FAIRY TALES (text) - 62. THE CHUBBY PLANT

THE CHUBBY PLANT

There were once a man and a woman, who were the poorest of all. The man worked hard but he was always becoming poorer.

– What is going on, husband- said the wife – the others work and enjoy their lives as much as possible while we become poorer the more we work!

– Well, these are the works of god, woman, we should not bother – the man said.

A few years after, the man made a stack of thorns and set it on fire.

– Save me human because I am being burnt- screamed a snake that was on top of the stack.

The man took a branch and lay on top, snake was caught there and came down.

Now I want to honor you, – said the snake. –  take me and lie me at the front door and I will give three beautiful seedlings, so no one will recognize me. Stay with whoever you want but do not tell anyone about me, and you have to see that God will bring you good luck.

The villager trusted the snake and put him at the front door of the house. Before long the snake gave three seedlings, two were red from the eyes and one yellow from the mouth and it looked like a plant.

In that village lived a very rich man who had sixty stores, lands and a house like nobody else. One day he passed by the house of the poor man and stopped to see the snake’s plant. And the farmer said:

– Even if you give me all your wealth, you cannot find what kind plant it is.

And the rich man said:

– Let’s make a deal together! If I find till tomorrow I will cut you out of the village and I’ll even take that piece of land you have, otherwise I find will give you thirty stores.

Once he vowed to keep his word, the poverty agreed. The rich man thought about lots of names but could not find what plant it was, and so he gave to the poor man the thirty stores he had promised.

After receiving the shops, and poor man began to recover himself. He built a big house, bought pieces of lands and cattle and began to have a better life. But the rich man was so curious about the plant which didn’t know, so he went back to the farmer and said:

– I want to take another bet on that plant, I’ll fail or you’ll fail.

– Well – the farmer said – if you find out what it is I will return the thirty stores I got from you, otherwise you will give me the other thirty stores.

The rich man said all sorts of names, but again he didn’t find it and gave the poor man the other shops. The wife of the rich man thought to find the name of the plant with a trick. She went to the house of the peasant to have a coffee with his wife, so she bought some food and told the other woman:

– I’ve brought good food, go and prepare a good meal for your husband because the guests will come to congratulate him. The peasant’s wife was so surprised and became mad. She didn’t even dinner, nor cleaned and when the husband saw her crying asked: 

– Why are you crying woman? Does anything hurt, what has bothered you?

– Are you going to play with me? – said the woman. – You must know that I do not stand even a moment with you if you take another wife.

– What are you saying woman? – said her husband. – Are you crazy?!

And she told him that a woman came and told her all that. But he vowed that those words weren’t true, and finally he persuaded his wife. Few days passed and the rich man’s wife went back to the other woman and said:

– Here is the food, go and prepare a good meal because the guests will come to congratulate your husband for the bride.

– You’re wrong, – she said. – My husband swore he would not take another wife.

– He had lied you poor woman- said the rich man’s wife. – Do not trust in his words if he doesn’t swear on the plant in front of the house.

The peasant’s wife was ready to kill herself. She neither ate nor drank nor spoke a word.

– Why are you bored? -her husband asked her.

– I should be mad, you’re still thinking of taking another wife – his wife said.

Her husband swore dozens of times but she didn’t trust him, and said:

– Without vowing in the name of the plant at the front of our house, I won’t believe you.

– I swear on the chubby plant that I won’t have another wife. – said the man.

So the woman trusted him and went to the other woman to tell her that her husband had sworn he had no intention to take the other, and then she said the name of the plant. And the other woman told the rich man.

Now the snake knew that this thing had happened and he told everything to villager. And he said to take another bet because he could make the sun rise from where he set. The rich man went to the farmer rises and said: 

– Now I know what the name of the plant in front of your house.

– I know, – said the farmer – your wife had told you, and it was my wife who told your wife. But we will make another agreement together. And he told the other man about the sun. Knowing that it was something that no one could make it happen, the rich man told the peasant:

– I swear that I will give you everything I have and I will leave the village. 

– Me to, – said the farmer. –if I don’t make it will give you everything.

After the bet, the farmer turned back home and talked with the snake. And the snake told him to meet the mother of the sun and beg her because only she could make that happen.

Thus he took the way and in the evening arrived at the house of the mother of sun and told her:

– I have come here because I have got a great problem.

– Speak, – said the mother of the sun – I will help if I can.

– I beg you to obey your son so that he rises tomorrow from where he sets. – said the farmer.

– Do not worry, it’s done, – said the mother of the sun.

The next day the rich man got up early, and turned to the side where the sun rose.

While the farmer turned to the west. When the time came, the sun was coming up from the west.

– Do you see? -said the farmer to the rich man. – it rose from where it goes down.

And according to the word that was given, the peasant took all his wealth and the rich man left the village.