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 couldn't drive or walk through! And soon it would be New Year's.
All the animals gathered on a small hill, where stood a green tree, fluffy and tall, its top reaching into the clouds.
And the animals decided to decorate this tree for the New Year. And they announced a contest!
Magpie-white-belly flew through the forest, chattering and singing 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 and tall, its top reaching into the clouds! For the New Year, the forest folk gather around the tree! And we announce a contest: Decorate the tree for the holiday! We take any decorations: small and large, short and tall, narrow and wide! And solid colours 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. The bear gathered branches, wove a star for the top. Little birds – bullfinches and chickadees – gathered rowan berries, strung them on spider webs like beads.
But the Clever Fox watched and grew angry, having nothing to boast about. She looked at her little cottage and got an idea – to gather icicles from her roof and decorate the tree with them!
The animals gathered in the clearing, decorated the tree, and stood admiring 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, waving her tail, hanging decorations on the tree and saying:
Made of pure crystal, these decorations! 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 figures jingled in the wind.
Everyone decided that the Clever Fox had won! The bear gave the fox the grand prize – 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 water.
Magpie-white-belly started chattering:
Look, forest animals, at the fox's decorations! They were crystal, but they've turned to water! They melt in the sun, only drops sparkle!
The animals gasped in astonishment! They figured out that these were just 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 even lost her barrel of honey! She barely got away. And Magpie-white-belly flew after her, chattering:
Oh, Fox-beauty! You've deceived the forest animals again! You still don't understand: it's not the one who looks good who is good, but the one who is good in deed!!!
