Slon I Mos'ka (Russian: Elephant and Pug-Dog)

Abstract

This pamphlet opens with a surprise when we see an elephant marching among cars down a contemporary street. The next illustration underscores the contemporaneity of the scene when we see one man on the street in an Amstel shirt and another talking on a cell phone. The story is taken by Krylov from Lessing's fable Der Elefant un der Mops. A little dog barks vehemently at a circus elephant, who pays him no heed. An older dog tells the little dog that the elephant is not paying him the least attention. That is exactly why I do it, the little dog answers. I know that I can get away with it, and everyone will say that I heroically barked at and stood my ground against an elephant! The back cover provides the best comment on the dog, as he stands alone and frustrated in front of his doghouse and scratches his forehead. His bravado did not convince anyone. This book--and presumably others in the series--are for pre-school children.