--- title: Chapter VI. LEGENDS, part 2 — Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Musc… · full text with trees description: Chapter VI. LEGENDS, part 2, «Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folk-lore»: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: "Wherefore did ye tarry so long?" --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collecti…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/) / Chapter VI. LEGENDS, part 2 # Chapter VI. LEGENDS, part 2 Chapter VI. LEGENDS, part 2 of «Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folk-lore»: the whole text, 139 sentences and 2582 words. Every sentence has its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself; 1 of them are in the tales treebank and were checked by a teacher model. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/page/2/) - [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/1/) — "Wherefore did ye tarry so long?" - [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/2/) — "We only stayed while we were drinking," replied the Apostles. " - [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/3/) — We did not spend above three minutes there in all." - [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/4/) — "Not three minutes did ye spend there, but three whole years," replied the Lord. " - [5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/5/) — As it was in the first well, so will it be in the other world with the rich moujik! - [6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/6/) — But as it was in the second well, so will it be in that world with the poor widow!" - [7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/7/) — Sometimes our Lord is supposed to wander by himself, under the guise of a beggar. - [8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/8/) — In the story of "Christ's Brother"\[436\] a young man--whose father, on his deathbed, had charged him not to forget the poor--goes to church on Easter Day, having provided himself with red eggs to give to the beggars with whom he should exchange the Pascal greeting. - [9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/9/) — After exhausting his stock of presents, he finds that there remains one beggar of miserable appearance to whom he has nothing to offer, so he takes him home to dinner. - [10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/10/) — After the meal the beggar exchanges crosses with his host,\[437\] giving him "a cross which blazes like fire," and invites him to pay him a visit on the following Tuesday. - [11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/11/) — To an enquiry about the way, he replies, "You have only to go along yonder path and say, 'Grant thy blessing, O Lord!' and you will come to where I am." - [12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/12/) — The young man does as he is told, and commences his journey on the Tuesday. - [13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/13/) — On his way he hears voices, as though of children, crying, "O Christ's brother, ask Christ for us--have we to suffer long?" - [14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/14/) — A little later he sees a group of girls who are ladling water from one well into another, who make the same request. - [15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/15/) — At last he arrives at the end of his journey, finds the aged mendicant who had adopted him as his brother, and recognizes him as "the Lord Jesus Christ Himself." - [16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/16/) — The youth relates what he has seen, and asks: - [17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/17/) — "Wherefore, O Lord, are the children suffering?" - [18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/18/) — "Their mothers cursed them while still unborn," is the reply. " - [19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/19/) — Therefore is it impossible for them to enter into Paradise." - [20](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/20/) — "And the girls?" - [21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/21/) — "They used to sell milk, and they put water into the milk. - [22](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/22/) — Now they are doomed to pour water from well to well eternally." - [23](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/23/) — After this the youth is taken into Paradise, and brought to the place there provided for him. - [24](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/24/) — \[438\] - [25](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/25/) — Sometimes the sacred visitor rewards with temporal goods the kindly host who has hospitably received him. - [26](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/26/) — Thus the story of "Beer and Corn"\[439\] tells how a certain man was so poor that when the rest of the peasants were brewing beer, and making other preparations to celebrate an approaching feast of the Church, he found his cupboard perfectly bare. - [27](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/27/) — In vain did he apply to a rich neighbor, who was in the habit of lending goods and money at usurious rates; having no security to offer, he could borrow nothing. - [28](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/28/) — But on the eve of the festival, when he was sitting at home in sadness, he suddenly rose and drew near to the sacred painting which hung in the corner, and sighed heavily, and said, - [29](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/29/) — "O Lord! forgive me, sinner that I am! - [30](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/30/) — I have not even wherewith to buy oil, so as to light the lamp before the image\[440\] for the festival!" - [31](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/31/) — Soon afterwards an old man entered the cottage, and obtained leave to spend the night there. - [32](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/32/) — After a time the guest enquired why his host was so sad, and on learning the reason, told him to go again to his rich neighbor and borrow a quarter of malt. - [33](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/33/) — The moujik obeyed, and soon returned with the malt, which the old man ordered him to throw into his well. - [34](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/34/) — When this was done the villager and his guest went to bed. - [35](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/35/) — Next morning the old man told his guest to borrow a number of tubs, and fill them with liquor drawn from the well, and then to make his neighbors assemble and drink it. - [36](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/36/) — He did so, and the buckets were filled with "such beer as neither fancy nor imagination can conceive, but only a skazka can describe." - [37](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/37/) — The villagers, excited by the news, collected in crowds, and drank the beer and rejoiced. - [38](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/38/) — Last of all came the rich neighbor, begging to know how such wonderful beer was brewed. - [39](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/39/) — The moujik told him the whole story, whereupon he straightway commanded his servants to pour all his best malt into his well. - [40](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/40/) — And next day he hastened to the well to taste the liquor it contained; but he found nothing but malt and water; not a drop of beer was there. - [41](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/41/) — We may take next the legends current among the peasantry about various saints. - [42](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/42/) — Of these, the story of "The Prophet Elijah and St. Nicholas," will serve as a good specimen. - [43](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/43/) — But, in order to render it intelligible, a few words about "Ilya the Prophet," as Elijah is styled in Russia, may as well be prefixed. - [44](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/44/) — It is well known that in the days of heathenism the Slavonians worshipped a thunder-god, Perun,\[441\] who occupied in their mythological system the place which in the Teutonic was assigned to a Donar or a Thor. - [45](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/45/) — He was believed, if traditions may be relied upon, to sway the elements, often driving across the sky in a flaming car, and launching the shafts of the lightning at his demon foes. - [46](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/46/) — His name is still preserved by the western and southern Slavonians in many local phrases, especially in imprecations; but, with the introduction of Christianity into Slavonic lands, all this worship of his divinity came to an end. - [47](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/47/) — Then took place, as had occurred before in other countries, the merging of numerous portions of the old faith in the new, the transferring of many of the attributes of the old gods to the sacred personages of the new religion. - [48](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/48/) — \[442\] During this period of transition the ideas which were formerly associated with the person of Perun, the thunder-god, became attached to that of the Prophet Ilya or Elijah. - [49](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/49/) — One of the causes which conduced to this result may have been--if Perun really was considered in old times, as he is said to have been, the Lord of the Harvest--that the day consecrated by the Church to Elijah, July 20, occurs in the beginning of the harvest season, and therefore the peasants naturally connected their new saint with their old deity. - [50](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/50/) — But with more certainty may it be accepted that, the leading cause was the similarity which appeared to the recent converts to prevail between their dethroned thunder-god and the prophet who was connected with drought and with rain, whose enemies were consumed by fire from on high, and on whom waited "a chariot of fire and horses of fire," when he was caught up by a whirlwind into heaven. - [51](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/51/) — And so at the present day, according to Russian tradition, the Prophet Ilya thunders across the sky in a flaming car, and smites the clouds with the darts of the lightning. - [52](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/52/) — In the Vladimir Government he is said "to destroy devils with stone arrows,"--weapons corresponding to the hammer of Thor and the lance of Indra. - [53](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/53/) — On his day the peasants everywhere expect thunder and rain, and in some places they set out rye and oats on their gates, and ask their clergy to laud the name of Ilya, that he may bless their cornfields with plenteousness. - [54](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/54/) — There are districts, also, in which the people go to church in a body on Ilya's day, and after the service is over they kill and roast a beast which has been purchased at the expense of the community. - [55](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/55/) — Its flesh is cut up into small pieces and sold, the money paid for it going to the church. - [56](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/56/) — To stay away from this ceremony, or not to purchase a piece of the meat, would be considered a great sin; to mow or make hay on that day would be to incur a terrible risk, for Ilya might smite the field with the thunder, or burn up the crop with the lightning. - [57](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/57/) — In the old Novgorod there used to be two churches, the one dedicated to "Ilya the Wet," the other to "Ilya the Dry." - [58](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/58/) — To these a cross-bearing procession was made when a change in the weather was desired: to the former in times of drought, to the latter when injury was being done to the crops by rain. - [59](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/59/) — Diseases being considered to be evil spirits, invalids used to pray to the thunder-god for relief. - [60](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/60/) — And so, at the present day, a \_zagovor\_ or spell against the Siberian cattle-plague entreats the "Holy Prophet of God Ilya," to send "thirty angels in golden array, with bows and with arrows" to destroy it. - [61](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/61/) — The Servians say that at the division of the world Ilya received the thunder and lightning as his share, and that the crash and blaze of the storm are signs of his contest with the devil. - [62](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/62/) — Wherefore the faithful ought not to cross themselves when the thunder peals, lest the evil one should take refuge from the heavenly weapons behind the protecting cross. - [63](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/63/) — The Bulgarians say that forked lightning is the lance of Ilya who is chasing the Lamia fiend: summer lightning is due to the sheen of that lance, or to the fire issuing from the nostrils of his celestial steeds. - [64](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/64/) — The white clouds of summer are named by them his heavenly sheep, and they say that he compels the spirits of dead Gypsies to form pellets of snow--by men styled hail--with which he scourges in summer the fields of sinners. - [65](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/65/) — \[443\] - [66](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/66/) — Such are a few of the ideas connected by Slavonian tradition with the person of the Prophet Elijah or Ilya. - [67](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/67/) — To St. Nicholas, who has succeeded to the place occupied by an ancient ruler of the waters, a milder character is attributed than to Ilya, the thunder-god's successor. - [68](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/68/) — As Ilya is the counterpart of Thor, so does Nicholas in some respects resemble Odin. - [69](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/69/) — The special characteristics of the Saint and the Prophet are fairly contrasted in the following story. - [70](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/70/) — ELIJAH THE PROPHET AND NICHOLAS. - [71](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/71/) — \[444\] - [72](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/72/) — A long while ago there lived a Moujik. - [73](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/73/) — Nicholas's day he always kept holy, but Elijah's not a bit; he would even work upon it. - [74](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/74/) — In honor of St. Nicholas he would have a taper lighted and a service performed, but about Elijah the Prophet he forgot so much as to think. - [75](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/75/) — Well, it happened one day that Elijah and Nicholas were walking over the land belonging to this Moujik; and as they walked they looked--in the cornfields the green blades were growing up so splendidly that it did one's heart good to look at them. - [76](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/76/) — "Here'll be a good harvest, a right good harvest!" says Nicholas, "and the Moujik, too, is a good fellow sure enough, both honest and pious: one who remembers God and thinks about the Saints! - [77](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/77/) — It will fall into good hands--" - [78](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/78/) — "We'll see by-and-by whether much will fall to his share!" answered Elijah; "when I've burnt up all his land with lightning, and beaten it all flat with hail, then this Moujik of yours will know what's right, and will learn to keep Elijah's day holy." - [79](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/79/) — Well, they wrangled and wrangled; then they parted asunder. - [80](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/80/) — St. Nicholas went off straight to the Moujik and said: - [81](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/81/) — "Sell all your corn at once, just as it stands, to the Priest of Elijah. - [82](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/82/) — \[445\] If you don't, nothing will be left of it: it will all be beaten flat by hail." - [83](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/83/) — Off rushed the Moujik to the Priest. - [84](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/84/) — "Won't your Reverence buy some standing corn? - [85](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/85/) — I'll sell my whole crop. - [86](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/86/) — I'm in such pressing need of money just now. - [87](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/87/) — It's a case of pay up with me! - [88](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/88/) — Buy it, Father! - [89](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/89/) — I'll sell it cheap." - [90](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/90/) — They bargained and bargained, and came to an agreement. - [91](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/91/) — The Moujik got his money and went home. - [92](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/92/) — Some little time passed by. - [93](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/93/) — There gathered together, there came rolling up, a stormcloud; with a terrible raining and hailing did it empty itself over the Moujik's cornfields, cutting down all the crop as if with a knife--not even a single blade did it leave standing. - [94](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/94/) — Next day Elijah and Nicholas walked past. - [95](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/95/) — Says Elijah: - [96](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/96/) — "Only see how I've devastated the Moujik's cornfield!" - [97](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/97/) — "The Moujik's! - [98](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/98/) — No, brother! - [99](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/99/) — Devastated it you have splendidly, only that field belongs to the Elijah Priest, not to the Moujik." - [100](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/100/) — "To the Priest! **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/57/page/2/) - ← previous: [Chapter VI. LEGENDS, part 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/56/) - next →: [Chapter VI. LEGENDS, part 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/58/) - ↑ back to [Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folk-lore](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg22373/)