Bogey

Above a steep clay shore was a cottage, in the cottage lived an old lady with her two granddaughters: the elder was called Morya, the younger - Dunya.

One time - at night - Morya lay on the fire place, but could not sleep. Dropping her head down, she saw: the door opened, some shaggy woman entered, took out Dunya from the cradle and back through the door - she was gone.

Morya yelled:

"Granny, granny, some terrible woman took away Dunya..."

And that woman was a bogey, which steals children, and puts logs instead of them, into their cradles.

The grandmother went out to search, but one needed to know that the Bogey went under the steep bank into the green pool. Therefore, there was plenty of crying.

Grandmother was sad day and night. And Morya told her:

"Do not cry, grandmother, I will find my sister."

"How will you, berry, you will only vanish yourself."

"I will find her, yes I will," Morya replied. And once, when the stars poured out over the steep bank, Morya stole out of the cottage and went wherever her eyes would take her.

She went, she jumped from one foot to another and she saw an oak standing on the top of a steep bank, and the oak's branches were shuddering. She approached nearer, and saw a protruding beard and two burning green eyes...

"Help me, girl," the oak wheezed, "There is no way I can currently transform into a leshy; you must tie the belt around me."

Morya removed her belt, and girded the oak. The oak huffed, the oak shook, and an old leshy arose before Morya.

"Thank you, young lass, now ask for whatever you want."

"Teach me, granddad, where to find my sister, an evil bogey took her away."

The leshy began to comb back of his head...

And as he combed it, he thought of a plan.

He took Morya into his arms and ran under the steep bank, with heels forwards.

"Sit behind the bush and wait," said the leshy and turned into a snag on the bank, with Morya hiding behind his branches.

After a long or a brief wait, the green pool was stirred up, a shaggy head rose above the water, snorting. The bogey swam and came ashore. On each of her hands were five big-headed babies - changelings - and one more under her collar.

The bogey sat down on the snag, and fed the changelings with spurge flax. The changelings ate and they did not choke.

"Now your turn," said the bogey in a thick voice and removed the child from behind her collar.

"Dunya!" Morya was barely able not to yell.

Dunya looked at the stars, smiled, and sucked the bogey's shaggy breast.

But the leshy put out a rough ting and gripped the bogey by a foot...

The bogey wanted to flee underwater, but she couldn't.

The changelings were scattered on the grass, they squealed in piglet-like voices, and jerked themselves. The horror!

Morya gripped Dunya - and fled as fast as she could.

"Release me - I will overtake the girl," the bogey begged the leshy.

The girl's heart was beating. Morya flew as fast as the wind. Dunya was holding onto her neck with her hands...

Already the cottage was visible... If only they were to reach it...

But from behind came the pursuit: the bogey get herself free, she ran, she squealed, she jumped up high to the sky...

"Grandmother!" yelled Morya.

The Bogey would catch her any minute now.

And then the rooster began to sing: "Cockadoodledo, creep away, night, disappear, evil!"

The bogey stopped short, she froze and burst into fog, which was caught by the morning wind, and blown down the ravine.

The grandmother ran out. She embraced Morya, took Dunya in her hands. How happy was everyone!

And the old leshy laughed from below steep bank, clapping his wooden hands. He was a risible old man.