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One way the waters tossed,
On the other lay woe,
On the third side naught but moss,
On the fourth side—Oh!
“Get up, Prince, and avaunt! Let Danílo sit at the head of the table.”
So they went back all the way to their palace, and they were covered with mud from head to foot.
I myself then should have liked to see the Prince and Princess; and they were just poking their heads out of the door, but, whilst it was opening, I slipped and fell down flat.
THE SORRY DRUNKARD
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Once there lived an old man, and he was such a sorry drunkard as words cannot describe. He used to go to the drinking-booth, drink green wine, and crawl away home through the hops. And his road lay across a river.
When he came to the river, he did not dally to think; but slipped off his boots, hung them on his head, and wandered at ease till he came into the middle, stumbled and fell into the water, and was heard of no more.
But he had a son, Ugly Peter, Petrúsha. When Petrúsha saw that his father had vanished utterly, he became melancholy, and wept, had a Requiem Mass sung for his soul, and began to administer the property.