Magic and Witchcraft., part 6 · page 21 2101"Listen, grandson!102When you go to the merchant's he will offer you brandy; don't you drink much--drink only a moderate allowance.103Afterwards the merchant will take you into the room in which his daughter is lying in her coffin, and will lock you in there.104You will read out from the psalter all the evening, and up to midnight.105Exactly at midnight a strong wind will suddenly begin to blow, the coffin will begin to shake, its lid will fall off.106Well, as soon as these horrors begin, jump on to the stove as quick as you can, squeeze yourself into a corner, and silently offer up prayers.107She won't find you there."108Half an hour later came the merchant, and besought the Soldier, crying:109"Ah, Soldier! there's a daughter of mine dead; come and read the psalter over her."110The Soldier took a psalter and went off to the merchant's house.111The merchant was greatly pleased, seated him at his table, and began offering him brandy to drink.112The Soldier drank, but only moderately, and declined to drink any more.113The merchant took him by the hand and led him to the room in which the corpse lay.114"Now then," he says, "read away at your psalter."115Then he went out and locked the door.116There was no help for it, so the Soldier took to his psalter and read and read.117Exactly at midnight there was a great blast of wind, the coffin began to rock, its lid flew off.118The Soldier jumped quickly on to the stove, hid himself in a corner, guarded himself by a sign of the cross, and began whispering prayers.119Meanwhile the witch had leapt out of the coffin, and was rushing about from side to side--now here, now there.120Then there came running up to her countless swarms of evil spirits; the room was full of them!121"What are you looking for?" say they.122"A soldier.123He was reading here a moment ago, and now he's vanished!"124The devils eagerly set to work to hunt him up.125They searched and searched, they rummaged in all the corners.126At last they cast their eyes on the stove; at that moment, luckily for the Soldier, the cocks began to crow.127In the twinkling of an eye all the devils had vanished, and the witch lay all of a heap on the floor.128The Soldier got down from the stove, laid her body in the coffin, covered it up all right with the lid, and betook himself again to his psalter.129At daybreak came the master of the house, opened the door, and said--130"Hail, Soldier!"131"I wish you good health, master merchant."132"Have you spent the night comfortably?"133"Glory be to God! yes."134"There are fifty roubles for you, but come again, friend, and read another night."135"Very good, I'll come."136The Soldier returned home, lay down on the bench, and slept till evening.137Then he awoke and said--138"Grandfather, the merchant bid me go and read the psalter another night.139Should I go or not?"140"If you go, you won't remain alive, and if you don't go, just the same!141But you'd better go.142Don't drink much brandy, drink just what is right; and when the wind blows, and the coffin begins to rock, slip straight into the stove.143There no one will find you."144The Soldier got ready and went to the merchant's, who seated him at table, and began plying him with brandy.145Afterwards he took him to where the corpse was, and locked him into the room.146The Soldier went on reading, reading.147Midnight came, the wind blew, the coffin began to rock, the coffin lid fell afar off on the ground.148He was into the stove in a moment.149Out jumped the witch and began rushing about; round her swarmed devils, the room was full of them!150"What are you looking for?" they cry.151"Why, there he was reading a moment ago, and now he's vanished out of sight.152I can't find him."153The devils flung themselves on the stove.154"Here's the place," they cried, "where he was last night!"155There was the place, but he wasn't there!156This way and that they rushed.157Suddenly the cocks began to crow, the devils vanished, the witch lay stretched on the floor.158The Soldier stayed awhile to recover his breath, crept out of the stove, put the merchant's daughter back in her coffin, and took to reading the psalter again.159Presently he looks round, the day has already dawned.160His host arrives:161"Hail, Soldier!" says he.162"I wish you good health, master merchant."163"Has the night passed comfortably?"164"Glory be to God! yes."165"Come along here, then."166The merchant led him out of the room, gave him a hundred roubles, and said--167"Come, please, and read here a third night; I sha'n't treat you badly."168"Good, I'll come."169The Soldier returned home.170"Well, grandson, what has God sent you?" says his grandfather.171"Nothing much, grandfather!172The merchant told me to come again.173Should I go or not?"174"If you go, you won't remain alive, and if you don't go, you won't remain alive!175But you'd better go."176"But if anything happens where must I hide?"177"I'll tell you, grandson.178Buy yourself a frying-pan, and hide it so that the merchant sha'n't see it.179When you go to his house he'll try to force a lot of brandy on you.180You look out, don't drink much, drink just what you can stand.181At midnight, as soon as the wind begins to roar, and the coffin to rock, do you that very moment climb on to the stove-pipe, and cover yourself over with the frying-pan.182There no one will find you out."183The Soldier had a good sleep, bought himself a frying-pan,[367] hid it under his cloak, and towards evening went to the merchant's house.184The merchant seated him at table and took to plying him with liquor--tried every possible kind of invitation and cajolery on him.185"No," says the Soldier, "that will do.186I've had my whack.187I won't have any more."188"Well, then, if you won't drink, come along and read your psalter."189The merchant took him to his dead daughter, left him alone with her, and locked the door.1 2← previousMagic and Witchcraft., part 5next →Magic and Witchcraft., part 7↑ back to Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folk-loreThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/47/page/2/