You can find the history of the creation of these dolls in the previous article "A fairy tale told in dolls (Preface)".

Cloud Maidens.

Part 2. (Fairy tale - ballad.)

    In ancient, immemorial times, when the earth was very young, and miracles were found in its forests, waters and mountains, in the early spring in the morning three travelers, three good fellows, three brothers got lost in the dawn fog ... They knew the local people from childhood, but only in the fog they seemed to have become strangers ...

⠀ And there were brothers, I must say, they were smart in their minds, and they were too fine with themselves - they were tall and mighty, with a good face, and, most importantly, they were friendly with each other and with everyone else they were honest and kind-hearted ...

⠀ And the three of them wondered, as if someone was whispering in the midst of the fog, but all about them ... One gentle breeze will blow quietly in the face: “honest”, another will rumble from the side by a stream: “okay”, the third will rustle foliage over the ear: “good”.

⠀ Someone amuses themselves with them, looks into their eyes like a mist, and sees the very soul in them ... And as if on purpose he does not let go. It is only unknown whether it is good or not. So the brothers were forgiven enough, and it was already beginning to take on their fear. But then the sun came out, and the fog began to dissipate. And when he completely disappeared, the travelers saw a familiar path, and on that path ...

⠀ Three young maidens ... of unprecedented beauty - light and light, as if woven from the fog of the past, in thin shirts! Yes, such that my husband does not even look a trace. Droplets grew, in light brown braids there were spring flowers, and in big eyes the color of the rain sky was funny.

⠀

The guys were taken aback - what a miracle. They stand and cannot utter words.

⠀ Then the first maiden came forward, looked at the fellows. She held him on one, raised her finger in gold and seemed to beckon them, smiling.

Lada

⠀ “Well done, good fellows,” her voice sounded as light as a spring breeze, “Do you know who we are?

⠀ The brothers were silent, finding no answer.

⠀ Another maiden came forward, again, glancing at all the fellows, fixed her gaze on one. She smiled and beckoned with her golden finger.

Lelya

And she said iridescently, as if a trickle murmured:

⠀— My sisters and I are called the cloud maidens. Have you heard about us?

⠀ The two older brothers stood as if spellbound, not wanting to take their eyes off the smiling maidens. So the junior answered for everyone:

⠀— You came out of the fog, so you are akin to water, forest and pitchforks-mermaids ... Only here they say that cloudy maidens sit in the sky, from the clouds they weave rain-thunderstorms. I have never heard of them walking in the woods ... - he says, while he himself is looking out for the third maiden for the sisters.

Lesya

⠀ She moved forward too. She skirted the sisters, approached her younger brother, so close that she breathed that familiar coolness of the dawn fog. And the maiden first plunged a long look into his eyes, and then lowered her eyelashes, stretched herself forward and ... Near his ear, the young man heard a voice, quiet, like the rustle of leaves:

⠀— The truth is yours. We do not show ourselves to people, and there is no trace of us being here at this hour. We are especially busy with spinning in the spring - you can see it in our hands. Yes, only ... - the maiden moved away a little, again raised her eyes to the guy, and her fingers in gold slipped into his big palm, - it hurts you to our hearts. Both in appearance and in their essence are so good that we, the cloud maidens, could not disappear with the fog. Luba you have become to us ... - hesitated a little and added, - Did we scare you? .. Do not be afraid.

⠀ The maiden fell silent in embarrassment, and fingers twitched from her hot palm. Yes, only the fellow did not let them in on his own ...

At the call of the heart

⠀ Because the virgins were so wonderful that they also entered the souls of the brothers. And they did not think, what kind of divination happened over them, or it could really happen that the divas of heaven liked the men of men. The fellows just trusted what the hearts were whispering.

⠀ And since then, earthly brothers began to make friends with heavenly sisters, they met in the forest all spring. The virgins danced and laughed, and the guys played the pipe and told them jokes. And what words they spoke to each other in private, what gifts they brought - then fogs are hidden from prying eyes.

Well, how summer came, and it was time for people to come to an agreement about weddings, the fellows told their father, to whom they had given their hearts ...

⠀ Only the father was not happy about this ... He had joy - three sons, three daring, mighty fellows. And he already looked after the brides, okay, good-looking, from good parents. I thought that the weddings would be celebrated by rank, the family would continue, grow ... And then there is no trouble - not only that all three fathers disobeyed. Not enough for them, you see, earthly girls - they coveted in heavenly ones. So they can also completely disappear from their stupid love - it's hard to think of what will happen when Perun himself finds out who became his spinner? Probably the thunderer will not be happy ...

A harsh lesson

⠀ The father was very angry, or maybe he was more afraid for his sons. Only he did not accept any words from them. And when he heard that it was starting to rain, he ran into the field and began to call in the hearts of Perun. So that he forgave his negligent children, but the cloud maidens would let them go ...

⠀ Apparently, the fatherly call was strong ... Perun himself, mighty and great, descended from heaven, listened to the old man, kept silent and answered him like this:

⠀ - That's really a miracle ... It's good to see, men, since the heavenly maidens fell in love with them ... Therefore, I will tell you so - I will not punish your sons. Yes, only ... they themselves punished themselves - having fallen in love with the cloudy girl, they can never get rid of that love. Therefore, there is no peace from such love ... As there is no fruit from it ... Cloud maidens, eternal spinners, spin rain and lightning from cloud towers. Those rains pour down on the earth and give life to the earth, and the earth lives and gives birth to a new one ... And apart from such a life, the virgins themselves cannot give another - because on earth there are earthly laws, but in heaven they are heavenly. And mixing them is not a trace of anyone. It never happened that men of men marry cloud maidens. And this will never happen again ... So your sons will live their days in the May and the restless, and your family, therefore, will not continue. So it will disappear, as it never happened ...

⠀ — How so, Perune! - in the hearts of the father lamented. “You are glorious, mighty and just, but your virgins themselves seemed to my sons ... The guilt is on them, and we have to suffer all our lives?

⠀ The Thunderer grinned sadly and answered:

⠀ “If the cloud maiden loves someone, then this love will never end ... Your sons will suffer to death, and my spinners are immortal, so eternal torment awaits them ... Is the punishment enough?

⠀ Father was dumbfounded. He felt scared. He said quietly to himself:

⠀— Isn't it too harsh, Perune?

⠀ And I heard:

⠀ - Maybe sternly ... Yes, others have a lesson ... Let your sons come tomorrow to the place where they met with the virgins. They will all keep the answer ...

⠀ He said and ascended into the sky, as if he wasn’t here ... Only among the wet grass were the charred glades from the perun's boots left to smoke ... And father, neither alive nor dead from grief, went home ...

Sentence

⠀ And in the morning, when the fog descended from the forest edge, which was loved by the brothers, appeared to them, waiting, not only the cloud maidens, but also the great Perun himself ...

⠀ The thunderer was gloomy, and the maidens were pale and sad.

⠀ The fellows were also sad ... Because they knew the words of Perunov, retold by their father, and did not expect anything good.

⠀ So they stood and were silent, only the views intertwined in pairs and did not let go of each other.

⠀ Not a breath of a breeze, not a murmur of a stream, not a rustle of foliage, with a booming thunderclap, the words sounded:

⠀ “There has never been such a thing in my memory that the immortal heavenly maidens became nice to human men ... Even though I see that my spinners have chosen worthy fellows ... Come, daring ones! They were not afraid of Perun ... Only there should be no weddings between heavenly and earthly. That is not my law - life itself! Your age is short - they are immortal. You can't go to heaven, but they can't live among people. You should carry your seed and continue your family in children, pour life on the earth with heavenly waters ... You do not have a common destiny, and there is no common happiness.

⠀ Everyone was gloomy with every word, well done, and tears were quietly rolling down the girl's pale cheeks ... And which of them fell to the ground, sprouting at bare feet in small blue flowers ...

⠀ And Perun continued:

- I love my spinners, and I see they love you. Therefore, even though you may not be together, I thought, and put in your torment to ease your forgetfulness, if you wish. My virgins have eternal life, a long memory, I can't help them like that. And you just say, and you will forget forever that you met the cloud maidens in the dawn fog ...

⠀— No! - that's all the brothers said.

⠀ And wet girlish eyelashes shuddered from this “no”.

⠀ Yes, and Perun himself seemed to be saddened by such an answer. He was silent for a little and said:

⠀— Well ... No, no, no. Then say goodbye ... You will never meet again. This is the law ...

⠀ And the thunderer disappeared. And the virgins approached the fellows. Each looked into the eyes of her beloved, smiled, almost like on that spring morning of their first meeting. Only now there were no laughs in the eyes of the color of the rainy sky ... Each hugged her fellow and kissed her, barely touching her lips with cool lips. And the third, the most daring, touched her younger brother with her wet cheek a little more ...

⠀ Then all three pulled back and froze, looking into the eyes of their loved ones ... The guys held their hands, and each hoped that he could master, hold, and not let go ...

⠀ Yes, only their loved ones were cloud maidens ... And like clouds they suddenly began to float away, melt, until they completely melted ... Only golden traces of girls' hands remained on the palms ...

⠀ And only the quiet birds saw at that hour how powerless fellows fell to their knees in powerlessness, how strong backs hunched over, curly heads drooped from bereavement. And tears flowed down the handsome courageous faces ...

Earthly life

⠀ And then it started to rain ... It was pouring without a cloud, sparkling with drops in the sun's rays. And for some reason the sadness receded ... And when it ended, just as soon as it began, the brothers looked at each other with surprise ... It was strange for them to be on the forest edge soaked in the summer sun ... What are they doing here? Suddenly noticing small blue forget-me-not flowers in the grass, the fellows looked at each other, thought, as if trying to remember something distant, like something that happened, but long ago and completely forgotten ... Only they did not remember anything.

⠀ And they never knew now that the past rain, along with tears, washed away the memory of love, which could become an eternal torment for each of them ... Then the cloud maidens begged Perun to free his loved ones from their bitter fate.

⠀ The good fellows returned home cheerful, unwanted, and everyone wondered why the father was looking at the sky for a long time, then at themselves. And he seemed to want to ask something, and as if he didn’t dare ...

⠀ Yes, even a strange thing, since then, all three of them had the habit - they went to get married - it was raining, weddings were celebrated - it was raining, children were born - it was raining again ... Who would have thought - what a rock, but otherwise the brothers' life was in happiness and rest ...

⠀ Only occasionally, bending over blue summer flowers, did the brothers freeze for a moment ... And then all the other men of their long family tried to grasp in their memory a thin thread that connected these small flowers with something big and important. Yes, only with this ...

Eternal love

⠀ And what about the cloud maidens? And the eternal cloud maidens have a long memory. Even though they were honored to regret and save Perun from unhappy love ... Because at their work they seemed to be cheerful and carefree, as before ... But all the same - as soon as the rain began, the maidens saw their loved ones in its streams. With bated breath, they looked at the familiar faces, at the happy eyes, and they immediately felt both joyful and bitter ...

⠀ They saw meetings with brides, and merry weddings, and the birth of first-borns ... And the end of the life of each of the brothers, and their continuation in a succession of descendants ... Days, years, centuries passed. And once upon a time it began to seem to the virgins that the long line of their loved ones had become native to themselves. As if they lasted like this, like the foremothers who gave it a beginning once, having rid their loved ones from the memory of their bitter, unrealizable love ... That made them happier and calmer. And now they smiled, looking into the heavenly waters ...

⠀

And only when the virgins danced, their faces were thoughtful and attentive, as if they saw the eyes of their loved ones on the bright forest edge from ancient times, when the earth was very young ...