The cover image was created by the transcriber and placed in the public domain.
THE
SOLDIER AND DEATH
A RUSSIAN FOLK TALE
TOLD IN ENGLISH BY
ARTHUR RANSOME
January 1920
THE SOLDIER AND DEATH
A soldier served God and the Great Tzar for twenty-five years, earned three dry biscuits, and set off to walk his way home. He kissed his companions with whom he had served so long, and boasted of the feasting there would be in the village when he should come marching home with all his wars behind him. Singing at the top of his voice he was as he set off. But as soon as he was alone on the high road, walking through the forest he began to think things over. And he thought to himself: All these years I have served the Tzar and had good clothes to my back and my belly full of victuals. And now I am like to be both hungry and cold. Already I've nothing but three dry biscuits.
Just then he met an old beggar, who stood in the road and crossed himself and asked alms for the love of God.