Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-09-04

0S oS INV W. Nv SSSH "
daughters. Her step-mother grew
more savage than ever and replied to
each sutton:
1.-The younger must not marry before
her elder sisters"
And after the suitors had been
packed off she would beat Vasilissa
from spite.
1t happened. now, that the merchant
had to be away on business for a long
time. Thereupon the step-mother
moved to another house by a dense
forest. In a clearing in that forest
lived a Bahia Yaga Gan evil fairy. She
never let any one come near her dwell
ing, and she ate up people like so many
chickens.
The merchants wife kept sending
her hated Vasilissa into the forest on
one pretext or another. But the girl
always got home safe and sound; the
doll used to show her the way, and
never let her go near the Bahia Yaga's
dwelling.
One evening the step-mother gave
work to the three girls; one she set to
lace-making, another to knitting socks,
and Vasilissa to weaving, and each a
allotted amount to do. She put out
the lights in the house, leaving only
one candle alight where the girls were
working, and went to bed. The girls
worked and worked. Presently the
candle wanted snuffing; one of the
step-daughters took the shutters, as if
to clear the wick, but. obeying her
mothers orders, she snuffed the candle
out, pretending to do so by accident.
"What shall we do % said the girls.
"There isn't a spark of fire in the
house, and our tasks are not done.
We must go to the Bahia Yaga's for a
light"
my pins give me light enough"
said the lace-maker. "I shan't go"
Neither shall l." said the knitter.
"My knitting-ncedles give me light
enough"
"Vasilissa, you must go for the
light" they both cried together "be
off to the Bahia Yaga's J"
"Vasilissa went to her closet, set
before the doll a supper, and said:
"Now, dolly, feed, and listen to my
need! I'm sent to the Bahia Yaga's
for a light. The Bahia Yaga will eat
me-"
The doll fed, and its eyes glowed like
q pair of candles.
"Never fear it said. eco where
you are sent. Only keep me always bv
you. AS long as I'm with you. no
harm will come to you at the Bahia
Yaga's."
So Vasilissa put her doll into her
pocket, crossed herself, and went out
into the forest. AS she walks she
trembles. Suddenly a horseman gal
lops by. He is white, and is dressed in
white, under him is a white horse with
white trappings-and the day begins to
break. She goes a little further, and a
second rider gallops by. He is red, is
dressed in red, and rides a red horse
and SUI rises.
Thus Vasilissa walks all night and
all the next day. Toward evening she
reached the clearing where stood the
dwelling of the Bahia Yaga. The fence
around it was made Of dead mems
bones; on the top of the fence were
stuck human skulls with eyes in them /;
instead of uprights at the gates were
mems legs instead of bolts were arms /;
instead of a lock was "a mouth with
sharp teeth.
Suddenly there rode past another
horseman. He was dark. dressed all
in black, and rode a black horse. He
galloped up to the Bahia Yaga's gate,
and disappeared as if he had sunk
into the ground-and night fell. But
the darkness did not last long. The
eyes of all the skulls on the fence began
to shine, and the whole clearing be-
came as bright as if it had been mid
day. Vasilissa shuddered with fear,
but knew not which way to run.
Soon there was heard in the forest a
terrible roar. The trees cracked, the
dry leaves rustled; out of the forest
came the Bahia Yaga, riding in a NOR
tar, urging it on with a pestle, sweep
ing away her traces with a broom.
She drove to the gate, stopped short,
and, snufing the air around her, cried:
"Faugh! I smell Russian flesh!
Who's therep"
Vasilissa, in a terrible fright, went
up to the hag, bowed low before her,
and said:
at is 1, granny. My step-sistcrs
have sent me to you for a light"
every good said the Bahia Yaga,
II know them. If you'll stop awhile
with me first, and do some work for
me, III give you a light. But if you
won't I'll eat you!"
Then the gates opened, and the Baba
Yaga drove in, whistling as she went,
| and Vasilissa followed. and everything
closed again. When they entered the
house the Bahia Yaga stretched herself
and said to Vasilissa:
"Fetch out what there is in the oven.
I am hungry"
Vasilissa lighted a splinter at one of
the skulls on the fence, fetched meat
from the oven and set it before the
Bahia Yaga; and enough had been pro-
vided for a dozen people. Then she
fetched from the cellar krass, mead,
beer and wine. The bag ate and drank
everything, leaving for Vasilissa only
a few scraps. Then the Bahia Yaga lay
down to sleep, saying:
when l go out tomorrow morning
you cleanse the court yard, sweep the
room, cook the dinner and get the lin
en- ready. Then go to the bin, take
out four quarters Of wheat and clear it
of other seed. And unless o have