☰ Contents · Russian language

Prishvin and Chaplina: stories about birds

Lessons 40–41 · 2 lessons · G. T. Gasilova, Yu. Yu. Musurmanova. Russian Language, Grade 6 (for schools with Uzbek and other languages of instruction). 2nd revised edition. “O‘zbekiston milliy ensiklopediyasi”, Tashkent, 2017
40

M. M. Prishvin. “Журка” (Zhurka the Crane)

Textbook, pp. 144–145
GoalUnderstand M. M. Prishvin’s story «Журка»: the narrator (first person), the relation between bird and people, and the humour.
New words
журавль · turnaлягушка · qurbaqaболото · botqoqкрыло · qanot
Explanation

Mikhail Mikhailovich Prishvin (1873–1954) was a Russian writer who loved nature and animals. «Журка» is a short story about a crane. It is told in the first person («мы», «я»): the narrator and his family catch a young crane and feed it frogs. The crane eats 5, then 10, 20, even 43 frogs — this is humour. Because its wings were clipped, Zhurka follows the woman of the house everywhere: milking the cow, the garden, fetching water. She grows attached to him like to a child. One day by the well the crane chases a frog into the marsh and, as its wings have grown back, flies! The woman is frightened and cries, but when called «Фру-фру!» the crane returns. It is a sign of trust: the bird trusts the people. As a reward the children gather frogs for him. The story mixes humour and tenderness. Note that «Журка» is a diminutive of «журавль».

Worked examples
«Журавль и лягушки» (summary in my own words). «К нам в дом принесли молодого журавля. Хозяйка кормила его лягушками и ходила с ним в огород. Однажды журавль погнался за лягушонком и улетел к болоту. Хозяйка очень испугалась. Но стоило позвать «Фру-фру!», как журавль вернулся. Дети в награду принесли ему много лягушек, и он съел сорок три.» (A young crane was brought into the house. The housewife fed him frogs and took him to the garden. One day the crane chased a froglet and flew to the marsh. The woman was very frightened. But as soon as someone called «Фру-фру!» the crane came back. As a reward the children brought him many frogs and he ate forty-three.)
Vocabulary: «подрезать крылья» (to clip the wings), «болото» (marsh), «доить» (to milk), «умница» (clever one, a word of praise). Numbers: 5, 10, 20, 43 — «пять», «десять», «двадцать», «сорок три».
Class activity

“Fru-fru!” Pupils stand in a circle. One is the “crane” with eyes closed; the others call «Фру-фру!» and guide. The “crane” walks toward the voice. Then talk about voice and trust in the story.

Practice
1
Why is the crane called «Журка»? How is the word formed?
2
How many frogs did the crane eat?
3
Why did the crane fly to the marsh?
4
Why did the crane return when called «Фру-фру!»? What do you learn from this?