Every person has his own childhood, but there is one thing in common that every child probably had is fairy tales. With their help, parents tried not only to entertain and reassure the children, but also to teach them important lessons in veiled form. Each nation has its own favorite tales. The Russians have one of their favorite - the fairy tale "The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids". And although she is many years old, this story does not cease to remain relevant today.
Origin and author of the tale "The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids"
Very often this incredibly popular fairy tale is considered folk. However, this is an erroneous opinion, since the children's fairy tale “The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids” belongs to the pen of the German collectors of folklore, the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.
For the first time, this tale was published in the collection of fairy tales of the brothers for 1812-1815 under the heading Der Wolf und die sieben jungen GeiĂźlein.
It is likely that the plot of this work did not belong to the Grimm, but was just recorded by them and reworked, but in any case they are recognized by the authors of this tale.
It is also worth mentioning that the plot was popular not only in Germany, but also among other peoples. This is evidenced by the fact that the plot of this fairy tale was included in the “Index of fairy tales plots” by Antti Aarne, in which the most popular fairy tales plots known to the world were recorded.
Appearance in Russia
It is difficult to say whether a similar plot existed in the folklore of the Slavs. No reliable written evidence of this has been preserved. However, in the nineteenth century, with the translation into Russian of the books of the Brothers Grimm, the tale "The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids" appeared in Russia. Unlike other tales of these authors, this one quickly gained popularity, and they began to retell it by word of mouth, often adapting some details to the realities of Russian life. Soon, the real author of the fairy tale “The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids” was forgotten and it acquired the status of a national not only in Russia, but also in Ukraine (“Vovk i Seven Gobies”).
Story tale
In a small forest house Mama Goat lives, in which seven charming kids are growing up. Once, Mom had to go to the bazaar to shop and leave the children alone. However, she became aware that a hungry and vicious Wolf, wishing to eat her children, wanders near her house. Therefore, before leaving, the Mother Goat forbade her kids to unlock the door for anyone except her.
Shortly after her departure, the Wolf knocked on the door and began to convince the kids to open the door for him, assuring them that he was Mama Goat.
However, his voice was rude, and the kids did not believe him and did not open the door. Then the Wolf figured out how to make his voice soft, like Moms have kids, and again tried to deceive them. This time he was let down by gray shaggy paws, which the children asked to show as evidence that he was their Mom. Then the Wolf rolled them in flour and for the third time the kids got the door open for him.
Seeing that not the kind Mommy was standing behind the doors, but the feisty hungry Wolf, the kids rushed to hide, but the Wolf found six of them, ate and left.
When Mother Goat returned home, she discovered only one miraculously survived kid and learned from him about everything that had happened. Then she armed herself with scissors, thread and a needle and went to look for the Wolf. It turned out that the villain, fed up, went to bed quite near the house.
He slept so soundly that he didn’t even feel the goat cut open his stomach and let his children out. Instead, she put cobblestones in his belly, sewn it up again, and went home with her children.
Soon, the Wolf woke up and felt terrible thirst, he went to the stream and bent to get drunk, but the stones pulled him to the bottom, and he drowned. And the goat with her kids began to live, live happily ever after.
Educational elements in a fairy tale.
Like most old stories, the fairy tale “The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids” was intended to teach children the basic principles of behavior in society.
In particular, the fact that you can’t open the door to strangers in the absence of parents, otherwise the consequences can be most terrible. In addition, the fairy tale clearly illustrates that strangers trying to get into the house with the kids can be very cunning and inventive, so the children must be very careful and learn to recognize other people's trickery and be able to resist it.
Also, this tale teaches children that parents will always come to their aid, even in the most difficult situation, as happened with the kids. After all, the Goat from the fairy tale “The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids” showed a wonderful skill of the surgeon, saving her children. And most importantly, what this fairy tale brings up in children is a belief in the victory of good over evil even in the most difficult situation.
Adaptations
The fairy tale "The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids" is so popular that it was made into films more than once.
The first attempt was the eponymous cartoon film studio "Soyuzmultfilm" 1957.
The classic plot of the tale was slightly modified. The cartoon was a huge success in both children and adults, and with the advent of new technologies in 2008, it was digitized and restored. So today everyone has the opportunity to watch it on the Internet or buy a disc.
Eighteen years later, Leonid Aristov made a puppet cartoon based on the same tale. And, although the plot of the fairy tale again did not undergo any special changes, a new feature appeared in the new film adaptation - all the characters of the new cartoon communicated with each other using Yuri Entin's songs.
This film adaptation, despite an interesting interpretation of the classic fairy tale and wonderful music, could not reach the level of its predecessor. Although, perhaps, the third adaptation of the tale, which appeared literally the following year, contributed to this. This time it was a full-fledged musical film "Mom".
The scenario of the fairy tale “The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids” was carefully revised and supplemented with new bright and memorable characters. The role of the goat was successfully performed by Lyudmila Gurchenko, and Mikhail Boyarsky acted as the main villain. Many other famous Soviet theater and film actors also played in the film. It is noteworthy that there are as many as three versions of this film: Russian-speaking, Romanian-speaking and English-speaking. Separate songs were written for each of them, and each was shot separately. The film was a huge success, and many of the songs in the film remain popular today.
Fairy Tale Opera
In addition to the film adaptations, an entire opera was written based on this tale. Its author M. Koval divided the whole tale into three acts with a prologue, as well as a libretto. Most musical themes were taken from folk songs. In addition, the author introduced into the plot tales of new characters - the Rooster and Babu Yaga. This opera was first shown in the summer of 1941 in Tashkent and was warmly received by the audience.
The fairy tale “The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids”, popular and beloved by all since childhood, last year celebrated its bicentennial from the moment it was published by the Grimm brothers, and despite such a respectable age, it remains relevant and interesting to children today. I would like to believe that in another hundred years she will be no less loved by all readers, in addition, she will continue to inspire geniuses to create new original adaptations and songs.