Themes

Once upon a time a peasant went to the forest where he intended to plant turnip. He plowed the land and was about to sow seeds. Suddenly a Bear came to the peasant and said: "Why are you sowing turnip in my forest! I will eat you now!" "Don't eat me!" begged the peasant for mercy. "I will share the harvest with you. You will take the leafy tops of the turnips and I will take the roots." The Bear agreed. Soon autumn came and the peasant came to the forest to harvest the turnips. He gave the Bear the leafy tops of the turnips as he had promised, loaded the roots on the cart and headed off to the market to sell the turnips. The Bear asked the peasant, "Give me your roots to taste!" The beast tasted the roots of the turnip and snarled, "You've deceived me! Your roots are tasty and sweet! Next time I will take roots and you will take the leafy tops." The peasant agreed and planted rye next year. When he came to the forest to harvest the rye, the Bear was already waiting for him. The peasant gave the beast the roots and went to a mill to thresh the grain. The Bear started gnawing the roots. They were tasteless. The Bear understood that the peasant had deceived him again and forbade him to plant anything in the forest. Since that time peasants sow seeds in the field, and the bears gather mushrooms and pick berries in the forest.