Solution Manual for A Guide to Health Insurance Billing, 4th Edition
Solution Manual for A Guide to Health Insurance Billing, 4th Edition
Solution Manual for A Guide to Health Insurance Billing, 4th Edition
Solution Manual for A Guide to Health Insurance Billing, 4th Edition
Solution Manual for A Guide to Health Insurance Billing, 4th Edition
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Description:
Prepare for careersuccess with this trusted introduction to the world of
health insurance billing and the dynamic, growing field of health
information management. A GUIDE TO HEALTH INSURANCE BILLING,
Fourth Edition, provides a thorough, practical overview of key principles and
current practices, from patient registration to claims submission. Now
updated to reflect the latest trends, technology, terminology, legal and
regulatory guidelines, and coding systems—including ICD-10—the new
edition also features a dynamic full-color layout. The text also includes
abundant exercises, examples, case studies, and activities focused on real-
world applications, including step-by-step procedures for generating,
processing, and submitting health insurance claims to commercial, private,
and government insurance programs. An access code for SimClaim
interactive online billing software is also provided; this program puts billing
skills to the test with case studies that require form completion.
1. Table of Contents
2. Preface
3. About the Author
4. Acknowledgments
5. How to Use This Text
6. How to Use the SimClaim Student Practice Software
7. How to Access the EncoderPro.com - Expert 59-Day Trial
8. Ch 1: The Insurance Billing Specialist
9. Learning Objectives
10. Key Terms
11. Overview
12. Insurance Billing Specialist
13. Employment Opportunities
14. Educational, Certification, and Career Opportunities
15. Abbreviations
16. Summary
17. Review Exercises
18. Comprehension Exercises
19. Critical Thinking Exercises
20. Websites
21. Ch 2: Legal Aspects of Insurance Billing
22. Learning Objectives
6.
23. Key Terms
24.Overview
25. Origin of Legal Issues
26. General Legal Terms
27. Confidential Information
28. Insurance Fraud and Abuse Laws
29. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
30. Abbreviations
31. Summary
32. Review Exercises
33. Comprehension Exercises
34. Internet Exercise
35. Critical Thinking Exercises
36. Websites
37. Ch 3: Introduction to Health Insurance
38. Learning Objectives
39. Key Terms
40. Overview
41. Defining Health Insurance
42. Managed Care
43. Managed Care Organizations
44. Health Insurance Terminology
45. Paying the Bill with Health Insurance
46. Abbreviations
47. Summary
48. Review Exercises
49. Critical Thinking Exercises
50. Website
51. Ch 4: International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision
52. Learning Objectives
53. Key Terms
54. Overview
55. International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-
10-CM)
56. ICD-10-CM Components
57. ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting
58. Assigning ICD-10-CM Diagnoses Codes
59. International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Procedure Coding System
(ICD-10-PCS)
60. Assigning ICD-10-PCS Procedure Codes
61. Abbreviations
62. Summary
63. Review Exercises
64. ICD-10-CM Coding Practice Sets
65. Coding Challenge
66. Websites
7.
67. Ch 5:International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification
(ICD-9-CM)
68. Learning Objectives
69. Key Terms
70. Overview
71. International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-
CM)
72. ICD-9-CM Components
73. ICD-9-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting
74. Assigning ICD-9-CM Diagnostic Codes
75. Supplementary Classifications
76. Miscellaneous Coding Guidelines
77. Assigning ICD-9-CM Procedure Codes
78. Miscellaneous Coding Guidelines for Procedures and Biopsies
79. Abbreviations
80. Summary
81. Review Exercises
82. ICD-9-CM Coding Practice Sets
83. Coding Challenge
84. Websites
85. Ch 6: Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and Healthcare Common Procedure
Coding System (HCPCS)
86. Learning Objectives
87. Key Terms
88. Overview
89. Current Procedural Terminology
90. Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS)
91. Abbreviations
92. Summary
93. Review Exercises
94. Coding Challenge
95. Challenge Exercise
96. Websites
97. Ch 7: Developing and Processing an Insurance Claim
98. Learning Objectives
99. Key Terms
100. Overview
101. Developing an Insurance Claim
102. Clinical Assessment and Treatment
103. Patient Departure Procedures: New and Established Patients
104. Assigning Numeric Codes
105. Insurance Claims Processing
106. Credit and Collections
107. Abbreviations
108. Summary
109. Review Exercises
THE DREAM
HERE oncelived a little boy called Basil. He had a good
mamma, who worked hard to educate her child. They
lived alone: they had no relatives, no servants. His
mamma tried never to leave Basil alone in the evening;
when she had some work to carry to her employer she
always tried to do it in the daytime.
A friend once presented Basil's mamma with a ticket for the theatre.
This took place in her absence. When she returned home Basil met
her with great joy. 'Mamma dearest, Petr Petróvich (Mr. Peter) has
been here and left a ticket for you. You shall go to hear the opera
to-night. You like the opera, don't you?'
'But, my dear boy, what shall I do with the ticket? I cannot go.'
'And why, mamma?'
'Why, I can't leave you all alone at home; if we had two tickets we
could both go; but without you I can't go.'
'No, no, you must go, mamma,' insisted Basil.
'No, my darling, I can't leave you,' said his mother, sighing; 'you
would be afraid, and something might happen to you.'
'You might ask Mrs. Lookina to stay with me.'
14.
Mrs. Lookina wastheir neighbour, living on the same landing in the
same large house.
'It is hard to be under an obligation to any one, my dear; the last
time when I had to take home some hurried work I asked Mrs.
Lookina to stay some time with you. I cannot do so too often; she
has work of her own.'
'Then I shall stay alone, and will not be afraid,' answered Basil; 'and
if anything happens, I shall call Mrs. Lookina; and if nothing
happens, I shall not call her.'
Basil's mother saw very well that the boy wished her to go to the
theatre. She was much pleased; she kissed him tenderly, but did not
say what she intended to do. But by the glance she cast at the
ticket, the way she put it aside, the sigh which followed, Basil
understood all very well; his mamma would very much like to go to
the opera, and it was hard for her to deprive herself of so rare a
pleasure, which she could now have for nothing; but yet she could
not decide to go. Basil was so disappointed that tears were ready to
fall.
'Oh mamma! you often said that we must help one another, and not
find it difficult. You made a collar for Mrs. Lookina.... And if you do
not go to the theatre I shall cry,' he added, quite unexpectedly
beginning to weep.
'Don't, dearest, don't cry,' said his mother, taking her boy on her lap
and kissing him; but the child wept, repeating continually:
'Poor mamma, you never can go to the theatre—you would so much
like to go; I know it.'
'Well, well, I will go; only don't cry.'
Then his mamma went to Mrs. Lookina and asked her to give Basil
some tea, put him to bed, and stay with him until her return. When
she was dressed she kissed her boy and set off.
15.
Soon it wastea-time. Mrs. Lookina never before had had to give
Basil his tea, and did not know that he took very weak tea. She
poured him out some strong tea, and as the boy liked it very much,
he took more of it than usual. Basil well remembered what his
mamma said, and did not wish to tire Mrs. Lookina, so he told her
he would undress himself and go to bed, and she might lock the
door from the outside and go home.
'I shall not be afraid,' concluded he; 'and if anything happens, I shall
knock like this.'
'But why, my boy? I can stay with you,' answered the neighbour.
'No, no, you have some work at home,' said Basil, and wrapping
himself up in his quilt with decision, he closed his eyes and said:
'There, I am asleep already.'
'Very well, my boy,' said Mrs. Lookina, smiling; 'but you must
promise me to knock as soon as you need anything.'
'Yes, yes; I shall knock this way,' and kneeling up on his bed, Basil
showed how he would knock.
Mrs. Lookina left him. Basil heard her leaving their lodging, taking
the candle with her; heard her locking the door. And now Basil was
alone. All was quiet around. He opened his eyes; all was dark. Basil
felt uneasy, to tell the truth, but he tried not to think about it; he
again closed his eyes, and turned his back to the wall. A long time
he lay thus, and the strong tea he had taken kept him awake. He
began to rock himself slightly in his bed and sing—
'Sleep, sleep, come to me.
Sleep, sleep, take me now.
Sleep, lull me into sleep.'
16.
Basil repeated thesewords several times, and all at once it seemed
to him as if the room were not as dark as before. He opened his
eyes wide, and was lost in astonishment. The room was full of pale
light—something like moonlight—and not far from his bed Basil
noticed a queer little being. It was a tiny little old man, not more
than six inches high. He wore a short jacket made of red corn-poppy
petals; his trousers were of the same material; his arms and legs
were very thin, like poppy stems, and he wore green stockings; his
shoes and gloves were composed of green poppy leaves. But the Old
Man's head was the most interesting part of his little person. It was
a little round head, perfectly bald and brown, just like the dried fruit
of a poppy. On his head there was a crown such as you see in the
poppy. His face was brown also; it was calm and kind. He smiled
fondly as he looked on Basil. Above the Little Man's head trembled a
bluish flame, from which spread an agreeable light about the room.
This flame did not touch the Old Man's head, but it followed him.
When the Little Man stooped, the flame stooped also; when he rose,
it rose with him.
18.
"Not far fromhis bed Basil noticed a queer little being."
'You called me?' asked he of Basil. His voice was so agreeable, and
sounded so like that of an old acquaintance.
'I—I—don't know,' stammered the child.
'But you could not fall asleep, and you kept repeating—
' "Sleep, sleep, come to me.
Sleep, sleep, take me now.
Sleep, lull me into sleep." '
'Yes, Mr. Old Man, I have been repeating all this, but I did not mean
to disturb you; it is hard to be under an obligation to any one. I am
not afraid to be alone, Mr. Old Man.'
'Oh!' said the Old Man, smiling, 'where did you learn such words; of
all things, as to be under an obligation? He! he! he!'
'No, no, Mr. Old Man; you see, I told Mrs. Lookina to go home. Why
should I disturb you? You have your own business.'
'Ho! ho! ho!' laughed the Old Man. 'What a sensible young man you
are! But don't trouble yourself about this. My duty consists in being
where people want to sleep, so you only help me to do what I ought
to do. You want to sleep, don't you?'
'Yes, Mr. Old Man.'
'And so I will put you to sleep if you like, soundly.' Then the Little
Old Man began to blink with evident enjoyment, and to yawn slowly
and loudly. Somebody immediately yawned in answer, and Basil, who
had also a great desire to yawn, looked around. He saw to his great
astonishment that at the foot of his bed sat a new old man. It was
he who had yawned in answer to the first Old Man.
19.
This Old Manmuch resembled the other, only he was a little smaller.
His jacket and trousers were made of lilac poppy petals instead of
red ones, and he had no light on his head.
'Listen, Basil,' said the little lilac-coloured creature, and with a gentle
voice, like a mother telling fairy tales to her child, he began to
speak:
'A gnat was born on the moors. It stood on its thin little legs, it
spread its wings, and thought to itself: "It is time to fly after some
booty! If I meet a man or a bull, I will eat him up."
'The gnat flew away, spread its little legs in the wind, and vanished.
Hardly anybody would notice it—so small, and thin, and weak it was.
Nevertheless, as it flew, it blew its own trumpets—
'"Fi-fo-fum!
Here I come!
I will slay
Man and beast!
I will feast
All the day!"
'Whether the gnat flew for a long or a short time no one knows.
Anyhow it came to a reddish mound. This was a heap of bricks.
Some time ago a hut stood here, but the hut had been burnt down;
its brick stove had fallen to pieces, and now stood in view—a heap
of fragments. The gnat looked at the mound and thought: "This is a
fine portion; it will just suit my appetite." It flew with all its might,
settled on a brick, then flew on to another, and tried to drive its
proboscis into it. The gnat held the brick fast, and fought with its
proboscis the best it could; but it found it hard. Brick was brick, you
know; it was not soft stuff. The gnat raced from place to place. It
tried the brick in every way, but without avail.
20.
'"No," thought thegnat, "this does not please me; it is not worth
while troubling about." It moved on again, and flew away. It flew on
and blew its own trumpets—
' "Fi-fo-fum!
Here I come!
I will slay
Man and beast!
I will feast
All the day!"
'Presently the gnat came across something large and high,
surmounted by a sharp-pointed deep-green dunce's cap. It was a fir-
tree with resin oozing out.
'The gnat thought: "This is more in my line; this will suit my
appetite; I will begin at this yellow spot."
'It flew towards the resin, and, settling down, drove its proboscis
into it. Oh, wonder! It was bitter and sticky. The gnat after a great
effort dragged its proboscis out, and then tried to free its legs. It
tugged and tugged, and managed to free five, but could not succeed
with the sixth.
'The gnat got angry. "Let go," he called to the fir-tree; "I know a
trick worth two of that." But the fir-tree held the leg tight. The gnat
got still angrier; dashed about until its leg came off, and then flew
away with only five legs; the sixth had remained in the resin. It flew
on, and again blew its own trumpets—
21.
' "Fi-fo-fum!
Here Icome!
I will slay
Man and beast!
I will feast
All the day!"
'A tale is quicker told than actions can be done.
'Our gnat flew over hill and vale, furrowed fields, green meadows,
quick flowing rivers, and whispering woods. It flew along roads, past
cornfields. Nowhere did it find anything profitable. In the meantime
some fine raindrops began to fall. The gnat was not dejected; it
hurried on. Suddenly it met a whole herd of cattle; the young calves
went on in front and the large oxen behind. The gnat's eyes
glistened. It wished to settle on the first calf and fix its proboscis
into it, but it bethought itself: "I see you are small, little calf; it is
better to eat a big ox." He began to examine the oxen. The herd
went on and the gnat still looked around. This one seemed too thin
—that one, though stout, yet not big enough; then came one that
looked worse than the preceding ones. Thus all passed by, and the
gnat had not made a choice.
'It suddenly flew after the herd, for the purpose of settling down on
the first it could reach. But now it met with a new misfortune. The
rain soaked its wings and made them heavy; it could not fly any
farther, and got angry and began to scold the rain: "So you intend to
wet my wings? you cannot find another place to drop on? Beware!
do you think to take me in with your tricks?" The gnat had hardly
spoken thus, when a large drop of rain fell on its back and maimed
it; it was choked by its last word, and fell head over heels on to the
grass.
'Nobody knows how long the gnat remained there. Anyhow, when
the bright sun peeped out from the clouds and shone upon the
22.
earth, the gnatcontrived to creep out of the grassy thicket and to
dry itself. Then it flew on farther, and again, flying, it blew its
trumpets—
' "Fi-fo-fum!
Here I come!
I will slay
Man and beast!
I will feast
All the day!"
Suddenly it perceived before it, at some distance, a mare harnessed
to a cart, moving on slowly. A peasant was sitting in the cart.
'The gnat rejoiced: "Now I can eat my fill; when I shall have dined
off the man I'll taste the horse." So it flew straight on to the man's
forehead, and stung with all its force.
'The peasant passed the palm of his hand over his forehead, crushed
the gnat, and threw it behind the cart, and all was over with it.'
The Lilac Old Man had finished his tale.
'Basil, are you not asleep?' asked the first Old Man.
'Not yet, Mr. Old Man,' answered Basil.
'Do you wish to sleep?'
'I do.'
'Aaa!' yawned the Red Old Man.
'Aaa!' yawned after him the Lilac Old Man.
'Aaa!' yawned after them Basil.
23.
'Aaa!' yawned yetanother near them. When Basil looked round he
saw that a third old man sat on his pillow, looking exactly like the
two others; the only difference was that his coat and trousers were
of white poppy petals. The White Old Man smiled caressingly, laid his
hand on Basil's head, and Basil could not refrain from closing his
eyes and smiling back at him. Meanwhile the new old man gently
rocked himself. Basil heard him sing a little song in a very soft and
lulling voice:
'Gentle dreams with pinions light
By the window did alight,
Whisp'ring through their tresses bright:
'Has sweet sleep been here to-night?"
Wearied out a sick man lies
Tossing on a fever bed,
Gazing with wide, hopeless eyes
Through the darkness thick and dread.
Fairy dreams come trooping, shining,
Hand in hand with quiet sleep,
And their tresses, intertwining,
Softly o'er his pillow sweep,
Till his eyelids sink and close
While their song around him flows:
"Sleep, oh sleep!
Night and rest
From thee keep
Sprites unblest!
When to-morrow
Sunbeams peep,
Be thy sorrow
Laid asleep!"
24.
'Gentle dreams withpinions light
By the window did alight,
Whisp'ring through their tresses bright:
'Has sweet sleep been here to-night?"
'See! A haggard seamstress, bending,
Bloodless cheek and aching head,
O'er the toil that, never ending,
Hardly gives her children bread.
Cometh sleep, and from her fingers
Steals away the half-turned seam,
And with noiseless footstep lingers,
Weaving many a joyous dream,
Till her eyelids sink and close,
While their song around her flows:
"Work is over!
And we hover
Round thee lightly,
Bringing nightly
Short relief,
Till thy grief
Again is born
With each new morn!"
25.
'Gentle dreams withpinions light
By the window did alight,
Whisp'ring through their tresses bright:
'Has sweet sleep been here to-night?"
'No! I hear a baby crying,
Though the curly little head
Long ago should have been lying
Cradled in a cosy bed.
Fairy dreams come round him flocking,
And on many a snowy arm
Lift and bear him, softly rocking,
Covering with kisses warm,
Till his eyelids sink and close,
While their song around him flows:
"Hush, my sweetest!
Shut thine eyes
Till thou greetest
Fair sunrise,
Till dawn's hour
Laughs again;
Like a flower
After rain!"'
The White Old Man had long finished singing, but Basil was still
listening, longing for more; it pleased him so much.
'Basil, are you asleep?' suddenly asked the Red Old Man, in a low
voice.
'Not yet, Mr. Old Man,' answered Basil.
'Do you wish to sleep?'
26.
'I do.'
Here theRed Old Man yawned again very loudly; then the Lilac one
yawned; and the White one did the same. Basil also yawned. But
then it seemed as if he heard another yawn still louder than the
others very near to him, somewhere above. Basil looked round and
saw on the side rail of his bedstead, above his head, a fourth old
man, who was dangling his legs. He much resembled the Lilac and
White Men, but he was dressed in many colours.
The old man smiled, and strewed, as if in fun, many, many poppy
petals on Basil.
Basil felt so very sleepy that he hardly could keep his eyes open; yet
he wished very much to look at the new old man.
'Shut your eyes, and I will show you my pictures,' whispered the
Many-Coloured Old Man, and poured a whole handful of poppies on
Basil.
The boy closed his eyelids gladly, and at once saw a beautiful street
in which mamma never allowed Basil to walk alone.
Now Basil went along with both his hands in his pockets. One pocket
was full of apples, the other full of pears. Basil took them out by
turns, first one and then the other, and ate to his great content.
When he got tired of the fruit he felt nuts in his pockets instead of
apples, and dates and dried figs instead of pears. After a while he
could not help thinking of sweets. And as soon as he did so the nuts
turned into chocolate, and the dates and figs into sugar-candy.
Besides this, at every curbstone stood a prettily-dressed girl, very
like those who served Basil at the confectioner's when Petr Petróvich
took him there and offered him some choice morsel.
One regaled him with grapes, another with ice cream, a third with
pineapple, a fourth with strawberries, and a fifth with apricots; and
so on.
27.
Basil walked ongaily, looking around on all sides, and taking a good
piece from each plate. What was the most wonderful was that he
never suffered after it.
Basil walked on and on in the happiest frame of mind. Nevertheless
he could not help noticing that the street was somewhat long. He
had hardly thought this when he perceived that the street had
vanished, and he stood in the middle of a toy-shop. Goodness me!
what beautiful things he saw there! Drums, swords, guns,
mechanical dogs, balls, furniture, rocking-horses, loto, pictures—a
regular furnished house.... But no! let us stop enumerating. It would
be impossible to remember all the splendid things displayed in the
shop. Basil's eyes were simply dazzled at the cupboards and shelves.
After a good while, when he had surveyed all these treasures, his
attention became attracted by a crossbow with a steel spring, a
capital bowstring, and the butt end well polished. Next to the
crossbow was a quiver attached to a strap with all sorts of arrows.
For a long time Basil had longed for such a bow. With this bow you
might hit any mark, and you might even, if on the watch, shoot the
raven that was in the habit of stealing small chickens from the yard.
Basil had seen just such a bow at a little friend's house. How easy it
was to shoot with it! Basil had asked his mamma to buy him such a
bow, but his mamma said she could not afford it; it cost five roubles.
[6] And now Basil saw his pet bow in the shop. Suddenly the door
creaked, and Basil's mamma entered. She paid down the money,
took the bow and the quiver, and walked out. Basil was so overjoyed
that he nearly jumped out of his bed; but at the same moment the
shop vanished from his sight, and in its place stood a shoemaker's
workshop, where his mamma used to order her boots. How happy
he was walking with her and holding his bow in his hands. He looked
around on all sides, and thought all other people were happy to see
him with his beautiful bow. Suddenly he perceived how greatly he
was mistaken, for he saw the master of the workshop, a rather
short, square-built man, standing before his apprentice, scolding
him, and preparing by his gestures to thrash him. The unhappy boy
cried hard, trembled with fear, and begged for mercy, but the master
28.
was angry, anddid not listen to him. Seeing some visitors, the
master in a moment put on an amiable expression, turned to them,
and threw away the strap. The trembling apprentice drew back
towards the door. Basil pitied the boy dreadfully. He went up to the
poor fellow and asked in a whisper, 'What does he want to beat you
for?' The boy did not answer, and drew back towards the door with
downcast eyes. Basil went after him and asked again: 'Did you do
anything?'
'I've done nothing, and I'm not guilty,' answered the apprentice,
after a long silence.
'What does he want to beat you for then?'
'Peter informed about me.'
'Which Peter?'
'The son of my master.'
'Tell me all.'
'My master bought Peter a bow—a beautiful bow like yours—and told
him to take care of it; and he broke it, and he pretended I had
broken it; and I swear I didn't.' (Here the boy made the sign of the
cross in token of his innocence.) 'The master is going to beat me,' he
added in a whisper, and the tears flowed from his eyes.
'Now, don't cry,' said Basil, taking the apprentice by the hand. He
pitied the boy dreadfully, but he did not know how to console him.
'It's all very well for you to say, Don't cry. If you felt his strap you
wouldn't talk like that; my master has a heart of stone.'
Basil looked at his own bow; the bow was beautiful, and Basil had
not even had time to shoot with it. He sighed and turned away; it
would be too hard for him to part with his bow. But when the
unhappy boy began to cry again Basil could not bear it. He took him
29.
by the hand,and said: 'Here you are; if you wish I'll give you my
bow; you can give it to your master, so that he won't beat you.'
'How?' asked the apprentice, hardly believing that Basil would give
up his toy, and after looking at him attentively, added: 'Won't you be
sorry to give it up? It is such a beautiful bow. I know what to do: let
him beat me—I'm not afraid. Better keep it and allow me to shoot
with it. Peter never allowed me to shoot, but you will. I'm not afraid.'
Basil pitied the boy still more, and called out: 'No, no, I don't want
it; take it;' and Basil put the bow in the apprentice's hands.
Immediately after the boy and the bow and the workshop vanished.
The Many-Coloured Old Man left off showing pictures, and at the
same time the Red Man asked in a well-known voice: 'Basil, are you
asleep?'
'No, Mr. Old Man,' answered Basil, with great difficulty.
'With what Old Man are you talking?' asked the same voice,
laughing. Basil opened his eyes; it was already morning. The sun
shone brightly through the red cotton curtains at the window, and
his mamma stood at his bedside.
'Mamma?' asked Basil, with wonder. 'Then it was all dream?'
'What?'
'The Little Old Man?'
'Why, certainly it was;' and the mother tenderly kissed her boy.
31.
BROWNY
(A POPULAR OUKRAÏNÏENTALE)
certain peasant had a dog called Browny. So long as
the dog was young and strong his master fed him; but
when he grew old, and the master saw that he was no
longer fit for a watchdog, he began to grudge him his
food, and turned him out of doors. Browny went out
into the fields and wandered on, not caring where—on and on he
went, weeping bitterly.
A wolf came up to him and asked: 'Why do you cry so?'
'I have something to cry for,' answered the dog. 'So long as I was
strong, and could feed myself, I served my master truly and
faithfully, and now, when I have grown old in his service, he says:
"Be off with you!" Where am I to go now? I have not even the
strength to catch a hare.'
'Ah, that's too bad!' said the Wolf. 'Now, look here: we wolves are
supposed to be downright robbers, because we have to procure our
food in some way or other. Yet I wouldn't do such a meanness as
your master did. Well, if he does not remember your faithful service,
there is another way of making him give you the food that you have
honestly deserved from him.'
32.
'Oh! if youcould manage that, some day I would repay you for it!'
exclaimed poor Browny, licking his lips at the very thought of a good
dinner.
'We'll manage it,' said the Wolf. 'When your master comes out into
the field with his family to reap the corn, his wife will lay down the
baby under a rick; you keep close by, so that I may know which is
their field. I will seize the child and run off; you rush after me and
make believe to snatch the child away from me, and I will let it go as
if I were afraid of you. Then everything will go as you wish.'
No sooner said than done. At harvest-time the man came out into
the field with his family to reap. His wife laid down the baby under a
rick, took a sickle, and went with her husband to reap. Suddenly the
Wolf rushed up, snatched the baby, and ran off. Browny sprang out
of the corn and after him. The baby's father and mother were
dreadfully frightened: the father tore along, shouting, 'Catch him,
Browny—bite him! bite him!...' And Browny did his best: he caught
up the Wolf, took the child from him, and brought it to his master.
'Good dog, Browny!' said the master. 'Oh you good dog! I thought
he wasn't fit for anything now, and see what a plucky fellow he is!'
and he took half a loaf and a piece of lard out of his bag and gave
them to Browny.
In the evening the peasants went home, and Browny with them.
When they got in, the man said to his wife: 'Light the fire and make
us some buck-wheat dough-dumplings, with plenty of lard.'
Browny's mistress made the dumplings—capital dumplings—so nice
that they would make your mouth water to look at them! The master
gave Browny a seat at the table as if the dog were his best friend,
and sat down beside him. Browny, on his part, made an agreeable
face, and expressed by his whole appearance that he would know
how to behave himself, even if he were the starosta (elder) of the
village.
33.
'Now, wife,' saidthe man, 'turn the dumplings out into the bowl, and
let us have supper!'
The wife filled the bowl, and the husband put a helping for Browny
into a smaller bowl, and blew it a long time, so that Browny should
not burn his muzzle. He had become such an important person all of
a sudden!
Browny lived in peace and plenty, but he did not forget his
benefactor, the Wolf. He used to think: 'Perhaps the Wolf is
wandering about the steppes now, starving!' Then he would grow
quite melancholy, and shake his head, sighing.
