ches? Or, perchance, the desire of thy
heart is a good wife? Speak, for God will give thee whatsoever thou
desirest." When the man had listened to the angel, he said to him,
"Tarry a while! I will go and ask those people who are ploughing
yonder." Now those people who were ploughing there were his own
brethren, but he did not know that they were his brethren. So he went
up and said to the elder brother, "Tell me, uncle, what shall I ask
of God? A tsardom, or great riches, or a good wife? Tell me, which of
the three is the best gift to ask for?"--And his eldest brother
said to him, "I know not, and who does know? Go and ask some one
else." So he went to the second brother, who was ploughing a little
farther on. He asked him the same question, but the man only
shrugged his shoulders and said he didn't know either. Then he went to
the third brother, who was the youngest of the three, and also
ploughing there. And he asked him, saying, "Tell me, now, which is
the best gift to ask of God: a tsardom, or great riches, or a good
wife?"--And the third brother said, "What a question! Thou art too
young for a tsardom, and great riches last but for a little while;
ask God for a good wife, for if it please God to give thee a good
wife, 'tis a gift that will bless thee all thy life long." So he went
back to the angel and asked for a good wife. Then he went on his way
till he came to a certain wood, and, looking about him, he perceived
that in this wood was a lake. And while he was looking at it,
three wild doves came flying along and lit down upon this lake. They
threw off their plumage and plunged into the water, and then he saw
that they were not wild doves, but three fair ladies. They bathed in
the lake, and in the meantime the youth crept up and took the raiment
of one of them and hid it behind the bushes. When they came out of
the water the third lady missed her clothes. Then the youth said to
her, "I know where thy clothes are, but I will not give them to thee
unless thou wilt be my wife."--"Good!" cried she, "thy wife will I
be." Then she dressed herself, and they went together to the
nearest village. When they got there, she said to him, "Now go to
the nobleman who owns the land here, and beg him for a place where
we may build us a hut." So he went right up to the nobleman's castle
and entered his reception-room, and said, "Glory be to God!"--"For
ever and ever!" replied the nobleman. "What dost thou want here,
Ivan?"--"I hav