Old Favors
So this was sparked by a mention of folk tales on my friendslist. I love, love, looooove folk tales . . . and I quite suddenly remembered one I'd read for a Russian lit class. It was the most disturbing folk tale I'd ever read. Not because it had the gore, but because . . . well, read it. It isn't long.
Old Favors Are Soon Forgotten
Running from the hunters, a wolf came across a peasant and asked the man to hide him in his bag. The man agreed, and when the hunters asked him if he'd seen the wolf, he said no. Once they were gone, the peasant let the wolf out of his bag. The wolf said, "Thank you for hiding me. And now I will devour you." The man cried, "Wait! I just saved your life." And the wolf said, "Old favors are soon forgotten."
The peasant despaired, knowing he couldn't escape the wolf, but in desperation begged the wolf to walk with him down the path and ask the next three people they met if old favors were soon forgotten. If they agreed, the peasant promised he would submit and let the wolf devour him.
They came across an old dog first, and asked him if old favors were soon forgotten. The dog thought a moment, then said, "I worked hard for my master for twenty years, jumping at his every command, and protecting his family. However, once I became too old to work, he drove me out of his house. Yes, old favors are soon forgotten."
The wolf smiled unpleasantly, but the peasant reminded him that there were two more people to ask. Next, they met an old swayback mare on the path, and asked her if old favors were soon forgotten. She thought a moment, and answered, "I carried my master for twelve long years, bearing him twelve foals, and working for him with all my strength. But when I got too old to carry him further, he drove me out into the world to die. Yes, old favors are soon forgotten."
The wolf capered with joy and licked his chops, but the peasant led him on down the path until they came to a fox. When they asked her if old favors were soon forgotten, she frowned and thought hard. Finally, she asked how they came to ask the question, and they told her how the peasant had hid the wolf in his bag. She shook her head. "I don't believe that large wolf fit in your small bag." And, though they swore it was true, she would not accept their word until the wolf climbed into the bag to prove it. Then she ordered the peasant to quickly tie up the bag and beat it with his stick.
He gave the trapped wolf a good drubbing, then swung his stick around, hitting the fox in the head and killing her, saying, "Old favors are soon forgotten."
I don't know how many times I read the last line, wanting it to turn into something different. There was something so profoundly disturbing about this sudden, uncalled for violence. Yes, people in folk tales die all the time, and not always "bad guys", but fate of the poor fox really preyed on my mind. For days after reading it, I couldn't leave it alone, just kept thinking about it. Old favors are soon forgotten.
Not all folk tales are like that, of course. Maybe I will type out the one about the crossdressing hunter sometime, that one is crazy-funny.
Old Favors Are Soon Forgotten
Running from the hunters, a wolf came across a peasant and asked the man to hide him in his bag. The man agreed, and when the hunters asked him if he'd seen the wolf, he said no. Once they were gone, the peasant let the wolf out of his bag. The wolf said, "Thank you for hiding me. And now I will devour you." The man cried, "Wait! I just saved your life." And the wolf said, "Old favors are soon forgotten."
The peasant despaired, knowing he couldn't escape the wolf, but in desperation begged the wolf to walk with him down the path and ask the next three people they met if old favors were soon forgotten. If they agreed, the peasant promised he would submit and let the wolf devour him.
They came across an old dog first, and asked him if old favors were soon forgotten. The dog thought a moment, then said, "I worked hard for my master for twenty years, jumping at his every command, and protecting his family. However, once I became too old to work, he drove me out of his house. Yes, old favors are soon forgotten."
The wolf smiled unpleasantly, but the peasant reminded him that there were two more people to ask. Next, they met an old swayback mare on the path, and asked her if old favors were soon forgotten. She thought a moment, and answered, "I carried my master for twelve long years, bearing him twelve foals, and working for him with all my strength. But when I got too old to carry him further, he drove me out into the world to die. Yes, old favors are soon forgotten."
The wolf capered with joy and licked his chops, but the peasant led him on down the path until they came to a fox. When they asked her if old favors were soon forgotten, she frowned and thought hard. Finally, she asked how they came to ask the question, and they told her how the peasant had hid the wolf in his bag. She shook her head. "I don't believe that large wolf fit in your small bag." And, though they swore it was true, she would not accept their word until the wolf climbed into the bag to prove it. Then she ordered the peasant to quickly tie up the bag and beat it with his stick.
He gave the trapped wolf a good drubbing, then swung his stick around, hitting the fox in the head and killing her, saying, "Old favors are soon forgotten."
I don't know how many times I read the last line, wanting it to turn into something different. There was something so profoundly disturbing about this sudden, uncalled for violence. Yes, people in folk tales die all the time, and not always "bad guys", but fate of the poor fox really preyed on my mind. For days after reading it, I couldn't leave it alone, just kept thinking about it. Old favors are soon forgotten.
Not all folk tales are like that, of course. Maybe I will type out the one about the crossdressing hunter sometime, that one is crazy-funny.