“My whole life has passed side by side with animals. I shared grief and joy with them in half, and the affection of animals rewarded me for all human injustices ...
I've seen the rich suck the poor out like the rich strong people keep the weaker and darker brothers in bondage and prevent them from realizing their rights and strength. And then I, with the help of my animals, in booths, circuses and theaters spoke about the great human injustice ... "
V. L. Durov (from memoirs)
Our Bug
When I was little, I studied at a military gymnasium. There, in addition to all kinds of sciences, they also taught us to shoot, march, salute, take guard - all the same as a soldier. We had our own dog Bug. We loved her very much, played with her and fed her with the remnants of the state dinner.
And suddenly our warder, the "uncle", had his own dog, also a bug. The life of our Bug changed immediately: the "uncle" cared only about his Bug, and he beat and tortured ours. Once he splashed boiling water on her. The dog rushed to run with a squeal, and then we saw: our Bug on its side and back had peeled off its hair and even its skin! We were terribly angry with the "uncle". They gathered in a secluded corner of the corridor and began to figure out how to take revenge on him.
“We need to teach him a lesson,” the guys said.
“That’s what we need ... we need to kill his Beetle!”
- Right! Drown!
- And where to drown? Better to kill with a stone!
- No, it's better to hang!
- Right! Hang up! Hang up!
The "court" deliberated for a short time. The verdict was passed unanimously: the death penalty through hanging.
- Wait, who will hang?
Everyone was silent. Nobody wanted to be an executioner.
Let's draw lots! someone suggested.
- Let's!
Notes were placed in the gymnasium cap. For some reason I was sure that I would get an empty one, and with a light heart I put my hand into my cap. He took out a note, unfolded it and read: “Hang up.” I felt uncomfortable. I envied my comrades who got empty notes, but still I went for the "uncle's" Bug. The dog wagged its tail confidently. One of ours said:
- Look smooth! And our whole side is shabby.
I threw a rope around the Beetle's neck and led him into the barn. The bug ran merrily, pulling the rope and looking around. It was dark in the barn. With trembling fingers I groped over my head for a thick transverse beam; then he swung, threw the rope over the beam and began to pull.
Suddenly I heard a wheezing. The dog wheezed and twitched. I trembled, my teeth snapped as if from cold, my hands immediately became weak ... I released the rope, and the dog fell heavily to the ground.
I felt fear, pity and love for the dog. What to do? She must be suffocating now in her death throes! We need to finish her off as soon as possible so that she doesn't suffer. I found a stone and swung it. The rock hit something soft. I could not stand it, I cried and rushed out of the barn. The dead dog was left there… I didn't sleep well that night. All the time I imagined the Beetle, all the time her death rattle was heard in my ears. At last the morning came. Broken, with a headache, I somehow got up, dressed and went to class.
And suddenly, on the parade ground where we always marched, I saw a miracle. What's happened? I stopped and rubbed my eyes. The dog I had killed the day before stood, as always, near our "uncle" and wagged its tail. Seeing me, she ran up as if nothing had happened and, with an affectionate squeal, began to rub at her feet.
How so? I hung her, but she does not remember evil and still caresses me! Tears welled up in my eyes. I bent down to the dog and began to hug her and kiss her shaggy muzzle. I understood: there, in the barn, I hit the clay with a stone, but the Beetle remained alive.
Since then, I have loved animals. And then, when he grew up, he began to educate animals and teach them, that is, train them. Only I taught them not with a stick, but with a caress, and they also loved and obeyed me.
Pig-fintiflyushka
My animal school is called Durov's Corner. It is called a "corner", but in fact it is a large house, with a terrace, with a garden. How much space does one elephant need! But I also have monkeys, and sea lions, and polar bears, and dogs, and hares, and badgers, and hedgehogs, and birds! ..
My animals do not just live, but learn. I teach them different things so that they can perform in the circus. At the same time, I myself study animals. This is how we learn from each other.
As in any school, I had good students, there were worse ones. One of my first students was Chushka-Fintiflyushka - an ordinary pig.
When Chushka entered the “school”, she was still quite a beginner and did not know how to do anything. I caressed her and gave her meat. She ate and grunts: come on! I went to a corner and showed her a new piece of meat. She will run towards me! She liked it, apparently.
She soon got used to it and began to follow me on my heels. Where I am - there is Chushka-Fintiflushka. She learned her first lesson very well.
We've moved on to the second lesson. I brought Chushka a piece of bread spread with lard. It smelled very delicious. Chushka rushed at full speed tidbit. But I did not give it to her and began to drive bread over her head. The ingot reached for the bread and turned over in place. Well done! This is what I needed. I gave Chushka a "five", that is, I gave a piece of lard. Then I made her turn around several times, while saying:
- Chushka-Fintiflyushka, roll over!
And she rolled over and got delicious “fives”. So she learned to dance "waltz".
Since then, she settled in a wooden house, in the stable.
I came to her housewarming party. She ran towards me. I spread my legs, bent down and handed her a piece of meat. The ingot approached the meat, but I quickly transferred it to my other hand. The ingot was drawn by the bait - it passed between my legs. This is called "going through the gate." So I repeated several times. Chushka quickly learned to "pass through the gate."
After that, I had a real rehearsal at the circus. The pig was scared of the artists who were fussing and jumping in the arena, and rushed to the exit. But there she was met by an employee and drove to me. Where to go? She timidly pressed herself against my legs. But I, her main defender, began to drive her with a long whip.
In the end, Chushka realized that she had to run along the barrier until the tip of the whip came down. When it descends, it is necessary to approach the owner for a reward.
But here's a new challenge. The clerk brought the board. He put one end on the barrier, and raised the other low above the ground. The whip slammed - Chushka ran along the barrier. Having reached the board, she wanted to go around it, but then the whip slapped again, and Chushka jumped over the board.
Gradually we raised the board higher and higher. The ingot jumped, sometimes broke, jumped again ... In the end, her muscles got stronger, and she became an excellent "jumper gymnast."
Then I began to teach the pig to stand with its front legs on a low stool. As soon as Chushka, chewing the bread, reached for another piece, I put the bread on a stool, to the front legs of the pig. She bent down and hastily ate it, and I again raised a piece of bread high above her snout. She lifted her head, but I again put the bread on the stool, and Chushka again bent her head. I did this several times, giving her bread only after she lowered her head.
In this way, I taught Chushka to "bow." The third number is ready!
A few days later we began to learn the fourth number.
A barrel cut in half was brought into the arena and the half was placed upside down. The ingot ran away, jumped up on the barrel and immediately jumped off the other side. But she got nothing for it. And the clapping of the Chamberier again drove the pig to the barrel. The ingot jumped over again and was again left without a reward. This happened many times. Chushka was exhausted, tired and hungry. She couldn't figure out what they wanted from her.
Finally, I grabbed Chushka by the collar, put it on a barrel and gave her some meat. Then she realized: you just need to stand on the barrel and nothing more.
It became her favorite number. And really, what could be more pleasant: stand quietly on the barrel and get piece by piece.
Once, when she was standing on a barrel, I climbed up to her and brought right leg over her back. The ingot got scared, rushed to the side, knocked me down and ran into the stable. There, exhausted, she sank to the floor of the cage and lay there for two hours.
When a bucket of mash was brought to her and she greedily pounced on the food, I again jumped on her back and firmly squeezed her hips with my legs. The ingot began to beat, but failed to throw me off. Besides, she wanted to eat. Forgetting about all the troubles, she began to eat.
This was repeated from day to day. In the end, Chushka learned to carry me on her back. Now it was possible to perform with her in front of the public.
We arranged dress rehearsal. Chushka did an excellent job of all the tricks she could.
“Look, Chushka,” I said, “do not disgrace yourself in front of the public!”
The servant washed it, smoothed it, combed it. Evening has come. The orchestra thundered, the audience made noise, the bell rang, the “redhead” ran into the arena. The show has begun. I changed and went up to Chushka:
- Well, Chushka, don't you worry?
She looked at me as if in amazement. In fact, it was hard to recognize me. The face is smeared with white, the lips are red, the eyebrows are drawn, and portraits of Chushka are sewn on a white shiny suit.
- Durov, your way out! the director of the circus said.
I entered the arena. The pup ran after me. The children, seeing the pig in the arena, clapped merrily. The pup got scared. I began to stroke her, saying:
- Chushka, do not be afraid, Chushka ...
She calmed down. I slammed the chamberier, and Chushka, as in rehearsal, jumped over the bar.
Everyone clapped, and Chushka, out of habit, ran up to me. I said:
- Trinket, do you want some chocolate?
And gave her meat. Chushka ate, and I said:
- A pig, but also understands the taste! - And he shouted to the orchestra: - Please play the Pig Waltz.
Music began to play, and Tinfly was spinning around the arena. Oh, and the audience laughed!
Then a barrel appeared in the arena. Chushka climbed onto the barrel, I climbed onto Chushka and how I scream:
- And here is Durov on a pig!
And again everyone clapped.
The “artist” jumped over various obstacles, then I jumped on her with a deft jump, and she, like a dashing horse, carried me away from the arena.
And the audience clapped with all their might and kept shouting:
- Bravo, Chushka! Bis, Trinket!
The success was great. Many ran backstage to look at the learned pig. But the "artist" did not pay attention to anyone. She greedily pissed thick, choice slops. They were dearer to her than applause.
The first performance went very well.
Little by little Chushka got used to the circus. She often performed, and the audience loved her very much.
But Chushkin's success haunted our clown. He was famous clown; his surname was Tanti.
“How,” thought Tanti, “is an ordinary pig, sow, more successful than me, the famous Tanti? ... This must be put an end to!”
He seized the moment when I was not at the circus, and climbed up to Chushka. And I didn't know anything. In the evening, as always, I went out with Chushka to the arena. Chushka perfectly did all the numbers.
But as soon as I sat on her astride, she rushed about and threw me off. What's happened? I jumped on her again. And she again breaks out like an unbroken horse. The audience laughs. And I don't laugh at all. I run after Chushka with chamberier around the arena, and she runs away with all her might. Suddenly she darted between the servants - and into the stable. The audience is noisy, I smile as if nothing happened, and I myself think: “What is this? Is the pig mad? You have to kill her!"
After the performance, I rushed to inspect the pig. Nothing! I feel my nose, stomach, legs - nothing! I put a thermometer - the temperature is normal.
I had to call the doctor.
He looked into her mouth and forcibly poured a fair amount of castor oil into it.
After treatment, I again tried to sit on Chushka, but again she broke free and ran away. And, if it were not for the employee who looked after Chushka, we would never have known what was the matter.
The next day, an employee, while bathing Chushka, saw that her entire back was wounded. It turned out that Tanti had poured oats on her back and rubbed it on her bristles. Of course, when I sat astride Chushka, the grains dug into the skin and caused unbearable pain to the pig.
I had to treat poor Chushka with hot poultices and, almost one at a time, pick out swollen grains from the bristles. Chushka was able to perform only two weeks later. By then I had come up with a new number for her.
I bought a small cart with a harness, put a collar on Chushka and began to harness it like a horse. At first, Chushka did not give in and tore the harness. But I stood my ground. Chushka gradually got used to walking in a harness.
Once my friends came to me:
- Durov, let's go to a restaurant!
“Good,” I replied. - You, of course, will go by cab?
“Of course,” the friends replied. - And what are you on?
- See! - I answered and began to lay Chushka in the cart.
He himself sat on the "irradiation", picked up the reins, and we rolled along the main street.
What was going on here! The drivers made way for us. Passers-by stopped. The horse-drawn driver looked at us and dropped the reins. Passengers jumped up and clapped like in a circus:
– Bravo! Bravo!
A crowd of children ran after us shouting:
- Pig! Look pig!
- That's the horse!
- Do not drag!
- Bring it to the barn!
- Dump Durov in a puddle!
Suddenly, a policeman appeared as if from under the ground. I reined in the horse. The policeman shouted ominously:
- Who allowed it?
“No one,” I replied calmly. I don't have a horse, so I'm riding a pig.
- Turn the shafts! - the policeman shouted and grabbed Chushka by the "bridle". “Drive down back alleys so that not a single soul can see you. And he immediately drew up a report on me. A few days later I was called to court.
I did not dare to go there on a pig. I was tried for allegedly breaking public silence. I didn't break any silence. Chushka never even grunted during the ride. I said so in court, and I also said about the benefits of pigs: they can be taught to deliver food, carry luggage.
I was acquitted. Then there was such a time: a little something - a protocol and a trial.
Once Chushka almost died. Here is how it was. We were invited to one Volga city. Chushka was already very learned then. We boarded the ship. I tied the ingot on deck to the railing of the balcony near the large cage, and in the cage sat a bear, Mikhail Ivanovich Toptygin. At first everything was fine. The steamer ran down the Volga. All the passengers gathered on deck and looked at the learned pig and Mishka. Mikhail Ivanovich also looked at Chushka-Fintiflyushka for a long time, then touched the door of the cage with his paw - it is served (it is clear that the servant, unfortunately, did not lock the cage well). Our Mishka, don't be a fool, opened the cage and, without delay, jumped out of it. The crowd recoiled. No one even had time to come to their senses, as the bear with a roar rushed at the learned pig Chushka-Fintiflyushka ...
Although she is a scientist, she, of course, could not cope with a bear.
I gasped. Without remembering himself, he jumped on the bear, sat on it, grabbed the furry skin with one hand, and thrust the other into the bear's hot mouth and began tearing the bear's cheek with all his might.
But Mikhail Ivanovich only roared more, pulling Chushka. She squealed like the most ordinary, unlearned pig.
Then I reached out to the bear's ear and began to bite it with all my might. Mikhail Ivanovich became furious. He backed away and suddenly pushed Chushka and me into the cage. He began to press us against the back wall of the cage. Here came the servants with iron sticks. The bear beat off the blows with fury with its paws, and the more the bear was beaten outside, the more it pressed us against the bars.
I had to hastily cut out two rods from the back wall. Only then did Chushka and I manage to get out. I was all scratched up, and Chushka was thoroughly dented.
Chushka was ill for a long time after this incident.
© Rachev E. M., heirs, illustrations, 1950
© Design of the series, foreword. JSC "Publishing House" Children's Literature "", 2017
***
About the author of this book
There is an amazing theater in Moscow where animals and birds perform on the stage. It is called "Grandfather Durov's Corner". Created a wonderful circus performer Vladimir Leonidovich Durov (1863–1934).
Durovs - old noble family. Great-grandmother V. L. Durova, Nadezhda Andreevna Durova - the famous cavalry girl, heroine Patriotic War 1812. The brothers Vladimir and Anatoly were left without parents early, they were raised by their godfather, N. 3. Zakharov, who read to the boys military career and gave them first to the First Moscow cadet corps, then to a private boarding house. Neither brother ever graduated. They were attracted by the circus, with its acrobats, clowns, trained animals.
In 1880, Anatoly Durov left home and entered the farce of V. A. Vainshtok, then worked in other circus troupes and soon became a very famous satirical clown who performed with trained animals.
Vladimir Durov, more interested in animals and training, in 1881 entered the circus menagerie of Hugo Winkler, located in Moscow, on Tsvetnoy Boulevard. Here Vladimir acted as a watchman, assistant trainer, so-called bereytor, balcony clown and acrobat, later he began to try himself as a trainer, began to perform with the dog Bishka, the goat Byashka and guinea pigs. In his numbers, he, like his brother, appeared before the public as a clown.
Vladimir Durov was the first in the history of the circus to use new way training - not by beatings and a stick, but by encouragement, affection and delicacy. So he achieved obedience from animals and managed to put on many very interesting numbers. Striking results were also achieved due to the fact that Durov tried to use the natural abilities of animals. To do this, he studied animals and birds, their behavior, manners and habits, was engaged in zoopsychology.
Vladimir Durov with his four-legged and winged performers performed in various circuses across the country. And his dream was to build own house for animals, to settle them there in the most suitable conditions for each, to observe, treat, teach and show their art.
In 1910, in Moscow, on Staraya Bozhedomka Street (now Durov Street), Durov bought a house with a garden and a stable and created Zoo museum. Its exhibits were stuffed animals with which the artist performed. In the same place, Durov organized a laboratory, where he was seriously engaged in scientific work. Here he opened his doors to the audience and famous theater animals.
My animals
Our Bug
When I was little, I studied at a military gymnasium.
There, in addition to all sorts of sciences, they also taught us to shoot, march, salute, take guard - it's the same as a soldier. We had our own dog, Bug. We loved her very much, played with her and fed her with the remnants of the state dinner.
And suddenly our warder, the "uncle", had his own dog, also a bug. The life of our Bug changed immediately: the "uncle" cared only about his Bug, and he beat and tortured ours. Once he splashed boiling water on her. The dog rushed to run with a squeal, and then we saw: our Bug on its side and back had peeled off its hair and even its skin! We were terribly angry with the "uncle". They gathered in a secluded corner of the corridor and began to figure out how to take revenge on him.
“We need to teach him a lesson,” the guys said.
“That’s what we need ... we need to kill his Beetle!”
- Right! Drown!
- And where to drown? Better to kill with a stone!
- No, it's better to hang!
- Right! Hang up! Hang up!
The "court" deliberated for a short time. The verdict was adopted unanimously: the death penalty by hanging.
- Wait, who will hang?
Everyone was silent. Nobody wanted to be an executioner.
Let's draw lots! someone suggested.
- Let's!
Notes were placed in the gymnasium cap. For some reason I was sure that I would get an empty one, and with a light heart I put my hand into my cap. He took out a note, unfolded it and read: “Hang up.” I felt uncomfortable. I envied my comrades who got empty notes, but still I went for the "uncle's" Bug. The dog wagged its tail confidently. One of ours said:
- Look smooth! And our whole side is shabby.
I threw a rope around the Beetle's neck and led him into the barn. The bug ran merrily, pulling the rope and looking around. It was dark in the barn. With trembling fingers I groped over my head for a thick transverse beam; then he swung, threw the rope over the beam and began to pull.
Suddenly I heard wheezing. The dog wheezed and twitched. I trembled, my teeth snapped as if from cold, my hands immediately became weak ... I released the rope, and the dog fell heavily to the ground.
I felt fear, pity and love for the dog. What to do? She must be suffocating now in her death throes! We need to finish her off as soon as possible so that she doesn't suffer. I found a stone and swung it. The rock hit something soft. I could not stand it, I cried and rushed out of the barn. The dead dog was left there...
I didn't sleep well that night. All the time I imagined the Beetle, all the time her death rattle was heard in my ears. At last the morning came. Broken, with a headache, I somehow got up, dressed and went to class.
And suddenly, on the parade ground where we always marched, I saw a miracle. What's happened? I stopped and rubbed my eyes. The dog I killed the day before stood, as always, near our "uncle" and wagged its tail. Seeing me, she ran up as if nothing had happened and, with an affectionate squeal, began to rub at her feet.
How so? I hung her, but she does not remember evil and still caresses me! Tears welled up in my eyes. I bent down to the dog and began to hug her and kiss her shaggy muzzle. I understood: there, in the barn, I hit the clay with a stone, but the Beetle remained alive.
Since then, I have loved animals. And then, when he grew up, he began to educate animals and teach them, that is, train them. Only I taught them not with a stick, but with a caress, and they also loved and obeyed me.
Pig-Tinflyushka
My animal school is called Durov's Corner. It is called a "corner", but in fact it is a large house, with a terrace, with a garden. How much space does one elephant need! But I also have monkeys, and sea lions, and polar bears, and dogs, and hares, and badgers, and hedgehogs, and birds! ..
My animals do not just live, but learn. I teach them different things so that they can perform in the circus. At the same time, I myself study animals. This is how we learn from each other.
As in any school, I had good students, there were worse ones. One of my first students was Chushka-Fintiflyushka - an ordinary pig.
When Chushka entered the “school”, she was still quite a beginner and did not know how to do anything. I caressed her and gave her meat. She ate and grunts: come on! I went to a corner and showed her a new piece of meat. She will run towards me! She liked it, apparently.
She soon got used to it and began to follow me on my heels. Where I am - there is Chushka-Fintiflushka. She learned her first lesson very well.
We've moved on to the second lesson. I brought Chushka a piece of bread spread with lard. It smelled very delicious. Chushka rushed at full speed for a tasty morsel. But I did not give it to her and began to drive bread over her head. The ingot reached for the bread and turned over in place. Well done! This is what I needed. I gave Chushka a "five", that is, I gave a piece of lard. Then I made her turn around several times, while saying:
- Chushka-Fintiflyushka, roll over!
And she rolled over and got delicious “fives”. So she learned to dance "waltz".
Since then, she settled in a wooden house, in the stable.
I came to her housewarming party. She ran towards me. I spread my legs, bent down and handed her a piece of meat. The ingot approached the meat, but I quickly transferred it to my other hand. The ingot was drawn by the bait - it passed between my legs. This is called "going through the gate." So I repeated several times. Chushka quickly learned to "pass through the gate."
After that, I had a real rehearsal at the circus. The pig was scared of the artists who were fussing and jumping in the arena, and rushed to the exit. But there she was met by an employee and drove to me. Where to go? She timidly pressed herself against my legs. But I, her main defender, began to drive her with a long whip.
In the end, Chushka realized that she had to run along the barrier until the tip of the whip came down. When it descends, it is necessary to approach the owner for a reward.
But here's a new challenge. The clerk brought the board. He put one end on the barrier, and raised the other low above the ground. The whip slammed - Chushka ran along the barrier. Having reached the board, she wanted to go around it, but then the whip slapped again, and Chushka jumped over the board.
Gradually we raised the board higher and higher. The ingot jumped, sometimes broke, jumped again ... In the end, her muscles got stronger, and she became an excellent "jumper gymnast."
Then I began to teach the pig to stand with its front legs on a low stool. As soon as Chushka, chewing bread, reached for another piece, I put the bread on a stool, to the front legs of the pig. She bent down and hastily ate it, and I again raised a piece of bread high above her snout. She lifted her head, but I again put the bread on the stool, and Chushka again bent her head. I did this several times, giving her bread only after she lowered her head.
In this way, I taught Chushka to "bow." The third number is ready!
A few days later we began to learn the fourth number.
A barrel cut in half was brought into the arena and the half was placed upside down. The ingot ran away, jumped up on the barrel and immediately jumped off the other side. But she got nothing for it. And the clapping of chamberrière 1
Chamberier?r - a long whip used in the circus or in the arena.
Again drove the pig to the barrel. The ingot jumped over again and was again left without a reward. This happened many times. Chushka was exhausted, tired and hungry. She couldn't figure out what they wanted from her.
Finally, I grabbed Chushka by the collar, put it on a barrel and gave her some meat. Then she realized: you just need to stand on the barrel, and nothing more.
It became her favorite number. And really, what could be more pleasant: stand quietly on the barrel and get piece by piece.
Once, when she was standing on a barrel, I climbed up to her and brought my right leg over her back. The ingot got scared, rushed to the side, knocked me down and ran into the stable. There, exhausted, she sank to the floor of the cage and lay there for two hours.
When a bucket of mash was brought to her and she greedily pounced on the food, I again jumped on her back and firmly squeezed her hips with my legs. The ingot began to beat, but failed to throw me off. Besides, she wanted to eat. Forgetting about all the troubles, she began to eat.
This was repeated from day to day. In the end, Chushka learned to carry me on her back. Now it was possible to perform with her in front of the public.
We had a dress rehearsal. Chushka did an excellent job of all the tricks she could.
“Look, Chushka,” I said, “do not disgrace yourself in front of the public!”
The servant washed it, smoothed it, combed it. Evening has come. The orchestra thundered, the audience made noise, the bell rang, the “redhead” ran into the arena. The show has begun. I changed and went up to Chushka:
- Well, Chushka, don't you worry?
She looked at me as if in amazement. In fact, it was hard to recognize me. The face is smeared with white, the lips are red, the eyebrows are drawn, and portraits of Chushka are sewn on a white shiny suit.
- Durov, your way out! the director of the circus said.
I entered the arena. The pup ran after me. The children, seeing the pig in the arena, clapped merrily. The pup got scared. I began to stroke her, saying:
- Chushka, do not be afraid, Chushka ...
She calmed down. I slammed the chamberier, and Chushka, as in rehearsal, jumped over the bar.
Everyone clapped, and Chushka, out of habit, ran up to me. I said:
- Trinket, do you want some chocolate?
And gave her meat. Chushka ate, and I said:
- A pig, but also understands the taste! - And he shouted to the orchestra: - Please play the Pig Waltz.
Music began to play, and Tinfly was spinning around the arena. Oh, and the audience laughed!
Then a barrel appeared in the arena. Chushka climbed onto the barrel, I climbed onto Chushka and how I scream:
- And here is Durov on a pig! And again everyone clapped.
The “artist” jumped over various obstacles, then I jumped on her with a deft jump, and she, like a dashing horse, carried me away from the arena.
And the audience clapped with all their might and kept shouting:
- Bravo, Chushka! Bis, Trinket!
The success was great. Many ran backstage to look at the learned pig. But the "artist" did not pay attention to anyone. She greedily pissed thick, choice slops. They were dearer to her than applause.
The first performance went very well.
Little by little Chushka got used to the circus. She often performed, and the audience loved her very much.
But Chushkin's success haunted our clown. He was a famous clown; his surname was Tanti.
“How,” thought Tanti, “is an ordinary pig, sow, more successful than me, the famous Tanti? .. This must be put to an end!”
He seized the moment when I was not at the circus, and climbed up to Chushka. And I didn't know anything. In the evening, as always, I went out with Chushka to the arena. Chushka perfectly did all the numbers.
But as soon as I sat on her astride, she rushed about and threw me off. What's happened? I jumped on her again. And she again breaks out like an unbroken horse. The audience laughs. And I don't laugh at all. I run after Chushka with chamberier around the arena, and she runs away with all her might. Suddenly she darted between the servants - and into the stable. The audience is noisy, I smile as if nothing happened, and I myself think: “What is this? Is the pig mad? You have to kill her!"
After the performance, I rushed to inspect the pig. Nothing! I feel my nose, stomach, legs - nothing! I put a thermometer - the temperature is normal.
I had to call the doctor.
He looked into her mouth and forcibly poured a fair amount of castor oil into it.
After treatment, I again tried to sit on Chushka, but again she broke free and ran away. And, if it were not for the employee who looked after Chushka, we would never have known what was the matter.
The next day, an employee, while bathing Chushka, saw that her entire back was wounded. It turned out that Tanti had poured oats on her back and rubbed it on her bristles. Of course, when I sat astride Chushka, the grains dug into the skin and caused unbearable pain to the pig.
I had to treat poor Chushka with hot poultices and, almost one at a time, pick out swollen grains from the bristles. Chushka was able to perform only two weeks later. By then I had come up with a new number for her.
I bought a small cart with a harness, put a collar on Chushka and began to harness it like a horse. At first, Chushka did not give in and tore the harness. But I stood my ground. Chushka gradually got used to walking in a harness. Once my friends came to me:
- Durov, let's go to a restaurant!
“Good,” I replied. - You, of course, will go by cab?
“Of course,” the friends replied. - And what are you on?
- See! - I answered and began to lay Chushka in the cart.
He himself sat on the "irradiation", picked up the reins, and we rolled along the main street. What was going on here! The drivers made way for us. Passers-by stopped. The horse-drawn driver looked at us and dropped the reins. Passengers jumped up and clapped like in a circus:
– Bravo! Bravo!
A crowd of children ran after us shouting:
- Pig! Look pig!
- That's the horse!
- Do not drag!
- Bring it to the barn!
- Dump Durov in a puddle!
Suddenly, a policeman appeared as if from under the ground. I reined in the horse. The policeman shouted ominously:
- Who allowed it?
“No one,” I replied calmly. I don't have a horse, so I'm riding a pig.
- Turn the shafts! - the policeman shouted and grabbed Chushka by the "bridle". “Drive down back alleys so that not a single soul can see you.
And he immediately drew up a report on me. A few days later I was called to court.
I did not dare to go there on a pig. I was tried for allegedly breaking public silence. I didn't break any silence. Chushka never even grunted during the ride. I said so in court, and I also said about the benefits of pigs: they can be taught to deliver food, carry luggage.
I was acquitted. Then there was such a time: a little something - a protocol and a trial.
Once Chushka almost died. Here is how it was. We were invited to one Volga city. Chushka was already very learned then. We boarded the ship. I tied the ingot on deck to the railing of the balcony near the large cage, and in the cage sat a bear, Mikhail Ivanovich Toptygin. At first everything was fine. The steamer ran down the Volga. All the passengers gathered on deck and looked at the learned pig and Mishka. Mikhail Ivanovich also looked at Chushka-Fintiflyushka for a long time, then touched the door of the cage with his paw - it is served (it is clear that the servant, unfortunately, did not lock the cage well). Our Mishka, don't be a fool, opened the cage and, without delay, jumped out of it. The crowd recoiled. No one even had time to come to their senses, as the bear with a roar rushed at the learned pig Chushka-Fintiflyushka ...
Although she is a scientist, she, of course, could not cope with a bear.
I gasped. Without remembering himself, he jumped on the bear, sat on it, grabbed the furry skin with one hand, and thrust the other into the bear's hot mouth and began tearing the bear's cheek with all his might.
But Mikhail Ivanovich only roared more, pulling Chushka. She squealed like the most ordinary, unlearned pig.
Then I reached out to the bear's ear and began to bite it with all my might. Mikhail Ivanovich became furious. He backed away and suddenly pushed Chushka and me into the cage. He began to press us against the back wall of the cage. Here came the servants with iron sticks. The bear beat off the blows with fury with its paws, and the more the bear was beaten outside, the more it pressed us against the bars.
I had to hastily cut out two rods from the back wall. Only then did Chushka and I manage to get out. I was all scratched up, and Chushka was thoroughly dented.
Chushka was ill for a long time after this incident.
Piggy skydiver
I had a pig Piggy. She flew with me! At that time, there were no planes yet, but they rose into the air by hot-air balloon. I decided that my Piggy should also take to the air. I ordered a white calico balloon (20 meters in diameter) and a silk parachute to it. The balloon rose into the air like this. A stove was made of bricks, straw was burned there, and the ball was tied to two pillars above the stove. About thirty people held it, gradually stretching it. When the balloon was filled with smoke and warm air, the ropes were released and the balloon rose.
But how to teach Piggy to fly? I then lived in the country. So Piggy and I went out onto the balcony, and on the balcony I had a block arranged and belts lined with felt were thrown over it. I put the straps on Piggy and began to carefully pull her up on the block. The pig hung in the air. She swung her legs frantically, and how she squealed! But then I brought a cup of food to the future pilot. Piggy, smelling delicious, forgot about everything in the world and took up dinner. So she ate, dangling her legs in the air and swaying on her straps.
I lifted it on the block several times. She got used to it and, having eaten, she even slept, hanging on her belts.
I taught her to get up and down quickly.
Then we moved on to the second part of the tutorial.
I put the strapped Piggy on the platform where the alarm clock was. Then he offered Piggy a cup of food. But as soon as her snout touched the food, I took my hand away from the cup. Piggy reached for the delicious, jumped off the platform and hung on the straps. At that very moment the alarm went off. I did these experiments several times, and Piggy already knew that every time the alarm clock rings, she will receive food from my hands. In pursuit of the cherished cup, when the alarm clock rang, she herself jumped off the platform and swayed in the air, waiting for a treat. She got used to it: as the alarm clock crackles, she has to jump.
All is ready. Now my Piggy can fly.
Bright posters appeared on all the fences and pillars of our summer cottage area:
PIG IN THE CLOUD!
What happened on the day of the performance! Tickets for the suburban train were taken with a fight. The wagons were packed to capacity. Children and adults hung on the steps. Everyone said:
- And how is it: a pig - yes in the clouds!
“People still don’t know how to fly, but here is a pig!”
There was only talk about the pig. Piggy became a famous person.
And so the show began. The balloon was filled with smoke. Piggy was led out onto the platform tied to the ball. We tied the pig to the parachute and attached the parachute to the top of the balloon with thin strings, just to keep the parachute in place. We set an alarm clock on the platform - in two or three minutes it will crackle.
Here the ropes are released. The pig balloon rose into the air. Everyone screamed, made a noise:
- Look, it's flying!
- The pig is gone!
- Oh, know Durov!
When the ball was already high, the alarm clock crackled. Piggy, accustomed to jumping on a call, rushed from the ball into the air. Everyone gasped: the pig flew down like a stone. But then the parachute opened, and Piggy, swaying smoothly, safely, like a real parachutist, descended to the ground.
After this first flight, the “parachutist” did many more air travels. We traveled all over Russia with her.
The flights were not without adventures.
In one city Piggy got on the roof of the gymnasium. The situation was not pleasant. Piggy squealed with all her might as her parachute caught on a drainpipe. The students left their books and rushed to the windows. Lessons were cancelled. There was no way to get Piggy. I had to call the fire brigade.
V.L. Durov
My animals
“My whole life has passed side by side with animals. I shared grief and joy with them in half, and the affection of animals rewarded me for all human injustices ...
I saw how the rich suck all the juice out of the poor, how rich, strong people keep weaker and darker brothers in slavery and prevent them from realizing their rights and strength. And then I, with the help of my animals, in booths, circuses and theaters spoke about the great human injustice ... "
V. L. Durov (from memoirs)Dear young readers!
There are many theaters in Moscow. But the most outlandish theater is, perhaps, the one located on Durova Street. Children from all over Moscow gather here every day. Many come even from other cities. After all, everyone wants to visit this extraordinary theater!
What is so amazing about it? There is a lobby auditorium, stage, curtain ... Everything is as usual. But it is not people who perform here on the stage, but ... animals. This theater of animals was created by the Honored Artist of the RSFSR Vladimir Leonidovich Durov.
From the very early years when Volodya Durov was still a boy, he was drawn to animals and birds. As a child, he already fiddled with pigeons, dogs and other animals. He then already dreamed of a circus, because trained animals are shown in the circus.
When Volodya grew up a little, he ran away from home and entered the farce to the well-known circus performer Rinaldo in those years.
And so the young man Durov began to work in the circus. There he brought a goat Vasily Vasilyevich, a goose Socrates, a dog Bishka. He trained them, that is, taught them to do different numbers in the arena.
Usually, trainers used the painful method: they tried to achieve obedience from the animal with a stick and beatings.
And Vladimir Durov refused this method of training. He was the first in the history of the circus to use a new method - the method of training not by beatings and a stick, but by caress, good treatment, delicacy, encouragement. He did not torture the animals, but patiently taught them to him. He loved animals, and animals became attached to him and obeyed him.
Soon the public fell in love with the young trainer. He achieved much more in his own way than the previous trainers. He came up with a lot of very interesting numbers.
Durov entered the arena in a bright, colorful clown costume.
Previously, before him, clowns worked in silence. They made the audience laugh by slapping each other, jumping and somersaulting.
Durov was the first of the clowns to speak from the arena. He scourged the royal orders, ridiculed merchants, officials and nobles. For this, the police pursued him. But Durov boldly continued his speeches. He proudly called himself "the people's jester."
The circus was always full when Durov performed with his animal troupe.
Children especially loved Durov.
VL Durov traveled all over Russia, performing in various circuses and booths.
But Durov was not only a trainer - he was also a scientist. He carefully studied the animals, their behavior, manners, habits. He was engaged in a science called zoopsychology, and even wrote a thick book about this, which the great Russian scientist, academician Ivan Petrovich Pavlov really liked.
Gradually, Durov acquired more and more new animals. Animal school grew.
“I wish we could build a special house for the animals! Durov dreamed. - It would be spacious and comfortable for them to live there. There one could calmly study animals, lead scientific work to accustom animals to performances.
V. L. Durov dreamed of an unprecedented and fantastic theater - the theater of animals, where, under the motto "Amuse and teach", the child will be given the first unpretentious lessons in moral and aesthetic education.
Many years passed until Vladimir Leonidovich managed to fulfill his dream. He bought a large, beautiful mansion on one of the oldest and quietest streets in Moscow, called Bozhedomka. In this house, located among the greenery of gardens and alleys of the Catherine Park, he placed his four-legged artists and called this house "Durov's Corner".
In 1927, the Moscow City Council, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the artistic activity of V. L. Durov, renamed the street where the Corner was located into Durov Street.
In 1934 Vladimir Leonidovich died.
The theater of animals, created by grandfather Durov, as his little spectators called him, became more and more popular every year. old hall no longer accommodated everyone who wanted to get to the performance, and often the strings of children standing at the box office left in tears without receiving a ticket.
Now "Corner" is expanded. Next to the old building, a new beautiful white-stone theater has grown - a whole town. In the "Corner" there is now an animal theater, a menagerie, and a museum.
In the museum, children can see stuffed animals with which Vladimir Leonidovich Durov worked. Here is the learned dachshund Zapyatayka, here is the sea lion Leo, here is the brown bear Toptygin ... The famous Durovskaya Railway.
Animals live in the menagerie, which are now performing in the theater.
Let's imagine that we want to look at the local amazing residents. To do this, you do not need to raise the roof or look into windows and doors. Here everyone has their own apartment, and a neighbor can exchange glances with a neighbor. Semicircular enclosures, and in them unusual "artists" - inhabitants of all parts of the world.
There are many animals in the zoo. There is a white hare, and a talking gray crow, and a bright red-blue parrot, and a mathematician dog, and a sea lion, and a tiger, and pelicans, and many, many other animals and birds.
In the light foyer of the theater are often arranged book fairs. Writers, artists, composers meet here with their little readers, viewers, listeners. Here are the conversations of the guys with scientists, trainers.
After the death of Vladimir Leonidovich Durov, he was replaced by a new generation of Durovs, who continued the work of the famous trainer.
Anna Vladimirovna Durova-Sadovskaya, Honored Art Worker of the RSFSR, worked for many years at Ugolok. artistic director theater.
Here he began his journey in art National artist USSR Yuri Vladimirovich Durov. And finally my turn came. Grandmother, holding my hand, led me to the Corner. And since then I have not parted with my favorite theater.
I grew up, one might say, among animals and saw how my father affectionately and patiently trained them. I also learned to understand the habits of animals and treat them carefully.
I always remembered the words of my father and grandfather that you first need to know the animal, all its features and habits, and only after that you can teach it some number.
In my work, I do not deviate from the Durovsky method of training, which excludes the slightest pain effect. Only by patience, kindness and affection, painstaking work and knowledge of zoo-reflexology, can one achieve that the pony gives the public his charming smile, and the donkey sincerely laughs at the sloven, for whom the raccoon will immediately wash his handkerchief ...
And so the number follows the number. Here is a white hare knocking out several beats of a march on the drum. The gray crow shouts importantly to her friend: "Come on, come on," - he competes with the talent of a commentator with the Ara parrot. The sea lion is juggling. A fox and a rooster peacefully eat from the same feeder. A wolf and a goat are circling in an amazing waltz, and a hardworking bear is sweeping the territory ...
All these miracles taking place on the stage are based on the mutual trust of man and animal.
I would like to preface these words to my grandfather Vladimir Leonidovich Durov's book My Animals, which you, my young friends, are now holding in your hands and which was first published about seventy years ago.
N. Yu. Durova,
People's Artist of the USSR and Russia, writer, laureate State Prize THE USSR, main director and artistic director of the Theater "Grandfather Durov's Corner".
OUR Bug
When I was little, I studied at a military gymnasium. There, besides all the sciences, they also taught us to shoot, march, salute, take guard - it's the same as a soldier. We had our own dog Bug. We loved her very much, played with her and fed her with the remnants of the state dinner.
And suddenly our warder, the "uncle", had his own dog, also a bug. The life of our Bug changed immediately: the "uncle" cared only about his Bug, and he beat and tortured ours. Once he splashed boiling water on her. The dog rushed to run with a squeal, and then we saw: our Bug on its side and back had peeled off its hair and even its skin! We were terribly angry with the "uncle". They gathered in a secluded corner of the corridor and began to figure out how to take revenge on him.
We need to teach him a lesson, - the guys said.
Here's what you need to do... you need to kill his Beetle!
Right! Drown!
V.L. Durov
My animals
“My whole life has passed side by side with animals. I shared grief and joy with them in half, and the affection of animals rewarded me for all human injustices ...
I saw how the rich suck all the juice out of the poor, how rich, strong people keep weaker and darker brothers in slavery and prevent them from realizing their rights and strength. And then I, with the help of my animals, in booths, circuses and theaters spoke about the great human injustice ... "
V. L. Durov (from memoirs)
Dear young readers!
There are many theaters in Moscow. But the most outlandish theater is, perhaps, the one located on Durova Street. Children from all over Moscow gather here every day. Many come even from other cities. After all, everyone wants to visit this extraordinary theater!
What is so amazing about it? There is a foyer, an auditorium, a stage, a curtain... Everything is as usual. But it is not people who perform here on the stage, but ... animals. This theater of animals was created by the Honored Artist of the RSFSR Vladimir Leonidovich Durov.
From the earliest years, when Volodya Durov was still a boy, he was drawn to animals and birds. As a child, he already fiddled with pigeons, dogs and other animals. He then already dreamed of a circus, because trained animals are shown in the circus.
When Volodya grew up a little, he ran away from home and entered the farce to the well-known circus performer Rinaldo in those years.
And so the young man Durov began to work in the circus. There he brought a goat Vasily Vasilyevich, a goose Socrates, a dog Bishka. He trained them, that is, he taught them to do different numbers in the arena.
Usually, trainers used the painful method: they tried to achieve obedience from the animal with a stick and beatings.
And Vladimir Durov refused this method of training. He was the first in the history of the circus to use a new method - the method of training not by beatings and a stick, but by affection, good treatment, delicacy, encouragement. He did not torture the animals, but patiently taught them to him. He loved animals, and animals became attached to him and obeyed him.
Soon the public fell in love with the young trainer. He achieved much more in his own way than the previous trainers. He came up with a lot of very interesting numbers.
Durov entered the arena in a bright, colorful clown costume.
Previously, before him, clowns worked in silence. They made the audience laugh by slapping each other, jumping and somersaulting.
Durov was the first of the clowns to speak from the arena. He scourged the royal orders, ridiculed merchants, officials and nobles. For this, the police pursued him. But Durov boldly continued his speeches. He proudly called himself "the people's jester."
The circus was always full when Durov performed with his animal troupe.
Children especially loved Durov.
VL Durov traveled all over Russia, performing in various circuses and booths.
But Durov was not only a trainer - he was also a scientist. He carefully studied the animals, their behavior, manners, habits. He was engaged in a science called zoopsychology, and even wrote a thick book about this, which the great Russian scientist, academician Ivan Petrovich Pavlov really liked.
Gradually, Durov acquired more and more new animals. Animal school grew.
“I wish we could build a special house for the animals! Durov dreamed. - It would be spacious and comfortable for them to live there. There one could calmly study animals, conduct scientific work, and teach animals to perform.”
V. L. Durov dreamed of an unprecedented and fantastic theater - the theater of animals, where, under the motto "amuse and teach", the child will be given the first unpretentious lessons in moral and aesthetic education.
Many years passed until Vladimir Leonidovich managed to fulfill his dream. He bought a large, beautiful mansion on one of the oldest and quietest streets in Moscow, called Bozhedomka. In this house, located among the greenery of gardens and alleys of the Catherine Park, he placed his four-legged artists and called this house "Durov's Corner".
In 1927, the Moscow City Council, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the artistic activity of V. L. Durov, renamed the street where the Corner was located into Durov Street.
In 1934 Vladimir Leonidovich died.
The theater of animals, created by grandfather Durov, as his little spectators called him, became more and more popular every year. The old hall no longer accommodated everyone who wanted to get to the performance, and often the strings of children standing at the ticket office left in tears without receiving a ticket.
Now "Corner" is expanded. Next to the old building, a new beautiful white-stone theater has grown - a whole town. In the "Corner" there is now an animal theater, a menagerie, and a museum.
In the museum, children can see stuffed animals with which Vladimir Leonidovich Durov worked. Here is the learned dachshund Zapyatayka, here is the sea lion Leo, here is the brown bear Toptygin... The famous Durov railway has also been preserved.
Animals live in the menagerie, which are now performing in the theater.
Let's imagine that we want to look at the local amazing residents. To do this, you do not need to raise the roof or look into windows and doors. Here everyone has their own apartment, and a neighbor can exchange glances with a neighbor. Semicircular enclosures, and in them unusual "artists" - inhabitants of all parts of the world.
There are many animals in the zoo. There is a white hare, and a talking gray crow, and a bright red-blue parrot, and a mathematician dog, and a sea lion, and a tiger, and pelicans, and many, many other animals and birds.
Book exhibitions are often held in the bright foyer of the theatre. Writers, artists, composers meet here with their little readers, viewers, listeners. Here are the conversations of the guys with scientists, trainers.
After the death of Vladimir Leonidovich Durov, he was replaced by a new generation of Durovs, who continued the work of the famous trainer.
For many years, Anna Vladimirovna Durova-Sadovskaya, Honored Art Worker of the RSFSR, artistic director of the theater, worked at Ugolok.
Here, People's Artist of the USSR Yuri Vladimirovich Durov began his career in art. And finally my turn came. Grandmother, holding my hand, led me to the Corner. And since then I have not parted with my favorite theater.
I grew up, one might say, among animals and saw how my father affectionately and patiently trained them. I
When I was little, I studied at a military gymnasium. There, besides all the sciences, they also taught us to shoot, march, salute, take guard - it's the same as a soldier. We had our own dog Bug. We loved her very much, played with her and fed her with the remnants of the state dinner. Read...
My animal school is called Durov's Corner. It is called a "corner", but in fact it is a large house, with a terrace, with a garden. Read...
I had a pig Piggy. She flew with me! At that time, there were no planes yet, but they rose into the air in a balloon. I decided that my Piggy should also take to the air. Read...
In the city of Hamburg there was a large zoological garden, which belonged to a well-known animal dealer. When I wanted to buy an elephant, I went to Hamburg. Read...
On the arena - sea lions Leo, Pizzi and Vaska. They, like seals and walruses, have flippers instead of legs. In the seas where these animals live, they feel great, but on land they become clumsy, clumsy, because flippers are still not legs. Read...
Have you read A. Chekhov's story "Kashtanka"? This story is about the dog Kashtanka. She lived with a carpenter. Then she went for a walk through the streets and got lost. Read...
That was a long time ago, twenty-five years ago. I then had a huge bear, tame and very good-natured. Read...
Now I will talk about badgers. My first badgers were caught near Astrakhan. Their names were Borka and Surka. Read...
Before me, no one had ever trained a hedgehog to perform in a circus. I bought two hedgehogs. One called Gauntlet, and the other - Coil. Read...
In Hamburg I bought a little chimpanzee. The monkey's name was Michel. When buying a chimpanzee, I asked former owner how to deal with Michel. Read...
At the end of April, I noticed crows' nests in our garden on the tops of the trees. The crows cawing loudly through the garden. I watched them for hours through binoculars. Read...
I had four cranes. I noticed: after a long sitting in a cage, cranes, like ostriches, want to “stretch” their long legs, and as soon as I released the zhurok into the arena, they began to flap their wings, bounce, stagnate.
