Khorezm branch of uzbekistan writers union

 
FAITH 
Translated by Gulandam Saparbaeva, Hajibibi Ibragimova 
 
An old woman called aunt Klava lives on the first floor of our flat.Nobody calls 
her name with her father‘s name, She is simply aunt Klava for all. Poor , she is so 
unhappy in real life. She worked in a factory for 30 years . In her early age she left 
widow .She devoted herself to her single son. It is said that she brought up her son in 
a strict way;fed slept. But her son wasn‘t kind towards her mother when he grew up 
he got married and left for his wife. It made aunt Klava a little bit nervous. Since then 
she got used to sitting in front of the flat and scorn others.-Hey, alcoholic, shouldn‘t 
you buy two boxes of milk rather than drinking vodka early in the morning? 
Hey, dandy, don‘t park your car beside the flat. It is not a garage for you! 
Sometimes, my little daughter came home with grief. 
Aunt Klava called me ‘foolish‘‘! 
What did you do? 
I drove my roller-bike very quickly! 
You shouldn‘t have done this… 
One day Aunt Klava wasn‘t seen. Then, I discovered that,she was taken to the 
hospital. She had problems in her Kidney. Everbody was accustomed to her scorns. 

---

51 
The whole flat was bored. After two weeks ,one of our neighbor came up to my 
house, who live next to Aunt Klava. 
Can you give me hundred soum, please?-she asked
Aunt Klava needed three hundred soums. We gathered 200 soums. 
What happened? 
-I don‘t know, my neighbor shrugged her shoulders but she needed very much. 
I gave her. A month passed, Aunt Klava returned home she was sitting on the bench 
sadly. She was in pale she was too weak to scorn the others. 
-Wow, you have been getting younger.-I said her to raise her mood
Aunt Klava hardly stoop up! 
-Thanks, my son,-she bowed and said –your words made me happy! I will give back 
your money when I get my pension. It seemed me so strange that an old tyrant 
woman like her bowed in front of me. 
-No, I am not speaking about money. Are you ok? 
I was made operation,-Aunt Klava smiled sadly. 
I had to give some money, I was surprised
-Whom?- 
-To the doctor-, I said beside her. 
-Whom did you say? Whom did you say? 
- To the doctor –, she felt sorry for my ordinary character and nodded her head. 
I had to give three hundred soums. Otherwise he didn‘t make me operation. If he 
did it without money, the operation would be unsuccessful towards me. Telling the 
truth, I am stuff with my life. -What, the surgeon demanded money? Who is that 
doctor, what‘s his surname? 
-No matter, my son!-Aunt Klava shook her hand. What would happen, if I tell you his 
surname.
I was shocked! 
- What! Did the doctor demand money from you? 
-O, my son, my son! Aunt Klava shook his head! 
-He didn‘t ask, he didn‘t ask! But he promised to make an operation on Tuesday, then 
It was postponed to Friday; Then he told me to operate on Friday, but It was 
postponed to Tuesday again. He didn‘t care about me
At last sick people who were in chamber taught them. If you give 300 soums, 
you will be taken to the table immediately. After giving the money he changed his 
attitude, my aunt Klava. 
-What can I say–, said with a smile. Doctor is also human, he has desire, and does he 
need a word of thanks? If you want to get a hospital bed, he was staring at your hand. 
This is a major operation. There are all kinds of amphibians in the world but taking 
bribes to treat the patient… 

---

52 
Two or three weeks later, my niece‘s wedding carried out, I sat with one of my 
relative who works as a neuropathologist. I reminded aunt Klava, I told my relative 
everything. I waited for him to be angry, but it‘s interesting my relative didn‘t angry 
.He shrugged his shoulders calmly. There were not such doctors as you said ago. 
There aren‘t persons who haven‘t any defect. It‘s also hard for doctors. He studied for 
16years as a donkey and his salary is only 140 soums. There is no peace neither at 
night, nor day. Any merchant may earn 140soums in a day, 
My relative smiled and,, it‘s interesting to live‘‘ he said .What do you say until 
you hold their hand, which generous can tell that they give bribe. If he says so, his 
condition would be worse. I totally lost my head. Did doctors who have a high profile 
compare themselves with ordinary people, the government didn‘t teach him and 
didn‘t give scholarship to be absent for sixteen years. Let him scarcely drop off his 
white robe. No, I didn‘t tell anything. But, my relative knew everything because my 
face was reddened. For instance he said ‘I‘m not such a doctor‘‘ he said touching my 
shoulder. My relative smiled again, he drank the glass of liquor and drank with 
lemon, so he suddenly remembered the time of his childhood also I remembered a 
doctor whose name was Achinska. I knew later that person`s real name was 
Achinskiy who always wore white overall. I so feared when I had seen him first time. 
I was a younger, I hadn`t gone to school yet. In autumn an ulcer appeared on my 
shoulder. My mother smeared a drug made by red onion, ulcer cracked but instead of 
it again two ulcers appeared. After some times any drug was useless for my pain. 
Later ulcer spread whole my body, each of them was very large like an egg. In the 
morning I went to the doctor with my mum ,as my brothers said Achinskiy gave 
people a large injection. When I entered a narrow room I felt smell of drug then I 
cried. There were lots of and different sick people sitting. Some of them tried to calm 
me down but I cried without stopping. At that time someone came out who was 
wearing sunglasses and overall ,,who cried ‗‘he asked with incorrect speech .I knew 
that person was Achinskiy ,after knowing I cried loudly, because scaring I stood 
near my mum. One of the patents stood whose eyes were strange, doctor gestured 
with his hand to stop that man., ―It‘s child‘s turn‘‘ , said he with a smile ,doctor‘s 
eyes have a good feeling
-Ay-yay-yay- he said shaking his head ,‖boys don‘t cry‖, said the doctor again with a 
smile. 
–What a good boy! – Achinska hold my hand ,I followed him without any obstacle. 
We entered a room which had a white curtain at the window. My mum help me 
taking off my clothes .I thought that doctor would give me an injection and scared 
.But he didn‘t give an injection. 

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53 
He spread scarcely the wounds with his finger and then he pushed some brown 
hashish. He told my mother that if he did not get better she would bleed when we are 
leaving, he smiled again. 
-Good guy, well done! In winter this man did another favour. I remembered the 
winter that was very hard. I do not know, maybe we seemed that we did not have any 
coal, window, the door and wall all covered with hoarfrost all of us sleep in a robe 
and fur hat we poked our leg in Tancha but it‘s useless, sandal boiled. He was bound 
of being in bed, he reacted heating blanket. Instead of hot as if cold was coming from 
inside.One day my younger brother came out of the street with a roof. He slipped into 
the river from the crack of the ice as he was playing with children in the Qonqus. His 
friends took him and his clothes were frozen until his friends ran to the house. My 
mother quickly wrapped him in a cage. She gave him with a toe and a pot of hot 
water, but in the evening my brother‘s fever rose and coughed. I woke up at night 
because of his cough. He felt himself uncomfortable and put off a fire. The next 
morning my father files handsaw and ran out with my elder brother. I also wore my 
horse boots and ran after them. The day was cold and it was raining. 
My father and brother went to the garden in the thick snow. They went the half 
of the wall grew up under the dried ribs put a sackcloth on snow and slammed the 
ribs on the grass‘ snow in the tree roared but the frost was frozen. The saw slips, no 
trace of it will come on him and my father will be jealous. 
After the saw a bit more the job was getting worse. The saw blades as a rainbow, 
it sounds like jing-jin, Dadscolds, do not skip the array do you have power. My 
brother sweated a lot but his hands were cold he was warming his hands every 
minute and nodded finally, the elm crumpled. Branched horns splashed over the 
ground, I have found a job. I started running small branches. An unexpected accident 
happened while I am having much to do one of the white and other red grey 
horseshoe humped off his nose and dropped his head. My dog which did not know 
about coming strangers began to whistle around the horses and was wagging his tail 
as if chasing the flies. I immediately recognized the leopard leather boots. Everyone 
and I were afraid of him. He has not been tax-collector yet, but people say about him 
that he was a good job and the white horseman was frowning on the tail of a fox 
clothed in a fur coat. Work is great said Dalavoy before going to down from the 
horse. My Dad turned pale, he dropped the saw in his hand and that sank in the snow. 
First Dalavoy greated him and then he greeted with man who wore black coat both of 
them slipped on the saddle and did not want to. My dad invited them. Dalavoy 
pushed his thin yellow moustache and looked at my dad and turned to the guest. 
What did we do my friend, this is a crime. 
My father did not know what to do at all. 
-What is my mistake? Have I done something wrong, let me know, 

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54 
-Please-, said my father. 
-Don‘t pretend that you don‘t know anything. Do you have any permission? Asked 
Dalavoy in a rude way 
-For what? Why, should I ask permission for now? My father looked at the guest as 
he hoped something from him-Comrade Toshev? 
-Where is your written permission to cut the trees?- Dalavoy jumped from the horse 
quickly. 
-What kind of document?-My father began looking at the guest and Dalavoy that he 
did something wrong-But… but these trees are in my own garden, look, they have 
already fallen, my father smashed a large branch by kicking once to prove that he did 
not tell a lie-have you seen they have already fallen. I was going to cut them in 
Autumn, but I did not have enough time at that time-He told off my brother who was 
wiping his nose for some time.-Why are you glancing? Tell your mother to make tea 
and let her know that some guests have visited. 
My brother and I run for home, at that time it snowed coming to our knee. And 
our little dog followed after us. When we arrived my mother still was looking after 
my little brother because he had a temperature 
-Mother, Dalavoy is here! –said my brother. 
My mother stood up at once. 
-
Oh my God! Since morning I have had a strange feeling that something bad 
happened. I cannot believe we have this kind of difficulties. 
At once she brought ―turshak‖,‖jiyda‖ and two ―zog‘ora‖from the store.And she put 
the tablecloth at the table. After sometime, my father whose face paled, came with 
Dalavoy and the guest. My mother welcomed Dalavoy. 
- Welcome to our house, are you well, is your wife in good health?- asked with a 
terrible voice. 
-You are welcome. No, no don‘t take off your boots, because our house is a bit cold. 
Dalavoy seemed to clean his boot from snow and by walking on the ―kigiz‖ he sat at 
the table. 
- Tea will be ready, dear! - Mother was going out, Dalavoy stopped her.
- Don't be wanderer, we are going to leave! - He was face to face with brother.- Do 
you have ink-stand , pen? 
Brother took the pen with biro together with inkstand from the shelf. 
- What are you doing, dear? - Mum's face grew pretty pale. 
- Playing!-, Dalavoy sat with snowy boots near the stove.- Aren't you watching , what 
I am doing here?! - He glanced at the guest who was smoking and watching the house 
disliking it. - Can I write this? 
The guest nodded, and showed his satisfaction. 

---

55 
Dalavoy took paper from his leather coat. When he pushed the biro into the inkstand , 
something was broken. He did it again angrily. Biro was covered with ice instead of 
ink.
- What kind a pupil you are? - Dalavoy wrinkled his yellow brows and looked at my 
brother. 
- Ink nearly was ice. 
Suddenly mother cried. 
- What can we do,nSir? -she said sadly. Don't you feel cold? Since three days he was 
at this panic. - May be I will lose my son. 
Dalavoy again pushed the biro into the inkstand , mother hold his hand suddenly.
- Don't write, dear brother, don't write please. 
He took his hand. And he wrinkled his face. 
- Pull your hands!- said he angrily. 
- Hey!- It was my father's voice , I looked at him fearly. He was very angry. And his 
eyes were shining because of curiosity. 
- Hey, dandy!- said he again the same voice
- Stand up! Take off your boots, if you think yourself as God- 
He came at once near Dalavoy, -I said you take off. Poke your legs in Tancha 
poke…and sit for moments.
Dalavoy left his sit involuntary. He began to speak to the guest embarrassed: 
-You have heard, comrade Toshev? You will be witness. He insulted me when I was 
performing my duty. Of course, we must add it to statement.
- That tree was not planted by your ELDEST AUNT! - My dad's moustache began to 
shiver. When he got angry very much, his moustache trembled so. -Now, get away! -
, he told with threaten. 
- What? Are you going to fight with me! – Dalavoy‘s grey eyes sparkled, and 
whispered angrily. – Just try to fillip, you see. Your seven descendant generations 
will suffer for it.
- Sort off, I say! Now, the whole body of my dad was trembling.
-Did you hear, comrade Toshev? Did you hear what he had said? 
Dalavoy was going to the door, and looked at the guest and saw the confirmation of 
his sentence. - We will write, we will write all!
My mum grasped Dalavoy's shoulder with plead.
-Dear brother, excuse us please, dear brother. May God bless you with more 
precisely!
Dalavoy took away her hands from his shoulder by a jerk. Then, my mum begun to 
plead to another man with luxurious coat. 
- Dear boss, don't take it too close to your heart, he told it unconsciously.

---

56 
-Stop pleading!-, my dad screamed so loudly; as a result frozen windows shook. My 
brother which has not opened his eyes yet, began to look around scarcely.
- Mum, water please, - said he with trembled voice. There was heard the horse steps 
sounds outside the door. Inside of the house was silent as in funeral. My dad was still 
standing in the middle of house breathing heavily through the nose, my mum was 
sitting on the threshold, and my older brother stood watching outside through the 
window steadily. The cradle creaked and, my little brother begun to cry. But my 
mum didn't stand. 
It was bad, - he told slowly. He will take it to the court.
My dad stood as stock still, and left without any word. After some time, the 
cracked noise of wood and the axe heard. The heat of the burning elm tree was high 
as the flames of the apricot tree. After the sandal got warm, our face turned red with 
the heat. But my dad was still upset. My mum was still at sitting at my brother, 
sighing repeatedly and said, "May YOU protect him yourself!" she said. My sister 
made the evening dinner. My brother's got worse as it got dark. He was no longer 
bewildered and breathing short, as if the air was missing. My mum was crying 
bitterly and looked at my dad pleadingly. It was impossible to stand for it. My dad 
put on his old robe and put his winter-cap on his head. Mum looked at him with 
asking glance, he answered shortly: 
-To the Achinska! 
- He will not come! – Poor mum shook her head sadly.- At midnight, would he come 
dashing through the snow? 
My dad left the room clanging the door. The cursing silent was over the house. 
The wall-clock was shining, and my brother's short breathing was heard only. Dry 
snow-flakes were crumbling to the window. The cold air was coming through the 
hole in somewhere. Perhaps the heat of the sit warmed me, I slept. Once I suddenly 
woke up having heard the dog's barking outside and father‘s sharp voice "lie down". 
Somebody tapped the land thumping at the door. Dad came with his mouth steam. 
Achinska followed after him, who wore long greatcoat and scarf. I could recognize 
him from his glasses even he didn't wear white uniform.. My dad's moustache, the 
doctor's eyebrow had become white with snow.
Mum stood up immediately. She greeted with him. Achinska took off his 
greatcoat, shook off the snow on his shoulder on to the rid. When he took off his scarf 
over his head and his light grey hair covered his forehead.
-