once upon a time there were two brothers who lived together in the same household. one attended to everything, while the other was an indolent fellow, who occupied himself only with eating and drinking. their harvests were always magnificent; they had cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, bees, and all other things in great abundance.
the elder, who did everything about the estate, said to himself one day:
"why should i toil for this lazy fellow? it would be better that we should separate. i will work for myself alone, and he can do whatever he pleases." so he said to his brother:
"brother, it is unjust that i should take charge of all whilst thou wilt aid me in nothing, and thinkest only of eating and drinking. it is better that we should part."
the other tried to turn him from his project, saying:
"brother, do not do this. we get on so well together. thou hast all in thy hands—not only what is thine, but what is mine, and thou knowest that i am always contented with what thou doest, and with what thou orderest."
but the elder persisted in his resolution so firmly that the younger was obliged to give up, and said:
"since it is so i have no ill-will toward thee. make the division as seemeth good to thee."
the division made, each one ordered his life as he thought good. the indolent brother took a herder for his cattle and horses, a shepherd for his sheep, a goatherd for his goats, a swineherd for his pigs, a keeper for his bees, and said to each of them:
"i confide my goods to thee, and may god watch over thee."
[111]
and he continued to live in his house without any more care he had ever done.
the elder on the contrary laboured for his half of the property as much as he had ever done for the common good. he kept his herds himself, having an eye on everything, but in spite of all his care he had ill success on every side.
from day to day everything turned out badly with him, so that at last he became so poor that he had not even a pair of sandals, and was obliged to go barefooted. then he said to himself:
"i will go to my brother's, and see how the world wags with him."
his way led him across a meadow where a flock of sheep was grazing, and as he drew near he saw that the sheep had no shepherd. near them, however, a beautiful young girl was seated, spinning a thread of gold.
after having saluted the maiden with a "god protect thee," he asked her whose were the sheep, and she answered:
"to whom i belong, belong the sheep also."
"and who art thou?" he continued.
"i am thy brother's fortune," she answered.
then the traveller was seized with wrath and envy, and cried out:
"and where is my fortune?"
the maiden answered him: "ah, she is far from thee."
"can i find her?" he asked.
she answered: "thou canst find her—only look for her."
when he had heard these words, and saw that the sheep were so beautiful that nothing finer could be imagined, he did not care to go farther to see the other flocks, but went direct to his brother, who as soon as he had seen him took pity on him, and said, weeping:
"why hast thou hidden thyself from me for so long a time?"
then seeing that he was in rags and barefooted he gave him a pair of sandals and some money.
after having remained three days with his brother the poor fellow departed to return home, but once arrived at the house
[112]
he threw a sack over his shoulders, put a morsel of bread in it, took a stick in his hand, and set out into the world to seek his fortune.
having travelled a long time he found himself at last in a deep forest where he met a wretched old woman asleep in a thicket. he began to beat the ground with his stick to wake up the old woman, and at last gave her a blow on the back. however, she scarcely moved even then, and half opening her drowsy eyes, said to him:
"thou mayest thank god that i was asleep, for if i had been awake thou wouldst not have had those sandals."
then he said to her: "who art thou then, who wouldst have hindered me from having these sandals?"
the old hag answered him: "i am thy fortune."
hearing these words he beat his breast, crying: "what! thou art my fortune! may god exterminate thee! who gave thee to me?"
and the old hag said to him: "it was destiny."
"where is destiny?"
"go and seek for him," she answered, going to sleep again.
then he departed and went to seek for destiny.
after a long, long journey he arrived at last at another wood, and in this wood he found a hermit of whom he asked if he could not give him some news of destiny?
the hermit answered him: "climb that mountain, and thou wilt arrive at his castle, but when thou reachest destiny be careful not to speak to him. do only what thou seest him do, until he speaks to thee."
the traveller thanked the hermit, took his way up the mountain, and when he had arrived at the castle of destiny what wonderful things he saw!
the luxury was absolutely royal. there was a crowd of servants, always in motion and doing nothing. as for destiny, he was supping at a magnificent table. when the stranger saw this he seated himself also at table and ate with the master of the house. after supper destiny went to bed and the traveller did the same. toward midnight
[113]
terrible noise was heard in the castle, and in the midst of the noise a voice crying:
"destiny, destiny—so many souls have come into the world to-day. give them something at thy good pleasure."
and destiny arose, opened a golden coffer, and threw into the room a shower of shining ducats, saying:
"such as i am to-day, so shall you be all your lives."
at daybreak the grand castle vanished, and there took its place an ordinary house, but one in which nothing was wanting. when evening came destiny sat down to supper again, his guest did the same, and no one spoke a word. after supper both went to bed as before.
toward midnight again commenced the terrible noise in the castle, and in the midst of the tumult a voice crying:
"destiny, destiny, so many souls have seen the light to-day. give them something at thy good pleasure."
destiny arose and opened a silver coffer, but this time there were no ducats in it, only silver money mixed with a few pieces of gold. destiny threw this silver upon the ground, saying:
"such as i am to-day, so shall you be all your lives."
at daybreak the house had vanished, and there appeared in its place another smaller one. so passed each night; each morning the house became smaller until at last it was only a miserable hut. destiny then took a spade and began to dig up the earth; his guest did the same, and they dug all day long. when evening came destiny took a crust of hard bread, broke it in two, and gave half to his companion. this was all their supper, and when they had eaten they went to bed.
toward midnight again commenced the terrible noise, and in the midst of it a voice was heard, crying:
"destiny, destiny, so many souls have come into the world this night. give them something at thy good pleasure."
destiny arose, opened a coffer, and began to throw out pebbles among which were mixed some small money, saying as he did so:
"such as i am to-day, so shall you be all your lives."
[114]
when morning came the hut was changed again to a grand palace as it had been on the first day. then for the first time destiny spoke to his guest, and said to him:
"why hast thou come to me?"
the traveller then related his miseries in detail, and said that he had come to ask of destiny himself, why he had given him so evil a fortune.
destiny answered him:
"thou didst see that the first night i sowed ducats and what followed thereon. such as i am on the night when a man is born, such that man will be all his life. thou wert born on a night of poverty, and thou wilt remain always poor. thy brother, on the contrary, came into the world in a happy hour, and happy he will remain to the end. but since thou hast taken so much trouble to find me i will tell thee how thou mayst help thyself. thy brother has a daughter named miliza, who is as fortunate as her father. take her for thy wife when thou shalt return to thine own country, and all that thou shalt acquire thereafter, be careful to say belongs to her."
the traveller thanked destiny many times and departed.
when he had returned to his own country he went straight to his brother, and said to him:
"brother, give me miliza. thou seest that without her i am alone in the world."
and the brother answered: "it pleases me well. miliza is thine."
straightway the bridegroom took his brother's daughter to his house, and he became very rich, but he was always careful to say: "all that i have belongs to miliza."
one day he went into the fields to see his wheat, which was so fine that there was nothing like it in the whole country around. a traveller passed along the way, and said to him:
"whose is this wheat?"
and the elder brother, without thinking, answered: "it is mine."
but scarcely had he spoken than a spark was seen in the wheat
[115]
and in an instant it was all on fire. quickly he ran after the traveller, and cried out:
"stop, my friend, this wheat is not mine. it belongs to miliza, my brother's daughter."
the fire was instantly extinguished, and thenceforth the elder brother was happy—thanks to miliza.
