I sat on a bed of cabbage and didn’t want to grow anymore.
- Hey, Antoinette! - the owner shouted.
- What do you want?
- Go and field a head of cabbage.
- It’s very necessary! I'd better go for a walk.
- Little dog, bite naughty Antoinette on the leg!
“I’d rather chew on a bone.”
- Vetka, give the little dog a good whipping!
- I'd rather stay on the tree.
- Fire, burn this branch!
“It’s too green: I’ll just smoke.”
- Water, put out the fire!
“I’d rather run like a stream through a flowering meadow.”
- Cow, drink all the water from the stream!
- I don't want to drink.
- Butcher, slaughter the cow!
- She's too skinny.
- Death, take the butcher to you!
- Willingly.
And then the butcher says:
- Now I will slaughter the cow.
“I’d rather drink all the water from the stream,” says the cow.
“I’ll put out the fire this very minute,” says the water.
“I’ll burn the green branch in an instant,” says the fire.
“I’ll whip the dog right away,” says the branch.
“I’ll bite naughty Antoinette’s leg right away,” says the little dog.
“I’ll water a little head of cabbage this very minute!” Antoinette shouts.
And then the little head of cabbage began to grow and grow...
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru