VIII
THE BOY DRIVER
A peasant was returning from market with his son Vanka.[1] The peasant went to sleep in his cart, and Vanka held the reins and cracked the whip. They happened to meet another team. Vanka shouted:—
"Turn out to the right! I shall run over you!"
And the peasant with the team said:—
"It is not a big cricket, but it chirps so as to be heard!"
IX
LIFE DULL WITHOUT SONG
In the upper part of a house lived a rich barin, and on the floor below lived a poor tailor. The tailor was always singing songs at his work, and prevented the barin from sleeping.
The barin gave the tailor a purse full of money not to sing. The tailor became rich, and took good care of his money, and refrained from singing.
But it grew tiresome to him; he took the money and returned it to the barin, saying:—
"Take back your money and let me sing my songs again, or I shall die of melancholy."
X
THE SQUIRREL AND THE WOLF
A Squirrel was leaping from limb to limb, and fell directly upon a sleeping Wolf. The Wolf jumped up, and was going to devour him. But the Squirrel begged the Wolf to let him go.
- ↑ Diminutive of Ivan.
