The sands of oblivion

Chapter

1

AK

ZHAYLAU

Case life, appointment her - joy. rejoice on sky, on Sun, on stars, on grass, on trees, on animals, on people. And see to it that this joy is nothing

Not violated. violated this joy, Means, You made a mistake somewhere - look for this mistake and fix it.

L.N. Tolstoy

In these last days of winter, to Adil's surprise, it was unusually warm. Each time, returning from the steppe, already at home at dinner, he told his wife Shugla about his observations. She, listening his, agreed co many his arguments. For a long life together, much that he told came true, and therefore she always trusted his observations.

Slowly and carefully pouring kozhe 1 into a plate and laying it out slightly under the cooled baursaks 2 , sitting next to her, she was preparing in her thoughts to ask her husband about various things: how the day went, whom he could meet in the steppe and about many other things.

On winter evenings, the sun set early, and Shugla arrived husband With work had time How usually, settle affairs in the yard clean up By home And cook dinner. But, of course, it was important to fry him, his favorite baursaks. He liked to eat them hot, as if they were piping hot, and he had his own reasons for that.

1 Skin – porridge, cooked on milk

2 Baursaki – pieces test, fried on oil

There was a case that once, Adil, remembering his childhood and telling to her my history, let slip What somehow more, being little boy having tried grab And gobble up my mother's quickly cooked baursaks, burned his lips and, dropping everything that was in his hands, stopped and began to cry. IN bewilderment his Mother And All ran up brothers, could not calm him down. A little later, when the pain subsided, my mother, realizing what was the matter, scolded him severely for this intemperance. After this story, he and Shugla laughed for a long time. That day, the day of cheerful and funny memories of her husband's childhood, she will remember for a long time.

Every once, When she threw V heated oil dough

For baursakov, grumbling oils V warmed up cauldron, How would whisper to her so that she would certainly remember that incident. Then same she, pushed unknown to her some force, filled with childish laughter. That short laugh of hers is neither she nor anyone else. Not could would notice How He could illuminate light their small and happy house.

Could she, or anyone else, have known that the amusing incident that happened to her husband as a child would leave her in soul such strong imprint And What she will carry This throughout your life? Could she or someone else know that her spark and pure feelings for her husband, her Power of Love will be for Adil, later, a beacon of life?

Adil was born and raised in the village of Akbasty 3 , Aral district, Kyzylorda region. In three once famous fish collective farms – Tastubek, Akespe and Ak basty, on the western coast of the Small Aral 4 , then part of the Aral seas, life seethed. Dozens rowing boats, with attached on them motors, under the voices of those who left on shore to spend their men, children And women V handkerchiefs, under noisy farewell seagulls, every day went They V sea.

3 Akbasty, Tastubek, Akespe – inhabited points Aral district

4 Small Aral – Part Aral Seas

Late returning They, already splattered salty waters of the sea and tired of fighting its restless waves, went on shore With full catch fish. the end and edges Not was to that wealth What gave sea people And no one imagined that it would ever end.

The changes taking place then in the country could not bypass the long-suffering Aral Sea. The sea was shallow. Meanwhile, the shores of the sea moved away from people's dwellings, and the number of boats also decreased. And only flocks of seagulls, disagreeing with this fact that had happened, shouted and demanded that people return their former abode to them …

People, already Not having possibilities sell, left their decades habitable Houses. Somebody was leaving V city Aralsk in search of work, someone stayed here, continue to live, in already new, But Not joyful For eye, realities. The sands, driven by relentless winds, captured more and more new villages. Life around seemed to stop.

Adil's parents were hereditary fishermen, but life, which made everything around them unrecognizable, forced them to change their values and take up land. So they, with difficulty overpowering their pride, became shepherds.

Their house was in the pasture Ak Zhailau 5 . The house was located on a hill. Below, away from was at home equipped well For animals, Where motor pump lifted With depths clean And cold water. She was the savior of all life here.

This well was here a kind of magic magnet. He pulled here, hundreds of kilometers away, huge herds of swift-footed mares and their foals, pursued by disheveled and lush-maned aigyrs 6 . Also obese, severe b ұқ a 7 , hiding their sparkling eyes

5 Ak Zhailau – White Pasture (literal translation With Kazakh language)

6 Aigyr – horse, stallion (literal translation With Kazakh language)

7 Buka – bull (literal translation With Kazakh language)

behind the formidable horns, they cleared places at the watering place for their leisurely and measured cows and their calves, restlessly looking around, in some bewilderment. And only camels, eternal wanderers of the desert, on the distant horizon, How mirages, "thawed And again revived like phoenixes…

Through a couple of hours, after noon waterhole and rest, all the past pandemonium, comparable, perhaps, with Babylonian 8 , instantly, as if by someone's command, like a dream, disappeared. Nothing around was reminiscent of the past, which took place literally before our eyes, a fabulous performance. That was oasis of their laws And the rules created a man among the endless sands of the Aral Sea; the sands that the sea laid bare, the sands that it left us as payment for ingratitude.

Not those who managed save Sea, How my mother nurse, her Children, remaining alone Who How could, Now, had tried survive and make your life.

To the aforementioned pasture from the Akbasty state farm, it was 80 km. There were only three houses on the pasture. Their family lived there permanently and their house, in comparison with others, was the largest. Those other houses were a little smaller and often empty. Their owners returned to them, only at the end of winter, when severe frosts left, herds of animals, at the behest of Mother Nature herself, who began to awaken, worry and demand Movement. There, where the unconscious force of nature pulls them to live, so that maternal milk mortgaged them, spirit steppes instinct, could be passed on to the next generation.

When, however, all the neighbors gathered in the pasture, thousands of animals, led by screaming drovers, revived the once frozen in a stupor Steppe, and it involuntarily turned V something bubbling And bubbling. Later, When

8 Babylonian – figurative comparison author With Babylonian Pandemonium

everything calmed down and calmed down, people gathered for a rich dastarkhan 9 , told their news And stories. Dombra 10 sounded , meat was cooked in a full cauldron, someone sang, and someone improvised in dances. Everyone, young and old, laughed and rejoiced. Children, holding V their hands, Who a toy, and someone tasty treats from the festive table, clapping their eyes, listened to different stories. Whether young or old, they must all have been present, in these few days, on these events. After all their was Total three Houses, but their meeting was like a meeting of relatives and friends!

The Steppe, so dear to everyone, did not dare not to unite the hearts of loved ones and longing for a meeting of people.

By Kazakh standards, their family was small. There were five in total. This is mom, dad, three sons, including him. He was late long awaited And junior child. Still, being young, He getting used to on one's own cope with errands, homework.

Now same, in time winter holidays, having arrived from a boarding school that was located in the city of Aralsk And participating V this grandiose For him event, he stayed V numbness And absorbed All what is happening without losing sight of every little thing.

New heard interesting stories related to animals And people carried away his V country fairy tales And epics, where the great and mighty Kazakh batyrs 11 fought against evil giants and peri 12 and certainly defeated them; where are their frantic tulpars 13 , powerfully inhaling their nostrils of the air, carried their riders to the noble battle with Evil.

9 Dastarkhan – tablecloth (literal translation With Kazakh language)

10 Dombra – Kazakh folk bowed musical tool

11 Batyr – hero (translation With Kazakh language)

12 Peri – wicked spirit (translation With Kazakh language)

13 Tulpar – horse under rider-bogatyr (translation With Kazakh language)

IN first days, By return home on holidays from boarding school, He tired from home work. After all on their farmstead had a lot of living creatures and life was in full swing here. consulting each once With mom By topics or otherwise emerging questions, he became strongly attached to her. Mom told him V minutes recreation, different stories And fables, A he tried listen their And, How skillful artist, who, with his strokes, could instantly change the present picture before him, supplemented their their fantasies. She same, V those minutes after he interrupted her, she threatened not to tell those stories again. He, sarcastically begged her forgiveness, on What both Then hugging, for a long time laughed.

Sometimes it seemed to Adil that his father, always tired from his work, he involuntarily forgot to ask his mother about him. But it wasn't. He, every time, returning home, always thought about him. Often, after work, dad would lie down at home, leaning on a pillow and trying to quickly look through the newspapers that rarely come here. Later, without taking off his glasses, he fell asleep in the same place. But in the moments when they his mom turned out to be alone, at each opportunity, he questioned her for a long time. For him it was important each detail, each trifle. She guessed O how much strongly her husband I loved his kenzhe 14 , What tried my best This his attitude To him hand over Adil. But she, as the wise wife of a shepherd, also knew how hard their work is, everyday struggle behind survival, does their, people of an important profession, harsh and laconic. That's what his father and older brothers were like.

And only on the days when they all gathered together at home, fussing over treats for their men, she was more cheerful than ever and all the worries and anxieties it disappeared with itself. In those moments, she was happier than ever in her life!

14 Kenzhe – affectionately Name junior son V family (With Kazakh language)

My father and his brothers worked in the village and were respected people. Mom was also listed there, but she was already a watchman attached to her husband. She had a salary, about 70 rubles. At them, V run, was one flock sheep in the amount of 700 heads, not counting their own about fifty sheep, which were in the same flock. The salary came out at the rate of 0.45 rubles per sheep, which they grazed, and this was more or less enough for their family. Also, there were two herds of horses in charge, for which the middle brother of Adil was already responsible. The older brother worked as a driver in the village and, often, on his Gaz-52, on various assignments, traveled to distant villages, and, only occasionally, to the regional center.

Every week To him came mobile shop, V which

Always sat behind driving, A Can say, What And was seated, all reeking of cigarettes, huge, because of the protruding belly, uncle Ozyk. He brought various food and clothing. Always fond of delicious food, he seemed Adil, some human from another peace. His irrepressible desire to eat everything that was put in front of him made everyone laugh.

One day, another driver arrived at the truck. Asking his Then, parents learned, What uncle Ozyk already retired. This news then greatly upset the father.

It has never happened that this car-shop could not arrive on the set days. In dozens of distant yurts, every week they were waiting for her and she would certainly get to them. There were times when, due to breakdowns, the car remained on the road and was dragged along the distant shepherd's yurts by passing rural tractors.

None of the people living and working in difficult conditions And their families Then Not could stay without attention and assistance from the state. In gratitude, people, as best they could, worked selflessly and with dignity.

AND Not was V great Kazakh steppes of people, Who could would not overpower All those adversity, which heaped on their mighty shoulders, their fate.

Once a month, as soon as there was an opportunity, to go to the district center, the elder brother brought home for his mother and younger brother, delicious sweets in the form of white miniature pillows and cookies of various shapes and tastes. But sometimes he also brought a few iron round boxes, Where were placers, How precious stones, delicious colored sweets monpensier 15 .

For Adil Nothing Not was tastier Then, near beloved mother, pouring tea at the samovar, with a lazy chimney emitting smoke, telling her funny stories to her and eating these sweets. That tea party in the distant Kazakh steppe was, in part, not only to quench thirst in the midday summer heat. Those interesting conversations at the dastarkhan were, as later, having matured, Adil recalled, like many other things, a manifestation of maternal love.

Looking at her contented son, she, a simple Kazakh woman, having forgotten all the harsh realities of life, could herself be certainly grateful for Life! For the fact that this Life rewarded her with such an intelligent and wise person, who was her husband and the same, most importantly, sensitive children!

Being alone with her, during their intimate conversations with her, He often drew Then his attention on gray strands of her hair protruding from behind a scarf. But deep wrinkles her face, V That moment, By his opinion only brightened up her, and so beautiful mother.

In those distant, late 80s, life did not please with a variety of products and dishes. Whoever it was, especially our heroes, could not afford any extravagance. The money earned by hard work, each time was directed only to the most necessary.

15 Candies montpensier – colored candies dragee

Time passed, in cities and villages people everywhere discussed something. And it was always something new and unknown. The country felt the coming need for change.

The life of ordinary people, villagers, cut off from the city fuss, How deep river With her dark waters, could not change its course and flow differently. That was reality life For them, But All around already changing moving towards something. Why, what no one understood in this then transient and changeable world around.

Sometimes in the evenings, at home, discussing the past meeting at the state farm, his brothers argued for a long time. Involuntarily listening to them Adil tried to comprehend the situation. He knew meaning all that was heard there. Somewhere agreeing with them, somewhere opposing He created his vision. AND it was others. His pulled steppe, her boundless open spaces, brightest rainbow after rain on background sky, forbs, birds and animals… Here, He could, left alone, dream O life, notice sometimes at all invisible things, rejoice again

opening opportunities be closer To nature.

Being the youngest son in the family, as befits the Kazakhs, all household work and caring for cattle were on him. They always had a lot of work in the courtyard. Care and feeding of animals did not bother Adil. These works gave him the opportunity to observe them, which, of course, he only rejoiced at.

All the animals, one could say, had affectionate nicknames for him. So, for his stubborn disposition, shown during evening feeding, he gave the one-year-old bull-calf the nickname Kyrsykbai 16 . The young heifer, for her quiet and calm disposition, was given nickname Symbatty Bikesh 17 . young but the goat, for his indefatigable desire to climb up every time, leaning on anything, was given the nickname Cosmonaut.

16 Kyrsykbai – word, which going on from words kyrsyk (stubborn – translation With Kazakh language)

17 Symbatty Bikesh – Darling young woman (literal translation With Kazakh language)

Behind the family hearth, when the father and his brothers asked him about the news in the courtyard, they recognized these funny adilovskie nicknames. Brothers This amused And father liked it.

Later over the years, V family deserved law to give nicknames to one or another cattle possessed only Adil. Proud of this right, he, as a ten-year-old teenager, felt significant and useful in his family.

This quality, namely, to notice by his observation, the various behaviors of animals, in the future, will serve him and others in good stead.

Already becoming a young man, he, often with his mother, while his father and brothers were at work or away on business, secretly shared his dreams. Each time, she, already aged, with a gray strand of hair hanging down, due to a stretched on scarf head, after his revelations, silently stroked his And Always repeated their, So to him expensive And many meaningful words, "Where kalasa…” 18 . These words attached her serenity and between the hope What unknown forces in the future will be favorable to him and help her beloved son to fulfill all his life dreams!

He did well in boarding school. Teachers have always noted his desire for learning. He was especially interested in biology, the history of the emergence of the animal world, their struggle for evolutionary survival. Plunging into the stories he heard, he could certainly, breaking away from reality, feel on yourself All That, O how told his favorite teacher. noticing All This And his teacher, always welcomed his indefatigable interest and desire to learn new things. His search for new facts, and even more so, his critical approach to the analysis of various educational materials, pleased his teacher, who always wished him a bright future.

18 "Where kalasa … " – will give God (literal translation With Kazakh language)

Analyzing after class various historical facts, They often remained alone empty office And could discuss for a long time. His teacher glanced at his wristwatch at the beginning of their extra private lessons. Later, having already forgotten about it, taking off his jacket and a tie, just like him, in his dreams and in stormy disputes, carried away his And myself V distant worlds wild ferocious animals and their innocent victims.

Each of them could imagine a raging primordial element And scenes hunting predators, witness, which they then unwittingly became together. Their boundless consciousness took both of them to the unknown worlds of the rebirth of the animal world and humanity, where each one certainly stayed in his own mysterious world. As if in an invisibility cloak, they wanted to remain unnoticed. And each of them, trying to change the world around them, so harsh and cruel, was a participant in the process.

One day, one day, when, after a heated discussion of one of the topics, he tried to ask Adil about his desire his choice future professions. Not having heard nothing concrete from him, his teacher nevertheless recommended that he think about entering the faculty of natural science. Develop your knowledge there and bring your contribution to science.

Through a lot of years, He, accidentally having met With Adilem on the street in Aralsk, questioned him in detail and learned that he did not follow his advice. Even trying to hide some kind of resentment towards him for this, nevertheless, in memory of the past interesting joint activities, taking by chance having signed the book that turned out to be from his portfolio, he will hand it over to Adil as a keepsake.

That inscription on the cover – "To the beloved student Adil, always striving to cover with his gaze the space beyond horizon! like far And warm light, will