Like a fable, it was born 4000 years ago. A witty allegorical narrative certainly contains the main idea - morality. This genre was brought to Russian literature and revived by Ivan Andreevich Krylov. If the first fabulists - the ancient Greek author Aesop, the German writer and playwright of the 19th century Lessing - preferred the prose form, then Krylov wrote all the fables exclusively in verse. "The Wolf in the Kennel" is a fable of high patriotic content, written during the years of the Great Year, at the time of the invasion of Napoleon's troops and their inglorious flight from the battlefield.

It is characteristic that at school the study of this work is not always accompanied by a reference to a parallel with a historical plot in which there are two main characters: the Stalker is the commander Mikhail Ivanovich Kutuzov, the Wolf is Napoleon. Meanwhile, it is in this context that the “moral of this fable” should be perceived. The analysis of the fable "The Wolf in the Kennel" is often done superficially, the work is presented as a fairy tale about an unlucky wolf who, "thinking to get into the sheepfold, ended up in the kennel." An unimaginable noise arose, the dogs rushed into battle, and the Wolf sat in fear, “huddled in a corner with his backside”, began to speak flattering speeches about good neighborliness. But you can’t fool the Huntsman: he knows the nature of wolves well, and he will go to the world, “only having removed the skin from them off.”

Used by I. A. Krylov, they vividly reproduce the atmosphere of military battles, the state of mind of the trapped Wolf, as well as the anger of the inhabitants of the kennel, where an uninvited guest showed up. Is it possible to more vividly describe the confrontation between the defenders of the Motherland and the aggressor, who, at the first danger, backpedaled and even tried to make peace - why not a wolf in a kennel? A fable is a miniature work, comparable in significance to an action-packed novel or a historical story.

What is Wolf in the Kennel really about? The fable describes a real historical fact from the time of the Patriotic War. Realizing that he could not defeat the Russians, the emperor decided to make peace with Kutuzov. However, these negotiations did not take place, and any attempt to make peace would be doomed to failure. The enemy troops were utterly defeated and shamefully fled, freezing in the snows of Russia and losing thousands and thousands of people. This is colorfully and metaphorically written in the satirical picture "The Wolf in the Kennel". The fable was written precisely in the memorable year 1812.

The fabulist gave his creation to the army Kutuzov. History tells that Mikhail Ivanovich, going around his regiments, would certainly read to the soldiers by heart "The Wolf in the Kennel". The fable contains the following words: "You are gray, and I, friend, are gray." With these words, Kutuzov each time took off his cocked hat and showed his gray head. The enthusiasm and enthusiasm of the soldiers knew no bounds.

The meaning of this fable is so transparent and obvious that the author did not even accompany it with his traditional explanation - "The moral of this fable is this." The one who defends his home and his land cannot be defeated or tricked by some tricks - that's the whole moral of the fable "The Wolf in the Kennel". She is out of time. That is why it remains relevant to this day.

The wolf at night, thinking to climb into the sheepfold,
Went to the kennel.
The whole kennel rose suddenly -
Feeling the gray so close to the bully,
The dogs are flooded in the stables and are eager to fight;
Houndsmen shout: "Oh, guys, thief!"—
And in a moment the gate is 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, huddled in a corner with his back.
Clicking teeth and bristling wool,
With his eyes, it seems that he would like to eat everyone;
But, seeing what is not in front of the herd
And what comes at last
Him to comb for the sheep, -
My trickster has gone
In negotiations
And he began like this: "Friends! Why all this noise?
I, your old matchmaker and godfather,
I came to put up with you, not at all for the sake of a quarrel;
Let's forget the past, set a common mood!
And I, not only will not touch the local herds,
But he himself is happy to squabble for them with others
And with a wolf's oath I affirm
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 wolf nature;
That is why my custom is:
With wolves, otherwise do not make the world,
Like skinning them off."
And then he released a flock of hounds on the Wolf.

Moral of the fable "Wolf in the Kennel"

It doesn't matter when, but everyone will have to answer for their misdeeds - that's the kind of morality the writer put into his lines.

Committing various, sometimes not at all good deeds, a person does not care at all that he harms and offends others with them, and does not know that it may turn out that he will later encounter those who were offended or their defenders. Such individuals do not reflect on the fact that they can be punished or called to account.

Believing that there is simply no equal to them in strength, such people hope that they will be able to behave outrageously with absolutely impunity.

But even if patience for someone who does bad deeds in life, offends the weak, was very, very long, there will come a moment when it still ends one day, and after that neither “negotiations” nor obligations will be able to help him ever again. commit such misdeeds. No one will believe in his repentance and desire to improve.

This fable makes it clear that for every strength there will be a great strength, and the weak will have a reliable defender, and everyone will certainly need to answer for a bad deed and be punished.

The wolf in the kennel is Krylov's fable, allegorically describing the failed negotiations between Napoleon and Kutuzov. The wolf in the kennel is a real masterpiece of the fable genre.

Fable Wolf in the kennel read

The wolf at night, thinking to climb into the sheepfold,
Went to the kennel.
Suddenly the whole kennel rose up -
Feeling the gray so close to the bully,
The dogs are flooded in the stables and are eager to fight;
Houndsmen shout: "Oh, guys, thief!" -
And in a moment the gate is 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, huddled in a corner with his back.
Clicking teeth and bristling wool,
With his eyes, it seems that he would like to eat everyone;
But, seeing what is not in front of the herd
And what comes at last
Him to comb for the sheep, -
My trickster has gone
In negotiations
And he began like this: “Friends! why all this noise?
I, your old matchmaker and godfather,
I came to put up with you, not at all for the sake of a quarrel;
Let's forget the past, set a common mood!
And I, not only will not touch the local herds,
But he himself is happy to squabble for them with others
And with a wolf's oath I affirm
What am I ... " - "Listen, neighbor, -
Here the hunter interrupted in response, -
You are gray, and I, buddy, are gray,

That is why my custom is:

Like skinning them off."
And then he released a flock of hounds on the Wolf.

Moral of the fable Wolf in the kennel

And I have long known your wolf nature;
That is why my custom is:
With wolves, otherwise do not make the world,
Like skinning them off.

Fable Wolf in the kennel - analysis

Krylov's fable The wolf in the kennel is a patriotic work about the significant historical events of 1812. The hunter is Kutuzov, the Wolf is Napoleon, but even a detailed knowledge and understanding of history with a comparison of the behavior of these individuals does not fully cover the deep morality of the Wolf in the kennel fable.

In Krylov's fable, much attention is paid to conveying the picturesqueness of all the paintings and the moods of the participants. Anxiety in the kennel excites with the use of vivid and figurative expressions: “dogs are eager to fight” ... Moreover, the wolf’s dangerous cunning and resourcefulness are especially clearly described: “I came to put up with you not at all for the sake of a quarrel.” The author very easily conveys the mind of the Huntsman, who already understands the hypocrisy of the wolf in an attempt to save his own skin. The hunter does not listen to him, but pronounces the words that became the beginning of morality: "You are gray, and I, buddy, are gray."

The fable “The Wolf in the Kennel” by Krylov will tell about the unsuccessful attempt of the predatory Wolf to justify and save himself from the hounds.

Read the text of the fable:

The wolf at night, thinking to climb into the sheepfold,

Went to the kennel.

Suddenly the whole kennel rose up -

Feeling the gray so close to the bully,

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

Houndsmen shout: "Oh, guys, thief!" -

And in a moment the gate is 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, huddled in a corner with his back.

Clicking teeth and bristling wool,

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

But, seeing what is not in front of the herd

And what comes at last

Him to comb for the sheep, -

My trickster has gone

In negotiations

And he began like this: “Friends! why all this noise?

I, your old matchmaker and godfather,

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

Let's forget the past, set a common mood!

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

But he himself is happy to squabble for them with others

And with a wolf's oath I affirm

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 wolf nature;

That is why my custom is:

With wolves, otherwise do not make the world,

Like skinning them off."

And then he released a flock of hounds on the Wolf.

Moral of the fable Wolf in the kennel:

The moral of the fable is that you will still have to give an answer for your deeds anyway. The wolf, who wanted to get into the sheepfold, could no longer whitewash himself in the eyes of the dogs, wise by life experience. They knew that all the persuasion that the predator launched into would not affect his true nature in any way. He will continue to do his evil deeds in the old way, if you believe him. The fable teaches not only that every bad deed will come to an end sooner or later; but also to the fact that vile deeds should not be let go by those who pretend to repent only in order to be saved and continue to commit vile deeds.

Notes

VIII
WOLF ON THE KENNEL

First published in Son of the Fatherland, 1812, Part I, No. 2, pp. 79-80 (qualification, cut, dated October 7, 1812). Autographs: PB 11, PB 5. Written in early October in connection with the receipt in St. Petersburg of news of Napoleon's attempt to enter into peace negotiations through Loriston, who had a meeting with Kutuzov on September 23, 1812. Loriston conveyed to Kutuzov Napoleon's peace proposals, given in Kutuzov's report to Alexander I. They stated that Napoleon "desires to put an end to disagreements between the two great peoples and put it forever" (see M. Bogdanovich, "History of the Patriotic War", vol. II , p. 392). Kutuzov decisively rejected Napoleon's proposals and on October 6 defeated the French troops at Tarutino.

According to a contemporary, “Krylov, having rewritten the fable with his own hand, gave it to Kutuzov’s wife, who sent it in her letter. Kutuzov read the fable after the battle near Krasnoe to the officers gathered around him and at the words: “and I’m a gray-haired friend,” he took off his white cap and shook his bowed head ”(Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky. Full. collected, op., vol. V. p. 243 ). On the success that Krylov's patriotic fables had

in the army, testifies a letter from K. Batyushkov to N. Gnedich dated October 30, 1813: “Tell Krylov,” Batyushkov wrote, “that ... in the army everyone reads his fables by heart. I have often heard them in bivouacs with a new pleasure.” (K. Batyushkov. Works, St. Petersburg., 1887, p. 480).

We place here the completely original version of the autographed fable PB11:

The wolf at night, thinking to climb into the sheepfold,
Went to the kennel.
There<был доступ>not wise
Yes only<как-то выйдет>out?
There was a barking and howling, and the kennel became hell.
The hounds are running: another with a club,
Another with a gun.
"Fire, fire!" - they shout. They came with fire.
My Wolf is sitting, clinging to the corner with his back.
And finally sees
It came to him to comb for the sheep.
However, the sly one thinks,
Let me try to negotiate.
And he began like this: “Friends, this noise is in vain:
I am your old matchmaker and godfather,
I came to make peace with you; not at all for a fight.
[Let's arrange between ourselves again the way
And I will not only continue not to touch the local herds,
But he is happy to fight for them with everyone!
Are you satisfied? - "Wonderful! »
Then the hunter answered: “Listen, my light,
You are gray, I am gray!
So you can't deceive me -
And believe that you labor in vain.”]

Handwritten versions (PB 5):

Printed options (CO):

To verses 5, 20 and 24 in a special notice of the "Son of the Fatherland" amendments are given, coinciding with the final text of subsequent editions ("Son of the Fatherland", 1812, part I, p. 1/6).