Many thousands of years ago, extraordinary creatures lived on Earth, and they possessed incredible abilities.
This story is about one of these creatures.
Our hero's name is FO. He was born in the tribe of puhobryukhs, who had protected the inhabitants of the fluffy forests from the tooth-bearing hunters since ancient times.
The hunters often staged raids to capture rare animals for their king UMA-UMA. The puhobryukhs hypnotised the raiders using special fur that began to grow on their bellies at age 33.
FO had just turned 33, but the magical fur was nowhere to be seen. When FO was very small, he loved to play in the golden fields with his noodle-legged friends. Once, while riding on the back of his best friend, he fell and badly wounded his belly. Since then, a scar had been there, but there was not a hint of fur.
The great event for every puhobryukh was approaching — the initiation as a forest protector. FO had three days left before everyone would discover that he was a bare-bellied one. He had to act.
Early in the morning, FO and his noodle-legged friend Fri set off to the wise stone Gaa. The stone was the most important relic of the puhobryukhs.
Each puhobryukh could only turn to Gaa once in their lifetime. And FO decided that this moment had come for him.
Approaching the stone, FO cried out his name loudly and asked the question that troubled him so much:
What must I do, Gaa, so that magical fur covers my belly?
There was a deafening crack, and three round pebbles the size of walnuts appeared from beneath the ground next to FO. One was blue, another was red, and the third was black.
Silence fell. FO looked at the unusual stones in amazement and didn't understand what to do with them. Almost in tears, he collected the pebbles and hid them in his waist pouch.
FO and Fri walked back in silence. Suddenly, a crab-hare jumped out onto the road in front of them. It clicked its claws and cried out loudly:
My name is Zabar! Zabar heard everything! Zabar will tell everyone! Everyone will find out about the bare belly of the puhobryukh!
What do you want? — the noodle-legged one said menacingly.
The crab-hare pinched its own tail with its claws for some reason and hissed:
I spent three years digging my burrow, and a black-and-white bear moved in. He won't leave. Drive him out, and I'll keep quiet.
There was no way out, and the friends had to go to the crab-hare. Before they even descended into the burrow, Fri and FO heard loud snoring: the bear was definitely inside.
FO went in first. The bear lay curled up on a pile of carrots.
Puhobryukhs are not cowards. Without thinking for a second, FO began to wake the uninvited guest by pulling his small tail.
The bear stopped snoring, but didn't even move, only said quietly:
Whoever you are, you must leave.
FO stuck out his belly and said:
I am FO from the fluffy forests. You must leave. This is not your burrow!
The bear turned around, looked at his friends with sad eyes, cried, and whispered softly:
I need my finger.
Tell us what happened, — Fri said, — where did you lose it? Maybe we can help you?
My name is Al, — said the bear, — I was the most beautiful multicoloured bear in my forest. Once I fell asleep on the riverbank, and when I woke up, my paw was in the water. I pulled it out and was shocked: my little finger was gone! I started looking for it in the water and saw my reflection… I couldn't hold back my tears: the colours were gone! I became black and white! I ran for three days until I stumbled upon this burrow. I won't leave until I become bright and beautiful again.
The friends came outside. The crab-hare was already waiting for them.
Well? — Zabar cried impatiently, — when will he leave? When will he disappear from my burrow and my life?!
FO lowered his eyes and said nothing.
You're so useless, — Zabar continued, — I'll do it myself, I'll smoke him out of there!
He quickly clicked his claws and began gathering firewood near the burrow entrance.
I need fire! I need fire, FO, or I'll tell everyone about you! — Zabar couldn't calm down.
Fri and FO froze. They didn't know what to do next. Suddenly, the pouch at the puhobryukh's waist stirred. Startled, he threw it to the ground, and Gaa's pebbles rolled out... They cracked open, and something was inside each one. The friends looked closer.
In the red stone, a coal glowed. In the black one lay the bear's little finger. In the blue one, the magical fur of the puhobryukhs was visible.
When FO reached out mesmerised to the blue stone, the other two dimmed. FO understood that he could only choose one thing. At that moment, the words of the leader he had admired since childhood echoed in his head.
Always remember, — the leader said, — that puhobryukhs are the only true protectors of the forest. They always think first not of themselves, but of the weak and defenceless. Of those who are in trouble.
FO took a deep breath and closed his eyes. The choice was obvious. He grabbed the black pebble with the bear's finger and threw it into the burrow. The other stones turned to dust in the same instant. Without wasting time, the puhobryukh rushed into the burrow and attached the little finger to the bear's paw. The bear flipped over, jumped up, stretched out straight, and after a few seconds began to shimmer with different colours.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, puhobryukh! — the bear cried out, hardly believing his happiness.
But FO was very sad. Al noticed this and said:
My friend, I will be eternally grateful to you for returning my treasure! I will leave this burrow immediately, I want to return home at once! But it's not the crab-hare's home that saddens you. Tell me what happened. Perhaps I can help you too?
You can't, Al, — FO answered sadly. — I'm 33 years old, my belly is bare, and in three days the initiation as a forest protector will take place. I will become a bare-bellied one and will never be able to fight the tooth-bearing hunters.
The bear laughed heartily and cried out cheerfully:
Do you know what they call me in my homeland? Al from Berta, the fur-giver! My strength is in my little finger. I stroke animals that have nothing to keep warm, and they grow thick fur. Such fur keeps warm in any frost!
You returned my strength to me, FO. For this, I will give you magical fur, — Al continued tenderly.
The bear raised his paw and stroked the belly of his rescuer with his little finger. FO's belly tickled. FO couldn't believe his eyes: soft, beautiful fur was appearing right on the scar. From that day on, there was no puhobryukh in the forest with fur thicker than FO's.
The End.
