One day, early in the morning, a neighbor, a nobleman, came to Shardyn.
- Good afternoon! - he greeted the owner.
- Welcome! Why did you get up just before dawn? You've never gotten out of bed this early. Or is it some kind of grief you have? - asked Shardyn.
“There’s no particular grief, but, you see, spring has come, and I haven’t gotten to work yet.” “Let’s cultivate my fields,” the nobleman suggested.
Shardyn thought for a long time and finally agreed.
He plowed the land and sowed corn, but when they began to divide the harvest, a dispute arose: the nobleman demanded a larger part for himself, but Shardyn did not agree.
“Let’s measure our strength,” said the nobleman cheerfully, “and whoever wins will get the whole harvest.”
“I agree,” answered Shardyn.
“If you are defeated, do not think of asking for leniency, know that you will not receive anything,” the nobleman warned.
- Fine! Let's see who will ask. Let's knock ourselves out with a big stick! - suggested Shardyn.
We went to the forest. The nobleman cut a long stick for himself, and Shardyn cut a short one. They met in a clearing.
“Come on, come if you dare,” said the nobleman, waving a long stick.
- Wait, dear neighbor, don’t rush... If we start fighting in the middle of the clearing, like donkeys, and someone sees us, we will disgrace ourselves. “We’d better go into the house,” Shardyn advised.
“It’s true,” the nobleman agreed. “Let’s go quickly!” We went into the house. The neighbor somehow dragged in his long stick and shouted defiantly:
- Start! Let's see how you can do it? Shardyn closed the door and attacked the enemy with the words:
- This is where strength and dexterity are required!
The nobleman swung as hard as he could, but the blow hit the ceiling beam. He swung it a second time and the stick went through the roof. The third time he swung his stick - it caught on the wall, and Shardyn mercilessly beat his neighbor with his short stick.
Finally he begged:
- If you are a man, don't kill me! Take whatever you want!
“Next time don’t argue with me!” - Shardyn said, opened the door and let the defeated man out.
The nobleman barely trudged home. And Shardyn got the entire corn harvest.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru