One’s happiness

One’s happiness (Kalmyk fairytales)

Once upon a time there lived a man. He knew the language of frogs and insects. The khan called him: “Do you know the language of frogs and insects?” he asked.

- Well, tell me what the frogs of the lake are saying? - the khan said.

- Let our khan clear the mud from his lake every day - the man said.

- Why are my sheep bleating? Go up to them and ask - the khan sent him to his sheep.

- Stop eating mutton every day - he answered.

A lame lamb was trying to follow his mother sheep when his mother bleated:

- Lambs of sheep follow their mothers, why do you not follow yours?

- I can hardly bear the happiness of the thousand yellow-headed sheep - the lamb said.

Without saying this, the man addressed the khan:

- Give me the poor lamb - the man asked.

- Well, take it - the khan said.

He ripped poor wool off the lamb and gave it to the man.

- Give me your dog; I will not take the lamb - he said.

He was given the dog. It took a leak on a small fleecy mat. A woman made a rag of it so that one could take hot dishes.

- I would like to take your rag. I will not take your dog - the man said.

- Take it - the khan said.

Another woman took a boiler with the rag.

- I would like to take your boiler - the man said.

- Well, take it - the khan said.

The food made in the boiler was eaten.

- Well, it is impossible to take away one’s happiness - the man said, and left.

So he lived happily.

Translated from Kalmyk into English by Danara Balayeva-Kokayeva
Перевод с калмыцкого на английский Данары Балаевой-Кокаевой

Table of contents   (Оглавление)