Tsar Výslav once again called his children unto him and said, “My beloved sons, do ye journey forth: I will give you my blessing. You must seek for the Bird of Light and bring it to me alive; and what I promised you before, he who captures the Bird of Light shall have.”

Dmítri and Vasíli were envious of their younger brother Iván that he had succeeded in pulling the feather out of the Bird of Light’s tail. But Iván Tsarévich asked leave of his father and his blessing. Tsar Výslav tried to keep Iván back, but he could not, and he let him go at his unrelaxing prayer. Iván Tsarévich received his father’s blessing, took his horse, and went on his journey, journeying forth, not knowing whither he was going.

And as he went on the road and way⁠—it may be near, it may be far, it may be high, it may be low, the tale is soon told, but the deed is not soon done⁠—at last he reached an open field and green meadows. And in the open field there stood a stone column, and on the column these words were written: