Grain with chicken egg. Grain with chicken egg (Story)

Once the guys found in the ravine a little thing with egg, with a path in the middle and looks like grain. A traveler saw a little thing from the guys, bought it for a nickel, took it to the city, sold it to the tsar for a rarity.

The king called the wise men, ordered them to find out what kind of thing is this - an egg or a grain? Thought, thought the wise men - could not give an answer. This little thing was lying on the window, a chicken flew in, began to peck, pecked a hole; everyone saw that it was grain. The wise men came and said to the king: "This is rye grain."

The king was surprised. He ordered the wise men to find out where and when this grain was born? They thought, the wise men thought, they searched in books - they did not find anything. They came to the king, they said: “We cannot give an answer. Nothing about this is written in our books; you have to ask the peasants if anyone heard from the old people when and where such grain was sown?

The king sent, ordered to bring the old peasant to him. They found an old old man, brought him to the king. A green, toothless old man came, forcibly entered on two crutches.

The king showed him grain, but the old man no longer sees; somehow I saw half, I felt half with my hands.

The king began to ask him: “Do you know, grandfather, where such grain was born? Didn't you sow such bread in your own field? Or have you bought such grain somewhere in your lifetime?

The old man was deaf, he could hardly hear, he could hardly understand. He began to answer: “No,” he says, “I didn’t sow such bread in my field, and I didn’t reap, and I didn’t buy to buy. When bread was bought, the grain was just as small as it is now. But it is necessary, - he says, - to ask my father; maybe he heard where such a grain was born?

The king sent for the father of the old man, ordered to bring him to him. They also found the old man's father and brought him to the king. An old man came on one crutch. The king began to show him grain. The old man still sees with his eyes, he saw well. The king began to ask him: “Do you know, old man, where such a grain was born? Didn't you sow such bread in your own field? Or have you ever bought such grain anywhere in your life?”

Although the old man was strong in the ear, he heard better than his son. “No,” he says, “I did not sow such grain in my field and did not reap such grain. But I didn’t buy it, because in my lifetime there was no money in the factory either. Everyone fed with their own bread, and when needed, they shared with each other. I do not know where such a grain was born. Although our grain was larger than the present and more threshed, I have never seen anything like it. I heard from the priest - in his time, bread was better than ours, it was razhivals and was harder and larger. You have to ask him."

The king sent for the old man's father. They also found grandfather; brought to the king. An old man entered the king without crutches; he entered easily - his eyes are bright, he hears well and speaks clearly. The king showed the grain to his grandfather. The grandfather looked, turned. “For a long time,” he says, “I haven’t seen an old bread.” Grandfather bit off the grain, chewed a grain.

It's the same, he says.

Tell me, grandfather, where such a grain was born? Have you not sowed such bread in your field? Or in your lifetime where did you buy from people?

And the old man said: “This kind of bread in my lifetime was everywhere. With this bread, - he says, - I fed my life and fed people.

And the king asked: “So tell me, grandfather, did you buy such grain anywhere, or did you sow in your own field?”

The old man chuckled.

In my time, - he says, - no one could think of such a sin as to sell, buy bread. And they didn’t know about money; everyone had their bread --------olyu was. I myself sowed such bread, and reaped, and threshed.

And the king asked: “So tell me, grandfather, where did you sow such bread and where was your field?”

And the grandfather said: “My field was the land of God. Where plowed, there is a field. The land was free. They did not know their land. They only called their works their own.

Tell me, - says the king, - I have two more things to do: one thing - why before such a grain was born, but now it will not be born? And another thing - why did your grandson walk on two crutches, your son came on one crutch, but you came in completely easily, your eyes are bright and your teeth are strong, and your speech is clear and welcoming? Why, tell me, grandfather, did these two things come about?

And the old man said: “Because both things began, that people stopped living by their labors - they began to covet others. In the old days they did not live like that: in the old days they lived like God; They owned their own, did not profit from someone else's.

Grain with chicken egg

Tolstoy Lev Nikolaevich

Grain with chicken egg

L.N. Tolstoy

GRAIN WITH CHICKEN EGG

Once the guys found in the ravine a little thing with a chicken egg, with a path in the middle and it looks like grain. A traveler saw a little thing from the guys, bought it for a nickel, took it to the city, sold it to the tsar for a rarity.

The king called the wise men, ordered them to find out what kind of thing is this - an egg or a grain? Thought, thought the wise men - could not give an answer. This little thing was lying on the window, a chicken flew in, began to peck, pecked a hole; everyone saw that it was grain. The wise men came and said to the king: "This is a grain of rye."

The king was surprised. He ordered the wise men to find out where and when this grain was born. They thought, the wise men thought, they searched in books - they did not find anything. They came to the king, they say:

- We can't answer. Nothing about this is written in our books; one must ask the peasants if anyone has heard from the old people when and where such grain was sown.

The king sent, ordered to bring the old peasant to him. They found an old old man, brought him to the king. An old man came, green, toothless, forcibly entered on two crutches.

The king showed him grain, but the old man no longer sees; I somehow saw half of it, felt half of it with my hands.

The king began to ask him:

- Do you know, grandfather, where such a grain was born? Didn't you sow such bread in your own field? Or have you bought such grain somewhere in your lifetime?

The old man was deaf, with difficulty he heard, with difficulty he understood. Began to keep the answer.

“No,” he says, “I didn’t sow such bread in my field, and I didn’t reap, and I didn’t buy to buy. When bread was bought, the grain was just as small as it is now. But it is necessary, - he says, - to ask my father; maybe he heard where such a grain was born.

The king sent for the father of the old man, ordered to bring him to him. They also found the old man's father and brought him to the king. An old man came on one crutch. The king began to show him grain. The old man still sees with his eyes, he saw well. The king began to ask him:

- Do you know, old man, where such a grain was born? Didn't you sow such bread in your own field? Or have you bought such grain somewhere in your lifetime?

Although the old man was strong in the ear, he heard better than his son.

“No,” he says, “I didn’t sow such grain in my field and didn’t reap such grain. But I didn’t buy it, because in my lifetime there was no money in the factory either. Everyone fed with their own bread, and when needed, they shared with each other. I do not know where such a grain was born. Although our grain was larger than the present and more threshed, I have never seen anything like it. I heard from the priest - in his time, bread was better against ours, and it was harder and larger. You need to ask him.

The king sent for the old man's father. They also found grandfather, brought him to the king. An old man entered the king without crutches; entered easily; bright eyes, hears well and speaks clearly. The king showed the grain to his grandfather. The grandfather looked, turned.

- For a long time, - he says, - I have not seen an old bread.

Grandfather bit off the grain, chewed a grain,

“That’s it,” he says.

- Tell me, grandfather, where did such a grain come from? Have you not sowed such bread in your field? Or in your lifetime where did you buy from people?

And the old man said:

- Bread like this in my lifetime was everywhere. With this bread, he says, I fed my life and fed people.

And the king asked:

- So tell me, grandfather, where did you buy such grain, or did you sow it yourself in your own field?

The old man chuckled.

“In my time,” he says, “no one could think of such a sin as to sell or buy bread. But they didn’t know about money: everyone had plenty of their own bread. I myself sowed 6f7 oh bread, and reaped, and threshed.

And the king asked:

- So tell me, grandfather, where did you sow such bread and where was your field?

And grandfather said:

- My field was God's land. Where plowed, there is a field. The land was free. They did not call their land. They only called their works their own.

- Tell me, - says the king, - I have two more things to do: one thing - why before such a grain was born, but now it will not be born? And another thing is why your grandson walked on two crutches, your son came on one crutch, and here you came quite easily; Are your eyes bright, and your teeth strong, and your speech clear and friendly? Why, tell me, grandfather, did these two things come about?

And the old man said:

- That's why both things began, that people stopped living by their labors, - they began to covet someone else's. In the old days they did not live like that: in the old days they lived like God; They owned their own, did not take advantage of others.

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Tolstoy Lev Nikolaevich
Grain with chicken egg

L.N. Tolstoy

GRAIN WITH CHICKEN EGG

Once the guys found in the ravine a little thing with a chicken egg, with a path in the middle and it looks like grain. A traveler saw a little thing from the guys, bought it for a nickel, took it to the city, sold it to the tsar for a rarity.

The king called the wise men, ordered them to find out what kind of thing is this - an egg or a grain? Thought, thought the wise men - could not give an answer. This little thing was lying on the window, a chicken flew in, began to peck, pecked a hole; everyone saw that it was grain. The wise men came and said to the king: "This is a grain of rye."

The king was surprised. He ordered the wise men to find out where and when this grain was born. Thought, thought the wise men, searched in books - found nothing. They came to the king, they say:

We can't give an answer. Nothing about this is written in our books; one must ask the peasants if anyone has heard from the old people when and where such grain was sown.

The king sent, ordered to bring the old peasant to him. They found an old old man, brought him to the king. An old man came, green, toothless, forcibly entered on two crutches.

The king showed him grain, but the old man no longer sees; somehow I saw half, I felt half with my hands.

The king began to ask him:

- Do you know, grandfather, where such a grain was born? Didn't you sow such bread in your own field? Or have you bought such grain somewhere in your lifetime?

The old man was deaf, he could hardly hear, he could hardly understand. Began to keep the answer.

“No,” he says, “I didn’t sow such bread in my field, and I didn’t reap, and I didn’t buy to buy. When bread was bought, the grain was just as small as it is now. But it is necessary, - he says, - to ask my father; maybe he heard where such a grain was born.

The king sent for the father of the old man, ordered to bring him to him. They also found the old man's father and brought him to the king. An old man came on one crutch. The king began to show him grain. The old man still sees with his eyes, he saw well. The king began to ask him:

- Do you know, old man, where such a grain was born? Didn't you sow such bread in your own field? Or have you bought such grain somewhere in your lifetime?

Although the old man was strong in the ear, he heard better than his son.

“No,” he says, “I didn’t sow such grain in my field and didn’t reap such grain.” But I didn’t buy it, because in my lifetime there was no money in the factory either. Everyone fed with their own bread, and when needed, they shared with each other. I do not know where such a grain was born. Although our grain was larger than the present and more threshed, I have never seen anything like it. I heard from the priest - in his time, bread was better against ours, and it was harder and larger. You need to ask him.

The king sent for the old man's father. They also found grandfather, brought him to the king. An old man entered the king without crutches; entered easily; bright eyes, hears well and speaks clearly. The king showed the grain to his grandfather. The grandfather looked, turned.

- For a long time, - he says, - I have not seen an old bread.

Grandfather bit off the grain, chewed a grain,

“It’s the same,” he says.

“Tell me, grandfather, where did such a grain come from?” Have you not sowed such bread in your field? Or in your lifetime where did you buy from people?

And the old man said:

- Bread like this in my lifetime was everywhere. With this bread, - he says, - I fed my life and fed people.

And the king asked:

- So tell me, grandfather, where did you buy such grain, or did you sow in your own field?

The old man chuckled.

“In my time,” he says, “no one could think of such a sin as to sell or buy bread. But they didn’t know about money: everyone had plenty of their own bread. I myself sowed 6f7 oh bread, and reaped, and threshed.

And the king asked:

- So tell me, grandfather, where did you sow such bread and where was your field?

And grandfather said:

- My field was - the land of God. Where plowed, there is a field. The land was free. They did not call their land. They only called their works their own.

“Tell me,” the king says, “I have two more things to do: one thing is why such a grain was born before, but now it will not be born? And another thing is why your grandson walked on two crutches, your son came on one crutch, and here you came completely easily; Are your eyes bright, and your teeth strong, and your speech clear and friendly? Why, tell me, grandfather, did these two things come about?

And the old man said:

- Because both things began, that people stopped living by their labors, - they began to covet someone else's. In the old days they did not live like that: in the old days they lived like God; They owned their own, did not take advantage of others.

Once the guys found in the ravine a little thing with a chicken egg with a path in the middle and it looks like grain. A traveler saw a little thing from the guys, bought it for a nickel, took it to the city, sold it to the tsar for a rarity.

The king called the wise men, ordered them to find out what kind of thing is this - an egg or a grain? Thought, thought the wise men - could not give an answer. This little thing was lying on the window, a chicken flew in, began to peck, pecked a hole; everyone saw that it was grain. The wise men came and said to the king: "This is rye grain."

The king was surprised. He ordered the wise men to find out where and when this grain was born. They thought, the wise men thought, they searched in books, but they did not find anything. They came to the king, they say:

“We cannot give an answer. Nothing about this is written in our books; one must ask the peasants if anyone has heard from the old people when and where such grain was sown.

The king sent, ordered to bring an old man, a peasant, to him. They found an old old man, brought him to the king. An old man came, green, toothless, forcibly entered on two crutches.

The king showed him grain, but the old man did not see; somehow I saw half, I felt half with my hands.

The king began to ask him:

Do you know, grandfather, where such a grain was born? Didn't you sow such grain in your own field, or did you not buy such grain anywhere in your life?

The old man was deaf, he listened with difficulty, he understood with difficulty. Began to keep the answer:

No, - he says, - he did not sow such bread in his field, and he did not reap, and he did not buy to buy.

When we bought bread, everything was fine grain. But it is necessary, - he says, - to ask my father: maybe he heard where such grain was born.

The king sent for the father of the old man, ordered to bring him to him. They also found the old man's father and brought him to the king. An old man came on one crutch. The king began to show him grain. The old man still sees with his eyes, he saw well. The king began to ask him:

Do you know, old man, where such grain was born? Didn't you sow such grain in your own field, or did you not buy such grain anywhere in your life?

Although the old man was strong in the ear, he listened better than his son.

No, - he says, - in his field he did not sow such grain and did not reap such grain. But I didn’t buy it, because in my lifetime there was no money in the factory either. Everyone fed with their own bread, and when needed, they shared with each other. I do not know where such a grain was born. Although our grain was larger than the present and more threshed, I have never seen anything like it. I heard from the priest - in his time, bread was better against ours, and it was harder and larger. You need to ask him.

The king sent for the old man's father. They also found grandfather, brought him to the king. An old man entered the king without crutches; entered easily; bright eyes, hears well and speaks clearly. The king showed the grain to his grandfather. The grandfather looked, turned.

For a long time, - he says, - I have not seen an old bread.

Grandfather bit off the grain, chewed a grain.

It's the same, he says.

Tell me, grandfather, where and when was such a grain born? Have you not sowed such bread in your own field, or in your lifetime where have you not bought from people?

And the old man said:

Bread like this in my lifetime was everywhere razhivalsya. With this bread, - he says, - I fed my life and fed people. He sowed this grain, he stinged it, he threshed it.

And the king asked:

Tell me, grandfather, where did you buy such grain, or did you sow in your own field?

The old man chuckled.

In my time, - he says, - no one could think of such a sin as to sell, buy bread, but they didn’t know about money: everyone had plenty of their own bread.

And the king asked:

So tell me, grandfather, where did you sow such bread and where was your field?

And grandfather said:

My field was the land of God: where I plowed, there is the field. The land was free. They did not call their land. They only called their works their own.

Tell me, - says the king, - I have two more things to do: one thing - why before such a grain was born, but now it will not be born? And another thing is why your grandson walked on two crutches, your son came on one crutch, and here you came completely easily; Are your eyes bright, and your teeth strong, and your speech clear and friendly? Why, tell me, grandfather, did these two things come about?

And the old man said:

Because both things began, that people stopped living by their own labors - they began to covet the others. In the old days they did not live like that: in the old days they lived like God; They owned their own, did not take advantage of others.

Notes

HISTORY OF SCRIPTURE AND PRINTING.

We could not find legends on a common theme with the story "Grain the size of a chicken egg" among the monuments folk literature. It is highly probable that the idea promoted by this story, that the highest thing is to live like God, as in the old days, by one's own labors, belongs to Tolstoy himself.

The first manuscript of this legend was written down by Tolstoy in the same notebook, in which at the beginning is the story "The Penitent Sinner", and at the end "How Much Land Does a Man Need"; therefore, it should be attributed, like the story "The Penitent Sinner", to May - June 1885.

For the first time, the legend was published in the collection of "The Intermediary" "Three Tales" in 1886. Censorship permission was given to the text of the collection on April 2, for the cover on April 9, 1886. On the cover of the collection there are drawings on the back and front, relating to the first story of the collection “How much land does a person need”, executed by the artist M. E. Malyshev (1852-1912) . The third story of the collection is "How the imp redeemed the piece of bread."

DESCRIPTION OF MANUSCRIPTS.

Manuscripts with the text of the story belong to the Archive, transferred by V. G. Chertkov to the TTM and are stored in folder 11 No. 10, item 9 Nos. 34 and 35. In the BL - proofreading, under the code V. 1. 3.

1) No. 10. Autograph, 4°, 11 pp. For a description of this manuscript, see the story "A Penitent Sinner". The original title of this story was: "Ancient Life"; then this title is crossed out and it is written: "A grain the size of a hen's egg." The first four lines of the story are crossed out and the text is written over them again. The crossed out first lines of the story “Grain the size of a chicken egg” read as follows: “Once they brought rye grain to the king, such as no one had ever seen. Full, white and the size of a chicken egg. The king called the wise men to find out where and when such a grain was born "...

2) Manuscript No. 34. Copy with the previous hand by V. G. Chertkov. 4°, 8 pp. (L. 8 clean). With amendments and additions by Tolstoy. Start:"The guys found a little thing in the ravine" ...

3) Manuscript No. 35. Copy from the previous one, F°, 3 pp., by N. L. Ozmidov. With corrections by Tolstoy, with inserts and corrections in pencil by Ozmidov. Beginning: “The guys found a little thing in the ravine” ...

4) Proofreading in proofs, 1 page, to ed. "The works of gr. L. N. Tolstoy, part twelve, M. 1886, pp. 480-482, with Tolstoy's corrections.

This edition is based on the text printed in the specified edition of the “Works of gr. L. N. Tolstoy. Part 12, checked by manuscripts and proofreading.

No, he says, he didn’t sow such bread in his field, and he didn’t reap, and he didn’t buy to buy. When bread was bought, the grain was just as small as it is now. But it is necessary, - he says, - to ask my father: maybe he heard where such grain was born.

The king sent for the father of the old man, ordered to bring him to him. They also found the old man's father and brought him to the king. An old man came on one crutch. The king began to show him grain. The old man still sees with his eyes, he saw well. The king began to ask him:

Do you know, old man, where such grain was born? Didn't you sow such bread in your own field? Or have you bought such grain somewhere in your lifetime?

Although the old man was strong in the ear, he heard better than his son.

No, - he says, - in his field he did not sow such grain and did not reap such grain. But I didn’t buy it, because in my lifetime there was no money in the factory either. Everyone fed with their own bread, and when needed, they shared with each other. I do not know where such a grain was born. Although our grain was larger than the present and more threshed, I have never seen anything like it. I heard from the priest - in his time, bread was better against ours, and it was harder and larger. You need to ask him.

The king sent for the old man's father. They also found grandfather, brought him to the king. An old man entered the king without crutches; entered easily; bright eyes, hears well and speaks clearly. The king showed the grain to his grandfather. The grandfather looked, turned.

For a long time, - he says, - I have not seen an old bread.

Grandfather bit off the grain, chewed a grain.

It's the same, he says.

Tell me, grandfather, where such a grain was born? Have you not sowed such bread in your field? Or in your lifetime where did you buy from people?

And the old man said:

Bread like this in my lifetime was everywhere razhivalsya. With this, bread, - he says, - I fed my life and fed people.

And the king asked:

So tell me, grandfather, where did you buy such grain, or did you sow it yourself in your own field?

The old man chuckled.

In my time, he says, no one could think of such a sin as to sell or buy bread. But they didn’t know about money: everyone had plenty of their own bread. I myself sowed such bread, and reaped, and threshed.

And the king asked:

So tell me, grandfather, where did you sow such bread and where was your field?

And grandfather said:

My field was - God's land. Where plowed, there is a field. The land was free. They did not call their land. They only called their works their own.

Tell me, - says the king, - I have two more things to do: one thing - why before such a grain was born, but now it will not be born? And another thing is why your grandson walked on two crutches, your son came on one crutch, and here you came completely easily; Are your eyes bright, and your teeth strong, and your speech clear and friendly? Why, tell me, grandfather, did these two things come about?

And the old man said:

Because both things began, that people stopped living by their own labors - they began to covet someone else's. In the old days they did not live like that: in the old days they lived like God; They owned their own, did not take advantage of others.