Ivan the Fool said nothing, sat on the stove with unwiped nose, rolling in the ashes, and the whelp with him. Some time passed; whether it was short or long, his mother said again: “Why art thou sitting there without sense; why not go to the public-house? Some good man may come along and hire thee.”
“Very good, I’ll go,” said the Fool.
He took his dog and started. A man met him on the road.
“Where art thou going, Ivan?”
“To find service,” said he; “to hire out.”
“Come, work for me.”
“Very well,” said Ivan.
They agreed, and Ivan went again to work; and that man had a cat with kittens. One of the kittens pleased the Fool, and he trained it. The time came for payment.
Ivan the Fool said to this man: “I need not thy money, but give me that kitten.”
“If thou wilt have it,” said the man.