A peasant, traveling at night, encounters a grave that opens, revealing a corpse that escapes its coffin. The peasant, intrigued, takes the coffin lid and confronts the corpse, who demands its return. In exchange for the lid, the corpse reveals it has killed two young men in the village and provides a method to revive them. The peasant follows the instructions, successfully bringing the youths back to life. However, instead of gratitude, the villagers suspect the peasant of murder and attempt to punish him. He pleads his innocence, recounting his encounter with the corpse. The villagers, convinced of the corpse's malevolence, dig up the grave and stake the corpse to prevent further harm. The peasant is celebrated for his bravery and rewarded for his actions.
By Alexander Nikolayevich Afanasyev · First published 1820 · Genre: Fantasy, Folklore, Adventure