The Straw Ox illustrated by Frederick Richardson

Author and artist Frederick Richardson was highly influenced by the Art Nouveau movement, as reflected in his exquisite illustrations for "The Three Bears," "The Bremen Town Musicians," "The Little Red Hen," and "The Straw Ox,"

The Straw Ox is a Russian Folk Tale.

THERE was once upon a time an old man and an old

woman. The old man worked in the fields as a pitch

burner, while the old woman sat at home and spun

flax. They were so poor that they could save nothing at all;

all their earnings went in bare food, and when that was gone

there was nothing left. At last the old woman had a good idea.

" Look, now, husband," cried she, " make me a straw ox,

and smear it all over with tar."

" Why, you foolish woman !" said he, " what's the good of

an ox of that sort ?"

" Never mind»" said she ; " you just make it. I know what

I am about."

What was the poor man to do? He Set to work and made

the ox of straw, and smeared it all over with tar.

 And while she spun, her head

drooped down, and she began to doze, and while she was dozing,

from behind the dark wood and from the back of the huge

pines a bear came rushing out upon the ox and said:

" Who are you ? Speak and tell me !"

And the ox said: " A three-year-old heifer am I, made of straw and smeared with tar."

" Oh ! " said the bear, " stuffed with straw and trimmed with

tar, are you ? Then give me of your straw and tar, that I may patch up my ragged fur again !"

“ Take some," said the ox, and the bear fell upon him and began to tear away at the tar.

He tore and tore, and buried his teeth in it till he found he couldn't let go again. He tugged and he tugged, but it was no good, and the ox dragged him gradually off, goodness

knows where. 

And while she spun, her head drooped down, and she dozed. And, lo ! from

behind the dark wood, from the back of the huge pines, a gray

wolf came rushing out upon the ox and said:
 " Who are you ? Come, tell me !"

"I am a three-year-old heifer, stuffed with straw and

trimmed with tar," said the ox.

Then a fox came running up. "Who are you?" it asked the ox.

" I'm a three-year-old heifer, stuffed with straw and daubed with tar."

" Then give me some of your tar to smear my sides with,

when those dogs and sons of dogs tear my hide !"

" Take some," said the ox. Then the fox fastened her teeth

in him and couldn't draw them out again. The old woman

told her old man, and he took and cast the fox into the cellar

in the same way. And after that they caught Pussy Swiftfoot  (the Hare)

likewise.

 

So when he had got them all safely the old man sat down on

a bench before the cellar and began sharpening a knife. And

the bear said to him:

" Tell me, daddy, what are you sharpening your knife for?"

" To flay your skin off, that I may make a leather jacket for

myself and a pelisse for my old woman."

" Oh, don't flay me, daddy dear ! Rather let me go, and

I'll bring you a lot of honey."

" Daddy !" cried the old woman, " there's some one scratching

at the door ; go and see who it is !"

The old man went out, and there was the bear carrying a

whole hive full of honey. The old man took the honey from

thr bear...

...but no sooner did he lie down than again there was

another " Durrrrr ! " at the door. The old man looked out and

saw the wolf driving a whole flock of sheep into the courtyard.

Close on his heels came the fox, driving before him

geese and hens, and all manner of fowls ; and last of all came

the hare, bringing cabbage and kale, and all manner of good

food. And the old man was glad, and the old woman was glad.

And the old man sold the sheep and oxen, and got so rich that

he needed nothing more. As for the straw-stuffed ox, it stood

in the sun till it fell to pieces.