"کی قرار است بجنگیم؟"

Chapter 3 “When are we going to fight?

The new regiment marched all the next day. They crossed a bridge over the river, and then they camped near a forest. The young soldier was afraid of the forest.” Maybe the enemy’s hiding there!” he thought. “Maybe they’re going to attack us in the dark!” He watched the forest carefully, but he saw nothing.

Early the next morning, they followed a narrow road into the forest. They marched for hours without stopping.

“I’m tired!” said the loud soldier unhappily.” And my feet hurt!”

“My bag’s too heavy,” said the tall soldier. “I’m going to leave it here.” He put it down by the side of the road.

The other soldiers did the same. They left everything that they didn’t need. Each man kept only his clothes, bed cover, food, water, rifle, and bullets. “You can eat and shoot now,” said the tall soldier. “That’s all that you need to do.” The new regiment could now move more quickly, like the older regiments. They still looked like a new regiment, though. Their uniforms were still new, and the colors of their flag were still bright.

Finally, the army sat down to rest. “This isn’t a real war. We’re just practicing,” thought Henry. “We’re just marching and marching. When are we going to fight?”

Then, one gray morning, the army began to run. The young soldier was not really awake, but he had to run with his comrades. He was afraid of falling. “The others will run over me!” he thought. He was carried along by the crowd. For a second he felt as weak as a baby. The skin that covered his heart seemed very thin.

He took the time to look around him. He could not stop and he could not escape from the regiment. It was all around him. The laws and the history of his country were on four sides. He was in a moving box. He felt very afraid.” I never wanted to fight in the war,” he told himself. “The government brought me here. And now I’m going to die!”

The regiment crossed a little stream. Suddenly, the young soldier heard the sound of cannon fire in front of him. He forgot his fear and ran faster. He only wanted to sec the fighting. His heart was beating very quickly as he climbed up a hill.

He was surprised when he looked down. There wasn’t a big battlefield. There were some small green fields with trees all around them. Small groups of soldiers were running through the trees and firing their rifles. A dark battle line of soldiers lay on the grass. A flag waved brightly.

The regiment formed into a battle line and began to move toward the woods. Henry watched the soldiers who were tiring busily. “What are they firing at?” he asked himself. “I can’t see anything.”

Just then, he saw a dead soldier lying on the ground. He wore broken shoes and an old brown uniform that was too big for him.

The young soldier looked into his face with great interest. “He fought and he died,” he thought. “He knows what it’s like. But he can’t tell me.”

After that, he didn’t want to see the battle. When he was running up the hill, he was ready to fight. Now he had time to think. He was afraid again. His back felt cold and his legs felt weak. He saw danger all around him. The shadows in the woods looked like enemy soldiers. “We can’t go in there!” he told himself. “They’ll kill us all!”

He looked at his comrades. They were walking calmly through fields and woods. Their faces showed interest but not fear. They wanted to sec their first battle.

The young soldier wanted to shout at them, “Stop! Go back!

We’re all going to die! Don’t you understand?” He opened his mouth, but he couldn’t make a sound. He was too afraid.” They’ll laugh at me if I tell them to go back,” he thought. “They won’t understand. They’re too stupid. I’m the only one who understands. And nobody will believe me.”

He felt very sorry for himself. He walked slowly, with his head down. A young officer saw him. and started beating him on the shoulder with his sword. “Hurry, young man!” he said in a loud voice. “Hurry!”

The young soldier walked faster, but he kept his head down. He hated the young officer.” He doesn’t understand me!” he told himself angrily. “Stupid animal!”

The regiment continued marching. After some time, they stopped in a large, open space in a forest. They could still hear the sound of rifle fire. They could see little balls of white smoke from the rifles.

Many men in the regiment began to build little hills in front of them, using earth, stones, and sticks. They wanted to protect themselves against the enemy bullets. But then the regiment was ordered to move. The young soldier was very surprised. “Why did we come here?” he asked the tall soldier. “Why are we leaving so soon?”

“I’m sure there’s a good reason,” replied the call soldier patiently.

They moved to a new position, and they built more little hills.

Then they moved again. And again. The loud soldier was angry.

“When are we going to fight?” he cried. “What’s the purpose of all this marching? Those generals are stupid!”

Now the tall soldier was angry.” Be quiet!” he shouted.

“You’re not a general!”

“I just want to fight” explained the loud soldier. “I didn’t come here to walk!”

The regiment marched into the forest. Henry began to worry again. “Will I be brave, or will I run away?” he asked himself. He thought about dying, and a new idea came to him.” If I die, I’ll be able to rest.” He began to feel less afraid.

Just then, he heard the sound of cannon fire. He saw a group of soldiers running and firing. He heard the sound of their rifles.

The regiment on his right was standing and firing all together. He watched them through a cloud of smoke. The noise grew louder.

Suddenly, he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. It was the loud soldier. “It’s my first and last battle,” he said sadly. “I’m sure that I’m going to die.” He had tears in his eyes and his hands were shaking. He gave the young soldier a small package in a yellow envelope, “There are some letters inside. I want you to give them to my family.”

“What do you mean?” cried Henry. But there was no reply. The other soldier walked away.