Tashkent “bread- city”

26. At the next train station, Mishka tries to sell his father's jacket, which he's been wearing the whole time. Trofim acts as a shill, trying to bid up the prices. They manage to get a good price for the jacket and buy some bread. The eat a portion of the bread under the open steppe sky. For the first time in a while, they feel satisfied and happy.

27. At the next station, soldiers kick everyone off the roof of the train and forbid anyone to board. A group of three peasant men (Pyotr, Sidor, and Ermolai) has been waiting for five days to get on a train. They decide it's useless to wait any longer. They set off on foot for Tashkent. They are accompanied by some women, a young girl, an old man, and a soldier with a wooden leg. Mishka and Trofim decide to tag along after them.

2 8. Mishka, Trofim, and the rag-tag assemblage trudge off across the barren steppe, following the train tracks. After many miles, the adults despair of every reaching the next station. To comfort himself, Mishka pops a crumb of bread into his mouth. The adults see this and turn on him. Things are about to get ugly when suddenly a train approaches.

Everyone scrambles, trying to jump on board the moving train. Trofim makes it. The old man falls down the railway embankment. Mishka tries to leap aboard, but misses, falls, and is knocked unconscious.

29. Ermolai, Pyotr, the wooden-legged soldier, the woman, an young girl--all having failed to get on the passing train--continue trudging on. The old man, left behind, allows his mind to wander lovingly to thoughts of his home land. And with these happy thoughts on his mind, he dies.

30. Mishka regains consciousness and sees that he is alone and abandoned in the middle of nowhere. He suffers a temporary panic attack, then pulls himself together and continues trudging on in the direction of Tashkent.

Eventually, Mishka--exhausted and fighting the urge to lie down and die--reaches the next station. It is small and not many people are there. Mishka eyes the few Kirghiz there suspiciously, fearing that they intend to do him harm. As night falls, Mishka finds an old booth to huddle up in.

During the night a rain storm begins. A train arrives at the station. Mishka runs through the wind and pouring rain to the train. But all the doors are locked and he can't get aboard.

The train engineer, named Kondratev, appears. Mishka gets down on his knees and begs for mercy. Kondratev doesn't say anything and walks away. Mishka climbs up onto the locomotive and presses himself against the metal to keep warm.

B y morning the rain stops. Kondratev finds Mishka on the locomotive. Mishka again begs for help, saying he just has to get to Tashkent where some relatives are waiting for him.

The engineer invites Mishka to ride with him in the cabin. After the train gets underway, the engineer treats Mishka to some warm water and bread. Mishka is bursting with thankfulness.

At the next station, Kondratev tells Mishka that the locomotive has to undergo a few minor repairs. But he promises to whistle for Mishka when he's ready to continue.

Mishka spends the day wandering around the station, which is filled with the same type of misery as all the other stations. Night falls. Mishka begins to fear the Kondratev tricked him and will not take him any further.

31. In the morning, Kondratev and his locomotive come out of the repair shop. Kondratev takes Mishka aboard, and again they set out toward Tashkent.

Kondratev again treats Mishka to food and hot water. In thanks, Mishka offers Kondratev his knife as a present. Kondratev tries to refuse the gift, but Mishka insists.

That night, Mishka, sleeping in the locomotive cabin, dreams of home and his mother.

The next morning, the train arrives in Tashkent. Mishka bows deeply and repeatedly to Kondratev, thanking him for his assistance. As he leaves the station, Mishka discovers that his knife is back in his pocket--Kondratev evidently slipped it back in when Mishka was sleeping.

Mishka sets off into the mysterious city. He is surprised to see sick and hungry people here, too.