The Virgin Well. Sergey Nedorub
held her hands between her legs. Looking at Kolovrat she yelled, «Mom, what a disaster!»
Then she fell on the ground unconscious.
«You, get out, now!» Kolovrat commanded. Grandchildren got out the well immediately, listening to their granddad with attention. The water drops flowed from them.
«You feel good?» Kolovrat asked. Granddaughters nodded.
Scratching the stomach old man stepped to Petunia who breathed clamorously in a faint.
«Here, give me a hand over here,» he ordered releasing the shafts. Then he climbed the horse and added, «Tyesse, you go to hayloft. Tell your dad to drop all he does now, either job or broad. Tell him that feme is bad. Let him go home, him, elkish boar.»
«Yep,» Tyesse nodded and ran back to village.
Kolovrat lashed Hokey, heading the same way.
* * *
Greefungus was sober enough to make Kolovrat almost happy because of it. Confused by Petunia’s statement, the old man waved his hat in front of woman’s face. Catching the sight of the son-in-law, Kolovrat showed his dray and the lad took his wife quickly to carry her into the hut. A glassful of hooch had results. Kolovrat would do it himself but he didn’t know where a bottle was stashed.
Woke from a stupor, Petunia yelled again, got from the bed and ran outside.
«Devilry’s dau…» started Greefungus but shut up under Kolovrat’s sight.
Petunia was running back and forth screaming so loud that the whole Forgetswille became wide-awake shortly. Peasants looked out from the windows squinting discontentedly because of broken forty winks.
«What’s the crap?» asked Chordan while passing by and patting the fat belly. «Kolovrat! Why is your offspring whooping?»
By the common efforts Petunia was caught and put on the bench beside the hut.
«Get calm already!» screamed Kolovrat, «What is going on with you?!»
Petunia twisted the face continuing sobbing quietly. Her hands moved between the legs again.
«It… it healed back!» she said.
Greefungus sat next to her.
«Say what?»
«It fixed!» she cried. «Father, I… I am innocent!»
«Err,» Kolovrat looked stupid.
«I am virgin! Again!»
The old man got stoned. Chordan burst into laughter, holding fat belly and stomping as hard as he could.
* * *
An old knucklebone, named Seditilia, who used to be a healer of Forgetswille, was called to survey Petunia. She plodded on giving nasty smiles to peasants. Everyone welcomed old woman, took an interest in her well-being right before demonstrating their sores, both chronic and fresh. Seditilia nodded abstrusely listening to wishes of good health for ages eternal. After reaching the hut of Greefungus she looked at Kolovrat proudly and declared him a walking youthful prowess.
Next minute she rolled out from the hut with heart-rending cries. By this time, a half of Forgetswille dwellers gathered in front of the yard.
«Help me the Lord,» – Seditilia screamed while shaking the rag soaked in vinegar. «Gracious me! What a mess my dear! Yet I delivered Tyesse, and Lyenne! God’s sake! Kolovrat! Virgin is your daughter! Said she drank a water of plague! Ahh!»
Old man stood next to Hokey like he was asking for her help. He was completely delirious.
The crowd hummed with whispering. A hostler, named Dorokh, stepped ahead, fingering his cap in his hands uncertainly.
«What water?» he asked, «Tell us Kolovrat.»
«Me, me will say!» Tyesse exclaimed while jumping joyfully, «Grandpa digged a welly! There it is, me show!»
* * *
The glade had seen so much of peasants only on the Greek calends.
Plowmen clamored, fingering at outlandish stones which composed the well’s borders. Women yelled discordantly and so did Kolovrat, louder than everyone else, trying to overvoice them all. Kids stared at the well with curiosity, getting nothing and biting nails. Some of them were going to get into the water but their moms immediately pulled them back, giving a cuff on the nape or the butt.
Kolovrat was sitting on the boulder, quiet now. Cyrith appeared next to him.
«So, dad,» he said, «Is it sooth or sklent? The well makes maiden a virgin?»
«Hell only knows,» old man answered cursing the whole world in the spirit. «It does nothing to men, knock on wood to be good… I drank it a lot, and I am still here.
«Anyone drank it as well?»
«Lyenne did. And so Tyesse.»
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