hought, and thought, and in the
morning he drove to the next village to try and find out if such a child
really had been born. He went first to the priest, and asked him about
the children in his parish.

'Yesterday,' said the priest, 'a boy was born in the poorest house
in the village. I named the unlucky little thing "Vassili." He is the
seventh son, and the eldest is only seven years old, and they hardly
have a mouthful amongst them all. Who can be got to stand godfather to
such a little beggar boy?'

The merchant's heart beat fast, and his mind was full of bad thoughts
about that poor little baby. He would be godfather himself, he said,
and he ordered a fine christening feast; so the child was brought and
christened, and Mark was very friendly to its father. After the ceremony
was over he took Ivan aside and said:

'Look here, my friend, you are a poor man. How can you afford to bring
up the boy? Give him to me and I'll make something of him, and I'll give
you a present of a thousand crowns. Is that a bargain?'

Ivan scratched his head, and thought, and thought, and then he agreed.
Mark counted out the money, wrapped the baby up in a fox skin, laid
it in the sledge beside him, and drove back towards home. When he had
driven some miles he drew up, carried the child to the edge of a steep
precipice and threw it over, muttering, 'There, now try to take my
property!'

Very soon after this some foreign merchants travelled along that same
road on the way to see Mark and to pay the twelve thousand crowns which
they owed him.

As they were passing near the precipice they heard a sound of crying,
and on looking over they saw a little green meadow wedged in between two
great heaps of snow, and on the meadow lay a baby amongst the flowers.

The merchants picked up the child, wrapped it up carefully, and drove
on. When they saw Mark they told him what a strange thing they had
found. Mark guessed at once that the child must be his godson, asked to
see him, and said:

'That's a nice little fellow; I should like to keep him. If you will
make him over to me, I will let you off your debt.'

The merchants were very pleased to make so good a bargain, left the
child with Mark, and drove off.

At night Mark took the child, put it in a barrel, fastened the lid tight
down, and threw it into the sea. The barrel floated away to a great
distance, and at last it floated close up to a monastery. The monks were
just spreading out t