Once up on a time there was a land where brave, strong Narts lived. Their number was small, and they chose short lives and great battles to remain undying among people. But they didn’t know that there was no truth and everlasting life in battles, killings, and boldness. They thought they were perfect, and they didn’t want to develop themselves. When the Narts got too conceited about their fame, God punished them. They became even less than they were before, and there was no trace left of their glory. Troubles broke them down.
Fortunately, there were three elves in the land of the Narts. Their names were Tim, Ilya, and Adelina. They were beautiful little creatures. Tim and Adelina had bright eyes and bright hair, and Ilya was dark-eyed with dark hair. The elves were lively and merry and often helped honest and hard working people. They were able to grant any wish as far as to create a mess. Therefore, it was better to treat them well. The Narts respected the elves.
Tim, Ilya, and Adelina lived in a small nice house in the forest. They didn’t eat meat and loved animals, especially, cats. The elves believed that cats were mediators between the heaven and the earth. They even had a song devoted to their pets:

A woreda-woreda, a woreda-rau!
This is Klodette,
Our furious cat.
Her son’s name is Mike,
He’s really a knight.
His daughter is Liza,
The hottest as spices.
And Khoma is fat,
He’s always so glad.
We also have got
Intelligent Blonde.
It’s careful Duckling,
She’s kind and smiling.
And Khriza is fluffy
And thick as a muffin.
It’s not the full list
Of our nice kids.
A woreda-woreda, a woreda-rau!

So, the life of the elves and their cats was quite and secluded. But one day the Narts invited them to the Council called the Khase. The Narts considered the elves to be their last hope. Tim, Ilya, and Adelina knew about the troubles of the Narts and saw the real reasons.
Tim: Do you think it’s possible to help them?
Ilya: Why not? It’s worth a shot.
Adelina: But the Narts are too proud and don’t want to acknowledge their weaknesses.
Tim: Besides, they don’t like cats and don’t let them live in their houses. No wonder that good things don’t come to them.
Ilya: We’ll give them a chance to redeem themselves.
After some arguments the elves went to the Khase. When they came, they saw the greatest Narts that gathered there. The oldest of the Narts, Warzameg, came out in the middle of the Khase.
Warzameg: Dear Narts! Troubles rained down on our land. We suffer from dragons, monsters, snakes, giants, robbers, traitors, and many others. And no one can help us but the elves.
Then he applied to the elves.
Warzameg: Dear elves! We know about your magic force. Our Narts became weak and cannot attack the enemies.
Ilya: We can see your problems and agree to help you. But dragons, monsters, and giants come for a reason.
Tim: You are to understand this reason and to teach lessons, but not only to wait for help.
Some of the Narts didn’t like the overconfidence of the elves. Anyway, it was decided to trust them to do the task. It was the beginning of the elves’ adventure in the land of the Narts.

There was a village in the land of the Narts that suffered from a dragon. It lived in a pit in the forest. The Narts gathered an army and went there. But the dragon was stronger and destroyed their army. So, winning the dragon became the first task of the elves.
Tim: Dragon… Sounds interesting. I can’t imagine how we shall win it.
Adelina: We can handle anything if we find a right approach.
Ilya: What approach should we find?
Adelina: An old man and his old peevish wife live in this village. Even the neighbors who hear her unpleasant voice are afraid of her. She keeps her husband in fear, and he never talks back to her.
Ilya: What do you mean?
Adelina: I think he isn’t able to stand her anymore. She will help us to win the dragon, and we will help the old man to get rid of his wife.
The elves went to the house where the couple lived. Tim, Ilya, and Adelina told the woman a story about the pit.
Adelina: There is a wondering pit in the forest. It’s very deep and large, and there are so many treasures there.
Tim: It’s too bad that we haven’t got a rope.
Ilya: But if you give us a rope, we can go there together to get down in the pit.
The wife thought for a minute.
Wife: Of course, we’ll give you a rope! But it’s too late to go to the pit. Have a rest here for this night, and tomorrow we will go there.
The elves stayed with the family for the night. As soon as the guests had supper and went to bed, the wife came to the husband.
Wife: The elves will steal our treasures if we don’t go there tonight. We’ll take a rope and go to the pit without them.
The wife and the husband took a rope and went to the forest. But the elves were not sleeping, either. They knew that the greedy wife would like to go to the forest without them and followed the couple. At last, they reached the pit. But the wife didn’t want anybody to get into there.
Wife (to the husband): How can I trust you with this case? You are so silly! I’ll get into the pit on my own. And you just stay here.
The wife tied herself with the rope, gave it to the husband, and went down. As soon as she pulled down, the husband thought, “It’s my chance! Stay alone with your treasures!” He left the rope and ran away, and the elves stayed in the forest. Suddenly they heard a plaintive voice out of the pit, “Help! Save me from her!”
Adelina: Things are going smoothly. The dragon is crying.
The elves ran up to the pit and threw the rope down.
Adelina (to the dragon): Come on! We’ll help you!
The dragon took another end of the rope, and the elves got him out of the pit. He lay down on the ground and began cowering in fear.
Tim: What’s happened! What’s frightened you so?
Dragon: I was born in this pit. I never meant to leave it. But an awful old woman landed on my head. She began beating me. She wanted to crush me. Oh, my God! You saved me. How can I thank you?
Ilya: We need nothing. But you should promise us to go back to the land of the dragons and never to come back here. People suffer from you. Otherwise, we’ll return you into the pit to this old woman.
Dragon: Oh, no! I’ll never come back here! Ok! I’m flying away.
The dragon disappeared. From that day forward, no one could see him anymore. The inhabitants of the village were very happy. And the husband thought, “It’s hard to imagine what my wife would do to me if she was able to turn out the dragon”. So, he decided not to get her out of the pit.
Ilya (to the elves): Don’t you have pity for the old woman? She has stayed alone in the pit. She needs to eat.
Tim: It’s inhumane to leave her without food and drinking.
Adelina: I’ve got an idea. Let’s give her a chance to become creative and to provide herself with food.
Tim: What do you mean?
Adelina: I mean to teach her to use a hydroponic method of growing plants in the pit.
Tim: I’ve heard about it. It’s a method of growing plants without soil by, instead, using mineral nutrient solutions in a water solvent. You can grow plants even in a pit without the sunlight.
Ilya: There are different types of hydroponics: deepwater culture, nutrient film technique, aeroponics, wicking, ebb and flow, drip system.
Adelina: Then, she will need special reservoirs built of plastic and other materials, including concrete, glass, metal, vegetable solids, and wood.
The elves brought down into the pit everything the woman needed for growing plants. As far as she wanted to eat, she learnt the new hydroponic method and contributed to agricultural development in the land of the Narts.

There was a monster in the land of the Narts. He had oxen, sheep, cows, and goats. He sowed wheat and gathered harvest. But he was evil and liked troubling people. Nart Khimish, father of Bataraz, decided to go to the monster to disable him. When the elves knew that Khimish was going to go to the monster, they came to help him.
Ilya: Khimish, don’t go alone. The monster is too strong.
Tim: We’ve got a plan how to make him leave this land without the use of force.
Adelina: But we’ll have to work for him.
Khimish: Work for the monster?! Never going to happen! I am a great Nart.
Ilya: It will be just a trick. Trust us! It will work.
Adelina: Khimish, put your pride away for some time, please.
Tim: It’s necessary for our task.
The elves persuaded Khimish to go to the monster together. When they came to the place, the monster was plowing the field.
Ilya: Oh, great monster! We are ready to work for you. Just leave us at your house.
Monster: Who do I see? The great Nart Khimish and the elves. Ok, I’ll get you to work on me. I don’t know when else I’ll find such workers. But if you work and feel angry with me, I will eat you. If I feel angry with you, I will give you my domestic animals and my land and will go away.
So, the monster let Khimish and the elves live in his house. Khimish wasn’t happy about that but he said nothing.
The next morning the monster sent his workers to sow wheat. But in the morning he put two bags of wheat on the oxen and said them, “When you start crossing the river, stop in the middle and stay. Khimish and the elves will feel angry”.
After the breakfast Khimish and the elves drove the oxen to sow the wheat. But when they reached the middle of the river, the oxen stopped and refused to move.
Ilya: The silly monster overloaded them and rubbed their necks.
Khimish and the elves removed the bags to the oxen backs and squeezed their necks. And then the oxen moved. Khimish and the elves sowed the wheat and came back to the monster in the evening. At home the oxen told the monster everything. He was angry but didn’t show that.
It was time to eat in the evening. Before sitting at the table the monster said to Khimish and the elves, “Sit down on the benches but neither wooden nor clay nor stone”.
Khimish and the elves looked at each other.
Khimish: The boss is testing our patience.
Tim: It’s a good situation to train self-control.
Adelina: And to show ingenuity.
Ilya: Then, let’s sit down on our hats.
Khimish and the elves put their hats off and sat down on them. While the monster was eating one dish, Khimish and the elves had eaten all the other dishes on the table. The monster looked annoyed but he was silent.
The monster didn’t like the new workers and he wanted to get rid of them. He came up with a plan. “Today you are to work until a cuckoo cuckoos”, the monster said to Khimish and the elves. Then he told his mother to climb a tree and to cuckoo. But Khimish and the elves took a wooden stake and knocked her down from the tree.
Monster: You’ve knocked my mother down!
Tim: We thought that she cuckooed ahead of time. Is it worth feeling angry because of such a trifle?
But the monster was in rage.
Adelina (to the monster): Do you remember our deal? If you feel angry with us, you will give us your domestic animals and the land and will go away.
The monster was sneaky and didn’t want to go away. Khimish and the elves decided to trick him. They started to close doors and windows in the house.
Monster: What are you doing?
Khimish: We are closing the doors and the windows not to let you go away.
Ilya: You won’t leave this place alive.
Tim: We’ll catch you!
After hearing those words the silly monster got scared and ran away. The elves pretended to run after him.
Ilya: Don’t let him go away!
Tim: He won’t! I have set up a trap.
The monster got more scared and began running away even faster.
Adelina: You see! To win a monster, it’s enough to keep calm.
Khimish: Well, it’s nice. But what shall the Narts do now? They have weanned off growing wheat. They can only fight.
Ilya: We’ll teach them how to grow harvest grains in their backyards.
Khimish: But it’s impossible!
Tim: You are wrong. The truth is that an average backyard is enough to grow a bushel of wheat.
Khimish: But what about special equipment?
Adelina: It’s the second myth. Grains are usually harvested with a scythe, but you can also cut the stalks down with pair pruning shears or a hedge trimmer.
Tim: After spreading the seed, lightly rake the area with a hard metal rake to mix it into the surface layer of soil.
Khimish: What are the next steps?
Ilya: Harvest the grains when the stalks are just beginning to go from green to brown. Cut them just above the ground, then tie the stalks into bunches with twine, and let them dry for about two weeks.
Tim: When the grains had been dried, collected, and cleaned, store them in a cool dark place and grind the grains by means of a mill.
Khimish: But why not a blender?
Ilya: Our grandparents used only mills. They saved healthy properties of the grains.
Adelina: Oh, it’s so difficult! Girls don’t like working in the ground. Men will take over this. I know they can do this.
Ilya: Adelina is in her usual form.
Adelina: Not usual but natural as the ground that feeds us.
Khimish: And what about cattle: cows, sheep, and others?
Ilya: The Narts need super modern cattle farms with solar powered systems.
Khimish: What are these?
Tim: These are 28 kW photovoltaic systems that have solar panels on the shed roof.
Adelina: They will let generate clean electricity, because solar energy is free.
Ilya: The shed fans and misting equipment will be installed inside to keep the cattle cool in the specially adapted bedding areas.
Khimish: But it’s very expensive.
Ilya: Well, the capital cost of the shed will be a smart investment.
Thanks to the elves’ advice each family in the land of the Narts began growing harvest in the backyards and building solar powered farms. There were no longer monsters that exploited their land.

One day armed robbers came to the land of the Narts and settled down in the middle of the forest behind the river. Nart Shauey, son of Kunzh, tried to make them go away. But the robbers were stronger, and Shauey asked the elves for help.
Shauey: The robbers steal our cattle and goods. We can’t win them. There are too many of them.
Tim: They can’t be overwhelmed by the physical force.
Ilya: There is another way. First, we’ll need a bag of flour and a circle of cheese by the morning.
Adelina: Ok, I’ll do.
Shauey: But what are you up to?
Ilya: You’ll know soon.
In the evening Adelina prepared a bag of flour and a circle of cheese. And the next morning Shauey, Tim, Ilya, and Adelina went to the river near the forest where the robbers lived. The river was broad and deep. At that moment one of the robbers came up to the shore.
Robber: Hey, you! I’ve recognized you. You are Shauey and the elves. What are you doing here!
Ilya: We are trying to cross the river. Help us!
Robber: Fat chance! Are you joking?
Ilya: Ok, let’s make a bet! If you prove to be stronger, we’ll carry you across the river. If we prove to be stronger, you’ll carry us.
The robber took a shore stone and pulverized it. Then Ilya took a bag and threw flour out of it. Then he said to Tim, “Take the cheese and eat it now”. Tim took the cheese and ate it.
Ilya (to the robber): You see what we have done with the stones! Can you eat a stone or throw dust out of it? No, you can’t! So, we have won!
Shauey was amazed. “I would never mind to trick that way”, thought he.
The robber set the elves to the neck and carried them across the river, and Shauey walked beside them.
Ilya: Now lead us to your camp.
Robber: But why should I lead you there?
Ilya: Just lead us and keep quiet!
Shauey, the elves, and the robber went to the camp. The comrades of the robber wondered to see the guests.
Comrades (to the robber): Why have you come back with the Nart and the elves?
Robber: The elves and Shauey were so strong that made me carry them across the river and then ordered to lead them to the camp.
Comrades: Ok! We will leave them at the camp to kill them at night.
In the evening the robbers invited Shauey and the elves for dinner. Shauey, Tim, Ilya, and Adelina dug out a pit under the table and furtively threw the wastes into it. The robbers thought that the guests ate all that food. “If they stay here for some more days, they will leave us without food”, thought the robbers.
After the dinner they led Shauey and the elves to the guest house. They decided to cover the house with stones through the chimney as soon as the guests would fall asleep.
At night Adelina heard strange sounds and woke Shauey, Tim, and Ilya up. They climbed the overhead beam and slept there all night long. In the morning they called the robbers.
Ilya: There was stone hail at night. Take rakes and clean the house! The robbers didn’t like that Shauey and the elves were ruling them, but they could say nothing. They considered them to be very strong. So, the robbers took rakes and cleaned the house.
Then the guests and the robbers gathered in the meadow, and the elves started telling fairy tales. But the robbers interrupted them.
Robbers: Let’s play tag! If you catch us, we’ll do what you say. If we catch you, you’ll do what we say.
Ilya: Ok! But we won’t run. Our younger brother will run, instead. He’s sitting there in the bush.
The robbers stole up to the bush, and a hare ran out of it. But the robbers couldn’t catch it. Ashamed, they came back.
Robbers: Let’s fight! If you win, we will go away and will never come back to the camp. If we win, you will leave the camp.
Tim: Ok! But we won’t fight. Our middle brother will, instead. He lives there in the cave.
The robbers went to the cave in the forest, and a large bear came out of it. He caught one of the robbers and dragged him away in the cave. Then the other robbers implored for clemency.
Robbers (to the elves): Please, ask your brother to give our comrade back.
Adelina: Ok! We’ll ask him. But you will all leave this land, as you promised.
The robbers agreed.
Shauey (to the elves): But how shall we convince the bear to let the robber go?
Ilya: Don’t worry! It’s easy.
Adelina (to the robbers): Look! Our brother is very angry. It’s very hard to negotiate with him. Just run into the forest, and he will come out of the cave to run after you. Then we’ll free your comrade.
The robbers called the bear and ran away. The bear ran after them. Shauey and the elves went into the cave and freed the robber. He was scared so much that ran away, too. The robbers thought, “If this is the elves’ middle brother, then the elder brother would be even more terrible”. So, they left the land.
Then Shauey and the elves stayed alone in the cave.
Shauey: What a nice cave the bear has got!
Tim: It could become a good idea for incredible cave homes.
Shauey: Cave homes? But the Narts never had cave homes. Are they comfortable?
Ilya: They are comfortable and have a lot of advantages. Cave homes are ecologically friendly and 80-percent cheaper in terms of power and heat consumption, compared to conventional dwellings. You need to run no heating or cooling.
Adelina: Besides, cave homes have no water bills thanks to a natural spring.
Tim: To normalize humidity, you need an industrial desiccant.
Perhaps, it’s the most important item of expenditure. But it’s worth it.
Ilya: Rocks are also a good sound barrier. And there is only one side to protect, instead of four.
Tim: And cave homes also have a unique monolithic design with no sharp corners.
Shauey: But there are a lack of the natural light and a risk of rock collapsing in case of an earthquake.
Ilya: You can install a large south-facing window so that the natural light comes in the cave home. There are also constructions that can minimize the impact of earthquakes.
Shauey: Now, we must leave because the bear will come back soon. We’ll find other caves for our design solutions.
Shauey and the elves left the cave. Then they gathered the goods that the robbers stole and returned them to the Narts. The elves shared their idea concerning cave homes with the Narts, and soon young architects in their land started constructing cave homes.

There were traitors among the Narts. Led by Totresh, son of the witch Barymbukh, they were engaged in horse theft. The elves decided to stop them. Those evil Narts often went hunting, and one day the elves followed them to the forest. When they came to the middle of the forest, they found their camp. The evil Narts saw the uninvited guests.
Narts (to the elves): Hey, shorties! What are you doing here? We are at hunt. You don’t belong here!
Tim: Oh! We have sought you for many years just to be among the great Narts. We will serve you, prepare food, guard the equipment when you are at hunt.
The Narts looked at each over, followed discussions, and decided to leave the elves at the camp. Next morning the Narts went hunting. When they were out of sight, the elves went to look for a new camp place.
Ilya: I don’t think the Narts will catch prey. I’ve warned animals in the forest to hide.
Tim: The Narts will come back hungry.
Adelina: Let’s pick berries, fruit, nuts, and mushrooms. It’s inhumane to kill animals even at hunt. Let the Narts get used to vegetarian food.
They prepared a tasty vegetarian dinner for the Narts. In the evening the Narts came back to the camp with empty hands and were surprised to see excellent meal for dinner.
Totresh: What is this?
Ilya: Oh, great Narts! We went into the forest to look for a new comfortable place to sleep. Then we met four strangers that were sitting in the meadow with that meal. They asked us what we were doing there, and we confessed that we were accompanying the great Nart Totresh and his warriors at hunt. The strangers jumped out of their seats and ran away in fear. So, we took their meal.
Totresh: You see how great we are! Our names plug enemies into nightmare.
Narts: But we want meat, not berries and fruit.
Adelina: Vegetarian food is good for you. You should care of your health.
As far as the Narts were very hungry, they had dinner and went to sleep. Next morning they went hunting again. The elves went into the forest, picked berries, fruit, nuts, and mushrooms, and prepared dinner again. In the evening the Narts came back to the camp. They were hungry and exhausted. The elves repeated yesterday’s story and the Narts believed in it. On the third day the Narts went hunting again.
Tim: Seems like they have gone away.
Adelina: Now it’s time to act.
Ilya (started praying): Oshkhomakho, God’s adobe, the happiness mountain! Send wind, snow, and cold in here! I’m asking you!
Blizzard began to whirl, strong wind whistled, it began snowing. Meanwhile, the elves spread the fire. At midnight the Narts came back to the camp. They froze and wanted to get warm. The elves met the Narts near the fire, and the Narts started to thaw out.
Tim (to Totresh): While the great Narts sleep, we will guard their horses at the stable. But let me saddle your horse to ride fast between the camp and the horse stable.
Totresh: Sure! Take it. I trust you.
After the Narts went to sleep, Tim saddled Totresh’s horse and together with Ilya and Adelina rode to the stable.
Tim: While they are sleeping, we will steal the horses to return them back to the village. And the evil Narts will stay in the forest alone with wolves.
Tim, Ilya, and Adelina stole the horses and left the evil Narts in the forest. In the morning the Narts awaked wondering what was wrong. There were neither the horses nor the elves. But they saw giant wolves that encircled them. The fate of the evil Narts became unknown.
Meanwhile, the elves were discussing the new victory.
Adelina: We need to protect the Narts against horse theft.
Tim: And it’s better to eradicate it at all.
Ilya: I think it’s time for the Narts to step off horses and to start using public transport.
Adelina: But the Narts haven’t got any public transport but a village minibus with a driver that is always in rage in the morning.
Ilya: It’s a good reason for building a high-speed railway to link the Nart villages.
Tim: There would be new tracks specially constructed for high speeds, allowing a maximum running of at least 250 km/h.
Ilya: Key technologies would include tilting trainsets, aerodynamic designs (to reduce drag, lift, and noise), air brakes, regenerative braking, engine technology, and dynamic weight shifting.
Adelina: And no need to stand in the heels at the bus station for hours.
So, that was the beginning of the railway construction in the land of the Narts.

There were seven giant brothers in the land of the Narts. They were one-eyed and strong and lived in a large cave behind the forest. The Narts were afraid of them. The giants needed slaves, and one day they stole the mother of the Nart Shuzhey, son of Khyzh. Shuzhey couldn’t save her alone, that’s why he went to the elves.
Shuzhey: The giants stole my mother. She lives in their cave and prepares food for them every day. When they don’t like the food, they beat her. She lives in pain and I can do nothing.
Ilya: We’ll go there to free your mother.
Tim: Your mother won’t live in slave.
Adelina: We’ll find the way to win the giants.
Shuzhey, Tim, Ilya, and Adelina went to the cave where the giants lived. When they came into the cave, there were no hosts. But the elves saw a woman who was preparing food. Shuzhey was glad to see his mother again. She recognized her son, too.
Woman: Oh, my son! You’ve come here! But it’s dangerous. The giants will come back soon.
Shuzhey: Don’t worry, Mum! The elves know how to win them.
The elves looked at the table that was fool of meal.
Tim: Before attacking the giants, we’d like to eat. We are so hungry!
Woman: But what shall the hosts say? They will be angry.
Adelina: It’s ok! People of this land are hospitable.
Woman: But these are giants, not people.
Ilya: I think they won’t be happy with us anyway. We’ve got nothing to lose.
That was a powerful argument, so the elves and Shuzhey ate all the food on the table. After the dinner they heard sounds.
Woman: That must be the giants!
She was right. The seven giant brothers appeared on the threshold. When they saw the unwanted visitors, they were in rage and decided to crack them down.
The first giant: Oh, Nart Shuzhey! You’ve come here to save your mother, and you’ve taken the elves with you. It’s good. Now we’ll have even more slaves.
Shuzhey and the elves couldn’t run away because the giants blocked the threshold. It was no good to attack them, they were able to kill Shuzhey and the elves with one blow.
Shuzhey: What shall we do?!
Adelina: I know. They are very curious. I’ll interest them.
Adelina cried out to the eldest giant.
Adelina: Look! We were told that the seven giant brothers were the smartest in the world. That’s why we’ve come here.
The first giant: That’s what the truth is. We are really very smart.
Adelina: Then guess a riddle that no one can guess. There was a mutton. His hind legs stood behind the Indyl (the great river), and his front legs stood in front of the Psyzh (the great river). An eagle came flying and took the mutton into his mouth. He whirled a little and sat on the horns of the old goat. The eagle suddenly dropped the mutton into the goat’s eye. “Here is mud in my eye”, said the goat. Then a goatherd took a wooden shovel and got the mutton out of the goat’s eye. After that, the goatherd’s mother came, took the mutton home, and left it in front of the fence. At night a fox came to steal it. But the Narts heard the sound, ran up, and banished the fox. The goatherd’s mother came, took the mutton away, and brought it to her little baby. Now, there is a lot of talk among the elves and the Narts about which one of them was bigger and stronger: the mutton, the eagle, the goat, the goatherd, his mother, or her little baby. Wise giants, tell us which one of them was bigger and stronger.
The first giant: Of course, the mutton.
The second giant: It’s not truth. The eagle took the mutton into his mouth. So, it’s bigger.
The third giant: That’s enough of this foolishness! What about the goat?!
The fourth giant: Shut up! It was clear that the goatherd was the biggest.
The fifth giant: You lie! The goatherd’s mother was stronger.
The sixth giant: You are so silly! The fox was the biggest!
The seventh giant: No, they are not! The baby was the strongest?!
The first giant: The mutton!
The second giant: The eagle!
The third giant: The goat!
The fourth giant: The goatherd!
The fifth giant: The mother!
The sixth giant: The fox!
The seventh giant: The baby!
The giants started to fight while Shuzhey, Tim, Ilya, and Adelina were laughing at them. The giants got passionate about the battle, fell apart, and left the cave. They forgot about the Narts and the elves and never came back. That was the way Shuzhey and the elves won the giants.
Woman: What a mess after the giants! How shall we clean the house?
Adelina: I know! We need a cleaning steam generator for home use.
Woman: What is this?
Tim: It’s cleaning equipment with a reliable boiler of high quality durable copper.
Ilya: Copper has got advantages. It quickly responds to temperature fluctuations, expands when heating, and returns to its original setting when cooling.
Adelina: Thanks to this, the boilers don’t suffer from a temperature difference, and the raid inside easily leaves them through the drain.
Tim: Hot steam under high pressure copes with grease, soot, rust, street dirt, parasites, mites, and their larvae.
Adelina: I guess there is only one disadvantage: a price of doing business.
Tim: Cleaning steam generators for home use are much cheaper than industrial ones.
Woman: I think the life of the housewives must become much easier. Shuzhey and his mother returned to the land of the Narts with a steam generator, and the Narts never suffered from giants.

One day one of the Narts decided to marry. The way to the land where his bride lived was very dangerous. But in spite of that, he went there with his friends. After coming to the place they feasted, had a rest, took the bride, and set out to the way back. But when they reached a valley, a large snake blocked their way.
Snake: Give me this girl. Otherwise, you will all die in this valley.
The Narts were afraid. They gave up the girl and ran away. When they came back to their village, people were confused because of their shame.
Nart Ashamez, son of Asha, decided to save the girl and brought along the elves. Together they went to the land where the bride was lost. On the way there they were talking.
Adelina: That was a bloody disgrace to give up the bride! The Narts have lost the honor and the courage.
Ashamez: Something has gone wrong in their evolution.
Ilya: Do you think so? And I think something was wrong from the very beginning. Their honor was always in horse theft, sana-drinking, and bridal snitch.
Tim: How can they protect their women and their families in this way? They are always in military campaigns and think only about their battles.
Adelina: And women need creators but not stupid donkeys that leave them at the snake lair.
Ashamez: Unfortunately, you are right. It’s a sad thing to admit.
Suddenly Ashamez and the elves met an oxen drover. Three girls were sitting in his cart and were crying.
Ashamez (to the drover): Why are they crying?
Drover: A river that leaked in our land and gave us life was blocked by a large snake. We sacrifice three girls to the snake every day. But nothing helps. These girls are the last ones in our land.
Ilya: Turn back and send them home. We’ll help you.
At first, the drover didn’t believe but then he turned back. Ashamez and the elves went further. But there wasn’t a soul in the land. Soon they met a goatherd.
Ilya (to the goatherd): Hello! Why are you alone?
Goatherd: Hello! This is an unfrequented place. And it is dangerous for you.
Ashamez: Why? We’ve come with peace. And where should we move on?
Goatherd: Go straight and you’ll come to the place you need.
They went straight and came to a small house. An old woman lived in this house.
Adelina: Hello! Tell us, please, why is it so quiet here?
Woman: There were a lot of travelers here. But no one of them has come back. There is a snake that lives in the valley. A lot of the Narts tried to win its guard. But it was no use. If you do this, then the land of the Narts will be free.
Ashamez and the elves stayed at the woman’s house for the night. The next morning they got up early and went to the place where the snake and its guard lived. The snake saw them and cried out.
Snake: Who are you? Why are you here?
Ashamez: We’ve come to compete with your guard.
The snake agreed and the herald declared the competition to be opened.
The first test was tag. Tim and one of the guardians took part in this tag. They got started and ran. But Tim ran up to the finish the first.
The second test was throwing up the stone. The second guardian threw it up for some miles. And Ilya removed it over the valley.
The third test was archery. The target was seven eggs on the rock peak. Adelina knocked all the eggs down, and the arrows of the third guardian didn’t reach the target.
The fourth test was to stick the competitor in the ground. The fourth guardian stuck Ashamez in the ground to the waist. Then Ashamez stuck the guardian in the ground to the neck.
The snake was disappointed with its guard and was in rage.
Ashamez (to the elves): It doesn’t look friendly.
Adelina: What shall we do now?
Ilya: I’ve got an idea. We need a wagon and blackthorn.
Tim: Let’s run back to the woman’s house. She will give us all we need.
Ashamez and the elves ran back to the old woman’s house, asked for a wagon, and filled it with blackthorn. They went to the valley again while the snake was lying in the river. It wanted to get revenge and was absorbing the water. Then the snake was ejecting the water which was like fog. When the fog cleared, Tim shot the arrow in the snake’s eye, Ilya shot the second arrow in another eye, and Adelina threw blackthorn in its mouth. Then Ashamez ran up to the snake and cut its head off. The Narts were saved from the snake, and all the captured girls and brides were free.
But the land of the Narts faced another problem. The land suffered from water scarcity after the snake. The elves found a solution of this problem.
Ilya: The Narts need a modern irrigation system that is popular in water scarcity areas.
Ashamez: What kind of system?
Ilya: Drip irrigation. Water is applied in the form of drops through nozzles which are attached to tubes to irrigate limited area around the plant.
Tim: There are two types of drip irrigation: surface and sub-surface irrigation. Surface is a short-life span system, sub-surface is a long-life span system. In sub-surface irrigation mechanical harvesting is easier, that’s why it’s more efficient.
Adelina : This method is quite expensive and requires technical knowledge.
Ilya: There is also a pot irrigation method that is used in areas of low rainfall.
Tim: In this method pitchers are fixed in the ground up to the neck. These pitchers are filled with water.
Ilya: Holes are made in these pitchers, and water is applied to the nearest soil through these holes by seepage.
Tim: Normally, the distance between the pitchers should be kept in such a way that the humid area of pitchers may not join.
Adelina : However, there are some disadvantages. It’s not suitable for all the crops. Water in the pitchers should be clean, otherwise, it may block the holes.
Ashamez: Anyway, the Narts have got significant space for modifying the irrigation system.
At last, after winning the snake the modern irrigation systems appeared in the land and the Narts could provide the ground with water.

One day the Narts arranged sana-drinking. It was a magic drink they liked. A lot of famous Narts gathered at the event. One of them, Bataraz, came to the sana- drinking on his quick overseas horse. Bataraz got down and tied the horse near the guest house. The Narts feasted until midnight. Then the nearest guests went home and the farthest ones stayed.
Early in the morning one of the guests came out to the yard and saw a nice colt near Bataraz’s horse that had given birth at night. The man took the colt and brought it into the stable. Then he told everyone that an old horse from the stable had given birth to the colt. But Bataraz understood that it was his horse. Of course, the Narts knew that but they decided to test his ingenuity. And if he wouldn’t expose them, they wanted to take the colt.
Bataraz: Where is my colt?
Narts: How can we know?
Bataraz tried to convince them but it was no use. “Ok! I’ll make you give me it back anyway”, thought he.
Bataraz: Let’s not argue about it. I’ll call the elves, and they will say whose the colt is.
What was said was done. The Narts sent for the elves and asked them to come to the sana-drinking. The elves decided to teach the noble Narts and went to them.
Adelina : The noble Narts aren’t capable of anything but dancing, drinking sana, and stealing horses and colts. Why are they better than the robbers and the evil Narts?
Ilya: You treat them harshly.
Adelina : Not harshly but fairly.
Tim: Then, it’s time to talk sense into them.
Ilya: As well as to make them give the colt back to the owner.
When the elves came to the sana-drinking, it was late.
Narts: Why are you late?
Tim: If you knew what we were doing, you wouldn’t wonder.
Narts (laughing): It must be something very important.
Ilya: On the way to you we saw a fire that covered a mountain. We were late to take a bale of hay and to put out the fire.
Narts: But it’s impossible. How can you put out the fire with a bale of hay?
Adelina : If your old horse could give birth to the colt, then it was possible to put out the fire with hay.
And the Narts laughed. They didn’t know what to answer and turned the colt back to Bataraz.
Ilya: It’s nice that you have good sense to turn the colt back. But it’s time to change your outlook at your vehicles.
Narts: What do you mean?
Tim: We mean to begin using electric cars, instead of horses.
Narts: What is an electric car?
Ilya: It’s an automobile that is propelled by an electric motor using energy stored rechargeable batteries.
Adelina : They are environment-friendly and don’t release vicious gases that lead to air pollutions.
Narts: And how are the cars charged?
Tim: Charging electric cars can be done at a variety of charging stations. These charging stations can be installed in both houses and public areas.
Narts: How often should we change batteries?
Ilya: The full capacity of a lithium-ion battery cell should be good for 300 to 500 cycles. A good battery could last you up to ten years. The cost of electric car batteries is improving every year.
Narts: And what is the speed of electric cars?
Adelina : An electric car can easily run at 100 miles to 200 miles per charge. Some models of electric cars can run more than 300 miles per charge.
Narts: Are there any disadvantages of using electric cars?
Tim: Many people are still skeptical in using electric cars for long journeys. But as we said, there are new models of electric cars that can run several hundred miles per charge.
Ilya: Well, and the most important disadvantage is the cost. There are many electric cars available in the market at different price points. But the better ones are highly priced.
Adelina : But the Narts should spare no effort to have a good vehicle.
After the sana-drinking the noble Narts began driving electric cars and no longer stole horses.

There was a fortress very high in the mountains. A young family lived there. The husband’s name was Psabyda, and his wife was Adiyukh. She was like the sun. When she reached her arms to the window, she filled the world with the light, so that Psabyda could see where he was going. Adiyukh had a linen bridge that she stretched out through the river when her husband was coming back from the campaign. And the enemies couldn’t catch him. But soon Psabyda became arrogant. He was always bragging.
Psabyda: I’m the greatest warrior. I always win in the battles.
Adiyukh: You can praise only yourself. There are a lot of the Narts that are braver than you. But they don’t brag.
Psabyda: Are you out of your mind?! Watch what you say!
After the quarrel he went away. He rode for many days and nights and was very tired. There was thick fog everywhere and he could see nothing. There was no light of his wife.
Soon he came to the land of the Isps, strong and dangerous dwarfs. The land of the Isps was very rich. And when Psabyda saw a big herd of horses, he got greedy. “Even if I die here, I can’t go home with nothing”, thought Psabyda. So, he decided to steal the horses.
He gathered the horses and rushed them. But the Isps figured it out and started pursuing him. They were very fast. Psabyda reached the river that separated the bank and his fortress. He was waiting when his wife would stretch the bridge out through the river. Adiyukh saw her husband out of the window, but she remembered how he insulted her and didn’t stretch the bridge.
The Isps were close. Psabyda was afraid and began riding along the river. Then he decided to cross it, because there was no another way. But the river was very strong. He fell into the water and sank.
When Adiyukh knew about the death of her husband, she felt sorry. She cried for days and nights, so that sunny days became dark nights. Adiyukh arranged a flood. There were thunder and lightning in the sky. The Narts asked the elves for help again.
Ilya: We need to talk with Adiyukh to make her stop crying.
Adelina : Do you think it’s so easy to console a resentful woman?
Tim: She needs psychological support. Let’s go to her, and she’ll stop crying.
Adelina : But how shall we cross the river that separates our bank and her fortress? It’s too fast.
Tim: We can do it.
They took an inflatable raft and went to Adiyukh. The elves came up to the river. Adiyukh looked out of the window and saw them. She believed it was impossible to cross the river. But the elves sat into the raft and crossed it. Adiyukh was amazed.
Adiyukh: Why have you come here?
Ilya: How could we leave you alone?
Adelina : You cry days and nights because of your husband who didn’t treat you right. Oh, how silly women are!
Tim: Believe her, Adiyukh. She’s got great life experience.
Adiyukh: Oh, really?
Ilya: Sure! How can’t you see? He loved only himself!
Adelina : We know how to organize your private life. There is a Nart in a neighboring village. He’s removed from Surgut. He has got three flats, single, no kids, no alimony. Adiyukh, it’s your chance. Stop this flood, please!
Adiyukh: Oh, you’ve opened my eyes. It’s really my chance. Thank you for your coming!
Adiyukh stopped crying. Nature calmed down and the sun shone again. The elves led Adiyukh to the neighboring village and introduced her to the eligible bachelor. They married and lived happily. He cared of her, gave her flowers and presents, and they traveled together every year. Adiyukh’s dream came true and she found a loving husband.
Then the elves thought over the situation.
Tim: In case a widow arranges a flood again, the Narts need regulatory hydraulic structures.
Adelina : What are these?
Ilya: These are structures submerged or partially submerged in any body of water which disrupts the natural flow of water. They are simply called dams.
Adelina : And what kind of dams are there?
Tim: The most modern dams are of two basic types: masonry (concrete) gravity designs and embankment (earthfill or rockfill) designs.
Ilya: Masonry dams are used to block streams running through relatively narrow gorges as in mountainous terrain. The structures may be very high. The total amount of material required for such sites is limited.
Tim: The water usually cascades down a smooth or stepped face of the dam. At the foot of the dam the water must be turned into a stilling basin to disperse some of its energy.
Ilya: Embankment dams are often preferred to control rivers and streams passing through broad valleys.
Tim: Such a dam is composed of fragmented independent material particles. The friction and interaction of particles binds the particles together into a stable mass rather than by the use of a cementing substance.
Adelina : I guess the choice of the design depends on the geology and configuration of the site, the purposes of the dam, and the cost factors.
In that way the new regulatory hydraulic structures appeared in the land of the Narts.

There was a beauty Badakh in the land of the Narts. A lot of admirers wanted to marry her. But her heart was cold. Her father, Djilakhstan, got too conceited about the beauty of his daughter. He thought that no one was allowed to marry her. Anyway, he wanted her daughter to be happy and tried to find a husband for her.
The elves went to her to satisfy the curiosity. When they came to the fortress where the beauty lived, Badakh saw them outside the window of her tower.
Badakh: The elves came to me. They are very famous. I’d like to meet them. They will help me to choose a bridegroom.
She gave an order to open the fortress gates for the elves. Tim, Ilya, and Adelina came into the yard, and Badakh’s father met them.
Djilakhstan: Good day, elves! I’ve heard about you. You are famous for your feats. But what has made you come here?
Ilya: Your daughter is very beautiful, and a lot of the Narts would like to marry her. We want to help her to choose a noble bridegroom.
Djilakhstan: But how can you know which of these grooms suits her if she can’t know this?
Adelina: Oh, ladies… They are moody but predictable.
Tim: Just let us look at the Narts that have come to her.
Djilakhstan: Ok.
He led the elves to the guest house. In the house they saw the greatest Narts. One of them was Badanoquo. He was the strongest of the Narts.
Adelina : He seems to be the most promising groom for the beauty.
Ilya: You’re visionary.
Tim: Women can see much better than men.
Adelina : But why can’t Badakh see it?
Tim: While she opens her eyes, the grooms will go away.
Ilya: And she’ll understand this only after the thirtieth birthday.
Adelina: Stop these spiteful remarks! We need to help Badanoquo to win her heart. He just does something wrong.
Ilya (to Badanoquo): Great Badanoquo, you’re the most famous of the Narts. But Badakh is cold to you.
Badanoquo: I did everything possible! I stuck the peak in the ground, so that no one of the Narts could pull it out. I shot the arrow the farthest. I danced on the mounds of burdock. But nothing helped.
Tim: Oh, my God, Badanoquo! If you tell us that you came to the date in a tracksuit and moccasins, we’ll finally shut the front door!
Badanoquo: Well…
Adelina: The Narts are so primitive! Do you really think to surprise her with this?
Badanoquo: But what should I do?
Adelina: We’ll tell you how to remedy the situation. Women like glamorous heartbreakers. First, you’ll invite her to the cinema and give her flowers. After this, we’ll organize for you a romantic dinner to make a wedding proposal to her.
Badanoquo: But if she refuses…
Tim: No “if”. We are taking everything into our hands.
Ilya: And don’t forget to pay for the dinner. Ok?
The next day Badanoquo came to Badakh’s tower with flowers and invited her to the cinema. Badakh was really surprised. No one of the Narts guessed to give her flowers before. After the film they had dinner at the terrace. Tim played the guitar, Ilya played the piano, and Adelina sang. All the evening Badakh was contemplative. Finally, the exciting moment came. Badanoquo brought himself to make a proposal to her. The music stopped playing, the birds and the animals fell silent, the other Narts stuck with their ears to the door of the terrace outside, and Djilakhstan watched in ambush.
Badanoquo: Badakh, be my wife!
Badakh: Badanoquo, you are the first Nart who guessed to organize such a wonderful day and even to pay for the dinner. I’m so fed up with their stupid dances and competitions. I never understood what it was for. I’m accepting your proposal. But we’ll have a honeymoon in Dominica.
Suddenly they heard the voices of the Narts outside the door: “I’ve won a bet! She’s offered the honeymoon in Dominica. And you told, “In the Maldives, in the Maldives”. The Maldives have become irrelevant”.
Tim: It lacks only one thing for this romantic evening.
Adelina: So, what is it?
Tim: A telescope to watch stars.
Ilya: It’s a good idea. I’ve heard of new telescopes based on the principle of quantum teleportation.
Adelina: Quantum teleportation?
Tim: Such telescopes, interferometers, don’t need a large diameter. They use photons collected in pairs into small devices that are at a distance from each other.
Ilya: To make it work, you need to create a pair of photons. One of them should be directed to the central interferometer, and the second one should remain at the telescope.
Tim: They interact in a special way and send signals to each other. This changes the state of the photon into the interferometer to the same state of the photon that came from the space.
Adelina: That allows us to see astronomical objects. It’s a nice device for romantic meetings.
Finally, Badakh and Badanoquo married and lived happily, and the elves introduced a new invention.

In ancient times the Narts had a custom to kick disabled old people down from a rock. But after the old Nart Badan, father of Badanoquo, saved the land of the Narts from hunger with his wise advice, the Narts abolished that custom and began to take care of old people. But one day Malachipkh, wife of the Nart Unadjoko, outraged.
Malachipkh: I’m fed up with caring of your old parents! I’m a free housekeeper! I run like a hamster in a wheel, and you just have fun with your friends days and nights. You have promised me to buy a fur coat for me! Instead, I’m washing dishes and cleaning the house after your relatives who come and strip me to the bone. And your brothers’ wives live as they like. I’m leaving you!
Unadjoko was confused. He didn’t want his wife to leave him, but he also couldn’t leave his old parents. So, the elves came to them to solve this problem.
On the way to their house Tim, Ilya, and Adelina were discussing the situation.
Adelina: Oh, these Narts! They can use their wives only for a hard work!
Ilya: You always come with your ideas of emancipation.
Adelina: It is an idea of fairness. The elder brothers and their wives live as they like. And Malachipkh takes responsibility for the family.
Tim: And what do you suggest to do?
Adelina: You’ll know soon.
The elves came to Unadjoko. They gathered the wife and the husband at the guest house and started a family training course.
Tim: So, your husband doesn’t pay enough attention to you. It must be a ten-year family crisis.
Malachipkh: I even can’t remember when we have visited a restaurant for the last time.
Unadjoko: We visited it two weeks ago.
Malachipkh: It was a birthday party of your friend. And we attended it for only two hours, because your mother called me every five minutes over any little thing.
Unadjoko: You are always unhappy with my parents.
Ilya: Look! I know that living together of older and younger generations is a hard test for a family. But you should calm down.
Adelina: And what about the elder brothers and their wives? Don’t they support you at all?
Malachipkh: Why should they do that? They are ok!
Unadjoko: According to the customs, younger brothers are to take care of old parents.
Malachipkh: Your customs don’t work anymore. They have been cancelled long ago, and only you can’t cancel them.
Unadjoko: What do you suggest? How can I leave my parents?!
Adelina: Unadjoko, you should understand your wife. She’d like to be a woman but not a working horse. We can find a noble way out of this situation. There are professional nurses nowadays. You can get a nurse, instead of bothering your wife.
Tim: You could offer your elder brothers to take part in your life, at least financially. Your parents are their parents, too.
Malachipkh: Yes, it’s a good idea. You should remind them about that.
Unadjoko was silent. He was afraid of being condemned by the other Narts, because they didn’t like when their wives were happy. But he loved his wife and knew that his marriage was in trouble. After some doubt he agreed to the proposal.
Unadjoko: Ok! I’ll talk with my elder brothers and we’ll get a nurse.
Malachipkh’s happiness was endless. Finally, her husband has got the thing right.
Malachipkh (to the husband): And what about a fur coat?
Adelina: Malachipkh, it’s not good to kill animals for a coat. You’d better to ask for a coat of eco-leather.
Malachipkh: Eco-leather?
Tim: Yes. It’s high quality artificial leather. It is used in manufacturing of shoes, bags, furniture, car seats, and others.
Ilya: It’s made of polyurethane, polyester, and cotton.
Adelina: The base fabric in eco-leather is made of cotton which makes it soft and elastic without chemical additives.
Tim: Eco-leather has special micro-pores on the surface. This allows the material to breathe. Thanks to the breathing effect, the material doesn’t acquire odors.
Ilya: It also has high wear resistance to cracks and abrasion thanks to the special arrangement of the polyurethane mesh cells. It doesn’t cause allergies and it’s not toxic.
Adelina: Eco-leather doesn’t require any special treatment. To remove contamination, just clean the surface with wet cloth, then wipe dry. For those tough stains that cannot be removed with water, use 40-50% solution of ammonia.
Malachipkh liked the idea, too. Of course, Unadjoko wasn’t enthusiastic over that, but the elves explained him that he should often please his wife. So, the two new customs were accepted in the land of the Narts: getting nurses for old parents and pleasing wives.

There was a great blacksmith Tlepsh in the land of the Narts. He used stone and his fists, instead of an anvil and a hammer. He touched heated iron with his hands, flattened, stretched, twisted it, then he put it into fire. But it was hard to work in that way, and one day he thought, “I need tools. But how shall I get them? May be, the elves could help me…” He called Tim, Ilya, and Adelina. The elves came to him.
Ilya: You wanted to see us. How can we help you?
Tlepsh: I’ve got a problem. It’s hard for me to work with my own hands without tools. I need an anvil and a hammer. But I don’t know how to make them.
Tim: Tlepsh, no offense. But it is the twenty first century now. And you’re still living in the Iron Age.
Adelina: I think it’s time to begin to create something really interesting.
Ilya: There are a lot of scientific advances nowadays. You should master nanotechnology.
Tlepsh: Nanotechnology?
Tim: It is manipulation of matter on an atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scale.
Ilya: It is able to create many new materials and devices with a vast range of applications, such as nanomedcine, nanoelectronics, biomaterials energy production, and consumer products.
Adelina: One of such devices is a nanoactuator.
Tlepsh: Nanoactuator?
Ilya: It’s an actuating device that transforms one type of energy (electrical, magnetic, thermal, chemical) into another (most often, mechanical) which leads to a specific action defined by a control signal.
Tim: The simplest electrical actuators include electrostatic devices on the basis of plane-parallel capacitors.
Adelina: And thermal actuators are usually created using the effects of thermal expansion or deformation on the interface of two materials having different values of the linear thermal expansion coefficient.
Tlepsh: And how do they work?
Tim: The elements are heated by passing an electric current through them or by heating the environment.
Ilya: The so-called biological molecular motors can be considered a specific variety of chemical nanoactuators. This tiny device can push and pull a rod-like DNA molecule 2 nanometres in diameter at a rate close to 190 nanometres per second, and the total displacement can reach up to three micrometres.
Adelina: And these are only actuators. There are so many other devices.
Tim: You should discover new boundaries. And who knows, some day nanospaceships of the Narts will navigate the universe.
Tlepsh: Oh, it’s great! But where shall I take the equipment?
Ilya: There’s no problem.
The elves opened the door and carried the incredible devices into the smithy.
Tim: So, we’ve got atomic emission spectrometers, atomic force microscopes, calorimeters, and others.
Tlepsh was amazed.
Tlepsh: But how shall I master these devices?
Adelina: Knowledge is the light in the darkness. You’ll attend a training course.
The elves sent Tlepsh for training, and three months later he got a nanomaster certificate and opened a lab into his smithy. The blacksmith increased the level of development in the land of the Narts.

There was a famous Nart Sosruquo, son of Mother Sataney. One day Sosruquo decided to go to the Chints, the enemy tribe, to compete with them and to make them leave the land of the Narts. But Sataney was sad about that.
Sataney: Oh, my lovely Sosruquo! At night I dreamed your bloodied armor. Don’t go to the Chints. You’ll meet your death.
Sosruquo: How can’t I go? Our life is not forever. And why shall we live forever if our life is inglorious.
Sataney: You’ll do it your way. Then, promise me not to pick anything up on the road when you go there. And never tell anyone about your soft spot.
Sosruquo: I can’t understand why I shouldn’t. But let it be so. I promise you to follow your advice.
Sosruquo rode to the Chints with his horse Tkhozhey. But Sataney worried about her son. Sataney told the elves about her night dream and asked them to follow Sosruquo.
Ilya (to Sataney): Tell us, what is the soft spot of your son?
Sataney: When he was born, Tlepsh hold him by his hips with tongs to steel him. Therefore, his hips are soft.
Tim: We’ll prepare safety armor for his hips.
Adelina: And then we will follow him.
Tim, Ilya, and Adelina prepared the safety armor and followed Sosruquo.
But there was an evil witch Barymbukh who hated Sosruquo since his childhood. When she saw that Sosruquo was going to the Chints, she became a silk bridle that lay on the road. But Sosruquo didn’t pick it up. Then she became a whip handle. But Sosruquo didn’t pick it up, either. Then she became a golden helm. Sosruquo saw it on the road and wanted to pick it up.
Tkhozhey (to Sosruquo): Your mother told you not to pick anything up.
Sosruquo: But I can’t leave it here. It’s made of gold. Don’t worry. I’m not afraid of anyone. I’m made of stone. I was born in the smithy of Tlepsh. My only soft spot is my hips, because Tlepsh hold me by my hips with his tongs when he was steeling me.
Tkhozhey: Sosruquo, you shouldn’t say it out loud.
Suddenly the golden helm disappeared. Sosruquo and his horse understood that it was the evil witch. But it was too late. Barymbukh told the Chints that the hips were the soft spot of Sosruquo. The Chints decided to kill him.
Soon Sosruquo came to the Chints. They were longtime enemies of the Narts and were cursing Sosruquo.
Chints: Sosruquo brought fire to people. He saved them from hunger. He wins in competitions and dances. He is a welcome guest of women. He has got Tlepsh’s sword.
The Chints organized a competition.
Chints: Hey, Sosruquo! If you are strong and brave, push Saint Jan’s wheel up to the hill.
Sosruquo: Ok! But let’s make a deal. If I win, you’ll get out of the land. If I don’t, I’ll never disturb you anymore.
The Chints agreed and let the wheel go down. Sosruquo pushed it up with his forehead. The Chints let the wheel go down for the second time, and Sosruquo pushed it up with his fist. Then the wheel went down for the third time, and Sosruquo pushed it back with his chest.
Chints: Hey, Sosruquo! Push the wheel with your hips if you are so strong.
Sosruquo felt the thrill of success and forgot that the hips were his soft spot. But the elves ran up to Sosruquo.
Adelina: Why do you never listen to your mother? She told you not to tell anyone about your soft spot.
Sosruquo: I didn’t know that Barymbukh would use it against me.
Ilya: We’ve brought the safety armor for your hips. Put it on.
Tim: When the wheel goes down from the hill for the fourth time, push it with your hips. The armor will save you.
Sosruquo put the armor on his hips. When the wheel went down for the fourth time, he pushed it up with his hips, and the armor saved him. The Chints didn’t expect that.
Chints: Barymbukh lied to us. Sosruquo is invincible.
They were afraid that Sosruquo would kill them and got out of the land.
Ilya: Sosruquo, you threw caution to the wind. You should control your rage.
Adelina: It’s time to revise your worldview. You can’t always dance, take part in competitions, and chase girls. You should engage in self-development.
Sosruquo: Self-development? What do you mean?
Tim: First, you need to start from strengthening your soft spot. We’ve prepared a complex of exercises for your hips.
Ilya: Then you need to use a breathing technique to control the rhythm of your heartbeat. Mind your own life. And then you won’t need to fight anyone.
Adelina: And to make your breathing technique more efficient, you are to use a new air cleaner that completely destroys bacteria and air pollution.
Tim: Its key element is a nanofilter with a special coating that reacts with the light.
Ilya: Air is forced through a filter and particles are physically captured by the filter.
Adelina: There are active cleaners that release negatively charged ions into the air and passive cleaners that use air filters to remove pollutants.
Sosruquo: It’s very interesting. My mum will be pleased.
Tim: Sosruquo, leave your mother alone. You are a big boy. She needs a private life.
Sosruquo listened to the elves and started practicing the breathing technique and the complex of exercises for the hips. He stopped going to sana-drinking and chasing girls and soon his life changed.

After the elves saved the land of the Narts, the life seemed to be wonderful. But there was one more problem. Something was wrong with Mother Sataney. She was the wisest and the most beautiful Nart woman. But she was unhappy, because her private life wasn’t going so well. The Narts just used her wisdom, but she didn’t feel the existence out there. She was fed up with their silly customs. Everyone lived for oneself, and only Sataney lived for everyone. She began hating them. Sataney was even sick of her own son Sosruquo and she wanted a young husband.
One day she wept bitter tears and went away to the forest. When the Narts knew that she left them, they thought Sataney went mad.
Sataney was walking in the forest for a long time and then she met a swamp. She got stuck there by accident and began crying for help. Fortunately, the elves were going over to the swamp and heard her crying.
Tim: Can you hear? Someone is calling for help.
Adelina: Seems like someone has got stuck in the swamp.
Ilya: Let’s run faster!
The elves ran up to the swamp and saw Sataney that was sinking further and further into it. At first to the waist, then to the chest, finally to the neck. Tim, Ilya, and Adelina took a long branch and reached it out to Sataney. She held it, and the elves got her out of the swamp. Sataney was at a loss because of the perception of the close death.
Adelina: Sataney, how did you lead to such life?
Sataney: I couldn’t take it anymore! The Narts are ungrateful and unworthy of my love. I want a man to appreciate me.
Tim: And don’t you try to understand the real reason of these problems?
Sataney: I try but I can’t.
Ilya: The Narts have got power that they have abused for many centuries. Perhaps, you’ve abused this power, too.
Sataney: When have you ever known me to abuse my power?
Adelina: Once you bet Tlepsh that you could sew a dress faster than he could make a saddle. And to win the bet, you stopped the sun and finished your work before sunset.
Tim: How could you stop the sun for just a fad?
Ilya: The sun didn’t like it. I think it was one of the reasons of your failure.
Adelina: Besides, you were a witch. Witchcraft is prohibited by God.
Ilya: You should stop practicing witchcraft. You need to turn to the light.
Adelina: You must know that your real name is not Sataney. It’s from the word “Satana”.
Sataney: So, what’s my real name?
Tim: You are Svetlana that means “the light”. It’s your cosmic name. God sent you to this planet to bring the light.
Sataney: And if I turn to the light, shall I meet a real man?
Adelina: You will meet him when you become an elf.
Sataney: An elf?
Tim: Exactly! We know a good-looking elf-guy in a neighboring village. He’s young, clever, noble, and brave. He’s a real man. He is your future husband.
Sataney: And what about my son?
Ilya: Forget about him. He’s grown-up. He’s able to take responsibility for his actions.
Sataney: So, you say there is a guy in this village. And shall he pay attention to me?
Adelina: First, you need to make efforts to change yourself. You must leave vices and fear in the past. And the most importantly, you should shake the guilt over the Narts.
After the talk the elves led Sataney to the neighboring village. She became an elf and met the guy that the elves talked about. He was tall and really beautiful, with bright hair and eyes. They fell in love and got married. They had three little kids and a lot of cats. Sataney changed her name and became Svetlana.

P.S. At last, Tim, Ilya, and Adelina were at home with their lovely cats. The pets were happy and fed. Each of them minded the own business: Klodette was sleeping, Mike was at hunt, Liza was angry, Khoma was doing dirty tricks, Blonde was on the roof, Khriza and the others were walking. And the elves were talking about the Narts.
Tim: What shall the Narts do without their main woman?
Ilya: Have you ever heard about the theory of self-organization?
Tim: What is this?
Ilya: It is a process where some form of overall order arises from local interactions between parts of an initially disordered system without outside interference of such women as Svetlana.
Adelina: So, what is a new function of such women if they don’t interfere with the process of organization?
Ilya: Their new function is to be happy.
Tim: But how shall the Narts live in this way?
Ilya: Somehow!