Once upon a time there lived a poor man. His name was Tsupara. He only had seven chickens.
One day a fox came to him and said:
- Come on, Tsupara, let's live together!
- No, you will eat my chickens!
“Don’t be afraid,” the fox told him.
They began to live together. We lived for several years, and finally the fox said:
- Well, Tsupara, now I have to get you a bride.
- No need, what do I need a wife for? - Tsupara said.
- No, let’s still marry you!
“Okay,” said Tsupara, “but I don’t have anything.” How will you get me a bride?
“Don’t worry, I’ll find the means,” said the fox. She went to Aldar and said to him:
- Hey, Aldar! They are wooing your daughter, don’t miss, don’t even think about giving her away. The groom is a smart guy, rich.
“Okay,” Aldar answers, “let’s come to an agreement.” Kalym is like this: one hundred pieces from each breed of animal.
“Okay,” said the fox, “we’ll find it.” She came to the forest and raised a cry there:
- All kinds of animals, where are you? War is approaching, everyone is running after me, I know another hole, let’s run there!
She gathered the animals into a stable for Aldar and shouted:
- Hey, Aldar! In your barn there is an abundance of bride price; there isn’t even enough space.
Aldar came out and said:
- Go and bring your son-in-law to me on Sunday, I want to meet him.
The fox returned home and said to Tsupara:
- Aldar is calling you, we have to go.
She decorated his rags with flowers, and they headed towards the aldar. Aldar was waiting for his son-in-law on the outskirts of the village and saw from a distance that his clothes were shining.
When the fox and Tsupara were walking across the bridge, the fox pushed Tsupara into the water, and the rags that he was wearing were carried away by the water.
- Hey, Aldar! - the fox shouted. “The river carried away your son-in-law’s clothes!” They sent him something he could wear.
Aldar sent all sorts of good clothes, Tsupara was dressed and brought to his father-in-law’s house.
Tsupara entered his father-in-law's house and began to examine himself, not believing his eyes.
- What is he considering himself? - asks Aldar.
And the fox says to him:
“His own clothes were better, that’s why he views himself that way.”
Aldar ordered Tsupara to be brought out the best clothes he had. And the fox says to Tsupara:
- Don’t look at yourself too much. And Tsupara stood at attention outside the door.
The following Sunday we went to pick up the bride. On the way back, the fox overtook everyone. He runs and sees seven uaigs.
“There are troops chasing me,” she says. “Let me hide under the straw.”
- If so, we ourselves will hide under it.
- Okay, climb yourself, and the warmer you get, the further you climb!
The Waigs climbed into the straw, and the fox set it on fire. They climbed further and further and burned out.
The Waigs' mother was preparing food for their return. The fox drove her away and brought the bride and groom and guests to the house of the Waigs. She treated them to Uaig food - they celebrated Chindzakhsav with glory.
Tsupara and his wife began to live without worries in the house of the Uaigs. How long they lived like this, only God knows, and then one day the fox said to them:
- Well, now get a bride for me too! Tsupara answers her:
- What means will I use to marry you? We have nothing.
“If you don’t want to marry me a bride,” says the fox, “then I’ll tell the guy to take your house away from you.”
She went to the guy and said to him:
- Some bad man has settled in your house, drive him away and live in it yourself!
Waig didn't believe the fox. Then she tells him:
- Throw a rope around my neck, and if I deceive you, then kill me.
Waig threw a rope around the fox's neck, and they came to Tsupara.
And Tsupara, seeing them, shouted at the uaig:
Oh, you fool, I told you to bring a male, not a female! Waig got scared, hit the fox on the ground, and ran away in fear.
Tsupara and his wife remained to live in the Uaiga’s house and live there to this day.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru