The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-06-21
Albanv @e0i5ter.
From the Every Saturday.
Russian Jester.

to back them: and it will be found
that, ip every nation, some one per-
sonage, real or mythical is selected
as the lay figure upon which all
popular .iests are by common con-
fent displayed. The English have
their Joe Miller, the Germans their
Schiltbmgcr and their l'yll Eulens-
piegel, tie .imericans their Colonel
Crockett, the Orientals their Nasi-
reddin ell kbeiah; aud in the same
way, the chosen godiathers of Rus
sian humor are Balakireif the jes-
ter, and Marshal Suvorofl. The
latter name has long since passed
into history but the former requires
some introduction to non-Russian
readers. Popular traditions unite
in representing Balakiretf as the
constant attendant Of Peter the
Great, who figures largely in all
the stories attached to the name of
his builoon. Many Of these stories /
are probably tie fabrication of a I
latter age; but a fair proportion Of
them bear marks of authenticity, !
and, as fair specimens of national I
humor, are worth quoting.
On one OCCASION Balakiretf beg
ged permission Of lis imperial mas
ter to attach himself to the guard
stationed at the palace; and Peter,
for the sake of the joke, consented !
warning him at the same time
that any officer Of the guard who
happened to lose his sword, or to
he absent from his post when sum-
moned, was puuished with death.
The newly-made officer promiseito
do his best; but the temptation Of
some good wine sent to his quarters
that evening by the Gar, to mois
ten his commission" proved too
strong for him ; and he partook so
freely as to become completely
screwed" While lie was sleep
lug off his debauch, Peter stole
softly into the room, and carried off
his sword. Balakirelf, missing it
ON awaking, and frightened ont Of
his wits at the probable consequent
ces, could devise no better remedy
than to replace the weapon with his
own professional sword OF lath, the
hilt and trappings Of which were
exactly similar to those otthe guards
men. Thus equipped, be appeared
ON parade the next morning conf !
dent in the assurance of remaining :
undetected, if not forced to draw !;
his weapon. But Peter, who had q
doubtless foreseen this contingency, :
instantly began storming at one of !
the men for his untidy appearance, =
and at length faced round upon Bal i
akiretf' with the stern ORDER" Capt. .
Balakiret' draw your sword and ! !,
cut that sloven down." =, -
The poor jester, thus brought a. a.
fairly to bay, laid his hand on his = =.
llilt as if to obey, but at the same ~ ~
time exclaimed teryently, " Nerci- Il Il
tul Heaven. let my sword be turned h h
into wood J" ~
And drawing the weapon, he : !,
exhibited in very deed a harmless Il
Iath. Even the presence of the j. i
emperor was powerless to check the :, :
'oar of laughter which followed :, =,
md Balakiretf was allowed to es- |;
ape. tc
The jcster's ingenuity occasional = !;
Y served him in extricating Others II II
rom trouble as we'll as himself. - =.
A cousin Of bis, having fallen under ", ~
lie displeasure of the Gar, was Z
about to be executed and Balaki- = :,
reff presented himself at court to +
petition for a reprieve. Peter, see :
ug him enter, and at once divining
lis Grand, shouted to him, It's N
no use your coming here: | swear ii
hat | will not grant what you are Il
going to ask - IL
Quick as thought, Balakirea IL
lropped on his knees, and exclaim- h,
d, I" Peter Alexeieyitch, | bcseeeh a
Tou put that scamp Of a cousin of IL
nine to DEATH" Peter, thuscaught
II lis own trap, had no chance but
o laugh, and send a pardon to the u
,ffender. =, ~
During one of tie Cars Livon- y
an campaigns, q thick fog greatly 10 10
the movements Of the u, u,
rmy. At length a pale watery " "
Jean began to show itself through kl
he mist, and two OF the Russian ~
Ulcers fell to disputing whether Ia
his were the sun or not. Balaki-
eff, happening to pass by at that ne
moment, they appealed to him to an
Iecide. SIS that yonder light the on
un, brother?" wi
elbow should / know?" an
wered tie jester; "I'yeneyer been
ere before" sa
At the end of the same campaign, gr
sveral OF the officers were relat- =
ng their exploits, when Balakiref
tepped among them. I'ye got a
- \ L ! t,r