A tale called " Black Chicken, or Underground Residents" was written by Russian writer A. Pogorelsky in 1829. But the work has not lost its relevance today. The tale will be interesting to many students, and for some it can serve as a real source of life wisdom.
How the book was created
Many schoolchildren liked the fairy tale “ Black Chicken, or Underground Residents”. Readers' reviews of this book are the most positive. However, not everyone knows for what purpose the fairy tale was originally created. This work was a gift to A. Tolstoy, to whom Pogorelsky replaced his father. Alexey Tolstoy was a paternal relative of the great Russian writer Leo Tolstoy . It is known that over time, Alexei Nikolaevich also became a popular writer and even contributed to the creation of the famous image of Kozma Prutkov.
However, this only awaited him in the future, and so far the lad was giving Pogorelsky a lot of difficulties because he did not want to study. That is why Pogorelsky decided to compose a fairy tale that would encourage his pupil to work in school . Over time, the book gained more and more popularity, and already each student could write his own review about it. " Black Chicken, or Underground Residents" has become a classic for every student. Perhaps fans of the tale will be interested to know that the name Pogorelsky is actually a pseudonym. In fact, the name of the writer was Aleksei Alekseevich Perovsky .
The protagonist of the tale, the scene
The protagonist of “ Black Chicken, or Underground Residents” is Alyosha's boy. The tale begins with a story about the main character. The boy studies in a private boarding house and often suffers from his loneliness. He is tormented by longing for parents who, having paid money for tuition, live their own cares far from St. Petersburg. Emptiness in the soul and communication with close people of Alyosha are replaced by books. The child’s fantasy takes him to distant lands, where he imagines himself a valiant knight. Parents take other children on weekends and holidays. But for Alyosha, books remain the only joy. The scene of the tale, as was indicated, is a small private boarding house in St. Petersburg, where parents send their children to study. Having paid the money for training their child for several years in advance , they, in fact, disappear completely from his life.
The beginning of the story
The protagonists of the Black Chicken, or Underground Residents, are the boy Alyosha and Chernushka, a character whom Alyosha meets in the poultry yard. It is there that the boy spends a significant part of his free time. He enjoys watching birds live. In particular, he liked the chicken Chernushka. Alyosha seems that Chernushka is silently trying to say something to him and has a meaningful look. Once Alyosha wakes up from the cries of Chernushka and saves the chicken from the hands of the cook. And with this act the boy discovers an unusual, fairy-tale world. So begins the fairy tale "Black Chicken, or Underground Residents" by Anthony Pogorelsky.
Introducing the Underworld
At night, Chernushka comes to the boy and begins to speak with him in a human voice. Alyosha was very surprised, but decided to go after Chernushka into the magical underground world in which small people live. The king of this unusual people offers Alyosha any reward for the fact that he managed to save their minister, Chernushka, from the death. But Alyosha couldn’t invent anything better than ask the king for his magic ability - to be able to answer correctly in any lesson even without preparation. The king of the underground inhabitants did not like such an idea, because she spoke about the laziness and negligence of Alyosha.
The dream of a lazy student
However, a word is a word, and he had to fulfill his promise. Alyosha received a special hemp seed , which should always be carried with him to answer homework. In parting, Alyosha was ordered not to tell anyone what he saw in the underworld. Otherwise, its inhabitants will have to leave their places in order to leave forever and begin to equip their lives in unknown lands. Alyosha vowed that he would not break this promise.
Since then, the hero of the fairy tale " Black Chicken, or Underground Residents" has become the best student in all of St. Petersburg. At first he was embarrassed, as his teachers praised him completely undeservedly . But soon, Alyosha himself begins to believe in what is chosen and exclusive. He begins to be proud, often naughty. His character is getting worse and worse. Alyosha is becoming more and more lazy , becoming evil, showing impudence.
Plot development
It is not enough to familiarize yourself with the summary of " Black Chicken, or Underground Residents." This book is certainly worth reading, because it contains a lot of useful ideas, and its plot will be interesting to everyone. The teacher tries not to praise Alyosha anymore, but rather seeks to reason. And asks him to memorize as many as 20 pages of text. However, Alyosha loses a magic seed , and therefore can no longer answer the lesson. He is locked in the bedroom until he fulfills the task of the teacher. But his lazy memory can no longer do this work so quickly. At night, Chernushka reappears and returns to him a precious gift from the underground king. Chernushka also asks him to correct himself and once again reminds him to be silent about the magical kingdom. Alyosha promises to do both.
The next day, the main character of the fairy tale " Black Chicken, or Underground Residents" Anthony Pogorelsky responds with brilliance to the lesson. But instead of praising his student, the teacher begins to interrogate him when he has managed to learn the assignment. If Alyosha does not tell everything, he will be flushed. Out of fear, Alyosha forgot about all his promises and spoke about his acquaintance with the kingdom of the underground inhabitants, their king and Chernushka. But no one believed him, and still he was punished. Already at this stage, you can understand the main idea of ​​" Black Chicken, or Underground inhabitants." Alyosha betrayed his friends, but the main vice that caused all his troubles was banal laziness.
Ending story
The inhabitants of the underground kingdom had to leave their homes, Minister Chernushka was shackled, and the magic seed disappeared forever. Due to a painful guilt, Alyosha fell ill with fever and did not get out of bed for six weeks. After recovery, the main character becomes obedient and kind again. His relationship with the teacher and his companions becomes the same as before. Alyosha becomes a diligent student, although not the best. Such is the ending of the tale " Black Chicken, or Underground Residents."
The main ideas of the tale
Chernushka gives Alyosha a lot of advice with the help of which he could save himself and not become evil and lazy. The Minister of the Underworld warns him that it is not so easy to get rid of vices - after all, vices "enter the door and exit through the crack ." It is worth noting that the advice of Chernushka coincides with the conclusions drawn by the school teacher Alyosha. Work, according to both the teacher and the Black Chicken, is the basis of the morality and inner beauty of any person. Idleness, on the contrary, only corrupts - reminds Pogorelsky in the work “ Black Chicken, or Underground Residents”. The main idea of ​​the magic story is that there is good in every person, however, in order for it to manifest, one must make efforts, try to cultivate and manifest it. No other way. If this is not done, trouble can fall not only on the person himself, but also on those close and dear to him people who are next to him.
Lessons of the story
Pogorelsky’s tale is interesting not only for its magical plot, but also for the morality that Pogorelsky tried to convey to his pupil. There is very little left of the literary heritage of the writer, and that is why it is worth listening to those ideas that can be found in works that have survived to our times . What does the Black Chicken, or Underground Residents, teach and who will benefit from these lessons? They will be useful to every student, regardless of his performance. After all, they teach everyone to be better. And first of all, you can’t try to put yourself above other people, even if you have any outstanding talents and abilities.
A book that everyone will like
Most readers have given the most “ Black Chicken, or Underground Residents” reviews. Undoubtedly, this fairy tale will not leave indifferent any student. It interwoven magic and reality, the lessons of life and a tragic plot. Each student can write a review about the " Black Chicken, or Underground Residents" at his discretion. However, it is imperative to mention the main lessons learned after reading this book. The story reminds us that we should try our best to develop modesty, feelings of duty, honesty and hard work - in a word, the best qualities with which it is only possible to overcome vices. Another lesson taught in the work: you need to be strict with yourself.