force that the tree gave way at once and came crashing down. The imp had not expected this, and had no time to get his feet clear, and the tree in breaking, gripped his paw. Iván began to lop off the branches, when he noticed a live imp hanging in the tree! Iván was surprised.
'What, you nasty thing,' says he, 'so you are here again!'
'I am another one,' says the imp. 'I have been with your brother Tarás.'
'Whoever you are, you have met your fate,' said Iván, and swinging his axe he was about to strike him with the haft, but the imp begged for mercy: 'Don't strike me,' said he, 'and I will do anything you tell me to.'
'What can you do?'
'I can make money for you, as much as you want.'
'All right, make some.' So the imp showed him how to do it.
'Take,' said he, 'some leaves from this oak and rub them in your hands, and gold will fall out on the ground.'
Iván took some leaves and rubbed them, and gold ran down from his hands.
'This stuff will do fine,' said he, 'for the fellows to play with on their holidays.'
'Now let me go.' said the imp.
'All right,' said Iván, and taking a lever he set the imp free. 'Now begone! And God be with you,' says he.
And as soon as he mentioned God, the imp plunged into the earth, like a stone into water. Only a hole was left.
vi
So the brothers built houses, and began to live apart; and Iván finished the harvest work, brewed beer, and invited his brothers to spend the next holiday with him. His brothers would not come.
'We don't care about peasant feasts,' said they.
