In the literature of various countries, traditionally there are many fairy tales (folk and literary) about the good and the evil, the strong and the vile, the brave and the stupid ... Including tales of lazy people. This is probably no coincidence, because laziness is one of the most “praised” properties of human nature along with courage, dexterity, and cunning. Moreover, some tales of lazy people admire this quality quite literally. And in some, characters who do not like to work are simply even popular.
Russian tales about lazy people. Names and Characters
Among Russian folk creations, a vivid example is “By the Pike Command”. Emelya, the protagonist of the tale, certainly - the very personification of this human property. A folk work tells of a man who does not want to work, lying all day on the Russian stove (some scholars of folk art consider the stove as a symbol of laziness-mother). What happens next? Emelya accidentally catches a pike, which, for her release, offers the main character the fulfillment of all his desires "at the command of the pike." Buckets go home without splashing water. The sled is on its own. And then on the Russian stove Emelya comes to the tsar himself, where with the help of pike magic makes Marya Tsarevna fall in love with him. The indignant king orders the young to be rolled up in a barrel. But here, luck is on the side of Emely. “At the pike's command” everything will be formed again as well as possible: Emelya not only miraculously escapes with the princess, but also becomes rich and beautiful (and the tsar himself already recognizes and fears him).
"Lazy wife"
But Russian tales of lazy people not only sing this property of a human character. In some of them, for example, “Lazy wife”, laziness is condemned, and a person who acts in this way is subject to criticism and punishment. This work tells of a wife who did not work around the house, did not weave like other women (as was customary). The lazy wife constantly pushed away from her duties and made excuses. Then the husband decided to teach the negligent spouse a lesson and pretended to die. But there’s nothing to bury her husband! After all, a lazy wife did not stumble. First, she wraps her husband with thread, then the bedspreads brought by others. And then he suddenly "rises." The wife is frightened, punished and now weaves a cloth, like all obedient women.
Literary tales
Not only in Russian folklore, fairy tales about lazy people (everyone knows their names: “12 months”, “Frost”, “Two Frosts”) were very popular. For example, the great Russian poet A.S. Pushkin made a great contribution to this literary genre. The poetic tale "About the priest and his worker Balda" can rightfully be considered one of the best works on this subject. By the way, it will be interesting to know that the basis of the literary work written by Pushkin was folk folklore “The Batrak Shabarsha” (published and recorded by the collector of fairy tales Afanasyev). In poems of the poet, the working Balda and the lazy landlord are contrasted. The servant man fulfills all the whims of the worshiper in return for food and calculation at the end: three clicks on the forehead. Balda - skillful, brave, strong, such that the devils can overcome. Pop is cunning, lazy, greedy. But retribution is not far off for him. The bulda requires an agreed payment, and the lazy owner has to turn his forehead for clicks, which he does not stand and dies.
Names of famous tales of lazy people
Many peoples have such works - literary and folklore. These include the Japanese work “Veer Tengu”, the French “Puss in Boots” (literally retold by Charles Perrault), the Grimm's “Lazy Heinz”, the Indian fairy tale “About the Lazy Cuckoo”, the Bashkir “About the Lazy Girl” and many others. Of all these works, we can say that these are tales of lazy people.