Long ago, a man and his wife went to work in a wheat field in Ukraine. They took their baby boy with them and laid him down in the grass.  No sooner had they started to cut the wheat than an eagle swooped from the sky and stole the baby.
         The eagle carried the boy to his nest.  He named him Tremsin and took good care of him for many years.  But on Tremsin's sixteenth birthday, the eagle said, "Now you must go out into the world and find your own way."
         Before Tremsin could object, the eagle kicked him out of the nest.  When Tremsin landed on the ground, he was quite frightened.  Having no idea how to find his own way, he hung his head and wept.
         "What's wrong?" said a voice.
         Tremsin looked up and saw a horse.  "I don't know what to do!"  cried Tremsin. m"How will I ever find my way in the world?"
         "I don't know, " said the horse.  "But I do have one piece of advice:  If you ever come across a feather of the Burning Bright Bird, do not pick it up, or you will get into great trouble."
         Tremsin and the horse traveled on through the Ukrainian country-
    side until one day they came across a shining feather, lying in their path. "Remember what I said," warned the horse.
        But Tremsin ignored the wise animal, and he picked up the feather of the Burning Bright Bird.  Then he rode on until he came to the estate of a rich nobleman.  Tremsin asked the nobleman for work and was given a job in the stables.  Whenever he brushed the nobleman's horses with the feather of the Burning Bright Bird, Tremsin made their coats shine like burnished silver.
        The other stable boys grew quite jealous of Tremsin, so they plotted to get rid of him.  They went to the nobleman and said, "Tremsin has a feather of the Burning Bright Bird.  He swears he can get the bird herself for you."
        "Ah, bring Tremsin to me," said the nobleman.  He greedily rubbed his hands together, for the Burning Bright Bird was the rarest bird in all of Ukraine.
        When Tremsin came before him, the nobleman said, "I order you to capture the Burning Bright Bird and bring her to me."
        "Oh, sir, I cannot, " said Tremsin.
        "Do it, or I'll cut off your head," said the nobleman.
        "I'll try," said Tremsin.
        But alone with his horse, he wept.  "I cannot do this impossible task."
        "This is not a big task, Tremsin," his horse said.  "Tis a mere trifle.  Strip yourself naked and lie in the grass.  When the Burning Bright Bird swoops down to peck out your eye, seize her by the leg." 
        So Tremsin went to the wild steppes and flung himself naked onto the high grass. At noon, when the Burning Bright Bird swooped down to peck out his eye, he seized her by the leg. Then he threw on his clothes and carried her to the nobleman, and the nobleman rewarded him with great praise. 
        After Tremsin's feat, the stable boys grew even more envious.  They plotted again to get rid of Tremsin.  One of them said to the nobleman, "Tremsin brought you the Burning Bright Bird.  Now he says he can get the thrice - lovely Nastasia of the sea."
        "Ah, bring Tremsin to me," said the nobleman.  He rubbed his hands together, for the thrice - lovely Nastasia was the most astonishing water maid in all the land.
        "Tremsin, " said the nobleman, "I bid you to capture the thrice lovely Nastasia and bring her to me."
        "Oh no, sir! I cannot," said Tremsin.
        "Do it, or I'll cut off your head."
        "I'll try," said Tremsin.  But as soon as he left the nobleman, he burst into tears.
        "Why do you weep?" said his faithful horse.
        "This task will surely kill me," said Tremsin.  "I have no idea how to fetch the thrice-lovely Nastasia from the sea."
        "This is not a big task, Tremsin," said his horse.  "Tis a mere trifle.  Do this: Set up a white tent by the shore.  Fill it with lovely things.  Then wait for the thrice-lovely Nastasia to come out of the sea."
        Tremsin set up the white tent.  He filled it with beautiful scarves, trinkets, fruits, and wine.
        Soon the thrice - lovely Nastasia emerged from the sea.  She tried on the scarves and trinkets.  She ate the fruit and drank the wine.  Then she lay down in the tent and closed her eyes.
        Tremsin could hardly believe his great fortune.  No sooner had Nastasia fallen asleep than he crept into the tent and seized her.  Then he carried her on horseback to the nobleman.  The nobleman was so pleased that he allowed Tremsin to keep Nastasia.
        But the water maid could not be so easily won.  She spoke sharply to Tremsin: "You have captured me, but you have not captured my love.  If you wish to capture that, you must find my coral necklace in the sea."
        "Oh, but that is an impossible task!" cried Tremsin.  His heart nearly broke, for by now he was deeply in love with the thrice - lovely Nastasia.  He'd never before met such a bold and remarkable maiden.
        "Tis not an impossible task," said Tremsin's faithful horse, "but a mere trifle.  Watch for a crab to come from the water.  Then say, "I'll catch thee!"'
        Tremsin went to the sea.  When a crab crawled out from the waves, he shouted, "I'll catch thee!"
        "Please don't!" said the crab. "If you let me return to the sea, I'll help you.  I promise to get you anything you need."
        "Ah, " said Tremsin, "fetch me the coral necklace of the thrice lovely Nastasia."
        The crab called her children together and said, "Collect all the coral under the waves and bring it ashore."
        When the tiniest crab dragged Nastasia's coral necklace from the ocean's depth, Tremsin cheered.  Then he mounted his steed and hurried to Nastasia.
        "Your necklace!" he said, proudly presenting it to her.
        "Thank you," said Nastasia a bit haughtily.  "You've captured me, and you've captured my necklace.  But if you wish to capture my love, you must gather my herd of wild horses from the sea."
        "Oh, but that is an impossible task!" said Tremsin.  His heart nearly broke.  By now he was more deeply in love with Nastasia than ever.  He'd never before met such a bold and remarkable maiden.
        This time Tremsin's horse grieved also.  "Tis not a mere trifle, but an enormous task," he told Tremsin.  "For the thrice - lovely Nastasia has a thrice - terrible mare." 
        "Please don't tell me that, said Tremsin.
        "Then let me think." His horse thought for a moment, then said, "Do this.  Buy twenty animal hides and load them on my back.  Carry a whip and lead me to the sea."
        Tremsin loaded his horse with twenty animal hides; then he led him to the sea.
        "Now, I will plunge into the water," said the horse.  "Wait until you see the thrice - terrible mare swimming behind me.  Then strike her on the forehead with your whip."
        Tremsin's horse plunged into the water.  He swam out to the waves where Nastasia's sea horses were grazing.  Suddenly Nastasia's thrice - terrible mare saw Tremsin's horse.  With great fury, the mare and the rest of the herd chased after the steed.
        When the mare caught up with Tremsin's horse, she tried to bite him. But instead, she ripped one of the animal hides off his back and tore it to shreds.  She caught him a second time.  But again, she ripped off another hide and tore it to shreds.
        This happened twenty times and for seventy leagues across the sea.
        Finally Tremsin saw his horse coming in on a large, billowing wave. Behind his faithful horse galloped the thrice - lovely Nastasia's thrice - terrible mare and her thrice - terrible herd.
        Tremsin waded into the water.  He cracked his whip and struck the mare on her forehead.
        She instantly came to a stop.
        Tremsin threw a halter over her.  He mounted her and drove the whole herd out of the water.
        "Your wild horses!" he said, proudly presenting them to the thrice-lovely Nastasia.
        "Thank you," she said a bit haughtily.  "You've captured me, and you've captured my coral necklace and my horses.  But before you capture my love, you must do one more thing."
        "What? Anything! Anything!" said Tremsin.
        "Milk my mare and put her milk into three barrels.  In the first barrel, the milk must be boiling hot.  In the second, it must be lukewarm.  In the third, it must be icy cold."
        "Oh, but that is an impossible task!" said Tremsin.  His heart nearly broke, for by now he was deliriously in love with the thrice lovely Nastasia. He had never before met such a bold and remarkable maiden.
        "Gather your courage, Tremsin," scolded his horse.  "And just do as she says."
        Tremsin did as the thrice - lovely Nastasia ordered.
        When all the barrels were ready, she said, "Now leap in and out of each barrel of milk."
        Tremsin leapt into the boiling hot barrel.  When he leapt out, he was an old man.
        He leapt into the lukewarm barrel.  When he leapt out, he was a little boy.
        He leapt into the icy cold barrel.  When he leapt out, he was more handsome and goodly than words can describe.
        The thrice - lovely Nastasia leapt in and out of each barrel.  When she leapt out of the first, she was an old woman.
        When she leapt out of the second, she was a little girl.
        When she leapt out of the third, she was more handsome and goodly than words can describe.
        Finally, the thrice - lovely Nastasia took Tremsin for her husband.  They and their horses lived half of the year under the sea and half of the year on the Ukrainian steppes.  In both lands, they lived happily ever after.