The Story of Yvashka with the Bear's EarBorrow, George
General
The Story of Yvashka with the Bear's Ear
Borrow, George
Fairy tales -- Russia; Tales -- Russia
In the demon lore of the Turks, however, there is a ghostly being with
which she seems to have considerable affinity. This goblin is called
Kara Conjulos. Kara Conjulos is a female, and lives at the bottom of a
well in a certain part of Constantinople, from which she emerges every
night and drives about the city in a cart drawn by two buffaloes. She is
much in the habit of stopping at caravansaries, going into the stables
and breeding a confusion and a panic amongst the horses. She has several
daughters, who occasionally accompany her in her expeditions and assist
her in the commission of her pranks. A certain learned effendi, in a
most curious Turkish book which he wrote about Constantinople, has a
great deal to say concerning this goblin and her daughters, and amongst
other things gives an account of a very bad night which he passed in a
caravansary at some little distance from the city owing to the intrusion
of Kara Conjulos and her bevy.
Now for the story of Yvashka, or Jack.
GEORGE BORROW.
THE STORY OF YVASHKA WITH THE BEAR’S EAR
In a certain kingdom, in a certain government, there lived a peasant
whose wife bore him a son who had the ear of a bear, on which account he
was called Yvashka, or Jack with the Bear’s Ear.
Now when Jack with the Bear’s Ear was beginning to attain his full growth
he used to walk in the street and endeavour to play with the children;
and the child whom he seized by the hand, off he was sure to tear his
hand, and whom he seized by the head, off he would tear his head. The
other peasants, not being able to put up with such outrages, told Jack’s
father that he must either cause his son to mend his manners or not
permit him to go out into the street to play with the children. The
father for a long time struggled to reform Jack, but perceiving that his
son did not improve he resolved to turn him out of doors, and said to
him: “Depart from me and go wheresoever you please. I will keep you no
longer in my house, for I am much afraid lest some misfortune should
happen to me on your account.”
So Jack with the Bear’s Ear, having taken leave of his father and mother,
departed on his way. He journeyed for a long time until he arrived at a
forest, where he beheld a man cutting oaken billets. He went up to him
and said, “Good fellow, what may be your name?”
“Quercillo,” replied the other, whereupon they became sworn brothers and
proceeded farther. Arriving at a rocky mountain they perceived a man
hewing the rock, to whom they said, “God help you, honest lad; and what
may your name be?”
“My name is Montano,” replied he.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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