Georgian Folk Tales

GEORGIAN FOLK TALES

PART I GEORGIAN FOLK TALES
I Master and Pupil
II The Three Sisters and their Stepmother
III The Good-for-nothing
IV The Frog’s Skin
V Fate
VI Ghvthisavari (I am of God)
VII The Serpent and the Peasant
VIII Gulambara and Sulambara
IX The Two Brothers
X The Prince
XI Conkiajgharuna1
XII Asphurtzela1
XIII The Shepherd and the Child of Fortune
XIV The Two Thieves
XV The Fox and the King’s Son
XVI The King and the Apple1

PART II MINGRELIAN TALES1
I The Three Precepts
II Kazha-ndii
III The Story of Geria, the Poor Man’s Son
IV The Prince who befriended the Beasts
V The Cunning Old Man and the Demi
VI Sanartia
VII The Shepherd Judge
VIII The Priest’s youngest Son

PART III GURIAN FOLK TALES
I The Strong Man and the Dwarf
II The Grasshopper and the Ant1
III The Countryman and the Merchant
IV The King and the Sage
V The King’s Son
VI Teeth and No-Teeth
VII The Queen’s Whim
VIII The Fool’s good Fortune
IX Two Losses
X The Story of Dervish
XI The Father’s Prophecy
XII The Hermit Philosopher
XIII The King’s Counsellor1
XIV A Witty Answer

ONCE upon a time there was a poor peasant who had one son. And it came to pass that his wife said to him: ‘He should learn some trade, for when he is separated from thee, what will he do if he is left ignorant like thee?’ The wife importuned him; she gave him no rest. So the peasant took his child, and went to seek a master for him. On the way they were thirsty. He saw a rivulet, drank eagerly till his thirst was quenched, and when he lifted up his head he cried out: ‘Ah! how good thou art!’1 On saying this, there came forth from the water a devil in the form of a man, and said to the peasant: ‘What dost thou want, O man! I am Vakhraca; what troubles thee?’ The peasant told him all his story. The devil, when he learnt this, said: ‘Give me this son of thine: I will teach him for one year, then come hither; if thou knowest him, it is well, he will go with thee; if not, he is mine and mine alone, he shall be lost to thee.’