From the New Speller (Tolstoy)
Short summary
Leo Tolstoy wrote seventeen instructive fables for children. A wolf tried to trick kids by imitating their mother's voice, but they recognized his wolf legs and refused entry. A farmer's wife locked a cat in the cellar to catch mice, but the cat ate everything instead. A crow, envious of an eagle catching a lamb, tried to carry off a ram but got her claws stuck in its wool and was killed by the shepherd. A vainglorious cockerel boasted of defeating another cockerel, flew atop a barn to crow loudly, and was immediately seized by an eagle.
A poor tailor received money to stop singing but returned it, preferring joy over wealth. A squirrel fell on a sleeping wolf who threatened to eat him. The squirrel begged for release and explained why squirrels were happy:
You are melancholy because you are bad. Wickedness consumes your heart. But we are happy because we are good, and do no one any harm.
A man with a large house and large oven burned all his wood, then his fences, ceiling, and finally his entire house trying to keep warm, refusing advice to rebuild his oversized oven.
Detailed summary
Division into chapters is editorial.
Classic animal fables and moral lessons
The collection opened with traditional animal fables that taught fundamental moral lessons. In "The Wolf and the Kids," a goat warned her children not to open the door for anyone except her. A wolf overheard and tried to imitate the goat's voice, but the clever kids noticed his wolf legs and refused entry.
The farmer's wife locked a cat in her cellar to catch mice eating her tallow, but the cat consumed not only the tallow but also the milk and meat. A crow witnessed an eagle carrying off a lamb and decided to attempt the same feat with a fat ram. However, her claws became entangled in the wool, and she could not escape. The shepherd freed the ram and killed the crow. A mouse visited a frog who invited him underwater, but after tasting the water, the mouse climbed back up.
Never will I make visits to people of alien race.
Tales of cooperation, cunning, and conflict
Several stories explored themes of pride and cooperation. A vainglorious cockerel defeated another in battle and, surrounded by admiring hens, flew atop a barn to boast of his victory.
Look at me, all of you. I am a victorious Cockerel. No other Cockerel in the world has such strength as I.
Before he could finish his boastful speech, an eagle killed him and carried him away. In "The Ass and the Lion," a lion took an ass hunting, instructing him to roar loudly to frighten prey into the lion's clutches. The strategy worked perfectly, and afterward the lion praised the ass's performance. Since then, the ass continued braying, always expecting praise. A squirrel accidentally fell on a sleeping wolf, who threatened to devour him unless he explained why squirrels were always happy while wolves remained melancholy.
The squirrel promised to answer after being released, then explained from the safety of a tree that wickedness consumed the wolf's heart, while squirrels remained happy because they were good and harmed no one.
Stories of cleverness and human wisdom
Human folly and wisdom featured prominently in several tales. A fool owned an excellent knife but tested it inappropriately, first trying to cut a nail, then soft jelly. When both attempts failed, he threw away the good knife in frustration. A young boy drove his father's cart while the peasant slept, boastfully threatening other travelers despite his small size.
Two men found a book and began fighting over it. A third man asked which could read, and when both admitted they could not, he compared their quarrel to two bald men fighting over a comb. Uncle Mitya cleverly caught thieves who came to steal his fine bay horse by housing a bear in the horse's enclosure, terrifying the would-be thieves.
Consequences and lifes deeper lessons
The collection's longer tales explored deeper themes of contentment and wisdom. A poor tailor lived below a rich man, singing joyfully while working. The wealthy man gave him money to stop singing, but the tailor soon returned it, preferring his songs to riches.
Take back your money and let me sing my songs again, or I shall die of melancholy.
Two peasants searched for treasures after the French left Moscow. The wise peasant continuously upgraded his load from wool to cloth to clothes to silver to gold, while the stupid peasant clung to his original bundle of wool, refusing to adapt.
Rain eventually ruined the wool, leaving him empty-handed while his companion became rich. The final tale told of a man with a large house and oversized oven who burned through all his firewood in one month. Rather than rebuilding the oven, he destroyed his fences, ceiling, and eventually his entire house trying to feed the inefficient oven, ultimately becoming homeless despite his neighbor's wise counsel to rebuild the oven properly.