In forgotten times, a tsar had a wife he loved. He was so devoted to her care that he spent as much time as he could with her. Unfortunately, a war broke out and the ruler had to leave his wife behind to go fight.
During his absence, the tsarina brought her pregnancy to term and gave birth to a baby girl. The labour was so difficult, the tsarina bled out and died the next day, which, coincidentally, was the day the tsar came home.
He was overjoyed to meet his daughter as much as he was grief-stricken by the passing of his beloved spouse. The tsar mourned for a full year before he dared take a second wife. The new spouse was beautiful and tall, but was capricious, jealous and vain.
Every week, she would observe her soft features in the mirror and ask the reflection who was the fairest.
“Mirror, mirror, who is the fairest in the land?”
For years without fail, her reflection would answer that she was.
Over time, the tsar’s daughter grew into a beautiful young woman. Her charming ways and kind heart earned her a favourable reputation in the palace and beyond, as she always treated everyone fairly. Her father eventually concluded a treaty with a neighbouring kingdom, in which his daughter and Prince Yelisay were promised to each other.
Fortunately for the young couple, they fell in love easily and were delighted to be engaged to the love of their life. They spent much time together and were looking forward to their union.
The day after the engagement announcement, the tsarina questioned her reflection as usual.
“Mirror, mirror, who is the fairest in the land?”
“My Tsarina, you are still so beautiful, but the tsarevna is now the fairest in the land,” answered the reflection in a trembling voice.
The tsarina shrieked in rage, throwing her mirror on a cushion seat so vigourously it bounced further. She thought for a moment, then called her chambermaid.
“After the tsar leaves for his trip tomorrow, bring the tsarevna to the woods and tie her to a tree, leaving her to the wolves,” instructed the tsarina in a scornful tone.
The chambermaid was stunned by the cruel demand, but didn’t dare make a sound, her whole body tensing up in the presence of the tsarina. She nodded and bowed, before taking her leave.
The next day, the tsar left on his steed with his retinue early morning. Then, the chambermaid told the tsarevna the tsarina had requested they gather special mushrooms in the woods for her. The two of them walked deep in the dark woods looking for the precious edible items.
Once they had gotten deep enough no one could hear their screams, the chambermaid still couldn’t get herself to do what had been asked of her. Instead, she dropped her basket and bowed down to the tsarevna, apologizing for what she had planned to do. She warned the tsarevna of her stepmother’s plan and advised her to run away.
The tsarevna, as kind-hearted as she was, immediately forgave the chambermaid and thanked her for saving her. She then parted with the maidservant and walked deeper in teh dark woods for the whole day until she came across an old country house in a clearing among the tall oak trees.
A beautiful brown dog ran towards her and sniffed her hand before wagging its tail and letting out a friendly bark. The creature then led the tsarevna inside the house. She looked around and saw rich oak furniture as well as many portraits of Saints on the walls. The tsarevna breathed out loudly.
“The people living here must be good people,” she thought.
The tsarevna curled up on the sofa and rested her exhaustion away after cleaning up the area a bit.
Once the tsarevna was fast asleep, the door of the country house opened and seven bogatyrs entered. Right away, they noticed there was something different about the home. The dog didn’t come to the door as he was guarding the tsarevna. The seven men were stunned to find a beautiful young lady sleeping in their home, but as she was sleeping so peacefully, they simply put a blanket over her and let her rest while they had dinner.
When the young woman woke up from her nap, introductions were done and the group of men took the tsarevna in as a young adoptive sister. The bogatyrs hunted during the day while the lady took care of the house and cooked.
Over time, the youngest bogatyr developed a crush on the woman, but she declined his advances, stating she saw him as a brother. The man apologized and greed their sibling relationship was to be cherished. Another reason the tsarevna had refused the courting was that her engagement was still on her mind. Whenever she thought of the handsome and compassionated prince Yelisay, her heart fluttered.
While the tsarevna was getting accustomed to living with the bogatyrs, the tsarina thought her dead. After a few weeks, the tsarina asked her daring question to her mirror again.
“Mirror, mirror, who is the fairest in the land?”
To the tsarina’s surprise, the mirror again responded the tsarevna was the fairest of them all. The woman screamed so loudly, the servants in the hall dropped their trays. She could not let her get away with this. She had to get rid of that little tsarevna!
Thus, the tsarina tortured the chambermaid into telling her which way the tsarevna had gone after she let her go. She then disguised herself as a beggar-woman and headed towards the woods. When she got to the country house, the tsarevna was home with the dog alone. The disguised woman asked for some food and the princess brought her a fresh loaf of bread. In exchange, the tsarina gave her unsuspecting stepdaughter a red juicy apple.
As soon as the apple touched the tsarevna’s hand, the dog came barking and growling at her in warning. The tsarevna ignored his plea and kept the apple before closing the door on the old beggar-woman in disguise.
Later that day, as she had given away the bread meant for her lunch, the tsarevna got hungry and bit into the apple. She teetered and fell to the ground, taking her last breath shortly thereafter.
At the end of the day, the bogatyrs returned home and heard the dog barking loudly. Following the sound, they went to the tsarevna’s room and found her lifeless on the ground. The dog barked at the bogatyrs before pushing the red apple towards them with his maw, making them understand the fruit had caused the tsarevna’s state.
The men got down on their knees, checking their sister for pulse. What they found only increased the flow of their tears. The tsarevna seemed to really be gone.
The bogatyrs mourned their sister for a few hours, before they started crafting her the most beautiful crystal coffin anyone had ever seen, The roof was adorned with small gems and the sides had beautifully engraved wooden handles. The men placed their sister’s body carefully in the coffin before bringing it out in a sunny glade to bury.
At the tsar’s castle, the tsarina was busy questioning her reflection again.
“Mirror, mirror, who is the fairest in the land?”
“My Tsarina, you certainly are the fairest in the land,” answered the reflection in a sultry voice.
The tsarina was delighted. She had finally gotten rid of that pesky little brat of a stepdaughter! She ordered her chambermaid to prepare her a feast to celebrate that same night.
In the meantime, Prince Yelisay was searching far and wide for his fiancée, as he had been told she had been made ro run away from home by the chambermaid when he had come to visit the tsarevna. He left for the woods that very same day.
He asked the sun for assistance in finding the tsarevna. The sun directed him towards the moon. As that celestial body could not help him either, Prince Yelisay asked the wind. A gentle breeze swirled around him before lifting the leaves in the shape of a path before him.
The royal rode his mighty steed all night before he stumbled upon his beloved’s resting place, as the bogatyrs were digging a grave. Prince Yelisay tearfully asked if he could say his goodbyes and the men agreed.
Thus, the prince opened the crystal coffin, and softly mumbled loving words to his fiancée’s body before kissing her forehead. To everyone’s surprise, the tsarevna opened her eyes.
Shocked but blissfully happy, Prince Yelisay hugged her tightly while thanking the heavens. The bogatyrs couldn’t help but join the embrace and the group hug tightened in a mix of relieved laughter and tears.
After staying the night at the country house, Prince Yelisay and the tsarevna said their goodbyes to the seven bogatyrs and rode their horse towards the tsar’s castle. When the couple reached the residence, the tsarina couldn’t believe her eyes. Looking away from the vision she had just seen through the window, she turned towards her reflection.
“Mirror, mirror, who is the fairest in the land?”
“My Tsarina, you are beautiful indeed, but the tsarevna is the fairest.”
The tsarina was in such a state of shock that her heart gave out and she died in immense pain.
In the courtyard, the tsarevna and her fiancé were being welcomed by the servants and maids who had been very worried about the young woman since her disappearance. The couple planned their wedding for the following month and lived happily ever after.
The serie Obscure Fairy Tales encompasses an array of tales, myths and legends from around the world. To read more, visit this page dedicated to fiction writing.
Kelly Asselin-Tousignant 
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