come when Ivan, the merchant’s son, shall become Ivan, the king’s son, and his own father shall serve him as a simple servant.’”

The merchant and his wife felt troubled and began to distrust their son, their good Ivan.  So one night they gave him a drowsy drink, and when he had fallen asleep they took him to a boat on the wide sea, spread the white sails, and pushed the boat from the shore.

For a long time the boat danced on the waves and finally it came near a large merchant vessel, which struck against it with such a shock that Ivan awoke.  The crew on the large vessel saw Ivan and pitied him.  So they decided to take him along with them and did so.  High, very high, above in the sky they perceived cranes.  Ivan said to the sailors: 

“Be careful; I hear the birds predicting a storm.  Let us enter a harbor or we shall suffer great danger and damage.  All the sails will be torn and all the masts will be broken.”

But no one paid any attention and they went farther on.  In a short time the storm arose, the wind tore the vessel almost to pieces, and they had a very hard time to repair all the damage.  When they were through with their work they heard many wild swans flying above them and talking very loud among themselves.

“What are they talking about?” inquired the men, this time with interest.

“Be careful,” advised Ivan.  “I hear and distinctly understand them to say that the pirates, the terrible sea robbers, are near.  If we do not enter a harbor at once they will imprison and kill us.”

The crew quickly obeyed this advice and as soon as the vessel entered the harbor the pirate boats passed by and the merchants saw them capture several unprepared vessels.  When the danger was over, the sailors with Ivan went farther, still farther.  Finally the vessel anchored near a town, large and unknown to the merchants.  A king ruled in that town who was very much annoyed by three black crows.  These three crows were all the time perching near the window of the king’s chamber.  No one knew how to get rid of them and no one could kill them.  The king ordered notices to be placed at all crossings and on all prominent buildings, saying that whoever was able to relieve the king from the noisy birds would be rewarded by obtaining the youngest korolevna, the king’s daughter, for a wife; but the one who should have the daring to undertake but not succeed in delivering the palace from the crows would have his head cut off.  Ivan attentively read the announcement, once, twice, and once more.  Finally he made the sign of the cross and went to the palace.  He said to the servants: