How Ivan the Fool Guarded the Door

The old man and the old woman lived together. They had three sons: two were clever, and the third was a fool.

The brothers started preparing with their parents to go to work. Ivan the Fool also began to get ready—he took some rusks and poured water into a flask.

They asked him: — Where are you going? — With you to work. — You’re not going anywhere. Guard the door carefully so thieves don’t come in.

The fool stayed home alone. Late in the evening, he took the door off its hinges, hoisted it onto his back, and carried it away.

He arrived at the field. His brothers asked: — Why did you come? — I got hungry. — But we told you to guard the door. — Well, here it is!