Folk-Tales of Napoleon | Page 2

story of Napoleon's life and career as
related to a group of French peasants by one of his old soldiers--a man
named Goguelat. It covers more time chronologically than the Russian
story does, and deals much more fully and circumstantially with
historical incidents and events: but it seems to me to be distinctly
inferior to the Russian tale in power of creative imagination, unity of
conception, skill of artistic treatment, and depth of human interest. The
French peasant regards Napoleon merely as a great leader and
conqueror, "created to be the father of soldiers," and aided, if not
directly sent, by God, to show forth the power and the glory of France.
The Russian peasant, more thoughtful by nature as well as less

excitable and combative in temperament, admits that Napoleon was
sent on earth by God, but connects him with one of the deep problems
of life by using him to show the divine nature of sympathy and pity,
and the cruelty, immorality, and unreasonableness of aggressive war.
The only feature that the two tales have in common is the recognition
of the supernatural as a controlling factor in Napoleon's life. The
French peasant believes that he had a guiding star; that he was advised
and directed by a familiar spirit in the shape of a "Red Man"; and that
he was saved from dangers and death by virtue of a secret compact with
the Supreme Being. The Russian peasant asserts that he was created by
the Devil, and that God, after having given him a soul by accident, first
used him as a means of punishing the Russian people for their sins, and
then made him really a man by inspiring him with the human feelings
of sympathy and compassion. In the French story Napoleon appears as
a great military leader, whose life and career reflect honor and glory
upon France. In the Russian story he is merely the leading actor in a
sort of moral drama, or historical mystery-play, intended to show the
divine nature of sympathy and compassion, the immorality of war, and
the essential solidarity and brotherhood of all mankind.
GEORGE KENNAN.
* * * * *

NAPOLEONDER[1]
[Footnote 1: The Russian peasant's name for Napoleon Bonaparte. The
final syllable "der" has perhaps been added because to the ear of the
peasant "Napoleon" sounds clipped and incomplete, as "Alexan" would
sound to us without the "der."]
Long ago--but not so very long ago; our grandfathers remember it--the
Lord God wanted to punish the people of the world for their
wickedness. So he began to think how and by what means he could
punish them, and he called a council of his angels and archangels to
talk about it. Says the archangel Michael to the Lord God: "Shake them
up, the recreants, with an earthquake."
"We've tried that," says the Lord God. "Once upon a time we jolted to
pieces Sodom and Gomorrah, but it didn't teach them anything. Since
then pretty much all the towns have become Sodoms and Gomorrahs."
"How about famine?" says the archangel Gabriel.

"It would be too bad for the babies," replies the Lord God. "Famine
would kill the babies. And, besides that, the cattle must have
food--they're not to blame."
"Drown them with a flood," suggests Raphael.
"Clean impossible!" says the Lord God. "Because, in the first place, I
took an oath once that there should be no more floods, and I set the
rainbow in the sky for an assurance. In the second place, the rascally
sinners have become cunning; they'll get on steamboats and sail all
over the flood."
Then all the archangels were perplexed, and began to screw about in
their seats, trying to invent or think of some calamity that would bring
the wicked human race to its senses and stir up its conscience. But they
had been accustomed, time out of mind, to do good rather than evil;
they had forgotten all about the wickedness of the world; and they
couldn't think of a single thing that would be of any use.
Then suddenly up comes Ivan-angel, a simple-minded soul whom the
Lord God had appointed to look after the Russian muzhiks. He comes
up and reports: "Lord, Satan is outside there, asking for you. He doesn't
dare to come in, because he smells bad [Footnote 2: That is, he brings
with him the sulphurous odor of hell.]; so he's waiting in the entry."
Then the Lord God was rejoiced. "Call Satan in!" he ordered. "I know
that rogue perfectly well, and he has come in the very nick of time. A
scamp like that will be sure to think of something."
Satan came in. His face was as black as tanned calfskin, his voice was
hoarse, and a long tail hung down from under his