Rezan the Half-Cut

There was a cunning goat belonging to an old man. The old man sent the goat to graze with a young shepherd. The shepherd tended to it all day in the grove. In the late evening, he brought the goat back. From a distance, the old man asked the goat:

"Well, little goat, how did you graze today?"

"I ate grass on a white stone, drank water on dry sand."

The old man cursed and drove the young shepherd away. The next morning, he ordered his wife to tend the goat better. She grazed it in knee-high grass and watered it at clear springs. In the evening, the old man again asked the goat:

"Well, little goat, how did you graze today?"

"I ate grass on a white stone, drank water on dry sand."

The old man threatened to beat his wife.

The next morning, the old man himself took the goat out. He fed it fresh green grass and gave it cold water to drink. In the evening, he brought it back and gently asked:

"Well, little goat, did you have a good day today?"

"I ate grass on a white stone, drank water on dry sand."

"Is that so? Alright, I'll show you!" the old man barked and grabbed his knife. "Let me, wife, I'll slaughter it."

He sawed and sawed at the goat's neck, but the knife wouldn't cut. The old man ran to sharpen the knife. The goat jumped up, leaped away, and ran into the thicket. It tumbled into the hare's hut.

The little hare came home and heard a voice:

"Cut-cut, but not fully cut! My teeth are like rakes, my horns are like pitchforks. Where I bite, I tear off flesh! Where I butt, I spill blood!"

The hare bolted, running without looking back. It ran and ran, then sat down and cried. A wolf friend came out of the forest.

"Why are you crying, long-eared hare?"

"Some beast has crawled into my hut."

"Don't worry, I'll chase it away." They approached the hare's hut, and from inside came a terrifying voice:

"Cut-cut, but not fully cut! My teeth are like rakes, my horns are like pitchforks. Where I bite, I tear off flesh! Where I butt, I spill blood!"

"Oh, who is that? Let's run!" shouted the wolf, and off he went!

The bear also asked the hare:

"Why are you crying, swift-footed hare?"

"Some beast has crawled into my hut."

"Don't worry, I'll chase it away." But the beast continued to play hide-and-seek. It roared, and the bear suddenly turned tail, leaving the hare to cry.

The beetle Buzz also stopped by:

"Why are you crying, hopping hare?"

"Oh, leave me alone! It's a great sorrow. Some beast has crawled into my hut."

"Don't worry, I'll chase it away."

"Buzz, this is no joke. This is a beast, not just a fly. It tears flesh and spills blood. It scared the wolf and the bear! Do you think it will fear you, a beetle?"

"Don't look at the wolf and the bear. They have flesh and blood, that's why they're afraid."

Without hesitation, Buzz flew down. He sneaked into the hare's hut. Buzz—he pinched the goat under its hoof. Buzz—he bit its head. Buzz—he buzzed under its beard.

The goat howled, dashed past the hare, and disappeared from sight beyond the hill.

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Rezan the Half-Cut

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