# Elijah the Prophet and St. Nicholas explained — Russian Folktales

> Chapter companion for Russian Folktales by A. N. Afanasyev.

## What happens

A peasant honors St. Nicholas but neglects Elijah the Prophet. Elijah threatens to destroy the peasant's crops, but St. Nicholas outwits him by having the peasant sell the field to a priest, then buy it back after the hail. When Elijah makes each sheaf yield little grain, St. Nicholas advises threshing one sheaf at a time, producing abundant harvest. Finally, the peasant buys a large candle for Elijah and a small one for Nicholas, reconciling the prophet.

## Themes in this chapter

### Trickery and Cunning

St. Nicholas uses clever schemes—selling the field, threshing one sheaf at a time—to outwit Elijah and protect the peasant.

### Fate and Divine Justice

Elijah's wrath and Nicholas' wisdom balance divine justice, rewarding the peasant's piety and cunning.

## Character check-ins

### Elijah the Prophet

Angry at being neglected, he threatens the peasant's crops but is outwitted by St. Nicholas.

### St. Nicholas

Protects the peasant by advising him to sell and later redeem his field, and to thresh one sheaf at a time.

### The Peasant

Honors St. Nicholas but neglects Elijah; follows St. Nicholas' advice and prospers.

### The Priest

Buys the peasant's field before the hail, then sells it back at half price after the destruction.

## Key lines

> He always observed St. Nicholas’ day, but never, never, that of St. Elias; he even worked on it.

The peasant celebrated St. Nicholas' feast but ignored St. Elijah's, even working on that day.

_Establishes the peasant's favoritism that provokes Elijah._

> My lightnings shall glint and my hail beat his field down; then your peasant shall learn right, and regard my name-day.

Elijah threatens to destroy the peasant's crops with lightning and hail to force him to honor his feast day.

_Elijah's vengeful plan to teach the peasant a lesson._

> Go and sell the Father by St. Elias’ all your standing corn: not a blade will be left; it will be destroyed by hail.

St. Nicholas advises the peasant to sell his entire crop to the priest before the hail comes.

_Nicholas' first trick to protect the peasant from loss._

> Every sheaf yielded him six gallons, and, as soon as he started threshing, he brought them in sheaf by sheaf.

Each sheaf produced six gallons of grain because the peasant threshed them one at a time.

_Nicholas' second clever instruction leads to abundant harvest._

> I am going to light the rouble taper to the Prophet Elijah; he has been so charitable to me.

The peasant says he will light an expensive candle for Elijah, crediting him for the good harvest.

_The peasant publicly honors Elijah, reconciling the prophet._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/elijah-the-prophet-and-st-nicholas
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/russian_folktales_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters