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The Turnip

Grandad Andrushka grows a turnip as big as his head but can’t pull it up alone, so he calls Granny, Minka, Finka, Varvarka and a mouse. Who won’t tumble?

  • A calm story
For parents

Once upon a time there lived Grandad Andrushka. He had a little cottage, beside the cottage a vegetable patch, and in the patch not a single turnip.

"This won’t do," said Grandad. "I’ll plant a turnip!"

He took a seed, put it in a hole and covered it with earth. And every morning after that he carried water and sprinkled it: splish-splash, grow, turnip, grow!

And the turnip grew. First a green leaf peeped out. Then two. Then a whole little bush. And under the bush sat a yellow turnip, round as a ball, as big as Grandad’s head.

"What a marvel!" laughed Grandad. "Time to make you into porridge."

He grabbed the turnip by its tuft and pulled. He pulled and pulled, but the turnip sat in the ground like a tree stump. It would not budge.

"Marushka!" Grandad called. "Come and help!"

Granny Marushka came running and held on to Grandad.

Granny held Grandad, Grandad held the turnip. They pulled and pulled, but they could not get it out.

"Minka, dear daughter!" called Granny. "Run over here!"

Minka came running and held on to Granny.

Minka held Granny, Granny held Grandad, Grandad held the turnip. They pulled and pulled, but they could not get it out.

"Finka!" called Minka. "Finka, over here!"

Finka the dog came running, wagging her tail, and caught Minka’s little skirt in her teeth.

Finka held Minka, Minka held Granny, Granny held Grandad, Grandad held the turnip. They pulled and pulled, but they could not get it out.

"Woof!" called Finka. "Varvarka the cat, woof-woof!"

Varvarka the cat came out of the house, stretched and yawned. Then she grabbed hold of Finka with both paws and teeth.

Varvarka held Finka, Finka held Minka, Minka held Granny, Granny held Grandad, Grandad held the turnip. They pulled and pulled, but they could not get it out.

"Meow," said Varvarka. "Who is left?"

And by the wall, right next to her hole, sat a little mouse called Siromanka. She sat there twitching her whisker: she always sits by her hole, just in case.

"Mouse," purred the cat, "come along, don’t be afraid. Today I’m not catching anyone, today I’m pulling a turnip."

The mouse thought and thought, and then she ran out. Pitter-patter on her tiny paws. She took hold of Varvarka’s tail.

"Now, all together!" shouted Grandad.

Mouse held Cat, Cat held Finka, Finka held Minka, Minka held Granny, Granny held Grandad, Grandad held the turnip. They pulled and pulled...

Crack! Snap! Squelch!

Out popped the turnip, like a cork from a bottle!

And then, thump! The turnip fell on Grandad. Grandad fell on Granny. Granny fell on Minka. Minka fell on Finka. Finka fell on Varvarka. They all lay in a heap, legs in the air, laughing.

And the mouse?

The mouse darted into her hole! Only her little tail flashed.

She peeped out, looked at the heap with the turnip on top, and squeaked:

"Well, well. I’m the smallest, and I’m the only one who didn’t fall!"

Did you like the story?

Retold from: Ivan Franko, 1891

For parents

What it’s about

Grandad Andrushka grew a turnip as big as his own head, but he cannot pull it up alone and calls everyone to help, one by one: Granny, Minka, Finka the dog, Varvarka the cat. Children love the long chain of who holds whom and wait to see if the tiny mouse will dare.

What it teaches

  • Friendship
  • Family

Questions to talk about with your child

  • Whom did Grandad call first, and whom last?
  • Why was the mouse the only one who did not fall in the heap?
  • Would you call someone to help if something turned out to be too heavy?

At home

Act out the tale at home: someone is the "turnip" and sits on the floor, the rest line up and pull each other by the belt. Let your child be the mouse who arrives last.

A line to remember

“Mouse held Cat, Cat held Finka, Finka held Minka, Minka held Granny, Granny held Grandad, Grandad held the turnip. They pulled and pulled...”

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