Sve će to narod pozlatiti

The classic short story "The People Will Gild It All" (Sve će to narod pozlatiti) by the great Serbian realist Laza Lazarević—published in various school reading lists and anthologies in 1975 (such as editions by "Školska knjiga" or "Nolit")—stands as one of the most harrowing and influential works of 19th-century regional literature. The story is set at the Šabac river landing, where Blagoje, a coppersmith, waits impatiently alongside fellow townsfolk for the steamboat bringing his only son home from the Serbian-Ottoman War. Despite Blagoje’s pride and his conviction that the state and the people would reward the warrior's sacrifice, the reunion reveals a grim reality: the young man returns an amputee, severely disabled. Through a poignant and bitter conclusion—in which the disabled veteran receives small change and alms from the gathered citizens accompanied by the refrain "the people will gild it all"—Lazarević exposes the chasm between sentimental war propaganda and the harsh post-war reality. Characterized by deep psychological insight, intense dramatic tension, and a powerful social message, the story offers a timeless critique of social irresponsibility, false patriotism, and the tendency to forget those who gave the most for their homeland.