The Vazuza and the Volga

The Volga and the Vazuza argued for a long time about which of them was wiser, stronger, and more deserving of honor. They argued and argued, but neither could…

The Volga and the Vazuza argued for a long time about which of them was wiser, stronger, and more deserving of honor. They argued and argued, but neither could persuade the other, so they decided on this.

“Let us go to sleep together. Whichever of us gets up first and reaches the Khvalyn Sea sooner will be the wiser and stronger one, and more deserving of honor.”

The Volga lay down to sleep, and so did the Vazuza. But during the night the Vazuza got up quietly, slipped away from the Volga, chose a straighter, shorter route, and began to flow. When the Volga woke, she went neither slowly nor quickly, but at just the right pace. At Zubtsov she caught up with the Vazuza so fiercely that the Vazuza grew frightened, called herself the younger sister, and asked the Volga to take her in her arms and carry her to the Khvalyn Sea. Yet every spring the Vazuza still wakes first and rouses the Volga from her winter sleep.