If you look at the clouds for a long, long time, you can see how the wind transforms them into all sorts of amazing shapes. First, an ordinary blotch floats across the sky, then it starts to look like a crocodile, then like a hippopotamus, and then like a real marvel-creature.
One day, Vika spotted just such a Marvel-Creature in the sky.
Vika watches as the Marvel-Creature claps its hands with a tremendous crash and sprays a rainbow shower, but this rain is magical. It washed everything away. Vika looks around: there are no houses or playgrounds. Only pine trees are dancing, and mushrooms in colourful caps are running about.
Vika looks closer and realises these aren't mushrooms at all, but tiny little people. Only their caps look like those of porcini mushrooms, boletus mushrooms and chanterelles.
Who are you?
One of the little people asks her.
I'm Vika. And who are you?
We're mushrooms!
The little person replies.
Why are you always running about?
Vika asks.
We're frightened!
The mushrooms squeaked in unison and suddenly scattered in all directions, hiding in the grass.
Just as Vika was about to ask who they were so afraid of, a black shadow covered the entire clearing, and an evil wizard called Fear swirled above the trees like a terrible cloud.
Why aren't you running away?
He asked Vika in a thunderous voice.
Because I'm not afraid of you!
The girl answered boldly.
Fear gasped, groaned, stamped his foot, grabbed a Boletus from the grass and shouted:
I'm going to eat him right now, and then you! Are you scared?
No! Let the little one go! Or I'll give you a whack with this stick!
Vika answered again.
And suddenly, after these words, Fear shrivelled up, became smaller and weaker, while Vika became bigger and stronger.
The girl grabbed a stick and swung it at the evil wizard.
Fear shrieked:
Now, be afraid of me at once! Everyone must fear me!
But he himself backed away, retreating and eyeing the stick. And Vika advanced, growing bigger and stronger. And the stick in her hands grew too.
Oh, don't touch me!
Finally, Fear squealed, dropped the mushroom and hid behind a tree stump.
And the toadstools there started tickling him, so Fear had to run away. He turned into a black cloud, flew up into the sky and poured down as rain, transforming into a rainbow.
Oh, great Vika, — the mushrooms exclaimed. — How did you manage to defeat the evil wizard? He's the scariest Fear of all!
And Vika answers them:
Anyone who stands up for the weak becomes stronger!
So if I stand up for some little bug, I'll become big and strong too? — asks tiny Ginger the mushroom.
You will!
Vika smiles.
Just then a caterpillar attacked a firefly. Ginger grabbed a blade of grass and chased the caterpillar away from the firefly.
Ginger, you're so strong and brave!
The firefly exclaimed.
I'm strong and brave!
Ginger was delighted.
Thank you, Vika! Now we know that the strongest one is the one who protects the weak. We'll all protect each other now and won't be afraid of anyone!
The mushrooms said goodbye to Vika, placed her on a cloud and sent her home.
And Fear never returned to that fairy tale again.
