Transcribed from the 1913 Thomas J. Wise pamphlet by DavidPrice,
Translated from theRussian
by
GEORGE BORROW
London:
printed for private circulation
1913
The tale of Emelian, of which we give here a version,is highly popular amongst the peasantry of Russia, and is told bythem at their merry-makings from the upper shores of the Gulf ofFinland to the Ural Mountains. It bears some resemblance tothe tale of Aladdin, the pike playing in the Russian storymuch the same part as the lamp in the Arabian one, and it is byno means impossible that both tales are derived from the samemyth. But from whatever source the story of Emelianmay have sprung, the manner in which it is wrought is essentiallyRussian, and from it, as here rendered, the English reader mayform a better idea of the p. 6way of life, and the feelings of theRussian mujiks, or peasantry, than from a dozen common books oftravels in Russia. Emelian is represented as a fool, butthere is much in what he says and does common to the Russianmujik in general. He lies in the izbushka, or cabin, uponthe petsch, or stove, and when told to get up, he says:“What should I get up for?—Mnie zdies teplo, i ialieniós—’tis warm here, and I amlazy.” There spoke the genuine mujik, the mostprominent features of whose character are a love of warmth and ahatred of exertion, though, when he chooses to get up and rousehimself, he is capable of very great things, can outwit thetchort himself, bear hunger and fatigue better than any otherman, and contend even with the Briton at the game of thebayonet. Perhaps we may hereafter present to the public inan English dress some other popular tales illustrative of themanner of life and ideas of the mujiks, to whom p. 7the attentionof the English public has of late been much directed, owing tothe ukase of the present Tsar, by which they are emancipated fromserfdom,—a measure likely to be productive of much weal orwoe throughout his extensive dominions.
The tale is as follows:—
p.8In a certain village there lived a mujik, or yeoman, whohad three sons; two were clever, but the third was a fool, whowas called Emelian. When the good man had reached anextreme old age, he called all his sons to him, and said:
“Dear children, I feel that I have not long to live; Itherefore leave you house and cattle, which you will divide inequal portions. I also leave you money: a hundred roublesfor each.”
Soon after these words he died, and his children, having givenhim a decent funeral, lived very comfortably. After alittle time, the brothers of Emelian took it into their heads tostart for the city, and employ in traffic the three p. 9hundredroubles which their father had left them; so they said to thefool Emelian:
“Harkee, fool, we are going to the city, and will takeyour hundred roubles with us, and if our traffic goes onprofitably we will buy you a red caftan, a red cap, and redboots; but do you remain at home, and if your sisters-in-law, ourwives (for they were married) order you to do anything, be sureyou do it.”
The fool, wishing to receive the red caftan, red cap, and redboots, told his brothers in reply that he would do