The Tale of the Golden Cockerel by Alexander Pushkin. Short summary

5 seconds

The stargazer gives the king a magic cockerel to warn him of possible danger. One day the king goes on a campaign and finds the Queen of Shamakhi.

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In one kingdom there was a king named Dadon. Toward his old age, he decided to retire and asked the astrologer to help him. The wise man presents him with a special cockerel that warns its owner of danger. In return, Dadon promises to fulfil any request from the giver.

One day the cockerel turns to the east and informs him of the danger. The king orders the army and his eldest son to march, but receives no word from them. He sends his second son, who also disappears. The king decides to lead a third army and goes east.

He sees his sons dead, who have stabbed each other at the entrance of the tent. The Queen of Shamakhi comes out of it. The king falls in love with the beauty and submits to her. He returns with his warriors and the maiden. Seeing the beauty, the star-catcher reminds the Tsar of his wish and asks him to present him with the queen.

The Tsar smacks the star-catcher with his rod and he dies. The golden cockerel stabs the Tsar in the forehead and he falls dead. The Tsarina of Shamakhi and the Golden Cockerel disappear, as if they had never existed.