The White Stallion [antikvár]

1. He sat outside by the fire and looked at the ducks on the spit. In the shim- mering glow over the fire they were turning pleasantly gold and brown. Hardly ten metres away stretched the shore of that huge lake which spilled out into the tundra. Along its edge dangled several rubber ducks attached to a pole sunk in the mud and a little further off, among tufts of dry grass, real live ducks were swaying along. They swam peacefully on the surface of the lake lit by the evening sun. Then he caught sight of Masha. She had come out of the yourta which was gleaming white in the sun. The wooden walls and roof had been plastered with light grey clay. The plaster had filled in the crevices in the walls and roof and kept the building warm even in the bitter frosts which, high above the arctic circle, lasted for months. The yourta was not particularly attractive looking. The plaster was pealing off, but inside it was clean and comfortable. Burov and Masha occupied the back room, sleeping on beds spread with reindeer and wolf skins, while their hosts - the state farm horse-breeders Vasili and Mitya — lived in the kitchen. Masha stood between the poles, close to the loosely strung lines on which bunches of fish, their bellies sliced open and their backs sliced in fan-like fash- ion were hung out to dry. Beyond two sheds the roofs of which were scat- tered with musk rat traps, light hunters' sledges and various tools and imple- ments stretched the enclosure for the horses. A little further on were several large hayricks surrounded and protected by a stake fence. On the top of the ricks, as was customary, several buzzards and hawks had settled. Then, in front of the enclosure for the foals, all of which were all- white or ash grey, Vasili appeared. He was carrying a wooden saddle uphol- stered with worn bear skin. It looked rather like a cradle. Masha never ceased to admire this saddle and when she saw Vasili with it she could not help smil- ing in amusement at the old man. "At last," Burov said, "Has Mitya come back too?"