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 --> 00:00:24.600 and my friends and I will be reading you a 3 00:00:24.839 --> 00:00:31.039 sleepy bedtime story every week to relax you and to 4 00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:37.560 help you to drift off into a RESTful sleep. From 5 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:42.000 time to time, we will also read you a relaxing, 6 00:00:42.359 --> 00:00:49.079 peaceful meditation that will take you somewhere beautiful and calming. 7 00:00:50.719 --> 00:00:54.280 Once we have read the stories, we will then read 8 00:00:54.359 --> 00:00:59.719 them a second time, but this time they will be 9 00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:07.599 ready even slower. This will help you to relax even more. 10 00:01:08.799 --> 00:01:13.000 Before we begin, I would like you to close your 11 00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:21.640 eyes and breathe in and out nice and deeply. Take 12 00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:27.359 a few seconds to inhale, and then hold your breath 13 00:01:28.079 --> 00:01:35.000 for a few seconds more, and then release and breathe out. 14 00:01:36.359 --> 00:01:40.959 Do this a few times if you need to, while 15 00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:45.599 you listen to the music and you listen to my voice, 16 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:53.000 give yourself time to let your body relax and your 17 00:01:53.120 --> 00:02:00.519 mind settle. It's important that we allow time for us 18 00:02:01.480 --> 00:02:10.800 to feel safe, cozy, and completely at ease. And now 19 00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:48.759 it's time for this week's story. 20 00:02:32.240 --> 00:02:39.240 The Shoemaker and the Devil. It was Christmas Eve. Marya 21 00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:43.599 had long been snoring on the stove all the paraffin 22 00:02:43.719 --> 00:02:47.560 in the little lamp had burnt out, but Fyodor Nilov 23 00:02:48.360 --> 00:02:51.719 still sat at work. He would long ago have flung 24 00:02:51.759 --> 00:02:56.080 aside his work and gone out into the street. But 25 00:02:56.479 --> 00:03:01.000 a customer from kolakology Lean, who had a fortnight before 26 00:03:01.360 --> 00:03:05.560 ordered some boots had been in the previous day, had 27 00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:10.240 abused him roundly and had ordered him to finish the 28 00:03:10.280 --> 00:03:15.400 boots at once before the morning service. It's a convict's life, 29 00:03:15.800 --> 00:03:20.120 Feudora grumbled as he worked. Some people have been asleep 30 00:03:20.280 --> 00:03:25.520 long ago. Others are enjoying themselves while you sit here 31 00:03:25.639 --> 00:03:29.479 like some caine and sow for the devil knows whom. 32 00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:34.520 To save himself from accidentally falling asleep, he kept taking 33 00:03:34.560 --> 00:03:37.879 a bottle from under the table and drinking out of it, 34 00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:42.439 and after every pull at it, he twisted his head 35 00:03:42.439 --> 00:03:47.800 and said aloud, what is the reason? Kindly tell me 36 00:03:48.520 --> 00:03:52.639 that customers enjoy themselves while I am forced to sit 37 00:03:52.800 --> 00:03:57.039 and work for them because they have money and I 38 00:03:57.080 --> 00:04:01.879 am a beggar. He hated all his customers, especially the 39 00:04:01.879 --> 00:04:06.879 one who lived on in Colcomne Lane. He was a 40 00:04:06.960 --> 00:04:12.639 gentleman of gloomy appearance, with long hair, a yellow face, 41 00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:18.920 blue spectacles, and a husky voice. He had a German 42 00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:23.800 name which one could not pronounce. It was impossible to 43 00:04:23.839 --> 00:04:29.439 tell what was his calling and what he did. When 44 00:04:29.800 --> 00:04:33.759 a fortnight before Feodor had gone to take his measure, 45 00:04:34.560 --> 00:04:38.680 he the customer was sitting on the floor pounding something 46 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:43.480 in a mortar. Before Feodor had time to say good morning, 47 00:04:44.240 --> 00:04:48.519 the contents of the mortar suddenly flared up and burned 48 00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:54.360 with a bright red flame. There was a stink of 49 00:04:54.480 --> 00:04:58.720 sulfur and burnt feathers, and the room was filled with 50 00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:05.120 a thick, pink sar smoke, so that Fyodor sneezed five times. 51 00:05:05.160 --> 00:05:10.160 And as he returned home afterwards, he thought anyone who 52 00:05:10.279 --> 00:05:13.160 feared God would not have anything to do with things 53 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:19.439 like that. When there was nothing left in the bottle, 54 00:05:20.079 --> 00:05:24.279 Fyodor put the boots on the table and sank into thought. 55 00:05:25.399 --> 00:05:28.959 He leaned his heavy head on his fist and began 56 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:33.199 thinking of his poverty, of his hard life with no 57 00:05:33.319 --> 00:05:37.839 glimmer of light in it. Then he thought of the rich, 58 00:05:38.720 --> 00:05:44.319 of their big houses, and their carriages, of their hundred 59 00:05:44.439 --> 00:05:48.040 rouble notes. How nice it would be if the houses 60 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:52.839 of these rich men, the devil flay them, were smashed, 61 00:05:53.560 --> 00:05:57.560 If their horses died, if their fur coats and sable 62 00:05:57.639 --> 00:06:02.879 cats got shabby, How splendid it would be if they're rich, 63 00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:08.399 little by little changed into beggars, having nothing, and he, 64 00:06:09.399 --> 00:06:14.480 a poor shoemaker, were to become rich and were to 65 00:06:14.600 --> 00:06:18.120 lord it over some other poor shoemaker. On Christmas Eve, 66 00:06:21.720 --> 00:06:26.439 dreaming like this, Fyodor suddenly thought of his work and 67 00:06:26.639 --> 00:06:31.759 opened his eyes. Here's a go, he thought, looking at 68 00:06:31.800 --> 00:06:36.199 the boots. The job has been finished ever so long ago, 69 00:06:36.759 --> 00:06:39.959 and I go on sitting here. I must take the 70 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:46.240 boots to the gentleman. He wrapped up the work in 71 00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:50.560 a red handkerchief, put on his things, and went out 72 00:06:50.680 --> 00:06:56.079 into the street. A fine, hard snow was falling, pricking 73 00:06:56.120 --> 00:07:02.879 the face as though with needles. It was cold, slippery, dark. 74 00:07:03.959 --> 00:07:08.600 The gas lamps burned dimly, and for some reason there 75 00:07:08.680 --> 00:07:13.560 was a smell of paraffin in the street, so that 76 00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:18.560 Fyodor coughed and cleared his throat. Rich men were driving 77 00:07:18.680 --> 00:07:22.279 to and fro on the road, and every rich man 78 00:07:22.399 --> 00:07:26.319 had a ham and a bottle of vodka in his hands. 79 00:07:26.959 --> 00:07:30.240 Rich young ladies peeped at Fyodor out of the carriages 80 00:07:30.279 --> 00:07:35.920 and sledges, put out their tongues and shouted laughing. Beggar 81 00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:43.720 beggar Students, officers and merchants walked behind Fyodor, jeering at 82 00:07:43.800 --> 00:07:50.240 him and crying, drunkard, drunkard, infidel cobbler, soul of a 83 00:07:50.279 --> 00:07:58.240 boot leg beggar. All of this was insulting, but Fyodor 84 00:07:58.360 --> 00:08:04.199 held his tongue and only spat in disgust. But when 85 00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:08.920 Kuzma Leboydkin from Warsaw, a master boot maker, met him 86 00:08:09.000 --> 00:08:13.160 and said I've married a rich woman and I have 87 00:08:13.240 --> 00:08:17.000 men working under me, while you are a beggar and 88 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:23.319 have nothing to eat, Feodor could not refrain from running 89 00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:27.920 after him. He pursued him till he found himself in 90 00:08:28.079 --> 00:08:32.120 col Cooney Lane. His customer lived in the fourth house 91 00:08:32.600 --> 00:08:38.759 from the corner, on the very top floor. To reach him, 92 00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:43.320 one had to go through a long, dark courtyard and 93 00:08:43.399 --> 00:08:48.720 then to climb up a very high, slippery staircase, which 94 00:08:48.879 --> 00:08:53.960 tottered under one's feet. When Feodor went into him, he 95 00:08:54.120 --> 00:08:57.960 was sitting on the floor pounding something in a mortar, 96 00:08:58.960 --> 00:09:06.320 just as he had been the fortnight before. Your honor, 97 00:09:06.759 --> 00:09:12.399 I have brought your boots, said Fyodor sullenly. The customer 98 00:09:12.440 --> 00:09:15.480 got up and began trying on the boots in silence. 99 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:20.200 Desiring to help him, Fyodor went down on one knee 100 00:09:20.879 --> 00:09:26.840 and pulled off his old boot, but at once jumped 101 00:09:26.919 --> 00:09:31.200 up and staggered toward the door in horror. The customer 102 00:09:31.240 --> 00:09:36.960 had not a foot, but a hoof like a horse's. Aha, 103 00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:43.840 thought Fyodor years ago. The first thing should have been 104 00:09:43.919 --> 00:09:48.960 to cross himself, then to leave everything and run downstairs. 105 00:09:48.960 --> 00:09:52.879 But he immediately reflected that he was meeting a devil 106 00:09:52.960 --> 00:09:59.360 for the first time, for the first and probably the 107 00:09:59.480 --> 00:10:03.320 last time, and not to take advantage of his services 108 00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:09.320 would be foolish. He controlled himself and determined to try 109 00:10:09.360 --> 00:10:13.919 his luck. Clasping his hands behind him to avoid making 110 00:10:13.960 --> 00:10:17.679 the sign of the cross, he coughed respectfully and began. 111 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:24.840 They say, there is nothing on earth more evil and 112 00:10:25.240 --> 00:10:29.039 impurer than the devil. But I am of the opinion, 113 00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:33.720 your honor, that the devil is highly educated. He has, 114 00:10:34.720 --> 00:10:39.360 excuse my saying it, hoofs and a tail behind, but 115 00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:46.320 he has more brains than many a student. I like 116 00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:51.600 you for what you say, said the devil, flattered. Thank you, shoemaker, 117 00:10:52.440 --> 00:10:57.320 what do you want? And without loss of time, the 118 00:10:57.399 --> 00:11:02.440 shoemaker began complaining of his luck. He began by saying 119 00:11:02.519 --> 00:11:06.320 that from his childhood up he had envied the rich. 120 00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:10.480 He had always resented it that all people did not 121 00:11:10.759 --> 00:11:17.879 live alike in big houses and drive with good horses. Why, 122 00:11:18.320 --> 00:11:22.440 he asked, was he poor? How was he worse than 123 00:11:22.519 --> 00:11:27.840 Cosmo Luboydkin from Warsaw, who had his own house and 124 00:11:27.919 --> 00:11:31.360 whose wife wore a hat. He had the same sort 125 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:37.000 of nose, the same hands, feet, head and back as 126 00:11:37.080 --> 00:11:40.519 the rich. And so why was he forced to work 127 00:11:40.559 --> 00:11:45.440 when others were enjoying themselves? Why was he married to 128 00:11:45.559 --> 00:11:50.080 Marya and not to a lady's smelling of scent? He 129 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:53.399 had often seen beautiful young ladies in the houses of 130 00:11:53.519 --> 00:11:58.000 rich customers, but they either took no notice of him whatever, 131 00:11:58.799 --> 00:12:02.320 or else sometimes left laughed and whispered to each other, 132 00:12:02.799 --> 00:12:06.919 what a red nose that shoemaker has. It was true 133 00:12:06.960 --> 00:12:12.639 that Marya was a good, kind, hard working woman, but 134 00:12:12.799 --> 00:12:17.480 she was not educated. Her hand was heavy and hit hard, 135 00:12:18.519 --> 00:12:21.720 and if one had occasion to speak of politics or 136 00:12:21.799 --> 00:12:26.200 anything intellectual before her, she would put her spoken and 137 00:12:26.279 --> 00:12:31.840 talk the most awful nonsense. What do you want? Then 138 00:12:32.279 --> 00:12:40.000 his customer interrupted him, I beg you your honor, satan ivanitch, 139 00:12:40.200 --> 00:12:49.799 to be graciously pleased to make me a rich man. Certainly, 140 00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:53.679 only for that, you must give me up your soul 141 00:12:54.919 --> 00:12:59.600 before the cocks crow. Go and sign on this paper 142 00:12:59.679 --> 00:13:07.120 here that you give me up your soul, Your honor, 143 00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:11.799 said Fyodor politely. When you ordered a pair of boots 144 00:13:11.799 --> 00:13:14.720 for me, I did not ask for the money in advance. 145 00:13:15.679 --> 00:13:18.720 One has first to carry out the order and then 146 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:26.600 ask for payment. Oh, very well, the customer assented. A 147 00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:31.000 bright flame suddenly flared up in the mortar, A pink, 148 00:13:31.320 --> 00:13:35.320 thick smoke came puffing out, and there was a smell 149 00:13:36.200 --> 00:13:41.519 of burnt feathers and sulfur. When the smoke had subsided, 150 00:13:42.240 --> 00:13:46.399 Fyodor rubbed his eyes and saw that he was no 151 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:53.519 longer Fyodor, no longer a shoemaker, but quite a different man, 152 00:13:55.759 --> 00:13:59.600 wearing a waistcoat and a watch chain and a new 153 00:13:59.639 --> 00:14:03.120 pair of trousers, and that he was sitting in an 154 00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:09.279 armchair at a big table. Two footmen were handing him dishes, 155 00:14:09.919 --> 00:14:15.720 bowing low and saying, kindly, eat your honor, and may 156 00:14:15.759 --> 00:14:23.799 it do you good? What wealth? The footman handed him 157 00:14:23.840 --> 00:14:28.159 a big piece of roast mutton and a dish of cucumbers, 158 00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:32.120 and then brought in a frying pan of roast goose, 159 00:14:32.919 --> 00:14:38.279 and a little afterwards boiled pork with horseradish cream. And 160 00:14:38.559 --> 00:14:47.679 how dignified, how genteel it all was, feodor ate, and 161 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:52.480 before each dish drank a big glass of excellent vodka, 162 00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:58.639 like some general or some count. After the pork he 163 00:14:58.759 --> 00:15:03.919 was handed some boiled grain, moistened with goose fat, then 164 00:15:04.200 --> 00:15:11.120 an omelet with bacon fat, then fried liver, and he 165 00:15:11.240 --> 00:15:18.000 went on eating and was delighted. What more they served too, 166 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:25.080 a pie with onion and steam turnip with kvass. How 167 00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:29.200 is it that gentry don't burst with such meals? He thought? 168 00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:35.279 In conclusion, they handed him a big pot of honey. 169 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:40.919 After dinner, the devil appeared in blue spectacles and asked, 170 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:46.240 with a low bow, are you satisfied with your dinner? 171 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:55.879 Fyodor Pantalich? But Fyodor could not answer one word. He 172 00:15:56.039 --> 00:16:00.799 was so stuffed after his dinner the feeling of repletion 173 00:16:01.399 --> 00:16:07.879 was unpleasant, oppressive, And to distract his thoughts, he looked 174 00:16:07.960 --> 00:16:13.440 at the boot on his left foot. For a boot 175 00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:16.759 like that, I used not to take less than seven 176 00:16:16.799 --> 00:16:21.480 and a half roubles, what shoemaker made it, He asked, 177 00:16:22.840 --> 00:16:28.039 Kusma le Boydkin answered the footman send for him. The 178 00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:34.240 fool Kuzma le Boydkin from Warsaw soon made his appearance. 179 00:16:35.240 --> 00:16:38.759 He stopped in a respectful attitude at the door and asked, 180 00:16:39.759 --> 00:16:45.919 what are your orders? Your honor, hold your tongue, cried Fyodor, 181 00:16:46.600 --> 00:16:52.519 and stamped his foot. Don't dare to argue. Remember your 182 00:16:52.600 --> 00:16:57.080 place as a cobbler, blockhead, you don't know how to 183 00:16:57.159 --> 00:17:01.360 make boots. I'll beat your ugly fizz to a jelly. 184 00:17:01.960 --> 00:17:07.759 Why have you come for money? What money be off? 185 00:17:08.519 --> 00:17:12.960 Come on Saturday boy, give him a cuff. But at 186 00:17:13.000 --> 00:17:16.079 once he recalled what a life the customers used to 187 00:17:16.200 --> 00:17:20.480 lead him to, and he felt heavy at heart. And 188 00:17:20.559 --> 00:17:23.880 to distract his attention, he took a fat pocket book 189 00:17:23.960 --> 00:17:29.240 out of his pocket and began counting his money. There 190 00:17:29.400 --> 00:17:34.240 was a great deal of money, but Feodor wanted more still. 191 00:17:37.480 --> 00:17:40.920 The devil in the blue spectacles brought him another notebook, 192 00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:46.440 fatter still, but he wanted even more, and the more 193 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:54.400 he counted it, the more discontented he became. In the evening, 194 00:17:54.559 --> 00:17:57.519 the evil one brought him a full bosomed lady in 195 00:17:57.559 --> 00:18:02.400 a red dress and said that this was his new wife. 196 00:18:02.680 --> 00:18:06.920 He spent the whole evening kissing her and eating gingerbreads. 197 00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:10.319 And at night he went to bed on a soft, 198 00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:15.839 downy feather bed, turned from side to side and could 199 00:18:15.880 --> 00:18:24.319 not go to sleep. He felt uncanny. We have a 200 00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:27.720 great deal of money, he said to his wife. We 201 00:18:27.839 --> 00:18:31.200 must look out, or thieves will be breaking in. You 202 00:18:31.240 --> 00:18:36.119 had better go and look with a candle. He did 203 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:39.519 not sleep all night, and kept getting up to see 204 00:18:39.559 --> 00:18:42.680 if his box was all right. In the morning he 205 00:18:42.759 --> 00:18:46.839 had to go to church, to Manton's. In church, the 206 00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:51.039 same honor is done to rich and poor alike. When 207 00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:56.559 Fyodor was poor, he used to pray in church like this, God, 208 00:18:57.759 --> 00:19:02.759 forgive me a sinner. He said the same thing. Now 209 00:19:03.559 --> 00:19:09.599 though he had become rich, What difference was there? And 210 00:19:09.799 --> 00:19:13.160 after death, Theodor rich would not be buried in gold, 211 00:19:14.119 --> 00:19:18.319 not in diamonds, but in the same black earth as 212 00:19:18.359 --> 00:19:22.960 the poorest beggar. Theodor would burn in the same fire 213 00:19:23.039 --> 00:19:30.359 as cobblers. Theodor resented all this, and two he felt 214 00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:35.000 weighed down all over by his dinner, and instead of prayer, 215 00:19:35.640 --> 00:19:38.440 he had all sorts of thoughts in his head about 216 00:19:38.440 --> 00:19:49.759 his box of money, about thieves, about his bartered ruined soul. 217 00:19:49.960 --> 00:19:53.599 He came out of church in a bad temper. To 218 00:19:53.720 --> 00:19:57.319 drive away his unpleasant thoughts, as he had often done before, 219 00:19:58.160 --> 00:20:02.319 he struck up a song at the top of his voice. 220 00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:05.079 But as soon as he began, a policeman ran up 221 00:20:05.119 --> 00:20:07.839 and said, with his fingers to the peak of his cap, 222 00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:14.359 your honor, gentlefolk must not sing in the street. You 223 00:20:14.440 --> 00:20:21.359 are not a shoemaker. Theodor leaned his back against a 224 00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:25.319 fence and fell to thinking what could he do to 225 00:20:25.400 --> 00:20:31.359 amuse himself. Your honor, a porter shouted to him, don't 226 00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:36.720 lean against the fence, you will spoil your fur coat. 227 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:41.759 Theodor went into a shop and bought himself the very 228 00:20:41.799 --> 00:20:46.039 best concertina, then went out into the street playing it. 229 00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:52.039 Everybody pointed at him and laughed, and a gentleman too. 230 00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:59.640 The cabman jeered at him like some cobbler. Is it 231 00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:03.799 the proper thing for gentlefolk to be disorderly in the street. 232 00:21:04.559 --> 00:21:08.000 A policeman said to him, you had better go into 233 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:12.920 a tavern, your honor, give us a trifle for Christ's sake. 234 00:21:13.319 --> 00:21:19.799 The beggars wailed surrounding Feodor on all sides. In earlier days, 235 00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:23.319 when he was a shoemaker. The beggars took no notice 236 00:21:23.319 --> 00:21:31.079 of him. Now they wouldn't let him pass. And at 237 00:21:31.079 --> 00:21:35.400 home his new wife, the lady was waiting for him, 238 00:21:36.119 --> 00:21:39.559 dressed in a green blouse and a red skirt. He 239 00:21:39.720 --> 00:21:43.240 meant to be attentive to her, and had just lifted 240 00:21:43.240 --> 00:21:45.880 his arm to give her a good clout on the back, 241 00:21:46.599 --> 00:21:54.480 but she said angrily, peasant, ignorant, lout. You don't know 242 00:21:54.519 --> 00:21:58.039 how to behave with ladies. If you love me, you 243 00:21:58.079 --> 00:22:01.599 will kiss my hand. I don't allow you to beat me. 244 00:22:04.799 --> 00:22:09.839 This is a blasted existence, thought Fyodor. People do lead 245 00:22:09.880 --> 00:22:15.240 a life. You mustn't sang, You mustn't play the concertina, 246 00:22:15.480 --> 00:22:19.839 You mustn't have a lark with a lady poo. He 247 00:22:19.960 --> 00:22:22.799 had no sooner sat down to tea with the lady 248 00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:30.319 when the evil spirit in the blue spectacles appeared and said, come, Fyodor, pantaliitch, 249 00:22:31.400 --> 00:22:35.880 I have performed my part of the bargain. Now sign 250 00:22:35.960 --> 00:22:41.759 your paper and come along with me. And he dragged 251 00:22:41.799 --> 00:22:46.559 Fyodor to hell, straight to the furnace, and devils flew 252 00:22:46.680 --> 00:22:54.319 up from all directions and shouted fool, blockhead ass. There 253 00:22:54.440 --> 00:22:58.400 was a fearful smell of paraffin in hell enough to 254 00:22:58.519 --> 00:23:07.119 suffocate one, and suddenly it all vanished. Theodor opened his 255 00:23:07.319 --> 00:23:12.759 eyes and saw his table, the boots, and the tin lamp. 256 00:23:14.200 --> 00:23:18.119 The lamp glass was black, and from the faint light 257 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:21.480 on the wick came clouds of stinking smoke, as from 258 00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:26.640 a chimney. Near the table stood the customer in the 259 00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:33.960 blue spectacles, shouting angrily, fool, blockhead ass. I'll give you 260 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:38.519 a lesson, you scoundrel. You took the order a fortnight ago, 261 00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:43.759 and the boots aren't ready yet. Do you suppose I 262 00:23:43.839 --> 00:23:47.279 want to come trapesing around here half a dozen times 263 00:23:47.279 --> 00:23:55.559 a day for my boots, you wretch, you brute Fyodor 264 00:23:55.640 --> 00:23:58.079 shook his head and set to work on the boots. 265 00:23:58.799 --> 00:24:02.240 The customer went on swearing and threatening him for a 266 00:24:02.400 --> 00:24:08.279 long time. At last, when he subsided, Theodor asked, sullenly, 267 00:24:09.680 --> 00:24:16.000 and what is your occupation, sir? I make Bengal lights 268 00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:22.240 and fireworks. I am a pyrotechnician. They began ringing for mountins. 269 00:24:23.359 --> 00:24:27.640 Theodor gave the customer the boots, took the money for them, 270 00:24:28.480 --> 00:24:34.920 and went to church. Carriages and sledges with bearskin rugs 271 00:24:34.920 --> 00:24:39.400 were dashing to and fro in the street. Merchants, ladies 272 00:24:39.680 --> 00:24:44.359 officers were walking along the pavement together with the humbler folk, 273 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:49.759 but Theodor did not envy them, nor repine at his lot. 274 00:24:50.920 --> 00:24:54.680 It seemed to him now that rich and poor were 275 00:24:54.799 --> 00:25:00.839 equally badly off. Some were able to drive a carriage, 276 00:25:01.279 --> 00:25:04.000 and others to sing songs at the top of their 277 00:25:04.119 --> 00:25:08.079 voice and to play the concertina. But one and the 278 00:25:08.160 --> 00:25:13.839 same thing, the same grave was awaiting all alike. And 279 00:25:13.920 --> 00:25:16.759 there was nothing in life for which one would give 280 00:25:16.799 --> 00:25:38.799 the devil, even a tiny scrap of one's soule. The 281 00:25:38.839 --> 00:25:46.000 shoemaker and the devil. It was Christmas eve. Marya had 282 00:25:46.119 --> 00:25:50.240 long been snoring on the stove. All the paraffin in 283 00:25:50.279 --> 00:25:55.160 the little lamp had burnt out, but Fyodor Nilov still 284 00:25:55.240 --> 00:25:58.680 sat at work. He would long ago have flung aside 285 00:25:58.759 --> 00:26:03.000 his work and gone out into the street. But a 286 00:26:03.079 --> 00:26:08.119 customer from colacology Lean, who had a fortnight before ordered 287 00:26:08.119 --> 00:26:12.599 some boots had been in the previous day, had abused 288 00:26:12.680 --> 00:26:17.119 him roundly and had ordered him to finish the boots 289 00:26:17.200 --> 00:26:21.839 at once before the morning service. It's a convict's life, 290 00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:26.559 Feudora grumbled as he worked. Some people have been asleep 291 00:26:26.720 --> 00:26:31.960 long ago. Others are enjoying themselves while you sit here 292 00:26:32.079 --> 00:26:35.960 like some Caine and sow for the devil knows whom. 293 00:26:36.279 --> 00:26:40.960 To save himself from accidentally falling asleep, he kept taking 294 00:26:41.000 --> 00:26:44.319 a bottle from under the table and drinking out of it, 295 00:26:45.440 --> 00:26:48.839 And after every pull at it, he twisted his head 296 00:26:48.880 --> 00:26:54.240 and said aloud, what is the reason? Kindly tell me 297 00:26:54.960 --> 00:26:59.079 that customers enjoy themselves while I am forced to sit 298 00:26:59.240 --> 00:27:03.240 and work for them them because they have money and 299 00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:08.160 I am a beggar. He hated all his customers, especially 300 00:27:08.200 --> 00:27:13.200 the one who lived on in Colcogne Lane. He was 301 00:27:13.240 --> 00:27:19.079 a gentleman of gloomy appearance, with long hair, a yellow face, 302 00:27:20.039 --> 00:27:25.359 blue spectacles, and a husky voice. He had a German 303 00:27:25.480 --> 00:27:30.200 name which one could not pronounce. It was impossible to 304 00:27:30.279 --> 00:27:35.880 tell what was his calling and what he did. When 305 00:27:36.240 --> 00:27:40.200 a fortnight before Fyodor had gone to take his measure, 306 00:27:41.000 --> 00:27:45.119 he the customer was sitting on the floor pounding something 307 00:27:45.240 --> 00:27:49.920 in a mortar. Before Fyodor had time to say good morning, 308 00:27:50.680 --> 00:27:54.960 the contents of the mortar suddenly flared up and burned 309 00:27:55.000 --> 00:28:00.839 with a bright red flame. There was a stink of 310 00:28:00.920 --> 00:28:05.160 sulfur and burnt feathers, and the room was filled with 311 00:28:05.240 --> 00:28:10.680 a thick pink smoke, so that Fyodor sneezed five times, 312 00:28:11.599 --> 00:28:16.599 And as he returned home afterwards, he thought anyone who 313 00:28:16.720 --> 00:28:19.599 feared God would not have anything to do with things 314 00:28:19.720 --> 00:28:25.880 like that. When there was nothing left in the bottle, 315 00:28:26.519 --> 00:28:30.720 Fyodor put the boots on the table and sank into thought. 316 00:28:31.839 --> 00:28:35.400 He leaned his heavy head on his fist and began 317 00:28:35.559 --> 00:28:39.640 thinking of his poverty, of his hard life with no 318 00:28:39.759 --> 00:28:44.279 glimmer of light in it. Then he thought of the rich, 319 00:28:45.160 --> 00:28:50.759 of their big houses and their carriages, of their hundred 320 00:28:50.880 --> 00:28:54.480 rouble notes. How nice it would be if the houses 321 00:28:54.519 --> 00:28:59.279 of these rich men, the devil flay them, were smashed, 322 00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:04.000 if their horses died, if their fur coats and sable 323 00:29:04.079 --> 00:29:08.920 cats got shabby. How splendid it would be if they're 324 00:29:09.079 --> 00:29:14.839 rich little by little, changed into beggars, having nothing, and he, 325 00:29:15.839 --> 00:29:20.920 a poor shoemaker, were to become rich and were to 326 00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:24.559 lord it over some other poor shoemaker. On Christmas Eve, 327 00:29:28.160 --> 00:29:32.880 dreaming like this, Fyodor suddenly thought of his work and 328 00:29:33.079 --> 00:29:38.200 opened his eyes. Here's a go, he thought, looking at 329 00:29:38.240 --> 00:29:42.640 the boots. The job has been finished ever so long ago, 330 00:29:43.200 --> 00:29:46.400 and I go on sitting here. I must take the 331 00:29:46.440 --> 00:29:52.680 boots to the gentlemen. He wrapped up the work in 332 00:29:52.759 --> 00:29:57.079 a red handkerchief, put on his things, and went out 333 00:29:57.079 --> 00:30:02.519 into the street. A fine, hard snow was falling, pricking 334 00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:09.319 the face as though with needles. It was cold, slippery, dark. 335 00:30:10.400 --> 00:30:15.039 The gas lamps burned dimly, and for some reason there 336 00:30:15.119 --> 00:30:20.000 was a smell of paraffin in the street, so that 337 00:30:20.119 --> 00:30:25.000 Fyodor coughed and cleared his throat. Rich Men were driving 338 00:30:25.119 --> 00:30:28.680 to and fro on the road, and every rich man 339 00:30:28.839 --> 00:30:31.720 had a ham and a bottle of vodka in his hands. 340 00:30:33.400 --> 00:30:36.680 Rich young ladies peeped at Fyodor out of the carriages 341 00:30:36.720 --> 00:30:45.839 and sledges, put out their tongues and shouted, laughing beggar beggar. Students, 342 00:30:45.839 --> 00:30:53.720 officers and merchants walked behind Fyodor, jeering at him and crying, drunkard, drunkard, 343 00:30:54.480 --> 00:31:01.839 infidel cobbler, soul of a boot leg beggar. All of 344 00:31:01.880 --> 00:31:07.079 this was insulting, but Fyodor held his tongue and only 345 00:31:07.160 --> 00:31:12.880 spat in disgust. But when Kuzma le Boydkin from Warsaw, 346 00:31:13.519 --> 00:31:17.599 a master boot maker, met him and said, I've married 347 00:31:17.640 --> 00:31:20.759 a rich woman, and I have men working under me, 348 00:31:21.720 --> 00:31:25.079 while you are a beggar and have nothing to eat. 349 00:31:27.240 --> 00:31:32.039 Fyodor could not refrain from running after him. He pursued 350 00:31:32.119 --> 00:31:37.039 him till he found himself in Colkooney Lane. His customer 351 00:31:37.119 --> 00:31:40.240 lived in the fourth house from the corner, on the 352 00:31:40.359 --> 00:31:46.160 very top floor. To reach him, one had to go 353 00:31:46.240 --> 00:31:51.160 through a long, dark courtyard, and then to climb up 354 00:31:51.200 --> 00:31:57.200 a very high, slippery staircase, which tottered under one's feet. 355 00:31:57.920 --> 00:32:01.400 When Fyodor went into him, he was sitting on the 356 00:32:01.480 --> 00:32:06.240 floor pounding something in a mortar, just as he had 357 00:32:06.279 --> 00:32:14.440 been the fortnight before. Your honor, I have brought your boots, 358 00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:20.400 said Fyodor, sullenly. The customer got up and began trying 359 00:32:20.440 --> 00:32:25.240 on the boots in silence. Desiring to help him, Fyodor 360 00:32:25.359 --> 00:32:30.680 went down on one knee and pulled off his old boot, 361 00:32:31.920 --> 00:32:35.160 but at once jumped up and staggered toward the door 362 00:32:35.200 --> 00:32:39.839 in horror. The customer had not a foot, but a 363 00:32:39.920 --> 00:32:49.000 hoof like a horse's. Aha, thought Fyodor. Years ago, the 364 00:32:49.039 --> 00:32:52.319 first thing should have been to cross himself, then to 365 00:32:52.400 --> 00:32:57.880 leave everything and run downstairs. But he immediately reflected that 366 00:32:58.000 --> 00:33:03.599 he was meeting a devil for the first time, for 367 00:33:03.640 --> 00:33:07.920 the first and probably the last time, and not to 368 00:33:07.960 --> 00:33:13.960 take advantage of his services would be foolish. He controlled 369 00:33:14.039 --> 00:33:18.680 himself and determined to try his luck. Clasping his hands 370 00:33:18.680 --> 00:33:21.519 behind him to avoid making the sign of the cross, 371 00:33:22.240 --> 00:33:29.079 he coughed respectfully and began. They say, there is nothing 372 00:33:29.119 --> 00:33:33.359 on earth more evil and impurer than the devil. But 373 00:33:34.359 --> 00:33:37.240 I am of the opinion, your honor, that the devil 374 00:33:37.400 --> 00:33:43.759 is highly educated. He has, excuse my saying it, hoofs 375 00:33:43.799 --> 00:33:47.880 and a tail behind, but he has more brains than 376 00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:53.920 many a student. I like you for what you say, 377 00:33:54.519 --> 00:34:01.839 said the devil, flattered. Thank you, shoemaker, what do you want? 378 00:34:02.200 --> 00:34:05.880 And without loss of time, the shoemaker began complaining of 379 00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:10.400 his lot. He began by saying that from his childhood 380 00:34:10.519 --> 00:34:15.320 up he had envied the rich. He had always resented 381 00:34:15.360 --> 00:34:18.559 it that all people did not live alike in big 382 00:34:18.679 --> 00:34:26.119 houses and drive with good horses. Why, he asked, was 383 00:34:26.159 --> 00:34:31.360 he poor? How was he worse than Cosmo Luboydkin from Warsaw, 384 00:34:32.360 --> 00:34:35.639 who had his own house and whose wife wore a hat. 385 00:34:36.639 --> 00:34:40.760 He had the same sort of nose, the same hands, feet, 386 00:34:41.360 --> 00:34:45.679 head and back as the rich? And so why was 387 00:34:45.760 --> 00:34:50.880 he forced to work? When others were enjoying themselves. Why 388 00:34:51.039 --> 00:34:54.280 was he married to Marya and not to a lady's 389 00:34:54.280 --> 00:34:58.960 smelling of scent? He had often seen beautiful young ladies 390 00:34:59.000 --> 00:35:02.800 in the houses of ris customers, but they either took 391 00:35:02.880 --> 00:35:07.440 no notice of him whatever, or else sometimes laughed and 392 00:35:07.599 --> 00:35:11.719 whispered to each other. What a red nose that shoemaker has. 393 00:35:12.599 --> 00:35:16.960 It was true that Marya was a good, kind, hard 394 00:35:17.039 --> 00:35:22.239 working woman, but she was not educated. Her hand was 395 00:35:22.320 --> 00:35:26.440 heavy and hit hard, and if one had occasion to 396 00:35:26.519 --> 00:35:31.440 speak of politics or anything intellectual before her, she would 397 00:35:31.480 --> 00:35:36.840 put her spoken and talk the most awful nonsense. What 398 00:35:37.000 --> 00:35:44.320 do you want, then, his customer interrupted him. I beg you, 399 00:35:44.320 --> 00:35:50.039 your honor, satan Ivanitch, to be graciously pleased to make 400 00:35:50.159 --> 00:35:58.639 me a rich man. Certainly, only for that, you must 401 00:35:58.679 --> 00:36:03.840