Themes

Quartet:Krylov, monkey, donkey, bear, goat, quartet

"Quartet" by I.A. Krylov. Mischievous Monkey, Donkey, Bear and Billy Goat decided to make quartet as they wanted to fascinate the whole world with their wonderful melody. The beasts took music papers, basses, violas and two violins, sat in the shade of lime-trees in the lawn and tried to play music. But their idea failed, as they couldn't play any musical instrument. The Monkey offered: "We can't play music because we sit wrong. Let's change our places. We will make an enchanted melody and everybody will be delighted with it. Wood and mountains will dance to our music." The beasts changed their places but everything was in vain and they couldn't play music. The Donkey said: "I'm sure we will play a wonderful music if we sit in row. The beasts sat in row but again everything was to no purpose. They began to quarrel and dispute. The Nightingale flew having heard their noise. The unlucky musicians asked it: "Please, help us. We have music papers and musical instruments but we can't play. Tell us how we should sit to play music". The Nightingale answered: "To be good musicians you should know how to play musical instruments. You may sit in different directions and you won't be able to be good musicians.