The bad weather dispersed the travelers from the road, and Ilya drove a dozen miles alone. Sivka was walking at an easy trot, the mud flew merrily from under the hooves. After a couple of hours, Ilya started the horse at a walk: the bay deserved a rest. There was a clatter from behind.
Ilya was caught up by a rider in full plate armor and a flat helmet like a basin. His horse was so skinny that Sivka had to breathe to the side so that the poor fellow would not be swayed by the wind. Behind the knight on a donkey was a servant - a plump peasant with a face marked with the seal of peasant wisdom.
- How to get to Tobos, most respectable? the stranger asked ceremoniously. A raindrop glittered on his well-bred humped nose. Ilya had never heard of Tobos. Leshy knows where this village could be!
As it turned out, the knight had already addressed the devil. So I got here. Ilya was not surprised. He always considered the rumors about the omniscience of the goblin to be unfounded. And in fact - sitting in the thicket without getting out, what can they even know?
- You would still turn to Grandma Yaga, - Ilya grinned.
- Where does she live? - the knight roused himself.
- In the forest, obviously, where else. Stop, you fool! How did you get carried into the Slavic land that you don't know any of our unclean ones? You will bend after all, for no reason. - Ilya looked closely at the knight. The man was roaring, but it was clear that he was not at ease. - Ride a bit side by side with me, at least you will find out whom you need to avoid. AND?
Promotional video:
10. Cat Bayun
The knight tried to scratch the scruff of his neck, bumped into the helmet with his five fingers, cursed and thoughtfully touched the tip of his nose.
- Tell, you say … and what do you ask for it?
Ilya was offended.
- Well, what unfinished mermaid - to ask for payment? For a kind person, I will tell you, and even leave my notes. I had a lot of … conversations with evil spirits. - Ilya patted himself on the belt, on which hung a club weighing one and a half pounds, and smiled mysteriously. - I generally like to talk …
- Then go ahead! - the knight waved his hand and settled down more comfortably in the saddle.
A skinny horse and a heroic horse walked head to toe. The peasant crossed himself in fright from behind. He accidentally caught a fleeting glance of Ilya and noticed how his pupils for a split second turned into narrow vertical slits …
9. Goblin
Leshy, thin. N. Brut.
- And worse than others - a goblin-swallow, - added Ilya. - This one lives in the trees. Swinging on the branches, it is good for him … What is dangerous? So … you think it's a mermaid. You come up, you hope. Trying to start a conversation. No, serenades are not accepted here … You say all sorts of words. You press your hands to your heart, you wait, you are already drawing pictures for yourself, as it will fall right into your hands … And then the branch breaks off. And this miracle is stoned from an oak - booty! Instead of a mermaid. Disappointment. Do you understand?
The knight nodded in agreement and looked hopefully at the nearest oak tree.
8. Mermaids
The notorious "sitting on the branches" mermaid is actually - Lesavka, Dryad (artist Ivan Bilibin).
Only mermaids living in the okyan sea were endowed with tails. (artist Ilya Repin).
Mermaids, thin. Ivan Dzheneyev.
- And against distant attacks … - Ilya put his hand into the saddle bag. - Air targets, the same … First thing, here! - The knight pulled out a seasoned brick, chipped from frequent use, lined with magical runes and covered with black silhouettes of numerous victories. - I have it spellbound. Plus three.
The knight appreciated.
- Look, - Ilya began to run his finger over the icons denoting defeated enemies. - Here is Bayun, here is Karlson, Yaga … The rest, however, is a trifle. Prophetic crows, mostly. And a couple of prophetic woodpeckers.
7. Damn
Gogol's devil (sketch for the cartoon "Christmas Eve" by the Brumberg sisters).
Damn from the Tale of Balda, drawing by Pushkin himself.
6. Ghoul
Ghoul from the game The Witcher 3.
- Have you read Sapkowski? the knight asked suddenly.
- I read how not to read! - Ilya dismissed. - Your Sapkowski is breaking. Any man will give a ghoul a hundred points ahead. And if he drinks for courage!.. Look for yourself.
A ghoul was hanging on the branch of a tree that the travelers passed by. Under him stood a peasant and mercilessly punished the ghoul with twigs below his back, saying: “Oh, you are stupid undead, you will know how to trample the beds with carrots! I got used to it, you vile bastard! Wait, I'll wean you off, such cattle! The ghoul shook his head and roared offendedly.
The knight fell silent and turned away.
5. Volot
Volot (artist Vsevolod Ivanov).
Perhaps the giant hero Svyatogor - Dressed up Volot (artist Ivan Bilibin).
4. Indrik the beast
The extinct rhinoceros Indrikotherium is named after the Indrik.
The knight was so shocked that he even pulled off his helmet. Under him were found completely out of harmony with the humped nose of the blond whirlwinds, and he immediately began to look ten years younger. His voice, when he finally spoke, rang with indignation:
- Your Indrik is our unicorn! How can you fight such a beautiful creature? How can you even raise your hand to this perfect creation of nature? How dare you refer to him as a monster ?!
Ilya put his hand on the furious youth's shoulder and said conciliatoryly:
- Kid, have you ever seen a unicorn?
The knight coughed indignantly, but had to admit:
- No, I haven't.
Ilya removed his hand and sighed.
- And I happened to. Unfortunately, I'm not an innocent girl. Fortunately, I run fast …
3. Baba Yaga
Baba Yaga, thin. Viktor Vasnetsov.
Baba Yaga as presented by Bilibin.
Georgy Millyar: the best Baba Yaga in cinema.
2. Serpent Gorynych
Dobrynya Nikitich and Zmey Gorynych, thin. Viktor Vasnetsov.
The knight's eyes burned.
- I will find the dragon and kill him! And my feat will be so great that the glory of him will reach my mother. And to Dulcinea,”he added, hardly audibly, and his ears immediately turned red like poppies.
Ilya grinned.
- Looking for feats, son? So do not waste your time on trifles!
1. Koschey the Immortal
Koschey as imagined by Vasnetsov.
And again Georgy Millyar.
Ilya was smiling openly. Tearing off his cloak, he threw it to the ground and jumped down himself. He approached the stunned knight, took his horse by the reins. Still smiling, he pulled open the collar of the chain mail. She fell at her feet. The eyes of the boy, who imagined himself a hero, saw a skeleton wrapped in gold chains and here and there glued with tape.
Ilya pulled himself by the hair on the top of his head, and they all - together with freckled skin, a nose of potatoes and thick lips - were left limply hanging in his hands.
Before the knight stood Koschei himself. Stood and laughed. Loudly, offensively, bending at the waist, clinking gold false teeth and pointing at the unfortunate adventurer with a finger.
- Well, kid, let's play a fairy tale? - at the wave of Koshchei's hand, the earth in a couple of hundred fathoms rose from them and a huge black palace arose. An oak tree with a carved chest on gold chains also suddenly appeared near the palace. A rather large cat in morocco boots walked thoughtfully along the chains. Fish scales lay in a dense layer under the oak. Nearby, a strangely disproportionate hairy unicorn was digging with his hoof and mowing in their direction.
- I give you three hours of head start, and then I am not responsible for myself! - Koschey announced happily. And suddenly he found himself addressing an empty space. The knight's trail was gone: a cloud was dusting in the distance, followed by a servant, pushing the donkey with all his might.
- Ugh, blessing strength … - Koschey swore dirtyly. - It's not the first time I've run into overcordon cowards. Damn them!
Koschey as presented by Bilibin.
Sighing sadly, Koschey put on his armor, put the wig and mask back on his face and walked to the gate. The day was not good. And now, for the whole evening and half of the night, she will have to portray an idiot in love for Mara and wear this stupid masquerade that she likes so much. Otherwise, she will bite, how to drink, she will bite, the old bitch. And you can’t make an excuse that - business, heroes attack, not up to family comfort!
Eh … The life of a long-married villain is hard.
Igor Krai and Svetlana Karacharova