Buch lesen: «Gemini Alatyr of Island. Children of dead mother»

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ISBN 978-5-4496-9548-2

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You, that you are, and you, that it will be.

White Island

Yamal

The woman went around the hunting grounds with traps set apart in advance and fishing belonging to the Sage gangs. An ordinary woman on this island, dressed in fur, consisting of a fur jacket with a hood, suede dresses and boots with a soft but durable sole, she had a bow behind her back, and on her belt a bronze dagger and a club made of solid wood, two the elbow, and the scrapper that she dragged along. She checked this part of the island in turn, there were seven of them altogether, seven of the witches living here according to their vows, and sometimes they sailed to the mainland, to the Ob River, on holidays, to light the sacred fire, but now she checked tops where she could in the intricate mesh fish, usually cod. Everyone here was accustomed to fresh fish, it was not salted, and the reserve was put on a glacier in a mountain, where even the summer sun did not fall, and it was always cold, but it was necessary to close their reserves from foxes. And now, she had already fished a couple of fish from a trap in shallow water, and put them in a basket on a trap, and passed on along the rocky coast and tested the next trap. They went out into the sea, threw nets and fished and into the sea in their leather boat, made of the ribs of a whale with stitched seals hiding on them. Also, the sea brought a lot of wood to the island, and it was also allowed to work, or to maintain fire. Now she was inspecting the rocky beach of the island, covered with fog, the island was often covered with fog, so it was called Hidden. Nearby was another island, where seven hermit wizards lived, leading the same life as solitary and simple. A witch adjusted a slipped bronze bracelet on her left hand, in the form of spirals on the end, and silver temporal rings on leather braid, which also slipped, and she carefully removed the bandage and tied anew, adjusting the silver tick on her forehead, removing the blond braid in the hood. Pebbles rustled under her soft soles, the fog was just like milk, and it seemed to her that she saw the contour of the boat, but she thought it was a dream because their boat was far away, on the other end of the island, but distinctly heard a moan. The girl was terribly surprised, but went to the sound. She walked carefully, stepping, trying not to make a sound, and so she saw the nose of the leather boat, which had been buried in the shore. She freed herself from the trash, pulled her club out from behind her back, took her in her right hand, and examined the find. In the boat lay and moaned a woman, ready to be resolved from the burden. The witch examined her, with her forehead covered with sweat, but the woman herself was also wearing a long fur jacket with a hood, a suede dress, and under it a knitted dress made of flax and high fur boots, there were also bronze temporal rings in the form helix, and dagger on the belt. Apparently, the fight began on the road, and no one could help a woman. The islander, not particularly thinking, grabbed her shoulders and carefully placed the woman on her sled, creaked under the weight of her body, and removing her club, took the load to the cave, to her friends, the benefit of the shelter was not far. I drove and looked around, drove and looked around and the woman and the fish would not fall from the sleigh. The older witch on the head will not stroke if the food is gone, and even the reserves are few. I brought it quickly, because I almost ran away, and the fisherman was flushing all over, on a small, but already cold, because a month had already passed since the autumn solstice.

– I came! – the girl shouted, “With prey!” in response, dogs barking came from the fur canopy, and then out, carefully revealing the fur cloth made of deer skins, so as not to wind the cave, three girls came out, and already a woman with teary eyes, and three huskies rolled out with them, waving their tails merrily, turning to sniff the comers, whether they were their own, and then with a bark they rushed to the haggling, sniff the lying uninvited guest.

– She was a mother in labor, could not leave her, forgive me, – the girl was making excuses.

– We went, we’ll see, and why look at her, Lada sent, we will help. Come on, carry a woman inside, but don’t forget about the fish, she went and grumbled for order, – be careful, do not log, and you, Krasa, hold the curtains, otherwise chill out the chambers.Carry it not in the room, and in the room nearby. Fox, you prepare warm water, take it off the hearth, and carry two pots. Nettle, you carry a blanket and a blanket, – the elder dexterously disposed of.

– And you, once found, – she turned to the fisherwoman, – go with me, take an infusion for a woman, take off her fur coat, and wash your hands. So the Moon, now absolutely you will become, – she has grinned. The moon examined the habitual dwelling – their upper room with a hearth of stones covered with clay, next to which stood a sacred vessel made of clay, tied up not with willow, but ivy sprouts from the mainland and filled with coals to make a fire. They took the vessel with them when the women left the cave on the island, and it was possible to kindle a fire from the coals, and they brought this vessel, the sacred vessel on the Moon drag wire. Their houses had beautiful walls painted with ocher and patterns in the form of spirals and double spirals, the girl liked to look at it all. She took off her fur coat, remained in a dress and a fur jacket without sleeves, washed her hands in a tub with water, and carefully rubbed them with sand. -And you, Polka, don’t look, but prepare herbs, their decay, so that all the potion would be warm.

Two gray shadows slid past Paulie, the dogs settled down to the hot hearth, and laid their faces on their paws.

“I’ll do everything, Mara, as you please,” Polka replied, clutching at the wicker basket with sharp-smelling drugs.

– And you, Talka, take care of the fish, take it to the glacier, and put it in pots, in pots so that the foxes would not gobble up.

The last, the youngest girl, about thirteen, rushed to drag the baskets to a distant cave, and you could hear two willow baskets rustling in the corridor.

And Mara and Luna, led by supporting a woman in labor under her elbows, without asking her name. They brought to the other chambers, it was also warm there, stripped, and Mara fumigated the woman with herbs and putting the Lada statue next to her, examined her and finally asked:

– What is your name, good woman?

“They call a color,” said the rozhanitsa, slightly moving her bitten lips.

– Nothing, you will give birth, – Mara looked at her with a gloomy look, – you will have two.

– How did you get in the boat? Alone, but in the sea blue, without a husband?

– He died, and the ancestors thought that I, too, had died, and put them as dead in a boat. And I woke up in the blue sea, prayed to the Good Goddess, and the waves were sent to you, I did not want to desecrate the Hidden Island.

“So Lada decided, so be it,” Mara flashed her eyes at the Color, and put a number of knitted towels next to her.

She came with steamed herbs and drinking cups and fields. She gently filtered the healing infusion and gave the elder witch. She gave medicine to a woman, and soon she felt a little easier, and again the contractions began.

Childbirth was not easy, the sage helped the children, but could not save Color, they found her on the island too late.

When it was over, Mara came out to breathe, throwing her fur coat. She lifted her head up, looking at the stars on the sky cleared of clouds, and saw a tailed star flying in the coal darkness, past sparkling constellations. The day before yesterday, as she remembered, the comet was not yet in the sky.

And the children were born, two boys and a girl, Gemini, and Mara each dripped a drop of honey into her mouth, introducing them to the gods, and their mother, Tsveta, was buried in a cave below by tier, in an ice tomb, where now the icy dead witches, sleeping forever in granite tombs, in a place where there was never heat, and instead of grass there was only snow and ice, instead of trees only icicles from the ceiling grew, and the eternal darkness, like the eternal sun, covered the cave with its black rays.

Twins hidden island

Now the witches found a lot of work, the children entertained them, they thought who would feed the children, but the nurse looked for a goat-wolf who supplied the women servants with milk, and now fed the children, the children grew up, and the boy began to feed the children deer bones. Sometimes three girls, old witches, who taught the young people, went down to the girls, and that, as was customary, they would not be bored, they would spin the yarn from flax, or even nettle. Then all the islanders knitted shirts and dresses from yarn, decorating them with elaborate embroidery. Every six months a boat came from the mainland with grain, but the rowers did not dare to be on the sacred island for a long time, just left the cargo, and swam back without asking about the hermits. The twins were very nimble, and Mare, as the eldest, had a hard time with them, three years passed, and the two senior witches who had served their obedience served with a boat sailing from the mainland. Lody brought two pupils for the shift, and a stock of grain for the witches.

– Good-bye, Krasa, good-bye Lisa, do not hold on us evil, help people in your clans and families, everything I taught you. -sayed Mara, bowing goodbye to the girls, and from behind the elder’s back gazing at the light blue eyes of the children, and the girl, with excitement, put her finger in her mouth and carefully looked at the departing ones, and then smiled with her big mouth, the boy stood with a wooden horse arm. The girl began to frown at her white brows, looked at the boy, then at Mara, the boy nodded his head, and smiled at something.The children, as being outside the tribe, did not begin to shave their heads, as usual leaving only a few strands on the temples and the back of the head. Beauty bent down and kissed both the boy and the girl, and the Fox, too, patting their white hair on the head.

– And you, too, do not hold on us evil, – the girls bowed in response. They had already gone to the boat, preparing to sail, and were approaching according to custom, new novices from the mainland, the girl screamed shrilly, so even dogs barked at her, and the little naughty woman grabbed the hem of Fox’s dress with her hands, and then clutched at her legs without letting the witch go. The fox bent over, trying to tear the girl off, but then the boy ran up, holding a horse in his left hand, and took Krasa by the right hand, and began dragging her back to the cave, and began chipping to repeat:

“Don’t wait, wait tomorrow,” and looked attentively at Beauty, “let’s go, I’ll give you a horse,” and smiled trustingly at her, so the girl could not resist, took him in her arms, stroked his shoulder in a gray knitted shirt, he grabbed her neck, but he held the toy tenaciously and did not drop it. Then Mara came up, first to the girl, stroked her head, kissed her, and the girl whispered something in her ear, the Elder attentively looked at the girls remaining and leaving, thought a little and approved:

– You will go tomorrow, and the oarsmen in the hut will spend the night there, they can be there. Let them get out on the beach with a trap, – and a boy rolled over and over, and the girl ran after the girl, and the fox, which had already faded away, was trying to get involved, for the baby forever any living creature ran.

Two young girls came up to Mare, looked at all eyes at the children, but did not dare to say a word.

“I am Lika,” said one girl,

“And I am Tala,” said another,

“Come in the warmth,” without letting the twins out of their hands, Mara answered them, “take your things and follow me to the monastery, I will feed you hot.”

All together they came through the oak door and the fur-sill of the corridor into the upper room, and they came into the hall with a hearth. Lika and Tala stared at the sooty ceiling, on the ocher walls, on the hearth, and the stove for food in the floor of the corner of the cave, closed with a flap of boards, on oil lamps with mirrors that reflect light.

“Come here, girls,” Mara called them and showed them by hand to the free beds. -Stand, put clothes in the chest, and wet, hang on hangers, – and showed on the wooden strut for clothes. The girls changed their clothes, and went to the room to all the witches, and next to the hearth was a frowning boy, and the girl sat on a carpet of deer skins, and on her one dog rested its knees, and another warmed its back. Everyone sat down on folding chairs, there were tables for food, Colors distributed to everyone bowls with fish soup and spoons, they all began to eat, and the children were put on smaller folding chairs, and Mara shushed on the dogs that they wouldn’t stick their noses on the girl’s plate. It was cooked well, the cod chowder was a success. All ate, then drank herbal infusion and lay down to sleep.

Outside, Mara saw that the shore was littered with tree branches, and many old trees entangled in algae were washed ashore, and there was a lot of fish carried in waves. Dogs, Druzhok and Slega, jumped out after her and rushed off to their fishing, quickly eating two fish, and one more they dragged the twins to the room, but in vain, Ull and Ela had already left, but rather ran out, dressed in usual jackets, wiping eyes from sleep, and ran to look at the shore, and the dogs were left to guard the prey.

“Mara, Mara,” the boy shouted in a ringing voice, “look how many trees are nailed!” We have enough for a long time!

The witch frowned her brows, shifting her gaze from boy to girl, and from girl to boy. Two new witches came out, who stayed overnight in a secret place. Krasa and Lisa, Mara glanced at them and Fox, already crouched in fear, and covered her mouth with her hand, started crying, and Krasa turned white as the snow, waking up, ran to Ale, bent, and quickly began to kiss her ruddy cheeks, saying:

– Thank you, clever-prudent, and looked at the girl’s eyes that became serious at once, stroked her hair, and when the boy ran up, she kissed him too, and the boy stroked her hand in response.

Mara came up to them and already fled from the hut, having forgotten about the prohibitions of the rowers from the lodja.

– Swear to Krasa, and you are the Fox, that you will not open anyone for the time being about it. The fact that the Twins stopped you from unhappy swimming. Children may be in danger of big, Vedunya told them, and grabbed both of them with her tenacious fingers, squeezing their elbows to pain, so Krasa gasped.

“We swear,” the girls nodded in agreement, stretching their hands in front of them with their palms toward Mara, “and repeated the words of the vow, turning to the sacred mountain.

After Mara met four oarsmen, and did not let them come closer, and led them to the guest house, and took from them there a terrible oath over the smooth surface of the blue sea, that they would not reveal secrets to anyone about the twins. After breakfast, the boat finally sailed away, and the departing waved to the others, until they disappeared from the horizon, and Mara caught herself sneaking at El and Ulla, but they were cheerful and calm, only stray fox pawns at El, but he soon mum called him barking, and he reluctantly ran off to her. New novices looked cautiously at the children, but they did not notice anything, and Mara called Lika and Tala to her.

– You will make an oath that you will not tell anyone about it, but during the training and dedication you will still swear to Lada to keep quiet about the secret, so get used immediately. And do not be afraid of children, they do not harm anyone.

“Yes, of course, Mara,” both said, “we all understand, and we will not reveal to anyone any secrets.” We wish to comprehend the whole teaching, and we worshiped it.

So time passed, Mara instructed the witch, and literacy, and medicine, and to them Pryha went down to them in the winter, three old women, and taught the stellar laws, and the herbs to be in charge, and people to heal. But the main thing is that he was instructed in the laws of Manu, which cannot be broken by anyone. Once, they brought the Star Map on a bronze sheet, and everyone watched and memorized, even Ela and Ull came running.It was the spring equinox, and after waiting for time, all the inhabitants went to a distant cave illuminated by the sun on that day, and Mara, praying, opened a secret place, but her hands were in fur gloves, she threw away the fur canopy of the skin, curtain, took the box in the form of a duck of linden carved from wood, even the duck’s eyes were made of agate, the carving was gorgeous, the witch looked at the fine work, but finally took out an ice crystal, hand-ironed lens, and went to the center of the Holy Hall with a lens in her hand to the stone bowl, where lay dry tra and and chips, and the three girls were kept ready torches in their hands.

“Look,” she said solemnly, “Ilios and Lada, the Sun and Ice, Heat and Cold are here to unite and create fire and light,” and fixed the lens on the straw, at first it seemed like a dark spot with a little smoke, choked up the straw, and O Miracle! The flames licked their folded branches in their Sacred Language, and the sacred Fire inflamed!

Mara hastily removed the lens to a secret place, and the witches had already lit torches, and Pryhaha led them to the upper room and to the shore, where the envoys of their tribes, seven allied tribes, the Huns and Mansovs and five others, were already waiting for them, to put it in sacred vessels, decorated with magical patterns, and twined with sacred ivy, and take to the settlements, where all people were waiting for the appearance of the New Fire, which will warm their souls and bodies. Soon another five years passed, and three more Kharites changed, and the children had already grown up, they were already eight years old, they did not shave their hair, unlike the Huns and Mans, who leave children on their heads in several locks. Mara has already told them about the swan geese, which after death carry the souls into the world of gods, and at birth bring people into the world, which mean the spirals on the Lada and Ilios bracelets, like eating bears, cutting off all the meat from the bones, but without damaging this animal bones. She showed them signs of power of the leaders in the form of spirals and double spirals, told what the meander means on a vessel with coals, what the mendr means, why they depict the swastika on the vessels, all the legends about the rejuvenating apples, about honey, for which he communicates with them birth She began to teach the secrets of the starry sky, and the properties of potions, as well as the sacred letter. She told all the legends about Ilios and the Lada, about the World Tree and the World Serpent, taught to read and write sacred signs, told everything she knew about the surrounding peoples and lands.

Ull was already a great archer, he was shooting everyone except geese and swans, and Ale didn’t eat meat, only milk, fish and shells. Mara tried to convince her, but she only wrinkled her nose in a funny way, smiled her wide smile, it seemed like everyone else with her freckles, and Mara immediately gave up, unable to insist, especially the children did not hurt, and Elie and Ulla discovered the medicinal talent, Ale Puppies came out. Laughs, who were then taken to the mainland, and seemed to be doing nothing, stroking her tummy, face, drinking water, and saved. Mara was made all the darker by the day, looking at Elya, but she did not notice anything. Two more years passed, the children turned ten years old. And winter had just begun, the sea was not frozen yet, but there were a lot of ice floes, and when they walked around the island with their brother, checked the traps, she saw a white bear squared in an ice log, he growled and puffed, trying to get out, and almost humanly cried, but still remained trapped.

“Ull, help, vymahal hefty, let’s help the little one,” Ale shouted.

“We have to look around, otherwise his mother will ask you and me,” and as if confirming these words, Slega was holding onto the boy’s back.

– Well, what are you, -and she clutched her hands in mittens into the log, trying to slightly lift, and so hard that even the hood jumped off the head, and finally Ull approached, only grunted, but in his ten years already had considerable strength, and tore out a log, freeing the young one, who already roared with delight.

“Hush, you big guy, or else you break something to him,” said El, grabbing the bear cub by the back and front legs. But having felt her hands, he immediately stopped struggling and growling, and wrapping his face to the rescuer, he sniffed it and stood on its hind legs, tried to lick her face, and still could not stop. Here, even Ull was taken aback, and removed his famous bow that had already become visible.

“Well, you’re a little sister…” and just spread his arms, and Elissia was laughing, laughing and joyful, making her smile more beautiful, despite her wide mouth. Ull heard how her novices of the island were called a frog or a toad for the eyes, but he never passed on such words of girls to her. He looked at her again, bending his head to the right, and thought: “Anyway, the beauty and the nose are small, snub-nosed, and freckles, and spit to the waist. It’s a pity our mother died. And she sleeps in the ice in the far cave. And then the novice they say that our mother is a goat, she supposedly nourished us. Therefore, they sometimes tease me with a ‘little goat’ and look for horns when my hair is combed.”

And here she ferociously barked and whined at the same time, Slither, preparing to accept a mortal combat. Because of the hummocks, the mother of the little young one appeared, who immediately grunted gently, but was not going to leave Eli. The bear first got on its hind legs, and then began to pull its nose with the air, sniffing at the girl, and Ull took the dog rigidly by the neck and pulled out a bronze dagger, and trying to get up more comfortably, so that the blow was more correct. The ale did not change in the face, only let the bear go, who stood in thought, and behold, a huge dirty white bear went slowly to the girl, just as noisily drawing her nose in the air, as if checking something. She stood close to the girl, so that her huge head became very close to the head in the hood, and suddenly began to lick her, like her own little bear. The boy seemed to have lost his voice, it was extraordinary.

– Elya, we have to go, and then Mara will raise the alarm, let’s go.

“They went,” the girl agreed cheerfully, hugging and kissing the bear’s nose.

They went to their cave, and a bear walked with a bear cub, and the bear cub often ran up to El and tried to play with her, so he dropped it a couple of times in the snow. Not forty steps to the entrance, Elisia walked up to the bear, and began to look into her eyes, so that Ull froze her skin and spoke, and it seemed that the beast understood the language of man:

– Go, go, sister to your house, Go go, go go, – and stroked her goodbye. The bear turned, and along with her offspring slowly went to catch seals. Ull turned around and saw that Mara was meeting them near the entrance. When they approached, Slaga immediately dived into the heat, and the boy looked at the face of the mentor, it was whiter than snow, and only started to fill with life again, she clutched at her heart, and exhaled loudly, and rushed to Ale.

– What are you, Ale! I almost died of fear, and Ull saw for the first time Mara was crying, wiping tears with her sleeve, and her beautiful lips were twisted, and she was sniffling her nose in a completely childish way, and Elka looked at her, her face twisted, she roared she herself threw herself on her neck, kissing her cheeks and lips, and Mara kissed her back, and finally both calmed down, and Elya smiled modestly, and wiped her tear from her nose.

– I’m not on purpose, Mara, the little bear was in trouble, we saved it with Ulla. Do you know how strong Ull is? – she made round eyes with delight, – Behold, such a log rolled up, – and she showed with her arms spread wide in front of her, – then the bear came, she accompanied us to the house.

“People will be afraid of you, Elicia, nobody will marry,” Vedunya said sadly, straightening the girl’s hair, “and now you are stronger than any sorceress.” Spy now take you to yourself, that would teach, the fact that I do not know. Do not be afraid, they are kind, “when she saw the frightened face of the girl, she said,” you will spend the night with your brother, “she said, kissing El on the cheek.

“Well, then,” she smiled and looked at her brother.

“The novices saw you with bears,” she grinned, “so don’t be surprised if they say something, and everyone is afraid of you,” she looked at her brother and sister with love, patting the boy on whirlwinds, “Yes, there’s something for now – added already in a whisper.

In the upper room the Twins were already waiting for Pryha. In front of them was a table covered with an embroidered tablecloth, and on it lay many objects, fortune-telling bones, a star map, a silver bowl, and among them was a perfectly crafted weapon, a sword two elbows long, a bow and a quiver of arrows, and a fighting mace.

– Ull, come here. Choose a gift for your feat, “Elder Spinha said, pointing to all these things, alternately pointing to the beautiful objects with her left and right hand.

The boy went to the table, and could not tear his gaze from the bow and arrow, and the sword with the handle of the mammoth’s tooth. He simply devoured them with his eyes, lovingly stroked the hilt of the sword, the sheath, and then stroked his fingers with his left hand, feeling as if he remembered kibet of a bow, looked at the skillful carving of the quiver and the irradiance. Spira looked at the enchanted pupil with a smile. Spira leaned over to Mara and whispered, so no one heard: “He took HIS sword, a boat will come from the Island behind him”

Yes, Ull, you have chosen the heart. Get ready, go to the island of Buyan, now the seven wise men awake you to instruct, and Thirty elect to teach military science.

“And you are a beautiful girl,” she turned to Elia Pryaha, “you will learn from us,” then the eyes of all the novices turned to the girl, and many knowingly nodded their heads, “you need care.

Mara went to collect the things of the girl, who stood in the middle of the upper room, folded her hands on her stomach without end sighing sadly and bowing her head. Alicia raised her head, and rushed to her brother, weeping sadly on his shoulder, and stroking his hair with her left hand. She was not in a hurry to separate them, only one approached, laid her hand on her shoulder, and began to whisper something affectionate.

“Come with us, girl,” and the elder looked at the boy with bottomless blue eyes, and with a nod of her head, and with her free hand she showed, go away, they say.

Ull sighed, and went to collect simple belongings in a leather bag. Down put leather pants, a knife, a number of knitted pants and a pair of shirts, tied for him by Mary and adorned with beautiful embroidery with images of Lada, Tree, and one of my mother’s bracelets. Soon he was ready, and Mara led him to the shore, not allowing even to say goodbye to his sister. The boy was dragging a leather bag on his shoulder, straightening a bronze dagger at his waist, and carefully stepping on stones and ice on the shore, not wanting to take a break in front of the Chosen from Buyan.Four rowers were already sitting in the leather boat, and Ull turned to Mare, and she took the first step and hugged, the boy took her head to her chin.

“I went, Mara,” he said, bowing his head, “and continued to cheerfully,” I will come back here again, for my sister.

“We’ll wait,” Mara smiled at him, and she thought, that she waved, in six years she will be a giant.

The boy went to the shore, and the soldiers dragged the boat into the sea, and jumped into it, gave a hand to the boy, and put him in a boat and he walked to his nose, and the men quickly began to row in time, breaking the waves of the Frozen Sea, passing by the ice floes. Mara looked at the boat until she disappeared from the horizon, turning into a point, and she soon disappeared. She went back to the palaces, slowly moving her legs, and thought that: “Well, Ull swam away, and Eli was taken away, and they were restless, and everything was more fun. Maybe you should have gotten married like everyone else?”. She walked and walked, sighing, remembering how little Ull was funny, and what a funny Ale with two teeth would just smile, and immediately the mood was excellent. And now her Prya is good if she is allowed to visit her once a week, to her room. And so will the lessons take place in the Ice Palaces to pass, grow up, and there will be a new witch, and as one of Pryah dies, they will call her to her, and they will not refuse, because they will not allow it.