Different faces of the war (tales, poems, diaries). Artilleryman's Son read online Was at Major Deev's

Konstantin Simonov

Gunner's son

Major Deev had a comrade - Major Petrov, We were friends with the civilian, Ever since the twenties, Together they chopped the whites with checkers at a gallop, Together then they served In the artillery regiment.

And Major Petrov had Lyonka, his beloved son, Without a mother, at the barracks, The boy grew up alone. And if Petrov was away, it happened that instead of his father, his friend remained for this tomboy.

Deev will call Lenka: - Well, let's go for a walk: It's time for the gunner's son to get used to the horse! Together with Lenka, he will go to the lynx, and then to the quarry. It used to be that Lenka would save, He would not be able to take the barrier, He would fall down and whimper.

Of course, still a kid! Deev will raise him, Like a second father.

He will put him back on the horse: - Learn, brother, to take barriers! Hold on, my boy: do not die twice in the world.

Two or three more goals passed, And Deev and Petrov were swept aside by military craft.

Deev left for the North And even forgot the address. Seeing you would be great! He didn't like letters.

But because, it must be, That he himself was not expecting children, About Lenka with some sadness He often remembered.

Ten years have passed. The silence ended, the war rumbled like thunder over the Motherland.

Deev fought in the North; In its polar wilderness Sometimes I searched the newspapers for the names of my friends.

Once I found Petrov: "So, alive and well!" He was praised in the newspaper, Petrov fought in the South.

Then, having arrived from the South, Someone told him that Petrov, Nikolai Yegorych, died heroically in the Crimea.

Deev took out a newspaper, He asked: "What date?" And with sadness I realized that the mail had been coming here for too long ...

And soon, on one of the cloudy Northern evenings, Lieutenant Petrov was appointed to Deev's regiment.

Deev was sitting over the map By two smoky candles. A tall military man entered, with a slanting sazhen in his shoulders.

In the first two minutes Major did not recognize him. Only the lieutenant's bass reminded me of something.

Well, turn to the light, And bring a candle to it. All the same children's lips, The same snub nose.

And what a mustache - so it's a shave! - and the whole conversation. - Lenka? - That's right, Lenka, He is the most, comrade major!

So, he graduated from school, We will serve together. It is a pity that the Father did not have to live to such happiness.

Lenka had an unbidden tear in his eyes. Gritting his teeth, he silently wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

And again the major, As in childhood, had to say to him: - Hold on, my boy: in the world you won't die twice.

Nothing in life can knock us out of the saddle! Such a saying The major had.

And two weeks later There was a heavy battle in the rocks, To save everyone, Someone is obliged to risk himself.

The major summoned Lenka to himself, looked at him point-blank. - By your order Appeared, comrade major.

Well, it's good that you showed up. Leave the documents to me. You will go alone, without a radio operator, Walkie-talkie on your back.

And through the front, over the rocks, At night to the German rear You will walk along such a path Where no one has walked.

You will be from there on the radio to fire batteries. It's clear? - That's right, clearly. - Well, go quickly.

No, wait a bit. The major stood up for a second, As in childhood, he pressed Lenka to himself with both hands.

You go to such a thing that it's hard to come back. As a commander, I'm not happy to send you there.

But as a father... Answer me: Am I your father or not? - Father, - Lenka told him And hugged him back.

So, as a father, once it happened To fight for life and death, My father's duty and the right to risk his Son.

Before others, I must send the Son forward. Hold on, my boy: do not die twice in the world.

Nothing in life can knock us out of the saddle! Such a saying The major had.

Understood me? - Got it. May I go? - Go! The major remained in the dugout, Shells burst ahead.

Somewhere it rumbled and roared. The Major watched the clock. It would be a hundred times easier for him if he walked himself.

Twelve ... Now, probably, He went through the posts. An hour... Now he has reached the foot of the height.

Two... He must now be Crawling to the very ridge. Three ... Hurry, so that the dawn does not catch Him.

Deev went out into the air How brightly the moon shines, Couldn't wait until tomorrow, Cursed be she!

All night, striding like a pendulum, The major did not close his eyes, Until the first signal came on the radio in the morning:

It's all right, got it. The Germans left me, Coordinates three, ten, Hurry, let's fire!

The guns were loaded, the Major calculated everything himself, And with a roar the first volleys Hit the mountains.

And again the signal on the radio: - The Germans right me, Coordinates five, ten, Rather, more fire!

Earth and rocks flew, Smoke rose like a column, It seemed that now no one would leave alive from there.

The third signal on the radio: - The Germans are around me, Beat four, ten, Do not spare the fire!

The major turned pale when he heard: Four, ten - just the place where his Lenka should sit now.

But, without showing any sign, Forgetting that he was a father, the Major continued to command With a calm face:

"Fire!" - shells were flying. "Fire!" - load quickly! Square four, ten Beat six batteries.

The radio was silent for an hour, Then a signal came: - Silent: deafened by the explosion, Beat, as I said.

I believe my shells can't touch me. The Germans are running, click, Give me a sea of fire!

And at the command post, Having received the last signal, the Major, in a deafened radio, Unable to stand it, shouted:

You hear me, I believe, Death does not take such. Hold on, my boy: do not die twice in the world.

Nothing in life can knock us out of the saddle! Such a saying The major had.

The infantry went on the attack. By noon, the Rocky Height was clear of the fleeing Germans.

There were corpses everywhere, Wounded, but alive Was found in the Lenka gorge With a bandaged head.

When the bandage was unwound, That he had hastily tied it up, the Major looked at Lenka And suddenly he did not recognize him.

It was as if he was the same, Calm and young, All the same eyes of a boy, But only ... completely gray-haired.

He hugged the major before leaving for the hospital: - Hold on, father: don't die twice in the world.

Nothing in life can knock us out of the saddle! Such a saying Now Lenka had ...

Here is a story About these glorious deeds On the Middle Peninsula Was told to me.

And above, above the mountains, The moon still floated, Explosions rumbled close, The war continued.

The telephone crackled, and, worrying, the Commander walked along the dugout, And someone, just like Lyonka, Went to the Germans today in the rear.

Was with Major Deev
Comrade - Major Petrov,
We were still friends with a civilian,
Ever since the twenties.
Together they chopped whites
Checkers on the run
They later served together
In the artillery regiment.

And Major Petrov
There was Lenka, beloved son,
Without a mother, at the barracks,
The boy grew up alone.
And if Petrov is away,
It used to be, instead of a father
His friend stayed
For this tomboy.

Will call Deev Lenka:
- Well, let's go for a walk:
Son of an artilleryman
It's time to get used to the horse! -
Together with Lenka will go
At a trot, and then into the quarry.
It used to be that Lenka saved,
Can't take the barrier
Falls off and whines.
- Of course, still a kid! -
Deev will raise him
Like a second father.
Put him back on the horse:
- Learn, brother, to take barriers!

Don't die twice.
Nothing in our life can
Get out of the saddle! -
Such a saying
Major had.

Another two or three years have passed
And carried away
Deeva and Petrova
Military craft.
Deev left for the North
I even forgot the address.
Seeing you would be great!
He didn't like letters.
But that must be why
That he himself did not expect children,
About Lenka with some sadness
He often remembered.

Ten years have passed.
Silence is over
Thunder rumbled
War over the motherland.
Deev fought in the North;
In the polar wilderness
Sometimes in the newspapers
Looking for names of friends.
Once I found Petrov:
"So, alive and well!".
He was praised in the newspaper
Petrov fought in the South.
Then, coming from the South,
Someone told him
That Petrov Nikolai Yegorych
Heroically died in the Crimea.
Deev took out a newspaper,
He asked: "What date?" -
And with sadness I realized that the mail
Been here too long...

And soon in one of the cloudy
northern evenings
Assigned to Deev's regiment
There was Lieutenant Petrov.
Deev sat over the map
With two smoldering candles.
A tall soldier entered
Oblique fathom in the shoulders.
In the first two minutes
The major did not recognize him.
Only the lieutenant's bass
Reminds me of something.
- Well, turn to the light, -
And brought a candle to him.
All the same baby lips
The same snub nose.
And what a mustache - so it is
Shave off! - and the whole conversation.
- Lenka? - That's right, Lenka,
He is the best, comrade major!

So he graduated from high school
Let's serve together.
It's a pity, until such happiness
Father did not have to live.-
Lenka's eyes flashed
An unwelcome tear.
He gritted his teeth silently
Wiped the sleeve of the eye.
And again the major had to
As in childhood, tell him:
- Hold on, my boy: in the world
Don't die twice.
Nothing in our life can
Get out of the saddle! -
Such a saying
Major had.

And two weeks later
There was a heavy battle in the rocks,
To help everyone out, I must
Someone risk themselves.
The major summoned Lenka to himself,
Looked straight at him.
- By your command
Appeared, comrade major.
- Well, it's good that you showed up.
Leave the documents to me.
You will go alone, without a radio operator,
Radio on the back.
And across the front, over the rocks,
At night in the German rear
Walk along this path
Where no one has gone.
You'll be there on the radio
Fire batteries.
It's clear? - That's right, clearly.
- Well, go quickly.
No, wait a little, -
Major stood up for a second
As in childhood, with two hands
He pressed Lenka to himself.
- You're going to do something like this.
It's hard to come back.
As a commander, I
I'm not happy to send it there.
But as a father... Answer me:
Am I your father or not?
- Father, - Lenka told him
And hugged him back.

So, like a father, once it happened
Fight for life and death
My father's duty and right
Risk your son
Before others I must
Send your son forward.
Hold on my boy: in the light
Don't die twice.
Nothing in our life can
Get out of the saddle! -
Such a saying
Major had.
- Understood me? - Got it.
May I go? - Go! -
The major remained in the dugout,
The shells were bursting ahead.
Somewhere it rumbled and roared.
The Major watched the clock.
It would be a hundred times easier for him
If only he walked on his own.
Twelve ... Now, probably,
He went through the posts.
Hour ... Now he got
to the bottom of the height.
Two ... He must now be
Crawls to the very ridge.
Three ... Hurry to
The dawn did not catch him.
Deev went out into the air -
How bright the moon shines
Couldn't wait until tomorrow
Damn her!

All night, walking like a pendulum
Major did not close his eyes,
While on the radio in the morning
The first signal came:
- It's all right, I got it.
Germans left me
Coordinates three, ten,
Hurry, let's fire! -
The guns were loaded.
The major calculated everything himself,
And with a roar the first volleys
They hit the mountains.
And again the signal on the radio:
- Germans right me,
Coordinates five, ten,
More like fire!

Earth and rocks flew
A column of smoke rose
It seemed that now from there
Nobody gets out alive.
The third signal on the radio:
- Germans around me,
Hit four, ten
Spare no fire!

The Major turned pale when he heard:
Four, ten - just right
The place where his Lyonka
Must sit now.
But without showing it,
Forgetting that he was a father,
Major continued to command
With a calm face
"Fire!" - shells were flying.
"Fire! Charge quickly!
Square four, ten
There were six batteries.
The radio was silent for an hour
Then came the signal:
- He was silent: deafened by the explosion.
Hit like I said.
I believe my shells
They can't touch me.
The Germans are running, click,
Give me a sea of fire!

And at the command post
Having received the last signal,
Major in deaf radio
Unable to bear it, he shouted:
- You hear me, I believe:
Do not take such death.
Hold on my boy: in the light
Don't die twice.
Nothing in our life can
Get out of the saddle! -
Such a saying
Major had.

The infantry went on the attack -
Was clear by noon.
From the fleeing Germans
Rocky height.
There were corpses everywhere
Wounded but alive
Was found in the Lenka Gorge
With a tied head.
When the bandage was unwound,
What hastily he tied up,
The major looked at Lenka
And suddenly he did not recognize him:
He was like the old one
Calm and young
All the same eyes of a boy
But only ... completely gray-haired.

He hugged the major before
How to go to the hospital:
- Hold on, father: in the world
Don't die twice.
Nothing in our life can
Get out of the saddle! -
Such a saying
Now Lenka had ...

Here's the story
About these glorious deeds
On the Middle Peninsula
Was told to me.
And above, above the mountains,
The moon was still floating.
Explosions were close,
The war continued.
The phone crackled, and, worrying,
The commander walked along the dugout,
And someone just like Lenka,
Went to the Germans today in the rear.

I wrote the poem "The Son of an Artilleryman" in one sitting, literally in one day, in Arkhangelsk, in November of the forty-first year, returning from Murmansk to Moscow.

The story that I based the poem was told to me on the Rybachy Peninsula by the commander of the 104th artillery regiment, Major Yefim Samsonovich Ryklis.

I didn’t see the hero of the poem at that time, I remembered the story of his feat, but I didn’t write down his last name and therefore forgot. And this journalistic mistake of mine brought me a lot of trouble later.

After the war, the poem was included in the reading circle of fifth grade schoolchildren, and they began to write to me from all over the country, asking about the fate of Lenka, the son of an artilleryman. And I had to answer them that I did not know his fate, but I would like to hope that Lenka, having gone through the whole war to the end, remained alive and well.

And only somewhere already in 1964 from Nikolai Bukin, the “poet of the Rybachy Peninsula”, who during this time had become a colonel from a foreman and published more than one book of poems, I suddenly learned that the “artilleryman’s son” was alive and well and still serving in artillery, but only now not in the Far North, but in the Far East.

And shortly after that, we wrote off and met with "Lenka" - with Lieutenant Colonel of Coastal Artillery Ivan Alekseevich Loskutov.

In the winter of 1966, having received another batch of letters from schoolchildren, I wrote to Ivan Alekseevich in Vladivostok and asked him to help me out: to tell in my own words about my own feat and my future fate. I would like to quote in full the letter that Loskutov sent me in response to my request.

“Dear Konstantin Mikhailovich!

At your request, I am answering the questions that schoolchildren ask you in letters to you about the fate of Lenka Petrov from your poem "The Son of an Artilleryman".

Well, first of all, about the episode that formed the basis of the poem. At the beginning of the war, I served in the North in an artillery regiment, as commander of a topographic reconnaissance platoon, with the rank of lieutenant.

In July 1941, a particularly difficult situation arose on our sector of the front, the Germans fiercely rushed forward, and therefore the most intensive and accurate fire was required from our regiment. It was then that the command of the regiment decided to send a correction point to one of the heights. The fact is that this height during the offensive of the Germans turned out to be practically in their near rear and our military outposts, something of the order of 20 people, remained on it. This height was chosen as the place for the correction point.

I was called to the commander of the regiment, Major Ryklis (Major Deev) and the commissar of the regiment Eremin, and I was given the task of reaching this height with a radio station. Having received the task, I went to the front line of our defense with a radio station and two scouts. The infantrymen gave us a guide, and under the cover of fog we went to our destination. It was about three kilometers to go. Aly passed about a kilometer, as the fog cleared, and the Germans opened machine-gun and mortar fire on our group. Our guide was wounded and I sent him back. The remaining distance we walked for about three hours, however, we "walked" not that - we mostly crawled, because attempts to stretch to our full height were interrupted by the fire of German machine guns and mortars. But be that as it may, the goal was achieved. True, my bag turned out to be pierced by a bullet, and a map, a celluloid circle, a wad of money (my monthly pay) was pierced in the bag, and I was saved from injury by the chordoangular meter in the bag, from which the bullet ricocheted.

The overview of the German positions from this height was very good: we perfectly observed the mortar battery, the kitchen, many machine-gun emplacements, and clearly observed all the movements of the Germans. During this day, we spotted all visible targets, determined their coordinates and transmitted all the necessary data by radio to the regiment.

The next day, according to our corrections, the mortar battery was destroyed by the fire of our batteries, a large group of infantry eating food was covered, and several machine-gun points were destroyed.

The Germans apparently realized (or perhaps they detected the operation of the radio station) that the fire was being corrected precisely from this height, and opened artillery and mortar fire at it. One of the mortar batteries was spotted by us and, on our orders, was suppressed by battery fire. Seeing that the fire raid on the height had no effect and could not stop the accurate fire of our batteries, the Germans threw a large group of infantry into the offensive on the height. The fire we called on the advancing Germans could not stop them, and the Germans surrounded the height from all sides, starting to climb directly onto it. We had no choice but to call fire directly on the height. We gave such a command, but the regimental commissar believed that this was a mistake and asked again, and only after our second command did a flurry of our artillery fire fall on the height.

The advancing Germans were partially destroyed, and the rest turned to flight. During the shelling, we tried to hide and remained zhiay, however, the condition was terrible. The radio station was destroyed, and our further stay at the height without communication with the regiment was pointless, and I decided to return to the regiment. But they managed to leave only the next day, when the fog descended, because the slightest movement at the height caused the fire of German machine guns. We returned to the regiment, where we were already considered dead, and reported on the completion of the task.

That's the whole episode, which served as the basis for the creation of the poem "The Son of the Artilleryman."

I served in this regiment until the end of the war. The regiment was awarded the Order of the Red Banner in 1944 and was given the name Pechenga.

In 1945, we were relocated to the Far East, where the regiment took part in the war with Japan and landed in the ports of Korea.

Since 1947 I have been serving in the Red Banner Pacific Fleet.

During the war he was awarded the Orders of the Patriotic War of the 1st and 2nd degrees, two Orders of the Red Star and nine medals.

Here is a short story about myself.

I ask you, Konstantin Mikhailovich, to convey warm greetings to your correspondents, wishes for excellent success in their studies, a wish to be worthy of the glory of their fathers and elder brothers, the glory of our great Motherland.

3. III. 1966

I. A. Loskutov.

Since I received this letter, I have been sending copies of it to all those fifth graders, mostly boys, who ask me about Lyonka's fate.

And Major Petrov
There was Lenka, beloved son,
Without a mother, at the barracks,
The boy grew up alone.
And if Petrov is away,—
It used to be, instead of a father
His friend stayed
For this tomboy.

Will call Deev Lenka:
- Well, let's go for a walk:
Son of an artilleryman
It's time to get used to the horse!—
Together with Lenka will go
At a trot, and then into the quarry.
It used to be that Lenka saved,
Can't take the barrier
Falls off and whines.
— Clearly, still a kid! —

Deev will raise him
Like a second father.
Putting him back on the horse:
- Learn, brother, to take barriers!

Don't die twice.
Nothing in our life can
Get out of the saddle!—
Such a saying
Major had.

Ten years have passed.
Silence is over
Thunder rumbled
Over the homeland war.
Deev fought in the North;
In the polar wilderness
Sometimes in the newspapers
Looking for names of friends.
Once I found Petrov:
"So, alive and well!"
He was praised in the newspaper
Petrov fought in the South.
Then, coming from the South,
Someone told him
That Petrov, Nikolai Yegorych,
Heroically died in the Crimea.
Deev took out a newspaper,
He asked: "What date?"
And with sadness I realized that the mail
Been here too long...

And soon in one of the cloudy
northern evenings
Assigned to Deev's regiment
There was Lieutenant Petrov.
Deev sat over the map
With two smoldering candles.
A tall soldier entered
Oblique fathom in the shoulders.
In the first two minutes
The major did not recognize him.
Only the lieutenant's bass
Reminds me of something.
- Well, turn to the light, -
And brought a candle to him.
All the same baby lips
The same snub nose.
And what a mustache - so it is
Shave! - and the whole conversation.
- Lenka? - That's right, Lenka,
He is the best, comrade major!

So he graduated from high school
Let's serve together.
It's a pity, until such happiness
Father did not have to live.—
Lenka's eyes flashed
An unwelcome tear.
He gritted his teeth silently
Wiped the sleeve of the eye.
And again the major had to
As in childhood, tell him:
- Hold on, my boy: in the world
Don't die twice.
Nothing in our life can
Get out of the saddle!—
Such a saying
Major had.

And two weeks later
There was a heavy battle in the rocks,
To help everyone out, I must
Someone risk themselves.
The major summoned Lenka to himself,
Looked straight at him.
- at your command
Appeared, comrade major.
“Well, it’s good that you showed up.
Leave the documents to me.
You will go alone, without a radio operator,
Radio on the back.
And across the front, over the rocks,
At night in the German rear
Walk along this path
Where no one has gone.
You'll be there on the radio
Fire batteries.
Is it clear? - That's right, it's clear.
- Well, go quickly.
No, wait a little.—
Major stood up for a second
As in childhood, with two hands
Lenka pressed to himself: -
You go to such a thing
It's hard to come back.
As a commander, I
I'm not happy to send it there.
But as a father... Answer me:
Am I your father or not?
“Father,” Lenka told him.
And hugged him back.

- So, like a father, since it turned out
Fight for life and death
My father's duty and right
Risk your son
Before others I must
Send your son forward.
Hold on my boy: in the light
Don't die twice.
Nothing in our life can
Get out of the saddle!—
Such a saying
Major had.
- Understood me? - I understood everything.
Permission to go? - Go! -
The major remained in the dugout,
The shells were bursting ahead.
Somewhere it rumbled and roared.
The Major watched the clock.
It would be a hundred times easier for him
If only he walked on his own.
Twelve ... Now, probably,
He went through the posts.
Hour ... Now he got
To the bottom of the height.
Two... He must be now
Crawls to the very ridge.
Three ... Hurry to
The dawn did not catch him.
Deev went out into the air -
How bright the moon shines
Couldn't wait until tomorrow
Damn her!

All night, walking like a pendulum
Major did not close his eyes,
While on the radio in the morning
The first signal came:
- It's all right, I got it.
Germans left me
Coordinates three, ten,
Hurry, let's fire!—
The guns were loaded
The major calculated everything himself,
And with a roar the first volleys
They hit the mountains.
And again the signal on the radio:
- Germans right me,
Coordinates five, ten,
More like fire!

Earth and rocks flew
A column of smoke rose
It seemed that now from there
Nobody gets out alive.
The third signal on the radio:
Germans around me
Hit four, ten
Spare no fire!

The Major turned pale when he heard:
Four, ten - just right
The place where his Lyonka
Must sit now.
But without showing it,
Forgetting that he was a father,
Major continued to command
With a calm face
"Fire!" - shells flew.
"Fire!" - charge quickly!
Square four, ten
There were six batteries.
The radio was silent for an hour
Then came the signal:
Silent: deafened by the explosion.
Hit like I said.
I believe my shells
They can't touch me.
The Germans are running, click,
Give me a sea of fire!

And at the command post
Having received the last signal,
Major in deaf radio
Unable to bear it, he shouted:
- You hear me, I believe:
Do not take such death.
Hold on my boy: in the light
Don't die twice.
No one in our life can
Get out of the saddle!—
Such a saying
Major had.

He hugged the major before
How to go to the hospital:
- Hold on, father: in the world
Don't die twice.
Nothing in our life can
Get out of the saddle!—
Such a saying
Now Lenka had...

Here's the story
About these glorious deeds
On the Middle Peninsula
Was told to me.
And above, above the mountains,
The moon was still floating
Explosions were close,
The war continued.
The phone crackled, and, worrying,
The commander walked along the dugout,
And someone just like Lenka,
Went to the Germans today in the rear.

And Major Petrov
There was Lenka, beloved son,
Without a mother, at the barracks,
The boy grew up alone.
And if Petrov is away, -
It used to be, instead of a father
His friend stayed
For this tomboy.

Deev will raise him
Like a second father.
Putting him back on the horse:
- Learn, brother, to take barriers!
Don't die twice.
Nothing in our life can
Get out of the saddle! -
Such a saying
Major had.

Ten years have passed.
Silence is over
Thunder rumbled
Over the homeland war.
Deev fought in the North;
In the polar wilderness
Sometimes in the newspapers
Looking for names of friends.
Once I found Petrov:
“So, alive and well!”
He was praised in the newspaper
Petrov fought in the South.
Then, coming from the South,
Someone told him
That Petrov, Nikolai Yegorych,
Heroically died in the Crimea.
Deev took out a newspaper,
He asked: "What date?" -
And with sadness I realized that the mail
Been here too long...

So he graduated from high school
Let's serve together.
It's a pity, until such happiness
The father did not have to live. -
Lenka's eyes flashed
An unwelcome tear.
He gritted his teeth silently
Wiped the sleeve of the eye.
And again the major had to
As in childhood, tell him:
- Hold on, my boy: in the world
Don't die twice.
Nothing in our life can
Get out of the saddle! -
Such a saying
Major had.

