Three Words - Three Questions

Once upon a time, or maybe not, there lived a poor couple—a husband and wife. No one was poorer than they were—their hut was falling apart, and the roof was collapsing on their heads.

"I can't live like this anymore," the peasant said to his wife. "I'll go find work in another village." On the shore of a river, he met a fisherman.

"Take me as your worker, good man. I'll serve you faithfully," the poor man asked.

"I'll take you," agreed the fisherman. "At the end of the year, I'll pay you. I'll give you a cow, but not an ordinary one—it milks five times a day and calves every two weeks."

The poor man served faithfully. He cast nets with the fisherman, tended the cattle, hilled the vines in the vineyard, and watered the garden. A year passed. The fisherman brought out the cow and said to the worker:

"Here, brother, is your cow for your labor. It's no ordinary cow: it milks five times a day and calves every two weeks. But know this—in three years, three months, and three days, I will come to you. I will say three words and ask three questions. If you can't answer, I will take back both the cow and all its offspring."

The poor man bid farewell to the fisherman and drove the cow back to his home.

His wife greeted him with tears of joy.

They began to live comfortably.

The cow milked five times a day and calved every two weeks. By the end of the year, they had a whole herd. The couple lived in plenty, but the peasant had no peace—he kept thinking about the fisherman and his questions.

Three years and three months passed. Only three days remained. The peasant grew despondent, neither eating nor drinking.

"What's wrong with you?" his wife asked. "Our house is full of good things, we know no sorrow or grief, yet you sit here so gloomy."

Then the peasant told her about his agreement with the fisherman.

"He will come tomorrow and take the whole herd—I won't be able to answer his questions."

"You're worrying over nothing! I'll answer the questions myself. Just don't let him into the house or the barn."

Before the night had fully passed, before the day had fully dawned, the fisherman appeared. He knocked on the door.

"Who's there, disturbing our sleep?" the woman called out.

"Open up, it's me, the fisherman. I've come to say three words and ask three questions."

"Ask them from there, no need to come inside!"

"Yesterday I sent you a bird—what did you do with it?"

"What bird! It was a fly, and the rooster swallowed it!"

"Your rooster must be quite big!"

"Big? When it crowed, it knocked my sister off her feet from nine mountains away!"

"Your sister must be quite frail!"

"Frail? She's had nine sons in nine years! They all grew up to be strong men, guarding our herd!"

The fisherman realized the cow was in good hands and he wouldn't be able to take the herd. He said:

"You are worthy of your wealth. May it bring you good fortune!" The hosts then let the fisherman into the house and treated him to a feast.

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Three Words - Three Questions

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