Were - There were ancient Russians.

         "Были древних русичей"


                   Александр ЧерноБровкин



                 БEЛБOГ

                Рассказ

  Туман  Был  густ и Бел, как  сметана, и
толстенным слоем  покрывал озеро, которое
схоронилось во впадине, окруженной темны-
ми, оБрывистыми, скалистыми Берегами, по-
росшими  соснами, высокими  и  стройными,
похожими на копья  многочисленной, но не-
видимой  рати, охранявшей  два  каменных,
Безлесых острова, округлые вершины  кото-
рых, светлая  и  темная,  виднелась  одна
Ближе  к южному Берегу, вторая - к север-
ному, причем первая казалась клоком тума-
на, решившим подняться повыше. На восточ-
ном Берегу, там, где изthe forests seem to disappear
Kala path, wide and well-trodden, German
winded along a steep slope and dissolved
roamed in the fog, about half of it
path and a little to the side stood a hut with a roof
filled with hay, small - two with difficulty
take place, - and in front of him the fire was burning out,
the flames barely rose above the coals
mi, as if they were afraid to attract attention to themselves
tion. He sat by the fire, holding his hand on his knees.
smoked copper pot with fish soup, transported
chick - a man in his early forties with a covering
with burn scars on the face, without a beard, without
with a mustache and even without eyebrows, lean, but with
swollen joints, dressed in hare
hat, sheepskin sheepskin coat over a canvas robe
Bahi, once scarlet, but now pale-ro-
calling, and short, knee-length ports made of non-
Bleached canvas. Because of the scars, the face of the
the moose is creepy, repulsive, but the eyes
They were young, the colors of a fine summer morning -
early sky, and with light, dim, intense
passing the first, timid ray of the ascending
sun. The carrier has already selected almost all
yushka from the pot, started to boiled fish
Ba, perch and rudd, sucking for a long time
bones and then throwing them into the fire. Sometimes he
left the spoon in the pot and rummaged around with his hand
the stretched hem of his shirt, looking for bread,
found only crumbs, dark brown and
prickly, licked them off my fingers, rough
and as if flattened.
  The clatter of hooves, loud and distinct,
clearlycutting through the air, was heard in the false
Bine between the hills that approached the lake
ru from the east.  The carrier pulled away from
food, listened, tilting his head slightly,
It was as if the sounds were heard louder near the ground.
Looking into the bowler and deciding that he would have time to
eat before the rider arrives, leisurely
I picked out a perch head with a spoon and sucked it
and killed the yushka. He tried to get up
com, but the legs straightened with dry
clicks, as if dead wood was breaking, and Pain
in the lower back made me freeze in a half-bow
in a crouched position. OAfter waiting a little, re-
the driver rubbed his back and knees with his hand,
he fussed and, with difficulty moving his legs,
went down to the water. He scratched his insides for a long time
pot of gray stone chips, with a
I listened at will to the grinding sounds, a couple
once I walked along the smoky outer wall
ron, leaving several thin zones on it
lots of scratches. I could hear the clatter of the water
more clearly, it seemed that
they jump very close, along the edge of the cliff, and
because of the fog it seemed cloudy, but
a bowler hat placed on her elbow was seen
den clearly, even scratches can be seen -
foxed Having rinsed, the carrier filled the bag
two-thirds of the heifer with water and carried it to the bone
ru, Silently walking with bare feet on the heels
we have moss so as not to slip on the wet
dew-frosted stones.
  The horseman galloped to the hut, you could hear
Lo, how annoyingly, often snoring, breathing
horse andmoves his hooves, unable to
stand still.
  - Hey! - a hoarse male voice was heard
voice, then cleared their throat and called
louder: - Carrier!
  Judging by the voice, it should have been possible
Lody man, but when the carrier saw
him, then I thought that such a face would rather
suitable for a middle-aged person, or even
elderly: emaciated, with haunted
eyes, right half covered with Borax
a crust of dried blood flowing from the pain
shoy, laceration on short-cropped hair
head There were streaks of blood on both the neck and
worm-like shirt, open from the collar
to the hem, but blended in color with the mat-
ry and not very noticeable. Ports on
the horseman were dark green, but neither
belt, no shoes, like saddles on the roan -
a bay with a gray mane and tail - a mare,
just one bridle.
  - Carrier! - the rider called again,
leaning on a horse to look into
hut.
  It was empty there, there were two wolf skins lying
ry, ragged, apparently from spring, not
a moulted beast, and a small Big Barrel
with honey and an axe. The rider can hardly straighten up
was kind, covered his eyes with his hand to stop
feel dizzy.
 - Why are you shouting? - asked the carrier,
emerging from the fog.
  The rider shuddered in fear and pulled
the reins pressed the horse's sides harder
dirty heels, smeared whitish streak
foam on what was toto the carrier. Koby-
la leaned back a little and snored
mouthy and tired, releasing a drawl from the corner of his mouth.
a thick string of saliva.  The wounded man jumped onto
the ground, bowed to the waist, and straightening up,
froze with eyes closed and tightly clenched -
with my lips, overpowering the faintness.
  “Transport,” opening his eyes, he quietly asked.
He’s strong, - he just has nothing to pay with, - early-
I released the reins - the horse is not mine.
  The mare wiggled her nostrils greedily,
staring at a person with a black eye with a red
deflated, Belkom headed towards the water.
  “You’ll pay next time,” he said.
the carrier, passing by him with a bowed
Noah head. - Take the mare out, otherwise it will be stored
only.
 - I need it urgently!
  “You’ll have time, you won’t hear the chase,” he objected.
the carrier and raised his head.
  The wounded man wanted to say something else, but
seeing the burnt, ugly face,
He woke up and obediently went to the horse.
  The carrier threw dead wood onto the fire,
scooped up a full lie from the Barrel in the hut
a cup of dark brown, fragrant honey,
led in a pot, which he hung on the fire.
The fire crackled more cheerfully, rose higher,
hissing displeasedly when ho-
water drops from the bottom of the pot. Carrier
sat on a log, short and with a deflection in
middle, As if crushed by a human
my buttocks, stretched out his hands to the flame with
red, as if flattened, fingers.
He did not seem to notice the wounded man who
he drove a roan mare,loudly clicking
hooves on the stones, along the Shore, old
keeping the same distance from
edge of the forest and from the edge of the fog, as if from
He was in danger on both sides.
  Between the hills the knocking of horses was heard again.
torture This time a whole detachment galloped, from
sensible sounds merged into one, drawn-out
and heavy, disintegrated into several less
menacing, merged again.  Wounded,
holding the torn edges of his shirt to his throat,
looked hauntedly at the carrier. That one
frowned with displeasure, stirred the mixture with a spoon
steam in the pot, took it off the fire and in one breath
drank half of it.
  “Here, have some refreshment,” he suggested to the wounded man.
  The wounded man swallowed saliva, but negatively
waved his hand.
  “They’ll be here soon,” he said quietly.
he.
  The carrier grinned and in two passes
I finished the water with honey.  He stood up carefully
shooting with his knee joints, he removed and
I threw a sheepskin coat into the hut.
  “Come on,” he called, heading towards
water.
 Narrow boat-dolley, shaky and unsteady
agile, could lift two people at most
catcher, low sides just a palm's height
rose above the water, which from time to time
I overcame this obstacle and
feces to the bottom, covered with bright green water-
shoots, short, soft and slippery,
resembling mold.  The wounded man was sitting in
the bow of the boat, facing the carrier, and
armed with joyless thoughts, reluctantly
fell waterwooden ladle, trying not to
tear off the algae and splash it overboard.
Sometimes he froze and pressed his lips tighter,
holding back nausea, and on the left cheek,
dug up with dried blood, began to twitch-
Xia vein. The wounded man stroked her with wet fingers.
tsami, and pink drops flowed down his neck. Ro-
the fingertips also became inviting,
the wounded man rinsed them overboard.
  “It’s warm,” he said quietly.
  “I would wash myself,” the carrier advised,
rowing with an oar in turn from the left and
starboard.
  The wounded man probably didn’t hear him,
scraped the bottom of the boat with a ladle, scooped up
just nothing, splashed it out, scraped it
in a new way, and a look full of anxiety Was
directed to the eastern shore, from where everything
louder could be heard the clatter of hooves above
water seemed sharper, more distinct, more
menacing and oppressive. What could he see there?
child - in such and such a fog, when further
hands can hardly see anything - this is
Only he knew.
  The carrier put his oar across the boat
on Board, put his hands in the water, turned
back and forth, grunted dissatisfied, did
a few strokes to the left, changing course to the right
in. A few more rows - and the boat is loud
crashed nose-first into the stone shore of the island,
light, as if formed from hardened
thick fog.
  The wounded man dropped the ladle to the bottom of the boat,
jumped up, rocking her and almost turning her over.
now, jumped outto the Shore.  His legs sucked
They slipped and the wounded man fell on his left knee.
  - Take your time, no one will touch you here,
- said the carrier.
  The wounded man stood up and took a couple of steps. Top-
The lower part of his body disappeared into the fog, barely
was guessed, and the voice seemed to sound
from another world:
  - Thank you, I won’t forget it forever!
  “You’ll never forget,” he muttered under
nose carrier.
  He swam along the island, stopped
where those cut down in the
rock steps. Putting the oar on board,
listened to the clatter of hooves coming from the
exact Coast, determined that it had not yet
they'll soon gallop to the hut, pay attention
attention to sounds coming from the island.  They
They were clear and loud, as if everything was happening
came two steps away from the carrier.
  The wounded man went out onto the oval platform,
protected on three sides by steep cliffs,
in each of which it became dark at the entrance
cave. Two Neighbors Were hung with the dark
but brown ox skins, and in the distance
in the cave it was possible to distinguish burning
coals in the forge. In the middle of the platform stood you
hewn from light stone BelBog - high
that oblique fathom, with a stern face, about
molded by flies, and stretched forward and
down with his right hand, in which lay the dark
but red iron bar. The wounded remained
renewed himself before BelGod, looked into his
frowning eyes that know no pity and
doubts.
  Came out of the middle cave silentlyold man
with long gray hair braided
at the temples in thin braids, three per
each, in a white linen shirt to the toes,
Without embellishment, but belted with a wide belt
with a silver set.
  “What do you want,” he asked imperiously
Not much - testing or protection?
  The wounded man bowed to the ground, staggered,
almost falling, and barely said:
  - Habet take it off.
  Aren't you afraid of the stigma? Think well
sho.
  - I'm not afraid.
  The old man nodded his head, as if there was an answer
exactly the one I wanted to hear, and
pointed to the entrance to the third cave.
  In the forge among the scarlet coals lay three
oblong iron bars, Belova-
the red ones are about to start flowing.  Magician
Near took the pliers and held them over the tongues
flame, either heating it up more, or
cleaning it, he brought it to the wounded man’s hand.  Firmly
the clenched fingers tensed, slightly bent
faded, and the palm became the same color as
Bar.  The magician unclenched his pincers - palm
moved upward because the load turned out to be
easier than expected.  Iron as would be
stuck to the hand, became part of it,
tro darkening growth.
  “Take it to BelBog,” the old man ordered.
 You have to walk There were twelve steps. Ra-
he covered this distance slowly,
carefully moving your feet so as not to
stumble, because all the time I was looking at
BelBoga. The iron in his hand grew darker, clearer
standing out in the palm of your hand,reminding now
bloody abscess The wounded man stopped in front of
BelGod, transferred the Bar into his palm,
stood up on his toes and brought it to his eyes
your hand, clean, not branded with a pose
rum, and then turned around and showed her chicken
to the right hand.
  “Pure before God and people,” confirmed
the old man said and pointed to the first cave: -
Go there, now they will feed you and wash you
wound.
  “I need to go home,” the wounded man declined.
  - You won’t get there like that, you’ll fall down
road, and the dead are always guilty, - and ku-
the right hand added a little louder: - yes, and swim
nothing, the carrier will not return soon.
  Hearing these words, the carrier pushed away
took his hand from the Shore and swam to the east,
where they were already waiting for him.
  - Here he is! - an evil man was heard -
what a voice. - There's the roan mare Biryuka -
Break off his arms and legs so as not to
could the bastards!
  “He swam to the island,” said another
the man, judging by his voice, is older and more dignified
her, - let's wait to see how BelBog decides with him.
  - There's nothing to wait for! Guilty, death to him! -
shouted a third, young, probably the same age as
nickname of the wounded man. - Carrier, where are you?!
  “I’ll be there now,” the carrier responded,
rowing towards the shore.
  “We’re sailing to the island,” said the first
man.
  “We’ll wait here,” said the second one.
  - Were you afraid?! - shouted the third.
  - Hold your tongue, puppy! We should not be afraid
what, but it is also given to judge. How BelBog decides
“So it will be,” answered the second.Two people went down to the water, apparently Brothers,
Painfully similar: wiry, red-bearded,
with upturned noses on freckled faces,
dressed in dark brown kaftans, martens
high hats and yuft boots, one year old
thirty-four, squinting half-blindly
eyes and armed with a short sword, second-
Roy is twelve to fourteen years younger
and with a flail in his left hand.
  “Leave your weapons,” said the transporter.
chick.
  - Don't point it out! - the elder growled at him
from the Brothers and, almost capsizing the boat,
sat down in the middle of it.
  The younger one settled on the bow, with his back to the
driver, and prepared a flail, as if he had already
we got to the goal, now we need to quickly
tro jump out and hit the enemy. Heavy
eight-pointed star hanging from
chains from the handle of the flail, dived into
catch into the water, resembling a spinner.
  - Row faster! - the younger one shouted.
  The carrier swam to the center of the lake,
Re-Bay in turn from the left and right Bor-
Comrade They sailed in silence. The elder moved his leg-
us, trying to arrange them so that we
they were not wet by the water splashing at the bottom
boats.  I installed it, but it started to sit
it was inconvenient, and the water was getting more and more painful
neck, because it easily intertwined
rez Borta, towering above it by only
a couple of fingers. Then he scratched with his socks
bright green growth of algae, as if from
they were the most inconvenient, put oncleaned areas of the sole and took a ladle,
intending to bail out the water. Having scooped up pa-
ru times, I realized that there would be a lot of hassle, but
boots were already wet, he threw away the carpet
chic, looked angrily at the carrier.
He lowered his hand overboard, turned it
yes, here, testing the waters. Tried and old
the greatest of the Brothers.
  - Wow, cold one! - said in surprise
he wiped his hand on the dark brown floor
caftan.
 The carrier made several strokes with
starboard, put down the oar, peering
into the fog ahead.  Quiet splashing water
She hit the sides, trying to jump over the
res. them. Sometimes she succeeded in this, especially
but when one of the Brothers moved -
Xia.
  - Why aren’t you rowing?! - shouted angrily
the younger one, turning around and trying to see
in the carrier's fog.
  - We've arrived.
  The boat's nose hit a wet stone,
a dark stump protruding from the water.
  The Younger Brother moved onto him and helped
turn the boat around so that the eldest would
It's more convenient to get out.  And for the first time I saw the face
carrier - the face of an idol, clumsily carved
lined from light brown wood and
like a brown worm covered in
mi, Without Eyebrows and Without Beards. Hand carrying
Chika touched the star of the flail,
I turned it over and tried it by weight.  Junior
The brother straightened up and, as if he had pulled out his weapon,
alive from the wrong hands. Following the eldest, he
stepped onto another stone,wider and higher
she, from it - to the dark rocky Shore -
and merged with it, you can’t see it in the fog.
  - Hey, carrier, where should we go? - pos-
the elder's voice could be heard.
  - Right along the path.
  - Try and find her!
  “Here she is,” the younger one found.
  The carrier took the ladle and began scooping
pour water. Poured overboard as much as possible
make sure you don't miss a sound from the pro-
originating on the island.
  - Oh! - Younger Brother suddenly exclaimed.
  - What?
  - I thought it was a man, but this is a stone!
  - Think less, hit first.
  The brothers fell silent, their sounds died down
steps.
  - What again?
  - The path forks, see? - co-
Junior.
  - Well... Yeah, exactly. And some bones
lying around.
  - Scull. Human.
  - Yeah... Well, you go there, and I’ll go to this one.
side.  As soon as you see him, I'll immediately get excited
vi.
  - I can handle it myself!  - said boastfully
younger brother.
  The voices died down again, no one could hear
steps, probably further on there was a path
covered with moss. After a while there is silence
ripped open a short, whistling sound, then
something hard hit the soft - and
someone growled in pain. Another blow and it's over
shouted the youngest of the Brothers, desperately and hotly
forehead:
  - Bra-at!..
  There was either a groan heard through teeth, or
either a growl with a full mouth, or a wheezing
nie; the sword clanged as it fell on the stones.
  The carrier waited a little, then
took tostump stone, placed on it
oar, pressing the end of the rope with it, tying
stuck to the bow of the boat, and silently went into
the depths of the dark island, stepping carefully
on wet stones.
  He returned with two pairs of yuft boots
pog, two sable hats and dark leather
brown kaftans, stained with blood,
flail and sword in a sheath. Washing the blood away
one of the hats and caftan, cut on
chest, put the prey on the bottom of the boat in the but-
su, pushed off with an oar from a stump stone and
sailed south.

              * K O H E C *

_________________________________________


         "There were ancient Russians"

 Alexander ChernoBrovkin



                  BOLXB

                 Story

  The cave was dug into a gentle slope
hill covered with pine trees, tall and
slender, and looked at the entrance, curtained
bearskin, on a stream, wide, in
a couple of fathoms in which the water is greenish
flowed so slowly that it seemed standing still
whose. A fire was burning not far from the cave,
flame barely noticeable in the sun's rays
licked the steep sides of the cast iron, at the bottom of the
from which a thick purple brew gurgled.
A large raven was walking around the fire,
limping on the left paw; he often
stopped and tilted and turned
head, as if he was listening to those coming from
sounds of the earth, then shook himself and forged
lyalfurther. Close to the cave entrance
pine gray-orange ribbon slipped
Squirrel fell to the ground, sat on its hind legs and
she clicked demandingly, warily
leaning on the raven. He bowed twice
as if greeting an animal, and slowly
headed towards him.
  A tall, thin and wiry man came out of the cave.
old man with long gray hair,
falling onto the shoulders and back from under the sharp
top of a wolf's cap, and a beard, forked
below, dressed in gray linen robe
Bakha, almost entirely covered with patches, and
black canvas pants. Squatting
ki, he treated the Squirrel to nuts, and the Crow -
lard Pale blue eyes looked at him
at the animal and the bird and, it seemed, they did not see
them because they were filled with sadness and
anxious anticipation.
  In the distance, downstream of the stream,
Kotala forty. The old man shuddered and listened
was naughty.  The chirping has repeated, now
already Closer to the cave: someone was coming here. On
A weak smile appeared on the old man's lips, he
He said in a barely audible voice: “Look for someone else.”
owner..." and stroked his index finger -
then Belka, who immediately ran away with
gnawed nut in teeth on a pine tree, and
then the crow, who bowed twice,
definitely thanked you for the treat and affection,
shook himself and hobbled towards the fire. old man
changed clothes in the cave into a white shirt, a new one
and clean, went to the stream, where, having collected
bun, hid long ones under a hatgray-haired
hair and thoroughly washed hands, face and
neck, sinewy and wrinkled, covered with gu-
thick whitish fluff. Approaching the fire, he
sat down on the Log lying there, half
pressed into the ground, removed the cast iron from the fire
and carefully poured the violet thick va-
roar into the little party prepared ahead of time.
Closing the lid tightly, I placed the container
on the edge of the Log and stroked it as if it were alive,
asking you not to let me down.
The magpie chirped closer and closer, and
Here, from behind the trees, a detachment came out to the stream
four people and headed up the
cheniya. The thin, short monk walked first
with a red goat beard and protruding
from under the black bench with long patlas,
dressed in a black cassock, belted Beche-
howl. Three archers walked behind him: an elderly
a portly man in a green cap and cafta
not, belted with a silver belt, on
in which a saber hung on the left, and on the right -
dagger; a young man of about twenty, dressed in a ma-
a linen cap and a gray caftan and an armed
with a saber and a short spear; and closed
procession bow-legged middle-aged man with
cheekbones, flat face, on which they grew
thin black mustache, and instead of a beard
several long hairs stuck out, dressed
into a rust-stained bump and a long one,
not tall enough, Armenian and armed with a bow
arrows and sabers. Noticing the old man, ma-
the lazy squad quickened their pace and lost their way
more dense.
  To the firethey approached in a chain and stopped
They walked in a semicircle, catching their breath.  On
They looked at the old man in silence, with curiosity
and an evil triumph: caught! And that one seems
I wouldn’t even notice them, I would push them with a twig
fallen firebrands into the fire. Grinning
something of his own, he raised his head and looked
trilled at the elderly archer, as I guessed,
senior over the squad.
  - It took a long time to get there. Or the road conductor
did you specify incorrectly?
  “No, we got a little lost,” wiping
sweat from his forehead, answered the elderly man.
  - Why didn’t you bring it right here? -
asked the old man and answered himself: “I was afraid.”
enemy. I promised to rip off his hands,
if I meet you in the forest. Traps and crossbows
he bets, he beats the beast in vain, not for the sake of
meat or fur - what kind of fur is it now?! - a
so, for fun. And what about females now?
new ones or with cubs - he doesn’t care. Che-
a trapper, and worse than a beast...
  - It’s not for you to judge! - the monk intervened. -
Whatever he is, he believes in the true God,
no match for you, idolater!
  “His God is profit,” the old man objected.
rick. - He betrayed me and brought death to you -
det.
  The monk crossed himself and looked around cautiously.
Xia, As if he was checking if he was hiding behind
conductor.
  - It’s okay, you and I will not remain in debt -
“We’re moving,” the old man reassured him.
  - I didn’t do anything with the Magi and
I'm not going to do it! - said arrogantly
monk
  “Well, well,” said the old man, smiling.
rick.
  - Don’t nag, don’tharnessed! - irritated
shouted the monk and turned to the elder above
squad: - Knit him!
  - Oh, don't rush! - playfully warn
the old man said. - The longer I live,
the longer you will walk on the earth, -
he added seriously, threw the twig into the hair
rubbed and was about to get up, but flat-faced
the archer grabbed the saber from its sheath, and the young man
put the tip of the spear to the old man's chest
di, open neckline of the shirt.
  The sorcerer took hold of the spear shaft immediately behind
with the tip, he stabbed it into himself with force.
Sharp, shining in the sun, iron-
the triangle easily broke through the flabby skin
zhu, entered the body. Sagittarius in surprise
Relaxed his fingers without interfering with suicide.
When the tip got into the chest two thirds
ty, the old man slowly took it out. Iron wasp
came out clean and dry, and the wound did not pour
there was blood, it quickly healed, it remained
There is only a dark red cut. Magus from-
He launched his spear and it fell to the ground.
  - Rejoice: it’s not so easy for me
kill, which means you stay in the sun longer
admiring it.
  - Well, death can be accepted in different ways,
- having overcome his surprise, he objected
residential archer. - Doesn’t take iron, take-
meth...
  -...fire? - The old man leaned towards the bone -
ru, I chose the scarletest coal from the middle,
rolled it in his palm, showing it to everyone, and
then he handed it to the elderly man.
  Sagittarius, obeying an unknown force, submits
put his hand andwhen a coal fell into it,
screamed and shook it in the air.
  - Stop joking like that! - he threatened and
He licked his burnt palm.
  - Am I kidding? Just showed that
You can’t kill me with fire... And with poison too.
  The old man opened the tree standing on the Log
juice, poured a viscous purple scum out of it
I spit on a yellow dandelion. The flower instantly
turned black and withered, and then crumbled into pieces
juices. The sorcerer drank from the cup and closed it
lid and placed it on the edge of the Log, close to
or to the monk. With difficulty moving the stained
turning his lips purple, he said:
 - You see: tenacious. - He smiled, like-
he bowed his head and closed his eyes.
  The flat-faced Sagittarius who came up
Closer to see how the poison
acts on the flower, and now it turns out
behind the old man, his gaze fixed on the
a thin, sinewy neck covered with thick ben-
with forest fluff, and suddenly with a familiar gesture,
Thinking what he was doing, he slashed at it with a saber.
The head somehow separated too easily from
neck, fell to the ground, dropping her hat, and,
Splashing blood, she rolled into the fire,
where she seemed to stare mockingly at
kill the killer with his narrowed, pale blue eye.
There was a smell of burnt wool and meat.
  Two other archers and a monk at once
were baptized.  It came from the Near Pines
the caw of the raven and the clatter of the squirrel.
  The flat-faced Sagittarius looked in surprise
on the saber, as if she acted without him
known, thenon the sorcerer, waiting, will not take it out
whether he took his head from the fire and did not grow it
it's going to the neck again, but it didn't wait and
pushed the headless torso off the log, from
whose blood was gushing in a stream, and wiped
the blade on a white shirt, new and clean.
  The monk, wincing disgustingly, kicked out
head from the fire.
  - He'll be cooked in hell... Let's go to the cave,
We will destroy the temple.
  A flat-faced archer went with him, and
Soon a crash and a crash was heard from there,
and the elderly archer and the young man headed towards
stream, where they drank water, scooping it up
dons. The young man wiped himself with his sleeve and lay down
draw on the grass, placing a raspberry under his head
hat, the elderly man sat down next to him and tore off
a long blade of grass and, biting and spitting
little pieces of it, said:
  - And iron takes him, and fire. Kudesil,
He was great, but he died like everyone else - it’s a pity, right?
  The young Sagittarius did not answer, looked at the
lako, similar to a pregnant cow, which
crept up to the sun and was about to butt
him.
  A flat-faced archer came out of the cave,
carrying a tightly packed bag in one hand, and
in the other - a silver idol at the elbow
height and with edges inserted into the eye sockets
sweet precious stones. Next came-
there was a monk with a silver baklaga and three
piles, tore off the bear covering the entrance
living skin, dragged it along the ground behind him.
  - Wow! - Sagittarius boasted of Silver
idol.
  Idol facingthe sun, menacing
His red eyes flashed.
  - Rich loot! - the elderly person appreciated. -
I never thought we'd find anything
valuable from such a... - he looked at the old
ry ports on the Headless Body. - This
Enough to walk for a month.
  “We should give it to the monastery,” he intervened.
monk - Let's cleanse it from filth with prayers -
us, and then it will be possible to melt it down.
  - And we will cleanse without the monastery. - Elderly
poured a loaf of bread from a bag onto the grass,
pieces of lard and dried meat and several
bulbs, put the idol in it. - And monas-
Tyr's share There will be bags and stacks -
this is even more than the fourth part, so
that don't complain.
  The monk smiled crookedly, chewed the red
mustache, without taking his greedy gaze off the bag.
Having realized that it is useless to argue with the archers,
well, said:
  - Let it be according to your... Well, no-
Let's have a snack before the road - don't get lost
goodBru?
  “It’s possible,” the old man agreed.
  The archers spread out a bearskin,
got on it and started cutting bread, meat
and lard and peel the onions, and the monk prepared
walked to the fire as if to look again
on a dead idolater, and he himself
he quickly took a bottle from the log and poured it
summer liquid in Baklaga. Back to
to the archers, he shook Baklaga in the air,
Why did the wine splash in it?
looked like he was trying it out, and then suggested:
  - Oh, delicious overseas wine - tasted -
eat?There is no need to carry it to the monastery, to
there won’t be enough all the Brothers, so it’s insistent
I'll get it.
  - It will do without wine, abbot! - under-
an elderly archer was holding him.
  The monk placed silver
shot glasses, poured dark cherry viscous
 wine.
  - Well, drink, and I’ll take a sip from the bottle.
  The elderly man took the stack with his left hand,
baptized on the right.
  - For the peace of a sinful soul.
  The other two archers also crossed
They drank, but drank in silence. Placing the stacks on
bearskin, all three reached for the
piece. The elderly man looked at the monk in surprise.
ha, asked:
  - Why don’t you drink? - and then about OB-
grabbed his throat with his hands, scraped it,
as if he wanted to break an invisible noose.
His face darkened, his eyes bulged,
They would convulsively convulse and turn blue.
  - Ga-hell!.. - the elderly archer wheezed
and fell backwards.
  The young man fought with death the longest:
even falling on his back and stopping scratching
neck, still shaking his legs. The monk watched
on them and by touch collected silver from the skin
small piles and threw them into the bag where they were
idol and Baklaga. When Sagittarius has calmed down, we can
nah, he ran headlong into the forest.
  - The sorcerer poisoned! Magus!.. - He muttered
on the Run, not wanting to take sin on the soul.
  Thorny spruce branches whipped him
face, lips, as if they were punishing for injuries
nyeh, and the dead wood seemed to grab your legs,
tried to stop, but the monk was flying, not
Parsingroads and not paying attention to
Pain, often fell and for some time was
moved on all fours. Stopped him
Swamp. Having taken a dozen or two steps along the swamp,
the monk fell with his chest on a hummock, grabbed onto
the thin Birch growing on it and the pitiful
sobbed loudly, as if he had escaped a terrible
Trouble.
  From the edge of the Swamp came the cawing of a raven
and the clatter of Squirrel. The monk shuddered, jumped up
I climbed onto a hummock and sat down facing the forest. By-
drive it was not and could not be - and he still
he sobbed once and wiped it off his freckled face
either sweat or tears. Having untied the bag,
the monk took out an idol from it. Red eyes
looked at the monk and flushed with anger
va, it seemed, and not from the sun's rays.
  - You don’t have long to stare! - with
The monk said with evil joy. - Higher-
I'll rip your eyes out and into pieces
I'll chop... With such Wealth!.. - he for-
laughed loudly, hysterically.
  Returning from the Swamp to the forest, the monk determined
divided by the sun the direction in which
There was a nearby village, and I went to that hundred
along the animal trail. Walked slowly and
murmured a simple tune under his breath
diyu, dreaming about how to manage the
The wealth that fell into his hands. From above, from de-
revev, loud croaking and clucking were heard
rolling, the monk raised his head, looking for
with a gaze clouded by dreams, a bird and
animal, and did not notice the stretched across
Bechevka paths. Bflashed in the bushes
tiva, and a thick long arrow pierced
monk between the ribs, stitched the body and you-
climbed with the tip from the other side. Monk
took a step forward and to the right by inertia and
fell on his face. Having coped with surprise and
with nausea rising in his throat, he whispered,
tal:
  - The sorcerer drank...
  Gasping for air, the monk unleashed
hall torBu, took the Baklaga out of it and put it
next to you, in a visible place, and torbu
stuck it under a bush and the last, convulsive
movements covered it with fallen leaves
and pine needles.

              * K O H E C *

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