There was once a rich merchant called Marko, and no one was more tight-fisted than he. One day he went for a walk and on the way he saw an old man sitting and begging: "Alms for the love of Christ, Christian folk!" Marko the Rich walked past him. At that moment a poor man walking behind him took pity on the beggar and gave him a kopeck. The rich man felt ashamed, so he stopped and said to the poor man: "Hey, fellow. Lend me a kopeck. I want to give the poor soul something, but I've no small change!" The other man gave him a kopeck and asked: "When shall I come to collect my debt?" "Tomorrow!" The next day the poor man went to the rich man to get his kopeck. He went into the big courtyard: "Is Marko the Rich at home?" "He is. What do you want?" asked Marko. "I've come for my kopeck." "Come back later, my man. I really have no small change." The poor man bowed and went off, saying: "I'll come back tomorrow." The next morning he came and the same thing happened. "I've no small coins. Give me change for a hundred-ruble note, if you like, or come again in a fortnight's time." A fortnight later the poor man again went to the rich man, but Marko the Rich saw him coming and said to his wife: "Quick, wife! I'll take my clothes off and lie down under the icons; you cover me with a sheet, sit down and cry like I was dead. When the man comes for his money, tell him I passed away today." The wife did as her husband bade her: she sat and wept bitterly. The poor man came into the room. "What do you want?" she asked. "The money I lent Marko the Rich," replied the poor man. "Well, my good fellow, Marko the Rich is no more. He has just this moment passed away." "God rest his soul! Allow me to be of service to him for my kopeck, mistress; let me wash down his sinful body." So saying he seized a pot of hot water and began to pour it on Marko the Rich. Marko could hardly bear it and twitched his nose and feet. "Twitch as much as you like, but give me back my kopeck!" said the poor man. He washed him down, dressed him fittingly and said: "Go buy a coffin, widow, and we'll carry him to the church; I'll read the Psalter over him." So they put Marko the Rich in a coffin and carried him to the church, where the poor man read the Psalter over him. Night fell dark as pitch. Suddenly a window opened and thieves began to climb into the church. The poor man hid behind the altar. The thieves began dividing up their ill-gotten gains until there was nothing left but a gold sabre, which they were all tugging and would not let go. Then the poor man jumped out and shouted: "Why are you quarrelling? Let whoever cuts off the corpse's head have the sabre!" Marko the Rich jumped up in alarm. The thieves took fright, dropped their booty and fled. "Come on, my man," said Marko, "let us divide up the money." So they shared it out equally; both of them had a big pile. "What about the kopeck?" asked the poor man. "You can see for yourself, brother, I've no small change!" And so it was that Marko the Rich never repaid his debt. TEXT There was once a rich merchant called Marko , and no one was more tight-fisted than he . One day he went for a walk and on the way he saw an old man sitting and begging : `` Alms for the love of Christ , Christian folk ! '' Marko the Rich walked past him . At that moment a poor man walking behind him took pity on the beggar and gave him a kopeck . The rich man felt ashamed , so he stopped and said to the poor man : `` Hey , fellow . Lend me a kopeck . I want to give the poor soul something , but I 've no small change ! '' The other man gave him a kopeck and asked : `` When shall I come to collect my debt ? '' `` Tomorrow ! '' The next day the poor man went to the rich man to get his kopeck . He went into the big courtyard : `` Is Marko the Rich at home ? '' `` He is . What do you want ? '' asked Marko . `` I 've come for my kopeck . '' `` Come back later , my man . I really have no small change . '' The poor man bowed and went off , saying : `` I 'll come back tomorrow . '' The next morning he came and the same thing happened . `` I 've no small coins . Give me change for a hundred-ruble note , if you like , or come again in a fortnight 's time . '' A fortnight later the poor man again went to the rich man , but Marko the Rich saw him coming and said to his wife : `` Quick , wife ! I 'll take my clothes off and lie down under the icons ; you cover me with a sheet , sit down and cry like I was dead . When the man comes for his money , tell him I passed away today . '' The wife did as her husband bade her : she sat and wept bitterly . The poor man came into the room . `` What do you want ? '' she asked . `` The money I lent Marko the Rich , '' replied the poor man . `` Well , my good fellow , Marko the Rich is no more . He has just this moment passed away . '' `` God rest his soul ! Allow me to be of service to him for my kopeck , mistress ; let me wash down his sinful body . '' So saying he seized a pot of hot water and began to pour it on Marko the Rich . Marko could hardly bear it and twitched his nose and feet . `` Twitch as much as you like , but give me back my kopeck ! '' said the poor man . He washed him down , dressed him fittingly and said : `` Go buy a coffin , widow , and we 'll carry him to the church ; I 'll read the Psalter over him . '' So they put Marko the Rich in a coffin and carried him to the church , where the poor man read the Psalter over him . Night fell dark as pitch . Suddenly a window opened and thieves began to climb into the church . The poor man hid behind the altar . The thieves began dividing up their ill-gotten gains until there was nothing left but a gold sabre , which they were all tugging and would not let go . Then the poor man jumped out and shouted : `` Why are you quarrelling ? Let whoever cuts off the corpse 's head have the sabre ! '' Marko the Rich jumped up in alarm . The thieves took fright , dropped their booty and fled . `` Come on , my man , '' said Marko , `` let us divide up the money . '' So they shared it out equally ; both of them had a big pile . `` What about the kopeck ? '' asked the poor man . `` You can see for yourself , brother , I 've no small change ! '' And so it was that Marko the Rich never repaid his debt . 569~570~571 573 576~577 582 584~585 586 589~590 593~594 595 597~598~599 605 607~608~609~610 610 612~613 616~617~618 621 624~625 626~627~628 631 635~636 639 640~641 643~644~645 650 655~656~657 662 665 666~667 669 673~674~675 679 681~682~683 686~687~688 690 691~692 699 703 703~704 708 711~712~713 714~715~716 719~720~721 1380 1380~725 727 730~731~732 736~737~738 740 744 749 754 757 761 761~762 768 770 770~771 773 777~778 781~782~783 792 796 799~800~801 802 805~806~807 811 814~815 818 821~822~823 826 833~834~835~836 839~840~841 842~843~844 848~849~850 853~854~855 857 862 862~863 868 870 873 873~874 880~881 883 885 887~888 895 900~901 904 904~905 908 909 912 915~916 919 919~920 922 924 930~931~932 935~936 941 945 949~950 951 953~954~955 959~960~961 966 966~967~968 970~971~972 977 980~981 987 989 989~990 993 999 1001 1001~1002 1004 1007 1010 1010~1011~1012 1017 1019~1020~1021~1022~1023 1022~1023 1028 1030~1031~1032 1034 1038 1041 1041~1042~1043~1044 1042 1044 1051 1056 1058~1059 1063~1064~1065 1067 1069 1073 1081~1082 1084 1087 1090 1092~1093 1095 1098~1099 1101 1105 1107~1108~1109 1111~1112 1115 1117~1118 1121~1122~1123 1125~1126 1128 1130 1134 1137~1138 1141 1146~1147 1149~1150~1151 1154~1155 1157~1158 1162 1162~1163~1164 1168 1171~1172~1173 1176 1187~1188~1189 1198 1205~1206~1207~1208 1206 1210~1211 1214~1215~1216 1222~1223 1228 1228~1229 1237 1237~1238 1242 1246 1249~1250 1254 1256 1260~1261~1262 1262 1264~1265~1266 1271~1272 1276~1277~1278 1281 1285 1287 1289 1292~1293 1301~1302~1303 1306 1306~1307 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