Page:Korolenko - Makar's Dream and Other Stories.djvu/55

Rh leaning heavily on his stick. Makar felt sorry for him. He stopped and the old man stopped too.

"Kansi! (Speak!)" said Makar pleasantly.

"No," answered the greybeard.

"What have you seen?"

"Nothing."

"What have you heard?"

"Nothing."

Makar was silent for a while, and then thought he might ask the old man who he was and whence he had crawled.

The old man told his name. Long since, he said he did not know himself how many years ago he had left Chalgan and gone up to the "mountain" to save himself. There he had done no work, had lived on roots and berries, and had neither ploughed nor sowed nor ground wheat nor paid taxes. When he died he went to the Judgment of the Toyon. The Toyon asked him who he was, and what he had done. He answered he had gone up on the "mountain" and had saved himself. "Very well," the Toyon answered, "but where is your wife? Go and fetch her here." So he went back for his old woman. But she had been forced to beg before she died, as there had been no one to support her, and she had had neither house, nor cow, nor bread. Her strength had failed, and now finally she was not able to move her legs. So he was obliged to carry her to the Toyon on his back.