Andrzej Mularczyk’s "Countrymen" (Summary)

"Countrymen" (1967) is a comedic novella by Andrzej Mularczyk. The work details the lives of two warring Polish peasant families. The conflict between the Pawlaks and Karguls survives World War II. Relocating to new western lands, the families consciously occupy neighboring plots. The Pawlaks categorically refuse to live near strangers, preferring a proven enemy.

The story gained widespread recognition thanks to its successful film adaptation. Director Sylwester Chęciński adapted it into the film "All Our Own" (1967). The film was a huge box office success in Poland. The film’s stunning success sparked the creation of a popular comedy trilogy. Audiences praised the work’s lively humor.

The Return of the American

On a hot summer day, Kazimierz Pawlak’s family barely fits into their black Chevrolet. The door reads "Taxi No. 1." The car is stuck right at the edge of a meadow. The driver tries unsuccessfully to start the sluggish engine. The passengers’ tension quickly mounts. Kazimierz makes a drastic decision to abort the trip. He shouts, "To hell with this driving! Get out!" He orders his wife Maryna, his eldest son Witold with their infant granddaughter Anya, and his student Pavlik to walk. The entire family hurries through the tall grass. Hearing the whistle of a locomotive, they quicken their pace.

On the platform at Rudniki station, the Pawlaki family encounters a lonely elderly man. It’s Kazimierz’s older brother, Jan. He left Poland almost forty years ago. He speaks with a strong English accent, constantly interjecting foreign words. The brothers embrace tightly after a long separation. A crowd of touched onlookers gathers around. A local, plump man named Kekeshko loudly rejoices at the warm welcome of his fellow countrymen.

The story of an old feud

Kazimierz leads his guest into his spacious brick house. The building is covered with durable asbestos slate, a modern fireproof roofing material. The guest inspects the polished wardrobe and brand-new radio without the slightest enthusiasm. Only old postcards catch his attention. Images of Detroit are hidden behind a blackened household icon. Kazimierz solemnly declares the house to be joint family property. Jan steadfastly refuses such a generous gift. The American declares his firm intention to bid farewell to his family before his imminent death. The old man asks for a sack of soil from his native Kruševniki. He plans to pour this soil onto his American grave.

Jan bitterly recalls the true reason for his long-ago emigration. He left his homeland because of constant bloody quarrels with his neighbor, Kargul. Old Kargul maliciously cut off the tail of the Pawlaki mare with a sickle and threw it in old Kacper’s face. Later, the neighbor brazenly grabbed a few centimeters of another man’s land with a plowshare. Young Jan struck Kargul with a sharp scythe, seriously wounding his enemy in the ribs. Fearing imprisonment, he hastily fled his home village. Before his long departure, Jan swore a terrible oath to his father. He solemnly promised to hate the Kargul family for the rest of his days.

Journey to new lands

While inspecting the yard, Jan discovers a terrifying truth. Kazimierz has quietly settled in next to Wladek Kargul. The neighbors had long since made peace. The American categorically refuses to believe his own eyes. Wladek Kargul appears near the low fence and politely greets the visiting guest. In a fit of rage, Jan punches Kazimierz in the face. Kazimierz loses his felt hat and can barely stay on his feet. Trying to calm the indignant American, Kazimierz immediately lunges at Kargul with heavy fists. Wladek is genuinely perplexed by this sudden aggression. He indignantly says, "You, Kazimierz, would be better off picking on your woman than bothering people." Jan silently walks off into the open field. Kazimierz catches up with his brother at the old quarry.

Kazimierz recounts the story of their difficult journey in detail. In the spring of 1945, the Pawlakis traveled for a long time in a cramped freight car. Along with them were a skinny mare and the pregnant Marynia. Grandmother Leonia carefully guarded the treasured bag of lace-making soil. Son Vitya nimbly climbed onto the roof of the slowly moving train. In the distance, he spotted Kargulya, a cow with a broken horn. Kazimierz immediately stopped the train. He confidently occupied an empty white house next to an old enemy. The first days after the devastating war brought long-awaited peace. Neighbors drank pure alcohol in a wooden barn and vowed to forget the old borders.

Minefield and a short truce

The fragile peace collapsed after three short days. Kazimierz was carefully inspecting the new farmland. Among the abandoned military tanks, he spotted a cow named Muchka. Kazimierz roughly chased the animal away with a heavy club. The cow scurried heavily into the depths of the plot and suddenly struck a hidden German mine. Wladek loudly accused his neighbor of deliberately killing his valuable livestock. The men began arguing furiously again over the boundary line. They fought fearlessly right in the middle of the dangerous minefield, greatly risking their own lives.

Late that evening, Kazimierz devised a bold plan to clean up the contaminated area. He ordered his son to quickly fetch a can of gasoline. He doused the dry wheat generously and set the edge of the field on fire. Bright flames instantly engulfed the dry stalks. Dozens of powerful, deafening explosions echoed. The fire successfully detonated hidden anti-tank mines. The terrified Kargul and Pawlak families rushed to escape the flying clods of heavy clay. They were forced to spend several long hours together, sheltering in a deep stone cellar.

Division of property

The newly established lifestyle created fresh grounds for heated conflicts. Vitya masterfully broke in a wild trophy stallion. Kargul demanded a bicycle wheel and a cat in exchange for the thoroughbred. The fluffy cat had been specially brought from central Poland in exchange for two sacks of choice wheat. The animal caught all the mice in the neighboring barn with astonishing speed. Vladek began tying the cat to a strong rope. He regularly fed the animal fresh cow’s milk on his private property.

Kazimierz was deeply outraged by such impudence. He resolutely grabbed his rifle. Wladek returned fire from his own window. The neighbors exchanged a series of dangerous shots, splintering the wooden doorframes. The local mayor, the village leader with a deep scar on his forehead, had to resolve the armed conflict. The official delivered a stern, compromise verdict: the cat must faithfully catch mice for three days at each neighbor’s house. The pet was obliged to spend weekends and holidays with the mayor.

Love and an unexpected find

The constant paternal feud didn’t bother the young couple at all. Vitya looked for any convenient excuse to talk to Yadka, the young daughter of his neighbor, the Kargulys. He constantly helped the attractive girl pull a stuck bucket out of a deep well. The young man spent hours secretly admiring his beautiful neighbor. Kazimierz regularly scolded his adult son for these prolonged glances. Vitya slyly and cunningly defended himself to his angry father. He confidently claimed that his gaze on the Kargulys was solely to fuel his intense class hatred.

A cool, rainy autumn dawns. Kazimierz and Vitya rhythmically swing their hand flails in the barn. The tools bounce high above the golden grain. The men are diligently threshing the rich harvest from eight hectares of land. Neighbor Wieczorek drops by and asks to try out the threshing tool. He swings awkwardly and accidentally hits the wooden flail against a solid brick wall. The tool makes a strange metallic ringing sound. The old man listens carefully and hits the same spot again. Kazimierz immediately orders an iron pickaxe to be quickly brought. The men enthusiastically break down the barn wall, revealing a large metal object hidden inside.