Bag, Give Me Wisdom!

There lived an old man and an old woman. They lived in sorrow, barely making ends meet, surviving from bread to kvass. From spring to autumn, they struggled, feeding themselves with goosefoot and berries.

One day, the old man managed to get a basket of wheat and said:

"Everyone sows and plows; let us sow too, and we'll have our own bread by autumn."

They sowed the wheat. The wheat grew beautifully. The old man and the old woman couldn't contain their joy; they walked every day, admiring the wheat: it stood like a wall, each ear heavier than the last. The neighbors were envious:

"Such a harvest has never been seen before!"

The time came to harvest the wheat. The old man sharpened his sickles:

"Tomorrow, old woman, we'll go reap the wheat!"

At that moment, a strong wind rose, a black cloud rolled in, and a heavy hailstorm fell on the old man's field. The hail destroyed all the wheat; not a single ear remained.

The old man grew sorrowful, hanging his head, while the old woman scolded him:

"All my life I've grieved with you, you unlucky man. You have no success in anything. Finally, we got some seeds and grew wheat—and then disaster struck. Other fields weren't damaged, but we have no grain left."

The old man comforted her:

"Don't cry, old woman, don't grieve. Tears and scolding won't bring back what's lost. The wind brought the cloud; let's seek justice—let the wind compensate us for our loss."

The old woman scolded even more:

"You've lost your mind, babbling nonsense, saying things no one has ever heard. Go and look for the wind in the field now!"

But the old man insisted:

"I'll go and demand an answer from the wind. If the wind is to blame, the wind must answer for it."

He put on his shoes, dressed, took a walking stick, and set off on his journey.

He walked for a long time, whether it was short or long, near or far, and finally reached a high mountain. Near the mountain stood a large hut with four porches: one facing the sunrise, another facing noon, the third facing the west, and the fourth facing midnight.

At that moment, buckets clattered, and an old woman, very old and barely able to stand, came down to the river to fetch water. She drew some water.

The old man greeted her:

"Hello, grandmother! Let me help you carry the water."

"Hello, kind man! Thank you for your kind words. Come into the hut, rest from your journey. I can manage the buckets myself; I'm still strong."

They went up to the porch and entered the hut. The old woman set the table, fed the guest, gave him a drink, and laid him on the stove to rest. Then she began to ask:

"Where are you going, kind man? Where is your path taking you? Did you come to us of your own will, or did need bring you here?"

"Oh, grandmother, you don't know my trouble. My wife and I grew some wheat, but the wind brought a cloud with hail, and it destroyed everything—not a single grain is left. We have nothing to live on; we might as well lie down and die. So I set out into the wide world to seek justice."

"Well, if that's the case, it's fixable. I am the mother of the four winds, and my sons do not act against my will. It seems the troublemaker Midnight Wind, my youngest son, has wronged you; he's prone to such mischief. Wait a little: my sons will return home, and I'll make the guilty one compensate you for your loss."

After a short while, a noise came from the east, and the doors of the eastern porch opened—the East Wind flew in. Then warmth blew from the south, and the gentle South Wind flew in through the southern porch. At the same moment, the West Wind appeared through the doors facing the sunset. Suddenly, there was a loud noise, the hut shook, and with laughter and whistling, the Midnight Wind burst in through the northern porch.

"Oh, I scared the ships at sea today! I had my fun, and now I'm hungry!"

Meanwhile, the old woman set the table, fed her sons, and said:

"Well, which of you, my sons, caused trouble recently?"

She called the old man:

"Come, speak, don't be afraid of anything!"

The old man climbed down from the stove and told everything as it had happened. The Midnight Wind grew quiet and hung his head.

"It seems you, Midnight Wind, are to blame," said the mother. "You must answer for this."

"Don't worry, mother," the Midnight Wind shook his head. "Everything will be fixed! And you, dear guest, are brave and persistent—I like that. Since you weren't afraid to seek justice from me and told the truth to my face, be my sworn brother, and don't grieve over your loss."

He took out a bundle from under his cloak and handed it to the old man:

"Here is a self-laying tablecloth—you'll never go hungry. Just say, 'Drink, eat!'—unfold the tablecloth—and eat and drink whatever your heart desires. But remember, one condition: on your way home, don't stop at an inn."

The old man thanked his sworn brother and the mother of the four winds for their kind hospitality, the meal, and the gift, and set off on his way back.

He walked and walked, growing very tired, completely exhausted, and thought to himself:

"I'll have to spend the night; I won't make it home today anyway. Why did the Midnight Wind tell me not to stop at an inn? I can't sleep in the field! My bread—I might as well stand at the priest's door."

And he went into an inn. He sat at the table, resting, and the innkeeper asked:

"Maybe you'd like to have dinner? Order something!"

"I don't need anything bought; I have everything I need."

With those words, he took out the tablecloth, unfolded it, and said:

"Drink, eat!"

Good heavens, where did it all come from? Various dishes, fragrant mead, snacks, and treats appeared—the table was overflowing! Drink, eat—as much as your soul desires!

The innkeeper was stunned, staring wide-eyed, unable to speak. He had never seen such a wonder in his life.

And the old man was overjoyed:

"Now my wife and I will have plenty to eat and drink, and we'll be able to treat good people too." In his joy, he invited the innkeeper:

"Sit down with me for dinner and call everyone you have—there's enough for all."

The innkeeper called his wife and children, and they all joined the old man at the table. They sat and feasted.

Then the innkeeper thought to himself:

"Wouldn't this tablecloth come in handy for me!"

After dinner, the old man lay down on the bench and fell fast asleep. The innkeeper replaced the self-laying tablecloth with an ordinary one that looked exactly the same.

The next morning, the old man woke up at dawn and hurried home.

The old woman greeted him with scolding:

"Where have you been, you devil? There's not a grain of bread or a log of firewood at home, and you don't seem to care!"

"Quiet, old woman! Sit at the table, feast on whatever your heart desires, drink and eat to your heart's content!"

He sat the old woman at the table, unfolded the tablecloth:

"Drink, eat!" What's this? Nothing appeared...

The old man shook the tablecloth again, unfolded it, and clapped his hand:

"Drink, eat!" Again, nothing.

The old woman couldn't stand it, jumped up, grabbed a frying pan:

"Oh, you fool, you thought you'd play a joke and mock us!" And she swung the frying pan: "Take that, you good-for-nothing!"
The old man barely managed to escape from the hut and ran away.

He stopped outside the village:

"Something's not right here. It seems the Midnight Wind has deceived me. Well, he picked the wrong one! Now I know the way."

And he set off to the mother of the four winds.

Whether it was a long or short journey, he eventually came to a tall mountain and a large hut with four porches. It was evening. Just as the wind brothers were hurrying home from all four directions. They caught the guest and carried him into the hut.

The old man greeted the mother of the four winds and the wind brothers and said to the Midnight Wind:

"You're not acting like a brother, my sworn brother. Your self-setting tablecloth fed and watered me only once, and that was the end of it. Is it right to mock me like this?"

"Wait, wait," said the Midnight Wind. "Did you stop by the inn?"

"I did."

"Well, then blame yourself for everything if you didn't listen to me." He pulled out a purse from under his shirt. "Take this purse and go. You'll never be in need of anything. Whatever you need, just shake the purse, and you'll get as much money as you need. But remember my words: don't stop anywhere along the way."

They fed and watered the guest, and he set off home. The tale is told quickly, but the old man hurried home even faster.

He walked and walked until he reached the same inn where he had stayed before.

"I'm completely exhausted, and my legs won't bend anymore. I won't make it home today anyway. I'll stop and spend the night."

He went in and greeted the innkeeper. The innkeeper recognized the old man, greeted him warmly, and treated him like family:

"Sit down, rest, good man. If you don't mind our humble fare, order something to eat and drink after your journey."

"Let me see what the Midnight Wind has rewarded me with!"

He ordered dinner and invited:

"Sit down, innkeeper, and call your family. Whatever you have in the oven, put it on the table! I'll pay for everything, you won't lose out."

The innkeeper bustled about, brought out various dishes and drinks, called his wife and children, and they all began to feast.

They ate and drank, but the innkeeper couldn't wait to find out what kind of marvel the old man had. He kept bringing out more and more dishes, wondering how the old man would pay.

He waited and waited, then said:

"Well, good man, thank you for the feast, it's time to rest. You'll be leaving early tomorrow, so let's settle the bill today."

The old man pulled out his magic purse. He shook it once, twice, and out poured silver and gold. He filled a plate with money.

"Take it, innkeeper, it's all yours—I have plenty of this!"

The innkeeper stared at the old man, silent. Then he grabbed the plate and began sorting through the money: the coins were real, the gold and silver genuine.

"What a marvel!"

The guest fell asleep and slept soundly, unaware of the trouble brewing.

The innkeeper found a similar purse and swapped it with the old man's magic purse. Early in the morning, the old man got up and set off home.

As soon as he crossed the threshold at home, he pulled out the purse and showed it:

"Don't scold me, old woman, this time there's no trick. Bring me a basket, I'll shake out some money, and you can go to the market and buy what we need."

The old woman looked at him skeptically. She brought the basket and waited to see what would happen.

The old man shook the purse once, twice, and out fell an old copper button—and nothing else. He shook the purse again and again, but it was useless.

Then the old woman began to berate him with whatever was at hand.

She beat him, crying and cursing:

"Oh, you braggart, you fool, you've ruined me, poor wretch! I've suffered with you all my life, never seen a good day, and now in my old age, you've gone completely mad, getting dumber by the day."

She beat him until the basket fell apart, then grabbed a poker. The old man—thank God for his legs—ran out of the hut and didn't stop until the village was out of sight. He stopped: "Where should I go now? The old woman curses and beats me, and after such tricks, I can't show my face to her. I won't return home until I find justice. Did the innkeeper swap my marvels? Or is the Midnight Wind mocking me? I'll go to my sworn brother: the innkeeper, even if he swapped the tablecloth and the purse, won't admit it."

For the third time, the old man set off for the tall mountain.

The Midnight Wind was home. He came out of the hut and greeted the old man coldly:

"I know everything about you. You didn't listen to me again, now blame yourself! Here, take this bag and live by your wits. When you're in need, shake the bag and say: 'Bag, give me wisdom!'—and you'll see what happens. Now goodbye!"

The Midnight Wind said nothing more, whistled, whooped, soared into the clouds, and flew away beyond the nine lands and nine seas.

The old man put on the bag and trudged back. As he walked, he thought: "It would be nice to eat and drink!" He took the bag off his shoulders and shouted:

"Bag, give me wisdom!"

At that moment, two young men with clubs jumped out of the bag and began to beat the old man. They beat him until he realized what to shout:

"Two, into the bag!" The young men disappeared at once.

At first, the old man was stunned, but then he understood why the Midnight Wind had given him this marvel...

"It seems it wasn't the Midnight Wind, but the innkeeper who swapped the tablecloth and the purse. Well, now I know what to do!"

He walked the familiar road, smiling to himself: "You can swap them, innkeeper, but you'll ask for wisdom to your own misfortune!"

He reached the inn, and the innkeeper saw him through the window, ran out onto the porch:

"Come in, come in, dear guest!"

He led the old man into the room and fussed around:

"Let's hang your coat here, and put your staff in this corner." He moved a bench closer to the stove: "Sit down, warm yourself, and I'll have the table set. Today it's my turn to treat you."

He bustled about, shouting:

"Wife, wife, what joy we have! Come here!"

The wife ran out, greeted him warmly and kindly.

The innkeeper made a fuss, wouldn't calm down:

"Quick, set the table. Put out the best dishes, and don't skimp, give plenty!"

"He's after the bag," the old man thought, smiling to himself.

The table was set, laden with all kinds of food. The old man was seated in the place of honor:

"Eat, dear guest, and tell us where you've been, what you've seen. We're homebodies—we don't go anywhere, we don't know anything. What's happening in the world?"

The old man feasted and chatted, while the innkeeper couldn't take his eyes off the bag.

"Try this too, don't refuse. Bow, wife, treat our dear guest!"
And the old man eats, not refusing.

They feasted and dined, and the host couldn't resist asking:

"Tell me, dear guest, what do you have in that bag of yours—must be some kind of wonder again?" The old man replied:

"This is no ordinary bag, but a wonder among wonders. Shake it and say, 'Bag, give me wisdom!'—and immediately sorcerers will jump out and do whatever you wish. That's the kind of bag it is!"

The host listened to the old man, gazing at him tenderly, while thinking to himself: "Well, I won't be myself if I don't get my hands on that bag!"

After supper, they led the guest to a distant chamber and laid him on a soft featherbed:

"Sleep, rest!"

But the host couldn't sleep. He found a bag that looked exactly the same, and once everyone in the house had fallen asleep, he sneaked into the guest's chamber, hung his own bag on a nail, and took the old man's bag to his room.

He woke his wife:

"Look what I've brought. Now all my wishes will come true. First and foremost, let the sorcerers build us a palace grander than the king's and grant us a large estate, so we can live as nobles in great honor."

And then he couldn't resist, shook the bag:

"Bag, give me wisdom!"

Out jumped two young men with clubs and began to thrash the host and his wife, the clubs whistling through the air. The host and his wife were afraid to cry out, but the young men from the bag just kept beating and battering them.

It became unbearable, and the host begged and pleaded:

"Have mercy, good lads, spare us! I'll give you handfuls of money!"

But the two from the bag paid no heed and kept thrashing the host and his wife like peas on a threshing floor.

The hostess burst into tears. The host couldn't bear it either and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Help! Save us!"

The old man heard the cries, lying there and chuckling. But the host cried inconsolably, straining his voice:

"Help! They're killing us! Save us!"

The old man waited a little while: "Well, now it's time to go, or they'll beat the thief to death."

He came, and the host and his wife were already lying flat, groaning. They pleaded with the guest:

"Calm your fighters, good man, don't leave our children orphaned!"

"Give me back my self-spreading tablecloth and my self-shaking purse, then I'll save you from trouble."

"What are you saying, benefactor? Where would I get a self-spreading tablecloth and a self-shaking purse? I've never had such wonders in my life!"

"And how did my bag end up with you? Listen, host, if you don't return the tablecloth and the purse, the lads from the bag will beat you to death. I won't say another word."

At this, the hostess couldn't take it anymore and burst into tears:

"Confess, husband! Your life is worth more than a tablecloth and a purse—let them go to hell!"

And the host couldn't bear the beating any longer:

"Calm the lads, and I'll return your self-spreading tablecloth and self-shaking purse, and I'll even give you a horse and sleigh as a bonus—just don't ruin us!"

The old man had been waiting for this. He shouted:

"You two, back into the bag!"

The young men with clubs disappeared, and the host and his wife lay there groaning:

"Oh, we feel so sick, they didn't leave a single bone unbroken, they've crippled us! Who will feed and care for us now? If only you, good man, would take pity on us—give us the self-spreading tablecloth or the self-shaking purse!"

The old man grew angry:

"It seems you haven't learned your lesson yet! Hand over the tablecloth and the purse at once, or I'll call the lads from the bag, and then you'll have only yourselves to blame."

The host didn't hesitate any longer and took the tablecloth and purse from the chest:

"Take them, take them, we don't need your things."

The old man shook the tablecloth, unfolded it, and said:

"Drink and eat!"

At that very moment, various dishes appeared. He folded the tablecloth and tucked it into his coat:

"Mine!"

He shook the purse once, twice—silver and gold poured out:

"And the purse is mine too!"

He hid the purse, took the bag:

"Harness the horse, host, it's time for me to go."

The host ordered a worker to harness the horse and went out to see the guest off, all the while groaning and moaning. The old man got into the sleigh:

"Well, farewell, host! Remember the lesson and keep in mind: if I hear you coveting others' goods, it will go badly for you."

And he rode off. As he went, he chuckled:

"Now I should teach the old woman a little, or she'll get completely out of hand, always nagging."

He pulled up to the house:

"Whoa!"

The old woman ran out onto the porch, saw the old man, and began to scold:

"You've been wandering who knows where all autumn till winter. And now you show up! Who saved bread for you?"

"Wait, old woman, come inside. Don't freeze!" They went inside, and the old woman wouldn't stop scolding. Then the old man shook the bag and shouted:

"Bag, give the old woman some wisdom!"

Out jumped the young men with clubs: who needs to be taught a lesson?

The old woman was terrified:

"Oh, old man, don't touch me, have mercy! I'll never cross you again!"

"Well, that's how it should have been long ago," said the old man. And he shouted: "Lads, back into the bag!"

The young men with clubs disappeared, and the old man shook and unfolded the tablecloth, saying:

"To drink, to eat!"

And where did it all come from? The table was laden with all sorts of dishes and drinks.

The old woman looked and couldn’t believe her eyes—she had never seen such a wonder in all her days.

And the old man called out:

**"Sit down, eat, whatever your heart desires! All of this is ours now."**

He gave the old woman food and drink, then picked up the magic purse:

**"Look!"**

He shook the purse once, twice—and out poured silver and gold, gold and silver.

**"And all of this is ours too."**

The old woman was overjoyed. The old man told her how he had obtained these marvels, how the innkeeper had tried to rob him twice, and how he had forced the thief to give him the self-setting tablecloth and the magic purse.

**"Well, old man, what’s done is done. Let it be forgotten, like grass overgrown. Now we have plenty: enough to eat and drink ourselves, and to treat good people too."**

From that day on, the old man and the old woman lived happily. And whenever a neighbor fell into trouble, the old couple would help. They earned respect and honor from everyone.

Around that time, a landowner returned from overseas. He heard that the old man and old woman were living in great abundance and ordered them to be summoned. The old man came. The landowner asked:

**"I remember you as the poorest of the poor, and now you’ve become a wealthy man. Tell me honestly, where did it all come from?"**

The old man told him everything plainly, but the landowner said:

**"I’ll never believe these tales until I see your marvels with my own eyes."**

**"Then what’s stopping you?"** said the old man. **"Come to my house, and I’ll show you the self-setting tablecloth and the magic purse."**

The landowner ordered a carriage with three horses to be prepared. He sat inside and placed the old man next to the coachman.

**"Let’s go! And you, peasant, show the way."**

They arrived. The old man led the landowner into the house and seated him in the place of honor. The old woman brought out the self-setting tablecloth:

**"Look, sir!"**

The old man shook the tablecloth, unfolded it, and said:

**"To drink, to eat!"**

The table was instantly covered with all kinds of dishes and delicacies.

**"Taste our bread and salt, if you please,"** the old couple offered.

The landowner tried one dish, then another—it was delicious, better than anything he’d ever had. He ate and drank to his heart’s content.

**"Well, you spoke the truth about the self-setting tablecloth. Now show me the magic purse!"**

The old man brought the purse. He shook it once, twice—and out poured silver and gold, gold and silver. The landowner’s eyes lit up. He couldn’t stop staring at the money. Then he said:

**"And you spoke the truth about the magic purse. Now listen to my truth: quickly wrap the self-setting tablecloth and the magic purse in a clean new cloth and carry them to my carriage."**

**"Have mercy, sir!"** begged the old couple. **"How can this be? These marvels were given to us by the North Wind, not to you."**

The landowner stamped his foot:

**"Silence! Or I’ll have you taken to the stables and given a hundred lashes each. You’ll learn not to argue with your master. You both belong to me, and everything you have is mine. Understood?"**

**"How could we not understand?"** said the old man. **"We understand perfectly."**

**"If you understand, then hurry up—I won’t wait!"**

**"Bring my new bag, old woman. Can’t you see the master is in a hurry? Forgive us, your grace, but we don’t have a clean new cloth at home."**

The old woman brought the bag, and the landowner urged them on:

**"Hurry up and pack it!"**

**"Right away, sir!"**

The old man shook the bag and shouted:

**"Bag, give us wisdom!"**

Out jumped young men with clubs.

**"Teach the landowner some wisdom so he’ll never covet what’s not his again."**

The young men began to beat the landowner with their clubs. At first, he tried to fend them off and cursed, but then he cried out:

**"Hey, coachman, come to my aid!"**

The coachman ran in. He got a few blows from the clubs too and quickly backed out of the room.

Meanwhile, the young men from the bag kept beating the landowner, their clubs whistling through the air.

**"Listen, peasant,"** shouted the landowner, **"let me go before they beat me to death! You’ll have to answer for this!"**

**"Don’t worry about me, sir,"** replied the old man. **"It’s all the same to me: seven troubles, one answer. And without you, life will be easier for everyone!"**

At that, the landowner fell to his knees:

**"Let me go alive! I swear I’ll never covet what’s not mine again!"**

**"You’re not made of the right stuff to resist temptation. If you write a decree freeing all your peasants and renounce your estate, then I’ll let you go. Otherwise, your only path is to the graveyard."**

And the young men kept beating him, doing their job.

Finally, the landowner couldn’t take it anymore:

**"Oh, oh, I agree to everything! Bring me a pen, ink, and paper. I’ll write everything as you say, just let me go alive!"**

The old man brought the pen, ink, and paper and told the young men from the bag to wait. The landowner wrote a decree freeing all his peasants and renounced his estate. Then the old man shouted:

**"You two, back into the bag!"**

The young men disappeared, and the landowner barely managed to stumble out of the house. He said:

**"I’ll leave tomorrow, but you, peasant, don’t tell anyone that I was beaten here."**

The next day, the landowner indeed left. After all, what’s written with a pen can’t be cut out with an axe.

The peasants divided the land and began to live well, praising the old man. To this day, they live happily, free from trouble, growing richer year by year. And the landowner is only spoken of in fairy tales.

And that’s the end of the tale, and whoever listened is a fine fellow.

↑ To the top

Bag, Give Me Wisdom!

More fairy tales