1. the dead mother
at midnight the cottage door opened. some one stepped up to the cradle. the babe became still. at that moment one of the kinsfolk suddenly brought out the light. they looked, and saw the dead mother, in the very same clothes in which she had been buried, on her knees besides the cradle, over which she bent as she suckled the babe at her dead breast.
2. the treasure
he did not go on digging the grave any longer, but took the pot of gold and carried it home. well, we all know what money will do—everything went as smooth as oil! in a trice there were found good folks to dig the grave and fashion the coffin. the old man sent his daughter-in-law to purchase meat and drink and different kind of relishes—everything there ought to be at memorial feasts—and he himself took a ducat in his hand and hobbled back again to the pope’s. the moment he reached the door, out flew the pope at him.
3. the bad wife
well, the imp went to where there were merchants' wives and merchants' daughters, and when they were possessed by him, they fell ill and went crazy. then the peasant would go to a house where there was illness of this kind, and, as soon as he entered, out would go the enemy; then there would be blessing in the house, and everyone would suppose that the peasant was a doctor indeed, and would give him money, and treat him to pies. and so the peasant gained an incalculable sum of money.
4. the three copecks
the landlord agreed to the bargain. the merchant gave him the cat, received a sackful of gold, and as soon as he had settled his affairs, started on his way back. as he sailed across the seas, he thought: “why should i give the gold to that orphan? such a lot of money in return for a mere cat! that would be too much of a good thing. no, much better keep it myself.”
5. the miser
well the wife did everything exactly as her husband directed her. while she was sitting there drowned in bitter tears, the moujik came into the room.
6. the water snake
a week passed by, and one day they saw ever so many snakes, a huge troop of them, wriggling up to their cottage. “ah, mammie, save me, save me!” cried the girl, and her mother slammed the door and barred the entrance as quickly as possible.
7. friday
then they told her all that had taken place. she listened to it all, and then began imploringly: “mother friday, forgive me! pardon me, the guilty one! i’ll offer thee a taper, and i’ll never let friend or foe dishonor thee, mother!”
8. wednesday
so the woman took a couple of pails and went for water. as soon as she was outside the door she thought: “mayn’t something terrible happen to me? i’d better go to my neighbor’s instead of fetching the water.” so she set off. the night was dark. in the village all were still asleep. she reached a neighbor’s house, and rapped away at the window until at last she made herself heard. an aged woman let her in.
9. the leshy
the léshy groaned and seemed to be going to fall across the log, but directly afterwards he got up and dragged himself into the thickets. after him ran the dog in pursuit, and after the dog followed the sportsman. he walked and walked, and came to a hill: in that hill was a fissure, and in the fissure stood a hut.
10. the metamorphosis of the dnieper, the volga, and the dvina
one day, after toiling hard afield, they sat down under a bush to eat their last morsel of bread. and when they had eaten it, they cried and sorrowed for a while, and considered and held counsel together as to how they might manage to live, and to have food and clothing, and, without toiling, to supply others with meat and drink.
11. emilian the fool
meanwhile, the townspeople got up a petition against him, and denounced him to the king, saying: “folks say there’s no getting hold of him the way we tried; we must entice him by cunning, and the best way of all will be to promise him a red shirt, and a red caftan, and red boots.”
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| Leshy |
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