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Literature (prose and poetry)
Will the storks come back to their nests? 7-year-old Azer's dialogue with his grandfather
By Alisahib Erogul
A fragment
– Where did the storks fly off to, grandpa?
The grandfather replied worriedly:
– Where there is peace and calm, sonny. They are not fools to stay amid such a brawl. We cannot defend ourselves and who will defend these wretched birds against the bloodsucker Armenians? So, they took care of themselves and flew off to distant lands.
– The Armenians are bad…aren't they, grandpa?
– The Armenians are our enemies, sonny. These damned people have been making our life unbearable for five years now, turning everything into poison. Once we accepted them as helpers, servants. We provided them with lands, houses and shelter. They grew up on the remains of our bread. May all the good we did to them turn out badly. Just as impudent dogs bark at their owners, they return ingratitude to those who extended a helping hand to them and supported them in hard moments. Scoundrels, bastards, they bark at us – at those who gave them bread and shelter.
Don't you see that even the birds left their warm nests and flew away through their fault?
Azer asked with a trembling voice:
– When will we return home, grandpa?
The grandfather became thoughtful. He was taken aback. He started looking up and down, as if he had lost something. He did not know what to say to his grandchild in response. Finally, he collected his thoughts and said:
– When the storks come back, sonny.
– And when will they come back, grandpa?
– Only He knows it – said the grandfather, pointing to the sky
….
Azer often turned to the heaven since then...
– Will the storks come back to their nests?
His whisper was audible only to himself and the Lord of the heaven, the Creator.
The heaven absorbed Azer's words, but there was no response. The response from the Heaven expected on the Earth never came…
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