Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/87

Rh Again the kopek sank, and again he went to the merchant, and asked to be taken back for the third time. He worked hard for a whole year, and then asked for his money. This time the merchant offered him more than his usual pay, but still the man refused it, and only took one kopek, which he threw into the river, as before, when, to his great surprise, he saw all the three kopeks floating on the water. He took them out, and went on farther. On the road he met a merchant going to church, with some candles in his hands. He went up to him, and asked him for a candle, giving him a kopek for it. The merchant sold it him, and went to church, when he somehow let the kopek which the peasant had given him drop on the ground, and from it came flames of fire. The people were greatly alarmed, and asked who it was that had let it fall.

"I did," said the merchant; "a workman bought a candle of me, and paid me with that kopek."

The people were very much astonished, and went and lit their candles at the wonderful coin.

Meanwhile the workman continued his way, and soon met another merchant who was going to market; he stopped him, and, giving him a kopek, asked him to get him something for it in the market. The merchant laughed; but, nevertheless, took the kopek, and went to the market, and, after buying some things for himself, he recollected the kopek, and laughed again.

"What on earth am I to get with it?" he thought.

At that moment a boy came running up with a lovely white cat, and begged him to buy it.