THE STORY OF IVAN THE FOOL AND HIS TWO BROTHERS SIMON THE WARRIOR
AND TARAS THE POT-BELLIED, AND OF HIS DEAF AND DUMB SISTER, AND THE
OLD DEVIL AND THREE LITTLE DEVILKINS.
Once upon a time there lived a rich peasant, who had three sons--Simon
the Warrior, Taras the Pot-bellied, and Ivan the Fool, and a deaf and
dumb daughter, Malania, an old maid.
Simon the Warrior went off to the wars to serve the King; Taras the
Pot-bellied went to a merchant’s to trade in the town, and Ivan the Fool
and the old maid stayed at home to do the work of the house and the
farm. Simon the Warrior earned a high rank for himself and an estate and
married a nobleman’s daughter. He had a large income and a large estate,
but he could never make both ends meet, for, what he managed to gather
in, his wife managed to squander; thus it was that he never had any
money.
And Simon the Warrior went to his estate one day to collect his income,
and his steward said to him, “There is nothing to squeeze money out of;
we have neither cattle, nor implements, nor horses, nor cows, nor
ploughs, nor harrows; we must get all these things first, then there
will be an income.”
Then Simon the Warrior went to his father and said, “You are rich,
father; and have given me nothing, let me have a third of your
possessions and I will set up my estate.”
And the old man replied, “Why should I? You have brought nothing to the
home. It would be unfair to Ivan and the girl.”
And Simon said, “Ivan is a fool and Malania is deaf and dumb; they do
not need much, surely.”
“Ivan shall decide,” the old man said.
And Ivan said, “I don’t mind; let him take what he wants.”
Simon took a portion of his father’s goods and moved them to his
estate, and once more he set out to serve the King.
Taras the Pot-bellied made a great deal of money and married a
merchant’s widow, but still, it seemed to him that he had not enough, so
he too went to his father and said, “Give me my portion, father.” And
the old man was loath to give Taras his portion, and he said, “You have
brought us nothing; everything in the home has been earned by Ivan; it
would be unfair to him and the girl.”
And Taras said, “Ivan is a fool, what does he need? He cannot marry, for
no one would have him, and the girl is deaf and dumb and does not need
much either.” And turning to Ivan, he said, “Let me have half the corn,
Ivan. I will not take any implements, and as for the cattle, I only want
the grey cob; he is of no use to you for the plough.”
Ivan laughed.
“Very well,” he said, “you shall have what you want.”
And Taras was given his portion, and he carted the corn off to the town
and took away the grey cob, and Ivan was left with only the old mare to
work the farm and support his father and mother.