Russian Fairy Tales | Page 7

the most graphic descriptions of
Russian village life, or which may be regarded as specially illustrative
of Russian sentiment and humor those which the present chapter
contains have been selected. Any information they may convey will
necessarily be of a most fragmentary nature, but for all that it may be
capable of producing a correct impression. A painter's rough notes and
jottings are often more true to nature than the most finished picture into
which they may be developed.
The word skazka, or folk-tale, does not very often occur in the Russian
popular tales themselves. Still there are occasions on which it appears.
The allusions to it are for the most part indirect, as when a princess is
said to be more beautiful than anybody ever was, except in a skazka;
but sometimes it obtains direct notice. In a story, for instance, of a boy
who had been carried off by a Baba Yaga (a species of witch), we are
told that when his sister came to his rescue she found him "sitting in an
arm-chair, while the cat Jeremiah told him skazkas and sang him
songs."[15] In another story, a Durak,--a "ninny" or "gowk"--is sent to
take care of the children of a village during the absence of their parents.
"Go and get all the children together in one of the cottages and tell
them skazkas," are his instructions. He collects the children, but as they
are "all ever so dirty" he puts them into boiling water by way of
cleansing them, and so washes them to death.[16]
There is a good deal of social life in the Russian villages during the
long winter evenings, and at some of the gatherings which then take

place skazkas are told, though at those in which only the young people
participate, songs, games, and dances are more popular. The following
skazka has been selected on account of the descriptions of a vechernitsa,
or village soirée,[17] and of a rustic courtship, which its opening scene
contains. The rest of the story is not remarkable for its fidelity to
modern life, but it will serve as a good illustration of the class to which
it belongs--that of stories about evil spirits, traceable, for the most part,
to Eastern sources.
THE FIEND.[18]
In a certain country there lived an old couple who had a daughter called
Marusia (Mary). In their village it was customary to celebrate the feast
of St. Andrew the First-Called (November 30). The girls used to
assemble in some cottage, bake pampushki,[19] and enjoy themselves
for a whole week, or even longer. Well, the girls met together once
when this festival arrived, and brewed and baked what was wanted. In
the evening came the lads with the music, bringing liquor with them,
and dancing and revelry commenced. All the girls danced well, but
Marusia the best of all. After a while there came into the cottage such a
fine fellow! Marry, come up! regular blood and milk, and smartly and
richly dressed.
"Hail, fair maidens!" says he.
"Hail, good youth!" say they.
"You're merry-making?"
"Be so good as to join us."
Thereupon he pulled out of his pocket a purse full of gold, ordered
liquor, nuts and gingerbread. All was ready in a trice, and he began
treating the lads and lasses, giving each a share. Then he took to
dancing. Why, it was a treat to look at him! Marusia struck his fancy
more than anyone else; so he stuck close to her. The time came for
going home.

"Marusia," says he, "come and see me off."
She went to see him off.
"Marusia, sweetheart!" says he, "would you like me to marry you?"
"If you like to marry me, I will gladly marry you. But where do you
come from?"
"From such and such a place. I'm clerk at a merchant's."
Then they bade each other farewell and separated. When Marusia got
home, her mother asked her:
"Well, daughter! have you enjoyed yourself?"
"Yes, mother. But I've something pleasant to tell you besides. There
was a lad there from the neighborhood, good-looking and with lots of
money, and he promised to marry me."
"Harkye Marusia! When you go to where the girls are to-morrow, take
a ball of thread with you, make a noose in it, and, when you are going
to see him off, throw it over one of his buttons, and quietly unroll the
ball; then, by means of the thread, you will be able to find out where he
lives."
Next day Marusia went to the gathering, and took a ball of thread with
her. The youth came again.
"Good evening, Marusia!" said he.
"Good evening!" said she.
Games began and dances. Even more than before did he stick to
Marusia, not a step would he budge from her.