“If you will I can aid you in your trouble; I will collect all this herd, only on condition that you give me what you do not know of at home.”

So the Tsar began to ponder, “What do I not know of at home? It seems to me that I know of everything.” So he thought, and he considered it, and he said, “Go and collect them together, and I will give you what I do not know of at home.”

Then the man collected all of the cattle into the box, and the Tsar went on board and sailed on his own journey.

When he reached home he saw that a son had been born to him, the Tsarévich, and he began to kiss him and to fondle him. But then he began to weep bitter tears.

“Tsar my master,” said the Tsarítsa, “why do you weep such bitter tears?”

“Out of joy,” he said; for he feared to tell her the truth that he must give up the Tsarévich.