Отдел первый. Из жизни маленьких девочек

1. Tradition about the childhood of the Mother of God According to “Sunday Reading.” 1869–70 The Holy Virgin Mary, daughter of the righteous Joachim and Anna, the Most Pure Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, from the age of three after her introduction into the church until she was fifteen years old, lived in the monastery of virgins in one of the separate cells built within the very walls of the Jerusalem Temple. In her daily activities, She observed the following order here, worthy of imitation by every Christian child. At sunrise, the Holy Virgin left her sleep and hurried to the church to pray, in which she remained until the third hour. Shouldn't you, children, getting up from sleep, sanctify yourself every morning with reverent prayer, dedicate your first thought and first feeling to Heavenly Father, thank Him for the past night and ask for help with your daily activities? After morning prayer, which, like heavenly dew, refreshes the soul, the young Virgin returned to Her cell (i.e., room) and here, until the ninth hour in the afternoon, she practiced partly in reading Divine books, and partly in handicrafts befitting Her sex, such as: spinning flax, sewing clothes, etc. By the way, a precious tunic remains a monument to her skill in needlework - this is a narrow, long, round robe with sleeves and a hole for the head. It’s great if you, young virgins, are engaged in science, especially reading edifying books; but, like the young nurse of the Jerusalem temple, get used to needlework, which is very necessary in life. In addition to the fact that needlework brings pleasure and significant benefits, it dispels boredom and protects the imagination from harmful daydreaming. At nine o'clock the Holy Virgin again stood in prayer and prayed until, as legend says, an angel appeared to Her, from whose hand She took food. At the end of everything, returning to her department, She, having asked God for a peaceful and serene night, retired to rest. You see, children, that the Holy Virgin Mary accompanied every task with prayer: she prayed at the beginning and end of study, before and after needlework, before and after food, going to bed and getting up from sleep. Shouldn't you also begin and end all occasions and circumstances of daily life, mental pursuits and bodily labors with decent church prayers? Shouldn’t you, before and after the table, thank God, the Giver of all earthly blessings, and thus elevate the use of food, which is common to man and the dumb, to the level of a rational and liturgical action? Shouldn't we, when going to sleep, turn our last thought to the One who created the evening? Children are never more healthy, cheerful and disposed to useful activities than when they sanctify their peace with reverent prayer, morning and evening, and ask for heavenly help and protection for every good deed. The Holy Virgin Mary, growing in body, grew more and more and became stronger in spirit; Every day Her prayer intensified, her asceticism rose, her contemplation of God intensified; every day, with the help of God's grace, She ascended from strength to strength, from perfection to perfection. Shouldn't you, in order to prepare yourself for your temporary and eternal destiny, arrange your daily activities in such a way that your prayer and mental exercises raise you from perfection to perfection, so that sleep, food, movement, rest, etc., while contributing to the growth and strengthening of the body, contribute at the same time to the growth of the spirit, so that the mind, heart and will, among all the heterogeneous knowledge, feelings and desires, strive for the first beginning and the last end of every goodness and perfection - the One, glorified in the Trinity, God? The Monk Macrina belonged to a pious family from which came the great teachers of the Church, Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa, who lived in the 4th century after the Nativity of Christ. The parents of Saint Macrina, as pious and prudent people, began to raise their daughter in a Christian manner from early childhood. As soon as consciousness awoke in Macrina, her mother was already in a hurry to nourish her with the word of God, prayer, and even teach her from the sacred books. And she forced her to memorize parts of them that were quite accessible to a child’s understanding in order to deeply embed the saving words of inspired writers into the child’s heart, while at the same time explaining to the little one in intimate maternal conversations the meaning of the prayers read every day. And just as a young plant, warmed by warmth and watered by rain, grows quickly, blooms and smells fragrant, so young Macrina, under the life-giving influence of the word of God, the warmth of prayer and under the wise care of loving parents, developed, blossomed spiritually, and from an early age was fragrant with true piety. She especially loved the church of God and church services. Diligently caring for the religious and moral education of their daughter and having deeply internalized the fair view that every hour of time spent in idleness is harmful to the soul, Macrina’s parents also taught her good and useful everyday labors, housekeeping and handicrafts. When Macrina came of age and the time came to marry her off, then in this most important event of human life, her parents acted quite prudently and in a Christian way: they did not look for her a rich groom, brilliant with his worldly position, but a kind and meek Christian, and although such a groom was found, he soon died. The Lord did not destined Macrina to lead a married life, and she spent her entire subsequent life in strict virginity and spiritual exploits, devoting all her strength and all her labors to the good of her family and all her neighbors. When her brothers and sisters grew up and no longer required her to take care of themselves, then she convinced her mother to retire to a deserted place, and there they spent the rest of their lives in continuous feats of prayer, fasting and work. In the Pontic region, on the banks of the Iris River, they founded a monastery of virgins, in which her mother, Emilia, took control. Nothing could be more amazing than the life of these servants of the Lord. They knew neither anger, nor envy, nor hatred, nor suspicion, nor vanity. Prayer and the singing of psalms constituted their occupation and at the same time their relaxation. Saint Macrina died in 379, having been glorified by God during her lifetime with the gift of miracles. I want to talk to you about a small blue flower with a golden corolla, like a heart, in the middle; This flower is called forget-me-not. When I was still a small child, while walking with my nanny in the vast park that surrounded our rural house, I always stopped for a long time near the large ditch that separated the park from the dark forest; along the edges of this ditch grew many of the largest, most beautiful forget-me-nots. I couldn’t get enough of them, couldn’t get enough of them; It seemed to me that the forget-me-nots were looking at me with their azure gaze and saying: “Don’t forget me!” – Don’t these flowers speak? – I sometimes asked my nanny. My nanny was an old lady, a Little Russian, unusually kind, simple-hearted and deeply pious. She loved to listen to the Holy Scriptures and knew many interesting stories of religious content. To my repeated questions whether these flowers speak, since she answered me: “Yes, pious people say that once the flowers were talking, and your favorite azure flower said the best word.” - Tell me, nanny, what kind of word is “forget-me-not?” “If you please, dear friend,” answered the nanny, who loved me dearly, “listen and don’t be naughty while I speak.” I humbly sat down next to the nanny on the soft grass near the ditch and, without taking my eyes off the forget-me-nots that surrounded us, listened to the following story. “When the Lord God,” the nanny began, crossing herself, “having created the world, rested from His labors, He called to Himself the first man, Adam, and with him gave a name to every animal; then he placed all the plants in rows in front of Him, stood in the middle of them, and told each tree, flower, grass, blade of grass in a row its name and what it was intended for, until they remembered everything. Only one flower stood silently in great embarrassment. Having raised his little blue eyes to the great Creator and opened his golden heart to Him, in blissful delight he forgot everything except the Creator, and could not remember anything. Lowering the flowers and buds to the ground, the blue flower blushed with embarrassment and babbled in a pleading voice: “Lord! Father of all creation, forgive me, I could not take my eyes off You and forgot myself. If You please repeat my name, I will never forget it.” The Creator of heaven and earth, looking with love at this flower, said: “There is no guilt in the fact that you forgot yourself, just don’t forget me,” and left. The flower remained in a blissful state of divine delight, becoming the favorite of everyone, just like you,” the nanny said, turning to me. “The Lord rewarded him for his love for Himself with the beautiful name of forget-me-not.” Put into your child’s heart the covenant of the Lord given to the forget-me-not: “Just don’t forget me!” 4. Generous daughter (true story) From the book “The World in Stories” In one country it was the custom to cut off the hands of anyone caught stealing. Once a noble nobleman, the Tsar's favorite, was caught in this. The king could not deviate from the ancient custom and ordered the criminal to be punished. But on the eve of the execution, a little girl, the daughter of this nobleman, appears in the palace and asks with tears to be allowed to see the king. The courtiers fulfilled her request. The girl fell to her knees before the formidable ruler. “Great sir,” she said in fear, “my father is condemned to remain without hands - so, cut off my hands.” The king had his own children, and he liked that the little girl loved her father so much. “Let it be as you ask,” said the king. “But you can refuse execution, at least at the very last minute.” The next day the girl was taken to the execution yard. In the middle of the courtyard stood a scaffold spattered with blood, and next to it was an executioner with a sword. The girl turned pale and was embarrassed for a minute... but soon she controlled herself, walked up to the scaffold and extended her little hands. The executioner tied her hands tightly to the scaffold with straps. The girl didn't say a word. The executioner raised the sword, and she closed her eyes... The sword flashed and fell without even touching the edges of her fingers. - The king forgives your father for your great love! - announced the messenger from the king. The prison doors opened: the father runs to his daughter, kisses her hands, and wets them with tears. The next day, the king announced to the people a decree abolishing the cruel old custom forever. And in the execution yard, by royal order, they placed a pillar with a marble plaque, and on it they wrote in gold letters how the daughter was ready to give her life for the life of her father; and at the end they added the following words: “Happy are the fathers who have such children!” He who honors his parents never perishes. Mother's prayer takes you out from the bottom of the sea. Without a father, you are half an orphan, and without a mother, you are an entire orphan. There is no such friend as your dear mother and dear father. Parental blessing does not sink in water and does not burn in fire. Brotherly love is stronger than stone walls. The whole family is together, and the soul is in place. The mother fed her daughter, raised her, did not get enough sleep over her at night, and dressed her daughter smartly like a doll and let her go out with her friends. “Have fun, my dove, have fun, dear: you can only go for a walk while you’re young, but I, an old woman, need a lot: a warm corner and a piece of bread, that’s all.” And my daughter grew up wonderfully: beautiful, smart and good at work. She married a rich man, ran her house well, and raised her children cleanly. Only she forgot the old bread and salt: she forgot how her mother raised her with grief, how she worked for her, how she endured need alone. Whatever the old lady's bed is, she tells her to rock the little children, but doesn't sit her down at the table with her: she's afraid she might break something, or spill it on the table: after all, she has already begun to see poorly, and her hands and legs are trembling, and she won't hear what they say. And the old woman sits at the stove alone and does not dare to approach the table. And my little granddaughter is planting a vegetable garden in the corner on the floor. - What are you doing, daughter? - A fence in the corner: when you, mother, become an old lady, I will put you there, it will be better for you there; there I will feed you and put you to sleep on the floor next to my children. Fine? - Okay, my child, thank you!.. Take grandma to the table. According to the magazine "Helmsman" 1902 No. 30 Who loves you dearly, children? Who loves you so tenderly, Who amuses you with a song? There was a fair in the big city. Just at this time a terrible epidemic (infectious) disease occurred. A lot of people died. And at that time a poor visiting merchant lived in the city with his wife and seven-year-old daughter named Grunya. Father and mother fell ill; the patients were immediately taken to the hospital so that others would not become infected from them, but Grunya was forgotten. Grunya was left alone. The poor thing is crying, calling her father and mother. She cried and cried, and decided to look for her father and mother. Grunya wandered the streets all day, got hungry, tired, my dear, and finally, by asking and questioning, she got to the hospital. They don’t let her into the hospital, they drive her away, but she doesn’t leave, she cries and shouts: “Let me go to my mother!” For Christ’s sake, dear ones, let me in!” The merchant Chapurin was driving past. He saw that a girl was killing herself, he stopped and asked. He felt sorry for the girl, went into the hospital, asked about Grunya’s parents; and they are already dead. The merchant felt even more sorry, and he decided to take the orphan to himself, to replace her own father. As I decided, I did so. He brought Grunya to his family and said to his wife and two daughters: “Wife, here is your third daughter, and for you, daughters, a sister.” And Grunya began to live in someone else’s family, as if in her own. The Chapurins held her like their own daughter: they fed her, dressed her, caressed her the same way, taught her the same way, prepared the same dowry, and their daughters called Grunya sister and fell deeply in love with her. And Grunya grew up - a golden girl: smart, affectionate, and most importantly - kind. She remembered her orphanhood and became deeply attached to the poor and orphans. “It’s good that God sent me a different father and mother,” she thought, “not this happens to all orphans. How can one live with this? How much need and grief they will experience, those who eat!” The Chapurins married Grunya to a good and beloved man, and awarded her along with their daughters. And until the end of her life, Grunya always grieved and cared about the poor and orphans, and many orphans called her their God-given mother. 9. After all, this is my little sister! The lessons are over; everyone runs to play, and Mitya goes home. He will come now to his little sister. He washes her hands, combs her hair, sits her down, keeps her busy, walks with her. He gets up in the morning and goes to her now: gets her up, washes her, dresses her, tells her something, feeds her and runs to school. He’ll finish studying, prepare his homework, and come back to her: he’ll put her to bed, he’ll lull her to sleep. She spends all her free time with him. The neighbors are even surprised: what a boy - like a nanny, all with his sister and his sister! One day he comes home from school, and she falls, gets dirty, and bursts into tears. He consoled her, washed her, cheered her up, calmed her down. The girl is often capricious, stubborn on purpose, tries to anger her brother, but he is always with her, always affectionate, always kind. His dress is simple and poor, but his heart is golden. Everyone loves and appreciates him. - Mitya, why don’t you go play with your friends? Aren't you bored of constantly messing around with this girl? - they tell him. Mitya smiled joyfully and kissed the child tenderly. - Yes, this is my little sister! - he said, hugging her to him and kissing her deeply. From “The Helmsman”, 1901. No. 39 One day, servant girls Anna and Marya were walking along the road to the city. Each carried a basket of fruit on her head. Anna kept sighing and groaning, and Marya kept joking and laughing. Finally Anna says to Marya: “How can you laugh? Is it really easy for you? But your basket is even heavier than mine, and you don’t have much strength.” “That’s true,” answered Marya, “but I have wonderful grass in my basket; If you put it in a basket, you won’t even feel the burden.” “What kind of weed is this? – exclaimed the surprised Anna. “Lend me this weed.” Marya laughed and said: “I can’t give it to you, but if you want, I’ll tell you what it’s called; this grass is patience.” 12. Regret (the old woman's story) I was about eight years old. We lived in the Smolensk province. My father paid my dues to the master - he was a serf. The Frenchman came to Russian land at that time. Moscow was burning, and many people were beaten. A burden has spread throughout the world. Everyone frightened us, foolish guys, about the French; and the Frenchman seemed to us scary, black, and fire was burning from his mouth. They were afraid... They were completely stupid and didn’t know anything. The war ended, and the French were driven home; They said that they would lead prisoners past our village. Everyone was curious to look at the Frenchman. One day my father came to the hut and said to my mother: “The Frenchman is not far away.” My heart sank, but I wanted to see it. I ran into the yard and into the gateway and looked; but it was cold outside, I was shivering and waiting. I see a lot of people coming, and it’s clear that they are not ours; the body is wrapped in some rags, some have shoes, while others are completely barefoot; there is no blood in the face, they are all thin, white-white. They walk, stagger, and everyone moans: “Gliba, gliba” - they asked for bread. And behind them are soldiers with guns. I felt so sorry for them, so sorry that I don’t even know what to say. I ran into the hut, grabbed a loaf of bread, and went outside. I ran up to the front, and the fear disappeared, I give you bread. And when he saw me, he began to babble something in his own way, stroked my head, and looked so pitifully and cried. They were stolen. I thought that my father would scold me for the bread; no, didn't say anything. And I now understand that every person is a Divine creation, everyone’s hardship is not sweet: whether he is a Frenchman or a Tatar, it doesn’t matter, everyone needs to have pity (that is, compassion). Seryozha and Annushka were left at home alone, and the brother said to his sister: “Let’s go, see if there’s anything tasty left in the house, and let’s eat it.” “If you took me to a place where no one would see us, then, perhaps, I would go with you,” answered Annushka. “Let's go to the pantry: there we will find something nice, and no one will see us.” - “No, Seryozha, the neighbor can see us there: he is chopping wood in the yard.” “Well, let’s go to the kitchen,” Seryozha persuaded his sister, “there is a whole pot of honey there, and we will spread a large slice of bread for ourselves.” - “The neighbor will see us in the kitchen: she is probably now sitting by the window and spinning.” “Oh, what a coward you are, Anyuta,” said the little gourmet, “let’s go to the cellar to eat apples, if that’s the case; “Probably no one will see us there.” - “Oh, dear Seryozha, do you really think that no one will see us in the cellar? Don’t you think about the One who sees through walls and from whom you cannot hide even in the dark?” Seryozha was scared. “The truth is yours, sister,” he said. – God sees us even where the human eye sees nothing; and therefore, neither alone nor in the dark should we do anything that we could not do with others and in the light.” There lived an old man and an old woman; they had a daughter and a little son. The old people gathered in the city and ordered their daughter: “We will go, daughter, to the city; We’ll bring you a bun, buy you a handkerchief; “Be smart, take care of your brother, don’t leave the yard.” The old people left; the girl sat her brother down on the grass under the window, and she ran outside and started playing. The geese swooped in, picked up the boy and carried him away on their wings. The girl came running, and lo and behold, her brother was gone. She rushed here and there - no. The girl called, the brother called, but he didn’t respond. She ran out into an open field: a flock of geese darted in the distance and disappeared behind the dark forest. “That’s right, the geese carried away my brother,” the girl thought and set off to catch up with the geese. The girl ran, ran, and saw that there was a stove. “Stove, stove! Tell me where the geese flew? - “Eat my rye pie, I’ll tell you!” And the girl says: “My father doesn’t even eat wheat!” – and ran on. She runs and sees: there is an apple tree. “Apple tree, apple tree! Where did the geese fly? - “Eat my forest apple, then I’ll tell you!” - “My father doesn’t even eat garden vegetables! And the girl ran further. The girl would have had to run for a long time, but a hedgehog came across her. The girl wanted to push the hedgehog, but she was afraid to get stuck and asked: “Hedgehog, hedgehog, where did the geese fly?” The hedgehog showed the way to the girl. The girl ran along the road and saw: there was a hut on chicken legs; in the hut her brother is sitting on a bench by the window, playing with golden apples. The girl crept to the window, grabbed her brother and ran home; and the geese saw it and flew after the girl in pursuit. A girl is running, and the geese are completely catching up with her. Where to go? A girl ran up to a milk river with jelly banks: “River, my dear, cover me!” - “Eat my simple jelly with milk!” The girl ate jelly with milk; then the river hid it under a steep bank, and the geese flew past. The girl ran out from under the bank and ran further, but the geese saw her and again set off in pursuit. What should a girl do? She ran up to the apple tree and said to it: “Apple tree, my dear, hide me!” - “Eat my forest apple, then I’ll hide it.” There is nothing for the girl to do - she ate a forest apple. The apple tree covered the girl with its branches: the geese flew past. The girl came out from under the apple tree and started running home; and the geese saw her again and came after her again! They swoop down completely, flapping their wings over their heads. The girl ran a little to the stove and said to her: “Stove, mother, hide me!” - “Eat my rye pie, then I’ll hide it!” The girl quickly ate the rye pie and climbed into the oven: the geese flew past. The girl got out of the stove and ran home at full speed. The geese saw the girl again and again chased her. They swoop in, hit you in the face with their wings, and before you know it, they’ll tear your brother out of his hands; Yes, the hut was already not far away. The girl ran into the hut, quickly slammed the doors and closed the windows. The geese circled over the hut, screamed, and then flew back empty-handed. An old man and an old woman came home and saw that the boy was at home, alive and well. They gave the girl a bun and a handkerchief. In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, the king had three sons - all young, single, daredevils such as only exist in fairy tales. The youngest was called Ivan Tsarevich. The king says this to them: “My dear children, take each of your arrows, draw tight bows and shoot the arrows in different directions: in whose yard the arrow falls, make a match there.” The elder brother shot an arrow - it fell into the boyar's courtyard, right opposite the maiden's mansion. The middle brother let it go - the arrow flew into the merchant's yard and fell at the red porch, and on that porch stood the soul-maiden, the merchant's daughter. The younger brother fired - the arrow landed in a dirty swamp, and was picked up by a frog. - How can I take a frog for myself? The frog is no match for me. - Take it! - the king answers him. - You know, this is your fate. So the princes got married: the eldest - to a hawthorn tree, the middle one - to a merchant’s daughter, and the youngest, Ivan Tsarevich, - to a frog-croak. The king calls them and orders: “So that your wives bake me soft white bread for tomorrow.” Ivan Tsarevich returned to his chambers sadly, hanging his head below his shoulders. - Kva-kva, Ivan Tsarevich! Why did you become so twisted? - the frog asks him. – Did Al hear an angry, unpleasant word from his father? - How can I not get upset? My lord, my father, ordered you to make soft white bread by tomorrow. - Don’t worry, prince! Go to bed and rest: the morning is wiser than the evening. She put the prince to bed, and she threw off her frog skin - she turned into a maiden soul, Vasilisa the Wise. She went out onto the red porch and shouted in a loud voice: - Nurses! Get ready, get ready, prepare soft white bread, the kind I ate and ate at my dear father’s. The next morning, Tsarevich Ivan woke up: the frog’s bread had been ready for a long time - and so delicious that you couldn’t even think of it, couldn’t guess it, only say it in a fairy tale. The bread is decorated with various tricks, on the sides you can see the royal cities with suburbs and outposts. The king thanked Ivan Tsarevich on that bread and immediately gave an order to his three sons: “So that your wives weave me a carpet in one night.” Ivan Tsarevich returned sadly, hanging his head below his shoulders. - Kva-kva, Ivan Tsarevich! Why did you become so twisted? Did Al hear a cruel, unfriendly word from his father? - How can I not get upset? My sovereign father ordered that a silk carpet be woven for him in one night. - Don’t worry, prince, go to bed and rest: the morning is wiser than the evening. She put him to bed, and she shed her frog skin - and turned into a maiden soul, Vasilisa the Wise. She went out onto the red porch and shouted in a loud voice: - Violent winds! Bring me the same carpet on which I sat with my dear father. As said, so done. The next morning, Tsarevich Ivan woke up: the frog’s carpet had been ready for a long time - and it was so wonderful that you couldn’t even think of it, couldn’t imagine it, maybe tell it in a fairy tale. The carpet is decorated with gold and silver and intricate patterns. The tsar thanked Tsarevich Ivan on that carpet and immediately gave a new order for all three princes to come to his inspection together with their wives. Again Tsarevich Ivan returned sadly, hanging his head below his shoulders. - Kva-kva, Ivan Tsarevich! Why are you freaking out? Did Al hear a cruel, unfriendly word from his father? - How can I not get upset? My sovereign father ordered me to come with you to the inspection; and how to show you off in people! - Don’t worry, prince! Go alone to visit the king, and I will follow you; When you hear knocking and thunder, say: it’s my little frog coming in the box. So the older brothers came to the review with their wives, dressed up and dressed up; they stand and laugh at Ivan Tsarevich: - Why, brother, did you come without a wife, at least bring her in a handkerchief. Suddenly there was a great knock and thunder - the whole palace shook. The guests were very frightened, jumped up from their seats and did not know what to do; and Ivan Tsarevich says: - Don't be afraid! This is my little frog in a box that has arrived. A gilded carriage, harnessed to six horses, flew up to the royal porch, and Vasilisa the Wise came out - such a beauty that you couldn’t even think of it, couldn’t guess it, only say it in a fairy tale. She took Ivan Tsarevich and led him to the oak tables and the stained tablecloths. The guests began to eat, drink, and have fun. Vasilisa the Wise drank from the glass and poured the last of it down her left sleeve; She bit the swan and hid the bones behind her right sleeve. The wives of the older princes saw her tricks, let's do the same for ourselves. After Vasilisa the Wise went to dance with Ivan Tsarevich, she waved her left hand - a lake became, waved her right - and white swans swam across the water; the king and guests were amazed. And the older daughters-in-law went to dance, waved their left hands - they splashed the guests, waved their right hands - the bone almost hit the king in the eye. The king became angry and drove them away with dishonor. Meanwhile, Ivan Tsarevich took a moment, ran home, found a frog skin and burned it over a high fire. Vasilisa the Wise arrives, she missed it - there is no frog skin, she became despondent, sad and said to the prince: - Oh, Ivan Tsarevich! What have you done? If you had waited a little, I would have been yours forever. And now - goodbye. Look for me far away in the thirtieth kingdom, wear out three pairs of iron boots, eat up three iron wafers. She turned into a white swan and flew out the window. Ivan Tsarevich cried bitterly, prayed in all four directions and went wherever his eyes led him. He walked and walked, and a poor old man came across him: “Hello,” he says, “good fellow!” What are you looking for, where are you going? The prince told him his misfortune. - Eh, Ivan Tsarevich! Why did you burn the frog skin? You didn't put it on, and it wasn't up to you to take it off. Here's a ball for you; Wherever he goes, follow him boldly. Ivan Tsarevich thanked the old man and went to get the ball. Whether it takes a long time, whether it’s short, whether it’s close, whether it’s far, soon the fairy tale is told, but it’s not soon that the deed is done - the ball rolls towards the hut: the hut stands on chicken legs, stands and turns. Ivan Tsarevich says: - Hut, hut! Stand in the old way, as your mother did - with your back to the forest, and your front towards me. The hut has now turned its back to the forest, and its front to it. The prince entered the hut, and in it lay Baba Yaga, a bone leg, from corner to corner, her nose grown into the ceiling. She says in an angry voice: - Fu-fu-fu! Until now, the Russian spirit has been unheard of, unseen, but today the Russian spirit is manifesting itself with one’s own eyes. - Oh, you old bastard! - says Ivan Tsarevich, - you would have fed and given me something to drink, steamed me in the bathhouse before I, a good fellow, and then you would have spoken. Baba Yaga fed him, gave him something to drink, and steamed him in a bathhouse; then the prince told her that he was looking for his wife, Vasilisa the Wise. - Oh, child! How long have you been gone? From the first years she often mentioned you, but now she has stopped. Go quickly to my middle sister, she knows more than me. Ivan Tsarevich got ready for the journey and followed the ball. He walked and walked - and here again in front of him was a hut on chicken legs. - Hut, hut! Stand in the old way, as your mother put you - with your back to the forest, and your front towards me. The hut turned around. The prince entered it, and there was Baba Yaga, a bone leg, lying from corner to corner, her long nose rooted in the ceiling. She saw the guest and said: - Fu-fu-fu! Until now, the Russian spirit has been unheard of, unseen, but today the Russian spirit is manifesting itself with one’s own eyes. What, Ivan Tsarevich, did he come willingly or unwillingly? Ivan Tsarevich answered that as much as he will, but twice as much as he will: – I’m looking for Vasilisa the Wise. - I feel sorry for you, Ivan Tsarevich! You haven't been here for a long time; Vasilisa the Wise has completely forgotten you. Go quickly to my elder sister - Vasilisa the Wise is with her; Yes, look - don’t forget one thing: when you enter the hut, Vasilisa the Wise will now turn into a spindle, and my sister will begin to spin gold threads and wind them around that spindle. Look, don't make a mistake. Take that spindle away from her, break it in two, throw the tip behind you, and the spine in front - Vasilisa the Wise will find herself in front of you. Ivan Tsarevich went on the road. He walked and walked, long, short, close, far, three pairs of iron boots were worn out, three iron breads were gnawed - he finally reached the hut on chicken legs. - Hut, hut! Stand in the old way, as your mother did - with your back to the forest, and your front towards me. The hut turned around. The prince entered it, and there Baba Yaga, a bone leg, sat spinning gold; she spun the spindle and laid it on the bottom to change the tow (wool); and Ivan Tsarevich immediately took the trouble to grab the spindle and break it in two: he threw the tip behind him and the spine in front. At that very moment Vasilisa the Wise appeared before him. - Ah, Ivan Tsarevich! How long have you been away? I almost married someone else. Then they held hands, sat on a magic carpet and flew to their state. Three days later, on the fourth, the carpet fell directly onto the royal court. The king met his son and daughter-in-law with great joy and made a feast for the whole world. I was there, I drank honey-beer, it flowed down my mustache, but it didn’t get into my mouth. Child! You are beautiful like a flower I look at you and admire you, I'd love to get on your head Asking God to keep you forever Kept it beautiful and clean. Little Lisa sat by the window and taught her lesson. The sun shone cheerfully on her; she felt happy, and she strongly wanted to do something pleasing to God, Who had created everything so beautifully. And so, when she repeated to herself the words of the Holy Scripture: if your brother sins against you seven times in one day, and seven times in one day comes to you and says: I repent, you must forgive him (Luke 17: 3-4), - her gray eyes took on a serious and thoughtful expression, and she pursed her lips with a very determined look. After a while she went to the dining room, where she found only her brother Fedya. He was two years older than her, but in intelligence and common sense he was not as ahead of her as you might imagine. Fedya was apparently in the worst mood. - What a pity! Sitting at school on a day like this! These were the first words he uttered, and judging by his very ugly pouting face, nothing good could be expected from him in the future. With these words, he threw the book he was holding to the other end of the room, where it fell to the floor with the binding torn and the pages falling apart. - Fedya! - Lisa screamed. – Isn’t this my “Arithmetic?” After all, you know how I took care of her. “Indeed, it’s yours,” he answered with sincere chagrin. - I thought it was mine. I assure you that I didn’t do it on purpose, Lisa. I'm sorry! “Okay,” said Lisa, slowly picking up the sheets and recalling the words of the Holy Scriptures about forgiveness of offenses. “Yes, I think I’ll forgive you,” and then she added in a low voice: “Once!” After breakfast the children went to school. Suddenly Fedya shouted: – Lisa, what a huge dog! Her eyes are like coals, and her tongue is hanging out, probably mad. Poor Liza was terribly frightened and ran; in fear, of course, she did not notice what was under her feet, and, hitting her foot into a nasty hole, she fell. The fall was very unpleasant: she not only abraded the skin on one elbow, but, in addition, ruined a completely new shoe, which until recently had shone like a mirror. There was a large scratch on the shoe. Lisa burst into tears, and not at all because of her elbow, because she knew how to endure pain like some hero, but - the poor new shoe! It could no longer be corrected. - Oh, Fedya, aren’t you ashamed to say such things! This is not a mad dog at all, but simply Cato, who wouldn’t hurt a fly. - Oh, Lisa, how did I know that you would fall? I just wanted you to run a little. I am very sorry that you got hurt, I repent of my stupidity. Can't you forgive me? “I’ll try,” answered Lisa, making a great effort to swallow the insult, and said quietly with a deep sigh: two! At school, Fedya behaved extremely erratically all the time. First, he took his sister's pencil to pee and lost it; then, just at the moment when she stood up to join her cool friends, the naughty one stretched out his legs as long as he could, and Lisa tripped over them and fell amid everyone’s laughter, very embarrassed by this. The brother, of course, began to assure that he “accidentally” and that, they say, he “feels very sorry for her.” What is his fault that he has such huge legs? He tried so hard to hide them both under the bench; what should he do if they don’t fit? He is so deeply saddened by this incident. Patient little Lisa had to forgive again. During the rest of the morning she suffered two or three more insults from Fedya, which would be too long to talk about. But let's go straight to their exit from school. Then Lisa saw with horror that the weather suddenly changed and the rain poured down like buckets; but Fedya borrowed an umbrella from someone, opened it, took his sister’s arm and bravely walked forward. - Be careful! - Liza shouted. “You’re swinging your umbrella so much that it’s dripping right on my head!” “I hope you won’t die from a few raindrops,” Fedya objected. At home, the poor girl saw with grief that her umbrella had faded and that the pretty pink lining of her bonnet was completely ruined by dirty streaks. - Indeed, this is too much! - Fedya confessed at the sight of her grief. – Honestly, Lisa, I didn’t do this on purpose! If you knew how sorry I am for you, you would probably forgive me. “I forgive you,” Lisa said with effort. Then she began to count something on her fingers and finally said with a sigh: seven! – Why do you count all day? – her brother asked curiously. She didn’t answer and happily ran off to dinner, repeating to herself: - Seven times! Oh, how difficult it was, and how glad I am that I don’t need to forgive anymore: I simply couldn’t stand it any longer. After lunch, the children had to do their homework for the next day. - Oh, oh, oh! - Fedya yawned. “Before I get down to this triple rule, which I’m so tired of, let’s get the music box that your uncle gave you for once.” Let him play a play for us. Lisa's eyes sparkled. She gave in to temptation and ran out of the room. Soon she returned with her treasure and with the greatest care closed the box with a gilded key; but the crafty Fedya quietly inserted a sliver of wood into the fragile mechanism 15 from her, so that the wonderful box remained silent when the girl prepared to listen. - What does it mean? – she cried, turning pale. “Don’t worry,” Fedya objected importantly. “I am an unusually skilled magician, and if only you allow me to touch your box, then everything will go perfectly.” Lisa handed him the box with a trembling hand. The boy boldly put his fingers in there, but must have been too hasty in pulling out the sliver. The fragile springs burst, and a crash was heard in the box, as if it were about to shatter into pieces, and everything fell silent. Fedya, as if lowered into water, looked at the poor box. “Dear Liza,” he finally said with deep grief, “he’s completely spoiled.” Will you ever forgive me? “No,” Liza shouted, stamping her foot, “I can’t, and, however, there’s no need to forgive anymore: this is the eighth time.” My poor sweet box! You did this on purpose, you evil boy! Now I’ll run to your room, tear up your kite and ruin everything in sight. Tormented by remorse, Fedya did not even try to stop his sister. She ran through the hallway, all in tears, with burning cheeks, and just bumped into her uncle. - What is this? - he cried. But before he could express his surprise, Lisa was already telling him her sorrows. When she finished, her uncle asked her: - So, Lisa, do you think that now you have every right to be angry? “Yes,” the little girl declared eagerly. – Yes, I have every right to do so. I forgave him exactly seven times. This is the eighth one. - So you don’t know that another time the Lord told the Apostle Peter that he must forgive his brother seven times and another seventy times seven? - Seven, and seventy times seven! But you probably don’t know, uncle, that it’s difficult to forgive everything and forgive? – Lisa said with tears. “Well, no, it seems to me that I know a little,” the uncle said with a smile and then said, as if to himself: “I think that Christ’s disciples found it very difficult, because as soon as they heard this commandment, they all exclaimed in one voice: “Lord! Increase faith in us!” Yes, little Lisa,” he added aloud, “this is terribly difficult, but we should all try to do this and not count how many times we forgive people’s offenses, since it is obvious that seventy times seven is what it means to always forgive. - No, no, I can’t do this! - said the girl, sobbing, and stubbornly turned away from poor Fedya, who was standing on the threshold. – I’ll give you my new travel book, Lisa! I'll save all my money until I buy you a new box of music! - he exclaimed with tears. But she didn't listen to anything. “Well, okay,” said the uncle, “let it be your way.” I just advise you not to read the “Our Father” anymore. - Why is this? – Lisa asked in surprise. - Just think about what it will be like for you to say to God: “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,” that is, Forgive me, Lord, as I forgive Fedya. Lisa blushed like a lobster. She thought for a minute, then screamed that she could not do without the “Our Father,” rushed to the repentant sinner, who was still standing on the threshold, threw herself into his arms and burst into bitter tears. Since then, the naughty Fedya has become much more tender and attentive to his little sister, and if you ask him: “How many times does Lisa forgive you now? Still seven times?” - you will see how his nice, honest eyes become clouded with tears, and he will answer you: “Liza is so kind that she doesn’t count anymore, but I don’t dare count. I’m sure beyond counting that she forgives me seventy times seven.” 18. Brave peasant girl A wolf burst into the village of Konyaevo, Moscow province, Dmitrov district, but peasants who happened to be on the street drove it away. The animal rushed to run along the street, where, unfortunately, at that time four peasant girls were walking in the ravine: Nastya - thirteen, Fekla - eleven, Stepanida - ten and Dasha - seven. The enraged beast rushed at them and first grabbed the smallest one, Dasha, but she managed to break free and run away to the village. Then the wolf rushed at Stepanida, threw her over his back and disappeared into the bushes. Of the two girls remaining in place, one, Fekla, was not lost. She sent the eldest, Nastya, to the village to call for help, and she grabbed a stick and ran after the wolf. The wolf was not far away: stopping behind the nearby bushes, he bit the unfortunate Stepanida, and she, poor thing, screamed and moaned loudly. Thekla not only was not timid, but ran up to the wolf with even greater courage, shouting and waving a stick. The beast did not release the prey from its jaws. Thekla continued to scream, moving closer and closer, until she finally stood in front of the wolf’s eyes, still waving her stick. Then the wolf got angry, abandoned the bitten girl, rose to his feet and bared his teeth at her protector. Fekla was not afraid here either: she shielded her wounded friend with herself and, continuing to wave her stick, managed to give Stepanida time to crawl somehow onto the bank of the ravine; but then her strength left her, and she fell to the ground exhausted; Nastasya, returning from the village, found her here and took her home. Meanwhile, Thekla, seeing that her friend was saved, began to retreat herself, swatting away the beast with a stick, which, in turn, becoming more and more ferocious, did not lag behind the girl. But, fortunately, adults were already running from the village to help, and the wolf, frightened by the scream, turned and started running into the forest. So, with God’s help, eleven-year-old Thekla recaptured her friend from the fierce beast, and the Lord saved her for such a good deed. The rescued Stepanida was brought to the village unconscious. But the wounds were not fatal, they began to treat her, and she recovered. When the authorities informed the Sovereign Emperor about such a commendable deed, His Imperial Majesty ordered eleven-year-old Thekla to be awarded a silver medal to be worn on her chest, with the inscription: “For saving the dead.” 19. The heroic feat of a fourteen-year-old girl In the fall of 1887 in St. Petersburg, on the Vyborg side, along Voskresenskaya Street, a six-year-old boy, Mitya, while playing, threw a stick into a well that was five arshins deep, as was later measured. Wanting to get a stick, the boy himself fell into the well and went to the bottom. Several people gathered, including a fourteen-year-old girl. She quickly threw off her dress and, wearing only her shirt, dived into the well; but this attempt was unsuccessful: the girl emerged, almost suffocating; however, she dived into this well three more times, despite the fact that it was filled with dirty, foul-smelling liquid that was used to water the garden. Finally, the selfless girl managed to pull out the boy, who was brought to his senses through the joint efforts of the gathered people. Such a feat of self-sacrifice was presented to His Imperial Majesty, and the Sovereign Emperor, on the 20th day of September 1887, most graciously deigned to command: the Shlisselburg bourgeois, fourteen-year-old girl Anisya Nikiforova for the feat of self-sacrifice she accomplished, in addition to awarding her a silver medal with the inscription “For salvation perished” and issuing her a one-time allowance of 25 rubles, making, until she gets married, a monthly cash allowance of 5 rubles from the sums of His Majesty and then, upon marriage, giving her a lump sum of 200 rubles for a dowry. 20. Proverbs about attitude towards neighbors Whoever does good will be blessed by God. God does not forget those who feed the orphans. Give it to the window, God will give it to the gateway. A kind person takes someone else's illness to heart. Don't dig holes for others; you yourself will fall into them. There is no use or joy in daring and envy. God sees who will offend whom. 21. Nastya, conductor’s daughter Nastya was the daughter of a horse-drawn railway conductor. She had not had her mother for a long time. Every day before school, Nastya brought hot coffee and breakfast to her father’s place where the carriages were parked. One day before Christmas, when there were no lessons at school, Nastya brought her father lunch - a pot of cabbage soup and a stack of hot pancakes. Having quickly eaten, the conductor began to eat pancakes when the bell of the approaching carriage rang - there was no time to eat. “Bring the pancakes home, Nastya; I’ll eat at home already!” - said the conductor and began to climb onto the imperial (seats at the top of the car). Nastya jumped into the carriage. “He’ll eat it later,” she thought, trying to pull the drawer out from under the bench. The box, as luck would have it, did not budge. “I’ll put it on the bench. Nothing. The paper is thick; Now dad will get off, see, hide and eat at the bus stop.” There was no time to think: at that moment the horsecar started moving. Nastya, putting the bundle on the bench, jumped out and ran home to change clothes to go to the teacher to decorate the Christmas tree. Nastya was happily returning from school, quickly ran up the stairs and involuntarily stopped at the door, hearing voices: “Well,” the hostess said, “the lady got to the place, got up and went to the door, and then some woman gasped: “That little body, lady, they got dirty!” And the talma is light and brand new. What do you think? The public also joined in. What, they say, what order! They sent for the controller. He’s angry, and Arkhipych didn’t keep silent, so that’s it, that’s it!..” “So what?” – the neighbor’s voice was heard. Nastya froze with fear. “The place was denied to my darling.” Nastya’s hands and feet went cold, and she grabbed the door handle. The hostess looked out: “Nastenka, what grief we have,” she began and did not finish, looking at the poor girl’s deadened face. Christmas Eve. The bad weather howls and hums, throwing fine frosty dust into the faces of passers-by. But on the street, despite the bad weather, there is noise and movement. A little girl makes her way through the crowd. Her face is pale and worried. She quickly passes street after street and finally stops in front of a large house with a wide entrance. – Does the head of the horse-drawn railway live here? – she timidly asks the doorman. - Here. Go up the back stairs to the second floor, to the right. The right door to the second floor was open. Nastya slipped into it and stopped on the threshold of the kitchen. A cook in a white apron stood at the stove, stirring something in a large saucepan. – Anna Alekseevna, what’s taking so long? – suddenly a clear child’s voice rang out, and a girl of about eight, dressed in a white dress with a purple belt, appeared at the kitchen door. -What took so long? Oh, what kind of girl? And before the cook had time to turn in Nastya’s direction, the girl found herself near the door. You're probably visiting dad from the orphanage? “No,” Nastya answered, “I need the gentleman who is in charge of the horse-and-iron.” - So this is my dad. Let’s go, dad is home,” and, taking Nastya by the hand, she pulled her along. - Young lady, young lady, Zhenechka, let the girl wait here. But Zhenechka did not listen and led Nastya along a long corridor. She stopped at the door, opened it and, leaving Nastya in a large, richly decorated room, ran away. Several minutes of painful waiting passed. Suddenly Zhenya entered the room, and with her a tall, middle-aged gentleman. “Here’s a girl,” Zhenya said, took Nastya by the hand and led her to her father. Nastya gathered all her courage. “Mr. Chief,” she said timidly, “it’s not my dad’s fault, it was I who put the pancakes on the bench.” Here Nastya could not stand it and began to sob, covering her face with her hands and shuddering with her whole body. The gentleman was confused, not understanding what this little girl wanted from him. He sat down on a chair, drew Nastya to him and began to quietly caress her trembling shoulders. - Stop it, girl, tell us who your father is and what trouble happened to him? These words were spoken so tenderly and affectionately that Nastya soon calmed down and began her story in detail and in detail. She named the line her father traveled on, his number, first and last name; told how her father told her: “Nastya, Nastya, go home with pancakes,” how the lady ruined the talma, and the controller threatened her father with resignation from his position. - Mister Chief! Punish me, I’m very guilty, but my dad didn’t do anything,” Nastya finished, lowering her head guiltily. The tall gentleman was silent. Zhenya was also silent, clinging to her father. The nanny entered the living room, quietly wiping away her tears. “Zhenya,” the gentleman suddenly said, “if a great misfortune happened to your dad, would you go to protect him, would you agree to be punished in his place?” Eh, my daughter? “Yes,” the girl answered firmly and seriously. His face lit up. He pulled his daughter towards him and said something in her ear. “Nastya,” said Zhenya, “my dad tells you not to cry anymore.” My dad won't allow you to be hurt. Nastya looked up at the tall gentleman with fear and hope. “Yes,” she read in his gentle smile. And suddenly everyone became cheerful and started talking. The room definitely became brighter. So, at least, it seemed to Nastya, from whose soul a heavy burden had been lifted. The snowstorm has long since subsided. The clear sky shone with bright stars. A solemn bell rang through the city, announcing joy to the Christian world. “God save the good gentleman and the little lady,” Nastya whispered as she went out into the street. “Save them, Lord!” - she repeated, crossing herself at the church, which was shining with lights. Many, many times that evening and long after, these words were repeated in the conductor’s family, where peace and contentment returned again. 22. How Tatar girl Dina saved a Russian officer The Russian officer Zhilin was captured by the Tatars. The Tatars put stocks on Zilina’s feet and took him to their village - there was a pit about five arshins - and lowered him into this pit. Life has become completely bad. The pads were not removed or released into the open world. They threw unbaked dough there for him, like a dog, and drained water in a jug. Stuffiness in the pit, phlegm. Zhilin became depressed and saw that things were bad. And he doesn't know how to get out. He began to dig under, but there was nowhere to throw the earth; The owner saw him and threatened to kill him. Once he was squatting in a hole, thinking about living freely, and he became bored. Suddenly a flat cake fell right into his lap, then another, and the cherries fell down. I looked up, and there was Dina, a Tatar girl. She looked at him, laughed and ran away. Zhilin thinks: “Won’t Dina help?” He cleared a place in the hole, picked up clay, and began to sculpt dolls. I made people, horses, dogs, and thinks: “When Dina comes, I’ll throw it to her.” Only the next day Dina is not there. And Zhilin hears: the horses trampled, some people arrived and the Tatars gathered, arguing, shouting and mentioning the Russians. And he hears the old man's voice. He didn’t make it out well, but guessed that the Russians were close, and the Tatars were afraid that they might enter the aul (village), and they didn’t know what to do with the prisoner. We talked and left. Suddenly I heard something rustling upstairs. He sees: Dina squatted down, her knees sticking out above her head, hanging down, coins hanging, dangling over the pit. The little eyes sparkle like stars; She took two raw flatbreads out of her sleeve and threw them to him. Zhilin took it and said: “Haven’t you been here for a long time? I made you some toys. Here you go." He began to throw one at a time. But she shakes her head and doesn’t look. “No need,” he says. She paused, sat and said: - Ivan! They want to kill you. She points to her neck with her hand. - Father, the old people tell him to. And I feel sorry for you. “And if you feel sorry for me, then bring me a long stick.” She shakes her head that it’s impossible. He folds his hands and prays to her: - Dina, please, Dinushka, bring it. “You can’t,” she said, “they’ll see, everyone’s at home,” and she left. Here Zhilin sits in the evening and thinks: What will happen? Everything looks up. The stars are visible, but the month has not yet risen. Everything became quiet. Zhilin began to doze off and thought: “The girl will be afraid!” Suddenly clay fell on his head; I looked up - a long pole was poking into that edge of the hole. He stumbled, began to descend, and crawled into the hole. Zhilin was delighted, grabbed it with his hand and lowered it: the pole was healthy. He had seen this pole on the owner's roof before. I looked up: the stars were shining high in the sky; and just above the pit, like a cat’s, Dina’s eyes glow in the dark. She bent her face over the edge of the pit and whispered: “Ivan, Ivan!”, and she kept waving her hands in front of her face to be quieter, they say! “Everyone has left, only two are at home.” He grabbed the pole, told Dina to hold it, and climbed. It broke off twice—the block was in the way. Somehow I got to the top. Dina pulls his shirt with her little hands with all her might, laughing herself. Zhilin took the pole and said: “Take it back, Dina, otherwise they’ll catch you and kill you.” She dragged the pole, and Zhilin went downhill. He climbed down the slope, took a sharp stone, and began to unscrew the lock from the block. And the lock is strong - it won’t knock down, and it’s awkward. He hears someone running from the mountain, jumping up easily. He thinks: “That’s right, Dina again.” She took the stone and said: She sat down on her knees and began to twist. Yes, the little hands are as thin as twigs, there is no strength whatsoever. She threw a stone and cried. Zhilin began to work on the lock again, and Dina squatted down next to him, holding his shoulder. Zhilin looked around and saw that to the left, behind the mountain, a red glow had lit up: the month was rising. Well, he thinks, he needs to cross the ravine before the month and get to the forest. He got up and threw a stone. Even in the block, you have to go. “Goodbye,” says Dinushka. I will remember you forever. Dina grabbed onto it: she rummaged through it with her hands, looking for somewhere to put the cakes. He took the cakes. “Thank you,” he says, “you’re smart.” Who will make dolls for you without me? - And stroked her on the head. When Dina began to cry, she covered herself with her hands and ran up the mountain, like a goat, jumping. Only in the dark can you hear the monista (pearl jewelry) in the braid rattling on your back. Zhilin crossed himself, grabbed the lock on the block with his hand so that it wouldn’t jingle, and walked along the road. 23. Proverbs about how to live If you don't have a friend, look for him, but if you have one, take care of him. Make new friends, but don't lose old ones. For a friend, even seven miles is not a suburb. Way to help in times of poverty. Speak boldly about a good deed. Good will not die, but evil will disappear. Don’t live in such a way that whoever can do it gnaws at him, but live in such a way that people like themselves. Stupid people destroy and drown each other, but smart people love and help each other. A thunderous shaft runs in the river, There is silence at night in the mountains; Leaning on a steel copy. Don't sleep, Cossack: in the darkness of the night Dragging along the bottom of the river network. Cossack, you will drown in the river, How little children drown Rich villages are blooming 16 A cheerful round dance dances... From the book “Golden Ears” by Gorbunov-Posadov What I will tell you happened several years ago in the village of Lyubani, Novgorod province. On the nineteenth of June, at about two o'clock in the afternoon, two girls, half naked, trembling all over, ran into the courtyard of one of the dachas located close to the river bank; Water flowed from their loose and hanging hair. When people came running to the unknown girls from all corners of the dacha, frightened by their appearance and the deathly pallor of their faces, the girls, shaking and chattering their teeth, could barely stammer that they were swimming in the river, that their sister and the maid drowned and that they came running here to quickly ask everyone to save the drowned, because their dacha was still far away. Hearing this, all the people from this dacha rushed to the river, taking with them one of the girls so that she would show them the place where their sister drowned; and the other girl ran unconsciously further to her dacha to call her parents. The people running to the river were joined by people along the way, and a whole crowd gathered near the river. Now there were good swimmers who began to dive into the pool and pulled out the drowned girl. She was no longer breathing. When the girl was taken out of the water, several people grabbed her and immediately began to rock her; but other, more prudent people stopped it, because such rocking cannot cause life. Having laid the drowned woman on the ground, they sent to the village for a paramedic. The paramedic who came running began to rub the girl’s cold body, trying to perform artificial respiration, but life did not return to the numb body. At this time, the girls’ mother came, unconscious from horror and grief. Having learned that nothing was helping, she begged her to do something else to revive her daughter. She was told that nothing more could be done; then she fell to the forever frozen body and wet her blue face with hot tears. Then the dead girl was placed on a cart, and her mother took her home. They still couldn't find the maid. She was found only a long time later, when they went out to the river in a boat and began to feel the bottom in different places of the pool with hooks. Having pulled the long-lifeless girl out of the water, they also put her on a cart, covered her with matting and took her home. When the sisters of the drowned woman came to their senses and calmed down a little, they told how this misfortune happened. This day was especially hot and stuffy. Walking to the river, they were all exhausted from the heat, and when they came to the shore, the maid undressed in an instant and, without waiting for the children to undress, rushed, indiscriminately, into the very pool. Whether the maid had a convulsion or something else, she just began to drown. Seeing this, the elder sister Vera, without thinking for a minute, rushed, as she was, without even throwing off her dress, into the river, to the drowning woman. But Vera hardly knew how to swim, could not cope with the swiftness of the pool and began to drown herself. Then the second sister also went into the water, reached the cliff and gave her hand to her sister, who threw herself into the pool. The drowning woman grabbed her sister's hand, but immediately threw her hand away from her. At this time, the water reached the second sister’s mouth; she became scared and ran out of the water. While the second sister was in the water, even the youngest nine-year-old girl followed her into the water, but, seeing that her sister was returning, she returned to the shore herself. And then both sisters rushed to run to the apartment and call for help. From the story of both girls it was clear that their sister drowned while saving a dying man, and that she did not think for a moment, but threw herself straight into the water, so, apparently, she did not think anything about her life, and at that time she was only filled with pity for someone else’s misfortune. This is what we learned about this girl: this girl was very religious and very good. From her earliest years, she was drawn to everything good and bright, like young grass reaches out with all its might to the sunlight, absorbs it and from this becomes greener and taller. He was always a joyful and affectionate child, and everyone had fun and good times with him - so much sincere love shone from the girl’s big blue eyes, so much love was in her treatment of everyone. This is how she grew up. Many people are kind and meek as small children, but as they grow up, they begin to become callous and rude, but in Vera, love only became deeper and stronger over the years. At the same time, she became very smart; she read a lot and changed her mind. She listened as sometimes something from the Gospel was read in front of her, and it seemed to her then as if someone so familiar and friendly with her was speaking to her from this book, and saying everything so beautifully that tears welled up in her eyes and her little heart was warmed with an inexpressible warmth. And it seemed to Vera that this was the book she most needed, that she should read it herself and re-read it, and she asked her mother to give her the Gospel. Vera was then only eleven years old, and her mother for a long time did not agree to fulfill her request, saying that it was too early for her to read such a book, that she would not understand it with her childish mind. But the girl asked persistently, and her mother finally gave her the Gospel. Having eagerly read and re-read the Gospel with blissful joy, the girl did not part with this book. She knew all four Gospels by heart; but this was not surprising: anyone can learn the Gospel by heart; It was amazing how well she understood what the Gospel taught. First of all, she understood from the Gospel that one cannot live only for oneself, but one must live for everyone, one must love everyone, one must always be meek and affectionate with everyone, one must be a servant to everyone, and most of all one must have pity and help those whom there is no one to pity - all people in need, hungry and cold. She also realized early on that you must always be truthful, that you must always and everywhere look for the same truth and always tell the truth and not be afraid of anything if you are offended, scolded or punished in some way for this truth. And that you should always, always be pure in heart, like little children, in whom there is not a crumb of anything evil; and just as children make everyone around you happier, you yourself should try to be such that you can please and comfort everyone around you, just as the sun in the sky pleases everyone: both the good and the evil, it doesn’t discriminate against anyone, it shines for everyone and warms everyone. She understood all this from the Gospel first of all, and then, over the years, much more was revealed to her. And this child understood well what you need to live for, what you need to believe in and what you need to love with all your soul: you need to live for the truth; you must believe in God, and God is love, as the Gospel says; You must love all people with all your soul, as dear and dear brothers. And the whole soul of Vera trustingly reached out to meet this teaching of love, this truth of Christ. She firmly believed that everyone needs and can live the way the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, taught people to live; and when she happened to say this to adults, and some told her with a condescending smile that it was almost impossible to live like that, she always answered: “So you don’t believe in what Christ taught. No, if you believe, then believe!” And she said this with such ardent conviction that adults involuntarily fell silent, and she always somehow especially expressively repeated: “Believe, so believe!” She read a lot in her free time. Most of all, she loved to read about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. In addition, she especially enjoyed reading history and travel. And everything she read about people’s lives, she assessed in her own way: where peoples lived in harmony with each other, where they led a peaceful, quiet and friendly life, there, she said, people lived the way they should always live; when she read about wars, bloodshed, and in general about any kind of cruelty and oppression of some people by others, she always condemned such actions of people with ardent indignation. She always ardently condemned, without being embarrassed by anyone or anything, any injustice that she saw or about which she had to read or hear. Her face always flared up at such moments, as if from some deep shame for people, and tears rang in her trembling voice. As much as she loved everyone, she hated with all her heart anger and lies, no matter who she encountered. She forgave people for all this, but believed that it was a great sin to hide the truth from people when they do evil. She never lied. As she believed and spoke, so she lived, trying to do all the good that she could and knew how to do. Her parents' means were very modest. They sometimes gave their daughters 15–20 kopecks for gifts, and Vera sometimes collected some ruble from this; but she never, not once, bought anything for herself. What did she do with her little money? Her family was sometimes visited by her acquaintances, poor and extremely needy people, and the girl would quietly put money in the pocket of their dress, which hung in the hallway, and when she happened to visit these people, she would quietly put the money under their pillow. When this was discovered and they asked her if she had done it, she flared up like fire and left without answering anything. Her relatives, seeing that it was so difficult for her when the secrets of her soul were revealed, stopped asking such questions, pretending that they did not notice what she was doing. Sacrificing what little she had, Vera sacrificed her whole life when it was needed. And in her dying moments, she did what only a person who has nothing left but love can do. Remember that when the second of the sisters reached the pool in the water and offered her hand to her sister, who was struggling with the power of the water, the drowning woman grabbed this hand and then immediately threw it away. She did this deliberately, because the deceased girl said many times that when a person is drowning, one must grab the drowning person, not allowing the drowning person to grab the person saving, otherwise the person saving may die. She read this in some book. Therefore, one must think that she remembered these words of hers at that moment when she grabbed her sister’s hand, and she threw this hand away so as not to somehow destroy her sister, and then she herself plunged forever into the depths of the river. That is why, when in the evening of the day on which this misfortune happened on the river, in one of the rooms of the dacha where the family of the deceased girl lived, the sad melodies of a memorial service were heard, something special, deeply touching was in the hearts of the entire assembled group of relatives and friends. And the eyes of the fervently praying mother and sisters, covered with tears, looked with endless love and sorrow to where in the dimly shimmering glass coffin lay the pure, innocent body of a fourteen-year-old girl, almost a child, who without hesitation gave her life as a sacrifice to holy pity. And on the calm, beautiful face of the girl, white through the fog of incense smoke, lay a frozen, meek and friendly smile, as if she was saying to all those gathered: “I have done my job, so do you too.” Pray, child: doubt is a stone Your prayer is a pure flame Pray, child: he listens to you Creator of countless worlds, And he counts the drops of your tears, The battle with the Turks ended, and two Russian officers rode from the battlefield back to the village where they stood. On the way they came across dead bodies of Turkish and Russian soldiers. They were scattered all over the field. They had not gone a mile when first one of the Cossacks riding in front of them, and then another, began pointing at something in the distance; then the Cossacks turned their horses to the side, stopped them and got off them to the ground. - What's there? - the officers shouted. But the Cossacks were silent, fiddling with something that lay below. The officers gave spurs to their horses and a minute later they caught up with the Cossacks. - What do you have here? - they asked. The Cossacks parted, and the officers saw that in front of them in the mud, face up, lay a killed Turkish soldier. The blood had dried on his chest and was terribly black through the bullet-torn cloth of his blue jacket; his legs were spread wide; At a distance lay a gun with a broken bayonet. Leaning her cheek against the cheek of the murdered man, a tiny girl sat with her arms tightly wrapped around him, not even raising her eyes when they approached her. It seemed that she froze completely, seeking protection from him, from the dead. - Oh, my dear! – one of the Cossacks spoke. - What did you do wrong? In front of whom? Poor thing, how it trembles. - And the Cossack ran his hand through her hair. The child pressed his father's cheek even tighter. One of the Cossacks found a dirty lump of sugar in his pocket. He unclenched the girl's hand and put sugar on her palm. She unconsciously, without even noticing him, squeezed her palm again. “We need to take her with us,” one of the officers finally spoke. Then the Cossack, fulfilling the order, approached the girl and wanted to take her. But no matter how hard he tried to take the child, he failed. The girl clung tighter and tighter to her father, and when they wanted to tear her away from him, she began to sob pitifully, so that everyone’s heart involuntarily sank. The Cossacks had to abandon these efforts. The officers stood around, thinking that they couldn’t leave the girl like that; Finally one of the officers said: – You can’t... you can’t leave. - It’s absolutely impossible. Because it's cold, foggy... Let's take her father. - Killed? – the other officers were surprised. - For pity’s sake, there weren’t enough hands to drag all the wounded, and then you’re still messing around with the dead, who you can’t resurrect anyway. - Yes... But... She won’t go anyway... But she will follow her father. The Cossacks quickly retrieved an overcoat lying nearby, apparently left by some wounded man so that it would not interfere with his progress, turned it around and, lifting the body of a Turkish soldier, laid it on the overcoat. Clinging to her father's corpse, the girl grabbed her overcoat. The Cossacks walked, trying to walk as quietly as possible so that the girl could keep up with them. When the girl was convinced that the “guiaurs” (that is, the Russians) were not doing anything bad to her father, she allowed herself to be put on the overcoat, where she immediately hugged her father’s body and still pressed her cheek to cheek against him. - Look, how he loves you! - noticed the younger Cossack. Another old Cossack tried to turn away. The old Cossack did not want the officers to notice that tears were flowing down his cheeks. Only then did he say: - Look what she is! And I have a three-year-old left at home... Looks like he also remembers his dad. Only an hour later they reached the village. -Where to now? - asked the Cossacks. “Yes, to the dressing station, of course,” answered the officer. - There is a doctor and a nurse there... They will give her something to drink and feed her. The little girl, who was shy of men, as soon as she saw the sister of mercy, immediately recovered and, holding her father’s hand with one hand, grabbed the white apron of the sister of mercy with the other, as if asking her to be her patroness. The kind woman kissed the little one and managed to calm her down so much that the girl went into her arms. - Well, where does this go? Bury, or what? - the Cossacks asked. - Killed where? - Wait, wait! - said the doctor examining the corpses. - First of all, why did you imagine that he was killed? - How... we raised it ourselves... – This doesn’t prove anything. He just froze, poor fellow. And his heart is working. Weak, but it works. The girl saved her father. When they undressed the soldier, it turned out that, despite his immobility, he was not yet dead. Life still glimmered in his wounded body. And if the Cossacks had not noticed his girl, both father and daughter would have both died on the battlefield. Three days later, in the hospital (hospital) closest to the battlefield, a seriously wounded Turkish soldier lay awake on a bed, and right there next to him, still sitting cheek to cheek with the wounded man, was his little daughter. The bullet was taken out of his chest: thanks to the child, the Turk received more care than others. She did not leave her father for a minute. He falls asleep, she runs out of the infirmary, stands on the corner, stands for about five minutes, takes a breath of fresh air and returns to the patient again. One elderly, widowed, lonely priest told the following about himself. – It was a very long time ago. When I still had a wife and children, I didn’t think that I would have to live out my life alone. Once I was called to a parish village – now a village – to give a farewell to a sick woman. Arriving there, I saw: in a dilapidated hut, completely alone, a not yet old woman was dying. When I confessed to her, I turned back and saw that a small, two-year-old, blond girl was sitting on the bed and was looking at me very intently. Leaving the hut, I again saw that the girl was looking intently at me and following me with her eyes. The girl’s look confused me, and then the thought came to me: should I take the girl, after the death of her mother, to raise me? Upon arriving home, I told my wife about this in detail, and she also thought about it. A day or two later the woman died. I was again called to the village to perform her funeral service. Then my wife came with me to see the girl. After the woman’s burial, we finally decided to take the girl as our daughter. We brought her in only a thin shirt and bast shoes. The wife hung these bast shoes in the attic and said: when our adopted daughter grows up and does not honor me and becomes arrogant, I will show what we took her in. It is known that women are most afraid of disrespectful children. These bast shoes hung in the attic for a long time until they burned down along with the house. But we didn't have to show them to our daughter. The girl grew up kind, quiet and modest. We led her in everything like our own daughter. We taught her to read and write. There were no women's schools then. When she grew up, we wanted to dress her up according to the times of that time, we sewed her a cloak and thought about giving her away in marriage. But she refused marriage. She did not go to girls' parties and games, although we did not forbid her from doing so, and in her free time from classes she began to read spiritual books. She never sang secular songs, but fell in love with spiritual singing. I myself am a lover of church singing, and in her free time she began to sing with me. Then my wife died, leaving two sons. They turned out to have good abilities. They began to study well. I just wish I could look at them and rejoice, but the Lord God did not judge me to do this. One son, who completed a course at theological seminary, wanted to continue his studies, entered Moscow University and died there. Another son died during the seminar course. And in my old age I remained only with my adopted daughter. It was then that I realized that the Lord Himself had admonished me to take in an orphan. How could I, an old man, live without her? Thanks be to the Lord God! Now I can easily endure widowhood and my loneliness. Wherever I am—whether in church or in a parish—I am at peace in spirit. No matter where I come from, I always find warmth, order, cleanliness, greetings and affection from a grateful and kind heart in the house. - What a pity that there are no sorceresses now! They would fulfill our wishes,” said little Sasha, examining her mother’s pocket telescope, which she received as a gift for her birthday. “I would know what to ask them.” - That's right, the same pipe as mine? – the mother remarked, smiling. - Not quite like that. I would like to see through these glasses not only faces and objects (I can see them well anyway), but I would like to see everything that lies under them - for example, the hearts of people, to know their thoughts, desires, and also who is good and who is evil. “I’m very glad,” said the mother, “that you don’t have such glasses; otherwise you would make a lot of enemies for yourself. - Why, mom? – the girl asked. “Do you really think, my friend, that it would be nice for people to know that they cannot hide anything and that their hearts are open to you, besides, seeing more bad than good, you yourself will be unhappy.” Wait, I remember a fairy tale. She will explain to you what you don't understand. Long, long ago, a certain man lived in the world; he wanted glasses with the kind of lenses you want, and he got them. Only, once he put them on, he could no longer take them off. What happened? The hearts of people with all thoughts opened before him, but he saw more bad than good in them. He penetrated with his glasses into the hearts of his most experienced, most beloved friends - and found flaws everywhere. This brought great sadness to him, he began to treat them coldly and distrustfully; At first they were surprised, upset, not knowing what to attribute such a change to, and finally left him alone. Loneliness weighed heavily on the unfortunate man; but he did not want to look with different eyes at people who all seemed worse than himself, and in his sadness he began to ask God for death. Instead of death, an angel with a meek, friendly face and blue eyes appeared to him. “I am love,” said the heavenly messenger. “I have come to help you and dispel your delusion.” You look for perfection in others. But can someone who is full of shortcomings find it? Consider your own heart first and then judge your neighbors if you dare!” “With these words, the angel touched the wonderful glasses, and his own heart opened before that man, which was much worse than the hearts of his neighbors... “God, what a sinner I am!” Forgive me,” he exclaimed, and the glasses fell at his feet. “Love your neighbor as yourself,” said the angel, “this is the commandment of the Lord. Try to forgive others for their shortcomings - and you will be happy on earth and forgiven in the next world.” The man fulfilled the angel’s command, and the whole world, all people began to seem better and kinder to him, because he remembered what he had considered in his heart, and now, looking at others, he tried to find only the good sides in them, and through this he himself became better and happier. – Did you understand my story, Sasha? - asked the mother. “You and I will look at ourselves through those magic glasses, and at others through simple glasses.” We are commanded to love our neighbors and not look for their faults. It is enough for us if we recognize and correct our own. One pious mother, together with her little daughters, was busy pulling out weeds in her small garden. The work went quickly and cheerfully; The daughters hastily tore up the weeds growing among the vegetable plants, and did not notice how time passed, because, in addition to their work, they were busy telling their mother about the ancient Christian ascetics. Before finishing the work, the younger girl looked around the cleared place, and she felt sorry for the grass that had previously been so prominent among the ridges, dotting the entire garden with various flowers. “Dear mother,” she said, “I won’t weed this whole ridge.” It saddens me now to look at our vegetable garden: burdocks, pansies, and clover bloomed so beautifully here, but now everything seems to be dead, and there is nothing for me to admire. The mother agreed and respected the wishes of her daughter, who still understood little: half the rows of cucumbers remained covered with weeds. After two weeks, the fruits began to ripen in the garden. The youngest of the girls, more than anyone else, was languishing in anticipation when the opportunity would come to pick a fresh cucumber or pull out a delicious carrot... Imagine her surprise when, in the unweeded bed left to her, she found nothing but faded, and therefore no longer beautiful, grass?! With a sad look she returned to her kind mother. - Dear mother! – she said with tears in her eyes. “You know that I used to be happy, looking at the garden bed that you allowed me to leave covered with weeds... Now there is nothing on it except almost dried grass, while our garden is green and fresh, and has already brought fruit!.. The kind mother responded to these gentle words of repentance with gentle words of consolation and sympathy. – Listen, my dear child: remember that the garden is like our soul. Both in the garden and in our soul there is a lot of goodness; but there is something bad in it (and even more). Like good plants in a garden, so are good desires in our soul; weeds are our sins and evil desires. How sad it was for you to look at the cleared garden, because it became empty, so sad and difficult for a person to leave his bad habits: without them, life seems hateful to him. He doesn’t leave them, doesn’t try to destroy them - so what? They bring him to the brink of death; everything good in him dies; he ceases to love God, his neighbors, his parents... Now death deprives him of life, he appears before God, and he has nothing, no good deeds; and the very vices, like grass to you now, do not seem more pleasant to him; but after death there is no repentance. Man is subject to eternal condemnation. Open, children, the Gospel of Matthew and read chapter 3, verse 10. One of the girls read: The ax is already laid at the root of the trees: every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire (Matthew 3:10). “Remember this place and try never to forget it,” the mother said to her children. - A tree that does not bear fruit is the same as a weed. It means a person who does not do good deeds, a person given over to vice. Avoid sin, this weed that so often drowns out all the good in people. - Hello, Lisa! - Hello, Ivan Petrovich. “Why didn’t you stop yesterday when I called you?” - Oh, but two women were walking with you. - Well, what then? Have you become unsociable? - Oh no! I was in a hurry. - Well, you could stop for one minute. – Yes, but I was carrying a jug of water, so I was ashamed. - Here you go! You make me laugh. So, do you think it's a shame to carry water? - Yes, carry it outside. - What do we have our hands for? There is no shame in working; and the shame is that now many girls are ashamed to work. “But it’s only proper for maids to carry water.” “Don’t you know where and how the messenger from Abraham met Rebekah?” “I know very well: he met her when she was carrying a bucket of water on her shoulders, and gave it to Abraham’s servants, as well as the camels, to drink.” - You see! And her father was a very rich man, who was served by hundreds of slaves; and Rebekah herself had many slaves. Who else, if not her, could remain idle and demand services from others? - Yes, you are right, Ivan Petrovich; I won't be ashamed of it anymore. - And you will do well, because this is false shame. And he can get to the point where finally the daughter does not want to serve a glass of water to her sick mother; after all, even this, perhaps, may seem indecent. The stepmother had a stepdaughter, Needlewoman, and a daughter, Lenivitsa. The needlewoman was a smart girl; She got up early and got to work: she lit the stove, kneaded bread, chalked the hut, fed the rooster and chickens, and then went to the well for water. Meanwhile, Sloth was lying in bed; If he gets bored of lying down, he’ll say: “Mom, put on stockings for me; Mom, tie your shoes”; and then he says: “Mom, is there a bun?” He will get up, jump, and sit by the window to count the flies: how many have flown in and how many have flown away. As Lenivitsa counts everyone, she doesn’t know what to do; She would like to count flies at the window - and even then she’s tired; she would like to go to bed - but she doesn’t want to sleep; She would like to eat, but she doesn’t feel like eating; she sits miserable, crying and complaining to everyone that she is bored, as if others are to blame for this. Meanwhile, the Needlewoman comes back and starts knitting or sewing and cutting stockings, and even begins to sing a song, and she was never bored, because she had no time to be bored. One day, trouble happened to the Needlewoman: she went for water, lowered the bucket on a rope, and the rope broke; The bucket fell into the well. The poor girl burst into tears and went to her stepmother to tell her misfortune. And the stepmother was strict, angry, and said: “You made the trouble yourself, fix it yourself; You drowned the bucket yourself, get it out yourself. There was nothing to be done: the poor Needlewoman went again to the well, grabbed the rope and descended along it to the very bottom. As soon as she came down, she looked: there was a stove in front of her, and in the stove sat a pie, so ruddy and crispy; sits and says: “I’m completely ready, browned, fried with sugar and raisins; Whoever takes me out of the oven will go with me! The needlewoman grabbed a spatula, took out the pie and put it in her bosom. They move on. There is a garden in front of her, and in the garden there is a tree, and on the tree golden apples move their leaves and say: – We are liquid, ripe apples; whoever shakes us off the tree will take us for himself! The needlewoman approached the tree, shook it by the twig, and golden apples fell onto her apron. The needlewoman goes further. She looks: sitting in front of her is Moroz Ivanovich, a gray-haired old man; He sits on an ice bench and eats snowballs. “Ah,” he said, “great, Needlewoman; Thank you for bringing me a pie: I haven’t eaten anything hot for a long time. Then he sat the Needlewoman next to him, and they had breakfast together with a pie and snacked on golden apples. “I know why you came,” said Moroz Ivanovich. - You dropped a bucket into my student; I’ll give you the bucket, only you serve me for three days; If you're smart, you'll be better off; If you're lazy, it's worse for you. And now it’s time for me, an old man, to rest; go and prepare the bed, and look, fluff up the feather bed well. The needlewoman obeyed. They went into the house. Moroz Ivanovich's house was made entirely of ice, and the walls were decorated with snow stars. On the bed, instead of a feather bed, there was fluffy snow; It’s cold, but there’s nothing to do, the Needlewoman began to whip up the snow so that the old man could sleep more softly. Moroz Ivanovich stroked her head and lay down to rest on his snowy bed. Meanwhile, the needlewoman cleaned up everything in the house, went to the kitchen, prepared food, mended the old man’s dress and darned the linen. The old man was very pleased with everything and thanked the Needlewoman. This is how the Needlewoman lived with Moroz Ivanovich for three whole days. On the fourth day Moroz Ivanovich said: - Thank you, you comforted me, an old man, well. People get money for needlework, so here’s your bucket, and I poured a whole handful of silver coins into it; Yes, here’s a diamond as a souvenir for you to pin on your scarf. The needlewoman thanked her, went to the well, grabbed the rope and walked out into the light of God. When she came home and told everything that happened to her, the stepmother said: “You see, Sloth, what kind of handicraft people get.” Go to the old man and serve him, and you’ll earn some coins too. Lenivitsa really didn’t like going to work for the old man, but she wanted to get some coins and a diamond pin too. So Sloth went to the well, grabbed the rope, and plummeted straight to the bottom. She looks: there is a stove in front of her, and in the stove sits a pie - so ruddy and crispy; sits, looks and says: “I’m completely ready, browned, toasted with sugar and raisins; whoever takes me will go with me! - Yes, how could it be wrong? I have to tire myself, lift my shovel and reach into the stove; If you want, you can jump out yourself! She goes further and sees: in front of her is a garden, and in the garden there is a tree, and on the tree there are golden apples; The apples move their leaves and say to each other: – We are liquid, ripe apples; we feed on the roots of the tree, we wash ourselves in the cold dew; whoever shakes us off the tree will take us for himself! - Yes, no matter how it is! - answered Lenivitsa. “I have to tire myself out, raise my arms, pull on branches... I’ll have time to pick them up before they fall in.” So she reached Moroz Ivanovich. The old man was still sitting on the ice bench and biting snowballs. -What do you want, girl? – he asked. “I came to you,” answered Lenivitsa, “to serve and get paid for the work.” “You said it very well, girl,” the old man answered, “you should be paid for your work: just let’s see what else your work will be.” Go ahead, fluff up my feather bed, and then prepare the food, and fix my dress and linen. Sloth went, and on the way she thought: “I’m going to tire myself and shiver my fingers. Perhaps the old man won’t notice and fall asleep on the unfluffed feather bed.” The old man really didn’t notice, or pretended not to notice, lay down and fell asleep, and Sloth went into the kitchen. She came, but she doesn’t know what to do. She loved to eat, but it never even occurred to her to think about how the food was prepared. So she looked around: in front of her were greens, meat, fish, vinegar, mustard, and kvass. So she thought and thought: somehow she peeled the greens, cut up the meat and fish, and everything that was there - washed and unwashed - she put it all together in the pan, and also added kvass and thought: “Why bother yourself, cook each thing separately?” The old man woke up and asked for dinner. The sloth brought him the pan as is, without even sending him a tablecloth. Moroz Ivanovich tried it, winced, grunted and began to prepare the food himself. After dinner, the old man lay down to rest and remembered Lenivitsa that his dress had not been repaired and his linen had not been darned. The sloth sulked, but there was nothing to do; I took a needle, but out of habit, I injected myself and quit work. But the old man didn’t seem to notice anything, he called Lenivitsa to dinner, and even put him to bed. But Lenivitsa loves it, she thinks to herself: “Perhaps this will pass. My sister was free to take on the work: he’s a kind old man, he’ll give me pennies for nothing.” On the third day, Lenivitsa comes and asks Moroz Ivanovich to let her go home and reward her for her work. - What was your job? - asked the old man. - Yes, of course! After all, I lived with you for three days,” answered Sloth. “You know, my dear,” said the old man, “to live and to serve are different, and work is different.” But, however, if your conscience does not bother you, I will reward you: and what is your work, such will be your reward. With these words, Moroz Ivanovich gave Lenivitsa a large silver bar, and in the other hand a large diamond. The sloth was so happy about this that she grabbed both and, without even thanking the old man, ran home. She came home and boasted: here, she says, that I have earned - not a piece of money, but a whole silver ingot, look how heavy it is, and the diamond is almost the size of a fist! Before she had time to finish speaking, the silver bar melted and poured onto the floor, at the same time the diamond began to melt, and the rooster jumped up on the fence and cried loudly: - Kukureku, kukurekuku, Sloth has an ice icicle in her hands! To add goodness to yourself, You can fix everything yourself, What a shame! How can you not know? Don't sit idle on your own, There is rubbish everywhere, all nonsense - According to the magazine “Soulful Interlocutor” Life was difficult for Marya Alekseevna with three young children when she was left a widow without any means of support. Her husband was a nobleman and a kind father of a family, but, due to the limitations of his salary, he did not save anything for his wife and children. Marya Alekseevna buried her husband and thought: how to live? You need to apply for a place in some government institution, where you would be given an apartment and board; There was no longer any need to talk about salary, just to find shelter with the children. In anticipation of such a place, the widow sold her belongings and fed her children with this money. Her elder sister, Anna Alekseevna, also a widow and already an elderly woman, lived with her. The small apartment, consisting of two rooms, poorly furnished, made a sad impression along with its inhabitants, who hoped only for God's help, with nothing in mind for material improvement. But then a new grief befalls them: the mother of the family falls ill. The illness begins with a terrible fever and some unfamiliar sensation in the throat, but the patient remains silent, afraid of scaring her children. “Masha, you’re all on fire,” her sister notices. “Yes, I’m very unwell, I should probably go to bed, but God is merciful, maybe it will pass; After all, we can’t invite a doctor, we have nothing to thank him with, and we have nothing to buy medicine with,” the patient answered. By evening she actually went to bed and began to rave. The next day, Anna Alekseevna saw that things were bad, and went to a doctor she knew, begging him to visit the patient. He did not hesitate to come to the rescue and found that Marya Alekseevna had severe diphtheria 17. “Now, immediately, we need to remove the children,” he ordered, “for safety.” “What are you saying, doctor,” objected Anna Alekseevna, “where am I going to put them?” You see our premises! – Somewhere to relatives, to friends, in a word, wherever you want, but it is necessary to remove it. Then the children began to cry, heartbreakingly. - We won’t go anywhere, we will follow mom, we won’t go anywhere from mom!.. “Leave them to the will of God,” Anna Alekseevna asked, “if the mother dies, then let them all die, I have nowhere to put them, let them all die,” she said with despair. - At least, don’t let them into this stuffy bedroom where the sick woman lies, because you expose me to responsibility by leaving the children with a contagious disease - what should I do with you? So I’ll write down what you need at first, and tomorrow at 10 o’clock in the morning I’ll come again; but I can’t guarantee that maybe by morning the patient will no longer be alive. With these words, the good doctor left, leaving his money for the medicine. Anna Alekseevna immediately sent her nephew Vitya to the pharmacy, since he was the eldest in the family, and told him, while they were preparing the medicine, not to wait, but to run to Panteleimon’s chapel and take oil from the lamp. - Yes, pray for the patient! – his aunt shouted to him when he was already running across the yard. The girls, seven-year-old Katya and eight-year-old Manya, were at the bedside of their sick mother, and it was impossible to call them to another room. They cried and kissed her, trying to evoke at least one sound of her voice. - Mom, mommy, wake up, dear mommy, don’t die, dear mommy, say at least a word! Anna Alekseevna believed that what was impossible for people was possible for God, and she turned to Him with fervent prayer, and taught the children the same. - Manya, Katya! If you love your mother, then pray to God that you will not remain orphans; stand in front of the icons and earnestly pray to the Lord for the healing of your mother, pray to the Queen of Heaven and all the saints of God, here I have an akathist to the healer Panteleimon, read it and pray. The girls grabbed this remedy with faith and both knelt down. They spread a printed sheet on the floor, for their convenience, and began to read the akathist aloud, with bitter tears. The Akathist was printed in Church Slavonic, which made it very difficult for them; they could barely make out the words and watered this leaf with bitter tears. Manya could not leave her mother for long and often ran into the bedroom to look at her, and Katya, without rising from her knees, prayed with a sob, bowing her head to the akathist. Tears blurred her eyes, so she could no longer read and prayed, repeating her own prayer: “Lord, save our mother! Mother of God! Have mercy on mom! Holy saint of God, heal mom!” Anna Alekseevna regretted that she did not have time to ask the priest to give communion to her dying sister, and sat listening to the wheezing in the patient’s chest, awaiting her death. But then nephew Vitya came running, barely catching his breath from fast walking; he gave his aunt medicine from the pharmacy and oil from the chapel of St. Panteleimon. Faith gave birth to hope, and Anna Alekseevna hurriedly took up the healing oil from the chapel, putting the medicine aside. With prayer, she began to rub oil all over the sick woman’s body and continued this for about half an hour, while the children kept praying. Suddenly the patient opened her eyes and asked in a weak voice: – What herbs are you rubbing on me? They are very fragrant and so pleasant to the body. – This is oil from the lamp of the healer Panteleimon. - Oh, that's what, I didn't know. And the sick woman raised her hand to cross herself. Anna Alekseevna used all the brought oil for rubbing, and then dressed the patient with a warm blanket. The children, tired of tears and fervent prayer, soon fell asleep on the hard sofa, and their aunt sat next to her sister, not taking her eyes off the small icon of St. Panteleimon, hanging in the patient’s head. She could no longer pray, she only looked at the icon, as one looks at a doctor in whose art they believe and give him the patient at his complete disposal. Listening to her sister’s breathing, she noticed that she began to breathe more evenly and calmly. The whole night passed like this. In the morning, at about eight o'clock, the patient asked to change her underwear because she was sweating profusely. She sat up in bed, crossed herself and asked for tea. Delighted Anna Alekseevna hastily fulfilled all her demands. At ten o'clock the doctor arrived and, carefully entering, asked if the patient was alive. “Come in to her, she’s better,” answered Anna Alekseevna. He entered and stopped, not believing his eyes; looked at the untouched medicine and asked: “Here is the doctor,” answered Anna Alekseevna, pointing to the icon of St. Panteleimon, “and here is the medicine,” she pointed to the bottle of oil. The doctor examined the patient and exclaimed: - Well, your faith is strong! God created this miracle, I can’t imagine it any other way. You know that Marya Alekseevna had severe diphtheria, and I did not expect to find her alive, but now there is no trace of this illness. I was in a hurry to find out the result of my medicine, but you didn’t touch it. - Sorry, doctor, I was in such despair that I believed only in God’s help, and therefore I preferred this oil to your medicine. “We prayed for mom,” said little Katya, “so God healed her.” Tell all the sick, doctor, to pray to God and read the akathist to Saint Panteleimon; Do you believe that it was he who healed our mother? - I believe, children, I believe, this is the first time in all my practice. I’m a bad Christian, but I still advise: when your mother gets completely better, go with her and serve a thanksgiving prayer service. Now I boldly congratulate you, Marya Alekseevna, on your quick recovery; only God could snatch you from the clutches of death. With these words the doctor left, joyful and surprised. Marya Alekseevna, indeed, soon recovered and lived for several more years, and her children are alive and well to this day. From the book “My Life in Christ” by Rev. John Sergiev of Kronstadt Say the words of prayer with firmness of heart. When praying in the evening, do not forget to express in prayer to the Holy Spirit with all sincerity and contrition of heart those sins into which you fell in the past day: a few moments of warm repentance - and you will be cleansed by the Holy Spirit from all filth, whiter than snow, and tears that cleanse your heart will flow from your eyes, and you will be covered with the robe of the righteousness of Christ and will be united with Him as with the Father and the Spirit. In one poor village there lived an evil old woman; she had a daughter, Sasha, and a stepdaughter, Olya; Sasha was so bad, and Olya, like an angel, was good. And her stepmother disliked her for that. To harass her beautiful stepdaughter, in winter she sends her to the forest for violets. That poor thing doesn’t dare disobey, she goes into the forest. She walked for a long time... Suddenly a flame appeared on a high mountain to Olya and thought: “I’ll warm myself up.” She came up and saw giant brothers around a large fire, on granite stones. Three are gray-haired like a harrier, three are not very old, three are like a ripe ear of corn, three are younger than spring. There were twelve of them, they were called for months; They were born a year old father. Olya approaches them, bows from the waist and, trembling with fear, makes the following speech: - People-brothers! There is bad weather in the field, a blizzard; The cold in my veins froze my blood. It’s warm for you by the fire, let the poor orphan warm up. Hands become numb. “Well, warm up,” said the eldest Ole, “but tell us, how did you end up in the field?” “I’m looking for violets,” Olya answered. -Where will you find them? In the snow? Under the snow? “I don’t know either... But I’m scared to go back to my mother and sister without flowers.” They were strictly ordered to bring violets; They will beat me, torture me, if I return with nothing... “I feel sorry for you,” the blizzard lord said to her. “Well, don’t be sad, we will help you... My brother Mart,” he said, “rule over nature,” and with a bow he gave the scepter to brother Mart. He touched that fire three times with the scepter... The flame flared up and warmed the air. The snow began to melt quickly, greenery appeared, buds unfurled on the old trees, violets bloomed in the grass under the bushes... Olya sees a miracle and does not believe herself. “Well, my little one, pick up the flowers quickly, pick them up, or they’ll wither,” the month of March said to her. Narwhal and, bowing to her brothers at the waist, returned cheerfully to the village from the field. - What, did you find violets? - said the old woman. - Yes, I picked them under the bushes, mom. - That's right, under the bushes... Why are you standing there? Sasha take them down quickly. She - at least thank you, at least wonder: how did these violets that Olya picked bloom in winter? The next morning, the stepmother sends Olya to buy strawberries. The unfortunate woman went into that forest again and found her giant brothers on the same stones. The brothers received her kindly. The elder with a white beard asked her why she went out into the field again. “Mother told me to pick strawberries again,” she answers, and tears flow from her eyes... I felt sorry for little gray-haired January; he hands over his scepter to brother June; June sat down in the first place, waved his scepter over the fire, the flames rose - the snow immediately melted, the fields turned green, the trees were covered with leaves. The grove was filled with the trill of a nightingale; the bread in the winter field was stirred by the sea. Nearby, on hummocks covered with damp moss, white flowers opened their corolla. The petals fell from the stems at the same moment; The strawberries were ripening, filling with juice. Olya sees the miracle and doesn’t believe herself, and June is quiet to her: Olya picked ripe berries into her apron and ran to the house with all her strength. Mother greets Olya with an unfriendly word: - Why did you wander for so long? Did you bring any berries? - I brought it, dear! – Olya answered, quietly pouring berries onto the dish. The stepmother and Sasha ate strawberries - and at least they gave Olya a greeting, at least they marveled at how she was able to find strawberries under the snow. On the third day, the stepmother sends Olya into the forest to get plums. She comes again to the giant brothers; tearfully asks them to help her, the poor one. Brother September took the scepter from the hands of his elder brother, circled the fire three times - and the flame quickly flared up and rose high into the sky in pillars, warming the air. The snow melted in an instant, the field shook with a golden wave of rye, wonderfully ripened... A moment - and the rye lay in heaps across the field. On hundred-year-old linden trees, the leaves are edged with a golden tint; on the plum trees, glowing under the leaves, the plums filled with amber moisture. Olya sees the miracle and doesn’t believe it herself, and September whispers to her: Olya shook the tree a little with her little hand, and four plums fell to the ground. The girl picked them up, bowed to the brothers and said quietly: Here she comes from the field, now she approaches the house, her stepmother comes out to meet her with abuse. - Where are the plums, or did you not bring them? - Here are some plums for you, mom! - Olya answers. - Don’t be angry, dear, I didn’t bother you anymore. - What, only four? – the stepmother asked. - Why not more? You know, dear, I ate it. “No, I didn’t eat the plums,” answered Olya, “there were a lot of them hanging on the plum trees, but I didn’t dare pick any more, I was afraid.” I thought that this would anger the owners. - Oh, you’re a fool, you’re a fool! – the stepmother grumbled. – I was afraid to vomit... But it seems to me that you’re lying. “Yes, and you’re lying awkwardly,” the daughter interrupted, happily swallowing the plums. -Where did you find plums? – Sasha said, turning to Olya. - I’ll go: I’ll find out if you told the truth; If I lied, beware – I’ll torment you... On the field, the snow shimmers in waves, like the sea in a storm. Now she’s approaching the forest... Now she’s ascending the mountain... So she, like Olya, saw a flame. She came up and saw: the giant brothers were sitting around the fire just as before. Sasha boldly approached them and began to warm herself by someone else’s fire, without asking. The brothers looked at her sternly, but she didn’t say a word, even if she bowed. – We would like to know what you need here? - January said to her here. - Speak up, don’t be afraid. “Very curious, old fool,” Sasha muttered to January with mockery. As if wounded by a poisonous snake, he rose from the stone and his eyes sparkled. - There is an avenger in front of you! - the old moon said in a thunderous voice and touched the fire three times, threateningly knitting his eyebrows, with the scepter. The flame disappeared instantly. Thick smoke mixed with the clouds in the sky and hung over the field like an ominous cloud. From behind the forest, the wind whistled like a whirlwind, and the blizzard howled like a sick child. “How can I get home as quickly as possible,” Sasha thinks, shivering from the cold. And I went, but it was late. In front of her and behind her, the snow was spinning madly, driven by the blizzard. Meanwhile, the old woman is waiting for her daughter: she will look out the window, then look behind the door. “I know, I’ve lost my way,” he mutters to himself, “I can’t see anything in the field... Let me meet you halfway.” And she went... On the field she began to call Sasha: - Answer me, dear, where are you, what’s wrong with you? There was no answer; only the wind, as if mockingly, moaned in the gorges... Now it approaches the forest; Lo and behold, Sasha is leaning against a spruce tree, covered in snow, barely breathing. The mother comes up to her daughter and, taking her hand, says: - Let's go back, see how cold you are. “No, dear, it’s late, we won’t get there, we’ll freeze,” her daughter answers in response. - Know that the giant brothers sent the blizzard; Apparently our Olga talked them into it. - Olga! I warmed the snake on my chest. I'll beat you to death just to come back... Yes, the Lord did not destined them to return home: the snowy plain became their grave. Orphan Olya, sitting at work, waited for her stepmother and sister for a long time. The day passed, they were still gone... Evening gave way to night... At night, the blizzard in the field gradually subsided. The sky has cleared; like someone's eyes, the stars sparkled; and she is still waiting for them... Now the distant east bursts into flames with the glow of a fire. The sun rose, smiling at the morning. Early in the morning, Olga let her neighbors know that her relatives had not returned from the field. Neighbors gathered, threw up their hands and decided to look for the dead in the field. And let's go. The whole field left, only the stepmother and Sasha were not found under the snow. They returned from the field and decided in peace: Olga should be the mistress and own the hut. And she, sobbing, told the world: - What kind of housewife am I, I don’t need a hut... Without my birth mother, without my dear sister, I will not be happy to live in this world. You know, in my grief I forgot how sweet Sasha’s stepmother’s affection and love were. In early spring, shepherds found corpses in the field and told Olya. She buried them and only with kind words, going to the graves, remembered the dead. Lisa's parents were poor people, but honest and hardworking. Lisa herself was a very kind and affectionate girl, and all the children in the neighborhood loved her for her polite and sweet manner. Everyone willingly played with her, despite the fact that she was the poorest of all and did not have such pretty dresses as Natasha, Nastya and other friends. They looked not at the dress, but at the heart, which, of course, is worth more than some silk or velvet rag. Suddenly a change happened to Lisa. Her parents received a large inheritance and became rich. Lisa imagined that she was more important than her friends, and became extremely arrogant; There was no trace left of her former helpfulness and courtesy. Natasha, Nastya and her other friends were surprised at first, and then began to laugh at her, but finally Nastya told her: - Listen, Lizochka, you stupid girl. If you don’t change your attitude, you’ll be left alone: ​​we won’t play with you. Come to your senses! At these words, Lisa winced, turned away from her friends and said: “Now I’m rich, I’ll find friends.” She, however, was mistaken: the children left her, and Lisa, abandoned by her friends, soon became very bored: she only now saw how unpleasant it was to be alone. Sitting by the window, Lisa cried, looking at the cheerful games of her former friends. Finally her mother noticed this change and asked her: – Why don’t you play with your friends? At first, Lisa was ashamed to say the reason, but at the insistence of her mother, she confessed to her stupid trick, as well as to the fact that she had long repented of her arrogance. “Go now to your friends and apologize to them,” said the mother. – And remember that it is not wealth, but affectionate and cordial treatment that makes a person loved. Why should anyone care whether you are rich or not? Do they take advantage of your wealth? Leave foolish arrogance forever and do not allow evil to take root in your heart. Lisa immediately followed her mother’s advice, ran to her friends, tenderly asked them to apologize for her arrogant treatment of them, and was again happily accepted into the circle of cheerful children. This, however, had a very good effect on her: from then on she never boasted about her father’s wealth. In the same house lived two little sisters, who were always seen playing happily, because they were always happy with each other. They shared books and toys, but there was never a quarrel between them, never an angry word was heard, no angry look was seen. They were always in a good mood, whether playing on the grass or helping their mother in some way. “It seems to me that you are never angry,” I told them one day. - Why does it depend that you are always happy with each other? They looked at me, and the eldest answered: - This is because in everything we are inferior to each other. - Yes, it’s fair: you give in to her, and she gives in to you. These kind little sisters discovered the secret of a calm and cheerful life. They constantly give in to one another, try to do everything pleasant for each other; they are kind, compliant, simple-hearted, not proud and ready to constantly help one another. And, isn’t it true, how happy they should be? And everyone loves them for it. 39. Dear penny (a convict's story) I was returning from work alone, with a guard, when a mother and her daughter passed me. The daughter was a girl of nine years old. I've already seen them once. My mother was a soldier, a widow. Her husband was on trial and died in the hospital, in the prisoner's ward. At that time I was lying there sick. The wife and daughter came to the hospital to say goodbye to the deceased; both cried terribly. Seeing me, the girl blushed and whispered something to her mother. The mother immediately stopped, found something in the bundle and gave it to the girl. The girl started running after me. She thrust a coin into my hand and said: “Here, you unfortunate thing, accept Christ for a penny.” I took a penny, and the girl returned to her mother completely satisfied. I still keep this little penny for myself. - Grandma, why do you count everything every time your wall clock strikes, and then think about something? - this is how a seven-year-old girl asked her beloved grandmother, running to her and climbing onto her lap when the clock struck twelve. “My dear, I count the strokes of the clock out of habit when I think, but I think about the fact that with every hour my life becomes shorter, and death becomes closer to me.” The clock begins to strike, and I think: another hour of my life has flown into eternity; I still have less than an hour left to live in the world; The ringing of the clock, like the ringing of a funeral bell, reminds me that someday the last hour of my life will strike, after which the funeral bell will announce the end of my real life. - Why should you, grandmother, think and remember about this? Do you like it? Do you really want to die? “I don’t want to die, my child, but death doesn’t ask us when it will come.” And my years are already such that I reluctantly think about death. And what kind of Christian would I be if I were afraid to think about death? Our Lord commands us all to think about death and expect it every day, every hour, so that we prepare for the future life. So, when the clock starts striking, I think: my life has become another hour shorter. What good and bad have I done in the past hour? Am I getting better or not and am I ready to stand before God’s judgment after death? If I have done or said something bad in the past hour, then I will sigh to the Lord about my sins and after that sometimes I will refrain from doing a bad deed or a bad word. Whether someone in the household has done something wrong, whether they say an offensive word, or if you do some prank, I will remember death and refrain from anger and an angry word, but instead I will tell you and others with kindness and love. “That’s what I will do now, grandmother: as the clock begins to strike, so I will keep remembering death and will do what you do.” “It’s good, my child, for every Christian to do this; but you can’t do it yet: don’t promise to do what you can’t fulfill. When you grow up, then try to do this. Now do this: when the clock begins to strike, think then: another hour has been added to my life; What did I do at this hour - what did I learn, what did I learn? If you left something out or forgot to do it, hurry up and do it. If you have offended someone or are offended by someone, hurry to make peace, and in the next hour try not to do the bad thing that you did in the past hour. Then every hour you will become smarter and kinder; If you grow in body, you will also grow in soul. - Okay, grandma, I will do it now. “God bless you, my good child!” I met the little one near the village. She was only seven years old; she (Even in a poor dress) she was, Like an angel, full of charm. They made me feel happier. “Tell me, little one, how many of you are In a family of brothers and sisters? – “Yes, how much? All seven of us,” “Where are they,” I asked, “where?” – “Mama has seven of us in total: Two brothers live with relatives, Yes, two at sea... far away, Yes, there are two people sleeping in the cemetery: And with her is my little brother; Mom’s seventh is me.” – “Relatives have two, you say; Two at sea, yes you: here are five; And all of you are seven; tell me How can I understand this, my dear?” “You see, there are seven of us: sister and brother, What's in the cemetery, that's two; They are lying near the hut.” – “You’re delusional, little light: it’s tricky So, therefore, there are only five of you!” – “The graves are there; just take a look for yourself - The girl said, “Let's go!” There are five steps from the path... When will the sun set in spring? And the evening is so beautiful, quiet, - And I eat at their place... And they took my sister away... And with my little brother I made wreaths there all summer. Winter has come; my brother couldn't Play as before with me: He closed his eyes and lay down in the coffin, And he also sleeps underground.” – “God took two! - I exclaimed, - So how many of you are there then?” Ah, sir, there are seven of us; really, seven!” – “But two died, my friend: There are no more of them in the world.” But nothing And she kept repeating: “No, there are seven of us!” Comp. by "Soul Floor" read." The Lord God, who said: whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it (Luke 18:17) and: from the mouth of a baby and those who piss (that is, those who feed on the mother’s breast) you have brought praise (Matthew 21:16), indeed, sometimes does wonderful things in children and through children. In June 1860, an eight-year-old peasant girl, Manya, died in a village. Born and raised in a kind and God-fearing family, she was distinguished by a particularly meek disposition, love for everyone and a willingness to serve everyone, especially the poor and orphans. With her good disposition she pleased not only her parents, but also everyone around her. In the mentioned year, three in her family fell ill at almost the same time: she, the old woman - her grandmother, and her younger three-year-old sister. Even at the beginning of her illness, which lasted ten days, Manya began to tell her parents that she would certainly die, and exhorted them not to cry for her, because she would go and herself want to move to her beloved Savior. The more the illness intensified, the more, despite the severe physical suffering, the girl revealed a joyful expectation of an imminent resettlement to the Lord. On the tenth day, she asked her mother to move her from the hay barn in which she lay to the upper room, wanting to die under the holy icons of the Savior, the Mother of God and the holy saints of God. Although they didn’t quite believe in her premonition of her imminent death, they fulfilled her wish. She also predicted that soon both her grandmother and her younger sister would follow her in order to unite with her in endless joy, in the Kingdom of Christ. Shortly before her death, the baby had the spirit to say goodbye to all her loved ones, asked for the blessing of her parents, even ordered to call her grandmother, who received her at birth, and asked her to wash her body after death so that no one else would see her naked. Having made this order, she soon died in peace and without suffering, with the imprint of a smile on her lips, with which she probably met the unearthly messengers sent for her soul. Her grandmother died the next day, and her younger sister died five days later. Thus, Mary’s prediction regarding them was justified by the deed itself. There is no doubt that the premonition and prediction of the late Mani, justified by the event, came from God. In the simple and meek hearts of children brought up in the fear of the Lord, God Himself rests and enlightens their minds with the revelation of secrets inaccessible to the wise and prudent. No less instructive is the fact that the deceased girl not only fearlessly faced death, but also desired it in order to unite with her beloved Savior. Only those who love God with all their souls and are beloved by God can thirst and strive for union with God. I noticed a similar firmness of spirit at death in 1845 in the thirteen-year-old girl Natalya N., the daughter of a merchant (who then managed the estate of Mr. B.), a person, generally speaking, a businesslike and intelligent person who, by the way, thoroughly studied both the holy word of God and the writings of the Fathers of the Church, which is not often found today in secular people. Despite the life spent in contentment and happiness, and the bright future that appeared ahead, Natalya, already extremely weakened by illness, after receiving the Holy Mysteries, when I asked if she was afraid of death, she answered: “No, father, why be afraid to go to the Savior?” - “Aren’t sins scary? After all, nothing bad and unclean can enter the Kingdom of God. And who is sinless? Despite your youth, perhaps you are also guilty before the Lord in many ways.” - “It’s true, I am a sinner and a great sinner; but my merciful Savior, who came to seek and save sinners like me, also bore my sins and washed them with His priceless Blood. I feel, father, that for this I love Him with all my soul, I believe that He, in His ineffable goodness, will not reject me.” - “Aren’t you sorry, my friend, to part with your parents and relatives?” - “I will constantly pray to the Lord to unite with them in the Heavenly Kingdom.” – Isn’t such faith and hope of a thirteen-year-old dying girl worthy of surprise? That same day, in the evening, Natalya died quietly, as if she had fallen asleep, showing in herself to her relatives and others who had eyes to see, an amazing and instructive lesson that whoever does not value earthly things, but looks with his soul into the heavenly (heavenly), he parts with everything contented, without a collapse of spirit, and without embarrassment and fear he faces death itself. 43. Great change: we will all change (1 Cor. 15:51) Based on the book "Reading for Children" by Todd Has there ever been a boy who, in the midst of a beautiful hot summer, would not wish for autumn to come, when various fruits ripen and when the squirrel jumps through the trees, stocking up on food for the winter; and in the fall, doesn’t this same boy wish for winter to come, when the ice will crack under his skates, when he will rush on a sled through the loose snow, when the wind will refresh his cheeks and he will feel cheerful and fresh? In winter, he will wish for spring to come, when the earth is covered with greenery, flowers bloom, birds return and the whole world seems to be renewed and rejoices. This is how children love change. Was there such a girl who would not want to receive a new doll instead of her old one, a beautiful dress instead of a worn one; who would not like to go on a visit where she can see many different new things; who wouldn't want to read the new interesting book they told her about? Girls love change too. That's how all people love change. A sailor on a voyage eagerly awaits the time when he lands on shore; but, having spent some time on land, he is already eager to sail again. The boy wants to be a young man, and the young man wants to be a man. How many great changes in life! The decrepit old man, leaning on his stick, was also once a cheerful boy, singing and running, like all of you children. He also went to school, but grew up and became a man. Then he had a young beautiful wife and a large family of children. But death struck everyone close to him. First the children died, soon after his wife, and then his friends died. He was left alone. The cheerful songs and various games of children have long fallen silent; He had long ago lost the affection of his wife and the company of friends. It seems to the old man that the sun does not shine in the sky as before, and the stars are less brilliant. His hair turned white, his eyes became cloudy, his ears were hard of hearing, his hands were shaking. Yes, he has seen a lot of changes in his lifetime. Dear children! There are two great changes that we all must experience. I mean, when we die, we leave the body in which we live; but we will return to it again on the day of the resurrection of the dead. When we die, we seem to leave our home to go on a long journey. Before I explain this, I will tell you about the death of a young Christian woman. She was only twelve years old; a few months before the manifestation of the illness that was supposed to end her life, she completely devoted herself to religion (i.e., holy faith). She spoke of the eternal bliss of the soul. I listened to her in surprise. She needed peace and absolution. - Katya, do you know that you are a sinner? – Yes, I feel it more and more every day. – Have you asked for God’s mercy? - Yes, I ask every day. – How long have you been praying daily? “I’ve always read prayers, but I’ve only been praying sincerely for about two months.” – I’m not asking you which sin is most difficult for you. But do you know what a sin this is? – I think I know; I pray for forgiveness and release from it. This sin is my stubborn nature. But I think I can handle it. Then, after this conversation, she recovered so much that she could carefully attend all services. But this did not last long. She became very ill again. When I was called to her, the poor girl was in terrible agony, but her soul remained unperturbed. Her mind did not darken at all, and her voice was loud when she called friends and acquaintances to her bed to say goodbye to them. She begged them to turn to the Savior. She talked about going home, and peace and hope were visible on her clear brow. Death had no sting for her, the grave had no victory. The doctor did not hope for a recovery, and the family despaired; but the girl was calm - she was happy to leave this world. The next night she felt worse. She wanted to see her friends in order to say goodbye to them - each separately. She wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck, kissed her sisters and asked them to pray to the Savior and love Him. She calmly spoke about her hopes and about her approaching death, speaking about it as if it were something joyful. The doctor, who had seen many dying people, young, middle-aged and old, and who had read a lot, said that he had never read or seen anything like it. She told her sisters and close friends how easy it seemed to love Christ, and, holding out her little hands, began to bid them farewell. I have often seen death, but never before has it made such a deep, solemn impression on me as the death of this child. She died so quietly, as calmly as a rose falls from its stem or as a lily closes its petals at sunset. She changed: her clear eyes were closed, her sonorous voice fell silent, her ears stopped hearing; transparent hands were folded on her chest; the heart stopped beating. She died. What a change! The soul left the body. She lay like marble. Her mother and brothers and sisters sobbed near her body. But where is she? She is in heaven; she sees her Savior, the souls of the righteous, holy angels and many children, for the Kingdom of God consists of such. What a change! Here she was a pitiful body, full of suffering; there she was freed from suffering and illness. Then she heard the sobs of her relatives; there she is surrounded by happy people singing hymns to the Lord. Here she saw a priest speaking to her about Christ; there she saw Christ Himself in all His glory. Here she heard prayers and cries, there thanksgiving and joyful songs. Here she saw tears, there the Lord wipes away the tears of everyone (Rev. 7:17; 21:4). Here the storms tore down the lilies - there she is in the garden, where there are no storms or winds. What a change! But there will be an even greater change when the soul reunites with its body. At the sound of the archangel's trumpet, all the dead will rise from their graves. When she lay beautiful in the coffin, dressed in white clothes, she seemed something unearthly. But this look will change, this dress will change, and the grave where she will lie, and the monument above her - everything will be forgotten by people and someday will disappear. But Jesus Christ will not forget her. He knows where His friends are buried, and He has appointed a day on which He will send an angel to gather the nations. Now Christ is in heaven to prepare mansions for His friends; but, having accomplished all this, He will come to earth. He will come with a host of angels. Redeemed souls will come with Him. What light will fill the heavens as He sits on His great white throne! One of the angels will descend to earth with a trumpet. This is an archangel. He will sound the trumpet, and the dead will rise. In an instant, both old and young will rise. They will rise from the bottom of the sea, from valleys and mountains, from all forgotten, secluded places, from buried cities. "We will all change." Good and thin, old and young, big and small - everyone will change. It will be a blessed change for the friends of Christ. It will exceed the concept of the feeling of joy of a patient who, after a long, debilitating illness, returns to health; Even that person who enthusiastically greets his friends who have returned to their homeland after an incredibly long journey cannot form a correct idea about it. The weak old man will change - he will have a new, young, strong, light spiritual body, an obedient instrument of the soul. A small child, who has suffered a lot from a cruel illness, will change so much that he will never again have to sigh and say: “I am sick!” The weakened one, who was unable to take a single step and who throughout his life did not know what it meant to be healthy, will be filled with strength and joy. A blind girl who has never seen beautiful flowers in the garden and fields, who has never known her mother’s face or her father’s smile, she will change and see everything beautiful in God’s world. And that little deaf-mute, who has never heard words of affection or music, deprived of the ability to speak, - and this unfortunate woman will be changed: the songs of angels and saints in heaven will be available to her, and she will be filled with bliss forever and ever. There will be no sick, no unfortunate, no cripples there. The holy body of Christ, pierced by a spear, bloodied and pricked with a crown of thorns and nails, was placed in a tomb; but it shouldn't have changed. What a glorified body was the one in which the Savior appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus and to John, His beloved disciple, on the island of Patmos! The body of Saint Stephen, all stoned, was buried in the ground; but from this grave it will rise transformed. And John the Baptist was buried with his head cut off; he will appear in heaven with a shining face and a crown of eternal life. Once, several Europeans, returning from China, brought with them silkworm eggs hidden in two staves. The export of these worms was strictly prohibited by the Chinese, and therefore they resorted to cunning. So, these two staves contained those tiny eggs on which the wealth of silk production throughout Europe was to depend. What a miracle! A street rag picker with a long hook in his hand goes around the most remote corners, picking up dirty rags, discarded paper, etc. He puts all this in a bag. The collected dirty rags are passed through various machines, they are cleaned and bleached, and fine white writing paper is obtained. Can there be any doubt that God will resurrect our weak body and that after the resurrection it will be most beautiful? From bones lying in a dark grave, He can create a being that forever shines brighter than the sun. Children, you will all be changed. You will be changed by time, by sickness, by death, which will turn your body into dust, and by Christ, who will come to resurrect you. Oh, dear children, if you love the Savior, listen to Him, doing what He commands and avoiding what He forbids, if your whole life is devoted to Him, you will be honored to become like Him: you will be holy, blessed and immortal. It was frosty outside; It was snowing and it was getting dark - it was New Year's Eve. In such cold and in this darkness, a little girl walked down the street with her head uncovered, barefoot. True, she left the house wearing shoes, but they were of little use. Her mother had worn these shoes before, and they were very large. The girl lost them when she was crossing the street, afraid of getting hit by speeding carriages. One shoe disappeared, but a street boy grabbed the other and ran away with it. And the girl trudged down the street, stepping on her bare feet, red and blue from the cold. She carried matches in an old apron and held one pack of them in her hand. No one bought matches from her that day, and she did not receive a penny from anyone. Shivering from cold and hunger, the poor little thing made its way further down the street. It was a pity to look at her. Snow flakes covered her long blond hair, which fell in beautiful curls around her neck; but she didn’t think about them at all. There were lights in all the windows; The smell of roast goose was everywhere, as it was New Year's Eve. This is what the girl was thinking about. In the corner between two houses, one of which jutted out more than the other, the girl sat down to rest and cowered. She tucked her cold feet under her; this made her feel even colder, but she did not dare to go home, because she had not sold a single match, had not earned a single penny. She knew that her father would probably be angry with her, and it was also cold at home: the wind was blowing through the roof, although the largest cracks were plugged with straw and rags. Her little hands were almost numb from the cold. If she had lit just one match, she could have warmed herself, but she did not dare take it out of the pack, strike it on the wall and warm her fingers. Finally she made up her mind and pulled out a match. Trrr! How she flared up! How it caught fire! The girl held her hand over it, and the match burned with a bright, warm, wonderful fire! The girl felt as if she was sitting in front of a large iron stove with shiny copper legs. A light glows merrily in it, spreading a pleasant warmth around. The girl was about to stretch her legs towards him to warm them, but the match burned out and the stove disappeared. In her hand she only had the end of a burnt match. The girl struck another on the wall; the match flashed - in the place where the light fell, the wall became transparent, like muslin, and the girl could look into the room. There, a white tablecloth was spread out on the table, there were shiny porcelain dishes, and a roast goose stuffed with apples and prunes emitted a wonderful aroma. But the most wonderful thing was that the goose suddenly jumped off the dish and, waddled, with a knife and fork in its chest, headed straight towards her, the poor girl. Suddenly at that moment the match went out, and the little one again saw a dirty, damp, cold wall in front of her. She lit another match, and it seemed to her that she was sitting under a lovely Christmas tree. This tree was even larger and more magnificent than the one she had once seen through the glass door of a rich merchant. Thousands of candles burned on green branches, and painted pictures, like those displayed in store windows, looked down at her. The girl held out her hands for them, but at that moment the match went out. The candles on the tree began to rise higher and higher and finally turned into stars in the sky. One of these stars fell and left a long streak of fire behind it. “Someone is dying at this moment,” the girl thought. Her old grandmother, who was the only one who loved her and is now dead, told her that when a star falls, someone's soul is carried away to heaven. The girl struck a match again, and it became light again. In this light, the old grandmother stood in front of her, so bright, so meek, kind... - Grandmother! – the girl exclaimed. - Take me with you! I know you'll leave as soon as the match goes out; you will disappear like a warm stove, like a wonderful roast goose, like a beautiful big Christmas tree! - And she quickly struck the entire pack of matches, because she did not want to part with her grandmother. The matches sparkled so brightly that everything around them became lighter than in broad daylight. Never before had grandmother been so beautiful, so majestic; she took the girl in her arms, and both of them, joyful, in the bright light, rose high, high above the ground. And where they flew, there was no cold, no hunger, no sadness: they were with God. In the corner, on a cold morning, leaning against the wall, sat a poor girl with pale cheeks and a smiling mouth: she froze on the last evening of the old year. The New Year's sun rose over the small corpse. The little girl sat numb with her matches, one pack of which had burned out. “She wanted to warm up!” - people said. No one suspected how many wonderful things she saw that night, how joyfully and solemnly she and her grandmother celebrated the New Year. 45. Little Olya (true incident) Based on "Sunday Reading" 1866–67 - Please tell me, auntie, some story! – this is what Masha asked her aunt. – What should I tell you: something real or fictitious? - Yes, tell me some true story, because I love them better than any fictional stories. – I’ll tell you about the little girl Olya who knew me. - How old was she? – asked Masha. - About twelve; she was a meek and cheerful girl; she studied with other children in the same school and very often loved to read the Holy Gospel. Olya did not look absentmindedly around, but carefully followed every word, as if she was really looking for a precious treasure that lies hidden in the word of God; it seemed that she already knew him and passionately wanted to find him more and more. You know, Masha, that Christ is a precious treasure, and whoever seeks Him is happy. - Auntie, do you think Olya found Jesus Christ? - Yes, I found it; because everyone could see that she tried and strived to imitate Jesus Christ in everything; she was obedient, full of love, gentle, and loved the gospel with a pure heart. After Olga regularly went to school with her expensive book for several weeks, one morning she said goodbye to me and all the students, and we never saw her again. Her parents lived quite far from our city, and she was sent here to her aunt only to stay for a while, since her mother was sick and could not take care of her herself. Now the mother had almost recovered, and little Olya had to return home by boat. She was not afraid to travel alone with her nanny, because everyone loved her and treated her kindly. So, in June, I don’t remember what day, after lunch Olga was taken to the ship. The aunt entrusted the child to the maid of the women's cabin, who promised to look after Olga in the best possible way. Many of the passengers received her kindly, and one lady said: “She will be my sweet and pleasant little companion, for I have just said goodbye to my equally little daughter, and she will be with me until her father comes to take her.” Finally, the ship was completely ready to set off, and the moment of farewell came; those who parted gave their last bows, waved their hands - and the steamer, quickly cutting through the waves, sailed majestically across the sea. The evening was quiet and sunny; the indomitable and restless waves seemed to have sunk into a sweet slumber, and the sea wind blew very quietly. The passengers, happy and cheerful, walked on the deck or sat in separate circles and talked cheerfully; many children looked at the sea with surprise, seeing it for the first time, everyone enjoyed the wonderful evening. Little Olya was very cheerful and looked with special pleasure at the seabirds flying back and forth. The setting sun barely touched the water with its rays, and the waves glittered with a golden ribbon, which seemed to lead to far-rising crimson-purple clouds. In the evening, the maid came for the girl on deck and took her down to the women's cabin; almost all the places there were already occupied, but one small, clean bed was assigned to Olga. Many of the children were still undressing, and the cabin was cheerful; but between strangers and strangers, Olga did not forget her Savior and, before going to bed, she knelt down and prayed fervently (this, unfortunately, many people forget to do). Little by little it became completely dark, everything was quiet; Midnight had already passed when suddenly a terrible crash was heard and water rushed into the cabins in streams. Wild screams of horror and fear were heard from all sides: “We are on an underwater rock! The ship is sinking!..” Olga woke up - and, oh horror, what a terrible picture she saw: fathers were calling their children, mothers were trying to quickly dress their frightened little ones, and everyone, pushing each other, was rushing towards the stairs leading to the deck. Poor little Olya! She had no father or mother close to her who would care for her and try to save her or who would at least tell her what she should do. But Olga knew to whom she should turn in moments of distress and grief, and amid the horror and fear that surrounded her, she again calmly knelt down and fervently prayed to the Heavenly Father; when a faithful servant came to her, she found her praying. Happy Olga! She knew where she could find protection and refuge, and now she felt how close the Lord Jesus Christ was to the child who trusted Him. The maid threw a scarf over Olga and carried her out onto the deck. It was a terrible moment. Desperate and hopeless screams. “Boat, boat! The ship is sinking! We are dead! - were heard from all sides. The boats were lowered, but, unfortunately, too many people were crowded there, so the boats sank from the excessive weight, and everyone in them struggled with the waves. The steamer quickly sank to the bottom, and many fell headlong from the tilting deck into the sea. Everywhere there is swift fear and desperate cries for help, but all in vain. One of the surviving sailors said that he last saw Olga standing next to the maid on the deck, and remembering her last meek words that she said: “Let us not be afraid, the Lord is with us; With Him, death is not terrible.” Soon a terrible crash was heard again, screams of despair, and the ship completely disappeared into the waves, and her spirit floated around the pier of calm, on the blissful shores of eternity. The ancient promise If you cross the waters, I will be with you (Is. 43:2) was fulfilled for her. Olga felt this when she calmly said: “I’m not afraid.” - How many more have drowned? – Manya asked. “Yes, my child, more than 70 souls, and probably even more would have died if one lady, whose house stood above the shore, suffering from insomnia that night, did not see from her window that the ship had hit an underwater rock. She immediately ran to the fishermen's hut, woke them up, and they hurried with their boats to help the unfortunate people and saved many. One gentleman grabbed the board and tried to save his only child; he held his dress tightly with his teeth, but someone else snatched the board from him, and the poor child drowned... Two little boys were saved, but lost their parents and sisters. One young girl was saved because she knew how to swim and had the presence of mind to swim, lying on her back, until she was taken onto a boat that was rushing to help. One orphan was traveling accompanied by her uncle, aunt and sisters - and they all drowned, except this poor girl. When the sun rose, at high tide many corpses were thrown ashore; they were all put in one room. Fathers, mothers, children - everyone could be seen lying in a dead sleep. Three small children lay there; no one knew them and no one asked about them; Finally they learned that their parents went down with the ship. The corpse of little Olya also lay there. When her father came for her, little legs did not run towards him and did not reach out to him with caressing hands, only a calm and sweet smile froze on her cold lips. The father's only consolation was that his beloved child had reached a better fatherland and that, by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, he would see her again, where there was no more grief, suffering, or tears. So I finished my story, Masha; Now I’ll tell you a few more words. Someday you too will have to die; I wish you could say like Olga: “I’m not afraid to die.” What sin does is that we fear death, as it is written: But the sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law (1 Cor. 15:56). But the Lord Jesus Christ took our sins upon Himself. He, who committed no sin, suffered punishment for all sinners who believe in Him. Look at Him, dear child, He gave Himself for you, so that you and every sinner could be washed from your sins and made whiter than snow. Look to Him, live according to His holy will as expressed in the Gospel, and believe in Jesus Christ now and throughout your life, and when the time comes for you to die, whether it happens in the indomitable waves of the sea or on a calm soft bed, then you can cheerfully say: Even if I walk in the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; You will calm me with Your strength (Ps. 23:4). 46. ​​Mother and her daughter Annochka One woman’s girl, Annochka, died. Out of grief, the mother did not drink or eat, and cried for three days and three nights. On the third night the mother fell asleep. And in a dream her mother sees that Annochka has come to her and is holding a mug in her hand. - What do you want, Anna? What's in your mug? “And I collected all your tears in this mug, Mama.” You see, the mug is completely full. Don't cry anymore. If you cry for me, then extra tears will fall over the edge onto the ground, and then I will feel bad in the next world. I feel good there now. - Since then, the mother has not cried for her daughter anymore. She was glad that she was happy in the next world. Then they will ruffle my hair, Little naughty girls, everything is not for the future!” That the time will come - and they will become Sit on my knees quickly And wrap your little hand around my neck tighter! The eyes that look so clearly and cheerfully, I would be happy to kiss you countless times all day; Everyone would listen to the sonorous voice of a child, I listened, resting my heart from worries... If you want, I’ll shake you, tell you a fairy tale, Will I put you to bed with a song?.. 49. What do bees teach children who are disrespectful to their parents? Comp. according to the story prot. I. Naumovich The Lord placed the feeling of love for parents in the heart of every person. But what about people? Look at the bees: they do not leave their queen (i.e., the queen of the bees) even when she can no longer do anything for them and, crippled or sick, falls to the bottom of the hive. One cannot watch without compassion how these God's flies try with all their might to lift their queen from the bottom up: they descend, clinging to one another, to the bottom of the hive and form a ladder out of themselves in the hope that the queen will climb up this ladder to the top, where the most diligent services await her. And if she is so exhausted that she cannot get out of there, then several bees with honey remain with her, which feed the sick queen and warm her, clinging to her. And it is touching to see how these diligent children do not leave their womb even when she dies: they flap their wings over her, as if trying to revive her, and only when they see that everything is in vain, they fly away from her with a pitiful buzzing. Looking at this, you involuntarily think: “Come here, you reasonable people, learn from these little creatures not only their intelligence, their hard work, thrift, their love for their children, young bees - broods, but also marvel at their love for their womb, learn from them this virtue. But we are not animals, we are not some kind of savages, we are not pagans who do not know God; The Lord God told us: “Honor your father and your mother, may it be good for you and may you live long on earth.” The great teachers of the Old Testament wrote to us a lot about this commandment, the holy apostles taught us a lot about it, and our Holy Mother, the Orthodox Church, has always taught and continues to teach. She teaches us that whoever honors his father and mother, the Lord sends down His blessing and long life, and whoever does not fulfill this holy commandment suffers God’s curse. This is how the wise Jesus, the son of Sirach, teaches about this: “He who honors his father,” he says, “will cleanse his sins” (Sir.3:4). What does it mean? And this means this: the Lord places the love of children for their parents so highly that He forgives us our sins if we love our parents with all our souls, if we diligently serve them in their weaknesses and old age, if we do not regret for them anything that we have. And thank God, there are many Christians whose love for their parents is worthy of surprise. The blizzard groans dully, groans and sobs, And he knocks on the window with a bony hand... A burning fear squeezes my childish heart: “Mom, dear, sit down, stay with me!” And she clung tenderly to the headboard, Gently strokes my forehead, looks into my eyes, And to the sound of the blizzard with affection and love, Her speech sounds sad and caring... How beautiful she is! In a quivering glow She leaned over me from the night light, Like a bright angel in a white robe, - Only there are no light wings behind my back!.. Something infinitely meek shines In infinitely sweet, dear features, And the smile burns, and the eyes caress, And it rings, enchanting, in restrained speeches... One girl asked her older friend: what is the most reliable path to salvation? She mockingly answered that one only thinks about such things in old age. “It’s in vain,” the girl objected, “I’ve been to the cemetery and seen many coffins there that are shorter than me.” Mechanism is the internal structure of any machine. Diphtheria is a dangerous contagious throat disease from which many people die. Scepter - a short staff, a sign of royal power You might be interested in: