They were very happy. They thought to themselves, "Oh, my, what a fine
time we shall have!" They got into the sledge with their father and
away they went. They soon came to the pine-tree where Marfa had stayed
the other night. They got out and sat down. Their father drove away.
The girls began to laugh together. They said, "What a queer idea of
mother to send us here for a bridegroom,--as if there were not enough
young men in the village." It was bitter cold, and they soon began to
get cross and quarrel with each other. One of them said, "Suppose only
one bridegroom comes, whom will he take?" "It will be I, of course,"
was her sister's reply. "Indeed, no," exclaimed the other; "I will be
the chosen one." They grew colder and colder, stiffer and stiffer. But
they kept quarrelling and calling each other bad names.
Frost was some way off, but the girls now heard him cracking his
fingers and snapping the pine-trees. "Listen, some one is coming. I
hear sleigh-bells," said the older sister. But the other would not
listen. She declared she was too cold.
Frost came nearer and nearer. At last he stood in front of the two
girls. He spoke to them just as he had to Marfa before. "Well, my
darlings, are you cold?" But the girls only answered with bad words.
They called Frost names such as no wise person would dare to speak to
this great being. Yet again he called out, "Are you warm, my pretty
ones?" And again they answered him with curses. But as they did so they
fell dead to the ground.
The next morning the old woman said to her husband, "Come, harness the
horse quickly, and go fetch the girls home. There was a terrible frost
last night. They must be half-dead with cold." The father did as she
bid him, and drove away to the pine-tree. But what did he see? Two
lifeless bodies, frozen stiff! He put them in the sledge, covered them
over, and carried them home. As he drove up to the cottage, the old
woman went out to meet her daughters.
What a sight was there! The girls had indeed met their bridegroom, but
it was Death. After this the old woman treated her stepdaughter all the
worse for awhile, but she soon got over it. She grew kind and loving.
They lived pleasantly ever after.
Marfa married a neighbour who had a good home to give her. She and
her children are very happy. But when her children are naughty, their
grandfather frightens them by saying, "Look out, or Frost will get
you."
Petrovna and Ivan shiver as the story ends, and draw nearer their dear
mamma, as though she could protect them from any danger.
The long, cold winter is gone at last. The ice of the river begins to
break up. It has been frozen solid for months, but now it is cracking
and softening and beginning to move out to the sea. The commander
of the fort on the opposite side of the river discovered this last
midnight. He did not wait a single moment. He started at once to carry
the glad news to the Emperor, while cannon were fired off from the fort.
When he reached the palace, perhaps you think the attendants kept him
waiting because the Czar was asleep. Not at all. He was shown at once
into the royal presence. He presented the Czar with a goblet filled
with ice-cold water he had brought from the river. This was his way
of stating the good news. The Emperor drank to the good fortune of the
city, and then filled the goblet with silver for the bringer of the
news. In olden times the goblets grew larger every year. It cost the
Czar more money each time. At last he said, "Let the glass always be of
a certain size, after this." Of course, that settled it.
When the news was brought to the city, everybody was glad. The next day
was made a holiday. Petrovna and Ivan were excused from lessons and
went out to see the sights.
Eight weeks before Easter, comes Butter-Week. The whole city gives
itself up for seven days of feasting and festival. Pancakes are eaten
at every meal. Not like the pancakes your mamma makes, my dears. At
least, I hope not. For the Russian pancakes, or "blinni," as they are
called, are much too rich for your little stomachs. They are made of
flour and butter, cooked in butter, and eaten with butter. And not
only is this greasy food eaten in quantities, but many other things
containing a great deal of fat.
Petrovna's mamma has a blinni party for her friends, and Petrovna has
another for her playmates. The family are invited out to blinni parties
at other houses. They are the queerest parties you ever heard of. Even
in the grandest houses they are held in the kitchen. Perhaps you can
guess the reason. The cakes must be eaten hot, as soon as they come
off the griddle. Therefore the people must sit as near the stove as
possible.
Petrovna eats her favourite cakes, until she can swallow nothing more.
By the end of the week her head, as well as her stomach, begins to
ache. She is all ready for the seven weeks of fasting before Easter.
She is a faithful little girl, and never thinks of fussing because she
must now live very quietly. She goes often to church, and repeats many
prayers. She eats the simplest food, but all Russia does the same, so
she has plenty of company.
The night before Easter comes at last. Petrovna and Ivan do not go to
bed as early as usual. They leave home with their parents a little
while before midnight. They are going to church. Everybody else in the
city goes, too.
The streets are full of carriages as they ride along. Our little
Russian cousins are driven to the same cathedral to which you have been
with them before. They enter and join the crowd of worshippers. The
lights burn dimly. All is silent. The great bell begins to ring the
midnight hour. The other bells of the city join. As the last stroke
is sounded the priests come out through the doors of the sanctuary.
Listen! they are chanting, "Christ is risen! Christ is risen!" The
people respond, "Christ is risen."
At the beginning of the chant all begin to move around, kissing friends
and acquaintances in every direction. The bells keep pealing forth
the glad news. Cannon are fired off throughout the city. Rockets are
flashing in the sky. The cathedral itself suddenly becomes ablaze with
light.
The kissing lasts all night and during the next day. No one thinks of
meeting another without a cordial greeting and a kiss. Old men kiss
each other. Old women kiss, children kiss. The Emperor kisses all those
of his household. Petrovna's papa kisses his clerks. Petrovna herself,
dear little maiden, kisses right and left, with the most loving heart
in the world. For this is Easter-time, the glorious time when all
should love each other and show it as best they can.
Feasting begins with the kissing. It is a great holiday for everybody.
Petrovna's mamma has a grand dinner-party for her friends. But she
does not forget those who are not so well off as herself. Many a basket
of good things is sent out to poor homes. Many a blessing is given our
little Petrovna, who rides about the city leaving her mamma's gifts.
Yes, indeed, it is a beautiful time, this Easter day in Russia.
As the weather gets warmer, Petrovna begins to look forward to the
great fair of Nijni-Novgorod. It will be a long, long journey. She
has never travelled so far in her life before. But dear kind papa has
promised her she shall go with him this time. He travels there himself
every year to trade with the merchants of far-away countries.
The day before they are ready to start, he comes home earlier than
usual from his place of business. He says, "Come, Petrovna and Ivan,
ask the maid to put on your best clothes. I am going to take you to
the Winter Palace. You have teased me to take you there often enough.
Hurry, or we shall not have time."
The children scamper away. They are soon dressed. Their papa looks at
his pretty children with pride, as he helps them into the carriage.
Away they dash over the pavements till they draw up in front of an
immense building. It is painted brownish-red and yellow. The outside is
ornamented with the figures of angels, and many other beautiful things.
This is the Winter Palace. It is the largest residence in the whole
world. Six thousand people live in it. Shouldn't you be afraid of
getting lost there? There is a story that a servant kept some cows in
one of the garrets there, a long time ago, and no one found it out for
a long while.
Petrovna and Ivan open their eyes wide as they pass through the high
gilded halls; they see so many beautiful things to admire. Such richly
carved chairs and tables! Such immense vases of malachite and jasper
and porphyry! So many fine paintings of the Czars and generals and
other great people of Russia!
In the throne-room of Peter the Great the walls are hung with red
velvet. Golden eagles are beautifully embroidered upon it. But the
royal jewels! How Petrovna's blue eyes sparkle as she looks upon the
crown of her Emperor. It is in the shape of a dome, and is studded
with large diamonds, with a border of pearls. At the very top of it is
an immense ruby. It is very beautiful. The Empress's coronet is most
dainty. It is of diamonds of the same size. It is enough to dazzle one
with its beauty. In the room where these jewels are kept and guarded
there are many others noted all over the world.
The sceptre of the Czar bears one of the largest diamonds ever
discovered. Many years ago a rich count gave it to the Empress
Catherine II. There are bracelets and necklaces and coronets made of
precious stones. It seems as though Petrovna and Ivan had suddenly
landed in the cave of Aladdin.
But it is getting late. It is long after their dinner hour. They must
leave these beautiful sights and hasten home to mamma.
The morning for the great journey comes. It finds our Russian cousins
awake bright and early. The trunks are strapped, the dear baby brother
is fondly kissed, and papa, mamma, Petrovna, and Ivan begin their long
ride. They pass many little villages as the express train rushes along.
Then they go onward over great plains of barley and rye. The train is
crowded with others, who are taking the same journey as themselves, and
papa talks with many friends who have business at the great fair.
They travel all day and all night, besides several hours of the next
day. As they near the end, the weather grows warmer, the trees are
larger and the grass greener than at home. For they are farther south.
They are too tired to look out of the windows any longer. Petrovna
is dozing away, and dreaming of her loved ice-hill, when she finds
herself gently shaken. Mamma is smiling at her and saying, "Wake up, my
darling, we are here at last."
The train has stopped. Every one is getting out. Our little cousins are
helped out of the car into a comfortable low carriage and are driven
to a grand hotel. A good dinner is served, and Petrovna and Ivan are
put to bed. They must get rested and prepare for the excitement of the
coming week. They are both so tired and sleepy they are glad to rest
after the long, hard journey.
Perhaps you do not know that this great fair is held every year for the
benefit of the people of Asia as well as Russia. After a long night's
sleep our merchant's family go out into the streets of the old city and
see many curious sights. Men of many nations are gathered together.
Chinamen with their long queues and big sleeves are jostling Persians
in flowing silk robes and gay turbans. Here are Cossacks mounted on
fine horses acting as policemen. There are some gypsies on their way to
the fair. They expect to tell fortunes and make much money out of the
curious peasants.
[Illustration: THE GREAT FAIR OF NIJNI-NOVGOROD.]
What a bustle and commotion! What a discord of strange languages on
every side! What variety of costumes, and, above all, what dust!
The fair grounds are about a mile from the hotel. Our little cousins
are in as much of a hurry to get there as you would be. It does not
take long, however, for the driver of their carriage hurries his horses
onward through the crowd.
Now for the fair itself. It is arranged in the shape of a triangle, and
covers a square mile. Not an inch of space is wasted. Everything is in
order. Every trade has a street of its own. Many of the bazaars have
signs in front. These bear the names of all the goods that are sold
inside. Petrovna's papa is, of course, interested most in the tea. He
wishes to buy a large stock of it for his trade at home. There are many
kinds to choose from. But he must be sure to get some of the delicious
yellow tea, which he will sell for fifteen dollars a pound. It is said
to be made from the flowers of a certain kind of tea-plant, and is
quite rare. The wealthy people of Russia like it so much that no one
else in the world gets a chance to buy any. So I have heard, at least.
If you should drink ever so little of it, you might be kept awake all
night. Yet it looks very weak.
Besides many expensive teas, Petrovna's papa orders a large supply of
tea-bricks. They are made out of the refuse of the tea, and can be sold
to the peasants. Poor creatures! they are glad enough to get this poor
stuff, if they cannot afford better.
Now follow Petrovna as she stops at the booth of this richly dressed
Persian. See the beautiful rugs and carpets hung up for sale. They will
last a lifetime for those who have money enough to buy them.
Here is a whole street devoted to the sale of silks. There are many
beautiful shades. Petrovna shall have a piece of delicate yellow
to make her a new party dress, while her mamma chooses one of rich
brocade. It is heavy enough to stand alone.
Let us go with our travellers and look with them at these exquisite
gems,--amethysts, crystals, and the clearest of topaz. Petrovna's papa
will buy one of these, no doubt. He will have it set in a ring to give
his wife.
Besides all the rich and rare things which Asia can send to the fair,
Russia furnishes many things to exchange with her great neighbour.
There are all kinds of goods, which have been made in the factories of
her cities. The most important are the cotton goods, the cutlery, and
the fine articles of silver. There are also immense stores of wheat,
barley, and other grains, and quantities of dried fruits.
Especially for her own people, there are bazaars and bazaars filled
with samovars of every style, rich furs from the animals of the cold
lands of the north, and candles by millions.
Day after day, Petrovna and Ivan wander about the fair grounds. Each
time they see something new they wish to buy. When they are tired of
looking about in the bazaars, they go to one of the concert-halls.
They will be sure to hear some music they like. Or else they go to
a theatre, and see a play that makes them laugh till their sides are
sore. Perhaps they watch the performance of some jugglers, and try to
discover how they do their wonderful tricks. Quite often they go into
one of the restaurants with papa. While he is drinking tea and talking
over prices with the men he meets, the children have a dainty lunch,
and watch the waiters. What queer-looking people they are! They are
Tartars. They look much like the Chinese, except that their heads are
shaven. They wear white linen shirts and trousers. Their feet are bound
with pieces of cloth and encased in sandals.
Among other things, Petrovna watches a band of gypsies. They are the
very ones she saw in the streets the day she arrived in the city. Some
of them are old and withered and ugly. They look like witches. But
others are young and quite handsome, with their black hair and bright
dark eyes. The women wear bright-coloured handkerchiefs around their
heads, and shawls over their shoulders.
Look! Watch that young girl as she dances and twirls her skirt. She
is certainly very pretty and graceful. She stops now and comes up to
Petrovna. She wishes to tell her fortune. Mamma says yes. Our little
girl gives the gypsy a piece of silver and holds out her hand. The
gypsy notices her fine clothing, looks well at her mamma, then closely
examines the little white palm. She tells the child that she will be
very happy and do much good in the world. As she grows up she will
marry a rich count and live in a grand mansion. She says many more
pleasant things will happen, and Petrovna smiles and believes it all.
Let us leave our dear little cousin here for the present. Let us hope
that the gypsy's prophecy is a true one.
THE END.
THE LITTLE COLONEL BOOKS
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THE LITTLE COLONEL STORIES
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