s how a certain man was so poor that when the rest of
the peasants were brewing beer, and making other preparations to
celebrate an approaching feast of the Church, he found his cupboard
perfectly bare. In vain did he apply to a rich neighbor, who was in
the habit of lending goods and money at usurious rates; having no
security to offer, he could borrow nothing. But on the eve of the
festival, when he was sitting at home in sadness, he suddenly rose and
drew near to the sacred painting which hung in the corner, and sighed
heavily, and said,

"O Lord! forgive me, sinner that I am! I have not even wherewith to
buy oil, so as to light the lamp before the image[440] for the
festival!"

Soon afterwards an old man entered the cottage, and obtained leave to
spend the night there. After a time the guest enquired why his host
was so sad, and on learning the reason, told him to go again to his
rich neighbor and borrow a quarter of malt. The moujik obeyed, and
soon returned with the malt, which the old man ordered him to throw
into his well. When this was done the villager and his guest went to
bed.

Next morning the old man told his guest to borrow a number of tubs,
and fill them with liquor drawn from the well, and then to make his
neighbors assemble and drink it. He did so, and the buckets were
filled with "such beer as neither fancy nor imagination can conceive,
but only a skazka can describe." The villagers, excited by the news,
collected in crowds, and drank the beer and rejoiced. Last of all came
the rich neighbor, begging to know how such wonderful beer was brewed.
The moujik told him the whole story, whereupon he straightway
commanded his servants to pour all his best malt into his well. And
next day he hastened to the well to taste the liquor it contained; but
he found nothing but malt and water; not a drop of beer was there.

We may take next the legends current among the peasantry about
various saints. Of these, the story of "The Prophet Elijah and St.
Nicholas," will serve as a good specimen. But, in order to render it
intelligible, a few words about "Ilya the Prophet," as Elijah is
styled in Russia, may as well be prefixed.

It is well known that in the days of heathenism the Slavonians
worshipped a thunder-god, Perun,[441] who occupied in their
mythological system the place which in the Teutonic was assigned to a
Donar or a Thor. He was believed, if traditions may be relied upon, to
sway the elements, often d