Red Winter

For Helen and Laura

Once upon a time there was a smith.

‘Well now,’ says he. ‘I’ve never set my eyes on any harm. They say there’s evil in the world. I’ll go and seek me out evil.’

So he went and had a goodish drink, and then started in search of evil. On the way he met a tailor.

Well, they walked and walked till they reached a dark, dense forest. In it, they found a small path, and along it they went – along the narrow path. They walked and walked, and at last they saw a large cottage standing before them. It was night; there was nowhere else to go.

In they went. There was nobody there. All looked bare and squalid. Presently in came a tall woman, lank, crooked, with only one eye.

‘Ah!’ says she. ‘I’ve visitors. Good day to you.’

‘Good day, grandmother. We’ve come to pass the night under your roof.’

‘Very good. I shall have something to sup on.’

Thereupon they were greatly terrified. As for her, she went and fetched a great heap of firewood, flung it into the stove and set it alight. Then she went up to the two men, took one of them – the tailor – cut his throat, trussed him and put him in the oven.

From One-Eyed Likho, a traditional skazka, translated by W. R. S. Ralston