The Tale of Murza, the Invisible Worker

Once upon a time, there lived a Mouse and a Falcon. They became friends and started thinking about what profitable venture they could start together. They decided to sow wheat. They sowed, harvested, threshed, winnowed, and then began to divide the grain. The Falcon said:

"I'll divide it into two piles now."

He divided the grain equally, but one extra grain remained. The Falcon said, "It's mine," and the Mouse said, "No, it's mine." They called the Eagle to settle their dispute. The Eagle said to the Falcon:

"Peck it, and that will be the end of it."

The Mouse smirked and said:

"Alright, go ahead. Let's not quarrel. You can stay with me tonight, and in the morning, you can fly away with God's blessing."

They went to the Mouse's place, ate, drank, and went to sleep. But at night, the Mouse got up and struck the sleeping Falcon with a saber. The Falcon barely managed to escape from the hole. He struggled to fly up to a tree and managed to doze off. Early in the morning, a hunter came, saw the Falcon, took aim, and suddenly heard:

"Hunter, I am wounded."

The hunter was surprised, looked around, and wondered who was calling him. He saw no one, took aim again, but again someone groaned:

"Hunter, I am wounded."

What a wonder! The hunter looked around, but there was no one. The third time he took aim, the Falcon fell like a stone at his feet and pleaded:

"Don't kill me, hunter. There's little meat on me, and my feathers are all bloody. Better heal me."

The hunter took pity on the Falcon, carried him home to his wife, and said:

"Take care of him, heal him well."

The wife washed the Falcon's wounds, applied ointments, treated him with herbs, and soon his wounds healed. When the Falcon fully recovered, he said to the hunter:

"Come, hunter, follow me."

They set off together. The Falcon flew through the sky, and the hunter walked on the ground. They reached the seashore.

"Hunter, we need to get to the other shore," said the Falcon. "Sit on my back, and we'll fly."

The hunter sat on the Falcon's back, and they flew over the sea. After a while, the Falcon dropped the hunter into the water.

As the hunter began to drown, the Falcon descended, caught him with his wing, and continued flying. In the middle of the sea, the Falcon dropped the hunter again and caught him once more. He did the same a third time. When they reached the shore, the Falcon said:

"Now we are even. You scared me three times, and I scared you three times. Now we will be friends. I will take you to my father's house, and he will offer you a reward for saving me. But don't take anything, just ask for a silk pouch."

They reached the Falcon's home. The Falcon's mother flew at the hunter, wanting to peck him, but the Falcon said:

"Hey, mother, what are you doing? This is my savior."

The Falcon's father said:

"Since you saved our son, ask for whatever you want."

"I don't need anything," said the hunter. "Just be well."

"No," said the Falcon's father. "That's not how it's done. One hand washes the other. A good deed deserves a reward."

"Well, then give me your silk pouch."

The Falcon's father brought him the pouch.

"Here," he said, "take the pouch, but don't take it out of your pocket, and God forbid you open it before you cross the threshold of your home."

The hunter took the pouch and set off on his way back. The Falcon accompanied him, carried him across the sea, then bid him farewell and flew back to his nest, while the hunter went home. When he was almost at his village, curiosity got the better of him.

"Let me see what's in this pouch," he thought.

As soon as he opened it, he found himself in the middle of a huge marketplace, where everyone was shouting, pushing, and asking for cheese, bread, or tobacco. The hunter was bewildered, standing as if struck by lightning. It was getting dark, and night was approaching. A lame man approached him and said:

"Hey, lad, what will you give me if I get you out of here?"

"Whatever you want," replied the hunter. "Just get me out of this."

"Alright," said the lame man. "Give me something you have at home but don't know about."

"Fine," agreed the hunter. "Take it, it's probably nothing. I know everything I have at home."

The lame man took the pouch and tied it up—everything disappeared at once.

The hunter returned home, and his wife joyfully welcomed him, seated him at the table, and began to feed and drink him. Then she asked:

"Listen, husband, why isn't our son coming home?"

"What son?"

"What do you mean? While you were away, we had a son!"

They searched and searched for the son but couldn't find him. The lame man had taken the boy and left him on an island between the Black and White Seas. The boy lived there alone, catching fish to survive. He lived on the island alone for sixteen years. One day, he saw three white doves fly to the island. They shed their white feathers and turned into three beautiful maidens. The maidens entered the water and began to bathe. The young man sneaked up and hid the feathers of one dove. The maidens came out of the water, two dressed in their feathers, but the third remained naked.

"Hey," she shouted, "are you a man or a beast, a monster or a beauty? Come out, return my feathers, I need them, and if you want, I will become your wife, and you my husband!"

The young man came out from behind the bushes, gave the maiden her white feathers, and she gave him a ball of yarn, saying:

"Throw it, and let's follow it."

The ball rolled straight to the sea, and a sandy path stretched from the island to the shore. They reached the shore, and there was a city there. They settled in the city. The wife began to manage the household, and the husband hired himself out as a laborer to a rich man.

One day, the rich man, passing by the house where his laborer lived, saw the young woman.

"Whose wife is this?" he asked his servants.

"The wife of the young man who hired himself out to you."

The rich man was furious:

"How can I be the master, and my laborer have such a wife? I want to marry her myself."

The rich man threw a feast, invited all his acquaintances and servants, and said:

"Think of a way to get rid of this young man so I can marry his wife."

The guests ate, drank, and reveled but couldn't come up with anything. Only one lame guest stood up and said:

"Between the Black and White Seas, there is a pair of storks—one has a golden beak, the other has silver wings. Order him to bring those storks. He surely won't return from there."

In the morning, the rich man called the laborer and said to him:
— Between the White and Black Seas, there are two storks. One has a golden beak, the other has silver wings. Fetch them and bring them to me.

The farmhand returned home sorrowful and told his wife what the master had ordered him to do.
— Don’t be upset, — said his wife. — Sit down, let’s have dinner.
They sat down, ate their fill, and then the wife went out into the yard and called:
— Arab!
An Arab appeared before her. The wife said to him:
— Bring me two storks, one with a golden beak, the other with silver wings.
— Right away, — replied the Arab and disappeared.
As soon as the farmhand and his wife fell asleep, there was a knock at the door. The Arab had returned, bringing the two storks.
In the morning, just before dawn, the wife handed the storks to her husband and said:
— Go to the master, open the door halfway, and say that you’ve brought them. If he says, “Give them to me,” then let the storks go ahead of you. But if he says, “I don’t need them,” release them and let them fly back.

The farmhand went to the master, opened the door halfway, and said:
— I’ve brought the storks. And the master replied:
— I don’t need them.
The farmhand released the storks into the wild. The next day, the rich man called his guests and servants again and ordered them to come up with something else. The guests ate, drank, and feasted, but they couldn’t think of anything. Then the same lame man stood up and said:
— Let’s send him to Mount Aragats and have him catch a lion there and bring it here. While he’s leading the lion, it will tear him apart on the way.

In the morning, the rich man called the farmhand and ordered him to bring a live lion from Mount Aragats. The farmhand returned home sorrowful and told his wife about the cruel order from the master.
— Don’t be sad, — said his wife. — Sit down, let’s have dinner. They sat down, ate their fill, and then the wife went out into the yard and called:
— Arab!
An Arab appeared before her and asked:
— What do you want, sorceress girl? The farmhand’s wife said:
— Bring me a live lion from Mount Aragats with its mouth tied and its paws bound.
— Right away, — said the Arab.
As soon as they fell asleep, there was a knock at the door. The Arab had returned, bringing the lion.

In the morning, the wife handed the lion to her husband and said:
— Take the lion to the master and open the door wide. If he says, “Give it to me,” untie the lion’s paws and let it into the house. But if he says, “I don’t need it,” release it and let it go back to the forest.
The farmhand carried the lion to the rich master, opened the door wide, and said:
— Master, I’ve brought the lion. And the master replied:
— I don’t need it. The farmhand released the lion into the wild.

The next day, the rich man threw another feast, gathered his guests and servants, and again demanded that they help him get rid of the young farmhand.
The guests drank and ate, but they couldn’t think of anything. Then the lame man stood up again and said:
— Well, this time we’ll send him to such a place that he’ll never return.
They asked him:
— Where is that? And he said:
— Let’s send him to fetch the invisible worker Murza, who knows how to do everything and helps with any task.

In the morning, the master called his farmhand and ordered:
— Go wherever you want, but bring me Murza, the invisible worker. Otherwise, I’ll cut off your head.
The farmhand returned home sorrowful and said to his wife:
— The master is sending me to fetch Murza, the invisible worker, and if I don’t bring him, he threatened to cut off my head.
His wife sighed.
— I can’t help you with this, — she said. — You’ll have to go yourself. Here’s a ball of yarn. Throw it on the ground, and it will roll ahead of you, leading you to my sister’s house. Tell her everything.

The farmhand got ready, threw the ball of yarn on the ground, and followed it. The ball rolled to a small house. A girl came out and greeted him:
— Welcome, dear brother-in-law. What brings you here?
— I’ve come for Murza, — replied the farmhand.
— Let’s find out where he is.

The girl clapped her hands, and all the frogs from every pond and river in the world hopped into her yard. She asked them:
— Is Murza with you?
— No, — they replied, — he’s not with us. And we don’t know where he is.
— Alright, then you may go.
The girl invited her brother-in-law into the house, gave him food and drink, and then said:
— Here’s another ball of yarn. Throw it, and it will roll, leading you to my sister’s house. Tell her everything.

He took the ball, threw it on the ground, and followed it. The ball stopped in front of a small house. A girl came out and smiled at him:
— A thousand times welcome, dear brother-in-law. I’ve been looking for you day and night, and now I see you in broad daylight. What brings you here?
— I’ve come for Murza, — said the brother-in-law.
— Let’s find out where he is.
The girl clapped her hands, and from all corners of the world, from all seas and rivers, turtles gathered in her yard. The girl asked them:
— Is Murza among you?
— He is not with us.

The girl invited her son-in-law into the house, fed and watered him, and in the morning, at the crack of dawn, she gave him a ball of yarn and said:
— Throw the ball on the ground and follow it. It will lead you to our mother's house. Tell her everything.

The farmhand threw the ball, and it rolled away. He followed it. The ball rolled up to a large house. His mother-in-law came out and asked:
— What wind has brought you to me, dear son-in-law? No beast has run here, no bird has flown here, yet you have come! Come inside and tell me what brought you.
— I’ve come for Murza, said the farmhand.

The mother-in-law stepped onto the porch, clapped her hands, and all the snakes from the valleys of Masis and Aragats gathered in her yard. She asked the snakes:
— Murza was with you. Where has he gone? The snakes replied:
— It has been ten days since the Serpent King took him and forced him to work for him.

The mother-in-law fed and watered her son-in-law, and in the morning, at the crack of dawn, she gave him a ball of yarn and said:
— Take the ball, throw it on the ground, and follow it. It will lead you to the high chambers. That is the palace of the Serpent King. Sneak in quietly and hide behind the oven where the bread is baked. Sit still and don’t breathe, so the Serpent King doesn’t sense you, or he’ll sting you. Wait until the Serpent King comes and says, “Murza, set the table.” The table will cover itself with a tablecloth and fill with food. The Serpent King will eat and leave. Then you say, “Murza, I’m dying of hunger, feed me.” And once you’ve eaten, say, “Murza, I’ve come for you,” and leave the palace.

And so it happened. After the Serpent King ate and went to sleep, the farmhand said:
— Murza, I’m dying of hunger, feed me. A table appeared before him, covered with a tablecloth and laden with food. He ate, drank, and said:
— Murza, I’ve come for you. The invisible Murza replied:
— It’s about time. Why didn’t you come sooner? The Serpent King has nearly worked me to death.
— Well, where are you, Murza? said the farmhand. Let’s go. I’m leaving.
— I’m already at the door, replied Murza.

The farmhand walked a little, saw no one nearby, and asked:
— Murza, where are you?
— I’m here, replied the invisible worker. They reached the sea. It had grown completely dark.
— Murza, said the farmhand, what should we do? Shall we spend the night here or cross to the other shore?
— Why cross? said Murza. I’ll build a house in an instant, and we’ll spend the night there. Close your eyes. Now open them.

The young man opened his eyes and saw a real palace standing on the shore. They entered and settled in for the night. A ferryman moored his boat to the shore, pulled it up, and was amazed:
— I just left from here in my boat, and there was no palace on the shore. Where did it come from?

The ferryman entered the palace, and there sat a young man. The young man saw the ferryman and said:
— Murza, we have a guest. Feed him.
Out of nowhere, a table appeared, laden with food. The guest ate and drank, and the young man said:
— Murza, clear the table. The table vanished in an instant. The ferryman was astonished and offered:
— Let’s trade. I’ll give you my horn, and you give me your invisible worker.
— What’s so special about your horn?
— This: blow it once, and a cavalry will emerge; blow it twice, and an infantry will appear.
— Fine, said the young man, let’s trade.

They went to sleep. In the morning, the young man got up, took the horn, and left. He walked in silence for a while, then said:
— Murza, where are you?
— I’m here, replied Murza. Did you think I’d stay with him?

The farmhand returned home and told his wife everything. She said:
— Go to the master and tell him you couldn’t find Murza. The farmhand obeyed his wife and went.
— I couldn’t find Murza, he said, forgive me. But the master flew into a rage:
— No, I won’t forgive you, he replied. I’ll have your head cut off right now.

The farmhand hung his head:
— There’s nothing to be done. Cut it off, but let me play the horn one last time.
He took out the horn, blew it once—a cavalry emerged; blew it twice—an infantry appeared. He ordered the army:
— Cut off my master’s head. He digs a pit for others, let him fall into it himself.

In an instant, the soldiers dealt with the cruel rich man.
— Let’s go, said the wife to her young husband, to the city where your parents live. And we’ll take Murza with us.
— But I don’t know, replied the husband, in which city they live. I’ve never seen them; I grew up alone on an island.
— Well, if you don’t know, I do.

They reached the city where the husband was born. Murza built a palace on the outskirts; they had dinner there and went to sleep. That night, Murza carried the husband’s sleeping parents into the palace. They woke up in the morning and found themselves in the palace. The young couple came out to meet them. The wife said to her husband:
— Here is your father, and here is your mother. And to the parents, she said:
— Here is your son, the one the lame man stole from you.

They all laughed and cried with joy. They held a feast for seven days and seven nights.
As their hopes were fulfilled, so may yours be. Three apples fell from the sky. One for the one who told the story, one for the one who listened, and one for the one who took it to heart.

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The Tale of Murza, the Invisible Worker

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