Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67

[Introduction]
This is the story of Peter and the wolf

Each character in the tale is going to be represented by a different instrument of the orchestra

For instance, the bird will be played by the flute. (Like this.)

Here's the duck, played by the oboe

The cat by the clarinet

The bassoon will represent Grandfather

The wolf by the French horns

And Peter by the strings

The blast of the hunters' shotguns played by the kettle drums

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin

[Story]
Early one morning, Peter opened the gate and went out into the big green meadow

On a branch of a big tree sat a little bird, Peter's friend. "All
Is quiet, all is quiet" chirped the bird gaily

Yes, all is quiet

Just then, a duck came waddling round. She was glad that Peter hadn't closed the gate and decided to take a nice swim in the deep pond in the meadow

Seeing the duck, the little bird flew down upon on the grass, settled next to her, and shrugged his shoulders. "What kind of bird are you if you can't fly?" said he. To this, the duck replied: "What kind of bird are you if you can't swim?" and dived into the pond

They argued and argued, the duck swimming in the pond and the little bird hopping along the shore

Suddenly, something caught Peter's attention. It was a cat, crawling through the grass

The cat thought: "The bird is busy arguing, I'll just grab him."
Stealthily, she crept towards him on her velvet paws

"Look out!" shouted Peter and the bird immediately flew up into the tree, while the duck quacked at the cat, from the middle of the pond

The cat walked around the tree and thought, "Is it worth climbing up so high? By the time I get there, the bird will have flown away."

Just then, Grandfather came out. He was angry because Peter had gone in the meadow. "It is the dangerous place. If a wolf should come out of the forest, then what would you do?"

But Peter paid no attention to his grandfather's words. Boys like Peter aren't afraid of wolves

But Grandfather took Peter by the hand, locked the gate, and led him home

No sooner had Peter gone than a big gray wolf came out of the forest

In a twinkling, the cat climbed up into the tree

The duck quacked and in her excitement jumped out of the pond

But no matter how hard the duck tried to run, she couldn't escape the wolf. He was getting nearer, nearer, catching up with her. Then he got her and with one gulp swallowed her

And now, this is how things stood: the cat was sitting on one branch, the bird on another, not too close to the cat, and the wolf walked round and round the tree, looking at them with hungry eyes

In the meantime, Peter, without the slightest fear, stood behind the gate watching all that was going on

He ran home, got a strong rope, and climbed up the high stone wall

One of the branches of the tree, around which the wolf was walking, stretched out over the wall

Grabbing hold of the branch, Peter lightly climbed over on to the tree

Peter said to the bird: "Fly down and circle over the wolf's head. Only take care that he doesn't catch you."

The bird almost touched the wolf's head with his wings, while the wolf snapped angrily at him, this side and that

How that bird teased the wolf! And how the wolf wanted to catch him! But the bird was clever, and the wolf simply couldn't do anything about it

Meanwhile, Peter made a lasso and carefully letting it down and down and down, caught the wolf by the tail, and pulled with all his might

Feeling himself caught, the wolf began to jump wildly, trying to get loose

But Peter tied the other end of the rope to the tree, and the wolf's jumping only made the rope round his tail tighter

Just then, the hunters came out of the woods, following the wolf's trail and shooting as they went

But Peter, sitting in the tree, said: "Don't shoot! Birdie and I have already caught the wolf. Now, help us take him to the zoo."

Now just imagine, just imagine the triumphant procession. Peter at the head. After him, the hunters leading the wolf. And winding up the whole procession, Grandfather and the cat

Grandfather shook his head discontentedly. "Well, if Peter hadn't caught the wolf? What then?"

Above them flew Birdie chirping merrily. "My, what brave fellows we are, Peter and I! Look what we have caught!"

And if one would listen very carefully, he would hear the duck quacking inside the wolf, because the wolf, in his hurry, had swallowed her alive