Georgian Folk Tales

ONCE upon a time there was a poor peasant who had one son. And it came to pass that his wife said to him: 'He should learn some trade, for when he is separated from thee, what will he do if he is left ignorant like thee?' The wife importuned him; she gave him no rest. So the peasant took his child, and went to seek a master for him. On the way they were thirsty. He saw a rivulet, drank eagerly till his thirst was quenched, and when he lifted up his head he cried out: 'Ah! how good thou art!'1 On saying this, there came forth from the water a devil in the form of a man, and said to the peasant: 'What dost thou want, O man! I am Vakhraca; what troubles thee?' The peasant told him all his story. The devil, when he learnt this, said: 'Give me this son of thine: I will teach him for one year, then come hither; if thou knowest him, it is well, he will go with thee; if not, he is mine and mine alone, he shall be lost to thee.' PART I GEORGIAN FOLK TALES I Master and Pupil II The Three Sisters and their Stepmother III The Good-for-nothing IV The Frog's Skin V Fate VI Ghvthisavari (I am of God) VII The Serpent and the Peasant VIII Gulambara and Sulambara IX The Two Brothers X The Prince XI Conkiajgharuna XII Asphurtzela XIII The Shepherd and the Child of Fortune XIV The Two Thieves XV The Fox and the King's Son XVI The King and the Apple PART II MINGRELIAN TALES I The Three Precepts II Kazha-ndiiIII The Story of Geria III Poor Man's Son IV The Prince who befriended the Beasts V The Cunning Old Man and the Demi VI Sanartia VII The Shepherd Judge VIII The Priest's youngest Son PART III GURIAN FOLK TALES I The Strong Man and the Dwarf II The Grasshopper and the Ant III The Countryman and the Merchant IV The King and the Sage V The King's Son VI Teeth and No-Teeth VII The Queen's Whim VIII The Fool's good Fortune IX Two Losses X The Story of Dervish XI The Father's Prophecy XII The Hermit Philosopher XIII The King's Counsellor XIV A Witty Answer