But the doggie outside said: “Bow, wow, bow-wow-wow, the old man's bringing back bones in his sledge!” The old man drove up, and it was too true, instead of the bad old woman's daughter there was only an icicle!
One day a peasant saw a bear asleep in the forest, so he crept up to him and cut off one of his hind paws with an axe. And he brought the paw home, and said to his wife: “Boil some soup from the flesh, and knit some warm gloves out of the wool.” So she took off the skin, threw the flesh into the pot to boil, and sat down to spin the wool.
And when Bruin woke up, he found his paw gone. Therewas no help for it, so he cut a bit of wood off a tree, hewed it, tied it on instead of his leg, and set out for the village. As he went along he sang:
“Hobble, hobble, hobble,On my lime-tree leg,On my birchen crutch!The water's asleep,And the earth's asleep,The whole village is asleep,Only one woman's awake,And she's boiling my flesh,Sitting on my skin,And spinning my wool!”
“Hobble, hobble, hobble,On my lime-tree leg,On my birchen crutch!The water's asleep,And the earth's asleep,The whole village is asleep,Only one woman's awake,And she's boiling my flesh,Sitting on my skin,And spinning my wool!”
And the peasant's wife got very frightened, and hid as quick as she could in the cellar underthe floor.
And Bruin went into the house, and saw there was no one there. So he took his bit of skin, got his flesh out of the pot and made off.
May I?
There was once an old man and he had three little daughters, and one day he said to them: “I am going out into the fields to plough, and you, my little daughters, bake me a loaf and bring it to me.” “But how are we to find you, daddy?” they said.
“As I go along,” he said, “I shall drop shavings in a row along the path, and that will help you to find me.” And as the old man rode along he threwdown the shavings one after the other, and a bear came and drew them all aside on to the path that led to his den.
Then the eldest daughter said to the youngest: “Go and take the bread to daddy.” And the youngest said: “But how am I to find daddy, and where am I to take the bread to?” Then the eldest answered: “He kept dropping shavings in a row along the path as he went.” Then she took the loaf, and started off to follow the shavings, when lo and behold! she came to the bear's den.
And the bear saw her and said: “O-ho! What a nice little girl has come to see me!”
The next day the old man went off to sow, and he said to his daughters: “My dear little daughters, my clever little ones, bake me a loaf and bring it to me in the field.” “But how are we to find you, daddy?” they said. And he answered: “Yesterday I threw one row of shavings down, to-day I will throw two.” And he set off, throwing the shavings down in tworows, and the bear came and drew them all aside on to the path that led to his den. Then the second daughter started out with the loaf, following the shavings, and went straight to the bear's den. And the bear saw her and said: “O-ho! here's another little girl come to see me!”
The next day the old man went off to the field to harrow, and he said to his daughter: “My dear little daughter, bake me a loaf and bring it to me in the field. I will throw three rows of shavings.” And the old man went off, throwing the shavings down in three rows, and the bear came and drew them all aside on to the path that led to his den. And the eldest daughter set out, and she, too, came to the bear's den. And the bear saw her and said: “O-ho! here's a third little girl come to see me in my den!” And there they went on living, when one day the eldest sister said: “Bruin, Bruin, I'll bake some pies, and you take them and give them to my daddy to eat.” “All right,” answered the bear, “I'll take them.” And so she popped her youngest sister into a sack, and said:
“Here, Bruin, take this to my daddy, and mind, don't you eat it yourself on the way!” And the bear took the sack and set off with it to the old man. And as he went along, he kept saying to himself: “Suppose I sit down on a stump, and suppose I just eat one little pie!” And the youngest daughter in the sack heard him and said: “Don't sit down on a stump, don't! Don't eat a pie, don't!” And the bear thought that this was the eldest sister, and said to himself: “There now, fancy that! I've come a long way, andyet she can still hear me!”
And he brought the sack right up to the old man's courtyard, when the dogs all rushed out and began to bark at him! So he flung down the sack and ran off home. And the eldest sister asked him: “Did they make you welcome, Bruin, and give you nice things to eat?” “They didn't give me anything to eat,” he answered, “but their welcome was loud enough.”
The next day the eldest sister said: “Bruin, take my daddy some more pies to eat!” And she tied up her other sister in the sack, and the bear put it on his back and carried it off into the village. And as he went through the forest he kept saying to himself: “Suppose I sit down on a stump, and suppose I just eat one little pie!” And the second daughter said to him from out of the sack: “Don't sit down on a stump, don't! Don't eat a pie, don't!” And the bear thought: “There now, fancythat! I've come a long way, and yet she can still hear me, and tells me not to eat a pie!” And so he reached the old man's courtyard, and when the dogs went for him that time, they all but worried him to death! So he flung down the sack and ran off home. And the eldest sister asked him: “Did they welcome you warmly, Bruin, and give you plenty to eat?” “It wassucha warm welcome, and they gave me so much to eat, that I shan't forget it in a hurry!” he answered.
