  The happy day had come. The little boy was all ready for the journey, dressed in a colored shirt hanging over his full trousers—the white shirt must be kept clean for Sunday, you know—his kaftan well belted down and with a small fur collar at the neck, and on his head a high kolpak, or fur hat, just like his father’s. His legs were covered by onontchi, well wrapped around and cross-gartered with colored strings, and on his feet he had fur-lined shoes, for third-class cars are very cold. The little boy’s mother had on all her warm clothes, with a long fur overcoat, just like that the father wore, over all her other wraps; and the father, besides his great fur All the men and children of the village accompanied them to the station, which was in the midst of a wide plain a quarter of a league beyond the last house. There was a good while to wait; the train was not due for half an hour, but that did not matter. The grown folk had a deal of talking to do—all the privileges that they hoped the starosta would secure from the zemstvo for the commune. As for the children! Well, this was the chance of their lives, for their station had a playground, with swings, wooden horses, When the train came lumbering in, as it did after a while, half a dozen more children jumped down from the second and third class cars and ran to the playground. The other children made way for them, for station playgrounds are for travelling children, and they had the first right. Yet there was room for them all. But the little boy was impatient to be on his travels, so he ran to his mother, and was very glad when the men of the commune had said their last words to their representative, and the starosta led his wife and little boy to a good place in a compartment At every stop where there was a playground—there was not one at every station—he would run out and have a swing, his mother going with him, for he was a little boy to be among strangers. After a while he was hungry, and then his mother unpacked her basket and set the samovar a-going, and gave a lump of bread and a big piece of sausage to each, with unlimited cups of scalding tea that made them nice and warm. After that the little boy leaned his head against his mother, and then—most wonderful!—they were already at the capital, and the stars were shining. Where had the afternoon gone? He had not time to ask, for his father had swung him upon his shoulder and was carrying him through the crowd, and there, outside the wicket, was a little old woman, with such a nice face, who fell upon his mother’s neck and kissed her again and again. “That is your other grandmother,” said his father. “Your mother has not seen her since she was married, and that is many years ago.” And then the other grandmother caught the little boy from his father’s arms and kissed him and cried over him, till the little boy did not know whether he ought to cry or not. He became very well acquainted with the other grandmother the next day. She did not seem like his own dear little grandmother at home, but she was very nice. He called her mother’s-mother, because she was not his real grandmother, he thought; and In the afternoon, when his father had gone back to the zemstvo, and his mother was clearing up after dinner, which she said her mother was not to do while she was there, the little boy went and stood by his other grandmother’s chair. “Mother’s-mother,” he said, “little grandmamma told me that you knew some nice stories.” “Yes,” said mother’s-mother, “I suppose I do. They are not like your little grandmamma’s stories. The stories of this commune are different. They are more about the Vilas than those of your commune are. Yours are mostly about Reinecke and the other beasts, are they not?” “I like Reinecke and the beasts,” said the little boy. “But I should like the Vilas, too, mother’s-mother.” “Then I will tell you about them,” said “THE VILA OF MUHLENBERG”Once upon a time there was an aged widow who had only one son, whom she watched and cherished in her old age. Now there was a great war at that time all over the world; every man who could bear arms was forced to go into the army, and among others the widow’s son. There he so distinguished himself for bravery on every occasion that he was promoted to be Captain. Now it happened one time that they suffered a defeat. Among the wounded was our Captain, and as he lay on the ground he prayed God to spare his life, at least until he had seen his old mother. He was in the greatest danger, for all around him the enemy was killing the wounded. Suddenly an Without taking time to think, he answered, “Give me a horse, that I may escape before the enemy murder me.” Upon this she struck upon the earth with the staff that was in her hand, and softly murmured a few words. Suddenly a noble steed stood before him, all saddled and bridled; he had only to mount it. He looked around to thank the old dame, but she had vanished. The Captain sprang into the saddle, gave the horse the spur, and flew from the spot like an arrow from the bow. He rode on for a long time without noticing in what direction the horse was carrying him, when suddenly it stopped. He looked around and saw before him a great city with many church-towers which shone so brightly that they fairly dazzled his Perhaps he himself would have remained the whole day upon the spot, as if turned to stone, had he not suddenly beheld before him a maiden with golden hair. When she saw him she uttered a cry and hastened up into the golden castle. He followed close upon her footsteps, but before the castle-gate he met the same old woman who had given him the horse. He greeted her prettily and asked her what was all this about—the golden-haired maiden and the enchanted city. Hereupon the old dame told him the following story: “Many, many years ago this city was the “For this reason some wicked men killed him and his only son. But as they were murdering the son they heard an awful voice, which said: “‘Miserable wretches! you have killed him who was your benefactor and father. Be accursed, therefore, for a thousand years, until a youth shall come and loose you from this ban!’ “But the Emperor’s daughter, whom the Lord God had given to me, remained alive, So spoke the old dame, and, full of joy, the young man asked her what he was to do in order to loose the city from the spell. She answered: “I can give you no counsel, but you will soon find that out above. And now, as you have no more need of me, farewell, in God’s name! But first I will tell you who I am. I am a Vila. If ever you should fall into any trouble, you have only to call, ‘Vila, stand by me!’ and you shall be helped.” She spoke, and was already gone. The young man and the maiden were now in doubt as to what they ought to do. They would gladly have wedded each other, but Hardly had the first note pealed forth from the bells when everything breathed and lived—the men, the beasts, everything, in short, which had been turned to stone. Then all the people broke out into the cry, “God save our Liberator, now and evermore!” The first thing was to celebrate a magnificent wedding, when the pop united the pair forever in the presence of the whole assembled people. Every one rejoiced, eating and drinking as if they never meant to leave off. The young couple lived for several years in joy and happiness, until at last the King “Here, I give you these four horses. You must know that they are Vilas, and they will take you to your home, for you have no idea how far away it is. But if any one there asks you where you have been and what you have been doing all this time, beware of telling them the truth, for if you relate your adventures the Vilas will vanish, and you will never be able to come back to me again.” He promised her everything that she asked and set out for home. When he arrived he found his dear mother no longer living. His heart was wrung with sorrow, for there he stood alone in the world, brotherless, sisterless, without a single relative. The people questioned him incessantly, He therefore determined to seek her out, even if it cost him his head. So he travelled on and on and on until he came to the Moon. There was no one at home but the Moon-mother, for the Moon had just gone out. When the Moon-mother saw the young man she was full of pity for him, and said: “Do you not know, unhappy one, that my son will tear you in pieces as soon as he gets home? But come, I will hide you!” And she hid him in a chest. When at last the Moon came home, tired and cross, he called out in a thundering voice, “Woman, there is a Christian soul staying here! Out with him!” His mother besought her son to spare the “Well, then, I won’t do him any harm,” said the Moon; “only let him show himself.” Upon this the old mother opened the chest and brought the young man before her son. The youth drew near to the Moon, bowed low before him, and said: “Mighty Moon! you shed your mild rays over the whole earth; tell me if you know anything of a city called Muhlenberg.” The Moon replied, “I indeed shine over the whole round earth, but I have never heard of any Muhlenberg. Therefore, I counsel you, seek out my brother the Sun; perhaps he can tell you something about it.” The young man thanked the Moon, and went to the Moon’s brother, the Sun, and said, “Your brother the Moon sends greeting, and says, in case you know anything about the city Muhlenberg, you are to tell me.” The Sun replied that he knew nothing of any such city, and sent him to the North-wind, saying, “This wind blows everywhere and searches out the most hidden corners; perhaps he knows the city.” But the North-wind sent him to the East-wind, and the East-wind sent him to the West-wind, and the West-wind sent him to the South-wind, the most fearful of all the winds. When the young man appeared before the South-wind, he bowed low and said, “I bring you greetings from all your relatives, the Sun, the Moon, the North-wind, the East-wind, and the West-wind, and you are to give me some information about the city Muhlenberg.” Said the South-wind, “I have just come from Muhlenberg. There will soon be grand doings in that city, for the Queen is going to be married.” Then the young man implored the South-wind to take him there. The South-wind answered: “It is pretty far from here, and you don’t know the way; but take this apple, and wherever it rolls do you follow it, and you will come to Muhlenberg.” The young man bade the South-wind adieu and followed the apple, going on for a long, long time. Suddenly he came upon some robbers. He went up to them as if they were old acquaintances, exclaiming, “Good-day to you, brothers! Are you right well? Here I am with you at last!” They really believed that he was one of themselves, so they took him with them, and showed him a coat which had the power of rendering invisible the person who wore it. Next they showed him a pair of boots that would enable one to put a mile behind him at every step. He put on both the coat and the boots, as if to test the truth of the story, So he rolled the apple again along the ground before him, and at last he arrived at Muhlenberg. He heard music in every part of the city, cannons were thundering, and above all swept the South-wind. When the South-wind saw him he went down and greeted him, saying, “So here we are, at last, in Muhlenberg!” The young man now went into the city, and, being still invisible, he helped himself to all the food and drink he wanted, and refreshed himself with his gossip, the South-wind. Then, taking leave of him, he made his way into the royal palace which had once been his own. There he saw the Queen beside the newly chosen spouse whom she was about to marry, and heard her sigh: “Just seven years ago to-day my beloved husband deserted me!” Upon this he began to sing a song which he used to be always singing when he was king. She recognized it at once, and, full of joy, cried out, “That is my husband, my first good fortune! My wedding-guests, drink the foaming wine and take your leave. I have no need to marry, for my husband has come home again, my only joy and bliss!” And from this time they lived long and happily together. And the Queen bore to her husband a son with a mole like a golden sword upon his arm, and a beautiful golden-haired daughter. So ends the story. “I should like to go to the Moon,” observed the little boy. “They don’t go nowadays,” said the other grandmother. “That was long ago, before my great-grandmother was born.” |
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