The two old men agreed to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem together, and their souls longed to worship God in the Holy City. The first of them was Efim Trasich Sevilev, a rather wealthy peasant. As for his companion, he was Elisha Bodrov, and he did not have as much wealth as his companion.Efim was known among the people for his integrity, seriousness, and firmness. He did not drink alcohol or smoke, and no one mentioned that he used rude, vulgar language, or used obscene, reprehensible language. Perhaps his gentle morals were the reason for him to rise to the position of mayor twice, during which he performed the duties of the job faithfully. As for Elisha, he was distinguished by his gentle heart. We cannot describe him as rich or poor, for he was a middle ground between them. He worked in carpentry for many years, and when he got older he preferred to settle in his home, and turned to beekeeping, which provided him with enough livelihood for his needs. He had two sons, like his companion Efim, but one of them left the village and went to work on the land in search of livelihood. As for the second, he stayed next to his father. The two old men had pledged to undertake this journey a long time ago. They had even prepared to travel together to Jerusalem.
