Short Fiction, Leo Tolstoy [general ebook reader .txt] 📗

all the wood and stone was taken to the merchant’s, and all the workmen went there too. King Tarás increased his price, but the merchant bid yet more. King Tarás had much money, but the merchant had still more, and outbid the King at every point.

The King’s palace was at a standstill; the building did not get on.

King Tarás planned a garden, and when autumn came he called for the people to come and plant the garden, but nobody came. All the people were engaged digging a pond for the merchant. Winter came, and King Tarás wanted to buy sable furs for a new overcoat. He sent to buy them, but the messengers returned and said, “There are no sables left. The merchant has all the furs. He gave the best price, and made carpets of the skins.”

King Tarás wanted to buy some stallions. He sent to buy them, but the messengers returned saying, “The merchant has all the good stallions; they are carrying water to fill his pond.”

All the King’s affairs came to a standstill. Nobody would work for him, for everyone was busy working for the merchant; and they only brought King Tarás the merchant’s money to pay their taxes.

And the King collected so much money that he had nowhere to store it, and his life became wretched. He ceased to form plans, and would have been glad enough simply to live, but he was hardly able even to do that. He ran short of everything. One after another his cooks, coachmen, and servants left him to go to the merchant. Soon he lacked even food. When he sent to the market to buy anything, there was nothing to be got⁠—the merchant had bought up everything, and people only brought the King money to pay their taxes.

Tarás the King got angry and banished the merchant from the country. But the merchant settled just across the frontier, and went on as before. For the sake of the merchant’s money, people took everything to him instead of to the King.

Things went badly with King Tarás. For days together he had nothing to eat, and a rumour even got about that the merchant was boasting that he would buy up the King himself! King Tarás got frightened, and did not know what to do.

At this time Simon the Soldier came to him, saying, “Help me, for the King of India has conquered me.”

But King Tarás himself was over head and ears in difficulties. “I myself,” said he, “have had nothing to eat for two days.”

XI

Having done with the two brothers, the old Devil went to Iván. He changed himself into a General, and coming to Iván began to persuade him that he ought to have an army.

“It does not become a king,” said he, “to be without an army. Only give me the order, and I will collect soldiers from among your people, and form one.”

Iván listened to him. “All right,” said Iván, “form an army, and teach them to sing songs well. I like to hear them do that.”

So the old Devil went through Iván’s kingdom to enlist men. He told them to go and be entered as soldiers, and each should have a quart of spirits and a fine red cap.

The people laughed.

“We have plenty of spirits,” said they. “We make it ourselves; and as for caps, the women make all kinds of them, even striped ones with tassels.”

So nobody would enlist.

The old Devil came to Iván and said: “Your fools won’t enlist of their own free will. We shall have to make them.”

“All right,” said Iván, “you can try.”

So the old Devil gave notice that all the people were to enlist, and that Iván would put to death anyone who refused.

The people came to the General and said, “You say that if we do not go as soldiers the King will put us to death, but you don’t say what will happen if we do enlist. We have heard say that soldiers get killed!”

“Yes, that happens sometimes.”

When the people heard this they became obstinate.

“We won’t go,” said they. “Better meet death at home. Either way we must die.”

“Fools! You are fools!” said the old Devil. “A soldier may be killed or he may not, but if you don’t go, King Iván will have you killed for certain.”

The people were puzzled, and went to Iván the Fool to consult him.

“A General has come,” said they, “who says we must all become soldiers. ‘If you go as soldiers,’ says he, ‘you may be killed or you may not, but if you don’t go, King Iván will certainly kill you.’ Is this true?”

Iván laughed and said, “How can I, alone, put all you to death? If I were not a fool I would explain it to you, but as it is, I don’t understand it myself.”

“Then,” said they, “we will not serve.”

“All right,” says he, “don’t.”

So the people went to the General and refused to enlist. And the old Devil saw that this game was up, and he went off and ingratiated himself with the King of Tarakán.

“Let us make war,” says he, “and conquer King Iván’s country. It is true there is no money, but there is plenty of corn and cattle and everything else.”

So the King of Tarakán prepared to make war. He mustered a great army, provided rifles and cannons, marched to the frontier, and entered Iván’s kingdom.

And people came to Iván and said, “The King of Tarakán is coming to make war on us.”

“All right,” said Iván, “let him come.”

Having crossed the frontier, the King of Tarakán sent scouts to look for Iván’s army. They looked and looked, but there was no army! They waited and waited for one to appear somewhere, but there were no signs of an army, and nobody to fight with. The King of Tarakán then sent to seize the villages. The soldiers came to a village, and the people, both men and women, rushed out in astonishment to