Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/333

Rh "Yes, my son!"

So they went out, and the old man seated himself on the hurdle near his door, while the fool sat down opposite him and began his tale.

"I had once a little piebald pony; I seated myself on him one fine day and rode off into the forest to cut wood. I had stuck my axe into my belt behind me, and as the pony ran the axe kept on knocking the unfortunate little creature on his back, until it cut him right in two! Are you listening, little father?"

"Yes, yes, my son!"

"Well, I rode on and on in this way for three whole years, until what should I see but the hinder part of my horse near a lake! I dismounted, and after catching it I sewed the two halves together, and rode on for another three years. Are you listening, little father?"

"Yes, yes, my son!"

"I rode and rode, until I came to a forest, where I saw a tremendously high tree. I climbed up this tree, higher and higher, until I came to the next world. After having looked about me, I found out that the cattle was wonderfully cheap about there, but the flies and mosquitoes were dreadfully dear; so I came down again to the earth, and after catching some bags full of flies and mosquitoes I climbed up to the next world again, where I disposed of them, and got in exchange a great number of cattle, so many in fact that it was impossible to count them all! Well, I collected all these sheep and oxen, and drove them to the place from which I had descended before;