Ivá；nhadploughedupthewholefallow，allbutonelittlestrip。
　　Hecametofinishit。Thoughhisstomachached，theploughingmustbedone。Hefreedtheharnessropes，turnedtheplough，andbegantowork。Hedroveonefurrow，butcomingbacktheploughbegantodragasifithadcaughtinaroot。Itwastheimp，whohadtwistedhislegsroundtheploughshareandwasholdingitback。
　　’Whatastrangething！’thoughtIvá；n。’Therewerenorootshereatall，andyethere’saroot。’
　　Ivá；npushedhishanddeepintothefurrow，gropedabout，and，feelingsomethingsoft，seizedholdofitandpulleditout。Itwasblacklikearoot，butitwriggled。Why，itwasaliveimp！
　　’Whatanastything！’saidIvá；n，andheliftedhishandtodashitagainsttheplough，buttheimpsquealedout:
　　’Don’thurtme，andI’lldoanythingyoutellmeto。’
　　’Whatcanyoudo？’
　　’Anythingyoutellmeto。’
　　Ivá；nscratchedhishead。
　　’Mystomachaches，’saidhe；’canyoucurethat？’
　　’CertainlyIcan。’
　　’Wellthen，doso。’
　　Theimpwentdownintothefurrow，searchedaboutscratchedwithhisclaws，andpulledoutabunchofthreelittleroots，whichhehandedtoIvá；n。
　　’Here，’sayshe，’whoeverswallowsoneofthesewillbecuredofanyillness。’
　　Ivá；ntooktheroots，separatedthem，andswallowedone。Thepaininhisstomachwascuredatonce。Theimpagainbeggedtobeletoff；’Iwilljumprightintotheearth，andnevercomeback，’saidhe。
　　’Allright，’saidIvá；n；’begone，andGodbewithyou！’
　　AndassoonasIvá；nmentionedGod，theimpplungedintotheearthlikeastonethrownintothewater。Onlyaholewasleft。
　　Ivá；nputtheothertwopiecesofrootintohiscapandwentonwithhisploughing。Heploughedthestriptotheend，turnedhisploughover，andwenthome。Heunharnessedthehorse，enteredthehut，andtherehesawhiselderbrother，SimontheSoldierandhiswife，sittingatsupper。Simon’sestatehadbeenconfiscated，hehimselfhadbarelymanagedtoescapefromprison，andhehadcomebacktoliveinhisfather’shouse。
　　SimonsawIvá；n，andsaid:’Ihavecometolivewithyou。FeedmeandmywifetillIgetanotherappointment。’
　　’Allright，’saidIvá；n，’youcanstaywithus。’
　　ButwhenIvá；nwasabouttositdownonthebenchtheladydislikedthesmell，andsaidtoherhusband。’Icannotsupwithadirtypeasant。’
　　SoSimontheSoldiersaid，’Myladysaysyoudon’tsmellnice。You’dbettergoandeatoutside。’
　　’Allright，’saidIvá；n；’anywayImustspendthenightoutside，forIhavetopasturethemare。’
　　Sohetooksomebread，andhiscoat，andwentwiththemareintothefields。
　　Havingfinishedhisworkthatnight，Simon’simpcame，asagreed，tofindIvá；n’simpandhelphimtosubduethefool。Hecametothefieldandsearchedandsearched；butinsteadofhiscomradehefoundonlyahole。
　　’Clearly，’thoughthe，’someevilhasbefallenmycomrade。Imusttakehisplace。Thefieldisploughedup，sothefoolmustbetackledinthemeadow。’
　　SotheimpwenttothemeadowsandfloodedIvá；n’shayfieldwithwater，whichleftthegrassallcoveredwithmud。
　　Ivá；nreturnedfromthepastureatdawn，sharpenedhisscythe，andwenttomowthehayfield。Hebegantomowbuthadonlyswungthescytheonceortwicewhentheedgeturnedsothatitwouldnotcutatall，butneededresharpening。Ivá；nstruggledonforawhile，andthensaid:’It’snogood。Imustgohomeandbringatooltostraightenthescythe，andI’llgetachunkofbreadatthesametime。IfIhavetospendaweekhere，Iwon’tleavetillthemowing’sdone。’
　　Theimpheardthisandthoughttohimself，’Thisfoolisatough’un；
　　Ican’tgetroundhimthisway。Imusttrysomeotherdodge。’
　　Ivá；nreturned，sharpenedhisscythe，andbegantomow。Theimpcreptintothegrassandbegantocatchthescythebytheheel，sendingthepointintotheearth。Ivá；nfoundtheworkveryhard，buthemowedthewholemeadow，exceptonelittlebitwhichwasintheswamp。Theimpcreptintotheswampand，thoughthetohimself，’ThoughIcutmypawsIwillnotlethimmow。’
　　Ivá；nreachedtheswamp。Thegrassdidn’tseemthick，butyetitresistedthescythe。Ivá；ngrewangryandbegantoswingthescythewithallhismight。Theimphadtogivein；hecouldnotkeepupwiththescythe，and，seeingitwasabadbusiness，hescrambledintoabush。Ivá；nswungthescythe，caughtthebush，andcutoffhalftheimp’stail。Thenhefinishedmowingthegrass，toldhissistertorakeitup，andwenthimselftomowtherye。Hewentwiththescythe，butthedock-tailedimpwastherefirst，andentangledtheryesothatthescythewasofnouse。ButIvá；nwenthomeandgothissickle，andbegantoreapwiththatandhereapedthewholeoftherye。
　　’Nowit’stime，’saidhe，’tostartontheoats。’
　　Thedock-tailedimpheardthis，andthought，’Icouldn’tgetthebetterofhimontherye，butIshallontheoats。Onlywaittillthemorning。’
　　Inthemorningtheimphurriedtotheoatfield，buttheoatswerealreadymoweddown！Ivá；nhadmowedthembynight，inorderthatlessgrainshouldshakeout。Theimpgrewangry。
　　’Hehascutmealloverandtiredmeout——thefool。Itisworsethanwar。Theaccursedfoolneversleeps；onecan’tkeepupwithhim。Iwillgetintohisstacksnowandrotthem。’
　　Sotheimpenteredtherye，andcreptamongthesheaves，andtheybegantorot。Heheatedthem，grewwarmhimself，andfellasleep。
　　Ivá；nharnessedthemare，andwentwiththelasstocarttherye。
　　Hecametotheheaps，andbegantopitchtheryeintothecart。
　　Hetossedtwosheavesandagainthrusthisfork——rightintotheimp’sback。Heliftstheforkandseesontheprongsaliveimp；
　　dock-tailed，struggling，wriggling，andtryingtojump。
　　’What，younastything，areyouhereagain？’
　　’I’manother，’saidtheimp。’Thefirstwasmybrother。I’vebeenwithyourbrotherSimon。’
　　’Well，’saidIvá；n，whoeveryouare，you’vemetthesamefate！’
　　Hewasabouttodashhimagainstthecart，buttheimpcriedout:’Letmeoff，andIwillnotonlyletyoualone，butI’lldoanythingyoutellmetodo。’
　　’Whatcanyoudo？’
　　’Icanmakesoldiersoutofanythingyoulike。’
　　’Butwhatusearethey？’
　　’Youcanturnthemtoanyuse；theycandoanythingyouplease。’
　　’Cantheysing？’
　　’Yes，ifyouwantthemto。’
　　’Allright；youmaymakemesome。’
　　Andtheimpsaid，’Here，takeasheafofrye，thenbumpituprightontheground，andsimplysay:
　　’Osheaf！myslaveThisordergave:
　　WhereastrawhasbeenLetasoldierbeseen！’
　　Ivá；ntookthesheaf，struckitontheground，andsaidwhattheimphadtoldhimto。Thesheaffellasunder，andallthestrawschangedintosoldiers，withatrumpeterandadrummerplayinginfront，sothattherewasawholeregiment。
　　Ivá；nlaughed。
　　’Howclever！’saidhe。’Thisisfine！Howpleasedthegirlswillbe！’
　　’Nowletmego，’saidtheimp。
　　’No，’saidIvá；n，’Imustmakemysoldiersofthrashedstraw，otherwisegoodgrainwillbewasted。Teachmehowtochangethembackagainintothesheaf。Iwanttothrashit。’
　　Andtheimpsaid，’Repeat:
　　’LeteachbeastrawWhowassoldierbefore，FormytrueslaveThisordergave！“’
　　Ivá；nsaidthis，andthesheafreappeared。
　　Againtheimpbegantobeg，’Nowletmego！
　　’Allright。’AndIvá；npressedhimagainstthesideofthecart，heldhimdownwithhishand，andpulledhimoffthefork。
　　’Godbewithyou，’saidhe。
　　AndassoonashementionedGod，theimpplungedintotheearthlikeastoneintowater。Onlyaholewasleft。