Once upon a time there lived an old woman. And all she had was one paw. The old lady went around the world. She walked and walked and saw a house. She went into the hut and said: “Can’t I spend the night with you?” “It’s possible,” said the owners. - I have a little shoe, where should I put it? - Put it with the bast shoes under the bench. “I don’t want it with bast shoes,” said the old lady, “I’ll confuse them.” I'll put it with the chickens. And she threw the shoe to the chickens. In the morning she began to get ready for the journey and said: “I had a chicken.” The hostess was surprised: “It wasn’t a chicken you had, but a little shoe!” The old woman argued: “It was a chicken, a chicken!” And she took the chicken. I went further. She walked and walked and looked - there was a house by the road. —Will you let me spend the night? They let her in. — I have a chicken, where can I put it? - Place it with the chickens. “I won’t put it with the chickens—it might get mixed up.” I'll put her with the calves. And she let the hen go to the calves. In the morning she began to get ready and asked: “Where is my little calf?” And the hostess responded: “Not a calf, but a chicken!” “It was a little calf, a little calf,” argues the old woman. And she took the calf. She walked and walked - there was a house on the way. - Let me in for the night. - Stay. - I have a calf. Where should I put it? - Put it with the calves. - He'll get mixed up with the calves. I'll put it with the cows. I placed the calf with the cows. In the morning I started getting ready: “Where is my little cow?” “You didn’t have a cow, but a calf,” said the hostess. - What calf? Not a calf, but a cow. And she took the cow. Again he walks, walks, sees a house. He asks: “Let me spend the night.” - Spend the night. - I have a cow. Where should I put it? - Bet with the cows. - No, it’s better with horses, otherwise it will get confused. And she put it in the stable. In the morning I woke up and asked: “Where is my horse?” And the owner says: “It wasn’t a horse, but a cow.” The old lady said: “It was a horse, a horse!” And she took the horse. And she also said: “There was a harness somewhere... And she took the harness.” Harnessed the horse and rode off. A mouse comes towards me: - Give me a lift, auntie! - Sit down. Let's go together. They drive and drive, and a hare meets them: “Auntie, give me a lift!” - Sit down. — Let's go, the three of us. They drive and drive and meet a fox. - Give me a lift, aunty! - Sit down. The four of us went. They drive and drive, and a wolf meets them: “Can you give me a ride, auntie?” “I’d like to give you a lift, but there are too many of you.” Well, okay, sit down. Five of us went. They drive and drive and meet a bear. - Give me a ride, aunty! “The horse can barely pull us.” The mouse says: “Take the bear, and I’ll get off.” “What’s the point: you’re light, but the bear is heavy,” the old woman answers. The bear keeps asking: - Take me. I will push off with one foot. The old lady took the bear. We drove and drove - the shaft broke. The old woman sent the hare for the shafts. He brought a thin twig - it’s not good. The fox has gone. I brought a thin twig - it’s not good. The wolf has gone. He brought a very long tree - it also doesn’t fit. - Go now, bear. The bear brought a thick, knotty log - and it was no good. “You’ll have to go yourself,” said the old woman. “And you guard the horse.” While the old woman was looking for the shaft, the animals ate the horse and left one skin. They pulled the skin onto the poles. An old woman came, changed the shaft, and harnessed the horse. I began to urge, but the horse wouldn’t go. She hit the horse and the horse fell. “My little shoe is gone, I have nothing left,” said the old woman and began to cry.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru