EMELYAN, THE FOOL
answered: "Nay, nay, you must first perform your promise, and then I will let you go." When the pike saw that Emelyan would not put him into the water he said: "If you wish me to do all you desire, you must first tell me what your desire is." "I wish," said the fool, "that my buckets should go of themselves from the river up the hill to the village without spilling any of the water." Then said the pike: "Listen now, and remember the words I say to you: At the pike's command, and at my desire, go, buckets, of yourselves up the hill!" Then the fool repeated after him these words, and instantly, with the speed of thought, the buckets ran up the hill. When Emelyan saw this he was amazed beyond measure, and he said to the pike: "But will it always be so?" "Everything you desire will be done," replied the pike; "but I warn you not to forget the words I have taught you." Then Emelyan put the pike into the water and followed his buckets home.
The neighbours were all amazed and said to one another: "This fool makes the buckets come up of themselves from the river, and he follows them home at his leisure." But Emelyan took no notice of them, and went his way home. The buckets were by this time in the house, and standing in their place on the foot-bench; so
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