🧚 Opening, part 22 · page 2

“The first is an evil neighbour, the second an evil wife, and the third a weak understanding.”78

“Yet now, tell me which is the worst of these evils?”79

“The evil neighbour can be escaped; so can the evil wife if one has children enough, but the weak intellect can never be got rid of.”80

“Yes, that is true, potter; you are a sensible fellow.81 Listen!82 You suit me and I suit you.83 When there are geese flying over Russia, will you pluck a feather out of them or let them fly by in peace?”84

“If it suit me, I should let them fly by as they should; otherwise I should pluck them bald.”85

“Potter, hold in your horse a little while I look at your stock.”86

The potter stopped and displayed his goods.87

“Can you make any such for me?”88

“How many?”89

“Ten cartloads.”90

“How long will you require?”91

“One month.”92

“In a fortnight I can bring them into the town.93 I suit you and you suit me.”94

“Thank you, potter.”95

“Will you be in the city when I bring the goods?”96

“Yes, I shall be there as the merchant’s guest.”97

So the Tsar drove into the city and ordered that at all his feasts the plates should be neither of silver nor of pewter, nor of copper nor of wood, but only of clay.98 The potter carried out the Tsar’s orders and brought his goods into the city.99 A _boyár_ rode up to the potter and said to him: “God be with you, potter.”100

“Thank you, your honour.”101

“Sell me all your goods.”102

“I cannot; they are already sold.”103

“What does that matter?104 Take my money for it; you will be doing no wrong, as long as you have received no orders for the work.105 What do you want?”106

“I want every plate filled with money.”107

“Listen, potter—that is too much.”108

“Very well, then: one filled with money and two empty.109 Do you agree?”110

So they agreed at that: “You suit me and I suit you.”111

They filled up the plates and again emptied them, and they went on filling plates until there was not any money left: but there were ever so many plates over.112 The _boyár_ saw he was getting the worst of the bargain and sent for more money from the house.113 So they piled the plates higher still, but all the money vanished, and still all the goods had not been used up.114

“What is to be done, potter?115 Why are you so greedy?”116

“There is nothing to be done.”117

“I have a very high esteem for you, potter, but do you know what?”118

“Do you carry me in to the courtyard, and I will give you the goods and the money back as well.”119

So the _boyár_ hesitated: he was very sorry to lose his money and for himself, but he could not help himself, and so they agreed.120 They unharnessed the horse, and the peasant sat in the carriage and the _boyár_ walked on.121 The potter sang a song, and the _boyár_ drew it along, drew it along.122 “How far must I take you in front of that courtyard?”123

The potter went on singing joyously and said, “In front of the house, at the very top of the carriage.”124

When he reached the palace he stood up erect and sang, joyously.125

The Tsar heard him singing and ran to the flight of steps, and recognised the potter.126 “Ha! welcome, potter!”127

“Thank you, your honour.”128

“What are you travelling with?”129

“With folly.”130

“Now, you fine potter, you have known how to sell your goods; _boyár_, take off your gay costume and your boots; and you, potter, take off your _kaftán_ and your bast shoes.131 Put the peasant’s smock on, _boyár_, and you, potter, put on the _boyár’s_ robes.132 You have sold your goods very finely, potter; you have done very little, and you have won much.133 But as for you, _boyár_, you were not able to keep your rank.134 Now, potter, were there any geese flying over Russia?135 Did you pluck a feather out of them, or did you leave them in peace?”136

“No, I plucked them bald.”137

THE WITCH AND THE SISTER OF THE SUN138

In a distant country, a country far away, once there lived a Tsar and Tsarítsa, who had a son, Iván Tsarévich, who was dumb from his birth.139 When he was twelve years old he went to the stable to the groom whom he loved, who always told him stories.140 But this time he was not to be told any.141

“Iván Tsarévich,” said the groom, “your mother will soon have a daughter, and you will have a sister.142 She will be a dreadful witch and will eat up your father and your mother and all their subjects.143 Go back home and ask your father to give you his best horse; mount that and ride away and follow your eyes if you would escape misfortune.”144

Iván Tsarévich ran up to his father and spoke for the first time in his life.145 The Tsar was so glad at this that he never asked what the Tsarévich wanted the horse for, but ordered the very best of his _Tabún_ to be saddled for him.146

Iván Tsarévich mounted the horse and rode away, following his eyes.147 He rode far, to a very great distance, and he came to two old seamstresses, and asked them if they would not let him live with them.148

“We should be very glad to accept you, Iván Tsarévich,” they replied, “but we shall not live much longer.149 We are breaking up this box and with our needles sewing it together again, and as soon as we have done that Death will come to us.”150

Then Iván Tsarévich wept and rode on farther.151 And he rode on, very very far, and came to Vertodúb.152 And he begged him, “Will you take me as your son?”153

“I should be very glad to take you,” Vertodúb replied, “but, as soon as I have turned round all these oaks with all their roots, the hour will have come for me to die.”154

Then the Tsarévich wept yet more, and he rode farther on, and he came to Vertogór, and he made him the same request.155

“I should be very glad to take you, Iván Tsarévich, but I too shall not live much longer,” was the answer he received.156 “You see, I am placed here in order to turn these mountains round; and when I have done with the last of them then I must die.”157

Then Iván Tsarévich wept bitter tears, and he rode yet farther.158 And at last he came to the Sister of the Sun. She gave him meat and drink and adopted him as a son.159 The Tsarévich had a fine time there.160 But still he was always dissatisfied, because he did not know what was going on at home.161 And so he clomb a lofty mountain, looked out to his own house, and saw that everything there had been eaten up, and only the walls were standing.162 Then he sighed and wept.163

And when he came down from the mountain, the Sister of the Sun met him and asked, “Iván Tsarévich, why hast thou wept?”164

“It was the wind which was blowing something in my eye!”165 And once again he began to weep.166

And he went a second time into the mountain, and saw that only the walls of his house remained standing—everything had been eaten up.167 And he wept and returned home.168