Where the hare got two gold coins from, I don’t know myself, but only in a fairy tale it is said that one autumn the hare went to the fair. He had been thinking for a long time that it would be nice for him to get himself a white hat with a peacock feather and a green jacket ... But it was too early to even dream about it: after all, he also had nothing on his feet.
And it was raining in autumn, and the cold began to grab my feet. So the hare pushed his old hat on his very forehead, wrapped his zipunishko tighter and walked faster in order to get to the fair as soon as possible and buy shoes for himself there.
So he walked and walked, looking now to the right, now to the left, and raising his ears at every rustle. And just in the evening I met a greyhound dog on the path.
This dog was thick and strong. She was dressed in a warm fur coat, and on her feet she had boots - brand new. The hare greeted the greyhound dog, and they went together through the thicket.
They go, and the hare never takes his eyes off the dog boots: they were very beautiful, and besides, the hare's feet were getting colder and colder.
- Tell me, please, how much did you pay for the boots? - the hare asked timidly.
- Two gold ones, - the greyhound dog answered proudly.
- So I'm going to the fair to buy boots.
- Yes, I'm going there too. You can find boots there as much as you want. There would be money.
- I have two gold ones, - the bunny whispered. The greyhound dog did not say anything, but began to twist his mustache with such independent view, as if she was not at all interested in whether the bunny had money or not.
So they walked until it was completely dark. Even the road was not visible, and then cold rain poured down on them from above, so much so that the poor bunny's teeth chattered from the cold.
“Listen, godfather, what I will tell you,” said the dog. - I see that you are undressed ... but it's night and it's cold ... and besides, you have money with you. Me too. Who knows who you will have to meet, and it’s true that the forest is full of robbers.
The hare wrapped his jacket tighter so that he could better feel the money in his pocket.
- What to do? - he asked.
- And why in the world there is a tavern? To hide in case of need. There is a bear tavern nearby. Let's go to grandfather Martyn's, get some sleep, and tomorrow morning we'll go further. Maybe the rain will stop by then.
The bunny agreed, and they hurried with the greyhound to the tavern. Grandfather Martyn received them very cordially.
- Well, the weather! he muttered, flicking ashes from his pipe. - You can’t drive a dog out into the street ... Yes, you are also undressed ... Come to the fire, warm your feet. The hare came up to the hearth, and he was trembling all over.
“Ask for something to eat and drink,” the greyhound said quietly.
- Ask you, godfather. I am not hungry. And besides, I don't have a trifle. And if I exchange gold, then I will remain barefoot for the whole winter.
- Well, you are an eccentric, godfather! But who asks you to change gold? If I have enough money to pay, I will not take advantage of such a poor man as you.
And, turning to grandfather Martin, the greyhound said:
- Hey, grandfather Martin, what will you give us to eat?
- Here are the pies.
- I would eat them! - the greyhound licked his lips.
- There is roast, honeycombs, grape wine.
“Give it to us, godfather, everything in a row: we are so hungry that it’s even dark in our eyes,” said the greyhound.
Then grandfather Martyn tied up his apron, just like a real innkeeper, and began to carry food. The greyhound swallowed piece by piece. And the bunny was shy and barely tasted the cabbage pie. Maybe he would not have tasted anything at all if the greyhound had not ordered him:
- Eat, godfather, this is for you!
You might think that the greyhound whole month she didn’t eat: she worked so fast with her jaws and moved her tongue. While grandfather Martyn was smoking a pipe, all the food was eaten. Finally, the greyhound asked for a mug of grape wine, which she drank in one gulp. That bunny was surprised! Grandfather Martyn was also surprised.
- Yes, I have not seen a traveler hungrier than you. May it do you good. And now here's what: friendship is friendship, and tobacco apart, as they say. We ate and drank just for two gold pieces.
Then the greyhound began to look in his pockets. She searched in a fur coat, she also searched in trousers - there was no money. Here she is, laughing, and says to the hare:
- Pay, godfather!
- How do you pay? Is that how we agreed?
- Pay! I forgot my wallet at home. I'll give it to you at the fair. I'll borrow from a merchant friend.
- I won't cry... After all, then I'll stay barefoot. Here the greyhound began to laugh with all her might. Grandfather Martin also lost his temper.
- No, it won't work with me! he shouted. "Pay, or I'll find justice for you!"
- He called me to the tavern, he invited me to the table, - said the greyhound, rolling with laughter, - let him pay!
- All this is not true, grandfather Martin! Winter is at the gate, and if I cry, I'll be barefoot.
“Shouldn’t I warm all the tramps in the world?” Now I understand what kind of people you are! Agreed among themselves how to take me! - And grandfather Martyn grabbed a stick, which he hid behind the door for such guests. Here the greyhound shows him the hare. The hare trembled with fear. Willy-nilly, he took out of his pocket a handkerchief in which two golden ones were wrapped, and gave them to the bear. The greyhound will burst with laughter! And then she went to bed and snored.
Grandfather Martin also went to his room. Only one bunny could not sleep. I could hear the wind howling fiercely outside the window, and the rain pounding on the windows. The bunny cried softly. And how did he let the greyhound play such a joke on him? Just think that winter is about to come, snowstorms and drifts will begin, it will become even colder, and he will walk barefoot. So the bunny did not sleep until midnight. Everyone was wondering what to do. And so
it occurred to him to wake up the greyhound and demand payment.
He entered the room where she was sleeping, and the first thing he saw were the boots of a greyhound dog, which were standing by the stove. The bunny did not think any more; he put on the boots of a greyhound dog and quietly left the tavern.
“I only acted fairly,” thought the bunny, fleeing into the forest.
In the morning the greyhound woke up and wanted to put on shoes. Back and forth, but the boots are not visible. Grandfather Martin just shrugged his shoulders. The greyhound dog no longer lingered in the tavern, but ran to look for his boots. There were footprints in the mud. So the greyhound dog ran along these tracks. At first, it was very difficult for her to run, as she was fat and could hardly move, but little by little, from this running around, she began to lose weight.
I can’t say whether she caught a bunny or not, but I know that from the moment a greyhound sees a bunny, she will rush after him with all her might!
Wrote on February 15th, 2009
Another (last) list of books in addition to review 1 And review 2:
cats through the eyes of naturalists and felinologists, popular encyclopedias and educational literature
STORIES:
Aksakov S.
"How do cats catch fish"
“Suddenly I see that a large motley cat creeps cautiously, crawls and hides, stretching out in the very coastal grass: this is what cats always do when they are waiting for their prey.
I began to look closely. The roach continued to spawn and throw itself onto the grass - the cat rushed, grabbed one roach and carried it away in its mouth. I pointed out this trick to the gardener, he was not at all surprised, but, on the contrary, told me that early in the morning, when there were still no people, every day six or more cats go out to this trade, settle down in convenient places along the coast and catch fish. "
ENCYCLOPEDIAS AND ALMANACHS:
Preschool and primary school age:
Aleksandrova O. - educational coloring books:
"Our favorite cats. From point to point"- here you can read stories about 8 breeds: Siberian, Russian Blue, Abyssinian, Angora, Maine Coon, Siamese, Persian, Sphynx. And then draw and color all these wonderful cats
"Wild cats. From point to point" - More beautiful than cats no animal! And if it is also a big cat - a leopard, jaguar, lion or tiger - then you just can't take your eyes off it. On the left page spread - interesting story, and on the right page is a coloring page. It is necessary to draw the outline of the image along the numbered points and color the picture. The book tells about 8 big cats: tiger, lion, jaguar, leopard, puma, cheetah, lynx, snow leopard.
Akimushkin I. "It's All Cats"- Igor Akimushkin, like no one else, managed to achieve in his books a balanced combination of fascination and cognition. This book explains in an entertaining and accessible way about different representatives large family of cats.
Vorontsov N."Cats. Sh cat live encyclopedia" - as the name implies, this encyclopedia is humorous. There is little text in it and it is a compilation from "Red Burda", books by Pratchett and Platt and similar sources. The main thing is funny illustrations.
Dmitriev Yu. "Planetmates: Pets: cats, dogs, horses, cows"- a fascinating book by a famous naturalist writer. Cats, dogs, horses, cows... They are always there, but how much do we know about them? Are we always able to understand them?
Zhukova T. "Her Majesty the Cat"- about cats for kids. Large font, numerous illustrations. Reversals.
Middle and high school age
Bulvanker V.
"From cat to whale"- stories about unusual monuments, put by man in different countries the world to their "smaller brothers" for their loyalty and devotion. The collection collected by the author with love gave many touching - sad and joyful - themes for stories. In addition - a funny selection of feline urban sculpture.
Gol N., Khaltunen M."Cat's house in the Hermitage"- the book contains reproductions of paintings and photographs of sculptures exhibited in the Hermitage dedicated to cats. The text that accompanies the illustrations a brief history domestic cats - from ancient egypt to the present day. From it you can, for example, learn that in Rus' cats, according to Slavic legend, appeared thanks to pagan god Veles, who made the first cat out of a winter mitten - after mice ate his lunch. The final chapter presents the names of the Hermitage cats protecting the museum from rodents. About fifty cats live in the Hermitage, and each has its own nickname and biography.
Cryer M. "Cat Almanac. Amazing facts about cats"- they say that it took a cat many thousands of years to tame a person ... The history of this "taming", as well as the most interesting, funny and useful information about cats, is presented in this book. Cats are presented here in all their glory - in folklore, music, painting, cinema, in human history.
Lavrov S.
"Mysteries of Cats" Where did domestic cats come from? What breed was Noah's cat? Why is one of the mountains in Japan called Cat's? The book provides answers to these and many other traditional and unexpected questions.
Lorenz K . "Man Finds a Friend"- an outstanding scientist and a wonderful publicist Konrad Lorenz fascinatingly talks about his observations on the communication of people with dogs and cats and their relationship with each other. "Only two kinds of animals became members of the human domestic circle not as captives and were not tamed by coercion. I mean the dog and the cat ... They are predators, but in everything else, and, most importantly, by the nature of their relationship with man, they differ from each other like day and night.There is no other animal that would so radically change its whole way of life, the whole sphere of its interests, would become as domestic as a dog, and there is no other animal that, over the long centuries of its connection with a man would have changed as little as a cat."
Mikhalskaya A. and others
. "Eternal, sacred, inviolable. (About cats)"- talks about the history, breeds and breeding of the cat tribe, the hypotheses of the domestication of the cat, its place and role in the cultures of various peoples
forgetful N. "I know the world. Cats" - about the history of the relationship between a cat and a person, about breeds, as well as about the mysterious behavior of a cat, the amazing properties of its psyche and physiology.
Oh Mara L. "All about cats. Almanac of cat secrets"- a book about cats and the many mysteries surrounding these mysterious animals. given in it amazing facts and stories can make a whole encyclopedia. Cats are protectors, travelers, predictors of cataclysms, talismans and even rescuers. And just pets.
Paige S. "Cats" (Series: Encyclopedia of Pets)- a story about the history of domestic cats, a description is given various breeds cats, good illustrations.
Starikovich S.
"The Menagerie at the Porch"- another example of a great book that would do well to be republished. We read with delight about the inhabitants distant countries and fossil animals. And what do we know about those who live near us: about cats and dogs, hedgehogs and mice, frogs and lizards? Are they not worthy of attention?
Frattini S.
"Cats" (Encyclopedia for the Curious)- tells about the origin and history of different breeds, how to care for a cat, understand its `language` and gestures, about the professions associated with these animals; over 400 photographs and illustrations are presented.
ZOOLIKBEZ:
The stores offer a fairly rich selection of felinological and veterinary literature for caring and loving cat owners. The main drawback of most of these books - a considerable price. And perhaps it should be taken into account that Foreign experience not always applicable in Russian conditions. On the whole, books are, as a rule, informative and written with love for the "subject of study". Listed below are just a few popular titles.
Bessant K. - renowned British cat behavior expert Claire Bessant wrote the series popular books covering all aspects of a cat's life. Books will help to understand the thoughts and desires of your pet, his mood, the reason for this or that behavior. different situations what he likes and dislikes, as well as how to care for and care for a kitten or an aging cat.
"Talk to a Kitten"
"Translation from cat. Learn to talk to your cat"
"What Your Cat Wants"
"9 Lives of a Cat. How to make your cat's life long, healthy and happy"
"Cats. Encyclopedia of love and understanding. 3000 tips for raising and caring"
"Cats. The Complete Guide"
Brunner D, Stell S.
"Cat. Instruction manual in diagrams and tables"- behind the funny and outwardly frivolous design lies a very sensible and useful content, because one of the authors is a veterinarian with many years of experience. The book will be useful both for those who are just about to get a cat, and for those who already have some experience in their content.
Gol N. "Cats"- one of best books dedicated to outbred cats and cats, which reveals the subtleties of their comfortable coexistence with humans. The author set herself the task of telling about the problems that a person who has not previously lived with a cat under the same roof will face, about ways to solve these problems without moral damage to both the person and the cat.
Johnson Bennett P. "Think Like a Cat"- the book will help to understand those instincts that determine the behavior of a cat. You will learn that cats are not indifferent, that they do not damage furniture on purpose and do nothing out of a desire to harm you. All these annoying habits are the result of mutual misunderstanding and inability to communicate.
forgetful N. "A cat in your house", "400 cat "why"- answers to questions regarding maintenance, nutrition, physiological characteristics, care and first aid medical care cats with injuries, burns, chemical and electrical effects. Particular attention is paid to the habits and explanation of the behavior of cats in various situations. Specific advice is given on raising cats with different character("cry-baby cat", "destroyer cat", capricious and aggressive cat). Lots of useful practical information.
Halls W. "Cat Secrets"- a book about the behavior of cats and the correct handling of them - treatment based on an understanding of this behavior and the signals that the cat gives in order to show what she wants. The features of the behavior and needs of a domestic cat are highlighted, starting from the very early age and to old age.
Filippova E.
Once upon a time there lived a musician. He started playing from an early age. She used to graze oxen, cut off a vine, make a pipe for herself, and as soon as she plays, the oxen will stop plucking the grass - they will prick up their ears and listen. The birds in the forest will be quiet, even the frogs in the swamps will not croak.
He will go to the night - it's fun there: the lads and girls sing, joke - a well-known thing, youth. The night is warm and soaring. Beauty.
And then the musician will take it and play his pipe. All the boys and girls instantly, as if on command, will subside. And then it seems to everyone that some kind of sweetness spilled over his heart, some unknown force picked him up and carries him higher and higher - into the clear blue sky to the clear stars.
The night shepherds sit, do not move, they forgot that their hands and feet, which have been working hard during the day, hurt, that hunger is pestering.
They sit and listen.
And I want to sit like this all my life and listen to the musician play.
The piper will be silent. But no one will dare to move from their place, so as not to frighten this magic voice, which tickled through the forest, through the oak forest and rises to the very sky.
The pipe will play again, but something sad. And then such melancholy-sadness will seize everyone ... Late at times, men and women come from the panshchina, they will hear that music, they will stop, they will listen. This is how their whole life rises before their eyes - poverty and sorrow, an evil pan da tiun with clerks. And such melancholy will attack them that they want to cry, as if over the dead, as if they are seeing off their sons to the soldiers.
But here the musician will play cheerfully. The men and women will drop their braids, rakes, pitchforks, put their hands on their hips and let's dance.
People are dancing, horses are dancing, trees are dancing in the oak forest, stars are dancing, clouds are dancing - everything is dancing and having fun.
Such was the musician-sorcerer: whatever he wants, he will do with his heart.
The musician grew up, made himself a violin and. went to walk the world. Wherever he comes, he will play, they will feed him for it, give him a drink as the most welcome guest, and even give him something for the road.
For a long time the musician walked around the world like that, amused good people. And he cut the heart of the evil lords without a knife: wherever he comes, the people of the lords cease to obey there. And he became them across the road, like a bone in the throat.
The pans decided to kill him from the world. They began to persuade one, the other to kill or drown the musician. Yes, there was no such hunter: simple people they loved the musician, but the clerks were afraid - they thought that he was a magician.
Then the pans agreed with the devils. And it is known: lords and devils are of the same wool.
Once a musician is walking through the forest, and the devils sent twelve hungry wolves at him. They blocked the musician's path, they stand, they click their teeth, their eyes burn with hot coals. The musician has nothing in his hands, only a violin in a knapsack. “Well,” he thinks, “the end has come for me.”
The musician took out a violin from his knapsack to play it again before his death, leaned against a tree and ran his bow along the strings.
As a violinist spoke alive, a tickle went through the forest. The bushes and trees froze - the leaf does not move. And the wolves, as they stood, their mouths gaping, froze.
They listen with all ears and forget the hunger.
The musician stopped playing, and the wolves, as if sleepy, stretched into the forest.
The musician sat down on the river bank, took out a violin from his knapsack and began to play. Yes, it is so good that both the earth and the sky were heard. And when he played the polka, everything around went into a dance. The stars are rushing about like a blizzard in winter, the clouds are floating in the sky, and the fish are so rampant that the river boils like water in a pot.
The water king could not stand it either - he started dancing. Yes, so dispersed that the water flooded the banks; the devils were frightened and jumped out of the river backwaters. Everyone is angry, gnashing their teeth, but they can’t do anything with the musician.
And the musician sees that the water king has done trouble to people - he flooded the fields and gardens, and stopped playing, hid the violin in a knapsack and went on.
He goes, goes, suddenly two panichs run up to him.
“We have a game today,” they say. - Play for us, sir musician. We will pay you handsomely.
The musician thought - it's night in the yard, there is nowhere to spend the night, and there is no money.
“Okay,” he says, “I’ll play.
Panichi brought the musician to the palace. Look - and there are at least a dime a dozen of panichs and pannocheks. And there is some big and deep bowl on the table. Panichi and pannochki run up to her in turn, stick their finger into the bowl and smear their eyes.
The musician also approached the bowl. He wet his finger and anointed his eyes. And as soon as he did this, he sees that these are not pannochki and panichi at all, but witches and devils, that he is not in the palace, but in hell.
“Aha,” the musician thinks, “this is the game the panichs dragged me to! OK. I'll play for you now!"
He tuned the violin, hit the live strings with a bow - and everything in hell shattered into dust, and the devils with the witches fled in all directions,
Once upon a time there lived a musician. He started playing from an early age. She used to graze oxen, cut off a vine, make a pipe for herself, and as soon as she plays, the oxen will stop plucking the grass - they will prick up their ears and listen. The birds in the forest will be quiet, even the frogs in the swamps will not croak.
He will go to the night - it's fun there: the lads and girls sing, joke - a well-known thing, youth. The night is warm and soaring. Beauty.
And then the musician will take it and play his pipe. All the boys and girls instantly, as if on command, will subside. And then it seems to everyone that some kind of sweetness spilled over his heart, some unknown force picked him up and carries him higher and higher - into the clear blue sky to the clear stars.
The night shepherds sit, do not move, they forgot that their hands and feet, which have been working hard during the day, hurt, that hunger is pestering.
They sit and listen.
And I want to sit like this all my life and listen to the musician play.
The piper will be silent. But no one will dare to move from their place, so as not to frighten off this magical voice that tickled through the forest, through the oak forest and rises to the very sky.
The pipe will play again, but something sad. And then such melancholy-sadness will seize everyone ... Late at times, men and women come from the panshchina, they will hear that music, they will stop, they will listen. This is how their whole life rises before their eyes - poverty and sorrow, an evil pan da tiun with clerks. And such melancholy will attack them that they want to cry, as if over the dead, as if they are seeing off their sons to the soldiers.
But here the musician will play cheerfully. The men and women will drop their braids, rakes, pitchforks, put their hands on their hips and let's dance.
People are dancing, horses are dancing, trees are dancing in the oak forest, stars are dancing, clouds are dancing - everything is dancing and having fun.
Such was the musician-sorcerer: whatever he wants, he will do with his heart.
The musician grew up, made himself a violin and went to walk around the world. Wherever he comes, he will play, they will feed him for this, give him a drink, as the most welcome guest, and even give him something for the road.
For a long time the musician walked around the world like that, amused good people. And he cut the heart of the evil lords without a knife: wherever he comes, the people of the lords cease to obey there. And he became them across the road, like a bone in the throat.
The pans decided to kill him from the world. They began to persuade one, the other to kill or drown the musician. Yes, there was no such hunter: ordinary people loved the musician, and the clerks were afraid - they thought that he was a magician.
Then the pans agreed with the devils. And it is known: lords and devils are of the same wool.
Once a musician is walking through the forest, and the devils sent twelve hungry wolves at him. They blocked the musician's path, they stand, they click their teeth, their eyes burn with hot coals. The musician has nothing in his hands, only a violin in a knapsack. “Well,” he thinks, “the end has come for me.”
The musician took out a violin from his knapsack to play it again before his death, leaned against a tree and ran his bow along the strings.
As a violinist spoke alive, a tickle went through the forest. The bushes and trees froze - the leaf does not move. And the wolves, as they stood, their mouths gaping, froze.
They listen with all ears and forget the hunger.
The musician stopped playing, and the wolves, as if sleepy, stretched into the forest.
The musician sat down on the river bank, took out a violin from his knapsack and began to play. Yes, it is so good that both the earth and the sky were heard. And when he played the polka, everything around went into a dance. The stars are rushing about like a blizzard in winter, the clouds are floating in the sky, and the fish are so rampant that the river boils like water in a pot.
The water king could not stand it either - he started dancing. Yes, so dispersed that the water flooded the banks; the devils were frightened and jumped out of the river backwaters. Everyone is angry, gnashing their teeth, but they can’t do anything with the musician.
And the musician sees that the water king has done trouble to people - he flooded the fields and gardens, and stopped playing, hid the violin in a knapsack and went on.
He goes, goes, suddenly two panichs run up to him.
We have a game now, they say. - Play us, pan musician. We will pay you handsomely.
The musician thought - it's night in the yard, there is nowhere to spend the night, and there is no money.
Okay, he says, I'll play.
Panichi brought the musician to the palace. Look - and there are panichs and pannocheks at least a dime a dozen. And there is some big and deep bowl on the table. Panichi and pannochki run up to her in turn, stick their finger into the bowl and smear their eyes.
The musician also approached the bowl. He wet his finger and anointed his eyes. And as soon as he did this, he sees that these are not pannochki and panichi at all, but witches and devils, that he is not in the palace, but in hell.
“Aha,” the musician thinks, “this is the game that the Panichi dragged me to! OK. I'll play for you now!"
He tuned the violin, hit the live strings with a bow - and everything in hell shattered into dust, and the devils with the witches fled in all directions.
Once upon a time there lived a musician. He started playing from an early age. She used to graze oxen, cut off a vine, make a pipe for herself, and as soon as she plays, the oxen will stop plucking the grass - they will prick up their ears and listen. The birds in the forest will be quiet, even the frogs in the swamps will not croak.
He will go to the night - it's fun there: the lads and girls sing, joke - a well-known thing, youth. The night is warm and soaring. Beauty.
And then the musician will take it and play his pipe. All the boys and girls instantly, as if on command, will subside. And then it seems to everyone that some kind of sweetness spilled over his heart, some unknown force picked him up and carries him higher and higher - into the clear blue sky to the clear stars.
The night shepherds sit, do not move, they forgot that their hands and feet, which have been working hard during the day, hurt, that hunger is pestering.
They sit and listen.
And I want to sit like this all my life and listen to the musician play.
The piper will be silent. But no one will dare to move from their place, so as not to frighten off this magical voice that tickled through the forest, through the oak forest and rises to the very sky.
The pipe will play again, but something sad. And then such melancholy-sadness will seize everyone ... Late at times, men and women come from the panshchina, they will hear that music, they will stop, they will listen. This is how their whole life rises before their eyes - poverty and sorrow, an evil pan da tiun with clerks. And such melancholy will attack them that they want to cry, as if over the dead, as if they are seeing off their sons to the soldiers.
But here the musician will play cheerfully. The men and women will drop their braids, rakes, pitchforks, put their hands on their hips and let's dance.
People are dancing, horses are dancing, trees are dancing in the oak forest, stars are dancing, clouds are dancing - everything is dancing and having fun.
Such was the musician-sorcerer: whatever he wants, he will do with his heart.
The musician grew up, made himself a violin and. went to walk the world. Wherever he comes, he will play, they will feed him for it, give him a drink as the most welcome guest, and even give him something for the road.
For a long time the musician walked around the world like that, amused good people. And he cut the heart of the evil lords without a knife: wherever he comes, the people of the lords cease to obey there. And he became them across the road, like a bone in the throat.
The pans decided to kill him from the world. They began to persuade one, the other to kill or drown the musician. Yes, there was no such hunter: ordinary people loved the musician, and the clerks were afraid - they thought that he was a magician.
Then the pans agreed with the devils. And it is known: lords and devils are of the same wool.
Once a musician is walking through the forest, and the devils sent twelve hungry wolves at him. They blocked the musician's path, they stand, they click their teeth, their eyes burn with hot coals. The musician has nothing in his hands, only a violin in a knapsack. “Well,” he thinks, “the end has come for me.”
The musician took out a violin from his knapsack to play it again before his death, leaned against a tree and ran his bow along the strings.
As a violinist spoke alive, a tickle went through the forest. The bushes and trees froze - the leaf does not move. And the wolves, as they stood, their mouths gaping, froze.
They listen with all ears and forget the hunger.
The musician stopped playing, and the wolves, as if sleepy, stretched into the forest.
The musician sat down on the river bank, took out a violin from his knapsack and began to play. Yes, it is so good that both the earth and the sky were heard. And when he played the polka, everything around went into a dance. The stars are rushing about like a blizzard in winter, the clouds are floating in the sky, and the fish are so rampant that the river boils like water in a pot.
The water king could not stand it either - he started dancing. Yes, so dispersed that the water flooded the banks; the devils were frightened and jumped out of the river backwaters. Everyone is angry, gnashing their teeth, but they can’t do anything with the musician.
And the musician sees that the water king has done trouble to people - he flooded the fields and gardens, and stopped playing, hid the violin in a knapsack and went on.
He goes, goes, suddenly two panichs run up to him.
“We have a game today,” they say. - Play for us, sir musician. We will pay you handsomely.
The musician thought - it's night in the yard, there is nowhere to spend the night, and there is no money.
“Okay,” he says, “I’ll play.
Panichi brought the musician to the palace. Look - and there are at least a dime a dozen of panichs and pannocheks. And there is some big and deep bowl on the table. Panichi and pannochki run up to her in turn, stick their finger into the bowl and smear their eyes.
The musician also approached the bowl. He wet his finger and anointed his eyes. And as soon as he did this, he sees that these are not pannochki and panichi at all, but witches and devils, that he is not in the palace, but in hell.
“Aha,” the musician thinks, “this is the game the panichs dragged me to! OK. I'll play for you now!"
He tuned the violin, hit the live strings with the bow - and everything in hell shattered into dust, and the devils with the witches fled in all directions.
