314 SLAV TALES

charge of your share of the money, for we intend going out
into the world as merchants, and when we have made a great
deal of money we will buy you a hat, a sash, and a pair of
red boots. You will be better at home; and mind you do as
your sisters-in-law tell you.” 5

For a long time this silly fellow had been wanting a cap,
a sash, and a pair of red boots, so he was easily persuaded
to give up all his money.

The brothers set out on their travels, and crossed the sea
in search of fortune. The “fool” of the family remained
at home; and, as he was an out-and-out sluggard, he would
lie whole days at a time on the warm stove without doing a
stroke of work, and only obeying his sisters-in-law with the
greatest reluctance. He liked fried onions, potato soup, and
cider, better than anything else in the world.

One day his sisters-in-law asked him to fetch them some
water.

It was winter, and a hard frost ; moreover, the sluggard did
not feel at all inclined to go out. So he said, “Go yourselves,
I prefer to stay here by the fire.”

“Stupid boy, go at once. We will have some onions,
potato soup, and cider ready for you when you come back.
If you refuse to do what we ask you we shall tell our hus-
bands, and then there will be neither cap, sash, nor red boots
for you.”

At these words the sluggard thought he had better go.
So he rolled off the stove, took a hatchet and a couple of
pails, and went down to the river. On the surface of the
water, where the ice had been broken, was a large pike. The
sluggard seized him by the fins and pulled him out.