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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 02:48:00 -0700 |
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diff --git a/29672-h/29672-h.htm b/29672-h/29672-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e9a794b --- /dev/null +++ b/29672-h/29672-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7689 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Cossack Fairy Tales, by R. Nisbet Bain.</title> + +<style type="text/css"> + @media screen { + hr.pb {margin:30px 0; width:100%; border:none;border-top:thin dashed silver;} + .pagenum {display: inline; font-size: x-small; text-align: right; position: absolute; right: 2%; padding: 1px 3px; font-style: normal; font-variant:normal; font-weight:normal; text-decoration: none; background-color: inherit; border:1px solid #eee;} + .pncolor {color: silver;} + } + @media print { + hr.pb {border:none;page-break-after: always;} + .pagenum { display:none; } + } + hr.fn {width:3em; text-align:left; margin-left: 0; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; height:1px; border: none; border-bottom: 1px solid black;} + a {text-decoration: none;} + p.cg {margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0; text-align: left !important; width: 101%;} + .footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + body {margin-left: 11%; margin-right: 10%;} + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .fnanchor {font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + .figcenter {margin: 2em auto 2em auto; text-align: center; width: auto;} + .figtag {height: 1px;} + .chsp {margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em;} + p {margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: 0.5em;} + hr.toprule {width: 65%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; clear:both;} + p.ralign {text-align: right !important;} + .caption {font-size:smaller; text-align:center;} + hr.tb {border:none; margin-top:2em;} + table {margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;} + p.center {text-align: center !important;} + .smcap {font-variant:small-caps;} + h3 {font-size:1.3em; text-align:left; font-weight:normal; margin-bottom:-0.5em;} + .trnote {background-color: #EEE; color: inherit; margin: 2em 5% 1em 5%; font-size: 80%; padding: 0.5em 1em 0.5em 1em; border: dotted 1px gray;} + p.dropcap:first-letter{float: left; padding-right: 3px; font-size: 250%; line-height: 83%; width:auto;} + ins.trchange {text-decoration: none; border-bottom: thin dotted gray;} + .center {text-align:center;} + .caps {text-transform:uppercase;} + h1,h2 {text-align:center; font-weight:normal;} + hr.toprule2 {width: 65%; margin-top: 4em; margin-bottom: 2em; border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; clear:both;} + h1 {font-size:1.5em; margin-bottom:0.2em} + h2 {font-size:1.3em; margin-bottom:0em} +</style> + +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales, by Anonymous + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales + +Author: Anonymous + +Illustrator: Noel L. Nisbet + +Translator: R. Nisbet Bain + +Release Date: August 12, 2009 [EBook #29672] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK COSSACK FAIRY TALES AND FOLK TALES *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Dan Horwood and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h1>COSSACK<br /> +FAIRY TALES</h1> +<hr class='pb' /> +<p class='center' style='margin-bottom:1.5em'><i>Uniform with this Volume</i></p> +<p class='center' style='letter-spacing:0.15em; font-size:1.2em'>RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES</p> +<p class='center'>From the Skazki of Polevoi. By<br /> +<span class='smcap'>R. Nisbet Bain</span>. Illustrated in<br /> +Colour and Black and White by<br /> +<span class='smcap'>Noel L. Nisbet</span></p> +<hr class='pb' /> +<div class='figtag'> +<a name='linki_1' id='linki_1'></a> +</div> +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/illus-004.jpg' alt='' title='' width='400' height='500' /><br /> +<p class='caption'> +THEY CAME TO THE PLACE WHERE HE HAD LEFT HER<br /> +<a href='#page_79'><span class='smcap'>Page 79</span></a><br /> +</p> +</div> +<hr class='pb' /> +<h1><span style="font-size:2.5em">COSSACK<br /> +FAIRY TALES</span><br /> +<span style="font-size:0.8em">AND FOLK TALES SELECTED<br /> +EDITED AND TRANSLATED BY<br /> +R. NISBET BAIN ILLUSTRATED BY<br /> +NOEL L. NISBET</span></h1> +<div class='figtag'> +<a name='linki_2' id='linki_2'></a> +</div> +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/illus-005.png' alt='' title='' width='200' height='196' /><br /> +</div> +<p class="center" style="font-size:1.2em; margin-top:2em;">LONDON: GEORGE G. HARRAP & CO.</p> +<p class="center" style="font-size:1.1em">2 & 3 PORTSMOUTH STREET KINGSWAY W.C.</p> +<p class="center">MCMXVI</p> +<hr class='pb' /> +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em'>PRINTED AT THE COMPLETE PRESS</p> +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em'>WEST NORWOOD ENGLAND</p> +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> +<table border='0' cellpadding='2' cellspacing='0' summary='Contents' style='margin:1em auto;'> +<tr> + <td /> + <td valign='top' align='right'><span style="font-size:0.8em;">PAGE</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>Introduction</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#INTRODUCTION_TO_THE_FIRST_EDITION'>9</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>Oh: The Tsar of the Forest</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#OH_THE_TSAR_OF_THE_FOREST'>15</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Story of the Wind</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_STORY_OF_THE_WIND'>29</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Voices at the Window</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_VOICES_AT_THE_WINDOW'>49</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Story of Little Tsar Novishny, the False Sister, and the Faithful Beasts</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_STORY_OF_LITTLE_TSAR_NOVISHNY_THE_FALSE_SISTER_AND_THE_FAITHFUL_BEASTS'>57</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Vampire and St Michael</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_VAMPIRE_AND_ST_MICHAEL'>83</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Story of Tremsin, the Bird Zhar, and Nastasia, the Lovely Maid of the Sea</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_STORY_OF_TREMSIN_THE_BIRD_ZHAR_AND_NASTASIA_THE_LOVELY_MAID_OF_THE_SEA'>95</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Serpent-Wife</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_SERPENTWIFE'>105</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Story of Unlucky Daniel</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_STORY_OF_UNLUCKY_DANIEL'>111</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Sparrow and the Bush</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_SPARROW_AND_THE_BUSH'>123</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Old Dog</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_OLD_DOG'>129</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Fox and the Cat</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_FOX_AND_THE_CAT'>133</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Straw Ox</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_STRAW_OX'>139</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Golden Slipper</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_GOLDEN_SLIPPER'>147</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Iron Wolf</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_IRON_WOLF'>159</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Three Brothers</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_THREE_BROTHERS'>167</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Tsar and the Angel</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_TSAR_AND_THE_ANGEL'>173</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Story of Ivan and the Daughter of the Sun</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_STORY_OF_IVAN_AND_THE_DAUGHTER_OF_THE_SUN'>183</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Cat, the Cock, and the Fox</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_CAT_THE_COCK_AND_THE_FOX'>191</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Serpent-Tsarevich and His Two Wives</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_SERPENTTSAREVICH_AND_HIS_TWO_WIVES'>197</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Origin of the Mole</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_ORIGIN_OF_THE_MOLE'>207</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Two Princes</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_TWO_PRINCES'>211</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Ungrateful Children and the Old Father Who Went to School Again</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_UNGRATEFUL_CHILDREN_AND_THE_OLD_FATHER_WHO_WENT_TO_SCHOOL_AGAIN'>219</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>Ivan the Fool and St Peter’s Fife</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#IVAN_THE_FOOL_AND_ST_PETERS_FIFE'>229</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Magic Egg</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_MAGIC_EGG'>239</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Story of the Forty-First Brother</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_STORY_OF_THE_FORTYFIRST_BROTHER'>255</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Story of the Unlucky Days</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_STORY_OF_THE_UNLUCKY_DAYS'>261</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left' style='padding-right:4em;'><span class='smcap'>The Wondrous Story of Ivan Golik and the Serpents</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#THE_WONDROUS_STORY_OF_IVAN_GOLIK_AND_THE_SERPENTS'>267</a></td> +</tr> +</table> +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2>ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> +<table border='0' cellpadding='2' cellspacing='0' summary='Illustrations' style='margin:1em auto;'> +<col style='width:75%;' /> +<col style='width:25%;' /> +<tr> + <td /> + <td valign='top' align='right'><span style="font-size:0.8em;">PAGE</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span class='smcap'>They came to the place where he had left her</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_1'><i>Frontispiece</i></a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span class='smcap'>All manner of evil powers walked abroad</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_3'>16</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'>“<span class='smcap'>How much do you want for that horse</span>?”</td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_4'>24</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span class='smcap'>The wind came and swept all his corn away</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_5'>30</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'>“<span class='smcap'>Out of the drum, my henchmen</span>!”</td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_6'>40</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span class='smcap'>The Tsarivna arose from her coffin</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_7'>86</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span class='smcap'>They were both on their knees</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_8'>90</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span class='smcap'>Daniel waved his sword</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_9'>114</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span class='smcap'>His wife caressed and wheedled him</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_10'>118</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span class='smcap'>The girl drove the heifer out to graze</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_11'>148</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span class='smcap'>The Tsar’s councillors went to the houses of all the nobles and princes</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_12'>154</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span class='smcap'>The Tsar went about inquiring of his people if any were wronged</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_13'>178</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span class='smcap'>The rulers of Hell laid hands upon the overseer straightway</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_14'>186</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span class='smcap'>Nineteen times did she cast off one of her suits of clothes</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_15'>198</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span class='smcap'>Suddenly St Peter appeared to him</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_16'>230</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span class='smcap'>Ivan Golik drew the bow</span></td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#linki_17'>276</a></td> +</tr> +</table> +<hr class='pb' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_9' name='page_9'></a>9</span> +<a name='INTRODUCTION_TO_THE_FIRST_EDITION' id='INTRODUCTION_TO_THE_FIRST_EDITION'></a> +<h3>INTRODUCTION TO THE<br />FIRST EDITION</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class="caps">The</span> favourable reception given to my volume of +<i>Russian Fairy Tales</i> has encouraged me to +follow it up with a sister volume of stories +selected from another Slavonic dialect extraordinarily +rich in folk-tales––I mean Ruthenian, the language of +the Cossacks.</p> +<p>Ruthenian is a language intermediate between Russian +and Polish, but quite independent of both. Its territory +embraces, roughly speaking, that vast plain which lies +between the Carpathians, the watershed of the Dnieper, +and the Sea of Azov, with Lemberg and Kiev for its chief intellectual +centres. Though it has been rigorously repressed +by the Russian Government, it is still spoken by more than +twenty millions of people. It possesses a noble literature, +numerous folk-songs, not inferior even to those of +Serbia, and, what chiefly concerns us now, a copious +collection of justly admired folk-tales, many of them of +great antiquity, which are regarded, both in Russia and +Poland, as quite unique of their kind. Mr Ralston, I +fancy, was the first to call the attention of the West to +these curious stories, though the want at that time of a +good Ruthenian dictionary (a want since supplied by the +excellent lexicon of Zhelekhovsky and Nidilsky) prevented +him from utilizing them. Another Slavonic +scholar, Mr Morfill, has also frequently alluded to them +in terms of enthusiastic but by no means extravagant +praise.</p> +<p>The three chief collections of Ruthenian folk-lore +are those of Kulish, Rudchenko, and Dragomanov, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_10' name='page_10'></a>10</span> +which represent, at least approximately, the three +dialects into which Ruthenian is generally divided. It is +from these three collections that the present selection +has been made. Kulish, who has the merit of priority, +was little more than a pioneer, his contribution merely +consisting of some dozen <i>kazki</i> (<i>Märchen</i>) and <i>kazochiki</i> +(<i>Märchenlein</i>), incorporated in the second volume of his +<i>Zapiski o yuzhnoi Rusi</i> (“Descriptions of South Russia,” +Petrograd, 1856-7). Twelve years later Rudchenko published +at Kiev what is still, on the whole, the best +collection of Ruthenian folk-tales, under the title of +<i>Narodnuiya Yuzhnorusskiya Skazki</i> (“Popular South +Russian Folk-tales”). Like Lïnnröt among the Finns, +Rudchenko took down the greater part of these tales +direct from the lips of the people. In a second volume, +published in the following year, he added other stories +gleaned from various minor manuscript collections of +great rarity. In 1876 the Imperial Russian Geographical +Society published at Kiev, under the title of <i>Malorusskiya +Narodnuiya Predonyia i Razkazui</i> (“Little-Russian +Popular Traditions and Tales”), an edition of as many +manuscript collections of Ruthenian folk-lore (including +poems, proverbs, riddles, and rites) as it could +lay its hands upon. This collection, though far less +rich in variants than Rudchenko’s, contained many +original tales which had escaped him, and was ably +edited by Michael Dragomanov, by whose name, indeed, +it is generally known.</p> +<p>The present attempt to popularize these Cossack +stories is, I believe, the first translation ever made from +Ruthenian into English. The selection, though naturally +restricted, is fairly representative; every variety +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_11' name='page_11'></a>11</span> +of folk-tale has a place in it, and it should never be +forgotten that the Ruthenian <i>kazka</i> (<i>Märchen</i>), owing +to favourable circumstances, has managed to preserve +far more of the fresh spontaneity and naïve simplicity +of the primitive folk-tale than her more sophisticated +sister, the Russian <i>skazka</i>. It is maintained, moreover, +by Slavonic scholars that there are peculiar and original +elements in these stories not to be found in the folk-lore +of other European peoples; such data, for instance, as +the magic handkerchiefs (generally beneficial, but sometimes, +as in the story of Ivan Golik, terribly baleful), +the demon-expelling hemp-and-tar whips, and the +magic cattle-teeming egg, so mischievous a possession to +the unwary. It may be so, but, after all that Mr Andrew +Lang has taught us on the subject, it would be rash for +any mere philologist to assert positively that there can +be anything really new in folk-lore under the sun. On +the other hand, the comparative isolation and primitiveness +of the Cossacks, and their remoteness from the +great theatres of historical events, would seem to be +favourable conditions both for the safe preservation of +old myths and the easy development of new ones. It is +for professional students of folk-lore to study the original +documents for themselves.</p> +<p class='ralign' style="margin-right:2.0em">R. N. B.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_13' name='page_13'></a>13</span></div> +<h2><span style="font-size:1.2em">OH</span><br /> +THE TSAR OF THE FOREST</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_15' name='page_15'></a>15</span> +<a name='OH_THE_TSAR_OF_THE_FOREST' id='OH_THE_TSAR_OF_THE_FOREST'></a> +<h3>OH: THE TSAR OF THE FOREST</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>The</span> olden times were not like the times <i>we</i> live in. +In the olden times all manner of Evil Powers<a name='FNanchor_0001' id='FNanchor_0001'></a><a href='#Footnote_0001' class='fnanchor'>[1]</a> +walked abroad. The world itself was not then +as it is now: now there are no such Evil Powers among +us. I’ll tell you a <i>kazka</i><a name='FNanchor_0002' id='FNanchor_0002'></a><a href='#Footnote_0002' class='fnanchor'>[2]</a> of Oh, the Tsar of the Forest, +that you may know what manner of being he was.</p> +<div class='figtag'> +<a name='linki_3' id='linki_3'></a> +</div> +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/illus-019.png' alt='' title='' width='405' height='500' /><br /> +<p class='caption'> +ALL MANNER OF EVIL POWERS WALKED ABROAD<br /> +</p> +</div> +<p>Once upon a time, long long ago, beyond the times +that we can call to mind, ere yet our great-grandfathers +or their grandfathers had been born into the world, +there lived a poor man and his wife, and they had one +only son, who was not as an only son ought to be to his +old father and mother. So idle and lazy was that only +son that Heaven help him! He would do nothing, he +would not even fetch water from the well, but lay on +the stove all day long and rolled among the warm +cinders. If they gave him anything to eat, he ate it; +and if they didn’t give him anything to eat, he did +without. His father and mother fretted sorely because +of him, and said, “What are we to do with thee, O son? +for thou art good for nothing. Other people’s children +are a stay and a support to their parents, but thou art +but a fool and dost consume our bread for naught.” +But it was of no use at all. He would do nothing but +sit on the stove and play with the cinders. So his father +and mother grieved over him for many a long day, and +at last his mother said to his father, “What is to be done +with our son? Thou dost see that he has grown up and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_16' name='page_16'></a>16</span> +yet is of no use to us, and he is so foolish that we can do +nothing with him. Look now, if we can send him +away, let us send him away; if we can hire him out, +let us hire him out; perchance other folk may be able +to do more with him than we can.” So his father and +mother laid their heads together, and sent him to a +tailor’s to learn tailoring. There he remained three days, +but then he ran away home, climbed up on the stove, +and again began playing with the cinders. His father +then gave him a sound drubbing and sent him to a +cobbler’s to learn cobbling, but again he ran away +home. His father gave him another drubbing and sent +him to a blacksmith to learn smith’s work. But there +too he did not remain long, but ran away home again, so +what was that poor father to do? “I’ll tell thee what +I’ll do with thee, thou son of a dog!” said he. “I’ll +take thee, thou lazy lout, into another kingdom. There, +perchance, they will be able to teach thee better than +they can here, and it will be too far for thee to run +home.” So he took him and set out on his journey.</p> +<p>They went on and on, they went a short way and +they went a long way, and at last they came to a forest +so dark that they could see neither earth nor sky. They +went through this forest, but in a short time they grew +very tired, and when they came to a path leading to a +clearing full of large tree-stumps, the father said, “I am +so tired out that I will rest here a little,” and with that +he sat down on a tree-stump and cried, “Oh, how tired +I am!” He had no sooner said these words than out +of the tree-stump, nobody could say how, sprang such +a little, little old man, all so wrinkled and puckered, and +his beard was quite green and reached right down to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_17' name='page_17'></a>17</span> +his knee.––“What dost thou want of me, O man?” he +asked.––The man was amazed at the strangeness of his +coming to light, and said to him, “I did not call thee; +begone!”––“How canst thou say that when thou didst +call me?” asked the little old man.––“Who art thou, +then?” asked the father.––“I am Oh, the Tsar of the +Woods,” replied the old man; “why didst thou call +me, I say?”––“Away with thee, I did not call thee,” +said the man.––“What! thou didst not call me when +thou saidst ‘Oh’?”––“I was tired, and therefore I +said ‘Oh’!” replied the man.––“Whither art thou +going?” asked Oh.––“The wide world lies before me,” +sighed the man. “I am taking this sorry blockhead of +mine to hire him out to somebody or other. Perchance +other people may be able to knock more sense into him +than we can at home; but send him whither we will, +he always comes running home again!”––“Hire him +out to me. I’ll warrant I’ll teach him,” said Oh. “Yet +I’ll only take him on one condition. Thou shalt come +back for him when a year has run, and if thou dost +know him again, thou mayst take him; but if thou dost +not know him again, he shall serve another year with +me.”––“Good!” cried the man. So they shook hands +upon it, had a good drink to clinch the bargain, and the +man went back to his own home, while Oh took the +son away with him.</p> +<p>Oh took the son away with him, and they passed +into the other world, the world beneath the earth, and +came to a green hut woven out of rushes, and in this +hut everything was green; the walls were green and +the benches were green, and Oh’s wife was green and +his children were green––in fact, everything there was +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_18' name='page_18'></a>18</span> +green. And Oh had water-nixies for serving-maids, +and they were all as green as rue. “Sit down now!” +said Oh to his new labourer, “and have a bit of something +to eat.” The nixies then brought him some food, +and that also was green, and he ate of it. “And now,” +said Oh, “take my labourer into the courtyard that he +may chop wood and draw water.” So they took him +into the courtyard, but instead of chopping any wood +he lay down and went to sleep. Oh came out to see +how he was getting on, and there he lay a-snoring. +Then Oh seized him, and bade them bring wood and +tie his labourer fast to the wood, and set the wood on +fire till the labourer was burnt to ashes. Then Oh +took the ashes and scattered them to the four winds, +but a single piece of burnt coal fell from out of the +ashes, and this coal he sprinkled with living water, +whereupon the labourer immediately stood there alive +again and somewhat handsomer and stronger than +before. Oh again bade him chop wood, but again he +went to sleep. Then Oh again tied him to the wood +and burnt him and scattered the ashes to the four winds +and sprinkled the remnant of the coal with living water, +and instead of the loutish clown there stood there such +a handsome and stalwart Cossack<a name='FNanchor_0003' id='FNanchor_0003'></a><a href='#Footnote_0003' class='fnanchor'>[3]</a> that the like of him +can neither be imagined nor described but only told of +in tales.</p> +<p>There, then, the lad remained for a year, and at the +end of the year the father came for his son. He came +to the self-same charred stumps in the self-same forest, +sat him down, and said, <a name='TC_1'></a><ins class="trchange" title="Was '“Oh!''.'">“Oh!”</ins> Oh immediately +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_19' name='page_19'></a>19</span> +came out of the charred stump and said, “Hail! O +man!”––“Hail to thee, Oh!”––“And what dost thou +want, O man?” asked Oh.––“I have come,” said he, +“for my son.”––“Well, come then! If thou dost +know him again, thou shalt take him away; but if thou +dost not know him, he shall serve with me yet another +year.” So the man went with Oh. They came to his +hut, and Oh took whole handfuls of millet and scattered +it about, and myriads of cocks came running up and +pecked it. “Well, dost thou know thy son again?” +said Oh. The man stared and stared. There was +nothing but cocks, and one cock was just like another. +He could not pick out his son. “Well,” said Oh, “as +thou dost not know him, go home again; this year thy +son must remain in my service.” So the man went +home again.</p> +<p>The second year passed away, and the man again +went to Oh. He came to the charred stumps and said, +“Oh!” and Oh popped out of the tree-stump again. +“Come!” said he, “and see if thou canst recognize +him now.” Then he took him to a sheep-pen, and +there were rows and rows of rams, and one ram was just +like another. The man stared and stared, but he could +not pick out his son. “Thou mayst as well go home +then,” said Oh, “but thy son shall live with me yet +another year.” So the man went away, sad at heart.</p> +<p>The third year also passed away, and the man came +again to find Oh. He went on and on till there met +him an old man all as white as milk, and the raiment +of this old man was glistening white. “Hail to thee, +O man!” said he.––“Hail to thee also, my father!”––“Whither +doth God lead thee?”––“I am going to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_20' name='page_20'></a>20</span> +free my son from Oh.”––“How so?”––Then the man +told the old white father how he had hired out his son +to Oh and under what conditions.––“Aye, aye!” said +the old white father, “’tis a vile pagan thou hast to deal +with; he will lead thee about by the nose for a long +time.”––“Yes,” said the man, “I perceive that he is a +vile pagan; but I know not what in the world to do +with him. Canst thou not tell me then, dear father, +how I may recover my son?”––“Yes, I can,” said the +old man.––“Then prythee tell me, darling father, and +I’ll pray for thee to God all my life, for though he has +not been much of a son to me, he is still my own flesh +and blood.”––“Hearken, then!” said the old man; +“when thou dost go to Oh, he will let loose a multitude +of doves before thee, but choose not one of these doves. +The dove thou shalt choose must be the one that comes +not out, but remains sitting beneath the pear-tree +pruning its feathers; that will be thy son.” Then the +man thanked the old white father and went on.</p> +<p>He came to the charred stumps. “Oh!” cried he, +and out came Oh and led him to his sylvan realm. +There Oh scattered about handfuls of wheat and called +his doves, and there flew down such a multitude of +them that there was no counting them, and one dove +was just like another. “Dost thou recognize thy son?” +asked Oh. “An thou knowest him again, he is thine; +an thou knowest him not, he is mine.” Now all the +doves there were pecking at the wheat, all but one that +sat alone beneath the pear-tree, sticking out its breast +and pruning its feathers. “That is my son,” said the +man.––“Since thou hast guessed him, take him,” replied +Oh. Then the father took the dove, and immediately it +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_21' name='page_21'></a>21</span> +changed into a handsome young man, and a handsomer +was not to be found in the wide world. The father +rejoiced greatly and embraced and kissed him. “Let us +go home, my son!” said he. So they went.</p> +<p>As they went along the road together they fell a-talking, +and his father asked him how he had fared at +Oh’s. The son told him. Then the father told the son +what he had suffered, and it was the son’s turn to listen. +Furthermore the father said, “What shall we do now, +my son? I am poor and thou art poor: hast thou +served these three years and earned nothing?”––“Grieve +not, dear dad, all will come right in the end. +Look! there are some young nobles hunting after a +fox. I will turn myself into a greyhound and catch the +fox, then the young noblemen will want to buy me of +thee, and thou must sell me to them for three hundred +roubles––only, mind thou sell me without a chain; then +we shall have lots of money at home, and will live +happily together!”</p> +<p>They went on and on, and there, on the borders of a +forest, some hounds were chasing a fox. They chased +it and chased it, but the fox kept on escaping, and the +hounds could not run it down. Then the son changed +himself into a greyhound, and ran down the fox and +killed it. The noblemen thereupon came galloping out +of the forest. “Is that thy greyhound?”––“It is.”––“’Tis +a good dog; wilt sell it to us?”––“Bid for it!”––“What +dost thou require?”––“Three hundred +roubles without a chain.”––“What do we want with <i>thy</i> +chain, we would give him a chain of gold. Say a hundred +roubles!”––“Nay!”––“Then take thy money and +give us the dog.” They counted down the money and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_22' name='page_22'></a>22</span> +took the dog and set off hunting. They sent the dog +after another fox. Away he went after it and chased it +right into the forest, but then he turned into a youth +again and rejoined his father.</p> +<p>They went on and on, and his father said to him, +“What use is this money to us after all? It is barely +enough to begin housekeeping with and repair our +hut.”––“Grieve not, dear dad, we shall get more still. +Over yonder are some young noblemen hunting quails +with falcons. I will change myself into a falcon, and +thou must sell me to them; only sell me for three +hundred roubles, and without a hood.”</p> +<p>They went into the plain, and there were some +young noblemen casting their falcon at a quail. The +falcon pursued but always fell short of the quail, and +the quail always eluded the falcon. The son then +changed himself into a falcon and immediately struck +down its prey. The young noblemen saw it and were +astonished. “Is that thy falcon?”––“’Tis mine.”––“Sell +it to us, then!”––“Bid for it!”––“What dost +thou want for it?”––“If ye give three hundred roubles, +ye may take it, but it must be without the hood.”––“As +if we want <i>thy</i> hood! We’ll make for it a hood worthy +of a Tsar.” So they higgled and haggled, but at last +they gave him the three hundred roubles. Then the +young nobles sent the falcon after another quail, and it +flew and flew till it beat down its prey; but then he +became a youth again, and went on with his father.</p> +<p>“How shall we manage to live with so little?” said +the father.––“Wait a while, dad, and we shall have +still more,” said the son. “When we pass through the +fair I’ll change myself into a horse, and thou must sell +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_23' name='page_23'></a>23</span> +me. They will give thee a thousand roubles for me, +only sell me without a halter.” So when they got to +the next little town, where they were holding a fair, the +son changed himself into a horse, a horse as supple as +a serpent, and so fiery that it was dangerous to approach +him. The father led the horse along by the halter; it +pranced about and struck sparks from the ground with +its hoofs. Then the horse-dealers came together and +began to bargain for it. “A thousand roubles down,” +said he, “and you may have it, but without the halter.”––“What +do we want with <i>thy</i> halter? We will make for +it a silver-gilt halter. Come, we’ll give thee five hundred!”––“No!” +said he. Then up there came a +gipsy, blind of one eye. “O man! what dost thou +want for that horse?” said he.––“A thousand roubles +without the halter.”––“Nay! but that is dear, little +father! Wilt thou not take five hundred with the +halter?”––“No, not a bit of it!”––“Take six hundred, +then!” Then the gipsy began higgling and haggling, +but the man would not give way. “Come, sell it,” +said he, “with the halter.”––“No, thou gipsy, I have a +liking for that halter.”––“But, my good man, when +didst thou ever see them sell a horse without a halter? +How then can one lead him off?”––“Nevertheless, +the halter must remain mine.”––“Look now, my father, +I’ll give thee five roubles extra, only I must have the +halter.”––The old man fell a-thinking. “A halter of +this kind is worth but three <i>grivni</i><a name='FNanchor_0004' id='FNanchor_0004'></a><a href='#Footnote_0004' class='fnanchor'>[4]</a> and the gipsy offers +me five roubles for it; let him have it.” So they +clinched the bargain with a good drink, and the old man +went home with the money, and the gipsy walked off +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_24' name='page_24'></a>24</span> +with the horse. But it was not really a gipsy, but Oh, +who had taken the shape of a gipsy.</p> +<div class='figtag'> +<a name='linki_4' id='linki_4'></a> +</div> +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/illus-029.png' alt='' title='' width='403' height='500' /><br /> +<p class='caption'> +“HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT FOR THAT HORSE?”<br /> +</p> +</div> +<p>Then Oh rode off on the horse, and the horse carried +him higher than the trees of the forest, but lower than +the clouds of the sky. At last they sank down among +the woods and came to Oh’s hut, and Oh went into his +hut and left his horse outside on the steppe. “This +son of a dog shall not escape from my hands so quickly +a second time,” said he to his wife. At dawn Oh +took the horse by the bridle and led it away to the river +to water it. But no sooner did the horse get to the +river and bend down its head to drink than it turned +into a perch and began swimming away. Oh, without +more ado, turned himself into a pike and pursued the +perch. But just as the pike was almost up with it, the +perch gave a sudden twist and stuck out its spiky fins +and turned its tail toward the pike, so that the pike +could not lay hold of it. So when the pike came up to +it, it said, “Perch! perch! turn thy head toward me, +I want to have a chat with thee!”––“I can hear thee +very well as I am, dear cousin, if thou art inclined to +chat,” said the perch. So off they set again, and again +the pike overtook the perch. “Perch! perch! turn +thy head round toward me, I want to have a chat with +thee!” Then the perch stuck out its bristly fins again +and said, “If thou dost wish to have a chat, dear cousin, +I can hear thee just as well as I am.” So the pike kept +on pursuing the perch, but it was of no use. At last +the perch swam ashore, and there was a Tsarivna<a name='FNanchor_0005' id='FNanchor_0005'></a><a href='#Footnote_0005' class='fnanchor'>[5]</a> +whittling an ash twig. The perch changed itself into a +gold ring set with garnets, and the Tsarivna saw it and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_25' name='page_25'></a>25</span> +fished up the ring out of the water. Full of joy she +took it home, and said to her father, “Look, dear papa! +what a nice ring I have found!” The Tsar kissed +her, but the Tsarivna did not know which finger it +would suit best, it was so lovely.</p> +<p>About the same time they told the Tsar that a certain +merchant had come to the palace. It was Oh, who +had changed himself into a merchant. The Tsar went +out to him and said, “What dost thou want, old man?”––“I +was sailing on the sea in my ship,” said Oh, “and +carrying to the Tsar of my own land a precious garnet +ring, and this ring I dropped into the water. Has any +of thy servants perchance found this precious ring?”––“No, +but my daughter has,” said the Tsar. So they +called the damsel, and Oh began to beg her to give it +back to him, “for I may not live in this world if I bring +not the ring,” said he. But it was of no avail, she would +not give it up.</p> +<p>Then the Tsar himself spoke to her. “Nay, but, +darling daughter, give it up, lest misfortune befall this +man because of us; give it up, I say!” Then Oh +begged and prayed her yet more, and said, “Take +what thou wilt of me, only give me back the ring.”––“Nay, +then,” said the Tsarivna, “it shall be neither +mine nor thine,” and with that she tossed the ring +upon the ground, and it turned into a heap of millet-seed +and scattered all about the floor. Then Oh, +without more ado, changed into a cock, and began +pecking up all the seed. He pecked and pecked till he +had pecked it all up. Yet there was one single little +grain of millet which rolled right beneath the feet of the +Tsarivna, and that he did not see. When he had done +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_26' name='page_26'></a>26</span> +pecking he got upon the window-sill, opened his wings, +and flew right away.</p> +<p>But the one remaining grain of millet-seed turned +into a most beauteous youth, a youth so beauteous that +when the Tsarivna beheld him she fell in love with +him on the spot, and begged the Tsar and Tsaritsa +right piteously to let her have him as her husband. +“With no other shall I ever be happy,” said she; “my +happiness is in him alone!” For a long time the Tsar +wrinkled his brows at the thought of giving his daughter +to a simple youth; but at last he gave them his blessing, +and they crowned them with bridal wreaths, and all +the world was bidden to the wedding-feast. And I too +was there, and drank beer and mead, and what my +mouth could not hold ran down over my beard, and +my heart rejoiced within me.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_27' name='page_27'></a>27</span></div> +<h2>THE STORY OF +THE WIND</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_29' name='page_29'></a>29</span> +<a name='THE_STORY_OF_THE_WIND' id='THE_STORY_OF_THE_WIND'></a> +<h3>THE STORY OF THE WIND</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>Once</span> upon a time there dwelt two brethren in +one village, and one brother was very, very rich, +and the other brother was very, very poor. The +rich man had wealth of all sorts, but all that the poor +man had was a heap of children.</p> +<p>One day, at harvest-time, the poor man left his wife +and went to reap and thresh out his little plot of wheat, +but the Wind came and swept all his corn away down +to the very last grain. The poor man was exceeding +wrath thereat, and said, “Come what will, I’ll go seek +the Wind, and I’ll tell him with what pains and trouble +I had got my corn to grow and ripen, and then he, +forsooth! must needs come and blow it all away.”</p> +<div class='figtag'> +<a name='linki_5' id='linki_5'></a> +</div> +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/illus-037.png' alt='' title='' width='406' height='500' /><br /> +<p class='caption'> +THE WIND CAME AND SWEPT ALL HIS CORN AWAY<br /> +</p> +</div> +<p>So the man went home and made ready to go, and +as he was making ready his wife said to him, “Whither +away, husband?”––“I am going to seek the Wind,” +said he; “what dost thou say to that?”––“I should +say, do no such thing,” replied his wife. “Thou +knowest the saying, ‘If thou dost want to find the +Wind, seek him on the open steppe. He can go ten +different ways to thy one.’ Think of that, dear husband, +and go not at all.”––“I mean to go,” replied the +man, “though I never return home again.” Then he +took leave of his wife and children, and went straight +out into the wide world to seek the Wind on the open +steppe.</p> +<p>He went on farther and farther till he saw before +him a forest, and on the borders of that forest stood a +hut on hens’ legs. The man went into this hut and was +filled with astonishment, for there lay on the floor a +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_30' name='page_30'></a>30</span> +huge, huge old man, as grey as milk. He lay there +stretched at full length, his head on the seat of honour,<a name='FNanchor_0006' id='FNanchor_0006'></a><a href='#Footnote_0006' class='fnanchor'>[6]</a> +with an arm and leg in each of the four corners, and all +his hair standing on end. It was no other than the +Wind himself. The man stared at this awful Ancient +with terror, for never in his life had he seen anything +like it. “God help thee, old father!” cried he.––“Good +health to thee, good man!” said the ancient +giant, as he lay on the floor of the hut. Then he asked +him in the most friendly manner, “Whence hath God +brought thee hither, good man?”––“I am wandering +through the wide world in search of the Wind,” said the +man. “If I find him, I will turn back; if I don’t find +him, I shall go on and on till I do.”––“What dost thou +want with the Wind?” asked the old giant lying on +the floor. “Or what wrong hath he done thee, that +thou shouldst seek him out so doggedly?”––“What +wrong hath he done me?” replied the wayfarer. +“Hearken now, O Ancient, and I will tell thee! I +went straight from my wife into the field and reaped +my little plot of corn; but when I began to thresh it +out, the Wind came and caught and scattered every +bit of it in a twinkling, so that there was not a single +little grain of it left. So now thou dost see, old man, +what I have to thank him for. Tell me, in God’s name, +why such things be? My little plot of corn was my +all-in-all, and in the sweat of my brow did I reap and +thresh it; but the Wind came and blew it all away, so +that not a trace of it is to be found in the wide world. +Then I thought to myself, ‘Why should he do this?’ +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_31' name='page_31'></a>31</span> +And I said to my wife, ‘I’ll go seek the Wind, and say +to him, “Another time, visit not the poor man who +hath but a little corn, and blow it not away, for bitterly +doth he rue it!”’”––“Good, my son!” said the giant +who lay on the floor. “I shall know better in future; +in future I will not blow away the poor man’s corn. +But, good man, there is no need for thee to seek the +Wind in the open steppe, for I myself am the Wind.”––“Then +if thou art the Wind,” said the man, “give +me back my corn.”––“Nay,” said the giant; “thou +canst not make the dead come back from the grave. +Yet, inasmuch as I have done thee a mischief, I will +now give thee this sack, good man, and do thou take +it home with thee. And whenever thou wantest a meal +say, ‘Sack, sack, give me to eat and drink!’ and +immediately thou shalt have thy fill both of meat and +drink, so now thou wilt have wherewithal to comfort +thy wife and children.”</p> +<p>Then the man was full of gratitude. “I thank thee, +O Wind!” said he, “for thy courtesy in giving me +such a sack as will give me my fill of meat and drink +without the trouble of working for it.”––“For a lazy +loon, ’twere a double boon,” said the Wind. “Go +home, then, but look now, enter no tavern by the way; +I shall know it if thou dost.”––“No,” said the man, +“I will not.” And then he took leave of the Wind and +went his way.</p> +<p>He had not gone very far when he passed by a +tavern, and he felt a burning desire to find out whether +the Wind had spoken the truth in the matter of the +sack. “How can a man pass a tavern without going +into it?” thought he; “I’ll go in, come what may. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_32' name='page_32'></a>32</span> +The Wind won’t know, because he can’t see.” So he +went into the tavern and hung up his sack upon a peg. +The Jew who kept the tavern immediately said to him, +“What dost thou want, good man?”––“What is that +to thee, thou dog?” said the man.––“You are all alike,” +sneered the Jew, “take what you can, and pay for +nothing.”––“Dost think I want to buy anything from +thee?” shrieked the man; then, turning angrily to the +sack, he cried, “Sack, sack, give me to eat and drink!” +Immediately the table was covered with all sorts of +meats and liquors. Then all the Jews in the tavern +crowded round full of amazement, and asked all manner +of questions. “Why, what is this, good man?” said +they; “never have we seen anything like this before!”––“Ask +no questions, ye accursed Jews!” cried the +man, “but sit down to eat, for there is enough for all.” +So the Jews and the Jewesses set to and ate until they +were full up to the ears; and they drank the man’s +health in pitchers of wine of every sort, and said, +“Drink, good man, and spare not, and when thou hast +drunk thy fill thou shalt lodge with us this night. +We’ll make ready a bed for thee. None shall vex thee. +Come now, eat and drink whatever thy soul desires.” +So the Jews flattered him with devilish cunning, and +almost forced the wine-jars to his lips.</p> +<p>The simple fellow did not perceive their malice and +cunning, and he got so drunk that he could not move +from the place, but went to sleep where he was. Then +the Jews changed his sack for another, which they hung +up on a peg, and then they woke him. “Dost hear, +fellow!” cried they; “get up, it is time to go home. +Dost thou not see the morning light?” The man sat +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_33' name='page_33'></a>33</span> +up and scratched the back of his head, for he was loath +to go. But what was he to do? So he shouldered the +sack that was hanging on the peg, and went off home.</p> +<p>When he got to his house, he cried, “Open the +door, wife!” Then his wife opened the door, and he +went in and hung his sack on the peg and said, “Sit +down at the table, dear wife, and you children sit down +there too. Now, thank God! we shall have enough to +eat and drink, and to spare.” The wife looked at her +husband and smiled. She thought he was mad, but +down she sat, and her children sat down all round her, +and she waited to see what her husband would do +next. Then the man said, “Sack, sack, give to us +meat and drink!” But the sack was silent. Then he +said again, “Sack, sack, give my children something to +eat!” And still the sack was silent. Then the man +fell into a violent rage. “Thou didst give me something +at the tavern,” cried he; “and now I may call in vain. +Thou givest nothing, and thou hearest nothing”––and, +leaping from his seat, he took up a club and began +beating the sack till he had knocked a hole in the wall, +and beaten the sack to bits. Then he set off to seek the +Wind again. But his wife stayed at home and put +everything to rights again, railing and scolding at her +husband as a madman.</p> +<p>But the man went to the Wind and said, “Hail to +thee, O Wind!”––“Good health to thee, O man!” +replied the Wind. Then the Wind asked, “Wherefore +hast thou come hither, O man? Did I not give thee +a sack? What more dost thou want?”––“A pretty +sack indeed!” replied the man; “that sack of thine +has been the cause of much mischief to me and mine.”––“What +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_34' name='page_34'></a>34</span> +mischief has it done thee?”––“Why, look +now, old father, I’ll tell thee what it has done. It +wouldn’t give me anything to eat and drink, so I began +beating it, and beat the wall in. Now what shall I do +to repair my crazy hut? Give me something, old +father.”––But the Wind replied, “Nay, O man, thou +must do without. Fools are neither sown nor reaped, +but grow of their own accord––hast thou not been into +a tavern?”––“I have not,” said the man.––“Thou hast +not? Why wilt thou lie?”––“Well, and suppose I +did lie?” said the man; “if thou suffer harm through +thine own fault, hold thy tongue about it, that’s what I +say. Yet it is all the fault of thy sack that this evil has +come upon me. If it had only given me to eat and to +drink, I should not have come to thee again.” At this +the Wind scratched his head a bit, but then he said, +“Well then, thou man! there’s a little ram for thee, +and whenever thou dost want money say to it, ‘Little +ram, little ram, scatter money!’ and it will scatter +money as much as thou wilt. Only bear this in mind: +go not into a tavern, for if thou dost, I shall know all +about it; and if thou comest to me a third time, thou +shalt have cause to remember it for ever.”––“Good,” +said the man, “I won’t go.”––Then he took the little +ram, thanked the Wind, and went on his way.</p> +<p>So the man went along leading the little ram by a +string, and they came to a tavern, that very same tavern +where he had been before, and again a strong desire +came upon the man to go in. So he stood by the door +and began thinking whether he should go in or not, +and whether he had any need to find out the truth +about the little ram. “Well, well,” said he at last, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_35' name='page_35'></a>35</span> +“I’ll go in, only this time I won’t get drunk. I’ll +drink just a glass or so, and then I’ll go home.” So +into the tavern he went, dragging the little ram after +him, for he was afraid to let it go.</p> +<p>Now, when the Jews who were inside there saw the +little ram, they began shrieking and said, “What art +thou thinking of, O man! that thou bringest that +little ram into the room? Are there no barns outside +where thou mayst put it up?”––“Hold your tongues, +ye accursed wretches!” replied the man; “what has +it got to do with you? It is not the sort of ram that +fellows like you deal in. And if you don’t believe me, +spread a cloth on the floor and you shall see something, +I warrant you.”––Then he said, “Little ram, little ram, +scatter money!” and the little ram scattered so much +money that it seemed to grow, and the Jews screeched +like demons.––“O man, man!” cried they, “such a +ram as that we have never seen in all our days. Sell it +to us! We will give thee such a lot of money for it.”––“You +may pick up all that money, ye accursed ones,” +cried the man, “but I don’t mean to sell my ram.”</p> +<p>Then the Jews picked up the money, but they laid +before him a table covered with all the dishes that a +man’s heart may desire, and they begged him to sit +down and make merry, and said with true Jewish +cunning, “Though thou mayst get a little lively, don’t +get drunk, for thou knowest how drink plays the fool +with a man’s wits.”––The man marvelled at the straightforwardness +of the Jews in warning him against the +drink, and, forgetting everything else, sat down at table +and began drinking pot after pot of mead, and talking +with the Jews, and his little ram went clean out of his +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_36' name='page_36'></a>36</span> +head. But the Jews made him drunk, and laid him in +the bed, and changed rams with him; his they took +away, and put in its place one of their own exactly +like it.</p> +<p>When the man had slept off his carouse, he arose +and went away, taking the ram with him, after bidding +the Jews farewell. When he got to his hut he found +his wife in the doorway, and the moment she saw him +coming, she went into the hut and cried to her children, +“Come, children! make haste, make haste! for daddy +is coming, and brings a little ram along with him; get +up, and look sharp about it! An evil year of waiting +has been the lot of wretched me, but he has come home +at last.”</p> +<p>The husband arrived at the door and said, “Open +the door, little wife; open, I say!”––The wife replied, +“Thou art not a great nobleman, so open the door +thyself. Why dost thou get so drunk that thou dost +not know how to open a door? It’s an evil time that +I spend with thee. Here we are with all these little +children, and yet thou dost go away and drink.”––Then +the wife opened the door, and the husband walked +into the hut and said, “Good health to thee, dear +wife!”––But the wife cried, “Why dost thou bring that +ram inside the hut, can’t it stay outside the walls?”––“Wife, +wife!” said the man, “speak, but don’t +screech. Now we shall have all manner of good things, +and the children will have a fine time of it.”––“What!” +said the wife, “what good can we get from that wretched +ram? Where shall we get the money to find food for +it? Why, we’ve nothing to eat ourselves, and thou +dost saddle us with a ram besides. Stuff and nonsense! +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_37' name='page_37'></a>37</span> +I say.”––“Silence, wife,” replied the husband; “that +ram is not like other rams, I tell thee.”––“What sort is +it, then?” asked his wife.––“Don’t ask questions, but +spread a cloth on the floor and keep thine eyes open.”––“Why +spread a cloth?” asked the wife.––“Why?” +shrieked the man in a rage; “do what I tell thee, and +hold thy tongue.”––But the wife said, “Alas, alas! +I have an evil time of it. Thou dost nothing at all +but go away and drink, and then thou comest home +and dost talk nonsense, and bringest sacks and rams +with thee, and knockest down our little hut.”––At this +the husband could control his rage no longer, but +shrieked at the ram, “Little ram, little ram, scatter +money!”––But the ram only stood there and stared +at him. Then he cried again, “Little ram, little ram, +scatter money!”––But the ram stood there stock-still +and did nothing. Then the man in his anger caught +up a piece of wood and struck the ram on the head, but +the poor ram only uttered a feeble baa! and fell to the +earth dead.</p> +<p>The man was now very much offended and said, +“I’ll go to the Wind again, and I’ll tell him what a fool +he has made of me.” Then he took up his hat and +went, leaving everything behind him. And the poor +wife put everything to rights, and reproached and railed +at her husband.</p> +<p>So the man came to the Wind for the third time and +said, “Wilt thou tell me, please, if thou art really the +Wind or no?”––“What’s the matter with thee?” +asked the Wind.––“I’ll tell thee what’s the matter,” +said the man; “why hast thou laughed at and mocked +me and made such a fool of me?”––“I laugh at <i>thee</i>!” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_38' name='page_38'></a>38</span> +thundered the old father as he lay there on the floor +and turned round on the other ear; “why didst thou +not hold fast what I gave thee? Why didst thou not +listen to me when I told thee not to go into the tavern, +eh?”––“What tavern dost thou mean?” asked the man +proudly; “as for the sack and the ram thou didst +give me, they only did me a mischief; give me something +else.”––“What’s the use of giving thee anything?” +said the Wind; “thou wilt only take it to the +tavern. Out of the drum, my twelve henchmen!” +cried the Wind, “and just give this accursed drunkard +a good lesson that he may keep his throat dry and listen +a little more to old people!”––Immediately twelve +henchmen leaped out of his drum and began giving the +man a sound thrashing. Then the man saw that it was +no joke and begged for mercy. “Dear old father +Wind,” cried he, “be merciful, and let me get off +alive. I’ll not come to thee again though I should +have to wait till the Judgment Day, and I’ll do all thy +behests.”––“Into the drum, my henchmen!” cried the +Wind.––“And now, O man!” said the Wind, “thou +mayst have this drum with the twelve henchmen, and +go to those accursed Jews, and if they will not give thee +back thy sack and thy ram, thou wilt know what to +say.”</p> +<div class='figtag'> +<a name='linki_6' id='linki_6'></a> +</div> +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/illus-049.png' alt='' title='' width='408' height='500' /><br /> +<p class='caption'> +“OUT OF THE DRUM, MY HENCHMEN!”<br /> +</p> +</div> +<p>So the man thanked the Wind for his good advice, +and went on his way. He came to the inn, and when +the Jews saw that he brought nothing with him they +said, “Hearken, O man! don’t come here, for we +have no brandy.”––“What do I want with your +brandy?” cried the man in a rage.––“Then for what +hast thou come hither?”––“I have come for my own.”––“Thy own,” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_39' name='page_39'></a>39</span> +said the Jews; “what dost thou mean?”––“What +do I mean?” roared the man; “why, my +sack and my ram, which you must give up to me.”––“What +ram? What sack?” said the Jews; “why, +thou didst take them away from here thyself.”––“Yes, +but you changed them,” said the man.––“What dost +thou mean by changed?” whined the Jews; “we will +go before the magistrate, and thou shalt hear from us +about this.”––“You will have an evil time of it if you +go before the magistrate,” said the man; “but at any +rate, give me back my own.” And he sat down upon a +bench. Then the Jews caught him by the shoulders +to cast him out and cried, “Be off, thou rascal! Does +any one know where this man comes from? No doubt +he is an evil-doer.” The man could not stand this, so +he cried, “Out of the drum, my henchmen! and give +the accursed Jews a sound drubbing, that they may +know better than to take in honest folk!” and immediately +the twelve henchmen leaped out of the drum and +began thwacking the Jews finely.––“Oh, oh!” roared +the Jews; “oh, dear, darling, good man, we’ll give +thee whatever thou dost want, only leave off beating +us! Let us live a bit longer in the world, and we will +give thee back everything.”––“Good!” said the man, +“and another time you’ll know better than to deceive +people.” Then he cried, “Into the drum, my henchmen!” +and the henchmen disappeared, leaving the +Jews more dead than alive. Then they gave the man +his sack and his ram, and he went home, but it was a +long, long time before the Jews forgot those henchmen.</p> +<p>So the man went home, and his wife and children +saw him coming from afar. “Daddy is coming home +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_40' name='page_40'></a>40</span> +now with a sack and a ram!” said she; “what shall +we do? We shall have a bad time of it, we shall have +nothing left at all. God defend us poor wretches! +Go and hide everything, children.” So the children +hastened away, but the husband came to the door and +said, “Open the door!”––“Open the door thyself,” +replied the wife.––Again the husband bade her open the +door, but she paid no heed to him. The man was +astonished. This was carrying a joke too far, so he +cried to his henchmen, “Henchmen, henchmen! out +of the drum, and teach my wife to respect her husband!” +Then the henchmen leaped out of the drum, laid the +good wife by the heels, and began to give her a sound +drubbing. “Oh, my dear, darling husband!” shrieked +the wife, “never to the end of my days will I be sulky +with thee again. I’ll do whatever thou tellest me, only +leave off beating me.”––“Then I have taught thee +sense, eh?” said the man.––“Oh, yes, yes, good husband!” +cried she. Then the man said: “Henchmen, +henchmen! into the drum!” and the henchmen leaped +into it again, leaving the poor wife more dead than +alive.</p> +<p>Then the husband said to her, “Wife, spread a cloth +upon the floor.” The wife scudded about as nimbly as +a fly, and spread a cloth out on the floor without a +word. Then the husband said, “Little ram, little ram, +scatter money!” And the little ram scattered money +till there were piles and piles of it. “Pick it up, my +children,” said the man, “and thou too, wife, take +what thou wilt!”––And they didn’t wait to be asked +twice. Then the man hung up his sack on a peg and +said, “Sack, sack, meat and drink!” Then he caught +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_41' name='page_41'></a>41</span> +hold of it and shook it, and immediately the table was +as full as it could hold with all manner of victuals and +drink. “Sit down, my children, and thou too, dear +wife, and eat thy fill. Thank God, we shall now have +no lack of food, and shall not have to work for it either.”</p> +<p>So the man and his wife were very happy together, +and were never tired of thanking the Wind. They had +not had the sack and the ram very long when they grew +very rich, and then the husband said to the wife, “I +tell thee what, wife!”––“What?” said she.––“Let us +invite my brother to come and see us.”––“Very good,” +she replied; “invite him, but dost thou think he’ll +come?”––“Why shouldn’t he?” asked her husband. +“Now, thank God, we have everything we want. He +wouldn’t come to us when we were poor and he was rich, +because then he was ashamed to say that I was his brother, +but now even he hasn’t got so much as we have.”</p> +<p>So they made ready, and the man went to invite +his brother. The poor man came to his rich brother +and said, “Hail to thee, brother; God help thee!”––Now +the rich brother was threshing wheat on his +threshing-floor, and, raising his head, was surprised to +see his brother there, and said to him haughtily, “I +thank thee. Hail to thee also! Sit down, my brother, +and tell us why thou hast come hither.”––“Thanks, +my brother, I do not want to sit down. I have come +hither to invite thee to us, thee and thy wife.”––“Wherefore?” +asked the rich brother.––The poor man +said, “My wife prays thee, and I pray thee also, to +come and dine with us of thy courtesy.”––“Good!” +replied the rich brother, smiling secretly. “I will come +whatever thy dinner may be.”</p> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_42' name='page_42'></a>42</span></div> +<p>So the rich man went with his wife to the poor man, +and already from afar they perceived that the poor man +had grown rich. And the poor man rejoiced greatly +when he saw his rich brother in his house. And his +tongue was loosened, and he began to show him everything, +whatsoever he possessed. The rich man was +amazed that things were going so well with his brother, +and asked him how he had managed to get on so. But +the poor man answered, “Don’t ask me, brother. I +have more to show thee yet.” Then he took him to his +copper money, and said, “There are my oats, brother!” +Then he took and showed him his silver money, and +said, “That’s the sort of barley I thresh on my threshing-floor!” +And, last of all, he took him to his gold money, +and said, “There, my dear brother, is the best wheat +I’ve got.”––Then the rich brother shook his head, not +once nor twice, and marvelled at the sight of so many +good things, and he said, “Wherever didst thou pick +up all this, my brother?”––“Oh! I’ve more than that +to show thee yet. Just be so good as to sit down on +that chair, and I’ll show and tell thee everything.”</p> +<p>Then they sat them down, and the poor man hung +up his sack upon a peg. “Sack, sack, meat and drink!” +he cried, and immediately the table was covered with +all manner of dishes. So they ate and ate, till they +were full up to the ears. When they had eaten and +drunken their fill, the poor man called to his son to +bring the little ram into the hut. So the lad brought +in the ram, and the rich brother wondered what they +were going to do with it. Then the poor man said, +“Little ram, scatter money!” And the little ram +scattered money, till there were piles and piles of it on +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_43' name='page_43'></a>43</span> +the floor. “Pick it up!” said the poor man to the rich +man and his wife. So they picked it up, and the rich +brother and his wife marvelled, and the brother said, +“Thou hast a very nice piece of goods there, brother. +If I had only something like that I should lack nothing;” +then, after thinking a long time, he said, “Sell it to me, +my brother.”––“No,” said the poor man, “I will not +sell it.”––After a little time, however, the rich brother +said again, “Come now! I’ll give thee for it six yoke +of oxen, and a plough, and a harrow, and a hay-fork, +and I’ll give thee besides, lots of corn to sow, thus +thou wilt have plenty, but give me the ram and the +sack.” So at last they exchanged. The rich man took +the sack and the ram, and the poor man took the oxen +and went out to the plough.</p> +<p>Then the poor brother went out ploughing all day, +but he neither watered his oxen nor gave them anything +to eat. And next day the poor brother again +went out to his oxen, but found them rolling on their +sides on the ground. He began to pull and tug at +them, but they didn’t get up. Then he began to beat +them with a stick, but they uttered not a sound. The +man was surprised to find them fit for nothing, and off +he ran to his brother, not forgetting to take with him his +drum with the henchmen.</p> +<p>When the poor brother came to the rich brother’s, he +lost no time in crossing his threshold, and said, “Hail, +my brother!”––“Good health to thee also!” replied +the rich man, “why hast thou come hither? Has thy +plough broken, or thy oxen failed thee? Perchance +thou hast watered them with foul water, so that their +blood is stagnant, and their flesh inflamed?”––“The +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_44' name='page_44'></a>44</span> +murrain take ’em if I know thy meaning!” cried the +poor brother. “All that I know is that I thwacked ’em +till my arms ached, and they wouldn’t stir, and not a +single grunt did they give; till I was so angry that I +spat at them, and came to tell thee. Give me back my +sack and my ram, I say, and take back thy oxen, for +they won’t listen to me!”––“What! take them back!” +roared the rich brother. “Dost think I only made the +exchange for a single day? No, I gave them to thee +once and for all, and now thou wouldst rip the whole +thing up like a goat at the fair. I have no doubt thou +hast neither watered them nor fed them, and that is why +they won’t stand up.”––“I didn’t know,” said the poor +man, “that oxen needed water and food.”––“Didn’t +know!” screeched the rich man, in a mighty rage, and +taking the poor brother by the hand, he led him away +from the hut. “Go away,” said he, “and never come +back here again, or I’ll have thee hanged on a gallows!”––“Ah! +what a big gentleman we are!” said the poor +brother; “just thou give me back my own, and then +I will go away.”––“Thou hadst better not stop here,” +said the rich brother; “come, stir thy stumps, thou +pagan! Go home ere I beat thee!”––“Don’t say +that,” replied the poor man, “but give me back my +ram and my sack, and then I <i>will</i> go.”––At this the rich +brother quite lost his temper, and cried to his wife and +children, “Why do you stand staring like that? Can’t +you come and help me to pitch this insolent rogue out +of the house?” This, however, was something beyond +a joke, so the poor brother called to his henchmen, +“Henchmen, henchmen! out of the drum, and give +this brother of mine and his wife a sound drubbing, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_45' name='page_45'></a>45</span> +that they may think twice about it another time before +they pitch a poor brother out of their hut!” Then the +henchmen leaped out of the drum, and laid hold of the +rich brother and his wife, and trounced them soundly, +until the rich brother yelled with all his might, “Oh, +oh! my own true brother, take what thou wilt, only let +me off alive!” whereupon the poor brother cried to his +henchmen, “Henchmen, henchmen! into the drum!” +and the henchmen disappeared immediately.</p> +<p>Then the poor brother took his ram and his sack, and +set off home with them. And they lived happily ever +after, and grew richer and richer. They sowed neither +wheat nor barley, and yet they had lots and lots to eat. +And I was there, and drank mead and beer. What my +mouth couldn’t hold ran down my beard. For you, +there’s a <i>kazka</i>, but there be fat hearth-cakes for me the +asker. And if I have aught to eat, thou shalt share the +treat.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_47' name='page_47'></a>47</span></div> +<h2>THE VOICES AT +THE WINDOW</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_49' name='page_49'></a>49</span> +<a name='THE_VOICES_AT_THE_WINDOW' id='THE_VOICES_AT_THE_WINDOW'></a> +<h3>THE VOICES AT THE WINDOW</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>A nobleman</span> went hunting one autumn, and +with him went a goodly train of huntsmen. All +day long they hunted and hunted, and at the +end of the day they had caught nothing. At last dark +night overtook them. It had now grown bitterly cold, +and the rain began to fall heavily. The nobleman was +wet to the skin, and his teeth chattered. He rubbed +his hands together and cried, “Oh, had we but a +warm hut, and a white bed, and soft bread, and sour +kvas,<a name='FNanchor_0007' id='FNanchor_0007'></a><a href='#Footnote_0007' class='fnanchor'>[7]</a> we should have naught to complain of, but +would tell tales and feign fables till dawn of day!” +Immediately there shone a light in the depths of the +forest. They hastened up to it, and lo! there was +a hut. They entered, and on the table lay bread and +a jug of kvas; and the hut was warm, and the bed +therein was white––everything just as the nobleman +had desired it. So they all entered after him, and +said grace, and had supper, and laid them down to +sleep.</p> +<p>They all slept, all but one, but to him slumber would +not come. About midnight he heard a strange noise, +and something came to the window and said, “Oh, +thou son of a dog! thou didst say, ‘If we had but a +warm hut, and a white bed, and soft bread, and sour +kvas, we should have naught to complain of, but would +tell tales and feign fables till dawn’; but now thou hast +forgotten thy fine promise! Wherefore this shall befall +thee on thy way home. Thou shalt fall in with an apple-tree +full of apples, and thou shalt desire to taste of them, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_50' name='page_50'></a>50</span> +and when thou hast tasted thereof thou shalt burst. +And if any of these thy huntsmen hear this thing and +tell thee of it, that man shall become stone to the +knee!” All this that huntsman heard, and he thought, +“Woe is me!”</p> +<p>And about the second cockcrow something else came +to the window and said, “Oh, thou son of a dog! +thou didst say, ‘If we had but a warm hut, and a +white bed, and soft bread, and sour kvas, we should +have naught to complain of, but would tell tales and +feign fables till dawn’; but now thou hast forgotten +thy fine promises! Wherefore this shall befall thee on +thy way home. Thou shalt come upon a spring by the +roadside, a spring of pure water, and thou shalt desire +to drink of it, and when thou hast drunk thereof thou +shalt burst. But if any of these thy huntsmen hear and +tell thee of this thing, he shall become stone to the +girdle.” All this that huntsman heard, and he thought +to himself, “Woe is me!”</p> +<p>Again, toward the third cockcrow, he heard something +else coming to the window, and it said, “Oh, +thou son of a dog! thou didst say, ‘If only we had a +warm hut, and a white bed, and soft bread, and sour +kvas, we should have naught to complain of, but would +tell tales and feign fables till dawn’; but now thou +hast forgotten all thy fine promises! Wherefore this +shall befall thee on thy way home. Thou shalt come +upon a feather-bed in the highway; a longing for rest +shall come over thee, and thou wilt lie down on it, and +the moment thou liest down thereon thou shalt burst. +But if any of thy huntsmen hear this thing and tell it +thee, he shall become stone up to the neck!” All this +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_51' name='page_51'></a>51</span> +that huntsman heard, and then he awoke his comrades +and said, “It is time to depart!”––“Let us go then,” +said the nobleman.</p> +<p>So on they went, and they had not gone very far +when they saw an apple-tree growing by the wayside, +and on it were apples so beautiful that words +cannot describe them. The nobleman felt that he +must taste of these apples or die; but the wakeful +huntsman rushed up and cut down the apple-tree, +whereupon apples and apple-tree turned to ashes. +But the huntsman galloped on before and hid +himself.</p> +<p>They went on a little farther till they came to a +spring, and the water of that spring was so pure and +clear that words cannot describe it. Then the nobleman +felt that he must drink of that water or die; but +the huntsman rushed up and splashed in the spring with +his sword, and immediately the water turned to blood. +The nobleman was wrath, and cried, “Cut me down +that son of a dog!” But the huntsman rode on in front +and hid himself.</p> +<p>They went on still farther till they came upon a +golden bed in the highway, full of white feathers so soft +and cosy that words cannot describe it. The nobleman +felt that he must rest in that bed or die. Then the +huntsman rushed up and struck the bed with his +sword, and it turned to coal. But the nobleman was +very wrath, and cried, “Shoot me down that son of +a dog!” But the huntsman rode on before and hid +himself.</p> +<p>When they got home the nobleman commanded them +to bring the huntsman before him. “What hast thou +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_52' name='page_52'></a>52</span> +done, thou son of Satan?” he cried. “I must needs +slay thee!” But the huntsman said, “My master, +bid them bring hither into the courtyard an old mare +fit for naught but the knacker.” They brought the +mare, and he mounted it and said, “My master, last +midnight something came beneath the window and said, +‘Oh, son of a dog! thou saidst, “If only we had a warm +hut, and a white bed, and soft bread, and sour kvas, we +should grieve no more, but tell tales and feign fables till +dawn,” and now thou hast forgotten thy promise. +Wherefore this shall befall thee on thy way home: thou +shalt come upon an apple-tree covered with apples by +the wayside, and straightway thou shalt long to eat of +them, and the moment thou tastest thereof thou shalt +burst. And if any of thy huntsmen hears this thing, +and tells thee of it, he shall become stone up to the +knee.’” When the huntsman had spoken so far, the +horse on which he sat became stone up to the knee. +Then he went on, “About the second cockcrow something +else came to the window and said the selfsame +thing, and prophesied, ‘He shall come upon a spring +by the roadside, a spring of pure water, and he shall +long to drink thereof, and the moment he tastes of it he +shall burst; and whoever hears and tells him of this +thing shall become stone right up to the girdle.’” +And when the huntsman had spoken so far, the horse +on which he sat became stone right up to the breast. +And he continued, and said, “About the third cockcrow +something else came to the window and said the +selfsame thing, and added, ‘This shall befall thy lord +on his way home. He shall come upon a white bed +on the road, and he shall desire to rest upon it, and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_53' name='page_53'></a>53</span> +the moment he rests upon it he shall burst; and +whoever hears and tells him of this thing shall become +stone right up to the neck!’” And with these +words he leaped from the horse, and the horse became +stone right up to its neck. “That therefore, my +master, was why I did what I did, and I pray thee +pardon me.”</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_55' name='page_55'></a>55</span></div> +<h2>THE STORY OF LITTLE +TSAR NOVISHNY, THE +FALSE SISTER, AND THE +FAITHFUL BEASTS</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_57' name='page_57'></a>57</span> +<a name='THE_STORY_OF_LITTLE_TSAR_NOVISHNY_THE_FALSE_SISTER_AND_THE_FAITHFUL_BEASTS' id='THE_STORY_OF_LITTLE_TSAR_NOVISHNY_THE_FALSE_SISTER_AND_THE_FAITHFUL_BEASTS'></a> +<h3>THE STORY OF LITTLE TSAR<br />NOVISHNY, THE FALSE SISTER,<br />AND THE FAITHFUL BEASTS</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>Once</span> upon a time, in a certain kingdom, in a +certain empire, there dwelt a certain Tsar who +had never had a child. One day this Tsar went +to the bazaar (such a bazaar as we have at Kherson) to +buy food for his needs. For though he was a Tsar, he +had a mean and churlish soul, and used always to do his +own marketing, and so now, too, he bought a little salt +fish and went home with it. On his way homeward, a +great thirst suddenly fell upon him, so he turned aside +into a lonely mountain where he knew, as his father had +known before him, there was a spring of crystal-clear +water. He was so very thirsty that he flung himself +down headlong by this spring without first crossing +himself, wherefore that Accursed One, Satan, immediately +had power over him, and caught him by the +beard. The Tsar sprang back in terror, and cried, +“Let me go!” But the Accursed One held him all +the tighter. “Nay, I will not let thee go!” cried he. +Then the Tsar began to entreat him piteously. “Ask +what thou wilt of me,” said he, “only let me go.”––“Give +me, then,” said the Accursed One, “something +that thou hast in the house, and then I’ll let thee go!”––“Let +me see, what have I got?” said the Tsar. +“Oh, I know. I’ve got eight horses at home, the like +of which I have seen nowhere else, and I’ll immediately +bid my equerry bring them to thee to this spring––take +them.”––“I <i>won’t</i> have them!” cried the Accursed +One, and he held him still more tightly by the beard. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_58' name='page_58'></a>58</span> +“Well, then, hearken now!” cried the Tsar. “I have +eight oxen. They have never yet gone a-ploughing +for me, or done a day’s work. I’ll have them brought +hither. I’ll feast my eyes on them once more, and +then I’ll have them driven into thy steppes––take +them.”––“No, that won’t do either!” said the Accursed +One. The Tsar went over, one by one, all the +most precious things he had at home, but the Accursed +One said “No!” all along, and pulled him more and +more tightly by the beard. When the Tsar saw that +the Accursed One would take none of all these things, +he said to him at last, “Look now! I have a wife +so lovely that the like of her is not to be found in the +whole world, take her and let me go!”––“No!” +replied the Accursed One, “I will not have her.” +The Tsar was in great straits. “What am I to do +now?” thought he. “I have offered him my lovely +wife, who is the very choicest of my chattels, and he +won’t have her!”––Then said the Accursed One, +“Promise me what thou shalt find awaiting thee at +home, and I’ll let thee go.”</p> +<p>The Tsar gladly promised this, for he could think of +naught else that he had, and then the Accursed One let +him go.</p> +<p>But while he had been away from home, there had +been born to him a Tsarevko<a name='FNanchor_0008' id='FNanchor_0008'></a><a href='#Footnote_0008' class='fnanchor'>[8]</a> and a Tsarivna; and +they grew up not by the day, or even by the hour, +but by the minute: never were known such fine +children. And his wife saw him coming from afar, +and went out to meet him, with her two children, +with great joy. But he, the moment he saw them, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_59' name='page_59'></a>59</span> +burst into tears. “Nay, my dear love,” cried she, +“wherefore dost thou burst into tears? Or art thou +so delighted that such children have been born unto +thee that thou canst not find thy voice for tears of +joy?”––And he answered her, “My darling wife, on +my way back from the bazaar I was athirst, and turned +toward a mountain known of old to my father and +me, and it seemed to me as though there were a spring +of water there, though the water was very near dried +up. But looking closer, I saw that it was quite full; +so I bethought me that I would drink thereof, and +I leaned over, when lo! that Evil-wanton (I mean +the Devil) caught me by the beard and would not let +me go. I begged and prayed, but still he held me +tight. ‘Give me,’ said he, ‘what thou hast at home, +or I’ll never let thee go!’––And I said to him, ‘Lo! +now, I have horses.’––‘I don’t want thy horses!’ said +he.––‘I have oxen,’ I said.––‘I don’t want thine oxen!’ +said he.––‘I have,’ said I, ‘a wife so fair that the like +of her is not to be found in God’s fair world; take +her, but let me go.’––‘I don’t want thy fair wife!’ +said he.––Then I promised him what I should find at +home when I got there, for I never thought that God +had blessed me so. Come now, my darling wife! and +let us bury them both lest he take them!”––“Nay, +nay! my dear husband, we had better hide them somewhere. +Let us dig a ditch by our hut––just under +the gables!” (For there were no lordly mansions in +those days, and the Tsars dwelt in peasants’ huts.) +So they dug a ditch right under the gables, and put +their children inside it, and gave them provision of +bread and water. Then they covered it up and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_60' name='page_60'></a>60</span> +smoothed it down, and turned into their own little +hut.</p> +<p>Presently the serpent (for the Accursed One had +changed himself into a serpent) came flying up in +search of the children. He raged up and down outside +the hut––but there was nothing to be seen. At last +he cried out to the stove, “Stove, stove, where has +the Tsar hidden his children?”––The stove replied, +“The Tsar has been a good master to me; he has +put lots of warm fuel inside me; I hold to him.”––So, +finding he could get nothing out of the stove, he +cried to the hearth-broom, “Hearth-broom, hearth-broom, +where has the Tsar hidden his children?”––But +the hearth-broom answered, “The Tsar has +always been a good master to me, for he always cleans +the warm grate with me; I hold to him.” So the +Accursed One could get nothing out of the hearth-broom.––Then +he cried to the hatchet, “Hatchet, +hatchet, where has the Tsar hidden his children?”––The +hatchet replied, “The Tsar has always been +a good master to me. He chops his wood with me, +and gives me a place to lie down in; so I’ll not have +him disturbed.”––Then the Devil cried to the gimlet, +“Gimlet, gimlet, where has the Tsar hidden his children?”––But +the gimlet replied, “The Tsar has +always been a good master to me. He drills little +holes with me, and then lets me rest; so I’ll let him +rest too.”––Then the serpent said to the gimlet, “So +the Tsar’s a good master to thee, eh! Well, I can +only say that if he’s the good master thou sayest he +is, I am rather surprised that he knocks thee on the +head so much with a hammer.”––“Well, that’s true,” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_61' name='page_61'></a>61</span> +said the gimlet, “I never thought of that. Thou +mayst take hold of me if thou wilt, and draw me out +of the top of the hut, near the front gable; and wherever +I fall into the marshy ground, there set to work +and dig with me!”</p> +<p>The Devil did so, and began digging at the spot +where the gimlet fell out on the marshy ground till +he had dug out the children. Now, as they had been +growing all along, they were children no more, but +a stately youth and a fair damsel; and the serpent +took them up and carried them off. But they were +big and heavy, so he soon got tired and lay down to +rest, and presently fell asleep. Then the Tsarivna sat +down on his head, and the Tsarevko sat down beside +her, till a horse came running up. The horse ran right +up to them and said, “Hail! little Tsar Novishny; +art thou here by thy leave or against thy leave?”––And +the little Tsar Novishny replied, “Nay, little +nag! we are here against our leave, not by our leave.”––“Then +sit on my back!” said the horse, “and +I’ll carry you off!” So they got on his back, for the +serpent was asleep all the time. Then the horse galloped +off with them; and he galloped far, far away. Presently +the serpent awoke, looked all round him, and could +see nothing till he had got up out of the reeds in which +he lay, when he saw them in the far distance, and gave +chase. He soon caught them up; and little Tsar +Novishny said to the horse, “Oh! little nag, how +hot it is. It is all up with thee and us!” And, in +truth, the horse’s tail was already singed to a coal, for +the serpent was hard behind them, blazing like fire. +The horse perceived that he could do no more, so he +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_62' name='page_62'></a>62</span> +gave one last wriggle and died; but they, poor things, +were left alive. “Whom have you been listening to?” +said the serpent as he flew up to them. “Don’t you +know that I only am your father and tsar, and have +the right to carry you away?”––“Oh, dear daddy! +we’ll never listen to anybody else again!”––“Well, +I’ll forgive you this time,” said the serpent; “but +mind you never do it again.”</p> +<p>Again the serpent took them up and carried them +off. Presently he grew tired and again lay down to +rest, and nodded off. Then the Tsarivna sat down +on his head, and the Tsarevko sat down beside her, +till a humble-bee came flying up. “Hail, little Tsar +Novishny!” cried the humble-bee.––“Hail, little +humble-bee!” said the little Tsar.––“Say, friends, are +you here by your leave or against your leave?”––“Alas! +little humble-bumble-bee, ’tis not with my +leave I have been brought hither, but against my leave, +as thou mayst see for thyself.”––“Then sit on my +back,” said the bee, “and I’ll carry you away.”––“But, +dear little humble-bumble-bee, if a horse couldn’t +save us, how will you?”––“I cannot tell till I try,” +said the humble-bee. “But if I cannot save you, I’ll +let you fall.”––“Well, then,” said the little Tsar, “we’ll +try. For we two must perish in any case, but thou +perhaps mayst get off scot-free.” So they embraced +each other, sat on the humble-bee, and off they went. +When the serpent awoke he missed them, and raising +his head above the reeds and rushes, saw them flying +far away, and set off after them at full speed. “Alas! +little humble-bumble-bee,” cried little Tsar Novishny, +“how burning hot ’tis getting. We shall all three +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_63' name='page_63'></a>63</span> +perish!” Then the humble-bee turned his wing and +shook them off. They fell to the earth, and he flew +away. Then the serpent came flying up and fell upon +them with open jaws. “Ah-ha!” cried he, with a +snort, “you’ve come to grief again, eh? Didn’t I tell +you to listen to nobody but me!” Then they fell to +weeping and entreating, “We’ll listen to you alone +and to nobody else!” and they wept and entreated so +much that at last he forgave them.</p> +<p>So he took them up and carried them off once more. +Again he sat down to rest and fell asleep, and again the +Tsarivna sat upon his head and the Tsarevko sat down +by her side, till a bullock came up, full tilt, and said +to them, “Hail, little Tsar Novishny! art thou here +with thy leave or art thou here against thy leave?”––“Alas! +dear little bullock, I came not hither by my +leave; but maybe I was brought here against my +leave!”––“Sit on my back, then,” said the bullock, +“and I’ll carry you away.”––But they said, “Nay, if a +horse and a bee could not manage it, how wilt thou?”––“Nonsense!” +said the bullock. “Sit down, and I’ll +carry you off!” So he persuaded them.––“Well, we +can only perish once!” they cried; and the bullock +carried them off. And every little while they went a +little mile, and jolted so that they very nearly tumbled +off. Presently the serpent awoke and was very very +wrath. He rose high above the woods and flew after +them––oh! how fast he did fly! Then cried the little +Tsar, “Alas! bullock, how hot it turns. Thou wilt +perish, and we shall perish also!”––Then said the +bullock, “Little Tsar! look into my left ear and thou +wilt see a horse-comb. Pull it out and throw it behind +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_64' name='page_64'></a>64</span> +thee!”––The little Tsar took out the comb and threw +it behind him, and it became a huge wood, as thick +and jagged as the teeth of a horse-comb. But the +bullock went on at his old pace: every little while +they went a little mile, and jolted so that they nearly +tumbled off. The serpent, however, managed to gnaw +his way through the wood, and then flew after them +again. Then cried the little Tsar, “Alas! bullock, +it begins to burn again. Thou wilt perish, and we +shall perish also!”––Then said the bullock, “Look +into my right ear, and pull out the brush thou dost +find there, and fling it behind thee!”––So he threw +it behind him, and it became a forest as thick as a +brush. Then the serpent came up to the forest and +began to gnaw at it; and at last he gnawed his way +right through it. But the bullock went on at his old +pace: every little while they went a little mile, and +they jolted so that they nearly tumbled off. But when +the serpent had gnawed his way through the forest, he +again pursued them; and again they felt a burning. +And the little Tsar said, “Alas! bullock, look! look! +how it burns. Look! look! how we perish.” Now +the bullock was already nearing the sea. “Look into +my right ear,” said the bullock, “draw out the little +handkerchief thou findest there, and throw it in front +of <a name='TC_2'></a><ins class="trchange" title="Added closing double-quote">me.”</ins> He drew it out and flung it, and before them +stood a bridge. Over this bridge they galloped, and by +the time they had done so, the serpent reached the sea. +Then said the bullock to the little Tsar, “Take up the +handkerchief again and wave it behind me.” Then +he took and waved it till the bridge doubled up behind +them, and went and spread out again right in front +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_65' name='page_65'></a>65</span> +of them. The serpent came up to the edge of the sea; but +there he had to stop, for he had nothing to run upon.</p> +<p>So they crossed over that sea right to the other side, +and the serpent remained on his own side. Then the +bullock said to them, “I’ll lead you to a hut close +to the sea, and in that hut you must live, and you must +take and slay me.” But they fell a-weeping sore. +“How shall we slay thee!” they cried; “thou art our +own little dad, and hast saved us from death!”––“Nay!” +said the bullock; “but you must slay me, +and one quarter of me you must hang up on the stove, +and the second quarter you must place on the ground +in a corner, and the third quarter you must put in the +corner at the entrance of the hut, and the fourth quarter +you must put round the threshold, so that there will +be a quarter in all four corners.” So they took and +slew him in front of the threshold, and they hung his +four quarters in the four corners as he had bidden +them, and then they laid them down to sleep. Now +the Tsarevko awoke at midnight, and saw in the right-hand +corner a horse so gorgeously caparisoned that he +could not resist rising at once and mounting it; and in +the threshold corner there was a self-slicing sword, and +in the third corner stood the dog <i>Protius</i><a name='FNanchor_076.png_9' id='FNanchor_076.png_9'></a><a href='#Footnote_076.png_9'>[9]</a>, and in the +stove corner stood the dog <i>Nedviga</i><a href='#Footnote_076.png_9'>[9]</a>. The little Tsar +longed to be off. “Rise, little sister!” cried he. “God +has been good to us! Rise, dear little sister, and let us +pray to God!” So they arose and prayed to God, and +while they prayed the day dawned. Then he mounted +his horse and took the dogs with him, that he might +live by what they caught.</p> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_66' name='page_66'></a>66</span></div> +<p>So they lived in their hut by the sea, and one day +the sister went down to the sea to wash her bed-linen +and her body-linen in the blue waters. And the serpent +came and said to her, “How didst thou manage to +jump over the sea?”––“Look, now!” said she, “we +crossed over in this way. My brother has a handkerchief +which becomes a bridge when he waves it behind +him.”––And the serpent said to her, “I tell thee +what, ask him for this handkerchief; say thou dost +want to wash it, and take and wave it, and I’ll then be +able to cross over to thee and live with thee, and we’ll +poison thy brother.”––Then she went home and said to +her brother, “Give me that handkerchief, dear little +brother; it is dirty, so I’ll wash and give it back to +thee.” And he believed her and gave it to her, for she +was dear to him, and he thought her good and true. +Then she took the handkerchief, went down to the sea, +and waved it––and behold there was a bridge. Then +the serpent crossed over to her side, and they walked +to the hut together and consulted as to the best way of +destroying her brother and removing him from God’s +fair world. Now it was his custom to rise at dawn, +mount his horse, and go a-hunting, for hunting he +dearly loved. So the serpent said to her, “Take to +thy bed and pretend to be ill, and say to him, ‘I dreamed +a dream, dear brother, and lo, I saw thee go and fetch +me wolf’s milk to make me well.’ Then he’ll go and +fetch it, and the wolves will tear his dogs to pieces, and +then we can take and do to him as we list, for his strength +is in his dogs.”</p> +<p>So when the brother came home from hunting the +serpent hid himself, but the sister said, “I have +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_67' name='page_67'></a>67</span> +dreamed a dream, dear brother. Methought thou didst +go and fetch me wolf’s milk, and I drank of it, and my +health came back to me, for I am so weak that God +grant I die not.”––“I’ll fetch it,” said her brother. So +he mounted his horse and set off. Presently he came +to a little thicket, and immediately a she-wolf came +out. Then Protius ran her down and Nedviga held +her fast, and the little Tsar milked her and let her +go. And the she-wolf looked round and said, “Well +for thee, little Tsar Novishny, that thou hast let me go. +Methought thou wouldst not let me go alive. For that +thou hast let me go, I’ll give thee, little Tsar Novishny, +a wolf-whelp.”––Then she said to the little wolf, +“Thou shalt serve this dear little Tsar as though he +were thine own dear father.” Then the little Tsar went +back, and now there were with him two dogs and a +little wolf-whelp that trotted behind them.</p> +<p>Now the serpent and the false sister saw him coming +from afar, and three dogs trotting behind him. And +the serpent said to her, “What a sly, wily one it is! +He has added another watch-dog to his train! Lie +down, and make thyself out worse than ever, and ask +bear’s milk of him, for the bears will tear him to pieces +without doubt.” Then the serpent turned himself into +a needle, and she took him up and stuck him in the +wall. Meanwhile the brother dismounted from his +horse and came with his dogs and the wolf to the hut, +and the dogs began snuffing at the needle in the wall. +And his sister said to him, “Tell me, why dost thou +keep these big dogs? They let me have no rest.” +Then he called to the dogs, and they sat down. And +his sister said to him, “I dreamed a dream, my +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_68' name='page_68'></a>68</span> +brother. I saw thee go and search and fetch me from +somewhere bear’s milk, and I drank of it, and my +health came back to me.”––“I will fetch it,” said her +brother.</p> +<p>But first of all he laid him down to sleep. Nedviga +lay at his head, and Protius at his feet, and <i>Vovchok</i><a name='FNanchor_0009' id='FNanchor_0009'></a><a href='#Footnote_0009' class='fnanchor'>[10]</a> +by his side. So he slept through the night, and at +dawn he arose and mounted his good steed and hied +him thence. Again they came to a little thicket, and +this time a she-bear came out. Protius ran her down, +Nedviga held her fast, and the little Tsar milked her +and let her go. Then the she-bear said, “Hail to +thee, little Tsar Novishny; because thou hast let me +go, I’ll give thee a bear-cub.” But to the little bear +she said, “Obey him as though he were thine own +father.” So he set off home, and the serpent and his +sister saw that four were now trotting behind him. +“Look!” said the serpent, “if there are not four +running behind him! Shall we never be able to destroy +him? I tell thee what. Ask him to get thee hare’s +milk; perhaps his beasts will gobble up the hare before +he can milk it.” So he turned himself into a needle +again, and she fastened him in the wall, only a little +higher up, so that the dogs should not get at him. +Then, when the little Tsar dismounted from his horse, +he and his dogs came into the hut, and the dogs began +snuffing at the needle in the wall and barked at it, but +the brother knew not the cause thereof. But his sister +burst into tears and said, “Why dost thou keep such +monstrous dogs? Such a kennel of them makes me ill +with anguish!” Then he shouted to the dogs, and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_69' name='page_69'></a>69</span> +they sat down quite still. Then she said to him, “I +am so ill, brother, that nothing will make me well but +hare’s milk. Go and get it for me.”––“I’ll get it,” +said he.</p> +<p>But first he laid him down to sleep. Nedviga lay at +his head, Protius at his feet, and Vovchok and <i>Medvedik</i><a name='FNanchor_0010' id='FNanchor_0010'></a><a href='#Footnote_0010' class='fnanchor'>[11]</a> +each on one side. He slept through the night, but at +dawn he mounted his steed, took his pack with him, +and departed. Again he came to a little thicket, and a +she-hare popped out. Protius ran her down, Nedviga +held her fast, then he milked her and let her go. Then +the hare said, “Hail to thee, little Tsar Novishny; +because thou hast let me go––I thought thou wouldst +have torn me to pieces with thy dogs––I’ll give thee a +leveret.” But to the leveret she said, “Obey him, +as though he were thine own father.” Then he went +home, and again they saw him from afar. “What a +wily rogue it is!” said they. “All five are following +him, and he is as well as ever!”––“Ask him to get thee +fox’s milk!” said the serpent; “perhaps when he goes +for it his beasts will leave him in the lurch!” Then he +changed himself into a needle, and she stuck him still +higher in the wall, so that the dogs could not get at +him. The Tsar again dismounted from his horse, and +his dogs rushed up to the hut and began snuffing at +the needle. But his sister fell a-weeping, and said, +“Why dost thou keep such monstrous dogs?” He +shouted to them, and they sat down quietly on their +haunches. Then his sister said again, “I am ailing, +my brother; go and get me fox’s milk, and I shall be +well.”––“I’ll fetch it for thee,” said her brother.</p> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_70' name='page_70'></a>70</span></div> +<p>But first he lay down to sleep. Nedviga lay at his +head, Protius at his feet, and Vovchok, Medvedik, +and the leveret by his side. The little Tsar slept +through the night, and at dawn he arose, mounted +his horse, took his pack with him, and went off. They +came to a little thicket, and a vixen popped out. Protius +ran her down, Nedviga held her fast, and the little +Tsar milked her and let her go. Then said the vixen +to him, “Thanks to thee, little Tsar Novishny, that +thou hast let me go. Methought thou wouldst tear +me in pieces with thy dogs. For thy kindness I’ll give +thee a little fox.” But to the little fox she said, “Obey +him as though he were thine own father.” So he went +home, and they saw him coming from afar, and lo! +now he had six guardians, and yet had come by no +harm. “’Tis no good; we shall never do for him,” +said the serpent. “Look, now! Make thyself worse +than ever, and say to him, ‘I am very ill, my brother, +because in another realm, far, far away, there is a wild +boar who ploughs with his nose, and sows with his +ears, and harrows with his tail––and in that same empire +there is a mill with twelve furnaces that grinds its own +grain and casts forth its own meal, and if thou wilt +bring me of the meal that is beneath these twelve +furnaces, so that I may make me a cake of it and eat, +my soul shall live.’”––Then her brother said to her, +“Methinks thou art not my sister, but my foe!”––But +she replied, “How can I be thy foe when we two live +all alone together in a strange land?”––“Well, I will +get it for thee,” said he. For again he believed in his +sister.</p> +<p>So he mounted his steed, took his pack with him, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_71' name='page_71'></a>71</span> +and departed, and he came to the land where were +that boar and that mill she had told him of. He came +up to the mill, tied his horse to it, and entered into it. +And there were twelve furnaces there and twelve doors, +and these twelve doors needed no man to open or shut +them, for they opened and shut themselves. He took +meal from beneath the first furnace and went through +the second door, but the dogs were shut in by the +doors. Through all twelve doors he went, and came +out again at the first door, and looked about him, and––there +were no dogs to be seen. He whistled, and he +heard his dogs whining where they could not get out. +Then he wept sore, mounted his horse, and went +home. He got home, and there was his sister making +merry with the serpent. And no sooner did the brother +enter the hut than the serpent said, “Well, we wanted +flesh, and now flesh has come to us!” For they had +just slain a bullock, and on the ground where they had +slain it there sprang up a whitethorn-tree, so lovely +that it may be told of in tales, but neither imagined nor +divined. When the little Tsar saw it, he said, “Oh, +my dear brother-in-law!” (for without his dogs he +must needs be courteous to the serpent) “pray let me +climb up that whitethorn-tree, and have a good look +about me!” But the sister said to the serpent, “Dear +friend, make him get ready boiling water for himself, +and we will boil him, for it does not become thee to +dirty thy hands.”––“Very well,” said the serpent; +“he shall make the boiling water ready!” So they +ordered the little Tsar to go and chop wood and get the +hot water ready. Then he went and chopped wood, +but as he was doing so, a starling flew out and said to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_72' name='page_72'></a>72</span> +him, “Not so fast, not so fast, little Tsar Novishny. +Be as slow as thou canst, for thy dogs have gnawed their +way through two doors.”</p> +<p>Then the little Tsar poured water into the cauldron, +and put fire under it. But the wood that he had cut +was rotten and very very dry, so that it burned most +fiercely, and he took and sprinkled it with water, and +sprinkled it again and again, so that it might not burn +too much. And when he went out into the courtyard +for more water, the starling said to him, “Not so fast, +not so fast, little Tsar Novishny, for thy dogs have +gnawed their way through four doors!” As he was +returning to the hut his sister said to him, “That water +does not boil up quickly enough! Take the fire-shovel +and poke the fire!” So he did so, and the faggots +blazed up, but when she had gone away he sprinkled +them with water again, so that they might burn more +slowly. Then he went into the courtyard again, and +the starling met him and said, “Not so fast, not so +fast, little Tsar; be as slow as thou canst, for thy dogs +have gnawed their way through six doors.” Then he +returned to the hut, and his sister again took up the +shovel and made him poke up the fire, and when she +went away he again flung water on the burning coals. +So he kept going in and out of the courtyard. “’Tis +weary work!” cried he; but the starling said to him, +“Not so fast, not so fast, little Tsar Novishny, for thy +dogs have already gnawed their way through ten doors!” +The little Tsar picked up the rottenest wood he could +find and flung it on the fire, to make believe he was +making haste, but sprinkled it at the same time with +water, so that it might not burn up too quickly, and yet +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_73' name='page_73'></a>73</span> +the kettle soon began to boil. Again he went to the +forest for more wood, and the starling said to him, +“Not so fast, not so fast, little Tsar, for thy dogs have +already gnawed their way through all the doors, and are +now resting!” But now the water was boiling, and his +sister ran up and said to him, “Come, boil thyself, be +quick; how much longer art thou going to keep us +waiting?” Then he, poor thing, began ladling the +boiling water over himself, while she got the table ready +and spread the cloth, that the serpent might eat her +brother on that very table.</p> +<p>But he, poor thing, kept ladling himself, and cried, +“Oh, my dear brother-in-law, pray let me climb up +to the top of that whitethorn-tree; let me have a look +out from the top of it, for thence one can see afar!”––“Don’t +let him, dear!” said the sister to the serpent; +“he will stay there too long and lose our precious +time.”––But the serpent replied, “It doesn’t matter, +it doesn’t matter; let him climb up if he likes.” So +the little Tsar went up to the tree, and began to climb +it; he did not miss a single branch, and stopped a little +at each one to gain time, and so he climbed up to the +very top, and then he took out his flute and began to +play upon it. But the starling flew up to him and said, +“Not so fast, little Tsar Novishny, for lo! thy dogs +are running to thee with all their might.” But his +sister ran out and said, “What art thou playing up +there for? Thou dost forget perhaps that we are waiting +for thee down here!” Then he began to descend +the tree, but he stopped at every branch on his way +down, while his sister kept on calling to him to come +down quicker. At last he came to the last branch, and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_74' name='page_74'></a>74</span> +as he stood upon it and leaped down to the ground, he +thought to himself, “Now I perish!” At that same +instant his dogs and his beasts, growling loudly, came +running up, and stood in a circle around him. Then +he crossed himself and said, “Glory to Thee, O Lord! +I have still, perchance, a little time to live in Thy fair +world!” Then he called aloud to the serpent and +said, “And now, dear brother-in-law, come out, for +I am ready for thee!” Out came the serpent to eat +him, but he said to his dogs and his beasts, “Vovchok! +Medvedik! Protius! Nedviga! Seize him!” Then the +dogs and the beasts rushed upon him and tore him to bits.</p> +<p>Then the little Tsar collected the pieces and burnt +them to ashes, and the little fox rolled his brush in the +ashes till it was covered with them, and then went +out into the open field and scattered them to the four +winds. But while they were tearing the serpent to +pieces the wicked sister knocked out his tooth and hid +it. After it was all over the little Tsar said to her, +“As thou hast been such a false friend to me, sister, +thou must remain here while I go into another kingdom.” +Then he made two buckets and hung them up +on the whitethorn-tree, and said to his sister, “Look +now, sister! if thou weepest for me, this bucket will +fill with tears, but if thou weepest for the serpent that +bucket will fill with blood!” Then she fell a-weeping +and praying, and said to him, “Don’t leave me, brother, +but take me with thee.”––“I won’t,” said he; “such a +false friend as thou art I’ll not have with me. Stay +where thou art.” So he mounted his horse, called to +him his dogs and his beasts, and went his way into +another kingdom and into another empire.</p> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_75' name='page_75'></a>75</span></div> +<p>He went on and on till he came to a certain city, +and in this city there was only one spring, and in this +spring sat a dragon with twelve heads. And it was +so that when any went to draw water from this well +the dragon rose up and ate them, and there was no +other place whence that city could draw its water. So +the little Tsar came to that town and put up at the +stranger’s inn, and he asked his host, “What is the +meaning of all this running and crying of the people +in the streets?”––“Why, dost thou not know?” said +he; “it is the turn of the Tsar to send his daughter to +the dragon!”––Then he went out and listened, and +heard the people say, “The Tsar proclaims that +whoever is able to slay the dragon, to him will he give +his daughter and one-half of his tsardom!” Then +little Tsar Novishny stepped forth and said, “I am +able to slay this evil dragon!” So all the people +immediately sent and told the Tsar, “A stranger has +come hither who says he is ready to meet and slay the +dragon.” Then the Tsar bade them take him to the +watch-house and put him among the guards.</p> +<p>Then they led out the Tsarivna, and behind her +they led him, and behind him came his beasts and his +horse. And the Tsarivna was so lovely and so richly +attired that all who beheld her burst into tears. But +the moment the dragon appeared and opened his mouth +to devour the Tsarivna, the little Tsar cried to his self-slicing +sword, “Fall upon him!” and to his beasts +he cried, “Protius! Medvedik! Vovchok! Nedviga! +Seize him!” Then the self-slicing sword and the +beasts fell upon him, and tore him into little bits. When +they had finished tearing him, the little Tsar took the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_76' name='page_76'></a>76</span> +remains of the body and burnt them to ashes, and the little +fox took up all the ashes on her tail, and scattered them +to the four winds. Then he took the Tsarivna by the +hand, and led her to the Tsar, and the people rejoiced +because their water was free again. And the Tsarivna +gave him the nuptial ring.</p> +<p>Then they set off home again. They went on and +on, for it was a long way from the tsardom of that +Tsar, and at last he grew weary and lay down in the +grass, and she sat at his head. Then his lackey crept +up to him, unfastened the self-slicing sword from his +side, went up to the little Tsar, and said, “Self-slicing +sword! slay him!” Then the self-slicing sword cut +him into little bits, and his beasts knew nothing about +it, for they were sleeping after their labours. After that +the lackey said to the Tsarivna, “Thou must say now +to all men that I saved thee from death, or if not, I will +do to thee what I have done to him. Swear that thou +wilt say this thing!” Then she said, “I will swear +that thou didst save me from death,” for she was sore +afraid of the lackey. Then they returned to the city, +and the Tsar was very glad to see them, and clothed the +lackey in goodly apparel, and they all made merry +together.</p> +<p>Now when Nedviga awoke he perceived that his +master was no longer there, and immediately awoke +all the rest, and they all began to think and consider +which of them was the swiftest. And when they had +thought it well over they judged that the hare was the +swiftest, and they resolved that the hare should run +and get living and healing water and the apple of youth +also. So the hare ran to fetch this water and this +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_77' name='page_77'></a>77</span> +apple, and he ran and ran till he came to a certain land, +and in this land the hare saw a spring, and close to the +spring grew an apple-tree with the apples of youth, and +this spring and this apple-tree were guarded by a Muscovite, +oh! so strong, so strong, and he waved his +sabre again and again so that not even a mouse could +make its way up to that well. What was to be done? +Then the little hare had resort to subtlety, and made +herself crooked, and limped toward the spring as if +she were lame. When the Muscovite saw her he said, +“What sort of a little beast is this? I never saw the +like of it before!” So the hare passed him by, and +went farther and farther on till she came right up to +the well. The Muscovite stood there and opened his +eyes wide, but the hare had now got up to the spring, +and took a little flask of the water and nipped off a +little apple, and was off in a trice.</p> +<p>She ran back to the little Tsar Novishny, and Nedviga +immediately took the water and sprinkled therewith +the fragments of the little Tsar, and the fragments +came together again. Then he poured some of the +living water into his mouth and he became alive, and +gave him a bite of the apple of youth, and he instantly +grew young again and stronger than ever. Then the +little Tsar rose upon his feet, stretched himself, and +yawned. “What a long time I’ve been asleep!” cried +he.––“’Tis a good thing for thee that we got the living +and healing water!” said Protius.––“But what shall +we do next?” said they all. Then they all took council +together, and agreed that the little Tsar should disguise +himself as an old man, and so go to the Tsar’s palace.</p> +<p>So the little Tsar Novishny disguised himself as an +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_78' name='page_78'></a>78</span> +old man, and went to the palace of the Tsar. And +when he got there he begged them to let him in that +he might see the young married people. But the +lackeys would not let him in. Then the Tsarivna +herself heard the sound of his begging and praying, +and commanded them to admit him. Now when he +entered the room and took off his cap and cloak, the +ring which the Tsarivna had given him when he slew +the serpent sparkled so that she knew him, but, not +believing her own eyes, she said to him, “Come +hither, thou godly old pilgrim, that I may show thee +hospitality!” Then the little Tsar drew near to the +table, and the Tsarivna poured him out a glass of wine +and gave it to him, and he took it with his left hand. +She marked that he did not take it with the hand on +which was the ring, so she drank off that glass herself. +Then she filled another glass and gave it him, and he +took it with his right hand. Then she immediately +recognized her ring, and said to her father, “This +man is my husband who delivered me from death, but +that fellow”––pointing to the lackey––“that rascally +slavish soul killed my husband and made me say that +he was my husband.” When the Tsar heard this he +boiled over with rage. “So <i>that</i> is what thou art!” +said he to the lackey, and immediately he bade them +bind him and tie him to the tail of a horse so savage +that no man could ride it, and then turn it loose into +the endless steppe. But the little Tsar Novishny sat +down behind the table and made merry.</p> +<p>So the Tsarevko and the Tsarivna lived a long time +together in happiness, but one day she asked him, +“What of thy kindred and thy father’s house?” Then +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_79' name='page_79'></a>79</span> +he told her all about his sister. She immediately bade +him saddle his horse, and taking his beasts with him, +go in search of her. They came to the place where he +had left her, and saw that the bucket which was put up +for the serpent was full of blood, but that the little +Tsar’s bucket was all dry and falling to pieces. Then +he perceived that she was still lamenting for the serpent, +and said to her, “God be with thee, but I will know +thee no more. Stay here, and never will I look upon +thy face again!” But she began to entreat and caress +and implore him that he would take her with him. +Then the brother had compassion on his sister and +took her away with him.</p> +<p>Now when they got home she took out the serpent’s +tooth which she had hidden about her, and put it +beneath his pillow on the bed whereon he slept. And +at night-time the little Tsar went to lie down and the +tooth killed him. His wife thought that he was sulky, +and therefore did not speak to her, so she begged him +not to be angry; and, getting no answer, took him by +the hand, and lo! his hand was cold, as cold as lead, +and she screamed out. But Protius came bounding +through the door and kissed his master. Then the little +Tsar became alive again, but Protius died. Then +Nedviga kissed Protius and Protius became alive, but +Nedviga died. Then the Tsarevko said to Medvedik, +“Kiss Nedviga!” He did so, and Nedviga became +alive again, but Medvedik died. And so they went +on kissing each other from the greatest to the smallest, +till the turn came to the hare. She kissed Vovchok +and died, but Vovchok remained alive. What was to +be done? Now that the little hare had died there was +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_80' name='page_80'></a>80</span> +none to kiss her back into life again. “Kiss her,” said +the little Tsar to the little fox. But the little fox was +artful, and taking the little hare on his shoulder, he +trotted off to the forest. He carried her to a place +where lay a felled oak, with two branches one on the +top of the other, and put the hare on the lower branch; +then he ran under the branch and kissed the hare, but +took good care that the branch should be between +them. Thereupon the serpent’s tooth flew out of the +hare and fastened itself in the upper branch, and both +fox and hare scampered back out of the forest alive and +well. When the others saw them both alive they +rejoiced greatly that no harm had come to any of them +from the tooth. But they seized the sister and tied her +to the tail of a savage horse and let her loose upon the +endless steppe.</p> +<p>So they all lived the merry lives of Tsars who feast +continually. And I was there too, and drank wine and +mead till my mouth ran over and it trickled all down +my beard. So there’s the whole <i>kazka</i> for you.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_81' name='page_81'></a>81</span></div> +<h2>THE VAMPIRE AND +ST MICHAEL</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_83' name='page_83'></a>83</span> +<a name='THE_VAMPIRE_AND_ST_MICHAEL' id='THE_VAMPIRE_AND_ST_MICHAEL'></a> +<h3>THE VAMPIRE AND ST MICHAEL</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>Once</span> upon a time in a certain village there lived +two neighbours; one was rich, very rich, and the +other so poor that he had nothing in the world +but a little hut, and that was tumbling about his ears. +At length things came to such a pass with the poor man +that he had nothing to eat, and could get work nowhere. +Full of grief, he bethought him what he should do. He +thought and thought, and at last he said, “Look ye, +wife! I’ll go to my rich neighbour. Perchance he will +lend me a silver rouble; that, at any rate, will be enough +to buy bread with.” So he went.</p> +<p>He came to the rich man. “Good health to my +lord!” cried he.––“Good health!”––“I have come +on an errand to thee, dear little master!”––“What +may thine errand be?” inquired the rich man.––“Alas! +would to God that I had no need to say it. It has +come to such a pass with us that there’s not a crust +of bread nor a farthing of money in the house. So I +have come to thee, dear little master; lend us but a +silver rouble and we will be ever thankful to thee, and +I’ll work myself old to pay it back.”––“But who will +stand surety for thee?” asked the rich man.––“I know +not if any man will, I am so poor. Yet, perchance, God +and St Michael will be my sureties,” and he pointed +at the ikon in the corner. Then the ikon of St Michael +spoke to the rich man from the niche and said, “Come +now! lend it him, and put it down to my account. +God will repay thee!”––“Well,” said the rich man, +“I’ll lend it to thee.” So he lent it, and the poor man +thanked him and returned to his home full of joy.</p> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_84' name='page_84'></a>84</span></div> +<p>But the rich man was not content that God should +give him back his loan by blessing him in his flocks +and herds, and in his children, and in his health, and +in the blessed fruits of the earth. He waited and +waited for the poor man to come and pay him back +his rouble, and at last he went to seek him. “Thou +son of a dog,” he shouted, before the house, “why +hast thou not brought me back my money? Thou +knowest how to borrow, but thou forgettest to repay!” +Then the wife of the poor man burst into tears. “He +would repay thee indeed if he were in this world,” said +she, “but lo now! he died but a little while ago!” +The rich man snarled at her and departed, but when he +got home he said to the ikon, “A pretty surety <i>thou</i> +art!” Then he took St Michael down from the niche, +dug out his eyes, and began beating him.</p> +<p>He beat St Michael again and again, and at last he +flung him into a puddle and trampled on him. “I’ll +give it thee for standing me surety so scurvily,” said he. +While he was thus abusing St Michael, a young fellow +about twenty years old came along that way, and said +to him, “What art thou doing, my father?”––“I am +beating him because he stood surety and has played me +false. He took upon himself the repayment of a silver +rouble, which I lent to the son of a pig, who has since +gone away and died. That is why I am beating him +now.”––“Beat him not, my father! I’ll give thee a +silver rouble, but do thou give me this holy image!”––“Take +him if thou wilt, but see that thou bring me the +silver rouble first.”</p> +<p>Then the young man ran home and said to his father, +“Dad, give me a silver rouble!”––“Wherefore, my +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_85' name='page_85'></a>85</span> +son?”––“I would buy a holy image,” said he, and he +told his father how he had seen that heathen beating +St Michael.––“Nay, my son, whence shall we who are +poor find a silver rouble to give to him who is so rich?”––“Nay, +but give it me, dad!” and he begged and +prayed till he got it. Then he ran back as quickly as +he could, paid the silver rouble to the rich man, and got +the holy image. He washed it clean and placed it in the +midst of sweet-smelling flowers. And so they lived on +as before.</p> +<p>Now this youth had three uncles, rich merchants, +who sold all manner of merchandise, and went in ships +to foreign lands, where they sold their goods and made +their gains. One day, when his uncles were again +making ready to depart into foreign lands, he said to +them, “Take me with you!”––“Why shouldst thou +go?” said they; “we have wares to sell, but what +hast thou?”––“Yet take me,” said he.––“But thou +hast nothing.”––“I will make me laths and boards and +take them with me,” said he.––His uncles laughed at +him for imagining such wares as these, but he begged +and prayed them till they were wearied. “Well, come,” +they said, “though there is naught for thee to do; +only take not much of these wares of thine with thee, +for our ships are already full.”––Then he made him +laths and boards, put them on board the ship, took +St Michael with him, and they departed.</p> +<p>They went on and on. They sailed a short distance +and they sailed a long distance, till at last they came +to another tsardom and another empire. And the Tsar +of this tsardom had an only daughter, so lovely that +the like of her is neither to be imagined nor divined +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_86' name='page_86'></a>86</span> +in God’s fair world, neither may it be told in tales. +Now this Tsarivna one day went down to the river +to bathe, and plunged into the water without first +crossing herself, whereupon the Evil Spirit took possession +of her. The Tsarivna got out of the water, and +straightway fell ill of so terrible a disease that it may +not be told of. Do what they would––and the wise +men and the wise women did their utmost––it was of +no avail. In a few days she grew worse and died. +Then the Tsar, her father, made a proclamation that +people should come and read the prayers for the dead +over her dead body, and so exorcise the evil spirit, and +whosoever delivered her was to have half his power and +half his tsardom.</p> +<p>And the people came in crowds––but none of them +could read the prayers for the dead over her, it was +impossible. Every evening a man went into the church, +and every morning they swept out his bones, for there +was naught else of him remaining. And the Tsar was +very wrath. “All my people will be devoured,” cried +he. And he commanded that all the foreign merchants +passing through his realm should be made to read +prayers for the dead over his daughter’s body. “And +if they will not read,” said he, “they shall not depart +from my kingdom.”</p> +<p>So the foreign merchants went one by one. In the +evening a merchant was shut up in the church, and in +the early morning they came and found and swept +away his bones. At last it came to the turn of the +young man’s uncles to read the prayers for the dead in +the church. They wept and lamented and cried, “We +are lost! we are lost! Heaven help us!” Then the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_87' name='page_87'></a>87</span> +eldest uncle said to the lad, “Listen, good simpleton! +It has now come to my turn to read prayers over the +Tsarivna. Do thou go in my stead and pass the night +in the church, and I’ll give thee all my ship.”––“Nay, +but,” said the simpleton, “what if she tear me to pieces +too? I won’t go!”––But then St Michael said to +him, “Go and fear not! Stand in the very middle +of the church, fenced round about with thy laths and +boards, and take with thee a basket full of pears. When +she rushes at thee, take and scatter the pears, and it +will take her till cockcrow to pick them all up. But do +thou go on reading thy prayers all the time, and look +not up, whatever she may do.”</p> +<p>When night came, he took up his laths and boards +and a basket of pears, and went to the church. He +entrenched himself behind his boards, stood there and +began to read. At dead of night there was a rustling +and a rattling. O Lord! what was that? There was +a shaking of the bier––bang! bang!––and the Tsarivna +arose from her coffin and came straight toward him. +She leaped upon the boards and made a grab at him +and fell back. Then she leaped at him again, and again +she fell back. Then he took his basket and scattered +the pears. All through the church they rolled, she +after them, and she tried to pick them up till cockcrow, +and at the very first “Cock-a-doodle-doo!” she got into +her bier again and lay still.</p> +<div class='figtag'> +<a name='linki_7' id='linki_7'></a> +</div> +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/illus-097.png' alt='' title='' width='408' height='500' /><br /> +<p class='caption'> +THE TSARIVNA AROSE FROM HER COFFIN<br /> +</p> +</div> +<p>When God’s bright day dawned, the people came +to clean out the church and sweep away his bones; +but there he was reading his prayers, and the rumour +of it went through the town and they were all filled +with joy.</p> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_88' name='page_88'></a>88</span></div> +<p>Next night it was the turn of the second uncle, and +he began to beg and pray, “Go thou, simpleton, in +my stead! Look now, thou hast already passed a night +there, thou mayst very well pass another, and I’ll give +thee all my ship.”––But he said, “I won’t go, I am +afraid.”––But then St Michael said to him again, +“Fear not, but go! Fence thee all about with thy +boards, and take with thee a basket of nuts. When she +rushes at thee, scatter thy nuts, and the nuts will go +rolling all about the church, and it will take her till +cockcrow to gather them all up. But do thou go on +reading thy prayers, nor look thou up, whatever may +happen.”</p> +<p>And he did so. He took his boards and the basket +of nuts, and went to the church at nightfall and read. +A little after midnight there was a rustling and an +uproar, and the whole church shook. Then came a +fumbling round about the coffin––bang! bang!––up +she started, and made straight for him. She leaped +and plunged, she very nearly got through the boards. +She hissed, like seething pitch, and her eyes glared at +him like coals of fire, but it was of no use. He read on +and on, and didn’t once look at her. Besides, he +scattered his nuts, and she went after them and tried to +pick them all up till cockcrow. And at the first “Cock-a-doodle-doo!” +she leaped into her coffin again and +pulled down the lid. In the morning the people came +to sweep away his bones, and lo! they found him alive.</p> +<p>The next night he had to go again in the third uncle’s +stead. Then he sat down and cried and wailed, “Alas, +alas! what shall I do? ’Twere better I had never +been born!”––But St Michael said to him, “Weep +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_89' name='page_89'></a>89</span> +not, ’twill all end happily. Fence thyself about with +thy boards, sprinkle thyself all about with holy water, +incense thyself with holy incense, and take me with +thee. She shall not have thee. And the moment she +leaves her coffin, do thou jump quickly into it. And +whatever she may say to thee, and however she may +implore thee, let her not get into it again until she says +to thee, ‘<i>My consort!</i>’”</p> +<p>So he went. There he stood in the middle of the +church, fenced himself about with his boards, strewed +consecrated poppy-seed around him, incensed himself +with holy incense, and read and read. About the +middle of the night a tempest arose outside, and there +was a rustling and a roaring, a hissing and a wailing. +The church shook, the altar candelabra were thrown +down, the holy images fell on their faces. O Lord, +how awful! Then came a bang! bang! from the +coffin, and again the Tsarivna started up. She left her +coffin and fluttered about the church. She rushed at +the boards and made a snatch at him, and fell back; +she rushed at him again, and again she fell back. She +foamed at the mouth, and her fury every instant grew +worse and worse. She dashed herself about, and darted +madly from one corner of the church to the other, +seeking him everywhere. But he skipped into the +coffin, with the image of St Michael by his side. She +ran all over the church seeking him. “He was here––and +now he is not here!” cried she. Then she ran +farther on, felt all about her, and cried again, “He was +here––and now he’s not here!” At last she sprang +up to the coffin, and there he was. Then she began to +beg and pray him, “Come down, come down! I’ll +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_90' name='page_90'></a>90</span> +try and catch thee no more, only come down, come +down!” But he only prayed to God, and answered +her never a word. Then the cock crew once, “Cock-a-doodle-doo!”––“Alas! +come down, come down, <i>my +consort!</i>” cried she. Then he came down, and they +both fell on their knees and began praying to God, and +wept sore and gave thanks to God because He had had +mercy on them both.</p> +<p>And at dawn of day crowds of people, with the Tsar +at the head of them, came to the church. “Shall we +find him reading prayers, or shall we only find his +bones?” said they. And lo! there they both were +on their knees praying fervently to God. Then the +Tsar rejoiced greatly, and embraced both him and her. +After that they had a grand service in the church, and +sprinkled her with holy water, and baptized her again, +and the unclean spirit departed from her. Then the +Tsar gave the young man half his power and half his +kingdom, but the merchants departed in their ships, +with their nephew on board.</p> +<div class='figtag'> +<a name='linki_8' id='linki_8'></a> +</div> +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/illus-103.jpg' alt='' title='' width='402' height='500' /><br /> +<p class='caption'> +THEY WERE BOTH ON THEIR KNEES<br /> +</p> +</div> +<p>They lived together, and time went on and the young +man still remained a bachelor, and was so handsome +that words cannot describe it. But the Tsar lived +alone with his daughter. She, however, grew sadder +and sadder, and was no longer like her former self, so +sorrowful was she. And the Tsar asked her, saying, +“Wherefore art thou so sorrowful?”––“I am not +sorrowful, father,” said she. But the Tsar watched her, +and saw that she <i>was</i> sorrowful, and there was no help +for it. Then he asked her again, “Art thou ill?”––“Nay, +dear dad,” said she. “I myself know not what +is the matter with me.”</p> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_91' name='page_91'></a>91</span></div> +<p>And so it went on, till the Tsar dreamt a dream, and +in this dream it was said to him, “Thy daughter +grieves because she loves so much the youth who drove +the unclean spirit out of her.” Then the Tsar asked +her, “Dost thou love this youth?”––And she +answered, “I do, dear father.”––“Then why didst +thou not tell me before, my daughter?” said he. Then +he sent for his heyducks and commanded them, saying, +“Go this instant to such and such a kingdom, and +there ye will find the youth who cured my daughter; +bring him to me.” Then they went on and on until +they found him, and he took just the same laths and +boards that he had had before, and went with them. +The Tsar met him, and bought all his boards, and +when they split them in pieces, lo! they were full of +precious stones. Then the Tsar took him to his own +house and gave him his daughter. And they lived +right merrily together.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_93' name='page_93'></a>93</span></div> +<h2>THE STORY OF TREMSIN, +THE BIRD ZHAR, AND +NASTASIA, THE LOVELY +MAID OF THE SEA</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_95' name='page_95'></a>95</span> +<a name='THE_STORY_OF_TREMSIN_THE_BIRD_ZHAR_AND_NASTASIA_THE_LOVELY_MAID_OF_THE_SEA' id='THE_STORY_OF_TREMSIN_THE_BIRD_ZHAR_AND_NASTASIA_THE_LOVELY_MAID_OF_THE_SEA'></a> +<h3>THE STORY OF TREMSIN, THE<br />BIRD ZHAR, AND NASTASIA,<br />THE LOVELY MAID OF THE SEA</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>There</span> was once upon a time a man and a woman, +and they had one little boy. In the summertime +they used to go out and mow corn in the +fields, and one summer when they had laid their little +lad by the side of a sheaf, an eagle swooped down, +caught up the child, carried him into a forest, and laid +him in its nest. Now in this forest three bandits +chanced to be wandering at the same time. They +heard the child crying in the eagle’s nest: “Oo-oo! +oo-oo! oo-oo!” so they went up to the oak on which +was the nest and said one to another, “Let us hew +down the tree and kill the child!”––“No,” replied one +of them, “it were better to climb up the tree and +bring him down alive.” So he climbed up the tree +and brought down the lad, and they nurtured him and +gave him the name of Tremsin. They brought up +Tremsin until he became a youth, and then they gave +him a horse, set him upon it, and said to him, “Now +go out into the wide world and search for thy father +and thy mother!” So Tremsin went out into the wide +world and pastured his steed on the vast steppes, and +his steed spoke to him and said, “When we have +gone a little farther, thou wilt see before thee a plume +of the Bird <i>Zhar</i><a name='FNanchor_0011' id='FNanchor_0011'></a><a href='#Footnote_0011' class='fnanchor'>[12]</a>; pick it not up, or sore trouble will +be thine!” Then they went on again. They went on +and on, through ten tsardoms they went, till they came +to another empire in the land of Thrice Ten where lay +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_96' name='page_96'></a>96</span> +the feather. And the youth said to himself, “Why +should I not pick up the feather when it shines so +brightly even from afar?” And he went near to the +feather, and it shone so that the like of it cannot be +expressed or conceived or imagined or even told of in +tales. Then Tremsin picked up the feather and went +into the town over against him, and in that town there +lived a rich nobleman. And Tremsin entered the house +of this nobleman and said, “Sir, may I not take service +with thee as a labourer?”––The nobleman looked at +him, and seeing that he was comely and stalwart, +“Why not? Of course thou mayst,” said he. So he +took him into his service. Now this nobleman had +many servants, and they curried his horses for him, +and made them smart and glossy against the day he +should go a-hunting. And Tremsin began to curry +his horse likewise, and the servants of the nobleman +could not make the horses of their master so shining +bright as Tremsin made his own horse. So they looked +more closely, and they perceived that when Tremsin +cleaned his horse he stroked it with the feather of the +Bird Zhar, and the coat of the good steed straightway +shone like burnished silver. Then those servants were +filled with envy, and said among themselves, “How +can we remove this fellow from the world? We’ll +saddle him with a task he is unable to do, and then our +master will drive him away.”––So they went to their +master and said, “Tremsin has a feather of the Bird +Zhar, and he says that if he likes he can get the Bird +Zhar itself.” Then the nobleman sent for Tremsin and +said to him, “O Tremsin! my henchmen say that +thou canst get the Bird Zhar if thou dost choose.”––“Nay, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_97' name='page_97'></a>97</span> +but I cannot,” replied Tremsin.––“Answer me +not,” said the nobleman, “for so sure as I’ve a sword, +I’ll slice thy head off like a gourd.”––Then Tremsin fell +a-weeping and went away to his horse. “My master,” +said he, “hath given me a task to do that will clean +undo me.”––“What task is that?” asked the horse.––“Why, +to fetch him the Bird Zhar.”––“Why that’s +not a task, but a trifle,” replied the horse. “Let us +go to the steppes,” it continued, “and let me go a-browsing; +but do thou strip thyself stark-naked and lie +down in the grass, and the Bird Zhar will straightway +swoop down to feed. So long as she only claws about +thy body, touch her not; but as soon as she begins to +claw at thine eyes, seize her by the legs.”</p> +<p>So when they got to the wild steppes, Tremsin +stripped himself naked and flung himself in the grass, +and, immediately, the Bird Zhar swooped down and +began pecking all about him, and at last she pecked +at his eyes. Then Tremsin seized her by both legs, +and mounted his horse and took the Bird Zhar to the +nobleman. Then his fellow-servants were more envious +than ever, and they said among themselves, “How +shall we devise for him a task to do that cannot be +done, and so rid the world of him altogether?” So +they bethought them, and then they went to the nobleman +and said, “Tremsin says that to get the Bird +Zhar was nothing, and that he is also able to get the +thrice-lovely Nastasia of the sea.” Then the nobleman +again sent for Tremsin and said to him, “Look now! +thou didst get for me the Bird Zhar, see that thou now +also gettest for me the thrice-lovely Nastasia of the +sea.”––“But I cannot, sir!” said Tremsin.––“Answer +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_98' name='page_98'></a>98</span> +me not so!” replied the nobleman, “for so sure as I’ve +a sword, I’ll slice thy head off like a gourd an thou +bring her not.”––Then Tremsin went out to his horse +and fell a-weeping.––“Wherefore dost thou weep?” +asked the faithful steed.––“Wherefore should I not +weep?” he replied. “My master has given me a task +that cannot be done.”––“What task is that?”––“Why, +to fetch him the thrice-lovely Nastasia of the sea!”––“Oh-ho!” +laughed the horse, “that is not a task, but +a trifle. Go to thy master and say, ‘Cause white tents +to be raised by the sea-shore, and buy wares of sundry +kinds, and wine and spirits in bottles and flasks,’ and +the thrice-lovely Nastasia will come and purchase thy +wares, and then thou mayst take her.”</p> +<p>And the nobleman did so. He caused white tents to +be pitched by the sea-shore, and bought kerchiefs and +scarves and spread them out gaily, and made great +store of wine and brandy in bottles and flasks. Then +Tremsin rode toward the tents, and while he was on +the way his horse said to him, “Now when I go to +graze, do thou lie down and feign to sleep. Then the +thrice-lovely Nastasia will appear and say, ‘What for +thy wares?’ but do thou keep silence. But when she +begins to taste of the wine and the brandy, then she +will go to sleep in the tent, and thou canst catch her +easily and hold her fast!” Then Tremsin lay down +and feigned to sleep, and forth from the sea came the +thrice-lovely Nastasia, and went up to the tents and +asked, “Merchant, merchant, what for thy wares?” +But he lay there, and moved never a limb. She asked +the same thing over and over again, but, getting no +answer, went into the tents where stood the flasks and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_99' name='page_99'></a>99</span> +the bottles. She tasted of the wine. How good it was! +She tasted of the brandy. That was still better. So +from tasting she fell to drinking. First she drank a +little, and then she drank a little more, and at last she +went asleep in the tent. Then Tremsin seized the +thrice-lovely Nastasia and put her behind him on horseback, +and carried her off to the nobleman. The nobleman +praised Tremsin exceedingly, but the thrice-lovely +Nastasia said, “Look now! since thou hast found the +feather of the Bird Zhar, and the Bird Zhar herself, +since also thou hast found me, thou must now fetch +me also my little coral necklace from the sea!” Then +Tremsin went out to his faithful steed and wept sorely, +and told him all about it. And the horse said to him, +“Did I not tell thee that grievous woe would come +upon thee if thou didst pick up that feather?” But +the horse added, “Come! weep not! after all ’tis not +a task, but a trifle.” Then they went along by the +sea, and the horse said to him, “Let me out to graze, +and then keep watch till thou seest a crab come forth +from the sea, and then say to him, ‘I’ll catch thee.’”––So +Tremsin let his horse out to graze, and he himself +stood by the sea-shore, and watched and watched till +he saw a crab come swimming along. Then he said +to the crab, “I’ll catch thee.”––“Oh! seize me not!” +said the crab, “but let me get back into the sea, and +I’ll be of great service to thee.”––“Very well,” said +Tremsin, “but thou must get me from the sea the +coral necklace of the thrice-lovely Nastasia,” and with +that he let the crab go back into the sea again. Then +the crab called together all her young crabs, and they +collected all the coral and brought it ashore, and gave +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_100' name='page_100'></a>100</span> +it to Tremsin. Then the faithful steed came running +up, and Tremsin mounted it, and took the coral to the +thrice-lovely Nastasia. “Well,” said Nastasia, “thou +hast got the feather of the Bird Zhar, thou hast got the +Bird Zhar itself, thou hast got me my coral, get me +now from the sea my herd of wild horses!”––Then +Tremsin was sore distressed, and went to his faithful +steed and wept bitterly, and told him all about it. +“Well,” said the horse, “this time ’tis no trifle, but a +real hard task. Go now to thy master, and bid him +buy twenty hides, and twenty poods<a name='FNanchor_0012' id='FNanchor_0012'></a><a href='#Footnote_0012' class='fnanchor'>[13]</a> of pitch, and +twenty poods of flax, and twenty poods of hair.”––So +Tremsin went to his master and told him, and his +master bought it all. Then Tremsin loaded his horse +with all this, and to the sea they went together. And +when they came to the sea the horse said, “Now lay +upon me the hides and the tar and the flax, and lay +them in this order––first a hide, and then a pood of tar, +and then a pood of flax, and so on, laying them thus +till they are all laid.” Tremsin did so. “And now,” +said the horse, “I shall plunge into the sea, and when +thou seest a large red wave driving toward the shore, +run away till the red wave has passed and thou dost +see a white wave coming, and then sit down on the +shore and keep watch. I shall then come out of the +sea, and after me the whole herd; then thou must +strike with the horsehair the horse which gallops +immediately after me, and he will not be too strong for +thee.”––So the faithful steed plunged into the sea, and +Tremsin sat down on the shore and watched. The +horse swam to a bosquet that rose out of the sea, and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_101' name='page_101'></a>101</span> +there the herd of sea-horses was grazing. When the +strong charger of Nastasia saw him and the hides he +carried on his back, it set off after him at full tilt, and +the whole herd followed the strong charger of Nastasia. +They drove the horse with the hides into the sea, and +pursued him. Then the strong charger of Nastasia +caught up the steed of Tremsin and tore off one of his +hides, and began to worry it with his teeth and tear it +to fragments as he ran. Then he caught him up a +second time, and tore off another hide, and began to +worry that in like manner till he had torn it also to +shreds; and thus he ran after Tremsin’s steed for +seventy miles, till he had torn off all the hides, and +worried them to bits. But Tremsin sat upon the sea-shore +till he saw the large white billow bounding in, +and behind the billow came his own horse, and behind +his own horse came the thrice-terrible charger of the +thrice-lovely Nastasia, with the whole herd at his heels. +Tremsin struck him full on the forehead with the +twenty poods of hair, and immediately he stood stock +still. Then Tremsin threw a halter over him, mounted, +and drove the whole herd to the thrice-lovely Nastasia. +Nastasia praised Tremsin for his prowess, and said to +him, “Well, thou hast got the feather of the Bird Zhar, +thou hast got the Bird Zhar itself, thou hast got me my +coral and my herd of horses, now milk my mare and +put the milk into three vats, so that there may be milk +hot as boiling water in the first vat, lukewarm milk in +the second vat, and icy cold milk in the third vat.” +Then Tremsin went to his faithful steed and wept +bitterly, and the horse said to him, “Wherefore dost +thou weep?”––“Why should I not weep?” cried he; +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_102' name='page_102'></a>102</span> +“the thrice-lovely Nastasia has given me a task to do +that cannot be done. I am to fill three vats with the +milk from her mare, and the milk must be boiling hot +in the first vat, and lukewarm in the second, and icy +cold in the third vat.”––“Oh-ho!” cried the horse, +“that is not a task, but a trifle. I’ll caress the mare, +and then go on nibbling till thou hast milked all three +vats full.” So Tremsin did so. He milked the three +vats full, and the milk in the first vat was boiling hot, +and in the second vat warm, and in the third vat freezing +cold. When all was ready the thrice-lovely Nastasia +said to Tremsin, “Now, leap first of all into the cold +vat, and then into the warm vat, and then into the +boiling hot vat!”––Tremsin leaped into the first vat, +and leaped out again an old man; he leaped into the +second vat, and leaped out again a youth; he leaped +into the third vat, but when he leaped out again, he +was so young and handsome that no pen can describe +it, and no tale can tell of it. Then the thrice-lovely +Nastasia herself leaped into the vats. She leaped into +the first vat, and came out an old woman; she leaped +into the second vat, and came out a young maid; but +when she leaped out of the third vat, she was so handsome +and goodly that no pen can describe it, and no +tale can tell of it. Then the thrice-lovely Nastasia +made the nobleman leap into the vats. He leaped into +the first vat, and became quite old; he leaped into the +second vat, and became quite young; he leaped into +the third vat, and burst to pieces. Then Tremsin took +unto himself the thrice-lovely Nastasia to wife, and they +lived happily together on the nobleman’s estate, and the +evil servants they drove right away.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_103' name='page_103'></a>103</span></div> +<h2>THE SERPENT-WIFE</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_105' name='page_105'></a>105</span> +<a name='THE_SERPENTWIFE' id='THE_SERPENTWIFE'></a> +<h3>THE SERPENT-WIFE</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>There</span> was once a gentleman who had a labourer +who never went about in company. His fellow-servants +did all they could to make him come +with them, and now and then enticed him into the +tavern, but they could never get him to stay there +long, and he always wandered away by himself through +the woods. One day he went strolling about in the +forest as usual, far from any village and the haunts +of men, when he came upon a huge Serpent, which +wriggled straight up to him and said, “I am going +to eat thee on the spot!” But the labourer, who was +used to the loneliness of the forest, replied, “Very +well, eat me if thou hast a mind to!”––Then the +Serpent said, “Nay! I will not eat thee; only do +what I tell thee!” And the Serpent began to tell +the man what he had to do. “Turn back home,” it +said, “and thou wilt find thy master angry because +thou hast tarried so long, and there was none to work +for him, so that his corn has to remain standing in +the field. Then he will send thee to bring in his +sheaves, and I’ll help thee. Load the wagon well, +but don’t take quite all the sheaves from the field. +Leave one little sheaf behind; more than that thou +needst not leave, but that thou must leave. Then +beg thy master to let thee have this little sheaf by +way of wages. Take no money from him, but that +one little sheaf only. Then, when thy master has +given thee this sheaf, burn it, and a fair lady will leap +out of it; take her to wife!”</p> +<p>The labourer obeyed, and went and worked for his +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_106' name='page_106'></a>106</span> +master as the Serpent had told him. He went out +into the field to bring home his master’s corn, and +marvellously he managed it. He did all the carrying +himself, and loaded the wagon so heavily that it +creaked beneath its burden. Then when he had +brought home all his master’s corn, he begged that +he might have the remaining little sheaf for himself. +He refused to be rewarded for his smart labour, he +would take no money; he wanted nothing for himself, +he said, but the little sheaf he had left in the field. +So his master let him have the sheaf. Then he went +out by himself into the field, burnt the sheaf, just as +the Serpent had told him, and immediately a lovely +lady leapt out of it. The labourer forthwith took +and married her; and now he began to look out for +a place to build him a hut upon. His master gave +him a place where he might build his hut, and his +wife helped him so much with the building of it that +it seemed to him as if he himself never laid a hand +to it. His hut grew up as quick as thought, and +it contained everything that they wanted. The +man could not understand it; he could only walk +about and wonder at it. Wherever he looked there +was everything quite spick and span and ready for +use: none in the whole village had a better house +than he.</p> +<p>And so he might have lived in all peace and +prosperity to the end of his days had not his desires +outstripped his deserts. He had three fields of +standing corn, and when he came home one day his +labourers said to him, “Thy corn is not gathered +in yet, though it is standing all ripe on its stalks.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_107' name='page_107'></a>107</span> +Now the season was getting on, and for all the care +and labour of his wife, the corn was still standing in +the field. “Why, what’s the meaning of this?” +thought he. Then in his anger he cried, “I see +how it is. Once a serpent, always a serpent!” He +was quite beside himself all the way home, and was +very wrath with his wife because of the corn.</p> +<p>When he got home he went straight to his chamber +to lie down on his pillow. There was no sign of +his wife, but a huge serpent was just coiling itself +round and round and settling down in the middle of +the pillow. Then he called to mind how, once, his +wife had said to him, “Beware, for Heaven’s sake, of +ever calling me a serpent. I will not suffer thee to +call me by that name, and if thou dost thou shalt +lose thy wife.” He called this to mind now, but it +was already too late; what he had said could not be +unsaid. Then he reflected what a good wife he had +had, and how she herself had sought him out, and +how she had waited upon him continually and done +him boundless good, and yet he had not been able to +refrain his tongue, so that now, maybe, he would be +without a wife for the rest of his days. His heart +grew heavy within him as he thought of all this, and +he wept bitterly at the harm he had done to himself. +Then the Serpent said to him, “Weep no more. +What is to be, must be. Is it thy standing corn thou +art grieved about? Go up to thy barn, and there +thou wilt find all thy corn lying, to the very last little +grain. Have I not brought it all home and threshed +it for thee, and set everything in order? And now +I must depart to the place where thou didst first find +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_108' name='page_108'></a>108</span> +me.” Then she crept off, and the man followed her, +weeping and mourning all the time as for one already +dead. When they reached the forest she stopped and +coiled herself round and round beneath a hazel-nut +bush. Then she said to the man, “Now kiss me +once, but see to it that I do not bite thee!”––Then he +kissed her once, and she wound herself round a branch +of a tree and asked him, “What dost thou feel within +thee?”––He answered, “At the moment when I +kissed thee it seemed to me as if I knew everything +that was going on in the world!”––Then she said +to him again, “Kiss me a second time!”––“And +what dost thou feel now?” she asked when he had +kissed her again.––“Now,” said he, “I understand all +languages which are spoken among men.”––Then she +said to him, “And now kiss me a third time, but +this will be for the last time.” Then he kissed the +Serpent for the last time, and she said to him, “What +dost thou feel now?”––“Now,” said he, “I know +all that is going on under the earth.”––“Go now,” +said she, “to the Tsar, and he will give thee his daughter +for the knowledge thou hast. But pray to God for +poor me, for now I must be and remain a serpent +for ever.” And with that the Serpent uncoiled herself +and disappeared among the bushes, but the man went +away and wedded the Tsar’s daughter.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_109' name='page_109'></a>109</span></div> +<h2>THE STORY OF +UNLUCKY DANIEL</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_111' name='page_111'></a>111</span> +<a name='THE_STORY_OF_UNLUCKY_DANIEL' id='THE_STORY_OF_UNLUCKY_DANIEL'></a> +<h3>THE STORY OF UNLUCKY DANIEL</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>There</span> was once upon a time a youth called +Unlucky Dan. Wherever he went, and whatever +he did, and with whomsoever he served, +nothing came of it: all his labour was like spilt water, +he got no good from it. One day he took service +with a new master. “I’ll serve thee a whole year,” +said he, “for a piece of sown wheat-land.” His master +agreed, and he entered into his service, and at the same +time he sowed his piece of wheat-land. His wheat +shot up rapidly. When his master’s wheat was in the +stalk, his was already in the ear, and when his master’s +wheat was in the ear, his own wheat was already ripe. +“I’ll reap it to-morrow,” thought he. The same night +a cloud arose, the hail poured down, and destroyed +his wheat altogether. Daniel fell a-weeping. “I’ll go +serve another master,” he cried, “perhaps God will +then prosper me!” So he went to another master. +“I’ll serve thee for a whole year,” said he, “if thou +wilt give me that wild colt.” So he stopped and +served him, and by the end of the year he trained the +wild colt so well that he made a carriage-horse out +of it. “Oh-ho!” thought he, “I shall take away +something with me this time!” The same night +the wolves made an inroad upon the stables and tore +the horse to pieces. Daniel fell a-weeping. “I’ll go +to another master,” said he, “perhaps I shall be luckier +there.” So he went to a third master, and on this +master’s tomb lay a large stone. Whence it came +none knew, and it was so heavy that none could move +it, though they tried for ages. “I’ll serve thee a year,” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_112' name='page_112'></a>112</span> +said he, “for that stone.” The master agreed, and +he entered his service. Then a change came over +the stone, and divers flowers began to grow upon it. +On one side they were red, on the second side silver, +and on the third side golden. “Oh-ho,” thought +Daniel, “that stone, at any rate, will soon be mine. +Nobody can move it.” But the next morning a thunderbolt +descended and struck the stone, and shivered it +to atoms. Then Daniel fell a-weeping, and lamented +that God had given him nothing, though he had +served for so many years. But the people said to +him, “Listen now! thou that art so unlucky, why +dost thou not go to the Tsar? He is the father of us +all, and will therefore certainly care for thee!” So +he listened to them and went, and the Tsar gave him +a place at his court. One day the Tsar said to him, +“I marvel that thou art so unlucky, for do whatsoever +thou wilt, thou art none the better for it. I +would fain requite thee for all thy labours.” Then +he took and filled three barrels, the first with gold, +and the second with coal, and the third with sand, +and said to Daniel, “Look now! if thou dost pitch +upon that which is filled with gold, thou shalt be a +Tsar; if thou dost choose the one that is filled with +coal, thou shalt be a blacksmith; but if thou dost +pick out the one that is full of sand, why then thou +art indeed hopelessly unlucky, and out of my tsardom +thou must go straightway, yet I will give thee a horse +and armour to take along with thee.” So Daniel +was brought to the place where were the three barrels, +and went about them and felt and felt them one after +the other. “This one is full of gold!” said he. They +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_113' name='page_113'></a>113</span> +broke it open and it was full of sand. “Well,” said +the Tsar, “I see that thou art hopelessly unlucky. +Depart from my tsardom, for I have no need at all +of such as thou.” Then he gave him a charger and +armour, and the full equipment of a Cossack, and +sent him away.</p> +<p>He went on and on for a whole day, he went on +and on for a second day, and there was nothing to +eat, either for his horse or himself. He went for a +third day, and in the distance he saw a hay-cock. +“That will do for my horse, at any rate,” thought he, +“even if it is of no good to me.” So he went up +to it, and immediately it burst into flames. Daniel +began to weep, when he heard a voice crying +piteously, “Save me, save me! I am burning!”––“How +can I save thee,” he cried, “when I myself +cannot draw near?”––“Oh! give me thy weapon!” +cried the voice, “and I’ll seize hold of it, and then +thou canst pull me out.” So he stretched forth his +weapon, and drew forth a goodly serpent, such as is +only known of in old folk-songs. And she said to +him, “Since thou hast drawn me out, thou must also +take me home.”––“How shall I carry thee?” asked +he.––“Carry me on thy horse, and in whatsoever +direction I turn my head and his, thither go.”––So +he took her upon his horse, and they went on and on +till they came to a court so splendid that it was a +delight to look at it. Then she glided down from his +charger and said, “Wait here, and I’ll soon be with +thee again,” and with that she wriggled under the +gate. He stood there and stood and waited and waited +till he wept from sheer weariness; but, at last, she +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_114' name='page_114'></a>114</span> +came out again in the shape of a lovely damsel in +gorgeous raiment, and opened the gate for him. “Lead +in thy horse,” said she, “and eat and rest awhile.” +So they went into the courtyard, and in the midst +of it stood two springs. The lady drew out of one +of these springs a little glass of water, and strewing +a handful of oats beside it, said, “Fasten up thy +horse here!”––“What!” thought he, “for these three +days we have had naught to eat or drink, and now +she mocks us with a handful of oats!”––Then they +went together to the guest-chamber, and she gave him +there a little glass of water and a small piece of wheaten +bread.––“Why, what is this for a hungry man like +me?” thought he. But when he chanced to glance +through the window, he saw that the whole courtyard +was full of oats and water, and that his horse had already +eaten its fill. Then he nibbled his little piece of wheaten +bread and sipped his water, and his hunger was immediately +satisfied. “Well,” said the lady, “hast thou +eaten thy fill?”––“That I have,” he replied.––“Then +lie down and rest awhile,” said she. And the next +morning, when he rose up, she said to him, “Give +me thy horse, thy armour, and thy raiment, and I’ll +give thee mine in exchange.”––Then she gave him +her shift and her weapon, and said, “This sword is +of such a sort that, if thou do but wave it, all men will +fall down before thee; and as for this shift, when +once thou hast it on, none will be able to seize thee. +And now go on thy way till thou come to an inn, and +there they will tell thee that the Tsar of that land is +seeking warriors. Go and offer thyself to him, and +thou shalt marry his daughter, but tell her not the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_115' name='page_115'></a>115</span> +truth for seven years!” Then they took leave of +each other, and he departed. He came to the inn, +and there they asked him whence he came. And +when they knew that he came from a strange land, +they said to him, “A strange people has attacked our +Tsar, and he cannot defend himself, for a mighty +warrior has conquered his tsardom and carried off his +daughter, and worries him to <a name='TC_3'></a><ins class="trchange" title="Added closing double-quote">death.”</ins>––“Show me the +way to your Tsar,” said Daniel. Then they showed +him, and he went. When he came to the Tsar, he +said to him, “I will subdue this strange land for +thee. All the army I want is a couple of Cossacks, +but they must be picked men.” Then the heralds +went through the tsardom till they had found these +two Cossacks, and Daniel went forth with them into +the endless steppes, and there he bade them lie down +and sleep while he kept watch. And while they +slept the army of the strange country came upon +them, and cried to Daniel to turn back if he would +escape destruction. And then they began to fire +with their guns and cannons, and they fired so many +balls that the bodies of the two Cossacks were +quite covered by them. Then Daniel waved his +sword and smote, and only those whom his blows did +not reach escaped alive. So he vanquished them all, +and conquered that strange land, and came back and +married the Tsar’s daughter, and they lived happily +together.</p> +<div class='figtag'> +<a name='linki_9' id='linki_9'></a> +</div> +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/illus-129.png' alt='' title='' width='405' height='500' /><br /> +<p class='caption'> +DANIEL WAVED HIS SWORD<br /> +</p> +</div> +<p>But counsellors from the strange land whispered +dark sayings in the ears of the Tsarivna. “What is +this fellow that thou hast taken to thyself? Who is +he, and whence? Find out for us wherein lies his +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_116' name='page_116'></a>116</span> +strength, that we may destroy him and take thee away.”––Then +she began asking him, and he said to her, +“Look now! all my strength is in these gloves.” +Then she waited till he was asleep, and drew them +off him, and gave them to the people from the strange +land. And the next day he went hunting, and the +evil counsellors surrounded and shot at him with their +darts, and beat him with the gloves; but it was all +in vain. Then he waved his sword, and whomsoever +he struck fell to the ground, and he clapped them +all in prison. But his wife caressed and wheedled +him again, and said, “Nay, but tell me, wherein +doth thy strength lie?”––“My strength, darling,” said +he, “lies in my boots.” Then she drew off his boots +while he slept, and gave them to his enemies. And +they fell upon him again as he went out, but again +he waved his sword, and as many as he struck fell +to the ground, and he put them all in prison. Then +his wife wheedled and caressed him the third time. +“Nay, but tell me, darling,” quoth she, “wherein +doth thy strength lie?” Then he was wearied with +her beseeching, and said to her, “My strength lies +in this sword of mine, and in my shirt, and so long +as I have this shirt on, nobody can touch me.” Then +she caressed and fondled him, and said, “Thou +shouldst take a bath, my darling, and well wash thyself. +My father always did so.” So he let himself be persuaded, +and no sooner had he undressed than she +changed all his clothes for others, and gave his sword +and his shirt to his enemies. Then he came out of +his bath, and immediately they fell upon him, cut him +to pieces, put him in a sack, placed him on his horse, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_117' name='page_117'></a>117</span> +and let the horse go where it would. So the horse +went on and on, and wandered farther and farther, +till it came to the old place where he had stayed with +the Serpent Lady. And when his benefactress saw +him, she said, “Why, if poor unlucky Daniel hasn’t +fallen into a scrape again.” And immediately she +took him out of the sack, and fitted his pieces together, +and washed them clean, and took healing water from +one of the springs, and living water from the other, +and sprinkled him all over, and he stood there sound +and strong again. “Now, did I not bid thee tell not +thy wife the truth for seven years?” said she, “and +thou wouldst not take heed.” And he stood there, +and spoke never a word. “Well, now, rest awhile,” +she continued, “for thou dost need it, and then I’ll +give thee something else.” So the next day she gave +him a chain, and said to him, “Listen! Go to that +inn where thou didst go before, and early next +morning, whilst thou art bathing, bid the innkeeper +beat thee with all his might on the back with this +chain, and so thou wilt get back to thy wife, but tell +her not a word of what has happened.” So he went +to this same inn and passed the night there, and, on +the morrow, he called the innkeeper, and said to him, +“Look now! the first time I dip my head in the +water, beat me about the back with this chain as hard +as thou canst.” So the innkeeper waited till he had +ducked his head under the water, and then he thrashed +him with the chain, whereupon he turned into a horse +so beautiful that it was a delight to look upon it. The +innkeeper was so glad, so glad. “So I’ve got rid +of one guest only to get another one,” thought he. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_118' name='page_118'></a>118</span> +He lost no time in taking the horse to the fair, and +offered it for sale, and among those who saw it was +the Tsar himself. “What dost thou ask for it?” +said the Tsar.––“I ask five thousand roubles.” Then +the Tsar counted down the money and took the horse +away. When he got to his court, he made a great +to-do about his beautiful horse, and cried to his +daughter, “Come and see, dear little heart, what a +fine horse I have bought.” Then she came forth to +look at it; but the moment she saw it, she cried, +“That horse will be my ruin. Thou must kill it on +the spot.”––“Nay, dear little heart! how can I do +such a thing?” said the Tsar.––“Slay it thou must, +and slay it thou shalt!” cried the Tsarivna. So they +sent for a knife, and began sharpening it, when one +of the maidens of the court took pity on the horse, +and cried, “Oh, my good, my darling horse, so lovely +as thou art, and yet to kill thee!” But the horse +neighed and went to her, and said, “Look now! +take the first drop of blood which flows from me, and +bury it in the garden.” Then they slew the horse, +but the maiden did as she was told, and took the +drop of blood and buried it in the garden. And from +this drop of blood there sprang up a cherry-tree; +and its first leaf was golden, and its second leaf was +of richer colour still, and its third leaf was yet another +colour, and every leaf upon it was different to the +others. One day the Tsar went out walking in his +garden, and when he saw this cherry-tree he fell in +love with it, and praised it to his daughter. “Look!” +said he, “what a beauteous cherry-tree we have in +our garden! Who can tell whence it sprung?”––But +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_119' name='page_119'></a>119</span> +the moment the Tsarivna saw it, she cried, +“That tree will be my ruin! Thou must cut it down.”––“Nay!” +said he, “how can I cut down the fairest +ornament of my garden?”––“Down it must come, +and down it shall come!” replied the Tsarivna. Then +they sent for an axe and made ready to cut it down, +but the damsel came running up, and said, “Oh, +darling little cherry-tree, darling little cherry-tree, so +fair thou art! From a horse hast thou sprung, and +now they will fell thee before thou hast lived a +day!”––“Never mind,” said the cherry-tree; “take +the first chip that falls from me, and throw it into +the water.”––Then they cut down the cherry-tree; +but the girl did as she was bidden, and threw the +first chip from the cherry-tree into the water, and +out of it swam a drake so beautiful that it was a delight +to look upon it. Then the Tsar went a-hunting, and +saw it swimming in the water, and it was so close that +he could touch it with his hand. The Tsar took off +his clothes and plunged into the water after it, and +it enticed him farther and farther away from the shore. +Then the drake swam toward the spot where the +Tsar had left his clothes, and when it came up to them +it changed into a man and put them on, and behold! +the man was Daniel. Then he called to the Tsar: +“Swim hither, swim hither!” The Tsar swam up, +but when he swam ashore Daniel met and killed him, +and after that he went back to court in the Tsar’s +clothes. Then all the courtiers hailed him as the Tsar, +but he said, “Where is that damsel who was here +just now?”––They brought her instantly before +him. “Well,” said he to her, “thou hast been a +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_120' name='page_120'></a>120</span> +second mother to me, and now thou shalt be my +second wife!” So he lived with her and was happy, +but he caused his first wife to be tied to the tails +of wild horses and torn to pieces in the endless +steppes.</p> +<div class='figtag'> +<a name='linki_10' id='linki_10'></a> +</div> +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/illus-135.png' alt='' title='' width='404' height='500' /><br /> +<p class='caption'> +HIS WIFE CARESSED AND WHEEDLED HIM<br /> +</p> +</div> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_121' name='page_121'></a>121</span></div> +<h2>THE SPARROW AND +THE BUSH</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_123' name='page_123'></a>123</span> +<a name='THE_SPARROW_AND_THE_BUSH' id='THE_SPARROW_AND_THE_BUSH'></a> +<h3>THE SPARROW AND THE BUSH</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>A sparrow</span> once flew down upon a bush and +said, “Little bush, give good little sparrow +a swing.”––“I won’t!” said the little bush. +Then the sparrow was angry, and went to the goat +and said, “Goat, goat, nibble bush, bush won’t give +good little sparrow a swing.”––“I won’t!” said the +goat.––Then the sparrow went to the wolf and said, +“Wolf, wolf, eat goat, goat won’t nibble bush, bush +won’t give good little sparrow a swing.”––“I won’t!” +said the wolf.––Then the sparrow went to the people +and said, “Good people, kill wolf, wolf won’t eat +goat, goat won’t nibble bush, bush won’t give good +little sparrow a swing.”––“We won’t!” said the people.––Then +the sparrow went to the Tartars and said, +“Tartars, Tartars, slay people, people won’t kill wolf, +wolf won’t eat goat, goat won’t nibble bush, bush won’t +give good little sparrow a swing.”––But the Tartars said, +“We won’t slay the people!” and the people said, +“We won’t kill the wolf!” and the wolf said, “I +won’t eat the goat!” and the goat said, “I won’t +nibble the bush!” and the bush said, “I won’t give +the good little sparrow a swing.”––“Go!” said the +bush, “to the fire, for the Tartars won’t slay the people, +and the people won’t kill the wolf, and the wolf won’t +eat the goat, and the goat won’t nibble the bush, and +the bush won’t give the dear little sparrow a swing.”––But +the fire also said, “I won’t!” (they were all +alike)––“go to the water,” said he.––So the sparrow +went to the water and said, “Come water, quench +fire, fire won’t burn Tartars, Tartars won’t slay people, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_124' name='page_124'></a>124</span> +people won’t kill wolf, wolf won’t eat goat, goat won’t +nibble bush, bush won’t give good little sparrow a +swing.”––But the water also said, “I won’t!” So +the sparrow went to the ox and said, “Ox, ox, drink +water, water won’t quench fire, fire won’t burn Tartars, +Tartars won’t slay people, people won’t kill wolf, wolf +won’t eat goat, goat won’t nibble bush, bush won’t +give little sparrow a swing.”––“I won’t!” said the +ox.––Then the sparrow went to the pole-axe and said, +“Pole-axe, pole-axe, strike ox, ox won’t drink water, +water won’t quench fire, fire won’t burn Tartars, +Tartars won’t slay people, people won’t kill wolf, wolf +won’t eat goat, goat won’t nibble bush, bush won’t +give little sparrow a swing.”––“I won’t!” said the +pole-axe.––So the sparrow went to the worms and +said, “Worms, worms, gnaw pole-axe, pole-axe won’t +strike ox, ox won’t drink water, water won’t quench +fire, fire won’t burn Tartars, Tartars won’t slay people, +people won’t kill wolf, wolf won’t eat goat, goat won’t +nibble bush, bush won’t give little sparrow a swing.”––“We +won’t!” said the worms.––Then the sparrow +went to the hen and said, “Hen, hen, peck worms, +worms won’t gnaw pole-axe, pole-axe won’t strike ox, +ox won’t drink water, water won’t quench fire, fire +won’t burn Tartars, Tartars won’t slay people, people +won’t kill wolf, wolf won’t eat goat, goat won’t nibble +bush, bush won’t give little sparrow a swing.”––“I +won’t!” said the hen, “but go to the sparrow-hawk, +he ought to give the first push, or why is he called +the Pusher!”<a name='FNanchor_0013' id='FNanchor_0013'></a><a href='#Footnote_0013' class='fnanchor'>[14]</a>––So the sparrow went to the sparrow-hawk +and said, “Come, pusher, seize hen, hen won’t +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_125' name='page_125'></a>125</span> +peck worms, worms won’t gnaw pole-axe, pole-axe +won’t strike ox, ox won’t drink water, water won’t +quench fire, fire won’t burn Tartars, Tartars won’t +slay people, people won’t kill wolf, wolf won’t eat goat, +goat won’t nibble bush, bush won’t give little sparrow +a swing.”</p> +<p>Then the sparrow-hawk began to seize the hen, the +hen began to peck the worms, the worms began to +gnaw the pole-axe, the pole-axe began to hit the ox, +the ox began to drink the water, the water began to +quench the fire, the fire began to burn the Tartars, +the Tartars began to slay the people, the people began +to kill the wolf, the wolf began to eat the goat, the +goat began to nibble the bush, and the bush cried +out:</p> +<table summary=''><tr><td> +<p class='cg'>“<i>Swing away, swing away, swi-i-i-i-ing!<br /> +Little daddy sparrow, have your fli-i-i-ing!</i>”</p> +</td></tr></table> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_127' name='page_127'></a>127</span></div> +<h2>THE OLD DOG</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_129' name='page_129'></a>129</span> +<a name='THE_OLD_DOG' id='THE_OLD_DOG'></a> +<h3>THE OLD DOG</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>There</span> was once a man who had a dog. While +the dog was young he was made much of, +but when he grew old he was driven out of +doors. So he went and lay outside the fence, and +a wolf came up to him and said, “Doggy, why so +down in the mouth?”––“While I was young,” said +the dog, “they made much of me; but now that I +am old they beat me.” The wolf said, “I see thy +master in the field; go after him, and perchance he’ll +give thee something.”––“Nay,” said the dog, “they +won’t even let me walk about the fields now, they +only beat me.”––“Look now,” said the wolf, “I’m +sorry, and will make things better for thee. Thy +mistress, I see, has put her child down beneath that +wagon. I’ll seize it, and make off with it. Run thou +after me and bark, and though thou hast no teeth left, +touzle me as much as thou canst, so that thy mistress +may see it.”</p> +<p>So the wolf seized the child, and ran away with it, +and the dog ran after him, and began to touzle him. +His mistress saw it, and made after them with a harrow, +crying at the same time, “Husband, husband! the +wolf has got the child! Gabriel, Gabriel! don’t you +see? The wolf has got the child!” Then the man +chased the wolf, and got back the child. “Brave old +dog!” said he; “you are old and toothless, and yet +you can give help in time of need, and will not let +your master’s child be stolen.” And henceforth the +woman and her husband gave the old dog a large lump +of bread every day.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_131' name='page_131'></a>131</span></div> +<h2>THE FOX AND +THE CAT</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_133' name='page_133'></a>133</span> +<a name='THE_FOX_AND_THE_CAT' id='THE_FOX_AND_THE_CAT'></a> +<h3>THE FOX AND THE CAT</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>In</span> a certain forest there once lived a fox, and near +to the fox lived a man who had a cat that had +been a good mouser in its youth, but was now +old and half blind. The man didn’t want puss any +longer, but not liking to kill it, took it out into the +forest and lost it there. Then the fox came up and +said, “Why, Mr Shaggy Matthew! How d’ye do! +What brings you here?”––“Alas!” said Pussy, “my +master loved me as long as I could bite, but now that +I can bite no longer and have left off catching mice––and +I used to catch them finely once––he doesn’t like +to kill me, but he has left me in the wood where I +must perish miserably.”––“No, dear Pussy!” said +the fox; “you leave it to me, and I’ll help you +to get your daily bread.”––“You are very good, +dear little sister foxey!” said the cat, and the fox +built him a little shed with a garden round it to walk +about in.</p> +<p>Now one day the hare came to steal the man’s +cabbage. “Kreem-kreem-kreem!” he squeaked. But +the cat popped his head out of the window, and when +he saw the hare, he put up his back and stuck up +his tail and said, “Ft-t-t-t-t-Frrrrrrr!” The hare +was frightened and ran away and told the bear, the +wolf, and the wild boar all about it. “Never mind,” +said the bear, “I tell you what, we’ll all four give a +banquet, and invite the fox and the cat, and do for +the pair of them. Now, look here! I’ll steal the +man’s mead; and you, Mr Wolf, steal his fat-pot; +and you, Mr Wildboar, root up his fruit-trees; and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_134' name='page_134'></a>134</span> +you, Mr Bunny, go and invite the fox and the cat to +dinner.”</p> +<p>So they made everything ready as the bear had +said, and the hare ran off to invite the guests. He +came beneath the window and said, “We invite your +little ladyship Foxey-Woxey, together with Mr Shaggy +Matthew, to dinner”––and back he ran again.––“But +you should have told them to bring their spoons with +them,” said the bear.––“Oh, what a head I’ve got! if +I didn’t quite forget!” cried the hare, and back he went +again, ran beneath the window and cried, “Mind you +bring your spoons!”––“Very well,” said the fox.</p> +<p>So the cat and the fox went to the banquet, and +when the cat saw the bacon, he put up his back and +stuck out his tail, and cried, “Mee-oo, mee-oo!” +with all his might. But they thought he said, “Ma-lo, +ma-lo<a name='FNanchor_0014' id='FNanchor_0014'></a><a href='#Footnote_0014' class='fnanchor'>[15]</a>!”––“What!” said the bear, who was +hiding behind the beeches with the other beasts, “here +have we four been getting together all we could, and +this pig-faced cat calls it too little! What a monstrous +cat he must be to have such an appetite!” So they +were all four very frightened, and the bear ran up a +tree, and the others hid where they could. But when +the cat saw the boar’s bristles sticking out from behind +the bushes he thought it was a mouse, and put up +his back again and cried, “Ft! ft! ft! Frrrrrrr!” +Then they were more frightened than ever. And the +boar went into a bush still farther off, and the wolf +went behind an oak, and the bear got down from the +tree, and climbed up into a bigger one, and the hare +ran right away.</p> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_135' name='page_135'></a>135</span></div> +<p>But the cat remained in the midst of all the good +things and ate away at the bacon, and the little fox +gobbled up the honey, and they ate and ate till they +couldn’t eat any more, and then they both went home +licking their paws.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_137' name='page_137'></a>137</span></div> +<h2>THE STRAW OX</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_139' name='page_139'></a>139</span> +<a name='THE_STRAW_OX' id='THE_STRAW_OX'></a> +<h3>THE STRAW OX</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>There</span> was once upon a time an old man and +an old woman. The old man worked in the +fields as a pitch-burner, while the old woman +sat at home and spun flax. They were so poor that +they could save nothing at all; all their earnings went +in bare food, and when that was gone there was nothing +left. At last the old woman had a good idea. “Look +now, husband,” cried she, “make me a straw ox, and +smear it all over with tar.”––“Why, you foolish +woman!” said he, “what’s the good of an ox of that +sort?”––“Never mind,” said she, “you just make it. +I know what I am about.”––What was the poor man +to do? He set to work and made the ox of straw, +and smeared it all over with tar.</p> +<p>The night passed away, and at early dawn the old +woman took her distaff, and drove the straw ox out +into the steppe to graze, and she herself sat down +behind a hillock, and began spinning her flax, and +cried, “Graze away, little ox, while I spin my flax! +Graze away, little ox, while I spin my flax!” And +while she spun, her head drooped down and she began +to doze, and while she was dozing, from behind the +dark wood and from the back of the huge pines a +bear came rushing out upon the ox and said, “Who +are you? Speak and tell me!”––And the ox said, +“A three-year-old heifer am I, made of straw and +smeared with tar.”––“Oh!” said the bear, “stuffed +with straw and trimmed with tar, are you? Then +give me of your straw and tar, that I may patch up my +ragged fur again!”––“Take some,” said the ox, and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_140' name='page_140'></a>140</span> +the bear fell upon him and began to tear away at the +tar. He tore and tore, and buried his teeth in it till +he found he couldn’t let go again. He tugged and +he tugged, but it was no good, and the ox dragged +him gradually off goodness knows where. Then the +old woman awoke, and there was no ox to be seen. +“Alas! old fool that I am!” cried she, “perchance it +has gone home.” Then she quickly caught up her +distaff and spinning-board, threw them over her shoulders, +and hastened off home, and she saw that the ox +had dragged the bear up to the fence, and in she went +to the old man. “Dad, dad!” she cried, “look, +look! the ox has brought us a bear. Come out and +kill it!” Then the old man jumped up, tore off the +bear, tied him up, and threw him in the cellar.</p> +<p>Next morning, between dark and dawn, the old +woman took her distaff and drove the ox into the +steppe to graze. She herself sat down by a mound, +began spinning, and said, “Graze, graze away, little +ox, while I spin my flax! Graze, graze away, little +ox, while I spin my flax!” And while she spun, her +head drooped down and she dozed. And, lo! from +behind the dark wood, from the back of the huge +pines, a grey wolf came rushing out upon the ox and +said, “Who are you? Come, tell me!”––“I am a +three-year-old heifer, stuffed with straw and trimmed +with tar,” said the ox.––“Oh! trimmed with tar, are +you? Then give me of your tar to tar my sides, that +the dogs and the sons of dogs tear me not!”––“Take +some,” said the ox. And with that the wolf fell upon +him and tried to tear the tar off. He tugged and +tugged, and tore with his teeth, but could get none +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_141' name='page_141'></a>141</span> +off. Then he tried to let go, and couldn’t; tug and +worry as he might, it was no good. When the old +woman woke, there was no heifer in sight. “Maybe +my heifer has gone home!” she cried; “I’ll go home +and see.” When she got there she was astonished, +for by the palings stood the ox with the wolf still tugging +at it. She ran and told her old man, and her old man +came and threw the wolf into the cellar also.</p> +<p>On the third day the old woman again drove her +ox into the pastures to graze, and sat down by a mound +and dozed off. Then a fox came running up. “Who +are you?” it asked the ox.––“I’m a three-year-old +heifer, stuffed with straw and daubed with tar.”––“Then +give me some of your tar to smear my sides +with, when those dogs and sons of dogs tear my hide!”––“Take +some,” said the ox. Then the fox fastened +her teeth in him and couldn’t draw them out again. +The old woman told her old man, and he took and +cast the fox into the cellar in the same way. And +after that they caught Pussy Swift-foot<a name='FNanchor_0015' id='FNanchor_0015'></a><a href='#Footnote_0015' class='fnanchor'>[16]</a> likewise.</p> +<p>So when he had got them all safely, the old man +sat down on a bench before the cellar and began +sharpening a knife. And the bear said to him, “Tell +me, daddy, what are you sharpening your knife for?”––“To +flay your skin off, that I may make a leather +jacket for myself and a pelisse for my old wife.”––“Oh! +don’t flay me, daddy dear! Rather let me go, +and I’ll bring you a lot of honey.”––“Very well, see +you do it,” and he unbound and let the bear go. Then +he sat down on the bench and again began sharpening +his knife. And the wolf asked him, “Daddy, what +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_142' name='page_142'></a>142</span> +are you sharpening your knife for?”––“To flay off +your skin, that I may make me a warm cap against +the winter.”––“Oh! don’t flay me, daddy dear, and +I’ll bring you a whole herd of little sheep.”––“Well, +see that you do it,” and he let the wolf go. Then he +sat down and began sharpening his knife again. The +fox put out her little snout and asked him, “Be so +kind, dear daddy, and tell me why you are sharpening +your knife!”––“Little foxes,” said the old man, “have +nice skins that do capitally for collars and trimmings, +and I want to skin you!”––“Oh! don’t take my +skin away, daddy dear, and I will bring you hens and +geese.”––“Very well, see that you do it!” and he +let the fox go. The hare now alone remained, and +the old man began sharpening his knife on the hare’s +account. “Why do you do that?” asked puss, and +he replied, “Little hares have nice little soft warm +skins, which will make me gloves and mittens against +the winter!”––“Oh! daddy dear! don’t flay me, +and I’ll bring you kale and good cauliflower, if only +you let me go!” Then he let the hare go also.</p> +<p>Then they went to bed, but very early in the +morning, when it was neither dusk nor dawn, there +was a noise in the doorway like “Durrrrrr!”––“Daddy!” +cried the old woman, “there’s some one +scratching at the door, go and see who it is!” The +old man went out, and there was the bear carrying +a whole hive full of honey. The old man took the +honey from the bear, but no sooner did he lie down +than again there was another “Durrrrr!” at the door. +The old man looked out and saw the wolf driving a +whole flock of sheep into the yard. Close on his heels +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_143' name='page_143'></a>143</span> +came the fox, driving before him geese and hens and +all manner of fowls; and last of all came the hare, +bringing cabbage and kale and all manner of good +food. And the old man was glad, and the old woman +was glad. And the old man sold the sheep and oxen +and got so rich that he needed nothing more. As +for the straw-stuffed ox, it stood in the sun till it fell +to pieces.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_145' name='page_145'></a>145</span></div> +<h2>THE GOLDEN SLIPPER</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_147' name='page_147'></a>147</span> +<a name='THE_GOLDEN_SLIPPER' id='THE_GOLDEN_SLIPPER'></a> +<h3>THE GOLDEN SLIPPER</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>There</span> was once upon a time an old man and +an old woman, and the old man had a daughter, +and the old woman had a daughter. And the +old woman said to the old man, “Go and buy a +heifer, that thy daughter may have something to look +after!” So the old man went to the fair and bought +a heifer.</p> +<p>Now the old woman spoiled her own daughter, but +was always snapping at the old man’s daughter. Yet +the old man’s daughter was a good, hard-working girl, +while as for the old woman’s daughter, she was but +an idle slut. She did nothing but sit down all day +with her hands in her lap. One day the old woman +said to the old man’s daughter, “Look now, thou +daughter of a dog, go and drive out the heifer to +graze! Here thou hast two bundles of flax. See +that thou unravel it, and reel it, and bleach it, and +bring it home all ready in the evening!” Then the +girl took the flax and drove the heifer out to graze.</p> +<p>So the heifer began to graze, but the girl sat down +and began to weep. And the heifer said to her, “Tell +me, dear little maiden, wherefore dost thou weep?”––“Alas! +why should I not weep? My stepmother +has given me this flax and bidden me unravel it, and +reel it, and bleach it, and bring it back as cloth in the +evening.”––“Grieve not, maiden!” said the heifer, +“it will all turn out well. Lie down to sleep!”––So +she lay down to sleep, and when she awoke the +flax was all unravelled and reeled and spun into fine +cloth, and bleached. Then she drove the heifer home +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_148' name='page_148'></a>148</span> +and gave the cloth to her stepmother. The old +woman took it and hid it away, that nobody might +know that the old man’s daughter had brought it to +her.</p> +<p>The next day she said to her own daughter, “Dear +little daughter, drive the heifer out to graze, and here +is a little piece of flax for thee, unravel it and reel it, +or unravel it not and reel it not as thou likest best, +but bring it home with thee.” Then she drove the +heifer out to graze, and threw herself down in the +grass, and slept the whole day, and did not even take +the trouble to go and moisten the flax in the cooling +stream. And in the evening she drove the heifer +back from the field and gave her mother the flax. +“Oh, mammy!” she said, “my head ached so the +whole day, and the sun scorched so, that I couldn’t +go down to the stream to moisten the flax.”––“Never +mind,” said her mother, “lie down and sleep; it will +do for another day.”</p> +<p>And the next day she called the old man’s daughter +again, “Get up, thou daughter of a dog, and take +the heifer out to graze. And here thou hast a bundle +of raw flax; unravel it, heckle it, wind it on to thy +spindles, bleach it, weave with it, and make it into +fine cloth for me by the evening!”––Then the girl +drove out the heifer to graze. The heifer began grazing, +but she sat down beneath a willow-tree, and threw +her flax down beside her, and began weeping with +all her might. But the heifer came up to her and +said, “Tell me, little maiden, wherefore dost thou +weep?”––“Why should I not weep?” said she, and +she told the heifer all about it.––“Grieve not!” said +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_149' name='page_149'></a>149</span> +the heifer, “it will all come right, but lie down to +sleep.”––So she lay down and immediately fell asleep. +And by evening the bundle of raw flax was heckled +and spun and reeled, and the cloth was woven and +bleached, so that one could have made shirts of it +straight off. Then she drove the heifer home, and +gave the cloth to her stepmother.</p> +<div class='figtag'> +<a name='linki_11' id='linki_11'></a> +</div> +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/illus-167.png' alt='' title='' width='403' height='500' /><br /> +<p class='caption'> +THE GIRL DROVE THE HEIFER OUT TO GRAZE<br /> +</p> +</div> +<p>Then the old woman said to herself, “How comes +it that this daughter of the son of a dog has done all +her task so easily? The heifer must have got it done +for her, I know. But I’ll put a stop to all this, thou +daughter of the son of a dog,” said she. Then she +went to the old man and said, “Father, kill and cut +to pieces this heifer of thine, for because of it thy +daughter does not a stroke of work. She drives the +heifer out to graze, and goes to sleep the whole day +and does nothing.”––“Then I’ll kill it!” said he.––But +the old man’s daughter heard what he said, and +went into the garden and began to weep bitterly. +The heifer came to her and said, “Tell me, dear +little maiden, wherefore dost thou weep?”––“Why +should I <i>not</i> weep,” she said, “when they want to +kill thee?”––“Don’t grieve,” said the heifer, “it will +all come right. When they have killed me, ask thy +stepmother to give thee my entrails to wash, and in +them thou wilt find a grain of corn. Plant this grain +of corn, and out of it will grow up a willow-tree, and +whatever thou dost want, go to this willow-tree and +ask, and thou shalt have thy heart’s desire.”</p> +<p>Then her father slew the heifer, and she went to +her stepmother and said, “Prythee, let me have the +entrails of the heifer to wash!”––And her stepmother +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_150' name='page_150'></a>150</span> +answered, “As if I would let anybody else do such +work but thee!”––Then she went and washed them, +and sure enough she found the grain of corn, planted +it by the porch, trod down the earth, and watered it +a little. And the next morning, when she awoke, she +saw that a willow-tree had sprung out of this grain +of corn, and beneath the willow-tree was a spring of +water, and no better water was to be found anywhere +in the whole village. It was as cold and as clear as +ice.</p> +<p>When Sunday came round, the old woman tricked +her pet daughter out finely, and took her to church, +but to the old man’s daughter she said, “Look to +the fire, thou slut! Keep a good fire burning and get +ready the dinner, and make everything in the house +neat and tidy, and have thy best frock on, and all the +shirts washed against I come back from church. And +if thou hast not all these things done, thou shalt say +good-bye to dear life.”</p> +<p>So the old woman and her daughter went to church, +and the smart little stepdaughter made the fire burn +up, and got the dinner ready, and then went to the +willow-tree and said, “Willow-tree, willow-tree, come +out of thy bark! Lady Anna, come when I call thee!” +Then the willow-tree did its duty, and shook all its +leaves, and a noble lady came forth from it. “Dear +little lady, sweet little lady, what are thy commands?” +said she.––“Give me,” said she, “a grand dress and +let me have a carriage and horses, for I would go to +God’s House!”––And immediately she was dressed +in silk and satin, with golden slippers on her feet, and +the carriage came up and she went to church.</p> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_151' name='page_151'></a>151</span></div> +<p>When she entered the church there was a great to-do, +and every one said, “Oh! oh! oh! Who is it? +Is it perchance some princess or some queen? for the +like of it we have never seen before.” Now the young +Tsarevich chanced to be in church at that time. When +he saw her, his heart began to beat. He stood there, +and could not take his eyes off her. And all the great +captains and courtiers marvelled at her and fell in +love with her straightway. But who she was, they +knew not. When service was over, she got up and +drove away. When she got home, she took off all +her fine things, and put on all her rags again, and sat +in the window-corner and watched the folk coming +from church.</p> +<p>Then her stepmother came back too. “Is the +dinner ready?” said she.––“Yes, it is ready.”––“Hast +thou sewn the shirts?”––“Yes, the shirts are sewn +too.”––Then they sat down to meat, and began to +relate how they had seen such a beautiful young lady +at church.––“The Tsarevich,” said the old woman, +“instead of saying his prayers, was looking at her +all the while, so goodly was she.” Then she said to +the old man’s daughter, “As for thee, thou slut! +though thou <i>hast</i> sewn the shirts and bleached them, +thou art but a dirty under-wench!”</p> +<p>On the following Sunday the stepmother again +dressed up her daughter, and took her to church. +But, before she went, she said to the old man’s +daughter, “See that thou keep the fire in, thou slut!” +and she gave her a lot of work to do. The old man’s +daughter very soon did it all, and then she went to +the willow-tree and said, “Bright spring willow, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_152' name='page_152'></a>152</span> +bright spring willow, change thee, transform thee!” +Then still statelier dames stepped forth from the willow-tree, +“Dear little lady, sweet little lady, what commands +hast thou to give?” She told them what +she wanted, and they gave her a gorgeous dress, and +put golden shoes on her feet, and she went to church +in a grand carriage. The Tsarevich was again there, +and at the sight of her he stood as if rooted to the +ground, and couldn’t take his eyes from her. Then +the people began to whisper, “Is there none here +who knows her? Is there none who knows who such +a handsome lady may be!” And they began to ask +each other, “Dost <i>thou</i> know her? Dost <i>thou</i> know +her?”––But the Tsarevich said, “Whoever will tell +me who this great lady is, to him will I give a sack-load +of gold ducats!”––Then they inquired and inquired, +and laid all their heads together, but nothing +came of it. But the Tsarevich had a jester who was +always with him, and used always to jest and cut capers +whenever this child of the Tsar was sad. So now, +too, he began to laugh at the young Tsarevich and +say to him, “I know how to find out who this fine +lady is.”––“How?” asked the young Tsarevich.––“I’ll +tell thee,” said the jester; “smear with pitch +the place in church where she is wont to stand. Then +her slippers will stick to it, and she, in her hurry to get +away, will never notice that she has left them behind +her in church.”––So the Tsarevich ordered his courtiers +to smear the spot with pitch straightway. Next time, +when the service was over, she got up as usual and +hastened away, but left her golden slippers behind +her. When she got home she took off her costly raiment +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_153' name='page_153'></a>153</span> +and put on her rags, and waited in the window-corner +till they came from church.</p> +<p>When they came from church they had all sorts of +things to talk about, and how the young Tsarevich +had fallen in love with the grand young lady, and how +they were unable to tell him whence she came, or +who she was, and the stepmother hated the old man’s +daughter all the more because she had done her work +so nicely.</p> +<p>But the Tsarevich did nothing but pine away. And +they proclaimed throughout the kingdom, “Who has +lost a pair of golden slippers?” But none could +tell. Then the Tsar sent his wise councillors throughout +the kingdom to find her. “If ye do not find her,” +said he, “it will be the death of my child, and then +ye also are dead men.”</p> +<p>So the Tsar’s councillors went through all the towns +and villages, and measured the feet of all the maidens +against the golden slippers, and she was to be the bride +of the Tsarevich whom the golden slippers fitted. +They went to the houses of all the princes, and all the +nobles, and all the rich merchants, but it was of no +avail. The feet of all the maidens were either too +little or too large. Then they hied them to the huts +of the peasants.</p> +<div class='figtag'> +<a name='linki_12' id='linki_12'></a> +</div> +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/illus-175.jpg' alt='' title='' width='394' height='500' /><br /> +<p class='caption'> +THE TSAR’S COUNCILLORS WENT TO THE HOUSES OF ALL THE NOBLES AND PRINCES<br /> +</p> +</div> +<p>They went on and on, they measured and measured, +and at last they were so tired that they could scarce +draw one foot after the other. Then they looked +about them and saw a beautiful willow-tree standing +by a hut, and beneath the willow-tree was a spring of +water. “Let us go and rest in the cool shade,” said +they. So they went and rested, and the old woman +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_154' name='page_154'></a>154</span> +came out of the hut to them.––“Hast thou a daughter, +little mother?” said they.––“Yes, that I have,” said +she.––“One or two?” they asked.––“Well, there is +another,” said she, “but she is not my daughter, she +is a mere kitchen slut, the very look of her is nasty.”––“Very +well,” said they, “we will measure them +with the golden slippers.”––“Good!” cried the old +woman. Then she said to her own daughter, “Go, +my dear little daughter, tidy thyself up a bit, and wash +thy little feet!”––But the old man’s daughter she +drove behind the stove, and the poor thing was neither +washed nor dressed. “Sit there, thou daughter of +a dog!” said she.––Then the Tsar’s councillors came +into the hut to measure, and the old woman said to +her daughter, “Put out thy little foot, darling!”––The +councillors then measured with the slippers, but +they wouldn’t fit her at all. Then they said, “Tell +us, little mother, where is thy other daughter?”––“Oh, +as for her, she is a mere slut, and besides she +isn’t dressed.”––“No matter,” said they; “where is +she?”––Then she came out from behind the stove, +and her stepmother hustled her and said, “Get +along, thou sluttish hussy!”––Then they measured +her with the slippers, and they fitted like gloves, whereupon +the courtiers rejoiced exceedingly and praised +the Lord.</p> +<p>“Well, little mother,” said they, “we will take this +daughter away with us.”––“What! take a slattern +like that? Why, all the people will laugh at you!”––“Maybe +they will,” said they.––Then the old woman +scolded, and wouldn’t let her go. “How can such +a slut become the consort of the Tsar’s son?” screeched +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_155' name='page_155'></a>155</span> +she.––“Nay, but she must come!” said they; “go, +dress thyself, maiden!”––“Wait but a moment,” said +she, “and I’ll tire myself as is meet!”––Then she +went to the spring beneath the willow-tree, and washed +and dressed herself, and she came back so lovely and +splendid that the like of it can neither be thought of +nor guessed at, but only told of in tales. As she entered +the hut she shone like the sun, and her stepmother +had not another word to say.</p> +<p>So they put her in a carriage and drove off, and +when the Tsarevich saw her, he could not contain himself. +“Make haste, O my father!” cried he, “and +give us thy blessing.” So the Tsar blessed them, +and they were wedded. Then they made a great feast +and invited all the world to it. And they lived happily +together, and ate wheat-bread to their hearts’ content.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_157' name='page_157'></a>157</span></div> +<h2>THE IRON WOLF</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_159' name='page_159'></a>159</span> +<a name='THE_IRON_WOLF' id='THE_IRON_WOLF'></a> +<h3>THE IRON WOLF</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>There</span> was once upon a time a parson who +had a servant, and when this servant had served +him faithfully for twelve years and upward, +he came to the parson and said, “Let us now settle +our accounts, master, and pay me what thou owest me. +I have now served long enough, and would fain have a +little place in the wide world all to myself.”––“Good!” +said the parson. “I’ll tell thee now what wage I’ll +give thee for thy faithful service. I’ll give thee this egg. +Take it home, and when thou gettest there, make +to thyself a cattle-pen, and make it strong; then break +the egg in the middle of thy cattle-pen, and thou shalt see +something. But whatever thou doest, don’t break it +on thy way home, or all thy luck will leave thee.”</p> +<p>So the servant departed on his homeward way. +He went on and on, and at last he thought to himself, +“Come now, I’ll see what is inside this egg of mine!” +So he broke it, and out of it came all sorts of cattle in +such numbers that the open steppe became like a fair. +The servant stood there in amazement, and he thought +to himself, “However in God’s world shall I be +able to drive all these cattle back again?” He had +scarcely uttered the words when the Iron Wolf came +running up, and said to him, “I’ll collect and drive +back all these cattle into the egg again, and I’ll patch +the egg up so that it will become quite whole. But +in return for that,” continued the Iron Wolf, “whenever +thou dost sit down on the bridal bench,<a name='FNanchor_0016' id='FNanchor_0016'></a><a href='#Footnote_0016' class='fnanchor'>[17]</a> I’ll come +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_160' name='page_160'></a>160</span> +and eat thee.”––“Well,” thought the servant to himself, +“a lot of things may happen before I sit down +on the bridal bench and he comes to eat me, and in +the meantime I shall get all these cattle. Agreed, +then,” said he. So the Iron Wolf immediately collected +all the cattle, and drove them back into the egg, and +patched up the egg and made it whole just as it was +before.</p> +<p>The servant went home to the village where he +lived, made him a cattle-pen stronger than strong, +went inside it and broke the egg, and immediately +that cattle-pen was as full of cattle as it could hold. +Then he took to farming and cattle-breeding, and he +became so rich that in the whole wide world there +was none richer than he. He kept to himself, and +his goods increased and multiplied exceedingly; the +only thing wanting to his happiness was a wife, but +a wife he was afraid to take. Now near to where he +lived was a General who had a lovely daughter, and +this daughter fell in love with the rich man. So the +General went and said to him, “Come, why don’t +you marry? I’ll give you my daughter and lots of +money with her.”––“How is it possible for me to +marry?” replied the man; “as soon as ever I sit +down on the bridal bench, the Iron Wolf will come +and eat me up.” And he told the General all that +had happened.––“Oh, nonsense!” said the General, +“don’t be afraid. I have a mighty host, and when +the time comes for you to sit down on the bridal +bench, we’ll surround your house with three strong +rows of soldiers, and <i>they</i> won’t let the Iron Wolf get +at you, I can tell you.” So they talked the matter +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_161' name='page_161'></a>161</span> +over till he let himself be persuaded, and then they +began to make great preparations for the bridal banquet. +Everything went off excellently well, and they made +merry till the time came when bride and bridegroom +were to sit down together on the bridal bench. Then +the General placed his men in three strong rows all +round the house so as not to let the Iron Wolf get in; +and no sooner had the young people sat down upon +the bridal bench, than, sure enough, the Iron Wolf +came running up. He saw the host standing round +the house in three strong rows, but through all three +rows he leaped and made straight for the house. But +the man, as soon as he saw the Iron Wolf, leaped out +of the window, mounted his horse, and galloped off +with the wolf after him.</p> +<p>Away and away he galloped, and after him came +the wolf, but try as it would, it could not catch him +up anyhow. At last, toward evening, the man stopped +and looked about him, and saw that he was in a lone +forest, and before him stood a hut. He went up to +this hut, and saw an old man and an old woman sitting +in front of it, and said to them, “Would you let me +rest a little while with you, good people?”––“By +all means!” said they.––“There is one thing, however, +good people!” said he, “don’t let the Iron Wolf catch +me while I am resting with you.”––“Have no fear +of that!” replied the old couple. <a name='TC_4'></a><ins class="trchange" title="Added opening double-quote">“We</ins> have a dog +called Chutko,<a name='FNanchor_0017' id='FNanchor_0017'></a><a href='#Footnote_0017' class='fnanchor'>[18]</a> who can hear a wolf coming a mile +off, and he’ll be sure to let us know.” So he laid him +down to sleep, and was just dropping off when Chutko +began to bark. Then the old people awoke him, and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_162' name='page_162'></a>162</span> +said, “Be off! be off! for the Iron Wolf is coming.” +And they gave him the dog, and a wheaten hearth-cake +as provision by the way.</p> +<p>So he went on and on, and the dog followed after +him till it began to grow dark, and then he perceived +another hut in another forest. He went up to that +hut, and in front of it were sitting an old man and +an old woman. He asked them for a night’s lodging. +“Only,” said he, “take care that the Iron Wolf doesn’t +catch me!”––“Have no fear of that,” said they. “We +have a dog here called Vazhko,<a name='FNanchor_0018' id='FNanchor_0018'></a><a href='#Footnote_0018' class='fnanchor'>[19]</a> who can hear a wolf +nine miles off.” So he laid him down and slept. Just +before dawn Vazhko began to bark. Immediately they +awoke him. “Run!” cried they, “the Iron Wolf +is coming!” And they gave him the dog, and a +barley hearth-cake as provision by the way. So he +took the hearth-cake, sat him on his horse, and off he +went, and his two dogs followed after him.</p> +<p>He went on and on. On and on he went till +evening, when again he stopped and looked about +him, and he saw that he was in another forest, and +another little hut stood before him. He went into +the hut, and there were sitting an old man and an +old woman. “Will you let me pass the night here, +good people?” said he; “only take care that the +Iron Wolf does not get hold of me!”––“Have no +fear!” said they, “we have a dog called Bary, who +can hear a wolf coming twelve miles off. He’ll let +us know.” So he lay down to sleep, and early in the +morning Bary let them know that the Iron Wolf was +drawing nigh. Immediately they awoke him. “’Tis +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_163' name='page_163'></a>163</span> +high time for you to be off!” said they. Then they +gave him the dog, and a buckwheat hearth-cake as +provision by the way. He took the hearth-cake, sat +him on his horse, and off he went. So now he had +three dogs, and they all three followed him.</p> +<p>He went on and on, and toward evening he found +himself in front of another hut. He went into it, +and there was nobody there. He went and lay down, +and his dogs lay down also, Chutko on the threshold +of the room door, Vazhko at the threshold of the house +door, and Bary at the threshold of the outer gate. +Presently the Iron Wolf came trotting up. Immediately +Chutko gave the alarm, Vazhko nailed him to +the earth, and Bary tore him to pieces.</p> +<p>Then the man gathered his faithful dogs around +him, mounted his horse, and went back to his own +home.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_165' name='page_165'></a>165</span></div> +<h2>THE THREE BROTHERS</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_167' name='page_167'></a>167</span> +<a name='THE_THREE_BROTHERS' id='THE_THREE_BROTHERS'></a> +<h3>THE THREE BROTHERS</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>There</span> were, once upon a time, three brothers, +and the third was a fool. And in their little +garden grew golden apple-trees with golden +apples, and not far off lived a hog that had taken a +fancy to these apples. So the father sent his sons +into the garden to guard the trees. The eldest went +first, and sat and sat and watched and watched till +he was tired of watching, and fell asleep. Then the +hog crept in, and dug and dug till he had digged up +an apple-tree, which he ate up, and then went his +way. The father got up next morning and counted +his apple-trees, and one of them was gone. The next +night the father sent the second son to watch. He +waited and watched till he also fell asleep, and the hog +came again and dug up and ate another golden apple-tree +and made off. The next morning the father got +up again and counted his trees, and another was gone. +Then the fool said, “Dad, let me go too!” But the +father said, “Oh, fool, fool, wherefore shouldst thou +go? Thy wise brethren have watched to no purpose, +what canst thou do?”––“Hoity-toity!” said the fool; +“give me a gun, and I’ll go all the same.” His father +wouldn’t give him a gun, so he took it, and went to +watch. He placed his gun across his knees and sat +down. He sat and sat, but nothing came, nothing +came; he got drowsy, was nodding off, when his gun +fell off his knees, and he awoke with a start and +watched more warily. At last he heard something––and +there stood the hog. It began to dig up another +tree, when he pulled the trigger and––bang! His +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_168' name='page_168'></a>168</span> +brothers heard the sound, came running up, were +quite amazed to see a dead boar lying there, and +said, “What will become of us now?”––“Let us +kill him,” said the eldest brother, “and bury him +in that ditch, and say that we killed the hog.” So +they took and slew him, and buried him in the ditch, +and took the hog to their father, and said, “While +we were watching, this hog came up and began +digging, so we killed him and have brought him to +you.”</p> +<p>One day a nobleman came by that way, and was +surprised to see a beautiful elder-bush growing out +of the ditch; so he went up to it, cut off a branch, +made him a flute out of it, and began playing upon +it. But the flute played of its own accord, and made +this moan:</p> +<table summary=''><tr><td> +<p class='cg'>“<i>Play, good master, play,<br /> +But steal not my heart away!<br /> +Me my brothers took and slew,<br /> +In the ditch my body threw,<br /> +For that hog shot down by me<br /> +That rooted up the tree.</i>”</p> +</td></tr></table> +<p>The nobleman then went on to the inn, and there +he found the fool’s father. “Such a funny thing has +happened to me,” said the nobleman. “I went and +cut me out a flute from an elder-bush, and lo! it plays +of its own accord!” Then the father took the flute +and tried his hand at it, and it sang:</p> +<table summary=''><tr><td> +<p class='cg'>“<i>Play, good daddy, play,<br /> +But don’t steal my heart away! +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_169' name='page_169'></a>169</span><br /> +Me my brothers took and slew,<br /> +In the ditch my body threw,<br /> +For that hog shot down by me,<br /> +That rooted up the tree!</i>”</p> +</td></tr></table> +<p>The father was so astonished that he bought it, +and took it home, and gave it to the mother for her +to play upon it, and it sang:</p> +<table summary=''><tr><td> +<p class='cg'>“<i>Play, good mammy, play,<br /> +But don’t steal my heart away!<br /> +Me my brothers took and slew,<br /> +In the ditch my body threw,<br /> +For that hog shot down by me,<br /> +That rooted up the tree!</i>”</p> +</td></tr></table> +<p>Then the father gave the flute to his brothers to +play upon, but they wouldn’t. “Nay, but you must!” +said their father. Then the younger brother took and +played upon it:</p> +<table summary=''><tr><td> +<p class='cg'>“<i>Play, my brother, play,<br /> +But don’t steal my heart away!<br /> +Me my brothers took and slew,<br /> +In the ditch my body threw,<br /> +For the hog shot down by me,<br /> +That rooted up the tree!</i>”</p> +</td></tr></table> +<p>Then the father gave the flute to the elder brother +who had slain him, but he wouldn’t take it. “Take +it and play upon it!” roared his father at him. Then +he took it and played:</p> +<table summary=''><tr><td> +<p class='cg'>“<i>Play, my brother, play,<br /> +But don’t steal my heart away! +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_170' name='page_170'></a>170</span><br /> +’Twas thou who didst me slay,<br /> +And stowed my corpse away,<br /> +For the hog shot down by me,<br /> +That rooted up the tree!</i>”</p> +</td></tr></table> +<p>“Then it was thou who didst slay him?” cried +the father. What could the elder brother do but +confess it! Then they dug the dead man up, and +buried him in the cemetery; but they tied the elder +brother to a wild horse, which scattered his bones +about the endless steppe.</p> +<p>But I was there, and drank wine and mead till my +beard was wet.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_171' name='page_171'></a>171</span></div> +<h2>THE TSAR AND THE +ANGEL</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_173' name='page_173'></a>173</span> +<a name='THE_TSAR_AND_THE_ANGEL' id='THE_TSAR_AND_THE_ANGEL'></a> +<h3>THE TSAR AND THE ANGEL</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>Somewhere</span>, nowhere, in a certain kingdom, +in a certain empire, time out of mind, and +in no land of ours, dwelt a Tsar who was so +proud, so very proud, that he feared neither God nor +man. He listened to no good counsel from whithersoever +it might come, but did only that which was +good in his own eyes, and nobody durst put him right. +And all his ministers and nobles grieved exceedingly, +and all the people grieved likewise.</p> +<p>One day this Tsar went to church; the priest was +reading from Holy Scripture, and so he needs must +listen. Now there were certain words there which +pleased him not. “To say such words to me!” +thought he, “words that I can never forget, though +I grow grey-headed.” After service the Tsar went +home, and bade them send the priest to him. The +priest came. “How durst thou read such and such +passages to me?” said the Tsar.––“They were written +to be read,” replied the priest.––“Written, indeed! +And wouldst thou then read everything that is written? +Smear those places over with grease, and never dare +to read them again, I say!”––“’Tis not I who have +written those words, your Majesty,” said the priest; +“nor is it for such as I to smear them over.”––“What! +thou dost presume to teach me? I am the Tsar, and +it is thy duty to obey me.”––“In all things will I obey +thee, O Tsar, save only in sacred things. God is over +them, men cannot alter them.”––“Not alter them!” +roared the Tsar; “if I wish them altered, altered +they must be. Strike me out those words instantly, I +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_174' name='page_174'></a>174</span> +say, and never dare read them in church again. Dost +hear?”––“I dare not,” said the priest, “I have no +will in the matter.”––“I command thee, fellow!”––“I +dare not, O Tsar!”––“Well,” said the Tsar, “I’ll +give thee three days to think about it, and on the +evening of the fourth day appear before me, and I’ll +strike thy head from thy shoulders if thou dost not +obey me!” Then the priest bowed low and went +home.</p> +<p>The third day was already drawing to a close, and +the priest knew not what to do. It was no great +terror to him to die for the faith, but what would +become of his wife and children? He walked about, +and wept, and wrung his hands: “Oh, woe is me! +woe is me!” At last he lay down on his bed, but +sleep he could not. Only toward dawn did he doze +off, then he saw in a dream an angel standing at his +head. “Fear nothing!” said the angel. “God hath +sent me down on earth to protect thee!” So, early +in the morning, the priest rose up full of joy and prayed +gratefully to God.</p> +<p>The Tsar also awoke early in the morning, and +bawled to his huntsmen to gather together and go +a-hunting with him in the forest.</p> +<p>So away they went hunting in the forest, and it +was not long before a stag leaped out of the thicket +beneath the very eyes of the Tsar. Off after it went +the Tsar; every moment the stag seemed to be faltering, +and yet the Tsar could never quite come up with +it. Hot with excitement, the Tsar spurred his horse +on yet faster. “Gee up! gee up!” he cried; “now +we’ve got him!” But here a stream crossed the road, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_175' name='page_175'></a>175</span> +and the stag plunged into the water. The Tsar was +a good swimmer. “I’ve got him now, at any rate,” +thought he. “A little longer, and I shall hold him +by the horns.” So the Tsar took off his clothes, and +into the water he plunged after the stag. But the +stag swam across to the opposite bank, and the Tsar +was extending his hand to seize him by the horns––when +there was no longer any stag to be seen. It +was the angel who had taken the form of a stag. The +Tsar was amazed. He looked about him on every +side, and wondered where the stag had gone. Then +he saw some one on the other side of the river putting +on his clothes, and presently the man mounted his +horse and galloped away. The Tsar thought it was +some evil-doer, but it was the self-same angel that +had now put on the Tsar’s clothes and gone away +to collect the huntsmen and take them home. As +for the Tsar, he remained all naked and solitary in +the forest.</p> +<p>At last he looked about him and saw, far, far away, +smoke rising above the forest, and something like +a dark cloud standing in the clear sky. “Maybe,” +thought he, “that is my hunting-pavilion.” So he +went in the direction of the smoke, and came at last +to a brick-kiln. The brick-burners came forth to +meet him, and were amazed to see a naked man. +“What is he doing here?” they thought. And they +saw that his feet were lame and bruised, and his body +covered with scratches. “Give me to drink,” said +he, “and I would fain eat something also.” The +brick-burners had pity on him; they gave him an +old tattered garment to wear and a piece of black +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_176' name='page_176'></a>176</span> +bread and a gherkin to eat. Never from the day of +his birth had the Tsar had such a tasty meal. “And +now speak, O man!” said they; “who art thou?”––“I’ll +tell you who I am,” said he, when he had eaten +his fill; “I am your Tsar. Lead me to my capital, +and there I will reward you!”––“What, thou wretched +rogue!” they cried, “thou dost presume to mock us, +thou old ragamuffin, and magnify thyself into a Tsar! +Thou reward us, indeed!” And they looked at him +in amazement and scorn.––“Dare to laugh at me again,” +said he, “and I’ll have your heads chopped off!” +For he forgot himself, and thought he was at home.––“What! +thou!” Then they fell upon him and beat +him. They beat him and hauled him about most +unmercifully, and then they drove him away, and off +he went bellowing through the forest.</p> +<p>He went on and on till at last he saw once more a +smoke rising up out of the wood. Again he thought, +“That is surely my hunting-pavilion,” and so he +went up to it. And toward evening he came to +another brick-kiln. There, too, they had pity upon +and kindly entreated him. They gave him to eat +and to drink. They also gave him ragged hose and +a tattered shirt, for they were very poor people. They +took him to be a runaway soldier, or some other poor +man, but when he had eaten his fill and clothed himself, +he said to them, “I am your Tsar!” They +laughed at him, and again he began to talk roughly +to the people. Then they fell upon him and thrashed +him soundly, and drove him right away. And he +wandered all by himself through the forest till it was +night. Then he laid him down beneath a tree, and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_177' name='page_177'></a>177</span> +so he passed the night, and rising up very early, fared +on his way straight before him.</p> +<p>At last he came to a third brick-kiln, but he did +not tell the brick-burners there that he was the Tsar. +All he thought of now was how he might reach his +capital. The people here, too, treated him kindly, +and seeing that his feet were lame and bruised, they +had compassion upon him, and gave him a pair of +very, very old boots. And he asked them, “Do ye +know by which way I can get to the capital?” They +told him, but it was a long, long journey that would +take the whole day.</p> +<p>So he went the way they had told him, and he went +on and on till he came to a little town, and there the +roadside sentries stopped him. “Halt!” they cried. +He halted. “Your passport!”<a name='FNanchor_0019' id='FNanchor_0019'></a><a href='#Footnote_0019' class='fnanchor'>[20]</a>––“I have none.”––“What! +no passport? Then thou art a vagabond. +Seize him!” they cried. So they seized him and +put him in a dungeon. Shortly after they came to +examine him, and asked him, “Whence art thou?”––“From +such and such a capital,” said he. Then they +ordered him to be put in irons and taken thither.</p> +<p>So they took him back to that capital and put him +in another dungeon. Then the custodians came round +to examine the prisoners, and one said one thing and +one said another, till at last it came to the turn of the +Tsar.––“Who art thou, old man?” they asked. Then +he told them the whole truth. “Once I was the Tsar,” +said he, and he related all that had befallen him. Then +they were much amazed, for he was not at all like a +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_178' name='page_178'></a>178</span> +Tsar. For indeed he had been growing thin and +haggard for a long time, and his beard was all long +and tangled. And yet, for all that, he stood them +out that he was the Tsar. So they made up their +minds that he was crazy, and drove him away. “Why +should we keep this fool for ever,” said they, “and +waste the Tsar’s bread upon him?” So they let him +go, and never did any man feel so wretched on God’s +earth as did that wretched Tsar. Willingly would he +have done any sort of work if he had only known how, +but he had never been used to work, so he had to go +along begging his bread, and could scarce beg enough +to keep body and soul together. He lay at night at +the first place that came to hand, sometimes in the +tall grass of the steppes, sometimes beneath a fence. +“That it should ever have come to this!” he sighed.</p> +<p>But the angel who had made himself Tsar went +home with the huntsmen. And no man knew that +he was not a Tsar, but an angel. The same evening +that priest came to him and said, “Do thy will, O +Tsar, and strike off my head, for I cannot blot out +one word of Holy Scripture.”––And the Tsar said to +him, “Glory be to God, for now I know that there +is at least one priest in my tsardom who stands firm +for God’s Word. I’ll make thee the highest bishop in +this realm.” The priest thanked him, bowed down +to the earth, and departed marvelling. “What is +this wonder?” thought he, “that the haughty Tsar +should have become so just and gentle.”––But all +men marvelled at the change that had come over the +Tsar. He was now so mild and gracious, nor did he +spend all his days in the forest, but went about inquiring +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_179' name='page_179'></a>179</span> +of his people if any were wronged or injured +by their neighbours, and if justice were done. He +took count of all, and rebuked the unjust judges, and +saw that every man had his rights. And the people +now rejoiced as much as they had grieved heretofore, +and justice was done in all the tribunals, and no bribes +were taken.</p> +<div class='figtag'> +<a name='linki_13' id='linki_13'></a> +</div> +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/illus-203.png' alt='' title='' width='402' height='500' /><br /> +<p class='caption'> +THE TSAR WENT ABOUT INQUIRING OF HIS PEOPLE IF ANY WERE WRONGED<br /> +</p> +</div> +<p>But the Tsar, the real Tsar, grew more and more +wretched. Then, after three years, a ukase went forth +that on such and such a day all the people were to +come together to a great banquet given by the Tsar, +all were to be there, both rich and poor, both high +and lowly. And all the people came, and the unhappy +Tsar came too. And so many long tables were +set out in the Tsar’s courtyard that all the people +praised God when they saw the glad sight. And they +all sat down at table and ate and drank, and the Tsar +himself and his courtiers distributed the meat and +drink to the guests as much as they would, but to the +unfortunate Tsar they gave a double portion of everything. +And they all ate and drank their fill, and then +the Tsar began to inquire of the people whether any +had suffered wrong or had not had justice done him. +And when the people began to disperse, the Tsar stood +at the gate with a bag of money, and gave to every +one a <i>grivna</i>,<a name='FNanchor_0020' id='FNanchor_0020'></a><a href='#Footnote_0020' class='fnanchor'>[21]</a> but to the unhappy Tsar he gave three.</p> +<p>And after three years the Tsar gave another banquet, +and again entertained all the people. And when he +had given them both to eat and to drink as much as +they would, he inquired of them what was being done +in his tsardom, and again gave a <i>grivna</i> to each one +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_180' name='page_180'></a>180</span> +of them; but to the unlucky Tsar he gave a double +portion of meat and drink and three <i>grivni</i>.</p> +<p>And again, after three years, he made yet another +banquet, and proclaimed that all should come, both +rich and poor, both earls and churls. And all the +people came and ate and drank and bowed low before +the Tsar and thanked him, and made ready to depart. +The unlucky Tsar was also on the point of going, +when the angel Tsar stopped him, and took him aside +into the palace, and said to him, “Lo! God hath +tried thee and chastised thy pride these ten years. +But me He sent to teach thee that a Tsar must have +regard to the complaints of his people. So thou wast +made poor and a vagabond on the face of the earth +that thou mightst pick up wisdom, if but a little. +Look now, that thou doest good to thy people, and +judgest righteous judgment, as from henceforth thou +shalt be Tsar again, but I must fly back to God in +heaven.”––And when he had said this he bade them +wash and shave him (for his beard had grown right +down to his girdle), and put upon him the raiment of +a Tsar. And the angel said further, “Go now into +the inner apartments. There the courtiers of the Tsar +are sitting and making merry, and none will recognize +in thee the vagabond old man. May God help thee +always to do good!” And when the angel had said +this he was no more to be seen, and only his clothes +remained on the floor.</p> +<p>Then the Tsar prayed gratefully to God, and went to +the merry-making of his courtiers, and henceforth he +ruled his people justly, as the angel had bidden him.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_181' name='page_181'></a>181</span></div> +<h2>THE STORY OF IVAN +AND THE DAUGHTER +OF THE SUN</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_183' name='page_183'></a>183</span> +<a name='THE_STORY_OF_IVAN_AND_THE_DAUGHTER_OF_THE_SUN' id='THE_STORY_OF_IVAN_AND_THE_DAUGHTER_OF_THE_SUN'></a> +<h3>THE STORY OF IVAN AND THE<br />DAUGHTER OF THE SUN</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>There</span> were once upon a time four brethren, +and three of them remained at home, while +the fourth went out to seek for work. This +youngest brother came to a strange land, and hired +himself out to a husbandman for three gold pieces a +year. For three years he served his master faithfully, +so, at the end of his time, he departed with nine gold +pieces in his pocket. The first thing he now did was +to go to a spring, and into this spring he threw three +of his gold pieces. “Let us see now,” said he, “if +I have been honest, they will come swimming back +to me.” Then he lay down by the side of the spring +and went fast asleep. How long he slept there, who +can tell? but at any rate he woke up at last and went +to the spring, but there was no sign of his money to +be seen. Then he threw three more of the gold pieces +into the spring, and again he lay down by the side of +it and slept. Then he got up and went and looked +into the spring, and still there was no sign of the money. +So he threw in his three remaining gold pieces, and +again lay down and slept. The third time he arose +and looked into the spring, and there, sure enough, +was his money: all nine of the gold pieces were floating +on the surface of the water!</p> +<p>And now his heart felt lighter, and he gathered up +the nine gold pieces and went on his way. On the +road he fell in with three <i>katsapi</i><a name='FNanchor_0021' id='FNanchor_0021'></a><a href='#Footnote_0021' class='fnanchor'>[22]</a> with a laden wagon. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_184' name='page_184'></a>184</span> +He asked them concerning their wares, and they said +they were carrying a load of incense. He begged +them straightway to sell him this incense. Then they +sold it to him for the gold pieces, and when he had +bought it and they had departed, he kindled fire and +burnt the incense, and offered it up to God as a sweet-smelling +sacrifice. Then an angel flew down to him, +and said, “Oh, thou that hast offered this sweet-smelling +sacrifice to God, what dost thou want for thine own +self? Dost thou want a tsardom, or great riches? +Or, perchance, the desire of thy heart is a good wife? +Speak, for God will give thee whatsoever thou desirest.” +When the man had listened to the angel, he said to +him, “Tarry a while! I will go and ask those people +who are ploughing yonder.” Now those people who +were ploughing there were his own brethren, but he +did not know that they were his brethren. So he +went up and said to the elder brother, “Tell me, uncle, +what shall I ask of God? A tsardom, or great riches, +or a good wife? Tell me, which of the three is the +best gift to ask for?”––And his eldest brother said to +him, “I know not, and who does know? Go and +ask some one else.” So he went to the second brother, +who was ploughing a little farther on. He asked +him the same question, but the man only shrugged +his shoulders and said he didn’t know either. Then +he went to the third brother, who was the youngest +of the three, and also ploughing there. And he asked +him, saying, “Tell me, now, which is the best gift +to ask of God: a tsardom, or great riches, or a good +wife?”––And the third brother said, “What a question! +Thou art too young for a tsardom, and great +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_185' name='page_185'></a>185</span> +riches last but for a little while; ask God for a good +wife, for if it please God to give thee a good wife, ’tis +a gift that will bless thee all thy life long.” So he +went back to the angel and asked for a good wife. Then +he went on his way till he came to a certain wood, +and, looking about him, he perceived that in this wood +was a lake. And while he was looking at it, three +wild doves came flying along and lit down upon this +lake. They threw off their plumage and plunged into +the water, and then he saw that they were not wild +doves, but three fair ladies. They bathed in the lake, +and in the meantime the youth crept up and took the +raiment of one of them and hid it behind the bushes. +When they came out of the water the third lady missed +her clothes. Then the youth said to her, “I know +where thy clothes are, but I will not give them to thee +unless thou wilt be my wife.”––“Good!” cried she, +“thy wife will I be.” Then she dressed herself, and +they went together to the nearest village. When they +got there, she said to him, “Now go to the nobleman +who owns the land here, and beg him for a place where +we may build us a hut.” So he went right up to the +nobleman’s castle and entered his reception-room, and +said, “Glory be to God!”––“For ever and ever!” +replied the nobleman. “What dost thou want here, +Ivan?”––“I have come, sir, to beg of thee a place +where I may build me a hut.”––“A place for a hut, +eh? Good, very good. Go home, and I’ll speak to +my overseer, and he shall appoint thee a place.”––So +he returned from the nobleman’s castle, and his wife +said to him, “Go now into the forest and cut down +an oak, a young oak, that thou canst span round with +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_186' name='page_186'></a>186</span> +both arms.” So he cut down such an oak as his wife +had told him of, and she built a hut of the oak, for the +overseer had come and shown them a place where +they might build their hut. But when the overseer +returned home he praised loudly to his master the +wife of this Ivan. “She is such and such,” said he. +“Fair she may be,” replied the nobleman, “but she +is another’s.”––“She need not be another’s for long,” +replied the overseer. “This Ivan is in our hands; +let us send him to see why it is the sun grows so red +when he sets.”––“That’s just the same as if you sent +him to a place whence he can never return.”––“All +the better.”––Then they sent for Ivan, and gave him +this errand, and he returned home to his wife, weeping +bitterly. Then his wife asked him all about it, and +said, “Well, I can tell thee all about the ways of the +sun, for I am the sun’s own daughter. So now I’ll +tell thee the whole matter. Go back to this nobleman +and say to him that the reason why the sun turns +so red as he sets is this: Just as the sun is going down +into the sea, three fair ladies rise out of it, and it is +the sight of them which makes him turn so red all +over!” So he went back and told them. “Oh-ho!” +cried they, “if you can go as far as that, you +may now go a little farther”; so they told him to go +to hell and see how it was there. “Yes,” said his +wife, “I know the road that leads to hell also very +well; but the nobleman must let his overseer go with +thee, or else he never will believe that thou really +didst go to hell.”––So the nobleman told his overseer +that he must go to hell too, so they went together; +and when they got there the rulers of hell laid hands +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_187' name='page_187'></a>187</span> +upon the overseer straightway. “Thou dog!” roared +they, “we’ve been looking out for thee for some +time!” So Ivan returned without the overseer, and +the nobleman said to him, “Where’s my overseer?”––“I +left him in hell,” said Ivan, “and they said +there that they were waiting for you, sir, too.” When +the nobleman heard this he hanged himself, but Ivan +lived happily with his wife.</p> +<div class='figtag'> +<a name='linki_14' id='linki_14'></a> +</div> +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/illus-211.png' alt='' title='' width='407' height='500' /><br /> +<p class='caption'> +THE RULERS OF HELL LAID HANDS UPON THE OVERSEER STRAIGHTWAY<br /> +</p> +</div> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_189' name='page_189'></a>189</span></div> +<h2>THE CAT, THE COCK, +AND THE FOX</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_191' name='page_191'></a>191</span> +<a name='THE_CAT_THE_COCK_AND_THE_FOX' id='THE_CAT_THE_COCK_AND_THE_FOX'></a> +<h3>THE CAT, THE COCK, AND THE FOX</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>There</span> was once upon a time a cat and a cock, +who agreed to live together, so they built them +a hut on an ash-heap, and the cock kept house +while the cat went foraging for sausages.</p> +<p>One day the fox came running up: “Open the +door, little cock!” cried she.––“Pussy told me not +to, little fox!” said the cock.––“Open the door, little +cock!” repeated the fox.––“I tell you, pussy told +me not to, little fox!”––At last, however, the cock +grew tired of always saying “No!” so he opened +the door, and in the fox rushed, seized him in her +jaws, and ran off with him. Then the cock cried:</p> +<table summary=''><tr><td> +<p class='cg'>“<i>Help! pussy-pussy!<br /> +That foxy hussy<br /> +Has got me tight<br /> +With all her might.<br /> +Across her tail<br /> +My legs do trail<br /> +Along the bridge so stony!</i>”</p> +</td></tr></table> +<p>The cat heard it, gave chase to the fox, rescued the +cock, brought him home, scolded him well, and said, +“Now keep out of her jaws in the future, if you don’t +want to be killed altogether!”</p> +<p>Then the cat went out foraging for wheat, so that +the cock might have something to eat. He had scarcely +gone when the sly she-fox again came creeping up. +“Dear little cock!” said she, “pray open the door!”––“Nay, +little fox! Pussy said I wasn’t to.” But +the fox went on asking and asking till at last the cock +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_192' name='page_192'></a>192</span> +let him in. Then the fox rushed at him, seized him +by the neck, and ran off with him. Then the cock +cried out:</p> +<table summary=''><tr><td> +<p class='cg'>“<i>Help! pussy-pussy!<br /> +That foxy hussy<br /> +Has got me tight<br /> +With all her might.<br /> +Across her tail<br /> +My legs do trail<br /> +Along the bridge so stony!</i>”</p> +</td></tr></table> +<p>The cat heard it, and again he ran after the fox and +rescued the cock, and gave the fox a sound drubbing. +Then he said to the cock, “Now, mind you never let +her come in again, or she’ll eat you.”</p> +<p>But the next time the cat went out, the she-fox came +again, and said, “Dear little cock, open the door!”––“No, +little fox! Pussy said I wasn’t to.” But the +fox begged and begged so piteously that, at last, the +cock was quite touched, and opened the door. Then +the fox caught him by the throat again, and ran away +with him, and the cock cried:</p> +<table summary=''><tr><td> +<p class='cg'>“<i>Help! pussy-pussy!<br /> +That foxy hussy<br /> +Has got me tight<br /> +With all her might.<br /> +Across her tail<br /> +My legs do trail<br /> +Along the bridge so stony!</i>”</p> +</td></tr></table> +<p>The cat heard it, and gave chase again. He ran +and ran, but this time he couldn’t catch the fox up; +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_193' name='page_193'></a>193</span> +so he returned home and wept bitterly, because he +was now all alone. At last, however, he dried his +tears and got him a little fiddle, a little fiddle-bow, +and a big sack, and went to the fox’s hole and began +to play:</p> +<table summary=''><tr><td> +<p class='cg'>“<i>Fiddle-de-dee!<br /> +The foxy so wee<br /> +Had daughters twice two,<br /> +And a little son too,<br /> +Called Phil.––Fiddle-dee!<br /> +Come, foxy, and see<br /> +My sweet minstrelsy!</i>”</p> +</td></tr></table> +<p>Then the fox’s daughter said, “Mammy, I’ll go +out and see who it is that is playing so nicely!” So +out she skipped, but no sooner did pussy see her than +he caught hold of her and popped her into his sack. +Then he played again:</p> +<table summary=''><tr><td> +<p class='cg'>“<i>Fiddle-de-dee!<br /> +The foxy so wee<br /> +Had daughters twice two,<br /> +And a little son too,<br /> +Called Phil.––Fiddle-dee!<br /> +Come, foxy, and see<br /> +My sweet minstrelsy!</i>”</p> +</td></tr></table> +<p>Then the second daughter skipped out, and pussy +caught her by the forehead, and popped her into his +sack, and went on playing and singing till he had got +all four daughters into his sack, and the little son +also.</p> +<p>Then the old fox was left all alone, and she waited +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_194' name='page_194'></a>194</span> +and waited, but not one of them came back. At last +she said to herself, “I’ll go out and call them home, +for the cock is roasting, and the milk pottage is simmering, +and ’tis high time we had something to eat.” +So out she popped, and the cat pounced upon her, +and killed her too. Then he went and drank up all +the soup, and gobbled up all the pottage, and then +he saw the cock lying on a plate. “Come, shake +yourself, cock!” said puss. So the cock shook himself, +and got up, and the cat took the cock home, and +the dead foxes too. And when they got home they +skinned them to make nice beds to lie upon, and lived +happily together in peace and plenty. And as they +laughed over the joke as a good joke, we may laugh +over it too!</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_195' name='page_195'></a>195</span></div> +<h2>THE SERPENT-TSAREVICH +AND HIS TWO WIVES</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_197' name='page_197'></a>197</span> +<a name='THE_SERPENTTSAREVICH_AND_HIS_TWO_WIVES' id='THE_SERPENTTSAREVICH_AND_HIS_TWO_WIVES'></a> +<h3>THE SERPENT-TSAREVICH AND<br />HIS TWO WIVES</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>There</span> was once a Tsaritsa who had no child, +and greatly desired one, so the soothsayers said +to her, “Bid them catch thee a pike, bid them +boil its head and nothing but its head, eat it, and thou +shalt see what will happen.” So she did so. She ate +the pike’s head and went about as usual for a whole +year, and when the year was out she gave birth to a +son who was a serpent.</p> +<p>And no sooner was he born than he looked about +him, and said, “Mammy and daddy! Bid them make +me a stone hut, and let there be a little bed there, and +a little stove and a fire to warm me, and let me be +married in a fortnight!”––So they did as he desired. +They shut him up in a stone hut, with a little bed +and a little stove and fire to warm him, and in a fortnight +he grew quite big, indeed he grew too big for +his little bed. “And now,” said he, “I want to be +married!” So they brought to him all the fair young +damsels of the land that he might choose one to be +his own true bride. Exceeding fair were all the damsels +they brought him, and yet he would choose none of +them. Now there was an old woman there, who had +twelve daughters, and eleven of these daughters they +brought to the Serpent-Tsarevich, but not the twelfth. +“She is too young!” said they.––Then the youngest +daughter said, “Ye fools, not to take me too! Why, +if I were brought to the Serpent-Tsarevich, he would +make me his bride at once.”</p> +<p>Now this came to the Tsar’s ears, and he commanded +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_198' name='page_198'></a>198</span> +them to bring her to him straightway. And the Tsar +said to her, “Wilt thou be my son’s bride or not?”––And +she said, “I will; but before I go to thy son, +give me at once a score of chemises, and a score of +linen kirtles, and a score of woollen kirtles, and twenty +pairs of shoes––twenty of each, I say.”––So the Tsar +gave them to her, and she put on the twenty chemises, +the twenty linen kirtles, the twenty woollen kirtles, +and the twenty pairs of shoes, one after the other, and +went to see the Serpent-Tsarevich. When she came +to the threshold of his hut, she stopped and said, “Hail, +O Serpent-Tsarevich!”––“Hail, maiden!” cried he. +“Wilt thou be my bride?”––“I will!”––“Then take +off one of thy skins!” cried he.––“Yes,” she said, +“but thou must do the same.”––So he cast off one of +his skins, and she cast off one of her twenty suits of +clothes. Then he cried out again, “Cast off another +of thy skins, maiden.”––“Yes,” she replied, “but +thou must cast off one too!”––So he did so. Nineteen +times did he cast off one of his serpent’s skins, +and nineteen times did she cast off one of her suits +of clothes, till at last she had only her every-day suit +left, and he had only his human skin left. Then he +threw off his last skin also, and it flew about in the +air like a gossamer, whereupon she seized hold of it +and threw it into the fire that was burning on the +hearth till it was all consumed, and he stood before +her no longer a serpent, but a simple Tsarevich. Then +they married and lived happily together, but the +husband never would go to visit his old father the +Tsar, nor would he allow his bride to go near the +palace.</p> +<div class='figtag'> +<a name='linki_15' id='linki_15'></a> +</div> +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/illus-225.jpg' alt='' title='' width='415' height='500' /><br /> +<p class='caption'> +NINETEEN TIMES DID SHE CAST OFF ONE OF HER SUITS OF CLOTHES<br /> +</p> +</div> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_199' name='page_199'></a>199</span></div> +<p>The old Tsar sent for him again and again, but his +son would never go. At last the wife was ashamed, +and said to her husband one day, “Dear heart! let +me go to thy father! I will only go for my own +pastime, lest he get angry. Why should I not go?” +Then he let her go, and she went to the court of the +old Tsar, and took her pastime there. She amused +herself finely, and ate and drank her fill of all good +things. Now her husband had laid this command +upon her, “Go and divert thyself if thou wilt, but if +thou tell my father and my mother what has happened +to me, and how I have lost my twenty serpent skins, +thou shalt never see me more.” For they did not +know that he was now no longer a serpent, but a simple +Tsarevich. She vowed she would never tell; but +for all her promises, she nevertheless told them at +last how her husband had lost his twenty serpent +skins. Then she enjoyed herself to her heart’s content, +but when she returned home she found no trace +of her husband––he had departed to another kingdom +in the uttermost parts of the world.</p> +<p>Then the poor bride sat her down and wept and +wept, and when she had no more tears to weep, she +went forth into the wide world to seek her husband. +She went on till she came to a lonely little house, and +she went and begged a night’s lodging from the old +woman who dwelt there, who was the Mother of the +Winds. But the Mother of the Winds would not +let her in. “God preserve thee, child!” said she. +“My son is already winging his way hither. In another +moment thou wilt hear the rustling of his wings, in +another moment he will slay thee, and scatter thy +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_200' name='page_200'></a>200</span> +bones to the four winds.” But the bride besought +the old woman till she had her desire, and the old +woman hid her behind a huge chest. A moment +afterward the son of the Mother of the Winds came +flying up, and he smelt out the bride, and said, “What’s +this, mother? There is an evil smell of Cossack bones +about the house!”––“No, it is not that,” said his +mother, “but a young woman has taken shelter here, +who says that she is going in search of her husband.”––“Then, +mother, give her the little silver apple, +and let her go, for her husband is in another +kingdom.” So they sent her away with the little silver +apple.</p> +<p>She went on and on till night descended upon her, +and she came to the lonely abode of another old woman, +and begged a night’s lodging of her also. But the +old woman would not let her in. “My son will be +here presently,” said she, “and he will slay thee.”––“Nay, +but, granny,” said the bride, “I’ve already +stayed the night with such as thou, for I have lodged +at the house of the Mother of the Winds.”––Then the +old woman took her in, and hid her, for she was +the Mother of the Moon. And immediately afterward the +Moon came flying up. “What is this, little mother?” +cried he. “I smell an evil smell of Cossack bones!”––But +she said to him, “Nay, my dear little son, but +a young woman has come hither who is obliged to +search for her husband because she told his father and +mother the truth.” Then the Moon said, “’Twould +be as well to let her go on farther. Give her the +little golden apple, and let her be off as quickly +as possible, for her husband is about to marry +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_201' name='page_201'></a>201</span> +another wife.” So she passed the night there, and +in the morning they sent her away with the little +golden apple.</p> +<p>She went on and on. Night again descended upon +her, and she came to the house of the Mother of the +Sun, and begged her for a night’s lodging. But the +old woman said to her, “I cannot let thee in. My +son is flying about the world, but he will fly hither +presently, and if he find thee here he will slay thee!”––Then +the bride said, “Nay, but, granny dear, I have +already lodged with the like of thee. I have lodged +with the Mother of the Winds, and the Mother of the +Moon, and they each gave me a little apple.” Then +the Mother of the Sun also let her in. Immediately +afterward her son, the Sun, came flying up, and he +said, “Why, what is this, little mother? I smell +an evil smell of Cossack bones!”––But his mother +answered, “A young woman came hither who begged +for a night’s lodging.” She did not tell her son the +whole truth, that the bride was in search of her +husband, but he knew it already, and said, “Her +husband is about to marry another wife. Let her go +to the land where now he is, and give her the diamond +apple, which is the best and most precious apple in +the whole world, and tell her to hasten on to the house +where her husband abides. They won’t let her in +there, but she must disguise herself as an old woman, +and sit down outside in the courtyard, and spread +out a cloth and lay upon it her little silver apple, and +all the people will come flocking around to see the +old woman who is selling apples of silver.” So the +bride did as the Sun bade her, and went to that distant +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_202' name='page_202'></a>202</span> +empire, and the Empress of that empire, whom her +husband had married, came to see what she was selling, +and said to her, “What dost thou want for thy silver +apple?” And she answered, “No money do I want +for it. Oh, sovereign lady, all that I require in exchange +therefor is that I may pass the night near my husband.”––Then +the Empress took the apple, and allowed her +to come into the bedchamber of the Tsarevich to pass +the night there; but first of all she gave the Tsarevich +a sleeping draught so that he knew nothing, and could +speak not a word to her, nor could he even recognize +what manner of person his true wife was. Then only +did the Empress let her come into the room where +her husband lay. And she watched over him, she +watched over him the live-long night, and with the +dawn she departed.</p> +<p>The next morning he awoke out of his drugged +sleep, and said to himself, “Why, what is this? It +is just as if my first wife has been weeping over me +here, and wetted me with her tears!” But he told +nobody what he thought, nor did he say a word about +it to his second wife. “Wait a bit!” thought he, +“to-morrow night I’ll not go to sleep. I’ll watch and +watch till I watch the thing out.”</p> +<p>The next day the faithful wife spread out her little +cloth again, and laid upon it her golden apple. The +Empress again came that way, went up to her, and +said, “Sell me that apple of thine, and I’ll give thee +for it as many pence as thou canst hold in thy lap!”––But +she replied, “Nay, my sovereign lady! money +for it I will not take, but let me pass one more night +in my own husband’s room!”––And the Empress +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_203' name='page_203'></a>203</span> +took the apple, and let her go there. But first the +Empress caressed and kissed her husband into a good +humour, and then she gave him another sleeping +draught. And the faithful wife came again, and watched +and wept over him and wetted him with her tears, and +with the dawn she departed.</p> +<p>And now she had only one apple left, but that was +the diamond apple, the most precious apple in the +world. And she said to the Empress, “Let me watch +by him for this apple but one night more, and I’ll +never ask again!” And she let her. Now this night +also her husband was asleep. And his first wife came +and immediately began to kiss him on the head, but +he said nothing. Then she kissed him again, and +at last he awoke and started up, and said, “Who’s +that?”––“It is I, thy first wife.”––“How hast thou +found thy way hither?”––“Oh, I have been here +and there and everywhere. I have lodged with the +Mother of the Winds, and the Mother of the Moon, +and the Mother of the Sun, and they gave me three +apples, and I gave these apples to thy Empress-wife, +and she let me watch over thee, and this is the third +night that I have watched by thy side.”</p> +<p>Then he came to his right mind, and cried aloud +that they should bring in lights, and he saw that his +faithful wife was quite an old woman. Then he bethought +him, and said, “Was ever the like of this +known? My first and faithful wife goes a-seeking +her husband throughout the wide world, while my +accursed second wife, Empress though she be, sells +her husband for three apples!”</p> +<p>Then he bade them give his faithful wife rich garments +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_204' name='page_204'></a>204</span> +as much as she would, and she stripped off her +disguise, and washed her face and grew young again. +But the faithless wife was tied to the tails of four +wild horses, and they tore her to pieces in the endless +steppe.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_205' name='page_205'></a>205</span></div> +<h2>THE ORIGIN OF +THE MOLE</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_207' name='page_207'></a>207</span> +<a name='THE_ORIGIN_OF_THE_MOLE' id='THE_ORIGIN_OF_THE_MOLE'></a> +<h3>THE ORIGIN OF THE MOLE</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>Once</span> upon a time a rich man and a poor man +had a field in common, and they sowed it with +the same seed at the same time. But God +prospered the poor man’s labour and made his seed +to grow, but the rich man’s seed did not grow. Then +the rich man claimed that part of the field where the +grain had sprung up, and said to the poor man, “Look +now! ’tis my seed that has prospered, and not thine!” +The poor man protested, but the rich man would +not listen, but said to him, “If thou wilt not believe +me, then, poor man, come into the field quite early +to-morrow morning, before dawn, and God shall judge +betwixt us.”</p> +<p>Then the poor man went home. But the rich man +dug a deep trench in the poor man’s part of the field +and placed his son in it, and said to him, “Look now, +my son; when I come hither to-morrow morning and +ask whose field this is, say that it is not the poor man’s, +but the rich man’s.”</p> +<p>Then he well covered up his son with straw, and +departed to his own house.</p> +<p>In the morning all the people assembled together +and went to the field, and the rich man cried, “Speak, +O God! whose field is this, the rich man’s or the poor +man’s?”</p> +<p>“The rich man’s, the rich man’s,” cried a voice from +the midst of the field.</p> +<p>But the Lord Himself was among the people +gathered together there, and He said, “Listen not to +that voice, for the field is verily the poor man’s.”</p> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_208' name='page_208'></a>208</span></div> +<p>Then the Lord told all the people how the matter +went, and then He said to the son of the rich man,</p> +<p>“Stay where thou art, and sit beneath the earth all +thy days, so long as the sun is in the sky.”</p> +<p>So the rich man’s son became a mole on the spot, +and that is why the mole always flies the light of day.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_209' name='page_209'></a>209</span></div> +<h2>THE TWO PRINCES</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_211' name='page_211'></a>211</span> +<a name='THE_TWO_PRINCES' id='THE_TWO_PRINCES'></a> +<h3>THE TWO PRINCES</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>There</span> was once upon a time a King who had +two sons, and these sons went a-hunting in +the forest and there lost themselves. They +wandered on and on for twelve weeks, and at the end +of the twelve weeks they came to a place where three +roads met, and the elder brother said to the younger, +“My brother, here our roads part. Take thou the +road on that side, and I’ll take the road on this.” Then +the elder brother took a knife and stuck it into the +trunk of a maple-tree by the roadside, and said, “Look +now, brother, should any blood drip from the blade +of this knife it will be a sign that I am perishing, +and thou must go and seek me; but if any blood +flow from the handle, it will be a sign that <i>thou</i> art +perishing, and I will then go and seek thee.” Then +the brothers embraced each other and parted, and one +went in one direction and the other went in the +other.</p> +<p>The elder brother went on and on and on till he came +to a mountain so high that there cannot be a higher, +and he began climbing it with his dog and his stick. He +went on till he came to an apple-tree, and beneath the +apple-tree a fire was burning, and he stopped to warm +himself, when an old woman came up and said to him, +“Dear little gentleman! dear little gentleman! tie up +that dog lest he bite me.” So he took the dog and +tied it up, and immediately he was turned to stone, +and the dog too, for the old woman was a pagan +witch.</p> +<p>Time passed, and the younger brother came back to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_212' name='page_212'></a>212</span> +the maple-tree by the cross-roads and saw that blood +was dripping from the blade of the knife. Then he +knew that his brother was perishing, and he went in +search of him, and came at last to the high mountain +that was higher than all others, and on the top of this +mountain there was a little courtyard, and in the courtyard +an old woman, who said to him, “Little Prince, +what brings thee hither, and what dost thou seek?”––“I +seek my brother,” said he; “a whole year has +passed since I heard of him, and I know not whether +he be alive or dead.”––Then she said to him, “I can +tell thee that he is dead, and it is of no use seeking +for him, though thou goest the wide world over. But +go up that mountain, and thou wilt come to two other +mountains opposite to each other, and there thou +wilt find an old man, who will put thee on thy way.” +So he went up the high mountain till he came to two +other mountains that were opposite each other, and +there he saw two old men sitting, and they asked him +straightway, “Little Prince! little Prince! whither +dost thou go, and what dost thou seek?”––“I am +going in search of my brother,” said he, “my dear +elder brother who is perishing, and I can find him +nowhere.”––Then one of the old men said to him, +“If thou canst scale those two mountains yonder +without falling, I’ll give thee all that thou dost want.” +Then he scaled the two mountains as nimbly as a goat, +and the old man gave him a bast rope, three fathoms +long, and bade him return to the mountain where +was the fire and the old woman who had asked him +to stay and warm himself, and bind this old woman +with the cord and beat her till she promised to bring +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_213' name='page_213'></a>213</span> +his brother back to life again, and not only his brother +but a Tsar and a Tsaritsa<a name='FNanchor_0022' id='FNanchor_0022'></a><a href='#Footnote_0022' class='fnanchor'>[23]</a> and a Tsarivna, who were +also turned to stone there. “Beat her till she has +brought them all to life again,” said they. So he took +the cord and went back to where the fire was burning. +An apple-tree was there, and beneath the apple-tree +was the fire, and the old witch came out to him and +said, “Little master! little master! let me come and +warm myself.”––“Come along, little mother!” cried +he; “come and warm thyself and make thyself comfortable.” +Then she came out, but no sooner had +she done so, than he threw the cord around her and +began flogging her. “Say,” cried he, “what hast thou +done with my brother?”––“Oh, dear little master! +dear little master! let me go, let me go! I’ll tell thee +this instant where thy brother is.” But he wouldn’t +listen, but beat her and beat her, and held her naked +feet over the fire, and toasted and roasted her till she +shrivelled right up. Then he let her go, and she went +with him to a cave that was on that mountain, and +drew from the depths of it some healing and life-giving +water, and brought his brother back to life again, but +it was as much as she could do, for she was half dead +herself. Then his brother said to him, “Oh, my dear +brother, how heavily I must have been sleeping! But +thou must revive my faithful dog too!” Then she +revived the faithful dog, and she also revived the Tsar +and the Tsaritsa and the Tsarivna, who had been +turned to stone there. Then they left that place and +when they had gone a little distance, the elder brother +bowed to the ground and went on his way alone.</p> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_214' name='page_214'></a>214</span></div> +<p>He went on and on till he came to a city where all +the people were weeping and all the houses were +hung with black cloth. And he said to them, “Why +do ye weep, and why are all your houses hung with +black?”––And they answered, “Because there’s a +Dragon here who eats the people, and it has come to +such a pass with us that to-morrow we must give him +our Princess for dinner.”––“Nay, but ye shall not do +this thing,” said he, and, with that, he set out for the +cavern where the Dragon lived, and tethered his horse +there and slept by the side of the cavern all night. +And the next day, sure enough, the Princess was +brought to the mouth of the cavern. She came driving +thither in a carriage and four and with a heyduck<a name='FNanchor_0023' id='FNanchor_0023'></a><a href='#Footnote_0023' class='fnanchor'>[24]</a> +in attendance. But when the Prince saw her, he came +forth to meet her and led her aside and gave her a +prayer-book in her hand, and said to her, “Stay here, +Princess, and pray to God for me.” Then she fell +down on her knees and began to pray, and the Dragon +popped one of his heads out of the cavern and said, +“It is time I had my dinner now, and there’s not +so much as a breakfast here!” But the Prince also +fell down on his knees and read out of his prayer-book +and prayed to God, and said to the Dragon, “Come +forth! come forth! and I’ll give thee breakfast and +dinner at the same time!” Then the Dragon darted +back again, but when he had waited till midday and +still there was neither breakfast nor dinner for him, he +popped two of his heads out and cried, “It is high +time I had my dinner, and still there is neither breakfast +nor dinner for me!”––“Come forth, and I’ll +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_215' name='page_215'></a>215</span> +give thee both at once!” cried the Prince. Then +the Dragon wouldn’t wait any longer, but stuck out all +his six heads and began to wriggle out of the cavern; +but the Prince attacked him with his huge broadsword, +a full fathom long, which the Lord had given him, +and chopped off all the Dragon’s six heads, and the +rock fell upon the Dragon’s body and crushed it to +pieces. Then the Prince gathered up the six dragon-heads +and laid them on one side, and cut out the six +lolling tongues and tied them in his handkerchief, and +told the Princess to go back to her palace, for they +could not be married for a year and twelve weeks, +and if by that time he did not appear, she was to +marry another, and with that he departed. Then the +coachman of the Princess came up to the place and +saw the six heads of the Dragon, and took them up +and said to the Princess, “I will slay thee on the spot +if thou dost not swear to me twelve times that thou +wilt say I slew the Dragon, and wilt take me for thy +husband!” Then she swore to it twelve times, for +else he would have slain her. So they returned together +to the town, and immediately all the black cloth was +taken off the houses and the bells fell a-ringing, and all +the people rejoiced because the coachman had killed the +Dragon. “Let them be married at once!” cried they.</p> +<p>Meanwhile the King’s son went on and on till he +came to that town where he had left his brother, and +there he found that the Tsar and the Tsaritsa had +given his brother the whole tsardom and the Tsarivna +to wife as well, and there he tarried for a time; but +toward the end of a year and twelve weeks he went +back to the other city where he had left the Princess, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_216' name='page_216'></a>216</span> +and there he found them making ready for a grand +wedding. “What is the meaning of all this?” asked +he. And they answered, “The Tsar’s coachman has +slain the Dragon with six heads and saved the Princess, +and now he is to be married to her.”––“Good Lord!” +cried he, “and I never saw this Dragon! What manner +of beast was it?”––Then they took him and showed +him the heads of the Dragon, and he cried, “Good +Lord! every other beast hath a tongue, but this Dragon +hath none!” Then they told this to the coachman, +who had been made a Prince, and the coachman was +very angry and said, “Whoever maintains that a Dragon +has tongues, him will I order to be tied to four wild +horses, and they shall tear him to pieces on the open +steppe!” The Princess, however, recognized the +King’s son, but she held her peace. Then the King’s +son took out his handkerchief, unrolled it, showed +them the six tongues, and put each one into one of the +six mouths of the Dragon’s six heads, and each of +the tongues began to speak and bid the Princess say +how the matter went. Then the Princess told how +she had knelt down and prayed out of the prayer-book +while the King’s son slew the Dragon, and how the +wicked coachman had made her swear twelve times +to that which was false. When the Tsar heard this, he +immediately gave the Princess his daughter to the King’s +son, and they asked him what death the wicked coachman +should die. And he answered, “Let him be tied to the +tails of four wild horses, and drive them into the endless +steppe that they may tear him to pieces there, and the +ravens and crows may come and pick his bones.”</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_217' name='page_217'></a>217</span></div> +<h2>THE UNGRATEFUL CHILDREN +AND THE OLD +FATHER WHO WENT +TO SCHOOL AGAIN</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_219' name='page_219'></a>219</span> +<a name='THE_UNGRATEFUL_CHILDREN_AND_THE_OLD_FATHER_WHO_WENT_TO_SCHOOL_AGAIN' id='THE_UNGRATEFUL_CHILDREN_AND_THE_OLD_FATHER_WHO_WENT_TO_SCHOOL_AGAIN'></a> +<h3>THE UNGRATEFUL CHILDREN AND<br />THE OLD FATHER WHO WENT TO<br />SCHOOL AGAIN</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>Once</span> upon a time there was an old man. He +lived to a great age, and God gave him children +whom he brought up to man’s estate, and he +divided all his goods amongst them. “I will pass my +remaining days among my children,” thought he.</p> +<p>So the old man went to live with his eldest son, +and at first the eldest son treated him properly, and +did reverence to his old father. “’Tis but meet and +right that we should give our father to eat and drink, +and see that he has wherewithal to clothe him, and +take care to patch up his things from time to time, +and let him have clean new shirts on festivals,” said +the eldest son. So they did so, and at festivals also +the old father had his own glass beside him. Thus +the eldest son was a good son to his old father. But +when the eldest son had been keeping his father for +some time he began to regret his hospitality, and +was rough to his father, and sometimes even shouted +at him. The old man no longer had his own set +place in the house as heretofore, and there was none +to cut up his food for him. So the eldest son repented +him that he had said he would keep his father, and +he began to grudge him every morsel of bread that +he put in his mouth. The old man had nothing for +it but to go to his second son. It might be better +for him there or worse, but stay with his eldest son +any longer he could not. So the father went to his +second son. But here the old man soon discovered +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_220' name='page_220'></a>220</span> +that he had only exchanged wheat for straw. Whenever +he began to eat, his second son and his daughter-in-law +looked sour and murmured something between +their teeth. The woman scolded the old man. “We +had as much as we could do before to make both ends +meet,” cried she, “and now we have old men to keep +into the bargain.” The old man soon had enough +of it there also, and went on to his next son. So one +after another all four sons took their father to live +with them, and he was glad to leave them all. Each +of the four sons, one after the other, cast the burden +of supporting him on one of the other brothers. “It +is for him to keep thee, daddy!” said they; and then +the other would say, “Nay, dad, but it is as much +as we can do to keep ourselves.” Thus between his +four sons he knew not what to do. There was quite +a battle among them as to which of them should <i>not</i> +keep their old father. One had one good excuse and +another had another, and so none of them would keep +him. This one had a lot of little children, and that +one had a scold for a wife, and this house was too small, +and that house was too poor. “Go where thou wilt, +old man,” said they, “only don’t come to us.” And +the old man, grey, grey, grey as a dove was he, wept +before his sons, and knew not whither to turn. What +could he do? Entreaty was in vain. Not one of +the sons would take the old man in, and yet he had +to be put somewhere. Then the old man strove with +them no more, but let them do with him even as they +would.</p> +<p>So all four sons met and took counsel. Time after +time they laid their heads together, and at last they +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_221' name='page_221'></a>221</span> +agreed among themselves that the best thing the old +man could do was to go to school. “There will be a +bench for him to sit upon there,” said they; “and he +can take something to eat in his knapsack.” Then +they told the old man about it; but the old man did +not want to go to school. He begged his children +not to send him there, and wept before them. “Now +that I cannot see the white world,” said he, “how can +I see a black book? Moreover, from my youth upward +I have never learnt my letters; how shall I +begin to do so now? A clerk cannot be fashioned +out of an old man on the point of death!” But there +was no use talking, his children said he <i>must</i> go to +school, and the voices of his children prevailed against +his feeble old voice. So to school he had to go. Now +there was no church in that village, so he had to go +to the village beyond it to school. A forest lay along +the road, and in this forest the old man met a nobleman +driving along. When the old man came near +to the nobleman’s carriage, he stepped out of the +road to let it pass, took off his hat respectfully, and +then would have gone on farther. But he heard some +one calling, and, looking back, saw the nobleman +beckoning to him; he wanted to ask him something. +The nobleman then got out of his carriage and asked +the old man whither he was going. The old man took +off his hat to the nobleman and told him all his misery, +and the tears ran down the old man’s cheeks. “Woe +is me, gracious sir! If the Lord had left me without +kith and kin, I should not complain; but strange +indeed is the woe that has befallen me! I have four +sons, thank God, and all four have houses of their +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_222' name='page_222'></a>222</span> +own, and yet they send their poor old father to school +to learn! Was ever the like of it known before?” +So the old man told the nobleman his whole story, +and the nobleman was full of compassion for the +old man. “Well, old man,” said he, “’tis no use +for thee to go to school, that’s plain. Return home. +I’ll tell thee what to do so that thy children shall never +send thee to school again. Fear not, old man, weep +no more, and let not thy soul be troubled! God +shall bless thee, and all will be well. I know well +what ought to be done here.” So the nobleman comforted +the old man, and the old man began to be merry. +Then the nobleman took out his purse, it was a real +nobleman’s purse, with a little sack in the middle +of it to hold small change. Lord! what a lovely +thing it was! The more he looked at it, the more +the old man marvelled at it. The nobleman took +this purse and began filling it full with something. +When he had well filled it, he gave it to the old man. +“Take this and go home to thy children,” said he, +“and when thou hast got home, call together all thy +four sons and say to them, ‘My dear children, long long +ago, when I was younger than I am now, and knocked +about in the world a bit, I made a little money. “I +won’t spend it,” I said to myself, “for one never knows +what may happen.” So I went into a forest, my children, +and dug a hole beneath an oak, and there I hid my +little store of money. I did not bother much about +the money afterward, because I had such good children; +but when you sent me to school I came to this +self-same oak, and I said to myself, “I wonder if these +few silver pieces have been waiting for their master +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_223' name='page_223'></a>223</span> +all this time! Let us dig and see.” So I dug and +found them, and have brought them home to you, +my children. I shall keep them till I die; but after +my death consult together, and whosoever shall be +found to have cherished me most and taken care of +me and not grudged me a clean shirt now and then, +or a crust of bread when I’m hungry, to him shall be +given the greater part of my money. So now, my +dear children, receive me back again, and my thanks +shall be yours. You can manage it amongst you, and +surely ’tis not right that I should seek a home among +strangers! Which of you will be kind to your old +father––for money?’”</p> +<p>So the old man returned to his children with the +purse in a casket, and when he came to the village +with the casket under his arm, one could see at once +that he had been in a <i>good forest</i>.<a name='FNanchor_0024' id='FNanchor_0024'></a><a href='#Footnote_0024' class='fnanchor'>[25]</a> When one comes +home with a heavy casket under one’s arm, depend +upon it there’s something in it! So, no sooner did +the old man appear than his eldest daughter-in-law +came running out to meet him, and bade him welcome +in God’s name. “Things don’t seem to get on at all +without thee, dad!” cried she, “and the house is +quite dreary. Come in and rest, dad,” she went on; +“thou hast gone a long way and must be weary.” +Then all the brothers came together, and the old man +told them what God had done for him. All their +faces brightened as they looked at the casket, and they +thought to themselves, “If we keep him we shall +have the money.” Then the four brothers could not +make too much of their dear old father. They took +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_224' name='page_224'></a>224</span> +care of him and the old man was happy, but he took +heed to the counsel of the nobleman, and never let the +casket out of his hand. “After my death you shall +have everything, but I won’t give it you now, for who +knows what may happen? I have seen already how +you treated your old father when he had nothing. It +shall all be yours, I say, only wait; and when I die, +take it and divide it as I have said.” So the brothers +tended their father, and the old man lived in clover, +and was somebody. He had his own way and did +nothing.</p> +<p>So the old man was no longer ill-treated by his +children, but lived among them like an emperor in his +own empire, but no sooner did he die than his children +made what haste they could to lay hands upon the +casket. All the people were called together and bore +witness that they had treated their father well since +he came back to them, so it was adjudged that they +should divide the treasure amongst them. But first +they took the old man’s body to church and the casket +along with it. They buried him as God commands. +They made a rich banquet of funeral meats that all +might know how much they mourned the old man; it +was a splendid funeral. When the priest got up from +the table, the people all began to thank their hosts, +and the eldest son begged the priest to say the <i>sorokoust</i><a name='FNanchor_0025' id='FNanchor_0025'></a><a href='#Footnote_0025' class='fnanchor'>[26]</a> +in the church for the repose of the dead man’s soul. +“Such a dear old fellow as he was!” said he; “was +there ever any one like him? Take this money for +the <i>sorokoust</i>, reverend father!” so horribly grieved +was that eldest son. So the eldest son gave the priest +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_225' name='page_225'></a>225</span> +money, and the second son gave him the like. Nay, +each one gave him money for an extra half <i>sorokoust</i>, +all four gave him requiem money. “We’ll have prayers +in church for our father though we sell our last sheep +to pay for them,” cried they. Then, when all was +over, they hastened as fast as they could to the money. +The coffer was brought forth. They shook it. There +was a fine rattling inside it. Every one of them felt +and handled the coffer. That was something like a +treasure! Then they unsealed it and opened it and +scattered the contents––and it was full of nothing but +glass! They wouldn’t believe their eyes. They rummaged +among the glass, but there was no money. It +was horrible! Surely it could not be that their father +had dug up a coffer from beneath an oak of the forest +and it was full of nothing but glass! “Why!” cried +the brothers, “our father has left us nothing but glass!” +But for the crowds of people there, the brothers would +have fallen upon and beaten each other in their wrath. +So the children of the old man saw that their father +had made fools of them. Then all the people mocked +them: “You see what you have gained by sending +your father to school! You see he learned something +at school after all! He was a long time before he +<i>began</i> learning, but better late than never. It appears +to us ’twas a right good school you sent him to. No +doubt they whipped him into learning so much. Never +mind, you can keep the money and the casket!” Then +the brothers were full of lamentation and rage. But +what could they do? Their father was already dead +and buried.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_227' name='page_227'></a>227</span></div> +<h2>IVAN THE FOOL AND +ST PETER’S FIFE</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_229' name='page_229'></a>229</span> +<a name='IVAN_THE_FOOL_AND_ST_PETERS_FIFE' id='IVAN_THE_FOOL_AND_ST_PETERS_FIFE'></a> +<h3>IVAN THE FOOL AND ST PETER’S<br />FIFE</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>There</span> was once upon a time a man who had +three sons, and two were clever, but the third, +called Ivan, was a fool. Their father divided +all his goods among them and died, and the three +brothers went out into the world to seek their fortunes. +Now the two wise brothers left all their goods at home, +but Ivan the fool, who had only inherited a large millstone, +took it along with him. They went on and on +and on till it began to grow dark, when they came to +a large forest. Then the wise brothers said, “Let +us climb up to the top of this oak and pass the night +there, and then robbers will not fall upon us.”––“But +what will this silly donkey do with his millstone?” +asked one of them.––“You look to yourselves,” said +Ivan, “for I mean to pass the night in this tree also.” +Then the wise brothers climbed to the very tip-top of +the tree and there sat down, and then Ivan dragged +himself up too, and the millstone after him. He tried +to get up as high as his brothers, but the thin boughs +broke beneath him, so he had to be content with staying +in the lower part of the tree on the thicker boughs; +so there he sat, hugging the millstone in his arms. +Presently some robbers came along that way, red-handed +from their work, and they too prepared to pass the +night under the tree. So they cut them down firewood, +and made them a roaring fire beneath a huge cauldron, +and in this cauldron they began to boil their supper. +They boiled and boiled till their mess of pottage was +ready, and then they all sat down round the cauldron +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_230' name='page_230'></a>230</span> +and took out their large ladles, and were just about +to fall to––in fact they were blowing their food because +it was so boiling hot––when Ivan let his big millstone +plump down into the middle of the cauldron, so that +the pottage flew right into their eyes. The robbers +were so terrified that they all sprang to their feet straightway +and scampered off through the forest, forgetting +all the booty of which they had robbed the merchantmen. +Then Ivan came down from the oak and cried +to his brothers, “You come down here and divide the +spoil!” So the wise brothers came down, put all the +merchandise on the backs of the robbers’ horses, and +went home with it; but the only thing that Ivan +was able to secure for himself was a bag of incense. +This he immediately took to the nearest churchyard, +placed it on the top of a tomb, and began to pound +away at it with his millstone. Suddenly St Peter +appeared to him and said, “What art thou doing, +good man?”––“I am pounding up this incense to +make bread of it.”––“Nay, good man, I will advise +thee better: give me the incense and take from me +whatever thou wilt.”––“Very well, St Peter,” said the +fool; “thou must give me a little fife, but a fife of +such a sort that whenever I play upon it, every one +will be obliged to dance.”––“But dost thou know +how to play upon a fife?”––“No, but I can soon +learn.” Then St Peter drew forth a little fife from +his bosom and gave it to him, and took away the +incense, and who can say where he went with it? +But Ivan stood up and gazed at the sky and said, “Look +now! if St Peter hath not already burnt my incense +and made of it that large white cloud that is sailing +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_231' name='page_231'></a>231</span> +above my head!” Then he took up his fife and began +to play, and the moment he began to play, everything +around him began to dance; the wolves, and the +hares, and the foxes, and the bears, nay, the very birds +lit down upon the ground and began to dance, and +Ivan went on laughing and playing all the time. Even +the savage, surly bears danced and danced till their +legs tottered beneath them. Then they clutched tight +hold of the trees to stop themselves from dancing; +but it was of no use, dance they must. At last Ivan +himself was tired, and lay down to rest, and when +he had rested a little, he got up again and went on +into the town. There all the people were in the bazaars, +buying and selling. Some were buying pancakes, others +baskets of bright-coloured eggs, others again pitchers +of <i>kvas</i>. Ivan began playing on his fife, and forthwith +they all fell a-dancing. One man who had a whole +basket of eggs on his head danced them into bits, and +danced and danced till he looked like the yolk of an +egg himself. Those who were asleep got up and gave +themselves up to dancing straightway; there were +some who danced without trousers, and some who +danced without smocks or shirts, and there were some +who danced with nothing on at all, for dance they must +when Ivan began a-playing. The whole town was +turned upside down: the dogs, the swine, the cocks +and hens, everything that had life came out and danced. +At last Ivan was tired, so he left off playing and went +into the town to seek service. The parson there took +a fancy to him, and said to him, “Good man! wilt +enter my service?”––“That will I, gladly,” said Ivan.––“How +much wages dost thou want by the year +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_232' name='page_232'></a>232</span> +then?”––“It won’t come dear; five <i>karbovantsya</i><a name='FNanchor_0026' id='FNanchor_0026'></a><a href='#Footnote_0026' class='fnanchor'>[27]</a> +are all I ask.”––“Good, I agree,” said the parson. +So he engaged Ivan as his servant, and the next day +he sent him out into the fields to tend his cattle. Ivan +drove the cattle into the pastures, but he himself perched +on the top of a haystack while the cattle grazed. He +sat there, and sat and sat till he grew quite dull, and +then he said to himself, “I’ll play a bit on my fife, +I haven’t played for a long time.” So he began to +play, and immediately all the cattle fell a-dancing; +and not only the cattle, but all the foxes, and the +hares, and the wolves, and everything in the hedges +and ditches fell a-dancing too. They danced and +danced till the poor cattle were clean worn out and +at the last gasp. In the evening Ivan drove them +home, but they were so famished that they tugged +at the dirty straw roofs of the huts they passed, and +so got a chance mouthful or two. But Ivan went +in and had supper and a comfortable night’s rest afterward. +The next day he again drove the cattle into +the pastures. They began grazing till he took out +his fife again, when they all fell a-dancing like mad. +He played on and on till evening, when he drove the +cattle home again, and they were all as hungry as could +be, and wearied to death from dancing.</p> +<div class='figtag'> +<a name='linki_16' id='linki_16'></a> +</div> +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/illus-259.png' alt='' title='' width='407' height='500' /><br /> +<p class='caption'> +SUDDENLY ST PETER APPEARED TO HIM<br /> +</p> +</div> +<p>Now the parson was not a little astonished when +he saw his cattle. “Where on earth has he been +feeding them?” thought he; “they are quite tired +out and almost famished! I’ll take care to go myself +to-morrow, and see exactly whither he takes them, +and what he does with them.” On the third day +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_233' name='page_233'></a>233</span> +the neat-herd again drove the cattle into the pastures, +but this time the parson followed after them, and +went and hid himself behind the hedge near to which +Ivan was watching the cattle graze. There he sat +then, and watched to see what the man would do. +Presently Ivan mounted on to the haystack and began +to play. And immediately all the cattle fell a-dancing, +and everything in the hedge, and the parson behind +the hedge danced too. Now the hedge was a quickset +hedge, and as the parson began capering about in it, +he tore to shreds his cassock and his breeches, and +his under-coat, and his shirt, and scratched his skin +and wrenched out his beard as if he had been very +badly shaved, and still the poor parson had to go on +dancing in the midst of the prickly hedge till there +were great weals and wounds all over his body, and +the red blood began to flow. Then the parson saw +he was in evil case, and shrieked to his herdsman to +leave off playing; but the herdsman was so wrapped +up in his music that he did not hear him; but at last +he looked in the direction of the hedge, and when +he saw the poor parson skipping about like a lunatic, +he stopped. The parson darted away as fast as his +legs could carry him toward the village, and oh! what +a sight he looked as he dashed through the streets! +The people didn’t know him, and––scandalized that +anybody should run about in rags and tatters so that +his whole body could be seen––began to hoot him. +Then the poor man turned aside from the public road, +crawled off through the woods, and dashed off through +the tall reeds of the gardens, with the dogs after him. +For wherever he went they took him for a robber, and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_234' name='page_234'></a>234</span> +hounded on the dogs. At last the parson got home, +all rags and tatters, so that when his wife saw him +she did not know him, but called to the labourers, +“Help, help! here’s a robber, turn him out!” They +came rushing up with sticks and cudgels, but he began +talking to them, and at last they recognized him, led +him home, and he told his wife all about Ivan. The +parson’s wife was so amazed she could scarce believe +it. In the evening Ivan drove home the oxen, put +them into their stalls, gave them straw to eat, and +then came into the house himself to have supper. He +came into the house, and the parson said to him, “Come +now, Ivan, when thou hast rested a bit, play my wife +a little song!” But as for the parson, he took good +care to tie himself first of all to the pillar which held +up the roof of the house. Ivan sat down on the ground +near to the threshold and began to play. The parson’s +wife sat down on the bench to listen to him while he +played; but immediately she leaped up from the +bench and began to dance, and she danced with such +hearty good-will that the place became too small for +her. Then the Devil seemed to take possession of +the cat too, for pussy leaped from under the stove +and began to spring and bound about also. The parson +held on and held on to the pillar with all his might, +but it was of no use. He had no power to resist; he +let go with his hands, and tugged and tugged till the +rope that held him grew slacker and slacker, and then +he went dancing round and round the pillar at a furious +rate, with the rope chafing his hands and feet all the +time. At last he could endure it no longer, and bawled +to Ivan to stop. “The deuce is in thee!” cried he. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_235' name='page_235'></a>235</span> +Then Ivan stopped playing, put his fife into his breast-pocket, +and went and lay down to sleep. But the +parson said to his wife, “We must turn away this +Ivan to-morrow, for he will be the death of ourselves +and our cattle!” Ivan, however, overheard what the +parson said to his wife, and getting up early in the +morning, he went straight to the parson, and said +to him, “Give me one hundred <i>karbovantsya</i>, and I’ll +be off; but if you won’t give them to me, I’ll play +and play till you and your wife have danced yourselves +to death, and then I’ll take your place and live at mine +ease.” The parson scratched himself behind the ears +and hesitated; but at last he thought he had better +give the money and be quit of him. So he took the +hundred <i>karbovantsya</i> out of his satchel and gave them +to Ivan. Then Ivan played them a parting song, till +the parson and his wife fell down to the ground, dead-beat, +with their tongues lolling out of their mouths; +and then he put his fife into his breast-pocket, and +wandered forth into the wide world.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_237' name='page_237'></a>237</span></div> +<h2>THE MAGIC EGG</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_239' name='page_239'></a>239</span> +<a name='THE_MAGIC_EGG' id='THE_MAGIC_EGG'></a> +<h3>THE MAGIC EGG</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>There</span> was once upon a time a lark who was +the Tsar among the birds, and he took unto +himself as his Tsaritsa a little shrew-mouse. +They had a field all to themselves, which they sowed +with wheat, and when the wheat grew up they divided +it between them, when they found that there was one +grain over! The mouse said, “Let me have it!” +But the lark said, “No, let me have it!”––“What’s +to be done?” thought they. They would have liked +to take counsel of some one, but they had no parents +or kinsmen, nobody at all to whom they could go and +ask advice in the matter. At last the mouse said, “At +any rate, let me have the first nibble!” The lark +Tsar agreed to this; but the little mouse fastened +her teeth in it and ran off into her hole with it, and +there ate it all up. At this the Tsar lark was wrath, +and collected all the birds of the air to make war upon +the mouse Tsaritsa; but the Tsaritsa called together +all the beasts to defend her, and so the war began. +Whenever the beasts came rushing out of the wood +to tear the birds to pieces, the birds flew up into the +trees; but the birds kept in the air, and hacked and +pecked the beasts wherever they could. Thus they +fought the whole day, and in the evening they lay +down to rest. Now when the Tsaritsa looked around +upon her forces, she saw that the ant was taking no part +in the war. She immediately went and commanded the +ant to be there by evening, and when the ant came, the +Tsaritsa ordered her to climb up the trees with her +kinsmen and bite off the feathers round the birds’ wings.</p> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_240' name='page_240'></a>240</span></div> +<p>Next day, when there was light enough to see by, +the mouse Tsaritsa cried, “Up, up, my warriors!” +Thereupon the birds also rose up, and immediately +fell to the ground, where the beasts tore them to bits. +So the Tsaritsa overcame the Tsar. But there was +one eagle who saw there was something wrong, so +he did not try to fly, but remained sitting on the tree. +And lo! there came an archer along that way, and +seeing the eagle on the tree, he took aim at it; but +the eagle besought him and said, “Do not kill me, +and I’ll be of great service to thee!” The archer +aimed a second time, but the eagle besought him still +more and said, “Take me down rather and keep me, +and thou shalt see that it will be to thy advantage.” +The archer, however, took aim a third time, but the +eagle began to beg of him most piteously, “Nay, kill +me not, but take me home with thee, and thou shalt +see what great advantage it will be to thee!” The +archer believed the bird. He climbed up the tree, +took the eagle down, and carried it home. Then the +eagle said to him, “Put me in a hut, and feed me with +flesh till my wings have grown again.”</p> +<p>Now this archer had two cows and a steer, and +he at once killed and cut up one of the cows for the +eagle. The eagle fed upon this cow for a full year, +and then he said to the archer, “Let me go, that I +may fly. I see that my wings have already grown +again!” Then the archer let him loose from the +hut. The eagle flew round and round, he flew about +for half a day, and then he returned to the archer +and said, “I feel I have but little strength in me, slay +me another cow!” And the archer obeyed him, and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_241' name='page_241'></a>241</span> +slew the second cow, and the eagle lived upon that +for yet another year. Again the eagle flew round +and round in the air. He flew round and about the +whole day till evening, when he returned to the archer +and said, “I am stronger than I was, but I have still +but little strength in me, slay me the steer also!” +Then the man thought to himself, “What shall I do? +Shall I slay it, or shall I not slay it?” At last he said, +“Well! I’ve sacrificed more than this before, so let +this go too!” and he took the steer and slaughtered +it for the eagle. Then the eagle lived upon this for +another whole year longer, and after that he took to +flight, and flew high up right to the very clouds. Then +he flew down again to the man and said to him, “I +thank thee, brother, for that thou hast been the saving +of me! Come now and sit upon me!”––“Nay, but,” +said the man, “what if some evil befall me?”––“Sit +on me, I say!” cried the eagle. So the archer sat +down upon the bird.</p> +<p>Then the eagle bore him nearly as high as the big +clouds, and then let him fall. Down plumped the +man; but the eagle did not let him fall to the earth, +but swiftly flew beneath him and upheld him, and +said to him, “How dost thou feel now?”––“I feel,” +said the man, “as if I had no life in me.”––Then the +eagle replied, “That was just how I felt when thou +didst aim at me the first time.” Then he said to +him, “Sit on my back again!” The man did not +want to sit on him, but what could he do? Sit he +must. Then the eagle flew with him quite as high +as the big clouds, and shook him off, and down he +fell headlong till he was about two fathoms from the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_242' name='page_242'></a>242</span> +ground, when the bird again flew beneath him and +held him up. Again the eagle asked him, “How +dost thou feel?” And the man replied, “I feel just +as if all my bones were already broken to bits!”––“That +is just how I felt when thou didst take aim +at me the second time,” replied the eagle. “But +now sit on my back once more.” The man did so, +and the eagle flew with him as high as the small fleecy +clouds, and then he shook him off, and down he fell +headlong; but when he was but a hand’s-breadth +from the earth, the eagle again flew beneath him and +held him up, and said to him, “How dost thou feel +now?” And he replied, “I feel as if I no longer +belonged to this world!”––“That is just how I felt +when thou didst aim at me the third time,” replied +the eagle. “But now,” continued the bird, “thou +art guilty no more. We are quits. I owe thee naught, +and thou owest naught to me; so sit on my back again, +and I’ll take thee to my master.”</p> +<p>They flew on and on, they flew till they came to +the eagle’s uncle. And the eagle said to the archer, +“Go to my house, and when they ask thee, ‘Hast +thou not seen our poor child?’ reply, ‘Give me the +magic egg, and I’ll bring him before your eyes!’” +So he went to the house, and there they said to him, +“Hast thou heard of our poor child with thine ears, +or seen him with thine eyes, and hast thou come hither +willingly or unwillingly?”––And he answered, “I have +come hither willingly!”––Then they asked, “Hast +thou smelt out anything of our poor youngster? for +it is three years now since he went to the wars, and +there’s neither sight nor sound of him more!”––And +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_243' name='page_243'></a>243</span> +he answered, “Give me the magic egg, and I’ll bring +him straightway before your eyes!”––Then they replied, +“’Twere better we never saw him than that we should +give thee the magic egg!”––Then he went back to +the eagle and said to him, “They said, ‘’Twere better +we never saw him than that we should give thee the +magic egg.’”––Then the eagle answered, “Let us fly +on farther!”</p> +<p>They flew on and on till they came to the eagle’s +brother, and the archer said just the same to him as +he had said to the eagle’s uncle, and still he didn’t +get the egg. Then they flew to the eagle’s father, +and the eagle said to him, “Go up to the hut, and if +they ask for me, say that thou hast seen me and will +bring me before their eyes.”––So he went up to the +hut, and they said to him, “O Tsarevich, we hear +thee with our ears and see thee with our eyes, but +hast thou come hither of thine own free will or by +the will of another?”––And the archer answered, +“I have come hither of my own free will!”––Then +they asked him, “Hast thou seen our son? Lo, these +four years we have not had news of him. He went +off to the wars, and perchance he has been slain there.”––And +he answered them, “I have seen him, and if +you will give me the magic egg, I will bring him +before your eyes.”––And the eagle’s father said to +him, “What good will such a thing do thee? We +had better give thee the lucky penny!”––But he +answered, “I don’t want the lucky penny, give me +the magic egg!”––“Come hither then,” said he, +“and thou shalt have it.” So he went into the hut. +Then the eagle’s father rejoiced and gave him the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_244' name='page_244'></a>244</span> +egg, and said to him, “Take heed thou dost not break +it anywhere on the road, and when thou gettest home, +hedge it round and build a strong fence about it, and +it will do thee good.”</p> +<p>So he went homeward. He went on and on till +a great thirst came upon him. So he stopped at the +first spring he came to, and as he stooped to drink he +stumbled and the magic egg was broken. Then he +perceived that an ox had come out of the egg and +was rolling away. He gave chase to the ox, but whenever +he was getting close to one side of it, the other +side of it got farther away from him. Then the poor +fellow cried, “I shall do nothing with it myself, I +see.”––At that moment an old she-dragon came up +to him and said, “What wilt thou give me, O man, +if I chase this ox back again into the egg for thee?”––And +the archer replied, “What <i>can</i> I give?”––The +dragon said to him, “Give me what thou hast +at home without thy will and wit!”––“Done!” said +the archer. Then the dragon chased the ox nicely +into the egg again, patched it up prettily and gave it +into the man’s hand. Then the archer went home, +and when he got home he found a son had been born +to him there, and his son said to him, “Why didst +thou give me to the old she-dragon, dad? But never +mind, I’ll manage to live in spite of her.” Then the +father was very grieved for a time, but what could +he do? Now the name of this son was Ivan.</p> +<p>So Ivan lost no time in going to the dragon, and +the dragon said to him, “Go to my house and do +me three tasks, and if thou dost them not, I’ll devour +thee.” Now, round the dragon’s house was a large +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_245' name='page_245'></a>245</span> +meadow as far as the eye could reach. And the dragon +said to him, “Thou must in a single night weed out +this field and sow wheat in it, and reap the wheat and +store it, all in this very night; and thou must bake +me a roll out of this self-same wheat, and the roll +must be lying ready for me on my table in the morning.”</p> +<p>Then Ivan went and leaned over the fence, and his +heart within him was sore troubled. Now near to +him there was a post, and on this post was the dragon’s +starveling daughter. So when he came thither and +fell a-weeping, she asked him, “Wherefore dost thou +weep?”––And he said, “How can I help weeping? +The dragon has bidden me do something I can never, +never do; and what is more, she has bidden me do +it in a single night.”––“What is it, pray?” asked +the dragon’s daughter. Then he told her. “Not every +bush bears a berry!” cried she. “Promise to take +me to wife, and I’ll do all she has bidden thee do.” +He promised, and then she said to him again, “Now +go and lie down, but see that thou art up early in the +morning to bring her her roll.” Then she went to +the field, and before one could whistle she had cleaned +it of weeds and harrowed it and sown it with wheat, +and by dawn she had reaped the wheat and cooked +the roll and brought it to him, and said, “Now, take +it to her hut and put it on her table.”</p> +<p>Then the old she-dragon awoke and came to the +door, and was amazed at the sight of the field, which +was now all stubble, for the corn had been cut. Then +she said to Ivan, “Yes, thou hast done the work +well. But now, see that thou doest my second task.” +Then she gave him her second command. “Dig up +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_246' name='page_246'></a>246</span> +that mountain yonder and let the Dnieper flow over +the site of it, and there build a store-house, and in +the store-house stack the wheat that thou hast reaped, +and sell this wheat to the merchant barques that sail +by, and everything must be done by the time I get +up early next morning!” Then he again went to +the fence and wept, and the maiden said to him, “Why +dost thou weep?” and he told her all that the she-dragon +had bidden him do. “There are lots of bushes, +but where are the berries? Go and lie down, and +I’ll do it all for thee.” Then she whistled, and the +mountain was levelled and the Dnieper flowed over +the site of it, and round about the Dnieper store-houses +rose up, and then she came and woke him +that he might go and sell the wheat to the merchant +barques that sailed by that way, and when the she-dragon +rose up early in the morning she was amazed +to see that everything had been done which she had +commanded him.</p> +<p>Then she gave him her third command. “This +night thou must catch the golden hare, and bring it +to me by the morning light.” Again he went to the +fence and fell a-weeping. And the girl asked him, +“Why art thou weeping?”––He said to her, “She +has ordered me to catch her the golden hare.”––“Oh, +oh!” cried the she-dragon’s daughter, “the berries +are ripening now; only her father knows how to +catch such a hare as that. Nevertheless, I’ll go to +a rocky place I know of, and there perchance we shall +be able to catch it.” So they went to this rocky place +together, and she said to him, “Stand over that hole. +I’ll go in and chase him out of the hole, and do thou +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_247' name='page_247'></a>247</span> +catch him as he comes out; but mind, whatever +comes out of the hole, seize it, for it will be the golden +hare.”</p> +<p>So she went and began beating up, and all at once +out came a snake and hissed, and he let it go. Then +she came out of the hole and said to him, “What! +has nothing come out?”––“Well,” said he, “only a +snake, and I was afraid it would bite me, so I let it +go.”––“What hast thou done?” said she; “that was +the very hare itself. Look now!” said she, “I’ll go +in again, and if any one comes out and tells you that +the golden hare is not here, don’t believe it, but hold +him fast.” So she crept into the hole again and began +to beat for game, and out came an old woman, who +said to the youth, “What art thou poking about there +for?”––And he said to her, “For the golden hare.”––She +said to him, “It is not here, for this is a snake’s +hole,” and when she had said this she went away. +Presently the girl also came out and said to him, “What! +hast thou not got the hare? Did nothing come out +then?”––“No,” said he, “nothing but an old woman +who asked me what I was seeking, and I told her the +golden hare, and she said, ‘It is not here,’ so I let her +go.”––Then the girl replied, “Why didst thou not lay +hold of her? for she was the very golden hare itself, +and now thou never wilt catch it unless I turn myself +into a hare and thou take and lay me on the table, and +give me into my mother’s, the she-dragon’s hands, +and go away, for if she find out all about it she will +tear the pair of us to pieces.”</p> +<p>So she changed herself into a hare, and he took +and laid her on the table, and said to the she-dragon, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_248' name='page_248'></a>248</span> +“There’s thy hare for thee, and now let me go away!” +She said to him, “Very well––be off!” Then he +set off running, and he ran and ran as hard as he could. +Soon after, the old she-dragon discovered that it was +not the golden hare, but her own daughter, so she +set about chasing after them to destroy them both, +for the daughter had made haste in the meantime +to join Ivan. But as the she-dragon couldn’t run +herself, she sent her husband, and he began chasing +them, and they knew he was coming, for they felt +the earth trembling beneath his tread. Then the she-dragon’s +daughter said to Ivan, “I hear him running +after us. I’ll turn myself into standing wheat and thee +into an old man guarding me, and if he ask thee, ‘Hast +thou seen a lad and a lass pass by this way?’ say to +him, ‘Yes, they passed by this way while I was sowing +this wheat!’”</p> +<p>A little while afterward the she-dragon’s husband +came flying up. “Have a lad and a lass passed by +this way?” said he. “Yes,” replied the old man, +“they have.”––“Was it long ago?” asked the she-dragon’s +husband.––“It was while this wheat was +being sown,” replied the old man.––“Oh!” thought +the dragon, “this wheat is ready for the sickle, they +couldn’t have been this way yesterday,” so he turned +back. Then the she-dragon’s daughter turned herself +back into a maiden and the old man into a youth, +and off they set again. But the dragon returned home, +and the she-dragon asked him, “What! hast thou +not caught them or met them on the road?”––“Met +them, no!” said he. “I did, indeed, pass on the +road some standing wheat and an old man watching +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_249' name='page_249'></a>249</span> +it, and I asked the old man if he had seen a lad and +a lass pass by that way, and he said, ‘Yes, while this +wheat was being sown,’ but the wheat was quite ripe +for the sickle, so I knew it was a long while ago and +turned back.”––“Why didst thou not tear that old +man and the wheat to pieces?” cried the she-dragon; +“it was they! Be off after them again, and mind, +this time tear them to pieces without fail.”</p> +<p>So the dragon set off after them again, and they +heard him coming from afar, for the earth trembled +beneath him, so the damsel said to Ivan, “He’s coming +again, I hear him; now I’ll change myself into a +monastery, so old that it will be almost falling to +pieces, and I’ll change thee into an old black monk at +the gate, and when he comes up and asks, ‘Hast thou +seen a lad and a lass pass this way?’ say to him, ‘Yes, +they passed by this way when this monastery was +being built.’” Soon afterward the dragon came flying +past, and asked the monk, “Hast thou seen a lad +and a lass pass by this way?”––“Yes,” he replied, +“I saw them what time the holy fathers began to +build this monastery.” The dragon thought to himself, +“That was not yesterday! This monastery has +stood a hundred years if it has stood a day, and won’t +stand much longer either,” and with that he turned +him back. When he got home, he said to the she-dragon, +his wife, “I met a black monk who serves in +a monastery, and I asked him about them, and he +told me that a lad and a lass had run past that way +when the monastery was being built, but that was not +yesterday, for the monastery is a hundred years old +at the very least.”––“Why didst thou not tear the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_250' name='page_250'></a>250</span> +black monk to pieces and pull down the monastery? +for ’twas they. But I see I must go after them myself, +thou art no good at all.”</p> +<p>So off she set and ran and ran, and they knew she +was coming, for the earth quaked and yawned beneath +her. Then the damsel said to Ivan, “I fear me ’tis +all over, for she is coming herself! Look now! I’ll +change thee into a stream and myself into a fish––a +perch.” Immediately after the she-dragon came up +and said to the perch, “Oh, oh! so thou wouldst run +away from me, eh!” Then she turned herself into a +pike and began chasing the perch, but every time she +drew near to it, the perch turned its prickly fins toward +her, so that she could not catch hold of it. So she +kept on chasing it and chasing it, but finding she could +not catch it, she tried to drink up the stream, till she +drank so much of it that she burst.</p> +<p>Then the maiden who had become a fish said to +the youth who had become a river, “Now that we +are alive and not dead, go back to thy lord-father +and thy father’s house and see them, and kiss them +all except the daughter of thy uncle, for if thou kiss +that damsel thou wilt forget me, and I shall go to the +land of Nowhere.” So he went home and greeted +them all, and as he did so he thought to himself, “Why +should I not greet my uncle’s daughter like the rest +of them? Why, they’ll think me a mere pagan if I +don’t!” So he kissed her, and the moment he did +so he forgot all about the girl who had saved him.</p> +<p>So he remained there half a year, and then bethought +him of taking to himself a wife. So they +betrothed him to a very pretty girl, and he accepted +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_251' name='page_251'></a>251</span> +her and forgot all about the other girl who had saved +him from the dragon, though she herself was the she-dragon’s +daughter. Now the evening before the wedding +they heard a young damsel crying <i>Shishki</i><a name='FNanchor_0027' id='FNanchor_0027'></a><a href='#Footnote_0027' class='fnanchor'>[28]</a> in +the streets. They called to the young damsel to go +away, or say who she was, for nobody knew her. But +the damsel answered never a word, but began to knead +more cakes, and made a cock-dove and a hen-dove +out of the dough and put them down on the ground, +and they became alive. And the hen-dove said to +the cock-dove, “Hast thou forgotten how I cleared +the field for thee, and sowed it with wheat, and thou +mad’st a roll from the corn which thou gavest to the +she-dragon?”––But the cock-dove answered, “Forgotten! +forgotten!”––Then she said to him again, +“And hast thou forgotten how I dug away the mountain +for thee, and let the Dnieper flow by it that the +merchant barques might come to thy store-houses, +and that thou mightst sell thy wheat to the merchant +barques?” But the cock-dove replied, “Forgotten! +forgotten!”––Then the hen-dove said to him again, +“And hast thou forgotten how we two went together +in search of the golden hare? Hast thou forgotten +me then altogether?”––And the cock-dove answered +again, “Forgotten! forgotten!” Then the good youth +Ivan bethought him who this damsel was that had +made the doves, and he took her to his arms and made +her his wife, and they lived happily ever afterward.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_253' name='page_253'></a>253</span></div> +<h2>THE STORY OF THE +FORTY-FIRST +BROTHER</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_255' name='page_255'></a>255</span> +<a name='THE_STORY_OF_THE_FORTYFIRST_BROTHER' id='THE_STORY_OF_THE_FORTYFIRST_BROTHER'></a> +<h3>THE STORY OF THE FORTY-FIRST<br />BROTHER</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>There</span> was once upon a time an old man who +had forty-one sons. Now when this old man +was at the point of death, he divided all he +had among his sons, and gave to each of the forty +a horse; but when he came to the forty-first he found +he had no more horses left, so the forty-first brother +had to be content with a foal. When their father +was dead, the brothers said to each other, “Let us +go to Friday and get married!”––But the eldest brother +said, “No, Friday has only forty daughters, so one +of us would be left without a bride.”––Then the second +brother said, “Let us go then to Wednesday––Wednesday +has forty-one daughters, and so the whole lot +of us can pair off with the whole lot of them.” So +they went and chose their brides. The eldest brother +took the eldest sister, and the youngest the youngest, +till they were all suited. And the youngest brother +of all said, “I’ll take that little damsel who is sitting +on the stove in the corner and has the nice kerchief +in her hand.” Then they all drank a bumper together +to seal the bargain, and after that the forty-one bridegrooms +and the forty-one brides laid them down to +sleep side by side. But the youngest brother of all +said to himself, “I will bring my foal into the room.” +So he brought in the foal, and then went to his bedchamber +and laid him down to sleep also. Now his +bride lay down with her kerchief in her hand, and +he took a great fancy to it, and he begged and prayed +her for it again and again, until at last she gave it to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_256' name='page_256'></a>256</span> +him. Now, when Wednesday thought that all the +people were asleep, he went out into the courtyard +to sharpen his sabre. Then the foal said, “Oh, my +dear little master, come here, come here!” He came, +and the foal said to him, “Take off the night-dresses +of the forty sleeping bridegrooms and put them on +the forty sleeping brides, and put the night-dresses +of the brides on the bridegrooms, for a great woe is +nigh!” And he did so. When Wednesday had sharpened +his sabre he came into the room and began +feeling for the stiff collars of the bridegrooms’ night-dresses, +and straightway cut off the forty heads above +the collars. Then he carried off the heads of his forty +daughters in a bunch (for the brides now had on the +night-dresses of their bridegrooms), and went and +lay down to sleep. Then the foal said, “My dear +little father! awake the bridegrooms, and we’ll set +off.” So he awoke the bridegrooms and sent them +on before, while he followed after on his own little +nag. They trotted on and on, and at last the foal +said to him, “Look behind, and see whether Wednesday +is not pursuing.” He looked round: “Yes, little +brother,” said he, “Wednesday <i>is</i> pursuing!”––“Shake +thy kerchief then!” said the foal. He shook his +kerchief, and immediately a vast sea was between +him and the pursuer. Then they went on and on +till the foal said to him again, “Look behind, and +see if Wednesday is still pursuing!”––He looked round. +“Yes, little brother, he <i>is</i> pursuing!”––“Wave thy +handkerchief on the left side!” said the foal. He +waved it on the left side, and immediately between +them and the pursuer stood a forest so thick that not +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_257' name='page_257'></a>257</span> +even a little mouse could have squeezed through it. +Then they went on still farther, till the foal said again, +“Look behind, and see whether Wednesday is still +pursuing!”––He looked behind, and there, sure enough, +was Wednesday running after them, and he was not +very far off either.––“Wave thy kerchief!” said the +foal. He waved his kerchief, and immediately a steep +mountain––oh, so steep!––lay betwixt them. They +went on and on, until the foal said again, “Look behind, +is Wednesday still pursuing?”––So he looked behind +him and said, “No, now he is not there.” Then +they went on and on again, and soon they were not +very far from home. Then the youngest brother said, +“You go home now, but I am going to seek a bride!” +So he went on and on till he came to a place where +lay a feather of the bird Zhar. “Look!” cried he, +“what I’ve found!”––But the foal said to him, “Pick +not up that feather, for it will bring thee evil as well +as good!”––But his master said, “Why, I should +be a fool not to pick up a feather like that!” So +he turned back and picked up the feather. Then he +went on farther and farther, until he came to a clay +hut. He went into this clay hut, and there sat an old +woman. “Give me a night’s lodging, granny!” said +he.––“I have neither bed nor light to offer thee,” +said she. Nevertheless he entered the hut and put +the feather on the window-corner, and it lit up the +whole hut. So he went to sleep. But the old woman +ran off to the Tsar, and said to him, “A certain man +has come to me and laid a certain feather on the +window-sill, and it shines like fire!” Then the Tsar +guessed that it was a feather of the bird Zhar, and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_258' name='page_258'></a>258</span> +said to his soldiers, “Go and fetch that man hither!” +And the Tsar said to him, “Wilt thou enter my service?”––“Yes,” +he replied, “but you must give me +all your keys.” So the Tsar gave him all the keys +and a hut of his own to live in besides. But one day +the Tsar said to his servants, “Boil me now a vat of +milk!” So they boiled it. Then he took off his +gold ring, and said to the man, “Thou didst get the +feather of the bird Zhar, get me also this golden ring +of mine out of the vat of boiling milk!”––“Bring +hither, then, my faithful horse,” said he, “that he +may see his master plunge into the vat of boiling milk +and die!” So they brought his horse, and, taking +off his clothes, he plunged into the vat, but as he did +so the horse snorted so violently that all the boiling +milk leaped up in the air and the man seized the ring +and gave it back to the Tsar. Now when the Tsar +saw that the man had come out of the vat younger +and handsomer than ever, he said, “I’ll try and fish +up the ring in like manner.” So he flung his ring +into the vat of boiling milk and plunged after it to +get it. The people waited and waited and wondered +and wondered that he was so long about it, and at +last they drained off the milk and found the Tsar at +the bottom of the vat boiled quite red. Then the man +said, “Now, Tsaritsa, thou art mine and I am thine.” +And they lived together happily ever afterward.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_259' name='page_259'></a>259</span></div> +<h2>THE STORY OF THE +UNLUCKY DAYS</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_261' name='page_261'></a>261</span> +<a name='THE_STORY_OF_THE_UNLUCKY_DAYS' id='THE_STORY_OF_THE_UNLUCKY_DAYS'></a> +<h3>THE STORY OF THE UNLUCKY DAYS</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>At</span> the end of a village on the verge of the steppe +dwelt two brothers, one rich and the other +poor. One day the poor brother came to the +rich brother’s house and sat down at his table; but +the rich brother drove him away and said, “How +durst thou sit at my table? Be off! Thy proper +place is in the fields to scare away the crows!” So +the poor brother went into the fields to scare away +the crows. The crows all flew away when they saw +him, but among them was a raven that flew back +again and said to him, “O man! in this village thou +wilt never be able to live, for here there is neither +luck nor happiness for thee, but go into another village +and thou shalt do well!” Then the man went home, +called together his wife and children, put up the few +old clothes that still remained in his wardrobe, and +went on to the next village, carrying his water-skin +on his shoulders. On and on they tramped along +the road, but the Unlucky Days clung on to the man +behind, and said, “Why dost thou not take us with +thee? We will never leave thee, for thou art ours!” +So they went on with him till they came to a river, +and the man, who was thirsty, went down to the water’s +edge for a drink. He undid his water-skin, persuaded +the Unlucky Days to get into it, tied it fast again and +buried it on the bank close by the river. Then he +and his family went on farther. They went on and +on till they came to another village, and at the very +end of it was an empty hut––the people who had +lived there had died of hunger. There the whole +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_262' name='page_262'></a>262</span> +family settled down. One day they were all sitting +down there when they heard something in the mountain +crying, “Catch hold! catch hold! catch hold!” +The man went at once into his stable, took down the +bit and reins that remained to him, and climbed up +into the mountain. He looked all about him as he +went, and at last he saw, sitting down, an old goat +with two large horns––it was the Devil himself, but +of course he didn’t know that. So he made a lasso +of the reins, threw them round the old goat, and +began to drag it gently down the mountain-side. He +dragged it all the way up the ladder of his barn, +when the goat disappeared, but showers and showers +of money came tumbling through the ceiling. He +collected them all together, and they filled two large +coffers. Then the poor man made the most of his +money, and in no very long time he was well-to-do. +Then he sent some of his people to his rich brother, +and invited him to come and live with him. The +rich brother pondered the matter over. “Maybe he +has nothing to eat,” thought he, “and that is why +he sends for me.” So he bade them bake him a good +store of fat pancakes, and set out accordingly. On +the way he heard that his brother had grown rich, +and the farther he went the more he heard of his +brother’s wealth. Then he regretted that he had +brought all the pancakes with him, so he threw them +away into the ditch. At last he came to his brother’s +house, and his brother showed him first one of the +coffers full of money and then the other. Then envy +seized upon the rich brother, and he grew quite green +in the face. But his brother said to him, “Look now! +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_263' name='page_263'></a>263</span> +I have buried a lot more money in a water-skin, hard +by the river; you may dig it up and keep it if you +like, for I have lots of my own here!” The rich +brother did not wait to be told twice. Off he went to +the river, and began digging up the water-skin straightway. +He unfastened it with greedy, trembling hands; +but he had no sooner opened it than the Unlucky +Days all popped out and clung on to him. “Thou art +ours!” said they. He went home, and when he got +there he found that all his wealth was consumed, and +a heap of ashes stood where his house had been. So +he went and lived in the place where his brother +had lived, and the Unlucky Days lived with him ever +afterward.</p> +<hr class='toprule2' /> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_265' name='page_265'></a>265</span></div> +<h2>THE WONDROUS STORY +OF IVAN GOLIK AND +THE SERPENTS</h2> +<hr class='toprule' /> +<div class='chsp'> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_267' name='page_267'></a>267</span> +<a name='THE_WONDROUS_STORY_OF_IVAN_GOLIK_AND_THE_SERPENTS' id='THE_WONDROUS_STORY_OF_IVAN_GOLIK_AND_THE_SERPENTS'></a> +<h3>THE WONDROUS STORY OF IVAN<br />GOLIK AND THE SERPENTS</h3> +</div> +<p class='dropcap'><span class='caps'>Somewhere</span>, nowhere, in another kingdom, +in the Empire of Thrice-ten, lived––whether +’twas a Tsar and a Tsaritsa, or only a Prince +and a Princess, I know not, but anyhow they had two +sons. One day this prince said to his sons, “Let +us go down to the seashore and listen to the songs of +the sea-folk!” So they went. Now the prince wanted +to test the wits of his two sons; he wanted to see +which of the twain was fit for ruling his empire, and +which should stand aside and make way for better +men. So they went on together till they came to +where three oaks stood all in a row. The prince +looked at the trees, and said to his eldest son, “My +dear son, what wouldst thou make of those trees?”</p> +<p>“What would I make of them, dear father? I +would make me good barns and store-houses out of +them. I would cut them down and plane the timber +well, and goodly should be the planks I should make +of them.”</p> +<p>“Good, my son!” replied the prince, “thou wilt +make a careful householder.”</p> +<p>Then he asked his younger son, “And what wouldst +thou make out of these oaks, my son?”</p> +<p>“Well, dear father,” said he, “had I only as much +power as will, I would cut down the middle oak, lay +it across the other two, and hang up every prince and +every noble in the wide world.”</p> +<p>Then the prince shook his head and was silent.</p> +<p>Presently they came to the sea, and all three stood +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_268' name='page_268'></a>268</span> +still and looked at it, and watched the fishes play. +Then, suddenly, the prince caught hold of his younger +son, and pitched him right into the sea. “Perish!” +cried he, “for ’tis but just that such a wretch as thou +shouldst perish!”</p> +<p>Now, just as the father pitched his younger son +into the sea, a great whale-fish was coming along and +swallowed him, and into its maw he went. There +he found wagons with horses and oxen harnessed to +them, all of which the fish had also gobbled. So he +went rummaging about these wagons to see what was +in them, and he found that one of the wagons was +full of tobacco-pipes and tobacco, and flints and steels. +So he took up a pipe, filled it with tobacco, lit it, and +began to smoke. He smoked out one pipe, filled +another, and smoked that too; then he filled a third, +and began smoking that. At last the smoke inside +the whale made it feel so uncomfortable that it opened +its mouth, swam ashore, and went asleep on the beach. +Now some huntsmen happened to be going along the +beach at that time, and one of them saw the whale, +and said, “Look, my brethren! we have been hunting +jays and crows and shot nothing, and lo! what a +monstrous fish lies all about the shore! Let us shoot +it!”</p> +<p>So they shot at it and shot at it, and then they fell +upon it with their axes and began to cut it to pieces. +They cut and hacked at it till suddenly they heard +something calling to them from the middle of the +fish, “Ho! my brothers! hack fish if you like, but +hack not that flesh which is full of Christian blood!”</p> +<p>They fell down to the ground for fright, and were +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_269' name='page_269'></a>269</span> +like dead men, but the prince’s younger son crept out +of the hole in the fish that the huntsmen had made, +went out upon the shore, and sat down. He sat down +there quite naked, for all his clothes had rotted and +dropped off inside the fish. Maybe he had been a +whole year in the whale without knowing it, and he +thought to himself, “How shall I now manage to live +in the wide, wide world?”</p> +<p>Meanwhile the elder brother had become a great +nobleman. His father had died, and he was lord +over his whole inheritance. Then, as is the wont +of princes, he called together his senators and his +servants, and they counselled their young prince to +marry; so out he went to seek a bride, and a great +retinue followed after him. They went on and on till +they came to where a naked man was sitting. Then +the prince said to one of his servants, “Go and see +what manner of man that is!”</p> +<p>So the servant went up to the man, and said, “Hail!”</p> +<p>“Hail to thee!”</p> +<p>“Who art thou, prythee?”</p> +<p>“I am Ivan Golik.<a name='FNanchor_0028' id='FNanchor_0028'></a><a href='#Footnote_0028' class='fnanchor'>[29]</a> Who art thou?”</p> +<p>“We are from such and such a land, and we are +going with our prince to seek him a bride.”</p> +<p>“Go, tell thy prince that he must take me with +him, for he’ll make no good match without me.”</p> +<p>So the messenger returned to the prince and told +him. Then the prince bade his servants open his +trunk and take out a shirt and pantaloons and all +manner of raiment, whereupon the naked man went +into the water and washed, and after that he dressed +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_270' name='page_270'></a>270</span> +himself. Then they brought him to the prince, and +he said to him, “If you take me with you, you +must all obey me. If you listen to me, you shall +remain in the land of Russia; but if not, you shall +all perish.”</p> +<p>“Be it so!” said the prince, and he bade all his +suite obey him.</p> +<p>They went on and on till they overtook the hosts +of the mice. The prince wanted to go hunting after +the mice, but Ivan Golik said, “Nay, step aside and +give place to the mice, so that not a single one of them +lose a single hair!”</p> +<p>So they turned aside, and the mice swept by in +their hosts, but the hindmost mouse turned round and +said, “Thanks to thee, Ivan Golik, thou hast saved +my host from perishing; I will save thine also.”</p> +<p>Then they went on farther, and lo! the gnat was +marching with his host, and so vast was it that no eye +could take it all in. Then the lieutenant-general of +the gnats came flying up and said, “Oh, Ivan Golik! +let my host drink of thy blood. If thou dost consent, +’twill be to thy profit; but if thou dost not consent, +thou shalt not remain in the land of Russia.”</p> +<p>Then he stripped off his shirt and bade them tie +him up so that he could not beat off a single gnat, +and the gnats drank their fill of him and flew off +again.</p> +<p>After that they went along by the seashore till they +came to a man who had caught two pike. Then Ivan +Golik said to the prince, “Buy those two pike of the +man, and let them go into the sea again.”</p> +<p>“But wherefore?”</p> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_271' name='page_271'></a>271</span></div> +<p>“Ask not wherefore, but buy them!”</p> +<p>So they bought the pike, and let them go into the +sea again. But as they swam away, the pike turned +round and said, “We thank thee, Ivan Golik, that +thou hast not let us perish, and it shall be to thy weal +and welfare!”</p> +<p>Swiftly they moved on their way, but the story that +tells thereof moves still swifter. They went on and +on, for more than a month maybe, till they came +to another land and to another tsardom, to the Empire +of Thrice-ten. And the serpent was the Tsar of that +tsardom. Vast were his palaces, iron railings surrounded +his courtyards, and the railings were covered +with the heads of various warriors; only on the twenty +huge pillars in front of the gate were there no heads. +As they drew nigh, deadly fear oppressed the heart +of the prince, and he said to Ivan, “Mark me, Ivan! +those pillars yonder are meant for <i>our</i> heads!”––“That +remains to be seen,” replied Ivan Golik.</p> +<p>When they arrived there, the serpent at first treated +them hospitably as welcome guests. They were all +to come in and make merry, he said, but the prince +he took to his own house. So they ate and drank +together, and the thoughts of their hearts were joyous. +Now the serpent had twenty-one daughters, and he +brought them to the prince, and told him which was +the eldest, and which the next eldest, down to the +very last one. But it was the youngest daughter of +all that the prince’s fancy fed upon more than on any +of the others. Thus they diverted themselves till +evening, and in the evening they made ready to go +to sleep. But the serpent said to the prince, “Well, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_272' name='page_272'></a>272</span> +which of my daughters dost thou think the loveliest?”</p> +<p>“The youngest is the most beautiful,” said the +prince, “and her will I wed.”</p> +<p>“Good!” said the serpent, “but I will not let +thee have my daughter till thou hast done all my +tasks. If thou doest my tasks, thou shalt have my +daughter; but if thou doest them not, thou shalt lose +thy head, and all thy suite shall perish with thee.”</p> +<p>Then he gave him his first task: “In my barn are +three hundred ricks of corn; by the morning light thou +shalt have threshed and sifted them so that stalk lies +by stalk, chaff by chaff, and grain by grain.”</p> +<p>Then the prince went to his own place to pass the +night there, and bitterly he wept. But Ivan Golik +saw that he was weeping, and said to him, “Why +dost thou weep, O prince?”</p> +<p>“Why should I not weep, seeing the task that the +serpent has given me is impossible?”</p> +<p>“Nay, weep not, my prince, but lie down to sleep, +and by the morning light it will all be done!”</p> +<p>No sooner had Ivan Golik left the prince than he +went outside and whistled for the mice. Then the +mice assembled round them in their hosts: “Why +dost thou whistle, and what dost thou want of us, O +Ivan Golik?” said they.</p> +<p>“Why should I not whistle, seeing that the serpent +has bidden us thresh out his barn by the morning +light, so that straw lies by straw, chaff by chaff, and +grain by grain?”</p> +<p>No sooner did the mice hear this than they began +scampering all about the barn! There were so many +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_273' name='page_273'></a>273</span> +of them that there was not room to move. They set +to work with a will, and long before dawn it was quite +finished. Then they went and awoke Ivan Golik. He +went and looked, and lo! all the chaff was by itself, +and all the grain was by itself, and all the straw by +itself! Then Ivan bade them be quite sure that there +was not a single grain remaining in a single ear of corn. +So they scampered all about, and there was not a +mouse which did not look under every stalk of straw. +Then they ran up to him, and said, “Fear not! there is +not a single loose grain anywhere. And now we have +requited thee thy service, Ivan Golik, farewell!”</p> +<p>Next morning the prince came to seek Ivan, and +marvelled to find that everything had been done as +the serpent had commanded. So he thanked Ivan +Golik, and went off to the serpent. Then they both +went together, and the serpent himself was amazed. +He called to his twenty-one daughters to search the +ears of corn well to see whether one single grain might +not be found therein, and his daughters searched and +searched, but there was not a single loose grain to +be found. Then said the serpent, “’Tis well, let +us go! We will eat and drink and make merry till +evening, and in the evening I will give thee thy to-morrow’s +task.” So they made merry till evening, +and then the serpent said, “Early this morning, my +youngest daughter went bathing in the sea and lost +her ring in the water. She searched and searched +for it, but could find it nowhere. If thou canst find +it to-morrow, and bring it hither while we are sitting +down to meat, thou shalt remain alive; if not, ’tis +all over with thee!”</p> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_274' name='page_274'></a>274</span></div> +<p>The prince returned to his own people and fell +a-weeping. Ivan Golik perceived it, and said to +him, “Wherefore dost thou weep?”</p> +<p>“For such and such a reason,” said he; “dost thou +not see that I am ruined?”</p> +<p>Then said Ivan Golik, “The serpent lies. He himself +it was who took his daughter’s ring and flew over +the sea early this morning, and dropped it in the water. +But lie down and sleep! I myself will go to the sea +to-morrow, haply I may find the ring.”</p> +<p>So, very early next morning, Ivan Golik went +down to the sea. He shouted with an heroic voice, +and whistled with an heroic whistle, till the whole sea +was troubled by a storm. Then the two pike he had +thrown back into the sea came swimming to the shore. +“Why dost thou call us, O Ivan Golik?” said they.</p> +<p>“Why should I not call you? The serpent flew +over the sea early yesterday morning and dropped in +it his daughter’s ring. Search for it everywhere. If +you find it, I shall remain alive, but if you find it not, +know that the serpent will remove me from the face +of the earth!”</p> +<p>Then they swam off and searched, nor was there +a single corner of the sea where they searched not. +Yet they found nothing. At last they swam off to +their mother, and told her what a great woe was about +to befall. Their mother said to them, “The ring +is with me. I am sorry for him, and still more sorry +for you, so you may have it.” And with that she +drew off the ring, and they swam with it to Ivan Golik, +and said, “Now we have requited thy service. We +have found it, but ’twas a hard task.”</p> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_275' name='page_275'></a>275</span></div> +<p>Then Ivan Golik thanked the two pike and went on +his way. He found the prince weeping, for the serpent +had already sent for him twice, and there was no ring. +The moment he saw Ivan Golik he sprang to his feet, +and said, “Hast thou the ring?”</p> +<p>“Yes, here it is! But look! the serpent himself is +coming!”</p> +<p>“Let him come!”</p> +<p>The serpent was already on the threshold as the +prince was going out. They ran against each other +with their foreheads, and the serpent was very angry. +“Where’s the ring?” cried he.</p> +<p>“There it is! But I will not give it to thee, but to +her from whom thou didst take it.”</p> +<p>The serpent laughed. “Very good!” said he, “but +now let us go to dinner, for my guests are many, and +we have been waiting for thee this long time.”</p> +<p>So they went. The prince arrived at the house, +where eleven serpents were sitting down to dinner. +He saluted them, and then went on to the daughters, +and said, as he drew off the ring, “To which of you +does this belong?”</p> +<p>Then the youngest daughter blushed and said, “To +me!”</p> +<p>“If it be thine, take it, for I sounded all the depths +of the sea in searching for it.”</p> +<p>All the others laughed, but the youngest daughter +thanked him.</p> +<p>Then they all went to dine. After dinner the serpent +said to him, in the presence of all the guests, +“Well, prince, now that thou hast dined and rested, +to thy tasks again! I have a bow of one hundred +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_276' name='page_276'></a>276</span> +poods<a name='FNanchor_0029' id='FNanchor_0029'></a><a href='#Footnote_0029' class='fnanchor'>[30]</a> weight. If thou canst bend this bow in +the presence of these my guests, thou shalt have my +daughter!”</p> +<p>When dinner was over they all lay down to rest, +but the prince hastened off as quickly as he could to +Ivan Golik, and said, “Now indeed it is all over with +us, for he has given me such and such a task.”</p> +<p>“Simpleton!” cried Ivan Golik, “when they bring +forth this bow, look at it, and say to the serpent, ‘I +should be ashamed to bend a bow that the least of +my servants can bend!’ Then call me, and I’ll bend +the bow so that none other will be able to bend it +again.”</p> +<p>With that the prince went straight off to the +serpent again, and the serpent commanded and they +brought the bow, together with an arrow weighing +fifty poods. When the prince saw it, he was like to +have died of fright; but they put the bow down in +the middle of the courtyard, and all the guests came +out to look at it. The prince walked all round the +bow and looked at it. “Why,” said he, “I would not +deign to touch a bow like that. I’ll call one of my +servants, for any one of them can bend such a bow as +that!”</p> +<p>Then the serpent looked at the prince’s servants one +after the other, and said, “Well, let them try!”</p> +<p>“Come forward thou, Ivan Golik!” cried the prince.</p> +<p>And the prince said to him, “Take me up that bow +and bend it!”</p> +<p>Ivan Golik took up the bow, placed the arrow across +it, and drew the bow so that the arrow split into twelve +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_277' name='page_277'></a>277</span> +pieces and the bow burst. Then the prince said, +“Did I not tell you? and was I to put myself to +shame by touching a bow that one of my servants +can draw?”</p> +<div class='figtag'> +<a name='linki_17' id='linki_17'></a> +</div> +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/illus-307.png' alt='' title='' width='407' height='500' /><br /> +<p class='caption'> +IVAN GOLIK DREW THE BOW<br /> +</p> +</div> +<p>After that Ivan Golik returned to his fellow-servants, +and put the pieces of the broken bow behind his shin-bone; +but the prince returned with the serpents into +the guest-chamber, and they all rejoiced because he +had done his appointed task. But the serpent whispered +something in the ear of his youngest daughter, +and she went out, and he after her. They remained +outside a long time, and then the serpent came in +again, and said to the prince, “There is no time for +anything more to-day, but we’ll begin again early +to-morrow morning. I have a horse behind twelve +doors; if thou canst mount it, thou shalt have my +daughter.”</p> +<p>Then they made merry again till evening and lay +down to sleep, but the prince went and told Golik. +Golik listened to the prince, and said, “Now thou +knowest, I suppose, why I took up those pieces of +the broken bow, for I could see what was coming. +When they lead forth this horse, look at it and say, ‘I +will not mount that horse lest I put myself to shame. +’Tis with the horse as with the bow, any one of my +servants can mount it!’ But that horse is no horse +at all, but the serpent’s youngest daughter! Thou +must not sit upon her back, but I will trounce her +finely.”</p> +<p>Early in the morning they all arose, and the prince +went to the serpent’s house to greet them all, and +there he saw twenty of the serpent’s daughters, but +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_278' name='page_278'></a>278</span> +where was the twenty-first? Then the serpent got +up and said, “Well, prince, now let us come down +into the courtyard; they’ll soon bring out the horse, +and we’ll see what thou dost make of it.”</p> +<p>So they all went out and saw two serpents bringing +out the horse, and it was as much as the pair of them +could do to hold its head, so fierce and strong it was. +They led it out in front of the gallery, and the prince +walked round it and looked at it. Then said he, +“What! did you not say you would bring out a +<i>horse</i>? Why, this is no horse, but a mare. I will not +sit on this mare, for ’twould be to my shame. I will +call one of my servants, and he shall mount her.”</p> +<p>“Good!” said the serpent, “let him try!”</p> +<p>The prince called forth Ivan Golik. “Sit on that +mare,” said he, “and trot her about!”</p> +<p>Ivan mounted the mare, and the two serpents let +go. She carried him right up among the clouds, and +then down again upon the ground she came, with a +ringing of hoofs that made the earth tremble. But +Ivan Golik took out a fragment of the broken bow, +fifty pounds in weight, and trounced her finely. She +reared and bucked and carried him hither and thither, +but he flogged her between the ears without ceasing. +So when she saw that all her prancing and curveting +was in vain, she fell to piteously beseeching him, and +cried, “Ivan Golik! Ivan Golik! beat me not, and +I’ll do all thy behests!”</p> +<p>“I have nothing to do with thee at all,” said he, +“but when thou dost come up to the prince, fall down +before him, and stretch out thy legs toward him!”</p> +<p>At this she bethought her for a long time. “Well,” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_279' name='page_279'></a>279</span> +cried she at last, “it must be so, there is no doing +anything with thee!” So she carried him all over the +courtyard, fell down before the prince, and stretched +out her legs toward him.</p> +<p>Then said the prince, “Thou seest what a sorry +jade it is! And ye would have had me mount such +a mare!”</p> +<p>At this the serpent was full of shame, but there +was nothing to be said or done. So they went into the +garden and sat them down to dinner. The youngest +daughter met them there, and they greeted her. The +prince could not refrain from looking at her, so fair +was she, and now she seemed fairer than ever. Then +they sat down and ate, and when the meal was over +the serpent said, “Well, prince, after dinner I’ll bring +all my daughters into the courtyard, and if you can +find out the youngest, you may be happy together.”</p> +<p>So after dinner the serpent bade his daughters go +and dress themselves, but the prince took counsel of +Ivan Golik. Ivan whistled, and immediately the gnat +came flying up. He told the gnat all about it, and +the gnat said, “Thou didst help me, so now I will +help thee. When the serpent brings out his daughters, +let the prince keep his eyes open, for I will fly on her +head. Let him walk round them once, and I will fly +round them too. Let him walk round them a second +time, and I will fly round them twice also. Let him +walk round them a third time, and then I’ll settle +on her nose, and she will not be able to endure my +bite, but will strike at me with her right hand.” And +with these words the gnat flew off into the house.</p> +<p>Soon afterward the serpent sent for the prince. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_280' name='page_280'></a>280</span> +He went, and there in the courtyard stood the twenty-one +daughters. They were as like as peas, their faces, +their hair, and their raiment were exactly the same. +He looked and looked, but could not tell one from +the other. He walked round them the first time, +but there was no sign of the gnat. He walked round +them the second time, and the gnat came and lit upon +her head. Henceforth he never took his eyes off the +gnat, and when he had begun to walk round the twenty-one +daughters for the third time, the gnat sat on the +nose of the youngest, and began to bite her. She +brushed it off with her right hand, whereupon the prince +said, “She is mine!” and led her to the serpent.</p> +<p>The serpent was amazed, but said, “Since thou +hast found out thy bride, we’ll wed thee to-day, and +all be merry together.”</p> +<p>So they made them merry, and that very evening +the young couple got their bridal crowns. And they +feasted and fired guns, and what else did they not +do? But at night, Ivan Golik took the prince aside, +and said to him, “Now, prince, see that we go home +to-morrow, for they mean us no good here. And now, +listen to me! I beg thee tell not thy wife the truth +of the matter for seven years. However caressing she +may be, thou shalt not let her ears know the truth, +for if thou <i>dost</i> tell her the truth, both thou and I shall +perish!”</p> +<p>“Good!” said he. “I will not tell my wife the +truth.”</p> +<p>Next morning the young men arose and went to +the serpent, and the prince took leave of his father-in-law, +and said he must be going home.</p> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_281' name='page_281'></a>281</span></div> +<p>“But why off so soon?” said the serpent.</p> +<p>“Nay, but I must go,” said he.</p> +<p>Then the serpent gave the youth a banquet, and +they sat down and ate and made merry, and after +that he departed to his own tsardom. And the prince +thanked Ivan Golik for all that he had done for him, +and made him the first of his counsellors. Whatever Ivan +Golik said was performed throughout the realm, while +the Tsar had only to sit on his throne and do nothing.</p> +<p>So the young prince dwelt with his wife for a year +or two, and in the third year a son was added to them, +and the heart of the prince was glad. Now one day +he took his little son in his arms, and said, “Is there +anything in the wide world that I like better than this +child?” When the princess saw that the heart of +her spouse was tender, she fell a-kissing and caressing +him, and began asking him all about the time when +they were first married, and how he had been able to +do her father’s commands. And the prince said to +her, “My head would long ago have been mouldering +on the posts of thy father’s palace had it not been for +Ivan Golik. ’Twas he who did it all and not I.”</p> +<p>Then she was very wrath. But she never changed +countenance, and shortly afterward she went out.</p> +<p>Ivan Golik was sitting in his own house at his ease, +when the princess came flying in to him. And immediately +she drew out of the ground a handkerchief +with gold borders, and no sooner had she waved this +serpentine handkerchief, than Ivan fell asunder into +two pieces. His legs remained where they were, but +his trunk with his head disappeared through the roof, +and fell seven miles away from the house. And as +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_282' name='page_282'></a>282</span> +he fell he cried, “Oh, accursed one! did I not charge +thee not to confess! Did I not implore thee not to +tell thy wife the truth for seven years! And now I +perish and thou also!”</p> +<p>He raised his head and found himself sitting in a +wood, and there he saw an armless man pursuing a +hare. He pursued and pursued it, but though he +caught it up, he couldn’t catch it, for he had no arms. +Then Ivan Golik caught it and they fell out about it. +The armless one said, “The hare is mine!”––“No,” +said Ivan Golik, “it is mine!” So they quarrelled +over it, but as one had no legs and the other had no +arms, they couldn’t hurt one another. At last the +armless one said, “What is the use of our quarrelling? +Let us pull up that oak, and whichever of us pitches it +farthest shall have the hare.”</p> +<p>“Good!” said Legless.</p> +<p>Then Armless kicked Legless up to the oak, and +Legless pulled it up and gave it to Armless. Then +Armless lay down on the ground and kicked the oak +with his feet three miles off. But Legless threw it +seven miles. Then Armless said, “Take the hare and +be my elder brother!”</p> +<p>So they became brothers, and made a wagon between +them, and fastened ropes to it, and while Armless +dragged it along Legless drove it. On they went till +they came to a town where a Tsar lived. There they +went up to the church, and planted themselves with +their wagon in the place of beggars, and waited till +the Tsarivna came up. And the Tsarivna said to +her court lady, “Take this money, and give it to those +poor cripples.”</p> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_283' name='page_283'></a>283</span></div> +<p>The lady was about to go with it when Legless said, +“Nay, but let the Tsarivna give it to us with her own +hands.”</p> +<p>Then the Tsarivna took the money from her court +lady and gave it to Legless. But he said to her, “Be +not angry, but tell me, now, wherefore art thou so +yellow?”</p> +<p>“God made me so,” answered she, and then she +sighed.</p> +<p>“No,” replied Legless. “I know why thou art +so yellow. But I can make thee once more just as +God made thee.”</p> +<p>Now the Tsar had heard them speaking, and the +words of the cripples moved him strangely. So +he had the armless man and the legless man in the +wagon brought to him, and said to them, “Do as +you are able.”</p> +<p>But Legless said, “O Tsar! let the Tsarivna speak +the truth, and confess openly how she became so +yellow!”</p> +<p>Then the father turned to his daughter, and she +confessed and said, “The serpent flew to me, and drew +my blood out of my breast.”</p> +<p>“When did he fly to thee?” they asked.</p> +<p>“Just before dawn, when the guards were sleeping, +he came flying down my chimney. In he came +flying, and lay down beneath the cushions of my +couch.”</p> +<p>“Stop!” cried Legless; “we’ll hide in the straw +in thy room, and when the serpent comes flying in +again, thou must cough and wake us.”</p> +<p>So they hid them in the straw, and just as the guards +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_284' name='page_284'></a>284</span> +had ceased knocking at the doors as they went their +rounds, sparks began to flash beneath the straw roof, +and the Tsarivna coughed. They rushed up to her, +and saw the serpent already nestling beneath the +cushions. Then the Tsarivna leaped out of bed; but +Armless lay down on the floor and kicked Legless +on to the cushions, and Legless took the serpent in +his arms and began to throttle it. “Let me go! let +me go!” begged the serpent, “and I’ll never fly here +again, but will renounce my tithes.”</p> +<p>But Legless said, “That is but a small thing. Thou +must carry us to the place of healing waters, that I +may get back my legs and my brother here his arms.”</p> +<p>“Catch hold of me,” said the serpent, “and I’ll +take you, only torture me no more.”</p> +<p>So Legless clung on to him with his arms and Armless +with his feet, and the serpent flew away with them +till he came to a spring. “There’s your healing +water!” cried he.</p> +<p>Armless wanted to plunge in straightway, but Legless +shrieked, “Wait, brother! Hold the serpent tight +with your legs while I thrust a dry stick into the spring, +and then we shall see whether it really is healing +water.”</p> +<p>So he thrust a stick in, and no sooner had it touched +the water than it was consumed as though by fire. +Then the pair of them, in their rage, fell upon that +false serpent and almost killed him. They beat him +and beat him till he cried for mercy. “Beat me no +more!” cried he; “the spring of healing water is +not very far off!” Then he took them to another +spring. Into this they also dipped a dry stick, and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_285' name='page_285'></a>285</span> +immediately it burst into flower. Then Armless leaped +into the spring and leaped out again with arms, whereupon +he pitched in Legless, who immediately leaped +out again with legs of his own. So they let the serpent +go, first making him promise never to fly to the Tsarivna +again, and then each thanked the other for his friendship, +and so they parted.</p> +<p>But Ivan Golik went again to his brother the prince, +to see what had become of him. “I wonder what +the princess has done to him?” thought he. So +he went toward that tsardom, and presently he saw +not very far from the roadside, a swineherd tending +swine; he was tending swine, but he himself sat upon +a tomb. “I’ll go and ask that swineherd what he’s +doing there,” thought Ivan Golik.</p> +<p>So he went up to the swineherd, and, looking straight +into his eyes, recognized his own brother. And the +swineherd looked at him, and recognized Ivan Golik. +There they stood for a long time looking into each +other’s eyes, but neither of them spoke a word. At +last Ivan Golik found his voice: “What!” cried he. +“Is it thou, O prince, who art feeding swine? Thou +art rightly served! Did I not bid thee, ‘Tell not thy +wife the truth for seven years’?”</p> +<p>At this the prince flung himself down at the other’s +feet, and cried, “O Ivan Golik! forgive me, and have +mercy!”</p> +<p>Then Ivan Golik raised him up by the shoulders +and said, “’Tis well for thee that thou art still in God’s +fair world! Yet wait a little while, and thou shalt be +Tsar again!”</p> +<p>The prince thereupon asked Ivan Golik how he +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_286' name='page_286'></a>286</span> +had got his legs back again, for the princess had told +him how she had cut Ivan Golik in two. Then Ivan +Golik confessed to him that he was his younger brother, +and told him the whole story of his life. So they +embraced and kissed each other, and then the prince +said, “’Tis high time I drove these swine home, for +the princess doesn’t like being kept waiting for her tea.”</p> +<p>“Well,” said Ivan Golik, “we’ll drive them back +together.”</p> +<p>“The worst of it, brother, is this,” said the prince. +“Dost thou see that accursed pig that leads the others? +Well, he will go only up to the gate of the sty, and +there he stands fast as if rooted to the ground, and +until I kiss his bristles he will not move from the spot. +And all the time the princess and the serpents are +sitting in the gallery at tea, and they look on and +laugh!”</p> +<p>But Ivan Golik said, “It needs must be so! Kiss +it again to-day, and to-morrow thou shalt kiss it no +more!”</p> +<p>Then they drove the swine up to the gates, and +Ivan Golik looked to see what would happen. He +saw the princess sitting in the gallery with six serpents +drinking tea, and the accursed pig stuck fast in the +gate, and stretched out its legs and wouldn’t go in. +The princess looked on and said, “Look at my fool +driving the swine, and now he is going to kiss the big +boar!”</p> +<p>So the poor fellow stooped down and kissed its +bristles, and the pig ran grunting into the courtyard. +Then the princess said, “Look! he has picked up +from somewhere an under-herdsman to help him!”</p> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_287' name='page_287'></a>287</span></div> +<p>The prince and Ivan Golik drove the pigs into their +sty, and then Ivan Golik said, “Brother, get me +twenty poods of hemp and twenty poods of pitch, +and bring them to me in the garden.” And he did +so. Then Ivan Golik made him a huge whip of the +twenty poods of hemp and the twenty poods of tar. +First he twined tightly a pood of hemp, and tarred it +well with a pood of pitch; round this he plaited another +pood of hemp, and tarred that also with another pood +of pitch, till he had used up the whole forty. By +midnight his task was done, and then he laid him down +to sleep. But the prince had gone to sleep long before +in the pig-sty.</p> +<p>Early in the morning they rose up again, and +Ivan Golik said to him, “Up till to-day thou hast +been a swineherd, and after to-day thou shalt be a +prince again; but first let us drive the swine into +the field.”</p> +<p>“Nay, but,” said the prince, “the princess has +not yet come out upon the balcony to drink tea with +the serpents, and see me kiss the pig before it goes +out, as is her wont.” Ivan Golik said to him, “We +will drive the swine out this time too, but it will not +be thou but I who shall kiss the big boar.”</p> +<p>“Good!” said the prince.</p> +<p>And now the time came for the swine to be driven +away, and the princess came out on the balcony to +drink tea. They took the swine out of the sty, and +the pair of them drove the beasts before them. When +they reached the gate the leading pig stuck fast in the +gateway, and wouldn’t budge an inch. The princess +and the serpents grinned and looked on, but Ivan +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_288' name='page_288'></a>288</span> +Golik flicked his heroic whip, and struck the pig one +blow that made it fly to pieces. Then all the serpents +wriggled off as fast as they could. But she, the accursed +one, was in no way frightened, but caught Ivan by +the hair of his head. He, however, caught her also +by her long locks, and flicked her with his whip till +he had flicked all the serpent-blood out of her, and +she walked the earth in human guise. So she cast +off her serpent nature, and lived happily with her +husband. And that’s the end of the <i>kazka</i>.</p> +<hr class='fn' /> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0001' id='Footnote_0001'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0001'><span class='label'>[1]</span></a> +<p><i>Div</i>. This ancient, untranslatable word (comp. Latin <i>deus</i>) is probably +of Lithuanian origin, and means any malefic power.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0002' id='Footnote_0002'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0002'><span class='label'>[2]</span></a> +<p>A folk-tale; Russ. <i>skazka</i>, Ger. <i>Märchen</i>.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0003' id='Footnote_0003'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0003'><span class='label'>[3]</span></a> +<p><i>Kozak</i>, a Cossack, being the ideal human hero of the Ruthenians, just as +a <i>bogatyr</i> is a hero of the demi-god type, as the name implies.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0004' id='Footnote_0004'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0004'><span class='label'>[4]</span></a> +<p>A <i>grivna</i> is the tenth part of a rouble, about 2½ d.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0005' id='Footnote_0005'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0005'><span class='label'>[5]</span></a> +<p>Russian <i>Tsarevna</i>, <i>i.e.</i> a Tsar’s daughter.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0006' id='Footnote_0006'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0006'><span class='label'>[6]</span></a> +<p><i>Pokute</i>, the place of honour in a Ruthenian peasant’s hut, at the right-hand +side of the entrance.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0007' id='Footnote_0007'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0007'><span class='label'>[7]</span></a> +<p>A sourish drink.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0008' id='Footnote_0008'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0008'><span class='label'>[8]</span></a> +<p>A little Tsar.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_076.png_9' id='Footnote_076.png_9'></a><a href='#FNanchor_076.png_9'><span class='label'>[9]</span></a> +<p> +The two fabulous hounds of Ruthenian legend. +</p></div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0009' id='Footnote_0009'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0009'><span class='label'>[10]</span></a> +<p>Little Wolf.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0010' id='Footnote_0010'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0010'><span class='label'>[11]</span></a> +<p>Little Bear.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0011' id='Footnote_0011'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0011'><span class='label'>[12]</span></a> +<p><i>I.e.</i> Burning bright.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0012' id='Footnote_0012'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0012'><span class='label'>[13]</span></a> +<p>A pood = 40 lb.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0013' id='Footnote_0013'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0013'><span class='label'>[14]</span></a> +<p><i>Shulyak</i> means both <i>sparrow-hawk</i> and <i>push</i>.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0014' id='Footnote_0014'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0014'><span class='label'>[15]</span></a> +<p>What a little! What a little!</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0015' id='Footnote_0015'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0015'><span class='label'>[16]</span></a> +<p>The hare.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0016' id='Footnote_0016'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0016'><span class='label'>[17]</span></a> +<p>Posad, or posag, a bench covered with white cloth on which the bride and +bridegroom sat down together.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0017' id='Footnote_0017'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0017'><span class='label'>[18]</span></a> +<p>Hearkener.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0018' id='Footnote_0018'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0018'><span class='label'>[19]</span></a> +<p>Heavysides.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0019' id='Footnote_0019'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0019'><span class='label'>[20]</span></a> +<p>This is a good instance of the modern intrusions in these ancient <i>kazki</i>. +An angel and a passport in the same tale!</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0020' id='Footnote_0020'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0020'><span class='label'>[21]</span></a> +<p>About twopence-halfpenny.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0021' id='Footnote_0021'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0021'><span class='label'>[22]</span></a> +<p><i>Lit</i>. Big billy-goats, the name given by the clean-shaved Ruthenians to +their hairy neighbours the Russians.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0022' id='Footnote_0022'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0022'><span class='label'>[23]</span></a> +<p>The wife of a Tsar.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0023' id='Footnote_0023'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0023'><span class='label'>[24]</span></a> +<p>Hungarian soldier.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0024' id='Footnote_0024'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0024'><span class='label'>[25]</span></a> +<p><i>I.e.</i> a forest where treasure is hidden.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0025' id='Footnote_0025'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0025'><span class='label'>[26]</span></a> +<p>Prayers lasting forty days.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0026' id='Footnote_0026'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0026'><span class='label'>[27]</span></a> +<p>A <i>karbovanets</i> is about four shillings.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0027' id='Footnote_0027'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0027'><span class='label'>[28]</span></a> +<p>Wedding-cakes of the shape of pine-cones.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0028' id='Footnote_0028'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0028'><span class='label'>[29]</span></a> +<p>Naked.</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote'><a name='Footnote_0029' id='Footnote_0029'></a><a href='#FNanchor_0029'><span class='label'>[30]</span></a> +<p>A pood = forty pounds.</p> +</div> +<hr class='pb' /> +<hr class='tb' /> +<div class="trnote"> +<p>Transcriber’s Note:</p> +<p style='margin-left:1.0em'>Illustrations have been moved closer to their relevant paragraphs.</p> +<p style='margin-left:1.0em'>The page numbers in the List of Illustrations do not reflect the +new placement of the illustrations, but are as in the original.</p> +<p style='margin-left:1.0em'>Any missing page numbers in this HTML version refer to blank pages in the original.</p> +<p style='margin-left:1.0em'>Author’s archaic and variable spelling and hyphenation is preserved.</p> +<p style='margin-left:1.0em'>Author’s punctuation style is preserved.</p> +<p style='margin-left:1.0em'>Typographical problems have been changed and these are +<a name='TC_5'></a><ins class="trchange" title="Was 'hgihligthed'">highlighted</ins>.</p> +<p>Transcriber’s Changes:</p> +<p style='margin-left:1.0em'><a href='#TC_1'>Page 18</a>: Was ‘“Oh!”.’ (in the self-same forest, sat him down, and said, <span style='font-weight:bold'>“Oh!”</span> Oh immediately came out of the charred stump)</p> +<p style='margin-left:1.0em'><a href='#TC_2'>Page 64</a>: Added closing double-quote (handkerchief thou findest there, and throw it in front of <span style='font-weight:bold'>me.”</span> He drew it out and flung it)</p> +<p style='margin-left:1.0em'><a href='#TC_3'>Page 115</a>: Added closing double-quote (carried off his daughter, and worries him to <span style='font-weight:bold'>death.”</span>––“Show me the way to your Tsar,”)</p> +<p style='margin-left:1.0em'><a href='#TC_4'>Page 161</a>: Added opening double-quote (“Have no fear of that!” replied the old couple. <span style='font-weight:bold'>“We</span> have a dog called Chutko)</p> +</div> + +<!-- generated by ppg.rb version: ppg0727 --> +<!-- timestamp: Fri Jul 31 12:07:21 +0700 2009 --> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales, by Anonymous + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK COSSACK FAIRY TALES AND FOLK TALES *** + +***** This file should be named 29672-h.htm or 29672-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/6/7/29672/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Dan Horwood and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. 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