In a large dense forest, far in the north of Finland, two huge pine trees grew side by side. They were so old, so old, that no one, not even the gray moss, could remember if they had ever been young, thin pines. Their dark peaks were visible from everywhere, rising high above the thicket of the forest. In the spring, in the dense branches of old pines, a thrush sang cheerful songs, and small pink flowers the heathers raised their heads and looked up as timidly as if they wanted to say: “Ah, will we also be as big and as old?”
In winter, when a snowstorm wrapped the whole earth in a white blanket and heather flowers slept under fluffy snowdrifts, two pine trees, like two giants, guarded the forest.
A winter storm swept noisily through the thicket, swept snow from the branches, broke off the tops of trees, and knocked down strong trunks. And only the giant pines always stood firm and straight, and no hurricane could make them bow their heads.
But if you are so strong and persistent - it means something!
At the edge of the forest, where old pines grew, on a small hillock huddled a hut covered with turf, and with two small windows looked into the forest. A poor peasant lived in this hut with his wife. They had a piece of land on which they sowed bread, and a small garden. That's all their wealth. And in winter, the peasant worked in the forest - he chopped trees and drove logs to the sawmill in order to save a few coins for milk and butter.
The peasant and his wife had two children - a boy and a girl. The boy's name was Sylvester, and the girl's name was Sylvia.
And where did they find such names for them! Probably in the forest. After all, the word "silva" in the ancient, Latin language means "forest".
One day - it was winter - the brother and sister, Sylvester and Sylvia, went into the forest to see if any forest animal or bird fell into the snares that they set up.
And rightly so, a white hare was caught in one snare, and a white partridge was caught in the other. Both the hare and the partridge were alive, they only got their paws entangled in the snares and squeaked plaintively.
Let me go! - the hare muttered when Sylvester approached him.
Let me go! squeaked the partridge as Sylvia leaned over her.
Sylvester and Sylvia were very surprised. Never before had they heard forest animals and birds speaking like a human being.
Let's really let them go! Sylvia said.
And together with her brother, she began to carefully unravel the snares. As soon as the hare sensed freedom, he galloped as fast as he could into the depths of the forest. And the partridge flew away as fast as its wings could carry.
Podoprinebo! .. Podoprinebo will do anything you ask! - shouted a hare on a gallop.
Ask Zatsepitucha! .. Ask Zatsepitucha! .. And you will have everything, whatever you want! - shouted a partridge in flight.
Once again, the forest became very quiet.
What was it they were saying? Sylvester finally said. - What is Podoprinebo and Zatsepituchu about?
And I've never heard such strange names, - said Sylvia - Who could it be?
At this time, a strong gust of wind swept through the forest. The tops of the old pines rustled, and in their noise Sylvester and Sylvia clearly heard the words.
Well, buddy, are you still standing? - one pine tree asked another. - Do you still hold the sky? No wonder the forest animals called you - Podoprinebo!
I stand! I'm holding! boomed another pine. - How are you, old man? Are you at war with the clouds? After all, it’s not in vain that they say about you - I’m hooked!
Something I'm weakening, - rustled in response. “Today, the wind broke off my upper branch. Apparently old age really comes!
It's wrong for you to complain! You're only three hundred and fifty years old. You are still a child! Quite a child! And here I am already three hundred and eighty-eight!
And the old pine sighed heavily.
Look, the wind is returning, - whispered the pine - the one that was younger. - It's so good to sing songs under his whistle! Let's sing with you about the distant past, about our youth. After all, you and I have something to remember!
And to the sound of a forest storm, the pines, swaying, sang their song:
We are bound by the cold, we are captive in the snow!
The storm rages and rages.
To the sound of it tends us, the ancients, to sleep,
And we see old times in a dream -
The time when we, two friends,
Two young pines climbed into the sky
Over the unsteady green of the meadow.
Violets bloomed at our feet,
We whitewashed the blizzard needles,
And the clouds flew from the hazy distance,
And the storm destroyed the spruce.
We reached for the sky from the frozen ground,
Even centuries could not bend us
And the whirlwinds did not dare to break ...
Yes, you and I have something to remember, there is something to talk about, - said the pine tree - the one that was older, - and creaked softly. Let's talk to these kids. - And one of its branches swayed, as if pointing at Sylvester and Sylvia.
What do they want to talk to us about? Sylvester said.
Let's go home," Sylvia whispered to her brother. - I'm afraid of these trees.
Wait, said Sylvester. - What are they afraid of! Yes, there goes the father!
And sure enough, their father made his way along the forest path with an ax on his shoulder.
These are trees, so trees! Just what I need! - said the peasant, stopping near the old pines.
He had already raised the ax to cut down the pine tree - the one that was older - but Sylvester and Sylvia suddenly rushed to their father, crying.
Father, - Sylvester began to ask, - do not touch this pine tree! This is Podoprinebo! ..
Father, don't touch this one! asked Sylvia. - Her name is Zatsepituchu. They are both so old! And now they sang a song to us ...
What the kids can't think of! laughed the peasant. - Where is it heard that the trees sang! Well, okay, let them stand for themselves, since you ask so much for them. I will find myself and others.
They didn't have to wait long. The wind rustled again in the treetops. He had just been to the mill and was turning the mill wings so furiously that sparks from the millstones rained in all directions. And now the wind has blown over the pines and begun to rage in their branches.
Goals: 1. Development of the creative potential of students.
2. Acquaintance with the work of Tsakarius Topelius.
3. Revealing the emotional perception of the text.
4. Education of optimism and humanism.
The program has two lessons for studying the fairy tale.
The first lesson begins with listening to fairy tales composed by fourth graders. A jury of three or four people can be selected in the class, who, after listening to fairy tales under the guidance of a teacher, will evaluate the storytellers: they will reveal what makes the fairy tale interesting, what was successful in it, and what they would like to hear differently.
Then the teacher proceeds to get acquainted with the work of the Finnish writer Tsakarias Topelius.
The conversation material might look something like this:
“Tsakarias Topelius was born in Finland in 1818 (that is, almost two hundred years ago) in the family of a doctor. His father loved literature and was one of the collectors of Finnish folklore. He especially liked Finnish folk songs.- runes, which Tsakarias Sr. sometimes wrote down directly from the lips of the performers.
Tsakarias Topelius Jr., that is, his son, was also carried away by folk art from childhood, loved the verses of Swedish and Finnish poets, tried to compose poetry himself. And for children's newspapers and magazines, he wrote fairy tales, plays, poems, which were accepted by his readers with pleasure. The future writer then included many of these works in collections called "Children's Readings". There were eight of them during the life of Tsakarias Topelius.
The well-known Danish storyteller H. H. Andersen prompted Tsakarias to create children's fairy tales. Tsakarias in Andersen's fairy tales was attracted by the fact that with him the unusual often became ordinary, and the ordinary ceased to be everyday and turned into a fabulous one. People, natural phenomena, things, objects became magical in Andersen's fairy tales, although they were close to the real world. Tsakarias Topelius also learned this feature of the Danish storyteller's fairy-tale manner.
In his fairy tales, he depicted with special sympathy the life of children, the harsh and majestic nature of Finland. The writer's tales are close to oral folk art Finnish people, they are warmed by the warmth, fun, good feelings of the author.
The best fairy tales of the writer are translated into Russian and are loved by our children. Among them fairy tale"Knut-musician", which uses the motives of Finnish folklore and folk beliefs about elves, gnomes, a sleeping giant tree. The boy in the fairy tale is helped by the good forces of nature and a magic pipe.
One of Topelius' best tales- heroic tale "Sampo- Loparyonok". Her hero- the brave seven-year-old boy Sampo, who fights against the mountain king who took the sun. The golden-horned deer and his kind teacher help the hero to win the battle with the king.
Topelius also has fairy tales in which he revives nature, and makes her heroes live, think, reflect, and perform human actions. From one of these tales- "Sunbeam in November" we will get to know you today. Bring light, warmth, joy of life- such is the purpose of the Ray, and therefore of man.
Then the teacher reads the fairy tale by C. Topelius "A Sunbeam in November".
After reading a number of questions, students' emotional perception of what they heard is revealed: “What attracted you to the fairy tale? What seemed unusual? What did you especially like? If there is time left in the lesson, students reread the fairy tale in a chain.
Fourth-graders receive a task at home: reread the text, find the most poetic lines describing nature.
Topelius Z
winter fairy tale
Sakarias Topelius
winter fairy tale
In a large dense forest, far in the north of Finland, two huge pine trees grew side by side. They were so old, so old, that no one, not even the gray moss, could remember if they had ever been young, thin pines. Their dark peaks were visible from everywhere, rising high above the thicket of the forest. In the spring, in the thick branches of the old pines, thrushes sang merry songs, and the little pink flowers of the heather raised their heads and looked up from below as timidly, as if they wanted to say: "Ah, will we really be as big and as old?"
In winter, when a snowstorm wrapped the whole earth in a white blanket and heather flowers slept under fluffy snowdrifts, two pine trees, like two giants, guarded the forest.
A winter storm swept noisily through the thicket, swept snow from the branches, broke off the tops of trees, and knocked down strong trunks. And only the giant pines always stood firm and straight, and no hurricane could make them bow their heads.
But if you are so strong and persistent - it means something!
At the edge of the forest, where old pines grew, on a small hillock huddled a hut covered with turf, and with two small windows looked into the forest. A poor peasant lived in this hut with his wife. They had a piece of land on which they sowed bread, and a small garden. That's all their wealth. And in winter, the peasant worked in the forest - he chopped trees and drove logs to the sawmill in order to save a few coins for milk and butter.
The peasant and his wife had two children - a boy and a girl. The boy's name was Sylvester, and the girl's name was Sylvia.
And where did they find such names for them! Probably in the forest. After all, the word "silva" in the ancient, Latin language means "forest".
One day - it was winter - the brother and sister, Sylvester and Sylvia, went into the forest to see if any forest animal or bird fell into the snares that they set up.
And rightly so, a white hare was caught in one snare, and a white partridge was caught in the other. Both the hare and the partridge were alive, they only got their paws entangled in the snares and squeaked plaintively.
Let me go! - the hare muttered when Sylvester approached him.
Let me go! squeaked the partridge as Sylvia leaned over her.
Sylvester and Sylvia were very surprised. Never before had they heard forest animals and birds speaking like a human being.
Let's really let them go! Sylvia said.
And together with her brother, she began to carefully unravel the snares. As soon as the hare sensed freedom, he galloped as fast as he could into the depths of the forest. And the partridge flew away as fast as its wings could carry.
Podoprinebo! .. Podoprinebo will do anything you ask! - shouted a hare on a gallop.
Ask Zatsepitucha! .. Ask Zatsepitucha! .. And you will have everything, whatever you want! - shouted a partridge in flight.
Once again, the forest became very quiet.
What was it they were saying? Sylvester finally said. - What is Podoprinebo and Zatsepituchu about?
And I've never heard such strange names, - said Sylvia - Who could it be?
At this time, a strong gust of wind swept through the forest. The tops of the old pines rustled, and in their noise Sylvester and Sylvia clearly heard the words.
Well, buddy, are you still standing? - one pine tree asked another. - Do you still hold the sky? No wonder the forest animals called you - Podoprinebo!
I stand! I'm holding! boomed another pine. - How are you, old man? Are you at war with the clouds? After all, it’s not in vain that they say about you - I’m hooked!
Something I'm weakening, - rustled in response. “Today, the wind broke off my upper branch. Apparently old age really comes!
It's wrong for you to complain! You're only three hundred and fifty years old. You are still a child! Quite a child! And here I am already three hundred and eighty-eight!
And the old pine sighed heavily.
Look, the wind is returning, - whispered the pine - the one that was younger. - It's so good to sing songs under his whistle! Let's sing with you about the distant past, about our youth. After all, you and I have something to remember!
And to the sound of a forest storm, the pines, swaying, sang their song:
We are bound by the cold, we are captive in the snow!
The storm rages and rages.
To the sound of it tends us, the ancients, to sleep,
And we see old times in a dream
The time when we, two friends,
Two young pines climbed into the sky
Over the unsteady green of the meadow.
Violets bloomed at our feet,
We whitewashed the blizzard needles,
And the clouds flew from the hazy distance,
And the storm destroyed the spruce.
We reached for the sky from the frozen ground,
Even centuries could not bend us
And they did not dare to break the whirlwinds ...
Yes, you and I have something to remember, there is something to talk about, - said the pine tree - the one that was older, - and creaked softly. Let's talk to these kids. - And one of its branches swayed, as if pointing at Sylvester and Sylvia.
What do they want to talk to us about? Sylvester said.
Let's go home," Sylvia whispered to her brother. - I'm afraid of these trees.
Wait, said Sylvester. - What are they afraid of! Yes, there goes the father!
And sure enough, their father made his way along the forest path with an ax on his shoulder.
These are trees, so trees! Just what I need! - said the peasant, stopping near the old pines.
He had already raised the ax to cut down the pine tree - the one that was older - but Sylvester and Sylvia suddenly rushed to their father, crying.
Father, - Sylvester began to ask, - do not touch this pine tree! This is Podoprinebo! ..
Father, don't touch this one! asked Sylvia. - Her name is Zatsepituchu. They are both so old! And now they sang us a song...
What the kids can't think of! laughed the peasant. - Where is it heard that the trees sang! Well, okay, let them stand for themselves, since you ask so much for them. I will find myself and others.
Additional reading
C. Topelius. winter fairy tale
In a large dense forest, far in the north of Finland, two huge pine trees grew side by side. They were so old, so old, that no one, not even the gray moss, could remember if they had ever been young, thin pines. Their dark peaks were visible from everywhere, rising high above the thicket of the forest. In the spring, in the thick branches of the old pines, thrushes sang merry songs, and the little pink heather flowers raised their heads and looked up from the bottom up so timidly, as if they wanted to say: “Ah, will we really be as big and as old?”
In winter, when a snowstorm wrapped the whole earth in a white blanket and heather flowers slept under fluffy snowdrifts, two pine trees, like two giants, guarded the forest.
A winter storm swept noisily through the thicket, swept snow from the branches, broke off the tops of trees, and knocked down strong trunks. And only the giant pines always stood firm and straight, and no hurricane could make them bow their heads.
But if you are so strong and persistent, it means something!
At the edge of the forest, where old pines grew, on a small hillock huddled a hut covered with turf, and with two small windows looked into the forest. A poor peasant lived in this hut with his wife. They had a piece of land on which they sowed bread, and a small garden. That's all their wealth. And in winter, the peasant worked in the forest - he cut down trees and drove logs to the sawmill in order to save a few coins for milk and butter.
The peasant and his wife had two children, a boy and a girl. The boy's name was Sylvester, and the girl's name was Sylvia.
And where did they find such names for them! Probably in the forest. After all, the word "silva" in the ancient, Latin language means "forest".
One day - it was winter - the brother and sister, Sylvester and Sylvia, went into the forest to see if any forest animal or bird fell into the snares that they had placed.
And rightly so, a white hare was caught in one snare, and a white partridge in the other. Both the hare and the partridge were alive, they only got their paws entangled in the snares and squeaked plaintively.
- Let me go! the hare muttered when Sylvester approached him.
- Let me go! the partridge squeaked as Sylvia leaned over her.
Sylvester and Sylvia were very surprised. Never before had they heard forest animals and birds speaking like a human being.
Let's really let them go! Sylvia said.
And together with her brother, she began to carefully unravel the snares. As soon as the hare sensed freedom, he galloped as fast as he could into the depths of the forest. And the partridge flew away as fast as its wings could carry.
“Suboprinebo!.. Suboprinebo will do anything you ask!” - shouted the hare at a gallop.
- Ask Zatsepitucha! .. Ask Zatsepitucha! .. And you will have everything, whatever you want! - shouted a partridge in flight.
Once again, the forest became very quiet.
— What was it they said? Sylvester finally said. - What are Podoprinebo and Zatsepitucha about?
“And I have never heard such strange names,” Sylvia said. “Who could it be?”
At this time, a strong gust of wind swept through the forest. The tops of the old pines rustled, and in their noise Sylvester and Sylvia clearly heard the words.
“Well, buddy, are you still standing?” one pine asked the other. Are you still holding the sky? No wonder the forest animals called you - Podoprinebo!
- I'm standing! I'm holding! boomed another pine. "How are you, old man?" Are you at war with the clouds? After all, it’s not in vain that they say about you - I’m hooked!
“I’m getting weaker,” whispered in response. “Today, the wind broke off my upper branch. Apparently old age really comes!
- It's wrong for you to complain! You're only three hundred and fifty years old. You are still a child! Quite a child! And here I am already three hundred and eighty-eight!
And the old pine sighed heavily.
“Look, the wind is returning,” whispered the pine—the one that was younger. - It's so good to sing songs under his whistle! Let's sing with you about the distant past, about our youth. After all, you and I have something to remember!
And to the sound of a forest storm, the pines, swaying, sang their song:
We are bound by the cold, we are captive in the snow!
The storm rages and rages.
To the sound of it tends us, the ancients, to sleep,
And we see old times in a dream -
The time when we, two friends,
Two young pines climbed into the sky
Over the unsteady green of the meadow.
Violets bloomed at our feet,
We whitewashed the blizzard needles,
And the clouds flew from the hazy distance,
And the storm destroyed the spruce.
We reached for the sky from the frozen ground,
Even centuries could not bend us
And the whirlwinds did not dare to break ...
“Yes, you and I have something to remember, there is something to talk about,” said the pine tree, the one that was older, and creaked softly. Let's talk to these kids. - And one of its branches swayed, as if pointing at Sylvester and Sylvia.
What do they want to talk to us about? Sylvester said.
"We'd better go home," Sylvia whispered to her brother. — I'm afraid of these trees.
"Wait," Sylvester said. - What are they afraid of! Yes, there goes the father!
And sure enough, their father made his way along the forest path with an ax on his shoulder.
- These are trees, so trees! Just what I need! said the peasant, stopping near the old pines.
He had already raised his ax to cut down the pine tree - the one that was older - but Sylvester and Sylvia suddenly rushed to their father, crying.
“Father,” Sylvester began to ask, “don’t touch this pine tree!” This is Podoprinebo! ..
“Father, don’t touch this one either!” Sylvia asked. Her name is Zatsepituchu. They are both so old! And now they sang a song to us ...
- What the guys will not invent! laughed the peasant. “Where is it heard that the trees sang!” Well, okay, let them stand for themselves, since you ask so much for them. I will find myself and others.
And he went further into the depths of the forest, and Sylvester and Sylvia remained near the old pines to hear what these forest giants would tell them.
They didn't have to wait long. The wind rustled again in the treetops. He had just been to the mill and was turning the mill wings so furiously that sparks from the millstones rained in all directions. And now the wind has blown over the pines and begun to rage in their branches.
The old branches hummed, rustled, spoke.
You saved our lives! said the pines to Sylvester and Sylvia. “Ask us now for whatever you want.
But it turns out it's not always easy to say what you most want. No matter how much Sylvester and Sylvia thought, they did not come up with anything, as if they had nothing to wish for.
Finally Sylvester said:
- I would like the sun to come out at least for a while, otherwise there are no paths in the forest at all.
- Yes, yes, and I would like spring to come soon and the snow to melt! Sylvia said. - Then the birds will sing again in the forest ...
“Oh, what foolish children! the pines rustled. “After all, you could wish for so many beautiful things!” And wealth, and honors, and glory - you would have everything! .. And you are asking for what will happen without your request. But there's nothing to be done, it is necessary to fulfill your desires. Only we will do it in our own way ... Listen, Sylvester: wherever you go, whatever you look at, everywhere the sun will shine for you. And your wish, Sylvia, will come true: wherever you go, whatever you talk about, spring will always bloom around you and cold snow will melt.
Ah, that's more than we wanted! exclaimed Sylvester and Sylvia. “Thank you, dear pines, for your wonderful gifts. Now goodbye! And they ran happily home.
— Farewell! Farewell! the old pines rustled after them.
On the way, Sylvester kept looking back, looking for partridges, and - a strange thing! - in whatever direction he turned, everywhere a ray of the sun flashed in front of him, sparkling on the branches like gold.
- Look! Look! The sun is out! Sylvia called to her brother.
But as soon as she opened her mouth, the snow began to melt all around, the grass turned green on both sides of the path, the trees were covered with fresh leaves, and high in the blue sky the first song of the lark was heard.
- Oh, how fun! exclaimed Sylvester and Sylvia with one voice. And the farther they ran, the warmer the sun shone, the brighter the grass and trees turned green.
- The sun shines on me! shouted Sylvester, running into the house.
“The sun shines on everyone,” said the mother.
“I can melt the snow!” Sylvia screamed.
“Well, anyone can do it,” said the mother, and laughed.
But a little time passed, and she saw that something was wrong in the house. It was already completely dark outside, evening had come, and in their hut everything shone from the bright sun. And so it was until Sylvester felt sleepy and his eyes closed. But that is not all! There was no end in sight to the winter, and in the little hut suddenly a breath of spring blew. Even the old, withered broom in the corner began to turn green, and the rooster on its perch began to sing at the top of its lungs. And he sang until Sylvia got tired of talking and fell into a sound sleep. The farmer returned home late in the evening.
“Listen, father,” said the wife, “I’m afraid that someone has bewitched our children. Something wonderful is happening in our house!
- Here's something else I came up with! said the peasant. - You better listen, mother, what news I brought. There's no way you can guess! Tomorrow the king and queen will arrive in our city in their own person. They travel all over the country and inspect their possessions. Do you think we should go with the children to see the royal couple?
“Well, I don’t mind,” said the wife. “It’s not every day that such important guests come to our places.
The next day, just before light, the peasant with his wife and children got ready to go. On the way, there was only talk about the king and queen, and no one noticed that all the way a sunbeam ran in front of the sleigh (although the whole sky was covered with low clouds), and the birch trees around were covered with buds and turned green (although the frost was such that the birds froze in flight).
When the sleigh entered the city square, the people there were already visible, invisible. Everyone looked at the road with apprehension and whispered softly. It was said that the king and queen were dissatisfied with their country: wherever you go, there is snow, cold, desert and wild places everywhere.
The king, as he should be, was very strict. He immediately decided that his people were to blame for everything, and he was going to punish everyone properly.
It was said about the queen that she was very cold and, in order to keep warm, she stamped her feet all the time.
And finally, the royal sleigh appeared in the distance. The people froze.
In the square, the king ordered the coachman to stop to change horses. The king sat with his brow furrowed angrily, while the queen wept bitterly.
And suddenly the king raised his head, looked around - back and forth - and laughed merrily, just like all people laugh.
“Look, your majesty,” he turned to the queen, “how friendly the sun is shining! Really, it's not so bad here ... For some reason, I even felt amused.
“That is probably because you deigned to have a good breakfast,” said the queen. “However, I also seemed to be happier.
“That is probably because Your Majesty slept well,” said the King. “But, nevertheless, this desert country is very beautiful! See how brightly the sun shines on those two pine trees that are visible in the distance. On the plus side, this is a lovely place! I will order a palace to be built here.
“Yes, yes, it is absolutely necessary to build a palace here,” the queen agreed, and even stopped stamping her feet for a minute. “Actually, it’s not bad at all. Snow is everywhere, and trees and bushes are covered with green leaves, as in May. It's downright incredible!
But there was nothing incredible about it. It was just that Sylvester and Sylvia had climbed the fence to get a better look at the king and queen. Sylvester was spinning in all directions - that's why the sun sparkled all around; and Sylvia chatted without closing her mouth for a moment, so that even the dry poles of the old hedge were covered with fresh leaves.
What are these cute kids? the queen asked, looking at Sylvester and Sylvia. “Let them come to me.
Sylvester and Sylvia had never dealt with royalty before, so they boldly approached the king and queen.
“Listen,” said the queen, “I like you very much. When I look at you, I feel more cheerful and even seem to be warmer. Do you want to live in my palace? I will order you to be dressed in velvet and gold, you will eat on crystal plates and drink from silver glasses. Well, do you agree?
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Sylvia said, “but we'd better stay at home.
“Besides, we will miss our friends in the palace,” said Sylvester.
"Couldn't they be taken to the palace too?" the queen asked. She was in excellent spirits and was not in the least angry at being objected to.
"No, that's impossible," answered Sylvester and Sylvia. - They grow in the forest. Their names are Podoprinebo and Zatsepituchu...
- Whatever comes to the mind of the children! the king and queen exclaimed in one voice, and at the same time they laughed so unanimously that even the royal sleigh jumped on the spot.
The king ordered the horses to be unharnessed, and the masons and carpenters immediately began to build a new palace.
Oddly enough, this time the king and queen were kind and merciful to everyone. They did not punish anyone and even ordered that their treasurer give everyone a gold coin. And Sylvester and Sylvia received in addition a pretzel, which was baked by the royal baker himself! The pretzel was so big that four of the king's horses carried it on separate sledges.
Sylvester and Sylvia treated all the children who were in the square to a pretzel, and yet there was still such a large piece that it could hardly fit on the sleigh. On the way back, the peasant's wife whispered to her husband:
“Do you know why the king and queen were so gracious today?” Because Sylvester and Sylvia looked at them and talked to them. Remember what I told you yesterday!
Is this about witchcraft? said the peasant. - Empty!
- Yes, judge for yourself, - the wife did not let up, - where has it been seen that trees bloom in winter and that the king and queen do not punish anyone? Believe me, there was no magic here!
- All this is a woman's invention! said the peasant. - It's just that our children are good - that's all and rejoice, looking at them!
And it is true, no matter where Sylvester and Sylvia went, no matter who they talked to, everyone's soul immediately became warmer and brighter. And since Sylvester and Sylvia were always cheerful and friendly, no one was surprised that they bring joy to everyone. Everything around them bloomed and turned green, sang and laughed.
The desert lands near the hut where Sylvester and Sylvia lived turned into rich arable land and meadows, and spring birds sang in the forest even in winter.
Soon Sylvester was appointed royal forest warden, and Sylvia was appointed royal gardener.
No king in any kingdom has ever had such a wonderful garden. And no wonder! After all, no king could force the sun to obey his orders. And Sylvester and Sylvia the sun always shone when they wanted. Therefore, everything bloomed in their garden so that it was a pleasure to watch!
Several years have passed. Once, in the dead of winter, Sylvester and Sylvia went into the forest to visit their friends.
A storm raged in the forest, the wind hummed in the dark tops of the pines, and under its noise the pines sang their song:
We stand, as we used to, strong and slender.
Snow will fall, then it will melt...
And we look at two friends, two old pines,
As the green of spring changes again
Snow white ermine,
As the clouds pass, full of rain,
And flocks of birds fly by.
Pine needles are fresh and thick -
Envy, elms and maples!
Winter will not leave a leaf on you -
Dispel your green outfit!
But eternal beauty is given to pines,
Their heel went into the underground bowels,
And in the sky - a high crown.
Let the bad weather rage around -
A pine tree will not be knocked down by a storm, nor ...
But before they had time to finish their song, something crackled and creaked inside the trunks, and both pine trees fell to the ground. Just on this day, the youngest turned three hundred and fifty-five years old, and the oldest three hundred and ninety-three years old. What is so surprising that the winds finally mastered them!
Sylvester and Sylvia affectionately ruffled the gray, moss-covered trunks of dead pines and commemorated their friends with such kind words that the snow around them began to melt and pink heather flowers peeped out from under the ground. And there were so many of them that soon they covered the old pines from the very roots to the very tops.
I haven't heard anything about Sylvester and Sylvia for a long time. Probably now they themselves have grown old and gray, and the king and queen, whom everyone was so afraid of, does not exist at all.
But every time I see children, it seems to me that they are Sylvester and Sylvia.
Or maybe the old pines gave their wonderful gifts to all the children that live in the world? May be so.
Recently, on a cloudy, rainy day, I met a boy and a girl. And immediately in the gray, dull sky, a ray of the sun seemed to flash, everything around brightened, a smile appeared on the gloomy faces of passers-by ...
That's when spring comes in the middle of winter. Then the ice begins to melt - on the windows and in the hearts of people. Then even the old broom in the corner is covered with fresh leaves, roses bloom on a dry hedge, and cheerful larks sing under the high arch of the sky.
Zacharias (Tsakarias, Sakarias, Tsakhris, Zachris) Topelius(Zacharias Topelius, Zachris Topelius, January 14, 1818, Nyukarleby, Grand Duchy of Finland - March 12, 1898, Sipoo, Grand Duchy of Finland) - an outstanding Finnish writer and poet, researcher of Karelian-Finnish and Sami folklore. Wrote in Swedish.
Biography
Born January 14, 1818 in the family of a doctor and a famous collector folk poetry. Already in childhood it appeared artistic ability: rich imagination, observation, interest in the mysterious and mystical. At the age of eleven, he was sent to study at a school in Uleaborg (Oulu).
In 1833 he moved to Helsingfors, where he met Johan Ludwig Runeberg, who led the Finnish national-patriotic movement in the 1830s. The Runeberg circle had a strong influence on the young Topelius, predetermining the further development of his literary and socio-political activities. In 1840, Topelius graduated from the University of Helsingfors, in 1841 he became the editor-in-chief of the Helsingfors News (Helsingfors Tidningar) and held this position until 1860. His journalism was characterized by liberal views.
In 1845, the first of four collections of poems by Topelius, Heather Flowers, was published. Also in 1845, the beginning of the publication of a series of books "History of Finland in Drawings", published until 1852, dates back to 1845.
In 1847 he became a doctor of historical sciences, after another seven years - a professor. However, the pro-Russian position of Topelius during the Crimean War alienated the most radical Finns from him.
From 1854 he held the position of professor at the University of Helsingfors, and from 1875 he also took the position of rector of the University of Helsingfors. In 1878 he left these positions to devote himself entirely to literary work.
He was awarded the Swedish Academy with a gold medal for literary merit in 1886.
Creation
The literary work of Topelius is very diverse. His lyrics are deeply patriotic, imbued with love for the motherland and its nature (“Melting ice on the Uleo River”, “Forest Songs”, “Winter Street”, etc.) Religious motifs predominate in Topelius's later poems.
In addition, Topelius is famous historical prose: novels, novellas and short stories influenced by Walter Scott, Victor Hugo and the Danish novelist B. S. Ingemann. Topelius' novel The Duchess of Finland, published in 1850, was the first attempt to create a major national historical novel in Finnish literature. The Paramedic's Tales provides a fictional account of the history of Finland from the time of Gustav II Adolf to Gustav III. In 1879, a novel about the times of the Swedish Queen Christina, "Children of the Stars", was published. From dramatic works Topelius was widely known for the tragedy Regina von Emmeritz (1853) and the drama Fifty Years Later (1851), which were based on episodes from The Paramedic's Tales.
In Europe, Topelius is best known as the author of fairy tales. Sagor(1847-1852). There is some imitation of Hans Christian Andersen in the earlier ones, but then he finds his own original style.
- It was Topelius who first suggested making the colors of the flag of Finland white and blue. The flag he proposed had three oblique blue stripes on a white background and a white star in the center. White denoted snow, and blue denoted lakes.
- Topelius supported the idea of a transcontinental railway across the Bering Strait (this is reflected in his fairy tale "How the blacksmith Paavo shod the train", in another translation - "How the railway got seven-league boots").
- In 1985, the cartoon "Sampo from Lapland" was released in the USSR based on Topelius' fairy tale "Sampo the Lappy Boy".
