More Russian Picture Tales | Page 8

to the ox. So
she ran to fetch her husband and said: "Come as quick as you can,
there's a wolf stuck to the ox!" And he came and caught the wolf and
put him in the cellar.

[Illustration]
The next day, before even the sun had risen, the old woman again drove
the ox to pasture, and she herself sat down under a tree, and began
spinning flax and saying to herself: "Feed, feed, ox, on the fresh green
grass! Feed, feed, ox, on the fresh green grass!" And she went on
spinning and spinning, and fell asleep.
[Illustration]
Suddenly from out of the thick wood, from out of the dark forest, a fox
came running, and ran right up against the ox. "What sort of a beast are
you?" he asked. And the ox answered: "I'm the three-year-old ox, all
made of straw and smeared over with pitch." Then the fox said: "Well
then, give me some pitch to rub on my side." And the fox was just
going to take some pitch, when he stuck fast and couldn't free himself.
And the old woman woke up and saw the fox sticking to the ox. So she
ran to fetch her husband, and he came and took the fox and put him in
the cellar as well.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
The next day the old woman again sat down under the tree to spin her
flax while the ox fed, and she began spinning and saying to herself:
"Feed, feed, ox, on the fresh green grass! Feed, feed, ox, on the fresh
green grass!" And she went on spinning and spinning and fell asleep.
Suddenly from out of the thick wood, from out of the dark forest, a
grey hare came running and ran right up against the ox. "What sort of
beast are you?" he asked. "I'm the three-year-old ox, all made of straw
and smeared over with pitch." Then the hare said: "Well then, give me
some pitch to rub on my side." "Take some!" answered the ox. And the
hare caught hold of him with his teeth, when lo and behold! his teeth
stuck fast. He tore and tore, but couldn't tear them free. And the old
woman woke up, and ran to fetch her husband, and said: "Come as
quick as you can, there's a hare stuck to the ox!" And the old man came,
took the hare and flung him into the cellar. Then the old man began to

grind his knife, and the bear heard him and asked: "What are you
grinding your knife for?" And he answered: "I'm grinding my knife to
take the skin off your back and make myself a fur coat out of it." But
the bear said: "Oh! don't take the skin off my back! Better let me go
free, and I'll repay you handsomely." "Well, mind you do!" answered
the old man, and so he let the bear go free, and he ran off into the
forest.
[Illustration]
The next day the old man again began to grind his knife outside the
cellar, and the wolf asked him: "What are you grinding your knife for?"
And he answered: "I'm grinding my knife to take the skin off your back
and make myself a fur coat out of it." But the wolf said: "Oh! don't take
the skin off my back! Better let me go free, and I'll repay you
handsomely." "Well, mind you do!" answered the old man, and so he
let the wolf too go free. And again he began to grind his knife outside
the cellar, and the fox asked him: "What are you grinding your knife
for?" And he answered: "I'm grinding my knife to take the skin off your
back, and make myself out of it a collar for my fur coat." But the fox
said: "Oh! don't take the skin off my back! Better let me go free, and I'll
repay you handsomely." "Well, mind you do!" answered he.
[Illustration]
Then the hare was left all alone.
And again the old man began to grind his knife, and the hare asked him:
"What are you grinding your knife for?" And he answered: "I'm
grinding my knife to take the skin off your back, and make myself
some fur gloves out of it." But the hare said: "Oh! don't take the skin
off my back! Better let me go free, and I'll repay you handsomely."
"Well, mind you do!" he answered, and let the hare too go free.
[Illustration]
Early the next morning the old man heard someone knocking at the
gate, so he asked: "Who's there?" And the answer came: "It's I, the bear,

come to pay you my debt." And the old man opened the gate, and there
was the bear with a hive