KOZA, KÓZKA I WILK
by Adam Mickiewicz · from Bajki
Adapted Version
Once upon a time, there was a little goat named Bebe. She lived with her Mama Goat.
Mama Goat was a clever goat. She had a little daughter. Her name was Bebe. Mama Goat must go to the forest. Bebe must stay home. She must stay alone. Mama Goat loved Bebe very much.
Mama Goat gave Bebe a warning. "A bad wolf lives near here," she said. "Do not open the door. Do not open it for anyone. Only open it for me. I will call your name. I will say 'Bebe'. I will show my hoof. I will put it under the door. Then you can open it."
Mama Goat went to the forest. She went to find food. Bebe was alone at home.
The Wolf was nearby. He heard Mama Goat. He heard her warning. The Wolf was sneaky. He came to Bebe's house. He came right away.
The Wolf knocked on the door. "Knock, knock," he went. He tried to sound like Mama Goat. He made his voice very soft. "Bebe," he said. "Open the door! It is Mama." He waited for Bebe.
Bebe heard the knock. She was very careful. She did not open the door. "Who is it?" she asked. "My Mama is not here. I am alone now. I cannot open the door."
The Wolf tried again. He made his voice very soft. "Bebe," he said. "Open the door now! It is me. It is your Mama. Please open." Bebe did not open.
Bebe remembered Mama's words. "Your voice sounds like Mama," she said. "But Mama has a special sign. Show me your hoof. Show it under the door. Show it in the little gap. Then I will open."
The Wolf had no hoof. He had big wolf paws. He could not show a hoof. He got very angry. He made a growling sound. He went away. Bebe was safe.
Bebe was safe and happy. She always listened to her Mama. It is good to be careful, just like Bebe.
Original Story
KOZA, KÓZKA i WILK.
Sąsiadka koza, ta, co to rozwódka,
Z rodu Ostrorożanka, a tak rzezka czołem,
Że umie łeb za łeb rozmówić się z wołem
I nie da lada wilku brać się do podbródka,
Wczoraj w las idąc zbierać na domu potrzebę
Rokitę, czy lipią skórkę,
Na gospodarstwie zostawiła córkę,
Której jest na imię Bebe.
A że młodym osobom, pod niebytność matki,
Rozliczne grożą przypadki,
Nakazuje dziecku srogo:
—Nie ruszać mi za próg nogą
I nieprzyjmować nikogo—nikogo!
Jest tu wilk w okolicy; mam go w podejrzeniu,
Że zamyśla o czem brzydkiem;
Pilnujże drzwi, aż wrócę i dam znak kopytkiem,
Wołając cię po imieniu:
Bebe! Lepiej, że zgrzeszym ostrożności zbytkiem,
Niż gdyby miało kiedy być przysłowiom trzodzie:
Mądra koza po szkodzie.
O wilku mówiono w izbie
A wilk tuż sicdział na przyzbie,
Podsłuchał. Matka z domu, a on wnet do córk
Stuk i puk we drzwi komórki.
Wilk zwykle wyciem łaje albo grozi,
Lecz gdy prosić ma potrzebę,
Nieźłe udaje śpiew kozi;
Więc jako mógł najkoziej odezwał się „Bebe
Otwórz!” A kózka na to: „Przepraszam nie można
Mamy niemasz, jestem sama”.
On znowu: „Bebe, otwórz, to ja, mama”
Na to znów kózka ostrożna:
„Głos wprawdzie matczyn; ale czyś ty matka,
Jak mogę wiedzieć gdy zamknięta klatka?
Podejdźże tu i przez to pod progiem korytko
Pokaż mi na znak kopytko.”
Wilk odszedł, klnąc Bebe i mać jej brzydko
Ta bajka jest po całym świecie znana z treści
Lecz żeby ja, dać poznać płci niewieściej,
Udawajmy, że wzięta z francuzkiej powieści.
*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BAJKI ***
Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will be renamed.
Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and research. Project Gutenberg eBooks may be modified and printed and given away—you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the trademark license, especially commercial redistribution.
Story DNA
Moral
It is better to be overly cautious than to suffer harm from carelessness.
Plot Summary
A clever mother goat, before leaving her daughter Bebe alone, warns her about a wolf and instructs her to only open the door if she hears her name and sees her hoof. A wolf, overhearing, attempts to trick Bebe by mimicking her mother's voice. Bebe, remembering her mother's warning, demands to see the specific hoof signal through a gap in the door. Unable to provide this, the frustrated wolf leaves, and Bebe remains safe, demonstrating the wisdom of caution.
Themes
Emotional Arc
tension to relief
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Adam Mickiewicz was a prominent figure of Polish Romanticism, and his fables often carried moral or patriotic undertones, though this one is a classic cautionary tale.
Plot Beats (9)
- A clever mother goat, a widow named Ostrorożanka, prepares to leave her daughter, Bebe, alone at home.
- The mother warns Bebe about a dangerous wolf in the area and strictly instructs her not to open the door to anyone, only to her when she returns, calls her name 'Bebe', and gives a specific hoof signal.
- The mother goat departs for the forest to gather supplies.
- A wolf, who had been listening from outside, immediately approaches the house.
- The wolf attempts to trick Bebe by knocking and calling out 'Bebe, open!' in a voice he tries to make sound like her mother's.
- Bebe, cautious, replies that her mother is not home and she is alone.
- The wolf insists, 'Bebe, open, it's me, Mama!'
- Bebe, still suspicious, acknowledges the voice sounds like her mother's but demands proof: she asks the visitor to show a hoof through the trough under the door.
- The wolf, realizing he cannot mimic a goat's hoof, curses Bebe and her mother and leaves, defeated.
Characters
Koza (The Mother Goat)
A sturdy, medium-sized white goat, with a strong build and agile movements. Her fur is thick and well-groomed, indicating a diligent nature. She carries herself with an air of authority and experience.
Attire: No clothing, as she is an animal. Her natural white fur is her primary covering.
Wants: To protect her daughter and ensure her safety and well-being. To gather necessities for her home.
Flaw: Her absence from home leaves her daughter vulnerable, despite her precautions.
She serves as a catalyst for the plot by leaving and giving instructions, but her personal arc is not detailed within this short fable.
Assertive, protective, intelligent, cautious, and a bit sharp-tongued. She is very aware of dangers and takes her role as a mother seriously.
Bebe (The Kid Goat)
A small, delicate white kid goat, with soft fur and nimble legs. She is still growing, with a slender build typical of a young goat.
Attire: No clothing, as she is an animal. Her natural white fur is her primary covering.
Wants: To obey her mother and stay safe until her return.
Flaw: Her youth and vulnerability, being alone and susceptible to trickery.
She successfully outwits the wolf, demonstrating her intelligence and the value of obedience and caution.
Obedient, cautious, intelligent, and quick-witted. She follows her mother's instructions diligently and uses her reasoning to identify danger.
Wilk (The Wolf)
A large, lean grey wolf, with powerful jaws and a shaggy coat. He appears cunning and predatory, with a gaunt look that suggests hunger and a life of hunting.
Attire: No clothing, as he is an animal. His natural grey fur is his primary covering.
Wants: To trick and consume the kid goat.
Flaw: His impatience and inability to perfectly mimic the mother goat's hoof, leading to his exposure.
He is thwarted by Bebe's cleverness and ends the story frustrated and defeated, reinforcing his role as a persistent but ultimately unsuccessful predator.
Cunning, deceptive, predatory, impatient, and easily frustrated. He is driven by hunger and a desire to trick his prey.
Locations
Goat's Cottage
A humble, rustic dwelling, likely a traditional Polish rural cottage (chałupa) with a single main room (izba) and a small storage room (komórka). The interior would be simple, with a hearth and basic wooden furniture. The door to the komórka is sturdy, and there's a small trough or opening under the main door.
Mood: Initially safe and domestic, later tense and suspenseful due to the wolf's presence.
The mother goat instructs Bebe to stay inside and not open the door. Bebe later uses the opening under the door to verify the visitor's identity, thwarting the wolf.
Forest Edge
The immediate vicinity of the forest, where the mother goat goes to gather materials. This would be a typical Central European deciduous or mixed forest, with trees like oak, birch, and pine, and undergrowth including willow (rokita) and linden (lipa) trees for bark.
Mood: Natural, industrious for the mother goat, but also a place where danger (the wolf) lurks.
The mother goat departs for the forest to gather materials, leaving Bebe alone at home.
Cottage Porch/Przyzba
The outdoor area directly in front of the cottage door, specifically the 'przyzba' – a traditional low, earthen or wooden bench built along the outer wall of a Polish cottage. It's where the wolf sits and listens.
Mood: Initially quiet, then tense and deceptive as the wolf plots and attempts to trick Bebe.
The wolf secretly sits on the przyzba, overhearing the mother goat's instructions to Bebe. He later approaches the door from this spot to impersonate the mother.