02-ivan the fool-第1部分

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IVAN　THE　FOOL





CHAPTER　I



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

sonsSimeon　（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　brothersSimeon　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

brothersor　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

timeeach　one　wanting　the　easiest　part　of　the　workand　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　swampto　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　remai