Prishvin and Chaplina: stories about birds

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».