The Little Black Hen

This Russian fairy tale, first published in 1829 (and a favorite of Tolstoy's), is elegantly interpreted by Russian-born Spirin, considered one of our best living illustrators.

Alyosha is a pupil at a boarding school in St. Petersburg. He saves a little black hen from the cook's knife and, in return, the hen takes him to an underground kingdom of little people, where he receives a gift of magical powers from their king. He becomes the brightest student at school, without having to study at all. Soon no one likes him anymore and Alyosha, trying to ingratiate himself, confesses to his magical power. Unfortunately, this breaks the spell and causes the little people from the magic kingdom to move away. Having learned his lesson, he undertakes to study and learn in school on his own.