And two weeks later
There was a heavy battle in the rocks,
To help everyone out, I must
Someone risk themselves.
The major summoned Lenka to himself,
Looked straight at him.
- By your command
Appeared, comrade major.
- Well, it's good that you showed up.
Leave the documents to me.
You will go alone, without a radio operator,
Radio on the back.
And across the front, over the rocks,
At night in the German rear
Walk along this path
Where no one has gone.
You'll be there on the radio
Fire batteries.
It's clear? - That's right, clearly.
- Well, go quickly.
No, wait a little. -
Major stood up for a second
As in childhood, with two hands
Lenka pressed to himself: -
You go to such a thing
It's hard to come back.
As a commander, I'm not happy to send you there.
But as a father... Answer me:
Am I your father or not?
- Father, - Lenka told him
And hugged him back.

So, like a father, once it happened
Fight for life and death
My father's duty and right
Risk your son
Before others I must
Send your son forward.
Hold on my boy: in the light
Don't die twice.
Nothing in our life can
Get out of the saddle! -
Such a saying
Major had.
- Understood me? - Got it.
May I go? - Go! -
The major remained in the dugout,
The shells were bursting ahead.
Somewhere it rumbled and roared.
The Major watched the clock.
It would be a hundred times easier for him
If only he walked on his own.
Twelve ... Now, probably,
He went through the posts.
Hour ... Now he got
To the bottom of the height.
Two ... He must now be
Crawls to the very ridge.
Three ... Hurry to
The dawn did not catch him.
Deev went out into the air -
How bright the moon shines
Couldn't wait until tomorrow
Damn her!

All night, walking like a pendulum
Major did not close his eyes,
While on the radio in the morning
The first signal came:
- It's all right, I got it.
Germans left me
Coordinates three, ten,
Hurry, let's fire! -
The guns were loaded
The major calculated everything himself,
And with a roar the first volleys
They hit the mountains.
And again the signal on the radio:
- Germans right me,
Coordinates five, ten,
More like fire!

Earth and rocks flew
A column of smoke rose
It seemed that now from there
Nobody gets out alive.
The third signal on the radio:
- Germans around me,
Hit four, ten
Spare no fire!

The Major turned pale when he heard:
Four, ten - just right
The place where his Lyonka
Must sit now.
But without showing it,
Forgetting that he was a father,
Major continued to command
With a calm face
"Fire!" - shells flew.
"Fire!" - charge quickly!
Square four, ten
There were six batteries.
The radio was silent for an hour
Then came the signal:
- He was silent: deafened by the explosion.
Hit like I said.
I believe my shells
They can't touch me.
The Germans are running, click,
Give me a sea of fire!

And at the command post
Having received the last signal,
Major in deaf radio
Unable to bear it, he shouted:
- You hear me, I believe:
Do not take such death.
Hold on my boy: in the light
Don't die twice.
No one in our life can
Get out of the saddle! -
Such a saying
Major had.

He hugged the major before
How to go to the hospital:
- Hold on, father: in the world
Don't die twice.
Nothing in our life can
Get out of the saddle! -
Such a saying
Now Lenka had ...

Artilleryman's son:

And Major Petrov
There was Lenka, beloved son,
Without a mother, at the barracks,
The boy grew up alone.
And if Petrov is away, -
It used to be, instead of a father
His friend stayed
For this tomboy.

Will call Deev Lenka:
- Well, let's go for a walk:
Son of an artilleryman
It's time to get used to the horse!
Together with Lenka will go
At a trot, and then into the quarry.
It used to be that Lenka saved,
Can't take the barrier
Falls off and whines.
- It's clear, still a kid! -

Deev will raise him
Like a second father.
Putting him back on the horse:
- Learn, brother, to take barriers!

Don't die twice.
Nothing in our life can
Kick out of the saddle!-
Such a saying
Major had.

Ten years have passed.
Silence is over
Thunder rumbled
Over the homeland war.
Deev fought in the North;
In the polar wilderness
Sometimes in the newspapers
Looking for names of friends.

Once I found Petrov:
“So, alive and well!”
He was praised in the newspaper
Petrov fought in the South.
Then, coming from the South,
Someone told him
That Petrov, Nikolai Yegorych,
Heroically died in the Crimea.
Deev took out a newspaper,
He asked: "What date?"
And with sadness I realized that the mail
Been here too long...

And soon in one of the cloudy
northern evenings
Assigned to Deev's regiment
There was Lieutenant Petrov.
Deev sat over the map
With two smoldering candles.
A tall soldier entered
Oblique fathom in the shoulders.
In the first two minutes
The major did not recognize him.
Only the lieutenant's bass
Reminds me of something.
- Well, turn to the light, -
And brought a candle to him.
All the same baby lips
The same snub nose.
And what a mustache - so it is
Shave! - and the whole conversation.
- Lenka? - That's right, Lenka,
He is the best, comrade major!

- So, he graduated from school,
Let's serve together.
It's a pity, until such happiness
Father did not have to live.-
Lenka's eyes flashed
An unwelcome tear.
He gritted his teeth silently
Wiped the sleeve of the eye.
And again the major had to
As in childhood, tell him:
- Hold on, my boy: in the world
Don't die twice.
Nothing in our life can
Kick out of the saddle!-
Such a saying
Major had.

And two weeks later
There was a heavy battle in the rocks,
To help everyone out, I must
Someone risk themselves.
The major summoned Lenka to himself,
Looked straight at him.
- By your command
Appeared, comrade major.
- Well, it's good that you showed up.
Leave the documents to me.
You will go alone, without a radio operator,
Radio on the back.
And across the front, over the rocks,
At night in the German rear
Walk along this path
Where no one has gone.
You'll be there on the radio
Fire batteries.
Is it clear? - Yes, it is.
- Well, go quickly.
No, wait a little.-
Major stood up for a second
As in childhood, with two hands
Lenka pressed to himself: -
You go to such a thing
It's hard to come back.
As a commander, I
I'm not happy to send it there.
But as a father... Answer me:
Am I your father or not?
- Father, - Lenka told him
And hugged him back.

So, like a father, once it happened
Fight for life and death
My father's duty and right
Risk your son
Before others I must
Send your son forward.
Hold on my boy: in the light
Don't die twice.
Nothing in our life can
Kick out of the saddle!-
Such a saying
Major had.
- Got me? - Got it.
May I go? - Go! -
The major remained in the dugout,
The shells were bursting ahead.
Somewhere it rumbled and roared.
The Major watched the clock.
It would be a hundred times easier for him
If only he walked on his own.
Twelve ... Now, probably,
He went through the posts.
Hour ... Now he got
To the bottom of the height.
Two ... He must now be
Crawls to the very ridge.
Three ... Hurry to
The dawn did not catch him.
Deev went out into the air -
How bright the moon shines
Couldn't wait until tomorrow
Damn her!

All night, walking like a pendulum
Major did not close his eyes,
While on the radio in the morning
The first signal came:
- It's all right, I got it.
Germans left me
Coordinates three, ten,
Hurry, let's fire! -
The guns were loaded
The major calculated everything himself,
And with a roar the first volleys
They hit the mountains.
And again the signal on the radio:
- Germans right me,
Coordinates five, ten,
More like fire!

Earth and rocks flew
A column of smoke rose
It seemed that now from there
Nobody gets out alive.
The third signal on the radio:
- Germans around me,
Hit four, ten
Spare no fire!

The Major turned pale when he heard:
Four, ten - just right
The place where his Lyonka
Must sit now.
But without showing it,
Forgetting that he was a father,
Major continued to command
With a calm face
"Fire!" - shells flew.
"Fire!" - charge quickly!
Square four, ten
There were six batteries.
The radio was silent for an hour
Then came the signal:
- He was silent: deafened by the explosion.
Hit like I said.
I believe my shells
They can't touch me.
The Germans are running, click,
Give me a sea of fire!

And at the command post
Having received the last signal,
Major in deaf radio
Unable to bear it, he shouted:
- You hear me, I believe:
Do not take such death.
Hold on my boy: in the light
Don't die twice.
No one in our life can
Kick out of the saddle!-
Such a saying
Major had.

He hugged the major before
How to go to the hospital:
- Hold on, father: in the world
Don't die twice.
Nothing in our life can
Kick out of the saddle!-
Such a saying
Now Lenka had ...

Song from the movie "Officers"
Words by Leonid Agranovich.
Muses. Raphael Hozak
Use Vladimir Zlatoustovsky

Portal for the student. Self-training

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