Once upon a time there lived a Mouse and a Falcon. They became friends with each other. They began to think about what profitable business they could start together. We decided to sow wheat. They sowed, reaped, threshed, winnowed and began to divide. Falcon says: “I’ll put it in two piles now.”
He divided the grain equally, but there was one grain left over. The Falcon says - mine, and the Mouse says - mine. They called Eagle to judge them. The Eagle says to the Falcon: “Peck him, and that’s the end of it.” The mouse grinned and said: “Well, good luck.” Let's not quarrel. This night you spend the night with me, and the next morning fly with God.
They went to the Mouse, drank, ate and went to bed. And at night the Mouse got up and when he hit the sleeping Falcon with a saber, he barely managed to fly out of the hole. With difficulty he flew up the tree and somehow dozed off. Early in the morning a hunter came, saw the Falcon, took aim, and suddenly heard: “Hunter, I’m wounded.”
The hunter was surprised, turned his head back and forth, thinking: who is calling out to him? I didn’t see anyone, I took aim again, but again someone moaned: “Hunter, I’m wounded. What a miracle!” The hunter looks around, there is no one around. He took aim a third time, and the Falcon fell like a stone at his feet and begged: “Don’t kill me, hunter.” I don't have enough meat, my fluff is covered in blood. Better treat me. The hunter took pity on the Falcon, took him home to his wife and said: “Take him, treat him well.”
The wife washed Sokol's wounds, lubricated them with ointments, and steamed them with herbs, and soon his wounds healed. And when the Falcon completely recovered, he suggested to the hunter: “Follow me, hunter.”
They set off on the journey together. A falcon flies across the sky, a hunter walks along the ground. We reached the seashore. “Hunter, we need to get to that shore,” says Sokol. “Sit on my back, let’s fly.” The hunter sat on the Falcon’s back, the Falcon flew over the sea, flew a little and threw the hunter straight into the water.
As the hunter began to drown, the Falcon came down to him, picked him up with his wing and flew on. In the middle of the sea, the Falcon again threw the hunter into the water and again picked him up with his wing. And the third time he did the same. And when we reached the shore, Falcon said: “Now we’re even.” You scared me three times, and I scared you exactly three times. Now let's be friends. Now I’ll take you to my father’s house, he will offer you payment for saving me, and you don’t take anything, just ask for a silk pouch.
They reached the Falcon House. The mother falcon flew at the hunter, wanted to peck him, and the Falcon said: “Hey, mother, what are you doing?” This is my savior. And Falcon’s father says: “Since you saved our son, ask for whatever you want.” “I don’t need anything,” says the hunter, “may you be healthy.” “No,” says Falcon’s father, “that’s not how it’s supposed to be.” One hand is not indebted to the other. There is a reward for a good deed. “Well, then give me your silk pouch.” Falcon’s father brought him a pouch. “Here,” he said, “hunter, take the pouch, just don’t take it out of your pocket, and God forbid you open the pouch before you cross the threshold of your house.”
The hunter took the pouch and set off on the way back. The falcon accompanied him, carried him across the sea, then said goodbye and flew back to his nest, and the hunter went home. When he was almost completely approaching his village, his curiosity was overcome. “Let me,” he thinks, “let me see what kind of pouch this is.” As soon as he opened it, he immediately found himself in the middle of a huge bazaar, where everyone was shouting, pushing, asking for cheese, some for bread, and for tobacco. The hunter was confused and stood as if struck by thunder. And it’s already starting to get dark, night is approaching. Some lame man comes up to him and says: “Hey, guy, what will you give me if I get you out of here?” “Whatever you want,” the hunter answers, “just save me from all this.” “Okay,” says the lame man. “Give me what you have at home, but you don’t know.” “Okay,” the hunter agrees, “take it, it’s probably nothing.” I know everything I have at home. The lame man took it and tied the pouch - everything disappeared at once.
The hunter came home, his wife joyfully greeted him, seated him at the table, began to treat him, give him food and drink. And then he asks: “Listen, hubby, why isn’t our son coming home?” “What kind of son is this?” “But how?” While you were going overseas, our son was born!
They searched and searched for his son, but they never found him. And the lame man took this boy, took him to an island that lies between the Black and White Seas, and left him there alone. The boy began to fish and fed himself on that. He lived on the island alone for sixteen years. One fine day he sees how three white doves flew to the island, threw off their white feathers and turned into three beautiful girls. The girls entered the water and began to swim. And the young man crept up and hid the feathers of one dove. The girls came out of the water, two dressed in their feathers, and the third remained standing undressed. “Hey,” she shouted, “are you a man or a beast, are you a monster or a handsome man, come out, give me back the feathers, I will need them, and, if you want, I will become your wife, and you my husband!”
A young man came out from behind the bushes, gave the girl white feathers, and she gave him a ball and said: “Throw it away and let’s go after it.” The ball rolled straight to the sea, and a sandy road spanned from the island to the shore. They reached the shore, and on the shore there was a city. They settled in this city. The wife began to manage, and the husband hired himself as a farm laborer for a rich man.
One day this rich man, passing by the house where his farmhand lived, saw a young woman. “Whose wife is this?” - he asks the servants. - That guy who hired you as a farmhand. The rich man became furious: - So that I would be the owner, and my farmhand would have such a wife? I want to marry her myself. I organized a rich dinner party, called all my friends and servants and said: “Figure out how to get this guy out so that I can marry his wife.”
The guests ate, drank, reveled, could not come up with anything, only one lame guest stood up and said: “Between the White and Black Seas there is a pair of storks - one has a golden beak, the other has silver wings.” Tell him to bring those storks. He probably won’t return from there. In the morning, the rich man called the farmhand and said to him: “There are two storks between the White and Black Seas.” One has a golden beak, the other has silver wings. Get them and bring them to me.
The farmhand returned home sad and told his wife what the owner ordered him to do. “Don’t be upset,” says the wife. “Sit down, let’s have dinner.” They sat down, ate their fill, and then the wife went out into the yard and called: “Arab!” An Arab appeared in front of her. The wife says to him: “Bring me two storks, one with a golden beak, the other with silver wings.” “Now,” the Arab answered and disappeared. As soon as the farm laborer and his wife fell asleep, an Arab knocked on the door and brought two storks. In the morning, the wife gave the storks to her husband and said: “You will go to the owner, open the door halfway and say that you brought it.” If he asks “come on”, then you let the storks go ahead of you, and if he answers “not needed” - release them and let them fly back.
The farmhand went to the owner, opened the door slightly, and said: “I brought storks.” And the owner says: “I don’t need them.” The farmhand released the storks into the wild. The next day the rich man again calls the guests and servants and tells them to come up with something again. The guests eat, drink, feast, but they can’t think of anything. Then the same lame man gets up and says: “Let’s send him to Mount Aragats, let him catch a lion there and bring him here.” While he is leading the lion, it will tear him to pieces along the way.
In the morning, the rich man called the farm laborer and ordered him to bring a live lion from Mount Aragats. The farmhand returned home sad. I told my wife about the owner’s cruel order. “Don’t be sad,” says the wife. “Sit down, let’s have dinner.” They sat down, ate their fill, and then the wife went out into the yard and called: “Arab!” An Arab appeared in front of her and asked: “What do you want, sorceress girl?” The farmhand's wife says: “Bring a live lion from Mount Aragats with its mouth tied and its paws tied.” “Now,” says the Arab. As soon as they fell asleep, there was a knock on the door. An Arab came and brought a lion.
In the morning the wife gave the lion to her husband and said: “Take the lion to the owner, open the door wide.” If he says “come on,” untie the lion’s paws and let him into the house; If he says “I don’t need it,” let him go, let him go off into the forest. The farm laborer brought the lion to the rich owner, opened the door wide and said: “Master, I brought the lion.” And he answers: “I don’t need him.” The farmhand released the lion.
The next day, the rich man again organized a feast and called guests and servants. Again he demanded that they help him drive the young farmhand away from the world. The guests drank and ate, but they couldn’t come up with anything. Then the lame man stood up again and said: “Well, now we’ll send him to such a place that he’ll never come back.” They asked him: “Where is this?” And he says: “Let’s send him, let him bring the invisible worker Murza, who knows how to do everything and helps with any work.”
In the morning, the owner called his farmhand and ordered: “Go wherever you want, just bring Murza, the invisible worker, to me.” Otherwise I’ll cut off your head.” The farmhand returned home sad and said to his wife: “The owner is sending me for Murza, an invisible worker, and if I don’t bring him, he threatened to cut off my head.” The wife sighed, “I can’t help you with this,” she said. - You'll have to go yourself. Here's a ball for you, throw it on the ground, it will roll in front of you and lead you to my sister's house. You will tell her everything.
The farmhand got ready, threw the ball on the ground and left. The ball rolled to a small house. A girl came out and said hello: “Welcome, dear son-in-law.” What wind brought you here? “I came for Murza,” the farmhand answers, “Now we’ll find out where he is.”
The girl clapped her hands, and immediately, as many frogs as there were in all the ponds and rivers in the world, they all jumped into her yard. She asks them: “Is Murza with you?” “No,” they answer, “not with us.” And we don’t know where he is.” “Okay, go your separate ways then.” The girl invited her son-in-law into the house, gave him something to drink and feed, and then said: “Here’s another ball for you.” Throw it, it will roll and lead you to my sister's house. You'll tell her everything.
He took the ball, threw it on the ground and followed it. The ball stopped in front of a small house. A girl came out and smiled at him: “Welcome a thousand times, dear son-in-law.” I looked for you during the day with fire and saw you on a clear day. What did he come to me with? “He came for Murza,” her son-in-law tells her. “Now we’ll find out where he is.” The girl clapped her hands, and then from all over the world, from all the seas and rivers, turtles gathered in her yard. The girl asks them: “Is Murza among you?” “He’s not with us.” The girl invited her son-in-law into the house, gave him something to drink and feed, and in the morning, at first light, she gave him a ball and said: “Throw the ball on the ground, follow him, he will lead you to our mother’s house.” You'll tell her everything.
The farmhand threw a ball, the ball rolled, and he followed it. The ball reached the big house. My mother-in-law came out of the house and asked: “What wind brought you to me, dear son-in-law?” The beast didn’t come here, the bird didn’t fly here, but you came! Come into the house and tell me what brought you. “I came for Murza,” says the farmhand.
The mother-in-law came out onto the porch, clapped her hands, and then, as many snakes as there were in the valleys of Masis and Aragats, everyone gathered in her yard. The mother-in-law asks the snakes: “You had Murza, where did he go?” The snakes answer her: “Today is already the tenth day since the snake king took him to him and is forcing him to work for himself.” The mother-in-law fed her son-in-law, gave him something to drink, and in the morning, just before light, she gave him a ball and said: “Take the ball, throw it on the ground and follow him.” He will lead you to the high chambers. This is the palace of the snake king. Slip quietly inside and hide behind the oven in which the bread is baked. Sit and don’t breathe so that the king of snakes doesn’t smell you, otherwise he will bite you. Wait until the snake king comes and says: “Murza, collect it for the table.” The table itself will be covered with a tablecloth, it will be stocked with all kinds of food. The snake king will eat and leave. Then you say: “Murza, I’m dying, I’m hungry, feed me.” And when you eat, you will say: “Murza, I have come for you,” and you will leave the palace.
That's how it all turned out. As the snake king ate and went to bed, the farmhand said: “Murza, I’m dying to eat, feed me.” A table appeared in front of him, on the table - a tablecloth, on the tablecloth - all kinds of food. He ate, drank and said: “Murza, I came for you.” And the invisible Murza answers: “It would have been like that a long time ago.” Why didn’t you come before, the snake king completely tortured me. “Well, where are you, Murza?” - says the farmhand. - Let's go. “I’m leaving.” “And I’m already at the door,” Murza answers.
The farmhand walked a little, didn’t see anyone nearby, and asked: “Murza, where are you?” “Here I am,” the invisible worker responds. They reached the sea. It has already become completely dark. “Murza,” says the farm laborer, “what are we going to do, spend the night here or cross over to the other side?” “What are we crossing for?” - says Murza. “I’ll build a house in a moment, and we’ll spend the night there.” Close your eyes. Now open it. The young man opened his eyes and saw: there was a real palace on the shore. They entered it and settled down for the night. The carrier moored to the shore, pulled his boat ashore and was amazed: “I recently set sail from here on my boat, there was no palace on the shore.” Where did he come from? The ferryman entered the palace, and a young guy was sitting there. The guy saw the carrier and said: “Murza, a guest has come to us, feed him.” A table appeared right out of nowhere, there was food on the table. The guest ate, drank, and the guy said: “Murza, clear it from the table.” The table once disappeared. The boatman was amazed and suggested: “Let’s trade with you, I’ll give you my horn, and you give me your invisible worker.” “Why is your horn so good?” “And here’s why: if you blow it once, a cavalry detachment will come out, if you blow it a second time, a foot army will come out.” “Okay,” says the guy, “let’s switch.” We went to bed. In the morning the guy got up, took the horn and went out. He walked and walked in silence. Then he says: “Murza, where are you?” “Yes, here,” Murza answers. “Would I have stayed with him?” The farmhand came home. I told my wife about everything. She says: Go to the owner, tell him that you couldn’t find Murza. The farm laborer listened to his wife and went. “I didn’t find him,” he said, “I’m Murza, forgive me.” And the owner became furious: “No, I won’t forgive,” he answers, “I’ll order you to cut off your head right now.” The farmhand looked down: “There’s nothing to be done, chop it, just let me play the horn before I die.” He took out the horn, blew once - the cavalry army came out, blew another - the infantry came out. He orders the army: “Cut off the head of my master.” He’s digging a hole for someone else, let him fall into it himself. The warriors instantly dealt with the evil rich man. “Let’s go,” the wife says to the young husband, “to the city where your parents live.” And we’ll take Murza with us.” “But I don’t know,” the husband answers, “what city they live in, I’ve never seen them, I grew up alone on the island.” “Well, you don’t know, but I know.”
They reached the city where the husband was born. Murza built a palace on the outskirts; They had dinner there and went to bed. And at night Murza brought her husband’s parents sleeping into the palace. They got up in the morning and saw that they found themselves in a palace. And a young couple comes out to meet them. The wife says to her husband: “Here is your father, and here is your mother.” And he says to his parents: “Here is your son, the one whom the lame man stole from you.”
Then they all laughed with joy and cried. They held a feast for seven days and seven nights. Just as their hopes came true, so may yours come true. Three apples fell from the sky. One for the one who told, another for the one who listened, and a third for the one who shook his head.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru