"Don’t Shoot White Swans" by Boris Vasiliev, summary Automatic translate

The book was created in 1973. It brings together various stories by the author, the central one being the tragic story of the simple-minded forester Yegor Polushkin, who died while protecting nature from poachers. In 1980, director Rodion Nakhapetov made a successful feature film based on the title story.

The book combines several works by the writer.

Ivanov’s boat

Captain Ivan Burlakov helms the tugboat "Bystry." The vessel navigates northern rivers. Ivan is a man of the old school. He is taciturn, stern, and demands iron discipline from his crew. The captain lives only for his work. A young cook, Yelena, works in the galley. She is a modest and hardworking woman. Ivan has long harbored deep feelings for Yelena. The captain is afraid to confess his love. He considers himself too old and unattractive for a young woman.

One day, the boat’s crew is renewed. A new sailor, Sergei, is sent aboard. This young man has a striking appearance and a quick tongue. Sergei is used to getting what he wants easily. He immediately notices the pretty cook. He begins to actively court Elena, giving her small gifts and telling her stories about the capital. She melts under Sergei’s pressure.

A romance blossoms between the young people. An oppressive atmosphere hangs over the boat. Ivan suffers silently. The captain becomes even more stern and demanding during the crew’s shifts. Sergei quickly realizes that the hard work of a riverboat worker is not for him. He has no intention of tying his life to the boat and Elena. At the first opportunity, Sergei signs off to shore. He leaves to look for easier work in the city. Elena grieves over her lover’s betrayal. She stays to work on the boat. Ivan tactfully supports Elena. The captain hopes that time will heal her emotional wounds.

Don’t shoot white swans

The action takes place in a small village. The protagonist is Yegor Polushkin. His fellow villagers have given him the offensive nickname "Troublemaker." He takes on any job, but can’t hold down any for long. Yegor does everything conscientiously, very slowly and with passion. He decorates buildings with carvings instead of quickly nailing together planks. While digging a trench, he makes a curve several meters long, saving an anthill.

Kharitin’s wife constantly scolds Yegor. She’s unhappy with her husband’s lack of money and practicality. The only person who understands Yegor is his son, Kolka. The boy inherits his father’s love of nature. Kolka has a keen eye for beauty in the world around him.

Yegor’s brother-in-law, Fyodor Ipatych Buryanov, works as a forester. He’s a cunning and resourceful man. He built a sturdy, five-walled house — a large wooden house. Fyodor Ipatych constantly exploits the forest for his own personal gain. He illegally cuts down trees and poachs.

A new forester, Yuri Chuvalov, arrives in the village. He rents a room from the Buryanovs. Chuvalov quickly notices violations on the part of Fyodor Ipatych. The forester fires Buryanov. Chuvalov sees Yegor Polushkin’s honesty. The forester appoints Yegor as the new forester.

Yegor is transformed by his new position. He receives a government-issued cordon — a special building for forest guards. He begins to zealously guard the forest entrusted to him. Yegor pays special attention to Black Lake. Swans used to live there, but humans exterminated them.

Yegor goes to the city. He buys a pair of swans with his own savings. He brings the birds to the village and releases them onto Black Lake. He dreams of restoring the former beauty of this place. He hopes the birds will thrive and produce offspring.

One day, local men plan to fish on the lake using explosives. Fyodor Ipatych is among them. The poachers stun the fish and kill the new swans. Yegor hears the explosions and runs to the lake. He catches the perpetrators in the act.

Yegor tries to stop the poachers. The men attack the forester, brutally beating Yegor. The battered hero is left lying on the shore. He is soon found and taken to the hospital. Doctors try to save Yegor’s life, but his injuries prove too severe. Yegor Polushkin dies in his hospital bed.

The very last day

District police officer Semyon Kovalev is preparing for retirement. His last day on duty is approaching. Kovalev makes his rounds in his area. The policeman knows every resident by sight. He understands the intricacies of neighborly relationships.

Kovalev helps a lonely elderly woman. He visits troubled families. The local police officer holds long conversations with teenagers. He tries to protect young people from a life of crime. Semyon devotes himself entirely to his work.

Evening falls. Kovalev returns to the police station. He hands over his service weapon. He walks home along his usual route. In a dark alley, he notices a suspicious man. The police officer recognizes him as a dangerous repeat offender, wanted by the police.

Kovalev rushes to apprehend the criminal. The police officer engages in a fight with the armed bandit. Semyon doesn’t have a gun. The criminal fatally stabs the policeman. Kovalev dies on his last day on the job.

Who are you, old man?

Kasyan Nefedovich Glushkov is left a widower. His old house is slated for demolition. The old man moves to the city to live with his son. His daughter-in-law gives him a cold reception. Glushkov feels out of place in his city apartment. The old man leaves his son’s home.

On the street, Glushkov meets Bagolyub, a lonely elderly man like himself. The old couple join forces in search of a better life. They set off on a journey through familiar places. They travel to the village to visit distant relatives.

Elderly people encounter indifference everywhere they go. Relatives are preoccupied with their own concerns. No one cares for the elderly. State social services offer the elderly the opportunity to move into a nursing home. The heroes realize the hopelessness of their situation. They resign themselves to their fate and accept the offer.

The Magnificent Six

The action takes place at a summer pioneer camp. A camp counselor enthusiastically tells children stories about the Red Cavalry. Six teenage boys are inspired by these stories. They want to become real horsemen.

At night, the teenagers escape from the camp. They make their way to a meadow on a neighboring collective farm. Work horses are grazing there. The boys steal six horses. They ride the animals across the fields until they are completely exhausted.

Towards morning, the teenagers drive the tired horses into a deep forest ravine. The boys tie the animals securely to trees with thick ropes. The boys secretly return to camp. They tell no one about the night’s incident.

A severe heat wave sets in. The horses are tethered in the forest. The animals can’t reach grass or water. The farmers organize a search for the missing herd. The boys remain silent for fear of punishment. A few days later, the horses die painfully from thirst and hunger.

Bullfighting in great order

The story is told from the perspective of a patient at a village hospital. The man lies in a ward with a broken leg. He entertains his neighbors with a comical story about the events on his local state farm.

The farm housed a huge breeding bull named Fugas. The animal had an extremely aggressive nature. One day, Fugas broke free from his pen. The enraged bull began charging across the farm grounds.

People fled in panic. Workers hid from the bull on the roofs of buildings and in tall trees. The narrator ran for cover in an old vegetable storage facility. The wooden walkway gave way under his weight. The man fell into the basement and broke his leg.

State farm chairman Valentin Lukyanovich found a way out of the situation. He filled out the paperwork and sold the aggressive bull for export. The explosive was shipped abroad in exchange for hard currency.