02-ivan the fool-第2部分

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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　becom