“How’s this, fool? for what do you seize me?”
“For what?” said he; “I shall carry you home, and tell my sisters-in-law to boil you.”
“Not so, fool, don’t carry me home, but put me back into the water, and I will make you a rich man.”
But the fool did not believe him, and was making for home. The pike, seeing that the fool did not let him go, said:
“Listen, fool, do but put me into the water, and I will do for you whatsoever you wish, so that every desire of your heart shall be fulfilled.”
The fool, hearing these words, was very glad; for, as he was excessively lazy, he thought to himself—
“If the pike does whatever I ask all will be got ready for me, and I shall have no need to work.”
“I will let you go, only do what you promise.”
“First place me in the water, and I will fulfil my promise.”
But the fool said to him that he must first of all perform his promise, and that he would then let him go.
The pike, seeing that he would not put him into the water, said:
“If you wish me to do for you what you want, you must now tell me what it is that you desire.”
“I desire that my pails of water should march of themselves up the hill” (for the village stood upon a hill), “but so that none of the water be spilt out of them.”
“Remember, Emelian, the words which I am about to say to you, and the words are as follows: ‘At the pike’s behest, and at my request, march, pails, by yourselves up the hill.’”
The fool repeated the words after the pike:
“At the pike’s behest, and at my request march, pails, by yourselves up the hill.”
Forthwith the pails, and the yoke by which he was wont to carry them, marched of themselves up the hill. Emelian, seeing this, was very much surprised, and said to the pike:
“All things you wish will be done, even as this has been done: only don’t forget the words which I have taught you.”
Thereupon he released the pike into the water, and went himself after his pails. The neighbours, seeing what was going on, were filled with wonder, and said, amongst, themselves—
“What is the fool about? The pails of water walk of themselves, and he walks after them.”
But Emelian, without saying anything to them, went home, and the pails went of themselves into the keeping-room, and placed themselves on the bench, while the fool mounted upon the petsch. A little time after, his sisters-in-law said to him again: