The Little House – A Russian Folk Tale About Friendship and Teamwork

Summary

The Little House is a Russian folk tale about how animals with different personalities learn to live together. The story shows that united efforts can overcome any challenges.

The Tale

In a field, there stood a beautiful little house. The first to find it was a little mouse. She peeked inside and said, “What a cozy little house! I’ll live here!”

A few days later, a frog came to the house. “Who’s living in this house?” he asked. “I am, the little mouse. And who are you?” replied the mouse. “I’m the frog. May I live here too?” The mouse agreed, and they became housemates.

The next day, a rabbit came to the house. He also asked to live there, and the animals welcomed him. With every new resident, the little house grew livelier.

Then a fox arrived. She moved in as well, and the animals enjoyed their cheerful company. But when a wolf approached the house, they felt a little scared. The wolf reassured them he wouldn’t harm anyone, and the animals let him stay.

Finally, a bear came to the house. “Who’s living in this house?” he asked loudly. The animals replied and invited him to join them, but the bear was far too big. As he tried to squeeze in, the house cracked and then completely fell apart.

The animals were initially upset, but soon they came up with an idea. Together, they started building a new house. This time, it was big, spacious, and sturdy enough for everyone to live comfortably. The animals lived happily and peacefully together.

Moral

This tale teaches us that unity and mutual support can help overcome even the biggest challenges. When we work together, we can create something wonderful.

Questions About the Tale

• Who was the first to live in the little house?
• How did the animals live together before the bear arrived?
• Why did the house collapse when the bear tried to get in?
• What did the animals learn after building a new house?