A Tsar, fond of hunting, spares a young eagle that promises to be of service. After feeding the eagle for three years, the Tsar is taken on a flight to the sea, where the eagle tests his fear of drowning. The eagle reveals his identity and offers the Tsar a ship and two coffers filled with cattle and a magical garden, provided he does not open them until he returns home. The Tsar, unable to resist, opens the red coffer, releasing a vast herd of cattle, and later the green coffer, which reveals a beautiful garden. Years later, the Tsar must fulfill a debt to a mysterious man from the sea, leading to the abandonment of his newborn son, the Tsarévich. The Tsarévich, lost in a forest, encounters Bába Yagá, who advises him to capture the eldest daughter of the Sea Tsar, Vasilísa the Wise. He follows her instructions, seizing her shirt as she bathes with her sisters. Vasilísa helps him navigate the Sea Tsar's challenges, including leveling land, threshing barley, and building a church, all accomplished with her magical assistance. After completing the tasks, the Sea Tsar offers the Tsarévich a choice of brides among his twelve daughters. Vasilísa helps him identify her through subtle signals. They wish to return to Russia, but the Sea Tsar sends hunts after them. Vasilísa uses her magic to disguise them, evading capture multiple times. Ultimately, they return to the Tsar's kingdom, where they are joyfully reunited with his parents and celebrate their marriage.
By Alexander Nikolayevich Afanasyev · First published 1855 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Folklore