Brief summary of the fairy tale Zayushkina's hut. The sacred meaning of Russian folk tales
Once upon a time there lived a fox and a hare in the same forest next door. Winter came, and they built themselves houses. The hare is a bast hut, and the fox is an ice hut.
They lived but did not grieve, but the sun began to heat up. In the spring, the fox’s hut melted.
The fox decided to drive the hare out of his house. She ran to the window and asked:
- Bunny, my neighbor, let me warm up, my hut has melted, only a puddle remains.
The hare let it go.
And as soon as the fox entered the house, he drove out the hare.
A bunny walks through the forest, cries, and bursts into burning tears. The dogs run towards him.
-What are you crying about, hare?
The dogs replied:
- Don’t cry, bunny, we will help you, we will drive the fox out of your house.
They came to the hut:
- Woof woof woof! Get out, fox!
And the fox answers:
The dogs got scared and ran away.
A hare sits under a bush and cries. Suddenly a bear is on the path.
- Why are you crying, bunny? Who offended?
- How can I not cry? I had a bast hut, and the fox had an ice hut. Spring came and the fox’s hut melted. The fox asked me to warm up, but he deceived me and kicked me out.
“Don’t cry, bunny, I’ll help you,” says the bear, “I’ll drive out the fox.”
- No, bear, you won’t kick me out. They chased the dogs, but they didn’t drive them out, and you can’t!
- No, I’ll kick you out!
They came to the hut, and the bear roared:
- Get out, fox!
And the fox to him:
- As soon as I jump out, as soon as I jump out, pieces will go down the alleys!
The bear got scared and left.
Again the bunny sits alone under a bush and cries, bursting into tears.
A cockerel walks past - a golden comb, carrying a braid on his shoulder.
- Why are you crying, bunny? - asks the cockerel.
“How can I not cry,” the hare answers. “I had a bast hut, and the fox had an ice hut. Spring came and the fox’s hut melted. The fox asked me to warm up, but he deceived me and kicked me out.
- Don't cry, I'll drive the fox out.
- No, cockerel, where are you going! They chased the dogs but didn’t drive them out, the bear chased them but didn’t drive them out.
- Come with me!
They approached the hut, and the cockerel began to sing:
The fox got scared and said:
— I’m getting dressed.
“I’m carrying the scythe on my shoulders, I want to whip the fox.” Get out, fox!
“I’m putting on a fur coat,” the fox answers.
- Cuckoo! I carry the scythe on my shoulders, I want to whip the fox. Get out, fox!
The fox was seriously frightened and jumped out of the hut.
From then on, the hare began to live in his hut, and no one offended him anymore.
Once upon a time there lived a fox and a hare in the forest. They lived not far from each other. Autumn came. It became cold in the forest. They decided to build huts for the winter. The fox built herself a hut out of loose snow, and the bunny built herself out of loose sand. They spent the winter in new huts.
Spring has come, the sun has warmed up. The fox's hut has melted, but the bunny's remains as it stood. The fox came to the bunny's hut, drove the bunny out, and remained in his hut.
The bunny left his yard, sat down under a birch tree and cried.
There's a wolf coming
He sees a bunny crying.
Why are you crying, bunny? - asks the wolf.
How can I, a bunny, not cry? The fox and I lived close to each other. We built ourselves huts: I built them from loose sand, and she built them from loose snow. Spring has come. Her hut has melted, but mine remains as it was. A fox came, drove me out of my hut and stayed in it to live. So I sit and cry.
Fuck them. We've arrived. The wolf stood on the threshold of the bunny’s hut and shouted at the fox:
Why did you climb into someone else's hut? Get off the stove, fox, otherwise I’ll throw you off and beat you on the shoulders. The fox was not afraid and answered the wolf:
Oh, wolf, beware: my tail is like a rod - as I will give you, so you will die here.
The wolf got scared and ran away. And he left the bunny. The bunny sat down again under the birch tree and cried bitterly.
A bear is walking through the forest
He sees a bunny sitting under a birch tree and crying.
Why are you crying, bunny? - asks the bear.
How can I, a bunny, not cry? The fox and I lived close to each other. We built ourselves huts: I built them from loose sand, and she built them from loose snow. Spring has come. Her hut has melted, but mine remains as it was. A fox came, kicked me out of my hut and stayed there to live. So I sit and cry.
Don't cry, bunny. Let's go, I'll help you, I'll drive the fox out of your hut.
Fuck them. We've arrived. The bear stood on the threshold of the bunny’s hut and shouted at the fox:
Why did you take the hut away from the bunny? Get off the stove, fox, otherwise I’ll throw you off and beat you on the shoulders.
The fox was not afraid, she answered the bear:
Oh, bear, beware: my tail is like a rod - as I give you, so will you die here.
The bear got scared and ran away and left the bunny alone. Again the bunny left his yard, sat down under a birch tree and cried bitterly.
A rooster is walking through the forest
I saw a bunny, came up and asked:
Why are you crying, bunny?
How can I, a bunny, not cry? The fox and I lived close to each other. We built ourselves huts: I built them from loose sand, and she built them from loose snow. Spring has come. Her hut has melted, but mine remains as it was. A fox came, kicked me out of my hut and stayed there to live. Here I sit and cry.
Don't cry, bunny, I will drive the fox out of your hut.
Oh, petenka,” the bunny cries, “where can you kick her out?” The wolf chased but did not drive out. The bear chased, but did not drive out.
But I'll kick you out. Let's go, says the rooster. Went. A rooster entered the hut, stood on the threshold, crowed, and then crowed:
I am a crow-rooster
I am a singer-babbler,
On short legs
On high heels.
I carry a braid on my shoulder,
I'll blow the fox's head off.
And the fox lies and says:
Oh, rooster, beware: my tail is like a rod - as I will give you, so you will die here.
The cockerel jumped from the threshold into the hut and shouted again:
I am a crow-rooster
I am a singer-babbler,
On short legs
On high heels.
I carry a braid on my shoulder,
I'll blow the fox's head off.
And - jump onto the stove to the fox. Pecked the fox in the back. How the fox jumped up and ran out of the bunny’s hut, and the bunny slammed the doors behind her.
And he stayed to live in his hut with the cockerel.
Everyone remembers the fairy tale “Zaikin’s Hut” from childhood. Mothers and grandmothers once read it to us, and now we ourselves tell it to our children and grandchildren. And to be honest, we are often perplexed by a child’s question: “A bast hut... What is it made of?”
Mysteries of Russian fairy tales
Russian folk tales, which have been listened to by many generations of children, came to us from ancient times. The famous Russian philologist believed that the roots of the fairy tale go back to primitive mythology, and their meaning is much deeper than a simple plot.
These works of oral folk art are emotionally rich, instructive, they make you empathize with the characters, and awaken imagination. Their educational function is enormous. But sometimes fairy tales contain words, concepts and expressions that are incomprehensible not only to young children, but also to modern adults. This makes it difficult to perceive the text, but the child strives to satisfy his curiosity, figure it out, and understand.
For example, what are these “bottoms” along which the old woman scraped together flour for Kolobok? Why does Baba Yaga's hut have chicken legs and what type of mortar did the owner herself fly on? Or why did the harmful old woman put Ivan Tsarevich in the oven on a shovel? They dig the ground with it...
The children's fairy tale about Zaika's hut is one of these not fully understood old tales. “The Fox and the Hare lived in the forest. And the Fox had an ice hut, and the Bunny had a bast hut...” What is the bast hut made of?
What is lube
To answer this question, you must first understand what kind of material this is - bast.
On a cut tree or on a fresh stump, three layers of different colors are clearly visible: the dark outer one is the bark, the lightest and densest inner one is the wood, and between them is a layer of a rather soft, light brown or yellowish color. This is lube - inner part bark, or, as V. Dahl wrote - “subcortex”, “underbark”.
Removed from a tree trunk, peeled from the bark and dried, the bast is a rather rough and at the same time flexible sheet. In some trees, for example, linden, the bast is easily separated into individual fibers, which are called bast.
So that's what it is bast hut! Made from bast - soft “subbark”.
In the past, the word “bast” was also often used to describe coarse fibers from nettles and hemp used to make matting. But this meaning has nothing to do with Zaika’s hut.
What was made from bast
The material that Bunny chose for his house may seem unusual only to a modern, ignorant person. In the past, bast was used to make many household items, and even now it is widely used in decorative and applied arts.
Most often the subbark of the linden tree was used. It bends well and separates into fibers, has a pleasant golden color and smells aromatically of honey.
Boxes of all sizes were made from linden bast - in the old days, various things and food products were stored in them; baskets, tubs, baskets, bread bins and even cradles. From thinner bast fibers - bast - they wove the most common shoes - bast shoes, made washcloths, ropes, and wove matting for household needs on special machines.
Sometimes roofs were covered with bast instead of shingles. But what does a bast hut mean?
Why bast?
An inquisitive and inquisitive child, listening to a fairy tale and an adult’s explanations, will definitely ask why Bunny didn’t build himself a house, for example, from logs, boards or clay. By the way, in one of modern options fairy tales the hare's hut made of sand. Probably so that parents don’t rack their brains over an explanation.
Having figured out where the bunny got the bast hut from and what it was made of, it remains to find out why it was made from bast and not from another material more suitable for building a home.
A fairy tale, as you know, is a lie, but there is a hint in it. Despite all the fantastic nature of the situations, fairy tales are logical in their own way. Children in general are realists, their thinking is concrete, and peasant children would obviously doubt that Bunny had an ax and a saw. The hare simply could not build himself a hut from logs and boards, but there is no clay in the forest, and this animal does not dig holes.
And he strips the bark from trees, especially in winter. The soft bark and bast of young trees are the main winter food of these animals in the forest. There is even an old children’s rhyme in which the hare “teared his bast... put it under the log.”
So it turns out that Bunny could only have a bast hut. What it is made of and why it is made from this material is explained from the point of view of logic and everyday experience. But there is another important point.
Poetics of a fairy tale
U folk tales special poetic language. The narrator’s speech flows slowly, like a forest stream, every word in it is in its place, filled not only with meaning, but also with sound. It’s not for nothing that the fox’s hut is not snowy, but icy. “A bast hut, an ice hut” - these definitions are both opposite in meaning and very close in sound. Soft, affectionate phrases are perfectly woven into the lace of the fairy tale, making it almost a work of poetry. And children perceive and remember such soft, soothing words better.
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Once upon a time there lived a fox and a hare. The fox has an ice hut, and the hare has a bast hut. Here the fox teases the hare:
- My hut is light, and yours is dark! I have a light one, and you have a dark one!
Summer has come, the fox's hut has melted. The fox asks the hare:
- Let me in, little darling, even into your yard!
- No, fox, I won’t let you in: why were you teasing?
The fox began to beg even more. The hare let her into his yard.
The next day the fox asks again:
- Let me, little bunny, onto the porch.
The fox begged and begged, the hare agreed and let the fox onto the porch.
On the third day the fox asks again:
- Let me, little bunny, into the hut.
- No, I won’t let you in: why did you tease me?
The fox begged and begged, and the hare let her into the hut.
The fox is sitting on the bench, and the bunny is sitting on the stove.
On the fourth day the fox asks again:
- Bunny, bunny, let me come to your stove!
- No, I won’t let you in: why did you tease me?
The fox begged and begged, and she begged for it - the hare let her go onto the stove.
A day passed, then another - the fox began to chase the hare out of the hut:
- Get out, scythe! I don't want to live with you!
So she kicked me out.
The hare sits and cries, grieves, wiping away his tears with his paws. Dogs running past:
- Tyaf, tyaf, tyaf! What are you crying about, little bunny?
“Don’t cry, bunny,” the dogs say. - We'll kick her out.
- No, don't kick me out!
- No, we'll kick you out!
Let's go to the hut.
- Tyaf, tyaf, tyaf! Get out, fox!
And she told them from the stove:
The dogs got scared and ran away.
The bunny sits again and cries. A wolf walks by:
- What are you crying about, little bunny?
- How can I not cry? I had a bast hut, and the fox had an ice hut. Spring has come, the fox's hut has melted. She asked to come to me, but she kicked me out.
“Don’t cry, bunny,” says the wolf, “I’ll kick her out.”
- No, you won’t kick me out! They chased the dogs - they didn’t drive them out, and you won’t drive them out.
- No, I’ll kick you out!
The wolf went to the hut and howled in a terrible voice:
- Uyyy... Uyyy... Get out, fox!
And she from the stove:
- As soon as I jump out, as soon as I jump out, the scraps will go down the back streets!
The wolf got scared and ran away.
Here the little bunny sits and cries again. The old bear is coming:
-What are you crying about, little bunny?
- How can I, little bear, not cry? I had a bast hut, and the fox had an ice hut. Spring has come, the fox's hut has melted. She asked to come to me, but she kicked me out.
“Don’t cry, bunny,” says the bear, “I’ll kick her out.”
- No, you won’t kick me out! The dogs chased, they chased, but they didn’t drive out, Gray wolf drove, drove - did not drive out. And you won't get kicked out.
- No, I’ll kick you out!
The bear went to the hut and growled:
- Rrrrr... rrr... Get out, fox!
And she from the stove:
- As soon as I jump out, as soon as I jump out, the scraps will go down the back streets!
The bear got scared and left.
The hare sits again and cries. A rooster is walking, carrying a braid.
- Ku-ka-re-ku! Bunny, what are you crying about?
- How can I not cry? I had a bast hut, and the fox had an ice hut. Spring has come, the fox's hut has melted. She asked to come to me, but she kicked me out.
- Don’t worry, little bunny, I’ll drive the fox out for you.
- No, you won’t kick me out! The dogs chased - they didn’t drive out, the gray wolf chased, chased - did not drive out, the old bear chased, chased - did not drive out. And you won't get kicked out.
The rooster went to the hut:
The fox heard it, got scared and said:
- I'm getting dressed...
Rooster again:
- Ku-ka-re-ku! I’m walking on my feet, in red boots, carrying a scythe on my shoulders: I want to whip the fox, the fox has left the stove!
And the fox says:
- I’m putting on a fur coat...
Rooster for the third time:
- Ku-ka-re-ku! I’m walking on my feet, in red boots, carrying a scythe on my shoulders: I want to whip the fox, the fox has left the stove!
The fox got scared, jumped off the stove and ran. And the bunny and the rooster began to live and get along.
Once upon a time there lived a fox and a hare. The fox has an ice hut, and the hare has a bast hut. Here the fox teases the hare:
- My hut is light, and yours is dark! I have a light one, and you have a dark one!
Summer has come, the fox's hut has melted. The fox asks the hare:
- Let me go, little darling, to your yard!
“No, fox, I won’t let you in.” Why did you tease?
The fox began to beg even more. The hare let her into his yard.
The next day the fox asks again:
- Let me, little bunny, onto the porch.
The fox begged and begged.
The hare agreed and let the fox onto the porch.
On the third day the fox asks again:
- Let me go into the hut, little bunny.
“No, I won’t let you in.” Why did you tease?
She begged and begged, the hare let her into the hut. The fox is sitting on the bench, and the bunny is sitting on the stove.
On the fourth day the fox again asks:
- Bunny, bunny, let me come to your stove!
“No, I won’t let you in.” Why did you tease?
The fox asked and begged and begged, and the hare let her go onto the stove.
A day or two passed, the fox began to chase the hare out of the hut:
- Get out, scythe! I don't want to live with you!
So she kicked me out.
The hare sits and cries, grieves, wiping away his tears with his paws. Dogs running past:
- Tuff-tuff-tuff! What are you crying about, little bunny?
- How can I not cry? I had a bast hut, and the fox had an ice hut. Spring has come, the fox's hut has melted. The fox asked to come to me, but he kicked me out.
“Don’t cry, bunny,” the dogs say. - We are driving her away.
- No, don’t kick me out!
- No, we'll kick you out!
We approached the hut:
- Tuff-tuff-tuff! Get out, fox!
And she told them from the stove:
- As soon as I jump out,
As soon as I jump out,
There will be shreds
Through the back streets!
The dogs got scared and ran away.
The bunny sits again and cries. A wolf walks by:
-What are you crying about, little bunny?
- How can I, gray wolf, not cry? I had a bast hut, and the fox had an ice hut. Spring has come, the fox's hut has melted. The fox asked to come to me, but he kicked me out.
“Don’t cry, bunny,” says the wolf, “here I am chasing her away.”
- No, you won’t kick me out. They chased the dogs, but they didn’t drive them out, and you won’t drive them out.
- No, I'll kick you out.
- Uuyy... uyyy... Get out, fox!
And she from the stove:
- As soon as I jump out,
As soon as I jump out,
There will be shreds
Through the back streets!
The wolf got scared and ran away.
Here the hare sits and cries again.
An old bear is coming:
-What are you crying about, little bunny?
- How can I, little bear, not cry? I had a bast hut, and the fox had an ice hut. Spring has come, the fox's hut has melted. The fox asked to come to me, but he kicked me out.
“Don’t cry, bunny,” says the bear, “I’m chasing her away.”
- No, you won’t kick me out. The dogs chased and chased but did not drive him out, the gray wolf chased and chased him but did not drive him out. And you are not the one driving.
- No, I'll kick you out.
The bear went to the hut and growled:
- Rrrrr... rrr. Get out, fox!
And she from the stove:
- As soon as I jump out,
As soon as I jump out,
There will be shreds
Through the back streets!
The bear got scared and left.
The hare sits again and cries. A rooster is walking, carrying a scythe.
- Ku-ka-riku! Bunny, why are you crying?
- How can I, Petenka, not cry? I had a bast hut, and the fox had an ice hut. Spring has come, the fox's hut has melted. The fox asked to come to me, but he kicked me out.
- Don’t worry, little bunny, I’ll drive the fox out for you.
- No, you won’t kick me out. The dogs chased, they chased - it wasn’t you who chased, the gray wolf chased, chased - did not drive out, the old honey chased, chased - did not drive out. And you won’t even be kicked out.
- No, I'll kick you out.
The rooster went to the hut:
- Ku-ka-riku!
I'm on my feet
In red boots
I carry a scythe on my shoulders:
I want to whip the fox.
Get out of the oven, fox!
The fox heard it, got scared and said:
- I'm getting dressed...
Rooster again:
- Ku-ka-riku!
I'm on my feet
In red boots
I carry a scythe on my shoulders:
I want to whip the fox.
Get out of the oven, fox!
And the fox says:
- I’m putting on a fur coat...
Rooster for the third time:
- Ku-ka-riku!
I'm on my feet
In red boots
I carry a scythe on my shoulders:
I want to whip the fox.
Get out of the oven, fox!
The fox got scared, jumped off the stove and ran. And the bunny and the rooster began to live and get along.
Questions to discuss with children
What kind of hut did the hare and fox build? Whose hut was warmer?
What happened to the fox's ice hut in the summer?
What did the fox ask the hare for?
Did the fox do a good thing when he kicked the hare out of the house?
Who tried to help the bunny? Why couldn't such big animals help the little bunny?
What did the fox answer to the dog, wolf and bear?
Who helped the bunny in trouble? Why did the little rooster manage to defeat the fox?