Page:Tolstoy - Tales from Tolstoi.djvu/155

How the Little Demon earned his Stolen Crust a copious crop on the hills, so that after supplying all his wants he had more corn left than he knew what to do with.

And then the labourer taught the muzhik to waste grain, by letting it ferment and making spirit of it. The muzhik distilled spirit, drank of it himself, and gave to others to drink also. And the little demon returned to the chief of the devils and boasted that he had earned his crust.

The chief of the devils came to satisfy himself that it was so. He came to the muzhik's house, and saw how he had invited all the rich muzhiks, and was regaling them with spirits. His wife was carrying round the liquor, and as she went from one to the other she tripped against a stool, and spilt a whole glassful. The muzhik was very angry, and began to swear at his wife.

The little demon nudged the chief of the devils with his elbow: "Do you think he would not complain of the loss of his crust now?"

After cursing his wife to his heart's content, the host took round the drink himself. And there came in from the fields a poor, uninvited muzhik, who greeted the company and sat down. He saw all the people drinking spirit, and, in his weariness, wished for a drop of it himself. He sat and sat, and sucked his lips, but the host gave him never a drop. On the contrary, the rich muzhik muttered between his teeth: "A likely tale that we are to waste our liquor on the devil knows who!"

At this the chief of the devils was very pleased, but the little demon bragged all the more. 105