Meanwhile, Carnival came round, and the peasant began making
wedding preparations—his daughter was to be married. Then
Browny shook off all his melancholy. He went far away from the
village, and called the Wolf. When the Wolf came up, they hardly
recognised one another: Browny had grown fat and glossy, while as
for the unhappy Wolf, he was thin, worn-out—nothing but skin and
bones; his fur hung in ragged tufts, and his teeth chattered from
hunger. When Browny looked at his friend his heart ached for pity.
'Come on Sunday evening, brother, to my master's garden-plot,' said
the Dog to the Wolf; 'I'll give you such a feast as you have not had
in all your life!'
Now a good dinner was a rare thing to the poor Wolf; his eyes shone
with delight, and he felt quite sick with hunger.
On Sunday evening the Wolf came to the place agreed upon. That
very evening was the wedding feast in the house of Browny's
master. Browny came out to his friend, and, seizing a moment when
there was no one in the cottage, led him in and hid him under the
table. The feast began. When the food was put on the table, Browny
instantly snatched a big hunch of bread and the best slice of roast
meat and carried it under the table. The guests shouted at him;
some wanted to strike him; but the master of the house stopped
them, saying: 'Don't touch him; that dog is allowed to do anything
34.
he likes; hesaved my child, and I will keep him till he dies!' That
was just what Browny wanted: he pulled all the best things off the
table, and gave them to his friend—pies, everything, even a bottle of
horílka[7]. The horílka made the Wolf tipsy, and he said to Browny:
'I want to sing a song!'
'Heaven forbid!' answered Browny; 'there'll be the devil to pay here!
I'll bring you a bottle of nalívka[8], only hold your tongue!'
But after drinking the nalívka, the Wolf grew merrier than ever.
'You can do as you like,' said he; 'but now I am going to sing.' He
lifted up his muzzle, and such a howl as he set up under the table!
Every one was terrified. Some ran right out of the cottage, some
caught up sticks and spades and wanted to kill the Wolf there and
then. Browny, seeing that it was a bad job, flew at his friend as if to
strangle him. Then the host called out to his guests: 'Don't hit the
Wolf, or you will kill my Browny. Let them alone; Browny will settle
the Wolf by himself.'
The dog, meanwhile, struggling and pretending to bite, managed to
get his friend first out of the cottage, then out of the garden and
right across the fields. Then he stopped.
'There, brother,' said he to the Wolf; 'you did me a good turn, and
I've done you one. Good-bye!'
'Thank you!' said the Wolf. 'Good luck to you!'
And so they parted.
36.
THE OLD SWORD'SMISTAKE
NCE upon a time there was a steel sword, whose blade
was forged and tempered in a most excellent manner.
The handle was of precious wood, with beautiful inlaid
work of mother-of-pearl and gold. From his very birth
the Sword was in the service of a gallant knight; and a
sturdy, faithful sword he was. He fought for the sake of truth and of
every fair lady, and against all oppressors of the weak. All who, even
by word or glance, injured a lady dreaded the steel weapon: there
was no man, no arms in the world, whom the steel warrior feared.
But the valiant knight was killed in a hard fight, and the Sword
remained lying on the battle-field. There the wind blew sand upon
him, and leaves, fallen during the autumn from the neighbouring
bushes, covered him. And many long years he lay there buried and
unseen, until a peasant proposed to clear the ground, and his
plough ran by chance against the Sword. The first thing that the
ploughman did was to utter an oath, for his coulter, in striking
against the stout weapon, received a notch. Then the Sword was
dug out, taken to town, and sold to an old curiosity shop. The
shopman hung the Sword on a nail.
From his lofty resting-place the old warrior, in glancing about the
shop, saw in the corner of the hall a white lady of astonishing
beauty. She was clad only in a loose-fitting garment about her fair
form. Her neck, arms, and feet were bare; her hair was all combed
back, then caught up by a diadem, from which it hung down in a
shower of curls. She stood erect, and did not move. On her fair lips
37.
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