Once upon a time there lived a hunter who was a sharp shooter; He never came home from a hunt empty-handed.
One day a hunter was returning home and met a poor peasant.
- Have a good hunt, shooter! You have rich booty! That's right, they'll pay you dearly for it?
The shooter looked at the poor peasant and said:
“The only difference here is the accuracy of the eye and the sleight of hand.” I don’t know how much others would give me for this game, but I’ll sell it to you willingly. Give me as much as you can for her.
- Oh, thank you, brother! But should I buy game?! Taxes completely ruined me. My house is empty, my yard is empty, only my horse remains. A handful of flour with water is our entire lunch. I don’t know how we’ll survive until the new harvest.
- Well, okay, take my loot for free, I don’t need money. Eat to your health! - said the shooter.
The peasant took the game from him and said:
- Thank you, friend, I will not forget your kindness. From now on, consider me your friend. Whenever you happen to pass by my house, be sure to come in, you will always be my most welcome guest.
- Fine! - said the shooter and went home.
A few days later the shooter was hunting again. He shot a lot of different game and returned home. At the entrance to the city, the shooter saw a decrepit old man lying by the fence.
- Hello, father! What's wrong with you? - asked the shooter.
“I feel bad, son, I’m old and sick.” All my life I served in the palace of the padishah, feeding on what was given. But now I have no strength, I can’t work. No one will take care of me, and I have nothing to eat.
“Take my loot, father,” the shooter suggested.
- No, son, I won’t take it, as much as possible! - said the old man. - After all, it costs a lot.
“Only the accuracy of the eye and sleight of hand are worth a lot.” And I got the game easily. Take it, it will last you a long time,” said the shooter and placed all the loot in front of the old man. “Get refreshed and be healthy!”
The old man, touched by the shooter’s kindness, began to cry and said:
“As long as I’m alive, consider me your friend.” Whenever you pass by, be sure to come in, I will receive you like my own son.
“Thank you,” answered the shooter and went home.
A few days later the shooter went hunting again and shot a lot of game; on the way back he saw a wide open gate. One rich man was sitting on the carpet and drinking tea. And at the gate, on the street, right on the ground, near his house, in a outlined circle, a poor man was sitting.
- Why are you sitting in a circle? What did you do wrong? - the shooter asked the poor man.
“I owe a debt to a rich man, but I have nothing to repay the debt with.” So he sat me in a circle and ordered me to sit here until the evening. If during this time someone does not ransom me, from tomorrow I will become a slave of a rich man. Who will buy me? I don't have rich relatives. There’s nothing you can do, you’ll probably have to go into bondage,” said the poor man.
- This won’t happen! - exclaimed the shooter. - Here, take my booty, give it to the rich man - he will let you go.
The poor man looked at the shooter incredulously, and he was already taking off all the game he had shot from his shoulder and placing it in front of the poor man.
- Thank you, friend! - said the poor man. - You saved me. But let me be your debtor now. There is the gate of my house. Come to me whenever you want, spend the night with me. I'll be offended if you pass by. From this day forward, consider me your friend.
“Okay, I’ll come back someday,” said the shooter and went home.
Soon the shooter went hunting again. This time he walked through the forest for a long time, but he had no luck - he could not shoot anything. Upset, the shooter decided to return home.
Suddenly he met the padishah hunting in the forest. The padishah chased the hunted animal “and fired, but still could not hit the target. The padishah's servants surrounded the beast with a ring. The shooter also joined the chain of hunters guarding the padishah’s prey.
The hunted beast rushed about in the circle of hunters, the padishah shot at it, but did not hit it and became furious at his failure. Suddenly the animal rushed towards the shooter, instantly rushed past him and quickly rushed into the mountains.
The padishah shot at the fleeing beast, but missed again. Then
The shooter pulled the string of his bow, shot an arrow - and the beast fell as if knocked down.
The angry padishah ordered the execution of the shooter who dared to interfere with his hunt and kill the beast intended as prey for the padishah.
The bound shooter was brought to the city and there he was led to the gallows.
- Oh sir! - the shooter shouted to the padishah. - Give me two hours, let me go say goodbye to my friend!
The padishah was surprised that a person before death remembers some friend. He delayed the execution and ordered the guards to accompany the shooter:
- Let him go to his friend. But make sure he doesn't run away. In exactly two hours he will be hanged.
The guard led the shooter to his friend. And the padishah went into the guardhouse at the gate of the palace, disguised himself as a peasant and followed the shooters! He wanted to see what kind of friend the shooter had and how he would accept his friend in trouble.
The shooter approached the house of his first friend and knocked on the gate. A peasant came out and when he saw the shooter, he was delighted, bowed low to him and invited him to enter the house.
- Oh friend, don't you see that I am in custody? Trouble happened to me!
And the shooter told his friend about the unsuccessful hunt, about the meeting with the padishah, about the killed beast and about the fact that he had only two hours left to live in the world. Then the peasant said:
- Wait, don’t be sad, friend. Now I will take my horse to the padishah and ask him to free you.
The padishah stood nearby, among the people who had gathered to see what had happened, and heard everything.
“Amazing man! Isn’t he sorry to give away his last horse?” - thought the padishah.
The shooter's friend quickly brought out his horse and walked next to the shooter.
- Wait, here’s my second friend’s house! - cried the shooter. “I have to go say goodbye to him - it’s true, I won’t have to see him again!”
He knocked on the gate and called his friend.
An old man came out when he knocked. As soon as he saw the shooter, he joyfully rushed to him, hugged him, hugged him tightly and began asking him about his health. The shooter told his friend what awaited him.
- No, I won’t allow such trouble! - the old man exclaimed. “I will fall at the feet of the padishah and beg him to forgive you.” All my life I served the padishah, and it is impossible that he would not fulfill my request. And if he really needs someone’s head, he better take my gray head off his shoulders!
The padishah stood among the people and heard everything.
“It can’t be!” he thought. “No one would give his life for another person.”
The shooter with both friends and guards headed towards the padishah's palace. Suddenly, walking down the street, the shooter saw the gate of his third friend.
- Wait, I still have time! - cried the gunslinger. - I must say goodbye to my third friend. He'll be offended if I walk past his house and don't go see him!
The guards did not want to let the shooter near his third friend. They were afraid that they would be late for the palace, and the padishah ordered them to be executed along with the shooter.
- Oh, you! “You’re never too late to die,” said the shooter.
The owner came out of the gate at the noise. Seeing the shooter, he joyfully rushed to him, hugged him tightly and said:
- I'm glad, my friend! Come in, darling! You are without prey today, but I can give you a treat!
- O friend, I myself have become prey!
And the shooter told him what happened to him.
- This won’t happen! - exclaimed the poor man. - I am ready to do everything to prevent your death! If the padishah really wants to execute you, I will rush at him and rip open his stomach with my dagger!
Hearing these words, the padishah was amazed and thought:
“Has he gone crazy, my slave?!” Is it really possible to raise your hand against your padishah because of some hunter?”
Indignant, he left the crowd, secretly returned to the palace, changed into his royal dress and began to wait for the shooter with his friends.
When they approached, the padishah came out onto the porch and ordered the execution to begin.
The executioner pushed the shooter towards the gallows.
Then the peasant came forward and brought his horse to the padishah.
- Oh sir! - exclaimed the shooter's first friend. - Take my only horse and spare my dear friend!
The padishah was silent.
- Oh my lord! - the old man then cried out, falling at the feet of the padishah. - I have served you faithfully all my life - please make my request: spare this good man! It's better to execute me instead!
The padishah was silent and looked in surprise first at the shooter, then at his friends.
Then the third friend of the shooter, without saying a word, grabbed the dagger and rushed to the padishah.
The padishah got scared, waved his hands and ran into the palace. Everyone thought that he ordered the release of the convict.
The shooter was immediately taken away from the gallows. Friends rushed to hug him. All the people rejoiced and said that true friendship was stronger than the padishah’s anger.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru