Bir auylgha tayap qalghanda qasymda otyrghan Erkin:

- Qany sorghalaghan aqiqat әngime estiging kele me, joq әlde aghyl-tegil, asyp-tógilip jatqan ótirik әngime estiging kele me? - dep súrady.

- Shynday qyp shymyrlatyp, ótirigin shyngha bergisiz qyp shimirikpey aitsa, sol ótirikke qaray bettelik, - dey saldym.

- Olay bolsa, Ádibaydikine tart! - dep búiyrdy Erkin shoferine.

Aulada keminde bir on shaqty it jýr. Ittigin bildirip sonyng bireui qynq dep ýrgen joq. Mashinadan týse qalghanda dәp bir sekseuilding arasyna kirip ketkendey boldyq. Óitkeni, oshaqtyng basyna, qol jughyshtyng qasyna, esikting mandayshasyna, qaqpanyng eki basyna arbityp-arbityp arqardyng mýiizin qagha beripti.

Biz shan-púnymyzdy qaghyp, beti-basymyzdy sýrtip, ózimizshe dabyrlasyp jatqanda, ýiden shashyn aq shalghan múrtty kisi jýgirip shyghyp, óleng aitqanday aiqaylap kep amandasty. Jas shamasyna qaraghanda, sol eluding esiginde jýrgen adam, óni maylaghan bidayday kýrenite jyltyrap, toqtyq bayqatady. Jýris-túrysynda sahnanyn, biyding qimyly bar, tym shiraq. Ózi de sorghalap túrghan sóz eken, alty auyz amandyq aitudyng arasynda biraz jerge aghyp baryp keldi.

Bir auylgha tayap qalghanda qasymda otyrghan Erkin:

- Qany sorghalaghan aqiqat әngime estiging kele me, joq әlde aghyl-tegil, asyp-tógilip jatqan ótirik әngime estiging kele me? - dep súrady.

- Shynday qyp shymyrlatyp, ótirigin shyngha bergisiz qyp shimirikpey aitsa, sol ótirikke qaray bettelik, - dey saldym.

- Olay bolsa, Ádibaydikine tart! - dep búiyrdy Erkin shoferine.

Aulada keminde bir on shaqty it jýr. Ittigin bildirip sonyng bireui qynq dep ýrgen joq. Mashinadan týse qalghanda dәp bir sekseuilding arasyna kirip ketkendey boldyq. Óitkeni, oshaqtyng basyna, qol jughyshtyng qasyna, esikting mandayshasyna, qaqpanyng eki basyna arbityp-arbityp arqardyng mýiizin qagha beripti.

Biz shan-púnymyzdy qaghyp, beti-basymyzdy sýrtip, ózimizshe dabyrlasyp jatqanda, ýiden shashyn aq shalghan múrtty kisi jýgirip shyghyp, óleng aitqanday aiqaylap kep amandasty. Jas shamasyna qaraghanda, sol eluding esiginde jýrgen adam, óni maylaghan bidayday kýrenite jyltyrap, toqtyq bayqatady. Jýris-túrysynda sahnanyn, biyding qimyly bar, tym shiraq. Ózi de sorghalap túrghan sóz eken, alty auyz amandyq aitudyng arasynda biraz jerge aghyp baryp keldi.

Qauqyldasyp ýige kirdik. Kiyimderimizdi qoyannyng terisin sypyrghanday jalma-jan sheship alyp, auyzghy bólmedegi shanyraqtay arqar mýiizine ildi. Sodan búlyn-búltyng biraz bólmelerding bәrin basyp ótip, túp-tura tórgi ýige ertip keldi de, ong jaqtaghy tósekting jamylghysyn týrip jiberip:

- Sen, ainalayyn, qonaq shygharsyn, myna Alatau anynyng ýstine otyr, - dep maghan tórding tóbesine ang terisinen jasalghan esikting enindey kórpe tósedi. - Al, Erkin, sen qasqyr bolmasang da, qasqyrday jigitsin, myna Jonghardyng anyna min, - dep Erkinge qasqyr terisimen tystalghan kórpe tastady. - Al, sen, shopyr bala, boyyng qarystay bolsa da, barystay balasyn, Balqashtyng barysyna qonji, - dep oghan barys kórpe saldy. Japyrylyp jata qaldyq.

- Al, endi men bes minuttay úshty-kýili joghalyp ketem, alandamay, qaryndaryndy sipap, әngime soghyp jata túryndar, - dep Ádibay dalagha shyghyp ketti.

Ýsh jyrtqyshtyng ýstinde ýsheumiz jap-jalpaq, jap-jalpaq bop súlap jatyrmyz.

- Al, qasqyr bala, әngime ait, - dedim Erkinge búrylyp.

- Ángimeni janaghy arqardyng ózi aitady. Bú anshylardyng ýiinde adamnyng shyn әngimesi qiyspay, qiiy ketedi. Al ózi býlk etpey otyryp, astyndaghy andy alty kýn әngimelep beredi, - dedi ol.

- «Týlkining qyzyly ózining sory» degendey, anau týlkini kórdiniz be, jana ghana qargha aunap túrghanday qúlpyryp túr. Sorly sonshama kózding jauyn alarlyq qaghyna qyzyl bolmasa ghoy, bir jerde nanyn tauyp, kýnin kórip jýrer edi, mine, endi Ádibaydyng jaman tósegining túsynda soyghan týlkidey yrsiyp túr. Áy, biraq, Ádekeng tyshqangha da týse beredi, - dep barystyng ýstindegi qarys ózinshe filosofiya soghyp jatyr.

Osy kezde «Assalaumaghaleykým!» dep, ýrikken tanaday bir bala kirip keldi. Janaghy «arqardyn» balasy ekendigin týri aityp túr, amandastyq. Izinshe әkesi kelip:

- «Assalaumaghaleykým» demekshi, mening bir qyzyghym bar. Ony endi nasybay atyp alyp aitpasam, aita almaymyn, - dep shaqshasynan sol qolynyng alaqanyna nasybaydyng bytyraday on shaqty týiirin tókti de, sausaghymen shymshyp alyp baryp astynghy ernining ýstine mytyp jiberdi. Sosyn shaqpaq shaqqanday alaqanyn shart etkizip bir soqty da:

- «Bolar bala boghynan belgili» degendey, men qyrqymnan shyqpay jatyp osy anshylyqqa qúmar boldym. Sodan bertin kele auyldaghy atyshuly anshylargha jalynyp-jalbarynyp jýrip, bir kýni solarmen birge angha shyqtym. Tau asyp, tas basyp, kóp jýrdik. Sodan tentirep, osy bizding ýiding biyiktigindey jartastyng týbine kelgende, jigitter:

- Sen, bala, tap osy jerde tapjylmay, myna jartastyng basyn kózdep otyr. Biz arghy betten bir top arqardy aldymyzgha salyp alyp, tura sening myltyghynnyng auzyna qaray aidaymyz. Sonyng bәri osy jartastyng ýstinen artyndaghy jartasqa sekirip ótedi. Sol aptobozgha mingendey asyp-sasyp ýstinnen sekirip jatqanda, bir kózindi qysyp alyp shytyrlatyp qúlata ber. Biraq bәrin shetinen qyra bermey, jiligi tatityn sorpalyghy bar biteu býienderin at, - dep ketip qaldy.

Oqtauday on altynshy myltyqqa ortan jiliktey bir oqty syghyp salyp, toq ishektey súq sausaghymmen shýrippeni sipap qoyyp, jartastyng basyna qadala qarap otyrmyn. Tyrs etse, tars etkizer týrim bar. Dymymdy ishimnen alyp, kirpik qaqpay qadaluym sonsha, shekemnen shyp-shyp etip suyq ter shyghyp, tandayym qúrghap ketti. Osy otyrysymmen bir shay qaynatymday qybyr etpedim, jybyr etken arqar bolmady. Et asymday otyrdym, bayaghy jartas - bir jartas, arqar joq. Kóp otyryp qaldym. Álgindegi kirding suynday búlynghyr kýn qarauyta týsip, jota-jotanyng ýstimen qanghyp bara jatqan búlttar kórine bastady. Bú jaryqtyq tauly jerde búlt degen bútynnyng arasynda jýredi emes pe, dәp samayymnyng astynan týtilgen týbittey shýide-shýide bop ótip jatyr, arqar joq.

Arqardy kýte-kýte jalyqsam kerek, bir kezde auzymnan suym aghyp, balbyrap qalghyp ketippin. Sóitip jyrghap úiyqtap otyrghanymda birdeme dәl tóbemnen tasyr ete qaldy. Kózimdi ashyp alsam, jartastyng ýstinde saqaly sapsiyp arsa-arsa bolghan bir shal túr. Úyalghanymnan «Assalaumaghaleykým, ata!» dep edim, әlgi eki dýniyede kógermegir qaqpas tasyr-túsyr etkizip ýstimnen bir-aq qarghydy da, túyaghynan ot shyghyp, dýbirletip ala jóneldi. Úiqyly kózimmen bayqamappyn, sóitsem, әlgi súmpayym shal emes, arqardyng dәl ózi eken. Izinshe jartasqa jýgirip shyghyp qarasam, әlgi «shalym» mýiizderi arbaday bop kóz jeter jerde sabap barady eken. Men kózdegenshe kózden ghayyp boldy. Ákem qanghytyp tastap ketkendey qatty yza bop kelip ornyma otyrdym.

Bir kezde alqynyp-aptyghyp jigitterim jetip keldi. Biri túryp:

- Ói, qarabasqyr-au, nege atpadyng janaghy arqardy? - dedi.

- Shal eken dep qaldym. Auylda shaldar sәlem bermesen, jer-jebirine jetip úrsady. Qarasam, Áupik aqsaqaldan aumaytyn bir shal túr... «Assalaumaghaleykým, ata!» dep edim...

- Áy, iyt-au, shalyng ne? Tipti әkeng bolsa da atpadyng ba?

- Ói, shoshqa-au, shalda sonshama mýiiz bola ma?

- Ói, qúday tóbennen úrghyr-au, shal sonadan sonagha sekire me?

- Ói, aqymaq-au, shaldyng tórt ayaghy bola ma?! Itting ghana balasy! Mine, kóbigi qalqylmaghan bir qazan et basynnan attady da ketti. «Kedeyding auyzy - ker auyz» degen. Ói, ezuindi...

Álgiler osylay janaghy arqargha kәdimgidey kýiindi. Betterine qarasam, meni jep qoyghaly túr. Ózderi de telim-telim bop әbden sharshasa kerek. Bireuining arqasynda bir qúshaq tiken jýr. Qalpaqtaryn jerge úryp, janyma otyra qalyp edi, bastarynan bu búrq-búrq etedi. Janym ashyp ketti. Endi ghana basylyp, etek-jenindegi tikenderin tazalay bastap edi, men qarap otyrmay:

- Ói, әlginde ózdering semizdeuin at demedinder me? Janaghy shaldyng qay jerin jeysinder, kók shandyr, - dep búltarghan bolyp edim, bireui kýiip ketti bilem:

- O, shalynmen qosyp әkenning dәp!.. - dep qatty boqtady...

Sondaghy jigitter qazir sol arqarday arsa-arsa bolyp qartaydy. Osy kýnge deyin kezdesip qalsa, ústap alyp, bir saghattay úrsady, - dep toqtady Ádeken.

«Abay-aqparat»