day their father said to his sons:

"My dear boys, take each of you an arrow, draw your strong bow and let
your arrow fly; in whatever court it falls, in that court there will
be a wife for you."

The arrow of the oldest Tsarevitch fell on a boyar-house just in front
of the terem where women live; the arrow of the second Tsarevitch flew
to the red porch of a rich merchant, and on the porch there stood
a sweet girl, the merchant's daughter. The youngest, the brave
Tsarevitch Ivan, had the ill luck to send his arrow into the midst of
a swamp, where it was caught by a croaking frog.

Ivan Tsarevitch came to his father: "How can I marry the frog?"
complained the son. "Is she my equal? Certainly she is not."

"Never mind," replied his father, "you have to marry the frog, for
such is evidently your destiny."

Thus the brothers were married: the oldest to a young boyarishnia, a
nobleman's child; the second to the merchant's beautiful daughter, and
the youngest, Tsarevitch Ivan, to a croaking frog.

After a while the sovereign prince called his three sons and said to
them:

"Have each of your wives bake a loaf of bread by to-morrow morning."

Ivan returned home. There was no smile on his face, and his brow was
clouded.