Once a gypsy went to a fair. He changed horses successfully, gained a lot of money, and got a good horse in return. The gypsies bought all sorts of food and clothes and went home. He goes and rejoices: “The wife will be happy, the children will be happy. They will be fed and clothed.”
The gypsy was caught on the road at night. He stopped. He lit a fire and began to fry meat and brew tea. He was just about to eat, when suddenly an old man came out of the forest and came straight to him:
- Hello, good man, what are you doing here?
- So, they say, and so, I’m going home from the fair. I'll just spend the night and move on.
Look how much food I’m bringing for my wife and kids!
- Ay, good man, you should take pity on the old man, I’ve been walking through the forest for a long time, I’m hungry, tired, my shoes are worn out, and my clothes are torn. Let me sit by your fire, warm myself and eat whatever you give me.
- Help yourself, I don’t mind.
The gypsy began to treat the old man. And the old man eats and eats, eats and eats, and keeps asking the gypsy:
“Don’t spare a piece of bread for the old man.”
So he ate all the food that the gypsy bought at the fair.
He wiped his mustache and said:
“My dear, won’t you give me some clothes?” Do you see who I look like?
The gypsy felt sorry for the old man, began to hand him clothes, and he kept putting them on and putting them on, putting them on and putting them on.
So he put on all the clothes that he bought a gypsy for his family at a fair. And then he says:
- Well, thank you, gypsy, for sparing nothing for me. I will not forget you for your kindness.
The old man said these words and seemed to disappear.
The next morning the gypsy wakes up and sees that he has nothing to take home: no food, no clothes.
The gypsy lowered his head, but there was nothing to do: he had to return home. The gypsy harnessed the horse and rode off. He is riding along the road and sees: right across the path a red horse has stood up, its fur is burning with golden fire, its eyes are sparkling. She stands there and doesn't let me pass. The gypsy whipped his horse, whipped him, but he stood rooted to the spot, didn’t want to carry the cart, and that was that. The gypsy got angry, grabbed his whip, jumped off the cart and ran towards the red horse. He ran up and hit her with all his might. Lo and behold, she fell apart. I looked at the land of the gypsies, and instead of a red horse there was a pile of gold coins. The gypsy was delighted; he realized that it was the old forester who thanked him for not sparing the last piece of bread for him.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru