A Scientific Fairy Tale of Prince Yelisey, Epigenetic Clocks, and the Price of Eternal Youth
Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there lived a Prince who was tormented by a single question: why is life so short? In search of an answer, he met a knight aged by anger and a queen who froze her life for the sake of youth. This story was written by a Computational and Data Science and Engineering PhD student. Read on to discover the true meaning of biological age and why the Mirror of Life advises us not to fear death, but simply to feed the horse.
Vlad Fedotov//
PhD student, Program "Computational and Data Science and Engineering"
Beyond the black seas, beyond the high mountains, in a glorious kingdom, lived Prince Elisey. His father was renowned as a wise ruler, and the people lived in prosperity. After the death of Elisey’s mother, the king himself took charge of raising his son, and the young man grew up surrounded by love and care. The king’s robust health promised many years of happy life, but even such mighty heroes are eventually claimed by the bony old woman of time. Misfortune befell the king; he fell ill and died. It was now Elisey’s turn to ascend the throne. He would have gladly taken up the duties for which he had been trained, but a black sorrow and deep anxiety had settled in his heart. He grieved for his father, who had left him forever. Day and night, he pondered how short human life is and how suddenly it ends. In the darkness of the forests and across the open fields, death haunted his visions, occupying all his thoughts.
While Elisey wandered in his melancholy, unscrupulous scoundrels began to rule the kingdom. Sorcerers and dark magicians flocked to Elisey’s chambers, filling the young man’s mind with gloomy thoughts. He completely forgot about the people whose welfare his father had cared for so diligently. Now the kingdom was mired in strife and disorder.
One day, a young merchant who traded in exotic foreign curiosities arrived at the palace. The steward conversed with him about life and times. The fellow recounted that far, far away at the edge of the Earth, in high mountains under a roaring waterfall where snow leopards tread narrow cliffs, there exists a magical mirror of time. This mirror knows exactly when and for whom death will come. Upon hearing this, Elisey perked up and immediately set out on his journey to that very magical mirror of time. He saddled his fastest horse, named Fire, and galloped away.
Elisey rode on tirelessly until he felt his strength waning and his horse Fire in need of rest. He settled on a clearing under an oak tree. Just as he was about to doze off, a sharp arrow whistled past his ear. Elisey jumped up, drew his forged sword, and in the next instant, hundreds of arrows flew at him while swords whistled around. Elisey shouted into the void: “Who are you, warrior? Why do you attack me? I am on my own path and meant you no harm!”
One day, a young merchant who traded in exotic foreign curiosities arrived at the palace. The steward conversed with him about life and times. The fellow recounted that far, far away at the edge of the Earth, in high mountains under a roaring waterfall where snow leopards tread narrow cliffs, there exists a magical mirror of time. This mirror knows exactly when and for whom death will come. Upon hearing this, Elisey perked up and immediately set out on his journey to that very magical mirror of time. He saddled his fastest horse, named Fire, and galloped away.
Elisey rode on tirelessly until he felt his strength waning and his horse Fire in need of rest. He settled on a clearing under an oak tree. Just as he was about to doze off, a sharp arrow whistled past his ear. Elisey jumped up, drew his forged sword, and in the next instant, hundreds of arrows flew at him while swords whistled around. Elisey shouted into the void: “Who are you, warrior? Why do you attack me? I am on my own path and meant you no harm!”
Elisey galloped on without stopping. He climbed high into the mountains, walked along the edge of a cliff, unafraid of the snow leopards, and penetrated under the waterfall, where the Life-Gaging Mirror appeared before him. Elisey spoke to it tenderly: “Oh, wise mirror! I have journeyed to you so long to ask when death will overtake me. I met a wonder that fears no death; I saw a maiden who fears life; and now I want to ask you something else. How long have I lived?” The mirror sparkled and shimmered. “I know of the wonder and the maiden; all things on earth are comprehended by me, so I can explore and find answers to questions about life and death. People come to me with all sorts of questions, but you have chosen the best one. Gathering all my knowledge, I am ready to answer you: Place your hand on the surface, and I will tell you everything.” Elisey did so, and the mirror replied that Elisey was 25 years old; after his father’s death, his anxieties had stolen extra years from him, but if he found support, they would be restored to him. Only for that, he needed to live in happiness, pursue his beloved work, and spend the remaining years in joy!
The mirror chimed and asked if Elisey wanted to know the date of his death, but Elisey had already mounted his horse and sped home. At home, the prince drove away the sorcerers and magicians, began ruling the state with a clear conscience, married a beauty, but first he slept and fed his horse.
The mirror chimed and asked if Elisey wanted to know the date of his death, but Elisey had already mounted his horse and sped home. At home, the prince drove away the sorcerers and magicians, began ruling the state with a clear conscience, married a beauty, but first he slept and fed his horse.
The servants were already dragging Elisey away when suddenly he started shouting: “Careful, don’t break it—I have a valuable remedy in my pocket!” The queen turned around. Elisey begged even more fervently that the treasure be his pocket be left with him, because it granted eternal youth. “Why do you need it, queen? You’re already young! Leave it with me,” the youth muttered. The queen’s eyes lit up with greed; she demanded that the remedy be immediately taken from Elisey’s pocket. The servants obeyed, reached into Elisey’s pocket, and released the evil invisible mischief. Instantly, hundreds of arrows flew, and swords began slicing through the air. Elisey bolted and ran; in the courtyard, he saw his horse, jumped into the stirrups, and rode away. As he traveled, he reflected on how foolish it was to shield oneself from life itself.
“This is my land!” thundered the evil force. They fought for a day, then two. The invisible knight wielded a hundred swords and cried out: “I am sick with thirst for death and with anger; I have devoted my life to battles, slain all my enemies, but found no happiness! And like you, Elisey, I am only twenty years old!” By his voice, he seemed to Elisey not a youth, but a decrepit old man. The prince shuddered: Rage and enmity can age the body before its time. The knight clanged from all sides, and at last, Elisey managed to catch the evil in mid-air. He stuffed it into his pocket and rode on.
Elisey sought lodging for the night at the nearest house by the road. But it was not good folk who lived there, but bandits. They decided to sell the horse and Elisey into slavery to the local queen, bound him, and carted him off to the palace.
Elisey looked, and the crystal palace shone so brightly in the sun that it blinded the eyes. The servants led him through corridors where first silver doors opened, then golden ones, and then fiery ones. Before him unfolded a vast empty hall. All the servants around wore gloves and exotic closed garments. In the center of the hall, under a glass dome, sat a queen of incredible beauty. Before her on a platter lay raw fish, beside it a small plate and a single utensil. Elisey smirked, realizing he had hoped for dinner but was unlikely to find hospitality here. The queen didn’t even glance at him, only added that if he answered her question correctly, she would release him and give him a chest of gold. “Prince Elisey, look at me carefully—how old am I?” she asked. Without hesitation, Elisey replied that she was the same age as him—20 years old—and this was just the beginning of her beauty’s bloom! The queen burst into laughter and ate a piece of raw fish. “I am 60 years old! You lost,” said the wicked beauty and waved to the servants to take the prisoner away. Elisey begged for another chance, as he had harmed neither the queen nor her subjects. “That’s why I live in the body of a young girl—I never pity anyone, I don’t leave my chambers, I eat nothing but raw fish, and I never open my heart to anyone; my young blood has never been tainted by bad moods or sorrow,” the queen said.
Elisey sought lodging for the night at the nearest house by the road. But it was not good folk who lived there, but bandits. They decided to sell the horse and Elisey into slavery to the local queen, bound him, and carted him off to the palace.
Elisey looked, and the crystal palace shone so brightly in the sun that it blinded the eyes. The servants led him through corridors where first silver doors opened, then golden ones, and then fiery ones. Before him unfolded a vast empty hall. All the servants around wore gloves and exotic closed garments. In the center of the hall, under a glass dome, sat a queen of incredible beauty. Before her on a platter lay raw fish, beside it a small plate and a single utensil. Elisey smirked, realizing he had hoped for dinner but was unlikely to find hospitality here. The queen didn’t even glance at him, only added that if he answered her question correctly, she would release him and give him a chest of gold. “Prince Elisey, look at me carefully—how old am I?” she asked. Without hesitation, Elisey replied that she was the same age as him—20 years old—and this was just the beginning of her beauty’s bloom! The queen burst into laughter and ate a piece of raw fish. “I am 60 years old! You lost,” said the wicked beauty and waved to the servants to take the prisoner away. Elisey begged for another chance, as he had harmed neither the queen nor her subjects. “That’s why I live in the body of a young girl—I never pity anyone, I don’t leave my chambers, I eat nothing but raw fish, and I never open my heart to anyone; my young blood has never been tainted by bad moods or sorrow,” the queen said.