--- title: Opening, part 15 — Russian Folk-Tales · full text with trees · page 2 description: Opening, part 15, «Russian Folk-Tales» by A. N. Afanas'ev: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: Bába Yagá sat down to supper, and Vasilísa sat silently in front of her. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/15/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 15 # Opening, part 15 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/15/) **2** And they sat there for a long time, and became very hungry, for they had nothing to eat.[81](../../81/ "tree and pragmatics") “Let’s all begin singing,” said the Vixen, “and we will eat the animal who has the thinnest voice.”[82](../../82/ "tree and pragmatics") So the Wolf struck in a deep gruff voice, Aw, aw, aw\![83](../../83/ "tree and pragmatics") And the Pig followed in a tone just a shade softer, Oo, oo, oo\![84](../../84/ "tree and pragmatics") But the Vixen came in fine and sharp, Eh, eh, eh; whilst the Hare trilled the thinnest Ee, ee, ee in the world.[85](../../85/ "tree and pragmatics") The Squirrel also sang Ee, ee, ee\![86](../../86/ "tree and pragmatics") So the animals at once set to tearing up the Squirrel and Hare, and ate them down to their bones.[87](../../87/ "tree and pragmatics") Next day the Vixen said: “We will eat the person with the fattest voice.”[88](../../88/ "tree and pragmatics") That was the Wolf with his great gruff Aw, aw, aw\![89](../../89/ "tree and pragmatics") So they ate him up.[90](../../90/ "tree and pragmatics") The Vixen ate up the flesh and kept the heart and the bowels.[91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") And for three days she sat and ate them.[92](../../92/ "tree and pragmatics") And the Pig then asked her: “What are you eating?—give me some!”[93](../../93/ "tree and pragmatics") “Oh, Pig, I am eating my own flesh.[94](../../94/ "tree and pragmatics") You tear your belly up and munch it yourself.”[95](../../95/ "tree and pragmatics") So the Pig did, and the Vixen feasted on him.[96](../../96/ "tree and pragmatics") The Vixen then was left as the last person in the pit.[97](../../97/ "tree and pragmatics") Did she climb up, or is she there still?[98](../../98/ "tree and pragmatics") I don’t know, really\![99](../../99/ "tree and pragmatics") THE POOR WIDOW[100](../../100/ "tree and pragmatics") A very long time ago Christ and the twelve Apostles walked on earth.[101](../../101/ "tree and pragmatics") They went about like simple people, and nobody could have known that it was Christ and the twelve Apostles.[102](../../102/ "tree and pragmatics") Once they came to a village and they asked a rich peasant for a bed.[103](../../103/ "tree and pragmatics") The rich peasant would not let them in, telling them: “Over there there lives a widow who receives beggars; go to her.”[104](../../104/ "tree and pragmatics") So they asked the widow for a night’s rest, and the widow was poor, poor of the poorest; she had nothing at all.[105](../../105/ "tree and pragmatics") She had only a very little crust of bread and a mere handful of flour, and she also had a cow, but the cow had no milk.[106](../../106/ "tree and pragmatics") “Yes, fathers,” the widow said, “my little hut is very small, and there is nowhere to lie down.”[107](../../107/ "tree and pragmatics") “Never mind; we can manage somehow!”[108](../../108/ "tree and pragmatics") So the widow received the wanderers, and did not know how to feed them.[109](../../109/ "tree and pragmatics") “How shall I feed you?” the widow said.[110](../../110/ "tree and pragmatics") “I only have one little crust of bread and a mere handful of flour, and my cow is calving and has no milk.[111](../../111/ "tree and pragmatics") I have to wait for her to calve.[112](../../112/ "tree and pragmatics") You cannot look for bread and salt here.”[113](../../113/ "tree and pragmatics") “Well, woman,” the Saviour said, “have no fear—we shall all be satisfied.[114](../../114/ "tree and pragmatics") Give us all you have.[115](../../115/ "tree and pragmatics") We will eat the crust.[116](../../116/ "tree and pragmatics") Everything, woman, comes of God.”[117](../../117/ "tree and pragmatics") So they sat down to table and began to feast, and they were all fed on the one crust of bread.[118](../../118/ "tree and pragmatics") There were even crumbs left behind.[119](../../119/ "tree and pragmatics") “Lo and behold! woman, you said that there was nothing to feed us on,” the Saviour said.[120](../../120/ "tree and pragmatics") “Look, we are all satisfied, and there are some crumbs over.[121](../../121/ "tree and pragmatics") Everything, woman, comes of God!”[122](../../122/ "tree and pragmatics") And so Christ and the Apostles stayed with the poor widow.[123](../../123/ "tree and pragmatics") In the morning the widow told her sister: “Go and scrape up any flour you can find in the corn-bin; possibly we may make a tiny pancake so as to feed our guests.”[124](../../124/ "tree and pragmatics") The girl went and brought up a clay pot full.[125](../../125/ "tree and pragmatics") The old woman was not astonished when so much came—she simply took it as it came and started making a pancake.[126](../../126/ "tree and pragmatics") And the girl told her: “There is as much again in the corn-bin.”[127](../../127/ "tree and pragmatics") So the woman cooked the pancake for the Saviour and the twelve Apostles, telling them: “Come and eat of the good fare, kinsmen, which God has sent.”[128](../../128/ "tree and pragmatics") And so they ate and bade farewell to the aged widow and went on the road.[129](../../129/ "tree and pragmatics") And when they were on the way there was a grey wolf sitting on a knoll.[130](../../130/ "tree and pragmatics") He bowed low to Christ and asked for food.[131](../../131/ "tree and pragmatics") “Lord,” he bayed, “I am hungry.[132](../../132/ "tree and pragmatics") Lord, I should like to eat.”[133](../../133/ "tree and pragmatics") “Go,” said the Saviour to him, “to the old widow and eat her cow with the calf.”[134](../../134/ "tree and pragmatics") And the Apostles were astonished and said: “Lord, why do you bid him snatch the poor widow’s cow?[135](../../135/ "tree and pragmatics") She received you so kindly and fed us, and she was so happy in the expectation of the calf, for then the cow would have had milk, which is food for every home.”[136](../../136/ "tree and pragmatics") “That is how it must be,” the Saviour replied.[137](../../137/ "tree and pragmatics") And they went on.[138](../../138/ "tree and pragmatics") The wolf ran and snatched up the poor widow’s cow, and when the old woman saw this she said contentedly: “The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away.[139](../../139/ "tree and pragmatics") Hallowed be His will!”[140](../../140/ "tree and pragmatics") So Christ and the Apostles went on, and they met a keg with money in it on the way.[141](../../141/ "tree and pragmatics") The Saviour said: “Keg, go and roll to the rich peasant’s door.”[142](../../142/ "tree and pragmatics") And again the Apostles were astonished.[143](../../143/ "tree and pragmatics") “Lord, it would have been better had you bidden the keg roll to the poor widow’s door, for the rich man has so much.”[144](../../144/ "tree and pragmatics") “That is how it must be,” the Saviour said.[145](../../145/ "tree and pragmatics") And they went on.[146](../../146/ "tree and pragmatics") And the keg with the money in it rolled straight to the rich peasant’s door, and the peasant took and hid the money and was still discontented.[147](../../147/ "tree and pragmatics") “Surely the Lord might have sent me more,” he mused.[148](../../148/ "tree and pragmatics") Christ and the Apostles went on their way and travelled still further.[149](../../149/ "tree and pragmatics") At midday the sun was very hot, and the Apostles wanted to drink.[150](../../150/ "tree and pragmatics") “Lord,” they said, “we should like to drink.”[151](../../151/ "tree and pragmatics") “Go,” replied the Saviour, “and on this road you will find a well.[152](../../152/ "tree and pragmatics") There take your fill.”[153](../../153/ "tree and pragmatics") So the Apostles went on and on and on, and they saw a well.[154](../../154/ "tree and pragmatics") When they looked into it there was filth and dirt, toads, snakes and frogs, and everything vile, and the Apostles would not drink of it, and swiftly returned to the Saviour.[155](../../155/ "tree and pragmatics") “Why did you not drink the water?”[156](../../156/ "tree and pragmatics") Christ asked them.[157](../../157/ "tree and pragmatics") “As you, Lord, told us, the well was there, but it was so horrible that we could hardly look into it.”[158](../../158/ "tree and pragmatics") Christ answered never a word.[159](../../159/ "tree and pragmatics") And they went forward on their road.[160](../../160/ "tree and pragmatics") They went on and on and on, and the Apostles again said to the Saviour: “We are thirsty.”[161](../../161/ "tree and pragmatics") So the Saviour sent them in another direction.[162](../../162/ "tree and pragmatics") “There you will see a well.[163](../../163/ "tree and pragmatics") Go and drink your fill.”[164](../../164/ "tree and pragmatics") The Apostles went to the other well, and there it was, beautiful—oh, so delightful\![165](../../165/ "tree and pragmatics") Enchanted trees were there and birds of paradise.[166](../../166/ "tree and pragmatics") They did not ever want to leave it, and they drank of it, and the water was so pure, so chilled, and so sweet.[167](../../167/ "tree and pragmatics") And they came back.[168](../../168/ "tree and pragmatics") “Why have you been so long?” the Saviour asked them.[169](../../169/ "tree and pragmatics") “Why, we only took a short drink,” the Apostles answered, “and we were only away three little minutes.”[170](../../170/ "tree and pragmatics") “You were not there three little minutes, but three whole years,” the Lord answered.[171](../../171/ "tree and pragmatics") “As it was in the first well, so ill shall in the next world deal by the rich peasant; and as it was in the second well, so good shall be the poor widow’s fare.”[172](../../172/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/15/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/15/) - next →: [Opening, part 16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/16/) - ↑ back to [Russian Folk-Tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/)