Little Ivanko was the strongest man in seven lands.
Mariyka was very impressed.
But the two young siblings, Ivanko and Mariyka, after being cruelly abandoned by their father, needed to find food and shelter.
They had made their way to the field they now stood in from a dark wood, but now were in dire need of shelter.
It was at this time they saw a bright light gleaming from deep within the forest, in a place they hadn't been, and ran towards it.
They approached it and found it was a giant shining crystal.
Ivanko kicked it, and with his strength turned it to powder.
Underneath were stairs that led down to a vast cavern, where they found a beautiful young girl tied up.
Ivanko ran to untangle the girl.
"Thank you dear boy," said the girl.
"I am a princess, daughter of the tsar, and was kidnapped for ransom by twelve wicked bandits.
You have saved me.
Is there any way I can repay you?" "We are starving, your highness.
Is there any food around?" said Ivanko.
"Yes," replied the princess, "deeper in the cavern there is a chamber that is filled with enough food for a lifetime, as well as gold and the finest of clothing.
Farewell, my friends.
" It was soon after the princess left, and they had eaten their fill, that the twelve bandits returned.
"Who has invaded our lair?!" they screamed.
The boy jumped out and shouted: "It is I, Ivanko, the strongest man in seven lands, and you villains have met your end.
" And with that he took his sword and slew eleven of them.
The twelfth he had only injured but being the cleverest amongst his cohorts, he pretended to be dead.
Ivanko dragged all the bodies to a tiny room.
The next day, when Ivanko was far from that room, the one living bandit whispered to Mariyka.
"Girl, beautiful girl.
Can you hear me?" "Yes.
" "Would you like me for a husband?" "Oh yes," cried the girl.
"Very well, but you must kill your brother, otherwise he will never allow it.
Just follow my instructions.
Tell him you are ill, and that you need the flesh of a wolf cub.
The mother wolf will kill him.
" The next day Mariyka made the request.
Ivanko went out in search of a wolf cub, but right as he was about to shoot it, the mother wolf came by.
"Ivanko, stop.
Take my cub alive to your sister.
She will reject him, and you can rest easy.
" As the mother wolf predicted, Mariyka would not harm the cub.
The bandit was furious and every day advised the girl of a different animal, and in every case the mother provided the same solution, till they had exhausted every animal in the forest.
Finally the bandit grew impatient and said to Mariyka: "Since this cannot be done the proper way, we must take matters into our own hands.
Tell him you have recover.
Prepare a bath of milk for him.
Then when he has taken off his shirt of strength and is drowsy from the milk, you will let me out, and I will slit his throat.
" Mariyka agreed and did as she was told.
But at the last moment she felt pity and begged the bandit to spare him.
He agreed and simply put out the boy's eyes.
He dragged him out to a well deep in the forest and threw him down into it.
Satisfied that he was no longer a threat he returned happily to his new wife.
Meanwhile Ivanko was thrashing at the bottom of the well trying, ineffectively, to escape, and when a logger who went for water found him there he ran away screaming.
"The well is cursed! There is a devil at the bottom!" But when the loggers went to go kill whatever godforsaken creature lurked at the bottom, Ivanko yelled out: "No! Don't kill me! I'm a boy, not a devil!" They rescued him, and for 3 years they tended to him.
But he began to feel guilt for the burden he placed on them.
So one night he snuck out and wandered out blindly into a swamp.
He was running as fast as he could, and finally tripped and fell into a spring.
But it was a magic spring, made of the water of life, and when he fell in all his wounds were healed and his blindness was cured.
He returned to the loggers, and for the next 9 years he worked among them.
On the tenth year he decided to take to the road, and seek his fortunes.
He was not walking for long before he encountered an ancient beggar, who was many years over 100.
"Old man, what would you say if I told you I could make you young again?" "Don't tease me boy, there is no potion that can do that.
There is only this one, that makes you old.
" Ivanko took out a flask with the water of life from the magic spring and they agreed to trade some of their potions.
Thus, was the old man made young, and Ivanko now ancient.
The ancient Ivanko made his way back to the bandits cavern, and his sister who did not recognize him, offered him shelter in kindness.
But when she and the bandit had fallen asleep, he took what remained of the water of life and poured it on himself, regaining his youth.
He then took back his magic shirt, gun, and sword, and announced himself.
The two were very frightened.
But Ivanko promised not to harm them, despite the evil they had inflicted on him.
But his old animal friends, who heard he had returned had entered the cavern and upon hearing the story could not contain their rage and tore the bandit to pieces.
Ivanko had been restored to his former glory, and made his way out of the cavern into the wide world.