And the next day the eldest girl said: “I'll bake some more pies, and you take them to my daddy for him to eat.” And so she herself sat down inthe sack, and the bear carried her off. And as he carried her along he kept saying to himself: “Oh, Ishouldso like to sit down on a stump, and Ishouldso like to eat one little pie!” And the eldest daughter said to him from out of the sack: “Don't sit down on a stump, don't! Don't eat a pie, don't!” And the bear thought: “There now, fancy that! Look at the long way I've come, and yet she can still see and hear me!” And so he brought the sack to the old man, and then the dogs came upon him andall but tore him in bits. And he ran off into the forest without as much as looking round, and the old man began once more to live with his three little daughters.
I don't like what is nice, but what I likeisnice!
Once upon a time there lived an old man and his wife, and one day she said to him: “Make me a straw ox and smear him over with pitch.” And he asked: “What for?” And she answered: “Do what I tell you! Never mind what it's for—that's my business!” So the old man made a strawox and smeared him over with pitch. Then his wife got ready in the early morning and drove the ox to pasture. She sat down under a tree, and began spinning flax and saying to herself: “Feed, feed, ox, on the fresh green grass.”
“Feed, feed, ox, on the fresh green grass!” And she went on spinning and spinning, and fell asleep. Suddenly from out of the thick wood, from out of the dark forest, a bear came running, and ran right up against the ox.
“Who in the world are you?” he asked. And the ox answered: “I'm the three-year-old ox, all made of straw and smeared over with pitch.” Then the bear said: “Well, if you're smeared over with pitch, give me some to put on my poor torn side.” And the ox answered: “Take some!” So the bear seized hold of the ox, when lo and behold! his paw stuck in the pitch.
And when he tried to free it with the other paw, that one stuck too. Then he started gnawing with his teeth, and they stuck too. He couldn't tear himself away anyhow. And the old woman woke up and saw the bear stuck fast to the ox. So she ran home and shouted to her husband: “Come along quick, a bear has stuck fast to our ox, hurry up and catch him!” And he came along, took the bear, led him home, and shut him up in the lumber room.
The next day, as soon as the sun rose, the old woman again drove the ox to pasture, and she herself sat down under a tree, and began spinning flax and saying to herself: “Feed, feed, ox, on the fresh green grass of the field!Feed, feed, ox, on the fresh green grass of the field!” And she went on spinning and spinning, and fell asleep. Suddenly from out of the thick wood, from out of the dark forest, a wolf came running, and ran right up against the ox. “Who in the world are you?” he asked. And the ox answered: “I'm the three-year-old ox, all made of straw and smeared over with pitch.”
Thenthe wolf said: “Well, if that's so, give me some pitch to put on my poor torn side.” And the ox answered: “By all means!” So the wolf tried to take some pitch, when lo and behold! his paw stuck in it. And when he tried to free it, it stuck all the faster. And the old woman woke up and saw the wolf sticking to the ox. So she ran to fetch her husband and said: “Come as quick as you can, there's a wolf stuck to the ox!” And he came and caught the wolf and put him in the cellar.
The next day, before even the sun had risen, the old woman again drove the ox to pasture, and she herself sat down under a tree, and began spinning flax and saying to herself: “Feed, feed, ox, on the fresh green grass! Feed, feed, ox, on the fresh green grass!” And she went on spinning and spinning, and fell asleep.
Suddenly from out of the thick wood, from out of the dark forest, a fox came running, and ran right up against the ox. “What sort of a beastare you?” he asked. And the ox answered: “I'm the three-year-old ox, all made of straw and smeared over with pitch.” Then the fox said: “Well then, give me some pitch to rub on my side.” And the fox was just going to take some pitch, when he stuck fast and couldn't free himself. And the old woman woke up and saw the fox sticking to the ox. So she ran to fetch her husband, and he came and took the fox and put him in the cellar as well.
The next day the old woman again sat down under the tree to spin her flax while the ox fed, and she began spinning and saying to herself: “Feed, feed, ox, on the fresh green grass! Feed, feed, ox, on the fresh green grass!” Andshe went on spinning and spinning and fell asleep. Suddenly from out of the thick wood, from out of the dark forest, a grey hare came running and ran right up against the ox. “What sort of beast are you?” he asked. “I'm the three-year-old ox, all made of straw and smeared over with pitch.” Then the hare said: “Well then, give me some pitch to rub on my side.” “Take some!” answered the ox. And the hare caught hold of him with his teeth, when lo and behold! his teeth stuck fast. He tore and tore, but couldn't tear them free. And the old woman woke up, and ran to fetch her husband, and said: “Come as quick as you can, there's a hare stuck to the ox!” And the old man came, took the hare and flunghim into the cellar. Then the old man began to grind his knife, and the bear heard him and asked: “What are you grinding your knife for?” And he answered: “I'm grinding my knife to take the skin off your back and make myself a fur coat out of it.” But the bear said: “Oh! don't take the skin off my back! Better let me go free, and I'll repay you handsomely.” “Well, mind you do!” answered the old man, and so he let the bear go free, and he ran off into the forest.
