There lived a mouse, and there lived a bird. Then they agreed to live together. Together we dug a hole for grain supplies. They dug up and began to take away the grains for the winter, so as not to starve and freeze in winter. They filled their pit with grain grains and agreed not to touch the supplies until winter.
“When the first snow falls, then come,” the mouse said to the bird.
The bird flew away. The mouse ran away. And soon after that the mouse began to dig another hole. I dug up and dragged all the grain supplies into it. She climbed into the hole and began to eat bread. He eats and thinks: “Now I alone will have enough bread for the whole winter, I will not tolerate shortages.”
It snowed. The bird flew to the hole. She climbed into an empty hole and saw that there was no mouse or bread. The bird cried and was offended by the mouse. She flew to the place where the Russians had bread. She pecked, flew and sat on the fence of the yard. She sat for a while and saw a mouse running. The bird remembered the theft and pecked out the mouse's eye. The mouse grinned. They argued. The mouse complained about the bird to the court. Soon they were both called to trial.
The trial took place in a clearing in the forest. Animals and birds gathered for the trial. The eldest of the birds was the eagle. The eldest of the beasts was the lion. The lion protects the mouse. The eagle protects the bird. The animals started arguing. The lion got angry and hit the eagle so that its feathers flew off. The birds got scared, scattered, and the animals ran away. There was only one eagle left in the clearing. Without feathers he could not fly away.
A man and his wife lived in a village. The wife was angry and always scolded the man. One day, having scolded her husband, she sent him off to earn a living. The man walked through the forest and came out to the clearing where the court was. He saw an eagle without feathers, loaded his gun and began to aim at it. The gun stopped short. The eagle, hearing the misfire, said:
- Don't kill me, man. I'll be useful to you. Take me home and feed me until I grow wings;
The man lowered his gun, took the eagle and carried it home. I came home and my wife cursed:
- What did you bring it for? What is the use of it? As soon as he eats our bread, he will finish it all! We don't have enough ourselves!
She cursed for a long time, or for a short time, and finally stopped. The eagle lived with them for a year. His feathers began to grow. Having lived for the second year, the eagle said to the man:
- Let me fly. If it goes well, I'll be back. The man let go. The eagle flew. And the wife swears again:
- What did you let him go for? After all, he was a good eagle! In the evening the eagle flew back. He told the man:
- Feed me for another year, then everything will be fine. Again the eagle lives with the man. He starts telling stories and soon finishes. Once he starts working, he doesn’t give up for a long time. The eagle lived for three years. In the third year he said to the man:
- Now I'm healthy. Let me go. I will fly to the clearing where you found me. And you dry some bread for the road and come to the same clearing.
The man released the eagle. After drying the crackers, the man went to the clearing. He sees an eagle sitting and waiting for him. A man came up, and the eagle said to him:
- Sit on my back, let's fly together! The man sat on the eagle. Let's fly. Whether it was a long or short flight, they landed in another clearing. The eagle says to the man:
- Go to the city. There you will find a church. People will pray in it. Pray too, and then leave the church and sit by the door. When people start to come out, one woman will come out
beautiful. This is my older sister. She will ask about me.
The man went to the city. Came to church. People are standing and praying. The man prayed and left the church. He sat down at the door and began to wait. A woman dressed in gold came out of the church. She's beautiful herself. The woman began to ask people:
-Have you heard about my brother? It's been three years since he left home.
People are all silent. And the woman asks again. When I asked for the third time, the man said:
- I saw him, he lives with me.
- Bring him, I'll pay you. What are you asking for him?
“Give me that box that’s on your window,” said the man. That's what the eagle taught him.
The woman took pity on the box and refused to give it back. The man returned to the eagle in the clearing and told him everything. The eagle again placed the man on its back, and they flew on. At night we went down to the clearing. And in the morning the eagle sent the man to church:
- When you have prayed, leave the church and wait. Again a woman will come out and ask about me: “Has anyone died, are they singing in songs, are they telling stories about an eagle?”
The man went to church. I prayed and left. People began to come out. A beautiful woman came out and started asking about the eagle. When she asked the third time, the man said:
- He sang in songs and told stories in fairy tales. If you want, I'll bring him now.
-What are you asking for this?
- Give me that box that is on your window.
“I haven’t seen my brother for three years, but I won’t give up that box.” The man returned to the eagle and told about everything as it happened. The eagle again placed the man on its back, and they flew on.
They flew for a long time or a short time, and finally landed in a clearing. We spent the night, and early in the morning the man went to pray. After praying, he left the church and began to wait. A beautiful woman came out and started asking about the eagle. When she asked three times, the man said:
- I saw your brother. Do you want me to bring him now?
- What are you asking for it?
- Give me the box that is on your window.
- Well, take it, just bring your brother.
The man returned to the eagle and said that she agreed to give it back. He sat down again on the eagle's back, and flew on. The man sees a lot of houses below. The eagle has descended. And as soon as he sat down on the ground, he was gone.
The man sees that he is standing near the house. He opened the door and entered. The owners are waiting for him. We're glad to see him. They washed him, gave him new clothes, and sat him down to eat. Here is a man eating, drinking, getting drunk and thinking:
"How long have I been here?" And at this time another man in beautiful clothes comes out of the door and says:
- How many days did you stay here?
“Three days,” the man answers. He laughed and said:
- Do you recognize me? After all, I am an eagle. And you stayed with me for exactly three years. Tell me, do you want to go home?
“I want to,” the man answers.
Then the eagle brought him that box and... asked:
- Well, what is the box like?
“What do I need it for?” says the man.
- You're stupid! After all, this box is very expensive. Let's go outside.
They went outside. The eagle opened the box, and instead of the box there was a hut. They entered the hut. The eagle pressed one piece of iron and two girls came out. They began to ask:
- What do you want?
“Bring food,” said the eagle.
The girls brought a table and put all kinds of food on it. When the men had eaten, the girls cleaned everything up. Then the eagle again pressed on another piece of iron. Two girls came in and asked:
-What do you want?
- Make us a good bed.
The girls brought a good bed and feather beds. The men went to bed. And when they got up, the girls cleaned everything up. Then the eagle asked the man:
- Well, what is the box like?
“Very good,” the man answers. - Well, put the hut back in the box! - says the eagle - I showed you how to fold it.
The man folded the box and went home. He walked all day, and in the evening he opened the box, ate and went to bed. In the morning he got up, put the hut in a box and moved on. At noon the man again wanted to drink tea. He opened the box, ate and drank. I went outside and forgot how to put the hut in a box. He became sad and sat down near the door. An old man came up to him and said:
-What are you thinking about, man?
“Yes, I forgot how to put the hut in a box,” the man answers.
- What will you give me if I fold it?
-What are you asking?
-You give me what your wife did without you.
The man thought: “What will the woman do without me?” and agreed to give it away. The old man put the hut in a box and went home.
Having reached the house, the man saw the child. Born without it. Already grown big. Then the man understood what that old man was asking for. He opened the box and went in with his wife. “The boy also came in. We ate, drank, spent the night. The man began to talk about how he walked, and then said:
- He gave his son to the old man.
The wife didn't say anything. In the morning we got up, drank tea, and then soon the man saw some red dog. The man realized that she had come for her son. He began to send the boy. The son went after the dog. The boy followed the dog all night, and in the morning the dog was gone. When it became completely light, the guy saw a lake, and three swans were swimming in the middle: two together,
and the third is to the side. On the shore the guy saw clothes, two together, and the third to the side. The guy took and hid the one that was to the side.
The swans came out of the water. Two got dressed, and the third began to look for her clothes, began to cry and began to ask:
-Who took my clothes? Give it back! After all, I’ll be useful too. The guy gave the clothes, and the swan, having dressed, said:
- When you come to us, you will see one hut at a distance, go into it.
The guy sat on the shore all day. And in the morning a red dog came and led him further. He followed the dog all night. In the morning, when it began to get light, the dog was gone again. Houses were already visible ahead. The guy began to approach and saw that there was one house to the side that the swan was talking about. The guy entered exactly this house. When I entered, I saw a girl. She gave him tea and then sent him to her grandfather. While walking, the boy saw standing spears. Eleven. Human heads hung on the spears, and the twelfth was empty. The guy thought: “This is the twelfth left for me.” He entered the house and saw an old man. He asked the guy:
-Where have you been for so long?
The old man gave the guy a job. In one night he ordered the house to be built. The guy thought about it and went back to the girl. Sat down saddened.
- I can’t build a hut in one night! The girl began to console the guy:
- Don’t be sad, I’ll help. Better go to bed, and in the morning the house will be ready.
The guy believed the girl and went to bed. And in the morning he got up and went to tell the old man that the house was ready. The old man was surprised and said:
- Well done!
Gave the guy another job:
“I have a horse that hasn’t seen people for seven years.” Tame her, make her calm.
The guy thought: “I know horses, I won’t be afraid.” He returned to the girl and told her about his new job. And the girl answered him:
- This is very hard work. After all, it is not the horse, but the old man himself who will turn into a horse. He will try to kill you. But don't be afraid, I will help you. Go to the forest and bring some tree bark.
The guy went into the forest, brought some bark, and the girl made a saddle and a whip out of it. The guy took the saddle and whip and went. When he began to enter the yard, the horse tried to kick him. But the guy hit the horse with a whip so that he fell from the blow. Then the guy sat on the horse, which was trying to get up, and immediately stopped feeling whether he was running or flying. The guy began to hit the horse right in the ear. The horse began to run more quietly. The guy hits my ear all the time. Finally, when the horse had already fallen to the ground, the guy stopped whipping. He came to the girl and said:
- Well, I trained the horse. Became humble. The guy spent the night and went to the old man in the morning to hand in his work. And he’s lying on the stove.
“I did the job,” says the guy.
- Well done not you for this, but my granddaughter. She's the one helping you. Then perhaps you should marry her. Come to the bathhouse in the morning.
The guy was happy, went and told the girl.
- Forces him to marry you!
- Well, you and I are lost. After all, he wants to burn us in the bathhouse.
In the morning we got up and went to the bathhouse. When they entered, the bathhouse was doused with kerosene and lit. The bathhouse is burning, and it’s getting hot inside. Then the girl, falling to the floor, turned into a needle, and turned the guy into a thread. They climbed out of the door hole and ran away. When they ran out, the girl became a girl, and the guy became a guy. They ran to his parents. They ran for a long time. The girl fell to the ground and began to listen for the pursuit. He hears that they are catching up. When the bathhouse stopped burning, the old man entered the bathhouse and realized that the girl had run away. He sent a chase after him.
When the chase began to approach, the girl turned into a church, and the guy turned into an elder. Three men with horses and guns came to the ringing of the bells. They began to ask the grandfather-elder:
“Have you seen two people here, grandfather, a woman and a man?”
“I saw,” says the old man, “they passed here when this church was just being built.” If your owner doesn’t believe it, then take and show him this moss that has managed to grow on this church.
The men took the moss and returned to their owner. When the chase was no longer visible, the girl became a girl again, the guy became a guy. Let's run further.
And the old man’s servants, returning to their master, showed him the moss. The old man said:
- Why didn’t they catch them? After all, it was they themselves? Quickly run after him.
People ran. They began to approach the place where the church and the watchman were watching, but there was nothing there.
Here is a guy and a girl running, in a hurry. The girl fell to the ground to listen for a chase. He hears that they are catching up again. She became a flock of sheep, and turned the guy into a shepherd and ordered him to guard it. When the chase approached and asked about those two, the shepherd replied:
“I saw them, but they fled a long time ago.” I only had one sheep then, but now I have a whole flock, more than a hundred. Still don't catch up, go back. And if the owner does not believe it, then take the wool from my sheep and show it to him.
The men believed and returned. And when they were no longer visible, the girl turned into a girl, and the guy became a guy. Let's run further.
The old man's servants returned, told everything how it had happened, and showed the owner the wool from the sheep. The old man swore and said:
“You are fools, you don’t understand that it was them.” Now I’ll go catch up with them myself.
Here is a girl and a guy running, in a hurry. The girl fell to the ground and began to listen to see if the chase was running. He hears that the grandfather himself is running.
- Well, you and I are lost, he’s running away on his own. Let's do this: you become the lake, and I will become the perch.
And so they did. The guy became a lake, and the girl became a perch. And the old man reached the lake, stopped and said:
- Here you are! Now I'll catch you. The grandfather took off his clothes and became a pike. The pike started to catch up with the perch and wants to swallow it, but the perch has needles, and everything turns its tail towards the pike. Tired, the pike says to the perch:
- Turn sideways!
- No, pike, you are cunning! Here, catch it from the tail! Then the grandfather came ashore and became a man. And the perch suddenly turned into a gray duck. Grandfather began to say:
- Just as there was a lake, so remain a lake, and as you were a gray duck, so remain a duck.
And the gray duck also began to say:
- Just as you were a stone on the shore of the lake, so remain a stone.
The lake began to become a real lake, the duck began to become a real duck, and the stone began to become a stone. Then the grandfather, so as not to be a stone, began to say again:
- Just as you were a woman, so be a woman, a guy was a guy, so let him remain one, and just as I was a man, so I will be a man. There is nothing to do, you go your way, and I will go mine.
Then the grandfather became a grandfather, the man became a man, and the woman became a woman. Again the guy and the girl ran to his parents. When they began to approach, the girl did not want to enter and said:
- You go into the house alone. Say hello to everyone. Your brother has a small child. Just don’t pick him up or kiss him, otherwise you’ll forget me.
The man agreed. Entered the house. Everyone began to greet him. His mother became a grandmother and grew old. They brought a small child and began to give him a kiss. That guy doesn't kiss. The grandmother again began to give him the child. Suddenly the guy kissed the child and forgot about his wife. The father began to say:
- Son, get married. Your brother has already gotten married, already has a child, and you are older than him, perhaps you should get married too.
The guy agreed. No matter how long or how short he stayed at home, his parents found him a wife and got him married. And his wife, whom he had forgotten, began to live with a strange woman.
So the guy’s parents ordered her to make bread. She cooked it up and took it to her. They placed bread in front of the bride and groom. The man began to cut bread, and two birds flew out of it. The man and woman were scared. The man began to cut again, and again the birds flew out. The man gave the bread to his mother and said:
- Throw it to the dogs.
They threw the bread to the dogs. At this time, some woman came, in bad clothes, dirty, and began to say:
- Let me show you my birds!
That guy allowed it. So she put down the board. She put some bread on the board, then she made a perch, put it into the lake, then she made a pike, then a gray duck. And her birds walk around the lake and peck at the bread. One bird will peck at the bread and say: “I forgot, I forgot,” then another will do the same. And the man began to remember how he walked with that woman, how she saved him from the evil sorcerer. When he remembered everything as it was, he took this woman in bad clothes and said to everyone:
- So she will be my wife! She saved me from death!
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru