Once upon a time there lived an old hunter. One day, returning home, he saw a jackal standing on the bank of a river and looking for something. The old man began to watch him.
Suddenly the jackal rushed to the reeds and jumped out, holding a baby in his mouth. The hunter killed the jackal with a well-aimed shot, and wrapped the little one in a hood and brought it home.
The hunter's wife was very happy about the child, since she had no children. She carefully took up raising her adopted son. The boy grew up and became a smart, efficient young man. His name was Kypa.
Kypa worked diligently all day long, taking care of the elderly. He helped them in everything and tried to do everything himself. He had only one drawback. He never laughed or even smiled. This made my mother and father very sad.
One day at dinner the old men quarreled among themselves. The wife’s words outraged the owner so much that he threw the hominy in the owner’s face. The old woman managed to dodge, and the hominy only touched her shoulder. Then Kypa clapped his hands and laughed so hard that he fell to the floor. The old people, delighted at the sudden change in their son’s character, pestered him:
- Son, tell me why you laughed?
But Kyna refused to answer the question. The old men were filled with curiosity. Every day they asked their son about the reason for his laughter. Kypa gave in to their requests:
– Do you want to know why I laughed? Yes, because you made me laugh by starting a fight. But know that I could only live with you until I laughed. Now I must return home. My parents live at the bottom of a river, from the bank of which a jackal dragged me. That day, my mother, taking me with her, went ashore to wash clothes. Having finished her work, she forgot about me and left. That's when the jackal grabbed me. But just then you arrived, my father. You took care of me and raised me, but despite all this, I must now return home. Come with me, I will show you how my parents live.
There was nothing to do. We prepared everything we needed and hit the road. Soon the travelers approached the river bank. Kypa put his teacher on his back and carried him to the middle of the riverbed, where a large stone protruded from the water. From here the satellites descended along the ledges to the bottom.
“Soon we will come to my relatives,” said Kypa, “they will be very happy to see us and will throw a feast in honor of our arrival.” At parting, they will give you cattle and all sorts of goods as gifts. But you give up everything. If they beg you to accept the gift, tell them this: “I didn’t want to take anything from you, but if you insist, then give me a folding knife.”
As soon as the travelers arrived at Kypa’s house and his relatives learned that their son, who was considered dead, had returned to them, and not alone, but with a savior, they were so happy that they immediately called their friends and acquaintances and arranged a big feast.
After the feast, thanking the hosts, the old man got ready to leave. The owners began to offer him gifts and, despite the refusal, continued to insist on their own. Then the guest said:
“I wouldn’t like to take anything, but since you insist so much, then give me a folding knife.”
The owners really didn’t like this request, but there was nothing to do - they gave the guest a folding knife.
Seeing off his teacher on the way back, Kypa took the non?, opened it and said:
- Look this way!
And suddenly, by the road, there was a laid table, on which were displayed such dishes as a person could wish for.
The amazed old man was unable to take his eyes off the wonderful table. But when Kypa closed the knife, the table disappeared at that very moment. Kypa put the knife in the teacher’s pocket and said:
- Take care of him. Owning it, you will always be full!
They climbed onto a large stone protruding from the water in the middle of the river. Kypa carried the teacher to the shore. They kissed goodbye for a long time and went their separate ways. Kypa returned to his parents, and the old man hurried to his old woman.
The old man and the old woman lived comfortably and, sitting down at the magic table, they always remembered their pupil with gratitude.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru