Eight legged dog
Fairy tale of the Komi people
Once upon a time there lived an old man with an old woman. One day they went to Parma, to the northern forest, to pick blueberries. They collect berries in little bags, look, some strange animal is running towards them.
Who are you? - asks the old man.
“I am a dog,” says the beast. - Take me with you.
Why do we need you? - the old woman waves her hand. “It’s hard for the two of us to feed ourselves, and you too.”
I'm miserable! - the dog whined and cried. “I’ve been running around the whole world, no one will take me.” I have erased four paws, soon I will erase the other four, and then I will die. Oya yes oya!
Didn't you have eight legs? - asks the old man.
“Eight is like eight,” the dog answers. - Previously, all dogs were eight-legged, they ran faster than all the animals.
Well, with four legs you are of no use to us at all,” the old woman says.
“My bitter little head,” she whined again. - I am the last dog in the whole wide world. As soon as I wear out my last paws, my family line will be cut short. Take me, unfortunate thing, I will live in a kennel and guard the house for you.
Old woman, and old woman, maybe we can take her with us? - the old man persuades.
Even though she is flawed, it would still be a pity if the last dog on earth died out.
If only she had eight legs,” sighs the old woman. - Okay, let’s feel sorry for this ugly thing on four legs.
They took the dog in. It’s okay, we’re used to being four-legged. The dog guarded the house and went hunting with the old man. From her the race of four-legged dogs originated.
The old man and the old woman need to be thanked, otherwise there would be no such people left on earth.
Daughter with a spindle
Fairy tale of the Komi people
There lived an old man and an old woman, and they had a daughter as tall as a spindle.
One day a witch - youma - came to the old people and said:
Your daughter is as tall as a spindle, and I have a son no bigger. Give your daughter in marriage to my son! If you don’t give it back, I won’t let you live: I’ll block your chimney, I’ll close it, and I’ll lock the doors from the outside!
The old people were scared. They say to Yoma:
What can you do with you? We'll give our daughter for your son...
She took the youma girl and dragged her to her place.
But it turns out she didn’t have any son. She just wanted to destroy the girl. The youma dragged the girl into her hut and said:
Go and shear my sheep. I need wool for yarn.
The girl went to shear Yomin’s sheep, and on the way she stopped by an old woman she knew.
Where are you going? - asks the old lady.
I'm going to shear Yomin's sheep.
The youma is sending you to certain death! - says the old woman. - Her sheep are gray wolves! Well, I'll teach you how to do it! When you come to the forest, climb a tree and shout louder:
Sheep, my little sheep,
Get ready quickly
Cut your own hair
Leave the wool to me!
The girl did just that. She came to the forest, climbed a tall tree and sang:
Sheep, my little sheep,
Get ready quickly
Cut your own hair
Leave the wool to me!
Then gray wolves came running, began to jump under the tree, tearing at each other with their claws. They tore up a lot of fur, and then everyone ran away. The girl collected the wool in a pile and brought it to the yoma. The youma was surprised:
What a miracle! How come my sheep didn’t eat you? Well, now run quickly to my cows - milk them and bring me milk.
The girl went to look for Yomin’s cows, and on the way she again visited an old woman she knew.
Where is the youma sending you now? - asks the old lady.
Milk the cows.
Did you know that her cows are shaggy bears? When you come to the forest, climb on tall tree and shout:
Cows, cows,
Get ready quickly
Milk yourself
Leave me the milk!
The girl did just that. She came to the forest, climbed a tree and began to call the bears. Yomin cows - shaggy bears - came running to her cry. They milked themselves, poured the milk into birch tueski (buckets made of birch bark), left it for the girl, and then scattered through the forest.
The girl brought milk. Yoma can't believe his eyes:
How come my little cows didn’t eat you? Well, now run quickly to my sister and ask her for a birch bark basket.
And she thinks:
“I didn’t manage to destroy her, but my elder sister will destroy her!”
The girl ran to Yomina’s sister, and on the way she ran into the old woman. The old woman gave her butter and cereals, a basket of resin, a wooden comb and a block and said:
Yomina's sister is also a youma. When you come to her, say: “Yoma-aunt, Yoma-aunt! Your sister asks for a birch bark basket.” When you sense trouble, run away quickly! Lubricate the hinges on the door with oil and it will open. The yomin black birds will attack you - you throw them cereals. They will fall behind. Yomin's sister will catch up with you - first you throw the comb, then the block, and finally the basket of resin.
A girl came to see Yomina’s sister. Yomina's sister asks her:
Why did you come to me?
Yoma-aunt, Yoma-aunt! Your sister asks for a birch bark basket.
Ah, a basket! Okay, I'll give it. You sit down and rest, and I’ll go to the closet and bring you a basket.
Yomina's sister went into the closet and began sharpening her teeth.
The girl heard this and realized that trouble was threatening, but she had better run away.
I rushed to the door, but the door did not open. She guessed it - she lubricated the hinges with oil, and the door opened by itself. The girl ran out into the street, and black birds attacked her from all sides, screaming - they were about to peck out her eyes! She threw cereals to the birds, and they lagged behind her. The girl ran as fast as she could.
And the youma-aunt sharpened her teeth, came out of the closet, looked - and the girl was not there! She rushed to the door and began to scold her:
Why did you release it?
And the door in response:
Why should I keep her? I have been serving you for forty years now, and you have never oiled my hinges.
The youma-aunt ran out into the street, let's scold the birds:
Why was she released? Why didn't they peck out her eyes?
And the black birds responded:
Why do we need to peck at her eyes? We've been living with you for forty years now - not once have you even let us peck the remains of the dough from the kneading bowl!
The yoma-aunt sat down in the mortar, pushed with a pusher, made noise and rattled through the forest, chasing the girl. It's about to catch up.
The girl threw the comb over her shoulder and said:
My wooden comb
Grow into a dense forest
Behind me
Youma has a lead!
There grew up here behind the girl, in front of the youma a dense, dense forest up to the clouds.
Youma-aunt struggled and struggled, searched and searched for a passage, but couldn’t find it! There is nothing to do, I returned home to get an ax. She rushed back with an ax, cut a path, but where to put the heavy ax?
She hides the ax in the bushes, and the forest birds shout to her:
You will hide -
We'll see!
We'll see -
We'll tell everyone!
The youma got angry at the forest birds:
Ooh, sharp-eyed ones! They see everything!
The youma-aunt decided to throw the ax back. She threw it and the ax fell right next to her house.
Again she chased the girl, again she began to overtake her. Then the girl threw the block over her shoulder behind her and shouted:
You are a block, a block,
Stand up like a stone mountain
Behind me
Youma has a lead!
And now, behind the girl, in front of the youma, a large stone mountain grew.
Again, Yoma-aunt had to return home for an ax. She grabbed an ax and rushed again to the stone mountain - let's make a passage in it! It’s broken through, but where should I put the ax? The birds are already here, singing the same song:
You will hide -
We'll see!
We'll see -
We'll tell everyone!
Again the youma threw the ax towards her house and chased the girl. He's about to catch up with her, he's about to grab her...
Then the girl threw a basket of resin and shouted:
Basket with resin,
Flow like a river of tar
I have ahead
The yoma is behind!
And I mixed up the words. Both the girl and the youma found themselves in the tar river. And at this time a crow flew over the river.
My little crow,” says the girl, “fly to my father, to my mother, tell them that their daughter is stuck in the tar along with the evil youma!” Let them take a three-pound iron scrap, let them take fire and run here!..
A crow flew to the old men, sat on the window, conveyed to them the girl’s request, but the old men did not hear the crow’s words.
The daughter waited and waited for help from her father, but she did not receive any help from her mother. And at this time a large raven flew over her head.
Raven, raven! - the girl shouted. - Tell my father and mother that I got stuck in the tar river! Let them rush to my aid, let them carry fire and heavy crowbars!
A raven flew to the old people and shouted loudly:
Trigger trigger! Your daughter ran away from the youma and fell into the tar river! The youma chased after her and also got stuck in the tar river! Your daughter asks you to run to her aid, to carry an iron crowbar and fire!
A cunning youma saw the old man and the old woman and shouted from afar:
My dears, get us out of here! Your daughter and I got ready to visit you, but we both fell into the tar river!
Don't believe her, don't believe her! - my daughter screams. “She ran after me, she wanted to destroy me, she wanted to eat me!”
An old man ran up and drove the evil youma into the tar river with an iron crowbar. Then he lit a fire, melted the resin and pulled out the daughter.
The three of them returned home cheerful, joyful and began to live together, as they had lived before.
Mouse and Magpie
Fairy tale of the Komi people
Once upon a time there lived a mouse sister and a magpie sister. One day a mouse got ready for work and said to the magpie:
I, magpie sister, will go get some hay, while you tidy up the house and set the soup to cook.
The mouse left, and the magpie began to clean up and cook soup. She cooked and cooked soup, and then fell into the pot upside down.
The mouse came home and knocked:
Sister Magpie, open up!
I knocked for a long time, but no one answered. She scurried into the hole, went into the barn, swept away the hay and again ran into the hut. But no, the magpie sister is not there.
Then the mouse took the soup out of the stove to eat, and then she saw the magpie sister in the pot. What can you do, she ate the magpie meat, and dragged the brisket-boat to the river, sat in it and sang:
The mouse floats and sways:
Her boat is a magpie's breastbone,
The oar is a beaver tail,
The pole will rip out the tail,
Sable tail sail.
It will row under the steep bank,
Under the sandy shore it will push you.
A hare comes towards you and says:
Well, at least I’ll put one paw up and stand on one...
Well, what can I do with you, sit down. The two of them swam further, the mouse sang again:
The mouse floats and sways:
The oar is a beaver tail,
The pole will rip out the tail,
The sail is a sable tail.
They met a fox and said:
Mouse sister, take me to the boat.
I won’t take it, my boat is small.
Well, at least I’ll put one paw up and stand on one...
Well, what can I do with you, sit down. The three of them swim, the mouse sings its song again:
The mouse floats and sways:
Her boat is a magpie's breastbone,
Paddle beaver tail,
The pole will rip out the tail,
The sail is a sable tail.
It will paddle under the steep bank,
Under the sandy shore - it will push.
They met a bear and said:
Mouse sister, take me to the boat.
I won’t take it, my boat is small.
Well, at least I’ll put one leg up and stand on one.
No, you're a lot you'll take your place, you'll capsize the boat.
Then I'll sit down so she doesn't roll over. The bear got into the boat and drowned everyone!
Perya the hero
Fairy tale of the Komi people
In ancient times, they say, on the Lupye River, which flows into the Kama, lived an unprecedented strongman named Perya. He lived by hunting, hunting with a bow and arrow. He used a bow to kill a bird, and went after a large animal with a spear. He sees the trail of an elk, deer or bear and runs along the trail. He quickly catches up and pierces with a spear. He had a hut in the forest, but Perya didn’t like to sleep in it: it was stuffy. Both summer and winter I slept near the hut in the open air around the fire.
People respected Perya the hero and loved him.
At that time, many goblin lived in our forests. There were different types of goblin. Near one village, a very fierce goblin appeared, annoyed everyone in the village, did not allow them to hunt, and stole livestock. People pleased him this way and that, treated him. They will bake a pie with fish, chicken eggs They’ll cook it up, take it all into the forest, put it on a tree stump, and shout:
Eat, vorsa (goblin), help yourself, just don’t touch us!
They even slaughtered dogs for him. Leshy are very fond of dog meat. So this goblin ate all the gifts, but did not let up and continued to harm people. What to do? They decided to call Perya the hero for help. They told about the devil's tricks. Perya got angry, took his weapon, got on his skis and went into the forest where the goblin ruled. I started looking for his path. In the evening I found it, lit a fire, and sat down. Hunters pass by and say:
Where are you sitting? After all, this is the path of the devil. He doesn’t forgive anyone for this and won’t let you off the hook.
That’s what I need,” Perya grins.
By nightfall a goblin came - huge, his head taller than the forest.
Why did you come on my path, you pathetic man? Maybe you want to test your strength?
Perya stood up to his full enormous height.
Yes, I want to measure myself.
The goblin saw what a hero was in front of him, and decided to defeat Perya by cunning.
“Come on,” he says, “let’s go to bed now, and in the morning we’ll measure our strength.”
Well, go ahead,” Perya agrees.
They cut down two pine trees and made a nodya (fire) for the night. The goblin lay down on one side of the node, Perya - on the other.
How do you sleep? - asks the goblin.
“I sleep silently and motionless, like a log,” says Perya. - How do you sleep?
And when I sleep, I snore so much that the pine needles above me fall off, and sparks fly from my nose,” the goblin answers.
Perya fell silent. Soon the goblin began snoring so much that pine needles fell down. Perya stood up and looked at him across the fire. That's right: sparks fly from the devil's nose. So he's sleeping. Perya put a thick log in its place and covered it with his clothes, and he hid behind a mighty pine tree. At midnight the goblin woke up, stood up, looked over the fire and said:
He really sleeps like a log.
The goblin took his spear and put the tip into the fire, and when it became red-hot, he grabbed the spear, jumped over the fire and thrust the spear into a log covered with clothes. With difficulty the spear hit the damp log, and the goblin leaned on it with his whole chest.
Oh, what a strong hero you were! - he said. - But the end has come for you too.
Then Perya came out from behind the pine tree and pulled his tight bow.
Stop, villain of the pile! You wanted to kill me while I was sleeping, to pierce me with a red-hot spear, and for this you will have no mercy!
What should a devil do? The spear got stuck in a log. Stands unarmed.
“Spare me,” he says. - I won't more people harm.
“I don’t believe you,” Perya answers. - You have now shown what you are, shown your black soul.
Perya shot an arrow into the goblin's chest. Killed the villain. He came to the village and told the people:
Now you can live in peace, without fear of foresting (hunting).
And another time, messengers from the prince himself came to Pere. A steppe horde attacked the princely city, the princely army is beating, there is no strength to resist. The enemy hero rides in a huge iron wheel, crushes the prince’s warriors, and there is no one to fight that hero. Come, they say, Perya the hero, stand up to defend our land.
Perya agreed. Messengers say:
We'll take you to the battle site in two weeks.
No need, says Perya. - I can get there on foot in two days.
Perya got on his skis. He arrived at the battlefield in two days and saw that there was a battle going on - the enemy hero was riding in a huge iron wheel and crushing people with it. Perya grabbed the wheel with both hands, lifted it and slammed it to the ground. Neither the hero nor the wheel were left. The enemy army saw the victory of our hero and ran back.
The prince invited Perya to his place for a great feast. They feasted for three days. Perya is getting ready to go home. The prince asks:
What, Perya, did you like sleeping in the princely chambers?
No,” the hero answers, “I didn’t like it.” Your chambers are stuffy and full of fleas, but I’m used to sleeping in the forest near Nodya, in freedom.
“You have defeated the enemy,” says the prince, “ask for what you want for your service.”
“I don’t need anything,” says Perya. - I only need one thing - to live and forest freely in my native places along the Lupye River.
The prince gave Pera a certificate of ownership of those forests, and also presented a silk net to catch martens.
Perya returned home and lived as before, peacefully and calmly. He logged on his vast estates, no one bothered him.
This is what our Perya the hero was like.
Everyone here knows Perya, everyone talks about him, everyone loves him.
Cedun
Fairy tale of the Komi people
Once upon a time there lived a peasant. He had three sons: the eldest - Vasily, the middle - Pyodor and the youngest - Ivan. Ivan was a sedun, he didn’t get off the stove, he kept sitting there, he used to chop the clay. And the other two brothers are not stupid, they are smart. One day my father fell ill and became completely weak. He called his sons and said:
Well, my sons, apparently it’s time for me to die, I won’t get better. Bury me, and then visit the grave for three nights. On the first night let Vasily come, on the second night let Pedor come, and after that you come too, Sedun.
So the father said goodbye to his sons and immediately left. They buried him honorably. Evening came, it was time to go to the grave of the eldest son.
Vasily says:
Won't you, Sedun, go to your father's grave instead of me? I'll buy you a red shirt for that.
Okay, I’ll go,” Sedun agreed. He had been eyeing the red shirt for a long time. I got ready without hesitation and went.
Sedun slept the night at his father’s grave, and in the morning his father gave him a handsome red horse. Sedun is happy. He quickly took the horse to the stream, and went home as if nothing had happened.
Now the second night is approaching, the middle brother, Pedor, needs to go to the cemetery. In the evening Pedor Seduna asks:
Won't you, Ivan, go to the grave instead of me? I'll buy you a pair of boots for this.
