River of fairy tales. Unprofessional translation from Russian

The middle brother came to the scales and started to enumerate his good deeds. Brave and impudent though he was, he became more tense and serious when he saw what happened to his elder brother. But there was no backing space. And he really wanted to become the strongest person in the world.

It was difficult for him to remember good deeds. He remembered that once he defended an old lady from a drunkard. He helped a girl to carry a heavy pitcher to the house. He liked the young beauty and wanted to get acquainted with her, so he helped her. He hardly remembered a couple of other good deeds, and he could recollect no more. But he had four times as many evil deeds. He fought, stirred up trouble wishing to make a parade of his strength, and offended people who were weaker than him. And he spoiled so many other people’s things when he was drunk that it would take long to enumerate them. Dark balloons were falling and falling from the sky. In the end, the scale with bad deeds became much heavier than the light scale.

The middle brother instantly turned into an infirm old man. A bonny and strong young man became feeble, humped, and miserable. His legs failed and grew weak. He sat down on the ground, put his head into his hands and burst into bitter tears.

The Wish Fulfillment Spirit looked at the younger brother and said:

«Everybody who comes here must have a wish. You cannot leave without making a wish. Because even leaving this place is a wish. Think well and say – what do you want? But don’t make a mistake. And I will weigh your life while you are thinking.»

The good and evil deeds of the younger brother started to fall down on the scales. But a surprise was awaiting them there. When all his deeds were put on the scales, they were of equal weight, and the scales stopped in balance.

«So, what is your wish?» The Spirit smiled thoughtfully.

«I told you the truth – I have no wishes. We came here and not only gained nothing, but also lost everything. And I’ve lost more than others. I’ve lost my brothers. Return my brothers and restore everything as it was before. Let them become as they were before. And I personally don’t need anything from you! This is my only wish.»

And as soon as the younger brother said these words, one more balloon fell down to the scale of good deeds. It became heavier than the black scale. His brothers were restored to their previous condition. The elder brother became a rich merchant and a respected man. And the middle brother became younger, and his strength and power returned to him.

The younger brother was surprised and asked the Wish Fulfillment Spirit:

«Why did it happen so? The scales showed an equal amount of good and evil in my life.»

The Spirit replied:

«As soon as you made your wish and it was not for you personally, but for your nearest and dearest, you made one more good thing. You refused your personal benefit for other people’s sake. And the scales moved to the side of the good. Now you can go in peace. But remember what happened in the cave. And don’t forget about these scales of life. You will encounter them once again at the end of your life.»

The stone wall of the cave opened and let the travelers out.

Since that time the three brothers never forgot that time would come, and they would have to answer for all their deeds on the earth. You cannot cheat the scales of life. So, you should hurry to do good things in order to somehow make up for the bad things we all do in the course of our life.

White Dove

It happened a long time ago. An old man lived somewhere, and he had three daughters. When his time came, he died. He left to his daughters as their dowry three things – a house, a pavilion, and an old dove house with a white dove.

The elder daughters quickly took charge of the dowry. The eldest daughter got the house. She took fancy to the beautiful building and said she would never move from there. The second daughter got to the pavilion and declared she was quite satisfied with this dwelling. As for the youngest daughter, the two elders decided to give her the ruined dove house and the white dove. Moreover, they said this pile of junk spoils their beautiful yard, so the youngest daughter should take her kennel with her and live somewhere else. Thus, they planned to get rid of the small old, ruined dove house as well as of their own sister. Sometimes it happens in life that the closest relatives become the bitterest enemies when it comes to sharing something.

The youngest daughter had nobody to seek help from. When the father was alive, he protected her from reproaches and mockery of the sisters. But he died and she was left all alone in the world.

«This ugly dove house will scare all the wooers off our houses!» the eldest sister considered.

She was already in her middle years and was very worried she could stay an old maid. As she became the mistress of a large house, she hoped to marry quickly. If not by love, then by dowry.

«Also, this old barn brings only problems. Down and droppings are everywhere in the yard!» the second sister agreed.

She «loved’ her elder sister so much she wished her secretly not only to never marry but also to get old, dry up and die as soon as possible. Then she thought to take over the house and to become the only mistress of the whole father’s legacy. That is why she didn’t need the youngest sister who was nothing but impediment to her wicked plans. She only wanted to chase the youngest one as soon and as far as possible.

Thus, the youngest sister has nothing left to do but to take the white dove from the dove house, put her in a cage and walk-up hill and down dale.

The elder sisters happy to get rid of the nuisance instantly chopped the old dove house to splinters and laughed over the youngest sister’s fate. They were glad to witness other people’s hardships more than to be happy for themselves.

The youngest daughter, the poor orphan, said goodbye to her father’s grave and took a long road to the rising sun. After a while she came to a large palace near the Silver Wood. An old noble lady lived there. She was very rich, strict, and evil. Moreover, she was capricious and arrogant. When she combed her hair, she thought she became wiser. She lived alone because she was not only a rich mistress but also a wicked witch. She didn’t want people to know she was a witch. In fact, she didn’t like people at all. She could put a jinx on somebody, hoodoo or even bedevil people. That is why she built the most impenetrable wall between her and people – the wall of lies, evil and stupidity.

The girl asked her to allow her to stay overnight. The lady let her in but first of all ordered her to clean the house, to cook some food and to sweep up the yard. She was very lazy and unkept. When she started to clean the house, it got even more chaotic after that.

The youngest sister was very hard-working and behaved well. During her life in the father’s house, she learned a lot of things: wash, cook and keep the house clean. She knew how to do everything quickly and well. The elder sisters didn’t like to work. They were more worried about the wooers, so they spent their days looking out of the windows afraid to miss their happiness. All the housework was the youngest sister’s responsibility, that’s why the orphan was used to the hard work.

The girl did everything she was told quickly and well. She swept up the yard with the broom, cooked a lot of food and even repaired the porch of the house.

The lady saw it all and said:

«You are a smart and hard-working girl. I think I’ll let you to live with me. You will be my housemaid. You will take care of me and entertain me. And if you do something wrong, I will lock you in the closet. It is so dark in there, and there are lots of huge hungry rats. If they don’t eat you overnight, they’ll bite you all over for sure. And if you decide to run, I will find you anyway because I’m a witch and I know lots of things. So, abide. You will work for me all your life! If you abide to my kindness and favor, you will live. Otherwise, I’ll simply rot you!»

The youngest sister burst into ears but nothing doing, she had to stay. She had nowhere to go. She had no one to help or support her. Her own sisters chased her from her father’s house, and her father died. That’s why she had nothing to do but abide and stay with the lady-witch.

Thus, the girl started to work over the palace night and day. She had to please her wicked mistress and follow all her whims. For example, the lady invented special tasks for the girl. The orphan did everything quick and well. The witch saw the girl did everything, sneaked up and spoiled everything. And after that she scolded the poor housemaid threatening her with the closet full of rats.

One day the wicked witch hurt the poor girl so much with her criticism, shouts, and abuse that the little housemaid returned to her small cell and burst into tears.

«I am so poor, and nobody loves me! Nobody wants a poor orphan. Now I have to live with the wicked witch and suffer all my life. I will never marry, never have children. All I will have been pokes and clouts from the mean old witch! And she will give me to the rats eventually. So, my life will end without even having started!»

Suddenly she heard a human voice – it was the white dove in the cage:

«Don’t cry my young mistress; don’t be so sad and frustrated. I can help you.»

The girl was surprised but didn’t wipe her tears.

«How could you help? You are so small and weak.»

«Don’t look at my small body. Small kindness is always stronger than any big evil. Hang a tiny silver bell on my neck and let me out of the cage. I’ll invent something to get you out of this mess.»

The orphan listened to the dove. She tied a small silver bell to the dove’s neck and let her out of the window.

«Ding Ding-a-ling,» the silver bell rings.

The white dove flew to the witch’s bedroom and sat on the window.

«Good morning, my fair lady, good morning beauty! How very beautiful and pretty you are! There is no other woman in this world more beautiful than you.»

The witch was pleased with such words. She loved herself very much, and she thought herself to be the prettiest and the loveliest woman in the world. She looked in the mirror: turned her right side, twisted her left side, jerked her shoulders, and bowed her head. Then fell to the pillows filled with down and sighed heavily:

«You tell the truth, stupid bird. But what is the good of the fact I’m so beautiful? Men don’t even know what a beauty is wasted for nothing! I have nobody to admire my prettiness. Nobody to pray over my magnitude. Nobody to worship my feet.»

«I can find you a young prince, handsome and brave. I have one in view actually. He wants to marry for a very long time, but he couldn’t find a decent wife. He wants somebody as graceful and regal as you. But first you have to coax him and to lure him to your palace. And then you know what to do, how to seduce, hitch up and bewitch a man. I’m not qualified to teach you this art.»

«You lie, you feathery gossipmonger!» The witch did not believe the dove, but her eyes lit up, she got up all excited. «Are there still any wooers worthy of my beauty?»

The white dove described the young prince in all details, told her about his exploits and braveness. And when she told her of his fortune, the greedy witch had no doubts that wooer was really worthy of her incredible beauty. She was even surprised such a man was not her husband yet.

«Tell your housemaid to bake tasty pies and sweet cookies,» the dove continued. «Then send her with these gifts to the prince. Let her leave it all at the doors to his palace in secret so that nobody can see her. I will do the rest.»