Mother and stepmother ordinary description. Mother-and-stepmother ordinary. Damage to the skin

Perennial herbaceous plant 10-25 cm high with creeping long rhizome. The stems are straight, densely covered with scaly brownish leaves, unbranched, ending in a flower basket. Basal leaves are rounded heart-shaped, notched-toothed along the edges. green above, white-tomentose below, sitting on long petioles. The flowers are yellow, of two types: several rows of reeds from the edge, tubular in the middle. Blooms from the second half of April to mid-May.
Location. Found in all areas.
Habitat. Grows on clay slopes, hills, in ravines.
Used part. Basal leaves.
collection time. April May.
Chemical composition. Basal leaves contain up to 2.6% bitter glycosides, sitosterol, gallic, malic and tartaric acids, carotenoids, mucus (5-10%), tannins, dextrin, inulin, saponins, traces of essential oil.

Properties coltsfoot

Mother-and-stepmother is an old folk remedy. Infusion and decoction of the leaves of the plant, due to the presence of essential oil and mucous substances, have an expectorant, emollient, antimicrobial, diaphoretic effect. They are taken for bronchitis, pneumonia, bronchial asthma, tuberculosis, abscesses, and gangrene of the lungs. The leaves of the coltsfoot are part of breast teas No. 1, 2, 5, 7, diaphoretic teas No. 3, 4, 7. In folk medicine, a decoction of the leaves is used for lung diseases, gastritis, inflammation of the kidneys and bladder, and diathesis in children. A decoction of the plant and fresh leaves are used as compresses in the treatment of purulent wounds, tumors, furunculosis. A decoction of the leaves of the coltsfoot and nettles wash their hair with dry seborrheic skin (3 times a week). It is believed that the fresh juice of the plant is more effective than a decoction of dry leaves. Therefore, in folk medicine, in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis, diathesis in the summer, fresh plant juice is used. Juice is instilled into the nose with a cold. Fresh leaves are applied to the forehead with a headache, they treat erysipelas of the skin, calluses.

Ways to use coltsfoot

1. Pour 1-2 tablespoons of leaves with 1 cup of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes, strain. Take 1 tablespoon 4-6 times a day.
2. Pour 3 tablespoons of leaves with 2 cups of oxen, boil until ½ of the liquid has evaporated, strain. Take 1 tablespoon every 2-3 hours.
3. Fresh plant juice. Take 1 tablespoon 4-6 times a day.
4. Cigarettes for smoking: roll up a teaspoon of the crushed leaves of the plant into a cigar shape. Smoking with spasmodic cough.

A huge number of different plants grow on our planet, and it is very difficult to understand this diversity. But some of these plants are able to bring a special benefit to a person: to prevent the development of certain diseases and even cure them. Just such a famous flower is the coltsfoot, which is found in almost all corners of our country. This perennial culture has long been used by man for medicinal purposes. Let's talk on www.site about such a plant as coltsfoot, give a description for children, tell legends about such a culture and remember together why it was called that.

About what the mother and stepmother looks like, a description of the plant

The coltsfoot is actually quite easy to recognize. This plant is one of the first to please us with attractive and bright colors. Often, even during frosts, on the thawed patches, the coltsfoot already shows her golden twigs, wrapped in warm hairs. After the sun warms up, the plant gradually blooms flowers. They scatter near roads, along the banks of rivers and streams, as well as on cliffs and meadows. If frost and cold are expected, the flowers immediately hide inside a fluffy collar, which can save the most delicate petals from the cold. Thanks to this property, people predict the weather by coltsfoot.

It is surprising that the flowers of such a plant appear long before the leaves. Only after the petals scatter "parachutes" with the wind, the coltsfoot is covered with foliage. Thanks to this feature, this plant got its English name, which literally translates as "son before father."

The main feature of the coltsfoot is the unique structure of its leaves. Their lower part is covered with very delicate hairs, and the surface of the leaf is more rigid and cold to the touch.

But where does it come from, why mother and stepmother, why was the plant called that?

Why is mother and stepmother called so?

It is thanks to the structure of its leaves that coltsfoot got its name. After all, delicate hairs are like the touch of a mother, and the hard surface is comparable to the hands of a stepmother. In the people, the plant is also called unilateral and double leaf. Due to the medicinal properties, coltsfoot also bears the name "king of grass" or "king of potion".

Legends associated with coltsfoot

There are several legends about coltsfoot in folklore. The first of them tells about an evil woman who really wanted to get rid of her husband's daughter from her first marriage. She did not want her husband to meet with the girl and with his ex-wife. The stepmother lured the girl to a large cliff and pushed her down. The native mother discovered the loss of her daughter and rushed in search of her. But she did not have time, and ran when the girl had already died. In grief and rage, the woman clung to her stepmother, they fell off a cliff into a ravine together and crashed. And the next day, the bottom of the ravine was covered with an amazing plant with leaves that were soft on one side and hard on the other. Above the plant rose beautiful small flowers of a pleasant yellow color, which resembled the color of a little girl's hair.

Another legend about the mother and stepmother plant speaks of a happy family in which the mother suddenly died. The children stopped playing and singing, and the father stooped. Soon a young widow neighbor came into the trust of a widower and became his new wife. But life never returned to the house, because the stepmother is not a mother, her voice blows cold, and her touches are evil and prickly. As soon as the sun warmed up in the spring, the youngest daughter began to run with her longing to the river and shed tears for her dead mother. Once, crying, she raised her head: and near her feet a yellow flower blossomed. And on the same day, the stepmother disappeared without a trace, and ringing laughter returned to the house again. And the flower began to appear every spring to check whether the children are well, and disappear again. And in summer, leaves appear in its place: with a cold top and a warm, soft inner side.

Additional Information

The coltsfoot is one of the first honey plants. Honey from it turns out very tasty, fragrant and sugary. It can provide tremendous health benefits.

And the leaves of the coltsfoot have long been used by our ancestors to treat a variety of diseases. Most often they are used to combat coughs, as well as to eliminate heart ailments, shortness of breath, kidney diseases and many inflammatory processes.

Coltsfoot is an amazing plant that is found in many parts of our country and can bring great benefits to a person.

Mother and stepmother has been known since ancient times as a plant with many healing properties.

It was used both in folk and official medicine for the treatment of external and internal diseases.

Many recipes were compiled by ancient Roman healers. It is no less popular in our time.

On the shelves of pharmacies are collections and preparations, which include coltsfoot. What medicines can be prepared at home from it, we will describe below.

Biological description of the plant

Coltsfoot (Asteraceae family) is a perennial herbaceous plant.

It has a creeping rhizome, fluffy stems covered with pink scales depart from it.

They are decorated with baskets of bright yellow flowers.

The Latin name is Tussilago farfara L., which translates as "eliminating cough".

The Russian name is explained by the special structure of the leaves of the plant - the underside is soft (“mother”), and the upper side is smooth and cold (“stepmother”).

They are rounded, with jagged edges, dark green in color, up to 20 cm in diameter.

It grows everywhere - along ravines, embankments, river banks; prefers lighted places. The flowers appear first, in March - April, then the leaves break through.

Chemical composition

Leaves and flowers are somewhat different in the set of elements:

Such a rich composition explains the beneficial properties and widespread use of coltsfoot.

Medicinal properties and indications for use

This herb, as part of preparations and home remedies, has a complex therapeutic effect:

• emollient (action is similar to or castor oil, instructions for use of which) and expectorant;
• enveloping;
• disinfectant and anti-inflammatory;
• astringent;
• diaphoretic.

Mucus covers the airways, which prevents irritation; saponins and organic acids thin the dry discharge and facilitate expectoration.

Tannins inhibit the development of pathogenic bacteria and promote the rapid healing of tissues. Essential oils tone up, glycosides normalize the work of the heart.

Coltsfoot is prescribed for a number of diseases for external and internal use as an adjuvant. Main indications:

Harm and contraindications

It is necessary to use only high-quality raw materials for the preparation of home remedies, and when buying ready-made ones, check the expiration date.

There is also evidence of the carcinogenic effect of alkaloids, so in some countries coltsfoot is not available for sale. It cannot be accepted:

• For pregnant and lactating women, grass can disrupt the development of the fetus or provoke a miscarriage.
• Women suffering from delayed menstruation.
• People with liver diseases (cirrhosis, hepatitis). The alkaloids contained in the plant destroy its cells.
• Children under 2 years of age.
• With the simultaneous use of antipyretics, some dietary supplements and vitamins.
• In case of individual intolerance to the plant.

Check with your doctor before adding coltsfoot to your medications, as you may not be aware of these contraindications.

Side effects

They may appear as:

• nausea and vomiting;
• diarrhea;
• abdominal pain and intestinal disorders;
• temperature increase.

In these cases, immediately stop using coltsfoot!

Ways to use coltsfoot

All aerial parts of this herb have medicinal properties. Previously, roots were also used for treatment, but now this is not practiced.

Yellow baskets of inflorescences are harvested in early spring, leaves - in the first months of summer. It is necessary to collect strong intact parts of the plant and only in clear weather.

Dry raw materials in the open air or in a special oven at a temperature of 50 - 60 ° C, so all useful substances are preserved.

Then they are separated, since the flowers are stored for 2 years, and the leaves - 3.

Store in a closed container or linen bags.

On the basis of the herbal collection are prepared: infusions, tinctures, decoctions, teas, fresh gruel and juice, medicinal "cigarettes", powder, tablets, potions and syrups.

Folk recipes

leaf decoction

• collection of coltsfoot leaves - 1 teaspoon;
• boiling water - 1 cup.

Brew the raw materials in an enamel bowl, close the lid. Place in a water bath or low heat, heat for 15 minutes, stirring constantly.

Take 1/3 cup, 3 times a day before meals. Duration - 2 days. A decoction is useful for inflammation of the throat and lungs, bronchitis.

This is an effective expectorant, helps to soften and expel sputum.

It is also prescribed for inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and heart disease, dosage - 1 tbsp. spoon 6 times a day, before meals.

Outwardly - to strengthen the hair (rinsing) and the treatment of wounds (washing and compresses).

water infusion

Fill the baskets and leave to infuse for 1 hour.

Strained infusion take 100 ml 3 times a day for stomach diseases.

It normalizes the acidity of the stomach (it is written about the treatment of gastritis with folk remedies), soothes the irritated mucous membrane and promotes its healing.

It is used externally for gargling. Widely used with folk remedies.

Therapeutic "cigarettes"

• powder from the leaves of the plant - 2 teaspoons;
• cigarette paper.

They make a straw and fill it with grass, then smoke it like a cigarette. You can sprinkle the powder on a hot pan and inhale the rising smoke.

The remedy helps with choking cough.

Fresh plant juice

To obtain it, young leaves are used, which are poured over with boiling water and scrolled in a meat grinder.

The gruel is squeezed out and an equal amount of water is added, heated, boiled for 2 minutes. Take 1 tbsp. spoon, three times a day (after meals).

Juice is useful for beriberi. To get rid of a cold, 2-3 drops are instilled into the nose.

Vodka tincture

Take the components in equal volume, mix in a glass bottle. Put in a dark place for a week.

The dosage is 30 - 40 drops, once a day. Tincture stimulates metabolism, strengthens the immune system.

Despite the healing composition, coltsfoot is used only as an additional treatment.

Being a potent plant, it requires careful use, so you can not use it uncontrollably, considering it a harmless herb.

In order not to make a mistake with the dosage and not harm yourself, consult your doctor.,

How and when to collect, from what diseases folk recipes from coltsfoot will help - look in the proposed video.

Tussilago farfara L.

Family - Asteraceae - Asteraceae.

Used parts - leaves, flower baskets.

The popular name is Kamchuzhnaya grass, royal root, plague grass, near-river grass, rannik, water burdock, male flower, March flower, sand flower, tobacco grass, uncle's leaves.

Pharmacy name - leaves or flowers of coltsfoot.

Botanical description

Perennial herbaceous plant, up to 25cm tall. The rhizome is thick, long, creeping. Flowering stems are erect, densely covered with scaly brownish leaves. The rhizome is long, branched, creeping. Two types of shoots develop from the buds on the rhizome - flower-bearing and vegetative.

The flowers are small yellow, appear in early spring, collected in numerous flower baskets, forming a racemose inflorescence at the top of the peduncle. The flowers that are in the middle of the inflorescence are bisexual, tubular, and barren. Blooms from late March to May.

Young leaves appear at the end of August after the flowers have faded, which can reach enormous sizes over the summer. Basal leaves are round-heart-shaped, green above, white-tomentose below, appear after the flowering of the plant.

The fruit is a cylindrical achene, with a white silky tuft, the fruits ripen in May - June. After fruit ripening, flower-bearing shoots die off.

It grows in waste places, wastelands, roadsides, slopes of railway embankments, outcrops of river banks, near springs, at the foot of slopes, in ravines, on developed overgrown peat bogs, on peat heaps. The soil is undemanding to the mechanical composition. It usually grows in clusters.

Collection and preparation

Collected in May-June. Dry in the air in the shade, laying out a thin layer and stirring occasionally. Dry leaves are odorless. Store in dry, well-ventilated areas. Shelf life up to 3 years. Inflorescences are harvested at the beginning of flowering, in April - early May. Dry the same way as the leaves.

Active ingredients

In medicine, leaves are used, less often flower baskets. The plant contains glycosides, tannins, mucus (10%), vitamin C, essential oil, saponins, carotene (5.7 mg%), organic acids. The greatest amount of vitamin C accumulates in plants growing on peat-humus soil, glycosides and tannins - on mineral soils.

Healing action and application

Since ancient times it has been used as a medicinal plant. It has expectorant, diaphoretic, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effects.

It is used for diseases of the human respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, inflammation of the bladder, migraine, impaired renal function, whooping cough, diathesis, sinusitis, runny nose, whooping cough, edema, the initial stage of tuberculosis.

At instill fresh juice from the leaves into the nose. Apply coltsfoot and as a natural antiseptic for the disinfection of festering wounds, ulcers, abscesses. A strong decoction of the leaves of coltsfoot and stinging nettle, taken equally, is used for hair loss, dandruff with itching of the scalp.

Decoction. Lay fresh leaves and sugar in layers in a bowl, close and bury in the ground, and when it all turns into a homogeneous mass, add 0.5 kg of honey per 1 kg of mass and take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day, and can also be applied to wounds, abscesses and areas affected by erysipelas.

A feature of the coltsfoot is that it blooms in early spring, before the leaves bloom. Since ancient times, the plant has been used as a medicinal plant.

Name

Scientific (Latin) generic name lat. tussilago, inis f comes from lat. tussis, is("cough") and ago, egi, actum, ere ("to drive away") - and can be translated as "cashlegon". The name is related to the medicinal use of the plant as a cough suppressant.

The underside of the coltsfoot leaves, covered with numerous hairs, evaporates water much weaker than the bare upper side of the leaves, so the underside (mother) is warmer to the touch than the top (stepmother) - hence the Russian name of the plant.

Other Russian names: double leaf, Kamchuzhnaya grass, cold lapukha, mother grass, one-sided, tsar-potion.

Spreading

Usually found in areas free of turf - the banks of reservoirs, on the slopes of ravines and landslides, often in areas subjected to anthropogenic impact - fields, wastelands, landfills. It prefers clay soils, but is also found on other types of soils, including sandy and pebbly river banks. The usual flowering time in the conditions of the European part of Russia is in April.

Biological description

In early spring, erect, low flowering shoots begin to develop, covered with ovate-lanceolate, often brownish, scaly leaves. On each of the shoots, a single drooping head develops, before flowering and after flowering, consisting of a cylindrical single-row bedspread, a bare flat receptacle and bright yellow flowers of two types. Numerous outer (marginal) flowers - female, ligulate (clearly pronounced lingularity of marginal flowers is a diagnostic sign in which coltsfoot differs from plants of the Butterbur genus, in which this linguality is not clearly expressed, the corollas are almost filiform, and the number of marginal flowers is relatively small ), fertile. The flowers that are in the middle of the inflorescence are bisexual, tubular, and barren.

Some time after the start of flowering, vegetative shoots begin to develop, which bear several relatively large round-heart-shaped, slightly angular (angular-unequally serrated), white-tomentose below, bare leaves with long petioles above.

Economic importance and use

A particularly valuable early spring honey plant that provides bees with nectar and pollen.

medicinal use

The leaves of the coltsfoot, containing mucus, which causes an emollient, enveloping and expectorant effect, bitter glycoside tussilyagin, tannin, tannins, carotenoids and sterols, are part of the breast collection; In folk medicine, this plant is used for many diseases.

Biologically active substances have a complex effect on inflammatory processes. Coltsfoot is a traditional cough remedy, especially for whooping cough, and also for mucous sputum. Tea from it can facilitate coughing, make viscous bronchial mucus more liquid. It is used in chronic bronchitis, laryngitis, bronchopneumonia, bronchiectasis and bronchial asthma.

Precautionary measures

History of classification

Previously, the genus was understood in a much broader sense. In particular, many species that are now part of the genus Butterbur ( Petasites), formerly belonged to the genus Tussilago:

• Tussilago aquatica George = Petasites radiatus (J.F.Gmel.) J.Toman (1972)- Butterbur smooth, or Butterbur radiant
• Tussilago bohemica Hoppe (1803) = Petasites radiatus (J.F.Gmel.) J.Toman (1972)- Butterbur smooth, or Butterbur radiant
• Tussilago fragrans Vill. (1792) = Petasites fragrans (Vill.) C. Presl (1826)- Fragrant Butterbur
• Tussilago frigida (1753) = Petasites frigidus ()Fr. (1846)- cold butterbur
• Tussilago hybrida (1753) = Petasites hybridus () Gaertn. , B.Mey. & Scherb. (1801)- Butterbur hybrid
• Tussilago laevigata Willd. (1803) = Petasites radiatus (J.F.Gmel.) J.Toman (1972)- Butterbur smooth, or Butterbur radiant
• Tussilago petasites (1753) = Petasites hybridus () Gaertn. , B.Mey. & Scherb. (1801)- Butterbur hybrid
• Tussilago pyrenaica = Petasites fragrans (Vill.) C. Presl (1826)- Fragrant Butterbur
• Tussilago radiata J. F. Gmel. (1792) = Petasites radiatus (J.F.Gmel.) J.Toman (1972)- Butterbur smooth, or Butterbur radiant
• Tussilago rubella J. F. Gmel. (1792) = Petasites rubellus (J.F.Gmel.) J.Toman (1972)- Butterbur rocky, or Butterbur reddish
• Tussilago sibirica J. F. Gmel. (1792) = Petasites sibiricus (J.F.Gmel.) Dingwall (1975)- Siberian Butterbur
• Tussilago spuria Retz. (1774) = Petasites spurius (Retz.) Rchb. (1831)- false butterbur

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Notes

1. For the conditionality of indicating the class of dicotyledons as a parent taxon for the group of plants described in this article, see the section "APG Systems" of the article "Dicotyledons".
2. Kaden N. N., Terentyeva N. N. Etymological Dictionary of Latin Names of Plants Found in the Vicinities of the Chashnikovo Agricultural Biostation of Moscow State University / Ed. V. I. Miroshenkova. - M .: Publishing House of Moscow State University, 1975. - S. 66, 158. - 204 p. - 2050 copies.
3. Oshanin S. L. Return to herbs // Gifts of nature / V. A. Soloukhin, L. V. Garibova, A. D. Turova and others / comp. S. L. Oshanin. - M .: Economics, 1984. - S. 59. - 304 p. - 100,000 copies.
4. Abrikosov H. N. and others. Mother-and-stepmother // / Comp. Fedosov N. F .. - M .: Selkhozgiz, 1955. - S. 185.
5. Blinova K.F. and others./ Ed. K. F. Blinova, G. P. Yakovlev. - M .: Higher. school, 1990. - S. 210. - ISBN 5-06-000085-0.
6. Vibe E.I.// Turczaninowia: journal. - 2000. - No. 3(4) . - pp. 58-63.- UDC 581.9 (571.1/5): 582.998 (Retrieved May 3, 2010)

Literature

• Mother-and-stepmother / T.V. Egorova // Lombard - Mezitol. - M. : Soviet Encyclopedia, 1974. - (Great Soviet Encyclopedia: [in 30 volumes] / ch. ed. A. M. Prokhorov; 1969-1978, v. 15).

• Barkalov V. Yu. Rod Mother-and-stepmother - Tussilago L. // Vascular plants of the Soviet Far East: Lycopsoid, Horsetail, Fern, Gymnosperms, Angiosperms (Flowers): in 8 tons / holes. ed. S. S. Kharkevich. - St. Petersburg. : Science, 1992. - / ed. volumes by A. E. Kozhevnikov. - S. 214. - 428 p. - 850 copies. - ISBN 5-02-026590-X. - ISBN 5-02-026725-2 (vol. 6).
• Gubanov, I. A. and others. 1441. Tussilago farfara L. - Common coltsfoot // . - M .: T-in scientific. ed. KMK, In-t technologist. issl., 2004. - V. 3. Angiosperms (dicotyledonous: dicotyledonous). - S. 505. - ISBN 5-87317-163-7.
• Kirpichnikov M. E. Compositae family, or Asteraceae (Asteraceae, or Compositae) // Plant life. In 6 volumes / Ed. A. L. Takhtadzhyan. - M .: Education, 1981. - V. 5. Part 2. Flowering plants. - S. 462-476. - 300,000 copies.
• Ribbed O.V. Genus 20. Tussilago L. - Mother-and-stepmother // Arctic Flora of the USSR, no. X. Families rubiaceae - composites/ Ed. B. A. Yurtseva. Comp. V. N. Gladkova and others. - M .: Nauka, 1987. - S. 54-61, 179. - 411 p. - 900 copies.

Links

• (eng.): information on the site (Retrieved May 8, 2010)
• : information on the website "Encyclopedia of Life" ( EOL) (English) (Retrieved May 13, 2010)
• : information on the site IPNI(English)

An excerpt characterizing Mother and Stepmother

Denisov took the lighted pipe handed to him, clenched it into a fist, and, scattering fire, hit it on the floor, continuing to shout.
- The sempel will give, pag "ol beats; the sempel will give, pag" ol beats.
He scattered the fire, smashed the pipe and threw it away. Denisov paused, and suddenly, with his shining black eyes, looked merrily at Rostov.
- If only there were women. And then here, kg "oh how to drink, there is nothing to do. If only she could get away."
- Hey, who's there? - he turned to the door, hearing the stopped steps of thick boots with the rattling of spurs and a respectful cough.
- Wahmister! Lavrushka said.
Denisov frowned even more.
“Squeeg,” he said, throwing a purse with several gold pieces. “Gostov, count, my dear, how much is left there, but put the purse under the pillow,” he said and went out to the sergeant-major.
Rostov took the money and, mechanically, putting aside and leveling heaps of old and new gold, began to count them.
- A! Telyanin! Zdog "ovo! Inflate me all at once" ah! Denisov's voice was heard from another room.
- Who? At Bykov's, at the rat's? ... I knew, - said another thin voice, and after that Lieutenant Telyanin, a small officer of the same squadron, entered the room.
Rostov threw a purse under the pillow and shook the small, damp hand extended to him. Telyanin was transferred from the guard before the campaign for something. He behaved very well in the regiment; but they did not like him, and in particular Rostov could neither overcome nor hide his unreasonable disgust for this officer.
- Well, young cavalryman, how does my Grachik serve you? - he asked. (Grachik was a riding horse, a tack, sold by Telyanin to Rostov.)
The lieutenant never looked into the eyes of the person with whom he spoke; His eyes were constantly moving from one object to another.
- I saw you drove today ...
“Nothing, good horse,” answered Rostov, despite the fact that this horse, bought by him for 700 rubles, was not worth even half of this price. “I began to crouch on the left front ...” he added. - Cracked hoof! It's nothing. I will teach you, show you which rivet to put.
“Yes, please show me,” said Rostov.
- I'll show you, I'll show you, it's not a secret. And thank you for the horse.
“So I order the horse to be brought,” said Rostov, wanting to get rid of Telyanin, and went out to order the horse to be brought.
In the passage, Denisov, with a pipe, crouched on the threshold, sat in front of the sergeant-major, who was reporting something. Seeing Rostov, Denisov frowned and, pointing over his shoulder with his thumb into the room in which Telyanin was sitting, grimaced and shook with disgust.
“Oh, I don’t like the good fellow,” he said, not embarrassed by the presence of the sergeant-major.
Rostov shrugged his shoulders, as if to say: "So do I, but what can I do!" and, having ordered, returned to Telyanin.
Telyanin sat still in the same lazy pose in which Rostov had left him, rubbing his small white hands.
"There are such nasty faces," thought Rostov, entering the room.
“Well, did you order the horse to be brought?” - said Telyanin, getting up and casually looking around.
- Velel.
- Come on, let's go. After all, I only came to ask Denisov about yesterday's order. Got it, Denisov?
- Not yet. Where are you?
“I want to teach a young man how to shoe a horse,” said Telyanin.
They went out onto the porch and into the stables. The lieutenant showed how to make a rivet and went to his room.
When Rostov returned, there was a bottle of vodka and sausage on the table. Denisov sat in front of the table and cracked pen on paper. He looked gloomily into Rostov's face.
“I am writing to her,” he said.
He leaned on the table with a pen in his hand, and, obviously delighted with the opportunity to quickly say in a word everything that he wanted to write, expressed his letter to Rostov.
- You see, dg "ug," he said. "We sleep until we love. We are the children of pg`axa ... but you fell in love - and you are God, you are pure, as on the peg" day of creation ... Who else is this? Send him to the chog "tu. No time!" he shouted at Lavrushka, who, not at all shy, approached him.
- But who should be? They themselves ordered. The sergeant-major came for the money.
Denisov frowned, wanted to shout something and fell silent.
“Squeeg,” but that’s the point, he said to himself. “How much money is left in the wallet?” he asked Rostov.
“Seven new ones and three old ones.
“Ah, skweg,” but! Well, what are you standing, scarecrows, send a wahmistg “a,” Denisov shouted at Lavrushka.
“Please, Denisov, take my money, because I have it,” said Rostov, blushing.
“I don’t like to borrow from my own, I don’t like it,” grumbled Denisov.
“And if you don’t take money from me comradely, you will offend me. Really, I have, - repeated Rostov.
- No.
And Denisov went to the bed to get a wallet from under the pillow.
- Where did you put it, Rostov?
- Under the bottom cushion.
- Yes, no.
Denisov threw both pillows on the floor. There was no wallet.
- That's a miracle!
“Wait, didn’t you drop it?” said Rostov, picking up the pillows one at a time and shaking them out.
He threw off and brushed off the blanket. There was no wallet.
- Have I forgotten? No, I also thought that you were definitely putting a treasure under your head, ”said Rostov. - I put my wallet here. Where is he? he turned to Lavrushka.
- I didn't go in. Where they put it, there it should be.
- Not really…
- You're all right, throw it somewhere, and forget it. Look in your pockets.
“No, if I didn’t think about the treasure,” said Rostov, “otherwise I remember what I put in.”
Lavrushka rummaged through the whole bed, looked under it, under the table, rummaged through the whole room and stopped in the middle of the room. Denisov silently followed Lavrushka's movements, and when Lavrushka threw up his hands in surprise, saying that he was nowhere to be found, he looked back at Rostov.
- Mr. Ostov, you are not a schoolboy ...
Rostov felt Denisov's gaze on him, raised his eyes and at the same moment lowered them. All his blood, which had been locked up somewhere below his throat, gushed into his face and eyes. He couldn't catch his breath.
- And there was no one in the room, except for the lieutenant and yourself. Here somewhere,” said Lavrushka.
- Well, you, chog "those doll, turn around, look," Denisov suddenly shouted, turning purple and throwing himself at the footman with a menacing gesture. Zapog everyone!
Rostov, looking around Denisov, began to button up his jacket, fastened his saber and put on his cap.
“I’m telling you to have a wallet,” Denisov shouted, shaking the batman’s shoulders and pushing him against the wall.
- Denisov, leave him; I know who took it,” said Rostov, going up to the door and not raising his eyes.
Denisov stopped, thought, and, apparently understanding what Rostov was hinting at, grabbed his hand.
“Sigh!” he shouted so that the veins, like ropes, puffed out on his neck and forehead. “I’m telling you, you’re crazy, I won’t allow it. The wallet is here; I will loosen my skin from this meg'zavetz, and it will be here.
“I know who took it,” Rostov repeated in a trembling voice and went to the door.
“But I’m telling you, don’t you dare do this,” Denisov shouted, rushing to the cadet to restrain him.
But Rostov tore his hand away and with such malice, as if Denisov was his greatest enemy, directly and firmly fixed his eyes on him.
– Do you understand what you are saying? he said in a trembling voice, “there was no one else in the room except me. So, if not, then...
He could not finish and ran out of the room.
“Ah, why not with you and with everyone,” were the last words that Rostov heard.
Rostov came to Telyanin's apartment.
“The master is not at home, they have gone to the headquarters,” Telyanin’s orderly told him. Or what happened? added the batman, surprised at the junker's upset face.
- There is nothing.
“We missed a little,” said the batman.
The headquarters was located three miles from Salzenek. Rostov, without going home, took a horse and rode to headquarters. In the village occupied by the headquarters, there was a tavern frequented by officers. Rostov arrived at the tavern; at the porch he saw Telyanin's horse.
In the second room of the tavern the lieutenant was sitting at a dish of sausages and a bottle of wine.
“Ah, and you stopped by, young man,” he said, smiling and raising his eyebrows high.
- Yes, - said Rostov, as if it took a lot of effort to pronounce this word, and sat down at the next table.
Both were silent; two Germans and one Russian officer were sitting in the room. Everyone was silent, and the sounds of knives on plates and the lieutenant's champing could be heard. When Telyanin had finished breakfast, he took a double purse out of his pocket, spread the rings with his little white fingers bent upwards, took out a gold one, and, raising his eyebrows, gave the money to the servant.
“Please hurry,” he said.
Gold was new. Rostov got up and went over to Telyanin.
“Let me see the purse,” he said in a low, barely audible voice.
With shifty eyes, but still raised eyebrows, Telyanin handed over the purse.
"Yes, a pretty purse... Yes... yes..." he said, and suddenly turned pale. “Look, young man,” he added.
Rostov took the wallet in his hands and looked at it, and at the money that was in it, and at Telyanin. The lieutenant looked around, as was his habit, and seemed to suddenly become very cheerful.
“If we’re in Vienna, I’ll leave everything there, and now there’s nowhere to go in these crappy little towns,” he said. - Come on, young man, I'll go.
Rostov was silent.
- What about you? have breakfast too? They are decently fed,” continued Telyanin. - Come on.
He reached out and took hold of the wallet. Rostov released him. Telyanin took the purse and began to put it into the pocket of his breeches, and his eyebrows casually rose, and his mouth opened slightly, as if he were saying: “Yes, yes, I put my purse in my pocket, and it’s very simple, and no one cares about this” .
- Well, what, young man? he said, sighing and looking into Rostov's eyes from under his raised eyebrows. Some kind of light from the eyes, with the speed of an electric spark, ran from Telyanin's eyes to Rostov's eyes and back, back and back, all in an instant.
“Come here,” said Rostov, grabbing Telyanin by the hand. He almost dragged him to the window. - This is Denisov's money, you took it ... - he whispered in his ear.
“What?… What?… How dare you?” What? ... - said Telyanin.
But these words sounded a plaintive, desperate cry and a plea for forgiveness. As soon as Rostov heard this sound of a voice, a huge stone of doubt fell from his soul. He felt joy, and at the same moment he felt sorry for the unfortunate man who stood before him; but it was necessary to complete the work begun.
“The people here, God knows what they might think,” muttered Telyanin, grabbing his cap and heading into a small empty room, “we need to explain ourselves ...
“I know it, and I will prove it,” said Rostov.
- I…
Telyanin's frightened, pale face began to tremble with all its muscles; his eyes still ran, but somewhere below, not rising to Rostov's face, and sobs were heard.
- Count! ... do not ruin the young man ... here is this unfortunate money, take it ... - He threw it on the table. - My father is an old man, my mother! ...
Rostov took the money, avoiding Telyanin's gaze, and, without saying a word, left the room. But at the door he stopped and turned back. “My God,” he said with tears in his eyes, “how could you do this?
“Count,” said Telyanin, approaching the cadet.
“Don’t touch me,” Rostov said, pulling away. If you need it, take this money. He threw his wallet at him and ran out of the inn.

In the evening of the same day, a lively conversation was going on at Denisov's apartment among the officers of the squadron.
“But I’m telling you, Rostov, that you need to apologize to the regimental commander,” said, turning to the crimson red, agitated Rostov, the high headquarters captain, with graying hair, huge mustaches and large features of a wrinkled face.
The staff captain Kirsten was twice demoted to the soldiers for deeds of honor and twice cured.
"I won't let anyone tell you I'm lying!" cried Rostov. He told me that I was lying, and I told him that he was lying. And so it will remain. They can put me on duty even every day and put me under arrest, but no one will make me apologize, because if he, as a regimental commander, considers himself unworthy of giving me satisfaction, then ...