--- title: Opening, part 9 — Russian Folk-Tales · full text with trees · page 2 description: Opening, part 9, «Russian Folk-Tales» by A. N. Afanas'ev: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: The brother and sister were betrothed, and he went into the room and cried out, “Sister mine, come in!” --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/9/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 9 # Opening, part 9 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/9/) **2** “Well, go and see if you can bargain for a wife.”[94](../../94/ "tree and pragmatics") The old woman went to her neighbour and asked him if her son could marry his daughter.[95](../../95/ "tree and pragmatics") But the neighbour said, “No!”[96](../../96/ "tree and pragmatics") And she went to the next peasant, who also declined the honour.[97](../../97/ "tree and pragmatics") And she searched the whole village, and not a single soul would hear a single word of it.[98](../../98/ "tree and pragmatics") When she came back she said: “Goodman, I fear our son is born under an unlucky star!”[99](../../99/ "tree and pragmatics") “Why?”[100](../../100/ "tree and pragmatics") “I went through the whole village, and there is nobody who will give me his daughter.”[101](../../101/ "tree and pragmatics") “That looks bad!” said the husband.[102](../../102/ "tree and pragmatics") “It will soon be summer, and we shall not have anybody to help us at the harvest.[103](../../103/ "tree and pragmatics") Woman, go into the next village, as you may find somebody there.”[104](../../104/ "tree and pragmatics") The old woman went to the next village, went from one end to the other, went through all the courtyards and houses of the peasants, but it was all in vain.[105](../../105/ "tree and pragmatics") Wherever she showed her nose, she was put off.[106](../../106/ "tree and pragmatics") And she came back home as she had left.[107](../../107/ "tree and pragmatics") “No one wants to be kin with such poor folk as us!”[108](../../108/ "tree and pragmatics") “In that case it is no good running oneself off one’s legs.[109](../../109/ "tree and pragmatics") Go and sit behind the oven.”[110](../../110/ "tree and pragmatics") But the son was indignant, and asked: “Father, bless me, and I will go and seek my own fate.”[111](../../111/ "tree and pragmatics") “Where then will you go?”[112](../../112/ "tree and pragmatics") “Wherever my eyes lead me!”[113](../../113/ "tree and pragmatics") So they blessed him and they let him go wherever the four winds blow.[114](../../114/ "tree and pragmatics") When the boy was on the road, he wept bitterly and spoke to himself: “Am I then the feeblest man in the world, and no maiden will really have me?[115](../../115/ "tree and pragmatics") If the Devil would only send me a bride I think I would rake her!”[116](../../116/ "tree and pragmatics") Suddenly, just as though he had grown out of the earth, an old man came to meet him.[117](../../117/ "tree and pragmatics") “Good day, doughty youth!”[118](../../118/ "tree and pragmatics") “Good day, old father!”[119](../../119/ "tree and pragmatics") “What were you saying just now?”[120](../../120/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the boy was frightened and did not know what to answer.[121](../../121/ "tree and pragmatics") “You need not fear me.[122](../../122/ "tree and pragmatics") I will do you no harm, and perhaps I can help you in your need.[123](../../123/ "tree and pragmatics") Speak out boldly.”[124](../../124/ "tree and pragmatics") So the boy told him all the truth.[125](../../125/ "tree and pragmatics") “Oh, I am a sorry fellow, and no maiden will marry me.[126](../../126/ "tree and pragmatics") That is making me angry; and I said in my indignation that if the Devil himself came and gave me a girl, I would make her my bride.”[127](../../127/ "tree and pragmatics") So the old man laughed and said: “I can give you a bride, oh, as many brides as you like”; and they then came to a lake.[128](../../128/ "tree and pragmatics") “Stand with your back to the water, and step backwards,” the old man told the boy.[129](../../129/ "tree and pragmatics") As soon as he had turned round, and had gone four steps, he found himself under the water, in a white stone palace.[130](../../130/ "tree and pragmatics") \[16\] All the rooms were splendidly furnished and finely decorated.[131](../../131/ "tree and pragmatics") The old man gave him meat and drink, and afterwards showed him twelve maidens, each of whom was fairer than the others.[132](../../132/ "tree and pragmatics") “Choose which you will of them.[133](../../133/ "tree and pragmatics") You shall have any of them.”[134](../../134/ "tree and pragmatics") “It is a difficult choice, grandfather\![135](../../135/ "tree and pragmatics") Let me have till to-morrow to think of it.”[136](../../136/ "tree and pragmatics") “Well, you can have until to-morrow,” said the old man, and he took him into a large room.[137](../../137/ "tree and pragmatics") The boy lay down to sleep and began to think which he would take.[138](../../138/ "tree and pragmatics") Suddenly the door opened and a beautiful maiden came in.[139](../../139/ "tree and pragmatics") “Are you asleep, doughty youth, or not?”[140](../../140/ "tree and pragmatics") “No, fair maiden, I cannot sleep.[141](../../141/ "tree and pragmatics") I am thinking which is the bride I shall take.”[142](../../142/ "tree and pragmatics") “That is the very reason I came to see you, in order to give you counsel; for, good man, you have become the Devil’s guest.[143](../../143/ "tree and pragmatics") So, listen to me; if you ever wish to return to the light of day, you must do as I say.[144](../../144/ "tree and pragmatics") If you do not, you will not leave this place alive.”[145](../../145/ "tree and pragmatics") “Give me your counsel, fair maiden.[146](../../146/ "tree and pragmatics") I shall not forget it all my life long.”[147](../../147/ "tree and pragmatics") “To-morrow the Evil Spirit will show you twelve maidens, one like the other.[148](../../148/ "tree and pragmatics") You must choose me, and look at me very carefully.[149](../../149/ "tree and pragmatics") There will be a patch over my right eye; that will be the sign.”[150](../../150/ "tree and pragmatics") And the maiden told him her story.[151](../../151/ "tree and pragmatics") “Do you know the pope in a neighbouring village?[152](../../152/ "tree and pragmatics") I am his daughter, and was stolen from his house nine years ago.[153](../../153/ "tree and pragmatics") One day my father was angry with me and made a hasty wish that the Devil might take me.[154](../../154/ "tree and pragmatics") I went in front of the house and cried, and the Unholy Spirit soon snatched me on the spot, carried me here; and I have never left the place since.”[155](../../155/ "tree and pragmatics") Next day the old man set the twelve maidens in a row before the boy, and commanded him to choose one of them.[156](../../156/ "tree and pragmatics") He looked until he had seen the one with the patch over the right eye, and chose her.[157](../../157/ "tree and pragmatics") The old man was angry, but he had to give her up.[158](../../158/ "tree and pragmatics") And he therefore mixed the maidens together and told him to make a second choice.[159](../../159/ "tree and pragmatics") The boy hit on the same one, and after a third choice he took his fated bride.[160](../../160/ "tree and pragmatics") “This has been your piece of luck.[161](../../161/ "tree and pragmatics") Now take her home!”[162](../../162/ "tree and pragmatics") All at once the boy and the maiden found themselves on the bank of the lake, and they walked backwards until they reached the high road.[163](../../163/ "tree and pragmatics") The Devil wanted to hunt after them; but all at once the lake vanished, and there was no trace of the water.[164](../../164/ "tree and pragmatics") When the boy had taken his bride into the village, he stopped at the pope’s house.[165](../../165/ "tree and pragmatics") The pope saw her, and sent a servant out and asked what they desired.[166](../../166/ "tree and pragmatics") “We are wandering folk, and ask for shelter.”[167](../../167/ "tree and pragmatics") “I have guests staying here, and my hut would be too small anyhow.”[168](../../168/ "tree and pragmatics") “But, father!” said the merchants, “wandering folk must be always taken in: they will not disturb us.”[169](../../169/ "tree and pragmatics") “Well, come in.”[170](../../170/ "tree and pragmatics") The boy and the maiden came in, made due greetings, and sat behind, on a corner of the fire bank.[171](../../171/ "tree and pragmatics") “Do you know me, father?[172](../../172/ "tree and pragmatics") I am your own daughter!”[173](../../173/ "tree and pragmatics") She told him what had happened; and they kissed, and embraced, and shed tears of joy.[174](../../174/ "tree and pragmatics") “Who is he?” said the pope, pointing to the boy.[175](../../175/ "tree and pragmatics") “That is my own chosen bridegroom, who brought me back to light of day, but for whom I should have remained beneath for ever!”[176](../../176/ "tree and pragmatics") Thereupon the fair maiden opened her bag, and there were golden and silver vessels in it which she had stolen from the devils.[177](../../177/ "tree and pragmatics") A merchant looked at them and said: “Those are my plate.[178](../../178/ "tree and pragmatics") Once I was dining with guests, and became rather drunk, quarrelled with my wife, and I wished them all to the Devil.[179](../../179/ "tree and pragmatics") And since then all my plate has vanished!”[180](../../180/ "tree and pragmatics") And this was the truth, for as soon as ever the man mentioned the Devil, the Evil Spirit appeared on the threshold, gathered up all the gold and silver plate, and threw skeleton bones down instead.[181](../../181/ "tree and pragmatics") So the boy got a fine bride, married her, and drove to see his parents.[182](../../182/ "tree and pragmatics") They had long given him up for dead, and it was no wonder; for he had been away for three years, although it had seemed to him only twenty-four hours that he had stayed with the Devil.[183](../../183/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/9/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/9/) - next →: [Opening, part 10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/10/) - ↑ back to [Russian Folk-Tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg62509/)