One day he was sitting in his golden armchair looking out of the
window lost in thought. He had gazed for quite a while before he
noticed foreign sailors landing opposite the imperial palace. The
sailors ran their ship up to the wharf, reefed their white sails,
threw the heavy anchor into the sea and prepared the plank ready to
go ashore. Before them all walked an old merchant; white was his beard
and he had about him the air of a wise man. An idea suddenly occurred
to the Tsar: "Sea merchants generally are well informed on many
subjects. If I ask them, perchance I shall find that they have met
somewhere a princess, beautiful and clever, suitable for me, the Tsar
Archidei."

Without delay the order was given to call the sea merchants into the
halls of the palace.

The merchant guests appeared, prayed to the holy icons hanging in
the corner, bowed to the Tsar, bowed to the wise advisers. The Tsar
ordered his servants to serve them with tumblers of strong green wine.
The guests drank the strong green wine and wiped their beards with
embroidered towels. Then the Tsar Archidei addressed them:

"We are aware that you gallant sea merchants cross all the big
waters and see many wonderful things. My desire is to ask you about
something, and you must give a straightforward answer without any
deceit or evasion."

"So be it, mighty Tsar Archidei Aggeivitch," answered the merchant
guests, bowing.

"Well, then, can you tell me if somewhere in an empire or kingdom,