Tales of Wisdom. Insights from Russian Folklore

– Fish, fish! Appear, great fish‑queen!

The golden fish arrived:

– What do you need, old man?

– Have mercy, great fish‑queen! My wife asks for a new trough.

– Very well, you will have a new trough.

The old man returned and found a brand‑new trough standing at the doorway. He entered the house jubilant, but his wife pounced on him again and scolded him:

– You fool! All you asked for was a trough! Go, bow to the fish again and ask for a new cottage, because the old one will collapse!

– Leave it, wife, why keep angering the fish?

She raged even more.

Having nothing else to do, the old man went to the sea again. The sky had turned dark, clouds covered the heavens, and the sea grew restless.

He called:

– Fish, fish! Appear, great fish‑queen!

The fish came and asked:

– What do you need, old man?

– Have mercy, great fish‑queen! My wife won’t stop nagging. She wants a new cottage because the old one will fall apart.

– Do not worry, old man. Go home and see what will happen.

He returned and was astonished: a new oak house, three stories high, with carved ornaments, stood in his yard. His wife rushed out, even angrier than before, shouting:

– You fool! You can’t use happiness! You asked for a house and think you’re done! No, go back to the fish and tell her you don’t want to be a peasant any more; you want to be a lady‑noble, so good people will obey you and bow at your waist.

– What’s wrong with you, wife? Don’t provoke the fish!

She ignored her husband’s pleas and kept berating him.

Again the old man went to the sea. Thunderclouds gathered, the wind howled, and the waves crashed.

He called:

– Fish, fish! Appear, great fish‑queen!

The fish arrived and asked:

– What do you need, old man?

He bowed and said:

– Have mercy, great fish‑queen. My wife has gone mad; she no longer wants to be a lady‑noble, she wants to be a queen of the sea, so that all seas will be under her rule and the fish will serve her.

– Do not worry, old man! Go home and see what will be.

He returned and, to his amazement, a palace of stone rose where his cottage had stood, three floors tall, with servants running in the yard, cooks in the kitchen, and his wife seated on a high throne in an expensive brocade dress, giving orders.

– Greetings, wife! – the old man said.

– You insolent fool! How dare you call me my lady‑noble, my wife? Guard! Stop catching crows! Take this man to the stables and whip him as hard as you can!

The guards seized the old man by the collar and dragged him to the stables; the grooms beat him with whips until he could barely stand. Afterwards the wife made him a janitor, gave him a broom, and ordered him to clean the yard, while she fed and watered him in the kitchen. His life became miserable: “Clean the yard all day, and if it’s dirty, go back to the stables!” He could not speak, fearing a harsher beating.

Soon the old woman grew tired of being a lady‑noble. She ordered the old man to be brought to her and said:

– Go, fool, to the golden fish and tell her I no longer want to be a lady‑noble; I want to be a queen.

The old man wanted to protest but dared not. He went to the sea again; the water was stormy, the sky black as night, the wind fierce, the waves high.

He called:

– Fish, fish! Appear, great fish‑queen!

The golden fish arrived and asked:

– What do you need, old man?

– My wife has gone mad again; she no longer wants to be a lady‑noble, she wants to be a queen.

– Do not worry! Go home—everything will be done.

He returned, and instead of his old house stood a towering palace with a golden roof, guards marching, cannons firing, a huge garden behind, and a green meadow in front where troops were assembled. The old woman, dressed as a queen, appeared on a balcony with generals and nobles, ordering a grand military parade: drums beating, music roaring, soldiers shouting “Hurrah!”

After a while the queen grew bored of being a ruler, ordered the old man to be found and presented before her. A panic spread; generals rushed, nobles ran:

– Which old man?

They barely found him in the back yard and brought him to the queen.

– Listen, fool! – she said. – Go to the golden fish, bow, and tell her you no longer want to be a queen; you want to be the mistress of the seas, so that all seas will be under your power and the fish will serve you.

The old man wanted to refuse, but the wife threatened: “If you don’t go, your head will be off!” With a heavy heart he went to the sea.

The storm raged, rain fell like a wall, waves hurled boulders onto the shore, the wind knocked him off his feet.

He shouted through the howl:

– Fish, fish! Appear, great fish‑queen!

The golden fish did not appear. He called again, louder; still nothing. He called a third time, his voice hoarse, when suddenly the sea boiled and a fish rose from the depths:

– What do you need, old man?

– My wife has gone even crazier; she no longer wants to be a queen, she wants to be the mistress of the seas, so that all seas will be under her rule and you, fish, will be at her service.

The golden fish gave no answer, turned, and sank back into the deep.

No matter how many times the old man called, the fish never answered. He returned home, and to his disbelief the palace had vanished; in its place stood a small, dilapidated cottage, his wife in a torn dress, a broken trough at her feet. They resumed their old life; the old man went back to fishing, but despite casting his net countless times, he never caught the golden fish again.

Key Themes for Discussion

Moderation and gratitude

– The old man was content with little and generous enough to release the fish.

– The old woman, having received everything, did not value the gifts and kept demanding more.

Consequences of greed

– Each new wish pushed the wife farther from humanity: from complaints to cruelty.

– In the end she lost everything because she crossed the limits of reason.

Power of words and responsibility

– The fish granted wishes, but the old man never considered where they would lead.

– The wife used miracles for power, not for good deeds.

Discussion Questions for Children

Why did the fish grant the first wishes but not the last one?

Helps children understand that miracles require wisdom: you may ask only for what is truly needed.

How did the old woman change with each new gift?

Shows how greed destroys humanity and turns a person into a tyrant.

What did the old man feel when his wife forced him to ask the fish again and again?

Discusses the importance of being able to say “no” and protect one’s own boundaries.

If you had three wishes from the fish, how would you use them?

Encourages children to think about real needs and helping others rather than selfish excess.

What does the ending of the tale teach us?

Reinforces the idea that happiness is not found in wealth, but in inner peace and modesty.

The Little House

At the very edge of the forest, where pine roots intertwine with boulders, there stood an abandoned winter shelter. Hunters had built it to wait out bad weather and then continue hunting. It was tiny, like a children’s playhouse, but warm: the door was only a child’s height (an adult could pass only by bending three times), the windows were the size of a palm. It was made this way so that the cold could not blow the heat out.

It had stood there for a very long time. All the people had forgotten it and never came near. Over many years the walls of resin‑filled logs had blackened, and the roof, covered with bark, had become overgrown with emerald moss.

It would have stayed empty, but one day a fly (a buzzing, angry fly) was caught in a hailstorm. Looking for a place to wait out the weather, she saw the little house, knocked on the window and buzzed:

– Little house, little house, who lives inside, who lives up high? Let the bad weather stay inside!

No one answered. The fly found a crack and slipped inside. No one was there, but it was dry and warm, so the fly decided to stay.

Soon a mouse (a little field mouse) ran by, also looking for shelter from the storm:

– Little house, little house, who lives inside, who lives up high? Let the bad weather stay inside!

– I am the angry fly. Who are you?

– I am the mouse.

– Shall we live together?

The mouse darted into the house, and they began to live together. The fly brewed tea, the mouse brought nuts.

A hare (a hopping bunny) came to the house. It was the first time he had seen such a place, and he was curious:

– Little house, little house, who lives inside, who lives up high?

– I am the angry fly!

– I am the mouse!

– And who are you?

– I am the hopping hare.

– Shall we live together?

The hare jumped into the house, and they all lived together. The fly brewed tea, the mouse brought nuts, the hare tended the garden.

One day a fox (a sly little fox) learned that someone lived in the house nearby. She became curious and ran to it:

– Little house, little house, who lives inside, who lives up high?

– I am the angry fly.

– I am the mouse.

– I am the hopping hare.

– And who are you?

– I am the little fox.

– Shall we live together?

The fox climbed into the house, and they all lived together. The fly brewed tea, the mouse brought nuts, the hare tended the garden, the fox kept the house tidy and baked pies.

A wolf (a gray, barrel‑shaped wolf) once smelled delicious pies in the forest. Curious, he followed the scent to the house:

– Little house, little house, who lives inside, who lives up high?

– I am the angry fly.

– I am the mouse.

– I am the hopping hare.

– I am the little fox.

– And who are you?

– I am the gray wolf.

– Shall we live together?

The wolf entered the house, and they all lived together. The fly brewed tea, the mouse brought nuts, the hare tended the garden, the fox kept order and baked pies, the wolf guarded the house and repaired the roof.

Thus they lived in cramped but friendly conditions. In the morning they did their chores; in the evenings they sang songs together.

One day a bear (a clumsy bear) heard the songs and wondered who was singing. He approached the house:

– Little house, little house, who lives inside, who lives not so high?

– I am the angry fly.

– I am the mouse.

– I am the hopping hare.

– I am the little fox.

– I am the gray wolf.

– And who are you?

– I am the clumsy bear. I’m bored, and you all seem to have fun; may I come in as a guest?

The bear tried to get into the little house. He kept pushing and pushing, but could not fit, and said:

– I’ll just live on your roof instead.

– You’ll crush us!

– No, I won’t crush you.

He climbed onto the roof. Crash! The corners fell apart, the roof collapsed, the walls broke – only the stove remained intact.

The bear froze, looking at his paws: “Oh… what have I done…” Tears glistened in his eyes. Then he whispered:

– I’m sorry… Let’s build a new house together – spacious, so everyone has enough room!

And work began:

The bear uprooted stumps and brought thick logs.

The wolf sharpened them with his sharp claws.

The fox wove strong ropes from lichen.

The hare gathered moss for thatching.

The mouse painted flowers on the shutters.

The fly brewed fragrant tea for everyone.

By autumn a new house stood – with a high porch for the bear, sun‑shaped windows for the fly, a warm floor for the mouse, a garden bed by the door for the hare, a weaving corner for the fox, and a watchtower for the wolf. They all lived together happily.

Even today, if someone wanders into the deep forest, they may hear friendly songs echoing from the woods.

Key Themes for Discussion

Correcting mistakes through action

– The bear didn’t just apologize – he offered a solution.

– His strength, which broke the old house, helped build a new one.

Labor and home‑building

– Each animal contributed: from clearing to guarding.

– The little house became cozy thanks to their joint effort.

Consequences of thoughtless actions

– The bear didn’t consider his size and strength.

– The destruction became a lesson: think before you act!

Discussion Questions for Children

What should the bear have done to avoid breaking the house?

Helps children understand the need to think first, then act.

Why were such different animals able to live together peacefully?

Shows the value of mutual respect: everyone contributed, creating harmony.

Whose work was the most important? Why is that question problematic?

Explains the principle of teamwork: like a puzzle, all roles are equally valuable.

Did the bear act badly or well?

Teaches how to separate the deed from the intention: even good‑hearted beings make mistakes.

What does the fairy tale teach?

Encourages children to analyse the story and draw their own conclusions.

The Turnip

Grandfather planted a turnip. The turnip grew huge.

Grandfather tried to pull the turnip out of the ground: he pulled and pulled, but he could not lift it!

He called Grandmother. Grandmother pulled Grandfather, Grandfather pulled the turnip: they pulled and pulled, but they could not lift it!

Grandmother called the granddaughter. The granddaughter pulled Grandmother, Grandmother pulled Grandfather, Grandfather pulled the turnip: they pulled and pulled, but they could not lift it!

The granddaughter called Juchka. Juchka pulled the granddaughter, the granddaughter pulled Grandmother, Grandmother pulled Grandfather, Grandfather pulled the turnip: they pulled and pulled, but they could not lift it!

Juchka called the cat. The cat pulled Juchka, Juchka pulled the granddaughter, the granddaughter pulled Grandmother, Grandmother pulled Grandfather, Grandfather pulled the turnip: they pulled and pulled, but they could not lift it!

The cat called the mouse. The mouse pulled the cat, the cat pulled Juchka, Juchka pulled the granddaughter, the granddaughter pulled Grandmother, Grandmother pulled Grandfather, Grandfather pulled the turnip: they pulled and pulled – they finally pulled the turnip out!

Historical note

The original version of the folk tale “The Turnip” was first recorded by Alexander Afanasyev in 1863 from storytellers of the Arkhangelsk Governorate. In his collection Russian Folk Tales a remarkable variant appears: instead of the familiar Juchka, cat and mouse, five “nógi” (pronounced with the stress on the first syllable) take part. The fragment reads:

“The granddaughter called a nóga. The nóga pulled the granddaughter… the fifth nóga was called. Five nógi for four, four for three… they pulled the turnip out!”

The mystery of the word “nóga”

Neither Afanasyev nor the storytellers understood the meaning of this term. Linguists assume that the word survived from ancient times and by the 19th century had become a “museum exhibit” – a phonetic shell without clear content. Several hypotheses have been proposed:

Technical – the legs of a weaving loom or a spinning wheel, which Grandmother could “call” as animate helpers (in folklore tools are often personified).

Mythological – spirit‑helpers called nógili (from “leg” + “il”, a swamp spirit in Pomor belief), similar to house‑spirits.

Zoomorphic – a distorted “nórka” (dialectal name for a ferret) or “nogayka” (a breed of dog among nomads).).

Mathematical version.

Ethnographer Vladimir Propp discovered a variant with nine “legs”, where the chain resembles a counting sequence:

“The seventh leg for the sixth, the sixth for the fifth…”

This suggests that the tale could have been used as a mnemonic device for memorising numeric sequences in oral tradition.

Changes introduced by Ushinsky.

In 1864 Konstantin Dmitrievich Ushinsky radically altered the story for his textbook Native Word. Why did he replace the “legs” with animals?

The new chain – “grandfather → grandmother → granddaughter → dog → cat → mouse” – teaches:

the hierarchy (from elder to younger);

the importance of the smallest (the mouse as the key hero);

rhyming names (Juchka–granddaughter, cat–mouse) for easier memorisation.

Why did the “legs” disappear?

By the 1880s Ushinsky’s version completely displaced the original. Reasons:

Technical – the legs of a weaving loom or a spinning wheel, which Grandmother could “call” as animate helpers (in folklore tools are often personified).

Mythological – spirit helpers called nógili (from “leg” + “il”, a swamp spirit in Pomor belief), similar to house spirits.

Zoomorphic – a distorted “nórka” (dialectal name for a ferret) or “nogayka” (a breed of dog among nomads).

Key Themes for Discussion

Power of unity

– The turnip could be pulled only by a team: from Grandfather down to the mouse.

– Even a tiny contribution (the mouse’s effort) can become decisive.

Different abilities, common result

– Everyone had different strength, but together they succeeded.

Evolution of fairy tales

– Oral tradition: storytellers passed the tale to children and grandchildren.

– Modern adaptation: old words lose meaning and are replaced by clearer images for today’s children.

Discussion Questions for Children

Why couldn’t Grandfather pull the turnip out by himself, even though he grew it?

Helps children understand that not everything can be done alone.

Was the mouse stronger than everyone else because it helped pull the turnip?

Shows that even the weakest participant can make a crucial difference.

Which version of the tale is more interesting and understandable: the one with mysterious “legs” or the one with animals? Why?

Encourages awareness of the link between folklore and culture: ancient words are mysterious and intriguing, but modern images are easier to grasp.

Tops and Roots

In a small village at the very edge of a dense forest lived a farmer. All his neighbours respected him – and for good reason. Every morning, as soon as the sun’s edge appeared over the forest, he was already in the field. His land was modest, but the harvest was always abundant because he tended the sowings with love and skill.

In that forest lived a huge brown bear, a real bandit. All the animals feared him and avoided him. He was strong and massive, but infinitely lazy. In summer, while the other animals were busy – some storing food, some raising their young – the bear only knew how to lie in the shade and steal honey from wild bees. He also liked to boss everyone around and frighten them.

“I am the master here!” he roared. “The whole forest is mine, and the lands around it are mine too!”

Because of such neighbours, forest life was impossible.

One spring, when the snow melted and the ground warmed, the farmer decided to enlarge his garden. He chose a strip of land right next to the forest – a sunny, moist spot perfect for turnips. He rose before dawn, took his plow and got to work. By noon he had ploughed the soil, loosened it with a fork, and drawn straight furrows. Just as he was about to sow the first seeds, a thunderous growl was heard. A huge bear emerged from the forest, his fur bristling, his eyes fierce.

– Farmer, – the bear grumbled, – you’re trampling my ground! I’ll crush you now!

The farmer, though frightened, kept his composure:

– Don’t crush me, Mikhail Potapych, I’ll share the harvest with you. What do you want – the tops or the roots?

The bear scratched his ear with a paw. He didn’t like to think; work was for others, and he wasn’t used to it.

– Give me the tops! – he bellowed. – Since they grow up high, they must be the best!

All summer the farmer tended his turnips – watering, weeding, loosening the soil. The bear sometimes came to “inspect” the crop – sometimes trampling the seedlings, sometimes crushing the rows. He didn’t check out of concern, but out of greed – fearing the farmer would cheat him and take all the tops for himself.

Autumn arrived. They gathered to divide the harvest. The bear took his share of the tops – the turnip greens – and, satisfied, went back to the forest. His joy was short‑lived: the greens were hard and bitter, and he could not eat them.

A few days later the bear saw the farmer coming to town in a cart.

– What are you hauling? – asked the bear.

– Roots for sale, – replied the farmer.

– Give me a taste!

The bear tried the sweet turnip roots and became so furious that the trees seemed to shake:

– You cheated! The roots are tasty, but you gave me the useless greens! I’ll crush you now!

– Hold on, Mikhail Potapych! – the farmer pleaded. – Let me sow wheat, and you can take whatever you want again.

– Fine, – the bear growled, – but this time you won’t trick me! The roots will be mine!

And again the farmer worked all summer in the field. Growing wheat was no easy task. At first light he checked the seedlings, protected them from birds, pulled weeds. In the heat he watered, in the rain he made sure water didn’t stagnate. The ears began to fill, turning golden.

The bear, as promised, “guarded” the field. But his protection was of little use. Sometimes he would stumble into the wheat and flatten the stalks with his heavy side. Other times he would trample a path through the field, “checking” whether his roots were growing. One day a mishap occurred – the bear saw a mouse in the field and tried to catch it. He stomped the whole patch of wheat, yet the mouse escaped.

Harvest time came. The farmer carefully cut the golden ears, bound them into sheaves, threshed them. The grain was large and clean – a sight to behold! The bear received the dry wheat stalks – hard, tasteless. He tried to chew them and spat them out. He realized he had been fooled again, but it was too late – he had chosen what to take.

Thus the bear remained hungry in the forest, because he was lazy and did not want to work. The farmer milled the wheat into flour, ate pies all winter, and treated his neighbours. People began to say:

“He who works and thinks will always have a harvest, and he who is lazy and angry will stay hungry.”

Key Themes for Discussion

Diligence vs. laziness

– Success comes to those who work hard.

– Laziness leads to failure.

Wisdom vs. foolishness

– It is important to think before making decisions.