Russian Fable
Krylov and his fables
Russian Literature – Children Books – Russian Poetry – Ivan. A. Krylov – Contents
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The Cuckoo And The Turtle-Dove
A CUCKOO sat on a bough, bitterly complaining.
” Why art thou so sad, dear friend ? ” sympathisingly cooed the Turtle-dove to her, from a neighbouring twig. ” Is it because spring has passed away from us, and love with it ; that the sun has sunk lower, and that we are nearer to the winter?”
” How can I help grieving, unhappy one that I am?” replies the Cuckoo: “thou shalt thyself be the judge. This spring my love was a happy one, and, after a while, I became a mother. But my offspring utterly refuse even to recognise me. Was it such a return that I expected from them ? And how can I help being envious when I see how ducklings crowd around their mother — how chickens hasten to the hen when she calls to them. Just like an orphan I sit here, utterly alone, and know not what filial affection means.”
” Poor thing!” says the Dove, ” I pity you from my heart.
As for me, though I know such things often occur, I should die outright if my dovelets did not love me. But tell me, have you already brought up your little ones ? When did you find time to build a nest ? I never saw you doing anything of the kind : you were always flying and fluttering about.”
” Yes, indeed ! ” says the Cuckoo. ” Pretty nonsense it would have been if I had spent such fine days in sitting on a nest ! That would, indeed, have been the highest pitch of stupidity ! I always laid my eggs in the nests of other birds.”
“Then how can you expect your little ones to care for you ? ” says the Turtle-dove.
—–
Fathers and mothers ! let this fable read you a lesson.
I have not written it as an excuse for undutiful children. Irreverence on their part, and want of love towards their parents, must always be a great fault.
But, if they have grown up apart from you, and you have entrusted their education to hireling hands, have not you yourselves to blame, if in old age you obtain but little happiness from them ?
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The Leaves And The Roots > > >
Russian Literature – Children Books – Russian Poetry – Ivan. A. Krylov – Contents
Copyright holders – Public Domain Book
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