WEBVTT 1 00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:20.640 Hello, and welcome back to Sleepy Stories. I'm your host, Lucy, 2 00:00:21.440 --> 00:00:28.480 and my friends and I will be reading you a sleepy bedtime story every week 3 00:00:29.079 --> 00:00:35.520 to relax you and to help you to drift off into a RESTful sleep. 4 00:00:37.280 --> 00:00:43.880 From time to time, we will also read you a relaxing, peaceful meditation 5 00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:52.600 that will take you somewhere beautiful and calming. Once we have read the stories, 6 00:00:53.200 --> 00:00:59.600 we will then read them a second time, but this time they will 7 00:00:59.640 --> 00:01:08.280 be ready even slower. This will help you to relax even more. Before 8 00:01:08.319 --> 00:01:15.319 we begin, I would like you to close your eyes and breathe in and 9 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:26.519 out nice and deeply. Take a few seconds to inhale, and then hold 10 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:34.000 your breath for a few seconds more, and then release and breathe out. 11 00:01:36.359 --> 00:01:41.959 Do this a few times if you need to, while you listen to the 12 00:01:42.079 --> 00:01:49.480 music and you listen to my voice, give yourself time to let your body 13 00:01:49.560 --> 00:02:00.560 relax and your mind settle. It's important that we allow time for us to 14 00:02:00.680 --> 00:02:12.520 feel safe, cozy, and completely at ease. And now it's time for 15 00:02:12.680 --> 00:02:37.199 this week's story, The Shoemaker and the Devil. It was Christmas Eve. 16 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:44.719 Marya had long been snoring on the stove all the paraffin in the little lamp 17 00:02:44.759 --> 00:02:50.639 had burnt out, but Fyodor Nilov still sat at work. He would long 18 00:02:50.680 --> 00:02:55.599 ago have flung aside his work and gone out into the street. But a 19 00:02:55.680 --> 00:03:02.319 customer from kolakology Lean, who had a fortnight before ordered some boots had been 20 00:03:02.400 --> 00:03:09.120 in the previous day, had abused him roundly and had ordered him to finish 21 00:03:09.159 --> 00:03:15.360 the boots at once before the morning service. It's a convict's life, Feudora 22 00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:22.439 grumbled as he worked. Some people have been asleep long ago. Others are 23 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:28.400 enjoying themselves while you sit here like some caine and sow for the devil knows 24 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:35.039 whom. To save himself from accidentally falling asleep, he kept taking a bottle 25 00:03:35.080 --> 00:03:39.840 from under the table and drinking out of it, and after every pull at 26 00:03:39.879 --> 00:03:46.599 it, he twisted his head and said aloud, what is the reason? 27 00:03:46.879 --> 00:03:53.319 Kindly tell me that customers enjoy themselves while I am forced to sit and work 28 00:03:53.400 --> 00:03:59.159 for them because they have money and I am a beggar. He hated all 29 00:03:59.199 --> 00:04:05.759 his customers, especially the one who lived on in Colcomne Lane. He was 30 00:04:05.800 --> 00:04:13.919 a gentleman of gloomy appearance, with long hair, a yellow face, blue 31 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:19.639 spectacles, and a husky voice. He had a German name which one could 32 00:04:19.720 --> 00:04:26.319 not pronounce. It was impossible to tell what was his calling and what he 33 00:04:26.360 --> 00:04:33.800 did. When a fortnight before Feodor had gone to take his measure, he 34 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:41.800 the customer was sitting on the floor pounding something in a mortar. Before Feodor 35 00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:46.240 had time to say good morning, the contents of the mortar suddenly flared up 36 00:04:46.879 --> 00:04:55.319 and burned with a bright red flame. There was a stink of sulfur and 37 00:04:55.439 --> 00:05:00.360 burnt feathers, and the room was filled with a thick, pink sar smoke, 38 00:05:00.360 --> 00:05:06.639 so that Fyodor sneezed five times. And as he returned home afterwards, 39 00:05:06.680 --> 00:05:13.360 he thought anyone who feared God would not have anything to do with things like 40 00:05:13.639 --> 00:05:20.439 that. When there was nothing left in the bottle, Fyodor put the boots 41 00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:27.199 on the table and sank into thought. He leaned his heavy head on his 42 00:05:27.319 --> 00:05:32.759 fist and began thinking of his poverty, of his hard life with no glimmer 43 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:39.399 of light in it. Then he thought of the rich, of their big 44 00:05:39.439 --> 00:05:46.800 houses, and their carriages, of their hundred rouble notes. How nice it 45 00:05:46.839 --> 00:05:50.560 would be if the houses of these rich men, the devil flay them, 46 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:58.160 were smashed, If their horses died, if their fur coats and sable cats 47 00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:03.600 got shabby, How splendid it would be if they're rich, little by little 48 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:12.079 changed into beggars, having nothing, and he, a poor shoemaker, were 49 00:06:12.160 --> 00:06:16.199 to become rich and were to lord it over some other poor shoemaker. On 50 00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:27.079 Christmas Eve, dreaming like this, Fyodor suddenly thought of his work and opened 51 00:06:27.079 --> 00:06:31.879 his eyes. Here's a go, he thought, looking at the boots. 52 00:06:32.360 --> 00:06:36.959 The job has been finished ever so long ago, and I go on sitting 53 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:45.839 here. I must take the boots to the gentleman. He wrapped up the 54 00:06:45.879 --> 00:06:49.959 work in a red handkerchief, put on his things, and went out into 55 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:56.920 the street. A fine, hard snow was falling, pricking the face as 56 00:06:56.959 --> 00:07:03.920 though with needles. It was cold, slippery, dark. The gas lamps 57 00:07:03.959 --> 00:07:10.439 burned dimly, and for some reason there was a smell of paraffin in the 58 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:17.560 street, so that Fyodor coughed and cleared his throat. Rich men were driving 59 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:23.360 to and fro on the road, and every rich man had a ham and 60 00:07:23.399 --> 00:07:29.319 a bottle of vodka in his hands. Rich young ladies peeped at Fyodor out 61 00:07:29.319 --> 00:07:34.920 of the carriages and sledges, put out their tongues and shouted laughing. Beggar 62 00:07:35.720 --> 00:07:44.680 beggar Students, officers and merchants walked behind Fyodor, jeering at him and crying, 63 00:07:45.480 --> 00:07:50.879 drunkard, drunkard, infidel cobbler, soul of a boot leg beggar. 64 00:07:55.040 --> 00:08:01.399 All of this was insulting, but Fyodor held his tongue and only spat in 65 00:08:01.519 --> 00:08:07.720 disgust. But when Kuzma Leboydkin from Warsaw, a master boot maker, met 66 00:08:07.800 --> 00:08:13.360 him and said I've married a rich woman and I have men working under me, 67 00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:20.759 while you are a beggar and have nothing to eat, Feodor could not 68 00:08:22.040 --> 00:08:28.319 refrain from running after him. He pursued him till he found himself in col 69 00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:33.600 Cooney Lane. His customer lived in the fourth house from the corner, on 70 00:08:33.639 --> 00:08:39.159 the very top floor. To reach him, one had to go through a 71 00:08:39.240 --> 00:08:46.919 long, dark courtyard and then to climb up a very high, slippery staircase, 72 00:08:48.440 --> 00:08:54.200 which tottered under one's feet. When Feodor went into him, he was 73 00:08:54.240 --> 00:09:00.000 sitting on the floor pounding something in a mortar, just as he had been 74 00:09:00.200 --> 00:09:09.320 the fortnight before. Your honor, I have brought your boots, said Fyodor 75 00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:15.480 sullenly. The customer got up and began trying on the boots in silence. 76 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:20.720 Desiring to help him, Fyodor went down on one knee and pulled off his 77 00:09:20.879 --> 00:09:28.440 old boot, but at once jumped up and staggered toward the door in horror. 78 00:09:30.480 --> 00:09:35.039 The customer had not a foot, but a hoof like a horse's. 79 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:43.360 Aha, thought Fyodor years ago. The first thing should have been to cross 80 00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:50.440 himself, then to leave everything and run downstairs. But he immediately reflected that 81 00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:58.200 he was meeting a devil for the first time, for the first and probably 82 00:09:58.279 --> 00:10:05.759 the last time, and not to take advantage of his services would be foolish. 83 00:10:05.799 --> 00:10:11.639 He controlled himself and determined to try his luck. Clasping his hands behind 84 00:10:11.720 --> 00:10:16.679 him to avoid making the sign of the cross, he coughed respectfully and began. 85 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:26.279 They say, there is nothing on earth more evil and impurer than the 86 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:30.799 devil. But I am of the opinion, your honor, that the devil 87 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:37.639 is highly educated. He has, excuse my saying it, hoofs and a 88 00:10:37.720 --> 00:10:46.320 tail behind, but he has more brains than many a student. I like 89 00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:50.919 you for what you say, said the devil, flattered. Thank you, 90 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:58.000 shoemaker, what do you want? And without loss of time, the shoemaker 91 00:10:58.080 --> 00:11:03.320 began complaining of his luck. He began by saying that from his childhood up 92 00:11:03.799 --> 00:11:09.360 he had envied the rich. He had always resented it that all people did 93 00:11:09.399 --> 00:11:18.480 not live alike in big houses and drive with good horses. Why, he 94 00:11:18.600 --> 00:11:24.919 asked, was he poor? How was he worse than Cosmo Luboydkin from Warsaw, 95 00:11:24.919 --> 00:11:30.559 who had his own house and whose wife wore a hat. He had 96 00:11:30.600 --> 00:11:35.279 the same sort of nose, the same hands, feet, head and back 97 00:11:35.799 --> 00:11:41.399 as the rich. And so why was he forced to work when others were 98 00:11:41.519 --> 00:11:48.320 enjoying themselves? Why was he married to Marya and not to a lady's smelling 99 00:11:48.360 --> 00:11:52.720 of scent? He had often seen beautiful young ladies in the houses of rich 100 00:11:52.840 --> 00:11:58.720 customers, but they either took no notice of him whatever, or else sometimes 101 00:11:58.840 --> 00:12:05.559 left laughed and whispered to each other, what a red nose that shoemaker has. 102 00:12:05.159 --> 00:12:11.399 It was true that Marya was a good, kind, hard working woman, 103 00:12:11.480 --> 00:12:16.480 but she was not educated. Her hand was heavy and hit hard, 104 00:12:18.519 --> 00:12:22.759 and if one had occasion to speak of politics or anything intellectual before her, 105 00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:30.840 she would put her spoken and talk the most awful nonsense. What do you 106 00:12:31.080 --> 00:12:39.039 want? Then his customer interrupted him, I beg you your honor, satan 107 00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:48.799 ivanitch, to be graciously pleased to make me a rich man. Certainly, 108 00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:56.320 only for that, you must give me up your soul before the cocks crow. 109 00:12:56.200 --> 00:13:03.159 Go and sign on this paper here that you give me up your soul, 110 00:13:05.559 --> 00:13:11.799 Your honor, said Fyodor politely. When you ordered a pair of boots 111 00:13:11.799 --> 00:13:16.080 for me, I did not ask for the money in advance. One has 112 00:13:16.120 --> 00:13:22.000 first to carry out the order and then ask for payment. Oh, very 113 00:13:22.080 --> 00:13:28.480 well, the customer assented. A bright flame suddenly flared up in the mortar, 114 00:13:30.440 --> 00:13:35.320 A pink, thick smoke came puffing out, and there was a smell 115 00:13:35.200 --> 00:13:43.320 of burnt feathers and sulfur. When the smoke had subsided, Fyodor rubbed his 116 00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:50.279 eyes and saw that he was no longer Fyodor, no longer a shoemaker, 117 00:13:50.919 --> 00:13:58.360 but quite a different man, wearing a waistcoat and a watch chain and a 118 00:13:58.399 --> 00:14:03.159 new pair of trousers, and that he was sitting in an armchair at a 119 00:14:03.159 --> 00:14:11.720 big table. Two footmen were handing him dishes, bowing low and saying, 120 00:14:11.480 --> 00:14:20.279 kindly, eat your honor, and may it do you good? What wealth? 121 00:14:22.360 --> 00:14:26.279 The footman handed him a big piece of roast mutton and a dish of 122 00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:33.200 cucumbers, and then brought in a frying pan of roast goose, and a 123 00:14:33.240 --> 00:14:41.200 little afterwards boiled pork with horseradish cream. And how dignified, how genteel it 124 00:14:41.320 --> 00:14:50.080 all was, feodor ate, and before each dish drank a big glass of 125 00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:58.840 excellent vodka, like some general or some count. After the pork he was 126 00:14:58.919 --> 00:15:05.679 handed some boiled grain, moistened with goose fat, then an omelet with bacon 127 00:15:05.799 --> 00:15:13.159 fat, then fried liver, and he went on eating and was delighted. 128 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:20.759 What more they served too, a pie with onion and steam turnip with kvass. 129 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:28.200 How is it that gentry don't burst with such meals? He thought? 130 00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:37.480 In conclusion, they handed him a big pot of honey. After dinner, 131 00:15:37.960 --> 00:15:43.519 the devil appeared in blue spectacles and asked, with a low bow, are 132 00:15:43.559 --> 00:15:54.120 you satisfied with your dinner? Fyodor Pantalich? But Fyodor could not answer one 133 00:15:54.200 --> 00:16:03.399 word. He was so stuffed after his dinner the feeling of repletion was unpleasant, 134 00:16:03.080 --> 00:16:07.759 oppressive, And to distract his thoughts, he looked at the boot on 135 00:16:07.879 --> 00:16:15.639 his left foot. For a boot like that, I used not to take 136 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:21.480 less than seven and a half roubles, what shoemaker made it, He asked, 137 00:16:22.840 --> 00:16:30.240 Kusma le Boydkin answered the footman send for him. The fool Kuzma le 138 00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:37.600 Boydkin from Warsaw soon made his appearance. He stopped in a respectful attitude at 139 00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:42.919 the door and asked, what are your orders? Your honor, hold your 140 00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:49.840 tongue, cried Fyodor, and stamped his foot. Don't dare to argue. 141 00:16:51.639 --> 00:16:56.360 Remember your place as a cobbler, blockhead, you don't know how to make 142 00:16:56.480 --> 00:17:02.919 boots. I'll beat your ugly fizz to a jelly. Why have you come 143 00:17:03.240 --> 00:17:10.880 for money? What money be off? Come on Saturday boy, give him 144 00:17:10.920 --> 00:17:15.079 a cuff. But at once he recalled what a life the customers used to 145 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:21.440 lead him to, and he felt heavy at heart. And to distract his 146 00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:26.039 attention, he took a fat pocket book out of his pocket and began counting 147 00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:33.799 his money. There was a great deal of money, but Feodor wanted more 148 00:17:33.880 --> 00:17:41.759 still. The devil in the blue spectacles brought him another notebook, fatter still, 149 00:17:42.039 --> 00:17:48.240 but he wanted even more, and the more he counted it, the 150 00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:56.079 more discontented he became. In the evening, the evil one brought him a 151 00:17:56.160 --> 00:18:02.400 full bosomed lady in a red dress and said that this was his new wife. 152 00:18:02.680 --> 00:18:07.319 He spent the whole evening kissing her and eating gingerbreads. And at night 153 00:18:07.480 --> 00:18:14.000 he went to bed on a soft, downy feather bed, turned from side 154 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:23.079 to side and could not go to sleep. He felt uncanny. We have 155 00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:27.319 a great deal of money, he said to his wife. We must look 156 00:18:27.359 --> 00:18:32.599 out, or thieves will be breaking in. You had better go and look 157 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:38.160 with a candle. He did not sleep all night, and kept getting up 158 00:18:38.200 --> 00:18:42.119 to see if his box was all right. In the morning he had to 159 00:18:42.119 --> 00:18:48.160 go to church, to Manton's. In church, the same honor is done 160 00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:52.279 to rich and poor alike. When Fyodor was poor, he used to pray 161 00:18:52.319 --> 00:19:00.720 in church like this, God, forgive me a sinner. He said the 162 00:19:00.759 --> 00:19:07.559 same thing. Now though he had become rich, What difference was there? 163 00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:14.480 And after death, Theodor rich would not be buried in gold, not in 164 00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:21.640 diamonds, but in the same black earth as the poorest beggar. Theodor would 165 00:19:21.640 --> 00:19:29.000 burn in the same fire as cobblers. Theodor resented all this, and two 166 00:19:29.839 --> 00:19:34.000 he felt weighed down all over by his dinner, and instead of prayer, 167 00:19:34.640 --> 00:19:38.559 he had all sorts of thoughts in his head about his box of money, 168 00:19:40.440 --> 00:19:51.279 about thieves, about his bartered ruined soul. He came out of church in 169 00:19:51.359 --> 00:19:56.519 a bad temper. To drive away his unpleasant thoughts, as he had often 170 00:19:56.599 --> 00:20:02.319 done before, he struck up a song at the top of his voice. 171 00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:04.720 But as soon as he began, a policeman ran up and said, with 172 00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:11.440 his fingers to the peak of his cap, your honor, gentlefolk must not 173 00:20:11.599 --> 00:20:19.799 sing in the street. You are not a shoemaker. Theodor leaned his back 174 00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:26.440 against a fence and fell to thinking what could he do to amuse himself. 175 00:20:26.839 --> 00:20:32.640 Your honor, a porter shouted to him, don't lean against the fence, 176 00:20:33.079 --> 00:20:40.759 you will spoil your fur coat. Theodor went into a shop and bought himself 177 00:20:41.240 --> 00:20:47.640 the very best concertina, then went out into the street playing it. Everybody 178 00:20:47.680 --> 00:20:52.559 pointed at him and laughed, and a gentleman too. The cabman jeered at 179 00:20:52.599 --> 00:21:03.000 him like some cobbler. Is it the proper thing for gentlefolk to be disorderly 180 00:21:03.079 --> 00:21:07.000 in the street. A policeman said to him, you had better go into 181 00:21:07.000 --> 00:21:12.400 a tavern, your honor, give us a trifle for Christ's sake. The 182 00:21:12.440 --> 00:21:19.319 beggars wailed surrounding Feodor on all sides. In earlier days, when he was 183 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:26.519 a shoemaker. The beggars took no notice of him. Now they wouldn't let 184 00:21:26.599 --> 00:21:33.880 him pass. And at home his new wife, the lady was waiting for 185 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:40.119 him, dressed in a green blouse and a red skirt. He meant to 186 00:21:40.160 --> 00:21:44.519 be attentive to her, and had just lifted his arm to give her a 187 00:21:44.559 --> 00:21:52.119 good clout on the back, but she said angrily, peasant, ignorant, 188 00:21:52.400 --> 00:21:56.839 lout. You don't know how to behave with ladies. If you love me, 189 00:21:56.960 --> 00:22:00.599 you will kiss my hand. I don't allow you to beat me. 190 00:22:03.799 --> 00:22:10.400 This is a blasted existence, thought Fyodor. People do lead a life. 191 00:22:11.200 --> 00:22:15.680 You mustn't sang, You mustn't play the concertina, You mustn't have a lark 192 00:22:15.799 --> 00:22:22.359 with a lady poo. He had no sooner sat down to tea with the 193 00:22:22.440 --> 00:22:27.799 lady when the evil spirit in the blue spectacles appeared and said, come, 194 00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:34.880 Fyodor, pantaliitch, I have performed my part of the bargain. Now sign 195 00:22:34.960 --> 00:22:41.880 your paper and come along with me. And he dragged Fyodor to hell, 196 00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:49.279 straight to the furnace, and devils flew up from all directions and shouted fool, 197 00:22:49.880 --> 00:22:57.400 blockhead ass. There was a fearful smell of paraffin in hell enough to 198 00:22:57.519 --> 00:23:07.240 suffocate one, and suddenly it all vanished. Theodor opened his eyes and saw 199 00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:15.279 his table, the boots, and the tin lamp. The lamp glass was 200 00:23:15.359 --> 00:23:19.960 black, and from the faint light on the wick came clouds of stinking smoke, 201 00:23:21.079 --> 00:23:26.920 as from a chimney. Near the table stood the customer in the blue 202 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:33.599 spectacles, shouting angrily, fool, blockhead ass. I'll give you a lesson, 203 00:23:33.680 --> 00:23:38.640 you scoundrel. You took the order a fortnight ago, and the boots 204 00:23:38.680 --> 00:23:45.279 aren't ready yet. Do you suppose I want to come trapesing around here half 205 00:23:45.319 --> 00:23:55.559 a dozen times a day for my boots, you wretch, you brute Fyodor 206 00:23:55.640 --> 00:23:59.799 shook his head and set to work on the boots. The customer went on 207 00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:06.400 swearing and threatening him for a long time. At last, when he subsided, 208 00:24:06.559 --> 00:24:14.640 Theodor asked, sullenly, and what is your occupation, sir? I 209 00:24:14.839 --> 00:24:21.599 make Bengal lights and fireworks. I am a pyrotechnician. They began ringing for 210 00:24:21.720 --> 00:24:26.640 mountins. Theodor gave the customer the boots, took the money for them, 211 00:24:27.480 --> 00:24:36.119 and went to church. Carriages and sledges with bearskin rugs were dashing to and 212 00:24:36.200 --> 00:24:41.480 fro in the street. Merchants, ladies officers were walking along the pavement together 213 00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:48.200 with the humbler folk, but Theodor did not envy them, nor repine at 214 00:24:48.200 --> 00:24:55.799 his lot. It seemed to him now that rich and poor were equally badly 215 00:24:55.880 --> 00:25:02.960 off. Some were able to drive a carriage, and others to sing songs 216 00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:07.880 at the top of their voice and to play the concertina. But one and 217 00:25:07.000 --> 00:25:14.319 the same thing, the same grave was awaiting all alike. And there was 218 00:25:14.440 --> 00:25:18.880 nothing in life for which one would give the devil, even a tiny scrap 219 00:25:19.160 --> 00:25:42.640 of one's soule. The shoemaker and the devil. It was Christmas eve. 220 00:25:45.240 --> 00:25:49.759 Marya had long been snoring on the stove. All the paraffin in the little 221 00:25:49.839 --> 00:25:56.799 lamp had burnt out, but Fyodor Nilov still sat at work. He would 222 00:25:56.839 --> 00:26:02.519 long ago have flung aside his work and gone out into the street. But 223 00:26:02.920 --> 00:26:08.559 a customer from colacology Lean, who had a fortnight before ordered some boots had 224 00:26:08.599 --> 00:26:15.000 been in the previous day, had abused him roundly and had ordered him to 225 00:26:15.160 --> 00:26:21.839 finish the boots at once before the morning service. It's a convict's life, 226 00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:27.680 Feudora grumbled as he worked. Some people have been asleep long ago. Others 227 00:26:27.720 --> 00:26:33.480 are enjoying themselves while you sit here like some Caine and sow for the devil 228 00:26:33.559 --> 00:26:41.079 knows whom. To save himself from accidentally falling asleep, he kept taking a 229 00:26:41.119 --> 00:26:45.880 bottle from under the table and drinking out of it, And after every pull 230 00:26:47.079 --> 00:26:52.039 at it, he twisted his head and said aloud, what is the reason? 231 00:26:52.319 --> 00:26:59.359 Kindly tell me that customers enjoy themselves while I am forced to sit and 232 00:26:59.440 --> 00:27:03.799 work for them them because they have money and I am a beggar. He 233 00:27:03.920 --> 00:27:11.720 hated all his customers, especially the one who lived on in Colcogne Lane. 234 00:27:11.799 --> 00:27:18.079 He was a gentleman of gloomy appearance, with long hair, a yellow face, 235 00:27:19.039 --> 00:27:26.519 blue spectacles, and a husky voice. He had a German name which 236 00:27:26.599 --> 00:27:32.279 one could not pronounce. It was impossible to tell what was his calling and 237 00:27:32.359 --> 00:27:40.200 what he did. When a fortnight before Fyodor had gone to take his measure, 238 00:27:41.000 --> 00:27:45.920 he the customer was sitting on the floor pounding something in a mortar. 239 00:27:47.319 --> 00:27:52.920 Before Fyodor had time to say good morning, the contents of the mortar suddenly 240 00:27:52.000 --> 00:28:00.839 flared up and burned with a bright red flame. There was a stink of 241 00:28:00.920 --> 00:28:06.799 sulfur and burnt feathers, and the room was filled with a thick pink smoke, 242 00:28:07.799 --> 00:28:14.079 so that Fyodor sneezed five times, And as he returned home afterwards, 243 00:28:14.119 --> 00:28:18.799 he thought anyone who feared God would not have anything to do with things like 244 00:28:19.079 --> 00:28:26.880 that. When there was nothing left in the bottle, Fyodor put the boots 245 00:28:26.920 --> 00:28:33.640 on the table and sank into thought. He leaned his heavy head on his 246 00:28:33.759 --> 00:28:40.200 fist and began thinking of his poverty, of his hard life with no glimmer 247 00:28:40.240 --> 00:28:45.839 of light in it. Then he thought of the rich, of their big 248 00:28:45.880 --> 00:28:52.519 houses and their carriages, of their hundred rouble notes. How nice it would 249 00:28:52.519 --> 00:28:57.559 be if the houses of these rich men, the devil flay them, were 250 00:28:57.640 --> 00:29:04.000 smashed, if their horses died, if their fur coats and sable cats got 251 00:29:04.079 --> 00:29:11.680 shabby. How splendid it would be if they're rich little by little, changed 252 00:29:11.720 --> 00:29:18.680 into beggars, having nothing, and he, a poor shoemaker, were to 253 00:29:18.759 --> 00:29:23.240 become rich and were to lord it over some other poor shoemaker. On Christmas 254 00:29:23.319 --> 00:29:33.599 Eve, dreaming like this, Fyodor suddenly thought of his work and opened his 255 00:29:33.680 --> 00:29:38.880 eyes. Here's a go, he thought, looking at the boots. The 256 00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:44.680 job has been finished ever so long ago, and I go on sitting here. 257 00:29:45.720 --> 00:29:52.559 I must take the boots to the gentlemen. He wrapped up the work 258 00:29:52.640 --> 00:29:56.519 in a red handkerchief, put on his things, and went out into the 259 00:29:56.559 --> 00:30:03.640 street. A fine, hard snow was falling, pricking the face as though 260 00:30:03.680 --> 00:30:11.720 with needles. It was cold, slippery, dark. The gas lamps burned 261 00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:18.200 dimly, and for some reason there was a smell of paraffin in the street, 262 00:30:18.720 --> 00:30:25.240 so that Fyodor coughed and cleared his throat. Rich Men were driving to 263 00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:29.960 and fro on the road, and every rich man had a ham and a 264 00:30:29.960 --> 00:30:34.839 bottle of vodka in his hands. Rich young ladies peeped at Fyodor out of 265 00:30:34.920 --> 00:30:42.599 the carriages and sledges, put out their tongues and shouted, laughing beggar beggar. 266 00:30:45.039 --> 00:30:51.160 Students, officers and merchants walked behind Fyodor, jeering at him and crying, 267 00:30:51.920 --> 00:30:57.319 drunkard, drunkard, infidel cobbler, soul of a boot leg beggar. 268 00:31:00.480 --> 00:31:07.839 All of this was insulting, but Fyodor held his tongue and only spat in 269 00:31:07.960 --> 00:31:14.880 disgust. But when Kuzma le Boydkin from Warsaw, a master boot maker, 270 00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:18.880 met him and said, I've married a rich woman, and I have men 271 00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:25.079 working under me, while you are a beggar and have nothing to eat. 272 00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:33.119 Fyodor could not refrain from running after him. He pursued him till he found 273 00:31:33.160 --> 00:31:38.799 himself in Colkooney Lane. His customer lived in the fourth house from the corner, 274 00:31:38.880 --> 00:31:45.160 on the very top floor. To reach him, one had to go 275 00:31:45.240 --> 00:31:52.519 through a long, dark courtyard, and then to climb up a very high, 276 00:31:52.960 --> 00:31:59.680 slippery staircase, which tottered under one's feet. When Fyodor went into him, 277 00:32:00.359 --> 00:32:05.799 he was sitting on the floor pounding something in a mortar, just as 278 00:32:05.839 --> 00:32:14.440 he had been the fortnight before. Your honor, I have brought your boots, 279 00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:20.680 said Fyodor, sullenly. The customer got up and began trying on the 280 00:32:20.720 --> 00:32:25.640 boots in silence. Desiring to help him, Fyodor went down on one knee 281 00:32:27.319 --> 00:32:34.680 and pulled off his old boot, but at once jumped up and staggered toward 282 00:32:34.759 --> 00:32:39.279 the door in horror. The customer had not a foot, but a hoof 283 00:32:39.559 --> 00:32:49.599 like a horse's. Aha, thought Fyodor. Years ago, the first thing 284 00:32:49.680 --> 00:32:54.039 should have been to cross himself, then to leave everything and run downstairs. 285 00:32:54.400 --> 00:33:00.599 But he immediately reflected that he was meeting a devil for the first time, 286 00:33:02.400 --> 00:33:07.839 for the first and probably the last time, and not to take advantage of 287 00:33:07.880 --> 00:33:15.319 his services would be foolish. He controlled himself and determined to try his luck. 288 00:33:16.519 --> 00:33:21.519 Clasping his hands behind him to avoid making the sign of the cross, 289 00:33:22.240 --> 00:33:29.960 he coughed respectfully and began. They say, there is nothing on earth more 290 00:33:30.599 --> 00:33:35.720 evil and impurer than the devil. But I am of the opinion, your 291 00:33:35.759 --> 00:33:42.480 honor, that the devil is highly educated. He has, excuse my saying 292 00:33:42.519 --> 00:33:47.279 it, hoofs and a tail behind, but he has more brains than many 293 00:33:47.319 --> 00:33:54.319 a student. I like you for what you say, said the devil, 294 00:33:54.519 --> 00:34:02.119 flattered. Thank you, shoemaker, what do you want? And without loss 295 00:34:02.119 --> 00:34:07.880 of time, the shoemaker began complaining of his lot. He began by saying 296 00:34:07.960 --> 00:34:15.320 that from his childhood up he had envied the rich. He had always resented 297 00:34:15.360 --> 00:34:21.159 it that all people did not live alike in big houses and drive with good 298 00:34:21.280 --> 00:34:28.679 horses. Why, he asked, was he poor? How was he worse 299 00:34:28.760 --> 00:34:35.199 than Cosmo Luboydkin from Warsaw, who had his own house and whose wife wore 300 00:34:35.199 --> 00:34:39.079 a hat. He had the same sort of nose, the same hands, 301 00:34:39.440 --> 00:34:45.480 feet, head and back as the rich? And so why was he forced 302 00:34:45.559 --> 00:34:52.440 to work? When others were enjoying themselves. Why was he married to Marya 303 00:34:52.119 --> 00:34:58.440 and not to a lady's smelling of scent? He had often seen beautiful young 304 00:34:58.519 --> 00:35:02.599 ladies in the houses of ris customers, but they either took no notice of 305 00:35:02.679 --> 00:35:08.599 him whatever, or else sometimes laughed and whispered to each other. What a 306 00:35:08.639 --> 00:35:14.840 red nose that shoemaker has. It was true that Marya was a good, 307 00:35:15.599 --> 00:35:22.239 kind, hard working woman, but she was not educated. Her hand was 308 00:35:22.320 --> 00:35:28.039 heavy and hit hard, and if one had occasion to speak of politics or 309 00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:34.199 anything intellectual before her, she would put her spoken and talk the most awful 310 00:35:34.360 --> 00:35:43.559 nonsense. What do you want, then, his customer interrupted him. I 311 00:35:43.599 --> 00:35:50.039 beg you, your honor, satan Ivanitch, to be graciously pleased to make 312 00:35:50.159 --> 00:35:59.079 me a rich man. Certainly, only for that, you must give me 313 00:35:59.239 --> 00:36:06.400 up your soul before the cocks crow. Go and sign on this paper here 314 00:36:07.400 --> 00:36:15.119 that you give me up your soul, your honor, said Fyodor politely. 315 00:36:15.440 --> 00:36:19.840 When you ordered a pair of boots for me, I did not ask for 316 00:36:19.880 --> 00:36:24.159 the money in advance. One has first to carry out the order and then 317 00:36:24.199 --> 00:36:32.960 ask for payment. Oh very well, the customer assented. A bright flame 318 00:36:34.119 --> 00:36:38.679 suddenly flared up in the mortar, A pink, thick smoke came puffing out, 319 00:36:39.599 --> 00:36:45.960 and there was a smell of burnt feathers and sulfur. When the smoke 320 00:36:46.039 --> 00:36:52.880 had subsided, Fyodor rubbed his eyes and saw that he was no longer Fyodor, 321 00:36:54.320 --> 00:37:02.599 no longer a shoemaker, but quite a different man, wearing a waistcoat 322 00:37:02.760 --> 00:37:08.159 and a watchchain and a new pair of trousers, and that he was sitting 323 00:37:08.239 --> 00:37:15.719 in an armchair at a big table. Two footmen were handing him dishes, 324 00:37:15.360 --> 00:37:22.559 bowing low and saying, kindly, eat your honor, and may it do 325 00:37:22.639 --> 00:37:30.679 you good? What wealth? The footman handed him a big piece of roast 326 00:37:30.840 --> 00:37:37.360 mutton, and a dish of cucumbers, and then brought in a frying pan 327 00:37:37.440 --> 00:37:44.719 of roast goose, and a little afterwards boiled pork with horseradish cream. And 328 00:37:45.000 --> 00:37:54.000 how dignified, how genteel it all was, feodor ate, and before each 329 00:37:54.199 --> 00:38:01.840 dish drank a big glass of excellent vodka, like some general or some count. 330 00:38:04.039 --> 00:38:08.159 After the pork, he was handed some boiled grain moistened with goose fat, 331 00:38:09.039 --> 00:38:16.880 then an omelet with bacon fat, then fried liver, and he went 332 00:38:16.960 --> 00:38:24.639 on eating, and was delighted. What more They served too a pie with 333 00:38:24.800 --> 00:38:32.800 onion and steam turnip with vlass. How is it that gentry don't burst with 334 00:38:32.920 --> 00:38:39.960 such meals? He thought? In conclusion, they handed him a big pot 335 00:38:40.039 --> 00:38:46.360 of honey. After dinner, the devil appeared in blue spectacles and asked, 336 00:38:46.960 --> 00:38:53.199 with a low bow, are you satisfied with your dinner? Fyodor pantaliach, 337 00:38:58.320 --> 00:39:04.840 But Fyodora could not answer one word. He was so stuffed after his dinner 338 00:39:05.880 --> 00:39:13.679 the feeling of repletion was unpleasant, oppressive, and to distract his thoughts, 339 00:39:13.719 --> 00:39:20.360 he looked at the boot on his left foot. For a boot like that, 340 00:39:20.719 --> 00:39:24.519 I used not to take less than seven and a half roubles. What 341 00:39:24.760 --> 00:39:32.920 shoemaker made it? He asked, Kusma le Boydkin answered the footman send for 342 00:39:34.039 --> 00:39:42.400 him the fool Kuzma le Boydkin from Warsaw soon made his appearance. He stopped 343 00:39:42.440 --> 00:39:46.360 in a respectful attitude at the door and asked, what are your orders? 344 00:39:46.440 --> 00:39:55.079 Your honor, hold your tongue, cried Fyodor and stamped his foot. Don't 345 00:39:55.199 --> 00:40:02.039 dare to argue. Remember your place as a car blockhead. You don't know 346 00:40:02.159 --> 00:40:07.639 how to make boots. I'll be your ugly fizz to a jelly. Why 347 00:40:07.679 --> 00:40:15.079 have you come for money? What money be off? Come on Saturday, 348 00:40:15.280 --> 00:40:21.239 boy, give him a cuff. But at once he recalled what a life 349 00:40:21.280 --> 00:40:24.920 the customers used to lead him to, and he felt heavy at heart. 350 00:40:25.840 --> 00:40:30.440 And to distract his attention, he took a fat pocketbook out of his pocket 351 00:40:31.039 --> 00:40:37.639 and began counting his money. There was a great deal of money, but 352 00:40:37.800 --> 00:40:45.760 Feodor wanted more. Still. The devil in the blue spectacles brought him another 353 00:40:45.840 --> 00:40:52.039 notebook, fatter still, but he wanted even more, and the more he 354 00:40:52.119 --> 00:41:00.519 counted it, the more discontented he became. In the evening, the evil 355 00:41:00.559 --> 00:41:06.599 one brought him a full bosomed lady in a red dress and said that this 356 00:41:06.880 --> 00:41:13.360 was his new wife. He spent the whole evening kissing her and eating gingerbreads, 357 00:41:14.039 --> 00:41:17.599 And at night he went to bed on a soft, downy feather bed, 358 00:41:19.400 --> 00:41:24.840 turned from side to side and could not go to sleep. He felt 359 00:41:25.320 --> 00:41:32.199 uncanny. We have a great deal of money, he said to his wife. 360 00:41:34.079 --> 00:41:37.840 We must look out, or thieves will be breaking in. You had 361 00:41:37.840 --> 00:41:43.840 better go and look with a candle. He did not sleep all night, 362 00:41:44.480 --> 00:41:47.519 and kept getting up to see if his box was all right. In the 363 00:41:47.559 --> 00:41:52.599 morning, he had to go to church to Martin's in church, the same 364 00:41:52.719 --> 00:41:58.920 honor is done to rich and poor alike. When Feodor was poor, he 365 00:41:59.119 --> 00:42:05.760 used to pray, and like this, God, forgive me a sinner. 366 00:42:07.559 --> 00:42:14.400 He said the same thing. Now though he had become rich, What difference 367 00:42:14.599 --> 00:42:19.599 was there? And after death, Fyodor rich would not be buried in gold, 368 00:42:20.559 --> 00:42:24.840 not in diamonds, but in the same black earth as the poorest beggar. 369 00:42:27.199 --> 00:42:34.800 Theodor would burn in the same fire as cobblers. Theodor resented all this, 370 00:42:35.000 --> 00:42:39.719 and two he felt weighed down all over by his dinner, and instead 371 00:42:39.760 --> 00:42:44.960 of prayer, he had all sorts of thoughts in his head, about his 372 00:42:45.079 --> 00:42:55.480 box of money, about thieves, about his bartered, ruined soul. He 373 00:42:55.599 --> 00:43:01.000 came out of church in a bad temper. To drive away his unpleasant thoughts, 374 00:43:01.039 --> 00:43:06.719 as he had often done before, he struck up a song at the 375 00:43:06.719 --> 00:43:10.280 top of his voice. But as soon as he began, a policeman ran 376 00:43:10.400 --> 00:43:15.480 up and said, with his fingers to the peak of his cap, your 377 00:43:15.559 --> 00:43:21.320 honor, gentlefolk, must not sing in the street. You are not a 378 00:43:21.400 --> 00:43:30.199 shoemaker. Theodor leaned his back against a fence and fell to thinking what could 379 00:43:30.199 --> 00:43:36.480 he do to amuse himself. Your honor. A porter shouted to him, 380 00:43:37.519 --> 00:43:45.280 don't lean against the fence, you will spoil your fur coat. Theodor went 381 00:43:45.360 --> 00:43:51.239 into a shop and bought himself the very best concertina, then went out into 382 00:43:51.280 --> 00:43:57.559 the street playing it. Everybody pointed at him and laughed, and a gentleman 383 00:43:57.679 --> 00:44:06.280 too. The cabman jeered at him him like some cobbler. Is it the 384 00:44:06.360 --> 00:44:12.079 proper thing for gentlefolk to be disorderly in the street. A policeman said to 385 00:44:12.159 --> 00:44:16.320 him, you had better go into a tavern, your honor. Give us 386 00:44:16.360 --> 00:44:23.599 a trifle for Christ's sake. The beggars wailed, surrounding Fyodor on all sides. 387 00:44:24.159 --> 00:44:29.280 In earlier days, when he was a shoemaker, the beggars took no 388 00:44:29.360 --> 00:44:37.159 notice of him. Now they wouldn't let him pass. And at home his 389 00:44:37.320 --> 00:44:44.119 new wife, the lady was waiting for him, dressed in a green blouse 390 00:44:44.159 --> 00:44:47.760 and a red skirt. He meant to be attentive to her, and had 391 00:44:49.000 --> 00:44:52.119 just lifted his arm to give her a good clout on the back. But 392 00:44:52.239 --> 00:45:00.800 she said angrily, peasant, ignorant lout, you don't know how to behave 393 00:45:00.920 --> 00:45:06.440 with ladies. If you love me, you will kiss my hand. I 394 00:45:06.519 --> 00:45:14.440 don't allow you to beat me. This is a blasted existence, thought Fyodor. 395 00:45:15.239 --> 00:45:20.400 People do lead a life. You mustn't sang, You mustn't play the 396 00:45:20.480 --> 00:45:25.599 concertina. You mustn't have a lark with a lady. Phew, he had 397 00:45:25.639 --> 00:45:30.320 no sooner sat down to tea with the lady when the evil spirit in the 398 00:45:30.360 --> 00:45:38.239 Blue spectacles appeared and said, come, Fyodor pantaliitch, I have performed my 399 00:45:38.480 --> 00:45:45.039 part of the bargain. Now sign your paper and come along with me. 400 00:45:46.159 --> 00:45:52.000 And he dragged Fyodor to Hell, straight to the furnace, and devils flew 401 00:45:52.119 --> 00:46:00.719 up from all directions and shouted, fool blockhead ass. There was a fearful 402 00:46:00.800 --> 00:46:09.039 smell of paraffin in Hell, enough to suffocate one, and suddenly it all 403 00:46:09.159 --> 00:46:17.360 vanished. Theodor opened his eyes and saw his table, the boots, and 404 00:46:17.440 --> 00:46:23.519 the tin lamp. The lamp glass was black, and from the faint light 405 00:46:23.599 --> 00:46:30.400 on the wick came clouds of stinking smoke as from a chimney. Near the 406 00:46:30.480 --> 00:46:38.159 table stood the customer in the Blue spectacles, shouting angrily, fool blockhead ass. 407 00:46:38.719 --> 00:46:44.039 I'll give you a lesson, you scoundrel. You took the order a 408 00:46:44.119 --> 00:46:50.440 fortnight ago, and the boots aren't ready yet. Do you suppose I want 409 00:46:50.519 --> 00:46:54.400 to come trapesing around here half a dozen times a day for my boots, 410 00:46:55.079 --> 00:47:02.960 you wretch, you brute. Theodor shook his head and set to work on 411 00:47:04.000 --> 00:47:08.800 the boots. The customer went on swearing and threatening him for a long time. 412 00:47:10.000 --> 00:47:15.400 At last, when he subsided, Theodor asked, sullenly, and what 413 00:47:15.559 --> 00:47:23.199 is your occupation, sir? I make Bengal lights and fireworks. I am 414 00:47:23.239 --> 00:47:30.960 a pyrotechnician. They began ringing for matins. Theodor gave the customer the boots, 415 00:47:31.840 --> 00:47:39.079 took the money for them, and went to church. Carriages and sledges 416 00:47:39.119 --> 00:47:45.840 with bearskin rugs were dashing to and fro in the street. Merchants, ladies 417 00:47:45.119 --> 00:47:52.920 officers were walking along the pavement together with the humbler folk. But Theodor did 418 00:47:52.960 --> 00:47:58.639 not envy them, nor repine at his lot. It seemed to him now 419 00:47:58.840 --> 00:48:06.440 that rich and poor were equally badly off. Some were able to drive in 420 00:48:06.519 --> 00:48:10.079 a carriage, and others to sing songs at the top of their voice and 421 00:48:10.119 --> 00:48:16.280 to play the concertina. But one and the same thing, the same grave 422 00:48:16.440 --> 00:48:22.960 was awaiting all alike. And there was nothing in life for which one would 423 00:48:22.960 --> 00:50:24.239 give the devil even a tiny scrap of one's soul, built thund