The Tsar father was pleased and the Tsarevitch received his special thanks.

“Now there is another task,” said the Tsar smilingly.  “Have each of your wives weave a rug by to-morrow.”

Tsarevitch Ivan came back to his home.  There was no smile on his face and his brow was clouded.

“C-R-O-A-K!  C-R-O-A-K!  Dear Tsarevitch Ivan, my husband and master, why so troubled again?  Was not father pleased?”

“How can I be otherwise?  The Tsar, my father, has ordered a rug by to-morrow.”

“Do not worry, Tsarevitch.  Go to bed; go to sleep.  The morning hour will bring help.”

Again the frog turned into Vassilissa, the wise maiden, and again she called aloud: 

“Dear nurses and faithful waitresses, come to me for new work.  Weave a silk rug like the one I used to sit upon in the palace of the king, my father.”

Once said, quickly done.  When the cocks began their early “cock-a-doodle-doo,” Tsarevitch Ivan awoke, and lo! there lay the most beautiful silk rug before him, a rug that no one could begin to describe.  Threads of silver and gold were interwoven among bright-colored silken ones, and the rug was too beautiful for anything but to admire.

The Tsar father was pleased, thanked his son Ivan, and issued a new order.  He now wished to see the three wives of his handsome sons, and they were to present their brides on the next day.

The Tsarevitch Ivan returned home.  Cloudy was his brow, more cloudy than before.

“C-R-O-A-K!  C-R-O-A-K!  Tsarevitch, my dear husband and master, why so sad?  Hast thou heard anything unpleasant at the palace?”

“Unpleasant enough, indeed!  My father, the Tsar, ordered all of us to present our wives to him.  Now tell me, how could I dare go with thee?”

“It is not so bad after all, and might be much worse,” answered the frog, gently croaking.  “Thou shalt go alone and I will follow thee.  When thou hearest a noise, a great noise, do not be afraid; simply say:  ‘There is my miserable froggy coming in her miserable box.’”

The two elder brothers arrived first with their wives, beautiful, bright, and cheerful, and dressed in rich garments.  Both the happy bridegrooms made fun of the Tsarevitch Ivan.

“Why alone, brother?” they laughingly said to him.  “Why didst thou not bring thy wife along with thee?  Was there no rag to cover her?  Where couldst thou have gotten such a beauty?  We are ready to wager that in all the swamps in the dominion of our father it would be hard to find another one like her.”  And they laughed and laughed.

Lo! what a noise!  The palace trembled, the guests were all frightened.  Tsarevitch Ivan alone remained quiet and said: 

“No danger; it is my froggy coming in her box.”

To the red porch came flying a golden carriage drawn by six splendid white horses, and Vassilissa, beautiful beyond all description, gently reached her hand to her husband.  He led her with him to the heavy oak tables, which were covered with snow-white linen and loaded with many wonderful dishes such as are known and eaten only in the land of fairies and never anywhere else.  The guests were eating and chatting gayly.