Rabbit’s tale of funny tricks. Based on folk tales. Irene Vinogradova

>

      Irene Vinogradova

      Illustrator Irene Vinogradova

      Translator Irene Vinogradova

      © Irene Vinogradova, 2017

      © Irene Vinogradova, illustrations, 2017

      © Irene Vinogradova, translation, 2017

      ISBN 978-5-4485-9541-7

      Created with Ridero smart publishing system

      PREFACE

      The years on the Earth I lived a lot, fairy tales in my life heard a lot – magic and not so magic, scary and not so scary, good and not so good. And on all continents of the globe there were stories how as if animals collected around as if a bonfire and told as if tales, but in fact, our ancestors gathered at the tribal campfire and told stories about their (or someone else’s) lives, putting on the characters the masks of different animals. Often these stories were similar to each other like twins, because many events repeated from year to year, from century to century, from a book to a book. But that’s not important now: a long time ago, in the days when animals could talk and understand each other’s language, the Earth was small and the sea surrounded it all around, and from any forest it was possible to walk to any sea, there gathered around the campfire the Rabbit, the Elephant, the Whale swam to the shore, and they got to talking. I sat and listened – this time the Rabbit, the most talkative character in the world, amused all the company with his fiction. His tales were retold many times in different parts of the world by different people; I offer you my version of the happened. Author

      Once upon a time and maybe yesterday,

      And maybe a year ago, I really don’t know,

      A huge grey Elephant was very tired

      And he decided to sleep

      On the sandy hill

      Completely covered with strawberries

      And dandelions.

      And when he started looking his first dream,

      Somebody lightly pinched the leg of him,

      Although very lightly!

      But everybody knows,

      It isn’t very easy to wake up

      Any elephant while looking any dreams,

      But somebody did pinched him

      And said, “Excuse me please!”

      “Who is there?” cried the Elephant,

      As frightened very loudly.

      “Who is there? I am sleeping and

      You have spoiled my dreams!”

      “Excuse me, dear Elephant,

      I didn’t’ want to worry you,

      Your leg has blocked my hole,

      I cannot be released.

      And maybe you’ll be able

      To move aside your leg?

      I would be very grateful,

      My hole is so narrow

      For me it would be difficult

      To turn around myself

      And run along it back!”

      The Elephant agreed to let him go out,

      Amazingly he saw the hole in the ground.

      A soft and little bunny jumped out of the hole,

      He jolted his long ear as if there were some dirt,

      “You are as huge as an elephant!

      You are as grey as mice,” said the little Rabbit

      Wiping dust from laughing eyes.

      “I’m huge,” replied the Elephant.

      “I’m grey and very strong,

      And you are just a bunny

      And nothing more at all.”

      “Am I just a bunny?”

      “Yes, you are.”

      “Am I just a weak bunny?”

      “Yes.”

      “And I bet that I’m stronger

      Than you in your best form?

      I bet I’ll pull you out

      From your bed so warm,

      And you will not be able

      To say me even “no’.

      Of course not just with bare hands,

      But if I tie a rope around your big belly,

      And run away behind the hills,

      And then I pull you stronger,