This is our new Russian friend. He is called
Firebird. Can you guess why?
• If I tell you that a Firebird has magical powers-that he can give off enough heat to warm a
house on a cold day AND enough light to
brighten the darkest room.....what would YOU
tell me about the kind of bird he is? Hint: Is it
fictional or non-fictional?
• Firebird stories are 1200 years old! Why do
you think people from long ago times would
tell stories about a magical bird that could
bring them heat and light? 1200 years ago
most Russians would have lived in wooden
homes, while the tsar and his family would
have lived inside of stone fortresses.
• The Firebird is symbol of Russia. Can you
think of some reasons why Russians
would like to think of their country as
something magical that gives them both
heat and light?
In a long ago time there was a Tsar. A
Tsar is a Russian King…How do you
think this Tsar feels?
• There was once a great Russian TSAR. A Tsar is a Russian king, Make yourself
a crown and crown yourself TSAR. Every time I want you to say TSAR I will
crown myself—you do the same and call out the word.
• The TSAR lived in a beautiful white walled city, upon a great hill. When the
SONTSA (make a sun with your hand) struck the golden rooftops of this
glorious city—it was as if it created its own rival -- so bright was the glare
from all the gold found within this KREMLIN. A Kremlin is a fortress. Make a
Kremlin with your hands and say KREMLIN every time I make the sign.
• The TSAR had a loyal son and everything he could need or desire...Yet, he
ruled his people roughly and guarded his possessions jealously. He was often
very unhappy because he didn’t know how to share.
• Inside the white walls of his KREMLIN stood a tree which bore truly
extraordinary apples. Make an apple tree with your hands and say YABLIKA.
YABLIKA is the Russian word for apple. The TSAR enjoyed going for a walk just
to count his marvelous YABLIKA. Count with me, pretending that each finger
is a YABLIKA. (1-adeen, 2- dva, 3- tree, 4- che-teer-ree, 5- pyot)
• The next day the selfish TSAR went to count his YABLIKA. Count with me--but only hold up 4 fingers. Adeen, dva, tree che-teer-ree. The TSAR was sure
he made a mistake. So, he recounted the YABLIKA. Adeen, dva, tree, che-teerree…He was so upset that one YABLIKA was missing that he stomped all the
way back to the throne room yelling: NYET, NYET, NYET! NYET is the Russian
word for no. Make this sign: wave one hand over the other.
• When the TSAR realized that someone had stolen one of his beautiful YABLIKA,
the TSAR fell into a deep sadness.
• His son decided to catch the thief. That very night the prince waited in the
branches of the YABLIKA tree. He thought he would fall asleep when, suddenly
he saw the SONTSA falling from the sky! The prince feared that the SONTSA was
going to land right on him! He yelled out: NYET, NYET, NYET!
• Only it wasn’t the SONTSA-- it was the Firebird approaching in all of its glory. The
young prince reached up to seize the gentle bird—but didn’t have the heart to
harm it. The Firebird plucked a feather from its own tail and gave it to the kind
prince.
• The prince took the feather to his father. The Firebird’s feather lit the darkness
of the throne room— the feather was so bright there was no need of candles.
The Firebird’s feather warmed the cold stones of the throne room—it became so
warm, there was no need of a fire in the chimney. The TSAR rejoiced at this
good fortune—and with the feather in hand, the ice in his heart melted and he
warmed to the people in his kingdom.
• From that time on to this, the TSAR has allowed all the children of the kingdom
to eat of his YABLIKA tree. And what became of the Firebird’s feather? It shines
there still, lighting the blessings in everyone’s lives so that they are not hidden
by the shadows of plenty