--- title: Opening, part 17 — Russian Folk-Tales · full text with trees description: Opening, part 17, «Russian Folk-Tales» by A. N. Afanas'ev: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: Then again the labourer thought how he should not offend God, how he should not take too much for his work. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/17/) [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 17 # Opening, part 17 Opening, part 17 of «Russian Folk-Tales» by A. N. Afanas'ev: the whole text, 161 sentences and 2550 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/17/page/2/) Then again the labourer thought how he should not offend God, how he should not take too much for his work.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") So he took one coin and he went to have a little drink at the well.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") In some way or other the money fell from his hands and the coin tumbled into the well and was lost.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") So he set to work even more obstinately: at night he would not sleep and by day he would not eat.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") Other men saw their corn grow dry and yellow, but his master’s corn prospered amain.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") Some men’s cattle became bowlegged, but his master’s gambolled in the street.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") And the horses of some masters fell downhill, but his master’s could not be kept to the bridle.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") The master knew very well whom he must thank, to whom he must render gratitude.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") So, when the third year came to an end, he laid a pile of money on the table: “Take, my dear man, as much as your soul desires.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") It is your work, and it is your money”; and he went out of the room.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") Once more the workman took a single coin, went to the well for a drink of water and looked, and the lost money floated up to the surface: so he took them, and he then felt sure that God had rewarded him for his labour.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") He was joyous and thought, “It is now the time for me to go and look at the white world and to learn of people.”[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") So he thought this, and he went out whither his eyes gazed.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") He went on to the field, and he saw a mouse running: “My friend, my dear gossip, give me a coin; I will be of service to you.”[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") So he gave the mouse a coin.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he went to the forest, and a beetle crept up and said, “My friend, my dear gossip, give me a coin; I will be of service to you.”[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") So he gave him the second coin.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he came up to the stream, and he met a sheat-fish.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") “My friend, my dear gossip, give me a coin; I shall be of service to you.”[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") And he could not refuse him, so he gave his last coin.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") So then he came into the city.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") Oh, it was so thronged\![22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") All the doors were opened, and he looked, and the workman turned in all directions, and he did not know where to go.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") In front of him stood the Tsar’s palace decked with gold and silver, and at the window the Tsarévna Without a Smile sat and gazed on him straight.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") What should he do?[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") The light in his eyes turned dark, and a sleep fell on him, and he fell straight into the mud.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") Up came the sheat-fish with his big whiskers, and after him the beetle and the mouse: they all ran up, they all pressed round him and did all the service they could.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") The little mouse took his coat: the beetle cleaned his boots, and the sheat-fish drove away the flies.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") The Princess Without a Smile gazed on their services, and she smiled.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") “Who is he who has enlivened my daughter?” cried the King.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") One man said “I,” and another man said “I.”[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") “No,” said the Princess, “that is the man there”; and she pointed out the workman.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") Instantly he was taken into the palace, and the workman stood in the imperial presence, a youth such as never was: then the Tsar kept his princely word and gave what he had promised.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") I am saying it.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") Was not this a mere dream?[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") Did not the workman only dream it?[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") They assure me this is not the fact, and that it all happened in real truth; so you must believe it.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") THE TSARÉVICH AND DYÁD’KA\[21\][38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") Once upon a time, in a certain kingdom, in a city of yore, there was a King who had a dwarf son.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") The Tsarévich was fair to behold, and fair of heart.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") But his father was not good: he was always tortured with greedy thoughts, how he should derive greater profit from his country and extract heavier taxes.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") One day he saw an old peasant passing by with sable, marten, beaver, and fox-skins; and he asked him: “Old man! whence do you come?”[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") “Out of the village, Father.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") I serve the Woodsprite with the iron hands, the cast-iron head, and the body of bronze.”[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") “How do you catch so many animals?”[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") “The Woodsprite lays traps, and the animals are stupid and go into them.”[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") “Listen, old man; I will give you gold and wine.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") Show me where you put the traps.”[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") So the old man was persuaded, and he showed the King, who instantly had the Woodsprite arrested and confined in a narrow tower.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") And in all the Woodsprite’s forests the King himself laid traps.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") The Woodsprite-forester sat in his iron tower inside the royal garden, and looked out through the window.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") One day, the Tsarévich, with his nurses and attendants and very many faithful servant-maids, went into the garden to play.[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") He passed the door, and the Woodsprite cried out to him: “Tsarévich, if you will set me free, I will later on help you.”[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") “How shall I do this?”[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") “Go to your mother and weep bitterly.[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") Tell her: ‘Please, dear Mother, scratch my head.’[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") Lay your head on her lap.[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") Wait for the proper instant, take the key of my tower out of her pocket, and set me free.”[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") Iván Tsarévich did what the Woodsprite had told him, took the key; then he ran into the garden, made an arrow, put the arrow on a catapult, and shot it far away.[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") And all the nurses and serving-maids ran off to find the arrow.[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") Whilst they were all running after the arrow Iván Tsarévich opened the iron tower and freed the Woodsprite.[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") The Woodsprite escaped and destroyed all the King’s traps.[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") Now the King could not catch any more animals, and became angry, and attacked his wife for giving the key away and setting the Woodsprite free.[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") He assembled all the \_boyárs\_, generals, and senators to pronounce the Queen’s doom, whether she should have her head cut off, or should be merely banished.[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") So the Tsarévich was greatly grieved; he was sorry for his mother, and he acknowledged his guilt to his father.[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the King was very sorry, and didn’t know what to do to his son.[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") He asked all the \_boyárs\_ and generals, and said: “Is he to be hanged or to be put into a fortress?”[67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") “No, your Majesty!” the \_boyárs\_, and generals, and senators answered in one voice.[68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") “The scions of kings are not slain, and are not put in prison; they are sent out into the white world to meet whatever fate God may send them.”[69](69/ "tree and pragmatics") So Iván Tsarévich was sent out into the white world, to wander in the four directions, to suffer the midday winds and the stress of the winter and the blasts of the autumn; and was given only a birch-bark wallet and Dyád’ka, his servant.[70](70/ "tree and pragmatics") So the King’s son set out with his servant into the open fields.[71](71/ "tree and pragmatics") They went far and wide over hill and dale.[72](72/ "tree and pragmatics") Their way may have been long, and it may have been short; and they at last reached a well.[73](73/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the Tsarévich said to his servant, “Go and fetch me water.”[74](74/ "tree and pragmatics") “I will not go!” said the servant.[75](75/ "tree and pragmatics") So they went further on, and they once more came to a well.[76](76/ "tree and pragmatics") “Go and fetch me water—I feel thirsty,” the Tsarévich asked him a second time.[77](77/ "tree and pragmatics") **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/17/page/2/) - ← previous: [Opening, part 16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/16/) - next →: [page 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/17/page/2/) - ↑ back to [Russian Folk-Tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/)