Kuprin's story "Olesya" was written in 1898. This is one of his first voluminous works, published in the same year in the Kievlyanin edition, where main theme became the fatal love of the master Ivan Timofeevich for the beautiful witch Olesya. In high school, they study the story "Olesya" (Kuprin). A summary of this work will be presented below. But it is still advisable to read the whole work in order to understand its uniqueness.
Kuprin, "Olesya": summary by chapters
The plot is narrated in the first person. A summary of Kuprin's "Olesya" by chapters will greatly capture, since the intrigue will not keep itself waiting. Interest will grow every minute.
So, the action takes place in one Ukrainian village called Perebrod (Volyn province). Ivan Timofeevich came here from the city for six months on official business. But after a while he began to get bored of the monotonous village life and began to get acquainted with the local peasants. I tried to teach them something, and in general I decided to teach my servant Yarmola to read and write, but everything turned out to be in vain. And then he decided to do his favorite thing - hunting.
Meet the witch
Ivan Timofeevich was greatly intrigued by this whole story. And he decided to find this woman by all means. As soon as the weather allowed, the hero began to go hunting. After a while, getting lost in the forest, he saw a small hut. At first he assumed that it was a hunting lodge, but when he went inside, he found an old grandmother there. It was the same Manuilikha who greeted the intruder very unfriendly, but visibly perked up when he asked her to tell fortunes and thrust a quarter into her hands.
And then suddenly a young, dark-haired beauty Olesya entered the room, she was the granddaughter of a witch, she looked no more than twenty-five years old. She was very friendly to the guest and even showed him the way back home.
From that moment on, a thaw began in the soul of Ivan Timofeevich. The thought of Olesa did not leave him for a minute. The girl literally charmed him and tied him to herself with some kind of invisible thin threads.
And as soon as the forest roads dried out, the master decided to go again to the witch Manuilikha. The meeting was the same as the first time, Manuilikha greeted him in the same spirit as before. The guest again asks him to tell fortunes, but Olesya confesses that she has already thrown cards at him, and informs him that love falls to him from a dark-haired lady, and then adds that this love will bring a lot of grief and shame.
From here summary Kuprin's "Olesya" is just beginning its exciting development.
Love for Olesya
When Olesya saw off the master, she told him that she and her grandmother had the gift of witchcraft. The girl tried to prove it by healing his wound from a cut with a knife. And then she did so that he began to stumble, following her. And then Ivan Timofeevich began to ask where Manuilikha had come to Polissya from. But Olesya was evasive in her answer and said only that the grandmother would not like such conversations.
From that day on, he began to visit them often. The grumpy old woman did not like it. However, the master managed to cajole her with gifts.
But this is not the end of the story "Olesya" (Kuprin). The summary can be continued by the fact that Ivan Timofeevich liked the beauty and originality of Olesya. They are interested in spending time together, they argue a lot. The master tries in every way to justify their witchcraft. Gradually, despite all sorts of disagreements, they become attached to each other. However, relations with Yarmola deteriorate. He does not approve of this acquaintance, he is anxious because these two witches are afraid to go to church.
We continue to consider the summary (Kuprin, "Olesya"). Further it is told that once the master comes to Manuilikha and her granddaughter and finds them very upset. The local sergeant Evpsychiy Afrikanovich ordered them to leave this region. Ivan Timofeevich wants to help them, but the old woman does not want to hear anything. But Ivan persuaded the sergeant not to drive the poor women away. He appeased him with expensive gifts and treats. And he promises not to touch the "ulcers of these places" anymore. However, from that time on, Olesya began to avoid him and did not even give any explanations.
Premonition
The master begins to fall ill - he has been tormented by fever for almost a week. Only when he felt a little better did he explain to Olesya, who told him that she avoided meeting him because she wanted to deceive her fate. She also admitted that she loved him dearly, and he reciprocated her feelings. Despite their misgivings, their love grows stronger.
Describing the summary (Kuprin, "Olesya"), one should dwell on some events in detail. Time flew by. Soon Ivan Timofeevich was to go to the city. He began to think about marrying Olesya and taking her away from here. Convinced that this is the correct thought, he proposes to her. But the girl is in no hurry to agree, because she is no match for him.
