Chapter VI. LEGENDS, part 1 · page 21 2101In the guise of indigent wayfarers, the sacred visitors enter into farm-houses and cottages and ask for food and lodging; therefore to this day the Russian peasant is ever unwilling to refuse hospitality to any man, fearing lest he might repulse angels unawares.102Tales of this kind are common in all Christian lands, especially in those in which their folk-lore has preserved some traces of the old faith in the heathen gods who once walked the earth, and in patriarchal fashion dispensed justice among men.103Many of the Russian stories closely resemble those of a similar nature which occur in German and Scandinavian collections; all of them, for instance, agreeing in the unfavorable light in which they place St. Peter.104The following abridgment of the legend of "The Poor Widow,"[435] may be taken as a specimen of the Russian tales of this class.105Long, long ago, Christ and his twelve Apostles were wandering about the world, and they entered into a village one evening, and asked a rich moujik to allow them to spend the night in his house.106But he would not admit them, crying:107"Yonder lives a widow who takes in beggars; go to her."108So they went to the widow, and asked her.109Now she was so poor that she had nothing in the house but a crust of bread and a handful of flour.110She had a cow, but it had not calved yet, and gave no milk.111But she did all she could for the wayfarers, setting before them all the food she had, and letting them sleep beneath her roof.112And her store of bread and flour was wonderfully increased, so that her guests fed and were satisfied.113And the next morning they set out anew on their journey.114As they went along the road there met them a wolf.115And it fell down before the Lord, and begged for food.116Then said the Lord, "Go to the poor widow's; slay her cow, and eat."117The Apostles remonstrated in vain.118The wolf set off, entered the widow's cow-house, and killed her cow.119And when she heard what had taken place, she only said:120"The Lord gave, the Lord has taken away.121Holy is His will!"122As the sacred wayfarers pursued their journey, there came rolling towards them a barrel full of money.123Then the Lord addressed it, saying:124"Roll, O barrel, into the farmyard of the rich moujik!"125Again the Apostles vainly remonstrated.126The barrel went its way, and the rich moujik found it, and stowed it away, grumbling the while:127"The Lord might as well have sent twice as much!"128The sun rose higher, and the Apostles began to thirst.129Then said the Lord:130"Follow that road, and ye will find a well; there drink your fill."131They went along that road and found the well.132But they could not drink thereat, for its water was foul and impure, and swarming with snakes and frogs and toads.133So they returned to where the Lord awaited them, described what they had seen, and resumed their journey.134After a time they were sent in search of another well.135And this time they found a place wherein was water pure and cool, and around grew wondrous trees, whereon heavenly birds sat singing.136And when they had slaked their thirst, they returned unto the Lord, who said:1 2← previousGhost Stories., part 5next →Chapter VI. LEGENDS, part 2↑ back to Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folk-loreThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/56/page/2/