Once upon a time, two sisters lived in the same area. The eldest was a beautiful and kind girl, and the youngest was evil and greedy.
One day on a clear autumn day, the younger sister said to the older one: “Sister, let’s go to the mountains to collect acorns.” “Okay, they’re probably already ripe and falling off.” Let’s go get ready,” answered the elder sister. They each took a bag and went to the mountains. In the mountains they came across a lot of cracked acorns. The sisters diligently collected them and put them in bags. But the younger one secretly made a hole in the older one’s bag, and no matter how much she collected acorns, her bag would not be filled: the acorns fell out of the hole and fell to the ground. And the younger sister walked behind and, without straightening her back, picked them up.
“I’ve already filled the bag, sister.” “Let’s go home,” she said. And the eldest answered: “Oh, have you dialed already?” How fast! And my bag is not full yet. - Then take your time, collect it. “And I’ll return home,” said the youngest and quickly left.
The older sister was left alone. While looking for acorns, she unnoticed went far into the mountains and soon lost her way.
“Oh, what should I do now?” She wandered around the mountains crying. By this time it had become completely dark. Suddenly the girl saw a dilapidated small temple. Jizosama stood alone in it (Jizzosama is the deity who patronizes children.). His face was gentle and kind. The elder sister knelt down in front of Jizosama and bowed respectfully to him.
“Jizzosama, Jizzosama, it’s getting dark in the mountains.” I, poor girl, don’t know what to do. Allow me, please. spend the night here.
- Hm, hm! Stay, I don't mind. But lately, as night falls, a lot of red and blue devils gather here from somewhere; they feast and make noise. Wouldn't you be scared to spend the night here? - Jizosama answered.
- Oh! - the older sister screamed. “But I have nowhere else to go!” And she began to cry. Jizosama took pity on her: “Okay, okay.” For this night I will hide you behind my back. But you have to do something too.
- What do I need to do? - There is a sedge hat hanging on the wall behind me. When midnight comes, the devils gather, drink sake and start dancing, you hit this hat several times and crow like a rooster: “Crow!”
“Okay, I understand,” said the elder sister and hid behind Jizosama.
At midnight, a lot of red and blue devils appeared out of nowhere. These were indeed terrible devils with terrible faces and horns on their heads. Squealing and muttering something incomprehensible, they took out a whole mountain of gold and silver coins and began to count them. Then we started drinking sake. Having gotten drunk, they began to dance:
- Skok-jump, tram-kararam, skok-jump, tram-kram! “Now is the time,” thought the elder sister and, as Jizosama told her, she drummed her hand heavily on her sedge hat and sang like a rooster: “Crow!”
The devils, who were dancing with enthusiasm, jumped up. “The day is coming!” Trouble! Trouble! The rooster has already crowed! - It’s dawning! Trouble! Trouble! - Let's run! Let's run! Screaming at the top of their lungs and pushing each other, they began to run in terrible confusion.
And soon it really was dawn. The elder sister thanked Jizosama warmly and got ready to go home. But Jizosama called out to her:
- Hey, listen! You can’t leave something that lies here unknown to someone. Both gold and silver are now yours. Take everything!
The elder sister filled her pockets with gold and silver coins, took as much money as she could carry, found the forest path and returned home.
At home, father and mother were very worried. When she told them about Jizosama and laid out the money, they were delighted and said:
- That's good! This is a reward for your humble disposition and kind heart. Only one person was not happy about the luck of the elder sister - it was the evil and greedy younger sister. She wanted to make trouble for her sister, but it turned out the other way around - she helped her get rich. And she became unbearably annoyed.
And then one day the younger sister took a holey bag and again called the eldest to the mountains for acorns. This time, no matter how much she collected acorns, they all fell out of the hole. And the elder sister immediately filled her bag with acorns.
- I’m already full! And you? - she asked. “I still have almost empty,” the younger one answered. “Then let’s put it together.” “No need.” You're minding your own business! - Well, let's divide mine. - Here's another! Don't be stupid. Once you’ve filled the bag, come home quickly,” said the younger sister and pouted angrily.
With nothing to do, the older sister went home. “That’s good!” - said the youngest, left alone, and quickly went further into the mountains, - if only it got dark soon! Oh, this sun, how slowly it moves!
Soon it began to get dark. Arriving at the place that the older sister had talked about, the younger sister found a small old temple.
- Here he is! Here it is! Here! And Jizosama is standing. Is the sedge hat still there? She looked behind Jizosama: the sedge hat was there. “Here!” Here! It would be nice to hit her! - Good evening, Jizosama. Why do you have such a strange face? Everyone says that Jizosama is very friendly. By the way, let me spend the night here today. I'm not afraid of any devils, and I can imitate the crow of a rooster very well. It's quite simple. If tonight is a success, I will also do you, Jizosama, a small favor.
Hearing this, Jizosama was very surprised and thought: “Who is this strange girl who came here?”
Not paying attention to anything, the younger sister quickly walked behind Jizosama.
- Whether you like it or not, I’ll spend the night here. Oh, how dusty and dirty you are, Jizosama! It would be very unpleasant to spend even one night in such a dirty place and not receive any reward. Well, okay!
Grumbling, she took out the koloboks she had brought with her and began to chew. “Apparently, it’s delicious!” Won't you give me one? — Jizosama asked her. The younger sister made a grimace. “What are you saying?” After all, deities don’t eat. They would call you a glutton. And you're not that calm at all. Ew, disgusting! - she said and looked sideways at Jizosama with anger.
After that, Jizosama said nothing more. Midnight came, and the screeching of the devils was heard. “They’ve arrived!” They've arrived! - the younger sister was delighted. That night, too, a large crowd of devils gathered - red and blue; they counted the gold and silver coins and feasted.
The greedy younger sister, seeing a lot of money, could not bear it. She prematurely hit the sedge hat hanging behind Jizosama and sang in a voice unlike a rooster:
- Cuckoo! Crow! Kukreku! Kukreku! But the devils haven’t gotten drunk yet. - Oh, is it already dawn? - No, it shouldn’t be dawn yet. It's too early. How strange! - Yes, yes, very strange! Let's see if there's anyone here. And the devils went behind Jizosama's back. “Here!” There's a man here! Some girl! They saw their younger sister trembling with fear and pulled her out of the corner.
- Stupid! Clueless! I decided to portray a rooster! Let's tear it into pieces and eat it as a snack with sake!
- Sorry! Oh-oh-oh! Help! I... I will be good! Just don’t... don’t... don’t kill me,” the younger sister asked, shedding tears.
She barely escaped and ran home from the forest, barely alive.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru