A poem by Pyotr Pavlovich Ershov "The Little Humpbacked Horse" was written by him when the author was a student at St. Petersburg University, and published in 1834. The author himself said that the fairy tale is truly folk, because he wrote it down, listening to the performance of Russian storytellers. Ershov said that he saw his work only in the fact that he gave this story a literary form.
However, at present, among literary scholars, disputes about authorship are not yet over. There is even an opinion that either the whole fairy tale, or some of its fragments belong to the pen of A.S. Pushkin.
Like it or not, but the fairy tale "The Little Humpbacked Horse" has become a real gem of fabulous literary creation. At the same time, the work contains in itself the sayings that existed in Russian speech, and features of original folk humor, and well-known folklore characters, and typical plot twists.
And now let's start the characterization of the three brothers from the fairy tale "The Little Humpbacked Horse".
The beginning of a fairy tale
The first part begins with a traditional fairy tale concept: in one village there lived an old man. He had three sons: Danil, Gavril, and the youngest Vanya.
In the general description of the three brothers from the fairy tale "The Little Humpbacked Horse", the elder is given the following characteristic: "there was a clever kid." The middle of the brothers was “this way and that” - this, apparently, means that there is nothing special to say about him, and the third was, of course, called the author a fool.
If you remember that in a Russian fairy tale, just a fool always comes to a happy ending, who turns out to be the most savvy, then smart is the worst of the characteristics of the 3 brothers from the fairy tale "The Little Humpbacked Horse". This is the opposite logic, the antithesis characteristic of Russian fairy tales. Consequently, the older brother will turn out to be a fool.
Somehow a thief landed on them in the fields to move the wheat. The sons decided to watch the crops in turn at night. The elder Danila began, and, having scared, buried himself in the hay. Gavril continued, but froze and trembled all night under a fence near a neighbor. But both lied to their father that they were guarding properly and everything was in order.
Turn came to Ivan. They persuaded him to go to the field, only promising to buy gifts. The youngest of the brothers, probably, should seem to the reader either as a boy, or as a fool, or as a terrible lazy person. But in the image of Ivan, these features can be merged, even taking into account the general characteristics of the brothers from the fairy tale "The Little Humpbacked Horse."
Vanya tracked a white mare on the field at night and was able to saddle her. The mare rushed like an arrow, over the fields, but could not throw off the rider. She then promised Ivan that she would give in exchange for freedom her three horse sons. Two tall golden-maned and one three-apiece height (4.45 cm apices), with two humps and arshin-long ears (arshin 0.7 m). Quite fabulous, unrealistic dimensions, isn't it?
It is characteristic that Vanya does not tell the truth to either his father or his brothers about the adventure on the field, but lies out of habit. But the older brothers lied, because they were ashamed to admit their cowardice, and why did the younger brother lie? A fool should be simple and not be able to lie. But the younger brother, it turns out, is not at all simple, and therefore, not a fool at all. This question that arose (either a fool or not) allows the reader to consider the characteristics of the brothers from the fairy tale "The Little Humpbacked Horse" from a new, unexpected side.
At night in the forest
The brothers saw two wonderful horses near Ivan and took them away, deciding to sell the boyars to the capital. This, of course, characterizes the brothers in the fairy tale "The Little Humpbacked Horse" as being cunning and greedy. But then there’s a fairy tale, so that the whole world confronts the fool hero, and even close people betray, and he effortlessly won and forgave everyone.
Ivan caught up with his brothers on his Humpbacked Horse. He began to make a conscience, and they answered him that they had been working all day, and barely had enough to live on, his old father was no longer an assistant. But what if crop failure happens, how to live? It is necessary to sell horses for good money, everything will be easier. Vanya has a good soul, he, of course, agreed, and they all went together to the city.
We got up for the night in the forest. Suddenly they noticed a light nearby and sent the elder younger brother at random, to get hold of the fire. Meanwhile, they thought: what if the abyss happened to him, there would be a way for him. This episode allows us to characterize the two older brothers from the fairy tale "The Little Humpbacked Horse" as well as cruel people who do not feel any kindred feelings towards their younger brother.
Sat on his skate Ivan, and they rushed over the forest. He sees: the feather of the Firebird sparkles on the ground. The hunchback advised against taking it, but Ivan took it, wrapped it in a rag, put it in a hat and returned to the brothers, saying that it was a rotten stump burning in the forest.
In the capital
They arrived and stood in the equestrian row, that is, where they traded horses. Their black horses with golden manes and diamond hooves caused general amazement. The mayor informed the tsar about unusual horses, and he bought them, giving Vanya ten hats of silver.
But the horses were not allowed to take themselves to the royal grooms, the tsar had to take Ivan to the service.
And the two older brothers, having received money from Ivan, went to their native village, where they soon got married and began to live and live.
This ends the first part of the tale and the second begins, where we will not hear about the older brothers.
Part two. In the service of the king
Not liked the royal sleeping bag, the boyar’s son, Ivan. He thought of lime. He stole the feather of the Firebird from Vanya and carried it to the tsar, adding that Ivan, even for that tsar's command, would get the bird itself. The king ordered. Ivan was twisted, but promised to help him his faithful little horse.
They got the Firebird, the case turned out to be simple. The king, in joy, appointed Ivan the royal stirrup. But Vania’s foe did not doze off and came to the tsar with another notion: they say that a new stirrup was boasted that he would bring the Tsar’s girl of overseas beauty, if the tsar ordered.
Thanks to his wonderful Skate, who knows everything, Vanya fulfills this assignment. The Tsar decided to marry the Tsar Maiden, but she first demanded to find her ring left in the ocean. The king, of course, again sends Vanya, and he goes on a journey.
Part three. Further service of Ivan
He had to bail out of the involuntary imprisonment of the giant Whale, to look at a visit to the Sun and the Month, but Ivan fulfilled this assignment. And the girl again refused the king - he is too old. Let it be younger before. But how to do that? Very simple: first swim in boiling milk, then jump into a cauldron with boiling water, and then into ice water.
The king decided, let Ivan first try, and then we'll see. Vanya wanted to refuse, but he threatened to torture the guy to death. As usual, Vanya twisted and went to the hayloft to his Skate.
In the morning, before being in the boiler, on the advice of Skate, he asked permission to say goodbye to his friend. The horse waved its tail, dropped its face into the cauldrons, Ivan stood in milk and water, and turned into a handsome and good-natured good fellow. The king, marveled, also jumped into the cauldron, and even boiled. And the Tsar Maiden declared Ivan her bridegroom and future king. On the stage of glee, the tale ends.
Total. Characteristics of the brothers
To give the final characteristics to the brothers from the fairy tale "The Little Humpbacked Horse", it should be noted that the image of Ivanushka will definitely remind the reader Emel from Russian fairy tales. He was also a big bedridden, but at the same time good-natured and noble young man. Natural ingenuity and at the same time naivety and simplicity help him, without being surprised by anything, to master the most diverse spaces of the world - both real, and fabulous, unusual.
Ivan was close to the popular consciousness and the fact that he did not particularly resist anything, going with the flow. But he was conscientious and honest. It is necessary to fulfill the royal commission - what to do? And then an extraordinary helper was found and helped out of trouble. We have to go far away - let's go.
But with all this, he can cheat, and lie, and invent a lot, without changing, however, his basic good nature.
In general, Ivan is not a strong person; he does not have to make difficult and difficult decisions. He acts in many ways, trusting a magical helper. And he got this assistant, because he honestly performed his work. Only such people, according to the Russian man, can be lucky in life.
How to characterize the older brother from the tale "The Little Humpbacked Horse"? Very simple. Let us recall for this the second side of the peasant soul - stinginess, cunning, when necessary, rigidity. And laziness. Laziness is typical for a Russian person: after all, all three brothers in a fairy tale are lazy. And not only in this tale.
Danilo is the antipode of Ivan. But he is his brother, and this, of course, is not without reason.
This analysis can not do without the characteristics of the average of the brothers from the tale "The Little Humpbacked Horse." Why is it said so obscurely about him: "this way and that"? Apparently because he obeys his elder brother in everything, obeys him and considers him to be the eldest in the family.
This is the characteristic of 3 brothers from the fairy tale "The Little Humpbacked Horse".