IX

Pakhom went straight toward the shikhan, and now it began to be heavy work for him. He was bathed in sweat; and his bare legs were cut and torn, and began to fail under him. He felt a desire to rest, but it was impossible; he could not stop till sunset.

not delay, but was sinking lower and lower.

The sun did

"Akh!" he says to himself, "can I have made a blunder? can I have taken too much? why don't you hurry along faster?"

He gazed at the shikhan-it gleamed in the sun; it was still a long distance to the place, and the sun was now not far from the horizon.

Still Pakhom hurried on; it was hard for him, but he kept quickening his pace, quickening his pace. He walked and walked it was still always far away. He took to the double-quick. He threw away his blouse, his boots, his flask. He threw away his cap, but he clung to his hoe and helped himself along with it.

"Akh!" he said to himself, "I was too greedy; I have ruined the whole business; I shall not get there before sunset."

And his breath began to fail him all the worse because of his apprehension. Pakhom ran his shirt and drawers clung to his body by reason of sweat - his mouth was parched. In his breast a pair of blacksmith's bellows, as it were, were working; and in his heart a mill was beating; and his legs were almost breaking down under him. It became painful for Pakhom. He said to himself:— "Suppose I should die from the strain?"

He was afraid of dropping dead, and yet he could not stop.

"If after running, I were to stop now, they would call me a fool."

He ran and ran. He was now getting near, and he could hear the Bashkirs shouting-screaming at him; and their screams made his heart pain him more than ever.

Pakhom ran on with the last of his strength, and the sun was still hovering on the horizon's edge; it went into

the haze; there was a great glow, red as blood. Nownow it was setting! The sun had nearly set, but now Pakhom was not far from the place. He could see it; and the people on the shikhan gesticulating to him, urging him on. He saw the foxskin cap on the ground, he could even see the money in it. And he saw the head man sitting on the ground, holding his belly with his hands. And Pakhom remembered his dream.

"Much land," he said to himself, "but perhaps God has not willed me to live on it. Okh! I have ruined myself," he thinks. "I shall not get it."

Pakhom looked at the sun, but the sun had gone down under the earth; its body was already hidden, and its last segment had disappeared under the horizon.

dark.

Pakhom exerted his last energies, threw himself forward with his body; his legs just kept him from falling. Just as Pakhom reached the shikhan, it suddenly grew He saw that the sun had gone. Pakhom groaned. "I have lost my labor," thinks he. He was just about to stop; but as he still heard the Bashkirs all screaming, he remembered that he was below them, and therefore the sun seemed to have set, although it had not set to those on top of the shikhan. Pakhom took a breath and ran up the shikhan. It was still light on the mound. Pakhom ran, and there was the cap. In front of the cap sat the head man, laughing and holding his sides.

Pakhom remembered his dream, groaned "Akh!" his legs gave way under him, and he fell forward, reaching out his arms toward the cap.

"Ar brave lad!" shouted the head man. "You have got a good piece of land."

Pakhom's man ran to him, attempted to help him to his feet; but from his mouth poured a stream of blood, and he lay dead.

The Bashkirs clucked with their tongues, expressing their sorrow.

Pakhom's man took the hoe, dug a grave for him, made it just long enough, from head to foot, — three arshins, and buried him.

1 About seven feet.

THE GODSON

CHAPTER I

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also."·MATT. v. 38, 39. Vengeance is mine; I will repay.' - ROм. xii. 19.

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A

SON was born to a poor muzhik. The muzhik was glad; went to invite a neighbor to be his godfather. The neighbor declined. People are not eager to stand as godparents to a poor muzhik. The poor muzhik went to another; this one also declined.

He went through all the village: no one was willing to stand as godfather. The muzhik went to the next village. And a passer-by happened to meet him as he was going. The passer-by stopped.

Good-morning," said he, "little muzhik, whither doth God lead you?"

"The Lord," says the muzhik, "has given me a little child, as a care during infancy, as a consolation for old age, and to pray for my soul when I am dead. But, because I am poor, no one in our village will stand as godfather. I am trying to find a godfather."

And the passer-by said :

"Take me for his godfather."

The muzhik was glad, thanked the passer-by, and said:

"Whom now can I get for godmother?'

"Well, for godmother," said the passer-by, "invite the storekeeper's daughter. Go into town; on the mar

1 Muzhichok.

ket-place is a stone house with shops; as you go into the house, ask the merchant to let his daughter be godmother."

The muzhik had some misgivings.

"How, godfather elect," says he, "can I go to a merchant, rich man? He will scorn me; he won't let his daughter go."

"That's not for you to worry about. Go ask him. Be ready to-morrow morning. I will come to the christening."

The poor muzhik returned home; went to the city, to the merchant's. He reined up his horse in the dvor. The merchant himself came out.

"What is needed?" he asked.

"Look here, Mr. Merchant. The Lord has given me a little child, as a care during infancy, as a consolation for old age, and to pray for my soul when I am dead. Pray, let your daughter be his godmother.'

"But when is the christening?"

"To-morrow morning."

"Well; very good. God be with you! she shall come to-morrow to the mass."

On the next day the godmother came; the godfather also came; they christened the child. As soon as they had christened the child, the godfather went off, and they knew not who he was. And they did not see him from that time forth.

CHAPTER II

THE lad began to grow, to the delight of his parents; and he was strong and industrious, and intelligent and gentle. He reached the age of ten. His parents had him taught to read and write. What others took five years to learn, this lad learned in one year. And there was nothing left for him to learn.

Holy Week came. The lad went to his godmother,

1 Da vot gospodin kupyets.

gave her the usual Easter salutation, returned home, and asked:

"Batyushka and matushka,2 where does my godfather live? I should like to go to him, to give him. Easter greetings."

And the father said to him :

"We know not, my dear little son, where thy godfather lives. We ourselves are sorry about it. We have not seen him since the day when he was at thy christening. And we have not heard of him, and we know not where he lives; we know not whether he is alive." The son bowed low to his father, to his mother :

"Let me go, batyushka and matushka, and find my godfather. I wish to go to him and exchange Easter greetings."

The father and the mother let their son go. And the boy set forth to find his godfather.

CHAPTER III

THE lad set forth from home, and walked along the highway. He walked half a day; a passer-by met him. The passer-by halted.

"Good-afternoon, lad," said he; "whither does God lead thee?"

And the boy replied, "I went," says he, "to my dear godmother, to give her Easter greetings. I went back home. I asked my parents where my godfather lived; I wished to exchange Easter greetings with him. My parents said, 'We know not, little son, where thy godfather lives. From the day when he was at thy christening, he has been gone from us; and we know nothing. about him, and we know not whether he is alive.' And I had a desire to see my godfather, and so I am on my way to find him.'

1 A kiss with the words, Khristos voskres. This custom is universal among the peasantry. The person saluted replies, Vostinu voskresRisen indeed.

2 Little father and mother.

8 Matushka krestnaya.