Little Girls Wiser Than Men

by Leo Tolstoy

'Little Girls Wiser Than Men' is a short story by Russian authorLeo Tolstoy first published in 1885. It takes the form of a parable about forgiveness. The story opens at the beginning of Holy Week, when there was still melting snow on the ground. An older girl, Akulya, and a younger girl, Malasha, go outside to play. They both have just been given new frocks, but they insist on wading through one of the puddles from the melting snow. They both take off their shoes to keep them dry, and Akulya warns Malasha against splashing the water on her new frock. Malasha splashes Akulya despite her warning, and Akulya runs home in tears. Her mother is furious at the ruined frock, and she spanks Malasha in the middle of the street. Soon Malasha's mother emerges from her home, and the mothers begin arguing. The shouts brought the peasants into the street, who also begin arguing with each other. The peasants start pushing each other, and Akulka's grandmother urges everyone to stop, but to no avail. (Excerpt from Wikipedia)

Genres: Short Stories, Classics, Russian Literature, Fiction, Russia, Literature

First published January 1, 1885

About the author

Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (Russian: Лев Николаевич Толстой; most appropriately used Liev Tolstoy; commonly Leo Tolstoy in Anglophone countries) was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist fiction. Many consider Tolstoy to have been one of the world's greatest novelists. Tolstoy is equally known for his complicated and paradoxical persona and for his extreme moralistic and ascetic views, which he adopted after a moral crisis and spiritual awakening in the 1870s, after which he also became noted as a moral thinker and social reformer.

His literal interpretation of the ethical teachings of Jesus, centering on the Sermon on the Mount, caused him in later life to become a fervent Christian anarchist and anarcho-pacifist. His ideas on nonviolent resistance, expressed in such works as The Kingdom of God Is Within You, were to have a profound impact on such pivotal twentieth-century figures as Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Reviews

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as an ebook so unfortunately I did not have the beautiful illustrations some reviews talks about. However while the story was very short and simplistic it was very well written. I really enjoyed the simple story of two young girls and they where indeed wiser than the adults. Short and sweet

[Kennedy Ifeh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, Tolstoy tells a very short story with a strong message, taken from Christ statement - ‘Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.’

[Nessrina Hazem · Rating 3 out of 5]

قصة قصيرة بتوضح طريقة تعامل الأطفال مع المشاكل و اللي في بعض الأحيان بتكون أكثر حكمة من الكبار. القصة بتحكي عن شجار نشب بين الكبار بسبب طفلتين و رغم إنهم سبب المشكلة، إلا انهم سعوا لحل المشكلة اللي بسببها اتخانقوا و بدون مساعدة من حد، بينما الكبار ماسكين في خناق بعض بسببهم.😅
القصة ضمن مجموعة قصصية بعنوان "قصص من تولستوي" من ترجمات دار أقلام عربية.

[Bhargavi.lawbookskettlebells · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I appreciated what the story tried to convey, it was a little too simply told for my liking - I'm not the target audience for this version of the tale. The rating is for the stunning illustrations and the painstaking letterpress printing technique - both of which brought a wonderful vintage feel to the book. It left me feeling like I was holding a tiny bookish time capsule.

[Sanjana · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating is more for this beautiful edition than the tale itself.

[| Shakshi | · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mindful story that shows:

1.) We don't know but tricky community problems can be solved if we all have a child's perspective.

2.) Riot over petty thing is not a virtue if you are a child.

[Tehreem Fayyaz · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is too short but yet knowledgeable, giving a moral like those read in childhood. Such a childish book !

[Anand Chauhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Except ye turn, and become as little as children, ye shall in no ways enter into the kingdom of heaven.'

[James]

The story is barely a story. But the artwork in this edition is really beautifully presented and the use of colour is really well done. It's worth looking at for the art alone.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adapted from a poetic short storybby the great Russian writer Leo Tolstoy, this astute tale about conflict and resolutions is illustrated with linocut art by Lebanese printmaker Hassan Zahreddine. The book is letter pressed on eco-friendly handmade paper.

Malashka and Akulka, two little girls, are playing together happily when they get into disagreement, Malashka and it mess up when the entire village is involved.

It was the 1st book of Tolstoy i've read and never thought it quite interesting where many ideas appears around everyday life as this book main story. It gives us spirit and gentle reminder through the stories, important ermerges which is neither a forced moral nor an arguments that is attached to the story.

Learning close about the children experience the world, how innocence and wisdom, what children are and do, and making the simplicity choice to make the world a better place for them without doubt cultures, traditions, histories and places also.

Such a beautiful story and stunning art look with letterpress craft, the etching process and the form of the book.

[Sanntint · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story for children but recommend the adults who are negligent about simple rules of life by influence of ignorance !

[Asséil Bokharouba · Rating 3 out of 5]

Truly deep message
"Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 18:3

[Vaishali · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven."

[Manan Sheel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a delightful little story!!
As little and as delightful as the two little girls in the story!!

[James Dempsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

To forgive and to forget, and then to laugh at the folly of it all! The wiser minds of this world jump immediately to the finality.

“When I was young, I forgot how to laugh in the cave of Trophonius; when I was older, I opened my eyes and beheld reality, at which I began to laugh, and since then, I have not stopped laughing.”

“Sweet is folly when you regain a friend.” - Horace Ode VII, Book II.

[Mohammad Alamin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excelent Story...

[Talib Khan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a nice short story.

Moral?
“Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no ways enter into the kingdom of heaven."

[Bayan Abid]

12.12.2020

[Keiko the manga enthusiast ♒︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.
💞

[Ælshunīv · Rating 1 out of 5]

ok.

[Varsha Seshan · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://www.varshaseshan.com/november...

[luuuluu · Rating 1 out of 5]

So what???..^//===//;’

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

True king. We gotta let go of grudges and move on like kids

[Rebecca Terry Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little story about the Christlike examples of children

[Vinoth Srinivasan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Children don't understand ego, Vengeance all they know is happiness.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very short, but a good moral, that children can be far more forgiving than adults.

[Shaimaa أحمد · Rating 2 out of 5]

الأطفال أكثر حكمه من الكبار فهم يميلون لقضاء أوقاتهم في المرح و الفرح أما الكبار فهم يبحثون عن العراك و المشاحنات و افتعال الأزمات

[R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Hraven."