Chapter I. INTRODUCTORY, part 2 · page 31 2 3201Afterwards she sprinkled her husband and her boy with the water of life: straightway they revived.202And from that time forward they knew neither sorrow nor separation, but they all lived together long and happily.203[22]204Another lively sketch of a peasant's love-making is given in the introduction to the story of "Ivan the widow's son and Grisha."205[23] The tale is one of magic and enchantment, of living clouds and seven-headed snakes; but the opening is a little piece of still-life very quaintly portrayed.206A certain villager, named Trofim, having been unable to find a wife, his Aunt Melania comes to his aid, promising to procure him an interview with a widow who has been left well provided for, and whose personal appearance is attractive--"real blood and milk!207When she's got on her holiday clothes, she's as fine as a peacock!"208Trofim grovels with gratitude at his aunt's feet. "209My own dear auntie, Melania Prokhorovna, get me married for heaven's sake!210I'll buy you an embroidered kerchief in return, the very best in the whole market."211The widow comes to pay Melania a visit, and is induced to believe, on the evidence of beans (frequently used for the purpose of divination), that her destined husband is close at hand.212At this propitious moment Trofim appears.213Melania makes a little speech to the young couple, ending her recommendation to get married with the words:--214"I can see well enough by the bridegroom's eyes that the bride is to his taste, only I don't know what the bride thinks about taking him."215"I don't mind!" says the widow. "216Well, then, glory be to God!217Now, stand up, we'll say a prayer before the Holy Pictures; then give each other a kiss, and go in Heaven's name and get married at once!"218And so the question is settled.219From a courtship and a marriage in peasant life we may turn to a death and a burial.220There are frequent allusions in the Skazkas to these gloomy subjects, with reference to which we will quote two stories, the one pathetic, the other (unintentionally) grotesque.221Neither of them bears any title in the original, but we may style the first--222THE DEAD MOTHER.223[24]224In a certain village there lived a husband and wife--lived happily, lovingly, peaceably.225All their neighbors envied them; the sight of them gave pleasure to honest folks.226Well, the mistress bore a son, but directly after it was born she died.227The poor moujik moaned and wept.228Above all he was in despair about the babe.229How was he to nourish it now? how to bring it up without its mother?230He did what was best, and hired an old woman to look after it.231Only here was a wonder! all day long the babe would take no food, and did nothing but cry; there was no soothing it anyhow.232But during (a great part of) the night one could fancy it wasn't there at all, so silently and peacefully did it sleep.1 2 3← previousChapter I. INTRODUCTORY, part 1next →Chapter I. INTRODUCTORY, part 3↑ back to Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folk-loreThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/12/page/3/