Massacre
And then the master had suspicions: he thought that she refused because of the fear of the church. But Olesya the next day made an appointment for him in the church - it was the feast of the Holy Trinity. Then Ivan Timofeevich felt uneasy in his heart. As luck would have it, on this day he is late and does not have time for the service in the church. When he arrives home, he hears from the clerk Nikita Nazarych Mishchenko that the village girls arranged "fun". Having caught a young witch in the square, they spanked her, they even wanted to smear her with tar, but she fled and threatened them that they would still pay enough. But Ivan Timofeevich learns about all this a little later, but for now he rushes to look for her and finds a girl with no memory in bed. In her fever, she curses him and Manuilikha.
Revenge
When Olesya regained consciousness, she warned the master that it was no longer possible to stay here with her grandmother and that they had to part. And here the summary (Kuprin, "Olesya") comes to an end.
On the same night, an icy hail fell on Perebrod. The alarmed Yarmola wakes up the master and asks him to leave the village as soon as possible, since the hail has destroyed almost all the livestock. The embittered peasants considered it revenge and blamed the sorcerers for everything.
Ivan Timofeevich runs into the forest, enters the hut, but it is empty. He found only red beads there, which remained as a keepsake of tender and deep love.
On such a sad note, you can finish an essay on the topic: "The work" Olesya "(Kuprin). Summary".
Written in 1898. It would seem that in this work the author recreates a typical romantic situation: heroes from completely different social strata, their love, the inability to be together due to a number of circumstances. But at the same time, in the image of the main character, one can see his interest in the unconscious beginning in a person. The author tries to consider a "natural" person who makes decisions according to the will of the heart, not the mind.
Kuprin connects themes such as:
- "Extra" people;
- human and nature;
- "Natural and artificial" in man.
Simultaneously with the dramatic plot, the social theme of ignorance is raised, which gives rise to fanaticism and anger in society.
"Olesya" summary
The hero of the work, Ivan Timofeevich, finds himself on the outskirts of Polesye, in a very remote place. He is looking not so much for solitude as for impressions of the culture of a people unknown to him, their beliefs, traditions, rituals, and legends. But upon arriving at the place, the hero does not find what was expected. Hunting becomes the only entertainment. Once Ivan Timofeevich learns from his servant that once a woman lived in the village, from an outsider, whom the inhabitants considered a witch, a "witcher." She was kicked out of the village because she allegedly sent illness and death to the child of one of the residents.
After a while, the hero, lost during the hunt, finds himself in a hut in the middle of the forest, where an old witch now lives with a young granddaughter Olesya. In Oles, Ivan Timofeevich is attracted not only by external beauty. She is surrounded by a special aura of mystery, enigma, the reputation of a witch among the people, Olesya's confidence in her otherworldly powers. In one of the first meetings, the young sorceress tells Ivan on the cards. Those who tell not only about money matters, an unexpected inheritance, but also that the hero will never marry, but true love will meet only once, in the near future. At the same time, he himself will not suffer from this love, but the chosen one will be doomed to misfortune.
This girl will be dark-haired, like young Olesya. Day after day, Ivan continues to visit the hut, placating the old woman Manuilikha with gifts. Seeing off young man, Olesya shares with him her abilities: the ability to anticipate death, speak wounds and many others. And Ivan, in turn, marvel at the girl's broad knowledge and manners, her lively mind and openness to new knowledge. Olesya confesses to Ivan that she will never be married if she wants to get married. She is convinced: like all her ancestors, the devil protects her and there is no place in the church for people like her.
Ivan Timofeevich's sudden illness does not allow him to go to the forest for several days. But it is precisely this separation that reveals the feelings of the heroes. Olesya, who has long understood that the girl from the prediction is her, resolutely resigns herself to her fate, despite the exact premonition of misfortune. Having met again, the heroes confess their feelings to each other and completely surrender to love. Since then, the heroes have met not only during the day, but also at night. But the more serene days pass, the nearer Ivan's departure. He cannot imagine Olesya outside her natural environment, in the city, and not in the forest, but still decides to take her with him. The girl thanks her lover with dignity, but refuses.
One day, when Ivan leaves on business, Olesya decides to overcome her fear - she comes to church. But ignorant women, having surrounded the girl, arrange reprisals. Miraculously, Olesya, half naked, in torn clothes and disfigured, manages to escape. Before running away, the girl throws words to the crowd that they still have to regret. Ivan Timofeevich, only learning about what had happened, rushes at full speed from the forest to console and protect his beloved. He calms the girl down and paints pictures of serene happiness that people will not interfere with. But Olesya made a decision, she resigns herself to fate. He and his grandmother can no longer stay in Polesie, because any coming will be associated with her curse.
The heroine is unshakable in the decision to part with Ivan, the girl feels fate is against their relationship. Without saying anything about the day of her departure, Olesya sees off her beloved. At night, a terrible downpour and hail fell on Polissya. Residents are sure that this is the punishment that the young witch promised. Ivan goes to Olesya's hut to warn of the danger. But instead of the housewives of the house, he finds a mess that speaks of an imminent departure. Only cheap red beads remained on the window, as a reminder of Olesya's sincere, tender love.
Fate threw the hero for six whole months in a remote village of the Volyn province, on the outskirts of Polesie, where hunting was his only occupation and pleasure. By that time, he had already "managed to squeeze in one small newspaper a story with two murders and one suicide, and he knew theoretically that it is useful for writers to observe manners." When all the books in his library were re-read, he tried to deal with the treatment of Perebrod residents, but it was impossible to make a diagnosis, because "... the symptoms of the disease in all ... the patients were always the same:" it hurts in the middle "and" no I can’t eat or drink ”. He tried to teach Yarmola Popruzhin to read and write, but abandoned this venture. For several months, this careless vagabond, poacher and hunter mastered only the letters of his surname. Yarmola soon became attached to the young master because of a general passion for hunting, for simple appeal, for helping his family, and mainly because he did not reproach him with drunkenness.
On one of the winter blizzard evenings, he told the hero about a witch, Manuilikha, who was kicked out of the village and to whom the village women were running. Once, while hunting, Ivan Timofeevich (the hero of the story) got lost and came across a hut that stood in a swamp. “It was not even a hut, but a fabulous hut on chicken legs. It did not touch the floor with the ground, but was built on stilts, probably due to the flood that flooded the whole ... forest in the spring. But one side of it sagged from time to time, and this gave the hut a lame, sad look. " In the hut, an old woman was sitting on the floor, fingering feathers. The arrival of the guest did not please her. And only a small silver quarter attracted Manuilikha's attention. Hiding the coin behind her cheek, she began to guess, but suddenly, hearing a ringing female voice, she began to escort the young master away. A young girl entered the hut, holding finches in her hands. “There was nothing in her that looked like local“ marvels ”, whose faces under ugly bandages ... wear such a monotonous, frightened expression - Stranger ... kept light and slender ... The original beauty of her face, once she saw him, was impossible forget it, but it was difficult ... to describe it. His beauty lay in ... big, shiny, dark eyes ... in the willful curl of his lips. " The girl escorted the guest to a forest path leading to the village. Upon learning that Ivan Timofeevich had visited the witch, Yarmola became angry with him.
Spring has come, early and friendly. As soon as the roads were dry, the hero went to the hut, taking tea and a few lumps of sugar for the grumpy old woman. This time the girl was at home, and the guest began to beg her to tell fortunes to him. But it turned out that Olesya had already thrown her cards once in order to find out the fate of the master. It turned out this way: her new acquaintance is a kind person, but weak. His kindness is not good, not cordial. He is not master of his word. Loves to take over people. Loves wine and women. He does not value money, so he will never be rich. He will not love anyone with his heart, because his heart is cold and lazy. But very soon he gets a lot of love. And this love will bring shame and long-term sadness to the woman. Olesya, seeing off the guest, showed him "her charms".
From that day on, Ivan Timofeevich became a frequent guest in the hut on chicken legs. Every time he came, "Olesya met ... with her usual restrained dignity ... The old woman still did not stop muttering something under her breath." “Not only Olesya’s beauty ... fascinated her, but also her whole, original free nature, her mind, both clear and shrouded in unshakable hereditary superstition.” Young people talked about everything, including superstitions. And the girl proved that she could not and was afraid to go to church, because her soul was “sold to him” since childhood. Not a word has yet been said about love, but our heroes became more and more attached to each other. “But ... relations with Yarmola have completely deteriorated. For him, obviously, visiting the hut on chicken legs was not a secret. "
Once the police officer, having appeared to Manuilikha, ordered her and her granddaughter to leave the hut in 24 hours. The poor old woman turned to a new acquaintance for help. Ivan Timofeevich presented the sergeant with a gun, and he left the inhabitants of the forest hut alone for a while. But Olesya has changed since then. There was no previous gullibility, naive affection and previous animation. The young man "was indignant ... against the habit that pulled ... every day to Olesya." He himself did not suspect with what strong invisible threads his heart was tied to a charming and incomprehensible girl for him.
Once, returning from the swamp, he felt unwell, and then spent two weeks in bed, he was hit with a fever. But as soon as he got stronger, he went back to the swamp, to the forest hut. The young people sat down next to her, and the girl began to inquire in detail about the disease, about medications. Olesya again went to see the guest off, although her grandmother was against it. Left alone, they confess their love to each other, because “... separation is to love the same as the wind is to fire; she extinguishes small love, and inflates big love even more. "And all this night merged into some kind of magical, enchanting fairy tale."
“The naive, charming fairy tale of our love lasted for almost a month, and to this day, together with the beautiful appearance of Olesya, these blazing evening dawns, these dewy mornings, fragrant with lilies of the valley and honey, live with unfading strength in my soul ...” - says the author.
Ivan Timofeevich discovered in this girl, who grew up in the forest, who could not read, sensitive delicacy and innate tact. “In love - literally, in its rough sense - there are always terrible sides that constitute torment and shame for nervous artistic natures. But Olesya knew how to avoid them with such naive chastity that never a single bad comparison, not a single cynical moment offended our connection. " Meanwhile, the time of departure was approaching, more and more often the idea of marrying a forest sorceress came to the young man's head. Only one circumstance frightened and alarmed: will the girl be able to live in the city, "plucked from this charming frame of the old forest, full of legends and mysterious forces." Ivan Timofeevich told his beloved both about his departure and about his proposal, once again tried to shake her superstition, her obedient confidence in the mysterious fateful vocation, spoke about the mercy of God. The girl was amazed at everything she heard. To please her beloved, she decides to go to church. A superstitious thought flashed through Ivan Timofeevich's head: will some misfortune not happen from this?
The premonition did not deceive him. Olesya “broke her fear and came to church ... Throughout the service, the women whispered and looked back. However, Olesya found enough strength in herself to reach the end of the mass. Perhaps she did not understand the real meaning of these hostile views, perhaps out of pride she neglected them. But when she left the church, at the very fence she was surrounded on all sides by a bunch of women ... At first they just silently and unceremoniously looked at ... the girl. Then coarse ridicule poured in ... Several times Olesya tried to pass through this terrible ring, but she was constantly pushed back into the middle ... Almost at the same moment, a daub with tar and a brush, passed from hand to hand, appeared over the heads of the raging women. But Olesya, by some miracle, managed to slip out of this tangle, and she ran headlong along the road ... Stones flew after her along with abuse, laughter and hooting. "
Having learned from the clerk what had happened in the church, Ivan Timofeevich flew straight to Manuilikha's hut. The poor girl lay unconscious. The old woman lamented all the time. In the evening Olesya felt better. Tormented and humiliated, she confessed to her Vanechka that she threatened the villagers out of shame and evil, now, if something happens, people will blame them and their grandmother, so they need to leave.
That night, a terrible thunderstorm broke out with hail, which ruined the entire crop near half of the village. The village was restless. Wanting to save his beloved, Ivan Timofeevich again rushed to the hut. But it was empty. In memory of Olesya, her devoted love, there was only a string of cheap red beads, known in Polesie as "corals".
One of the first major works of Alexander Kuprin was the story "Olesya". The story was written in 1898 and published the same year. The author himself considered this work to be one of his best works. "Olesya" was filmed 3 times: in 1915, in 1956 (the film was called "The Witch") and in 1971.
The young master Ivan Timofeevich, on whose behalf the story is being told, comes to a small settlement on the outskirts of Volyn Polesie. The master is bored in a remote village after city life. He tries to make friends with the locals: he teaches his servant to read and write, he is engaged in treatment. However, none of these activities brings the "outsider" closer to the village population. Ivan Timofeevich begins hunting. The servant of the master Yarmola tells his master that the witch Manuilikha lives in the local forest with her granddaughter, and the unexpectedly rising wind ascribes black magic old witch. A few days later, the master accidentally goes astray on the hunt. Trying to find the way back, he goes to Manuilikha's hut. Ivan Timofeevich meets Olesya, the witch's granddaughter. The girl helps the master to get out of the forest.
Main character for a long time I could not forget my new acquaintance. After a while, he returns to the forest to find Olesya. The master wants the girl to tell him fortunes. The sorceress foreshadows the main character of loneliness, the desire to commit suicide and great love with a dark-haired woman. However, even love cannot bring happiness. The one that Ivan Timofeevich loves will suffer and accept shame. Olesya claims that the master's heart is too lazy, which means that he does not know how to love truly, selflessly. The main character does not believe in fortune-telling or in supernatural powers that are attributed to Manuilikha and her granddaughter. The only purpose of his coming to the forest hut is to see the young sorceress again.
Ivan Timofeevich and Olesya begin to meet in secret, despite Manuilikha's protests. The main character rescues his beloved and her grandmother from the sergeant Evpsychius Afrikanovich, who is trying to evict the "witches" from their home. Ivan Timofeevich bribes the sergeant and persuades him to leave the women alone. Upon learning of this, the proud Olesya was offended. There is a falling out between the lovers. Then the main character falls ill. During the week he does not see Olesya. After his recovery, Ivan Timofeevich continues to meet with the witch. The young master knows that he will soon return to the city and offers Olesya to marry and leave with him. The girl disagrees. Not a single woman in her family got married, because the soul of a witch belongs to Satan.
The main character is forced to leave for a neighboring village for some time. Returning, he learns that the local residents beat a witch near the church. She managed to break free and escape into the forest. Ivan Timofeevich hurries to the forest hut, realizing that the peasants attacked Olesya. Coming home to his beloved, he finds the girl beaten. Olesya decided to go to church to please Ivan Timofeevich. The peasants, on the other hand, took the witch's act as a challenge. A sorceress should not defile a holy place with her presence. After the service, Olesya was attacked and beaten. Ivan Timofeevich offers to bring a doctor, but the girl refuses. The young sorceress informs the main character that she and her grandmother will soon move, so as not to incur even greater anger from the peasants. Olesya wants to part with Ivan Timofeevich so that their romance does not bring trouble to both. The girl regrets only one thing: she will not have a child from a loved one.
That same night, there was a thunderstorm with hail in the village, which killed the entire crop. Yarmola invites the master to leave immediately. The peasants are sure that the storm was arranged by an old witch in order to avenge their granddaughter. The village already knows about the romance between Olesya and the visiting master. Ivan Timofeevich can also be punished. The main character decided to listen to good advice. Before leaving, Ivan Timofeevich decided to visit Olesya again. However, Manuilikha and her granddaughter had already left. As if sending her beloved farewell, Olesya left her red beads in the hut.
Characteristics of the characters
The characterization of the main character is given by Olesya herself. Ivan Timofeevich does not show arrogance towards ordinary people, trying to become their friend. He is capable of kindness and compassion. Nevertheless, as the forest witch notes, the master has a "lazy heart." Being a decent man, he offers Olesya an official marriage. But at her first refusal, she retreats, not trying to defend her love.
Many of Ivan Timofeevich's actions are prompted by boredom. Unable to live the life that he led in the city, the main character tries to entertain himself with something. In the end, the sorceress becomes the master's main entertainment. Ivan Timofeevich prefers this particular girl because of her dissimilarity to other village women. She differs from ordinary peasant women and at the same time does not belong to the society to which the protagonist is accustomed. An affair with a witch for Ivan Timofeevich is shrouded in mysticism, despite the fact that he does not believe in the girl's superpowers.
The proposal that the protagonist makes to Olesya is purely symbolic. Having entered into a close relationship with a girl, Ivan Timofeevich considers himself obliged to marry her. However, the master knows in advance: the honest, disinterested Olesya will never agree to become his wife.
Are you familiar with the biography of Alexander Kuprin - a unique Russian writer of the first half of the twentieth century, the author of such famous works as "Olesya", " Garnet bracelet”And“ Cadets ”?
Pay attention to the famous work of Alexander Kuprin "The Pit", which depicts the secret and vicious sides of high society, people trapped in their own passions and weaknesses.
Ivan Timofeevich describes the main character like a beautiful and strong girl. Despite her illiteracy, Olesya is very smart. The main character notes that the young sorceress had a flexible mind and delicacy, thanks to which their relationship developed very harmoniously.
The master does not believe in the supernatural abilities of his beloved, attributing the belief in the otherworldly illiteracy of the witch. Olesya is sure that she knows how to stop the blood with a spell. Ivan Timofeevich explains to the girl that the blood stops naturally, and not because of witchcraft. According to the author, there really is something unusual in Oles, but he does not connect it with magic.
Unlike Ivan Timofeevich, Olesya is not selfish in love. The forest witch understands perfectly well that a girl like her has no place in high society. The master must marry an equal. Olesya, without hesitation, renounces her love for the good of her beloved.
The villagers hate the witch for her strength, beauty and independence. Any misfortune (blizzard, thunderstorm, etc.) is attributed to the actions of the witch. The girl is not constrained by religious prohibitions, since she believes that her soul belongs to the devil from birth, and this cannot be corrected in any way. The absence of inhibitions helps her to be free in love.
Characters in the story
The author draws attention to the main symbol of the story "Olesya" only at the end of the story. They become beads of a forest sorceress. The bright red color of the decoration symbolizes the independent character of the girl. Olesya, like her beads, is hard not to notice. And the reason for this is not beauty or supernatural abilities, but inner strength and fearlessness coming from the very heart of the witch.
Red as a symbol
Red is a symbol of passionate love that captures Olesya, makes her even bolder and more beautiful. However, red also has other meanings: blood, self-sacrifice. Love makes the girl challenge others and go to church, where she did not dare to go before, fearing "retribution". A daring act led to misfortune (blood).
The incident forces Olesya to make a difficult decision - to abandon the person most dear to her. Further relations between the master and just a forest girl, who has the fame of a sorceress, cannot have a happy ending. Olesya sacrifices her interests, first of all, for the good of Ivan Timofeevich.
The story is set in the Ukrainian woodland in the village of Perebrod, where the main character Ivan Timofeevich came on business. The place was so remote that the only entertainment was hunting and attempts to teach the servant Yarmola to read and write.
On one of the cold winter days, when a terrible blizzard was raging, Yarmola told Ivan Timofeevich the story that a witch lived not far from the village. The people called her Manuilikha. Manuilikha came from nowhere, and then was expelled from the village for witchcraft. At the same moment, the main character had an irresistible desire to find the witch and get to know her. This thought did not leave him for a long time.
When the frosts slept, Ivan Timofeevich and Yarmola went hunting. They wandered through the forest for a long time. In search of a road to the village, they stumbled upon some kind of hut. Thinking that this is the house of the forester, the heroes went inside, but found a witch there.
Manuilikha was not happy with the guests, but when the main character promised her a quarter, she became a little kinder. Ivan Timofeevich asked to tell fortunes for him. In the middle of the fortune-telling, the witch, as if sensing something was wrong, began to drive away the intruders. At that moment, she entered the hut beautiful girl... She looked about twenty-five years old. Her name was Olesya. She was the granddaughter of a witch. Olesya accompanied the guests home.
The image of Olesya did not leave Ivan Timofeevich's thoughts. As soon as the snow melted and the forest paths dried up, he again went to the witch's house. Like the first time, Manuilikha was unfriendly, and Olesya, on the contrary, was glad to meet. The main character asks the girl to tell him fortunes. To which she replies that she has already laid out the cards, that love with the lady of clubs awaits him, that this love will not bring anything good, that the lady of clubs will be disgraced.
After this meeting, Ivan Timofeevich began to come very often to Manuilikha's house. He cajoled the witch with gifts, and Olesya put in a word for him.
Ivan Timofeevich was fascinated by the natural beauty and originality of the girl. A deep affection developed between them. All this time, Yarmola tried to dissuade the protagonist from going to the witch's house. He argued that Olesya is also a witch, that both women fear the church.
One day Ivan found Olesya and Manuilikha very upset. The sergeant ordered them to get out of the house within 24 hours. The main character managed to solve this situation by bribing an official.
After this incident, Olesya tried in every possible way to avoid Ivan Timofeevich. At this time, the main character caught the Polesie fever. For six days he was seriously ill, and after his recovery he managed to talk to Olesya. The girl told him that she was afraid of her fortune-telling, but later confessed her love to him. Ivan Timofeevich reciprocated the girl.
The official trip of the protagonist was coming to an end. He increasingly thinks about marrying Olesya. Ivan Timofeevich proposed to the girl, but she refused, arguing that she did not want to spoil his life. She agrees to go with him without marriage. The main character thinks that the refusal to marry is due to the fear of the church. Olesya claims that she is ready to overcome her fear and makes an appointment with him in church.
On the day of the Holy Trinity, Olesya defended the service in the church, but Ivan Timofeevich did not have time to come, as he was busy on official business. Later, a local clerk told him a terrible story about how the village women grabbed Olesya and brutally beat her.
Ivan Timofeevich immediately rushed to run to Manuilikha's house. He found Olesya unconscious, covered with bruises, she had a fever. When the girl regained consciousness, she told Ivan that he needed to leave.
That night, a terrible hail fell on the village. In the morning Yarmola woke Ivan Timofeevich and said that he urgently needed to leave. Bad weather ruined the harvest in half of the village, whose residents thought that this was the witch's revenge and wanted reprisals against her.
The main character rushes to the witch's house to warn his beloved about the impending disaster, but finds there only traces and red beads that remain, as a reminder of pure love.
