The Sparrow and the Bush
by Unknown · from The Fairy Ring
Adapted Version
Once there was a little sparrow. It wanted to play! It saw a big green bush. "Bush, bush," said The Little Sparrow. "Give me a swing!" Bush said, "No!" Sparrow was sad.
The Little Sparrow flew to The Goat. "Goat, goat," said the bird. "Eat The Bush's leaves. Bush won't swing me." Goat said, "No!"
The Little Sparrow flew to The Wolf. "Wolf, wolf," said the bird. "Chase The Goat. The Goat won't eat The Bush's leaves. Bush won't swing me." Wolf said, "No!"
The Little Sparrow flew to The People. It asked them to scare The Wolf. The People said, "We won't!" Then The Little Sparrow flew to The Riders. It asked them to scare The People. The Riders said, "We won't!" It flew to The Fire. It asked The Fire to scare The Riders. The Fire said, "I won't!" It flew to The Water. "Water, water," said the bird. "Put out The Fire
Original Story
The Sparrow and the Bush
A SPARROW once flew down upon a bush and said:
"Little bush, give good little sparrow a swing."
"I won't!" said the little bush. Then the sparrow was angry, and went to the goat and said:
"Goat, goat, nibble bush, bush won't give good little sparrow a swing."
"I won't!" said the goat.
Then the sparrow went to the wolf and said:
"Wolf, wolf, eat goat, goat won't nibble bush, bush won't give good little sparrow a swing."
"I won't!" said the wolf.
Then the sparrow went to the people and said:
"Good people, kill wolf, wolf won't eat goat, goat won't nibble bush, bush won't give good little sparrow a swing."
"We won't!" said the people.
Then the sparrow went to the Tartars:
"Tartars, Tartars, slay people, people won't kill wolf, wolf won't eat goat, goat won't nibble bush, bush won't give good little sparrow a swing." But the Tartars said:
"We won't slay the people!" and the people said:
"We won't kill the wolf!" and the wolf said:
"I won't eat the goat!" and the goat said:
"I won't nibble the bush!" and the bush said:
"I won't give the good little sparrow a swing."
"Go!" said the bush, "to the fire, for the Tartars won't slay the people, and the people won't kill the wolf, and the wolf won't eat the goat, and the goat won't nibble the bush, and the bush won't give the dear little sparrow a swing."
But the fire also said:
"I won't!" (they were all alike)—"go to the water," said he.
So the sparrow went to the water and said:
"Come water, quench fire, fire won't burn Tartars, Tartars won't slay people, people won't kill wolf, wolf won't eat goat, goat won't nibble bush, bush won't give good little sparrow a swing."
But the water also said:
"I won't!" So the sparrow went to the ox and said:
"Ox, ox, drink water, water won't quench fire, fire won't burn Tartars, Tartars won't slay people, people won't kill wolf, wolf won't eat goat, goat won't nibble bush, bush won't give little sparrow a swing."
"I won't!" said the ox.
Then the sparrow went to the poleax and said:
"Poleax, poleax, strike ox, ox won't drink water, water won't quench fire, fire won't burn Tartars, Tartars won't slay people, people won't kill wolf, wolf won't eat goat, goat won't nibble bush, bush won't give little sparrow a swing."
"I won't!" said the poleax.
So the sparrow went to the worms and said:
"Worms, worms, gnaw poleax, poleax won't strike ox, ox won't drink water, water won't quench fire, fire won't burn Tartars, Tartars won't slay people, people won't kill wolf, wolf won't eat goat, goat won't nibble bush, bush won't give little sparrow a swing."
"We won't!" said the worms.
Then the sparrow went to the hen and said:
"Hen, hen, peck worms, worms won't gnaw poleax, poleax won't strike ox, ox won't drink water, water won't quench fire, fire won't burn Tartars, Tartars won't slay people, people won't kill wolf, wolf won't eat goat, goat won't nibble bush, bush won't give little sparrow a swing."
"I won't!" said the hen, "but go to the sparrow hawk, he ought to give the first push, or why is he called the pusher!"[C]
So the sparrow went to the sparrow hawk and said:
"Come, pusher, seize hen, hen won't peck worms, worms won't gnaw poleax, poleax won't strike ox, ox won't drink water, water won't quench fire, fire won't burn Tartars, Tartars won't slay people, people won't kill wolf, wolf won't eat goat, goat won't nibble bush, bush won't give little sparrow a swing."
Then the sparrow hawk began to seize the hen, the hen began to peck the worms, the worms began to gnaw the poleax, the poleax began to hit the ox, the ox began to drink the water, the water began to quench the fire, the fire began to burn the Tartars, the Tartars began to slay the people, the people began to kill the wolf, the wolf began to eat the goat, the goat began to nibble the bush, and the bush cried out:
"Swing away, swing away, swi-i-i-i-ing!
Little daddy sparrow, have your fli-i-i-ing!"
FOOTNOTE:
[C] Shulyak means both sparrow hawk and push.
Story DNA
Moral
Even the smallest creature can set in motion a chain of events that influences many others, and persistence can eventually achieve a desired outcome.
Plot Summary
A sparrow asks a bush for a swing, but the bush refuses. Angered, the sparrow embarks on a quest to force the bush's hand by creating a chain of command. It asks a goat to nibble the bush, a wolf to eat the goat, people to kill the wolf, and so on, with each entity refusing its request. The chain of refusals grows longer until the sparrow asks a hen to peck worms, and the hen suggests asking the sparrow hawk. The sparrow hawk agrees to seize the hen, which sets off a reverse chain reaction where each entity acts against the one before it, ultimately leading to the goat nibbling the bush. Finally, the bush relents and gives the sparrow its desired swing.
Themes
Emotional Arc
frustration to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Cumulative tales are common across many cultures, often used for entertainment and teaching memory. The inclusion of 'Tartars' might reflect historical interactions or fears within the originating culture.
Plot Beats (11)
- A sparrow asks a bush for a swing, but the bush refuses.
- The sparrow goes to a goat, asking it to nibble the bush, but the goat refuses.
- The sparrow then goes to a wolf, asking it to eat the goat, but the wolf refuses.
- The sparrow continues this pattern, asking people to kill the wolf, Tartars to slay the people, fire to burn the Tartars, water to quench the fire, an ox to drink the water, a poleax to strike the ox, worms to gnaw the poleax, and a hen to peck the worms.
- Each entity in the chain refuses the sparrow's request, and the sparrow's plea grows longer with each refusal, listing all the preceding refusals.
- Finally, the sparrow asks the hen to peck the worms, and the hen refuses but suggests the sparrow go to the sparrow hawk, noting its nature to 'push' or 'seize'.
- The sparrow approaches the sparrow hawk and asks it to seize the hen, repeating the entire chain of refusals.
- The sparrow hawk agrees and begins to seize the hen.
- This action triggers a reverse chain reaction: the hen pecks the worms, the worms gnaw the poleax, the poleax strikes the ox, the ox drinks the water, the water quenches the fire, the fire burns the Tartars, the Tartars slay the people, the people kill the wolf, the wolf eats the goat, and the goat nibbles the bush.
- As the goat nibbles the bush, the bush finally cries out, offering the sparrow its swing.
- The sparrow happily takes its swing on the bush.
Characters
The Sparrow
A small, agile bird, typical of a house sparrow, with a compact body, short legs, and a stout beak. Its feathers are a mix of brown, grey, and white, providing natural camouflage.
Attire: Natural plumage of a common sparrow: mottled brown back, grey underparts, and a black bib on its throat.
Wants: To get a swing from the bush, and to enforce its will upon others when denied.
Flaw: Impatience and a tendency to escalate minor grievances into major conflicts.
Starts frustrated and demanding, and through its persistence, successfully orchestrates a complex chain reaction to achieve its simple desire.
Persistent, determined, easily angered, resourceful, demanding.
The Bush
A dense, leafy shrub of medium size, with many branches and green foliage. It appears sturdy and well-rooted.
Attire: Its natural form as a leafy green bush.
Wants: To remain undisturbed, initially, then to avoid being nibbled by the goat.
Flaw: Vulnerability to being nibbled, which ultimately forces its compliance.
Starts as an obstacle, then becomes a victim in the chain, and finally yields to the sparrow's request.
Stubborn, initially unyielding, eventually compliant.
The Goat
A sturdy domestic goat with a shaggy coat, likely brown or white, and curved horns. It has a typical goat's beard.
Attire: Its natural shaggy coat.
Wants: To avoid being eaten by the wolf, which overrides its initial refusal.
Flaw: Fear of the wolf.
Starts as an uncooperative character, then becomes a link in the chain of escalating threats, eventually complying out of fear.
Stubborn, initially uncooperative, easily intimidated.
The Wolf
A lean and powerful grey wolf, with thick fur, strong legs, and a bushy tail. Its eyes are sharp and predatory.
Attire: Its natural grey fur coat.
Wants: To avoid being killed by the people, which overrides its initial refusal to eat the goat.
Flaw: Fear of humans.
Starts as an uncooperative character, then becomes a link in the chain of escalating threats, eventually complying out of fear.
Initially indifferent, then predatory, easily intimidated.
The People
A group of common villagers, likely dressed in simple, practical clothing suitable for a rural setting. They are of average build and height.
Attire: Simple linen tunics, wool trousers or skirts, and leather shoes or boots, in muted earthy tones. Perhaps a simple head covering for some.
Wants: To avoid being slain by the Tartars, which overrides their initial refusal to kill the wolf.
Flaw: Vulnerability to a stronger, more organized force like the Tartars.
Starts as an uncooperative group, then becomes a link in the chain of escalating threats, eventually complying out of fear.
Initially reluctant to interfere, then fearful, ultimately compliant.
The Tartars
A group of nomadic warriors, likely of Central Asian descent, with strong, lean builds, and weathered faces. They would appear formidable and disciplined.
Attire: Practical, layered clothing suitable for horseback riding and warfare: felt or leather tunics, trousers, and boots. Perhaps fur-lined caps or conical helmets. Colors would be earthy, with some decorative elements.
Wants: To avoid being burned by the fire, which overrides their initial refusal to slay the people.
Flaw: Vulnerability to fire.
Starts as an uncooperative group, then becomes a link in the chain of escalating threats, eventually complying out of fear.
Initially uncooperative, then aggressive and intimidating, easily intimidated.
The Fire
A vibrant, flickering mass of orange, red, and yellow flames, radiating heat. It can grow and shrink, consuming what it touches.
Attire: Its natural form as burning flames.
Wants: To avoid being quenched by the water, which overrides its initial refusal to burn the Tartars.
Flaw: Vulnerability to water.
Starts as an uncooperative element, then becomes a link in the chain of escalating threats, eventually complying out of fear.
Initially uncooperative, then destructive, easily quenched.
The Sparrow Hawk
A swift and predatory bird of prey, smaller than a falcon but larger than a sparrow, with sharp talons and a hooked beak. Its plumage is typically grey-brown on top and barred underneath.
Attire: Its natural plumage: slate-grey back, barred reddish-brown underparts, and a long, banded tail.
Wants: To seize the hen, fulfilling its role as a predator, which initiates the chain reaction.
Flaw: None explicitly shown, as it is the catalyst.
Serves as the ultimate catalyst, initiating the entire chain of events without hesitation.
Decisive, predatory, responsive to its nature.
Locations
The Bush in a Meadow
A small, resilient bush with flexible branches, likely a hawthorn or blackthorn common in Eastern European meadows, standing in an open, grassy area. The ground is covered in short, green grass, possibly with wildflowers. The sky is open and clear.
Mood: Initially stubborn and unyielding, later joyful and lively.
The sparrow's initial request for a swing and the bush's refusal, leading to the entire chain of events. Also, the final joyful swinging.
Pasture with a Goat
A sun-drenched pasture, possibly with some rocky outcrops or sparse trees, where a goat is grazing. The ground is uneven, with patches of tougher grasses and some low-lying scrub.
Mood: Peaceful but indifferent.
The sparrow's attempt to enlist the goat to nibble the bush, and the goat's refusal.
Forest Edge
The shadowy edge of a dense forest, likely a mixed forest of pine and deciduous trees, where a wolf might lurk. The ground is covered with fallen leaves and pine needles, and the air is cool.
Mood: Somewhat foreboding and wild.
The sparrow's encounter with the wolf, who also refuses to help.