Page 113 - Animals of the Sakhalin Region in myths and legends

There lived one Mamachan. One day she went outside to feed the
dogs. At this time the fox came. The old woman said:
— I’m frozen, I want to warm up by the fire!
Fox says:
— Poor Mamachan, do you want me to watch your dogs? While I’m
on guard, give me your robe, hat, fur boots.
The old woman was delighted, took off her robe, hat and fur boots and
gave them to the fox. The fox put on the clothes of the old woman and
became just like Mamachan.
Mamachan went to warm up. As soon as she entered the house, the
fox ran away. Mamachan went out to look at the fox, but it was nowhere
to be found.
She began to cry and says:
— Ay, ay, the fox pulled off my robe, my hat and boots. A titmouse has
arrived and says:
— Mamachan, why are you crying?
— The fox pulled off my dressing gown, hat and fur boots, that’s why
I’m crying. — Well, mamachan, don’t cry, I’ll bring you your robe, your
hat and your boots.
The titmouse said so and flew away. A titmouse flew for a long time
and suddenly saw a cliff. There is a small house at the top of the cliff. A
titmouse flew up, looked through the hole in the wall and saw there are
many foxes eating a crow. Among them, one was in a dressing gown, a
hat and high boots.
The titmouse flew in through the hole in the wall and began to show
various tricks. The foxes, seeing her tricks, began to laugh very much.
Then the titmouse said:
— If you want to see even more interesting tricks, let me put on a robe,
a hat and high fur boots.
The foxes shouted:
— Put it on, put it on!
The titmouse quickly put on a robe, a hat and high fur boots, which
the fox took off, and began to show tricks again. The foxes laughed even
more and did not notice how the titmouse was getting closer and closer
to the hole. The titmouse flew out into the street and flew to Mamachan.
The foxes rushed to catch up with her. They were trying hard, but they
could not catch up in any way.
The titmouse flew to the old woman and brought her her robe, hat and
fur boots. The old woman boiled berries, fed the titmouse and smeared
her forehead with juice. Since then, the titmouse’s forehead has become
so blue.

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