Tales accompany us throughout our lives, accompanying people from the smallest years to old age. Tales of the Russian people - a storehouse of wisdom that teaches the children of life, helps to comprehend the moral laws of the world around us, introduces them to the eternal concepts of good and evil. So do you think it is possible to divide a goose into several parts without offending any of those present? Maybe yes. At least one of these options is proposed in the Russian fairy tale “How a man shared geese”. Let's try and read together.
Fairy tale "How a man shared geese"
Despite the fact that this work is considered folklore, many first heard the text presented by Leo Tolstoy. The plot itself does not appear in such a fundamental work as a collection of folk tales by Alexander Afanasyev. However, evidence and references to this work of oral folklore have been around since almost the 18th century. Even then, the Russian peasants, word of mouth, passed on the fairy tale “How a peasant divided geese”. Tolstoy only processed it, giving conciseness and expounding it in an understandable, modern language for him to read for children. Now in this form, and we can read it.
Summary of the tale "How a man shared geese"
One poor man didn’t have any bread at all, and his family was big, and somehow he had to be fed. A man decided to ask the master. But in order not to go empty-handed, he caught a goose, fried it and carries a gentleman. He brought and gave.
Barin took the gander, but said that he did not know how to divide it between all the other members of the family, because he had two more daughters, two sons and a wife. And how to divide a fried bird without resentment?
Then the savvy peasant said that he would divide himself. He gave the goose’s head to the master, saying: you’re the head of everything. Guzku - the master’s wife, saying that, they say, she should do housework and stay at home, so the back of the goose. He gave his sons legs to trample on dad's paths. The daughters of the master are the porch, since they will fly away from home anyway (meaning they will marry). So dividing the leftovers (and this turned out to be the largest and most delicious part of the goose carcass) the man left for himself. The barin laughed at this “division” and gave the poor man his ingenuity, both bread and money. But this is not the end of the fairy tale, “How a man divided geese”.
Continuation of a story
It seems that the plot has been exhausted, but, as is often the case in fairy tales, the narrative enters a new round. And the story of how a man shared geese continues. The rich man found out that the master gave the poor peasant both money and bread, and decided to take advantage of him as well. He has already fried 5 geese and carries them to the master. He offers a rich man to share what was brought between family members. But a rich man cannot come up with anything. Then the master again invites the poor to do this. And the poor man again “shares” in his favor: one goose - the lady with the gentleman, one - the sons, one - the daughters, two took. Thus, it turned out all three of them with geese. The master again marvels at the poor man’s wit and gives him bread, money, and he banishes the rich stupid man.
Morality
“How a man shared geese” - a household tale. It does not involve participation in the narrative of either magic or wonderful adventures and heroes. The main character is just an ordinary savvy poor man, who is one of the favorite heroes of fairy tales of the Russian people.