Tuvan folk tale “How the hare saved the sheep”

1. Tuvan folk tale “HOW THE HARE SAVED THE SHEEP”

Sat Choygana
ИЯ-0516
2020

2. Once upon a time there was a gray sheep. She had two lambs.

2

3. Walking across the steppe they met a wolf on the way.

One day the sheep decided to
go to worship God.
And she went with her kids.
Walking across the steppe
they met a wolf on the way.

4. “Well, I'll eat you when you go back. But you will go to God alone, and leave your kids here with me! If you don't come back in

“I'm going to eat your lambs
and you!” cried the wolf.
“Uh, wolf, wait a bit, let me
pray to God. And when we go
back, then you’ll eat us.”
“Well, I'll eat you when you go
back. But you will go to God
alone, and leave your kids here
with me! If you don't come back in
three days, I'll eat them!” said the
wolf threateningly.

5. Three days later the sheep was on her way back, she was very-very sad. She kept thinking about how to help out her babies, but

What should the sheep do?
She had to leave her kids.
Three days later the sheep was
on her way back, she was
very-very sad. She kept
thinking about how to help
out her babies, but she
couldn’t do anything.

6. “I was going to worship God with my lambs. On our way we met a wolf. He wanted to eat us. He said that if I didn't come back in

And suddenly she saw a hare coming towards
her.
“Why are you so sad? Where are you
coming from?” the hare wondered.
“I was going to worship God with my
lambs. On our way we met a wolf. He
wanted to eat us. He said that if I didn't
come back in three days, he would eat my
kids. So he kept them. Three days have
already passed. That's why I'm sad.”

7. “Go and find a piece of paper with some writing on it” the hare told her.

“Hey, you know what? We will trick the wolf.” the hare said.
“But how can we trick him?” the sheep asked.
“Go and find a piece of paper with some
writing on it” the hare told her.

8. “Well,” said the hare, “I will put this paper on your horns. And you should tell the wolf that this is a decree from God

The sheep ran and found the yurt where the nomadic herdsmen lived.
She found a colorful tea packing with an inscription, and returned to
the hare joyfully.
“Well,” said the hare, “I will put this paper
on your horns. And you should tell the wolf
that this is a decree from God addressed to
him. Tell him the next: “Read the decree first
then you can eat me!'

9. “The wolf took the paper, inspected it carefully. He could see the writing but couldn’t read it.

The sheep came to the wolf and cried out:
“I am carrying the decree of God himself! Wolf,
read it and then you can eat me!”
“The wolf took the paper, inspected it
carefully. He could see the writing but
couldn’t read it.
And suddenly he saw a hare.
“Hey, my friend, come here and read me what's
written here! Then we will eat this sheep
together!” the wolf roared.

10. So the sheep with her kids were saved from the greedy wolf.

The hare took the paper, looked at it, looked at the wolf...
And stammering he read aloud: “Decree. Make a fur coat
from wolf skin. Make a hat from fox skin...”
Hearing these words the wolf took to his
heels. And the hare was laughing.
.
So the sheep with her kids were saved from
the greedy wolf.

11. They lived happily ever after, and there were getting more and more sheep in our steppes.