In a small poor town there lived a close-knit family. From morning to night, the mother worked hard to raise two wonderful sons. The older son was named Anemone. His name meant wind, and the younger one was called Akim.
The father of the older boy loved to wander, cherished freedom and the open wind. That is why he named his son Anemone. One day the father wandered to an old sorcerer who gave him a potion. The potion was so wonderful that it made you want to laugh and be merry.
After long wanderings, when the father returned home, he could not find work in the poor town for a long time. He needed to feed his family. This weighed so heavily on him that he increasingly remembered the potion he had tasted. One day it became unbearable. His hands and feet ached as if they were broken. His head was foggy. Early one morning he secretly fled from his wife and young son. He left only a note on the table: "I'll be back soon!"
But the father never returned to his family because he tried the potion again and disappeared into oblivion. His beloved wife waited for him, shedding tears day and night. Only her son was her comfort.
The baby was very restless and cried much at night. The woman called a doctor for help. The doctor examined the child and said that wings were growing on him, like an angel's, and when they grew, he would fly to heaven. But while they were growing, it would hurt him very much. The doctor prepared a decoction for the pain for the time being. But he said that a stronger medicine was needed.
Years passed. The doctor came to the woman and helped her cope with the boy's illness and household chores. He became very attached to the child and considered him his own son. He had no children of his own, but he wanted to have a family. Soon the doctor married this woman, and they had another son. They named him Akim.
In search of a strong medicine, the doctor experimented with herbs and tested them on himself. But he was suddenly struck by illness, and his last experiment failed. The doctor died before he could find a strong medicine.
In despair, the poor woman went to a terrible old witch. The witch lived on the outskirts of town in an abandoned forest where no one dared to venture. She was very cunning and waited for a victim to come to her through whom she could seize the whole world. The woman asked for only one thing: to save her older son.
Before helping, the old woman told her where this terrible curse had come from.
This is payment for the temptation of his father. He chose "evil joy" for himself instead of his son's happiness.
Do you know where my husband is?
I know everything.
Will he return?
No, foolish woman! He will never return, and his son will soon disappear as well, just like him.
What should I do?! My poor boy, he suffers so!
I will help you, but you must do me a favor.
I agree to anything.
And the witch gave that very potion, "Evil Joy," which the father had tasted. The woman did not know what it was and asked the witch:
What kind of medicine is this?
This is poppy, an ordinary beautiful red flower. But if you prepare it according to a special recipe, it brings joy to the body. Your son will forever forget about pain! But he must take it constantly, otherwise your son will die.
How much does it cost?
Dearly. But if you sell this joy for me to people every day, I won't take a penny from you.
Of course, I agree to help both you and the people!
Take one pouch for your son and the large one for sale. And make sure you come back tomorrow.
The joyful mother ran home to save her son. He did feel better. He was cheerful and carefree. It became so easy for him that he constantly wanted to go on adventures. Soon the son grew up and left home for a long time to wander.
Wandering the streets, Anemone got lost. His body grew tired and suddenly began to hurt as if all his bones were broken. He was overcome with pain and writhed like a snake, asking for help. Passersby who saw him recognized him.
This is the son of the seller of "joy."
People were horrified: why was her son suffering if she was selling such a wonderful remedy.
They brought Anemone home. His mother immediately gave her son "evil joy" and asked him not to leave again.
Then word spread that other people who bought this "evil joy" also suffered.
People became evil and mad. They were ready to kill each other for a small box of poppy. The world turned into chaos. Nothing good and bright remained. People first suffered their whole lives in search of "evil joy," and then died. The evil witch took their souls for eternal torment.
Everyone around began to blame the woman for the misfortunes. They gave her no peace. She promised that she would help these suffering people. They only needed to buy the medicine again, and they would be healed.
But they demanded that she give the medicine to everyone for free.
The poor woman had to sell all her livestock and property to pay the debts to the dissatisfied people. She had nothing left. She came to the old woman again for goods, knowing that no one would buy them anymore.
The woman had to confess to the witch that she had nothing more to pay with. She had sold everything she had.
No, not everything! — hissed the old woman. — Sell me your soul!
How can I sell my soul?! I will die. Who will help my children then? — the woman cried out in despair.
You won't die as long as you do everything I say.
All right! I will do everything you say, as long as my Anemone lives!
The woman took poppy for her son again and a bag for the people and went home.
The witch ordered her to tell all the people that those who try poppy even once will surely go to paradise. She gave it to everyone for free and asked everyone to tell others that they could already take their place in paradise now.
One day, coming home, the woman saw her younger son in cheerful oblivion. She began to shake him, shouting and sobbing:
Why, why did you try poppy?! This is evil! This is poison! My poor boy! My poor children! Woe is me!
The sons Anemone and Akim were surprised.
Mom, you yourself tell everyone that we will go to paradise!
And the woman in despair told all the truth to her children.
Anemone was shocked by the suffering of his mother and all the people on earth.
I don't want to! I don't want people to suffer because of me! I don't want mom to be a liar because of me! Let me not exist, but I won't let you lie anymore!
With these words, he ran away from home without looking back. He ran down the street and shouted to everyone that poppy is evil, bringing pain and suffering. His body ached because wings were growing on his back. People looked at him with amazement and did not believe his words. They saw that he was rising to the sky like an angel, and were sure that he was flying to paradise.
Mom continued to lie for the sake of her younger son and did everything the witch commanded her.
Anemone flew higher and higher into white fluffy clouds. His pain was gone, and he became light as a feather. It seemed to him that this was paradise. He hit something hard. He saw gates in front of him and a fence. Such a beautiful and golden one. And behind the fence was his father. But not the one who abandoned him once, but the one who raised him. Anemone wanted to go to him behind the fence, but strict guards did not let him. They told him to return to earth. Then he approached the fence and called out to his father. He came closer and said bitterly:
I could not save you. I am guilty before you. But now I know everything. I know why people suffer on earth. I want to help you. Listen to me. I can no longer return to earth, but you can. And you must tell people how to be saved.
And save your brother and mother.
And the father told him how to defeat evil on earth and heal people.
When I left this earth, I flew over the city of Arbash. I saw how one healer cured a boy of a pain attack. He also gave him a book in which prayers are written to be saved from the desire to try poppy. You must find this healer and ask him how to help people.
Anemone rushed like the wind across the world in search of the healer. He found him quickly and wanted to approach him. But the healer passed through him.
He doesn't see me! How?
And he flew to his loved ones to tell them what he had learned.
Imagine his surprise when he saw his lifeless body, over which his mother and brother were sobbing.
How? I'm dead!
He flew over the earth and heard the cries and groans of unhappy people. And he understood that this was real hell. He could not fly to heaven. The gates were closed before him, and his promise to his father was unfulfilled. Anemone sadly watched his brother go to sleep. And his mother stroked his head all night.
When Akim fell asleep, he saw Anemone in a dream. And he told him everything he knew. Akim woke up and joyfully told his mother that he had seen Anemone and talked to him. But his mother did not believe him. Then the next night Anemone came up with the idea to draw a picture and write where to find the healer who could help them. And he quietly put it on the mother's table.
The mother was surprised by the picture and set out to find the healer. She found him in one of the shelters. He gave everyone some kind of decoction and read an old book over them, making them repeat prayers after him.
Please help my son! — the woman pleaded.
I can help, but complete healing depends on your son.
What should he do?
He must learn the prayers from the book and read them to the end without stumbling, until he stops burning with the desire to try poppy.
And what do you give to the sick? Where can you get it?
This is an ordinary herb from which oil is made. I burn it and evaporate it. I get medicine. But...
But what? — asked the woman.
This herb gives temporary relief, and then the medicine must be drunk again and again. And sometimes it doesn't help at all, and the sick ask to give them poppy again.
What should I do?
Healing is within us. Poppy controls our body. And our soul desires healing. To help it, an ancient book with wonderful prayers has been given. They give strength to our will. The main thing is to believe in your own strength.
The woman copied the book and the recipe for the decoction. With hope, she set off home.
Akim felt better from the decoction. And he became addicted to it. And he could not read the book. He was still small and did not have a strong will. He did not want to read and study. Because of this, his will weakened, and he was overcome by the desire to try poppy again.
Anemone appeared to him in a dream and asked him to make an effort to study, because his life and happiness depended on it. One day Akim indulged in "evil joy" so much that he found himself between heaven and earth, barely touching the ground. He saw Anemone again. Anemone asked him to return to earth and never do it again. He scolded him, was offended by his younger brother and asked him to become a good son again for the sake of their poor mother.
Akim saw him, but could not hear him. Anemone understood that Akim had become completely weak-willed and could not control himself. Anemone was afraid that his brother would also be doomed to eternal wandering between heaven and earth, like himself, to watch the eternal suffering of people and have no way to help them.
Anemone wanted to reach his mother. She could not hear him. Her soul was sold to the witch.
He decided to go to this witch and asked to exchange his soul for his mother's soul, and also to help them see each other and talk one last time.
The witch was cunning and wanted to seize the souls of all people. She knew how to make the woman return her soul. So she agreed.
When the woman came again at her request, the witch deceived her and persuaded her to sell her soul again. In return, she would see her older son one more time. Anemone understood everything and asked his mother not to sell her soul under any circumstances, otherwise she would not be able to help Akim and everyone who is sick with poppy addiction.
When the witch began to lure the soul from the woman, she refused her, saying that she would not come again because she no longer needed her services, because she herself knew how to save her son.
The witch became darker than a cloud and raised a whirlwind over the earth. She threatened to destroy the crops and exterminate all people. But the woman gathered her will and was not afraid. The witch's power weakened. Everything became quiet. In fact, it was just an old woman who feeds on the weakness and fear of people. She had no more strength than that if no one was afraid of her.
The woman returned home, full of strength and will, with a desire to save the whole world. Anemone gave her strength. He gave her all his love and desire to help the world. His love for the world became as strong as his mother's love, which was ready to destroy the whole world for his sake alone. Anemone's mother told people all the truth about "evil joy" and that she had to lie to people by order of the evil witch.
At her son's request, she copied several copies of the ancient book with prayers and gave them to people so they would also read. She herself constantly read the lines of prayers on the streets and to her son. So he was able to memorize and learn all the prayers by heart. He remembered them even in his sleep. And he liked this activity. He developed a desire to read, as well as write and draw, as if they could live with his brother a happy carefree life.
All people, as if enchanted, repeated these magical words, composed music and sang songs with the words of prayers. Common grief united people, and they began to think together about how to overcome it. There were many other exciting activities that brought people, especially children, much pleasure.
And everyone around began to notice how the world was changing, as if an unknown force from above was helping them. People with a magical spell freed themselves from the curse and the desire to try "evil joy" for a fleeting pleasure. And the evil witch burst with anger, because there were no more people who did not know about her evil intention to seize people's souls.
All medicines began to be kept away from children under strict prohibition.
