“Everything you desire will be done,” said the pike; “but do not forget, I say, the words I have taught you.”
Emelyan then put the pike into the water, and followed his buckets home.
The neighbours were all amazed when they saw the buckets, and said to one another—
“This fool makes the buckets come of themselves up from the river, and he follows them himself at his leisure.”
But Emelyan took no notice of them, and went on home. The buckets were by this time in the house, and standing in their place on the foot-bench, and Emelyan himself lay down on the stove.
After some time his sisters-in-law said to him again—
“Emelyan, what are you loitering there for? Get up and cut wood.”
But the fool said—
“Ay! and you! who are you, then?”
“You see,” cried they, “it is now winter, and if you do not go and cut wood you will be frozen.”