Ivan Krylov's fable “The Crow and the Fox”

How many times have they told the world,

That flattery is vile and harmful; but everything is not for the future,

And a flatterer will always find a corner in the heart.

Somewhere God sent a piece of cheese to a crow;

Raven perched on the spruce tree,

I was just about ready to have breakfast,

Yes, I thought about it, but I held the cheese in my mouth.

To that misfortune, the Fox ran close by;

Suddenly the cheese spirit stopped the Fox

The fox sees the cheese, the fox is captivated by the cheese.

The cheat approaches the tree on tiptoe;

He twirls his tail and doesn’t take his eyes off Crow.

And he says so sweetly, barely breathing:

“My dear, how beautiful!

What a neck, what eyes!

Telling fairy tales, really!

What feathers! what a sock!

Sing, little light, don’t be ashamed! What if, sister,

With such beauty, you are a master at singing,—

After all, you would be our king bird!

Veshunin's head was spinning with praise,

The breath was taken away from my throat with joy, -

And Lisitsyn’s friendly words

The crow croaked at the top of its lungs:

The cheese fell out - such was the trick with it.

Fable by Ivan Krylov “The Fox and the Grapes”

The hungry godfather Fox climbed into the garden;

The bunches of grapes in it were red.

The gossip's eyes and teeth flared up;

And the brushes are juicy, like yachts, burning;

The only problem is, they hang high:

Wherever and however she comes to them,

At least the eye sees

Yes, it hurts.

Having wasted a whole hour,

She went and said with annoyance: “Well, well!

He looks good,

Yes it is green - there are no ripe berries:

You’ll set your teeth on edge right away.”

Fable by Ivan Krylov “The Monkey and the Glasses”

The monkey's eyes became weak in old age;

And she heard from people,

That this evil is not yet so big:

All you have to do is get glasses.

She got herself half a dozen glasses;

He turns his glasses this way and that:

Either he will press them to the crown, or he will string them on his tail,

Sometimes he sniffs them, sometimes he licks them;

The glasses don't work at all.

“Ugh, abyss! - she says, - and that fool,

Who listens to all human lies:

They only lied to me about the Glasses;

But there’s no use for hair in them.”

The monkey is here out of frustration and sadness

Oh stone, there were so many of them,

That only the splashes sparkled.

________________________________

Unfortunately, this is what happens to people:

No matter how useful a thing is, without knowing its price,

The ignoramus tends to tell everything about her for the worse;

And if the ignorant is more knowledgeable,

So he also drives her away.

Fable by Ivan Krylov “The Dragonfly and the Ant”

Jumping Dragonfly

The red summer sang;

I didn’t have time to look back,

How winter rolls into your eyes.

The pure field has died;

There are no more bright days,

Like under every leaf

Both the table and the house were ready.

Everything went away with the cold winter.

Need, hunger is coming;

The dragonfly no longer sings:

And who cares?

Sing on a hungry stomach!

Angry melancholy,

She crawls towards the Ant:

“Don’t leave me, dear godfather!

Let me gather my strength

And only until spring days

Feed and warm! —

“Gossip, this is strange to me:

Did you work during the summer?” —

Ant tells her.

“Was it before that, my dear?

In our soft ants

Songs, playfulness every hour,

So much so that my head was turned.” —

“Oh, so you...” - “I’m without a soul

I sang all summer long.” —

“Have you been singing everything? this business:

So come and dance!”

Fable by Ivan Krylov “Quartet”

Naughty Monkey,

Yes, clubfooted Mishka

We decided to play a Quartet.

We got sheet music, bass, viola, two violins

And they sat down on the meadow under the sticky trees, -

Captivate the world with your art.

They hit the bows, they fight, but there’s no point.

“Stop, brothers, stop! - Monkey shouts. —

Wait!

How should the music go? That's not how you sit.

You and the bass, Mishenka, sit opposite the viola,

I, the prima, will sit opposite the second;

Then the music will be different:

Our forest and mountains will dance!”

We settled down and began the Quartet;

He’s still not getting along.

“Wait, I found a secret! —

The Donkey shouts, “We’ll probably get along,”

If we sit next to each other."

They obeyed the Donkey: they sat down decorously in a row;

And yet the Quartet is not going well.

Now they're getting even more intense than ever

Who should sit and how?

The Nightingale happened to fly to their noise.

Here everyone asks him to resolve their doubts.

“Perhaps,” they say, “take patience for an hour,

To put our Quartet in order:

And we have notes, and we have instruments,

Just tell us how to sit down!” —

“To be a musician, you need skill

And your ears are softer, -

The Nightingale answers them, -

And you, friends, no matter how you sit down;

You’re still not fit to be musicians.”

Fable by Ivan Krylov “The Wolf and the Lamb”

The powerful are always to blame for the powerless:

We hear countless examples of this in History,

But we don’t write History;

But this is how they talk about it in Fables.

_______________________

On a hot day, a lamb went to a stream to drink;

And something must happen,

That a hungry Wolf was prowling around those places.

He sees a lamb and strives for the prey;

But, to give the matter at least a legal look and feel,

Shouts: “How dare you, insolent, with an unclean snout

Here is a clean drink

With sand and silt?

For such insolence

I'll rip your head off." —

“When the brightest Wolf allows,

I dare say that down the stream

From the Lordship of his steps I drink a hundred;

And he deigns to be angry in vain:

There’s no way I can make him drink worse.” —

“That's why I'm lying!

Waste! Such insolence has never been heard of in the world!

Yes, I remember that you were last summer

Somehow he was rude to me here;

I haven’t forgotten this, buddy!” —

“For mercy, I’m not even a year old yet,”

The lamb speaks. "So it was your brother." —

"I have no brothers." - “So this is godfather or matchmaker

And, in a word, someone from your own family.

You yourself, your dogs and your shepherds,

You all want me harm

And if you can, then you always harm me,

But I will clear out their sins with you.” —

“Oh, what’s my fault?” - “Be quiet! I'm tired of listening

It’s time for me to sort through your faults, puppy!

It’s your fault that I want to eat.”

He said and dragged the Lamb into the dark forest.

Fable by Ivan Krylov “Wolf in the kennel”

The wolf at night, thinking of getting into the sheepfold,

I ended up at the kennel.

Suddenly the entire kennel yard rose up.

Smelling gray so close to the bully,

The dogs are flooded in the barns and are eager to fight;

The hounds shout: “Wow, guys, thief!” —

And instantly the gates are locked;

In a minute the kennel became hell.

They run: another with a club,

Another with a gun.

“Fire! - they shout, - fire! They came with fire.

My Wolf sits with his backside pressed into the corner,

Teeth clicking and bristling wool,

With his eyes, it seems he would like to eat everyone;

But, seeing what is not here in front of the herd,

And what finally comes

He must pay for the sheep,

My cunning man set off

In negotiations

And he started like this: “Friends! What's all this fuss about?

I, your old matchmaker and godfather,

I came to make peace with you, not at all for the sake of a quarrel;

Let's forget the past, let's establish a common harmony!

And not only will I not touch the local herds in the future,

But I’m happy to fight for them with others

And I affirm with a wolf’s oath,

What am I..." - "Listen, neighbor, -

Here the hunter interrupted in response, -

You are gray, and I, buddy, are gray,

And I have long known your wolfish nature;

Therefore, my custom is:

There is no other way to make peace with wolves,

Like skinning them off.”

And then he released a pack of hounds at the Wolf.

Ivan Krylov's fable “Swan, Pike and Cancer”

When there is no agreement among comrades,

Things won't go well for them,

And nothing will come out of it, only torment.

____________________________

Once upon a time Swan, Crayfish and Pike

They began to carry a cart full of luggage,

And together the three all harnessed themselves to it;

They are doing their best, but the cart is still moving!

The luggage would seem light to them:

Yes, the Swan rushes into the clouds,

The cancer moves back, and the Pike pulls into the water.

Who is to blame and who is right is not for us to judge;

Yes, but things are still there.

Fable by Ivan Krylov “The Cat and the Cook”

Some Cook, literate,

He ran from the kitchen

To the tavern (he ruled the pious

And on this day the godfather held a funeral feast),

And at home, keep food away from mice

I left the cat.

But what does he see when he returns? On the floor

Pie scraps; and Vaska the Cat is in the corner,

Crouching for a barrel of vinegar,

Purring and grumbling, he works on the little chicken.

“Oh, you glutton! ah, villain! —

Here the Cook reproaches Vaska, -

Aren't you ashamed of the walls, not just the people?

(But Vaska still cleans up the little chicken.)

How! was an honest cat until then,

Sometimes people say that you are an example of humility,

And you... wow, what a shame!

Now all the neighbors will say:

“Vaska the cat is a cheat! Vaska the cat is a thief!

And Vaska, not just to the cookhouse,

There is no need to let him into the yard,

Like a greedy wolf into a sheepfold:

He is corruption, he is a plague, he is a plague of these places!

(And Vaska listens and eats.)

Here is my rhetorician, giving free rein to his words,

There was no end to the moralizing.

But what? While he was singing it,

Vaska the cat ate all the roast.

___________________________

And I would like a different cook

He ordered to write on the wall:

So as not to waste speeches there,

Where should power be used?

Fable by Ivan Krylov “Siskin and Dove”

The siskin was slammed shut by the villainous trap:

The poor thing was tossing and thrashing in it,

And the young Dove mocked him.

“Isn’t it a shame,” he says, “in broad daylight?

They wouldn't trick me like that:

I can confidently vouch for this.”

An, look, he immediately got himself caught in the snare.

Don’t laugh at someone else’s misfortune, Dove.

Fable by Ivan Krylov “Elephant and Moska”

They led an Elephant through the streets,

As can be seen on display -

It is known that Elephants are a curiosity among us -

So crowds of onlookers followed the Elephant.

No matter what, Moska will meet them.

When you see an Elephant, well, rush at it,

And bark, and squeal, and tear,

Well, he gets into a fight with him.

“Neighbor, stop being ashamed,”

The mongrel says to her, “Should you bother with the Elephant?”

Look, you’re already wheezing, and he’s walking away

And he doesn’t notice your barking at all.”—

“Eh, eh! - Moska answers her, -

This is what gives me spirit,

What am I, without a fight at all,

I can get into big bullies.

Let the dogs say:

“Ay, Moska! know she's strong

What barks at the Elephant!

Fable by Ivan Krylov “The Mouse and the Rat”

“Neighbor, have you heard the good rumor? —

Running in, the Rat Mouse said,

After all, the cat, they say, fell into the claws of a lion?

Now it’s time for us to rest!” —

“Don’t rejoice, my light,”

The Rat says in response to her,

And don’t hope in vain!

If it reaches their claws,

That is true, the lion will not be alive:

There is no stronger beast than a cat!”

_______________________

I’ve seen it so many times, take note for yourself:

When a coward is afraid of someone,

Then he thinks that

The whole world looks through his eyes.

Ivan Krylov’s fable “Demyanov’s ear”

“Neighbor, my light!

Please eat." —

“Neighbor, I’m fed up.” - “There is no need,

Another plate; listen:

Ushitsa, by all means, is cooked to perfection!” —

“I ate three plates.” - “And, of course, what about the bills:

If only there was a hunt,

Otherwise, for your health: eat to the dregs!

What an ear! Yes, how fat:

It was as if she were shimmering with amber.

Have fun, dear little friend!

Here's bream, giblets, here's a piece of sterlet!

Just one more spoon! Yes, bow down, wife! —

This is how neighbor Demyan treated his neighbor Foku

And he did not give him any rest or time;

And Foki had been dripping with sweat for a long time.

However, he takes another plate:

Gathering with the last strength

And it cleanses everything. “I love my friend! —

Demyan cried out. “But I don’t tolerate arrogant people.”

Well, eat another plate, my dear!”

Here is my poor Foka,

No matter how much I loved the fish soup, it’s such a disaster,

Grabbing in his arms

Sash and hat,

Hurry home without memory -

And from that time on, I never set foot near Demyan.

_______________________

Writer, you are happy if you have a direct gift;

But if you don’t know how to be silent in time

And you don’t spare your neighbor’s ears,

Then know that your prose and poetry

Demyanova's fish soup will make everyone sicker.

Fable by Ivan Krylov “Mirror and Monkey”

Monkey, seeing his image in the Mirror,

Quietly push Bear with his foot:

“Look,” he says, “my dear godfather!

What kind of face is that there?

What antics and jumps she has!

I would hang myself from boredom

If only she was even a little like her.

But, admit it, there is

Of my gossips, there are five or six such crooks:

I can even count them on my fingers.” —

Isn’t it better to turn on yourself, godfather?” —

Mishka answered her.

But Mishenka’s advice was wasted.

_____________________

There are many such examples in the world:

No one likes to recognize themselves in satire.

I even saw this yesterday:

Everyone knows that Klimych is dishonest;

They read about bribes to Klimych,

And he furtively nods at Peter.

Fable by Ivan Krylov “The Curious”

“Dear friend, great! Where have you been?" —

“In the Kunstkamera, my friend! I walked there for three hours;

I saw everything, looked out; out of surprise

Would you believe it, there will be no skill

I don’t have the energy to tell you again.

It truly is a chamber of miracles!

Nature is no stranger to inventions!

What animals, what birds I have never seen!

What butterflies, insects,

Boogers, flies, cockroaches!

Some are like emerald, others are like coral!

How tiny the cows are!

There are, really, less than a pinhead!” —

“Have you seen an elephant? What a look!

I am tea, did you think that you met a mountain?” —

“Is he really there?” - "There". - “Well, brother, it’s my fault:

I didn’t even notice the elephant.”

Fable by Ivan Krylov “The Cuckoo and the Dove”

The cuckoo cuckooed sadly.

“What, godmother, are you so sad? —

The Dove cooed tenderly to her from the branch,

Or about what has passed

It's spring here

And with her love, the sun went down below,

And that we have become closer to winter? —

“How, poor thing, can I not grieve? —

The cuckoo speaks. - Be your own judge:

I loved happily this spring,

And finally, I became a mother;

But the children don’t want to know me at all:

Is this the kind of payment I expected from them?

And isn’t it envious when I look

How ducklings curl around their mother,

Like rain pouring down on a chicken at the sound of a chicken,

And I, like an orphan, sit alone,

And I don’t know what childlike friendliness is.” —

“Poor thing! I suffer for you from the bottom of my heart;

The dislike of children could kill me,

Although this example is not rare;

Tell me, has it become so, have you brought out the children too?

When did you manage to build a nest?

I never saw this:

You kept fluttering and flying.” —

“It’s nonsense that there are so many red days

Sitting in the nest, I was lost:

That would be the stupidest thing ever!

I always laid eggs in other people’s nests.” —

“What kind of affection do you want from children?” —

Little Dove told her that.

_____________________________

Fathers and mothers! This is a lesson for you.

I told it not to the children as an apology:

They show disrespect for parents

And dislike is always a vice;

But if they grew up apart from you,

And you entrusted them to mercenary hands,

Isn't it your own fault?

That in old age they are not enough joy for you?

Fable by Ivan Krylov “The Cuckoo and the Rooster”

“How, dear Cockerel, you sing loudly, it’s important!” -

“And you, Cuckoo, are my light,

How do you pull smoothly and slowly:

We don’t have such a singer in the whole forest!” —

“I’m ready to listen to you, my kumanek, forever.” —

“And you, beauty, I promise,

As soon as you shut up, I’m waiting, I can’t wait,

So that you can start again...

And pure, and gentle, and tall!

Yes, that’s how you come from: you’re not big,

And the songs are like your nightingale! —

“Thank you, godfather; but, according to my conscience,

You sing better than the bird of paradise,

I refer to everyone in this.”

Then Sparrow happened to say to them: “Friends!

Even though you become hoarse, praising each other, -

All your music is bad!..”

____________________

Why, without fear of sin,

Does the Cuckoo praise the Rooster?

Because he praises the Cuckoo.

Ivan Krylov's fable “The Wolf and the Crane”

Everyone knows that wolves are greedy:

Wolf, eating, never

Doesn't understand bones.

Because of this, trouble came to one of them:

He almost choked on a bone.

The Wolf can neither sigh nor sigh;

It's time to stretch your legs!

Luckily, the Crane happened close here.

Somehow the Wolf began to beckon him with signs

And asks grief for help.

Crane your nose up to your neck

He shoved it into the Wolf's mouth and with greater difficulty

He pulled out the bone and began to ask for his labor.

"Are you kidding! - the insidious beast cried, -

For your work? Oh, you ungrateful one!

And it’s okay that you have a long nose

And with a stupid head he took the whole thing out of his throat!

Come on, buddy, get out,

But be careful: don’t get caught by me ahead.”

Fable by Ivan Krylov “The Boy and the Snake”

The boy, thinking of catching an eel,

He grabbed the Snake and, staring, out of fear

He became as pale as his shirt.

The snake, looking calmly at the Boy:

“Listen,” he says, “if you’re not smarter,

That insolence will not always be easy for you.

This time God will forgive; but watch out ahead

And know who you’re joking with!”

Ivan Andreevich Krylov is a significant figure in Russian classical literature. But, it should be noted, our author is well known abroad. Many parents whose children are in school often wonder: how to choose Krylov’s fables that are easy to learn? It is no secret that children are often asked to learn a certain text as homework. At the same time, many are really concerned about which one. To find one, many children agree to re-read almost the entire collection, which in itself is very good. This article reveals the meaning of Ivan Andreevich's most popular fables and gives tips on how to improve your home literature lessons.

Why are these texts still relevant today?

No matter how much time has passed since the creation of these original masterpieces of Russian classics, their themes remain in demand in the present moment. After all, no matter what century it is, the problems are essentially the same.

The fable genre occupies a special place in the genre. With the help of small and instructive texts, the writer shows the moral of each specific story, reveals its meaning and significance. In addition, in our time, it would be completely useful to sometimes stop in time and switch from everyday worries to funny stories, especially since they are always based on an interesting idea.

Krylov’s short fables teach a holistic attitude towards life, open up new opportunities for children and adults, and form the ability to look differently at the everyday reality that surrounds us.

"Dragonfly and Ant"

A wonderful fable probably known to every adult since childhood. Its essence lies in the fact that a Dragonfly and an Ant existed side by side. If the former lived one day at a time, appreciating only the present moment, then the latter worked prudently, preparing for winter and cold weather. The wisdom of the Ant and his hard work are contrasted with the idleness and cheerful life that the Dragonfly leads. As a result, the hard worker ends up winning, and the slacker is forced to ask him for an overnight stay.

The moral is not difficult to understand: you need to work hard and hard to achieve your goal, otherwise you may be left without a roof over your head and food. If you and your child choose Krylov’s fables that are easy to learn, then this text is perfect for this purpose.

"The Monkey and the Glasses"

At the beginning of the story it is indicated that the monkey, the main character of the fable, began to see poorly in old age. She herself did not know how to solve this problem, so she began to listen to the opinions of others. At the cost of some incredible efforts, glasses suddenly appeared in her paws. But here’s the problem: she still didn’t know how to use them! After a series of unsuccessful attempts to use the glasses, they could not be found, and the Monkey broke them by hitting the ground.

Krylov's short fables like this one teach us to accept the various circumstances of life in the manner in which they appear to us. If Monkey had handled the situation competently enough, the outcome would have been positive. She should have collected more information, tried all the tricks and methods of using glasses. She showed impatience and anger, for which she was punished.

"Swan, Crayfish and Pike"

If we take into consideration Krylov’s fables, which are easy to learn, then this text can be noted as easy to understand by ear and well remembered. There is nothing complicated here, the story is read in one breath. In addition, it is quite small in volume. After several repetitions, the child will be able to memorize it. The moral of the fable teaches us that in any business that is done together, it is necessary to achieve a state of unity with partners.

No matter what business we undertake, if everyone pulls in his own direction, we will not be able to achieve harmony and a good result. Learning the text is not difficult. The kids will love it. To achieve the best effect, it is recommended to dramatize the fable and play it role-by-role. No one will remain indifferent here!

"The Fox and the Grapes"

This story is familiar to everyone. The fox looked at the desired treat, but was unable to reach the branch to get it. In the end, she decided that “he is green” and therefore she does not need him. The essence of the fable is this: when we cannot achieve some goal that is important to us, we often downplay its significance. So the fox, after deciding that she was completely unable to enjoy the grapes, devalued it completely. This story shows a lot about the desired goal and who wants to achieve it. You can also take this fable to memorize.

How to teach Krylov's fables with a child?

Children are often asked at school to learn a short text by Ivan Andreevich as homework. Moreover, it is not a specific fable that is provided, but the right to choose the one you like. And this is more than the right approach! Before settling on one, the child will re-read at least several instructive and funny stories.

Many parents ask how to choose Krylov's fables that are easy to learn? Start by simply introducing your son or daughter to the work of this writer. Tell us about it what you know yourself, it will be better than limiting yourself to just reading a textbook and Share your own experience about how you yourself learned fables by heart, how exciting this activity is. Your goal is to interest the child, to awaken in him the desire to study most of the short texts. But even if your child doesn’t show any particular zeal, choose the most suitable fable with him and learn it by heart.

This article, of course, does not include all of I. A. Krylov’s fables. The list of them is much wider and together forms a large thick volume. But even among the texts presented here, you can choose one story that you like the most and learn it. The main thing is not to force the child, not to demand that he master the material as quickly as possible, but to act gradually, without rushing. Remember, children least of all want to do what seems boring and uninteresting to them.

We love reading Krylov's fables since childhood. Krylov’s images are stored in our memory, which often pop up in our heads in various life situations; we turn to them and each time we never cease to be amazed at Krylov’s insight.

It happens that I remember the Pug, who barks at the Elephant in order to give the impression of being brave and fearless, or suddenly the Monkey pops up before my eyes, who mocked himself, not recognizing the reflection in the Mirror. Laughter, and that's all! And how often do encounters occur that are involuntarily compared to the Monkey, who, out of her own ignorance, not knowing the value of the Glasses, broke them on a stone. Krylov’s little fables are short in size, but not in meaning, because Krylov’s word is sharp, and the morals of the fables have long turned into popular expressions. Krylov's fables accompany us through life, have become close to us and at any time will find understanding in us and help us re-realize our values.

Krylov is a famous writer. Of all the children's poems and fables, Krylov's works are always the best, they are etched in the memory and emerge throughout life when encountering human vices. It is often said that Krylov did not write for children, but isn’t the meaning of his fables clear to children? Usually the moral is clearly written, so even the smallest child can read Krylov’s fables with benefit.

On our website we post the best works of the author in their original presentation, and also highlight morality separately for convenience and better memorization of sometimes philosophical thoughts. Both children and adults will find a lot of meaning in these little life stories in which animals symbolize people, their vices and ridiculous behavior. Krylov's fables online are remarkable because they contain not only text, but also a remarkable picture, easy navigation, educational facts and reasoning. After reading, the author will probably become your favorite, and his life essays in the form of humorous fables will be remembered for many years.

The fabulist led an absolutely open life, communicated a lot, published books one after another and did not shy away from his obesity and laziness. The oddities that happened to Krylov were expressed by him in instructive scenes, the simplicity of which is deceptive. He was not a fabulist, he was a thinker-philosopher, capable of, with childish unobtrusiveness and ease, comically describing the shortcomings of people in a stunning form accessible only to him. There is no need to look only for satire in Krylov’s fables; their value does not end there. The content and meaning are more philosophical than humorous. In addition to human vices, the truths of existence, the foundations of behavior and relationships between people are presented in a light form. Each fable is a combination of wisdom, morality and humor.

Start reading Krylov's fables to your child from an early age. They will show him what to watch out for in life, what behavior others condemn and what they can encourage. According to Krylov, the laws of life are natural and wise; he despises artificiality and self-interest. Morality, cleared of any impurities and trends, is clear and concise, containing the division between right and wrong. The remarkable manner of writing led to the fact that every moral became a folk proverb or a cheerful aphorism. The works are written in such a language that, although they look like literary forms, they actually carry intonations and ridicule inherent only in the great national mind. Krylov's little fables changed the general view of this genre. Innovation was manifested in realism, a philosophical note and worldly wisdom. Fables became small novels, sometimes dramas, in which the accumulated wisdom and cunning of the mind over centuries was revealed. It is remarkable that with all this, the author did not turn the fable into a satirical poem, but managed to preserve a deep meaningful part, consisting of a short story and morality.

Krylov's fable penetrated into the essence of things, the characters' characters, and became a genre practically unattainable by other authors. Despite the satire, the fabulist loved life in all its manifestations, but he would really like simple and natural truths to finally replace base passions. The fable genre under his pen has become so high and refined that, after re-reading the fables of other authors, you will understand that there is no other like it, and there is unlikely to be one.

In the section of Krylov's fables online, we invite you to get acquainted with folk wisdom. Short philosophical works will not leave either children or adults indifferent.

Compilation, preface, notes and explanations

V.P. Anikina

Artists

S. Bordyug and N. Trepenok

Russian genius

Twenty-year-old Ivan Andreevich Krylov, a still little-known writer, published his first fables in 1788, without a signature, in the St. Petersburg magazine “Morning Hours.” And he published his first book of fables years later - only in 1809. Having worked in various types of creativity, not without success, Krylov realized that the fable genre was most successful for him. The fable became almost the exclusive genre of his work. And soon the fame of a first-class author came to the writer.

The artistic gift of Krylov the fabulist was fully revealed when he combined his extensive knowledge of ancient and modern European literature with the realization that the type of creativity he favored by nature belonged to the type of creativity in which folk morality is expressed. This morality, for example, is revealed in Russian fairy tales about animals, in proverbs, in teachings - in general, in peasant fables. In Rus', an intricate story has long been called fable. “Fables and fairy tales” are inseparable from the living telling of a fictional story, flavored with jokes and teaching. This was something that many of Krylov’s predecessors did not understand for a long time, who failed because they did not realize that the fable is inseparable from the spoken language.

Thus, the hardworking philologist, famous in the 18th century, member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences V.K. Tredyakovsky (1703–1768), long before Krylov, published a retelling of several “Aesopian fables.” Among them was the fable “The Wolf and the Crane.” Its plot is the same as that of Krylov, but in the presentation of the fable almost everything is alien to colloquial speech.

A wolf choked on a sharp bone one day.
So that he was not strong enough to howl, but became completely stumped.
For this purpose he hired a crane at a price
To extract the nose from the throat with longitude.

Tredyakovsky guessed that the fable story should be presented in a folk way, and it was no coincidence that he introduced some colloquial words and expressions into his translation (although not without distortion): “he was not strong enough to howl,” “he became completely stumped,” but the translation remained heavy and bookish.

Let’s compare Krylov’s fable with Tredyakovsky’s translation:

Everyone knows that wolves are greedy:
Wolf, eating, never
Doesn't understand bones.
For that, for one of them trouble came:
He almost choked on a bone.
Wolf can't neither sigh nor sigh;
It's time to stretch your legs!

The whole structure of the presentation is easy, elegant, understandable to any Russian person! This is our living speech. Krylov followed the intonation of the oral story; in the fable story there is not even a shadow of any artificiality.

The famous 20th-century philologist Viktor Vladimirovich Vinogradov specially studied the language and style of Krylov’s fables and noted dozens of folk proverbs in them. The scientist cited a long list of proverbs and sayings that the fabulist used and called them “semantic bonds,” that is, connections that impart semantic unity to the presentation of the fable story. Here are some of them: “There is a black sheep in a family” (“Elephant in the Voivodeship”), “Though the eye sees, the tooth is numb” (“The Fox and the Grapes”), “Poverty is not a vice” (“The Farmer and the Shoemaker”), “Out of the Fire and into the Fire” (“The Lady and the Two Maids”), “Don’t Spit in the Well—You’ll Need to Drink Water” (“The Lion and the Mouse”) and dozens of others. The fabulist relied on the usual in our language designations and comparisons of animals and birds with people: the crow is a prophet, but is susceptible to flattery, the donkey is stubborn, the fox is cunning, the bear is strong but stupid, the hare is cowardly, the snake is dangerous, etc. And they act like people. Proverbs and sayings, proverbs and allegorical words included in fables were developed and semantically clarified by Krylov.

Krylov's primacy among fabulists continues to this day. And in our time, his fables captivate readers. He is placed on a par with the greatest artists of all times and peoples. No one is surprised that he is compared to the ancient Greek Aesop and other world-famous fabulists. But most of all he is valued in Russia as an artist who expressed the common sense and intelligence of our people.

V.P. Anikin

A Crow and a fox

How many times have they told the world,
That flattery is vile and harmful; but everything is not for the future,
And a flatterer will always find a corner in the heart.
___
Somewhere God sent a piece of cheese to a crow;
Raven perched on the spruce tree,
I was just about ready to have breakfast,
Yes, I thought about it, but I held the cheese in my mouth.
To that misfortune, the Fox ran close by;
Suddenly the cheese spirit stopped the Fox:
The fox sees the cheese, and the fox is captivated by the cheese.
The cheat approaches the tree on tiptoe;
He twirls his tail and doesn’t take his eyes off Crow,
And he says so sweetly, barely breathing:
“My dear, how beautiful!
What a neck, what eyes!
Telling fairy tales, really!
What feathers! what a sock!
And surely there must be an angelic voice!
Sing, little light, don’t be ashamed! What if, sister,
With such beauty, you are a master at singing,
After all, you would be our king bird!”
Veshunin's head was spinning with praise,
The breath stole from my throat with joy, -
And to the fox’s friendly words
The crow croaked at the top of its lungs:
The cheese fell out - such was the trick with it.

Oak and Cane

With Trostinka, Oak once came into speech.
“Truly, you have the right to grumble about nature,”
He said: “The sparrow is heavy for you too.
A slight breeze will make the water ripple,
You will stagger, you will begin to weaken
And so you bend down lonely,
What a pity to look at you.
Meanwhile, on a par with the Caucasus, proudly
It’s not just the sun that I block the rays of,
But, laughing at both whirlwinds and thunderstorms,
I stand firm and straight,
As if surrounded by an inviolable peace.
Everything is a storm to you - everything seems like marshmallows to me.
Even if you grew in a circle,
Covered in the thick shadow of my branches,
I could be your protection from bad weather;
But nature has given you your destiny
Brega of the stormy Eolian domain:
Of course, she doesn’t care about you at all.” -
"You are very pitiful"
said the Cane in response,
“However, don’t be downhearted: I don’t have much to lose.
It’s not for myself that I fear the whirlwinds;
Although I bend, I don’t break:
So storms do little harm to me;
They threaten you almost more!
It is true that even hitherto their ferocity
Your strength has not overcome you,
And you did not bow your face from their blows;
But let’s wait for the end!”
As soon as the Cane said this,
Suddenly rushing from the northern sides
And with hail and rain, the noisy aquilon.
The oak is holding on, - Reed fell to the ground.
The wind is raging, it has doubled its strength,
Roared and uprooted
The one who touched heaven with his head
And in the region of shadows he rested his heel.

Musicians

Neighbor invited neighbor to have a meal;
But there was a different intention here:
The owner loved music
And he lured his neighbor to listen to the singers.
The fellows sang: some into the forest, some for firewood,
And who has gained any strength?
The guest's ears began to crackle,
And my head started spinning.
“Have mercy on me,” he said in surprise:
“What is there to admire here? Your choir
He's babbling nonsense! -
“That’s true,” the owner answered with emotion:
“They fight a little;
But they don’t put drunken things in their mouths,
And all with excellent behavior."
___
And I’ll say: for me it’s better to drink,
Yes, understand the matter.

Crow and Chicken

When the Prince of Smolensk,
Armed against insolence with art,
The vandals installed a new network
And he left Moscow to their destruction:
Then all the inhabitants, small and large,
Without wasting an hour, we got ready
And they rose from the walls of Moscow,
Like a swarm of bees from a hive.
A crow from the roof is here to all this alarm
He looks calmly, cleaning his nose.
“What about you, gossip, are you going on the road?”
The Chicken shouts to her from the cart:
“After all, they say that at the threshold
Our adversary." -
“What does this matter to me?”
The prophetess answered her: “I will stay here boldly.
Here are your sisters, as they wish;
But Raven is neither fried nor boiled:
So it’s no wonder for me to get along with the guests,
And maybe you can still make some money
Cheese, or a bone, or something.
Farewell, little corydalis, happy journey!”
The crow truly remained;
But, instead of all the bait for her,
How Smolensky began to starve the guests -
She herself got caught in their soup.
___
So often a person is blind and stupid in his calculations.
It seems that you are rushing on the heels of happiness:
How do you actually get along with him?
Caught like a crow in soup!

Chest

It often happens to us
And work and wisdom to see there,
Where you just have to guess
Just get down to business.
___
A Casket was brought to someone from the master.
The decoration and cleanliness of the Casket caught my eye;
Well, everyone admired the beautiful Casket.
Here the sage enters the Mechanics room.
Looking at the Chest,
he said: “A box with a secret,
So; it doesn't even have a lock;
And I undertake to open it; yes, yes, I'm sure of it;
Don't laugh so secretly!
I will find the secret and I will reveal the little chest to you:
I’m worth something in Mechanics too.”
So he set to work on the Casket:
Turns him from all sides
And he breaks his head;
First a carnation, then another, then a bracket.
Here, looking at him, another
Shakes his head;
They whisper, and they laugh among themselves.
It just rings in my ears:
“Not here, not like that, not there!” The mechanic is even more eager.
Sweated, sweated; but finally got tired
I left Larchik behind
And I couldn’t figure out how to open it:
And the casket simply opened.

Frog and Ox

The frog, seeing Ox in the meadow,
She decided to match his stature herself:
She was envious.
And well, puff up, puff and pout.
“Look, wah, what, will I get rid of him?”
He says to his friend. “No, gossip, far away!” -
“Look how wide I am now.
Well, what's it like?
Am I replenished? - “Almost nothing.” -
“Well, how now?” - “It’s all the same.”
Puffed and puffed
And my idea ended with
That, not being equal to Vol,
With an effort it burst and died.
___
There is more than one example of this in the world:
And is it a wonder when a tradesman wants to live,
As a distinguished citizen,
And the fry is small, like a noble nobleman.

Wolf and Lamb

The powerful are always to blame for the powerless:
We hear countless examples of this in History,
But we don’t write History;
Here's how they talk about it in Fables.
___
On a hot day, a lamb went to a stream to drink;
And something must happen,
That a hungry Wolf was prowling around those places.
He sees a lamb and strives for the prey;
But, to give the matter at least a legal look and feel,
Shouts: “How dare you, insolent, with an unclean snout
Here is a clean drink
My
With sand and silt?
For such insolence
I'll rip your head off." -
“When the brightest Wolf allows,
I dare to convey: what’s down the stream
From the Lordship of his steps I drink a hundred;
And he deigns to be angry in vain:
There’s no way I can make him drink worse.” -
“That's why I'm lying!
Waste! Such insolence has never been heard of in the world!
Yes, I remember that you were last summer
Here he was somehow rude to me:
I haven’t forgotten this, buddy!” -
“For mercy, I’m not even a year old yet,”
The lamb speaks. "So it was your brother." -
"I have no brothers." - “So this is godfather or matchmaker
And, in a word, someone from your own family.
You yourself, your dogs and your shepherds,
You all want me harm
And if you can, then you always harm me:
But I will clear out their sins with you.” -
“Oh, what’s my fault?” - “Be quiet! I'm tired of listening
It’s time for me to sort through your faults, puppy!
It’s your fault that I want to eat.”
He said and dragged the Lamb into the dark forest.

Monkey

When you adopt wisely, then it’s not a miracle
And find benefit from it;
And it’s crazy to adopt,
And God forbid, how bad it is!
I will give an example of this from distant countries.
Those who have seen Monkeys know
How greedily they adopt everything.
So in Africa, where there are many Monkeys,
A whole flock of them sat
Along the branches, along the branches of a thick tree
And she looked at the catcher furtively,
As if he were rolling around on the grass in nets.
Each friend here quietly pushes her friend,
And they all whisper to each other:
“Look at the daredevil;
There really is no end to his undertakings:
It will tumble
It will turn around
It's all in a lump
He'll get it together like that
That there are no arms or legs to be seen.
Are we really not masters of everything?
But we don’t see this kind of art!
Beautiful sisters!
It would be a good idea for us to adopt this.
He seemed rather amused;
Maybe he’ll leave, then we’ll immediately...” Look,
He truly left and left the nets for them.
“Well,” they say, “should we lose time?
Let's go try!"
The beauties have come down. For dear guests
There are a lot of nets spread out below.
Well, they tumble and roll in them,
And wrap up and curl;
They scream and squeal – it’s a lot of fun!
Yes, that's the problem
When did it come to break out of the network!
Meanwhile the owner guarded
And, seeing that it’s time, he goes to the guests with bags,
Let them run away
Yes, no one could unravel:
And they were all taken by hand.

Tit

The tit took off to the sea;
She boasted
What the sea wants to burn.
The speech immediately became famous around the world.
Fear embraced the inhabitants of Neptune's capital;
Birds fly in flocks;
And the animals from the forests come running to watch,
How will the Ocean be, and how hot will it be to burn?
And even, they say, on hearing the winged rumor,
Hunters wander around feasts
Of the first to come to the shores with spoons,
To sip the fish soup of such a rich woman,
What a tax farmer and the most well-packed one
Didn't give it to secretaries.
They crowd: everyone marvels at the miracle in advance,
He is silent and, staring at the sea, waits;
Only occasionally will someone whisper:
“It’s about to boil, it’s about to catch fire!”
Not so: the sea doesn’t burn.
Is it even boiling? – and it doesn’t boil.
And how did the majestic undertakings end?
The titmouse swam away in shame;
The Tit made glory,
But she didn’t light the sea.
___
It’s good to keep a speech here,
But without touching anyone's face:
What's going on without reaching an end?
There is no need to boast.

Donkey

When did Jupiter inhabit the universe?
And he started a tribe of various creatures,
That’s when the Donkey was born.
But with intent, or while getting pregnant,
In such a busy time
The cloud chaser made a mistake:
And the Donkey poured out almost as small as a squirrel.
Almost no one noticed the donkey,
At least in arrogance the Donkey was not inferior to anyone.
The donkey would like to boast:
But with what? having such a height,
And it’s a shame to appear in the world.
My arrogant donkey stuck to Jupiter
And he began to ask for more growth.
“Have mercy,” he says, “how can you take this down?
Lions, leopards and elephants are everywhere so honored;
Moreover, from the greatest to the least,
Everything is about them only and about them;
Why are you so daring towards Donkeys?
That they have no honor,
And no one says a word about Donkeys?
And if only I were the height of a calf,
If only I had knocked down the arrogance of lions and leopards,
And the whole world would talk about me.”
What day, then again
My donkey sang to Zeus;
And before that he was tired,
What's finally the donkey's prayers
Zeus listened:
And the Donkey became a great beast;
And on top of that, he was given such a wild voice,
What is my eared Hercules
The whole forest was scared.
“What kind of animal is this? what kind?
Tea, does he have teeth? horns, tea, no number?
Well, the only talk was about the Donkey.
But how did it end? Not even a year has passed
How everyone found out who Donkey is:
My donkey's stupidity has become a proverb.
And they carry water on a Donkey.
___
Highness is good in breed and rank;
But what is gained in it when the soul is low?

Monkey and glasses

The monkey's eyes became weak in old age;
And she heard from people,
That this evil is not yet so big:
All you have to do is get glasses.
She got herself half a dozen glasses;
He turns his glasses this way and that:
Either he will press them to the crown, or he will string them on his tail,
Sometimes he sniffs them, sometimes he licks them;
The glasses don't work at all.
“Ugh, the abyss! - she says: - and that fool,
Who listens to all human lies:
They only lied to me about the Glasses;
But there’s no use for hair in them.”
The monkey is here out of frustration and sadness
Oh stone, there were so many of them,
That only the splashes sparkled.
___
Unfortunately, this is what happens to people:
No matter how useful a thing is, without knowing its price,
The ignoramus tends to tell everything about her for the worse;
And if the ignorant is more knowledgeable,
So he also drives her away.

Atheists

There was a people in ancient times, to the shame of the earthly tribes.
Who was so hardened in his hearts,
That he armed himself against the gods.
Rebellious crowds, behind a thousand banners,
Some with a bow, some with a sling, rush noisily into the field.
The instigators, from the daring heads,
To incite more riots among the people,
They shout that the court of heaven is both strict and stupid;
That the gods are either asleep or ruling recklessly;
That it’s time to teach them a lesson without rank;
Which, however, is not difficult with stones from nearby mountains
Throw into the sky at the gods
And sweep Olympus with arrows.
Confused by the insolence of madmen and blasphemies,
All Olympus approached Zeus with prayer,
So that he averts trouble;
And even the whole council of the gods of those thoughts was,
Which, to the rebels’ conviction, is not bad
Show at least a small miracle:
Or a flood, or thunder with a coward,
Or at least hit them with stone rain.
"Let's wait"
Jupiter river: “and if they don’t reconcile
And in a riot they will abuse, not fearing the immortals,
They are executed for their deeds.”
Then it soared into the air with a noise
Darkness of stones, cloud of arrows from the rebel troops,
But with a thousand deaths, both evil and inevitable,
Chapters fell on their own.
___
The fruits of unbelief are terrible;
And know, peoples, you
That the supposed sages of blasphemy are bold,
What do they arm you against the deity?
Your hour of destruction is approaching,
And they will all turn into arrows of thunder for you.

Eagle and chickens

Wanting to fully admire the bright day,
An eagle flew in the sky
And I walked there
Where lightning is born.
Having finally descended from the cloudy heights,
The King Bird sits on a barn to rest.
Although this is an unenviable perch for the Eagle,
But the Kings have their own quirks:
Perhaps he wanted to honor the barn,
Or if he wasn’t nearby, he should sit down according to his rank,
Neither oak nor granite rock;
I don’t know what this thought is, but just Eagle
Didn't sit much
And then he flew to another barn.
Seeing that, the crested hen
He talks like this to his godfather:
“Why are the Eagles so honored?
Is it really for the flight, dear neighbor?
Well, really, if I want,
From barn to barn I will fly too.
Let's not be such fools forward,
To honor the Eagles who are more noble than us.
They have neither legs nor eyes larger than ours;
Yes, you saw it now,
That below they fly like chickens.”
The eagle answers, bored with the nonsense:
“You're right, but not quite.
Eagles sometimes descend lower than chickens;
But chickens will never reach the clouds!”
___
When you judge talents, -
Do not waste your labors in vain by counting their weaknesses;
But, feeling that they are both strong and beautiful,
Know how to comprehend their different heights.

Fable "The Cuckoo and the Eagle"

The Eagle granted the Cuckoo to Nightingales.

Cuckoo, in a new rank,

Having sat down importantly on an aspen tree,

Talents in music

She started to speak out;

He looks - everyone is flying away,

Some laugh at her, and those scold her.

My Cuckoo is upset

And she hurries to the Eagle with a complaint about the birds.

“Have mercy! - he says, - at your command

Here I am called the Nightingale in the forest;

And mine is dared to laugh by singing!” —

"My friend! - Eagle in response, - I am a king, but I am not a god

I can’t save you from your troubles.

I could force the cuckoo to honor the Nightingale;

But I couldn’t make Cuckoo the Nightingale.”

Fable "Two Dogs"

Yard, faithful dog

Who diligently carried out his lordly service,

I saw an old friend of mine,

I'm buzzing, curly lap dog,

On a soft down pillow, on the window.

Affectionately towards her, as if towards relatives,

He almost cries with emotion,

And under the window

Squeals, wags its tail

And he jumps.

“Well, Zhuzhutka, how are you doing?

Since the gentlemen took you into the mansion?

After all, remember: in the yard we often went hungry.

What service do you perform? —

“For happiness, it’s a sin to grumble,” Zhuzhutka replies, “

My master dotes on me;

I live in contentment and goodness,

And I eat and drink on silver;

I'm frolicking with the master; and if I get tired,

I'm lying on the carpets and the soft sofa.

How are you living? “I,” answered Barbos,

Letting down your tail with a whip and hanging your nose, -

I live as before: I endure the cold,

And, saving the master's house,

Here I sleep under the fence and get wet in the rain;

And if I bark at the wrong time,

I also accept beatings.

Why did you, Zhuzhu, get into trouble?

I was powerless and small,

Meanwhile, I'm tearing myself apart in vain?

What do you serve?” - “What do you serve!

That's great! —

Zhuzhu answered with mockery. —

I walk on my hind legs.”

__________________________

How many people find happiness

Only because they walk well on their hind legs!

Fable "Oboz"

A convoy walked with pots,

And you have to go down a steep mountain.

So, on the mountain, leaving others to wait,

The owner began to lightly move the first cart.

The good horse on his rump almost carried him,

Not letting the cart roll;

And the horse on top, young,

Scolds the poor horse for every step:

“Ah, vaunted horse, what a marvel!

Look: it molds like a cancer;

I almost got caught on a rock; askew! crooked!

Be brave! Here comes the push again.

And here I would just take it to the left.

What an ass! It would be nice to go uphill

Or at night,

And even downhill, and during the day!

Look, you'll lose patience!

You would be carrying water if you don’t have the skill!

Look at us as we wave!

Don't be afraid, we won't waste a minute,

And we won’t bring our cart, but we’ll roll it!”

Here, arching your spine and straining your chest,

The horse and cart set off;

But she just tumbled downhill,

The cart began to push, the cart rolled;

The horse is pushed back, the horse is thrown sideways;

The horse took off on all four legs

To the glory;

There were tremors along the stones and potholes,

Left, left, and with the cart - crash into the ditch!

Goodbye master pots!

__________________________

As in people, many have the same weakness:

Everything in another seems like a mistake to us;

And you will get down to business yourself,

So you'll do something twice as bad.

Fable "Trishkin caftan"

Trishka’s caftan was torn at the elbows.

Why take so long to think here? He took up the needle:

I cut off the sleeves by a quarter -

And he paid in elbow grease. The caftan is ready again;

My arms became only a quarter bare.

But what about this sadness?

However, everyone laughs at Trishka,

And Trishka says: “So I’m not a fool

And I’ll fix that problem:

I’ll make my sleeves longer than before.”

Oh, little Trishka is not simple!

He cut the coattails and the floors,

I adjusted my sleeves, and my Trishka is cheerful,

Even though he wears a caftan like this,

Which is longer and camisoles.

_________________

In the same way, I saw, sometimes

Other gentlemen,

Having messed things up, they correct them,

Look: they're flaunting Trishka's caftan.

Fairy tales "The Lion and the Mouse"

The Mouse humbly asked Leo for permission

Set up a village nearby in a hollow

And so she said: “Although here, in the forests,

You are both mighty and glorious;

Although no one is equal to Leo in strength,

And his roar alone strikes fear into everyone,

But who will guess the future?

Who knows? who will need whom?

And no matter how small I seem,

And maybe sometimes I’ll be useful to you.” —

"You! - Leo screamed. - You pathetic creature!

For these daring words

You are worth death as punishment.

Get away, get away from here while you're still alive -

Or your ashes will not be.”

Here the poor Mouse, unable to remember from fear,

She took off with all her might and left no trace of her.

However, this pride was not in vain for Leo:

Setting off to look for prey for lunch,

He got caught in a snare.

The strength in him is useless, the roar and groan are in vain,

No matter how he rushed or rushed,

But everything remained the hunter's prey,

And he was taken away in a cage for the people to see.

He remembered about the poor Mouse late here,

So that she could help him,

That the net would not survive from her teeth

And that his own arrogance ate him up.

_____________________

Reader, loving the truth,

I’ll add a word to the fable, and not on my own -

It is not in vain that people say:

Don't spit in the well, it will come in handy

Drink some water.

Fable "The Donkey and the Man"

Man, go to the garden for the summer

Having hired Donkey, he assigned

Ravens and sparrows are chased by an impudent race.

The donkey had the most honest rules:

I’m not familiar with predation or theft,

He didn’t profit from the owner’s leaf

And it’s a shame to give the birds a treat;

But the peasant's profit from the garden was bad.

The donkey, chasing the birds, with all the donkey's legs,

Along all the ridges, up and down

Such a gallop has risen,

That he crushed and trampled everything in the garden.

Seeing here that his work was wasted,

Peasant on the back of a donkey

He took out the loss with a club.

“And nothing! - everyone shouts, “serves the beast right!”

With his mind

Should I take on this matter?

_______________________

And I will say, not to stand up for the Donkey;

He is definitely to blame (and the settlement has been made with him),

But it seems that he is also wrong

Who instructed the Donkey to guard his garden.

Fable "The Lion and the Fox"

The Fox, not having seen Leo,

Having met him, I was left barely alive from my passions.

So, a little later, she came across Leo again,

But he didn’t seem so scary to her.

And for the third time, the Fox started talking with Leo.

_______________________

We are also afraid of something else,

As long as we take a closer look at it.

Fable "The Wolf and the Crane"

Everyone knows that wolves are greedy:

Wolf, eating, never

Doesn't understand bones.

Because of this, trouble came to one of them:

He almost choked on a bone.

The Wolf can neither sigh nor sigh;

It's time to stretch your legs!

Luckily, the Crane happened close here.

Somehow the Wolf began to beckon him with signs

And asks grief for help.

Crane your nose up to your neck

He shoved it into the Wolf's mouth and with greater difficulty

He pulled out the bone and began to ask for his labor.

"Are you kidding! - the insidious beast cried, -

For your work? Oh, you ungrateful one!

And it’s okay that you have a long nose

And with a stupid head he took the whole thing out of his throat!

Come on, buddy, get out,

But be careful: don’t get caught by me ahead.”

Fable "The Lion and the Man"

Being strong is good, being smart is twice as good.

Who has no faith in this,

That clear example will be found here,

That power without mind is a bad treasure.

_________________

Having spread a snare between the trees,

The prey catcher waited:

But somehow, having made a mistake, he himself fell into the clutches of Leo.

“Die, you despicable creature! - the ferocious Lion roared,

Opening your mouth at him. —

Let's see where your rights are, where the strength, firmness,

Why are you in your vanity?

All creation, even the Lion, should you boast of being king?

And in my claws we will sort it out,

Is such pride commensurate with your strength!” —

“It’s not strength that gives us the upper hand over you,”

There was Man's answer to the Lion. —

And I dare to boast

That I can overcome this obstacle with skill,

From whom and with force, perhaps,

You will have to retreat." —

“I’m tired of listening to fairy tales about your boasting.” —

“Not in fairy tales, I can prove it with deeds;

However, if I lie,

Then you can still eat me after.

Look, between these trees

My works

You see a web spread out.

Who among us will get through it better?

If you want, I'll crawl ahead:

And then we'll see how and with force in turn

You'll get halfway to me.

You see, this network is not a stone wall;

The slightest breeze sways it;

However, with one force

You can barely follow me right through it

Having surveyed the net with contempt,

“Go there,” said Lev arrogantly, “

In an instant I will be on the straight path to you.”

Here is my catcher, without wasting any more words,

I dived under the net and was ready to accept the Lion.

Like an arrow from a bow, the Lion took off after him;

But Lev did not learn to dive under nets:

He hit the net, but didn’t break the net -

Got confused (the catcher ended the argument and the matter) -

Art has overcome power,

And poor Leo died.

Fable "Hare on the hunt"

A large crowd has gathered,

The animals caught the bear;

They were crushed in an open field -

And they share among themselves,

Who will get what for themselves?

And the Hare immediately pulls the bear’s ear.

“Bah, you oblique one,”

They shout to him, “Have you granted him permission?”

No one saw you fishing." —