THE VOICES AT THE WINDOW.

NOBLEMAN went hunting one
autumn, and with him went a
goodly train of huntsmen. All
day long they hunted and
hunted, and at the end of the

 

day they had caught nothing.
At last dark night overtook .
them. It had now grown bitterly cold, and the
rain began to fall heavily. The nobleman was wet
to the skin, and his teeth chattered. He rubbed his
hands together and cried: “Oh, had we but a warm
hut, and a white bed, and soft bread and sour kvas,!
we should have nought to complain of, but would tell
tales and feign fables till dawn of day!” Immedi-
ately there shone a light in the depths of the forest.
They hastened up to it, and lo! there was a but.
They entered, and on the table lay bread and a jug

1 A sourish drink.