In ancient times, very rich people lived in one village. Why were they so rich? Yes, because the peasants of that village were friends with the god of the mountain himself. So he helped them grow a good harvest, harmful insects and drive away dark forces. Every autumn God went to the mountains, and from there, from above, looked after the village. And in the spring he always went down and came to the village. The peasants waited impatiently for him - they never planted rice in the fields without the god of the mountain, which is why they called him in the spring the god of the rice field. The god of the mountain was very kind, but too shy: sometimes he blushed from modesty, sometimes he covered his face from embarrassment, just like a young girl.
But then one day in the spring this story happened. As always, the god of the mountain came to the village - the peasants were just planting rice. They greeted him as expected - with honors, presented him with gifts, and gave him refreshments. And everything would have been fine if the god of the mountain had not decided to take a walk around the village. He walked around the houses, walked around the fields and came out to the stream. I sat down on the bank to rest. Sits and admires. And it had to happen for the god of the mountain to look into the stream and see his reflection! And when he saw it, he began to lament:
- Oh, oh! What a disaster! Is it really me?! I never knew I was such a freak! What a face! How ashamed I am! How embarrassing!
The god of the mountain cried with burning tears, picked up his belongings and ran headlong into the mountains.
The peasants were confused.
- Wait! - they shout. - Don't be sad! We love and honor you too!
But the god of the mountain runs without looking back, doesn’t want to hear anything.
The peasants were scared. "What if he never comes back now?" - they think. And so it happened. The god of the mountain hid in the thicket of the forest, out of sight of people.
A great disaster came to that village: the seedlings began to wither, the flooded fields dried up, and the trees in the mountains stopped growing altogether. The peasants don’t know what to do, how to help. They thought and thought, and then they went to a wise old woman to ask for advice. They told her about their misfortune.
The old lady thought for a moment, and then said:
- I’m old, almost two hundred years old, I’ve been alive in the world. I don’t remember what this mountain god looks like. Do you remember his face well?
- What about it? - the peasants were surprised. — Every year in spring he comes to the village.
- So how? - the old woman asked again. - Is he really that bad?
“Really,” the peasants sighed. - But it doesn’t matter! Still, he is the best for us!
“Of course,” agreed the wise old woman, “the most important thing is that the god of the mountain is kind.” But here’s the thing: he’s very shy. Apparently, he felt ashamed that his face was ugly, and that’s why he ran away from you. He didn't know this before.
- What should we do now? - asked the peasants. “We’re in trouble, and soon there will be famine in the village.” We work in the fields from morning to night, but nothing grows.
“You need to find someone even uglier than the god of the mountain,” the old woman advised. “Let him see that he is not the ugliest in the world.”
The peasants thought. Who else is as ugly as the god of the mountain? We thought and wondered, but came up with nothing.
“Okay,” said the old woman, “I’ll give you some advice.” Go to our stream and catch okoze fish there. And when you catch it, look at it more carefully - no one in the world goggles its eyes so ugly!
- Okoze? And it’s true!,” the peasants rejoiced.
They went to the stream, caught an okoze fish and laughed loudly:
- Ha-ha-ha! What a face!
-This is hilarious!
- Oh, you're ugly!
They put the okoze fish in a large jug and quickly ran to the mountains. We found the house of the mountain god and knocked:
“Open the mountains to us,” they ask. - Look what we brought you!
The god of the mountain opened the door, looked into the jug - and there was a fish sitting there, goggle-eyed, moving its jaws back and forth! Horror, and that’s all!
- Wow! - the god of the mountain was surprised. - It happens in the world! I see that there is someone even uglier than me! It's a good thing I'm not an okoze fish! And she, she, look how she rolls her eyes! Ha ha ha! Oh, I can't take it anymore! Now I'm bursting with laughter!
The god of the mountain laughs, and the peasants laugh. They all felt happy and happy. The good mood returned to the mountain god. He made peace with the peasants. They began to live richly in the village again: the rice in the fields began to sprout, the fruits on the trees ripened. And from then on the peasants and the god of the mountain always lived in peace and harmony.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru