Read the non-lethal head summary of the brief. Nikolay Leskovlethal golovan

Nikolay Leskov

Non-lethal Golovan

From the stories of the three righteous men

Perfect love casts out fear.

He himself is almost a myth, and his story is a legend. To talk about it you have to be French, because some people of this nation manage to explain to others what they themselves do not understand. I say all this with the aim of asking my reader forbearance for the comprehensive imperfection of my story about a person, the reproduction of which would cost much effort. the best master, than me. But Golovan may soon be completely forgotten, and that would be a loss. Golovan is worth attention, and although I don’t know him enough to be able to draw a complete picture of him, I will, however, select and present some features of this low-ranking mortal man who managed to become known as “non-lethal.”

The nickname “non-lethal” given to Golovanov did not express ridicule and was by no means an empty, meaningless sound - he was nicknamed non-lethal due to strong conviction that Golovan is a special person; a person who is not afraid of death. How could such an opinion be formed about him among people who walk under God and always remember their mortality? Was there a sufficient reason for this, developed in a consistent convention, or was this nickname given to him by simplicity, which is akin to stupidity?

It seemed to me that the latter was more likely, but how others judged it - I don’t know, because in my childhood I didn’t think about it, and when I grew up and could understand things, the “non-lethal” Golovan was no longer in the world. He died, and not in the most tidy way: he died during the so-called “big fire” in the city of Oryol, drowning in a boiling pit, where he fell while saving someone’s life or someone’s property. However, “a large part of him, having escaped from decay, continued to live in grateful memory” (*1), and I want to try to put on paper what I knew and heard about him, so that in this way his noteworthy memory would continue to last in the world.

Non-lethal Golovan was a simple man. His face, with extremely large features, was engraved in my memory from early days and remained in it forever. I met him at an age when they say that children cannot yet receive lasting impressions and make memories from them for the rest of their lives, but, however, it happened differently with me. This incident was noted by my grandmother as follows:

“Yesterday (May 26, 1835) I came from Gorokhov to Mashenka (my mother), I didn’t find Semyon Dmitrich (my father) at home, on a business trip to Yelets for the investigation of a terrible murder. In the whole house there were only us, women and girls servant. The coachman left with him (my father), only the janitor Kondrat remained, and at night the watchman in the hall came to spend the night from the board (the provincial board, where my father was an adviser). Today, Mashenka at twelve o'clock went into the garden to look at the flowers and the canufer water, and took Nikolushka (me) with her in the arms of Anna (an old woman who is still alive). And when they were walking back to breakfast, as soon as Anna began to unlock the gate, Ryabka, right with the chain, fell on them and rushed straight at "Anna's chest, but at that very moment when Ryabka, leaning his paws on, threw himself on Anna's chest, Golovan grabbed him by the collar, squeezed him and threw him into the graveyard. There they shot him with a gun, and the child was saved."

The child was me, and no matter how accurate the evidence is that a one and a half year old child cannot remember what happened to him, I, however, remember this incident.

I, of course, don’t remember where the enraged Ryabka came from and where Golovan took her after she wheezed, floundering with her paws and wriggling her whole body in his high-raised iron hand; but I remember the moment... _only the moment_. It was like the shine of lightning among dark night when for some reason you suddenly see an extraordinary number of objects at once: a bed curtain, a screen, a window, a canary trembling on a perch, and a glass with a silver spoon, on the handle of which magnesium has settled in specks. This is probably the property of fear, which has large eyes. In one such moment, as I now see in front of me a huge dog’s muzzle with small specks of dry fur, completely red eyes and an agape mouth, full of muddy foam in a bluish, as if pomaded throat... a grin that was about to snap shut, but suddenly the upper lip over it turned out, the cut stretched to the ears, and from below, the protruding neck moved convulsively, like a naked human elbow. Above all this stood a huge human figure with a huge head, and she took it and carried it mad dog. All this time the man's face was smiling.

The figure described was Golovan. I am afraid that I will not be able to draw his portrait at all precisely because I see him very well and clearly.

It was, like Peter the Great’s, fifteen vershoks; his build was broad, lean and muscular; he was dark, chubby, with blue eyes, a very large nose and thick lips. The hair on Golovan’s head and trimmed beard was very thick, the color of salt and pepper. The head was always cropped short, the beard and mustache were also trimmed. A calm and happy smile did not leave Golovan’s face for a minute: it shone in every feature, but mainly played on the lips and in the eyes, smart and kind, but as if a little mocking. Golovan seemed to have no other expression, at least I don’t remember anything else. In addition to this unsophisticated portrait of Golovan, it is necessary to mention one oddity or peculiarity, which was his gait. Golovan walked very quickly, always as if he was hurrying somewhere, but not smoothly, but with a jump. He did not limp, but, in the local expression, “shkandybal,” that is, he stepped on one, the right, leg with a firm step, and jumped on the left. It seemed that his leg did not bend, but had a spring somewhere in a muscle or joint. This is how people walk on an artificial leg, but Golovan’s was not an artificial one; although, however, this feature also did not depend on nature, but he created it for himself, and this was a mystery that cannot be explained immediately.

Golovan dressed like a peasant - always, in summer and winter, in scorching heat and in forty-degree frosts, he wore a long, naked sheepskin sheepskin coat, all oiled and blackened. I never saw him in other clothes, and my father, I remember, often joked about this sheepskin coat, calling it “eternal.”

Nikolay Leskov

Non-lethal Golovan

(From the stories of the three righteous men)

Perfect love casts out fear.

Chapter first

He himself is almost a myth, and his story is a legend. To talk about it, you have to be French, because some people of this nation manage to explain to others what they themselves do not understand. I say all this with the aim of asking my reader forbearance for the comprehensive imperfection of my story about a person, the reproduction of which would cost the work of a much better master than me. But Golovan may soon be completely forgotten, and that would be a loss. Golovan is worth attention, and although I do not know him enough to be able to draw a complete picture of him, I will, however, select and present some features of this low-ranking mortal man who managed to become known as "non-lethal".

The nickname “non-lethal” given to Golovan did not express ridicule and was by no means an empty, meaningless sound - he was nicknamed non-lethal due to the strong conviction that Golovan was a special person; a person who is not afraid of death. How could such an opinion be formed about him among people who walk under God and always remember their mortality? Was there a sufficient reason for this, developed in a consistent convention, or was this nickname given to him by simplicity, which is akin to stupidity?

It seemed to me that the latter was more likely, but how others judged it - I don’t know, because in my childhood I didn’t think about it, and when I grew up and could understand things, the “non-lethal” Golovan was no longer in the world. He died, and not in the most tidy way: he died during the so-called “big fire” in the city of Orel, drowning in a boiling pit, where he fell while saving someone’s life or someone’s property. However, “a large part of him, having escaped from decay, continued to live in grateful memory,” and I want to try to put on paper what I knew and heard about him, so that in this way his noteworthy memory would continue in the world.

Chapter two

“Yesterday (May 26, 1835) I came from Gorokhov to see Mashenka (my mother), I did not find Semyon Dmitrich (my father) at home, on a business trip to Yelets for the investigation of a terrible murder. In the whole house there were only us, the women and the girl servants. The coachman left with him (my father), only the janitor Kondrat remained, and at night the watchman in the hall came to spend the night from the board (the provincial board, where my father was an adviser). Today, at twelve o'clock, Mashenka went into the garden to look at the flowers and water the canufer and took Nikolushka (me) with her in the arms of Anna (an old woman who is still alive). And when they were walking back to breakfast, as soon as Anna began to unlock the gate, the chained Ryabka fell on them, right with the chain, and rushed straight onto Anna’s chest, but at that very moment, as Ryabka, leaning on his paws, threw himself on Anna’s chest, Golovan grabbed him by the collar, squeezed him and threw him into the graveyard. There they shot him with a gun, but the child escaped.”

The child was me, and no matter how accurate the evidence is that a one and a half year old child cannot remember what happened to him, I, however, remember this incident.

I, of course, don’t remember where the enraged Ryabka came from and where Golovan took her after she wheezed, floundering with her paws and wriggling her whole body in his high-raised iron hand; but I remember the moment... just a moment. It was like the shine of lightning in the middle of a dark night, when for some reason you suddenly see an extraordinary number of objects at once: a bed curtain, a screen, a window, a canary trembling on a perch, and a glass with a silver spoon, on the handle of which magnesium had settled in specks. This is probably the property of fear, which has large eyes. In one such moment, I now see in front of me a huge dog’s muzzle with small speckles - dry fur, completely red eyes and an open mouth, full of muddy foam in a bluish, as if pomaded throat... a grin that was about to snap, but suddenly the upper lip was above it turned out, the cut stretched to the ears, and from below, the protruding neck moved convulsively, like a naked human elbow. Above all this stood a huge human figure with a huge head, and she took and carried the mad dog. All this time the man's face smiled.

The figure described was Golovan. I am afraid that I will not be able to draw his portrait at all precisely because I see him very well and clearly.

It was, like Peter the Great’s, fifteen vershoks; his build was broad, lean and muscular; he was dark-skinned, round-faced, with blue eyes, a very large nose and thick lips. The hair on Golovan’s head and trimmed beard was very thick, the color of salt and pepper. The head was always cropped short, the beard and mustache were also trimmed. A calm and happy smile did not leave Golovan’s face for a minute: it shone in every feature, but mainly played on the lips and in the eyes, smart and kind, but as if a little mocking. Golovan seemed to have no other expression, at least I don’t remember anything else. In addition to this unskillful portrait of Golovan, it is necessary to mention one oddity or peculiarity, which was his gait. Golovan walked very quickly, always as if he was hurrying somewhere, but not smoothly, but with a jump. He did not limp, but, in the local expression, “shkandybal”, that is, one, one right leg he advanced with a firm step and jumped with his left. It seemed that his leg did not bend, but had a spring somewhere in a muscle or joint. This is how people walk on an artificial leg, but Golovan’s was not an artificial one; although, however, this feature also did not depend on nature, but he created it for himself, and this was a mystery that cannot be explained immediately.

Golovan was belted around his sheepskin coat with a “checkman” strap with a white harness set, which had turned yellow in many places, and completely crumbled in others and left tatters and holes on the outside. But the sheepskin coat was kept neat from any small tenants - I knew this better than others, because I often sat in Golovan’s bosom, listening to his speeches, and always felt very calm here.

Golovan was nicknamed non-lethal during the anthrax epidemic. Unlike his compatriots, the hero of the story fearlessly entered the houses of the sick and cared for them, although the disease was very contagious, and every sick person died. But this misfortune did not stop Golovan.

Later, the shepherd witnessed how early in the morning on the river bank he snatched a slanting piece from his leg and threw it into the water. Then the pestilence began to subside. People began to say that Golovan bought them back from illness. This incident brought him universal respect. Later we learn that in fact our hero noticed an ulcer on his shin, which was a symptom terrible disease. That is why Golovan cut off the affected piece of flesh and threw it into the river. After which he was seriously ill for a long time, but remained alive, only he began to limp.

Golovan was a serf, but due to his zeal he got the opportunity to buy himself off. Having become free, he bought a house, got a cow and started selling cream and milk. Having saved up money, he gradually ransomed his mother and sisters from the fortress. They all lived together, developing their dairy farm; along the way, the women were engaged in weaving and selling blankets; they were modest and hardworking.

Another woman lived with them - Pavla. Once Golovan wanted to marry her, but the master married her off to someone else. When our hero was already free, Pavel’s husband left her, and Golovan took her in. This woman worked even more than the sisters of the Non-Lethal, and he in no way singled her out among the women of his house. And yet, Paul received the popular nickname “Golovanov’s sin,” although this did not at all detract from the respect that his fellow citizens had for him. Only after Golovan’s death did it become known for certain that his relationship with Pavla was absolutely pure.

Golovan died in a fire. While rescuing someone's property, he fell into a boiling pit and drowned there.

Golovan’s example teaches us to be modest, hardworking, and honest. And he also teaches us Love. The same one “who does not seek her own,” but “is long-suffering, merciful, covers all things, and endures all things.”

The story “The Non-Lethal Golovan” is included in the cycle of works by Nikol Semenovich Leskov “The Righteous”. The author’s goal in creating this series was to identify and show the reader the presence of the best character traits in Russian people: sacrifice, selflessness, kindness, honesty, etc.

Picture or drawing of a non-lethal head

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The writer worked on it thoroughly. This is evidenced by his remark in a letter on October 16, 1880 to the editor of the “Historical Bulletin” magazine S. N. Shubinsky: ““Golovan” is all written lengthwise, but now we need to go across it.”

As can be seen from the title, the story belongs to a series of works about the “righteous”. It is connected with other works of this cycle by some external details. So, Ivan Flyagin, the hero of the story “”, was also called Golovan.

Unlike Flyagin, Golovan does not have proper names and last names. This, according to the writer, “is almost a myth, and its history is a legend.” And at the same time, the prototype of Golovan is completely real personality: Oryol peasant who bought his freedom.

... “a large part of him, having escaped from decay, continued to live in grateful memory” ... - not an entirely accurate quote from G.’s poem ( This material will help you write a story correctly on the topic of Non-Lethal Golovan. A summary does not make it possible to understand the full meaning of the work, so this material will be useful for a deep understanding of the work of writers and poets, as well as their novels, novellas, short stories, plays, and poems.) R. Derzhavin “Monument”. From Derzhavin: “...a large part of me, having escaped from decay, will begin to live after death...”

"Spanish" - Spanish.

Zeleynik is a healer who heals with herbs.

Molokans are a religious sect in Russia that adhered to ascetic rules of life and did not recognize the rituals of the official church.

Berdo is a comb in a handloom. “Cool Vertograd” is a handwritten medical book dating back to the 16th-17th centuries. Translated from Polish language at the end of the 17th century by Simeon of Polotsk for Princess Sophia. Was popular among the people until early XIX"century. Here and further Leskov quotes the recommendations of the medical book according to the publication: Florinsky V. M. Russian common herbalists and medical books: medical manuscripts of the XVI and XVII centuries. Kazan, 1879. In the medical book, human organs are indicated in the very general view, approximately. For example, the safenova vein is located “between the thumb and the other,” the spa-tika vein is on the right side of the body, and the basica vein is on the left. Recommended medicines mainly use herbs: antelprosum, sworborine (or sworoborine) vinegar - infused with rose hips, etc. Mithridate is a complex medicine made up of fifty-four elements; recommended as a universal remedy. Monuscristi sugar is a type of sugar.

Polynya - wormwood.

"Vered" - boil, abscess.

Chervena is red.

In udesekh - in members.

Dondezhe - for now.

Diaghilev bark is a medicinal plant. Zhokhat - here: to clamp.

Deer tears or bezoar stone is a stone from the stomach of a goat or llama, used as a folk medicine.

Komolaya is hornless.

Underground - underground.

Nikodim - Bishop of Oryol in 1828-1839.

To have one more cavalry... - to become a holder of the order again.

Apollos - Bishop of Oryol from 1788 to 1798 (civil surname Baibakov).

Old Believers are adherents of old church rituals that existed before the schism, that is, before the reform of Patriarch Nikon in 1660.

Fedoseevtsy - an Old Believer sect that emerged from the Bespopovtsy in early XVIII century; Fedoseevites preached celibacy and did not recognize prayers for the Tsar.

"Pilipons" (Filippovtsy) - an Old Believer sect that spread the cult of self-immolation; separated from the Bespopovites in the 30s of the 18th century.

Rebaptismians (Anabaptists) are a religious sect in which the rite of baptism was performed on adults with the aim of “consciously” introducing them to the faith.

The Khlysty are a religious sect that arose in Russia in the 17th century. The ritual of prayer was accompanied by whip blows, frenzied chants and jumping.

“Zodia” is one of the twelve parts of the zodiac (Greek) - the solar belt, an ancient astronomical index. Each of the twelve parts of the circle (equal to one month) bore the name of the constellation in which the Sun resided during its annual movement (for example, March was called and designated by the sign of Aries, etc.). Plaisir tube - here: spyglass.

He did not recognize the weeks of Daniel as prophesied for the Russian kingdom... - that is, he did not extend to Russia the biblical prophecy of Daniel about the coming of the Messiah in 70X7 years (“weeks”).

Poppe (Pop A.) (1688-1744) - English poet, author of the poem “An Experience about Man.”

Alexey Petrovich Ermolov (1772-1861) - Russian general, ally of Suvorov and Kutuzov. Commanded the Caucasian expeditionary forces. He was sympathetic to the Decembrists.

Stogny - squares (ancient Slavic).

When the relics of a new saint are discovered... - Presumably we're talking about about the relics of Voronezh Bishop Tikhon of Zadonsk, “discovered” in August 1861.

Finding a wall (Old Slavic) - an attack of pain

(wailing).

Smell - pungent odor.

Tavern - trade in alcoholic beverages (tavern - tavern), independent of the state.

Lubok okat - here: a roof over a cart, made (rounded) from lubok (tree bark).

Subdeacon - assistant to the deacon.

"Aphedron's sores" - hemorrhoids.

Odrets - stretcher.

Pokrovets - cloth, coverlet.

Navels are daisies.

"Sacrifices" - donations.

Architriclinus (Greek) - elder, master,

Irreconcilable... impatient and wait-and-see. - This refers to the political groupings of revolutionary democrats, radicals and liberals.

He served as a conscience judge. - A conscience court is an institution in old Russia, where controversial cases were decided not according to the law, but according to the conscience of the judges.

He wanted emancipation... such as in the Baltic region - that is, the liberation of peasants without land (it was carried out in the Baltic states in 1817-1819).

Gully - ravine.

"Kitrat" - notebook.

Nomads (Greek) - nomads.

The SerZovs are middle-aged people.

White - old (person).

Fight the visions that tormented St. Anthony.- Saint Anthony (III century BC), according to legend, struggled with temptations and visions for many years.

Sources:

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CHAPTER SIX

Panka, an odd-eyed man with faded hair, was a shepherd's assistant, and in addition to his general shepherd's job, he also drove in the mornings. on the dew re-baptized cows. It was during one of his early activities that he spied on the whole matter that elevated Golovan to the heights of national greatness.

It was in the spring, it must have been soon after young Yegor, the bright-brave, went out to the emerald Russian fields, his arms were in red gold up to his elbows, his legs were in pure silver up to his knees, the sun was in his forehead, the moon was in the rear, walking stars were at the ends, and God's the honest and righteous people drove out the small and large cattle that met him. The grass was still so small that the sheep and goat could barely get enough of it, and the thick-lipped cow could not grab much. But under the hedges in the shadows and along the ditches there were already wormwood and nettles growing, which they ate with the dew for the need.

Panka drove out the Crossing cows early, while it was still dark, and right along the bank near Orlik drove them out of the settlement into a clearing, just opposite the end of Third Dvoryanskaya Street, where on one side along the slope there was an old, so-called “Gorodetsky” garden, and on the left there was a fragment of Golovanov's nest.

It was still cold, especially before dawn, in the mornings, and those who want to sleep seem even colder. Panka’s clothes were, of course, bad, orphan clothes, some kind of rags with a hole in it. The guy turns to one side, turns to the other, prays for Saint Fedul to blow warmth on him, but instead everything is cold. As soon as he opens his eyes, the breeze howls, howls into the hole and wakes him up again. However, the young power took its toll: Panka pulled the scroll over himself completely over his head, like a hut, and dozed off. I didn’t hear what time it was, because the green Epiphany bell tower was far away. And there is no one around, not a single human soul anywhere, only fat merchant cows are panting, and no, no, in Orlik a frisky perch will splash up. The shepherd is dozing in a scroll with holes in it. But suddenly it was as if something had pushed him in the side, probably the marshmallow had found a new hole somewhere else. Panka jumped up, rolled his sleepy eyes, wanted to shout: “Where, komolaya,” and stopped. It seemed to him that someone on the other side was going down the steep slope. Maybe the thief wants to bury something stolen in the clay. Panka became interested: maybe he would lie in wait for the thief and cover him or shout at him “too crazy,” or even better, he would try to take a good look at the funeral, and then swim across Orlik during the day, dig it up and take it all for himself without sharing.

Panka stared and kept looking at Orlik. And it was still a little gray outside.

Here is someone going down the steep slope, got off, stood on the water and is walking. Yes, he simply walks on water, as if on dry land, and does not splash with anything, but only props himself up with a crutch. Panka was dumbfounded. Then in Orel they were waiting for the miracle worker from the monastery, and voices were already heard from the underground. It started immediately after the “Nicodemus funeral”. Bishop Nikodim was evil person, who distinguished himself at the end of his earthly career in that, wanting to have another cavalry, out of servility, he handed over a lot of spiritual soldiers as soldiers, among whom were the only sons of their fathers and even the family sextons and sextons themselves. They left the city in a whole party, bursting into tears. Those who saw them off also wept, and the people themselves, with all their dislike for the priest’s many-sheeped belly, wept and gave them alms. The party officer himself felt so sorry for them that, wanting to put an end to the tears, he ordered the new recruits to sing a song, and when they harmoniously and loudly sang the song they had composed in chorus:

Our Bishop Nicodemus
Arch-lute crocodile,

It was as if the officer himself began to cry. All this was drowned in a sea of tears and to sensitive souls it seemed to be evil, blatant; On sky. And indeed, as their cry reached the sky, “voices” went out in Orel. At first the “voices” were indistinct and it was unknown from whom they came, but when Nicodemus died soon after and was buried under the church, then there was a clear speech from the bishop who had previously been buried there (I think Apollos). The previously departed bishop was dissatisfied with the new neighborhood and, without any embarrassment, directly said: “Take this bastard out of here, it’s stuffy for me with him.” And he even threatened that if the “bastard” was not removed, then he himself would “leave and appear in another city.” Many people have heard this. As it used to be, they would go to the monastery for the all-night vigil and, having served the service, go back, and they heard the old bishop moaning: “Take the bastard.” Everyone really wanted the good dead man’s statement to be fulfilled, but the authorities, who were not always attentive to the needs of the people, did not throw Nicodemus out, and the clearly revealed saint could “leave the yard” at any moment.

Now nothing more than this is happening: the saint leaves, and only one poor shepherd sees him, who was so confused by this that he not only did not stop him, but did not even notice how the saint was already out of his sight. disappeared. It was just beginning to get light outside. With light comes courage to a person, and with courage curiosity increases. Panka wanted to approach the very water through which the mysterious creature had just passed; but as soon as he approached, he saw that the wet gate was stuck to the bank with a pole. The matter became clear: it means that it was not the saint who followed, but the non-lethal Golovan who simply swam by: it’s true that he went to greet some deformed children from the depths with milk. Panka was amazed: when is this Golovan sleeping!.. And how can he, such a peasant, sail on such a vessel - on half of the gate? It is true that the Orlik River is not a great river and its waters, captured by a lower dam, are quiet, like in a puddle, but still, what is it like to swim on the gate?

Panka wanted to try it himself. He stood at the gate, took a six and, roaming, and moved to the other side, and there he went ashore to Golovanov’s house to look, because it was already dawning well, and meanwhile Golovanov at that moment shouted from the other side: “Hey! who stole my gate! come on back!”

Panka was a little guy with no great courage and was not accustomed to counting on anyone’s generosity, and therefore he got scared and did something stupid. Instead of giving Golovan his raft back, Panka took it and buried himself in one of the clay pits, of which there were many. Panka lay down in the hole and, no matter how much Golovan called him from the other side, he did not show up. Then Golovan, seeing that he could not reach his ship, threw off his sheepskin coat, stripped naked, tied his entire wardrobe with a belt, put it on his head and sailed through Orlik. And the water was still very cold.

Panka was concerned about one thing, so that Golovan would not see him and beat him, but soon his attention was drawn to something else. Golovan swam across the river and started to get dressed, but suddenly he sat down, looked under his left knee and stopped.

It was so close to the hole in which Panka was hiding that he could see everything because of the lump with which he could cover himself. And at this time it was already quite light, the dawn was already blushing, and although most of the townspeople were still sleeping, a young guy with a scythe appeared under the Gorodets Garden, who began to mow down and put nettles into a basket.

Golovan noticed the mower and, standing on his feet, wearing only his shirt, shouted loudly to him:

Kid, give me the braid quickly!

The boy brought the scythe, and Golovan told him:

Go and pick me a big burdock,” and as the guy turned away from him, he took the braid off the braid, squatted down again, pulled the calf off his leg with one hand, and in one fell swoop cut it all off. He threw a cut piece of meat the size of a village flatbread at Orlik, and he pressed the wound with both hands and fell down.

Seeing this, Panka forgot about everything, jumped out and began to call the mower.

The guys took Golovan and dragged him into the hut, and here he came to his senses, ordered to take two towels out of the box and wrap his cut as tightly as possible. They pulled it with all their might until the bleeding stopped.

Then Golovan ordered them to place a bucket of water and a ladle near him, and to go about their business themselves, and not to tell anyone about what had happened. They went and, shaking with horror, told everyone. And those who heard about this immediately guessed that Golovan did it for a reason, and that in this way, out of concern for the people, he threw the weight of his body to the ulcer at the other end, so that it would pass as a sacrifice along all Russian rivers from the small Orlik to the Oka, from the Oka to the Volga , throughout Great Russia to the wide Caspian Sea, and thus Golovan suffered for everyone, and he himself will not die from this, because he has a living stone in his hands as a pharmacist and he is a “non-lethal” person.

This tale came to everyone's mind, and the prediction came true. Golovan did not die from his terrible wound. After this sacrifice, the wild illness really stopped, and the days of calm came: the fields and meadows were covered with thick greenery, and young Yegor the bright-brave began to ride freely through them, arms up to the elbows in red gold, legs up to the knees in pure silver, the sun in his forehead, there is a month at the rear, and at the ends the stars are passing. The canvases were bleached with the fresh dew of St. George, instead of the knight Yegori, the prophet Jeremiah rode out into the field with a heavy yoke, dragging plows and harrows, the nightingales whistled on Boris's day, comforting the martyr, through the efforts of Saint Mavra strong seedlings turned blue, Saint Zosima passed by with a long crutch, a queen bee in the knob carried; The day of Ivan the Theologian, “Father Nikolin,” passed, and Nikola himself was celebrated, and Simon the Zealot stood in the courtyard when the earth had its birthday. On the earth's name day, Golovan climbed out onto the rubble and from then on, little by little, he began to walk and began his work again. His health, apparently, did not suffer in the least, but he just began to “scandy” - he jumped on his left leg.

People probably had a high opinion of the touching and courageous nature of his bloody act, but they judged him as I said: natural causes They didn’t search for him, but, shrouding everything in their imagination, they composed a fabulous legend from a natural event, and from the simple, generous Golovan they made a mythical person, something like a sorcerer, a magician who possessed an irresistible talisman and could dare anything and not die anywhere.

Whether Golovan knew or didn’t know that people’s rumors attributed such matters to him, I don’t know. However, I think that he knew, because he was very often approached with such requests and questions that can only be addressed to good wizard. And he gave “helpful advice” to many such questions, and in general was not angry at any demand. He visited the settlements as a cow doctor, as a human doctor, as an engineer, as an astrologer, and as a pharmacist. He knew how to remove husks and scabs, again with some kind of “Yermolov ointment,” which cost one copper penny for three people; took out pickled cucumber heat from the head; he knew that herbs needed to be collected from Ivan to half-Peter, and he was great at “showing water,” that is, where to dig a well. But he could do this, however, not at any time, but only from the beginning of June to St. Fyodor Kolodeznik, while “the water in the ground can be heard moving through the joints.” Golovan could do everything else that a person needs, but for the rest he made a vow to God so that the pimp would stop. Then he confirmed it with his blood and held it tightly. But God loved and had mercy on him, and the people, delicate in their feelings, never asked Golovan for anything they didn’t need. By folk etiquette This is how we accept it.

Golovan, however, was not so burdened by the mystical cloud that surrounded his folk fama that he did not, it seems, make any efforts to destroy everything that had developed about him. He knew it was in vain. When I greedily ran through the pages of Victor Hugo’s novel “Toilers of the Sea” and met Gilliatt there, with his brilliantly outlined severity towards himself and condescension towards others, reaching the height of perfect selflessness, I was struck not only by the greatness of this appearance and the power of his image, but also and the identity of the Guernsey hero with a living face, whom I knew under the name of Golovan. One spirit lived in them and similar hearts beat in selfless battle. They did not differ much in their fate: throughout their lives some kind of mystery thickened around them, precisely because they were too pure and clear, and both one and the other did not experience a single drop of personal happiness.

1 Rumor, rumor (lat.).

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