Leonardo's parables yes. Parables from Da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci was not only a brilliant artist and inventor. He was interested in many areas, including literature. His literary heritage comprises diary entries, the famous "Treatise on Painting", aphorisms and allegories. Leonardo da Vinci's parables for children are also known - short instructive stories.

Brief biography of the artist

Leonardo da Vinci was one of the geniuses of the era High Renaissance. His place of birth was the village of Anchiano, which was located near the town of Vinci, located near Florence. Despite the fact that Leonardo was illegitimate, his father immediately recognized him.

At the age of four, Senor Piero da Vinci took his son to live with him. The boy began to be taught reading, writing, mathematics and Latin. An interesting fact concerns the artist’s handwriting. He was left-handed and wrote from right to left, writing letters so that they could be read with a mirror. But if Leonardo wrote to someone, he did it in the usual way.

The boy was sent to Florence to learn the profession of an artist. It was there that painters were respected more than in others Italian cities. From 1467 to 1472 Leonardo was a student - one of famous artists that time. Da Vinci's talent was recognized by both teacher and public after he painted the figure of an angel on the canvas "The Baptism of Christ." After this, Verrocchio admitted that the student had surpassed him.

In 1482, the artist went to the court of Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan. At court, da Vinci held the position of organizer of court celebrations. In parallel with this, he studied other fields of science and developed as an artist. In Milan he founded the Academy of Fine Arts, then the Lombard School appeared, consisting of Leonardo's students. In 1495, da Vinci began work on The Last Supper on the wall of the refectory of the monastery in Milan.

After Sforza lost influence, Leonardo left Milan and lived in different cities Italy. In 1516 (1517) he went to France at the invitation of Francis the First. Leonardo da Vinci was interested not only in painting and mechanics, but also in mathematics, botany, astronomy and other fields. The artist died in 1519 at the castle of Cloux in France.

Literary activity

Leonardo da Vinci was a philosopher and quite early realized that the practical side of painting required theoretical basis. He recorded all his thoughts and observations in notebook, which he always carried with him. It was a diary that has no analogues in the world.

It should be noted that during the Great Renaissance, Latin occupied a dominant position. Therefore, Leonardo's contemporaries were admired by the beauty and expressiveness of his style. But the artist did not consider himself a writer, so he wrote as he heard. And from his notes one can imagine how the Italian intelligentsia of the 15th century spoke. The artist’s notes are distinguished by their simplicity; they lack the pathos and artificiality characteristic of humanists. And his works are valuable literary point vision.

Drawings, sketches and drawings are supplemented with notes, fables, and allegories. All entries from Leonardo's diaries provide material for big encyclopedia. His most famous literary work is "Treatise on Painting". But Leonardo da Vinci's parables for children are no less famous.

List of short educational stories

Leonardo da Vinci's parables are distinguished by their simplicity, but at the same time, a certain elegance of style. The most famous short stories are listed below:

"A true friend".
"The Lion and the Lamb".
"Swan".
"Flint and steel."
"Caterpillar".
"Stone and Road"
"The Stolen Egg"
"Peach tree".
"Justice".

It will be described below summary parables of Leonardo da Vinci.

What is friendship

Leonardo da Vinci's parable "A True Friend" tells how a little eaglet once saw many birds flying below. When he asked what kind of birds these were, the eagle said that these were their friends. Despite the fact that the eagle prefers to live alone, sometimes it needs company. Without this, he cannot be considered the king of birds.

After the explanation received, the satisfied eaglet began to consider all the birds as his devoted friends. But suddenly he saw that one of these birds had taken their food. The little eagle told his mother that their food had been stolen. To which the wise eagle replied that no one stole anything from them. It was she who treated the birds, because it is difficult to find food at high altitudes.

If you want to be surrounded faithful friends, you need to be kind and tolerant. It is also important to take care of loved ones. They respect those who are generous and always ready to help friends.

The power of trust

Leonardo da Vinci's parable "The Lion and the Lamb" tells us that kindness and naivety have great strength and are able to change those around them. A small lamb was thrown to the hungry lion. But the latter was so trusting that he was not at all afraid of the king of beasts.

The lamb mistook him for his mother, so he came closer to him. There was only boundless love and trust in his eyes. The lion did not expect such an attitude, and, discouraged by such meekness, did not touch the lamb. The moral of this short parable is that kindness and love have special power and can change a person.

Leonardo da Vinci's parable "The Swan"

This story tells about a beautiful and majestic bird. Swan felt that his life was coming to an end. But he was pleased that throughout his life he managed to maintain the snow-white feathers. And, despite all the difficulties, he did not lose his dignity.

The swan swam majestically to the willow tree, under which it admired the landscape. And then he sang a song, and it was as inspirational and beautiful as never before. In it, the swan talked about his love for the sun, the sky, and the whole world. And everyone, as if enchanted, listened to this wonderful song.

The moral of this short parable is that you need to live your life in such a way that there is nothing to regret. To never lose dignity, to maintain spiritual purity.

The Importance of Patience in Studying

The parable “Flint and Steel” tells the following: Flint was unhappy because he received strong blows from the flint. He didn't understand why it treated him like that, because he didn't bother anyone. And why shouldn't the flint leave him alone? In response, flint heard a request not to be angry, but to show a little patience and see what miracle happens.

Flint began to humbly wait and endure the blows of the flint. After some time, fire appeared, with the help of which amazing things could be done. And this was a reward for patience. The essence of this parable is that there is no need to be afraid of difficulties that may arise during training. If you show persistence and patience, the seeds of knowledge will bear fruit.

About a wonderful transformation

The parable "The Caterpillar" talks about how little creature observed the lives of other insects. Someone moved quickly, was beautiful, and only she, the poor caterpillar, was deprived of talents. She could only crawl, but she did that slowly.

But even crawling from leaf to leaf, the caterpillar was making (as it seemed to it) a real journey. This creature did not envy anyone, understanding that everyone should mind their own business. The caterpillar's purpose was to weave a cocoon from silk threads.

By the right time, she had made herself a house. And she had a question: what will happen next? The caterpillar heard a voice asking him to be patient. When she woke up, she was no longer that clumsy creature. She saw that she had beautiful wings, painted in bright colors. So the caterpillar became a butterfly. There is no need to complain about life; perhaps in the future it will present you with generous gifts.

The beauty of small towns

The parable "The Stone and the Road" tells about the life of a stone. It was a beautiful, large, polished stream. But gradually the stream dried up, and the stone continued to lie on the hillock. Tall grasses and bright flowers grew all around.

The stone saw a road on which there were cobblestones and small pebbles in a large pile. Tired of loneliness, he began to grumble, complaining that he was bored being among the herbs and flowers. It would be better if he were among his stone brothers, where there was always liveliness!

And he found himself on a paved road. But disappointment awaited him: passers-by kicked the stone, trampled it, crushed it. And all his beauty disappeared. And the stone was already looking sadly at its hillock, dreaming of being again among the herbs and flowers.

It’s not for nothing that they say that they usually don’t know how to appreciate what they have. And so do people: they leave small rural corners, rushing to large and noisy cities. And, once there, they begin to live in a fast rhythm and bustle. And then they begin to miss the leisurely rural way of life.

Bond between mother and child

The parable "The Stolen Egg" tells the story of a partridge that had a nest built in a cypress tree. One day she flew to a neighbor who had taken a fancy to an olive tree. But she was not there. The partridge could not resist and took one egg from her nest.

After some time, chicks hatched in both nests. They were the first to fly out of the nest on the olive tree. Then it was the turn of the partridge chicks. After the first flight, the chicks returned happy to their home. Everything except that very stolen chick. Obeying his inner call, he returned to his mother in the nest on the olive tree. The bond between mother and child never weakens.

The Story of the Peach Tree

One of Leonardo da Vinci's parables - "The Peach Tree" - is about not being jealous of others. The peach tree saw that the plum tree had more fruit, and so it became jealous. Hazel tried to reason with him, explaining that they were different trees.

The hazel tree said that the plum tree has a strong trunk and flexible branches that can withstand such a large number of fruits And instead of complaining, it would be better if it cared more about how to grow good peaches. But the peach tree was blinded by envy and did not want to listen to anything.

It ordered its roots to absorb as much juice as possible, and its branches to increase the number of ovaries. And when the tree blossomed, many fruits appeared on the branches. The peaches became heavier day by day, filling with juices. Therefore, it was difficult for the branches to hold them.

And from the weight, the trunk of the peach tree broke, and all the fruits fell to the ground. All the peaches rotted at the base of the hazel tree. People often envy others without trying to engage in activities instead of grumbling. useful thing. It is better to find something that a person can do well in order to be useful.

About the correct structure of a bee swarm

Leonardo da Vinci's parable "Justice" illustrates the wisdom of nature through the example of bees. One day the animals began to complain about the unfair structure of the world. But she put an end to the controversy wise Owl.

She admitted that there was some truth in their words. But justice cannot be on the side of only one of them. The owl gave the example of bees. They have a queen who controls everything, there are bees that extract nectar, others are engaged in arranging honeycombs and guarding the hive. And how they take care of their queen! There are bees that don't leave her side. And when their ruler grows old, they choose the strongest bees to carry her. There are also healing bees who prepare potions. If one of the workers does not fulfill her duties, she will be punished. The example of a hive shows the wise structure of life: everyone should do their job well and responsibly.

These short educational stories are useful to read not only for children, but also for adults. The artist made heroes not of people, but of animals, birds and things. And thanks to such images, children are interested in listening to parables, perceiving them as a fairy tale. Adults, after reading them, can rethink their life values. These parables are distinguished by their simplicity of language, clarity of style and interesting images.

“I remember one day I woke up in my cradle.

It seemed to me that big bird revealed

winged my mouth and stroked my lips with feathers."

Leonardo da Vinci

PAPER AND INK

There were identical sheets of blank paper in a stack on the desk. But one day one of them turned out to be completely covered with hooks, dashes, curls, dots... Apparently, someone took a pen and, dipping it in ink, covered the sheet with words and painted it with drawings.

Why did you need to subject me to such unheard-of humiliation? - the saddened piece of paper asked in his hearts from the inkwell standing on the table. - Your indelible ink has stained my whiteness and ruined the paper forever! Who will need me like this now?

“Don’t worry!” the inkwell answered affectionately. “They didn’t want to humiliate you at all and didn’t tarnish you, but just made the necessary record.” And now you are no longer a simple piece of paper, but a written message. From now on, you store a person’s thought, and this is your direct purpose and great value.

The good inkwell turned out to be right. While cleaning up his desk one day, a man saw randomly scattered sheets of paper, yellowed with age. He collected them and was about to throw them into the burning fireplace, when he suddenly noticed that same “stained” piece of paper. Throwing away the dusty pieces of paper as unnecessary, the man carefully placed the scribbled piece of paper in the desk drawer in order to preserve it as a message of reason.

Flint and steel

Having once received a strong blow from a flint, the flint indignantly asked the offender:

Why did you attack me like that? I don't know you. You're apparently confusing me with someone. Please leave my sides alone. I don't harm anyone.

“Don’t be angry in vain, neighbor,” the flint said with a smile in response. “If you have a little patience, you will soon see what a miracle I will extract from you.” At these words, the flint calmed down and began to patiently endure the blows of the flint. And finally, fire was carved out of it, capable of performing true miracles. So the patience of the flint was justly rewarded.

The tale is told for those who are timid in their studies at first. But if you are patient and diligent, then the sown seeds of knowledge will certainly bear fruit. The root of learning is bitter, but the fruit is sweet.

TONGUE AND TEETH

Once upon a time there was a boy in the world who suffered from a serious illness, to which adults are sometimes susceptible - he talked incessantly, without knowing how to stop.

What kind of punishment is this tongue,” the teeth grumbled. “When will he calm down and be silent for a while?”

What do you care about me? - the tongue answered brazenly. - Chew to your health and keep quiet. That's the whole story for you! We have nothing in common. I won’t allow anyone to interfere in my personal affairs, much less meddle with stupid advice!

And the boy continued to chatter incessantly, inappropriately and inopportunely. The tongue was at the height of bliss, pronouncing more and more sophisticated words, although it did not have time to thoroughly understand their meaning.

But one day the boy got so carried away by chatter that, without knowing it, he got into trouble. In order to somehow get out of trouble, he allowed his tongue to tell a deliberate lie. Then their teeth could not stand it - their patience ran out. They closed at once and painfully bit the lying liar.

The tongue turned purple from the blood that came out, and the boy cried from shame and pain.

From then on, the tongue behaves with caution and caution, and the boy thinks twice before uttering a word.

RAZOR

One barber had a razor of extraordinary beauty, and it had no equal in its work. One day, when there were no visitors in the shop, and the owner was away somewhere, the razor decided to look at the world and show itself. Releasing the sharp blade from its frame like a sword from its sheath, and proudly akimbo, she went for a walk on a fine spring day.

No sooner had the razor crossed the threshold than bright sun began to play on a polished steel blade, and merrily jumped along the walls of houses sunbeams. Blinded by this unprecedented spectacle, the razor was in such indescribable delight that it immediately became excessively proud.

After such splendor, should I really go back to the barber?” exclaimed the razor. “No way in the world!” It would be sheer madness on my part to ruin my life by scraping the soapy cheeks and chins of uncouth louts. Is there a place for my delicate blade at the barber's? Not at all! I'll hide from him in a secluded place. Since then there has been no trace of her.

Months passed. Rainy autumn has arrived. Bored alone, the fugitive decided to come out of her voluntary seclusion and breathe fresh air. She carefully released the blade from the frame and looked around proudly.

But, oh horror! What happened? The blade, once tender, became rough, becoming like a rusty saw, and no longer reflected the sun's rays.

Why did I succumb to temptation? - the razor cried bitterly. - How the kind barber cherished and pampered me! How happy and proud he was of my work! And now, oh God, what happened to me: the blade became darkened, jagged and covered with disgusting rust. I am lost and there is no salvation for me!

A sad fate awaits anyone who is endowed with talent, but instead of developing and improving their abilities, they become overly proud and indulge in idleness and narcissism. Like this unfortunate razor, such a person gradually loses the clarity and sharpness of his mind, becomes inert, lazy and overgrown with the rust of ignorance, corroding his flesh and soul.

FLAME

Work was in full swing in the glass-blowing workshop, and in the huge furnace the fire did not subside day or night. Many beautiful products were created by craftsmen who, with their breath, gave a bizarre shape to the mass of molten glass.

One day, a fire raging in the furnace noticed a burning candle left by one of the apprentices, set in a massive bronze candlestick. He was immediately overcome by an irresistible desire to devour the weak flame of the candle.

And then a blue flame burst out from under the firebrand with a hiss. Recoiling to the side from the draft in the chimney and contriving, it broke through the narrow crack of the stove screen, spread to a candle standing nearby and began to greedily devour it.

The insatiable flame consumed the fragile candle in an instant.

However, not wanting to die with her, it tried to return to its native element. But no matter how much the flame cried out for help to its brothers in the burning furnace, no matter how it wriggled and writhed in its death throes, it never managed to escape from the tenacious embrace of the melted wax.

Screaming, crying and hissing angrily, the flames eventually suffocated, turning into acrid smoke. And in the oven for a long time the logs crackled merrily, shooting multi-colored sparks, and the red tongues of fire danced together.

MOON AND OYSTER

The oyster was head over heels in love with the moon. As if spellbound, she spent hours looking with loving eyes at the night star.

A voracious crab sitting in ambush noticed that every time the moon emerges from behind the clouds, the gaping oyster opens its shell, forgetting about everything in the world. And he decided to eat it.

One night, as soon as the moon had risen and the oyster, as usual, was staring at it with its mouth open, the crab picked up a pebble with its claw and, contrivingly, threw it inside the shell. amateur moonlight I tried to slam the doors of the mother-of-pearl dwelling, but it was too late - a thrown pebble prevented the poor thing.

A similar fate awaits everyone who does not know how to keep their innermost feelings secret. There will always be eyes and ears eager for other people's secrets.

Once upon a time there was an apple tree. She loved little boy. Every morning he came to her, climbed her trunk, swung on her branches, feasted on her apples and was happy. And the apple tree was happy.

Time passed, the boy appeared less and less, and the apple tree became sad. One day he came after a particularly long absence, and the apple tree trembled with joy:

Cute boy! Hurry up, climb my trunk - I will swing you on the branches, treat you to apples, and you will be happy.

But the boy shook his head and replied:

You know, this won't make me happy. I have no money at all, and girls don't like me. I'm naked as a falcon.

Then the apple tree replied:

Collect my apples and sell them at the market. You will have money and girls and you will

happy.

The boy did just that - he collected all the apples and left. And the apple tree was happy. However, the boy was gone again for a very, very long time. When he finally came, the apple tree trembled:

Cute boy! Climb my trunk, swing on my branches - and you will be happy!

The boy answered her proudly:

I'm too old to climb trees and jump on branches! I have so many problems! I want to get married, but I don't have a house! Now, if I had a house, then I would be happy.

And the apple tree answered:

Cut down my branches and build yourself a house. And you will be happy.

The boy did just that. He cut off all the branches of the apple tree and left. And the apple tree was happy.

After that he didn't appear for ages.

The apple tree has been waiting for its boy for many years.

And one day he really came. He looked tired, old and bloated. His hair thinned, his figure blurred. But the apple tree was unusually happy with him, she said:

Cute boy! I have no more apples to feed you and no more branches to sway you. But maybe you want a quiet, shady place to rest? I can shade you from the sun.

And the boy replied:

Dear apple tree! Nothing makes me happy on this earth. All I want is to get away somewhere far away, but I don't know how...

The apple tree thought for a minute and said:

My trunk will make a good boat. Cut down my trunk, make a boat, and you can sail far, far away. And you will be happy.

The boy did just that. And left.

And the apple tree was happy. Although it became very difficult for her.

Years passed. The stump that the apple tree became grew older. Deep cracks furrowed it. Apple Tree no longer believed that she would ever be able to see the boy. But one day he approached her. He leaned heavily on a stick, his hands did not obey him well, rare hair were gray-haired. The apple tree said to him sadly:

Parables of Leonardo da Vinci - contents

Leonardo da Vinci (April 15, 1452 - May 2, 1519) - greatest artist and a brilliant scientist whose merits are difficult to compare with anyone else. Born in 1452 near the city of Vinci (where the prefix of his surname came from). His artistic interests are not limited to painting, architecture and sculpture. Despite the enormous achievements in the field exact sciences(mathematics, physics) and natural sciences, Leonardo did not find sufficient support and understanding. Only many years later his work was truly appreciated.

Fascinated by the idea of creating aircraft, Leonardo da Vinci first developed the simplest apparatus (Daedalus and Icarus) based on wings. His new idea was an airplane with full control. However, it was not possible to implement it due to the lack of a motor. Also a famous idea in short biography Leonardo da Vinci is a vertical take-off and landing vehicle.

Studying the laws of fluid and hydraulics in general, Leonardo made significant contributions to the theory of locks and sewer ports, testing ideas in practice. Famous paintings by Leonardo da Vinci are " last supper", "Madonna with an Ermine", "Mona Lisa" and many others. Leonardo was demanding and precise in all his affairs. Even when he became interested in painting, he insisted on fully studying the object before starting to draw. Leonardo da Vinci's manuscripts are priceless. They were published in full only in the 19th and 20th centuries, although even during his lifetime the author dreamed of publishing Part 3. In his notes, Leonardo noted not just thoughts, but supplemented them with drawings, drawings, and descriptions.

Being talented in many fields, Leonardo da Vinci made significant contributions to the history of architecture, art, and physics. The great scientist died in France in 1519.

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Leonardo da Vinci
Fairy tales, legends, parables

“I remember one day I woke up in my cradle.

It seemed to me that a large bird opened

winged my mouth and stroked my lips with feathers."

Leonardo da Vinci

PAPER AND INK

“Why did you need to subject me to such unheard-of humiliation?” the saddened piece of paper asked angrily from the inkwell standing on the table. “Your indelible ink stained my whiteness and ruined the paper forever!” Who will need me like this now?

“Don’t worry!” the inkwell answered affectionately. “They didn’t want to humiliate you or sully you, they just made the necessary note.” And now you are no longer a simple piece of paper, but a written message. From now on, you store a person’s thought, and this is your direct purpose and great value.

Flint and steel

Having once received a strong blow from a flint, the flint indignantly asked the offender:

- Why did you attack me like that? I don't know you. You're apparently confusing me with someone. Please leave my sides alone. I don't harm anyone.

TONGUE AND TEETH

Once upon a time there lived a boy who suffered from a serious illness, to which adults are sometimes susceptible - he talked incessantly, without knowing how to stop.

“What kind of punishment is this tongue,” the teeth grumbled. “When will he calm down and be silent for a while?”

“What do you care about me?” the tongue answered brazenly. “Chew to your health and keep quiet.” That's the whole story for you! We have nothing in common. I won’t allow anyone to interfere in my personal affairs, much less meddle with stupid advice!

But one day the boy got so carried away by chatter that, without knowing it, he got into trouble. In order to somehow get out of trouble, he allowed his tongue to tell a deliberate lie. Then their teeth couldn’t stand it – their patience ran out. They closed at once and painfully bit the lying liar.

The tongue turned purple from the blood that came out, and the boy cried from shame and pain.

From then on, the tongue behaves with caution and caution, and the boy thinks twice before uttering a word.

RAZOR

Before the razor had time to cross the threshold, the bright sun began to sparkle on the polished steel blade, and sunbeams jumped merrily along the walls of the houses. Blinded by this unprecedented spectacle, the razor was in such indescribable delight that it immediately became excessively proud.

“After such splendor, should I really go back to the barber?” exclaimed the razor. “No way in the world!” It would be sheer madness on my part to ruin my life by scraping the soapy cheeks and chins of uncouth louts. Is there a place for my delicate blade at the barber's? Not at all! I'll hide from him in a secluded place. Since then there has been no trace of her.

Months passed. Rainy autumn has arrived. Feeling bored alone, the fugitive decided to come out of her voluntary seclusion and get some fresh air. She carefully released the blade from the frame and looked around proudly.

But, oh horror! What happened? The blade, once tender, became rough, becoming like a rusty saw, and no longer reflected the sun's rays.

“Why did I succumb to temptation?” the razor cried bitterly. “How the kind barber cherished and cared for me!” How happy and proud he was of my work! And now, oh God, what happened to me: the blade became darkened, jagged and covered with disgusting rust. I am lost and there is no salvation for me!

FLAME

The insatiable flame consumed the fragile candle in an instant.

MOON AND OYSTER

The oyster was head over heels in love with the moon. As if spellbound, she spent hours looking with loving eyes at the night star.

One night, as soon as the moon had risen and the oyster, as usual, was staring at it with its mouth open, the crab picked up a pebble with its claw and, contrivingly, threw it inside the shell. The lover of moonlight tried to slam the doors of the mother-of-pearl dwelling, but it was too late - a thrown pebble prevented the poor thing.

A similar fate awaits everyone who does not know how to keep their innermost feelings secret. There will always be eyes and ears eager for other people's secrets.

SPIDER IN THE KEYHOLE

Having examined the entire house inside and out, the spider chose a place in the keyhole.

What a convenient and safe refuge! No one will be able to detect a spider here. And he, leaning out of his hiding place, will calmly observe everything that is happening, without exposing himself to any risk.

“I’ll put a web for flies at the stone threshold,” the satisfied spider began to reason. “On the steps of the stairs there will be another, stronger one, for fat caterpillars, and between the door wings I’ll set up a cunning trap for mosquitoes...”

The spider was beside himself with happiness and bright hopes. The keyhole, all lined with iron, seemed to him an impregnable fortress, and he had never seen a safer haven in his life.

While the spider indulged in dreams and made tempting plans for the future, he keen ear I heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Being cautious by nature, he immediately crawled into the depths of his shelter.

The owner, who returned home, jingled a bunch of keys, inserted one of them into the keyhole and... crushed the dreamer.

WATER

The water splashed merrily in its native sea element. But one day a crazy idea came into her head to reach the sky itself.

She turned to the fire for help. With his scorching flame, he turned the water into tiny droplets of warm steam, which turned out to be much lighter than air.

The steam immediately rushed upward, rising into the highest and coldest layers of air.

Finding themselves at a sky-high height, the droplets of steam became so numb that they could not touch a tooth from the cold. In order to somehow warm up, they pressed themselves closer to each other, but, having become much heavier than air, they immediately fell to the ground in the form of ordinary rain.

Sick with vanity, the water ascended to the sky, but was expelled from there. The thirsty earth swallowed up every drop of rain. And the water had to serve its punishment in the soil for a long time before it could return to the sea.

MOLE

The mole loved to wander through the cool underground passages that his parents and grandfathers dug and cleaned out. He climbed to the upper galleries and went down, where there were storerooms with food supplies for future use.

While exploring his possessions and wealth, he one day discovered an unfamiliar hole and decided to find out where it led.

“Stop!” a warning voice was heard. “This path is dangerous!”

But driven by curiosity, the mole crawled higher and higher, and finally, scattering the ground with its paws, he saw a blue, blue abyss opening up before him. But this was the last thing the poor man saw in his life. A bright ray of sun hit the slitted eyes and blinded the mole.

In the same way, a lie can live happily, only by burying itself in a shelter. As soon as she is born, she immediately dies, blinded by the truth.

CATERPILLAR

Sticking to the leaf, the caterpillar watched with interest as the insects sang, jumped, galloped, raced, flew... Everything around was in constant motion. And only she, the poor thing, was denied a voice and was not allowed to run or fly.

With great difficulty she could only crawl. And while the caterpillar clumsily moved from one leaf to another, it seemed to it that it was making a trip around the world.

And yet she did not complain about fate and did not envy anyone, realizing that everyone should mind their own business. So she, the caterpillar, had to learn how to weave thin silk threads in order to make a strong cocoon house from them.

Without further consideration, the caterpillar diligently set to work and by the required time was wrapped from head to toe in a warm cocoon.

“Everything has its turn!” she heard in response. “Have a little patience, and you’ll see.”

When the time came and she woke up, she was no longer the same clumsy caterpillar. Deftly freeing herself from the cocoon, she was surprised to notice that she had grown light wings, generously painted in bright colors. Having cheerfully waved them, she, like a fluff, fluttered from the leaf and flew, dissolving in the blue haze.

JUSTICE

There is no justice in the world!” the mouse squeaked pitifully, miraculously escaping from the claws of the weasel.

“How long will we endure lies!” the weasel shouted indignantly, barely having time to hide in a narrow hollow from the cat.

“There is no life from tyranny!” the cat meowed, jumping on high fence and looking warily at the yard dog scurrying below.

“Calm down, friends!” said the wise owl, sitting in a cage in the peasant’s yard. “There is some truth in your complaints about life.” But does justice rightfully belong to any one of you?

At these words, the mouse looked out of the hole, the weasel stuck its nose out of the hollow, the cat settled more comfortably on the fence, and the dog sat down on its hind legs.

“Justice,” the owl continued, “is the highest law of nature, according to which reasonable agreement is established between all those living on earth. All animals, birds, fish and even insects live according to this wise law. Look how friendly a swarm of bees lives and works.

The owl was indeed right. Anyone who has ever seen a hive knows that the queen bee reigns supreme there, disposing of everything and everyone with greatest mind and equitably distributing responsibilities among members of a large bee colony. Some bees' main concern is collecting nectar from flowers, while others work in honeycombs; some guard the hive, driving away annoying wasps and bumblebees, others take care of maintaining cleanliness. There are bees that must care for the queen without leaving her even a step. When the queen gets old, the strongest bees carefully carry her on themselves, and the most experienced and knowledgeable ones treat her with all sorts of medicines. And if even one bee violates its duty, inevitable punishment awaits it.

In nature, everything is wise and thought out, everyone should mind their own business, and in this wisdom lies the highest justice of life.

THE MOTH AND THE FLAME

Fluttering in the evening twilight and enjoying the coolness, the elegant moth suddenly noticed a flickering light in the distance. He immediately headed towards the illuminated place, and when he was nearby, he began to fly around the night light burning on the window, looking at it in surprise. How handsome this stranger is!

Having admired it enough, the moth decided to get closer to the bright light and play with it, as he usually played in the garden with flowers, swinging on their corollas, as if on a swing. Having flown a little to the side, he made a sharp turn and flew by, almost touching the yellow tongue of flame and as if inviting it to play.

But something painfully stabbed him and threw him up. Having sat down on the windowsill by the night light, the moth was amazed to discover that it had lost one leg and had scorched the edges of its wings.

“How could this happen?” the moth asked itself in bewilderment and could not find an answer. He could not allow such a wondrous, harmless light to cause him harm. Having recovered a little from the shock, the moth again spread its wings and fluttered.

Having made several circles over the burning night light, he calmly flew straight towards the flame, wanting to swing on it, but immediately fell into the oil that fed the insidious flame.

“How cruel you are,” said the moth, losing strength. “I hoped to find a friend in you, but I found destruction.” Too late I realized how angry and dangerous you are! My naivety cost me dearly...

“Poor moth!” the saddened nightlight answered him. “Is it my fault that I am not a flower, but a flame.” You didn't heed my warning and started playing with me.

LILY

On the green bank of the Ticino River, which flows through the fields and meadows of Lombardy, a beautiful lily grew. All the other wildflowers bowed respectfully, trying not to touch her splendor even with a shadow. And she, gracefully soaring up and swaying joyfully in the wind, tirelessly admired her own reflection in the water. Fascinated by the wondrous beauty, the waves decided to take possession of the flower.

Soon the whole river began to boil and foam with passion. The waves became more and more restless, driven by an irresistible desire. And the lily, splashed with spray, unapproachable and proud, continued to show off on its strong flexible stem. Then the waves began to hit the shore even harder, overwhelming and undermining it until it collapsed into the boiling abyss, dragging the lonely beauty with it.

WALNUT AND BELL TOWER

Having acquired a nut somewhere, a satisfied crow flew to the bell tower. Having made herself comfortable there and holding the prey with her paw, she began to furiously peck with her beak to get to the tasty grain. But either the blow was too strong, or the crow made a mistake, the nut suddenly slipped out of her paw, rolled down and disappeared into a crevice in the wall.

“Oh, kind intercessor wall!” the nut cried tearfully, still not recovering from the cruel blows of the crow’s beak. “Don’t let me die, have pity on me!” You are so strong and majestic, you have such a beautiful bell tower. Don't drive me away!

The bells hummed dully and disapprovingly, warning the wall not to trust the insidious nut, as it could prove dangerous to it.

– Don’t leave me, orphan, in trouble! - the nut continued to lament, trying to shout over the angry roar of the bells. - I should have already left my birth branch and fallen on damp earth, when suddenly the villainess appeared. Finding myself in the beak of a voracious crow, I made a vow to myself: if I managed to avoid death, I would spend the rest of my days quietly and calmly in some hole.

The nut's passionate speeches moved the old wall to tears. Despite the warning of the bells, she decided to show the nut hospitality and leave it in the crack where it had rolled.

However, over time, the nut recovered from the fright, got comfortable and took root, and they began to bite into the hospitable wall. Soon the first shoots emerged from the crevice. Together they stretched upward and gained strength. A little more time passed, and the young shoots of the hazel tree were already proudly towering above the bell tower itself.

The wall especially suffered from the roots. Tenacious and assertive, they grew ever larger, crushing and loosening the old masonry, and mercilessly pushing bricks and stones away.

Too late, the wall realized how insidious the unprepossessing, pathetic nut turned out to be with his vows to live quieter than water and lower than the grass. Now she had no choice but to reproach herself for her gullibility and bitterly regret that at one time she had not listened to the voice of the wise bells.

The hazel tree continued to grow with proud indifference, and the bell tower was increasingly destroyed.

FIRE AND BOILER

A barely noticeable ember was still smoldering in the warm ashes. With great care and prudence he spent last strength, so as not to completely fade away and suffocate in gray ashes.

It was time for dinner, and an armful of firewood and dry dead wood was thrown into the cooling stove. The completely extinguished ember came to life, and soon a tongue of flame rose among the firewood, on top of which a cast-iron pot with brew was suspended.

Relieved by the dry wood, the fire began to gradually flare up, expelling the stagnant air from the stove. Flirting with the logs and playfully jumping out from above and below, the fire became increasingly intense.

Persistently breaking through the logs, the flames threw out whole handfuls of sparks with a crash. The dark shadows that filled the kitchen danced merrily and ran to the corners, and the mischievous fire snorted mischievously and joyfully, trying to break through the stove barrier. Soon the stove began to hum and began to sing in every possible way, now whistling vigorously, now whining pitifully. The kitchen has become warmer and more spacious.

Seeing that the wood was already entirely in his power, the fire became obstinate and impudent. He was bursting with arrogance and arrogance, and he was already cramped in the oven.

The fire began to hiss and crackle threateningly and shower the entire firebox with sparks. Having directed the flames upward, he set out to reach the skies, but ended up... in the bottom of the pot, smoky with soot.

STOLEN EGG

Once a partridge, who had chosen a place on a cypress tree, looked in on her neighbor, who had settled on an olive tree, and, not finding her at home, stole an egg from her nest.

Time passed, and, as expected, chicks hatched in both nests. When the noisy and voracious offspring grew up and became stronger, a significant day arrived - the flight from the birth nest. The chicks living on the olive tree were the first to fly. After making several circles over the garden, they returned home. The turn has come for the chicks who lived on the cypress tree. Having completed the flight, happy and contented, they returned to their nest. And only one chick, hatched from a stolen egg, obeying an inner call, returned to dear mother who made a nest on an olive tree.

POPLAR

It is known that poplar grows faster than many trees. Its shoots stretch upward right before our eyes, outstripping all other plants in the area in growth. One day, a young poplar came up with the idea of getting a girlfriend in life. He chose the vine that he liked.

“What a strange whim!” his brothers dissuaded him. “With this beautiful vine you will suffer grief.” What do you need it for? Our job is to grow upward, and we are not given anything else. But the stubborn poplar insisted on its own. The ardent lover connected with the young vine and allowed her to hug him tightly, which he was incredibly happy about. Having received strong support, the vine began to quickly grow and bear fruit.

Seeing that the vine had taken root well, tenaciously twining around the trunk, the savvy peasant began to trim the poplar branches in the spring so that they would not pull the vine up with them, and it would be more convenient for him to collect bunches of ripe grapes in the fall.

Where has the former stateliness of the poplar gone? He rounded up, lost his former ardor and resigned himself to fate. It stands tall, with pruned branches, serving as a support for its fertile friend. And his brothers, having thrown up their thick crowns, rustle their leaves carefree.

ANT AND WHEAT GRAIN

The grains of wheat remaining on the field after the harvest were impatiently waiting for the rain to bury themselves deeper into the damp earth in anticipation of the coming cold weather. An ant running past noticed him. Delighted with the find, he, without hesitation, put the heavy prey on his back and crawled with difficulty to the anthill. In order to get to the house before dark, the ant crawls without stopping, and the luggage puts more and more pressure on its weary back.

- Why are you straining yourself? Leave me here!” the grain of wheat begged.

“If I leave you,” answered the ant, breathing heavily, “we will be left without food for the winter.” There are many of us, and everyone is obliged to earn a living in order to increase the reserves in the anthill. Then the grain thought and said:

“I understand your concerns as an honest worker, but you also need to understand my situation.” Listen to me carefully, smart ant!

Satisfied that he could catch his breath a little, the ant threw the heavy burden off his back and sat down to rest.

“So know,” said the grain, “there is a great life-giving power within me, and my purpose is to give birth to new life.”

Let's make an amicable agreement with you. - What kind of agreement is this?

- Here's what it is. If you don’t drag me into the anthill and leave me here in my native field,” the grain explained, “then in exactly a year I will reward you.” The surprised ant shook his head in disbelief. “Believe me, dear ant, I’m telling the absolute truth!” If you give up on me now and wait, then later I will reward your patience a hundredfold and your anthill will not be at a loss. In exchange for one you will receive one hundred of the same grains.

The ant thought, scratching the back of his head: “One hundred grains in exchange for one. Yes, such miracles only happen in fairy tales.”

“How will you do this?” he asked, bursting with curiosity, but still not believing.

“Rely on me!” answered the grain. “This is great secret life. Now dig a small hole, bury me, and come back again in the summer.

At the agreed time, the ant returned to the field. The grain of wheat kept its promise.

BEE AND DRONES

- There is no authority over you, you slackers! – the worker bee somehow couldn’t stand it, trying to reason with the drones flying around the hive in vain. “You just shouldn’t work.” Shame on you! Everywhere you look, everyone is working, stocking up for future use. Take, for example, a tiny ant. Small, but smart. He works hard all summer, trying not to miss a single day. After all, winter is just around the corner.

– I found someone to use as an example! - snapped one of the drones, who was bored with the bee's instructions. - Yes, your vaunted ant destroys the seeds of every harvest. This little thief drags every little thing into his anthill.

Don’t feed the slacker bread, but let him reason, and you won’t deny him the ability to denigrate others. He is always ready to find an excuse for his own worthlessness.

CEDAR

A cedar grew in one garden. Every year he matured and became taller and more handsome. Its lush crown is a regal shade. But the more he grew and stretched upward, the more exorbitant arrogance grew in him. Looking down on everyone with contempt, he once shouted imperiously:

“Take away this pathetic hazel tree!” And the tree was cut down at the root.

- Free me from the proximity of the obnoxious fig tree! She bothers me with her stupid appearance,” the capricious cedar ordered another time, “and the fig tree suffered the same fate.

Satisfied with himself, proudly swaying his branches, the arrogant handsome man did not let up:

“Clear the area around me from old pear and apple trees!” And the trees were used for firewood.

So the restless cedar ordered to destroy all the trees one by one, becoming the sovereign master in the garden, from whose former beauty only stumps remained.

But one day a strong hurricane struck. The arrogant cedar resisted him with all its might, holding tightly to the ground with its powerful roots. And the wind, not meeting any other trees on its way, freely pounced on the lonely standing handsome man, mercilessly breaking, crushing and bending him down. Finally, the tormented cedar could not withstand the furious blows, cracked and fell to the ground.

GOLDFINCH

Holding the worm in its beak, the goldfinch flew up to its nest, but there were no chicks inside. While he was hunting, the attackers stole them.

Screaming and crying, the goldfinch began to look for the missing chicks. The whole forest resounded with his plaintive moans and calls, but no answer came.

The next morning, the unfortunate parent met a finch, who told him that yesterday he had seen goldfinches in a peasant house.

Beside himself with joy, the goldfinch flew at full speed towards the village and soon found himself at the house to which the kind finch had pointed.

The goldfinch sat on the ridge of the roof, looked around, but saw no one. He flew to the threshing floor - and there was not a soul there. When the poor father raised his head up, he noticed a cage hanging outside the window. His goldfinches captives were sitting in it. The goldfinch rushed towards them.

Seeing their father, the chicks began to chirp pitifully in chorus, begging him to quickly rescue them from captivity. Using its paws and beak, the goldfinch made desperate efforts to push apart the iron bars of the cage. But all his efforts were in vain. Then, crying loudly, he flew away.

The next day, the goldfinch, distraught with grief, reappeared at the cage where the unfortunate goldfinches were languishing. He looked at them with tenderness for a long time, and then quietly pecked each chick into his gaping mouth.

The parent brought poisonous grass in his beak, and all the goldfinches stretched out their paws at once...

“It’s better to die than to suffer in captivity,” the proud goldfinch said sadly and flew off into the forest.

LOUNCH AND LIZARD

A luxuriantly grown loach lifted up its delicate emerald foliage, sparkling in the sun. Admiring his own beauty, he became so proud that he could hardly stand the proximity of other plants. What especially annoyed him with its equanimity was the old, withered trunk that stood nearby.

“Listen, old man!” the loach turned to him one day. “Why are you sticking out under my feet?” It's time to know the honor. Get out of my sight!

The old trunk pretended not to hear the rude man and remained silent, thinking about his own things. Then the restless loach turned to the thorn bush, whose dense thickets stood around like a solid wall.

- Hey, what about you, blackthorn! Life, brother, is gone from your nasty thorns - it dazzles your eyes. Don't you realize that with your branches you will obscure my light? Turn them aside!

But the thorn tree, busy with its own business, did not even consider it necessary to respond to such words, letting them fall on deaf ears.

The old lizard, basking in the sun, could not stand it and said reproachfully:

- How stupid you are, braggart loach, how I look at you! After all, thanks to the old trunk, you grow straight and stretch upward,

clinging to him. Don’t you realize that if it weren’t for the thorny thickets of thorns, you, little little thing, would have been trampled by uninvited guests long ago?

The indignant loach wanted to object, but the lizard did not allow him to open his mouth.

- My eyes would not look at you! Instead of puffing up and reaching up in vain, it would be better to gain some sense from the neighbors.

STONE AND ROAD

Once upon a time there was a great man in the world beautiful stone. The stream flowing past polished its sides to a shine, which sparkled in the sun. But over time, the stream dried up, and the stone continued to lie on the hillock. All around him there was ample space for tall grasses and bright wildflowers.

From above, the stone could clearly see the paved road running below, along the side of which pebbles and cobblestones were piled up.

Left alone without the usual murmur of a cheerful stream, the stone increasingly began to look longingly down at the road, where activity always reigned. One day he felt so sad that he could not stand it and exclaimed:

- I can’t live forever alone! What good are herbs and flowers? It makes more sense to live side by side with my brothers on the road, where life is in full swing.

Having said this, he moved from his habitual place and rolled headlong downwards until he found himself on the road among stones just like him.

Who hasn’t walked or driven along the road! And the wheels of carts with iron rims, and the hooves of horses, cows, sheep, goats, and smart boots with jackboots, and strong peasant shoes lined with nails.

The stone ended up in the crush of the road, where it was roughly thrown aside, trampled, crushed, doused with streams of mud, and sometimes it was stained up to its ears with cow dung.

Where did it go? former beauty! Now he sadly looked up at the hillock where he once lay peacefully among fragrant flowers and herbs. He had no choice but to vainly dream of regaining his lost peace. It’s not for nothing that they say: “What we have, we don’t keep; when we lose, we cry.”

Likewise, people sometimes thoughtlessly leave remote rural corners, rushing to noisy, crowded cities, where they immediately find themselves at the mercy of vanity, unquenchable thirst and endless difficulties and worries.

HAZEL

In the large garden behind the fence, fruit trees grew in good harmony and peace. In the spring they were drowned in a milky pink boil, and by the end of summer they were bending under the weight of ripe fruits.

By chance, a hazel tree found its way into this friendly working family, which soon grew wildly and began to think of itself.

“Why should I hang around in the garden behind the fence?” he grumbled dissatisfied. “I’m not at all going to live here as a recluse.” Let my branches spread over the fence into the street so that the whole neighborhood knows what wonderful nuts I have!

And the hazel tree began to persistently climb the high fence in order to appear in all its glory before passers-by.

When the time came and its branches were completely strewn with nuts, everyone who was not too lazy began to pick them off. And if the hands couldn’t reach it, sticks and stones were used.

Soon, the beaten and broken hazel tree lost not only its fruits, but also its leaves. Its crippled branches hung lifelessly over the fence like whips, and in the dense greenery of the garden there were apples, pears, and peaches filled with juice...

CREEK

One frivolous stream forgot that it owed its birth to rain. Once, after a heavy downpour, it swelled so excessively that, having lost its modesty, it set out to become a full-flowing river.