Krilof and His Fables |
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Common terms and phrases
Ęsop asked Barbos Bear beasts became become began birds Brahmin brother caftan Chamois Comb Congress of Vienna cries Cuckoo dear friend Demian Dmitrief dogs ducats Eagle ears Elephant everything eyes fable favour fire flock fool forest fowls garden Gnedich grandee hand happened heard Highwayman honour HOP-PLANT Horse idea Jupiter king Krilof labour Lamb Lion listen live look Maria Fedorovna master Meanwhile mice Mole Moscow Moujik neighbour never night Nightingale Peasant Petersburg Phocas Pike poet poor praise Prince replied rich river Russian Russian Literature says scarcely Sheep shepherd side sing skin Snake song soon soup Squirrel suddenly Summer Garden tail talk tell thee thing thou Titmouse took translation tree turned utterly Vaska wallet wanted whole Wolf Wolves wonder wood word young
Popular passages
Page 43 - AN OLD PEASANT AND A LABOURER WERE GOING HOME THROUGH the forest to the village one evening, in the time of the hayharvest, when they suddenly found themselves face to face with a bear. Scarcely had the Peasant time to utter a cry when the bear was upon him; it threw him down, rolled him over, made his bones crack again, and began looking about for a soft spot at which to commence its meal. Death draws near to the old man. "Stefan, my kinsman, my dear friend, do not desert me!
Page 35 - They follow its advice, and form in an orderly line. But the quartette is as unmusical as ever. Louder than before there arose among them squabbling and wrangling as to how they ought to be seated. It happened that a Nightingale came flying that way, attracted by their noise. At once they all entreat it to solve their difficulty. "Be so kind," they say, "as to bear with us a little, in order that our quartette may come off properly.
Page 76 - They had torn away the seed from the newly-sown fields, they had overthrown and washed away mills, and it was impossible to count the cattle they had drowned. But the River flows so gently, though indeed proudly: on its banks great cities stand, and no one ever hears such tricks laid to its charge. So, doubtless, it will put a check upon these streams. Thus did the Peasants reason among themselves. But what happened? When they had drawn near to the banks of the River, and looked out upon its surface,...
Page 79 - FORTUNE AND THE BEGGAR. A WRETCHED Beggar, carrying a ragged old wallet, was creeping along from house to house ; and, as he grumbled at his lot, he kept wondering that folks who lived in rich apartments, and were up to their throats in money and in the sweets of indulgence, should be always unsatisfied, however full their pockets might be, and that they should go so far as often to lose all they have, while unreasonably craving for, and laying their hands on, new riches. " Here, for instance," he...
Page 27 - So he cut off the skirts of his caftan, and used them to lengthen his sleeves. Then Trishka was happy, though he had a caftan which was as short as a waistcoat. In a similar way have I sometimes seen other embarrassed people set their affairs straight. Take a look at them as they dash away. They have all got on Trishka's caftan.
Page 206 - Militat in silvis catulus. Nunc adbibe puro Pectore verba puer, nunc te melioribus offer. Quo semel est imbuta recens, servabit odorem Testa diu.
Page 68 - Look there,' and for a moment she enabled him to look upon the world; ' behold the crimes, the misery, of which thou art the cause. Look at these children who have brought shame upon their families, who have reduced their parents to despair. By whom were their heads and hearts corrupted? By thee. Who strove to rend asunder the bonds...
Page 61 - A PEASANT, WITH A LONG ROD IN HIS HAND, WAS DRIVING SOME Geese to a town where they were to be sold; and, to tell the truth, he did not treat them over-politely. In hopes of making a good bargain, he was hastening on so as not to lose the market-day (and when gain is concerned, geese and men alike are apt to suffer). I do not blame the peasant; but the Geese talked about him in a different spirit, and, whenever they met any passers-by, abused him to them in such terms as these; "Is it possible to...
Page 69 - ... man. Didst thou not dignify unbelief with the name of enlightenment ? Didst thou not place vice and passion in the most alluring of lights? And now, behold ! a whole country, perverted by thy teaching, is full of murder and robbery, of strife and rebellion, and is being led onwards by thy teaching to ruin. .For every drop of that country's tears and blood thou art to blame. And dost thou still dare to hurl thy blasphemies against the gods ? How much evil have thy books yet to bring upon the world!...
Page 80 - Listen ! I have long wished to help you. Here is a lot of ducats I have found. Hold out your wallet, and I will fill it with them ; but only on this condition : — All shall be gold that falls into the wallet ; but if any of it falls out of the wallet to the ground, it shall all become dust. Consider this well. I have warned you beforehand. I shall keep strictly to my compact. Your wallet is old ; don't overload it beyond its powers.