Vassili reached the house and gave the letter . When the mistress read it she could hardly believe her eyes and called for her daughter . In the letter was written , quite plainly : ` When you receive this letter , get ready for a wedding , and let the bearer be married next day to my daughter , Anastasia . If you do n't obey my orders I shall be very angry . ' Anastasia saw the bearer of the letter and he pleased her very much . They dressed Vassili in fine clothes and next day he was married to Anastasia . In due time , Mark returned from his travels . His wife , daughter , and son-in-law all went out to meet him . When Mark saw Vassili he flew into a terrible rage with his wife . ` How dared you marry my daughter without my consent ? ' he asked . ' I only carried out your orders , ' said she . ` Here is your letter . ' Mark read it . It certainly was his handwriting , but by no means his wishes . ` Well , ' thought he , ` you 've escaped me three times , but I think I shall get the better of you now . ' And he waited a month and was very kind and pleasant to his daughter and her husband . At the end of that time he said to Vassili one day , ' I want you to go for me to my friend the Serpent King , in his beautiful country at the world 's end . Twelve years ago he built a castle on some land of mine . I want you to ask for the rent for those twelve years and also to find out from him what has become of my twelve ships which sailed for his country three years ago . '
XXXXX dared not disobey .
Anastasia King Mark Vassili day house month rent ships years