The Firebird and Other Russian Fairy Tales

The Firebird and Other Russian Fairy Tales by Arthur Ransome Read Free Book Online Page A

Book: The Firebird and Other Russian Fairy Tales by Arthur Ransome Read Free Book Online
Authors: Arthur Ransome
said; and she took them.
    Then she found a gay blue ribbon, and she took that. Then she found a little loaf of good bread, and she took that too.
    â€œI daresay somebody will like it,” she said.
    And then she came to the hut of Baba Yaga, the bony-legged, the witch. There was a high fence round it with big gates. When she pushed them open they squeaked miserably, as if it hurt them to move. The little girl was sorry for them.
    â€œHow lucky,” she says, “that I picked up the bottle of oil!” and she poured the oil into the hinges of the gates.
    Inside the railing was Baba Yaga’s hut, and it stood on hen’s legs and walked about the yard. And in the yard there was standing Baba Yaga’s servant, and she was crying bitterly because of the tasks Baba Yaga set her to do. She was crying bitterly and wiping her eyes on her petticoat.
    Baba Yaga’s hut stood on hen’s legs and walked about the yard.
    â€œHow lucky,” says the little girl, “that I picked up a handkerchief!” And she gave the handkerchief to Baba Yaga’s servant, who wiped her eyes on it and smiled through her tears.
    Close by the hut was a huge dog, very thin, gnawing a dry crust.
    â€œHow lucky,” says the little girl, “that I picked up a loaf!” And she gave the loaf to the dog, and he gobbled it up and licked his lips.
    The little girl went bravely up to the hut and knocked on the door.
    â€œCome in,” says Baba Yaga.
    The little girl went in, and there was Baba Yaga, the bony-legged, the witch, sitting weaving at a loom. In a corner of the hut was a thin black cat watching a mouse-hole.
    â€œGood-day to you, auntie,” says the little girl, trying not to tremble.
    â€œGood-day to you, niece,” says Baba Yaga.
    â€œMy stepmother has sent me to you to ask for a needle and thread to mend a shirt.”
    â€œVery well,” says Baba Yaga, smiling, and showing her iron teeth. “You sit down here at the loom, and go on with my weaving, while I go and get you the needle and thread.”
    The little girl sat down at the loom and began to weave.
    Baba Yaga went out and called to her servant, “Go, make the bath hot and scrub my niece. Scrub her clean. I’ll make a dainty meal of her.”
    The servant came in for the jug. The little girl begged her, “Be not too quick in making the fire, and carry the water in a sieve.” The servant smiled, but said nothing, because she was afraid of Baba Yaga. But she took a very long time about getting the bath ready.
    Baba Yaga came to the window and asked,—
    â€œAre you weaving, little niece? Are you weaving, my pretty?”
    â€œI am weaving, auntie,” says the little girl.
    When Baba Yaga went away from the window, the little girl spoke to the thin black cat who was watching the mouse-hole.
    â€œWhat are you doing, thin black cat?”
    â€œWatching for a mouse,” says the thin black cat. “I haven’t had any dinner for three days.”
    â€œHow lucky,” says the little girl, “that I picked up the scraps of meat!” And she gave them to the thin black cat. The thin black cat gobbled them up, and said to the little girl,—
    â€œLittle girl, do you want to get out of this?”
    â€œCatkin dear,” says the little girl, “I do want to get out of this, for Baba Yaga is going to eat me with her iron teeth.”
    â€œWell,” says the cat, “I will help you.”
    Just then Baba Yaga came to the window.
    â€œAre you weaving, little niece?” she asked. “Are you weaving, my pretty?”
    â€œI am weaving, auntie,” says the little girl, working away, while the loom went clickety clack, clickety clack.
    Baba Yaga went away.
    Says the thin black cat to the little girl: “You have a comb in your hair, and you have a towel. Take them and run for it while Baba Yaga is in the bath-house. When Baba Yaga chases after you, you must

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