FAIRY TALES (text) - 54. THE YOUNGEST BROTHER IS THE TENDER ONE

THE YOUNGEST BROTHER IS THE TENDER ONE

There were once three brothers who had a single sister. The sister grew up and it was the time for her to get engaged.

 One day the three brothers were gathered to talk with each-other and were thinking about the right man to marry their sister with. The first said:

If we marry her with someone who is one day walking away from here, so we can see her more often.

Even two days away is good, I’ll go and take her by myself, – said the second.

Then the third and the youngest said:

If we marry her with someone three days away, I’m sure we’ll find a very good husband for her.

They agreed and married with someone who lived three days away. Few years passed, they were missing their sister and decided to go and take her and keep her a few days at home.

The oldest brother went the first, and when his brother-in-law saw him at the stairs, he was immensely happy. He came out of the house to meet him and said to his wife:

– Come outside woman, your oldest brother has come here. –and ordered her to cook a very delicious dinner and  a good pie.

The dinner time came and they sat at the table to eat all those delicious dishes. After the first two bites, the host stood up rubbing his hands and said:

God forgive us, fed up or unfed, the guest should always say that he is filled!

That’s what the host said and made the big brother feel very uncomfortable, because he had to leave the table even though he was very hungry. Then they fell asleep. At midnight the host got up, and called his wife: – Bring me the pie, I’m starving. –and ate all of it.

When the morning came, the big brother woke up and began to talk with his brother-in-law and said: – May my sister come with me and stay with us a few days because we all have been missing her. 

The brother-in-law brought lots of reasons and in the end didn’t leave her go with her brother, so the big brother had to go back home alone. When the second brother saw that he hadn’t taken their sister with him, he decided to go and take her by himself. He went and did the same thing, but even he couldn’t take the sister with him. The youngest brother, who was bald, told them: 

– I ‘m going to take her, how couldn’t you?! 

The youngest brother set off to the brother-in-law´s house. He greeted him very happily, then told to his wife:

– Come here outside, your youngest brother has come. –and ordered her to cook a good dinner and a delicious pie again.

The dinner time came and they sat at the table. The sister brought the most delicious food to the table, but her husband had only three-four bites, stood up and said: 

God forgive us, fed up or unfed, the guest should always say that he is filled!

But the bald brother said:

I see, you have eaten even before, but I haven’t eaten all day and I am starving. 

So he began to eat so slowly that he could get him mad. When he was finished, he saw that a piece of pie was left in the pan and told his sister: – come and eat something with me, sister!

But she swore she didn’t want to eat. So he took the dog at the door to give that piece of pie to him. Then they got up and went to sleep at their rooms. The bald brother was to sleep at the room where they made the fire to cook. He lied down and faked like he was in a deep sleep, while the brother-in-law was terribly hungry. He couldn’t endure anymore and told his wife:

Get up and cook something for me, I’m starving!

So she went near the fire and cooked a pie and covered it with ember. Brother saw her and everything that was going on. Then he got up and told his sister:

– Sister, what are you doing this late?

– I had some works to do and came to cover the fire with the ember, – she answered.

The bald brother pretended he had seen a very bad dream and told her:

Sister, what can I say you? It’s so good that it’s only us now….I saw a dream where I and brothers split with each other and divided our land and livestock. Then he took the fire iron and began to make some lines and said: – the big brother took this part here, – and cut the pie into two pieces, – then the other brother from here to here, – and cut the pie again.

And at the end he had cut the pie so much that no one could eat that, then his sister cried out:

– Stop it brother, I made the pie for my husband!

Why didn’t you tell me before? – said the brother and went to bed to sleep again.

The woman told her husband what had happened and he said he was dying to eat, but she should go and do something else. 

She went to the fire and put the kettle to boil the porridge, but the bald brother saw her and got up, and said to his sister:

– Sister, what are you doing here?

– I had to wash some clothes and that’s what I am doing now. –she answered.

Ok then, wash my hat too, please, – he said and threw the hat to the porridge.

Her husband couldn’t sleep of hunger and the bald heard him saying to his sister to go and milk the cow. When she finished milking, her brother went downstairs and deepened his voice:

– Give it to me, woman!

She did not recognize him because it was very dark, but when she went to bed and saw her husband there, she knew who had taken the bucket. So, the husband had no choice, but he went to eat the cabbage in the garden. But the bald took a piece wood and beat him too hard and called the sister:

– Sister, get outside because a donkey has come in here and is eating the cabbage!

So her husband went to bed with empty stomach .The next morning the bald brother met his brother-in-law and acted as if nothing had happened, and the same did the other.

Can I take my sister a few days at home? – said the bald.

But no, she can’t come, – said the man trying to find lots of excuses.

Then the bald brother started talking severely, then the husband was afraid and let his wife go with her brother at their house. The bald man took his sister and returned home safely. Then, he told his brother what he had done to the brother-in-law and they laughed all together.