A man was digging a cellar and found a piece of gold. He cleared it of sand and thought: “What should I do with it? If you take it to the master, the master will take it away and won’t give anything for it. Take it to the shaver, and he will deceive you:
will say that this is not gold. If you keep it at home, thieves might steal it... No, I’d better take it to the king himself. Whatever he gives, I’ll take.”
The man put on a new scroll, put on new sandals and took the gold to the king.
He walked for maybe a week, maybe two.
Finally comes to the royal capital. He approached the royal palace.
-Where are you going, uncle? - the sentry soldier asks him.
- To the king, servant.
- For what?
- Yes, I’m bringing him a piece of gold. The soldier let the man through the gate. The man approached the royal chambers. And there the Tsar’s general himself stood guard.
-Where are you going, man? - the general shouted menacingly.
“To the king,” says the man.
- For what?
- Yes, I was digging a cellar in the garden and dug up a piece of gold. So I’m bringing it to the king - maybe he’ll give something for it.
“Show me,” says the general, “the gold.” The man showed him the gold. The general looked, twirled his mustache and said:
“If you give me half of what the king will give you for gold, then I’ll let you in, but if not, go back.”
- Okay, punk, I'll give it to you! - the man agrees. The general reported to the king. The king came out, took the gold and asked the man:
- What should I give you, little man, for him?
- Nothing, little prince. If you have something to treat me, then do me a favor, otherwise I’m from a long journey and really want to eat.
The king ordered, and the servants brought the man a loaf of white bread and a bottle of wine.
The man looked at this treat and said:
- Little prince! My grandfather and great-grandfather did not eat such bread, did not drink such wine, and I am not used to it. Don't you have soldiers' bread and simple vodka?
They brought the man black soldier's bread and plain vodka.
The man ate, drank a little and thanks the king.
- Well, what else do you want, man?
- Nothing, little prince. Now let me dance in your chambers.
- Hey, music! - the king shouted. Regimental music appeared.
“No,” says the man, “I can’t dance to that kind of music.”
- Which one can you play?
- To the tune.
We found a dudar with a pipe. The dudar began to play, and as the man began to dance, the royal chambers began to shake. He danced to his heart's content, knocked all his sandals off, and then said:
- Enough!
Dudar stopped playing.
“And now, little prince,” says the man, “I have one last request.”
- Which?
- Yes, I made a noise for you here, I got you dirty with my bast shoes, so give me a hundred rods for him.
- Why do you need rods? - says the king. - You brought me gold!
- No, little princess, give me the rod, I won’t leave you like that.
Well, there's nothing to do. The king called the executioners with rods. They put the man on the bench. The executioners soaked the rod in salt water and prepared to beat him.
And the man suddenly shouts:
- Wait, little prince! I have a partner.
- Which partner?
- Yes, when I was coming to you, only your general did not let me in. “If you give me,” he says, “half of what the king will give you for gold, then I’ll let it go.” I promised to give him half. So give him his half first - after all, he is no match for me, I must give him my turn.
They brought the general. When he saw the rod, he trembled all over, began to say something, but his tongue did not obey. And the man says:
- Don’t be afraid, punk general, I won’t offend you:
I'll give you your share in full. Give him fifty and then give me the rest.
They stripped the general, put him on a bench and began to flog him with rods.
When they counted exactly fifty, the man said:
- Little prince! He serves you well, so give him my half too. I don't feel sorry...
They gave the general fifty more rods. And the man grabs his hat and heads out the door.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru