The spirit of Onu, the evil spirit, flew over the Black Mountains. His horse is gray, his saddle is made of gray stone, and his girth is made of yellow leather.
OK.
He sees thick smoke standing over the taiga. It smells like burning.
The old witch Kuchicha is cooking lunch for herself.
Onu says:
- It's hot, Kuchicha? Why are you smoking the sky, don’t you have any green food?
Kuchicha licks his nose with his long tongue. Answers:
— People talk about goodness. I don’t know what kind of good this is. I caught a righteous man, I’ll fry him and eat him. Maybe then I'll understand.
He is curious - how they will eat a person.
- Maybe you can give me something to eat? - asks.
OK.
At that time the pine tree was blooming. Smelling, kind, doused with resin, whispers:
- Look what the gods are doing. Is it possible to eat people? No need.
- Shut up! — Onu stamped his feet, shouted, his beard mussed: “Are you going to tell the gods?”
The pine tree rustled its branches:
- Am I pointing it out? The gods are smart, you can’t teach them.
And she smelled of flowery perfume.
So they boil a person, they don’t spare wood.
- It will be ready soon!
Onu jumped up on his horse with impatience:
- Let's eat! I love meat.
“Meat is good food,” Kuchicha agreed and stroked her belly.
The pine tree rustled:
- A-ish... a-ish...
Then the noise continued. Along the peaks, further. Over the mountains, over the mountains, to the oldest god, Kutai.
- And-ish... and-ish... the gods cook man... and-ish...
The old god Kutai heard and asked:
- What's going on there?
Pine says:
“It’s my holiday, and God Onu and Kuchicha are boiling people on my branches.”
“They’ll come up with the same thing,” said Kutai, pulled his beshmet over his shoulders and flew to the Black Mountains.
Kutai says:
- What are you talking about?
God-On put his foot in the stirrup (got scared!). Says:
- This is Kuchicha. I'm keeping an eye on things here. She is it.
The old god Kutai got angry and swung his whip at Ona:
- I you!
God Onu bared his teeth and jumped back:
- You’re not hurting!..
- Get out! - said Kutai and hit Ona with a whip.
Onu disappeared into the stinking smoke.
Kutai grabbed Kuchicha by the neck and threw him into the swamp. The circles started. Drowned.
- Here! Evil!
Kutai says:
- They'll think about it, after all. Would you like to know? I created man myself and I can’t understand where his goodness came from. Yeah...
Kutai, the god of all gods, went to rest on his throne, on a cloud in the shade of a birch tree with golden leaves.
That’s why, when the pine tree blooms and stinking bubbles come out of the swamps, Kuchicha gets angry.
Yes, whirlwinds sweep over the taiga - black, evil whirlwinds - the spirit of Onu is angry.
This is when the pine blossoms, fragrant, kind, doused with resin.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru