Page:Tolstoy - Tales from Tolstoi.djvu/311

Rh of my poverty nobody will be my child's sponsor, so I go searching for a godfather."

And the wayfaring man said unto him: "Take me for thy child's godfather."

Then the heart of the muzhik rejoiced. He thanked the wayfaring man, and said, "But whom shall I have for a godmother?"

"For a godmother," said the wayfaring man, "thou shalt take the merchant's daughter. Go into the town to the stone house with the booths before it in the square; at the entrance of this house thou shalt ask the merchant to let his daughter come out to be thy child's godmother."

The muzhik smiled. "How shall I, my chosen godfaither," said he, "how shall I go to the rich merchant? He will not let his daughter come, and will only revile me."

"Fear not, but go. By to-morrow morning let everything be ready; I will be at the christening."

Then the poor muzhik returned home, and went into the town to the merchant's house. He put up his horse in the courtyard, and the merchant himself came out.

"What dost thou want?" said he.

"Look now, my lord merchant," replied the muzhik, "the Lord hath given me a little child to be the charge of my young manhood, the comfort of my old age, and my beadsman who shall pray for my soul when I am dead. I prythee let thy daughter come to be my child's godmother."

"And when, then, is the christening?"

"To-morrow morning." 261