6. A Markova Tale

6. A MARKOVA TALE ¹

There were three brothers. One was Grass-Leg, another was Bladder, the third was Little-Finger. One time they ate blood-soup. Little-Finger saw some marrow, and wanted to take it; but he fell into the soup and was drowned. Grass-Leg wanted to help him, but in his hurry broke his leg, seeing which, Bladder laughed till he burst of laughter. Their father went and asked his wife, "Where are our children?" She told him. He was so angry that he killed her. The end. ²

Told by Katherine Alin, a Russianized Chuvantzi girl, twelve years of age, in the village of Markova. Recorded by Mrs. Sophie Bogoras, winter of 1900.

Footnotes

131:1 This tale is met with in European Russia in several versions. Some details, however, for instance, blood-soup with marrow in it,--belong to northeastern Asia. See also p. 144.--W. B.

131:2 See Bolte und Polívka, l. c., vol. 1, 135, 204--F. B.