Peter and the Wolf

Story Summary

Sergei Prokofiev wrote the story and composed the music for Peter and the Wolf in 1936. It was written in two weeks for a children's theatre in Moscow. He wrote the music as a child's introduction to the orchestra with each character being represented by an instrument or group of instruments. Peter and the Wolf was an immediate success and continues to be enjoyed today by children all over the world.

 

Beginning

The story is about a boy named Peter who lives with his grandfather. Grandfather does not want Peter going out of their garden because there are wolves around. One day Peter goes out the garden gate and sees a duck swimming in a nearby pond. The duck is arguing with a little bird. Peter sees a cat approaching and warns the little bird who flies up into a tree.

Middle

Just then, Peter's grandfather comes outside and scolds Peter for going out of the garden. They go back into the garden and Grandfather locks the gate. Soon a wolf does appear from the woods. The cat climbs a tree to escape the wolf, but the duck is swallowed by the hungry wolf. Peter gets a rope and climbs over the garden wall into a tree. The bird distracts the wolf by flying over his head while Peter lowers a noose and catches the wolf by his tail.

End

Hunters then come out of the woods and fire at the wolf but Peter stops them. They all bring the wolf to the zoo and at the end, the duck can be heard quacking in the wolf's stomach.

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