Pogorelsky’s work raises more questions than answers. His book "Black Chicken, or Underground Residents" for many remains the most mysterious and incomprehensible work from the school curriculum. To clarify, we briefly retold the main events that make up the plot of the story. Read our very short reader diary carefully.
(457 words) A boy named Alyosha was brought up in a St. Petersburg boarding house. On weekdays, he played with his companions, and on weekends his only hobby was reading books and watching chickens in the yard. Among them, he had the most favorite - Chernushka.
Once, for lunch, the director should be welcomed to the guesthouse teacher. The cook was instructed to cook this chicken. Alyosha felt sorry for her, and he decided to exchange Chernushka for a gold coin. The bird was saved.
At night, Chernushka found herself in his room, who spoke to him in a human voice and called with her. They passed through the canopy and ended up in an old woman’s room, in which, in addition to them, there was also a cat and a parrot. Alyosha spoke to the cat, it meowed in response and woke all sleeping. Chernushka suddenly disappeared.
The next night, the guest again appeared to him. She was unhappy with yesterday’s act of Alyosha. The boy felt very ashamed. This time the hero decided not to touch anything and not to wake anyone. Travelers safely reached the king, next to whom stood a lot of little men. The ruler thanked Alyosha for saving the minister. It turned out that it was about Chernushka. In gratitude, he offered to fulfill any desire of the savior. The boy dreamed of becoming the smartest, but he did not want to study. Then the king handed Alyosha hemp seed on the condition that the child would never tell anyone about the little men.
Alyosha safely returned to the guesthouse, and the magic began to act. He became the smartest in the hostel. The rumor about his talent spread throughout St. Petersburg. Meanwhile, the boy completely lost control and was naughty while his comrades were preparing for lessons.
Once a teacher asked Alyosha to learn twenty pages of text. The next day, he called the boy to the board. He was not worried at all. But when he began to answer, he could not say a word. The hero cried. The teacher ordered him to return to his place and teach until he knew the subject. Returning to his room, he found that the grain was gone. Then the annoyed child tried to learn a lesson on his own, but nothing came of it. At night, Chernushka again appeared to him, who reprimanded the boy for being completely proud, because of which he lost the favor of his comrades. However, Chernushka gave Alyosha a second chance. She returned the boy to the grain, which he accidentally dropped in the yard. Now he knows the lesson for sure.
In the morning, he proudly entered the classroom, saying that today he was ready to answer. The teacher asked how he managed to learn twenty pages of text overnight. Perplexed Alyosha told the whole class about a magic kernel. The teacher did not believe the student and carved him for deceit.
At night, Chernushka came to the child for the last time in the guise of a minister to say goodbye to him. His pet's hands are chained. And he is to blame, Alyosha.
In the morning, comrades found the hero lying on the floor. It turned out that he had a strong fever. Six weeks later, he recovered. He again became kind and modest, and everyone again fell in love with him.
