# The Bear, the Dog, and the Cat explained — Russian Folktales

> Chapter companion for Russian Folktales by A. N. Afanasyev.

## 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.

## Character check-ins

### 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 lines

> 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._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-bear-the-dog-and-the-cat
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/russian_folktales_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters