Fairy tale on gold death

From our village to stone mountains in one day on a cart you will not reach, for two days on foot you will not reach. Muzhiks at us исстари хлеборобы, and rare from them there road knew. Sometimes there came from mountain places tar extractors, brought pitch and different поделушки: bast mats лыковые, кадушки for a pickles. Well, from these tar extractors muzhiks also learnt, where that becomes. One will tell about iron factories, other pebble any for поглядения will bring: that white, as sugar, green, red, on a blood drop the similar. Look, say, what riches in mountains lay. And one here as has arrived and affects, as if somewhere near Ильмен hunters gold nuggets find. Places, speaks, there still little-used, fenny, and золотишко фартит it is frequent.

Muzhiks about such "фарт" will listen, a head will shake, and will forget. Only one Микеша it was tempted. And that not from greed. The guy it was young, no allotment had, went on rich court yard, батрачил. And its little sister, the little girl small, too in батрачках a vein.

Old men dissuaded: where, say, you gather, what for? The party there to you unfamiliar, and you do not know, how золотишко to dig. And after all not skilfully even бурундучка in wood you will not find, not that that native gold.

But Микеша has told:

- To me equally here, there it will not be sweet, but, can, something yes I will find. Then though sister from батрачек I will get out yes in marriage I will give out.

During that time near Ильмен no settlements existing. Everywhere there were woods dark, in междугорьях - lakes deep. The whole summer Микеша in these places wandered yes копушки did. Will beat out a hole in a grief, and to sense on a penny. It, золотишко, can, somewhere nearby lays, but go it take! Whether old men the truth сказыва: it is necessary to do any business skilfully!

The fellow was enclosed, and bread in котомке did not become for a long time. And after all livelihood in mountains you will not soon get. It was necessary to tighten a belt more tightly. Sometimes луковку саранки will dig out, wild to garlic will chew, the mushroom will salt, with cold water will wash down - that and is full. It was necessary to spend the night too not on the furnace and where night will find.

Though and not under force there was such life, nevertheless Микеша from conceived was not receded.

Towards the autumn the cowberry on glades under pines red juice was poured. Dews cold have started to fall. And Микеша all goes, копушки does, naked hands breed touches, but Even a trace золотишка cannot find.

It has once stopped to spend the night. Mountain circle high, the lake big nearby lays, and on that lake of island. One island in lake, as a cap shaggy: high, островерхий and all has grown with wood. Another, at the left, too wood, but is less. And nearby to coast, in the depth, the third island - a stone rock. Its top has rested against the sky, and the wind there drives clouds, as if a grey-haired beard pulls out. Likely, about it also it is told:

Bird-hawk on that mountain not залетывала, the Fast horse did not trample down its hoof shod, from top to bottom it is washed up by Crude fogs, by Cold winds is dried up...

Has not had time Микеша to light a fire as has heard as if from top of a rock groan was distributed. Has looked there, and there, and it is true, the person is seen. To call does not call, only groans: it is visible, difficultly to it on a ledge to keep.

Did not begin Микеша to deliberate long, what yes why. Has thrown off from itself clothes, has crossed a mouth of lake and has scrambled on rock top. Has found the person, has offered to it a hand to help, and has receded. The Person stood on the breast shipped, a grey stone held down. Decrepit, absolutely the old man. The beard at it отросла long, has closed shoulders and a breast, with мохом was mixed.

Beginnings Микеша to ask, as it here has got, from what places has come. The old man at first was silent, only a hand waved: leave-de from here, and without you тошно. But has little by little become kinder, has ceased to groan, has asked водички to get drunk.

Still before Микеша from tar extractors has heard, as if lived once in mountains башкирин, by nickname Кадыр. Also was at it Кадыра big талан gold to find. Will strike кайлом, a shovel will dig - native gold here and is. Only was gone it талан and neither to it, nor to people of advantage has not brought.

In a youth while gold has not got to hands, was Кадыр affable, not avaricious. For the friend could remove last shirt from itself. And as has started nuggets to find, as if have changed it. From the father with mother has left, the bride has refused, by old friends will pass - will not look back, to a hungry dog of a dry crust of bread will not throw. Gold home did not bring, in woods it hid, and then and absolutely from village in wood has left.

Leaves, it Кадыр and is!

- The old man has satisfied I thirst water and itself about the trouble has told.

Time when have started hands to weaken at it, force young has approached was gone, it became heavy to protect the saved up gold from another's eye. While collected yes saved nuggets, neither day, nor night easy has not spent. Well, also it has decided them to hide, that any live soul could not find.

Has chosen mountain above. From here, from the top, all Urals Mountains as on a palm it is visible: both on sunrise, and on a decline, and in that party, whence Сиверко blows, and towards warm edges where in the autumn jambs of cranes depart. Wood an eye you will not throw, by any versts you do not measure. And not everyone to this rock will approach. The Lake often high waves splashes.

It for a treasure on a rock ledge has beaten out a deep well. Only one tiny самородочек has left at itself(himself) from time to time to admire it, to play.

Has coped with business, was going to leave, yes has suddenly seen, that the place has appeared perceptible: it was not filled up бугорок over a well. Has risen on бугорок, the beginnings feet to trample down, and has failed in a well on the breast. Самородочек which it it is close to heart has put by, has pulled it to a treasure. How many fought Кадыр, could not get out of a well: does not start up gold!

By then, as Микеша it has found, many years Кадыр on a rock stood and every year all is deeper and deeper in a well fell. A wind it was blown from different directions, the sun by a scorching heat, a frost froze.

Эх you, destiny Кадыра, Судьбинушка! As a wormwood-grass Bitter.

Has listened Микеша and speaks:

- All right, Кадыр, now I from bondage will release you. Here I will run for кайлом and a shovel, I will tear down around stones, you I will take out. Only give here самородочек, that on a breast at you it is hidden. To say goodbye to you it is necessary with it, to throw out, differently the treasure gold will not release.

And the old man a head has rolled up, a beard has shaken:

- It is not necessary! Do not touch my gold! Leave!

Микеша, however, to it has not listened. All the same has gone down downwards, has brought кайло and allow a stone to pull down. Will break away a boulder, will push off it in lake, to another is accepted. So till late night worked and only then has noticed, that works spends in vain. Кадыр is even deeper увяз, above only the head top is visible, and the rock has begun to rock and to sink in beginning lake. Here already and waves lake underfoot at Микеши splash. Here and water of top of a rock has concerned. That also look, itself together with Кадыром will be lost.

Has jumped Микеша in lake, has floated to coast and when has looked back, no rock existed, all it under water has disappeared.

Погоревал the guy. It was a pity Кадыра. Though also the stranger it, nevertheless is a pity. And not because its gold with itself in the earth has dragged away, that is why, that it on gold death has exchanged happiness.

All night long did not sleep Микеша, at a fire sat, thought. Would be at it such талан as at Кадыра, nuggets in earth to search, he would not began to hide them. Would gain at first sister, and then all poor children in village from a farm-labourer's share has relieved. Probably for good gold of the person does not weigh! With that it also has gone further, to mountains.