Chapter 4 of the short novel of Holder Volcano "Letters of Mizhappar "
4th letter of Mizhappar
The letter, which I write with shaking hands in a cold closet wrapped in an old blanket, let it fly like a Seagull over the ocean and fall into the hands of Mr.Sitmirat, who lives abroad, throwing his Uzbek tobacco "nasvai" under his tongue.
Assalamu alaikum, Mr.Sitmirat! If you ask me, I also live like all other farmers on the globe. Yesterday in the collective farm club held a reporting meeting. This meeting farmers are waiting with admiration, as other Nations are waiting for their favorite holidays. This holiday is called by the common people "Achot Milis". The fate of farmers depends on this meeting. Because it is at this gathering is announced, which of the farmers receives the accumulated money for the year, and who will come out with a huge debt. After summarizing my expenses and receipts for the year, I built sky-high plans that if I get money for the "report", then immediately go to the cattle market and buy a cow. Unfortunately, I was declared a debtor. Turns out the foreman and the timekeeper made a long list of things I didn't get. I see my signatures are there. Well, I think reptiles, they are not only team leaders Scam artists, but also talented artists! They drew my signatures. I didn't argue with them. Arguing with these parasites is useless. Anyway, I didn't want to go to jail. Well, we, the workers, in the late autumn collect cotton stalk as firewood for the winter, which is called "guzapoya". I sold the cotton stalk you have gathered and for the money I bought a neutered sheep. The next morning, when I entered the barn, I saw a terrible picture. The sheep is dead... Whether she was sick with a disease called "Salmonella", or died of severe hypothermia. After the frost-cracking at minus forty-five! Here you live overseas, Mr.Sitmirat. It is said that in Europe and the Western people cloth their dogs and cats warm clothes in winter. Here, enterprising people, huh? I would do the same, that is, would put on a sheep coat with a hat with a ear-flaps, she would have survived. Poor sheep. I wanted to bury her with all the honors as a heroine and started digging a grave for her in the middle of our yard. Since our yard's clay fences aren't very high, someone greeted me while looking over the fence
. Hello, Mizhappar! Then, the garden that you dig in the white of winter? Al Sewerage decided to build?
I see it's the butcher Mukhtar.
And, Mukhtar, is that You? Yes, my sheep is dead. I want to bury the poor thing as a man, with all the honors-I said, leaning on the handle of a shovel.
-Yes? - said Mukhtar the butcher, with interest looking on dead sheep which lay in wrapped the form of in white a shroud.
-No need to bury him, Mizhappar. Give it to me and I'll pay - said Mukhtar butcher.
- Why Do you want a dead sheep? - I asked in surprise.
- This is a secret trade - said the butcher Mukhtar.
- Well, take then, if it is related to Commerce-I said.
Mukhtar the butcher came into our yard, paid for a sheep and, having lifted a dead animal on a shoulder, went towards the center of the village where his box in which it traded was located. What a weirdo. I still can't figure out why the butcher wants a dead sheep. After selling it to the butcher Mukhtar, I went to the bird market that day and bought a pair of chickens with the money that the butcher Mukhtar gave me. The next morning I went to the chicken coop to sprinkle the grain to the chicken and change the frozen water. I see no chickens. The chicken coop door is slightly open. I was looking for chickens all day, stumbling in the snow, hailing the snow-covered fields. Do not have them. Do they fly South, I thought, looking at the cold sky. Then I came home again. After returning, I suddenly see under the clay fences lie chicken legs, tied with wire. Seeing there a note, I began to read feverishly:
-Mizhappar, next time you go to the rookery, buy fat chickens. Because we must often eat chicken soup, which is good for our body. The doctor said. And then, don't plug the electric current into the chicken coop. It's useless. First, we will work in rubber gloves, and secondly, there is still no electric current on the electric lines, there is no current - and there will not be. For this, of course, a huge thank you to our wise President and our state, which save electricity.
- Yes to chicken meat, which ate, stuck in your throat! - I cursed parasites who stole chickens.
Then I went outside to warm up a little, as it was colder inside our hut than outside. There I met my friends, Qurumboy, Yuldashvoy and Mamadiar. They were near the store heated folk remedy,that is, drank homemade wine, snacking. They poured me too, and I drank too.
- Uh, guys, do you think spring is coming this year at all? Tired of the cold - I said, biting an armful of snow.
-Come, Mizhappar will come, will come long-awaited spring. Only, this spring will be political, you know? That is, the political spring will come.
- Yes? - Mamadiyar was surprised.
- Yes-responded Qurumboy.
- Is that possible? What's this, a political spring? What does she look like? - asked by Yuldashvoy.
- Sometimes. Why not? In the political spring, democracy, freedom and all the others are blooming. Dictatorship and censorship is melting like the snow is cold, and dissipates like a fog. The most interesting thing is that this spring will fly a bird of the most extraordinary breed - said Qurumboy, lighting his pipe.
- What kind of bird is this extraordinary breed? What, an African parrot? I asked.
-No, Mizhappar is the bird of happiness, "Gamayun" is called. Big such bird with multi-colored feathers, huge wings and a very long tail. About it I told one man in prison - said Qurumboys.
- Yeah, well- wow!... - surprised by Yuldashvoy.
I swear - century will not see Qurumboys.
- I think she's scary and evil, bird "Gamayun -Lucky bird". You have to be very careful. She's like an evil Seagull can peck our respected leaders. It would be necessary to strengthen the defense until the spring - I said, cautiously peering into the horizon.
- No, Mizhappar, the man said that this bird is quite harmless.
And, if harmless, it is good, that is, it will be possible to catch and cook her soup or grill - can be done at worst Yuldashvoy.
- The fool, why make a soup from her. She carries the eggs, and we every morning we have scrambled eggs for Breakfast as the aristocratic opposition, which live in the ocean. We will collect the extra eggs and put them in the incubator, and there the Chicks will hatch. Then, we build the farm and providing the people of Gamayun meat, make export in canned form, raise, that is, the economy of our Country - clever Mamadiar.
Yes, my friends, Mamadiar rights. Therefore, we must help our feathered friend by building him a large, well-maintained three - room birdhouse with balconies, and this birdhouse will be installed on the roof of an abandoned pigsty by the river, painted in fire-red color, so that the bird of happiness "Gamayun" could clearly navigate, seeing even from afar this unique birdhouse of the century - said Qurumboy.
- Good idea - I said.
After this conversation we hastily drank the remains of a barmatian and went to build a birdhouse for the bird "Gamayun", which intends to fly together with the political spring.
When we came to the house of Qurumboy, we came out to meet the wife of Qurumboy Karyahan, so chubby, with a swollen belly and a huge ass. She greeted us, and sang a song of brides with a bow. Bowing low to each of us, she sang.
- Bravo, darling , Bravo! - said Qurumboy, clapping his hands, as if applauding and admiring the art of his wife. Inspired by the praise of Qurumboy, Karyahan wanted to continue her limericks, but then Qurumboys stopped her.
-Enough, cute enough, he said to his wife. Then he took an axe and a hacksaw with a mount and told us to dismantle, disassemble the floors of the hut in which his mother lived Risolat-Momo. The mother of Qurumboy gave us a fierce resistance when we began to twist and pull out the Board, pulling the creaking of rusty nails while destroying the gender.
- What are you doing, damned?! Stop, I won't be forced to call the neighbors for help! - said Risolat-Momo. Qurumboy with an axe in his hands began to explain the situation of his mother:
- Mummy, look, finally, political spring on the nose! Coming to us from the North the bird of happiness "Gamayun", you Know?! We have to build for it a comfortable three-room apartment with balconies! You scream as if we're building her a two-story cottage! If you think she's a common bird, like a Sparrow, then it's your big political mistake. Because "Gamayun" does not fit in a regular birdhouse! She's a bird of gigantic 15 meter tail, you know?! If you want our people to be as happy as other Nations, don't stop us from working! We will build a giant birdhouse, as it is our civic duty! - he said.
These Patriotic words of Qurumboy worked on mom and she started crying. (probably, from happiness). We began to work for the good of our people, turning the boards. Qurumboy, making mark chalk on the Board, sawed them with a hacksaw. We worked until lunch, as they say, tirelessly. Although it was winter, and the frost cracked, we all sweated. Finally, Qurumboy announced a smoke break, and we began to relax.
- Now, materials for the birdhouse are ready - said Qurumboy, tightly hammering sawdust in his favorite pipe and lit it. After the break we built a huge birdhouse, and, securing it over the hump Yuldashvoy, went to a disused pigsty near the river. By the evening, we completed the work by installing a birdhouse on the roof of the pigsty. Now we are waiting for, so to speak, the arrival of political spring and the arrival of the bird of happiness "Gamayun". Well, okay, Mr.Sitmirat say Hello to everyone. With best wishes, the carpenter, Mizhappar.