The Defender
Page 8
It was much later and time for the party to end when Kamov rose and called for silence.
“Friends,” he said, “let us wish Turgen, Marfa and the children a long and happy life. There is a custom among us to give gifts to the newlyweds, and for my part I am giving them a fine horse, with harness and sleigh. I hope they will do me the honor to travel to their home in it this night.”
He was about to say something more, hesitated and then exclaimed: “Hail to the new family!”
The company broke into enthusiastic applause. “Fine, fine! Okse! Okse!” It was an excellent speech, everyone agreed. No one could have done better.
Not to be outdone by the merchant, Popov now got to his feet: “And I am making the new family a present of one of my best milk cows.”
Others, stirred to generosity by the prevailing good will, shouted above the hubbub declaring their gifts. Afterwards all trooped out to the yard to see Turgen off, on the invitation of Kamov who longed to hear the horse and sleigh admired.
After seeing that Marfa and the children were made comfortable for the ride, Turgen took his seat and to the accompaniment of gay, friendly voices urged the horse into motion. Soon the voices were left behind. The forest closed in on either side and there was nothing to be heard but the pounding hoofs, the creak of runners, and the cheerful tinkle of a bell around the horse’s neck.
Marfa touched Turgen’s arm. “It is like a dream,” she said. “Such kind people.”
There were many things Turgen might have said in answer. But why remember evil? So he only looked at his wife and smiled.
Aksa, who had been unusually silent, now spoke up: “Turgen—Tim and I have decided to call you Father. May we?”
“Indeed you may,” Turgen responded heartily. “And just when did you decide this?”
“Oh, as soon as we left the church.”
Turgen nodded. “I see. So that is settled and I suppose,” he added slyly, “you have no other problems.”
“Yes, I have,” she retorted. “I want to know what we are going to call this horse.”
Turgen deliberated.
“Would Friend be a good name?”
“Yes, very good!” the girl exclaimed.
Tim, impatient with his bold, talkative sister, could hold in no longer. “It seems to me we have a great many animals. But to whom will the mountain rams belong?”
Turgen felt a surge of love for the boy. Half-jokingly and half-seriously he answered: “Yes, we have the beginning of a fine household. But the rams belong to God, and they will always be His. You and I can only guard and care for them. You remember you promised.”
Then, his heart so full of happiness that he did not trust his voice to express it, he grasped the reins and shouted to the horse: “Come Friend. Hurry! We are going home.”
The horse quickened its pace, the children shrieked in pleasure, Marfa and Turgen looked at each other and smiled. Not one of them doubted that they were rushing full speed toward a new and a good life.
CHAPTER 30
SINCE THAT DAY MANY YEARS HAVE PASSED. TURGEN and Marfa saw the children grow up, and as the children grew their own well-being increased. Wealth was never theirs, but they had enough for their wants, and any visitor was assured of a welcome place by their fire.
The Yakuts, conscious of their guilt before Turgen, did their best to make up for their past behavior and show their respect. Even the shamanist, now very old, came one day to beg forgiveness. When Turgen said to him, “Well forget the past. Come and be my guest,” the shamanist was so touched that he told everyone ‘Turgen is one of the kindest of men. There is more wisdom in his little finger than in my old head.”
So the old injustice was buried.
Gradually others came to settle near Marfa’s yurta, until a large settlement sprang up around the lake. As they planned, Turgen and his family lived in the valley during the winter and in the mountains during the summer. Though a great change had come into his life, he did not forget his rams but cared for them as before. When age made him feebler, he had a fine assistant in Tim who was young and strong.
Turgen lived to see his Lad the leader of a herd of his own. Then one day, not long after Tim was married, he departed quietly for the other world where Marfa had already gone.
“Do not forget my poor rams and God will be merciful to you/’ were the last words he spoke.
Tim and Aksa were faithful to their promise. In time there were four herds in the mountains instead of one. And the rams no longer fled pell-mell at the sight of human beings. Perhaps, as Turgen believed, this was because of Lad and the things he had learned during the period of his accident. Whatever the explanation, the rams of this region lived in peace and flourished, while the people too knew comfort and abundance. Surely the Great Spirit, who saw all, had given His blessing.
* * *
So it was that I, a visitor by accident to Turgen’s mountain country, found proof that my teacher spoke truly when he said: “Everywhere there is life and everywhere there are warm human hearts.”
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