The Kreutzer Sonata and Other Stories
Hearing this, the little devil became thoughtful, saying: “That Ivan is
a _koolak_ [hard case], and I must think of some other way of
conquering him.”
Ivan soon returned with his sharpened scythe and started to mow.
The small devil hid himself in the grass, and as the point of the
scythe came down he buried it in the earth and made it almost
impossible for Ivan to move the implement. He, however, succeeded in
mowing all but one small spot in the swamp, where again the small devil
hid himself, saying: “Even if he should cut my hands I will prevent him
from accomplishing his work.”
When Ivan came to the swamp he found that the grass was not very thick.
Still, the scythe would not work, which made him so angry that he
worked with all his might, and one blow more powerful than the others
cut off a portion of the small devil’s tail, who had hidden himself
there.
Despite the little devil’s efforts he succeeded in finishing his work,
when he returned home and ordered his sister to gather up the grass
while he went to another field to cut rye. But the devil preceded him
there, and fixed the rye in such a manner that it was almost impossible
for Ivan to cut it; however, after continuous hard labor he succeeded,
and when he was through with the rye he said to himself: “Now I will
start to mow oats.”
On hearing this, the little devil thought to himself: “I could not
prevent him from mowing the rye, but I will surely stop him from mowing
the oats when the morning comes.”
Early next day, when the devil came to the field, he found that the
oats had been already mowed. Ivan did it during the night, so as to
avoid the loss that might have resulted from the grain being too ripe
and dry. Seeing that Ivan again had escaped him, the little devil
became greatly enraged, saying:
“He cut me all over and made me tired, that fool. I did not meet such
misfortune even on the battle-field. He does not even sleep;” and the
devil began to swear. “I cannot follow him,” he continued. “I will go
now to the heaps and make everything rotten.”
Accordingly he went to a heap of the new-mown grain and began his
fiendish work. After wetting it he built a fire and warmed himself, and
soon was fast asleep.
Ivan harnessed his horse, and, with his sister, went to bring the rye
home from the field.
After lifting a couple of sheaves from the first heap his pitchfork
came into contact with the little devil’s back, which caused the latter
to howl with pain and to jump around in every direction. Ivan
exclaimed:
“See here! What nastiness! You again here?”
“I am another one!” said the little devil. “That was my brother. I am
the one who was sent to your brother Simeon.”
“Well,” said Ivan, “it matters not who you are. I will fix you all the
same.”
As Ivan was about to strike the first blow the devil pleaded: “Let me
go and I will do you no more harm. I will do whatever you wish.”
“What can you do for me?” asked Ivan.
“I can make soldiers from almost anything.”
“And what will they be good for?”
“Oh, they will do everything for you!”
“Can they sing?”
“They can.”
“Well, make them.”
“Take a bunch of straw and scatter it on the ground, and see if each
straw will not turn into a soldier.”
Ivan shook the straws on the ground, and, as he expected, each straw
turned into a soldier, and they began marching with a band at their
head.
“_Ishty_ [look you], that was well done! How it will delight the
village maidens!” he exclaimed.
The small devil now said: “Let me go; you do not need me any longer.”
But Ivan said: “No, I will not let you go just yet. You have converted
the straw into soldiers, and now I want you to turn them again into
straw, as I cannot afford to lose it, but I want it with the grain on.”
The devil replied: “Say: ‘So many soldiers, so much straw.’”
Ivan did as directed, and got back his rye with the straw.
The small devil again begged for his release.
Ivan, taking him from the pitchfork, said: “With God’s blessing you may
depart”; and, as before at the mention of God’s name, the little devil
was hurled into the earth like a flash, and nothing was left but the
hole to show where he had gone.
Soon afterward Ivan returned home, to find his brother Tarras and his
wife there. Tarras-Briukhan could not pay his debts, and was forced to
flee from his creditors and seek refuge under his father’s roof. Seeing
Ivan, he said: “Well, Ivan, may we remain here until I start in some
new business?”
Ivan replied as he had before to Simeon: “Yes, you are perfectly
welcome to remain here as long as it suits you.”
With that announcement he removed his coat and seated himself at the
supper-table with the others. But Tarras-Briukhan’s wife objected to
the smell of his clothes, saying: “I cannot eat with a fool; neither
can I stand the smell.”
Then Tarras-Briukhan said: “Ivan, from your clothes there comes a bad
smell; go and eat by yourself in the porch.”
“Very well,” said Ivan; and he took some bread and went out as ordered,
saying, “It is time for me to feed my mare.”
CHAPTER V.
The small devil who had charge of Tarras finished with him that night,
and according to agreement proceeded to the assistance of the other two
to help them conquer Ivan. Arriving at the plowed field he looked
around for his comrades, but found only the hole through which one had
disappeared; and on going to the meadow he discovered the severed tail
of the other, and in the rye-field he found yet another hole.
“Well,” he thought, “it is quite clear that my comrades have met with
some great misfortune, and that I will have to take their places and
arrange the feud between the brothers.”
The small devil then went in search of Ivan. But he, having finished
with the field, was nowhere to be found. He had gone to the forest to
cut logs to build homes for his brothers, as they found it inconvenient
for so many to live under the same roof.
The small devil at last discovered his whereabouts, and going to the
forest climbed into the branches of the trees and began to interfere
with Ivan’s work. Ivan cut down a tree, which failed, however, to fall
to the ground, becoming entangled in the branches of other trees; yet
he succeeded in getting it down after a hard struggle. In chopping down
the next tree he met with the same difficulties, and also with the
third. Ivan had supposed he could cut down fifty trees in a day, but he
succeeded in chopping but ten before darkness put an end to his labors
for a time. He was now exhausted, and, perspiring profusely, he sat
down alone in the woods to rest. He soon after resumed his work,
cutting down one more tree; but the effort gave him a pain in his back,
and he was obliged to rest again. Seeing this, the small devil was full
of joy.
“Well,” he thought, “now he is exhausted and will stop work, and I will
rest also.” He then seated himself on some branches and rejoiced.
Ivan again arose, however, and, taking his axe, gave the tree a
terrific blow from the opposite side, which felled it instantly to the
ground, carrying the little devil with it; and Ivan, proceeding to cut
the branches, found the devil alive. Very much astonished, Ivan
exclaimed:
“Look you! Such nastiness! Are you again here?”
“I am another one,” replied the devil. “I was with your brother
Tarras.”
“Well,” said Ivan, “that makes no difference; I will fix you.” And he
was about to strike him a blow with the axe when the devil pleaded:
“Do not kill me, and whatever you wish you shall have.”
Ivan asked, “What can you do?”
“I can make for you all the money you wish.”
Ivan then told the devil he might proceed, whereupon the latter began
to explain to him how he might become rich.
“Take,” said he to Ivan, “the leaves of this oak tree and rub them in
your hands, and the gold will fall to the ground.”
Ivan did as he was directed, and immediately the gold began to drop
about his feet; and he remarked:
“This will be a fine trick to amuse the village boys with.”
“Can I now take my departure?” asked the devil, to which Ivan replied,
“With God’s blessing you may go.”
At the mention of the name of God, the devil disappeared into the
earth.
CHAPTER VI.
The brothers, having finished their houses, moved into them and lived
apart from their father and brother. Ivan, when he had completed his
plowing, made a great feast, to which he invited his brothers, telling
them that he had plenty of beer for them to drink. The brothers,
however, declined Ivan’s hospitality, saying, “We have seen the beer
moujiks drink, and want none of it.”
Ivan then gathered around him all the peasants in the village and with
them drank beer until he became intoxicated, when he joined the
_Khorovody_ (a street gathering of the village boys and girls, who sing
songs), and told them they must sing his praises, saying that in return
he would show them such sights as they had never before seen in their
lives. The little girls laughed and began to sing songs praising Ivan,
and when they had finished they said: “Very well; now give us what you
said you would.”
Ivan replied, “I will soon show you,” and, taking an empty bag in his
hand, he started for the woods. The little girls laughed as they said,
“What a fool he is!” and resuming their play they forgot all about him.
Some time after Ivan suddenly appeared among them carrying in his hand
the bag, which was now filled.
“Shall I divide this with you?” he said.
“Yes; divide!” they sang in chorus.
So Ivan put his hand into the bag and drew it out full of gold coins,
which he scattered among them.
“Batiushka,” they cried as they ran to gather up the precious pieces.
The moujiks then appeared on the scene and began to fight among
themselves for the possession of the yellow objects. In the mêlée one
old woman was nearly crushed to death.
Ivan laughed and was greatly amused at the sight of so many persons
quarrelling over a few pieces of gold.
“Oh! you duratchki” (little fools), he said, “why did you almost crush
the life out of the old grandmother? Be more gentle. I have plenty
more, and I will give them to you;” whereupon he began throwing about
more of the coins.
The people gathered around him, and Ivan continued throwing until he
emptied his bag. They clamored for more, but Ivan replied: “The gold is
all gone. Another time I will give you more. Now we will resume our
singing and dancing.”
The little children sang, but Ivan said to them, “Your songs are no
good.”
The children said, “Then show us how to sing better.”
To this Ivan replied, “I will show you people who can sing better than
you.” With that remark Ivan went to the barn and, securing a bundle of
straw, did as the little devil had directed him; and presently a
regiment of soldiers appeared in the village street, and he ordered
them to sing and dance.
The people were astonished and could not understand how Ivan had
produced the strangers.
The soldiers sang for some time, to the great delight of the villagers;
and when Ivan commanded them to stop they instantly ceased.
Ivan then ordered them off to the barn, telling the astonished and
mystified moujiks that they must not follow him. Reaching the barn, he
turned the soldiers again into straw and went home to sleep off the
effects of his debauch.
CHAPTER VII.
The next morning Ivan’s exploits were the talk of the village, and news
of the wonderful things he had done reached the ears of his brother
Simeon, who immediately went to Ivan to learn all about it.
“Explain to me,” he said; “from whence did you bring the soldiers, and
where did you take them?”
“And what do you wish to know for?” asked Ivan.
“Why, with soldiers we can do almost anything we wish—whole kingdoms