# Donotknow explained — Russian Folktales > Chapter companion for Russian Folktales by A. N. Afanasyev. ## What happens Iván the merchant's son, after being given a scabby foal as his 'luck' and surviving his stepmother's attempts to poison him with the foal's help, disguises himself in a bull's hide and bladder, calling himself 'Donotknow.' He is taken to a king's garden as a scarecrow. When an Arab prince besieges the kingdom, Donotknow sheds his disguise, summons a magical horse, and defeats the enemy host three times. The youngest princess notices her kerchief on his wounded hand and insists on marrying him. After he kills the Arab prince in final combat, the king recognizes him as a hero and makes him his heir. ## Themes in this chapter ### Trickery and Cunning Iván uses disguise as a scarecrow and the alias 'Donotknow' to conceal his true identity and strength, outwitting both his stepmother and the Arab prince. ### Heroic Quest and Transformation Iván transforms from a merchant's son and a mocked scarecrow into a celebrated hero and heir to the kingdom through his feats in battle. ### Fate and Divine Justice The scabby foal, given as Iván's 'luck,' proves to be a magical helper, and the stepmother's evil schemes are ultimately punished, reinforcing a moral order. ## Character check-ins ### Donotknow Iván the merchant's son, disguised in bull's hide and bladder, acts as a scarecrow and later reveals himself as a mighty hero who defeats the Arab prince's armies. ### The King The ruler who puts Donotknow in the garden as a scarecrow, later recognizes his valor and makes him heir after he kills the Arab prince. ### The Princess The youngest daughter who binds Donotknow's wound with her kerchief, insists on marrying him despite his monstrous appearance, and ultimately becomes his bride. ### The Stepmother Iván's stepmother who tries to poison him with the help of a soothsayer, but is later punished. ### The Old Man Iván's father, a merchant who buys the scabby foal as his son's luck and later is taken to live with him. ## Key lines > bull’s hide, put a bladder on your head, and wherever you go, whatever you are asked about, answer only this one word, ‘Idonotknow.’ Iván disguises himself in a bull's hide and a bladder on his head, and responds to all questions with 'Idonotknow.' _This disguise allows Iván to hide his identity and be taken to the king's garden as a scarecrow._ > Donotknow shook off his oxhide, took off his bladder, went into the open fields, burnt one of the hairs, and cried out in a grim voice with a knightly whistle. Donotknow sheds his disguise, burns a magical hair, and summons a wondrous horse with a whistle. _This transformation reveals his true heroic nature and summons his magical steed for battle._ > the youngest Princess saw that blood was flowing from the valiant champion’s hand, took a kerchief off her neck and bound up the wound herself The youngest princess notices the hero's bleeding hand and binds it with her own kerchief. _This act of care leads her to later recognize Donotknow by the kerchief and insist on marrying him._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/donotknow - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/russian_folktales_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters