Page:RussianFolkTales Afanasev 368pgs.djvu/336

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
320
RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

the bath at night. So the old woman heated it, and he sent her there to steam herself.

"But," she said, "it will be much too dark to steam myself!"

"Go along! it will be light enough."

So the old woman went. And the old man saw how the Moon had lit the place up for him, and he went and bored a tiny hole in the bathroom and thrust his finger through it.

But there was still no light in the bath, and the old woman shrieked out to him, "Dark! much too dark!"

It was not any good. So she went out, brought a lamp, and enjoyed her steam bath.

On the third day the old man went to Vóron Vóronovich. He got there.

"How shall I regale you?" asked Vóron Vóronovich.

"Oh," said the old man, "I don't want anything!"

"Well, let us come and sleep on the perch."

So the Crow put a ladder up and climbed up there with his father-in-law. Crow Crowson settled himself comfortably with his head under his wing. But as soon as ever the old man dropped off to sleep both of them fell down and were killed.