There lived an old man and an old woman. Once the old woman was chopping cabbage and accidentally cut off her finger. She wrapped it in a rag and placed it on the bench. Suddenly I heard someone on the bench crying. She unfolded the rag, and in it lay a boy as tall as a finger.
The old woman was surprised and frightened:
-?Who are you?
-?I am your son, born from your little finger.
The old woman took him and looked - the boy was tiny, tiny, barely visible from the ground. And she named him Little Thumb.
He began to grow with them. The boy did not grow in height, but he turned out to be smarter than the big one.
This is what he says once:
-?Where is my father?
-?I went to the arable land.
-? I’ll go to him and help him.
-?Go, child.
Came to the arable land:
-? Hello, father!
The old man looked around:
-?What a miracle! I hear a voice, but I don’t see anyone. Who is this talking to me?
-?I am your son. I came to help you plow. Sit down, father, have a snack and rest a little!
The old man was delighted and sat down to dinner. And the Little Boy climbed into the horse’s ear and began to plow, and punished his father:
-? If anyone sells me, sell me boldly: I’m sure I won’t be lost, I’ll come back home.
Here is a gentleman riding past, looking and marveling: the horse is coming, the plow is yelling, but there is no man!
-? This has never been seen before, it has never been heard of, that a horse can plow by itself!
The old man says to the master:
-?What, are you blind? Then my son plows.
-?Sell it to me!
-? No, I won’t sell: we have only joy with the old woman, only joy that the Boy is like Thumb.
-?Sell it, grandpa!
-? Well, give me a thousand rubles.
-?Why is it so expensive?
-?You see for yourself: the boy is small, but smart, quick on his feet, easy to send!
The master paid a thousand rubles, took the boy, put him in his pocket and went home. And the Little Boy tore a hole in his pocket and left the master.
He walked and walked, and the dark night overtook him. He hid under a blade of grass near the road and fell asleep. A hungry wolf came running and swallowed him. A boy the size of a wolf's belly sits alive, and he has little grief!
The gray wolf had a bad time: he sees the herd, the sheep are grazing, the shepherd is sleeping, and as soon as he sneaks up to carry off the sheep, a boy as big as a finger will scream at the top of his lungs:
-?Shepherd, shepherd, sheep spirit! You sleep, and the wolf drags the sheep!
The shepherd will wake up, rush to run at the wolf with a club, and even poison him with the dogs, and the dogs will tear him apart - only shreds fly! The gray wolf will barely get away!
The wolf became completely emaciated and had to starve. He asks Little Thumb:
-?Get out!
-? Take me home to my father, to my mother, and I’ll get out.
There is nothing to do. The wolf ran into the village and jumped straight into the old man’s hut.
A little boy the size of a finger immediately jumped out of the wolf’s belly:
-? Beat the wolf, beat the gray one!
The old man grabbed the poker, the old woman grabbed the grip - and let's beat the wolf. Then they decided to take care of him, skinned him and made a sheepskin coat for his son.
Tom Thumb
An old man lived with an old woman. Once the old woman was chopping cabbage and accidentally cut off her finger. She wrapped it in a rag and placed it on the bench.
Suddenly I heard someone on the bench crying. She unfolded the rag, and in it lay a boy as tall as a finger.
The old woman was surprised and frightened:
Who are you?
I am your son, born from your little finger.
The old woman took him and looked - the boy was tiny, tiny, barely visible from the ground. And she named him Little Thumb.
He began to grow with them. The boy did not grow in height, but he turned out to be smarter than the big one.
This is what he says once:
Where is my father?
I went to the arable land.
I'll go to him and help him.
Go, child.
He came to the arable land:
Hello, father!
The old man looked around:
I am your son. I came to help you plow. Sit down, father, have a snack and rest a little!
The old man was delighted and sat down to dinner. And the Little Boy climbed into the horse’s ear and began to plow, and punished his father:
If anyone sells me, sell me boldly: I bet! - I won’t disappear, I’ll come back home.
Here is a gentleman riding past, looking and marveling: the horse is coming, the plow is yelling, but there is no man!
This has never been seen before, it has never been heard of, that a horse can plow by itself!
The old man says to the master:
What, are you blind? Then my son plows.
Sell it to me!
No, I won’t sell it: we have only joy with the old woman, only joy that the Boy is like Thumb.
Sell it, grandpa!
Well, give me a thousand rubles.
Why is it so expensive?
You can see for yourself: the boy is small, but smart, quick on his feet, and easy to send! The master paid a thousand rubles, took the boy, put him in his pocket and went home.
And the Boy, the size of his finger, gnawed a hole in his pocket and left the master.
He walked and walked, and the dark night overtook him. He hid under a blade of grass near the road and fell asleep.
A hungry wolf came running and swallowed him. A boy the size of a wolf's belly sits alive, and he has little grief!
The gray wolf had a bad time: he sees the herd, the sheep are grazing, the shepherd is sleeping, and as soon as he sneaks up to carry off the sheep, a boy as big as a finger will scream at the top of his lungs:
Shepherd, shepherd, sheep spirit! Sleeping; - and the wolf drags the sheep!
The shepherd will wake up, rush to run at the wolf with a club, and even poison him with the dogs, and the dogs will tear him apart - only shreds fly! The gray wolf will barely get away!
The wolf became completely emaciated and had to starve. He asks Little Thumb:
Take me home to my father, to my mother, and I’ll get out.
There is nothing to do. The wolf ran into the village and jumped straight into the old man’s hut.
A little boy the size of a finger immediately jumped out of the wolf’s belly:
Beat the wolf, beat the gray one!
The old man grabbed the poker, the old woman grabbed the grip - and let's beat the wolf. Then they decided to take care of him, skinned him and made a sheepskin coat for his son.
Alternative text:
Little Thumb - Russian folk tale adapted by A.N. Tolstoy
Little Thumb - Russian folk tale adapted by A.N. Afanasyev
There lived an old man and an old woman. Once the old woman was chopping cabbage and accidentally cut off her finger. She wrapped it in a rag and placed it on the bench.
Suddenly I heard someone on the bench crying. She unfolded the rag, and in it lay a boy as tall as a finger.
The old woman was surprised and frightened:
-Who are you?
- I am your son, born from your little finger.
The old woman took him and looked - the boy was tiny, tiny, barely visible from the ground. And she named him Little Thumb.
He began to grow with them. The boy did not grow in height, but he turned out to be smarter than the big one.
This is what he says once:
- Where is my father?
- I went to the arable land.
“I’ll go to him and help him.”
- Go, child.
Came to the arable land:
- Hello, father!
The old man looked around:
- I am your son. I came to help you plow. Sit down, father, have a snack and rest a little!
The old man was delighted and sat down to dinner. And the Little Boy climbed into the horse’s ear and began to plow, and punished his father:
“If anyone sells me, sell me boldly: I’m sure I won’t be lost, I’ll come back home.”
Here is a gentleman riding past, looking and marveling: the horse is coming, the plow is yelling, but there is no man!
“It’s never been seen before, it’s never been heard of, that a horse can plow by itself!”
The old man says to the master:
- What, are you blind? Then my son plows.
- Sell it to me!
- No, I won’t sell it: we have only joy with the old woman, only joy that the Boy is like Thumb.
- Sell it, grandpa!
- Well, give me a thousand rubles.
- Why is it so expensive?
“You see for yourself: the boy is small, but smart, quick on his feet, and easy to send!”
The master paid a thousand rubles, took the boy, put him in his pocket and went home.
And the Boy, the size of his finger, gnawed a hole in his pocket and left the master.
He walked and walked, and the dark night overtook him.
He hid under a blade of grass near the road and fell asleep.
A hungry wolf came running and swallowed him.
A boy the size of a wolf’s belly sits alive, and he has little grief!
The gray wolf had a bad time: he sees the herd, the sheep are grazing, the shepherd is sleeping, and as soon as he sneaks up to carry off the sheep, a boy as big as a finger will scream at the top of his lungs:
- Shepherd, shepherd, sheep spirit! You sleep, and the wolf drags the sheep!
The shepherd will wake up, rush to run at the wolf with a club, and even poison him with the dogs, and the dogs will tear him apart - only shreds fly! The gray wolf will barely get away!
The wolf became completely emaciated and had to starve. He asks Little Thumb:
- Get out!
- Take me home to my father, to my mother, and I’ll get out.
There is nothing to do. The wolf ran into the village and jumped straight into the old man’s hut.
A little boy the size of a finger immediately jumped out of the wolf’s belly:
- Beat the wolf, beat the gray one!
The old man grabbed the poker, the old woman grabbed the grip - and let's beat the wolf. Then they decided to take care of him, skinned him and made a sheepskin coat for his son.
There lived an old man and an old woman. Once the old woman was chopping cabbage and accidentally cut off her finger. She wrapped it in a rag and placed it on the bench.
Suddenly I heard someone on the bench crying. She unfolded the rag, and in it lay a boy as tall as a finger.
The old woman was surprised and frightened:
-Who are you?
- I am your son, born from your little finger.
The old woman took him and looked - the boy was tiny, tiny, barely visible from the ground. And she named him Little Thumb.
He began to grow with them. The boy did not grow in height, but he turned out to be smarter than the big one.
This is what he says once:
- Where is my father?
- I went to the arable land.
“I’ll go to him and help him.”
- Go, child.
He came to the arable land:
- Hello, father!
The old man looked around:
- I am your son. I came to help you plow. Sit down, father, have a snack and rest a little!
The old man was delighted and sat down to dinner. And the Little Boy climbed into the horse’s ear and began to plow, and punished his father:
“If anyone sells me, sell me boldly: I’m sure I won’t be lost, I’ll come back home.”
Here is a gentleman riding past, looking and marveling: the horse is coming, the plow is yelling, but there is no man!
“It’s never been seen before, it’s never been heard of a horse plowing by itself!”
The old man says to the master:
- What, are you blind! Then my son plows.
- Sell it to me!
- No, I won’t sell it: we have only joy with the old woman, only joy that the Boy is like Thumb.
- Sell it, grandpa!
- Well, give me a thousand rubles.
- Why is it so expensive?
“You see for yourself: the boy is small, but smart, quick on his feet, and easy on the move!”
The master paid a thousand rubles, took the boy, put him in his pocket and went home.
And the Boy, the size of his finger, gnawed a hole in his pocket and left the master. He walked and walked, and the dark night overtook him. He hid under a blade of grass near the road and fell asleep.
A hungry wolf came running and swallowed him. A boy the size of a wolf's belly sits alive, and he has little grief!
The gray wolf had a bad time: he sees the herd, the sheep are grazing, the shepherd is sleeping, and as soon as he sneaks up to carry off the sheep, a boy as big as a finger will scream at the top of his lungs:
- Shepherd, shepherd, sheep spirit! You sleep, and the wolf drags the sheep!
The shepherd will wake up, rush to run at the wolf with a club, and even bait him with the dogs, and the dogs will tear him apart - only shreds will fly! The gray wolf will barely get away!
The wolf became completely emaciated and had to starve. He asks Little Thumb:
- Get out!
- Take me home to my father, to my mother, and I’ll get out.
There is nothing to do. The wolf ran into the village and jumped straight into the old man’s hut.
A little boy the size of a finger immediately jumped out of the wolf’s belly:
- Beat the wolf, beat the gray one!
The old man grabbed the poker, the old woman grabbed the grip - and let's beat the wolf. The wolf ran into the forest. And the old man and the old woman were delighted, they began to hug the little boy, sit him down at the table, and treat him to pies and kvass.
There lived an old man and an old woman. Once the old woman was chopping cabbage and accidentally cut off her finger. She wrapped it in a rag and placed it on the bench.
Suddenly I heard someone on the bench crying. She unfolded the rag, and in it lay a boy as tall as a finger.
The old woman was surprised and frightened:
- Who are you?
- I am your son, born from your little finger.
The old woman took him and looked - the boy was tiny, tiny, barely visible from the ground. And she named him Little Thumb.
He began to grow with them. The boy did not grow in height, but he turned out to be smarter than the big one. This is what he says once:
- Where is my father?
- I went to the arable land.
- I’ll go to him and help him.
- Go, child. He came to the arable land:
- Hello, father! The old man looked around:
- What a miracle! I hear a voice, but I don’t see anyone. Who is this talking to me?
- I am your son. I came to help you plow. Sit down, father, have a snack and rest a little!
The old man was delighted and sat down to dinner. And the Little Boy climbed into the horse’s ear and began to plow, and punished his father:
- If anyone sells me, sell me boldly: I’m sure I won’t be lost, I’ll come back home.
Here is a gentleman riding past, looking and marveling: the horse is coming, the plow is yelling, but there is no man!
This has never been seen before, it has never been heard of, that a horse can plow by itself!
The old man says to the master:
- What, are you blind? Then my son plows.
- Sell it to me!
- No, I won’t sell: we have only joy with the old woman, only joy that the Boy is like Thumb.
- Sell it, grandpa!
- Well, give me a thousand rubles.
- Why is it so expensive?
- You can see for yourself: the boy is small, but smart, quick on his feet, and easy to send!
The master paid a thousand rubles, took the boy, put him in his pocket and went home.
And the Boy, the size of his finger, gnawed a hole in his pocket and left the master.
He walked and walked, and the dark night overtook him.
He hid under a blade of grass near the road and fell asleep.
A hungry wolf came running and swallowed him.
A boy the size of a wolf’s belly sits alive, and he has little grief!
The gray wolf had a bad time: he sees the herd, the sheep are grazing, the shepherd is sleeping, and as soon as he sneaks up to carry off the sheep, a boy as big as a finger will scream at the top of his lungs:
- Shepherd, shepherd, sheep spirit! You sleep, and the wolf drags the sheep! The shepherd will wake up, rush to run at the wolf with a club, and even poison him with the dogs, and the dogs will tear him apart - only shreds fly! The gray wolf will barely get away!
The wolf became completely emaciated and had to starve. He asks Little Thumb:
- Get out!
- Take me home to my father, to my mother, and I’ll get out. There is nothing to do. The wolf ran into the village and jumped straight into the old man’s hut.
A little boy the size of a finger immediately jumped out of the wolf’s belly:
Beat the wolf, beat the gray one!
The old man grabbed the poker, the old woman grabbed the grip - and let's beat the wolf. Then they decided to take care of him, skinned him and made a sheepskin coat for his son.