Anastasia , who had heard every word , ran straight to her father , and told him all . Mark was very much surprised ; he thought , and thought , and in the morning he drove to the next village to try and find out if such a child really had been born . He went first to the priest , and asked him about the children in his parish . ` Yesterday , ' said the priest , ' a boy was born in the poorest house in the village . I named the unlucky little thing `` Vassili . '' He is the seventh son , and the eldest is only seven years old , and they hardly have a mouthful amongst them all . Who can be got to stand godfather to such a little beggar boy ? ' The merchant 's heart beat fast , and his mind was full of bad thoughts about that poor little baby . He would be godfather himself , he said , and he ordered a fine christening feast ; so the child was brought and christened , and Mark was very friendly to its father . After the ceremony was over he took Ivan aside and said : ` Look here , my friend , you are a poor man . How can you afford to bring up the boy ? Give him to me and I 'll make something of him , and I 'll give you a present of a thousand crowns . Is that a bargain ? ' Ivan scratched his head , and thought , and thought , and then he agreed . Mark counted out the money , wrapped the baby up in a fox skin , laid it in the sledge beside him , and drove back towards home . When he had driven some miles he drew up , carried the child to the edge of a steep precipice and threw it over , muttering , ` There , now try to take my property ! ' Very soon after this some foreign merchants travelled along that same road on the way to see Mark and to pay the twelve thousand crowns which they owed him . As they were passing near the precipice they heard a sound of crying , and on looking over they saw a little green meadow wedged in between two great heaps of snow , and on the meadow lay a baby amongst the flowers . The merchants picked up the child , wrapped it up carefully , and drove on . When they saw Mark they told him what a strange thing they had found .
Mark guessed at once XXXXX the child must be his godson , asked to see him , and said : ` That 's a nice little fellow ; I should like to keep him .
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