Albert Veselovsky (Alberto Veselovsky) and (y) Methodius Ponebatko (Metodio Ponebatko) were (ser) childhood friends (amigos de la infancia), as well as (así como) in (en) literature (literatura).
I must (deber..) say (decir) that (que) they looked like (juntos parecerse.. a) Pat and Patachon together (-) – Albert was (ser) excessively thin and tall (excesivamente delgado y alto), and Methodius, on the contrary (por el contrario), was (ser) short and fat (bajo y gordo).
Once (una vez) at the beginning (al comienzo) of (de) summer (verano), the friends (… amigos) decided (decidir):
– It is enough (ser.. suficiente) for (para) our families (nuestras familias) to live (vivir) and undermine their health (socavar su salud) in (en) a gas-polluted city (… ciudad contaminada con gas),
we must (deber..) move (mudarse..) to (a) the country (campo), to (a) some (un) quiet, picturesque place (lugar tranquilo y pintoresco).
3.Health and inspiration (la salud y la inspiración) 2.will be improved (mejorar..) 1.there (allí)!
So they decided and did (así decidir.. y lo hacer..:) – they moved (mudarse..) with (con) their (sus) families to (a) a quiet village (… pueblo tranquilo) with the poetic name «Lermontovo» (… nombre poético «Lermontovo»).
There (allí) the life (… vida) was (ser) bright and free (brillante y libre), at the dawn (al amanecer) they went (ir.. a) swimming (nadar) in () the Volga River (… río Volga),
enjoyed (disfrutar.. de) sunrises and sunsets (amaneceres y atardeceres), the harmony of nature (… armonía de la naturaleza), the originality (… diversidad) of (de) the local flora and fauna (… flora y fauna local).
In (en) the forest (… bosque), which (que) extended (extenderse) from (de) the village (… pueblo) and beyond (más allá), there were (haber) wild boars and bears (jabalíes y osos salvajes), sometimes (a veces) they entered (entrar) the territory (… territorio) of (de) the village, it was (ser) fascinating (fascinante).
And (y además) in that area (en esa zona) there were (haber) many different mushrooms (muchos hongos diferentes), so (por lo que) most (la mayoría) of (de) the locals (… lugareños) were (ser) inveterate mushroom pickers (ávidos buscadores de hongos).
That hobby (ese pasatiempo) even (incluso) turned into (convirtirse) a real business (en… negocio real) for (para) some of them (algunos de ellos).
The mushroom topic (… tema de los hongos) interested (interesar)! our characters (nuestros personajes) too (también), they also (-) decided (decidir..) to become (convertirse en) mushroom pickers (recolectores de hongos).
After taking (tomar) a serious training course (curso de capacitación serio) on (en) the (-) Internet (Internet), on (en) the YouTube channel (… canal de YouTube)
