LITHUANIAN ETIOLOGICAL TALES AND LEGENDS
 
 

Welding Iron

Earlier, the only blacksmiths on earth were kipSases4 of hell.  People could use hammers and pliers, they could do this and that, but only velniases could weld iron. And those velniases did not reveal the secret of doing this to the people. A sly Samogitian became the apprentice of a velnias smith and thought, "If 1 watch his work very carefully, 1 will learn the secret of welding iron."
He remained there for a year, for two, and still he didn’t discover the secret. Having lost hope, he quit working as an apprentice and said to the velnias, "I’m going to start my own trade. I know how to do everything and 1 won’t be your slave any longer.
"And what about welding iron?"
"I’11 be able to do that as well."
Some time later, the former master blacksmith met up with him and asked, "How is your trade?"
"Perfect."
"And you can weld iron?"
"Better than you."
"You probably sprinkle grains of sand on the iron?"
"I get along without them."
And the Samogitian began to ponder, "If he mentioned sand, then it is probably necessary for welding."
He went and tried it. Sure as can be, the sand pulled the pieces of iron together and made them as one.
He began a blacksmith’ s trade, hired apprentices, and taught them the trade. And the velniases, having lost their jobs, had to move to hell.

 

 
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