Prince Pavel ruled in the city of Murom. The devil sent a flying serpent to his wife for fornication. He appeared to her in his own form, but to other people he seemed to be Prince Paul. The princess confessed everything to her husband, but he did not know what to do. He ordered his wife to ask the serpent why death could come to him. The serpent told the princess that his death would be “from Peter’s shoulder, from Agrikov’s sword.”
The prince had a brother named Peter. He began to think about how to kill the serpent, but did not know where to get Agrikov’s sword. Once in the church of the Vozdvizhensky Monastery, a child showed him Agrikov’s sword, which lay in a gap between the stones of the altar wall. The prince took the sword.
One day Peter came to his brother. He was at home, in his room. Then Peter went to his daughter-in-law and saw that his brother was already sitting with her. Paul explained that the serpent can take on his form. Then Peter ordered his brother not to go anywhere, took Agrikov’s sword, came to his daughter-in-law and killed the serpent. The serpent appeared in his nature and, dying, sprinkled Peter with blood.
Peter's body was covered with ulcers, he became seriously ill, and no one could cure him. The patient was brought to Ryazan land and they began to look for doctors there. His servant came to Laskovo. Entering one house, he saw a girl weaving cloth. It was Fevronia, the daughter of a poison dart frog who extracts honey. The young man, seeing the wisdom of the girl, told her about the misfortune that befell his master.
Fevronia replied that she knew a doctor who could cure the prince, and offered to bring Peter to her house. When this was done, Fevronia volunteered to take on the treatment herself if Peter took her as his wife. The prince did not take her words seriously, because he did not consider it possible to marry the poison dart frog’s daughter, but promised to do so if he was healed.
She gave him a vessel of her bread leaven and ordered him to go to the bathhouse and anoint all the ulcers there with leaven, except one. Peter, wanting to test her wisdom, sent her a bunch of flax and ordered her to weave a shirt, ports and a towel from it while he was in the bathhouse. In response, Fevronia sent him a stump of log so that the prince could make a loom out of it during this time. Peter told her that this was impossible. And Fevronia replied that it was also impossible to fulfill his command. Peter marveled at her wisdom.
The next morning he woke up healthy - there was only one ulcer on his body - but did not fulfill his promise to marry Fevronia, but sent her gifts. She didn't accept them. The prince left for the city of Murom, but his ulcers multiplied and he was forced to return to Fevronia in shame. The girl healed the prince, and he took her as his wife.
Pavel died, and Peter began to rule Murom. The boyars did not like Princess Fevronia because of her origin and slandered Petra about her. One person said, for example, that Fevronia, getting up from the table, collects crumbs in her hand as if she were hungry. The prince ordered his wife to dine with him. After dinner, the princess collected crumbs from the table. Peter unclenched her hand and saw incense in it.
Then the boyars directly told the prince that they did not want to see Fevronia as a princess: let him take whatever wealth he wants and leave Murom. They repeated the same thing at Fevronia’s own feast. She agreed, but only wanted to take her husband with her. The prince followed God's commandments and therefore did not part with his wife, although he had to renounce his principality. And the boyars were pleased with this decision, because each of them wanted to be a ruler himself.
Peter and Fevronia sailed out of the city along the Oka. On the ship where Fevronia was, there was another man with his wife. He looked at Fevronia with some thought. And she told him to scoop up water on the right and left sides of the boat and drink. And then she asked which water tastes better. Hearing that she was the same, Fevronia explained: female nature is the same, so there is no point in thinking about someone else’s wife.
Food was prepared on the shore, and the cook cut down small trees to hang the cauldrons on. And Fevronia blessed these trees, and the next morning they became large trees. Peter and Fevronia were planning to move on. But then nobles from Murom came and began to ask the prince and princess to return to rule the city.
Peter and Fevronia, having returned, ruled meekly and fairly.
The couple begged God to die at the same time. They wanted to be buried together and ordered two coffins to be carved in one stone, which had only a partition between them. At the same time, the prince and princess took monasticism. Peter received the monastic name David, and Fevronia became Euphrosyne.
Euphrosyne embroidered air for the temple. And David sent a letter to her: he was waiting for her to die together. The nun asked him to wait until she finished embroidering the air. In the second letter, David wrote that he could not wait long, and in the third, that he could wait no longer. Then Euphrosyne, having finished embroidering the face of the last saint, but not finishing the clothes, sent to tell David that she was ready to die. And after praying, they both died on June 25th.
Their bodies were laid in different places: David - near the cathedral church of the Mother of God, and Euphrosyne - in the Vozdvizhensky convent. And their common coffin, which they themselves ordered to hew, was placed in the Church of the Virgin Mary.
The next morning, their separate coffins were empty, and the bodies of the saints rested “in a single coffin.” People buried them as before. And the next morning they were found again in a common coffin. Then people no longer dared to touch the bodies of the saints and, having fulfilled their will, buried them together in the cathedral church of the Nativity of the Virgin. Those who come to their relics with faith receive healing.
27.Language of “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia”
This is the work of Ermolai Erasmus. The story was written by order of Metropolitan Macarius in connection with the canonization of David and Euphrosyne by the council in 1547 and was intended for the Great Mena of the Four. However, it was rejected by the church, since in its content and genre characteristics (the legend about the marriage of the Murom prince Peter to the peasant woman Fevronia was processed by the author using fairy-tale motifs about a flying serpent and a wise maiden) it diverged from the norms of the hagiographic canon. The story reached several editions, in numerous copies, starting from the middle. 16th century. The linguistic structure of the text of the story as a whole is simple, close to colloquial, the vocabulary of the story is objective and effective. But in the choice of grammatical forms, the author of the story adheres to the book tradition: he constantly uses the aorist and imperfect, the perfect with a copula, the old book conjunctions - Ashe, like, like.
Lexical and phraseological analysis:
1) Distraction vocabulary: death, lack of spirit, temptation, navaditi, fury, humility, gift
2) Conc. vocabulary: table, hail, feast, lunch
3) Vocabulary, symbols. body parts: hand, mouth
4) Political vocabulary: prince, princess, autocrat, boyar
5) Anthroponyms: Fevronia, Peter
6) Greek borrowings: incense, autocrat
7) Difficult. words: blessed, fragrant
8) Epithets: God's gift, one table, noble prince, dull voice
9) comparison: like a psy barking, like one mouth
10) phraseological combinations: serve righteously, establish a feast
Phonetich. analysis:
1) traits 2 yu-s influence:
Absence of j: Fevronia, bestudia
Combination of reduction with smooth (metathesis): self-driving
2) phonetic. Slavicisms: ubo, yako, aki, grad, dog
Morphological analysis
1) Temporal forms of verbs:
Aorist: speech, priidosha, sjtvorisha
Imperfect: having, verb
Perfect: you promised
B/N P: originates, charges
2) Turned the tilt: yes
3) Kr. f. adj.: smooth
4) F. parable: deceased, recurrent
5) Enclitic forms of places: ti, cha
Parsing:
1) Formalized direct speech.
2) SPP with “yako” - compare. and mode of action
28. Old Russian literary language in business writing of Muscovite Rus' of the 14th-16th centuries
Formed the centralization of the state around Moscow to promote the development of new forms of writing affairs. At first the scribes were spiritual people, then secular people. The offices were called orders. A special “command syllable”, close to the conversational speech of the common people, but containing in its composition and separate traditions formulas and phrases. A mandatory element is the words petition, beat with your forehead. At the beginning of the petition - all the ranks and titles of the addressee, his full name and patronymic. The petitioners wrote about themselves in a derogatory form, without a name - father, calling themselves slave, slave, serf. The word “charter” is especially common to mean document. Complex terms appear, in which the noun is defined by an adjective: spiritual letter, spiritual letter (testament), contractual letter, folding letter, attributed letter, allotment letter. Creation of new judicial decisions: “Code Code” IV 3, “Pskov Judicial Charter”. In the case of writing, terms appear that reflect new social relations (younger brother, older brother, boyar children), new monetary relations that developed in the Moscow period (bondage, money, etc.). We can recognize derivative terms such as business people, bonded people, etc. B. A. Larin, considering the question of how much the language of business monuments of the 15th-17th centuries can be considered. a direct reflection of the spoken language of that era, came to a negative conclusion. In his opinion, which we fully share, despite the relatively close proximity of the language of monuments of this type to colloquial speech, even such of them as questioning speeches experienced the continuous and powerful influence of the written orthographic tradition, dating back to the ancient Slavic writing of the 10th-11th centuries. Not a single written source of Ancient Rus' in all periods of historical development could be free from such traditional influence. The enrichment and increase in the number of forms of business writing indirectly influenced all genres of written speech and ultimately contributed to the overall progressive development of the literary and written language of Moscow Rus'. The same scribes, clerks and clerks, in their free time from working in the orders, took on the task of rewriting books, not only chronicles, but also theological and liturgical ones, while they involuntarily introduced into the texts the skills they acquired when drawing up business documents, which led to an ever-increasing diversity of literary and written language.
THE TALE OF PETER AND FEVRONIYA OF MUROM
TALE FROM THE LIFE OF THE NEW WONDERWORKERS OF MUROM, THE BLESSED, AND REVEREND, AND THE WORRIBLE PRINCE PETER, CALLED DAVID IN THE MONOSTIC RENT, AND HIS SPOUSES, THE BLESSED AND REVEREND AND THE REVEREND ALNYA PRINCESS FEVRONIYA, NAMED EUHROSYNE IN THE MONACY ORDER
THE NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF THE NEW MUROM HOLY WONDERWORKERS THE BLESSED, REVEREND, AND PRAISE-WORTHY PRINCE PETER, NONONICALLY CALLED DAVID, AND HIS WIFE, THE REVEREND AND PRAISE-WORTHY PRINCE FEBRE ONIA, NATURALLY CALLED EUPHROSYNE
Bless, father. God the Father and the ever-essential Word of God - the Son, and the most holy and life-giving Spirit, the one nature of God without beginning, sung throughout the Trinity, and praised, and glorified, and revered, and exalted, and confessed, and believed, and thanked, creator and creator of the invisible and indescribable, from time immemorial, self-powerfully, with ordinary wisdom, accomplishing, and building all things, and enlightening, and glorifying, if I want, with my autocracy, as from the beginning you created in heaven your angels, your spirits and your servants, scorching fire, minds of rank, incorporeal armies, Their inscrutable majesty is, so create everything invisible, about them it is unattainable for the human mind, but create the visible heavenly elements: the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and on the earth of old, creating man in your own image and from your trisolar Deity, the likeness of the trisolar gift to him: mind, like the father of the word; the word comes from him, like a son sent; the spirit rests on him, just as a word cannot come out of a person’s mouth without the spirit, but the spirit comes out with the word, and the mind is in charge.
Bless, Father. Glory to God the Father and the eternally existing Word of God - the Son, and the most holy and life-giving Spirit, the one and beginningless nature of God, together in the Trinity glorified, and praised, and glorified, and revered, and exalted, and confessed, in whom we believe and whom we thank, creator and creator invisible and indescribable, from the beginning, according to his will, with his wisdom, who accomplishes everything, and creates, and enlightens, and glorifies those whom he chooses according to his will, for first he created his angels in heaven, his spirits and servants, scorching fire, ranks mental, incorporeal army, the power of which cannot be described, and created everything invisible that is incomprehensible to the human mind, created the visible celestial elements: the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth, from ancient times, he created man in his own image and three similar to his trisolar Deity He bestowed qualities on him: reason, for He is the father of the word, and the word comes from him, sent like a son on whom the spirit rests, because the mouth of every person cannot produce words without the spirit, but the word comes with the spirit, and reason guides.
And let us not continue the words in the creation of mankind, but let us return to what is before us.
Let us finish our word about human essence and return to what we started talking about.
God, the beginningless, having created man, made almost all earthly creatures king and, loving all the righteous in the human race, had mercy on the sinners, although to save everyone and bring them to true reason. When, by the good will of the Father and by his will and the haste of the Holy Spirit, the one Son of God from the Trinity, not one or the other, but the same God, the Word, the Son of the Father, deigned to be born on earth in the flesh of the most pure virgin Mary, and became a man, without having transposed the deities; Even if you walk on earth, you are no longer separated from your father’s bosom. And during his passion, his divine nature abides without passion. His dispassion is indescribable, and it is impossible to say it in any parable, nor to apply it powerfully to anything, even though all his creation exists; in the creature we understand dispassion, for even if a tree stands on the earth, the sun shines from heaven on it, in the same year that tree, even if it is cut off to be and suffer, the sunny tree will not retreat from that tree, it will cut down below tree, no guard.
God, who has no beginning, having created man, showed him honor - over everything that exists on earth, he made him king and, loving all the righteous in the human race, forgiving sinners, he wanted to save everyone and bring them to true reason. And when, with the blessing of the Father, by his own will and with the help of the Holy Spirit, one of the Trinity - the Son of God, none other than God, the word, the Son of the Father, deigned to be born in the flesh on earth from the most pure Virgin Mary, then he became a man without changing His deity; and, although he walked the earth, he was not at all separated from his father’s depths. And in torment, his divine essence was not subjected to suffering. And his dispassion is indescribable, and you can’t express it with any allegory, you can’t compare it with anything, because everything was created by him; and in his creations there is dispassion - after all, if a tree stands on the ground and the sun illuminates it and at that time it turns out that they begin to cut down the tree, and this is its suffering, then the solar ether contained in it will not disappear from it , especially if it does not die with the tree, it does not suffer.
The verb is therefore about the sun and about the tree, since its creation is; He is an indestructible creator and co-creator. For she suffered for us in the flesh, nailing our sins to the cross, having redeemed us from the ruler of the world at the price of her honest blood. About this the chosen vessel Paul spoke: “Do not become slaves of man, for you were bought with a price.” After the crucifixion, our Lord Jesus Christ rose again for three days, and on the fortieth day he ascended into heaven, and sat at the right hand of the Father, and on the fiftieth day from the Father he sent the Holy Spirit to his saints, his disciples and apostles. They enlightened the entire universe with faith and holy baptism.
We are talking about the sun and the tree because they were created by him, but the creator and creator of this cannot be defined in words. After all, He suffered in the flesh for us, nailing our sins to the cross, redeeming us from the ruler of the world, the devil, at the price of his honest blood. God's chosen one Paul said this about this: “You will not be slaves of men, for you were bought with a price.” And after the crucifixion, three days later, our Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected, and on the fortieth day he ascended into heaven and sat down to the right of the Father, and on the fiftieth day he sent the Holy Spirit from the Father to his saints, his disciples and apostles. They enlightened the entire universe through faith and holy baptism.
And the people were baptized into Christ and put on Christ. If you have put on Christ, let them not deviate from His commandments, not like flatterers and seducers after baptism abandoning the commandments of God and being flattered by the world with its beauties, but like the holy prophets and apostles, as well as the martyrs and all the saints who suffered in sorrow for Christ’s sake , in troubles, in hardships, in wounds, in prisons, in disorder, labor, in vigils, in fasting, in cleansing, in reason, in long-suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love, in truthful words, in power God, - who are the knowledge of the One, who knows the secrets of the heart, in whose image he enlightened the earth, as if he decorated the sky with stars, and honoring them with miracles, the same prayers for the sake of repentance and labor, and the same courage and humility, as he glorified these saints, for them the word is presented to us.
And those who were baptized into Christ put on Christ. And if you have put on Christ, let them not depart from His commandments, like deceivers and liars, who after baptism forgot the commandments of God and were deceived by the temptations of this world, but like the holy prophets and apostles, as well as the martyrs and all the saints who suffered for Christ’s sake, enduring sorrows, and troubles, and oppression, and wounds, being in prison, unsettled in life, in labors, in vigils, in fasting, in repentance, in meditation, in long-suffering, in kindness, abiding in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love, in words of truth , in the power of God - they are all known to the One, who knows all the secrets of the heart with which he illuminated the earth, how he decorated the sky with stars, honored them with the gift of miracles - some for the sake of prayers, and repentance, and works, others - for the sake of firmness and humility, as He glorified those saints about whom our story will be told.
Behold, in the Russian land there is a city called Mur, in which there was an autocratic noble prince, as I said, named Paul. From time immemorial, the devil hated the good of the human race and planted a hostile flying serpent on the wife of that prince for fornication. And appearing to her as her dreams, as if they were her nature; appearing to the people who came, as if the prince himself were sitting with his wife. The same dreams have passed on many times. The wife did not hide this, but told the prince, her husband, everything that was related to her. The hostile serpent dominated her.
There is a city in the Russian land called Murom, in which, as they say, a noble prince named Pavel ruled. But the devil, who from time immemorial has hated good human race, sent the prince’s wife an evil winged serpent to commit fornication. He appeared to her in visions as he was by nature, and to strangers it seemed that it was the prince himself sitting with his wife. This obsession continued for a long time. The wife did not hide this and told the prince and her husband about everything that happened to her. And the evil serpent took possession of her by force.
The prince thought about creating a serpent, but was perplexed. And the wife’s speech: “I’m thinking about the wife, but I’m perplexed, what should I do to displease him? Because we don’t know what kind of death I’ll inflict on her? If I speak to you about the words, ask with flattery about this: does this hostile spirit know why he wants death? If you hang it and tell us, free yourself not only in the present world of the evil of his breath and hissing and all the misery that is stinking to say, but also in the future age of the unhypocritical judge of Christ you will be merciful to yourself.” The wife of her husband firmly accepted the verb in her heart and thought in her mind: “It is good to be like this.”
The prince began to think about what to do with the snake, but was at a loss. And he says to his wife: “I’m thinking about it, wife, but I can’t figure out how to defeat this villain? I don’t know - how to kill him? When he begins to talk to you, ask him, seducing him, about this: does this villain himself know why his death should happen? If you find out about this and tell us, then you will be freed not only in this life from the foul breath and hissing of it and all this shamelessness, which is shameful to even talk about, but also in future life You will appease the unhypocritical judge, Christ.” The wife firmly imprinted her husband’s words in her heart, and she decided: let it be so.
One day, a serpent who was hostile to that one came to her, but she, having a good memory in her heart, flatteringly offered to that hostility, saying many other things, and still respectfully asking him, praising him, saying something like: “ Is it a lot of weight, and will it be the end, what will it be like and from what?” He, the hostile charmer, is seduced by a kind seduction from his faithful wife, as if he had uttered Nepschev’s secret to her, saying: “My death is from Peter’s shoulder, from Agrikov’s sword.” The wife, having heard such a speech, firmly kept it in her heart and after the departure of that hostile story to the prince, her husband, as he said there was a serpent. The prince, having heard it, was perplexed - what is death from Peter’s shoulder and from Agrikov’s sword?
And then one day, when this evil snake came to her, she, holding her husband’s words firmly in her heart, turned to this villain with flattering speeches, talking about this and that, and in the end, praising him with respect, asking: “You are a lot of things.” you know, do you know about your death - what it will be like and from what?” He, an evil deceiver, was deceived by the forgivable deception of his faithful wife, for, neglecting the fact that he was revealing the secret to her, he said: “I am destined to die from Peter’s shoulder, from Agrikov’s sword.” The wife, having heard these words, firmly remembered them in her heart and, when this villain left, she told the prince, her husband, what the snake had told her. The prince, having heard this, was perplexed - what does it mean: death from Peter’s shoulder and from Agrikov’s sword?
Having a brother named Prince Peter. One day he called him to himself and began to tell him the serpent’s speeches, just as he had told his wife. Prince Peter, having heard from his brother that the serpent, called his namesake, was the outcome of his death, he began to think, without hesitating more courageously, how to kill the serpent. But there was an even stronger thought in him, as if he did not know Agrikov’s sword.
And the prince had a brother named Peter. One day Paul called him to him and began to tell him about the words of the serpent, which he said to his wife. Prince Peter, having heard from his brother that the snake called the culprit of death by his name, began to think, without hesitation or doubt, how to kill the snake. Only one thing confused him - he didn’t know anything about Agric’s sword.
You have the custom of going to churches in solitude. Outside the city, the church in the women's monasteries is the Exaltation of the honorable and life-giving cross. And he came to her alone to pray. The youth appeared to him, saying: “Prince! Do you want me to show you Agrikov’s sword?” Although he wanted to fulfill his desire, he said: “Yes, I see where it is!” The boy said: “Follow me.” And showing him in the altar wall between the keremidom a well, in which lay a sword. Blessed Prince Peter, take that sword, come and tell his brother. And therefore the days are likened to the time, that he may kill the serpent.
It was Peter's custom to walk alone in churches. And outside the city there stood in a convent the Church of the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross. He came there alone to pray. And then the youth appeared to him, saying: “Prince! Do you want me to show you Agrikov’s sword?” He, trying to fulfill his plan, replied: “Let me see where he is!” The boy said: “Follow me.” And he showed the prince a gap in the altar wall between the slabs, and in it lay a sword. Then the noble prince Peter took that sword, went to his brother and told him about everything. And from that day he began to look for a suitable opportunity to kill the snake.
All the days he went to his brother and to his temple to worship. The key is for him to come to the temple to his brother and at the same hour, going to demolish his temple to another, and he sees his brother sitting by it. And again he left her, meeting someone from those who were standing next to his brother and saying to him: “I have departed from my brother for my demolition, but my brother remains in his temple, and I, having not touched anything, will soon come to the temple for my demolition, and I don’t know and I wonder how my brother will be found in my daughter-in-law’s temple before me?” The same man said to him: “No way, Lord, after your departure your brother did not leave his temple!” He understood it to be the craftiness of the evil serpent. And he came to his brother and said to him: “When will this come? I left this temple for you, and after hesitating nowhere, I came to your wife in the temple, and saw you sitting with her, and wondered what you would find before me. “I came again, without hesitating anywhere, but you don’t know who preceded me and will be here before me?” He said: “In no way, brother, did I leave this temple after your departure and never left my wife.” Prince Peter said: “Behold, brother, this is the cunning of the evil serpent, and it seems to me that you are, even if I did not want to kill him, as if I did not perceive my brother to you. Now, brother, don’t go from here at all, but I’m going there to brother with the serpent, lest by God’s help this evil serpent be killed.”
Every day Peter went to his brother and his daughter-in-law to pay homage to them. One day he happened to come to his brother’s chambers, and immediately he went from him to his daughter-in-law, to other chambers, and saw that his brother was sitting with her. And, going back from her, he met one of his brother’s close associates and said to him: “I went out from my brother to my daughter-in-law, and my brother remained in his chambers, and I, without stopping anywhere, quickly came to my daughter-in-law’s chambers.” and I don’t understand and I’m surprised how my brother ended up in the chambers of my daughter-in-law before me?” And that man said to him: “Sir, after your departure your brother did not leave his chambers!” Then Peter realized that these were the wiles of the evil serpent. And he came to his brother and said to him: “When did you come here? After all, when I left these chambers from you and, without stopping anywhere, came to your wife’s chambers, I saw you sitting with her and was very surprised how you came before me. And so I came here again, without stopping anywhere, but you, I don’t understand how, got ahead of me and ended up here before me?” Paul answered: “Brother, I did not leave these chambers anywhere after you left, nor did I visit my wife.” Then Prince Peter said: “This, brother, is the machinations of the evil serpent - you appear to me, so that I do not decide to kill him, thinking that it is you who are my brother. Now, brother, don’t go anywhere from here, I’ll go there to fight the snake, maybe, with God’s help, this evil snake will be killed.”
And I took the sword, called Agrikov, and came to the temple to demolish it, and saw the serpent with the eyes of my brother, and was firmly convinced that it was not his brother, but a lovely serpent, and struck him with the sword. The serpent appeared, as it were by nature, and began to tremble, and became dead, and sprinkled the blessed Prince Peter with his blood. Because of that hostile blood, he suffered sharp wounds and ulcers, and now the illness is very serious. And in your obsession you sought healing from many doctors, but received none from one.
And, taking the sword called Agrikov, he came to his daughter-in-law’s chambers and saw a serpent in the form of his brother, but, firmly convinced that it was not his brother, but an insidious serpent, he struck him with the sword. The serpent, turning into its natural form, trembled and died, and it sprinkled the blessed Prince Peter with its blood. Peter, from that evil blood, became covered with scabs, and ulcers appeared on his body, and a serious illness seized him. And he sought healing from many doctors for his illness, but found no one.
Hearing that there were many doctors within the borders of the Ryazan land, he told himself to tell stories there, lest he himself be unable to sit on a horse from a great illness. He was quickly brought to the borders of the Ryazan land and the ambassador sent his entire council to look for doctors.
Peter heard that there were many doctors in the Ryazan land, and ordered him to be taken there - due to a serious illness, he himself could not sit on a horse. And when they brought him to the Ryazan land, he sent all his associates to look for doctors.
There was only one young man who shied away completely from those who stood before him, calling himself Affectionately. And I came to a certain house by the gate and saw no one. And he went into the house, and no one saw him. And going into the temple, and in vain, the vision is wonderful: sitting alone is a maiden, woven red, and in front of her is a hare galloping.
One of the princely youths wandered into a village called Laskovo. He came to the gate of one house and saw no one. And he entered the house, but no one came out to meet him. Then he entered the upper room and saw an amazing sight: a girl was sitting alone and weaving canvas, and a hare was jumping in front of her.
And the girl said: “It is absurd for a house to have no ears and a temple to have no eyes!” The young man, however, did not heed the verb of those, speaking to the girl: “Where is a man of the male sex who lives here?” She said: “My father and mother went to cry together. My brother is walking through his feet in the sight of Navi.”
And the girl said: “It’s bad when the house has no ears, and the room has no eyes!” The young man, not understanding these words, asked the girl: “Where is the owner of this house?” To this she replied: “My father and mother went to cry, but my brother went through his legs to look at the dead.”
The young man did not understand her verb, marveling in vain and hearing things like miracles, and the verb to the maiden: “I came to you, who was doing it in vain, and I saw a hare jumping before you, and I heard from your mouth strange verbs, and this is not we know what you say. The first thing I say is: it is absurd for a house to have no ears and a temple to have no eyes. He speaks about your father and mother, as if they were going to cry in each other, but about your brother, saying, “see through your feet in the Navi.” And I didn’t understand a single word from you!”
The young man did not understand the girl’s words, he was amazed, seeing and hearing such miracles, and asked the girl: “I came in to you and saw that you were weaving, and a hare was jumping in front of you, and I heard some strange speeches from your lips and I can't understand what you're saying. First you said: it’s bad when the house has no ears and the room has no eyes. About her father and mother she said that they went to cry on loan, but about her brother she said - “he looks at the dead through his legs.” And I didn’t understand a single word of yours!”
She said to him: “Don’t you understand this! He came to this house and to my temple below and saw me sitting in simplicity. If there were a dog in the house and smelled you coming to the house, it would bark at you: the house has ears. And if there were a child in my temple and seeing you coming to the temple, he would say to me: for the temple has eyes. And as they said about my father and mother and about my brother, how my father and mother went to cry in return - they went to the burial of the dead and there they cried. When death comes for them, others will begin to weep for them: behold, this is borrowed weeping. About my brother, these verbs say that my father and brother are tree climbers, in the forest they will pick up honey from trees. My brother is now thinking about this, and how to fly to a tree in height, look through your feet to the ground, thinking so as not to fall from the height. If anyone breaks away, this one will hurt your stomach. For this reason, I am walking through my feet in the sight of the Navi.”
She told him: “And you can’t understand this! You came to this house, and entered my upper room, and found me in an unkempt state. If there was a dog in our house, it would sense that you were approaching the house and would bark at you: these are the ears of the house. And if there was a child in my upper room, then, seeing that you were going to the upper room, he would tell me about it: the upper room has eyes. And what did I tell you about my father and mother, and about my brother, that my father and my mother went to cry - they went to the funeral and mourned the dead man there. And when death comes for them, others will mourn them: this is crying on loan. I told you this about my brother because my father and brother are tree climbers, they collect honey from the trees in the forest. And today my brother went to be a beekeeper, and when he climbs up a tree, he will look through his legs to the ground so as not to fall from his height. If anyone breaks down, he will lose his life. That’s why I said that he went through their legs to look at the dead.”
The young man said to her: “I see you, maiden, I am wise. Give me your name." She said: “My name is Fevronia.” The same young man said to her: “I am the Murom prince Peter, serve him. My prince has a serious illness and ulcers. He was cut off by the blood of a hostile flying serpent, whom he killed with his own hand. And in my obsession I sought healing from many doctors and received none from a single one. For this reason, I commanded myself to bring this, as I heard many doctors here. But we do not know what they are called, nor their dwellings, and for this reason we ask about it.” She said: “If anyone had demanded your prince for himself, he could have healed him.” The young man said: “What are you saying, why should anyone demand my prince for himself? If anyone heals and, my prince, give him a lot of property. But tell me the name of the doctor who is and where is his dwelling?” She said: “Yes, bring your prince here. If he is soft-hearted and humble in his responses, may he be healthy!”
The young man says to her: “I see, girl, that you are wise. Tell me your name." She replied: “My name is Fevronia.” And that young man said to her: “I am the servant of the Murom prince Peter. My prince is seriously ill, with ulcers. He was covered with scabs from the blood of the evil flying snake, which he killed with his own hand. He sought healing from many doctors for his illness, but no one could cure him. Therefore, he ordered to bring himself here, since he had heard that there were many doctors here. But we don’t know their name or where they live, so we ask about them.” To this she replied: “If someone took your prince for himself, he could cure him.” The young man said: “What are you saying - who can take my prince for himself! If anyone cures him, the prince will richly reward him. But tell me the name of the doctor, who he is and where his house is.” She answered: “Bring your prince here. If he is sincere and humble in his words, he will be healthy!”
The young man soon returned to his prince and told him everything in detail, what he had seen and heard. The noble Prince Peter said: “Yes, take me where the girl is.” And she brought it to that house, where there was a girl. And they sent their servants to her, saying: “Tell me, maiden, who is there to heal me? May he heal me and give me much wealth.” She said without hesitation: “I am. Although I am a healer, I do not demand that he accept the property. The imam’s word to him is this: if the imam does not have a spouse for him, you do not need me to heal him.” And the man came and told his prince, as the maiden had spoken.
The young man quickly returned to his prince and told him in detail about everything he had seen and heard. The noble Prince Peter commanded: “Take me to where this girl is.” And they brought him to the house where the girl lived. And he sent one of his servants to ask: “Tell me, girl, who wants to cure me? Let him heal and receive a rich reward.” She answered bluntly: “I want to cure him, but I don’t demand any reward from him. Here is my word to him: if I do not become his wife, then it is not right for me to treat him.” And the man returned and told his prince what the girl had told him.
Prince Peter, as if he was careless of her words, thought: “How can a prince of this tree-dweller want to drink his wife!” And he sent to her and said: “Cry to her that her medicine is hers, that she may heal. If he heals, the imam will treat his wife.” When he came, he told her that word. She took a small vessel, drew some of her sourness, and breathed on her, and said: “Let them establish a bathhouse for your prince, and let him anoint it on his body, where there are scabs and ulcers. And let one scab be left unanointed. And he will be healthy!
Prince Peter treated her words with disdain and thought: “Well, how is it possible for the prince to take the daughter of a poison dart frog as his wife!” And he sent to her, saying: “Tell her - let her heal as best she can.” If she cures me, I will take her as my wife.” They came to her and conveyed these words. She, taking a small bowl, scooped up kvass with it, blew on it and said: “Let them heat your prince’s bathhouse, let him anoint his whole body with it, where there are scabs and ulcers. And let him leave one scab unanointed. And he will be healthy!”
And she brought such anointing to him. And he ordered to establish a bathhouse. At least tempt the maiden to answer, if she is wise, as if she had heard about her words from her youth. He sent a messenger to her with one of his servants and said, “This girl wants a husband for wisdom’s sake. If she is wise, then in this day she will inflict a fight on me, and ports, and ubrusets in that year, and in this year I will remain in the bathhouse.” The servant bring the log to her and give her and the prince the word of the tale. She said to the servant: “Come up to our cave and pick up the logs from the ridges and carry them away.” He, having listened to her, took down the log. She, having measured out an inch, said: “Cut this off from this log.” He will cut it off. She said: “Take this duck log of this duck, and go and give it to your prince from me and tell him: at what hour I will comb all this, and let your prince prepare for me in this duck the camp and the whole building, which is considered to be his linen.” The servant bring the ducklings and logs to your prince and tell the maiden a story. The prince said: “Hey, maidens, it’s impossible to eat a tree in such a small time and create a calico structure in such a small time!” The servant came and gave her a speech to the prince. The girl renounced: “Is it possible for a man of the same age to eat in a small year, to remain in a bathhouse in the nude, to create a srachitsa, and ports, and ubrusets?” The servant went away and told the prince. The prince was amazed at her answer.
And they brought this ointment to the prince; and he ordered the bathhouse to be heated. He wanted to test the girl’s answers to see if she was as wise as he had heard about her speeches from his youth. He sent a small bundle of flax to her with one of his servants, saying: “This girl wants to become my wife for the sake of her wisdom. If she is so wise, let her make me a shirt, and clothes, and a scarf from this flax while I am in the bathhouse.” The servant brought Fevronia a bunch of flax and, handing it to her, conveyed the prince’s order. She told the servant: “Climb onto our stove and, taking a log from the bed, bring it here.” He, having listened to her, brought some logs. Then she, measuring with a span, said: “Bran off this from the log.” He cut it off. She tells him: “Take this stump of wood, go and give it to your prince from me and tell him: while I comb this bunch of flax, let your prince make a weaving mill from this stump and all the other equipment that will be used for weaving.” canvas for him." The servant brought a stump of logs to his prince and conveyed the girl’s words. The prince says: “Go tell the girl that it is impossible to make what she asks from such a small chick in such a short time!” The servant came and conveyed to her the prince’s words. The girl answered: “Is it really possible for an adult man to make a shirt, a dress, and a scarf from one bunch of flax, in the short time it takes him to wash in the bathhouse?” The servant left and conveyed these words to the prince. The prince was amazed at her answer.
And according to the time, Prince Peter went to the bathhouse to wash himself and, at the command of the maiden, anointed her sores and scabs with anointing. And leave one scab not anointed at the command of the maiden. When you left the bathhouse, you felt no more illness. On the morning, he saw his whole body healthy and smooth, the development of a single scab, which he had not anointed at the command of the girl, and marveled at the speedy healing. But I don’t want to take my wife to myself for the sake of her fatherland and by sending gifts to her. She's not nice.
Then Prince Peter went to the bathhouse to wash himself and, as the girl ordered, he anointed his sores and scabs with ointment. And he left one scab unanointed, as the girl ordered. And when I left the bathhouse, I no longer felt any illness. The next morning he looked - his whole body was healthy and clean, only one scab remained, which he did not anoint, as the girl had punished, and he was amazed at such a quick healing. But he did not want to take her as his wife because of her origin, but sent her gifts. She didn't accept it.
Prince Peter went to his fatherland, the city of Murom, and said hello. There is not a single scab on him, and he is not anointed with the maiden’s commandment. And from that scab, many scabs began to spread on his body from the first day, when he went to his homeland. And again, he was all peeled off with many scabs and ulcers, just like the first one.
Prince Peter went to his patrimony, the city of Murom, having recovered. Only one scab remained on him, which was not anointed at the girl’s command. And from that scab new scabs appeared all over his body from the day he went to his patrimony. And again he was covered all over with scabs and ulcers, just like the first time.
And return again for the finished healing to the maiden. And when he came to her house, he sent an ambassador to her with a cold, asking for healing. She, holding back her anger in the least, said: “If I have a husband, let him be healed.” He gave her his word with firmness, as if he had taken his wife to himself. This again, like before, will give him the same healing as prescribed. Having soon received healing, he gave his wife drink to himself. Princess Fevronia was guilty of the same thing.
And again the prince returned to the girl for the tried and tested treatment. And when he came to her house, he sent to her in shame, asking for healing. She, not at all angry, said: “If he becomes my husband, he will be healed.” He gave her a firm word that he would take her as his wife. And again, as before, she prescribed the same treatment for him, which I already wrote about before. He, having quickly recovered, took her as his wife. This is how Fevronia became a princess.
She returned to her homeland, the city of Murom, and lived in all piety, leaving nothing behind God’s commandments.
And they arrived at their patrimony, the city of Murom, and began to live piously, without breaking God’s commandments in anything.
Little by little, the prophesied Prince Paul departs from this life. The noble Prince Peter, through his brother, is the only autocrat of his city.
After a short time, Prince Pavel died. The noble Prince Peter, after his brother, became autocrat in his city.
His princess Fevronia, his boyar, does not love his wives for the sake of his own, as if the princess did not care for the fatherland for her sake; I glorify God for the goodness of her life.
The boyars, at the instigation of their wives, did not love Princess Fevronia, because she did not become a princess by birth; God glorified her because of her good life.
Once upon a time, someone from those who were coming to her came to the blessed Prince Petrov to infest her with nudes, as if: “From every place,” he said, “he comes out of his table without order: never having time to get up, she takes the crumbs into her hand, as if she were smooth!” The noble Prince Peter, although I was tempted, ordered me to dine with him at the same table. And as if I had finished dinner, she, as is her custom, took the crumbs from the table into her hand. I took Prince Peter by the hand and, reconnaissance, saw good-smelling Lebanon and incense. And from that I will leave the days to avoid temptation.
One day, one of those serving her came to the blessed Prince Peter and said to her: “Every time,” he said, “having finished a meal, he leaves the table inappropriately: before getting up, he collects crumbs in his hand, as if hungry!" And so the noble prince Peter, wanting to test her, ordered that she dine with him at the same table. And when dinner was over, she, as was her custom, collected the crumbs in her hand. Then Prince Peter took Fevronia by the hand and, opening it, saw fragrant incense and incense. And from that day on, he never experienced it again.
And after many times, his furious boy came to him, roaring: “We all want, prince, to serve you righteously and have you as autocrat, but we don’t want Princess Fevronia, let him reign over our wives. If you want to be an autocrat, let him be a princess. Fevronia, taking the wealth to her satisfaction, will go away if she wants!” Blessed Peter, as was his custom, had no rage about anything, with humility answered: “Let him speak to Fevronia, and as he roars, then we hear.”
A lot of time passed, and then one day his boyars came to the prince in anger and said: “Prince, we are all ready to serve you faithfully and have you as autocrat, but we do not want Princess Fevronia to rule over our wives. If you want to remain an autocrat, another princess will be your path. Fevronia, having taken as much wealth as she wants, let her go wherever she wants!” Blessed Peter, whose custom was not to be angry at anything, answered with meekness: “Tell Fevronia about this, let’s listen to what she says.”
They, in their frenzy, filled with despair, plotted to establish a feast. And having created, and always being joyful, she began to stretch out her cold voices, like a pleading, taking away from the saint the gift of God, which God promised her to eat even after her death. And the verb: “Mistress Princess Fevronia! The whole city and the townspeople say to you: give us what we ask of you!” She said: “Yes, I’ll give it to him as she asks!” They, like one mouth, said: “We, madam, all want Prince Peter, may he rule over us. Our wives do not want you, because you rule over them. Let us take the wealth to our satisfaction, go away as much as you want!” She said: “I promised you that whatever you ask, you will receive. But I say to you: give it to me, if I ask you.” They, evil, for the sake of the past, do not know the future, and said with an oath, like: “If you speak, stir it up alone without contradiction.” She said: “I ask for nothing else, except my husband, Prince Peter!” They decided: “If you want it, we won’t speak to you about it.” The enemy fills them with thoughts, as if Prince Peter were not there, they would set themselves up as an autocrat: each of them holds in their minds the idea that he himself wants to be an autocrat.
The frantic boyars, having lost their shame, decided to throw a feast. They began to feast, and when they became drunk, they began to conduct their shameless speeches, like barking dogs, depriving the saint of God’s gift, which God promised her to preserve even after death. And they say: “Madam Princess Fevronia! The whole city and the boyars are asking you: give us whoever we ask you for!” She answered: “Take whoever you ask!” They, as if with one mouth, said: “We, madam, all want Prince Peter to rule over us, but our wives do not want you to rule over them. Taking as much wealth as you need, go wherever you want!” Then she said: “I promised you that whatever you ask, you will receive. Now I tell you: promise to give me whatever I ask you.” They, the villains, rejoiced, not knowing what awaited them, and swore: “Whatever you name, you will immediately receive it without question.” Then she says: “I ask for nothing else, only my husband, Prince Peter!” They answered: “If he wants to, we won’t say a word to you.” The enemy clouded their minds - everyone thought that if Prince Peter was not there, they would install another autocrat: but in their souls, each of the boyars hoped to become an autocrat.
Blessed Prince Peter did not love the temporary autocracy except God’s commandments, but walked according to his commandments, adhering to them, just as the God-honored Matthew preaches in his Good News. It is said that if anyone lets his wife go, he develops the words of an adulterer, and marries someone else, commits adultery. This blessed prince, according to the Gospel, create his own self-control, as if he were mindful, so as not to destroy the commandments of God.
Blessed Prince Peter did not want to break God’s commandments for the sake of reigning in this life; he lived according to God’s commandments, keeping them, as the God-honored Matthew preaches in his Annunciation. After all, it is said that if someone drives away his wife, who has not been accused of adultery, and marries another, he himself commits adultery. This blessed prince acted according to the Gospel: he equated his wealth to manure, so as not to violate the commandments of God.
They, the wickedness of the boyar, gave them judgment on the river - because under the hail there was a river, the verb Oka. They are floating along the river in the courts. Blessed Princess Fevronia had someone in the ship, and his wife was in the same ship. The same person, having received a thought from the evil demon, looked up to the saint with a thought. She, soon understanding his evil thoughts, denounced him and said to him: “Draw water from this hand from this land of this vessel.” He drew more. And he told him to drink. He's drinking. She again said: “Draw water from another country of this ship.” He drew more. And he ordered him to drink again. He's drinking. She said: “Is water equal, or is there only sweetness?” He said: “There is only one, lady, water.” Then she said to her: “And there is one feminine nature. Why, having left your wife, are you thinking about other people’s thoughts? The same person said that she had the gift of insight, being afraid to think such a thing.
These evil boyars prepared ships for them on the river - a river called the Oka flows under this city. And so they sailed down the river in ships. A certain man was sailing in the same ship with Fevronia, whose wife was on the same ship. And this man, tempted by the evil demon, looked at the saint with lust. She, immediately guessing his evil thoughts, denounced him, telling him: “Scoop up water from this river from this side of this vessel.” He got it. And she ordered him to drink. He drank. Then she said again: “Now scoop up water from the other side of this vessel.” He got it. And she ordered him to drink again. He drank. Then she asked: “Is the water the same or is one sweeter than the other?” He answered: “The same water, lady.” After this she said: “So the female nature is the same. Why do you, having forgotten about your wife, think about someone else’s?” And this man, realizing that she had the gift of insight, did not dare to indulge in such thoughts anymore.
When evening came, the bowl began to be placed on the breeze. Blessed Prince Peter began to think: “What will happen, having been driven away by the will of autocracy?” Precious Fevronia said to him: “Do not grieve, prince, the merciful God, creator and provider of everything, will not leave us in the lowest state of life!”
When evening came, they landed on the shore and began to settle down for the night. Blessed Prince Peter thought: “What will happen now, since I voluntarily renounced the princedom?” Precious Fevronia tells him: “Do not grieve, prince, the merciful God, creator and protector of all, will not leave us in trouble!”
On that day, blessed Prince Peter prepared food for his supper. And why cook, his trees are small, and cauldrons hang on them. After supper, the holy princess Fevronia, walking along the riverbank and seeing the trees, blessed and said: “May this tree be great in the morning, having branches and leaves.” And then it happened: when you got up in the morning, you found a great tree with branches and foliage.
Meanwhile, on the shore, food was being prepared for Prince Peter’s dinner. And his cook stuck in small stakes to hang the cauldrons on. And when dinner was over, the holy princess Fevronia, who was walking along the shore and saw these stumps, blessed them, saying: “May they be large trees with branches and foliage in the morning.” And so it was: we got up in the morning and found instead of stumps big trees with branches and foliage.
And just as people wanted to sweep them into court from the shore, the nobleman came from the city of Murom, crying: “Lord, prince! From all the nobles and from the whole city I came to you, so that you do not leave us orphans, but return to your homeland. Many nobles in the city were killed by the sword. Even if you give them power, you will destroy them yourself. And all those who remain, along with all the people, pray to you, saying: Lord Prince, even though you have angered and irritated you, you do not want, but Princess Fevronia rules over our wives, now, with all our houses, we slave, and we want, and we love, and we pray that she, her servant, will not leave us!”
And so, when people gathered to load their belongings from the shore onto ships, nobles from the city of Murom came, saying: “Our lord prince! We came to you from all the nobles and from the inhabitants of the whole city, do not leave us, your orphans, return to your reign. After all, many nobles died in the city from the sword. Each of them wanted to rule, and in the dispute they killed each other. And all those who survived, together with all the people, pray to you: our lord prince, although we angered and offended you because we did not want Princess Fevronia to command our wives, but now, with all our household members, we are your slaves and want them to be you, and we love you, and we pray that you do not leave us, your servants!”
Blessed Prince Peter and blessed Princess Fevronia returned to their city. And he reigns supreme in that city, walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blemish, in constant prayers and alms and to all people who exist under their authority, like the love of children of a father and mother. Best of love for all is equal to that which belongs, not loving pride, nor robbery, nor corruptible wealth sparingly, but growing rich in God. Besta is a true shepherd to your city, and not like a mercenary. The city is governed by truth and meekness, and not by rage. The strange are accepting, the greedy are satisfying, the naked are clothed, the poor are delivered from misfortune.
Blessed Prince Peter and Blessed Princess Fevronia returned to their city. And they ruled in that city, keeping all the commandments and instructions of the Lord impeccably, praying incessantly and giving alms to all the people under their authority, like a child-loving father and mother. They had equal love for everyone, did not like cruelty and money-grubbing, did not spare perishable wealth, but grew rich in God's wealth. And they were true shepherds for their city, and not like mercenaries. And they ruled their city with justice and meekness, and not with rage. They welcomed strangers, fed the hungry, clothed the naked, and delivered the poor from misfortunes.
When her pious repose arrived, she prayed to God that her repose would happen in one hour. And he created the council, so that both would be laid in a single coffin, and commanded that two coffins be built for themselves in a single stone, having only one barrier between them. At the same time, you yourself put on Mnishe’s vestments. And the blessed prince Peter was named David in the monastic rank, and the Venerable Fevronia was named Euphrosyne in the monastic rank.
When the time had come for their pious repose, they begged God to die at the same time. And they bequeathed that they should both be placed in one tomb, and they ordered that two coffins be made from one stone, with a thin partition between them. At one time they became monks and donned monastic robes. And the blessed prince Peter was named David in the monastic rank, and the Monk Fevronia in the monastic rank was called Euphrosyne.
At the same time, the venerable and blessed Fevronia, named Euphrosyne, brought the air into the temple of the Most Pure Cathedral Church with her hands, and on it were the white faces of saints. The venerable and blessed prince Peter, named David, sent to her, saying: “O sister Euphrosyne! I want to get away from the body already, but I’m waiting for you so that we can get away.” She denied: “Wait, sir, until I breathe air into the holy church.” He sent a second message to her, saying: “I won’t wait much longer for you.” And as if she sent a third, saying: “I already want to die and I’m not waiting for you!” She is the residual work of the air of that holy shiyashe, since she has not yet sewn a single holy robe, but sewn on her face; and stop, and behold, your needle in the air, and turn it into a thread, which you sew with. And he sent to blessed Peter, who was named David, about his death by the purchase. And, having prayed, the holy soul gave up his holy soul in the hand of God in the month of June at two ten to five.
At a time when the Venerable and Blessed Fevronia, named Euphrosyne, was embroidering the faces of saints in the air for the cathedral church of the Most Pure Theotokos, the Venerable and Blessed Prince Peter, named David, sent to her to say: “O Sister Euphrosyne! The time of death has come, but I’m waiting for you so that we can go to God together.” She answered: “Wait, sir, until I bring air into the holy church.” He sent for the second time to say: “I can’t wait for you long.” And for the third time he sent me to say: “I’m already dying and I can’t wait any longer!” At that time she was finishing the embroidery of that holy air: only one saint’s mantle had not yet been finished, she had already embroidered the face; and she stopped, and stuck her needle in the air, and wound the thread with which she was embroidering around it. And she sent to tell blessed Peter, named David, that she was dying with him. And, having prayed, they both gave their holy souls into the hands of God on the twenty-fifth day of the month of June.
After her repose, people want that blessed Prince Peter will be placed inside the city, at the cathedral church of the Most Pure Mother of God, and Fevronia outside the city in the women’s monastery, at the Church of the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross, roaring, as in my opinion it is not acceptable to place the saints in one grave. And he established special coffins for them and placed their bodies in them: St. Peter, named David, put the body in a special coffin and placed it inside the city in the church of the Holy Mother of God before Utria, and Saint Fevronia, named Euphrosyne, put the body in a special coffin and placed it outside the city in the Church of the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross. The common coffin, which they themselves ordered to be cut into a single stone, remains empty in the same temple of the Most Pure Cathedral Church, also inside the city. On the morning, when people got up, they found the graves of their special goods, and invested them in their clothes. The saint found their bodies inside the city in the cathedral church of the Most Pure Mother of God in a single tomb, which they themselves ordered to create. People who are unreasonable, as if in their stomachs are restless about them, so and according to her honest death: I put them in special coffins and carried them away. And again, in the morning the saint was found in one tomb. And who dare not touch their holy bodies and lay them in a single coffin, in which they themselves tell the story, at the cathedral church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos inside the city, which God gave for the enlightenment and salvation of that city: for who with faith will come to the race of their relics , generously accept healing.
After their repose, people decided to bury the body of blessed Prince Peter in the city, near the cathedral church of the Most Pure Mother of God, and to bury Fevronia in a country nunnery, near the Church of the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross, saying that since they became monks, they cannot be put in one coffin. And they made separate coffins for them, in which they placed their bodies: the body of St. Peter, named David, was placed in his coffin and placed until the morning in the city church of the Holy Mother of God, and the body of St. Fevronia, named Euphrosyne, was placed in her coffin and placed in the country church Exaltation of an honest and life-giving cross. Their common coffin, which they themselves ordered to be carved out of one stone, remained empty in the same city cathedral church of the Most Pure Mother of God. But the next morning, people saw that the separate coffins in which they had placed them were empty, and their holy bodies were found in the city cathedral church of the Most Pure Mother of God in their common coffin, which they ordered to be made for themselves during their lifetime. Foolish people, both during their lifetime and after the honest repose of Peter and Fevronia, tried to separate them: they again put them in separate coffins and separated them again. And again in the morning the saints found themselves in a single coffin. And after that they no longer dared to touch their holy bodies and buried them near the city cathedral church of the Nativity of the Holy Mother of God, as they themselves commanded - in a single coffin, which God gave for the enlightenment and salvation of that city: those who fell in faith to the shrine with their relics generously find healing.
Let us, according to our strength, add praise to him.
Let us, according to our strength, give them praise.
Rejoice, Peter, for you were given from God the power to kill the flying fierce serpent! Rejoice, Fevronia, for in the women, the head of the saints, you had wisdom! Rejoice, Peter, for while you bore scabs and sores on your body, you endured tribulation more valiantly! Rejoice, Fevronia, for you had the gift from God in your virgin youth to heal ailments! Rejoice, glorious Peter, for the commandments for the sake of God's autocracy, retreat by will, so as not to leave your wife! Rejoice, wondrous Fevronia: for by your blessing in one night a small tree grew great in age and wore out its branches and leaves! Rejoice, honest leader, for I have lived in humility, in prayer, and in alms without pride; Likewise, Christ will give you grace, as even after death my body lies inseparably in the grave, but in spirit I stand before the Lord Christ! Rejoice, venerable and blessed one, for even after death you invisibly grant healing to those who come to you with faith!
Rejoice, Peter, for you have been given by God the power to kill the fierce flying serpent! Rejoice, Fevronia, for in woman's head yours is the wisdom of holy men! Rejoice, Peter, for, bearing scabs and ulcers on his body, he bravely endured all the torments! Rejoice, Fevronia, for already as a girl you possessed the gift given to you from God to heal ailments! Rejoice, illustrious Peter, for, for the sake of God’s commandment not to leave his wife, he voluntarily renounced power! Rejoice, wonderful Fevronia, for with your blessing, in one night the small trees grew large and covered with branches and leaves! Rejoice, honest leaders, for in your reign you lived with humility, in prayers, doing alms, without being arrogant; For this, Christ has overshadowed you with His grace, so that even after death your bodies lie inseparably in one tomb, and in spirit you stand before the Lord Christ! Rejoice, reverend and blessed ones, for even after death you invisibly heal those who come to you with faith!
But we pray, O most blessed wife, to pray for us, who create your memory with faith!
We pray to you, O blessed spouses, that you also pray for us, who honor your memory with faith!
May you also remember me, a sinner, who wrote this down, even though you heard it, the ignorant, even if others wrote the essence above me. Even though I am a sinner and rude, I trust in God’s grace and his generosity and trust in your prayer to Christ, laboring with my thoughts. Although you have honored the earth with praises, you have not touched the praises. I would like you, for the sake of your humble autocracy and eminence, to weave the crown after your death, and not touch the weaving. Glorified by nature and crowned in heaven with true incorruptible crowns from the common ruler of all, Christ, to whom befits together with his beginningless Father and with the most holy, good and life-giving Spirit all glory, honor and worship, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Remember also me, a sinner, who wrote everything that I heard about you, not knowing whether others who knew more than me wrote about you or not. Although I am a sinner and an ignorant person, trusting in God’s grace and his generosity and trusting in your prayers to Christ, I worked on my work. While I wanted to give you praise on earth, I have not yet touched upon real praise. For the sake of your meek reign and righteous life, I wanted to weave wreaths of praise for you after your death, but I haven’t really touched on this yet. For you are glorified and crowned in heaven with true incorruptible wreaths by the common ruler of all Christ, to whom due, together with his beginningless Father and with the most holy, good and life-giving Spirit, all glory, honor and worship, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
THE TALE ABOUT RYAZAN BISHOP VASILY
ABOUT THE CITY OF MURAM AND ABOUT ITS BISCOPE, WHEN IT COMES TO RYAZAN
ABOUT THE CITY OF MUROM AND ABOUT ITS BISCOPE, HOW IT CAME TO RYAZAN
I have heard some ancient legends about the city of Muram, how in the past it was created not in the same place as it is now, but nowhere else in the same area, being at a considerable distance from the current city. The story about him is that the city was glorious in the Russian land in ancient days. Many years passed, it was ruined and abandoned, and then, after many years, it was quickly transferred to another place, opened up the same region, and it was quickly established, where it still exists today.
I heard from some who told ancient legends about the city of Murom that in ancient times it was not founded where it now stands, but was located in another place in the same region, at a considerable distance from the current city. The legend about it says that it was a glorious city in Russian land in ancient times. After many years, it fell into ruin and desolation, then a lot of time passed, and it was moved to another place, to the outskirts of the same region, and placed where it now stands.
When in Kyiv and in all Russia the power of the great prince and saint was equal to the apostle Vladimir, and when he divided his children into possession of the cities, handed over to his sons, the hand of Saint Boris, in the Russian land the city of Rostov, and to his sons, the hand of the same to Saint Gleb the city of Muram. From those cities there came to pass according to Christ and suffering through it, and as if it were a shrine, it was quickly recognized by the faithful and glorified in the holy churches. And I beat their bishops in those cities, and I called these bishops home to the holy passion-bearers Boris and Gleb. Then two princes from the same kinship of the holy Great Prince Vladimir, brethren of the same essence, began to rule: they lived in the city of Muram, and they lived in Ryazan.
During the reign of the great, holy and equal-to-the-apostles Prince Vladimir in Kyiv and throughout the Russian land, when the time came for him to divide the cities among his children - who should own what, then to one of his sons, Saint Boris, he transferred the city in the Russian land of Rostov, and to another son, Saint Gleb, the city of Murom. From these cities they went to suffer for the sake of Christ, and their holiness was recognized by righteous people, and they began to be glorified in the holy churches. And in those cities where they reigned, bishops were installed, and those bishops were called local bishops of the holy passion-bearers Boris and Gleb. Over time, two princes, siblings, from the same family of the Holy Great Prince Vladimir began to rule the cities: the eldest - the city of Murom, the younger - Ryazan.
Not long ago there was a righteous bishop named Vasily in the city of Muram. Not tolerating this virtuous life, the enemy, like the ancient thief of souls, began to create again, as befitting his fornication. And imagining himself as a girl, and showing himself from the bishop's temple at his window, sometimes making a passage from his temple. Having seen this, many people were offended, and so was the nobleman. And she came to the bishop’s house, so that for the sake of guilt they would drive out this bishopric.
At some time, righteous Vasily was a bishop in the city of Murom. The devil, the ancient destroyer of human souls, unable to tolerate the righteous life of this bishop, began to harm him in such a way as to present him as a fornicator. And so, transforming into a maiden, he appeared from the bishop’s house - he either looked out the window, or left the bishop’s house. Seeing this, many city residents and city nobles fell into deception and believed it. And so they came to the bishop’s house in order to drive him out of the bishopric for the sake of such guilt.
Bishop, having received the icon of the image of the Eternal Child and the Mother of God, having now the hope of all his salvation, he left the bishopric. Having escorted him to the river called Oki, it was not enough to let him get away from the ship. This one, standing on the breeze, took off his mantle and, stretching out onto the water and stepping onto it, wearing the images of God and the Mother of God, and in a stormy spirit he quickly carried the images against the streams, from where the river flowed. I told you that it happened at the third hour of the day, and the same day at the ninth hour they rushed quickly to the place that is now called Old Ryazan; then the princes of Ryazania also stayed. Prince Oleg of Ryazan took off his cross; and so the Muram bishopric remained in Ryazan; Even today it is called Borisoglebskaya.
Then the bishop took the icon with the image of the eternal child Christ with the Mother of God - he had great hope for his salvation in this icon - and left the bishop's courtyard. They escorted him to the Oka River and wanted to give him a small boat so that he could sail away. He, standing on the shore, took off his mantle and, spreading it across the water, stood on it, holding in his hands an image with Christ and the Mother of God, and immediately a stormy gust of wind carried him against the current, up the river. They say that this happened at the third hour of the day, and at the ninth hour of the same day he rushed to the place that is now called Old Ryazan, then the Ryazan princes lived here. Prince Oleg of Ryazan met him with crosses; and so the Murom bishopric moved to Ryazan; and it is still called Borisoglebskaya.
To this day, Muram is still received from the Ryazan bishops. The bishops themselves did not return to Muram and were named after Ryazanism and then Muramstia. Whenever the bishops come to the city of Muram for the sake of visiting the city of Muram, then I narrate first Muramstia and then Ryazanstiya. That wonderful icon, the same one that brought the bishop, still exists in Ryazan to this day. He put his trust in her by faith, but with this mercy he surprised him, although he showed his servant without blemish, and in just six hours he rushed up the river, multiplying two hundred races.
After this, Murom began to join the diocese of Ryazan bishops. And from then on the bishops never returned to Murom and began to be called bishops, in the first place - Ryazan, and in second - Murom. When bishops visited the city of Murom, they were called in the first place - Murom, and in the second - Ryazan. The wonderful icon that carried Bishop Vasily and is now in Ryazan. He trusted in her with faith, but she glorified him with her mercy, wanting to show the integrity of the holy servant, and in just six hours she carried him up the river to a distance of more than two hundred miles.
O Most Pure Mother of God, what language will your confession of miracles or what sense of wealth praise your blessings, as you pray to the Son with the Father and the Holy Spirit about our sins! Hearing this - not your very vision, but the image of what you have written, what kind of power you have created, my mind is terrified! I don’t want to spread it around and I don’t know what to write, since many years have passed since I left there, and I have bad news about this and I’m afraid that I won’t appear and speak lies about it. As I heard, I wrote as well; If something is not completely written, but having for help the correcting mistress of all - the Mother of God, she is worthy of all Christianity to continually pray, that she may deliver us from the slander of the enemy always, now and ever and forever. Amen.
O Most Pure Mother of God, what tongue will tell about your miracles, or what mind will duly praise your good deeds, when you pray to the Son with the Father and the Holy Spirit about our sins! Hearing that it was not you yourself, but your written image that performed such miracles, I am amazed in my mind! I would like to tell you about everything in more detail, but I don’t know what to write, because many years have passed since then, and much remains unknown to me, and I’m afraid that by telling about it, I might turn out to be a liar. I wrote as I heard; If I wrote about something without fully finding out, then I trust in the merciful help of the mistress of all - the Mother of God, whom all Christians should pray to deliver us from the slander of the enemy always, now, and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.
RULER
RULER
AS MUCH AS THE KING WANTS THE RULE AND THE EARTH
INSTRUCTION IN LANDING TO KINGS, IF THEY PLEASE
The wisdom of Solomon says: “Hear ye, O kings, and understand, and learn, judge by the end of the earth, inspire, holding multitudes and taking pride in the nations of the pagans, for power has been given to you from the Lord and strength from the Most High.” Even though we are testing the faithful tsar at the present time, in all languages except the Russian language there is no faithful tsar. If he is right by faith, he deserves to gain it without laziness, considering, even for the well-being of all those who exist under him, not only the nobles who care about governance, but also to the last. The nobles have needs, but are not satisfied with any of their labors. At the beginning of everything, the needs are rataev; From their labors there is bread, and from this the main thing of all good things is that the bloodless sacrifice of bread is offered to God in the service and is transformed into the body of Christ. Then the whole earth, from the king to the common people, is nourished by those labors. These are always in sorrowful emotions, always bearing more than one yoke of burden. It is as if in summer there is only one heavy yoke to bear, as if every creature - birds, animals, and cattle - alone in summer is exhausted by shedding. The Rataevs are constantly lifting the yoke of various labors: sometimes giving taxes in silver, sometimes in Yamskaya assemblies, sometimes in other ways. The Elites, who receive messages to them from these gift-givers for the sake of the royal meetings, and for the sake of the royal regulations they collect a lot for themselves, and also for the sake of these messages, greed for the sake of horses, the Vyamskaya waste of a lot of silver is dispersed. We have a lot of other offenses because of this, even though the royal land surveying scribes are angry with the southern business of the measure, separating the land from the king’s warriors, and assigning the measure of the land to each quarter, and thus they are much slower, they are poisoning a lot of waste from the ratai.
The wisdom of Solomon says: “Hear, O kings, and understand, learn, O judges of the earthly regions, Hearken, O rulers of multitudes and boasting of crowds of nations, that from the Lord has been given to you authority and power from the Most High.” If we now look for a pious tsar, we will not see an Orthodox tsar among any people other than the Russian people. And if he is just by faith, then he should try tirelessly, taking into account that for the well-being of his subjects, to take care in matters of government not only about the nobles, but also about the very last. Nobles are needed, but they are not supplied by their labor. First of all, farmers are needed: from their labors there is bread, and from it the beginning of all good things - bread at the liturgy is offered to God as a bloodless sacrifice and is turned into the body of Christ. And then the whole earth, from the king to the common people, is fed from their labors. And they are always in sorrowful unrest, for they always bear the weight of more than one burden. They should have to bear one heavy burden a year, just as every animal - birds, beasts, and livestock - suffers from molting once a year. And the farmers constantly raise the burden of various works: sometimes paying rent in money, sometimes yam taxes, then some other things. Those who are among the parasites are sent to them for royal extortions, and they still take a lot from them, in addition to what was assigned to the king, and because of these parcels, because of feed for the horses, and pit expenses, a lot of money is also spent. There were many other insults to the farmers from the fact that the royal clerks and land surveyors traveled with a surveying chain, allocating land to the royal soldiers and assigning each quarter separately as a measure of land, greatly delaying this, and ate a lot of food from the farmers.
And many kingdoms have been forgotten, and we have not seen this custom. We see this: when Joseph was in Egypt, he built the entire existence of Pharaoh the king, and during the famine he kept an indescribable quantity of wheat. From his hand the Egyptians took all the wheat, I gave all my treasures to him, and I no longer have anything to give to anyone, and Joseph gave them the wheat and laid such a tribute on them, as when the harvest comes, let each one receive his four parts, the fifth part of their lives shall be for king Pharaoh. And those who reap have a fifth of their lives, but besides this, they have nothing else. And after this, in all languages, every person gives back to his king or ruler a lesson from the fruits of his land: where gold and silver are born, gold and silver are rewarded, and where many great cattle multiply, they are rewarded to cattle, and where they multiply the beast, then the beast is rewarded. Here in the Russian land neither gold, nor silver, nor great cattle are scattered, but by the favor of God, life is dearest for the feeding of man. It is also worthy of tribute from the Ratai kings and nobles to take a fifth of their lives from their lives, just as Joseph established in Egypt. Joseph, it is written, was sold into Egypt for thirty pieces of silver in the image of the Lord. How can the faithful kings and their nobles not deserve to be jealous of this, who in their villages and villages, from attraction, lives with the Rataevs a fifth of their lives, besides this nothing, gold and silver, the Rataevs are perplexed, where do they get the attraction from? If the summer is smooth, then there are many torments, and we see them as well. Why are you worthy of torment for this, since summer has little attraction worthy? Rataev is tormented for the sake of silver, so that power is taken from the king and given to the nobles and soldiers as distribution for wealth, and not for the sake of need. For the sake of the need, each one receives his own army from the nobles and will be satisfied with this, a fifth of each army is accepted and the king serves from this. Their warriors are not worthy of giving alms to anyone else, nor are they worthy of gathering their own for the sake of nobles or warriors.
We have read about many kingdoms, but we have not seen such a practice. And they saw this: when Joseph was in Egypt, managing the household of King Pharaoh, during a famine he held back an untold amount of wheat. Taking wheat from his hands, the Egyptians gave him all their treasures, and when no one had anything left to give, Joseph gave them wheat and imposed such a tribute on them that when the harvest came, everyone would take four parts of their bread, and a fifth of their grain went to Pharaoh the king. And he took from the reapers a fifth of the harvest, but beyond that he took nothing. And finally, among all nations, each person gives to his king or rulers a part of the fruits of his land: where gold and silver are born, there gold and silver are given, and where numerous livestock breed, so livestock is given, and where there are wild animals, That's where they give the animals. Here in the Russian land neither gold, nor silver, nor numerous livestock will be born, but with God’s blessing, bread will best be born to feed the people. So it is necessary that kings and nobles take a fifth of their grain as tribute from farmers, as Joseph laid down in Egypt. After all, it is written that Joseph, as a prototype of the Lord, was sold to Egypt for thirty pieces of silver. Isn’t it worth it for Orthodox kings and nobles to imitate this, so that in their villages and hamlets they take from farmers a fifth of their own grain in grain, and nothing beyond that, since the farmers do not know where to buy gold and silver? If there are years of famine, then many are tormented, as we know. Do they really deserve torment for the fact that the year brought a small profit? Farmers are tormented because of money, which comes into the royal disposal and is given for distribution to enrich nobles and warriors, and not for necessity. For necessity, let each of the nobles have his own farmers and be content with them, taking a fifth from each farmer and performing royal service for this. And their farmers, for the sake of their nobles or warriors, should not give anything to anyone, just like the Yam harvest.
The Yamskaya board of directors deserves to be arranged in detail from the city according to the schedule and to another city. This, the great people in the cities, buying and selling and making rich purchases, is worthy to carry this yoke among all the cities, since they are the acquisitors of much profit. In addition to this, the yoke will not be awarded any deprivation, but in all cities, without any reward, it buys and sells, and for this reason, the so-called Yamskaya government from city to city according to the writing is worthy of being corrected by this. Behold, all rebellion in the earthly will be diminished: the scribes will be belittled, the collections will cease, the bribes of the unrighteous will be taken away.
It is necessary to carefully establish the entire Yam system of painting from one city to another. Those who buy and sell in cities and become rich from the profits must take upon themselves the burden of connections between cities, because they are gatherers big income. In addition to this burden, let them not be subject to other duties, but, conducting purchase and sale in cities without any duties, let them therefore ensure the so-called Yam system of painting from city to city. Thus, all discontent in the regions will decrease: there will be fewer clerks, exactions will be abolished, dishonest profits will cease.
And even the land surveyors and clerks measure a quarter and fight for a lot of grief from the gluttony that brings, about this it is worth understanding: speed for the sake of measurement and enmity and litigation among others is worthy of measuring and separating by fields. We know, like a tetrahedral field and in length and despite the volume of the end of 1000 sazhens, the male imitates rye seeds in the sowing of eight hundred and thirty-three quarters and a third, in three fields of division for the sake of the living field such will be 278 quarters without half a sam in the field, and in two fields - according to the capital's measure.
And that clerks-land surveyors measure in quarters and eat up farmers and cause them great grief, here’s what you need to know about this: for the sake of speed in land surveying, because of boundary disputes and enmity, you need to measure and allocate in fields. We mean that a square field - the length and width on both sides of a thousand fathoms of men - requires for its sowing eight hundred thirty-three quarters and a third of rye seeds; with a three-field sowing division, such a field will be called a field of two hundred seventy-eight quarters without half an eighth , according to the same measure - and two fields.
This field is convenient and will give for 250 quarters in a field and in two the same, at least 28 quarters without half an extra charge to each field for hay and for the forest is worthy of payment. The wasteful one, even if the lands are clean, behold, there is nothing left: from this we will accept grain and sell it, and buy hay and timber. And with that measure of land surveying, the clerk will quickly keep up with quarter measures of ten: with which days can a city be described today, with those days can ten cities be described, since a quarter measure is often lax, but this field will suddenly protect everything around. For this reason, there should be no heaviness about the lands: if anyone wants to stop, then the measure will expose him, as if he is taking away someone else’s excess; and from whom it is taken away, the same measure will reprove, because he is offended.
It is convenient to give this field for a field of two hundred and fifty quarters or two of the same, since the surplus of twenty-eight quarters without half an octine should be added to each field instead of hayfields and forest lands. If the lands are clean, it is better that there is such a surplus: having taken grain from it and sold it, they will buy hay and timber. With such a measure, survey clerks will be able to cope ten times faster than with a quarter measure: in the days that they now measure one city, in the same days they will be able to measure ten cities, because a quarter measure is a delay in speed, and with fields they will immediately measure everything around. Therefore, there will be no litigation about lands: if anyone wants to misrepresent, then the measure will expose him for having seized what is superfluous and alien; from whomever it is taken away, the measure will also reveal that he is offended.
So it is convenient for the king to order land surveying to be established by divisions, and not by quarters. If the king himself in all his cities greatly admires his field for the sake of the need for acceptance, and if where there will be ten fields in length and tetrahedral on both ends, that is, according to this calculation, 25,000 quarters in a field, and in two fields in capital the same measure, and besides, for hay and forest 2775 quarters in the field, and in two fields the same measure, and he will command that a fifth of the fruits of the harvest be separated for the summer, and God wills that if the land bears five grains of grain, and in one city its rust will be 25,000 quarters, and its rust will be twice that. Even if in 100 degrees in a single summer there will be 2,000 thousand rye and 500,000 quarters of rye, and that will be doubled. There is something from this that can be sold to the assembly of silver, and not a single army will be tearful and tormented by shortages, even if they get bread from the land, animals and honey from the forests, and fish and beavers from the rivers. If somewhere the forest is watered, it’s convenient to put aside animal and animal lessons, until they give a fifth of it in bread.
So it is appropriate that the kings command that the land be measured by sections, and not by quarters. If the king himself in all his cities for his needs wants to take some fields for himself, and if there are ten fields in length and width on both sides of the square, then according to this account there will be a field of twenty-five thousand quarters or two fields of this size, and in addition, a field of two thousand seven hundred and seventy-five quarters for hay and timber, or two fields of this size, then he orders annually to separate a fifth of the grain crop for himself, and if God willing, five grains are born in the land from grain, then in one city alone he will have twenty-five thousand quarters of rye, and twice as much spring rye. And if a hundred cities have this much, then in one year there will be two million five hundred thousand quarters of rye, and twice as much of spring. There will be something to sell from this to accumulate money, and not a single farmer will be in tears and torment because of arrears, as happens when they take bread from the land, animals and honey from the forest, fish and beavers from the rivers. If the allotment contains forest, the tax on honey and animals must be abolished, because they will give a fifth of it in bread.
Likewise, it is worthy for both bolyars and warriors to give in quarters, and not in quarters, to each according to his dignity. If there is one from the bolyar who is worthy of receiving 1000 quarters, then there are two fields in length and two fields in the same direction, quadrangular in the volume of the end, it is convenient to have a date according to this calculation for a thousand quarters in the field, and in two fields in the same measure In addition, he will receive 111 quarters per field for hay and timber. If this is the opinion of who deserves 750 quarters of acceptance from the governor, then there are two fields in length, and one and a half fields in total, it is convenient to have a date for this counting for 750 quarters in the field, and in two fields in the capital at least , he will receive 83 quarters per field for hay and timber. If anyone from a warrior is worthy of receiving 500 quarters in the field, then there are two fields in length, and in spite of the fact that there is one field in both ends, it is convenient to eat according to this calculation for 500 quarters in the field, and in two fields in the length of the same measure , he will receive 55 quarters of osmina per field for the hay and the forest. If anyone is worthy of receiving 400 minus two ten and five quarters, then it is one and a half miles long, but in spite of the fact that there is one field for both ends, it is convenient to pay for this calculation for 400 minus 25 quarters in the field, and in two fields along the capital Moreover, he will receive 41 quarters of osmina in the field for hay and timber. If someone is worthy of receiving half 300 quarters, then in length and in addition to the tetrahedral area on both ends, it is convenient to have dates according to this calculation for half 300 quarters in the field, and in two fields along the same length, in addition, it will be for him hay and for the forest 28 quarters each without half-mine in the field. If anyone is worthy of receiving 125 quarters, then the field is long, and in spite of half the field on both ends, it is convenient to have dates for this counting for 125 quarters in the field, and in two fields along the same length, in addition, it will be for him for the hay and for the forest, 14 quarters per field. If there is a field where the field is unequal by field, then people are like that: they are of the same convenience, that is, equality, but they have a certain distance between themselves, which is essentially unequal, considering the person, and the field separates the best from the best.
In the same way, boyars and warriors should be given to each according to his position in fields, and not in quarters. If someone of boyar dignity deserves to receive a thousand quarters, he must be given, according to this account, for a thousand quarters a square field two fields long and two fields across on both sides, or two fields of this size, in addition to the fact that the field will be given to him for hay and timber at one hundred and eleven quarters. If one of the governors, who is smaller, deserves to receive seven hundred and fifty quarters, he must be given according to this account for seven hundred and fifty quarters a field two fields long and one and a half fields across on both sides, or two fields of this size, in addition to the hay and the forest will be his field at eighty-three quarters. If one of the warriors deserves to receive five hundred quarters, he must be given, according to this account, for five hundred quarters a field two fields long and across one field on both sides, or two fields of this size, in addition to the fact that for hay and timber he will have a field of fifty five quarters and octave. If someone deserves to receive four hundred minus twenty-five quarters, he must be given for four hundred minus twenty-five quarters a field one and a half fields long and across one field on both sides, or two fields of this size, in addition to what the hay and timber will be he has a field of forty-one quarters and an octagon. If someone deserves to receive two hundred and fifty quarters, he must be given for two hundred and fifty quarters a square field in length and across on both sides, or two fields of this size, in addition to the fact that for hay and timber he will have a field of twenty-eight quarters minus half octagons. If someone deserves to receive one hundred and twenty-five quarters, he must be given according to this account for one hundred and twenty-five quarters a field the length of a field and across half a field on both sides, or two fields of this size, in addition to the fact that for hay and timber he will receive a field of fourteen quarters. If there is a field where the field is unequal to the earth, this also happens among people: they are of the same dignity, that is, equal, or they have some differences, turning out to be unequal to each other, so evaluate according to the person, in order to endow the best with the best fields.
