The Russian Story Book 24

The Russian Story Book 24

"I am going to sell my shoes," was the reply, "for I am a shoemaker."

 

"Take me into your employment," said the son of the Great White Tsar.

 

"But do you know how to make shoes?" was the cautious enquiry.

 

"Oh yes," said Ivan, with such confidence that the man could do

nothing but believe him.

 

"I have the means of doing everything--not only making shoes but

clothes as well."

 

"Come along, then," said the jolly shoemaker, and they went to his

house. As soon as they had entered, the man took Ivan to the workshop

and pointing to a seat near a bench he said: "Sit down there and get

to work. I will go out to sell my wares, and when I return to-morrow

I shall be able to judge exactly of your skill."

 

As soon as the man was gone Ivan took out his whistle and summoned

Lame and Crooked.

 

"What is your pleasure?" asked he.

 

"To have shoes ready by to-morrow."

 

Lame and Crooked smiled a smile which seemed to wander round the

room. "That is not work," he said, "but recreation."

 

"Here is the leather," said Ivan, and Lame and Crooked looked at it

with a curving upper lip. "That is poor stuff," he said, "and the

proper place for it is out of the window." Then he jumped out very

nimbly after it and Ivan saw him no more; but when the young man

awoke next morning he saw on the table beside his bed several pairs

of shoes of the very best. He had scarcely dressed himself when the

jolly old shoemaker came into his room and said, "Well, young man,

are the shoes ready?"

 

"They are ready for sale," said Ivan quietly, pointing to the shoes on

the table beside his bed. The shoemaker inspected them very closely,

and his eyes opened wide in wonder. "Why, young man," he said, with

a jolly smile, "you are not a shoemaker but a magician. I must go at

once to the market and turn these fine shoes into good red gold."

 

Off he went to the market, and while he waited for customers to

arrive he heard all the gossip of the city, which was greatly

moved to curiosity over three forthcoming weddings at the palace

of the Great White Tsar. He heard that Prince Peter was to marry

the Golden Tsaritza, Elena the Beautiful, that Prince Vasily was

to marry the Silver Tsaritza, and that the Copper Tsaritza was to

marry a general. Dresses were being made for the wedding, said the

good dames of the market-place, such as had never yet been designed

or embroidered within the memory of the oldest in Holy Russia. Then

came a royal messenger seeking shoes for Elena the Beautiful, and

after searching the whole market he came to the stall of the jolly

old shoemaker and easily concluded that his wares were finer and more

delicate than any others; so he told the man to pack up his entire

stock and come with him to the apartments of the Golden Tsaritza,

Elena the Beautiful, in the palace of the Great White Tsar.

 

The Golden Tsaritza was seated among her maidens, who were so busy

and excited and trembling that they sewed many of the lovely garments

quite wrong; and as the shoemaker entered the room the Lady-of-Honour,

who bore the high title of Golden Scissors, was scolding a pretty

young dressmaker for putting the right sleeve in the place of the

left. As for Elena the Beautiful herself, she sat looking straight

before her with the __EXPRESSION__ on her face of a person who is obliged

to do one thing but would rather do something else.

 

When she saw the shoes spread out on a table before her she looked

at them in a listless manner; then, all at once, her beautiful eyes

moistened and brightened, and she said to the shoemaker who stood

near with his cap of rough fur in his hand, "What is the meaning of

this? They make shoes of this pattern only in the mountains." At

once an idea for gaining time came into her mind, and turning to

the somewhat bewildered shoemaker, whose jolly face was clouded

and anxious owing to his good fortune, she said to him in a voice

which sounded hard and cold like the ring of steel upon an anvil,

"Make me, without measure, another pair of shoes cunningly sewn, set

with precious stones and glittering with diamonds. They must be ready

for to-morrow, otherwise my servants will hale you to the gallows."

 

The shoemaker was then taken to the Tsar's treasury, where he chose

the precious stones required, and was given money to buy leather of

the richest and softest kind that could be obtained. He had received

the most exalted order he had ever been honoured with, and might have

put upon his signboard, "Shoemaker by Royal Appointment to the Golden

Tsaritza," but still he was far from happy--in fact he was utterly

miserable. "By Svyatogor, Ilya, and Vladimir and all the heroes," he

said, "but greatness means great worry. Whatever shall I do? How can

I make shoes by to-morrow when I am not allowed to measure the exalted

foot of the beautiful Tsaritza? I shall make nothing by to-morrow but

an end to my life, for it is very clear that I shall make acquaintance

with the gallows--say about ten o'clock. However, seeing that it

cannot be helped, let me have a last jollification with my companions."

 

Off he went to the inn where he had more friends than was good for

him, and when they saw his face so gloomy which was usually so jolly

and generous they eagerly asked him the cause of his trouble.

 

"Oh, my dear friends," he said, "I have been honoured with a Court

order and as a consequence they are going to hang me to-morrow, and

only the lucky man who succeeds to my business will reap the benefit

of being able to call himself 'Shoemaker by Royal Appointment to the

Golden Tsaritza.'"

 

"Why so?" asked his companions, who were so thirsty that they thought

the shoemaker might have made a much shorter speech. Then the man

told his trouble as shortly as possible, concluding with the words,

"What think you, friends, of an order like that? I may as well enjoy

myself with you for the last time, for they will surely come for me

to-morrow morning--say about ten o'clock."

 

So they drank and drank and sang and joked and danced and then drank

again, by which time the shoemaker was by no means steady upon his

legs. "Well," he said, as the town clock struck twelve, "I will take

home a keg of spirits and lie down to sleep, and to-morrow when they

come to take me to the gallows I will drink a gallon and a half at

one draught, and if they hang me drunk I may be able to look and feel

jolly until the last."

 

Then he staggered home with the keg under his arm. He had scarcely

passed the threshold when he saw Ivan and began at once to upbraid

him. "You abandoned rascal," he cried, "see what your fine shoes

have done for me." Then he told him as much of the story as he could

remember, and staggered off to bed saying, "When they come for me in

the morning, wake me up."

 

As soon as all was quiet Ivan took out his whistle and blew, whereupon

Lame and Crooked appeared as before.

 

"What is your pleasure?" he asked, and the young Prince told him what

was required.

 

"We obey!" said Lame and Crooked, who did not even ask for the precious

stones from the Tsar's treasury which the shoemaker had used to wipe

out his score at the inn.

 

Ivan lay down to sleep, and when he awoke next morning he thought that

the sun had risen two hours too soon for his room was filled with fiery

golden light. But it was only the brilliance of the precious stones

set in the dainty shoes on the table by his bedside. He jumped up,

dressed himself in the light of the shining gems which shone not by

reflected radiance, but from the depth of their glowing hearts. Then

he picked up the dainty shoes, kissed them lightly, and took them to

his master whom he roused with a shake.

 

"It is time to rise," he said in the man's ear.

 

"What!" cried the shoemaker, sitting bolt upright with a tremendous

start. "Have they come for me? Bring me the keg quickly and draw the

blind to keep out the light, which shines too cheerfully for a poor

fellow who is to be hanged about ten o'clock. Here is a cup. Pour

the spirits in. They shall hang me drunk."

 

"But the shoes are made," said Ivan quietly, looking at the man with

amusement almost conquered by disgust.

 

"Made? How made? Who made them? Where are they? Can't you draw the

blind and keep out that silly light?"

 

Ivan drew the blind but the light was not thereby diminished, and now

the bewildered shoemaker saw that the radiance came from the precious

stones in the shoes which Ivan held in his hand.

 

The man rubbed his eyes in a dazed manner and then said, "They are made

sure enough and look small enough even for Elena the Beautiful. When

did we make them?"

 

"They were made in the night," said Ivan quietly, "but it is possible

that you do not remember. Do you really find yourself unable to

recall having cut and sewed them. Do try to remember--think it over

very hard."

 

"Oh, brother," said the bewildered shoemaker, "it must have been

working over these brilliant gems that has dazed my wits. I barely

remember, but only very barely. But I must make haste to carry them

to Elena the Beautiful. Thank goodness we have been able to execute

her exalted order."

 

"And that you have been saved from occupying a still more exalted

position," said Ivan, who being a prince had a great sense of humour.

 

"Yes, indeed," said the shoemaker as he left the house at great

speed. Before Ivan could say Elena, which, by the way, he was

continually saying to himself, the jolly shoemaker was standing in

the apartment of the Golden Tsaritza where the preparations for the

wedding seemed to be as busy as ever.

 

Elena the Beautiful looked at the shoes, and something to which she

dared not give a name told her heart what had taken place. "Surely,"

she said to herself, very very softly, "the good Spirits made these

for Ivan." Then aloud she said to the grinning shoemaker, "How did you make these?"