This happened with the lamentations of Foma Grigorievich to the listeners, who first try out some terrible story, and then all night they tremble with fear, hiding under the blanket. But here he starts the story that happened to his grandfather, whom the hetman of the nobleman sent with a letter to the queen. After talking with his wife and children, the next morning he was already in Konotop, and there was a fair at that time. My grandfather went to the fair to buy tobacco and flint, and his letter was sewn in a hat. At the fair, he met the Zaporozhian and so got drunk with him that he forgot about his business. Then they went together, and one more reveler attached to them. Zaporozhets all evening told his friends different stories and strange stories, and by the night stopped, finally confessed that he had sold his soul to the devil and that night the time of reckoning. Grandfather promised not to sleep all night to help the Cossacks. It was dark and the travelers had to stop for
the night in the nearest tavern, where everyone was already asleep. Soon fell asleep and grandfather fellow travelers, and he alone had to carry a guard. He struggled with all his strength to sleep and looked all the carts, and saw the horses, and lit a pipe-but nothing could cheer him up. He woke up late in the morning and found no one a Zaporozhian, nor a second friend, and the most terrible cap with a letter and money disappeared. And he cursed the devil, and he asked the advice of the chumak in the tavern, did not achieve anything. Only the owner for five zł said grandfather, where the hell to find a letter back. At night, the grandfather went to the barely visible footpath, which he pointed out, through the forest. And he went out to the fire, around which terrible faces sat, sat down with them. At first they were silent for a long time, and then my grandfather began to talk about his business-his ears were pricked up and his paws were stretched out to him, his grandfather threw all his money, the earth trembled and he was in the heat. Around a monster, devils, witches and all dance some devilish dance. He looks at
the table and is full of all sorts of delicious dishes, but what the grandfather will not take, everything falls into someone else’s mouth. My grandfather became angry, forgot his fear, began to swear at him with terrible abuse. The evil spirits laughed, and one witch offered her grandfather three times to play with her in a fool: if he wins the hat, and if he loses, he will not come out of the baked light. Twice my grandfather stayed in fools, although the cards were good for the second time, and he handed over himself. He imagined and for the third time he crossed the cards on the sly – and won. He got his hat back, and even took heart-he demands his horse, promised to cross all demonic society with a holy cross. But only the bones of his horse were given out to him. Grandfather began to cry, but the devils took pity on him and gave him his horse, the horse flew through swamps and dips, over the abysses at a tremendous speed. Grandfather could not resist and fell off his horse, and woke up on the roof of his house, all covered with blood. At home, frightened children rushed to him, pointing to his mother, who was sleeping sitting on a bench and bouncing in her sleep. My grandfather woke his wife, she also dreamed of devilry. He decided to consecrate the hut on his return and went to the queen. There, he had seen all kinds of strange things and forgot about the devil. And the devils took revenge on him because he hesitated to consecrate the house, every year exactly that very day, forcing his wife to dance against the will. and woke up on the roof of his house, covered in blood. At home, frightened children rushed to him, pointing to his mother, who was sleeping sitting on a bench and bouncing in her sleep. My grandfather woke his wife, she also dreamed of devilry. He decided to consecrate the hut on his return and went to the queen. There, he had seen all kinds of strange things and forgot about the devil. And the devils took revenge on him because he hesitated to consecrate the house, every year exactly that very day, forcing his wife to dance against the will. and woke up on the roof of his house, covered in blood. At home, frightened children rushed to him, pointing to his mother, who was sleeping sitting on a bench and bouncing in her sleep. My grandfather woke his wife, she also dreamed of devilry. He decided to consecrate the hut on his return and went to the queen. There, he had seen all kinds of strange things and forgot about the devil. And the devils took revenge on him because he hesitated to consecrate the house, every year exactly that very day, forcing his wife to dance against the will.
