The first stories of S. M. Golitsyn, a descendant of the princely family of the Golitsins, were published in 1930, and by 1959 he became a professional writer. His works were loved by many schoolchildren of the Soviet era, and such books as “Forty Searchers” and “Town of Tomboys” became a kind of ticket to the world of adventure literature for many.
Main characters
Before proceeding to the description of the summary of “Forty Searchers”, it is necessary to identify the main characters of this story. This is a doctor telling a story, his daughter Sonia, pioneers. Sonya likes to eat well, she has a slightly snub nose, she is studying for fours. A children's doctor, although he has long been an adult, is also eager to become a real researcher. He appears before the reader as a thoughtful storyteller. The doctor is actively involved in the search for a portrait. He is kind and sociable, the guys hear from him many interesting stories.
Daughter Sonya is always sociable, cheerful. She is actively involved in the search for a portrait. In vain Misha attributed her to the "mattresses". Also the pioneers are the characters. The main characters of “Forty Searchers” differ in character, but they are united by a desire for a common goal. Vitya Bolshoy is distinguished by seriousness and curiosity. It is he who inspires the children in search of the missing portrait. Victor is important and strict, he loves to read.
Pioneer Galya is a girl with big eyes, she is often compared with the most proud beauties. On the back of her head is a large nylon bow. Pioneers Eugene and Gene - the fastest and most agile. The writer never mentions them separately; they are always together on a campaign. Eugene and Gene quickly lit a fire. They can do many other useful things and always behave like real knights. The smallest prospector is the bony and nimble Pepper. He constantly asks questions, but, fortunately for the rest, does not require an answer to them. The guys allow him to carry a backpack, but even this does not stop him from chasing butterflies.
Tie
The hero of the story used to rent a summer cottage during summer vacation. There he rested with his family. However, that year, his son Misha graduated from school and was preparing for an important event - admission to the Geological Prospecting Institute. Misha himself divided all people into two large categories - those who travel across the country in search of minerals, and the so-called "mattresses" who constantly sit at home. Misha’s mother said she was staying with her son in Moscow, so the doctor went to the country only with Sonya, who at that time was about 12.5 years old.
Mysterious portrait
What continues the story "Forty Searchers"? The summary introduces the reader to Ivan Ivanovich, the main character's neighbor in a communal apartment, working as a historian-archivist. It was he who advised the doctor to rest in a place in Zeleniy Bor. The archivist turns to the main character with a request. Once upon a time in the town of Lyubets, which is located near the Green Forest, the historian accidentally stumbled upon a portrait of a woman of extraordinary beauty.
The picture was painted by a very talented, but unknown author. The portrait was so fond of Ivan Ivanovich that he would really like to know something about what happened to him now and who was this mysterious artist. But the piece of paper on which the address was recorded was not kept by Ivan Ivanovich, and he very much asked the doctor to look for at least some information about the painting and its author. That is how the hero of the story and his daughter Sonya turned into real prospectors.
Meet the Pioneers
The Forty Searchers, a brief summary of which is now being examined, tells how the doctor and Sonya met a woman from Zeleniy Bor on the way. They rented a room in her house. Her husband was very taciturn, he worked all day in the garden and did not allow anyone there. While resting on the river bank, the doctor and Sonya get acquainted with the students. From their class teacher, named Magdalena Kharitonovna, they learn that schoolchildren are about to march to the museum of the city of Lyubets. They decide that they will go with them.
The story of the director of the museum
On the way, the doctor tells them about the mysterious portrait, and the guys are eager to find him. Therefore, as soon as the pioneer detachment enters the city, they immediately go to the museum, located on the territory of the Kremlin. The director of the museum tells them a lot about the history of the city of Lyubets. Among the exhibits of the museum, the guys saw a still life on which the author’s signature was very unusual: "I can’t even subscribe." The same inscription was on that mysterious picture that they were now looking for.
When the director of the museum became aware of this, he also showed a great desire to help pioneers in the search for a portrait. The summary of “Forty Searchers” continues with a conversation between the museum director and the guys. He mentions different people who could help in the search for a portrait, and for some reason calls these people by their numbers: First, Second, Third. Later, the guys found out that there was a special group in the city that was engaged in research in various fields, ranging from historical to culinary searches. These people called each other by numbers. There were seven of them.
First track
History was the scope of the Seventh issue. He was very interested in the life of the daughter of a local landowner named Irina Zagvozdetskaya. She died of the disease at a very young age - at 18 years old. Maybe it was her portrait that was taken by the artist who wished to remain anonymous. Pioneers, who are also one of the main characters in the story “Forty Searchers” by Golitsyn, decide to communicate with all seven of the searchers.
They liked the way these people called each other, and they also gave each other names - from the Eighth to the Thirty-Ninth. After visiting the museum, they go on a visit to a man whose name was First. At home, he keeps an old glass, which the guys have already seen in a still life. Visiting the First, the pioneers made friends with a shepherd named Michael. Later, pioneers will also assign this dog a number - Sorokova. This will happen after she finds a valuable mineral. Just came out exactly forty prospectors.
Further searches
The search for the painting and its author was very difficult and interesting. A summary of Golitsyn's “Forty Searchers”, which schoolchildren can already ask in class today, tells about the further development of events. At first, the pioneers were lucky - in the children's photo album of Irina Zagvozdetskaya, which they found at the Third (school principal in Lyubts), they found a sketch of the local Kremlin, which was marked with a mysterious inscription.
Pioneers managed to unravel the contents of this inscription and found a cache in the tower. In it, they found an old dagger, which was also depicted in a still life in the museum. Also in the cache, the pioneers found a letter in an envelope. However, to read it did not work - from time to time the letters blurred. Pioneers send a letter for a special examination and continue their fascinating searches.
Prospectors in Moscow
Golitsyn's “Forty Searchers” is one of the most interesting adventure books that many children will enjoy. The next scene introduces the reader to Seventh, who worked as the director of the memorial museum dedicated to the artist Sitnikov. By the Seventh, the pioneers reached the ship. After that, they went to Moscow, where they met his son - he wore number Six and was a young artist. Further searches in Moscow led forty explorers of Golitsyn to the famous writer, who turned out to be a descendant of a family who lived in the city of Lyubets. From the old papers belonging to the writer, as well as from the text of the letter sent for examination, the guys were able to find out the history of the mysterious portrait.
Serf
He was one of the serfs of the landowner Zagvozdetsky, his name was Yegor. At a young age, he showed outstanding artistic abilities, and therefore it was decided to send him to study in St. Petersburg. However, after several years, the landowner called him from the capital and sent him to work at a crystal plant. Some time after returning, Zagvozdetsky instructed the serf to draw the same still life that the guys saw in the museum.
The painting was a success for the artist, and the landowner demanded that he paint a portrait of his daughter. Summary of “Forty Searchers” Golitsyna tells that Irina and Egor fell in love. Upon learning of this, the landowner immediately locked his daughter in the house. Egor was able to hide from his anger. However, later the landowner found the serf and sent him to military service. Irina did not endure all the trials that fell on her lot, and died.
Ending
So ends the story of Sergei Golitsyn, “Forty Searchers”. The guys learned the history of the portrait, now it remains only to find the picture itself. In the writer's papers it was mentioned that Yegor gave his work to a friend for storage. Searches continued in the city of Lyubets. However, the portrait was found in Green Forest. The story "Forty Searchers" ends unusually. The doctor was very surprised when he found out that the portrait was at the owner of the house where they rented a room for rest. This taciturn man turned out to be a descendant of the serf artist. He carefully kept the portrait, not showing anyone, as bequeathed to him.