Accept the land as a bolyarin or a governor or a warrior and imate your warriors with contentment according to your dignity. Even if he takes a fifth of his life, he does not give the seed back to him. If God is pleased, one grain of land produces five grains, and to each one there is one field, this one will take from his warriors a fifth of half 300 quarters of rye, and harvest twice that, and with this he will be pleased.
A boyar, governor or warrior who has land, according to his dignity, has enough of his own farmers. He who takes a fifth of the harvest no longer gives the farmers seeds. If God is pleased and one grain produces five in the land, then the one who is given one field will receive from his farmers two hundred and fifty quarters of rye as a fifth, and twice as much for the spring grain, and this will be enough for him.
No one deserves to be a bolyar, or a governor, or a warrior, to have his own army, and take silver from them. If someone is a great warrior before others, then according to his wealth, more land is given to him, and so the warriors will acquire more of his warriors than others, some twice, and others three times, and others seven times and eight times. This one is so great, and even convenient to be a commander, but it is inconvenient for him to be a sovereign compared to other warriors. This is excessive wealth and pride, taking convenient allowances from one’s own warriors, and also taking money from strangers. If anyone needs silver, everyone will spend his excess life and sell it to the city residents and buy the trees and bread, thereby attracting silver for his needs. Why should the Ratays want money for this and for their sake, as we see, they are tormented by torment? This is not money for edification, but bread for edificator. For this reason, their bread is worthy of receiving one-fifth of the grain according to Joseph the Beautiful’s charter, and the hay and firewood are also worthy of being accepted of one-fifth.
None of the boyars, governors or warriors who have their own farmers should collect money from others. After all, if someone is greater than other warriors, then according to his dignity he receives more land, so that he also acquires more farmers than another, twice or three times, or seven and eight times. Even if he is so great that he deserves to be a commander, he still should not be almost a sovereign next to other warriors. This is excessive wealth and pride, so that, while collecting sufficient income from one’s farmers, one also takes money from strangers. After all, if anyone needs money for expenses, then he has a surplus of grain, which, by selling it to city residents and those who buy bread, he will get money for his needs. How can you want money from farmers and subject them to torture for this, as we happen to see? They didn’t create money, but they did create bread. Therefore, you need to take a fifth of bread from them, according to the rule of Joseph the Beautiful, and you also need to take a fifth of hay and firewood.
It's worthy to go against the military. Even if the royal donation imitates the possession of the land for a long time and in spite of the four-sided field, this one should be himself and with him a servant in armor. And the rest according to the same accounting. If the king wants his army to gather against the military on one day, likewise he should command all the soldiers not to live in villages and villages, but in cities, as if they accepted their own food - bread, hay, and firewood - from the warriors their own, they themselves live in cities. For this reason, as soon as a single Tsar’s letter about the army comes to them, in one hour they all, having heard it, will be ashamed to distinguish themselves, but with one mind and on the same day they will all come to the service entrusted to them.
And this is how you have to show up for the militia. Whoever has a royal dacha for the use of land in length and across a square field must appear with a servant in full armor. And others according to the same calculation. If the king wants his army to gather for the militia in one day, he must order all the soldiers to live not in villages and hamlets, but in cities, so that they receive what they are entitled to - bread, hay and firewood - from their farmers, and they themselves live in cities. Therefore, as soon as the royal letter about military training arrives to them, immediately everyone, having learned, will be ashamed to lag behind each other, but unanimously, in one day, will appear for the service assigned to them.
Would the king himself be willing not to have to answer for the whole earth, like a man for his own house? The Lord said: “To him more was given, and more was required from him, and to him more was given, and more was asked of him.” The apostle also speaks to the Galatians, saying that harlots and adulterers and drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God. Here we see, as in the city, we are called Pskov, and in all Russian cities - innkeepers. Drunkards cannot live in inns without harlots. If the innkeepers are not punished - and we know that there is also drunkenness and fornication for the lusty and adultery for the married - then the answer will be about these things to those who are rich.
Would the king himself really want to not have to answer for the whole land, like every person for his own house? After all, the Lord said: “To whom more is given, more will be demanded, and to whom especially much is given, especially much will be asked.” And the apostle tells the Galatians that fornicators and adulterers and drunkards will not be worthy of the kingdom of God. Here we see that in the city called Pskov and in all Russian cities there are taverns. And drunkards in taverns are never without harlots. If the taverns are not destroyed, and this, as is known, is drunkenness, debauchery of singles, adultery of married people, those who get rich from this will be responsible for this.
But, Lord, have mercy, give our king understanding about this and not only this, but also all drunken drinking. If there is no drunkenness in our land, there will be no fornication among peasants, and there will be no murder other than robbery. Even if a villain intends robbery, he will receive it, but sometimes he will not receive it for the sake of disgrace. This misfortune destroys without a thought and does not remember contempt. If, in earthly customs, men and wives dream of drinking drunkenly, those same blasphemers will come, possessing harps and squeals, and snoring, and tambourines, and other demonic games, and playing in front of the peasants, raging and jumping and singing nasty songs. This wife, already sitting from drunkenness, seemed to be stupefied, fortress was sober in every way, and she had a desire for Satan’s game, and her husband also weakened and weakened her mind on other wives, and having been in this and her eyes, spying and anointing, and every husband gave drink to another’s wife. with a kiss, and that future and acceptance of the hands and the evil speech of the entanglement and connection of the devil. Formerly, a woman has put shame on one temptation, and even in the temptation, she no longer brings shame to anyone, having become accustomed to being a harlot. The first thing the devil slanders every harlot is in drunken conversations.
But have mercy, Lord, and admonish our king to destroy this, and not only this, but also all intoxicating drinks. After all, if there is no drunkenness in our land, married women will not commit fornication, and there will be no murders other than robbery. But even if a villain conceives a robbery, he will carry it out once, and another time he will not carry it out out of fear. But this misfortune destroys without wanting and knows no fear. As men and women gather, according to our custom, for an intoxicating drink, buffoons immediately come, take harps, and violins, and pipes, and tambourines, and other demonic instruments, and play them in front of married women, they rage, jump, sing obscene songs. And this wife is already sitting from drunkenness, as if in a faint, her sober firmness disappears, and the desire comes to her for the satanic game, and besides, her husband has become dissolute and has gone after other women in dreams, and glances are directed here and there, and each husband is a stranger He offers his wife a drink with a kiss, and then there is a touching of hands and an interweaving of secret speeches and devilish connections. After all, a woman experiences shame until one day she tastes it, but when she tastes it, she no longer knows shame and, having gotten used to it, becomes a harlot. For every harlot, the first time the devil's temptation occurs is at drunken gatherings.
Murder is also found in drunkenness. Having already gone to the feast, everyone will desire to sit in the highest place, and will never receive it, and will remain soberly silent, but will hate his brother, who sits in an honest place in front of him, and will first put this anger in his heart. And as if the mind is deranged from drunkenness, it begins to think disgracefully and, loathing evil speeches, and if this one endures, he is still annoyed. And that one, too, will not keep silent because of drunkenness, and there will be abuse, and then one will stab another with a knife. Where else have we heard of murder with a knife, as if in drunken conversations and games, especially about holidays, the villagers celebrate by drunkenness? There are two demonic joys: for peasants the beginning of fornication and murder from drunken conversations.
And murder is also intoxicated. Coming to a feast, everyone wants first of all to take a place of honor, and if this does not work out, then, while still sober, he remains silent, but begins to hate his brother, who is sitting in a more honorable place, and then he harbors anger against him in his heart. And when he loses his mind in intoxication, he begins to plot and insult him, showering him with evil words, and if he endures it, he pesters him again. But when he’s drunk, he won’t keep quiet either, then a fight will happen, and one will stab the other with a knife. Is it possible to hear about knife murders except in drunken societies and games, especially on holidays that are celebrated in drunkenness? Here are two joys for the devil: in drunken societies, the beginning of debauchery among married people and murder.
If someone loves drunkenness and speaks whores, if he does not have hops, then serve unleavened bread, he helps himself, so that he will always be leavened with hops. The dough does not eat kvass from hops, but from all sorts of yeast, and both are hopless and hopless, as the Scripture does not say about this service bread, even if it is leavened, but so that it is leavened.
If one of the lovers of drunkenness chatters that if there is no hops, then he will have to serve with unleavened bread, such a person is trying to ensure that he himself is always leavened with hops. The dough is fermented not from hops, but from all sorts of yeast, and some are not hopped, because Scripture does not say that bread used in the service should be fermented.
By the Holy Apostle Peter Marco, the Evangelist was quickly appointed bishop of Alexandria, and from Mark and offering Alexandria to the Patriarchs, the flock was not left empty, but, according to a friend, I served leavened bread from grape yeast: there is no hops there, but the dough can be leavened and without mills yeast. If God favors, the pious princess deserves to be punished throughout the Russian city by the ruler, so that they commanded to build drunken buildings, thus committing murder, and fornication, and drunkenness as an exercise. Also, for the sake of murder, let it be commanded in all countries that blacksmiths should forge with a knife bluntly without ends, and from this it is an exercise in murder. The king, for this sacrifice of sin and the reward of future endless blessings from the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ forever and ever, amen.
The Holy Apostle Peter installed the Evangelist Mark as bishop in Alexandria, and from Mark to this day the Alexandrian patriarchs have not become at all poorer in their flock, but, inheriting each other, they served bread fermented with grape yeast: there is no hop in them, and the dough can be fermented with non-hop yeast. If God favors, the pious Tsar should punish the rulers of all Russian cities to prohibit the making of intoxicating products, this will abolish murder, fornication, and drunkenness. And because of murders, blacksmiths in all regions should be punished to forge knives with blunt ends, and this will abolish murder. For this, the king will have his sins forgiven and will be rewarded in the future with endless benefits from the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ forever and ever, amen.
Moore- one of the oldest Russian cities, the first mention of it in chronicles dates back to 862; located on the high left bank of the Oka River within the Vladimir region.
My death comes from Peter's shoulder, and from Agrikov's sword. — The sentence in its construction is close to the formula used in folk poetry(cf.: “This sword is my hero’s shoulder”). The name of the sword “Agrikov” should be derived from the Greek name Agrika, however, in Russian folklore the name of the hero Agrikan is known; Perhaps in the “Tale” the epic name Agrikan was replaced by the book name - Agrika.
...autocratic noble prince... named Paul... Having a brother named Prince Peter.— In scientific and local history literature, there is an opinion that under the fictitious names of Peter and Paul one should see the real Murom princes; preference is given to two brothers - Vladimir and David, who took over the reign in Murom after their father Prince George in 1175; in 1203, after the death of his elder brother Vladimir, David remained on the princely throne, after whose death in 1228 his son Yuri took the Murom throne . This assumption is based only on the mention in the “Tale” of the joint rule of two brothers in Murom and on the coincidence historical name David with the name of the hero of the story adopted in the schema. Some researchers are inclined to identify Prince Peter of the story with Prince Peter, the founder of the Ovtsyn family of boyars, who lived at the beginning of the 14th century, whose name is known only from a genealogy compiled no earlier than the end of the 16th century.
Outside the city there is a church in women's monasteries. The movement of the honorable and life-giving cross.— No documentary information about the existence of the Murom Holy Cross Monastery has been preserved. In Murom sources of the late XVI-XVII centuries. mention is made of the wooden Church of the Exaltation of the Cross, which was located within the city limits. In local history literature it is believed that in the 13th century. on this site stood the monastery mentioned in the Tale.
...the young man turns away completely, calling himself Affectionately.— The village of Laskovo is located in the Ryazan region, five kilometers from the village of Solotchi and the former Solotchinsky monastery. To this day, a legend has been preserved there about how a peasant woman from this village married the Murom prince, however, while retaining the same names and geographical names that are mentioned in “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia,” it has its own plot structure, independent of the Murom legends.
...a hare galloping in front of her... and I saw a hare galloping in front of you...— In Slavic song and ritual folklore, the hare is one of the attributes of wedding and love themes. In the folklore source of the Tale, the heroine, apparently, as in her allegories, had to give an explanation about the galloping hare. The author of the Tale included a mention of the hare in the bewildered speech of the messenger from the prince, but Fevronia’s answer does not mention this.
...let's remove the logs from the ridges...- Here: “bed” - two poles above the stove, intended for drying wood chips.
Blessed Prince Peter... adheres to these, as the God-voiced Matthew speaks in his Good News.- The Gospel of Matthew says that Christ, in response to the questions of the Pharisees, said: “But I tell you: whoever divorces his wife for reasons other than adultery and marries another commits adultery” (Matthew 19:9).
Besta for your city is a true shepherd, and not like a mercenary. - Christ says about himself: “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. But a hireling, not a shepherd, whose sheep are not his own, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs, and the wolf steals the sheep and scatters them” (John 10:11-12).
...to the temple of the Most Pure Cathedral Church...- The Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary - the main Murom temple - was located inside the Kremlin, on Voevodskaya Mountain (not preserved). The relics of Saints Peter and Fevronia were in this cathedral, in the right aisle dedicated to Peter and Paul. The chronicles mention that in 1449 the sons of Vasily the Dark, Ivan and Yuri, were hidden in this cathedral from persecution by Dmitry Shemyaka; in 1552, Ivan the Terrible, during his campaign against Kazan, visited the cathedral, where he “worshiped” “his relatives” Peter and Fevronia. The cathedral was made of wood for a long time; exact information about when the stone one was rebuilt in place of the wooden one has not been preserved, at least from the inventories of the city of Murom in 1624 and 1637. it follows that in the 17th century. The cathedral was made of stone “with three roofs with porches” and was built “in the blessed memory of the Tsar and Grand Duke Ivan Vasilyevich of All Rus'.”
...your hand shakes the air...— Air is a cover for church vessels.
...equal to the apostle Vladimir...- Vladimir I Svyatoslavich, Grand Duke of Kiev (980-1015), was named Equal-to-the-Apostles as the “baptist” of Rus' - under him in 987-988. state religion Christianity was recognized.
...betray... Boris... the city of Rostov, and... Gleb the city of Muram. From those cities came Christ and her suffering...— During his lifetime, Vladimir I distributed the cities among his sons. After his death, in the struggle for the grand-ducal table in Kyiv, Svyatopolk killed Boris and Gleb, who were later recognized as saints (see: The Legend of Boris and Gleb in this edition, vol. 1).
...there was a righteous bishop in the city of Muram, named Vasily.— There were two Ryazan bishops Vasily, the first is known to have died in 1295, the second was installed as bishop in 1356. In the church and scientific literature There is a dispute about which of the two bishops the “Tale” is dedicated to. The author of the “Tale” is based only on oral tradition, which, of course, contains real and historical events of the 13th-14th centuries. have become generalized. Therefore, attempts to resolve the issue of the real prototype of the hero of “The Tale” are meaningless. The author of the life of the Murom prince Konstantin, who included in his work, along with “The Tale of Bishop Vasily,” news from the chronicle of 1351 about the Murom prince Yuri Yaroslavich, who allegedly installed Vasily as bishop, thereby connected the events of the story with the name of the second bishop Vasily. However, his narrative turned out to be contradictory from a historical point of view - Bishop Vasily was installed as a bishop only in 1356, and Yuri Yaroslavich lost his reign in 1355.
...to a place now called Old Ryazan...- In 1237, during the Batu invasion, the capital of the Ryazan principality - the city of Ryazan - was destroyed. In the middle of the 14th century. the capital of the principality was moved to the city of Pereyaslavl-Ryazan, which in 1778 was renamed Ryazan. Currently, on the site of Old Ryazan, on the high bank of the Oka River, fifty kilometers southeast of the modern city of Ryazan, there is a settlement.
Prince of Ryazan Oleg...— In the history of Ryazan there were two princes with this name: Oleg Igorevich, who ruled in Ryazan in 1252-1258, and Oleg Ivanovich (1350-1402).
...so the Muram bishopric remained in Ryazan; Even today it is called Borisoglebskaya.— The Ryazan bishopric was established in early XIII V. and was always in Ryazan. The episcopal see in Murom, from where Vasily was supposedly expelled, in fact never existed. Murom was part of the Ryazan diocese until 1764, when he was transferred to the Vladimir diocese. Boris and Gleb Cathedral was built in Old Ryazan back in the 12th century. (obviously, in 1112-1115), which later served partly as the basis for calling the Ryazan diocese Borisoglebskaya. Not a single historical source mentions the existence of the Boriso-Gleb Church in Murom itself. Only the Boriso-Gleb Monastery is known, located seventeen km from the city.
Field- a measure of length, about 1 km.
“Hear now, O kings...”— Prem. 6, 1-3.
...when the dues were given in silver, and when the Yamsk meeting...- By the middle of the 16th century. in Russia, cash rent was the most burdensome form of rent, the size of which was constantly increasing. Yamskaya duty was the main tax that went to the royal treasury. In the Russian state, there was a yam duty for the rural and urban population to ensure the transportation of administration, ambassadors, and state cargo. Yamskaya duty was in money and in kind. According to Yermolai, the yam duty should have been borne by those city residents who were engaged in trade.
...when Joseph was in Egypt, building all the existence of Pharaoh the king... And he took a fifth of the life of the reapers... Joseph, it is written, was sold into Egypt for thirty pieces of silver in the image of the Lord.- Joseph, the son of Jacob from Rachel, according to the Bible, was sold by his brothers into slavery for twenty pieces of silver (Gen. 37, 28; Ermolai, apparently, mistakenly called thirty pieces of silver). Subsequently, Joseph, on behalf of Pharaoh, became the de facto ruler of Egypt (Gen. 41). Ermolai, proposing to introduce rent in kind for peasants in one-fifth of the harvest, refers to the biblical story of Joseph as an example.
If the summer is smooth, then there are many torments, and we see them as well.— The lean years in the Pskov region were 1540, 1544; 1548-1549, there was widespread shortage of food, and already in 1547 the chronicle noted that “in all the cities of the Moscow lands and in Novgorod, bread was scarce.”
...measuring a quarter... speed for the sake of measurement and enmity and litigation between nations deserves to be separated by fields.- Ermolai, instead of a quarter as a land unit, proposes a larger unit of measurement “tetrahedral field”, or square verst.
... “To him more was given, and more was asked from him, and to him was given more, and more was asked of him.”- OK. 12, 48.
The apostle also speaks to the Galatians, saying that harlots and adulterers and drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God.— The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatians (5, 21), however, the text quoted by Ermolai is closer to the quote from the “First Epistle to the Corinthians” (6, 10).
Here we see, as in the city, we are called Pskov, and in all Russian cities - innkeepers.— Ermolai, as a Pskov resident, refers to the example of his city, speaking about the dangers of the existence of korchas. In 1547, Novgorod Archbishop Theodosius wrote a letter to Ivan IV with a request to close the taverns in Novgorod. In 1550, the government itself testified to the dangers of cramps (Monuments of Russian Law, issue IV. M., 1956, pp. 577-578).
"The Tale of Peter and Fevronia" was created in the middle of the 16th century by the writer-publicist Ermolai Erasmus based on the Murom oral traditions. The heroes of the story are historical figures: Peter and Fevronia reigned in Murom at the beginning of the 13th century, died in 1228. However, in the story only the names are historical, around which a number of folk legends have developed that form the basis of the plot. According to scientists, the story combines two folk-poetic plots: a fairy tale about a fiery serpent and a fairy tale about a wise maiden 1 . The image is also associated with the oral-poetic folk tradition central heroine- Fevronia.
The beginning of the story is fabulous: “There is a city in the Russian land called Mur. As they say, a prince named Pavel ruled in it.” And a kite began to fly towards his wife. He took the form of Paul. Paul's wife told her husband about her misfortune, and both began to think about how to get rid of the snake. One day, when the serpent again flew to Paul’s wife, she asked him: “You know a lot, do you know your death: what will it be and why?” Seduced by the woman’s words, the serpent replied: “My death is from Peter’s shoulder, from Agrikov’s sword” 2.
Paul's brother Peter decides to kill the serpent, but does not know where he can get Agrikov's sword. One day he finds this sword in the altar of the church. Then Peter manages to find a serpent in the chambers, taking the guise of Paul, and deal with him. The defeated snake takes on its true form and dies in convulsions. However, on Peter’s body, where drops of the monster’s blood fell, incurable ulcers appeared. Peter orders his servants to go to the Ryazan land, where, as he heard, there are good doctors.
One of the princely youths comes to the village of Laskovo, enters a peasant hut and sees a girl sitting in front of a loom - this is Fevronia. In a conversation with the girl, he is amazed at her wise answers, the meaning of which the messenger does not understand the first time. For example, she tells him: “It’s bad when the yard has no ears and the house has no eyes.” When asked where the owner of the house is, the girl replies: “Father and mother went on loan to cry, and my brother went through the legs of death to look into the eyes.” The young man demands clarification and hears in response: “Well, why can’t you understand! You drove up to the yard and entered the house, and I’m sitting untidy, not greeting the guest. If there was a dog in the yard, he would smell you from afar, he would bark: here you are.” if there were ears in the yard, and if there was a child in my house, it would see you walking through the yard, and it would say to me: here is a house with eyes. Father and mother go to the funeral and cry there, and when they do. they will die, others will cry over them; it means that now they are shedding their tears on loan. I said that my brother is a beekeeper, in the forest they collect honey from wild bees in the trees. And now my brother has gone to beekeeper, climbed up the tree as high and down as possible. looks, as if not to fall, because whoever loses, it’s the end. That’s why I said: “Looking through the legs of death in the eyes” 3.
Then the young man tells Fevronia about the prince’s illness, and she undertakes to cure him, but on the condition that the prince marries her in return. She is wise with folk wisdom. So, Fevronia gives the prince’s servants the ointment and orders them to smear all the abscesses on his body, except one, which later gives her the opportunity to force the prince to fulfill the agreement. On the other hand, Peter wants to test her intelligence and sends her a bunch of flax with the demand that she weave a shirt, trousers and a towel from it while he washes in the bathhouse. In response, Fevronia sends him a little chick with a request to make her into a loom and all the equipment necessary for the work. The prince is surprised by the girl’s wisdom, but, having anointed the wounds, returns to Murom, not fulfilling his promise to marry. And he gets sick again. He then understands that a simple peasant girl, competing with him in wisdom, wins. Peter marries Fevronia, and they for many years rule peacefully in Murom.
When old age sets in, the spouses pray to God to let them die on the same day and to be buried in the same coffin. Fevronia dies at the same time as her husband, because she cannot imagine life without him.
The character of Fevronia in the story is presented in many ways. The daughter of a Ryazan peasant is filled with self-esteem, feminine pride, and extraordinary strength of mind and will. She has a sensitive, tender heart, capable of loving and fighting for her love with constancy and fidelity. She makes wise riddles, copes with life's difficulties without fuss, speaks allegorically, works miracles, and teaches lessons to Prince Peter.
In the eyes of those around her, Fevronia is a “seer,” possesses the gift of foresight, and reveals moral and mental superiority over the prince. For the author, she is the ideal of moral wealth and spiritual beauty. Ermolai Erasmus writes about her with deep sympathy, glorifying wisdom, fidelity in love, holiness of feelings, and high moral qualities of a peasant girl. In all manifestations of her feelings, actions, deeds, peace of mind and tranquility shines through. Even at the moment when she decides to die at the same time as her loved one, without fuss, without exclamations or lamentations, Fevronia interrupts her work, wrapping a thread around a needle and sticking it into the air, which she was embroidering for the church. To some extent, this detail is perceived as a symbol of the end of earthly life and the beginning of the afterlife.
D.S. is undoubtedly right. Likhachev, calling the main feature of Fevronia’s character “psychological tranquility” and drawing a parallel between her image and the faces of A. Rublev’s saints, who carried within themselves the “quiet” light of contemplation, the highest moral principle, and the ideal of self-sacrifice.
A characteristic feature of the story is its reflection of the details of peasant and princely life (description peasant hut, Fevronia’s behavior at dinner). Such attention to everyday life and the private life of a person was new in ancient literature.
Individual details allow you to get an impression of peasant life. Fevronia's brother and father are tree climbers who collect honey from trees in the forest. The life of the prince is also described: mention is made of the city of Murom, located on Russian soil, of the principality of the “noble prince” Paul, of the “single autocrat of his city” Peter, of the conflict between the boyars and the prince, of the class prejudices of the prince, who did not immediately decide to marry a peasant woman. girl Fevronia. All these details speak of the attention of ancient literature to everyday life and the private life of a person.
The story testifies to a departure from hagiographic canons and an interest in a person’s personal life, and in addition, it allows us to judge a wider than before inclusion in ancient literature epic beginning associated with oral and poetic folk tradition.
The genre of "The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom" does not correspond either to the historical story or to the hagiographic one. Poetic fiction, going back to the traditions of folk tales, and the author’s ability to artistically generalize various phenomena of life allow us to consider it as the initial stage in the development of the genre of secular everyday stories, as D.S. believes. Likhachev.
QUESTIONS AND TASKS
- In the "Dictionary and reference materials" section, find information about the author of the story. Name folklore sources, on the basis of which the work was created.
- Retell the plot of the story and how the events develop in it.
- Tell us about the main character. What traits of her character does the author note?
- Why does the author call Fevronia a “wise maiden”, a “seer”?
- Retell what miracles Fevronia works, give examples of her allegorical speech and wise actions.
- Point out the connection between her image and the folk poetic tradition.
- Why is the image of the heroine dear to the author and what qualities does he value in her? Why does he consider her the ideal of moral wealth and spiritual beauty?
- Why can the story be considered a hymn to the life-giving power of love?
- Read the famous medieval novel about Tristan and Isolde. Give examples of similar situations in the story of Ermolai Erasmus (Isolde heals Tristan, Isolde’s expulsion, joint death).
- Why D.S. Likhachev compares Fevronia with the faces of saints on the icons of A. Rublev? Do you agree with his opinion?
- Using vocabulary and reference material, prepare a report about the life and work of A. Rublev.
Behold, in the Russian lands there is a city called Mur. In it there is no autocratic and noble prince, as I have told, named Paul. From time immemorial, hating the good of the human race, the devil planted a hostile flying serpent on the wife of that prince for fornication. And she appeared as if she were not a nature, but the people who came appeared as their dreams, like the prince himself sitting with his wife. The same dreams abounded many times, but the wife did not hide this, but told her husband everything that was happening to her, and the hostile serpents had power over her.
The prince thought about what to create the serpent, but was perplexed. And he said to the wife: “I’m thinking, wife, but I’m not sure what to do to displease him. We don’t know how we will inflict death on her. If he speaks such words to you, ask him about this and with flattery: does he know that he is hostile in his spirit, from which he wants death. If you weighed, having told us, freed yourself not only in the present world of the evil of his breath and hissing and all the stinginess that is stinking to say, but also in the future age of the unhypocritical judge of Christ, be merciful to yourself!
The wife of her husband firmly accepted the verb into her hearts and thought in her mind: “It is good to be like this.”
In one day, a serpent that was hostile to that one flew to her, she having a good memory in her heart, the verb of flattery offers to that hostility, saying many other speeches, and still respectfully asking him, praising him, saying that “he weighs a lot, and Weigh this death, what will it be like and from what? He, the hostile and charming one, was seduced by a kind seduction from his faithful wife, as if he had uttered a secret to her, saying: “My death is from Peter’s shoulder, from Agrikov’s sword!”
The wife, having heard such a speech, firmly kept it in her heart even after the departure of that hostile reason to her husband’s prince, as if he were a serpent. The prince heard this and was perplexed that there was death from Peter’s shoulder and from Agrikov’s sword.
Having a brother with him, a prince named Peter. One day he called him to himself and began to tell him the serpent’s speeches, as he had told his wife. Prince Peter, having heard from his brother that the serpent called his namesake was the outcome of his death, began to think, without hesitating more courageously, how to kill the serpent. But there is still a thought in him, as if he does not know Agrikov’s sword.
Having the custom of going to churches alone. Outside the city there was a church in the same monasteries of the Exaltation of the honorable and life-giving cross. And he came to her alone to pray. The youth appeared to him, saying: “Prince! Did you want to show you Agrikov’s sword?”
Although he fulfilled his desire, he said: “Yes, I see where it is!” The boy said: “Follow me.” And showing him a well in the altar wall between the stones and a sword lying in it. The noble Prince Peter took that sword and came and gave a reason to his brother. And therefore the days are like the time to kill the serpent.
All the days he went to his brother and to his demolition to worship. The key is for him to come to the temple to his brother. And at the same hour he went to take his temple down and saw his brother sitting by her. And having left her again, you met someone from those who stood before his brother and said to him: “For I departed from my brother to be demolished, but my brother remained in his temple. But I, without being numb in any way, will soon come to the temple for my demolition and will not be a stranger to anyone, how can my brother be found in the temple with my daughter-in-law in the future?” The same man said to him: “No way, Lord, after your departure, your brother did not leave his temple!”
He understands the craftiness of the evil serpent. And he came to his brother and said to him: “When have you come? I gave up on you, and after hesitating nowhere, I came to your wife in the temple and saw you sitting with her and wondered how I had been found in the future. This capa arrived, but after hesitating nowhere, you, we don’t know who preceded me, will be found here in the future.” He said: “By no means, brother, from this temple after your departure, and by no means left his wife.” Prince Peter said: “Behold, brother, the cunning of the evil serpent: let me seem to be you, even if I did not want to kill him, as if I did not perceive my brother to you. Now, brother, don’t go away from here, I’m going there brotherly with the serpent, so that with God’s help this evil serpent will be killed.”
And I took the sword, called Agrikov, and came to the temple to demolish it, and seeing the serpent with the vision of a brother, and firmly convinced that it was not his brother, but a lovely serpent, and struck him with the sword. The serpent appeared by nature and began to tremble and became dead and sprinkled the blessed Prince Peter with his blood. Because of that hostility, he suffered from sharp blood and ulcers, and the illness that came upon him was very serious. And in your obsession you sought healing from many doctors, but did not receive it from a single one.
Hearing that there were many doctors within the borders of the Ryazan land, he ordered himself to lead there, lest he himself turn gray on horseback from a great illness. He was quickly brought to the borders of the Ryazan land and sent his synclite to look for doctors.
Only the young man shied away from those approaching him in a manner that was called Affectionately. And he came to a certain house by the gate and saw no one; and he went into the house and no one looked at him; and going into the temple and in vain the vision is wonderful: there is only one maiden sitting and weaving, and a hare galloping in front of her.
And the girl said: “It is absurd for a house to have no ears and a temple to have no eyes!” The young man did not understand that verb, the girl’s speech: “Where is a man of the male gender who lives here?” She said: “My father and my mother cried to each other, but my brother went through his legs to see the Navi.”
The young man did not understand her verb, marveling, in vain, and hearing a thing like a miracle and a verb to the girl: “I came to you and I saw you doing, I saw a hare jumping in front of you, and I heard from your mouth some strange verbs and I do not know what you are saying. The first one said: “It is absurd for a house to have no ears and a temple to have no eyes.” About your father and mother, he said, “I dosha cry to each other,” and he said about his brother, “see through your legs in the Navi.” And I didn’t understand a single word from you.” She said to him: “Don’t you understand this! He came to this house and to my temple below and saw me sitting in simplicity. If there were a dog in the house and smelled you coming to the house, it would bark at you: the house has ears. And if there had been a child in my temple and the sight of you coming to the temple, it would have said to me: behold, the temple has eyes. And as you say about your father and mother and brother, how my father and mother weep for each other - they went to the burial of the dead and there they weep, and when death comes for them, others will begin to weep for them: this is borrowed weeping. About my brother, these verbs say that my father and my brother are tree-dwellers, in the forest they eat honey from trees. My brother is now going for such a thing, as if he were to climb a tree to the heights, look through his feet to the ground, thinking, lest he fall from the heights. If anyone breaks away, this one will gobble your stomach. For this reason, I died, as if I was walking through my legs in the Navi.”
The young man said to her: “I see that you are a wise girl. Tell me your name." She said: “My name is Fevronia.” The same young man said to her: “I am the Murom prince Peter and serve him. My prince has a serious illness and ulcers. Because he was cut off by the blood of a hostile flying ferocious serpent, he killed him with his own hand. And in my obsession I sought healing from many doctors and received none from one. For this reason, I commanded myself to bring this, as I heard many doctors here. But we do not know what they are called, nor do we know their dwellings, and for this reason we ask about it.” She said: “If anyone had demanded your prince for himself, he could have healed him.” The young man said: “What are you saying, why should anyone demand my prince for himself? If anyone heals, my prince will give him a lot of property. But tell me the name of the doctor who is and where his dwelling is.” She said: “Yes, bring your prince here. If he is soft-hearted and humble in his responses, may he be healthy!”
The young man soon returned to his prince and told him everything in detail, as he had seen and heard from the girl. The noble Prince Peter said: “Yes, take me where the girl is.”
And I brought him to that house, and there was a girl in it. And the boy sent his servants to her, saying: “Tell me, maiden, who is there, even if you want to heal me? May he heal me and give me much wealth.” She said without hesitation: “I am a healer, but I do not demand that he accept it. The imam’s word to him is this: if the imam does not have a spouse for him, you do not need me to heal him.”
And the man came and told his prince what the maiden had said. Prince Peter seemed to be indifferent to her words and thoughts: “Why should a prince who is a tree-dweller want to take a wife?” And he sent a speech to her: “Cry to her that this is her medicine, that she may heal. If he heals, the imam will give him his wife!”
Having come, I decided the word for her. She took the vessel, small, scooping up her sourness and blowing on her and saying: “Let them establish a bathhouse for your prince and let him anoint it on his body, even if there are scabs and ulcers, and let him leave one scab not anointed. And he will be healthy!”
And she brought such anointing to him. And he ordered to establish a bathhouse. At least tempt the maiden to answer, even if she is wise, as if she had heard about her words from her youth. He sent a messenger to her with one of his servants, and said: “If this girl wants me to be a wife for wisdom, and if she is wise, then in this time she will inflict slaughter on me and ports, and I will be gone in time, and in this time I will remain in the baths.” "
The servant brought a load of wood to her and gave her and the princess the word of the tale. She said to the servant: “Come up to our cave and pick up some logs from the beds and carry them away.” He listened to her and took down the log. She measured out an inch and said: “Cut this off from this log.” He will cut it off. She said: “Take these ducklings from this log and go give it to your prince from me and say to him: at what hour I will comb all this, and let your prince prepare for me in this duckling the camp and the whole building, with which he will count its linen.” The servant brought ducks and logs to the prince and told the girl a story. The prince said: “Hey, darling maiden, it’s impossible to eat a tree in such a small time and create a blue-green structure in such a small time!” The servant came and gave her a speech to the prince. The girl renounced: “Is it possible for a man of a man’s age to eat a meal in a small year, and then remain in the bathhouse, to create srachitsa and ports and ubrusets?” The servant went away and told the prince. The prince was surprised at her answer.
And according to the time, Prince Peter went to the bathhouse to wash himself and, at the command of the maiden, anointed his sores and scabs with anointing. And leave one scab not anointed at the command of the maiden. When I left the bathhouse I suffered nothing painfully. The next morning I saw the whole body healthy and smooth, except for a single scab, which had not been anointed at the command of the maiden. And marveling at the speedy healing. But I didn’t want my wife to take home her fatherland for her sake and send gifts to her. She's not nice.
Prince Peter went to his fatherland, the city of Murom, hello. There is not a single scab on him, and he has not been anointed with the maiden command. And from that scab, many scabs began to spread across his body from the very first day he went to his homeland. And he was cut off with many ulcers, just like the first.
And return again for the finished healing to the maiden. When he came to her house, he sent an ambassador to her with a cold, asking for healing. She said in no small degree of anger: “If I have a husband, let him be healed.” He gave her his word with firmness that he would take her as his wife. This again, as before, give him the same healing that was written before. He soon received healing and gave it to his wife. Princess Fevronia was guilty of the same thing.
She returned to her homeland, the city of Murom, and lived in all piety, transgressing nothing from God’s commandments.
Within a few days, the ordained Prince Paul departed from this life, and the blessed Prince Peter, through his brother, became the only autocrat of the city of Murom.
His princess Fevronia, his boyar, does not love his wives for the sake of his own, as if the princess was not for the sake of her fatherland, but I glorify God for the good for the sake of her life.
Once upon a time, someone from those who were coming to her came to the blessed Prince Peter and began to attack her, as if “from whom,” he said, “his table is causing disorder; The noble Prince Peter, even if he tempted me, ordered me to dine with him at the same table. And as if I had finished dinner, she, as is her custom, took the crumbs from the table into her hand. Prince Peter took me by the hand and, reconnaissance, saw good-smelling Lebanon and incense. And from that I will leave the days to avoid temptation.
After a long time, his boyar came to him and said with rage: “We want to serve you righteously and have you as an autocrat, but we don’t want Princess Fevronia, let him reign over our wives. If you want to be an autocrat, let it be another princess, but Fevronia, having taken the wealth to her satisfaction, will leave, whatever she wants!” Blessed Prince Peter, as if it were not his custom to be angry about anything, did not answer with humility: “Let Fevronia speak, and let him hear as he speaks.”
They, filled with fury, thoughtlessness and deliberation, let them establish a feast. And I will create. And, when she was already cheerful, she began to extend her cold-free verbs, like a pleading, depriving the saint of God’s gift, which God promised to eat even after death. And the verb: “Lady Princess Fevronia! The whole city and the bolyars say to you: give it to us, this is what we ask of you!” She said: “Yes, she’ll take it, she’s asking for it!” They, as if with one mouth, decided: “We, madam, want Prince Peter to rule over us. Our wives don’t want you, because you rule over them. Let’s take enough wealth for ourselves, go away as much as you want!” She said: “I promised you that whatever you ask, you will receive. “I say to you: give it to me, if I ask him from you.” They are angry for the sake of the past, not knowing the future, and saying with an oath, as if “if you speak, you will stir up a single contradiction.” She said: “I ask for nothing else, except for my husband, Prince Peter!” They decided: “If you want it, we won’t tell you anything.” The enemy will fill their thoughts, as if Prince Peter does not exist, so they will appoint someone else as autocrat: each of them holds in their minds the boyars, as if he himself wants to be an autocrat.
Blessed Prince Peter did not love temporary autocracy, except for God’s commandments, but walked according to His commandments, adhering to these, just as the God-voiced Matthew in his gospel proclaims, saying, “Whoever lets his wife go, except in the words of an adulterer, and marries another, commits adultery." This blessed prince, according to the Gospel, act according to his keeping as if he were mindful, so that he does not destroy the commandments of God.
They, the wicked bolyars, gave them judgment on the river, - because under the hail there was a river, the verb Oka. They float down the river in boats. There was a certain person in the ship of the blessed Princess Fevronia, and his wife was in the same ship. The same man, having received a thought from the evil demon, looked at the saint with a thought. She, understanding his evil thoughts, quickly denounced him and said to him: “Draw water from the river sowing the land of this vessel with her.” He drew more. And he commanded him to drink. He's drinking. She again said: “Draw water from another country of this ship.” He drew more. And he ordered me to drink again. He's drinking. She said: “Is water equal, or is there only sweetness?” He said: “There is only one, lady, water.” Then she said: “She has only one female nature. Why would you leave your wife and think of other people’s thoughts?” The same person said that she had the gift of insight, being afraid to think about it.
When evening arrives, the bowl begins to be placed on the shore. Blessed Prince Peter began to think: “What will happen, having been persecuted by the will of the autocracy?” The wonderful Princess Fevronia said to him: “Do not grieve, prince, the merciful God, the creator and provider of everything will not leave us in poverty!”
On that day, blessed Prince Peter prepared food for his supper. And why the cook, his trees are small, and the cauldrons hang on them. After supper, the holy princess Fevronia, walking along the river bank and seeing the tree, blessed it and said: “Let this great tree be in the morning, having branches and foliage.”
As soon as it happens. When she arose in the morning, that tree found a great tree, having branches and leaves. And as if the people had already collapsed and swept them into the courts from the shore, the nobles came from the city of Murom, saying: “Lord, prince! From all the nobles and from the whole city I came to you, so that you do not leave us orphans, but return to your homeland. Many nobles in the city perished from the sword, and even though they were in power, they killed themselves. And we all who are left with all the people pray to you, saying: Lord Prince, even though we have angered you and irritated you, we do not want Princess Fevronia to rule over our wives, but now we are slaves with all our houses, and we want and love and pray, yes do not forsake us, your servants!”
Blessed Prince Peter and blessed Princess Fevronia returned to their city. And he reigned in that city, walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blemish, in unceasing prayers and alms and to all people under their authority, like a child-loving father and mother. Besta, for love is equal to everyone, not loving pride, nor robbery, nor corruptible wealth, sparing, but growing rich in God. Besta is a true shepherd to his city, and not like a mercenary. Its city rules with truth and meekness, and not with rage. Accepting the strange, satisfying the greedy, clothing the naked, delivering the poor from misfortune.
When her pious repose arrived, she prayed to God that her repose would happen in one hour. And he made a council, so that both would be laid in a single coffin, and he commanded that two coffins be built for themselves in a single stone, with only one barrier between themselves. And the blessed Prince Peter was named David in the monastic rank, and the venerable princess Fevronia was named Euphrosyne in the monastic rank.
At the same time, the Venerable Fevronia, named Euphrosyne, brought the air into the temple of the Most Pure Cathedral Church with her own hands, and on it was the white face of the saints. The venerable and blessed prince Peter, named David, sent to her saying: “Sister Euphrosyne! I want to leave the body already, but I’m waiting for you, so that we can leave.” She said: “Wait, sir, until I bring air into the holy church.” He sent the second message to her, saying: “I won’t wait much longer for you.” And as a third he sent an ambassador to her, saying: “For I already want to die and do not wait for you.” She is the residual work of the air of that shyashe, having already not completed a single holy robe, having sewn her face and raised her needle into the air and turned it into a thread, with it she shyashe. And he sent to blessed Peter, who was named David, about his death by the purchase. And, having prayed, his holy soul surrendered together into the hand of God in the month of June on the 25th day.
After her repose, people wished that blessed Peter would be laid inside the city near the cathedral church of the Most Pure Mother of God, and Fevronia outside the city in the monasteries near the Church of the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross, saying that “in this image it is not acceptable to lay the saints in a single tomb.” " And he established special coffins for them and placed their bodies in them: St. Peter, named David, placed the body in a special coffin and placed it inside the city in the church of the Holy Mother of God until morning, Saint Zhefevronia, named Princess Euphrosyne, placed the body in a special coffin and placed it outside the city at the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The common coffin, which they themselves commanded to be hewn into a single stone, remains empty in the same temple of the Most Pure Cathedral Church, which is inside the city.
In the morning the people arose and found their coffins with special clothes, and they were placed in them. Their holy bodies were found inside the city in the cathedral church of the Most Pure Mother of God in a single tomb, which they themselves commanded to mortify. People are unreasonable, as if there is a restlessness in their stomachs about them, so after her honest death: I put the packs in special coffins and carried the packs apart. And again the next day the saint was found in a single tomb. And I do not dare to touch their holy bodies and I lie in a single coffin, in which they themselves command, at the cathedral church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos inside the city, which God gave for the enlightenment and salvation of that city: who with faith will come to their relics , generously accept healing.
Let us, according to our strength, add praise to him.
Rejoice, Peter, for you have been given the power to kill the flying serpent! Rejoice, Fevronia, for in the most feminine head of the saints you had wisdom! Rejoice, Peter, for bearing scabs and ulcers on your body, you endured tribulation valiantly! Rejoice, Fevronia, for from God you had the gift in your virgin youth to heal ailments! Rejoice, Peter, for the commandments for the sake of God's autocracy willfully retreat, so as not to leave your wife! Rejoice, wondrous Fevronia, for with your blessing in one night a small tree grew great in age and wore out its branches and foliage! Rejoice, honest leader, for I have lived in humility and in prayer and in alms without pride; By the same token, Christ has given you grace, as even after death my body lies inseparably in the grave, but in spirit I stand before the Lord Christ! Rejoice, venerable and blessed one, for even after death you invisibly grant healing to those who come to you with faith!
But you, O most blessed wife, pray for us, who create your memory by faith!
Let me, the sinner, who wrote this off, be remembered as much as I heard; the ignorant, even if others wrote the essence, are leading more than me. Even though I am a sinner and rude, I still trust in God’s grace and his generosity and hope in your prayer to Christ, laboring with my thoughts. Although you have honored the earth with praises, you have not touched the praises. For the sake of your humble autocracy and reverence, after your death I would like you to weave the crown and not touch the weaving. Glorified by nature in heaven and crowned with true incorruptible crowns from the common ruler Christ. To him belongs all glory, honor and worship together with his beginningless Father, together with the most holy, good and life-giving spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.