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While the neighbors were wrangling over the affair, each suing the
other, it happened that a perch-bolt from Gavryl's wagon was lost; and
the women of Gavryl's household accused Ivan's son of stealing it.
They said: "We saw him in the night-time pass by our window, on his way
to where the wagon was standing." "And my kumushka [sponsor]," said one
of them, "told me that Ivan's son had offered it for sale at the kabak
[tavern]."
This accusation caused them again to go into court for a settlement of
their grievances.
While the heads of the families were trying to have their troubles
settled in court, their home quarrels were constant, and frequently
resulted in hand-to-hand encounters. Even the little children followed
the example of their elders and quarrelled incessantly.
The women, when they met on the riverbank to do the family washing,
instead of attending to their work passed the time in abusing each
other, and not infrequently they came to blows.
At first the male members of the families were content with accusing
each other of various crimes, such as stealing and like meannesses. But
the trouble in this mild form did not last long.
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