Kind heart is more expensive than beauty
There lived somehow on the bank of Silent Don the kind Cossack, and there was at it favourite daughter Груня. The girl and горбата was ugly the person. Still the small it has fallen from a porch, has hit a back about a step, since then and dews at it a hump on a back.
But heart at Груни was - for hundred years search across all Don, you will not find the such! Will see, how the old woman hardly bears water, will run up, will pick up buckets, will help. The old man вязку fire wood bears - to a step superfluous will not allow to it to step Груня: takes fire wood and itself will inform where it is necessary. Each traveller will feed, will give to drink, to sleep will lay moreover in a road bag of fat, flat cakes will put: it is useful supposedly in road. For all life has offended nobody Груня.
People loved the girl for its heart kind. Mother Gruni has died for a long time, and the father has solved the new wife in the house to take.
And that the Cossack will solve, will make.
It in the house has resulted the wife new, and at it too the daughter was, one years with Груней. Улитой her called.
To what it was beautiful Улита! Long plaits, as вороново a wing, eyebrows, as if arrows, the person white, ruddy, itself harmonous, as a birch. Search for such beauty all over the world - you will not find.
Yes one was dashing at the girl: heart at it malicious was, fierce. Will see, happened, that the old woman grey-haired goes, against a stick leans, hardly feet moves, will approach to it Улита and well to laugh, sneer:
- And that you, the grandmother, live till now, - the malicious girl asks. - that you smoke till now light? To whom are you necessary, old?
The old woman will look at it, will stop, tear for insult a palm will brush away, will shake a head and will go further.
And Улита already to the ancient old man runs, will push it as if accidentally, will laugh over it.
And that will go on the river, will catch a small small fish, will throw it on hot sand and looks, how the small fish fights, chokes, from a pain writhes.
At once has taken a dislike Груню malicious Улита. As soon as it did not scoff over poor Груней! That will pull its plait, will pinch painfully will adhere a towel to the back a pillow and will start to show, how humpbacked go.
It will be hammered into dark corner Груня, cries quietly, complains to nobody.
And the stepmother will see Груню in tears - and well to reproach:
- Ah you, the idler such-sjakaja, only also know what to cry yes to sob. And that you will not die, poor?
Even more strongly cries Груня, and all is silent.
... During that time Cossacks with enemies conducted war, and happens so, that the Cossack young by their house went on war. It has stopped a horse and has shouted:
- People kind, whether it is impossible to give to drink at you a horse yes most from road to have a rest?
There passed at this time on a court yard beauty Ulita, has looked at the Cossack - boots at it in a dust, the person has acquired a beard, it is not enough beauty in it, and has told:
- There is no place to adhere at us horses, pass, служивый, further.
And Груня has jumped out from куреня, a horse has given to drink, to the Cossack to be washed has given, a pure towel has brought, has taken away the Cossack in a room, has fed, on a pure bed to sleep has laid, and itself has sat down in heads, sits - flies drives away.
Has admired Груня beauty of the Cossack: the forelock Cossack on a white forehead falls, from long eyelashes the shade on white cheeks lays down, a breast powerful as the wave, rises.
Has put Груня quietly the hand on a white forehead of the good fellow, and the Cossack in a dream took Грунину a hand and has kissed strong. Was frightened Груня, has drawn aside a hand, and on that place where the Cossack has kissed, the hand, as fire the burnt burns.
The Cossack has had a sleep-has had a sleep, has risen in the morning, has said goodbye with Груней, villages on the swift-footed racer and has dashed away.
Again lives Груня in melancholy yes in insult, lives - of anybody does not complain, recollects often the Cossack-good fellow, recollects yes bitterly sighs:
- Where to me, the ugly creature unfortunate, about the kind good fellow to think? Dogs and those are afraid to look at me...
Here year passes, two pass, Cossacks-soldiers of enemies from Silent Don have banished, there is back an army Cossack with songs, with jokes-humourous catchphrases, goes - people rejoice, invite Cossacks of kind home-made beer откушать, a white kalatch to try.
And to Груниному to the father the most important commander from their army has called in. It was young, is beautiful and very brave - about its heroism already on Don songs sang. It has gone on war by the simple Cossack, and became the commander to the main things.
Stepmother Grunina dresses up the daughter Улиту, plaits to it braids, hands билезики - beautiful bracelets - puts on. Still краше becomes Улита. You will look at it - eyes you will not take away.
And Груня floors washes, on a food table submits, home-made beer puts.
Here everything have sat down to table, took the commander the Cossack cup, strong бражчой filled, has lifted it and has led such speech:
- There was I when on war with ворогами, have got tired from road and have come in курень Cossack to have a rest. I have laid down to sleep, and the dream such has dreamt me: the maiden has come to a room, villages near me and sits, looks at me, my dream guards.
Kind this maiden was, and what it the person - does not know. I strong slept then have forgotten. There was I in the morning, have saddled a horse and have left. Meal and the star дивуюсь: "Never in me of force valiant such was! Would meet mountains then - mountains has curtailed. Whence, I think, this force powerful in me?" Has met to me then the old woman ancient, has stopped me and said:
"You go, the Cossack, from ворогов to protect Silent Don, and to be to you the big soldier. Anybody will not overcome you, nobody will master. And force in you - from heart of the maiden has passed, from its kindness. You have forgotten, the kind good fellow as you have kissed a hand of that maiden. And to be to you the kind husband of that maiden. You also will find it so: on the right hand at it will be отметинка, and it will not disappear at it until you will not find the суженую. For the best bride do not search, tender heart - is more expensive than beauty".
- Has told so the old woman, has bowed and has gone. Since then I also search for the суженую, was not present to me in rest heart. I will find it is in feet I will bow to it that it such has given force to me, and there will be it to me женою верною.
While spoke so the Cossack, has risen Груня, there were on a porch, villages, sits, a thought thinks. She has learnt that Cossack who to it kissed a hand, and cannot admit to it: where to it such to good to the good fellow to affect!
It sits having become sad, sits, suddenly hears - Улита calls her. Has approached to it Груня, and Улита asks:
- And that it at you, the sister, the right hand is always tied up?
Was confused Груня, has reddened and answers:
- I cut fire wood yes with an axe and have struck. In any way the hand here does not heal...
And Улита has already guessed about everything, malicious eyes and run, heart presses with envy.
- And that you have risen because of a table, the sister? - She asks Груню.
- To drink to me it wanted, Улита.
- And go here, I will give to you водицы, the sister, - speaks Улита.
Has approached Груня to it, took a cup with water, has drunk and has fallen замертво: poured to it Улита to poison strong, mortal.
Has seized it Улита, has dragged in a closet, has thrown, and itself has made to itself on the right hand same отметинку what at Груни was, has wound with a rag and has gone again to a room.
Увидал its wound hand the young Cossack, asks:
- And what it at you, the maiden? Аль has wounded where, аль has hurt?
Has approached Улита to it and speaks:
- I that maiden whom you have kissed a hand. Here and отметинка on a hand, does not heal since then. You have forgotten, the kind good fellow as I sat about you, your dream guarded...
The Cossack was delighted, ordered to collect all army, wedding to prepare. The soldiers, all people служивые have gathered for wedding, old men, old women and children small have come. The lavish feast has begun here.
Day the Cossacks walk, two walk, and for the third day the old woman ancient, hair, as threads silver - grey-haired all enters into a room. Has entered, a staff about a floor has knocked and so said:
- There was I, old, through woods and mountains, through meadows and arable lands and have come in time: wedding has not come to an end still, business malicious has not come true still.
Took it the commander Cossack for a hand, has resulted in a closet, and there lays Груня, the person at it has turned blue, terrible became.
The old woman on Груню has scattered water of life, the girl has opened eyes, and in eyes it is so much kindness as if from the heart goes.
The Cossack has learnt here the girl, has embraced her and has told:
- Kind heart is more expensive than beauty. There will be you the wife my true, the maiden, I will love and regret you to the death.
They have come to a room, have bowed to the old Cossack, father Gruninomu, have sat down to table, strong бражки have drunk. And the old woman has approached to Улите and has told:
- It is impossible with such heart with people to live, the malicious maiden. You will creep henceforth on a bottom of Silent Don, and not to know to you neither good, nor caress human. And that you laughed at a grief human, - you on yourself will always carry a hump.
Has told so the old woman, has struck its staff - and has turned malicious Улита to a small snail-gorbatku.
And the old woman to Груне has then turned back, has touched it the hand and has told:
- And you, the maiden, kind heart, be same beautiful, as well as kind.
Also became Груня such beauty, that in a fairy tale to tell, a feather to describe. They have embraced the young Cossack, have bowed to the old woman, чарку бражки to strong it have brought, thanks have told.
Also they began to live-live since then, children to raise, yes old people to respect.
And the snail-gorbatka and creeps since then on a bottom of Silent Don yes in lakes dark blue, in the rivers transparent.
Creeps and does not know neither good, nor caress human.
