She was a colourful figure, Turkmen Oraz-Gul, a daughter of the mullah who fled to Persia. She got 10 years for not squealing on her husband and father-in-law. Both deserted from the front and hid in the bushes where she, her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law carried them food. They were tracked down and arrested, then the authorities made an ambush where she got. She took all the fall. In prison she gave birth to a son. (She was then barely 15 then.) She had no milk and the baby was dying of starvation. They blackmailed her, «Give names of those who new and we will give your son to your mother-in-law, she is now crying at the prison gates. And then we'll release you too.» But everyone in the village knew about the deserters. She did not squeal on anyone. And the son, her firstborn, starved to death in her arms...
«He used to grab my finger to suck! I would give him my blood. But I had no milk because of crying too much,» she used to say.
How she worked! I was particularly surprised to see how handily and easily she carried huge bales of cotton (wool), two at once.
«That is our custom,» she said. «Women do all the hard work. Man is a master, women are servants. Sharia!»
The word «Sharia» sounded like marking off. Sharia is a wise law. It is not discussed but observed.