The Fiddler in Hell
by W. R. S. Ralston · from Russian Folk Tales
Original Story
The Fiddler In Hell
THE FIDDLER IN HELL.[391]
There was a certain moujik who had three sons. His life was
a prosperous one, and he laid by money enough to fill two pots.
The one he buried in his corn-kiln, the other under the gate of
his farmyard. Well, the moujik died, and never said a word
about the money to any one. One day there was a festival in
the village. A fiddler was on his way to the revel when, all of
a sudden, he sank into the earth--sank right through and
tumbled into hell, lighting exactly there where the rich moujik
was being tormented.
"Hail, friend!" says the Fiddler.
"It's an ill wind that's brought you hither!"[392] answers the
moujik; "this is hell, and in hell here I sit."
"What was it brought you here, uncle?"
"It was money! I had much money: I gave none to the
poor, two pots of it did I bury underground. See now, they
are going to torment me, to beat me with sticks, to tear me with
nails."
"Whatever shall I do?" cried the Fiddler. "Perhaps
they'll take to torturing me too!"
"If you go and sit on the stove behind the chimney-pipe,
and don't eat anything for three years--then you will remain
safe."
The Fiddler hid behind the stove-pipe. Then came fiends,[393]
and they began to beat the rich moujik, reviling him the while,
and saying:
"There's for thee, O rich man. Pots of money didst thou
bury but thou couldst not hide them. There didst thou bury
them that we might not be able to keep watch over them. At
the gate people are always riding about, the horses crush our
heads with their hoofs, and in the corn-kiln we get beaten with
flails."
As soon as the fiends had gone away the moujik said to the
Fiddler:
"If you get out of here, tell my children to dig up the money--one
pot is buried at the gate, and the other in the corn-kiln--and
to distribute it among the poor."
Afterwards there came a whole roomful of evil ones, and
they asked the rich moujik:
"What have you got here that smells so Russian?"
"You have been in Russia and brought away a Russian
smell with you," replied the moujik.
"How could that be?" they said. Then they began looking,
they found the Fiddler, and they shouted:
"Ha, ha, ha! Here's a Fiddler."
They pulled him off the stove, and set him to work fiddling.
He played three years, though it seemed to him only three
days. Then he got tired and said:
"Here's a wonder! After playing a whole evening I used
always to find all my fiddle-strings snapped. But now, though
I've been playing for three whole days, they are all sound. May
the Lord grant us his blessing!"[394]
No sooner had he uttered these words than every one of the
strings snapped.
"There now, brothers!" says the Fiddler, "you can see
for yourselves. The strings are snapped; I've nothing to
play on!"
"Wait a bit!" said one of the fiends. "I've got two hanks
of catgut; I'll fetch them for you."
He ran off and fetched them. The Fiddler took the strings,
screwed them up, and again uttered the words:
"May the Lord grant us his blessing!"
In a moment snap went both hanks.
"No, brothers!" said the Fiddler, "your strings don't suit
me. I've got some of my own at home; by your leave I'll go
for them."
The fiends wouldn't let him go. "You wouldn't come back,"
they say.
"Well, if you won't trust me, send some one with me as an
escort."
The fiends chose one of their number, and sent him with the
Fiddler. The Fiddler got back to the village. There he could
hear that, in the farthest cottage, a wedding was being celebrated.
"Let's go to the wedding!" he cried.
"Come along!" said the fiend.
They entered the cottage. Everyone there recognized the
Fiddler and cried:
"Where have you been hiding these three years?"
"I have been in the other world!" he replied.
They sat there and enjoyed themselves for some time.
Then the fiend beckoned to the Fiddler, saying, "It's time to
be off!" But the Fiddler replied: "Wait a little longer! Let
me fiddle away a bit and cheer up the young people." And so
they remained sitting there till the cocks began to crow. Then
the fiend disappeared.
After that, the Fiddler began to talk to the sons of the rich
moujik, and said:
"Your father bids you dig up the money--one potful is
buried at the gate and the other in the corn-kiln--and distribute
the whole of it among the poor."
Well, they dug up both the pots, and began to distribute
the money among the poor. But the more they gave away the
money, the more did it increase. Then they carried out the
pots to a crossway. Every one who passed by took out of
them as much money as his hand could grasp, and yet the
money wouldn't come to an end. Then they presented a petition
to the Emperor, and he ordained as follows. There was a
certain town, the road to which was a very roundabout one.
It was some fifty versts long, whereas if it had been made in a
straight line it would not have been more than five. And so
the Emperor ordained that a bridge should be made the whole
way. Well, they built a bridge five versts long, and this piece
of work cleared out both the pots.
About that time a certain maid bore a son and deserted him
in his infancy. The child neither ate nor drank for three years
and an angel of God always went about with him. Well, this
child came to the bridge, and cried:
"Ah! what a glorious bridge! God grant the kingdom of
heaven to him at whose cost it was built!"
The Lord heard this prayer, and ordered his angels to
release the rich moujik from the depths of hell.[395]
With the bridge-building episode in this "legend" may be compared the
opening of another Russian story. In it a merchant is described as
having much money but no children. So he and his wife "began to pray
to God, entreating him to give them a child--for solace in their
youth, for support in their old age, for soul-remembrance[396] after
death. And they took to feeding the poor and distributing alms.
Besides all this, they resolved to build, for the use of all the
faithful, a long bridge across swamps and where no man could find a
footing. Much wealth did the merchant expend, but he built the bridge,
and when the work was completed he sent his manager Fedor, saying--
"'Go and sit under the bridge, and listen to what folks say about
me--whether they bless me or revile me.'
"Fedor set off, sat under the bridge, and listened. Presently three
Holy Elders went over the bridge, and said one to another--
"'How ought the man who built this bridge to be rewarded?' 'Let there
be born to him a fortunate son. Whatsoever that son says--it shall be
done: whatsoever he desires--that will the Lord bestow!'"[397]
The rest of the story closely resembles the German tale of "The
Pink."[398] In the corresponding Bohemian story of "The Treacherous
Servant,"[399] it may be observed, the bridge-building incident has
been preserved.
But I will not dwell any longer on the story of the Fiddler, as I
propose to give some account in the next chapter of several other
tales of the same class, in most of which such descriptions of evil
spirits are introduced as have manifestly been altered into what their
narrators considered to be in accordance with Christian teaching. And
so I will revert to those ideas about the dead, and about their
abiding-place, which the modern Slavonians seem to have inherited from
their heathen ancestors, and I will attempt to illustrate them by a
few Russian ghost-stories. Those stories are, as a general rule, of a
most ghastly nature, but there are a few into the composition of which
the savage element does not enter. The "Dead Mother," which has
already been quoted,[400] belongs to the latter class; and so does the
following tale--which, as it bears no title in the original, we may
name,
Story DNA
Moral
Acts of selfless charity, even those performed posthumously, can lead to redemption and divine favor.
Plot Summary
A rich, greedy moujik dies and is sent to hell for hoarding his wealth. A fiddler accidentally falls into hell and is tasked by the tormented moujik to tell his sons to distribute the buried money to the poor. After being forced to play for fiends for three years, the fiddler escapes and delivers the message. The sons distribute the miraculously multiplying money, eventually building a massive bridge that depletes the funds. A miraculous child's prayer for the bridge builder reaches God, who, in response, releases the moujik from hell, granting him redemption through the posthumous charity.
Themes
Emotional Arc
suffering to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
The story reflects traditional Russian Orthodox Christian beliefs regarding sin, redemption, and the importance of almsgiving, possibly with pre-Christian elements of the underworld.
Plot Beats (14)
- A rich moujik dies, having buried two pots of money instead of giving to the poor, and is sent to hell for his greed.
- A fiddler, on his way to a revel, falls through the earth and lands in hell, encountering the tormented moujik.
- The moujik explains his torment is due to his buried money and advises the fiddler to hide behind a stove for three years to avoid the fiends.
- Fiends arrive, beat the moujik, and complain about the inconvenient burial spots of his money.
- After the fiends leave, the moujik asks the fiddler to tell his sons to dig up the money and distribute it to the poor.
- Other fiends discover the fiddler, pull him from his hiding spot, and force him to play his fiddle for what feels like three days but is actually three years.
- The fiddler, tired, utters a blessing, causing his fiddle strings to snap, and then a second time, causing the fiend's replacement strings to snap.
- The fiddler convinces the fiends to let him go home for his own strings, with a fiend as an escort.
- The fiddler and the fiend attend a wedding in the village, where the fiddler plays until the cocks crow, causing the fiend to vanish.
- The fiddler tells the moujik's sons about their father's message to dig up the money and distribute it.
- The sons dig up the money, and as they give it away, it miraculously multiplies, never diminishing.
- The sons use the inexhaustible money to fund the construction of a five-verst-long bridge, ordered by the Emperor, which finally depletes the pots.
- A miraculous child, who has neither eaten nor drunk for three years and is accompanied by an angel, sees the bridge and prays for the soul of its builder.
- God hears the child's prayer and commands his angels to release the rich moujik from hell.
Characters
The Fiddler ★ protagonist
None explicitly mentioned, but implied to be a traveling musician.
Attire: Implied to be typical peasant attire for a traveling musician, carrying a fiddle.
Resourceful, quick-witted, devout (invokes the Lord's blessing), enjoys playing music.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young adult man with a determined expression, holding a well-worn violin and bow. He wears a deep green vest over a loose cream-colored shirt, dark brown trousers, and scuffed leather boots. His hair is dark and slightly tousled, with a few strands falling over his forehead. He stands confidently, one foot slightly forward, as if ready to play or walk onward. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Moujik ◆ supporting
None explicitly mentioned, but described as rich in life, now suffering torment.
Attire: None, as he is in hell.
Greedy, regretful, repentant (eventually), self-serving (initially trying to save himself), cunning (in advising the Fiddler).
Image Prompt & Upload
An elderly peasant man with a long, weathered face and kind, deep-set eyes. He has a thick, unkempt grey beard and thinning grey hair under a worn, round sheepskin hat. He wears a simple, faded blue rubakha shirt belted at the waist with a rope, loose trousers tucked into worn leather boots. He stands in a humble, slightly bent posture, holding a wooden staff in both hands, his expression patient and weary. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Fiends ⚔ antagonist
Implied to be demonic or monstrous, capable of tormenting humans.
Attire: None, or implied to be dark and menacing.
Cruel, tormenting, suspicious, somewhat gullible (in letting the Fiddler go).
Image Prompt & Upload
A sinister group of three shadowy figures standing together, one tall and gaunt with hollow cheekbones and glowing yellow eyes, one short and stocky with a hunched back and clawed hands, one slender and ethereal with a cracked porcelain mask hiding their face. They wear tattered dark robes in shades of black and deep crimson, adorned with rusted chains and bone fragments. Their skin is pale grey with veins of dark purple visible beneath. Long greasy black hair flows from two of them while the masked one is bald. They stand in menacing poses, one pointing a bony finger forward, one clutching a jagged dagger, and the masked figure holding a lantern emitting eerie green light. Their expressions are cruel and mocking, with sharp teeth visible in twisted grins. Dark smoke wisps curl around their feet. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature
The Moujik's Sons ○ minor
None mentioned.
Attire: Implied to be peasant attire.
Obedient, charitable (following their father's posthumous instructions).
Image Prompt & Upload
Three young men of varying builds stand together. The eldest has sharp, intelligent eyes and a thoughtful expression, wearing a worn but clean linen rubakha shirt and dark trousers. The middle brother is broad-shouldered and strong, with a confident stance, his sleeves rolled up to reveal muscular forearms. The youngest has a kind, simple face and a hopeful smile, dressed similarly but with slightly looser clothing. All have light brown or dark blond hair, cut simply. They are posed in a slight cluster, looking forward. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Maid's Son ○ minor
A child who neither ate nor drank for three years, implying a miraculous or ethereal quality.
Attire: Implied to be simple, perhaps tattered, given his abandonment.
Pious, grateful, innocent.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young boy of about ten or twelve years old, with a slender build and messy, straw-colored hair falling over his forehead. He wears a simple, faded brown tunic belted at the waist over patched trousers and worn leather shoes. His expression is thoughtful and slightly wary, with large, curious eyes. He stands straight but with a hint of hesitation, holding a wooden broom loosely in one hand. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Hell
A place of torment where the rich moujik is being beaten with sticks and torn with nails. It smells 'Russian' to the fiends.
Mood: Eerie, tormenting, oppressive, chaotic
The Fiddler's accidental arrival, his hiding, and his forced performance for the fiends.
Image Prompt & Upload
A dark, infernal landscape under a perpetual twilight sky, swirling with crimson and black clouds. Embers and ash drift down like snow, settling on a barren plain scattered with broken chains and sharp, nail-like protrusions. Jagged obsidian mountains rise in the distance, their peaks glowing with molten lava that casts an eerie orange glow. Cracks in the earth emit faint, hellish light, illuminating twisted iron cages and crumbling stone structures with Slavic architectural motifs. The air is thick with smoke and a faint, acrid smell reminiscent of Russian folklore. Colors are dominated by deep reds, charcoals, and fiery oranges, with shadows stretching long and ominous. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration
Moujik's Farmyard Gate
The location where one pot of money was buried. People are always riding about, and horses crush the fiends' heads with their hoofs.
Mood: Ordinary, bustling (from the fiends' perspective)
The location of one of the hidden money pots, later dug up by the moujik's sons.
Image Prompt & Upload
At dusk, a weathered wooden farmyard gate stands slightly ajar, its planks warped and mossy. A worn dirt path leads through it, trampled grass and clover lining the edges. Beyond the gate, a humble thatched-roof cottage is silhouetted against a sky of deep purple and burnt orange. A faint, ethereal golden glow emanates from a patch of earth near the gate's post, hinting at buried treasure. The air is still and misty, with long shadows stretching across the yard. Scattered in the mud of the path are smooth, pale stones that resemble ancient, crushed skulls, half-sunk into the earth. Distant fields fade into the hazy twilight. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Moujik's Corn-kiln
The location where the other pot of money was buried. Fiends get beaten with flails here.
Mood: Ordinary, functional (from the fiends' perspective)
The location of the second hidden money pot, later dug up by the moujik's sons.
Image Prompt & Upload
A rustic wooden corn-kiln stands in a vast, golden wheat field at dusk. The low sun casts long shadows, bathing the scene in amber and deep violet light. The kiln, built of rough-hewn logs and topped with a thatched roof, glows warmly from within, its chimney releasing a thin curl of smoke. A well-trodden dirt path leads to its entrance. Nearby, a sturdy wooden post is embedded in the earth, showing signs of wear. The atmosphere is quiet and heavy, with a sense of lingering tension in the still, cooling air. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration
Village Cottage (Wedding Celebration)
A cottage in the village where a wedding is being celebrated. Everyone recognizes the Fiddler.
Mood: Joyful, lively, celebratory, familiar
The Fiddler's return to the human world and his last moments with the fiend before its disappearance.
Image Prompt & Upload
Sunset bathes a cozy village cottage in warm golden light. The thatched roof is adorned with woven flower garlands and glowing paper lanterns. A stone path leads to a welcoming wooden door, slightly ajar, spilling cheerful light and the suggestion of merriment. The cottage garden is lush with blooming roses and lavender. Through an open window, a violin rests on a sill. In the distance, the silhouettes of other cottages with smoking chimneys dot the rolling green hills under a soft pink and orange sky. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration
The Five-Verst Bridge
A long bridge, five versts long, built across a roundabout road that was originally fifty versts. It was built using the moujik's money.
Mood: Beneficial, significant, a symbol of good deeds
The place where a child's blessing leads to the moujik's release from hell.
Image Prompt & Upload
A vast, ancient stone bridge stretches into the misty distance, its moss-covered arches spanning a wide, circular road that curves away into a twilight forest. The bridge is built from rough-hewn, grey stones, with warm, golden light glowing from ornate iron lanterns placed along its parapet. The sunset sky is a deep violet and orange, casting long shadows. Wildflowers and ivy cling to its sides. The roundabout road below is empty, made of packed earth and worn cobblestones, disappearing into the shadowy woods on either side. The air is still and quiet, with a hint of evening fog beginning to form. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
