. One she raises on high, another she thrusts down below. Tell me," said the guest, "is the heart of the old man sore within him, perchance?"
"Who can tell? He lives peaceably and quietly, and looks well.
"May one converse with him?" said the guest; "I should like to question him concerning his life."
"Certainly, it is possible," replied the host, and he shouted from behind the kibitka, "Babad," which signifies grandfather in the Bashkir language, "go and drink kumis and call hither the old man!"
And Elias came to them with his wife. Elias greeted the guests and the host, recited a prayer, and squatted down on his knees at the door, and his wife went behind the curtain and sat down with her mistress.
They gave Elias a cup full of kumis. Elias drank the healths of the guests and the host, did obeisance, drank a little more, and then placed the cup aside.
"Now, tell me, grandfather," said one of the guests, "I suppose it grieves thee looking at us, to call to mind thy former life, and to recollect how fortunate thou wert, and how now thou dwellest in misery?"
And Elias smiled and said: "If I were to speak to thee of good fortune and ill fortune thou wouldst not believe me — far better it would be if thou didst ask my old wife concerning this thing. She is a woman, and therefore what her heart feeleth that her tongue speaketh; she will tell thee the whole truth about this matter."
And the guest spake, turning towards the c
