Reading Notes Part B: The Witch Girl
One late evening, a Cossack went into a village. Cossack pulled up to the last cottage and cried, "Heigh, master! Will you let me spend the night here?"
"Come in, if you aren't afraid!"
"What does that mean?" thought the Cossack, as he put his horse in the stable. He gave his horse food and went back into the cottage. He then saw his inmates, me and women and little children all praying and sobbing to God. When they were done praying, they began to put on clean shirts.
"What is everyone crying about?" asked the Cossack.
"Well, you see," replied the master of the house, "in our village Death happens during the night. It doesn't matter what the cottage looks, the next morning one had to put everyone who lived in the cottage into coffins, and then carry then to a graveyard. Tonight is our turn."
"Never fear master. Without God's will, no pig gets its fill!"
Everyone at the house went to bed, but the Cossack was on high alert and never closed an eye.
Midnight struck and the window opened. Through the window appeared a witch in all white. She took a sprinkler as she passed her arm through the cottage. She was about to take the sprinkler and point it at the Cossack but suddenly he cut off her arm close to her shoulder. The witch yelled and screamed like a dog and ran away. The Cossack picked up her dead arm and hid it under his cloak. He washed away the stains of blood and laid down to sleep.
The next morning the master and mistress woke up and saw everyone alive and well. They were so happy.
"If anyone would like," said the Cossack, "I can show you Death! Bring everyone all the Sotniks and Desyatniks as fast as possible, and let's go to the village to look for her."
All the Sotniks and Desyatniks came together and searched house to house. There was nothing until they came upon the last cottage, the Ponomar's cottage.
"Is all of your family here?" asked the Cossack.
"No, but one of my daughters is sick. She is lying on the stove over there."
The Cossack looked at the stove, and one of the girl's arms had been cut off. The Cossack told them the story and brought back the arm that was cut off. The Cossack was given a sum of money and the witch was ordered to be drowned.
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