Myths and Folk-Tales of the Russians, Western Slavs, and the Magyars (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1890 edition. Excerpt: ... THE HEDGEHOG, THE MERCHANT, THE KING, AND THE POOR MAN. WHERE there was, where there was not, it is enough that there was once a merchant, there were also a king, and a poor man. One day the merchant went out to hunt, and he travelled and journeyed till, oh my lord's son, he found himself in such a thick forest that he saw neither the sky nor the earth; he just groped around like a blindman. Here, 'pon my soul whether the merchant tried to free himself by turning to the left or the right, he only went into a thicker place. When he was there five days, in hunger and thirst, stumbling about in the great wild wood without liberation, the merchant called out: -- "Oh, my God, if any one would take me out of this great wild thicket to the right road, I would give him the best of my three daughters, and as a wedding gift three sacks of coin." "I 'll lead thee out right away," said some one before him. The merchant looked to the right, to the left, but not a soul did he see. "Don't look around," said the certain one again, "look under thy feet." The merchant then looked in front and saw that near his feet was a little hedgehog, and to him he directed then his word and speech. "Well, if thou wilt lead me out, I will give thee my best daughter and three sacks of coin; the first will be gold, the second silver, and the third copper." The hedgehog went on ahead, the merchant walked after. Soon they came out of the great wild wood. Then the hedgehog went back, and the merchant turned his wagon-tongue homeward. Now the king went to hunt, -- went in the same way as the merchant; and he too was lost in the great wild wood. The king went to the right and the left, tried in every way to free himself; all he gained was that he came to a thicker...