The next day the old man again began to grind his knifeoutside the cellar, and the wolf asked him: “What are you grinding your knife for?” And he answered: “I'm grinding my knife to take the skin off your back and make myself a fur coat out of it.” But the wolf said: “Oh!don't take the skin off my back! Better let me go free, and I'll repay you handsomely.” “Well, mind you do!” answered the old man, and so he let the wolf too go free. And again he began to grind his knife outside the cellar, and the fox asked him: “What are you grinding your knife for?” And he answered: “I'm grinding my knife to take the skin off your back, and make myself out of it a collar for my fur coat.” But the fox said: “Oh! don't take the skin off my back! Better let me go free, and I'll repay you handsomely.” “Well, mind you do!” answered he.
Then the hare was left all alone.
And again the old man began to grind his knife, and the hare asked him: “What are you grinding your knife for?” And he answered: “I'm grinding my knife to take the skin off your back, and make myself some fur gloves out of it.” But the hare said: “Oh! don't take the skin off my back! Better let me go free, and I'll repay you handsomely.” “Well, mind you do!” he answered, and let the hare too go free.
Early the next morning the old man heard someone knocking at the gate, so he asked: “Who's there?” And the answer came: “It's I, the bear, come to pay you my debt.” And the old man opened the gate, and there was the bear with a hive of honey he had brought. So the old man took the honey, when again he heard knock-knockat the gate! “Who's there?” he asked, and the answer came: “It's I, the wolf, come to pay you my debt.” And there was the wolf with a whole flock of sheep he had driven up. So the old man let the sheep into the yard, when again he heard knock-knock at the gate. “Who's there?” he asked, and the answer came: “It's I, the fox, come to pay you my debt.”
And there was the fox with a whole farm-yardful of cocks and hens, and ducks and geese. Suddenly there came another knock-knock at the gate. “Who's there?” asked the old man, and the answer came: “It's I, the hare, come to pay you my debt.” And he had brought with him a wholeheap of cabbages. And the old man and his wife began to live happily together, and always spoke well and kindly of those beasts.
A fox was walking through the forest when he fell into a deep hole. And there he sat and sat, till all at once he began to feel hungry. He startedlooking round, but could see nothing. Then he looked up, and there he saw a blackbird in the tree above weaving its nest, and he said: “Mr. Blackbird, Mr. Blackbird, what are you doing?”
And the blackbird answered: “I'm weaving my nest.” “What are you weaving your nest for?”asked the fox. “To bring up my children in,” answered the blackbird. “But I'm going to eat your children,” said the fox.
“Don't eat my children,” answered the blackbird. “Well then, feed me, I'm hungry,” said the fox. At that the blackbird began to fret and to worry: how should he feed the fox?Then he flew off into the village, and brought back a chicken for the fox.
And the fox ate the chicken, and after a little he said: “Mr. Blackbird, Mr. Blackbird, you fed me, didn't you?” And the blackbird answered: “Yes.” “Well then,” said the fox, “give me a drink!” At that the blackbird began to fret and to worry: how was he to get the fox a drink? Then he flew off into the village, and brought back a little pailful of water for the fox.
And the fox had a good drink, and after a little he said: “Mr. Blackbird, Mr. Blackbird, you fed me, didn't you?” And the blackbird answered:“Yes.” “And you got me a drink?” “Yes.” “Well then,” said the fox, “come and pull me out of the hole!” At that the blackbird began to fret and to worry: how could he pull the fox out of the hole?
Then he began to gather sticks in the forest and started throwing them into the hole. And hekept throwing them in and throwing them in, till he filled the hole. And the fox climbed up on to the sticks and out of the hole.
And when he had climbed out, he lay down right under the tree. And there helay and lay, and he said to the blackbird: “Look here, you fed me, didn't you, Mr. Blackbird?”
And the blackbird answered. “Yes.” “And you gotme a drink?” “Yes.” “And you pulled me out of the hole?” “Yes.” “Well then,” said the fox, “now make me laugh!” At that the blackbird began to fret and to worry: how should he make the fox laugh? At last he said: “Very well, I'll tell you what I'll do.”
“I'll fly into the village, and you run after me.” So they agreed to do that, and the blackbird flew off into the village and perched on the gate of a richpeasant's house, while the fox lay down under the gateway. Then the blackbird began to sing: “Mistress, Mistress, bring a lump of fat! Mistress, Mistress, bring a lump of fat!” And the fox said: “That's fine, let's have it again!”
So the blackbird began once more: “Mistress, Mistress, bring a lump of fat! Mistress, Mistress, bring a lump of fat!”
Suddenly from under the gate a dog said angrily: “Wow-wow!” andthe fox took to his heels and hopped it into the forest as quick as he could!
And that's all about it.
Work is just as good as leisure, when we want to give pleasure.