Moroz Ivanovich (Father Frost)

Once upon a time, there lived a Hardworking Girl and a Lazy Girl, and their nanny lived with them. The Hardworking Girl would wake up early and immediately get to work. Meanwhile, the Lazy Girl would lie in bed, tossing and turning from side to side.

One day, misfortune befell the Hardworking Girl: she accidentally dropped a bucket into a well. The strict nanny said, "You dropped the bucket, so you must retrieve it yourself!"

The Hardworking Girl went back to the well, grabbed the rope, and descended to the very bottom. She looked around and saw a stove, and from the stove, a little pie peeked out and said:
"Whoever takes me will go with me."
The Hardworking Girl took the pie and tucked it into her apron.

She walked further and saw a tree in the garden, and on the tree, golden apples were talking among themselves:
"Whoever shakes us from the tree will take us."
The Hardworking Girl shook the apples into her apron.

She walked further and saw Old Man Frost sitting on an icy bench.
"Greetings," he said, "Hardworking Girl! Thank you, dear girl, for bringing me the pie—it's been a long time since I've had something warm to eat."

They shared the pie and the juicy apples for breakfast, and then the old man said:
"I know you came for your bucket, and I will give it to you, but only if you serve me for three days."

So they went to his house, which was made entirely of ice, with walls adorned with shiny snowflakes, and instead of a featherbed, there was snow on the bed. The Hardworking Girl began to fluff the snow to make it softer for the old man to sleep on, and her poor hands froze stiff, but she rubbed them with snow, and they warmed up. Old Man Frost lifted the featherbed, and underneath it was green grass. The Hardworking Girl was surprised: why didn't the old man let the grass see the light of day? He replied:
"The grass hasn't gained its strength yet. When spring comes, the featherbed will melt, the grass will sprout, the grain will emerge, the farmer will grind it at the mill, and there will be flour, and from the flour, you will bake bread."

Then the old man lay down on the fluffed featherbed to sleep, and the Hardworking Girl busied herself with household chores. They lived like this for three days, and when it was time for her to leave, Old Man Frost said:
"Thank you, you've comforted an old man. Here is your bucket, I've filled it with silver coins, and here's a diamond to pin your scarf."

The Hardworking Girl thanked Old Man Frost, went home, and told everyone what had happened to her. The nanny said to the Lazy Girl:
"See what people get for their work! Go down the well, find the old man, and serve him."
The Lazy Girl went to the well and plopped straight to the bottom. She saw the stove with the pie and the tree with the juicy apples—but she took nothing, as she was too lazy. She came to Old Man Frost empty-handed:
"I want to serve you and get a reward!"
"Well said. Fluff my featherbed, clean the house, and prepare some food."
The Lazy Girl thought, "I won't tire myself out," and she didn't do what Old Man Frost had asked.

The old man prepared the food himself, cleaned the house, and fed the Lazy Girl. They lived like this for three days, and then the girl asked for her reward.
"What work did you do?" the old man asked in surprise. "You owe me, because I served you. But fine, as the work is, so is the reward."
Old Man Frost gave the Lazy Girl a huge silver ingot in one hand and a massive diamond in the other.

The Lazy Girl didn't even thank the old man and ran home joyfully. She came back and boasted:
"See," she said, "I'm not like my sister, I didn't earn just a handful of coins..."
Before she could finish speaking, the silver ingot and the diamond melted and spilled onto the floor...
And now, children, think and wonder what is true here, what is false, what is said in jest, and what is meant as a lesson...

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Moroz Ivanovich (Father Frost)

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