The Horse, the Tablecloth and the Horn

Once there was an old woman whose son was a simpleton. One day the simpleton found three peas, went beyond the village and sowed them there. When the peas…

Once there was an old woman whose son was a simpleton. One day the simpleton found three peas, went beyond the village and sowed them there. When the peas sprouted, he began to guard them. One day he came to his pea patch and saw a crane sitting there, pecking at it. The simpleton crept up and caught the crane.

“Oh!” he said. “I’ll kill you!”

But the crane said to him:

“No, don’t hurt me. I’ll give you a present.”

“Give it here!” said the simpleton, and the crane gave him a horse, saying:

“If you want money, say to this horse, ‘Whoa!’ When you have gathered enough money, say, ‘Giddy-up!’”

The simpleton took the horse, began to mount it and said, “Whoa!” The horse fell apart into silver. The simpleton burst out laughing. Then he said, “Giddy-up!” and the silver turned back into a horse. He said goodbye to the crane and led the horse home, through the yard and straight into his mother’s cottage. There he gave her strict orders:

“Mother! Don’t say, ‘Whoa!’ Say, ‘Giddy-up!’”

Then he went straight back to his peas. His mother wondered for a long time:

“Why did he say those words to me? Let me say, ‘Whoa!’” And she did.

The horse fell apart into silver. The old woman’s eyes lit up. She hurried to gather the money into her chest, and when she had enough, she said, “Giddy-up!”

Meanwhile the simpleton again found the crane at his peas, caught it and threatened to kill it. But the crane said:

“Don’t hurt me. I’ll give you a present.” And it gave him a tablecloth:

“When you want to eat, say, ‘Unfold!’ When you have finished eating, say, ‘Fold up!’”

The simpleton tried it at once and said, “Unfold!” The tablecloth unfolded. He ate and drank his fill, then said, “Fold up!” The tablecloth folded itself up. He took it and carried it home:

“Now mind, Mother: don’t say to this tablecloth, ‘Unfold!’ Say, ‘Fold up!’”

The simpleton went back to his peas again. His mother did with the tablecloth just as she had done with the horse. She said, “Unfold!” and began to feast, eating and drinking everything that was on it. Then she said, “Fold up!” and the tablecloth folded itself up.

Again the simpleton caught the crane at his peas. This time it gave him a little horn and, as it flew up into the air, said:

“Simpleton! Say, ‘Out of the horn!’”

To his misfortune, the simpleton said those very words. Suddenly two strong young men with clubs leapt out of the horn and began beating him. They beat the poor fellow until he fell to the ground. From above, the crane called, “Into the horn!” and the young men disappeared inside it. The simpleton went to his mother and said:

“Mother! Don’t say, ‘Out of the horn!’ Say, ‘Into the horn!’”

When the simpleton went to visit the neighbours, his mother fastened the door with a hook and said, “Out of the horn!” At once two strong young men with clubs leapt out and began beating the old woman. She screamed at the top of her voice. The simpleton heard her cries and ran as fast as he could. He reached the door, grabbed at it—and it was hooked shut! He shouted, “Into the horn! Into the horn!” The old woman recovered from the beating and unfastened the door for him. He came in and said:

“There, Mother! I told you not to say that.”

Now the simpleton decided to give a feast and invited gentlemen and boyars. As soon as they had gathered and sat down, he brought the horse into the cottage and said:

“Whoa, good horse!”

The horse fell apart into silver. The guests marvelled, then began grabbing the money and hiding it in their pockets. The simpleton said, “Giddy-up!” and the horse appeared again, but without a tail. Seeing that it was time to feed his guests, the simpleton took out the tablecloth and said, “Unfold!” At once it spread itself out, covered with a great abundance of food and drink. The guests began drinking, feasting and making merry. When everyone had had enough, the simpleton said, “Fold up!” and the tablecloth folded itself up. The guests began yawning and said mockingly:

“Show us something else, simpleton!”

“Certainly,” said the simpleton. “Anything for you!” He brought out the horn, and the guests immediately shouted, “Out of the horn!” Two strong young men with clubs appeared from nowhere and began beating them with all their might. They beat the guests until they were forced to return the stolen money, then the guests ran away. And the simpleton lived on with his mother, his horse, his tablecloth and his horn, prospering and gathering ever more wealth.