"Cuckoo" — a cruel game of Russian officers, the defeat in which — death

The true pride of Russia has always been its army, which gained immortal glory on the fields of victory with its true courage and heroism. Not only our compatriots, but also foreign thinkers from time immemorial have asked the question: "What qualities make the Russian soldier invincible?» Traditionally, the answer was vague, shrugging and referring to the "mysterious Russian soul".

We will not take the bread from the philosophers and conduct lengthy discussions. We will simply tell you a story that will help you look into the very depths of desperate Russian fatalism and a reckless, mocking attitude to death.

In the garrisons of the battle throughout the vast empire, the most interesting game — "Cuckoo" - helped to relieve the boredom of the Russian officers. Don't let the harmless title deceive the reader. Defeat in this game often meant death. At nightfall, with their revolvers and a supply of ammunition, a dozen officers would lock themselves in a barn, stable, or any other spacious room. In total darkness, the players scattered to different ends of the hall. In the deathly silence, the only sound was the cocking of revolvers.… 

Dmitry Nikolaevich Logofet, a general of the Russian army, a military publicist and writer, tells us: "...one, by lot, must represent the cuckoo itself... They will sit down… And quiet, so quiet everything will become, even breathing can not be heard. And then the cuckoo shouts: "Peek-a-boo" ... the rest of the voice in the cuckoo and shoot… How they'll almost hit you in one gulp ... Tra-ta-ta, and the bullets will snap on the walls… And again, so quietly that you can hear your heart pounding in your chest... and then again: "Peek-a-boo". And in response: tra-ta-ta ... quite a lot of people got into the excitement. You shoot, you shoot... he listens, and again: "Peek-a-boo". You forget that it's your own brother who cooks, and you just think: "Wait, damn it, next time I'll cut you off properly." It happens that they take turns to cook, but they run from place to place… And as they go to shoot, so from the side to listen — a whole battle… It'll be fun."

Naturally, for many, the game turned into a tragedy. But do not rush to condemn the players and accuse them of idle murder. Let the narrator finish the story: "... it seems to be a wild game, but it taught me to control myself… You'll see, some good fellow took part in everything: in various stories, and played the cuckoo, and went to the tiger… And it was developed in such a way that the nerves are like ropes. The first person then turned out to be in the war. Laugh to yourself, but I will still say that this reckless prowess also served for the benefit of cultivating the spirit that has always distinguished the Turkestan troops… Here you are condemning the cuckoo… But she herself had brought up a whole generation of Turkestan officers in the consciousness that life is a penny, and therefore these urchins then showed, when necessary, miracles of courage… There is a time for everything…»

And you say, "300 Spartans". If there was an ancient Roman god of war, Mars — then Russian soldiers would have stood shoulder to shoulder in his guard.