Folk Tales of the Russian Empire

Коллектив авторов

It has long been known that the folk tale is the soul of people. Since ancient times, the Russian Empire was formed as a multi-ethnic country. The Russian language and Russian culture are the fruit of the interaction of different cultures and peoples living in the vast territory. That is why this book presents folk tales of Native peoples inhabiting Russia in different years. Each tale, presented in this book, reflects some features, typical for people of a particular nation.

Folk Tales ofВ the Russian Empire

Retold, translated and illustrated byВ Vladimir Slaviansky

Редактор Владимир Славянский

© Редактор Владимир Славянский, 2016

© Владимир Владимирович Славянский, translation, 2016

© Владимир Владимирович Славянский, illustrations, 2016

Дизайн обложки Владимир Владимирович Славянский

Editor Владимир Владимирович Славянский

Created with intellectual publishing system Ridero

Cock-The-Shah

AВ Tatar folkВ tale

However, the Tatar khans continued to consider the grand princes of Moscow to be their vassals, and from time to time they still raided the territory of Moscow and indeed the city itself. Moreover, the Kazan Tatars controlled the middle Volga, frustrating the ambitions of Russia’s rulers to extend their trading activities to the east.

AВ History ofВ the Peoples ofВ Siberia, byВ James Forsyth

AВ very long time ago there lived aВ rich peasant inВ aВ village. He had aВ homestead and aВ good house. There was aВ pen inВ his yard and there lived aВ brave cockerel and several hens. The cockerel was used toВ walking around the yard, looking toВ the left and looking toВ the right: he kept order, putting on airs and graces.

One early morning the cockerel jumped up, sat on the fence and began toВ yell:

“Cock-a-doodle-doo! Ku-ka-re-ku! Dear girls and ladies, you have received a great honour! Now I am not just a cock – I am Cock-The-Khan! I am Cock-The-Shah, I am Cock-The-Padishah, I am Cock-The-Sultan! My winsome chickens, my dear babies, – blackish and whitish, greyish, reddish and goldish: tell me, who is the most handsome in the world? Who is the greatest man of courage?”

Having heard him, there gathered all the chickens, – blackish and whitish, greyish, reddish and goldish. They surrounded their master – the magnificent Khan, the great Shah, the mighty Padishah, the powerful Sultan, – and began to sing:

“Cock-a-doodle-doo, oh, Magnificent Khan! Kud-ku-da, oh, Great Shah! Cock-a-doodle-doo, oh, Mighty Padishah! Kud-ku-da, oh, Powerful Sultan! No one in the world is so brave, as you are. No one in the world is so smart, as you are. There is nobody in the world as handsome as you are!”

“Cock-a-doodle-doo!” The Cock was singing louder. “Who has a colourful dress? Who has strong legs? Who has a loud voice?”

“Oh, Great Shah, you have a colourful dress. Oh, Magnificent Padishah, you have strong legs. You, the Great of the Greatest, have a voice louder than a lion!” were clucking the chickens.

The Cock inflated with pride, raised his high crest and cackled his best:

“Ku-ka-re-ku! Come to me closer and tell me loudly: who has the highest Crown on his head?”

The chickens came toВ the fence, bowing down before the Very Important Cock and singing:

“You have the highest Crown on your head, which is glittering like a blaze. You are our Only Shah. You are our Only Padishah!”

At that time, aВ fat cook had crept up toВ the cockerel, like aВ bolt out ofВ aВ clear sky, and grabbed him byВ the neck.

“Ku-ka-re-ku! What a horrid nightmare!” cried Cock-The-Shah.

“Kud-ku-da! Where are you going?” shouted the chickens.

The cook caught the Mighty Khan byВ his right leg, and h