iii
Iván had ploughed up the whole fallow, all but one little strip. He came to finish it. Though his stomach ached, the ploughing must be done. He freed the harness ropes, turned the plough, and began to work. He drove one furrow, but coming back the plough began to drag as if it had caught in a root. It was the imp, who had twisted his legs round the ploughshare and was holding it back.
'What a strange thing!' thought Iván. 'There were no roots here at all, and yet here's a root.'
Iván pushed his hand deep into the furrow, groped about, and, feeling something soft, seized hold of it and pulled it out. It was black like a root, but it wriggled. Why, it was a live imp!
'What a nasty thing!' said Iván, and he lifted his hand to dash it against the plough, but the imp squealed out:
'Don't hurt me, and I'll do anything you tell me to.'
'What can you do?'
'Anything you tell me to.'
Iván scratched his head.
'My stomach aches,' said he; 'can you cure that?'
'Certainly I can.'
'Well then, do so.'
The imp went down into the furrow, searched about, scratched with his claws, and pulled out a bunch of three little roots, which he handed to Iván.
'Here,' says he, 'whoever swallows one of these will be cured of any illness.'
Iván took the roots, separated them, and swallowed one. The pain in his stomach was cured at once. The imp again begged to be let off; 'I will jump right into the earth, and never come back,' said he.
'All right,' said Iván; 'begone, and God be with you!'
And as soon as Iván mentioned God, the imp plunged into the earth like a stone thrown into the water. Only a hole was left.
