Shrovetide-Fatty

Tsygankov Ivan
Illustration for the book by G.M. Naumenko "Myths of the Russian people"
In Slavic mythology, a character who embodies the fertility of the earth and at the same time winter. Shrovetide was also called a scarecrow made of straw, dressed in a woman's dress, sometimes with a pancake. In folk songs and fairy tales, they speak of her not only as a pre-spring holiday, but also as a living being.
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Once upon a time there was an old man and an old woman. They liked to walk during Shrove Week and have fun, overeat with pies and pancakes, feast on. I don't feel like fasting. They decided to make their Maslenitsa and another week - to feast on another.

Here the old man made Maslenitsa from straw, wove sandals on her feet. The old woman dressed her in a matting, braided a long braid, a triarchite of tow and tow, tied a scarf on her head. Shrovetide turned out to be thin, tall, a head with a basket, eyes like bowls, a nose like potatoes. The old man and the old woman rejoice.
They put Shrovetide at the table. The old man says:
- Shrovetide-gourmet, empty belly, eat a pancake!
And the old woman says:
- Shrovetide-gourmet, empty belly, eat the pie!
Suddenly Maslenitsa came to life, stirred, opened her mouth, took and swallowed all the pancakes and pies from the table. He looks at the old man and the old woman, holds out his hands to them. The old man and the old woman were frightened: the old man climbed into the cellar, and the old woman into the attic.
Shrovetide-devouring walks, an empty belly in the hut, looking for something to treat: she has puffed up cabbage soup, licked butter, chewed bacon. I caught the cat, wanted to eat it, but the cat broke free and ran into the crate. He sees porridge in the cast iron in the oven. Shrovetide climbed into the oven and hit the fire with my sleeve. The straw puffed and burned.
The old man and the old woman returned, looked, and by the stove there was only a handful of coals. Maslenitsa is gone. The old man and the old woman were delighted: although they were without pancakes and pies, they survived.