In the old days, there was a fishing place in the Nattfari Bay near the Kholodnaya Shcheka farm. They say that one day some fishermen went there to fish; it is not known how many there were, but of all of them one, named Ingimund, stood out with strength and dexterity. He was taller than the others, not timid and courageous, but still of a gentle disposition.
On a rock in this bay, in a cave, lived a skessa, which often appeared there during the day, but did not harm anyone. Below the entrance to the cave, under the rock, there grew a large angelica bush, which the fishermen would like to get, but did not dare because of the skessa.
However, one day they gathered in large numbers, went up to the angelica bush and began to dig. This went off without consequences, and they managed to dig up a lot of roots, which they put in one pile. And they began to mock and say that the skessa must have fallen asleep, since she does not interfere in their affairs.
But when their fun was in full swing, a skessa came out onto the rock and scattered a bunch of roots, and they all, mortally frightened, ran away like hares to their homes and thought that they owed their lives to their feet.
And Ingimund, when they met him, was cheerful when he heard about how they were digging roots. He said that they had the soul of women, not men, and that he did not believe that the skessa would play a trick on him if he went to the angelica bush, and was eager to check it out.
One day he went to this bush, taking an ax with him, put it next to it and began to dig. After some time, the skessa came out onto the rock above him and asked:
“Are you going to dig for a long time, Mundi?”
He looked up and said:
- Until I fill the bags, old woman.
Then she disappeared into the cave, and he continued his work. A little later she appeared again and said the same words, but more angrily:
“Are you going to dig for a long time, Mundi?”
He answered rudely:
- Until I fill the bags, old woman.
She disappeared again and he continued digging.
The third time she came, growling angrily, and asked:
“Are you going to dig for a long time, Mundi?”
He put on an angry look and said:
- Until I fill the bags, old woman.
She calmed down and asked:
- Is your ax with you, Mundi?
He grabbed it, showed it to her and said:
- As you can see, he is here.
Then it seemed to him that her anger had all disappeared:
“Dig if you want to, Mundi,” she said and went into the cave.
Ingimund continued digging and brought home bags full of roots. He told his companions that, as he had expected, the skessa did not play a trick on him. People thought they must have dated before because she was scared of him. This is how this story ends.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru