0:00
one cold winter morning when the sun had
0:02
not yet shown itself from behind the
0:04
mountains the old forester Yousef turned
0:07
to his wife "today I will go to the
0:10
northern slopes of the forest." "Maybe a
0:12
rabbit will come across," said his wife
0:14
Mary anxiously averting her eyes as
0:17
usual "that side of the forest is not
0:19
mysterious Ysef even a deer doesn't come
0:22
there can't you just go somewhere else?"
0:25
said Ysef smiled finding his wife's
0:28
fears unwarranted he had been hunting in
0:31
this forest for more than 30 years and
0:33
this land was like him now old but still
0:36
resilient don't worry about me i'll be
0:41
don't forget to subscribe to the True
0:43
Stories Live channel and like the video
0:47
he slung his worn out rifle on his back
0:50
put his fur cap on his head and left the
0:52
house as the snow creaked under his feet
0:55
the morning mist rising through the
0:57
forest seemed to wrap around Ysef's
1:00
ankles there was a strange silence in
1:03
the forest that day not a bird was
1:05
singing nor was the wind moving the
1:07
branches a shudder covered Ysef's
1:10
insides but he did not mind the silence
1:13
was good for the hunt he walked for
1:16
hours followed the trail waited in
1:18
ambush but he could see neither a bird
1:20
nor a rabbit the sky was beginning to
1:23
turn dark gray now ysef was calculating
1:27
the way back with the sadness of
1:29
returning empty-handed when suddenly the
1:31
bushes moved ysef immediately raised his
1:34
rifle and that moment a white big rabbit
1:39
jumped out of the bushes
1:41
decently his eyes were dark red his
1:44
feathers were almost shining the rabbit
1:47
was standing a few steps away from Ysef
1:49
staring at him ysef was surprised it was
1:53
the first time he had seen such a big
1:55
rabbit in his life he immediately took
1:58
aim and fired pat but at the same time
2:02
with the sound of the gun a slap almost
2:05
landed on Ysef's face it was so hard
2:07
that the ligature of his knees came
2:09
undone he collapsed into the snow his
2:12
left side was numb his eyes darkened the
2:17
ground after e lying still for a while
2:21
he began to come to himself "i guess the
2:24
gunpowder has backfired," he muttered he
2:27
checked the rifle but there was no
2:29
malfunction he remembered pressing the
2:31
trigger firmly but it seemed that this
2:33
pain had nothing to do with the gun
2:35
there was no rabbit no blood no marks
2:38
there was nothing yousef slowly packed
2:40
up and returned home when he came in
2:42
Mary cried out "Your face God what has
2:47
become of your face joseph ran to the
2:50
mirror the sight he saw took his breath
2:52
away the left side of his face was
2:54
drooping down his lips wouldn't move his
2:57
eyes wouldn't close he was paralyzed it
3:00
can't be said Joseph in a whisper that
3:04
night Ysef thought for a long time maybe
3:07
the gun had malfunctioned maybe he was
3:09
tired his foot slipped but no matter how
3:12
much he thought he couldn't find the
3:14
reason for that slap-like sound and that
3:17
night as Yousef was turning around in
3:19
his bed a white silhouette appeared in
3:22
front of the window of the house rabbit
3:24
the same rabbit he slowly approached the
3:28
window looking at Yousef with his red
3:30
eyes the next day three rabbits arrived
3:34
the next night he ate they multiplied
3:37
every night they weren't making any
3:39
noise they were just looking at the
3:42
house joseph's nightmare had
3:44
begun joseph spent that night almost
3:47
unable to sleep every time he put his
3:50
head on the pillow he remembered those
3:52
eyes in front of the glass he woke up
3:54
sweating with a chill covering his
3:56
insides and Mary prayed until morning
3:59
holding the rosary tightly in her hand
4:03
when morning came Ysef opened the door
4:05
of the house with his eyes downcast and
4:08
his face even more downcast there were
4:11
footprints in front of the door it's
4:13
tiny but it's obvious dozens of rabbit
4:17
abdomen rabbits they've come again said
4:21
Mary in her trembling voice from behind
4:24
door yousef said nothing he just stared
4:28
blankly at the tracks logic and faith in
4:31
him were intertwined everything he was
4:33
going through was mocking his mind these
4:36
animals were there not as a threat but
4:40
as a lookout they were waiting with
4:44
silence from that day on Ysef did not
4:47
touch his rifle nor did he follow the
4:49
path of the forest even when he was
4:51
going with Mary to cut wood he was going
4:54
the shortest way scanning every tree
4:56
every bush with the tip of his eye
4:59
but the forest was no longer familiar
5:02
the trunks of the trees seemed to have
5:04
become thicker the branches more crooked
5:08
even the wind had changed its hum was
5:10
like a whisper one morning while
5:14
returning from collecting decoctions
5:16
Mary noticed something in the
5:18
bushes joseph look at this yousef
5:22
approached there was a small mound of
5:24
stones in the middle of the snow it was
5:27
as if someone had made a tiny grave a
5:30
piece of twig had been placed on it in
5:31
the form of a cross next to it is a
5:34
dried rabbit's foot joseph's insides
5:37
became like ice he withdrew his hand
5:41
someone is messing with us Mary this is
5:44
not normal said Ysef but who who would
5:48
do that marryiam said with her eyes full
5:52
ysef remembered a rumor that he had not
5:54
even thought of for years many years ago
5:57
in his youth a shepherd got lost in the
5:59
depths of the forest not only the
6:02
shepherd but also the dog after weeks of
6:05
searching only his rifle and a rabbit
6:08
hide were found in those days the only
6:11
thing that was talked about in the
6:12
village was Jin Creek the dry creek bed
6:16
in the innermost part of the forest
6:19
where no one dares to go
6:21
i also hunted there many years ago
6:24
Joseph said to himself but nothing had
6:29
happen suddenly he remembered the slap
6:31
that landed on his face hit it like that
6:34
slap after you shoot the rabbit tone it
6:38
was like an echo of anger joseph's mind
6:41
was now clouded reality and imagination
6:48
the next night Ysef's sleep was lost
6:51
again he was sitting at home alone
6:54
listening to the sound of wood clicking
6:56
on the stove he approached the window
6:59
when he looked out of the window his
7:00
breath stopped there were hundreds of
7:02
rabbits in the garden yes hundreds they
7:06
weren't moving they were just waiting
7:08
facing the wall of the house there was
7:11
no jumping or running it was as if they
7:13
had sprung out of the darkness of the
7:16
night beings who did not belong to this
7:19
world his eyes were red again ysef
7:22
retreated he took her hand to his heart
7:25
he couldn't breathe suddenly the flame
7:28
in the stove rose sparks from the
7:31
chimney of the stove began to jump into
7:33
the room mary woke up and ran there's a
7:36
fire going on yousef get some water but
7:40
Yousef could not move it was as if his
7:43
hands were chained his eyes had seen
7:45
something in the smoke coming out of the
7:47
stove a small human-l lookinging being
7:50
appeared from among the flames deck he
7:54
looked like a dwarf but his ears were
7:57
pointed and his eyes were the same color
7:59
as rabbits every reality that existed
8:02
was destroyed in Joseph's mind
8:05
oh he was not a rabbit Ysef said in a
8:09
low voice while pouring water into the
8:12
stove Mary noticed a piece of wood that
8:14
had fallen to the floor there was a sign
8:16
engraved on it one an old icon that Ysef
8:20
had been trying to forget for years this
8:22
icon was also present on the trunk of a
8:24
tree in Gin Creek joseph had hunted
8:26
there even yes he whispered to himself i
8:31
also shot a rabbit there it was huge his
8:34
eyes were red but I couldn't swim your
8:36
hide and I couldn't eat your meat it
8:38
stank that day it's rotten in just one
8:45
Joseph her husband's eyes were staring
8:48
into vacancy his lips were
8:50
trembling joseph we we can't stay in
8:55
this house any longer yousef looked up
8:58
even the village can't save us the
9:01
morning sun was barely decaying through
9:03
the mountains but Yousef still had the
9:06
dark horror of insomnia and night in his
9:08
eyes mary put a few pieces of clothes
9:11
and a prayer book in the sack next to
9:13
her ysef did not even touch his rifle he
9:17
was sure now that she had started the
9:19
curse they hit the mountain road with
9:22
slow steps as she walked down the path
9:24
on the snow Miriam was startled at every
9:27
crunch while Yousef was constantly
9:29
checking behind her it was as if someone
9:32
was watching them or something it was
9:36
almost sunset when they reached the
9:39
village everything was quiet except for
9:41
a few houses that were smoking it seemed
9:44
like there was life in the village but
9:46
it wasn't happening their first stop was
9:49
the house of the oldest person in the
9:51
village the old man they called Hoja
9:54
Dervish dervish is someone who has
9:57
devoted years to ancient writings lost
10:00
languages and the secrets of demons
10:02
whose name no one easily
10:04
mentions when Ysef knocked on his door
10:07
Dervish did not open the door only a
10:10
muffled sound was heard from inside
10:13
joseph you finally come
10:16
miam had goosebumps and Joseph was
10:19
startled the dervish had not summoned
10:22
them but it was as if he was waiting for
10:25
them the door opened slowly when they
10:29
entered a muffled smell of soot greeted
10:32
them among old books talismanic amulet
10:35
decals and sootcovered lamps "let's see
10:38
his face," said the dervish "turn your
10:42
left side to me." Yousef turned his head
10:45
softly he showed his paralyzed face the
10:48
dervish remained silent for a few
10:51
minutes then with a heavy sigh you shot
10:55
him he said the forest genie maybe the
10:59
oldest one this forest is full of deeper
11:02
secrets than we think son yousef shook
11:05
his head fearfully i thought it was a
11:07
rabbit i'm always hunting but this this
11:11
is something else the dervish shook his
11:13
head jyn also change shape especially
11:17
the rabbit form is a protective cover
11:19
for them they watch they wait they test
11:22
but if you shoot you'll get your
11:24
comeuppance my face is paralyzed yousef
11:28
said "This is only the beginning,"
11:30
replied the dervish "they took your face
11:32
they sealed his secret now they've taken
11:35
a piece of you away those rabbits every
11:38
night he's calling for you they surround
11:40
your house at night or they call you
11:42
back to the depths of the forest there's
11:45
something you need to return to them
11:47
mary intervened her voice trembling
11:50
decently what should we do can't we stop
11:53
this curse the dervish nodded gravely
11:57
there is only one way yousef we have to
12:00
take you back to that creek bed Jin
12:02
Creek you will go there you will face it
12:06
confront him with whom ysef asked the
12:10
dervish's eyes were dull as glass with
12:14
yourself and with him the one who was
12:17
there that night mary put her hands in
12:19
her husband's hands "don't go Ysef that
12:22
place he won't give you
12:25
back." Joseph took his hands between
12:27
Mary's and decked his head "i've never
12:30
left that place anyway," he said
12:32
"perhaps my body has turned but my
12:35
soul," he stayed there the next morning
12:39
Ysef set out with the dervish mary could
12:41
not hold back her tears as she saw them
12:44
off ysef turned back for the last time
12:47
and looked at his wife "if I cannot
12:50
return," said Yousef "get away from this
12:53
house from this mountain." "Don't come
12:55
back here again because I I didn't just
12:58
shoot a genie that night i also released
13:00
something else." The dervish instructed
13:03
Ysef to shut up along the way as he was
13:06
walking through the forest he was saying
13:09
small stones to trace wherever he
13:12
stepped by the time they reached Gin
13:15
Creek the wind had completely stopped
13:18
the trees were not moving it was as if
13:21
time had stopped it's like an old
13:24
world the dervish looked at
13:27
Ysef now you will go alone only you and
13:32
if they accept you if they forgive you
13:36
you'll come back ysef shook his head he
13:40
started walking alone it echoed as his
13:43
feet pressed on the stones of the dry
13:45
creek bed the air has become heavy his
13:48
eyes began to darken later he saw her a
13:53
white rabbit in the bushes deck then
13:57
another one and another one and then a
14:01
humansized being appeared his face as
14:04
faint as smoke his eyes were red he had
14:07
no hands it's just a dark silhouette he
14:10
whispered Joseph's name joseph
14:14
joseph joseph trembling knelt down
14:17
forgive me said but the answer was not a
14:21
whisper the answer was a voice coming
14:23
from inside the ground deep buzzing full
14:27
of anger there is no going back the
14:30
confrontation at the Jin Creek had
14:32
caused an irrediable fracture in Ysef's
14:34
inner world although everything
14:36
belonging to his body still seemed to be
14:38
treading on the ground his soul was
14:40
drifting in a deep void from that moment
14:43
on everything he saw and heard with his
14:47
eyes now seemed to look at someone
14:49
else's life from a distance ysef had
14:51
knelt down and quietly disappeared into
14:54
the cold stream bed where the white
14:56
rabbits were waiting motionless around
14:58
him the dervish waited for hours prayed
15:02
squeezed his rosary in his palms but he
15:04
could not get any trace of Ysef again in
15:07
the morning Dervish had to return to the
15:09
village alone when Mariam saw him from
15:12
afar a dark depression covered her
15:16
inside he immediately asked where Ysef
15:18
was the dervish answered by bowing his
15:21
head he has not returned "what do you
15:24
mean he hasn't returned?" cried Mary
15:26
"you went there together you shouldn't
15:28
have left him alone." "I had to leave
15:31
him alone," Derervish said his voice
15:34
muffled with grief "because that place
15:39
him." Mary did not go to bed that night
15:42
she sat down by the January stove took
15:45
Ysef's coat and beret on her lap and
15:48
cried until morning but the next day
15:52
determination flowed from her eyes not
15:55
tears "i will go," he said the dervish
15:59
objected "those who go there either die
16:02
disappear or even if they return they
16:05
are no longer human." Mariam on the
16:08
other hand fixed her eyes on a point and
16:11
replied "For me living without Joseph is
16:14
already all of these." He set off at
16:16
sunrise ysef's favorite rosary in his
16:20
hand a button from his vest in his
16:22
pocket with Fatiha on his tongue the
16:25
interior of the forest had changed from
16:28
the very first step the trees were more
16:30
frequent the sky more hazy the wind more
16:34
ominous it was easy to find the rabbit's
16:38
tracks on the snow footprints were
16:40
moving along curling up one unlike the
16:43
other but Mary knew they were
16:46
calling as he approached the Jin Creek
16:49
he carefully retraced his steps he
16:51
advanced by stepping on the stones and
16:54
at some point everything stopped even
16:56
the wind had held its breath then a
16:58
voice a very thin very distant sound
17:05
mary he looked around
17:08
joseph mary get out of here don't take
17:11
me at that moment Mary encountered a
17:14
silhouette that rose like a black smoke
17:16
from its depth a face without eyes
17:20
appendages that looked like bony fingers
17:22
stood in front of him like a rabbit
17:24
standing at knee level "who are you?"
17:27
said Mary without missing her eyes the
17:31
silhouette did not speak but a voice
17:34
came from within it was a whisper that
17:36
filled the woman's mind "he is ours."
17:40
"He's ours." "No," said Mary "he is my
17:44
husband i'll get her back." The
17:47
silhouette retreated in an instant a
17:49
figure appeared crackling and rising
17:51
from under the ground the body of Ysef
17:54
but his eyes were empty his face was
17:56
still paralyzed he was motionless mary
17:59
ran to him shouting knelt down joseph
18:03
please I'm home look you're not alone
18:06
joseph's eyes moved slowly he saw her
18:10
mary he said but his voice was different
18:14
it was as if more than one person was
18:16
talking at the same time they are inside
18:20
me go no cried Mary he put his hands on
18:24
Ysef's face i won't let you at that
18:28
moment Joseph's body between Miam's
18:30
hands began to tremble decu his eyes
18:34
turned white the ground cracked around
18:36
them the trees turned yellow and fell
18:38
down as if they were drying out in an
18:40
instant a black mist rose from the creek
18:44
they retreated jumping with high-pitched
18:46
sounds like rabbits screaming the
18:48
silhouette began to approach mary was no
18:51
longer afraid come said "Come all of you
18:56
but I'm not leaving without her." The
18:58
silhouette stopped everything became
19:00
quiet and suddenly Yousef collapsed to
19:03
the ground with a muffled scream mary
19:06
held his hands "joseph can you hear me?"
19:11
Joseph opened his eyes real
19:15
eyes he spoke in his true voice
19:19
"mary you i thought I had lost you mary
19:24
burst into tears never i wouldn't have
19:27
left you there but at that time Joseph's
19:32
face darkened again for a moment his
19:34
eyes froze and he just whispered this
19:38
but I came they came too at that moment
19:43
light rumblings rose from all over the
19:45
forest rabbit noises but this time
19:48
hundreds while Ysef's words "I came,"
19:52
but they came too were hanging in the
19:55
air Miam noticed a hum rising from her
19:58
surroundings rabbits were starting to
20:00
emerge from among the snow from among
20:02
the stones even from inside the deck
20:05
deconstructed tree trunks but these
20:08
rabbits as he knew were not their eyes
20:11
were white their bodies were covered
20:13
with fog they weren't rabbits they were
20:18
yousef we have to get up," cried Mary
20:20
taking her husband's hand and Joseph was
20:23
frozen where he was his feet Tuesday
20:27
seemed rooted to the ground his eyes
20:29
were not looking at the animals around
20:31
him but as if he were looking into
20:34
himself mary pulled him cried
20:37
prayed at last tears came into Joseph's
20:41
eyes and he stood up "let's go," he said
20:44
in a muffled voice but we must hurry we
20:47
don't have time they did not speak or
20:50
look back until they were out of the
20:52
forest joseph's steps were weak and
20:54
Mary's were confused with hope at last
20:58
when they reached the borders of the
21:00
village the dervish almost fell on his
21:02
knees when he saw them "god this is a
21:05
miracle," he said "but there's something
21:09
strange about your face Yousef you Is it
21:14
Yousef turned his head away i But I'm
21:17
here it may not always be me she said
21:21
the dervish's face pald they could not
21:25
return to their old home again at night
21:28
the villagers saw Ysef's return as a
21:31
curse those who came with him are still
21:34
in the forest they said "If the Jin
21:36
Creek has opened up this is just the
21:39
beginning." Ysef sat in front of the
21:41
window one night until morning
21:43
mary could not take her eyes off him in
21:46
fear finally towards morning Yousef
21:49
whispered "They were here during the
21:51
night in front of my window they looked
21:54
at it in silence they're not just
21:56
rabbits Mary they are They're looking
22:03
me." A fear sank into Mary's heart "what
22:08
Ysef?" Yousef could not answer but that
22:12
night Miam saw in a dream an old woman
22:15
dressed in white the woman approached
22:17
him carrying a rabbit in her lap and
22:20
whispered "Where the curse begins it
22:22
does not close without
22:24
bloodshed." When morning came Mary took
22:27
her breath next to the dervish "The jin
22:30
creek was not opened only to Ysef," he
22:32
said "the root of this curse is deeper."
22:35
The dervish shook his head yes because
22:39
Ysef's grandfather had killed a forest
22:41
genie in that stream many years ago it
22:44
was kept a secret but since then rabbit
22:47
hunting has been a kind of inheritance
22:49
in the family these hunts unwittingly
22:52
fed the chain of revenge mary's eyes
22:55
widened so Yousef is not just a victim
22:59
it's a price to pay yes said the dervish
23:03
but this price is not completed that's
23:06
why those who come every night are
23:07
waiting the last ring is still
23:10
missing that night Ysef took out his
23:13
grandfather Idris's old hunting notebook
23:16
among the dusty pages he found a drawing
23:20
a giant rabbit without eyes a red seal
23:23
next to it and a note decked out
23:26
underneath the last hunt follows the
23:29
hunter joseph stood up i must get back
23:32
there he said but I'm not alone this
23:35
time there must be an end mary did not
23:38
let him go we will go together this time
23:42
we will bury this curse no matter what
23:45
cost and the next day as darkness fell
23:49
Joseph and Mary began to walk for the
23:51
last time into the heart of the forest
23:54
jin Creek was quiet but this silence was
23:57
of the kind before the storm there was
24:00
no wind no sound of birds just
24:03
unblinking whiteeyed rabbits
24:10
marryiam turned to Joseph are you ready
24:13
ysef shook his head so are they and at
24:17
that moment the earth split when the
24:20
earth split Joseph and Mary retreated
24:23
the ground was grumbling as if it were
24:25
alive steam and an intense smell of soot
24:28
were rising from between deck the rift
24:31
that opened in the middle of the Jin
24:33
Creek was not a tomb it was as if it
24:37
were the gateway to another realm the
24:39
rabbits were making high-pitched sounds
24:42
as if they were howling without opening
24:44
their mouths calling them to this
24:47
eyes joseph got down on his knees he
24:51
pressed his hands to the ground "that's
24:54
enough now!" He shouted "Whatever you
24:56
want take it this curse must
24:59
end." At that moment a giant silhouette
25:02
rose up from inside the rift a being
25:05
shaped like a rabbit but as big as a
25:07
human with no face only dark hollows in
25:10
the place of his eyes behind him
25:13
appeared the misshapen spirit of the
25:15
forest genie that Ysef had accidentally
25:18
killed many years ago just like Joseph
25:21
saw in his dreams Mary stepped back in
25:25
horror but Joseph did not move from his
25:27
place it was as if this was the
25:29
reckoning he had been waiting for for
25:31
years "i killed you without knowing it,"
25:34
Yousef said his voice trembling "but
25:37
that's not the only crime I'm guilty of
25:39
my grandfather my father mine we all
25:43
hunted had fun boasted we have ignored
25:46
the spirit of this forest." The spirit
25:49
stretched out his hands towards Joseph
25:52
the air froze the trees bent even the
25:55
wind held its breath miriam went behind
25:57
Joseph in tears "no," he said joseph
26:02
this is not your destiny it was all our
26:05
fault joseph turned and looked at Mary
26:08
no Mary this is a past that I have to
26:12
face if someone is going to die tonight
26:15
it should be me but before he died
26:17
there's something you should know mary's
26:20
eyes filled say "The first time I saw
26:24
you you were picking mushrooms on the
26:27
edge of this forest i didn't dare to
26:29
come near you but my heart became yours
26:31
that day you have become a light to me
26:34
even in this darkness now too send me
26:38
off with your light." Mary hugged Joseph
26:40
crying "Don't go." But Joseph slowly
26:44
moved away from him knelt down opposite
26:46
the spirit and raised his hands in the
26:49
air take me but end this curse don't
26:53
take anyone after me." The spirit
26:55
approached Joseph when the fingertips
26:58
touched Ysef's forehead a e white light
27:01
shone the rabbit scattered screaming
27:04
smoke and shadows rising from the
27:05
crevice began to withdraw into it
27:08
surrounding it like a hose yousef's body
27:11
disappeared as if melting in this light
27:14
mary screamed as hard as she could but
27:16
there was nothing more to do the rift
27:18
has closed the wind has stopped the
27:21
rabbits disappeared one by one silence
27:27
death marryiam he collapsed on the floor
27:31
joseph's last words were ringing in his
27:34
ears this forest will find peace now
27:38
after that day no rabbits were seen in
27:40
the forest again jin Creek fell into
27:43
silence the people of the village could
27:46
not find Ysef's body but they made a
27:49
grave in his name on the tombstone it
27:51
was written only that the last hunt took
27:54
the hunter mary never married again he
27:58
started going to Ysef's grave every week
28:00
and leaving a rabbit figurine and one
28:03
day as she sat by the grave the wind
28:07
gently stroked her hair it was as if
28:11
Joseph had stretched out his hand for
28:12
the last time don't forget to subscribe
28:14
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