Russian Folk Tales |
Russia is the world's largest country and covers more than a ninth of the Earth's land area.
Until recently most of the inhabitants were peasants, who had a rich tradition of oral folklore and were also highly superstitious. Animals also played a very prominent role in their stories.
Our collection of tales has been compiled from a variety of sources.
An man went to plough, telling his three daughters to bring him food by following a trail of wood shavings, but a bear changes the path to lead to his den.
A peasant finding a sleeping bear, cuts off one of the paws so that his wife can make him soup. When the bear awakes he goes in search of his missing limb.
A cock digs up a bean and starts to choke after swallowing it. His mistress goes in search for butter to help swallow it and this leads to a long journey.
A dog and a cock leave their peasant master searching for food. At night they rest in a tree, in the morning a fox hears the cock crowing and visits them.
A fox who has fallen into a hole tricks a blackbird into bringing him food and water, and to help him escape. But the fox does not get all he wishes for.
A peasant no longer able to feed a goat and ram sends them away. They find a wolves head and put it in a bag which along with their wits saves their lives.
A wolf is in search of a meal, but is tricked. First by a ram who butts him, then a horse who kicks him and finally a pig who leads him into the village.
A girl is abandoned in the forest to die of cold, but King Frost finds her and realizing she is a good girl feels sorry for her and brings her presents.
A rich merchant wishes to learn the meaning of the songs of birds. His son Ivan hears this and is always thinking of how to find out, to please his father.
A peasant who has no family invites a bear to help him in growing food. They agree the man will eat the roots and the bear the tops, but this is a trick.
A peasant woman tells her husband to make a straw ox covered with pitch. Once the ox is made many wild animals become stuck and pay handsomely to be saved.
Ivan Tsarevitch is the younger brother, one day their father bids them fire an arrow and where it lands they will find a bride. Ivan's is caught by a frog.
Sources And Further Reading |
Project Gutenberg More Russian Picture Tales by Valery Carrick Translator: Nevill Forbes [1914]