A girl sat down alone
Beneath a guelder-rose bush.
And she pondered to herself,
How to live from now on:
— I won't go to childcare —
It's become terribly boring.
I won't listen to grown-ups —
I'm tired of them.
I don't want to learn poems,
I won't bother with plaiting,
But I want to play and walk,
And ride on roller skates.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps,
The girl rose up a bit
And, walking in the distance,
She spotted her friend.
She came and sat beside her,
Bowed her head.
And quietly, almost crying,
She spoke like this:
— They say you must put
All your things in their place.
Put your clothes away in the wardrobe…
— But it's too cramped in there!
— They say you must wash
Your own dishes.
— I won't do it.
I don't want to! I won't!
What difficulties are these,
Explain, my friend,
I'd rather go to sleep.
Where's my pillow?
But she didn't get to sleep.
A branch bent down,
And with a wreath upon her head
The third of the sisters appeared.
I too, girls,
Want to have a word.
To discuss my dreams
And hopes with you.
I very much want to be
A fairy-tale character,
Not with a wreath on my head,
But with a golden crown.
And I always want to walk
In a beautiful, bustling park,
And to get there
By helicopter.
Suddenly, out of nowhere,
A fairy appeared.
The sisters quickly stood up,
Not believing their eyes.
The fairy smiled sweetly,
Sang a little song,
And asked the girls,
What would they like?!
The first sister spoke:
— I want to go to the seaside,
To laze about on the sand,
To frolic in the open.
— And I want lots of yummy things:
Cakes, Swiss rolls,
Chocolate, marmalade
And a bucket of lollies,—
The second girl said all this,
And from her future happiness
She laughed loudly.
— Well, I want, — said
The third of the sisters, —
For music to play,
To listen to the birds sing,
To visit theatres, balls,
Exhibitions, shows,
About me, like a princess,
Let them write stories.
— Very well, — said the fairy, —
Everything can be done,
But you can change your mind too,
While there's still time.
— No, no, no, — said the sisters, —
We need all of this.
We'll be very happy
To have our wishes granted!
A swift wind suddenly blew,
The birds fell silent.
Magic was worked
For each of the sisters.
So a month passes,… a third,
The first – on the beach
Is suffering from the heat,
Rubbing cream on her body.
The second has a rash
From eating too much,
And she can't even look
At sweets anymore.
The third is also tired
Of singing and having fun.
The three sisters wanted
To go back home.
Fairy! Fairy! — they cried out, —
Bring us back quickly!
We'll do all the housework,
We'll become kinder.
We'll help Mum,
Study well,
Clean up after ourselves,
And we won't be lazy at all.
The fairy came flying quickly
And looked at them reproachfully.
— Fed up? Not to your liking?
But you wanted this so much!?
You can't turn back time,
The days have flown away!
Well, enough of grieving.
Here's what I'll tell you:
Before you wish for something —
Think it through carefully!
