CHAPTER XXVIII.

“Strange thing! Again, when I had left my study, and was passing

through the familiar rooms, again the hope came to me that nothing had

happened. But the odor of the drugs, iodoform and phenic acid, brought

me back to a sense of reality.

“‘No, everything has happened.’

“In passing through the hall, beside the children’s chamber, I saw

little Lise. She was looking at me, with eyes that were full of fear. I

even thought that all the children were looking at me. As I approached

the door of our sleeping-room, a servant opened it from within, and

came out. The first thing that I noticed was _her_ light gray dress

upon a chair, all dark with blood. On our common bed she was stretched,

with knees drawn up.

“She lay very high, upon pillows, with her chemise half open. Linen had

been placed upon the wound. A heavy smell of iodoform filled the room.

Before, and more than anything else, I was astonished at her face,

which was swollen and bruised under the eyes and over a part of the

nose. This was the result of the blow that I had struck her with my

elbow, when she had tried to hold me back. Of beauty there was no trace

left. I saw something hideous in her. I stopped upon the threshold.

“‘Approach, approach her,’ said her sister.

“‘Yes, probably she repents,’ thought I; ‘shall I forgive her? Yes, she

is dying, I must forgive her,’ I added, trying to be generous.

“I approached the bedside. With difficulty she raised her eyes, one of

which was swollen, and uttered these words haltingly:

“‘You have accomplished what you desired. You have killed me.’

“And in her face, through the physical sufferings, in spite of the

approach of death, was expressed the same old hatred, so familiar to

me.

“‘The children . . . I will not give them to you . . . all the same. .

. . She (her sister) shall take them.’ . . .

“But of that which I considered essential, of her fault, of her

treason, one would have said that she did not think it necessary to say

even a word.

“‘Yes, revel in what you have done.’

“And she sobbed.

“At the door stood her sister with the children.

“‘Yes, see what you have done!’

“I cast a glance at the children, and then at her bruised and swollen

face, and for the first time I forgot myself (my rights, my pride), and

for the first time I saw in her a human being, a sister.

“And all that which a moment before had been so offensive to me now

seemed to me so petty,—all this jealousy,—and, on the contrary, what I

had done seemed to me so important that I felt like bending over,

approaching my face to her hand, and saying:

“‘Forgive me!’

“But I did not dare. She was silent, with eyelids lowered, evidently

having no strength to speak further. Then her deformed face began to

tremble and shrivel, and she feebly pushed me back.

“‘Why has all this happened? Why?’

“‘Forgive me,’ said I.

“‘Yes, if you had not killed me,’ she cried suddenly, and her eyes

shone feverishly. ‘Forgiveness—that is nothing. . . . If I only do not

die! Ah, you have accomplished what you desired! I hate you!’

“Then she grew delirious. She was frightened, and cried:

“‘Fire, I do not fear . . . but strike them all . . . He has gone. . .

. He has gone.’ . . .

“The delirium continued. She no longer recognized the children, not

even little Lise, who had approached. Toward noon she died. As for me,

I was arrested before her death, at eight o’clock in the morning. They

took me to the police station, and then to prison, and there, during

eleven months, awaiting the verdict, I reflected upon myself, and upon

my past, and I understood it. Yes, I began to understand from the third

day. The third day they took me to the house.” . . .

Posdnicheff seemed to wish to add something, but, no longer having the

strength to repress his sobs, he stopped. After a few minutes, having

recovered his calmness, he resumed:

“I began to understand only when I saw her in the coffin.” . . .

He uttered a sob, and then immediately continued, with haste:

“Then only, when I saw her dead face, did I understand all that I had

done. I understood that it was I, I, who had killed her. I understood

that I was the cause of the fact that she, who had been a moving,

living, palpitating being, had now become motionless and cold, and that

there was no way of repairing this thing. He who has not lived through

that cannot understand it.”

We remained silent a long time. Posdnicheff sobbed and trembled before

me. His face had become delicate and long, and his mouth had grown

larger.

“Yes,” said he suddenly, “if I had known what I now know, I should

never have married her, never, not for anything.”

Again we remained silent for a long time.

“Yes, that is what I have done, that is my experience, We must

understand the real meaning of the words of the Gospel,—Matthew, v.

28,—‘that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed

adultery’; and these words relate to the wife, to the sister, and not

only to the wife of another, but especially to one’s own wife.”

THE END.

LESSON OF “THE KREUTZER SONATA.”

I have received, and still continue to receive, numbers of letters from

persons who are perfect strangers to me, asking me to state in plain

and simple language my own views on the subject handled in the story

entitled “The Kreutzer Sonata.” With this request I shall now endeavor

to comply.

My views on the question may be succinctly stated as follows: Without

entering into details, it will be generally admitted that I am accurate

in saying that many people condone in young men a course of conduct

with regard to the other sex which is incompatible with strict

morality, and that this dissoluteness is pardoned generally. Both

parents and the government, in consequence of this view, may be said to

wink at profligacy, and even in the last resource to encourage its

practice. I am of opinion that this is not right.

It is not possible that the health of one class should necessitate the

ruin of another, and, in consequence, it is our first duty to turn a

deaf ear to such an essential immoral doctrine, no matter how strongly

society may have established or law protected it. Moreover, it needs to

be fully recognized that men are rightly to be held responsible for the

consequences of their own acts, and that these are no longer to be

visited on the woman alone. It follows from this that it is the duty of

men who do not wish to lead a life of infamy to practice such

continence in respect to all woman as they would were the female

society in which they move made up exclusively of their own mothers and

sisters.

A more rational mode of life should be adopted which would include

abstinence from all alcoholic drinks, from excess in eating and from

flesh meat, on the one hand, and recourse to physical labor on the

other. I am not speaking of gymnastics, or of any of those occupations

which may be fitly described as playing at work; I mean the genuine

toil that fatigues. No one need go far in search of proofs that this

kind of abstemious living is not merely possible, but far less hurtful

to health than excess. Hundreds of instances are known to every one.

This is my first contention.

In the second place, I think that of late years, through various

reasons which I need not enter, but among which the above-mentioned

laxity of opinion in society and the frequent idealization of the

subject in current literature and painting may be mentioned, conjugal

infidelity has become more common and is considered less reprehensible.

I am of opinion that this is not right. The origin of the evil is

twofold. It is due, in the first place, to a natural instinct, and, in

the second, to the elevation of this instinct to a place to which it

does not rightly belong. This being so, the evil can only be remedied

by effecting a change in the views now in vogue about “falling in love”

and all that this term implies, by educating men and women at home

through family influence and example, and abroad by means of healthy

public opinion, to practice that abstinence which morality and

Christianity alike enjoin. This is my second contention.

In the third place I am of opinion that another consequence of the

false light in which “falling in love,” and what it leads to, are

viewed in our society, is that the birth of children has lost its

pristine significance, and that modern marriages are conceived less and

less from the point of view of the family. I am of opinion that this is

not right. This is my third contention.

In the fourth place, I am of opinion that the children (who in our

society are considered an obstacle to enjoyment—an unlucky accident, as

it were) are educated not with a view to the problem which they will be

one day called on to face and to solve, but solely with an eye to the

pleasure which they may be made to yield to their parents. The

consequence is, that the children of human beings are brought up for

all the world like the young of animals, the chief care of their

parents being not to train them to such work as is worthy of men and

women, but to increase their weight, or add a cubit to their stature,

to make them spruce, sleek, well-fed, and comely. They rig them out in

all manner of fantastic costumes, wash them, over-feed them, and refuse

to make them work. If the children of the lower orders differ in this

last respect from those of the well-to-do classes, the difference is

merely formal; they work from sheer necessity, and not because their

parents recognize work as a duty. And in over-fed children, as in

over-fed animals, sensuality is engendered unnaturally early.

Fashionable dress to-day, the course of reading, plays, music, dances,

luscious food, all the elements of our modern life, in a word, from the

pictures on the little boxes of sweetmeats up to the novel, the tale,

and the poem, contribute to fan this sensuality into a strong,

consuming flame, with the result that sexual vices and diseases have

come to be the normal conditions of the period of tender youth, and

often continue into the riper age of full-blown manhood. And I am of

opinion that this is not right.

It is high time it ceased. The children of human beings should not be

brought up as if they were animals; and we should set up as the object

and strive to maintain as the result of our labors something better and

nobler than a well-dressed body. This is my fourth contention.

In the fifth place, I am of opinion that, owing to the exaggerated and

erroneous significance attributed by our society to love and to the

idealized states that accompany and succeed it, the best energies of

our men and women are drawn forth and exhausted during the most

promising period of life; those of the men in the work of looking for,

choosing, and winning the most desirable objects of love, for which

purpose lying and fraud are held to be quite excusable; those of the

women and girls in alluring men and decoying them into liaisons or

marriage by the most questionable means conceivable, as an instance of

which the present fashions in evening dress may be cited. I am of

opinion that this is not right.

The truth is, that the whole affair has been exalted by poets and

romancers to an undue importance, and that love in its various

developments is not a fitting object to consume the best energies of

men. People set it before them and strive after it, because their view

of life is as vulgar and brutish as is that other conception frequently

met with in the lower stages of development, which sees in luscious and

abundant food an end worthy of man’s best efforts. Now, this is not

right and should not be done. And, in order to avoid doing it, it is

only needful to realize the fact that whatever truly deserves to be

held up as a worthy object of man’s striving and working, whether it be

the service of humanity, of one’s country, of science, of art, not to

speak of the service of God, is far above and beyond the sphere of

personal enjoyment. Hence, it follows that not only to form a liaison,

but even to contract marriage, is, from a Christian point of view, not

a progress, but a fall. Love, and all the states that accompany and

follow it, however we may try in prose and verse to prove the contrary,

never do and never can facilitate the attainment of an aim worthy of

men, but always make it more difficult. This is my fifth contention.

How about the human race? If we admit that celibacy is better and

nobler than marriage, evidently the human race will come to an end.

But, if the logical conclusion of the argument is that the human race

will become extinct, the whole reasoning is wrong.

To that I reply that the argument is not mine; I did not invent it.

That it is incumbent on mankind so to strive, and that celibacy is

preferable to marriage, are truths revealed by Christ 1,900 years ago,

set forth in our catechisms, and professed by us as followers of

Christ.

Chastity and celibacy, it is urged, cannot constitute the ideal of

humanity, because chastity would annihilate the race which strove to

realize it, and humanity cannot set up as its ideal its own

annihilation. It may be pointed out in reply that only that is a true

ideal, which, being unattainable, admits of infinite gradation in

degrees of proximity. Such is the Christian ideal of the founding of

God’s kingdom, the union of all living creatures by the bonds of love.

The conception of its attainment is incompatible with the conception of

the movement of life. What kind of life could subsist if all living

creatures were joined together by the bonds of love? None. Our

conception of life is inseparably bound up with the conception of a

continual striving after an unattainable ideal.

But even if we suppose the Christian ideal of perfect chastity

realized, what then? We should merely find ourselves face to face on

the one hand with the familiar teaching of religion, one of whose

dogmas is that the world will have an end; and on the other of

so-called science, which informs us that the sun is gradually losing

its heat, the result of which will in time be the extinction of the

human race.

Now there is not and cannot be such an institution as Christian

marriage, just as there cannot be such a thing as a Christian liturgy

(Matt. vi. 5-12; John iv. 21), nor Christian teachers, nor church

fathers (Matt. xxiii. 8-10), nor Christian armies, Christian law

courts, nor Christian States. This is what was always taught and

believed by true Christians of the first and following centuries. A

Christian’s ideal is not marriage, but love for God and for his

neighbor. Consequently in the eyes of a Christian relations in marriage

not only do not constitute a lawful, right, and happy state, as our

society and our churches maintain, but, on the contrary, are always a

fall.

Such a thing as Christian marriage never was and never could be. Christ

did not marry, nor did he establish marriage; neither did his disciples

marry. But if Christian marriage cannot exist, there is such a thing as

a Christian view of marriage. And this is how it may be formulated: A

Christian (and by this term I understand not those who call themselves

Christians merely because they were baptized and still receive the

sacrament once a year, but those whose lives are shaped and regulated

by the teachings of Christ), I say, cannot view the marriage relation

otherwise than as a deviation from the doctrine of Christ,—as a sin.

This is clearly laid down in Matt. v. 28, and the ceremony called

Christian marriage does not alter its character one jot. A Christian

will never, therefore, desire marriage, but will always avoid it.

If the light of truth dawns upon a Christian when he is already

married, or if, being a Christian, from weakness he enters into marital

relations with the ceremonies of the church, or without them, he has no

other alternative than to abide with his wife (and the wife with her

husband, if it is she who is a Christian) and to aspire together with

her to free themselves of their sin. This is the Christian view of

marriage; and there cannot be any other for a man who honestly

endeavors to shape his life in accordance with the teachings of Christ.

To very many persons the thoughts I have uttered here and in “The

Kreutzer Sonata” will seem strange, vague, even contradictory. They

certainly do contradict, not each other, but the whole tenor of our

lives, and involuntarily a doubt arises, “on which side is truth,—on

the side of the thoughts which seem true and well-founded, or on the

side of the lives of others and myself?” I, too, was weighed down by

that same doubt when writing “The Kreutzer Sonata.” I had not the

faintest presentiment that the train of thought I had started would

lead me whither it did. I was terrified by my own conclusion, and I was

at first disposed to reject it, but it was impossible not to hearken to

the voice of my reason and my conscience. And so, strange though they

may appear to many, opposed as they undoubtedly are to the trend and

tenor of our lives, and incompatible though they may prove with what I

have heretofore thought and uttered, I have no choice but to accept

them. “But man is weak,” people will object. “His task should be

regulated by his strength.”

This is tantamount to saying, “My hand is weak. I cannot draw a

straight line,—that is, a line which will be the shortest line between

two given points,—and so, in order to make it more easy for myself, I,

intending to draw a straight, will choose for my model a crooked line.”

The weaker my hand, the greater the need that my model should be

perfect.

_Leo Tolstoy._

IVAN THE FOOL.

CHAPTER I.

In a certain kingdom there lived a rich peasant, who had three

sons—Simeon (a soldier), Tarras-Briukhan (fat man), and Ivan (a

fool)—and one daughter, Milania, born dumb. Simeon went to war, to

serve the Czar; Tarras went to a city and became a merchant; and Ivan,

with his sister, remained at home to work on the farm.

For his valiant service in the army, Simeon received an estate with

high rank, and married a noble’s daughter. Besides his large pay, he

was in receipt of a handsome income from his estate; yet he was unable

to make ends meet. What the husband saved, the wife wasted in

extravagance. One day Simeon went to the estate to collect his income,

when the steward informed him that there was no income, saying:

“We have neither horses, cows, fishing-nets, nor implements; it is

necessary first to buy everything, and then to look for income.”

Simeon thereupon went to his father and said:

“You are rich, _batiushka_ [little father], but you have given nothing

to me. Give me one-third of what you possess as my share, and I will

transfer it to my estate.”

The old man replied: “You did not help to bring prosperity to our

household. For what reason, then, should you now demand the third part

of everything? It would be unjust to Ivan and his sister.”

“Yes,” said Simeon; “but he is a fool, and she was born dumb. What need

have they of anything?”

“See what Ivan will say.”

Ivan’s reply was: “Well, let him take his share.”

Simeon took the portion allotted to him, and went again to serve in the

army.

Tarras also met with success. He became rich and married a merchant’s

daughter, but even this failed to satisfy his desires, and he also went

to his father and said, “Give me my share.”

The old man, however, refused to comply with his request, saying: “You

had no hand in the accumulation of our property, and what our household

contains is the result of Ivan’s hard work. It would be unjust,” he

repeated, “to Ivan and his sister.”

Tarras replied: “But he does not need it. He is a fool, and cannot

marry, for no one will have him; and sister does not require anything,

for she was born dumb.” Turning then to Ivan he continued: “Give me

half the grain you have, and I will not touch the implements or

fishing-nets; and from the cattle I will take only the dark mare, as

she is not fit to plow.”

Ivan laughed and said: “Well, I will go and arrange matters so that

Tarras may have his share,” whereupon Tarras took the brown mare with

the grain to town, leaving Ivan with one old horse to work on as before

and support his father, mother, and sister.

CHAPTER II.

It was disappointing to the _Stary Tchert_ (Old Devil) that the

brothers did not quarrel over the division of the property, and that

they separated peacefully; and he cried out, calling his three small

devils (_Tchertionki_).

“See here,” said he, “there are living three brothers—Simeon the

soldier, Tarras-Briukhan, and Ivan the Fool. It is necessary that they

should quarrel. Now they live peacefully, and enjoy each other’s

hospitality. The Fool spoiled all my plans. Now you three go and work

with them in such a manner that they will be ready to tear each other’s

eyes out. Can you do this?”

“We can,” they replied.

“How will you accomplish it?”

“In this way: We will first ruin them to such an extent that they will

have nothing to eat, and we will then gather them together in one place

where we are sure that they will fight.”

“Very well; I see you understand your business. Go, and do not return

to me until you have created a feud between the three brothers—or I

will skin you alive.”

The three small devils went to a swamp to consult as to the best means

of accomplishing their mission. They disputed for a long time—each one

wanting the easiest part of the work—and not being able to agree,

concluded to draw lots; by which it was decided that the one who was

first finished had to come and help the others. This agreement being

entered into, they appointed a time when they were again to meet in the

swamp—to find out who was through and who needed assistance.

The time having arrived, the young devils met in the swamp as agreed,

when each related his experience. The first, who went to Simeon, said:

“I have succeeded in my undertaking, and to-morrow Simeon returns to

his father.”

His comrades, eager for particulars, inquired how he had done it.

“Well,” he began, “the first thing I did was to blow some courage into

his veins, and, on the strength of it, Simeon went to the Czar and

offered to conquer the whole world for him. The Emperor made him

commander-in-chief of the forces, and sent him with an army to fight

the Viceroy of India. Having started on their mission of conquest, they

were unaware that I, following in their wake, had wet all their powder.

I also went to the Indian ruler and showed him how I could create

numberless soldiers from straw.

“Simeon’s army, seeing that they were surrounded by such a vast number

of Indian warriors of my creation, became frightened, and Simeon

commanded to fire from cannons and rifles, which of course they were

unable to do. The soldiers, discouraged, retreated in great disorder.

Thus Simeon brought upon himself the terrible disgrace of defeat. His

estate was confiscated, and to-morrow he is to be executed. All that

remains for me to do, therefore,” concluded the young devil, “is to

release him to-morrow morning. Now, then, who wants my assistance?”

The second small devil (from Tarras) then related his story.

“I do not need any help,” he began. “My business is also all right. My

work with Tarras will be finished in one week. In the first place I

made him grow thin. He afterward became so covetous that he wanted to

possess everything he saw, and he spent all the money he had in the

purchase of immense quantities of goods. When his capital was gone he

still continued to buy with borrowed money, and has become involved in

such difficulties that he cannot free himself. At the end of one week

the date for the payment of his notes will have expired, and, his goods

being seized upon, he will become a bankrupt; and he also will return

to his father.”

At the conclusion of this narrative they inquired of the third devil

how things had fared between him and Ivan.

“Well,” said he, “my report is not so encouraging. The first thing I

did was to spit into his jug of _quass_ [a sour drink made from rye],

which made him sick at his stomach. He afterward went to plow his

summer-fallow, but I made the soil so hard that the plow could scarcely

penetrate it. I thought the Fool would not succeed, but he started to

work nevertheless. Moaning with pain, he still continued to labor. I

broke one plow, but he replaced it with another, fixing it securely,

and resumed work. Going beneath the surface of the ground I took hold

of the plowshares, but did not succeed in stopping Ivan. He pressed so

hard, and the colter was so sharp, that my hands were cut; and despite

my utmost efforts, he went over all but a small portion of the field.”

He concluded with: “Come, brothers, and help me, for if we do not

conquer him our whole enterprise will be a failure. If the Fool is

permitted successfully to conduct his farming, they will have no need,

for he will support his brothers.”

CHAPTER III.

Ivan having succeeded in plowing all but a small portion of his land,

he returned the next day to finish it. The pain in his stomach

continued, but he felt that he must go on with his work. He tried to

start his plow, but it would not move; it seemed to have struck a hard

root. It was the small devil in the ground who had wound his feet

around the plowshares and held them.

“This is strange,” thought Ivan. “There were never any roots here

before, and this is surely one.”

Ivan put his hand in the ground, and, feeling something soft, grasped

and pulled it out. It was like a root in appearance, but seemed to

possess life. Holding it up he saw that it was a little devil.

Disgusted, he exclaimed, “See the nasty thing,” and he proceeded to

strike it a blow, intending to kill it, when the young devil cried out:

“Do not kill me, and I will grant your every wish.”

“What can you do for me?”

“Tell me what it is you most wish for,” the little devil replied.

Ivan, peasant-fashion, scratched the back of his head as he thought,

and finally he said:

“I am dreadfully sick at my stomach. Can you cure me?”

“I can,” the little devil said.

“Then do so.”

The little devil bent toward the earth and began searching for roots,

and when he found them he gave them to Ivan, saying: “If you will

swallow some of these you will be immediately cured of whatsoever

disease you are afflicted with.”

Ivan did as directed, and obtained instant relief.

“I beg of you to let me go now,” the little devil pleaded; “I will pass

into the earth, never to return.”

“Very well; you may go, and God bless you;” and as Ivan pronounced the

name of God, the small devil disappeared into the earth like a flash,

and only a slight opening in the ground remained.

Ivan placed in his hat what roots he had left, and proceeded to plow.

Soon finishing his work, he turned his plow over and returned home.

When he reached the house he found his brother Simeon and his wife

seated at the supper-table. His estate had been confiscated, and he

himself had barely escaped execution by making his way out of prison,

and having nothing to live upon had come back to his father for

support.

Turning to Ivan he said: “I came to ask you to care for us until I can

find something to do.”

“Very well,” Ivan replied; “you may remain with us.”

Just as Ivan was about to sit down to the table Simeon’s wife made a

wry face, indicating that she did not like the smell of Ivan’s

sheep-skin coat; and turning to her husband she said, “I shall not sit

at the table with a moujik [peasant] who smells like that.”

Simeon the soldier turned to his brother and said: “My lady objects to

the smell of your clothes. You may eat in the porch.”

Ivan said: “Very well, it is all the same to me. I will soon have to go

and feed my horse any way.”

Ivan took some bread in one hand, and his _kaftan_ (coat) in the other,

and left the room.

CHAPTER IV.

The small devil finished with Simeon that night, and according to

agreement went to the assistance of his comrade who had charge of Ivan,

that he might help to conquer the Fool. He went to the field and

searched everywhere, but could find nothing but the hole through which

the small devil had disappeared.

“Well, this is strange,” he said; “something must have happened to my

companion, and I will have to take his place and continue the work he

began. The Fool is through with his plowing, so I must look about me

for some other means of compassing his destruction. I must overflow his

meadow and prevent him from cutting the grass.”

The little devil accordingly overflowed the meadow with muddy water,

and, when Ivan went at dawn next morning with his scythe set and

sharpened and tried to mow the grass, he found that it resisted all his

efforts and would not yield to the implement as usual.

Many times Ivan tried to cut the grass, but always without success. At

last, becoming weary of the effort, he decided to return home and have

his scythe again sharpened, and also to procure a quantity of bread,

saying: “I will come back here and will not leave until I have mown all

the meadow, even if it should take a whole week.”

Hearing this, the little devil became thoughtful, saying: “That Ivan is

a _koolak_ [hard case], and I must think of some other way of

conquering him.”

Ivan soon returned with his sharpened scythe and started to mow.

The small devil hid himself in the grass, and as the point of the

scythe came down he buried it in the earth and made it almost

impossible for Ivan to move the implement. He, however, succeeded in

mowing all but one small spot in the swamp, where again the small devil

hid himself, saying: “Even if he should cut my hands I will prevent him

from accomplishing his work.”

When Ivan came to the swamp he found that the grass was not very thick.

Still, the scythe would not work, which made him so angry that he

worked with all his might, and one blow more powerful than the others

cut off a portion of the small devil’s tail, who had hidden himself

there.

Despite the little devil’s efforts he succeeded in finishing his work,

when he returned home and ordered his sister to gather up the grass

while he went to another field to cut rye. But the devil preceded him

there, and fixed the rye in such a manner that it was almost impossible

for Ivan to cut it; however, after continuous hard labor he succeeded,

and when he was through with the rye he said to himself: “Now I will

start to mow oats.”

On hearing this, the little devil thought to himself: “I could not

prevent him from mowing the rye, but I will surely stop him from mowing

the oats when the morning comes.”

Early next day, when the devil came to the field, he found that the

oats had been already mowed. Ivan did it during the night, so as to

avoid the loss that might have resulted from the grain being too ripe

and dry. Seeing that Ivan again had escaped him, the little devil

became greatly enraged, saying:

“He cut me all over and made me tired, that fool. I did not meet such

misfortune even on the battle-field. He does not even sleep;” and the

devil began to swear. “I cannot follow him,” he continued. “I will go

now to the heaps and make everything rotten.”

Accordingly he went to a heap of the new-mown grain and began his

fiendish work. After wetting it he built a fire and warmed himself, and

soon was fast asleep.

Ivan harnessed his horse, and, with his sister, went to bring the rye

home from the field.

After lifting a couple of sheaves from the first heap his pitchfork

came into contact with the little devil’s back, which caused the latter

to howl with pain and to jump around in every direction. Ivan

exclaimed:

“See here! What nastiness! You again here?”

“I am another one!” said the little devil. “That was my brother. I am

the one who was sent to your brother Simeon.”

“Well,” said Ivan, “it matters not who you are. I will fix you all the

same.”

As Ivan was about to strike the first blow the devil pleaded: “Let me

go and I will do you no more harm. I will do whatever you wish.”

“What can you do for me?” asked Ivan.

“I can make soldiers from almost anything.”

“And what will they be good for?”

“Oh, they will do everything for you!”

“Can they sing?”

“They can.”

“Well, make them.”

“Take a bunch of straw and scatter it on the ground, and see if each

straw will not turn into a soldier.”

Ivan shook the straws on the ground, and, as he expected, each straw

turned into a soldier, and they began marching with a band at their

head.

“_Ishty_ [look you], that was well done! How it will delight the

village maidens!” he exclaimed.

The small devil now said: “Let me go; you do not need me any longer.”

But Ivan said: “No, I will not let you go just yet. You have converted

the straw into soldiers, and now I want you to turn them again into

straw, as I cannot afford to lose it, but I want it with the grain on.”

The devil replied: “Say: ‘So many soldiers, so much straw.’”

Ivan did as directed, and got back his rye with the straw.

The small devil again begged for his release.

Ivan, taking him from the pitchfork, said: “With God’s blessing you may

depart”; and, as before at the mention of God’s name, the little devil

was hurled into the earth like a flash, and nothing was left but the

hole to show where he had gone.

Soon afterward Ivan returned home, to find his brother Tarras and his

wife there. Tarras-Briukhan could not pay his debts, and was forced to

flee from his creditors and seek refuge under his father’s roof. Seeing

Ivan, he said: “Well, Ivan, may we remain here until I start in some

new business?”

Ivan replied as he had before to Simeon: “Yes, you are perfectly

welcome to remain here as long as it suits you.”

With that announcement he removed his coat and seated himself at the

supper-table with the others. But Tarras-Briukhan’s wife objected to

the smell of his clothes, saying: “I cannot eat with a fool; neither

can I stand the smell.”

Then Tarras-Briukhan said: “Ivan, from your clothes there comes a bad

smell; go and eat by yourself in the porch.”

“Very well,” said Ivan; and he took some bread and went out as ordered,

saying, “It is time for me to feed my mare.”

CHAPTER V.

The small devil who had charge of Tarras finished with him that night,

and according to agreement proceeded to the assistance of the other two

to help them conquer Ivan. Arriving at the plowed field he looked

around for his comrades, but found only the hole through which one had

disappeared; and on going to the meadow he discovered the severed tail

of the other, and in the rye-field he found yet another hole.

“Well,” he thought, “it is quite clear that my comrades have met with

some great misfortune, and that I will have to take their places and

arrange the feud between the brothers.”

The small devil then went in search of Ivan. But he, having finished

with the field, was nowhere to be found. He had gone to the forest to

cut logs to build homes for his brothers, as they found it inconvenient

for so many to live under the same roof.

The small devil at last discovered his whereabouts, and going to the

forest climbed into the branches of the trees and began to interfere

with Ivan’s work. Ivan cut down a tree, which failed, however, to fall

to the ground, becoming entangled in the branches of other trees; yet

he succeeded in getting it down after a hard struggle. In chopping down

the next tree he met with the same difficulties, and also with the

third. Ivan had supposed he could cut down fifty trees in a day, but he

succeeded in chopping but ten before darkness put an end to his labors

for a time. He was now exhausted, and, perspiring profusely, he sat

down alone in the woods to rest. He soon after resumed his work,

cutting down one more tree; but the effort gave him a pain in his back,

and he was obliged to rest again. Seeing this, the small devil was full

of joy.

“Well,” he thought, “now he is exhausted and will stop work, and I will

rest also.” He then seated himself on some branches and rejoiced.

Ivan again arose, however, and, taking his axe, gave the tree a

terrific blow from the opposite side, which felled it instantly to the

ground, carrying the little devil with it; and Ivan, proceeding to cut

the branches, found the devil alive. Very much astonished, Ivan

exclaimed:

“Look you! Such nastiness! Are you again here?”

“I am another one,” replied the devil. “I was with your brother

Tarras.”

“Well,” said Ivan, “that makes no difference; I will fix you.” And he

was about to strike him a blow with the axe when the devil pleaded:

“Do not kill me, and whatever you wish you shall have.”

Ivan asked, “What can you do?”

“I can make for you all the money you wish.”

Ivan then told the devil he might proceed, whereupon the latter began

to explain to him how he might become rich.

“Take,” said he to Ivan, “the leaves of this oak tree and rub them in

your hands, and the gold will fall to the ground.”

Ivan did as he was directed, and immediately the gold began to drop

about his feet; and he remarked:

“This will be a fine trick to amuse the village boys with.”

“Can I now take my departure?” asked the devil, to which Ivan replied,

“With God’s blessing you may go.”

At the mention of the name of God, the devil disappeared into the

earth.

CHAPTER VI.

The brothers, having finished their houses, moved into them and lived

apart from their father and brother. Ivan, when he had completed his

plowing, made a great feast, to which he invited his brothers, telling

them that he had plenty of beer for them to drink. The brothers,

however, declined Ivan’s hospitality, saying, “We have seen the beer

moujiks drink, and want none of it.”

Ivan then gathered around him all the peasants in the village and with

them drank beer until he became intoxicated, when he joined the

_Khorovody_ (a street gathering of the village boys and girls, who sing

songs), and told them they must sing his praises, saying that in return

he would show them such sights as they had never before seen in their

lives. The little girls laughed and began to sing songs praising Ivan,

and when they had finished they said: “Very well; now give us what you

said you would.”

Ivan replied, “I will soon show you,” and, taking an empty bag in his

hand, he started for the woods. The little girls laughed as they said,

“What a fool he is!” and resuming their play they forgot all about him.

Some time after Ivan suddenly appeared among them carrying in his hand

the bag, which was now filled.

“Shall I divide this with you?” he said.

“Yes; divide!” they sang in chorus.

So Ivan put his hand into the bag and drew it out full of gold coins,

which he scattered among them.

“Batiushka,” they cried as they ran to gather up the precious pieces.

The moujiks then appeared on the scene and began to fight among

themselves for the possession of the yellow objects. In the mêlée one

old woman was nearly crushed to death.

Ivan laughed and was greatly amused at the sight of so many persons

quarrelling over a few pieces of gold.

“Oh! you duratchki” (little fools), he said, “why did you almost crush

the life out of the old grandmother? Be more gentle. I have plenty

more, and I will give them to you;” whereupon he began throwing about

more of the coins.

The people gathered around him, and Ivan continued throwing until he

emptied his bag. They clamored for more, but Ivan replied: “The gold is

all gone. Another time I will give you more. Now we will resume our

singing and dancing.”

The little children sang, but Ivan said to them, “Your songs are no

good.”

The children said, “Then show us how to sing better.”

To this Ivan replied, “I will show you people who can sing better than

you.” With that remark Ivan went to the barn and, securing a bundle of

straw, did as the little devil had directed him; and presently a

regiment of soldiers appeared in the village street, and he ordered

them to sing and dance.

The people were astonished and could not understand how Ivan had

produced the strangers.

The soldiers sang for some time, to the great delight of the villagers;

and when Ivan commanded them to stop they instantly ceased.

Ivan then ordered them off to the barn, telling the astonished and

mystified moujiks that they must not follow him. Reaching the barn, he

turned the soldiers again into straw and went home to sleep off the

effects of his debauch.

CHAPTER VII.

The next morning Ivan’s exploits were the talk of the village, and news

of the wonderful things he had done reached the ears of his brother

Simeon, who immediately went to Ivan to learn all about it.

“Explain to me,” he said; “from whence did you bring the soldiers, and

where did you take them?”

“And what do you wish to know for?” asked Ivan.

“Why, with soldiers we can do almost anything we wish—whole kingdoms

can be conquered,” replied Simeon.

This information greatly surprised Ivan, who said: “Well, why did you

not tell me about this before? I can make as many as you want.”

Ivan then took his brother to the barn, but he said: “While I am

willing to create the soldiers, you must take them away from here; for

if it should become necessary to feed them, all the food in the village

would last them only one day.”

Simeon promised to do as Ivan wished, whereupon Ivan proceeded to

convert the straw into soldiers. Out of one bundle of straw he made an

entire regiment; in fact, so many soldiers appeared as if by magic that

there was not a vacant spot in the field.

Turning to Simeon Ivan said, “Well, is there a sufficient number?”

Beaming with joy, Simeon replied: “Enough! enough! Thank you, Ivan!”

“Glad you are satisfied,” said Ivan, “and if you wish more I will make

them for you. I have plenty of straw now.”

Simeon divided his soldiers into battalions and regiments, and after

having drilled them he went forth to fight and to conquer.

Simeon had just gotten safely out of the village with his soldiers when

Tarras, the other brother, appeared before Ivan—he also having heard of

the previous day’s performance and wanting to learn the secret of his

power. He sought Ivan, saying: “Tell me the secret of your supply of

gold, for if I had plenty of money I could with its assistance gather

in all the wealth in the world.”

Ivan was greatly surprised on hearing this statement, and said: “You

might have told me this before, for I can obtain for you as much money

as you wish.”

Tarras was delighted, and he said, “You might get me about three

bushels.”

“Well,” said Ivan, “we will go to the woods, or, better still, we will

harness the horse, as we could not possibly carry so much money

ourselves.”

The brothers went to the woods and Ivan proceeded to gather the oak

leaves, which he rubbed between his hands, the dust falling to the

ground and turning into gold pieces as quickly as it fell.

When quite a pile had accumulated Ivan turned to Tarras and asked if he

had rubbed enough leaves into money, whereupon Tarras replied: “Thank

you, Ivan; that will be sufficient for this time.”

Ivan then said: “If you wish more, come to me and I will rub as much as

you want, for there are plenty of leaves.”

Tarras, with his _tarantas_ (wagon) filled with gold, rode away to the

city to engage in trade and increase his wealth; and thus both brothers

went their way, Simeon to fight and Tarras to trade.

Simeon’s soldiers conquered a kingdom for him and Tarras-Briukhan made

plenty of money.

Some time afterward the two brothers met and confessed to each other

the source from whence sprang their prosperity, but they were not yet

satisfied.

Simeon said: “I have conquered a kingdom and enjoy a very pleasant

life, but I have not sufficient money to procure food for my soldiers;”

while Tarras confessed that he was the possessor of enormous wealth,

but the care of it caused him much uneasiness.

“Let us go again to our brother,” said Simeon; “I will order him to

make more soldiers and will give them to you, and you may then tell him

that he must make more money so that we can buy food for them.”

They went again to Ivan, and Simeon said: “I have not sufficient

soldiers; I want you to make me at least two divisions more.” But Ivan

shook his head as he said: “I will not create soldiers for nothing; you

must pay me for doing it.”

“Well, but you promised,” said Simeon.

“I know I did,” replied Ivan; “but I have changed my mind since that

time.”

“But, fool, why will you not do as you promised?”

“For the reason that your soldiers kill men, and I will not make any

more for such a cruel purpose.” With this reply Ivan remained stubborn

and would not create any more soldiers.

Tarras-Briukhan next approached Ivan and ordered him to make more

money; but, as in the case of Tarras, Ivan only shook his head, as he

said: “I will not make you any money unless you pay me for doing it. I

cannot work without pay.”

Tarras then reminded him of his promise.

“I know I promised,” replied Ivan; “but still I must refuse to do as

you wish.”

“But why, fool, will you not fulfill your promise?” asked Tarras.

“For the reason that your gold was the means of depriving Mikhailovna

of her cow.”

“But how did that happen?” inquired Tarras.

“It happened in this way,” said Ivan. “Mikhailovna always kept a cow,

and her children had plenty of milk to drink; but some time ago one of

her boys came to me to beg for some milk, and I asked, ‘Where is your

cow?’ when he replied, ‘A clerk of Tarras-Briukhan came to our home and

offered three gold pieces for her. Our mother could not resist the

temptation, and now we have no milk to drink. I gave you the gold

pieces for your pleasure, and you put them to such poor use that I will

not give you any more.’”

The brothers, on hearing this, took their departure to discuss as to

the best plan to pursue in regard to a settlement of their troubles.

Simeon said: “Let us arrange it in this way: I will give you the half

of my kingdom, and soldiers to keep guard over your wealth; and you

give me money to feed the soldiers in my half of the kingdom.”

To this arrangement Tarras agreed, and both the brothers became rulers

and very happy.

CHAPTER VIII.

Ivan remained on the farm and worked to support his father, mother, and

dumb sister. Once it happened that the old dog, which had grown up on

the farm, was taken sick, when Ivan thought he was dying, and, taking

pity on the animal, placed some bread in his hat and carried it to him.

It happened that when he turned out the bread the root which the little

devil had given him fell out also. The old dog swallowed it with the

bread and was almost instantly cured, when he jumped up and began to

wag his tail as an expression of joy. Ivan’s father and mother, seeing

the dog cured so quickly, asked by what means he had performed such a

miracle.

Ivan replied: “I had some roots which would cure any disease, and the

dog swallowed one of them.”

It happened about that time that the Czar’s daughter became ill, and

her father had it announced in every city, town, and village that

whosoever would cure her would be richly rewarded; and if the lucky

person should prove to be a single man he would give her in marriage to

him.

This announcement, of course, appeared in Ivan’s village.

Ivan’s father and mother called him and said: “If you have any of those

wonderful roots, go and cure the Czar’s daughter. You will be much

happier for having performed such a kind act—indeed, you will be made

happy for all your after life.”

“Very well,” said Ivan; and he immediately made ready for the journey.

As he reached the porch on his way out he saw a poor woman standing

directly in his path and holding a broken arm. The woman accosted him,

saying:

“I was told that you could cure me, and will you not please do so, as I

am powerless to do anything for myself?”

Ivan replied: “Very well, my poor woman; I will relieve you if I can.”

He produced a root which he handed to the poor woman and told her to

swallow it.

She did as Ivan told her and was instantly cured, and went away

rejoicing that she had recovered the use of her arm.

Ivan’s father and mother came out to wish him good luck on his journey,

and to them he told the story of the poor woman, saying that he had

given her his last root. On hearing this his parents were much

distressed, as they now believed him to be without the means of curing

the Czar’s daughter, and began to scold him.

“You had pity for a beggar and gave no thought to the Czar’s daughter,”

they said.

“I have pity for the Czar’s daughter also,” replied Ivan, after which

he harnessed his horse to his wagon and took his seat ready for his

departure; whereupon his parents said: “Where are you going, you

fool—to cure the Czar’s daughter, and without anything to do it with?”

“Very well,” replied Ivan, as he drove away.

In due time he arrived at the palace, and the moment he appeared on the

balcony the Czar’s daughter was cured. The Czar was overjoyed and

ordered Ivan to be brought into his presence. He dressed him in the

richest robes and addressed him as his son-in-law. Ivan was married to

the Czarevna, and, the Czar dying soon after, Ivan became ruler. Thus

the three brothers became rulers in different kingdoms.

CHAPTER IX.

The brothers lived and reigned. Simeon, the eldest brother, with his

straw soldiers took captive the genuine soldiers and trained all alike.

He was feared by every one.

Tarras-Briukhan, the other brother, did not squander the gold he

obtained from Ivan, but instead greatly increased his wealth, and at

the same time lived well. He kept his money in large trunks, and, while

having more than he knew what to do with, still continued to collect

money from his subjects. The people had to work for the money to pay

the taxes which Tarras levied on them, and life was made burdensome to

them.

Ivan the Fool did not enjoy his wealth and power to the same extent as

did his brothers. As soon as his father-in-law, the late Czar, was

buried, he discarded the Imperial robes which had fallen to him and

told his wife to put them away, as he had no further use for them.

Having cast aside the insignia of his rank, he once more donned his

peasant garb and started to work as of old.

“I felt lonesome,” he said, “and began to grow enormously stout, and

yet I had no appetite, and neither could I sleep.”

Ivan sent for his father, mother, and dumb sister, and brought them to

live with him, and they worked with him at whatever he chose to do.

The people soon learned that Ivan was a fool. His wife one day said to

him, “The people say you are a fool, Ivan.”

“Well, let them think so if they wish,” he replied.

His wife pondered this reply for some time, and at last decided that if

Ivan was a fool she also was one, and that it would be useless to go

contrary to her husband, thinking affectionately of the old proverb

that “where the needle goes there goes the thread also.” She therefore

cast aside her magnificent robes, and, putting them into the trunk with

Ivan’s, dressed herself in cheap clothing and joined her dumb

sister-in-law, with the intention of learning to work. She succeeded so

well that she soon became a great help to Ivan.

Seeing that Ivan was a fool, all the wise men left the kingdom and only

the fools remained. They had no money, their wealth consisting only of

the products of their labor. But they lived peacefully together,

supported themselves in comfort, and had plenty to spare for the needy

and afflicted.

CHAPTER X.

The old devil grew tired of waiting for the good news which he expected

the little devils to bring him. He waited in vain to hear of the ruin

of the brothers, so he went in search of the emissaries which he had

sent to perform that work for him. After looking around for some time,

and seeing nothing but the three holes in the ground, he decided that

they had not succeeded in their work and that he would have to do it

himself.

The old devil next went in search of the brothers, but he could learn

nothing of their whereabouts. After some time he found them in their

different kingdoms, contented and happy. This greatly incensed the old

devil, and he said, “I will now have to accomplish their mission

myself.”

He first visited Simeon the soldier, and appeared before him as a

_voyevoda_ (general), saying: “You, Simeon, are a great warrior, and I

also have had considerable experience in warfare, and am desirous of

serving you.”

Simeon questioned the disguised devil, and seeing that he was an

intelligent man took him into his service.

The new General taught Simeon how to strengthen his army until it

became very powerful. New implements of warfare were introduced.

Cannons capable of throwing one hundred balls a minute were also

constructed, and these, it was expected, would be of deadly effect in

battle.

Simeon, on the advice of his new General, ordered all young men above a

certain age to report for drill. On the same advice Simeon established

gun-shops, where immense numbers of cannons and rifles were made.

The next move of the new General was to have Simeon declare war against

the neighboring kingdom. This he did, and with his immense army marched

into the adjoining territory, which he pillaged and burned, destroying

more than half the enemy’s soldiers. This so frightened the ruler of

that country that he willingly gave up half of his kingdom to save the

other half.

Simeon, overjoyed at his success, declared his intention of marching

into Indian territory and subduing the Viceroy of that country.

But Simeon’s intentions reached the ears of the Indian ruler, who

prepared to do battle with him. In addition to having secured all the

latest implements of warfare, he added still others of his own

invention. He ordered all boys over fourteen and all single women to be

drafted into the army, until its proportions became much larger than

Simeon’s. His cannons and rifles were of the same pattern as Simeon’s,

and he invented a flying-machine from which bombs could be thrown into

the enemy’s camp.

Simeon went forth to conquer the Viceroy with full confidence in his

own powers to succeed. This time luck forsook him, and instead of being

the conqueror he was himself conquered.

The Indian ruler had so arranged his army that Simeon could not even

get within shooting distance, while the bombs from the flying-machine

carried destruction and terror in their path, completely routing his

army, so that Simeon was left alone.

The Viceroy took possession of his kingdom and Simeon had to fly for

his life.

Having finished with Simeon, the old devil next approached Tarras. He

appeared before him disguised as one of the merchants of his kingdom,

and established factories and began to make money. The “merchant” paid

the highest price for everything he purchased, and the people ran after

him to sell their goods. Through this “merchant” they were enabled to

make plenty of money, paying up all their arrears of taxes as well as

the others when they came due.

Tarras was overjoyed at this condition of affairs and said: “Thanks to

this merchant, now I will have more money than before, and life will be

much pleasanter for me.”

He wished to erect new buildings, and advertised for workmen, offering

the highest prices for all kinds of labor. Tarras thought the people

would be as anxious to work as formerly, but instead he was much

surprised to learn that they were working for the “merchant.” Thinking

to induce them to leave the “merchant,” he increased his offers, but

the former, equal to the emergency, also raised the wages of his

workmen. Tarras, having plenty of money, increased the offers still

more; but the “merchant” raised them still higher and got the better of

him. Thus, defeated at every point, Tarras was compelled to abandon the

idea of building.

Tarras next announced that he intended laying out gardens and erecting

fountains, and the work was to be commenced in the fall, but no one

came to offer his services, and again he was obliged to forego his

intentions. Winter set in, and Tarras wanted some sable fur with which

to line his great-coat, and he sent his man to procure it for him; but

the servant returned without it, saying: “There are no sables to be

had. The ‘merchant’ has bought them all, paying a very high price for

them.”

Tarras needed horses and sent a messenger to purchase them, but he

returned with the same story as on former occasions—that none were to

be found, the “merchant” having bought them all to carry water for an

artificial pond he was constructing. Tarras was at last compelled to

suspend business, as he could not find any one willing to work for him.

They had all gone over to the “merchant’s” side. The only dealings the

people had with Tarras were when they went to pay their taxes. His

money accumulated so fast that he could not find a place to put it, and

his life became miserable. He abandoned all idea of entering upon the

new venture, and only thought of how to exist peaceably. This he found

it difficult to do, for, turn which way he would, fresh obstacles

confronted him. Even his cooks, coachmen, and all his other servants

forsook him and joined the “merchant.” With all his wealth he had

nothing to eat, and when he went to market he found the “merchant” had

been there before him and had bought up all the provisions. Still, the

people continued to bring him money.

Tarras at last became so indignant that he ordered the “merchant” out

of his kingdom. He left, but settled just outside the boundary line,

and continued his business with the same result as before, and Tarras

was frequently forced to go without food for days. It was rumored that

the “merchant” wanted to buy even Tarras himself. On hearing this the

latter became very much alarmed and could not decide as to the best

course to pursue.

About this time his brother Simeon arrived in the kingdom, and said:

“Help me, for I have been defeated and ruined by the Indian Viceroy.”

Tarras replied: “How can I help you, when I have had no food myself for

two days?”

CHAPTER XI.

The old devil, having finished with the second brother, went to Ivan

the Fool. This time he disguised himself as a General, the same as in

the case of Simeon, and, appearing before Ivan, said: “Get an army

together. It is disgraceful for the ruler of a kingdom to be without an

army. You call your people to assemble, and I will form them into a

fine large army.”

Ivan took the supposed General’s advice, and said: “Well, you may form

my people into an army, but you must also teach them to sing the songs

I like.”

The old devil then went through Ivan’s kingdom to secure recruits for

the army, saying: “Come, shave your heads [the heads of recruits are

always shaved in Russia] and I will give each of you a red hat and

plenty of vodka” (whiskey).

At this the fools only laughed, and said: “We can have all the vodka we

want, for we distill it ourselves; and of hats, our little girls make

all we want, of any color we please, and with handsome fringes.”

Thus was the devil foiled in securing recruits for his army; so he

returned to Ivan and said: “Your fools will not volunteer to be

soldiers. It will therefore be necessary to force them.”

“Very well,” replied Ivan, “you may use force if you want to.”

The old devil then announced that all the fools must become soldiers,

and those who refused, Ivan would punish with death.

The fools went to the General; and said: “You tell us that Ivan will

punish with death all those who refuse to become soldiers, but you have

omitted to state what will be done with us soldiers. We have been told

that we are only to be killed.”

“Yes, that is true,” was the reply.

The fools on hearing this became stubborn and refused to go.

“Better kill us now if we cannot avoid death, but we will not become

soldiers,” they declared.

“Oh! you fools,” said the old devil, “soldiers may and may not be

killed; but if you disobey Ivan’s orders you will find certain death at

his hands.”

The fools remained absorbed in thought for some time and finally went

to Ivan to question him in regard to the matter.

On arriving at his house they said: “A General came to us with an order

from you that we were all to become soldiers, and if we refused you

were to punish us with death. Is it true?”

Ivan began to laugh heartily on hearing this, and said: “Well, how I

alone can punish you with death is something I cannot understand. If I

was not a fool myself I would be able to explain it to you, but as it

is I cannot.”

“Well, then, we will not go,” they said.

“Very well,” replied Ivan, “you need not become soldiers unless you

wish to.”

The old devil, seeing his schemes about to prove failures, went to the

ruler of Tarakania and became his friend, saying: “Let us go and

conquer Ivan’s kingdom. He has no money, but he has plenty of cattle,

provisions, and various other things that would be useful to us.”

The Tarakanian ruler gathered his large army together, and equipping it

with cannons and rifles, crossed the boundary line into Ivan’s kingdom.

The people went to Ivan and said: “The ruler of Tarakania is here with

a large army to fight us.”

“Let them come,” replied Ivan.

The Tarakanian ruler, after crossing the line into Ivan’s kingdom,

looked in vain for soldiers to fight against; and waiting some time and

none appearing, he sent his own warriors to attack the villages.

They soon reached the first village, which they began to plunder.

The fools of both sexes looked calmly on, offering not the least

resistance when their cattle and provisions were being taken from them.

On the contrary, they invited the soldiers to come and live with them,

saying: “If you, dear friends, find it is difficult to earn a living in

your own land, come and live with us, where everything is plentiful.”

The soldiers decided to remain, finding the people happy and

prosperous, with enough surplus food to supply many of their neighbors.

They were surprised at the cordial greetings which they everywhere

received, and, returning to the ruler of Tarakania, they said: “We

cannot fight with these people—take us to another place. We would much

prefer the dangers of actual warfare to this unsoldierly method of

subduing the village.”

The Tarakanian ruler, becoming enraged, ordered the soldiers to destroy

the whole kingdom, plunder the villages, burn the houses and

provisions, and slaughter the cattle.

“Should you disobey my orders,” said he, “I will have every one of you

executed.”

The soldiers, becoming frightened, started to do as they were ordered,

but the fools wept bitterly, offering no resistance, men, women, and

children all joining in the general lamentation.

“Why do you treat us so cruelly?” they cried to the invading soldiers.

“Why do you wish to destroy everything we have? If you have more need

of these things than we have, why not take them with you and leave us

in peace?”

The soldiers, becoming saddened with remorse, refused further to pursue

their path of destruction—the entire army scattering in many

directions.

CHAPTER XII.

The old devil, failing to ruin Ivan’s kingdom with soldiers,

transformed himself into a nobleman, dressed exquisitely, and became

one of Ivan’s subjects, with the intention of compassing the downfall

of his kingdom—as he had done with that of Tarras.

The “nobleman” said to Ivan: “I desire to teach you wisdom and to

render you other service. I will build you a palace and factories.”

“Very well,” said Ivan; “you may live with us.”

The next day the “nobleman” appeared on the Square with a sack of gold

in his hand and a plan for building a house, saying to the people: “You

are living like pigs, and I am going to teach you how to live decently.

You are to build a house for me according to this plan. I will

superintend the work myself, and will pay you for your services in

gold,” showing them at the same time the contents of his sack.

The fools were amused. They had never before seen any money. Their

business was conducted entirely by exchange of farm products or by

hiring themselves out to work by the day in return for whatever they

most needed. They therefore glanced at the gold pieces with amazement,

and said, “What nice toys they would be to play with!” In return for

the gold they gave their services and brought the “nobleman” the

produce of their farms.

The old devil was overjoyed as he thought, “Now my enterprise is on a

fair road and I will be able to ruin the Fool—as I did his brothers.”

The fools obtained sufficient gold to distribute among the entire

community, the women and young girls of the village wearing much of it

as ornaments, while to the children they gave some pieces to play with

on the streets.

When they had secured all they wanted they stopped working and the

“nobleman” did not get his house more than half finished. He had

neither provisions nor cattle for the year, and ordered the people to

bring him both. He directed them also to go on with the building of the

palace and factories. He promised to pay them liberally in gold for

everything they did. No one responded to his call—only once in awhile a

little boy or girl would call to exchange eggs for his gold.

Thus was the “nobleman” deserted, and, having nothing to eat, he went

to the village to procure some provisions for his dinner. He went to

one house and offered gold in return for a chicken, but was refused,

the owner saying: “We have enough of that already and do not want any

more.”

He next went to a fish-woman to buy some herring, when she, too,

refused to accept his gold in return for fish, saying: “I do not wish

it, my dear man; I have no children to whom I can give it to play with.

I have three pieces which I keep as curiosities only.”

He then went to a peasant to buy bread, but he also refused to accept

the gold. “I have no use for it,” said he, “unless you wish to give it

for Christ’s sake; then it will be a different matter, and I will tell

my _baba_ [old woman] to cut a piece of bread for you.”

The old devil was so angry that he ran away from the peasant, spitting

and cursing as he went.

Not only did the offer to accept in the name of Christ anger him, but

the very mention of the name was like the thrust of a knife in his

throat.

The old devil did not succeed in getting any bread, and in his efforts

to secure other articles of food he met with the same failure. The

people had all the gold they wanted and what pieces they had they

regarded as curiosities. They said to the old devil: “If you bring us

something else in exchange for food, or come to ask for Christ’s sake,

we will give you all you want.”

But the old devil had nothing but gold, and was too lazy to work; and

being unable to accept anything for Christ’s sake, he was greatly

enraged.

“What else do you want?” he said. “I will give you gold with which you

can buy everything you want, and you need labor no longer.”

But the fools would not accept his gold, nor listen to him. Thus the

old devil was obliged to go to sleep hungry.

Tidings of this condition of affairs soon reached the ears of Ivan. The

people went to him and said: “What shall we do? This nobleman appeared

among us; he is well dressed; he wishes to eat and drink of the best,

but is unwilling to work, and does not beg for food for Christ’s sake.

He only offers every one gold pieces. At first we gave him everything

he wanted, taking the gold pieces in exchange just as curiosities; but

now we have enough of them and refuse to accept any more from him. What

shall we do with him? he may die of hunger!”

Ivan heard all they had to say, and told them to employ him as a

shepherd, taking turns in doing so.

The old devil saw no other way out of the difficulty and was obliged to

submit.

It soon came the old devil’s turn to go to Ivan’s house. He went there

to dinner and found Ivan’s dumb sister preparing the meal. She was

often cheated by the lazy people, who while they did not work, yet ate

up all the gruel. But she learned to know the lazy people from the

condition of their hands. Those with great welts on their hands she

invited first to the table, and those having smooth white hands had to

take what was left.

The old devil took a seat at the table, but the dumb girl, taking his

hands, looked at them, and seeing them white and clean, and with long

nails, swore at him and put him from the table.

Ivan’s wife said to the old devil: “You must excuse my sister-in-law;

she will not allow any one to sit at the table whose hands have not

been hardened by toil, so you will have to wait until the dinner is

over and then you can have what is left. With it you must be

satisfied.”

The old devil was very much offended that he was made to eat with

“pigs,” as he expressed it, and complained to Ivan, saying: “The

foolish law you have in your kingdom, that all persons must work, is

surely the invention of fools. People who work for a living are not

always forced to labor with their hands. Do you think wise men labor

so?”

Ivan replied: “Well, what do fools know about it? We all work with our

hands.”

“And for that reason you are fools,” replied the devil. “I can teach

you how to use your brains, and you will find such labor more

beneficial.”

Ivan was surprised at hearing this, and said: “Well, it is perhaps not

without good reason that we are called fools.”

“It is not so easy to work with the brain,” the old devil said. “You

will not give me anything to eat because my hands have not the

appearance of being toil-hardened, but you must understand that it is

much harder to do brain-work, and sometimes the head feels like

bursting with the effort it is forced to make.”

“Then why do you not select some light work that you can perform with

your hands?” Ivan asked.

The devil said: “I torment myself with brain-work because I have pity

for you fools, for, if I did not torture myself, people like you would

remain fools for all eternity. I have exercised my brain a great deal

during my life, and now I am able to teach you.”

Ivan was greatly surprised and said: “Very well; teach us, so that when

our hands are tired we can use our heads to replace them.”

The devil promised to instruct the people, and Ivan announced the fact

throughout his kingdom.

The devil was willing to teach all those who came to him how to use the

head instead of the hands, so as to produce more with the former than

with the latter.

In Ivan’s kingdom there was a high tower, which was reached by a long,

narrow ladder leading up to the balcony, and Ivan told the old devil

that from the top of the tower every one could see him.

So the old devil went up to the balcony and addressed the people.

The fools came in great crowds to hear what the old devil had to say,

thinking that he really meant to tell them how to work with the head.

But the old devil only told them in words what to do, and did not give

them any practical instruction. He said that men working only with

their hands could not make a living. The fools did not understand what

he said to them and looked at him in amazement, and then departed for

their daily work.

The old devil addressed them for two days from the balcony, and at the

end of that time, feeling hungry, he asked the people to bring him some

bread. But they only laughed at him and told him if he could work

better with his head than with his hands he could also find bread for

himself. He addressed the people for yet another day, and they went to

hear him from curiosity, but soon left him to return to their work.

Ivan asked, “Well, did the nobleman work with his head?”

“Not yet,” they said; “so far he has only talked.”

One day, while the old devil was standing on the balcony, he became

weak, and, falling down, hurt his head against a pole.

Seeing this, one of the fools ran to Ivan’s wife and said, “The

gentleman has at last commenced to work with his head.”

She ran to the field to tell Ivan, who was much surprised, and said,

“Let us go and see him.”

He turned his horses’ heads in the direction of the tower, where the

old devil remained weak from hunger and was still suspended from the

pole, with his body swaying back and forth and his head striking the

lower part of the pole each time it came in contact with it. While Ivan

was looking, the old devil started down the steps head-first—as they

supposed, to count them.

“Well,” said Ivan, “he told the truth after all—that sometimes from

this kind of work the head bursts. This is far worse than welts on the

hands.”

The old devil fell to the ground head-foremost. Ivan approached him,

but at that instant the ground opened and the devil disappeared,

leaving only a hole to show where he had gone.

Ivan scratched his head and said: “See here; such nastiness! This is

yet another devil. He looks like the father of the little ones.”

Ivan still lives, and people flock to his kingdom. His brothers come to

him and he feeds them.

To every one who comes to him and says, “Give us food,” he replies:

“Very well; you are welcome. We have plenty of everything.”

There is only one unchangeable custom observed in Ivan’s kingdom: The

man with toil-hardened hands is always given a seat at the table, while

the possessor of soft white hands must be contented with what is left.

A LOST OPPORTUNITY.

“Then came Peter to Him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin

against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?” . . . . “So likewise

shall My heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts

forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”—ST. MATTHEW

xviii., 21-35.

In a certain village there lived a peasant by the name of Ivan

Scherbakoff. He was prosperous, strong, and vigorous, and was

considered the hardest worker in the whole village. He had three sons,

who supported themselves by their own labor. The eldest was married,

the second about to be married, and the youngest took care of the

horses and occasionally attended to the plowing.

The peasant’s wife, Ivanovna, was intelligent and industrious, while

her daughter-in-law was a simple, quiet soul, but a hard worker.

There was only one idle person in the household, and that was Ivan’s

father, a very old man who for seven years had suffered from asthma,

and who spent the greater part of his time lying on the brick oven.

Ivan had plenty of everything—three horses, with one colt, a cow with

calf, and fifteen sheep. The women made the men’s clothes, and in

addition to performing all the necessary household labor, also worked

in the field; while the men’s industry was confined altogether to the

farm.

What was left of the previous year’s supply of provisions was ample for

their needs, and they sold a quantity of oats sufficient to pay their

taxes and other expenses.

Thus life went smoothly for Ivan.

The peasant’s next-door neighbor was a son of Gordey Ivanoff, called

“Gavryl the Lame.” It once happened that Ivan had a quarrel with him;

but while old man Gordey was yet alive, and Ivan’s father was the head

of the household, the two peasants lived as good neighbors should. If

the women of one house required the use of a sieve or pail, they

borrowed it from the inmates of the other house. The same condition of

affairs existed between the men. They lived more like one family, the

one dividing his possessions with the other, and perfect harmony

reigned between the two families.

If a stray calf or cow invaded the garden of one of the farmers, the

other willingly drove it away, saying: “Be careful, neighbor, that your

stock does not again stray into my garden; we should put a fence up.”

In the same way they had no secrets from each other. The doors of their

houses and barns had neither bolts nor locks, so sure were they of each

other’s honesty. Not a shadow of suspicion darkened their daily

intercourse.

Thus lived the old people.

In time the younger members of the two households started farming. It

soon became apparent that they would not get along as peacefully as the

old people had done, for they began quarrelling without the slightest

provocation.

A hen belonging to Ivan’s daughter-in-law commenced laying eggs, which

the young woman collected each morning, intending to keep them for the

Easter holidays. She made daily visits to the barn, where, under an old

wagon, she was sure to find the precious egg.

One day the children frightened the hen and she flew over their

neighbor’s fence and laid her egg in their garden.

Ivan’s daughter-in-law heard the hen cackling, but said: “I am very

busy just at present, for this is the eve of a holy day, and I must

clean and arrange this room. I will go for the egg later on.”

When evening came, and she had finished her task, she went to the barn,

and as usual looked under the old wagon, expecting to find an egg. But,

alas! no egg was visible in the accustomed place.

Greatly disappointed, she returned to the house and inquired of her

mother-in-law and the other members of the family if they had taken it.

“No,” they said, “we know nothing of it.”

Taraska, the youngest brother-in-law, coming in soon after, she also

inquired of him if he knew anything about the missing egg. “Yes,” he

replied; “your pretty, crested hen laid her egg in our neighbors’

garden, and after she had finished cackling she flew back again over

the fence.”

The young woman, greatly surprised on hearing this, turned and looked

long and seriously at the hen, which was sitting with closed eyes

beside the rooster in the chimney-corner. She asked the hen where it

laid the egg. At the sound of her voice it simply opened and closed its

eyes, but could make no answer.

She then went to the neighbors’ house, where she was met by an old

woman, who said: “What do you want, young woman?”

Ivan’s daughter-in-law replied: “You see, _babushka_ [grandmother], my

hen flew into your yard this morning. Did she not lay an egg there?”

“We did not see any,” the old woman replied; “we have our own hens—God

be praised!—and they have been laying for this long time. We hunt only

for the eggs our own hens lay, and have no use for the eggs other

people’s hens lay. Another thing I want to tell you, young woman: we do

not go into other people’s yards to look for eggs.”

Now this speech greatly angered the young woman, and she replied in the

same spirit in which she had been spoken to, only using much stronger

language and speaking at greater length.

The neighbor replied in the same angry manner, and finally the women

began to abuse each other and call vile names. It happened that old

Ivan’s wife, on her way to the well for water, heard the dispute, and

joined the others, taking her daughter-in-law’s part.

Gavryl’s housekeeper, hearing the noise, could not resist the

temptation to join the rest and to make her voice heard. As soon as she

appeared on the scene, she, too, began to abuse her neighbor, reminding

her of many disagreeable things which had happened (and many which had

not happened) between them. She became so infuriated during her

denunciations that she lost all control of herself, and ran around like

some mad creature.

Then all the women began to shout at the same time, each trying to say

two words to another’s one, and using the vilest language in the

quarreller’s vocabulary.

“You are such and such,” shouted one of the women. “You are a thief, a

_schlukha_ [a mean, dirty, low creature]; your father-in-law is even

now starving, and you have no shame. You beggar, you borrowed my sieve

and broke it. You made a large hole in it, and did not buy me another.”

“You have our scale-beam,” cried another woman, “and must give it back

to me;” whereupon she seized the scale-beam and tried to remove it from

the shoulders of Ivan’s wife.

In the mêlée which followed they upset the pails of water. They tore

the covering from each other’s head, and a general fight ensued.

Gavryl’s wife had by this time joined in the fracas, and he, crossing

the field and seeing the trouble, came to her rescue.

Ivan and his son, seeing that their womenfolk were being badly used,

jumped into the midst of the fray, and a fearful fight followed.

Ivan was the most powerful peasant in all the country round, and it did

not take him long to disperse the crowd, for they flew in all

directions. During the progress of the fight Ivan tore out a large

quantity of Gavryl’s beard.

By this time a large crowd of peasants had collected, and it was with

the greatest difficulty that they persuaded the two families to stop

quarrelling.

This was the beginning.

Gavryl took the portion of his beard which Ivan had torn out, and,

wrapping it in a paper, went to the _volostnoye_ (moujiks’ court) and

entered a complaint against Ivan.

Holding up the hair, he said, “I did not grow this for that bear Ivan

to tear out!”

Gavryl’s wife went round among the neighbors, telling them that they

must not repeat what she told them, but that she and her husband were

going to get the best of Ivan, and that he was to be sent to Siberia.

And so the quarrelling went on.

The poor old grandfather, sick with asthma and lying on the brick oven

all the time, tried from the first to dissuade them from quarrelling,

and begged of them to live in peace; but they would not listen to his

good advice. He said to them: “You children are making a great fuss and

much trouble about nothing. I beg of you to stop and think of what a

little thing has caused all this trouble. It has arisen from only one

egg. If our neighbors’ children picked it up, it is all right. God

bless them! One egg is of but little value, and without it God will

supply sufficient for all our needs.”

Ivan’s daughter-in-law here interposed and said, “But they called us

vile names.”