Les Huit Chevreaux
by Claudius Ferrand · from Fables et légendes du Japon
Adapted Version
Mama Goat lives in a small house. She has eight little kids. They are happy. Mama Goat goes to the market. She tells her kids, "Be good. Do not open door. I come back."
Kids say, "Yes, Mama!" They close door. They play inside. They are good kids.
The Big Bad Wolf sees Mama Goat. He has a bad plan. He wants to take the little kids. He goes to the house.
The Big Bad Wolf knocks. He says, "Open the door!" Big Kid asks, "Who is there?" The wolf's voice is loud. It is rough. The kids do not open the door.
Wolf goes to a Shop Man. He gets a special drink. It makes his voice soft. He goes back to the house.
The wolf knocks again. He says, "It is your grandma! Open the door!" Little Kid looks. He sees black feet. Grandma has white feet. The kids do not open the door.
Wolf goes to a Paint Man. He asks for white feet. The Paint Man makes his feet white. The wolf goes back to the house.
The wolf knocks again. His voice is soft. His feet are white. He says, "It is Mama! Open the door!" The kids open the door.
The Big Bad Wolf takes seven kids. He takes them inside his big tummy. Little Kid hides. He hides behind a screen. He sees a scary thing.
Mama Goat comes home. The door is open. Her kids are gone. She feels very sad. She cries.
Little Kid comes out. He tells Mama Goat everything.
Mama Goat is very angry. She finds the wolf. He is sleeping in the forest.
Mama Goat opens his tummy. The seven kids are inside! They are alive! They come out happy.
Mama Goat tells her kids. "Find some stones!" They find many stones. Mama Goat puts stones inside. She closes his tummy.
The wolf wakes up. He feels very heavy. He goes to the pond. He wants to drink water. The stones are too heavy. He falls into the water. He disappears.
Mama Goat and her kids are safe. They are very happy.
It is good to listen to your mama. It is good to be smart. It is good to be brave!
Mama Goat and her eight kids are safe. They are happy in their home. They always listen to Mama. The Big Bad Wolf is gone. The end.
Original Story
Les huit Chevreaux
Il y avait une fois une chèvre. Cette chèvre s'appelait Yagisan. Elle avait huit chevreaux. Ces huit chevreaux aimaient bien la chèvre, et la chèvre le leur rendait bien.
Un jour, Yagisan partit pour la ville; elle allait aux provisions. Avant de partir, elle dit aux chevreaux:
– Mes enfants, il faut être bien sages pendant mon absence. Vous ne sortirez pas. Vous n'ouvrirez la porte à personne, absolument à personne. Je serai bientôt de retour. Je vous apporterai des bonbons.
Les chevreaux promirent d'être bien sages, de ne pas sortir et de n'ouvrir la porte à personne, absolument à personne. Et la chèvre partit un panier au bras. Les enfant fermèrent toutes les portes. Puis, pour passer le temps, ils se mirent à jouer à pigeon vole.
Yagisan marchait à grands pas vers la ville. Le loup la vit passer. Il eut l'idée de sauter sur elle et de la manger. Car le loup aime bien les chèvres. Puis, réflexion faite, il se dit:
– Au lieu de manger la maman, je vais manger les petits. Ils sont huit, et la chair est plus tendre.
Les chevreaux promirent d'être bien sages.
Il se dirige de ce pas vers la maison de la chèvre. En route, il se lèche les babines et aiguise ses dents.
– Pourvu que la porte soit ouverte! se dit-il.
Il arrive. La porte est fermée. Par une fente, il entrevoit les huit chevreaux jouant à pigeon vole. Il frappe doucement.
– Qui va là? demande l'aîné des petits.
– Il ne faut pas ouvrir. Maman l'a défendu, dit le plus jeune.
– C'est moi, répond le loup; moi, votre tante; vous savez, votre tante Hayatobisan. Je vous apporte des bonbons. Ouvrez-moi!
– Cette voix n'est pas la voix de notre tante, remarque l'un des chevreaux. Notre tante a une voix bien plus douce, plus tremblante et plus traînante.
– Nous n'ouvrons pas à notre tante! crie alors l'aîné des petits.
Et tous se mettent à rire et continuent à jouer.
Le loup a tout entendu. Il se reproche de n'avoir pas une voix douce, tremblante et traînante.
– Je reviendrai! dit-il.
Et vite il court chez un célèbre pharmacien:
– Donnez-moi, lui dit-il, une médecine pour adoucir la voix et la rendre chevrotante.
Le pharmacien lui donne le remède, mais le loup se garde bien de dire au pharmacien pourquoi il veut changer sa voix.
Après avoir pris la médecine, il retourne à la maison de la chèvre. La porte en est toujours fermée; les chevreaux jouent toujours. Le loup frappe doucement:
– Qui va là? demande l'aîné des petits.
– Il ne faut pas ouvrir! Maman l'a défendu, répète le plus jeune.
– C'est moi, répond le loup… moi, votre grand'mère… vous savez, votre grand'mère Nakigoesan! Ouvrez-moi. Je vous apporte des feuilles de choux!
Un chevreau plus curieux s'approche de la porte et regarde par la fente.
– Ce n'est pas notre grand'mère, s'écrie-t-il. Grand'mère a des pieds tout blancs, blancs comme la neige. Celui-ci a des pieds tout noirs, noirs comme le charbon.
– Nous n'ouvrons pas à notre grand'mère, crie alors l'aîné des petits, et tous se mettent à rire, et continuent à jouer.
Le loup a tout entendu. Il se reproche de n'avoir pas des pieds blancs comme la neige.
– Je reviendrai, dit-il.
Et vite il court chez un célèbre teinturier:
– Veuillez me teindre les pieds en blanc; rendez-les blancs comme la neige.
Le teinturier lui teint les pieds, mais le loup se garde bien de dire au teinturier pourquoi il veut avoir les pieds blancs comme la neige. Après cela, le loup retourne encore à la maison de la chèvre. La porte en est toujours fermée; les chevreaux jouent toujours. Le loup frappe doucement.
Le teinturier lui teint les pieds.
– Qui va là? demande l'aîné des petits.
– Il ne faut pas ouvrir! Maman l'a défendu, répète le plus jeune.
– C'est moi, répond le loup… moi, votre maman! Je reviens de la ville et vous apporte des bonbons.
– La maman! crient en chœur les huit petits chevreaux.
Cette fois, le doute n'est plus possible. La voix est la voix de la chèvre; les pieds sont ses pieds. C'est la mère!… La porte s'ouvre… le loup entre. Le plus jeune des chevreaux se précipite derrière un paravent. Il se tient là, tremblant de peur. Il voit ses sept frères disparaître l'un après l'autre dans la gueule formidable du loup.
Celui-ci, ayant achevé son repas, quitte la maison de la chèvre et retourne à la forêt.
Yagisan revient de la ville. Elle voit la porte ouverte. Un pressentiment terrible la saisit. Elle entre et ne voit plus ses petits… Sur les nattes, des taches de sang:
– Oh! s'écrie-t-elle en s'arrachant les poils de désespoir, ils ont ouvert la porte!… le loup sera venu et les aura mangés!…
Et elle pleure!
Le plus jeune des chevreaux s'était caché derrière le paravent. Le loup ne l'avait point vu. Apercevant sa mère, il sort de sa cachette, se jette dans ses bras, et, d'une voix tremblante, lui raconte la terrible aventure.
La chèvre, ayant tout entendu, se redresse furieuse. Ses yeux lancent des éclairs.
– Je retrouverai mes petits, s'écrie-t-elle, et je me vengerai!
Et, suivie de son chevreau, elle s'élance à la piste du loup.
Le loup était retourné au bois. Il s'était étendu dans un épais taillis, et là, tout en faisant sa digestion, il s'était endormi.
Yagisan trouve le loup endormi dans les broussailles. Son sommeil est profond. Il ronfle bruyamment. La chèvre s'approche sans faire de bruit, car elle ne veut pas réveiller le loup. Elle prend des ciseaux, et délicatement entr'ouvre la peau du ventre. Le loup ne se réveille pas. Les sept petits chevreaux sont là, dans le ventre du loup, vivants, bien portants, entassés comme des petits oiseaux dans leur nid.
Ils sortent en poussant des cris de joie. Ils reconnaissent leur maman, se jettent à son cou, la couvrent de caresses. Le loup est toujours endormi. Mais il n'y a pas de temps à perdre. Vite, la mère ordonne aux sept petits de lui apporter chacun une pierre. Les petits obéissent aussitôt. La chèvre prend les sept pierres et les dépose dans le ventre du loup, à la place même où tout à l'heure étaient ses sept petits. Puis, prenant une grosse aiguille et du gros fil, elle enfile la grosse aiguille et délicatement recoud la peau du ventre. Cela fait, elle se retire à l'écart avec ses huit chevreaux.
Pendant l'opération, le loup dormait toujours. Il se réveille au bout d'un quart d'heure, se lève, se frotte les yeux, s'étire. Son ventre est lourd, très lourd!
– La digestion est difficile! dit-il à haute voix.
Les chevreaux ont entendu. Ils étouffent un rire.
Le loup est dévoré par la soif, une soif brûlante. Il descend vers un étang, s'approche et se baisse pour boire. Au même instant, les sept pierres roulent l'une après l'autre jusque vers son gosier. Le loup, entraîné par le poids, tombe dans l'étang.
Le loup, entraîné par le poids, tombe dans l'étang.
La chèvre et les chevreaux voient le loup se débattre. Ils applaudissent, rient et chantent. Le loup est descendu jusqu'au fond de l'étang, d'où il n'est plus ressorti…
La vengeance des chèvres est terrible!
Story DNA
Moral
Disobedience to parental warnings can lead to dire consequences, but cleverness and courage can overcome evil.
Plot Summary
A mother goat, Yagisan, warns her eight kids not to open the door to anyone while she's away. A cunning wolf, seeing her leave, attempts three times to trick the kids into opening the door, first by voice, then by feet, until he successfully mimics their mother. He devours seven kids, but the youngest hides and tells Yagisan upon her return. The furious mother tracks the sleeping wolf, cuts open his belly to rescue her children, replaces them with heavy stones, and sews him back up. When the wolf awakens and goes to drink, the weight of the stones causes him to fall into the water and drown, ensuring the family's safety and justice.
Themes
Emotional Arc
innocence to terror to triumphant relief
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This story is a variant of 'The Wolf and the Seven Young Goats' (German: Der Wolf und die sieben jungen Geißlein) collected by the Brothers Grimm, which itself is a widely known European folktale. Ferrand's version introduces specific names and slightly alters details.
Plot Beats (16)
- Yagisan the goat lives with her eight kids and warns them to be good and not open the door to anyone while she goes to the city.
- The kids promise to obey and close all doors, then play inside.
- A wolf sees Yagisan leave and decides to eat her kids instead of her, as they are more tender.
- The wolf first tries to trick the kids by imitating their aunt, but his voice is too rough, and the kids refuse to open the door.
- The wolf visits a pharmacist to get medicine to soften his voice, then returns to the goat's house.
- The wolf tries again, imitating their grandmother, but one kid notices his black feet through a crack, and they again refuse to open the door.
- The wolf visits a dyer to have his feet dyed white, then returns to the goat's house a third time.
- With a soft voice and white feet, the wolf successfully impersonates their mother; the kids open the door.
- The wolf devours seven of the kids, while the youngest hides behind a screen and witnesses the horror.
- Yagisan returns, finds the door open, bloodstains, and despairs, believing all her children are lost.
- The hidden youngest kid emerges and tells his mother what happened.
- Yagisan, furious, tracks the sleeping wolf to the forest.
- She carefully cuts open the wolf's belly, finds her seven kids alive, and they emerge joyfully.
- Yagisan instructs her kids to gather stones, which she places in the wolf's belly, then sews him back up.
- The wolf awakens, feels heavy, and goes to drink from a pond, where the weight of the stones causes him to fall in and drown.
- Yagisan and her eight kids celebrate the wolf's demise.
Characters
Yagisan
A sturdy, medium-sized white goat with strong legs and a thick coat. Her build suggests resilience and maternal strength. Her horns are of moderate length, curving gracefully backward.
Attire: None, as she is an animal, but she carries a woven wicker basket with a sturdy handle when going to town for provisions.
Wants: To protect and care for her children, and to seek vengeance when they are harmed.
Flaw: Her trust in her children's obedience, which is ultimately exploited by the wolf.
She begins as a loving, responsible mother. After the tragedy, she transforms into a furious, vengeful figure who cleverly outsmarts and defeats the wolf, restoring her family.
Loving, protective, responsible, resourceful, furious when provoked, and vengeful. She is deeply devoted to her children.
The Wolf
A large, powerful wolf with a lean, hungry build. His fur is dark, possibly grey or black, and matted in places, indicating a wild existence. His teeth are long and sharp, and his claws are prominent.
Attire: None, as he is an animal. However, his feet are dyed snow-white at one point.
Wants: To eat the goat kids, driven by hunger and a preference for tender meat.
Flaw: His gluttony and overconfidence, which lead him to fall into a deep sleep after his meal, and his inability to recognize the deception of the stones.
He begins as a cunning predator who successfully deceives and consumes the kids. His arc ends in his downfall and death, a victim of his own gluttony and the mother goat's vengeance.
Cunning, deceptive, gluttonous, cruel, impatient, and overconfident. He is driven by his insatiable hunger.
The Eldest Kid
A young goat kid, smaller than its mother, with a soft white coat and small, developing horns. Its build is still delicate and playful.
Attire: None, as it is an animal.
Wants: To obey its mother's instructions and protect its siblings.
Flaw: Its youth and inexperience, which ultimately lead to being deceived by the wolf's final trick.
Starts as a cautious leader, is deceived, swallowed, then rescued, and finally celebrates its survival.
Responsible (as the eldest), cautious, observant, and quick-witted. It takes the lead in questioning the wolf's disguises.
The Youngest Kid
The smallest of the eight goat kids, with a very soft, pure white coat. Its build is delicate and nimble, allowing it to hide effectively.
Attire: None, as it is an animal.
Wants: To obey its mother and stay safe.
Flaw: Its fear, which makes it hide, but ultimately saves it.
Starts as a timid, obedient child, becomes a terrified witness, and then a survivor who helps its mother achieve vengeance.
Timid, obedient, observant, and resourceful (in hiding). It is the most fearful but also the most cautious.
The Pharmacist
A middle-aged man of average height and build, with a clean, professional appearance. His hands might show signs of precise work.
Attire: A clean, practical tunic or smock, possibly white or a muted color, indicative of his profession and the era. He might wear a simple cap.
Wants: To conduct his business and provide remedies to his customers.
Flaw: His lack of suspicion towards unusual customers.
A static character, serving only to provide the wolf with the voice-altering medicine.
Professional, observant (but not overly suspicious), and efficient. He provides his services without questioning the wolf's motives.
The Dyer
A man of sturdy build, likely with hands stained from his work. His height and general appearance are unremarkable, save for the marks of his trade.
Attire: Practical, durable work clothes, likely stained with various colors. Perhaps a thick linen apron over a simple tunic and trousers, typical of a craftsman of the era.
Wants: To perform his dyeing services for payment.
Flaw: His lack of suspicion towards unusual requests.
A static character, serving only to provide the wolf with white feet.
Diligent, focused on his craft, and unconcerned with his customers' motives beyond the task at hand.
Locations
Yagisan's House
A simple, cozy dwelling, likely a small, rustic cottage with a sturdy wooden door, possibly with a small slit or window for looking out. Inside, there are mats on the floor and a paravent (folding screen) providing a hiding spot. The atmosphere is initially playful and safe, then becomes terrifying, and finally sorrowful.
Mood: Initially safe and playful, then tense and terrifying, finally sorrowful and then relieved.
The chevreaux play here, the wolf tricks them and devours seven, Yagisan returns to find the tragedy, and the youngest chevreau recounts the events.
The Forest Thicket
A dense, overgrown part of a forest, characterized by thick bushes and undergrowth, providing a secluded and shadowed spot. The ground is likely covered with fallen leaves and twigs. The atmosphere is initially peaceful for the sleeping wolf, then tense and dangerous during the rescue.
Mood: Initially peaceful and quiet, then tense and dangerous, followed by triumphant.
The wolf sleeps here after his meal, and Yagisan performs the daring rescue of her chevreaux.
The Pond
A body of fresh water, likely a small, still pond or a calm section of a river, surrounded by natural vegetation. The water is deep enough to drown the wolf. The atmosphere is one of finality and triumph.
Mood: Triumphant and decisive.
The wolf, heavy with stones, comes to drink and falls into the pond, meeting his end.