The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship facts for kids

The Flying Ship (also known as The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship) is a famous Russian fairy tale. It's a story about a simple, kind-hearted boy who goes on an amazing adventure. This tale has been shared in many books, like The Yellow Fairy Book by Andrew Lang and Old Peter's Russian Tales by Arthur Ransome.

In 1969, Uri Shulevitz created a beautiful picture book version of Ransome's story. It was called The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship and won the special Caldecott Medal award. The story also became a stop-motion animated film in the United Kingdom in 1990. This film was shown as part of the children's TV series Long Ago and Far Away on WGBH. Later, in 1991, Rabbit Ears Productions made an audio version of the tale, with the voice of actor Robin Williams. This version was part of their series We All Have Tales. You might also notice parts of this fairy tale in the 1988 movie The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, especially in the opening scenes.

The Flying Ship Story

This classic Russian fairy tale tells the story of a young man who seems foolish but proves to be very clever and kind.

The Youngest Son's Journey

Once upon a time, there was a family with three sons. The youngest son was often called a "fool" by his family. One day, the Tsar (the king) made a big announcement: whoever could build a ship that could fly would marry his daughter, the princess!

The two older brothers quickly set off, taking all the best food and supplies their parents could give them. The youngest son, despite being laughed at, decided to try too. He was given only simple food. On his journey, he met a small, mysterious old man. The man asked to share his food. The youngest son hesitated because his food wasn't fancy, but when he opened his bag, the simple food had magically turned into a delicious feast!

The old man then told him how to build the flying ship. He said to hit a tree with an axe, then fall to his knees without looking back. When he stood up, the tree would be a flying boat! The old man also told him to offer a ride to anyone he met along the way. The youngest son followed these instructions carefully.

Magical Friends and Challenges

As the youngest son flew his new ship towards the Tsar's palace, he met several unusual characters and offered them a ride:

• A man who could hear everything happening in the world.
• A man who hopped on one leg, but could travel incredibly fast.
• A man who could shoot an arrow and hit a bird from a hundred miles away.
• A man who needed a huge basket of bread for his breakfast.
• A man whose thirst could not be satisfied by a whole lake.
• A man carrying a bundle of wood that could turn into soldiers.
• A man with straw that could make anything cold.

When the youngest son arrived at the Tsar's palace in his flying ship, the Tsar was not happy. He didn't want his daughter to marry a simple peasant. So, the Tsar decided to give the young man impossible tasks.

First, the Tsar ordered him to go to the end of the world and bring back healing water before dinner was over. The man who could hear heard the Tsar's plan and told the youngest son. The super-fast man quickly went to get the water. He fell asleep by the spring, but the huntsman shot the tree he was leaning against to wake him up. He brought the water back just in time!

Next, the Tsar demanded that the youngest son eat twelve oxen and twelve tons of bread. But the glutton ate it all easily! Then, the Tsar ordered him to drink forty barrels of wine. The thirsty man drank every drop!

Finally, the Tsar said the wedding would happen after the youngest son took a bath. But this was a trick! The Tsar planned to make the bath so hot it would harm him. Luckily, the man with the straw used his power to make the bath water perfectly cool, saving the youngest son.

A Happy Ending

The Tsar, running out of tricks, then demanded that the youngest son present him with an army right away. Using the wood, the youngest son created an army of soldiers. He even threatened to attack if the Tsar didn't agree to the marriage!

Seeing how clever and powerful the youngest son was, the Tsar finally gave in. He had the youngest son dressed in fine clothes. When the princess saw him, she immediately fell in love. They were married in a grand celebration. Even the glutton and the thirsty man had more than enough to eat and drink at the feast!

Adaptations

Film

The animated film The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship was released on DVD in the United Kingdom in February 2010.