The Tale of the Clever Peasant

THE CLEVER FARMER

There lived a khan. One day he decided to amuse himself and ordered his loyal horsemen — Asan and Usen — to find and bring him a foolish person.

The horsemen set off to fulfill the khan's command.

As they rode along, they had the following conversation.

— Who shall we bring to the khan? If we do not fulfill his orders, he will punish us, — said Asan.

— It seems you have lost your mind if you are pondering who to bring to the khan, — replied Usen. We will simply grab the first person we come across and take him to the khan. No one will dare disobey the khan's command!

They rode on and encountered a man who was dragging a felled tree along the ground.

— Hey, drop your load and come with us to the khan — he is calling for you! — shouted the horsemen in unison.

— No, — the man replied. — I must first take the tree home. Then I can go if that is the khan's command. But why does he need me?

— He is still talking! — exclaimed the horsemen. — You are ordered to go, so go without further ado. The khan commanded us to find a fool, and aren't you a foolish person?

— No, horsemen, — the man replied again. — I am not a fool, and therefore I will not abandon the tree that I have worked so hard to drag from the forest.

Having said this, the man hurried away from the horsemen. The horsemen continued on and saw a lonely yurt, inside which was a woman. The woman was weaving at a loom.

— Woman, — the horsemen called to her, — the khan is calling for you. Come with us without delay!

— Why would the khan call a simple woman?! — the woman was surprised.

— He wants to talk to you. He ordered us to find a foolish person, and haven't you shown your foolishness by daring to argue with us, men? — the horsemen replied.

— I think the fool should be recognized as the one who is idle. Here I am working tirelessly, taking care of my livelihood. Look for a fool elsewhere, as I will not go anywhere, — the woman said resolutely.

— If we speak the truth and try to persuade, no one will listen to us. Let's just take the first person we meet, and that's it! — decided Asan and Usen.

They rode on and met a farmer who was plowing the land.

— Hey, farmer, come to the khan! — shouted the horsemen.

This time the khan was impressed by the farmer's cleverness and, just like last time, rewarded him with a wheat flatbread, while the khan's wife gave the farmer a gold coin.

A few days later, the khan called the farmer to him again and said:
— If you are indeed a good guesser, then guess who among us is the khan's child — me or my wife?

The farmer thought for a moment and replied:
— Your wife is the khan's daughter, and you are the son of a baker!

Hearing these words, the khan became angry and decided to behead the farmer. But before executing the farmer, the khan asked the old khan's wife, his mother:
— Mother, tell me the truth — whose son am I?

And the khan's wife replied to him:
— My son, it was a long time ago. One girl after another was born to us, and my husband was very displeased with this. I had a friend, the wife of a poor baker. One day, when each of us was expecting a child, I generously gifted my friend, and we agreed that if I had a girl and she had a boy, we would exchange children. So it happened. I had a daughter, and the baker's wife had a son. As agreed, at night, secretly from everyone, my friend brought the newborn to me, and I gave her my daughter. Only then did I announce to the khan the birth of a son and arranged a grand feast. Years went by. The children grew up. Not wanting to part with my daughter, I took her as your wife.

The khan listened to his mother's story and asked the farmer:
— How could you guess this?

The farmer replied:
— You called me to you twice, and both times rewarded me with wheat flatbreads. That is how I guessed you are the son of a baker. And your wife rewarded me with a gold coin both times, and I understood that she is the khan's daughter.

The khan was pleased with the farmer's wise answers and made him his vizier. And he generously rewarded his loyal horsemen — Asan and Usen — for finding such a clever person instead of a fool.

Kyrgyz Tales