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 and hold together, each for the other and all for one, so long no enemy will be able to conquer you. But I am certain my brothers, and my soul intuitively senses this, that this is not the last attack upon the solidarity of our community, that there will follow others which in the end will crush our independence, our vigor, and destroy our community. Evil times will come to pass for our nation.”

“Brothers will become strangers to each other, sons will not recognize their fathers and there will begin great quarrels and dissensions throughout our land of Rus which will devour the strength of our people, cause the decay of the whole nation and sell it into bondage. People will be dispossessed, enslaved by their own and foreign oppressors, who will make of them, under a purely despotic system, their obedient and hard-working slaves to do the bidding of their slightest wishes.”

“But sometime during that corrupt period, the people will again recall their ancient system of self-rule, and they will be blessed if they will recall the times and ways of their forefathers quickly and desire once more to make the transition from serfdom to freedom. Fortunate will be they indeed, who will live in those times! They will be great and glorious days, the springtime of the rebirth of the nation.”

“Hand down to your children and grand-children therefore, the stories of the old days and old ways. Let that memory continue to live among them during troublous times, as a glowing ember which does not die in a heap of ashes. The time will come when the spark will ignite and start a new fire! Farewell!”

Old Zakhar sighed heavily, glanced up at the sun, smiled and in a moment was gone.

No one wept after him, neither his sons, his neighbors nor the townspeople, for they realized that it’s a sin to weep for the fortunate. Rather, with felicitous songs they bathed his body and carried him to the Glade of Light, to the ancient