Part 7
Ivan returned from the pasture at dawn, sharpened his scythe, and went to mow the hayfield. He began to mow but had only swung the scythe once or twice when the edge turned so that it would not cut at all, but needed resharpening. Ivan struggled on for awhile, and then said: "It's no good. I must go home and bring a tool to straighten the scythe, and I'll get a chunk of bread at the same time. If I have to spend a week here, I won't leave till the mowing's done."
The imp heard this and thought to himself, "This fool is a tough 'un; I can't get round him this way. I must try some other dodge."
Ivan returned, sharpened his scythe, and began to mow. The imp crept into the grass and began to catch the scythe by the heel, sending the point into the earth. Ivan found the work very hard, but he mowed the whole meadow, except one little bit which was in the swamp. The imp crept into the swamp and, thought he to himself, "Though I cut my paws I will not let him mow."
Ivan reached the swamp. The grass didn't seem thick, but yet it resisted the scythe. Ivan grew angry and began to swing the scythe with all his might. The
160 T he Sto ry of Iva n t h e Foo l
imp had to give in; he could not keep up with the scythe, and, seeing it was a bad business, he scrambled into a bush. Ivan swung the scythe, caught the bush, and cut off half the imp's tail. Then he finished mowing the grass, told his sister to rake it up, and went himself to mow the rye. He went with the scythe, but the dock-tailed imp was there first, and entangled the rye so that the scythe was of no use. But Ivan went home and got his sickle, and began to reap with that and he reaped the whole of the rye.
"Now it's time," said he, "to start on the oats." The dock-tailed imp heard this, and thought, "I couldn't get the better of him on the rye, but I shall on the oats. Only wait till the morning."
In the morning the imp hurried to the oat field, but the oats were already mowed down! Ivan had mowed them by night, in order that less grain should shake out. The imp grew angry.
"He has cut me all over and tired me out –the fool. It is worse than war. The accursed fool never sleeps; one can't keep up with him. I will get into his stacks now and rot them."
So the imp entered the rye, and crept among the sheaves, and they began to rot. He heated them, grew warm himself, and fell asleep.
Ivan harnessed the mare, and went with the lass to cart the rye. He came to the heaps, and began to pitch the rye into the cart. He tossed two sheaves and again thrust his fork – right into the imp's back. He lifts the fork and sees on the prongs a live imp; dock-tailed, struggling, wriggling, and trying to jump off.
"What, you nasty thing, are you here again?" "I'm another," said the imp. "The first was my brother. I've been with your brother Simon."
"Well," said Ivan, "whoever you are, you've met the same fate!" He was about to dash him against the cart, but the imp cried out: "Let me off, and I will not only let you alone, but I'll do anything you tell me to do."
"What can you do?" "I can make soldiers out of anything you like." "But what use are they?" "You can turn them to any use; they can do anything you please." "Can they sing?" "Yes, if you want them to." "All right; you may make me some." And the imp said, "Here, take a sheaf of rye, then bump it upright on the ground, and simply say:
161 T he Sto ry of Iva n t h e Foo l
'O sheaf! my slave This order gave: Where a straw has been Let a soldier be seen!'"
Ivan took the sheaf, struck it on the ground, and said what the imp had told him to. The sheaf fell asunder, and all the straws changed into soldiers, with a trumpeter and a drummer playing in front, so that there was a whole regi ment.
Ivan laughed. "How clever!" said he. "This is fine! How pleased the girls will be!" "Now let me go," said the imp. "No," said Ivan, "I must make my soldiers of thrashed straw, otherwise good grain will be wasted. Teach me how to change them back again into the sheaf. I want to thrash it."
And the imp said, "Repeat:
'Let each be a straw Who was soldier before, For my true slave This order gave!'"
Ivan said this, and the sheaf reappeared.
Again the imp began to beg, "Now let me go!" "All right." And Ivan pressed him against the side of the cart, held him down with his hand, and pulled him off the fork.
"God be with you," said he. And as soon as he mentioned God, the imp plunged into the earth like a stone into water. Only a hole was left.
Ivan returned home, and there was his other brother, Taras with his wife, sitting at supper.
Taras the Stout had failed to pay his debts, had run away from his credi tors, and had come home to his father's house. When he saw Ivan, "Look here," said he, "till I can start in business again, I want you to keep me and my wife."
"All right," said Ivan, "you can live here, if you like." Ivan took off his coat and sat down to table, but the merchant's wife said: "I cannot sit at table with this clown, he smells of perspiration."
Then Taras the Stout said, "Ivan, you smell too strong. Go and eat out side."
"All right," said Ivan, taking some bread and going into the yard. "It is
162 T he Sto ry of Iva n t h e Foo l
time, anyhow, for me to go and pasture the mare."
Taras's imp, being also free that night, came, as agreed, to help his comrades subdue Ivan the Fool. He came to the cornfield, looked and looked for his comrades–no one was there. He only found a hole. He went to the meadow, and there he found an imp's tail in the swamp, and another hole in the rye stubble.
"Evidently, some ill luck has befallen my comrades," thought he. "I must take their place and tackle the fool."
So the imp went to look for Ivan, who had already stacked the corn and was cutting trees in the wood. The two brothers had begun to feel crowded, living together, and had told Ivan to cut down trees to build new houses for them.
The imp ran to the wood, climbed among the branches, and began to hinder Ivan from felling the trees. Ivan undercut one tree so that it should fall clear, but in falling it turned askew and caught among some branches. Ivan cut a pole with which to lever it aside, and with difficulty contrived to bring it to the ground. He set to work to fell another tree –again the same thing occurred; and with all his efforts he could hardly get the tree clear. He began on a third tree, and again the same thing happened.
Ivan had hoped to cut down half a hundred small trees, but had not felled even half a score, and now the night was come and he was tired out. The steam from him spread like a mist through the wood, but still he stuck to his work. He undercut another tree, but his back began to ache so that he could not stand. He drove his axe into the tree and sat down to rest.
The imp, noticing that Ivan had stopped work, grew cheerful. "At last," thought he, "he is tired out! He will give it up. Now I can take a rest myself."
He seated himself astride a branch and chuckled. But soon Ivan got up, pulled the axe out, swung it and smote the tree from the opposite side with such force that the tree gave way at once and came crashing down. The imp had not expected this, and had no time to get his feet clear, and the tree in breaking, gripped his paw. Ivan began to lop off the branches, when he no ticed a live imp hanging in the tree! Ivan was surprised.
"What, you nasty thing," says he, "so you are here again!" "I am another one," says the imp. "I have been with your brother Taras." "Whoever you are you have met your fate," said Ivan, and swinging his
163 T he Sto ry of Iva n t h e Foo l
axe he was about to strike him with the haft, but the imp begged for mercy: "Don't strike me," said he, "and I will do anything you tell me to."
"What can you do?" "I can make money for you, as much as you want." "All right, make some." So the imp showed him how to do it. "Take," said he, "some leaves from this oak and rub them in your hands, and gold will fall out on the ground."
Ivan took some leaves and rubbed them, and gold ran down from his hands.
"This stuff will do fine," said he, "for the fellows to play with on their holidays."
"Now let me go." said the imp. "All right," said Ivan, and taking a lever he set the imp free. "Now begone! And God be with you," says he.
And as soon as he mentioned God, the imp plunged into the earth, like a stone into water. Only a hole was left.
So the brothers built houses, and began to live apart; and Ivan finished the harvest work, brewed beer, and invited his brothers to spend the next holiday with him. His brothers would not come.
"We don't care about peasant feasts," said they. So Ivan entertained the peasants and their wives, and drank until he was rather tipsy. Then he went into the street to a ring of dancers; and going up to them he told the women to sing a song in his honor; "for," said he, "I will give you something you never saw in your lives before!"
The women laughed and sang his praises, and when they had finished they said, "Now let us have your gift."
"I will bring it directly," said he. He took a seed basket and ran into the woods. The women laughed. "He is a fool!" said they, and they began to talk of something else.
But soon Ivan came running back, carrying the basket full of something heavy.
"Shall I give it you?" "Yes! give it to us." Ivan took a handful of gold and threw it to the women. You should have seen them throw themselves upon it to pick it up! And the men around scrambled for it, and snatched it from one another. One old woman was
164 T he Sto ry of Iva n t h e Foo l
nearly crushed to death. Ivan laughed.
"Oh, you fools!" says he. "Why did you crush the old grandmother? Be quiet, and I will give you some more," and he threw them some more. The people all crowded round, and Ivan threw them all the gold he had. They asked for more, but Ivan said, "I have no more just now. Another time I'll give you some more. Now let us dance, and you can sing me your songs."
The women began to sing. "Your songs are no good," says he. "Where will you find better ones?" say they. "I'll soon show you," says he. He went to the barn, took a sheaf, thrashed it, stood it up, and bumped it on the ground.
"Now," said he:
'O sheaf! my slave This order gave: Where a straw has been Let a soldier be seen!'"
And the sheaf fell asunder and became so many soldiers. The drums and trumpets began to play. Ivan ordered the soldiers to play and sing. He led them out into the street, and the people were amazed. The soldiers played and sang, and then Ivan (forbidding any one to follow him) led them back to the thrashing ground, changed them into a sheaf again, and threw it in its place.
He then went home and lay down in the stables to sleep.
VII
Simon the Soldier heard of all these things next morning, and went to his brother.
"Tell me," says he, "where you got those soldiers from, and where you have taken them to?"
"What does it matter to you?" said Ivan. "What does it matter? Why, with soldiers one can do anything. One can win a kingdom."
Ivan wondered. "Really!" said he; "Why didn't you say so before? I'll make you as many as you like. It's well the lass and I have thrashed so much straw."
Ivan took his brother to the barn and said: "Look here; if I make you some soldiers, you must take them away at once, for if we have to feed them, they will eat up the whole village in a day."
165 T he Sto ry of Iva n t h e Foo l
Simon the Soldier promised to lead the soldiers away; and Ivan began to make them. He bumped a sheaf on the thrashing floor – a company appeared. He bumped another sheaf, and there was a second company. He made so many that they covered the field.
"Will that do?" he asked. Simon was overjoyed, and said: "That will do! Thank you, Ivan!" "All right" said Ivan. "If you want more, come back, and I'll make them. There is plenty of straw this season."
Simon the Soldier at once took command of his army, collected and orga nized it, and went off to make war.
Hardly had Simon the Soldier gone, when Taras the Stout came along. He, too, had heard of yesterday's affair, and he said to his brother:
"Show me where you get gold money! If I only had some to start with, I could make it bring me in money from all over the world."
Ivan was astonished. "Really!" said he. "You should have told me sooner. I will make you as much as you like."
His brother was delighted. "Give me three baskets-full to begin with." "All right," said Ivan. "Come into the forest; or better still, let us harness the mare, for you won't be able to carry it all."
They drove to the forest, and Ivan began to rub the oak leaves. He made a great heap of gold.
"Will that do?" Taras was overjoyed. "It will do for the present," said he. "Thank you, Ivan!" "All right," says Ivan, "if you want more, come back for it. There are plenty of leaves left."
Taras the Stout gathered up a whole cartload of money, and went off to trade.
So the two brothers went away: Simon to fight and Taras to buy and sell. And Simon the Soldier conquered a kingdom for himself; and Taras the Stout made much money in trade.
When the two brothers met, each told the other: Simon how he got the soldiers, and Taras how he got the money. And Simon the Soldier said to his brother, "I have conquered a kingdom and live in grand style but I have not money enough to keep my soldiers."
And Taras the Stout said, "And I have made much money, but the trouble
166 T he Sto ry of Iva n t h e Foo l
is, I have no one to guard it."
Then said Simon the Soldier, "Let us go to our brother. I will tell him to make more soldiers, and will give them to you to guard your money, and you can tell him to make money for me to feed my men."
And they drove away to Ivan; and Simon said, "Dear brother, I have not enough soldiers; make me another couple of ricks or so."
Ivan shook his head. "No!" says he, "I will not make any more soldiers." "But you promised you would." "I know I promised, but I won't make any more." "But why not, fool?" "Because your soldiers killed a man. I was plowing the other day near the road, and I saw a woman taking a coffin along in a cart, and crying. I asked her who was dead. She said, 'Simon's soldiers have killed my husband in the war.' I thought the soldiers would only play tunes, but they have killed a man. I won't give you any more."
And he stuck to it, and would not make any more soldiers. Taras the Stout, too, began to beg Ivan to make him more gold money. But Ivan shook his head.
"No, I won't make any more," said he. "Didn't you promise?" "I did, but I'll make no more," said he. "Why not, fool?" "Because your gold coins took away the cow from Michael's daughter." "How?" "Simply took it away! Michael's daughter had a cow. Her children used to drink the milk. But the other day her children came to me to ask for milk. I said, 'Where's your cow?' They answered, 'The steward of Taras the Stout came and gave mother three bits of gold, and she gave him the cow, so we have nothing to drink.' I thought you were only going to play with the gold pieces, but you have taken the children's cow away. I will not give you any more."
And Ivan stuck to it and would not give him any more. So the brothers went away. And as they went they discussed how they could meet their dif ficulties. And Simon said:
"Look here, I tell you what to do. You give me money to feed my soldiers, and I will give you half my kingdom with soldiers enough to guard your money." Taras agreed. So the brothers divided what they possessed, and both became kings, and both were rich.
167 T he Sto ry of Iva n t h e Foo l
VIII
Ivan lived at home, supporting his father and mother and working in the fields with his dumb sister. Now it happened that Ivan's yard dog fell sick, grew mangy, and was near dying. Ivan, pitying it, got some bread from his sister, put it in his cap, carried it out, and threw it to the dog. But the cap was torn, and together with the bread one of the little roots fell to the ground. The old dog ate it up with the bread, and as soon as she had swallowed it she jumped up and began to play, bark, and wag her tail –in short became quite well again.
The father and mother saw it and were amazed. "How did you cure the dog?" asked they. Ivan answered: "I had two little roots to cure any pain, and she swallowed one."
Now about that time it happened that the King's daughter fell ill, and the King proclaimed in every town and village, that he would reward any one who could heal her, and if any unmarried man could heal the King's daughter he should have her for his wife. This was proclaimed in Ivan's village as well as everywhere else.
His father and mother called Ivan, and said to him: "Have you heard what the King has proclaimed? You said you had a root that would cure any sick ness. Go and heal the King's daughter, and you will be made happy for life."
"All right," said he. And Ivan prepared to go, and they dressed him in his best. But as he went out of the door he met a beggar woman with a crippled hand.
"I have heard," said she, "that you can heal people. I pray you cure my arm, for I cannot even put on my boots myself."
"All right," said Ivan, and giving the little root to the beggar woman he told her to swallow it. She swallowed it, and was cured. She was at once able to move her arm freely.
His father and mother came out to accompany Ivan to the King, but when they heard that he had given away the root, and that he had nothing left to cure the King's daughter with, they began to scold him.
"You pity a beggar woman, but are not sorry for the King's daughter!" said they. But Ivan felt sorry for the King's daughter also. So he harnessed the horse, put straw in the cart to sit on, and sat down to drive away.
"Where are you going, fool?" "To cure the King's daughter." "But you've nothing left to cure her with?"
T he Sto ry of Iva n t h e Foo l 168
"Never mind," said he, and drove off. He drove to the King's palace, and as soon as he stepped on the threshold the King's daughter got well.
The King was delighted, and had Ivan brought to him, and had him dressed in fine robes.
"Be my son-in-law," said he. "All right," said Ivan. And Ivan married the Princess. Her father died soon after, and Ivan became King. So all three brothers were now kings.
The three brothers lived and reigned. The eldest brother, Simon the Soldier, prospered. With his straw soldiers he levied real soldiers. He ordered through out his whole kingdom a levy of one soldier from every ten houses, and each soldier had to be tall, and clean in body and in face. He gathered many such soldiers and trained them; and when any one opposed him, he sent these sol diers at once, and got his own way, so that every one began to fear him, and his life was a comfortable one. Whatever he cast his eyes on and wished for, was his. He sent soldiers, and they brought him all he desired.
Taras the Stout also lived comfortably. He did not waste the money he got from Ivan, but increased it largely. He introduced law and order into his kingdom. He kept his money in coffers, and taxed the people. He instituted a poll tax, tolls for walking and driving, and a tax on shoes and stockings and dress trimmings. And whatever he wished for he got. For the sake of money, people brought him everything, and they offered to work for him – for every one wanted money.
Ivan the Fool, also, did not live badly. As soon as he had buried his fatherin-law, he took off all his royal robes and gave them to his wife to put away in a chest; and he again donned his hempen shirt, his breeches and peasant shoes, and started again to work.
"It's dull for me," said he. "I'm getting fat and have lost my appetite and my sleep." So he brought his father and mother and his dumb sister to live with him, and worked as before.
People said, "But you are a king!" "Yes," said he, "but even a king must eat." One of his ministers came to him and said, "We have no money to pay salaries."
"All right," says he, "then don't pay them."
T he Sto ry of Iva n t h e Foo l 169
"Then no one will serve." "All right; let them not serve. They will have more time to work; let them cart manure. There is plenty of scavenging to be done."
And people came to Ivan to be tried. One said. "He stole my money." And Ivan said, "All right, that shows that he wanted it."
And they all got to know that Ivan was a fool. And his wife said to him, "People say that you are a fool."
"All right," said Ivan. His wife thought and thought about it, but she also was a fool. "Shall I go against my husband? Where the needle goes the thread follows," said she.
So she took off her royal dress, put it away in a chest, and went to the dumb girl to learn to work. And she learned to work and began to help her husband.
And all the wise men left Ivan's kingdom; only the fools remained. Nobody had money. They lived and worked. They fed themselves; and they fed others.
The old Devil waited and waited for news from the imps of their having ruined the three brothers. But no news came. So he went himself to inquire about it. He searched and searched, but instead of finding the three imps he found only the three holes.
"Evidently they have failed," thought he. "I shall have to tackle it my self."
So he went to look for the brothers, but they were no longer in their old places. He found them in three different kingdoms. All three were living and reigning. This annoyed the old Devil very much.
"Well," said he, "I must try my own hand at the job." First he went to King Simon. He did not go to him in his own shape, but disguised himself as a general, and drove to Simon's palace.
"I hear, King Simon," said he, "that you are a great warrior, and as I know that business well, I desire to serve you."
King Simon questioned him, and seeing that he was a wise man, took him into his service.
The new commander began to teach King Simon how to form a strong army.
"First," said he, "we must levy more soldiers, for there are in your kingdom
170 T he Sto ry of Iva n t h e Foo l
many people unemployed. We must recruit all the young men without excep tion. Then you will have five times as many soldiers as formerly. Secondly, we must get new rifles and cannons. I will introduce rifles that will fire a hundred balls at once; they will fly out like peas. And I will get cannons that will con sume with fire either man, or horse, or wall. They will burn up everything!"
