A wealthy merchant gave two fine ships loaded with rich merchandise to his two elder sons so that they might go out into the world and trade. His youngest son, Ivan the Silly, begged and pleaded to be given a ship too. Finally the old merchant gave him a battered little ship, loaded with scraps and rags for cargo, and old feeble men as sailors. On the fourth day after they had set sail, a storm lashed the old ship and it was battered on an island. Leaving the old men to make patched-up sails with the rags in the cargo, Ivan explored the island. He found a huge mountain of white dust, which turned out to be salt! When the ship was ready to sail, he and his sailors had a great idea. They threw everything else out and filled the ship with all the salt it could carry. Ivan made a few packets to show it at ports.
The Tsar
They reached a port town where Ivan went to the Tsar and presented the salt for sale. The Tsar laughed that it was just white dust and sent him away. Ivan slipped into the royal kitchen and watched the cooks and the kitchen maids at work. They were cooking meat and vegetables without salt! Everything was tasteless. He quietly sprinkled salt into all the dishes as they were cooking. The food was served to the Tsar and his family and everyone found it delicious! He called the kitchen staff and asked them what was different that day. No one could think of anything, till a kitchen maid remembered the stranger who had sat in the kitchen. Ivan was called in and he told the Tsar about adding salt into the food. It was wonderful and the entire load of salt was bought by the Tsar and put into a room with guards to protect it!
Ivan’s Wealth
Ivan told the Tsar that for each bag of salt he must give a bag of gold, a bag of silver and a bag of precious stones. The Tsar gave all he wanted and soon the old ship was loaded with gold, silver and gems. The Princess was curious about the ship which looked old and had sails patched with bits of silk and brocade and coloured cloths. While she was going through the ship, the old sailors raised anchor and sailed away. The Princess burst into tears when she saw they had left her parents and kingdom behind. Ivan comforted her and soon they were in love. They decided that as soon as they reached home, they would get married. Suddenly, Ivan saw his brothers’ ships and hailed them. The two brothers boarded Ivan’s ship and were amazed that he had so much wealth and a bride who was a Princess!
Ivan Returns Home
Ivan’s brothers were so jealous of him that they threw him overboard and reached home to tell their father about his death. The two decided to share Ivan’s wealth and the eldest son offered to marry the Princess, who just wept for Ivan. Meanwhile, Ivan found a log on which he sat and floated till he reached an island. In the morning, he reached a castle in which lived a kind giant. The giant put Ivan on his shoulder and carried him with huge strides through the sea and over land till he reached home. The wedding was being arranged and Ivan’s parents were sitting with the Princess and his eldest brother. But as soon as she saw him, the Princess ran to him as she would not marry anyone else. The truth was told and his father drove his two elder sons out of his house! Ivan married the Princess and lived happily ever after.
