Atondido Stories
The nickerman spread out his red streamers close to the
shore and tried to catch her, but she was not to be tempted.
"I know who you are!" she cried, holding tight her handful of
dry earth. "You'll never get my soul! And you'll never again im-
prison under your black pots all the poor innocent souls I liber-
ated!"
Years afterwards when Lidushka had children of her own,
she used to tell them this story and say to them:
"And now, my dears, you know why it is dangerous to reach
out in the water for a red streamer or a pretty water lily. The
wicked nickerman may be there just waiting to catch you."
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