The Girl and Death is a bitter story of writing. The image of death in the pagan worldview and Maxim Gorky’s fairy tale “The Girl and Death”

The Girl and Death

Tale I The king was riding through the village after the war. As he rides, his heart is sharpened by black anger. He hears a girl laughing behind the elderberry bushes. His red eyebrows furrowed menacingly, the king hit his horse with his spurs, flew at the girl like a storm, and shouted, his armor ringing:
“What are you doing,” he shouts angrily and rudely, Why are you baring your teeth, girl? The enemy won a victory over me, My entire squad was killed, half of my retinue was captured, I’m going home for a new army, I am your king, I’m in grief and offended - How does it feel for me to see your stupid laughter? Adjusting her blouse on her chest, the girl answered the king: “Go away,” I’m talking to my dear one! Father, you’d better step away.” _______ You love, there’s no time for tsai here, - There’s no time to talk with kings! Sometimes love burns faster than a thin candle in God's hot temple. _______ The king shook all over with wild anger, ordered his obedient retinue: “Well, then, throw the girl in prison, Or, better yet, strangle her right away!” Having distorted their obsequious faces, They rushed towards the girl like devils, The Tsar's grooms and velozhi - They betrayed the girl into the hands of Death. II Death is always submissive to evil demons, But that day she was not in the spirit, - After all, in the spring of love and life, the grains swell even in her, the old woman. It’s boring to tinker with rotten meat for ages, to exterminate various diseases in it; It's boring to measure time by the hour of death - I want to live more uselessly. Everyone, before the inevitable meeting with her, feels only strange, - She is tired of human horror, Tired of funerals, crypts. Busy with a thankless task On a land both dirty and sick. Does one skillfully, - People they consider Death unnecessary. Well, of course, she is offended by this, Our human herd angers her, And, angry, Death snatches from the world Sometimes not those who are needed. If only she could fall in love with Satan, maybe, breathe in the hellish heat to her heart's content, and sob from the pain of love, together with the fire-haired Satan! III The girl stands before Death, boldly awaiting a terrible blow. Death mutters, feeling sorry for the victim: “Look, how young you are! Why were you rude to the king there? I’ll kill you!” “Don’t be angry,” said the girl, “Why are you angry with me? My darling kissed me for the first time under a green elderberry bush, - Was I before the king at that time? Well, the king, unfortunately, flees from the war, I tell him, the king, get away from here, father! It’s good, as if, I say, Oh, look, it turned out so bad! Well?! There is nowhere to escape from Death. Apparently, I will die without loving. Death! I ask you with my soul - Give me another kiss!” These speeches are strange to Death, - Death never asks for this! He thinks: “How will I live in the world, If people stop kissing?” And warming the bones in the spring sun, Death said, beckoning the snake: “Well, go, kiss, yes - quickly! The night is yours, and at dawn I will kill you!” And she sat down on a stone, waiting, and the snake licked her braid with its sting. The girl sobs with happiness, Death grumbles: “Go, quickly, go! IV Gently warmed by the spring sun, Death took off her worn-out bast shoes, lay down on a stone and fell asleep. Death had a bad dream! As if her parent, Cain, with his great-grandson - Iscariot, Decrepancy, both climb the mountain, - Like two snakes crawling quietly. “Lord!” Cain groans gloomily, looking at the sky with dull eyes. “Lord!” - the evil Judas cries, without raising his eyes from the ground. Above the mountain, in a ruddy cloud, the Lord reclines, reading a book: That book is written in the stars, Milky Way- one of its leaves. At the top of the mountain stands an archangel, holding a sheaf of lightning in a white hand. He says sternly to the travelers: “Go away!” The Lord will not accept you!” “Haile!” Cain complains, “I know that my sin before the world is great!” I gave birth to the murderer of bright Life, I am the father of the cursed, vile Death - “Michael!” says Judas, “I know that I am more sinful than Cain, Because I betrayed to vile Death God’s heart, as bright as the sun!” And they both cry out loudly: “Mikhail! Let God say at least a word to us, even if he only regrets - After all, we no longer ask for forgiveness!” The archangel quietly answers them: “Three times I told him this, Twice he did not say anything to me, The third time, shaking his head, he said: “Know that as long as Death destroys the living, there is no forgiveness for Cain and Judas.” Let him forgive them, whose power can overcome the power of Death forever.” Then the Brother-Killer and the Traitor howled sadly and sobbed, and, hugging each other, they both rolled into the stinking swamp under the mountain. And in the swamp, ghouls, kikimors and devils are raging, rejoicing, And they spit on Cain and Judas with blue swamp lights. V Death woke up around noon, looked, and the girl didn’t come! Death mutters sleepily: “Look, you whore!” Apparently the night was short!“ She picked a sunflower behind the fence. He sniffs and admires how the sun gilds the aspen leaf with its living fire into yellow ducats. And looking at the sun, she suddenly sang quietly and nasally, as best she could: “With a merciless hand, people will kill and bury their neighbor.” And they sing: “Rest in holy peace!” I don’t understand anything! - The despot beats people and drives them away, And when he dies, they bury him with the same song! The honest one died or the thief - With equal melancholy the sad choir sings: “Rest with the saints!” I will kill a fool, a brute or a boor with my hand, But for everyone they stubbornly sing: “Rest with the saints!” VI She sang a song - she begins to get angry, Much more than a day has passed, And - the girl does not return. This is bad. Death is no joke. Becoming angrier and crueler, Death put on bast shoes and onuchi And, barely waiting moonlit night, He goes on his way, more menacing than an autumn cloud. An hour has passed and he sees: in a copse, under a dewy young hazel tree, on satin grass, in the moonlight, a girl sits like a spring goddess. Like the earth is bare in early spring. Her breasts are exposed shamelessly. And on the silky, doe-like skin, the stars of kisses are clearly visible. Two nipples, like stars, color the chest, And - like stars - the eyes meekly look into the heavens, at the bright Milky Way, at the path of the blue-haired night. There are blue shadows under the eyes, like a wound - the lips are wetly scarlet. With his head in her lap, the guy dozes like a tired deer. Death looks, and quietly the flame of anger goes out in her empty skull. “Why are you, like Eve, hiding from God behind a bush?” As if the sky, the moon-star body, shielding the Darling from Death, the girl answers her boldly: “Wait a minute, don’t scold me! Don't make noise, don't frighten the poor guy, don't use your sharp scythe! I'll come now and go to my grave. And keep it longer! It’s my fault, I didn’t come on time, I thought I wasn’t far from Death. Let me hug the boy again: He feels so good with me! Yes, and he is good! Look at the marks he left on my cheeks and chest. Look, they bloom like fiery poppies!” Death, ashamed, laughed quietly: “Yes, it’s like you kissed the sun. But - I don’t have you one, - thousands I must kill! I serve my time honestly, There’s a lot to do, and I’m old, I cherish every minute, Get ready, girl, it’s time!” The girl says: “My dear will embrace you, There is no more earth or sky. And the soul is full of unearthly power, And an unearthly light burns in the soul. There is no more fear of Fate, and there is no need for either God or people! Like a child, she is happy with herself, And love admires itself.” Death is silent thoughtfully and sternly, He sees that he cannot interrupt this song! There is nothing more beautiful than the sun God's world, There is no fire - the fire of love is more wonderful! VII Death is silent, and the girl’s speeches of Envy melt her bones with fire, They imperiously toss her into heat and cold, What will the heart of Death reveal to the world? Death is not a mother, but a woman, and in her the Heart is also stronger than the mind; IN dark heart Death is the sprouts of Pity and anger and melancholy. To those whom she loves more deeply, Who are stung in the soul by evil melancholy, How lovingly she whispers at night About the great joy of peace! “Well,” said Death, “let there be a miracle!” I give you permission - live! Only I will be next to you, I will forever be near Love!” _________ Since then, Love and Death, like sisters, Walk inseparably to this day, Behind love, Death with a sharp scythe Drudges everywhere, like a procurer. She walks around, bewitched by her sister, And everywhere - at the wedding and at the funeral feast, Tirelessly, steadily building the Joy of Love and the happiness of Life.

In the late 20s - the first half of the 30s, Maxim Gorky occupied an absolutely exceptional place in society and artistic culture Soviet Union. Having solid authority in literary circles, he often acted as the final arbiter in literary disputes and clashes. The study of his work was given priority in the system of school and university education. He was quoted and referred to not much less than Lenin and Stalin. Everyone in the country knew that the proletarian classic enjoyed the exceptional confidence of the Politburo and the Secretary General.
It is interesting that Stalin himself, intending to praise the writer, does not name either “At the Lower Depths,” or “Mother,” or any other of Gorky’s major creations, but raises to the skies his youthful fairy tale poem “The Girl and Death,” written in 1892 year and published in July 1917 in the same newspaper “ New life“, where Gorky’s anti-Bolshevik articles were published, which caused the indignation of Joseph Vissarionovich.
And on October 11, 1931, he assessed the poem as follows: "This thing is stronger than Goethe's Faust (love conquers death)".

Only the most dogmatic bitter scholars could take such an unjustified panegyric to an unassuming tale seriously. But did Gorky himself take it seriously?
This is what Vyacheslav Ivanov, the son of the writer Vsevolod Ivanov, who is close to the author of the poem, tells according to family legends. A week before Gorky left for Italy, Stalin and Voroshilov visited him. They “wrote their resolution on his fairy tale “The Girl and Death.” My father, who spoke about this episode with Gorky, asserted emphatically that Gorky was insulted. Stalin and Voroshilov were drunk and fooling around.”
There is no way to verify this evidence, but it seems close enough to the truth. In such a response from the Kremlin owner, one sees a mockery of his “closest friend,” whom he was forced in many ways to show the greatest favors, placed next to him, but never completely trusted and did not really like his works.
Such conclusions are also suggested by a book from Stalin’s library, which he read with unusually close attention - Gorky M. “Poems”. M., 1951.
One can imagine Stalin looking at a photograph of Gorky's fairy tale with his own inscription extolling it. Then he picks up a blue pencil and crosses out this photo three times. Then he turns the page and crosses out the photo on the back side.
Is in the book and famous photograph(or is it a reproduction of a painting?), which depicts Stalin and Voroshilov in Gorky’s office on Malaya Nikitskaya, when the writer reads “The Girl and Death” to them. Ideological clerks gave this action with the reading of a fairy tale and the inscription of the great leader a certain huge historical meaning. A genius writes about a genius.
In Stalin's book, this photograph is crossed out with a blue pencil.
It is difficult to understand what motivated Stalin when he crossed out photographs and a number of other works by Gorky in Poems. Was he trying to express a hidden negative attitude towards these poetic experiments of the proletarian classic? Or did you feel a little awkward when looking at the photographs in the collection?

A. Yar-Kravchenko. A.M. Gorky reads September 11, 1931 to I.V. Stalin, V.M. Molotov and K.E. Voroshilov's fairy tale "The Girl and Death". 1941

Based on materials from the book by E. S. Gromov “Stalin: Art and Power”

Well, here is the fairy tale poem itself:

The king was driving through the village after the war.
As he rides, his heart is sharpened by black anger.
He hears - behind the elderberry bushes
The girl laughs.
Menacing red eyebrows frown,
The king hit his horse with his spurs,
Hit the girl like a storm
And he shouts, his armor ringing:
“What are you doing,” he shouts angrily and rudely, “
Why are you baring your teeth, girl?
The enemy has defeated me,
My entire squad was killed
Half of the retinue was captured
I'm going home for a new army,
I am your king, I am in grief and resentment, -
How does it feel for me to see your stupid laugh?”
Adjusting the blouse on the chest,
The girl answered the king:
“Move away,” I say to my dear!
Father, you’d better step away.”

You love, there’s no time for kings here, -
No time to talk with kings!
Sometimes love burns faster
A thin candle in God's hot temple.

The king shook all over with wild anger,
He ordered his humble retinue:
“Come on, throw the girl in jail,
Or, better yet, strangle him right away!”
Distorting obsequious faces,
They rushed towards the girl like devils
The Tsar's grooms and nobles, -
They betrayed the girl into the hands of Death.

Death is always submissive to evil demons,
But that day she was not in a good mood, -
After all, in the spring of love and life of grain
They swell even in her, the old woman.
It's boring to mess around with rotten meat for ages,
Exterminate various diseases in it;
It's boring to measure time by the hour of death -
I want to live a more useless life.
Everything, before the inevitable meeting with her,
They feel only absurd fear, -
She's tired of human horror,
Tired of funerals and crypts.
Busy with a thankless task
On land both dirty and sick.
She does it skillfully, -
People consider Death unnecessary.
Well, of course, she is offended by this,
Our human herd angers her,
And, getting angry, he snatches Death from the light
Sometimes it's not the right ones.
Should she love Satan, or something?
I would like to breathe in the hellish heat to my heart's content,
I would cry from the pain of love
Together with the fire-haired Satan!

The girl stands before Death, boldly
Expecting a terrible blow.
Death mutters, and takes pity on the victim:
“Look, you’re so young!
Why were you rude to the king there?
I’ll kill you for this!”
“Don’t be angry,” answered the girl, “
Why are you angry with me?
Kissed me for the first time darling
Under the green elderberry bush, -
Was I before the Tsar at that time?
Well, the king, unfortunately, flees from the war,
I tell him, the king,
Get out of here, Father!
Okay, as if I'm saying,
And look, it turned out so bad!
Well?! There is nowhere to escape from Death.
Apparently, I will die without loving.
Death! I ask you with my soul -
Give me another kiss!”
These speeches were strange to Death, -
Death is never asked for this!
He thinks: “How will I live in the world,
What if people stop kissing?
And warming the bones in the spring sun,
Death said, luring the snake:
“Well, go, kiss, yes - quickly!
The night is yours, and at dawn I will kill you!”
And she sat down on a stone, waiting,
And the snake licks her braid with its sting.
The girl is crying with happiness
Death grumbles: “Go, quickly, go!

Gently warmed by the spring sun,
Death took off his worn-out bast shoes,
She lay down on a stone and fell asleep.
Death had a bad dream!
As if her parent, Cain,
With his great-grandson - Iscariot,
Both decrepit and climbing the mountain, -
Like two snakes crawling quietly.
“Lord!” Cain groans gloomily,
Looking at the sky with dull eyes.
“Lord!” cries the evil Judas,
Without raising your eyes from the ground.
Over the mountain, in a rosy cloud
The Lord reclines, reads a book:
The book is written in the stars
The Milky Way is one of its leaves.
There is an archangel on the top of the mountain,
Holds a sheaf of lightning in a white handle.
He says to the travelers sternly:
“Go away! God bless you
won’t accept!”
“Mikhail!” Cain complains,
I know that my sin before the world is great!
I gave birth to the killer of bright Life,
I am the father of the damned, vile Death!
“Michael!” says Judas,
I know that I am more sinful than Cain,
Because he gave the vile one over to Death
God’s heart is as bright as the sun!”
And they both cry out loud:
“Mikhail! May God have a word
He will tell us, even if he only regrets it -
After all, we no longer ask for forgiveness!”
The archangel quietly answers them:
“I told him this three times,
Twice he didn't tell me anything
For the third time, shaking his head, he said:
“Know that until Death destroys the living,
There is no forgiveness for Cain and Judas.
Let him forgive them, whose strength can
Overcome the power of Death forever."
Here is the Fratricide and the Traitor
They howled sadly and sobbed
And, hugging each other, they both rolled
Into the stinking swamp under the mountain.
And in the swamp they rage, rejoicing,
Ghouls, kikimoras and devils
And they spit on Cain and Judas
Blue, swamp lights.

Death woke up around noon,
He looks and the girl hasn’t come!
Death mutters sleepily: “Look, you whore!
Apparently the night was short!”
I picked a sunflower behind the fence.
Sniffs and admires like the sun
Gilds the living with its fire
Aspen leaf in yellow chervonets.
And looking at the sun, she suddenly began to sing
Quietly and nasally, as best I could:
"With a merciless hand
People will kill their neighbor
And they bury it. And they sing:
"Rest with the saints!"
I don’t understand anything! -
The despot beats people and drives them away,
And if he dies, so will he
They bury them with the same song!
An honest man died or a thief -
With the same melancholy
A sad choir sings:
"Rest with the saints!"
Fool, brute or boor
I will kill with my hand
But for everyone they sing stubbornly:
"Rest with the saints!"

Sang a song - starts to get angry,
Much more than a day has passed,
A - the girl does not return.
This is bad. Death is no joke.
Becoming angrier and crueler,
Death shod bast shoes and onuchi
And, barely waiting for the moonlit night,
He goes on his way, more menacing than an autumn cloud.
An hour has passed and he sees: in the woods,
Under the dewy young hazel tree
On the satin grass, in the moonlight
The girl sits like a spring goddess.
Like the earth is bare in early spring.
Her breasts are exposed shamelessly.
And on silky, doe-like skin
The kissing stars are clearly visible.
Two nipples, like stars, color the chest,
And - like the stars - the eyes look meekly
To the heavens, to the bright Milky Way,
On the path of the blue-haired night.
There are blue shadows under the eyes,
Like a wound - the lips are wetly red.
Putting her head in her lap,
The guy dozes like a tired deer.
Death is watching, and the flames of anger are silent
It goes out in her empty skull.
“Why are you like Eve,
Hid from God behind a bush?”
Like the sky - a lunar-stellar body
Shielding my dear one from Death,
The girl answers her boldly:
“Wait a minute, don’t scold me!
Don't make noise, don't scare the poor guy,
Don't use your sharp scythe!
I'll come now and go to my grave.
And keep it longer!
It's my fault I didn't come on time
I thought that Death was not far away.
Let me hug the boy again:
It hurts him to feel good with me!
Yes, and he is good! Look,
Look what signs he left
On my cheeks and chest.
Look, they bloom like fiery poppies!”
Death laughed quietly, ashamed:
“Yes, it’s like you were kissing the sun.
But - you’re not alone with me, -
I have to kill thousands!
I honestly serve time,
There’s a lot to do, and I’m already old,
I cherish every minute,
Get ready, girl, it's time!
The girl is hers:
“Hug my dear,
There is no more earth or sky.
And the soul is full of unearthly power,
And an unearthly light burns in the soul.
No more fear of Fate
And neither God nor people are needed!
Like a child, I am happy with myself,
And love admires itself."
Death is silent thoughtfully and strictly,
She sees that she can’t interrupt this song!
There is no god more beautiful than the sun in the world,
There is no fire - the fire of love is more wonderful!

Death is silent, but the girls speak
Envy melts her bones with fire,
They toss her imperiously into heat and cold,
What will the heart of Death reveal to the world?
Death is not a mother, but a woman, and in her
The heart is also stronger than the mind;
There are sprouts in the dark heart of Death
Pity and anger and melancholy.
To those whom she loves more deeply,
Who is stung in the soul by evil melancholy,
How lovingly she whispers at night
O great joy of peace!
“Well,” said Death, “
let there be a miracle!
I give you permission - live!
Only I will be next to you,
I will always be near Love!”

Since then, Love and Death are like sisters,
They walk inseparably to this day,
For love, Death with a sharp scythe
He drags himself around like a pimp.
She walks around, bewitched by her sister,
And everywhere - at weddings and funeral feasts
Tirelessly, steadily building
The joys of Love and the happiness of Life.

Maksim Gorky.

The Girl and Death.

The king was driving through the village after the war.

He rides - his heart is sharpened by black anger.

He hears - behind the elderberry bushes

The girl laughs.

Menacing red eyebrows frown,

The king hit his horse with his spurs,

Hit the girl like a storm

And he shouts, his armor ringing:

“What are you doing,” he shouts angrily and rudely,

Why are you baring your teeth, girl?

The enemy has defeated me,

My entire squad was killed

Half of the retinue was captured

I'm going home for a new army,

I am your king, I am in grief and resentment, -

How does it feel for me to see your stupid laugh?

Adjusting the blouse on the chest,

The girl answered the king:

Move away - I'm talking to my dear!

Father, you better step away.

You love, there’s no time for kings here, -

No time to talk with kings!

Sometimes love burns faster

A thin candle in God's hot temple.

The king shook all over with wild anger.

He ordered his humble retinue:

Come on, throw the girl in jail,

Or, better yet, strangle him right away!

Distorting obsequious faces,

They rushed towards the girl like devils

Tsar's grooms and nobles, -

They betrayed the girl into the hands of Death.

Death is always submissive to evil demons,

But that day she was not in a good mood, -

After all, in the spring of love and life, grains

They swell even in her, the old woman.

It's boring to mess around with rotten meat for ages,

Exterminate various diseases in it;

It's boring to measure time by the hour of death -

I want to live a more useless life.

All before the inevitable meeting with her

They feel only absurd fear,

She's tired of human horror,

Tired of funerals and crypts.

Busy with a thankless task

On land both dirty and sick,

She does it skillfully, -

People consider Death unnecessary.

Well, of course, she is offended by this,

Our human herd angers her,

And, getting angry, he snatches Death from the light

Sometimes it's not the right ones.

Should she love Satan, or something?

I would like to breathe in the hellish heat to my heart's content,

I would cry from the pain of love

Together with the fire-haired Satan!

The girl stands before Death, boldly

Expecting a terrible blow.

Death mutters - it took pity on the victim:

Look how young you are!

Why were you rude to the king there?

I'll kill you for this!

“Don’t be angry,” the girl answered, “

Why are you angry with me?

Kissed me for the first time, darling

Under the green elderberry bush, -

Was I before the Tsar at that time?

Well, the king, unfortunately, flees from the war.

I tell him, the king,

Get out of here, Father!

Okay, as if I'm saying,

And look, it turned out so bad!

Well?! There is nowhere to escape from Death,

Apparently, I will die without loving.

Death! I ask you with my soul -

Give me another kiss!

These speeches were strange to Death, -

Death is never asked for this!

He thinks: “How will I live in the world,

What if people stop kissing?

And warming the bones in the spring sun,

Death said, luring the snake:

Well, go, kiss, yes - quickly!

The night is yours, and at dawn I will kill you!

And she sat down on a stone, waiting,

And the snake licks her braid with its sting.

The girl is crying with happiness

Death grumbles: - Go quickly, go!

Gently warmed by the spring sun,

Death took off his worn-out bast shoes,

She lay down on a stone and fell asleep.

Death had a bad dream!

As if her parent, Cain,

With his great-grandson - Iscariot,

Both decrepit, they climb the mountain, -

Like two snakes crawling quietly.

God! - Cain groans gloomily,

Looking at the sky with dull eyes.

God! - the evil Judas cries,

Without raising your eyes from the ground.

Over the mountain, in a rosy cloud

The Lord reclines, reads a book;

That book was written in the stars,

The Milky Way is one of its leaves!

There is an archangel on the top of the mountain,

Holds a sheaf of lightning in a white handle.

He says to the travelers sternly:

Go away! God will not accept you!

Mikhail! - Cain complains, -

I know that my sin before the world is great!

I gave birth to the killer of bright Life,

I am the father of the damned, vile Death!

Mikhail! - says Judas, -

I know that I am more sinful than Cain,

Because he gave the vile one over to Death

God's heart is as bright as the sun!

Mikhail! May God have a word

He will tell us, even if he only regrets it -

After all, we no longer ask for forgiveness!

The archangel quietly answers them:

I told him this three times

Twice he didn't tell me anything

For the third time, shaking his head, he said:

Know how long Death destroys the living,

There is no forgiveness for Cain and Judas.

Let him forgive them, whose strength can

Conquer the power of Death forever.

Death woke up around noon.

He looks and the girl hasn’t come!

Death mutters sleepily: - Look, you whore!

Apparently the night was short!

I picked a sunflower behind the fence,

Sniffs; admires like the sun

Gilds with its living fire

Aspen leaf in yellow chervonets.

And, looking at the sun, she suddenly began to sing

Quietly and nasally, as best I could:

With a merciless hand

People will kill their neighbor

And they bury it. And they sing:

"Rest with the saints!"

I don't understand anything! -

The despot beats people and drives them away,

A will die - and so will he

They bury them with the same song!

An honest man died or a thief -

With the same melancholy

A sad choir sings:

"Rest with the saints!"

Fool, brute or boor

I will kill with my hand

But for everyone they sing stubbornly:

"Rest with the saints!"

Becoming angrier and crueler,

Death shod bast shoes and onuchi

And, barely waiting for the moonlit night,

He goes on his way, more menacing than an autumn cloud.

An hour has passed and he sees: in the woods,

Under the dewy young hazel tree,

On the satin grass, in the moonlight

The girl sits like a spring goddess.

Like the earth is bare in early spring,

Her breasts are naked shamelessly,

And on silky, doe-like skin,

The kissing stars are clearly visible.

Two nipples, like stars, color the chest,

And - like the stars - the eyes look meekly

To the heavens, to the bright Milky Way,

On the path of the blue-haired night.

There are blue shadows under the eyes,

Like a wound - the lips are wetly red.

Putting her head in her lap,

The guy dozes like a tired deer.

Death is watching, and the flames of anger are silent

It goes out in her empty skull.

Why are you like Eva?

Hid from God behind a bush?

Like the sky - a lunar-stellar body

Shielding my dear one from Death,

The girl answers her boldly:

Wait a minute, don't scold me!

Don't make noise, don't scare the poor guy,

Don't use your sharp scythe!

I'll come now and go to my grave,

And keep it longer!

It's my fault I didn't come on time

I thought that Death was not far away.

Let me hug the boy again:

It hurts him to feel good with me!

Yes, and he is good! Look,

Look what signs he left

On my cheeks and on my chest,

Look, they bloom like fiery poppies!

Death, ashamed, laughed quietly:

Yes, it was like you were kissing the sun,

But - you’re not the only one with me -

I have to kill thousands!

I honestly serve time,

There’s a lot to do, and I’m already old,

I cherish every minute,

Get ready, girl, it's time!

Girl - hers:

Hug dear

There is no more earth or sky.

And the soul is full of unearthly power,

And an unearthly light burns in the soul.

There is no more fear of Fate,

And neither God nor people are needed!

Like a child, I am happy with myself,

They walk inseparably to this day,

Behind Love is Death with a sharp scythe

He drags himself around like a pimp.

She walks around, bewitched by her sister,

And everywhere - at the wedding and at the funeral feast -

Tirelessly, steadily building

The joys of Love and the happiness of Life.

Tale I The king was riding through the village after the war. As he rides, his heart is sharpened by black anger. He hears a girl laughing behind the elderberry bushes. His red eyebrows furrowed menacingly, the king hit his horse with his spurs, flew at the girl like a storm, and shouted, his armor ringing:
“What are you doing,” he shouts angrily and rudely, Why are you baring your teeth, girl? The enemy has won a victory over me, My entire squad has been killed, Half of my retinue has been captured, I’m going home for a new army, I am your king, I in grief and resentment - How does it feel for me to see your stupid laughter? Adjusting her blouse on her chest, the Girl answered the Tsar: “Go away,” I’m talking to my dear one! Father, you’d better go away.” _______ You love, there’s no time for tsai here, - There’s no time to talk with kings! Sometimes love burns faster than a thin candle in God's hot temple. _______ The king shook all over with wild anger, ordered his obedient retinue: “Well, then, throw the girl in prison, Or, better yet, strangle her right away!” Having distorted their obsequious faces, They rushed towards the girl like devils, The Tsar's grooms and velozhi - They betrayed the girl into the hands of Death. II Death is always submissive to evil demons, But that day she was not in the spirit, - After all, in the spring of love and life, the grains swell even in her, the old woman. It’s boring to tinker with rotten meat for ages, to exterminate various diseases in it; It's boring to measure time by the hour of death - I want to live more uselessly. Everyone, before the inevitable meeting with her, feels only strange, - She is tired of human horror, Tired of funerals, crypts. Busy with a thankless task On a land both dirty and sick. He does it skillfully, - People consider Death unnecessary. Well, of course, she is offended by this, Our human herd angers her, And, angry, Death snatches from the world Sometimes not those who are needed. If only she could fall in love with Satan, maybe, breathe in the hellish heat to her heart's content, and sob from the pain of love, together with the fire-haired Satan! III The girl stands before Death, boldly awaiting a terrible blow. Death mutters, - she took pity on the victim: “Look, you’re so young! Why were you rude to the king there? I’ll kill you!” - “Don’t be angry,” said the girl, “Why are you angry with me? My dear Pod kissed me for the first time.” green elderberry bush, - Was I before the Tsar at that time? Well, and the Tsar, unfortunately, is fleeing from the war, I tell him, the Tsar, Get away from here, father! Well, as if, I say, A - Look, it turned out so bad! Well?! There is nowhere to escape from Death. Apparently, I will die without loving. Death! I beg you with my soul - Give me another kiss! " These speeches are strange to Death, - Death never asks for this! He thinks: “How will I live in the world, If people stop kissing?” And warming the bones in the spring sun, Death said, beckoning the snake: “Well, go, kiss, yes, quickly! The night is yours, and at dawn I will kill you!” And she sat down on a stone, waiting, and the snake licked her braid with its sting. The girl sobs with happiness, Death grumbles: “Go, quickly, go!” IV Gently warmed by the spring sun, Death took off her worn-out bast shoes, lay down on a stone and fell asleep. Death had a bad dream! As if her parent, Cain, with his great-grandson - Iscariot, Decrepancy, both climb the mountain, - Like two snakes crawling quietly. “Lord!” Cain groans gloomily, looking at the sky with dull eyes. “Lord!” cries the evil Judas, without raising his eyes from the ground. Above the mountain, in a rosy cloud, the Lord reclines, reading a book: That book is written with stars, the Milky Way is one of its leaves. At the top of the mountain stands an archangel, holding a sheaf of lightning in a white hand. He says sternly to the travelers: “Go away! God will not accept you!” “Haile!” Cain complains, “I know that my sin is great before the world! I gave birth to the murderer of bright Life, I am the father of the cursed, vile Death.” “Michael!” says Judas, “I know that I am more sinful than Cain, Because I betrayed the vile Death God's heart is as bright as the sun!" And they both cry out loudly: "Mikhail! Let the Lord say at least a word to us, even if he only regrets - After all, we no longer ask for forgiveness!" The archangel quietly answers them: "Three times I told him this, Twice he didn’t say anything to me, The third time, shaking his head, he said: “Know, "As long as Death destroys the living, there is no forgiveness for Cain and Judas. Let him forgive them, whose power can overcome the power of Death forever." Then the Brother-Killer and the Traitor howled sadly and sobbed, and, hugging each other, they both rolled into the stinking swamp under the mountain. And in the swamp, ghouls, kikimors and devils are raging, rejoicing, And they spit on Cain and Judas with blue swamp lights. V Death woke up around noon, looked, and the girl didn’t come! Death mutters sleepily: “Look, you whore! Apparently the night was short!” I picked a sunflower behind the fence. He sniffs and admires how the sun gilds the aspen leaf with its living fire into yellow ducats. And looking at the sun, she suddenly sang quietly and nasally, as best she could: “With a merciless hand, people will kill and bury their neighbor. And they sing: “Rest in peace!” I don’t understand anything! - The despot beats people and drives them away, And if he dies, so does he. They bury with the same song! Whether an honest man died or a thief - With the same melancholy the sad choir sings: “Rest with the saints!” I will kill the fool, the brute or the boor with my hand, But for everyone they sing stubbornly: “Rest with the saints!” VI Sang the song - begins to be angry, Much more than a day has passed, And the girl is not returning. This is bad. Death is no joke. Becoming angrier and crueler, Death put on bast shoes and onuchi And, barely waiting for the moonlit night, He sets off on his way, more menacing than an autumn cloud. An hour has passed and he sees: in a copse, Under a dewy young hazel tree On the satin grass, in the moonlight, A girl sits like a spring goddess. Like the earth bare in early spring. Her breasts are naked shamelessly. And on her silky, doe-like skin, the stars of kisses are clearly visible. Two nipples, like stars, color the chest, And - like stars - the eyes meekly look into the heavens, at the bright Milky Way, at the path of the blue-haired night. There are blue shadows under the eyes, like a wound - the lips are wetly scarlet. With his head in her lap, the guy dozes like a tired deer. Death looks, and quietly the flame of anger goes out in her empty skull. “Why are you, like Eve, hiding from God behind a bush?” As if the sky, with the moon-star body, shielding the Darling from Death, the girl answers her boldly: “Wait a minute, don’t scold me! Don’t make noise, don’t frighten the poor guy, don’t ring your sharp scythe! I’ll come now, I’ll lie down in the grave. save! It's my fault, I didn't come on time, I thought I was not far from Death. Let me hug the boy again: It hurts for him to be good with me! And he's good too! Look, look at the marks he left on my cheeks and on my chest. See, They bloom like fiery poppies!" Death, ashamed, laughed quietly: “Yes, it’s like you kissed the sun. But - you’re not the only one with me, - I have to kill thousands! I serve my time honestly, There’s a lot to do, and I’m old, I treasure every minute, Get ready "Girl, it's time!" The girl - hers: “He will embrace the darling, There is no more earth or sky. And the soul is full of unearthly power, And an unearthly light burns in the soul. There is no more fear of Fate And neither God nor people are needed! Like a child, I am glad of myself, And love admires itself." Death is silent thoughtfully and sternly, He sees that he cannot interrupt this song! There is no God in the world more beautiful than the sun, There is no fire - the fire of love is more wonderful! VII Death is silent, and the girl’s speeches of Envy melt her bones with fire, They imperiously toss her into heat and cold, What will the heart of Death reveal to the world? Death is not a mother, but a woman, and in her the Heart is also stronger than the mind; In the dark heart of Death there are sprouts of Pity and anger and melancholy. To those whom she loves more deeply, Who are stung in the soul by evil melancholy, How lovingly she whispers at night About the great joy of peace! “Well,” said Death, “let there be a miracle! I give you permission - live! Only I will be with you, I will forever be near Love!” _________ Since then, Love and Death, like sisters, Walk inseparably to this day, Behind love, Death with a sharp scythe Drudges everywhere, like a procurer.

You love, there’s no time for kings here, -
No time to talk with kings!
Sometimes love burns faster
A thin candle in God's hot temple.
_______

The girl stands before Death, boldly
Expecting a terrible blow.
Death mutters, and takes pity on the victim:
“Look, you’re so young!
Why were you rude to the king there?
I’ll kill you for this!”
“Don’t be angry,” answered the girl, “
Why are you angry with me?
Kissed me for the first time darling
Under the green elderberry bush, -
Was I before the Tsar at that time?
Well, the king, unfortunately, flees from the war,
I tell him, the king,
Get out of here, Father!
Okay, as if I'm saying,
And look, it turned out so bad!
Well?! There is nowhere to escape from Death.
Apparently, I will die without loving.
Death! I beg you with all my heart -
Give me another kiss!”
These speeches were strange to Death, -
Death is never asked for this!
He thinks: “How will I live in the world,
What if people stop kissing?
And warming the bones in the spring sun,
Death said, luring the snake:
“Well, go, kiss, yes - quickly!
The night is yours, and at dawn I will kill you!”
And she sat down on a stone, waiting,
And the snake licks her braid with its sting.
The girl is crying with happiness
Death grumbles: “Go, quickly, go!

Sang a song - starts to get angry,
Much more than a day has passed,
And - the girl does not return.
This is bad. Death is no joke.
Becoming angrier and crueler,
Death shod bast shoes and onuchi
And, barely waiting for the moonlit night,
He goes on his way, more menacing than an autumn cloud.
An hour has passed and he sees: in the woods,
Under the dewy young hazel tree
On the satin grass, in the moonlight
The girl sits like a spring goddess.
Like the earth is bare in early spring.
Her breasts are exposed shamelessly.
And on silky, doe-like skin
The kissing stars are clearly visible.
Two nipples, like stars, color the chest,
And - like the stars - the eyes look meekly
To the heavens, to the bright Milky Way,
On the path of the blue-haired night.
There are blue shadows under the eyes,
Like a wound—the lips are wetly red.
Putting her head in her lap,
The guy dozes like a tired deer.
Death is watching, and the flames of anger are silent
It goes out in her empty skull.
“Why are you like Eve,
Hid from God behind a bush?”
Like the sky - a lunar-stellar body
Shielding my dear one from Death,
The girl answers her boldly:
“Wait a minute, don’t scold me!
Don't make noise, don't scare the poor guy,
Don't use your sharp scythe!
I'll come now and go to my grave.
And keep it longer!
It's my fault I didn't come on time
I thought that Death was not far away.
Let me hug the boy again:
It hurts him to feel good with me!
Yes, and he is good! Look,
Look what signs he left
On my cheeks and chest.
Look, they bloom like fiery poppies!”
Death laughed quietly, ashamed:
“Yes, it’s like you were kissing the sun.
But - you’re not the only one with me, -
I have to kill thousands!
I honestly serve time,
There’s a lot to do, and I’m already old,
I cherish every minute,
Get ready, girl, it's time!
The girl is hers:
“Hug my dear,
There is no more earth or sky.
And the soul is full of unearthly power,
And an unearthly light burns in the soul.
No more fear of Fate
And neither God nor people are needed!
Like a child, I am happy with myself,
And love admires itself."
Death is silent thoughtfully and strictly,
She sees that she can’t interrupt this song!
There is no god in the world more beautiful than the sun,
There is no fire - the fire of love is more wonderful!