Summary of the story “Taras Bulba” by N. V. Gogol
I
Taras Bulba meets his sons, who studied in the Kiev bursa and now came home to their father. They were two stout fellows, strong, healthy. Taras chuckles over the clothes of his sons, those who do not expect such a reception are confused. The eldest son, insulted by his father’s words, begins to pound Taras, he answers. Mother stops both. Father hugs his sons. The mother can not look at her pets, and Taras says that this week he will send both to Zaporozhye, where they will pass a real school of life. All enter into the light. All three sat down to have a drink and a snack. After another glass of wine, Taras roused himself, began to beat pots and flasks, and decided that they would go to Zaporozhye tomorrow. After all, he is a Cossack, he wants freedom, but here, at home, he has nothing to do. His wife, accustomed to such antics of her husband, only stood aside and thought about how, what an early separation from her sons she is. Taras went to give orders the next day
But in the morning Bulba, as soon as he woke up, immediately began to gather in the road. The poor old woman had no choice but to help him. When everyone was ready, Taras sat down on the path. The mother embraced her sons, cried, grabbed the younger saddle and did not want to let go. She was taken home by Cossacks. Sons barely restrained tears, as they feared his father’s anger.
II
All went in silence. Taras thought about how he would come with his sons to the Sich. Sons thought about something else. Both of them were sent to the seminary at the age of twelve. Ostap, the eldest son of Bulba, at first did not want to study, ran away, but then calmed down when his father promised to lock him in the monastery. Soon Ostap became the
Meanwhile, Taras awoke from his thoughts and offered to stop smoking. Everyone dismounted from the horses. Then we drove on. They drove without any adventures, everywhere there was only one steppe. Only three days later the Cossacks felt the proximity of the Dnieper. The Cossacks descended from their horses and ascended the ferry that had transported them to Sich. Finally they arrived in the Sich. “On a space of five versts, crowds of people were scattered, gathered in small heaps.” Cossacks reached the square where they were going to be glad. Taras soon saw familiar faces, and greetings began.
III
For about a week Taras lived with his sons in Sich. Ostap and Andriy did not do much military work, since in Sechy young people were mainly trained by experience, not theoretically. All free time Cossacks gave gulbes. And the brothers plunged into the booze.
Meanwhile, Bulba began to think how to start some business. He asked whether it was possible to go to the Turks or Tatars, but he was told that a non-aggression treaty had been signed. But Taras arranged a feast, to which he gathered the foremen and the courteous atamans. Those, when a good drink, went to the square and began to call the people to the war. But the koshevaya suggests not to go to war, since the Cossacks promised peace, but “let them go with the canoes of some young people.” Let the coasts of Anatolia be slightly shabby. ” They decided that they would send several young people under the guidance of experienced warriors. The camp began.
At that time, a ferry approached the shore, on which stood ragged and tortured people. One of them said that the Hetman did not give life to the hetman, Catholicism wants the Christians to renounce their faith. Koshevoy began to ask that they did not take up the sabers? He is told that there are too many Jews, but the colonels and the hetman are killed. The crowd was agitated. Sich gathered in the square, it was decided to go to Poland, since it is from there that all the lawlessness takes place. Bulba was pleased with the prevailing circumstances, as now opportunities for feats were opened.
IV
Soon the entire south-west of Poland was captured by the Cossacks. The prelate sent two ambassadors from himself to remind him that the Cossacks violated the treaty. But the monks were soon beaten by the Cossacks. Only the city of Dubna did not give up. Zaporozhets decided at all costs to take the city. But two weeks later the case did not start. Everyone was impatient, including Ostap and Andriy, who now gained experience in military affairs.
One day, Andrii sat in the evening under the walls of the city, when a woman approached him. Getting closer, Andriy recognized in her a Tartar, a servant of the Pani, who was already in love with Kiev. The maid says that she is in the city, she has not eaten in a few days. She asks for Andriy’s help, as she is sure that he will not betray her. Andriy sought out foodstuffs, gave them to the Tartar, and ordered them to tell Pani that he would soon be himself. He decided to bring the girl to the underground passage and withdraw from the city. He spent the Tartar before the move. When Andriy returned, Bulba asked him about the Tatar. Taras decided that it was a fugitive with whom his son started an affair. The father warned that the women would not bring Andriy to the good. Andrii went to go, climbed into it and found himself in the city. He reached his beloved. Now she seemed even more beautiful to him. He fell at her feet and said, that her slave is forever, ready to die for her, remains to serve with the Poles. She kissed him.
V
Taras Bulba is informed that Poles with guns are going, and with them his son Andriy. Bulba did not believe in anger at first, but then he remembered that for two days he had not seen his son, remembered the Tatar who came at night, and anger seized him. The Poles were repulsed, but the remaining managed to unite with the detachment that left the city, and now there were twice as many of them. A bloody battle ensued.
Bulba saw in the side the detachment in which his son was, and began to move in his direction. Andriy also saw his father, but, like a coward, he hid in a crowd of soldiers and from there gave orders. A detachment of Poles was melting under the saber of an enraged man, who did not notice anything around Taras. Poles rushed to run, thinking they were dealing with the devil. Soon Taras was near his son. Andrii did not budge. Taras killed his son. At this time Ostap drove up. He fell in front of his brother and began to cry. Bulba ordered to carry bury the body of his son. When Andria was buried, Taras again rushed into battle. He found out who had been the cause of the betrayal of his son, and decided to find a pani and kill him. And he would have done it, but one circumstance stopped him halfway.
VI
It was reported that Sech was taken and ruined by the Tatars, it was decided to go to the aid of the Cossacks, since here it is already quite avenged for everything. And Bulba agreed, but suddenly stopped and said that you can not leave those who were captured by the Poles. Cossacks mutinied, deciding not to go to Sechu, but to stay here and bring the matter to an end. Another part of the Cossacks wanted to go home to save their relatives from the Tatars. The army broke up: some went to Zaporozhye, others remained under the city. Those who remained under the direction of Bulba went to the city. The Polish army was defeated, but the Cossacks themselves remained only no more than a thousand.
Meanwhile, Bulba learned that the captives were being taken along the Warsaw road, and decided to intercept them. Everyone went to the road. But Taras troops were not far away, Poles attacked them. Cossacks stayed for a long time, and the Poles already wanted to retreat, as one case helped them to win. Ostap was taken prisoner. Bulba rushed to save his son. Cossacks were in the crowd, where each was forced to act separately. This helped break them.
VII
Taras, all wounded and beaten, woke up in a hut. Next to him sat Tovkach, a silent Cossack. He tells Bulba that a lot of money is given for his head, and that is why everyone is looking for him now. His son Ostap remained in captivity. Tovkach drove Bulba into the Sich. Two weeks later, Taras rose to his feet. But nothing could amuse him, he missed his son.
Taras made his way to Zhid Yankel and asked him to take him for twelve thousand to Warsaw. Zhid long dodges, but finally agrees, deciding that he will put Taras in a cart with the bricks. So they went to Warsaw.
VIII
Gid brought Bulba to the city on the street, which was called Gryaznoy, or Zhidovskaya. Yankel agreed to meet Taras with his son, who was at that time in the city dungeon. Taras offers the Jews for money to pull Ostap out of prison. The Jews went to consult a sage who lived on the same street. Then they left for the city, and when they returned, they said that it was impossible to release Ostap and that tomorrow he was being executed. But you can see him tomorrow at dawn. Taras agreed to this.
At the dawn, Bulba was dressed in a count, who came from German soil. He went to jail together with Yankel. There Taras involuntarily betrayed himself when one of the Poles wanted to paint before him Cossacks as dogs of unbelievers. The Pole, having learned in the graph of the Zaporozhian, wanted to call for help, but
Yankel bribed him to let them get out of prison alive. Taras did not get to Ostap. Nesolono rattled, they left the prison. Bulba decided to go to the square to watch how his son was tortured.
The square was packed with a crowd of people who came to look at the execution. They brought the suicide bombers. The first was Ostap. He was led to the scaffold. Ostap with hardness endured suffering when he was broken by bones on his arms and legs. But he could not resist and shouted: “Old Man, where are you, do you hear,” Taras said. Polish horsemen rushed to comb the crowd, but Taras and the trace caught cold.
IX
Trace of Taras was found. Thirty thousand Ukrainians appeared on the borders. It was not a disunited crowd, but a whole nation that rose up for its honor, its rights, humiliated religion. Among the chiefs of the army was Bulba. He understood only fire, the gallows and extermination for the offenders. Soon he and his regiment disconnected from the others. He burned many villages and towns, he could not grab it. So Bulba celebrated the wake of Ostap. Finally, the Polish government instructed Potocki to certainly catch Taras. Bulba sensed the danger and decided to return to Sich. Pototsky was following the trail and overtook Taras on the banks of the Dniester. Bulba was caught, but Cossacks managed to escape. They sailed along the Dniester and talked about their ataman.
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