One day the peasant Halvor bought a foal at a fair and brought it to his stable. He raised him, cared for him, and nursed him like his own son, and from the foal he grew into such a horse that it was a delight to look at. The rumor about the handsome horse spread far and wide. Rumors reached the landowner, and he decided to take this horse away from Halvor by hook or by crook.
So one day he sends a messenger to Halvor and orders him to immediately appear on horseback at the estate. The landowner, they say, heard about the handsome horse and wants to take a look at him. Halvor realized what kind of business the landowner had started, but didn’t show it; got on horseback and galloped to the master's courtyard.
And the landowner had a huge feast on that very day - he called nobles and landowners from all over the area to his house. The guests saw Halvor riding up to the porch on horseback, and they rushed to the windows to admire the strange horse. They see, indeed, not a horse, but a sight for sore eyes! Everyone here began to unanimously repeat to the landowner that he must certainly buy this horse from Halvor. Where, they say, does a grimy man need such a horse! Only a nobleman should ride it. The landowner invites Halvor to his chambers, seats him at the table among the most distinguished guests and diligently treats him to wine. And when Halvor drank more than one cup of wine, the landowner asks him:
-Will you sell me your horse?
“No, sir,” answers Halvor. -I have never had such a beautiful horse. There is enough feed in the stable, and there is no need for me to sell the horse.
The landowner did not say anything to this, he only began to pour wine into the peasant even more diligently. And although Halvor drinks to his heart’s content, he doesn’t lose his mind. A little later the landowner starts talking about the same thing again.
“No, sir,” answers Halvor. “You know what people say: “You can’t buy a horse with money, but with luck you can get it.” I won’t sell you the horse, but we’ll bet on it if you want. Whoever invents the best fable will own a horse, and three hundred dalers in addition.
“I agree!” says the landowner. “So the agreement is this: whoever is caught in a lie wins.” Well, you start.
“Er, no, your honor,” replies Halvor. “It has long been the custom that we, people of ordinary rank, always give way to your noble class.” So let's get started.
- Okay, listen! My late father had a bull, and it was so huge that if a bird sat on one of its horns in the morning and then decided to fly to the other, it would not reach it before the evening.
“Well, that happens,” says Halvor. “I just wish I could see in that barn what could hold such a bull.”
“Now tell me your tale,” the landowner orders.
“I once planted flax, and it grew right up to the sky, so that the top was not visible.” I took the ladder, put it against the flax and climbed up. I climbed and climbed and reached the next world. And believe it or not, but in the other world everything is not the same as on earth. The peasants there live in wealth and honor, and your entire noble class is in their service. I saw your father there too. He plows the land, and follows the horses, and removes manure!..
“You’re lying, you lazy bastard!” the landowner shouted in anger. “My father will never bother himself with work!”
“And if I’m lying, then the horse is mine and the three hundred dalers are mine.” Do you remember the agreement? The one who is caught in a lie wins.
Halvor poured all the money he had won into his hat, went out into the yard, jumped on his good horse and galloped home.
And the landowner and all his noble guests look after him from the windows and scold Halvor with all their might.
- Look, shameless man! What a fable he invented about the nobility! Where has it been seen that a nobleman knows how to work?
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru