The Porridge from the Axe – A Russian Folk Tale about Cleverness and Ingenuity
The folk tale "The Porridge from the Axe" tells the story of a clever soldier who managed to make porridge from nothing. An exciting story about cleverness and kindness.
Description: A tale about a clever and resourceful soldier who managed to trick a greedy hostess and make delicious porridge literally from an axe. The story teaches resourcefulness, kindness, and hospitality. Read the full story!
One evening, a soldier came to a house in a village. He knocked on the window and asked the hostess:
– May I stay for the night, kind lady? I am tired from my journey, let me rest.
The hostess was greedy. She didn’t want to let the stranger in, but she thought it would be rude to turn the soldier away. So, she let him inside but said:
– Alright, come in and stay the night. But I won’t feed you – we have no food.
The soldier was a clever man and immediately understood what kind of person he was dealing with. He smiled and said:
– It’s alright, hostess. I have an axe – I can make porridge from it. Just give me a pot and some water.
The hostess was surprised, but her curiosity got the better of her. She gave him a pot and water. The soldier poured the water into the pot, threw the axe in, and put it on the fire. He sat down, stirred, and muttered:
– It will boil now, and the porridge will be hearty!
The hostess couldn’t resist and asked:
– So, soldier, how does the porridge taste?
The soldier shook his head:
– It’s okay, but if we had a little salt, it would be even better.
The hostess brought salt, the soldier sprinkled it into the pot, tasted it, and said:
– Good! If we added a little grain, the porridge would be perfect.
The hostess brought a handful of grain. The soldier stirred, tasted, and said:
– Ah, if we added a bit of butter, it would be real soldier’s porridge!
The greedy hostess was now curious about how porridge could be made from an axe, so she added butter. The soldier cooked a little more, tasted it, and cheerfully exclaimed:
– Well, now the porridge is ready! Sit down, hostess, and let’s eat together.
They sat down at the table and ate all the porridge. The hostess kept marveling:
– Wow, to make such a tasty porridge from an axe!
The soldier smiled, cleaned the axe, and said:
– Now I’ll rest. Thanks for the dinner and the shelter.
The hostess never realized that the porridge was made from her own supplies, not from the axe. The soldier continued on his way, satisfied with his cleverness.
Moral: This story teaches us that cleverness and resourcefulness can help even in the most difficult situations. It also reminds us of the importance of hospitality and kindness.
Questions for children:
- Why did the soldier say he was making porridge from an axe?
- What did he ask the hostess for to improve the porridge?
- What lesson does this story teach us?
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