you receive this letter,
get ready for a wedding, and let the bearer be married next day to my
daughter, Anastasia. If you don't obey my orders I shall be very angry.'

Anastasia saw the bearer of the letter and he pleased her very much.
They dressed Vassili in fine clothes and next day he was married to
Anastasia.

In due time, Mark returned from his travels. His wife, daughter, and
son-in-law all went out to meet him. When Mark saw Vassili he flew into
a terrible rage with his wife. 'How dared you marry my daughter without
my consent?' he asked.

'I only carried out your orders,' said she. 'Here is your letter.'

Mark read it. It certainly was his handwriting, but by no means his
wishes.

'Well,' thought he, 'you've escaped me three times, but I think I shall
get the better of you now.' And he waited a month and was very kind and
pleasant to his daughter and her husband.

At the end of that time he said to Vassili one day, 'I want you to go
for me to my friend the Serpent King, in his beautiful country at the
world's end. Twelve years ago he built a castle on some land of mine. I
want you to ask for the rent for those twelve years and also to find out
from him what has become of my twelve ships which sailed for his country
three years ago.'

Vassili dared not disobey. He said good-bye to his young wife, who cried
bitterly at parting, hung a bag of biscuits over his shoulders, and set
out.

I really cannot tell you whether the journey was long or short. As he
tramped along he suddenly heard a voice saying: 'Vassili! where are you
going?'

Vassili looked about him, and, seeing no one, called out: 'Who spoke to
me?'

'I did; this old wide-spreading oak. Tell me where you are going.'

'I am going to the Serpent King to receive twelve years' rent from him.'

'When the time comes, remember me and ask the king: "Rotten to the
roots, half dead but still green, stands the old oak. Is it to stand
much longer on the earth?"'

Vassili went on further. He came to a river and got into the ferryboat.
The old ferryman asked: 'Are you going far, my friend?'

'I am going to the Serpent King.'

'Then think of me and say to the king: "For thirty years the ferryman
has rowed to and fro. Will the tired old man have to row much longer?"'

'Very well,' said Vassili; 'I'll ask him.'

And he walked on. In time he came to a narrow strait of the sea and
across it lay a great whale over whose back people walked and drove as