More Russian Picture Tales | Page 3

went up to him and said: "Mr. Ram, Mr.
Ram, I'm going to eat you!" But the ram answered: "Who are you, I
should like to know, that you mean to eat me?" "I'm a wolf, and I'm
looking for a good dinner," said the wolf. "What sort of a wolf do you
fancy you are?" answered the ram, "you're not, you're a dog!" "No, I'm
not a dog," said he, "I'm a wolf." "Well then," answered the ram, "if
you're a wolf, stand at the bottom of the hill and open your jaws wide.
Then I'll run down the hill and jump straight into your mouth." "All
right," said the wolf.
[Illustration]
So he stood at the bottom of the hill and opened his mouth wide, while
the ram climbed to the top of the hill. Then he ran down the hill very
fast, and hit the wolf with his horns as hard as he could.

[Illustration]
The wolf rolled over, knocked senseless with the blow, while the ram
ran off home. And there lay the wolf, till at last he came to himself
again, with all his bones aching.
[Illustration]
"Well, what a fool I must have been!" thought he. "Who ever saw a ram
jump into one's mouth of his own free will?"
Then he went on further, just as hungry as ever, and after a bit he saw a
horse walking in a meadow nibbling the grass.
[Illustration]
So he went up to him and said: "Mr. Horse, Mr. Horse, I'm going to eat
you!" But the horse answered: "Who are you, I should like to know,
that you mean to eat me?" "I'm a wolf!" "You think again," answered
the horse, "You're only a dog!" "No, I'm not a dog," said he, "I'm a
wolf." "Oh, if you are sure you're a wolf, it's all right. Only I'm not very
fat yet, so you'd better begin on my tail, and meanwhile I'll be
munching some more grass and get a little fuller."
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
So the wolf went up to him from behind, and was just going to get to
work on his tail, when the horse let out at him as hard as he could! And
the wolf rolled over, while the horse ran off.
And there sat the wolf, and he thought: "Well, wasn't I a fool! wasn't I a
noodle! Who ever heard of anyone starting to eat a horse by the tail?"
[Illustration]
And so he wandered on further, when after a bit he saw a pig coming
towards him, so when he got to him he said: "Mr. Pig, Mr. Pig, I'm

going to eat you!" But the pig answered: "Who are you, I should like to
know, that you mean to eat me?" "I'm a wolf." "You're a queer sort of
wolf," answered the pig, "you're only a dog!" "No, I'm not a dog," said
he, "I'm a wolf!" "Oh, that's all right then," answered the pig, "you just
sit down on my back. I'll give you a ride, and then you can eat me."
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
So the wolf sat down on the pig's back, when lo and behold! the pig
carried him straight into the village.
[Illustration]
And all the dogs ran out, made a dash for the wolf, and began to tease
him. And they teased him so much, it was all he could do to tear
himself away and run off back into the forest.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Illustration: Guess how old I am!]

THE PEASANT AND THE BEAR.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
Once upon a time a certain peasant lost his wife, then he lost his other
relations, and then he was left alone with no one to help him in his
home or his fields. So he went to Bruin and said: "Look here, Bruin,
let's keep house and plant our garden and sow our corn together." And

Bruin asked: "But how shall we divide it afterwards?" "How shall we
divide it?" said the peasant, "Well, you take all the tops and let me have
all the roots." "All right," answered Bruin. So they sowed some turnips,
and they grew beautifully. And Bruin worked hard, and gathered in all
the turnips, and then they began to divide them. And the peasant said:
"The tops are yours, aren't they, Bruin?" "Yes," he answered. So the
peasant cut off all the turnip tops and gave them to Bruin, and then sat
down to count the roots. And Bruin saw that the peasant had done him
down.
[Illustration]
And he got huffy, lay down in his den, and started sucking his paws.
[Illustration]
The next spring the peasant again came to see him, and said: "Look
here, Bruin, let's work together again, shall we?" And Bruin answered:
"Right-ho! only this