You my poplar in the red headscarf

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Kyrgyz postage stamp with a motif from "You my poplar in a red headscarf"

You my poplar in a red headscarf ( Topolëk moj v krasnoj kosynke ) is a novella by the Kyrgyz writer Tschingis Aitmatow . The love story was first published in 1970.

Content of the story

The truck driver Ilyas receives an order from his superior to drive a delivery to a collective farm . He is reluctant to accept this assignment, as he much prefers to travel the long distance over the Tianschan Mountains to China and is on his way. Already almost at the destination he gets stuck with his car. When the handlebars also jam, he has to crawl under the truck to solve the problem. Shortly afterwards, a girl named Asselj appears who wants to help him. Ilyas falls in love with her and manages to persuade her to ride a bit in his truck. After this encounter he likes to go to the kolkhoz and hopes to meet her - with success. Asselj also falls in love with Iljas, but she is a little more reserved and does not reveal much about herself. Iljas feels very comfortable during these short meetings and does not want to lose them. But then he learns that she has been promised to a distant relative and is supposed to marry this stranger. This stroke of fate makes Ilyas sad. He goes back to the kolkhoz and confesses his love to her. Asselj also admits that she loves him and does not want to marry her relative. Ilyas suggests that she drive away and they begin a new life together. Asselj's parents are very offended and disinherit her.

The couple lived happily together for a while. They have a son whom they call Samat and who love more than anything. But this happiness does not last forever. Iljas gets in trouble at his workplace because he wants to prove to his colleagues and superiors that you can cross the very high Dolon Pass with a trailer on the truck. But he fails. After this defeat, Ilyas no longer likes to be seen by his colleagues. His pride is hurt and his relationship with his wife deteriorates. He begins to drink and has a relationship with Kaditscha, his superior. When Asselj learns of this relationship one day, she leaves her husband. Ilyas goes away and works with Kaditscha elsewhere.

A few years later he would like to return to Asselj and his son. While driving over the Dolon he had a minor accident under the influence of alcohol and was taken home by Batemir, the road foreman. There he learns that Asselj is married to Batemir. It is not Ilyas' first meeting with the road master. A few years ago he had towed Batemir's truck with a daring drive over the Dolon Pass and thus helped Batemir out of an emergency. Asselj and Iljas try not to show anything. However, Baitemir realizes that Ilyas is his wife's first husband. Batemir's first wife and two daughters were killed in a snow avalanche in the Pamirs while fighting as a soldier in World War II. Batemir now fears losing his second family as well. But he decides not to prevent Asselj from returning to Ilyas. Iljas also tries to convince Asselj to come to him with Samat and start all over again, but Asselj does not agree. He sees his son a few more times, but when he realizes that he has failed, he finally withdraws.

Adaptations

In 1978 a film (Turkish: Selvi Boylum Al Yazmalim) was made about the love story in Turkey. From September 2011 to June 2012 the story was also shown as a series on the Turkish private broadcaster ATV.

expenditure

  • Juri Elperin (translator): You my poplar in the red headscarf . Unionsverlag 2003 (new edition), ISBN 978-3-293-20251-1 .
  • Hartmut Herboth (translator), Juri Elperin (translator) Love stories: Dshamilja / You my poplar in a red headscarf / eye to eye . Unionsverlag 2006 (new edition), ISBN 978-3-293-20373-0 .
  • Rudolf Kowalski (speaker), Günter Lamprecht (speaker): You my poplar in a red headscarf . Der Audio Verlag 2003, audio book (CD, 2:37 hours) ISBN 3-89813-256-0 .

Web links