Виктор Мазанов – Tales of Wisdom. Insights from Russian Folklore (страница 9)
– Very well, – said the fox. – Tell them we’ll be there soon.
The fox and Kotofey Ivanovich (the cat) went to the oak. From a distance the bear whispered to the wolf:
– Look, they’re coming! And that Kotofey Ivanovich is so tiny!
When they reached the oak, Kotofey saw a heap of berries and honey. He was very hungry and pounced on the calf, purring loudly.
– Mrr, meow! – he purred with pleasure.
The bear and the wolf thought the cat was saying, “Not enough, not enough.”
– What a glutton! We brought so much food, and he still wants more! He’ll eat us all! – thought the wolf.
He could not see the cat under the leaves, but he was eager to catch a glimpse of the mysterious Kotofey Ivanovich. He carefully pushed the leaves aside. The cat heard a rustle, thought it was a mouse, leapt into the bushes and bit the wolf’s nose. The wolf, frightened that the cat might eat him, sprang up and fled at full speed. Kotofey, startled by the sudden large animal, jumped onto the oak where the bear was perched.
The bear thought the fearsome Kotofey Ivanovich wanted to catch him, panicked, fell from the tree, hit the ground hard, scrambled up and ran away.
– There you go! – the fox shouted after the fleeing pair. – You shouldn’t have angered Kotofey Ivanovich!
Since then all the forest animals began to avoid Kotofey Ivanovich, believing him to be extremely fearsome. The fox and the cat became best friends, stored plenty of food for the winter (the frightened wolf and bear had left it behind), and lived happily in the forest.
Friendship and Mutual Support
– The importance of accepting and befriending those who are different from us.
– How the fox’s cleverness and care helped the cat gain respect in the forest and protect him from stronger animals.
Fears and Prejudices
– How the wolf and the bear were frightened of an unknown cat because they didn’t know the truth.
– The need to avoid judging others by rumors and to get to know a creature personally first.
Cunning and Resourcefulness
– The difference between good‑hearted cunning used for protection and malicious cunning used for deception.
– How quick thinking can help in a difficult situation.
Do you think the fox did the right thing when she told the wolf and the bear that Kotofey Ivanovich was very fearsome?
Why did the wolf and the bear become scared of Kotofey Ivanovich even though he was much smaller than they are?
What should the cat have done to avoid getting lost in the forest when he chased the mouse?
Do you think it was right for Kotofey (the cat) to accept the fox’s help after he got lost?
How do you think the wolf’s and the bear’s attitudes toward unknown animals changed after this story?
Wolf and the Seven Kid Goats
Once upon a time a mother goat lived with her kids in a small cottage deep in a green forest. She had six sons and one daughter.
The mother often went into the forest to look for fresh grass and clean water. Before leaving she always gave the kids a strict command:
– “My dear children, lock the door with a latch and do not open it for anyone!”
The kids were obedient and always followed their mother’s orders. As soon as she left, they locked the door and played in the cabin, waiting for her return.
When the mother goat came home, she always sang her special song:
“Kid goats, little ones! Open the door, let us in!
Your mother’s come, with milk she’s brought!
Milk runs down the udder, from udder to the hoof,
And from the hoof into the sour earth!”
The kids recognized their mother’s gentle voice at once and ran happily to open the door. Mother fed them tasty milk, told them what she had seen in the forest, and then went out again for food.
One day a wolf happened to wander past their cottage. He overheard that the mother would feed the kids and then go into the forest, and he decided he wanted to eat the kid goats.
The wolf waited a little while, and as soon as the mother goat disappeared into the woods, he crept up to the cabin and shouted in a rough, hoarse voice:
– “Hey, kids, open the door! Your mother’s here with milk!”
But the kids immediately realized it wasn’t their mother and answered:
– “We hear you, we hear you – but you’re not our mother; our mother sings a different song!”
The wolf growled in frustration, and having nothing else to do, he hid and tried again later.
When mother goat returned and sang her song again:
“Kid goats, little ones! Open the door, let us in! …”
the kids joyfully let her in and told her about the wicked wolf’s visit.
– “You’re clever, my dears!” praised their mother. “You did the right thing.”
Mother fed them, and before heading back to the forest she warned them sternly:
– “Remember: never open the door for anyone whose voice isn’t exactly like yours, or who doesn’t know our special song!”
As soon as she left, the wolf rushed to the door and sang the song in his rough voice— he had been hiding near the house and had memorized mother’s tune:
“Kid goats, little ones! Open the door, let us in! …”
The kids, remembering their mother’s lesson, refused to open:
– “Go away, you’re not our mother! Your voice is nothing like Mom’s! Mom’s voice is thin, yours is coarse! We won’t open for you!”
But the cunning wolf didn’t give up. He ran to a blacksmith and asked:
– “Blacksmith, blacksmith! Make my voice thin! I want to play with the kids. As soon as they hear my voice they’ll be scared.”
– “Well, for the sake of the kids… alright, I’ll reshape your voice.”
The blacksmith spent a long time, but finally the work was done.
The next day the wolf returned to the cabin. He waited until mother goat went into the forest, then sang in a thin voice:
“Kid goats, little ones! Open the door, let us in! …”
The kids heard the thin voice and the familiar song. They thought it was really their mother and believed the wolf. The youngest kid, however, tried to stop her brothers:
– “Don’t open! That’s not our mother. She couldn’t return so quickly!”