30). The girls used to assemble in some cottage, bake _pampushki_,[19]
and enjoy themselves for a whole week, or even longer.
Well, the girls met together once when this festival arrived, and
brewed and baked what was wanted. In the evening came the
lads with the music, bringing liquor with them, and dancing and
revelry commenced. All the girls danced well, but Marusia the
best of all. After a while there came into the cottage such a
fine fellow! Marry, come up! regular blood and milk, and
smartly and richly dressed.

"Hail, fair maidens!" says he.

"Hail, good youth!" say they.

"You're merry-making?"

"Be so good as to join us."

Thereupon he pulled out of his pocket a purse full of gold,
ordered liquor, nuts and gingerbread. All was ready in a trice,
and he began treating the lads and lasses, giving each a share.
Then he took to dancing. Why, it was a treat to look at him!
Marusia struck his fancy more than anyone else; so he stuck
close to her. The time came for going home.

"Marusia," says he, "come and see me off."

She went to see him off.

"Marusia, sweetheart!" says he, "would you like me to
marry you?"

"If you like to marry me, I will gladly marry you. But
where do you come from?"

"From such and such a place. I'm clerk at a merchant's."

Then they bade each other farewell and separated. When
Marusia got home, her mother asked her:

"Well, daughter! have you enjoyed yourself?"

"Yes, mother. But I've something pleasant to tell you besides.
There was a lad there from the neighborhood, good-looking
and with lots of money, and he promised to marry me."

"Harkye Marusia! When you go to where the girls are to-morrow,
take a ball of thread with you, make a noose in it, and,
when you are going to see him off, throw it over one of his buttons,
and quietly unroll the ball; then, by means of the thread,
you will be able to find out where he lives."

Next day Marusia went to the gathering, and took a ball of
thread with her. The youth came again.

"Good evening, Marusia!" said he.

"Good evening!" said she.

Games began and dances. Even more than before did he
stick to Marusia, not a step would he budge from her. The time
came for going home.

"Come and see me off, Marusia!" says the stranger.

She went out into the street, and while she was taking leave
of him she quietly dropped the noose over one