Fairy tale smart granddaughter. Smart granddaughter. Russian folk tale “Clever Granddaughter” read text online

Smart granddaughter

There lived an old man and an old woman, and their granddaughter Dunya lived with them. Dunya was not as beautiful as fairy tales say, she was only smart and willing to do housework.

Once upon a time, old people gather for a market in a large village and think: what should they do? Who will cook cabbage soup and porridge for them, who will water and milk the cow, who will give millet to the chickens and drive them to roost? And Dunya says to them: “Who else if not me!” I’ll cook cabbage soup for you, and steam porridge, I’ll meet a cow from the herd, I’ll calm down the chickens, I’ll clean up the hut, I’ll turn the hay while the bucket is standing in the yard.

“You’re still young, granddaughter,” the grandmother tells her. - You have seven years in total!

Seven is not two, grandma, seven is a lot. I can handle it!

The old men went to the market and returned in the evening. They see, and it’s true: the hut is tidy, the food is prepared, the yard is in order, the cattle and poultry are well-fed, the hay is dried, the fence is repaired (grandfather had been planning to fix it for two summers), sand has been sprinkled around the well frame - so much work has been done, as if there were four people here was.

An old man and an old woman look at their granddaughter and think: now they can live and be happy!

However, the grandmother did not have to rejoice over her granddaughter for long: she fell ill and died. The old man was left alone with Dunya. It was difficult for grandfather to remain alone in his old age.

Here they live alone. Dunya looks after her grandfather and does all the work on the farm alone; Although she was small, she was diligent.

Grandfather happened to go to the city: the need came. On the way, he overtook a rich neighbor, who was also heading to the city. They went together. We drove and drove, and night came. A rich neighbor and poor Dunin's grandfather saw a light in a roadside hut and knocked on the gate. They stopped for the night and unharnessed their horses. Dunya’s grandfather had a mare, and the rich man had a gelding.

At night, my grandfather's horse gave birth to a foal, and the foolish foal fell away from its mother and found itself under the cart of that rich man.

I woke up rich this morning.

Look, neighbor,” he says to the old man. - My gelding gave birth to a foal at night!

How is it possible! - Grandfather says. “They don’t sow millet into stone, and geldings don’t give birth to foals!” My mare brought it!

And the rich neighbor:

No, he says, this is my foal! If your mare had given birth, the foal would have been next to her! Look where - under my cart!

They argued, but there was no end to the dispute: the poor have the truth, and the rich have the benefit, one is not inferior to the other.

They arrived in the city. In that city at that time a king lived, and that king was the richest man in the whole kingdom. He considered himself the smartest and loved to judge and discipline his subjects.

So the rich and the poor came to the king-judge. Dunin’s grandfather complains to the king:

The rich man won’t give me the foal, he says, the gelding gave birth to a foal!

And what does the king-judge care about the truth: he could judge it this way or that way, but at first he wanted to amuse himself.

And he said:

Here are four riddles for you. Whoever decides will get the foal. What is stronger and faster than anything in the world? What's the fattest thing in the world? And also: what is softest and cutest?

The king gave them a period of three days, and on the fourth day there would be an answer.

In the meantime, while the trial is underway, the king ordered that grandfather’s horse with a foal and a cart and the rich man’s gelding be left in his yard: let both the poor and the rich live on foot until the king judges them.

Let the rich and the poor go home. The rich man thinks: it’s empty, they say, the king made a wish, I know the answer. But the poor man grieves: he doesn’t know the answer.

Dunya met her grandfather and asked:

Who do you miss, grandpa? About grandma? So I stayed with you!

The grandfather told his granddaughter how it had happened and began to cry: he felt sorry for the foal.

And also,” grandfather says, “the king asked a riddle, but I don’t know the answer.” Where can I guess them!

Tell me, grandfather, what are the riddles? They are no smarter than the mind.

Grandfather said riddles. Dunya listened and said in response:

You will go to the king and say: the wind is stronger and faster than anything in the world; The richest of all is the earth - whatever grows on it, whatever lives on it, it feeds everyone; and the softest thing in the world is hands, grandfather - no matter what a person lies on, he always puts his hand under his head; and there is nothing sweeter in the world than sleep, grandfather.

Three days later, grandfather and his rich neighbor came to the king-judge Dunin.

The rich man says to the king:

Although your riddles are wise, our sovereign judge, I guessed them right away: the strongest and fastest of all is the brown mare from your stable; If you hit her with a whip, she will catch up with the hare. And the fattest of all is your pockmarked hog: he has become so fat that he has not risen to his feet for a long time. And the softest thing is your feather bed on which you rest. And the cutest of all is your son Nikitushka!

The king-judge listened and said to the poor old man:

What do you think? Did you bring the answer or not? The old man answers as his granddaughter taught him. He answers, but he himself is afraid: he must be guessing wrong; The rich neighbor must have said it right. The king-judge listened and asked:

Did you come up with the answer yourself, or did someone teach you?

The old man speaks the truth:

But where am I, sir! I have a granddaughter, she is so smart and skillful, she taught me.

The king became curious and funny, but he still had nothing to do.

“If your granddaughter is smart,” says the king-judge, “and skilled at work, take her this silk thread.” Let her weave me a patterned towel and have it ready by morning. Have you heard or not?

I hear, I hear! - Grandfather answers the king. - I’m so stupid!

He hid the thread in his bosom and went home. He walks, but he himself is timid: where can we weave a whole towel from one thread - even Dunyashka won’t be able to do that... And by morning, even with patterns!

Dunya listened to her grandfather and said:

Don't worry, grandpa. It's not a problem yet!

She took a broom, broke off a twig, gave it to her grandfather and said:

Go to this king-judge and tell him: let him find a craftsman who will make a cut out of this twig so that I have something to weave a towel on.

The old man went again to the king. He goes, and he himself is waiting for another misfortune, another task, for which Dunyashka does not have enough intelligence.

And so it happened.

The king gave the old man one and a half hundred eggs and ordered the old man’s granddaughter to hatch one and a half hundred chickens by tomorrow.

Grandfather returned to the court.

One trouble did not go away, he says, another appeared. And he told his granddaughter the new royal task.

And Dunya answered him:

And that’s not a problem, grandpa!

She took the eggs, baked them and served them for dinner. And the next day he says:

Go, grandfather, again to the king. Tell him to send the chickens some one-day-old millet to feed: let them plow the field one day, sow it with millet, let it ripen, and then reap it, thresh it, winnow it and dry it. Tell the king: the chickens won’t eat any other millet, they’ll soon die.

And the grandfather went again. The king-judge listened to him and said:

Your granddaughter is cunning, and I’m not simple either. Let your granddaughter come to me in the morning - not on foot, not on a horse, not naked, not dressed, not with a gift, and not without a gift!

Grandfather went home. “What a whim!” - thinks. When Dunya learned the new riddle, she began to feel sad, but then became cheerful and said:

Go, grandfather, to the forest to the hunters and buy me a live hare and a live quail... But no, don’t go, you’re old, tired of walking, you rest. I’ll go myself - I’m little, hunters will give me a hare and a quail for free, but I have nothing to buy them with. Dunyushka went to the forest and brought back a hare and a quail. And when morning came, Dunya took off her shirt, put on a fishing net, took a quail in her hands, sat astride a hare and went to the king-judge.

When the king saw her, he was surprised and frightened:

Where does this monster come from? Such a monster had never been seen before!

And Dunyushka bowed to the king and said:

Here you are, father, accept what you were ordered to bring!

And gives him a quail. The king-judge extended his hand, and the quail fluttered! and flew away.

The king looked at Dunya.

“She didn’t back down in anything,” she says: “I came as I ordered.” What do you and your grandfather eat, he asks?

Dunya answers the king:

And my grandfather catches fish on a dry bank; he doesn’t put nets in the water. And I carry fish home with my hem and cook fish soup in a handful!

The king-judge became angry:

What are you saying, stupid! Where does this fish live on a dry shore? Where is fish soup cooked in handfuls?

And Dunya says against him:

Are you smart? Where have you seen a gelding give birth to a foal? And in your kingdom even a gelding gives birth!

The king-judge was puzzled:

How could you find out whose foal it was? Maybe a stranger ran in!

Dunyushka got angry.

How to find out? - speaks. - Yes, even a fool would judge here, but you are the king! Let my grandfather ride his horse in one direction, and the rich neighbor in the other. Wherever the foal runs, his mother will go.

The king-judge was surprised:

But it’s true! How come I didn’t think better, didn’t guess?

“If you judged truthfully,” answered Dunya, “you wouldn’t even be rich.”

And you decide first whose foal it is, then I’ll tell you who the big one will be!

The Tsar Judge scheduled a trial here this week. Dunin's grandfather and their rich neighbor came to the royal court. The king ordered their horses and carts to be brought out. Dunin's grandfather sat in his cart, and the rich man in his, and they drove off in different directions. The king then released the foal, and the foal ran to its mother, his grandfather’s horse. The whole court is here. The foal remained with the grandfather.

And the king-judge asks Dunya:

Tell me now, who will you be big?

I will be the judge.

The king laughed:

Why do you need to be a judge? I'm the judge! - To judge you!

Grandfather sees that things are bad, no matter how angry the king-judge gets. He grabbed his granddaughter and put her in the cart. He drove the horse, and the foal ran next to him.

The king sent them out angry dog so that he would tear apart both his granddaughter and grandfather. And Dunin’s grandfather, although he was old, was a dexterous person and never let anyone offend his granddaughter. The dog caught up with the cart, was about to rush, and the grandfather used his whip, whip, and then took the spare shaft-shaft that was lying in the cart, and his shaft, and the dog fell.

And the grandfather hugged his granddaughter.

“I won’t give you up to anyone, to anyone,” he says, “not to a dog, not to a king.” Grow big, my smart girl.

Platonov Andrey

Smart granddaughter

Andrey Platonov

Smart granddaughter

There lived an old man and an old woman, and their granddaughter Dunya lived with them. Dunya was not as beautiful as fairy tales say, she was only smart and willing to do housework.

Once upon a time, old people gather for a market in a large village and think: what should they do? Who will cook cabbage soup and porridge for them, who will water and milk the cow, who will give millet to the chickens and drive them to roost? And Dunya says to them: “Who else if not me!” I’ll cook cabbage soup for you, and steam porridge, I’ll meet a cow from the herd, I’ll calm down the chickens, I’ll clean up the hut, I’ll turn the hay while the bucket is standing in the yard.

“You’re still young, granddaughter,” the grandmother tells her. - You have seven years in total!

Seven is not two, grandma, seven is a lot. I can handle it!

The old men went to the market and returned in the evening. They see, and it’s true: the hut is tidy, the food is prepared, the yard is in order, the cattle and poultry are well-fed, the hay is dried, the fence is repaired (grandfather had been planning to fix it for two summers), sand has been sprinkled around the well frame - so much work has been done, as if there were four people here was.

An old man and an old woman look at their granddaughter and think: now they can live and be happy!

However, the grandmother did not have to rejoice over her granddaughter for long: she fell ill and died. The old man was left alone with Dunya. It was difficult for grandfather to remain alone in his old age.

Here they live alone. Dunya looks after her grandfather and does all the work on the farm alone; Although she was small, she was diligent.

Grandfather happened to go to the city: the need came. On the way, he overtook a rich neighbor, who was also heading to the city. They went together. We drove and drove, and night came. A rich neighbor and poor Dunin's grandfather saw a light in a roadside hut and knocked on the gate. They stopped for the night and unharnessed their horses. Dunya’s grandfather had a mare, and the rich man had a gelding.

At night, my grandfather's horse gave birth to a foal, and the foolish foal fell away from its mother and found itself under the cart of that rich man.

I woke up rich this morning.

Look, neighbor,” he says to the old man. - My gelding gave birth to a foal at night!

How is it possible! - Grandfather says. “They don’t sow millet into stone, and geldings don’t give birth to foals!” My mare brought it!

And the rich neighbor:

No, he says, this is my foal! If your mare had given birth, the foal would have been next to her! Look where - under my cart!

They argued, but there was no end to the dispute: the poor have the truth, and the rich have the benefit, one is not inferior to the other.

They arrived in the city. In that city at that time a king lived, and that king was the richest man in the whole kingdom. He considered himself the smartest and loved to judge and discipline his subjects.

So the rich and the poor came to the king-judge. Dunin’s grandfather complains to the king:

The rich man won’t give me the foal, he says, the gelding gave birth to a foal!

And what does the king-judge care about the truth: he could judge it this way or that way, but at first he wanted to amuse himself.

And he said:

Here are four riddles for you. Whoever decides will get the foal. What is stronger and faster than anything in the world? What's the fattest thing in the world? And also: what is softest and cutest?

The king gave them a period of three days, and on the fourth day there would be an answer.

In the meantime, while the trial is underway, the king ordered that grandfather’s horse with a foal and a cart and the rich man’s gelding be left in his yard: let both the poor and the rich live on foot until the king judges them.

Let the rich and the poor go home. The rich man thinks: it’s empty, they say, the king made a wish, I know the answer. But the poor man grieves: he doesn’t know the answer.

Dunya met her grandfather and asked:

Who do you miss, grandpa? About grandma? So I stayed with you!

The grandfather told his granddaughter how it had happened and began to cry: he felt sorry for the foal.

And also,” grandfather says, “the king asked a riddle, but I don’t know the answer.” Where can I guess them!

Tell me, grandfather, what are the riddles? They are no smarter than the mind.

Grandfather said riddles. Dunya listened and said in response:

You will go to the king and say: the wind is stronger and faster than anything in the world; The richest of all is the earth - whatever grows on it, whatever lives on it, it feeds everyone; and the softest thing in the world is hands, grandfather - no matter what a person lies on, he always puts his hand under his head; and there is nothing sweeter in the world than sleep, grandfather.

Three days later, grandfather and his rich neighbor came to the king-judge Dunin.

The rich man says to the king:

Although your riddles are wise, our sovereign judge, I guessed them right away: the strongest and fastest of all is the brown mare from your stable; If you hit her with a whip, she will catch up with the hare. And the fattest of all is your pockmarked hog: he has become so fat that he has not risen to his feet for a long time. And the softest thing is your feather bed on which you rest. And the cutest of all is your son Nikitushka!

There lived an old man and an old woman, and with them their granddaughter Dunya

lived. Dunya wasn't as beautiful as

in fairy tales it is said that she was only smart

and willing to do homework.

Once upon a time the old people gather for the market in

a large village and they think: what should they do? Who

who will cook cabbage soup and porridge for them, who will water and milk the cow,

Who will give the chickens millet and drive them to roost? And Dunya to them

says: “Who else if not me!” I’ll cook cabbage soup for you and steam porridge,

I will meet a cow from the herd, I will calm down the chickens, I will clean up the hut, I will turn the hay while the bucket is standing in the yard. “You’re still young, granddaughter,” the grandmother tells her. - You have seven years in total! - Seven is not two, grandma, seven is a lot. I can handle it! The old men went to the market and returned in the evening. They see, and it’s true: the hut is tidy, the food is prepared, the yard is in order, the cattle and poultry are well-fed, the hay is dried, the fence is repaired (grandfather had been planning to fix it for two summers), sand has been sprinkled around the well frame - so much work has been done, as if there were four people here was. An old man and an old woman look at their granddaughter and think: now they can live and be happy! However, the grandmother did not have to rejoice over her granddaughter for long: she fell ill and died. The old man was left alone with Dunya. It was difficult for grandfather to remain alone in his old age. 2 So they live alone. Dunya looks after her grandfather and does all the work on the farm alone; Although she was small, she was diligent. Grandfather happened to go to the city: the need came. On the way, he overtook a rich neighbor, who was also heading to the city. They went together. We drove and drove, and night came. A rich neighbor and poor Dunin's grandfather saw a light in a roadside hut and knocked on the gate. They stopped for the night and unharnessed their horses. Dunya’s grandfather had a mare, and the rich man had a gelding. At night, my grandfather's horse gave birth to a foal, and the foolish foal fell away from its mother and found itself under the cart of that rich man. I woke up rich this morning. “Look, neighbor,” he says to the old man. - My gelding gave birth to a foal at night! - How can you! - Grandfather says. “They don’t sow millet into stone, and geldings don’t give birth to foals!” My mare brought it! And the rich neighbor: “No,” he says, “this is my foal!” If your mare had given birth, the foal would have been next to her! Look where - under my cart! They argued, but there was no end to the dispute: the poor have the truth, and the rich have the benefit, one is not inferior to the other. They arrived in the city. In that city at that time a king lived, and that king was the richest man in the whole kingdom. He considered himself the smartest and loved to judge and discipline his subjects. So the rich and the poor came to the king-judge. Dunin’s grandfather complains to the king: “The rich man won’t give me the foal, he says, the gelding gave birth to a foal!” And what does the king-judge care about the truth: he could judge it this way or that way, but at first he wanted to amuse himself. And he said: “Here are four riddles for you.” Whoever decides will get the foal. What is stronger and faster than anything in the world? What's the fattest thing in the world? And also: what is softest and cutest? The king gave them a period of three days, and on the fourth day there would be an answer. In the meantime, while the trial is underway, the king ordered that grandfather’s horse with a foal and a cart and the rich man’s gelding be left in his yard: let both the poor and the rich live on foot until the king judges them. Let the rich and the poor go home. The rich man thinks: it’s empty, they say, the king made a wish, I know the answer. But the poor man grieves: he doesn’t know the answer. Dunya met her grandfather and asked: “Who are you, grandfather, missing?” About grandma? So I stayed with you! The grandfather told his granddaughter how it had happened and began to cry: he felt sorry for the foal. “And also,” grandfather says, “the king asked a riddle, but I don’t know the answer.” Where can I guess them! 3 - Tell me, grandfather, what are the riddles? They are no smarter than the mind. Grandfather said riddles. Dunya listened and said in response: “You will go to the king and say: the wind is stronger and faster than anything in the world; The richest of all is the earth - whatever grows on it, whatever lives on it, it feeds everyone; and the softest thing in the world is hands, grandfather - no matter what a person lies on, he always puts his hand under his head; and there is nothing sweeter in the world than sleep, grandfather. Three days later, grandfather and his rich neighbor came to the king-judge Dunin. The rich man says to the king: “Even though your riddles are wise, our sovereign judge, I guessed them right away: the strongest and fastest of all is the brown mare from your stable; If you hit her with a whip, she will catch up with the hare. And the fattest of all is your pockmarked hog: he has become so fat that he has not risen to his feet for a long time. And the softest thing is your feather bed on which you rest. And the cutest of all is your son Nikitushka! 4 The king-judge listened and said to the poor old man: “What do you say?” Did you bring the answer or not? The old man answers as his granddaughter taught him. He answers, but he himself is afraid: he must be guessing wrong; The rich neighbor must have said it right. The king-judge listened and asked: “Did you come up with the answer yourself, or who taught you?” The old man speaks the truth: “But where am I, sir!” I have a granddaughter, she is so smart and skillful, she taught me. The king became curious and funny, but he still had nothing to do. “If your granddaughter is smart,” says the king-judge, “and skilled at work, take her this silk thread.” Let her weave me a patterned towel and have it ready by morning. Have you heard or not? - I hear, I hear! - Grandfather answers the king. - I’m so stupid! He hid the thread in his bosom and went home. He walks, but he himself is timid: where can we weave a whole towel from one thread - even Dunyashka won’t be able to do that... And by morning, even with patterns! Dunya listened to her grandfather and said: “Don’t worry, grandfather.” It's not a problem yet! She took a broom, broke off a twig from it, gave it to her grandfather and said: “Go to this king-judge and tell him: let him find a craftsman who will make a cut out of this twig so that I have something to weave a towel on.” The old man went again to the king. He goes, and he himself is waiting for another misfortune, another task, for which Dunyashka does not have enough intelligence. And so it happened. The king gave the old man one and a half hundred eggs and ordered the old man’s granddaughter to hatch one and a half hundred chickens by tomorrow. Grandfather returned to the court. “One trouble did not go away,” he says, “another appeared.” And he told his granddaughter the new royal task. And Dunya answered him: “And that’s not a problem, grandfather!” She took the eggs, baked them and served them for dinner. And the next day he says: “Go, grandfather, again to the king.” Tell him to send the chickens some one-day-old millet to feed: let them plow the field one day, sow it with millet, let it ripen, and then reap it, thresh it, winnow it and dry it. Tell the king: the chickens won’t eat any other millet, they’ll soon die. And the grandfather went again. The king-judge listened to him and said: “Your granddaughter is cunning, and I’m not simple either.” Let your granddaughter come to me in the morning - not on foot, not on a horse, not naked, not dressed, not with a gift, and not without a gift! 5 Grandfather went home. “What a whim!” - thinks. When Dunya learned a new riddle, she started to get sad, and then cheered up and said: “Go, grandfather, to the forest to the hunters and buy me a live hare and a live quail... But no, don’t go, you’re old, you’re tired of walking, you rest.” . I’ll go myself - I’m little, hunters will give me a hare and a quail for free, but I have nothing to buy them with. Dunyushka went to the forest and brought back a hare and a quail. And when morning came, Dunya took off her shirt, put on a fishing net, took a quail in her hands, sat astride a hare and went to the king-judge. When the king saw her, he was surprised and frightened: “Where is this monster coming from?” Such a monster had never been seen before! And Dunyushka bowed to the king and said: Here you are, father, accept what you were ordered to bring! And gives him a quail. The king-judge extended his hand, and the quail fluttered! - and flew away. The king looked at Dunya. “She didn’t back down in anything,” she says, “she came as I ordered.” What do you and your grandfather eat, he asks? Dunya answers the king: “But my grandfather catches fish on a dry bank, he doesn’t put nets in the water.” And I carry fish home with my hem and cook fish soup in a handful! The king-judge became angry: “What are you saying, stupid!” Where does this fish live on a dry shore? Where is fish soup cooked in handfuls? And Dunya says against him: “Are you smart?” Where have you seen a gelding give birth to a foal? And in your kingdom even a gelding gives birth! The king-judge was puzzled: “How could you find out whose foal it was?” Maybe a stranger ran in! Dunyushka got angry. - How to find out? - speaks. - Yes, even a fool would judge here, but you are the king! Let my grandfather go one way on his horse, and let the rich neighbor go the other. Wherever the foal runs, his mother will go. The king-judge was surprised: - But it’s true! How come I didn’t think better, didn’t guess? “If you judged truthfully,” answered Dunya, “you wouldn’t even be rich.” - Oh, you ulcer! - said the king. - What will come of you next when you grow up? - First, decide whose foal it is, then I’ll tell you who I’ll be big! 6 The king-judge appointed a trial here this week. Dunin's grandfather and their rich neighbor came to the royal court. The king ordered their horses and carts to be brought out. Dunin's grandfather sat in his cart, and the rich man in his, and they drove off in different directions. The king then released the foal, and the foal ran to its mother, his grandfather’s horse. The whole court is here. The foal remained with the grandfather. And the king-judge asks Dunya: “Tell me now, who will you be big?” - I will be the judge. The king laughed: “Why do you need to be a judge?” I'm the judge! - To judge you! Grandfather sees that things are bad, no matter how angry the king-judge gets. He grabbed his granddaughter and put her in the cart. He drove the horse, and the foal ran next to him. The king released an evil dog after them so that he would tear both his granddaughter and grandfather to pieces. And Dunin’s grandfather, although he was old, was a dexterous person and never let anyone offend his granddaughter. The dog caught up with the cart, was about to rush, and the grandfather used his whip, whip, and then took the spare shaft-shaft that was lying in the cart, and his shaft, and the dog fell. And the grandfather hugged his granddaughter. “I won’t give you up to anyone, to anyone,” he says, “not to a dog, not to a king.” Grow big, my smart girl.

Andrey Platonov
Smart granddaughter
There lived an old man and an old woman, and their granddaughter Dunya lived with them. Dunya was not as beautiful as fairy tales say, she was only smart and willing to do housework.
Once upon a time, old people gather for a market in a large village and think: what should they do? Who will cook cabbage soup and porridge for them, who will water and milk the cow, who will give millet to the chickens and drive them to roost? And Dunya says to them: “Who else if not me!” I’ll cook cabbage soup for you, and steam porridge, I’ll meet a cow from the herd, I’ll calm down the chickens, I’ll clean up the hut, I’ll turn the hay while the bucket is standing in the yard.
“You’re still young, granddaughter,” the grandmother tells her. - You have seven years in total!
- Seven is not two, grandma, seven is a lot. I can handle it!
The old men went to the market and returned in the evening. They see, and it’s true: the hut is tidy, the food is prepared, the yard is in order, the cattle and poultry are well-fed, the hay is dried, the fence is repaired (grandfather had been planning to fix it for two summers), sand has been sprinkled around the well frame - so much work has been done, as if there were four people here was.
An old man and an old woman look at their granddaughter and think: now they can live and be happy!
However, the grandmother did not have to rejoice over her granddaughter for long: she fell ill and died. The old man was left alone with Dunya. It was difficult for grandfather to remain alone in his old age.
Here they live alone. Dunya looks after her grandfather and does all the work on the farm alone; Although she was small, she was diligent.
Grandfather happened to go to the city: the need came. On the way, he overtook a rich neighbor, who was also heading to the city. They went together. We drove and drove, and night came. A rich neighbor and poor Dunin's grandfather saw a light in a roadside hut and knocked on the gate. They stopped for the night and unharnessed their horses. Dunya’s grandfather had a mare, and the rich man had a gelding.
At night, my grandfather's horse gave birth to a foal, and the foolish foal fell away from its mother and found itself under the cart of that rich man.
I woke up rich this morning.
“Look, neighbor,” he says to the old man. - My gelding gave birth to a foal at night!
- How can you! - Grandfather says. “They don’t sow millet into stone, and geldings don’t give birth to foals!” My mare brought it!
And the rich neighbor:
“No,” he says, “this is my foal!” If your mare had given birth, the foal would have been next to her! Look where - under my cart!
They argued, but there was no end to the dispute: the poor have the truth, and the rich have the benefit, one is not inferior to the other.
They arrived in the city. In that city at that time a king lived, and that king was the richest man in the whole kingdom. He considered himself the smartest and loved to judge and discipline his subjects.
So the rich and the poor came to the king-judge. Dunin’s grandfather complains to the king:
- The rich man won’t give me the foal, he says, the gelding gave birth to a foal!
And what does the king-judge care about the truth: he could judge it this way or that way, but at first he wanted to amuse himself.
And he said:
- Here are four riddles for you. Whoever decides will get the foal. What is stronger and faster than anything in the world? What's the fattest thing in the world? And also: what is softest and cutest?
The king gave them a period of three days, and on the fourth day there would be an answer.
In the meantime, while the trial is underway, the king ordered that grandfather’s horse with a foal and a cart and the rich man’s gelding be left in his yard: let both the poor and the rich live on foot until the king judges them.
Let the rich and the poor go home. The rich man thinks: it’s empty, they say, the king made a wish, I know the answer. But the poor man grieves: he doesn’t know the answer.
Dunya met her grandfather and asked:
- Who do you miss, grandpa? About grandma? So I stayed with you!
The grandfather told his granddaughter how it had happened and began to cry: he felt sorry for the foal.
“And also,” grandfather says, “the king asked a riddle, but I don’t know the answer.” Where can I guess them!
- Tell me, grandfather, what are the riddles? They are no smarter than the mind.
Grandfather said riddles. Dunya listened and said in response:
- You will go to the king and say: the wind is stronger and faster than anything in the world; The richest of all is the earth - whatever grows on it, whatever lives on it, it feeds everyone; and the softest thing in the world is hands, grandfather - no matter what a person lies on, he always puts his hand under his head; and there is nothing sweeter in the world than sleep, grandfather.
Three days later, grandfather and his rich neighbor came to the king-judge Dunin.
The rich man says to the king:
- Although your riddles are wise, our sovereign judge, I guessed them right away: the strongest and fastest of all is the brown mare from your stable; If you hit her with a whip, she will catch up with the hare. And the fattest of all is your pockmarked hog: he has become so fat that he has not risen to his feet for a long time. And the softest thing is your feather bed on which you rest. And the cutest of all is your son Nikitushka!
The king-judge listened and said to the poor old man:
- What do you think? Did you bring the answer or not? The old man answers as his granddaughter taught him. He answers, but he himself is afraid: he must be guessing wrong; The rich neighbor must have said it right. The king-judge listened and asked:
- Did you come up with the answer yourself, or who taught you?
The old man speaks the truth:
- But where am I, sir! I have a granddaughter, she is so smart and skillful, she taught me.
The king became curious and funny, but he still had nothing to do.
“If your granddaughter is smart,” says the king-judge, “and skilled at work, take her this silk thread.” Let her weave me a patterned towel and have it ready by morning. Have you heard or not?
- I hear, I hear! - Grandfather answers the king. - I’m so stupid!
He hid the thread in his bosom and went home. He walks, but he himself is timid: where can we weave a whole towel from one thread - even Dunyashka won’t be able to do that... And by morning, even with patterns!
Dunya listened to her grandfather and said:
- Don't worry, grandpa. It's not a problem yet!
She took a broom, broke off a twig, gave it to her grandfather and said:
- Go to this king-judge and tell him: let him find a craftsman who will make a cut out of this twig so that I have something to weave a towel on.
The old man went again to the king. He goes, and he himself is waiting for another misfortune, another task, for which Dunyashka does not have enough intelligence.
And so it happened.
The king gave the old man one and a half hundred eggs and ordered the old man’s granddaughter to hatch one and a half hundred chickens by tomorrow.
Grandfather returned to the court.
“One trouble did not go away,” he says, “another appeared.” And he told his granddaughter the new royal task.
And Dunya answered him:
- And that’s not a problem, grandfather!
She took the eggs, baked them and served them for dinner. And the next day he says:
- Go, grandfather, again to the king. Tell him to send the chickens some one-day-old millet to feed: let them plow the field one day, sow it with millet, let it ripen, and then reap it, thresh it, winnow it and dry it. Tell the king: the chickens won’t eat any other millet, they’ll soon die.
And the grandfather went again. The king-judge listened to him and said:
- Your granddaughter is cunning, and I’m not simple either. Let your granddaughter come to me in the morning - not on foot, not on a horse, not naked, not dressed, not with a gift, and not without a gift!
Grandfather went home. "What a whim!" - thinks. When Dunya learned the new riddle, she began to feel sad, but then became cheerful and said:
- Go, grandfather, to the forest to the hunters and buy me a live hare and a live quail... But no, don’t go, you’re old, you’re tired of walking, you rest. I’ll go myself - I’m little, hunters will give me a hare and a quail for free, but I have nothing to buy them with. Dunyushka went to the forest and brought back a hare and a quail. And when morning came, Dunya took off her shirt, put on a fishing net, took a quail in her hands, sat astride a hare and went to the king-judge.
When the king saw her, he was surprised and frightened:
-Where does this monster come from? Such a monster had never been seen before!
And Dunyushka bowed to the king and said:
Here you are, father, accept what you were ordered to bring!
And gives him a quail. The king-judge extended his hand, and the quail fluttered! and flew away.
The king looked at Dunya.
“She didn’t back down in anything,” she says, “she came as I ordered.” What do you and your grandfather eat, he asks?
Dunya answers the king:
- And my grandfather catches fish on a dry bank, he doesn’t put nets in the water. And I carry fish home with my hem and cook fish soup in a handful!
The king-judge became angry:
- What are you saying, stupid! Where does this fish live on a dry shore? Where is fish soup cooked in handfuls?
And Dunya says against him:
-Are you smart? Where have you seen a gelding give birth to a foal? And in your kingdom even a gelding gives birth!
The king-judge was puzzled:
- How could we find out whose foal it was? Maybe a stranger ran in!
Dunyushka got angry.
- How to find out? - speaks. - Yes, even a fool would judge here, but you are the king! Let my grandfather ride his horse in one direction, and the rich neighbor in the other. Wherever the foal runs, his mother will go.
The king-judge was surprised:
- But it’s true! How come I didn’t think better, didn’t guess?
“If you judged truthfully,” answered Dunya, “you wouldn’t even be rich.”
- Oh, you ulcer! - said the king. - What will come of you next when you grow up?
- First, decide whose foal it is, then I’ll tell you who I’ll be big!
The Tsar Judge scheduled a trial here this week. Dunin's grandfather and their rich neighbor came to the royal court. The king ordered their horses and carts to be brought out. Dunin's grandfather sat in his cart, and the rich man in his, and they drove off in different directions. The king then released the foal, and the foal ran to its mother, his grandfather’s horse. The whole court is here. The foal remained with the grandfather.
And the king-judge asks Dunya:
- Tell me now, who are you going to be?
- I will be the judge.
The king laughed:
- Why do you need to be a judge? I'm the judge! - To judge you!
Grandfather sees that things are bad, no matter how angry the king-judge gets. He grabbed his granddaughter and put her in the cart. He drove the horse, and the foal ran next to him.
The king released an evil dog after them so that he would tear both his granddaughter and grandfather to pieces. And Dunin’s grandfather, although he was old, was a dexterous person and never let anyone offend his granddaughter. The dog caught up with the cart, was about to rush, and the grandfather used his whip, whip, and then took the spare shaft-shaft that was lying in the cart, and his shaft, and the dog fell.
And the grandfather hugged his granddaughter.
“I won’t give you up to anyone, to anyone,” he says, “not to a dog, not to a king.” Grow big, my smart girl.

Platonov Andrey

Smart granddaughter

Andrey Platonov

Smart granddaughter

There lived an old man and an old woman, and their granddaughter Dunya lived with them. Dunya was not as beautiful as fairy tales say, she was only smart and willing to do housework.

Once upon a time, old people gather for a market in a large village and think: what should they do? Who will cook cabbage soup and porridge for them, who will water and milk the cow, who will give millet to the chickens and drive them to roost? And Dunya says to them: “Who else if not me!” I’ll cook cabbage soup for you, and steam porridge, I’ll meet a cow from the herd, I’ll calm down the chickens, I’ll clean up the hut, I’ll turn the hay while the bucket is standing in the yard.

“You’re still young, granddaughter,” the grandmother tells her. - You have seven years in total!

Seven is not two, grandma, seven is a lot. I can handle it!

The old men went to the market and returned in the evening. They see, and it’s true: the hut is tidy, the food is prepared, the yard is in order, the cattle and poultry are well-fed, the hay is dried, the fence is repaired (grandfather had been planning to fix it for two summers), sand has been sprinkled around the well frame - so much work has been done, as if there were four people here was.

An old man and an old woman look at their granddaughter and think: now they can live and be happy!

However, the grandmother did not have to rejoice over her granddaughter for long: she fell ill and died. The old man was left alone with Dunya. It was difficult for grandfather to remain alone in his old age.

Here they live alone. Dunya looks after her grandfather and does all the work on the farm alone; Although she was small, she was diligent.

Grandfather happened to go to the city: the need came. On the way, he overtook a rich neighbor, who was also heading to the city. They went together. We drove and drove, and night came. A rich neighbor and poor Dunin's grandfather saw a light in a roadside hut and knocked on the gate. They stopped for the night and unharnessed their horses. Dunya’s grandfather had a mare, and the rich man had a gelding.

At night, my grandfather's horse gave birth to a foal, and the foolish foal fell away from its mother and found itself under the cart of that rich man.

I woke up rich this morning.

Look, neighbor,” he says to the old man. - My gelding gave birth to a foal at night!

How is it possible! - Grandfather says. “They don’t sow millet into stone, and geldings don’t give birth to foals!” My mare brought it!

And the rich neighbor:

No, he says, this is my foal! If your mare had given birth, the foal would have been next to her! Look where - under my cart!

They argued, but there was no end to the dispute: the poor have the truth, and the rich have the benefit, one is not inferior to the other.

They arrived in the city. In that city at that time a king lived, and that king was the richest man in the whole kingdom. He considered himself the smartest and loved to judge and discipline his subjects.

So the rich and the poor came to the king-judge. Dunin’s grandfather complains to the king:

The rich man won’t give me the foal, he says, the gelding gave birth to a foal!

And what does the king-judge care about the truth: he could judge it this way or that way, but at first he wanted to amuse himself.

And he said:

Here are four riddles for you. Whoever decides will get the foal. What is stronger and faster than anything in the world? What's the fattest thing in the world? And also: what is softest and cutest?

The king gave them a period of three days, and on the fourth day there would be an answer.

In the meantime, while the trial is underway, the king ordered that grandfather’s horse with a foal and a cart and the rich man’s gelding be left in his yard: let both the poor and the rich live on foot until the king judges them.

Let the rich and the poor go home. The rich man thinks: it’s empty, they say, the king made a wish, I know the answer. But the poor man grieves: he doesn’t know the answer.

Dunya met her grandfather and asked:

Who do you miss, grandpa? About grandma? So I stayed with you!

The grandfather told his granddaughter how it had happened and began to cry: he felt sorry for the foal.

And also,” grandfather says, “the king asked a riddle, but I don’t know the answer.” Where can I guess them!

Tell me, grandfather, what are the riddles? They are no smarter than the mind.

Grandfather said riddles. Dunya listened and said in response:

You will go to the king and say: the wind is stronger and faster than anything in the world; The richest of all is the earth - whatever grows on it, whatever lives on it, it feeds everyone; and the softest thing in the world is hands, grandfather - no matter what a person lies on, he always puts his hand under his head; and there is nothing sweeter in the world than sleep, grandfather.

Three days later, grandfather and his rich neighbor came to the king-judge Dunin.

The rich man says to the king:

Although your riddles are wise, our sovereign judge, I guessed them right away: the strongest and fastest of all is the brown mare from your stable; If you hit her with a whip, she will catch up with the hare. And the fattest of all is your pockmarked hog: he has become so fat that he has not risen to his feet for a long time. And the softest thing is your feather bed on which you rest. And the cutest of all is your son Nikitushka!

The king-judge listened and said to the poor old man:

What do you think? Did you bring the answer or not? The old man answers as his granddaughter taught him. He answers, but he himself is afraid: he must be guessing wrong; The rich neighbor must have said it right. The king-judge listened and asked:

Did you come up with the answer yourself, or did someone teach you?

The old man speaks the truth:

But where am I, sir! I have a granddaughter, she is so smart and skillful, she taught me.

The king became curious and funny, but he still had nothing to do.

“If your granddaughter is smart,” says the king-judge, “and skilled at work, take her this silk thread.” Let her weave me a patterned towel and have it ready by morning. Have you heard or not?

I hear, I hear! - Grandfather answers the king. - I’m so stupid!

He hid the thread in his bosom and went home. He walks, but he himself is timid: where can we weave a whole towel from one thread - even Dunyashka won’t be able to do that... And by morning, even with patterns!

Dunya listened to her grandfather and said:

Don't worry, grandpa. It's not a problem yet!

She took a broom, broke off a twig, gave it to her grandfather and said:

Go to this king-judge and tell him: let him find a craftsman who will make a cut out of this twig so that I have something to weave a towel on.

The old man went again to the king. He goes, and he himself is waiting for another misfortune, another task, for which Dunyashka does not have enough intelligence.

And so it happened.

The king gave the old man one and a half hundred eggs and ordered the old man’s granddaughter to hatch one and a half hundred chickens by tomorrow.

Grandfather returned to the court.

One trouble did not go away, he says, another appeared. And he told his granddaughter the new royal task.

And Dunya answered him:

And that’s not a problem, grandpa!

She took the eggs, baked them and served them for dinner. And the next day he says:

Go, grandfather, again to the king. Tell him to send the chickens some one-day-old millet to feed: let them plow the field one day, sow it with millet, let it ripen, and then reap it, thresh it, winnow it and dry it. Tell the king: the chickens won’t eat any other millet, they’ll soon die.

And the grandfather went again. The king-judge listened to him and said:

Your granddaughter is cunning, and I’m not simple either. Let your granddaughter come to me in the morning - not on foot, not on a horse, not naked, not dressed, not with a gift, and not without a gift!

Grandfather went home. "What a whim!" - thinks. When Dunya learned the new riddle, she began to feel sad, but then became cheerful and said:

Go, grandfather, to the forest to the hunters and buy me a live hare and a live quail... But no, don’t go, you’re old, tired of walking, you rest. I’ll go myself - I’m little, hunters will give me a hare and a quail for free, but I have nothing to buy them with. Dunyushka went to the forest and brought back a hare and a quail. And when morning came, Dunya took off her shirt, put on a fishing net, took a quail in her hands, sat astride a hare and went to the king-judge.

When the king saw her, he was surprised and frightened:

Where does this monster come from? Such a monster had never been seen before!

And Dunyushka bowed to the king and said:

Here you are, father, accept what you were ordered to bring!

And gives him a quail. The king-judge extended his hand, and the quail fluttered! and flew away.

The king looked at Dunya.

“She didn’t back down in anything,” she says: “I came as I ordered.” What do you and your grandfather eat, he asks?

Dunya answers the king:

And my grandfather catches fish on a dry bank; he doesn’t put nets in the water. And I carry fish home with my hem and cook fish soup in a handful!