Riddles
Near the big road the muzhik sowed a clearing. For that time the tsar went, has stopped against the muzhik and has told:
— The god the help, !
— Thanks, the kind person!
— Whether you receive from that clearing of advantage much? — The tsar has asked.
— Yes at a good harvest of roubles about eighty will be.
— Where this money you put?
— Twenty roubles in a tax , twenty — to a debt to the crying, twenty — on loan I give yes twenty — for a window I throw.
— Explain, the brother in whom you a debt pay to whom on loan you give and what for for a window you throw?
— A debt I cry — the father I contain, on loan I give — the son I feed, for a window I throw — the daughter I feed.
— Your truth! — a sovereign has told, has given it a silver handful, declared itself, that he the tsar, and — without his face to anybody of those speeches not to affect: — Whoever asked — speak to nobody!
There has arrived the tsar to the capital and has called boyars yes generals.
— Solve, — speaks, — me a riddle. I saw on road of the muzhik — sowed a clearing. Has asked it: how many it of advantage receives and where money puts? to me answered: at a crop eighty roubles I receive. Twenty — in a tax , twenty — to a debt to the crying, twenty — on loan I give yes twenty — for a window I throw. Who from you will solve this riddle, that of the big awards, the big honours I will award.
Boyars and generals thought-thought, could not solve. Here one boyar has taken in head and has gone to that muzhik to whom the tsar talked. Filled to it the whole heap silver and asks:
— Explain-de, explain an imperial riddle!
The muzhik has coveted money, took yes declared about all to the boyar. And the boyar was turned back to the tsar and has now explained its riddle.
The tsar sees, that the muzhik has not constrained a precept, has ordered to lead it to itself. The muzhik was to the tsar and from the very first has confessed, that he has told it to the boyar.
— Well, the brother, you have only yourself to blame, I for such fault order to execute you !
— Your majesty! I am guilty nothing, therefore to the boyar I have told at your imperial person.
Here the muzhik from a pocket silver with the imperial person has taken out and has shown to a sovereign.
— Your truth! — a sovereign has told. Is my person. Has awarded generously the muzhik and has released home.
Ruff . Russian satirical fairy tales. Moscow, the Children's literature. 1989.