Read the 7 Underground Kings fairy tale. Read for free the book Seven Underground Kings - Alexander Wolves

A brief summary of a work often helps to understand the meaning and meaning of a work. “Seven Underground Kings” is a fairy-tale story by the famous Soviet writer A. Volkov, which was published in 1964. This is the last work of the author, which has references and parallels with the famous works of the American storyteller F. Baum. The book in question is the third about the adventures of the girl Ellie and her faithful friends in the Magic Land.

Background

A short description of the introduction to the work should include its summary. “Seven Underground Kings” is a fairy tale that contains a detailed narrative of how the Magic Land came into being. The author reports that its founder was the wise wizard Gurricap, who decided to create an ideal place where goodness would always reign. To protect the inhabitants from external evil, he fenced his state with high mountains and forests, through which no one could get into the country, where everyone lived in harmony with nature, and animals and birds could talk. A short description of this character should include a brief summary. "Seven Underground Kings" is a work that paints a wide panorama of the scene where many different creatures exist. The wizard Gurricap, as imagined by the author, is one of the wisest and fairest rulers.

Introduction

Further, the work actually tells about the underground kingdom itself, which was initially ruled by Prince Bofaro. He was imprisoned along with his followers underground for trying to overthrow his father from the throne. He had seven sons, and, not wanting to offend anyone, he divided the inheritance equally between them. The description of underground life in the book must necessarily include a brief summary. "Seven Underground Kings" is a fairy tale, which, however, reflects the realities of some political systems. For example, it describes the civil strife that began between the heirs over power. However, a solution was soon found: the residents found soporific water and, during the reign of one of the kings, they put the rest to sleep until it was the next one’s turn. However, due to the negligence of the traitor from the Emerald City, Ruf Bilan, the water pool broke, and political strife began again in the country, as all the kings began to rule at the same time.

The beginning

The summary of the book “Seven Underground Kings” should be continued with a description of Ellie’s new adventure, who this time goes for a walk with her brother Fred. The children accidentally got lost in a cave and ended up in an underground country, whose king demanded that she return the water. The fact is that Ruf Bilan inspired everyone that the girl is a powerful sorceress. However, the children, with the help of the local chronicler Arrigo, who sympathizes with them, and the faithful dog Totoshka, ask the Scarecrow, the Woodcutter and the Lion for help. The latter are ready to start a war against the country and demand the release of Ellie and her friends.

Climax

Children of primary school age can be asked to write an essay on the topic: “Volkov. "Seven Underground Kings" A summary of this book will help students understand the plot. War, however, was averted. A project was proposed to reconstruct a swimming pool with soporific water using a special pump. The plan was implemented, but this led to new troubles. The fact is that now each of the rulers wanted to appropriate the pool for themselves and thereby usurp power. However, the wise Scarecrow managed to thwart their plans. He proposed to put everyone to sleep, and after they awakened, to make them simple workers and thereby save the residents from the inconveniences associated with the difference in power. At the same time, it was decided to put Ruf Bilan to sleep for ten years, whom no one trusted because of his intrigues.

Conclusion

The story “Seven Underground Kings,” a brief summary of which is presented in this review, ends on a sad but very touching note. Ellie, along with Fred and Toto, is preparing to return home, but she feels that this was her last trip to the Magic Land. Therefore, the scene of farewell to friends was written by the author with special tenderness and love. The work ends with the heroes returning home, where they were taken by a tame dragon.

The Scarecrow and everyone else welcomed Fred with open arms when they found out who he was. And the boy looked at the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman with great amazement: after all, only in the Magic Land could such extraordinary creatures exist.

Just two months ago, in Iowa, listening to Ellie's story, he could not shake off his disbelief - and here you are! - he shakes the soft, powerless hand of the Scarecrow and the hard iron hand of the Woodcutter. The Scarecrow, talking to him, importantly shakes her thoughtful, bran-filled head, and the Woodcutter’s rag heart beats in his iron chest...

And the crow Kaggi-Karr, sitting on the back of the throne, sparkles with intelligent black eyes and very clearly, with only a little burr, asks him about Ellie’s health... The boy kept thinking that he was sleeping and was about to wake up, but it was reality, he stood in the throne room of the palace built by Goodwin and decorated with countless emeralds, and he had green glasses on his eyes. But then Fred Canning remembered Ellie's instructions.

“You don’t even understand,” Fred said hotly, “what a huge danger you are running into!” If only you could see the Six-Legged Ones! One such beast can tear apart twenty people, and there are hundreds of them there! And these dragons with their huge toothy mouth and clawed paws! How to protect yourself from such a monster when it whistles and flies down from above, its yellow belly sparkling! And on them are horsemen with spears and bows!..

Fred spoke long and eloquently and was pleased to see that his listeners were beginning to understand the madness of his idea.

Now, if the underground kings brought their army up, it would be a different matter,” the boy continued, “but they won’t do that.” And below, in the eternal twilight, to which the eyes of the upper inhabitants are not accustomed, the inhabitants of the Cave have all the advantages.

Then it's decided! - The Scarecrow shook his head. - There will be no war!

And everyone else agreed with his decision.

But how to help Ellie out? - the Tin Woodman asked sadly and almost cried, but came to his senses in time. Then small, quiet Lestar, an outstanding mechanic from the country of Migunov, spoke up.

As far as I know, the underground kings would release Lady Ellie if she restored the Sacred Spring? - he asked.

“Exactly,” Fred confirmed. - But Ellie can’t do this, she’s not a sorceress, really! Yes, this is for the best, otherwise she wouldn’t have turned her nose up so much!

And here, maybe, there’s no need for magic,” Lestar smiled slyly. - Tell me, young man, do you know what a water pump is? Fred's face turned purple with indignation.

“On our farm, every boy uses it ten times a day,” he muttered angrily. But Lestar, not embarrassed, continued to ask: - And down there, in the Cave, did you see the pumps?

Fred thought.

I don't think so. They have water wheels. They are installed in the lake, Six-Paws are planted in them, and when they run around there, the water is taken up by scoops, poured into gutters, and it flows into the city.

So, so, great! - the mechanic beamed.

Why all these questions, friend Lestar? - Dean Gior was surprised.

You see,” said the old man, “I have one idea.” I think we can free Mrs. Ellie without a beating. Only for this we need to return the wonderful water to the kings, and we will try to do this.

Shouts of admiration shook the throne room. Everyone praised Lestar, and he smiled modestly.

There is no need to rejoice ahead of time, said the master. - If this water of theirs has not gone too deep, we will pump it out. Only I have to prepare long drills to drill through the rock, and, of course, a good suction pump. Lestar went to the country of the Winks because only there could such things be done. And Kaggi-Karr flew to inform Lev that the war was canceled and that he should disband his hordes.

STRANGE EMBASSY

The guards guarding the Trade Gate heard a loud knock. The chief of guard looked out the window. He saw a strange sight. A dozen wooden people stood in a circle in front of the gate, and they were cheerfully beating each other on the backs with their huge fists. The noise could wake the dead.

Why are you doing it? - asked the amazed warrior.

And so that you can hear! - You could have knocked on the gate. “Well, you already have a gate,” the wooden man remarked disdainfully. - They themselves would scold us if they fell apart!

Who are you and what do you want here?

We are blockheads and brought a message from the ruler of the Emerald City, Scarecrow the Wise, to your kings.

After consulting, the warriors decided that there was probably no catch here: it was unlikely that ten wooden people would be able to capture an entire state. And if they came to scout, let them look. Having seen the Six-Legs and the dragons, they, of course, will not dare to start a war. They let the envoys through, gave them a guide, and the blockheads tramped together along the hard road. The wooden people were received in the throne room, where all the kings and their ministers gathered. Ellie was also brought there.

Since Mentaho reigned this month, he took the letter and began to read it.

“We, the Wise Scarecrow, ruler of the Emerald City, the Tin Woodman, ruler of the Violet Country, and the Brave Lion, king of beasts, send our heartfelt greetings to our fellow underground kings...” Mentaho interrupted his reading and said:

We thank our upper brethren for their greetings and answer them in kind. Please pass this on!

The idiots grinned stupidly. Mentaho continued reading:

“We are sadly amazed that you, the rulers of the Underground Kingdom, without any right, are detaining the fairy Ellie, who was accidentally brought to you by fate and dear to our hearts. But, taking into account that you are guided by important reasons, namely the desire to return the Sleeping Water and restore the order established over centuries in your country, we abandon our intention to declare war on you and propose to resolve the matter peacefully...(This is a very prudent proposal, Mentaho noted in parentheses.) We, the inhabitants of the upper world, are the heirs of the Great Goodwin, and many of his secret knowledge have been passed on to us. We think that if Ellie alone could not disenchant the wonderful source, then in collaboration with us she will succeed.”

The reader was interrupted by a storm of applause.

Ellie stood timid and embarrassed. “What are they expecting? - she thought. - This is a huge misconception on the part of the Scarecrow. They won’t do anything, and we’ll all remain prisoners here.”

ELLIE MEETS FRIENDS AGAIN

Twelve days passed, and a warrior who flew on a dragon from the Trade Gate announced that the rulers of the Magic Land entered the Cave with a large retinue. Immediately, messengers ran and flew throughout the country with the order: “The entire population is to take part in the solemn meeting of the distinguished guests. Stop all work in the fields and factories, except for metal smelting in foundries.

Residents in festive clothes gather along the road leading to the city from the Trade Gate. The six-legged animals should be driven into stalls and tied tightly so that one of them does not break out and cause a commotion. The guards on the dragons should perform laps of honor above the procession, but not go too low.” A cheerful hubbub began everywhere. People put on their best clothes

and the cleanest caps joyfully hurried to meet the generous newcomers from the upper world. The City of the Seven Lords is deserted. There were only cripples and decrepit old people left there. Kings, ministers, and courtiers in lush robes of all colors of the rainbow walked towards the guests in an orderly column to the sound of an orchestra and the thunder of drums. At the head of this column was Ellie with Toto in her arms. Thousands of spectators stretched for miles on both sides of the road. They waved their arms, hats, cheerfully shouted greetings...

And then the guests appeared. Six blockheads walked in step ahead (they still had a soldier's bearing!) The first of them was holding a bouquet of flowers. Then four of them carried the stretcher, on which the Scarecrow sat importantly, bowing favorably to right and left. The stretcher was followed by thirty beautiful young men and women, students of a dance school, with huge bouquets of flowers in their hands. They were in charge of the dance teacher Lan Pirot, a former general. He struck irresistibly graceful poses and danced from time to time, much to the delight of the audience. Then the Lion walked majestically with Fred Canning on his back. The boy was unusually proud and would not give up his place for any good in the world. Which of the guys he knew had to take part in such an amazing procession and ride on a Lion? There will be stories in Iowa!

And they probably won’t believe him either, just as he didn’t believe Ellie. The Tin Woodman, newly polished and oiled, with a shiny gold oil can at his belt, carried a shiny gold ax on his shoulder. On the Woodcutter's head sat the crow Kaggi-Karr wearing beautiful gold bracelets on her paws. In a word, each of our heroes, going to the underworld, dressed up as best they could.

Next, holding hands, Din Gior, Faramant and Lestar walked in a row. Din Gior's beard, braided into strands and descending to the very ground, made a huge impression on the inhabitants of the Cave. Several dozen Munchkins were carrying new gifts: bales of clothes and shoes, baskets of toys, pushing strollers. Their blue pointed hats swayed evenly to the rhythm of their walking, and the bells suspended beneath them rang melodiously. The procession was closed by blockheads loaded with levers, wheels, drills, pipes...

Masters from the Violet Country kept order among them. This whole procession made an indelible impression on the inhabitants of the Cave: it was some kind of bright, shining vision from the upper world, as if taking with it into the dungeon the shine of the sun's rays, the transparency of the air, the blue of the sky... When two solemn processions met and the tall, majestic king Mentaho raised his hand and prepared to make a solemn speech, Ellie violated the whole. ceremonial Squealing with delight, she ran out of the ranks and rushed headlong towards the Scarecrow's stretcher. The blockheads instantly formed a staircase, and the girl found herself in the arms of her good old friend. She stroked his sweet painted face, kissed his cheeks, and the Scarecrow exclaimed in delight:

Hey-hey-hey-go! I'm back again with Ellie! Hey-hey-hey-hey-go!..

However, he soon came to his senses and fearfully covered his mouth with his hand: a noble person was not supposed to behave so frivolously. And then the Tin Woodman, Fred Canning, Brave Lion, Dean Gior, Faramant arrived at the stretcher... A cheerful commotion began. Ellie and Totoshka passed from hand to hand, and King Mentaho realized with bitterness that he would not have to show off his oratory skills. He quickly said a few polite phrases and received return greetings from the Scarecrow, the Woodcutter and the Lion - the ruling persons of his country. Then everyone mixed up and poured into the City of Seven Lords in a cheerful crowd.

Ellie rode on the back of the Lion, and Fred walked next to her and talked about his adventures from the moment when he came out of the sleepy palace at night, in disguise. But he was constantly interrupted by the Woodcutter, who invited Ellie to listen to how hard his heart had been beating from the moment he saw her. From time to time Leo turned his head and inserted a few words about how he gathered and then disbanded a mighty army, and Kaggi-Karr quarreled with Totoshka over who should sit in Ellie’s arms, and there was a terrible turmoil, and that’s all were very pleased...

Seven Underground Kings
Alexander Melentyevich Volkov

Emerald City #3
The fairy tale “Seven Underground Kings” continues the story of the adventures of the girl Ellie and her friends in the Magic Land. This time, friends find themselves in the kingdom of underground miners and become participants in new amazing adventures.

Alexander Volkov

Seven Underground Kings

Introduction

How did the magical land appear?

In an old time, so long ago that no one knows when it was, there lived a mighty wizard, Gurricap. He lived in a country that much later was called America, and no one in the world could compare with Gurricap in the ability to work miracles. At first he was very proud of this and willingly fulfilled the requests of the people who came to him: he gave one a bow that could shoot without missing, he endowed another with such speed of running that he overtook a deer, and he gave the third invulnerability from animal fangs and claws.

This went on for many years, but then Gurricap got bored with people’s requests and gratitude, and he decided to settle in solitude, where no one would disturb him.

The wizard wandered for a long time around the continent, which did not yet have a name, and finally found a suitable place. It was an amazingly lovely country with dense forests, clear rivers irrigating green meadows, and wonderful fruit trees.

- That's what I need! – Gurricup was delighted. “Here I will live out my old age in peace.” We just need to make sure that people don’t come here.

It cost nothing to such a powerful sorcerer like Gurricap.

Once! – and the country was surrounded by a ring of inaccessible mountains.

Two! - behind the mountains lay the Great Sandy Desert, through which not a single person could pass.

Gurricup thought about what he still lacked.

– Let eternal summer reign here! - the wizard ordered, and his wish came true. – Let this country be Magical, and let all the animals and birds speak like humans here! - Gurricup exclaimed.

And immediately incessant chatter thundered everywhere: monkeys and bears, lions and tigers, sparrows and crows, woodpeckers and tits spoke. They all got bored over the long years of silence and were in a hurry to express their thoughts, feelings, desires to each other...

- Quiet! - the wizard ordered angrily, and the voices fell silent. “Now my quiet life without annoying people will begin,” said a satisfied Gurricap.

– You are mistaken, mighty wizard! – a voice rang out near Gurricup’s ear, and a lively magpie sat down on his shoulder. – Excuse me, please, but people live here, and there are a lot of them.

- Can't be! - cried the annoyed wizard. - Why didn’t I see them?

– You are very big, and in our country people are very small! – the magpie explained laughing and flew away.

And indeed: Gurricap was so large that his head was level with the tops of the tallest trees. His vision weakened with old age, and even the most skilled wizards did not know about glasses in those days.

Gurricap chose a vast clearing, lay down on the ground and fixed his gaze on the thicket of the forest. And there he could hardly make out many small figures timidly hiding behind the trees.

- Well, come here, little people! – the wizard ordered menacingly, and his voice sounded like a clap of thunder.

The little people came out onto the lawn and timidly looked at the giant.

- Who you are? – the wizard asked sternly.

“We are residents of this country, and we are not to blame for anything,” the people answered, trembling.

“I don’t blame you,” Gurricup said. “I should have looked carefully when choosing a place to live.” But what's done is done, I won't change anything back. Let this country remain Magical forever and ever, and I will choose a more secluded corner for myself...

Gurricap went to the mountains, in an instant erected a magnificent palace for himself and settled there, strictly ordering the inhabitants of the Magic Land not to even come close to his home.

This order was carried out for centuries, and then the wizard died, the palace fell into disrepair and gradually fell apart, but even then everyone was afraid to approach that place.

Then the memory of Gurricup was forgotten. The people who inhabited the country, cut off from the world, began to think that it had always been like this, that it was always surrounded by the World Mountains, that there was always a constant summer in it, that animals and birds always spoke humanly there...

Part one

A thousand years ago

The population of the Magic Land kept increasing, and the time came when several states were formed in it. In states, as usual, kings appeared, and under the kings, courtiers and numerous servants. Then the kings started armies, began to quarrel with each other over border possessions and started wars.

In one of the states, in the western part of the country, King Naranya reigned a thousand years ago. He ruled for so long that his son Bofaro got tired of waiting for his father to die, and he decided to overthrow him from the throne. With tempting promises, Prince Bofaro attracted several thousand supporters to his side, but they did not manage to do anything. The conspiracy was discovered. Prince Bofaro was brought to his father's trial. He sat on a high throne, surrounded by courtiers, and looked menacingly at the pale face of the rebel.

“Will you admit, my unworthy son, that you plotted against me?” - asked the king.

“I confess,” the prince answered boldly, without lowering his eyes in front of his father’s stern gaze.

“Perhaps you wanted to kill me in order to seize the throne?” – Naranya continued.

“No,” said Bofaro, “I didn’t want that.” Your fate would have been life imprisonment.

“Fate decided otherwise,” the king noted. “What you prepared for me will befall you and your followers.” Do you know the Cave?

The prince shuddered. Of course, he knew about the existence of a huge dungeon located deep below their kingdom. It happened that people looked in there, but after standing for several minutes at the entrance, seeing strange shadows of unprecedented animals on the ground and in the air, they returned in fear. It seemed impossible to live there.

– You and your supporters will go to the Cave for eternal settlement! – the king solemnly proclaimed, and even Bofaro’s enemies were horrified. - But this is not enough! Not only you, but also your children and your children’s children - no one will return to the earth, to the blue sky and the bright sun. My heirs will take care of this, I will take an oath from them that they will sacredly carry out my will. Maybe you want to object?

“No,” said Bofaro, as proud and unyielding as Naranya. “I deserve this punishment for daring to raise my hand against my father.” I will ask only one thing: let them give us agricultural tools.

“You will receive them,” said the king. “And you will even be provided with weapons so that you can defend yourself from the predators that inhabit the Cave.”

Sad columns of exiles, accompanied by weeping wives and children, went underground. The exit was guarded by a large detachment of soldiers, and not a single rebel could return back.

Bofaro and his wife and his two sons descended into the Cave first. An amazing Underground country opened up to their eyes. It stretched as far as the eye could see, and on its flat surface here and there rose low hills covered with forest. In the middle of the Cave the surface of a large round lake brightened.

It seemed that autumn reigned on the hills and meadows of the Underground Country. The foliage on the trees and bushes was crimson, pink, orange, and the meadow grasses turned yellow, as if asking for a mower’s scythe. It was dark in the Underground Country. Only the golden clouds swirling under the arch provided a little light.

- And this is where we should live? – Bofaro’s wife asked in horror.

“Such is our fate,” the prince answered gloomily.

The exiles walked for a long time until they reached the lake. Its banks were strewn with stones. Bofaro climbed onto a large piece of rock and raised his hand to indicate that he wanted to speak. Everyone froze in silence.

- My friends! - Bofaro began. - I am very sorry for you. My ambition got you into trouble and threw you under these dark arches. But you cannot undo the past, and life is better than death. We face a fierce struggle for existence, and we must elect a leader to lead us.

Loud cries rang out:

-You are our leader!

- We choose you, prince!

– You are a descendant of kings, it’s up to you to rule, Bofaro!

– Listen to me, people! - he spoke. “We deserve a rest, but we can’t rest yet.” As we walked through the Cave, I saw vague shadows of large animals watching us from afar.

- And we saw them! – others confirmed.

- Then let's get to work! Let the women put the children to bed and look after them, and let all the men build a fortification!

And Bofaro, setting an example, was the first to roll the stone towards a large circle drawn on the ground. Forgetting about fatigue, people carried and rolled stones, and the round wall rose higher and higher.

Several hours passed, and the wall, wide, strong, was erected two human heights high.

“I think that’s enough for now,” said the king. “Then we will build a city here.”

Bofaro placed several men with bows and spears on guard, and all the other exiles, exhausted, went to bed in the alarming light of the golden clouds. Their sleep did not last long.

- Danger! Get up everyone! – the guards shouted.

Frightened people climbed onto the stone steps made on the inside of the fortification and saw that several dozen strange animals were approaching their shelter.

- Six-legged! These monsters have six legs! - exclamations rang out.

And indeed, instead of four, the animals had six thick round paws that supported long round bodies. Their fur was dirty white, thick and shaggy. The six-legged creatures stared, as if spellbound, at the unexpectedly appeared fortress with large round eyes...

- What monsters! It’s good that we are protected by the wall,” people were talking.

The archers took up fighting positions. The animals approached, sniffing, peering, shaking their large heads with short ears with displeasure. Soon they came within shooting distance. Bowstrings rang, arrows whirred through the air and lodged in the shaggy fur of the animals. But they could not penetrate their thick skin, and the Six-Legs continued to approach, growling dully. Like all the animals of the Magic Land, they knew how to speak, but they spoke poorly, their tongues were too thick, and they could hardly move in their mouths.

- Don't waste arrows! - Bofaro ordered. – Prepare swords and spears! Women with children - to the middle of the fortification!

But the animals did not dare to attack. They surrounded the fortress with a ring and did not take their eyes off it. It was a real siege.

And then Bofaro realized his mistake. Unfamiliar with the customs of the inhabitants of the dungeon, he did not order water to be stocked, and now, if the siege was long, the defenders of the fortress were in danger of dying from thirst.

The lake was not far away - just a few dozen steps, but how could you get there through a chain of enemies, agile and fast, despite the apparent clumsiness?..

Several hours passed. The children were the first to ask for a drink. It was in vain that their mothers reassured them. Bofaro was already preparing to make a desperate sortie.

Suddenly there was a noise in the air, and the besieged saw a flock of amazing creatures quickly approaching in the sky. They were a little reminiscent of the crocodiles that lived in the rivers of Fairyland, but they were much larger. These new monsters flapped huge leathery wings, strong clawed feet dangled under a dirty yellow scaly belly.

- We are dead! - the exiles shouted. - These are dragons! Not even a wall can save you from these flying creatures...

People covered their heads with their hands, expecting that terrible claws were about to plunge into them. But something unexpected happened. A flock of dragons rushed towards the Six-Legs with a squeal. They aimed at the eyes, and the animals, apparently accustomed to such attacks, tried to bury their muzzles in their chests and waved their front paws in front of them, standing up on their hind legs.

The screech of the dragons and the roar of the Six-Legged Ones deafened the people, but they looked with greedy curiosity at the unprecedented spectacle. Some of the Sixpaws curled up into a ball, and the dragons bit them furiously, tearing out huge clumps of white fur. One of the dragons, carelessly exposing its side to the blow of a powerful paw, could not take off and clumsily galloped along the sand...

Finally, the Six-Legs scattered, pursued by flying lizards. The women, grabbing jugs, ran to the lake, rushing to give water to the crying children.

Much later, when people settled down in the Cave, they learned the reason for the enmity between the Six-Legs and the dragons. The lizards laid eggs, burying them in warm ground in secluded places, and for the animals these eggs were the best delicacy; they dug them up and devoured them. Therefore, the dragons attacked the Six-Legged Ones wherever they could. However, the lizards were not without sin: they killed young animals if they came across them without the protection of their parents.

So the enmity between animals and lizards saved people from death.

Morning of a new life

Years have passed. The exiles are accustomed to living underground. On the shores of the Middle Lake they built a city and surrounded it with a stone wall. To feed themselves, they began to plow the land and sow grain. The cave lay so deep that the soil in it was warm, warmed by underground heat. There were occasional showers of golden clouds. And therefore the wheat still ripened there, although more slowly than above. But it was very difficult for people to carry heavy plows on themselves, plowing up the hard rocky ground.

And one day the elderly hunter Karum came to King Bofaro.

“Your Majesty,” he said, “the plowmen will soon begin to die from overwork.” And I propose to harness the Six-Legs to the plows.

The king was amazed.

- Yes, they will kill the drivers!

“I can tame them,” Karum assured. “Up there, I had to deal with the most terrible predators.” And I always managed.

- Well, act! – Bofaro agreed. -You probably need help?

“Yes,” said the hunter. – But, besides people, I will involve dragons in this matter.

The king was surprised again, and Karum calmly explained:

– You see, we humans are weaker than both the Six-Legged and the flying lizards, but we have intelligence, which these animals lack. I will tame the Six-Legs with the help of dragons, and the Six-Legs will help me keep the dragons in subjection.

Alexander Volkov

SEVEN UNDERGROUND KINGS

Fairy Tale

INTRODUCTION

HOW THE MAGICAL COUNTRY APPEARED

This went on for many years, but then Gurricap got bored with people’s requests and gratitude, and he decided to settle in solitude, where no one would disturb him.

That's what I need! - Gurricup was happy. “Here I will live out my old age in peace.” We just need to make sure that people don’t come here.

It cost nothing to such a powerful sorcerer like Gurricap. Once! - and the country was surrounded by a ring of inaccessible mountains. Two! - behind the mountains lay the Great Sandy Desert, through which not a single person could pass.

Gurricup thought about what he still lacked.

Let eternal summer reign here! - the wizard ordered, and his wish came true. - Let this country be Magical, and let all the animals and birds speak like humans here! - Gurricup exclaimed.

Quiet! - the wizard ordered angrily, and the voices fell silent. “Now my quiet life without annoying people will begin,” said a satisfied Gurricap.

You are mistaken, mighty wizard! - a voice rang out near Gurricup’s ear, and a lively magpie sat down on his shoulder. - Excuse me, please, but people live here, and there are quite a few of them.

Can't be! - cried the annoyed wizard. - Why didn’t I see them?

You are very big, and in our country people are very small! - the magpie explained laughing and flew away.

Gurricap chose a vast clearing, lay down on the ground and fixed his gaze on the thicket of the forest. And there he could hardly make out many small figures timidly hiding behind the trees.

Well, come here, little people! - the wizard ordered menacingly, and his voice sounded like a clap of thunder.

The little people came out onto the lawn and timidly looked at the giant.

Who you are? - the wizard asked sternly.

“We are residents of this country, and we are not to blame for anything,” the people answered, trembling.

“I don’t blame you,” Gurricup said. - I had to look carefully when choosing a place to live. But what's done is done, I won't change anything back. Let this country remain Magical forever and ever, and I will choose a more secluded corner for myself...

Gurricap went to the mountains, in an instant erected a magnificent palace for himself and settled there, strictly ordering the inhabitants of the Magic Land not to even come close to his home.

This order was carried out for centuries, and then the wizard died, the palace fell into disrepair and gradually fell apart, but even then everyone was afraid to approach that place.

A THOUSAND YEARS AGO

Will you admit, my unworthy son, that you plotted against me? - asked the king.

“I confess,” the prince answered boldly, without lowering his eyes in front of his father’s stern gaze.

Maybe you wanted to kill me to take over the throne? - Naranya continued.

No,” said Bofaro, “I didn’t want that.” Your fate would have been life imprisonment.

“Fate decided otherwise,” the king noted. - What you prepared for me will befall you and your followers. Do you know the Cave?

You and your supporters will go to the Cave for eternal settlement! - the king solemnly exclaimed, and even Bofaro’s enemies were horrified. - But this is not enough! Not only you, but also your children and your children's children - no one will return to the earth, to the blue sky and the bright sun. My heirs will take care of this, I will take an oath from them that they will sacredly carry out my will. Maybe you want to object?

No,” said Bofaro, as proud and unyielding as Naranya. “I deserve this punishment for daring to raise my hand against my father.” I will ask only one thing: let them give us agricultural tools.

“You will receive them,” said the king. - And you will even be provided with weapons so that you can defend yourself from the predators that inhabit the Cave.

Once upon a time there lived an insanely evil and terribly scary queen. She inherited all this from her ancestors: kings and queens, dukes and duchesses, kings and queens, counts and countesses... From generation to generation, they came closer and closer to beasts in their treatment of their people. They, adoring predators, depicted their power on family coats of arms in the form of lions, tigers, eagles, crocodiles, boa constrictors, panthers and scorpions. The queen in question was the living personification of all these coats of arms and even more... She was more terrible than Fear itself and all the witches that were ever in fairy tales.

Judge for yourself what this queen is like if boar stubble grew on her head instead of hair and she was forced to wear a heavy helmet, fastening it tightly with a belt to her chin. But even so, when the queen’s tiger-heart boiled with anger and her stubble stood on end, the helmet rose eight and sometimes ten inches above her head.

Her eyes filled with anger terrified everyone, and she was forced to wear dark glasses.

Since she had lion claws instead of nails, she had no choice but to wear gloves made of thick elk skin. Ordinary kid ones turned out to be not strong enough: the claws broke through them as soon as she lost her temper. The fierce queen brought the poor, hardworking people into despair.

Meanwhile, there were people in the kingdom who needed just such a queen. Here we must talk about the seven uncrowned kings who ruled the country and people through the crowned queen.

In this kingdom, unlike all other kingdoms, all wealth belonged to seven masters, seven rich men, seven lords of all lands, all forests, all rivers, all sheep, all weaving and spinning looms and everything that grows, is mined and processed.

These seven uncrowned rulers were the real kings of the kingdom, and the crowned queen was with them. Yes, with them! Like an ax to an executioner! Like teeth in a cleft palate! What a snake's sting! Like a knife for a robber! In a word, terrible for everyone, she was an obedient and very dutiful queen under seven kings.

They wrote laws on behalf of the queen, declared her the mouth of war, executed her, tried her, pardoned her - in a word, they did everything that was beneficial to them.

The queen was excellent with the sword, cutting off seven heads at once. She fired a musket without missing a hit and wielded a knife like a sea robber.

The unarmed queen was even more feared. She took off her gloves, helmet and goggles. The stubble on her head stood out so terribly, her bloodshot eyes sparkled so murderously and her claws pierced the victim so deeply that the army stood on guard, and the court fell on its face.

The people of this kingdom, who only knew how to work, did not know a way to get rid of the cruelty of the queen and the slavery of the seven kings, and lived in hopes and prayer. But a good sorceress was found. Yes. Such a sorceress still managed to survive in this cruel kingdom!

And the sorceress advised to assign the most beautiful, most intelligent, most warm-hearted, most virtuous girl as a servant to the queen, assuring that she would defeat the queen.

There was nothing left to do but try this remedy. Soon a nationwide survey was carried out, and it turned out that the most beautiful, most intelligent, most warm-hearted and virtuous girl in the kingdom was none other than the daughter of a washerwoman.

When the girl was brought to the queen’s palace, everyone noticed that the palace became lighter. It was the girl’s golden hair that glowed in the sunlight. No one has ever seen such hair before!

As soon as the girl raised her eyelids, everyone realized that in her eyes the blue sky and the calm blue sea were vying for primacy in beauty. This is where the reason for which this tale is told began. The seven uncrowned kings immediately realized that the people wanted to soften the queen’s temper, and this could cause a weakening of their power and a decrease in their income. And they whispered to the queen:

Your Majesty, the people deliberately sent this beauty to the palace to belittle your beauty.

What was said achieved its goal. And when the enraged queen began to take off her gloves, preparing to plunge her claws into the girl’s chest to tear out her heart, the girl softly remarked:

Your Majesty, which of the courtiers did your nails like that? Order me some small scissors, and I will immediately give you a manicure.

The Queen was taken aback. No one had ever spoken to her so cordially and simply. She graciously extended first her left hand and then her right. In less than ten minutes, the claws turned into ordinary nails.

My faithful maid, burn these elk gloves and bring me my rings.

Wait, Your Majesty,” said the girl. - Rings will not go with this warlike outfit. You need to take off your helmet.

The courtiers fell on their faces. The army was on guard. Because no one had ever dared to talk to the queen in this way before.

And the girl, having said this, took off her helmet and confidently smoothed the raised stubble on the queen’s head. The stubble obediently lay under a kind hand and obediently allowed itself to be combed.*

“My maid of honor,” said the queen, turning to the girl, “order me to bring my crown.”

ABOUT! “Your Majesty,” the girl objected. - Will a crown suit you with dark glasses?

The court again fell on its face in fear. And the girl, taking off the queen’s dark glasses, said:

Your Majesty, try to look trustingly and kindly into my eyes.

And the queen did it. And again something amazing happened. The redness on the whites has disappeared. The eyes returned to their sockets. And there was no magic in it! The girl, like many people, knew that if you look for a long time with good, kind eyes into evil ones, then the evil eyes will definitely become kinder. It was this simple method that the brave girl used.

So the washerwoman’s daughter turned out to be the queen’s first maid of honor and a rather influential person at court.

Commoners and walkers from distant counties and duchies began to appear in the royal palace. The queen often listened to them, granting them some relief in taxes, exactions and corporal punishment.

All this embittered the uncrowned kings, and they formed a secret conspiracy against the young maid of honor. Having sent a ghost to the queen, they slandered the maid of honor and her hammer-killer fiancé.

It was a vile and terrible intrigue. It was that the maid of honor wanted to kill the queen and, having taken her throne, marry the hammerman, making him the first chancellor of the kingdom.

The animal in the queen awakened again. Her hair became coarser, an evil glare appeared in her eyes, and her nails began to grow. That same night she secretly went to the royal park, where her maid of honor met with the hammerman.

The queen, like a lynx, climbed up a tree and hid in its branches. The minutes of waiting slowly passed. But then a shadow flashed, and behind it another. The queen heard the voice of her maid of honor.

“Darling,” she said to the hammerman, “I don’t know what else can be done to make our queen kinder.” I would not regret giving her my life, if only our poor people would live better.

Hearing this, the queen felt that her nails stopped growing and her eyes stopped getting bloodshot. She began to listen further.

“Darling,” said the hammerman, “give the queen your golden soft hair... He who has soft hair is not evil.”

Darling, but won't you stop loving me then?

Darling! Is your hair the most important thing about you? Be generous! People will not forget this service. People have been dreaming of a good king or a good queen for so long.

The next day the queen woke up and did not recognize herself. Delicate golden hair flowed down to her toes from her head, and the gray walls of the North Tower turned golden from their light.

On this day, four hundred prisoners were released. On this day, exactions and taxes were reduced by one tenth. On this day, the queen appeared in her palace with her head uncovered, and the young maid of honor covered her head with a large scarf for the first time.