The Cross-surety
by W. R. S. Ralston · from Russian Folk Tales
Original Story
The Cross-surety
THE CROSS-SURETY.[35]
Once upon a time two merchants lived in a certain town just on
the verge of a stream. One of them was a Russian, the other a
Tartar; both were rich. But the Russian got so utterly ruined
by some business or other that he hadn't a single bit of property
left. Everything he had was confiscated or stolen. The Russian
merchant had nothing to turn to--he was left as poor as a
rat.[36] So he went to his friend the Tartar, and besought him to
lend him some money.
"Get me a surety," says the Tartar.
"But whom can I get for you, seeing that I haven't a soul
belonging to me? Stay, though! there's a surety for you, the
life-giving cross on the church!"
"Very good, my friend!" says the Tartar. "I'll trust your
cross. Your faith or ours, it's all one to me."
And he gave the Russian merchant fifty thousand roubles.
The Russian took the money, bade the Tartar farewell, and
went back to trade in divers places.
By the end of two years he had gained a hundred and fifty
thousand roubles by the fifty thousand he had borrowed. Now
he happened to be sailing one day along the Danube, going with
wares from one place to another, when all of a sudden a storm
arose, and was on the point of sinking the ship he was in. Then
the merchant remembered how he had borrowed money, and
given the life-giving cross as a surety, but had not paid his debt.
That was doubtless the cause of the storm arising! No sooner
had he said this to himself than the storm began to subside.
The merchant took a barrel, counted out fifty thousand roubles,
wrote the Tartar a note, placed it, together with the money, in
the barrel, and then flung the barrel into the water, saying to
himself: "As I gave the cross as my surety to the Tartar, the
money will be certain to reach him."
The barrel straightway sank to the bottom; everyone supposed
the money was lost. But what happened? In the Tartar's
house there lived a Russian kitchen-maid. One day she
happened to go to the river for water, and when she got there
she saw a barrel floating along. So she went a little way into
the water and began trying to get hold of it. But it wasn't to be
done! When she made at the barrel, it retreated from her:
when she turned from the barrel to the shore, it floated after
her. She went on trying and trying for some time, then she
went home and told her master all that had happened. At first
he wouldn't believe her, but at last he determined to go to the
river and see for himself what sort of barrel it was that was
floating there. When he got there--sure enough there was the
barrel floating, and not far from the shore. The Tartar took off
his clothes and went into the water; before he had gone any
distance the barrel came floating up to him of its own accord.
He laid hold of it, carried it home, opened it, and looked inside.
There he saw a quantity of money, and on top of the money a
note. He took out the note and read it, and this is what was
said in it:--
"Dear friend! I return to you the fifty thousand roubles for
which, when I borrowed them from you, I gave the life-giving
cross as a surety."
The Tartar read these words and was astounded at the power
of the life-giving cross. He counted the money over to see
whether the full sum was really there. It was there exactly.
Meanwhile, the Russian merchant, after trading some five
years, made a tolerable fortune. Well, he returned to his old
home, and, thinking that his barrel had been lost, he considered
it his first duty to settle with the Tartar. So he went to his
house and offered him the money he had borrowed. Then the
Tartar told him all that had happened and how he had found
the barrel in the river, with the money and the note inside it.
Then he showed him the note, saying:
"Is that really your hand?"
"It certainly is," replied the other.
Every one was astounded at this wondrous manifestation,
and the Tartar said:
"Then I've no more money to receive from you, brother;
take that back again."
The Russian merchant had a service performed as a thank-offering
to God, and next day the Tartar was baptized with all
his household. The Russian merchant was his godfather, and
the kitchen-maid his godmother. After that they both lived
long and happily, survived to a great age, and then died peacefully.[37]
There is one marked feature in the Russian peasant's character to
which the Skazkas frequently refer--his passion for drink. To him
strong liquor is a friend, a comforter, a solace amid the ills of
life. Intoxication is not so much an evil to be dreaded or remembered
with shame, as a joy to be fondly anticipated, or classed with the
happy memories of the past. By him drunkenness is regarded, like
sleep, as the friend of woe--and a friend whose services can be even
more readily commanded. On certain occasions he almost believes that
to get drunk is a duty he owes either to the Church, or to the memory
of the Dead; at times without the slightest apparent cause, he is
seized by a sudden and irresistible craving for ardent spirits, and he
commences a drinking-bout which lasts--with intervals of coma--for
days, or even weeks, after which he resumes his everyday life and his
usual sobriety as calmly as if no interruption had taken place. All
these ideas and habits of his find expression in his popular tales,
giving rise to incidents which are often singularly out of keeping
with the rest of the narrative in which they occur. In one of the many
variants,[38] for instance, of a widespread and well known story--that
of the three princesses who are rescued from captivity by a hero from
whom they are afterwards carried away, and who refuse to get married
until certain clothes or shoes or other things impossible for ordinary
workmen to make are supplied to them--an unfortunate shoemaker is told
that if he does not next day produce the necessary shoes (of perfect
fit, although no measure has been taken, and all set thick with
precious stones) he shall be hanged. Away he goes at once to a
traktir, or tavern, and sets to work to drown his grief in drink.
After awhile he begins to totter. "Now then," he says, "I'll take home
a bicker of spirits with me, and go to bed. And to-morrow morning, as
soon as they come to fetch me to be hanged, I'll toss off half the
bickerful. They may hang me then without my knowing anything about
it."[39]
In the story of the "Purchased Wife," the Princess Anastasia, the
Beautiful, enables the youth Ivan, who ransoms her, to win a large sum
of money in the following manner. Having worked a piece of embroidery,
she tells him to take it to market. "But if any one purchases it,"
says she, "don't take any money from him, but ask him to give you
liquor enough to make you drunk." Ivan obeys, and this is the result.
He drank till he was intoxicated, and when he left the kabak (or
pot-house) he tumbled into a muddy pool. A crowd collected and folks
looked at him and said scoffingly, "Oh, the fair youth! now'd be the
time for him to go to church to get married!"
"Fair or foul!" says he, "if I bid her, Anastasia the Beautiful will
kiss the crown of my head."
"Don't go bragging like that!" says a rich merchant--"why she wouldn't
even so much as look at you," and offers to stake all that he is worth
on the truth of his assertion. Ivan accepts the wager. The Princess
appears, takes him by the hand, kisses him on the crown of his head,
wipes the dirt off him, and leads him home, still inebriated but no
longer impecunious.[40]
Sometimes even greater people than the peasants get drunk. The story
of "Semilétka"[41]--a variant of the well known tale of how a woman's
wit enables her to guess all riddles, to detect all deceits, and to
conquer all difficulties--relates how the heroine was chosen by a
Voyvode[42] as his wife, with the stipulation that if she meddled in
the affairs of his Voyvodeship she was to be sent back to her father,
but allowed to take with her whatever thing belonging to her she
prized most. The marriage takes place, but one day the well known case
comes before him for decision, of the foal of the borrowed mare--does
it belong to the owner of the mare, or to the borrower in whose
possession it was at the time of foaling? The Voyvode adjudges it to
the borrower, and this is how the story ends:--
"Semilétka heard of this and could not restrain herself, but said that
he had decided unfairly. The Voyvode waxed wroth, and demanded a
divorce. After dinner Semilétka was obliged to go back to her father's
house. But during the dinner she made the Voyvode drink till he was
intoxicated. He drank his fill and went to sleep. While he was
sleeping she had him placed in a carriage, and then she drove away
with him to her father's. When they had arrived there the Voyvode
awoke and said--
"'Who brought me here?'
"'I brought you,' said Semilétka; 'there was an agreement between us
that I might take away with me whatever I prized most. And so I have
taken you!'
"The Voyvode marvelled at her wisdom, and made peace with her. He and
she then returned home and went on living prosperously."
But although drunkenness is very tenderly treated in the Skazkas, as
well as in the folk-songs, it forms the subject of many a moral
lesson, couched in terms of the utmost severity, in the stikhi (or
poems of a religious character, sung by the blind beggars and other
wandering minstrels who sing in front of churches), and also in the
"Legends," which are tales of a semi-religious (or rather
demi-semi-religious) nature. No better specimen of the stories of this
class referring to drunkenness can be offered than the history of--
Story DNA
Moral
True faith, even when expressed through an unconventional surety, will be honored by divine power, leading to unexpected blessings and spiritual transformation.
Plot Summary
A ruined Russian merchant borrows money from a Tartar, offering the 'life-giving cross' as surety. After prospering, he repays the debt by casting a barrel of money and a note into the sea during a storm, trusting in the cross. Miraculously, the barrel reaches the Tartar, who is astonished by the divine intervention. When the Russian later tries to repay the debt again, the Tartar refuses, and he and his household convert to Christianity, living happily ever after.
Themes
Emotional Arc
suffering to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Reflects historical interactions and religious differences between Russians (Orthodox Christian) and Tartars (historically often Muslim or animist) in the Russian Empire, and the theme of conversion.
Plot Beats (15)
- Two wealthy merchants, a Russian and a Tartar, live in a town.
- The Russian merchant loses all his wealth and becomes destitute.
- He approaches the Tartar for a loan, who requests a surety.
- The Russian, having no one, offers the 'life-giving cross' on the church as surety.
- The Tartar accepts this unusual surety and lends the Russian 50,000 roubles.
- The Russian merchant travels and trades, accumulating 150,000 roubles in two years.
- During a storm at sea, he remembers his debt and believes the storm is a divine sign.
- He puts 50,000 roubles and a note into a barrel, casts it into the sea, trusting the cross to deliver it.
- A Russian kitchen-maid in the Tartar's house finds the barrel in the river, which mysteriously moves towards the Tartar.
- The Tartar retrieves the barrel, finds the money and the note, and is astonished by the cross's power.
- Five years later, the Russian merchant returns home, intending to repay the debt, assuming the barrel was lost.
- He offers the money to the Tartar, who recounts the miraculous return of the barrel and shows him the note.
- The Tartar refuses the second payment, acknowledging the divine intervention.
- The Russian merchant offers a thank-offering to God.
- The Tartar and his entire household are baptized, with the Russian merchant as godfather and the kitchen-maid as godmother, and they live happily.
Characters
The Russian Merchant ★ protagonist
None explicitly mentioned, but implied to be a man of business, likely well-dressed before his ruin.
Attire: Initially, fine merchant's clothes; later, practical attire for trading voyages.
Honest, devout, responsible, resourceful.
Image Prompt & Upload
An elderly man with a long, flowing gray beard and kind, twinkling eyes stands proudly. His face is weathered with laugh lines, and he wears a rich, deep red velvet kaftan with intricate gold embroidery at the cuffs and collar, trimmed with dark fur. Beneath it, a white linen shirt is visible. He wears sturdy, polished leather boots and a tall, round fur hat. His posture is straight and confident, one hand resting on a heavy leather satchel that seems to glow faintly from within. He has a slight, knowing smile. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Tartar Merchant ◆ supporting
None explicitly mentioned.
Attire: Implied to be rich, so likely wears fine, possibly distinctively Tartar, merchant clothing.
Trusting, fair, astonished by divine intervention, open-minded.
Image Prompt & Upload
A middle-aged man of sturdy build with a weathered face and a short, graying beard. He wears a practical, layered outfit of a long, dusty brown robe over darker trousers, with a wide leather belt holding a small pouch and a curved dagger. A colorful, striped turban is wrapped around his head. He stands with a confident, slightly weary posture, one hand resting on a large, ornately carved wooden chest at his feet, the other holding up a string of gleaming amber beads as if inspecting them. His expression is shrewd and observant. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Russian Kitchen-maid ○ minor
None explicitly mentioned.
Attire: Simple, practical clothing suitable for a kitchen-maid, likely a peasant dress.
Observant, diligent, persistent, honest.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young woman in her late teens with a round, flushed face and thick chestnut hair tied back in a simple braid. She wears a faded blue linen sarafan dress over a white blouse with the sleeves rolled up, and a rough, stained apron. She holds a large wooden spoon and stands with a tired but attentive posture, her head slightly tilted as if listening for instructions. Her expression is mild and dutiful. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Life-Giving Cross ◆ supporting
A Christian cross, likely ornate and revered, found in a church.
Symbolic of divine power, ensures justice and truth.
Image Prompt & Upload
An ornate golden cross standing upright, intricately carved with flowing vines, blooming flowers, and unfurling leaves growing from its arms and shaft. It has a warm, gentle inner glow, emanating a soft golden light. The cross appears ancient yet vibrant, made of polished wood inlaid with shimmering gold filigree. It stands firmly and majestically, a symbol of strength and renewal. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Town on the verge of a stream
A town situated directly beside a stream, where two rich merchants, a Russian and a Tartar, lived.
Mood: ordinary, bustling (implied by merchants)
The initial setting where the Russian merchant borrows money from the Tartar, using the church's cross as surety.
Image Prompt & Upload
Early morning mist rises from a gentle stream flowing through a prosperous wooden town. Golden sunlight filters through willow trees, illuminating ornate two-story houses with carved shutters and steep shingled roofs. A stone arch bridge crosses the water, reflecting in the calm surface. Flower boxes overflow with crimson blooms on balconies, and a cobblestone path follows the bank, past a small wooden dock with a tied rowboat. Lush green reeds line the opposite shore, leading to a distant forest. The air is cool and still, with a soft, magical glow over the water. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
The Danube River
A large river where the Russian merchant is sailing with wares, experiencing a sudden storm.
Mood: perilous, dramatic, supernatural
The Russian merchant repays his debt by throwing a barrel of money and a note into the river during a storm.
Image Prompt & Upload
Late afternoon over the Danube River, a sudden violent storm descends. Towering, bruised-purple and charcoal storm clouds churn across the sky, unleashing a torrent of silver rain that slants diagonally. The river's surface is a chaos of dark, slate-blue waves capped with furious white foam, heaving and crashing. Powerful winds tear at the water, creating streaks of spray. Along the distant banks, dark, dense forests of pine and oak are whipped into a frenzy, their forms blurred by the downpour. A single, dramatic bolt of lightning illuminates the scene from within the clouds, casting a momentary, stark white glow over the turbulent landscape. The atmosphere is dramatic, ominous, and saturated with deep blues, grays, and the electric white of the storm. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration
Riverbank near the Tartar's house
The edge of a river where a Russian kitchen-maid goes for water and discovers a floating barrel. The Tartar later retrieves it.
Mood: mysterious, miraculous
The barrel containing the money miraculously floats to the Tartar's riverbank and is retrieved.
Image Prompt & Upload
Early morning mist rises from a slow-moving river in a dense Russian forest. A weathered wooden path leads down to a muddy bank where a lone wooden barrel floats near the reeds. Soft dawn light filters through tall birch and pine trees, casting long shadows. In the background, a rustic wooden house with a thatched roof is partially visible through the trees, a thin trail of smoke rising from its chimney. The water is dark and reflective, with fallen leaves swirling near the shore. Atmospheric, moody, with a palette of deep greens, browns, and misty blues. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration
Tartar's House
The home of the Tartar merchant, where the barrel is opened and the note is read. Later, the Russian merchant visits to repay his debt.
Mood: astonished, revelatory, welcoming
The Tartar discovers the returned money and note. Later, the Russian merchant learns of the miracle, leading to the Tartar's baptism.
Image Prompt & Upload
Late afternoon sunlight streams through the small, leaded glass windows of a merchant's wooden house, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. The room is warmly lit, with rich, dark wood paneling and sturdy ceiling beams. Shelves line the walls, filled with rolled carpets, stacked fabrics, and ceramic jars. A large, ornate wooden barrel sits prominently on the floor near a heavy oak table. The atmosphere is quiet, still, and full of waiting, with deep shadows in the corners and a sense of contained history. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration
