[3] One pood = 36 pounds.
“To make it we are not unwilling; but who will turn the iron? Fifteen poods are no joke.”
“That is nothing, brothers; you beat with the hammers, and I’ll turn the iron.”
The blacksmiths went to work and forged an iron staff of fifteen poods. Nikita took the rod, went out into the field, and threw it up ninety feet, held out his hand; the iron staff fell on his hand, but was not equal to the strength of the hero, it broke in two. Nikita Koltoma paid the blacksmiths for their work, threw the broken rod to them, and rode away. He caught up with his comrades. They travelled three days more; again there was a forge in the open field.
“Go on, I will enter this forge,” said Nikita. He went into the forge. Twenty-five blacksmiths were working inside, forging iron, pounding with their hammers.
“God aid thee, boys!”
“God save thee, good man!”
“Make me a staff twenty-five poods in weight.”
“To forge is no trouble; but where is the man with strength to turn so much iron?”
“I will turn it myself.”