About the Sorcerer's Apprentice

Once upon a time, in our region, there lived a poor peasant who had a son. The son was just an ordinary boy, not stupid, but he didn’t care much for ordinary peasant work. So, the father decided to take his son to the city, thinking that perhaps the boy could look around, learn something, and choose a craft that suited him.

No sooner said than done. One fine morning, the two of them arrived in the city. The father introduced his son to various hardworking people: carpenters, masons, potters, and blacksmiths... But as the boy watched them, he only sighed gloomily:

"No, father, this isn’t my calling..."

"Oh, my bitter sorrow..." lamented the father.

They spent the whole day searching but found nothing promising. When evening came, they started their journey back home. That’s when they noticed a large, gloomy house on the outskirts of the city.

"What kind of house is that?" the son asked.

"Oh! Everyone avoids that house because a sorcerer lives there..." the father whispered fearfully.

"A sorcerer?!" the boy exclaimed. "That’s exactly what I’d like to learn! That seems like the perfect occupation for me."

"Hmm... Maybe so..." the father said thoughtfully. "But I don’t have much money. We’d have to ask how much he charges for lessons."

They knocked on the door—no answer. They knocked again—still silence. Only on the third knock did the door swing open, and the master of the house appeared before them. He looked at the timid peasant, then at the boy’s clever face, and understood everything. Before the peasant could even open his mouth, the sorcerer raised his hand and said sternly:

"I won’t demand money from you, but I’ll set one condition: in exactly one year and one day, you must come here to my house and recognize your own son among my other apprentices. But beware: your son and all the apprentices will appear before you in some other form—perhaps as animals or birds. If you recognize your son, you may take him with you. If not, he will remain with me."

The peasant scratched his head. What to do, how to proceed? The offer was tempting, but he feared losing his son. He hesitated for a long time, but his son eventually persuaded him. The peasant waved his hand—thinking, "Whatever will be, will be!"—and agreed.

And so, the boy stayed in the sorcerer’s house.

It should be noted that during the year and one day, the boy could visit his father three times. When he came to his father’s village for the first time, the peasant asked:

"So, son, do you like your future craft?"

"I like it very much, but I’m afraid, father, that you won’t recognize me during the test. I don’t even know myself how I can help you. But it’s no use despairing yet. We’ll see how it goes."

During his second visit, the son told his father:

"Let’s hope for the best, father. Right now, I’m not very skilled in all those mysteries, but I’ve already learned a few things. Wait a little longer, and I’ll tell you how you can recognize me."

Finally, during his third and last visit, he joyfully announced to his father:

"Now, father, I’m as strong in sorcery as my teacher. I’ve read all his books and uncovered all his secrets. And here’s what I’ll tell you: on the day of your arrival, he will transform me and all my companions into roosters—red and green ones. At first, three red roosters will walk in a circle, followed by the green ones. Know this: I will be among the green roosters. And when we walk in the circle, I will stumble as if by accident. That’s how you’ll recognize me. But remember: if you don’t recognize me, you’ll lose me forever. I’ll have no choice but to serve my master for the rest of my life."

And so, the appointed time passed, and the peasant came to the sorcerer. The sorcerer looked him up and down, smirked unkindly, and said:

"So, you’ve come for your boy... Alright... Let’s see if you can recognize him."

The sorcerer clapped his hands, and the peasant found himself in the middle of a large circle, where red roosters strutted proudly around. The peasant looked at them, remembering his son’s instructions, and said to the sorcerer:

"No, master, I don’t see my son among them."

"Ah, you don’t see him, do you... Very well. Keep looking," the sorcerer said and clapped his hands again.

The red roosters disappeared, and green ones took their place, also walking in a circle. Once, twice...

"Look harder, old man. Or you might miss your son," the sorcerer laughed.

The peasant said nothing. He was in no mood for laughter. He stared at the roosters until his eyes hurt but couldn’t spot his son among them.

"Blast it! They all look exactly the same!" the peasant panicked. "Look, they’re already on their third round. Oh, I’ve lost my son for nothing! Oh, my foolish head, why did I ever give him to the sorcerer!"

But then he noticed one rooster catching its spur on his homespun trousers.

"Aha! There he is!" the peasant shouted at the top of his lungs. "There he is!"

The sorcerer was utterly surprised but didn’t show it. He stopped laughing and said through clenched teeth:

"Lucky you, you country bumpkin... Take your spawn and get out of here before I change my mind!"

Overjoyed, the peasant grabbed the green rooster in his arms and rushed out into the street, far away from the terrifying master.

And so, the former apprentice returned to his home. Surprisingly, he began to help his father with the hard work of a peasant.

Some time passed, and one day, while they were turning hay together, the father asked his son:

"Why don’t you show me your clever art? Isn’t it useful to you?"

"I’ll gladly show you, father. Though, until now, there hasn’t been much need for it. But if you want to see what I can do, here’s what you’ll do: tomorrow morning, go to the barn, and you’ll find a well-fed pig there. Put a rope around its neck and take it to the market. Sell it, take the money, and come back home. Just don’t forget to take the rope with you."

"Well, I never!" the father laughed. "What a joker you are, son! What pig are you talking about? We don’t have one!"

"No, but you will. Don’t worry about that. Just do as I say."

The father shook his head but didn’t argue. The next morning, he went to the barn and, sure enough, found a well-fed pig there. "Well, I’ll be!" he exclaimed, and after putting a rope around the pig’s neck, he led it to the market. In less than an hour, he sold the animal and, jingling the gold coins, headed back home.

Meanwhile, the pig trotted along the forest road ahead of the buyer, who was very pleased with his purchase. They walked and walked, when suddenly the pig darted into the bushes—and was gone. The buyer looked here and there, but how could he find it in such thick underbrush? He was left empty-handed, while the pig, without leaving the forest, turned back into the peasant’s son.

The son returned home and asked his father:

"Well, father, are you satisfied with my art?"

"Of course! You’re priceless!"

"I know, father, how could I not? If you like, we can do the same trick at the next market."

"Why not? I don’t mind!"

"Good. This time, you’ll sell a bull, but don’t forget to take the rope back."

The girl who was sitting by the stove with her fiancé saw the golden ring. She was delighted and put it on her finger.

But the sorcerer didn’t give up. He didn’t want to let his prey slip away. He took the form of a wandering musician and began playing cheerful tunes in the street.

The bride and groom heard the music and went out to listen. The sorcerer saw them, approached, and, as if by chance, exclaimed:

"What a lovely ring! Sell it to me, or better yet, trade it with me."

He showed the girl another ring, so beautiful that she couldn’t take her eyes off it. She took the golden ring off her finger and was about to hand it to the sorcerer when it suddenly slipped from her hand, turned into a flax seed, and got lost among the many seeds scattered across the yard.

The sorcerer grunted in frustration, turned into a rooster, and began pecking at the seeds. But the apprentice wasn’t idle either: he quickly turned into a fox, pounced on the rooster, strangled it, and ran away. Then he turned onto the road leading to his father’s house. When he arrived, he said to his father:

"That sorcerer really gave me a hard time, thanks to you! No, father, I don’t like this kind of life. I’m tired of tricking and deceiving people... So, no more sorcery for me!"

He told his father about his incredible misadventures and from that day on, he forgot all about sorcery—except for the occasional prank on a neighbor or, say, helping a poor girl get a dowry. The rest of the time, he diligently helped his father in the fields.

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About the Sorcerer's Apprentice

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