Atondido Stories
consequences.”
As Raduz started off, Yezibaba looked after him and shook
her head suspiciously.
“I don’t understand this,” she said to her husband. “He
could never have done these two tasks alone. Do you suppose
Ludmila has been helping him? I’ll punish her if she has!”
“Shame on you,” the old man said, “to talk so of your own
daughter! Ludmila is a good girl and has always been loyal and
obedient.”
“I hope so,” Yezibaba said, “but just the same I think I myself
will carry him out his dinner today.”
“Nonsense, old woman! You’ll do no such thing! You’re al-
ways smelling a rat somewhere! Let the boy alone and don’t go
nagging at Ludmila either!”
So Yezibaba said no more. This time she cooked a mess of liz-
ards for Raduz’ dinner.
“Here, Ludmila,” she said, “carry this out to the young man.
But see that you don’t talk to him. And hurry back.”
Poor Raduz had been pounding stones one on another as
well as he could, but he hadn’t been able to grind any of them in-
to flour. As noonday approached he kept looking up anxiously
to see whether beautiful Ludmila was again coming to help him.
“Here I am,” she called while she was yet some distance
away. “You were to have lizard stew today but, see, I am bring-
ing you my own dinner!”
Then she told him what she had heard Yezibaba say to her
father.
“Today she almost brought you your dinner herself, for she
suspects that I have been helping you. If she knew that I really
had she would kill you.”
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