Lermontov's works for children: stories, poems

The artist, poet and writer Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov is best known as the author of The Hero of Our Time. But Lermontov’s poems for children occupy far from the last place in his poetic heritage. A lover of history, folklore and fairy tales, the poet wrote a fairly large number of poems and short stories, which he himself called fairy tales. Now Lermontov’s works for children are studied in the 6th grade of high school.

Today we will talk about some poems, poems and tales of Lermontov, which are written for the younger generation.

Lermontov’s poems for children (short)

The death of his mother left a very sad imprint on the life and work of Mikhail Yuryevich. He very early remained in the care of his father, and this resulted in a longing for poems that beat the theme of childhood or were written for children.

Although the poet’s childhood was covered with a haze of sadness and longing for his mother, he still describes the early years as happy, joyful days.

Extraordinary lyricism, gentleness and warmth emit Lermontov’s poems for children. Short verses such as "Sail", "Cossack Lullaby", "Sweet Baby Birth", "Angel", "Baby", demonstrate this as well as possible. These verses are the most soulful and tender that is in the poet's work.

"Forget-me-not"

Lermontov’s works for children also play on various fairy tales. The small-sized poem "Forget-me-not" tells the story of a couple in love, which tragically ended.

The plot is simple. In ancient times, a young knight and his chosen one are sitting on a bench and talking. A young man declares his love, but this is not enough for a girl. As proof of a strong feeling, she asks the knight to pick a blue flower for her - forget-me-not. It is barely visible, since it grows very far, but, as the girl says, "he is not so far away for love," as it seems.

The young knight goes for a flower and falls into a quagmire from which he cannot get out. Of the last forces, he plucks a flower and throws it under the feet of his beloved. The topic is not new - a flower as a symbol of love is often found in fairy tales from around the world. For example, in the fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast", where the youngest daughter asks for a gift only a scarlet rose.

"Sea Princess"

Some say that this poem is a love poem, but in fact it is attributed to Lermontov’s works for children. If you carefully read the text, it immediately becomes obvious - this is a duel not for life, but for death.

The poet used a common image of a mermaid. When she sees the prince on the shore, she begins to lure him into her arms, asking if the young man wants to spend the night with the royal daughter. In fact, she lures him into the water to drown.

The prince goes to her, but does not fall under the spell and, instead of dying in the waves of the sea, defeats the mermaid and pulls her ashore by the tail, where she turns into a monster and dies.

"Three palm trees"

Lermontov's works for children have a deep meaning, even if they seem an innocent fairy tale. Three palm trees is a great example.

Three palm trees grew in the desert . They were hot and bored, because nothing happened there. And they began to murmur to heaven and lament that their lives were wasted. Very soon a whole caravan appeared, and the travelers stopped under the palm trees to spend the night. True, at that moment their life came to an end - the Moors chopped down all three trees and burned them to warm themselves, because the nights in the desert were cold.

The number "three" here is the settled symbol of the triune soul, and the murmuring is sin. Palm trees didn’t like that nobody admires them (pride). As a result, they were punished.

Lermontov's stories for children: "Ashik-Kerib. Turkish fairy tale"

The tale of a wandering singer, who was looking for a way to get rich in order to marry the daughter of a wealthy merchant, was found among the papers of Lermontov after his sudden death. The tale is an Azerbaijani version of the ancient tale of Ashik Kerib, who took a promise from his beloved to wait for him for seven years. If after this time he does not return rich, she will marry another. Despite any obstacles, Ashik Kerib returns rich and takes his beloved as a wife.

"A song about Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich, a young oprichnik and the daring merchant Kalashnikov"

Many consider Lermontov’s stories for children incomplete without this epic poem. It is interesting that, unlike other works, this plot is unique. No one before Lermontov wrote about this story, and no one after it.

Lermontov’s works for children are usually based on fiction, but not this time. The action takes place during the time of Ivan the Terrible. The young oprichnik Kiribeevich confesses to the tsar in love for a beautiful woman - Alena Dmitrievna. He is imbued with this story and gives a blessing for marriage, even gives the young man jewelry for the future bride. But the tsar does not know that Karibeevich’s beloved is married to the merchant Kalashnikov.

Oprichnik Kiribeevich lies in wait for Alyona Dmitrievna in the church and dishonors her. A woman runs home in tears and asks her husband to take revenge. The merchant decides the next day to teach the oprichnik a fist fight. And so it happened - Kiribeevich was killed. Ivan the Terrible asks if the merchant rightfully killed the oprichnik. Not wanting to talk about his wife’s dishonor, the merchant Kalashnikov withholds the real reason and is sentenced to death.