Name Of Book: Clever Katya
Retold By: Julia Donaldson
Illustrated and Authored By: Jane Kochnewitz
Main Characters: Katya and The Czar
Summary of Story:
Once there was a girl named Katya who lived with her father, a farmer. One day, the Czar of Russia was riding in his coach and saw a farmer eating some bread. The Czar was hungry so he stopped the coach and asked the farmer for some bread. The farmer gave him some and he ate it. He told the farmer that this was the best bread he had ever tasted and asked who made the bread. The farmer told the Czar that his daughter, Katya made it. The Czar wanted to know more about this Katya. The farmer told him that Katya was a wonderful girl, pretty,strong, a good farmer, a good singer, a good baker and is the most cleverest person in Russia. The Czar then jumped back in his coach and said that he will be back for the next day. The next day, he went to the farmer's house and told him to ask his daughter to hatch hard boil eggs into chickens. Katya knew that it was impossible. Then she thought of an idea. The next day, the Czar went to the farmer's house again, he saw a girl singing while throwing boiled beans on the ground. He knew that was Katya so he asked her why she did that. She then explained to the Czar. After that, the Czar gave Katya a handful of wool and asked her to make curtains fot the place with it. So, Katya thought of an idea again.The next day, the Czar came again.He was beginning to like Katya. He asked Katya for the curtains but Katya gave him a twig instead. He was confused. Katya then explained to him why she did that. The Czar told her she was very clever. He then gave her a cup and asked her to fill all the water frome the sea into the cup. Katya thought of another idea again. The next day, the Czar went to the farmer's house again. He asked Katya for the cup full with all the water from the sea. Katya didn't fill the cup. The Czar was confused again. Katya then explained that if she filled the cup with all the water from the sea, the water from the rivers will flow and fill the sea up again unless he dam up all the rivers,then only she can fill the cup. The Czar was amazed of her cleverness. He asked her to marry her and she said yes but with a promise that whenever he is fed up with her, she gets to bring home something that she really loves most from the castle back home. The Czar agreed.They was then married and lived happily for one whole year. One night, the Czar was in a bad mood and quarelled with Katya. Katya put him to sleep by putting a soft pillow under his head and singing him a song. After a while, the coach for Katya had arrived. She asked the servants to put a big and heavy chest into the coach. When she arrived at her father's house, the servants put the chest down. She brought it into the living room. Her father then asked her what was inside the chest.Katya the opened the chest and there was the Czar sleeping in it. Katya's father was shocked. The Czar then woke up and saw Katya. He then realised he was in Katya's house and was very angry. Katya then reminded him that he promised that he let her take what she loves most from the place back home.She told what she loved most was him and has brought him home. The Czar then jumped out and hugged her and they lived happily ever after again.
