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

The true pride of Russia has always been its army, which gained immortal glory on the fields of victories with its genuine courage and heroism. Not only our compatriots, but also foreign thinkers have been asking themselves for centuries: "What qualities make a Russian soldier invincible?" By tradition, the answer was found inarticulate, shrugging and referring to the "mysterious Russian soul".

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

In combat garrisons throughout the vast empire, the curious game "Cuckoo" helped to brighten up the boredom of the Russian officers. Don't let the harmless title deceive the reader. Defeat in this game most often meant death. At nightfall, taking with them revolvers and a supply of ammunition, a dozen officers locked 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: "... one, by lot, must represent the cuckoo itself... They will sit down… And it's quiet, everything will be so quiet, you can't even hear breathing. And then the cuckoo will shout: "Ku-ku" ... the rest of the voice in the cuckoo and shoot… As soon as they grab almost in one gulp ... Tra-ta-ta, and snap bullets on the walls… And again it's so quiet again that you can hear your heart pounding in your chest... and there 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 all you think is: "Wait, damn it, next time I'll cut you off properly." It happens that they cook in turn, but they run from place to place… And as they go to shoot, so listening from the side is a whole battle… It's going to be fun."

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