Many, many years ago there lived sister Alyonushka and her little brother Ivanushka. Their parents had died, leaving them alone. One day, the orphans set off from home to see the wide world and find some work. On and on they went, the sun shone brightly and they become thirsty, but there was no well in sight.
"I'm very thirsty, sister Alyonushka!" Ivanushka said.
"Be patient, little brother. We are sure to come to a well soon," she answered. There was nothing to do, so they walked on.
The sun was high, the day was hot, a well was far, their thirst was great. Ivanushka looked around and saw a cow's hoof full of water. "Oh, there is some water, sister. I'll drink the water from the hoof."
"No, no, little brother. If you do, you will turn into a calf," she said.
So they walked on again.
The sun was high, the day was hot, a well was far, their thirst was great. Ivanushka looked around and saw a horse's hoof full of water. "Oh, I'm so very thirsty, dear sister. Can't I have some water from the hoof?" asked Ivanushka.
"No, little brother, for if you do, you will turn into a colt," she answered. Ivanushka sighed but there was nothing to be done, so they walked on and on till Ivanushka saw a goat's hoof full of water.
"I'm so thirsty that I cannot bear it any longer, dear Alyonushka. May I have some water from the hoof?" Ivanushka exclaimed.
"Do not drink, little brother, for if you do, you will turn into a kid."
But Ivanushka did not listen to his sister and took a sip from the hoof. When Alyonushka glanced back, there was no Ivanushka there but a little white goat in his stead. The girl sat down and burst into tears. The little goat skipped around her playfully.
After a while a merchant drove by and asked her why she was crying. Alyonushka told him of her grief. The merchant listened to her and, as she was very beautiful, fell in love with her and wished to marry her.
"Be my wife, pretty maid," he said, "and the little goat will live with us."
Alyonushka thought and thought and finally agreed. They lived happily and the little goat enjoyed their happiness and shared their food and drink. Word of the strange but happy family reached an evil witch, and she wanted to taste the happiness of others. One day while the merchant was away from home the witch appeared. She spoke sweetly to Alyonushka and lured her to the river, where she suddenly tied a heavy stone around the young woman's neck and pushed her into the water. After that she took on Alyonushka's form. Dressed herself in her clothes and went back to the house of her stead. Flowers wilted and trees dried when she passed by, but no one, not even the merchant, guessed who she was. Only little goat knew what had happened. He was sad and grieved, would not eat or drink, and made the witch very angry: "Have the little goat killed," she said to the merchant. "I'm sick and tired of him."
The merchant knew how much his wife had loved the little goat and was very surprised to hear this from her, but the witch wheedled away at him to kill the goat, until at last he gave in. When the little goat found out that he would not have long to live, he asked the merchant to let him go to the river and have a last drink of water. On the river-bank he called out in a piteous voice:

"Alyonushka, my dear sister,
Swim out to me!
Huge fires are being made,
Pots of water are boiling,
Long knives are being sharpened.
The witch is going to kill me."

Alyonushka answered from the riverbed:

"Ivanushka, dear brother Ivanushka!
I cannot come to you.
A heavy stone is pressing down on me,
Silken weeds are entangling my legs."

Once the water was boiling, the witch sent a servant for the little goat. The servant went to the river-bank and heard him talking to Alyonushka. The servant ran home and told the merchant everything. The merchant went to the river and saved his wife. He was beside himself with joy at having her back again. They went home and the flowers started to bloom when they passed by them. The little goat turned three somersaults and became a boy again!

(Based on Russian folk tale "Alyonushka and her Brother Ivanushka". English language retelling was done by Vadim Shchanitsyn)