Soyuzmultfilm Creative association for Puppet-movies
Devoted to the 140th anniversary of the birth of Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin 1826 -1966
HOW ONE MAN FED TWO GENERALS after the tale by M. Saltykov-Shchedrin
Album of Lithographs of St. Petersburg
There once lived two generals.
Throughout their lives they served in desk-job positions.
There they were born, were brought up and grew old.
As a consequence, they were hopelessly stupid.
They didn't even know any words
other than "Please accept my assurances with my respect and devotion!"
[Bread / Poultry / Pickled Goods]
But suddenly...
By the magic pike's command, By this storyteller's hand,
these generals became stranded upon a deserted island.
"Such a strange dream, Your Excellency, I seem to be dreaming now."
said the fat general.
"I see myself living on a deserted island."
Having said that, the general suddenly jumped up! And so did the other general.
"Oh Lord, what is this? Where are we?"
They both cried out in fear.
But then... what should we do now?
For example, if I were to write an explanatory note,
would there be any use in it?!
That's it! Your Excellency, you go to the east...
and I shall go to the west.
In the evening we will come back here again.
Maybe we'll find something useful.
After that, they tried to find out which way east and west were.
They turned this way and that...
They pointed with their hands in different directions,
but made no headway at all.
I'd say this, Your Excellency,
you should go to the right
and I shall go to the left.
That'll be best!
Oh, my stellate sturgeon! My fishy-wishy!
Oh sterlet-darling!
It would be wonderful if we had these fish on our Podyacheskaya street.
My God, how much food!
"How much food!" the general said
and felt already sick from overeating as he gazed tenderly at the birds.
"Oh, God!"
The general whispered, crossing himself.
Pardon me!
Well, how did it go, Your Excellency? Found anything?
I only found an old issue of the Moscow News,
but nothing more!
I think I now even would be able to eat my own boot.
Gloves that have been worn for a long time are also tasty.
The power of the cross be with us!
We're going to eat each other, going on like this!!
Your Excellency, we shall have to amuse ourselves with some sort of conversation
Otherwise, we'll kill each other!
Alright, you begin.
Yesterday, at the residence of the venerable chief of our ancient capital
...a grand dinner was held.
The table was served for 100 people
with amazing luxury.
It was as if food from all over the world had an appointment to meet each other...
at these wonderful festivities.
One could find the wonderful golden sturgeon from Sheksna...
and the pet of the Caucasian forests, the pheasant!
There were also wild strawberries, so rare in our northern climates in February!
Goddamn, Your Excellency! You really couldn't find another conversation topic?!
From our Tula correspondent:
Yesterday, at the occasion of catching sturgeon on the Upa river
in the local club, a festival was held.
The subject of the occasion was brought in on a huge wooden platter.
Ringed by cucumbers... and with a selection of gravies most diverse,
One could even say whimsical.
Your Excellency, I never even thought
that human food, in its original form, could fly, swim or grow on trees.
Yes, I even confess, that I thought
that bread was born straight in the form it is served at breakfast.
Your Excellency, it would be good if we could find a man!
How do you mean, a man?
Well, you know, just an ordinary man! The common sort of man.
He would be able to give us bread, catch some grouse and some fish...
Mm... a man... but where could we find one here where there are none?
Nonsense! Man is everywhere!
We only need to search thoroughly! He's probably hiding somewhere, shirking his duty!
I told you, Your Excellency, that there is no man on this island!
It can't be!!
- A man! - Here he is, my dearest!
Sleeping, you sluggard?!
Don't you care that there are two generals dying of hunger here?!
You idler! Don't you care about the fact that two generals are about to die?!
- You have to feed us! So hurry up! - March, march! To work!
Move faster, you slacker!
How wonderful it is to be generals!
We shall not perish in any circumstance!
The table is set, my esteemed generals!
Are you satisfied, esteemed generals?
We're satisfied, dear friend! We have noticed your zeal.
- Allow me a rest, then. - Rest, rest, dear man.
Oh torch, torch of mine...
...made of birch
Oh, torch, torch of mine...
...made of birch...
A day passed, then another....
our generals became cheerful, satiated, well-fed and happy.
Flow, you currents of Hippocrene...
...from Mount Parnassus!
A saber, vodka, a hussar's horse - With you I spent my golden years.
I'm born for the royal service, for I love a bloody battle!
Don't you wonder what's going on in St. Peterburg's Podyacheskaya street, Your Excellency?
You need not even ask, Your Excellency!
I miss it with my whole heart.
Of course, life is very good here on the island...
But you know it's embarrassing when a man lives without his mistress.
- Also, I am worried about our uniforms. - I'm quite worried too!
Even the needlework on them is enough to make one's head spin!
- Hey, man! - What can I do for you?
The generals began to compel the man to bring them to Podyacheskaya street.
To Podyacheskaya street?
Well, it turned out that the man knew about Podyacheskaya street.
There he had lived, and had drunk mead - it had wet his whiskers, but missed his tongue!
Well... it would be possible to sail to Podyacheskaya street.
And the man built a sort of ship, or vessel,
in which it was quite possible to cross the ocean to Podyacheskaya street.
Just see, you rascal, that you don't drown us!
Don't you worry, esteemed generals, this is not the first time for me!
The man prepared everything for the departure.
He crossed himself and set sail.
Mother, holy mother of God, help us out!
No! No! St. Nicholas, help us out!
Oh! So often were the generals filled with fear on this journey
due to the storms and varied gales, the thunder and the rain!...
So often did they blame the man for his parasitism!..
This cannot be described with a pen or told in a fairy tale.
But finally the river Neva appeared and the glorious Catherine canal too,
And there they came finally to Podyacheskaya street.
The generals did not forget the man!
The sent him a glass of vodka and five silver rubles as reward.
Enjoy yourself, man!
Screenplay by Aleksey Simukov & Ivan Ivanov-Vano.
Directed by Ivan Ivanov Vano & Vladimir Danilevich
Art-directors Arcadiy Tyurin, Aleksandr Gorbachyov
Camera - Iosif Golomb Sound - Boris Filchikov
Music - Anatoliy Aleksandrov Narraotr - Dmitriy Zhuravlyov
Animators - Lev Zhdanov, Aleksandr Rozhkov, Galina Zolotovskaya, Kirill Malyantovich, Yuriy Norshteyn
Puppets & decor - A. Tyurin, T. Zuykova, A. Gorbachyov, N. Budylova, G. Nevzorova V. Alisov, Yu. Benkevich, F. Yarbusova, M. Spasskaya
Montage - Nadezhda Treshchyova Production director - Natan Bitman
Subtitles by Zhurka75, Eus (2015), & Niffiwan (2021)
The End