A glimpse into the harsh life of 19th-century folk, hidden in campfire tales and scary stories.

Hello everyone! I've just finished re-reading Ivan Turgenev's classic collection of stories, "Notes of a Hunter". After reading his other famous tales like "Mumu" and "The Hunted Squirrel", I wanted to revisit this one. Some of the stories in this collection are particularly interesting because they're often taught in school.

Ivan Turgenev's Beshin Lug (Illustration by A.Pakhomov) 1988

"Beshin Lug" is one of those stories. It's studied in schools in the 6th grade.

The author, Ivan Turgenev (1818-1883), was a 19th-century Russian writer born into a noble family. He received a great education, but his family life was far from happy and harmonious.

Ivan Turgenev's Beshin Lug (Illustration by A.Pakhomov) 1988 Turgenev observed the hardships faced by serfs under their harsh masters from a young age. Perhaps he wouldn't have noticed their struggles if he hadn't experienced similar treatment from his own mother, who believed in using physical punishment as a normal part of upbringing... However, Turgenev grew up to be quite observant. And his writing talent allowed him to convey his insights in works that people still read today.

Of course, he wasn't writing with a 10-12-year-old audience in mind, but rather for adult readers.

Ivan Turgenev's Beshin Lug (Illustration by A.Pakhomov) 1979 "Beshin Lug" was written almost two centuries ago, in 1851 (just 10 years before the abolition of serfdom). So, it's not always easy for modern kids to understand what the author was trying to say or show...

The number of editions of this work is impressive. It's still actively published, which is great. The key is to have good-quality books with clear print and nice illustrations, because poor-quality printing can put people off reading, regardless of how interesting the content is.

Ivan Turgenev's Beshin Lug (Illustration by A.Pakhomov) 1979 In the past, we'd go to libraries, borrow books, and read them. I highly recommend not forgetting about these amazing places, as they're now being updated and have many great editions to choose from. I, on the other hand, often read on my phone and really enjoy it. You can make the font comfortable, choose a nice background, and find many scanned editions with different illustrations.

"Beshin Lug" can be found in three interesting and pleasant variations. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. I'll show you one, then the other.

I've got to say, my favorite illustrations in this book are the ones by A.Pakhomov from 1979. Check them out for yourself.

I.Turgenev Beggars' Lament (Ill. A.Pakhomov) 1979What I don't like is how often the artists depict the boys the hunter meets as being pretty plump, whereas in the text they're often described as skinny and poor - they're usually around 10-12 years old, after all...But hey, the illustrations make reading the book (especially for kids) a lot more fun, so let's just go with it.

I.Turgenev Beggars' Lament (Ill. V.A. Bykovsky) 1976The story itself is pretty straightforward. You could break it down into two main parts, with the second one being packed with stories and anecdotes. And the third part wraps everything up nicely.Story outline:

1. The hunter getting lost and trying to find his way back.

2. The boys and their conversations.

3. The morning and the mention of Pavel's future.

I.Turgenev Beggars' Lament (Ill. A.Pakhomov) 1988It starts with the hunter (a hunter, not a narrator) telling the story of how he got lost while hunting and wandered around until nightfall, almost falling off a cliff in the process.A bit dull, perhaps, to read about him walking and getting lost, but at some point you start to worry about how he's going to get out of this situation.

But eventually, he stumbles upon a campfire of some village kids herding horses, and he decides to spend the night with them so he can continue his journey in the morning.

I.Turgenev Beggars' Lament (Ill. V.A. Bykovsky) 1976The hunter decides to spend the night with them, and while they think he's sleeping, they start chatting about all sorts of things.

What were the boys talking about, exactly? They're sharing scary stories about supernatural creatures, like the water spirit that almost drowned a girl, and the house spirit that lives in the mill, and all sorts of other creepy tales.

I.Turgenev Beggars' Lament (Ill. A.Pakhomov) 1988Their conversations are full of stories about the rusalka who tried to lure them in, the leshy who plays tricks on people, the domovoi who lives in the mill, and all sorts of other superstitions and scary tales.

I. Turgenev - Bezhin Lug (Ill. V.A. Bykovsky) 1976 These stories of young boys blur the lines between reality and superstition, making the tragedies of life even more unsettling.

For example, a village girl doesn't just lose her mind because she almost drowned and was pulled out late (now we know that prolonged oxygen deprivation doesn't just magically heal), but the water also 'spoiled' her.

Solar eclipses fill the hearts of illiterate peasants with an all-consuming fear of the end of the world...

The words of a worried mother, fretting about her son, become a foreshadowing of a tragedy involving a child.

I. Turgenev - Bezhin Lug (Ill. A. Pahomov) 1988 But in reality, carrying these endless superstitions in your heart makes life seem treacherous and frightening. And joy is scarce, to boot – there's just this evil lurking everywhere, causing harm in every way and you can't escape it.Even the children's faith in God is a fragile thing, barely holding its own against the likes of mermaids and the like. Their thinking is more magical than grounded in a real, all-powerful God.

And it's not just a quirk of childhood perception – I think it's a reflection of the societal understanding that these kids grew up with. After all, they got these stories from the adults in their lives.

It's worth noting that even though it's been almost 200 years since this story came out, and people have had access to education for a long time, nothing's really changed for many people when it comes to superstitions...

The author observes that, despite being from the same village and doing the same work, these boys are actually quite different from one another.

I. Turgenev - Bezhin Lug (Ill. A. Pahomov) 1988 (Fedyushka) Fourteen-year-old Fedyushka is a boy from a well-off peasant family. He's well-dressed and spends his days herding horses more for fun than out of necessity.This boy, the eldest of all, was about fourteen. He was a slender lad, with a face that was finely chiseled, yet a bit too small, and with a mop of light-brown curls, light-blue eyes, and a smile that was half-wistful, half-absent-minded. He belonged to a well-to-do family and had gone out into the field, not because he had to, but just for the fun of it. He wore a colorful homespun shirt with a yellow trim; a small new apron, tied loosely around his narrow shoulders, barely stayed in place; a blue sash held a wooden comb. His boots, with low tops, were identical to his other boots – not his father's.

I.Turgenev Beshin Lug (Ill. A.Pakhomov) 1979 (Fedy) I've got to say, Fedy's not like the other kids. He doesn't tell any stories, but he's really good at steering the conversation and keeping everyone from arguing. He speaks calmly, with a sense of pride and superiority over the others. But he's not one to ask questions.

I.Turgenev Beshin Lug (Ill. A.Pakhomov) 1988 (Ilya)Ilya (he's 12) knows more stories than anyone else, and he's definitely the most superstitious kid in the group. He's the life of the party, and he's always good for a laugh.But the third kid, Ilyusha, was a bit of an enigma. His face was sort of gaunt, with a big nose and sunken eyes that seemed to be squinting from the heat. His yellowish-white hair stuck out in all directions from under his low, woolen cap, which he kept pushing up onto his ears. He was wearing new boots and mittens, and a thick rope tied around his waist kept his black tunic tidy. He and Pashka looked like they were both around 12 years old.

I.Turgenev Beshin Lug (Ill. A.Pakhomov) 1979 (Ilya)Aside from herding horses at night, this kid works on the factory floor – not because he wants to, but because he has to. But at least he's dressed decently, even if it's not fancy.

I.Turgenev Beshin Lug (Ill. A.Pakhomov) 1988 (Kostya)Kostya is 10 years old, and he's dressed pretty poorly. He looks like a nervous wreck, always worried about something or other.The fourth kid, Kostya, caught my attention with his thoughtful and melancholy expression. His whole face was small, thin, and pointed, like a chipmunk's, and his lips were almost invisible. But his big, black eyes were what really struck me – they seemed to be trying to say something, but his language didn't have the words to express it. He was on the short side, with a scrawny build, and he was dressed pretty shabbily.

I.Turgenev Beshin Lug (Ill. A.Pakhomov) 1979 (Kostya) He believes everything Ilya tells him, and he's got a lot of superstitions of his own. But he's also got a lot of stories to share, and he always tries to see things from the characters' perspective.

I.Turgenev Beshin Lug (Ill. A.Pakhomov) 1988 (Pavlusha)12-year-old Pavlusha looks a bit rough around the edges, unlike Kostya. But he's more of a realist, always questioning the stories and conclusions of his friends. He's got a keen eye for the world around him, even when it comes to superstitions.

Pavlusha was a bit of a scrappy kid - I mean, he wasn't exactly the most polished thing you'd ever seen. His hair was all messy and black, his eyes were a dull grey, his face was pale and freckled, and his mouth was big and sort of awkward-looking. But despite all that, he looked really smart and direct, and when he spoke, you could hear the confidence in his voice. He wasn't exactly dressing to impress, either - all he had was a simple, homespun shirt and some patched-up pants.

I.Turgenev Beshin Lug (Ill. A.Pakhomov) 1979 (Pavlusha)In his story about the eclipse, I could sense a bit of irony. And he just strolled off into the darkness, looking for water at the river, like it was nothing to him. He even seemed to be joking around with the other kids, saying someone had called out to him from the water.Turns out he's the bravest and most fearless of the bunch. When it looked like the dogs were sniffing out Volokh near the horses, he just took off after them, all by himself.

Unfortunately, his life was cut short. The author notes with regret that he soon died, falling off his horse...

I.Turgenev Beshin Lug (Ill. A.Pakhomov) 1988 (Vasya)The youngest of the shepherds is 7-year-old Vasya. He's always sort of hidden away, wrapped up in his rags, and barely speaks up. But he's not sleeping - he's just listening to the older kids.

I almost didn't notice Vanya at first - he was lying on the ground, curled up under a sort of awkward blanket, and only occasionally sticking his russet, curly head out from under it. He was just seven years old.

I.Turgenev Beshin Lug (Ill. A.Pakhomov) 1979 (Vasya)Vanya's a really gentle and kind kid. All he ever talks about is his little sister, whom he's willing to give all his treats to from Fedya, and how beautiful the stars are in the sky.Maybe it's because he's so young, but he's really different from those superstitious kids who are always worrying about how scary and treacherous the world is, full of dark forces. He's more interested in the high, beautiful sky...

— Look, look, guys, Vanya suddenly called out, — look at the stars, the stars! He poked his fresh face out from under the blanket, leaned on his elbow, and slowly raised his big, quiet eyes up towards the sky. All the kids looked up at the sky and didn't look down for a long time.

When you read this story, you get a sense of the breadth of folk beliefs and superstitions that were prevalent in these kids and likely their parents too. It's clear that pagan beliefs were much stronger in these boys than the Christian spirit.

Illiteracy makes people superstitious.

I. Turgenev Beshin lug (Ill. V.A. Bykovsky) 1976Much like the boys in the story, I've had my fair share of working late into the night, tending to the animals when it's dark and my imagination runs wild. The darkness brings out my deepest fears and conjures up terrifying images (like hearing a voice from the water, which is something you'd never imagine happening during the day).

They're all peasant children, but each one is unique in terms of their material circumstances, strength of spirit, and character.

I. Turgenev Beshin lug (Ill. A. Pahomov) 1979 (Pavlusha)One thing that struck me is that unlike kids today, these boys from the 19th century start working at a young age. They don't even imagine that there could be any other way to live. And let me tell you, their work is far from easy or safe (like chasing away wolves from the herd at night – that's no job for kids, if you ask me).

I. Turgenev Beshin lug (Ill. V.A. Bykovsky) 1976It's only in the last 100 years or so that the concept of childhood and the special treatment of children has taken hold. Before that, it was unthinkable that people capable of working could just lounge around doing nothing. It wasn't that parents were cruel, they worked just as hard, but they simply couldn't afford to feed their families. The society and economic systems were set up differently back then.

I. Turgenev Beshin lug (Ill. A. Pahomov) 1988The story is full of beautiful, vivid descriptions of nature. (Something kids often dread reading, but it's written so well and beautifully that it's hard not to get lost in the images). The author does an excellent job of making the reader visualize the scenes with the use of personification, epithets, comparisons, and metaphors.

It was one of those perfect July days where the weather settles in for good. From the crack of dawn, the sky was a brilliant blue; the morning sunrise didn't blaze like a wildfire, but instead spread a gentle warmth. The sun wasn't a scorching ball of fire, nor a dull, greyish-brown hue before a storm, but rather a bright and welcoming orb that peeked out from behind a narrow, wispy cloud. As it rose, the cloud's upper edge sparkled with tiny, snake-like threads that shone like polished silver... But then the sun's rays burst forth once more, and the majestic light soared upwards, as if taking flight. By midday, a multitude of round, towering clouds usually appear, with a soft, silvery-grey hue and delicate white edges. Like islands scattered across an endless sea, they remain relatively still, with the deep blue waters of the sky gently lapping at their shores. As they drift towards the horizon, they merge and press together, until the blue between them disappears, but the clouds themselves remain a radiant blue, infused with light and warmth. The sky's gentle, pale lilac hue remains constant throughout the day, with no sign of darkening or stormy weather. Occasionally, a faint blue streak will appear, signaling a light drizzle. By evening, these clouds vanish, leaving behind only a few dark, indistinct ones, like wisps of smoke, which settle in rosy clusters opposite the setting sun. As the sun dips below the horizon, its golden glow lingers, a fleeting moment of serenity, before the evening star twinkles to life, casting a soft, gentle light over the darkening land. On days like these, the colors are muted, soft, and gentle, with a soothing quality that calms the senses. The heat can be intense at times, with the air feeling almost 'sweltering' on the hillsides, but the breeze sweeps away the oppressive heat, creating whirlwinds that dance along the roads, a sure sign of stable weather. The air is crisp and clean, filled with the scent of thyme, crushed grain, and wheat, and even an hour before nightfall, you wouldn't sense any dampness.

Turgenev was one of the first writers to dedicate his works to the simple folk, their characters, lives, and struggles.

I. Turgenev Bézhin Lug (Ill. A. Pahomov) 1988In the story 'Bézhin Lug', modern readers can find many quaint aspects of rural life among the children of that time.I wouldn't want to compare the incomparable, but the fact remains: a lot has changed dramatically over the past almost 200 years.

Many modern children aged 7-14 could hardly imagine pasturing horses, protecting them from predators, sleeping under the stars, cooking over an open flame, and satisfying themselves with boiled potatoes for dinner – all without adult supervision. And many modern parents would probably let their 7-12-year-olds 'sit by the river at night'?

No, I suppose they might, if they had no other choice, as was the case back then.

I.Turgenev Beshin lug (Ill. A.Pakhomov) 1988 (Vasya)Using this story, you can show modern kids that despite their frequent dissatisfaction, they're living better than any kid could have imagined, even in their most optimistic dreams.

But kids will probably see this as a fun gathering around the campfire, swapping scary stories with each other.

But the last lines of the story hit the reader like a cold shower.

I'm afraid I have to add that the same year, Pavel didn't make it. He didn't drown – he got trampled when he fell off his horse. What a shame, he was a great kid!

This isn't a fun gathering, it's not a break, it's not a party... This is life, which can end for these rural kids at any moment...

I found the story interesting and not boring.

For me, it's a sad story, and it's not just because of what's said at the end. Can you imagine how dark life must have been for people, surrounded by so much filth and superstition?

I.Turgenev Beshin lug (Ill. V.A. Bykovsky) 1976What did the author want to say in this story?

I think the author just wanted to show how ordinary people, peasants, and their kids live. What they enjoy, what scares them. To evoke sympathy for the common folk. To show how observations of nature, instead of appreciating its beauty and in an uneducated, superstitious people, turn into frightening images of the supernatural.

The story doesn't have good or bad heroes. They're just different. And we see them at a particular moment in their lives. You can imagine how they'll grow up and what's waiting for them in the future.

The author clearly likes Pavel, the brave, quick-witted, and rational kid. And it's all the more tragic for him.

Amy, on the other hand, caught my attention – he's able to see beauty even in this dark, frightening world, and despite his tender age, he's more concerned about his little sister than himself.

I.Turgenev Beshin lug (Ill. V.A. Bykovsky) 1976I definitely recommend reading this story to both kids and adults. Thanks for reading my review!

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