--- title: Opening, part 12 — Russian Folk-Tales · full text with trees · page 2 description: Opening, part 12, «Russian Folk-Tales» by A. N. Afanas'ev: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: THE PRIEST WITH THE ENVIOUS EYES --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/12/page/2/) [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 Folk-Tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/) / Opening, part 12 # Opening, part 12 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/12/) **2** Then the old man took the morsels of the Tsarévna’s body, bit by bit, breathed on them, and she arose alive and well.[90](../../90/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the Tsar rewarded them both with gold and silver.[91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") “Now let us go and divide the money,” said the old man.[92](../../92/ "tree and pragmatics") So they started.[93](../../93/ "tree and pragmatics") They put all the money into three little piles, and the pope looked on, and said: “What do you mean?[94](../../94/ "tree and pragmatics") There are only two of us.[95](../../95/ "tree and pragmatics") Who is to have the third?”[96](../../96/ "tree and pragmatics") Said the old man: “That is for the thief who ate up my wafers.”[97](../../97/ "tree and pragmatics") “Oh, it was I who ate them up!” the pope cried out.[98](../../98/ "tree and pragmatics") “I really did\![99](../../99/ "tree and pragmatics") I swear it!”[100](../../100/ "tree and pragmatics") “Then you may have all the money, and my own share as well.[101](../../101/ "tree and pragmatics") Henceforth serve your parish faithfully.[102](../../102/ "tree and pragmatics") Do not be a miser, and do not beat St. Nicholas on the shoulders with the keys!” the old man said, and vanished.[103](../../103/ "tree and pragmatics") THE SOLDIER AND DEATH[104](../../104/ "tree and pragmatics") Once upon a time there was a soldier who had served God and the Great Sovereign for twenty-five whole years, and had only in the end earned three biscuits, and was journeying back home.[105](../../105/ "tree and pragmatics") And, as he went along, he thought: “Lord! here am I; I have served my Tsar for twenty-five years, have received my food and dress, and what have I lived for after all?[106](../../106/ "tree and pragmatics") I am cold and hungry, and have only three biscuits to eat.”[107](../../107/ "tree and pragmatics") So he pondered and thought, and decided to desert and run away whither his eyes might lead him.[108](../../108/ "tree and pragmatics") As he went along he met a poor beggar who asked alms of him.[109](../../109/ "tree and pragmatics") The soldier gave him one biscuit, and kept two.[110](../../110/ "tree and pragmatics") And, as he trudged on, he soon came across another poor beggar, who bowed down low and asked for alms.[111](../../111/ "tree and pragmatics") So the soldier gave him another biscuit, and had only one left.[112](../../112/ "tree and pragmatics") Again on he went, and met a third beggar.[113](../../113/ "tree and pragmatics") The old fellow bowed low and asked for alms.[114](../../114/ "tree and pragmatics") The soldier got his last biscuit out, and thought: “If I give him the whole, I shall have none left; if I give half, why, this old man will come across brother-beggars, will see they have a whole biscuit, and be offended.[115](../../115/ "tree and pragmatics") Better let him have it all, and I shall get on somehow.”[116](../../116/ "tree and pragmatics") So he gave his last biscuit, and had nothing left.[117](../../117/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the old man asked him: “Tell me, good man, what do you wish?[118](../../118/ "tree and pragmatics") Of what have you need?[119](../../119/ "tree and pragmatics") I will help you.”[120](../../120/ "tree and pragmatics") “God bless you!” the soldier answered.[121](../../121/ "tree and pragmatics") “How should I take anything of you?—you are old and poor.”[122](../../122/ "tree and pragmatics") “Don’t think of my poverty,” he replied.[123](../../123/ "tree and pragmatics") “Just say what you would like, and I will requite you according to your own goodness.”[124](../../124/ "tree and pragmatics") “I want nothing; but, if you have any cards, give me some as a keepsake.”[125](../../125/ "tree and pragmatics") For the old man was Christ Himself walking on earth in a beggar’s guise.[126](../../126/ "tree and pragmatics") The old man put his hand into his breast and drew out a pack of cards, saying: “Take them.[127](../../127/ "tree and pragmatics") With whomsoever you play, you will win the game; and here you have a nosebag.[128](../../128/ "tree and pragmatics") Whatever you meet on the way, whether wild beast or bird that you would like to catch, just say to it: ‘Jump in here, beast or bird!’ and your wish will be carried out.”[129](../../129/ "tree and pragmatics") “Thank you!” said the soldier, took the cards and the nosebag, and fared forth.[130](../../130/ "tree and pragmatics") He went on and on, may-be far, may-be near, may-be short, may-be long, and arrived at a lake, on which three wild geese were swimming.[131](../../131/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the soldier suddenly remembered the nosebag and thought: “I’ll just test this nosebag”; took it out, opened it, and said: “Hi! you wild geese, fly into my nosebag!”[132](../../132/ "tree and pragmatics") No sooner uttered than the geese flew straight up from the lake into the bag.[133](../../133/ "tree and pragmatics") The soldier grabbed the bag, tied it up, and went on his way.[134](../../134/ "tree and pragmatics") He travelled on and on and came to a town.[135](../../135/ "tree and pragmatics") He entered an eating-house and told the inn-keeper: “Take this goose and cook it for my supper, and I will give you another goose for your pains.[136](../../136/ "tree and pragmatics") Change me this third one for vódka.”[137](../../137/ "tree and pragmatics") So there the soldier sat like a lord in the inn, at his ease, drinking wine and feasting on roast goose.[138](../../138/ "tree and pragmatics") It occurred to him suddenly he might peer out of the window, and he saw opposite a big palace, but not one pane of glass was whole.[139](../../139/ "tree and pragmatics") “What is this?” he asked the inn-keeper.[140](../../140/ "tree and pragmatics") “What is this palace?[141](../../141/ "tree and pragmatics") Why does it stand empty?”[142](../../142/ "tree and pragmatics") “Why, don’t you know?” the master replied.[143](../../143/ "tree and pragmatics") “Our Tsar built himself this palace, but cannot inhabit it; and, for seven years, it has been standing empty.[144](../../144/ "tree and pragmatics") Some unholy power drives every one out of the place.[145](../../145/ "tree and pragmatics") Every night an assemblage of devils meets there, make a row, dance, play cards, and perpetrate every sort of vileness!”[146](../../146/ "tree and pragmatics") So off the soldier went to the Tsar.[147](../../147/ "tree and pragmatics") “Your Imperial Majesty,” quoth he, “please let me spend one night in your empty palace!”[148](../../148/ "tree and pragmatics") “What do you mean, fellow?” said the Tsar.[149](../../149/ "tree and pragmatics") “God bless you; but there have been some dare-devils like you who passed a night in this palace, and not one emerged alive!”[150](../../150/ "tree and pragmatics") “Well, still, a Russian soldier cannot drown in water, or burn in fire.[151](../../151/ "tree and pragmatics") I served God and the Great Sovereign five-and-twenty years, and never died of it; and, for one night’s service for you, I am to die\![152](../../152/ "tree and pragmatics") No!”[153](../../153/ "tree and pragmatics") “But I tell you: a man enters the palace at night alive, and only his bones are found there in the morning!”[154](../../154/ "tree and pragmatics") But the soldier stood firm: he must be admitted into the palace.[155](../../155/ "tree and pragmatics") “Well,” said the Tsar, “go, and God help you.[156](../../156/ "tree and pragmatics") Stay the night there if you will; you are free, and I won’t hinder you!”[157](../../157/ "tree and pragmatics") So the soldier marched into the palace, and settled himself down in the biggest saloon, took his knapsack off and his sabre, put the knapsack in a corner and the sabre on a hand-peg, sat down on a chair, put his hand into his pocket for his tobacco-pouch, lit his pipe, and smoked at his ease.[158](../../158/ "tree and pragmatics") Then about midnight, I don’t know where from, hordes of devils, seen and unseen, scurried up, and made such a turmoil and row, and set up a dance with wild music.[159](../../159/ "tree and pragmatics") “What, you here, discharged soldier!” all the devils began yelling.[160](../../160/ "tree and pragmatics") “Welcome\![161](../../161/ "tree and pragmatics") Will you play cards with us?”[162](../../162/ "tree and pragmatics") “Certainly; here I have a set ready.[163](../../163/ "tree and pragmatics") Let’s start!”[164](../../164/ "tree and pragmatics") He took them out and dealt round.[165](../../165/ "tree and pragmatics") They began, played a game out, and the soldier won; another, and the same luck; and all the finessing of the devils availed them nothing; the soldier won all the money, and raked it all together.[166](../../166/ "tree and pragmatics") “Stop, soldier,” the devils said.[167](../../167/ "tree and pragmatics") “We still have sixty ounces of silver and forty of gold.[168](../../168/ "tree and pragmatics") We’ll stake them on the last game.”[169](../../169/ "tree and pragmatics") And they sent a little devil-boy to fetch the silver.[170](../../170/ "tree and pragmatics") So a new game commenced; and then the little devil had to pry in every nook and come back and tell the old devil: “It’s no use, grandfather—we have no more.”[171](../../171/ "tree and pragmatics") “Off you go; find some gold!”[172](../../172/ "tree and pragmatics") And the urchin went and hunted up gold from everywhere, turned an entire mine inside out and still found nothing: the soldier had played everything away.[173](../../173/ "tree and pragmatics") The devils got angry at losing all their money, and began to assault the soldier, roaring out: “Smash him up, brothers\![174](../../174/ "tree and pragmatics") Eat him up!”[175](../../175/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/12/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/12/) - next →: [Opening, part 13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/13/) - ↑ back to [Russian Folk-Tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/)