A man lost his way in the woods.For a few days now, he had been exhausted from hunger and cold, walking through a bushland forest, hoping to go out on some road or that it would be even better, in this situation, to the village.How did he get into the forest? He just went to the forest for firewood as usual...And now, when he was almost exhausted, and on top of all the gray sky, hanging over him all these days, spilled a dank rain, suddenly, through the branches of the trees, he saw nearby small lights windows of a small hut.
A man came to the hut with his last strength and knocked on the window.They didn't open it at once.
Only when a man knocked for the third time, someone rolled up in the hut, and after a while the old door was opened with a creak.
"Who is here? - He asked for a husky voice.
"I..., my name is Vasily. I got lost in the woods, and for several days now I have been wandering without food and shelter. Please let me warm up and rest," the stranger answered with shiver in his voice.
"If you're a good man and no robber, come inside. Avos, you won't hurt", said the owner of the house, and opened the door wider. Inside the hut was quite small, with low ceilings, but it had perfect order, warmth and lightness.
The owner, a small hunched old man with a grey beard and thick eyebrows, from under which looked deeply planted, but good eyes, invited the guest to the table.
The old man quickly began to fuss and put on the table modest treats: tea, pies with different fillings, and put a small pot of soup on the table. Vasily thanked the old man for such hospitality and began to make pies and soup, and the old man also sat at the table, pouring a large mug of strong tea and watching as the guest was operating a spoon ... Finally, some time later, the old man decided to ask the guest who he was, where he came from and how he got here.
"Grandfather, my name is Vasily, from the village of Seliverstovo, and I went four days ago to the woods to get some wood, but I got lost. I wandered through the woods until I was fortunate enough to find your hut," Vasily reported.
"Seliverstvo? Won't it be Aniki province? - There was a squeaky voice from the side of the furnace.
Vasily looked back and saw that an ancient old lady was sitting on the stove hunched, hanging her legs.
"So is Grandma. Hello..." - Vasily almost choked on it.
"And you don't have to worry, son," said the old lady, and added thoughtfully: "Dalek brought you in, son. Read a verst of one hundred and fifty squats will be..."
"One hundred and fifty" - surprised to ask you.
"One hundred and fifty" - the old lady held out.
"While she was walking, she said, "I didn't notice anything strange.
"No, nothing. Ordinary forest. It's just strange that I'm alive and well, I got so lost," said Vasily with relief while pouring myself tea.
"That's right, it's weird," said the old lady, and added: "The forest has now become unusual, and the beast has settled in these places. Living does not give anybody life. After these words, Vasily almost choked on tea again.
"Grandpa, tell him," the old lady asked.
Here the old man came to life and told the story of how the beast had recently appeared in this area. It scares everybody, waiting for animals and people at night. Wailing. And then he added:
"You son is not afraid, he is not there during the day, and therefore, you will go, tomorrow to your home quietly. I will give you a horse, and I will show you the way for a short while. So you will get to your Seliverstovo.
"And now to sleep," said the old man and began to collect from the table...
The morning was clear. There was no trace of that black cloud, which had been raining yesterday. When Vasily opened his eyes, the old men were fiddling at the stove and at the table.
"And he woke up. Well, let's wash up to the table, too," said the old man.
Having put his hands in the icy water, the brooks near the hut, Vasily felt such a joy of life, which he had not experienced for a long time. Constant bustle of his everyday life, long ago enveloped his thoughts, leaving no light for the joys of life.
And here, as if he looked at the world with different eyes. He even told himself that when he returned home, he would start to treat his life differently, and he would change a lot in it.
After breakfast, everyone went out to the yard and said goodbye. The old man led a red horse out of the swinginging barn. And giving it to Vasily, he said: "Here you go, Sivka called. He stagnated at all, because we are old already, and we can not cope with him anymore. And you will need it" - and added: "He needs to move, and so he will completely die out.