We are in despair. We didn't know how to catch this ginger cat. He robbed us every night. He hid so cleverly that none of us really saw him. Only a week later it was finally possible to establish that the cat's ear was torn off and a piece of dirty tail was cut off.

It was a cat that had lost all conscience, a cat - a tramp and a bandit. They called him behind the eyes Thief.

He stole everything: fish, meat, sour cream and bread. Once he even tore open a tin can of worms in a closet. He did not eat them, but chickens came running to the open jar and pecked at our entire supply of worms.

Overfed chickens lay in the sun and moaned. We walked around them and swore, but the fishing was still disrupted.

We spent almost a month tracking down the ginger cat.

The village boys helped us with this. One day they came running. And, out of breath, they said that at dawn the cat swept, crouching, through the gardens and dragged a kukan with perches in its teeth.

We rushed to the cellar and found the kukan missing; it had ten fat perches caught on Prorva.

It was no longer theft, but robbery in broad daylight. We swore to catch the cat and blow it up for gangster antics.

The cat was caught that evening. He stole a piece of liverwurst from the table and climbed up the birch with it.

We started shaking the birch. The cat dropped the sausage, it fell on Reuben's head. The cat looked at us from above with wild eyes and howled menacingly.

End of introductory segment.

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Konstantin Paustovsky

thief cat

We are in despair. We didn't know how to catch this ginger cat. He robbed us every night. He hid so cleverly that none of us really saw him. Only a week later it was finally possible to establish that the cat's ear was torn off and a piece of dirty tail was cut off. It was a cat that had lost all conscience, a tramp cat and a bandit. They called him behind the eyes Thief.
He stole everything: fish, meat, sour cream and bread. Once he even tore open a tin can of worms in a closet. He did not eat them, but chickens came running to the open jar and pecked at our entire supply of worms. Overfed chickens lay in the sun and moaned. We walked around them and swore, but the fishing was still disrupted.
We spent almost a month tracking down the ginger cat. The village boys helped us with this. One day they rushed in and, out of breath, told that at dawn the cat swept, crouching, through the gardens and dragged a kukan with perches in its teeth. We rushed to the cellar and found the kukan missing; it had ten fat perches caught on Prorva. It was no longer theft, but robbery in broad daylight. We swore to catch the cat and blow it up for gangster antics.
The cat was caught that evening. He stole a piece of liverwurst from the table and climbed up the birch with it. We started shaking the birch. The cat dropped the sausage, it fell on Reuben's head. The cat looked at us from above with wild eyes and howled menacingly. But there was no salvation, and the cat decided on a desperate act. With a terrifying howl, he fell off the birch, fell to the ground, bounced like a soccer ball, and rushed under the house.
The house was small. He stood in a deaf, abandoned garden. Every night we were awakened by the sound of wild apples falling from the branches onto its boarded roof. The house was littered with fishing rods, shot, apples and dry leaves. We only slept in it. All days, from dawn to dusk, we spent on the banks of countless channels and lakes. There we fished and made fires in the coastal thickets. To get to the shore of the lakes, one had to trample down narrow paths in fragrant tall grasses. Their corollas swung over their heads and showered their shoulders with yellow flower dust. We returned in the evening, scratched by the wild rose, tired, burned by the sun, with bundles of silvery fish, and each time we were greeted with stories about the red cat's new tramp antics. But, finally, the cat got caught. He crawled under the house through the only narrow hole. There was no way out.
We blocked the hole with an old fishing net and began to wait. But the cat didn't come out. He howled disgustingly, like an underground spirit, howling continuously and without any fatigue. An hour passed, two, three ... It was time to go to bed, but the cat was howling and cursing under the house, and it got on our nerves.
Then Lyonka, the son of a village shoemaker, was called. Lenka was famous for his fearlessness and dexterity. He was instructed to pull the cat out from under the house. Lenka took a silk fishing line, tied to it by the tail a raft caught during the day and threw it through a hole into the underground. The howl stopped. We heard a crunch and a predatory click - the cat grabbed a fish's head with its teeth. He grabbed it with a death grip. Lenka was dragged by the line, the Cat resisted desperately, but Lenka was stronger, and besides, the cat did not want to release the tasty fish. A minute later the head of a cat with a raft clamped between its teeth appeared in the opening of the manhole. Lyonka grabbed the cat by the scruff of the neck and lifted it above the ground. We took a good look at it for the first time.
The cat closed his eyes and flattened his ears. He kept his tail just in case. It turned out to be a skinny, despite the constant theft, a fiery red stray cat with white marks on his stomach.
Having examined the cat, Reuben thoughtfully asked:
- What should we do with him?
- Rip out! - I said.
"It won't help," Lenka said. - He has such a character since childhood. Try to feed him properly.
The cat waited with closed eyes. We followed this advice, dragged the cat into the closet and gave him a wonderful dinner: fried pork, perch aspic, cottage cheese and sour cream. The cat has been eating for over an hour. He staggered out of the closet, sat down on the threshold and washed, glancing at us and at the low stars with his impudent green eyes. After washing, he snorted for a long time and rubbed his head on the floor. It was obviously meant to be fun. We were afraid that he would wipe his fur on the back of his head. Then the cat rolled over on its back, caught its tail, chewed it, spat it out, stretched out by the stove and snored peacefully.
From that day on, he took root with us and stopped stealing. The next morning, he even performed a noble and unexpected act. The chickens climbed onto the table in the garden and, pushing each other and quarreling, began to peck buckwheat porridge from the plates. The cat, trembling with indignation, crept up to the hens and, with a short triumphant cry, jumped onto the table. The chickens took off with a desperate cry. They overturned the jug of milk and rushed, losing their feathers, to flee from the garden.
Ahead rushed, hiccuping, a cock-fool, nicknamed "Hiller". The cat rushed after him on three paws, and with the fourth, front paw, hit the rooster on the back. Dust and fluff flew from the rooster. Something buzzed and buzzed inside him from every blow, like a cat hitting a rubber ball. After that, the rooster lay in a fit for several minutes, rolling his eyes, and groaning softly. They poured cold water over him and he walked away. Since then, chickens have been afraid to steal. Seeing the cat, they hid under the house with a squeak and hustle.
The cat walked around the house and garden, like a master and watchman. He rubbed his head against our legs. He demanded gratitude, leaving patches of red wool on our trousers. We renamed him from Thief to Policeman. Although Reuben claimed that this was not entirely convenient, we were sure that the policemen would not be offended by us for this.

We are in despair. We didn't know how to catch this ginger cat. He robbed us every night. He hid so cleverly that none of us really saw him. Only a week later it was finally possible to establish that the cat's ear was torn off and a piece of dirty tail was cut off. It was a cat that had lost all conscience, a tramp cat and a bandit. They called him behind the eyes Thief.

He stole everything: fish, meat, sour cream and bread. Once he even tore open a tin can of worms in a closet. He did not eat them, but chickens came running to the open jar and pecked at our entire supply of worms. Overfed chickens lay in the sun and moaned. We walked around them and swore, but the fishing was still disrupted.

We spent almost a month tracking down the ginger cat. The village boys helped us with this. One day they rushed in and, out of breath, told that at dawn the cat swept, crouching, through the gardens and dragged a kukan with perches in its teeth. We rushed to the cellar and found the kukan missing; it had ten fat perches caught on Prorva. It was no longer theft, but robbery in broad daylight. We swore to catch the cat and blow it up for gangster antics.

The cat was caught that evening. He stole a piece of liverwurst from the table and climbed up the birch with it. We started shaking the birch. The cat dropped the sausage, it fell on Reuben's head. The cat looked at us from above with wild eyes and howled menacingly. But there was no salvation, and the cat decided on a desperate act. With a terrifying howl, he fell off the birch, fell to the ground, bounced like a soccer ball, and rushed under the house.

The house was small. He stood in a deaf, abandoned garden. Every night we were awakened by the sound of wild apples falling from the branches onto its boarded roof. The house was littered with fishing rods, shot, apples and dry leaves. We only slept in it. All days, from dawn to dusk, we spent on the banks of countless channels and lakes. There we fished and made fires in the coastal thickets. To get to the shore of the lakes, one had to trample down narrow paths in fragrant tall grasses. Their corollas swung over their heads and showered their shoulders with yellow flower dust. We returned in the evening, scratched by the wild rose, tired, burned by the sun, with bundles of silvery fish, and each time we were greeted with stories about the red cat's new tramp antics. But, finally, the cat got caught. He crawled under the house through the only narrow hole. There was no way out.

We blocked the hole with an old fishing net and began to wait. But the cat didn't come out. He howled disgustingly, like an underground spirit, howling continuously and without any fatigue. An hour passed, two, three ... It was time to go to bed, but the cat was howling and cursing under the house, and it got on our nerves.

Then Lyonka, the son of a village shoemaker, was called. Lenka was famous for his fearlessness and dexterity. He was instructed to pull the cat out from under the house. Lenka took a silk fishing line, tied to it by the tail a raft caught during the day and threw it through a hole into the underground. The howl stopped. We heard a crunch and a predatory click - the cat bit into the head of a fish. He grabbed it with a death grip. Lenka was dragged by the line, the Cat resisted desperately, but Lenka was stronger, and besides, the cat did not want to release the tasty fish. A minute later the head of a cat with a raft clamped between its teeth appeared in the opening of the manhole. Lyonka grabbed the cat by the scruff of the neck and lifted it above the ground. We took a good look at it for the first time.

The cat closed his eyes and flattened his ears. He kept his tail just in case. It turned out to be a skinny, despite the constant theft, a fiery red stray cat with white marks on his stomach.

Having examined the cat, Reuben thoughtfully asked:

"What are we to do with him?"

- Rip out! - I said.

"It won't help," said Lenka. - He has such a character since childhood. Try to feed him properly.

The cat waited with closed eyes. We followed this advice, dragged the cat into the closet and gave him a wonderful dinner: fried pork, perch aspic, cottage cheese and sour cream. The cat has been eating for over an hour. He staggered out of the closet, sat down on the threshold and washed, glancing at us and at the low stars with his impudent green eyes. After washing, he snorted for a long time and rubbed his head on the floor. It was obviously meant to be fun. We were afraid that he would wipe his fur on the back of his head. Then the cat rolled over on its back, caught its tail, chewed it, spat it out, stretched out by the stove and snored peacefully.

From that day on, he took root with us and stopped stealing. The next morning, he even performed a noble and unexpected act. The chickens climbed onto the table in the garden and, pushing each other and quarreling, began to peck buckwheat porridge from the plates. The cat, trembling with indignation, crept up to the hens and, with a short triumphant cry, jumped onto the table. The chickens took off with a desperate cry. They overturned the jug of milk and rushed, losing their feathers, to flee from the garden.

Ahead rushed, hiccuping, an ankle-legged rooster-fool, nicknamed "The Gorlach". The cat rushed after him on three paws, and with the fourth, front paw, hit the rooster on the back. Dust and fluff flew from the rooster. Something buzzed and buzzed inside him from every blow, like a cat hitting a rubber ball. After that, the rooster lay in a fit for several minutes, rolling his eyes, and groaning softly. They poured cold water over him and he walked away. Since then, chickens have been afraid to steal. Seeing the cat, they hid under the house with a squeak and hustle.

The cat walked around the house and garden, like a master and watchman. He rubbed his head against our legs. He demanded gratitude, leaving patches of red wool on our trousers. We renamed him from Thief to Policeman. Although Reuben claimed that this was not entirely convenient, we were sure that the policemen would not be offended by us for this.

K.G. Paustovsky "The cat is a thief."

Lesson Objectives:

1) introduce the work; to teach the techniques of working on a work of art in such a way as to see the details, “little things”; continue to develop the skill of working in groups;

2) develop speech, logical and imaginative thinking, creative abilities of students;

3) to cultivate kindness, responsiveness, the ability to empathize, to instill love for all living things.

Equipment: texts of the story "Cat-thief", a blank sheet of paper, a projector, a computer, a screen.

During the classes

1. Organizational moment.

2. Checking homework.

Brief retelling of the story "Steel Ring"

3. Motivational stage.

Now we have a lesson in literary reading and we will start it with a riddle:

(slide 1, 2)

TO he is handsome and slender, long mustache and hairy.

ABOUT He loves mice, hates dogs.

T how can you guess as soon as possible who is spoken of in my riddle. (cat)

By what signs did you guess that this is a CAT? And who saw the answer in the text itself?

4. Introductory part of the lesson

This is the famous Russian writer K. G. Paustovsky.

Students' message about K.G. Paustovsky using a presentation on the screen.(slide 3 - 4)

Student. Paustovsky was born in Moscow in the family of a railway employee. The family was large and diverse, prone, as Paustovsky himself said, to art. The family sang a lot, played the piano, loved the theater. The childhood of the future writer passed in Ukraine - first in the village, then in Kyiv, where he studied at the gymnasium. From the 6th grade of the gymnasium, he already tutored. After graduating from the gymnasium, he studied at the university, first in Kiev, then in Moscow. After finishing his studies, he went to work. He changed many professions: from a tram leader and an orderly to a teacher and a journalist. The desire to know everything, to see, to travel, to be a participant in various activities resulted in Paustovsky's dream of a profession that was associated with a busy life.The dream came true in writing.

Student. (On the screen of the cover of the works of K.G. Paustovsky)(slide 5)

Another trait that led Paustovsky to writing was his love of reading. As a children's writer, Paustovsky began speaking in 1930. He was published in many periodicals for children. Although he did not consider creativity for children to be his vocation, he wrote many stories and fairy tales for them.

Paustovsky traveled a lot, visited different countries. In the prewar years, he discovered Meshchera places and the town of Tarusa, where he spent many years, creating his most famous works there. (Meshchera places on the screen, views of the city of Tarusu) (slide 6 - 7)

5. Acquaintance with the work.

1.) Vocabulary work(slide 8-9)

Despair - a state of extreme hopelessness, a feeling of hopelessness.

Kukan - a string on which they put, under the gill in the mouth, the caught fish, letting it on a leash into the water.

thickets - a frequent shrub with which some place is overgrown.

Plotitsa - small freshwater fish

Laz - a narrow hole through which you can climb.

Shivorot - behind the collar, behind the collar.

tan marks - a reddish or whitish spot on the animal's coat.

Booze - produce a strong and dull sound.

Seizure - a sudden and usually recurring acute manifestation of some disease (loss of consciousness, convulsions).

(The correct answers and images appear on the screen after the student's answer options.)

Read the story to yourself and answer the questions that appear on the screen.(Slide 10)

Children are reading.

What is this story about?

From what word did the word "thief" come from?(Slide 11)

Name the main characters of the story.

A thief is one who steals, takes someone else's without permission. Thief - so they say contemptuously about someone who commits theft.

Children can briefly retell the plot of the story. This is a story about the relationship between people and a cat.

Teacher: The story "Cat-thief" was written in these places. It is written on behalf of the narrator, a city dweller who came alone to a forest village. (On the screen - a forest village)

2.) Work in groups

Name the characters in the story.

Give each of them a brief description. (Group 1 is preparing a story about the author, group 2 is about a thief cat, group 3 is about Reuben, group 4 is about Lenka, group 5 is about a rooster and chickens.)

Author K.G. Paustovsky is a writer. His favorite pastime is fishing. He is very attentive: accurately conveys and describes everything that happens. The author is a kind person. They fed, pitied and forgave the cat.

thief cat - the main character of the story. At the beginning of the story, he is characterized as an arrogant, dirty stray cat and a bandit who has bothered everyone. At the end of the story, the cat stopped stealing and became the owner and guardian of the house and garden.

Reuben - friend of the author. They fished together. One day a cat dropped a sausage on Reuben's head. They hunted the cat together. Reuben must have been a smart, maybe insecure boy, because he was thinking all the time. For example: he thoughtfully asked: “What should we do with him?”, “... Reuben claimed that this was not very convenient ...

Additionally: Ruvim Isaevich Fraerman is a writer and friend of Paustovsky. Together with him they wandered through forests and meadows, fished, met with local residents.

Lyonka - son of a village shoemaker. He was famous for his fearlessness and agility. He was instructed to pull the cat out from under the house. Lenka was very strong and reasonable. He offered to feed the cat.

chickens were greedy. They gorged themselves on worms, lay in the sun and moaned. They stole food from their owners until the cat taught them a lesson. Rooster - a fool named "Gorlach" was the leader of the chickens. He was so frightened of the cat that he lay in a fit, rolling his eyes and moaning softly.

3.) Expressive reading with answers to questions

Students read the passage one at a time. Then those who listened to the story ask questions about this passage. Readers answer questions based on the text.

Questions can vary...

Why are people in despair?

How often did the cat steal?

What was the cat at the beginning of the story?

Why was he called the Thief?

What was the cat stealing?

Why did chickens lie in the sun and moan?

Why did the heroes swore to catch the cat and blow it up for gangster antics?

How was the cat caught? …..

6. Reflection.

1. - Today we met a cat. What's his name?(someone says that thief cat, and someone is a policeman)

In the story of K. Paustovsky, the cat has changed outwardly. What other changes have happened to the cat?(He stopped stealing and began to help people)

Who and how helped the cat in this?(Children. They fed the cat, and in gratitude he did a noble deed - he drove the chickens off the table, thereby rebirth into a "policeman" took place)

Can we say that humans have done magic?(Yes we can.)

This is another of the secrets of the transformation of the cat. Having written this story, Paustovsky K.G. wanted us, his readers, to understand one very important thing. What?(Animals must be loved, cared for, fed and not offended. A good deed can change character, not only a kind word is pleasant for a cat, but a good action in relation to stray animals: feed a hungry cat, dog (even shabby, tan, dirty ) - after all, it was a person who brought her to such a state)

2.) (slide 12)

Every bird and every beast

We need human kindness.

- How do you understand these words?

And what conclusion did you draw for yourself?(Love animals, do not leave them in trouble. Be responsible for them.)

3.) (slide 13)

1. Food and clean water should be in two separate bowls.
2. You need to have a special device at home (a board, a column) so that the cat can sharpen its claws.
3. It is necessary to comb out the coat with a special brush when the cat begins to shed.
4. It is recommended to carry a cat along the street in a special spacious cage, sitting in her arms she can get scared and run away or start scratching.
5. You need to show the cat to the vet, if she gets sick, you need to vaccinate the cat.
6. A cat needs affection and care, you need to play with it.

4.) Test game "The most attentive reader."(slide 14 - 15)

And now let's see how attentive you were while reading, let's conduct a test game "The most attentive reader."

1. The cat was:

a) gray b) white c) red

2. It was possible to establish that the cat's ear was torn:

a) 2 days later b) 1 week later c) 2 weeks later

3. The tail of the cat was:

a) fluffy b) shabby c) dirty

4. To track down the cat it took:

a) a month b) 2 months c) 2 weeks

5. The cat climbed with sausage:

a) oak b) poplar c) birch

1. The cat fell off the birch

a) like a stone b) like a soccer ball

7. Wake everyone up:

a) the sound of apples b) the moan of a cat c) the wind

8. To lure the cat, Lenka attached:

a) perch b) crucian carp c) raft

9. They gave the cat food:

a) sour cream b) fried pork c) cottage cheese

10. The cat did a “noble and unexpected” act:

a) the next morning b) the next day c) 2 days later

5.) Do you know?

1) How did a man tame a cat?

It is believed that the ancient Egyptians tamed cats like this. People grew wheat, after harvesting the stored grain attracted mice and rats, and the steppe cats came after them. The farmers understood that wild animals help them save their grain reserves, so at first they tolerated cats, and then gradually began to tame them. The relationship between people and cats became closer, and, in the end, the species became domestic. From Egypt, the cat came to other parts of the world. Sailors kept cats on ships where there were many rats and mice, and often cats escaped from a ship that had landed in a foreign harbor and settled on a new land.

2) Why do cats wash themselves so often?

The point here is not just cleanliness - cats constantly lick off not so much the dirt that has stuck to them, crumbs from food, but their own smell. This is very important for them: both domestic and wild cats are hunters. Wolves, foxes, dogs are also hunters! But hunters hunters - strife! For those who are looking for prey, it is not particularly important how much they smell, but for those who are in ambush - leopards, tigers and ordinary domestic cats - this is very important. After all, if prey senses danger in advance, you will remain hungry. Washed and washed for hours, the cat, pricking up its ears, is waiting by the mouse hole. And be sure to wait for your moment.

3) Why does a cat have long whiskers?

Mustaches, these long hairs, are simply necessary for animals. They recognize objects by touch. About the same as we humans do with our fingers. Whiskers are sensitive hairs called vibrissae. In Latin, "vibrio" means "trembling", "fluctuation". These mustaches are unusually sensitive: they touched, touched something - and the animal immediately feels: here is a branch, here is a tree, and here is grass.

Lesson summary

How does the cat appear to you at the beginning of the story and at the end of the story. They are different? Try to convey it in the picture.

Homework:prepare a story on behalf of the cat.(Slide 16)

Preview:

Thickets - a frequent shrub that has overgrown some place. Plotitsa is a small freshwater fish.

Laz - a narrow opening through which you can climb. The collar - behind the collar, behind the collar.

Burn marks - a reddish or whitish spot on the coat of an animal. Booze - produce a strong and hollow sound.

A seizure is a sudden and usually recurring acute manifestation of some disease (loss of consciousness, convulsions). Underground - a cellar under the house.

What does the word "thief" mean? Compare the words: thief, thief, thief, cunning. Who are they talking about?

Every bird and every animal needs human kindness.

Food and clean water should be in two separate bowls. You need to have a special device at home (a board, a column) so that the cat can sharpen its claws. It is necessary to comb out the coat with a special brush when the cat begins to shed. It is recommended to carry a cat along the street in a special spacious cage, sitting in her arms she can get scared and run away or start scratching. You need to show the cat to the vet, if she gets sick, you need to vaccinate the cat. A cat needs affection and care, you need to play with it.

1. The cat was: a) gray b) white c) red 2. It was possible to establish that the cat had a torn ear: a) after 2 days b) after a week c) after 2 weeks 3. The tail of the cat was: a) fluffy b ) shabby c) dirty 4. To track down the cat it took: a) a month b) 2 months c) 2 weeks 5. The cat climbed with sausage: a) on an oak b) on a poplar c) on a birch

6. The cat fell off the birch: a) like a stone b) like a soccer ball 7. He woke everyone up: a) the sound of apples b) the moan of the cat c) the wind 8. To lure the cat, Lenka attached: a) perch b) crucian c) raft 9. The cat was given to eat: a) sour cream b) fried pork c) cottage cheese 10. The cat performed a “noble and unexpected” act: a) the next morning b) a day later c) 2 days later

Homework to prepare a story on behalf of the cat.

I was surprised…. I felt sorry .. I didn’t like it ... I was delighted ... I was amazed ...

The story "The Thief Cat" was written by C.G. Paustovsky in 1935. This work is included in the collection of short stories "Summer Days".

The genre of the story was chosen by the author not by chance, because the story is a small work that describes an episode, an incident from the life of a hero. An incident from the life of a red cat is described in the work. This episode may have become decisive in the fate of the central image.

The main character of K. G. Paustovsky in the story “The Thief Cat” is a red cat, who caused a lot of trouble, but eventually became the “master and watchman” in the house and in the garden.

Why was the red cat chosen as the hero? In children's fairy tales, the cat is determined, independent and cunning, but always commanding respect. This is exactly how he is described by K. Paustovsky: “cleverly hid”, “tramp and bandit”. The color is also not chosen by chance. Since ancient times, it was believed that red cats bring happiness. Also, yellow, orange, red are the colors of the sun, fun and kindness. When reading about the antics of a red cat, an association arises with a red-haired hooligan boy. Red color acts here as a symbol of disobedience, mischief. You can also draw a parallel with another hero of fairy tales - a red fox, dexterous and mischievous.

The nickname - Thief - was given to the cat for his tricks: "he stole everything", dragged the kukan with perches, "stole a piece of liver sausage from the table." But the sound of the nickname does not carry a condemning characteristic, rather the author's attitude to the cat's antics is condescending.

The protagonist "justifies" the folk omens about the red cat only at the end of the story. What preceded such a transformation?

The story begins with a description of the actions and antics of the cat, and the author also assesses how the guys relate to everything that happens: “we fell into despair”, “we swore to catch the cat and blow it up for gangster tricks”. K. G. Paustovsky devotes about one third of the story to telling about the hooligan actions of the protagonist - this is aimed at revealing his character, and emotional tension is gradually increasing. The cat for a long time managed to accomplish his "exploits": "A week later, we finally managed to install ..", "We spent almost a month ...".

The beginning of the plot is placed in the middle of the story, when the cat steals a piece of liver sausage and climbs a birch with it. He finds himself in a hopeless situation and decides on a "desperate act": he seeks salvation under the house, although by doing so he only aggravates his situation, since "there was no way out of there."

So, the cat-thief is caught. Here is the climax of the story. It is logical to assume that the red cat will suffer some kind of punishment for his pranks. But the wise judge is the boy Lenka, who believes that the punishment of the cat will not fix (“He has such a character since childhood”) and offers a path of goodness. Why does the author decide to do this with a bully? The answer lies in the description of the cat, after he was caught: "it turned out to be a skinny, despite the constant theft, fiery red cat", "the cat was waiting, closing its eyes." Looking at him, the children come to an understanding of his actions, because no one needed the cat and behaved like that out of hopelessness and loneliness. And he did not steal because of his hooligan character, but was forced to get his own food. And if at first the reader condemns the ginger cat for his actions, but here the condemnation gives way to pity and sympathy.

The last third of the story is devoted to describing the transformation of a homeless cat into a "master and watchman." The thief appreciated the “punishment” with kindness and stopped stealing, took root in the house and “even performed a noble and unexpected deed”: taught the chickens that climbed onto the table and pecked buckwheat porridge. The kindness of the guys changed the cat's alertness and despair to trust and confidence, to friendship and understanding of its significance and usefulness. He lacked the attention, care and love of people. This part of the story is the denouement of the plot.

It should be noted that chickens at first act as accomplices in pranks, a kind of cheerful gang of boys: the cat tore open a can of worms, “he didn’t eat them, but ... chickens came running and pecked at our entire supply of worms.” After the cat took root in the house, he began to follow the rules himself and monitor discipline in the yard, in connection with which, the hens and the rooster Gorlach were now "afraid to steal" and "seeing the cat, ... hid under the house."

And if at the beginning of the work the cat appears as a cunning and impudent character, then at the end the reader sees a completely different image. This kindness, responsiveness and generosity of the boys change the main character, good always triumphs over evil!

In the story of K. Paustovsky, we see only two landscape sketches. Moreover, they are located in the text one after another. The first is a description of the house and the garden around: “the house is small”, “it stood in a deaf abandoned garden”. It is here that the red cat seeks salvation when it finds itself in a difficult situation. Parallel images are born: a lonely cat is an abandoned garden. In contrast, a second landscape appears: “fragrant tall grasses”, a lake, yellow flower pollen. This is the world around the red cat, the world is sunny and bright. This technique helps to understand the depth of the protagonist's loneliness.

In the course of the story, there are many humorous sketches and comical scenes: “a cat that has lost all conscience”, “it was no longer theft, but a robbery in broad daylight”, “the cat dropped the sausage, it fell on Reuben’s head” and many others. Probably, such a presentation, as well as the brevity of the text, was chosen by K. G. Paustovsky so that it would be interesting and easy for children to read the story and understand the main idea of ​​the work.

Gavrilova Alina, 3rd grade, MAOU gymnasium No. 12

In our family, an old collection of stories by K. G. Paustovsky has been preserved.It was published in 1994, in the city of Rostov-on-Don, by the publishing house of the Rostov University. I picked it up only when we were writing the summary for the story of the author of The Cat Thief. In class, we read an excerpt, and at home I remembered that collection.

In the title "Cat Thief" I immediately felt that this cat is not an ordinary cat. The author calls him a thief, a thief, this is a tramp cat, a bandit. He lost all conscience. He robbed, he robbed in broad daylight, he had bandit tricks. What dark colors the author thickens and brings down on this poor fellow! For what? What made a cat with wild eyes do such outrages? Dark colors gradually thickened. It was as if the tense notes of my clarinet's lower register were sounding inside me. Anxious music flowed with complex passages and transitions.

I keep my eyes on the text. Here the author draws a "portrait" of this shameless cat. Yes! Those characteristic epithets fully corresponded to his appearance: an ear was torn off, a piece of a dirty tail was cut off, he was red himself ... What situations did our “hero” get into? My clarinet is "languishing" in pain, my fingers run over the valves with heaviness, with some kind of hidden sadness and sorrow.

Feel sorry for the thief cat? Why did he come to such a life? Why does the author bring down so many unflattering epithets on the cat? Either this is the author's idea, or he pronounces these words a little, joking and laughing, but the cat-thief, indeed, constantly harmed. He stole everything: fish, meat, sour cream, bread, even dragged off a kukan with ten fatty perches and a piece of liverwurst...

Robbery, and more! The tramp antics of the cat did not give rest, and it got on everyone's nerves. And now the cat was burned and appeared, finally, in all its glory: Fiery-red, with large tan marks on the stomach, ears pressed down, tail under itself! Obviously a stray cat. Yes it is. What to do, how to live this cat? The picture is gloomy, but for some reason my clarinet "sings" a victorious melody. Among the gloomy notes of the lower register, a small ray of light and vague hope suddenly breaks through. Fingers ran more cheerfully over the valves, the notes rushed to the top in a friendly formation.

But people were thinking, wondering how to punish the cat for his tricks, And the clarinet takes everything out and out ... and does not want to agree with such a decision.

Here comes salvation: Do not tear, but feed. This is Lenka, a barefoot boy of that time, the son of a village shoemaker, the one who was famous for fearlessness and dexterity, it was Lenka who found the solution: to feed properly.

The tension on my clarinet drops completely. Now he plays the victory anthem. Plays enthusiastically, loudly, joyfully...

Feed! The cat ate for more than an hour, then began to wash, look at everyone. He stretched out by the stove and snored. So the cat got on. Now the author shows the noble act of people who, instead of punishment - "lashes", gave Thief a "carrot". They warmed the ragamuffin, sheltered him, gave him shelter. Everyone was struck by the unexpected act of this cat. He flocked to guard the yard from thieves-hens, and beat the rooster-gorlach. The cat began to feel like a master, a watchman and stopped being afraid. From Voryuga, he was renamed the Policeman. Yes, now he is the guardian of order!

I reread the story again. All events are developing rapidly. Fingers run...

Here our cat rushes through the gardens with perches in his teeth, now he is already sitting on a birch with a piece of liver sausage, now he is under the house, from where the continuous abuse of our Thief is carried. And now, finally, he turns from a vagabond and Thief into a friend, an assistant. Black colors disappear completely. His thieves' eyes are already demanding gratitude.

The author shows the rapid degeneration of a thief cat into a master and police guard. Everything ends happily: the cat did not steal anymore. And what was required for this? Feed, warm, show attention and care. K. G. Paustovsky masterfully presented this denouement to us. The story was interesting to read and reread.

Maybe great composers, reading such stories, and internally experiencing what is happening in them, like me, then created wonderful musical masterpieces that have passed through the centuries and have come down to our days.

I will be glad to meet with the stories of K. G. Paustovsky and further, in the senior classes, to evaluate his skill as I grow up and learn the author's vision of the surrounding reality.

Syrnev Mark, Grade 4, MBOU secondary school No. 197