: Bit by bit, the woman provides all the actual ingredients for a hearty meal. They eat together, and she is amazed that such delicious porridge came from a simple axe.
The tale follows a weary soldier traveling home who stops at an old woman's house, asking for a meal. Though her cupboards are full, the greedy woman pretends she has nothing to offer. kasha iz topora skachat knigu
: As he stirs the boiling water with the axe, he tastes it and suggests it would be better with "just a pinch of salt." She brings it. Then, he asks for "a handful of grain," then "a bit of butter". : Bit by bit, the woman provides all
: The soldier uses his "smekalka" (quick-wittedness) to outsmart the stingy host. Though her cupboards are full, the greedy woman
: Today, the phrase "Kasha iz topora" refers to making something valuable out of nothing or when a project requires many "hidden" extras to work.