Once upon a time there lived an old woman, and she had a son. But they lived very, very poorly, there wasn’t even a spoon in the house. The time has come, and the old woman folded her hands on her chest. There is nothing to do, she died - so it is necessary to bury her like a human being, but the poor son just throws up his hands: there are no boards for the coffin. It’s not good to keep the deceased on a bench. He went to beg, walked and walked, even though they fired a gun, he couldn’t find anything. Reluctantly, he went to the priest and told about his misfortune.
“Only an agreement, my son,” says the priest, “you will pay me for the memorial service, so that the Lord will accept the deceased into the ranks of the righteous and blameless.” Would you believe it, father, my pockets are empty.
- Well, no, I won’t sing for the repose of my soul until I see the money.
The guy couldn’t wait any longer, and he began to beg and beg the priest. He had nowhere to go - he took the gospel and headed off to serve the service. Yes, how to leave the house, I thought: will it really not be possible to lure him out of a memorial gift and some money.
“My son, do you really have nothing?”
- And not a penny, father.
- Ugh, what a misfortune. Just wait, May, let's get some money.
- Where is it, father?
- Go, bre, to so-and-so, he has a mare, steal it and take it away. Let's go to the fair, so this will be something to carry the deceased out of the house.
- I'm afraid, father, he will catch me.
- Trust me, let's go.
Having waited until midnight, they snuck into the stable, and the guy took the mare to the fair. The priest, remaining in the stable, put on a bridle and tied him to the manger.
In the morning the owner came to feed the mare, but instead of a nag he saw a priest. Out of fright, he began to cross himself and pray: “Oh, Lord, you can’t see from your height what is happening on earth - it’s all sorcery and witchcraft. My mare, apparently, was a priest, and I drove her uphill and downhill, like cattle.”
He took the bridle off his priest and said:
- Forgive me, father. Go around the world, maybe you’ll feed yourself. And I'll buy myself another mare.
The priest, rejoicing, left, and the owner, snatching money here and there, went to the fair. When he arrived, he began to look at the horses, and he liked one mare. He came closer: his mare - how could you not recognize it! He approached her and began to whisper in her ear:
- What is it, father, you’ve been bewitched again? The mare shakes her head and pricks her ears. Seeing this, the guy shouted: Hey, grandfather, what are you whispering to her?
- May, let go of the mare, it’s a priest. I had it. You apparently caught him when he turned into a mare again.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru