people may think that I too was not
overlooked
or passed over on my brother's name day, but ate to surfeit, and drank myself drunk with the best of them.
Universal Anthology - v01
He called out, snuffling, " Nicodemus, my son, where are you going?
" " Home, papa," was the reply.
" Nicodemus, my son, you struck me on the head with an ax, and hung me up to a beam by the legs.
" "Yes, papa.
" " Nicodemus, my son, did you call seven men to beat me, and steal my gold ring from me ?
" "Yes, papa.
" "Nicodemus, my son, have you bamboozled my daughters ?
" " Yes, papa.
" " Nicodemus, my son, have you stolen my sword and wand?
" " "Yes, papa.
" "Nicodemus, my son, will you come back ?
" Yes, papa," answered Sly boots again.
Meantime he had advanced so far on the bridge that he could no longer hear the old man speak.
When he had crossed the sea, he inquired the nearest way to the royal city, and hastened thither to claim his reward.
But lo ! he found everything very different from what he had expected. Both his brothers had entered the service of the king, one as a coachman and the other as a chamberlain. Both were living in grand style and were rich people. When Slyboots applied to the king for his reward, the latter answered : " I waited for you for a whole year, and I neither saw nor heard anything of you. I supposed you were dead, and was about to
334 SLYBOOTS.
divide your reward among the poor, as you desired. But one day your elder brothers arrived to inherit your fortune. I left the matter to the court, who assigned the money to them, because it was supposed that you were dead. Since then your brothers have entered my service, and both still remain in it. "
When Slyboots heard what the king said, he thought he must be dreaming, for he imagined that he had been only two nights in the old man's subterranean dwelling, and had then taken a few days to return home ; but now it appeared that each night had been as long as a year. He would not go to law with his brothers, but abandoned the money to them, thanked God that he had escaped with his life, and looked out for some fresh employment. The king's cook engaged him as kitchen boy, and he now had to turn the joints on the spit every day. His brothers despised him for his mean employment, and did not like to have anything to do with him, although he still loved them. One evening he told them of much that he had seen in the underworld, where the geese and ducks had gold and silver plumage. The brothers related this to the king, and begged them to send their youngest brother to fetch these curious birds. The king sent for the kitchen boy, and ordered him to start next morning in search of the birds with the costly feathers.
Slyboots set out next day with a heavy heart, but he took with him the ring, the wand, and the sword, which he had care fully preserved. Some days afterwards he searched the sea, and saw an old man with a long gray beard sitting on a stone at the place where he had reached land after his flight. When Slyboots came nearer, the old man asked, " Why are you so sad, my friend ? " Slyboots told him how badly he had fared, and the old man bid him be of good cheer, and not vex himself, adding, " No harm can happen to you as long as you wear the ring of strength. " He then gave Slyboots a mussel shell, and advised him to build the bridge with the magic wand to the middle of the sea, and then to step on the shell with his left foot, when he would immediately find himself in the under world, while every one there was asleep. He also advised him to make himself a bag of spun yarn, in which to put the water birds with gold and silver plumage, and then he could return unmolested. Everything fell out as the old man predicted, but Slyboots had hardly reached the seashore with his booty when
SLYBOOTS. 335
he heard his former acquaintance behind him ; and when he was on the bridge he heard him calling out, " Nicodemus, my son," and repeating the same questions as before. At last he asked if he had stolen the birds. Slyboots answered " Yes " to every question, and hastened on.
Slyboots arrived at the royal city in the evening, as his friend with the gray beard had foretold, and the yarn bag held the birds so well that none had escaped. The king made him a present, and told him to go back next day, for he had heard from the two elder brothers that the lord of the underworld had many gold and silver utensils, which the king desired for his own use. Slyboots did not venture to refuse, but he went very unwillingly, because he did not know how to manage the affair. However, when he reached the seashore he met his friend with the gray beard, who asked the reason of his sad ness. The old man gave Slyboots another mussel shell and a handful of small stones, with the following advice: " If you go there in the afternoon, you will find the father in bed taking his siesta, the daughters spinning in the sitting room, and the grandmother in the kitchen scouring the gold and silver vessels bright. Climb nimbly on the chimney, throw down the stones tied up in a bag on the old woman's neck, come down yourself as quick as possible, put the costly vessels in the yarn bag, and then run off as fast as your legs will carry you. "
Slyboots thanked his friend, and followed his advice exactly. But when he dropped the bag of pebbles, it expanded into a six hundredweight sack of paving stones, which dashed the old woman to the ground. In a moment Slyboots swept all the gold and silver vessels into his bag and took to flight. When the Old Boy heard the noise, he thought the chimney had fallen down, and did not venture to get up directly. But when he had called the grandmother for a long time without receiving any answer, he was obliged to go himself. When he discovered the misfortune that had happened, he hastened in pursuit of the thief, who could not be gone far. Slyboots was already on the sea when his pursuer reached the shore, panting and puffing. As before, the Old Boy cried out, "Nicodemus, my son," and repeated the former questions. At last he asked, " Nicodemus, my son, have you stolen my gold and silver utensils ? " " Cer tainly, my father," answered Slyboots. " Nicodemus, my son, do you promise to come again ? " " No, my father," answered Slyboots, hurrying along the bridge. Although the old man
336 SLYBOOTS.
cursed and scolded after the thief, he could not catch him, and he had now been despoiled of all his magic treasures.
Slyboots found his friend with the gray beard waiting for him on the other side of the sea, and he threw down the bag of heavy gold and silver ware, which the ring of strength had enabled him to bring away, and sat down to rest his weary limbs. "
Your
When Slyboots came before the king with his rich booty, which was enough to make at least ten horse loads, he found him extremely kind and friendly, and he took the opportunity to make the request which his old friend had advised. The king was glad that the treasure bringer asked for no greater reward, and ordered his daughter to hide herself behind the door in the evening, to overhear what the coachman and the chamberlain were talking about.
The brothers had grown haughty with prosperity, and boasted of their good luck, and what was worse, they both boasted to each other of the favors of the princess in her own hearing ! She ran to her father, flushed with shame and anger, and told him, weeping, what shameful lies she had heard with her own ears, and begged him to punish the wretches. The king imme diately ordered them both to be thrown into prison, and when they had confessed their guilt before the court next day, they were executed, while Slyboots was promoted to the rank of king's councilor.
Some time afterwards the country was invaded by a foreign king, and Slyboots was sent against the enemy in the field. Then he drew the sword which he had brought from the under world for the first time, and began to slaughter the hostile army, and soon none were left alive on the bloody field. The king was so pleased at the victory that he made Slyboots his son-in-law.
The old man now told him much that shocked him.
brothers hate you, and will do all they can to destroy you, if you do not oppose their wicked attempts. They will urge the king on to set you tasks in which you are very likely to perish. When you bring your rich load to the king this evening, you will find him friendly disposed towards you; and then ask, as your only reward, that his daughter should be hidden behind the door in the evening, to hear what your brothers talk about together. "
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES. 337
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES. Edited by R. NISBET BAIN. The Golden Mountain.
There was once upon a time a merchant's son who squan dered and wasted all his goods. To such a pass did he come at last that he had nothing to eat. So he seized a spade, went out into the market place, and began waiting to see if any one would hire him as a laborer. And behold, the merchant who was one in seven hundred [seven hundred times richer than any one else] came along that way in his gilded coach ; all the day laborers saw him, and the whole lot of them immediately scattered in every direction and hid themselves in corners. The merchant's son alone of them all remained standing in the market place. "
" Do you want work, young man ?
said the merchant who was one in seven hundred ; " then take hire from me. "
" Right willingly ; 'twas for no other reason that I came to the market place. " "
" And what wage do you require ?
" If you lay me down one hundred roubles a day, 'tis a bar gain. " "
" If you think it dear, go and seek a cheaper article ; but this I know, crowds of people were here just now, you came, and —away they all bolted. "
" That is somewhat dear !
" Well, agreed ! come to-morrow to the haven. "
The next day, early in the morning, our merchant's son came to the haven ; the merchant who was one in seven hun dred had already been awaiting him some time. They went on board ship and went to sea. They sailed and sailed. In the midst of the sea an island appeared ; on this island stood high mountains, and on the sea-shore something or other was burn ing like fire. "
" Can that which I see be fire ?
" Nay, that is my little golden castle. "
They drew near to the island ; they went ashore ; his wife and
daughter came forth to meet the merchant who was one in seven hundred, and the daughter was beautiful with a beauty that no man can imagine or devise, and no tale can tell. As soon as
said the merchant's son.
338 RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
they had greeted one another they went on to the castle, and took the new laborer along with them ; they sat them down at table, they began to eat, drink, and be merry. " A fig for to-day," said the host; "to-day we'll feast, to-morrow we'll work. "
And the merchant's son was a fair youth, strong and stately, of a ruddy countenance like milk and blood, and he fell in love with the lovely damsel. She went out into the next room ; she called him secretly, and gave him a flint and steel. " Take them," said she, "and if you should be in any need, use them. "
Next day the merchant who was one in seven hundred set out with his servant for the high golden mountain. They climbed and climbed, but they climbed not up to the top; they crawled and crawled, but they crawled not up to the top.
"Well," said the merchant, "let's have a drink first of all. " And the merchant handed him a sleeping poison. The laborer drank and fell asleep.
The merchant drew out his knife, killed his wretched nag which he had brought with him, took out its entrails, put the young man into the horse's stomach, put the spade in too, sewed up the wound, and went and hid himself among the bushes.
Suddenly there flew down a whole host of black iron-beaked ravens. They took up the carcass, carried it up into the mountain, and fell a-pecking it; they began eating up the horse, and soon pierced right down to the merchant's son. Then he awoke, beat off the black crows, " looked hither and thither, and asked himself, " Where am I ?
The merchant who was one in seven hundred bawled up at him, " On the golden mountain ; come, take your spade and dig gold. "
So he digged and digged, throwing it all down below, and
the merchant put it on wagons. By evening he had filled
nine wagons.
"That'll do," cried the merchant who was one in seven
hundred ; " thanks for your labor. Adieu ! "
"Buthowabout me? "
"You may get on as best you can. Ninety- nine of your
sort have perished on that mountain — you will just make up the hundred ! " Thus spake the merchant, and departed.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES. 339
" What's to be done now ? " thought the merchant's son : " to get down from this mountain is quite impossible. I shall certainly starve to death. " So there he stood on the mountain, and above him wheeled the black iron-beaked crows: they plainly scented their prey. He began to bethink him how all this had come to pass, and then it occurred to him how the lovely damsel had taken him aside and given him the flint and steel, and said to him herself, "Take and you are in need make use of it. "
"And look now, she did not say in vain. Let us try it. "
arms and bore him carefully down from the mountain. The
and, lo, ship was
"
stoppage would lose
The merchant's son took out the flint and steel, struck once, and immediately out jumped two fair young heroes.
" What do you want What do you want
"Take me from this mountain to the sea-shore. "
He had no sooner spoken than they took him under the
" Hi, good ship folk, take me with you!
"Nay, brother, we cannot stop: such us one hundred knots. "
The mariners passed by the island: contrary winds began to blow, frightful hurricane arose. "Alas! he plainly no simple man of our sort, we had better turn back and take him on board ship. " So they returned to the island, stopped by the shore, took up the merchant's son, and conveyed him to his native town.
A long time and little time passed by, and then the mer chant's son took his spade and again went out into the market place to wait for some one to hire him. Again the merchant who was one in seven hundred passed by in his gilded carriage; the day laborers saw him and scattered in every direction, and hid them in corners. The merchant's son was the sole solitary little one left.
" Will you take hire from me one in seven hundred.
"
said the merchant who was
"Willingly; put down two hundred roubles day, and set me my work. " "
" Rather dear, eh
" If you find dear, go and seek cheaper labor. You saw how
"
merchant's son walked about by the shore sailing by the island.
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340 RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
many people were here, and the moment you appeared they all ran away. "
"Well, then, done; come to-morrow to the haven. "
The next morning they met at the haven, went on board the ship, and sailed to the island. There they ate and drank their fill one whole day, and the next day they got up and went towards the golden mountain.
They arrived there; the merchant who was one in seven hundred pulled out his drinking glass. "Come now, let us have a drink first," said he.
"Stop, mine host! You who are the chief ought to drink the first: let me treat you with mine own drink. " And the merchant's son, who had betimes provided himself with sleep ing poison, poured out a full glass of it and gave it to the mer chant who was one in seven hundred. He drank it off and fell into a sound sleep.
The merchant's son slaughtered the sorriest horse, disem boweled it, laid his host in the horse's belly, put the spade there too, sewed up the wound, and went and hid himself among the bushes. Instantly the black iron-beaked crows flew down, took up the carcass, carried it to the mountain, and fell a-pecking at it. The merchant who was one in seven hundred awoke and looked hither and thither. " Where ami? " he asked.
"On the mountain," bawled the merchant's son. "Take your spade and dig gold; if you dig much, I will show you how to get off the mountain. "
The merchant who was one in seven hundred took his spade and dug and dug; he dug up twenty wagon loads.
"Stop, that's enough now," said the merchant's son; "thanks for your labor, and good-by. "
" You ? why, get off as best you can. Ninety-nine of your sort have perished on that mountain, you can make up the hundred. "
So the merchant's son took all the twenty wagons, went to the golden castle, married the lovely damsel, the daughter of the merchant who was one in seven hundred, took possession of all her riches, and came to live in the capital with his whole family.
But the merchant who was one in seven hundred remained there on the mountain, and the black iron-beaked crows picked his bones.
"Butwhatabout me? "
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES. 341
The Story of Gore-Gorinskoe [Woeful Woe] .
There once lived in a village two brothers, one of whom was rich, and the other poor. With the rich man everything went swimmingly, in everything he laid his hand to he found luck and bliss ; but as for the poor man, slave and toil as he might, fortune flew away from him. The rich man, in a few years, so grew out of bounds that he went to live in the town, and built him the biggest house there, and settled down as a merchant ; but the poor man got into such straits that sometimes he had not even a crust of bread in the house to feed a whole armful of children, small — smaller — smallest, who all cried together, and begged for something to eat and drink.
And the poor man began to repine at his fate, he began to lose heart, and his disheveled head began to sink deeper be tween his shoulders. And he went to his rich brother in the
" Willingly," said the poor man so he set to work, swept out the yard, curried the horses, and split up firewood. At the end of the week the rich brother gave him grisenha [five cents] in money and large lump of bread. " Thanks even for that," said the poor man, and was about to turn away homewards, when " his brother's conscience evidently pricked him, and he said, Why dost thou slip off like that To-morrow my name day stay and feast with us. "
And the poor man stayed to his brother's banquet. But, unfortunately for him, great many rich guests assembled at his brother's — men of renown; and these guests his brother served most zealously, bowing down low before them, and implor ing them as favor to be so good as to eat and drink their fill. But he forgot altogether about his poor brother, who could only look on from afar, and see all the good people eating and drink ing, and enjoying themselves, and making merry.
At last the banquet was over, the guests arose, they began to thank the host and hostess, and the poor man also bowed to his very girdle. The guests also went home, and very merry they all were they laughed, and joked, and sang songs all the way. And the poor man went home as hungry as ever, and he thought to himself, " Come, now, will sing song too, so that
I am quite worn out. "
town and said: "Help me !
" Why should I not ? " replied the rich man. " We can well
afford only you must come and work out with me all this week. "
I a
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RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
people may think that I too was not overlooked or passed over on my brother's name day, but ate to surfeit, and drank myself drunk with the best of them. "
And so the peasant began singing a song, but suddenly his voice died away. He heard quite plainly that some one behind his back was imitating his song in a thin piping voice. He stopped short, and the voice stopped short ; he went on singing, and"again the voice imitated him. "
Who is that singing ? come forth !
man, and he saw before him a monster, all shriveled up and yel low, with scarcely any life in it, huddled up in rags, and girded about with the same vile rags, and its feet wound round with linden bast. The peasant was quite petrified with horror, and he said to the monster, " Who art thou ? "
I will
" I am Gore-Gorinskoe ; help thee to sing. "
I have compassion on thee ;
" Well, Gore, let us go together through the wide world arm in arm. I see that I shall find no other friends and kins
men there. " I will never desert thee. "
" Let us go, then, master ; "
"And on what shall we go, then ?
" I know not what you are going upon, but I will go upon
you," and flop ! in an instant he was on the peasant's shoulders. The peasant had not strength enough to shake him off. And so the peasant went on his way, carrying Woeful Woe on his shoulders, though he was scarce able to drag one leg after the other, and the monster was singing all the time, and beating time to it, and driving him along with his little stick. " I say, master, wouldst thou like me to teach thee my favorite song? —
" ' I am Woe, the woefully woeful !
Girt about with linden bast rags,
Shod with beggars' buskins, bark stript. Live with me, then ; live with Woe, And sorrow never know.
If you say you have no money,
You can always raise honey
Yet provide hard-won penny
'Gainst the day thou'lt not have any. '
And besides," added Woe, "thou already hast this penny against an evil day, besides crust of bread let us then go on our way, and drink and be merry. "
shrieked the poor
a a
;
it, ;
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES. 343
So they went on and on, and drank and drank, and so they got home. There sat the wife and all the children, without food, weeping, but Woe set the peasant a-dancing. "
On the following day Woe began to sigh, and said, My head aches from drinking ! " and again he called upon the master to drink a thimbleful.
" I have no money," said the peasant.
" But didn't I tell thee thou canst always raise it, honey ? Pawn thy harrow and plow, sledge and cart, and let us drink ; we'll have a rare time of it to-day, at any rate. "
What could he do? The peasant could not rid himself of Woe, so painfully tight did he sit upon him by this time ; so he let himself be dragged about by Woe, and drank and idled away the whole day. And on the next day Woe groaned still more, and even began howling, and said, " Come, let us saunter about ; let us drink away everything and pawn it. Sell thyself into slavery, and so get money to drink with. "
The peasant saw that ruin was approaching him, so he had resort to subtlety ; and he said to Woeful Woe, " I have heard our old men say that a treasure was buried about here a long time ago, but it was buried beneath such heavy stones that my single strength would be quite unable to raise it ; now, if only we could raise this treasure, darling little Woe, what a fine time of loafing and drinking we should have together ! "
" Come, then, and let us raise it ; Woe has strength enough for everything. "
So they went all about the place, and they came to a very large and heavy stone : five peasants together could not have moved it from the spot, but our friend and Woe lifted it up at the first go. And lo ! beneath the stone there was indeed a coffer dark and heavy, and at the very bottom of this coffer something was sparkling. And the peasant said to Woe, " You just creep into the coffer and get out the gold, and I'll stand here and hold up the stone. "
" So Woe crept into the coffer with great glee, and cried out:
Hi, master, here are riches incalculable ! Twenty jars choke- full of gold, all standing one beside the other ! " and he handed up to the peasant one of the jars.
The peasant took the jar into his lap, and, as at the same time he let the stone fall back into its old place, he shut up Woeful Woe in the coffer with all the gold. 'Perish thou
344 RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
and thy riches with thee ! " thought the peasant ; " no good luck goes along with thee. "
And he went home to his own, and with the money he got from the jar he bought wood, repaired his cottage, added live stock to his possessions, and worked harder than ever, and he began to engage in trade, and it went well with him. In a single year he grew so much richer that in place of his hut he built him a large wooden house. And then he went to town to invite his brother and his wife to the house warming.
" What are you thinking of ? " said his rich brother, with a scornful smile. " A little while ago you were naked, and had nothing to eat, and now you are giving house warmings, and laying out banquets ! "
" Well, at one time, certainly, I had nothing to eat, but now, thank God, I am no worse off than you. Come and see. "
The next day the rich brother went out into the country to his poor brother, and there on the pebbly plain he saw wooden buildings, all new and lofty, such as not every town merchant can boast of. And the poor brother who dwelt on the pebbles fed the rich brother till he could eat no more, and made him drink his fill ; and after that, when the strings of his tongue were loosened, he made a clean breast of it, and told his brother how he had grown so rich.
" Envy overcame the rich brother. He thought to himself,
This brother of mine is a fool. Out of twenty kegs he only took one. With all that money, Woe itself is not terrible. I'll go there myself, I'll take away the stone, take the money, and let Woe out from beneath the stone. Let him hound my brother to death if he likes. "
No sooner said than done. The rich man took leave of his brother ; but instead of going home he went to the stone. He pulled and tugged at it, and managed at last to push it a little to one side, so as to be able to peep into the coffer ; but before he could pull his head back again, Woe had already skipped out, and was sitting on his neck. Our rich man felt the grievous burden on his shoulders, looked round, and saw the frightful monster bestriding him. And Woe shrieked in his ear, " A pretty fellow you are ! You wanted to starve me to death in there, did you ? You shall not shake me off again in a hurry, I warrant you. " I'll never leave you again. "
" Oh, senseless Woe ! cried the rich man, " indeed 'twas not I who placed you beneath that stone, and 'tis not me, the
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES. 345
rich man, you should cleave to ; go hence, and torment my brother. "
But Woeful Woe would not listen to him. "No," it screeched, " you lie ! You deceived me once, but you shan't do it a second time. "
And so the rich man carried Woe home with him, and all his wealth turned to dust and ashes. But the poor brother now lives in peace and plenty, and sings jesting ditties of Woe the outwitted.
