Summer. Hot weather. If you jump into the river - grace!
I love diving and swimming and hitting the water with my head!
I play like this and dive like this for an hour, or even an hour and a half.
Well, now I'm freshened up, it's time for me to get dressed.
He went ashore and got dressed. It's quiet everywhere, not a soul.
An involuntary fear creeps through in this sunny wilderness.
I don’t know why on the bridge, I looked back in sadness...
The witch, the water witch appeared on the board!
A witch scratches her tousled braids over the water,
And in her hand a bright golden comb sparkles.
I stand, trembling with fear, hiding in the willow tree,
And I follow the wonderful comb that burns in her hand.
The merman combed her wet braids,
She jumped into the river, dove, and disappeared into the depths of the stream.
I quietly climb onto the bridge, emerging from the thick foliage.
What is this? The witch forgot her wonderful golden comb!
He looked around: empty, deaf on the river, on the shore.
Comb -
I grab it and run headlong straight to the house.
Well, I’m flying, not feeling my legs, and I’m rushing like a fast horse.
I'm covered in cold sweat, I'm burning like fire.
I looked over my shoulder... Oh, trouble, there is no salvation:
The witch, the water witch, is chasing after me!
- Don't run! - the demon shouts. - Wait, thief!
Stop!
Why did you steal my comb, wonderful golden comb?
I run, and the witch follows. The witch comes next
I'm running.
Someone to help!.. Quiet, deaf all around.
We reached the village through pits and gullies.
Then all the dogs stood up and began to cry at the witch.
Woof! Woof! Woof! - the dogs bark without getting tired,
puppies squeal
The merman got scared and quickly ran back.
I caught my breath and thought: “The trouble is over!
Water witch, you’ve lost your comb forever!”
I entered the house: “Mother, I found a wonderful comb.”
golden.
Give me something to drink, I ran quickly, I was in a hurry to get home.
The golden magic comb is accepted silently by the mother,
But she herself is trembling, afraid, and it’s impossible to understand why.
The sun has set. Okay, I'm going to bed.
The day has gone out.
And a cool and hay evening spirit entered the hut.
I'm lying under the blanket, I feel nice, I feel warm.
Knock and knock. Someone is knocking on our window glass.
I’m too lazy to throw off the blanket, too lazy to get to the window.
The mother, hearing, trembled and woke up from her sleep.
- Who knocks in such darkness! Get out, come on in!
What happened to you at night? You'll be lost!
-Who am I? Water witch! Where is my golden comb?
Just now your son stole my comb,
your thief!
I opened the blanket slightly. The moonbeam shines in the window.
Oh, what will happen to me! Oh, where should I go!
Knock and knock. Go away, demon, so that the devil can take you away!
And water - I hear - pours from long and gray hair.
Apparently, I am not destined to own the glorious booty:
The mother threw the comb to the witch and slammed the window.
We got rid of the witch, but we were unable to sleep.
Oh, she scolded me, she scolded me, oh, my mother scolded me!
Remembering the ominous knock, I burn with shame.
And I stopped touching other people’s things forever.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru