ABSTRACT
In a certain tsardom, in a certain land, there lived and dwelt an old man with his old woman. They had this daughter, Marusia. In their village there was a custom to celebrate the holiday of St. Andrew the First-Summoned. The maidens would all gather in one hut and bake fritters and celebrate all week long, or even longer. They had been waiting for this holiday and the maidens gathered and they baked and brewed all that was needed. In the evening the lads came with their pipes, and they brought wines, and they started dancing, and the debauch was as if smoke had been raised by a yoke pole. All the maidens danced well but Marusia danced best of all. A little later a young man came into the hut—you should have seen him! He was blood and milk! He was dressed richly and cleanly. “Good health to you, beautiful maidens!” he said. “Good health, to you, young man.”
