Page:Leskov - The Sentry and other Stories.djvu/266



HE first day we drove rapidly along in a good troika. I conversed all the time with Father Kiriak. The dear old man related to me interesting stories of the native religious traditions. The story that interested me most was about the five hundred travellers who, under the guidance of an "Obushy," which means in their language a "book-man," started to journey in the world at the time when the god Shigemuny having "conquered all the demoniac powers and repulsed all weakness," feasted in Shirvas "on viands such as had never been touched before." This legend is specially interesting because it shows the whole form and spirit of the religious imagination of this people. Five hundred travellers conducted by the Obushy met a spirit, who, in order to frighten them, appeared in the most terrible and disgusting forms, and asked them: "Have you ever seen such monsters?" "We have more dreadful ones," answered the Obushy. "Who are they?" "All who are envious, greedy, lying, and revengful; after death they become monsters, much more terrible and