The Enormous Turnip story (sometimes called The Giant Turnip or The Gigantic Turnip) is a Russian folk tale that children have loved for well over a hundred years. In Russian it’s called “Repka,” which means “little turnip.” A version was published by the folklorist Alexander Afanasyev in the mid-1800s, and it’s been retold in picture books all over the world ever since.
Kids love it because it repeats, so they can join in with “They pulled and they pulled.” This retelling is for ages 3 to 8 and takes about 7 minutes to read aloud. Try a different voice for each helper.
Part 1: Grandpa plants a seed
Once upon a time, in a little wooden cottage at the edge of a birch forest, there lived a grandpa, a grandma and their granddaughter, Masha. They also had a fluffy brown dog, a sleek gray cat, and a tiny mouse who lived in a hole by the stove.
One spring morning, Grandpa put on his embroidered shirt, took his watering can and went out to the garden. He dug a small hole in the soft brown earth and dropped in a single turnip seed.
“Grow, little turnip,” he said kindly. “Grow sweet. Grow strong.”
He patted the soil down and gave it a drink of water.
Every day after that, Grandpa watered the turnip. He pulled the weeds around it. He talked to it while he worked. And the turnip grew.
It grew, and it grew, and it grew.
By the end of summer, the turnip’s green leaves were as tall as Masha. Its round white and purple top poked out of the soil like a giant’s knee. It was the biggest turnip anyone in the village had ever seen.
“It’s ready,” said Grandpa one crisp fall morning, rubbing his hands together. “Tonight we’ll have turnip soup!”
Part 2: Grandpa pulls, and Grandma helps
Grandpa grabbed the turnip’s leafy top with both hands.
He pulled and he pulled.
But the turnip wouldn’t come up.
“Oh my,” said Grandpa, wiping his forehead. “Grandma! Come and help me!”
Grandma came out of the cottage, drying her hands on her apron. She held on to Grandpa. Grandpa held on to the turnip.
They pulled and they pulled.
But the turnip still wouldn’t come up.
“Masha!” called Grandma. “Come and help us!”
Part 3: Masha and the dog join in
Masha came running from the porch, her braids bouncing. She held on to Grandma. Grandma held on to Grandpa. Grandpa held on to the turnip.
They pulled and they pulled.
But the turnip still wouldn’t come up.
“Dog!” called Masha. “Come and help us!”
The fluffy brown dog came bounding across the yard, wagging his tail so hard his whole body wiggled. He held on to Masha’s skirt with his teeth. Masha held on to Grandma. Grandma held on to Grandpa. Grandpa held on to the turnip.
They pulled and they pulled.
The turnip wobbled a tiny bit. But it still wouldn’t come up.
“Woof!” said the dog. That meant, “Cat! Come and help us!”
Part 4: The cat and the smallest helper
The gray cat was napping in a sunny spot on the windowsill. She opened one eye. She stretched one leg. Then, very slowly, she came over to the garden.
“Fine,” she said, with a flick of her tail. “But only because I like turnip soup too.”
The cat held on to the dog’s tail. The dog held on to Masha. Masha held on to Grandma. Grandma held on to Grandpa. Grandpa held on to the turnip.
They pulled and they pulled.
The turnip wobbled a little more. The leaves shook. But it still would not come up.
Everyone flopped down on the grass, puffing and panting.
“It’s no use,” said Grandpa sadly. “This turnip is too big for us.”
Just then, a very small voice squeaked from the garden path.
“May I help?”
They all looked down. There stood the tiny mouse, his whiskers twitching.
The cat laughed. “You? You’re the smallest one of all. What difference could you make?”
“Let him try,” said Masha kindly. “Every helper counts.”
So everyone stood up again.
The mouse held on to the cat. The cat held on to the dog. The dog held on to Masha. Masha held on to Grandma. Grandma held on to Grandpa. Grandpa held on to the turnip.
They pulled and they pulled and they PULLED.
And then…
POP!
Out came the enormous turnip! Grandpa fell back on Grandma. Grandma fell back on Masha. Masha fell back on the dog. The dog fell back on the cat. And the cat fell back on the little mouse, who squeaked and rolled out of the way just in time.
They all lay in a happy, tangled heap in the grass, laughing so hard their sides hurt. And there, right in the middle of them, sat the biggest turnip in the whole wide world.
Part 5: Turnip soup for everyone
That night, Grandma made the biggest pot of turnip soup she had ever made. The kitchen smelled warm and sweet. Masha set the table, and there was a bowl for everyone: Grandpa, Grandma, Masha, the dog, the cat, and a tiny thimble-sized bowl for the mouse.
“To the mouse!” said Grandpa, raising his spoon. “Our smallest helper.”
“To the mouse!” everyone cheered.
The cat looked a little embarrassed. “I suppose,” she said, “every helper really does count.”
The mouse just smiled and slurped his soup.
The End
Moral of the story: Everyone’s help matters, even the smallest
Big jobs get done when everyone pitches in. The turnip didn’t come up until every single helper joined, and the one who made the difference was the tiniest of all. No one is too small to help, and no help is too small to count.
What kids can learn from The Enormous Turnip
- Teamwork works. No one could pull up the turnip alone, but together they did it.
- Little helpers matter. The mouse was the smallest, and his pull was the one that finally worked.
- Don’t laugh at someone’s offer to help. The cat learned that lesson at dinner.
- Keep trying. The family didn’t give up after the first pull, or the second, or the fifth.
- Hard work pays off. Grandpa cared for the turnip all summer, and everyone shared the harvest.
Questions to talk about with your child
- Who helped pull up the turnip? Can you name them in order?
- Why did the cat laugh at the mouse? Was she right?
- What would have happened if the mouse hadn’t helped?
- What’s a job at home that’s easier when everyone helps?
- If you could grow a giant vegetable, what would it be?
Enormous Turnip activities for kids
- Act it out. Give each family member a role and line up behind a “turnip” (a pillow works well). Shout “They pulled and they pulled!” together.
- Sequencing cards. Draw each helper on a card and ask your child to put them in the order they joined.
- Taste a turnip. Many kids have never tried one. Roast some cubes with a little oil and salt, or add them to soup.
- Plant something. A radish or bean seed in a cup on the windowsill sprouts in just a few days.
Summary: The Enormous Turnip
Grandpa plants a turnip seed that grows into a gigantic turnip. When he tries to pull it up, it won’t budge. Grandma, Masha, the dog and the cat join in one by one, but the turnip still won’t come out. Finally the tiny mouse helps, and with one last pull, out pops the turnip. The whole family, animals included, shares a big pot of turnip soup.
If your child loves this one, read The Little Red Hen, a farm tale about what happens when nobody helps, and Stone Soup, another story about a shared pot of soup.
Read More: The Gingerbread Man
Frequently asked questions
Where does The Enormous Turnip story come from?
It’s a Russian folk tale known as “Repka.” Alexander Afanasyev included it in his famous collection of Russian folk tales, published in the mid-1800s, and the story has been retold many times since.
What is the moral of the Enormous Turnip story?
Teamwork gets big jobs done, and even the smallest helper can make a big difference.
Who pulls the turnip in the story?
In most versions: grandfather, grandmother, granddaughter, dog, cat and mouse, in that order. Some modern picture books change the characters to farmers, children or other animals.
What age group is The Enormous Turnip for?
It’s perfect for preschool through about second grade, roughly ages 3 to 8. The repeating lines make it a great first read-aloud and a good early reader story.
Why is the story repeated so many times?
Repetition is what makes it fun for young kids. They learn the pattern, guess what comes next and join in. Repeating stories like this also help with memory, sequencing and early reading skills.