Simon the King listened to the new commander, ordered all young men without exception to be enrolled as soldiers, and had new factories built in which he manufactured large quantities of improved rifles and cannons. Then he made haste to declare war against a neighboring king. As soon as he met the other army, King Simon ordered his soldiers to rain balls against it and shoot fire from the cannons, and at one blow he burned and crippled half the enemy's army. The neighboring king was so thoroughly frightened that he gave way and surrendered his kingdom. King Simon was delighted.
"Now," said he, "I will conquer the King of India." But the Indian King had heard about King Simon and had adopted all his inventions, and added more of his own. The Indian King enlisted not only all the young men, but all the single women also, and got together a greater army even than King Simon's. And he copied all King Simon's rifles and can nons, and invented a way of flying through the air to throw explosive bombs from above.
King Simon set out to fight the Indian King, expecting to beat him as he had beaten the other king; but the scythe that had cut so well had lost its edge. The King of India did not let Simon's army come within gunshot, but sent his women through the air to hurl down explosive bombs on to Simon's army. The women began to rain down bombs on to the army like borax upon cock roaches. The army ran away, and Simon the King was left alone. So the Indian King took Simon's kingdom, and Simon the Soldier fled as best he might.
Having finished with this brother, the old Devil went to King Taras. Chang ing himself into a merchant, he settled in Taras's kingdom, started a house of business, and began spending money. He paid high prices for everything, and everybody hurried to the new merchant's to get money. And so much money spread among the people that they began to pay all their taxes promptly, and paid up all their arrears, and King Taras rejoiced.
"Thanks to the new merchant," thought he, "I shall have more money than ever; and my life will be yet more comfortable."
And Taras the King began to form fresh plans, and began to build a new palace. He gave notice that people should bring him wood and stone and come to work, and he fixed high prices for everything. King Taras thought
171 T he Sto ry of Iva n t h e Foo l
people would come in crowds to work as before, but to his surprise all the wood and stone was taken to the merchant's, and all the workmen went there too. King Taras increased his price, but the merchant bid yet more. King Taras had much money, but the merchant had still more, and outbid the King at every point.
The King's palace was at a standstill and the building did not get on. King Taras planned a garden, and when autumn came he called for the people to come and plant the garden, but nobody came. All the people were engaged digging a pond for the merchant. Winter came, and King Taras wanted to buy sable furs for a new overcoat. He sent to buy them, but the messengers returned and said, "There are no sables left. The merchant has all the furs. He gave the best price, and made carpets of the skins."
King Taras wanted to buy some stallions. He sent to buy them, but the messengers returned saying, "The merchant has all the good stallions; they are carrying water to fill his pond."
All the King's affairs came to a standstill. Nobody would work for him, for every one was busy working for the merchant; and they only brought King Taras the merchant's money to pay their taxes.
And the King collected so much money that he had nowhere to store it, and his life became wretched. He ceased to form plans, and would have been glad enough simply to live, but he was hardly able even to do that. He ran short of everything. One after another his cooks, coachmen, and servants left him to go to the merchant. Soon he lacked even food. When he sent to the market to buy anything, there was nothing to be got –the merchant had bought up everything, and people only brought the King money to pay their taxes.
Taras the King got angry and banished the merchant from the country. But the merchant settled just across the frontier, and went on as before. For the sake of the merchant's money, people took everything to him instead of to the King.
Things went badly with King Taras. For days together he had nothing to eat, and a rumor even got about that the merchant was boasting that he would buy up the King himself! King Taras got frightened, and did not know what to do.
At this time Simon the Soldier came to him, saying, "Help me, for the King of India has conquered me."
But King Taras himself was over head and ears in difficulties. "I myself," said he, "have had nothing to eat for two days."
172 T he Sto ry of Iva n t h e Foo l
Having done with the two brothers, the old Devil went to Ivan. He changed himself into a General, and coming to Ivan began to persuade him that he ought to have an army.
"It does not become a king," said he, "to be without an army. Only give me the order, and I will collect soldiers from among your people, and form one."
Ivan listened to him. "All right," said Ivan, "form an army, and teach them to sing songs well. I like to hear them do that."
So the old Devil went through Ivan's kingdom to enlist men. He told them to go and be entered as soldiers, and each should have a quart of spirits and a fine red cap.
The people laughed. "We have plenty of spirits," said they. "We make it ourselves; and as for caps, the women make all kinds of them, even striped ones with tassels."
So nobody would enlist. The old Devil came to Ivan and said: "Your fools won't enlist of their own free will. We shall have to make them."
"All right," said Ivan, "you can try." So the old Devil gave notice that all the people were to enlist, and that Ivan would put to death any one who refused.
The people came to the General and said, "You say that if we do not go as soldiers the King will put us to death, but you don't say what will happen if we do enlist. We have heard say that soldiers get killed!"
"Yes, that happens sometimes." When the people heard this they became obstinate. "We won't go," said they. "Better meet death at home. Either way we must die."
"Fools! You are fools!" said the old Devil. "A soldier may be killed or he may not, but if you don't go, King Ivan will have you killed for certain."
The people were puzzled, and went to Ivan the Fool to consult him. "A General has come," said they, "who says we must all become soldiers. 'If you go as soldiers,' says he 'you may be killed or you may not, but if you don't go, King Ivan will certainly kill you.' Is this true?"
Ivan laughed and said, "How can I, alone, put all you to death? If I were not a fool I would explain it to you but as it is, I don't understand it myself."
"Then" said they, "we will not serve." "All right," says he, "don't."
173 T he Sto ry of Iva n t h e Foo l
So the people went to the General and refused to enlist. And the old Devil saw that this game was up, and he went off and ingratiated himself with the King of Tarakan.
"Let us make war," says he, "and conquer King Ivan's country. It is true there is no money, but there is plenty of corn and cattle and everything else."
So the King of Tarakan prepared to make war. He mustered a great army, provided rifles and cannons, marched to the frontier, and entered Ivan's king dom.
And people came to Ivan and said, "The King of Tarakan is coming to make war on us."
"All right," said Ivan, "let him come." Having crossed the frontier, the King of Tarakan sent scouts to look for Ivan's army. They looked and looked, but there was no army! They waited and waited for one to appear somewhere, but there were no signs of an army, and nobody to fight with. The King of Tarakan then sent to seize the villages. The soldiers came to a village, and the people, both men and women, rushed out in astonishment to stare at the soldiers. The soldiers began to take their corn and cattle; the people let them have it, and did not resist. The soldiers went on to another village; the same thing happened again. The soldiers went on for one day, and for two days, and everywhere the same thing happened. The people let them have everything, and no one resisted, but only invited the soldiers to live with them.
"Poor fellows," said they, "if you have a hard life in your own land, why don't you come and stay with us altogether?"
The soldiers marched and marched: still no army, only people living and feeding themselves and others, and not resisting, but inviting the soldiers to stay and live with them. The soldiers found it dull work, and they came to the King of Tarakan and said, "We cannot fight here, lead us elsewhere. War is all right, but what is this? It is like cutting pea soup! We will not make war here any more."
The King of Tarakan grew angry, and ordered his soldiers to overrun the whole kingdom, to destroy the villages, to burn the grain and the houses, and to slaughter the cattle. "And if you do not obey my orders," said he, "I will execute you all."
The soldiers were frightened, and began to act according to the King's or ders. They began to burn houses and corn, and to kill cattle. But the fools still offered no resistance, and only wept. The old men wept, and the old women
174 T he Sto ry of Iva n t h e Foo l
wept, and the young people wept.
"Why do you harm us?" they said. "Why do you waste good things? If you need them, why don't you take them for yourselves?"
At last the soldiers could stand it no longer. They refused to go any further, and the army disbanded and fled.
XII
The old Devil had to give it up. He could not get the better of Ivan with soldiers. So he changed himself into a fine gentleman, and settled down in Ivan's kingdom. He meant to overcome him by means of money, as he had overcome Taras the Stout.
"I wish," says he, "to do you a good turn, to teach you sense and reason. I will build a house among you and organize a trade."
"All right," said Ivan, "come and live among us if you like." Next morning the fine gentleman went out into the public square with a big sack of gold and a sheet of paper, and said, "You all live like swine. I wish to teach you how to live properly. Build me a house according to this plan. You shall work, I will tell you how, and I will pay you with gold coins." And he showed them the gold.
The fools were astonished; there was no money in use among them; they bartered their goods, and paid one another with labor. They looked at the gold coins with surprise.
"What nice little things they are!" said they. And they began to exchange their goods and labor for the gentleman's gold pieces. And the old Devil began, as in Taras's kingdom, to be free with his gold, and the people began to exchange everything for gold and to do all sorts of work for it.
The old Devil was delighted, and thought he to himself, "Things are going right this time. Now I shall ruin the Fool as I did Taras, and I shall buy him up body and soul."
But as soon as the fools had provided themselves with gold pieces they gave them to the women for necklaces. The lasses plaited them into their tresses, and at last the children in the street began to play with the little pieces. Everybody had plenty of them, and they stopped taking them. But the fine gentleman's mansion was not yet half built, and the grain and cattle for the year were not yet provided. So he gave notice that he wished people to come and work for him, and that he wanted cattle and grain; for each thing, and for each service, he was ready to give many more pieces of gold.
175 T he Sto ry of Iva n t h e Foo l
But nobody came to work and nothing was brought. Only sometimes a boy or a little girl would run up to exchange an egg for a gold coin, but nobody else came, and he had nothing to eat. And being hungry, the fine gentleman went through the village to try and buy something for dinner. He tried at one house, and offered a gold piece for a fowl, but the housewife wouldn't take it.
"I have a lot already," said she. He tried at a widow's house to buy a herring, and offered a gold piece. "I don't want it, my good sir," said she. "I have no children to play with it, and I myself already have three coins as curiosities."
He tried at a peasant's house to get bread, but neither would the peasant take money.
"I don't need it," said he, "but if you are begging 'for Christ's sake,' wait a bit and I'll tell the housewife to cut you a piece of bread."
At that the Devil spat, and ran away. To hear Christ's name mentioned, let alone receiving anything for Christ's sake, hurt him more than sticking a knife into him.
And so he got no bread. Every one had gold, and no matter where the old Devil went, nobody would give anything for money, but every one said, "Either bring something else, or come and work, or receive what you want in charity for Christ's sake."
But the old Devil had nothing but money; for work he had no liking, and as for taking anything "for Christ's sake" he could not do that. The old Devil grew very angry.
"What more do you want, when I give you money?" said he. "You can buy everything with gold, and hire any kind of laborer." But the fools did not heed him.
"No, we do not want money," said they. "We have no payments to make, and no taxes, so what should we do with it?"
The old Devil lay down to sleep –supperless. The affair was told to Ivan the Fool. People came and asked him, "What are we to do? A fine gentleman has turned up, who likes to eat and drink and dress well, but he does not like to work, does not beg in 'Christ's name,' but only offers gold pieces to every one. At first people gave him all he wanted until they had plenty of gold pieces, but now no one gives him anything. What's to be done with him? He will die of hunger before long."
Ivan listened. "All right," says he, "we must feed him. Let him live by turn at each house
176 T he Sto ry of Iva n t h e Foo l
as a shepherd does."
There was no help for it. The old Devil had to begin making the round. In due course the turn came for him to go to Ivan's house. The old Devil came in to dinner, and the dumb girl was getting it ready.
She had often been deceived by lazy folk who came early to dinner – with out having done their share of work – and ate up all the porridge, so it had occurred to her to find out the sluggards by their hands. Those who had horny hands, she put at the table, but the others got only the scraps that were left over.
The old Devil sat down at the table, but the dumb girl seized him by the hands and looked at them –there were no hard places there: the hands were clean and smooth, with long nails. The dumb girl gave a grunt and pulled the Devil away from the table. And Ivan's wife said to him, "Don't be offended, fine gentleman. My sister-in-law does not allow any one to come to table who hasn't horny hands. But wait awhile, after the folk have eaten you shall have what is left."
The old Devil was offended that in the King's house they wished him to feed like a pig. He said to Ivan, "It is a foolish law you have in your kingdom that every one must work with his hands. It's your stupidity that invented it. Do people work only with their hands? What do you think wise men work with?"
And Ivan said, "How are we fools to know? We do most of our work with our hands and our backs."
"That is because you are fools! But I will teach you how to work with the head. Then you will know that it is more profitable to work with the head than with the hands."
Ivan was surprised. "If that is so" said he, "then there is some sense in calling us fools!" And the old Devil went on. "Only it is not easy to work with one's head. You give me nothing to eat, because I have no hard places on my hands, but you do not know that it is a hundred times more difficult to work with the head. Sometimes one's head quite splits."
Ivan became thoughtful. "Why, then, friend, do you torture yourself so? Is it pleasant when the head splits? Would it not be better to do easier work with your hands and your back?"
But the Devil said, "I do it all out of pity for you fools. If I didn't torture myself you would remain fools for ever. But, having worked with my head, I
177 T he Sto ry of Iva n t h e Foo l
can now teach you."
Ivan was surprised. "Do teach us!" said he, "so that when our hands get cramped we may use our heads for a change."
And the Devil promised to teach the people. So Ivan gave notice through out the kingdom that a fine gentleman had come who would teach everybody how to work with their heads; that with the head more could be done than with the hands; and that the people ought all to come and learn.
Now there was in Ivan's kingdom a high tower, with many steps leading up to a lantern on the top. And Ivan took the gentleman up there that every one might see him.
So the gentleman took his place on the top of the tower and began to speak, and the people came together to see him. They thought the gentle man would really show them how to work with the head without using the hands. But the old Devil only taught them in many words how they might live without working. The people could make nothing of it. They looked and considered, and at last went off to attend to their affairs.
The old Devil stood on the tower a whole day, and after that a second day, talking all the time. But standing there so long he grew hungry, and the fools never thought of taking food to him up in the tower. They thought that if he could work with his head better than with his hands, he could at any rate easily provide himself with bread.
The old Devil stood on the top of the tower yet another day, talking away. People came near, looked on for awhile, and then went away.
And Ivan asked, "Well, has the gentleman begun to work with his head yet?"
"Not yet," said the people; "he's still spouting away." The old Devil stood on the tower one day more, but he began to grow weak, so that he staggered and hit his head against one of the pillars of the lantern. One of the people noticed it and told Ivan's wife, and she ran to her husband, who was in the field.
"Come and look," said she. "They say the gentleman is beginning to work with his head."
Ivan was surprised. "Really?" says he, and he turned his horse round, and went to the tower. And by the time he reached the tower the old Devil was quite exhausted with hunger, and was staggering and knocking his head against the pillars. And just as Ivan arrived at the tower, the Devil stumbled, fell, and came bump,
T he Sto ry of Iva n t h e Foo l 178
bump, bump, straight down the stairs to the bottom, counting each step with a knock of his head!
"Well!" says Ivan, "the fine gentleman told the truth when he said that 'sometimes one's head quite splits.' This is worse than blisters; after such work there will be swellings on the head."
The old Devil tumbled out at the foot of the stairs, and struck his head against the ground. Ivan was about to go up to him to see how much work he had done –when suddenly the earth opened and the old Devil fell through. Only a hole was left.
Ivan scratched his head. "What a nasty thing," says he. "It's one of those devils again! What a whop per! He must be the father of them all."
Ivan is still living, and people crowd to his kingdom. His own brothers have come to live with him, and he feeds them, too. To every one who comes and says "Give me food!" Ivan says, "All right. You can stay with us; we have plenty of everything."
Only there is one special custom in his kingdom; whoever has horny hands comes to table, but whoever has not, must eat what the others leave.
T he Sto ry of Iva n t h e Foo l 179
part i v
Sto r ie s Wri t t en to Pi c
t ures
Evil Allures, but Good Endures
There lived in olden times a good and kindly man. He had this world's goods in abundance, and many slaves to serve him. And the slaves prided themselves on their master, saying:
"There is no better lord than ours under the sun. He feeds and clothes us well, and gives us work suited to our strength. He bears no malice and never speaks a harsh word to any one. He is not like other masters, who treat their slaves worse than cattle: punishing them whether they deserve it or not, and never giving them a friendly word. He wishes us well, does good, and speaks kindly to us. We do not wish for a better life."
Thus the slaves praised their lord, and the Devil, seeing it, was vexed that slaves should live in such love and harmony with their master. So getting one of them, whose name was Aleb, into his power, the Devil ordered him to tempt the other slaves. And one day, when they were all sitting together rest ing and talking of their master's goodness, Aleb raised his voice, and said:
"It is stupid to make so much of our master's goodness. The Devil himself would be kind to you, if you did what he wanted. We serve our master well, and humor him in all things. As soon as he thinks of anything, we do it: fore seeing all his wishes. What can he do but be kind to us? Just try how it will be if, instead of humoring him, we do him some harm instead. He will act like any one else, and will repay evil for evil, as the worst of masters do."
The other slaves began denying what Aleb had said and at last bet with him. Aleb undertook to make their master angry. If he failed, he was to lose his holiday garment; but if he succeeded, the other slaves were to give him theirs. Moreover, they promised to defend him against the master, and to set him free if he should be put in chains or imprisoned. Having arranged this bet, Aleb agreed to make his master angry next morning.
Aleb was a shepherd, and had in his charge a number of valuable, purebred
sheep, of which his master was very fond. Next morning, when the master brought some visitors into the enclosure to show them the valuable sheep, Aleb winked at his companions, as if to say:
"See, now, how angry I will make him." All the other slaves assembled, looking in at the gates or over the fence, and the Devil climbed a tree near by to see how his servant would do his work. The master walked about the enclosure, showing his guests the ewes and lambs, and presently he wished to show them his finest ram.
"All the rams are valuable," said he, "but I have one with closely twisted horns, which is priceless. I prize him as the apple of my eye."
Startled by the strangers, the sheep rushed about the enclosure, so that the visitors could not get a good look at the ram. As soon as it stood still, Aleb startled the sheep as if by accident, and they all got mixed up again. The visi tors could not make out which was the priceless ram. At last the master got tired of it.
"Aleb, dear friend," he said, "pray catch our best ram for me, the one with the tightly twisted horns. Catch him very carefully, and hold him still for a moment."
Scarcely had the master said this, when Aleb rushed in among the sheep like a lion, and clutched the priceless ram. Holding him fast by the wool, he seized the left hind leg with one hand, and, before his master's eyes, lifted it and jerked it so that it snapped like a dry branch. He had broken the ram's leg and it fell bleating on to its knees. Then Aleb seized the right hind leg, while the left twisted round and hung quite limp. The visitors and the slaves exclaimed in dismay, and the Devil, sitting up in the tree, rejoiced that Aleb had done his task so cleverly. The master looked as black as thunder, frowned, bent his head, and did not say a word. The visitors and the slaves were silent, too, waiting to see what would follow. After remaining silent for a while, the master shook himself as if to throw off some burden. Then he lifted his head, and raising his eyes heavenward, remained so for a short time. Presently the wrinkles passed from his face, and he looked down at Aleb with a smile say ing:
"Oh, Aleb, Aleb! Your master bade you anger me; but my master is stron ger than yours. I am not angry with you, but I will make your master angry. You are afraid that I shall punish you, and you have been wishing for your freedom. Know, then, Aleb, that I shall not punish you; but, as you wish to be free, here, before my guests, I set you free. Go where you like, and take your holiday garment with you!"
And the kind master returned with his guests to the house; but the Devil, grinding his teeth, fell down from the tree, and sank through the ground.
Little Girls Wiser than Men
It was an early Easter. Sledging was only just over; snow still lay in the yards; and water ran in streams down the village street.
Two little girls from different houses happened to meet in a lane between two homesteads, where the dirty water after running through the farmyards had formed a large puddle. One girl was very small, the other a little bigger. Their mothers had dressed them both in new frocks. The little one wore a blue frock the other a yellow print, and both had red kerchiefs on their heads. They had just come from church when they met, and first they showed each other their finery, and then they began to play. Soon the fancy took them to splash about in the water, and the smaller one was going to step into the puddle, shoes and all, when the elder checked her:
"Don't go in so, Malasha," said she, "your mother will scold you. I will take off my shoes and stockings, and you take off yours."
They did so, and then, picking up their skirts, began walking towards each other through the puddle. The water came up to Malasha's ankles, and she said:
"It is deep, Akoulya, I'm afraid!" "Come on," replied the other. "Don't be frightened. It won't get any deeper."
When they got near one another, Akoulya said: "Mind, Malasha, don't splash. Walk carefully!" She had hardly said this, when Malasha plumped down her foot so that the water splashed right on to Akoulya's frock. The frock was splashed, and so were Akoulya's eyes and nose. When she saw the stains on her frock, she was angry and ran after Malasha to strike her. Malasha was frightened, and seeing that she had got herself into trouble, she scrambled out of the puddle, and prepared to run home. Just then Akoulya's mother happened to be pass ing, and seeing that her daughter's skirt was splashed, and her sleeves dirty,
Li t t l e Gir l s Wis er t h a n Men 184
she said:
"You naughty, dirty girl, what have you been doing?" "Malasha did it on purpose," replied the girl. At this Akoulya's mother seized Malasha, and struck her on the back of her neck. Malasha began to howl so that she could be heard all down the street. Her mother came out.
"What are you beating my girl for?" said she; and began scold ing her neighbor. One word led to another and they had an angry quarrel. The men came out and a crowd collected in the street, every one shouting and no one listening. They all went on quarrelling, till one gave another a push, and the affair had very nearly come to blows, when Akoulya's old grandmother, stepping in among them, tried to calm them.
"What are you thinking of, friends? Is it right to behave so? On a day like this, too! It is a time for rejoicing, and not for such folly as this."
They would not listen to the old woman and nearly knocked her off her feet. And she would not have been able to quiet the crowd if it had not been for Akoulya and Malasha themselves. While the women were abusing each other, Akoulya had wiped the mud off her frock, and gone back to the puddle. She took a stone and began scraping away the earth in front of the puddle to make a channel through which the water could run out into the street. Pres ently Malasha joined her, and with a chip of wood helped her dig the channel. Just as the men were beginning to fight, the water from the little girls' channel ran streaming into the street towards the very place where the old woman was trying to pacify the men. The girls followed it; one running along each side of the little stream.
"Catch it, Malasha! Catch it!" shouted Akoulya; while Malasha could not speak for laughing.
Highly delighted, and watching the chip float along on their stream, the little girls ran straight into the group of men; and the old woman, seeing them, said to the men:
"Are you not ashamed of yourselves? To go fighting on account of these lassies, when they themselves have forgotten all about it, and are playing hap pily together. Dear little souls! They are wiser than you!"
The men looked at the little girls and were ashamed, and, laughing at themselves, went back each to his own home.
"Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven."
Ilyas
There once lived, in the Government of Oufa, a Bashkir named Ilyas. His father, who died a year after he had found his son a wife, did not leave him much property. Ilyas then had only seven mares, two cows, and about a score of sheep. He was a good manager, however, and soon began to acquire more. He and his wife worked from morn till night; rising earlier than others and going later to bed; and his possessions increased year by year. Living in this way, Ilyas little by little acquired great wealth. At the end of thirty-five years he had horses, head of cattle, and , sheep. Hired laborers tended his flocks and herds, and hired women milked his mares and cows, and made kumiss, butter and cheese. Ilyas had an abundance of everything, and every one in the district envied him. They said of him:
"Ilyas is a fortunate man: he has plenty of everything. This world must be a pleasant place for him."
People of position heard of Ilyas and sought his acquaintance. Visitors came to him from afar; and he welcomed every one, and gave them food and drink. Whoever might come, there was always kumiss, tea, sherbet, and mutton to set before them. Whenever visitors arrived a sheep would be killed, or sometimes two; and if many guests came he would even slaughter a mare for them.
Ilyas had three children: two sons and a daughter; and he married them all off. While he was poor, his sons worked with him, and looked after the flocks and herds themselves; but when he grew rich they got spoiled and one of them took to drink. The eldest was killed in a brawl; and the younger, who had married a self-willed woman, ceased to obey his father, and they could not live together any more.
So they parted, and Ilyas gave his son a house and some of the cattle; and this diminished his wealth. Soon after that, a disease broke out among Ilyas's sheep, and many died. Then followed a bad harvest, and the hay crop failed;
Ilya s 186
and many cattle died that winter. Then the Kirghiz captured his best herd of horses; and Ilyas's property dwindled away. It became smaller and smaller, while at the same time his strength grew less; till, by the time he was seventy years old, he had begun to sell his furs, carpets, saddles, and tents. At last he had to part with his remaining cattle, and found himself face to face with want. Before he knew how it had happened, he had lost everything, and in their old age he and his wife had to go into service. Ilyas had nothing left, ex cept the clothes on his back, a fur cloak, a cup, his indoor shoes and overshoes, and his wife, Sham-Shemagi, who also was old by this time. The son who had parted from him had gone into a far country, and his daughter was dead, so that there was no one to help the old couple.
Their neighbor, Muhammad-Shah, took pity on them. Muhammad-Shah was neither rich nor poor, but lived comfortably, and was a good man. He remembered Ilyas's hospitality, and pitying him, said:
"Come and live with me, Ilyas, you and your old woman. In summer you can work in my melon garden as much as your strength allows, and in winter feed my cattle; and Sham-Shemagi shall milk my mares and make kumiss. I will feed and clothe you both. When you need anything, tell me, and you shall have it."
Ilyas thanked his neighbor, and he and his wife took service with Muham mad-Shah as laborers. At first the position seemed hard to them, but they got used to it, and lived on, working as much as their strength allowed.
Muhammad-Shah found it was to his advantage to keep such people, be cause, having been masters themselves, they knew how to manage and were not lazy, but did all the work they could. Yet it grieved Muhammad-Shah to see people brought so low who had been of such high standing.
It happened once that some of Muhammad-Shah's relatives came from a great distance to visit him, and a Mullah came too. Muhammad-Shah told Ilyas to catch a sheep and kill it. Ilyas skinned the sheep, and boiled it, and sent it in to the guests. The guests ate the mutton, had some tea, and then began drinking kumiss. As they were sitting with their host on down cushions on a carpet, conversing and sipping kumiss from their cups, Ilyas, having fin ished his work passed by the open door. Muhammad-Shah, seeing him pass, said to one of the guests:
"Did you notice that old man who passed just now?" "Yes," said the visitor, "what is there remarkable about him?" "Only this –that he was once the richest man among us," replied the host. "His name is Ilyas. You may have heard of him."
Ilya s 187
"Of course I have heard of him," the guest answered "I never saw him before, but his fame has spread far and wide."
"Yes, and now he has nothing left," said Muhammad-Shah, "and he lives with me as my laborer, and his old woman is here too –she milks the mares."
The guest was astonished: he clicked with his tongue, shook his head, and said:
"Fortune turns like a wheel. One man it lifts, another it sets down! Does not the old man grieve over all he has lost?"
"Who can tell. He lives quietly and peacefully, and works well." "May I speak to him?" asked the guest. "I should like to ask him about his life."
"Why not?" replied the master, and he called from the kibitka in which they were sitting:
"Babay;" (which in the Bashkir tongue means "Grandfather") "come in and have a cup of kumiss with us, and call your wife here also."
Ilyas entered with his wife; and after exchanging greetings with his master and the guests, he repeated a prayer, and seated himself near the door. His wife passed in behind the curtain and sat down with her mistress.
A cup of kumiss was handed to Ilyas; he wished the guests and his master good health, bowed, drank a little, and put down the cup.
"Well, Daddy," said the guest who had wished to speak to him, "I suppose you feel rather sad at the sight of us. It must remind you of your former prosper ity, and of your present sorrows."
Ilyas smiled, and said: "If I were to tell you what is happiness and what is misfortune, you would not believe me. You had better ask my wife. She is a woman, and what is in her heart is on her tongue. She will tell you the whole truth."
The guest turned towards the curtain. "Well, Granny," he cried, "tell me how your former happiness compares with your present misfortune."
And Sham-Shemagi answered from behind the curtain: "This is what I think about it: My old man and I lived for fifty years seek ing happiness and not finding it; and it is only now, these last two years, since we had nothing left and have lived as laborers, that we have found real happi ness, and we wish for nothing better than our present lot."
The guests were astonished, and so was the master; he even rose and drew the curtain back, so as to see the old woman's face. There she stood with her
Ilya s 188
arms folded, looking at her old husband, and smiling; and he smiled back at her. The old woman went on:
"I speak the truth and do not jest. For half a century we sought for happi ness, and as long as we were rich we never found it. Now that we have nothing left, and have taken service as laborers, we have found such happiness that we want nothing better."
"But in what does your happiness consist?" asked the guest. "Why, in this," she replied, "when we were rich my husband and I had so many cares that we had no time to talk to one another, or to think of our souls, or to pray to God. Now we had visitors, and had to consider what food to set before them, and what presents to give them, lest they should speak ill of us. When they left, we had to look after our laborers who were always trying to shirk work and get the best food, while we wanted to get all we could out of them. So we sinned. Then we were in fear lest a wolf should kill a foal or a calf, or thieves steal our horses. We lay awake at night, worrying lest the ewes should overlie their lambs, and we got up again and again to see that all was well. One thing attended to, another care would spring up: how, for instance, to get enough fodder for the winter. And besides that, my old man and I used to disagree. He would say we must do so and so, and I would differ from him; and then we disputed –sinning again. So we passed from one trouble to another, from one sin to another, and found no happiness."
"Well, and now?" "Now, when my husband and I wake in the morning, we always have a loving word for one another and we live peacefully, having nothing to quarrel about. We have no care but how best to serve our master. We work as much as our strength allows and do it with a will, that our master may not lose but profit by us. When we come in, dinner or supper is ready and there is kumiss to drink. We have fuel to burn when it is cold and we have our fur cloak. And we have time to talk, time to think of our souls, and time to pray. For fifty years we sought happiness, but only now at last have we found it."
The guests laughed. But Ilyas said: "Do not laugh, friends. It is not a matter for jesting –it is the truth of life. We also were foolish at first, and wept at the loss of our wealth; but now God has shown us the truth, and we tell it, not for our own consolation, but for your good."
And the Mullah said: "That is a wise speech. Ilyas has spoken the exact truth. The same is said
Ilya s 189
in Holy Writ."
And the guests ceased laughing and became thoughtful.
pa rt v
Fo l k ta l e s Re tol d
The Three Hermits
An Old Legend Current in the Volga District
And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not therefore like unto them: for your Fa ther knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him.
– Matt. vi. , A Bishop was sailing from Archangel to the Solovetsk Monastery; and on the same vessel were a number of pilgrims on their way to visit the shrines at that place. The voyage was a smooth one – the wind favorable, and the weather fair. The pilgrims lay on deck, eating, or sat in groups talking to one another. The Bishop, too, came on deck, and as he was pacing up and down, he noticed a group of men standing near the prow and listening to a fisherman who was pointing to the sea and telling them something. The Bishop stopped, and looked in the direction in which the man was pointing. He could see nothing however, but the sea glistening in the sunshine. He drew nearer to listen, but when the man saw him, he took off his cap and was silent. The rest of the people also took off their caps, and bowed.
"Do not let me disturb you, friends," said the Bishop. "I came to hear what this good man was saying."
"The fisherman was telling us about the hermits," replied one, a trades man, rather bolder than the rest.
"What hermits?" asked the Bishop, going to the side of the vessel and seat ing himself on a box. "Tell me about them. I should like to hear. What were you pointing at?"