The Feather of Bright Finist the Falcon
There lived an old man and woman, who had three daughters. The youngest
was lovely beyond belief, and as her father's favorite. One day, the old man was going to
the fair and asked his daughters what they wanted him to bring back as presents.
The eldest wanted a new dress, the middle girl a new shawl, but the
youngest only wanted a red flower. The old man thought this was strange and silly, but his
daughter insisted, so at last he agreed and set out for the fair. He easily found the
dress and shawl, but could not find a red flower.
Only as he was going home did he see a traveler who had a red flower in
his hand. The old man offered to buy it, but the stranger refused to sell the flower.
However, if the old man's youngest daughter would marry the stranger's son, Bright Finist
the Falcon, then he would give the man the flower as a gift. The old man did not like this
arrangement, but he figured his daughter could always refuse, so he agreed to the deal,
and took the flower home with him.
When he gave his daughter the flower, he told her about the stranger, and
the deal he had made in order to get the flower. To his surprise, his daughter laughed and
smiled, telling her father that Bright Finist was a great hero who could fly in the shape
of a falcon. She had met him at Mass, and learned that he was deeply in love with her. Not
knowing what to make of all of this, her father sent her to bed, saying they would discuss
this in the morning.
That night, the young woman opened her windows, and a falcon flew in
through the open window, and transformed into a young man. They talked until dawn, and
then the young lord kissed the girl and told her he would return each night to see. In the
meanwhile, he gave her one of his feathers, and told her that should she wish for
anything, she should go to the balcony, wave the feather to the right, and whatever she
wished for would appear.
This went on for days, and Bright Finist always appeared each night. But
one night, the young maiden's sisters became suspicious when their sister appeared with
fine new clothes and lovely jewels. They spied on her, and grew jealous of her evening
visitor. So one night, as the young girl slept, the older sisters but knives in the window,
so the falcon would cut his wings as he came to visit. When this happened, Bright Finist
thought the lady no longer loved him, and flew away, not to be seen again.
The girl eventually set out to find her love, and wandered into the
forest. Here she came to a hut, and inside was a Baba Yaga. The girl told the hag her
story, and the witch gave her a golden hammer and ten diamond nails. She told the maiden
that when she came to the sea, Bright Finist's new bride would try to buy the hammer and
nails. She should accept no payment, but instead ask to see Finist the Falcon. The Baba
Yaga then sent the girl to her second sister for advice.
The girl travels to see the second witch, who gives her additional gifts,
and similar advice, telling her to go and see the third Baba Yaga. This Baba Yaga already
knew that Bright Finist had married a Tsar's daughter, and gave her a magic steed that
would carry her at once to his palace.
Sure enough, at the palace, the young girl was approached by Finist's
bride, who desired her treasures. The girl offered to trade them for a chance to see her
love, and the princess agreed. Only the Tsar's daughter was treacherous, and bewitched
Finist with a magic pin, so that he would not awake. Each day the girl traded away one of
her gifts, and each day she proved unable to awake her lord.
Finally, on the third day, after she had traded her magic steed, the girl
went to see Bright Finist the Falcon, and as she held him, the pin fell out. He awoke at
once, and the girl told him the entire story of what had happened. Bright Finist called
together all of the princes and nobles and asked their judgment. Should he be forced to
remain with the wife who had sold him, or should he be allowed to marry the lady who had
bought him? The people declared that he should take the woman who had bought him, and that
the one who had sold him should be hung on the gate and shot. Bright Finist of the Flowery
Feathers did this.
Russisches Volksmärchen. (AT 432, Russland)
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