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　　neverwasafraidofyoudogs，andneverwillbe！’

　　Theinterpretertranslated，andagaintheyallbegantotalkatonce。

　　Theyjabberedforalongtime，andthenthedarkmanjumpedup，cametoZh&iacute；lin，andsaid:’DzhigitRuss，dzhigitRuss！’

　　Dzhigitintheirlanguagemeans’brave。’Andhelaughed，andsaidsomethingtotheinterpreter，whotranslated:’Onethousandroubleswillsatisfyhim。’

　　Zh&iacute；linstucktoit:’Iwillnotgivemorethanfivehundred。

　　Andifyoukillmeyou’llgetnothingatall。’

　　TheTartarstalkedawhile，thensenttheservantouttofetchsomething，andkeptlooking，nowatZh&iacute；lin，nowatthedoor。Theservantreturned，followedbyastout，bare-footed，tatteredman，whoalsohadhislegshackled。

　　Zh&iacute；lingaspedwithsurprise:itwasKost&iacute；lin。He，too，hadbeentaken。Theywereputsidebyside，andbegantotelleachotherwhathadoccurred。Whiletheytalked，theTartarslookedoninsilence。

　　Zh&iacute；linrelatedwhathadhappenedtohim；andKost&iacute；lintoldhowhishorsehadstopped，hisgunmissedfire，andthissameAbdulhadovertakenandcapturedhim。

　　Abduljumpedup，pointedtoKost&iacute；lin，andsaidsomething。Theinterpretertranslatedthattheybothnowbelongedtoonemaster，andtheonewhofirstpaidtheransomwouldbesetfreefirst。

　　’Therenow，’hesaidtoZh&iacute；lin，’yougetangry，butyourcomradehereisgentle；hehaswrittenhome，andtheywillsendfivethousandroubles。Sohewillbewellfedandwelltreated。’

　　Zh&iacute；linreplied:’Mycomradecandoashelikes；maybeheisrich，Iamnot。ItmustbeasIsaid。Killme，ifyoulike——youwillgainnothingbyit；butIwillnotwriteformorethanfivehundredroubles。’

　　Theyweresilent。SuddenlyupsprangAbdul，broughtalittlebox，tookoutapen，ink，andabitofpaper，gavethemtoZh&iacute；lin，slappedhimontheshoulder，andmadeasignthatheshouldwrite。

　　Hehadagreedtotakefivehundredroubles。

　　’Waitabit！’saidZh&iacute；lintotheinterpreter；’tellhimthathemustfeedusproperly，giveusproperclothesandboots，andletusbetogether。Itwillbemorecheerfulforus。Andhemusthavetheseshacklestakenoffourfeet，’andZh&iacute；linlookedathismasterandlaughed。

　　Themasteralsolaughed，heardtheinterpreter，andsaid:’Iwillgivethemthebestofclothes:acloakandbootsfittobemarriedin。Iwillfeedthemlikeprinces；andiftheyliketheycanlivetogetherinthebarn。ButIcan’ttakeofftheshackles，ortheywillrunaway。Theyshallbetakenoff，however，atnight。’AndhejumpedupandslappedZh&iacute；linontheshoulder，exclaiming:’Yougood，Igood！’

　　Zh&iacute；linwrotetheletter，butaddresseditwrongly，sothatitshouldnotreachitsdestination，thinkingtohimself:’I’llrunaway！’

　　Zh&iacute；linandKost&iacute；linweretakenbacktothebarnandgivensomemaizestraw，ajugofwater，somebread，twooldcloaks，andsomeworn-outmilitaryboots——evidentlytakenfromthecorpsesofRussiansoldiers，Atnighttheirshacklesweretakenofftheirfeet，andtheywerelockedupinthebarn。

　　Zh&iacute；linandhisfriendlivedinthiswayforawholemonth。Themasteralwayslaughedandsaid:’You，Iv&aacute；n，good！I，Abdul，good！’Buthefedthembadlygivingthemnothingbutunleavenedbreadofmillet-flourbakedintoflatcakes，orsometimesonlyunbakeddough。

　　Kost&iacute；linwrotehomeasecondtime，anddidnothingbutmopeandwaitforthemoneytoarrive。Hewouldsitfordaystogetherinthebarnsleeping，orcountingthedaystillalettercouldcome。

　　Zh&iacute；linknewhisletterwouldreachnoone，andhedidnotwriteanother。Hethought:’Wherecouldmymothergetenoughmoneytoransomme？AsitisshelivedchieflyonwhatIsenther。

　　Ifshehadtoraisefivehundredroubles，shewouldbequiteruined。WithGod’shelpI’llmanagetoescape！’

　　Sohekeptonthelook-out，planninghowtorunaway。

　　HewouldwalkabouttheAoulwhistling；orwouldsitworking，modellingdollsofclay，orweavingbasketsoutoftwigs:forZh&iacute；linwascleverwithhishands。

　　OncehemodelledadollwithanoseandhandsandfeetandwithaTartargownon，andputitupontheroof。WhentheTartarwomencameouttofetchwater，themaster’sdaughter，Dina，sawthedollandcalledthewomen，whoputdowntheirjugsandstoodlookingandlaughing。Zh&iacute；lintookdownthedollandhelditouttothem。Theylaughed，butdarednottakeit。Heputdownthedollandwentintothebarn，waitingtoseewhatwouldhappen。

　　Dinaranuptothedoll，lookedround，seizedit，andranaway。

　　Inthemorning，atdaybreak，helookedout。Dinacameoutofthehouseandsatdownonthethresholdwiththedoll，whichshehaddressedupinbitsofredstuff，andsherockeditlikeababy，singingaTartarlullaby。Anoldwomancameoutandscoldedher，andsnatchingthedollawayshebrokeittobits，andsentDinaaboutherbusiness。

　　ButZh&iacute；linmadeanotherdoll，betterthanthefirst，andgaveittoDina。OnceDinabroughtalittlejug，putitontheground，satdowngazingathim，andlaughed，pointingtothejug。

　　’Whatpleasesherso？’wonderedZh&iacute；lin。Hetookthejugthinkingitwaswater，butitturnedouttobemilk。Hedrankthemilkandsaid:’That’sgood！’

　　HowpleasedDinawas！’Good，Iv&aacute；n，good！’saidshe，andshejumpedupandclappedherhands。Then，seizingthejug，sheranaway。Afterthat，shestealthilybroughthimsomemilkeveryday。

　　TheTartarsmakeakindofcheeseoutofgoat’smilk，whichtheydryontheroofsoftheirhouses；andsometimes，onthesly，shebroughthimsomeofthischeese。Andonce，whenAbdulhadkilledasheepshebroughtZh&iacute；linabitofmuttoninhersleeve。

　　Shewouldjustthrowthethingsdownandrunaway。

　　Onedaytherewasaheavystorm，andtherainfellintorrentsforawholehour。Allthestreamsbecameturbid。Attheford，thewaterrosetillitwassevenfeethigh，andthecurrentwassostrongthatitrolledthestonesabout。Rivuletsflowedeverywhere，andtherumblinginthehillsneverceased。Whenthestormwasover，thewaterraninstreamsdownthevillagestreet。Zh&iacute；lingothismastertolendhimaknife，andwithitheshapedasmallcylinder，andcuttingsomelittleboards，hemadeawheeltowhichhefixedtwodolls，oneoneachside。Thelittlegirlsbroughthimsomebitsofstuff，andhedressedthedolls，oneasapeasant，theotherasapeasantwoman。Thenhefastenedthemintheirplaces，andsetthewheelsothatthestreamshouldworkit。Thewheelbegantoturnandthedollsdanced。

　　Thewholevillagecollectedround。Littleboysandgirls，Tartarmenandwomen，allcameandclickedtheirtongues。

　　’Ah，Russ！Ah，Iv&aacute；n！’

　　AbdulhadaRussianclock，whichwasbroken。HecalledZh&iacute；linandshowedittohim，clickinghistongue。

　　’Giveitme，I’llmenditforyou，’saidZh&iacute；lin。

　　Hetookittopieceswiththeknife，sortedthepieces，andputthemtogetheragain，sothattheclockwentallright。

　　Themasterwasdelighted，andmadehimapresentofoneofhisoldtunicswhichwasallinholes。Zh&iacute；linhadtoacceptit。Hecould，atanyrate，useitasacoverletatnight。

　　AfterthatZh&iacute；lin’sfamespread；andTartarscamefromdistantvillages，bringinghimnowthelockofagunorofapistol，nowawatch，tomend。Hismastergavehimsometools——pincers，gimlets，andafile。

　　OnedayaTartarfellill，andtheycametoZh&iacute；linsaying，’Comeandhealhim！’Zh&iacute；linknewnothingaboutdoctoring，buthewenttolook，andthoughttohimself，’Perhapshewillgetwellanyway。’

　　Hereturnedtothebarn，mixedsomewaterwithsand，andtheninthepresenceoftheTartarswhisperedsomewordsoveritandgaveittothesickmantodrink。Luckilyforhim，theTartarrecovered。

　　Zh&iacute；linbegantopickuptheirlanguagealittle，andsomeoftheTartarsgrewfamiliarwithhim。Whentheywantedhim，theywouldcall:’Iv&aacute；n！Iv&aacute；n！’Others，however，stilllookedathimaskance，asatawildbeast。

　　Thered-beardedTartardislikedZh&iacute；lin。Wheneverhesawhimhefrownedandturnedaway，orsworeathim。TherewasalsoanoldmantherewhodidnotliveintheAoul，butusedtocomeupfromthefootofthehill。Zh&iacute；linonlysawhimwhenhepassedonhiswaytotheMosque。Hewasshort，andhadawhiteclothwoundroundhishat。Hisbeardandmoustacheswereclipped，andwhiteassnow；andhisfacewaswrinkledandbrick-red。Hisnosewashookedlikeahawk’s，hisgreyeyeslookedcruel，andhehadnoteethexcepttwotusks。Hewouldpass，withhisturbanonhishead，leaningonhisstaff，andglaringroundhimlikeawolf。IfhesawZh&iacute；linhewouldsnortwithangerandturnaway。

　　OnceZh&iacute；lindescendedthehilltoseewheretheoldmanlived。

　　Hewentdownalongthepathwayandcametoalittlegardensurroundedbyastonewall；andbehindthewallhesawcherryandapricottrees，andahutwithaflatroof。Hecamecloser，andsawhivesmadeofplaitedstraw，andbeesflyingaboutandhumming。

　　Theoldmanwaskneeling，busydoingsomethingwithahive。Zh&iacute；linstretchedtolook，andhisshacklesrattled。

　　Theoldmanturnedround，and，givingayell，snatchedapistolfromhisbeltandshotatZh&iacute；lin，whojustmanagedtoshelterhimselfbehindthestonewall。

　　TheoldmanwenttoZh&iacute；lin’smastertocomplain。ThemastercalledZh&iacute；lin，andsaidwithalaugh，’Whydidyougototheoldman’shouse？’