The Loach and the Pike

Once upon a time, a pike caught a loach in such a tight spot that there was no way for it to escape. Seeing that trouble was inevitable, the loach said:

— "Have you, dear mother, confessed your sins yet?"
— "No."
— "Then go ahead, I will hear your confession, and then you can eat me."

She asked him:

— "But where will you hear my confession?"
— "There’s a little church right here."

So she listened to him, and they went to the little church. He led her to a fish trap and said:

— "Follow me."

They climbed into the trap, and she couldn’t get out, but for the loach, there were seventeen doors in that trap. He quickly slipped out, ran around the trap, and said to her:

— "Sit tight, holy one, until the fisherman comes!"

More fairy tales

• The Tale of Ivasyk
• Telesik
• The Little Fox, the Cat, the Wolf, the Bear, and the Boar
• How the Cat Went with the Fox to Buy Boots
• How the Horse and the Bull Raced Against Each Other