15
The Soul of the Steppe
For a number of days Shevchenko lived under the vivid impression of his visit to the aul. The Kazakhs had fascinated him, as had their slender figures, their unrestrained movements and their artless open-heartedness. They worked strenuously for Djantemir day and night but had preserved the proud bearing and light gait of a free people.
On parting, Jaisak asked Shevchenko to visit his yurt, and the poet promised to do so during the next holiday.
Shevchenko prepared himself for that visit with pent-up excitement for he had an unconquerable desire to draw some of the Kazakhs. He had no oil colors, but Lidia Andreievna had presented him with some drawing pencils, a bar of sepia, and an album of Whatman paper.
1 am forging my own shackles, Shevchenko thought, pre
