The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-10-08
From the Ralston's Russian Folk Tales
Tho Cross Surety,

Once upon a time two merchants lived 10
a certain town, just on the verge Of a
stream. One of them was a Russian, the
other q Tartar both were rich. But the
Russian got so utterly ruined by some bust
ness or other that he hadn't single bit Of
property left. Everything he had was con-
fiscated or stolen. The Russian merchant
had nothing to turn to--he was left as poor
as rat. So he went to his friend the
Tartar, and besought him to lend him some
money.
.sGet me surety" says the Tartar. ~
'tBut whom can / get for you, seeing
that I haven't soul belonging to me ?
Stay, though there's surety for you, the
life-giving cross on the church J"
Every good, my FRIEND" says the
Tartar, "Pll trust your cross. Your faith
or ours it's all one to me-"
And he gave the Russian merchant
$4,000 rubles. The Russian took the
money, babe the Tarter farewell, and went
back to trade in divers places.
By the end of two years he had gained
150,O0O rubles by the 80, 600 he had Dor
rowed. Now he happened to be sailing
one day along the Danube, going with
wares from one place to another, when all
Of a sudden storm arose, and was on the
point of sinking the ship he was in. Then
me merchant remembered how he had
borrowed money. and given the life-giving
cross as surety, but had not paid his
debt. That was doubtless the cause of the
storm arising! No sooner had he said this
to himself than the storm began to subside.
The merchant took barrel, counted out
$4,000 rubles, wrote the Tartar a note,
placed it together with the money, in the
barrel, and then flung the barrel into the
water, saying to himself: GAS l gave
the cross as my surety to the Tartar, the
money will be certain to reach him."
The barrel straightway sank to the bot!
tom. Every one supposed the money was
lost. But what happened? In the Tar
tar's house there lived a Russian Kitchen
maid. One day she happened to 60 to
the river for water, and when she got there
she saw barrel floating along. So she
went little way into the water and began
trying to get hold of it. But it wasn't to
be done When she made at the barrel,
it retreated from her when she turned
from the barrel to the shore it hoated
after her. She went on trying and trying
for some time, then she went home and
told her master all that had happened. At
first he wouldn't believe her, but at last
he determined to 60 to the river
and sec for himself what sort of barrel
it was that was floating there. When he
got there, sure enough there was the barrel
floating, and not far from the shore. The
Tartar took off his clothes and went into
the water before he had gone any distance
the barrel came floating up to him of its
own accord. He laid hold of it and carried
it home, opened it, and looked inside.
There he saw quantity of money, and on
top of the money note. He took out the
note and read it, and this is what was said
in it,:
"Dear friend-I return your $4,000
rubles for which, when borrowed them
from you, gave the life-giving cross as a
surety" 5RF
The Tartar read these words, and was
astounded at the power of the life-giving
cross. He counted the money over to see
whether the full sum was really there. 1t
was there exactly.
Meanwhile, the Russian merchant, after
trading some five years, made tolerable
fortune. Well, he returned to his old
home, and, thinking that his barrel had
been lost, he considered it his first duty to
settle with the Tartar. So he went to the
house and offered him the money he had
borrowed. Then the Tartar told him all
that had happened, and how he had found
the barrel in the river, with the money and
the note inside it. Then he showed him the
note, saying:
''Is that really your hand? ?"
at certainly u.s." replied the other.
Every one was astounded at this won-
derful manifestation, and the Tartar said !:
"TheR Pve no more money to receive
from you, brother, take that back again"
The Russian merchant had a service per-
formed as thank-offering to God, and
next day the Tartar was baptized with all
his household. The Russian merchant
was his godfather, and the l1itchen-maid
his godmother. After that they both
lived long and happily, survived to great
age, and then died peacefully. ta