Emelian the Fool: a tale

"Emelian the Fool: a tale" by Various and edited by Thomas James Wise
The tale of Emelian has taken many forms as a highly popular tale amongst the peasantry of Russia. It bears some resemblance to the tale of Aladdin, and it's very likely that both stories originally derived from the same common myth. However, it evolved to become not just a popular story, but a genuine semblance of common life in Russia. This tale alone has helped countless English speakers around the world learn what life was like in the grand and mysterious country.