RUSSIAN LEGENDS & FAIRYTALES (With Original Illustrations). Arthur Ransome

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      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.

      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.

      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.

      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 of honey he had brought. So the old man took the honey, when again he heard knock-knock at the gate! “Who's there?” he asked, and the answer came: “It's I, the wolf, come to pay you my debt.” And there was the wolf with a whole flock of sheep he had driven up. So the old man let the sheep into the yard, when again he heard knock-knock at the gate. “Who's there?” he asked, and the answer came: “It's I, the fox, come to pay you my debt.”

      And there was the fox with a whole farm-yardful of cocks and hens, and ducks and geese. Suddenly there came another knock-knock at the gate. “Who's there?” asked the old man, and the answer came: “It's I, the hare, come to pay you my debt.” And he had brought with him a whole heap of cabbages. And the old man and his wife began to live happily together, and always spoke well and kindly of those beasts.

      THE FOX AND THE BLACKBIRD

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      A fox was walking through the forest when he fell into a deep hole. And there he sat and sat, till all at once he began to feel hungry. He started looking round, but could see nothing. Then he looked up, and there he saw a blackbird in the tree above weaving its nest, and he said: “Mr. Blackbird, Mr. Blackbird, what are you doing?”

      And the blackbird answered: “I'm weaving my nest.” “What are you weaving your nest for?” asked the fox. “To bring up my children in,” answered the blackbird. “But I'm going to eat your children,” said the fox.

      “Don't eat my children,” answered the blackbird. “Well then, feed me, I'm hungry,” said the fox. At that the blackbird began to fret and to worry: how should he feed the fox? Then he flew off into the village, and brought back a chicken for the fox.

      And the fox ate the chicken, and after a little he said: “Mr. Blackbird, Mr. Blackbird, you fed me, didn't you?” And the blackbird answered: “Yes.” “Well then,” said the fox, “give me a drink!” At that the blackbird began to fret and to worry: how was he to get the fox a drink? Then he flew off into the village, and brought back a little pailful of water for the fox.

      And the fox had a good drink, and after a little he said: “Mr. Blackbird, Mr. Blackbird, you fed me, didn't you?” And the blackbird answered: “Yes.” “And you got me a drink?” “Yes.” “Well then,” said the fox, “come and pull me out of the hole!” At that the blackbird began to fret and to worry: how could he pull the fox out of the hole?

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