A short synopsis of a Russian fable. Origins of the Russian fable. The benefits of fables
In this article, we will look at what a fable is, why it is needed, and also give a definition of a fable suitable for schoolchildren.
Fable It is a literary work of a moral nature. In simple words, a fable is a work that contains morality (moralization) and ridicules the vices of people. At the same time, in fables, instead of people, the main characters are animals, things or plants. Works can be both in poetic form and prose.
In fact, the fable is a very old literary genre. Aesop wrote fables as early as the 6th century BC, that is, more than 26 centuries ago. In Russia, the development of this genre began only in the middle of the 18th century, although the first works were written as early as the 17th century.
At the same time, the heyday of the genre in Russia fell on Krylov's fables. They were extremely picturesque, humorous and contained morality and ridicule of human vices, perfectly suited not only for that time, but even for the current one.
"Dragonfly and Ant": carelessness and unrestrained fun against diligence and responsibility; "Monkey and glasses": ignorant and narrow-minded people cannot hide their shortcomings through visual representation: glasses, costumes, and so on; "Swan, cancer and pike": everyone should do what they can or what they are good at.
If you have already forgotten the fables or are not yet familiar with them, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the fables of famous authors, including Krylov. You will be able to learn a lot of new things.
He became famous for his unusual literary style. His fables, where instead of people the participants are representatives of animals and insects, symbolizing certain human qualities and behaviors, always make sense, a message. "The moral of this fable is this" - has become a popular expression of the fabulist.
List of Krylov's fables
Why do we love Krylov's fables
Krylov's fables are familiar to every person, they are taught at school, read at leisure, read by adults and children. The works of this author are suitable for any category of readers. He himself washed away the fables to show this and teach something through not boring moralizing, but interesting fairy tales. The main characters of Krylov are usually animals, the author, using their example, shows various situations and a way out of them. Fables teach to be kind, honest, friendly. On the example of animal conversations, the essence of human qualities is revealed, vices are shown.
Take for example the most popular fables. "The Crow and the Fox" shows the narcissism of the bird, the way it shows and behaves, and the way the fox flatters her. This makes us remember situations from life, because now there are a lot of people who are capable of anything in order to get what they want, of course, going towards your goal is commendable, but if it does not harm others. So the fox in the fable did everything to get her cherished piece of cheese. This fable teaches you to be attentive to what you are told, and to the one who tells you this, not to trust and not to break away from the unfamiliar.
The Quartet fable shows us the Donkey, the Goat, the Bear and the Monkey who started to create a quartet, they all have neither skills nor hearing. Everyone perceived this fable differently, some thought that it ridiculed the meetings of literary societies, while others saw in this is an example of state councils. But in the end, we can say that this work teaches an elementary understanding that work requires knowledge and skills.
"Pig under the Oak" In it, the author reveals to the reader such qualities as ignorance, laziness, selfishness and ingratitude. These features are revealed thanks to the image of the Pig, for which the main thing in life is to eat and sleep, but she doesn’t even care where the acorns come from.
The main advantage of Krylov's fables is that their perception by a person is very easy, the lines are written in simple language, so they are easy to remember. Many people like fables and are still relevant today, because they are instructive, teach honesty, work and help the weak.
The beauty of Krylov's fables.
Ivan Andreevich Krylov is the most famous fabulist in the whole world. Children get acquainted with his instructive and wise works at an early age. Not a few generations grew up and were brought up on Krylov's fables.
A bit from the biography of Krylov.
The Krylov family lived in Tver. Father is not a rich man, an army captain. As a child, the young poet learned to write and read from his father, then he studied French. Krylov studied little, but read a lot and listened to common folk stories. And thanks to his self-development, he was one of the most educated people of his century. After the death of his father, as a teenager, he went with his family to St. Petersburg, where he entered the service.
After the army, he actively began his literary activity. The playwright first made translations, wrote tragedies, but later his soul became addicted to the satirical genre of literature.
In 1844, the writer died of pneumonia, and as a last gift to his friends and family, Krylov left a collection of fables. On the cover of each copy was engraved: "An offering in memory of Ivan Andreevich, at his request."
About Krylov's fables.
As mentioned above, Ivan Andreevich Krylov tried himself in various literary genres before settling on fables. He gave his works "for judgment" to friends, among whom were such as Dmitriev, Lobanov. When Krylov brought Dmitriev a translation from the French fables of Lafontaine, he exclaimed: “this is your true family; finally you found it."
Throughout his life, Ivan Andreevich published 236 fables. The poet also wrote satirical magazines. In all his humorous works, Krylov denounced the shortcomings of the Russian people, ridiculed the vices of man, and most importantly, he taught people moral and moral qualities.
Each Krylov's fable has its own structure, most often two parts are distinguished: morality (at the beginning or at the end of the work) and the fable itself. Ivan Andreevich basically showed and ridiculed the problems of society through the prism on the example of the animal world. The main characters of the fables are all kinds of animals, birds and insects. The fabulist described life situations in which the characters behaved inappropriately, then in morality Krylov taught his readers, showing how to get out of these situations.
This is the beauty of Krylov's fables, he taught people about life, he explained the norms of morality and etiquette using fairy tales as an example.
The fable is one of the most popular and oldest literary genres, the same age as myths. Why is it called an eternal genre, what is a fable in literature? Fiction has its roots in the most distant past. Man has always had a rich imagination and curiosity. When some of our ancestors tried to know the world, its structure and origin from a scientific point of view, others were interested in the spiritual side - human relationships, norms of behavior and morality.
All this was reflected in verbal art, folklore. In folk art there are many works that are moralizing in nature. These are proverbs, parables, fables, fairy tales. Let's try to define a fable and figure out how it differs from other genres.
What is a fable? Definition
A fable is a short moralizing story in prose or verse form, at the beginning or end of which contains a clearly formulated instructive conclusion, or moral. The narration is conducted in an allegorical form, so the characters of the fable are animals, things, plants. Fables ridicule human vices, stupidity and unworthy behavior.
The characters of fairy tales are also animals, but they do not always have human character traits. Fairy tales cover a large period of time, while fables describe only one event, an episode, so they are much shorter than fairy tales.
The history of the fable genre and its role in literature
The role of the fable in the literature of all nations can hardly be overestimated. The birthplace of this genre is considered to be Ancient Greece, where the most famous bansi in prose were written by Aesop (VI-V centuries BC). Mentions and references to his fables are found in the works of Herodotus, Democritus, Aristophanes. The fable went through the stages of a parable, educational and popular literature for an illiterate public, before becoming a proper literary genre.
Its penetration into Europe occurred much later, during the Renaissance, and was associated with the spread of the Greek language. Russian literature got acquainted with the fable at about the same time, in the 15th-16th centuries. Many Russian writers imitated Aesop, translated the works of Lafontaine and other fabulists, but Ivan Andreevich Krylov (1760-1844) achieved real mastery in this genre.
He surpassed his Russian and foreign predecessors. Thanks to Krylov, literary and colloquial speech merged, which greatly enriched the second. Features of the bright Russian character were embodied in his instructive works. The fables of I. A. Krylov have been translated into all languages of the world more than once, because the wisdom of the people, expressed in his works, is instructive and still relevant.
A fable has come to us from the depths of centuries.
And if you need advice
Open the volume with the inscription "Krylov",
Re-read these bansi again.
This article contains summaries of 47 of the most famous fables of Ivan Andreevich Krylov
Krylov, the fable "The Wolf and the Lamb" - a summary
Moral of the fable: "For the strong, the weak is always to blame."
On a hot day, the lamb went to the stream to get drunk. A hungry Wolf ran past, who decided to bully and eat the Lamb, but "to give the case a legitimate look and sense." Running up to the Lamb, he first began to say that with an unclean snout he was stirring up his clean drink. The lamb justified himself by saying that he was drinking a hundred steps below the Wolf's watering place. The wolf, not embarrassed, immediately accused the Lamb of the rudeness done to him "last summer." But it turned out that the Lamb was not even a year old. Then, not listening to further excuses, the Wolf growled: “You are to blame for the fact that I want to eat” - and dragged the Lamb into the dark forest.
Krylov "The Wolf and the Lamb" Artist E. Rachev
Krylov, the fable "The Wolf in the Kennel" - a summary
The wolf, thinking at night to climb into the sheepfold to the sheep, got into the kennel, to the hunting dogs. The dogs barked, the kennels ran. The Wolf, driven into a corner, started negotiations out of cunning: he offered his friendship, promised not to touch the local herds anymore. “You are gray, and I, friend, are gray,” the huntsman interrupted him. - And I have known your wolf nature for a long time. I am going to make peace with wolves only after shedding their skins.” And then he released a flock of hounds on the Wolf.
Krylov "Cabin". Illustration for the fable
Krylov, fable "Swan, Pike and Cancer" - summary
“When there is no agreement among the comrades, their business will not go well.” Once Swan, Cancer and Pike undertook to carry a cart with luggage and harnessed to it. But "The swan breaks into the clouds, the Cancer moves back, and the Pike pulls into the water." Although they all climb out of their skin, but "things are still there." (See the full text of the fable.)
Krylov "Swan, Pike and Cancer"
Krylov, the fable "Lion on the hunt" - a summary
The dog, the lion, the wolf and the fox agreed to share equally among themselves all the prey that each of them catches. The first of all Fox caught a deer. Three of her comrades agreed to share. The lion tore the deer into four parts, took the first part for himself “under the agreement”, the second - also for himself, “like a lion”, the third - because he is the strongest of the four, and about the fourth he warned: “of you who only stretches out his paw, he will not get up from his place alive.
Krylov, the fable "Liar" - a summary
A lover of lies, “returning from distant wanderings,” told a friend about the wonders of overseas countries. He assured that there is no night abroad, and in Rome there is a cucumber the size of a mountain. The interlocutor of the liar noticed that there are many miracles in Russia. For example, the bridge they are now approaching is special: not a single liar will be able to cross the river over it - he will definitely fall into the water. A deceiver who arrived from abroad immediately began to say that a Roman cucumber might not be the size of a mountain, but the size of a house, and houses in Italy are very small. Coming even closer to the river, the liar suggested to his friend not to go to the bridge, but rather to look for a ford.
Krylov, the fable "The Fox and the Grapes" - a summary
The hungry Fox climbed into the vineyard, but could not get a single juicy brush: they all hung too high. Having struggled in vain for an hour, the Fox went away, saying that the grapes are sour and unripe - you can only set your teeth on edge with it.
Krylov, the fable "The Fox and the Marmot" - a summary
Groundhog met the Fox, who complained to him that she was unfairly deprived of her position in the chicken coop for bribes. Lamenting, the Fox told how among the chickens she did not sleep at night and did not eat a piece, but still became a victim of slander. “No, gossip, I often saw that your stigma was down,” answered Marmot.
So, says Krylov, and among officials, many swear that they are honest, do not steal and live out the last ruble, “and you look, little by little, either they will build a house, or they will buy a village.”
Krylov, the fable "Sheets and Roots" - a summary
On a beautiful summer day, the lush leaves of a single tree boasted of their beauty and density, that they provided shade for shepherds to rest and attracted dancers and singers under their shade. “You could say thanks here and to us,” a voice suddenly rang out from under the ground. The sheets asked who dared to object so arrogantly. “We are the roots of the tree that feed you,” was the answer. “Show off, but remember that you are renewed every spring, and if the root dries up, neither the tree nor you will become.”
Krylov, the fable "Curious" - a summary
One Curious visited the Kunstkamera (an exhibition of rarities) and told a friend that he saw tiny insects and goats less than a pinhead in size. “What is an elephant like? the friend asked. “Because he is there.” “I didn’t even notice the elephant,” Curious spread his hands.
Krylov, the fable "The Frog and the Ox" - a summary
The frog, seeing a huge Ox in the meadow, wanted to be equal to him in size. She began to puff and swell with all her might - until she burst.
The moral of the fable: among ordinary people, many want to be like noble nobles and live like them - but they only try in vain.
Krylov, the fable "The Frogs Asking for the Tsar" - a summary
The frogs in the swamp were tired of the government of the people, and they began to ask Zeus for a king. The supreme god responded: the Monarch plopped down from the sky into the swamp - a large aspen block. Since the block was large, the frogs at first hid in fear, but then, emboldened, began to crawl towards it. Those who were far away began to jump very close to the “king”, some even sat on him astride, but he only remained silent. Having quickly got bored with such a king, the frogs began to ask Zeus for another. He sent a Crane to them in the swamp. This sovereign did not indulge his subjects. At the trial, he was not right. Declaring everyone guilty, the Crane immediately ate everyone. Such a king turned out to be much worse for the frogs than the first. They again began to ask for a new one. But Zeus said that since neither the first nor the second choice pleased him with frogs, let them live with the king as they are.
Krylov, fable "Monkey and Glasses" - summary
The monkey began to see badly in old age. Having heard from people that Glasses could help with this, she got herself a half dozen of them. But the Monkey didn’t know how to use the Glasses: she either pressed them to the crown of her head, then hung them on her tail, then sniffed, then licked them - and having not achieved any sense, spitting on people’s lies, she broke the Glasses on a stone.
So the ignoramuses, says Krylov, not knowing the price of a useful thing, degrade it, and the ignoramuses know this thing and drive it away.
Krylov "Monkey and Glasses"
Krylov, the fable "The Sea of Beasts" - a summary
The kingdom of animals was subjected to a terrible pestilence. The lion, calling all the forest and steppe inhabitants, proposed to try to end the pestilence by making a sacrifice to the gods. This sacrifice was to be the most sinful of animals. The lion himself immediately confessed his sins: he often innocently tore sheep, and sometimes even shepherds. The fox ran out and said that this was not at all a big sin: it is even an honor for sheep that they are eaten by the king of beasts himself, and shepherds are the common enemies of all predators. Other strong animals - the Bear, the Tiger and the Wolf - also repented of grave sins, however, looking at their claws and teeth, the audience recognized that there were no serious offenses behind them. But when the peaceful herbivorous Ox confessed that once during a famine he stole a tuft of hay from the priest, the assembly of animals roared with indignation. The ox was doomed to be sacrificed and thrown onto the fire.
Krylov, fable "Musicians" - summary
One neighbor, who greatly praised his singers, called another to him to listen to them. The musicians began to bawl loudly, but without any fret and order - "some in the forest, some for firewood." A neighbor-listener noticed that "the choir is bawling nonsense." “You are right,” the inviter answered him. “But on the other hand, all my musicians don’t take drunkenness into their mouths.”
“For me, it’s better to drink, but understand the matter,” Krylov deduces morality.
Krylov, fable "Convoy" - summary
The convoy with pots descended from a steep mountain. Harnessed to the first carriage, the good horse began to slowly lower the burden of pots down the steep slope. A young horse walking behind began to scold the good horse: they say, he walks too carefully, and at the same time he sometimes catches the wagon on the stones. But when it was the turn of this horse to go down with his cart, he could not withstand the pressure of the load, began to throw himself sideways, fell into a ditch and broke all the pots.
And in people, says Krylov, weakness is often noticeable to expose other people's mistakes. And as soon as you get down to business, so "you will misbehave twice as bad."
Krylov, the fable "The Donkey and the Nightingale" - a summary
Hearing that the nightingale is a great master of singing, the donkey asked him to show him his art. The nightingale burst into a wonderful trill, which people and nature heard. The donkey, however, reservedly praised the nightingale and advised him, in order to “be more sharpened” in singing, to learn from the courtyard rooster.
“God, deliver us from such judges,” Krylov’s morality.
Krylov, the fable "Parnassus" - a summary
When the pagan gods were expelled from Greece, on Mount Parnassus, where the Muses (nine goddesses of the arts) used to live, they began to herd donkeys. Having learned that the Muses used to sing beautiful songs on Parnassus, the donkeys decided to imitate them. The herd of donkeys began to roar at the top of their lungs, "as if a convoy had started moving, in which there were thousands of unoiled wheels." The owner who came running hastened to drive the donkeys back into the barn.
Krylov's moral: "if the head is empty, then the head of the mind will not be given a place."
Krylov, the fable "The Hermit and the Bear" - a summary
Moral of the story: it's good when one tries to serve the other. But if a fool takes up the matter, then his services are often more dangerous than enemy machinations.
The hermit who lived in the desert suffered from loneliness. To make a friend, he went to the forest and met the Bear there. Hermit and Bear became inseparable. Once they wandered together all day. The hermit was tired and went to sleep. The kind, but rustic Bear, guarding the dream of a comrade, began to drive away the fly that landed on him with his paw. She was so persistent that the Bear decided to kill her. Taking a huge cobblestone, he hit a fly that landed on the Hermit's forehead, and cracked open his friend's skull.
Krylov, the fable "The Rooster and the Pearly Grain" - a summary
The rooster, who found a pearl grain in a dunghill, decided that this was a completely empty thing, much more useless than a hearty barley grain.
The moral of the fable is: “The ignoramuses judge exactly like this: what they don’t understand is everything, then everything is a trifle for them.”
Krylov, the fable "The Picky Bride" - a summary
The bride-girl was looking for a groom, but she was too picky. At first, noble and eminent people wooed her, but she found flaws in everyone: one without ranks, the other without orders, the third had a wide nose ... Two years later, there were already fewer suitors - and people of the “middle hand” began to woo. The picky bride was all the more in no hurry to reciprocate. As time went. The bride has already become a “virgin mature”. Her beauty has faded. The grooms almost stopped wooing - and the bride "was glad that she married a cripple."
Krylov, the fable "Pig" - a summary
The pig, having climbed into the manor's yard, according to its custom, wallowed there in the slops and returned home up to its ears dirty. The shepherd asked what curiosities she saw among the rich, where, they say, everything is full of beads and pearls. The pig replied that she did not notice the wealth, she saw only manure and rubbish, and with her snout dug up the entire backyard for the bars.
Krylov compares with this pig an incompetent literary critic who "whatever he starts to disassemble, has the gift of seeing one bad thing."
Krylov, the fable "The Pig under the Oak" - a summary
The pig ate acorns under the Oak, slept and began to undermine the roots of the tree with its snout. “This can make the tree wither,” a raven perched on a branch told her. “Let it go,” said the Pig. - I have no use for him, there would be acorns. “If you lifted up your snout, you would see that acorns are growing on me,” said Oak.
So the ignoramus, Krylov notes, scolds science and learning, not feeling that he is eating their fruits.
Krylov "Dragonfly and Ant". Artist O. Voronova
Krylov, the fable "Trishkin caftan" - a summary
Trishka's caftan was torn on her elbows. Without thinking twice, he cut off the sleeves and sewed up the hole. However, now everyone was laughing at the short sleeves of Trishkin's caftan. “So I’m not a fool and I’ll correct that trouble,” said Trishka. He cut tails and skirts, pulled up his sleeves, but his caftan was now shorter than his camisole.
So other gentlemen, having confused matters, correct them in the manner of Trishkin's caftan, writes Krylov.
Krylov, fable "Cloud" - summary
A big Cloud swept over the region, exhausted from the heat, but then it poured a big rain over the sea - and boasted of this generosity before the Mountain. “There is enough water in the sea without you,” answered the Mountain. “And so you would have saved the whole region from hunger.”
Krylov, the fable "Fortune and the Beggar" - a summary
Poor Beggar, looking at the rich, was surprised at their greed. Many amassed huge fortunes, but in order to double them even more, they embarked on risky transactions - and in the end they lost everything. The Goddess of Fortune, taking pity on the Beggar, appeared to him and offered help. Fortune promised that she would pour as much gold into the dilapidated bag of the Beggar as she could withstand, but with the condition that if the Beggar himself did not stop this flow in time, and the gold would break through the bottom with its weight, then, spilling out on the ground, it would turn to dust. Fortune began to pour gold into the bag. From dilapidation, it soon crackled, but the Beggar, who had previously condemned the rich, now out of greed did not stop the golden rain until the bottom of the bag broke through and the spilled gold turned to dust.
Krylov, fable "Chizh and Dove" - summary
Chizh fell into a trap. The young Dove began to laugh at him, saying that he would not have been tricked like that, but he immediately became entangled in a snare. “Do not laugh at someone else’s misfortune, Dove,” concludes Krylov.
Krylov, fable "Pike and Cat" - summary
“The trouble is, if the shoemaker starts the pies, and the pieman makes the boots.” No one should take on someone else's craft. Once Pike, who was good at catching ruffs, began to ask the Cat to take her with him on a mouse hunt. The cat dissuaded her, but Pike was stubborn, and the two of them went to the barn. The cat caught a lot of mice there, while the Pike lay without water, the rats ate its tail almost alive. The cat with difficulty pulled the half-dead Pike back into the pond.
We love to read fables since childhood. Many of us have images from fables that pop up in our heads in certain situations. These stories, small in size, but with a deep meaning, teach us the mind and accompany us through life.
What is a fable?
A fable is a short moralizing story that has an allegorical satirical character. In fables, as a rule, the characters are not people, but animals that have human personal qualities: cunning - a fox, stubbornness - crayfish or sheep, wisdom - an owl, stupidity - a monkey. The subjects can also act as the protagonists of these short stories.
The speech form of a fable is either prose or poetry. In fables, motives of social criticism are quite often present, but human vices and wrong deeds are often ridiculed.
The emergence of satirical stories-fables in Russia
A fable is a story that appeared in Russia as a translation of Aesop's writings in the early 17th century. The first translator was Fedor Kasyanovich Gozvinsky. It was he who first introduced the definition of a fable as a literary genre. It was believed that a fable is a small work in prose or verse, which is built on the principles of allegory and contains a moralizing character. The truth was revealed through a false story.
In the 18th century, Antioch D.K., Trediakovsky V.K., Sumarokov A.P., Khemnitser I.I. worked in this genre. They translated fable stories, mainly Aesop, as well as the works of European fabulists: H. Gellert, G. Lessing, T. Moore, Jean de La Fontaine.
It was Ivan Ivanovich Khemnitser who was the first to start creating his own fable. In 1779, his collection was published under the title "Fables and Tales of NN in Verse". Ivan Ivanovich Dmitriev continued the tradition of publishing his own fables, who tried to form a new, own approach to literature. At the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, the works of Izmailov A.E. were popular. However, the most significant contribution to the development of the fable genre is considered to be the work of the great classic Ivan Andreevich Krylov. Derzhavin, Polotsky, Khvostov, Fonvizin, Bedny and many others also addressed this genre at different times.
What is a metaphor
A fable is a work in which the authors use metaphors - a kind of paths in which properties are transferred from one object to another. A metaphor is a covert simile in which the main words are actually omitted but implied. So, for example, human negative qualities (stubbornness, cunning, flattery) are transferred to animals or inanimate objects.
fable animals
In fact, the fable is heroes-animals with a human character. They act like a person. Cunning is peculiar to the fox, deceit - to the snake. Goose, as a rule, is identified with stupidity. Leo is assigned courage, bravery and courage. An owl is considered wise, and a ram or donkey is stubborn. Each of the characters necessarily has any one characteristic feature of a person. The moralized natural history of animals from the fables was eventually framed in a series of collections known collectively as The Physiologist.
The concept of morality in a fable
A fable is a short story of an instructive nature. We often think that we should not think about what we read and look for a secret meaning in words. However, this is fundamentally wrong if we want to learn to better understand each other. It is necessary to learn from a fable, to ponder it. The moral of the fable is its brief moralizing conclusion. It covers the entire problem rather than focusing on any particular episode. The fables are written in such a way that a person not only laughs at its content, but also understands his own miscalculations and at least tries to improve for the better.
The benefits of fables
The problems of life that are ridiculed in fables are limitless and endless. Laziness, lies, stupidity, ignorance, boasting, stubbornness, greed are most often criticized. Each of us can find a character similar to himself in fables. All the situations that are described in these small satirical stories are very vital and realistic. Thanks to irony, the fable teaches not only to notice certain vices in oneself, but also makes one attempt to improve oneself. Reading humorous works of this nature has a very beneficial effect on the psychological health of a person.
In fables, among other things, the political system of the state, the social problems of society and generally accepted counterfeit values are often ridiculed.
The fable "The Crow and the Fox" - what is the moral?
Perhaps this is one of the most famous creations of Krylov. The author warns his readers - you can not be too gullible, follow everyone's lead. Do not blindly believe those who flatter and praise you for no reason. After all, it is known that by nature a crow cannot sing, but she still believed in the laudatory odes of a cunning fox. Significantly, the author does not condemn the quick-witted fox. Rather, he criticizes the stupidity of the bird, saying that you need to believe only in what you see and know for sure.
Fable "Convoy" - for children or adults?
In this work, Krylov compares the actions of a young horse and a more experienced one (a good horse). The old horse moves slowly, unhurriedly, thinking through each step in order to lower the cart safe and sound. But a young and too boastful horse considers himself better and smarter and constantly reproaches the old horse. In the end, everything ends sadly.
A fable is a display of historical events. "Convoy" is just such a work. The author identifies the heroes of the fable with the participants in the battle of Austrelitz, which took place in 1805. Mikhail Kutuzov, who was a brilliant commander, quite often retreated and delayed major battles, knowing and understanding the weakness of his army. However, Emperor Alexander I did not like this state of affairs at all. It was just before that ill-fated battle that he decided to take the situation into his own hands and lead the army, which led to the defeat of the Russian-Austrian coalition.