In a wonderful forest, unknown to us, animals lived – they didn't grieve, they were friends with each other. Sometimes they feasted, sometimes they sorrowed, but they always helped each other.
Time flies quickly, winter came after autumn – it brought snow. Snowdrifts piled up in the wonderful forest! You can't drive through, you can't walk! And soon it will be New Year.
All the animals gathered on a small hill, where stands a green tree, fluffy, tall, its top reaching into the clouds.
And the animals decided to decorate this tree for the New Year. Yes, they announced a competition!
Magpie-white-belly flew through the forest, chattered and sang in every clearing:
Inhabitants of the wonderful forest! Listen to this lovely news! And don't say later that you didn't hear! There stands on a small hill a green tree, fluffy, tall, its top reaching into the clouds! For the New Year, forest folk gather around the tree! And we announce a competition: Decorate the tree for the holiday! We take any decorations: both small and large, both low and high, both narrow and wide! And both plain and colourful! We take any toys for the tree! They will hang on the tree year after year, and we will dance around it in a circle!
And what a commotion started in the forest! Squirrels scampered up pines and spruces, gathered pinecones, made decorations. Boars dug in the snow with their snouts, gathered acorns, made garlands from them. Bear gathered branches, wove a star for the top. Little birds – bullfinches and blue tits – gathered rowan berries, strung beads on a spider's web.
But the Clever Fox watched and got angry, had nothing to boast about. She looked at her little hut and got an idea – to collect icicles from the roof and decorate the tree with them!
The animals gathered in the clearing, decorated the tree, stood and admired it.
And then the Clever Fox appeared in the clearing. She carried a whole basket of sparkling decorations! The animals froze in amazement! And the fox danced around the tree, waved her tail, hung decorations on the tree and said:
Decorations made of pure crystal! Magical, transparent, like spring streams! They sparkle in the sun, jingle in the wind, reflect moonlight and glow in the dark!
The animals folded their paws in surprise, stood – gasping and marvelling at the never-before-seen decorations. A breeze blew – the crystal figurines jingled in the wind.
Everyone decided that the Clever Fox had won! Bear gave the fox the main prize – gave her a barrel of honey from his personal stores. And a jar of raspberry jam.
The fox stood on the hill, pleased with herself, rejoicing at how clever and smart she was.
But then the sun came out. The fox's decorations warmed up in the sunshine and started dripping with water.
Magpie-white-belly chattered:
Look, forest animals, at the fox's decorations! They were crystal, but turned to water! They melt in the sun, only drops sparkle!
The animals gasped in astonishment! They realised these were ordinary icicles, not magical decorations. The animals got angry, grabbed the icicles and started throwing them at the fox.
The Clever Fox rolled down the hill in fear, and her icicles flew after her! She lost her barrel of honey! She barely got away. And Magpie-white-belly flew after her and chattered:
Oh, Fox-beauty! You've deceived the forest animals again! You just can't understand: it's not the one who looks good that's good, but the one who's good in deed!!!
