The Fool and the Flying Ship

by Eric Metaxas, Henrik Drescher (Illustrator)

A hilarious Russian folktale featuring a country bumpkin

Long ago in Russia, a proclamation went out through all the land that the man who could build a flying ship would win the hand of the Tsar's daughter. But when a goofy peasant and his oddball crew of superhuman "moujiks" show up at court to claim her, the dumbfounded Tsar sets them three impossible tasks -- or so he thinks Award-winning illustrator Henrik Drescher has created brilliant illustrations for this far-fetched Russian.

Genres: Picture Books, Audiobook, Childrens

36 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

In a decidedly eclectic career, Eric Metaxas has written for VeggieTales, Chuck Colson, Rabbit Ears Productions and the New York Times, four things not ordinarily in the same sentence. He is a best-selling author whose biographies, children’s books, and works of popular apologetics have been translated into more than 25 languages.

Reviews

[Amina (ⴰⵎⵉⵏⴰ) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not an extraordinary tale, the third star is for "Robin Williams" for the brilliant narration!

[Ronyell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog

Rabbit Ears have created a wonderful series called We All Have Tales. The series had released a number of wonderful stories from around the world, but The Fool and the Flying Ship remained as my all-time favorite Rabbit Ears story. This story is based on Arthur Ransome's classic Russian folktale, "The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship." Of course, this version is funnier and more modern than the original Russian tale, thanks to the Russian voice talents of Robin Williams.

This is my most favorite story from the Rabbit Ears series because it is extremely funny, witty, and entertaining at the same time. Eric Metaxas's writing is full of wit and humor and jokes that will have anyone laughing for a long time. My favorite part of the dialogue from this story was when the servant told the Tsar that there were peasants at the palace, but the Tsar thought that the servant was talking about pheasants. Robin Williams provided the voices for all the characters in the story in different Russian accents for each character, providing comedy relief from all characters. Also, I love the way how Henrik Drescher, the illustrator of this story, draws his characters with long and stringy limbs and weird attachments on their bodies, such as the Runner’s antlers on his head and the Sharpshooter’s popped out eyes.
The Klezmer Conservatory Band's wacky European music is full of jazz and folk-like music that gives The Fool and the Flying Ship a very wacky and over-the-top feel to the story.

Parents should know that The Fool and the Flying Ship may be aimed at older kids and adults because the jokes in this story may not get through the younger audience. Some of the jokes, such as the one where the Sharpshooter talks about putting the flea, who had a bad cold, out of his misery and the Fool replies that it is the flea's wife's snoring that causes the flea to have a bad cold. The Sharpshooter than replies that the Flea's wife is who he is aiming at. Many children may not get that the Sharpshooter is going to shoot the flea's wife, although this joke is done very delicately and the Sharpshooter is never seen shooting the flea’s wife.

I think this story is going to be a favorite among both the adult audience and the younger audience for all time because of the story's good humor and creative characters.

Does anyone notice that the Fool and Pinocchio almost look the same?

[cEe beE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robin Williams does a hilarious narration of this book!

[Hannah Holthaus · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a fool who wanted to win the king's daughter's hand in marriage. The only requirement was for the man to come to the palace in a flying ship. The king thought that this was an impossible task and that she would end up marrying a friend that worked in the palace as he had promised. As the fool went on his journey, he encountered many people - a runner, an eater, an animal that could shoot miles and miles away. When the fool and his friends arrived at the palace, the king was very surprised to see a flying ship. The king wanted his friend to marry his daughter, so he came up with impossible tasks for the fool to complete. The fool and his friends were able to complete the tasks, and the fool married the princess. This book was okay but it would definitely be for older grades. There was some humor and the story was kind of long for younger students to pay attention to the entire time.

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This twentieth century update to the traditional Russian folktale “The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship” is brilliantly told by actor and comedian Robin Williams in a Yiddish accented English, with a few ad-libs by Williams added to Mataxas’s text, and accompanied by spritely music provided by the Klezmer Conservatory Band. It is a laugh out loud tall tale of the unlikely success of a not-so-bright and naïve young peasant who wins the hand of the Tzar’s daughter with a little help from his friends.

[Cindi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have not actually devoted my attention to this production, but I have been in the room twice when my kids were listening to it. Robin Williams does a great job with the voices and the pictures are really odd and funny. This is different from "The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship" by Arthur Ransome AND as Robin Williams reads, he adds in little extras. The music sets the tone for the story.

[Jasmine Stocker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a unique traditional literature book that I had not heard of before but I'm happy I came across it and read it. This book is filled with hilarious comments and witty humor. I would suggest this book for an older audience because of some of the jokes but younger audiences would enjoy the silliness as well. The illustrations in this book are very interesting and almost scary, which is another reason why I would suggest it for older audiences, but very brilliantly colored and descriptive.

[Kiersten Koch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fairytale is the story of 3 brothers, and the Tsar of Russia proclaiming that whoever can build a flying ship will win the hand of his daughter, the princess. The one boy, who was considered the fool, found an old man who gave him food until the fool fell asleep. Once the fool awoke he was on a flying ship, and while he flew collected other creatures who he thought would be fit to attend the wedding with the princess. Once arriving, the Tsar did not want the peasant to marry his daughter. The Tsar set out tasks for the peasant to complete, and with the help of his friends was able to do so. This book would be good for children to show that friends are important and it does not matter who they are, as everyone has their own strengths to make them helpful.

[Alex]

This is a story of a fool who does whatever it takes to get to marry the princess, along with the help of some people he picked up in his way to the castle.

[Sierra Dirksen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has great illustrations, however I did not like the story. The Fool sets of to try and marry the Tsar's daughter, but is told he needs to have a flying machine. Along the way he picks up othe misfits and takes them with. Once he gets there neither the Tsar or the princess like him, but instead of saying go away they give him impossible tasks to complete. However, he completes them all. He then marries the princess. I do not like how they kept leading the fool on and how the princess had no choice.

[Ashley B. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a tale to tell. It was about a boy who was trying to win the hand of the King's daughter. He had to find a flying ship and then complete 3 tasks. The boy managed to complete all the requirements and was married to the daughter. I didn't like this story because I wasn't interested in the plot, I felt it drug on a little bit. I didn't like how the daughter wasn't given an option. I also wasn't a fan of the pictures. The pictures were a big turn off for me.

[Megan Gavin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was definitely unique. This book is about a young boy who sets off to build a flying ship in order to marry the Tsar's daughter. Along the way, he picks up many individuals who would have been ignored or passed by other people. In the end, the group works together to complete all of the required tasks in order to gain the princess's hand in marriage. I think this book would be really good for a lesson on utilizing everyone's strengths and working together as a team.

[Nevaeh James]

The Fool and the Flying Ship is a silly fairy tale about a foolish boy who is trying to win the hand of the princess. His kindness and willingness to good-naturedness lead him to marry the princess. I would use this book to teach about overcoming challenges.

[Zazie · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the music was a bit too distracting for me, I loved Robin's narration of this story.

[Ashley Lahr]

A long time ago lived an old peasant and his wife they had three sons. A proclamation was issued throughout the land. Whoever could build a flying ship would win the hand of his lovely daughter. Two of the brothers decide they are going to try their luck. One day out in the forest this fool comes across a feast and awakes to a ship. On his way he picks up many people to join him. When the Moujiks show up with the flying ship the King begins to have second thoughts as he does not want to take his daughters hand. So he comes up with a whole bunch of impossible tasks for them to complete.

[Brittany Cullen]

This was really interesting. I never heard of this book before but it was like many other tales. There were three brothers and the third was called the fool and no one liked him but he set on the journey to marry the princess like his brothers had and he surprised everyone and completed all the tasks the king asked with the help of his friends on the way so they all lived happily in the castle. It can be not to give up no matter what people say or think of you and to use your friends as help because in some situations they can help accomplish things you couldn't do alone.

[Dalton Dettbarn]

I thought this was an okay book.