U mom djetinjstvu bila je vrlo popularna pjesnička bajka pod nazivom “Tarhanisko”. To je djelo sovjetskog pjesnika, pisca i publicista, prevoditelja ukrajinsko-židovskog podrijetla Korneja Čukovskog. U središtu radnje je strašan brkati žohar kojemu se pokoravaju velike i male životinje. Žohar traži od životinja njihovu djecu – za svoj ručak. I jadni lavovi, tigrovi i miševi spremaju se dati svoje mladunce čudovištu. Velike životinje, obuzete bezrazložnim strahom, skrivaju se od žohara. Nitko nema hrabrosti obraniti sebe, svoje mladunce i odbiti čudovište.

Ipak, pojavljuje se vrabac. Obična mala ptica koja ne zna za strašnu moć žohara. Za vrapca je žohar samo kukac, ručak. I neustrašivi vrabac odmah pojede strah i trepet lavova i tigrova.

Prateći događaje oko rata u Ukrajini, i na summitu na Aljasci, nemoguće je ne primijetiti analogije. Žohar doista može izazvati gađenje i užas. Može plašiti vašu djecu. Može uništiti kućne zalihe hrane. Ali on je nemoćan ako se borite i ako ga se ne bojite. Vaš strah ga “hrani”.

Nažalost, Ukrajina još nije imala dovoljno snage da postane taj bajkoviti vrabac. I da riješi problem brzo, kao u dječjoj bajci. U međuvremenu, moćni i jaki postaju taoci strahova i lažnih riječi. I svi se nalazimo u svijetu žohara, gdje je jedini zakon snaga i strah.

In the world of cockroaches

In my childhood, a rhyming fairy tale called “Tarhanisko” was very popular. It is a work by the Soviet poet, writer, publicist, and translator of Ukrainian-Jewish origin, Korney Chukovsky. At the center of the story is a fearsome mustachioed cockroach, to whom large and small animals submit. The cockroach demands the animals’ children — for his lunch. And the poor lions, tigers, and mice prepare to give their young to the monster. The large animals, gripped by an unfounded fear, hide from the cockroach. No one has the courage to protect themselves, their young, and refuse the monster.

Then a sparrow appears. An ordinary little bird who knows nothing of the cockroach’s terrible power. For the sparrow, the cockroach is just an insect, a meal. And the fearless sparrow instantly eats the terror of lions and tigers.

Following the events around the war in Ukraine and the Alaska summit, it is impossible not to notice the analogies. A cockroach can indeed instill disgust and horror. It can scare your children. It can ruin your food supplies at home. But it is powerless if you fight and are not afraid of it. Your fear “feeds” it.

Unfortunately, Ukraine has not yet had the strength to become that fairy-tale sparrow. And to solve the problem quickly, as in a children’s story. Meanwhile, the mighty and strong become hostages of fears and deceitful words. And we all find ourselves in a world of cockroaches, where the only law is force and fear.