GrannyputSashabyherkitchen-gardenandtoldhertokeepwatchthatthegeesedidnotgoin。ItwasahotAugustday。Thetavernkeeper’sgeesecouldmaketheirwayintothekitchen-gardenbythebacksofthehuts，butnowtheywerebusilyengagedpickingupoatsbythetavern，peacefullyconversingtogether，andonlythegandercranedhisheadhighasthoughtryingtoseewhethertheoldwomanwerecomingwithherstick。Theothergeesemightcomeupfrombelow，buttheywerenowgrazingfarawaytheothersideoftheriver，stretchedoutinalongwhitegarlandaboutthemeadow。Sashastoodaboutalittle，grewweary，and，seeingthatthegeesewerenotcoming，wentawaytotheravine。
ThereshesawMarya’seldestdaughterMotka，whowasstandingmotionlessonabigstone，staringatthechurch。Maryahadgivenbirthtothirteenchildren，butsheonlyhadsixliving，allgirls，notoneboy，andtheeldestwaseight。Motkainalongsmockwasstandingbarefootedinthefullsunshine；thesunwasblazingdownrightonherhead，butshedidnotnoticethat，andseemedasthoughturnedtostone。Sashastoodbesideherandsaid，lookingatthechurch:
“Godlivesinthechurch。Menhavelampsandcandles，butGodhaslittlegreenandredandbluelampslikelittleeyes。AtnightGodwalksaboutthechurch，andwithHimtheHolyMotherofGodandSaintNikolay，thud，thud，thud！Andthewatchmanisterrified，terrified！Aye，aye，dearie，“sheadded，imitatinghermother。“Andwhentheendoftheworldcomesallthechurcheswillbecarrieduptoheaven。“
“Withthe-irbe-ells？“Motkaaskedinherdeepvoice，drawlingeverysyllable。
“Withtheirbells。AndwhentheendoftheworldcomesthegoodwillgotoParadise，buttheangrywillburninfireeternalandunquenchable，dearie。TomymotheraswellastoMaryaGodwillsay:’Youneveroffendedanyone，andforthatgototherighttoParadise’；buttoKiryakandGrannyHewillsay:’Yougototheleftintothefire。’AndanyonewhohaseatenmeatinLentwillgointothefire，too。“
Shelookedupwardsatthesky，openingwidehereyes，andsaid:
“Lookattheskywithoutwinking，youwillseeangels。“
Motkabeganlookingatthesky，too，andaminutepassedinsilence。
“Doyouseethem？“askedSasha。
“Idon’t，“saidMotkainherdeepvoice。
“ButIdo。Littleangelsareflyingabouttheskyandflap，flapwiththeirlittlewingsasthoughtheyweregnats。“
Motkathoughtforalittle，withhereyesontheground，andasked:
“WillGrannyburn？“
“Shewill，dearie。“
Fromthestoneanevengentlesloperandowntothebottom，coveredwithsoftgreengrass，whichonelongedtoliedownonortotouchwithone’shandsSashalaydownandrolledtothebottom。Motkawithagrave，severeface，takingadeepbreath，laydown，too，androlledtothebottom，andindoingsotorehersmockfromthehemtotheshoulder。
“Whatfunitis！“saidSasha，delighted。
Theywalkeduptothetoptorolldownagain，butatthatmomenttheyheardashrill，familiarvoice。Oh，howawfulitwas！
Granny，atoothless，bony，hunchbackedfigure，withshortgreyhairwhichwasflutteringinthewind，wasdrivingthegeeseoutofthekitchen-gardenwithalongstick，shouting。
“Theyhavetrampledallthecabbages，thedamnedbrutes！I’dcutyourthroats，thriceaccursedplagues！Badlucktoyou！“
Shesawthelittlegirls，flungdownthestickandpickedupaswitch，and，seizingSashabytheneckwithherfingers，thinandhardasthegnarledbranchesofatree，beganwhippingher。Sashacriedwithpainandterror，whilethegander，waddlingandstretchinghisneck，wentuptotheoldwomanandhissedather，andwhenhewentbacktohisflockallthegeesegreetedhimapprovinglywith“Ga-ga-ga！“ThenGrannyproceededtowhipMotka，andinthisMotka’ssmockwastornagain。Feelingindespair，andcryingloudly，Sashawenttothehuttocomplain。Motkafollowedher；she，too，wascryingonadeepernote，withoutwipinghertears，andherfacewasaswetasthoughithadbeendippedinwater。
“HolySaints！“criedOlga，aghast，asthetwocameintothehut。
“QueenofHeaven！“
Sashabegantellingherstory，whileatthesametimeGrannywalkedinwithastormofshrillcriesandabuse；thenFyoklaflewintoarage，andtherewasanuproarinthehut。
“Nevermind，nevermind！“Olga，paleandupset，triedtocomfortthem，strokingSasha’shead。“Sheisyourgrandmother；it’sasintobeangrywithher。Nevermind，mychild。“
Nikolay，whowaswornoutalreadybytheeverlastinghubbub，hunger，stiflingfumes，filth，whohatedanddespisedthepoverty，whowasashamedforhiswifeanddaughtertoseehisfatherandmother，swunghislegsoffthestoveandsaidinanirritable，tearfulvoice，addressinghismother:
“Youmustnotbeather！Youhavenorighttobeather！“
“Youlierottingonthestove，youwretchedcreature！“Fyoklashoutedathimspitefully。“Thedevilbroughtyouallonus，eatingusoutofhouseandhome。“
SashaandMotkaandallthelittlegirlsinthehuthuddledonthestoveinthecornerbehindNikolay’sback，andfromthatrefugelistenedinsilentterror，andthebeatingoftheirlittleheartscouldbedistinctlyheard。Wheneverthereissomeoneinafamilywhohaslongbeenill，andhopelesslyill，therecomepainfulmomentswhenalltimidly，secretly，atthebottomoftheirheartslongforhisdeath；andonlythechildrenfearthedeathofsomeonenearthem，andalwaysfeelhorrifiedatthethoughtofit。Andnowthechildren，withbatedbreath，withamournfullookontheirfaces，gazedatNikolayandthoughtthathewassoontodie；andtheywantedtocryandtosaysomethingfriendlyandcompassionatetohim。
HepressedclosetoOlga，asthoughseekingprotection，andsaidtohersoftlyinaquaveringvoice:
“Olyadarling，Ican’tstayherelonger。It’smorethanIcanbear。ForGod’ssake，forChrist’ssake，writetoyoursisterKlavdiaAbramovna。Lethersellandpawneverythingshehas；lethersendusthemoney。Wewillgoawayfromhere。Oh，Lord，“hewentonmiserably，“tohaveonepeepatMoscow！IfIcouldseeitinmydreams，thedearplace！
Andwhentheeveningcameon，anditwasdarkinthehut，itwassodismalthatitwashardtoutteraword。Granny，veryill-tempered，soakedsomecrustsofryebreadinacup，andwasalongtime，awholehour，suckingatthem。Marya，aftermilkingthecow，broughtinapailofmilkandsetitonabench；thenGrannypoureditfromthepailintoajugjustasslowlyanddeliberately，evidentlypleasedthatitwasnowtheFastoftheAssumption，sothatnoonewoulddrinkmilkanditwouldbeleftuntouched。AndsheonlypouredoutaverylittleinasaucerforFyokla’sbaby。WhenMaryaandshecarriedthejugdowntothecellarMotkasuddenlystirred，clambereddownfromthestove，andgoingtothebenchwherestoodthewoodencupfullofcrusts，sprinkledintoitsomemilkfromthesaucer。
Granny，comingbackintothehut，satdowntohersoakedcrustsagain，whileSashaandMotka，sittingonthestove，gazedather，andtheyweregladthatshehadbrokenherfastandnowwouldgotohell。Theywerecomfortedandlaydowntosleep，andSashaasshedozedofftosleepimaginedtheDayofJudgment:ahugefirewasburning，somewhatlikeapotter’skiln，andtheEvilOne，withhornslikeacow’s，andblackallover，wasdrivingGrannyintothefirewithalongstick，justasGrannyherselfhadbeendrivingthegeese。
OnthedayoftheFeastoftheAssumption，betweentenandelevenintheevening，thegirlsandladswhoweremerrymakinginthemeadowsuddenlyraisedaclamourandoutcry，andraninthedirectionofthevillage；andthosewhowereaboveontheedgeoftheravinecouldnotforthefirstmomentmakeoutwhatwasthematter。
“Fire！Fire！“theyhearddesperateshoutsfrombelow。“Thevillageisonfire！“
Thosewhoweresittingabovelookedround，andaterribleandextraordinaryspectaclemettheireyes。Onthethatchedroofofoneoftheendcottagesstoodacolumnofflame，sevenfeethigh，whichcurledroundandscatteredsparksinalldirectionsasthoughitwereafountain。Andallatoncethewholeroofburstintobrightflame，andthecracklingofthefirewasaudible。
Thelightofthemoonwasdimmed，andthewholevillagewasbynowbathedinaredquiveringglow:blackshadowsmovedovertheground，therewasasmellofburning，andthosewhoranupfrombelowwereallgaspingandcouldnotspeakfortrembling；theyjostledagainsteachother，felldown，andtheycouldhardlyseeintheunaccustomedlight，anddidnotrecognizeeachother。Itwasterrible。Whatseemedparticularlydreadfulwasthatdoveswereflyingoverthefireinthesmoke；andinthetavern，wheretheydidnotyetknowofthefire，theywerestillsingingandplayingtheconcertinaasthoughtherewerenothingthematter。
“UncleSemyon’sonfire，“shoutedaloud，coarsevoice。
Maryawasfussingaboutroundherhut，weepingandwringingherhands，whileherteethchattered，thoughthefirewasalongwayoffattheotherendofthevillage。Nikolaycameoutinhighfeltboots，thechildrenranoutintheirlittlesmocks。Nearthevillageconstable’shutanironsheetwasstruck。Boom，boom，boom！floatedthroughtheair，andthisrepeated，persistentsoundsentapangtotheheartandturnedonecold。
Theoldwomenstoodwiththeholyikons。Sheep，calves，cowsweredrivenoutoftheback-yardsintothestreet；boxes，sheepskins，tubswerecarriedout。Ablackstallion，whowaskeptapartfromthedroveofhorsesbecausehekickedandinjuredthem，onbeingsetfreeranonceortwiceupanddownthevillage，neighingandpawingtheground；thensuddenlystoppedshortnearacartandbegankickingitwithhishind-legs。
