Firebird
by Bonnie Montgomery (1998)
Genres: Fantasy

Based on the Old Russian folk tales that inspired the Stravinsky piece of the same name. You are Prince Ivan, and have been charged by your father, the tsar, to find the Firebird that has been stealing your father's golden apples. Your two older brothers have already tried and failed -- can you triumph over the many obstacles in your quest? Remember, your mission is not as simple as it first seems...

action: %
response: GlkTADS - A text-only TADS 2.5.3 Interpreter.

Maintained by Stephen Granade <sgranade@phy.duke.edu>

You are the tsar's son, Prince Ivan: young and handsome, but with
the dark, brooding nature of a Russian. You're the most eligible bachelor in the realm, but also the most reticent around the opposite sex. To escape the endless procession of beautiful women vying for your attention, you retreat alone to the forest to hunt and to brood. Although it is the middle of the afternoon, little light penetrates
the thick canopy of leaves above you. You have stopped on a north-south path to contemplate this thought: "The soul of another is a dark forest."
You carry a bow and a quiver slung over one shoulder. There is a
huge chip on the other shoulder.

Copyright (C) 1998; all rights reserved.

November 2, 1998
Developed with the loving technical support of Chris Nebel using

Type "instructions" for general help in playing text adventures.
Type "about" for special information about "Firebird."

Deep in a Russian Forest, Under a Large Tree
You are standing under a large tree.
action: You look at the chip
response: It's just a figure of speech! Must you examine everything?
action: You examine the tree
response: Which tree do you mean, the large tree, or the forest?
action: Large
response: Some animal is making its presence known in the branches of this tree. Is it your prey? You might be able to climb up the tree to get a better look.
action: Brood
response: You lose yourself momentarily in moody and morbid meditation.
action: You climb the tree
response: There really is nothing to grab onto. The bark breaks off in your hands and you tumble to the ground. It was not, however, an entirely fruitless effort: you have disturbed the animal in the tree. A bird flutters down and lights in a more visible spot.
action: You look at the bird
response: Voila! Your prey du jour. The flicker is identifiable by its red head and black and white body. This species is common to North America but unknown to Russia, except, oddly, in this isolated forest. It would fit in the palm of your hand. Shooting it with an arrow is challenging sport, but don't expect it to make much of a meal. Good thing the caterers are waiting with dinner at the edge of the forest.
action: You check your inventory
response: You have a bow and a quiver. The quiver seems to contain an arrow.

The flicker suddenly takes wing and disappears into the forest. Quick, follow it!
action: You follow the flicker
response: The forest primeval. The north-south path branches off to the east.
A flicker is here.
action: You take the arrow
response: You return the arrow to its quiver.
action: You put the arrow in bow
response: Done.
action: Shoot flicker
response: What do you want to shoot it with?
action: Arrow
response: You really ought to aim at something first.

The flicker suddenly takes wing and disappears into the forest. Quick, follow it!
action: You follow the flicker
response: east. You pick out the outlines of a hut just beyond it. Return to the forest path by walking west.
A flicker is here.
action: You aim the arrow at the flicker
response: You carefully take aim at the flicker.
action: You shoot the arrow at the flicker
response: The hapless bird collapses with a surprised "Awk!", and falls dead to the ground, impaled on your arrow.

*** Your score just went up by 3 points. ***
action: You take the arrow
response: You return the arrow to its quiver.
action: You take the bird
response: Taken.
action: You look at the bird
response: Poor, defenseless, dead flicker. You never wanted to kill it. You were just responding to societal pressures.
action: You examine the fire
response: It's a gently flickering pinpoint of light. Probably a campfire, but who knows?
action: You look at the hut
response: You can see a small thatched roof, but that's all the evidence you have that you are seeing a hut ahead.
action: Go east
response: You have stepped into a clearing from a path to the west. A fire
burns steadily outside of a small thatched hut.
An old woman is sitting by the fire. Her back is turned, and you do not think she has noticed that you are here. You stand silently behind her, watching in fascination as she places a crumb into an empty bag that she holds in her lap. A moment later, she pulls a loaf of bread from the bag! She repeats the process a second time and then a third. She must be a witch, known to you from your Russian upbringing as a baba yaga.
action: You talk to the woman
response: What do you want to ask her about?
action: You ask the yaga about the bag
response: "Put what you will in the bag. If it will be useful to you in another form, it will be given to you."
action: You ask the woman about the woman
response: "What you see is what I am. A crone with a bag."
action: You put the bird in the bag
response: The baba yaga warns you off that course of action. "The bag does not have the power to bring back the dead."
action: Inventory
response: You have a bow, a quiver, and a dead flicker. The quiver seems to contain an arrow.
action: You put the quiver in the bag
response: The baba yaga yawns. "I think you would find that a rather boring and unproductive transformation."
action: You put the fire in the bag
response: Stop fooling around trying to put the fire.
action: Exit
response: You can't go that way. You can leave by going west.
action: Go west
response: The forest primeval. The path continues north and south. To the
east you spy a light shining through the trees.
action: You go to the north
response: The forest primeval. The north-south path branches off to the east.
action: Go east
response: The forest primeval. A mulched path leads northeast. Return to the north-south path by walking west.
A wizened old man is here, his long beard flowing onto the ground.
He is sitting on a stone counting the leaves covering the forest floor. He looks up at you and says, "Greetings, young man. Are you here to shirk a task or to find one?"
Shirking a task sounds more like your preferred activity, but you
are loath to admit it to this stranger. "Neither really," you answer, "I'm just here."
"There's very little I have to say to a young man who is 'just
here.'" He casts you a dubious glance and shoos you off. "Perhaps there are some other dark recesses of the forest you have not explored fully, hmmm?"
action: You examine man
response: He looks as old as God and probably about as wise.
action: Go northeast
response: The old man knows best. You're not ready to go this way yet. Run off and explore the rest of the forest first.
action: You go north
response: You can't go that way. The old man redirects you. "Go west," he says.
action: Go west
response: The forest primeval. The north-south path branches off to the east.

You can't go that way. Travel by walking north, south, or east.
action: You go north
response: The forest primeval. Branching off from the main north-south path
is a small trail to the southwest.
action: You go to the south-west
response: Scores of ancient trees with massive trunks and numberless gnarled branches prevent any light from reaching the forest floor. A chill runs through you as you imagine every creature hidden in the shadows, one more threatening than the next. You feel your way on a mulched path leading west. You can return to the main path by walking northeast.
The path is lined with a neatly trimmed boxwood shrubbery. You
think, "What threat could come from someone who cares so much about landscaping?" Your mind quickly serves up the memory of an unstable gardener in your father's employ during your childhood who considered children and moles equal nuisances in the garden. You remember a near escape when the gardener attempted to whack you with a sledgehammer. Suddenly the path and boxwood shrubbery seem hardly any comfort at all.
action: You look at the shrubbery
response: It's a low shrubbery, about a foot off the ground. Dense, small, waxy leaves cover the surface. The shrubbery has been trimmed square. How you identified it as boxwood I'll never know. You're pretty unschooled in horticulture.
action: You search it
response: Stop fooling around trying to search the boxwood shrubbery.
action: You go west
response: You are lost in the memory of that hammer-wielding maniac. All you can think of is running from him in terror screaming, "Stop it, stop it!"
action: You climb the shrubbery
response: Stop fooling around trying to climb the boxwood shrubbery.
action: You go to the west
response: You start to take a step, repeating to yourself over and over, "I must not brood, I must not brood." Seems to be helping, but who knows? It is statistically possible for there to be another murderous maniac waiting for you along the path.
action: Brood
response: You lose yourself momentarily in moody and morbid meditation.
action: You go west
response: "I must not brood" has become your mantra. You repeat it over and over. Your legs make giant strides over the path, mulch scattering in all directions under your footsteps. The adrenaline courses through every cell of your body as with some relief you enter a clearing and encounter...

The east-west path terminates at a large stone wall, which curves
away to the northwest and southwest.
You see a bronze plaque here.
action: You read the plaque
response: Hard to read, very stylized, but you make out "So wide, you can't get around it. So high, you can't get over it. So ..." The rest is illegible.
action: You examine the wall
response: It is a gleaming white monstrosity. The walls are stuccoed and quite sheer. You look up and can barely see the top.
action: You go northwest
response: Trudging around the wall, which reveals itself to be a large but unbroken circle, you arrive at the only interesting locale to be found in this vicinity.

Someone seems to have been preparing a flower bed here, flush
against the wall. The planting has yet to be done. It must have been a Herculean effort to dig: all around you the ground is hard and quite rocky. The wall curves around to the northeast and northwest.
action: Go northwest
response: You almost completely circumnavigate the circular stone wall to find yourself at...

The east-west path terminates at a large stone wall, which curves
away to the northwest and southwest.
You see a bronze plaque here.
action: You climb the wall
response: It is so high you can't get over it. In fact, you can't get ON it much at all either. There is nothing to grab onto, sending you tumbling to the ground for the second time today.
action: Go east
response: Scores of ancient trees with massive trunks and numberless gnarled branches prevent any light from reaching the forest floor. A chill runs through you as you imagine every creature hidden in the shadows, one more threatening than the next. You feel your way on a mulched path leading west. You can return to the main path by walking northeast.
action: You go north
response: Deep in a Russian Forest, Under a Large Tree
You are standing under a large tree.
action: Go north
response: You trudge out of the forest. Whether it is a long time or a short time, it matters not. Speedily a tale is spun, with much less speed a deed is done.

You've reached the edge of this grand, untamed forest. A short walk
to the north are a collection of fawning underlings, waiting to make their daily petitions to you for your continued patronage. In a glade an even shorter walk to the north, however, lurks a far more horrible threat: a dozen young noble women, each eager to plant a kiss on your cheek. You notice that they are all wearing lipstick. Ack! You know you'll break out in hives if that waxy mess touches your regal skin. The path leads south back into the forest.
action: You go west
response: You can't go that way. You can go north out of the forest, south deeper into the forest, or up the tree.
action: You climb the tree
response: The bark breaks off in your hands and you tumble to the ground. This time it truly was a fruitless effort. You pick yourself up and brush off the dirt from your clothes.
action: You examine the tree
response: Which tree do you mean, the large tree, or the forest?
action: You examine large
response: Which large do you mean, the chip, or the large tree?
action: You examine the large chip
response: It's just a figure of speech! Must you examine everything?
action: Go south
response: The forest primeval. Branching off from the main north-south path
is a small trail to the southwest.
action: You go to the south
response: The forest primeval. The north-south path branches off to the east.
action: You go to the south
response: The forest primeval. The path continues north and south. To the
east you spy a light shining through the trees.
action: Go south
response: Sigh! Everyday existence is so tiresome. The regal catering
service has readied a sumptuous feast for you here at the edge of the forest. Dozens of gleaming silver chafing dishes await your inspection, but the smell of hot food sickens you. A massive copper samovar holds freshly brewed coffee. Golden serving pieces have been splendidly arrayed before you, but you know you could never be allowed to pick them up and serve yourself. If only your station in life allowed you to pack a lunch. A roast beef sandwich and a cup of coffee eaten alone in the woods would be ideal. Ugh, those peasant serving girls. So crass. Always cracking their gum and calling you "Hon."
You can turn north back into the forest.
The head caterer approaches you, bows low, and says, "Master, how
good to see you. I trust you had a successful outing in the forest? What do you have to give me?"
You ignore the caterer's obsequious greeting and attempt to push
past him. Gently but firmly, he grabs you by the shoulders and looks sternly into your eyes. "Master, as you remember, your father's instructions were not to serve you dinner until you brought back your kill." You silently recall the circumstances under which these instructions were given. Your father has found you insufficiently motivated to improve your hunting skills and would prefer your starvation if you do not start landing some game.
action: You give the flicker to the caterer
response: bloody mass of feathers.
"Congratulations on your successful hunt, sir," he cries. "Your
father will be pleased. He wanted me to tell you that he has left an urgent message for you just north of the forest. But first, by all means, eat something. I will prepare this flicker for you immediately."
You tell the caterer not to bother. "Just get me a roast beef
sandwich and coffee quickly. And don't assign Flo as my server." The caterer obliges and ushers you to...

It's you, the food-service peasants, and a long wooden table.
Sitting on the long wooden table is a mask.
A strangely familiar busboy is here, busily cleaning the table.
A strangely unfamiliar serving wench is here, awaiting your
inspection.

*** Your score just went up by 3 points. ***
action: You examine wench
response: Who is she? Why haven't you noticed her before? This young woman is beautiful! Her loveliness is unmarred by any make-up. Her hair falls in natural waves around her shoulders. She approaches quietly and respectfully, lays out a place setting, and sets a sandwich and coffee before you. She withdraws from your presence before you can even speak or look into her eyes.
action: You look at busboy
response: No wonder he looks familiar. It's your older brother, Vasilii. Your father sent him in search of the Firebird after your brother Dimitri had failed. The Firebird eluded him as well. You thought your father had banished Vasilii to a distant tsardom, but you imagine that being reduced to the status of busboy is a very real exile for your ambitious, princely brother.
action: You get the mask
response: Taken.
action: You look at it
response: The mask caricatures your eldest brother Dimitri. Your father sent him three years ago to retrieve the magical Firebird from a nearby forest. Said Firebird had been stealing apples from one of your dad's rare 24K gold apple trees. Since this was causing a considerable financial setback, your father said that if Dimitri brought back the Firebird, the tsardom would be his. Dimitri came back empty-handed, lost his chance at the big promotion, and hasn't been able to get a date since.
action: You look at the table
response: On the long wooden table you see a cup of coffee, a plate, a spoon, a fork, a knife, a napkin, and an ambiguous utensil.
action: You look at the utensil
response: Fork? Spoon? Melon baller? Difficult to say really. Its markings only reveal that it is made of silver. You figure that it must be good for something.
action: You get all from the table
response: cup of coffee: Taken.
plate: Taken.
spoon: Taken.
fork: Taken.
knife: Taken.
napkin: Taken.
ambiguous utensil: Taken.
action: You ask Vasilii about Dimitri
response: "Such a shame about Dimitri. The whole tsardom is laughing at him. At least I live in anonymity. If he enters the monastery, as I expect he shall, he will at last have some peace."
action: You examine plate
response: A china plate decorated with little bunnies and chipmunks. A childhood relic. On the plate you see a roast beef sandwich.
action: Examine sandwich
response: It's a roast beef sandwich, prepared, of course, just as you prefer: seeded rye bread, horseradish, and raw onions. That should help keep the babes at bay.
action: You eat the sandwich
response: That was delicious!
action: You go north
response: Sigh! Everyday existence is so tiresome. The regal catering
service has readied a sumptuous feast for you here at the edge of the forest. Dozens of gleaming silver chafing dishes await your inspection, but the smell of hot food sickens you. A massive copper samovar holds freshly brewed coffee. Golden serving pieces have been splendidly arrayed before you, but you know you could never be allowed to pick them up and serve yourself. If only your station in life allowed you to pack a lunch. A roast beef sandwich and a cup of coffee eaten alone in the woods would be ideal. Ugh, those peasant serving girls. So crass. Always cracking their gum and calling you "Hon."
You can turn north back into the forest.
The head caterer is directing his staff through another
pass-the-plate drill.
action: Go east
response: east. You pick out the outlines of a hut just beyond it. Return to the forest path by walking west.
action: Go east
response: You have stepped into a clearing from a path to the west. A fire
burns steadily outside of a small thatched hut.
A baba yaga is sitting by the fire, a magical bag in her lap.
action: You put the sandwich in the bag
response: The baba yaga yawns. "I think you would find that a rather boring and unproductive transformation."
action: You put the napkin in the bag
response: You drop the napkin into the bag and pull out a comfy blanket!
action: You put the utensil in the bag
response: "What IS that thing?" the baba yaga exclaims as you bring out the unknown utensil. Since you can give her no definite answer, the baba yaga convinces you that it is best not to put it into the bag. The bag cannot transform something it does not recognize.
action: You look at the blanket
response: It's very comfy, very large, and very warm. There's nothing in the comfy blanket.
action: You put the fork in the bag
response: You drop the fork into the bag and pull out what seems to be the same fork. The witch, noticing the look of confusion on your face explains, "It may look unchanged, but do not believe appearances. Perhaps you will discover its special use some day."
action: You examine the fork
response: It looks like an ordinary mysteriously transformed fork to me.
action: You check your inventory
response: You have a bow, a quiver, a mask, a cup of coffee, a plate, a spoon, a knife, a comfy blanket, an ambiguous utensil, and a mysteriously transformed fork. The quiver seems to contain an arrow. Sitting on the plate is a roast beef sandwich.
action: You put the spoon in the bag
response: You drop the spoon into the bag and pull out a shovel!
action: You get the sandwich
response: Taken.
action: You put the plate in the bag
response: The plate with the bunnies and the chipmunks? Life won't be the same without it, but you bravely drop the plate into the bag. You are surprised to pull out a shield!
action: You put the cup in the bag
response: The baba yaga moves the bag away from you. "That cup still has some coffee in it!"
action: You drink coffee
response: Good to the last drop!
action: You eat the sandwich
response: That was delicious!
action: You put the cup in the bag
response: You consider your course of action for a split second. You've had this cup since you were a baby! How will you ever do without it? You bravely drop the cup into the bag and pull out a bucket!
action: You look at the blanket
response: It's very comfy, very large, and very warm. There's nothing in the comfy blanket.
action: You put the blanket in the bag
response: The baba yaga yawns. "I think you would find that a rather boring and unproductive transformation."
action: You check what you're carrying
response: You have a bow, a quiver, a mask, a comfy blanket, an ambiguous utensil, a mysteriously transformed fork, a shovel, a shield, a bucket, and a sword. The quiver seems to contain an arrow.
action: You examine the shield
response: It looks like an ordinary shield to me.
action: Go north
response: You can't go that way. You can leave by going east or west.
action: Go west
response: The forest primeval. The path continues north and south. To the
east you spy a light shining through the trees.
action: You wear the mask
response: Okay, you're now wearing the mask. Boy, do you look like a loser.
action: You go north
response: of groupies. Although they are all attractive and of good families, you would rather impale yourself on a pike than marry one of them. They're swarming everywhere, their constant chattering an irritating drone to your ears.

The women, mistaking you for your brother Dimitri, stop short, groan loudly, and immediately beat a path back to town. Taking off the mask, you marvel at the blissful privacy your brother must enjoy.

*** Your score just went up by 3 points. ***

To the north you can see an encampment of underlings; to the south, the primeval forest beckons.
action: You look at fellow
response: Just as you suspected. Your brother Dimitri is incognito, posing as your masseur. He's wearing a fake mustache and a floppy hat. If you thought his caricature looked peculiar, he looks like a complete goofball now.
action: You look at allergist
response: You have been plagued by allergies all your life. As a child your list of sensitivities was quite long, including feathers, fur, and eggs. Because this man has patiently administered to you an endless series of treatments, you can handle all of these things and live relatively normally. You are still extremely sensitive to beeswax and to bee venom, facts you were perhaps reacquainted with recently. [1] Your allergist is assuring you that you will soon notice a decrease in your symptoms.
action: You ask the allergist about the treatment
response: "The 'sting of the bee' is a treatment of my own devise," the allergist patiently explains. "You've received this treatment nine times three times already. I'm surprised you need it explained again."
action: Note 1
response: [1]: Beeswax is a compound commonly used in the manufacture of lipstick available in this area. This kept you at quite a distance from your mother, who, being rather vain, insisted on wearing lipstick even after she was told that you were violently allergic to it.
action: You show the mask to Dimitri
response: "Very funny!" Dimitri looks a little embarrassed to see the mask.
action: You give the treatment
response: What do you want the allergist to give it to?
action: Yourself
response: Your allergist prepares your arm and deftly pricks the needle in the proper place. You think about how well he has cared for you over the years but do not bother to thank him once the procedure is over.
action: You look at the hat
response: It looks like an ordinary floppy hat to me.
action: Go south
response: of groupies. Although they are all attractive and of good families, you would rather impale yourself on a pike than marry one of them. Fortunately, none of them seem to be around at the moment. The sight of "Dimitri" must have scared them away from this spot for a while. To the north you can see an encampment of underlings; to the south, the primeval forest beckons.
action: You go south
response: You've reached the edge of this grand, untamed forest. A short walk
to the north are a collection of fawning underlings, waiting to make their daily petitions to you for your continued patronage. The path leads south back into the forest.
action: You go south
response: Deep in a Russian Forest, Under a Large Tree
You are standing under a large tree.
action: You go west
response: The east-west path terminates at a large stone wall, which curves
away to the northwest and southwest.
You see a bronze plaque here.
action: Dig
response: (the newly dug bed)
(with the shovel)
With amazing ease, you burrow through the loose earth and create a tunnel to the other side of the wall! You find yourself in...

You've made it under the immense stone wall. Its walls surround you
on all sides. You can explore the garden by walking to the north or east. Go down the tunnel to leave.
action: Go north
response: Once upon a time there was a fountain. Its bubbling flow splashed
onto the surface of the water below, creating little ripples that sparkled gaily in the sunlight. Floating beneath the fountain were some lily pads...
And sitting on a lily pad you find a frog. You can't be sure, but
you think you see something written on the frog's chest.
action: You read frog
response: It says KISS ME.
action: Kiss frog
response: Blech! You've got to be kidding!
action: You get the frog
response: The frog's chest says KISS ME. Maybe you should try a little tenderness first.
action: Examine pad
response: Much flatter than a frog, but just as green.
action: You look at the fountain
response: The sound of the burbling water is most intriguing.
action: Drink water
response: Better not. Do you think a frog would drink out of your bath water?
action: You kiss yourself
response: You plant a big wet one on yourself. Smack!
action: You ask frog about yourself
response: The frog looks at you blankly. Doctor Dolittle you're not.
action: You wear the mask
response: Okay, you're now wearing the mask. Boy, do you look like a loser.
action: Kiss frog
response: Ugh! You won't kiss a girl, but you'll kiss this frog?
action: Kiss frog
response: Fine, fine, kiss the frog.

You grasp the frog in your hands and bring it to your lips. Gak!
You even use your tongue! You are shocked to discover that your kiss has transformed the frog into a heavily breathing man with a dangerous glint in his eye.

Run! It's a sledgehammer-wielding maniac!

You feel the sweet, hot breath of your attacker on the back of your neck.
action: Go south
response: You've made it under the immense stone wall. Its walls surround you
on all sides. You can explore the garden by walking to the north or east. Go down the tunnel to leave.

Keep moving! Your head is within inches of a sledgehammer's blow!
action: You go east
response: Finally, trees that are easy to climb! The bark is sturdy, the
limbs low, the angle of ascent easy. The blossoming trees are just past full bloom and the fruit is starting to emerge from the bud.

Keep moving! Your head is within inches of a sledgehammer's blow!
action: You climb the tree
response: First one branch, then another. You're doing great. Oops, lost your footing! You tumble to the ground with a regal thud for the fourth time today.

You feel the sweet, hot breath of your attacker on the back of your neck.
action: You go to the north
response: You can't go that way. Either walk west or climb up the tree.

The sledgehammer comes down on your head. Your last wish is that you would have had time to contemplate the irony of your fate.
action: You look at maniac
response: No time for close examination. Just run, man!

The sledgehammer comes down on your head. Your last wish is that you would have had time to contemplate the irony of your fate.
action: Go downward
response: You squirm down the dark passage and emerge outside the wall.

Behold your handiwork! You have replaced the freshly dug flower bed with an even more freshly dug tunnel, which leads down under the wall. You can also walk around the wall to the northeast or northwest.

Keep moving! Your head is within inches of a sledgehammer's blow!
action: Go northeast
response: The east-west path terminates at a large stone wall, which curves
away to the northwest and southwest.
You see a bronze plaque here.

Keep moving! Your head is within inches of a sledgehammer's blow!
action: You go east
response: Scores of ancient trees with massive trunks and numberless gnarled branches prevent any light from reaching the forest floor. A chill runs through you as you imagine every creature hidden in the shadows, one more threatening than the next. You feel your way on a mulched path leading west. You can return to the main path by walking northeast.

Keep moving! Your head is within inches of a sledgehammer's blow!
action: You attack the man with the sword
response: You whack the screaming maniac in the head a split second before he can do the same to you. He stops in his tracks, shakes his head, and thanks you for knocking some sense into him. He hands you his sledgehammer and wanders off.
action: You examine the hammer
response: It looks like an ordinary sledgehammer to me.
action: Go northwest
response: Trudging around the wall, which reveals itself to be a large but unbroken circle, you arrive at the only interesting locale to be found in this vicinity.

Behold your handiwork! You have replaced the freshly dug flower bed with an even more freshly dug tunnel, which leads down under the wall. You can also walk around the wall to the northeast or northwest.
action: Go downward
response: As you squirm down into the dark tunnel, you remember the stories your nurse told you when you were little: vast empires hidden underground, always accessible by a tunnel such as this one, usually protected by a grate. However, this is not the fantasy world of your youth, and in fact you emerge on the other side of the wall.

You've made it under the immense stone wall. Its walls surround you
on all sides. You can explore the garden by walking to the north or east. Go down the tunnel to leave.
action: Go east
response: Finally, trees that are easy to climb! The bark is sturdy, the
limbs low, the angle of ascent easy. The blossoming trees are just past full bloom and the fruit is starting to emerge from the bud.
action: You climb the tree
response: First one branch, then another. You're doing great. With sure, careful movements, you find yourself...

Ah, the sweet fragrance of a flowering fruit tree! The perfume
revives you as you rest on this branch. You can now get a better look at those blossoms, but be careful. Bees are buzzing all around them. You nervously remember how allergic you are to bee venom. Perhaps you can escape the bees by climbing to a higher branch.
action: You look at the blossoms
response: The blossoms are yielding to a golden fruit.
action: You examine the fruit
response: Wow, you've never seen fruit give off such a warm glow. You touch some of the nuggets and discover that the skin is hard and unyielding. Even you, the horticulture imbecile, realize that unripe fruit is hard, but this stuff is really hard. It's an actual 24K gold nugget! You wonder if these trees might not also be gold apple variety and surmise that someone might have planted this orchard from the apples stolen from your father's trees.
action: Inventory
response: You have a bow, a quiver, a mask (being worn), a comfy blanket, an ambiguous utensil, a mysteriously transformed fork, a shovel, a shield, a bucket, a sword, a message from your father, a sledgehammer, and a gold nugget. The quiver seems to contain an arrow.
action: Up
response: Confident of the effects of your latest treatment, you evade the bees quietly and make your way up the tree.

You have almost reached the top of the tree, certainly as high as
you can climb. Within your reach, there is a huge pile of twigs and leaves piled together precariously in the fork between two branches. Sitting on the large nest is a magazine.
action: You read the magazine
response: It's nestled too far down in the twigs for you to see more than the cover.

You find yourself lost in thought. A soft rustle of leaves causes
you to alert to your surroundings. Looking up, you find that a large feathered creature has perched in the nest.
action: You get the magazine
response: You'll have to get into the nest in order to reach it.
action: You enter the nest
response: The Firebird gently warns you not to try to get into the nest. It wasn't meant to support your weight.
action: You look at Firebird
response: It can only be the Firebird. She doesn't look as if she would put up much of a struggle. You imagine carrying her back to your father and making a hearty meal of her. A plucked feather in each room of the palace would brightly light the space. No more need of candles or torches. Oh, and your father's tsardom to boot. So many possibilities suggest themselves in thoughts of capturing the Firebird.
action: You ask Firebird about Firebird
response: "I wasn't always this way. Once I was simply a woman. Katschei the wizard put me in this shape and made me his thief. Ask me sometime again, and perhaps I will tell you the rest of the story."
action: You ask Firebird about Katschei
response: "Katschei built that high-walled garden, I'll tell you that much. The less you know about Katschei right now, the better."
action: You ask Firebird about the nest
response: "Don't try to get into the nest, dear. It wasn't meant to support your weight."
action: You get Firebird
response: Her sharp talons give you pause. Better to trap her in something that will protect you from them.
action: You put the blanket on Firebird
response: You throw the comfy blanket over the Firebird. Before she can react, you've flipped her over, gathered the ends of the blanket together, and slung the makeshift sack over your back. The Firebird struggles but cannot free herself. The soft thickness of the blanket protects you from her sharp talons. She begins to whimper, "Please let me go, young man!"

*** Your score just went up by 3 points. ***
action: Go downward
response: Ah, the sweet fragrance of a flowering fruit tree! The perfume
revives you as you rest on this branch. You can now get a better look at those blossoms, but be careful. Bees are buzzing all around them. You nervously remember how allergic you are to bee venom. Perhaps you can escape the bees by climbing to a higher branch.
action: Go downwards
response: Finally, trees that are easy to climb! The bark is sturdy, the
limbs low, the angle of ascent easy. The blossoming trees are just past full bloom and the fruit is starting to emerge from the bud.
action: Inventory
response: You have a bow, a quiver, a mask (being worn), a comfy blanket, an ambiguous utensil, a mysteriously transformed fork, a shovel, a shield, a bucket, a sword, a message from your father, a sledgehammer, and a gold nugget. The quiver seems to contain an arrow. The comfy blanket seems to contain the Firebird.

The Firebird says, "Let me go and I'll tell you a secret."
action: You go west
response: You've made it under the immense stone wall. Its walls surround you
on all sides. You can explore the garden by walking to the north or east. Go down the tunnel to leave.
action: Go downwards
response: You squirm down the dark passage and emerge outside the wall.

Behold your handiwork! You have replaced the freshly dug flower bed with an even more freshly dug tunnel, which leads down under the wall. You can also walk around the wall to the northeast or northwest.
action: You go south
response: The forest primeval. The north-south path branches off to the east.

You hear muffled sobs from inside the blanket.
action: Go east
response: The forest primeval. A mulched path leads northeast. Return to the north-south path by walking west.
A wizened old man is here, his long beard flowing onto the ground.
He is sitting on a stone counting the leaves covering the forest floor. He looks up at you and says, "Greetings, young man. Are you here to shirk a task or to find one?"
You answer that you are looking to gain your father's tsardom. "You are on the right path, but you are not ready yet for this part of your quest," says the old man. "Perhaps there are some other dark recesses of the forest you have not explored fully, hmmm?"
action: You put Firebird in bag
response: You can't do that to the Firebird without freeing her. It's taking all your strength just to keep her in the blanket.
action: Free Firebird
response: You gently place the blanket containing the Firebird on the ground.
The Firebird flaps her wings and frees herself. Standing and stretching, she thanks you for your mercy. She is true to her word: "Now, young man, I will tell you a secret. It's true that I have stolen your father's golden apples. But I am not the cause of the problem, only the agent. I promise you I will now help you find the real culprit."

"
action: Yes
response: a list of necessities. You scribble them down and stow the list on your person.
"Before you embark on your adventure, you will need to take along provisions," the Firebird counsels. "Lead the way to the caterers, please!"

The Firebird is whistling the greatest hits of Stravinsky.
action: You examine the list
response: THINGS TO TAKE:

( ) a matchbook
( ) a coin

Glancing over the list, you see you still need to pick up 2 things.

The Firebird preens her feathers.
action: Go west
response: east. You pick out the outlines of a hut just beyond it. Return to the forest path by walking west.

The Firebird follows you.
action: You go south
response: You can't go that way. You can leave by going east or west.

The Firebird buffs her polished talons with the tip of her wing feathers.
action: You go to the west
response: The forest primeval. The path continues north and south. To the
east you spy a light shining through the trees.

The Firebird follows you.
action: You go south
response: The Firebird stops and whispers to you, "Ivan, I cannot follow you into the clearing. Vasilii is there. If he sees me, he may kill you in order to claim my capture for himself. Just have some sandwiches made; get anything you like. And have them send along some rice pudding.
It's my favorite, and I haven't had it in so long."
As you make your way south, the Firebird calls out after you, "Ivan,
if you find anything on your list there, be sure to bring it back. You might not want to go back again."

Sigh! Everyday existence is so tiresome. The regal catering
service has readied a sumptuous feast for you here at the edge of the forest. Dozens of gleaming silver chafing dishes await your inspection, but the smell of hot food sickens you. A massive copper samovar holds freshly brewed coffee. Golden serving pieces have been splendidly arrayed before you, but you know you could never be allowed to pick them up and serve yourself. If only your station in life allowed you to pack a lunch. A roast beef sandwich and a cup of coffee eaten alone in the woods would be ideal. Ugh, those peasant serving girls. So crass. Always cracking their gum and calling you "Hon."
You can turn north back into the forest.
The caterer responds promptly to your request for provisions. Too promptly really, because he whisks you to the table before you can say, "And don't assign me Flo..."

It's you, the food-service peasants, and a long wooden table.
Your older brother Vasilii is here, busily cleaning the table.
An older serving woman appears at your right elbow. "I hear you actually bagged some game today. What did you do, read it your own poetry until it coughed up its innards?"
This is the caterer's most senior serving wench, Flo. She's known
you as long as the caterer has, and she never lets you forget it. She has an opinion about everything you ever have or haven't done in your whole life. You've wanted to send her away many a time for the beating you think she deserves as the impudent peasant she is, but your father has always forbidden it. He thinks some honest criticism is good for you, and he's never been in disagreement with Flo's opinions. Oh, it would be good to be tsar and take a switch to her.
You keep your cool for now. "Wench, I am embarking on a long
journey. I require these provisions: two sandwiches, one roast beef on rye, one sprout and avocado on whole grain. (You assume the Firebird is a vegetarian.)  Also, bring me some rice pudding."
Flo raises an eyebrow. "Rice pudding? I have never known you to
ask for rice pudding!" she screeches.
Vasilii pricks up his ears as he labors nearby. "He's ALLERGIC to
rice pudding," he thinks, eyeing you suspiciously.
As insulting as Flo can be, she would never disobey you. In a few minutes, Flo places some provisions into your hands. As she leaves, she wishes you godspeed on your journey.
action: You look around
response: It's you, the food-service peasants, and a long wooden table.
Your older brother Vasilii is here, busily cleaning the table.
action: You go south
response: You can't go that way. You can leave by going north.
action: You go north
response: Sigh! Everyday existence is so tiresome. The regal catering
service has readied a sumptuous feast for you here at the edge of the forest. Dozens of gleaming silver chafing dishes await your inspection, but the smell of hot food sickens you. A massive copper samovar holds freshly brewed coffee. Golden serving pieces have been splendidly arrayed before you, but you know you could never be allowed to pick them up and serve yourself. If only your station in life allowed you to pack a lunch. A roast beef sandwich and a cup of coffee eaten alone in the woods would be ideal. Ugh, those peasant serving girls. So crass. Always cracking their gum and calling you "Hon."
You can turn north back into the forest.
The head caterer is directing his staff through another
pass-the-plate drill.
action: You go east
response: You can't go that way. Travel by walking north or south.
action: Go north
response: The forest primeval. The path continues north and south. To the
east you spy a light shining through the trees.
The Firebird sees the rice pudding in your hand. "Excellent
work, young man. May I have my pudding now?"
You produce the dreadful stuff and happily give it to her.
"Wonderful," she exclaims, "make sure you have everything on your list, then you can be on your way!"

The Firebird follows you.
action: Go north
response: The forest primeval. The north-south path branches off to the east.

The Firebird follows you.
action: Go north
response: The forest primeval. Branching off from the main north-south path
is a small trail to the southwest.

The Firebird follows you.
action: You go north
response: Deep in a Russian Forest, Under a Large Tree
You are standing under a large tree.

The Firebird follows you.
action: You go north
response: You trudge out of the forest. Whether it is a long time or a short time, it matters not. Speedily a tale is spun, with much less speed a deed is done.

You've reached the edge of this grand, untamed forest. A short walk
to the north are a collection of fawning underlings, waiting to make their daily petitions to you for your continued patronage. The path leads south back into the forest.

The Firebird follows you.
action: Go north
response: of groupies. Although they are all attractive and of good families, you would rather impale yourself on a pike than marry one of them. Fortunately, none of them seem to be around at the moment. The sight of "Dimitri" must have scared them away from this spot for a while. To the north you can see an encampment of underlings; to the south, the primeval forest beckons.

The Firebird follows you.
action: You go to the north
response: Some days more than a dozen men wait on you to offer their greetings and make their requests. Thankfully, today there are only a few:
You expect to see your masseur here, but instead there is an awfully goofy-looking fellow fooling with a floppy hat and fiddling with a fake mustache.
Your allergist is here, reading the latest issue of "Pollen Parade." The page is lying in the grass, illiterate and blissful as he contemplates the sky.

The page and the allergist stand and gawk at the sight of your companion, the Firebird. Dimitri glances up briefly, but that is all the attention he seems willing or able to focus on the event.
action: You go east
response: You can't go that way. You can leave by going north or south.

The Firebird notes with disgust that she has a chip in her talon polish.
action: Go north
response: south with an inn to the north.
You see a coin here.

The Firebird follows you.
action: You get the coin
response: Taken.

The Firebird is whistling the greatest hits of Stravinsky.
action: You examine it
response: It's a small denomination copper coin. Your dad's chin juts forward proudly in profile. He looked just like that the other day when he was signing execution orders for a few dozen thieves. Your dad really approaches his job with gusto, you must give him that!

The Firebird preens her feathers.
action: You flip the coin
response: I don't know how to flip the coin.

The Firebird buffs her polished talons with the tip of her wing feathers.
action: You go north
response: and Pig. How it ever got the name no one really knows, because they serve no cheese products and no pork products. It's just vodka and manly conversation. To the south is the way back to the encampment. You see a refuse pile here.
A groom is here tending one of your horses.

The Firebird follows you.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern.
action: You examine the pile
response: There's currently nothing on the refuse pile but rotting vegetables, empty bottles, and things too vile for close inspection.

The Firebird notes with disgust that she has a chip in her talon polish.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern.
action: Search pile
response: There's nothing on the refuse pile.

The Firebird is whistling the greatest hits of Stravinsky.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern. A pair of rustic fellows tumble out, each gnawing on a turnip. One says to the other, "Have you heard this one? Once a turnip said: 'I taste very good with honey.' 'Go along, you boaster,' replied the honey, 'I taste good without you.'" His friend claps him on the back and chuckles, "Ah, our amusing national anecdotes!" They toss the turnip greens onto the refuse pile and disappear behind the inn.
action: You examine the groom
response: A rather rough young man, good with horses but not much of a conversationalist.

The Firebird preens her feathers.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern.
action: You ask the groom about the horse
response: The groom opens his mouth to reveal he has no tongue. Oh yes, you recall, he was the one who spoke so impertinently to your father last month.

The Firebird buffs her polished talons with the tip of her wing feathers.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern.
action: You take the turnip
response: Taken.

The Firebird notes with disgust that she has a chip in her talon polish.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern. The innkeeper appears at the door and pitches a flask onto the refuse pile. "Brandy indeed!"
action: You take the flask
response: Taken.

The Firebird is whistling the greatest hits of Stravinsky.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern.
action: You examine flask
response: Scrawled on a dirty label pasted to the flask are the words "l'eau de vie." You know it from your French master's tutelage to be the word for "brandy." This phrase translates literally as "the water of life." You doubt, however, that it is brandy. In small print is the warning, which translated reads "for external use only."

The Firebird preens her feathers.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern.
action: You examine the turnip
response: It looks like an ordinary bunch of turnip greens to me.

The Firebird buffs her polished talons with the tip of her wing feathers.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern. Two peasants saunter up to the tavern. The one says to the other, "I was at that wedding too. I drank beer and mead; they flowed down my beard but did not go into my mouth."
action: Go inside
response: Inspecting the inside of the inn is not worth getting a beating from that burly bunch. Let the peasants have their fun in privacy.

The Firebird notes with disgust that she has a chip in her talon polish.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern.
action: You examine the horse
response: It's a sleek stallion, fast and powerful. You notice something odd written on the horse's rump. It says, "Jesus saves, and so should you." You wonder what that must mean.

The Firebird is whistling the greatest hits of Stravinsky.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern.
action: You look at the list
response: THINGS TO TAKE:

( ) a matchbook
(x) a coin

Glancing over the list, you see you still need to pick up 1 thing.

The Firebird preens her feathers.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern. A farmer tells his comrade a story. "Two old beggars, husband and wife, were walking along a road and approached a village. The old man said: 'I will ask for some milk.' His wife answered: 'And I will crumb some bread into the milk.' The man seized her and began to beat her, saying: 'Don't crumb bread into the milk, it will get sour; don't crumb bread into the milk, it will get sour.' But when they came to the village no one gave them milk."
The two farmers have a hearty laugh at the exploits of the beggars.
[2] Their chortles are heard long after they disappear from sight behind the tavern.
action: Note 2
response: [2]: Is this perhaps funnier with a snoot full of vodka?
action: Go south
response: south with an inn to the north.

The Firebird follows you.
action: You look at the page
response: One of your father's pages. A young boy with a cherubic face.

The Firebird buffs her polished talons with the tip of her wing feathers.
action: You ask the page about the matchbook
response: You won't glean much information asking the page about the matchbook.

The Firebird notes with disgust that she has a chip in her talon polish.
action: You ask the page about Firebird
response: You won't glean much information asking the page about the Firebird.

The Firebird is whistling the greatest hits of Stravinsky.
action: Inventory
response: You have a bow, a quiver, a mask (being worn), a comfy blanket, an ambiguous utensil, a mysteriously transformed fork, a shovel, a shield, a bucket, a sword, a message from your father, a sledgehammer, a gold nugget, a list, a corned beef sandwich, a flicker sandwich, a coin, a bunch of turnip greens, and a white flask. The quiver seems to contain an arrow.

The Firebird preens her feathers.
action: You give the flask to the page
response: The page rejects the offer.

The Firebird buffs her polished talons with the tip of her wing feathers.
action: You ask the allergist about the matchbook
response: You won't glean much information asking the allergist about the matchbook.

The Firebird notes with disgust that she has a chip in her talon polish.
action: You look at flicker sandwich
response: The meat from your prey makes such a small sandwich that it is served on a saltine cracker.

The Firebird is whistling the greatest hits of Stravinsky.
action: You ask Dimitri about the matchbook
response: "I don't know much about that."

The Firebird preens her feathers.
action: Examine magazine
response: Some days more than a dozen men wait on you to offer their greetings and make their requests. Thankfully, today there are only a few:
You expect to see your masseur here, but instead there is an awfully goofy-looking fellow fooling with a floppy hat and fiddling with a fake mustache.
Your allergist is here, reading the latest issue of "Pollen Parade." The page is lying in the grass, illiterate and blissful as he contemplates the sky.
The Firebird is here.

The Firebird buffs her polished talons with the tip of her wing feathers.

I don't see any magazine here.
action: Go west
response: You can't go that way. You can leave by going north or south.

The Firebird notes with disgust that she has a chip in her talon polish.
action: You ask Firebird about the chip
response: The Firebird rejects the offer.

The Firebird is whistling the greatest hits of Stravinsky.

You won't glean much information asking the Firebird about the chip.

The Firebird preens her feathers.
action: You ask Firebird about the feather
response: You won't glean much information asking the Firebird about the feather.

The Firebird buffs her polished talons with the tip of her wing feathers.
action: You examine large chip
response: It's just a figure of speech! Must you examine everything?

The Firebird notes with disgust that she has a chip in her talon polish.
action: Go south
response: of groupies. Although they are all attractive and of good families, you would rather impale yourself on a pike than marry one of them. Fortunately, none of them seem to be around at the moment. The sight of "Dimitri" must have scared them away from this spot for a while. To the north you can see an encampment of underlings; to the south, the primeval forest beckons.

The Firebird follows you.
action: You go south
response: You've reached the edge of this grand, untamed forest. A short walk
to the north are a collection of fawning underlings, waiting to make their daily petitions to you for your continued patronage. The path leads south back into the forest.

The Firebird follows you.
action: Go south
response: Deep in a Russian Forest, Under a Large Tree
You are standing under a large tree.

The Firebird follows you.
action: Go east
response: You have stepped into a clearing from a path to the west. A fire
burns steadily outside of a small thatched hut.
A baba yaga is sitting by the fire, a magical bag in her lap.

The Firebird follows you.
action: You put the flask in the bag
response: The baba yaga yawns. "I think you would find that a rather boring and unproductive transformation."

The Firebird is whistling the greatest hits of Stravinsky.
action: Inventory
response: You have a bow, a quiver, a mask (being worn), a comfy blanket, an ambiguous utensil, a mysteriously transformed fork, a shovel, a shield, a bucket, a sword, a message from your father, a sledgehammer, a gold nugget, a list, a corned beef sandwich, a flicker sandwich, a coin, a bunch of turnip greens, and a white flask. The quiver seems to contain an arrow.

The Firebird preens her feathers.
action: You put the greens in the bag
response: The baba yaga yawns. "I think you would find that a rather boring and unproductive transformation."

The Firebird buffs her polished talons with the tip of her wing feathers.
action: You put the coin in the bag
response: The baba yaga yawns. "I think you would find that a rather boring and unproductive transformation."

The Firebird notes with disgust that she has a chip in her talon polish.
action: You put the flicker sandwich in the bag
response: The baba yaga yawns. "I think you would find that a rather boring and unproductive transformation."

The Firebird preens her feathers.
action: You put Firebird in the bag
response: The baba yaga chides you for your attempt. "Do not try to put a living person in the bag. The experience would drive them to madness!"

The Firebird is whistling the greatest hits of Stravinsky.
action: You put the hammer in the bag
response: "Certainly this weapon is powerful enough for your purposes," says the baba yaga, pulling the bag away from you.

The Firebird preens her feathers.
action: You take the feather
response: Her sharp talons give you pause. Better to trap her in something that will protect you from them.

The Firebird notes with disgust that she has a chip in her talon polish.
action: You give the feather to you
response: "I'm sorry, I can't do that."

The Firebird is whistling the greatest hits of Stravinsky.
action: Go north
response: You can't go that way. You can leave by going east or west.

The Firebird preens her feathers.
action: Go east
response: "This is where we part company for now, young man."
You're astonished. "But I thought you were going to show me who was stealing my father's golden apples!"
"You'll figure that out. You don't need me tagging along. You'll
just need your own good sense," she plucks out a long tail feather, "and one of my feathers."
"Is it magical?" you ask as you examine it. It gives off a
pleasant orange glow.
"Hardly. But it is luminescent. Never poo-poo the practicality of
a light source."
You skeptically look first at the feather, then at the Firebird. "I have no idea what I'm going off to find, you know," you protest.
"I know." The Firebird smiles at you with great confidence. "We'll meet up again later. Until then, have faith in yourself and in those who offer help along the way." She gives you a peck on the cheek and takes flight out of sight.

For better or worse, you plunge into the deep, dark forest alone.

The forest primeval. A mulched path leads northeast. Return to the north-south path by walking west.
Your feather illumines the face of the wizened old man sitting here. "Ah, I imagine you now think you are ready to embark on a journey. You are going in the right direction, but all the same you will never reach your destination."
"Why not?" you ask.
"Because," the old man answers, "you must first pass three rivers.
At each river is a ferry, and the price each ferryman asks is a great one; the first will strike off your right hand, the second your left foot, and the third your head."
You gravely consider his words. "A man can only die once," you
decide; you thank him and prepare to begin your journey to the northeast.
The old man stops you. "You are brave and courteous and perhaps you will cross the three rivers. If you do, go on straight to the east until you reach a high mountain, on which you will find the four palaces of Katschei the wizard. If you are looking for something precious, it is very likely that he has stolen it."

*** Your score just went up by 3 points. ***
action: You examine the list
response: THINGS TO TAKE:

( ) a matchbook
(x) a coin

Glancing over the list, you see you still need to pick up 1 thing.
action: You look at the fellow
response: Dimitri is your eldest brother but that does not mean that he is wiser or more experienced than you. Perhaps there is some wisdom to his world-view, but it would take much enlightenment on your part to see it.

The Firebird buffs her polished talons with the tip of her wing feathers.
action: You go to the north
response: south with an inn to the north.

The Firebird follows you.
action: You go north
response: and Pig. How it ever got the name no one really knows, because they serve no cheese products and no pork products. It's just vodka and manly conversation. To the south is the way back to the encampment. You see a refuse pile here.
A groom is here tending one of your horses.

The Firebird follows you.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern.
action: You ask the groom about the horse
response: The groom opens his mouth to reveal he has no tongue. Oh yes, you recall, he was the one who spoke so impertinently to your father last month.

The Firebird notes with disgust that she has a chip in her talon polish.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern.
action: Point at tavern
response: What do you want to aim?
action: You ask the groom about matchbook
response: The groom opens his mouth to reveal he has no tongue. Oh yes, you recall, he was the one who spoke so impertinently to your father last month.

The Firebird is whistling the greatest hits of Stravinsky.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern. Another two peasants approach the tavern, the one regaling the other with an anecdote: "A peasant bought a quart of wine, drank it, and felt no effects. He bought a pint, and still he was not drunk. He drank a half-pint and became drunk. Then he began to feel sorry for himself: 'Why did I buy the quart and the pint? I should have bought the half-pint to begin with. That would have done the job!'" The other nearly chokes on a swig from his flask as he tries to control his amusement. He deposits the flask onto the refuse pile and joins his brother in the tavern.
action: Inventory
response: You have a bow, a quiver, a mask (being worn), a comfy blanket, an ambiguous utensil, a mysteriously transformed fork, a shovel, a shield, a bucket, a sword, a message from your father, a sledgehammer, a gold nugget, a list, a corned beef sandwich, a flicker sandwich, a coin, a bunch of turnip greens, and a white flask. The quiver seems to contain an arrow.

The Firebird preens her feathers.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern.
action: You get the flask
response: Taken.

The Firebird buffs her polished talons with the tip of her wing feathers.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern.
action: You check your inventory
response: You have a bow, a quiver, a mask (being worn), a comfy blanket, an ambiguous utensil, a mysteriously transformed fork, a shovel, a shield, a bucket, a sword, a message from your father, a sledgehammer, a gold nugget, a list, a corned beef sandwich, a flicker sandwich, a coin, a bunch of turnip greens, a white flask, and a black flask. The quiver seems to contain an arrow.

The Firebird notes with disgust that she has a chip in her talon polish.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern. A solitary man emerges from the tavern. He lights his pipe, tosses a matchbook onto the refuse pile, and disappears behind the tavern.
action: You get the matchbook
response: Taken.

The Firebird is whistling the greatest hits of Stravinsky.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern.
action: You examine the black flask
response: The flask seems to have passed through many hands. On its grimy label are written the words "l'eau de mort," which you translate as "the water of death." Like its sister flask, it warns you that it is for external use only.

The Firebird preens her feathers.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern.
action: You look at list
response: THINGS TO TAKE:

(x) a matchbook
(x) a coin

It looks like you're done!

The Firebird buffs her polished talons with the tip of her wing feathers.

Peasants parade in and out of the tavern.
action: You go to the east
response: You can't go that way. The old man redirects you. "Go west or northeast," he says.
action: Go northeast
response: You make your way ahead on a path to adventure.

Before you go any further, you consider saying a prayer to preserve your salvation against the perils ahead.
action: You look at the man
response: He's a big, menacing cyclops.
action: You ask the man about the boat
response: "You want to ride, you pay the fare. That's all we need to talk about," says the ferryman through a grimace.
action: Pay fare
response: By the ferryman's code of conduct, he should have to ferry you across the river before demanding any payment.
action: You enter the boat
response: You demand that the ferryman take you across the river.
"Will you pay me my price?" asks the huge ferryman.
"Time enough to talk of price when you have done me your service,"
you reply.

The ferryman pushes off from shore with his giant stick. He gives you a disgusted look as he makes powerful movements that set the ferry gliding across the river.
action: Swim
response: What do you want to swim?
action: In water
response: Which water do you mean, the water of life, or the water of death?
action: Swim river
response: The ferryman blocks you before you can dive into the river. "Oh, no you don't, bub," he growls. "Union rules say you have to use the ferry. And if you think I'M unpleasant, you should see my union boss!"

You ignore the ferryman's menacing glance as you gaze out at the river and plan a strategy for when you land. You notice that the ferryman keeps glancing at the coin you're carrying. He seems to be fascinated by it.
action: You examine the coin
response: It's a small denomination copper coin. Your dad's chin juts forward proudly in profile. He looked just like that the other day when he was signing execution orders for a few dozen thieves. Your dad really approaches his job with gusto, you must give him that!

The ferryman brings the boat up to a dock on the other side of the river. You both disembark from the craft, and he demands payment.
Your Plan A (escape) seems to have been foiled: the ferryman's vigilant eye monitors your every move.
You ask nonchalantly, "What is there to pay?"
"Stretch forth your right hand," growls the ferryman as he draws his sword.

You're on the east side of the first river. To the east is further adventure.
action: You show the coin to the man
response: You show the coin to the ferryman, who salivates at the sight of it. "You wouldn't be willing to part with that, would you?" he asks.
action: You put the coin in the hand
response: Which hand do you mean, your right hand, or your left hand?
action: You go north
response: You can't go that way. A path leads east; the river lies to the west.
action: Go east
response: The ferryman spies you with his one eye. You're not going anywhere until you pay your fare.
action: You give the right hand to man
response: The ferryman raises his sword and very happily brings it down upon your right hand. He picks up the hand and eats it with relish.
action: You give the coin to the ferryman
response: You offer the coin to the ferryman, who greedily takes it for his own close inspection. He's hypnotized by the copper in the thing and appears to be distracted for now.
action: You attack the man with the sword
response: You whip out your own blade and smote the ferryman with a blow that cleaves through the copper plates of his armor. He topples to the ground at your feet.

*** Your score just went up by 3 points. ***
action: You look at man
response: He's a dead man, taking up gigantic amounts of horizontal rather than vertical space. He may still be carrying some of your stuff.
action: You go east
response: You make your way ahead on a path to adventure.

You've reached the second of three rivers. A large ferry is tied to
a rickety dock. The path back to the first river is to the west.
Here is a second ferryman, lying in wait for his next fare. Even
more gigantic than the first man, he is armed with an even larger sword. His silver armor protects him as he stares you down with two big eyes.
action: Go east
response: Ferrymen's Union rules dictate that you use the ferry to take you across the river.
action: You ask the man about the ferry
response: "You want to ride, you pay the fare. That's all we need to talk about," says the ferryman through a grimace.
action: You go north
response: You can't go that way. Travel either by walking west or getting on the ferry.
action: You enter the ferry
response: You demand that the ferryman take you across the river.
"Will you pay me my price?" asks the huge ferryman.
"Time enough to talk of price when you have done me your service,"
you reply.

The ferryman pushes off from shore with his giant stick. He gives you a disgusted look as he makes powerful movements that set the ferry gliding across the river.
action: Wait
response: Time passes...

You ignore the ferryman's menacing glance as you gaze out at the river and plan a strategy for when you land. You notice that the ferryman keeps glancing at the ambiguous utensil you're carrying. He seems to be fascinated by it.
action: You wait
response: Time passes...

The ferryman brings the boat up to a dock on the other side of the river. You both disembark from the craft, and he demands payment.
Your Plan A (escape) seems to have been foiled: the ferryman's vigilant eyes monitor your every move.
You ask nonchalantly, "What is there to pay?"
"Stretch forth your left foot," growls the ferryman as he draws his sword.

You're on the east side of the second river. To the east is further adventure.
action: You give left FOOT to the man
response: The ferryman raises his sword and very happily brings it down upon your left foot. He picks it up and shouts, "Just what I needed, a ruler! Get it? ONE FOOT!" Just what YOU need right now, a punster.
action: You show the fork to the man
response: "Who wants that?" The ferryman points to the ambiguous utensil instead. "Now that is something worth looking at!"
action: You show the utensil to the man
response: You show the ambiguous utensil to the ferryman, who salivates at the sight of it. "You wouldn't be willing to part with that, would you?" he asks.
action: You give the utensil to man
response: You offer the ambiguous utensil to the ferryman, who greedily takes it for his own close inspection. He's hypnotized by the silver in the thing and appears to be distracted for now.
action: You attack man
response: What do you want to attack him with?
action: Sword
response: The ferryman easily deflects your blow, just missing your left foot in the process. If only you could distract that one roving eye...
action: Inventory
response: You have a bow, a quiver, a mask (being worn), a comfy blanket, a mysteriously transformed fork, a shovel, a shield, a bucket, a sword, a message from your father, a sledgehammer, a gold nugget, a list, a corned beef sandwich, a flicker sandwich, a bunch of turnip greens, a white flask, a black flask, a matchbook, a feather (providing light), and a coin. The quiver seems to contain an arrow.
action: You give the coin to the man
response: Taking advantage of the ferryman's distraction, you pass the coin to him, whispering soothingly, "This has silver on it too." Mesmerized, the ferryman seizes the coin and searches for signs of silver anywhere on the thing. You seem to have succeeded in distracting another of the ferryman's eyes.
action: Sword
response: You whip out your own blade and smote the ferryman with a blow that cleaves through the silver plates of his armor. He topples to the ground at your feet.

*** Your score just went up by 3 points. ***
action: You search man
response: You thoroughly search the dead ferryman and reclaim an ambiguous utensil and a coin.
action: Go east
response: You make your way ahead on a path to adventure.

You've reached the third of three rivers. A huge ferry is tied to a rickety dock. The path back to the second river is to the west.
A third ferryman is here, a wild man, as tall as a giant and as
thick as a haystack, with a shield, helmet, and breastplate all of gold, and with an oak club in his hand. Behind the wisps of thinning hair on his forehead, you glimpse a third eye, which is most certainly focused right on you.
action: You examine man
response: He's an immense, club-wielding triclops!
action: You enter the ferry
response: You demand that the ferryman take you across the river.
"Will you pay me my price?" asks the huge ferryman.
"Time enough to talk of price when you have done me your service,"
you reply.

The ferryman pushes off from shore with his giant stick. He gives you a disgusted look as he makes powerful movements that set the ferry gliding across the river.
action: You wait
response: Time passes...

You ignore the ferryman's menacing glance as you gaze out at the river and plan a strategy for when you land. You notice that the ferryman keeps glancing at the gold nugget you're carrying. He seems to be fascinated by it.
action: You show the nugget to the man
response: You really should let him ferry you across the river before you give him anything.

The ferryman brings the boat up to a dock on the other side of the river. You both disembark from the craft, and he demands payment.
Your Plan A (escape) seems to have been foiled: the ferryman's vigilant eyes monitor your every move.
You ask nonchalantly, "What is there to pay?"
"Stretch forth your neck," growls the ferryman as he brandishes his
oak club.

You're on the east side of the third river. To the east is further adventure.
action: You show the nugget to the man
response: You show the gold nugget to the ferryman, who salivates at the sight of it. "You wouldn't be willing to part with that, would you?" he asks.
action: You give the nugget to man
response: You offer the gold nugget to the ferryman, who greedily takes it for his own close inspection. He's hypnotized by the gold in the thing and appears to be distracted for now.
action: You give the utensil to the man
response: Taking advantage of the ferryman's distraction, you pass the ambiguous utensil to him, whispering soothingly, "This has gold on it too." Mesmerized, the ferryman seizes the ambiguous utensil and searches for signs of gold anywhere on the thing. You seem to have succeeded in distracting another of the ferryman's eyes.
action: You give the coin to the man
response: Taking advantage of the ferryman's distraction, you pass the coin to him, whispering soothingly, "This has gold on it too." Mesmerized, the ferryman seizes the coin and searches for signs of gold anywhere on the thing. You seem to have succeeded in distracting another of the ferryman's eyes.
action: You attack the man with the sword
response: You whip out your own blade and smote the ferryman with a blow that cleaves through the gold plates of his armor. He topples to the ground at your feet.

*** Your score just went up by 3 points. ***
action: You search man
response: You thoroughly search the dead ferryman and reclaim a gold nugget, an ambiguous utensil, and a coin.
action: You look around
response: You're on the east side of the third river. To the east is further adventure.
A dead ferryman is here.
action: Go east
response: You are beyond the three rivers. To the east is further adventure;
to the west is the bank of the third river.
action: You go to the east
response: You've left the forest and rivers behind you to the west. The wilderness of the Russian steppe spreads out in all directions ahead of you. White winter wheat waves gracefully as the wind sweeps over the open land. A dirt road wends its way from east to west. At the east end of the road you see a mountain.
Your eyes discern a faint animal trail to the north.

You feel a sharp prick in your back and turn to find your brother Vasilii armed to the teeth with kitchen knives and ready to attack.
You unsuccessfully try to hide the Firebird's feather. "That's it! I just knew that the Firebird was with you. Where is she? Where is she hiding?" The tip of a knife blade grazes one of your ribs. "No matter. I'll have time to look for her after I've finished with you. The tsardom is going to be mine, Ivan -- over your dead body!" He laughs wildly. "Get ready to taste cold kitchen cutlery, brother mine!"
action: You go to the north
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead south, east, and northeast. [3]

You attempt to escape from your murderous brother. He stays right on your heels.
action: Note 3
response: [3]: Getting lost? I don't see why. You read trails quite well.
action: You read the trail
response: You study the trail for a moment. It says, "Always take the trails in a northerly direction to find the ocean, a southerly direction to find the steppe. If you find yourself in a place where the air smells salty and the only exit is southeast, go se, s, e, n, and nw to find the ocean. If you're in a salty-smelling place and the only exit is southwest, go sw, s, w, n, nw to find the ocean." Yes, you read trails VERY well.
action: You hit the brother with the sledgehammer
response: "Boy, this sledgehammer is unwieldy," you think. "You would have to be a maniac not to notice how heavy and clumsy it is." You lay it aside before Vasilii can see how unsuccessfully you use this weapon. Vasilii raises a butcher knife. You raise your shield and deflect the blow. The butcher's knife is loosed from his hand and disappears.Vasilii takes an experimental jab at you with a large kitchen knife.
action: You attack the vasili with the hammer
response: "Boy, this sledgehammer is unwieldy," you think. "You would have to be a maniac not to notice how heavy and clumsy it is." You lay it aside before Vasilii can see how unsuccessfully you use this weapon. Vasilii raises a butcher knife. You raise your shield and deflect the blow. The butcher's knife is loosed from his hand and disappears.Emboldened by your lack of response, Vasilii lunges at you with his knife, and skewers you through the heart.

Dead, Dead, Dead

*** Having died, you have lost your place in the royal succession. ***

Vasilii doesn't dance for long. He soon sets to searching through your belongings, taking every weapon and every scrap of food you have. He takes your mysteriously transformed fork and puts it in the road leading to the mountain. The fork sizzles and sparks, then explodes into a shimmering doorway. Vasilii passes through the doorway and emerges through an identical door that has appeared just outside of the forest. Using the Firebird's feather to light his way, he plunges into the forest to hunt her down.
action: You wait
response: Good move. In fact, your only move, since you're dead.

Vasilii dashes through the forest, headed for the great stone wall where he last saw the Firebird.
action: You wait awhile
response: Good move. In fact, your only move, since you're dead.

Vasilii finds the hole you dug under the wall and scrambles through it to the other side.
action: Wait
response: Good move. In fact, your only move, since you're dead.

Vasilii stops for a moment by the pond and makes a picnic lunch out of the food he stole from you.
action: You wait awhile
response: Good move. In fact, your only move, since you're dead.

Vasilii explores the orchard. He speedily climbs a tree, snatches as many fruit nuggets as he can find, and clambers up into the Firebird's nest.
action: Wait
response: Good move. In fact, your only move, since you're dead.

The Firebird's nest does not support Vasilii's weight. He crashes to the ground, bringing the nest down with him. He is lucky to sustain only a sprained ankle.
action: Wait
response: Good move. In fact, your only move, since you're dead.

Vasilii limps back out of the orchard and through the tunnel. He is headed out of the forest to the north.
action: You wait for a while
response: Good move. In fact, your only move, since you're dead.

Vasilii arrives at the encampment. The allergist tends to Vasilii's injuries as best as he can. Vasilii cannot capture Dimitri's attention long enough to tell him that you are dead.
action: You wait for a while
response: Good move. In fact, your only move, since you're dead.

Vasilii is back in the forest again, moving a bit slower, but still alert to signs of the Firebird.
action: Wait
response: Good move. In fact, your only move, since you're dead.

Vasilii spies the Firebird in a tree. He flushes her out and slaughters her.

Vasilii drags the Firebird back to your father, demanding the tsardom as his own. When your father learns that Vasilii killed you and used what you had accomplished to claim the Firebird for himself, he refuses to grant Vasilii his tsardom and sends your brother back into servitude with the caterer. Disgruntled and bitter, your brother trains an army of food-service workers as soldiers and uses them as cannon fodder in a successful overthrow of the tsardom.

In a total of 385 turns, you have achieved a score of 27 points out of a possible 72.

Unless you really liked the ending of "Hamlet," this is not a satisfactory finale: You're dead, the Firebird's dead, your father's dead, your brother reigns after a violent overthrow of the tsardom. Here's a hint: don't give your brother a reason to kill you. Don't give him anything, don't be the first one to strike a blow, and keep moving until he calms down.
Alternatively, you could just kill Vasilii. What bright future do
you expect for him anyway?

(If you should find yourself dead again, RESTORE, RESTART, UNDO, and QUIT are available to you in the afterlife.)  In the Wilderness
You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead south, east, and northeast. [3]
Your brother Vasilii is here, ready to make mince meat of you.
action: Note 3
response: [3]: Getting lost? I don't see why. You read trails quite well.
action: You look at what you're carrying with you
response: You have a bow, a quiver, a mask (being worn), a comfy blanket, a mysteriously transformed fork, a shovel, a shield, a bucket, a sword, a message from your father, a sledgehammer, a list, a corned beef sandwich, a flicker sandwich, a bunch of turnip greens, a white flask, a black flask, a matchbook, a feather (providing light), a gold nugget, an ambiguous utensil, and a coin. The quiver seems to contain an arrow. Emboldened by your lack of response, Vasilii lunges at you with his knife, and skewers you through the heart.

Dead, Dead, Dead

*** Having died, you have lost your place in the royal succession. ***

Vasilii doesn't dance for long. He soon sets to searching through your belongings, taking every weapon and every scrap of food you have. He takes your mysteriously transformed fork and puts it in the road leading to the mountain. The fork sizzles and sparks, then explodes into a shimmering doorway. Vasilii passes through the doorway and emerges through an identical door that has appeared just outside of the forest. Using the Firebird's feather to light his way, he plunges into the forest to hunt her down.
action: Go northeast
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead south, east, southeast and southwest. [3]

You attempt to escape from your murderous brother. He stays right on your heels.
action: You read the trails
response: You study the trail for a moment. It says, "Always take the trails in a northerly direction to find the ocean, a southerly direction to find the steppe. If you find yourself in a place where the air smells salty and the only exit is southeast, go se, s, e, n, and nw to find the ocean. If you're in a salty-smelling place and the only exit is southwest, go sw, s, w, n, nw to find the ocean." Yes, you read trails VERY well.
action: You go south
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead north, east, west, and northeast. [3]

You attempt to escape from your murderous brother. He stays right on your heels.
action: You go northeast
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead south, west, southwest, southeast, and northeast. [3]

You attempt to escape from your murderous brother. He stays right on your heels.
action: You go northeast
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead north, south, east, west, northeast, and southwest. [3]

Vasilii doesn't take his eyes off you. He keeps his hand close to his weaponry.
action: You go northeast
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead north, south, northwest, and southwest. [3]

Vasilii doesn't take his eyes off you. He keeps his hand close to his weaponry.
action: You go to the north
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead south, west, northwest, and southwest. [3]

Vasilii eyes you with suspicion and just a touch of confusion. "Why has he led me on this long chase? Why doesn't he just attack?"
action: You go northwest
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead south, northeast, and southeast. [3]

Vasilii eyes you with suspicion and just a touch of confusion. "Why has he led me on this long chase? Why doesn't he just attack?"
action: Go northeast
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. The trail leads southwest. It smells salty here. [3]

Your brother has no idea what you're up to, but now that he's come this far, he's not going to miss your next step for anything.
action: Go southwest
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead south, northeast, and southeast. [3]

Your brother has no idea what you're up to, but now that he's come this far, he's not going to miss your next step for anything.
action: Go south
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead north, south, east, west, and southeast.
[3]

Your brother confesses that he has misjudged you. You are obviously more capable. His adventure never got him out of the forest at all.
He disposes of his collection of knives and resolves to follow you as an ally and brother.
action: You go west
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead north, east, west, and southeast. [3]

Your brother Vasilii follows you.
action: You go to the north
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead south and northwest. [3]

Your brother Vasilii follows you.
action: You go northwest
response: Waves crash on the beach. The surf rolls over your feet. A short distance offshore to the north you see an island. A trail back into the wilderness is to the southeast.
You see a pike here.

Your brother Vasilii follows you.
action: You examine the pike
response: You often say that you'd rather impale yourself on a pike than be forced to do any of a number of disagreeable things. What you have here is not that kind of pike. Instead, it's a rather dull, squishy fish, not a sharp, pointed stick. Its little gills and mouth are vainly struggling to extract some oxygen from the air.
action: You put the pike in the ocean
response: You throw the pike back into the water. The wealth of oceanic soluble oxygen revives the poor thing. It leaps out of the water in a display of piscine gratitude and swims off into deeper waters.

*** Your score just went up by 3 points. ***
action: You go to the north
response: You plunge into the ocean. The salt water stings your eyes and grains of sand rub your skin raw. A wave twice your height and three times your strength crashes into you and sends you right back to shore.
action: You look around
response: Waves crash on the beach. The surf rolls over your feet. A short distance offshore to the north you see an island. A trail back into the wilderness is to the southeast.
Your brother Vasilii is here.
action: You look at the island
response: All you can see of the island from here are rocks and trees.
action: You dig the beach
response: (with the shovel)
I don't see any beach here.
action: You dig the sand
response: (with the shovel)
I don't know the word "sand".
action: You talk to the vasili
response: What do you want to ask him about?
action: Firebird
response: "I had only a single glimpse of it," Vasilii reported. "There's a huge wall deep in the forest. I saw the Firebird fly over the wall, but I couldn't find a way to get over it myself. The Firebird is not very large, no bigger than a peacock, but you're sure to spot it by its glowing golden plumage."
action: You examine the matchbook
response: An ordinary imprinted book of matches. The matchbook contains 7 matches.
action: You read it
response: The cover reads "The Cheese and Pig: Sobriety is Overrated..."
action: Go south
response: Nothing's happening there. Either go north toward the island or southeast back into the wilderness.
action: You go southeast
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead north, south, northeast, and northwest. [3]

Your brother Vasilii follows you.
action: Go south
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead north, south, east, west, northeast, and southwest. [3]

Your brother Vasilii follows you.
action: Go south
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead north, south, west, and northwest. [3]

Your brother Vasilii follows you.
action: Go south
response: You've left the forest and rivers behind you to the west. The wilderness of the Russian steppe spreads out in all directions ahead of you. White winter wheat waves gracefully as the wind sweeps over the open land. A dirt road wends its way from east to west. At the east end of the road you see a mountain.
Your eyes discern a faint animal trail to the north.

Your brother Vasilii follows you.
action: You go to the east
response: The east-west road ends at the base of the mountain. It is so high that its top is propped against the sky. You can scarcely lift your eyes to its summit. You can travel around the base by walking to the northeast or the southeast.

Your brother Vasilii follows you.
action: You go northeast
response: You think back to the stone wall. Immense? Ha! Nothing like this. You decide to turn back before you are totally lost.
action: Go southeast
response: This is one huge mountain. Travel here is restricted to the
northeast or northwest. You notice a large, flat, rusty patch of rock that stands out from the rest of the mountain.

Your brother Vasilii follows you.
action: You look at the rock
response: It's not a rock at all. It's a door made out of rusted iron. It looks as if it hasn't been touched in centuries. It's closed.
action: You open the door
response: Opened.
action: Go inside
response: This is a small cave with little of interest. It is damp, rocky,
and littered with debris. The only exit is back out through the door.

Your brother Vasilii follows you.
action: Dig
response: (the debris)
(with the shovel)
Moving some of the debris reveals an iron claw.
action: You examine the claw
response: It's a sort of iron crampon with leather straps. It can be worn on one of your hands or feet.
action: You get the claw
response: You already have the iron claw!
action: Dig
response: (the debris)
(with the shovel)
Moving some of the debris reveals a second iron claw.
action: Dig
response: (the debris)
(with the shovel)
Moving some of the debris reveals a third iron claw.
action: Dig
response: (the debris)
(with the shovel)
Moving some of the debris reveals a fourth iron claw.

*** Your score just went up by 3 points. ***
action: Dig
response: (the debris)
(with the shovel)
Moving the rest of the debris yields nothing more.
action: Go south
response: You can't go that way. You can leave by going out.
action: Wear claws
response: iron claw: You bind the iron claw to your right foot.
iron claw: You bind the iron claw to your left foot.
iron claw: You bind the iron claw to your left hand.
iron claw: You bind the iron claw to your right hand.
action: Up
response: This is not a good vantage point from which to start a climb. Perhaps northwest of here would be better.
action: Go northwest
response: You trip over your clawed feet and tumble to the ground for the fifth time today.
action: You remove the claws
response: iron claw: You remove the iron claw from your right hand.
iron claw: You remove the iron claw from your left hand.
iron claw: You remove the iron claw from your left foot.
iron claw: You remove the iron claw from your right foot.
action: Go northwest
response: The east-west road ends at the base of the mountain. It is so high that its top is propped against the sky. You can scarcely lift your eyes to its summit. You can travel around the base by walking to the northeast or the southeast.

Your brother Vasilii follows you.
action: Up
response: Vasilii looks up at the mountain. "I don't think so. I'll just wait here."

Slowly and carefully you claw your way up the mountain. You clamber at last onto a ledge.

A tremendous palace has been built on this ledge. You may continue
up the mountain or explore this architectural oddity just north of where you're resting.
action: You go north
response: Of what is this palace built? Its mottled green exterior makes a ringing sound when you strike it. There are no windows and only one door.
action: You examine the door
response: Where is the handle? Where is the keyhole? You see neither, only a mail slot in the middle of the door and a curious round device a few feet above the slot.
action: You look at the device
response: A blue glass dome a few inches in diameter. It seems to be mounted to the door by a casing that surrounds it and is screwed into a socket in the door.
action: You unscrew the dome
response: You give a slight turn to the casing. At once a blinding blue light floods your body. You feel every last piece of you begin to vibrate and shake loose from the adjacent piece. You quickly lose consciousness. When you come to yourself again, you find you are back at the road to the Cheese and Pig Inn. It seems as if you were disassembled down to your elemental constituents and reassembled here. Something seems to have gone wrong with the process, however, because you are now missing your right hand.

south with an inn to the north.
action: Inventory
response: You have a bow, a quiver, a mask (being worn), a comfy blanket, a mysteriously transformed fork, a shovel, a shield, a bucket, a sword, a message from your father, a sledgehammer, a list, a corned beef sandwich, a flicker sandwich, a bunch of turnip greens, a white flask, a black flask, a matchbook, a feather (providing light), a gold nugget, an ambiguous utensil, a coin, and four iron claws. The quiver seems to contain an arrow.
action: You put the greens in the slot
response: The slot spits the bunch of turnip greens back out at you. Ptuui!
action: You put the feather in the slot
response: The slot spits the feather back out at you. Ptuui!
action: You put the coin in the slot
response: The coin drops into the slot. A flickering blue glow issues from the glass dome. The glow soon strengthens to a blinding azure beam that floods your body. You feel every bit of your being vibrate and shake loose from its adjacent piece. You quickly lose consciousness. When you come to yourself again, you find you have been transported into...

You are in the great hall, a high-ceilinged space that some might
use for feasting and celebrating; however, the wizard Katschei has chosen instead to use it for hoarding a store of treasure. Copper cooking vessels and bags of copper coins are heaped everywhere. Some of the pots have been polished clean; the rest are a tarnished green. You notice movement among the piles of copper vessels. As you
prepare to draw a weapon and confront Katschei, you are surprised to find that it is instead a bird in camouflage. But not entirely a bird. Instead of wings, the creature has the arms of a woman. She is hard at work using her human arms and hands to polish the tarnished copper.
Why don't you try to catch her attention by saying "bird, hello"*** Your score just went up by 3 points. ***
action: You examine the bird
response: A large creature just short of your height. It is birdlike, with coppery feathers, but it has graceful female arms where wings would be.
action: Hello
response: The bird appears intrigued by the mask's face and studies Dimitri sympathetically (a unique reaction in your experience). You see that she is timid, however, and will not answer you as long as she cannot tell who you really are. You take off the mask.
"Hello, sir," she replies demurely, "you are not my master the
wizard." You introduce yourself politely and tell her that you are looking for her master. "He is not here today," she whispers and goes back to her work. You sense that she would like to tell you more, but her shyness keeps her silent. There are so many things you want to ask her about: her imprisonment, her work, the Firebird, the wizard Katschei [4], but you will have to draw her out in conversation to learn more.
action: Note 4
response: [4]: Engage her in further conversation by asking her questions in the form "ask bird about ..."
action: You ask the bird about Firebird
response: "The Firebird brings me more copper to polish." She hands you a small copper pot. "She said that, if you ever came to visit me, I should give you this."
action: You examine the pot
response: A censer, also known as a thurible, is a squat domed vessel used for burning incense. You remember the priest swinging a censer towards the altar during the liturgy, using the smoke as a visual metaphor for prayer: both rise heavenward to God. Its copper clad exterior is newly polished. There are decorative holes cut in the metal to let the smoke escape. The inside of the pot is sooty and fragrant from previous burnings.
Usually there is a chain attached to a censer, but this one has
none.

The coppery bird overcomes her shyness momentarily to tell you, unprompted, of her history: "I am a tsar's daughter. On the day I was to be wed, a terrible black cloud descended down from this mountain. Katschei stepped out of the cloud and demanded that my father give me to him. When my father refused, Katschei slew him, all my kinsmen, and the groom. No attack seemed to hurt him at all. Katschei swept me away in the cloud and brought me to a palace made entirely of pearl. I stayed there a week, and he was there all the while." She trembled as she remembered it. "At the end of the week, he said that I was not worthy to stay with him in the pearl palace. He brought me to this place, imprisoned me in this horrible form, and put me to work as his servant. He comes to visit me one day every year and punishes me if I haven't polished enough pieces."

Your continued presence is making the coppery bird nervous. "I appreciate your company," she says, "but I should not be distracted from my work. The Firebird says you may be able to free me from this captivity. Please go on your way, sir, and do your best." She starts to push you back outside through the mail slot. Before you can protest that you are much too large to fit, your regal butt is tumbling to the ground on the other side of the door.
action: Look around
response: A tremendous palace has been built on this ledge. You may continue
up the mountain or explore this architectural oddity just north of where you're resting.
You see a bunch of turnip greens and a feather (providing light)
here.
action: You get all
response: bunch of turnip greens: Taken.
feather: Taken.
action: Up
response: A tremendous palace has been built on this ledge. You may continue
up the mountain or explore this architectural oddity just north of where you're resting.
action: You remove the claws
response: iron claw: You remove the iron claw from your right hand.
iron claw: You remove the iron claw from your left hand.
iron claw: You remove the iron claw from your left foot.
iron claw: You remove the iron claw from your right foot.
action: You look at the palace
response: Another puzzling palace. Windowless, a single door. You perceive a metallic glow beneath the sooty gray exterior.
action: Clean palace
response: You clean a bit of the palace with your spit and the edge of your garment. Hmm, very little of this appears to be dirt; it's mostly black tarnish.
action: You put the utensil in the slot
response: The ambiguous utensil drops into the slot. A flickering blue glow issues from the glass dome. The glow soon strengthens to a blinding azure beam that floods your body. You feel every bit of your being vibrate and shake loose from its adjacent piece. You quickly lose consciousness. When you come to yourself again, you find you have been transported into...

You have been transported to the counting house of the palace. Bags
of coins and boxes of silver eating utensils are stacked neatly over all the available floor space.
Sitting atop a high stool is a bird with silver feathers. At first
you think that the bird is sitting on a woman, but upon closer inspection you see that the woman's bare legs and feet belong to the bird. With one foot, the bird is picking up loose coins and utensils with her toes and placing them in boxes or bags. The other foot is keeping count of the treasure on a large abacus.
"State your business!" the bird demands, never once taking her eyes off her work.
"I am Ivan, the son of a tsar. I have come to find Katschei the wizard, because he has wronged my father."
"Join the club, hon!" she snorts. "Katschei wronged my father's
whole tsardom into oblivion on the day he captured me." She continues her counting. You are hypnotized by her nimble feet, and the two of you fall silent. You muse to yourself about her manner: "She's gruff all right, but I don't sense any malice from her. An efficient woman of good will. Even that 'hon' sounds all right coming from her."
She looks up at you expectantly. Better pick up the conversational thread with a few questions. [5]

*** Your score just went up by 3 points. ***
action: Note 5
response: [5]: Try the conversational openers that were effective in the copper palace.
action: You ask bird about Katschei
response: "Don't fool around with Katschei if you can avoid it. The soldiers of my father's tsardom tried every weapon against him, and he came away from the battle completely unscathed. Wish I could say the same for my father's people."
action: You ask the bird about Firebird
response: "The Firebird supplies me with more inventory each week. Keep your hands off it, okay? Oh, she did say you could have this." She tosses you a length of silver chain.
action: You ask the bird about the work
response: "What you see is what I do! I count this stuff and keep the books!"

The silvery bird is a little impatient for you to ask more about her, so she launches into her life story before you can even ask her: "Katschei came down off this mountain one day and brought me back with him to a palace made of pearl. After staying with him a month there, he grew tired of me and locked me up in this place. He turned me into a bird, all except for my legs, and gave me this stupid job. Do I look like an accountant to you? And these feet were not meant for work like this. What a humiliation! Even worse, he visits once a month to check up on the books. He gives me grief if the ledgers aren't neat. How does he expect me to keep books writing with my feet?" She makes an illegible mark in her records with a quill pen.

"Okay, enough already," the silver bird says as she alights from her stool. "I gave you what the Firebird asked. Get going, hero. If you can get me out of here, great!" She gives you a peck on the cheek and kicks you back out of the slot in the door and into the dirt outside the palace. How did she do that?
action: You examine the chain
response: A length of silver chain about as long as your armspan.
action: You put the chain on the pot
response: You hook the chain to either side of the censer to make a little swing.
action: Swing pot
response: You enthusiastically swing the censer back and forth on the chain.
Next time, for more specific effects, try swinging the censer towards a destination.
action: Wear claws
response: iron claw: You bind the iron claw to your right foot.
iron claw: You bind the iron claw to your left foot.
iron claw: You bind the iron claw to your left hand.
iron claw: You bind the iron claw to your right hand.
action: You examine the palace
response: A gleaming palace made entirely of gold. Again, no windows. Only a door.
action: You put the nugget in slot
response: The gold nugget drops into the slot. A flickering blue glow issues from the glass dome. The glow soon strengthens to a blinding azure beam that floods your body. You feel every bit of your being vibrate and shake loose from its adjacent piece. You quickly lose consciousness. When you come to yourself again, you find you have been transported into...

You are in the library of the palace. Books with pages edged with
gold leaf are standing spine-in on the shelves, creating a blaze of gold, row by row. The furniture, the candlelabras, the walls themselves, all of gold.
The Firebird suddenly swoops down into the room from a skylight high above you in this vaulted chamber. "Well, my boy," she says as she settles down on a perch, "you traveled swiftly and arrived here ahead of me. I trust you have met the two captive birds in the other palaces. I'm sure you have many questions for me: about my capture, about me, about Katschei...ask away."

*** Your score just went up by 3 points. ***
action: You ask Firebird about the capture
response: "I was nursing you one day when you were only a few weeks old... " Your eyes widen in surprise at this unexpected preface to her tale.
"A storm had blown up quickly, and a bolt of lightning struck the castle just outside the window to my bedchamber. I covered myself and you to protect you from the loud crash of thunder, and when I looked up, a dark gigantic figure was perched on the windowsill. It was Katschei. He had ridden that thunderbolt into my chamber. He seized me, and was about to jump out the window with both of us. I had only a moment to act, and in that moment I threw you out of his grasp and onto a pile of blankets on the bed. In an instant, he swept me away in a cloud. The last thing I heard were your cries and screams."
"Were you my wet nurse?" you ask.
"No, I was...I am...your mother."
"But I was not a motherless child," you protest in confusion.
"To keep peace in the tsardom, your father brought in another woman
to take my place in secret. But I am your mother. Truly." A tear forms in the corner of her eye. "After Katschei had transformed me into a firebird, he made me his thief: I was sent to steal for him all the copper and silver and gold and pearl that nine times nine tsardoms possessed. I have been very busy all these years. As much as I could, I visited your father's garden, in hope that he would start sending you boys out to capture me. Dimitri was soon old enough to be given the task. But I wouldn't be found so easily by him, or by Vasilii. Although I love them, I wanted you to be the one to rescue me. Because so much has been taken from you, I wanted much to be given to you in return for your years of suffering."
action: Brood
response: You lose yourself momentarily in moody and morbid meditation.
action: You ask Firebird about Katschei
response: "There is no way to kill him by conventional means. His soul is not in his body. Where his soul is hidden is his closely held secret. I have never been able to find it out. He lives in the pearl palace, a place I am not allowed to visit anymore. If he has imprisoned a woman there, perhaps she has been able to find out his secret.
"It is imperative that you gain entry to the pearl palace. You must find a way to put the creature that guards the palace to sleep." She surveys your inventory. She says, "Hmm. You seem to have everything you need to carry out the task, except for this most important component."
"Use these properly, and the serpent will soon be fast asleep. Make
a mistake, and yours will be the sleep of the dead." The Firebird hands you three bunches of fragrant medicinal herbs.
action: You ask Firebird about herbs
response: You won't glean much information asking the Firebird about the loose medicinal herbs.

The Firebird starts to usher you slowly out of the room. "Those are all the answers I have for now, dear." She pushes you toward the slot in the door. "Time for action, not reflection." You slide through the narrow slot and find yourself outside the golden palace.
action: You examine the herbs
response: A supply of fragrant herbs. There are three bunches of herb.
action: Up
response: Finally at the top of the mountain, you can look in all directions
and see practically the whole world. The mountain top is flat and reaches out farther than you can see. A path leads into a thicket of trees to the east.
action: Go east
response: You're in a small stand of woods, following a path that branches to
the east.
action: Go east
response: The path is back to the west. Travel around the palace to the northeast or southeast. The palace and its barrier lie directly to the east.
The woods open out into a wide meadow. The breeze barely ruffles
the tips of the long grass. You are bathed in the luminous glow of the structure that sits at the center of the meadow: could the entire palace be built of pearl? Encircling the palace's foundation is the creature of which the Firebird spoke.
action: You put herbs in the censer
response: You put a bunch of herbs into the censer.
action: You examine palace
response: How could a palace be made entirely from pearls? How many pearls would have to be mortised together to create a standing structure of this height?
action: You examine the serpent
response: It is the body of a serpent. Its bulk creates a wall of scaly flesh the height of two tall men. With rhythmic expansions and contractions, you can see that the creature is alive and breathing.
action: You attack the serpent
response: What do you want to attack it with?
action: Sword
response: The serpent's thick scales are impervious to your blows.
action: Swing censer at snake
response: There are somewhat more dramatic effects when smoke is coming out of the censer.
action: You climb snake
response: You attempt to climb over the vigilant serpent. He senses your touch and quickly begins to slither into position to attack. Before he can get very far you beat a quick retreat to a distant part of the meadow.
action: Light match
response: (taking a match from the matchbook first)
The match starts burning brightly.
action: Burn herbs
response: You drop the match into the censer. Smoke from the burning herb begins to flow out of the censer's holes.
action: Swing censer at snake
response: The smoke cannot reach the serpent's head. Its tough hide is insensitive to the effects of the smoke.

The herb in the censer has burned itself out, and the smoke has dissipated.
action: Swing censer
response: You enthusiastically swing the censer back and forth on the chain.
Your nonspecific efforts create a huge cloud of enveloping smoke. You can't help but breathe the smoking herbs; they have an incredibly sedative effect on your physiology. Next time, try swinging the censer towards a destination.
action: You go northeast
response: Travel around the palace to the southeast or southwest. The palace
and its barrier lie directly to the south.
action: Go south
response: You attempt to climb over the vigilant serpent. He senses your touch and quickly begins to slither into position to attack. Before he can get very far you beat a quick retreat to a distant part of the meadow.
action: You go to the southeast
response: The head of the serpent is in sight. Travel around the palace to
the northwest or southwest. The palace and its barrier lie directly to the west.
action: You examine the snake
response: You can see the head of a serpent: its unblinking eye following your distant movements, its mouth holding the tip of its tail. There is no place to enter the palace without climbing over the creature.
action: Light match
response: (taking a match from the matchbook first)
The match starts burning brightly.
action: Burn herbs
response: You drop the match into the censer. Smoke from the burning herb begins to flow out of the censer's holes.
action: Swing censer at serpent
response: The smoke wafts over the meadow and envelops the serpent's head. His vigilant eye begins to waver, then close. His tail slips out of his gaping mouth, and he begins to drool a little. Looks like it's safe to climb over him.
action: Go west
response: You carefully climb over the sleeping giant.

The serpent is hugged tight against the walls of the palace. The
only places to go are either back over the serpent or go inside.

*** Your score just went up by 3 points. ***

The herb in the censer has burned itself out, and the smoke has dissipated.
action: You examine palace
response: How could a palace be made entirely from pearls? How many pearls would have to be mortised together to create a standing structure of this height?
action: Enter
response: The walls, the ceiling, and nearly all the objects in the room are covered in row upon row of perfectly round, white pearls. It is a monochromatic, pixellated visual nightmare. The only architectural features that relieve the monotony are at the far end of the room: a door frame and doorknob covered in black pearls.
The room's single occupant takes you out of the nightmare and into a dream. A young woman is here, as beautiful to you as Venus emerging out of the ocean from an oyster. Out of the hundreds of thousands of pearls in this room, she is indeed the only one of great price. Her loveliness has made you speechless. She is also silent at first, studying you intently. "I do not know who you are, sir, but you must be very clever and very brave to have made your way to my chamber.
What is your name?" she asks.
"Ivan," you almost whisper, still taking her in.
"I am Pearl," she laughs. "That is the name Katschei gave me. I
don't know what my parents called me."
"Then Katschei brought you here when you were very young?"
"As an infant, I imagine. I do not know a time when I was not
here."
"Then how do you know he is not your father?"
"Because he has always boasted that he took me from a tsar and a tsarina. The only child they ever had, he says. He claims that he was a suitor to my mother, but she rejected him, so many years later he stole me to be raised as his bride."
"Did he raise you himself?"
"Oh, no. There were many nurses and governesses and tutors here
when I was a child. But as the days grow closer to our wedding, he has been guarding me very closely, and no one is here except him and his knights." She motions toward the door leading further into the palace. You both hear the gruff laughter of battle-toughened men. "He raised me to be his ideal bride, but I think he did a very poor job. I cannot abide him."
Seeing her gentleness you have no trouble believing this. You press
on to a more curious subject. "Is Katschei a bird? Does he want a bird bride?" You have only recently noticed her wings and lower body are that of a bird.
"This is a recent transfiguration. He placed me in this form to
make me undesirable to any man who might try to steal me from him." "Once again, he did a poor job." She turns her eyes away modestly
from you and your amorous words.
"If you do wish to spoil his wedding plans, I will tell you another
of Katschei's failings."
"Please do tell me."
"He chose to confide in me the secret of his immortality and
strength."
"Is this the secret of where his soul is kept?"
"Yes. How do you know so much already?"
You tell her about the Firebird and the other two captive birds and what they have revealed to you.
"It is all true. His body is imperishable. His soul is in an egg,
a quite well-hidden egg. The egg is in a duck, and the duck is in a hare, and the hare nests in a great hollow log that floats in a pond in a forest of the island Bouyan. I wish I could tell you where to find the island, but I do not know that."
"Very curiously hidden. And say I retrieved the egg. Would simply breaking it destroy Katschei?"
"Yes, but it must be broken in his sight. You must find the egg and return. Katschei is very likely to be here feasting with his knights. You may have to fight the knights to reach him, so be sure to come ready for battle."
"I will do as you say, as swiftly as I can."
"Please do be swift. The wedding is approaching very quickly." She shows you her wedding gown, which she is decorating very delicately with pearls. You wonder aloud how she can do it at all with those wings. "With much difficulty," she answers with a smile.
You resolve aloud to return with the egg as soon as you can. In
your own thoughts you swear very solemnly not to let Katschei touch this unspoiled beauty.
action: Go east
response: You can only go out from here.
action: Go east
response: You climb back over the slumbering serpent and, in doing so, rouse him from his sleep.
action: Go down
response: "So, what happened up there?" Vasilii asks. For a moment, you can think only of the wonderful Pearl, and your eyes glaze a bit. Then you notice your brother getting impatient, and you relate the news about Katschei, the egg, and the horde of knights with whom you will have to do battle.
"Battle, eh? Horde of knights, eh?" Vasilii looks thoughtful.
"Sounds like you'll need help. Except I won't be much use right now -- I ditched all my kitchen knives... I know! There are some guys I worked with who'll be perfect! You'll see! I'll have them here by the time you get back with that egg!"
With that, he sprints off and is gone before you can say another
word. You wonder who he could possibly have in mind -- Vasilii never worked with any of your father's knights, and while Flo's sarcasm can be withering, you doubt she'd be much good in a fight.
action: You go west
response: You trip over your clawed feet and tumble to the ground for the sixth time today.
action: You go west
response: You've left the forest and rivers behind you to the west. The wilderness of the Russian steppe spreads out in all directions ahead of you. White winter wheat waves gracefully as the wind sweeps over the open land. A dirt road wends its way from east to west. At the east end of the road you see a mountain.
Your eyes discern a faint animal trail to the north.
action: You go to the north
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead north, south, west, and northwest. [3]
action: Go northwest
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead south, west, southwest, southeast, and northeast. [3]
action: You go to the north-east
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead north, south, east, west, northeast, and southwest. [3]
action: You go northeast
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead north, south, northwest, and southwest. [3]
action: Go north
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead south, west, northwest, and southwest. [3]
action: Go northwest
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead south, northeast, and southeast. [3]
action: Go northeast
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. The trail leads southwest. It smells salty here. [3]
action: You read the trails
response: You study the trail for a moment. It says, "Always take the trails in a northerly direction to find the ocean, a southerly direction to find the steppe. If you find yourself in a place where the air smells salty and the only exit is southeast, go se, s, e, n, and nw to find the ocean. If you're in a salty-smelling place and the only exit is southwest, go sw, s, w, n, nw to find the ocean." Yes, you read trails VERY well.
action: Go northwest
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead south, northeast, and southeast. [3]

You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead north, south, east, west, and southeast.
[3]

You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead north, east, west, and southeast. [3]

You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead south and northwest. [3]

Waves crash on the beach. The surf rolls over your feet. A short distance offshore to the north you see an island. A trail back into the wilderness is to the southeast.
action: You go north
response: You plunge into the ocean. The salt water stings your eyes and grains of sand rub your skin raw. The discomfort barely registers on your consciousness as you swim straight toward the island. You let the waves wash you right onto the shore of...

Here is a small, thickly forested island, perhaps the island Bouyan.
A barrier of tall rocks impede your progress around the beach to the northeast and the northwest. To the south is the ocean. Explore the forest to the north.
action: Go north
response: It's another forest locale. Explore deeper into the forest to the north or find the ocean to the south.
You see a bear here.
His paw is caught underneath a fallen tree, and he is crying out in pain.
action: You examine the bear
response: He's furry and brown and HUGE!
action: You move the tree
response: Which tree do you mean, the fallen tree, or the forest?
action: You pull it
response: Pulling the fallen tree doesn't have any effect. In desperation, the bear gnaws off his paw. He takes his bloody stump of a paw and drags himself back into the dense forest.
action: You look at what you're carrying with you
response: You have a bow, a quiver, a mask, a comfy blanket, a mysteriously transformed fork, a shovel, a shield, a bucket, a sword, a message from your father, a sledgehammer, a list, a corned beef sandwich, a flicker sandwich, a white flask, a black flask, a matchbook, four iron claws, a censer, a bunch of turnip greens, a feather (providing light), a length of silver chain, and some medicinal herbs. The quiver seems to contain an arrow.
action: You cut the fallen tree with the sword
response: You take to the fallen tree with your sword, thinking to yourself, "What a great sword! It cuts through anything." You hack at the rotting wood near the bear's paw, splitting the tree in two and freeing the bear. He shakes his paw out a bit to get the blood going. With a grateful grunt, he lumbers back into the forest.

*** Your score just went up by 3 points. ***
action: Go north
response: It's another forest locale. Explore deeper into the forest to the north or find the ocean to the south.
You see an otter here.
The poor animal has somehow been stranded on dry land. His fur is matted and dry, and he weakly mews for food, water, and protection.
action: You look at the otter
response: There is nothing cuter than an otter. Nothing. Period.
action: You give the sandwich to the otter
response: Which sandwich do you mean, the corned beef sandwich, or the flicker sandwich?
action: Corned
response: The otter happily gulps down the corned beef sandwich. The meal strengthens him somewhat, but he is still not strong enough to return to his natural habitat himself.
action: You put the blanket on the otter
response: There's no good surface on the otter.
The otter has been without food and water for too long. He expires from dehydration.
action: You examine ocean
response: It's wet, it's salty, it's the ocean all right.
action: You put the bucket in the ocean
response: The bucket drifts out of sight on the next wave.
action: You get the otter
response: You can't bear to leave the little guy alone in his weakened condition. Gosh, he's cute. Taken.
action: You go north
response: It's another forest locale. Explore deeper into the forest to the north or find the ocean to the south.
You see a hawk here.
The hawk has flown into a thicket of vines and has become imprisoned
in the tangle of foliage.
action: Sword
response: You think to yourself, "I have faith in this sword, I really do." You begin your attack on the vines, but soon discover that as easily entangled as the hawk has become in the vines, your sword get tangled in the thicket as well. You extricate it before the thicket swallows it whole.
action: Inventory
response: You have a bow, a quiver, a mask, a comfy blanket, a mysteriously transformed fork, a shovel, a shield, a bucket, a sword, a message from your father, a sledgehammer, a list, a corned beef sandwich, a flicker sandwich, a white flask, a black flask, a matchbook, four iron claws, a censer, a bunch of turnip greens, a feather (providing light), a length of silver chain, some medicinal herbs, and an otter. The quiver seems to contain an arrow.
action: You pour the black flask on the vines
response: You sprinkle a bit of the water of death on the thicket. Nothing happens.
action: Light match
response: (taking a match from the matchbook first)
The match starts burning brightly. The poor panicked bird has finally exhausted himself. He draws his wings close to his body and dies.
action: You untangle the vines
response: You set to work methodically, patiently removing the vines from around the hawk. You are somewhat surprised that the panicked hawk is allowing you to come so close to him. Sometimes you even must touch him to get at the vines. As you work, you notice that the bird has calmed. As the last vine is removed, the hawk bursts out of the thicket into flight. His thankful call is the last evidence of the hawk as he disappears into the skies.

*** Your score just went up by 3 points. ***
action: You go to the north
response: You have come upon a pond nestled in a forest clearing. The air is still. The water makes no sound. The trees lining the pond are particularly large, their massive roots plunging into the pond at the water's edge. You can walk around the pond by going northeast or northwest.
The pond seems to contain a log.
action: You put the otter in the pond
response: You toss the otter into the pond. The poor otter jumps a foot out of the pond, lets out a shriek, and lands back in your arms. You test the water with your finger and find that the water is highly acidic. Just acidic, no, that's an understatement. It BURNS! Sorry, otter friend.
action: You pour the water of the life in the the pond
response: The water of life quickly sinks out of sight. Boy, this pond is deep!

A drop of rain splatters on your arm, soon followed by another.
action: You look at the log
response: It's a large branchless section of tree trunk, about eight feet long.

A drop of rain splatters on your arm, soon followed by another.
action: You go to the north-east
response: The pond is unremarkable here, but you see a break in the trees to
the northeast. Travel around the pond to the southwest or the northwest.
The pond seems to contain a log.

It is raining harder and harder. The level of the pond is beginning to rise.
action: You look at the log
response: It's a large branchless section of tree trunk, about eight feet long.

It is raining harder and harder. The level of the pond is beginning to rise.
action: You give the sandwich to the otter
response: Which sandwich do you mean, the corned beef sandwich, or the flicker sandwich?
action: Corned
response: The otter happily gulps down the corned beef sandwich. The meal strengthens him somewhat, but he is still not strong enough to return to his natural habitat himself.

The rain is coming down in buckets.
action: You touch the pond
response: It feels just like a pond.

The rain seems to be letting up.
action: You put the otter in the pond
response: You toss the otter into the pond. The poor otter jumps a foot out of the pond, lets out a shriek, and lands back in your arms. You test the water with your finger and find that the water is highly acidic. Just acidic, no, that's an understatement. It BURNS! Sorry, otter friend.

The rain seems to be letting up.
action: You put the otter in the bucket
response: The otter squirms away from you and spoils your aim. He lands at your feet.

The rain seems to be letting up.
action: You drop bucket
response: Dropped.

The rain is coming down in buckets.
action: You examine the bucket
response: There's nothing in the bucket.

The rain seems to be letting up.
action: You wait
response: Time passes...

The storm is over as quickly as it came.
action: You give the turnip to the otter
response: The otter happily gulps down the bunch of turnip greens. The meal strengthens him somewhat, but he is still not strong enough to return to his natural habitat himself.

The rain is coming down in buckets.
action: Flicker
response: The otter happily gulps down the flicker sandwich. The meal strengthens him somewhat, but he is still not strong enough to return to his natural habitat himself.

The rain seems to be letting up.
action: You give the beef sandwich to the otter
response: The otter happily gulps down the corned beef sandwich. The meal strengthens him somewhat, but he is still not strong enough to return to his natural habitat himself.

The storm is over as quickly as it came.
action: You go to the north-west
response: You walk to the opposite side of the pond.

the pond. Travel around the pond to the southeast or the northeast.
The pond seems to contain a log.
action: You look at the tree
response: Which tree do you mean, the ancient tree, or the forest?
action: Ancient
response: It's a huge specimen with large low branches that extend out over the surface of the pond.
action: You climb it
response: By now well practiced in climbing trees, you easily scramble out toward the end of one of the low branches.

You are sitting on a branch that hangs over the pond. The log is floating right under the branch. You dangle your arm down and find that it brushes against your fingertips.
The pond seems to contain a log.
action: You examine log
response: It's a large branchless section of tree trunk, about eight feet long.
action: Go downward
response: the pond. Travel around the pond to the southeast or the northeast.
The pond seems to contain a log.
action: Go downwards
response: the pond. Travel around the pond to the southeast or the northeast.
You see a log here.
action: You look in the log
response: It's solid log. You can't see inside at all.
action: You cut the log with sword
response: You hack away at the log but cannot chip a piece of bark from it, even with your handy sharp sword. As you pause a moment to wipe the sweat from your brow, the bear you befriended earlier rushes out from the wood and tears the log to shreds with his great paws. Out of the log leaps a giant hare, dazed and a bit disoriented. He reels for a moment just within your grasp.
action: You get the hare
response: You reach out to grab the hare, but with a mighty kick of its back legs the hare escapes into the forest. You make a dash to follow it.

It's another forest locale. Explore deeper into the forest to the north or find the ocean to the south.

In your pursuit of the hare, you do not see a hunter's snare hidden in the grass. It trips you up, and you take a nasty fall. You come back in the next life as a small, vulnerable otter.
action: Go northeast
response: You walk to the opposite side of the pond.

The pond is unremarkable here, but you see a break in the trees to
the northeast. Travel around the pond to the southwest or the northwest.
The pond seems to contain a log.
action: Go northeast
response: shore. The waves lap gently on the beach. All manner of marine life thrive in the pools the craggy rocks create.
Return to the pond by walking southwest back into the forest.

Your little otter friend squirms impatiently in your arms.
action: You put the otter in the cove
response: The cove isn't much use to you.

An otter pokes its head out of the water, looks at you somewhat expectantly, and ducks back down into the pond again.
action: You put the otter in the water
response: You lay the otter down in the surf. The larger otter approaches as it sees you bring the little otter down to the water. With its tiny hands, it takes the little one away from you and swims off out of sight.

*** Your score just went up by 3 points. ***
action: You go southwest
response: The pond is unremarkable here, but you see a break in the trees to
the northeast. Travel around the pond to the southwest or the northwest.
The pond seems to contain a log.
action: You get the hare
response: You reach out to grab the hare, but with a mighty kick of its back legs the hare escapes into the forest. You make a dash to follow it.

The pond is unremarkable here, but you see a break in the trees to
the northeast. Travel around the pond to the southwest or the northwest.

Having made a miraculous recovery, your little otter friend emerges from the surf, runs down the hare, and tears it to pieces. Out of the bowels of the hare a duck flaps out and lands near your feet.
action: You get the duck
response: You reach out to scoop up the duck, but it takes wing before you can grab it. You follow it as it makes its way out to sea.

shore. The waves lap gently on the beach. All manner of marine life thrive in the pools the craggy rocks create.
Return to the pond by walking southwest back into the forest.

The duck is about to fly just out of your sight over the ocean, when you see your hawk friend dart after it into the sky and seize it. The duck lays an egg, which falls into the ocean. You run to the edge of the cove to search the ocean.
action: You search ocean
response: You scan the ocean for any sign of the egg. You wade out into the surf, but find nothing.

Suddenly you feel a tug on your pant leg. You look down and find that the pike you saved so long ago has now returned to help you. He holds the egg in his mouth. You gently take it from him, and he dives back into the sea.

*** Your score just went up by 3 points. ***
action: You look at your surroundings
response: shore. The waves lap gently on the beach. All manner of marine life thrive in the pools the craggy rocks create.
Return to the pond by walking southwest back into the forest.
action: Go southwest
response: The pond is unremarkable here, but you see a break in the trees to
the northeast. Travel around the pond to the southwest or the northwest.
action: You go southwest
response: You have come upon a pond nestled in a forest clearing. The air is still. The water makes no sound. The trees lining the pond are particularly large, their massive roots plunging into the pond at the water's edge. You can walk around the pond by going northeast or northwest.
action: You go to the south-west
response: You can't go that way. You can leave by going south, northeast, or northwest.
action: You go south
response: It's another forest locale. Explore deeper into the forest to the north or find the ocean to the south.
action: Go south
response: Here is a small, thickly forested island. A barrier of tall rocks impede your progress around the beach to the northeast and the northwest. To the south is the ocean. Explore the forest to the north.
action: You go to the northeast
response: The rocks are too slick to negotiate successfully. You fall down the seventh time today, this time, as a novel twist, into the water. You drag yourself back onto dry land.
action: You go south
response: You wade out into the surf and catch a wave that sends you right back to the mainland.

Waves crash on the beach. The surf rolls over your feet. A short distance offshore to the north you see an island. A trail back into the wilderness is to the southeast.
action: You go to the south-east
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead south and northwest. [3]
action: You go south
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead north, east, west, and southeast. [3]
action: Go southeast
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead north, south, northeast, and northwest. [3]
action: You go to the south
response: You are wandering in the wilderness, having only faint animal trails
to guide you. Trails lead north, south, east, west, northeast, and southwest. [3]
action: Up
response: A tremendous palace has been built on this ledge. You may continue
up the mountain or explore this architectural oddity just north of where you're resting.

Your brother Vasilii follows you. The chefs follow you.
action: Up
response: Finally at the top of the mountain, you can look in all directions
and see practically the whole world. The mountain top is flat and reaches out farther than you can see. A path leads into a thicket of trees to the east.

Your brother Vasilii follows you. The chefs follow you.
action: Go east
response: You trip over your clawed feet and tumble to the ground for the eighth time today. You hear a suppressed snicker from somewhere back in the pack of chefs.
action: You go east
response: You're in a small stand of woods, following a path that branches to
the east.

Your brother Vasilii follows you. The chefs follow you.
action: You go east
response: The path is back to the west. Travel around the palace to the northeast or southeast. The palace and its barrier lie directly to the east.

Your brother Vasilii follows you. The chefs follow you.
action: Go northeast
response: Travel around the palace to the southeast or southwest. The palace
and its barrier lie directly to the south.

Your brother Vasilii follows you. The chefs follow you.
action: You go southeast
response: The head of the serpent is in sight. Travel around the palace to
the northwest or southwest. The palace and its barrier lie directly to the west.

Your brother Vasilii follows you. The chefs follow you.
action: Burn herbs
response: Local law prohibits open burning of this powerful herb.
action: You put the herbs in the censer
response: You put a bunch of herbs into the censer.

The match burns down to your fingertips. Ouch! You throw the spent thing somewhere out of sight.
action: Go west
response: You carefully climb over the sleeping giant.

The serpent is hugged tight against the walls of the palace. The
only places to go are either back over the serpent or go inside.

Your brother Vasilii follows you. The chefs follow you.

The herb in the censer has burned itself out, and the smoke has dissipated.
action: You go inside
response: The walls, the ceiling, and nearly all the objects in the room are covered in row upon row of perfectly round, white pearls. It is a monochromatic, pixellated visual nightmare. The only architectural features that relieve the monotony are at the far end of the room: a door frame and doorknob covered in black pearls.
Pearl is here, sewing pearls onto her wedding gown with great difficulty.

Your brother Vasilii follows you. The chefs follow you.
action: You show the egg to Pearl
response: Pearl gives you a big kiss of congratulations. "Was it really where Katschei said it was?" she asks.
"Indeed, and it was a bear getting it out of the log," you reply
with a grin.
action: You open door
response: Pearl notices your attempt to open the door. She opens it for you and kisses you for good luck. "Fight bravely!" she whispers into your ear.

Katschei's great hall is a place of feasting and boasting.
Katschei is at the head of the long banquet table, separated from
you by his legion of knights that flank him on either side.
Three times nine of Katschei's most battle-tested knights [6] have gathered in this hall to feast and to defend their lord.

Your brother Vasilii follows you. The chefs follow you. You stand proudly to face the knights and Katschei with your formidable army.
The chefs surround you, faces set with fiercesome expressions and their cutlery held in ceremonial battle stances. The knights are somewhat confused at the purpose of this arriving force.
"Are you bringing the next course?" Katschei sputters.
At once a chef screams out in Japanese: "Pepper shower attack!" (Vasilii is at your elbow to translate.)  The chefs pull out their pepper mills, leap onto the table, and, with aggressive grinding action, fill their opponents' eyes with a shower of ground pepper.
The knights leap up, lurching about, trying to find their footing
and their weaponry through the stinging pain in their peppery eyes. Another chef cries: "Teppanyaki Technique--Perfected!" Another: "Ginger Final Attack!" (again, according to Vasilii's translation). Most of the chefs go to work with their cutlery: the first wave with giant cleavers, hacking off limbs. The second wave moves in with the carving knives, flaying off large slices of knight flesh. A third group takes on the fine slicing.
Meanwhile, the "special forces" are preparing the final attack.
They have set up some pots on makeshift fires and pull from their bags long ginger roots, bottles of rice vinegar, and other condiments. The finished flesh is tossed from one set of chefs to the cooking team, who are giving the meat a quick marinade in the sauce.
When all of the knights have been disabled, the chefs start
chanting, "kuroi tamago, kuroi tamago!" Vasilii leans over to you, "I think they mean it's time to break the egg, Ivan."

*** Your score just went up by 3 points. ***
action: Note 6
response: [6]: This means, bizarrely enough, that there are twenty-nine knights, not twenty-seven as you might expect. In the old Russian tales, people would always travel "across three times nine lands to the thirtieth tsardom." Evidently, the old Russians were not big on math.
action: Note 7
response: [7]: To marry them off, type the command in the form, "Dimitri, marry Flo" (or whomever you choose).
action: Marry vasili
response: Dimitri dutifully agrees to enter into a domestic partnership with Vasilii.
action: Marry elena
response: Vasilii is already spoken for.
action: Marry elena
response: Vasilii dutifully agrees to marry Elena.
action: Marry baba yaga
response: Dimitri dutifully agrees to marry the baba yaga.
action: Marry flo
response: The caterer consents to marry Flo.
action: Marry allergist
response: Silver consents to marry the allergist.
action: Marry mother
response: "Thanks for the suggestion, son, but I'm way ahead of you on that one." He gives your mother an affectionate squeeze.
action: Marry Silver
response: Silver is already spoken for.
action: Marry copper
response: That would be awfully narcissistic.
action: You marry us
response: I don't know the word "ceremony".

I don't know the word "us".
action: Marry
response: What do you want to marry?
action: Kiss pearl
response: You plant a big wet one on Pearl. Smack!
action: Look around
response: Sometime This Century: Your Wedding
You are in a magnificent yet completely familiar place. You have
known the Cathedral of Our Lady since you were very small. You have marveled at the grandness of the architecture and taken comfort in the small gestures of the priest in preparing the host for communion.
Today the nave is even more beautiful to behold. Swags of greens hang between the columns, and flowers have been banked up around the altar in abundance.
Your brother Vasilii is here.
Your mother, the former Firebird, is here, joyful in her return to
her place as tsarina and as your mother.
Your father is here, proud at witnessing your success and joyful
that his wife has been returned to him.
Pearl is standing near the altar, flanked by the girls who had been held captive in the copper and silver palaces.
Copper is here, conversing quietly with Silver and Pearl.
Silver is very animated in her conversation with the other two
girls. She's certainly not a shy person.
Dimitri is here, a little overstimulated by all the people and the surroundings.
Your allergist is here trying to focus Dimitri's attention on the momentous events occurring in this room.
The caterer is taking a break from his preparations outside to see
how events are progressing in the cathedral.
Elena is here, a tsar's daughter (and Pearl's sister) in the
disguise of a serving wench.
Flo is here, dressed in her peasant best, beaming at you with uncharacteristic pride.
The teppanyaki chefs are fascinated by the baba yaga's magical bag. They are taking turns putting their battle knives and pepper mills into the bag to give them to you as wedding presents. You sincerely hope that they are wiping them off first.
The baba yaga is here, using her magical bag as a gift-wrapping service.
The archbishop is here, waiting to start the wedding mass.
action: Marry
response: What do you want the archbishop to marry?
action: You marry all
response: busboy: Vasilii is already spoken for.
your mother: Church law allows the archbishop to perform marriages, not get married.
your father: Church law allows the archbishop to perform marriages, not get married.
Pearl: Church law allows the archbishop to perform marriages, not get married.
Copper: Church law allows the archbishop to perform marriages, not get married.
Silver: Silver is already spoken for.
masseur: He cannot get Dimitri's attention long enough to propose. allergist: The allergist is already spoken for.
caterer: The caterer is already spoken for.
Pearl's sister Elena: Elena is already spoken for.
Flo: Flo is already spoken for.
teppanyaki chefs: Church law allows the archbishop to perform marriages, not get married.
baba yaga: The baba yaga is already spoken for.
archbishop: That would be awfully narcissistic.
action: Marry Pearl
response: Dimitri is already spoken for.
action: Marry Pearl
response: "I won't marry anyone but you, Ivan!" Pearl declares firmly.
action: You check your inventory
response: You have a bow, a quiver, a mask, a comfy blanket, a mysteriously transformed fork, a shovel, a shield, a bucket, a sword, a message from your father, a sledgehammer, a list, a white flask, a black flask, a matchbook, four iron claws, a censer, a feather (providing light), a length of silver chain, and some medicinal herbs. The quiver seems to contain an arrow.
action: You look at the archbishop
response: Leader of the church in your tsardom, counsellor to your family for decades.
action: Marry Pearl
response: Nuptial Bliss, Beneficient Reign
Pearl becomes your bride. The feasting is long and boisterous. On
the second day of feasting, the teppanyaki chefs outdo themselves in giving the guests the show and the meal of their lives. There were few casualties, and, luckily, none were among the guests.
Soon after your marriage you are able to travel to Pearl's home tsardom. Her parents receive you, Pearl, and Elena with great joy. They are happy to see that both of their daughters are settled in your tsardom.
In three years' time, you indeed become tsar and Pearl your tsarina. Your father retires with your mother to make up for their many long years' separation. Your reign is a happy one with Pearl at your side. As there is no male heir in Pearl's line, after several years, her parents also retire and join their tsardom to yours.
Vasilii becomes your trusted advisor and friend, Dimitri does no
great additional damage, and together you three do justice to your family's name as beneficient and kind men.

In a total of 627 turns, you have achieved a score of 72 points out of a possible 72.

You have reached the end of the game, but luckily, in an adventure
game life, you can live it over again. Don't care for Japanese food? You can defeat Katschei's knights without Vasilii and his chefs. Kill Vasilii and see if you can enlist a more compact and efficient fighting force.
You can even avoid marriage altogether if you get in touch with your dark side. Choose the AMUSING option to get some hints on how to play through these alternate endings and to find some other responses throughout the game you may not have seen.
If you've gamed enough, but haven't had enough of these tales, here
are few books in which to enjoy more Russian folk stories:

Duddington, Natalie, trans. Russian Folk Tales. New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1969.
Guterman, Norbert, trans. Russian Fairy Tales. New York: Pantheon Books, 1945.
Onassis, Jacqueline, ed. The Firebird and Other Russian Fairy
Tales. New York: The Viking Press, 1978.
Simonov, Pyotr. Essential Russian Mythology. London: Thorsons,
1997.
Wheeler, Post. Russian Wonder Tales. New York: Thomas Yoseloff, 1957.

You may restore a saved game, start over, undo the last move, see some amusing alternatives to try the next time you play, or quit.
action: You ask the archbishop about the mass
response: Please enter RESTORE, RESTART, UNDO, AMUSING, or QUIT: >
action: You examine the large chip
response: Funny, it's not there any longer...
action: Kiss grits
response: "Hey," screams Flo, "that's my line!"
action: Kiss grits
response: "Hey," screams Flo, "that's my line!"