In this article we will talk about one of the most famous works of Victor Petrovich Astafiev, in particular, consider its brief content. “Belogrudka” is a short story dedicated to nature and animals, which has entered the modern school curriculum.
About the work
The story was written in 1961, when the writer studied in Moscow at literary courses. The author, a former native of a Siberian village, knew and loved Russian nature from childhood. Not surprisingly, this was reflected in his work. The writer's knowledge of the habits of animals and the features of their behavior can be illustrated even by a brief summary. Belogrudka is a prime example of this. In addition, the work is autobiographical - Astafyev described a case that he himself witnessed in childhood.
Despite its brevity, the story has a pronounced didactic orientation and raises serious questions related to the relationship of man to nature.
Astafiev, “Belogrudka”: summary
On the mountain stands the large village of Vereino, and under the mountain there are 2 lakes, on the banks of which the small village of Zuyat is huddled.
Between Vereino and Zuyaty there is a large hillside, similar to a humpbacked island, which can be seen for many miles. None of the locals almost goes there, because he is overgrown with dense grass so that you will not be poked around. Just move a little away from the clover field, which is on the mountain, so you immediately roll down and find yourself in a deadwood, overgrown with raspberries, elderberries and moss.
As it is not difficult to notice, a brief summary begins with a description of the area. "Belogrudka" is replete with colorful descriptions of Siberian nature, despite the small size of the story.
A gloomy place was a slope, twilight and damp. Fir and spruce trees are securely stored from the human hands of their tenants - squirrels, birds, ermines, badgers. Even cautious and cunning grouse lived here.
But once a white-breasted marten decided to settle in the wilds of the slope, a very secretive animal by nature. Sometimes she was seen at the edge of the forest, but only when she sensed a man did she again run away to the thicket. So she lived for 3 years.
Kunyata
A great knowledge of the habits and characteristics of animals in his descriptions is shown by V. P. Astafiev ("Belogrudka"). The summary tells about how one tiny martens appeared in the marten one summer. Belogrudka took care of them, licked them, warmed them on cold nights, and when they grew a little older, she began to get food for them. The marten well studied the slope, so it brought a lot of prey, and the children always had plenty of food.
Once the village boys tracked Belogrudok. They went down after her along the slope and hid. The marten, confusing its tracks, walked for a long time through the forest, jumping from tree to tree, and then decided that people had left, because they often passed by. Then Belogrudka returned to her nest.
But the boys did not go anywhere and closely watched her. The marten did not smell their presence - she was all absorbed in caring for the children. After checking if everything was okay with them, she went hunting again. However, every day it became increasingly difficult to get food. There was no small animal left at the nest, so Belogrudka went to the forest, then to the swamps, the lake. Here she was lucky to stumble on a jay. Joyful, she ran back to the prey's nest.
Ravaged nest
Quite a lot of lyrical and tragic moments in the story “Belogrudok”. The summary, for example, describes the return of the marten to the nest, which turned out to be empty. Belogrudka immediately dropped her prey and began to rush about the tree, in the paws of which her nest was cunningly hidden. But they didn’t have anywhere. The author describes the tragedy experienced by her mother: “If she could scream, she would scream.” Her kittens disappeared.
Then Belogrudka decided to examine everything around. Human tracks were immediately revealed. People stomped around a tree, and one of them climbed on it, stripping off the bark and branches. In the evening, the marten already knew that they would take her to the village. And at night she found which house.
Until dawn Belogrudka tossed around the house, sat on the bird cherry, listening - suddenly the kittens will beeping. But the dog in the courtyard rattled the chain and barked loudly. The owner tried several times to calm her down, but it did not help.
From that moment, the marten came into the courtyard every night. And every night the dog barked and rattled the chain.
Revenge
The summary of the story “Belogrudka” shows how deep the animals are capable of experiencing. Once, the marten managed to get to the hayloft, where she stayed until the morning and decided to stay for a day. And this time, she managed to see the canyun. The owner's boy carried the kids to the porch in an old hat. Here he began to play with them, turn them on his back, click on his nose. Then the other boys came. They began to feed meats.
The owner came and said, showing the kids that there is nothing to torture the animals, it is better to return them back to the nest, otherwise they will completely disappear.
But then came a terrible day for Belogrudka. This time, she again managed to get in and lie low. The boy brought her back to the porch. But, looking at the cap, he found out that one of them had died. Then he took the dead cub and threw it to the dog. The yard dog, accustomed to eating everything that was given to him, sniffed a small body and began to "devour it from his head."
On the same night, a huge number of chickens and chickens were strangled throughout the village. And the old dog, who ate the kunenka, strangled himself by hanging on a chain when he tried to jump over the fence. Goslings and ducklings began to be found on the streets and in vegetable gardens. In the houses that were close to the forest, the bird was completely transferred.
For a long time they could not understand what the matter was in the village, but Belogrudka began to go hunting even in the afternoon, and she was noticed.
Death is kicked
We continue to retell the summary. Once again, Belogrudka appeared in the village in the afternoon. This time they were waiting for her, and knocked down a tree with shot. But the marten survived - only a few pellets fell into it. Licking the wounds, she returned to the village.
The marten did not know that during this time the boy, that he had taken her, was fluttered and forced to take the cubs back. But the lazy boy left the kids by the forest. Here a fox came across them and ate.
Belogrudka continued to crush birds now not only in Vereino, but also in neighboring Zuyat.
But the marten climbed into the cellar, and there she managed to catch her mistress of the house.
Denouement
The marten was placed in a box. The master of the house, the hunter, returned. He said that his wife caught the marten in vain, because people were the first to offend her, and released the beast. But Belogrudka did not restrain herself and continued to harass the bird. Then the hunter had to hunt her down and kill her.
For a long time in both villages they remembered Belogrudka. To this day, children are forbidden to touch other people's nests and ruin them.
So the story “Belogrudka” came to an end. A summary for the reader's diary can be supplemented with citations from the work.