Leo Tolstoy Archive
Written: 1888
Source: Translated by Nathan Haskell Dole
Transcription/Markup: Andy Carloff
Online Source: RevoltLib.com; 2021
Once there was a little boy whose name was Filipp. All the children were going to school. Filipp took his hat and wanted to go too.
But his mother said to him :
" Where are you going, Filipok ? "
" To school."
" You are too small ; you can't go," and his mother kept him at home.
The children went off to school. Their father had gone early in the morning to the woods ; the mother was engaged in her daily work.
Filipok and his grandmother were left in the cottage, on the oven. Filipok began to feel lonely ; his grand- mother was asleep, and he began to search for his hat. When he could not find his own, he took an old one, made of sheepskin, and started for school.
School was kept at the village church. When Filipp walked along his own street, 1 the dogs did not meddle with him, for they knew him ; but when he reached the street in the next estate, a black dog 2 came bounding out and barking, and behind this dog came another still bigger, named Wolfie, 3 and Filipp started to run, the dogs after him.
1 Sloboda. 2 Named Zhutchka, diminution of zhuka, a beetle.
8 Volchok, diminutive of volk.
Filipok began to cry ; then he stubbed his toe and fell. A peasant came out and called off the dogs, and asked :
" Where are you going all sole alone, you little rascal? "
Filipok made no answer, pulled up his skirt, and started to run with all his might. He ran to the school. There was no one on the steps, but in school the voices of the children could be heard in a confused murmur.
Filipp was now filled with fear :
" Suppose the teacher should drive me away ? "
And he began to consider what he should do. If he should go back, the dogs might bite him ; but if he went into school, he was afraid of the teacher.
A peasant woman passed the school, with a pail, and she said :
" All the rest are studying, and what are you standing there for?"
So Filipok went into school. In the entry he took off his cap and opened the door. The room was full of children. All were talking at once, and the teacher, in a red scarf, was walking up and down in the midst of them.
" Who are you ? " he demanded of Filipok.
Filipok clutched his cap and said nothing.
"Who are you?"
Filipok said never a word.
"Are you dumb?"
Filipok was so scared that he could not speak.
"Well, then, go home if you can't speak."
Now Filipok would have been glad to say something, but his throat was all parched with terror.
He looked at the teacher and burst into tears.
Then the teacher felt sorry for him. He caressed his head, and inquired of the children who the little fellow was.
"This is Filipok, Kostiushka's l brother; he has been wanting for a long time to go to school, but his mother would not let him, and he must have run away to school."
" Well, sit down on the bench next your brother, and I will ask your mother to let you come to school."
1 Diminutive of Konstantin.
The teacher began to teach Filipok his letters ; but
Filipok already knew them, and could even read a little. " Very well ; spell your name, then." Filipok said, " Khve-i, khvi le-i, li peok, pok." Everybody laughed.
"Bravo!" said the teacher ; "who taught you to read?" Filipok summoned courage, and said : " Kostiushka. I am mischievous. I learned them
all at once. I am terribly smart! " The teacher laughed, and asked : " And do you know your prayer ? " Filipok said yes, and began to repeat the Ave Maria:
but he did not get every word quite correct. The teacher interrupted him, and said : "You must not boast. I will teach you." After this Filipok began to go to school regularly with the children.