Once upon a time there lived a very poor peasant and he had only one bull. Every year, during plowing, the peasant had to hire a second bull from his rich neighbor.
One spring, a poor man plowed his small field and after work took the bull to the owner.
A month later, this bull fell ill and died. The rich man accused the poor peasant of killing his bull and demanded that he be compensated for the loss. The poor man flatly refused. Then the rich man went to court.
The judge listened to them and resolved the dispute in favor of the poor man. But the rich man began to insist on his own. Then the judge said to them:
– If you demand that the case be resolved now, answer my three questions: what is the fastest? What's the fattest? What's the sweetest thing? The one who answers these questions correctly will be considered right.
The poor man and the rich man could not immediately answer these questions. Then the judge said to them:
- I will postpone your case for two days. Go ahead and come to me with answers.
The poor man came home, sat gloomily by the fireplace and began to complain to his daughter:
“It’s obvious that the judge wants me to bring him the fattest, the sweetest and the fastest.” What should I do? How much money will I buy all this with? After all, I don't have a penny.
The daughter listened and said:
– Don’t worry and don’t be upset, father. The judge does not need gifts, but correct answers to his questions. And these questions are not so tricky.
When the time came to go to the judge, the daughter said to her father:
“Tell the judge that the fastest thing is thought, the fattest thing is the earth, and the sweetest thing is sleep.”
The rich man also began to get ready to see the judge. He took his best steed, a fatted pig and a large wineskin of honey, appeared before the judge and began to boast:
- That's what you were thinking about! My pig is the fattest, the fat on it is thick! You won't find a faster horse in the whole area! And in my wineskin I have the sweetest honey!
– See how your neighbor answered my questions! Tell me what you have in mind,” says the judge to the poor man.
“I think that the fastest thing in the world is thought, the fattest thing is the earth, and the sweetest thing is sleep,” said the poor man.
-Who told you this? After all, you were silent when I asked these questions for the first time? – asked the judge.
“My daughter taught me,” answered the poor man.
“She’s smart,” said the judge. - Bring her to me. The judge said to the rich man:
– You couldn’t answer my questions. Take your property and go home. And I do not accept gifts from those who come to my court.
The next day the poor man came with his daughter to the judge. He liked the girl very much, and he soon married her.
One day the judge had to leave on a case for several days. Before leaving, he told his wife:
“In my absence, do whatever you want, just don’t try to judge people or give any advice to disputants.” If you violate this request of mine, we will not live together.
Soon after the judge left, two travelers came to his home - a horseman and the owner of the cart. They had an argument about this: the rider was riding a foal mare, at night she foaled, and the foal somehow ended up under the cart. In the morning the rider wanted to take the foal, but the owner of the cart began to argue:
- Since the foal lies under my cart, it means he was born from this cart!
To resolve the dispute, the rider and the owner of the cart went to the judge. Having learned that the judge was away, they began to demand that the judge’s wife come to them and resolve their dispute. The woman listened to them at the porch and went into the house. It took a long time before she came out to them. The complainants began to reproach her for making them wait so long. To this she answered them:
“That’s why I was delayed: there’s a stream flowing nearby, it just caught fire, and I put out the fire by throwing dry leaves into the fire.
The complainants were surprised and said:
– Fires are extinguished with water, not leaves. And how can water catch fire?
“You both know that water doesn’t burn, but you don’t know that a cart cannot give birth to a foal!”
This is how she resolved the dispute, and the complainants left her. Soon the judge returned home and learned that his wife had violated his order and decided to divorce her.
“Take everything you need and leave my house,” he said.
“Okay, I agree, but before we leave, I want to have lunch with you,” the wife answered and began to set the table.
At dinner she gave her husband some wine, and when he was fast asleep, she put him in the cart and went to her father’s house.
On the way, the judge woke up and asked his wife in surprise:
-Where are you taking me?
“You allowed me to take with me whatever I wanted.” So I took you and am taking you to my place - after all, you are the most precious thing to me,” the wife answered.
The judge was moved by his wife's words. They returned home together, and from that time on the judge always consulted with his intelligent wife when he needed to resolve any controversial cases.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru