N.I. Sladkov (1920 - 1996) was not a writer by profession. He was engaged in topography, that is, he created maps and plans of various localities. And if so, then he spent a lot of time in nature. Being able to observe, N. Sladkov comes to the conclusion that everything interesting should be recorded. So there was a writer who created stories and fairy tales, interesting for both children and adults.
The life of a traveler and writer
Nikolai Ivanovich Sladkov was born in the capital, and in Leningrad he lived his whole life. He early became interested in the life of nature. I already kept a diary in elementary school. In it, the boy wrote down the most interesting observations. He became a young man. V.V. Bianchi, a wonderful naturalist, became his teacher, and then his friend. When N. Sladkov became older, he became interested in hunting. But he quickly realized that he could not kill animals and birds. Then he picked up a camera and wandered through the fields and forests, looking for interesting shots. The profession helped Nikolai Ivanovich to see our vast world. When he discovered the Caucasus and the Tien Shan, he loved them forever. Mountains attracted him, despite the dangers that lay in wait for him. In the Caucasus, he was looking for a snow leopard.
This rare animal lives in remote places. N. Sladkov climbed a small flat section of the mountain and accidentally brought down a stone block on it. He ended up in a tiny enclosed area, where there was only a nest of golden eagles. For more than a week he lived there, thinking how to get out of there, and eating the food that adult birds brought to the chicks. Then, from the branches of the nest, he weaved something like a rope and went down. Nikolai Ivanovich also visited
the Karakum desert, the cold White Sea, ancient India, and hot Africa, diving, as they say now, admiring the underwater world. From everywhere, he brought notebooks and photographs. They meant a lot to him. Rereading them, he again plunged into the world of wanderings, when age no longer allowed him to travel far. “Silver Tail” - that was the name of the first book, which was composed by Sladkov’s stories. He came out in 1953. After that, there will be many more books, which will be discussed below.
The story of a fox with a silver tail
Suddenly, winter came to the mountains at night. She descended from the peaks, and the heart of the hunter and naturalist trembled. He did not sit at home and hit the road. All the trails are covered so that you do not recognize familiar places. And suddenly - a miracle: a whitish butterfly flutters over the snow. I noticed an attentive look and slight traces of affection. She, falling through, walked under the snow, occasionally sticking out her chocolate nose. Made a great move. And here is the frog, brown, but alive, sitting in the snow, basking in the sun. And suddenly in the sun in the snow, where it is impossible to watch from the bright light, someone is running. The hunter took a closer look, but this is a mountain fox.
Only her tail is completely unprecedented - silver. It runs far away, and the shot was taken at random. Past! And the fox leaves, only the tail sparkles in the sun. So she went beyond the turn of the river, while the gun was reloaded, and carried off her incredible silver tail. These are the stories Sladkov began to print. It seems simple, but full of observations of all living things that live in the mountains, forests, fields.
About mushrooms
Anyone who did not grow in mushroom lands knows no mushrooms and can, if he goes to the forest alone, without an experienced person, collect grebes instead of good mushrooms. The story for an inexperienced mushroomer is called "Fedot, but not that one!" It shows all the differences of the porcini mushroom from bile or satanic mushrooms. And the difference between a pale toadstool bearing a certain death and a delicious champignon. Sladkov's stories about mushrooms are both useful and funny. Here is the story of the forest men. After the rain, the boletus, cap boletus and moss fly competed. The birch tree picked up a birch leaf and a snail on a hat. The boletus tightened up and picked up 3 aspen leaves and a frog. And the flywheel got out from under the moss and decided to pick up a whole bitch. He just didn’t succeed. The hat was split in half. And who became the champion? Of course, the boletus is the bright cap of the champion!
Who eats what
I made a mystery to a naturalist a forest animal. He suggested guessing who he was if he told what he was eating. And it turned out that he loves beetles, ants, wasps, bumblebees, mice, lizards, chicks, tree buds, nuts, berries, mushrooms. The naturalist did not guess who he conceived such cunning riddles.
It turned out - a squirrel. These are the unusual stories that Sladkov reads to the reader along with him.
A bit about forest life
The forest is beautiful at any time of the year. In winter, and spring, and in summer, and in autumn, a quiet and secret life goes on in it. But she is open to a careful look. Only not everyone knows how to peer into it. Sladkov teaches this. Stories about the life of the forest during each month of the year allow you to find out why, for example, a bear flips over in its den. Each forest animal, each bird knows that if the bear turns on its other side, then winter will turn for the summer. Severe frosts will leave, the day will lengthen, and the sun will begin to warm. And the bear know you are fast asleep. And the whole forest beast went to wake up the bear, asking him to turn over. Only the bear refuses all. He warmed himself on his side, he was sleeping sweetly, and he was not going to turn over, although everyone asked. And what did N. Sladkov spy on? The stories say that the tiny mouse popped out from under the snow and squeaked, which would quickly turn the lounger. She ran along his furry skin, tickled him, bit her teeth with pointed teeth. The bear could not stand it and rolled over, and after it the sun turned to warm and summer.
Summer in the gorge
In the sun and in the shade is stuffy. Even lizards look for a tight corner where you can hide from the scorching sun. There is silence. Suddenly, Nikolai Sladkov hears a loud squeak. The stories, if you read them by breakdown, returned us back to the mountains. The naturalist defeated the hunter man who was eyeing the mountain goat. The goat will wait. Why is the nuthatch bird crying so desperately? It turned out that on a completely steep rock, where there was nothing to cling to, a thick gyurza crawling into the man’s hand was crawling to the nest. It rests on the tail, and its head gropes for an invisible ledge, clings to it and, shimmering like mercury, rises higher and higher. The nestlings aroused in the nest and squeaked plaintively.
The snake is about to reach them. She has already raised her head and is aiming. But the little brave nuthatch pecked the villain in the head. Shook her paws and hit the whole body. And the snake could not stay on the rock. She had enough of a weak blow to fall to the bottom of the gorge. And the goat, which was hunted by a man, rode away for a long time. But it is not important. The main thing is what the naturalist saw.
In the woods
How much knowledge is needed to understand the behavior of bears! They have Sladkov. Tales of animals - a confirmation of this. Who would know, the Bears are very strict about their babies. And the cubs are curious and naughty. While mom is asleep, they will take and wander into the thicket. It is interesting there. The little bear already knows that tasty insects are hiding under the stone. Only it needs to be turned over. And the bear turned the stone over, and the stone pressed its paw - it hurts, and the insects ran away. The bear sees the mushroom and wants to eat it, but by the smell it understands - it’s impossible, poisonous. The kid was angry with him and tapped him with his paw. The mushroom burst, and yellow dust flew to the bear's nose, and the little bear conceived. I slept, looked around and saw a frog. I was delighted: here it is - a treat. He caught and began tossing and catching her. He played, and lost.
And here mom is looking from behind a bush. How nice to meet mom! She caresses him now and catches him a delicious frog. And mom will give him such a slap that the baby rolled. He got angry at mom to impossibility and barked menacingly at her. And again rolled from the slap in the face. Bear got up and ran through the bushes, and mom followed him. Only blows were heard. “This is how caution is taught,” thought the naturalist, who was sitting quietly by the stream and watching the relationship in the bear family. Sladkov's stories about nature teach the reader to carefully look at everything that surrounds him. Do not miss a bird’s flight, or butterfly whirling, or playing fish in water.
A bug that can sing
Yes, yes, some water bugs can sing. Surprise if you did not know about it. It is called a rower and swims on its stomach, and not like other bugs on its back. And he can sing even under water! He chirps almost like a grasshopper when he rubs his nose with his paws. So it turns out gentle singing.
Why do you need tails
Not at all for beauty. It can be a steering wheel - for fish, an oar - for cancer, for a woodpecker - a support, for a fox - a snag. Why does the tail need a newt? But for everything that has already been said, and in addition, he absorbs air from the water with his tail. Therefore, it can sit under it without rising to the surface for almost four days. Sladkov Nikolay Ivanovich knows a lot. His stories never cease to amaze.
Boar bath
Everyone loves to wash themselves, but the forest pig does it in a special way. He will find a dirty puddle in the summer, in which a thick slurry lies at the bottom, and lies down. And let's ride in it and smear this mud. Until the boar collects all the dirt on itself, it will never come out of the puddle. And it came out, then handsome, handsome - all sticky, black-brown from dirt. She will crust in the sun and the breeze on it, and then he will not be afraid of either midges or horseflies. That he is saved from them by such an original bathhouse. His coat is rare in summer, and malicious bloodsuckers bite through his skin. And no one will bite him through the mud crust.
Why did Nikolai Sladkov write stories about nature
Most of all, he wanted to protect her from us, people, thoughtlessly tearing flowers that would fade on the way home.
Instead of them, then nettle will grow. Every frog and butterfly feels pain, and they cannot be caught and offended. For all living things, whether it is a fungus, flower, bird, it is possible and necessary to observe with love. And you should be afraid to ruin something. Destroy an ant hill, for example. It’s better to take a closer look at his life and see with your own eyes how tricky it is. Our Earth is very small, and all of it must be protected. And it seems to the writer that the main task of nature is to make our life more interesting and happier.