Elijah the Prophet and St. Nicholas
by Alexander Afanasyev · from Russian Fairy Tales
Original Story
Elijah the Prophet and St. Nicholas
Once, a long time ago, there lived a peasant. He always observed St.
Nicholas’ day, but never, never, that of St. Elias; he even worked on
it. He used to say a Te Deum to Nicholas, and burn a taper, but never
gave as much as a thought to the Prophet Elijah.
One day Elijah and Nicholas were walking through this peasant’s fields,
going along and surveying; and the ears were so large, so full, that it
warmed one’s heart to look at them!
“What a fine crop this will be!” said Nicholas. “Yes, and he’s a fine
fellow, a good, brave peasant, pious; he remembers God, and reveres the
Holy Saints. Whatever he turns his hand to shall prosper.”
“Ha, let’s have a look, brother,” Elijah demurred. “Will there be so
much over? My lightnings shall glint and my hail beat his field down;
then your peasant shall learn right, and regard my name-day.”
So they wrangled and argued, and at last agreed to go each his own way.
St. Nicholas at once went off to the peasant, and said: “Go and sell the
Father by St. Elias’ all your standing corn: not a blade will be left;
it will be destroyed by hail.”
Up the peasant dashed to the pope: “Oh, bátyushka, won’t you buy all
my standing corn? I’ll sell you my whole field; I am so short of money;
take it and give it me. Do buy it, Father; I’ll sell it cheap.”
They haggled and bargained, and at last agreed. The peasant took his
cash and went home.
Time went by—not much, nor little; a heavy thundrous cloud gathered,
and, with frightsome lightning and hail, played on the peasant’s field,
cut through his crops like a scythe, and left not one blade to tell the
tale.
Next day, Elijah and Nicholas were faring through, and Elijah said:
“Look how I’ve blasted the peasant’s field!”
“The peasant’s field? No, my brother, no; you’ve done your work
thoroughly; but it belongs to the pope by St. Elias, not to the
peasant.”
“What! That pope?”
“Oh, yes; about a week ago the peasant sold the field to the pope, and
got hard cash for it! And the pope is crying over the spilt money.”
“That won’t do,” said Elijah; “I will grow the meadow anew—’twill be as
good as it was.”
They had their talk out and went on their way.
Up went St. Nicholas to the peasant once again. “Go and see the pope,”
he said, “and redeem your field; you won’t lose by it.”
The peasant went to see the pope. “The Lord has grievously afflicted
you, has smitten your field with hail, as smooth as a board. Let’s share
the cost of it; I will take back my field, and to relieve your loss will
return you half the money.”
Oh, how glad the pope was to consent! They shook hands on it at once.
Meanwhile, somehow or other, the peasant’s field righted itself; new
shoots sprang up out of the old roots, the rain poured down on them, and
nourished the earth; wonderful fresh corn grew up, lofty and thick; not
a weed to be seen; and the ears were so full that they bowed down to
earth. The little sun warmed them, and the rye was warmed through, and
waved like a field of gold. The peasant bound up sheaf after sheaf,
built rick after rick; carted it away and stacked it.
Just then Elijah and St. Nicholas were once more passing by. Elijah
looked blithely at the field and said: “Just look, Nicholas, what a
blessing I have wrought! This is my reward to the pope, and he’ll never
forget it all his life.”
“The pope! No, brother; it is a great boon, but then this is the
peasant’s field; the pope hasn’t a rod of it!”
“Wha-at?”
“It is true. After the meadow had been battered by hail, the peasant
went up to the pope and bought it back at half price.”
“Stop a bit,” said the Prophet Elijah, “I’ll take all the good out of
it; out of all the peasant’s ricks he shall not thresh more than six
gallons at a time.”
“Here, this looks bad,” thought St. Nicholas, and instantly went to see
the peasant, and said: “See to it; when you start threshing, never take
more than a sheaf at a time on the threshing-floor.”
So the peasant set to threshing, and he got six gallons out of every
sheaf; all his granaries and lofts were full up with rye, and still
there was much left over; he built new storehouses, and filled them full
to the flush.
But one day Elijah the Prophet and St. Nicholas were passing by his
courtyard, and Elijah glanced up and said: “Why has he built these new
granaries? How can he stock them all?”
“They’re full up,” St. Nicholas replied.
“How did he get so much grain?”
“Oho! Every sheaf yielded him six gallons, and, as soon as he started
threshing, he brought them in sheaf by sheaf.”
“Oh, my brother Nicholas!” Elijah guessed: “you must have told him what
to do!”
“Well, I thought it all out, and was going to say....”
“What are you after? It’s all your work. Never mind; your peasant shall
still have a reminder of me.”
“What will you do?”
“I shall not tell you this time!”
“Well, if evil is to be, it will come.”
Nicholas thought, and again went to the peasant, told him to buy two
tapers, one big and one small, and gave him instructions.
Next day Elijah the Prophet and St. Nicholas were out together in the
guise of wanderers, and the peasant happened to meet them, carrying two
waxen candles—one big one that cost a rouble, and a little one that cost
a kopek.
“Where are you going to, peasant?” St. Nicholas said.
“Oh, I am going to light the rouble taper to the Prophet Elijah; he has
been so charitable to me. My field was ravaged by hail, so he
intervened, bátyushka, and gave me a crop twice as good.”
“For whom is the farthing dip?”
“Oh, for St. Nicholas!” the peasant said, and pursued his way.
“There you are, Elijah,” said St. Nicholas: “you said I gave everything
away to the peasant; now you see what the truth is.”
And with this the dispute was ended: Elijah the Prophet was reconciled,
and ceased persecuting the peasant with hail-storms, so that he lived a
merry life from that day and honoured both name-days equally.
Story DNA
Moral
It is wise to show respect and gratitude to all divine powers, as neglecting one can lead to misfortune, while honoring all can bring blessings.
Plot Summary
A peasant consistently honors St. Nicholas but neglects Elijah the Prophet. Angered, Elijah vows to destroy the peasant's crops, but Nicholas secretly advises the peasant to sell his field to the priest, saving his livelihood. After Elijah destroys and then miraculously restores the field, Nicholas helps the peasant buy it back. When Elijah tries to limit the harvest, Nicholas again intervenes with advice. Finally, the peasant, guided by Nicholas, shows equal gratitude to both saints, appeasing Elijah and ensuring his continued prosperity.
Themes
Emotional Arc
suffering to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Elijah the Prophet (Ilya Prorok in Russian tradition) is often associated with thunder, lightning, and rain, making him a powerful figure for agricultural communities. St. Nicholas is a widely revered saint, known for his benevolence. The story reflects a folk belief in the direct intervention of saints in daily life and the importance of respecting all divine figures.
Plot Beats (17)
- A peasant honors St. Nicholas but ignores Elijah the Prophet, even working on Elijah's feast day.
- Elijah and Nicholas observe the peasant's thriving field.
- Elijah, angered by the peasant's neglect, vows to destroy the field with hail.
- Nicholas warns the peasant, who quickly sells his entire standing crop to the local priest.
- Elijah sends a severe hailstorm, completely destroying the field.
- Elijah and Nicholas survey the damage; Elijah learns the field now belongs to the priest.
- Elijah, feeling he wronged the priest, miraculously restores the field to an even better state.
- Nicholas advises the peasant to buy back the now-flourishing field from the priest at half price, which the peasant successfully does.
- Elijah, seeing the peasant's abundant harvest, vows to limit his threshing yield.
- Nicholas warns the peasant to thresh only one sheaf at a time, allowing him to bypass Elijah's curse and fill his granaries.
- Elijah, seeing the peasant's full granaries, suspects Nicholas's intervention.
- Elijah vows a final, secret act of retribution against the peasant.
- Nicholas advises the peasant to buy two tapers, one large and one small, and gives him instructions.
- Elijah and Nicholas, disguised as wanderers, meet the peasant carrying the large taper for Elijah and the small one for Nicholas.
- The peasant explains he is lighting the large taper for Elijah out of gratitude for the restored crop, and the small one for Nicholas.
- Elijah is appeased by the peasant's newfound respect and gratitude, ending the conflict.
- The peasant lives happily ever after, honoring both saints equally.
Characters
Elijah the Prophet ⚔ antagonist
Not explicitly described, but implied to be a powerful, ancient figure capable of controlling weather.
Attire: Not explicitly described, but implied to be simple, perhaps robes, befitting a prophet.
Vengeful, stubborn, powerful, easily provoked, eventually reconciled.
Image Prompt & Upload
A tall, gaunt elderly man with a long, unkempt white beard and deep-set, piercing eyes gleaming with malice. He wears tattered, dark purple robes adorned with cryptic symbols and a hood shadowing his face. His posture is rigid, standing with one hand raised as if casting a spell, fingers elongated and claw-like. Expression shows cruel determination with a sneer on thin lips. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
St. Nicholas ★ protagonist
Not explicitly described, but implied to be a benevolent, ancient figure.
Attire: Not explicitly described, but implied to be simple, perhaps robes, befitting a saint.
Benevolent, cunning, protective, wise, patient.
Image Prompt & Upload
An elderly man with a long, flowing white beard and gentle, twinkling blue eyes, his face lined with kindness. He wears a rich, deep red robe trimmed with soft white fur, a wide leather belt around his waist, and tall, sturdy brown boots. He stands tall, holding a worn wooden staff in one hand and a glowing, magical lantern in the other, casting a warm, golden light. His posture is benevolent and wise, a soft smile on his lips as he gazes forward. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Peasant ◆ supporting
Not explicitly described, but implied to be a hardworking farmer.
Attire: Simple, practical peasant clothing appropriate for farming in a rural setting (e.g., linen shirt, trousers, perhaps a vest).
Pious (initially selectively so), hardworking, somewhat naive, grateful, obedient.
Image Prompt & Upload
A middle-aged man with a kind, weathered face, deep smile lines, and tired eyes. He has short, messy brown hair peeking out from under a wide-brimmed straw hat. He wears a simple, loose-fitting tunic of coarse, off-white linen, belted at the waist with a rope, and patched brown trousers. His hands are rough and calloused, one resting on a wooden pitchfork. He stands in a gentle, humble pose, leaning slightly on the tool, with a weary but warm expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Pope ○ minor
Not explicitly described.
Attire: Clerical vestments, appropriate for a village priest (e.g., a cassock).
Opportunistic, easily swayed by money, regretful when losing money.
Image Prompt & Upload
An elderly man with kind, wrinkled features and short white hair. He wears a simple white cassock with a short shoulder cape, a white zucchetto skullcap, and red leather shoes. His expression is gentle and serene, with a slight, benevolent smile. He stands in a relaxed, dignified posture, holding a plain wooden staff in one hand. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Peasant's Field
A field of standing corn, initially with large, full ears. Later, it is devastated by hail, becoming 'as smooth as a board', and then miraculously recovers with 'wonderful fresh corn', 'lofty and thick', waving 'like a field of gold'.
Mood: Initially prosperous and hopeful, then desolate and ruined, finally miraculous and abundant.
The initial dispute between Elijah and Nicholas, the destruction of the crop, and its miraculous regrowth.
Image Prompt & Upload
A vast peasant's field of towering corn under a golden hour sun, the heavy ears full and ripe. The scene shifts to a stormy twilight, dark clouds unleashing a torrent of hail that flattens the stalks, leaving the earth torn and muddy, the field as smooth as a board. Finally, under a soft, ethereal dawn light, the field miraculously recovers; wonderful fresh corn, lofty and thick, waves in a gentle breeze like a shimmering field of pure gold, bathed in a magical, warm glow. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Peasant's Courtyard/Farm
The area around the peasant's home, where he builds new granaries and stores his abundant rye.
Mood: Prosperous, industrious, and full of bounty.
The peasant's successful threshing and storage of an immense harvest, and Elijah's final realization of Nicholas's intervention.
Image Prompt & Upload
A late afternoon golden hour scene of a rustic peasant's courtyard farm. Warm sunlight bathes a small, thatched-roof cottage with a sturdy wooden door. Nearby, two newly built, simple wooden granaries with thatched roofs stand open, their interiors filled with bundled sheaves of golden rye. A dirt path winds between the structures, flanked by a low, rough-hewn wooden fence. A small vegetable patch with leafy greens grows beside the cottage. The atmosphere is peaceful and abundant, with long shadows stretching across the earthy ground. Soft, golden light highlights the textures of wood, thatch, and dry rye. In the background, a few tall, slender trees sway gently under a clear, soft blue sky with wispy clouds. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration
