Were - There were ancient Russians.

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 *