HAPPINESS

In the sprawling expanses of the steppe, under the broad sky where stars slumber and the Milky Way stretches out, two shepherds, an aged, toothless man and a young one with thick eyebrows, guard their flock of sheep. Beside them stands an overseer from a large estate, a figure of grave demeanor, engaging with the shepherds in hushed, reflective conversation. They share tales of fortunes buried beneath the earth, treasures hidden away, lost through time yet whispered about among those who tread the vast, open lands. The elder shepherd spills into the night air stories of old Yefim Zhmenya, reputed for consorting with dark powers and the malicious infliction of diseases upon his fellow villagers. Yefim’s death left behind tales of unclaimed treasures, watched over by enigmatic forces, accessible only to those holding ancient talismans.

The narrative weaves through the summoning of long-gone epochs where treasures amassed during imperial endeavors and Cossack plunderings lay dormant under the soil, evoking images of a land steeped in histories untold and riches untouched. The overseer, skeptical yet stirred by the lore, contemplates the impossibility and futility of seeking out these legacies. As the dawn breaks, shedding light on the boundless expanse that is their world, both shepherds and overseer part ways, left to ponder the elusive nature of happiness and fortune.

The conversation, laden with myths of hidden wealth and spectral guardians, unravels against the backdrop of the vast Russian steppe, a testament to the timeless saga of man’s pursuit of meaning and prosperity. The young shepherd, bewitched by the night’s tales, queries the elder about their next quest for treasure, unwittingly marching towards the endless cycle of hope and despair that man’s greed for wealth engenders. As they move with their flock under the vast, indifferent sky, the chapter leaves us to ponder on the human condition – our endless pursuit of happiness, often sought in the physical, yet lying in realms beyond our grasp.