The greatest prose master and talented lyricist - this is how I. Bunin is characterized in Russian literature. “Cuckoo” - a brief summary of the chapters is given below - one of the early stories of the writer, in which the author close-up depicts a man from the people.
1 chapter. New guard
On a February evening, sledge drove up to the gatehouse in the forest. An old man came out of them, dressed in a worn overcoat and hat. In his hands he held a cat with a rooster, followed by two dogs. It was an old soldier nicknamed Cuckoo. He flooded the stove, boiled potatoes. Slowly, but ate eagerly. Then he climbed onto the stove and covered himself with an overcoat. The cuckoo felt happy: at last he had appeared, albeit not for long - the master ordered him to be sentry in the forest - a house, food. He knew well what to be worn, so he was glad for a little - notes Bunin.
“Cuckoo”: Summary of Chapter 2
Somehow the old man went to ask for money. At the moment when the master left the room, his two sons entered. They spoke to Cuckoo. They began to ask about dogs, talked about the tricks of the Gypsy - a dog sent with an old man on guard. We went on to hunt, and Kukushka promised to bring the cubs to the boys - he recently saw their mother near his house.
The old man cheerfully returned to the forest. He was a fellow, and therefore received such a nickname. Since childhood, hired for work. After the service he married, but his family did not work. From an early age he considered himself destitute, dissolute, and this conviction made him lazy, irritable clumsy. This characteristic gives the hero of the story "Cuckoo" Bunin. The summary of his bitter life sets off the happiness he felt while living on guard.
Chapter 3. Finding Wolf Cubs
It was the beginning of April. Returning from the bypass, Cuckoo noticed a she-wolf. He decided that she was probably already getting married. In the evenings, the old man listened to the sounds, hoping to find out where her lair was. But everything was in vain. Finally, at dawn Kukushka decided to go to the ravine himself. And he was lucky: two cubs fussed at the stones. The old man put them in a bag and went to the master.
The boys were thrilled. And Cuckoo talked for a long time about how to catch wolf cubs. Joyful, he returned to the guardhouse, where the clerk was already waiting for him. It turned out that during the absence of Cuckoos in the forest, trees were cut down. Now it was to be answered.
Bunin, “Cuckoo”: a summary of 4 chapters
Two weeks later, the master arrived. All these days, Cuckoo pretended to be sick and now complained that the clerk had nearly killed him. The owner promised to send a new guard, and the old man was allowed to live in the house for now. By summer, Cuckoo again went through the villages and once found himself at the master’s house.
The boys were very happy about him and told that one wolf cub had died. The other did not eat and was emaciated. “We need to let him go,” the old man suggested. On the way to the pit, the boys began to ask the hero about his life, Bunin continues. Cuckoo - a summary of the conversation is given - noted that he has neither a family nor a house. That job is hard to find. When the barchukes offered help, he only asked to take two shirts from his father. And he added that it would freeze in winter, so there would be something to bury.
The cub was released, and the old man followed him into the forest. And in the winter, his prophecy came true - writes Bunin. The cuckoo, the summary of the story about which you read, was found dead near the gatehouse, where he happily spent three months of his life about a year ago.