The Sparrow and the Blade of Grass

The sparrow flew up onto a blade of grass and said:

- Rock the sparrow, the fine young lad!
It replied:
- I don’t want to!

- Go fetch the goat, let the goat come and gnaw the blade of grass, for the blade of grass doesn’t want to rock the sparrow, the fine young lad.

And the goat said:
- I don’t want to!

- Go fetch the beast. Go, wolf, eat the goat, for the goat doesn’t want to gnaw the blade of grass, and the blade of grass doesn’t want to rock the sparrow, the fine young lad.

The wolf said:
- I don’t want to!

- Go, people, beat the wolf, for the wolf doesn’t want to slaughter the goat, and the goat doesn’t want to gnaw the blade of grass, and the blade of grass doesn’t want to rock the sparrow, the fine young lad.

The people said:
- We don’t want to!

- Go then, - he said, - fetch the Tatars. Tatars, Tatars! Go, cut down the people, for the people don’t want to beat the wolf, and the wolf doesn’t want to slaughter the goat, and the goat doesn’t want to gnaw the blade of grass, and the blade of grass doesn’t want to rock the sparrow, the fine young lad.

And the Tatars said:
- We don’t want to cut down the people!

And the people said - we don’t want to beat the wolf; and the wolf said - I don’t want to slaughter the goat; and the goat said - I don’t want to gnaw the blade of grass; and the blade of grass said - I don’t want to rock the sparrow, the fine young lad.

- Go, - said the sparrow, - fetch the fire! For the Tatars don’t want to cut down the people, and the people don’t want to beat the wolf, and the wolf doesn’t want to slaughter the goat, and the goat doesn’t want to gnaw the blade of grass, and the blade of grass doesn’t want to rock the sparrow, the fine young lad.

And the fire said:
- I don’t want to!

And the sparrow said (look, he’s ordering all his servants around):
- Go fetch water! Go, water, put out the fire, for the fire doesn’t want to burn the Tatars, and the Tatars don’t want to cut down the people, and the people don’t want to beat the wolf, and the wolf doesn’t want to slaughter the goat, and the goat doesn’t want to gnaw the blade of grass, and the blade of grass doesn’t want to rock the sparrow, the fine young lad!

And the water said:
- I don’t want to!

- Go fetch the oxen! Oxen, oxen! Go, oxen, drink the water, for the water doesn’t want to put out the fire, and the fire doesn’t want to burn the Tatars, and the Tatars don’t want to cut down the people, and the people don’t want to beat the wolf, and the wolf doesn’t want to slaughter the goat, and the goat doesn’t want to gnaw the blade of grass, and the blade of grass doesn’t want to rock the sparrow, the fine young lad.

And the oxen didn’t want to!

So the sparrow said:
- Go fetch the mallet! Let it beat the oxen, for the oxen don’t want to drink the water, and the water doesn’t want to put out the fire, and the fire doesn’t want to burn the Tatars, and the Tatars don’t want to cut down the people, and the people don’t want to beat the wolf, and the wolf doesn’t want to slaughter the goat, and the goat doesn’t want to gnaw the blade of grass, and the blade of grass doesn’t want to rock the sparrow, the fine young lad.

The mallet said:
- I don’t want to!

- Go, worms, gnaw the mallet, for the mallet doesn’t want to beat the oxen, and the oxen don’t want to drink the water, and the water doesn’t want to put out the fire, and the fire doesn’t want to burn the Tatars, and the Tatars don’t want to cut down the people, and the people don’t want to beat the wolf, and the wolf doesn’t want to slaughter the goat, and the goat doesn’t want to gnaw the blade of grass, and the blade of grass doesn’t want to rock the sparrow, the fine young lad.

The worms didn’t want to.

- Go, - he said, - fetch the hens! Go, hens, peck the worms, for the worms don’t want to gnaw the mallet, and the mallet doesn’t want to beat the oxen, and the oxen don’t want to drink the water, and the water doesn’t want to put out the fire, and the fire doesn’t want to burn the Tatars, and the Tatars don’t want to cut down the people, and the people don’t want to beat the wolf, and the wolf doesn’t want to slaughter the goat, and the goat doesn’t want to gnaw the blade of grass, and the blade of grass doesn’t want to rock the sparrow, the fine young lad.

And the hens said:
- We don’t want to.

- Go, - he said, - fetch the hawk! Go, hawk, seize the hens, for the hens don’t want to peck the worms, and the worms don’t want to gnaw the mallet, and the mallet doesn’t want to beat the oxen, and the oxen don’t want to drink the water, and the water doesn’t want to put out the fire, and the fire doesn’t want to burn the Tatars, and the Tatars don’t want to cut down the people, and the people don’t want to beat the wolf, and the wolf doesn’t want to slaughter the goat, and the goat doesn’t want to gnaw the blade of grass, and the blade of grass doesn’t want to rock the sparrow, the fine young lad!

The hawk went for the hens, the hens for the worms, the worms for the mallet, the mallet for the oxen, the oxen for the water, the water for the fire, the fire for the Tatars, the Tatars for the people, the people for the wolf, the wolf for the goat, the goat for the blade of grass, and the blade of grass then:

R-o-o-ck, r-o-o-ck,
A hundred curses on his father!

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