Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/335

Rh The fool felt rather disgusted; he had finished his story, but the old man had kept his word and had not interrupted him once. What was he to do to get the hundred roubles out of him as well as the fire? At last he thought he would try and tease him, so he began a new story.

"I have a document in my possession, old man, showing that your father will for ever have to pay his debts to my father for having used forged documents, and—"

"That is a lie!" cried the old man, interrupting the story; "it is more likely that your father will for ever have to pay his debts to my father!"

The fool laughed; it was just what he wanted, and just what he expected. He took the fire and the hundred roubles from the old man, and returned to his brothers. They then hung the pot of porridge by means of a tripod over the fire, and when it was ready they wisely set to work to eat it up. And this is the end of our story.