“I’ll go,” Sedun agreed again. And what does he need boots for? He doesn't go anywhere. Yes, apparently, he needs to show off too - off he goes.
Sedun slept the second night at his father's grave, and in the morning received a gray horse as a gift. Sedun was glad and took this horse to the stream.
When the third night approached and it was Sedun’s turn to go to the cemetery, he thought that now no one would pay him for this. However, he trudged along and slept at his father’s grave for the third night. In the morning, the father gave his youngest son a black horse. Sedun also took the funnel to the same stream.
And the king ruled that side, and the king had three daughters: Marya, Vasilisa and Marpida. And the time has come for them to choose their grooms. The king gave the girls a silk scarf: one was a beautiful, beautiful scarf, the other was even more beautiful, and the youngest, Princess Marpida, the most beautiful, was all on fire.
In the morning, the eldest daughter hung her scarf on the balcony.
Whoever gets the handkerchief, they announced throughout the kingdom, will be the groom!
The people heard this and flocked to the palace from all sides. The Seduna brothers also got ready.
“Maybe happiness will smile on us too!” - think to themselves.
Sedun saw their preparations and asked:
Brothers, won't you take me with you? They just laugh:
Where are you going, you fool! I would be sitting on the stove. They harnessed their father's old nag to the sleigh and drove off.
And Sedun went to the stream, called the red horse there and climbed into his ear.
In one ear I steamed and washed myself, in the other I got dressed and put on shoes and came out looking so handsome and strong - well done!
The young man jumped on his horse and soon caught up with his brothers - they rode off not far away in a nag. He caught up and, without stopping, just bent down, hit one brother on the ear as he galloped, hit the other and whistled past. The brothers fell to their knees.
Holy, holy, they say, no way, Elijah the prophet rushed by!
And Sedun rushed to the Tsar’s palace, jumped higher than the balcony, but left the scarf and did not take it.
The people marvel:
Well, he can, but he doesn’t!
Probably some lucky person later took out this scarf, but Sedun did not see it. On the way back, he met his brothers again and again gave one and the other a slap on the ear. The brothers fell to their knees.
Holy, holy, they say, and truly Elijah the prophet, how he intimidated!
When the brothers returned home, Sedun was lying on the stove - he had galloped up a long time ago, released his horse to the stream, and climbed into his place.
Well, brothers, what did you see and hear? - asks.
They didn’t see anything, they say. - Someone took off the scarf, it’s not about us, apparently... Only Elijah the Prophet galloped past on the road, greatly intimidating us.
But I didn’t hear any thunder. If you stayed at home, it would be better,” says Sedun. The next day, the middle daughter hung out her scarf. The brothers gathered again - maybe this time they will be lucky. Sedun asked:
Take me too!
Yes, they just laughed:
Shut up, fool, where are you going! Lie on the stove.
We harnessed our nag and drove off.
Sedun got off the stove, went to the stream, called another horse, a gray one. He got into one ear, washed himself and took a steam bath, got dressed and put on shoes in the other, and again appeared strong and handsome. He jumped on a gray horse and galloped off. As soon as he caught up with the brothers, again, without getting off the saddle, he gave one a blow, another, and they fell to their knees.
Holy, holy! - are baptized. - Elijah the prophet rushed by, completely intimidating us!
And Sedun drove up to the balcony, jumped up and again, like last time, didn’t take the handkerchief, just looked.
People marveled:
That’s what it’s like: he could have taken the scarf, but he didn’t take it off! Sedun galloped back. He looks: his brothers are still going to the Tsar’s palace. Again Sedun honored them with slaps on the wrist, they fell to their knees, whispering:
Holy, holy! Yes, indeed, Elijah is the prophet!
Soon, not soon, the brothers returned home. Sedun asks from the stove:
Well, brothers, did you get the scarf today?
“We didn’t get it, someone already took it,” the brothers answer. “Only Elijah the Prophet galloped past, again frightening us...
“But I haven’t heard anything,” says Sedun. - If we both sat at home, we wouldn’t see any passions.
On the third day, the youngest of the sisters, Princess Marpida, hung out the scarf. People gathered from all over the kingdom - who didn’t want to get that scarf! The brothers are jealous, they say:
Let's go and maybe we'll get one for the last time. Sedun also did not remain silent on the stove:
Today I won’t stay at home either, I’ll go with you! Then he went out and was the first to get into the sleigh. The brothers laughed, scolded and began to dissuade him - Sedun did not get out of the sleigh.
Well, have it your way,” they finally agreed. They took Sedun to the stream and pushed him out of the sleigh. They pushed him out and, laughing, left, but Sedun remained.
And it’s good that they took us to the stream, so we don’t have to drag ourselves,” Sedun smiled after him.
He called the third - a black horse, got into one ear - steamed and washed, in the other - got dressed and put on shoes, he became such a fine fellow, stately and handsome. He jumped on his horse and rushed off. Oh, and the brothers got it from him! I looked around, driving away, - they were still on their knees, they didn’t dare to rise...
Holy, holy! - they whisper, - Elijah the prophet galloped, he caught up with fear...
Sedun rode up to the palace, accelerated his horse, he jumped above the roof, and only when he was descending did Sedun take off the scarf from Princess Marpida.
Oh, catch, catch! - people shout. - Who is this? Who it?
How can you catch him if he’s on horseback, above your heads?
On the way back, Sedun again met the brothers - they were still on their way to the palace - and again beat them thoroughly. They fell to their knees.
Holy, holy! - are baptized. - Once again Elijah the prophet is making us afraid...
They arrived home, and Sedun was already on the stove.
Tomorrow, Sedun, you will go with us, they say.
Well,” Sedun was surprised, “are they really inviting me too?”
Tomorrow everyone should be there, even the legless and blind, from all over the kingdom. Royal daughters They will look for their suitors in the crowd.
Okay, I’ll go,” Sedun agreed, “if only you don’t throw me out of the sleigh.” Didn't you get the scarf?
They didn’t get it, they answer. “Only Elijah the Prophet once again brought such fear upon us that we had never even heard of.
If they had stayed at home like me, things would have been better.
The brothers went to bed in the evening, and at dawn he woke up alone and couldn’t believe his eyes:
What's happened? We're on fire, aren't we? Is there a fire in the hut?
And this is the tip of the red scarf sticking out from Sedun’s bosom in his sleep.
Brother, brother,” he began to wake up the other, “no way, Sedun set the hut on fire, there’s a fire on the stove!”
Sedun heard this, hid the tip of the scarf under his shirt, and the fire was no longer visible. The brothers jumped up, but there was no fire.
As soon as it was completely dawn, the brothers harnessed the nag and called Sedun with them to the king’s mansion. They look, and people from all sides are walking and driving - some can and some can’t, blind and legless, poor and rich. By noon everyone had gathered, no one was left at home. Sedun is also in a hurry with everyone.
Why did they bring this? - they laugh all around. - After all, he is immediately obvious - not the groom.
No,” the king answers the people, “everyone must be here today!”
When the people had gathered, the king brought a cup of wine to his eldest daughter and ordered him to go around all the people with it:
Whoever you see with your handkerchief, bring him wine, and then sit on his lap - he will be your groom.
As soon as the eldest daughter went to visit the guests, she immediately saw her handkerchief - whoever took it out would not hide it.
Father,” says the girl, “I found my fiancé!”
She treated her betrothed to wine and sat on his lap.
The father handed a cup of wine to the second, middle daughter:
Now you go around the guests, find, treat your betrothed and sit on his lap.
Finally, it was Princess Marpide’s turn to visit the guests. The king gave her a cup of wine and instructed her, as before her sisters. Princess Marpida began to walk around the rows of guests, and a little of her scarf - the very corner - stuck out from Sedun’s bosom. She looked at her betrothed Marpid, and her heart sank. She walked past Sedun as if she had not noticed anything, and returned to her father with nothing.
“I couldn’t find a scarf, father,” he says.
Go around another time,” the king replies. - You’ll still see your scarf somewhere. He should be here, there are no people left on the sidelines!
The princess again walked around everyone and passed by Sedun, only again she didn’t seem to notice the scarf, although it was now half out. She brought a goblet of wine and put it on the table.
“I didn’t find,” he says, “father, a scarf.” I don’t even know where he could be... The king frowned.
Still haven’t found it? - asks. - Or the groom looks bad, you should be ashamed? Go and have a better look.
This time the princess did not make the rounds of the guests, she went straight to Sedun, treated him to wine, wiped his nose with a handkerchief and sat down next to him. The people who sat next to me saw this and began to giggle.
Did you find it? - asked the king, hearing laughter.
“I found it, father,” said Princess Marpida, but she herself did not raise her head in shame. Then the king saw her betrothed and was upset.
Ugh! - he says. - Well, I found myself a groom, my son-in-law...
But what can you do - you can’t refuse the king’s word. The king sent them to some kind of barn, in which either pigs or cows had previously been kept. He sent without a feast or honors.
“Get out of my sight,” he says!.. And he stayed to feast with his two other sons-in-law. And we were there, eating and drinking...
So I once went to the king and told him that there was a golden-horned deer far, far away. It grazes in the field, runs quickly, and if anyone catches it, he will, of course, have the very first place in the kingdom...
The king understood why all this was told and said to his sons-in-law:
Show your skills - catch that deer and bring it here.
Well, the sons-in-law got ready, took ropes, leather reins and went to the steppe. And Sedun says to his wife:
Go to your father, ask for a water-carrying nag, I also want to catch deer, I am also the king’s son-in-law.
Princess Marpida went to her father to ask for a nag for Sedun.
What other nag does this Sedun need? - the king waved him off. - It’s better to stay at home and not make people laugh.
And Marpida the princess again asks her father:
It’s a pity, or what, what a nag? Give him. At this point the mother queen put in a word for her daughter. The king gave away the water-carrying mare. She was thin - skin and bones. Sedun crawled over and sat on it not like everyone else, but backwards. He took the end of the tail in his teeth, clapped his palms on the sides - he was going!
Look, look! - people are shouting all around. - Sedun, the third son-in-law of the king, also went to catch deer!
He sat down backwards! No other way than he will catch the golden-horned deer!
And Sedun just keeps driving and driving, as if he doesn’t hear these ridicules. He got to his stream, grabbed the mare by the tail and shook it - the carcass flew off at once, and only the skin remained in his hands! He hung this skin on the fence and called his horse. The first one to gallop up was the bay one. Sedun entered one ear, washed himself and took a steam bath, got dressed and put on shoes in the other, and became such a fine fellow again - you'll be amazed! He jumped on his horse, caught up with his brothers-in-law, hit one in the ear, hit the other and flew on. And they fell to their knees and crossed themselves:
Holy, holy! Elijah the prophet inspires fear. Meanwhile, Sedun caught a golden-horned deer in the field and is on his way back. Sedun's brothers-in-law saw him and were surprised:
You’re already on your way back, carrying a deer, and we’re just getting ready to hunt!
It’s too late,” says Sedun, “I’ve already caught the golden-horned one.”
The brothers-in-law began to persuade Sedun to sell them this deer.
“Well, okay,” answered Sedun. “Only the price for it is special.” Cut off the big toe from your foot and give it to me, otherwise you won’t get a deer.
The brothers-in-law thought, how could it be otherwise? They cut off one big toe and gave it to the young man. Sedun gave them the golden-horned deer and rushed off.
They arrived, the sons-in-law brought the deer to the king, and somehow he treated them even more cordially.
The sons-in-law praised the loot they brought. - We managed to catch this beast! Sedun also went hunting, but he was still missing. Have you seen it somewhere?
“We haven’t seen it,” the sons-in-law say, and again they vying with each other to tell how they caught the golden-horned handsome man.
A lot of time passed before Sedun returned. I soon galloped to the stream, but it took a long time to trudge from the stream. Moreover, he caught a dozen magpie crows on a horse carcass and dragged them to the king.
Here,” he says, “father-in-law, I brought you some loot!”
Ugh! - that’s all the king said and ordered the servants to throw the birds somewhere far away.
There was a lot of laughter!
Sedun hobbled into the barn, into the present kitchen, to his betrothed - they weren’t even invited to the table...
I went again to the king and told him that somewhere in a distant region, I heard, there was a golden bristle pig. The king listened and said:
Well, sons-in-law, catch me that pig - the golden bristle. If you bring her, you will be your favorite sons-in-law.
Even though the sons-in-law’s legs hurt after the recent hunt for a golden-horned deer, you can’t refuse the king. Besides, I want to be beloved sons-in-law.
Okay, they say, we’ll catch you.
We took the rawhide reins and drove off.
And Sedun again sends his Marpida to the king-father:
Go, Princess Marpida, ask your father for another nag, I will also go for a pig - a golden bristle. I'm his son-in-law!
Princess Marpida went to her father and began to ask for a nag, but her father stood his ground:
I'm not giving it! It’s enough that I’ve already disgraced myself once in front of all honest people.
Here the queen-mother again stood up for her daughter, it’s a pity, you see, the princess became, well, the two of them persuaded the king.
Sedun sat down on the nag sideways and rode off quietly.
Look, look,” they shout and laugh all around, “Sedun has gone hunting again!”
Yes, he sits like that, he’s already learned how to do it! Look, he catches the pig.
But Sedun doesn’t seem to see, doesn’t hear anything, he just goes on and on. He reached the stream, grabbed the mare by the tail, pulled it - the carcass flew off, and hung the skin on the fence. He called his second, gray horse, again entered one ear - steamed, washed, dressed and put on shoes in the other, again became stately and handsome. He jumped on his horse, caught up with his brothers-in-law, and gave each one an ear. They fell to their knees, looking after him, muttering:
Holy, holy! Once again Elijah the prophet is instilling fear.
Sedun caught a pig - a golden bristle, and on the way back he meets his brothers-in-law.
Yes, you seem to be returning from hunting, good fellow, but we are still going fishing! Would you sell us a pig? - they ask Ceduna.
“I’ll sell,” the fellow answers.
Will you take it at a high price?
And if you remove the skin from your backs the width of a belt, that’s how your pig will be.
The brothers-in-law began to think, but where to go - they agreed: they took a strip of skin from each other and gave it to the young man. Sedun gave them a golden bristle for that and galloped away.
The sons-in-law brought an unprecedented golden bristle pig to the palace, the king is more pleased than ever: he shows off to the guests, gives water to everyone, and treats his beloved sons-in-law!
They sit like this, everyone feasts, Seduna, of course, and no one is waiting, then he returns - the crows and forty brought three times more than before! The king found out about this and frowned:
Sedun is putting us to shame again!..
Now Sedun was not allowed to join the feast, although he even brought a gift to his mother-in-law. He turned and hobbled into the barn to his Marpida...
At this feast they again approached the king and began to tell him that a thirty-foot mare with thirty foals was grazing and walking far, far away...
Even the king’s face changed when he heard about that mare. He called his sons-in-law and said: “We need to catch her and the foals and drive them to the palace!” The sons-in-law agreed, but even though they think a lot about themselves, they can no longer walk, they limp. However, we got ready and went.
Sedun found out about this and again persuaded Marpida to go to his father to ask for a third nag - he wanted it. apparently, together with his brothers-in-law, catch that mare. Marpida went to her father. And he didn’t want to give Sedun the nag, but the queen mother stood up for her daughter and herself ordered whoever needed to know about that nag.
This time Sedun sat on the horse properly, sits upright and also urges him to trot.
People saw him, they still laughed, and they said:
Look, I finally learned how to ride... Well, Sedun got to the stream, grabbed the mare by the tail, and shook her harder. The carcass flew away, but he held the skin and hung it on the fence. Then he shouted to the third horse, a black one. The horse galloped up. Sedun climbed into one ear - washed and took a steam bath, got dressed and put on shoes in the other and became a stately and handsome young man. The black horse says to him:
Take with you, master, three buckets of resin, three sieves of thin needles, and also grab three horse skins from the fence. Without this, it is impossible to catch a thirty-foot mare who is grazing in the field with her foals. When we arrive, you will see an oak tree standing in that field. You climb a tree, cover me with horse skin, cover me with resin and sprinkle me with needles from a sieve, then do everything exactly two more times. You will do everything, sit on the tree and don’t take your eyes off the mare. As soon as you notice that the mare is tired and has dropped to her knees, jump from the tree and put a bridle on her. Then she will become submissive, follow you wherever you order, and the foals themselves will run after.
Sedun took everything that the horse told him and set off. Svoyakov, of course, again overtook him halfway, and again they got hit by him. They fell to their knees: “Holy, holy!” - they mutter, and Ivan flies away and doesn’t stop.
I galloped to the field where the oak tree stood, drove up to the oak tree, and saw that the mare was indeed grazing by the river. Sedun rather covered his black horse with horse skin from the fence, doused it with a bucket of resin and showered it with needles from a sieve. Then he put on the second and third skins, did everything he was supposed to, and climbed onto the oak tree.
Meanwhile, the thirty-fat mare saw a black horse, rushed to him, and how she bit him! If not for the skins, resin and needles, this would be the end of him. Only the old skin got into the mare’s mouth. Voronko kicks, hits the mare on the sides, and her mouth is full of wool, resin and needles, she can no longer bite! Still, I managed to get rid of this resin. She bit me again, and grabbed more of the skins, then she bit the black one for the third time, filling her entire mouth with skin, resin, and needles!
And the black man, you know, fights her off and kicks her. She finally fell to her knees. Then Ivan jumped from the oak tree and bridled her. She submitted and followed the new owner. Well, where do foals get from their mother? - they run after...
Sedun is riding back, a fine fellow, and he looks and his brothers-in-law are hurrying towards him:
Yes, it turns out that you have already caught the mare, and we are still going to catch it!
“I already caught it, here it is,” Sedun answers.
Would you mind selling it to us? - they ask.
What will you give? - asked Sedun. The brothers-in-law hesitate and can’t think of anything. And Sedun knows: he took toes from toes, skin from backs. Don't take off your heads! Ivan didn’t wait for an answer and drove off, leaving his brothers-in-law on the road.
Ivan always returned to his barn unnoticed, and then he looked - people had gathered on the street, waiting. And how can you not notice, because the fellow has a whole herd of foals, a thirty-fat mare, and even his horse is black! Dust rises in a column. Someone ran forward to open the stables and help herd the horses. The king also rejoices:
The son-in-law caught the golden-horned deer, the golden bristle pig was caught, and now the thirty-fat mare has been brought in with foals!
The king does not even remember about Sedun, unless the guests remember him:
Nothing, and he will soon bring his prey - a crow and a magpie.
Well, everyone is standing near the stables, waiting. Princess Marpida also ran out and also unlocked her stable. The door on its wooden hinge creaked loudly. The king noticed and laughed:
Is Sedunikha also waiting for someone? Look, the horses are not going to their sons-in-law’s stable, but to Sedun’s stable! People are surprised: “Did Sedun catch a mare with thirty foals?” True, a fine fellow came into the barn, stately, handsome - everyone noticed, but who would have recognized Seduna in him. And the young man entered the stable and said to Princess Marpida:
Well, go, wife, light the bathhouse - it was a long road, I got dusty.
They heated the bathhouse and he got ready to wash.
Go,” he says, “Marpida, call your father.” Princess Marpida went to her father and said:
Your son-in-law invites you to the bathhouse. And he refuses:
It’s a great honor to wash in the bathhouse with Sedun - he’s already disgraced me enough!
And Sedun came to the bathhouse, hung his toes from the ceiling and leather straps from the backs of his brothers-in-law - their payment for a golden-horned deer and a golden bristle pig - and began to wash. The king sat and sat with the guests and finally went to the bathhouse - not to wash, but to lure a thirty-fat mare with foals from Sedun. After all, he drove her into his stable... As soon as the king enters the bathhouse, the belts and fingers of his beloved sons-in-law knock and slap him on the forehead.
Why are you posting this here? - asks the king.
And this,” Sedun replies, “the belts from your sons-in-law’s backs and the toes from their toes are my payment for a golden-horned deer and a golden bristle pig.”
The king did not wash himself and returned to the palace. And then the sons-in-law returned from hunting. They both returned taciturn, silent, without prey.
“Come on,” says the king, “take off your shoes and show your legs!”
There is nothing to do, the sons-in-law took off their shoes. The king looks, but neither one nor the other has big toes!
“Now,” the king orders, “take off your shirts.”
The sons-in-law took off their shirts. And there are guests, people at a feast! Everyone burst into laughter. After all, everyone was waiting for the thirty-fat mare - guests, servants, and peasants. They look at the Tsar’s sons-in-law-hunters, clutching their stomachs with laughter. And the sons-in-law, barefoot and undressed, stand in front of everyone with their heads down - they are ashamed.
Not only will I not give you my kingdom, but I won’t even give you my kitchen! - says the king.
And he drove them out of the courtyard with their wives, with their belongings and servants:
So that your spirit does not exist in my kingdom!
He drove me away, and immediately went to the bathhouse.
And Ivan had already washed himself in the bathhouse and, of course, did not come out as Sedun. I washed and steamed and became handsome and strong! They returned with the king to the palace and seven times as many times as before, they gloriously feasted and dined with the guests. Well, then, of course, Ivan became king, but the former king himself became a former king and remained an old man.
And it was time for Princess Marpida a good life. That’s right, and now Ivan is still reigning and is living well with his queen Marpida.
Old woman Yoma and two girls
Fairy tale of the Komi people
Once upon a time there lived a husband and wife. They had a daughter. But then the wife died, the husband took another into the house, and she had her own daughter. The new wife was angry and grumpy, she loved only her daughter, and hated her poor stepdaughter. She forced her to work from morning to night, and gave her leftovers and leftovers to eat. But her daughter didn’t work at all, but ate everything delicious, everything sweet.
One day the stepmother gives the poor stepdaughter a skein of yarn and says:
Go to the river and rinse the yarn thoroughly. Don't be afraid that the water is cold. After work, your hands will warm up!
The girl ran to the river and began to rinse the yarn. Her fingers quickly froze and became completely numb, and she released the skein and it sank to the bottom. The girl ran home in tears and told her stepmother how the skein had drowned. The stepmother hit the girl on the head and screamed:
Oh, you slacker! I knew you would drown the skein! Get into the water, get it from the bottom! Get it however you want, but don’t come back without yarn!
The girl began to cry and went to the river. She walked up to the shore, closed her eyes and jumped into the water. And when I opened my eyes, I saw myself in a green meadow. A herd of golden-maned horses grazes on the grass. The wind blows the mane, tangles the hair. The girl approached the horses and combed their manes with her comb. Golden-maned mare says:
Follow this path. You will meet a sour cream stream, and then a honey stream. But don’t try sour cream or honey - these are the streams of the old woman Yoma (Yoma is like Baba Yaga, but lives in the underwater world). The path will lead you to the old woman's hut. She has your skein of yarn. The hut will spin in the wind. We must shout:
Hey, hut, don't be angry -
Stop for me!
The hut will stop, and you can safely enter it.
The girl thanked the mare and walked along the path. He sees a cow grazing. The cow's udder is full, there is a milk pan nearby, and there is no one to milk the cow. Cow says:
Girl, milk me, it’s hard for me, my udder is full of milk.
The girl milked the cow. Cow says:
When you come to the old woman Yoma, she will order you to work. Then for work he will offer a choice of two baskets: red and blue. So you take the blue one.
The girl thanked the cow and moved on. Here is the sour cream stream. Oh, how hungry I am! But you can’t - this is the stream of the old woman Yoma. The girl crossed over the bridge and moved on. Here flows a honey stream. The poor thing's mouth watered, but she didn't even taste the honey. The path led her to a hut that was spinning in the wind.
You little hut, don't be angry -
Stop for me! -
the girl shouted. The hut stopped instantly and the girl entered. And there sits the old woman Yoma, the water mistress. The old woman asks:
Why did you come?
“My grandmother, a skein of yarn has drowned, so I’m walking around looking for it,” the girl answers.
“I have your skein,” says the old woman, “but you must work first.” Go chop some wood and heat the bathhouse.
The girl chopped wood and heated the bathhouse. The old woman brought there a basket full of baby frogs, lizards and swimming beetles.
“Here,” he says, “here are my dear children, they all need to be washed and steamed so that they are happy.” There are running lizards, tomboyish frogs and swimming beetles.
The girl carefully washed them all and carefully evaporated them all. The old woman brought her two baskets: red and blue.
Choose!
The girl took the blue one. Yoma says:
Open it on a green meadow. There you will take your skein.
A girl came to a green meadow and opened her basket. And then a big one appeared in the meadow, nice hut, and in it is everything you need for farming. There the girl saw her skein of yarn, which she had drowned in the river.
The next day she married a guy from her village whom she had loved for a long time.
They began to live in their hut.
And the stepmother became even more angry.
Why did our dirty and slacker get such happiness?! - she shouted. - It would be necessary for my smart and good daughter to get all this!
The next day she sent her daughter to rinse a skein of yarn. But the white-handed woman did not want to freeze her hands, she did not rinse him, but immediately threw him into the water and drowned him. She ran home and cried:
Mom, I accidentally dropped the skein and it drowned in the river.
“Oh, my dear daughter,” says the mother. - There’s nothing you can do, go dive for a skein.
The little white hand dived into the river and saw herself in a green meadow. A herd of golden manes grazes on the grass. A mare approached the girl:
Comb my mane with your comb.
I have no time! - the white-handed girl shouts. - I’m looking for a skein of yarn - I’m rushing to the old woman Yoma for a reward, for a dowry!
The horses didn't tell her anything. She ran along the path. Here is a cow.
Girl, milk me, it’s hard for me, my udder is full,” the cow asks.
I have no time! - the white-handed girl shouts. - Yes, and I don’t know how to milk. Our father's daughter milked the cows - that's her business!
And she ran on. He sees a sour cream stream flowing. “There’s sour cream - that’s my business!” - thought the white-handed girl. She got down on all fours and let's drink from the stream. I drank for a long time. She took a breath and started again. Then she stood up and slowly walked along the path. Suddenly he sees a honey stream. “Oh, what a pity that I ate so much sour cream! There’s almost no room for honey. Well, that’s okay, I’ll try,” she thought, got on all fours and let’s drink from this stream. I didn't drink for long. She took a breath and started again. It's hard to tear yourself away from honey. Too sweet and fragrant! Finally he feels: he can’t climb anymore. She stood up and walked along the path with difficulty. Here is the hut of the old woman Yoma, spinning in the wind - it does not stop. The white-handed woman began to stop her with her hands, beat all her hands, and somehow stopped her. She came in.
Why did you come? - asks the old woman Yoma.
“I came for a reward, for a dowry,” the girl answers.
Look for your reward, says old woman Yoma. - I haven’t even worked yet, but I’m already looking for a reward. Okay, go to work. Chop the wood, heat the bathhouse.
The white-handed girl started chopping wood - it didn’t work, she didn’t know how. I didn’t chop enough, the bathhouse was poorly heated, the water wasn’t hot. Old woman Yoma brought her a basket full of baby frogs, lizards and swimming beetles. The white hand didn’t want to wash them, she whipped them with a broom - and that’s all. The old woman brought her two baskets: red and blue.
Choose.
White-handed grabbed the red basket and ran home. Her mother meets her:
Oh my good girl! Oh my goodness! So you brought happiness to the house!
The two of them went into the hut, opened the red basket, and from there a red fire burst out and burned their hut.
Komi-Permyaks live in the Western Urals. Where - if you look at the map - the upper reaches of the Kama River bend like a huge rocker. The words “Kama” and “Komi” are related. Hence the first ladle of the name ancient people. The second half of the name comes from the word “parma”. which then turned into the word "Perm". “Parma” in Komi-Permyak is a wooded hill. There are many such hills in this region, and even the most vast taiga is called the same by the local people.
Taiga-Parma with its rivers, streams, green meadows, arable fields has fed and clothed the Komi-Permyaks for a long time. In gratitude for this, people adhered to the rules: do not touch any tree unless necessary, do not offend animals and birds, do not swear in the forest, do not make noise, drink water from the spring - do not forget to bow and say thank you.
It was believed that order in Parma was vigilantly monitored by the forest spirit, the mysterious guardian - Varis. He may get angry and severely punish, but he can also help. Forest spirits, by folk beliefs, there were quite a few, among them was old man Pel. The Komi-Permyaks came up with dumplings as a treat for him and for themselves. Dumpling, or more precisely, pelnyan. means "Pelin bread". Delicious dumplings first spread throughout the Urals, Siberia, and then throughout all other areas.
The Komi-Permyaks liked to place skillfully carved animal figures on the roofs of their huts. They looked funny wooden utensils and even salt shakers woven from birch bark. And today’s needlewomen still decorate woven belts as bright as a rainbow with “animal” patterns. Here are deer antlers, a bear's paw, a hawk, a magpie's track and someone's keen eye... The forest and meadow were given to the Komi-Permyaks almost ready musical instrument- pelyans. The pipes cut in the dense thickets of angelica are connected into one sort of harmonica and sound fervently, helping cheerful people dance and sing. And the Komi-Permyaks know how to dance and sing. Especially their children. In the Komi-Permyak region there are now many children's folk ensembles, and one of the best is called “Goradzul”. That is, “golden meadow flower-kupavka.” In this ensemble, and in all the others, the most distant, rural ones, older children and very young children participate. They send their smiling greetings to every reader of the Murzilka magazine. And hello in Komi-Permyak: “Bur lun!”
N. OKOROKOVA, L. KUZMIN
A man went to the forest in winter to buy firewood. I found a Christmas tree, let's chop it down. Suddenly he hears someone puffing from behind. The man looked around, and it was Toptygin himself, the local bear, crawling out of the den.
He gets out, shakes himself out of sleep, and says:
Wow! I am hungry! Now, man, I'll hit your horse.
The guy is back and forth, doesn’t know what to do. Finally he came to his senses a little and began to ask:
Dear Toptygin! Father Mikhailo Ivanovich! You will drag my horse, but I have firewood on the cart. I won’t be able to deliver this cart home... So be kind, first allow me to go to the village, unload the firewood there, report to my old mistress, and then I and the little horse will return straight to you.
The bear listened, scratched his ear, and said:
Well... I don't need firewood. Go and take them away. But remember: if you don’t return, I will come to the village at night, and then there will be neither your horse, their mistress, nor you.
The man drove the horse and cart to the village. He dumped the wood at the porch, ran into the hut, and said to the hostess - so, they say, so!
The hostess almost sat down on the floor in fear, waving her hands:
Go, drive back! Let the bear take the horse, just don't touch us!
And the man went back to the forest, and a fox, a red-haired cunning one, met him:
Why is this guy so sad? What's wrong?
The man explains to the fox that this is how it is, that’s my problem.
And the fox says:
Take me with you. I will help you and your horse out. Just promise to give me a good reward for all this later.
The man was delighted, a man can’t live without a horse for a day or an hour, he nods to the fox:
I promise! Of course, I promise!
And here it is, the place where the man chopped down a dry tree. The fox jumps out of the sleigh and teaches the man:
I'll hide in the bushes, and you wait for the bear. As soon as he gets out of the den, I will give a voice. The bear will ask: “Who is this?”, and you answer: “A bear hunter!” Do you understand everything now?
Got it, got it... - the man says and looks around, waiting for the bear.
Toptyga doesn’t hesitate too long, he’s right there.
Well done! - he praises the man. “Well done for not disobeying me.”
The man bows and assents:
How can I disobey you, Mikhailo Ivanovich! How is it possible! We are always ready to serve you.
The bear stands on its hind legs, rubs paws against paws, looks at the horse:
Now let's have a snack!
Kha-kha! Kha-Kha!
The bear shuddered:
Oh, who is this?
The man answers:
This is a bear hunter climbing through bushes and snowdrifts. He's probably looking for you.
And the fox from the bushes adds fear. She shouts to the man in the same bass voice:
- What are you doing there, man? And what is this next to you? Everything black, everything stocky and spreading arms? Isn't it the robber Mikhailo himself? Well, step aside - I’ll fire my gun!
The bear flowed and froze, and sat down. The bear whispers to the man:
Oh, don't say that I am me! Oh, don’t tell me... Answer: “It’s just a black, charred stump!”
And the man answers towards the bushes:
This is a stump! It's just a dry, black, burnt stump!
And the fox again:
So take him to your sleigh! Take it home for kindling. Tie it tightly so that it doesn’t fall out along the way!
And the bear whispers again:
Oh, do that... Oh, put me in the sleigh... We need to part with this hunter as soon as possible!
The man throws up his hands:
I can’t lift you up... I can’t even move you from your place... You’re so heavy!
And I’ll jump in myself... - the bear is in a hurry. - I myself... Just pretend that you’re putting me in the sleigh.
And the bear fell into the sleigh himself and also asked:
Don’t forget to entangle me with a rope, otherwise the hunter won’t believe it.
The man also complied with this request. He did it in such a way that the bear under the knots, under the rope could neither gasp nor sigh. And then the fox jumped out of the bushes.
She jumped out, sat right on the bear, and shouted:
Go!
Screams and has fun:
Let's go, man, to your house for my well-deserved reward!
And so they go. The man also sat sideways on the bear and almost sang along with the fox in joy:
I won’t offend you, godfox, I won’t offend you! Let's cut up our prey at home, and I'll instantly give you a whole piece of bear meat! Yes, and I’ll eat a shitload of bear fat!
Uh... - says the fox. - Cunning! I decided to say something. No, you take the skin for yourself, sew a fur coat for your mistress, and give me all the meat and lard! But the man completely balked, the man stood his ground:
Don't be greedy, godfather! You will get a piece of cake!
Lisa is not inferior:
Don't be a miser yourself. Give me everything!
And they became so noisy, so excited, that they forgot: the bear under them was alive and well. He is still only entangled in an old rope, and they are dividing him and arguing.
Lisa shouts:
All for me! All for me! All for me!
The man shouts down the fox:
Kus and shmat! Kus and shmat! Kus and shmat!
With shouting and noise they began to approach the village. And there were two running big dogs- Butuz and Hvat.
They heard a man’s voice: “Kus and shmat!”, they thought that it was he who was calling them to him by nickname: “Butuz and Grab!” Butuz da Grab!” - and rushed with a loud bark towards the sleigh.
And then the bear could no longer stand this fear, he rested against the bottom of the sled, tensed, the rope broke - and everything got mixed up!
The man flew head over heels into a snowdrift, the bear set off towards the forest, the red fox followed him, followed by the dogs, the horse with an empty sleigh galloped towards the house.
And the man crawls out of the snowdrift, shakes himself off, scratches the back of his head in frustration:
Here's your meat! Here's some lard for you! No one will believe that it was in my sleigh... And it’s better not to even tell my owner about it! He’ll call you a bastard, a bastard, and, lo and behold, he’ll send you back into the forest after the dogs.
Based on the recordings and processing of V. KLIMOV, retold by L. KUZMIN
Rice. V. CHAPLI
Tales of Komi
Mouse and Magpie
The Komi Republic is a sovereign state within the Russian Federation
Federation. The capital is the city of Syktyvkar. The most important historical dates.
1992 - transformation of the Komi Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic into the Komi Republic.
The earliest people appeared on the territory of the Komi region about 300 thousand years ago
ago. Aborigines of the Komi region, called in Komi folk legends
Chud, appeared in the river basin. Vychegda in the second half of the 1st thousand AD. e.
The first mentions of lands inhabited by ancient Komi are found in Russian
chronicles of the 12th century. They indicated that the main occupations of local
The inhabitants were hunting and fishing. Commodity value was primarily
fur. It was considered as the main product exported from the Komi region
foreign merchants in exchange for bronze items, precious metals And
stones. Agriculture, cattle breeding, gathering, as well as small
handicraft production. Since the 12th century, the Komi region has always been part of
Novgorod possessions. During the 12th-13th centuries Novgorod's main rival
for the possession of the northeastern lands was the Vladimir-Suzdal principality.
In the 14th century Suzdal possessions were included in the grown and strengthened
Moscow Principality. In the 14th-15th centuries. as a result of a stubborn struggle between
Moscow and Novgorod, the ethnic territory of the Komi was finally
annexed to the Grand Duchy of Moscow and from the end of the 15th century. became
integral part Russian centralized state. Entry of Komi
region into the Russian state contributed greatly to
Christianization of its population in the form of Orthodoxy, the vehicle of which
Ustyug monk Stefan spoke.
Industry in the Komi Republic has a long history. The land since ancient times
attracted the attention of Russian princes and tsars not only because of their furs. For minting
coins at the Moscow Mint required a lot of silver. In Rus'
there were no deposits of the latter. Meanwhile, already from the first quarter 13
for centuries there have been rumors that there is a hundred silver and copper in the far northern
Tsilma River. For the search and development of silver and copper ore Ivan 3
in the spring of 1491 he sent an expedition to Tsilma. The year 1491 is generally accepted
the beginning of mining and metallurgy in the Moscow state. Then there were
Deposits of coal, oil and gas, and gold were found.
Works folk art, reflecting national specifics
varied. These are weaving, embroidery, products made of birch bark and wood,
pottery, metal processing, and in the north - fur processing.
Arranging swings with the onset of spring warmth is an ancient
a tradition of many peoples, including Finno-Ugric ones, which include Komi
people. In the traditional ideas of agricultural peoples, swings were
magical means of increasing fertility. The swing was one of my favorites
entertainment for rural Komi youth during Easter festivities. Put
the swing was tried before dawn - so that no one saw it
the process of their construction. The place for the swing was chosen in the center of the village, near
churches, or outside the village - on the coastal meadows. On the big Easter swing
Only unmarried youth were allowed to swing.
In 1987 in cultural life An event occurred in the Komi Republic
the significance of which in many respects remains to be assessed: Nauka publishing house released
volume called Komi folk epic. It took almost a century and a half
in order for the combination of rare scientific luck and personal enthusiasm to make
possible discovery comparable to the publication in the last century in Finland
epic Kalevala. Collected, processed and published a collection of Komi epic texts
Doctor of Philology, Professor Anatoly Konstantinovich Mikushev.
Prominent figures of the Komi Republic: Komi writer and scientist
encyclopedist K.F. Zhakov, world-famous sociologist P.A. Sorokin after
revolution ended up in Europe and then in America, where he taught at Harvard
university. The first Komi poet, founder of Komi national literature,
linguist Ivan Alekseevich Kuratov. Viktor Savin - Komi poet,
playwright, journalist, composer, famous public figure 20-30s
Mouse and Magpie
Once upon a time there lived a mouse sister and a magpie sister. One day a mouse gathered
work and says to the magpie:
I, magpie sister, will go get some hay, while you tidy up the house, yeah
put the soup on to cook.
The mouse left, and the magpie began to clean up and cook soup. Cooked, cooked
soup, and fell into the pot upside down.
The mouse came home and knocked:
Sister Magpie, open up!
I knocked for a long time, but no one answered. She darted into the hole and went into
the barn, swept away the hay and again ran to the hut. Just no, it’s not there
magpie sisters.
Then the mouse took the soup out of the stove to eat, and then she saw it in the pot
magpie sister. What can you do, she ate the magpie meat, and the breast
she dragged the bone-boat to the river, sat in it and sang:
The mouse floats and sways:
tail, Sail-sable tail.
The hare comes towards him and says:
Well, at least I’ll put one paw up and stand on one...
Well, what can I do with you, sit down. They swam further together, the mouse again
The mouse floats and sways:
Her boat is a magpie's breast, her oar is a beaver's tail, her pole is an otter's.
tail, Sail - sable tail.
It will paddle under a steep bank, and push under a sandy bank.
They met a fox and said:
Mouse sister, take me to the boat.
I won’t take it, my boat is small.
Well, at least I’ll put one paw up and stand on one...
Well, what can I do with you, sit down. The three of them swim, the mouse sings again
your song:
The mouse floats and sways:
Her boat is a magpie's breast, her oar is a beaver's tail, her pole is an otter's.
tail, Sail - sable tail.
It will paddle under a steep bank, and push under a sandy bank.
They met a bear and said:
Mouse sister, take me to the boat.
I won’t take it, my boat is small.
Well, at least I’ll put one leg up and stand on one.
No, you'll take up a lot of space and capsize the boat.
Then I'll sit down so she doesn't roll over. The bear got into the boat and
drowned everyone!
Once upon a time there lived a peasant. He had three sons: the eldest - Vasily, the middle -
Pedor and the youngest - Ivan. Ivan was a sedun, he didn’t get off the stove, he kept sitting there,
It happened, but he chops clay. And the other two brothers are not stupid, they are smart. Here
One day my father fell ill and became completely weak. He called his sons and said:
Well, my sons, apparently it’s time for me to die, I won’t get better.
Bury me, and then visit the grave for three nights. On the first night let
Vasily will come, the second - Pedor, and then you come, Sedun.
So the father said goodbye to his sons and immediately left. They buried him
honor by honor. Evening came, it was time to go to the grave of the eldest son.
Vasily says:
Won't you, Sedun, go to your father's grave instead of me? I'll buy you for
then a red shirt.
Okay, I’ll go,” Sedun agreed. For a long time he had been looking at the red
shirt. I got ready without hesitation and went.
Sedun slept the night at his father's grave, and in the morning his father gave him a red
handsome horse. Sedun is happy. He quickly took the horse to the stream, but he himself, as if in nothing
never happened went home.
Now the second night is approaching, the middle brother needs to go to the cemetery -
Pedor. In the evening Pedor Seduna asks:
Won't you, Ivan, go to the grave instead of me? I'll reward you for this
a pair of boots.
“I’ll go,” Sedun agreed again. And what does he need boots for? Nowhere
he doesn't walk. Yes, apparently, he needs to show off too - off he goes.
Sedun slept the second night at his father’s grave, and in the morning he received it as a gift
gray horse Sedun was glad and took this horse to the stream.
When the third night approached and it was Cedun's turn to go
cemetery, he thought that now no one would pay him for it. I trudged along
however, he slept at his father’s grave for the third night. In the morning the father gave the youngest
son of a black horse. Sedun and the funnel took him to the same stream.
And the king ruled that side, and the king had three daughters: Marya, Vasilisa and
Marpida. And the time has come for them to choose their grooms. The king gave the girls each
silk scarf: one is a beautiful, beautiful scarf, the other is even more beautiful, and
the youngest, Marpida the princess, the most beautiful, all burning with fire.
In the morning, the eldest daughter hung her scarf on the balcony.
Whoever gets the handkerchief, it was announced throughout the kingdom, will be the groom!
The people heard this and flocked to the palace from all sides. Ceduna Brothers
got ready too.
Maybe luck will smile on us too! - think to themselves.
Sedun saw their preparations and asked:
Brothers, won't you take me with you? They just laugh:
Where are you going, you fool! I would be sitting on the stove. They harnessed the old sleigh
father's nag and off we went.
And Sedun went to the stream, called the red horse there and climbed into his ear.
In one ear I steamed and washed, in the other I got dressed, put on shoes and came out like this
handsome and strong - well done!
The young man jumped on his horse and soon caught up with his brothers - they were on a nag
not far and left. He caught up and, without stopping, just bent down and hit
as he galloped, he hit one brother on the ear, hit the other and whistled past. fell down
brothers on their knees.
Holy, holy, they say, no way, Elijah the prophet rushed by!
And Sedun rushed to the Tsar’s palace, jumped higher than the balcony, but the scarf
left it, didn't take it.
The people marvel:
Well, it can, but it doesn’t!
Probably some lucky person later took out this scarf, but Sedun
did not see. On the way back, he met his brothers again, again gave
one ear and the other. The brothers fell to their knees.
Holy, holy, they say, and truly Elijah the prophet, how he intimidated!
When the brothers returned home, Sedun was lying on the stove - he had long been
he galloped up, released his horse to the stream, and climbed into his place.
Well, brothers, what did you see and hear? - asks.
They didn’t see anything, they say. “Someone took off the scarf, it’s not about us,
apparently... Only Elijah the prophet galloped past along the road and greatly intimidated us.
But I didn’t hear any thunder. If only you could sit at home, it would be better
“would,” says Sedun. The next day, the middle daughter hung out her scarf. Brothers again
gathered - maybe we'll be lucky this time. Sedun asked:
Take me too!
Yes, they just laughed:
Shut up, fool, where are you going? Lie on the stove.
We harnessed our nag and drove off.
Sedun got off the stove, went to the stream, called another horse, a gray one. In one
ear fit - washed, took a steam bath, got dressed and put on shoes, strong again
appeared as a handsome young man. He jumped on a gray horse and galloped off. How did I catch up?
brothers, again, without getting off the saddle, he gave one a blow, another, they fell
on knees.
Holy, holy! - they cross themselves. - Elijah the prophet rushed by, completely intimidating
And Sedun drove up to the balcony, jumped up and again, like last time,
I took the handkerchief and just looked.
People marveled:
That’s what it’s like: he could have taken the scarf, but he didn’t take it off! Sedun galloped back.
He looks: his brothers are still going to the Tsar’s palace. Sedun honored them again
slapped, they fell to their knees, whispering:
Holy, holy! Yes, indeed, Elijah is the prophet!
Soon, not soon, the brothers returned home. Sedun asks from the stove:
Well, brothers, did you get the scarf today?
We didn’t get it, someone already took it,” the brothers answer. “Only
Elijah the prophet galloped past, frightening us again...
“But I haven’t heard anything,” says Sedun. “If we both stayed at home,
no passions would be seen.
On the third day, the youngest of the Marpida sisters, the princess, hung out the scarf.
People gathered from all over the kingdom - who didn’t want to get that scarf!
The brothers are jealous, they say:
Let's go and maybe we'll get one for the last time. Sedun also did not remain silent on
Today I won’t stay at home either, I’ll go with you! Then he went out and sat down first
in a sleigh. The brothers laughed, scolded and began to dissuade - Sedun did not get out
from the sleigh.
Well, have it your way,” they finally agreed. They took Sedun to the stream and
they pushed him out of his sleigh. They pushed him out and, laughing, left, but Sedun remained.
And it’s good that they took us to the stream, so we don’t have to drag ourselves,” he smiled.
followed by Sedun.
He called the third - a black horse, got into one ear - steamed and washed,
in the other - he got dressed and put on his shoes, he became such a fine fellow, stately and handsome. Jumped up
onto his horse and rushed off. Oh, and the brothers got it from him! I looked back, driving away - they
they are still on their knees, they don’t dare to rise...
Holy, holy! - they whisper, - Elijah the prophet galloped, he caught up with fear...
Sedun rode up to the palace, accelerated his horse, he jumped above the roof, and
Only when he was lowered did Sedun take off the scarf from Princess Marpida.
Oh, catch, catch! - people shout. - Who is this? Who it?
How can you catch him if he’s on horseback, above your heads?
On the way back I met Sedun's brothers again - they were still on their way to the palace
They were driving - and again he gave them a good beating. They fell to their knees.
Holy, holy! - they cross themselves. - Again, Elijah the prophet is bringing fear to us...
They arrived home, and Sedun was already on the stove.
Tomorrow, Sedun, you will go with us, they say.
Well,” Sedun was surprised, “are they really inviting me too?”
Tomorrow everyone should be there, even the legless and blind, from all over the kingdom.
The royal daughters will look for their suitors in the crowd.
Okay, I’ll go,” Sedun agreed, “if only you don’t throw away
me from the sleigh. Didn't you get the scarf?
“We didn’t get it,” they answer. “Only Elijah the Prophet brought such fear upon us again.”
caught up with something we had never even heard of.
If they had stayed at home like me, things would have been better.
The brothers went to bed in the evening, and at dawn he woke up alone and saw
does not believe:
What's happened? We're on fire, aren't we? Is there a fire in the hut?
And this is the tip of the red scarf sticking out from Sedun’s bosom in his sleep.
Brother, brother,” he began to wake up the other, “no way, Sedun set the hut on fire, the fire on
ovens out!
Sedun heard this, hid the tip of the handkerchief under his shirt, there was no light
apparently it has become. The brothers jumped up, but there was no fire.
When it was completely dawn, the brothers harnessed the nag and called Sedun with them to
royal mansions. They look, and people from all sides are walking and driving - who can and who
no, blind and legless, poor and rich. By noon everyone had gathered, no one
there are no houses left. Sedun is also in a hurry with everyone.
Why did they bring this? - they laugh all around. - After all, it’s immediately obvious that he’s not
No,” the king answers the people, “everyone must be here today!”
When the people had gathered, the king brought a cup of wine to his eldest daughter and ordered
get around all the people with him:
Whoever you see has your handkerchief, bring wine to him, and then sit on his
knees - he will be your groom.
As soon as the eldest daughter went to visit the guests, she immediately saw her
Whoever got the handkerchief won’t hide it.
Father,” says the girl, “I found my fiancé!”
She treated her betrothed to wine and sat on his lap.
The father handed a cup of wine to the second, middle daughter:
Now you go around the guests, find, treat your betrothed and sit with him
on knees.
Finally, it was Princess Marpide’s turn to visit the guests. The king gave it to her
a cup of wine, instructed, as before her sisters. Marpida the princess began to go around
rows of guests, and a little of her scarf - the very corner - stuck out from her bosom
Ceduna. She looked at her betrothed Marpid, and her heart sank. She passed
past Seduna, as if she had not noticed anything, and returned to her father with nothing.
“I couldn’t find a scarf, father,” he says.
Go around another time,” the king replies. “Anyway, somewhere
you will see the scarf. He should be here, there are no people left on the sidelines!
The princess again walked around everyone and passed Seduna, only again it was as if she didn’t
I noticed the scarf, although it was now half out. She brought a cup
wine, put it on the table.
“I didn’t find,” he says, “father, a scarf.” I don’t even know where he is
could be... The king frowned.
Still haven’t found it? - he asks. - Or the groom looks bad, you’re ashamed,
must? Go and have a better look.
This time the princess did not go around the guests, she went straight to Sedun,
She treated him to wine, wiped under his nose with a handkerchief and sat down next to him. Saw this
the people who sat down next to me began to giggle.
Did you find it? - asked the king, hearing laughter.
“I found it, father,” said Princess Marpida, and she herself lost her head in shame.
doesn't lift. Then the king saw her betrothed and was upset.
Ugh! - he says. - Well, I found myself a groom, my son-in-law...
But what can you do - you can’t refuse the king’s word. The king sent them to
some kind of barn, in which either pigs or cows were previously kept. No feast
and sent honors.
“Get out of my sight,” he says!.. And feast with two other sons-in-law
remained. And we were there, eating and drinking...
So I once went to the Tsar and told him that, far, far away,
golden-horned deer. He grazes in the field, runs fast, and if anyone catches him, he
certainly, the very first place in the kingdom...
The king understood why all this was told and said to his sons-in-law:
Show your skills - catch that deer and bring it here.
Well, the sons-in-law got ready, took ropes, leather reins and went to
steppe. And Sedun says to his wife:
Go to your father, ask for a water nag, I also want to catch deer, I
also the king's son-in-law.
Princess Marpida went to her father to ask for a nag for Sedun.
What other nag does this Sedun need? - the king waved him off. - It’s better
sits at home, doesn't make people laugh.
And Marpida the princess again asks her father:
It’s a pity, or what, what a nag? Give him. Here comes the word mother queen
spoke up for her daughter. The king gave away the water-carrying mare. She was skinny - skin
yes bones. Sedun crawled over and sat on it not like everyone else, but backwards. End
He took the tail in his teeth, clapped his palms on his sides - he was going!
Look, look! - people shout around. - Sedun, the third king
son-in-law also went to catch deer!
He sat down backwards! No other way than he will catch the golden-horned deer!
And Sedun just keeps driving and driving, as if he doesn’t hear these ridicules.
I got to my stream, grabbed the mare by the tail and shook it - the carcass
flew away at once, and only the skin remained in her hands! He hung this skin on
fence and called his horse. The first one to gallop up was the bay one. Sedun entered one
ear, washed and steamed, put on different clothes and shoes and became such a fine fellow again -
take a look! He jumped on his horse, caught up with his brothers-in-law, hit one in the ear, another
Holy, holy! Elijah the prophet inspires fear. Meanwhile Sedun caught
There is a golden-horned deer in the field, and he is going back. Sedun's brothers-in-law saw him and were surprised:
You’re already on your way back, carrying a deer, and we’re just getting ready to hunt!
It’s too late,” says Sedun, “I’ve already caught the golden-horned one.”
The brothers-in-law began to persuade Sedun to sell them this deer.
“Well, okay,” answered Sedun. “Only the price for it is special.” Cut with
legs on the big toe and give it to me, otherwise you won’t get a deer.
The brothers-in-law thought, how could it be otherwise? They cut off the big toe from my foot,
gave it to the young man. Sedun gave them the golden-horned deer and rushed off.
They arrived and the sons-in-law brought the deer to the king, which made them even more hospitable
“Look at the loot the sons-in-law brought,” he praises. “Catch a beast like that.”
succeeded! Sedun also went hunting, but he was still missing. Haven't you seen
“We haven’t seen it,” the sons-in-law say, and again they vying with each other to tell how they caught it.
golden-horned handsome man.
A lot of time passed before Sedun returned. I soon reached the stream, yes
It took a long time to trudge from the stream. Moreover, I caught about a dozen on a horse carcass
The magpie raven dragged it to the king.
Here, he says, his father-in-law, he brought you some loot!
Ugh! - that’s all the king said and ordered the servants to throw out the birds
There was a lot of laughter!
Sedun hobbled into the barn, into the present kitchenette, to his betrothed - to
They didn't even invite me to the table...
I went again to the king and told him that somewhere in a distant land, I could hear
There is a golden bristle pig. The king listened and said:
Well, sons-in-law, catch me that pig - the golden bristle. Bring her -
You will be beloved sons-in-law.
Although the sons-in-law’s legs hurt after the recent hunt for the golden-horned deer,
Yes, you can’t refuse the king. Besides, I want to be beloved sons-in-law.
Okay, they say, we’ll catch you.
We took the rawhide reins and drove off.
And Sedun again sends his Marpida to the king-father:
Go, Princess Marpida, ask your father for another nag, I will also go for
pig - golden bristles. I'm his son-in-law!
Marpida the princess went to her father and began to ask for a nag, and her father stood on
I'm not giving it! It's enough that I've already disgraced myself once before everyone honest.
Here the queen mother again stood up for her daughter, it’s a pity, you see, it became
the princess, well, the two of them persuaded the king.
Sedun sat down on the nag sideways and rode off quietly.
Look, look, - they shout and laugh all around, - Sedun is hunting again
went!
Yes, he sits like that, he’s already learned how to do it! Look, he catches the pig.
But Sedun doesn’t seem to see, doesn’t hear anything, he just goes on and on. Got to
stream, grabbed the mare by the tail, pulled - the carcass flew off, and hung the skin on
hedge He called his second, gray horse, again entered one ear -
I took a steam bath, washed myself, put on different clothes and shoes, and again became stately and handsome.
He jumped on his horse, caught up with his brothers-in-law, and gave each one an ear. They fell on
knees, looking after, muttering:
Holy, holy! Once again Elijah the prophet is instilling fear.
Sedun caught a pig - a golden bristle, and on the way back he meets
Yes, you seem to be returning from hunting, good fellow, but we still
Let's go fishing! Would you sell us a pig? - they ask Ceduna.
“I’ll sell,” the fellow answers.
Will you take it expensive?
And if you remove the skin from your backs the width of a belt, that’s how your pig will be.
The brothers-in-law were thoughtful, but where to go - they agreed: they rented one from
another with a strip of leather and gave it to the young man. Sedun gave them gold for that
bristles and galloped away.
The sons-in-law brought to the palace an unprecedented pig - golden bristles, the king is more
happy as before: he shows off in front of the guests, gives water to everyone, his beloved sons-in-law
They sit like this, everyone feasts, of course, no one is waiting for Seduna, here he is
returns - the raven and forty brought three times more than before! I found out about that
the king frowned:
Sedun is putting us to shame again!..
Now Sedun was not allowed to join the feast, although he was even a present to his mother-in-law
brought. He turned and hobbled into the barn to his Marpida...
At this feast they again approached the king and began to tell him that, they say,
a thirty-footed mare with thirty feet is grazing and walking far, far away
foals...
Even the king’s face changed when he heard about that mare. He called his sons-in-law
says: We must catch her and her foals and drive them to the palace! The sons-in-law agreed
And although they think a lot about themselves, they can no longer walk, they limp.
However, we got ready and went.
Sedun found out about this and again persuaded Marpida to go to his father to ask for a third
nag - I want... apparently, together with his brothers-in-law, catch that mare. Let's go
Marpida to his father. And he didn’t want to give Sedun the nag, but the queen mother
stood up for her daughter, she herself ordered whoever needed to talk about that nag.
This time Sedun sat on the horse properly, he sits upright and even
encourages her to trot.
People saw him, they still laughed, and they said:
Look, I finally learned how to ride... Well, Sedun got to the stream,
He grabbed the mare by the tail and shook her harder. The carcass flew away,
and he kept the skin and hung it on the fence. Then he shouted to the third horse,
Voronoi. The horse galloped up. Sedun climbed into one ear - washed and took a steam bath,
he dressed and put on his shoes as a friend and became a stately and handsome young man. The crow tells him
Take with you, master, three buckets of resin, three sieves of thin needles, yes
Also grab three horse skins from the fence. You can't catch without this
a thirty-footed mare who grazes there in the field with her foals.
When we arrive, you will see an oak tree standing in that field. You climb the tree, and me
cover with horse skin, cover with resin and sprinkle with needles from a sieve, then make
everything exactly twice more. You will do everything, sit on a tree and don’t take your eyes off
mares. As soon as you notice that the mare has gotten tired and dropped to her knees,
jump from the tree and put a bridle on her. Then she will become submissive and go
follow you wherever you order, and the foals themselves will run after you.
Sedun took everything that the horse told him and set off. Svoyakov,
Of course, he overtook them halfway again, and again they got hit by him. fell down
those on their knees: Holy, holy! - they mutter, and Ivan flies away and doesn’t stop.
I galloped to the field where the oak tree stood, rode up to the oak tree, looked, a mare and
really grazing by the river. Sedun rather covered his black horsehide with
fence, doused it with a bucket of resin and sprinkled it with needles from a sieve. Then he threw on the second one
and a third of the skins, did everything that was supposed to, and climbed onto the oak tree.
Meanwhile, the thirty-fat mare saw a black horse,
rushed towards him, and how he would bite! If it weren't for the skins, resin and needles, there would be
the end of it. Only the old skin got into the mare’s mouth. Voronko kicks
hits the mare on the sides, and she has a mouth full of wool, resin and needles, biting
she can't do it anymore! Still, I managed to get rid of this resin. Bitten
again, but grabbed more of the skins, then for the third time she bit the black one,
I stuffed my entire mouth with skin, resin and needles!
And the black man, you know, fights her off and kicks her. She finally fell
knees. Then Ivan jumped from the oak tree and bridled her. She submitted and went for
new owner. Well, the foals - where are they from their mother? - run after...
Sedun is on his way back, a fine fellow, his brothers-in-law look towards him
hurry up:
Yes, it turns out that you have already caught the mare, and we are still going to catch it!
“I already caught it, here it is,” Sedun answers.
Would you mind selling it to us? - they ask.
What will you give? - asked Sedun. The brothers-in-law hesitate, they can’t do anything
come up with. And Sedun knows: he took toes from toes, skin from backs. Don't shoot
same heads! Ivan didn’t wait for an answer and drove off, leaving his brothers-in-law on the road.
Ivan always returned to his barn unnoticed, and then look - people
gathered on the street, waiting. And how can you not notice, because there is a whole herd of foals
Well done, a thirty-fat mare, and even his black horse! Dust in a column
rises. Someone ran forward to open the stables and help the horses
drive The king also rejoices:
The son-in-law caught the golden-horned deer, the golden bristle pig was caught,
now a thirty-fat mare has been brought in with foals!
The king does not even remember about Sedun, unless the guests remember him:
Nothing, and he will soon bring his prey - crows and magpies.
Well, everyone is standing near the stables, waiting. Princess Marpida ran out too
opened her barn. The door on its wooden hinge creaked loudly. Noticed
the king laughed:
Is Sedunikha also waiting for someone? Look, the horses are not going to the stable
sons-in-law, and Seduna in the stable! People are surprised: Sedun, perhaps, caught a mare
with thirty foals? True, a fine fellow came into the barn, stately, handsome, -
Everyone noticed, but would anyone recognize him as Seduna? And the good fellow entered the stable and
says Marpi-de-princess:
Well, go, wife, light the bathhouse - it was a long road, I got dusty.
They heated the bathhouse and he got ready to wash.
“Go,” he says, “Marpida, call your father.” Princess Marpida went to her father,
Your son-in-law invites you to the bathhouse. And he refuses:
It’s a great honor to wash with Sedun in the bathhouse - he’s already disgraced me
enough!
And Sedun came to the bathhouse, hung his toes and leather ones from the ceiling
belts from the backs of their brothers-in-law - their payment for a golden-horned deer and for a pig - gold
bristles - and began to wash. The king sat and sat with the guests and then went to
bathhouse - to wash, not to wash, but to lure a thirty-fat mare from Sedun with
foals. After all, he drove her into his stable... Just as the Tsar enters
bathhouse, and the belts and fingers of his beloved sons-in-law knocked and slapped him on the forehead.
Why are you posting this here? - asks the king.
And these,” Sedun replies, “are the belts from the backs of your sons-in-law and the fingers from theirs.”
legs - my payment for a golden-horned deer and a pig - golden bristles; I didn’t
The king washed himself and returned to the palace. And then the sons-in-law returned from hunting.
They both returned taciturn, silent, without prey.
“Come on,” says the king, “take off your shoes and show your legs!”
There is nothing to do, the sons-in-law took off their shoes. The king is looking, and his big toes are
neither one nor the other has!
“Now,” the king orders, “take off your shirts.”
The sons-in-law took off their shirts. And there are guests, people at a feast! And so we rolled
all from laughter. After all, everyone was waiting for the thirty-fat mare - both guests and servants,
and peasants. They look at the Tsar's sons-in-law, their bellies laughing
grabbed. And the sons-in-law, barefoot and undressed, stand in front of everyone, with their heads bowed, -
shame on them.
Not only will I not give you my kingdom, I won’t even give you my kitchen! - says the king.
And he drove them out of the courtyard with their wives, with their belongings and servants:
So that your spirit may be in my kingdom!
He drove me away, and immediately went to the bathhouse.
And Ivan had already washed himself in the bathhouse and, of course, did not come out as Sedun.
I washed and steamed and became handsome and strong! They returned with the king
to the palace and seven times as much as before, nice
feasted and dined with the guests. Well, then, of course, Ivan became king, and he himself
The former king became a former king, but remained an old man.
And Marpida the princess had a good life. That's right, and even now
Ivan reigns and lives well with his queen Marpida.
Mr. Ivan Sarapanchikov
Komi folk tale
One day a woman with five children came under the window and plaintively asked:
- Oh, mistress, have pity on my children, give me some bread...
The hostess took pity on both the mother and the children and gave away the last loaf.
The woman says:
- For this, your son will have a happy lot; he will marry the princess.
The hostess laughed:
- What a princess! My son Ivan is the first lazy person; even a shepherd’s daughter will not marry him. The guy is sixteen years old, and he lies on the stove all day long.
But the passerby stands her ground;
- Your son will start plowing and find his happiness.
The woman left and took the children away... It was a hot day, mosquitoes and gadflies were flying in clouds, but Ivan suddenly got ready to go to the arable land. His mother began to persuade him:
- Do not go. The gadfly will sting the horse, and it will kill you.
Ivan did not listen. He harnessed the nag, went to the arable land, and there, indeed, the gadflies began to sting the horse.
He grabbed his hat and began to drive away mosquitoes and gadflies.
He waved his hat and looked - he had killed a lot.
Let's count them. I counted 75 gadflies, but did not count midges and mosquitoes. Lots of them. Ivan thought:
“What is this, I can kill so many souls in one fell swoop, but I have to plow. No, I won't plow. I am not an ordinary person, but a hero.”
Ivan unharnessed his horse, pushed it in the side with his fist and muttered:
- You are not a working mare, you are a heroic horse.
The mare almost collapses, she’s so thin, she’s barely alive, what does he care about, stupid! He left the horse in the field and returned home himself.
- Well, mother, it turns out that I am strong, mighty
hero.
“Be quiet, fool!” the mother answers, “what else has gotten into your head, how powerful you are if you can’t chop wood.”
“It’s in vain, mother,” says Ivan, “you talk like that.” I killed 75 heroes in one fell swoop, but didn’t even bother counting the smaller ones. Give me your sundress quickly, I’ll hit the road today.
“Tip your tongue!” the mother shouts. “We need sundresses!” You are not a woman, you should not wear sundresses.
- Come on, let's shoot quickly. “I’ll make a tent out of it,” Ivan pestered.
I finally achieved my goal. He took the sundress from his mother, found his father’s old scythe somewhere, made a sheath and put the scythe there. It turned out like a saber on its side.
“Maybe you’ll take a horse?” the mother was frightened.
“But of course!” says Ivan. “Bogatyrs don’t ride without horses.” Our mare is not a simple one, but a heroic horse.
The mother tried to hold her son, but how can you hold him? Ivan is already stronger than his mother. He bridled the mare, sat on horseback and rode wherever his eyes led...
Ivan drove and drove and reached a fork in three roads. There is a pine tree swaying in the wind. Ivan hewed the side of the pine, scraped and carved out the inscription:
“Mr. Ivan Sarapanchikov passed this road. Mighty hero. In one fell swoop he killed 75 knights, and killed countless smaller ones. If you want, catch up; if you don’t want, stay!”
Ivan rested and then rode further along the road.
Three heroes drove up to the old pine tree - Belunya the hero, Gorynya the hero and the Samplemennik himself. The heroes were returning home after a long journey. At a fork in the road we sat down to rest. Suddenly they see the inscription.
The heroes read and looked at each other. Samtribesnik himself, as the eldest among them, began to ask:
- Did you, Belunya the hero, know such a hero?
“No,” says Belunya the hero.
“No,” says Gorynya the hero.
“And I don’t,” says the Same Tribesman himself. Then the Tribesman Himself asks again:
- And you, Belunya the hero, can you kill so many knights in one fell swoop?
“No,” answers Belunya the hero.
“No,” answers Gorynya the hero.
“And I don’t,” admitted the Same Tribesman. “You’d better tell us what we should do if we meet this traveler.”
No one wants to die, no one likes death. The Same Tribesman himself says:
“We need to get acquainted with the traveler and, if he agrees, take him for his older brother and obey him.” We'll have to catch up with him to make sure there's no harm in the future.
The heroes jumped on their horses and rushed in pursuit of Ivan Sarapanchikov.
And Ivan trudges forward and forward on his mare. An old braid is on its side, a sundress is hanging on the saddle. The horse is thin, he didn’t ride far, of course. Suddenly a horse's tramp was heard from behind - these were the heroes flying.
“What is that noise?” Ivan thinks and, turning around, moved his finger.
The heroes then just appeared from behind the forest.
“Here, here,” they say to each other, “here he is, isn’t he threatening us?” Why did he move his finger? How to approach this without immediately rushing?
Ivan didn’t even stop, he kept moving forward. Samtribesnik himself became brave, caught up with Ivan, and asked in a quiet voice:
- Will it be you, Mr. Bogatyr Ivan Sarapanchikov?
“Even if I did!” Ivan answered angrily. “What do you care?”
This is how a stupid person talks.
-Are you good or evil?
“Are you Mr. Ivan Sarapanchikov?” the Same Tribesman himself asks again. “If it’s you, we’ve come to an agreement with you, if we have an elder, both we and you will feel good, even if we follow you into fire or water.”
“Okay!” answers Ivan. “Well, you’ll be my younger brothers.” Now follow me. The Most Named One himself told the heroes everything:
“Ugh, he’s strong,” he says, “I’m sweating from such a conversation.” Oh, so angry! Apparently, he really is powerful if he talks to us like that! After all, if you look, he’s a simple man, thin, and his clothes—it’s a shame to say they’re just rags. But his temper is formidable. OK. At least we met, now we’ll live together! Yes!
So three heroes galloped after Ivan and reached the line of the Nine Kingdoms. Ivan says:
- Well, heroes, if you called yourself my brothers, that’s what I’ll call you. We'll set up a parking lot here. I haven’t rested for a long time, but I’ll rest here. As soon as I go to bed, I sleep for three days without waking up, and don’t bother me.
Ivan hung his sarafan on stakes, made himself a canopy or a tent, and went in there. The heroes just looked at each other. They also usually rest for the whole day, but Ivan still thought of saying that he had been sleeping for three days.
The heroes say among themselves: Ivan is a hero, he has a hero’s dream. And he looks like a simple person!
The heroes are amazed, but what about Ivan, he is a lazy man, three days is not enough for him, he would lie there even longer if he didn’t feel like eating.
The heroes also pitched their tents, let their horses feed, and were preparing to go to bed. And they are experienced people, they know where they are staying. They began to interpret.
How so? We have arrived to the Nine Kingdoms, here the king is evil, if we lie down unarmed, he will send troops and cut us sleepy. How come they didn’t ask their elder brother, and without asking him, you can’t set up sentries either. “Come on,” they say to the Same Tribesman, “the eldest among us, go and ask Ivan what to do.”
The Tribesman himself did not want to go, and he did not want to disturb Ivan. But still he quietly asked him:
- Mister Sarapanchikov, Mister Sarapanchikov, we stopped at the Nine Kingdoms and don’t dare lie down without sentries, what and how do you order?
“And I won’t stand as a sentry for you,” Ivan shouted from under his sundress. “You three brothers, stand in shifts!”
The Tribesman himself quickly moved back and said:
- Wow, and angry, he ordered us to stand in shifts.
One day has flown by, and the second has passed.
But the border does not remain empty, they guard it. And the king of the Nine Kingdoms learned that the heroes were standing at the line. The king gathered countless troops and sent them to the border.
And Ivan is still sleeping, has not yet left his tent. The sentry turned out to be Belunya the hero, he looked into the tent twice, but he didn’t dare wake Ivan, he went back. The brothers consulted and they sent the Self-Sample to Ivan.
Same Tribesman says to Ivan:
- If this is the case, I had to disturb you, wake you up, nothing can be done, you see how many troops are coming. And you, Mr. Sarapanchikov, are considered our big brother; countless troops are marching against us. What do you want me to do?
Ivan woke up and shouted:
- I will not go against such an army. There is no need to bother me over trifles. Go and fight yourself. Leave one enemy alive so that he can tell his friends how you dealt with his army.
Samtribesnik himself says to the heroes:
- Oh, you, oh, you are strong, obviously, against such an army, I won’t go out, he says, there’s no need, they say, to bother me over trifles. What should we do, brothers, can we cope alone?
Well, you can handle this or not, but you have to fight, Ivan ordered. The heroes jumped on their horses, chopped up the entire army, mowed it down, just like they mow hay. One enemy was left alive. The Same Tribesman himself ordered him to go to the king.
“You tell the king what you saw, and don’t forget to tell him that our elder brother did not go out onto the field.” They say that no force can stand against him. And may the king not destroy people, may he not go against us, and if he wants good, let him greet us with bread and salt.
Samtribesnik himself released the ambassador, and he ran to the king-ruler.
And the ruler of the Nine Kingdoms, as soon as he learned about the death of the army, became furious and angry. He had Polkan the Half-Bess, a bodyguard and supporter of the entire Nine Kingdom. Polkan was not simple in appearance - half a horse, and the other half like a person. It is 30 fathoms long. On earth and in the whole world there has never been an enemy equal to Polkan. The king ordered him to drive away the heroes.
Bang, bang! Zim! Winter! - the earth trembles, Polkan steps. It wags its tail and can be heard a hundred miles away.
The heroes heard this hum and noise. They, experienced, literate people, knew that in the Nine Kingdoms there was Polkan the Half-Demon, an invincible monster. They heard Polkanov's step and were afraid. The Tribesman himself rushed to Ivan.
- Mr. Sarapanchikov, Mr. Sarapanchikov, Polkan the Half-Bess is apparently coming. No one can fight him; scripture even talks about him. What are we going to do, won't you go out yourself?
Ivan sighed heavily.
“Yes,” he says, “I’ll probably have to go out.”
“And what do you order us?” asks the Tribesman himself, “he is very strong, help will not be superfluous.” Would you take us with you, maybe we could come in handy?
“No, don’t,” says Ivan, “you’ll only get in the way, there’s no need to take you, I’ll go alone.”
Samtribenik himself came to the heroes and was surprised:
- But if you didn’t take us, you say you’ll only get in the way, I can handle it alone.
The heroes also gasp and are surprised, what a strength, they say! And Ivan crawled out from under his sundress.
“Oh, oh, oh, my mother told the truth, I didn’t know how to live, that’s the end. It would be good if I stayed at home now, otherwise I’ll have to die here. It was a shame that I didn’t listen to my mother. She called me stupid, and I am stupid.”
Ivan doesn’t want to die, but there is nothing to do, the word has been given to the heroes, he will have to go against Polkan.
Ivan caught the mare, sat on horseback and galloped towards Polkan the Half-Devil. I moved further away so as not to embarrass myself. Let the heroes not see how they kill him. Ivan goes and feels sorry for himself, mourns his young life.
Here Polkan the Half-Bes appeared, one head nine fathoms high, a terrible monster.
Ivan saw it and almost fell off his horse, he was so scared. I realized: now he won’t have time to escape, and there’s nowhere to run. Polkan is already close. And so, in order not to see his death, Ivan covered his eyes and face with his mother’s sundress.
Polkan noticed this.
“Oh,” he says, “I haven’t gone to battle for thirty years, the laws of war have changed, apparently.”
He took his tent and blindfolded them.
And the day was sunny, bright. Ivan can see everything through his holey sundress. Polkan doesn’t see anything, his tent is good and dense. So they both met. Polkan is like a blind man, and Ivan is sighted. Ivan waved his scythe, and somehow it turned out well, main vein cut off Polkan the Half-Bes. Polkan fell, and Ivan, don’t be a fool, quickly to the side, away. I started watching from a distance. He sees that the end is coming for Polkan, the Demigod is fighting on the grass, it’s scary to watch. He fights himself, he tore up the whole earth, he uproots and breaks pine trees that stood as thick as a tower. It was not for nothing that the heroes said that there is no one stronger than Polkan in the world, the scriptures say so.
Polkan smashed and crushed everything, leaving no splinters.
He fought, fought with all his strength, and then completely froze. Ivan went to the heroes and told them:
- Well, brothers, go and have a look if you want. There, at the edge of the forest, lies the Half-Demon, I finished him off. The heroes did not go - they ran.
“Yes,” they say, “not a sliver of wood remains.” This is war, this is battle! Now you have to believe Ivan’s power, that’s who he killed! It’s good that we weren’t mistaken and obeyed on time. Yes, now there is no one stronger than him in the world.
“Well,” asks Ivan, “did you look?”
“Yes,” say the heroes, “we have been traveling and fighting for so many years, but we have never seen such a battle.” We will remember this century.
Time flies, it's time to move on.
“Well, brothers, come to me,” Ivan calls the heroes, “sit down.”
The heroes came and sat down quietly. They respect Ivan.
- Here I will give you an order. Go to the queen of the Nine-Royal State and tell her what I have thought of. Do you know what I thought?
“We don’t know,” the heroes answer quietly.
“But this is what I came up with,” says Ivan, “you go and tell the queen to get ready to marry me, she will be my wife.” If she doesn’t, I’ll burn her entire kingdom and let it go to the winds, and I’ll kill her herself. If she marries me, we will reign together. Now go ahead.
Well, the brothers have to go, since the elder brother is sending them.
We came to the city where the queen lives.
And the queen already knew that Polkan had been killed, received the heroic matchmakers, and gave her food and drink.
The Tribesman Himself says:
“Our eldest brother, Mr. Ivan Sarapanchikov, will come not today or tomorrow to get married and asks me to tell you: if, they say, you don’t marry him, he will turn the whole kingdom over, and if you go, you will reign together.” What do you say now - say it, and we’ll wait, we’ve been given a day’s time.
The queen felt very bad when the heroes added that Ivan was unkempt and ugly. So, they say, he looks thin, like a simple person. The queen does not want to marry Ivan.
The queen thought and thought and thought for half a day. Well, then he speaks to the heroes.
“We’ll have to prepare, I didn’t want to, but I’ll have to: agree so that Ivan doesn’t devastate the kingdom.”
“Well, if you agree,” the heroes answer, “we need to prepare clothes for the groom, because he has nothing.”
The queen, of course, has everything, they called the tailors and they began to sew caftans and shirts.
The heroes galloped back, and in the city they are preparing to welcome Ivan. ZYabamen was hung out, songs were being played. The groom is greeted with ringing, and the bells keep ringing. A guard has been posted at the royal palace.
As soon as Ivan Sarapanchikov appeared, “on guard!” shouted. People find it funny: Ivan’s horse is thin, and he is the same, but you can’t laugh, everyone is afraid to laugh at the one who killed Polkan the Half-Demon. Here the judges, the governors - all the authorities came out - they brought clothes.
“If it suits you, Mr. Sarapanchikov, put it on and wear it,” they say.
And when it’s ironed, you can’t see the folds, only the brocade shines. The man was not offended and took it. They brought Ivan to the palace. The Queen of the Nine Kingdoms did not treat me to salted mushrooms, nor did she give me tea like ours. There were foreign wines, honeys, and home brews there. The wedding was scheduled for three days later. Guests were invited from all over the world, from foreign kingdoms, all princes and kings.
Ivan got dressed and how real man stood, with a gold watch, with royal insignia, and hung everything on himself that was given. No worse in appearance than the prince. Well, they threw such a great feast here, they lowered the prices of goods - whatever you need, take it.
And they treated the common people according to Ivan’s order - everyone at the feast ate to their fill, and there was still some left.
The feast went on for two months. Then, when the feast ended, Ivan called the heroes to him.
“Here,” he says, “brothers, if you want to live with me and serve well, I will reward you, I will appoint you as commander-in-chief, if you don’t want to live here, go wherever you want, I don’t hold you, you have your own will.” What do you want - to be a governor or to go free?
I asked and gave him a day to answer. They thought and thought, then the Tribesman Himself said:
- Ivan is really angry, I decided to leave here. If you stay here, you will have to fear him and please him all the time. He is not a real hero. The real one is kind and fair.
“I also decided,” says Belunya. “I want to go free.”
And the third hero says:
- I'll leave too.
Then everyone went to Ivan together.
“Here,” they say, “elder brother, if it does not harm you, let us go, we will go free.”
And no matter how much Ivan persuaded the heroes, they left him.
Bear nannies
Komi folk tale
One mother bear had three cubs. She had a hard time with the little ones.
First one or the other little bear will roar, then little Mishenka will cry.
So three days passed, and on the fourth the she-bear said to the bear:
- Oh, forest man, if you don’t get three nannies, I’ll run away from you to the ninth swamp!
The bear got scared. He called the animals and birds and began to consult with them on where to find nannies for the bear cubs.
The animals and birds did not know, only the fox knew where to find nannies. Fox says:
- A hunter lives in a forest hut. He has three daughters. The youngest is a cook, she makes such a sur* that as soon as you take a sip, you’ll get drunk.
“Well, well, the girl is suitable as a nanny!” the bear roared.
And the fox continued:
- The middle sister sings well. As soon as it begins to spin, as soon as it begins to sing, even the blizzard will stop howling.
“Well, the middle one suits us too,” the bear growled.
Lisa continued:
- The older sister is smart, she can teach anyone the wisdom you want!
“And this one suits us!” the bear roared.
The bear went into the thicket. There, under the old fly agaric, Yoma-baba lived. When she found out what was the matter, she gave the bear a basket, a spindle, and a ball of silk and said:
- These things are not simple, but magical, they will help lure girls into the den.
But the three sisters didn’t know anything about it.
At dawn the youngest went out into the forest to pick berries. The elder one tells her:
- Don’t go, sister, today the owls in the forest were happy, screaming, wolves howled, you know, there’s some kind of trouble good people trains.
The youngest did not listen and went into the forest.
Suddenly I saw a basket rolling along the ground.
The girl is catching up with the magic basket, but she can’t catch up. After all, Yoma Baba made it. Suddenly the basket jumped under the roots of a gnarled pine tree. The girl followed him, and found herself in a bear's den. She became a bear nanny.
The eldest did not sleep all night, worried about her younger sister. And the next morning the middle sister got ready for the forest. The elder one tells her:
- Stay home, sister! The youngest is lost, and you might get lost. Today the owls screamed, the bears roared, the wolves howled, and Yoma danced in the meadow. Don't go, sit in the hut.
And the middle one responds:
“I really need to sit in a stuffy hut; I’d rather spin by the forest stream and sing with the birds.”
And she left.
Suddenly I saw a spindle rolling. The girl ran after the spindle, caught up with him, but could not catch up with him.
It flew under the roots of a gnarled pine tree. The girl jumped after him and found herself in a den.
So she became a bear nanny.
The bear got ready to go hunting and punishes the girls:
- Look after my cubs. You, the middle one, lull the boys to sleep with a song, don’t sit idle, tidy up the hut, you, the youngest, prepare dinner.
The bear left, and the middle sister began rocking the cubs in their cradles.
Meanwhile, the youngest went to the closet where dried raspberries, edible roots, and wild honey were stored. I started preparing lunch.
The cubs fell asleep. The middle one went out to sweep the canopy. She started singing a song, and my sister joined in.
The middle sister sweeps the canopy, the younger sister prepares dinner, both burst into burning tears and sing a bitter song.
A ram ran past the den. He heard a plaintive song, realized that the girls were crying, and bleated at the threshold.
The younger sister could not leave the stove, but the middle sister ran out of the den and told the ram what had happened to her. The ram listened to the girl and told her:
- Ride me and I'll take you home. She sat astride the ram, and he ran through the forest. Over there you can see the edge of the forest, and at this time the bear and she-bear were returning from hunting. They saw a girl riding a ram. We chased them. The ram started running as fast as he could. The girl fell onto the grass. The bear dragged her into the den. She beat and beat me for two days, and on the third she forced me to work again.
Once again the bears gathered to hunt and tied the middle sister to the cradle with an enchanted rope. Yoma-baba herself forged that rope. And the bear punished her younger sister:
- Don't you dare run. I caught up with your sister and I’ll catch up with you. You too will taste the bear's paw.
The bear and she-bear left. The younger sister swept the floor, began to cook dinner, and the middle cub rocks and sings her plaintive song with her sister, sings and sheds tears.
A lively bull ran past, heard a song and looked into the den. The cook came out to him and told him what trouble had happened to her and the songbird and how the ram saved her sister but did not save her.
And the bull mooed in response:
I'm a bull, I'm a bull
Tarred barrel
I'll gore everyone with my horns,
I will trample the animals under my feet,
Sit on top of me
I'll take you to your house.
The middle sister says:
- And really, go, sister, you will be free, you will bring the hunters here, and I will see happiness.
The youngest jumped up astride the bull, and he flew through the forest. In the distance I could see my home.
And at this time a bear and a she-bear appeared. The bull wanted to gore them with his horns, but missed, landed in an old birch tree, and got stuck. The bear barked and dragged her younger sister home.
She was beaten and beaten for two days, and on the third she was forced to work.
The two bears never left the den again.
And the older sister stayed at home with her father and felt very sorry for the sisters.
The bears passionately wanted to lure a third nanny into the den, so that she could teach the cubs wisdom. The bear took various baits from Yoma Baba and threw them at the eldest’s feet, but sleep did not fall for these baits.
The elder sister heard the tar barrel goby moo pitifully, went into the forest, and helped him free himself.
The bull told her where her sisters were.
The girl asks her father:
- I’ll go, father, to help the sisters. Don't worry about me. Man can outwit both beast and bird.
The father let the girl go. She ran, climbed into the bear’s den and said to the bear and she-bear:
- Hello, owners. I missed my sisters, I came to you of my own free will. I will teach you wisdom.
The bear seated the eldest at the table and began to treat her.
And the girl told the sisters not to contradict the bears in anything,
The bear and she-bear can't get enough of it!
The middle one now tirelessly sings songs, rocks the cubs, the youngest cooks sur, grinds berries with honey, and the eldest teaches the cubs forest sciences and whispers to the sisters:
- Don’t worry, man will outwit both the beast and the bird. The bear looks at the three nannies and doesn’t know how to thank them.
“We don’t need anything,” the eldest tells her. “But let the bear take three chests with gifts to our father.”
The bears agreed. We made a chest. And the eldest woman put her younger sister there, locked the chest and said to the bear:
- Look, don’t look inside, my eyes are sharp, I can see far.
The bear dragged the chest. Oh, and heavy. I just wanted to look inside, and the girl said from the chest:
The bear got scared, dragged the chest, and ran after another. He shouldered the chest. Oh, how heavy! The bear just wanted to look into the chest when the middle one screamed:
“I see everything with blue eyes, I see everything with keen eyes, I see everything with big eyes.”
The bear got scared, dragged the second chest, threw it on the threshold of the hut, and returned home.
And at this time the eldest wove a belt for the bear. The bear put on her belt and went to look into the river. The eldest sent the cubs for berries. And she herself took three stupas, dressed them in embroidered shirts and scarlet sundresses, filled their eyebrows, rouged their cheeks, and painted their eyes. She placed the stupas on the bench.
And then the eldest climbed into the chest herself. The bear is back. I was tired, I wanted to rest, and the girl from the chest said:
- We, bear nannies, are watching you with six eyes. Carry the chest, otherwise we won’t babysit your cubs.
The bear groaned, picked up the chest, carried it to the hut, and returned to the den. Then the she-bear came, and the cubs came running:
- Hey, nannies, let's eat!
And the stupas are silent. The bear got angry and pushed one of the mortars. She swayed and hit a bear on the nose. Sparks flew from his eyes. The bear roared:
- Hey, nanny, sing songs!
And the nanny is silent.
The bear got offended, pushed the stupa, and the stupa swayed, and when he hit the bear on the forehead, her bump jumped up.
The cubs rushed to the third stupa:
- Hey, nanny, teach us some sense so that we can become smarter than you and punish your sisters.
But not a word either. The cubs got angry and began to push the mortar, but the mortar fell and almost crushed the cubs.
___________________________
* Sur - beer.
The Tale of Three Pots
Once upon a time there was a couple. The husband died. My wife made three pots and put them on the stove to dry. One pot began to speak humanly: “Mom, I’m going to go earn money.” Is the mother answering? “Wherever you go, you will be hit and broken.” But the pot did not listen and went away. He went down to the bank of the stream. A rich, beautiful girl was rinsing her clothes there.
She began to look for a place to put her clothes. He looks: there is dirt everywhere. She saw the pot and thought: I’ll put it in this pot, it will get less dirty. That's where she put it. And our pot began to shrink, closed completely, and rolled home. He came and said to his mother: “Mom, mom, come out, I brought you some money.”
Mom came out and was surprised that the pot brought so many clothes. She brought in clothes, the second pot began to ask: “Mom, now I’m going to go earn money.” The mother again began to dissuade him. He did not listen, went to work, rolled into the forest. There, two robbers were dividing the money, looking, but there was nothing to measure it with. They saw the pot, Yes, they put gold money there. The pot shrank and shrank and rolled home. The robbers got scared, but didn’t dare catch it.
The pot rolled and came home: “Mom, come out, I brought you some money.” The mother came out and was frightened when she saw how much money the pot brought her. Tomorrow the third pot began to be requested. Mother won't let me in again. The pot didn’t listen and went. The pot went into the grove. A man was hunting there, but he was very tired, and there was nowhere to sit - it was damp all around. He saw the pot and sat down on it. The pot pressed and pressed his clothes, and completely pressed him. Yes, I went home. “Mom, mom, come out, I brought you a man.” The mother came out, took the man into the house, and they began to live. There is a lot of money, a lot of clothes. And in pots they cooked and steamed porridge and wort.
Hunter and Chuklya
Komi folk tale
Once upon a time there lived a young hunter in a village. So one day he went to the forest lands to kill fur-bearing animals and catch game.
The hunter settled in the thicket of the forest, in a forest bathhouse. I set snares on short and long trails.
He began to catch squirrels and hazel grouse, black grouse and wood grouse. Only at first the hunter was unlucky.
One day he was walking along animal paths in the morning, and suddenly he saw a white-bearded old man sitting under a forest rowan tree. His shirt is as red as a mountain ash in the fall, he groans pitifully and has bruised his leg.
The hunter brought the old man to his bathhouse. I fed him, gave him water, and treated his leg with herbs. Three days passed, and the old man recovered, got ready to leave and said goodbye:
- You helped me, I will help you! Now you will always have a successful hunt. However, remember, do not wish to receive more than you receive, and if trouble comes, call me for help.
So he said and left.
Indeed, there was good fishing! The hunter gets a lot of black grouse and wood grouse, a lot of hazel grouse and squirrels. He gets a lot, but he wants even more.
One day the hunter returned to the bathhouse. He was tired to death, but he had to fetch water, chop wood, and cook dinner.
The hunter brought water and began chopping wood.
He stabs himself, he himself sentences:
- If I had an assistant, we would have gotten so many animals and game...
The hunter put down his ax and shouted:
- Hey, whoever is in the forest, respond, be my assistant...
Only the echo echoed through the forest.
“If only I had an assistant, we would get so many animals and game!” says the hunter again.
The hunter began to chop wood again. Kolet keeps calling for an assistant. But no one responds. And the guy shouted:
- At least Chuklya from Yaga* come to me. Together we will get rich.
Again no one responded.
The hunter chopped wood, cooked dinner, and sat down at the table. Before he could even pick up the spoon, a passer-by knocked on the window and said:
- Hey, master, let me spend the night! I got lost in the forest.
The hunter opened the door and seated the guest at the table; began to treat him to hot stew.
He looks at his guest dressed in a caftan made of green foliage, his boots made of fresh moss. A passerby ate, talked to the hunter about this and that, and began to ask:
- Take me as your assistant. I will go hunting with you, catch game and kill fur-bearing animals.
The hunter was happy, he was bored in the forest without a comrade.
Both slept soundly until morning, at dawn they ate porridge and went fishing along the trails to set snares. And then we went to check the snares again.
A lot of prey ended up in the hunter's snare. But how surprised he was when he saw the assistant’s catch: the hunter caught a lot, and the assistant – twice as much.
So the day flew by, the week flew by. Every day a hunter and his assistant go fishing. Every day there is a lot of prey in the hunter's snare, and his assistant has twice as much.
What's the matter? The hunter thought and thought and decided:
“Let me send my assistant to hunt on the worst paths.”
So he did. But the assistant on the path where the hunter caught three hazel grouse caught three hundred.
The hunter guessed that his assistant was not an ordinary person, but Chuklya from Yaga himself - the owner of the forest. He came at his call under the guise of a peasant, now there is no good way to get rid of him.
And the hunter decided to run away to his village. He told his assistant to go around the longest paths, and he himself took a piece of bread and went home.
The hunter ran, ran, and ran far away. At sunset I got tired and sat down on a tree stump to eat. Look, Chuklya is coming.
Chuklya shouted:
“You ran away from me, but you just couldn’t, and for that, as soon as the sun goes down, I’ll deal with you.”
Chuklya sat down on a stump, crossed his arms, looked at the sun, it was about to set.
The hunter got scared and began to call the grandfather, who promised to help in trouble:
- Oh, grandfather, help me.
As soon as the hunter said these words, a white-bearded old man in a red shirt came out of the forest with a rowan club in his hands. He approached the hunter and whispered:
- Load the gun not with a bullet, but with bread crumbs. Place the gun between your legs, turn your back to Chukla and shoot!
The hunter obeyed and fired. Chuklya flew head over heels and started running without looking back.
So the hunter got rid of Chuklya. He scolded himself for his greed and never asked anyone else for help.
_________________________
* Chuklya from Yaga - goblin from the forest
Black Arctic fox.
Komi folk tale
Once upon a time there lived an old man and an old woman. Far away in the northern forests, in a tiny village, stood their miserable hut, darkened with age. They lived very poorly. Parents who had aged from earthly hardships had three daughters - that’s all the wealth.
One day an old man was going to the forest to get firewood. He harnessed a skinny, lame horse to the cart and drove off. Having reached the right place, the old man got off the cart, tied the horse to a nearby tree and looked around. Suddenly he sees a tall birch stump standing nearby.
“I’ll get the old woman some birch bark from this stump for kindling,” the old man thought, walked up and began removing the thin white bark.
Before he had time to peel off half of it, a black arctic fox suddenly jumped out from under the stump. He jumped on the old man and began to bite the poor fellow and tear his clothes with his claws.
The old man screamed in pain and wailed. He tried to throw off the black fox - but how could a weak old man do anything against a forest beast? The old man begged:
- Don’t bite me, black fox, don’t kill me in vain!
And the black arctic fox says to him in a human voice:
– If I don’t bite and kill you now, what will you give me in return?
“I,” says the exhausted old man, “will give one of my daughters to you as a wife, I swear on my belly.”
“Look, old man, you swore with your life, I’ll believe you.” But blame yourself if you deceive,” the black fox agreed, hid his fangs and claws and jumped off the old man. They got into the cart and went to the village.
The old man’s hut is getting closer and closer, the black arctic fox has already pricked up his ears, his eyes glow like embers with joy. Finally, we arrived at the village. The black fox in the cart remained waiting, and the old man, with nowhere to go, wandered into the hut. He came in, and there was no face on him from unexpected grief, and his legs involuntarily gave way, and burning tears irrepressibly welled up in his eyes. But there is nothing to be done, I made a promise - I must keep it.
The old man sat down on a bench near the table, sighed heavily, told his household briefly what had happened to him in the forest today, and asked his eldest daughter:
“My eldest daughter, my beloved daughter, maybe you will save your father and marry a black fox?”
- No no! What are you doing, father! – the eldest daughter screamed in fear. - I won’t marry a black fox! I’d rather run into the dense forest and get lost.
The old man sighed and turned to his middle daughter:
“My middle daughter, my beloved daughter, maybe you can help your father out and marry a black fox?”
- No no! What are you doing, father! - the middle daughter wailed, waving her off. - I won’t marry a black fox! I’d rather throw a stone around my neck with a rope and drown myself in the river.
The old father sighed even sadder and asked his youngest daughter:
- My youngest daughter, my beloved Belyanochka, maybe you will help your father in trouble, marry a black fox?
“Okay, dear father,” Belyanochka obediently bowed to her father, “don’t worry, darling, don’t worry.” I will marry a black fox.
No matter how hard it was for the old man and the old woman to be separated from their youngest daughter, but the words spoken and promised on oath cannot be taken back.
The next morning, the old man and the old woman Belyanochka collected a small dowry, escorted their daughter to the edge of the forest and kissed goodbye. Then the black fox himself led his young wife.
They walked for a long time through the dense forest, bypassed the bog swamps, and the sun had already yawned tiredly, and it was beginning to go to rest towards sunset. Finally, the centuries-old trees parted, and Belyanochka came out with her animal husband into a large clearing. The human daughter is looking, and in the middle of the clearing there is a strong, large hut. And the black arctic fox leads her straight to the hut. They went inside, and there were only two crooked logs standing and gnawed bones lying in all the corners.
This forest hut was the home of the black fox.
- Are you tired, Belyanochka? – the black arctic fox asked carefully. “If you’re tired, then rest, get off the road, now I’ll show you your room.”
The black arctic fox hit the floor with its paw, and suddenly a previously invisible door opened in front of Belyanochka, and behind it a bright room. In that upper room, mirrors in carved frames hang on the walls, and in cages the singing birds trill.
Belyanochka timidly stepped onto the threshold of the upper room and saw a wide bed standing by the window, feather beds on it, a sable blanket, silk pillows, decorated with rich lace at the edges, and quiet pleasant music playing around, gently enchanting the ear.
While the human daughter was looking around her new home, forest animals brought food to the newlyweds. Belyanochka and the black fox ate and went to rest from the long journey.
So the two of them began to live in a forest hut.
Whether long or short, one day the black fox returned from hunting and said to his wife:
- Belyanochka, your sisters are coming to visit you. Listen to your husband, do as I tell you. Go out to the dugout next to the hut and tell the sisters when they arrive that you live there. If they ask you something, don’t tell them anything, just nod your head in agreement.
The wife bowed to her husband:
“Be it your way,” she went out into the dugout, sat down on a rotten chick and began to wait for the sisters. And all around the floor, just like in the hut, gnawed bones are lying around.
Here Belyanochka looks out the window and sees her sisters walking through the clearing and crying out loud:
“If only we could collect our little sister’s bones, collect them and bury them like human beings!”
The elder sister was the first to enter the dugout. She saw that her younger sister was alive, alive and well. Only here she sits among a pile of bones.
- What are you eating, sister? What do you eat, Belyanochka? Is the black fox really feeding you these bones?
Belyanochka listens, and at her husband’s command she nods her head, as if confirming that it is the black fox that feeds her with bones.
The sisters showed Belyanochka gifts from the house, talked, told how they lived and went back. Their younger sister accompanied them to the edge of the forest and returned to her mansion.
They began to live and live on. How many days and nights flashed by - no one knows, no one counted. But one day a magpie on a long tail brought news to the black fox that Belyanochka’s middle sister was getting married. Yes, not for a simple village guy, but for a prince.
So the black fox says to his wife:
- Belyanochka, your sister is marrying the prince. Go to the wedding and have fun.
“How can I go to the wedding,” she laments, “I don’t even have a festive outfit.”
The black fox smiled and said:
– Click on this knot in the log, and then you’ll see everything for yourself.
White girl pressed the twig that the black fox showed her, and another door opened before her eyes. And there’s just so much there! There are only twelve forged chests!
Belyanochka began to open the chests one after another - and was afraid to believe her eyes! In the first there are brocade and satin dresses, in the second there are boots and shoes decorated with pearls, in the third there are scarves and hats of various colors...
She chose an outfit, changed clothes in her room and went out, beaming with joy, to the black fox.
The black fox nodded his muzzle approvingly and again said to Belyanochka:
- Now press on this twig. Another door will open. There the black horse is waiting for you. Saddle him and ride, just be careful so that the horse doesn’t accidentally throw you off. He's too playful, and he's stagnant in the stable.
He saw off his Belyanochka, and he himself threw off his fox skin and turned into a good fellow. He dressed in expensive clothes, mounted a white horse and soon caught up with Belyanochka. He jumps nearby and asks:
-Where are you going, beauty?
“I,” says Belyanochka, “are going to a wedding ball.”
- What a coincidence! And I’m going there too,” the kind fellow answers her in a ringing voice.
They went together. The fellow doesn’t take his eyes off the beauty, admiring her, but Belyanochka doesn’t even look at him.
We arrived in a large village where a wedding was being celebrated, and there was already a huge feast. No one paid any attention to the beautiful young couple, and Belyanochka’s sisters in expensive clothes didn’t even recognize them.
The guests ate, drank, and it was time to dance. The guys started inviting the girls to dance, and they didn’t ignore Belyanochka. The good fellow who met me on a white horse was the first to approach. She refused him once, twice, three times, and then she hurried home. She sat on a black horse and galloped off to her place, to the hut of the black fox.
And the black arctic fox, in the guise of a good fellow, overtook his wife on a white horse, galloped a short way, entered the house first, climbed back into the fox skin and, as if nothing had happened, went out to meet Belyanochka.
So she drove up to the hut, got off the black horse, climbed onto the porch and bowed to her husband-beast. Then the black fox asks her:
- Well, Belyanochka, tell me how you went to the wedding, how you walked with your relatives?
“When I was going to a wedding, I met a good fellow in the forest on a white horse, and I rode to the wedding with him, and I danced with him.
“Are you telling me the truth, Belyanochka?” Aren't you incriminating yourself?
Belyanochka lowered her eyes in embarrassment, blushed shyly and brightly, and said quietly:
“I told a lie, black fox.” I decided to provoke you out of stupidity. I'm sorry. I didn’t dance with any good fellow, I returned to you almost immediately.
“Now it’s your truth, because I didn’t dance with you, Belyanochka!”
The black fox said this, threw off his fox skin and in the blink of an eye turned into a good fellow.
He approached his amazed, beautiful wife, hugged her tenderly and kissed her on the mouth.
So, with her devotion, Belyanka broke the witchcraft spell that had held the good fellow in the black fox skin for many years.
They played another wedding, a real one, as is customary with all people, and began to live and live and make good things.
Bread and fire
Komi folk tale
Once upon a time, there lived a trapper and his three sons. One day they went to hunt squirrels and hazel grouse in the forest.
They settled in a forest hut, in a thicket.
They live like this for ten days, they live for a month, they live for three months. Every day more and more squirrels and hazel grouse are caught.
The trappers ran out of bread. The fire on the hearth went out. There is nowhere to fry game, nowhere to warm up, the cold makes it difficult to sleep.
Father says:
- It’s a shame to go home. We have a successful hunt here.
Let's cast lots to see which of you will get bread and fire.
The lot fell to the eldest to go, but the youngest son decided to first see if there was a light shining somewhere. He climbed a tall spruce tree and saw a fire in the distance, like a wolf's eye, burning. The guy climbed down from the tree and showed his father and brothers which way to go.
Father said:
- My eldest son will most likely return with fire and
bread.
The eldest son took the gun and hit the road to find the light. In the evening he reached a forest hut. A guy entered the hut, but the hut was empty. On the hearth the fire barely glows, and a smoky pot hangs over the coals. The guy threw in some wood to make the fire hotter.
The firewood began to glow with a bright flame. But then no one knows who shouted in a loud voice. Out of fear, the guy fell to the floor. And when he got up, he was even more frightened: he saw an old man standing in front of him; tall to the ceiling, the hair on his head is gray, his beard is green, his hands are like tree roots. The old man says to the trapper:
- Sit down and tell me who you are, where you came from and why you touch someone else’s fire without asking.
There is nothing to do, the trapper told who he was and why he came here for bread and fire.
The old man was Leshim, and he said to the trapper:
“If you tell a lie, I’ll give you fire and bread, and if you make a mistake and tell the truth, I’ll cut the belt out of your back.”
The trapper began to tell a tall tale. He said and said, but he was wrong, instead of the unprecedented, he spoke about something that actually happens. Leshy got angry, grabbed the trapper and cut a palm-width belt from his back.
The trapper barely escaped from the tenacious hands of Leshy. As soon as he escaped, he ran without looking back. He appeared to his father and brothers and said that Leshy almost ate him because he wanted to secretly take fire and bread. The elder brother hid how he failed to tell the tale and how Leshy cut out his belt. The guy was very ashamed that he had made such a mistake.
The father sent his second son for fire and bread and ordered him:
- Don’t take it secretly, ask politely!
Here comes the second brother. And he failed to tell the tales, Leshy cut off his finger for this.
The middle brother barely escaped. I didn’t remember how I got home. He told his friends that he couldn’t tell Leshy the tale, he only hid the fact that he cut off his finger.
The younger one laughed and said to the brothers:
- Oh, you couldn’t get fire and bread from Lesha.
“You try it yourself, go to Leshy, and you’ll get it,” the brothers answer. Junior says:
“You can’t live without fire and bread, so I’ll go get fire and bread.”
The guy took a gun, tucked an ax into his belt, hit the road and soon found himself in a forest hut, and there Leshy lay in front of the fire. In one corner is the head, in the other are the legs.
The younger brother bowed to Leshem and said politely:
- Let me spend the night.
“Well,” answers Leshy, “climb onto the stove and tell me tall tales.” If you please, I will reward you, and if you tell me a true story instead of a fable, I will tear out all the hair on your head.
The younger brother agreed, but only warned Leshy not to interrupt him.
- And if you interrupt me, I’ll tear out a clump of your hair myself.
So we agreed. The younger brother climbed onto the stove and began to tell a tall tale:
- Once upon a time, a shoemaker flew into the sky for three years and finally climbed behind the clouds onto the blue fields, and there all the people were barefoot, walking upside down, saying:
- If we were wearing winged boots, we would jump from cloud to cloud and would not walk upside down.
The man felt sorry for the heavenly inhabitants. He began to sew winged boots with them, and instead of bristles he took White hair, which he snatched from Leshy.
Leshy heard about the gray hair, grabbed his head and shouted:
- You can’t tear out gray hair!
“You can!” answered the trapper and tore out a tuft of hair from Leshy.
“No more,” he says, “don’t interrupt me.” Leshy fell silent, and the younger brother continued to tell the tale:
- One day, a heavenly dweller in winged boots wove a rope out of a cloud, jumped to the ground and began to catch brownies with that rope. He caught every one of them, began to catch the mermen, and the mermen themselves come here. Oh, oh, they really are coming here!
Leshy was scared. He had been fighting with the mermen all his life, he rushed to the door, but there was no one there. Says to the guy:
- Why are you deceiving? There are no mermen in sight.
“And you yourself ordered to deceive!” the trapper answers, tore out a tuft of hair from Leshy as agreed and threatened:
- If you say one more word, I’ll rip out another shred! Leshy became quiet, sat down, and listened further:
- I once went hunting. Got lost. Started to freeze. Suddenly I met a bear. The bear tells me in a human voice: “Don’t shoot at me; me, man! I will do whatever you order!” I told the bear to build a fire, but the bear said: “I have neither flint nor steel, I cannot strike a fire.
Ride me and I will take you to where the fire burns.” I sat astride the bear. The bear took off and flew over forests and rivers, over mountains and lakes. A bear landed at your hut and said: “Here they will give you fire and bread.” So I came to you, and you give me neither fire nor bread. And suddenly the younger brother shouted:
- Hey, Mishka-bear, come here, tear apart the evil Leshy!
The goblin fell at the guy’s feet:
- Take whatever you want, don’t call the bear!
And the younger brother answers:
- I need what I came for!
The goblin gave his younger brother a gun that never misses, a bag with hunting supplies that never runs out, three bags full of bread, and a fire stone with a piece of iron.
“You will hit this stone with a piece of iron,” said Leshy, “and you will have a hot fire.”
“That’s not enough for me,” the guy answers. “You offended my brothers, I need to wash away this offense.”
Leshy began to cry, confessed that he had cut out the belt from one brother and tore off a finger from another. He gave the guy a belt and a finger, gave him a magic potion and said:
“I tore off the fingers of many people who came to me for fire, cut out the belts, but someone like you has never come.”
The guy Leshy thanked him and returned to his father and brothers.
The younger one began to tell how he deceived Leshy, the brothers opened their mouths, but the father said:
- Apparently you too, son, got it from Leshy. And you didn't bring fire.
The younger brother took out a fire stone, hit it with a piece of iron, and the fire began to shine and the wood in the stove blazed.
“And now,” the younger one says to the older brothers, “admit what you lost from Leshy.”
They told how it happened. The younger brother smeared the older brother's back and the middle brother's leg with a magic potion and cured them.
The father found out how his eldest sons had blundered, and he felt bitter.
They lived in the forest a little longer and returned home, sold the squirrels and hazel grouse, and earned a lot of money.
Then my father died. And before his death, he gathered his sons and said:
- You, elders, must run the household without me. And to you, youngest son, I leave my hunting happiness.
The eldest sons' work did not go well, and they soon went bankrupt. And the youngest hunted all the time in his father’s lands and became such a skilled trapper that his fame spread far, far away.
Daughter with a spindle
Komi folk tale
There lived an old man and an old woman, and they had a daughter as tall as a spindle.
One day a witch, Yoma, came to the old people and said:
“Your daughter is as tall as a spindle, and I have a son no bigger.” Give your daughter to my son! If you don’t give it back, I won’t let you live: I’ll block your chimney and close it, lock the doors from the outside!
The old people were scared. They say to Yoma:
- What can you do with you? We will give our daughter for your son...
Yoma took the girl and dragged her to her place.
And it turns out she didn’t have any son. She just wanted to destroy the girl. Yoma dragged the girl into her hut and said:
- Go ahead and shear my sheep. I need wool for yarn.
The girl went to shear Yomina’s sheep, and on the way she stopped by an old woman she knew.
- Where are you going? - asks the old lady.
- I’m going to shear Yomin’s sheep.
- Yoma is sending you to certain death! - says the old lady. - Her sheep are gray wolves! Well, I'll teach you how to do it! When you come to the forest, climb a tree and shout louder:
-Sheep, my little sheep,
Get ready quickly
Cut your own hair
Leave the wool to me!
The girl did just that. She came to the forest, climbed a tall tree and sang:
- Sheep, my little sheep,
Get ready quickly
Cut your own hair
Leave the wool to me!
Then gray wolves came running, began to jump under the tree, tearing at each other with their claws. They tore up a lot of fur, and then everyone ran away. The girl collected the wool in a pile and brought it to Yoma. Yoma was surprised:
- What a miracle! How come my sheep didn’t eat you? Well, now run quickly to my cows - milk them and bring me milk.
The girl went to look for Yomina’s cows, and on the way she again visited an old woman she knew.
-Where is Yoma sending you now? - asks the old lady.
- Milk the cows.
- Do you know that her cows are shaggy bears? When you come to the forest, climb a tall tree and shout:
-Cows, cows,
Get ready quickly
Milk yourself
Leave me the milk!
The girl did just that. She came to the forest, climbed a tree and began to call the bears. Yomin’s cows, shaggy bears, came running to her cry. They milked themselves, poured the milk into birch trees, left it with the girl, and then scattered through the forest.
The girl brought milk. Yoma can’t believe his eyes:
- How come my little cows didn’t eat you? Well, now run quickly to my sister and ask her for a birch bark basket.
And she thinks:
“I didn’t manage to destroy her, but her older sister will destroy her!”
The girl ran to Yomi’s sister, and on the way she ran into the old woman. The old woman gave her butter and cereals, a basket of resin, a wooden comb and a block and said:
- Yomina’s sister is also Yoma. When you come to her, say: “Yoma - aunt, Yoma - aunt!” Your sister asks for a birch bark basket." When you sense trouble, run away quickly! Lubricate the hinges on the door with oil and it will open. Yomin's black birds will attack you - you throw them grains. They will fall behind. When Yomina’s sister catches up with you, you first throw the comb, then the block, and finally the basket of resin.
A girl came to see Yomina’s sister. Yomina’s sister asks her:
- Why did you come to me?
- Yoma-aunt, Yoma-aunt! Your sister asks for a birch bark basket.
- Ah, basket! Okay, I'll give it. You sit down, rest, and I’ll go to the closet,” and she began to sharpen her teeth.
The girl heard this and realized that trouble was threatening, but she had better run away.
I rushed to the door, but the door did not open. She guessed it - she lubricated the hinges with oil, and the door opened by itself. The girl ran out into the street, and Yomin’s black birds attacked her from all sides, screaming - they were about to peck out her eyes! She threw cereals to the birds, and they lagged behind her. The girl ran as fast as she could.
And Yoma-aunt sharpened her teeth, came out of the closet, looked - and the girl was not there! She rushed to the door and began to scold her:
- Why did you release it?
And the door in response:
- Why should I keep her? I have been serving you for forty years now, and you have never oiled my hinges.
Aunt Yoma ran out into the street, let’s scold the birds:
- Why did you let her out? Why weren't her eyes pecked out?
And the black birds responded:
- Why do we need to peck at her eyes? We’ve been living with you for forty years now—not once have you let us peck the leftover dough from the kneading bowl!
Yoma sat down - the aunt in the mortar, pushing with a pusher, making noise - rattling through the forest, chasing the girl. It's about to catch up.
The girl threw the comb over her shoulder and said:
- My comb is wooden,
Grow into a dense forest
Behind me
Yoma is ahead!
He grew up here behind the girl, in front of Yoma there was a dense forest up to the clouds.
Yoma, the aunt, struggled and struggled, searched, searched for a passage, but couldn’t find it! There is nothing to do, I returned home to get an ax. She rushed back with an ax, cut a path, but where to put the heavy ax?
She hides the ax in the bushes, and the forest birds shout to her:
-You will hide -
We'll see!
We'll see -
We'll tell everyone!
Yoma got angry at the forest birds:
- Ooh, sharp-eyed ones! They see everything!
Yoma-auntie decided to throw the ax back. She threw it and the ax fell right next to her house.
Again she chased the girl, again she began to overtake her. Then the girl threw the block over her shoulder behind her and shouted:
- You're a block, you're a block,
Stand up like a stone mountain
Behind me
Yoma is ahead!
And now, behind the girl, in front of Yoma, a large stone mountain grew.
Again Yoma, my aunt, had to return home for an ax. She grabbed an ax and rushed again to the stone mountain - let's make a passage in it! It’s broken through, but where should I put the ax? The birds are already here, singing the same song:
-You will hide -
We'll see!
We'll see -
We'll tell everyone!
Yoma again threw the ax towards her house and chased after the girl. Now he’ll catch up with her, now he’ll grab her...
Then the girl threw a basket of resin and shouted:
-Basket with resin,
Flow like a river of tar
I have ahead
Yoma is behind!
And she mixed up the words. Both the girl and Yoma found themselves in the tar river. And at this time a crow flew over the river.
“My little crow,” says the girl, “fly to my father, to my mother, tell them that their daughter is stuck in the tar along with the evil Yoma!” Let them take a three-pound iron scrap, let them take fire and run here!..
A crow flew to the old men, sat on the window, conveyed to them the girl’s request, but the old men did not hear the crow’s words.
The daughter waited and waited for help from her father, but she didn’t receive any help from her mother. And at this time a large raven flew over her head.
- Raven, raven! – the girl shouted.
- Tell my father and mother that I got stuck in the river of tar! Let them rush to my aid, let them take fire and heavy crowbars!
A raven flew to the old people and screamed loudly:
- Trigger - trigger! Your daughter ran away from Yoma and fell into the tar river! Yoma chased after her and also got stuck in the tar river! Your daughter asks you to run to her aid, to carry an iron crowbar and fire!
The raven's voice - it was louder - was heard by the old man and the old woman, grabbed a heavy iron crowbar and fire and ran to the tar river to help out their daughter.
The cunning Yoma saw the old man and the old woman and shouted from afar:
- My dears, get us out of here!
Your daughter and I got ready to visit you, but we both fell into the tar river!
- Don't believe her, don't believe her! - the daughter screams. “She ran after me, wanted to destroy me, want to eat me!”
An old man ran up and drove the evil Yoma into the tar river with an iron crowbar. Then he lit a fire, melted the resin and pulled out the daughter.
The three of them returned home cheerful, joyful and began to live together, as they had lived before.
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