The peasant gave it him and went home.
“Well,” said his wife, “did you get a kopeck?”
“Yes.”
“Where is it?”
“I gave it for the kingdom of heaven,” he answered.
“Thanks be to God,” said his wife; “and now come to dinner.”
They said grace and sat down to dinner—fir-bark and rain-water. When they had finished the peasant gave thanks to God for these earthly blessings, and lay down to rest.
Meantime the priest went home, thinking what he should do with the peasant’s kopeck. He thought and thought; at last he said, “I know!” and called the Ponomàr.[[46]]
The Ponomàr not only sang in the choir; he was not too proud to drive bargains too.
So the Ponomàr came, and the priest said to him—