Russian Folktales · Chapter
The Bear, the Dog, and the Cat explained
A dog, abandoned by his master for growing old, is befriended by a bear who helps him regain his place in the household by saving the mistress's child.
What happens
A dog, abandoned by his master for growing old, is befriended by a bear who helps him regain his place in the household by saving the mistress's child. Later, the dog tries to host the bear at a party, but the bear's singing causes chaos and he is beaten. The dog also secretly feeds a starving cat, but after the dog is killed by a mare, the cat returns home to die.
Themes in this chapter
Trickery and Cunning
The bear and dog use a trick to regain the dog's place in the household by staging a rescue of the child.
Family and Betrayal
The dog is betrayed by his master who abandons him when he grows old, but later the family takes him back after the rescue.
Characters to notice
- The Dog
The loyal but aging dog, abandoned by his master, befriended by the bear, and later killed by a mare.
- The Bear
The bear who helps the dog by stealing a child and later visits the dog's home, causing trouble by singing.
- The Cat
The cat, chased out for misbehavior, is secretly fed by the dog but eventually starves and returns home to die.
Key passages
“As long as you have any strength, they feed you and give you drink; but when your strength dies away and you become old they drive you from the courtyard.”
People only care for you while you are useful; once you grow old and weak, they cast you out.
The dog's lament about human ingratitude and the harsh cycle of use and abandonment.
“Now I shall never discharge this old dog any more.”
From now on, I will never get rid of this old dog.
The mistress's vow after the dog rescues her child, showing a change of heart.