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3.
CHAPTER III.

IVAN having succeeded in plowing all but a
small portion of his land, he returned the next
day to finish it. The pain in his stomach con-
tinued, but he felt that he must go on with his
work. He tried to start his plow, but it would
not move; it seemed to have struck a hard root.

It was the small devil in the ground who had
wound his feet around the plowshares and held
them.

"This is strange," thought Ivan. "There
were never any roots here before, and this is
surely one."

Ivan put his hand in the ground, and, feeling
something soft, grasped and pulled it out. It
was like a root in appearance, but seemed to
possess life. Holding it up he saw that it was
a little devil. Disgusted, he exclaimed, "See

the nasty thing," and he proceeded to strike it
a blow, intending to kill it, when the young
devil cried out:

"Do not kill me, and I will grant your every
wish."

"What can you do for me?"

"Tell me what it is you most wish for," the
little devil replied.

Ivan, peasant-fashion, scratched the back of
his head as he thought, and finally he said:

"I am dreadfully sick at my stomach Can
you cure me?"

"I can," the little devil said.

"Then do so."

The little devil bent toward the earth and
began searching for roots, and when he found
them he gave them to Ivan, saying: "If you
will swallow some of these you will be imme-
diately cured of whatsoever disease you are
afflicted with."

Ivan did as directed, and obtained instant
relief.

"I beg of you to let me go now," the little
devil pleaded; "I will pass into the earth, never
to return."

"Very well; you may go, and God bless you;"
and as Ivan pronounced the name of God, the
small devil disappeared into the earth like a
flash, and only a slight opening in the ground
remained.

Ivan placed in his hat what roots he had left,
and proceeded to plow. Soon finishing his
work, he turned his plow over and returned
home.

When he reached the house he found his
brother Simeon and his wife seated at the
supper-table. His estate had been confiscated,
and he himself had barely escaped execution
by making his way out of prison, and having
nothing to live upon had come back to his
father for support.

Turning to Ivan he said: "I came to ask you
to care for us until I can find something to
do."

"Very well," Ivan replied; "you may re-
main with us."

Just as Ivan was about to sit down to the
table Simeon's wife made a wry face, indicat-
ing that she did not like the smell of Ivan's
sheep-skin coat; and turning to her husband she
said, "I shall not sit at the table with a moujik
[peasant] who smells like that."

Simeon the soldier turned to his brother and
said: "My lady objects to the smell of your
clothes. You may eat in the porch."

Ivan said: "Very well, it is all the same to
me. I will soon have to go and feed my horse
any way."

Ivan took some bread in one hand, and his

kaftan
(coat) in the other, and left the room.