Once upon a time there lived an old woman, and she had her only son. They lived in a hut in the forest and suffered great need. It often happened that they did not even have a piece of bread for dinner.
The boy turned twelve years old, and his mother gave him into service in the master's courtyard far, far from home. The boy began to graze the cows and sheep.
A year passed, and the boy received one era for his work, the same amount he received in the second year of work, and in the third it turned out no more. He then took all his earnings for three years, said goodbye to his owners and went home.
The boy walked happily along the road and sang a song:
- How happy I am, how glad I am! I worked for three years straight. I earned three coppers, that’s how rich I have become!
Suddenly, out of nowhere, an old woman comes towards him. She heard about three coppers and said:
- Dear boy, give me one coin!
“Well, that will be fair,” the boy answered and handed her one ere.
The old woman thanked him and disappeared. Now the boy has only two era left. But you might think that this upset him? Not at all. Still cheerfully he walked along the road and sang a song:
- How happy I am, how glad I am! I worked for three years straight. I received three whole eras, I have two left, and I donated one.
He walked and walked, and suddenly the old woman met him again. She heard that the boy had two eras left, and she said:
- Dear boy, give me one coin!
“Well, that will be fair,” the boy answered and handed her one ere.
The old woman thanked him and disappeared. Now the boy has only one coin left. But he still did not lose heart, walked cheerfully along the road and sang a song:
- How happy I am, how glad I am! I worked for three years straight. I earned three coppers, and now I only have one left.
He walked and walked, and suddenly the old woman met him again. She heard that the boy had one era, and she said:
- Dear boy, give me one coin!
“Well, that will be fair,” the boy answered and handed her the last copper.
The old woman thanked him and disappeared.
The boy noticed that he didn’t have a single coin left, sat down on a stone and cried bitterly. He remembered how hard he worked for three long years, how often he tore his clothes when he grazed cattle in the forest and in the mountains. And now he doesn’t even have enough thread to buy enough to patch up the holes in his dress.
“Oh, I’ll get it from my mother,” thought the boy. “She’ll give me a good beating. That’s the whole reward for my work.”
And suddenly someone's voice asks:
- Why are you crying so bitterly, my boy?
He raised his head and saw a small, hunched old woman.
“How can I not cry,” answered the boy. “I tended cattle for three years and received three eras for my work.” And some three old women swindled all my money out of me, and now only beaters are waiting for me at home.
“Don’t cry, dear boy,” said the old woman. “It was you who gave your coins to me the first, second, and third time.”
The boy didn’t believe it and said:
- This can’t be!
“It’s as true as the fact that I’m standing here,” the old woman assured him. - And for every coin you make, I will fulfill one of your wishes. Well, what would you like?
“Thank you so much,” the boy laughed. “If you’re telling the truth, I won’t cry anymore.” So what should I wish for? Well, firstly, I want to get a wallet in which money would never be transferred. Then, I want to have a violin that, as soon as I play it, everyone will start dancing. And finally, I want to get a gun that always hits the target.
“Well, you came up with a good idea,” said the old woman. - And since you gave me everything you earned in three years, I will fulfill your wishes!
And at that very moment the boy had a wallet in his pocket, a gun was hanging over his shoulder, and he was holding a violin in his hands.
“Thank you very much,” said the boy.
“Now my mother won’t scold me!”
He said goodbye to the old woman and quickly walked along the road. And the old woman looked after him and wandered into the forest.
The boy came home, told his mother about everything that had happened to him, and showed the old woman’s gifts.
“What use is a gun and a violin,” said the mother. - But this wallet might be good for something! Let me see if there's a coin in it? Then I would go into town and buy a loaf of bread and a jug of milk for dinner.
“A loaf of bread and a jug of milk!” the boy laughed. - Something is not enough! It’s better to buy a measure of flour and two pounds of lard, then we’ll have something to eat.
- Oh, you simpleton! - Mother shook her head. - It’s good if there’s enough for a loaf of bread and a jug of milk. Come on, give me your wallet!
“Now,” the boy answered. - Put on your apron, mother!
The boy opened his wallet, and silver coins began to fall into his apron.
- Stop! - shouted the mother when the apron was filled to the top. - Leave a little for another time!
“Now go to the city and buy what I told you,” said the boy. - Yes, return home in the carriage. And when you come back, you’ll have more money.
The old woman tied her apron and set off. She bought a measure of flour and two pounds of lard, but the money didn’t seem to decrease. Then she went to wander around the shops and look at different goods, and when she liked something, she would put her hand in her apron, pull out a handful of silver coins and buy it.
Well, people, of course, noticed this and began to stare at her and whisper to each other.
- What happened to the old woman? Did she really get this money honestly?
We consulted and went to the burgomaster. He, of course, immediately decided that the old woman had robbed someone. He put on his burgomaster's uniform, a hat with feathers, pulled on his shiny boots, called the guards and went to the square. And the old woman keeps walking around the shops, looking at the goods.
- In the name of the king, you are under arrest! - the burgomaster shouted.
The old woman began to wail and said that she had done nothing wrong, that it was her son who gave her the money. It's all in vain.
“Don’t tell lies,” said the burgomaster. - You better admit it! Otherwise I will put you in prison on bread and water!
No matter how the old woman cried, no matter how she assured that she was innocent, nothing helped. The guards grabbed her and dragged her to the burgomaster's house. They put her there in a small closet, and the burgomaster himself bolted the door. And he ordered all the inhabitants of the city to appear at the inquiry.
Soon the burgomaster's house was packed. Those who did not have enough space in the house crowded on the porch and in the garden. Everything finally gathered, and the burgomaster said:
“Let the one who was robbed today come forward.” We will return his money and punish the thief.
All their mouths are open, they stand, waiting for what will happen next. Nobody comes forward. The burgomaster's face turns red, people look at each other. But it turned out that no one had lost anything, so there was no one to blame the old woman for the theft. But no one could understand where she got so much money from.
Meanwhile, the boy is still waiting for his mother. Even then he was already hungry, but she was still not there. He then took a gun and a violin and went to the city himself. He comes and sees - what is it? - There are no people on the streets, only noise is coming from the burgomaster’s garden. The boy went there, made his way to the door and quietly entered the house.
He sees his mother sitting on a wooden bench, and the burgomaster standing in front of her, scratching the back of his head.
“Did my mother do anything bad?” - asked the boy. - Why did you arrest her?
“She has so many new silver coins,” answered the burgomaster. “But I don’t understand anything - it turns out that no one is missing anything!”
- Do you perhaps think that my mother stole this money? Now I will prove to you that you are wrong. Come on, put your hat on!
The burgomaster handed over his hat, and the boy opened his wallet, and silver coins began to fall out of it.
“That’s it,” said the boy. - Now divide this money so that everyone gets it equally, both big and small! And let my mother go in peace. Well, since there are so many of you here, maybe you’d like to dance?
- Do you know how to play? - the boys and girls shouted.
“I can, I can,” answered the boy. He waved his bow and played such a cheerful tune that the tables, chairs, and everything in the room began to dance. Here the cradle, in which the burgomaster’s youngest daughter was sleeping, swayed and knocked the burgomaster’s hat out of his hands. Silver coins scattered across the floor, and then everyone started pushing each other, pushing each other, and picking them up - everyone wanted to grab more. The fun started - they fight, swear, and they all dance.
The burgomaster began shouting to the boy to stop playing. He promised to pick up all the coins and give them to him, if only he would lower the bow.
- Why do I need them? - asks the boy. “I want it, and I’ll have a lot more of them.”
He finally decided that enough was enough and stopped playing.
“Now give my mother everything she bought,” said the boy. - You've had enough for today.
Well, of course, the burgomaster, and everyone else, just to get rid of the boy and the old woman as quickly as possible, rushed to help. Some are looking for the old woman's purchases, some have gone for the horse. Mother and son returned home like real gentlemen. Yes, and a measure of flour and two pounds of lard with them - is it bad?
One day early in the morning a boy went into the forest. He is walking through the forest and suddenly sees a black grouse sitting on the top of a pine tree.
“So I’ll test my gun,” the boy thought. “Let’s see if the old woman deceived me.”
He raised the gun, pointed it in the other direction and pulled the trigger. A shot rang out, and the black grouse fell like a stone from a pine tree straight into the thorn bushes. And just at that time a monk was driving through the forest. He rode on horseback and was heading to the monastery.
- Oh, you damned thief! Why are you hunting here without permission? - the monk shouted.
- And who did you shoot at?
“Yes, to the black grouse,” answered the boy.
“He sat on a pine tree and teased me. And now he is there, in the thorn bushes. If you want, take it. I don't need black grouse. But you could have spoken more politely.
- Yes, you still dare to be insolent! - the monk got angry. - Well, you're hanging in a noose! Just wait - first I’ll get the black grouse, otherwise it’ll probably fly away.
The monk loved roast grouse very much; his mouth began to water at the thought of such a dinner. The monk got off his horse, tied him to a birch tree, and he himself crept up to the bushes. He reached out and grabbed the black grouse by the wing.
But at that moment the boy waved his bow and began to play. And the monk began to jump and gallop through the bushes, but the black grouse would not let go. Feathers flew, the monk’s cassock was torn to shreds, and he himself screamed in a bad voice out of fear. The horse stands by the tree and also dances. She finally broke the rope and galloped away.
“You see how to call innocent people thieves,” said the boy and began to play even harder.
- Stop, stop! I won't do it again! - the monk shouted. - Never in my life!
- Well, now you speak as you should, holy father! - the boy answered. -And also promise that you won’t take revenge on me for your dancing.
- I promise, I promise! - the monk panted. - I will love you like my own son, just stop playing!
The boy lowered his bow, and the monk began to run - only he was seen. But even though I was in a hurry, I didn’t forget about the black grouse.
He ran to the monastery, lay down in bed, counted his wounds and scratches and kept thinking about how best to take revenge on the boy.
“Of course, I promised this scoundrel not to do anything bad to him,” the monk reasoned. “But it’s one thing to promise when you’re in trouble, and another thing to fulfill when you’re no longer in danger!”
The monk recovered and went to complain to the abbot. The abbot complained to the bishop, the bishop to the archbishop, and the archbishop to the king—after all, it’s not for the holy fathers to deal with the black grouse.
The king became angry and ordered the boy to be seized and hanged. They brought him to the royal court, and there were already a lot of people there. The king and queen are sitting on the throne, and between them is the princess. The princess was very sad - she was the only one who felt sorry for the boy.
And the monk stood there, rubbing his hands with pleasure. Finally he will be avenged.
The king gave the sign to begin, and the boy was taken to the gallows. Suddenly he turned to the royal couple and bowed politely.
- All-powerful king! - said the boy. “I know that there is a custom to fulfill the last wish of those who will soon have a rope thrown around their neck. I also have one small wish. If Your Majesty fulfills it, I will die calmly and joyfully.
“Be it your way,” answered the king. - I promise to fulfill your wish. I swear by my royal crown!
“Many people give a speech to the people before hanging in a noose,” said the boy. “I don’t know how to speak beautifully, because I’m just a poor musician.” And I would like to play my violin one last time. She was a true friend to me and brought me many joyful moments. Let me say goodbye to her.
- Don't allow it! - the monk shouted. - Don't let him play! Your Majesty, do not fulfill his wishes!
And the monk rushed to the king and grabbed him by the sleeve. But the king frowned and looked sternly at the monk.
“I didn’t argue when you wanted to punish the boy,” he said. - So it will be. But you need to know when to stop everything. It was not enough for him to be denied such a trivial desire. It would be unfair and inhumane!
The monk shook with fear and said:
-Then, Your Majesty, order me to be tied to that pine tree over there. I've heard enough of his violin!
“With pleasure,” the king nodded and gave a sign to the courtiers.
They tied the monk to a pine tree with strong ropes, the boy waved his bow and began to play.
And everyone started dancing. The king and queen spun, the beautiful princess spun, the courtiers jumped, and all the people danced.
And the monk had it the worst of all. He crawled up and down the pine tree like a dry bull hide.
Naturally, the king was angry that he had to jump and jump like that.
“If you don’t stop this very minute,” he shouted, “I’ll have you hanged right away?”
“They’ll hang me anyway,” the boy answered, “but first I’ll say goodbye to my violin.”
“I’ll have mercy on you, just lower the bow!” - the king shouted, and he himself kept dancing.
“That’s another matter,” said the boy. - Yes, but this is not enough for me! I'll probably play a little more. And then hang me for goodness sake, if you can!
- Tell me, what else do you want? - the king panted and jumped from heel to toe. - You will get everything you want!
“Thank you very much,” the boy said and bowed. “Then I ask for a princess as a wife and half a kingdom in addition!”
“I already promised this to the Prince of Portugal,” the king shouted and made several pirouettes. “If I break my word, he will go to war with me.” What to do then?
“Don’t worry about it,” the boy replied. “We’ll deal with him somehow, I swear on my violin!”
“Do as you please,” said the king. “I agree to everything, just stop playing.”
And he spun like a top on one leg so that his ermine mantle wrapped tightly around him.
“Well, now we can rest a little and talk about business,” the boy said and lowered the bow.
Everyone around could barely stand on their feet, and the monk jumped and crawled on the tree so hard that the ropes finally gave way. The monk walked into the monastery, only his heels sparkled.
And the boy went to the palace and got engaged to the princess there. And I must say that not a trace of her sadness remained.
The Prince of Portugal learned about all this, gathered a large army and set off on a campaign. A boy with a gun and a violin came out to meet them and let’s shoot and play the violin. What started here! Some died immediately as soon as they heard the sound of a shot, some fell lifeless after dancing! So soon there was nothing left of the army.
The wedding took place right away. The king got a smart son-in-law, and the princess got a good husband, and therefore there was great joy in the kingdom.
The boy’s mother also had fun at the wedding and was happy for her son. And he asks her:
- Dear mother, will you live with us now?
- No way! - answered the old woman. “I will never leave my stove and my old bed!”
The boy did not contradict his mother - after all, he was a good son. Only the next morning he sent craftsmen to repair his mother’s hut. The stove and bed were left in the same place, but new walls and a new floor were built around them, and they didn’t forget about the roof.
And the hut turned into a real palace, and people called it the Straw Castle.
So the old woman lived there in happiness and contentment until her death. And she died last summer, and she was eighty-seven years old, three months and nine days.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru