Lipouniouchka — Obscure Fairy Tales

Once upon a time, there was an old couple, a man and a woman, living in the countryside. They didn’t have any descendants. One day, as the man worked the field, the woman stayed at home making bliny. As she was tired that day, she did not feel like bringing the bliny to her husband.

“If only we had a child, they would bring the bliny to the field for me,” thought the old lady. “Now, who can I send instead…”

Then, a small boy appeared from the oakum.

“Hi, mother!” he said.

“Where are you form, little boy? What is your name?” asked the old lady.

“I am from the oakum you thresed. My name is Lipouniouchka. Give me the bliny and I will bring father his lunch in the field.”

“But are you strong enough for this? Can you carry all those bliny to the field?”

“Of course, mother! I can carry anything!”

Thus, Lipouniouchka took the bliny and went to the field to bring them to the woman’s husband.

“Hi, father!”

The old man turned toward the little boy, surprised.

“Where did you come from?” the man asked the little boy.

“I come from the oakum and my name is Lipouniouchka. Help me step over this mound and I will give you these bliny my mother — your wife — made.”

The muzhik helped the little boy step over the mound and took the bliny from his hands. As he was eating his lunch, the old man sat down on a piece of wood and looked at the eager little boy.

“Please, father, can you let me plow the field?” asked Lipouniouchka.

“Can you even manage it?”asked the newly appointed father.

“Of course, I can. Just watch me!” the boy answered.

As soon as the old man nodded, the little boy started plowing the field. A barin passing close by noticed the old man sitting down and eating his lunch while the horse plowed the field seemingly by itself.

“How did you teach your horse to plow the field by itself, muzhik?” asked the barin.

“Oh, someone is leading the plow, of course! My small son, Lipouniouchka is leading my horse. He is a very impressive boy!”

The old man picked up his tiny son in his hands to introduce him to the barin.

“He is indeed quite impressive,” said the barin. “Will you sell him to me? My wife would love him.”

The father was about to refuse the offer, insulted someone would even try to make him sell his son, now that he finally had one.

However, as soon as he opened his mouth to speak, Lipouniouchka jumped on his shoulder and shut him up. Then, he whispered something in his father’s ear.

“Father, sell me to the barin. I promise I will be well.”

The old man was and to hear his son’s request, but obliged, accepting the barin’s generous offer before going home with the money.

The barin took Lipouniouchka, put him in a handkerchief in his pocket and walked home. When he arrived at his somptuous house, he called his wife, announcing he had a gift for her. The barin tried to find the little boy in his pocket, but the handkerchief was empty.

Lipouniouchka was long gone, already home with his parents.

The serie Obscure Fairy Tales encompasses an array of tales, myths and legends from around the world. To read more, visit this page dedicated to fiction writing.