rted that he had seen, in a cloister, a nun withered to a mere
skeleton, who prayed unceasingly; and her fellow-villagers recognized
her as Pidorka, by all the signs,--that no one had ever heard her
utter a word; that she had come on foot, and had brought a frame for
the ikon of God's mother, set with such brilliant stones that all were
dazzled at the sight.

But this was not the end, if you please. On the same day that the Evil
One made way with Petrus, Basavriuk appeared again; but all fled from
him. They knew what sort of a bird he was,--none else than Satan, who
had assumed human form in order to unearth treasures; and, since
treasures do not yield to unclean hands, he seduced the young. That
same year, all deserted their earth huts, and collected in a village;
but, even there, there was no peace, on account of that accursed
Basavriuk. My late grandfather's aunt said that he was particularly
angry with her, because she had abandoned her former tavern, and tried
with all his might to revenge himself upon her. Once the village
elders were assembled in the tavern, and, as the saying goes, were
arranging the precedence at the table, in the middle of which was
placed a small roasted lamb, shame to say. They chattered about this,
that, and the other,--among the rest about various marvels and strange
things. Well, they saw something; it would have been nothing if only
one had seen it, but all saw it; and it was this: the sheep raised his
head; his goggling eyes became alive and sparkled; and the black,
bristling moustache, which appeared for one instant, made a
significant gesture at those present. All, at once, recognized
Basavriuk's countenance in the sheep's head: my grandfather's aunt
thought it was on the point of asking for vodka.... The worthy elders
seized their hats, and hastened home.

Another time, the church starost himself, who was fond of an
occasional private interview with my grandfather's brandy-glass, had
not succeeded in getting to the bottom twice, when he beheld the glass
bowing very low to him. "Satan take you, let us make the sign of the
cross over you!" ... And the same marvel happened to his better half.
She had just begun to mix the dough in a huge kneading-trough, when
suddenly the trough sprang up. "Stop, stop! where are you going?"
Putting its arms akimbo, with dignity, it went skipping all about the
cottage.... You may laugh, but it was no laughing-matter to your
grandfathers. And in vain di