One day, Mind and Luck started a dispute: which of them is stronger? The mind says:
- I am!
And Luck answers!
- No, I!
They argued and argued and finally decided to actually try their strength. For this they chose a man named Mard-ipa,
“Leave him to me, and just look from the outside - you will see with your own eyes that I can do everything for him,” said Luck,
“We’ll see,” answered Um. - Let it be your way.
And the Mind left Mard-ip, only Luck remained with him.
He immediately became stupid, could not connect two sensible words: he soon lost all his wealth and reached the point where he could not take on any business. With difficulty, he managed to get a job as a shepherd; the tan considered him a worthless person.
But then Luck began its work, pulled out a large diamond from under the ground in the forest and pointed Mard-ip at it. The diamond illuminated the entire forest. The shepherd decided to take it to the parking lot so that it would become light there. He brought it, threw it on the ground, and the parking lot became as light at night as during the day.
Then Mard-ipa walked around the diamond from all sides, examined it, but could not understand what else this stone would be useful to him for. Not knowing what to do with it, he took it to a large dark barn, where he drove the cattle at night. And it became light in the barn at night.
And the king of this country had a servant, an excellent brave man. For some offense the king became very angry with him. The servant realized that a cruel punishment awaited him, ran away from the palace and became an abrek.
An abrek came across Mard-ip's camp and said to him:
- I ran away from being chased. Take me as your assistant,
“Okay,” he replied. “You’ll save me from boredom, and the cattle will be easier to graze.”
Two or three days passed. An abrek looked into the barn, saw a precious stone there and asked:
-What is this?
“So, some kind of stone,” the shepherd tells him. – I recently found it. I see: it’s all glowing, well, I brought it; It is better to clean a barn in the light than in the dark.
Abrek immediately realized what kind of stone it was and said Mard-ipa!
- You know what... I will make sure that this stone will feed you all your life, and you will become rich. Let's go wherever I take you. We'll just take the stone with us.
The shepherd agreed. The abrek led him to his country, but the abrek himself, as a fugitive, was immediately caught and brought to the king. Meanwhile, Pae-tuh fled to his home. The angry king cried out when he saw the servant:
“Did you think it was so easy to hide from me?” Do you know what awaits you now?
Abrek replied:
“I don’t know what awaits me, but great joy awaits you.” I found great value in one place and decided to myself: “I’ll go to the king, show him, and he will have mercy on me.” This is a huge diamond. I think that’s the only thing your treasury is missing!
- How much does this diamond weigh? – asked the king, immediately softening.
- A whole pood! – the abrek answered. The amazed king asked:
- How can I get it?
“If you spare me the punishment, I’ll tell you how you can get it.”
- I'll spare you! - said the king and ordered to free the abrek from his shackles. Then he asks again:
- How will we take that diamond from its owner?
“You have to become related to this man,” answered the abrek, “otherwise he won’t give him up for any money.”
And the king had a beautiful daughter.
– If I offer him to marry my daughter, will he agree? - asked the king.
- I’ll force you to marry! – the abrek answered.
They agreed that when the abrek brought the owner of the diamond, the king would seat his daughter opposite him. After thinking, the abrek added:
– This man is from a foreign country. They wear different clothes there. If he comes in his clothes, I'm afraid your daughter won't like it. Give me a good dress, I’ll dress this person our way and then I’ll bring him to you.
The king gave him clothes. Arriving at the shepherd, the abrek took off his old rags, dressed him in a new dress, and, taking the diamond with them, they went to the king.
As soon as they entered the royal palace, the entire courtyard lit up.
The king called the people, threw a feast and gave his daughter in marriage to Mard-ip. But he was devoid of reason, he couldn’t really figure anything out. Therefore, before he went to his bride, the abrek taught him how to behave.
Mard-ip was led to a high tower near a steep cliff, to the chambers of the king's daughter. He went to bed, but at midnight he began tossing and turning from side to side.
- What's wrong with you? - asked the wife. “You just can’t calm down.”
Mard-ipa replied:
“When I was tending a herd in the forest, I slept right on the ground, spreading a cloak under me, and I was cool. And here it pesters you, tara, you drown in the feather bed. No, I can't sleep here!
He got out of bed and stood by the window. The king's daughter became angry.
“Are you delusional, or are you telling me a dream?” Come to your senses! - she told him.
And Mard-ipa, instead of sitting down and talking with the beauty, grabbed the windowsill, deciding to jump out of the window...
Then Luck, seeing that she couldn’t help, screamed in fear:
- Um, Um! Where are you? Let's save this madman!
“Okay, since you turned out to be powerless, I’ll take it on,” said Um.
And Um returned to Mard-ipa. He immediately came to his senses, walked away from the window and, smiling, looked at the beauty.
“Two stars were supposed to meet that night. I looked out the window to look at them. I saw these stars align. “Darling, we will be the same friends,” he said.
And the lifelong friend bestowed upon him by Luck smiled joyfully.
So the Mind won in this dispute.
No wonder they say: luck is blind, but the mind is sighted.
The eyes of fortune are the mind.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru