University of Virginia Library

XLIV.—FATE.

There were two brothers living together in a house, one
of whom did all the work, while the other did nothing but
idle, and eat and drink what was ready at hand. And God
gave them prosperity in everything—in cattle, in horses, in
sheep, in swine, in bees, and in everything else. The one
that worked one day began to think to himself: `Why
should I work for that lazybones as well? It is better that
we should separate, and that I should work for myself, and
he do as he likes.' So one day he said to his brother:
`Brother, it isn't right. I do all the work, and you don't
help in anything, but merely eat and drink what's ready. I
have made up my mind that we separate.' The other began
to dissuade him: `Don't, brother; it is good for us to be
tenants in common; you have everything in your hands,
both your own and mine, and I am content whatever you
do.' But the first abode by his determination, so the
second gave way, and said to him: `If it is so, take your
own course; make the division yourself, as you know how.'
Then he divided everything in order, and took everything
that was his before him. The do-nothing engaged a herdsman
for his cattle, a horsekeeper for his horses, a shepherd
for his sheep, a goatherd for his goats, a swineherd for
his swine, a beeman for his bees, and said to them: `I
leave all my property in your hands and God's,' and began
to live at home as before. The first took pains about his
property himself as before, watched and overlooked, but
saw no prosperity, but all loss. From day to day everything

went worse, till he became so poverty-stricken, that he
hadn't shoes to his feet, but went barefoot. Then said he
to himself: `I will go to my brother, and see how it is with
him.' He did so, and as he went came to a flock of sheep
in a meadow, and with the sheep there was no shepherd,
but a very beautiful damsel was sitting there spinning golden
thread. He addressed her: `God help you!' and inquired
whose the sheep were. She replied: `The sheep belong to
the person to whom I belong.' He asked her further: `To
whom do you belong?' She answered: `I am your
brother's luck.' He was put out, and said to her: `And
where is my luck?' The damsel answered him: `Your luck
is far from you.' `But can I find it?' inquired he, and
she replied: `You can; go, seek for it.' When he heard
this, and saw that his brother's sheep were good—so good,
that they could not be better, he didn't care about going
further to see other cattle, but went off straight to his
brother. When his brother saw him, he had compassion on
him, and began to weep: `Where have you been so long a
time?' Then, seeing him barehead and barefoot, he gave
him at once a pair of boots and some money. Afterwards,
when they had enjoyed each other's company for some
days, the visitor rose up to go to his own house. When he
got home, he took a wallet on his back, some bread in it,
and a staff in his hand, and went into the world to look for
his luck. As he travelled, he came to a large wood, and
as he went through it, he saw a gray-haired old maid asleep
under a bush, and reached out his staff to give her a push.
She barely raised herself up, and, hardly opening her eyes
for the rheum, addressed him: `Thank God that I fell asleep,
for, if I had been awake, you wouldn't have obtained even
that pair of boots.' Then he said to her: `Who are you,
that I shouldn't even have obtained this pair of boots?' She
replied: `I am your luck.' When he heard this, he began
to beat his breast: `If you are my luck, God slay you!
Who gave you to me?' She quickly rejoined: `Fate gave
me to you.' He then inquired: `And where is this Fate?'
She answered: `Go and look for him.' And that instant
she disappeared. Then the man went on to look for Fate.
As he journeyed, he came to a village, and saw in the
village a large farmhouse, and in it a large fire, and said to
himself: `Here there is surely some merry-making or
festival,' and went in. When he went in, on the fire was a
large caldron, in which supper was cooking, and in front of
the fire sat the master of the house. The traveller, on going
into the house, addressed the master: `Good-evening!'
The master replied: `God give you prosperity!' and bade
him sit down with him, and then began to ask him whence
he came, and whither he was going. He related to him
everything: how he had been a master, how he had become
impoverished, and how he was now going to Fate to ask
him why he was so poor. Then he inquired of the master
of the house why he was preparing so large a quantity of
food, and the master said to him: `Well, my brother, I
am master here, and have enough of everything, but I
cannot anyhow satisfy my people; it is quite as if a dragon
were in their stomachs. You'll see, when we begin to sup,
what they will do.' When they sat down to sup, everybody
snatched and grabbed from everybody else, and that large
caldron of food was empty in no time. After supper, a
maidservant came in, put all the bones in a heap, and threw
them behind the stove; and he began to wonder why the
young woman threw the bones behind the stove, till all at
once out came two old poverty-stricken spectres, as dry as
ghosts, and began to suck the bones. Then he asked the
master of the house: `What's this, brother, behind the
stove?' He replied: `Those, brother, are my father and
mother; just as if they were fettered to this world, they wil
not quit it.' The next day, at his departure, the master of
the house said to him: `Brother, remember me, too, if anywhere
you find Fate, and ask him what manner of misfortune
it is that I cannot satisfy my people, and why my father and
mother do not die.' He promised to ask him the question,
took leave of him, and went on to look for Fate. As on he
went, he came, after a long time, to another village, and
begged at a certain house that they would take him in for a
night's lodging. They did so, and asked him whither he
was going; and he told them all in order, what it was, and
how it was. Then they began to say to him: `In God's
name, brother, when you get there, ask him with regard to
us too, why our cattle are not productive, but the contrary.'
He promised them to ask Fate the question, and the next
day went on. As he went, he came to a stream of water,
and began to shout: `Water! water! carry me across.'
The water asked him: `Whither are you going?' He told
it whither he was going. Then the water carried him
across, and said to him: `I pray you, brother, ask Fate
why I have no offspring.' He promised the stream to ask the
question, and then went on. He went on for a long time, and
at last came to a wood, where he found a hermit, whom he
asked whether he could tell him anything about Fate. The
hermit answered: `Go over the hill yonder, and you will come
right in front of his abode; but when you come into Fate's
presence, do not say a word, but do exactly what he does,
until he questions you himself.' The man thanked the
hermit, and went over the hill. When he came to Fate's
abode, there was something for him to see. It was just as
if it were an emperor's palace; there were men-servants and
maid-servants there; everything was in good order, and Fate
himself was sitting at a golden dinner-table at supper,
When the man saw this, he, too, sat down to table, and
began to sup. After supper, Fate lay down to sleep, and he
lay down too. About midnight a terrible noise arose, and
out of the noise a voice was heard: `Fate! Fate! so many
souls have been born to-day; assign them what you will.'
Then Fate arose, and opened a chest with money in it, and
began to throw nothing but ducats behind him, saying:
`As to me to-day, so to them for life!' When on the
morrow day dawned, that large palace was no more, but instead
of it a moderate-sized house; but in it again there
was enough of everything.

At the approach of evening Fate sat down to supper; and
he, too, sat down with him, but neither spoke a single word.
After supper they lay down to sleep. About midnight a
terrible noise began, and out of the noise was heard a voice:
`Fate! Fate! so many souls have been born to-day;
assign them what you will.' Then Fate arose, and opened
the money-chest; but there were not ducats in it, but silver
coins, with an occasional ducat. Fate began to scatter the
coins behind him, saying: `As to me to-day, so to them for
life.' When, on the morrow, day dawned, that house was
no more, but instead of it there stood a smaller one. Thus
did Fate every night, and his house became smaller every
morning, till, finally, nothing remained of it but a little
cottage. Fate took a mattock, and began to dig; the man,
too, took a mattock and began to dig, and thus they dug all
day. When it was eventide, Fate took a piece of bread,
broke off half of it, and gave it to him. Thus they supped,
and, after supper, lay down to sleep. About midnight,
again, a terrible noise began, and out of the noise was heard
a voice: `Fate! Fate! so many souls have been born today;
assign them what you will.' Then Fate arose, opened
the chest, and began to scatter behind him nothing but bits
of rag, and here and there a day-labourer's wage-penny,[4]
shouting: `As to me to-day, so to them for life.' When he

arose on the morrow, the cottage was transformed into a
large palace, like that which had been there the first day.
Then Fate asked him: `Why have you come?' He detailed
to him all his distress, and said that he had come to ask him
why he gave him evil luck. Fate then said to him: `You
saw how the first night I scattered ducats, and what took
place afterwards. As it was to me the night when anyone
was born, so will it be to him for life. You were born on
an unlucky night, you will be poor for life; but your brother
was born on a lucky night, and he will be lucky for life.
But, as you have been so resolute, and have taken so much
trouble, I will tell you how you may help yourself. Your
brother has a daughter, Militza, who is lucky, just as her
father is; adopt her, and, whatever you acquire, say that it
is all hers.' Then he thanked Fate, and said to him again:
`In such a village there is a wealthy peasant, who has
enough of everything; but he is unlucky in this, that his
people can never be satisfied: they eat up a caldron full of
food at a single meal, and even that is too little for them.
And this peasant's father and mother are, as it were, fettered
to this world; they are old and discoloured, and dried up
like ghosts, but cannot die. He begged me, Fate, when I
lodged with him for the night, to ask you why that was the
case.' Then Fate replied: `All that is because he does not
honour his father and mother, throwing their food behind
the stove; but, if he puts them in the best place at table,
and if he gives them the first cup of brandy, and the first
cup of wine, his servants would not eat half so much, and
his parents' souls would be set at liberty.' After this he
again questioned Fate: `In such a village, when I spent the
night in a house, the householder complained to me that his
cattle were not productive, but the contrary, and he begged
me to ask you why this was the case.' Fate replied: `That
is because on the festival of his name-day he slaughters the
worst animals; but if he slaughtered the best he has, his
cattle would all become productive.' Then he asked him
the question about the stream of water: `Why should it be
that that stream of water has no offspring? Fate replied:
`Because it has never drowned a human being; but don't
have any nonsense; don't tell it till it carries you across, for
if you tell it, it will immediately drown you.' Then he
thanked Fate, and went home. When he came to the
water, the water asked him: `What is the news from Fate?'
He replied: `Carry me over, and then I will tell you.'
When the water had carried him over, he ran on a little,
and, when he had got a little way off, turned and shouted
to the water: `Water! Water! you have never drowned
a human being, therefore you have no offspring.' When
the water heard that, it overflowed its banks, and after him;
but he ran, and barely escaped. When he came to the man
whose cattle were unproductive, he was impatiently waiting
for him. `What news, brother, in God's name? Have you
asked Fate the question?' He replied: `I have; and Fate
says when you celebrate the festival of your name-day, you
slaughter the worst animals; but if you slaughter the best
you have, all your cattle will be productive.' When he
heard this, he said to him: `Stay, brother, with us; it isn't
three days to my name-day, and, if it is really true, I
will give you an apple.[5] He stayed till the name-day.
When the name-day arrived, the householder slaughtered
his best ox, and from that time forth his cattle became productive.
After this, the householder presented him with
five head of cattle. He thanked him, and proceeded on his
why. When he came to the village of the householder who
had the insatiable servants, the householder was impatiently
expecting him. `How is it, brother, in God's name?
What says Fate?' He replied: `Fate says you do not
honour your father and mother, but throw their food behind
the stove for them to eat; if you put them in the best place
at table, and give them the first cup of brandy, and the first
cup of wine, your people will not eat half as much, and
your father and mother will be content.' When the householder
heard this, he told his wife, and she immediately
washed and combed her father and mother in law, and put
nice shoes on their feet; and, when evening came, the
householder put them in the best place at table, and gave
them the first cup of brandy and the first cup of wine.
From that time forth the household could not eat half what
they did before, and on the morrow both the father and the
mother departed this life. Then the householder gave him
two oxen; he thanked him, and went home. When he
came to his place of abode, his acquaintances began to congratulate
him, and ask him: `Whose are these cattle?' He
replied to everybody: `Brother, they are my niece Militza's.'
When he got home he immediately went off to his brother,
and began to beg and pray him: `Give me, brother, your
daughter Militza to be my daughter. You see that I have
no one.' His brother replied: `It is good, brother;
Militza is yours.' He took Militza, and conducted her
home, and afterwards acquired much, but said, with regard
to everything, that it was Militza's. Once he went out into
the field to go round some rye; the rye was beautiful; it
could not be better. Thereupon a traveller happened to
come up, and asked him: `Whose is this rye?' He forgot
himself, and said: `Mine.' The moment he said that, the
rye caught fire and began to burn. When he saw this, he
ran after the man: `Stop, brother! it is not mine; it belongs
to Militza, my niece.' Then the fire in the rye went out,
and he remained lucky with Militza.