Alexander Kuprin - Gutta-percha boy. Stories by Russian writers for children

Stories by A. Kuprin

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A large and strong dog named Sapsan reflects on life and what surrounds him in this life. The peregrine falcon got its name from its ancient ancestors, one of whom defeated the bear in a fight, clinging to its throat. The Peregrine Falcon thinks about the Owner, condemns his bad habits, and rejoices at how he is praised when he and the Owner walk. Sapsan lives in a house with the Owner, his daughter Little and a cat. They are friends with the cat, Little Peregrine protects her, doesn’t hurt anyone and allows her things that he wouldn’t allow anyone else. Sapsan also loves bones and often gnaws them or buries them to gnaw on later, but sometimes he forgets the place. Although Sapsan is the strongest dog in the world, he does not gnaw at defenseless and weak dogs. Often Sapsan looks into the sky and knows that there is someone there who is stronger and smarter than the Master and someday this someone will take Sapsan to eternity. Sapsan really wants the Master to be nearby at this moment, even if he is not there, Sapsan’s last thought will be about him.

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Stories by A. Kuprin

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Kuprin's story "Elephant" is an interesting story about a little girl who fell ill and not a single doctor could cure her. They only said that she had apathy and indifference to life, and she herself lay in bed for a whole month with a poor appetite, she was very bored. The mother and father of the sick girl were at their wit's end, trying to cure the child, but it was impossible to interest her in anything. The doctor advised her to fulfill her every whim, but she didn’t want anything. Suddenly the girl wanted an elephant. Dad immediately ran to the store and bought a beautiful wind-up elephant. But Nadya was not impressed by this toy elephant; she wanted a real live elephant, not necessarily a big one. And dad, after thinking for a while, went to the circus, where he agreed with the owner of the animals to bring the elephant home to them for the whole day at night, because during the day crowds of people would flock to the elephant. In order for the elephant to be able to enter their apartment on the 2nd floor, the doors were specially widened. And then at night the elephant was brought. The girl Nadya woke up in the morning and was very happy about him. They spent the whole day together, even had lunch at the same table. Nadya fed the elephant buns and showed him her dolls. So she fell asleep next to him. And at night she dreamed of an elephant. Waking up in the morning, Nadya did not find the elephant - he was taken away, but she gained an interest in life and recovered.

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Stories by A. Kuprin

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Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin was born on August 26, 1870 in the district town of Narovchat, Penza province. His father, a collegiate registrar, died at thirty-seven from cholera. The mother, left alone with three children and practically without a livelihood, went to Moscow. There she managed to place her daughters in a boarding house “at government expense,” and her son settled with his mother in the Widow’s House on Presnya. (Widows of military and civilians who served for the good of the Fatherland for at least ten years were accepted here.) At the age of six, Sasha Kuprin was admitted to an orphan school, four years later to the Moscow Military Gymnasium, then to the Alexander Military School, and then was sent to 46th Dnieper Regiment. Thus, the writer’s early years were spent in a formal environment, with the strictest discipline and drill.

His dream of a free life came true only in 1894, when, after his resignation, he came to Kyiv. Here, without any civilian profession, but feeling literary talent (while still a cadet, he published the story “The Last Debut”), Kuprin got a job as a reporter for several local newspapers.

The work was easy for him, he wrote, by his own admission, “on the run, on the fly.” Life, as if in compensation for the boredom and monotony of youth, now did not skimp on impressions. Over the next few years, Kuprin repeatedly changed his place of residence and occupation. Volyn, Odessa, Sumy, Taganrog, Zaraysk, Kolomna... Whatever he does: he becomes a prompter and actor in a theater troupe, a psalm-reader, a forest walker, a proofreader and an estate manager; He even studies to become a dental technician and flies an airplane.

In 1901, Kuprin moved to St. Petersburg, and here his new literary life began. Very soon he becomes a regular contributor to famous St. Petersburg magazines - “Russian Wealth”, “World of God”, “Magazine for Everyone”. One after another, stories and tales are published: “Swamp”, “Horse Thieves”, “White Poodle”, “Duel”, “Gambrinus”, “Shulamith” and an unusually subtle, lyrical work about love - “Garnet Bracelet”.

The story “The Garnet Bracelet” was written by Kuprin during the heyday of the Silver Age in Russian literature, which was distinguished by a self-centered attitude. Writers and poets wrote a lot about love then, but for them it was more a passion than the highest pure love. Kuprin, despite these new trends, continues the tradition of Russian literature of the 19th century and writes a story about completely unselfish, high and pure, true love, which does not go “directly” from person to person, but through the love of God. This whole story is a wonderful illustration of the hymn of love of the Apostle Paul: “Love endures long, is kind, love does not envy, love is not arrogant, is not proud, does not act rudely, does not seek its own, is not angry, does not think evil, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. ; covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails, although prophecies will cease, and tongues will be silent, and knowledge will be abolished.” What does the hero of the story Zheltkov need from his love? He does not look for anything in her, he is happy only because she exists. Kuprin himself remarked in one letter, speaking about this story: “I have never written anything more chaste.”

Kuprin's love is generally chaste and sacrificial: the hero of the later story "Inna", being rejected and excommunicated from home for a reason unknown to him, does not try to take revenge, forget his beloved as soon as possible and find solace in the arms of another woman. He continues to love her just as selflessly and humbly, and all he needs is just to see the girl, at least from afar. Even having finally received an explanation, and at the same time learning that Inna belongs to someone else, he does not fall into despair and indignation, but, on the contrary, finds peace and tranquility.

In the story “Holy Love” there is the same sublime feeling, the object of which becomes an unworthy woman, the cynical and calculating Elena. But the hero does not see her sinfulness, all his thoughts are so pure and innocent that he is simply not able to suspect evil.

Less than ten years pass before Kuprin becomes one of the most widely read authors in Russia, and in 1909 he receives the academic Pushkin Prize. In 1912, his collected works were published in nine volumes as a supplement to the Niva magazine. Real glory came, and with it stability and confidence in the future. However, this prosperity did not last long: the First World War began. Kuprin sets up an infirmary with 10 beds in his house, his wife Elizaveta Moritsovna, a former sister of mercy, cares for the wounded.

Kuprin could not accept the October Revolution of 1917. He perceived the defeat of the White Army as a personal tragedy. “I... bow my head respectfully before the heroes of all volunteer armies and detachments who unselfishly and selflessly laid down their souls for their friends,” he would later say in his work “The Dome of St. Isaac of Dalmatia.” But the worst thing for him is the changes that happened to people overnight. People became brutal before our eyes and lost their human appearance. In many of his works (“The Dome of St. Isaac of Dalmatia,” “Search,” “Interrogation,” “Piebald Horses. Apocrypha,” etc.) Kuprin describes these terrible changes in human souls that took place in the post-revolutionary years.

In 1918, Kuprin met with Lenin. “For the first and, probably, the last time in my entire life, I went to a person with the sole purpose of looking at him,” he admits in the story “Lenin. Instant photography." The one he saw was far from the image that Soviet propaganda imposed. “At night, already in bed, without fire, I again turned my memory to Lenin, evoked his image with extraordinary clarity and... was scared. It seemed to me that for a moment I seemed to enter him, felt like him. “In essence,” I thought, “this man, so simple, polite and healthy, is much more terrible than Nero, Tiberius, Ivan the Terrible. Those, for all their mental ugliness, were still people susceptible to the whims of the day and fluctuations of character. This one is something like a stone, like a cliff, which has broken away from a mountain ridge and is rapidly rolling down, destroying everything in its path. And at the same time - think! - a stone, due to some magic, - thinking! He has no feelings, no desires, no instincts. One sharp, dry, invincible thought: when I fall, I destroy.”

Fleeing from the devastation and famine that engulfed post-revolutionary Russia, the Kuprins left for Finland. Here the writer actively works in the emigrant press. But in 1920, he and his family had to move again. “It is not my will that fate itself fills the sails of our ship with wind and drives it to Europe. The newspaper will run out soon. I have a Finnish passport until June 1, and after this period they will allow me to live only with homeopathic doses. There are three roads: Berlin, Paris and Prague... But I, an illiterate Russian knight, can’t understand it well, I turn my head and scratch my head,” he wrote to Repin. Bunin’s letter from Paris helped resolve the issue of choosing a country, and in July 1920 Kuprin and his family moved to Paris.

However, neither the long-awaited peace nor prosperity comes. Here they are strangers to everyone, without housing, without work, in a word - refugees. Kuprin is engaged in literary work as a day laborer. There is a lot of work, but it is not well paid, and there is a catastrophic lack of money. He tells his old friend Zaikin: “... I was left naked and poor, like a stray dog.” But even more than the need, he is exhausted by homesickness. In 1921, he wrote to the writer Gushchik in Tallinn: “... there is not a day when I don’t remember Gatchina, why I left. It is better to starve and be cold at home than to live at the mercy of a neighbor under a bench. I want to go home...” Kuprin dreams of returning to Russia, but is afraid that he will be greeted there as a traitor to the Motherland.

Gradually, life got better, but nostalgia remained, only “it lost its sharpness and became chronic,” Kuprin wrote in his essay “Motherland.” “You live in a beautiful country, among smart and kind people, among the monuments of the greatest culture... But everything is as if it were make-believe, as if it were unfolding in a cinematic film. And all the silent, dull grief that you no longer cry in your sleep and that in your dreams you don’t see either Znamenskaya Square, or Arbat, or Povarskaya, or Moscow, or Russia, but only a black hole.” The longing for a lost happy life is heard in the story “At Trinity-Sergius”: “But what can I do with myself if the past lives in me with all the feelings, sounds, songs, screams, images, smells and tastes, and the present life drags on in front of me like a daily, never changing, boring, worn-out film. And don’t we live in the past more sharply, but deeper, sadder, but sweeter than in the present?”

On Sunday morning, Father Olympius was preparing for the service. He gargled with boric acid and breathed in the steam. The deacon's wife, a thin, plain-looking woman, brought him a glass of vodka in honor of the day off.

Barbos and Zhulka

Life is impossible without friendship. Friendship is mutual disposition towards each other. Barbos is a dog, and even more so an ordinary dog ​​that has no pedigree or breed, just in a word, Barbos is a mongrel

White poodle

The main character is a white poodle named Artaud. He was distinguished by his exceptional intelligence and training. This dog was part of a stray body of circus performers, which also included the old organ grinder Martyn and the acrobat boy Seryozha

In the bowels of the earth

The story by Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin tells about a boy named Vanka. He is short and very thin. Vanka works in a coal mine, far from his family.

At the circus

The circus wrestler Arbuzov felt bad and went to the doctor. The doctor examined him and said that he needed to take care of his health and give up training and performances for a while, otherwise it could end badly. Arbuzov said that he had signed a contract

In the dark

Among the bustle and usual noise of the Moscow station, the farewell scene of three young people, who were eagerly awaiting the departure of the train, dragged on. When one of them, Alarin Alexander Egorovich, found himself in the carriage, he tried not to attract attention to himself

Gambrinus

The most important initial events take place in an ordinary pub called “Gambrinus”. A very unusual name for a beer bar, but nonetheless. This place received such an alternative name for a reason.

Garnet bracelet

This work begins with the fact that Princess Vera Nikolaevna Sheina, who is the wife of the leader of the nobility, lives in the country, as their apartment, which is located in the city, is being renovated.

Garnet bracelet by chapters

Chapter 1 The story begins with a description of the bad weather that occurred at the end of summer on the Black Sea coast. The bulk of the residents began to hastily move to the city, leaving the gardens. Princess Vera

Zawiraika

In early spring, two hunters went into the snowy forest to hunt hares, and took with them the hunting dog Zaviraika. A pack of village dogs, numerous and noisy, followed the hunters.

Star of Solomon

The amazing and mysterious genre of mysticism has always attracted connoisseurs of fiction. The work of A. I. Kuprin “Star of Solomon” is no exception and captivates the reader

Golden Rooster

The story “The Golden Rooster” is like a symphony, there is so much sound. It’s like looking at a beautiful painting – there’s so much light here! The story tells about a small miracle. The question is precisely this: was this commonplace?

Emerald

The story Emerald is one of the best works by Alexander Kuprin in which animals play the main roles. The story reveals the theme of injustice in the world around us, filled with envy and cruelty.

Wheel of Time

The main character of the story “The Wheel of Time” is Mikhail, a former military man who, after his service, ended up in France, where he works at a factory with other emigrants from Russia. Very often Mikhail comes with friends

Lilac bush

A young and poor officer named “Almazov” came home from a speech at the Academy of General. headquarters and sat down in his office without taking off his clothes. The wife immediately realized that something bad had happened

Listrigons

The book tells about fishermen - Listrygonians, who were descendants of Greek colonists. October has arrived in Balaklava. All the summer residents left the city, and the residents of Balaklava concentrated on fishing.

My flight

While in the city of Odessa, the writer Kuprin observes outlandish flights on a plywood airplane. His friend Zaikin, having already made several successful circles, invites the writer to fly with him.

Moloch

The action in the story “Moloch” takes place at a steel mill where engineer Andrei Ilyich Bobrov works. He suffers from insomnia due to morphine, which he cannot refuse. Bobrov cannot be called happy, as he feels disgusted

At the turning point (cadets)

Misha Bulanin, a child who grew up in a wonderful home, was distinguished by good manners and a trusting character. The parents decided to send the boy to study at a cadet school, where cruel and barbaric rules were unofficially established.

Olesya

The narrator comes to a remote village for six months and, out of boredom, communicates and engages with peasants and hunts. One day, while hunting, the main character loses his way and ends up in a house where the witch Maynulikha and her granddaughter Olesya live.

Olesya by chapters

Chapter 1. By the will of fate, the young master was thrown into a remote village for six months. Going there, the aspiring writer had no idea how dreary life was in this godforsaken land. He was going to

Pirate

This is a sad story about a poor old man and his dog Pirate. The old man was not always poor and a drinker. He had a family, a house, and money. But one day, his wife ran away with the clerk, and the old man started drinking out of grief.

Duel

The sixth company finishes classes and the officers, junior in rank, try to compete to see who can cut down a clay dummy the most dexterously. Second Lieutenant Grigory Romashov begins. He doesn't know the business well, so nothing works out for him.

Peregrine Falcon

The story begins with the introduction of the narrator, whose name is Peregrine Thirty-Six, and, as we later learn, is a dog. At the very beginning, the dog talks about his noble ancestors

Holy lie

The main character of the story “Holy Lies” is Ivan Ivanovich Semenyuta, not a bad person, but he can rightfully be called a typical loser. Because of his timidity, indecisiveness, and shyness, Semenyuta could not stand up for himself since school.

Blue Star

In the story “Blue Star” Kuprin asks readers a real riddle. The king of a country hidden in the mountains leaves a message on the wall before his death, but no one can decipher it.

Starlings

The story about starlings begins with a general remark that animals and birds have a good sense of nature. They can, for example, predict earthquakes, and a person, by their restless behavior, himself guesses about the impending disaster.

Elephant

The story “Elephant” shows the miraculous recovery of a little girl who dreamed only of an elephant. A six-year-old girl, Nadya, does not eat or drink, turns pale and loses weight, does not play or laugh. What kind of disease? Doctors shrug their shoulders... But one of them suggests

Dog happiness

This happened in September. The pointer dog Jack went with the cook Anna to the market. He knew the way, this was not his first time walking. It was for this reason that he ran ahead of his companion, sniffing the sidewalk. Periodically stopped to see where the cook was going

Shulamith

At the beginning, the author talks about the reign of Solomon, about his life. The forty-five-year-old king of Persia was unusually wise and handsome, generous and rich. Solomon had many women, only seven hundred wives in the harem. And also concubines

Ballroom pianist

Kuprin's story "Taper" shows the bright personality of a talented boy. A pianist is a pianist who plays at balls. The matter is important, but not so tricky. The talent of the main character, the poor young man Yuri, cannot even develop to its full potential at these dances

Brave fugitives

Three boys lived in a boarding school for children. When a new cool lady appeared in the group, she began to find fault with one named Nelgin for his pranks. When it was time to walk

Four beggars

Juncker

It's the end of August. Alyosha Alexandrov recently graduated from the cadet corps. Alyosha was enrolled in the cadet infantry school named after Emperor Alexander II. He went to visit the Sinelnikovs to see young Yulia

Pit

Anna Markovna's entertainment establishment is located in the so-called Yama (Yamskaya Sloboda), it does not belong to the sophisticated and luxurious places, but it does not belong to the lowest. Various men come here in search of pleasure.

about the author

Kuprin grew up in a poor family, as his father died early from cholera. After the death of his breadwinner, he ended up in an orphanage, then studied at the Moscow cadet corps, in the city where his mother was born.

From the age of six, Kuprin began his early creativity on military topics, associated with everyday life in the army, the aimlessness of spending time in the army and the limitations of the bourgeoisie.

In 1905, the author completed work on the story “The Duel,” which became the object of noise and debate, as society perceived the work very negatively. Therefore, his army service ended with retirement, but before that, Kuprin managed to capture stories in magazines.

Since Kuprin improved his qualifications in the field of journalism, this helped him develop literary activity in such works as “Breguet”, “The Night”, “The Wonderful Doctor” and others, which brought him popularity and became his best creations.

In 1896, “Moloch” was published, telling the story of capitalism and the rebellion of workers, when the intelligentsia helped with artistic and literary support, and the author helped to get acquainted with M. Gorky, A. Chekhov and other writers.

Chekhov experienced many wanderings in his life, and every journey in life gives him new works that tell of his surroundings and the life of that time.

It was after returning from France that he became very ill, since emigration was detrimental for him, since being far from his homeland causes deep-seated illnesses in a vulnerable nature, when the return to Moscow ends in the death of the writer.

However, there were also bright days in Kuprin’s life, when in 1908-19011, revolutionary love stories “The Pomegranate Bracelet” and “Shulamith” were created.

Kuprin's works are imbued with deep respect and sympathy
to the surrounding world. In his creations, the author provides detailed, realistic descriptions of nature. The theme of love for the motherland continues
in the descriptions of its places. Describing the landscapes of Russia, Kuprin admires them, shows the reader their amazing features and memorable images, tries to tell as much and better as possible about the country’s magnificent and beautiful country. While in exile outside Russia,
the author does not stop writing about her, already remembering the works he wrote
and individual paintings of places, he creates new works. He also gives descriptions of pictures of the places he visited outside his homeland.
These descriptions, in their realism, respect and sympathy, are nothing
do not differ from descriptions of the nature of Russia. For example, in his essays “Côte d’Azur” and in the story “The Wheel of Time” Kuprin
describes Marseille as a city " ... noisy, colorful and colorful
to decorative...» .

Subject nature is very common in Kuprin’s works. Quite often it is found in works in the background, where colorful descriptions emphasize the image of the created theme and complement it. One of these works was the story “Olesya”, where the mood and mental state of the main characters are conveyed through descriptions of nature. The feeling ripening in the hero’s soul is shown against the backdrop of the coming spring; the romantic atmosphere of a declaration of love is created by the image of a moonlit night. The last date ends with the pre-storm tension of nature, and the finale is a terrible hail that killed the residents of the city who offended the heroine.

However, the theme of nature in Kuprin’s work was not always in second place. Kuprin loved and admired nature. He wrote not only about the lives of ordinary people, he was significantly interested in the interests and lives of representatives of the surrounding world. He was convinced that animals also deserve people's attention, as well as respect and understanding. Among Kuprin's works there are many stories telling about the lives of animals. In them, Kuprin looks at the characters as individuals significant to society, and in their abilities equates them to people. When talking about animals, Kuprin does not try to show their insignificance, limited by their capabilities, but most likely, against this contrasting background of limitations, he tries to show their advantages, their emotions
and experiences. By creating vivid images of pets or stray animals, the author emphasizes the importance of these animals through descriptions
their distinctive character traits and appearance, behavior and communication
with people, as well as through their actions, which allow us to call them heroes. Kuprin talks about animals in their natural environment: in the owner’s house, in the circus, on the street and other places where they stay.

The realism of the images of heroes and landscapes, the emotionality of the characters, as well as the simplicity of the language and style - all this attracts the attention of child readers whose interests include understanding the world around them.

In his works about animals, Kuprin combined his love
towards children and deep respect for the surrounding world, the natural world. Addressing the life difficulties of the heroes of the works and showing how they overcome them, how they help their brothers or people, Kuprin gives the young reader such life lessons as the ability to be devoted, to provide help, to love the world around him - he turns to the inner world of the child, changing it, developing in it the necessary traits of spirituality, morality, ethics, compassion, love and respect for the entire world around us.

Through stories about animals, Kuprin gives hope to young readers
the ability to overcome life's difficulties in the future. For example, in the story “The Elephant” (1907), a seriously ill girl is saved by a day spent with a real live elephant.

The story “Yu-yu” (1927), which tells about the life of a sensitive and affectionate cat, stands out for its richness of descriptions of nature and gratitude for devotion
and the warmth that communication with an animal brings into a person’s life.

No less interesting in its structure and plot is Kuprin’s story “Peregrine Falcon” (1921), which is narrated from the point of view of a dog. The image of a powerful dog, aware of its strength, good-natured and tolerant, as well as a philosophizing dog, is as close as possible to the human image. Sapsan's heroism is expressed in his action: he shields his owner's daughter with his body, saving her from a rabid dog.

In the story “Barbos and Zhulka” (1897), Kuprin tells about the friendship of two dogs with different characters, showing their spiritual closeness, which, according to Kuprin, is necessary for the full moral development of a child.

Nature is contrasting and colorful in the descriptions given in the stories “The White Poodle” (1904) and “In the Bowels of the Earth” (1899). In them, the author conveys children’s affection for animals, mutual assistance, the purity of a child’s soul and the ability of little people to achieve feats.

Kuprin's story "The White Poodle" fully and completely expresses the trend in children's literature of the early 20th century. The characters in the story are filled with worldly wisdom, good nature, humor (Grandfather Lodyshkin), courage and the boy’s sense of affection for his four-legged friend, the poodle Artaud. The story contrasts two worlds: the lives of wandering musicians and rich people, their thinking and moral values.

The key point of the story is the conflict that arose over a small poodle between a rich lady with her son and traveling artists. This conflict emphasizes the difference in psychology, in ethical
and moral ideas of representatives of different parties. For the rich, the poodle is a thing that can be bought and sold, and for wandering artists, the dog is a friend and breadwinner, for whom the boy is ready to do great deeds.

The dramatic and tense scene of the rescue of the poodle is complemented by descriptions of nature that highlight the boy's experiences.
Nature, pleasant and gentle during the day, becomes alarming for him
and reproaching: “ Everything was scary, mysterious, fabulously beautiful in the garden, as if filled with fragrant dreams.<…>Slender, dark, fragrant cypress trees slowly nodded their sharp tops with a thoughtful
and a reproachful expression" Through the boy’s feat, Kuprin conveys the purity of the child’s moral sense, opposed to the evil of life.

At the end of the story, when the poodle ends up with the artists, the author, through the old man’s speech, conveys to the readers a lesson in morality, folk morality, the essence of which is that there are values ​​that are not for sale.

No less interesting for the young reader are the actions and habits of the four-legged friend of the traveling artists, described by Kuprin with great skill.
In these descriptions, Kuprin resembles such an “expert” of animals as Jack London.

Tension and dynamic development of the plot, descriptiveness
and heroism, contrast of humor, expressiveness and precision of language, a happy ending that marked the victory of the human, moral principle - all these qualities make the story “The White Poodle” an outstanding work of children's literature.

Kuprin’s story “In the Bowels of the Earth” (1899) combines the author’s attitude to the theme of difficult childhood and descriptions of nature. The hero of the story, the boy Vaska, lives with the miners in the barracks. The naive village boy is torn by conflicting feelings, why should he be surprised - the rude morals of the barracks or the size and complexity of the mining business. In contrast to this background of the severity of a child’s life among miners and the boy’s contradictions, the beautiful steppe nature is depicted. As in “The White Poodle,” the hero of the story turns out to be capable of decisive action and saves a comrade from slaughter. The feat binds comrades with strong bonds. On this note, filled with hope for friendship and understanding, Kuprin ends his story.

In his stories about animals Kuprin “ with fascinating examples
and intricate stories, where each animal character is unique in its portrait and psychological characteristics", wishes " convince the reader how unfair people are sometimes in their judgments when they,
for example, they say “stupid as a goose” or when they say that “a cat becomes attached not to a person, but to a home”» .

In terms of their design, simplicity of language, choice of characters and appeal to them, as well as the impact they have on the reader, Kuprin’s stories “Elephant”, “Yu-Yu”, “Peregrine Falcon”, “Barbos and Zhulka”, “White Poodle”
and “In the Bowels of the Earth” are suitable for young readers in the middle age category. However, their importance for children's literature, as well as the interests of readers, increases significantly when they are addressed to children of primary school age.

For young readers of the middle age category, the stories “Emerald”, “Ralph” and a number of other works united by the theme of the animal and plant world are of greatest interest.

Kuprin's story "Emerald", which tells about the life of a racing horse, took one of the first places among the works of Russian classics about animals.

The artistic texture of the story is determined through the feelings of the hero of the work. In his story, Kuprin did not try to reveal the “inner world” of the horse, but showed the reality represented by the hero of the story through his sensations and images. However, the artist endows Emerald with some “movements of the soul” characteristic of people: fear of an opponent
and maintaining self-esteem. The author – barely noticeably – adds characteristics “from himself” to the flow of the hero’s sensations.

Describing grooms and riders, the author seems to “miss”
their characteristics through the sensations of the stallion. By the same principle
The story shows nature. The complex phenomena of reality and its diversity “passed” through the primary sensations of the hero in no way create in the reader the impression of implausibility or unnaturalness. On the contrary, a picture of nature, despite the limited visual possibilities, is full of charm, clarity and purity, and has a calming effect.

The main artistic quality of the story “Emerald” is the clarity, purity and “visibility” of descriptions. The precision of detail shows
How masterfully the writer uses words. An example of such a detail is pauses
in the old man’s speech, indicated in the text by ellipses: “ Look, you greedy beast... But, oh, you’ll have time... Oh, for you... Poke me in the face some more.
Now I'm going to poke you really hard" The old man’s movements are not visible, but his pauses are full of movement.

Kuprin's story "Emerald" ends with the tragic death of a good
and a beautiful creature. However, such a tragic end is brightened up by the absence of grave hopelessness: the reader is saddened by the death of the hero,
but this feeling is smoothed out by the thoughts that the stallion has lived a full, interesting life.

Back in 1930, Kuprin was concerned that “ There are almost no dogs or horses left in literature" The writer’s desire to fill the gap was reflected in his work. In recent years, he conceived a whole book about animals - “Friends of Man”. But the writer did not have time to realize his plan. Only one story was created from the planned cycle - “Ralph”.

In his story, Kuprin reveals the uniqueness of a dog named Ralph. The uniqueness of Ralph is revealed through the spaces associated with the hero of the work, through the relationship between Ralph and Balakhnin (the dog’s owner), through the form of Balakhnin’s address to Ralph (the polite form of “you”).

The author of the story emphasizes the unusualness of the dog, telling about
that Ralph perceives not only black and white, but also a number of other primary colors (blue, green, yellow, red), which makes him exceptional among all dogs. We also learn from the author’s speech,
that Ralph has a job. Having a job equates to a dog
to working people and sets him apart from his blood brothers, dogs.

However, standing out among his relatives, Ralph does not leave their world, he only stands out as a real, almost human person. Proof that Ralph belongs to the world of dogs is his observance of " immutable laws"of their relatives.

Thus, Kuprin’s story “Ralph” accurately and completely reflects the author’s idea about the book “Friends of Man.” The story shows
not the emotions of the heroes or their vision of the world, but the dignity and uniqueness of the dog, a representative of the animal world. This story, created by the author in order to show his colleagues the importance of the topic of animals for literature, fully met expectations.

In terms of their design, appeal to the reader, artistic texture, appeal to the psychological world of the characters and description of nature, Kuprin’s stories “Emerald” and “Ralph” are suitable for both children’s readers and adult readers.

Among Kuprin’s stories about nature, “Starlings” stands out.
and “In the Menagerie.”

The story “Starlings” tells about the migration of starlings. In the story, Kuprin describes nature and the habitats of birds. The realism of the images is based on the author's memories. He admires the courage and strength of these little birds, talks about the difficulties of their long journey, writes with delight about returning home, colorfully describes their imitations of other birds, not forgetting to emphasize the starlings’ own song. Descriptions of starlings are filled with the author's delight, movements and restlessness of the birds. Talking about starlings, A. Kuprin compares them with sparrows. The author writes about sparrows: “ windy, empty, frivolous bird", and admires starlings. The story is filled with vivid descriptions; the author writes with special humor about sparrows, about stupid, naive children, cunning and fussy.
In the story, the writer addresses the readers, advises them to help the starlings, appreciate them and protect them. At the end of the story, “sending off” the starlings on a long journey, Kuprin says goodbye to them: “ Goodbye, dear starlings! Come in the spring. The nests are waiting for you...» .

In the story “In the Menagerie,” Kuprin showed magnificent natural landscapes against the contrasting background of those horrors, fears, despair and humility
and the freedom of captive animals. In the story, the author talks about the life of animals imprisoned by people in a cage, their thoughts and dreams, as well as human greed.

Kuprin wrote many stories about animals. He knew the character well
and habits of birds. The realism of his stories about animals is due to his affection for animals: he trained them, treated them and saved them when they were in mortal danger. The famous tamer Anatoly Durov wrote about Kuprin in his posters dedicated to animals:

Kuprin himself is a writer
We had a friend with us.

Kuprin's stories about the animal and plant world have become firmly established
into the children's literature program. This was facilitated by the realistic descriptions and emotionality of the characters, simple and expressive language, the presentation of animals as equal to humans, as well as the triumph of goodness. Kuprin's stories about the animal and plant world develop the necessary psychological, ethical and moral traits in a child, teach lessons about life, morality, understanding of values, and give hope for overcoming life's difficulties, creating a contrast to a difficult childhood
and hopelessness, happy endings.

3. CONCEPT FOR PUBLISHING A COLLECTION OF STORIES
ABOUT THE NATURE A.I. KUPRINA

Related information.

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- Dad, tell me some story... But listen to what I’m telling you, daddy...

At the same time, seven-year-old Kotik (his name was Konstantin), sitting on Kholshchevnikov’s lap, tried with both hands to turn his father’s head towards him. The boy was surprised and even a little worried why dad had been looking at the fire of the lamp for five whole minutes with such strange eyes, motionless, as if smiling and wet.

“Yes, dad,” said Kitty tearfully. “Why aren’t you talking to me?”

Ivan Timofeevich heard the impatient words of his son, but could not shake off that terrible fascination that takes over a person who stares at a shiny object. In addition to the bright light of the lamp, this charm was mixed with the charm of a quiet, warm summer evening, and the coziness of a small but pretty country terrace, woven with wild grapes, the motionless greenery of which, under artificial lighting, acquired a fantastic, pale and harsh hue.

A lamp under a green matte lampshade cast a bright, even circle on the tablecloth... Ivan Timofeevich saw in this circle two closely bowed heads: one - a woman’s, blond, with delicate and delicate features, the other - the proud and beautiful head of a young man, with black wavy hair fell carelessly on the shoulders, on the dark bold forehead and on the large black eyes, such hot, expressive, truthful eyes. On his cheeks and on his neck, Kholshchevnikov felt the touch of Kotik’s gentle hands and his warm breath, he even heard the smell of his hair, slightly faded over the summer in the sun and reminiscent of the smell of the feathers of a small bird. All this merged together into such a harmonious, such a joyful and bright impression that Kholshchevnikov’s eyes involuntarily began to sting with grateful tears.

The two heads, bowed near the lamp and almost touching their hair, belonged to Kholshchevnikov’s wife and Grigory Bakhanin, his best friend and student. Ivan Timofeevich treated this ardent and chaotic young man with sincere, ardent and caring love, in whose paintings the experienced eye of the teacher had long since discerned the gift of a broad and daring brush of enormous talent. There was no envy in Kholshchevnikov’s soul, so characteristic of the stormy and vulgar environment of artists. On the contrary, he was proud that the future celebrity - Bakhanin - took his first lessons and that his wife, Lydia, was the first to recognize and appreciate his student.

Bakhanin, silently and without stopping, drew with a pencil on a sheet of Bristol paper lying in front of him, and from under his hand came caricatures, vignettes, animals in human costumes, gracefully intertwined initials, parodies of paintings exhibited at the Academy of Arts, thin female profiles... These careless sketches, in which every stroke impressed with courage and talent, quickly replaced one after another, causing either intense attention or a cheerful smile on the face of Lydia Lvovna, who was carefully following the artist’s pencil.

- Well, that's what you are, dad. You promise, but now you’re silent,” Kitty drawled touchily. At the same time, he pouted his lips, lowered his head low and, fiddling with his fingers, shook his legs.

Kholshchevnikov turned to him and, to make amends, hugged him.

- Well, okay, okay, Kitty. I'll tell you a fairy tale now. Don’t be angry... Just... What should I tell you?..

He thought about it.

– About a bear whose paw was cut off? - said Kotik, sighing with relief. - Only I already know that.

Suddenly, an inspired thought flashed in Kholshchevnikov’s head. Couldn't his life serve as a theme for a good, touching fairy tale? How long has it been? - just twelve years ago - when he, a poor, unknown artist, bullied by his superiors, insulted by self-adoration, ignorance and advertising of mediocrity, more than once weakened, lost his head in a cruel struggle with life and cursed the hour when he took up his brush. At this difficult time, Lydia met on his way. She was much younger than him, she was dazzlingly beautiful, smart, surrounded by admirers. He, poor, homely, sickly, frightened of life, did not dare to dream of the love of this supreme, charming being. But she was the first to believe in him, the first to extend her hand to him. When, tired of failures and poverty, having lost strength and hope, he lost heart, she encouraged him with affection, tender care, and a cheerful joke. And her love triumphed... Now the name Kholshchevnikov is known to every literate person, his paintings adorn the galleries of crowned heads - he is the only academician who is adored by the young artists who do not believe in anything... There is nothing to say about material success... Both he and Lydia have plenty rewarded for long humiliating years of brutal austerity, almost beggary.

At that disastrous time, Ivan Timofeevich could not have imagined all this quiet charm, this contented life, warmed by the constant affection of his beautiful wife and the tender love of his dear Kotik, this joyful consciousness of family, to which his strong friendship with Bakhanin gave even greater depth and meaning. The theme of the tale quickly took shape in his head.

“Well, okay, listen, Kitty,” he began, stroking his son’s soft, thin hair. “Just don’t interrupt... Well, that’s it, sir.” In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived a king and a queen.

“And they didn’t have children?” asked Kotik in a thin voice.

- No, Kotik, they had children... Don’t interrupt, please... On the contrary, they had an extremely large number of children. There were so many children that when the king divided his wealth among all his sons, the youngest son got nothing. As if there was nothing to eat, no clothes, no horses, no houses, no servants... Nothing... Yes... Well, when the king felt that his end was near, he called his sons and said to them: “Dear children, maybe I I will die soon and therefore I want to choose an heir from among you... but certainly the most worthy... You know that on the border of my kingdom there is a large, large dense forest... And in the very middle of the forest there is a marble palace. It's just very difficult to get there. Many tried to do this, but never returned. They were devoured by wild animals, tickled to death by mermaids, bitten by poisonous snakes... But you go boldly forward... Let neither fear, nor the prudent advice of loved ones, nor the temptation of safety stop you... At the gates of the marble palace you will see three lions chained: one the name is Envy, another is Poverty, the third is Doubt. The lions will rush at you with a deafening roar. But you go straight and straight. In the palace, in the silver room, on a golden tripod strewn with stars, an eternal sacred fire burns. So, remember my words: whoever of you lights a lamp from this fire and returns home with it, he will be the heir of my kingdom.”

Ivan Timofeevich, without letting Kitty out of his arms, lit a cigarette. Bakhanin and Lydia, apparently, listened to his tale with interest; Bakhanin even put his palm with an umbrella to his eyes, trying to see Kholshchevnikov from the light, sitting in a dark corner in a rocking chair. “Well, okay,” Kholshchevnikov continued, “the royal sons set off on their journey.” The younger prince also went. The courtiers tried to dissuade him, dissuaded him: you are young, and weak, and sickly, where should you follow your elders? But he answered them: “No, and I want to be in the marble palace and light my lamp by the sacred fire.”

And I went. Well, okay. Whether it was long or short, the brothers only reached the forest. This is what the elders say:

“It’s scary, difficult, and far to drive through the forest, let’s go around, maybe we’ll find another road.” And the younger one says: “You, brothers, do as you wish, but I will go straight, because there is no other road through the forest.” The brothers answer him: “You know, Ivanushka is a fool, there’s no point in talking to you; wild animals will eat you in the forest or you yourself will die of hunger.” Yes. Well, the youngest son is coming, he goes one day, he goes another, he goes a third. And the forest is getting denser and denser. The thorny bushes whip their branches into his face, tear his clothes, wolves howl after him, ghouls chase after him, and still he goes. Mermaids with green hair are swinging in the trees and beckoning to him: “Come to us. Where are you driving? And there is no marble palace. All these are just fairy tales, inventions of fools and dreamers. Come to us. You will live cheerfully and carefree, we will delight your ears with music and singing. Come to us". But he doesn't listen and goes further and further. Finally his horse fell... And the forest grew thicker and thicker; at every step there are impassable swamps, steep ravines, thickets of forest... The prince did not have enough strength... He fell onto the damp ground and already thought that the end was coming for him. “It’s true,” he thinks, there really isn’t any marble palace. It would be better if I didn’t come here at all or stayed with the mermaids along the way. Otherwise, now I will die for nothing, and there is no one to even bury me...” He was just thinking this, when suddenly, out of nowhere, a fairy in snow-white robes appears in front of him and says to him: “Why do you, prince, despair and complain? Take my hand and go." And as soon as he touched her hand, he immediately felt relief, got up and walked along with the beautiful fairy. And when along the way he weakened and was ready to fall from fatigue, the fairy squeezed his hand more and more tightly. And he gathered his courage and walked, overcoming fatigue. Kholshchevnikov stopped.

- The prince came to the palace. He was not afraid of the terrible lions: Doubt, Poverty and Envy, sitting on chains at the gate, because he had a beautiful fairy with him. He lit a sacred fire from a golden altar studded with diamond stars, and went home with it to his kingdom. And when he returned from the palace, the lions lay at the gate like tame dogs and licked the traces of his feet, the forest parted to the sides, forming a wide smooth road, and the beautiful fairy turned into a princess (she had previously been bewitched by an evil sorceress) and from then on she never left the prince again. As for the rest of the brothers, some were afraid of the difficult road and stopped in the middle, while others returned home, and the whole state laughed at them. And the younger prince and his beautiful princess began to live, live, and make good things. That's right, my Kitty.

- That's it, my boy. Better go to bed now, my little prince. Say goodbye to mommy and Grisha.

“It’s not a good fairy tale,” the boy said, but he obediently stood up, kissed Lydia Lvovna, who carefully and carefully crossed him, then kissed Bakhanin and, taking his father’s hand, went to the nursery.

With the help of the nanny, he undressed the cat and put him to bed. It was dark in the nursery. The pink lamp flickered faintly near the image, reflecting with trembling naive sparks on the golden robe of the dark-faced saint. The cat lay down on his right side, placing his folded palms under his cheek, and asked:

-Did you, dad, tell me this whole story? To end?

- Everything, Kitty. And what?

- Yes, yes. Where is this son now?

- Son? The son has not yet become a king, but he married a fairy, and they have a little son, like my Kitty... Only Kitty doesn’t like to take dictation, but the prince’s son writes with pleasure.

- Why, dad, did they call him Ivanushka the Fool?

“Because, my dear, he was very simple and poor.” Yes, he really would have been a fool if he had not met a beautiful fairy. If he got lost, his wild animals would...

Kitty's deep and even breathing indicated that he fell asleep without hearing the answer to his question. Kholshchevnikov, with a tender and touched heart, crossed his son and, quietly stepping in his kid shoes, walked out of the nursery onto the terrace. Neither Lydia nor Bakhanin heard his steps. She lay on his shoulder and, throwing her head back, with half-open, laughing, wet lips, avoided his kisses. Black curls and ashen curls mixed together... It was clear that Lydia’s resistance worried both of them: she turned pale, and Bakhanin’s dark face became covered with pink spots and took on a pleading expression. Finally, as if exhausted, with a passionate sigh, like a moan, she pressed her lips to his and impulsively wrapped her beautiful half-naked hand around his neck...

The fairy tale is over...