One frosty winter morning, Mishutka decided to visit his friend Pyf. The weather was absolutely wonderful.
The trees sparkled with winter magic: branches covered in frost glittered in the sun so brightly that the light made you want to squint your eyes.
There was a special atmosphere in the forest. It felt as though something good and very important was about to happen. Mishutka sensed it, but couldn't quite work out what it was.
He bounded off towards the hedgehog's cottage, but suddenly heard cheerful laughter nearby. Mishutka stopped and looked around. On the clearing under an old bent fir tree sat the cheerful Rabbit. His snow-white fluffy coat shimmered in the sun. He was lazily scratching behind his ear and, looking at Mishutka, chuckled mischievously.
Why are you laughing? ― grumbled Mishutka indignantly, settling back on his hind legs.
I'm laughing at you, Mishutka. Where are you rushing off to in such a hurry? You might miss New Year's!
What do you mean New Year's? ― asked Mishutka in surprise, his black bead-like eyes widening. ― And why is it new? Where's the old one then?
Do you remember, Mishutka, when you, me and the hedgehog went mushroom picking last summer? ― asked the Rabbit, putting on an important air and rising slightly onto his tiptoes.
Yes, I remember.
And we wanted to taste some fresh honey from the bees, and they stung us so badly that our noses swelled up and hurt for a week ― you remember that?
How could I forget that, ― grumbled Mishutka, rubbing his nose.
And remember how we jumped in puddles after the rain, and then all dried off together in the sun?
I remember.
Well, all of that happened in the old year. And we're sitting here talking right now in the old year too.
So when will the New Year come? Do we have to call for it? ― Mishutka became worried.
No, ― answered the young Rabbit, ― it will come on its own. Tonight...
Ooh, but how will we know it's arrived?
The little Rabbit thought for a moment, scratched behind his ear again and put on an important expression once more.
Mishutka, tell me, what do you dream about?
I'd really like to see my mum again, ― Mishutka broke into a happy smile, but then said sadly, ― I miss her so much...
And what else? ― the Rabbit persisted. ― What else do you dream about?
I want to have lots of honey and raspberry jam in my den all the time, ― and Mishutka even smacked his lips loudly, imagining his dream.
Good! ― the Rabbit continued, ― But what else, what else do you dream about?
Yes, I want us never to quarrel with my best friend Pyf over silly things. It always upsets me so much, ― complained the little bear, and his eyes became sad again.
Well then, ― concluded the Rabbit, ― those dreams of yours are what New Year's is!
For the rest of the day, Mishutka thought about what the Rabbit had told him. Could it really be that simple: you wish for something and it comes true? How does that work?
It was getting dark. The first stars appeared in the sky, and the little bear hurried back to the clearing where he'd met the Rabbit that morning. Inside, he had a strange feeling, as though something very unexpected and joyful was about to happen.
The Rabbit was already waiting for him. But not empty-pawed. He'd brought hot fragrant blackcurrant tea in a thermos and cups, set it all on a tree stump and settled down comfortably, looking up at the sky.
Rabbit! Rabbit! Has it started already? ― gasped Mishutka breathlessly, flopping into a snowdrift next to the rabbit and breathing heavily.
Shh, almost. Very soon New Year's will come, and all our dreams will start coming true little by little, ― whispered the Rabbit with a smile. Then he took a cup of fragrant hot tea, slowly breathed in its aroma, squeezed his eyes shut with pleasure and carefully took a sip.
But Mishutka couldn't wait to see New Year's: "What's it like, how does it manage to make wishes come true?".
The little bear silently watched the sky. Stars scattered across it like beads. Some of them sparkled brighter, some faded, and then began to shine with even greater strength.
And then, through the silence of the winter forest, he heard familiar footsteps. The excited little bear suddenly turned in the direction they were coming from. And saw in the distance... his mum, the mother bear! She was bounding towards Mishutka with huge quick jumps, though she was limping heavily on one paw. From joy, little Mishutka's heart beat so fast that it seemed it would burst right out of his chest.
Mum! ― roared Mishutka so loudly that the Rabbit sitting beside him jumped and dropped his cup of tea.
And the mother bear was already right there. She held her little son tightly in her huge furry paws. Then she sighed with relief, smiled and looked at him with the same tenderness and affection as she usually did at bedtime, tucking him under her side and covering him with her big warm paw. The little bear felt at ease and calm. He immediately felt safe. Because his mum was with him again.
The mother bear was also incredibly happy. Her greatest dream had come true: she'd seen her little rascal again. Several months ago, she'd been caught in a trap and badly injured her paw. Hunters had taken her to them, treated her and left her to live in an enclosure at the zoo section of a children's park.
There were other animals there that children and their parents came to see. But the mother bear missed her little cub terribly. Because of this, she ate poorly, slept little and often growled sadly and mournfully. The park owner understood that the mother bear wouldn't settle down and asked the hunters to return her to the wild.
Friends, has New Year's started already? ― cried out Pyf in alarm, who had just run onto the clearing with a large jar of raspberry jam. ― I was in such a hurry, but it looks like I'm late again!
You're not late, you're not late! Sit down here! ― reassured him the Rabbit.
The hedgehog scurried over on his little legs and settled down next to Mishutka.
I'm so glad you came, ― murmured the little bear affectionately and moved closer to his friend.
Then they all fell quiet. And silently began to watch the magical starry sky. In the forest too, everything had stilled, only occasionally did branches crackle from the frost.
Mishutka, overflowing with happiness and joy right to the tips of his ears, looking into the distance, whispered softly:
So that's what you're like, New Year!
