Encyclopedia of Fairytale Heroes: "Soldier and Death". Russian folk tale Legends of soldiers and death read

Stranger, we advise you to read the fairy tale "Soldier and Death" to yourself and your children, this is a wonderful work created by our ancestors. All the heroes were "honed" by the experience of the people, who for centuries created, strengthened and transformed them, devoting great and profound importance to children's education. The plot is simple and old as the world, but each new generation finds in it something relevant and useful for itself. All images are simple, ordinary and do not cause youthful misunderstanding, because we encounter them daily in our everyday life. Of course, the idea of ​​the superiority of good over evil is not new, of course, many books have been written about it, but every time it is still pleasant to be convinced of this. Surprisingly easily and naturally, the text written in the last millennium is combined with our present, its relevance has not diminished at all. Rivers, trees, animals, birds - everything comes to life, filled with lively colors, helps the heroes of the work in gratitude for their kindness and affection. The fairy tale "Soldier and Death" to read for free online will be fun for both children and their parents, the kids will be happy with a good ending, and moms and dads will be happy for the kids!

An urgent time passed, the soldier served the service of the king and began to ask to see his relatives at home. At first, the king did not let him go, but then he agreed, endowed him with gold and silver, and let him go on all four sides.

So the soldier received his resignation and went to say goodbye to his comrades, and the comrades say to him:

“Can’t you bring it on the sheets, but before that we lived well?”

So the soldier began to offer his comrades; brought, brought - lo and behold, he only had five nickels left.

Here comes our soldier. Is it close, is it far, does it see: a tavern stands on the sidelines; A soldier went into a tavern, drank for a kopeck, ate a penny and went on. He walked a little, an old woman met him and began to ask for alms; soldier and gave her a nickel. He walked a little again, looks, and the same old woman again goes to meet and asks for alms; the soldier gave another nickel, but he himself marvels: how did the old woman again find herself in front? He looks, and the old woman is again in front and asks for alms; the soldier and the third nickel filed.

Went back a mile again. He looks, and the old woman is again in front and asks for alms. The soldier got angry, could not stand the zeal, pulled out the cleaver and wanted to cut her head, and as soon as he waved, the old woman threw a knapsack at his feet and disappeared. The soldier took a knapsack, looked, looked and said:

- Where do I go with this rubbish? I have enough of mine too!

And he was about to give it up - suddenly, out of nowhere, two young men appeared before him, as if from the ground, and they said to him:

— What do you want?

The soldier was surprised and could not say anything to them, and then he shouted:

- What do you want from me?

One of them came closer to the serviceman and said:

“We are your obedient servants, but we do not obey you, but this magical bag, and if you need anything, give orders.

The soldier thought that he was dreaming of all this, rubbed his eyes, decided to try it, and said:

“If you are telling the truth, then I order you to immediately have a bunk, a table, a snack and a pipe of tobacco!”

The soldier had not yet had time to finish, and everything appeared, as if it had fallen from the sky. The soldier drank, ate, fell on his bed and lit his pipe.

He lay down like that for quite some time, then he waved his knapsack and, when a fine fellow (servant of the knapsack) appeared, the soldier said to him:

“And how long will I lie here on this bunk and smoke tobacco?”

“As much as you like,” said the young man.

“Well, take everything away,” the soldier said and went on. So he walked after that, whether close or far, and in the evening he came to one estate, and there was a glorious manor house. And the master did not live in this house, but lived in another - there were devils in a good house. So the soldier began to ask the peasants:

- Where does the baron live?

And the men say:

- What do you want in our master?

- Yes, you should ask to spend the night!

“Well,” the peasants say, “only go, he’ll send you to the devil for dinner!”

“Nothing,” says the soldier, “and you can get rid of the devils. And tell me, where does the barin live?

The peasants showed him the manor house, and the soldier went to him and began to ask him to spend the night. Barin says:

“Let me in, perhaps, and let me in, but only it’s not quiet there!”

“Nothing,” the soldier says. So the master led the soldier to a good house, and as he brought him, the soldier waved his magic bag and, when the good fellow appeared, ordered to prepare a table for two people. Before the gentleman had time to turn around, everything appeared. The master, although he was rich, had never had such an appetizer before! They began to eat, and the master stole the golden spoon. They finished the appetizer, the soldier again waved his knapsack and ordered everything to be put away, and the good fellow said:

— I can’t clean up — not everything is on the table. The soldier looked yes and said:

- You, sir, why did you take a spoon?

“I didn’t take it,” says the master.

The soldier searched the master, gave the spoon to the footman, and he himself began to thank the master for the lodging for the night, and he beat him up so badly that the master, out of anger, locked all the doors.

The soldier locked all the windows and doors from the other chambers, crossed them and began to wait for the devils.

Around midnight, he hears someone squeaking at the door. The soldiers waited a little more, and suddenly so much evil spirits arose and they raised such a cry that at least plug your ears!

One shouts:

- Push it, push it!

And the other one screams:

“Yes, where to push, if the crosses are inscribed! ..” The soldier listened, listened, and his hair stood on end, for nothing that he was not a cowardly dozen. Finally he shouted:

“What do you want from me, barefoot?”

— Let go! the devils shout to him from behind the door.

“Why am I letting you in here?”

- Yes, let it go!

The soldier looked around and saw a bag of weights in the corner, took the bag, shook out the weights and said:

- And what, how many of you, barefoot, will go into my bag?

"Let's all go in," the devils tell him from behind the door. The soldier made crosses on the sack with charcoal, closed the door a little, and said:

- Well, I'll see if you told the truth that everyone will come in?

Every one of the devils climbed into the sack, the soldier tied it up, made the sign of the cross, took a twenty-pound weight, and let's beat the sack. Beats, beats and touches: is it soft? Here the soldier sees that at last it became soft, he opened the window, untied the bag and shook the devils out. He looks, and the devils are all mutilated, and no one moves from their place.

Here is how the soldier shouts:

- And what are you doing here, barefoot, lying down? Are you waiting for another bath, huh?

The devils all somehow fled, and the soldier shouts after them:

“Come here again, so I won’t ask you something else!”

The next morning the peasants came and opened the doors, and the soldier came to the master and said:

“Well, sir, go now to that house and don’t be afraid of anything, but I must be given for the work for the road!”

The master gave him some money, and the soldier went on his way.

So he walked and walked for such a long time, and it was not far from home, only three days of walking! Suddenly an old woman met him, so thin and terrible, carrying a bag full of knives, but drinking, and various hatchets, and propped up with a scythe. She blocked his path, but the soldier could not stand it, pulled out the cleaver and shouted:

"What do you want from me, old lady?" Do you want me to open your head?

Death (it was she) and says:

“I was sent by the Lord to take your soul!”

The soldier's heart shuddered, he fell to his knees and said:

- Have mercy, mother death, give me only three years; I have served the king my long service as a soldier, and now I go to see my family.

“No,” says death, “you won’t see your relatives and I won’t give you three years.”

Give me at least three months.

- I won't even give you three weeks.

Give me at least three days.

“I won’t give you even three minutes,” said death, waved her scythe and killed the soldier.

So a soldier found himself in the other world, and he was about to go to paradise, but they didn’t let him go there: he was unworthy, which means he was. A soldier went from heaven and ended up in hell, and then the devils ran up to him and wanted to drag him into the fire, and the soldier says:

- What do you want from me? Oh, you, barefoot, or have you already forgotten the master's bath, huh?

The devils all fled from him, and Satan shouts:

“Where are you, kids, running?”

“Oh, old man,” the little devils say to him, “after all, that soldier is here!”

When Satan heard this, he himself ran into the fire. Here the soldier looked like, walked around hell - he became bored; went to paradise and said to the Lord:

"God, where are you sending me now?" I didn't deserve heaven, but in hell all the devils fled from me; I walked, walked through hell, it became boring, and I went to you, give me some kind of service!

The Lord says:

- Go, service, ask Michael the Archangel for a gun and stand on the clock at the doors of heaven!

A soldier went to Michael the Archangel, begged him for a gun, and stood watch at the gates of heaven. So he stood like that, whether for a long time, whether for a short time, and he sees that death is coming, and straight to paradise. The soldier blocked her way and said:

"What do you want, old lady?" Went away! The Lord will not accept anyone without my report!

Death and says:

- I came to the Lord to ask what kind of people he orders to starve this year.

Soldier and says:

- It would have been like that for a long time, otherwise you climb without asking, but don’t you know that I, too, mean something here; hold the gun, and I'll go and ask.

A servant came to paradise, and the Lord said:

- Why did you come, service?

“Death has come. Lord, and asks: what kind of people are you ordering to starve next year?

The Lord says:

- Let him kill the oldest!

The soldier went back and thought, “The Lord orders the oldest people to be starved; and what if my father is still alive, because she will kill him, like me. Well, I guess I won't see you again. No, old one, you didn’t give me freebies for three years, so go and gnaw on the oaks!”

He came and said to death:

“Death, the Lord ordered you not to starve people this time, but to gnaw oaks, such oaks that are no older!

Death went to gnaw at the old oaks, and the soldier took the gun from her and began to walk again at the doors of heaven. A year has passed in the world, death again came to ask what kind of people the Lord tells her to kill for this year.

The soldier gave her a gun, and he himself went to the Lord to ask what kind of people he orders death to starve for this year. The Lord ordered to starve the most seasoned, and the soldier again thinks:

“But I still have brothers and sisters and many acquaintances there, and death will kill me, so I won’t see them anymore! No, let another year gnaw on oaks, and there, perhaps, our brother-soldier will be pardoned!

He came and sent death to gnaw on the most vigorous, seasoned oaks.

Another year passed, death came for the third time. The Lord told her to kill the youngest ones, and the soldier sent her young oaks to gnaw.

So, this is how death came for the fourth time, and the soldier says: - Well, you, old one, go, if necessary, yourself, but I won’t go: I’m tired of it!

Death went to the Lord, and the Lord said to her:

- What are you, death, so thin has become?

- Yes, how thin it is not to be, for three whole years I gnawed oaks, broke all my teeth! But I don’t know why, Lord, you are so angry with me?

“What are you, what are you, death,” the Lord says to her, “why did you get it that I sent you to gnaw oaks?”

“Yes, that’s what the soldier told me,” says death.

- Soldier? How dare he do this?! Angels, come, bring me a soldier!

The angels went and brought a soldier, and the Lord said:

- What makes you think, soldier, that I ordered death to gnaw oaks?

- Yes, it’s not enough for her, old, this! I asked her for free only for three years, and she did not give me even three hours. That's why I told her to gnaw oaks for three years.

“Well, go ahead now,” says the Lord, “and fatten her up for three years!” Angels! Take him out into the open!

The angels led the soldier out into the world, and the soldier found himself in the very place where death had killed him. The soldier sees some kind of bag, he took the bag and says:

- Death! Get in the bag!

Death sat in a sack, and the soldier took more sticks and put stones there, but how he walked like a soldier, and only the bones of death crunch!

Death and says:

- What are you, a serviceman, be quiet!

“Here, be quiet, what else can you say, but in my opinion it’s like this: sit, if you’ve been planted!”

So he walked like this for two days, and on the third he came to the kissing matchmaker and said:

- What, brother, give me a drink; spent all the money, and I'll bring it to you one of these days, here's my bag for you, let it lie down with you.

The kisser took the bag from him and threw it under the counter. The soldier came home; and my father is still alive. He was happy, and his family was even more happy. That's how the soldier lived and healthy and fun for a whole year.

A soldier came to that tavern and began asking for his sack, but the kisser could hardly find it. Here the soldier untied the sack and said:

Death, are you alive?

“Oh,” says death, “I almost suffocated!”

“All right,” the soldier says. He opened a snuffbox with tobacco, sniffed and sneezed. Death and says:

“Servant, give it to me!”

She kept asking what she would see from the soldier.

Soldier and says:

- Why, death, after all, one pinch is not enough for you, but go sit in a snuffbox and sniff as much as you want; As soon as death got into the snuffbox, the soldier slammed it shut and wore it for a whole year. Then he opened the snuffbox again and said:

- What, death, sniffed?

“Oh,” says death, “it’s hard!

"Well," says the soldier, "let's go, I'll feed you now!"

He came home and put her at the table, and death ate and ate for seven. The soldier got angry and said:

- Look, a breakthrough, I ate for seven! You won’t fill you up, where will I go with you, damn?

He put her in a sack and carried her to the cemetery; dug a hole in the side and buried it there. Three years have passed, the Lord remembered death and sent angels to look for it. Angels walked, walked around the world, found a soldier and said to him:

“Where are you, serviceman, doing death?”

- Where did you go? And buried in the grave!

An urgent time passed, the soldier served the service of the king and began to ask to see his relatives at home. At first, the king did not let him go, but then he agreed, endowed him with gold and silver and let him go on all four sides.

So the soldier received his resignation and went to say goodbye to his comrades, and the comrades say to him:

“Can’t you bring it on the sheets, but before that we lived well?”

So the soldier began to offer his comrades; brought, brought - lo and behold, he only had five nickels left.

Here comes our soldier. Is it close, is it far, does it see: a tavern stands on the sidelines; A soldier went into a tavern, drank for a kopeck, ate a penny and went on. He walked a little, an old woman met him and began to ask for alms; soldier and gave her a nickel. He walked a little again, looks, and the same old woman again goes to meet and asks for alms; the soldier gave another nickel, but he himself marvels: how did the old woman again find herself in front? He looks, and the old woman is again in front and asks for alms; the soldier and the third nickel filed.

Went back a mile again. He looks, and the old woman is again in front and asks for alms. The soldier got angry, could not stand the zeal, pulled out the cleaver and wanted to cut her head, and as soon as he waved, the old woman threw a knapsack at his feet and disappeared. The soldier took a knapsack, looked, looked and said:

- Where do I go with this rubbish? I have enough of mine too!

And he was about to give it up - suddenly, out of nowhere, two young men appeared before him, as if from the ground, and they said to him:

— What do you want?

The soldier was surprised and could not say anything to them, and then he shouted:

- What do you want from me?

One of them came closer to the serviceman and said:

“We are your obedient servants, but we do not obey you, but this magical bag, and if you need anything, give orders.

The soldier thought that he was dreaming of all this, rubbed his eyes, decided to try it, and said:

“If you speak right-handed, then I order you to immediately have a bunk, a table, a snack and a pipe with tobacco!”

The soldier had not yet had time to finish, and everything appeared, as if it had fallen from the sky. The soldier drank, ate, fell on his bed and lit his pipe.

He lay down like that for quite some time, then he waved his knapsack and, when a fine fellow (servant of the knapsack) appeared, the soldier said to him:

“And how long will I lie here on this bunk and smoke tobacco?”

“As much as you like,” said the young man.

“Well, take everything away,” the soldier said and went on.

So he walked after that, whether close or far, and in the evening he came to one estate, and there was a glorious manor house. And the master did not live in this house, but lived in another - there were devils in a good house. So the soldier began to ask the peasants:

- Where does the baron live?

And the men say:

- What do you want in our master?

- Yes, you should ask to spend the night!

“Well,” the peasants say, “only go, he’ll send you to the devil for dinner!”

“Nothing,” says the soldier, “and you can get rid of the devils. And tell me, where does the barin live?

The peasants showed him the manor house, and the soldier went to him and began to ask him to spend the night. Barin says:

“Let me in, perhaps, and let me in, but only it’s not quiet there!”

“Nothing,” the soldier says.

So the master led the soldier to a good house, and as he brought him, the soldier waved his magic bag and, when the good fellow appeared, ordered to prepare a table for two people. Before the gentleman had time to turn around, everything appeared. The master, although he was rich, had never had such an appetizer before! They began to eat, and the master stole the golden spoon. They finished the appetizer, the soldier again waved his knapsack and ordered everything to be put away, and the good fellow said:

— I can’t clean up — not everything is on the table.

The soldier looked yes and said:

- You, sir, why did you take a spoon?

“I didn’t take it,” says the master.

The soldier searched the master, gave the spoon to the footman, and he himself began to thank the master for the lodging for the night, and he beat him up so badly that the master, out of anger, locked all the doors.

The soldier locked all the windows and doors from the other chambers, crossed them and began to wait for the devils.

Around midnight, he hears someone squeaking at the door. The soldiers waited a little more, and suddenly so much evil spirits arose and they raised such a cry that at least plug your ears! One shouts:

- Push it, push it!

And the other one screams:

- Yes, where to push, if the crosses are instructed! ..

The soldier listened, listened, and his own hair stood on end, even though there was a ten of uncowardly. Finally he shouted:

“What do you want from me, barefoot?”

— Let go! the devils shout to him from behind the door.

“Why am I letting you in here?”

- Yes, let it go!

The soldier looked around and saw a bag of weights in the corner, took the bag, shook out the weights and said:

- And what, how many of you, barefoot, will go into my bag?

"Let's all go in," the devils tell him from behind the door.

The soldier made crosses on the sack with charcoal, closed the door a little, and said:

- Well, I'll see if you told the truth that everyone will come in?

Every one of the devils climbed into the sack, the soldier tied it up, crossed it, took a twenty-pound weight and started hitting the sack. Beats, beats and touches: is it soft?

Here the soldier sees that at last it became soft, he opened the window, untied the bag and shook the devils out. He looks, and the devils are all mutilated, and no one moves from their place.

Here is how the soldier shouts:

- And what are you doing here, barefoot, lying down? Are you waiting for another bath, huh?

The devils all somehow fled, and the soldier shouts after them:

“Come here again, so I won’t ask you something else!”

The next morning the peasants came and opened the doors, and the soldier came to the master and said:

“Well, sir, go now to that house and don’t be afraid of anything, but I must be given for the work for the road!”

The master gave him some money, and the soldier went on his way.

So he walked and walked for such a long time, and it was not far from home, only three days of walking! Suddenly an old woman met him, so thin and terrible, carrying a bag full of knives, but drinking, and various hatchets, and propped up with a scythe. She blocked his path, but the soldier could not stand it, pulled out the cleaver and shouted:

"What do you want from me, old lady?" Do you want me to open your head?

Death (it was she) and says:

“I was sent by the Lord to take your soul!”

The soldier's heart shuddered, he fell to his knees and said:

- Have mercy, mother death, give me only three years; I have served the king my long service as a soldier, and now I go to see my family.

- No, - says death, - you will not see your relatives and I will not give you a term of three years.

Give me at least three months.

- I won't even give you three weeks.

Give me at least three days.

“I won’t give you even three minutes,” said death, waved her scythe and killed the soldier.

So a soldier found himself in the other world, and he was about to go to paradise, but they didn’t let him go there: he was unworthy, which means he was. A soldier went from heaven and ended up in hell, and then the devils ran up to him and wanted to drag him into the fire, and the soldier says:

- What do you want from me? Oh, you, barefoot, or have you already forgotten the master's bath, huh?

The devils all fled from him, and Satan shouts:

“Where are you, kids, running?”

“Oh, old man,” the little devils say to him, “after all, that soldier is here!”

When Satan heard this, he himself ran into the fire.

Here the soldier looked like, walked around hell - he became bored; went to heaven and said to the Lord:

"God, where are you sending me now?" I didn't deserve heaven, but in hell all the devils fled from me; I walked, walked through hell, it became boring, and I went to you, give me some kind of service!

The Lord says:

- Go, service, ask Michael the Archangel for a gun and stand on the clock at the doors of heaven!

A soldier went to Michael the Archangel, begged him for a gun, and stood watch at the gates of heaven.

So he stood like that, whether for a long time, whether for a short time, and he sees that death is coming, and even straight to paradise. The soldier blocked her way and said:

"What do you want, old lady?" Went away! The Lord will not accept anyone without my report!

Death and says:

- I came to the Lord to ask what kind of people he orders to starve this year.

Soldier and says:

- It would have been like that for a long time, otherwise you climb without asking, but don’t you know that I, too, mean something here; hold the gun, and I'll go and ask.

A servant came to paradise, and the Lord said:

- Why did you come, service?

- Death has come, Lord, and asks: what kind of people are you ordering to starve next year?

The Lord says:

- Let him kill the oldest!

The soldier went back and thought:

The Lord orders the oldest people to starve; and what if my father is still alive, because she will kill him, like me. Well, I guess I won't see you again. No, old lady, you didn't give me freebies for three years, so go and nibble the oaks!

He came and said to death:

“Death, the Lord ordered you this time not to starve people, but to gnaw oaks, such oaks that are no older!

Death went to gnaw at the old oaks, and the soldier took the gun from her and began to walk again at the doors of heaven.

A year has passed in the world, death again came to ask what kind of people the Lord tells her to starve for this year.

The soldier gave her the gun, and he himself went to the Lord to ask what kind of people he ordered to die this year. The Lord ordered to starve the most seasoned, and the soldier again thinks:

But I still have brothers and sisters and many acquaintances there, and death will kill me, so I won’t see them again! No, let another year gnaw on oaks, and there, perhaps, our brother-soldier will have mercy!

He came and sent death to gnaw on the most vigorous, seasoned oaks.

Another year passed, death came for the third time. The Lord told her to kill the youngest ones, and the soldier sent her young oaks to gnaw.

Here is how death came for the fourth time, the soldier says:

- Well, you, old, go, if necessary, by yourself, but I won’t go: I’m tired of it!

Death went to the Lord, and the Lord said to her:

- What are you, death, so thin has become?

- Yes, how thin it is not to be, for three whole years I gnawed oaks, broke all my teeth! But I don’t know why, Lord, you are so angry with me?

“What are you, what are you, death,” the Lord says to her, “why did you get it that I sent you to gnaw oaks?”

“Yes, that’s what the soldier told me,” says death.

- Soldier? How dare he do this?! Angels, come, bring me a soldier!

The angels went and brought a soldier, and the Lord said:

- What makes you think, soldier, that I ordered death to gnaw oaks?

- Yes, it’s not enough for her, old, this! I asked her for free only for three years, and she did not give me even three hours. That's why I told her to gnaw oaks for three years.

“Well, go ahead now,” says the Lord, “and fatten her up for three years.” Angels! Take him out into the open!

The angels led the soldier out into the world, and the soldier found himself in the very place where death had killed him.

The soldier sees some kind of bag, he took the bag and says:

- Death! Get in the bag!

Death sat in a sack, and the soldier took more sticks and put stones there, but how he walked like a soldier, and only the bones of death crunch!

Death and says:

- What are you, a serviceman, be quiet!

“Here, be quiet, what else can you say, but in my opinion, it’s like this: sit, if it’s planted!”

So he walked like this for two days, and on the third he came to the kissing matchmaker and said:

- What, brother, give me a drink; spent all the money, and I'll bring it to you one of these days, here's my bag for you, let it lie down with you.

The kisser took the bag from him and threw it under the counter. The soldier came home, but the father is still alive. He was happy, and his family was even more happy.

That's how the soldier lived and healthy and fun for a whole year.

A soldier came to that tavern and began asking for his sack, but the kisser could hardly find it. Here the soldier untied the sack and said:

Death, are you alive?

“Oh,” says death, “I almost suffocated!”

“All right,” the soldier says.

He opened a snuffbox with tobacco, sniffed and sneezed.

Death says:

“Servant, give it to me!”

She kept asking what she would see from the soldier.

Soldier and says:

- Why, death, because one pinch is not enough for you, but go sit in a snuffbox and sniff as much as you want.

As soon as death got into the snuffbox, the soldier slammed it shut and wore it for a whole year. Then he opened the snuffbox again and said:

- What, death, sniffed?

“Oh,” says death, “it’s hard!

"Well," says the soldier, "let's go, I'll feed you now!"

He came home and put her at the table, and death ate and ate for seven. The soldier got angry and said:

- Look, a breakthrough, I ate for seven! You won’t fill you up, where will I go with you, damn?

He put her in a sack and carried her to the cemetery; dug a hole in the side and buried it there.

Three years have passed, the Lord remembered death and sent angels to look for it. Angels walked, walked around the world, found a soldier and said to him:

“Where are you, serviceman, doing death?”

- Where did you go? And buried in the grave!

“But the Lord demands her to himself,” say the angels.

A soldier came to the cemetery, dug up a hole, and death is already breathing a little there. The angels took death and brought it to the Lord, and he says:

- What are you, death, so thin?

Death told the Lord everything, and he says:

- It can be seen that you, death, do not get bread from a soldier, go and feed yourself!

Death again went around the world, but only that soldier no longer dared to starve.

An urgent time passed, the soldier served the service of the king and began to ask to see his relatives at home. At first, the king did not let him go, but then he agreed, endowed him with gold and silver, and let him go on all four sides.

So the soldier received his resignation and went to say goodbye to his comrades, and the comrades say to him:

- Can't you bring it on the sheets, but before that we lived well?

So the soldier began to offer his comrades; brought, brought - lo and behold, he only had five nickels left.

Here comes our soldier. Is it close, is it far, does it see: a tavern stands on the sidelines; A soldier went into a tavern, drank for a kopeck, ate a penny and went on. He walked a little, an old woman met him and began to ask for alms; soldier and gave her a nickel. He walked a little again, looks, and the same old woman again goes to meet and asks for alms; the soldier gave another nickel, but he himself marvels: how did the old woman again find herself in front? He looks, and the old woman is again in front and asks for alms; the soldier and the third nickel filed.

Went back a mile again. He looks, and the old woman is again in front and asks for alms. The soldier got angry, could not stand the zeal, pulled out the cleaver and wanted to cut her head, and as soon as he waved, the old woman threw a knapsack at his feet and disappeared. The soldier took a knapsack, looked, looked and said:

- Where do I go with this rubbish? I have enough of mine too!

And he was about to give up - suddenly, out of nowhere, two young men appeared before him, as if from the ground, and said to him:

– What do you want?

The soldier was surprised and could not say anything to them, and then he shouted:

- What do you want from me?

One of them came closer to the serviceman and said:

- We are your obedient servants, but we do not obey you, but this magical bag, and if you need anything, order it.

The soldier thought that he was dreaming of all this, rubbed his eyes, decided to try it, and said:

- If you are telling the truth, then I order you to immediately have a bed, a table, a snack and a pipe with tobacco!

The soldier had not yet had time to finish, and everything appeared, as if it had fallen from the sky. The soldier drank, ate, fell on his bed and lit his pipe.

He lay down like that for quite some time, then he waved his knapsack and, when a fine fellow (servant of the knapsack) appeared, the soldier said to him:

“And how long will I lie here on this bunk and smoke tobacco?”
“As much as you like,” said the young man.
- Well, take everything away, - said the soldier and went on. So he walked after that, whether close or far, and in the evening he came to one estate, and there was a glorious manor house. And the master did not live in this house, but lived in another - there were devils in a good house. So the soldier began to ask the peasants:

- Where does the baron live?
And the men say:
- Yes, what do you want in our master?
- Yes, you should ask to spend the night!
“Well,” the peasants say, “just go, he’ll send you to the devil for dinner!”
“Nothing,” the soldier says, “and you can get rid of the devils. And tell me, where does the barin live?

The peasants showed him the manor house, and the soldier went to him and began to ask him to spend the night. Barin says:

- Let me go, perhaps I will, but only it’s not quiet there!
“Nothing,” the soldier says. So the master led the soldier to a good house, and as he brought him, the soldier waved his magic bag and, when the good fellow appeared, ordered to prepare a table for two people. Before the gentleman had time to turn around, everything appeared. The master, although he was rich, had never had such an appetizer before! They began to eat, and the master stole the golden spoon.

They finished the appetizer, the soldier again waved his knapsack and ordered everything to be put away, and the good fellow said:

– I can’t clean – not everything is on the table. The soldier looked yes and said:
- You, sir, why did you take a spoon?
“I didn’t take it,” says the master.

The soldier searched the master, gave the spoon to the footman, and he himself began to thank the master for the lodging for the night, and he beat him up so badly that the master, out of anger, locked all the doors. The soldier locked all the windows and doors from the other chambers, crossed them and began to wait for the devils. Around midnight, he hears someone squeaking at the door. The soldiers waited a little more, and suddenly so much evil spirits arose and they raised such a cry that at least plug your ears!

One shouts:
- Push it, push it!
And the other one screams:
- Yes, where to push, if the crosses are set! .. The soldier listened, listened, and his hair stood on end, for nothing that he was not a cowardly dozen. Finally he shouted:
“What do you want from me, barefoot?”
- Let go! - the devils shout to him from behind the door.
“Why am I letting you in here?”
- Yes, let it go!

The soldier looked around and saw a bag of weights in the corner, took the bag, shook out the weights and said:

- And what, how many of you, barefoot, will go into my bag?
“Let’s all go in,” the devils tell him from behind the door. The soldier made crosses on the sack with charcoal, closed the door a little, and said:
- Well, I'll see if you told the truth that everyone will come in?

Every one of the devils climbed into the sack, the soldier tied it up, made the sign of the cross, took a twenty-pound weight, and let's beat the sack. Beats, beats and touches: is it soft? Here the soldier sees that at last it became soft, he opened the window, untied the bag and shook the devils out. He looks, and the devils are all mutilated, and no one moves from their place.

Here is how the soldier shouts:
- And what are you doing here, barefoot, lying down? Are you waiting for another bath, huh?

The devils all somehow fled, and the soldier shouts after them:
“Come here again, so I won’t ask you something else!”

The next morning the peasants came and opened the doors, and the soldier came to the master and said:
“Well, sir, now go to that house and don’t be afraid of anything, but I need to be given for the work for the road!”

The master gave him some money, and the soldier went on his way. So he walked and walked for such a long time, and it was not far from home, only three days of walking! Suddenly an old woman met him, so thin and terrible, carrying a bag full of knives, but drinking, and various hatchets, and propped up with a scythe.

She blocked his path, but the soldier could not stand it, pulled out the cleaver and shouted:
“What do you want from me, old lady?” Do you want me to open your head?

Death (it was she) and says:
“I was sent by the Lord to take your soul!”

The soldier's heart shuddered, he fell to his knees and said:

- Have mercy, mother death, give me only three years; I have served the king my long service as a soldier, and now I go to see my family.
“No,” says death, “you won’t see your relatives and I won’t give you three years.”
Give me at least three months.
- I won't even give you three weeks.
Give me at least three days.
“I won’t give you even three minutes,” said death, waved her scythe and killed the soldier.

So a soldier found himself in the other world, and he was about to go to paradise, but they didn’t let him go there: he was unworthy, which means he was. A soldier went from heaven and ended up in hell, and then the devils ran up to him and wanted to drag him into the fire, and the soldier says:

- What do you want from me? Oh, you, barefoot, or have you already forgotten the master's bath, huh?

The devils all fled from him, and Satan shouts:

“Where are you, kids, running?”
“Oh, old man,” the little devils say to him, “after all, that soldier is here!”

When Satan heard this, he himself ran into the fire. Here the soldier was like, like in hell - he became bored; went to paradise and said to the Lord:

“God, where are you sending me now?” I didn't deserve heaven, but in hell all the devils fled from me; I walked, walked through hell, it became boring, and I went to you, give me some kind of service!

The Lord says:
- Go, service, beg a gun from Michael the Archangel and stand on the clock at the doors of heaven!

A soldier went to Michael the Archangel, begged him for a gun, and stood watch at the gates of heaven. So he stood like that, whether for a long time, whether for a short time, and he sees that death is coming, and straight to paradise.

The soldier blocked her way and said:
"What do you want, old lady?" Went away! The Lord will not accept anyone without my report!

Death and says:
- I came to the Lord to ask what kind of people he orders to starve this year.

Soldier and says:
- It would have been like that for a long time, otherwise you climb without asking, but don’t you know that I, too, mean something here; hold the gun, and I'll go and ask.

A servant came to paradise, and the Lord said:
- Why did you come, service?
“Death has come. Lord, and asks: what kind of people are you ordering to starve next year?

The Lord says:
- Let him kill the oldest!

The soldier went back and thought, “The Lord orders the oldest people to be starved; and what if my father is still alive, because she will kill him, like me. Well, I guess I won't see you again. No, old lady, you didn’t give me freebies for three years, so go and nibble the oaks!”

He came and said to death:
“Death, the Lord ordered you this time not to kill people, but to gnaw oaks, such oaks that are no longer old!

Death went to gnaw at the old oaks, and the soldier took the gun from her and began to walk again at the doors of heaven. A year has passed in the world, death again came to ask what kind of people the Lord tells her to kill for this year.

The soldier gave her a gun, and he himself went to the Lord to ask what kind of people he orders death to starve for this year. The Lord ordered to starve the most seasoned, and the soldier again thinks:
“But I still have brothers and sisters and many acquaintances there, and death will kill me, so I won’t see them anymore! No, let another year gnaw on oaks, and there, perhaps, our brother-soldier will be merciful!”

He came and sent death to gnaw on the most vigorous, seasoned oaks. Another year passed, death came for the third time. The Lord told her to kill the youngest ones, and the soldier sent her young oaks to gnaw.
So, this is how death came for the fourth time, the soldier says:

- Well, you, the old one, go, if necessary, by yourself, but I won’t go: I’m tired of it!

Death went to the Lord, and the Lord said to her:

- What are you, death, so thin has become?
- Yes, how thin you can’t be, for three whole years you gnawed at oaks, broke all your teeth! But I don’t know why, Lord, you are so angry with me?
“What are you, what are you, death,” the Lord says to her, “why did you get it that I sent you to gnaw oaks?”
“Yes, that’s what the soldier told me,” says death.
- Soldier? How dare he do this?! Angels, come, bring me a soldier!

The angels went and brought a soldier, and the Lord said:

- What makes you think, soldier, that I ordered death to gnaw oaks?
- Yes, it’s not enough for her, old, this! I asked her for free only for three years, and she did not give me even three hours. That's why I told her to gnaw oaks for three years.
“Well, go ahead now,” says the Lord, “and fatten her up for three years!” Angels! Take him out into the open!

The angels led the soldier out into the world, and the soldier found himself in the very place where death had killed him. The soldier sees some kind of bag, he took the bag and says:
- Death! Get in the bag!

Death sat in a sack, and the soldier took more sticks and put stones there, but how he walked like a soldier, and only the bones of death crunch!

Death and says:
- Yes, what are you, a serviceman, be quiet!
- Here you go, quieter, what else can you say, but in my opinion this is: sit, if planted!

So he walked like this for two days, and on the third he came to the kissing matchmaker and said:

- What, brother, give me a drink; spent all the money, and I'll bring it to you one of these days, here's my bag for you, let it lie down with you.

The kisser took the bag from him and threw it under the counter. The soldier came home; and my father is still alive. He was happy, and his family was even more happy. That's how the soldier lived and healthy and fun for a whole year.

A soldier came to that tavern and began asking for his sack, but the kisser could hardly find it. Here the soldier untied the sack and said:

Death, are you alive?
“Oh,” says death, “almost suffocated!”
“All right,” the soldier says. He opened a snuffbox with tobacco, sniffed and sneezed.

Death and says:
“Servant, give it to me!”

She kept asking what she would see from the soldier.

Soldier and says:
- Why, death, after all, one pinch is not enough for you, but go sit in a snuffbox and sniff as much as you want; As soon as death got into the snuffbox, the soldier slammed it shut and wore it for a whole year. Then he opened the snuffbox again and said:
- What, death, sniffed?
“Oh,” says death, “it’s hard!
“Well,” the soldier says, “let’s go, I’ll feed you now!”

He came home and put her at the table, and death ate and ate for seven. The soldier got angry and said:

- Look, a breakthrough, I ate for seven! You won’t fill you up, where will I go with you, damn?

He put her in a sack and carried her to the cemetery; dug a hole in the side and buried it there. Three years have passed, the Lord remembered death and sent angels to look for it. Angels walked, walked around the world, found a soldier and said to him:

“Where are you, serviceman, doing death?”
- Where did you go? And buried in the grave!
“But the Lord demands her to himself,” say the angels.

A soldier came to the cemetery, dug up a hole, and death is already breathing a little there. The angels took death and brought it to the Lord, and he says:
- What are you, death, so thin?

Death told the Lord everything, and he says:

- It can be seen that you, death, do not get bread from a soldier, feed yourself!

Death again went around the world, but only that soldier no longer dared to starve.

An urgent time passed, the soldier served the service of the king and began to ask to see his relatives at home. At first, the king did not let him go, but then he agreed, endowed him with gold and silver, and let him go on all four sides.

So the soldier received his resignation and went to say goodbye to his comrades, and the comrades say to him:

Can't you bring it to the sheets, but before that we lived well?

So the soldier began to offer his comrades; brought, brought - lo and behold, he only had five nickels left.

Here comes our soldier. Is it close, is it far, does it see: a tavern stands on the sidelines; A soldier went into a tavern, drank for a kopeck, ate a penny and went on. He walked a little, an old woman met him and began to ask for alms; soldier and gave her a nickel. He walked a little again, looks, and the same old woman again goes to meet and asks for alms; the soldier gave another nickel, but he himself marvels: how did the old woman again find herself in front? He looks, and the old woman is again in front and asks for alms; the soldier and the third nickel filed.

Went back a mile again. He looks, and the old woman is again in front and asks for alms. The soldier got angry, could not stand the zeal, pulled out the cleaver and wanted to cut her head, and as soon as he waved, the old woman threw a knapsack at his feet and disappeared. The soldier took a knapsack, looked, looked and said:

Where do I go with this rubbish? I have enough of mine too!

And he was about to quit - suddenly, out of nowhere, two young men appeared before him, as if from the ground, and said to him:

What do you want?

The soldier was surprised and could not say anything to them, and then he shouted:

What do you want from me?

One of them came closer to the serviceman and said:

We are your obedient servants, but we do not obey you, but this magical bag, and if you need anything, give orders.

The soldier thought that he was dreaming of all this, rubbed his eyes, decided to try it, and said:

If you are telling the truth, then I order you to have a bunk, a table, a snack and a pipe of tobacco immediately!

The soldier had not yet had time to finish, and everything appeared, as if it had fallen from the sky. The soldier drank, ate, fell on his bed and lit his pipe.

He lay down like that for quite some time, then he waved his knapsack and, when a fine fellow (servant of the knapsack) appeared, the soldier said to him:

And how long will I lie here on this bunk and smoke tobacco?

As much as you like, - said the good fellow.

Well, take everything away, - said the soldier and went on. So he walked after that, whether close or far, and in the evening he came to one estate, and there was a glorious manor house. And the master did not live in this house, but lived in another - there were devils in a good house. So the soldier began to ask the peasants:

Where does the baron live?

And the men say:

What do you want in our master?

Yes, you should ask to spend the night!

Well, - the peasants say, - just go, so he will send you to hell for lunch!

Nothing, - says the soldier, - and you can get rid of the devils. And tell me, where does the barin live?

The peasants showed him the manor house, and the soldier went to him and began to ask him to spend the night. Barin says:

I’ll probably let them in, but only it’s not quiet there!

Nothing, says the soldier. So the master led the soldier to a good house, and as he brought him, the soldier waved his magic bag and, when the good fellow appeared, ordered to prepare a table for two people. Before the gentleman had time to turn around, everything appeared. The master, although he was rich, had never had such an appetizer before! They began to eat, and the master stole the golden spoon. They finished the appetizer, the soldier again waved his knapsack and ordered everything to be put away, and the good fellow said:

I can not clean - not everything is on the table. The soldier looked yes and said:

You, sir, why did you take a spoon?

I did not take, - says the master.

The soldier searched the master, gave the spoon to the footman, and he himself began to thank the master for the lodging for the night, and he beat him up so badly that the master, out of anger, locked all the doors.

The soldier locked all the windows and doors from the other chambers, crossed them and began to wait for the devils.

Around midnight, he hears someone squeaking at the door. The soldiers waited a little more, and suddenly so much evil spirits arose and they raised such a cry that at least plug your ears!

One shouts:

Push on, push on!

And the other one screams:

Yes, where to push, if the crosses are set! .. The soldier listened, listened, and his hair stood on end, for nothing that he was not a cowardly dozen. Finally he shouted:

What do you want from me, barefoot?

Let it go! - the devils shout to him from behind the door.

Why am I letting you in here?

Yes, let it go!

The soldier looked around and saw a bag of weights in the corner, took the bag, shook out the weights and said:

And what, how many of you, barefoot, will enter my bag?

Let's all go in, - the devils tell him from behind the door. The soldier made crosses on the sack with charcoal, closed the door a little, and said:

Well, I'll see if you told the truth that you would all come in?

Every one of the devils climbed into the sack, the soldier tied it up, made the sign of the cross, took a twenty-pound weight, and let's beat the sack. Beats, beats and touches: is it soft? Here the soldier sees that at last it became soft, he opened the window, untied the bag and shook the devils out. He looks, and the devils are all mutilated, and no one moves from their place.

Here is how the soldier shouts:

And what are you doing here, barefoot, lying down? Are you waiting for another bath, huh?

The devils all somehow fled, and the soldier shouts after them:

If you come here again, I'll ask you something else!

The next morning the peasants came and opened the doors, and the soldier came to the master and said:

Well, sir, now go to that house and don’t be afraid of anything, but I need to be given for the work for the road!

The master gave him some money, and the soldier went on his way.

So he walked and walked for such a long time, and it was not far from home, only three days of walking! Suddenly an old woman met him, so thin and terrible, carrying a bag full of knives, but drinking, and various hatchets, and propped up with a scythe. She blocked his path, but the soldier could not stand it, pulled out the cleaver and shouted:

What do you want from me, old lady? Do you want me to open your head?

Death (it was she) and says:

I was sent by the Lord to take your soul!

The soldier's heart shuddered, he fell to his knees and said:

Have mercy, mother death, give me only three years; I have served the king my long service as a soldier, and now I go to see my family.

No, - says death, - you will not see your relatives and I will not give you a term of three years.

Give me at least three months.

I won't even give you three weeks.

Give me at least three days.

I won't give you even three minutes, - said death, waved her scythe and killed the soldier.

So a soldier found himself in the other world, and he was about to go to paradise, but they didn’t let him go there: he was unworthy, which means he was. A soldier went from heaven and ended up in hell, and then the devils ran up to him and wanted to drag him into the fire, and the soldier says:

What do you want from me? Oh, you, barefoot, or have you already forgotten the master's bath, huh?

The devils all fled from him, and Satan shouts:

Where are you guys running?

Oh, dad, - the little devils say to him, - after all, that soldier is here!

When Satan heard this, he himself ran into the fire. Here the soldier looked like, looked like hell - he became bored; went to paradise and said to the Lord:

Lord, where are you sending me now? I didn't deserve heaven, but in hell all the devils fled from me; I walked, walked through hell, it became boring, and I went to you, give me some kind of service!

The Lord says:

Go, service, beg a gun from Michael the Archangel and stand on the clock at the doors of heaven!

A soldier went to Michael the Archangel, begged him for a gun, and stood watch at the gates of heaven. So he stood like that, whether for a long time, whether for a short time, and he sees that death is coming, and straight to paradise. The soldier blocked her way and said:

What do you want, old lady? Went away! The Lord will not accept anyone without my report!

Death and says:

I came to the Lord to ask what kind of people he orders to starve this year.

Soldier and says:

It would have been like that for a long time, otherwise you climb without asking, but don’t you know that I, too, mean something here; hold the gun, and I'll go and ask.

A servant came to paradise, and the Lord said:

Why did you come, service?

Death has come. Lord, and asks: what kind of people are you ordering to starve next year?

The Lord says:

Let him kill the oldest!

The soldier went back and thought, “The Lord orders the oldest people to be killed; what if my father is still alive, because she will kill him, like me. gave me freebies for three years, so go and nibble the oaks!"

He came and said to death:

Death, the Lord ordered you this time not to kill people, but to gnaw oaks, such oaks that are no longer old!

Death went to gnaw at the old oaks, and the soldier took the gun from her and began to walk again at the doors of heaven. A year has passed in the world, death again came to ask what kind of people the Lord tells her to kill for this year.

The soldier gave her a gun, and he himself went to the Lord to ask what kind of people he orders death to starve for this year. The Lord ordered to starve the most seasoned, and the soldier again thinks:

“But I still have brothers and sisters there and many acquaintances, and as death kills me, I won’t see them again! No, let another year gnaw oaks, and there, perhaps, our brother will have mercy!"

He came and sent death to gnaw on the most vigorous, seasoned oaks.

Another year passed, death came for the third time. The Lord told her to kill the youngest ones, and the soldier sent her young oaks to gnaw.

So, this is how death came for the fourth time, and the soldier says: - Well, you, the old one, go, if necessary, by yourself, but I won’t go: I’m tired!

Death went to the Lord, and the Lord said to her:

What are you, death, so thin has become?

Yes, how thin not to be, for three whole years she gnawed oaks, broke all her teeth! But I don’t know why, Lord, you are so angry with me?

What are you, what are you, death, - the Lord says to her, - where did you get it, that I sent you to gnaw oaks?

Yes, so the soldier told me, - says death.

Soldier? How dare he do this?! Angels, come, bring me a soldier!

The angels went and brought a soldier, and the Lord said:

What makes you think, soldier, that I ordered death to gnaw oaks?

Yes, it’s not enough for her, old, this! I asked her for free only for three years, and she did not give me even three hours. That's why I told her to gnaw oaks for three years.

Well, go ahead now, says the Lord, fatten her up for three years! Angels! Take him out into the open!

The angels led the soldier out into the world, and the soldier found himself in the very place where death had killed him. The soldier sees some kind of bag, he took the bag and says:

Death! Get in the bag!

Death sat in a sack, and the soldier took more sticks and put stones there, but how he walked like a soldier, and only the bones of death crunch!

Death and says:

What are you, servant, be quiet!

Here's another, quieter, what else can you say, but in my opinion this is: sit, if planted!

So he walked like this for two days, and on the third he came to the kissing matchmaker and said:

What, brother, give me a drink; spent all the money, and I'll bring it to you one of these days, here's my bag for you, let it lie down with you.

The kisser took the bag from him and threw it under the counter. The soldier came home; and my father is still alive. He was happy, and his family was even more happy. That's how the soldier lived and healthy and fun for a whole year.

A soldier came to that tavern and began asking for his sack, but the kisser could hardly find it. Here the soldier untied the sack and said:

Death, are you alive?

Oh, says death, almost suffocated!

Okay, the soldier says. He opened a snuffbox with tobacco, sniffed and sneezed. Death and says:

Officer, give it to me!

She kept asking what she would see from the soldier.

Soldier and says:

Why, death, after all, one pinch is not enough for you, but go sit in a snuffbox and sniff as much as you want; As soon as death got into the snuffbox, the soldier slammed it shut and wore it for a whole year. Then he opened the snuffbox again and said:

What, death, sniffed?

Oh, says death, it's hard!

Well, - says the soldier, - let's go, I'll feed you now!

He came home and put her at the table, and death ate and ate for seven. The soldier got angry and said:

Look, break, for seven ate! You won’t fill you up, where will I go with you, damn?

He put her in a sack and carried her to the cemetery; dug a hole in the side and buried it there. Three years have passed, the Lord remembered death and sent angels to look for it. Angels walked, walked around the world, found a soldier and said to him:

Where are you, serviceman, death, something to do?

Where did you go? And buried in the grave!

Why, the Lord demands her to himself, say the angels.

A soldier came to the cemetery, dug up a hole, and death is already breathing a little there. The angels took death and brought it to the Lord, and he says:

What are you, death, so thin?

Death told the Lord everything, and he says:

It can be seen that you, death, do not get bread from a soldier, feed yourself!

Death again went around the world, but only that soldier no longer dared to starve.

Soldier and death

An urgent time passed, the soldier served the service of the king and began to ask to see his relatives at home. At first, the king did not let him go, but then he agreed, endowed him with gold and silver, and let him go on all four sides.

So the soldier received his resignation and went to say goodbye to his comrades, and the comrades say to him:

Can't you bring it to the sheets, but before that we lived well?

So the soldier began to offer his comrades; brought, brought - lo and behold, he only had five nickels left.

Here comes our soldier. Is it close, is it far, does it see: a tavern stands on the sidelines; A soldier went into a tavern, drank for a kopeck, ate a penny and went on. He walked a little, an old woman met him and began to ask for alms; soldier and gave her a nickel. He walked a little again, looks, and the same old woman again goes to meet and asks for alms; the soldier gave another nickel, but he himself marvels: how did the old woman again find herself in front? He looks, and the old woman is again in front and asks for alms; the soldier and the third nickel filed.

Went back a mile again. He looks, and the old woman is again in front and asks for alms. The soldier got angry, could not stand the zeal, pulled out the cleaver and wanted to cut her head, and as soon as he waved, the old woman threw a knapsack at his feet and disappeared. The soldier took a knapsack, looked, looked and said:

Where do I go with this rubbish? I have enough of mine too!

And he was about to quit - suddenly, out of nowhere, two young men appeared before him, as if from the ground, and said to him:

What do you want?

The soldier was surprised and could not say anything to them, and then he shouted:

What do you want from me?

One of them came closer to the serviceman and said:

We are your obedient servants, but we do not obey you, but this magical bag, and if you need anything, give orders.

The soldier thought that he was dreaming of all this, rubbed his eyes, decided to try it, and said:

If you are telling the truth, then I order you to have a bunk, a table, a snack and a pipe of tobacco immediately!

The soldier had not yet had time to finish, and everything appeared, as if it had fallen from the sky. The soldier drank, ate, fell on his bed and lit his pipe.

He lay down like that for quite some time, then he waved his knapsack and, when a fine fellow (servant of the knapsack) appeared, the soldier said to him:

And how long will I lie here on this bunk and smoke tobacco?

As much as you like, - said the good fellow.

Well, take everything away, - said the soldier and went on. So he walked after that, whether close or far, and in the evening he came to one estate, and there was a glorious manor house. And the master did not live in this house, but lived in another - there were devils in a good house. So the soldier began to ask the peasants:

Where does the baron live?

And the men say:

What do you want in our master?

Yes, you should ask to spend the night!

Well, - the peasants say, - just go, so he will send you to hell for lunch!

Nothing, - says the soldier, - and you can get rid of the devils. And tell me, where does the barin live?

The peasants showed him the manor house, and the soldier went to him and began to ask him to spend the night. Barin says:

I’ll probably let them in, but only it’s not quiet there!

Nothing, says the soldier. So the master led the soldier to a good house, and as he brought him, the soldier waved his magic bag and, when the good fellow appeared, ordered to prepare a table for two people. Before the gentleman had time to turn around, everything appeared. The master, although he was rich, had never had such an appetizer before! They began to eat, and the master stole the golden spoon. They finished the appetizer, the soldier again waved his knapsack and ordered everything to be put away, and the good fellow said:

I can not clean - not everything is on the table. The soldier looked yes and said:

You, sir, why did you take a spoon?

I did not take, - says the master.

The soldier searched the master, gave the spoon to the footman, and he himself began to thank the master for the lodging for the night, and he beat him up so badly that the master, out of anger, locked all the doors.

The soldier locked all the windows and doors from the other chambers, crossed them and began to wait for the devils.

Around midnight, he hears someone squeaking at the door. The soldiers waited a little more, and suddenly so much evil spirits arose and they raised such a cry that at least plug your ears!

One shouts:

Push on, push on!

And the other one screams:

Yes, where to push, if the crosses are set! .. The soldier listened, listened, and his hair stood on end, for nothing that he was not a cowardly dozen. Finally he shouted:

What do you want from me, barefoot?

Let it go! - the devils shout to him from behind the door.

Why am I letting you in here?

Yes, let it go!

The soldier looked around and saw a bag of weights in the corner, took the bag, shook out the weights and said:

And what, how many of you, barefoot, will enter my bag?

Let's all go in, - the devils tell him from behind the door. The soldier made crosses on the sack with charcoal, closed the door a little, and said:

Well, I'll see if you told the truth that you would all come in?

Every one of the devils climbed into the sack, the soldier tied it up, made the sign of the cross, took a twenty-pound weight, and let's beat the sack. Beats, beats and touches: is it soft? Here the soldier sees that at last it became soft, he opened the window, untied the bag and shook the devils out. He looks, and the devils are all mutilated, and no one moves from their place.

Here is how the soldier shouts:

And what are you doing here, barefoot, lying down? Are you waiting for another bath, huh?

The devils all somehow fled, and the soldier shouts after them:

If you come here again, I'll ask you something else!

The next morning the peasants came and opened the doors, and the soldier came to the master and said:

Well, sir, now go to that house and don’t be afraid of anything, but I need to be given for the work for the road!

The master gave him some money, and the soldier went on his way.

So he walked and walked for such a long time, and it was not far from home, only three days of walking! Suddenly an old woman met him, so thin and terrible, carrying a bag full of knives, but drinking, and various hatchets, and propped up with a scythe. She blocked his path, but the soldier could not stand it, pulled out the cleaver and shouted:

What do you want from me, old lady? Do you want me to open your head?

Death (it was she) and says:

I was sent by the Lord to take your soul!

The soldier's heart shuddered, he fell to his knees and said:

Have mercy, mother death, give me only three years; I have served the king my long service as a soldier, and now I go to see my family.

No, - says death, - you will not see your relatives and I will not give you a term of three years.

Give me at least three months.

I won't even give you three weeks.

Give me at least three days.

I won't give you even three minutes, - said death, waved her scythe and killed the soldier.

So a soldier found himself in the other world, and he was about to go to paradise, but they didn’t let him go there: he was unworthy, which means he was. A soldier went from heaven and ended up in hell, and then the devils ran up to him and wanted to drag him into the fire, and the soldier says:

What do you want from me? Oh, you, barefoot, or have you already forgotten the master's bath, huh?

The devils all fled from him, and Satan shouts:

Where are you guys running?

Oh, dad, - the little devils say to him, - after all, that soldier is here!

When Satan heard this, he himself ran into the fire. Here the soldier looked like, looked like hell - he became bored; went to paradise and said to the Lord:

Lord, where are you sending me now? I didn't deserve heaven, but in hell all the devils fled from me; I walked, walked through hell, it became boring, and I went to you, give me some kind of service!

The Lord says:

Go, service, beg a gun from Michael the Archangel and stand on the clock at the doors of heaven!

A soldier went to Michael the Archangel, begged him for a gun, and stood watch at the gates of heaven. So he stood like that, whether for a long time, whether for a short time, and he sees that death is coming, and straight to paradise. The soldier blocked her way and said:

What do you want, old lady? Went away! The Lord will not accept anyone without my report!

Death and says:

I came to the Lord to ask what kind of people he orders to starve this year.

Soldier and says:

It would have been like that for a long time, otherwise you climb without asking, but don’t you know that I, too, mean something here; hold the gun, and I'll go and ask.

A servant came to paradise, and the Lord said:

Why did you come, service?

Death has come. Lord, and asks: what kind of people are you ordering to starve next year?

The Lord says:

Let him kill the oldest!

The soldier went back and thought, “The Lord orders the oldest people to be killed; what if my father is still alive, because she will kill him, like me. gave me freebies for three years, so go and nibble the oaks!"

He came and said to death:

Death, the Lord ordered you this time not to kill people, but to gnaw oaks, such oaks that are no longer old!

Death went to gnaw at the old oaks, and the soldier took the gun from her and began to walk again at the doors of heaven. A year has passed in the world, death again came to ask what kind of people the Lord tells her to kill for this year.

The soldier gave her a gun, and he himself went to the Lord to ask what kind of people he orders death to starve for this year. The Lord ordered to starve the most seasoned, and the soldier again thinks:

“But I still have brothers and sisters there and many acquaintances, and as death kills me, I won’t see them again! No, let another year gnaw oaks, and there, perhaps, our brother will have mercy!"

He came and sent death to gnaw on the most vigorous, seasoned oaks.

Another year passed, death came for the third time. The Lord told her to kill the youngest ones, and the soldier sent her young oaks to gnaw.

So, this is how death came for the fourth time, and the soldier says: - Well, you, the old one, go, if necessary, by yourself, but I won’t go: I’m tired!

Death went to the Lord, and the Lord said to her:

What are you, death, so thin has become?

Yes, how thin not to be, for three whole years she gnawed oaks, broke all her teeth! But I don’t know why, Lord, you are so angry with me?

What are you, what are you, death, - the Lord says to her, - where did you get it, that I sent you to gnaw oaks?

Yes, so the soldier told me, - says death.

Soldier? How dare he do this?! Angels, come, bring me a soldier!

The angels went and brought a soldier, and the Lord said:

What makes you think, soldier, that I ordered death to gnaw oaks?

Yes, it’s not enough for her, old, this! I asked her for free only for three years, and she did not give me even three hours. That's why I told her to gnaw oaks for three years.

Well, go ahead now, says the Lord, fatten her up for three years! Angels! Take him out into the open!

The angels led the soldier out into the world, and the soldier found himself in the very place where death had killed him. The soldier sees some kind of bag, he took the bag and says:

Death! Get in the bag!

Death sat in a sack, and the soldier took more sticks and put stones there, but how he walked like a soldier, and only the bones of death crunch!

Death and says:

What are you, servant, be quiet!

Here's another, quieter, what else can you say, but in my opinion this is: sit, if planted!

So he walked like this for two days, and on the third he came to the kissing matchmaker and said:

What, brother, give me a drink; spent all the money, and I'll bring it to you one of these days, here's my bag for you, let it lie down with you.

The kisser took the bag from him and threw it under the counter. The soldier came home; and my father is still alive. He was happy, and his family was even more happy. That's how the soldier lived and healthy and fun for a whole year.

A soldier came to that tavern and began asking for his sack, but the kisser could hardly find it. Here the soldier untied the sack and said:

Death, are you alive?

Oh, says death, almost suffocated!

Okay, the soldier says. He opened a snuffbox with tobacco, sniffed and sneezed. Death and says:

Officer, give it to me!

She kept asking what she would see from the soldier.

Soldier and says:

Why, death, after all, one pinch is not enough for you, but go sit in a snuffbox and sniff as much as you want; As soon as death got into the snuffbox, the soldier slammed it shut and wore it for a whole year. Then he opened the snuffbox again and said:

What, death, sniffed?

Oh, says death, it's hard!

Well, - says the soldier, - let's go, I'll feed you now!

He came home and put her at the table, and death ate and ate for seven. The soldier got angry and said:

Look, break, for seven ate! You won’t fill you up, where will I go with you, damn?

He put her in a sack and carried her to the cemetery; dug a hole in the side and buried it there. Three years have passed, the Lord remembered death and sent angels to look for it. Angels walked, walked around the world, found a soldier and said to him:

Where are you, serviceman, death, something to do?

Where did you go? And buried in the grave!

Why, the Lord demands her to himself, say the angels.

A soldier came to the cemetery, dug up a hole, and death is already breathing a little there. The angels took death and brought it to the Lord, and he says:

What are you, death, so thin?

Death told the Lord everything, and he says:

It can be seen that you, death, do not get bread from a soldier, feed yourself!

Death again went around the world, but only that soldier no longer dared to starve.