Semyon and The Samovar

Long ago, in Russia, there was an old man who had three sons and, upon his death bed, to the eldest son he left all of his land; to the second eldest he left all of his wealth and to the youngest, a boy called Semyon, he left an old Samovar.
Looking at the old Samovar Semyon was quite disappointed.
"But I don't even like tea", he thought, "What good is an old Samovar to me".
However Semyon was far too good natured a son to complain and so he thanked his father for the strange inheritance.
Unfortunately Semyons two brothers were so mean that, even though one had all their fathers land and one had all their fathers wealth they would not give any help to the youngest brother and when their father died they kicked their younger brother out of the house.
"On your way", they both yelled at him, "And take your old Samovar with you".
So the boy, tying the samovar to his back went out into the world to seek his fortune.
However, one night as the the boy was wandering, wearily through a snow covered forest, it got so cold in the forest that he thought he would die if he did not get any heat so then remembering the old samovar his father had left him and filling it up with snow and gathering some pinecones to use in the place of coals, he lit the pinecones and hugging the samovar tightly to himself, waited for the snow to melt and become water and for the water to boil so that he could keep himself warm with it.
However as the water within the Samovar started to boil and he listened to it bubbling inside, something very peculiar happened.
Suddenly, from within the samovar he heard a voice speaking.
"At last", it said, "A new master has awoken me".
At first Semyon thought that he must simply have imagined the voice but then something else happened that was even more remarkable.
A great cloud of steam shooting out of the holes in the top of the samovar, suddenly the steam began to take the form of a bearded green giant dressed in the rich silken  robes and turban of a turk.
"Am I dreaming?", asked Semyon.
"No young master", replied the giant, "I am very real. I am a genie, brought in a lamp long ago from the sands of Arabia to the snows of Russia by the invading turks. Unfortunately, however my old owner tried to light the lamp, something one should never do if there is a genie inside. You see if you try to use anything that contains a genie for its true purpose the genie is cast out and so was I from the lamp but then fortunately  I was able to find shelter in your old  Samovar and now you, because you have awoken me are my new master and I will grant your every wish just as long as you can make me one little promise".
"Promise?", asked Semyon.
"You must promise never to use the samovar to make tea", said the genie, "You see as I was cast out of the lamp when my last owner tried to light it, if you use the Samovar to make tea which is its true purpose, then I will be homeless again".
So Semyon swore upon his faith never to use the Samovar to make tea and then the genie asked him what he most wished for in all the world.
"Well", said Semyon, thinking, "I am very cold. It would be nice to have a warm house to live in and a warm bed to sleep in".
Hearing Semyons humble request the genie laughed,
"Is that all? Why thats the wink of an eye to me", he said.
And then, closing his right eye, when the genie opened it again, both Semyon and he were standing in the middle of big warm house next to a cracking fire and in a corner of the room the boy saw a big feather bed with three fat blankets piled upon it.
But then, lying down upon the bed, Semyon started to think of other things he could wish for.
And because, although they had been cruel to him, he missed his two brothers Semyon wished that he could live near them and immediately the genie shut his left eye and when it was opened again Semyons house had moved magically through space and time to become a neighbour of his fathers old house where his two elder brothers still lived.
But it wasn't long before Semyons two elder brothers found out about the return of their younger brother and his good fortune and, because the boy was not very good about keeping secrets, about the magic samovar too and when they did his two elder brothers started to hatch a wicked plan by which they might steal the Samovar for themselves.
First they bought an old Samovar that looked just like the one belonging to their younger brother and then went to see him in his house.
Having forgiven them for kicking him out of his fathers house, when they knocked upon his door Semyon happily welcomed them in.
But then, while they were talking, they mentioned that they had heard about the magical Samovar and asked to see it and while Semyon was showing it to them, his eldest brother asked if he would show him around his house then, while Semyon was showing his eldest brother the other rooms of the house, the second eldest brother switched the magic Samovar for the ordinary one they had bought.
And  as soon as they  had the magic Samovar within their possession the eldest brother made an excuse and both of the brothers hurriedly left.
Then when the two brothers got the Samovar home they started to talk about all the things they would use it to wish for.
"I'm going to wish", said the eldest brother, "That I'm the most powerful man all the world. More powerful than even the Tsar".
"And I'm going to wish", said the second eldest, "That I'm the richest man in all the world. Rich enough to buy all of Russia".
But then, when the two brothers started to heat up the Samovar, they made the mistake of putting a teapot on top of it and, just as the Genie had warned Semyon would happen, when they did this the genie was cast out of the Samovar and so angry was he to lose another home that he turned both the brothers into mice and they had to scamper off and live in a hole beneath the floor of their house.
But the genie still needed somewhere to live and so flying up the chimney of the house he went back to Semyon to live in the Samovar that his brothers had bought and then, with the genies help, Semyon lived happily ever after.