There lived a gypsy, a short man with curly hair like astrakhan fur. He walked importantly, sticking his chest out. That’s why he put on airs because he was a famous merchant throughout the area. There were many other merchants, but this one was held in the highest esteem. He kept six horses in the stable - three harnesses, and had a carriage with mirrors. He was a rich man. He had twelve thousand in cash capital alone. But he was not only involved in the merchant business. There were rumors that he made counterfeit money, but just go prove it.
And this gypsy merchant had a son. Handsome! All the surrounding girls were crazy about him.
And there was another merchant in these parts - not a gypsy. He was also a nice man. One word - thousander. He had his own shop, sold flour, bread, textiles, brought whips for gypsies, collars and other equipment for horses. And this merchant had an only daughter. She was ugly. Only one advantage is that she is a merchant’s daughter. She fell in love with the son of a gypsy merchant, and fell in love so much that she agreed to everything, and he, without hesitation, said to her:
“Tell you what, dear, father won’t agree for you to marry me anyway, so we have to run away.” My father gave me a house nearby, so I’ll hide you there. Take a faster horse from your father, and we will leave at night so that no one can see us.
She agreed. And this rich merchant had a thoroughbred trotter. There was no price for him. No one could beat him at the races. And on this famous merchant's trotter the gypsy took away his beloved. He brought her to his house.
“Listen, dear, where are we going to go with the famous trotter during the day, because you can’t tie him up in the yard - they’ll recognize him right away, and they’ll find you by using him.” We'll have to keep the trotter in the house.
And so they did. They placed the horse in the living room under a crystal chandelier.
In short, I tell you, the merchant missed his daughter, but he couldn’t find her. And then there’s a new problem: the trotter was stolen. Noise arose throughout the area. They started looking. They search but cannot find. However, no matter how much you hide, you still need to open up. You won't be locked up all your life, will you?
The rich merchant became angry, thundering and lightning:
- I will bring the gypsy son to justice. I'll send him to hard labor!..
And at this time, a gypsy merchant enters the shop of a rich merchant. The rich merchant attacked the gypsy merchant and shouted:
- Hold your dog son, don’t let him disgrace my daughter in front of people! And he answers him:
- No, you’d better tell your daughter not to spoil my son.
- How is this so?
- And like this.
And the people gathered around, listening. And the gypsy merchant continues:
“I don’t like the fact that my son is walking with your daughter.” Well, let him take a walk for now.
- Oh, you are such a dog!
- I hear it from the dog.
“Your son is a thief, he stole my best trotter.”
- Eh, you’re lying, we don’t need your horses, we have enough of our own. It was your daughter who was in such a hurry to see my son that she grabbed the trotter, but apparently forgot to put it back.
And then (what sin brought him here?) Father Petry comes into the shop. He was a dean, this priest. Owner of twelve churches. Father Petry says:
- You express yourself poorly. Don't blaspheme.
The rich merchant became furious, and the priest turned up under his hot hand.
- Father Petry, please leave!
The priest's eyes widened.
– Don’t interfere, it’s none of your business! – picked up the gypsy. - Let us talk.
Then Father Petry says to the rich merchant:
“And you want to argue with a gypsy?”
- Oh, I’m a gypsy! - the gypsy merchant cried, grabbed a whip from the shelf and let’s woo the priest.
And the rich merchant shouts:
- Hey, stop, prison - twelve years.
- For what?
- For the priest.
“They won’t give anything for such a dog, and he won’t say anything, because he lives on my money.”
- What money do you have, gypsy? If you had a shop, that would be a different matter.
- Yes, you never dreamed of the kind of money that I have.
- To me? Look. So I’ll take a thousand rubles and burn them before your eyes. If you have more, burn it, I’ll give you back the difference.
- Oh so? - the gypsy cried. - OK. You burned a thousand rubles, and I’ll burn ten thousand...
The gypsy takes out a wallet from his pocket, takes out a wad of counterfeit money, waves it and shouts:
- Look, good people, everything is without deception, exactly ten thousand. As I said, so I do. Oh, burn my money!
The gypsies burned counterfeit money, and then shouted:
- You are not a merchant. I am a merchant, and you are fit to be my worker.
The gypsy merchant whipped the rich merchant with a wallet full of money and said:
“I don’t need such a matchmaker for nothing.” You pay me extra, I won’t join you as a relative. And take your daughter, why do we need her?
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru