A girl once had a doll that she found by the entrance to her building on a bench, lonely and abandoned. The doll was handmade, sewn from old rags. The eyes were embroidered with thread, looked somewhat sad, and gazed into the distance. She was wet and dirty.
The girl felt sorry for the doll:
Mom, let's take her. After all, it's very wrong to be abandoned.
Said the girl.
Okay.
Said mom.
But we'll leave a notice that this doll is with us, in case the owner shows up and we have to return her.
Alright.
Answered the girl.
At home they washed and dried the doll.
You're very unusual.
Said the girl to the doll, examining her.
If you stay with me, I'll definitely give you a beautiful name. Do you agree?
The girl looked into the doll's embroidered eyes, and it seemed to her that the doll blinked.
A week later, the doll's owner appeared—August. His mother had sewn this doll for him when he was very small. August kept it as a memory.
He explained that the doll had been washed and hung to dry on the balcony, the wind knocked it off the rope, and it fell into the dirt. Apparently someone felt sorry for the poor thing, picked it up, and placed it on the bench.
Hello, girl.
Said the guest.
You have my doll, as it says in the notice.
Yes.
Answered the girl sadly.
Here.
And she handed the doll to its owner.
You know what?
August smiled.
Keep her for yourself. I'd be happy if you two became friends. I think she'll be very well off with you.
My name is Rita.
She answered with a happy smile.
Thank you very much!
Rita sat at the table on a small stool in her room. She was painting an apple with gouache. Next to the paints sat the doll. She accidentally knocked over the white gouache with her hand and spilled paint on the doll.
Oops!
Exclaimed Rita.
I'll have to wash you again.
She said to the doll.
The doll looked at the girl in a strange way. Well, at least that's what it seemed to Rita. The doll was washed and left to dry on the windowsill. Night was falling and Rita went to sleep.
The first rays of sun peeked through the window. The doll opened her eyes:
What a beautiful morning.
Thought the doll, and smiled at the flower growing in the flower bed under the window.
Would you mind if I gave you to the girl?
She asked the flower.
Yes, I would.
Answered the flower.
You'll pick me, which means I'll simply die.
Nonsense.
Thought the doll and, bending down, picked the flower. The flower immediately wilted and fell silent.
Hey!
The doll tried to cheer it up. But the flower was silent.
I didn't want you to die. I just wanted to give you to the girl because she saved me.
The flower was silent. The doll tried to reattach it to the stem. The flower was silent.
Rita woke up:
Good morning!
She said to the doll.
I thought it's time to give you a name. A name is like a document.
Rita thought for a moment, looked at the doll once more and said:
Let's make your name Gennady! Do you like it?
The doll fluttered her cloth eyelashes:
Actually, I'm kind of a girl. Why Gennady?
But she didn't argue with Rita:
Gennady it is—that's actually pretty cool.
Thought the doll.
In reality, her thoughts were occupied with something else—behind her back, in her cloth hands, the flower was dying.
I'll definitely save you.
The doll said to the flower.
And you'll live again.
Rita had her own plan for the new day—she was supposed to meet with friends.
You'll come with me.
She said to Gennady.
It's time to introduce you to society.
These meetings usually took place in a clearing not far from Rita's house.
She opened her backpack, put Gennady inside, and didn't even notice how the doll grabbed the picked flower with her.
From that moment on, Gennady's adventures began.
First Meetings
Gennady opened the backpack zipper and climbed out, holding the flower tightly in her hand.
Dandelions grew in the clearing, and Gennady saw a stranger.
She decided to approach closer. The stranger was very busy: he was the size of a pea, yellow with a brown stripe and with antennae. Next to Gennady, she saw 5-6 more just like him.
She gathered courage and said:
Hello, I'm Gennady.
One stranger answered:
I'm Maxim, and I'm a bee! Yes, we're all bees here!
I want to bring this little flower back to life. Will you help me?
Asked Gennady.
The bees buzzed indignantly:
We're busy! We need to stock up on honey for winter!!!
And only Maxim answered:
I'll help you!
Thank you.
Said Gennady happily.
But we need to find what will bring it back to life.
Bee Maxim, after thinking, said:
I know what it is! Didn't Rita's white gouache bring you to life?
Yes.
That's what we need to find! Does Rita still have any left?
Asked Maxim.
No.
Answered Gennady sadly.
We'll have to search for it! Otherwise the flower will die in just two days!
How do you know?
Asked Gennady fearfully.
I studied 'FLOWEROLOGY' in school and got straight A's in it!
Boasted Maxim.
Oh! I know some ants—they collect everything that falls. We should ask them about the white gouache.
Will you come with me?
No, unfortunately! I have to work with everyone, or they'll kick me out of the hive! And I really don't want that!
Well!
Said Gennady sadly.
Okay, good luck!
And Maxim flew away!
Bye.
Gennady set off on her journey, but remembered that bee Maxim hadn't told her where to go! She looked around, saw a large mound, decided it was an anthill, and headed in that direction.
The Ant Colonel
The road turned out to be longer than expected. Gennady finally reached the anthill. Around her, small creatures bustled about, busily moving things from place to place.
These must be the ants:
Thought Gennady.
And suddenly she noticed that the one commanding the work was looking at her suspiciously:
Hello, I'm Gennady.
Said the doll hurriedly.
Hello.
He said in a loud voice.
Who sent you, comrade?
I came from Maxim, he's a bee.
Maxim... Haven't heard from him in a while! What are you here for?
I came for white gouache to bring a little flower back to life.
Too late. Oh yes, excuse me, Gennady, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Colonel Michael!
That is, Mike?
That's right!
And to whom did you give the white gouache?
To my soldier brothers and the red ants!
And where are they?
The soldiers are over there!
Colonel Mike pointed at the curb.
And the red ants are over there!
And he pointed at the trees.
But! You should go to the soldiers first!
Okay, thank you! Bye!
Gennady ran toward the soldiers.
Good luck, comrade Gennady!
Said the colonel and returned to his duties.
Gennady, turning around, waved at him.
Soldier Masha
The first one Gennady noticed was a red ant with black spots and antennae:
Hello, I'm Gennady.
Hello, I'm Masha, and I'm in a big hurry!
Muttered the red ant with black spots and antennae.
Colonel Mike sent me.
Sorry, I'm in a huge hurry! I need to get to those bushes over there. Let's talk later!
I can help you.
Really? Then what are you waiting for, help!
Okay.
And they quickly got there.
Thanks so much! I'll be right back, please wait.
Said Masha and dove into the bushes.
Appearing a minute later, she asked Gennady:
So what did you want to talk about?
I came for white gouache, from Colonel Mike.
You're too late, my dear, my subjects used it all up. You'll have to go to the red ants. Well, don't worry, not all is lost!
Thank you.
Said Gennady and set off to the red ants, but it turned out that they also had no white gouache left that could bring the flower back to life.
The day was ending, and Gennady had to return to the clearing with dandelions and bees.
Seeing that Rita was already packing her backpack, she quietly slipped inside, clutching the wilted flower to herself.
Back home, Rita placed the doll on the windowsill and asked:
Well, did you like the walk? Too bad you can't talk.
Said Rita.
Okay, don't be sad, I'm going to talk to mom.
And she shut the door.
In the doll's cloth chest, a small heart beat desperately from pain and sorrow that she had killed the flower.
From her toy eyes, a tear rolled down... and fell on the flower.
It stirred and sighed.
Don't cry, Gennady. Instead, collect the seeds from my head. In spring, scatter them around the flower bed. When the rain comes, they'll wake up. Many new flowers will grow. Don't cry, but remember: to make one happy, you cannot hurt another.
I'll remember.
Smiled Gennady.
Night fell. Rita was getting ready for bed.
Come on, I'll put you to bed with me.
She said to the doll.
No need for you to sit there alone.
Rita placed the doll on the pillow, hugged her, and it seemed to the girl that she heard the beat of a real heart...
