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The Animals in the Pit

There was once an old couple whose only possession was a hog. One day the hog went off to the forest to eat acorns. On the way he met a wolf. «Hog, hog, where are you going?» «To the forest to eat acorns.» «Take me with you.» «I would,» said the hog, «but there’s a deep, wide pit on the way, and you won’t be able to jump over it.» «Oh, yes, I will,» said the wolf. So off they set. On they went through the forest until they came to the pit. «Go on, jump,» said the wolf. The hog jumped right over to the other side. Then the wolf jumped and fell straight in. The hog ate his fill of acorns and went home. The next day the hog went off to the forest again. On the way he met a bear. «Hog, hog, where are you going?» «To the forest to eat acorns.» «Take me with you,» said the bear. «I would, but there’s a deep, wide pit on the way, and you won’t be able to jump over it.» I’ll jump over it alright,» said the bear. They came to the pit. The hog jumped right over to the other side. But the bear jumped and fell straight in. The hog ate his fill of acorns and went home.

The third day the hog went off to the forest again to eat acorns. On the way he met Squint-Eye the hare. «Good-day to you, hog!» «Good-day, Squint-Eye!» «Where are you going?» «To the forest to eat acorns.» «Take me with you.» «No, Squint-Eye, there’s a deep, wide pit on the way, and you won’t be able to jump over it.» «What a thing to say! Of course I will!» Off they went and came to the pit. The hog jumped right over to the other side. The hare jumped and landed in the pit. Then the hog ate his fill of acorns and went home.

The fourth day the hog went off to the forest to eat acorns. On the way he met a fox, who also asked the hog to take her with him. «No,» said the hog, «there’s a deep, wide pit on the way, and you won’t be able to jump over it.» «Oh, yes, I will,» said the fox. And she landed in the pit as well. So now there were four of them down there, and they began racking their brains about how to get food.

«Let’s howl without taking a breath for as long as we can and eat the one who stops first,» said the fox. So they began to howl. The hare was the first to stop, and the fox went on the longest. So they seized the hare, tore him to pieces and ate him. They grew hungry again and agreed to howl as long as they could and eat the one that stopped first. «If I stop first, you must eat me,» said the fox. So they began to howl. This time the wolf was the first to give up, he just couldn’t go on any longer. So the fox and the bear seized him, tore him to pieces and ate him.

But the fox cheated the bear. She gave him only a little of the meat and hid the rest to eat when he wasn’t looking. The bear grew hungry again and said: «Where do you get food, Mistress Fox?» «Don’t you know, Master Bruin? Stick your paw in your ribs, grab hold of them and yank, then you’ll find out.» The bear did as he was told, yanked at his ribs, and that was the end of him. Now the fox was all alone. After feasting off the bear, she began to feel hungry again.

Now there was a tree by the pit, and in that tree a thrush was building a nest. The fox sat in the pit watching the thrush and said to it: «Thrush, thrush, what are you doing?» «Building a nest.» «What for?» «For my children.» «Get me some food, Thrush. If you don’t, I’ll gobble your children up.» The thrush racked its brains about how to get the fox some food. It flew to the village and brought back a chicken. The fox gobbled up the chicken and said again: «Thrush, thrush, you got me some food, didn’t you?» «Yes, I did.» «Well, now get me some drink.» The thrush racked its brains about how to get the fox some drink. It flew to the village and brought back some water. The fox drank her fill and said: «Thrush, thrush, you got me some food, didn’t you?» «Yes, I did.» «And you got me some drink, didn’t you?» «Yes, I did.» «Well, now get me out of the pit.»

The thrush racked its brains about how to get the fox out. Then it dropped sticks into the pit, so many that the fox was able to climb over them out of the pit, lay down by the tree and stretched out. «Now,» she said, «you got me some food, didn’t you, thrush?» «Yes, I did.» «And you got me some drink, didn’t you?» «Yes, I did.» «And you got me out of the pit, didn’t you?» «Yes, I did.» «Well, now make me laugh.» The thrush racked its brains about how to make the fox laugh. «I’ll fly away,» it said, «and you follow me. » So the thrush flew off to the village and perched on the gate of a rich man’s house, while the fox lay down by the gate. Then the thrush began to call out: «Mistress, mistress, give me a knob of lard! Mistress, mistress, give me a knob of lard!» Out raced the dogs and tore the fox to pieces.

Oh, I was there and drank mead-wine, it wetted my lips, but not my tongue. They gave me to wear a cloak so gay, but the crows cawed loudly on their way: «Cloak so gay! Cloak so gay!» «Throw it away,» I thought they said, so I did straightway. They gave me to wear a cap of red, but the crows cawed loudly as they sped: «Cap of red! Cap of red!» «Cap off head,» I thought they said, so I pulled it off—and was left with naught.

The Wolf and the Goat

There was once a goat who built herself a little house in the woods and gave birth to a family of kids. The mother goat would often go out to seek for food, and the kids would lock the door behind her and never so much as show their noses outside. The mother goat would come back, knock at the door and sing out:

«My kiddies own, my children dear,

Open the door, for your mother is here!

By a stream I walked, on a grass-grown bank,

Of fresh grass I ate, of cool water drank;

I bring you milk which is rich and sweet,

It runs from my udder down to my feet!»

The kids would open the door and let in their mother, the mother goat would feed them and go off to the woods again, and they would lock the door behind her just as they had before.

Now, the wolf heard the mother goat call to her kids, and one day when she had just gone out, he stole up to the house and cried in his gruff voice:

«My kiddies own, my children dear,

Open the door, for your mother is here.

I bring you milk which is rich and sweet,

It runs from my udder down to my feet!»

And the kids called back: «We hear you, whoever you are, but that isn’t our mother’s voice. Mother’s voice is thin and sweet and the words she says are different.» The wolf went away and hid himself, and after a while the mother goat came back home. She knocked at the door and sang out:

«My kiddies own, my children dear,

Open the door, for your mother is here!

By a stream I walked, on a grass-grown bank,

Of fresh grass I ate, of cool water drank;

I bring you milk which is rich and sweet,

It runs from my udder down to my feet!»

The kids let in their mother and told her about the wolf and about how he had wanted to eat them up. The mother goat fed the kids, and, before leaving for the woods, told them very sternly indeed that if anyone came to the house, asked to be let in in a gruff voice and not used the very same words as she they were not to let him in on any account. She had no sooner left than the wolf came running up. He knocked at the door and sang out in a thin little voice:

«My kiddies own, my children dear,

Open the door, for your mother is here.

By a stream I walked, on a grass-grown bank,

Of fresh grass I ate, of cool water drank;

I bring you milk which is rich and sweet,

It runs from my udder down to my feet!»

The kids opened the door, and the wolf rushed in and gobbled them all up save for one little kid who had crawled into the stove and hidden himself there.

By and by the mother goat came home, but call and shout as she would no one answered her. She gave the door a push, and seeing that it was unlocked, ran inside. The house was empty, but she glanced into the stove, and lo!—found one little kid there. Great was the mother goat’s grief when she heard what had happened to her children. Down she dropped on the bench and began sobbing loudly, saying over and over again:

«O my children dear, î my kiddies own,

Why did I ever leave you alone?

For the wicked wolf you opened the door,

Never, I fear, will I see you more!»

The wolf heard her, and, coming into the house, said: «Why do you make me out to be such a villain, Mistress Goat? I would never eat your kids! Do not grieve but come for a walk in the woods with me.» «No, Mister Wolf, I’m in no mood for a walk.» «Please come, please!» the wolf begged.

They went to the woods and soon came to a hole in the ground with a fire burning in it. It had been used by some robbers for cooking gruel in and they had not doused the flames. «Come, Wolf, let us see which of us can jump over the hole!» said the mother goat. To this the wolf agreed. He leapt across, but tripped and fell into the fire. His belly burst open from the heat, and out the kids hopped, safe and sound, and ran straight to their mother. And they lived happily ever after. The wiser from year to year they grew and never a day of misfortune knew.

The Animals’ Winter Home

A bull was walking through the forest, when he met a ram. «Where are you going, ram?» asked the bull. «Away from winter to find summer,» said the ram. «Come with me!» So off they went together. On the way they met a pig. «Where are you going, pig,» said the bull. «Away from winter to find summer,» replied the pig. «Come with us!» The three of them set off. On the way they met a goose. «Where are you going, goose?» asked the bull. «Away from winter to find summer,» replied the goose. «Well, follow us!» So the goose followed them. On the way they met a rooster. «Where are you going, rooster?» asked the bull. «Away from winter to find summer,» replied the rooster. «Follow us.» They went on their way and began to talk among themselves: «What shall we do, brothers? The cold season is coming. How shall we keep warm?» And the bull said to them: «Let’s build a house, or we’ll freeze to death in the winter.» The ram said: «I’ve got a nice warm coat—just look at the fleece! I’ll get through the winter alright.» The pig said: «I’m not afraid of any frosts, I’ll bury myself in the ground and get through the winter without a house.» The goose said: «And I’ll perch in a fir tree, lie on one wing and cover myself with the other. The cold won’t hurt me. I’ll get through the winter easily.» «So will I!» said the rooster. The bull saw it was no good, he’d have to do it on his own. «Do as you like,» he said, «but I’m going to build a house.» So he built himself a house and went to live in it.

A cold frosty winter came and chilled the animals to the marrow. There was nothing for it, so the ram went to the bull and said: «Let me in to get warm, brother.» «No, ram, you’ve got a nice warm coal. You’ll get through the winter alright. Go away.» «If you don’t let me in, I’ll butt your house and knock out a log, then you’ll be cold.» The bull thought for a while: «I’d better let him in or I’ll freeze to death too,» and he let the ram in. Then the pig got cold and came to the bull: «Let me in to get warm, brother.» «No, I won’t. You can bury yourself in the ground and get through the winter like that!» «If you don’t let me in, I’ll dig round the posts with my snout and bring your house down.» There was nothing for it, so the bull let the pig in. Then up came the goose and the rooster: «Let us in to get warm, brother.» «No, I won’t. You’ve each got two wings, you can lie on one and cover yourself with the other. You’ll get through the winter easily.» «If you don’t let me in,» said the goose, «I’ll peck all the moss from the chinks in your walls, then you’ll be cold.» «So you won’t let me in, eh?» said the rooster. «Then I’ll fly up and scrape all the straw off the roof. That’ll make you cold.» There was nothing for it, so the bull let the goose and the rooster in too.

So they all lived together in the house. The rooster warmed up and began singing songs. A fox heard the rooster singing and longed to gobble up this tasty morsel, but how was she to catch him? She hatched a cunning plan, went to the bear and the wolf and said: «I have found some fine fare for each of us, dear masters: a bull for you, bear, a ram for you, wolf, and a rooster for myself.» «Well done, mistress,» said the bear and the wolf. «We shall not forget your kind service! Let us go and finish them off, then eat them.»

The fox took them to the house. «Open the door, master,» she said to the bear. «I will go in first and eat the rooster.» The bear opened the door, and the fox ran into the house. The bull saw her and straightway pinned her against the wall with his horns, while the ram butted her sides until she gave up the ghost. «Why is she taking so long over the rooster?» said the wolf. «Open the door, friend Bruin! I’ll go in now.» «Very well, off you go.» The bear opened the door, and the wolf ran into the house. The bull pinned him against the wall with his horns, while the ram butted his sides, and they gave him such a welcome that the wolf soon breathed his last. The bear waited and waited. «Why is he taking so long over the ram? I’d better go in.» In he went, and the bull and the ram gave him the same welcome, but he managed to fight his way out and ran away as fast as his legs would carry him.

Baba-Yaga and Puny

There once lived a man and his wife who had no children. They did all they could, they prayed to God to help them, but God did not seem to hear them. One day the man went to the forest to gather mushrooms and he met an old man on the way. «I know what’s on your mind,» the old man said. «You want a child. Well, then, what you must do is go from house to house in your village, ask each of your neighbours for an egg and then put a brood-hen on them. You’ll see what comes of it!» The man went back to the village, and as there were forty-one houses there and he made the rounds of them all, he collected forty-one eggs, and, this done, put a brood-hen on them. Two weeks passed, and the couple were amazed to see that forty-one babies, all boys, were hatched out of the eggs. Forty of the boys were strong and healthy, but the forty-first was frail and puny. The man began giving the boys names, but could think of only forty and was at a loss to think of a forty-first. «Well,» said he to the forty-first boy, «you’re frail and puny, so Puny you shall be!»

The boys grew fast, not by the day but by the hour, and when they had grown to manhood, began to help their mother and father, the first forty working in the field and Puny doing the things that needed to be done in the house. Mowing time came, and the forty brothers cut the grass and made hayricks, and after they had worked for a week, came back home. They had their supper and went to bed, and the father looked at them and said: «Look at those lads! They eat a lot, they sleep soundly, but I don’t suppose they’ve done much work!» «Go to the field and see for yourself before you say that, Father,» Puny said. The father harnessed a horse and drove to the meadow, and what was his surprise when he saw forty hayricks there! «Good lads to have cut so much grass and put up so many hayricks in one week!» he cried.

On the following day the father again set out for the meadow, for he wanted to feast his eyes on the hayricks. But when he came there he saw that one of the hayricks was gone! He came back home and told his sons about it. «Never mind, Father, we’ll find the thief!» Punny said. «Give me a hundred rubles and Ï1 do it myself.» The father gave him a hundred rubles, and he went to a smithy and asked the smith if he could forge a chain long enough to bind a man with from head to toe. «And why not!» said the smith. «Well, then, make it as strong as you can. If I find that it’s as strong as I want it to be, you’ll get a hundred rubles, but if it breaks, then all your labours will have been in vain.» The smith forged an iron chain, but when Puny wound it round himself and then pulled at it, it up and broke! The smith then forged him another chain, twice as thick, and finding it to be good and strong, Puny took it, paid the smith his hundred rubles and made for the meadow. He sat down under a hayrick and waited to see what would happen.

Midnight came, the wind began to blow, the sea rose in waves, and from out of its depths stepped a mare. She ran up to the first hayrick and began eating the hay. And Puny jumped up, threw his chain round the mare and sprang on her back. The mare kicked and reared and she carried him over hills and dales, but he sat on her back firmly, and, seeing that she could not throw him. she stopped and said: «Since you were able to get the better of me, my brave lad, you shall have my colts for your own!» She ran to the blue sea and gave a loud whinny, the sea rose in waves, and on to the shore stepped forty-one colts. Each of them was better than the other, and you could not find their like even if you were to search all over the world! Morning came, and the father heard a great pounding of hooves and a loud neighing coming from outside. He rushed out into the yard with his sons, and whom should they see there but Puny leading in a whole herd of horses! «Greetings to you, brothers!» Puny said. «There’s a horse here for each of us. Let us go to seek brides for ourselves!» «A good idea!» the brothers said. The mother and father blessed them and off they set on their way.

Long did they ride over the wide world, but where could they find so many brides all in one place! For, not wanting to hurt one another’s feelings, they had all of them set their hearts on marrying at one and the same time. On rode the brothers, beyond the thrice-nine lands, and they came to a steep mountain on top of which stood a great house of white stone with a high wall around it and forty-one iron pillars at the gate. They tied their horses to the pillars and went in through the gate into the yard, and whom should they see coming toward them but Baba-Yaga the Witch. «How dared you tie your horses to the pillars without asking, you who come here uninvited!» said she. «Why do you shout, old one? First steam us in the baths and give us food and drink and then ask your questions.» Baba-Yaga steamed them in the baths and gave them food and drink and then she said: «Come, my brave lads, tell me. have you some purpose in mind or do you come merely to while away the time?» «We have a purpose in mind, Grandma.» «And what is it?» «We wish to marry and are seeking brides for ourselves.» «I have many daughters,» said Baba-Yaga, and she hurried into the house and was soon back, bringing forty-one maids with her.

Each of the brothers then chose himself a bride, a great wedding feast was held, and they all drank and made merry. Evening came, and Puny went to see how his mare was faring. The mare saw him and said in a human voice: «Mind this, master! Before going to bed you must put on your brides’ clothes and have them put on yours! If you do not do this, it’ll be the end for all of us.» Puny passed on to his brothers what the mare had said, and they put on their brides’ clothes and had them put on theirs and went to bed. They were soon asleep, all save Puny who never closed an eye. Midnight struck, and Baba-Yaga called out in a loud voice: «Make haste, my faithful servants, cut off the heads of these guests of ours!» And the servants came running and cut off the heads of Baba-Yaga’s forty-one daughters. Puny then woke his brothers and told them what had happened, and they took the heads and stuck them on the iron poles that surrounded the wall. Then they saddled their horses and made off in great haste. Morning came, Baba-Yaga rose and looked out of the window, and there, crowning the poles, were her daughters’ heads! She flew into a passion, and, ordering her fiery shield to be brought, rode off in pursuit. Where were the brothers to hide? Ahead of them lay the blue sea, and behind them came Baba-Yaga burning everything in her way with her shield! Death seemed close, but Puny was a clever lad and had not forgotten to take along Baba-Yaga’s magic kerchief. He waved the kerchief in front of him, a bridge spanning the blue sea rose before him, and he and his brothers crossed it and were soon on the opposite shore. Then Puny waved the kerchief behind him, the bridge vanished, Baba-Yaga was forced to turn back, and the brothers rode safely home.

The Horse, the Table-Cloth and the Horn

There was once an old woman whose son was a fool. One day the fool found three peas. He went out of the village and planted them. When the shoots came up, he kept watch over them. One day he came to the spot and saw a crane pecking at the plants. The fool crept up and caught the crane. «Aha!» he said. «I’m going to kill you.» But the crane said to him: «Please don’t kill me! I’ll give you a present.» «Very well,» agreed the fool. The crane gave him a horse, saying: «If you want some money say ‘Go!’ to this horse, and when you have enough say ‘Stop!’ «

The fool took the horse, mounted it and said «Go!» The horse turned into a pile of silver. The fool laughed gleefully and then said «Stop!» And the silver turned back into a horse. The fool bade farewell to the crane and led the horse home, taking it through the yard, right into the house to his mother. He gave her strict instructions: «Don’t say ‘Go!’ Only say ‘Stop!’ mother.» And went to keep watch over his peas. His mother puzzled for a long time: «Why did he tell me those words? What if I do say ‘Go!’ instead?» And she said it. The horse turned into a pile of silver. The old woman’s eyes lit up. She hurriedly scooped the money into her chest and when she had enough said «Stop!»

Meanwhile the fool again found the crane eating his peas, caught it and threatened to kill it. But the crane said: «Please don’t kill me. I’ll give you a present.» And it gave him a table-cloth. «When you are hungry say ‘Unfold!’ and when you have eaten your fill say ‘Fold up!’ » The fool immediately tried it out. «Unfold!» he said, and the table-cloth unfolded. He ate and drank his fill and ordered «Fold up!» And the table-cloth folded itself up. He took it home. «Now listen, mother. Don’t say ‘Unfold!’ to the table-cloth, only^ say ‘Fold up!’ » Then the fool went to keep watch over his peas again. His mother did the same with the table-cloth as with the horse. She said «Unfold!» and proceeded to eat and drink everything on the cloth, then ordered «Fold up!» and the tablecloth folded itself up.

On the pea patch the fool again caught the crane, who presented him with a horn and called out as it flew up into the air: «Say ‘Out of the horn!’ » To his great misfortune the fool did as the crane bade him, and two strapping young men with cudgels leapt out of the horn and beat him until he fell to the ground. Then the crane called out from above «Into the horn!» and the two young men disappeared. The fool went home to his mother and said: «Don’t say ‘Out of the horn!’ Say ‘Into the horn!’ instead, mother.» As soon as the fool had gone round to the neighbours, his mother latched the door and said «Out of the horn!» Whereupon the two strapping young men with cudgels leapt out and began to beat the old woman, who yelled the house down. The fool heard her screams and ran home as fast as his legs would carry him. Seeing that the door was latched, he shouted, «Into the horn! Into the horn!» When the old woman had recovered from her drubbing, she opened the door and let the fool in. «Serve you right, mother!» he said. «I told you not to say that.»

The fool decided to give a feast and invited all the lords and ladies. When they had arrived and sat down, he led the horse into the house and said: «Go, trusty steed!» The horse turned into a pile of silver. The guests were astounded and began to snatch up the silver and hide it in their pockets. Then the fool said «Stop!» and the horse reappeared, without its tail. The fool saw it was time to feed the guests, so he got out the table-cloth and said: «Unfold!» The table-cloth unfolded and all manner of food and drink appeared on it. The guests began to eat, drink and make merry. When they had eaten their fill, the fool said: «Fold up!» And the table-cloth folded up. The guests began to yawn and scoff: «Show us something else, fool.» «With pleasure,» said the fool. «I’ve got just the thing for you!» And he brought out the horn. The guests shouted: «Out of the horn!» Then the two strapping young men leapt out and began to beat them with all their might until the guests gave back the money they had stolen and ran off as fast as their legs would carry them. And the fool and his mother lived happily ever after with the horse, the table-cloth and the horn.

The White Duck

There was once a prince who married a most beautiful princess, but he had not yet had time to feast his eyes on her to his heart’s content or to have enough of talking to and listening to her when the time came for them to part, for he had to go on a far journey. What was to be done! You cannot spend your whole life with your arms round your beloved! The princess wept and sobbed, and the prince, who kept begging her not to, bade her, since he was leaving her with strangers, never to leave her chambers, to avoid the company of wicked people and to close her ears to wicked talk. This the princess promised to do, and as soon as the prince had gone, she locked herself in her chamber and refused to leave it. Whether a short or a long time passed nobody knows, but one day a woman, who seemed a simple and kindly soul enough, came to see the princess. «Why should you eat your heart out!» said she. «Why don’t you at least go out for a walk in the garden and have a breath of fresh air? It might help you drive your sorrow away.» At first the princess would not hear of it, but then, telling herself that a walk in the garden could do her no harm, she went outside. Now, in the garden was a stream with the freshest, clearest spring water ever seen. «It’s very hot today,» the woman said, «and the water is nice and cool. So why don’t you take a dip?» «No, no, I can’t do that!» the princess said, but then, telling herself that a bathe could do her no harm, she took off her gown and stepped into the water. And the woman at once struck her on the back, and saying «Be a white duck and swim in the water!», turned her into a white duck. After that the witch, for that was what the woman was, took the princess’s shape, put on the princess’s gown, combed her hair, painted her cheeks and brows and sat down to wait for the prince. By and by a pup yelped, a bell tinkled, and there was the prince at the gate! The witch rushed out to meet him,  she embraced and kissed him, and the prince, who was overcome with joy, pressed her to his heart and never knew her for what she was.

And as for the white duck, she laid three eggs, and out of them three babies were hatched, three boys, two of them fine, sturdy little lads, and the third, a tiny little thing. Their mother took good care of them and they grew quickly and were soon splashing about and catching fish, which now became their favourite dish, jumping out on the bank for a look at the lea, a place which they found very pleasant to see, and were nothing loath to make shirts of cloth. «Don’t go far, children!» the mother said. But the three boys would not listen to her and with each passing day went farther away. One day they wandered even farther away than usual and found themselves in the prince’s courtyard. The witch knew at once who they were and gnashed her teeth in anger. She got them to come inside, gave them food and drink and put them to bed, and then ordered fires to be kindled, kettles to be hung and knives sharpened. The two bigger lads lay down and fell fast asleep, but the third, the tiny one, whom one or the other of them kept always in his bosom lest he catch cold, did not sleep and saw and heard everything. In the middle of the night the witch came to the door of their chamber and called: «Are you asleep, my little ones?» And Tiny called back:

«We cannot sleep for the thoughts that chill us;

We dare not sleep, for they mean to kill us—

Fires are being kindled,

Kettles are being hung,

Knives are being sharpened!»

«They’re not asleep!» the witch told herself. She went away, took a walk and then came back to the door of their chamber again. «Are you asleep, my little ones?» she called. But Tiny called back again:

«We cannot sleep for the thoughts that chill us;

We dare not sleep, for they mean to kill us;

Fires are being kindled,

Kettles are being hung, Knives are being sharpened!»

«Why is it that one and the same voice answers me?» thought the witch. She opened the door quietly, and, seeing that the two brothers were sound asleep, passed a dead man’s hand cut off at the wirst over them so that they might never wake.

In the morning the white duck called to her children, but they did not reply, and her heart told her that evil had befallen them. She flew to the prince’s courtyard, and there were her sons, their faces white as snow and their bodies cold as ice, lying side by side. She rushed to them, her wings outspread, and called out in a human voice:

«Quack-quack, my sons,

«Quack-quack, my beloved ones,

In want I reared you,

With tears I suckled you,

You slept—I lay sleepless,

You ate—I went hungry.»

«Did you ever hear the like, Wife?» the prince asked. «The duck is speaking in a human voice.» «It only seems so to you,» the witch told him. «Ho there, all! Drive the duck out of the yard!» The servants chased the duck away, but it flew round and round and dropped down beside her children again.

«Quack-quack, my sons,

Quack-quack, my beloved ones!»

she called again.

«The witch it was that put you to sleep,

The witch it was with her wicked ways,

For a snake is she and a deadly one…

From you she took your father own,

Your father own and my own dear spouse;

She drowned us all in the river swift,

She turned us all into white-winged ducks,

And herself she lives like a princess true!»

«Ah, so that is the truth of it!» said the prince, and he called to his servants telling them to catch the duck. They rushed to do his bidding, but the duck flew round and round and would not be caught. But when the prince went after her himself she came down of her own free will and dropped into his hands. He took her by the wing and said: «Rise behind me, a white birch! Stand before me, a fair maid!»

And lo!—a white birch rose behind him and a fair maid stood in front of him, and she was none other but his own dear wife.

They then caught a magpie, and, tying two phials to its wings, bade it fill one with living water and the other with talking water.

Away flew the magpie and was soon back with the living and the talking water. They sprinkled their sons with the living water, and the lads started and came back to life; they sprinkled them with the talking water, and they began talking and laughing.

And so now the prince had his whole family with him, and they never had cause to shed a tear and prospered the more from year to year. Never more to return was the evil past, and they could be happy together at last.

And as for the witch, she was tied to a horse’s tail and the horse sent across a field. Where the witch’s leg came off, there a poker appeared; where her arm was severed, there lay a rake; where her head rolled down, there a burdock grew up. The birds came flying up, and they pecked the flesh; the winds swept up, and they bore off the bones. And nothing was left of the wicked witch, neither trace nor word nor memory.

The Riddle

A peasant was sowing in a field by the high road. The king came riding along, stopped and said to the peasant: «May the good Lord put power to your elbow, my man!» «Thank you, kind sir!» (He did not know it was the king.) «And do you reap much gain from this field?» enquired the king. «Some eighty rubles if the harvest be good.» «And what do you do with the money?» «I give twenty rubles in taxes, twenty to repay a debt, twenty as a loan, and throw twenty out of the window.» «Tell me, my man, what debt are you repaying, to whom are you lending money and why do you throw twenty rabies out of the window?» «Supporting my father is repaying a debt, feeding my son is giving a loan, and keeping my daughter is throwing money out of the window.» «Well said!» exclaimed the king, giving him a handful of silver. He announced who he was and ordered the peasant not to tell the same to any man without his countenance. «No matter who asks, tell no one!»

The king came to his capital and called together his nobles and generals. «Solve this riddle,» he said. «By the roadside I saw a peasant sowing a field. I asked him how much gain it yielded and what he did with the money. The man replied that he got eighty rabies from a good harvest; he gave twenty in taxes, twenty to repay a debt, twenty as a loan and threw twenty out of the window. Whoever solves this riddle will be richly rewarded and highly honoured.» The noblemen and generals racked their brains, but could not find the answer. Then a certain nobleman went to the peasant with whom the king had spoken, offered him a pile of silver rabies and asked him how to solve the king’s riddle. The man was greatly tempted by the money, took it and told the nobleman all. The nobleman returned to the king and straightway gave him the answer to his riddle.

The king saw that the peasant had not kept his word and ordered him to be brought to the palace. The man came before the king and confessed right away that it was he who had told the noblemen the answer. «Well, you have only yourself to blame, my man. For such an offence I shall order you to be executed!» «But Your Majesty! I have committed no offence, for it was not without your countenance that I told the nobleman all.» So saying the peasant took from his pocket a silver ruble with the king’s head upon it and showed it to the king. «Well said!» exclaimed the king. «That is indeed my countenance.» He rewarded the peasant richly and sent him home.

Good But Bad

A rich man and a peasant were riding along. «Where are you from, my man?» «A good way hence, Sir.» «But where?» «From the town of Rostov, Tolstoy is my master.» «Is it a big town?» «Haven’t measured it.» «And is your master strong?» «Haven’t wrestled with him.» «Why did you leave?» «To purchase something dear: a measure of peas.» «That’s good!» «No, it isn’t.» «Why not?» «I was drunk and dropped the peas.» «That’s bad.» «No, it isn’t.» «Why not?» «I dropped one measure and picked up two.» «Well, that’s good.» «No, it isn’t.» «Why not?» «I planted them and not many came up.» «That’s bad.» «No, it isn’t.» «Why not?» «There weren’t many, but there were lots of pods.» «That’s good.» «No, it’s not so good.» «Why not?» «The priest’s pigs went and trampled all over them.» «Oh, that’s bad.» «No, it isn’t.» «Why not?» «I killed the pigs and salted two tubs of pork.» «That’s good.» «No, it isn’t.» «Why not?» «The priest’s dogs went and stole the pork.» «That’s bad.» «No, it isn’t.» «Why not?» «I killed the dogs and made my wife a fur coat.» «That’s good.» «No, it isn’t.» «Why not?» «When the silly wench walked past the priest’s house, he recognised the fur and took the coat away.» «That’s bad.» «No, it isn’t.» «Why not?» «I took the priest to court and got his grey mare and brown cow. It was me who won the case!»

The Miser

There was once a rich merchant called Marko, and no one was more tight-fisted than he. One day he went for a walk and on the way he saw an old man sitting and begging: «Alms for the love of Christ, Christian folk!» Marko the Rich walked past him. At that moment a poor man walking behind him took pity on the beggar and gave him a kopeck. The rich man felt ashamed, so he stopped and said to the poor man: «Hey, fellow. Lend me a kopeck. I want to give the poor soul something, but I’ve no small change!» The other man gave him a kopeck and asked: «When shall I come to collect my debt?» «Tomorrow!» The next day the poor man went to the rich man to get him kopeck. He went into the big courtyard: «Is Marko the Rich at home?» «He is. What do you want?» asked Marko. «I’ve come for my kopeck.» «Come back later, my man. I really have no small change.» The poor man bowed and went off, saying: «I’ll come back tomorrow.» The next morning he came and the same thing happened. «I’ve no small coins. Give me change for a hundred-ruble note, if you like, or come again in a fortnight’s time.» A fortnight later the poor man again went to the rich man, but Marko the Rich saw him coming and said to his wife: «Quick, wife! I’ll take my clothes off and lie down under the icons; you cover me with a sheet, sit down and cry like I was dead. When the man comes for his money, tell him I passed away today.»

The wife did as her husband bade her: she sat and wept bitterly. The poor man came into the room. «What do you want?» she asked. «The money I lent Marko the Rich,» replied the poor man. «Well, my good fellow, Marko the Rich is no more. He has just this moment passed away.» «God rest his soul! Allow me to be of service to him for my kopeck, mistress; let me wash down his sinful body.» So saying he seized a pot of hot water and began to pour it on Marko the Rich. Marko could hardly bear it and twitched his nose and feet. «Twitch as much as you like, but give me back my kopeck!» said the poor man. He washed him down, dressed him fittingly and said: «Go buy a coffin, widow, and we’ll carry him to the church; I’ll read the Psalter over him.» So they put Marko the Rich in a coffin and carried him to the church, where the poor man read the Psalter over him.

Night fell dark as pitch. Suddenly a window opened and thieves began to climb into the church. The poor man hid behind the altar. The thieves began dividing up their ill-gotten gains until there was nothing left but a gold sabre, which they were all tugging and would not let go. Then the poor man jumped out and shouted: «Why are you quarrelling? Let whoever cuts off the corpse’s head have the sabre!» Marko the Rich jumped up in alarm. The thieves took fright, dropped their booty and fled. «Come on, my man,» said Marko, «let us divide up the money.» So they shared it out equally; both of them had a big pile. «What about the kopeck?» asked the poor man. «You can see for yourself, brother, I’ve no small change!» And so it was that Marko the Rich never repaid his debt.

Don’t Listen, If You Don’t Like

In our village Luke and Peter had a fight, and the sand clouded up the stream so bright, and the women started brawling with all their might: the lentil soup was wounded, all but dead, the jelly was a-captured, so they said, the radish and the carrot both got ambushed, and the poor old cabbage lost its head. I was lazing in the sun and came too late for the fun.

There were six of us, brothers, all Agafons. Dad’s name was Taras, but I don’t remember Mum’s. Still, what’s in a name, eh? Let’s call her Malania. I was the youngest of the brothers, but ten times smarter than the others. When everyone to plough went out, we six just waved our arms about. Folk thought we were a-ploughing and waving at the horses. But we were just getting on with our own business.

A buckwheat seed to a whip Dad tied, he swung it hard and threw it wide. T’was a fine year for buckwheat, that. The folk came to the field to reap, but we lay in the furrows fast asleep. We lay till noon, then slept all afternoon, but we stacked up the buckwheat, row upon row, from Kazan to Moscow. Then we threshed the whole lot and got a handful of groats.

Next year Dad asks: «Well, my handsome lads so dear, where shall we sow the crop this year?» I was the youngest of the brothers, but ten times smarter than the others. «On the stove,» said I. «That is fertile ground. It lies fallow all year round!» Our house was a right biggun. The first row of logs was the floor, the second the ceiling. The windows and doors were bored out with a gimlet. It looked very nice, but there wasn’t much room in it.

Dad got up early and worked real hard, stood at the window and stared and stared. The frost crept in and up to the stove: our poor buckwheat really froze. We six brothers racked our brains, what to do to save the grain. I was the youngest of the brothers, but ten times smarter than the others. «We must reap it and stack it away,» said I. «But where shall we stack it?» «On the chimney. There’s room to spare.» So we stacked it high up there.

At home we had a bald tom-cat: it sniffed the buckwheat and smelt a rat, then gave a pounce and banged its bounce. Down fell the stack into a tub. The six of us racked our brains about how to get the buckwheat out. Then in came our grey mare so nice and ate the buckwheat in a trice; off it trotted, but alas, in the doorway got stuck fast: its belly was swollen from the feast! There it stood and looked about, hind legs inside, front legs out. Then off it galloped like the wind, dragging the house along behind. All this time we laid low, waiting to see what would happen now. When its belly went down again, I grabbed the grey mare by the mane, jumped onto its back and rode off to the inn. I downed some liquor and had a good time; then what did I see but the inn-keeper’s gun. «Is it for sale?» asked I. » Tis indeed,» quoth he. So I paid him a pittance and got me a gun.

Off I rode to an oak copse to shoot me some game: there sat a black grouse, and I took aim. But the gun had no flint! It was ten versts or more to the nearest town; by the time I got back the bird would have flown. While I thought thus, my sheepskin coat got caught upon a branch of oak; the grey mare started up with fear and banged my head against a tree—so hard I saw sparks before my eyes. One of the sparks fell on the gun, the gun fired and killed the grouse, the grouse fell on top of a hare, and the hare leapt up and bagged me the catch of my life! So off I set for Saratov with ten cartloads; and sold my catch for five hundred rabies. With the money I got me a wife, the thriftiest woman you’ve seen in your life: her skirts they do sweep, as she goes down the street; and when little lads meet her, they throw sticks to greet her. No need to buy firewood, so there. I live happily, without a care.