A long time ago, many years ago, there lived a brother and sister. My sister was a very sweet blond girl with a kind heart. She was like a ray of sunshine, and her name was Lusik, which in Armenian means a ray of light.
Brother Lusik got married and brought his wife into the house. And the wife, seeing that everyone around her admired, respected and loved Lusik, harbored a grudge against her. Black envy settled in her heart. She began to spread all sorts of rumors, fables and dirty gossip about Lusik, bringing her to tears every day.
Brother Lusik supported his sister as best he could. He never returned home empty-handed: he would either bring Lusik flowers, or buy her a new dress, or some other gift.
And Lusik felt good at heart. She again became a cheerful and happy beautiful girl, and everyone around her admired, respected and loved her. And the daughter-in-law at such moments simply languished with envy and anger.
And she decided to get rid of Lusik. One day, when her husband went to work, she turned all the furniture in the house upside down, broke all the dishes and kitchen utensils that could be broken. And she stood at the front door, crossed her arms over her chest and began to wait for her husband to return home.
Seeing him coming, she wrung her hands in despair and began shouting:
- Woe, woe to us! Everything that we had - your beloved sister turned it all upside down, broke all the dishes! - Don’t cry so bitterly, dear wife. We can buy all these things. Just think - the plate broke. We'll take another one. But if we break Lusik’s heart, then we won’t find another.
The wife realized that her evil plan had failed. Then, the next day, when her husband went to work, she took his favorite horse and took him to distant meadows. There she abandoned her horse. And she returned home, stood in the doorway, crossed her arms over her chest, and began to wait for her husband to return.
- Woe, woe to us! Your beloved sister took the mouth of your beloved horse and lost him in the distant meadows. She just wants to destroy our house! “It’s not a problem,” the husband answers. - It's just a horse. If he disappears, then I will work even harder, earn money and buy another one. Is it possible to buy another sister?
When the evil wife realized that this plan of hers did not work, she became indescribably furious. Anger overwhelmed her and she committed a terrible crime. One night she killed her own child, who was sleeping in the cradle, and hid the bloody knife among Lusik’s things. Then she began to tear out her hair and howl:
- Oh, woe is me! My child, my innocent, beloved child!..
Brother and sister woke up and saw that the child had been killed in the cradle. Their hearts almost burst from grief. But who could commit such a monstrous act?
- Who did this? - the wife yelled. - There was no one in the house. Let's look around, maybe we'll find the crime weapon and guess who the killer is!
Everyone agreed and began the search. Finally, a bloody knife was found among Lusik’s belongings. It was incredible, but that's how it was!
- Ahh! This is all your beloved sister! - screamed the evil wife, shedding tears.
She tore her hair, tore her face with her nails until it bled, and howled through her tears in a voice that was not her own:
- Oh, my child, my little blood! Oh, my only child!...
In the morning, terrible news spread throughout the surrounding area. People were outraged and offended by such a heinous crime. Excited, they demanded punishment for the killer. The mother of the dead child cried and cried out for justice. Poor, innocent Lusik was imprisoned.
When the trial took place, the sentence passed by the judge was as follows: cut off both of Lusik’s hands. Some time after the sentence was carried out, after the wounds had healed, Lusik was taken to a distant forest. They left her there.
Lusik began to wander through the forest thicket, wandering between the huge trees. Making her way through the bushes and windbreaks, she tore all her clothes to shreds. The mosquitoes bit her mercilessly, the forest bees stung her painfully - after all, she now had no hands to drive them away. Finally, she found refuge in the hollow trunk of a large tree.
And it so happened that the king’s son was hunting in these very places. His hunting dogs surrounded the tree, inside of which Lusik was hiding, and started barking. The prince and his retinue thought that the dogs had surrounded some wild animal. They began to give them commands to drive him out.
“Don’t set the dogs on me, my lord,” the girl shouted. “I am a man, not a beast.” “If you are a man, then come out,” said the prince. “I can’t, I’m completely naked, I’m ashamed.”
The prince jumped off his horse, took off his cloak and gave it to one of his servants to carry it to the tree.
Having put on her cloak, Lusik left her hiding place. She was so beautiful that any man would forget everything in the world after seeing such beauty. The prince was fascinated.
- Who are you, beautiful maiden, and why are you hiding here, in the hollow trunk of this tree? - I am an ordinary girl. I was left completely alone in this world. And before I had a house. I had a brother, but his wife drove me away. “I will not leave you in such trouble,” said the prince.
He took Lusik with him, and told his parents that he loved her very much and asked them to prepare everything for the wedding ceremony.
“And if you don’t bless us,” he said, “then I’m not responsible for myself, I’ll commit some kind of recklessness.” “Son,” the queen tells him. – There are so many wonderful girls in this world, daughters of princes, ministers and ambassadors. They are all rich and beautiful. Why do you want to marry a girl who has no hands, no house, no clothes? - Yes, you're right, mom. But this is the same girl I will love all my life.
The king and queen called the wise men from all over the kingdom and asked them to give them advice: can they allow their son to marry this armless girl or not? The sages answered that love between a man and a woman is born in their hearts:
“It seems to us that your son’s love for this girl ignited their hearts with divine fire.” This means that God is pleased with their union.
Having heard this advice, the king and queen agreed with it. They blessed the wedding of their son and Lusik. The wedding feast lasted seven days and seven nights. Tsarevich and Lusik became husband and wife.
Some time later, the prince had to go to distant lands. During his absence, Lusik gave birth to a beautiful boy with golden hair. The king and queen were so happy, as if they had been given the whole world. They wrote a joyful letter and gave it to the messenger so that he would take the letter to the prince.
Having set off, the messenger was forced to spend the night in the village where brother Lusik and his wife lived. It so happened that it was in their house that he stopped for the night. Having talked with the owners, he told them about the errand on which he was going to his prince and about how the prince met his wife. The evil daughter-in-law immediately realized who she was talking about.
At midnight she got out of bed, took the letter from the messenger's pocket and threw it into the fire. And she wrote a new one, which she put back in her pocket. The letter said: “After you left home, your wife gave birth to a monster. We are dishonored before all the people and the whole world. Write to us what to do?”
The messenger delivered this letter to the prince. When he read it, it was as if he was struck by lightning. He wrote to his parents: “Perhaps this is my fate. What God gives me is mine. Don't say anything bad to my wife, don't offend her. Wait for my return." He gave the letter to the messenger and sent it back.
On the way, he again had to stop at the house of Lusik’s brother and his wife. The wicked daughter-in-law, again at midnight, snuck into the messenger’s belongings, took the reply letter out of her pocket, read it and tore it to shreds. Instead, she put her letter, which said: “Whoever my wife gives birth to, tie the child to her breast and send her away. When I return, I don’t want to see her in the house. If you don’t do as I ask you, then there will be trouble.”
When the king and queen received the letter, they cried. They felt very sorry for Lusik and their grandson, but they felt that they had to do as their son asked. Having tied the child to the mother's breast, crying as if at a funeral, they took Lusik out of the palace.
The grief-stricken mother began to wander with her child. She wandered through forests and across wastelands and finally came to a barren desert.
There she was completely exhausted. She wanted to eat, she was tormented by thirst. Suddenly Lusik looks, and there is a well in her way. She walked up to him and looked in - the water was very close. But as soon as she leaned over to drink, her son became untied and fell into the well. Lusik screamed bitterly, bitterly, when she suddenly heard someone behind her saying:
- Don't be afraid, baby, don't be afraid, darling. Get the child out of the well, save him.
Turning around, Lusik saw an old man with a large gray beard down to his waist.
“How can I save the child, father,” Lusik sobbed. - I don’t have hands! - You’ll get him out of there! You can do this. Eat! You have hands. Get it!
Lusik bent down and - oh, miracle! With my own hands I pulled the child out of the well. She turned around to thank the old man, but he never happened.
The prince, meanwhile, returned home and learned everything about how things really were. He refused to enter his father's palace, and instead rushed to find his wife and his son. The prince asked everyone who met him on the way about them. Finally, he met one traveler:
“Good afternoon,” the prince greeted him. “May the Lord protect you,” answered the stranger. “Where are you going?” “I’m looking for my sister.” “And I’m looking for my wife and our son.” Let's start searching together.
So they began to look for their relatives together. They traveled through different countries for not a year, not two, not three. But they never found those they were looking for. They couldn’t even track them down: there was no news about them, either good or bad.
One day they stopped at the same inn. And it was in those parts where the village of brother Lusik stood nearby. And while the prince was resting in the hotel, his companion - and this was brother Lusik - went to the village to pick up his wife. They returned with their belongings and settled in a hotel, hoping that here, from passing guests, they would hear some news.
Meanwhile, a poorly dressed woman with a little boy stayed at the same hotel. This woman knew many different stories. The guests, getting ready in the evenings, asked her to tell her something - that way the time passed more merrily. So the prince says to his comrade:
- Let's talk to this woman and her child. Maybe we'll find out something.
The wife of the prince's companion did not like this idea very much. She grumbled that the mother and her child staying at the hotel were taking up too much space. And in general, they really bother her and let them get out of here. Nevertheless, the prince insisted on his own and they called the woman and her child.
Entering the room, she modestly sat down against the wall. Her son settled down next to her. The prince says:
“We can’t sleep today, sister.” Maybe you know some fairy tales or legends. If you want, then tell us, and we will be happy to listen to you.
And the woman answers:
- I know fairy tales, but I’ll tell you a true story. This happened in our day and it is a very instructive story. If you don't mind, then get ready to listen. - Yes, of course, tell us this story.
And the beggar woman began her story:
— As I already said, this story happened in our times. So, there lived a brother and sister. The brother got married and brought his wife into the house, who turned out to be a very angry and envious woman.
At this moment, the face of the wife of the prince’s companion shuddered. She jumped up and exclaimed:
- What nonsense! What kind of stupid story is this? - What's wrong with you? Why are you interrupting the story? - Brother Lusik stopped his wife.
And turning further to the narrator, he continued:
- Please, tell me further.
The beggar woman continued:
— My sister was a kind girl. Everyone respected and loved her. And every time my brother came home, he brought his sister some kind of gift - a bouquet of flowers, fruits or something new. He was always very kind to her. The bride was losing her temper with envy. She began to plot, intending to harass the poor thing.
-What kind of vile things are you telling us here? – the wife of the prince’s companion interrupted the narrator again. “What’s the matter with you, really?” Let's hear this story to the end. And you, sister, don’t pay attention, continue your story.
The beggar woman continued:
— The evil daughter-in-law was very inventive in her evil deeds. So, one day, she turned all the furniture in the house upside down, broke the dishes, and blamed her husband’s sister for all this. Another time, in the distant meadows, she lost the best horse her husband had. And again she blamed the poor thing for everything. When she realized that her evil tricks were not yielding results, she committed a crime. She killed her own child, who was sleeping in the cradle. And she hid the bloody knife among the girl’s things...
- Shut your mouth, you blatant liar. What kind of story is this? Who would believe in fairy tales that a mother killed her own child? – the woman angrily interrupted the narrator once again. “You’re interrupting again,” her husband was indignant. – Let him tell me, I really want to know what happened next.
The beggar woman continued her story:
- The trial took place. The innocent girl was sentenced to have her hands cut off. Helpless, she was abandoned in the forest far from her home. Heartbroken, suffering from pain, she wandered through the forest thicket. It so happened that the king’s son was hunting in those places. He met this girl in the forest and fell in love with her at first sight. After some time, the prince married her. Soon, on government affairs, he had to go abroad. Meanwhile, his wife gave birth to a child - a beautiful boy with golden hair. The king and queen wrote a letter to their son in which they told him about this joy. The messenger who was supposed to deliver the letter, by chance, stopped for the night in the house of the brother of the armless girl. At night, when everyone was sleeping, the evil daughter-in-law changed the letter. This forged letter said that the wife of the king’s son gave birth to an ugly monster...
- Come on, wrap up your story. Enough talking nonsense. Not only do I not want to listen to you anymore, I can’t see you anymore!” my brother’s wife Lusik shouted angrily. “Brother, ask your wife to be silent.” Let's listen further - the story is very interesting - the prince asked.
The beggar woman continued:
— The king’s son, having received the letter, was heartbroken. He, in turn, wrote a letter to his parents, in which he asked them to wait for him to return home and take care of his wife and child. Returning, the messenger stopped again in that same house. The evil daughter-in-law was able to replace the letter this time too. In the fake letter, she wrote: “Whoever my wife gives birth to, tie the child to her breast and send her away. When I return, I don’t want to see her in the house. If you don’t do as I ask you, then there will be trouble.” When the prince's parents received this letter, they, as much as they did not love their daughter-in-law and grandson, did as their son allegedly wrote to them. They escorted both mother and child out of the house.
-What the hell is she doing here? Get away! – the wife yelled. “Enough!” - Both the husband and the prince shouted at her. - And you, sister, continue, tell me what happened next. - they turned to the narrator.
The beggar woman resumed her story:
“When the prince returned home, he learned the whole truth. And he went in search of his wife and his son. During this search, he met the brother of this armless girl, who was looking for his sister. They began to wander together, but never found those they were looking for. Eventually they stopped at a large roadside inn...
- You're lying! - the wife screamed.
And her husband and the king’s son held their breath, waiting for the end of the story. And the beggar woman completed her story:
- Hungry, in rags, the poor thing wandered around the world with her golden-haired son. Exhausted and thirsty, she approached the door of a large roadside inn. Here, at the hotel, her brother and her husband took pity on her. They invited her to their place and asked her to tell them a story.
Brother's wife Lusik became hysterical.
- Lusik, dear, is that you? - the prince exclaimed, his cheeks were burning. - Lusik, baby... - her brother cried. - Yes, I am Lusik. And you are my brother and husband. And next to me is my golden-haired boy. And this woman is that evil daughter-in-law.
And such joy came that it is impossible to describe. After a long search, they found each other. And the evil daughter-in-law was tied to the tail of an unbroken mare and driven out into the field... People say that when innocent blood was shed in those places, thorns and rose hips grew. When bitter tears were shed, a lake was formed. If you look at it carefully, take a closer look, then in the depths of its waters you can sometimes see a child sleeping in a cradle and a knife lying by the pillow.
They also say that in those places there is a monastery in which one woman, kneeling, prays and prays.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru