There lived an old, old woman, and she had no children, but only one gray goat. Every morning the old woman drove the goat out into the field, and every evening she brought it home. But one evening the goat became stubborn and wouldn’t go home. The old woman chases the goat, urges her on, meets the wolf and asks him:
- Wolf, wolf, pick up the goat, she’s not going home!
- Get your own goat! - the wolf answers. The old woman chases the goat, urges it on, meets the club and asks it:
- Club, club, beat the wolf: the wolf doesn’t kill the goat, the goat doesn’t go home!
- Beat your own wolf! - the baton answers. The old woman chases the goat, urges it on, meets the fire and asks it:
- Fire, fire, burn the club: the club does not hit the wolf, the wolf does not kill the goat, the goat does not go home!
- Burn your own club! - the fire answers,
The old woman chases the goat, urges it on, meets the water and asks it:
- Water, water, pour on the fire: the fire doesn’t burn the club, the club doesn’t hit the wolf, the wolf doesn’t kill the goat, the goat doesn’t go home!
- Fuel your own fire! - water answers. The old woman chases the goat, urges it on, meets the bull and asks him:
- Bull, bull, drink water: water doesn’t flood the fire, fire doesn’t burn the club, the club doesn’t hit the wolf, the wolf doesn’t kill the goat, the goat doesn’t go home!
- Drink your own water! - the bull answers. The old woman chases the goat, urges it on, meets the rope and asks it:
- Rope, rope, tie the bull: the bull doesn’t drink water, water doesn’t fill the fire, fire doesn’t burn the club, the club doesn’t beat the wolf, the wolf doesn’t kill the goat, the goat doesn’t go home!
- Knit your own bull! - the rope answers. The old woman chases the goat, urges her on, meets the mouse and asks her:
- Mouse, mouse, chew through the rope: the rope does not bind the bull, the bull does not drink water, the water does not fill the fire, the fire does not burn the club, the club does not beat the wolf, the wolf does not kill the goat, the goat does not go home!
And so the mouse is on the rope, the rope is on the bull, the bull is on the water, the water is on the fire, the fire is on the club, the club is on the wolf, the wolf is on the goat; the goat came home and came running.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru