Talk:The Bold Knight, the Apples of Youth, and the Water of Life

Versions
The version presented here really is from Afanasyev's collection, but it is only one version. Most versions of this story in folklore collections (some of them also in Afanasyev) have the Water of Life and the Apples of Youth being guarded not by a witch, but by a beautiful maiden queen of an enchanted kingdom (Tsar Maiden), and sometimes she is the source of the Water of Life. The prince, seeing her in sleep, "can't resist her beauty" as the story says. When she angrily chases him she succeeds to catch but pities him. He remains in her kingdom for a time, and they eventually marry. Then he starts his travel to home, the adventure with jealous brothers takes place, and after returning home he firstly arrive disguised as a poor man. The Tsar Maiden arrives looking for her husband from whom she had twins. She recognises the disguised prince and reveals the truth, and the happy end follows. Aranelle (talk) 13:28, 24 September 2016 (UTC)