neverwasafraidofyoudogs，andneverwillbe！’
　　Theinterpretertranslated，andagaintheyallbegantotalkatonce。
　　Theyjabberedforalongtime，andthenthedarkmanjumpedup，cametoZhí；lin，andsaid:’DzhigitRuss，dzhigitRuss！’
　　Dzhigitintheirlanguagemeans’brave。’Andhelaughed，andsaidsomethingtotheinterpreter，whotranslated:’Onethousandroubleswillsatisfyhim。’
　　Zhí；linstucktoit:’Iwillnotgivemorethanfivehundred。
　　Andifyoukillmeyou’llgetnothingatall。’
　　TheTartarstalkedawhile，thensenttheservantouttofetchsomething，andkeptlooking，nowatZhí；lin，nowatthedoor。Theservantreturned，followedbyastout，bare-footed，tatteredman，whoalsohadhislegshackled。
　　Zhí；lingaspedwithsurprise:itwasKostí；lin。He，too，hadbeentaken。Theywereputsidebyside，andbegantotelleachotherwhathadoccurred。Whiletheytalked，theTartarslookedoninsilence。
　　Zhí；linrelatedwhathadhappenedtohim；andKostí；lintoldhowhishorsehadstopped，hisgunmissedfire，andthissameAbdulhadovertakenandcapturedhim。
　　Abduljumpedup，pointedtoKostí；lin，andsaidsomething。Theinterpretertranslatedthattheybothnowbelongedtoonemaster，andtheonewhofirstpaidtheransomwouldbesetfreefirst。
　　’Therenow，’hesaidtoZhí；lin，’yougetangry，butyourcomradehereisgentle；hehaswrittenhome，andtheywillsendfivethousandroubles。Sohewillbewellfedandwelltreated。’
　　Zhí；linreplied:’Mycomradecandoashelikes；maybeheisrich，Iamnot。ItmustbeasIsaid。Killme，ifyoulike——youwillgainnothingbyit；butIwillnotwriteformorethanfivehundredroubles。’
　　Theyweresilent。SuddenlyupsprangAbdul，broughtalittlebox，tookoutapen，ink，andabitofpaper，gavethemtoZhí；lin，slappedhimontheshoulder，andmadeasignthatheshouldwrite。
　　Hehadagreedtotakefivehundredroubles。
　　’Waitabit！’saidZhí；lintotheinterpreter；’tellhimthathemustfeedusproperly，giveusproperclothesandboots，andletusbetogether。Itwillbemorecheerfulforus。Andhemusthavetheseshacklestakenoffourfeet，’andZhí；linlookedathismasterandlaughed。
　　Themasteralsolaughed，heardtheinterpreter，andsaid:’Iwillgivethemthebestofclothes:acloakandbootsfittobemarriedin。Iwillfeedthemlikeprinces；andiftheyliketheycanlivetogetherinthebarn。ButIcan’ttakeofftheshackles，ortheywillrunaway。Theyshallbetakenoff，however，atnight。’AndhejumpedupandslappedZhí；linontheshoulder，exclaiming:’Yougood，Igood！’
　　Zhí；linwrotetheletter，butaddresseditwrongly，sothatitshouldnotreachitsdestination，thinkingtohimself:’I’llrunaway！’
　　Zhí；linandKostí；linweretakenbacktothebarnandgivensomemaizestraw，ajugofwater，somebread，twooldcloaks，andsomeworn-outmilitaryboots——evidentlytakenfromthecorpsesofRussiansoldiers，Atnighttheirshacklesweretakenofftheirfeet，andtheywerelockedupinthebarn。
　　Zhí；linandhisfriendlivedinthiswayforawholemonth。Themasteralwayslaughedandsaid:’You，Ivá；n，good！I，Abdul，good！’Buthefedthembadlygivingthemnothingbutunleavenedbreadofmillet-flourbakedintoflatcakes，orsometimesonlyunbakeddough。
　　Kostí；linwrotehomeasecondtime，anddidnothingbutmopeandwaitforthemoneytoarrive。Hewouldsitfordaystogetherinthebarnsleeping，orcountingthedaystillalettercouldcome。
　　Zhí；linknewhisletterwouldreachnoone，andhedidnotwriteanother。Hethought:’Wherecouldmymothergetenoughmoneytoransomme？AsitisshelivedchieflyonwhatIsenther。
　　Ifshehadtoraisefivehundredroubles，shewouldbequiteruined。WithGod’shelpI’llmanagetoescape！’
　　Sohekeptonthelook-out，planninghowtorunaway。
　　HewouldwalkabouttheAoulwhistling；orwouldsitworking，modellingdollsofclay，orweavingbasketsoutoftwigs:forZhí；linwascleverwithhishands。
　　OncehemodelledadollwithanoseandhandsandfeetandwithaTartargownon，andputitupontheroof。WhentheTartarwomencameouttofetchwater，themaster’sdaughter，Dina，sawthedollandcalledthewomen，whoputdowntheirjugsandstoodlookingandlaughing。Zhí；lintookdownthedollandhelditouttothem。Theylaughed，butdarednottakeit。Heputdownthedollandwentintothebarn，waitingtoseewhatwouldhappen。
　　Dinaranuptothedoll，lookedround，seizedit，andranaway。
　　Inthemorning，atdaybreak，helookedout。Dinacameoutofthehouseandsatdownonthethresholdwiththedoll，whichshehaddressedupinbitsofredstuff，andsherockeditlikeababy，singingaTartarlullaby。Anoldwomancameoutandscoldedher，andsnatchingthedollawayshebrokeittobits，andsentDinaaboutherbusiness。
　　ButZhí；linmadeanotherdoll，betterthanthefirst，andgaveittoDina。OnceDinabroughtalittlejug，putitontheground，satdowngazingathim，andlaughed，pointingtothejug。
　　’Whatpleasesherso？’wonderedZhí；lin。Hetookthejugthinkingitwaswater，butitturnedouttobemilk。Hedrankthemilkandsaid:’That’sgood！’
　　HowpleasedDinawas！’Good，Ivá；n，good！’saidshe，andshejumpedupandclappedherhands。Then，seizingthejug，sheranaway。Afterthat，shestealthilybroughthimsomemilkeveryday。
　　TheTartarsmakeakindofcheeseoutofgoat’smilk，whichtheydryontheroofsoftheirhouses；andsometimes，onthesly，shebroughthimsomeofthischeese。Andonce，whenAbdulhadkilledasheepshebroughtZhí；linabitofmuttoninhersleeve。
　　Shewouldjustthrowthethingsdownandrunaway。
　　Onedaytherewasaheavystorm，andtherainfellintorrentsforawholehour。Allthestreamsbecameturbid。Attheford，thewaterrosetillitwassevenfeethigh，andthecurrentwassostrongthatitrolledthestonesabout。Rivuletsflowedeverywhere，andtherumblinginthehillsneverceased。Whenthestormwasover，thewaterraninstreamsdownthevillagestreet。Zhí；lingothismastertolendhimaknife，andwithitheshapedasmallcylinder，andcuttingsomelittleboards，hemadeawheeltowhichhefixedtwodolls，oneoneachside。Thelittlegirlsbroughthimsomebitsofstuff，andhedressedthedolls，oneasapeasant，theotherasapeasantwoman。Thenhefastenedthemintheirplaces，andsetthewheelsothatthestreamshouldworkit。Thewheelbegantoturnandthedollsdanced。
　　Thewholevillagecollectedround。Littleboysandgirls，Tartarmenandwomen，allcameandclickedtheirtongues。
　　’Ah，Russ！Ah，Ivá；n！’
　　AbdulhadaRussianclock，whichwasbroken。HecalledZhí；linandshowedittohim，clickinghistongue。
　　’Giveitme，I’llmenditforyou，’saidZhí；lin。
　　Hetookittopieceswiththeknife，sortedthepieces，andputthemtogetheragain，sothattheclockwentallright。
　　Themasterwasdelighted，andmadehimapresentofoneofhisoldtunicswhichwasallinholes。Zhí；linhadtoacceptit。Hecould，atanyrate，useitasacoverletatnight。
　　AfterthatZhí；lin’sfamespread；andTartarscamefromdistantvillages，bringinghimnowthelockofagunorofapistol，nowawatch，tomend。Hismastergavehimsometools——pincers，gimlets，andafile。
　　OnedayaTartarfellill，andtheycametoZhí；linsaying，’Comeandhealhim！’Zhí；linknewnothingaboutdoctoring，buthewenttolook，andthoughttohimself，’Perhapshewillgetwellanyway。’
　　Hereturnedtothebarn，mixedsomewaterwithsand，andtheninthepresenceoftheTartarswhisperedsomewordsoveritandgaveittothesickmantodrink。Luckilyforhim，theTartarrecovered。
　　Zhí；linbegantopickuptheirlanguagealittle，andsomeoftheTartarsgrewfamiliarwithhim。Whentheywantedhim，theywouldcall:’Ivá；n！Ivá；n！’Others，however，stilllookedathimaskance，asatawildbeast。
　　Thered-beardedTartardislikedZhí；lin。Wheneverhesawhimhefrownedandturnedaway，orsworeathim。TherewasalsoanoldmantherewhodidnotliveintheAoul，butusedtocomeupfromthefootofthehill。Zhí；linonlysawhimwhenhepassedonhiswaytotheMosque。Hewasshort，andhadawhiteclothwoundroundhishat。Hisbeardandmoustacheswereclipped，andwhiteassnow；andhisfacewaswrinkledandbrick-red。Hisnosewashookedlikeahawk’s，hisgreyeyeslookedcruel，andhehadnoteethexcepttwotusks。Hewouldpass，withhisturbanonhishead，leaningonhisstaff，andglaringroundhimlikeawolf。IfhesawZhí；linhewouldsnortwithangerandturnaway。
　　OnceZhí；lindescendedthehilltoseewheretheoldmanlived。
　　Hewentdownalongthepathwayandcametoalittlegardensurroundedbyastonewall；andbehindthewallhesawcherryandapricottrees，andahutwithaflatroof。Hecamecloser，andsawhivesmadeofplaitedstraw，andbeesflyingaboutandhumming。
　　Theoldmanwaskneeling，busydoingsomethingwithahive。Zhí；linstretchedtolook，andhisshacklesrattled。
　　Theoldmanturnedround，and，givingayell，snatchedapistolfromhisbeltandshotatZhí；lin，whojustmanagedtoshelterhimselfbehindthestonewall。
　　TheoldmanwenttoZhí；lin’smastertocomplain。ThemastercalledZhí；lin，andsaidwithalaugh，’Whydidyougototheoldman’shouse？’