One day, a certain boyar, setting off in a carriage for a walk, ordered his cook to roast a goose for his return.
“But if the evil one tempts you to eat even a piece, I’ll order you to tie him up.”
I’ll count you out hand and foot and count out so many sticks—from now on it will be a shame to even think about meat.
- I see, master.
- Look: if it’s clear, it’s clear; and for my arrival so that the goose is ready, not hot, not cold, but just right for a hungry stomach. The cook got down to business, roasted the goose to perfection, rosy-cheeked, fragrant - his mouth was watering.
He endured and endured, but could not bear it, cut off the leg of the goose and ate it. The boyar arrived and, seeing that the goose had only one leg, he almost burst from frustration and anger.
“So that’s what you are, glutton.” Al didn’t I tell you not to touch the goose if you don’t want to see your grandmother from the other world?
- But the goose is intact, master.
“And whoever ate the leg, let the grave worms eat you?”
- Master, the goose only had one leg.
- Why are you talking, where have you seen geese have one leg? - exclaimed the boyar, pecking the bird.
“If you don’t believe me, master, let’s go to the pond and see with your own eyes.”
- Okay, but if it’s not so, then I already know what to do with you.
They went to the pond. How long did they walk, how soon did they come to the shore? The sun was shining with all its might, it was a beautiful day, and the geese stood on one leg, tugging at their wings with their beaks and preening themselves.
- Well, master, you see, the geese are all one-legged. And the boyar will clap his hands and shout:
- Khyshsh... hala... hala... hala... The geese perked up, got scared and scattered along the shore in all directions.
- You see, May, they all have two legs.
- So, master... why didn’t you shout to that goose: heesh... hala... hala... hala...
The boyar stared at him, but there was nothing to cover him with; he hung his head and remained silent, and from then on he no longer ordered the cook not to try what he had cooked.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru