Before you - summary Turgenev's story "Bezhin Meadow". "Bezhin Meadow" is included in the collection of short stories "Notes of a Hunter", written in 1847-1851.
“It was a beautiful July day, one of those days that only happens when the weather has settled down for a long time. From the very early morning the sky is clear, the dawn does not burn with fire: it is distinguished by a gentle blush. The sun - not fiery, not hot, as during a sultry drought, not dull-purple, as before a storm, but bright and welcomingly radiant - peacefully rises under a narrow and long cloud, shines freshly and plunges into its purple fog. The upper, thin edge of the stretched cloud will sparkle with snakes; their brilliance is like the brilliance of hammered silver ... "
The narrator was hunting in the forest. He "found and shot quite a lot of game."
After that, he decided to return home, but got lost and went to a place known as "Bezhin Meadow". There was a fire burning, near which were peasant children. They guarded the herd.
“Drive out before evening and drive a herd at the morning dawn - big celebration for peasant boys.
The hunter sat down with the boys.
A conversation ensued. It was an amazingly beautiful night. The fire was very beautiful.
« The picture was wonderful: near the lights, a round reddish reflection trembled and seemed to freeze, resting against the darkness: the flame, flashing, occasionally threw quick reflections beyond the line of that circle; a thin tongue of light licks the bare branches of the vine and vanishes at once; sharp, long shadows, bursting in for a moment, in turn reached the very lights: darkness fought with light».
There are five boys: Fedya, Pavlusha, Ilyusha, Kostya and Vanya.
The author describes the boys in detail - they are completely different, but they have much in common - strictness, self-confidence, diligence. The boys are cooking potatoes in a pot. There is a leisurely conversation about evil spirits.
Fedya asks Ilyusha questions about the brownie:
Well, well, did you see the brownie?
No, I didn’t see him, and you can’t even see him, Ilyusha answered hoarsely and weak voice, the sound of which corresponded as well as possible to the expression of his face, - but I heard ... Yes, and I'm not alone.
Where does he live with you? asked Pavlusha.
In an old roll.
Do you go to the factory?
How about we go. My brother, Avdyushka, and I are fox workers.
You see, factory workers!
The talk about evil spirits is very exciting for the boys. Then it comes to Gavril, a carpenter from Slobota, whom all the boys know. Gavrila is gloomy and silent. The boys explain his character by meeting with evil spirits.
“So he went into the forest for nuts, and got lost; went - God knows where he went. Already he walked, walked, my brothers - no! can't find the way; and the night is outside. So he sat down under a tree; Come on, they say, I'll wait for the morning, - sat down and dozed off. Here he dozed off and suddenly hears someone calling him. Looks - no one. He dozed off again - they call again. He again looks, looks: and in front of him on a branch a mermaid sits, sways and calls him to her, and she herself dies with laughter, laughs ...
And the moon shines strongly, so strongly, the moon clearly shines - everything, my brothers, is visible. So she calls him, and she’s all bright, white, sitting on a branch, like some kind of plotichka or gudgeon, otherwise crucian carp can be so whitish, silver ... "
The mermaid called Gavrila to her. He went first. But then he changed his mind and crossed himself. It was very difficult for him to lay down the cross. But after he crossed himself, the mermaid no longer laughed, but cried. Gavrila asked her: “Why are you crying, you forest potion?” And the mermaid answered: “You wouldn’t be baptized, he says, human, you would live with me in fun until the end of days; but I cry, I am hurt because you were baptized; Yes, I will not be the only one to be killed: be killed also you until the end of days. Kostya continued:
“Here she, my brothers, disappeared, and it immediately became clear to Gavrila how he should get out of the forest, that is, to get out ... But only since then he has been walking around sadly.”
All present are interested in the story. They discuss whether there are mermaids nearby.
Then Ilyusha tells about what happened on Varnavitsy. A dead man is buried there. This man drowned a long time ago, when the pond was deep. His grave is still visible today. The local clerk sent the kennel Yermila to the post office.
Tog lingered in the city. I went back, not quite sober. When he drove past the pond, he saw a lamb on the grave. This lamb was very beautiful, white, curly. Yermil decided to sculpt it.
However, the horse behaved very strangely: staring, shaking its head, resisting. But Yermil still took the lamb. He goes and takes him with him. Yermil looks at the lamb and notices that the lamb is looking him straight in the eyes.
The man became terrified. He began to stroke the lamb and say: "Bisha, byasha." And the ram, in response, bared his teeth and also says: “Byasha, byasha.”
As soon as the boy told this story, the dogs suddenly jumped up and ran away somewhere, barking very tired. The children got scared. But then it turned out that the dogs just sensed something. Paul suggested that they smelled the wolf. The boys continue talking. We are talking about the dead man, the old gentleman. It turns out that he often appears in the district and is looking for something. Once Grandfather Trofimych saw him and asked: “What, Father Ivan Ivanovich, would you like to search the earth?”
The deceased barii replied that he was looking for a gap - grass. He needs it, because "the grave presses" and the master "wants to get out ...".
Ilyusha says that on parental Saturday on the porch you can see those who are destined to die in the atom year. Last year, Baba Ulyana went to the porch. Oma sat for a long time, but then suddenly she saw a boy. He walked without raising his head. He died in the spring. Then Ulyana saw herself. Fedya objects that Baba Ulyana is not dead. But Ilyusha replied that the year had not ended yet. If you look at it, it is not clear "what the soul is kept in".
The boys saw a white dove and assumed that it was a righteous soul flying to heaven.
Kostya asked who Trishka was. Ilyusha replied that amazing person who will come when they come end times. He will not be able to do anything, he will tempt the people. Trishka is the Antichrist.
During the solar eclipse, a strong panic began. The situation was aggravated by the fact that from a distance everyone saw a man with a strange head. Everyone thought it was Trishka.
“And the man was our cooper, Vavila: he bought himself a new jug and put an empty jug on his head and put it on.”
The boys laughed and fell silent. A heron screams over the river, children pay attention to her cry.
Pavlusha recalls that thieves drowned Akim the forester in a pit with water the year before last, and his soul complains. Therefore, if you pass by, you can hear a groan.
The boys start talking about the goblin, about the frogs. The conversation captivates them, they argue. Pavel went to fetch water. Ilyusha warns him, says that the water one can drag him away. This is exactly what happened to Akulina after which she went crazy.
Then Kostya remembers the boy Vasya, who drowned in the river. His mother, Feklista, loved her son very much. She seemed to have a presentiment that her son would die from the water. He drowned just when his mother was near. Since then, Feklista has gone crazy.
Pavel returns and says that he heard Vasya's voice. He called him. However, Pavel managed to leave, even got some water. Fedya says that he called him a merman. Ilyusha notices that this Bad sign. However, Paul objects: “you can’t escape your fate,” so you shouldn’t pay attention.
Children listen to the sounds of the night, the cries of birds. Coming wonderful morning which is described in great detail. The author leaves the fire. Later author learned that in the same year Paul died. "He didn't drown: he killed himself by falling off his horse." The author creates with pity that Pavel was a wonderful guy.
/ / / "Bezhin Meadow"
Date of creation: 1851.
Genre: story.
Topic: peasant children.
Idea: natural talent, poetry of peasant children and at the same time their superstitiousness, generated by the darkness and the disenfranchised position of the people.
Issues: Interaction between man and nature.
Main heroes: Fedya, Pavlusha, Ilyusha, Kostya, Vanya.
Plot. At the beginning of the story, the author describes a wonderful morning. He goes home after hunting. It was already evening, darkness approached, and the narrator lost his way and went out into the Bezhin meadow, which was lit by a fire. Peasant children settled around the fire. They were at night. The peasant boys love to drive out the herd at the dawn of the evening and bring it in in the morning. The author greets the children and sits down by the fire. He goes on to describe the night, which makes everything mysterious.
There were five boys by the fire. Their names are Fedya, Pavel, Ilya, Vanya and Kostya. Fedya was the oldest, he looked about fourteen. The author dwells on the description of the appearance of each of the boys, the details of their clothes, reflecting the characteristics of the characters.
The narrator pretended to be asleep, and the guys started talking again. The subject of the conversation was evil spirits and stories about them. Ilya claimed to have seen a brownie at a paper mill. The subject of Kostya's story was a carpenter, who was noted for his sullenness. The reason for his despondent state was an encounter with a mermaid who called him while he was sleeping under a tree. Seeing her, the carpenter hurried to cross himself, after which the mermaid changed laughter to crying and now promised the carpenter to be sad until the end of her days, since he crossed her, but he could live with her in fun. So the carpenter walks without a smile. The boys respond to the story, talk about the presence of mermaids in these places. Fedya is more skeptical by seniority.
Ilya tells about the drowned man - the kennel Yermil, who, having fulfilled the order of the clerk, turned into a tavern and left it at night. The road lay past the pond, Yermila noticed a lamb in a shallow place. The lamb was not quite a lamb. Horses and dogs reacted painfully to him.
During the story, the dogs also became worried, and the guys became uneasy. It turned out that someone alarmed the horses (a wolf or a night bird). Children calm down and the topic of conversation is wolves and werewolves, who are replaced by the dead. So, they mentioned the late master, who was looking for a gap-grass in the ground. BUT parent saturday It turns out that it is notable for the fact that it makes it possible to see on the papetri those who will have to go to another world this year.
Further, the imagination of the children is occupied by a solar eclipse that recently took place. The peasants who happened to see him were very frightened, believing the onset of the last times, accompanied by the arrival of Trishka. And Trishka should confuse Christians, and he will be distinguished by invulnerability and elusiveness. Many in the village, waiting for Trishka, ran out into the street, some into the fields. The village cooper frightened everyone for a joke with an empty jug on his head.
There was a cry of a bittern on the river. Pavel suggests that it is the soul of the forester who was killed last year, grieving from resentment against the robbers who drowned him. The guys argued about the evil spirits that live in swamps, goblin, frogs and other dubious entities. Water was needed, someone had to bring it (Pavel went), and the conversation turned to the watermen, dragging people into the water. The guys remembered Akulina the fool, who supposedly went crazy after being with the water at the bottom. They also remembered Vasya, the drowned boy. It was said that Vasya's mother always felt that her son would die from water. Soon Paul brought water. According to him, Vasya's voice was heard to him, he called him.
The night is full of sounds, the voices of birds. Children listen to them. The author describes the sky strewn with stars, the forest at night and the coming morning. It's time for the narrator, and he leaves the boys. After some time, he becomes aware that in the same year Paul died from a fall from a horse.
Review of the product. The language of the story is magnificent, the author creates a visible picture with a description of Russian nature, he treats peasant children with touching attention and sympathy.
I. S. Turgenev, a nobleman by birth, had an excellent lordly upbringing. Meanwhile, the cycle of stories "Notes of a Hunter" brought him fame, the main characters of which were ordinary peasants. Its publication in 1852 was the reason for Turgenev's expulsion to the family estate of Spasskoe-Lutovinovo. The reason is quite simple: the writer showed how interesting, sincere and talented many representatives of the lower strata were, which became an unusual phenomenon in Russian literature. The collection also includes the story "Bezhin Meadow".
The narrator, returning from hunting, got lost and wandered around the neighborhood for a long time. Already at dusk he went out to Bezhin Meadow and distinguished two lights not far off. There was no choice, and the narrator went - as he believed - to the herdsmen, who were fussing around the fire. However, before him were five peasant children who went out at night to guard the herd of horses. After talking a little with new acquaintances, the narrator lay down a little further away and pretended to fall asleep. He himself watched the children, who, in order to pass the time, began to tell "tales". The unhurried children's conversation was only once interrupted by the barking of dogs, and one of the boys, Pavlusha, rushed after them into the darkness. Soon he returned, deftly jumped off the horse and, when asked what was there, waved his hand: “I thought wolves ...” Only in the morning the children fell asleep sound sleep and the narrator moved on.
Turgenev ends the work "Bezhin Meadow" with a message about the death of one of the boys: Pavlusha fell off his horse and crashed that same year.
Heroes of the story through the eyes of the author
There were five children, whose names the narrator learned in the course of the conversation. The author gives detailed description each of them, and also conveys the content of the conversation, trying to preserve the features of speech, the intonation of each of the characters.
Attention is immediately attracted by the eldest - Fedya, fourteen years old. He stood out from the rest appearance and behavior. Good clothes suggested that Fedya was from a wealthy family and accidentally ended up in Bezhin Meadow. The summary of all his remarks (he deftly controlled the conversation, but he himself did not take part in telling the stories) expresses a sense of superiority over others.
The second, Kostya, attracted attention with his gaze. His large, shining eyes seemed to hide some secret, and he himself looked like a rather interesting person.
Ilyusha did not stand out in any way, but it was he who turned out to be the most talented storyteller.
Seven-year-old Vanyusha (the narrator seemed to give him so much) he did not immediately notice. Because of his small age, the boy only listened to his older comrades. However, it is he who subtly feels nature: "... look at the stars of God - that the bees are swarming!"
Finally, the fifth - Pavlusha. From the story "Bezhin Meadow" he is remembered more than others. Only the narrator calls him full name- Pavel, also reports at the end of the story about his tragic fate. Why is Pavlusha interesting to the author and the reader?
Outwardly, it was difficult to call him attractive, but everything about him was right. The eyes radiated intelligence, and an incredible power was seen in the whole appearance. If the rest of the boys listen to stories with fear, then Pavlusha gives a truthful explanation to everything - worldly experience tells. He rushes alone into the night after the dogs, and then waves his hand slightly, as if nothing had happened. Reasonable remarks, including comments on bylichki, and actions are his best characteristic.
"Bezhin meadow" - a journey into the world of fairy tales
Children's characters are revealed through unusual stories, which are alternately told by Kostya and Ilyusha, the rest listen more and express their attitude to the events described.
Bylichki are works of folklore in which an installation is made for the veracity of what is happening. Just like fairy tales, beliefs, myths, etc., they express people's ideas about the structure of the world. If we talk about the bylichki that sound in the work “Bezhin Meadow”, their brief content can be reduced to stories about evil spirits and fairy-tale heroes (these are goblin, water, brownie, mermaid), about the dead and fortune-telling. All the guys, except Pavlusha, perceive them as real, therefore no one doubts their veracity. Ilyusha is especially interesting: his speech is emotional, full of repetitions and colloquial words, which makes the story convincing. There is a feeling that the boy really witnessed all his stories.
Coincidence or omen?
The story of Pavlusha fits in interestingly with what is happening. While he was walking to the river, Kostya tells about the drowned Vasya. His mother allegedly foresaw the death of her son and tried her best to protect him from water. Returning Pavlusha, to the surprise and fear of the guys, said: "I heard Vasya's voice." And then he told how someone from the river kept calling him: “Come here ...” To Ilyusha’s words that this was a bad omen, Pavlusha only replied that “you can’t escape your fate.” This is how I. Turgenev designates another theme of his narration. "Bezhin Meadow" is also a story about a man and his fate. It is no coincidence that in the finale it seems that the tragedy in Pavlusha's life was predicted on that dark night.
Image of nature
It is necessary to note one more feature of the story "Bezhin Meadow". The summary of the work will be incomplete without defining the role of nature in it. She takes important place and shown in dynamics.
A rather voluminous landscape sketch at the beginning of the story is given in calm golden and silvery colors. In contrast to the first, the dawn of the second day is depicted, in which all colors (gold, scarlet, red, green) are bright and saturated. They symbolize joy (including from the advent of a new day that dispersed the darkness), courage (I remember Pavlusha's act), the life-affirming power that the narrator felt after meeting with the children.
A majestic picture is drawn with the onset of night, and here it is important that both the nobleman-narrator and the peasant children could see the surrounding beauty. The landscape helps to understand them state of mind and the ability to see and appreciate beauty. It also emphasizes the indispensable connection between man and nature, which for peasants is an integral part of life.
Meaning of the story
Peasants - talented, original, subtly feeling nature - are people who deserve respect. This is exactly what I. S. Turgenev draws attention to in the stories of the cycle “Notes of a Hunter”. "Bezhin Meadow" stands out from their number in that in it the writer's gaze is turned to wonderful world children, emotional, pure, sincere. But, unfortunately, the enthusiastic state of communication with the characters is replaced both for the narrator and for the readers by disturbing thoughts about their difficult future.
The 19th century gave Russian society many celebrities who went down in history, significantly replenished and enriched cultural heritage. Among the entire galaxy of these wonderful people worth highlighting. Literally from the first lines of his works, one can understand how much the author is in love with native nature, appreciates spiritual beauty ordinary people. And shortest content The story "Bezhin Meadow" fully confirms this.
Connoisseurs of Russian literature know about the cycle of stories by I.S. Turgenev's "Notes of a Hunter", which managed to be born as a result of the acquaintance of the author of the story "Bezhin Meadow" with the critic V.G. Belinsky.
In 1845, Turgenev spent the whole summer in a Russian village, where most Leisure time he devoted to hunting and conversations with villagers, most often with children.
After 5 years in St. Petersburg, the Russian classic presented the 8th story "Bezhin Meadow" from the cycle "Notes of a Hunter" to the readers. The role of nature in the story is great and allows the reader to enjoy vivid pictures.
The first publication was in the then popular magazine Sovremennik. In its final form, the collection at the time of 1874 already included 25 stories.
Note! This is how A. I. Nezelenov spoke about the writer: “Turgenev is a great painter of nature, and all his essays folk life, as in a beautiful frame, are inserted into her artistic and living descriptions.
Brief description of the heroes
In July, the weather was excellent, tempted by which the narrator went hunting for black grouse. Having shot a lot of game, the hunter decided to return home, but through the gathering twilight he noticed an unfamiliar aspen forest around him.
The man decided to get out of unfamiliar places and walked first to the left a mile and then to the right. So, together with the dog Dianka, the hunter went to the cliff of the hill, from which, in the valley surrounded by the river, he could see two kindled fires and people around them.
The locals called this plain "Bezhin Meadow". Around the fire, to which the hunter approached, sat five children. The children went out into the night to graze the horses and whiled away the time by the fire. The hunter asked for a lodging for the night, and, pretending to be asleep, began to quietly watch the boys and listen to their terrible stories.
The company consisted of:
- Pavlushi
- Elijah;
- Fyodor;
- Ivan;
- Bones.
The attentive author of the story "Bezhin Meadow" very accurately described the appearance of the guys, allowing the reader to unravel the main character traits inherent in the heroes of the work. It is clearly seen how positively Ivan Sergeevich himself treats the village kids, who amaze him with their spontaneity, diligence and sincerity.
Characteristics of Pavlusha
This guy can't brag external beauty, but his voice and gestures betray a strong character in him.
The condition of the clothes confirms that his family lives in poverty.
Patches on pants, skills in cooking, knowledge in the field of birds, animals and fish allow us to conclude that the guy had to grow up early.
A manifestation of his courage was an act when he set off in search of a wolf with one twig. Prefers to treat what is happening with fatalism.
Description of Ilya
Ilyusha appeared before the hunter in a different way. Unusual was his face, on which his nose with a hump was located, and his expression froze. constant anxiety and anxiety.
Presumably, the guy was 12 years old. Tightly compressed lips rarely parted. The eyes were narrowed, and the eyebrows were shifted at the bridge of the nose.
Ilya worked at a paper mill with his brother. Was disposed to believe in everything folk examples and beliefs, to which Pavlusha was condescending.
Characteristics of Fedor
From the first lines of Fedi's description, it becomes clear that the guy is different from the children around him in everything. He turned 14 years old. The guy's facial features are thin, beautiful, betraying his noble origin. Curly hair, light-colored eyes and a wandering smile on her lips.
High-quality expensive clothes, confident and dignified behavior betrayed in him a native of a wealthy family. At night, he got out for the sake of interest and fun, and not for the purpose of earning.
Characteristics of Ivan
Quotes from the author of the work “Bezhin Meadow” help to accurately imagine the image of Ivan: “he lay on the ground, quietly crouched under the angular matting, and only occasionally put his fair-haired curly head out from under it. This boy was only seven years old.
Ivan is 7 years old, which explains his tendency to sleep, and not to talk, which the guys took most of the time. But even a short comparison of night stars with magic bees, which Ivan made, allows us to judge him as a sensitive and inquisitive boy.
Description Dice
Kostya's small and pointed face looked very much like the cute muzzle of a squirrel. Black eyes in a freckled face were very noticeable. Despite being 10 years old, the boy was no different tall and dense physique. Even his voice was thin. The clothes were tattered and worn. The boy's character was cowardly, and he looked thoughtful. But, even in fear, Ilyusha still went with the guys at night.
Useful video: a summary of "Bezhin Meadow"
The further content of Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev's story "Bezhin Meadow" is rather difficult to perform briefly. The guys begin to tell horror stories, cooking potatoes in a pot. Fyodor asked Pavel with lively interest if he had seen the brownie. He replied that no. Immediately, Ilya told how once having spent the night at the factory, they happened to hear something unusual, which was very much like a brownie.
Kostya, in turn, told the story of the carpenter Gavril, who happened to meet a mermaid sitting among the branches on a nut hunt in the forest. An unusual creature spoke to Gavrila, who, out of fear, began to cross himself. The mermaid changed her laughter to crying. And when the carpenter asked what had happened, she replied that they could not live together now, and that she would not have to cry alone, Gavrila himself would keep her company. Since then, the man walks gloomy.
Then the guys had dinner with potatoes and continued the conversation about scary characters. Next story was about a broken dam, on which a drowned man had long been buried.
Houndmaster Yermil had a chance to complete the task and keep drunk Return trip through bad place dams.
On the grave of the drowned man, he saw a lamb, which he took with him. The peasant noticed that the lamb was staring at him intently, stroked him, saying "byasha, byasha." And in response, the grinning muzzle of the lamb said: "byasha, byasha."
Immediately after these words, the children's dogs with loud barking broke out of the place and disappeared into the darkness. Following the dogs, Pavlusha went into the darkness, and the guys laid stones around themselves. Some time later, Pashka returned on horseback with the dogs.
Then there was another story about the master and the “gap-grass”, about the woman Ulyana sitting on the porch. Attention has been paid solar eclipse, the end of the world and the "wonderful" Trishka. After that, we talked about goblin, mermaids, mermen, the crazy girl Akulina and the drowned Vasya.
After three hours of stories, the tired hunter fell asleep and woke up at dawn. All the children except Pavlusha were asleep. Nodding to him, the man went to look for his way home. In the same year, the hunter became aware of the death of Paul. This is where the story "Bezhin Meadow" ends.
The plan of the story "Bezhin Meadow" can be represented as follows:
- The hunter got lost.
- Night meeting.
- Horror stories.
- Way home.
I. S. Turgenev's contribution to world literature very large.
The Russian classic first introduced the readership to the children's world of ordinary peasant children. In his works, the author encourages children to be educated in love for nature, the world around them and work. The role of nature in the story is great. How vividly and colorfully Ivan Sergeevich describes the dawn, sunset and a simple grove - those natural phenomena which a person sees daily and does not notice their charms.
Useful video: "Bezhin meadow" - in 10 minutes!
Conclusion
The main meaning of the story "Bezhin Meadow" is to convey to the reader the author's admiration for the beauty of life, nature and the surrounding ordinary people.
- Fedya-The oldest of the village boys. His appearance indicated that he was blond, with thin regular features face, he was from a wealthy family, for whom the event that brought the boys together that day was another entertainment, and not at all a necessity.
- Pavlusha- the second boy was unsightly in appearance, but distinguished by an intelligent look and a strong voice.
- Ilyusha Outwardly, he did not stand out with a significant appearance, his face did not express any special emotions, except for dull, painful solicitude. These two looked a little younger than Fedya by two years.
- Kostya- looked about ten years old, sad and thoughtful eyes were the most expressive. There were so many things in them that he wanted to say, but enough words in existing language it just wasn't there.
- Vania- The smallest and most silent among them.
July Hunter's Day
The story begins with a description of the amazing nature. It is easily accepted despite a large number of ancient words, which are not used in modern colloquial speech. The story is told from the perspective of the protagonist, a hunter who went for black grouse to the Tula province.
He vividly describes not his successful hunt, but a “beautiful July day”, which pleases with warmth and a whole range of amazing colors changing each other throughout the day. Together with his dog Dianka, he keeps his way through seemingly familiar places until the deepest evening. And now I would have to return home, but behind the hill there was no familiar valley.
The traveler got lost and ended up in completely unfamiliar lands, from which it is already impossible to get out with the darkness quickly descending to the ground. He has nowhere to go, and he just moves forward, after a while, bumping into a group of village boys, to which he adjoins until the morning.
The guys turned out to be shepherds who grazed a herd of horses at night. The hunter, after talking a little with the guys, is located not far from the company, pretending to be asleep and for a long time, almost until the morning, listening to their conversations.
campfire stories
Sitting comfortably by the fire, the boys begin to tell stories about evil spirits. Ilyusha told everyone about the brownie, which he managed to hear along with other guys, spending the night at a paper factory. He did not show himself to anyone, but he created a lot of noise, then the steps creaked, then things moved through the air, then a terrible cough was heard, instilling fear in all those present.
Kostya shared a story about the suburban carpenter Gavrila, who happened to see a beautiful mermaid calling him to her. But having put a cross on himself in time, Gavrila saved himself from inevitable death, but forever deprived himself of joy, becoming gloomy and sad.
Ilyusha continued the conversation with a new story about the kennel Yermil, who was returning home one day past the pond, next to which a drowned man had once been buried. And late in the evening he met a white lamb at that place, deciding to take it with him. Yes, only his horse for a long time did not allow him to approach her with this lamb, and his eyes were human. And the fact that the ram spoke is completely unprecedented.
The stories of the guys were interrupted by the barking of dogs. And Pavlusha ran after the quickly dashing dogs. He returned back on a horse, vigorous and breathing heavily, suggesting that these could be wolves, which earned the respect of the hunter who listened to them. The boy alone, even without a twig, was not afraid to rush off into the darkness, towards the alleged enemies.
Ilyusha told his friends about the late master, who was alive. He was looking for all the herbs that would help him get out of the grave. And he told a story about grandmother Ulyana, who remembered that sitting on the porch you can see people who will die next year, she met there a boy who was no longer alive and herself. And the guys heard about Trishka.
He appeared to people in their last earthly days. The people decided that such days had come and the cooper Vavil, who was walking with a new bought empty jug on his head, was mistaken for Trishka. Everyone rushed to escape in different directions.
And the guys talked about the water one. Everyone thinks that Akulina is a fool from their places and has lost her mind, as she met with a merman. And they remembered about the mother, whose son drowned in this river. The early morning silence overcame the guys. Everything was quiet and the conversations stopped. The hunter got ready for the road, and left the guys.
After a while, the hunter learned that one of this company of night shepherds was gone. Some time after this night meeting, Pavlusha was killed on his horse.
