music: City from: author unbekannt Alexander ChernoBrovkin TOLMACH Story On the wooden fortress walls there are Almost all the townspeople were there: armed men- ranks in helmets and chain mail, silent and harsh; worried women who often yowled tearfully and exchanged non- loud phrases; Carefree boys, who, standing on tiptoe, looked out over the battlements of the wall and exclamation in surprise - or, pointing a finger at what struck them, or scurried around the fires on which in Bol- water was boiling in the deepest vats, or near the piles weapons stacked on platforms near the Towers, tried on two-handed swords, long and heavy, they tried to pull the Battle Bow, Big and tight, swing the Mace - spike- one and with a leather loop in the handle, making all this is fun, without thinking about Trouble, hanging over the city - Bezbrezhnaya, like a flooded river, a horde of steppe inhabitants in a small tall shaggy horses. Basurmans with gi- scurrying in different directions, screaming and whistling and set fire to everything that came their way ty, and the puffs of smoke seemed part of the horde and together with her they approachedcity. While on the fortress walls they were preparing for The battle, in the poultry yard, she was already in in full swing. Two roosters grappled - black, without a single bright spot, and red, with a rainbow necklace around the neck, - BOTH are large, strong and fiercely hateful each other. Puffing out their chests proudly, they walked in a circle against the direction of the sun, angrily looking askance, then simultaneously rushed, flying up to attack, they collided in the air, scored with beaks and wings, and small feathers - the bumps, black and red, swayed smoothly in the dust raised by roosters. The fight was watched by the poultry house - dry - a handsome old man, without a beard and with a hook- thick, predatory nose, which made him look like a a flapping kite, dressed in an old army coat with patches on the elbows and white spots on the Rina's litter - and the interpreter is a burly husband about forty years old, of average height, with a large loB head, dark brown hair and light brown beard and mustache, roguish with greenish-gray eyes that hiding in the plump rosy cheeks, dressed in an elegant dark brown caftan with gold loose buttons and a hat with sable trim shank. The poultry man twitched all the time, crossed stupidly from foot to foot, waving his arms and cried out now joyfully, now sadly, and the army coat fluttered on him so that it seemed is about to come apart at the seams and fall on land. The interpreter stood motionless, thrusting his Largefingers behind leather with gold Belt with plaques, and on the frozen face there is no reflected no feelings, as if without there was a difference, which rooster would win, that's it only the eyes incessantly followed the fighting misya, and when the red one gave in, ma- They narrowed their eyes in disgust. The roosters disengaged, walked in a circle, but now it’s according to the sun, because the black front tooth on the comb has disappeared, thick dark red blood flowed from the wound, flooding the left eye. Black rooster moves walked a little slower than before, and often jerked his head, tilting it towards the ground, something To shake off the blood. Seeing this, the interpreter spat contemptuously, hitting the gray din pebbles that were lying in two fathoms from him. A warrior ran into the poultry yard - a hefty fellow with a full-blown blush ku, in chain mail and a helmet and with a sword and Bula- howl on the belt. - Here he is! - shouted indignantly the warrior, seeing the interpreter, ran up to him mu and grabbed him by the shoulder. - Run, Prince Zo- vet! The interpreter, continuing to watch the rooster, mi, with his left hand he squeezed the warrior’s wrist - ka, it seems like it wouldn’t be much, but the kid’s surroundings My eyes gleamed from Pain and my legs buckled. “Don’t fuss,” the interpreter said quietly, releasing your wrist. The fellow waved his hand in the air, another stroked her, relieving the pain, looked at the interpreter with such Reverence, with which didn’t even look at the prince, stood slightly behind and startedWatch a cockfight, don't deciding to remind more about the urgent matter. The roosters flew up and hit again chest to chest, beaks clutched each other friend and beat their wings, raising dust and losing feathers. Soon the birds disappeared into ob- varnish dust, and only by the amount I fly out - feathers one could have guessed that They fight fiercely. Here the birds jumped out of the Cloud, Boevito shook themselves and walked around in circles again, but already against the sun, because the black the rooster was missing the second tine on the row - no, and blood was now flowing into his right eye. The black one moved even more slowly and cautiously. her, stopped more often and shook his head, sprinkling the ground with thick drops, and red cockily puffed out his chest, fluffed his rainbow new necklace and seemed to have become taller and thicker. The interpreter spat contemptuously again, hitting into the center of the same sled pebble. Having caught a black rooster when he bowed his head, red flew at him, saddled up, clutching the crest with his beak, but I rode a little, couldn’t resist and jumped off. Black rooster, deprived of his treb- the same tooth in the comb and covered in blood With both eyes, I ran forward until hit the fence. Here he shook off the blood out of sight and cowardly darted towards the slightly open chicken coop doors. Red chased him True, without really straining, but when the hen disappeared in the chicken coop, the valet returnedwith a gentle gait to the middle of the yard, brushing off jumped up, playing with a rainbow necklace, proudly threw up his head and crowed loudly and joyfully. The interpreter chuckled with satisfaction and squinted roguish eyes at the bird-keeper, hunched over moving and motionless. - Know ours! - the interpreter said sarcastically and smoothed his mustache with his bent index finger finger. “The prince is calling,” the warrior recalled, He stroked his wrist with an unconscious gesture. “We’ll have time,” answered the interpreter. - Now I'll settle this,” he nodded at the poultry man, - and let's go. Come on, bare your forehead! The poultry man grimaced as if he had tasted the sour faces, using a fingernail to scrape off a stain of droppings on their Kave, then scratched the back of his head with the same nail and only then did he take off his hat, exposing his bald head with gray feathers of hair on the back of the head. He bent down and leaned his hands in a half-bow. knees, forehead up, wrinkled, with a twitching vein above the right Eyebrow. The interpreter placed a wide palm on his forehead, he pulled his middle finger with his other hand. - Don't be angry! - the poultry man begged. - Don't argue anymore! - mockingly about- the interpreter said. - I confess, the evil one misled me! - whined poultry house and tried to move away. - Okay, I’ll respect it: I’ll click half-heartedly, - The interpreter said benevolently, but moved exactly the distance at which Somehow the victim moved away. His finger crashed into the head of the poultry house, which, with a short gasp,fell on his butt. Oblong lump swollen in the middle of the reddened forehead and how I would have absorbed the wrinkles. Poultry house whining- feces and put both hands to his forehead, and gray the feathers on the back of his head stood up indignantly. - Damn Herod! - cursed tearfully he. - He promised half-heartedly! - If I hit it full, yours is empty my head would crack like an overripe pumpkin, - the interpreter objected. Grabbing the poultry man by the collar, he jerked got him to his feet. The loser shakes- walked back and forth, slobbered on the bump, I was glad that it didn’t bleed and was no longer upset. tet, and pulled his hat over his head. - You see, last time you were twice- you had to get back on your feet, but today with I resisted the first, which means I didn’t deceive, - the interpreter said mockingly. - With you - read. “I don’t have anything,” the bird muttered. nick, rubbing the tip of his predatory nose. - An, you're lying! - with a sly wink, he the interpreter struck. - It's up to you, but remember: don't last time we argue! The poultry man stroked the cone, grunted, scratched the back of his head and, desperately waving his hand, burn everything with blue flame! - headed to extension to the chicken coop - a narrow hut, in which barely fit the stove, bench and table littered with dirty dishes and these chicken bones surrounding the Louvedere Barrel with mead. Poultry house first I tried the intoxicating drink myself, the ebb of ma- lost into a painted ladle, and the last ka- orsplashed it on the bump and crossed it, probably so that I wouldn’t get sick, then I strained to guests in copper goblets that have not been cleaned for a long time, green. - Don't be greedy! - shouted at the poultry houses - ka interpreter, noticing that he was filling cups two-thirds full, forced them to top up edges, raised his. - For your health! - he wished and added with a grin. - And so argued with me more often. The interpreter drank in one breath and carefully put the cup on the table. Getting wet on the back side of the palm light brown mustache and beard at the mouth, patted the owner on the shoulder in a friendly manner. I wonder why the poultry house was skewed by one Side. - It’s a pity, things are waiting, otherwise it would be drake they pitted me against each other, I would have hit you in the head one more time lBu! - said the interpreter, winking slyly poultry house, and as he walked, he shouldered another Zhinnik, as if by accident, but well done as if pressed to a thin plank wall - no, but the cup flew out of my hands. The warrior grunted admiringly, as if he pushed the interpreter’s shoulder and he couldn’t resist on his feet and walked after him. The gridnice was crowded: except for the prince, sitting on the dais, the governor and the priest, standing on his right and left hand, and Boyars, seated on benches along walls, a dozen people were crowding around the front door two vigilantes. Everyone looked at the sitting on the floor in the middle of the ambassador's room - ma- a lazy, fat steppe dweller, round-faced, with slantedeyes-slits, black Bo- a birth of a dozen hairs and crooked but- gami, dressed in an unusually high cap from the gray-red fur of the steppe fox and Bu- a robe made of thick fleecy fabric, and on his neck hung a necklace of wolf and honey fresh fangs and skulls of small gnawing new, probably gophers. He hid his hands in sleeves - left to right, right to left - and it seemed that instead of hands the infidel something like an inverted clamp connecting shrugging shoulders. He sat quietly and as if didn’t notice the people filling the grid, but due to the slanting of the eyes, a forward chatter that notices everything, even what what's going on behind his back. The interpreter squeezed between the warriors, stopped three steps from the dais, took off his hat and bowed to the prince - like I tried to go lower, but either my fatness got in the way, either the spine did not bend, or else that, however, it turned out as if equal greeted his equal - and, stroking the the top of the head had unruly curls sticking out, strength: - Why did you call, prince? The prince pointed with his eyes at the ambassador: - Find out what he wants? The interpreter turned to Basurman, looking sang from top to bottom, squinting his eyes, as if looking at something insignificantly small, contemptuously he curled his lips sternly, as if he tried it tasted something and was dissatisfied. Putting the thumb of the right hand behind the men (he held his cap in his left) and stuck out chest,in a loud voice, as if through Le talked to each other, asked a question half- Vetsk language. The unchrist did not answer and did not moved, didn’t even raise his head, so that look at the speaker. The interpreter repeated question in Khazar, Roman, Varangian and on some other one, only he knows how com, language. And again I didn’t wait for an answer. - Look, Basurmanskaya muzzle, no doesn't know languages! - he reported to the prince resentfully interpreter - Maybe he's mute? And then the ambassador spoke, quietly but clearly - but his long speech was reminiscent of that glue- an eagle cat, then the growl of a wounded beast, then the hiss of a snake. The interpreter stayed for a while fumbled, trying to snatch at least one familiar word, then silently heckled and shook his head: where are you from? poured?! Basurman fell silent, and everyone stared to the interpreter. - Threatens, you unbaptized mug, - after the interpreter said pauses and smoothed the bent mustache with index finger. “We understood this even without you,” said voivode. - If he came here, it means wants to receive tribute without a fight. Ask what and how much? - If he doesn’t ask for much, we’ll give him - up to - The prince said, “and if he doesn’t have a conscience... - Then let's see who wins, - the law - chilled voivode. “God will judge,” added the priest, from- fed, with red veins in blue nose. The boyars and warriors began to shout, They brandished weapons, although not very loudly.The interpreter thought a little, took it out of his pocket mana gold coin and threw it at his feet ambassador. Basurman released his hand from his sleeve and with a dirty finger with a black nail threw away zeroed the coin, which stuck halfway tse, turning into a path of yellow river sand. With the same finger he drew the infidel a circle in the air, making it clear that he you need everything. The interpreter turned away without hesitation fig and, crouching down, poked it into the flattened Basurman nose. Slant slitted eyes, They didn’t seem to notice the fig, they ran away to the corners farthest from the nose, as if they wanted see what's going on at the back of the ambassador's head. The interpreter stood up and walked three steps away from the Christ, as if giving place to anger, which now I have to spew out in response to the ku- quiche Stepnyak showed nothing that he was offended, He extended his right hand forward and shook it. A small black one fell out of his wide sleeve a lump that consisted of Countless many tiny worms, rapidly completely spread out in different directions, than, the more of them were separated from the lump, the more voluminous it became. Tolmach Brezg- shrugged his shoulders and slammed him on the floor hat, covering both the lump and the spreading black- new worms, and trampled on it. From - groans were heard under the hats, children's and women's, but they did not stop the interpreter. He calmed down only when the hat crumbled into small pieces, corroded filled with black slurry, inwhich you turn worms were flying. The ambassador continued to sit like an idol, alone however, the right eyebrow twitches involuntarily huffed, indicating disappointment or surprise. Basurman raised his left hand and shook it. A flat circle of fire flew out of the sleeve, splashing sparks and hanging in the air under the ceiling - even jumping up is not enough no. The circle grew rapidly Promising to block the grid, and then halve the entire princely mansion. The interpreter spat at him, hitting him right in the middle. rarely and without sparing your saliva. Spit behind the screech- began to roar as if on a hot frying pan, and together with the circle of fire turned into A cloud of pink steam that rings hit the ceiling and burst, settling on the floor is lilac dust. The ambassador's left Eyebrow twitched, and her than the right one, and from the eyes it was as if she were sleeping veil, and they are with wary interest felt the interpreter from head to toe, checked whether by signs known only to them, how strong and smart is the person standing in front of them? and cunning, they apparently decided that they were dealing with a worthy opponent and closed down. After after a long thought the infidel opened them, met the interpreter's gaze and barely nodded his head sharply. He lowered his hands to floor, and out of the wide sleeves rolled out two balls of the same size, red and black ny. Without touching them, forced the balls change places several times,and then gestured to the interpreter to choose the one he liked. curled The interpreter pointed with the toe of his boot red. Stepnyak held his hand over the balls, causing them to roll in different directions and spin around its axis, which makes it They look like tops, red and black. The ambassador clapped his hands sharply - and the balls rolled towards us at incredible speed I hear each other, faced such a thunderous that, As if thunder thundered in the middle of the grid- tsy. Red ball, intact, rejected moved a little backwards, and two unequal halves the black vines remained swaying on place. Basurman looked at them for a long time. with a passionate look - you won’t understand, I’m upset - I was happy or I was happy - then I took it halves in the left hand, and the red one in the right one, squeezed - and dust fell on the floor, black and red, which the ambassador outlined yourself. Covering his face with his palms, he drawled howled - and the dust caught fire dazzlingly brightly and smoked so much that the steppe inhabitants could not stand Lo is visible. The interpreter backed up to the dais, on which the prince sat and crossed himself, like all Christians who were in the grid Nice, and the priest also muttered “Our Father.” The smoke gradually cleared, leaving leB itself the unpleasant smell of sulfur and horse manure On the floor, in the place where I was sitting ambassador, There was a dark spot, like floorboards burned with a hot iron. First to The interpreter dared to approach the spot. He's delicious spat, hitting right in the center, andwhen I sal- didn't touch the floor, hit the bell tower a bell, and from the fortress walls they heard joyful screams. He burst into the gridnitsa for- a panting warrior and right from the doorstep yelled: - They disappeared! All as one! As if not- clean licked! - God's help drove out the infidels! - corrected the priest, but no one heard him, because everyone rushed to hug the news ka, As if it was he who drove away the horde. And the interpreter was not deprived of friendly words poppies, quite strong, I wouldn’t have it any other way got up after these. When the joyful cries subsided, the prince said solemnly, Addressing the interpreter: - You took the Big Trouble away from the city. B Ask for whatever reward you want. The interpreter stuck out without false modesty chest, smoothed his mustache with a bent pointer - with his finger and, giving more simplicity, sad face, said: - I don’t need much: return the gold yes the hat that the filthy one has worn out - he slyly narrowed his roguish eyes, - and to them - Add just a little: a good horse, a weapon living reliable, rich and huge outfit A barrel of mead for everyone,” he circled by the hand of those gathered in the grid - that was enough! The prince smiled and winked displeasedly to the grimacing housekeeper, he said: - You'll get double, no, triple. And honey- woohoo,” he turned to the key keeper, “all, whatever is in the cellar, roll it out to the square, let the whole city walk and the prince and Tolma- cha doBrymremembers with a word! - So be it! - slapping himself on the thigh - ke, the interpreter agreed and headed towards you. move to be the first to taste the free food beer. At the door he was intercepted by a vigilante who the kid who came running to the bird yard - Hey, interpreter, tell me how you guessed, Which ball is harder? - As wise people say: this is the mystery “There is a big one,” the interpreter said as he walked. - Well, tell me, will you? - the squad did not lag behind - nickname - I won’t forget it for a century, I’ll serve! “So be it,” stopping and saying carried by the interpreter and beckoned with his finger to Zhinnik turned his ear into which he whispered very seriously. - After many years of study and wanderings I came to one amazing new conclusion. Do you know which one? “Nope,” answered the warrior and even lower bowed his head so as not to miss anything tit. “But which one,” clearly pronouncing words, as if he were explaining to a somewhat deaf person, because river interpreter in a mentoring tone, - red- New roosters always beat blacks. - Why? - the warrior asked, without understanding the hidden wisdom of what was heard. - The devil knows! - shouted to him cheerfully into the interpreter's ear and, laughing, hurried to square, licking his lips, as if he had already I sewed no less than a Barrel of Mead. * K O H E C * Alexander ChernoBrovkin MIROSHNIKStory Miroshnik is an elderly, stocky man with hair, eyebrows and beard ashen colors (once dark brown, but now bleached with gray hair and flour) - sat at in the light of a torch at the table in front of pot-bellied Bu- the back of a reddish glass, a glass, one-third full of vodka, an onion core vita and a half-eaten slice of rye bread in spacious upper room in which demons reigned order and dirt, because I haven’t wanted to for a long time women's hands were playing here, and men's We had our own worries. From the upper room there were two doors: one to the yard, and the other to the mill water, not working now, but sparkled a tree burning quietly and sadly subtle detail. When the creaking stopped for a moment, Miroshnik raised his glass and looked at it for a long time cloudy, as if sprinkled with flour, eyes, then drank it in one gulp and nodded; but not savory, but sad and offended: did he complain that his life was so shit, or that the vodka is running out - who knows? - Apchhi! - seemed to be heard in response from under the stove. - Be healthy! - wished out of habit peacenik. - Of course, I will! - muttered dissatisfied from under the stove, the brownie began to stir and began to CRAB with its claws from below along the floorboards. “If you don’t want to, you don’t have to,” conciliatoryly said the miroshnik and crunched his stub bulbs, eating it with bread. He's crumbs I raked my palm from the table to the stove. - On, and you have a snack. Scraped homelouder, then under- he chuckled freely and said offendedly: - That's all?! - Not anymore. You see, I live from hand to mouth woo. “You need to binge less,” he advised brownie. “We must,” agreed the miroshnik. - It was I wish I had something to do, otherwise you sit, sit, like kikimora in the Swamp, not even to talk to by whom. - Yeah, no one! - muttered resentfully to- language - You could grind something, huh? I would At least I ate some torment. - There's nothing to grind. Here's a new harvest will sing... - Miroshnik sighed heavily. - Apchhi! - the brownie confirmed that he didn’t a man is lying, he knocks loudly and frequently sing like a dog chasing fleas. - Be healthy! - again out of habit - wished peacenik. The brownie mumbled something in response - intelligible, fidgeted a little and fell silent, probably fell asleep. And the miroshnik poured the last drops into the glass out of the Bottle, threw it into the red corner under the icon. Vodka was enough only for the tongue to be bitter, so the miroshnik spat angrily on the floor and froze at the table, only occasionally stroking the tightly broken boards with your palms, as if he calmed the table, asked not to be angry - yelling at him for sitting late for no reason her at night. The creaking of cart wheels was heard in the yard. forest, the horse neighed. Male voice, trumpet noisy, booming, demanded: - Hey, master, receive your guest! Miroshnik didn’t even move: you never know at night he heard voices - male and female, pipeand quiet, booming and lisps, and you look into the yard - there’s nothing there whom. - Miroshnik! - the male speaker called again Los, now from the porch. The door creaked, heavy sounds were heard steps with a squelch, As if the boots were full of water, and in the upper room there appeared a low- cue, full and round, sharpened, like a river pebble, a man in an otter's hat pke, shifted to the back of the head and opening thick, black and greenish hair, with fused, bushy Eyebrows and long A beard of the same color, in blue-green ar- soft and ports and black boots, machined made from some kind of leather and wet - after them dark ovals remained on the traps - as if the owner had to take a long time Wander along the stream, where the water reached like times to the edge of the boots, because the ports would Are they dry? The guest took off his hat and bowed. His hair and beard resembled disheveled fresh washcloth made from river seaweed and smelled mud. - Good evening to this house, all the best and prosperity for him! - said the guest, straightening up wondering. “For some it’s evening, and for others it’s night,” said instead of a greeting, a miroshnik. - Hehe, he noticed correctly! - fun the guest agreed. - I also thought: huh? isn't it a little late? But people said that your window lights up until late, they say, strong but not by Worry. - They know too much. I would follow you better watch,” he muttered dissatisfied. husband -You can’t blindfold everyone, but someone else’s You can’t put a scarf on your mouth, - be careful struck the guest. He walked up to the table, leaned approached the peacemaker and whispered in his ear: - Help me out, friend, the torments need to be ground, three a bag of everything. Guests, you know, have arrived, and there is not a handful of flour in the house. I'm already neighbors I've been running around - but who can you ask from now?! You- Hand me over, and I’ll pay you. The guest took out a silver efi- mok, turned it in front of the owner’s nose, threw it on the table. Miroshnik, like a mosquito, attracts slammed the coin with his palm and suddenly became hoarse said in a voice: - Bring in the bags, - and when the guest left from the upper room, admired the coin, hid it for the icon of St. Nicholas the Saint and went to porch. In the courtyard, illuminated by the bright moon, standing la cart to which the stallion was harnessed Without a single bright spot, not even Squirrel eyes were violet, as if from long friction has eaten into them a little black red ski or blood and mixed. The tail is the child was dragging along the ground, the front wheels They should have run into him long ago and tear it off, but for some reason it still hasn’t happened. The guest took three from the cart Large sacks of grain, he piled them on shoulders and playfully carried it to the mill. Miroshnik looked after him with a surprised look. house, grunted respectfully, showing respect greed to remarkable strength, and then dissatisfied grunted because a hunch came out of the stable old lady in a white shirtheel, s disheveled long gray hairs, long hooked nose, the tip of which it almost fell into the mouth, narrow and without- toothy, only two dark fangs stuck out in upper gum, and even those cannot fit in the mouth - were lying on the lower lip and the points bit into the chisel-like chin, overgrown with a thin gray Beard. B she carried a bucket of milk in her hands, and although she walked Quickly, the milk didn’t even splash. Hurry- la she would be the first to leave the yard, not face the peacenik at the gate. Realizing that it won’t catch up with her, the miroshnik said: - You could at least leave me a drink. I already I forgot what milk tastes like! - You still don’t know how to milk, but your wife you died. Woo me, for you “I’ll milk it,” she said and, slapping her lip, mi laughed. - What kind of wife are you, old hag! - The peacenik was offended. - I can become young, as you say, - stopping at the gate, she said and laughed again, and the tip of her nose shook blowing like a berry in the wind. - For complete happiness, I only need my wife -there weren’t enough witches! - said the miroshnik and swung at the old woman. She giggled, ran out the gate and disappeared, probably fell through the ground las. Miroshnik spat after her and went to the dam to raise the mill gates. The water in the river was as if covered with smooth A whitish tablecloth on which they wove gold lunartrack and silver Brom - star - yes, and downstream - cinnabar paths from the fires burning on the Shore. From there to- ringing voices and laughter rushed about: youth celebrated Ivan Kupala. In the dam there is a pla- there were several wreaths. Catch one wreath la sitting on the blade of a mill wheel mermaid - a painted beauty with long, loose, wheat-colored hair and BLUE EYES. She put a wreath on her I caught and looked into the water as if in a mirror - lo. The other two mermaids are just as beautiful - vitsa, but one black-eyed black-haired girl, and the second green-eyed green hair - too looked into the water: does the outfit suit her or no? It was going very well, so all three were having fun laughed. Green-eyed, sitting on the mill wheel above her friends, I saw the peacemaker, I removed my hair from my face so I could look better her beauty is visible, pure, innocent, and stretched out, putting her hands behind her head, standing Viv on display Large, perky breasts with large, swollen, pinkish-brown nipples. Tender, full of loving languor in a voice she asked: - Miroshnik, do you like me? “I like you,” he answered indifferently. - Get off the wheel. - And I like you! - She folded her gu- Would be like a pipe, exposing them for a kiss, with her right hand she fluffed up her green hair, th they slid along the White rounded shoulders, and index fingers left handloss was on the swollen nipple. - Kiss me, darling! PrigoluB-prilas- Kai, hug me tightly - I’ve been waiting for so long I was waiting for you! - For a long time - since last night, - pro- said the miroshnik and kicked his leg, as if wanted to hit her: - Shoo, water grebe! The mermaids squealed with feigned fear and fell into the river, causing a disaster in Belesaya rub the holes. They surfaced not far from dam, green-haired resentfully rounded eyes and mouth, said languidly, sweetly, like after a kiss, “Ah!”, and mermaids, son- falling onto the river tablecloth with a handful of Bezza- A lot of laughter, as if dissolved in water Yes, but in those places where their heads stuck out you, the holes instantly healed, as if sewn at the bottom. Miroshnik raised the gate, the wheel with a terrible creaking, running headlong up and down along the river, it spun, picking up speed. The water began to rustle, and the wreaths, dams, woke up and swam to find out that doesn't let them sleep there. Mill wheel grabbed them under itself, pushed them out side of the dam. Miroshnik saw them off glance and went into the mill building. By the path he saw was golden-red, exactly made of red-hot iron, colored the current of the fern from which came shaky rainbow rings, gradually expanding flying in the air. Miroshnik casually hit the flower. The stem crunched, radiance disappeared, and then the flower darkened and withered fell. Grindfinished by the first cock. Ger- the new ones were spinning heavily, as if there were grain stone. The guest tried to entertain the roshnik empty chatter, but noticing that they didn’t listen to him, he went into the yard, where, rattling chain and loudly, clumsily clapping the empty ved- rum on the water, took it from the well and gave it to drink horse. I watered for a long time - I used up twenty buckets. Hearing the first roosters, the guest picked up bags of flour, I ran and carried them to the cart, Posed to thank and say goodbye, jumped into it, lashed the stallion with a long whip The stallion flew out of the yard, almost pulling the gate along with the cart - and disappeared into the night. Miroshnik closed the gate behind them and went stop the mill wheel. Belesaya the tablecloth has faded from lying on it for a long time water, the patterns were almost invisible. Not suitable Leaving the dam is a shaggy old woman in Belaya shirt fed cottage cheese to snakes, snakes, frogs goose. So many reptiles crawled in that the rustling the sound of their bodies touching each other drowned out the noise of the pa- giving water and the creaking of the mill wheel sa. - Eat, my children, eat, - the old woman used to say, feeding the reptiles from her hands. - You’ve had enough already, crawl away,” she pushed away she is a snake, and his place was taken by a fat viper ka, wrapped in a black spiral White sleeve SHIRTS. The old woman put the snake in the cat's mouth a lobe of cottage cheese, saying: - Eat, my beauty, eat, my underwater... When the miroshnik lowered the gate, fromwater A green-haired mermaid emerged. Izobra- Ziv on the face of tenderness, she loudly smacked la, blowing a kiss, cheerfully ho- wanted and disappeared under water. - There are all sorts of enticements here, you understand! Ooh damn brat! - the miroshnik cursed and went to bed. He woke up around noon and lay there for a long time. with closed eyes, remembering what happened neck at night: did you dream it or not? I decided that I was drunk and dreamed. - That's it, I won't take another drop in my mouth! - He made a vow to himself and got out of bed. Walking barefoot to the bucket of water, standing on the bench by the door, scooped it from with a wooden ladle in the shape of a duck. You- Having drunk a little, he splashed the rest under himself shirt on the back. Scooping it up again, blew in the face, smeared drops of free roo- and wiped it with his sleeve. Then I put on my boots, put on a gray overcoat and a cloth hat. Someone was quietly scratching under the stove - either a brownie or a mouse. Miroshnik top- he kicked and said menacingly: - Quiet to me! Now I'll milk the cow and cook it I'll feed the chatterbox. It was a fine day, a light breeze kovo sorted through the leaves on the trees, prepared here came the carefree chirping of robiev. The barn door was wide open, and a cow in the garden crunched her milk I blow cabbage shoots. Grabbing a bucket Miroshnik approached the cow, touched the cow’s that udder and kicked the cattle out of the kind. - So that she doesn’t come back without milk! -he punished and went to the mill. It was twilight in the mill. Several narrow strips of sunlight, squeezed those in the cracks in the roof and walls, penetrating called the room obliquely to the floor, from under which heard a mouse squeak. Miroshnik scooped up a handful of flour left for him night guest, was surprised at her firmness and prickliness, tasted it. There was flour bone. Miroshnik couldn’t figure it out for a long time. wonder where it came from, because it was ground whose grain, then threw it on the floor, Brez- Glimptily wiped his hand on the ports. New guess made him run to the room to the red new corner. Instead of silver efimka for The icon of St. Nicholas the saint was a round kushka - Well, water, well, river scum!.. - Choking on saliva from resentment, peacenik didn't finish the swearing with a threat, he ran to dam. Light ripples ran through the water in the backwater, Formed by the breeze, rustling lazily reeds. A gray wild duck swam near them. ka, accompanied by two dozen yellow ducklings. Here and there fish splashed, and flocks of fry jumped out into the shallow water, scared by a perch or small bee. To the top There was a wreath hanging on the wheel blades, flowers in which withered and faded. Miroshnik threw wreath into the water, swung his left hand, with which the shell was clamped, but he did not throw it immediately, first shouted, looking into the dark river: -Choke on your deception, mugwet! The shell did not reach the water. Having fallen from ringing on the slope of the dam, it turned in silver efimok, shining in the sun's rays - wasted away and rolled towards the water. Miroshnik collapsed, trying to cover the coin with his body, missed and crawled after her on his Belly. Efimok rolled slower and slower, as if he was teasing a person, and when they almost covered him with a palm, suddenly jumped half a fathom and sank into the water. Not far from that place he flew out of the water huge black catfish with purple eyes - Mi opened his mouth as if in a huge smile mouth, then fell Belly onto the water, splashing with a wide tail and a splash of Miroshnik background- Tanom Splash. Miroshnik contorted his face and shook his Beard in Silent Cry. Grieved for a long time - Splash- The ghee on my face had already dried. sigh heavily whining, he rummaged through his pockets, checking Is there any money there - and sighed even more heavily - lee. Some memory enlightened me him, the miroshnik jumped up and ran towards him the place where I saw a flowering fern. By- only Ivan and Marya and nettles fell upon him wow, ferns never grew here. Having grown gloomy again, the miroshnik took off his hat and threw her on the ground. It came out of the hat A white cloud that was picked up and dragged away the breeze is behind you. Miroshnik sat down on the ground, pulled off his boots, examined them carefully, assessing, spat on the tops and wiped them with his sleeve, stood up, put them under his arm and resolutely moved along the road to the tavern. * К O H E Ц *
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