there’s enough in my household for the village of dragons!
So it happened, Dragons daughter came, married Radosh, and their son was half-dragon, a Zduchach. He saw fairies and nerodims on the meddows, knew who is ill in the village and for whom the Death is coming, and he also knew what the weather shall be upon his domain. Often enough, he would tell the villagers for days in advance not to bring out the cattle on a certain day, and to tie up the doors of their homes and barns well. And same as Radosh, he brought one day a bride no one saw before. Quiet, peaceful, just as he was. They married and lived well, but without the fruit among them. At that time, the whole family moved to the flatlands, thinking things are going to be better when they switch the surroundings. When Radosh stops roaming the woods, the thing he never truly stopped doing whole his life, when the bears stop coming to their doors complaining about their bruises. All until the day Radosh picked up his knife again, placed it on his belt, and went to the old country to pick the plums for brandy, bringing the brandy and his blessing to the daughter-in-law and left this world forever.
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- It’s an interesting story granny, especially the part when you use granddads name in it, it’s gonna make me believe I’m a Dragons great-grandson, son of Zduchach…
- It’s no ordinary story son, it’s your story. That’s the time Radosh went to his father-in-law to ask him why his son has no children of his own and he told him this:
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- Honorable father-in-law, I’ve come for the second time to speak with you.
- Welcome you are, my son, but keep in mind you cannot wrestle me again because my strength withers not, and your age lays heavy upon you…
- I don’t have wrestling in mind, you have nothing of worth for me anymore, I’ve just come to ask you something.
- Ask than Radosh, someone is bound to know the answer in my kingdom.
- Once you’ve promised me that I’ll have no more than one living offspring for as long as you don’t get back what is yours.
- I promised Radosh, have I lied?
- Not entirely, but I had only one child, and he has none.
- There can be no other way Radosh, even I hold no power to lift my curse. If you wish for grandson, you must lose a son.
- Is there another way? I don’t wish to sacrifice a son, and I wish to have a grandson.
- There is Radosh, give me back what is mine.
- NO! I’ll never give her up for as long as I live! If I give her up than I don’t wish to live anymore!
- Than Radosh, finish up your chores, greet your family and die. As long as you two live, there shall be no third.
- Promise me then, honorable father-in-law; that you’ll stand by those words with your face and honor!
- I promise Radosh. Die, and one year shall not pass before your grandson is born.
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- And so, my son, my Radosh died and my father sent you to me. And my son, your father, left soon after Radosh. I wished to return to my kin, but my father forbade. He said: “I promised Radosh when he was alive, I won’t lie even now. His death releases you not. Until he does, you must not return.”
- You’re making fun of me granny!
- No, my son, and here is the proof – your godmother gave it to me last night. Radosh left it for you to decide.
And the Dragons great-grandson opened the parcel, taking out the white cloth as small as two fists. He opened it, and there was a white dress as light as if it was made of moonlight. He recognized the bride’s dress from grandmother’s tale. Without a word, he gave it to his granny, she pulled it over her head, appeared to him young and smilng again and vanished. Just for a moment, and then reappeared again holding a book bound in scaly leather and told him:
- Here’s a gift of wisdom from your great-grandfather. There you shall find all that was and all that’ll be. Radosh is forgiven, the curse is broken, but there is tha blood of a Dragon in you. Learn and do as you fell right, and in your kin, there will always be help for you. Just think of us and we shall all be there.
Dragon’s great-grandson, second tale
As time went by, it was easier for him to adjust to the life of solitude. Not that he had much of a company before, but his morning conversations with grandmother and her constant nagging about breakfast meant a lot to him. Now, he made his daily routine, rising with the first rays of sunshine, going to the stables to feed the cattle and foul, up to the garden for some spring onions and radishes, to the storage for some cheese he made himself using Whitey’s milk, and then to build a fire and cook some food on his old stove.
- Come on baby, I’ll let you in the yard today to manage yourself, don’t eat my lettuce again – he scolded the white goat his granny left him, more jokingly than serious because Whitey never touched the plant in the garden. Granny was strict about that and all the animals knew it.
- Meeee – the goat waved her head and glanced him under eye like only goats can do – If only granny hadn’t left you to my care, I’d tell you things now!
- I’m sorry, you know that’s a joke, I’m in a funny mood this morning and I need an advice.
- Say your trouble.
- It seems to me the clouds are a bit murky on the west, where all the evil comes from, and the morning is a bit darker than it should be. What awaits us today, I don’t know…
- Wake that lazy no good rooster, he crowed all night and now sleeps. He doesn’t see that the Sun already peaked above his head!
- I’m not asleep, you silly goat! There were watermen around the house all night so I crowed to scare them off. As if they feel something…
- Don’t you argue with me! You’re not my kin to command me as you do with the hen!
- Of course we’re not, I scare all the demons, and you are in cahoots with them!
- Well, there’s some truth, we are kin, but I promised granny to renounce such deeds…
- All right, all right, we all promised because she saved our necks. It’s better to be a good servant than a good lunch…
- Come on, stop the argument. Someone could hear me talking to you and think I’m crazy! Is there any advice or should I go to the mountain and ask the winds?
- Go to the river, the goat had a good idea to ask me, to the watermill and ask the miller. He has an agreement with the watermen, maybe he’ll know a thing or two…
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The old miller sat in front of his house, knitting his fish net. The fee for milling was not enough for his large family, so he contributed his budget by fishing. No wonder, nobody else dared to fish besides him because watermen often dragged people, tore their nets and broke fish traps. He was told to have an agreement with watermen not to bother him, but the old man never spoke about it.
- God helps, uncle Milan!
- God help you, Peter, what good brings you here?
- Well, not really good, I need your help and advice…
- What can an old miller help to a Zduchach? You know thing better than me – the old man looked upon him cunningly, holding one eye closed to keep the cigarette smoke out of it.
- Oh, my uncle Milan, only you know what I am, and you had to hear it from someone enlightened. No use to hide from me.
- Ehehehehe, right, right, I heard from the enlightened. Frogs are croaking, grass whispers, the waters are burbling, and the mill ticks. I know what you are and who you are. What, I repeat, can an old mille help you?
- Dark are the clouds in the west, my rooster told me the watermen were restless last night, and I know how they hate being far from water. Do you know what’s happening?
- I know they are restless, but I don’t know why. I would’ve gone to ask, but I can’t.
- Why not? You are not afraid of them.
- Not of them, but something had moved into my mill, I’m not going there for the third day today…
/> - Whatever it may be, there’s two of us. Bring some salt in your pocket and let’s go…
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Watermill was a good hour of walk away, giving them a chance to talk a bit as they went there. The old miller bragged how he can earn well from fish and crayfish, better than flour. People saw less nowadays, villagers didn’t come as often as before, anything they grow got bought by retailers. There, Peter is one of the rare who hasn’t furnished his house with modern appliances and didn’t even have the electric current. All else just chase technology and avoid nature and land.
- Eh, uncle Milan, you know I can’t have electricity. I can’t afford it, and I don’t need it. There’s no way for me to leave the forest and land to go to the city or the crops would fail, and there’s no work here for me to make money…
- I know it all, my child, but if you’d tell them what you do, they would pay for your bills…
- I can’t say since I mustn’t charge. What has been given to me is not for sale, only to be shared. And what do I need? Some cheese, some vegetables, milk, and water…
- Right so, I seem to remember you don’t eat meat?
- No, I don’t. I eat only what is freely given, one cannot speak to an animal and then eat it. I’m not a Dragon…
- Not entirely, not entirely…
A change of subject was in order here, so Peter turned to the other side. Fortunately, the mill was in sight already.
- There’s the mill, uncle Milan.
- There it is. Do you see the shadow above it?
- I do. As if the Sun never rose above…
- That’s my trouble Peter. I don’t know what’s inside, nor I