all lived the merry lives of Tsars who feast continually. And
I was there too, and drank wine and mead till my mouth ran over and it
trickled all down my beard. So there's the whole _kazka_ for you.

THE VAMPIRE AND ST MICHAEL

Once upon a time in a certain village there lived two neighbours; one
was rich, very rich, and the other so poor that he had nothing in the
world but a little hut, and that was tumbling about his ears. At
length things came to such a pass with the poor man that he had
nothing to eat, and could get work nowhere. Full of grief, he
bethought him what he should do. He thought and thought, and at last
he said, "Look ye, wife! I'll go to my rich neighbour. Perchance he
will lend me a silver rouble; that, at any rate, will be enough to buy
bread with." So he went.

He came to the rich man. "Good health to my lord!" cried he.--"Good
health!"--"I have come on an errand to thee, dear little master!"--"What
may thine errand be?" inquired the rich man.--"Alas! would to God that I
had no need to say it. It has come to such a pass with us that
there's not a crust of bread nor a farthing of money in the house. So I
have come to thee, dear little master; lend us but a silver rouble and
we will be ever thankful to thee, and I'll work myself old to pay it
back."--"But who will stand surety for thee?" asked the rich man.--"I
know not if any man will, I am so poor. Yet, perchance, God and St
Michael will be my sureties," and he pointed at the ikon in the corner.
Then the ikon of St Michael spoke to the rich man from the niche and
said, "Come now! lend it him, and put it down to my account. God will
repay thee!"--"Well," said the rich man, "I'll lend it to thee." So he
lent it, and the poor man thanked him and returned to his home full of
joy.

But the rich man was not content that God should give him back his
loan by blessing him in his flocks and herds, and in his children, and
in his health, and in the blessed fruits of the earth. He waited and
waited for the poor man to come and pay him back his rouble, and at
last he went to seek him. "Thou son of a dog," he shouted, before the
house, "why hast thou not brought me back my money? Thou knowest how
to borrow, but thou forgettest to repay!" Then the wife of the poor
man burst into tears. "He would repay thee indeed if he were in this
world," said she, "but lo now! he died but a little while ago!" The
rich man snarled at her and departed, but when he got