’See，now，howangryIwillmakehim。’
Alltheotherslavesassembled，lookinginatthegatesoroverthefence，andtheDevilclimbedatreenearbytoseehowhisservantwoulddohiswork。Themasterwalkedabouttheinclosure，showinghisgueststheewesandlambs，andpresentlyhewishedtoshowthemhisfinestram。
’Alltheramsarevaluable，’saidhe，’butIhaveonewithcloselytwistedhorns，whichispriceless。Iprizehimastheappleofmyeye。’
Startledbythestrangers，thesheeprushedabouttheinclosure，sothatthevisitorscouldnotgetagoodlookattheram。Assoonasitstoodstill，Alebstartledthesheepasifbyaccident，andtheyallgotmixedupagain。Thevisitorscouldnotmakeoutwhichwasthepricelessram。Atlastthemastergottiredofit。
’Aleb，dearfriend，’hesaid，’praycatchourbestramforme，theonewiththetightlytwistedhorns。Catchhimverycarefully，andholdhimstillforamoment。’
Scarcelyhadthemastersaidthis，whenAlebrushedinamongthesheeplikealion，andclutchedthepricelessram。Holdinghimfastbythewool，heseizedthelefthindlegwithonehand，and，beforehismaster’seyes，lifteditandjerkeditsothatitsnappedlikeadrybranch。Hehadbrokentheram’sleganditfellbleatingontoitsknees。ThenAlebseizedtherighthindleg，whilethelefttwistedroundandhungquitelimp。Thevisitorsandtheslavesexclaimedindismay，andtheDevil，sittingupinthetree，rejoicedthatAlebhaddonehistasksocleverly。Themasterlookedasblackasthunder，frowned，benthishead，anddidnotsayaword。
Thevisitorsandtheslavesweresilent，too，waitingtoseewhatwouldfollow。Afterremainingsilentforawhile，themastershookhimselfasiftothrowoffsomeburden。Thenheliftedhishead，andraisinghiseyesheavenward，remainedsoforashorttime。
Presentlythewrinklespassedfromhisface，andhelookeddownatAlebwithasmilesaying:
’Oh，Aleb，Aleb！Yourmasterbadeyouangerme；butmymasterisstrongerthanyours。Iamnotangrywithyou，butIwillmakeyourmasterangry。YouareafraidthatIshallpunishyou，andyouhavebeenwishingforyourfreedom。Know，then，Aleb，thatI
shallnotpunishyou；but，asyouwishtobefree，here，beforemyguests，Isetyoufree。Gowhereyoulike，andtakeyourholidaygarmentwithyou！’
Andthekindmasterreturnedwithhisgueststothehouse；buttheDevil，grindinghisteeth，felldownfromthetree，andsankthroughtheground。
littlegirlswiserthanmenLITTLEGIRLSWISERTHANMEN
ITwasanearlyEaster。Sledgingwasonlyjustover；snowstilllayintheyards；andwaterraninstreamsdownthevillagestreet。
Twolittlegirlsfromdifferenthouseshappenedtomeetinalanebetweentwohomesteads，wherethedirtywaterafterrunningthroughthefarm-yardshadformedalargepuddle。Onegirlwasverysmall，theotheralittlebigger。Theirmothershaddressedthembothinnewfrocks。Thelittleoneworeabluefrocktheotherayellowprint，andbothhadredkerchiefsontheirheads。Theyhadjustcomefromchurchwhentheymet，andfirsttheyshowedeachothertheirfinery，andthentheybegantoplay。Soonthefancytookthemtosplashaboutinthewater，andthesmalleronewasgoingtostepintothepuddle，shoesandall，whentheeldercheckedher:
’Don’tgoinso，Malá；sha，’saidshe，’yourmotherwillscoldyou。Iwilltakeoffmyshoesandstockings，andyoutakeoffyours。’
Theydidso，andthen，pickinguptheirskirts，beganwalkingtowardseachotherthroughthepuddle。ThewatercameuptoMalá；sha’sankles，andshesaid:
’Itisdeep，Akoú；lya，I’mafraid！’
’Comeon，’repliedtheother。’Don’tbefrightened。Itwon’tgetanydeeper。’
Whentheygotnearoneanother，Akoú；lyasaid:
’Mind，Malá；sha，don’tsplash。Walkcarefully！’
Shehadhardlysaidthis，whenMalá；shaplumpeddownherfootsothatthewatersplashedrightontoAkoú；lya’sfrock。Thefrockwassplashed，andsowereAkoú；lya’seyesandnose。Whenshesawthestainsonherfrock，shewasangryandranafterMalá；shatostrikeher。Malá；shawasfrightened，andseeingthatshehadgotherselfintotrouble，shescrambledoutofthepuddle，andpreparedtorunhome。JustthenAkoú；lya’smotherhappenedtobepassing，andseeingthatherdaughter’sskirtwassplashed，andhersleevesdirty，shesaid:
’Younaughty，dirtygirl，whathaveyoubeendoing？’
’Malá；shadiditonpurpose，’repliedthegirl。
AtthisAkoú；lya’smotherseizedMalá；sha，andstruckheronthebackofherneck。Malá；shabegantohowlsothatshecouldbeheardalldownthestreet。Hermothercameout。
’Whatareyoubeatingmygirlfor？’saidshe；andbeganscoldingherneighbour。Onewordledtoanotherandtheyhadanangryquarrel。Themencameoutandacrowdcollectedinthestreet，everyoneshoutingandnoonelistening。Theyallwentonquarrelling，tillonegaveanotherapush，andtheaffairhadverynearlycometoblows，whenAkoú；lya’soldgrandmother，steppinginamongthem，triedtocalmthem。
’Whatareyouthinkingof，friends？Isitrighttobehaveso？Onadaylikethis，too！Itisatimeforrejoicing，andnotforsuchfollyasthis。’
Theywouldnotlistentotheoldwomanandnearlyknockedheroffherfeet。Andshewouldnothavebeenabletoquietthecrowd，ifithadnotbeenforAkoú；lyaandMalá；shathemselves。
Whilethewomenwereabusingeachother，Akoú；lyahadwipedthemudoffherfrock，andgonebacktothepuddle。Shetookastoneandbeganscrapingawaytheearthinfrontofthepuddletomakeachannelthroughwhichthewatercouldrunoutintothestreet。
PresentlyMalá；shajoinedher，andwithachipofwoodhelpedherdigthechannel。Justasthemenwerebeginningtofight，thewaterfromthelittlegirls’channelranstreamingintothestreettowardstheveryplacewheretheoldwomanwastryingtopacifythemen。Thegirlsfollowedit；onerunningeachsideofthelittlestream。
’Catchit，Malá；sha！Catchit！’shoutedAkoú；lya；whileMalá；shacouldnotspeakforlaughing。
Highlydelighted，andwatchingthechipfloatalongontheirstream，thelittlegirlsranstraightintothegroupofmen；andtheoldwoman，seeingthem，saidtothemen:
’Areyounotashamedofyourselves？Togofightingonaccountoftheselassies，whentheythemselveshaveforgottenallaboutit，andareplayinghappilytogether。Dearlittlesouls！Theyarewiserthanyou！’
Themenlookedatthelittlegirls，andwereashamed，and，laughingatthemselves，wentbackeachtohisownhome。
’Exceptyeturn，andbecomeaslittlechildren，yeshallinnowiseenterintothekingdomofheaven。’
THEREoncelived，intheGovernmentofOufá；aBashkí；rnamedIlyá；s。Hisfather，whodiedayearafterhehadfoundhissonawife，didnotleavehimmuchproperty。Ilyá；sthenhadonlysevenmares，twocows，andaboutascoreofsheep。Hewasagoodmanager，however，andsoonbegantoacquiremore。Heandhiswifeworkedfrommorntillnight；risingearlierthanothersandgoinglatertobed；andhispossessionsincreasedyearbyyear。Livinginthisway，Ilyá；slittlebylittleacquiredgreatwealth。Attheendofthirty-fiveyearshehad200horses，150headofcattle，and1，200sheep。Hiredlabourerstendedhisflocksandherds，andhiredwomenmilkedhismaresandcows，andmadekumiss[17]，butterandcheese。Ilyá；shadabundanceofeverything，andeveryoneinthedistrictenviedhim。Theysaidofhim:
’Ilyá；sisafortunateman:hehasplentyofeverything。Thisworldmustbeapleasantplaceforhim。’
PeopleofpositionheardofIlyá；sandsoughthisacquaintance。
Visitorscametohimfromafar；andhewelcomedeveryone，andgavethemfoodanddrink。Whoevermightcome，therewasalwayskumiss，tea，sherbet，andmuttontosetbeforethem。Whenevervisitorsarrivedasheepwouldbekilled，orsometimestwo；andifmanyguestscamehewouldevenslaughteramareforthem。
Ilyá；shadthreechildren:twosonsandadaughter；andhemarriedthemalloff。Whilehewaspoor，hissonsworkedwithhim，andlookedaftertheflocksandherdsthemselves；butwhenhegrewrichtheygotspoiledandoneofthemtooktodrink。Theeldestwaskilledinabrawl；andtheyounger，whohadmarriedaself-willedwoman，ceasedtoobeyhisfather，andtheycouldnotlivetogetheranymore。
Sotheyparted，andIlyá；sgavehissonahouseandsomeofthecattle；andthisdiminishedhiswealth。Soonafterthat，adiseasebrokeoutamongIlyá；s’ssheep，andmanydied。Thenfollowedabadharvest，andthehaycropfailed；andmanycattlediedthatwinter。ThentheKirghí；zcapturedhisbestherdofhorses；andIlyá；s’spropertydwindledaway。Itbecamesmallerandsmaller，whileatthesametimehisstrengthgrewless；till，bythetimehewasseventyyearsold，hehadbeguntosellhisfurs，carpets，saddles，andtents。Atlasthehadtopartwithhisremainingcattle，andfoundhimselffacetofacewithwant。Beforeheknewhowithadhappened，hehadlosteverything，andintheiroldageheandhiswifehadtogointoservice。Ilyá；shadnothingleft，excepttheclothesonhisback，afurcloak，acup，hisindoorshoesandovershoes，andhiswife，Sham-Shemagi，whoalsowasoldbythistime。Thesonwhohadpartedfromhimhadgoneintoafarcountry，andhisdaughterwasdead，sothattherewasnoonetohelptheoldcouple。
Theirneighbour，Muhammad-Shah，tookpityonthem。Muhammad-Shahwasneitherrichnorpoor，butlivedcomfortably，andwasagoodman。HerememberedIlyá；s’shospitality，andpityinghim，said:
’Comeandlivewithme，Ilyá；s，youandyouroldwoman。Insummeryoucanworkinmymelon-gardenasmuchasyourstrengthallows，andinwinterfeedmycattle；andSham-Shemagishallmilkmymaresandmakekumiss。Iwillfeedandclotheyouboth。
Whenyouneedanything，tellme，andyoushallhaveit。’