Читать книгу The story of Baba Yaga and Koschei the Immortal, their birth and life. You haven’t heard this story yet - - Страница 7

Olga couldn’t find a place for herself with worries and anxious thoughts: “What does this letter mean? Does he want to leave me? But he loved me. Has all the love gone because of his desire to raise his child? I wouldn’t have believed the letter if it hadn’t been for the rumors about the wedding… Does this mean that he has already divorced me? And now he’s coming to let a new mistress and his wife into the house, and he’s kicking me out? But that can’t be true!”

Olga tormented herself with these thoughts and cried for several nights, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave the house. She couldn’t do that, and there was still a small hope that everything would turn out well, that Egor would come with gifts and tell her it was just a joke.

After a week, Olga finally realized that it was true and it was time to leave. As she was packing her things, she heard loud people shouting outside. She went to the window and looked out at the crowd running towards the square. It was spring, and the trees were just beginning to bloom, the snow had long since melted, and the grass was green and fresh. It was a sunny day.

“Mistress!” The maid’s voice echoed from the hallway, “Mistress, are you here?”

“What’s going on?” Olga asked the maidservant when she entered the room.

– The royal messenger has arrived with news, and he is gathering everyone in the square. He will read the royal decree. Come quickly. And put on your jacket, the wind is cold.

Olga quickly put on her jacket and joined the crowd in the square. As most of the village gathered, the messenger climbed the stairs, unfurled his scroll, and began to read.

– The kingdom’s scholars have predicted that there will be a Devil’s Night in three days. Everyone should stay in their homes on this night and not leave until morning. Additionally, the scholars have predicted that a person will be born on this night who will become a devil not by blood but by spirit. This person will be powerful and have control over the world. They will be stronger than the king himself.

Therefore, in the name of the king, I order that all the babies born on this night be captured and killed in the morning!

– What is this all about, my good people! – began to be heard from the crowd, – what are you doing? The fiends!

– And who will interfere with the enforcement of the law, will be punished as a criminal. – finished the messenger.

The crowd was raging. And the pregnant women began to weep in fear. Someone from the crowd began to shout:

– Women pregnant, do not cry, you can not be nervous, or you will give birth prematurely, calm down.

The crowd gradually calmed down and went home. The messenger continued on his way.

Olga stood there for a long time, realizing what she had just heard.

“It’s the Night of Demons,” Olga thought. “How could I have forgotten about it? Now is the time for me to get pregnant, and then my husband won’t have a new wife. No one will force me to leave. I just need to leave early, wait for the day to pass, and return the next day. Then no one will catch me on the way and suspect me. I’ll tell the servants not to enter the room, pretending to be tired.”

That’s exactly what she did. She packed a lot of food, water, and warm clothes, locked herself in her room, and climbed out the window during the day, when all the servants were busy with their own tasks. She immediately set off for the Bald Mountain through the forest, making sure to avoid anyone she knew.

It only took her a couple of hours to reach the mountain. She lit a fire, as she was far from any settlements and could only encounter animals. It was better to keep them at bay with the fire.

When it got dark, Olga began to listen to the silence, waiting for the gong to sound. Suddenly, she heard a rustling sound behind her, as if someone was making their way through the branches of the trees. The forest was very close, it surrounded bald mountain from all sides with its darkness. Olga turned around and asked:

“Who’s there?”

But there was no response.

Suddenly, she heard a loud gong ringing in her head, making her ears ring and her head spin. Another ringing, and another, and another. It was so sudden, loud, and fast that Olga stumbled and landed on all fours on the ground. When all twelve ringing had ended and silence had fallen, Olga looked up and saw a glowing passage between two trees in the forest.

She headed towards it and walked through the light as if in a trance, without any fear. Only the body trembled and the muscles seemed to twitch one by one. And there were no thoughts. She moved forward as if hypnotized.

After passing through the passage, she heard a noise behind her. It was the loud music of drums, flutes and some unknown instrument. And also singing from many female voices. Turning around, she saw many women dancing around a huge burning fire. All had their hair loose and only white shirts with a skirt to the floor. Everyone was having fun, laughing, and looking happy.

She headed towards the crowd. Three women ran up to her and began to undress her, leaving only her nightgown. They all smiled at her and said nothing. Then a fourth woman approached with a mug in her hand and silently handed it to Olga, gesturing for her to drink it all.

Olga drank the entire contents of the mug. It tasted bitter and unpleasant. After that, her vision became blurred, everything around her spun, and all she could see before she collapsed to the ground was a large creature with huge horns on its head, like a bull, approaching her on its hind legs from the dark forest.

She woke up later that day, and for some reason, she was at home, lying on her bed under the covers. The warm clothes she had brought with her to the mountain were lying on the bed at her feet.

Suddenly, a maid knocked on the door, shouting:

“Mistress, you’ve been sleeping for so long. Are you ill?

– No, I’ll let you in now. Olga answered and opened the door.

– It’s already lunch. No one in our settlement gave birth that night, what a joy.

“Where was I last night?”

“Like where?” Here. How to close and sleep. And silence. Are you sure you’re not sick? – Maybe you have a fever?

– No, everything is fine. Just stress. Worried about the pregnant.

– I understand. Also worried a lot. But now it’s easier. All behind. What you bring for breakfast?

– I don’t want anything, let’s have tea.

– As you wish, mistress. – said the maid, bowed and went to the kitchen for tea.