One evening, Hebo sat at the entrance to the hut and dreamed about the future. She saw herself as the wife of a beautiful, stately and rich man, imagined how she lived in luxury, had many slaves who completely relieved her of all work. It seemed to her that happiness and well-being depended on her extraordinary beauty.
After all, many important gentlemen already wanted to marry her. But no one managed to win her heart. And what rich gifts were presented to her! But she indifferently drove away all the men. “Is the beautiful Hebo really so insensitive?” - people asked in surprise. No, just not all locks are opened with the same key.
So, that evening Hebo was sitting near the hut and consoled herself with ordinary dreams, when suddenly a stranger stopped in front of her. It was immediately clear that this man came from distant lands and knew nothing about the pride and swagger of the beautiful Hebo. Just think! He dared to ask her, to ask the beautiful Hebo, to give him a coal so that he could light a cigarette! You see, his pipe has gone out!
Hebo looked him up and down contemptuously, immediately realized that he was poor, and grinned mockingly:
-Are you crazy? Do you really think that I will rise to bring you a piece of coal?
- Ay-ay-ay! Is it really so difficult to get up and serve coal to a traveler? - the man was surprised.
- Look what I found! There's nothing to talk about here. I won’t rise even for your masters, not just for you. You stink like a wild cat! Go away, dog!
And the stranger left without saying a word.
But he was so offended that he was overcome by the desire to punish the proud woman. And he went to look for the sorcerer. He will come up with a means to humiliate the cruel beauty.
“I want this woman to be mine.” But she shouldn't know it's me. “Come up with something,” the man turned to the sorcerer.
And the sorcerer answered:
“I will turn you into a bird, into a huge, strong bird, and in your claws you will carry the girl wherever you want.”
And immediately the traveler turned into a huge bird. Spreading her wings wide, she soared high into the sky. Smoothly swaying between the clouds, she flew to the village where Hebo lived.
“Here I am flying,” she said. “I’m getting closer... I’m flying to take revenge...
People saw a huge bird flying, heard some incomprehensible words coming from the sky, and hid in fear. What does the appearance of such an extraordinary bird mean? What event does it foreshadow? Where is she going?
And the bird kept flying and flying forward, repeating threateningly:
- Here I am flying. Now I’m approaching... I’m flying to take revenge... It was already night when the bird flew to the village where
lived Hebo. Having landed on a tall tree next to the girl’s hut, the bird sang, breaking the deep silence of the night:
Here I am, beautiful Hebo,
So I came to take you.
Get up quickly, let's fly further together.
The beauty woke up, trembling with fear. Who is singing this? Bird? Is she calling her? Maybe she imagined it? No, no, she heard right.
Here I am, beautiful Hebo,
So I came for you.
Get up quickly, let's fly further, together,
the bird began to sing again.
The beauty closed her eyes in horror. I should have shouted, called for help, but fear was so paralyzing that I couldn’t move or open my mouth. And outside, from somewhere above, from the darkness, a voice was heard:
Can't you hear me?
Hurry up, otherwise I will destroy you!
And Hebo rose, and then, like a rabbit, enchanted by the gaze of a snake, goes towards death, so she headed into the darkness of the night. But suddenly the girl rushed back into the room where her parents were sleeping, and, crying loudly, screamed:
- My father, my mother, wake up, the bird wants to carry me away! But the parents heard nothing. They slept, slept deeply
sleep.
And again, but more menacingly, the bird sang:
Can't you hear me?
Hurry up, otherwise I will destroy you!
In desperation, Hebo rushed to the room where the brothers were sleeping. Maybe they'll protect her:
- My brothers, my brothers, wake up! The bird wants to kill me!
But the brothers heard nothing. They were also sleeping, sleeping deeply. And the bird’s sharp claws were already scratching the roof and stirring up the straw. Unhappy Hebo began to shout loudly:
- My neighbors! My neighbors! Come save me! The bird wants to carry me away!
But the neighbors didn’t hear her either. Just like Hebo's parents, just like her brothers, they slept, slept deeply.
Russling its feathers, the bird sat on the roof of the hut and threw off the last straws with its claws. And so she stuck a huge paw with sharp claws into the hut, grabbed the girl and flew away with her.
In the morning people woke up and horror gripped them. The roof is torn off, Hebo has disappeared. What's happened?
And only one wise old woman, who heard a terrible night song in her sleep, realized what had happened.
“She was kidnapped by a sorcerer as punishment for her pride,” she said.
It was already dawn when the bird flew to distant lands and landed on the ground in an unfamiliar village. And immediately she turned into a man, and the frightened Hebo recognized him as the traveler whom she had driven away with such contempt.
- Do you recognize me? - he laughed ominously.
- Ayue! Just don't kill me! Sorry!
“Now you are trembling, trembling in front of me, which stinks like a wild cat.” Don't be afraid, I won't kill you. Wild cats only kill chickens, they don't kill women...
- Forgive me, sir. Sorry!
- Hm, look at her, how quiet she has become! So, know this: from now on you will sleep with me, only with me! - And he poked himself in the chest with a finger. - With me, who stinks like a wild cat! Do you hear? And this is as punishment for your pride!
Years passed, and the bird-man, who had already become the father of three children, went with his wife and offspring to visit the Hebo family. His relatives forgave him for his past cruelty and received him, as they should receive guests, very cordially.
And Hebo, as punishment for her arrogance, was now condemned to eternal obedience.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru