Page:Tolstoy - Tales from Tolstoi.djvu/310

 THE GODFATHER.

muzhik had a son born unto him. The muzhik rejoiced, and went to his neighbour to beg him to be a sponsor for his child. The neighbour refused; he would not be a sponsor to a poor man's child. Then the poor muzhik went to another neighbour, and he refused likewise. He went round the whole village, and nobody would be a sponsor for him. The muzhik set out for another village, and there met him on the road a wayfaring man, and the wayfaring man stopped and greeted him:

"Hail to thee, little muzhik!" cried he, "whither away, in God's name?"

"The Lord has given me a little child," replied the muzhik, "to be the charge of my young manhood, the comfort of my old age, and the beadsman who shall pray for my soul when I am dead; but because

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