"Taras Bulba" is a story that is part of the Mirgorod cycle written by N. V. Gogol. The prototype of the Cossack was the ataman Ohrim Makukha, who was born in Starodub and was an associate of B. Khmelnitsky himself. He had sons, one of whom, like Andrius in Gogol’s work, became a traitor.
Short retelling of “Taras Bulba”: 1-2 chapters
Brothers Andriy and Ostap returned home after studying at the Kiev Academy. The eldest son of Taras did not like the ridicule of his father over their outfit. He immediately entered into a fist fight with him. A mother ran out into the yard and rushed to hug her sons. Father was impatient to see Andria and Ostap in battle. Departure to Sich Taras Bulba appointed a week later. True, after drinking vodka, he decided to go there in the morning. The brothers dressed in Cossack clothes early, took up arms and were ready to leave. Taras recalled his youth on the way. Ostap dreamed only of war and revels. Andriy was as brave and strong as his brother, but at the same time more sensitive. He constantly recalled the Polish mantle he had met in Kiev. Once, having gape on the street, Andriy almost fell under the wheels of a pulpit. He fell directly into the mud, and when he got up, he saw that a girl was watching him from the window. The next night he made his way into the room to a dazzlingly beautiful young Polish girl.
At first she was frightened, and then she saw that the bursak himself was very embarrassed. The Tatar servant imperceptibly led him out of the house. Finally, the Cossacks approached the Dnieper and ferry to the island.
A brief retelling of "Taras Bulba": 3-4 chapters
Cossacks during the truce rested: walked, drank. They were served by artisans of different nationalities (fed, sheathed), since they themselves could only fight and have fun. Taras introduced Andria and Ostap to the ataman and comrades. The young men were struck by the customs of the Zaporizhzhya Sich. There was no military occupation as such, but theft, murder were punished in the most severe way. Since the sons of Taras were distinguished by their retinue in any business, they immediately became noticeable among young people. However, the old Cossack was tired of a wild life, he dreamed of war. The ataman told Taras how, without a crime of oath (peace), raise the Cossacks to battle.
A brief retelling of "Taras Bulba": chapters 5-6
And then one day ragged Cossacks appeared in the Sich and told that they had suffered from the Poles, who mock the Orthodox faith. The Cossacks were angry and at the council decided to go camping. A day and a half later they arrived in Dubno. According to rumors, there were many rich people and a treasury. Residents of the city, including women, began to defend themselves. The Cossacks camped around Dubno, planning to starve him out. From idleness, the Cossacks got drunk and almost all fell asleep. Andriy was sober and slept sensitively. A servant of that same lady came to him (she was just in Dubno and noticed a guy from the city wall) and asked for food for her. The Cossack scooped up a bag of bread and, through a secret passage underground, went for the Tatar. Andriy saw that people really began to die of hunger. But the little lady said that by morning they would be helped. Andriy stayed in the city.
A brief retelling of "Taras Bulba": chapters 7-8
In the morning, the Polish army really arrived. In a hot battle, the Poles slashed and captured many Cossacks, but they could not stand the onslaught and hid in the city. Taras Bulba noticed that Andriy was missing. At the same time, from a Cossack who escaped from Tatar captivity, it became known about a new disaster. Basurman seized many Cossacks and stole the treasure of Sich. The ataman Kukubenko, a smoked ataman, suggested a split. Those whose relatives were with the Tatars went to free them, and the rest decided to fight with the Poles. Taras stayed near Dubno, as he thought that Andriy was there.
A brief retelling. Gogol. “Taras Bulba": chapters 9-10
Inspired by Bulba’s speech, the Cossacks entered the fray. After its completion, the gates of the city opened, from there Andrius flew out at the head of the hussar regiment. Beating the Cossacks, he cleared the way for the Poles. Taras asked his comrades to lure Andria into the forest. At the young man, at the sight of his father, the entire fighting fuse was gone. When Andriy came to the forest on a horse, Taras ordered him to get down and come closer. He obeyed like a child. Bulba shot at his son. The last thing the young man's lips whispered was the name of a Polish girl. Taras did not allow Ostap to even bury his brother traitor. Help came to the Poles. Ostap was captured. Taras was seriously injured. Tovkach took him out of the battlefield.
"Taras Bulba": a very brief retelling of 11-12 chapters
The old Cossack recovered and came to the city just at that moment when the Cossacks were led to execution. Among them was Ostap. I saw Bulba, what torment his son was subjected to. When Ostap, before he was supposed to be burned alive, sought out at least one native face in the crowd and called for his father, Taras responded. The Poles rushed to look for the old Bulba, but his trace caught a cold. Taras’s revenge was cruel. With his regiment, he burned down eighteen places to the ground. 2000 chervonets promised for his head. But he was elusive. And when, near the Dniester River, his regiment was surrounded by Pototsky’s troops, Taras dropped a pipe into the grass. He did not want her to go to the Poles, and stopped to find her. Then the Poles seized him. The Poles set fire to the living Cossack, pre-chained to a tree with chains. In the last minutes Taras thought about his comrades. From the high bank he saw how the Poles were catching up with them. He shouted to the Cossacks to run to the river and sit in the boat. They obeyed and thus escaped from the chase. The powerful body of the Cossack was engulfed in flames. Sailing Cossacks spoke of their chieftain.