Once upon a time there lived a cat and a rooster and they became brothers. The cat needed to go get some firewood, so he said to the cockerel:
“You, cockerel, sit on the stove and eat rolls, and I’ll go get some firewood, and the little fox will come, then don’t respond.”
Left. A little fox came running and began to lure the cockerel out of the hut:
- Brother cockerel, open up! Brother cockerel, open up! If you don’t open it, I’ll break the window, eat the borscht and take you away. And the cockerel responded: “Totok!” Totok! The cat did not order. The fox knocked out the window, ate the borscht and grabbed the cockerel. He carries him, and he calls the cat, sings: Kitty, brother, the fox is carrying me over the maple forests, over the steep mountains, over the fast waters!..
The cat heard it, came running, took the cockerel, brought it home and punished him again:
- Look, cockerel, how the fox comes, don’t respond, I’ll move on now!
And he left. And the little fox was already running. Knock-knock on the window!
- Brother cockerel, open up! If you don’t open it, I’ll break the window, eat the borscht and take you away. And the cockerel all: - Totok! Totok! The cat didn't say so! The fox broke the window, ate all the borscht, grabbed it and carried it. And the cockerel again: Kitty, brother, the fox is carrying me over the maple forests, over the steep mountains, over the fast waters!..
He sang once, but the cat couldn’t hear him; He sang a second time, louder. The cat came running, took it away, brought it home and said:
“Now I’ll go far, far away, and no matter how much you scream, I won’t hear.” Be silent, do not respond to the fox. He left, and the fox was right there.
- Brother cockerel, open up! Brother cockerel, open it, if you don’t open it, I’ll break the window, eat the borscht and take you.
And the cockerel:
- Totok! Totok! The cat didn't say so!
The fox knocked out the window, ate the borscht and grabbed it. He carries it, and the cockerel crows once, twice, three times. The cat didn’t hear, but the fox carried the cockerel home.
In the evening the cat comes home - there is no cockerel, he was very upset, and then he made himself a small bandura, took a bag, a hammer and went to the fox's hut, stood and began to play: And the little fox has a new yard And four daughters to choose from, Fifth Pilipok, And even that is mine! Pilipok, Pilipok, go out and see how the tambourines mumble, how the surnas surnat - look!
And the little fox baked scones. The eldest daughter couldn’t bear it anymore and said:
“Mom, I’ll go and see who’s playing so well, and I’ll take the palyanitsa.” And the fox says: “Go!” - and gave her a palyanitsa.
The daughter came out, and the cat clicked, hit her forehead, and into her wet bag, and played again.
Now the second fox’s daughter ran out of the hut, and the cat grabbed her by the temples and into the written bag, and he played the bandura and sang so pitifully: Oh, the little fox has a new yard And four daughters to choose from...
A third ran out, and he grabbed her by the temples. The fourth one ran out, and so did he. Son Pilipok ran out, and so did he. Now all five foxes are sitting in a written bag.
Then the cat tied the bag with a string and went to the fox’s hut. He entered and saw a cockerel lying there, barely alive. The feathers on it are torn off and the leg is torn off. And in the oven the water is already heated so that there is something to cook the cockerel in.
The cat grabbed the cockerel by the tail and said:
- Brother cockerel, wake up!
The cockerel perked up and wanted to get to his feet and crow, but he couldn’t. One leg is missing. Then the cat took the torn off leg, put it on, and stuck the feathers into its tail. The cockerel jumped up and crowed.
Then they ate everything that was in the fox’s hut, broke the pots and bowls, and returned home.
And they live happily there now and chew bread, and now the cockerel, no matter what the cat tells him, obeys him in everything. Trouble taught reason.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru