Comment
Recorded from
Nikolaj Lixachev
in 1986. This tale is otherwise unknown and was probably made up by
Nikolaj Likhachev himself.
Translation
(13-1) Last year a hunter went down the river.
(13-2) He walked around, setting up traps on the bank of the lake.
(13-3) He set them up, went hunting and in spring in May he went back home.
(13-4) He went back and threw his felt boots on the ground. Having thrown them on the ground he took his blanket and his skis and went back home.
(13-5) That's what happened.
(13-6) The next day the other people came.
(13-7) Two men came.
(13-8) One young man and one old man came.
(13-9) They came and the old man said: "Eh, there are trees here.
(13-10) We should set up a tent here."
(13-11) The young man said: "No, not here, this tree is too thick."
(13-12) The other one said: "Here, here."
(13-13) That old man said: "We will take water. The bank of the lake is close to here. We shall take water from there if we need to drink tea."
(13-14) So he started digging into the snow.
(13-15) The snow was reaching his knees. He picked up the snow with his shovel.
(13-16) When he dug, he dug up all sort of grass and a boot.
(13-17) He looked at that boot.
(13-18) It was all torn, hardly anything was left at all.
(13-19) The whole sole was completely torn.
(13-20) So he threw away that boot.
(13-21) Digging he said to the young man: "Go and cut wood to set up the tent."
(13-22) Let it be so.
(13-23) While he was digging he suddenly heard a voice.
(13-24) He stood up, set aside his shovel and said: "Where is this voice heard from?"
(13-25) He went there.
(13-26) He came closer and heard the voice.
(13-27) He said: "Oh, what's wrong with me?"
(13-28) And the boot said: "Last year my master wore me, trampling down the ground and the roads with my face.
(13-29) When the evening came, he threw me by the oven.
(13-30) He threw me by the oven and all my face got burnt.
(13-31) It was burnt, but the next day when I got up, he put me on again, and again he started to trample me down.
(13-32) Again.
(13-33) He trampled me down again and again.
(13-34) Then he went home and threw me on the wet ground.
(13-35) So I am lying and rotting here," it said.
(13-36) Then a voice from the old man was heard. He was speaking from somewhere.
(13-37) What is this?
(13-38) It hadn't been like this before.
(13-39) Why is it speaking?
(13-40) What happened, is it a tale perhaps?
(13-41) He wrapped up his head.
(13-42) He wrapped it up so tightly.
(13-43) The other man came: "Eh, old man, what's wrong with you?
(13-44) What, is your stomach hurting?" he said.
(13-45) "No, the boot is speaking. The boot is speaking and my penis is also speaking.
(13-46) Yes.
(13-47) I pressed it so from beneath."
(13-48) "How?"
(13-49) The old man said: "Look, come here, listen."
(13-50) That man listened.
(13-51) Indeed they were both speaking.
(13-52) The boot stopped speaking, and the penis said to the boot: "Eh, friend, where is your other half?
(13-53) Only one half is here.
(13-54) Don't you have a face?
(13-55) You don't have a sole.
(13-56) Yes, your sole is also torn," it said.
(13-57) Let it be so.
(13-58) That old man's penis said: "Oh, my master is a very bad person.
(13-59) A very bad person.
(13-60) I can't stand him.
(13-61) Your master is bad. Last year he trampled you, then threw you away, and went home.
(13-62) My master is also a very bad person.
(13-63) I am very angry with him", it said.
(13-64) The boot said: "Why?"
(13-65) The penis said: "Eh, I will tell you now.
(13-66) I will tell you.
(13-67) Why I am angry with him.
(13-68) I am stuck to him.
(13-69) And he always dresses and always early in the day.
(13-70) He leaves in the morning and walks around till the night. I walk with my head down.
(13-71) So I am hanging head down and I get swollen.
(13-72) And when the night comes, he lies down next to his wife and puts me into some flat hole.
(13-73) He doesn't take me out until I spit out saliva, only then.
(13-74) Then in the morning he gets up and leaves again, and again I am hanging with my head down.
(13-75) That is why my master is very bad.
(13-76) He doesn't give me a rest.
(13-77) That's how it is.
(13-78) It is not only bad for you, but for me as well," it said.
(13-79) The boot said: "Then we must kill him.
(13-80) In the night when he is sleeping, hit him on his head."
(13-81) The penis said: "No, because I am stuck to him. If I kill him, we shall die together."
(13-82) That's the end.