THEY ARE WARMED by the SUN
Already
clear up horizon,
The rest to soul is brought by it.
- We also came, - the stepfather has told, having bended a rocky mountain, they get to the river. The river bore a muddy spring water, having filled by water of a shore up to edges. - the water soon fall down and then will be possible to wash out sand, can though we shall find gold slightly.
Under a stony mountain, having nestled by a back wall to a mountain, stood accurate hut. By near are the almost collapsed house. Till other party a large barn. Between a barn and house stood of fire wood. It was abandoned zimovie. In house a old man on named «the Clear sea» and young man, that a also came here from gold fields, were lived.
The spring was come more and more into its rights. All around all turn green. The water slept and artel that was consisted from four persons, including the mother and stepfather, was going on a channel of the river in searches of deposited gold. But it was so a little, that did not suffice on a flour.
The fish gained. It here was enough. Small-sized fish "goliashka" Tamara caught by a sieve at a mouth of a spring, that running to the river, and by buckets she brought it to home. By a summer was freedom. A wood around, flowers and sun. There berry and mushrooms in a wood. Tamara in the whole days was walking on a wood. She was collecting mushrooms and berries, ramsom and wild onions.
She was walking far. She was attracted by flowers, butterfly, grasshoppers. The toys at her were not, but she moulded them to herself from multi-coloured clay, which was in shores. And the doll for her was sewed by the mother from cloths. The doll had an equal trunk, head without a neck and hand - leg as sticks.
In the summer it was good. It was pleased even with a thunder-storm and torrential rain. She was rolling on a herb and laughed under flashing of lightnings, and then had a pleasure in warm evaporations from the hot sun.
The stepfather has made "morda" - a trap for a fish. Has made "zaezdok" - a partition of stones, that the fish was directed in morda. Morda is made of rods"talnik" - a kind of bush.
By gold they had purchase on bridge the oil, flour and even potato. The mother has not rejected skin from potato, and has treated old kitchen garden and has put that skin. Has grown good large potato.
Having wrapped up in small bag some gold, the mother has given it to Tamara and sent to the bridge to purchase some oil. The girl has run along the river and suddenly has seen a bird floating on the river. Forgot about gold, she has run behind a bird, but she was hid in water and far - far dive out. Tamara, having detected, that she has lost gold, hang one's head has returned home. At home from the mother to it hardly has flown. For the first time she has tested a pain from a rod. And both of them bitterly cried, as you see earlier (as, however, and later), the mother of Tamara never was beat. The stepfather has come.
- What matter, that you cry? - he has asked.
- Tamara has lost gold and I have beaten it.
- Well and it is vain, what for of child to beat, we have ate and without oil, not a first time, - and he has taken the girl on knees, consoling it. - you know, she and so badly sleeps.
Really, girl on night someone pressed, and she grow torpid, could not wake up. Straining all forces, she with shout awoke. In the day in bushes to her seemed a waved sleeves. The girl did not sleep on a soft cushion, it at her was not. There was no also matress, blanket. Slept, on what it was.
«The Clear sea» has plaited from a horse hair the string and has made a fishing tackle for Tamara, on which she caught a fishs "harius" in the river by on grasshoppers and butterflies. The girl was fearless. She was afraid of nothing and wandered itself on a wood, was going far downwards on the river. Once she has throw in "ulovo" (pool) a fishing tackle, someone hardly has pulled. She has not kept a fishing tackle in a hand and, hardly was, itself has not dived into water. The fishing tackles were a pity, here it could not be acquired.
Once girl ran with colours at bottom of a rock. Suddenly on a nape something hardly has struck. From eyes the scintillas fell down. Having dropped colours, she with shout was threw home.
- Mum! The mum!!!
- What such? What happened?
- Me someone has struck on a head!
- Yes that you, dear daughter, here you see anybody are not present.- But on a nape was large bump.
Is, probably, rocky bear, - the stepfather has assumed. - he if will see under a rock of the person or elk, dumps from a rock stones and if will kill, climbs down and pulled his booty and hides, filling up rods end branches. Our happiness, that he has not hitted on a head directly, stone only had touched your nape, and that we absolutely would not find you, do not walk there more.
Once Tamara has found yellow small stone and has shown it to the mother. The mother has thought that this gold and began with disturbance to speak, as for this stone she will purchase for the daughter a good dress and beautiful doll. They lied and dreamed, as yet the stepfather has not come .
- It is not a gold, it is a stone that is similar to gold, - and the dreams of a new dress and doll have failed.
Sometimes old man «the Clear sea» has told to the girl of a fairy tale. This illiterate person knew by heart, word in a word, fairy tales Pushkin and loved to tell they.
And Tamara, having concealed breathing, listened, and then itself began to represent itself in a fairy tale, that somewhere in rocks of a unusual empire the fantastic boy is living which she will find.
And she searched for it, wandering between rocks, expecting, that behind this stone he lives and waits of she, that he will come to she and will lead she in a unprecedented empire. But, come to herself, she saw only rodents, that was run in its holes.
And the old man was called by such strange nickname because, when something was impossible for him, he with disappointment spoke: «the clear sea». Then he has disappeared, as well as has appeared, it is not known where.
OGRE
The thunder-storm
is thunder
and
tear of soul,
But all will pass, but all will pass.
Was approached the middle of summer. The time come to harvesting of bread in villages. The stepfather has decided to move there, earn of bread. But how to go? To go on foot up to cities of hundred kilometers without meal it was impossible. And they have decided to be floating by raft downwards on the river.
- For day by the river we shall come in city. Here not far on a down is thrown raft. To it only oars to make, and you - for a way, pick up of berries.
The next day they came to raft.
- Oi! How many here of berries! And all large! - has screamed Tamara.
This is mohovka, - mother has told .
- And to collect it here there is nobody, except for a bear, - the stepfather has noticed. - you be more cautious, I saw it fresh traces. - And he has undertaken a work.
And oars are ready, raft is lowered on water. The berries was picked. The next day, with sunrise, they were let in a path.
On the raft from both parties were small posts with cross-beams for oars. To one post have put the girl on a box. At first the river bore them quietly. A inaccessible multi-coloured rocks past floated, sloping shores covered with carpets of flowers.
By evening in an air was heard any strange noise, as though bazz of a huge plenty of bees. It was amplified more and more. In the distance was showing island, where the river will divide on two arms. On one from arms the raft has rush along all faster and faster. The noise has turned in roar. The river was pressed by rocks as in well. The water rushed, rushed from the party to the party, throwing the mad waves through raft. Tamara has grasped the post on raft. The stepfather stood till other party of raft and tried to align raft, which bore directly on a ledge of a rock.
By water has washed off box, on which sat Tamara. The mother has knocked down by a wave. On all fours , struggled with water, choking, she had crept to Tamara.
- Dear daughter, you here? - clasping it together with post, the mother has shouted, - be kept more strong for post!
The stepfather managed to turn raft and to turn round about the terrible rock. Waves begin to cease, water-fall was terminated. It was water-fall "Ogre". It nobody passed. It did not pass anybody unpunishedly from invaded in its possession. But above them it had pity, though without tribute has not remained. Everything, that was on raft, has washed off by water, both berry, and wearings. Tamara sat simply on raft and all not issue post from the embraces. She looked, how begind raft were floating a sieve and a doll, sewed by the mum.
The evening come. They floated to the large river, on which coast the city was on the other hand stretched.
The river was fast, as all northern rivers, and mother with the stepfather with an effort have docked to a coast. Tamara so stiffen from water and evening cool, that hardly could rise on legs and then longly was not decided to step through string of water, that to step on a shore, such it was showed to her terrible.
Their adventure remained not unnoticed. After "Ogre" there were village, which inhabitants was running on a shore, with surprise looking on the brave travellers.
Chilled and wet they have come in small house the relation woman. It was the city Zeia on the river of the same title.
- Oi, whence you such wet, - the frightened relative has started talking.
- Then we shall tell, at first to put the samovar on the table , it is necessary to be warmed and to lie down Tamara, she absolutely weak, - has told the mother.
- Now, now. Go here, Tamarochka.
The relative has spread mattress on a floor, has laid Tamara and has covered by her fur coat.
Tamara was warmed, but fall asleep could not, above her head a waves still rustled.
In HIRING
So fast
vernal days
was rushed,
Where, where they have departed?
Intolerable heat. Among the boundless sea of excited bread there were going three. The girl, was exhausted from a fatigue and heat, hardly walked , have immersion by naked legs in a hot dust.
- The mum, soon we shall reach?
- Soon, daughter, Soon. Already village it is visible.
Having entered in village, they came to a large gate and have knocked in them. To him has come the man with by a beard.
- Hi, - they have greeted.
- Hi. You what to be employed want?
- Yes, we want to earn for bread.
- Well, do pass in a yard. Today will have a rest, will be washed up in bania, and tomorrow and on zaimka (department of farm). It is time to harvest. While you will be on zaimka, the girl will be here.
For the second day the mother with the stepfather have leaved on zaimka. The hosts have forced the girl to nurse the child. Tamara slept on a bed near cradle with the host's child and incessantly rocked it, until slept. The mother of this child slept here, on the stove, and early rose to prepare in the russian stove a meal. She was as a daughter-in-low to the host and lived in separate hut. In hut it was dirty.
- Well, why you have fallen asleep, do not look? He turns, - has heard Tamara a spiteful voice of hostess.
In the morning the girl was forced to put large samovar, which she managed with a large labour. And the host for it abused her «by nobiliary blood». When the child slept, Tamara was sent in a barn, where the girl knitted an onions, which was much. The girl missed about the mother and cried. And the girls loved her, have sewed to her a new dress and on Sundays leaded in church.
But bread is harvested, and mother with the stepfather have returned with zaimka. The host not was not miserly also has paid to them by a grain enough, and also has helped to take it on a mill and on quay to load at the motorship sailing to city Zeia. The hunger-strike terminated.
AGAIN WITHOUT the MUM
Now to not catch up, to not return anything.
And heart
is presses, why, why?
Before the mother and stepfather again there was a problem how to live further. To the stepfather an information had reached, that is preparing the carts string, for a those who wish to be directed on Aldan river, where have opened gold. Carts string was ready to winter. Have departed on the frozen river Zeia. Behind carts string there was a crowd of the people. Among this crowd, looking back, there was a woman. Far behind of the carts a two elderly women kept and persuaded the girl, and she cried and, choking tears, shouted:
- The mum, mum, do not leave, mum, and I with you!!
- Tamarochka, you cannot leave, there school is not present, and you should study.
- I do not want, I do not want, let me!
But they not release her and by force led home two women - not the native grandmother of the stepfather and hostess at home, where they lived on an apartment, Kapitolina Vasilievna. At the home they longly could not to calm her. The stayed traces seeihg of reminded to her still, that the mum left far in a taiga. Going to sleep, she was pray, asking the God, that without delay she has met the mum. But the time has consoled Tamara, and she began to attend a school.
Kapitolina Vasilievna was attached to the girl. She did not have children, and she pet of Tamara. When Tamara was learned to read, illiterate Kapitolina Vasilievna took her to cinema (then still without sound) to read sub-titles. In a hall many read aloud, for itself and for neighbours, and consequently hooted as a bee and here smoked, clicked seeds. Or she put Tamara with herself on a feather-bed, fired a kerosene lamp, put it on desktop near a bed and asked to read. Read Tamara to late, up to be exhausted.
She was read
everything: fantasy, novels. And eventually she itself also began to fantasy, to dream. Though
Kapitolina Vasilievna was not competent, but for some reason
she had many books and the girl pulled to its, though for her it was still too early. She became silent, retired, of anybody was not friends. But for some reason
she always was selected on the scene to read verses, to sing, though hearing at her special was not. All class became
calm down, when she read a long verse about the peasant and his horse died from famine and excessive work.
May be the her tenderness was attracted attention of the teachers to her .
The city still was attacked or by the gangsters, or by hunhus (chinese gangsters). The population lived in fear. Once in summer the inhabitants of a house have seen fires in mountains. In the house lived Kapitolina Vasilievna, grandmother, Tamara and the grandmother receiving daughter Marina. The males were not.
Are the gangsters, - spoke Kapitolina Vasilievna, - it is necessary all to prepare to be in time to hide. At the night we shall not sleep. It is necessary to make a hole in a fencing in a kitchen garden, and there through a grove in a wood.
They have prepared bread and did not sleep. But the gangsters to them did not come. And at winter, when Tamara has come in school that has seen two girls, which cried. To them there came the gangsters and have killed the mother and father. And they were hidden under a bed, the gangsters hurried up also them did not see. As soon as was dawn, they have come running for fear in school.
Kapitolina Vasilievna told: «I because of these
hunhuses have thrown zimovio and itself hardly was rescued from them. Have arrived cabmans, and I for them cooked in the
a russian stove cabbage soup. And the stove stood near a door. Has squeaked a door, I have looked back, and in doors armed
chinese. I, not longly thinking, have seized the iron pot and all has poured out on a chinese head, and itself has jumped out in the open window and to the river.
It is good, that began to get dark. I in water and to be floating on that party. They have opened on me shooting and one bullet was touched a head.
Being poured by blood, I nevertheless have come up on other party, has wind round a wound by an apron and has hidden in bushes. In the morning on dawn I hear, that chineses, exchanging words on, go by those bushes, where I lay. I have hidden, and they me have not noticed.
I have caught the grazed horse, has directed it to water, has grasped it a tail and it has forwarded me to zimovio. In zimovio one my working woman wandered between of the horses. Her husband and cabmans was killed. And she was in time to escape on a meadow, where the cows were grazed and slept. Between them she also has hidden.
We were cried with her, have buried the people, have collected gold, which a chineses not found . Have loaded things on carts. The working woman harness of the horses. At me the wound, I already absolutely fell from legs was sick. Have gone on ford. Since then I with the bald head. The hair cannot be carried, the head is ill».
And again summer. Again mushrooms, berries, which they collected for winter. The mushrooms salted. Red bilberry sift from leafes. This berry without juice and it was many on hills. Collected it by special scrapers, began from a hill bottom, and froze by the whole barrels. Tamara with Marina was helping on household. In a holiday dressed up, on easter oscillated on a swing. Were coming as a visitors.
And between that, happened menacing and significant events. The people waited for something of a unknown. Some alarm has pressed down all. Gold manufactures hasty leaved, having abandoned gold fields. The gangs hunhuses and everyone riff-raff have appeared. Then there came red groups and became quieter. The people become to trust, that the best life has come. The occupations at school were reinstated. The new verses and songs have appeared. Read and sang them at schools and clubs, about capitalistes, bourgeois, about injustice and about new life. For example, such verses:
« The Mason, mason
In an apron white
What you there build, whom? »
« Ei, do not hinder,
We occupied in business
We create, we create prison »
« The Mason, mason
In an apron white,
Who in it will suffer? »
« Correctly not you
And not the brother yours rich
There is no need fo you to steal »
Learned verses about heavy country life and about new time. And when has died Lenin, learned such verses:
That not the sun set
Behind a mountain at evening o'clock.
The leader great, leader of the workers,
Famous Lenin ours has died away.
For all working and workers
He the protector valid was.
His
business we shall not overlook,
Let's live, as he taught.
To live began better. At Tamara the dresses, constant wear garment, boots, warm wear, form school have appeared.
THE MOTHER
They went, freezing,
Wandering in a taiga,
That
if yellow metal
Has begun to sparkle on a hand.
The taiga severely was silent under dazzling snow, shining on the sun by billions of scintillas. It by centuries stored the infinite riches in frozen ground. And need and ruin after war were driven of people on searches of these riches. Driven on impassability, by burning frosts. Either to find, or to perish.
Them there were eight men and one woman. The surprising, beautiful and hardy woman went behind the husband not complaining on anything. She was ready all to overcome if only to be near to him. Went one after another, to drive behind itself of the horses with the consignment. A food, fodder, tent, iron stove. A food consist in main of pel'meni and bread, which have done to a all way.
Went on the river Aldan, where the geologists have found gold. In Zeia about it have found out, and mother with the father among first staratels (that who find of gold) came on searches of happiness. The places there were still not lived-in, only Yakuts with herds of deers there lead a nomad's life. Usually on tracts in a taiga through forty miles stood zimovies. On the directions of a Aldan river there was no a zimovies, as well as road at all. Was going already many kilometers of a path. Have transferred through Jablonovii mountain range . Have overcome much hills, and housing accomodation human all not anywhere was visible, neither tracks, nor roads. And around boundless, ominions, silent taiga with its deep snow, with its a forty degrees frosts.
They were already beaten out from forces, when have seen in raspadok a smoke. There stood a little hastily built huts.
- Well, it seems, we and came, - has told Innikentiy, the stepfather of Tamara.
Hastily have mounted tent, have delivered in it iron stove. Have removed the consignment from the horses, which there were only two, last have perished in a road. Therefore it was necessary to bear foods, which already remained not much, by men on a back.
The next day, after some rest, they have undertaken work. Four men begin to cut listvenniza (kind of tree) for construction of hut, and others was going to search for a place where to dig dug-hole to extract gold. So the artel was derivated. Together with the come earlier artels they have derivated a settlment, which further has turned to city Aldan.