PIES I WILK

by Adam Mickiewicz · from Bajki

fable moral tale humorous Ages 8-14 295 words 2 min read
Cover: PIES I WILK

Adapted Version

CEFR A1 Age 5 168 words 1 min Canon 30/100

There was a hungry wolf. He was very, very cold. The Wolf was thin. He looked for food. He saw a big dog. The dog was named Brys. Brys was fat and happy. His fur was shiny.

The Wolf was surprised. Brys was very big. The Wolf said, "Hello, Brys!" He said, "You look so good and strong." He asked, "Are you well now?" Brys looked very happy.

Brys wagged his tail. He said, "Yes, I am well." He was very happy. He had a good life.

The Wolf looked at Brys. "How did you get so big?" he asked. "How do you get much food?" The Wolf was very hungry.

Brys said, "Live with people." You will get much food. You will be big like me. Leave the wild place now.

The Wolf asked, "What must I do?" "What is this new job?" He wanted to know.

Brys said, "I guard the house. I bark at strangers. I am kind to my owners. I get lots of

Original Story 295 words · 2 min read

PIES i WILK.

Jeden bardzo mizerny wilk, skóra a kości,

Myszkując po zamrozkach, kiedy w łapy dmucha,

Zdybie przypadkiem Brysia jegomości,

Bernardyńskiego karku, sędziowskiego brzucha;

Sierć na nim błyszczy, gdyby szmelcowana,

Podgardle tłuste, zwisło do kolana.

„A witaj, panie kumie! Witaj panie Brychu!

Już od lat kopy o was ni widu, ni slychu,

Wtedyś był mały kondlik, ale kto nie z postem,

Prędko zmienia figurę. Jakże służy zdrowie?”

„Niczego”—Brysio odpowie

I za grzeczność kiwnął chwostom.

„Oj! oj!... niczego! Widać ze wzrostu i tuszy!

Co to za łeb, mój Boże! choć walić obuchem!

A kark jaki! a brzuch jaki!

Brzuch! niech mnie porwą sobaki,

Jeżeli, uczciwszy uszy,

Wieprza widziałem kiedy z takim brzuchom!”

„Żartuj zdrów, kumie wilku; lecz mówiąc licz żartu.

Jeśli chcesz, możesz sobie równie wypchać boki.”

„A to jak, kiedyś łaskaw?”—Ot tak bez odwłoki

Bory i nory oddawszy czartu

I łajdackich po polu wyrzekłszy się świstań,

Idź między ludzi i na służbę przystań!”

„Lecz w tej służbie co robić?”—wilk znowu zapyta.

„Co robić?—Dziecko jesteś! Służba wyśmienita:

Ot jedno z drugiem nic a nic!

Dziedzińca pilnować granic,

Przybycie gości szczekaniem głosić,

Na dziada warknąć, żyda potarmosić,

Panom pochlebiać ukłonom,

Sługom wachlować ogonem,

A za toż, bracie, niczego nie braknie:

Od panów, paniątek, dziewek,

Okruszyn kostek, polewek.

Słowom, czego dusza łaknie,”

Pies mówił, a wilk słuchał uchem, gębą, nosem,

Nie stracił słówka; połknął dyskurs cały

I nad smacznej przyszłości medytując losem,

Już obiecane wietrzył specyały.

Wtem patrzy.—„A to co?”—„Gdzie?”—Ot, tu, na karku?”

„Ech, błazeństwo!”—„Cóż przecie”—„Oto widzisz troszkę

Przyczesano, bo na noc kładą mi obrożkę,

Ażebym lepiej pilnował folwarku!”

„Czy tak? pięknąś wiadomość schował na ostatku!”

„I cóż, wilku, nie idziesz?”—„Co nie, to nie, bratku!

Lepszy w wolności kąsek ladajaki,

Niźli w niewoli przysmaki.”

Rzekł i drapnąwszy co miał skoku w łapie,

Aż dotąd drapie.



Story DNA

Moral

It is better to have meager freedom than luxurious servitude.

Plot Summary

A starving wolf encounters a fat, pampered dog and is impressed by his healthy appearance. The dog explains his comfortable life of service to humans, tempting the wolf with promises of abundant food. However, when the wolf notices a rubbed spot on the dog's neck and learns it's from a collar, he immediately rejects the idea of servitude. The wolf declares that freedom, even with hardship, is preferable to comfort at the cost of liberty, and runs back to his wild life.

Themes

freedom vs. securityindependencethe cost of comfortdignity

Emotional Arc

curiosity to realization

Writing Style

Voice: third person omniscient
Pacing: moderate
Descriptive: moderate
Techniques: personification, direct dialogue

Narrative Elements

Conflict: person vs self
Ending: moral justice
Magic: talking animals
the collar (symbol of servitude)the wolf's scrawny body (symbol of freedom's hardship)the dog's plump body (symbol of comfort's cost)

Cultural Context

Origin: Polish
Era: timeless fairy tale

Adam Mickiewicz was a major figure of Polish Romanticism, and his fables often carried moral or political undertones, though this one is a classic moral fable.

Plot Beats (12)

  1. A very thin wolf, shivering in the cold, stumbles upon a plump, well-groomed dog.
  2. The wolf, astonished by the dog's healthy appearance, greets him warmly and compliments his physique.
  3. The dog, Brys, responds politely, confirming his good health.
  4. The wolf expresses envy and asks how the dog achieved such a prosperous state.
  5. Brys explains that if the wolf abandons his wild ways and serves humans, he too can be well-fed.
  6. The wolf asks what the service entails.
  7. Brys describes an easy life of guarding the yard, barking at strangers, flattering masters, and wagging his tail for servants, in exchange for abundant scraps and food.
  8. The wolf listens intently, imagining a future of delicious meals.
  9. The wolf then notices a rubbed spot on Brys's neck and asks what it is.
  10. Brys dismisses it as a trifle, explaining it's from the collar he wears at night to guard the farm better.
  11. The wolf, upon hearing this, immediately rejects the offer.
  12. The wolf declares that a meager bite in freedom is better than delicacies in servitude, and runs away, never looking back.

Characters

✦

Brysio

dog adult male

A large, well-fed Bernardine dog (St. Bernard breed), with a thick, muscular neck and a prominent, round belly. His fur is glossy and well-groomed, appearing almost enameled. His dewlap is thick and hangs down to his knees, indicating a substantial build.

Attire: None, as he is an animal, but his well-groomed, shiny fur serves as his 'attire'.

Wants: To maintain his comfortable, well-fed existence and fulfill his duties as a guard dog.

Flaw: Perhaps a slight naivety or overconfidence in his own situation, not fully grasping the implications of his 'collar'.

He remains unchanged, serving as a foil to the Wolf, representing the comforts of servitude versus the hardships of freedom.

His massive, round, well-fed belly and the glossy, enameled appearance of his fur.

Content, well-mannered, a bit complacent, proud of his comfortable life, and slightly condescending towards the Wolf's plight.

✦

Wilk

wolf adult male

A very gaunt and scrawny wolf, described as 'skin and bones'. He is thin and appears to be suffering from hunger and the cold, blowing on his paws to warm them.

Attire: None, as he is an animal.

Wants: Survival, primarily driven by hunger and the need to find food.

Flaw: His extreme hunger makes him vulnerable to temptation and almost willing to sacrifice his freedom.

He is tempted by the promise of an easy life but ultimately chooses freedom over comfort and servitude, reinforcing his wild nature.

His extreme gauntness, appearing as 'skin and bones', and the act of blowing on his paws to warm them.

Desperate, cunning (initially), observant, quick-witted, and ultimately fiercely independent.

Locations

Frozen Wilderness

outdoor morning Winter, freezing temperatures, frost

A desolate, frozen landscape where a scrawny wolf, reduced to skin and bones, roams, blowing on his paws to keep warm. The ground is likely covered in frost or sparse snow, with bare trees or scrubland typical of a harsh winter.

Mood: Desolate, harsh, hungry, cold

The initial encounter between the starving wolf and the well-fed dog, where the wolf is struggling for survival.

Frost-covered ground Sparse, bare trees or bushes Cold, biting air

Manor Farmyard

outdoor Varies, but currently winter as per the wolf's environment, though the farmyard itself offers shelter and warmth.

The secure, well-kept grounds of a manor house or folwark (a type of large agricultural estate in Poland), where the dog, Bryś, lives. It is implied to be a place of plenty, with boundaries to guard and various people (masters, servants, beggars, Jews) passing through. The dog mentions a collar for guarding the folwark.

Mood: Secure, prosperous, bustling, domestic

The dog describes his comfortable life and duties within this secure environment, contrasting it with the wolf's harsh existence.

Manor house (implied) Farmyard boundaries Outbuildings (implied) Pathways for people Dog's collar