Then they went into a forest, there spent the night. There they made a fire, and Marishka fell into a slumber, whilst he, Jankos, kept up the fire. There came a very old stranger to him, and he says to him, says that stranger, ‘Come with me, Jankos, I will give you plenty of money.’
He brought him into a vault; there a stone door opened before him; the vault was full, brim full of money. Jankos took two armfuls of money. It was my God who was there with him, and showed him the money. He took as much as he could carry, then returned to Marishka. Marishka was up already and awake; she was weeping—‘Where, then, is Jankos?’
Jankos calls to her, ‘Fear not, I am here; I am bringing you plenty of money.’
My God had told him to take as much money as he wants; the door will always be open to him. Then they, Jankos and Marishka, went to a city; he bought clothes for himself and for her, and bought himself a fine house. Then he bought also horses and a small carriage. Then he went to the vault for that money, and helped himself again. With the shovel he flung it on the carriage; then he returned home with so much money that he didn’t know what to do with it.
Then he ordered a band to play music, and arranged for a ball. Then he invited all the gentry in that country, invited all of them; and his parents too came. This he did that he might find out who were his parents. Right enough they came; and he, Jankos, at once knew his mother—my [[74]]God had ordained it, that he at once should know her. Then he asks his mother,[4] does Jankos, what a man deserved who ruins two souls, and is himself alive.
And she says, the old lady, ‘Such a one deserves nothing better than to have light set to the fagot-pile, and himself pitched into the fire.’
That was just what they did to them, pitched them into the fire; and he remained there with Marishka. And the gentleman cried then, ‘Hurrah! bravo! that’s capital.’
No. 20.—Mare’s Son
A priest went riding on his mare to town. And … he led her into the forest, and left her there. The mare brought forth a son. And God came and baptized him, and gave him the name ‘Mare’s Son.’ He sucked one year, and went to a tree, and tries to pluck it up, and could not.