Russian folk tale about an owl. Fairy tales for kind hearts (Natalya Abramtseva)

In one town, of course, magical, in the very town that is far, far beyond the forest and the river, they lived, they were ... who just didn’t live! In a house with a red roof lived a hare mother with her bunny. In a house with a green roof lived an aunt goat with a kid. In the smallest

a house with a bright yellow roof lived grandfather hedgehog with hedgehogs. There were also many different houses with different tenants.

And in one house there lived an owl. It was a very serious bird. And beautiful. Her soft gray feathers shone with a brown sheen. And big, big yellow, very yellow round eyes were kind and very attentive.

Beautiful red flowers grew around the owl pyramid house. The owl carefully looked after her little garden. Early in the morning, while the rays of the sun were not hot, the owl took a watering can and watered each flower. The owl loved her flowers, but willingly gave them to her neighbors and acquaintances. If she needed to see someone, to say something to someone, she would definitely pick the most beautiful flower, first present it, and only then tell the news.

This is how the owl lived. And beautiful, and smart, and not greedy.

Imagine if they didn't love her. And mom is a hare, and aunt goat, and grandfather is a hedgehog, and the rest of the inhabitants of a magical town.

And it’s not that they didn’t like the owl: she didn’t do anything bad to anyone. But no one was ever happy about it. Even vice versa. Someone sees. an owl flies, holds a beautiful flower in its beak, someone sees and thinks:

“If only not to me! Just not to me!!”

Why so? Why were they afraid of the owl? And because the owl was the first to know about the bad, the first to report the bad news.

And how did she know everything? The fact is that the kind bright yellow eyes of the owl were very attentive. "Good? - you say. - How kind they are, if they notice everything bad ?! And you listen to the tale further and decide whether the owl has kind eyes or not. And is the owl itself good? Isn't it?

... Early in the morning the owl will water its beautiful red flowers, and she has no more to do. She takes off on soft strong wings to the uppermost, by the way purple, floor of her multi-colored pyramid house and sa-iggs at the window. Now dozing, then looking around. And the eyes are big. vigilant. How can you not see it! What?

For example, here's what. They run out of their little hedgehog house. Grandfather hedgehog accompanies prickly grandchildren for a walk and makes sure that each hedgehog is shod in boots. After all, it had just rained, and there were apparently puddles on the street. But as soon as grandfather hedgehog disappeared into the house, the naughty hedgehogs threw off their tiny boots from all legs and splashed barefoot through small puddles. The hedgehogs had a lot of fun because the puddles splashed so funny. It's fun, it's fun, but what happens if you run barefoot through the puddles? Cold! Or even angina! All adults, of course, knew about it. The owl also knew. Only everyone was busy with business - some around the house, some in the garden - no one saw anything. And the owl sat at her window and saw everything. So she found out before anyone else when the naughty hedgehogs would probably catch a cold. Well, tell me, could an owl, a serious bird, not warn the hedgehog's grandfather? Warn grandfather to buy medicine for his hedgehogs in advance. Owl right?

And so it happened. The mother hare and aunt goat will go away on business, and the hare and goat will climb into the garden. The hare and the goat have a common garden: both grow carrots, turnips, and cabbage. If the hare and the goat, without permission, ate only cabbage and carrots, it would still be fine. But then the owl sees - the little robbers ate half a turnip. Is it possible to! After all, the turnip is not yet ripe, still green! The goat and the hare will have a stomach ache. The owl was very excited. She decided that it was urgent to tell mother hare and aunt goat about everything so that they would quickly write their babies to the doctor. Owl right?

Rights are not rights, as soon as he sees something disturbing, he is in a hurry to warn. And in order to somehow soften the unpleasant news, the owl first gives the neighbor one of her beautiful red flowers, and only then politely, politely upsets. And what is left for her?

And now the owl picked three flowers and flew off to warn the grandfather of the hedgehog, the mother of the hare and the aunt of the goat.

Uh, uh, uh! Dear grandfather hedgehog! I respectfully ask you to kindly accept my flower, and also a warning: your hedgehogs should get a sore throat, because they ran barefoot through the puddles. Uh, uh, uh! I'm sorry, but you need to run faster for the cure. Uh, uh, uh!

The grandfather hedgehog was upset, very upset, but he already knew, knew for sure that the hedgehogs needed to take pills for a sore throat.

Uh, uh, uh! Dear mother hare and aunt goat! Please, accept my humble flowers and an alarming warning! Wow! Wow! Wow!

The mother hare and aunt goat were alarmed. Very alarmed, but immediately took their kids to the doctor. He immediately gave them pills for the stomach, and the hare and the goat did not even have time to get sick.

Here is a story about an owl that a magician told me. About an owl that lived in a magical town. I saw everything, I knew everything. Is she so kind? Or not? You say: “No. After all, she upset everyone.”

Or say, “Yes. After all, she warned about troubles, which means she helped to cope with them. Think, then you'll understand. Maybe the inhabitants of the magical town do not like the owl in vain?

There is a huge forest in the world. And in this forest there is a big, big tree. There is a small hollow in the tree. And in the hollow lives a little owlet Plush.

Plush was born quite recently and everything is interesting to him. Why are the leaves noisy? Where do delicious butterflies come from? And what happens in the world while he sleeps?

Now Mom is cleaning his feathers, and Plush is looking at a piece of the sky between the branches of a spruce and counting the stars: One .... Two…. Three four….

Mom, are there many stars?

Lots of?

A lot... like leaves?

And more than butterflies?

Great! - thought Plush - Mom, are the stars delicious?

Stars are inedible - Mom laughed.

Not-sie-dob-ny-e - Plush whispered - It's a pity.

The hollow is warm and quiet. Plush closes his eyes and listens to the forest. Here a branch on a neighboring tree crunched, and wide strong wings rustled in the air. It was grandfather Owl who returned to hunt. And a little further the Hedgehog rustled in the grass. “He wants to find big leaves for a blanket, otherwise it’s cold for him to sleep,” Plush remembered. He looked up at the sky again. There was a fifth star.

Mom, are all the stars small?

No, the stars are big, they're just very far away.

And which is the biggest?

Is it over there? - Pointed Plush to the fifth brightest star.

No. The sun is not visible now.

And now? - Plush stuck his head out of the hollow.

You'll fall! - Mother was frightened and dragged him back - The sun is visible only during the day, while we sleep.

Then can I not sleep at all tonight?

Try - Mom smiled.

I will never fall asleep and meet the Sun! - Plush thought ... and yawned.

In a dark hollow under the warm Mother's wing, Plush sweetly sniffs and sees a dream. Plush is dreaming of the biggest star. She burns with gold in the black sky. Leaves and butterflies swirl around the star. And Plush is sitting on a branch next to his grandfather and is preparing to take off. For the first time! Myself! The wind moves his feathers on his abdomen, small wings straighten and take in air. The sun is calling him to the sky. Plush raised his head, jumped from a branch and .... woke up.

Mom is not around, around the night. Plush is unhappy. He swayed, chuckled and squeaked:

Maaaaam! Twee-twee…. Maaaaaaaa! Tew-eeee…..Tew-eeee!!!

What are you screaming about? someone downstairs grumbled.

Plush closed his beak in fear.

Get out! Let's chat!

Well, I do not! - thought Plush and huddled deeper into the hollow. But then he heard with horror how this “SOMEONE” was climbing up the tree! Plush drew his head in, folded his wings, and closed his eyes tightly.

I am a tree, I am a tree, I am just a tree, he repeated, trying not to tremble.

You are not a tree, you are an owl! - laughed someone - Do not be afraid. I do not bite.

Plush imagined the Beast with huge fangs. He slowly opened one eye and lifted his head slightly. There were no fangs, but the Beast had a black mask. But the eyes were not evil, cheerful. The monster climbed into the hollow, moved its small ears, sniffed the air with its black-and-white muzzle, and sat down, joyfully fluffing its striped tail. Plush was so surprised that he forgot to be afraid.

Now Mom will come back and give you! he squeaked ominously.

For what? The monster smiled.

Strangers are not allowed to visit us?!

Well, let's get acquainted. I think your name is Plush, right? Hedgehog told me. And I'm a racoon raccoon. Come on paw!

Wow, you have five fingers! And I have only four ... - Plush remarked with resentment.

It's nothing! But what claws! Rakoon was delighted.

Plush proudly spread his wings and squinted his eyes - They will soon be like the Pope! And I will fly! Hunting there... to the river... above the trees! To the very stars!

You already lied about the stars! - Raccoon waved his tail - You know how far they are! Here is my brother thought that the stars are lollipops. He climbed the saaaaamuyu high pine and still did not get it.

Stars are inedible! - Plush chuckled - have you seen the Sun?

Rakoon scratched his nose - I saw it. Only a long time ago.

And what is it? Very big?

No, like an apple.

Plush didn't know what apples were, but didn't want to seem stupid - So not very big? And what color? White?

Red!!!

What a strange star - thought Plush - Why don't you sleep during the day?

I sleep. But once did not sleep. This is when my brother climbed a pine tree, my mother and I were looking for him until the morning. So I saw the sun.

Tweeee-teeeeee….. I spit…. Plyuyuyuyush .... - it was heard in the distance.

Rakoon raised his ears in fear - Oh! It must be your Mom!

Yes! And dad! Whoooooooooo!! Plush squealed happily.

Then I'd better go - said Rakoon and began to crawl out of the hollow.

Wait! But what about the Sun? I want to watch too, but I fall asleep.

Rakoon disappeared, but after a moment his sly muzzle appeared again - If you want, I'll wake you up in the morning!

Want! Plush rejoiced.

Well, I'm off! See you! - Rakoon quickly going down the trunk with his paws.

Plush stuck his head out of the hollow - Rakoon, and you .... won't you sleep?

Not! Honestly!

Mom and Dad brought Plush a lot of butterflies and one lizard. Plush ate and talked about Rakoon. He tried so hard he almost choked.

Mom, he is a raccoon .... he has a brother ... on a tall pine .... and mother …. and he is the Sun ... and he will show me .... and five fingers.... Raccoon is called!

Don't rumble! I don't understand anything! - Mom said - You first eat, and then tell.

And I know this Rakoon! - Dad laughed - He lives in a hollow three trees from us. Funny guy.

He will come to wake me up - Plush boasted - We will meet the Sun!

Just meet quietly so that Mom and I get enough sleep.

Good - Plush squeaked and swallowed the lizard.

And in the morning it started to rain. Plush sat in the hollow and watched small drops hit the broad maple leaves. Rakoon collapsed nearby. He thoughtfully scratched his stomach and purred some song under his breath.

And that there will be no sun at all today? Plush whispered sadly.

No, you see how the clouds covered the sky.

High above the trees and, however, thickened, as if offended by someone gray clouds. They pouted and cried. And the two darkest even decided to fight. Thunder boomed. Plush shuddered, but did not rush to Mama.

Oooh, great! - screamed Rakoon - Let it bang again!

It’s better not to, thought Plush, and said out loud, Maybe the rain will end soon and the Sun will still come out.

I don't know... Look Plush! There! Lightning!

Where?

Yes, here it is - Rakoon turned his head to him - Wow, how it spins with you!

Ticklish! - Plush squeaked, but he saw LIGHTNING!

A broken beam of light pierced the sky for a second, and thunder rang out again.

MOOOOLNIA! - Plush squeaked with delight and bulging his eyes, sat on the very edge of the hollow - More! More! he waved his wings.

Shh! Rakoon hissed, but too late.

Mom woke up.

So talkers lively sleep!

But Mom, what about the Sun? - whimpered Plush.

Look tomorrow.

What if it rains again?

Plush, we will definitely see him one day anyway! Rakoon promised.

What sad words "tomorrow" and "one day" - thought Plush, climbing under the wing of Mom - I like "today" and "now" more. Wish it stopped raining today! If only the sun would come out NOW!

Maybe the clouds have reconciled. Or the arriving wind dried the leaves. Or the big distant Sun finally heard the little owlet. While the frustrated Plush slept, it slowly emerged from behind the clouds. Already a thin warm ray ran along the branches, jumped over the leaves and crept into a small hollow of a large, very large tree in a huge forest. Ray warmed Plush's paw, moved onto the wing and jumped right onto the small beak. Plush shook his head, sneezed, and opened his eyes.

This, what is this? he squinted.

A ray quickly ran out of the hollow. The owl rushed after him. And so for the first time he got out of the nest and uncertainly sat on a branch. Plush clenched his fingers tighter, folded his wings, and stared at the sky with all his eyes. The sky was clear and washed. It spread over the forest in all the blue. And the sun shone brightly in the sky. It was warm and affectionate like Mom, strong like Dad, wise like Grandfather Owl and cheerful like a Raccoon raccoon.

Hello Sun! Plush shouted.

Other news

There lived an owl. Common Owl. She slept during the day, and at night she flew and hunted.
Once Owl flew past the house and suddenly heard someone crying outside the window.
She sat on the balcony and looked out the window.
In a dark room, a boy was sitting on a bed and crying.
- Why are you crying, boy? - asked Owl.
- I'm crying because my mother put me to bed, but I don't want to! - said the boy.
- But you've been playing all day and you're very tired, you should sleep. - said the Owl.
But I don't want to sleep yet! I want to play more! - objected the boy.
"I can help you," said Owl.
She flew into the room, flapped her wings and showered the boy with her colorful feathers.
And the boy turned into an owl.
- Let's follow me! - Owl exclaimed and flew out the window.
And the owl boy flew after her.
They flew over the night city, then over the dark field and among the sleeping trees in the forest. The owl boy rejoiced at the mysterious light of the lanterns and the mysterious rustles, the bright stars and the free flight. He flew high into the sky and tumbled in the air, played catch-up and hide-and-seek with the Owl.
The Owl and the Owl Boy played all night. When the first rays of the sun appeared from behind the forest, the Owl led the boy to her tree, where she had a beautiful warm hollow.
"Here's a lovely worm for breakfast," Owl suggested.
The owl boy grimaced, but he tasted the worm, which turned out to be terribly tasty. It is understandable, because the boy was an owl, and not an ordinary boy.
- And now it's time for us to rest, - said the Owl and offered, - you can sleep in my hollow.
- How to sleep again? - the owl boy was upset and stamped his foot, - I don’t want to sleep!
- Well, as you wish, - Owl shrugged, - but I'm very tired and I'll sleep better so that I have the strength to play again at night.
The owl went to sleep in the hollow, and the owl boy flew into the forest again.
The day began in the forest. Little squirrels collected nuts from cones. To do this, they threw off a cone from a branch, because of which all the nuts from it fell out to the ground. The squirrels laughed fervently and collected nuts in baskets.
The owl boy flew up to them and he liked their game so much that he asked:
- Can I play with you?
- Certainly! Whites agreed.
The owl boy played with the squirrels for a long time, but then their mother called for breakfast, and he flew on.

Only now it was not at all easy for him to fly - he was so tired that his eyes closed on their own and he almost crashed into a Christmas tree.
Then he heard someone laughing downstairs. It turns out that hedgehogs played football with foxes. Everyone rejoiced in the sun and threw a bright ball.
- Can I come with you? asked the owl boy
- Certainly! - hedgehogs agreed, and the foxes were invited
- Get on the gate!
The owl boy stood on the net and spread his wings wide to prevent the ball from hitting the net.
However, he wanted to sleep more and more and his wings fell lower and lower. He didn't notice how he fell asleep.

When the owl boy woke up, there was no one around, and the sun was setting behind the trees.
- Well, how did you sleep? - an owl flew up to him, - well, did they fly again?
- What about football? - the owl boy was upset, - what else are we going to play?
- Well, I don't know how to play football, - said the Owl, - but we can again fly over the night city and admire its lanterns.
- Oh, how boring, - the owl boy was very upset, - but what, I don’t have anyone to play with at all?
- Well, all the children sleep at night, - the Owl was surprised, - with whom will you play?
Then the owl boy cried
- But I want to play! I want children around!
“Then you will have to become a boy again,” said the Owl, “Then you can sleep with everyone at night, and then play during the day.”
- Yes, I really want to be a boy again! - exclaimed the owl boy, - it's so boring at night!
"Then let's go to your house!" - said the Owl and took off.

They flew from the forest to the city, found the window of the boy's room and flew into his room. The Owl Boy sat on the bed, the Owl flapped its wings, and he became an ordinary boy again.
- Good night, boy! - said the Owl and flew out the window, - do not forget how we flew with you!
And the boy waved after her and went to bed.

And since then, he always happily ran to bed, knowing that a new interesting day ahead of him, full of fun games.

That was a long time ago. So long ago that the old crows don't remember when it was. And crows live a long time in the world. Maybe two hundred, maybe three hundred years.

An old owl settled in a forest ravine near a fast mountain river. Where did she come from? When did you arrive at these places? Nobody knew. And no one wanted to know: the owl lives, well, let him live ...

The owl was elegant, in magnificent plumage. Although there was no green, blue, or red spot anywhere on it, it was very good. White and smoky-gray feathers clung feather to feather so densely that when the owl took off, spreading its wings, so silent and light, it looked like a big ball of smoke.

Her eyes were round, yellow, her beak was bent down, and her claws were crooked and tenacious.

There is enough space in the forest for all the birds: some make their nest between the branches of an oak, some in a fork, birch, some on the bushes, and some just among the grass. The owl climbed into the hollow of an old linden tree. There, she arranged housing for her family in advance, knowing that she would have owlets.

They really were born, first one, then another, third ... And one more. Large-mouthed, big-headed, helpless chicks asked for food all the time. Their mother tenderly took care of them: she would bring them worms, then frog meat. She knew how to hunt, deftly tracked down small rodents; if a little mouse gapes somewhere, she grabbed him and dragged him into the hollow.

- So you need it! the owl said. “There is no benefit from you, only harm, and my kids need to eat, otherwise they will die.”

Owls lived in a dark and warm hollow, like in a yurt. It protected them from heat, rain, wind and predatory animals.

The big-eyed owlets grew up quickly. The oldest chick has already fallen out of the hollow several times when looking for water to drink. The water was nearby: the side bough, broken off by the storm from the trunk, was constantly filled to the brim with rainwater, like a chumashka or a cauldron. Drink as much as you like!

Small forest birds, flying nearby, often sat down opposite the linden, cleaned their feathers, fluttered from branch to branch, whistled, rested, but did not linger at the owl's nest. They had a lot of their own worries: after all, they also had to get food for the chicks, and they tried to catch more insects, flies, chased mosquitoes, grabbing them on the fly.

The owl hunted most often at night. She didn't like being disturbed.

What a fun summer it was! How many bird songs rang out in the forest! No one would have counted them and no one could repeat them - they were so different and there were so many of them ...

But then autumn came, cold winds blew into the ravine. And immediately got bored. The leaves on the trees changed color, turned yellow and red, like fire ... It was from the cold that they became like that. Now every dexterous worm was in a hurry to wrap itself up tightly in a leaf and, with the help of the wind, lie down on the ground in order to safely winter, and not fall into the beak of some bird. Fat beetles, grasshoppers, all sorts of insects also tried to hide away from their winged enemies. Even the frogs hid: there is a heron standing on one leg, looking out. Look what!

One day thrushes, swifts, ducks, various birds gathered together and decided to go to the owl: let him teach you what to do! The owl was considered very smart.

- Tell me, owl, how should we be? It becomes cold and empty in the forest. Do you know if there is a better place somewhere?

It was the bluebird who asked, important one. He sang a lot this summer, did not miss a single day, everything was filled with trills in the morning - both in clear weather and in the rain, and now he took care of his throat and spoke quietly. But the other songstresses vied with each other with their sonorous voices:

“Speak, speak, how shall we be!” chirped the greenfinch.

- Teach, teach, teach us! — heard from everywhere. The owl sat under the tree, lowering its wings, and immediately answered them. Her voice was thin, gurgling, as if she were blowing into a reed pipe:

- How do I know? said the owl. “It’s also becoming difficult for me to live with my kids ...” She paused, thought it over and reasoned like this: “That’s what ... Someone will have to fly overseas, maybe it’s better there? it's just a long way to get there. Maybe I'll fly myself. We need to see what's going on there. If I find a suitable place, we will all fly away ...

The birds agreed, it’s impossible to think of a better one! With a cheerful hubbub they left the owl and praised it in every way: here is a brave one, one will fly! That's how smart!

On the same day, as soon as the sun went to rest behind the distant mountains, the owl set off.

She was gone for a long time. While she was flying, many leaves fell from the trees. The water in the river was cold, but the grass was still green, and here and there were visible shells from eaten nuts, tassels of red berries, along with scraps of vines, and crushed mushrooms. This is a bear, who went fishing in the mornings, was in charge ... Once he looked into the hollow of an old linden tree, breathed on the owlets and frightened them so much that they did not get out of there all day.

The owl returned home at night. No one saw her arrive. But as soon as it began to dawn, the silence of the autumn forest was stirred up by her drawn-out cry:

- Aug! Aug!

The birds woke up, realized that the owl was already at home and was calling them. Rejoiced, they hurried to her. Everyone wants to quickly find out what news the owl has brought. There were a lot of them. They flap their wings and push each other away. It became crowded and noisy in the owl's nest.

Someone in a hurry pushed the duck, it grunted and landed in a hollow stump filled with water. Nobody cared about her. So the duck remained in the water, sitting, waiting ...

In the meantime, the hostess decided to free the nest, she herself came out of there and drove the guests out. She wasn't going to keep them long. The birds sat in the bushes, on the grass closer to the linden, froze in anticipation. Only the oriole chose the top of a birch for itself.

- Well, that's what, my friends, - said the owl, - I was overseas, I flew around many countries, but I didn’t find anything good anywhere. It's cold and empty there, too. We'll have to spend the winter here.

- How is it, how?

- What do we do?

Hearing such news, the birds were saddened: the owl flew so far, and all in vain ... The bluebird sighed, and the black-headed oriole meowed like a cat, she was the first to take off from her place, flew away. Maybe the owl will come up with something after all?

But the owl was silent and waited impatiently for the birds to leave her alone. I'm in trouble, she thought.

As soon as the last jay nodded goodbye to her with her red crest, the owl sat down at the entrance to the hollow, spread its wings so that no one could hear it, and said to the owlets:

- Shhh! Be quiet! Not a word to anyone. These little birds are very stupid and greedy. I didn't want to tell them that I had found a good place. Tomorrow we will fly south, it is warm there, there are many small snakes, worms, shrews and all kinds of food for us. Eat here, I brought you mice and seaweed ...

If the owl knew that someone would overhear her words! But the owl did not know this. And sooner or later they pay for deceit ...

A duck sitting in the water suddenly flapped its wings so that spray flew in all directions. In addition, with her strong beak, she crushed the stump along the edges and, together with water and chips, splashed onto the ground. The owl just blinked in surprise. I wanted to catch up with the duck, but it ran a few steps along the grass, and then spread its wings and flew to the shore.

- Birds of the forest! she screamed. - The owl is a liar! She fooled us all! Come here me. I'll tell you. In vain you believed her, in vain, in vain!

The white-tailed eagle was the first to hear the duck, chirped, circled over the forest and sat down by the water. Then came the hawk. And the crows are right there, they are also interested - so curious ...

The owl, watching them from a high tree, listened and was indignant: What rubbish this duck is, she thought angrily, tells everyone, everyone! And they are at the same time with her, or what? What good, they will still conspire and attack me ... Perhaps we need to hide from them.

The owl sat down at its nest and ruffled. Now, of course, all the birds will know that there is no winter in warm countries. They will find their way there by the sun, by the south winds, as she did. Who will be friends with her now? None.

In the morning, as soon as the sun rose, the bird caravans flew south. There were many birds. Where they flew, the sky remained dark. The air trembled from their cheerful cry...

Are we flying right? If I could ask an owl…” the redstarts chirped, flying in a large and friendly flock.

- She is unfaithful, she will deceive! - said the thrush, overtaking his distant relatives.

And the geese laughed:

You found someone to seek advice from. Ha-ha-ha! Hearing how the feathered travelers above were talking among themselves and laughing, the owl fell silent.

— Well, what about us? How are we? - looking impatiently at her, then at the flying caravans, the owlets asked. They became quite big, but they did not know how to live on their own.

— What do you want? Look how many of them are flying, what an abyss! They will eat everything there,” she said angrily. - Let them fly away! Let be! And we will stay here...

This is how the gray owl winters in our Ussuri forests since then.