There lived a poor peasant in a remote Gagauz village. The only wealth he had were three sons. He fought, his sons fought on their tiny piece of land, but wealth still did not come to their house. This is how the younger brother says:
“Let’s better go, brothers, around the world to seek happiness.” Our hands are strong and healthy. Let's find a place for ourselves somewhere.
The brothers disagreed for a long time, and then decided to try their luck. And they walked across the world wherever their eyes looked - to seek their happiness.
And when their father saw them off on the road, he gave the eldest son a stick with a hook for herding sheep, the middle son an old bag, and the youngest son, Ivanch, a healing root that he had inherited from his grandfather.
“I don’t have anything else, kids,” he said.
The brothers wandered around the world for a long time, but still could not find their happiness. Somehow they came out of the forest onto the high road and met an old man they didn’t know.
- Good health, father.
- God bless. Where are you heading, fellows? The older brothers remained silent, and Ivanchu said:
- Yes, here we go, grandfather, wherever we look.
We are looking for our happiness. Yes, we can’t find anything. It is clear that our happiness does not exist on earth. - You've started a good job. But happiness is not immediately given into one’s hands,” the old man replies.
They moved on. And the old man went with them.
No matter how long or short they walked, they suddenly saw: a flock of crows sitting in a field. The elder brother says:
“If only these crows became my sheep, I would feed all passers-by with feta cheese and lamb for free.”
The old man grinned.
“Well,” he says, “it could be.” As soon as he said this, all the crows turned into sheep...
The elder brother remained with the sheep, and the other two went further with the old man. They walked and walked and reached a fast river. The middle brother says:
“If I had a water mill here, I would feed all passers-by with white bread.” And the old man grins again:
- And it can be.
A mill grew up here on the bank of the river. The middle brother remained, and the younger one went further with the old man. They walked for a long time. Finally the old man couldn’t stand it anymore and asked the guy:
- Why don’t you ask for anything? Your brothers have already found their happiness, but you remain silent and silent.
“Grandfather, I want to get married,” Ivanciu answers. “Only I need a girl for my wife, so that she has a heart exactly like mine.” The old man thought for a moment, and then said:
“There was such a girl in the world, but she was already engaged. Tomorrow is her wedding. Come on, son, let's hurry. Maybe it will work out.
So they come to the village. There are songs all around, music playing. People are having fun. The wedding is being celebrated. Passers-by were also invited to have fun. And the old man says:
– Thank you, kind people, for your kindness. We’ll have some fun, too, with an agreement: if you give up your bride for this good fellow,” and he points to Ivancha.
The youth became terribly angry with the old man for these words. The groom completely lost his temper. They were about to drive away the passers-by, but then the old men intervened:
“Well, we’ll give our girl for your boyfriend.” But first you need to experience their happiness. You see, in the cauldrons, roosters and turkeys are boiling. Now, if the roosters fly out of the cauldron and sing songs, and the turkeys come up to the tables to peck at the crumbs, as you say.
Before they had time to close their mouths, the roosters flew out of the cauldron, began to crow, and the turkeys rushed to the tables and began to collect crumbs. Everyone's mouths were wide open in surprise. But there is nothing to do. The word is not a sparrow.
“Apparently, this really is their happiness,” everyone said.
The old man said goodbye to the young people and went his way.
How much or how little time has passed, no one knows. One day the old man decided to visit his brothers. He reached the water mill and saw that work was in full swing. Some weigh the flour, others carry sacks, others count the money. And the middle brother walks around as the owner, rubbing his hands. The old man says to him:
- Be kind, son, give me a piece of bread. I was hungry and very tired.
And the owner answers.
- There are a lot of you loafers hanging around here. You give every piece - and there will be nothing left from the mill.
The grandfather looked at him and said:
- And it can be.
And then a storm arose, rain poured from the clouds, and the water rose high in the river. The mill went under water. They only saw her.
Grandfather went further. He looks: a flock of sheep is grazing. Some shepherds milk the sheep, others make cheese, others salt the meat, and others shear the wool. And the older brother plays like a master and shouts at the shepherds. The old man came up to him and said:
- Do me a favor, son, give me a piece of cheese. I'm very tired. Hungry.
The brother got angry and shouted:
“There are a lot of you beggars hanging around here.” If I had fed everyone, I would have been left with only one stick long ago!
The old man looked at him, stroked his beard with his hand and said:
- Well, this could be too!
As soon as he said it, the sheep turned into crows and flew away.
The grandfather went to his younger brother. He walked and walked, and when he saw the house, he pretended to be sick. Ivanchu’s young wife came out, saw the old man, and invited him into the upper room.
“Come in,” he says, “grandfather, you will be a guest.”
“Your husband will scold you, young woman,” the grandfather refuses.
And just then Ivanchu enters the gate. He took the old man by the arm, led him into the upper room, and laid him on a soft bed.
- What's wrong with you, grandpa? - worries.
- I'm sick, son. Looks like I'll die. Only one thing can save me: there is such a thing in the world, good people say, a healing root. You won't get him...
“I’ll find this root, grandfather,” Ivanchu answers him.
He went out into another room. He took out a spine from the chest - the one his father gave him, he brought it to the old man.
- Here, grandfather, is the spine. Get well soon. The old man got out of bed, hugged Ivancha and said:
– You are a kind person, Ivanchu. Soulful. May you live in happiness and prosperity.
He waved his left hand - silver fell out of his sleeve, waved his right - gold flowed like a river.
- Live, good people, for glory.
He said so and disappeared.
That's the whole story. But who knows how much truth there is in it? Only since people speak, it means there is truth there.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru