Nursery Tales from Many Lands  by Eleanor L. and Ada M. Skinner

The Straw Ox

There was once an old woman and an old man. The old man worked in the field, while the old woman sat at home and spun flax. They were very, very poor. One day the old woman said, "Daddy, make me a straw ox and cover it with tar."

"A straw ox? What in the world is the good of an ox of that sort?"

"Never mind, Daddy," she said. "Make me a straw ox and cover it with tar."

"Well, well, well," said the old man.

So the old man made an ox of straw and covered it with tar.


Early the next morning the old woman drove the straw ox to the meadow. She took her distaff with her and she sat down behind a little hill to do her spinning. While the straw ox was grazing she spun her flax and sang,

"Graze away, little ox,

While I spin my flax;

Graze away, little ox,

While I spin my flax."

As she spun and sang, her head drooped down and she went fast asleep. She did not see a big bear come from the dark wood and say to the ox,

"Who are you?"

"I am a straw ox

And I'm covered with tar."

"Oh, covered with tar, are you? Then give me a little of your tar. I wish to patch my ragged fur again."

"Take some," said the ox.

The bear fell upon him and began to tear away the tar. He buried his teeth in the ox as far as he could. To his surprise he soon found he could not let go. He was stuck fast. He tugged and tugged, but it was of no use. Then the straw ox started off home dragging the bear with him.

When the old woman awoke there was no ox to be seen. "My straw ox may have gone home," she said. "I will go, too."

She took up her distaff; threw it over her shoulder, and hastened home. There she found the straw ox with the bear still stuck fast to the tar.

"Daddy, Daddy," she cried, "look, look. The straw ox has brought us a bear. Come."

The old man jumped up, pulled the bear out of the tar, and cast him into the cellar.


[Illustration]

The next morning the old woman again drove the straw ox to the meadow. She took her distaff with her and she sat down behind a little hill to do her spinning. While the straw ox was grazing she spun her flax and sang,

"Graze away, little ox,

While I spin my flax;

Graze away, little ox,

While I spin my flax."

As she spun and sang, her head drooped down and she was soon fast asleep. While she was sleeping a gray wolf came rushing out of the wood. He saw the straw ox grazing in the meadow.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I am a straw ox

And I'm covered with tar."

"Oh, covered with tar, are you? Give me some of your tar to tar my sides. Then the dogs cannot tear me."

"Take some," said the ox.

The gray wolf fell upon the straw ox and tried to tear away some of the tar. He tugged and tugged, but he could get none. Then he tried to let go, but, no matter how hard he pulled, the tar held him fast. The straw ox started off home dragging the gray wolf with him.

When the old woman woke up there was no straw ox to be seen. "My ox has gone home," she said. "I will go, too." She took up her distaff, threw it over her shoulder, and hastened home, and there stood the straw ox with a gray wolf stuck fast to the tar.

"Daddy, Daddy!" she called out. "Come! The straw ox has brought us a gray wolf. Come!"

The old man came, pulled the gray wolf out of the tar, and cast him into the cellar with the bear.


On the third day the old woman again drove the straw ox to the meadow. And again she sat down and began to spin and sing and was soon fast asleep.

A fox came running up.

"Who are you?" he asked when he saw the straw ox.

"I am a straw ox

And I'm covered with tar."

"Oh, covered with tar, are you? Then give me some of your tar. I wish to cover my sides so that the dogs cannot tear my hide," begged the fox.

"Take some," said the straw ox.

The fox fastened his teeth in the tar. He tugged and tugged, but he could not pull them out again. Away started the straw ox dragging the fox with him.

The old woman woke up, hurried home, and found the straw ox there with a fox stuck fast in the tar. She called again to the old man. "Come, Daddy!"

The old man jumped up, pulled the fox out of the tar, and cast him into the cellar with the bear and the gray wolf. And the next day they caught a little hare in the same way.


"We have some fine animals now, Daddy," said the old woman.

"Yes, yes, my good woman, and all were caught by the straw ox which I made," said the old man, beginning to sharpen his knife.

The bear looked up and saw what the old man was doing.

"Tell me, Daddy," he said, "why are you sharpening your knife?"

"Your hide will make a fine leather jacket for myself and a coat for my old woman."

"Let me go, Daddy, dear," begged the bear, "and I'll bring you a lot of honey."

"Very well, see that you do it." And old man let the bear go.

Then he sat down on the bench again and began to sharpen his knife. And the gray wolf asked:

"Daddy, why are you sharpening your knife?"

"Your hide will make me a warm cap for the winter."

"Let me go, Daddy, dear. I'll bring you a whole herd of little sheep."

"Very well, see that you do it." And he let the gray wolf go.

Again he sat down on the bench and began to sharpen his knife.

The fox looked up. "Why are you sharping your knife, Daddy, dear?"

"Little foxes' fur makes nice collars and trimmings."

"Let me go, Daddy, dear, and I will bring you some nice hens and geese."

"Very well, see that you do it." And he let the fox go.

Then the little hare begged to know why Daddy was sharpening his knife.

"Little hares' soft fur makes nice gloves and mittens for winter."


[Illustration]

"Don't take my fur, Daddy, dear. Let me go and I'll bring you cabbage and cauliflower—all you wish."

"Very well, see that you do it." Then he let the little hare go.

Early the next morning there was a noise on the door of the cottage. It sounded like "Dr-r-r-r-r."

"Daddy," cried the old woman, "some one is scratching at the door. Get up and who it is."

The old man got up and opened the door. There stood the bear carrying a whole hive of honey. He took the honey from the bear and went back to bed.

No sooner was he asleep than again came the sound, "Dr-r-r-r-r," at the cottage door. "Daddy, dear," cried the old woman, "there's that noise again. Get up."

The old man again got out of bed, went to the window, and looked out. There he saw the gray wolf driving a whole flock of sheep into the yard. Close on his heels came the fox driving some fine geese and hens. Last of all came the little hare bringing cabbage and cauliflower.

Then the old man and the old woman were glad. They sold honey and sheep and geese and hens, and became so rich that they never needed anything more for the rest of their lives.

And what became of the straw ox?

Oh, he stood in the sun until he fell to pieces!


Russian Nursery Tale