{"id":3490,"date":"2012-08-06T08:00:35","date_gmt":"2012-08-06T08:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=3490"},"modified":"2014-07-17T18:39:18","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T18:39:18","slug":"%d0%bb%d0%b3%d1%83%d0%bd-the-liar-a-very-short-fairy-tale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/%d0%bb%d0%b3%d1%83%d0%bd-the-liar-a-very-short-fairy-tale\/","title":{"rendered":"\u041b\u0433\u0443\u043d (“The Liar”) — a VERY short fairy tale!"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ve mentioned before that I’m captivated by \u0441\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u043a\u0438<\/b> (fairytales). So, let’s start out this week with a “short and sweet” example of Armenian origin.<\/p>\n

I chose this one not only because it’s so short, but also because it features an unexpected twist. The plot involves a poor person outwitting a rich and powerful person, which is very much a \u0448\u0430\u0431\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u043d<\/b> (cliche) in fairytales. But stories of this type are typically heavy on \u043d\u0440\u0430\u0432\u043e\u0443\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/b> (“didactic moralizing”) — the wealthy nobleman is greedy and deceptive, and rigs a contest in order to cheat the honest peasant, yet ends up “hoist by his own petard.” Sometimes, the poor-but-honest peasant is clever enough by himself to see through the rich man’s scheme and turn the tables; other times, he’s a kindly dimwit who gets help from a brilliant wife, a precocious child, a magical talking animal, or the rich man’s own mistreated servants! But in any case, there’s a blatantly obvious moral along the lines of \u00ab\u041d\u0435 \u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0439<\/span> \u0447\u0443\u0436\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u0443 \u044f<\/span>\u043c\u0443<\/span>, \u0441\u0430<\/span>\u043c \u0432 \u043d\u0435\u0451 \u043f\u043e\u043f\u0430\u0434\u0451\u0448\u044c\u00bb<\/b> — “Don’t dig a pit\/trap for someone else, you’ll fall into it yourself.”<\/p>\n

Here, however, there’s no moralizing, no magic animals, and no Disney romance — the short tale is really just a set-up for an amusing logical conundrum. In fact, if you’re a fan of that genre of logic-puzzles where “the cannibal tribes on the remote island of Oonga-Boonga always tell the truth, and the vegetarian tribes always speak falsely,” the story’s ending may seem rather familiar…<\/p>\n

If you need some assistance with the translation, hover your cursor over the yellow lines (without clicking) for pop-up hints — or select the yellow area with your mouse to view the English translation. As added help, there’s a glossary of selected words at the bottom of the post. (Some readers might prefer to skim through the glossary first before tackling the \u0441\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u043a\u0430<\/b>.) And one final comment: You’ll notice that the narrative rather haphazardly switches between the past and present tense; this is simply a characteristic of oral storytelling, and there are no hard-and-fast grammar rules to fret over.<\/p>\n

\u041b\u0433\u0443\u043d<\/b>
\n(The Liar)<\/p>\n

\u0416\u0438\u043b\u0430<\/span>-\u0431\u044b\u043b\u0430<\/span> \u043f\u0440\u0435\u043a\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u043d\u0430\u044f \u0446\u0430\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u0430…<\/b>
\nOnce upon a time there was a beautiful Tsarevna…<\/span><\/p>\n

\u0411\u044b<\/span>\u043b\u043e \u0441\u043a\u0443<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u043e \u0446\u0430\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u0435 \u0432\u043e \u0434\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0446\u0435<\/span>. \u041c\u0443\u0437\u044b\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u044b \u0438 \u0448\u0443\u0442\u044b<\/span> \u0435<\/span>\u0439 \u0434\u0430\u0432\u043d\u043e<\/span> \u043d\u0430\u0434\u043e\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u0438!<\/b>
\nThe Tsarevna was bored in the palace. She had long since gotten sick and tired of the musicians and jesters!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u041e\u0434\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0436\u0434\u044b \u043e\u043d\u0430<\/span> \u043f\u043e\u0441\u044b\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442 \u0432\u043e \u0432\u0441\u0435<\/span> \u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u043d\u044b \u0441\u0432\u043e\u0438<\/span>\u0445 \u0441\u043b\u0443<\/span>\u0433, \u043a\u043e\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u044b\u0435 \u043a\u0440\u0438\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u044e\u0442 \u043d\u0430\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0443:<\/b>
\nOne day she sends in all directions her servants, who shout to the folk:<\/span>
\n“\u041a\u0442\u043e<\/span> \u043b\u0443<\/span>\u0447\u0448\u0435 \u0432\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u0445 \u0441\u043e\u043b\u0436\u0451\u0442, \u0442\u043e\u043c\u0443<\/span> \u0446\u0430\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0442 \u0437\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0435 \u044f<\/span>\u0431\u043b\u043e\u043a\u043e \u0432 \u043d\u0430\u0433\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u0443!”<\/b>
\n“To the one who tells the best lie, the Tsarevna shall give a solid-gold apple in reward!”<\/span>
\n\u0421\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0438 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0445\u043e\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043a \u0446\u0430\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u0435 \u043b\u044e<\/span>\u0434\u0438 \u0438 \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0441\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u044b\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c \u0441\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u044b\u0435 \u043d\u0435\u0432\u0435\u0440\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0438\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u0438.<\/b>
\nPeople began coming to the Tsarevna and telling the most unbelievable stories.<\/span>
\n\u041f\u0440\u0438\u0445\u043e\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u043e \u043c\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0433\u043e \u043b\u044e\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0439 , \u043d\u043e<\/span> \u0438<\/span>\u0445 \u043b\u0436\u0438<\/span> \u043d\u0435 \u0443\u0433\u043e\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u0438 \u0446\u0430\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u0435.<\/b>
\nMany people came, but their lies didn’t satisfy the Tsarevna.<\/span>
\n\u0418 \u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0442 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0448\u0451\u043b \u043d\u0430\u043a\u043e\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0446 \u0431\u0435\u0434\u043d\u044f<\/span>\u043a \u0441 \u0431\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0448\u043e<\/span>\u0439 \u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u0430\u043d\u043e\u0439 \u0441\u0443<\/span>\u043c\u043a\u043e\u0439 \u0432 \u0440\u0443\u043a\u0435<\/span>.<\/b>
\nAnd finally there came a pauper with a large leather bag in his hand.<\/span>
\n“\u0427\u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u0442\u0435\u0431\u0435<\/span> \u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u043e?” — \u0441\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u0430 \u0443 \u043d\u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u0446\u0430\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u0430.<\/b>
\n“What do you want?” — the Tsarevna asked him. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u0411\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u043c\u0443\u0436\u0447\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0430 \u043e\u0442\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u043b: “\u042f<\/span> \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0448\u0451\u043b \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0443\u0447\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0441\u0432\u043e\u0438<\/span> \u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u044c\u0433\u0438 — \u0432\u0435\u0434\u044c \u0432\u044b<\/span> \u043c\u043d\u0435<\/span> \u0434\u043e\u043b\u0436\u043d\u044b<\/span> \u0441\u0443<\/span>\u043c\u043a\u0443 \u0431\u0440\u0438\u043b\u043b\u0438\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u043e\u0432.”<\/b>
\nThe poor man answered: “I’ve come to receive my money. After all — as I need hardly remind you [cough-cough]<\/i> — you owe me a bag of diamonds.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“\u041b\u0433\u0443<\/span>\u043d, \u044f<\/span> \u0442\u0435\u0431\u0435<\/span> \u043d\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u043d\u0435 \u0434\u043e\u043b\u0436\u043d\u0430<\/span>!” — \u0443\u0434\u0438\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u0430\u0441\u044c \u043e\u043d\u0430<\/span>.<\/b>
\n“Liar, I don’t owe you anything!” — she said in surprise. <\/span><\/p>\n

“\u0415<\/span>\u0441\u043b\u0438 \u044f<\/span> \u043b\u0433\u0443<\/span>, \u0442\u043e<\/span> \u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0439\u0442\u0435 \u043c\u043d\u0435<\/span> \u0437\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0435 \u044f<\/span>\u0431\u043b\u043e\u043a\u043e,” — \u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0445\u043e \u043e\u0442\u0432\u0435\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442 \u0431\u0435\u0434\u043d\u044f<\/span>\u043a.<\/b>
\n“If I’m lying, then give me the golden apple,” replies the pauper quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u0426\u0430\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0443<\/span>\u043c\u0430\u0435\u0442, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u043e\u043d\u0430<\/span> \u043f\u043e\u043d\u044f\u043b\u0430<\/span> \u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u0445\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c: “\u041d\u0435<\/span>\u0442, \u0442\u044b<\/span> \u043d\u0435 \u043b\u0436\u0451\u0448\u044c!”<\/b>
\nThe Tsarevna thinks that she has understood his trickery: “No, you’re not lying!” <\/span><\/p>\n

“\u041d\u0443<\/span>, \u0435<\/span>\u0441\u043b\u0438 \u044f<\/span> \u043d\u0435 \u043b\u0433\u0443<\/span>, \u0442\u043e<\/span> \u0432\u0430<\/span>\u043c \u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u043e \u043f\u043b\u0430\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0434\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u0433. \u041d\u0430\u043f\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043d\u0438\u0442\u0435 \u043c\u043e\u044e<\/span> \u0441\u0443<\/span>\u043c\u043a\u0443 \u0431\u0440\u0438\u043b\u043b\u0438\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u0430\u043c\u0438!”<\/b>
\n“Well, if I’m not lying, then you have to pay the debt. Fill my bag with diamonds!” <\/span><\/p>\n

\u0426\u0430\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u0430 \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0441\u043c\u0435\u044f<\/span>\u043b\u0430\u0441\u044c \u043d\u0430 \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u043e, \u0438 \u0435<\/span>\u0439 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0448\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u044c \u043e\u0442\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0431\u0435\u0434\u043d\u044f\u043a\u0443<\/span> \u0437\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0435 \u044f<\/span>\u0431\u043b\u043e\u043a\u043e!<\/b>
\nThe Tsarevna burst out laughing at this, and she was forced to hand over the gold apple to the pauper! <\/span><\/p>\n

Glossary:<\/b><\/p>\n