Башкирская народная сказка. The Witty Cobbler

The Witty Cobbler

A Bashkir folk tale

In ancient times in a certain Khanate (kingdom), there lived a poor cobbler on the outskirts of the main town. He had not saved a single rouble for his life; everything that he could earn working from morning till night, he ate up on the same day, together with his wife and kids.

However, in spite of his poverty, the man was always in a cheerful mood. In the morning, going to work, he sang a song; and in the evening, returning home - he entertained passers-by with his jokes and quips. In short, the cobbler had not known discouragement.

There was an evil and treacherous Khan there, who reigned over that country. He had a lot of soldiers and even more spies and informers. This Khan turned his homagers into slaves. Once he wanted to see with his own eyes and to hear with his own ears how people lived, what they talked about. When it got dark, he dressed up as a servant and went on his way. The Khan walked around the town for a long time, looking at the window or eavesdropping at the door of the next dwelling. But no matter how long he was going, he saw and heard nothing special: some people counted their daily income, others grieved over their loss, some more people quarrelled bitterly with their wives, the fourth abused their delinquent children.

Finally the Khan came to a little house on the edge of the town. And only in this house he could hear songs, jokes and laughter. The Khan was very surprised and then became furious. He thought, `What if I find out, what kind of people live here, why they are so happy!' And he knocked on the door. The owner immediately opened the door, amiably met a stranger and invited him to dine, "what God has sent".

The Khan entered the house and looked around. He realized that very poor people lived there, and very modest dishes were at the table. However, all the guests were in fine fettle, and they were glad to hear each new joke. The Khan sat on the place of honour and tasted some meat and shurpa (sort of pilaf), together with other guests. He sat, looking with a smile on happy faces, but remained very angry at heart. Much water had flowed under the bridge since he saw the happy faces in his kingdom! Therefore he decided to understand the secret of this fun and asked the host:

"Dear, do not take my words in evil part, but I want to know: what kind of trade feeds you, and why do you have fun on a weekday, as if it is a holiday?"

"You see, that I'm a cobbler and live in poverty. I have a small booth in the market. I have been fixing shoes there for people: if the boots are worn out, I'll put a patch; if they are ripped, I'll sew it over. So I toil at old shoes from morning till night. In the evening, I buy some food from earned money. If I'm not hungry - it means a holiday in my house." - replied the cobbler.

"And what will you do if the Khan orders to close all the shops? What then?" - asked the newcomer.

"God forbid!" - said the man. - "I would not wish even the enemy such a calamity! Then we all would starve to death. This should not happen! Which villain can get it to mind?"

The guest sat for some time, then said goodbye to the host and left his house. The next morning the king's heralds passed throughout the streets and bazaars of the town, declaring everywhere the last royal decree: "When the Khan is resting, all artisans have to stop their work and close their shops."

The folks were surprised and could not understand why the Khan invented such a senseless decree. People kicked up a terrible shindy, but did not dare disobey the Khan, having known his cruelty. Eventually, the artisans closed their shops and went home.

When it got dark, the Khan again dressed in the same costume, left his palace and went straight to the house of the cobbler. He thought:

"Well, now we'll see whether you are having fun, as it was yesterday! Whether you say today that a weekday is a holiday for you!"

The Khan knocked on the door, entered the house and saw with astonishment that the owner and his family sat at the table, having simple meal, as if nothing had happened. And then he heard the sounds of infectious laughter! The cobbler was glad to see the yesterday's guest, and kindly invited him to the table. The Khan asked him:

"Dear, I see you are feasting again! Didn't you hear the last decree of the Khan? Maybe you broke his order? Where did you get the money?"

"Hey," - replied the cobbler, - "damn it, such a Khan! He would invent decrees that do not "climb into any gate"! I almost died of hunger, together with the whole family. Today I went down the street, thinking about what to do now? While walking, I helped a good man to bring his purchase from the market to his house. Then I carried water from the well to the home of another good man. On the way back, I helped three more people. In such a way I earned some money, bought food, and now I ask you to eat my bread and salt."

The Khan flew into rage. He was ready to kill the cheerful master. He sat for a while at the table, so as not to give out his anger, then quickly said goodbye and went away.

And early in the morning, a royal messenger arrived at the cobbler's house and ordered to follow him to the palace. When they arrived at the palace, the chief of the royal guards ordered the cobbler to guard the main gate of the palace square. He was given a sabre and was ordered to hack to death everyone, who would dare to disturb the rest of the Khan!

"Keep your eyes open and don't move! If you make a single step to the side, the king will order to cut your head off." - said the chief.

The poor man stood on guard all day long and did not get a penny! When he was allowed to go home, it was the late evening outside and he could not bring home even a piece of bread. However, the man did not lose heart. At home, he found the right stick and began to whittle it. When he finished his work, the stick turned into a wooden sabre. It was almost the same sabre that he had got in the palace. Then the cobbler put his wooden sabre into a sheath, and the iron sabre he sold to a merchant, his neighbour. With this money he bought many different food for his family.

"Dear," - he said to his wife, - "Cook dinner. The Khan did very well, putting me to guard the gate. Now we will have a delicious dinner!"

And that evening, the Khan came to the cobbler again.

"Today the dodger will not have fun." - thought the king. - "Today he cannot get charged up about anything!"

But when he entered the house, he could not believe his eyes: the cobbler was sitting at the table and was even more joyful than he had been before. The host was delighted to see the guest and met him as a close friend. With a smile he told about how he carved out the wooden sabre and sold the iron one.

"Well, dear," - he said to his wife, - "Bring me the sabre. Let's show it to our friend."

When the woman brought the sabre, they all had a good laugh. Then they dined, and at night the guest went to his palace.

The next morning the cobbler guarded at the entrance of the palace again. So he stood at the main square looking as a hawk, with a wooden sabre at his side. It was easy, not as yesterday - to stand with a light wooden sabre! And the Khan thought:

"Dash it! Now you have got it! Now you cannot brazen out!"

He ate up a good breakfast and sat on his throne, very pleased with himself. He was sitting and pondering how to expose better the tricky cobbler. Then he sent a servant, who was standing nearby, to call a chief treasurer. When the treasurer came in, the Khan stamped his feet and shouted:

"You are not a treasurer, but a sneaky thief and liar! You stole my gold from the treasury and now you try to throw dust in my eyes, pretending to be a faithful servant! Come on, somebody, give me a guard. Let him cut off the head of this villain, this very hour!"

The servants carried out the royal command in the twinkling of an eye. They dragged the guard, standing at the entrance, in the palace and set him before the Khan. And it was the same cobbler! Not wanting to be recognized, the Khan pulled his crown over his eyes, pulled the cloak from behind, covered his face and said:

"Hey, you, behead this bandit! He had stolen gold from my treasury!"

The treasurer stood speechless, for the first time having been in such a predicament. And when he came to himself, he knelt in front of the Khan, begging his pardon with tears in the eyes.

"Your Majesty," - pleaded the treasurer. - "Your anger is in vain, don't ruin me for nothing! I did not do anything, and my conscience is clear! I served you faithfully all my life. If you want, let's check your treasury. Everything is in place there, exactly!"

"There is nothing to recount," - the Khan replied. - "Hey, man, cut off his head, immediately!"

The cobbler confused himself and did not know what to do. He stood like a pillar, not knowing how to get out of this mess. He realized that if he hit the treasurer with a wooden sabre, then he will risk losing his own head! `Maybe the Khan will have mercy and forgive his treasurer,' - thought shoemaker and said:

"Oh, my dear Khan, forgive this poor man! If he took a little out of your treasury, so now I guess he is ready to take an oath for the whole life not to take your gold. Put him in jail - and the end of it!"

But the Khan did not want to concede.

"I will never forgive this robber!" - shouted the Khan. - "Let this be a lesson to others. Let everyone know what will happen to a thief who encroaches on the royal treasury. Off with his head! Otherwise you will lose the head yourself."

`Well,' - thought the cobbler, - `if it does not work, I must find another way to salvation.' And at this moment one tricky idea came to his mind. He lifted up his eyes to the ceiling, raised his hands to heavens and said:

"Oh, Allah, if this man is really innocent, turn my iron sabre into a wooden one! Save me from a sin, don't let me kill the sinless!"
He drew his sword from its sheath and struck the treasurer on his neck... A hush fell over the courtiers, but the old man stood up, alive and well! All onlookers were stunned by the unbelievable miracle! After this the king ordered to give the cobbler, who stood on guard only two days, the annual salary; dressed him from head to toe; gave him the food for the whole year and sent him home with honour.

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The Witty Cobbler