Cunning Science
Once upon a time, there lived an old man and an old woman, and they had a son. The old man was poor; he wanted to send his son to study so that he could bring joy to his parents in their youth, be a comfort in their old age, and offer prayers for their souls after their death. But what could he do, since he had no money? He took his son from town to town, hoping someone would take him as an apprentice, but no one would teach him without payment.The old man returned home, wept with his wife, grieved over their poverty, and then took his son back to the city. As they entered the city, they met a man who asked the old man:
"Why so glum, old man?"
"How can I not be glum?" replied the old man. "I’ve been taking my son around, but no one will take him as an apprentice without money, and I have none!"
"Well, then give him to me," said the stranger. "I’ll teach him all the tricks of the trade in three years. And in three years, on this very day and at this very hour, come back for your son. But beware: if you’re late or fail to recognize him, he’ll stay with me forever."
The old man was overjoyed and didn’t even ask who the stranger was, where he lived, or what he would teach his son. He handed over his son and went home. When he arrived, he told his wife everything, but the stranger was actually a sorcerer.
Three years passed, and the old man had completely forgotten the day he had given his son away. He didn’t know what to do. But the day before the deadline, his son flew to him as a little bird, landed on the porch, and entered the house as a fine young man. He bowed to his father and said that the next day would mark exactly three years, and his father must come to claim him. He explained where to go and how to recognize him.
"My master has not just me as his apprentice," the son said. "There are eleven others who have stayed with him forever because their parents couldn’t recognize them. If you don’t recognize me, I’ll become the twelfth. Tomorrow, when you come for me, the master will release twelve white doves—identical in every way. Watch closely: all of them will fly high, but I will fly higher than the rest. When the master asks if you’ve recognized your son, point to the dove that flies the highest."
"Then he’ll bring out twelve stallions—all of the same color, with manes combed to one side and perfectly matched. As you walk past them, pay attention: I will stomp my right hoof. When the master asks if you’ve recognized your son, point to me confidently."
"Finally, he’ll bring out twelve fine young men—all of the same height, with identical hair, voices, and faces. As you walk past them, look closely: a small fly will land on my right cheek. When the master asks if you’ve recognized your son, point to me."
After explaining all this, the son said goodbye to his father, turned back into a bird, and flew away to his master.
The next morning, the old man set off to reclaim his son. When he arrived, the sorcerer said:
"Well, old man, I’ve taught your son all the tricks. But if you fail to recognize him, he’ll stay with me forever."
The sorcerer then released twelve white doves—identical in every way—and said:
"Recognize your son, old man!"
The doves all looked the same, but one flew higher than the rest. The old man pointed to it and said:
"That one seems to be mine!"
"You’ve recognized him, old man!" said the sorcerer.
Next, the sorcerer brought out twelve stallions—all identical, with manes combed to one side. The old man walked around them, and the sorcerer asked:
"Well, old man? Have you recognized your son?"
"Not yet, wait a moment."
When one of the stallions stomped its right hoof, the old man pointed to it and said:
"That one seems to be mine!"
"You’ve recognized him, old man!"
Finally, the sorcerer brought out twelve fine young men—all of the same height, with identical hair, voices, and faces, as if they were born of the same mother. The old man walked past them once, twice, and saw nothing. But on the third pass, he noticed a small fly land on one young man’s right cheek and said:
"That one seems to be mine!"
"You’ve recognized him, old man!"
With no other choice, the sorcerer returned the son to the old man, and they set off for home.
As they walked, they saw a nobleman riding along the road.
"Father," said the son, "I’ll turn into a dog now. The nobleman will want to buy me, so sell me, but don’t sell the collar. Otherwise, I won’t be able to return to you!"
With that, he turned into a dog. The nobleman saw the old man with the dog and began to bargain. He wasn’t as interested in the dog as he was in the collar. He offered a hundred rubles, but the old man asked for three hundred. After haggling, the nobleman bought the dog for two hundred rubles.
When the old man tried to remove the collar, the nobleman refused.
"I didn’t sell the collar," said the old man. "I only sold the dog."
But the nobleman insisted:
"No, you’re lying! Whoever buys the dog buys the collar too."
The old man thought about it (after all, you can’t buy a dog without its collar) and handed over the dog with the collar.
The nobleman took the dog, and the old man took the money and went home.
As the nobleman rode along, a hare suddenly appeared. Thinking it would be fun to see how fast his new dog could run, he released it. But the hare ran one way, and the dog ran the other—straight into the forest.
The nobleman waited and waited, but the dog never returned. Meanwhile, the dog turned back into the young man.
The old man walked along the road, worrying about how he would explain to his wife where their son had gone. But soon, his son caught up to him.
"Father," he said, "why did you sell me with the collar? If we hadn’t met that hare, I wouldn’t have returned, and I’d have been lost forever!"
They returned home and lived quietly. Some time later, the son said to his father:
"Father, I’ll turn into a bird. Take me to the market and sell me, but don’t sell the cage, or I won’t be able to return."
He turned into a bird, and the old man put him in a cage and took him to the market. People crowded around, eager to buy the bird. The sorcerer also came, recognized the old man, and guessed what kind of bird was in the cage. He offered the highest price, and the old man sold him the bird but kept the cage. The sorcerer argued and argued, but the old man wouldn’t give in.
The sorcerer took the bird, wrapped it in a handkerchief, and carried it home.
"Daughter," he said, "I’ve bought our little rascal!"
"Where is he?"
The sorcerer opened the handkerchief, but the bird was gone—it had flown away!
Another Sunday came, and the son said to his father:
"Father, I’ll turn into a horse today. Sell the horse, but don’t sell the bridle, or I won’t be able to return."
He turned into a horse, and the old man took him to the market. Traders gathered around, each offering a high price, but the sorcerer offered the most. The old man sold him the horse but kept the bridle.
"How am I supposed to lead the horse?" asked the sorcerer. "At least let me take it to my yard, and then you can take the bridle back."
The other traders sided with the sorcerer, saying it wasn’t done to sell a horse without its bridle. The old man had no choice but to hand over the bridle.
The sorcerer took the horse to his yard, tied it tightly to a ring, and pulled its head high so it stood on its hind legs, its front legs not reaching the ground.
"Daughter," he said, "this time I’ve really bought our little rascal."
"Where is he?"
"In the stable."
The daughter went to see. Feeling sorry for the young man, she tried to loosen the reins, but the horse broke free and ran off.
She ran to her father.
"Father," she said, "forgive me! I let the horse escape!"
The sorcerer turned into a gray wolf and gave chase. The horse ran to a river, turned into a fish, and dove into the water. The wolf turned into a pike and followed.
The fish swam and swam until it reached a place where young women were washing clothes. It turned into a golden ring and rolled under the feet of a merchant’s daughter.
The merchant’s daughter picked up the ring and hid it. The sorcerer turned back into a man and demanded:
"Give me my golden ring."
"Take it!" she said and threw the ring to the ground.
As it hit the ground, it shattered into tiny grains. The sorcerer turned into a rooster and began pecking at the grains. But one grain turned into a hawk, and the rooster was done for—the hawk tore it apart!
And that’s the end of the tale.
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