Ashik Kerib

"Ashik Kerib" (Russian: Ашик Кериб) is a short story by Mikhail Lermontov written in 1837. Aplin describes its status as "obscure" and appearing to be an "unrevised transcription of a folk tale that was well known in slightly different versions throughout the Caucasus". Powelstock describes it as "what appears to be a transcription, in prose, of a Turkish fairy-tale". Together with his later A Hero of Our Time, Ashik Kerib testifies to the substantial part the landscapes and traditions of the Caucasus played in Lermontov's creative consciousness. "Ashik Kerib" is also part of the 19th-century genre of Russian literature of Caucasus writings (produced at a time when the Russian Empire was engaged in a prolonged drive to acquire the lands south of the Caucasus Mountains).

Kerib, a poor but good-hearted ashik (minstrel) living in the city of Tiflis, is in love with Magul-Megeri, the beautiful daughter of a local rich man. The feeling is mutual, but Magul-Megeri's father would prefer her to marry Kurshudbek, a rather rude but wealthier man who has long has his eye on her. Ashik Kerib makes a deal with her father: he will travel the world for seven years and earn enough wealth to be worthy of Magul-Megeri's hand. If he fails to return or returns with not enough, she will have to marry Kurshudbek.

On Ashik Kerib's way out of the city, Kurshudbek meets him on the road and they travel together for a short while, until they reach a river. There is no bridge, so Kurshudbek tells Ashik Kerib to take off his robe and swim across, he would follow close behind. As soon as Ashik Kerib is in the river, though, Kurshudbek steals his robe and rides back to Tiflis, where he goes to the house of Ashik Kerib's mother and tells her that her son has drowned in the river, offering the wet robe as proof. She weeps bitterly, but Magul-Megeri tells her not to believe Kurshudbek, it is all a trick to make her marry him. For her part, Magul-Megeri flatly refuses to marry Kurshudbek before the seven years have gone by.

Unaware of the drama unfolding back in Tiflis, Ashik Kerib wanders on, traveling from village to village, singing and playing his saz (Turkic lute) in exchange for food and shelter. Eventually he comes to the city of , where he begins playing and singing in a tavern. In Khalaf there is a wealthy pasha who loves music, and many musicians have come to his court hoping for some rewards or gifts, but he is never satisfied with any of them and kicks each one out with no payment whatsoever. But as soon as the townsfolk hear Ashik Kerib, they all urge him to go and play for the pasha, who they say is sure to like him. Ashik Kerib is not entirely convinced, but goes and plays anyway. He sings a song in praise of his beloved Magul-Megeri, and it touches the angry pasha so deeply that he immediately agrees to take on Ashik Kerib into his own house.

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Wikipedia