The Potter
by Alexander Afanasyev · from Russian Fairy Tales
Original Story
The Potter
Once a potter was journeying on his road with his goods and dozed off.
The Tsar Iván Vasílyevich came driving by in his carriage and said,
“Peace be to you!”
The potter looked up and said, “I thank you very much and wish you the
same.”
“Have you been asleep?”
“Yes, my lord. Do not fear a man who sings songs; but fear a man who
slumbers!”
“You are a bold fellow, potter: I have seen very few such, and I like
them. Coachman, slower! Potter, tell me, have you been long at your
trade?”
“Ever since my youth, and I am now middle-aged.”
“Can you keep your children with it?”
“Yes, I do not sow, nor plough, nor mow, nor reap, and no frosts can do
me any harm.”
“Right, potter; but there are still misfortunes left in the world.”
“Yes, I know three of them.”
“What are the three?”
“The first is an evil neighbour, the second an evil wife, and the third
a weak understanding.”
“Yet now, tell me which is the worst of these evils?”
“The evil neighbour can be escaped; so can the evil wife if one has
children enough, but the weak intellect can never be got rid of.”
“Yes, that is true, potter; you are a sensible fellow. Listen! You suit
me and I suit you. When there are geese flying over Russia, will you
pluck a feather out of them or let them fly by in peace?”
“If it suit me, I should let them fly by as they should; otherwise I
should pluck them bald.”
“Potter, hold in your horse a little while I look at your stock.”
The potter stopped and displayed his goods.
“Can you make any such for me?”
“How many?”
“Ten cartloads.”
“How long will you require?”
“One month.”
“In a fortnight I can bring them into the town. I suit you and you suit
me.”
“Thank you, potter.”
“Will you be in the city when I bring the goods?”
“Yes, I shall be there as the merchant’s guest.”
So the Tsar drove into the city and ordered that at all his feasts the
plates should be neither of silver nor of pewter, nor of copper nor of
wood, but only of clay. The potter carried out the Tsar’s orders and
brought his goods into the city. A boyár rode up to the potter and
said to him: “God be with you, potter.”
“Thank you, your honour.”
“Sell me all your goods.”
“I cannot; they are already sold.”
“What does that matter? Take my money for it; you will be doing no
wrong, as long as you have received no orders for the work. What do you
want?”
“I want every plate filled with money.”
“Listen, potter—that is too much.”
“Very well, then: one filled with money and two empty. Do you agree?”
So they agreed at that: “You suit me and I suit you.”
They filled up the plates and again emptied them, and they went on
filling plates until there was not any money left: but there were ever
so many plates over. The boyár saw he was getting the worst of the
bargain and sent for more money from the house. So they piled the plates
higher still, but all the money vanished, and still all the goods had
not been used up.
“What is to be done, potter? Why are you so greedy?”
“There is nothing to be done.”
“I have a very high esteem for you, potter, but do you know what?”
“Do you carry me in to the courtyard, and I will give you the goods and
the money back as well.”
So the boyár hesitated: he was very sorry to lose his money and for
himself, but he could not help himself, and so they agreed. They
unharnessed the horse, and the peasant sat in the carriage and the
boyár walked on. The potter sang a song, and the boyár drew it
along, drew it along. “How far must I take you in front of that
courtyard?”
The potter went on singing joyously and said, “In front of the house, at
the very top of the carriage.”
When he reached the palace he stood up erect and sang, joyously.
The Tsar heard him singing and ran to the flight of steps, and
recognised the potter. “Ha! welcome, potter!”
“Thank you, your honour.”
“What are you travelling with?”
“With folly.”
“Now, you fine potter, you have known how to sell your goods; boyár,
take off your gay costume and your boots; and you, potter, take off your
kaftán and your bast shoes. Put the peasant’s smock on, boyár, and
you, potter, put on the boyár’s robes. You have sold your goods very
finely, potter; you have done very little, and you have won much. But as
for you, boyár, you were not able to keep your rank. Now, potter, were
there any geese flying over Russia? Did you pluck a feather out of them,
or did you leave them in peace?”
“No, I plucked them bald.”
Story DNA
Moral
Cleverness and wisdom can overcome power and greed, and true worth is not always found in high birth.
Plot Summary
A clever potter encounters Tsar Iván Vasílyevich and impresses him with his wit, leading to a large order for clay dishes. When delivering the goods, a greedy boyar attempts to buy them cheaply, but the potter outsmarts him by demanding payment in a way that depletes all the boyar's money. The potter then forces the humiliated boyar to carry him and his remaining wares to the Tsar's palace. The Tsar, witnessing this, praises the potter's ingenuity and punishes the boyar, confirming the potter's success in 'plucking the geese'.
Themes
Emotional Arc
underestimation to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
The story reflects a common folk tale trope where a commoner outsmarts a person of higher social standing, often a greedy or foolish noble, and is rewarded by the benevolent ruler. The specific titles (Tsar, Boyar) ground it in Russian culture.
Plot Beats (13)
- A potter dozes on the road and is hailed by Tsar Iván Vasílyevich.
- The potter engages in a witty conversation with the Tsar, discussing sleep, his trade, and three misfortunes.
- The potter defines the worst misfortune as a 'weak understanding' and answers the Tsar's 'geese' riddle cleverly.
- The Tsar, impressed, orders ten cartloads of clay dishes to be delivered in a fortnight.
- The potter delivers the goods to the city, where a boyar approaches him to buy them.
- The boyar tries to buy the goods cheaply, but the potter demands payment by filling each plate with money.
- The boyar agrees, but quickly runs out of money as the potter's plates consume all his funds, with many plates still unpaid for.
- The boyar, desperate to get the goods, agrees to the potter's demand to carry him and his remaining wares to the Tsar's courtyard.
- The boyar reluctantly carries the potter, who sings joyously, to the palace.
- The Tsar hears the singing, recognizes the potter, and sees the boyar carrying him.
- The Tsar questions the potter about his 'travels' and the 'geese' riddle.
- The potter confirms he 'plucked them bald', and the Tsar praises his cleverness.
- The Tsar orders the boyar and potter to swap clothes, humiliating the boyar and rewarding the potter.
Characters
The Potter ★ protagonist
None explicitly mentioned, but implied to be a common man, likely sturdy from his trade.
Attire: A kaftán and bast shoes (peasant attire), later exchanges for the Boyár's robes.
Bold, sensible, cunning, joyful.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young artisan in their late teens with smudges of clay on their cheek and hands, deeply focused on shaping a glowing lump of clay on a potter's wheel. They wear a simple, earth-toned tunic with rolled-up sleeves, a leather apron, and sturdy trousers. Their hair is tied back with a leather cord, and they stand with one foot slightly forward, leaning into their work with intense concentration. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Tsar Iván Vasílyevich ◆ supporting
None explicitly mentioned, but implied to be of regal bearing.
Attire: Regal attire, implied by his status as Tsar and his carriage.
Observant, wise, just, enjoys wit.
Image Prompt & Upload
A middle-aged man with a stern, authoritative expression, standing tall in a dignified pose. He has a thick, neatly trimmed beard and short brown hair. He wears an elaborate, heavy robe of deep red velvet, richly embroidered with gold thread along the edges and cuffs, and trimmed with luxurious white ermine fur. On his head rests a golden crown adorned with red gemstones. He holds a simple, ornate golden scepter in his right hand. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Boyár ⚔ antagonist
None explicitly mentioned, but implied to be of noble stature.
Attire: A gay costume and boots (noble attire), later forced to wear a peasant's smock.
Greedy, proud, easily outsmarted, hesitant.
Image Prompt & Upload
A middle-aged man with an imposing, heavyset frame and a cruel, calculating expression. He wears a rich, dark velvet robe trimmed with thick sable fur, over a brocade tunic. A heavy gold chain with a large gemstone rests on his chest. His beard is neatly trimmed, his hair is slicked back, and his cold eyes stare directly forward. He stands tall with a posture of arrogant authority, one hand resting on the pommel of a sheathed dagger at his belt. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
The Road
A road where the potter is journeying with his goods, likely rural and open, allowing for a carriage to pass.
Mood: Initially peaceful and mundane, becoming a place of unexpected encounter and philosophical discussion.
The initial meeting between the Tsar and the potter, where their witty exchange begins.
Image Prompt & Upload
Golden hour light washes over a winding dirt road cutting through rolling green hills. The path is wide enough for a carriage, its surface a pale ochre lined with deep ruts. Scattered clusters of wildflowers—poppies and cornflowers—dot the lush grass verges. In the distance, gentle slopes rise under a vast, soft blue sky with wisps of cloud. A few ancient, twisted oak trees stand sentinel along the way, casting long, dramatic shadows. The atmosphere is serene, warm, and open, with a sense of endless possibility. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration
The City
A bustling urban environment where the Tsar resides and where the potter brings his goods for sale.
Mood: Lively, commercial, and later, a place of cunning negotiation and public spectacle.
The potter brings his ten cartloads of pottery to fulfill the Tsar's order, and where he encounters the boyár.
Image Prompt & Upload
Sunlight streams over a sprawling fairy tale city of winding cobblestone streets and crowded market squares. Grand, onion-domed palaces with gilded spires rise above terracotta-roofed buildings. Vibrant market stalls overflow with colorful pottery, woven textiles, and fresh produce. Lush ivy climbs stone walls, and flower boxes burst with red geraniums. The atmosphere is lively and warm under a clear blue sky, with long afternoon shadows stretching across the bustling plaza. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration
The Boyár's Courtyard / Palace Entrance
The area in front of the boyár's house, where the final act of the potter's cunning takes place, leading to the Tsar's palace.
Mood: Initially tense and transactional, then becoming triumphant and celebratory for the potter, humiliating for the boyár.
The potter, in the boyár's carriage, is pulled by the boyár to the Tsar's palace, revealing the boyár's folly and the potter's triumph.
Image Prompt & Upload
A grand cobblestone courtyard at the boyár's residence, late afternoon. Golden sunlight slants across ornate, onion-domed architecture of red brick and white stone carvings. A wide, worn path leads from the ornate wooden gates towards distant, towering spires of the Tsar's palace on the horizon. Manicured hedges and ancient birch trees frame the scene. Long shadows stretch from a central stone well. The air is clear and still, with a sense of quiet anticipation. Rich colors of deep red, gold, and earthy brown dominate. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration
