eleven in the
evening
When Marya and she carried the jug down to the cellar Motka suddenly stirred , clambered down from the stove , and going to the bench where stood the wooden cup full of crusts , sprinkled into it some milk from the saucer . Granny , coming back into the hut , sat down to her soaked crusts again , while Sasha and Motka , sitting on the stove , gazed at her , and they were glad that she had broken her fast and now would go to hell . They were comforted and lay down to sleep , and Sasha as she dozed off to sleep imagined the Day of Judgment : a huge fire was burning , somewhat like a potter 's kiln , and the Evil One , with horns like a cow 's , and black all over , was driving Granny into the fire with a long stick , just as Granny herself had been driving the geese . On the day of the Feast of the Assumption , between ten and eleven in the evening , the girls and lads who were merrymaking in the meadow suddenly raised a clamour and outcry , and ran in the direction of the village ; and those who were above on the edge of the ravine could not for the first moment make out what was the matter . `` Fire ! Fire ! '' they heard desperate shouts from below .