Once upon a time there lived a husband and wife. They really didn’t get along with each other: either the husband would call his wife a fool, or the wife would call her husband a fool. That’s how they lived – constantly in quarrels and scandals.
One day my husband bought one hundred pounds of butter and rice and brought them home. The wife flew into a rage: “Well, didn’t I tell you that you’re a fool, you’re such a simpleton.” Why did you buy so much butter and rice? Maybe you're already thinking about our son's wedding or your father's funeral? - What are you talking about? What other funeral, what wedding? Hide it all away well.
Let it lie until Carnival comes. The wife calmed down, took the food and hid it in the house. Time passed. The wife waited and waited for Carnival to come. One day she was sitting on a bench in front of the house. He sees a stranger walking down the street. She raised her hand and called him: “Hey, brother, come here for a minute.” The guy stopped. “Listen, brother, isn’t your name Carnival?” – she asked. The guy immediately guessed that this woman’s head was out of place and thought: “Aha! I'll tell her that I am Carnival. I'll see what happens." - Well, of course, sister. My name is Carnival. What happened? - You know what, Carnival. All I want to tell you is that we did not hire you to store your rice and your oil. Aren't you ashamed to take advantage of our kindness so brazenly? Why didn’t you show up for so long to pick up the groceries? - Don’t be angry, sister. So I was just on my way here now. I spent a lot of time looking for your house. So I finally found it. “Okay, let’s come in and get it.”
The guy went into the house, took butter and rice, put the bags on his shoulders and left the village. When my husband returned home in the evening. His wife says to him: “In the end, this Carnival of yours has appeared.” I gave him his groceries and sent him away. “What kind of Carnival?” What are you saying, wife? What products? - Oil and rice... I look - this Carnival is walking down the street, looking for our house. I called out to him. Gave him a good beating. Now let him carry his goods on his back all the way. “You amazed me with your stupidity.” What a simpleton you are! Didn't I tell you what a fool you are? Which way did he go?
My wife showed me. The husband saddled his horse and rushed in pursuit of the “Carnival”. Meanwhile, “Carnival”, which had safely escaped from the village, looked back. He looks: a horseman gallops after him. “Carnival” immediately realized that it must be that woman’s husband and hid the bags in the roadside bushes.
The rider caught up with him and asked: “Great, buddy!” Have you seen a traveler walking this same road? - I remember seeing one. - And was he carrying something on his back? - Oil and rice. - Aha! This is the one I need. And how long have you seen him? - Yes, quite a bit already. - What do you think, brother, will I catch up with him if I gallop faster? - Well, it’s unlikely. – said “Carnival”. - Look: you are on a horse, and he is on foot. While your horse moves all its legs, count: one-two-three-four, the one you are chasing is on two legs. In order to move his legs, he only needs to do something: one-two, one-two! Faster than you can do ra-a-z-two-a-a-three-i-i-che-y-re on a horse! - And what should I do? - If you want, I’ll help. Leave your horse with me, and catch up with him on foot: one-two, one-two! If you go fast, you'll probably catch up. - Yes, yes! Golden words! – agreed the simpleton husband.
He jumped off his horse, left it to Carnival, and he himself rushed in pursuit on foot. He walks and says: “One-two, one-two, one-two, one-two!” As soon as he disappeared from sight, “Carnival” took out bags of rice and butter, loaded them onto his horse and rode off the other way.
And the simpleton husband wandered and wandered, did not meet anyone and returned to the place where he left the stranger and his horse. Naturally, by that time there was no trace of them. When he returned home, a scandal broke out again: the husband began to reproach his wife for the loss of rice and butter, and the wife began to reproach her husband for the loss of his horse. They quarrel to this day: either he will call her a fool, or she will call him a fool. And “Carnival” knows about this and chuckles.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru