Fables of Leonardo da Vinci. What fables did Leonardo da Vinci write?

The name of Leonardo da Vinci is more often associated with fine art - after all, the creativity of this brilliant artist is rightly considered the embodiment of the High Italian Renaissance. For the average man in the street, the famous Italian is first and foremost the author of the famous Gioconda, whose smile has long become a household term.

A talented person is talented in everything.

Not everyone knew and knew that Leonardo showed himself as an unusually gifted person in many industries - he was interested in both mechanics and anatomy. A genius belongs to a number of ideas that far outstripped his time.

Since the master tried himself in different forms, it is not surprising that he had literary experiences that the brilliant Italian, apparently, was not going to be sent to the public: many stories and fables by Leonardo da Vinci wrote for his own pleasure.

Pen samples were found only after his death, and it was immediately discovered that a talented person is really talented in everything. The works are written in brilliant prose, they are laconic, original and accurate. The author did not imitate his predecessors at all, preferring to find his own means of expressing thoughts - and always succeeded.

Leonardo da Vinci in the literature

Literary experiments of genius are very diverse: here are descriptions of nature, and humorous notes, and even skilfully constructed riddles. Leonardo da Vinci's fables, which are sometimes called parables, are very interesting and original: the images in them are bright and unexpected, the comparisons are accurate, the meaning is profound. The author did not limit his imagination to someone else's style (for example, he did not become an adherent of the Aesopian language). The heroes of the fables delight in diversity: people, animals, and even inanimate objects give thought to.

In his works, the brilliant artist (and, as it turned out, the fabulist) turned to a variety of problems: it seems that this is a cleverly drawn conclusions drawn from long reflections and a sketch of sudden insights that visited the author. All the fables of Leonardo da Vinci do not resemble each other. Heroes, situations, morals are always different. Sometimes the conclusion is on the surface, sometimes the work admits different interpretations. Unites them only indisputable talent and entertaining: to read these short parables is at least interesting.

To know, you need to be interested

In the school program, Leonardo da Vinci's fables are not included, but they are often used by authors of intellectual quizzes. It is understood that a person whose education level is above average should have an idea of the literary experiences of the great Italian. Well, they certainly are worth it.

At the heart of virtually every fable of Leonardo da Vinci is justice. In the name of achieving it, heroes who act unseemly fall into a trap. And even sometimes they are eaten (the ill-fated rodent from the fable "The Mouse and the Oyster", who tried to deceive the clam, but instead found himself in the stomach of a cat).

The idea of retribution justice

As a rule, survivors willingly agree that they were punished on merit (a merchant from the fable of Leonardo da Vinci about the monks).

The essence of the work is this: a crafty shopkeeper, reminding two wandering representatives of the clergy that there is a fast during the fast is unacceptable (the charter does not order), one-handedly dealt with the chicken, which should have been divided into three. The wandering monks did not begin to remind the merchant that the travelers were allowed indulgences, and taught the scoundrel a visual lesson.

One of them undertook to move the merchant across the river, brought it to the middle and threw it into the water - it was wet and the load, and boots, and clothes of the cunning. The monk explained his Jesuit action: they say, the charter does not have to carry money with them (and they certainly had a representative of commerce). The moral of the fables of Leonardo da Vinci about the monks is simple: for all the tricks can be followed by a fair payoff, and the manifested cunning is to turn against the one who resorts to it.

Trust that can disarm

The idea of retribution, in principle, is not new: it is easy to find similar ideas in other authors. But da Vinci in his works appeals to other aspects of life, sometimes quite unexpected. Everyone perfectly remembers Krylov's fable "The Wolf and the Lamb", in which a gray predator eats an unhappy kid, arguing simply: "You are to blame for what I want to eat."

Despite the initial arrangement of the characters (predator and prey), a completely different meaning is in the work of Leonardo da Vinci. The fable "The Lion and the Lamb" is a short and capacious sketch with a rather unexpected ending. The author claims that even the most ferocious predator can disarm trust and naivete. Unlike the wolf Krylov, the lion da Vinci could not deceive the confidence of the small creature and remained hungry.

It is unlikely that the ending of this fable by Leonardo da Vinci can be considered typical or expect something similar in everyday life: after all, someone's defenselessness can be disarmed only by a very noble heart. However, it is quite possible that the author did not in vain choose the lion as the protagonist of the work: to whom also to show the greatness of the soul, how not to the king of animals?

Sense of humor

Other parables of the master testify to how deep and peculiar sense of humor Leonardo da Vinci possessed: the fable "The rich man and the poor man", for example, draws us an artisan who, after a hard day's work, goes to visit a wealthy fellow who lives in luxury. When he finally inquired about the reason for such frequent (and silent) visits, the worker almost mockingly replied that he came to admire the conditions in which the owner of the house lives to "take his soul". He deeply sympathizes with the rich man: he has nowhere to go for the same purpose, because only beggars live around.

The meaning of this work is not at all obvious. It is not entirely clear what Leonardo da Vinci wanted to say to his readers. The fable "The rich man and the poor man" calls for "taking away and dividing," according to the favorite principle of some revolutionaries? Or simply rejoice at the artisan's wit? Contains a reasonable idea that it is much more pleasant to be surrounded by well-off people? Or maybe the author is trying to convey to the reader how important it is to be able to contemplate beauty?

Beauty and goods are not identical

The significance of the aesthetic side of Da Vinci's life certainly understood. It is fair to say that he himself took part in the creation of the beautiful. True, the great artist does not discern the propensity for unconditional deification of beauty: he realizes that it can be used for an evil deed.

Evidence of this is another famous work by Leonardo da Vinci: the fable "Panther", in which a small monkey admires the magnificent skin of a dangerous predator. Mother explains that with the help of lovely spots, similar to strange flowers, a cunning murderer lures a trusting victim: thus, beauty does not necessarily serve good, - concludes Leonardo da Vinci. Fable "Panther" tells us one more conclusion: the great master was not alien to ethical reflections. He often turns to morality and morality - and in his performance of the concept these are completely Christian.

The greatness of mind and work

Even more often da Vinci reflects on the benefits and greatness of labor, which he considers not humiliating for man, but necessary. Confirmation can serve as a fable about the razor, which shone in the sun and imagines itself God knows what. Refusing to work in the barber shop (after shaving someone's soaped cheeks unworthy of her splendor), she was covered with rust - and bitterly repented, realizing how important work is in life. The author also adds that the human mind rusts without use.

Reason, the fruits of his work in general high puts Leonardo da Vinci: the fable "Paper and ink" tells exactly about this. A stupid sheet of paper, striving to preserve its pristine purity, blames the inkwell for the fact that through her fault it was "stained." The defendant reasonably objects that it is not patchwork and scribbles, but the messages of reason - and it turns out right. Finding a paper on the table - yellowed, dusty, already unsuitable for writing - a person throws out clean sheets, leaving only one - the one with the records, recognizing the value of this "message of reason."

Stupidity and genius are incompatible

Apparently, the brilliant Italian not only appreciated the mind, but also contemptuously treated the manifestations of human stupidity. The work titled "Language and Teeth" reckons to the signs of a close mind and talkativeness - this is the meaning of the fable written by Leonardo da Vinci: first think, then say. The parable describes the conflict between the teeth and an infinitely ranting language, which, despite all the warnings, was screwed, gaped and was deservedly punished: teeth from the heart bit him.

Since then, the fictitious Leonardo da Vinci smirks a fable, "first think, then say" - the motto of the chatterbox. Fearing to be bitten, he finally began to behave decently.

Hollywood "happy ends" came up with da Vinci

I must say that almost all the fables of Leonardo da Vinci end happily: justice triumphs, stupidity, cunning and greed are confounded, lessons are for the heroes to benefit, etc. Apparently, the great master was a very bright man and believed in the victory of reason - over stupidity, Light over darkness, good over evil.

Most of his conclusions are fairly transparent and with a moral position available to everyone. The world-renowned genius does not "philosophize slyly." The morality of many fables is clear and even banal: it's good to work hard. Cunning and turning out is bad. Thinking is fine. Greed is unworthy.

The great Leonardo has much to learn not only for people who have dedicated themselves to art. In his life and work will find for himself any benefit and vent.