“The Little Humpbacked Horse,” a favorite fairy tale for many children, is easy to understand due to its poetic form of presentation. The heroes of the work, as is customary in many Russian fairy tales, personify “good” and “evil,” “resourcefulness” and “stupidity,” “bravery” and “cowardice,” “honesty” and “meanness.”
The main characters of the fairy tale are Ivan, the little hunchbacked horse, Danilo - the elder brother, Gavrilo - the middle brother, the Tsar, the Tsar Maiden, the sleeping bag (the Tsar's servant). Minor characters: mare, Firebird, Sun, Moon, Whale fish.
"The Little Humpbacked Horse" main characters
- Ivan is the main character. The youngest peasant son. Not very smart, naughty, but a kind and honest guy. He was on his own, but became a king.
- Tsar Maiden . A 15-year-old girl, beautiful and smart. Daughter of the Moon, sister of the Sun
- Tsar . The old man is greedy and capricious.
- Ivan's brothers (Danilo, Gavrilo). Cowardly, stupid.
- The Little Humpbacked Horse. Ivan's devoted friend and assistant. He is smart, powerful, cunning.
Minor characters from the fairy tale “The Little Humpbacked Horse”
- The mare gave Ivan two golden-maned horses and the Little Humpbacked Horse.
- The Sun and the Moon are the parents of the Tsar Maiden.
- The Tsar Maiden is Ivan’s bride, at the end of the fairy tale she becomes the queen and Ivan’s wife.
- The whale fish , a villain who has atoned for sins, helps to find the ring of the Tsar Maiden with his helper fish.
- The Tsar's sleeping bag is an angry and envious boyar who previously served in the stables. This hero wants to harass Ivan. He watches him, slanderes him, does everything to prevent Ivan from completing the Tsar’s tasks.
- Firebird
“The Little Humpbacked Horse” characterization of Ivan, the main character
Ivan is the main character of Ershov's fairy tale. He is the youngest third son, a kind and dashing fellow. Ivanushka first appears to us as a fool, but he is not stupid at all. The hero is kind, a little naive and brave.
Ivan carries out all the king's tasks and always listens to the advice of others. Thanks to his hard work, this hard-working guy becomes the owner of two beautiful horses and a small magical humpbacked horse. The Tsar appoints Ivan as a groom and leaves him at court. He serves regularly and carries out all the instructions of the Tsar. Not having much intelligence, he is guided by the heart and advice of his friend the Little Humpbacked Horse.
“The Little Humpbacked Horse” description of the brothers
Danilo and Gavrilo are the old man’s eldest sons. They are cunning, lazy, and are not used to working and doing everything responsibly. The brothers steal horses from Ivan to sell. They deceive both their father and Ivan, sending their brother into danger, counting on death. Easy money is more important to them than a loved one.
- Older brother Danilo - “he was a smart kid”, cowardly, afraid of the night, gets out of his way, cannot tell the truth. A liar, lies about the patrol, a drinker, loves to laugh at others, selfish, seeks profit, ready to destroy his brother, evil and treacherous.
- The middle brother Gavrilo - “was this way and that,” a coward, a liar, always making excuses, vile, spineless, listens to his older brother, ready to do anything for his own sake, a traitor.
“The Little Humpbacked Horse” characterization of the king
The main negative character of the fairy tale is the king. He is greedy, envious and stupid. A short-sighted ruler is guided by rumors and the opinions of others. The desire to possess various wonderful things and the young princess leads to the fact that he is “boiled” in a cauldron of boiling water. He received a fair punishment. And the people joyfully accept another king - Ivan.
Little humpbacked horse characteristics
The Little Humpbacked Horse is Ivan's best friend and faithful assistant. A mare with a golden mane gave birth to this foal for Ivan. He looks ugly, but he is very smart. He helps the hero go through all the trials and even saves his life. This small horse, with a hump on its back, has incredible strength and endurance. The horse has magic, knows many secrets and a way out of any situation. The hunchback is very fast, humanly intelligent and endowed with secret knowledge,
- The Little Humpbacked Horse (character) - pictures, main characters, quotes, description, image, Ivanushka the Fool - 24SMI
The Little Humpbacked Horse gives Ivan advice in all matters, helps him cope with all the tsar’s treacherous tasks. This is a kind, devoted friend who is kind to any golden-maned horses.
“The Little Humpbacked Horse” characterization of the Tsar Maiden
A charming beauty about whom the Tsar finds out. To get it, the Tsar sends Ivan to get it. The Princess demands that the Tsar retrieve his ring from the bottom of the sea. This task is also carried out by Ivan with the help of the Little Humpbacked Horse. The Tsar-Maiden agrees to marry the Tsar if he is rejuvenated in three cauldrons. The Tsar sends Ivanushka to this test as well. Thanks to the Horse, Ivan remains alive and becomes king.
The princess is an intelligent and sensible, far-sighted girl. She saw in Ivan the future king, wise and fair. Appearance is not the main thing for her, the main thing is the soul of a person.
Ershov's tale contains a lot of funny, light humor, folk wisdom and cheerful characters. The main characters of “The Little Humpbacked Horse” go through many trials, magical transformations, and find happiness and rewards for their efforts. The main idea of the work, as it should be in Russian fairy tales, is the triumph of truth and justice. The descriptions of the adventures of Ivan and his faithful assistant the Little Humpbacked Horse are fascinating and varied in the story. Only the poetic genre distinguishes the work from Russian folk tales; otherwise, wisdom, unlimited imagination and all kinds of miracles make it similar to oral folk art.
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Characteristics of the main characters of the fairy tale “The Little Humpbacked Horse”
Ivan
Ivan, the youngest brother in the family, is a simple man, not very smart, but resourceful. He honestly fulfills his father’s instructions, unlike his older brothers: “The night has come; the month rises; Ivan walks around the entire field, looking around, and sits down under a bush.” While on guard, Ivan managed to pacify the mare, who subsequently gave him two horses and a magic skate. Having got to the king, Ivan fulfills all his whims, and he is helped by a magical friend - the hunchbacked horse. This character is distinguished by childish sincerity and naivety: “It’s a shame, brothers, to steal! Even though you are smarter than Ivan, Ivan is more honest than you: he didn’t steal your horses.”
Danilo and Gavrilo
Danilo and Gavrilo, Ivan’s older brothers, are cunning and sneaky, ready to deceive even the closest people. None of them followed their father’s instructions to track down the thief: “The cold night came, the little one began to tremble, his teeth began to dance; he started to run away - and all night he kept watch under his neighbor’s fence.” Having found out about Ivan’s horses, they stole them in order to get profit into their pockets, however, having met with their brother, they immediately began to prove the need for this theft for the family: “Besides, the old man can’t, he can’t work anymore, but he has to mooch.” century, - you yourself are a smart person!
The Little Humpbacked Horse
The Little Humpbacked Horse serves Ivan faithfully, has great intelligence and secret knowledge: “But, I tell you out of friendship, this is a service, not a service; The service is all ahead, brother!” The two-humped foal, only three inches tall, repeatedly saved Ivan from various troubles, taught him various wisdom and helped carry out the king’s orders. Even in the most difficult situations he was a devoted friend: “And I would rather perish myself than leave you, Ivan.”
Tsar
The king easily follows his desires. First, he buys back Ivan’s most beautiful horses. Then he longs to take possession of the feather of the Firebird. Having learned about the young Tsar Maiden, he sends Ivan to kidnap her. He believes all the rumors that his servant brings: “He shouted (with impatience), confirming his command with a quick wave of his fist: “Hey! Call me a fool! Having received what he wanted, he becomes soft and pliable: “I love my friend Vanyusha! You have made my soul happy, and with such joy - be the king’s stirrup!”
Tsar Maiden
The Tsar-Maiden is wise beyond her years, capricious: “And the young princess, without saying anything, turned away from the Tsar.” Not wanting to marry the old tsar, she comes up with a cunning plan to overthrow him: “I will not marry a gray-haired man,” the Tsar-Maiden says again. “Become as before, well done, - I’ll be off to the altar right away.”
Sleeping bag
Spalnik is a vile gossip, ready to do anything to get rid of Ivan: “Let me keep watch, but I can’t even blink a bullet, I know how to drain a bullet, just so the fool can leave.” Without a twinge of conscience, he slandered the Tsar about Ivan: “Yes, and the very Firebird in your room, father, if you deign to give the order, boasts of getting it.”
Main characters
The eldest son of Danil, the middle son of Gavril | The old man's eldest sons are cunning, lazy, not used to working and performing their duties efficiently. They steal horses from Ivan in order to sell them and take the money for themselves. They even lie to their own father, deceive their younger brother, send him to meet dangers, counting on his death. Easy money is more important to them than their soulmate. |
Youngest son Ivan | A simple, hard-working guy who carries out assignments honestly and artlessly. Thanks to his hard work and diligence, he becomes the owner of two beautiful horses and a small magical humpbacked horse. The Tsar appoints Ivan as a groom and leaves him at court. He serves regularly and carries out all the instructions of the Tsar. Not having much intelligence, he is guided by the heart and advice of his friend the Little Humpbacked Horse. |
The Little Humpbacked Horse | A magical foal that a mare with a golden mane gave birth to for Ivan. He is short, ugly, and has two humps. The hunchback is very fast, humanly intelligent and endowed with secret knowledge, thanks to which Ivan is always lucky. Saves its owner in any situation, helps to outwit the king and stay alive after the test. |
Tsar | A stupid, envious, short-sighted ruler who is guided by rumors, tips, and the opinions of others. The desire to possess various wonderful things and a young beautiful wife leads to the fact that he is “boiled” in a cauldron with boiling water. The people joyfully accept another king - Ivan. |
Tsar Maiden | A fairy-tale beauty about whom they report to the Tsar. He immediately decides to send Ivan after her. The king falls in love with her, but the girl demands to get her ring from the bottom of the sea. This assignment is again carried out by Ivan with the help of the Little Humpbacked Horse. The Tsar-Maiden agrees to marry the Tsar if he rejuvenates in three cauldrons: with cold and hot water and boiling milk. The Tsar sends Vanya to be tested, and the Horse saves him, helping him miraculously. |
Sleeping bag |
The boyar, who previously served in the stables, wants to kill Ivan. He watches him, slanderes him, tries to prevent Ivan from coping with the Tsar’s tasks, and looks for his weak points.
Minor characters
Mare with a golden mane | She turned out to be a “thief” whom the brothers were trying to catch in their field. Ivan caught her, for which she bore him three magic horses. |
Firebird | Due to the fact that Ivan did not listen to the advice of the Hunchback and took the feather of the Firebird, after some time he has to get this bird for the king. |
Whale |
A miracle fish that suffers because it once ate several dozen ships. He takes out the ring of the Tsar Maiden from the bottom of the sea. Freed from the curse by releasing the eaten ships from his mouth.
- The Little Humpbacked Horse - a summary for the reader's diary of a fairy tale by Pyotr Ershov
Traditionally, the fairy tale by Pyotr Ershov is taught in the 4th grade. It is simple and original, the fantastic plot and bright characters appeal to younger students. In the fairy tale “The Little Humpbacked Horse,” the heroes are attractive for their simplicity, resourcefulness, and hard work. Characteristics of the characters can be useful for a reader's diary and preparation for a Russian literature lesson.
Option 2
Ershov's tale is full of humor, folk wisdom and miracles. The main characters face various trials and magical transformations. And all their adventures prove that goodness and justice will always triumph. In many ways, a fairy tale is similar to a piece of oral folk art, and only its poetic form distinguishes it from folklore.
From the first lines, the reader meets the three brothers. The author describes the eldest as the smartest, the middle as an ordinary guy, and the youngest as a fool. But in the future, the characters’ characters emerge completely differently.
Danila and Gavrila , the eldest and middle brother respectively, are lazy and cunning, who do not want to work. They are minor characters. Not disdaining anything, they steal horses from their younger brother Ivan in the hope of earning big money from them. They are capable of lying to close people, for example, their father, and are ready to send Ivan to his death, so long as he does not interfere with the implementation of their plans to get rich.
The main character of the fairy tale is the younger Ivan , a simple guy who is not afraid of work. He carries out all assignments without fail and responsibly: first he catches a mare who is trampling her father’s field. Afterwards, being in the service of the king, he unquestioningly carries out his orders.
For his efforts he receives two beautiful ends and a little Humpbacked Horse. For him, the latter becomes a true friend, whose advice Ivan constantly listens to.
The second main character is the magical Little Humpbacked Horse. This animal has a sharp mind. He also loves Ivan and, in gratitude for his strong friendship, serves as his faithful friend when carrying out the royal orders. In the end, the Little Hunchback helps Ivan become handsome and get the whole kingdom into his own hands.
The secondary characters include the Tsar . He is a greedy person who wants to own what others don't have. At the same time, the Tsar is accustomed to achieving what he wants with the hands of others, so he sends Ivan for the Firebird, the bride and the ring. As a result, the Tsar gets what he deserves for his greed and vanity.
The Tsar Maiden is a bride for the Tsar, obtained by Ivan. The girl is very beautiful and smart, she is the daughter of the Moon and the Moon. In order not to marry the old Tsar, the girl shows cunning. First she asks to bring her a ring. But Ivan copes with this task. Afterwards, the Tsar Maiden comes up with a new task: to bathe the old groom in boiling milk, then in hot and cold water. As a result, Ivan also completes this task and becomes a stately handsome man, and the Tsar dies. The girl marries young Ivan.
Another minor character is Sleeper. This is an envious boyar who used to serve in the stable. He tries to harass Ivan in various ways: he slanderes and denounces him, and through the Tsar he sends the guy to carry out difficult assignments.
There are only two main characters in the fairy tale: the Little Humpbacked Horse and Ivan. But the role of the secondary characters is also great: it is through them that various events and adventures of the two friends arise.
Other works:← The main characters of Hoffmann's Nutcracker↑ OtherHeroes of Romeo and Juliet →
Russian at heart
Ivanushka the Fool is a complex hero, he is full of folk spirit . Only in Russian fairy tales there are so many miracles. In them, ordinary animals become real human friends. Vanya doesn’t deceive anyone, he tries to surprise everyone. In many Russian fairy tales, the youngest son, Ivan, wins. It was this rod that Ershov used. The hero has a rich imagination, he knows how to dream and do what others have not done. At the end of the tale, the author generously rewarded him. Readers observe what kind of wedding feast is arranged for the newlyweds.
Ershov not only retold folk tales in his work, he decorated them with fiction, supplemented them with fiction. Wherever the main character has been: at a market, in a row of horses, in a strange land, in a royal stable, in the ocean-sea, on the seashore, near the surf. At the end he observes a strange mountain of pure silver.
Many items from Russian life have been preserved in the fairy tale. Ivan uses folk words and expressions in his speech: “about midnight”, “star”, “eka”, “tea”.
