So, let's start the summary of âOlesyaâ with an introduction to the main character of the story. Having decided to find new sources of inspiration for his writing, he decides to spend six months in a remote village in Polesie in order to be able to observe the morals of ordinary people, communicate with them and gain new experiences. However, the peasants for the most part are taciturn and reserved, and it is only by habit, perfected over the years, that they rush to kiss the gentleman's hands each time. The hero quickly gets bored. He had already read all the books brought, even tried to treat the peasants, but all their complaints were limited to "it hurts in the middle, I canât drink or eat." The clerk informs the writer that he always gives ammonia from all ailments - they say, they themselves will be cured. There was still a hunt, but the January weather did not favor this occupation. Out of boredom, the hero tries to teach Yarmola, his servant, and literacy. But in two months he could only learn to mechanically subscribe. The weather does not get better, a piercing wind blows, and Yarmola believes that this can mean one of two things: either âthe witcher was bornâ or âthe witcher is having funâ. Here the hero was interested in whether there was a sorceress in the village. Yarmola, in turn, says that there was one newly arrived witch, Manuilikh, but the inhabitants kicked her out, either with her granddaughter or with her daughter; and now the women are running to her for Irinovâs gent. Barin expresses a desire to meet a real woodland witch.
Acquaintance with the old sorceress and her granddaughter
The summary of Olesya continues three days later. The weather has improved a bit, and the hero finally goes hunting. As a result, he misses a hare and follows him in the direction of Irinovsky's hat. Here the master lost his way, he saw a hut, he went inside and ended up in the house of Manuilikha. Outwardly, she was very similar to the fabulous Baba Yaga, but she reacted favorably to the guest: she allowed her to rest, catch her breath, took out the water and even guessed him on the cards for a silver quarter. Then came the melodic sounds of the song and a dark-haired girl came into the hut, apparently twenty years old. In the apron, the girl held tame finches. The old woman hurries to escort the guest. The barin asks the young girl to show him the way, and he admires her beauty and wonders if they are afraid to live in such a wilderness. The girl (the same Olesya) says that wolves do not wander here, and it would be even better if people left the animals alone. Olesa is restless: she is afraid that their guest is from the bosses. Stanovoy and the officer had long mocked at her and Manuilikha, threatened her with hard labor, although her granddaughter and grandmother did not touch anyone. The hero reassures his new acquaintance and asks permission to visit them on a visit. Olesya permits, but with one condition - that with him there should be no gun, since she is sorry for defenseless hares and birds. The hero returns to his place, and an hour later Yarmol arrives: he followed the masterâs footstep and found out that he was "with the witches."
New fortune-telling for the master
And time rushes on. Here is a summary of "Olesya" immerses us in the spring holiday of nature. The hero does not leave thoughts about Oles. He likes her mystery and outward beauty, and, of course, the mystical reputation of a witch. As soon as there was an opportunity to go along the forest paths, he goes to visit his friends. Both the old woman and Olesya herself are at home. The guest greets them and asks Manuiliha if she recognizes him. However, the old woman says that she does not remember him and does not know that he had completely forgotten here that they were ordinary people, and he had nothing to do here. Barina stunned such a technique, but here Olesya intervenes for him and tells his grandmother that he is a kind person and will not do anything bad to them. The grandmotherâs attitude towards the guest softens his gift a little - tea and sugar. Olesya invites the master to sit down. At the same time, the girl herself was spinning - from work her hands were hardened and blackened, but still remained so beautiful that any girl could envy. Olesya reminds the guest that he never told her that the grandmother had guessed him. Barin asks to tell her fortune, but the girl does not agree: she already threw cards at him, and the second time - it is impossible. Fate does not like it when asked, and therefore many witches are unhappy. Then the hero asks Olesya to say what the cards said last time. The girl is afraid, but admits that it didnât work out too well - a gloomy life, the hero will not love anyone and will not marry, will live in need, although at the end of life everything will change through the death of a loved one. But this year he is waiting for a lot of love from the lady of clubs, with dark hair, like Olesyaâs own hair. However, this prediction does not please the hero: according to the young fortuneteller, the "club of spades" will accept great shame through the hero and experience sadness, and nothing bad will come of him. Barin doubts that in principle he is capable of doing so much harm to someone, but Olesya tells him that he will not do it on purpose. The girl is able to see the imminent death of a person, although she does not consider it necessary to talk about it, because in any case she cannot escape from fate. Her ability is disgusting to herself, but it is in her blood.
Ivan Timofeevich doubts that Olesya is a real witch
Summary of "Olesya", as you may have guessed, is a story about a real witch. However, the protagonist doubts to the last in the abilities of the girl he liked. Olesya, in turn, demonstrates to him what she can: she cuts a gentleman's hand and quickly speaks up - stops the blood. Then follows him trace in trace and, without touching, makes him fall. He says that even being far away, he can send fear to a person. The hero is surprised by how expressive the speech of Olesya, the girl who grew up in the forest. Olesya says that all this is from the grandmother. Only at this moment does the master appear to the girl. His name is Ivan Timofeevich. The girl asks her new friend to come in, and he becomes a frequent guest in the hut. The old woman muttered, and Olesya was always glad of his visits. And every time Ivan Timofeevich headed home, the girl volunteered to accompany him, and they talked for a long time. The whole and distinctive nature of Olesya attracts the master. He tells her about learned people, cities, secrets of the universe - and she listens to him with pleasure. Having heard about Petersburg with its multi-storey buildings, Olesya says that she would never exchange the forest for life in the city. To which Ivan Timofeevich answered her that if her husband was from the city, he would have to. Here he learns that Olesya cannot marry in the church: her family was cursed, and her strength was not from God. Ivan Timofeevich, an educated man, often tried to explain the abilities of his girlfriend from a physiological point of view, but much remained incomprehensible anyway. Yarmola, on the other hand, began to move away from his master, which was very much like a secret hostility.
Conflict with the officer
Somehow the guest comes and sees that both women are depressed and upset by something. The story "Olesya", the brief content of which we are considering, takes a new turn: the officer went to the hut. He ordered the granddaughter and grandmother to clean up in twenty-four hours, explaining that the house had previously belonged to the old landowner, and now it was moved to the new one. Manuilikh asks Ivan Timofeevich to help, since the officer does not agree to back down even for money. Olesya against this. Nevertheless, the hero meets with the officer, but he says that he can not do anything: the charter tells everyone to go to the temple, and predictions, according to the same charter, are prohibited. However, the officer liked the gun, and the owner gives it in exchange for a promise that at least for some time he will not touch the women.
Beloved moves away from Ivan Timofeevich
Ivan Timofeevich solved the problem, but relations with Olesya have changed dramatically since then. There was no trace of her gullible affection, and she was replaced by awkwardness and coercion. Sometimes she fell into thought. The hero thought that the girl could not forgive him for interfering with the story of the officer. However, the girl herself avoided frank conversations, and their walks stopped. Ivan Timofeevich continues to be drawn to Oles. Once he even spent the whole day in their house, however, returning home, he realized that he was ill and lay in bed for almost a week. A little stronger, the master returns to Olesa and sees that her eyes shine with love. Despite the objections of Manuiliha, the girl agrees to a walk. Ivan Timofeevich understands what was the reason for this severity, why the granddaughter argued so often with her grandmother. Lovers admit to each other their feelings, and the next night becomes a fairy tale for them. Olesya says that she does not regret about anything, and that she is the same lady of clubs, and it will be misfortune with her, but she does not agree to give her joy to anyone. A vague apprehension of misfortune arises in the girlâs heart.
Fairy tale of love
The time of the heroâs departure is approaching. For already a month their love tale has been going on, they often meet in the forest, as the old Manuilikha welcomes the guest with outright anger. The hero, although it is difficult to imagine Olesya among the wives of his colleagues, speaks with his beloved about leaving and getting married. That, in turn, is wary of his words - she does not want to hold him with a promise, but would like to go with her beloved. She needs time to think things over and talk with her grandmother. The girl, as before, is afraid of the church.
Shocking news
At the Trinity Ivan Timofeevich was forced to go on business to a nearby town. On the way back, hostile looks haunt him from all sides, the drunkard shouts obscenities. The hero is furious. Yarmola meets the master with an evil grin and talks about today's "fun": Perebrodsky girls caught the witch in the square and beat her. Ivan Timofeevich asks which witch, although he already knows who he is talking about. It was Olesya. Busting over her fear, the girl came to church and, trying not to pay attention to slanting glances, survived the mass. At the exit she was rude, laughed at her, and then some old woman shouted that the witch should be smeared with tar. Everyone began to catch Olesya. The girl managed to escape, although stones flew after her. In the end, she turned around and shouted to the crowd that they still had to remember this and "cry to the full."
Sad breakup
How does the story âOlesyaâ end? The summary shows us the latest scenes. Ivan Timofeevich, sensing that something irreparable happened, runs to the forest, to his beloved. Olesya is lying on the bed with no memory, facing the wall. Manuilikha cries about her granddaughter and scolds the guest. The girl comes to, but is afraid for a long time to look at the guest - her face is completely covered with abrasions and bruises. Ivan Timofeevich, not holding back tears, kisses her hand. Olesya says that he and her grandmother will have to leave in a couple of days so as not to become victims of the anger of the villagers. And to the belovedâs question, how does he answer that they have no destiny to be together and that nothing but grief awaits them. Olesya asks Ivan Timofeevich to kiss her goodbye, says that her grandmother will allow it.
A thunderstorm breaks out over the village, a hail goes. Yarmola tells the hero that he needs to leave - the city, they say, was sent by a witch, and there are unkind rumors about Ivan Timofeevich himself. The hero wants to warn Manuilikh, but he only finds an empty house and Olesya's red beads, which the girl left him in memory of her tender love.