--- title: Opening, part 21 — Russian Folk-Tales · full text with trees · page 2 description: Opening, part 21, «Russian Folk-Tales» by A. N. Afanas'ev: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: The poor brother brought the rich man the horse back without a tail. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/21/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 21 # Opening, part 21 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/21/) **2** The old man at the beginning would very gladly have refused; but afterwards they agreed, and began to live and dwell together, and Iván, in all things, obeyed the old man, and called him \_Bátyushka\_.[58](../../58/ "tree and pragmatics") The old man carried on trade prosperously and profitably; and one day he said: “Ivánushka, your trade does not altogether suit me; for you trade in tobacco, and God loves not smoking, nor does He love tobacconists.[59](../../59/ "tree and pragmatics") So buy some small goods, and you will have more purchasers, and will not incur sin.”[60](../../60/ "tree and pragmatics") Iván obeyed, and purchased many goods of all sorts, and set up shop anew.[61](../../61/ "tree and pragmatics") When all the goods were sold out, Iván went into the counting-house, and he saw threefold his money wherever he looked.[62](../../62/ "tree and pragmatics") Iván was extremely joyous at so big a profit, and he called in the Pope, and he recited the prayer to Nicholas the Wonder-Worker.[63](../../63/ "tree and pragmatics") And as to the old man, he was so happy, and he prayed so heartily to God.[64](../../64/ "tree and pragmatics") So they traded on for three years more, and Iván became so rich that the old man advised him to sell out and cross the seas with his goods.[65](../../65/ "tree and pragmatics") And Iván obeyed the old man, bought a ship, loaded it with wares, and gave his house to the poor, setting one of them in as the master until he should come back himself.[66](../../66/ "tree and pragmatics") And they prayed to God, and he and the old man set sail.[67](../../67/ "tree and pragmatics") Soon they arrived: it may be near, it may be far—the tale is soon told, but the deed is not soon done—and suddenly robbers came upon them and plundered them of all their goods: and only left themselves alive and unscathed.[68](../../68/ "tree and pragmatics") It was a bitter shock to Iván.[69](../../69/ "tree and pragmatics") But the old man quieted him, and said that all of this was for the best.[70](../../70/ "tree and pragmatics") So they sailed on for three days after this; and on the third day they landed on an island, and they saw a great mass of bricks.[71](../../71/ "tree and pragmatics") The old man said to Iván: “Get ready, Ivánushka, and load these bricks on your ship.”[72](../../72/ "tree and pragmatics") Iván said: “What shall I do with these bricks?[73](../../73/ "tree and pragmatics") I would sooner die than do trade in them.”[74](../../74/ "tree and pragmatics") But the old man answered and said: “Oh, Ivánushka, Ivánushka, you have had little experience; and I tell you that any single one of these bricks is worth more than all the wares of which the robbers plundered you!”[75](../../75/ "tree and pragmatics") And he threw one of the bricks on the ground, and under the clay there was a splendid jewel.[76](../../76/ "tree and pragmatics") So Iván was glad, and began loading the ship with the bricks.[77](../../77/ "tree and pragmatics") And when they had loaded it to the full, the old man said: “Now, Ivánushka, you must also make some plain bricks in order that buccaneers may not steal the valuable ones.”[78](../../78/ "tree and pragmatics") So they loaded plain bricks as well.[79](../../79/ "tree and pragmatics") But on their way the wind arose and they sailed farther, and the robbers fell on them again and began to search for the goods.[80](../../80/ "tree and pragmatics") So the old man said to them: “Have mercy, good folk\![81](../../81/ "tree and pragmatics") Leave us alive; for robbers some time ago took away all we had, and now we only carry bricks, such bricks as we made on the island.”[82](../../82/ "tree and pragmatics") The pirates looked and were persuaded and sailed farther on, and so did Iván and the old man, and very soon arrived at a haven and stayed there.[83](../../83/ "tree and pragmatics") In that kingdom there was a custom that all merchants who arrived should bring some of all their wares as a homage to the king.[84](../../84/ "tree and pragmatics") So the old man said to Iván: “Ivánushka, pray to the Lord God, and go and buy a golden vessel and a \_fatá\_, and to-morrow go and make your homage to the king.”[85](../../85/ "tree and pragmatics") Iván obeyed the old man, and the next day went to make his homage to the king.[86](../../86/ "tree and pragmatics") They told the king that a merchant had come to do allegiance, and the king sat on his throne and gave audience to Iván.[87](../../87/ "tree and pragmatics") Iván came up to the king, and in his hands there was a golden vessel covered by a \_fatá\_, and in the golden vessel there was a brick.[88](../../88/ "tree and pragmatics") So the king asked Iván from what realm he came, and how his father and mother were named.[89](../../89/ "tree and pragmatics") And then he uncovered the \_fatá\_, and when he saw the brick he was very wroth, and said: “I suppose you think I have very few bricks, and you have come to trade in them in my kingdom!”[90](../../90/ "tree and pragmatics") And then he rushed at Iván.[91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") But Iván turned aside and the brick fell to the ground and split in two.[92](../../92/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the king saw that he had behaved unseemlywise, and began to ask Iván for forgiveness.[93](../../93/ "tree and pragmatics") And he forthwith bought the entire ship off Iván.[94](../../94/ "tree and pragmatics") And when Iván saw this, he said: “You may take all my goods, but I will not sell my vessel, for therein do I have an old man who is my clerk, and we should not be able to live in the town.”[95](../../95/ "tree and pragmatics") “Oh,” said the king, “are there two of you?”[96](../../96/ "tree and pragmatics") And the king, on hearing this, became very angry, and said: “I will not let you go, but I must have the ship.”[97](../../97/ "tree and pragmatics") And Iván went down on his knees and besought him that he would let them go.[98](../../98/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the king said: “If one of you will read some psalms for three nights to my daughter who is now in the church, you may keep the ship.”[99](../../99/ "tree and pragmatics") For his daughter was a witch, and every night turned into a human being.[100](../../100/ "tree and pragmatics") Iván returned to his ship, and he was sad and disheartened.[101](../../101/ "tree and pragmatics") He did not wish to go himself, for he did not wish to die; and if he dismissed the old man, it was very hard to part.[102](../../102/ "tree and pragmatics") The old man said to Iván: “Why, Ivánushka, why are you so miserable and hang your head?”[103](../../103/ "tree and pragmatics") And Iván told him all that had happened, and what the king had said.[104](../../104/ "tree and pragmatics") So the old man answered him: “Never mind, Ivánushka, cheer up\![105](../../105/ "tree and pragmatics") Pray to the Saviour, and lie down and sleep, and I will think out some means of getting out of the danger.”[106](../../106/ "tree and pragmatics") Soon it began to grow dark, and the old man roused Iván and said: “Here are three tapers.[107](../../107/ "tree and pragmatics") As long as the first burns, pray to God; when the second is burnt out, light the third, and then enter by the right-hand side of the Holy Gates by the altar-screen and say nothing; only mutter a prayer all the time.[108](../../108/ "tree and pragmatics") Go, and God bless you.”[109](../../109/ "tree and pragmatics") So Iván landed, and the king’s attendants took Iván into the church and locked it, and he began to read the Psalter.[110](../../110/ "tree and pragmatics") One candle went out and then another, and he lighted the third, and lay down at the right-hand side of the Holy Gates.[111](../../111/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the flooring suddenly jumped up, and the witch began to search for Iván: “Where are you?[112](../../112/ "tree and pragmatics") I want to eat you.”[113](../../113/ "tree and pragmatics") And she looked, and she looked, and she could not find him, and then the cock crew, and she went once more into the grave.[114](../../114/ "tree and pragmatics") Then Iván got up, covered up the grave, and began to read once more.[115](../../115/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/21/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/21/) - next →: [Opening, part 22](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/22/) - ↑ back to [Russian Folk-Tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/)