"Cuckoo" is an extremely risky game of officers of the Russian Imperial Army, which, nevertheless, was widespread in all remote garrisons, from Merv to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. In the Far East, however, she was called "Tiger". Quote:
“Now it's much quieter. The scope is smaller - and the bosses are putting obstacles. Before we stood in the city: there is no circus, no theater … The audience will gather at one of the singles, or else in their officers' mess, and when they have a good drink, they will immediately start playing cuckoo. Loved the passion for this game.
- What is this cuckoo, Esaul? the doctor asked again. - Any card game?
Esaul burst out laughing …
- Cuckoo?.. - he asked again after a minute, throwing the gnawed bone away from him. - This, I will report to you, is an interesting game, for those who only have strong nerves … Usually some large building is chosen for this. The barn, or something, or the stable is empty - and so, ten people climb there at night, each with a revolver in their hands, and a good supply of cartridges … They will extinguish the fire and disperse throughout the room … Well, everyone will find there, a barrel, a box and then some other thing, but for her and buried … And one, by lot, must represent the cuckoo … They will sit down … And quietly, so quietly everything will be, even breathing is not heard. And then the cuckoo will shout: "Ku-ku" … The rest of the voice at the cuckoo and shoot … How they will suffice almost in one gulp … Tra-ta-ta, and bullets click on the walls … And again quietly again, so that you yourself hear, like a heart pounding in my chest … And there again:"Ku-ku". And in response: tra-ta-ta … Directly into the excitement, many entered. You shoot, you shoot … He listens, and again: "Ku-ku". You forget that this is your own brother kukuet, and all you think is: "Wait, damn, now the next time I'll cut you down properly." It happens that they take turns kukuyut, but run across from place to place … And as they go to shoot, so listen from the side - a whole battle … It will be fun.
- And what, did such a game always end happily? - the agitated doctor was indignant.
“What’s safe there,” the narrator replied in a soothing tone. It was different … Once, I remember, there was such an unfortunate cuckoo that our cornet was thrown away at once, without firing a dozen shots. They also shot the lieutenant, I don't remember his last name, I know that the rifleman was … So then they fired almost all night long, but only in the morning, when everyone was tired, we hear: "Oh." We lit a fire, we look - they shot the lieutenant's hand … And nothing, the hand healed.
- Well, you had morals here, - Doctor K laughed nervously … You seem to remember this with some special pleasure. It just becomes scary. Indeed, in this way, you can send a person to the next world for a penny …
Promotional video:
- Well, it happened, but I’ll tell you, it seems - a wild game, but it taught itself to control itself … Look, another fellow took part in everything: he played in different stories, he played the cuckoo, and went to the tiger … And it was developed so that the nerves are like ropes. The first person then ended up in the war. Laugh to yourself, but I will nevertheless say that this reckless prowess also served to the advantage, fostering the spirit that the Turkestan troops have always distinguished … So you condemn the cuckoo … But a whole generation of Turkestan officers were brought up on it in the consciousness that life is a penny, and therefore these tomboys then showed, when necessary, miracles of courage … Everything has its time …"
D. N. Logofet. On the borders of Central Asia. Travel sketches in 3 books. Book 2. The Russian-Afghan border. - SPb., 1909.