IT happened once as never before， and if you would like to know what happened once and has never been before， listen to my tale， which I am just beginning。
Once upon a time there lived a mighty king， great in battle。There was no state nor kingdom near his frontiers which he had not conquered， for he had spent all his life in war with his neighbours。He had three sons， one stronger and more beautiful than the others， and all well versed in the use of arms， strong and mighty。
One day the father said to them：“My time is soon coming for giving up my soul。Continue to fight with your neighbours and enlarge the kingdom， but beware of the Arapushka Queen on the borders of the kingdom where the sun sets， for whoever has gone thither has gone forever。Not one has yet returned who entered her kingdom。They all left their bones there。”
After he had given them his fatherly advice， the time came when his soul fled away。It flew up into the air， and the kingdom remained to the three brothers， who loved one another and did not wish to separate one from the other。No sooner had they sat on the throne than， without any hesitation， they decided to attack the kingdom of the Black Queen， for they said their father intended only to frighten them， and they saw nothing in that kingdom where the sun sets but empty fields and desert lands， with not a trace of a town or a village or of any human being。So they decided to send， in the first place， the eldest son with a vast host to invade the country。Should anything happen to him and should he not return at the end of a year， then the second son would follow； and if he should not return after the lapse of a year， then the third would go after them。
They did as they had arranged to do， and gathered a host as numerous as the sand on the sea-shore。The eldest son was in command， and after taking leave of his brothers he marched with his army into the country of the Black Queen-one day a little way， the next day going much farther into the interior of the country。And so they went on a long way in the hope of reaching their goal， and as far as they went they saw only deserted fields without a single well， so that the poor soldiers were parched with thirst。Suddenly one day at noon they beheld a palace shining like the sun。
When the King saw it he marshalled his forces ready for the attack and surrounded the palace， but he took his measures unnecessarily， for the place was empty。Not a foot of a man in it！ But what a sumptuous palace it was！ All the rooms decorated， the walls lit up like daylight， the frames of the windows and the doors carved with beautiful flowers and other wonderful things， whilst the big gate was covered with precious stones which blinded whoever looked at them。What was one to say to a table covered with so many dishes that they tempted you from all the corners and confused you as to which to choose first and eat？ And as for the cellar， you could have walked three days in it， it was so long， and then lost your way， and yet it was stocked with casks of wine like the ark of father Noah。Only a little glass full was quite enough to cheer you up to your heart’s content。When the soldiers saw this they all went down to the cellar， for they said eating is a luxury， but drinking， that is the thing； so they drank and drank until their ears buzzed and they talked about all kinds of foolish things。At length they fell down and went to sleep-they all fell asleep， even the officers and the King himself。
In the night there came flying towards them a beautiful woman， so beautiful that they who looked at her became fixed stiff with wonder。As she came to the palace she made such a noise that every man woke up。She then waved the scimitar which she had in her right hand over them， and they all became motionless where they stood。They were turned， as it were， into stone。She cut the heads off some of them， others she stabbed with her scimitar， and picking them up cast them on to a heap of corpses lying at the back of the palace。Then she washed the blood off the pavement， and turned off the taps of the barrels which the soldiers had left on so that the wine was running like a river through the cellar。After that she sat down and ate a meal at the table， and towards morning she flew away。
At home the two brothers waited a year for the return of the eldest brother， and as he did not come the second brother gathered up another host of as many men as he could obtain， and then， entering the kingdom of the Black Queen， marched until he came to the same place， where the same happened to him as had happened to the eldest brother。