Russian folk tale

The Bubble, the Straw, and the Bast Shoe

A tiny folk tale with three unusual characters, a river, and a funny ending.

Once there lived a Bubble, a Straw, and a Bast Shoe. They went into the forest to chop firewood.

They came to a river and did not know how to get across.

The Bubble, the Straw, and the Bast Shoe standing by a forest river

The Bast Shoe said to the Bubble, “Bubble, let us swim across on you!”

“No, Bast Shoe,” said the Bubble. “Better let the Straw stretch from one bank to the other, and we will walk across on her.”

The Bast Shoe carefully walking across the river on the Straw

So the Straw stretched from bank to bank. The Bast Shoe stepped onto her, and the Straw broke.

The Bast Shoe fell into the water. The Bubble laughed and laughed, until he popped!

The Bast Shoe splashing into the river while the Bubble pops from laughing

The End.