eard was the quivering of the tiny leaves of the plane-tree in the light breeze. Then the mullah recited the prayer, and they all stood up, raised the dead man, and carried him away. They carried him to the grave. The grave was not simply dug out but burrowed underneath the ground like a cellar. They lifted the dead man beneath the shoulders and under the legs, bent him a little inwards, and slowly let him go, thrusting him in under the earth in a sitting position, and pulling his arms straight down close to his body.
The Nogaets then brought green rushes and filled up the hole therewith, strewed it with fresh earth, made it level, and placed at the head of the dead man an upright stone. Then they stamped down the earth, again sat them round about the grave, and were for a long time silent.
"Allah! Allah! Allah!" And they sighed deeply and stood up.
The red-bearded man distributed money among the elders, then he arose, took up his short whip, struck his forehead three times, and went home.
In the morning Zhilin saw them leading a fine mare out of the village with three Tatars following behind. When they got right out of the village, the red-bearded Tatar took off his beshmet, tucked up his sleeves — what big brawny arms he had! — drew forth his knife, and sharpened it on a bruska[1] The Tatars then drew forward the mare's head, and the red-bearded man came forward and cut her throat, flung the mare to the ground, and began to flay her, separating
- ↑ A tetragonal piece of sandstone.
