🧚 Opening, part 13 · page 2

From that day forward nobody died in that kingdom: they were born, and they kept on being born, and they never died.83 And very many years went by, and the soldier never took his nosebag down.84 One day he happened to go into the town.85 He went, and on his way he met such an old, old lady, so old that on whichever side the wind blew, she inclined.86 “Oh, what an old lady!” the soldier said.87 “Why, it is almost time she died.”88

“Yes, father,” the old dame replied.89 “The time has come and gone long since.90 At the time when you put Death into the nosebag I had only one hour left in which to live in the white world.91 I should be very glad to have some rest; but unless I die, earth will not take me up; and you, discharged soldier, are guilty of an unforgivable sin in God’s eyes.92 For there is no single soul left on earth who is tortured as I am.”93

Then the soldier stayed and began to think.94 “Yes, yes; it would be better to let Death out; perhaps I, too, might die.95 And beyond this, too, I have many sins on my conscience.96 Thus it is better now whilst I am still strong and I bear pain on this earth; for when I shall become very old then it will be all the worse for me to suffer anything.”97

So he got up and he went up into the Bryánski Woods, and he went up to the aspen, and saw there the nosebag was hanging very high, shaking in the winds to all sides.98 “Oh, you Death,” he says, “are you still alive?”99

A faint voice came out of the nosebag: “Yes, father, I am alive.”100

So the soldier took the nosebag, opened it, and he let out Death.101

And he himself lay down on his bed, bade farewell to his wife and son, and he begged Death that he might die.102 And she[19] ran outside the door with all the strength in her feet.103 “Go!” she cried.104 “It is the devils who shall slay you—I shall not slay you!”105

So the soldier remained alive and healthy.106 And he thought: “Shall I go straight into the burning pitch, for then the devils will throw me into the seething sulphur until such time as my sins shall have been melted from off me.”107 And he bade farewell from all, and he went with the knapsack in his hand straight into the burning pitch.108

And he went on: may-be near, may-be far, may-be downhill, may-be uphill, may-be short, may-be long; and he at last arrived in the abyss, and he looked, and all round the burning cauldron there stood watchmen.109 As soon as he stopped at the gate a devil asked who was coming.110

“A guilty soul to be tortured.”111

“Why do you come?112 What are you carrying with you?”113

“Oh, a nosebag.”114

And the devil shrieked out of his full throat and made a tremendous stir.115 All the infernal powers roused themselves and looked out of the gates and windows with their unbreakable bolts.116

And the soldier went all round the cauldron, and he called out to the master of the cauldron: “Let me in, please; do let me into the cauldron.117 I have come to you to be tortured for my sins.”118

“No, I will not let you in.119 Go away wherever you will—there is no room for you here.”120

“Well, if you will not let me in to be tortured, at least give me two hundred souls.121 I will take them up to God, and perhaps the Lord will pardon my faults.”122

And the master of the cauldron answered: “I will add fifty more souls to the lot; only do go away!”123 So he instantly ordered two hundred and fifty souls to be counted out and to be taken to the rear gates in order that the soldier might not see him.124

So the soldier gathered up the guilty souls, and he went up to the gates of Paradise.125

The Apostles saw him, and said to the Lord: “Some soldier or other has come up here with two hundred and fifty souls from hell!”126

“Take them into Paradise, but do not let the soldier in.”127

But the soldier had given up his nosebag to one guilty soul, and had told it: “Just look here.128 When you enter the gates of Paradise, say at once: ‘Soldier, jump into the nosebag!’”129

Then the gates of Paradise opened, and the souls began to go in; and this guilty soul also went in, and for sheer joy forgot all about the soldier.130

Thus the soldier was left behind, and could not find any home in either place, and for long after that he still had to live and go on living in the white world.131 And after very many days he died.132

THE MIDNIGHT DANCE133

Once upon a time there was a king who was a widower.134 He had twelve daughters: each was fairer than the others.135 Every night these princesses went where nobody knew: it was only for twenty-four hours, and they always wore out a new pair of shoes.136 Now the king had no shoes ready for them, and he wanted to know where they went at night and what they did.137 So he made a feast ready, and he summoned all the kings and _korolévichi_, all the _boyárs_, and the merchants and the simple folk, to it, and he asked them, “Can any of you guess this riddle?138 Whoever guesses it I will give him my beloved daughter as a wife and a half of my kingdom as a dowry.”139

No one was able to find out where the princesses went at night.140 Only one poor nobleman cried out, “Your kingly Majesty, I will find out!”141

“Very well; go and find out.”142

So then the poor nobleman began pondering and saying to himself, “What have I done?143 I have undertaken to find out, and I don’t know myself.144 If I don’t find out now, possibly the king will put me under arrest.”145

So he went out of the palace beyond the city, and went on and on, and at last he met an old woman on the road who asked him, “What are you thinking of, doughty youth?”146

And he answered, “How should I, Bábushka, not become thoughtful?147 I have undertaken to discover for the king where his daughters go by night.”148

“Oh, this is a difficult task, but it can be done.149 Here, I will give you the cap of invisibility; with that you cannot be seen.150 Now, remember, when you go to sleep the princesses will pour a sleeping-draught out for you: you turn to the wall and pour it into the bed and do not drink it.”151

So the poor nobleman thanked the old woman and returned to the palace.152 Night-time approached and they gave him a room next to that in which the princesses slept.153 So he lay on the bed and began to keep watch.154 Then one of the princesses brought sleeping-drugs in wine and asked him to drink her health.155 He could not refuse, and so he took the goblet, turned to the wall, and poured it into the bed.156 At midnight the princesses went to look whether he was asleep or not.157 Then the poor nobleman pretended to be as sound asleep as a log, and himself kept a keen look out for every noise.158