Bela: Kaukaasialainen kertomus

An adventurous traveler from Tiflis finds himself winding up the steep slopes of the Koishaur valley, a place where crimson cliffs meet snow‑capped peaks and a silver river slides like a gleaming serpent through the gorge. The landscape is rendered in vivid detail, from the weather‑worn gorts and grusian shepherds to the curious camel herd that rests beside a dusty road. As the narrator straps a battered suitcase to a team of sturdy oxen, he witnesses a surprising ease with which four beasts haul his heavy load, hinting at hidden strengths in the strange country.

At a remote mountain rest stop he meets a weather‑beaten officer in a faded uniform and a long‑haired Tscherkess hat, a man whose stories of past battles against local gorts whisper of loyalty and danger. Their brief, wordless exchange is interrupted by a noisy swarm of goats demanding a drink‑money tribute, only to be dispersed by the officer’s sharp command. With the night falling and the valley cloaked in mist, the journey pauses, leaving listeners eager to follow the explorer deeper into the mysterious Caucasus.