The Woman Accuser.
There was once upon a time an old man and an old woman. The old woman was not a bad old woman, but there was this one bad thing about her — she did not know how to hold her tongue. Whatever she might hear from her husband, or what ever might happen at home, she was sure to spread it over the whole village ; she even doubled everything in the telling, and so things were told which never happened at all. Not unfre- quently the old man had to chastise the old woman, and her back paid for the faults of her tongue.
One day the old man went into the forest for wood. He had just got to the border of the forest, when his foot, in tread ing on a certain place, sank right into the ground. " Why, what's this? " thought the old man. "Come, now, I'll dig a bit here ; maybe I shall be lucky enough to dig out something. " He dug several times, and saw, buried in the ground, a little caldron quite full of silver and gold. " Look, now, what good luck has befallen me ! But what am I to do with it? I cannot hide it from that good wife of mine at home, and she will be sure to blab to all the world about my lucky find, and thou wilt repent the day thou didst ever see it. "
For a long time the old man sat brooding over his treasure, and at last he made up his mind what to do. He buried the treasure, threw a lot of wood over it, and went to town. There he bought at the bazaar a live pike and a live hare, returned to the wood, and hung the pike upon a tree, at the very top of it ; and carried the hare to the stream, where he had a fish basket, and he put the hare into it in a shallow place.
Then he went off home, whipped up his little nag for pure lightness of heart, and so entered his hut. " Wife, wife," he cried, " such a piece of luck has befallen me that I cannot de scribe it ! "
346
" What is tell me? "
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
what it, hubby darling Why dost thou not
"
"
" What's the good, when thou wilt only blab
all about? swear it. thou dost
" On my word, I'll say nothing to anybody. I'll take the holy image from the wall and kiss not believe me. " "
" Well, well, all right. Listen, old woman
down towards her ear and whispered, " caldron full of silver and gold. "
and he bent have found in the wood
" Then why didst thou not bring
hither
" Because we had both better go together, and so bring
home. " And the old man went with his old woman to the forest.
" They went along the road, and the peasant said to his wife,
From what hear, old woman, and from what people told me the other day, would seem that fish are now to be found growing on trees, while the beasts of the forest live in the water. "
" Why, what art thou thinking about, little hubby People nowadays are much given to lying. "
" Lying, dost thou call Then come and see for thyself. " And he pointed to the tree where the pike was hanging.
" "Why, what marvel this? " screamed the old woman.
However did that pike get there " Or have the people been speaking the truth to thee after all
But the peasant stood there, and moved his arms about, and shrugged his shoulders, and shook his head, as he could not
believe his own eyes. " " Why dost thou keep standing there
said the old woman. "Go up the tree, rather, and take the pike 'twill do for
supper. "
So the peasant took the pike, and then they went on further.
They passed by the stream, and the peasant stopped his horse. But his wife began screeching at him, and said, "What art gaping at now? let us make haste and go on. "
" Nay, but look see something struggling about all round
my fish basket. I'll go and see what is. " So he ran, looked
into the fish basket, and called to his wife. " Just come and
look here, old woman Why, hare has got into our fishing
"
Fetch out quickly will do for dinner on the feast day. "
basket
"Then people must have told thee the truth after all.
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RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
347
The old man took up the hare, and then went straight to wards the treasure. He pitched away the wood, digged wide and deep, dragged the caldron out of the earth, and they took it home.
The old man and the old woman grew rich, they lived right merrily, and the old woman did not improve ; she went to invite guests every day, and gave such banquets that she nearly drove her husband out of the house. " The old man tried to correct her. " What's come to thee ? he cried. " Canst thou not listen to me ? "
" Don't order me about," said she. " I found the treasure as well as thou, and have as much right to make merry with it. " The old man put up with it for a very long time, but at last
he said to the old woman straight out, " Do as best thou canst, but I'm not going to give thee any more money to cast to the winds. "
But the old woman immediately fell foul of him. " I what thou art up to," screeched she ; " thou wouldst keep all the money for thyself. No, thou rogue, I'll drive thee whither the crows will pick thy bones. Thou wilt have no good from thy money. "
The old man would have chastised her, but the old woman thrust him aside, and went straight to the magistrate to lay a complaint against her husband. " I have come to throw my self on thy honor's compassion, and to present my petition against my good-for-nothing husband. Ever since he found that treasure there is no living with him. Work he won't, and he spends all his time in drinking and gadding about. Take away all his gold from him, father. What a vile thing is gold whenitruinsaman so! "
The magistrate was sorry for the old woman, and he sent his eldest clerk to him, and bade him judge between the hus band and wife. The clerk assembled all the village elders, and went to the peasant and said to him, " The magistrate has sent me to thee, and bids thee deliver up all thy treasure into my hands. " " "
The peasant only shrugged his shoulders. What treasure ? said he. " I know nothing whatever about any treasure. "
" Not know ? Why, thy old woman has just been to com plain to the magistrate, and I tell thee what, friend, if thou deniest it, 'twill be worse for thee. If thou dost not give up the whole treasure to the magistrate, thou must give an account
see
848 RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
of thyself for daring to search for treasures, and not revealing them to the authorities. "
" But I cry your pardon, honored sirs ! what is this treas ure you are talking of ? My wife must have seen this treasure in her sleep ; she has told you a pack of nonsense, and you listen to her. " "
" Nonsense !
sense, but a whole caldron full of gold and silver ! "
burst forth the old woman ; " it is not non
"Thou art out of thy senses, dear wife. Honored sirs, I cry your pardon. Cross-examine her thoroughly about the affair, and if she proves this thing against me, I will answer for it with all my goods. "
" And dost thou think that I cannot prove it against thee ? Thou rascal, I will prove it. This is how the matter went, Mr.
Clerk," began the old woman ; "
went to the forest, and we saw a pike on a tree. "
I remember it, bit. We every
"A pike ? " roared the clerk at the old woman ; "or dost
thouwanttomake afoolofme? "
" Nay, I am not making a fool of thee, Mr. Clerk ;
I am
speaking the simple truth. "
"There, honored sirs," said the old man, "how can you
believe her if she goes on talking such rubbish ? "
" I am not talking rubbish, yokel !
—or hast thou forgotten how we found a hare in thy fishing basket in the stream ? "
All the elders rolled about for laughter ; even the clerk smiled, and began to stroke down his long beard. The peasant again said to his wife, " Recollect thyself, old woman : dost thou not see that every one is laughing at thee ? But ye, hon ored gentlemen, can now see for yourselves how far you can believe my wife. "
" Yes," cried all the elders, with one voice, " long as we have lived in the world, we have never heard of hares living in rivers, and fish hanging on the trees of the forest. " The clerk himself saw that this was a matter he could not get to the bottom of, so he dismissed the assembly with a wave of his hand, and went off to town to the magistrate.
And everybody laughed so much at the old woman that she was forced to bite her own tongue and listen to her husband ; and the husband bought wares with his treasure, went to live in the town, and began to trade there, exchanged his wares for money, grew rich and prosperous, and was as happy as the day was long.
I am speaking the truth
GREEK MYTHS. 349
GREEK MYTHS.
By JOHN RUSKIN. (From "The Queen of the Air. ")
[John Ruskin : English critic and essayist ; born at London, February 8, 1819. In 1839 he took the Newdigate prize for a poem.
But lo ! he found everything very different from what he had expected. Both his brothers had entered the service of the king, one as a coachman and the other as a chamberlain. Both were living in grand style and were rich people. When Slyboots applied to the king for his reward, the latter answered : " I waited for you for a whole year, and I neither saw nor heard anything of you. I supposed you were dead, and was about to
334 SLYBOOTS.
divide your reward among the poor, as you desired. But one day your elder brothers arrived to inherit your fortune. I left the matter to the court, who assigned the money to them, because it was supposed that you were dead. Since then your brothers have entered my service, and both still remain in it. "
When Slyboots heard what the king said, he thought he must be dreaming, for he imagined that he had been only two nights in the old man's subterranean dwelling, and had then taken a few days to return home ; but now it appeared that each night had been as long as a year. He would not go to law with his brothers, but abandoned the money to them, thanked God that he had escaped with his life, and looked out for some fresh employment. The king's cook engaged him as kitchen boy, and he now had to turn the joints on the spit every day. His brothers despised him for his mean employment, and did not like to have anything to do with him, although he still loved them. One evening he told them of much that he had seen in the underworld, where the geese and ducks had gold and silver plumage. The brothers related this to the king, and begged them to send their youngest brother to fetch these curious birds. The king sent for the kitchen boy, and ordered him to start next morning in search of the birds with the costly feathers.
Slyboots set out next day with a heavy heart, but he took with him the ring, the wand, and the sword, which he had care fully preserved. Some days afterwards he searched the sea, and saw an old man with a long gray beard sitting on a stone at the place where he had reached land after his flight. When Slyboots came nearer, the old man asked, " Why are you so sad, my friend ? " Slyboots told him how badly he had fared, and the old man bid him be of good cheer, and not vex himself, adding, " No harm can happen to you as long as you wear the ring of strength. " He then gave Slyboots a mussel shell, and advised him to build the bridge with the magic wand to the middle of the sea, and then to step on the shell with his left foot, when he would immediately find himself in the under world, while every one there was asleep. He also advised him to make himself a bag of spun yarn, in which to put the water birds with gold and silver plumage, and then he could return unmolested. Everything fell out as the old man predicted, but Slyboots had hardly reached the seashore with his booty when
SLYBOOTS. 335
he heard his former acquaintance behind him ; and when he was on the bridge he heard him calling out, " Nicodemus, my son," and repeating the same questions as before. At last he asked if he had stolen the birds. Slyboots answered " Yes " to every question, and hastened on.
Slyboots arrived at the royal city in the evening, as his friend with the gray beard had foretold, and the yarn bag held the birds so well that none had escaped. The king made him a present, and told him to go back next day, for he had heard from the two elder brothers that the lord of the underworld had many gold and silver utensils, which the king desired for his own use. Slyboots did not venture to refuse, but he went very unwillingly, because he did not know how to manage the affair. However, when he reached the seashore he met his friend with the gray beard, who asked the reason of his sad ness. The old man gave Slyboots another mussel shell and a handful of small stones, with the following advice: " If you go there in the afternoon, you will find the father in bed taking his siesta, the daughters spinning in the sitting room, and the grandmother in the kitchen scouring the gold and silver vessels bright. Climb nimbly on the chimney, throw down the stones tied up in a bag on the old woman's neck, come down yourself as quick as possible, put the costly vessels in the yarn bag, and then run off as fast as your legs will carry you. "
Slyboots thanked his friend, and followed his advice exactly. But when he dropped the bag of pebbles, it expanded into a six hundredweight sack of paving stones, which dashed the old woman to the ground. In a moment Slyboots swept all the gold and silver vessels into his bag and took to flight. When the Old Boy heard the noise, he thought the chimney had fallen down, and did not venture to get up directly. But when he had called the grandmother for a long time without receiving any answer, he was obliged to go himself. When he discovered the misfortune that had happened, he hastened in pursuit of the thief, who could not be gone far. Slyboots was already on the sea when his pursuer reached the shore, panting and puffing. As before, the Old Boy cried out, "Nicodemus, my son," and repeated the former questions. At last he asked, " Nicodemus, my son, have you stolen my gold and silver utensils ? " " Cer tainly, my father," answered Slyboots. " Nicodemus, my son, do you promise to come again ? " " No, my father," answered Slyboots, hurrying along the bridge. Although the old man
336 SLYBOOTS.
cursed and scolded after the thief, he could not catch him, and he had now been despoiled of all his magic treasures.
Slyboots found his friend with the gray beard waiting for him on the other side of the sea, and he threw down the bag of heavy gold and silver ware, which the ring of strength had enabled him to bring away, and sat down to rest his weary limbs. "
Your
When Slyboots came before the king with his rich booty, which was enough to make at least ten horse loads, he found him extremely kind and friendly, and he took the opportunity to make the request which his old friend had advised. The king was glad that the treasure bringer asked for no greater reward, and ordered his daughter to hide herself behind the door in the evening, to overhear what the coachman and the chamberlain were talking about.
The brothers had grown haughty with prosperity, and boasted of their good luck, and what was worse, they both boasted to each other of the favors of the princess in her own hearing ! She ran to her father, flushed with shame and anger, and told him, weeping, what shameful lies she had heard with her own ears, and begged him to punish the wretches. The king imme diately ordered them both to be thrown into prison, and when they had confessed their guilt before the court next day, they were executed, while Slyboots was promoted to the rank of king's councilor.
Some time afterwards the country was invaded by a foreign king, and Slyboots was sent against the enemy in the field. Then he drew the sword which he had brought from the under world for the first time, and began to slaughter the hostile army, and soon none were left alive on the bloody field. The king was so pleased at the victory that he made Slyboots his son-in-law.
The old man now told him much that shocked him.
brothers hate you, and will do all they can to destroy you, if you do not oppose their wicked attempts. They will urge the king on to set you tasks in which you are very likely to perish. When you bring your rich load to the king this evening, you will find him friendly disposed towards you; and then ask, as your only reward, that his daughter should be hidden behind the door in the evening, to hear what your brothers talk about together. "
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES. 337
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES. Edited by R. NISBET BAIN. The Golden Mountain.
There was once upon a time a merchant's son who squan dered and wasted all his goods. To such a pass did he come at last that he had nothing to eat. So he seized a spade, went out into the market place, and began waiting to see if any one would hire him as a laborer. And behold, the merchant who was one in seven hundred [seven hundred times richer than any one else] came along that way in his gilded coach ; all the day laborers saw him, and the whole lot of them immediately scattered in every direction and hid themselves in corners. The merchant's son alone of them all remained standing in the market place. "
" Do you want work, young man ?
said the merchant who was one in seven hundred ; " then take hire from me. "
" Right willingly ; 'twas for no other reason that I came to the market place. " "
" And what wage do you require ?
" If you lay me down one hundred roubles a day, 'tis a bar gain. " "
" If you think it dear, go and seek a cheaper article ; but this I know, crowds of people were here just now, you came, and —away they all bolted. "
" That is somewhat dear !
" Well, agreed ! come to-morrow to the haven. "
The next day, early in the morning, our merchant's son came to the haven ; the merchant who was one in seven hun dred had already been awaiting him some time. They went on board ship and went to sea. They sailed and sailed. In the midst of the sea an island appeared ; on this island stood high mountains, and on the sea-shore something or other was burn ing like fire. "
" Can that which I see be fire ?
" Nay, that is my little golden castle. "
They drew near to the island ; they went ashore ; his wife and
daughter came forth to meet the merchant who was one in seven hundred, and the daughter was beautiful with a beauty that no man can imagine or devise, and no tale can tell. As soon as
said the merchant's son.
338 RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
they had greeted one another they went on to the castle, and took the new laborer along with them ; they sat them down at table, they began to eat, drink, and be merry. " A fig for to-day," said the host; "to-day we'll feast, to-morrow we'll work. "
And the merchant's son was a fair youth, strong and stately, of a ruddy countenance like milk and blood, and he fell in love with the lovely damsel. She went out into the next room ; she called him secretly, and gave him a flint and steel. " Take them," said she, "and if you should be in any need, use them. "
Next day the merchant who was one in seven hundred set out with his servant for the high golden mountain. They climbed and climbed, but they climbed not up to the top; they crawled and crawled, but they crawled not up to the top.
"Well," said the merchant, "let's have a drink first of all. " And the merchant handed him a sleeping poison. The laborer drank and fell asleep.
The merchant drew out his knife, killed his wretched nag which he had brought with him, took out its entrails, put the young man into the horse's stomach, put the spade in too, sewed up the wound, and went and hid himself among the bushes.
Suddenly there flew down a whole host of black iron-beaked ravens. They took up the carcass, carried it up into the mountain, and fell a-pecking it; they began eating up the horse, and soon pierced right down to the merchant's son. Then he awoke, beat off the black crows, " looked hither and thither, and asked himself, " Where am I ?
The merchant who was one in seven hundred bawled up at him, " On the golden mountain ; come, take your spade and dig gold. "
So he digged and digged, throwing it all down below, and
the merchant put it on wagons. By evening he had filled
nine wagons.
"That'll do," cried the merchant who was one in seven
hundred ; " thanks for your labor. Adieu ! "
"Buthowabout me? "
"You may get on as best you can. Ninety- nine of your
sort have perished on that mountain — you will just make up the hundred ! " Thus spake the merchant, and departed.
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES. 339
" What's to be done now ? " thought the merchant's son : " to get down from this mountain is quite impossible. I shall certainly starve to death. " So there he stood on the mountain, and above him wheeled the black iron-beaked crows: they plainly scented their prey. He began to bethink him how all this had come to pass, and then it occurred to him how the lovely damsel had taken him aside and given him the flint and steel, and said to him herself, "Take and you are in need make use of it. "
"And look now, she did not say in vain. Let us try it. "
arms and bore him carefully down from the mountain. The
and, lo, ship was
"
stoppage would lose
The merchant's son took out the flint and steel, struck once, and immediately out jumped two fair young heroes.
" What do you want What do you want
"Take me from this mountain to the sea-shore. "
He had no sooner spoken than they took him under the
" Hi, good ship folk, take me with you!
"Nay, brother, we cannot stop: such us one hundred knots. "
The mariners passed by the island: contrary winds began to blow, frightful hurricane arose. "Alas! he plainly no simple man of our sort, we had better turn back and take him on board ship. " So they returned to the island, stopped by the shore, took up the merchant's son, and conveyed him to his native town.
A long time and little time passed by, and then the mer chant's son took his spade and again went out into the market place to wait for some one to hire him. Again the merchant who was one in seven hundred passed by in his gilded carriage; the day laborers saw him and scattered in every direction, and hid them in corners. The merchant's son was the sole solitary little one left.
" Will you take hire from me one in seven hundred.
"
said the merchant who was
"Willingly; put down two hundred roubles day, and set me my work. " "
" Rather dear, eh
" If you find dear, go and seek cheaper labor. You saw how
"
merchant's son walked about by the shore sailing by the island.
it
?
a
a
is
?
a
a
;
?
it it, if
a
?
it
340 RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
many people were here, and the moment you appeared they all ran away. "
"Well, then, done; come to-morrow to the haven. "
The next morning they met at the haven, went on board the ship, and sailed to the island. There they ate and drank their fill one whole day, and the next day they got up and went towards the golden mountain.
They arrived there; the merchant who was one in seven hundred pulled out his drinking glass. "Come now, let us have a drink first," said he.
"Stop, mine host! You who are the chief ought to drink the first: let me treat you with mine own drink. " And the merchant's son, who had betimes provided himself with sleep ing poison, poured out a full glass of it and gave it to the mer chant who was one in seven hundred. He drank it off and fell into a sound sleep.
The merchant's son slaughtered the sorriest horse, disem boweled it, laid his host in the horse's belly, put the spade there too, sewed up the wound, and went and hid himself among the bushes. Instantly the black iron-beaked crows flew down, took up the carcass, carried it to the mountain, and fell a-pecking at it. The merchant who was one in seven hundred awoke and looked hither and thither. " Where ami? " he asked.
"On the mountain," bawled the merchant's son. "Take your spade and dig gold; if you dig much, I will show you how to get off the mountain. "
The merchant who was one in seven hundred took his spade and dug and dug; he dug up twenty wagon loads.
"Stop, that's enough now," said the merchant's son; "thanks for your labor, and good-by. "
" You ? why, get off as best you can. Ninety-nine of your sort have perished on that mountain, you can make up the hundred. "
So the merchant's son took all the twenty wagons, went to the golden castle, married the lovely damsel, the daughter of the merchant who was one in seven hundred, took possession of all her riches, and came to live in the capital with his whole family.
But the merchant who was one in seven hundred remained there on the mountain, and the black iron-beaked crows picked his bones.
"Butwhatabout me? "
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES. 341
The Story of Gore-Gorinskoe [Woeful Woe] .
There once lived in a village two brothers, one of whom was rich, and the other poor. With the rich man everything went swimmingly, in everything he laid his hand to he found luck and bliss ; but as for the poor man, slave and toil as he might, fortune flew away from him. The rich man, in a few years, so grew out of bounds that he went to live in the town, and built him the biggest house there, and settled down as a merchant ; but the poor man got into such straits that sometimes he had not even a crust of bread in the house to feed a whole armful of children, small — smaller — smallest, who all cried together, and begged for something to eat and drink.
And the poor man began to repine at his fate, he began to lose heart, and his disheveled head began to sink deeper be tween his shoulders. And he went to his rich brother in the
" Willingly," said the poor man so he set to work, swept out the yard, curried the horses, and split up firewood. At the end of the week the rich brother gave him grisenha [five cents] in money and large lump of bread. " Thanks even for that," said the poor man, and was about to turn away homewards, when " his brother's conscience evidently pricked him, and he said, Why dost thou slip off like that To-morrow my name day stay and feast with us. "
And the poor man stayed to his brother's banquet. But, unfortunately for him, great many rich guests assembled at his brother's — men of renown; and these guests his brother served most zealously, bowing down low before them, and implor ing them as favor to be so good as to eat and drink their fill. But he forgot altogether about his poor brother, who could only look on from afar, and see all the good people eating and drink ing, and enjoying themselves, and making merry.
At last the banquet was over, the guests arose, they began to thank the host and hostess, and the poor man also bowed to his very girdle. The guests also went home, and very merry they all were they laughed, and joked, and sang songs all the way. And the poor man went home as hungry as ever, and he thought to himself, " Come, now, will sing song too, so that
I am quite worn out. "
town and said: "Help me !
" Why should I not ? " replied the rich man. " We can well
afford only you must come and work out with me all this week. "
I a
? a
;
it
;
a
a
:
is
a
it,
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
people may think that I too was not overlooked or passed over on my brother's name day, but ate to surfeit, and drank myself drunk with the best of them. "
And so the peasant began singing a song, but suddenly his voice died away. He heard quite plainly that some one behind his back was imitating his song in a thin piping voice. He stopped short, and the voice stopped short ; he went on singing, and"again the voice imitated him. "
Who is that singing ? come forth !
man, and he saw before him a monster, all shriveled up and yel low, with scarcely any life in it, huddled up in rags, and girded about with the same vile rags, and its feet wound round with linden bast. The peasant was quite petrified with horror, and he said to the monster, " Who art thou ? "
I will
" I am Gore-Gorinskoe ; help thee to sing. "
I have compassion on thee ;
" Well, Gore, let us go together through the wide world arm in arm. I see that I shall find no other friends and kins
men there. " I will never desert thee. "
" Let us go, then, master ; "
"And on what shall we go, then ?
" I know not what you are going upon, but I will go upon
you," and flop ! in an instant he was on the peasant's shoulders. The peasant had not strength enough to shake him off. And so the peasant went on his way, carrying Woeful Woe on his shoulders, though he was scarce able to drag one leg after the other, and the monster was singing all the time, and beating time to it, and driving him along with his little stick. " I say, master, wouldst thou like me to teach thee my favorite song? —
" ' I am Woe, the woefully woeful !
Girt about with linden bast rags,
Shod with beggars' buskins, bark stript. Live with me, then ; live with Woe, And sorrow never know.
If you say you have no money,
You can always raise honey
Yet provide hard-won penny
'Gainst the day thou'lt not have any. '
And besides," added Woe, "thou already hast this penny against an evil day, besides crust of bread let us then go on our way, and drink and be merry. "
shrieked the poor
a a
;
it, ;
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES. 343
So they went on and on, and drank and drank, and so they got home. There sat the wife and all the children, without food, weeping, but Woe set the peasant a-dancing. "
On the following day Woe began to sigh, and said, My head aches from drinking ! " and again he called upon the master to drink a thimbleful.
" I have no money," said the peasant.
" But didn't I tell thee thou canst always raise it, honey ? Pawn thy harrow and plow, sledge and cart, and let us drink ; we'll have a rare time of it to-day, at any rate. "
What could he do? The peasant could not rid himself of Woe, so painfully tight did he sit upon him by this time ; so he let himself be dragged about by Woe, and drank and idled away the whole day. And on the next day Woe groaned still more, and even began howling, and said, " Come, let us saunter about ; let us drink away everything and pawn it. Sell thyself into slavery, and so get money to drink with. "
The peasant saw that ruin was approaching him, so he had resort to subtlety ; and he said to Woeful Woe, " I have heard our old men say that a treasure was buried about here a long time ago, but it was buried beneath such heavy stones that my single strength would be quite unable to raise it ; now, if only we could raise this treasure, darling little Woe, what a fine time of loafing and drinking we should have together ! "
" Come, then, and let us raise it ; Woe has strength enough for everything. "
So they went all about the place, and they came to a very large and heavy stone : five peasants together could not have moved it from the spot, but our friend and Woe lifted it up at the first go. And lo ! beneath the stone there was indeed a coffer dark and heavy, and at the very bottom of this coffer something was sparkling. And the peasant said to Woe, " You just creep into the coffer and get out the gold, and I'll stand here and hold up the stone. "
" So Woe crept into the coffer with great glee, and cried out:
Hi, master, here are riches incalculable ! Twenty jars choke- full of gold, all standing one beside the other ! " and he handed up to the peasant one of the jars.
The peasant took the jar into his lap, and, as at the same time he let the stone fall back into its old place, he shut up Woeful Woe in the coffer with all the gold. 'Perish thou
344 RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
and thy riches with thee ! " thought the peasant ; " no good luck goes along with thee. "
And he went home to his own, and with the money he got from the jar he bought wood, repaired his cottage, added live stock to his possessions, and worked harder than ever, and he began to engage in trade, and it went well with him. In a single year he grew so much richer that in place of his hut he built him a large wooden house. And then he went to town to invite his brother and his wife to the house warming.
" What are you thinking of ? " said his rich brother, with a scornful smile. " A little while ago you were naked, and had nothing to eat, and now you are giving house warmings, and laying out banquets ! "
" Well, at one time, certainly, I had nothing to eat, but now, thank God, I am no worse off than you. Come and see. "
The next day the rich brother went out into the country to his poor brother, and there on the pebbly plain he saw wooden buildings, all new and lofty, such as not every town merchant can boast of. And the poor brother who dwelt on the pebbles fed the rich brother till he could eat no more, and made him drink his fill ; and after that, when the strings of his tongue were loosened, he made a clean breast of it, and told his brother how he had grown so rich.
" Envy overcame the rich brother. He thought to himself,
This brother of mine is a fool. Out of twenty kegs he only took one. With all that money, Woe itself is not terrible. I'll go there myself, I'll take away the stone, take the money, and let Woe out from beneath the stone. Let him hound my brother to death if he likes. "
No sooner said than done. The rich man took leave of his brother ; but instead of going home he went to the stone. He pulled and tugged at it, and managed at last to push it a little to one side, so as to be able to peep into the coffer ; but before he could pull his head back again, Woe had already skipped out, and was sitting on his neck. Our rich man felt the grievous burden on his shoulders, looked round, and saw the frightful monster bestriding him. And Woe shrieked in his ear, " A pretty fellow you are ! You wanted to starve me to death in there, did you ? You shall not shake me off again in a hurry, I warrant you. " I'll never leave you again. "
" Oh, senseless Woe ! cried the rich man, " indeed 'twas not I who placed you beneath that stone, and 'tis not me, the
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES. 345
rich man, you should cleave to ; go hence, and torment my brother. "
But Woeful Woe would not listen to him. "No," it screeched, " you lie ! You deceived me once, but you shan't do it a second time. "
And so the rich man carried Woe home with him, and all his wealth turned to dust and ashes. But the poor brother now lives in peace and plenty, and sings jesting ditties of Woe the outwitted.
The Woman Accuser.
There was once upon a time an old man and an old woman. The old woman was not a bad old woman, but there was this one bad thing about her — she did not know how to hold her tongue. Whatever she might hear from her husband, or what ever might happen at home, she was sure to spread it over the whole village ; she even doubled everything in the telling, and so things were told which never happened at all. Not unfre- quently the old man had to chastise the old woman, and her back paid for the faults of her tongue.
One day the old man went into the forest for wood. He had just got to the border of the forest, when his foot, in tread ing on a certain place, sank right into the ground. " Why, what's this? " thought the old man. "Come, now, I'll dig a bit here ; maybe I shall be lucky enough to dig out something. " He dug several times, and saw, buried in the ground, a little caldron quite full of silver and gold. " Look, now, what good luck has befallen me ! But what am I to do with it? I cannot hide it from that good wife of mine at home, and she will be sure to blab to all the world about my lucky find, and thou wilt repent the day thou didst ever see it. "
For a long time the old man sat brooding over his treasure, and at last he made up his mind what to do. He buried the treasure, threw a lot of wood over it, and went to town. There he bought at the bazaar a live pike and a live hare, returned to the wood, and hung the pike upon a tree, at the very top of it ; and carried the hare to the stream, where he had a fish basket, and he put the hare into it in a shallow place.
Then he went off home, whipped up his little nag for pure lightness of heart, and so entered his hut. " Wife, wife," he cried, " such a piece of luck has befallen me that I cannot de scribe it ! "
346
" What is tell me? "
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
what it, hubby darling Why dost thou not
"
"
" What's the good, when thou wilt only blab
all about? swear it. thou dost
" On my word, I'll say nothing to anybody. I'll take the holy image from the wall and kiss not believe me. " "
" Well, well, all right. Listen, old woman
down towards her ear and whispered, " caldron full of silver and gold. "
and he bent have found in the wood
" Then why didst thou not bring
hither
" Because we had both better go together, and so bring
home. " And the old man went with his old woman to the forest.
" They went along the road, and the peasant said to his wife,
From what hear, old woman, and from what people told me the other day, would seem that fish are now to be found growing on trees, while the beasts of the forest live in the water. "
" Why, what art thou thinking about, little hubby People nowadays are much given to lying. "
" Lying, dost thou call Then come and see for thyself. " And he pointed to the tree where the pike was hanging.
" "Why, what marvel this? " screamed the old woman.
However did that pike get there " Or have the people been speaking the truth to thee after all
But the peasant stood there, and moved his arms about, and shrugged his shoulders, and shook his head, as he could not
believe his own eyes. " " Why dost thou keep standing there
said the old woman. "Go up the tree, rather, and take the pike 'twill do for
supper. "
So the peasant took the pike, and then they went on further.
They passed by the stream, and the peasant stopped his horse. But his wife began screeching at him, and said, "What art gaping at now? let us make haste and go on. "
" Nay, but look see something struggling about all round
my fish basket. I'll go and see what is. " So he ran, looked
into the fish basket, and called to his wife. " Just come and
look here, old woman Why, hare has got into our fishing
"
Fetch out quickly will do for dinner on the feast day. "
basket
"Then people must have told thee the truth after all.
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it
;
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it I it
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it
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if
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RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
347
The old man took up the hare, and then went straight to wards the treasure. He pitched away the wood, digged wide and deep, dragged the caldron out of the earth, and they took it home.
The old man and the old woman grew rich, they lived right merrily, and the old woman did not improve ; she went to invite guests every day, and gave such banquets that she nearly drove her husband out of the house. " The old man tried to correct her. " What's come to thee ? he cried. " Canst thou not listen to me ? "
" Don't order me about," said she. " I found the treasure as well as thou, and have as much right to make merry with it. " The old man put up with it for a very long time, but at last
he said to the old woman straight out, " Do as best thou canst, but I'm not going to give thee any more money to cast to the winds. "
But the old woman immediately fell foul of him. " I what thou art up to," screeched she ; " thou wouldst keep all the money for thyself. No, thou rogue, I'll drive thee whither the crows will pick thy bones. Thou wilt have no good from thy money. "
The old man would have chastised her, but the old woman thrust him aside, and went straight to the magistrate to lay a complaint against her husband. " I have come to throw my self on thy honor's compassion, and to present my petition against my good-for-nothing husband. Ever since he found that treasure there is no living with him. Work he won't, and he spends all his time in drinking and gadding about. Take away all his gold from him, father. What a vile thing is gold whenitruinsaman so! "
The magistrate was sorry for the old woman, and he sent his eldest clerk to him, and bade him judge between the hus band and wife. The clerk assembled all the village elders, and went to the peasant and said to him, " The magistrate has sent me to thee, and bids thee deliver up all thy treasure into my hands. " " "
The peasant only shrugged his shoulders. What treasure ? said he. " I know nothing whatever about any treasure. "
" Not know ? Why, thy old woman has just been to com plain to the magistrate, and I tell thee what, friend, if thou deniest it, 'twill be worse for thee. If thou dost not give up the whole treasure to the magistrate, thou must give an account
see
848 RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES.
of thyself for daring to search for treasures, and not revealing them to the authorities. "
" But I cry your pardon, honored sirs ! what is this treas ure you are talking of ? My wife must have seen this treasure in her sleep ; she has told you a pack of nonsense, and you listen to her. " "
" Nonsense !
sense, but a whole caldron full of gold and silver ! "
burst forth the old woman ; " it is not non
"Thou art out of thy senses, dear wife. Honored sirs, I cry your pardon. Cross-examine her thoroughly about the affair, and if she proves this thing against me, I will answer for it with all my goods. "
" And dost thou think that I cannot prove it against thee ? Thou rascal, I will prove it. This is how the matter went, Mr.
Clerk," began the old woman ; "
went to the forest, and we saw a pike on a tree. "
I remember it, bit. We every
"A pike ? " roared the clerk at the old woman ; "or dost
thouwanttomake afoolofme? "
" Nay, I am not making a fool of thee, Mr. Clerk ;
I am
speaking the simple truth. "
"There, honored sirs," said the old man, "how can you
believe her if she goes on talking such rubbish ? "
" I am not talking rubbish, yokel !
—or hast thou forgotten how we found a hare in thy fishing basket in the stream ? "
All the elders rolled about for laughter ; even the clerk smiled, and began to stroke down his long beard. The peasant again said to his wife, " Recollect thyself, old woman : dost thou not see that every one is laughing at thee ? But ye, hon ored gentlemen, can now see for yourselves how far you can believe my wife. "
" Yes," cried all the elders, with one voice, " long as we have lived in the world, we have never heard of hares living in rivers, and fish hanging on the trees of the forest. " The clerk himself saw that this was a matter he could not get to the bottom of, so he dismissed the assembly with a wave of his hand, and went off to town to the magistrate.
And everybody laughed so much at the old woman that she was forced to bite her own tongue and listen to her husband ; and the husband bought wares with his treasure, went to live in the town, and began to trade there, exchanged his wares for money, grew rich and prosperous, and was as happy as the day was long.
I am speaking the truth
GREEK MYTHS. 349
GREEK MYTHS.
By JOHN RUSKIN. (From "The Queen of the Air. ")
[John Ruskin : English critic and essayist ; born at London, February 8, 1819. In 1839 he took the Newdigate prize for a poem.
