• For kids
• Russia
• Fairy tales
• Prose

Early in the morning Buratino counted the money - there were as many gold coins as there were fingers on his hand - five.

Clutching the gold coins in his fist, he skipped home and chanted:

I’ll buy dad Carlo a new jacket, I’ll buy a lot of poppy triangles and lollipop roosters.

When the booth of the puppet theater and the waving flags disappeared from his eyes, he saw two beggars sadly wandering along the dusty road: the fox Alice, hobbling on three legs, and the blind cat Basilio.

This was not the same cat that Pinocchio met yesterday on the street, but another one - also Basilio and also tabby. Pinocchio wanted to pass by, but Alice the fox said to him touchingly:

Hello, dear Pinocchio! Where are you going in such a hurry?

Home to dad Carlo.

Lisa sighed even more tenderly:

I don’t know if you’ll find poor Carlo alive, he’s very ill from hunger and cold...

Have you seen this?

Buratino unclenched his fist and showed five gold pieces.

Seeing the money, the fox involuntarily reached out to it with his paw, and the cat suddenly opened his blind eyes wide, and they sparkled like two green lanterns.

But Buratino did not notice any of this.

Dear, pretty Pinocchio, what will you do with this money?

I'll buy a jacket for Carlo's dad... I'll buy a new alphabet...

ABC, oh, oh! - said Alice the fox, shaking her head.

This teaching will not bring you any good... So I studied, studied, and - look - I walk on three legs.

ABC! - Basilio the cat grumbled and snorted angrily into his mustache.

Through this damned teaching I lost my eyes...

An elderly crow was sitting on a dry branch near the road. She listened and listened and croaked:

They're lying, they're lying!..

Basilio the cat immediately jumped high, knocked the crow off the branch with his paw, tore off half of its tail - as soon as it flew away. And again he pretended to be blind.

Why are you doing this to her, Basilio the cat? - Buratino asked in surprise.

“The eyes are blind,” the cat answered, “it seemed like a little dog in a tree...

The three of them walked along the dusty road. Lisa said:

Smart, prudent Pinocchio, would you like to have ten times more money?

Of course I want! How is this done?

As easy as pie. Go with us.

To the Land of Fools.

Pinocchio thought for a moment.

No, I think I’ll go home now.

Please, we don’t pull you by the rope,” said the fox, “so much the worse for you.”

“So much the worse for you,” the cat grumbled.

“You are your own enemy,” said the fox.

“You are your own enemy,” the cat grumbled.

Otherwise your five gold pieces would turn into a lot of money...

Pinocchio stopped, opened his mouth...

The fox sat on its tail and licked its lips:

I'll explain it to you now. In the Country of Fools there is a magical field called the Field of Miracles... In this field, dig a hole, say three times: “Cracks, fex, pex”, put gold in the hole, cover it with earth, sprinkle salt on top, fill it well and go to sleep. The next morning a small tree will grow from the hole, and gold coins will hang on it instead of leaves. It's clear?

Scenario of the New Year's performance
The incredible adventures of the cat Basilio and the fox Alice

Characters
Father Frost
Snow Maiden
Fox Alice
Cat Basilio
Karabas-Barabas.

Exit of the cat and fox. The fox runs out, followed by the cat. The cat is trying to catch up with the fox.

Alice, stop! Stop, I'm telling you! But wait, I’m warning you for the last time, otherwise...

Basilio swings a stick at the fox, then stops, looking around.

Alice, look, it seems we went to the wrong tavern.

Oh, what a difference! This one, not that one. “Everywhere you can ask for a crust of bread,” the fox said mournfully, continuing to move slowly.

Yes, there is a real holiday here, the children are dressed up and beautiful, the tree is all sparkling with decorations, I think there is something to profit from here, but wait, in the end, as long as I can tell you, stop, lame!

What, blind? Well, just think it's a holiday! Every year is New Year! We are complete strangers here!

Alice, I think there’s room for us here too, look how big the hall is, let’s at least have some fun, but stop!

No, Basilio. “Don’t stop me,” Alice says pitifully and stops. - Well, is this life? You walk and beg all day long, and everyone tries to grab you by the tail. No, Basilio, I'm going to the theater.

To the theatre?! – Basilio almost lost his glasses from surprise. - Yes, you're crazy. What kind of actress are you?! Ha ha ha. You'll scare away all the spectators!

Will I scare away the audience??? – now the fox is surprised. - Eh, you pathetic mangy cat, with my beauty and talent I will become a real star! I will be a great actress! Imagine: Alice is an actress! Tremble, Hollywood! Alice is coming! – Alice raises her hands to the sky and freezes in a majestic pose.

Ha-ha-ha,” Basilio clutched his stomach with laughter, “Alice is a star, the fox really ate something wrong,” he turns to the guys: “Well, what kind of an actress is she, right, guys?”

The children answer.

Alice stomps her feet:

Actress, actress, actress!

Oh, I can’t, hold me, I’m about to burst from laughter! - the cat laughs.

Basilio,” the fox addresses the cat, “your mind lives separately from you. You will never part with your stick. I feel sorry for you.

Why? – the cat immediately became serious.

That's why! – the fox said mysteriously and importantly. - At Karabas-Barabas, all the actors fled from the theater. Now he was left completely alone.

So what? - asked the cat.

Basilio! This is a chance, you know!

The fox walks around the cat, shakes off specks of dust from his shoulders, smoothes his fur, straightens his outfit and coat.

My poor friend, it’s not every day that you get the opportunity to make your mark...

In people? - the cat is amazed.

Yes Yes. And become famous,” switches to a pitiful tone. - And there is enough to eat. You, my hungry friend, want to eat?

I really want to,” admitted Basilio.

Then let's go to Karabas - Barabas and ask to work as actors in his theater!

Work? – Basilio was indignant. - Yes, I’ve never worked in my life, what else!

Basilio, not to work, but to kind of work, you know? We will play in the theater!

No, I don't understand.

You know, Basilio, do as you wish, but I’ll go to the theater, I want to shine on stage! I want to be a star!

The fox proudly turns away from the cat and leaves, the cat limping behind her.

Alice, Alice! Wait, I'm with you. To the theater so to the theater.

Exit Karabas - Barabas.
Song of Karabas - Barabas:

I invite you to a holiday,
There will be a lot of things to do there.
I love my actors
As if they were their own children.

Ah, it's just pure pleasure
Oh, this is just a sight for sore eyes,
Oh, this is just delicious.
Both the old and the young,
Because I do good
Drive away the golden bucks
And don't forget the silver.
We'll show you a show
Oh, this is just a sight for sore eyes...

This is where the song ends.

The fox approaches Karabas - Barabas.

Yes, there’s nothing to say, a sight for sore eyes! No one to look at! Director without actors! What performance will we show? Karabas - Barabas or Barabas - Karabas?

Oh, fox, don’t make me angry, otherwise I’ll make a collar out of you. Leave on good terms and in good health!

Addresses the hall:

Dear children, girls and boys! I'm the most famous
The greatest director in the world, I’m more famous than Mikhalkov himself! All the greatest actors have ever played in my theater. But yesterday the unexpected happened, my artists ate too much cakes, sweets, ice cream, chocolate and got sick. They were admitted to the hospital. And now there is no one to play in my theater,” Karabas throws up his hands, lamenting. Then he continues: “Aren’t there future great talents among you, friends?”

I! – the fox took a step forward. Karabas doesn’t notice her:

Come on, show me what you are capable of?

I can sing. What a blue sky... - Alice sang.

Karabas showed Alice his big fist.

“And I can dance,” the Cat imitated something like Pa, “and sing too.” “Paw-ta-ba-di-doo-doo-give…” the cat trotted around Karabas.

Karabas swung at Basilio: “FIGHT!”

What can you guys do?

Guys' numbers.

Well done! I take everyone to my theater! Let's go sign the contract.

And us, Karabas - Barabas? We are talented, we are very talented,” the cat and the fox began to beg in unison.

You? – Barabas is surprised, “here’s more!” This shouldn't happen.
“And we know the secret of the golden key,” the Fox said proudly in response.

What? What secret?

The rich Pinocchio told us about it,” confirmed Basilio.

Pinocchio? Where is this nasty boy? Just let me get it! I'll make a big fire out of it! - Karabas-Barabas menacingly shook his mighty fists in the air and stamped his feet heavily, and then, changing his anger to mercy, turned to Basilio and Alice: - And what secret did Pinocchio, dear cat and fox, tell you?

Will you take us to your theater? - Alice asked in response.

Okay, I’ll take it,” Barabas agreed, “just tell me the secret!” I’ve been trying to figure it out for many years now, I can’t sleep at night, I’ve lost all the weight.
A? What secret?

The fox and the cat walked around Karabas, trying to rob him, looking into his pockets.

Will you give me five gold coins? – the fox asked.

Barabas got angry.

Is it not enough for you that I took you to my theater?
“Okay, okay, don’t worry so much,” Alice reassured the theater director. – You see, every New Year the real wizard Santa Claus comes to the children, he has a bag in which he hides his gifts. This bag is not simple, you just have to make a wish, put your head in the bag and say “Cribble, crabble, boom” three times, and any wish will immediately come true.

Any? - Karabas - Barabas was surprised.

Yes, any. And in this bag, Santa Claus carries a real golden key, with which he opens all doors. Pinocchio said that the golden key fits all the doors in the world, and it is made of pure gold.

Gold? – the theater director said dreamily.

Well, will you give me some gold? - asked the cat and the fox.

Barabas threw a handful of coins.

Take it, take it, I don’t mind. Where can I find this Santa Claus?

Santa Claus? – the fox laughed. - There is no need to look for him. He comes to visit himself, you just need to invite him.

Here is the dance of the cat and the fox, the division of money “Lap-ta-ba-di-doo-doo-give... The sky is blue, we are not supporters of robbery, you don’t need a knife to kill a fool, you’ll lie to him like crazy, and do with him what you want.” you want."

Karabas - At this time, Barabas walks around the hall and asks the guys where Santa Claus is, what he looks like, what he is wearing. Then he turns to the fox and the cat.

Alice, Basilio, help me call Santa Claus, otherwise I called him and called him, but he never came.

“So you called in the wrong place,” the fox said judiciously. - You need to go to the land of fools, there is also such a field there, it’s called “Field of Miracles”, and shout loudly: “Santa Claus, Santa Claus”! Clear?

“It’s clear now,” the director nodded with his beard.

Well, then go and call,” suggested Basilio. “Otherwise he definitely won’t come without you.”

Karabas - Barabas leaves.

The fox and the cat invite the children to call Santa Claus.

Well, guys, let's call Santa Claus together!

Father Frost! Father Frost! Father Frost!

Snowstorm. The appearance of Santa Claus.

Oh, it's getting cold! “My teeth are already chattering,” the cat muttered trembling.
- True, real Frost, let's go, my poor friend, let's warm up in the tavern, oh, it's freezing cold!
- Alice, look, what a miracle!
- What? Where?
- Yes, there you go! It seems that our theater director has found an actress in the field of miracles. Let's go have a look?
- Competitors? This is interesting... Let's go, let's go!

The fox and the cat leave.

Santa Claus comes out into the middle of the hall.

Everything was covered with snow,
Both trees and houses.
It started to swirl, it started to purr...
Hello, winter winter!
I am a very kind wizard,
And my name is Frost,
I'm from the cold Arctic
He brought joy to everyone.
Covered the field with carpets,
He decorated the forest with fur coats,
And with me there’s a sea of ​​gifts,
And a big bag of miracles.
Who tried, who studied,
Who got straight A's?
Who wasn't lazy to work?
Did you help your mother at home?
He was obedient and diligent,
Friendly with mathematics
I won’t hide it, of course.
He deserved the gift.
If he was a little lazy,
I will conquer slightly
And to the one who apologized,
I'll give you a gift.
Were you expecting me today?
I was in a hurry to come to you for the holiday.
But one thing saddens me,
Where is my Snow Maiden?
She got away from the sleigh,
Maybe the granddaughter got lost?
We will find the Snow Maiden,
If we call in chorus.
He will hear us and come,
Our Christmas tree will be lit.

Together together:

Snow Maiden! Snow Maiden!

The fox comes out dressed as the Snow Maiden.

Hello, Grandfather Frost, did you bring me a gift?

Santa Claus looks at his granddaughter in surprise.

Brought it, granddaughter. Have I ever left you without a gift?

The fox whimpered, wiped her tears and complained:

Yes, grandpa, you always forgot about me. He didn’t give gifts, he lost them in the forest. Oh, poor, unhappy me! Nobody needs me!

Granddaughter, what’s wrong with you! My beauty! I love you, and the children love you, not a single holiday passes without you!

Is it true? Then I want a gift... A real one!

So what do you want?

I want to be an actress, and so that Karabas - Barabas would be on my errands!

Santa Claus was surprised.

I don't understand anything. Granddaughter, are you sick? Why do you need to be an actress, and why do you need this old and evil Karabas - Barabas?

This is my dream! Since childhood, grandfather! Well, come on, you promise, keep it!

Santa Claus is in a misunderstanding.

I don’t understand something, I don’t recognize my granddaughter.
Apparently I have become very old and have fallen behind in life.
I've walked almost halfway around the world, granddaughter, is that you???

The granddaughter unbuttons her fur coat, she is hot, she waves the palm of her hand towards herself, like a fan, puffing, the fox’s clothes are visible under her fur coat.

Children make noise:
- It's a fox, it's a fox!

Oh, fox? – Santa Claus got angry. - Where are you going with my granddaughter? Come on, bring her back!

Calm down, grandpa, don’t worry, do you want some valerian? Nothing happened to your granddaughter. On the field of miracles, she takes an acting exam to the theater director. It will be any minute.
Guys, call the Snow Maiden so that she can hurry up and come quickly!

Fox runs away:

Well, I have to go! A new life awaits me! Bye guys!

Children together:

Snow Maiden, Snow Maiden!

Winter music sounds, a loss, the appearance of the Snow Maiden.

Oh, granddaughter! Where have you been? – Santa Claus walks towards his granddaughter, hugging her.

Grandfather, what a blessing that I found you! I was already starting to worry, I called you, I looked for you. Covered half the earth.

Are you all right? Has anyone offended you?

It's okay, grandpa. Can you imagine, Karabas met me on the way - Barabas and invited me to his theater, promised all the main roles (one might add - and promised to get married).

What? What an old rascal! Just let it catch my eye! I'll freeze his beard to a lamppost! I'll show him, this Barabas! - Santa Claus shook his fists in the air!

Grandpa, don't worry! – the Snow Maiden laughed. – Karabas – Barabas has already frozen his beard on the field of miracles, now the fox Alice and the cat Basilio are trying to saw through his beard with a saw in order to rescue the theater director. Lisa, you see, wanted to become an actress. And Basilio is not a step away from her.

Oh, granddaughter, my clever girl. The guys and I have already been waiting for you. Well, guys, I brought you a whole cart of gifts. What can you do to amuse the old man?
- Grandfather, I’ll go get the reindeer for now and bring them to the porch, otherwise you brought a lot of gifts, it’s impossible to carry them all at once, I’ll help you.

Okay, granddaughter, go!

Guys' numbers.

The appearance of a fox and a cat. They also show their numbers to Santa Claus so that he receives gifts. And then they steal the bag and try to take it out of the hall.

The children are noisy.

Santa Claus saw that his bag had been stolen and chased after the thieves:

Well, wait, return the bag... (at this time the cat and the fox continue to run) Otherwise I’ll freeze you!

The cat and the fox froze. Santa Claus takes away the bag. He asks the guys:

What are we guys going to do with them? Should we defrost it or leave it like that?
I think they are already scared, they will know how to joke with Grandfather Frost.

Santa Claus defrosts a cat and a fox.
They apologize to him and ask for forgiveness.

Santa Claus tells them to ask the guys for forgiveness.

The cat and the fox address the guys:

Guys, forgive us, we won't do this again.

Lisa says to the guys:

Yes, guys, Basilio won’t do this again,” and strokes the cat’s fur, “right, Basilio?” You'll never get caught again, will you?

Shall we forgive the cat and the fox?

Santa Claus releases Alice and Basilio. They leave and say goodbye to the guys.

Santa Claus says:

Why isn’t our Christmas tree on fire? Let's all ask our Christmas tree to light up. One, two, three, the Christmas tree is on fire!
One, two, three, the Christmas tree is on fire!
And now for the New Year, we will dance a round dance!

Round dance around the Christmas tree.
New Year's song.

Santa Claus addresses the children:

Well done guys, you dance well, and my granddaughter Snegurochka and I also want to dance near your Christmas tree. Oh, well, granddaughter, let’s rock it! Let's dance to our beloved!

Dance of Father Frost and Snow Maiden.

Santa Claus is out of breath, he is hot, he offers to play the game "I'll Freeze"

I'm hot, guys. Let's play the winteriest game, do you know which one? That's right - I'll freeze it!

Game with Santa Claus.

Father Frost and Snow Maiden say goodbye to the children.

Father Frost:
- It’s good for you, it’s fun, but we have to go, distant lands await us. Goodbye, guys? Happy New Year! Happy new year friends!

Snow Maiden:

Happy New Year, guys!

They are getting ready to leave, saying goodbye, the Snow Maiden suddenly remembers:

Grandfather, have you forgotten about the gifts?

Oh, I’ve become quite old, I forgot, I forgot, my granddaughter! Let's help Grandpa give these magical gifts to the guys!

Distribution of gifts.

New Year smells like a miracle
New Year smells like fairy tales.
Snow is magical everywhere
Above my sled.

All human desires

And the love between us -
Endless creativity.

New Year is no coincidence
Meets at exactly midnight.
Again with hope the mystery
Pursues his dream.

All human desires
In the New Year, like prophecies,
And the love between us -
Endless creativity.

From winter to summer,
From colds to fatigue
Our feelings are warmed
Waiting for joy.

All human desires
In the New Year, like prophecies.
And the love between us -
Endless creativity.

The string of negative heroes of Russian fairy tales is full of various characters, whose appearance and inner world amaze young readers. Basilio the Cat is a memorable character in the fairy tale “The Golden Key, or the Adventures of Pinocchio.” Cats are symbolic characters often found in fantasy stories. It is possible that in Tolstoy’s work this image appeared as a tribute to the traditional foundations of storytelling.

History of creation

Conceiving a fairy tale about the adventures of a wooden boy, Tolstoy was guided by the leitmotifs of the work of Carlo Collodi, who told the world the story. The story of a boy planed from a log has been familiar to Europeans since the 1870s. In Russia they learned about him thanks to Alexei Tolstoy. In 1923, the writer began working on the fairy tale, but completed it only 11 years later. During this time, the author's imagination created new heroes. The leitmotifs of the work have been finalized. It acquired the unique charm of a good fairy tale with a happy ending.

In the process of work, Tolstoy was guided by associations with Italian commedia dell'arte, folklore foundations and literary works of his brothers. A fan of the romantic movement in literature, he created a work reminiscent of Italian fiabs and fairy tales of German romantics.

The book was published in 1936. It was a great success and to this day delights children and parents looking for interesting literary material for educational and educational purposes. Each character in a fairy tale helps to convey to young readers moral values, rules of behavior and helps to form positive character traits.

Basilio the cat is a minor character, but his originality and originality are difficult to overestimate. It is easy to assume that the name Basilio is an analogue of Vaska in the Italian style. Without further ado with the cat's name, Tolstoy changed the most common name for a pet in Russia.

The writer gave this name to the hero, who appears in the guise of a rogue and swindler. The character was borrowed by the author from Collodi’s fairy tale, but presented in a softened image. The Italian writer's cat is aggressive, easily knocking a bird out of a tree and killing it. Tolstoy's soft, roguish cat is more of an allusion to an authentic hero.

Fox and Cat from the fairy tale "Pinocchio"

In the scene with the seizure of the gold, Collodi's characters are ready to stab Pinocchio, and in Alexei Tolstoy they leave him, leaving him alone. Collodi's bloodthirsty tale described an evil cat in a demonic light. He was actually the personification of evil in the story, which chose the innocent victim in Pinocchio. The domestic author offered the public a peaceful interpretation, capable of instructing and amusing.

Image and plot

In the tale of adventure, the cat Basilio, as well as, and, acts as the personification of evil, albeit in a humorous form. Tolstoy ridicules representatives of the negative side to the point that the description of their appearance seems caricatured. Blind Basilio doesn't look like a villain at all, but his fraudulent schemes help readers understand whose side he's on.

The striped beast with bright green eyes in the book, unlike the film, did not wear glasses. It is curious that the eyes of positive characters are rarely described in works. Readers are little informed about the gaze or, but in Tolstoy’s story this nuance turns out to be important and reminds of the nature of Basilio’s origin.

It evokes sympathy, interest and curiosity, rather than irritation and negative emotions. By luring five gold coins out of Pinocchio, the cat himself gets into trouble, causing a feeling of tenderness and compassion. He is not as dexterous as his partner the fox, and looks funny because of his stupidity and laziness. Basilio is old and tired.

Cheating has become less of a conscious choice and more of a necessity in order to survive. The greedy cat seems to collect all the negative traits within itself and does not have good feelings for anyone around him. It is unlikely that he would have found peace near a warm fire in the house. The romance of a vagabond life is sweet to Basilio.

The cat Basilio and the fox Alice stand in the way of Pinocchio at the beginning of the story and are his companions as events develop. This bright couple has extraordinary characters and attracts attention with their appearance. The heroes in the form of beggars wander along a dusty road, Alice calls out to Pinocchio - this is how the characters begin to meet each other.

A naive boy talks about five gold coins that he keeps. Basilio and Alice decide to lure them out and tell them about the fictional Land of Fools, where in the magical Field of Miracles you can plant money and grow a tree from it.

Basilio, together with Alice, promised Pinocchio an unheard-of benefit, and in the night the boy was attacked by robbers who looked suspiciously like him and the fox. The wooden boy hides gold coins in his mouth. To get them, crooks hang the doll upside down on a tree. Pinocchio hangs on it until he arrives. The next meeting with the fox and the cat will take place in a dark closet.

Tolstoy described two cats in the fairy tale “The Golden Key, or the Adventures of Pinocchio” and twice organized a meeting with them for the main character. For the first time, Pinocchio saw the animal on the way to school, but decided not to get acquainted with it. The second promenade became more significant for the hero.

In 1975, Soviet television showed a film produced by the Belarusfilm television studio called “The Adventures of Pinocchio.” The film's characters were a success with the audience and are still associated with Tolstoy's book characters.

The actors who played the roles of Alice and Basilio in the film were a married couple. and not without difficulty coexisted on the set. A recognized master, Bykov often allowed himself to criticize his wife’s work in front of everyone. It was not easy for Sanayeva to listen to her husband’s lectures, because at the time of filming she was an accomplished actress.

Quotes

Phrases from the book and film about the boy created by dad Carlo were analyzed into quotes. The authors did not put aphorisms into Basilio’s mouth, but every replica of the hero is comical and emphasizes his character traits.

A boorish character threatens the heroes:

“I’ll grab you in the face right now!”, although he himself is a coward.

Realizing that he is not always able to stand up for himself, he intimidates more and more and looks even more comical, shouting to the fox:

“Yes, I’ll tear you to shreds, to pieces, to rags!”

The song “As long as fools live in the world,” sung by Alice the fox and Basilio the cat when they divide money, has become an anthem for funny situations and anecdotes about narrow-minded simpletons.

Who said supporting actors don't contribute to the plot? Who said that the secondary is invisible? Who can say that the background is not important? If such thoughts are present, then you can once again watch your favorite film about Pinocchio from childhood and objectively evaluate what a rogue and talented cat Basilio is, and what a cheat the fox Alice is. And what an incomparable tandem they represent! There are no equal Soviet actors. This opinion is shared by everyone who has ever seen “The Adventures of Pinocchio” with Rolan Bykov and Elena Sanaeva in supporting roles, who gave their all on the set so much that the viewer perceived them only as a cat and a fox - even without masks and without “real animal” makeup.

Hey scammers!

According to the plot of A. Tolstoy's fairy tale, the cat Basilio and the fox Alice appear almost at the beginning of the story and accompany stupid Pinocchio until the happiest ending, demonstrating that it is not how stupid the wooden boy is, but greed and meanness are much worse than stupidity.

The cat with a magnificent foreign nickname turns out to be the most typical Vaska - cunning and very greedy for both money and food. Knowing the weaknesses of her accomplice, Alice twists them as she pleases, and the cat willingly obeys the fox and follows all her instructions - in this fraudulent duo the leader is clearly visible. And it's not a cat.

And yet they are quite cute, these ragamuffins, always trying to make dishonest money, steal, deceive. Perhaps because their roles were super-talentedly played by their favorite actors... Perhaps because even swindlers in children's fairy tales are quite cute creatures.

Married couple

Did you know that in real life the cat Basilio and the fox Alice were married? Rolan Bykov and Elena Sanaeva are one family, one whole, one aspiration, one love for art.

And one headache for two. This is when on the set, the good-natured cat Basilio, snacking on milk with a chicken leg, suddenly became seriously angry, noticing that his wife was not acting out the episode properly.

“You are not an actress, but a mediocre actress,” Bykov could not restrain himself in front of the entire film crew. For the completely self-sufficient Sanaeva, this was not just an insult - a trampling of her undoubted talent into the mud. In front of everyone!

No one knows how “the fox and the cat Basilio” reconciled later, but the following episodes went without a hitch - the acting was perfect.

“Lap-tobu-dibu-doo-give”!

A popular, timeless and relevant song deserves a separate discussion, with which Alice and the cat Basilio conquered even the seasoned tavern owner, who knows how to put noodles on the ears of visitors.

These scammers... they know everything about ordinary people and are great at playing on their emotions and habits. You can fool a greedy, a fool and a braggart - so it was and will be. And as long as bad traits are alive in a person, not a single fraudster will be left without work and without income.

The first (original) performance of the funny-realistic song was from Bykov-Sanaeva. The acting couple did not just sing the words set to the melody, they lived every line and every note. And although the work is far from tragic and not romantic, a lot of feelings were invested in it.

Just look at the episode in which the cat Basilio sings and purrs, never ceasing to lap up milk from a huge bottle, repeating like a mantra: “Dibu-give-give-give,” with the emphasis on “give.”

What were they like when they were young?

What if you fantasize a little and imagine the cat and the fox as young and inexperienced? What could make them pretend to be lame and blind? Where and under what circumstances did they meet and when did they begin to engage in criminal activities?

And wouldn’t the cat Basilio sit quietly and peacefully at home, on his master’s lap, sometimes going down to the bowl? And wouldn’t Alice the fox live in her hole in the forest? But the desire to have fun and make easy money haunts even fairy-tale characters.

Viewers of “The Adventures of Buratino” (Belarusfilm studio, 1975) remember these heroes as already experienced swindlers, rather tattered and “worn out”. What could they have been like at the beginning of their careers?

A young stray cat, too lazy to catch mice, decides to do something simple that brings a stable daily income in the form of a glass of sour cream. The young charlatan fox, who has come to the city in search of easy prey, is not averse to ordering someone around. The couple sang.

The cat does not yet wear his “signature” plaque on his chest with the inscription “Blind”, and the fox’s fur is not yet worn out, but very shiny and attractive. And this is what unlucky life has turned these two handsome men into - mean-spirited, boorish, homeless individuals who do not take care of themselves.

But here’s the paradox - they like this way of life, and all generations of viewers really like them, despite the fact that they are negative heroes.

Without them the film would be bland

Who would have come up with the Field of Miracles in an ordinary landfill, if not for the subtle fantasy of a fox? Who would show Kakrabas-Barabas the huge jug - Buratino’s place of residence? Who, after all, would have deprived the Doctor of Puppet Science of his notorious beard if not for this couple?

Basilio the cat and Alice the fox do nothing selflessly. They don’t care who they deceive and from whom they “rip off” gold - they can easily give a damn about their yesterday’s benefactor if he suddenly becomes impoverished, and go over to the side of the enemy if he is solvent.

The disgusting qualities of the pair of swindlers were nevertheless managed to be played up, softened, and introduced into the comic series by the brilliant Sanaeva and Bykov. Without them, the film wouldn't be as great. Their images turned out to be so vivid and memorable that many children associate the fairy tale about Pinocchio first with “the cat and the fox”, and only then with the boy in the cap.