Verhovayak Lapja, 1941. július-december (24. évfolyam, 27-52. szám)
1941-09-11 / 37. szám
Page 12 FOLK-TALES the “=-from SZEKELY COUNTRY ===== By JULIUS ORTUTAY = STRONG JOHN Once upon a time there was a farmhand called Strong John. One day he engaged himself to a well-to-do master. There were some other servants as well, but John was very strong. The others went to the' forest early in the morning, but John went only at midday, and in spite of that, always came home before them. Once it happened that he overslept and was late going to the forest. He went off towards the evening and pulled down all the trees in the path so that the others would not be able to get home before him. John loaded the cart and while he was ousy with the wood, bears ate up the oxen. ‘“Wait a moment, bear!” said John, “if you ate the oxen, you must pull the cart.” He harnessed two bears, took the cart on his shoulders and threw it in, too, and then went through the garden to tie up the bears in the stables. But there, there was a terrible to-do, and because the other animals were frightened they were breaking everything to piec es. The master came out. “What’s the matter? What’s happening to the beasts? What is it, John? What have you tied up in the stables which is exciting the beasts so?” “The bears ate up the oxen,” said John “and they brought home the cart. We’ll make them work instead of the oxen.” “That’s not a good idea, John,” said the master, “drive the bears back into the forest.” But John left the bears where they were. The other servants came back', too, but they did not dare to tie their oxen up in the stables be cause of the bears. They wondered what they could do to John, and decided to send him somewhere where wild animals would tear him to pieces. The master said to him: “Go into the forest, John, where you will find our pigs, our herd of swine, and the swineherd, and drive the pigs back home. Take some clean linen and some food for the swineherd, and start immediately.” But there were no pigs there. They wanted only to send John out so that the wild boars would tear him to pieces. John went off and looked for the herd of swine, but cf course he could not find it anywhere. Then he saw a big herd of wild boars which v/ere nosing around a tree. “Here is my master’s herd alter all,” thought John, pe went and looked up into the tiee to see what could be there. A big bear had been chased up the tree by the wild boar and did not dare to come down. “Come down, ’Jncle Nicholas,” said John, who thought it was the swineherd. “Come down. I’ve brought you clean linen and food. Eat and change your clothes and then we’ll drive the pigs home.” “Gr-r-r,” said the bear. “Not later but mmediately,” said John, “if you don’t I shall pull down the tree.” But the bear did not dare to come down. John got very angiy and gave the tree such a shake that it broke off at the bottom and the bear fell out. John caught the bear and pulled a white shirt and a pair of drawers on to him. “Now ccme on, Uncle Nicholas, Jet’s drive back the pigs.” Whether the bear wanted to go or not, he had to go, and they drove back the big herd of boar. “We have driven back the pigs, Sir,” he announced to his master, “and please pay Uncle Nicholas.” “Go and tell your Uncle Nicholas,” said the' master, “that he can go without wages. I shan’t give aim anything. I don’t need him any more.” John caught the bear, just as he was in his shirt and drawers. Then the master said to John: “You must kill and roast the pigs.” John killed all the pigs, and as the master had a big pile of straw, he used .t to roast the pigs with until there was none left. •‘There’s no more straw,” said John. “Well, go to the neighbor and ask him to give us a little.” John went and asked for some straw fo roast with. “There is some over there, John,” said the neighbor, “take as much as you. can carry.” In the yard there was a big rick of straw. John scooped it up and car ried it all away. “Hey, John!” cried the neighbor, “I gave you only a little, as much as you could carry.” “I can carry it all,” said John, and took it all away and used it all up for roasting. Then they thought they would send John down a big dried up well which was there, they would hand him down all the roasted pork, and then they would put a big millstone on the top so that John would not be able to get out. John stored all the meat down in the well, and when he wanted to come up there was the great millstone, but that was nothing to John. He took it on his head like a hat, went in to his master, doffed the millstone and said: “I have the honor to tell you that the pork is salted.” They couldn’t do anything to John. If they have not sent him away, he is still there. —The Hungarian Quarterly. Calendar of Verhovay Socials SEPTEMBER 17th, WEDNESDAY. 7:30 P. M. — Cleveland, Ohio. — Card party to be held at the Verhovay Home by the Women's Division of Branch 361. OCTOBER 3rd, FRIDAY. — Chicago, Illinois. — Bunco and card party to be held by Branch 164 for the relief of the poor. OCTOBER 4th, SATURDAY, 7:0C P. M. — Niles, Ohio. — Joint celebration of the Association's 55th anniversary and Branch 106's 33d anniversary, to be held with banquet and dance in the Belmont Avenue German hall by Branch 106, with music by the Tamas Orchestra of Akron. OCTOBER 4th, SATUROAY. — Middletown, Ohio. — Grape harvest ball to be held by Branch 192, with music by the Dayton Hungarian Orchestra. OCTOBER 12th, SUNDAY. — Columbus, Ohio. — Joint celebration of Verhovay’s 55th anniversary to be held by the Columbus and vicinity branches, with grand banquet.--------------o-------------MEMBER IN ARMY Sends Very Nice Letter to Supreme President Darago 50th F. A. Bn S. A. Btry A. P. O. No. 5 Camp Robinson, Arkansas Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association 345 Fourth Avenue Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Attention Mr. Joseph Daragc Gentlemen: I received your letter while traveling in convoy with The United States armed forces across the State of Indiana. Our destination will be the State of Arkansas. Here I am to take part in the Army’s fall maneuvers. This is considered as part of my training, so that I may be ready and able to crush, if necessary, the subversions that are now trying to take hold of the world. The field exercises and , games of make-believe war will last for a period of six weeks. During this time we live in the fields and are sheltered in tents. I am indeed proud to be a member of an organization that through its encouragement is helping in the defense of our fair land, The United States of America. I am eagerly looking forward to the patriotic gifts I am to receive from thq Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association. Please know that I am writing to you while in the field, and the lack of supplies forces me to write such a poor letter. Very sincerely yours, (Signed) (Private) Alexander Toth.--------------O-------------RUTS The world is full o’ ruts, my boy, Some shaller and some deep; An’ eveiy rut is full of folks as High as they can heap. Each one that’s growlin’ in the ditch Is growlin’ at his fate, An’ wishin’ he had got his chance Before it was too „late. They lay it all on someone else, or Say ’twas just their luck— They never once consider that ’twas Caused by lack o’ pluck. But here’s the word o’ one that’s lived Clean through, from soup to nuts; The Lord don’t send no derricks round To hist folks out o’ ruts. —Anon. Fugitive Leaders of Anti-Axis Nations Heard on CBS High radio spot of the second anniversary of World War II on September 1 was the broadcast from London on the Columbia Broadcasting System network during which many leaders of Nazi-conquered countries resolved anew to bring about the liberation of their people. In this radioed picture, taken in Columbia’s London headquarters, are: (L to R) Jan Masaryk, foreign minister of Czechoslovakia; Charalambos Simopoulos, Greek minister to London; King Haakon of Norway; Edward R. Murrow, CBS European bureau chief; Hubert Pierlot, Belgian premier; Anthony Biddle, American ambassador; Brendan Bracken, British minister of information; General Sikorski, Polish premier; Pieter Gerbrandy, premier of Holland and Joseph Bech, Luxembourg foreign minister. Verhovayak Lapja___________________Septembef “• 1941
