Straw Bull
A Ukrainian folk tale of a tar-coated straw bull.
The Ukrainian folk tale "Straw Bull" (also called "Straw Ox" or "Chaff Goby"; Ukrainian: «Солом'яний бичок», romanized: *Solom'yanyi Bychok*) follows a poor elderly couple whose fortunes change after they create a straw bull coated in tar.
In the story, an old man and woman live in poverty, working hard but barely having enough to eat. The woman asks the man to make her a bull from straw and paint it with tar. Though puzzled, he does as she asks. She takes the bull and her spinning equipment to a field, tells the bull to graze, and falls asleep. While she sleeps, a bear attacks the bull, hoping to use its tar to heal a wound, but becomes stuck. The bear runs off, carrying the bull. The woman wakes and calls her husband, who catches the bear, locks it in the barn, repairs the bull, and puts it in a stall. This pattern repeats over the next three days: a wolf, then a fox, then a rabbit each attack the bull for the same reason, get stuck, and are captured.
The old man considers making a fur coat from the bear, a cap from the wolf, a collar from the fox, and gloves from the rabbit. But each animal promises a reward if released: the bear offers wild honey, the wolf a flock of wild sheep, the fox a flock of wild geese, and the rabbit precious jewels. The man releases them all, to the woman’s dismay as winter approaches. To their surprise, every animal keeps its promise. With their lives greatly improved, the couple build the straw bull its own stall and treat it well for the rest of their lives.
The tale has appeared in various media. A 1925 book titled *Solomianyi bychok (The Straw Bull)* was written by Ukrainian author Oleksandr Oles. The story "The Straw Ox" was included in the 1923 collection *Great Children's Stories — The Classic Volland Edition*, illustrated by Frederick Richardson. The first recorded Ukrainian animation, created in 1927 by Vyacheslav Levandovsky, was based on this folk tale. A 1954 animation was produced by Moscow's Soyuzmultfilm. Books include a 1974 edition by Irina Zheleznova with drawings by David Haikin, a 1976 book by John Weir and V. Legkobit, and a 2004 fairy tale collection by Evgeny Rachev. In 2003, Ukraine's national post office, Ukrposhta, issued a stamp depicting the tale. The story was also featured in episode 12 of the 2017 Russian animation spin-off *Masha's Tales*, based on *Masha and the Bear*.
Quick Facts
- Folk Tale Name
- The Straw Bull
- Aka
- 'The Straw Ox' or 'Chaff Goby'
- Region
- Ukraine
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The tale begins with a poor old man and woman who have just enough to eat. At the old woman's request, the old man makes a straw bull and coats it with tar. The old woman takes the bull to a field to graze and falls asleep. A bear, a wolf, a fox, and a rabbit each approach the bull to use its tar to heal a wound, become stuck, and are captured by the old man. Each animal promises a reward—wild honey, wild sheep, wild geese, and precious jewels—and the old man releases them. Despite the old woman's worry, each animal fulfills its promise, improving the couple's life. They then build the straw bull its own stall and treat it well.
Reader's Guide
The tale 'Straw Bull' is a Ukrainian folk narrative that has been adapted into various media over the 20th and 21st centuries. Its earliest known appearance in a published collection was in 1923, and it was the subject of the first recorded Ukrainian animation in 1927 by Vyacheslav Levandovsky. The story has been illustrated by artists such as Frederick Richardson and David Haikin, and was featured in a 2004 book of fairy tales by Evgeny Rachev. A 1954 animation by Moscow's Soyuzmultfilm and a 2017 episode of the Russian animation 'Masha's Tales' further demonstrate its enduring presence. The tale's structure—repetitive encounters with animals who are captured and then released after promising gifts—reflects a common folk motif of kindness rewarded. Its inclusion in a 2003 Ukrainian postage stamp underscores its cultural significance in Ukraine.
Did You Know?
- A 1954 animation of the tale was produced by Moscow's Soyuzmultfilm.
- A stamp depicting the tale was created by Ukraine's national post office, Ukrposhta, in 2003.
More in Ukrainian folklore 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced