Winter in the forest is always so much fun! Forest creatures — little animals, birds, bugs and spiders spend their days outside playing with fluffy snow. Little bear Sasha usually sleeps through winter. But when the winter cold retreats and you can already feel spring approaching in the air, Sasha quietly wakes up and comes out of his den to his friends.
Sasha is a very cheerful and active little bear; he's always the first to suggest interesting games, and the other animals happily support his ideas.
But sometimes the games that the little bear comes up with are not only fun but also dangerous. Once he suggested racing under hanging icicles, after which the little rabbit had to stay in the hospital for a long time because an icicle fell right on his paw.
And Sasha's mum forbade him from going outside and getting into mischief. But children are children, and Sasha couldn't stay home for long, and as soon as he found himself outside again, unsafe but very amusing ideas would pop into his head on their own.
Little bear Sasha's best friends were twin rabbits Tolik and Vovik and a beautiful little squirrel named Marusia. This time, the little bear decided to invite his friends to play on the ice. He gathered them near a large forest lake and said:
How about we play a crossing game? Let's have a relay race on the ice! Whoever gets to the other end of the lake first wins!
We're in! — the little rabbits Tolik and Vovik replied in unison.
But little squirrel Marusia wasn't in a hurry to agree to the dangerous game. She said to her friends:
It seems to me it's already getting warmer and the ice might not be strong...
So you're scared? — the little rabbits teased Marusia in unison.
Didn't your mum tell you it's dangerous to walk on thin ice? — Marusia said, offended.
She did, she did, — answered Sasha, — but how does she know the ice is already thin? It seems to me it will easily hold us, let's check?
Why don't you go first? — said Tolik and pushed the little squirrel towards the ice.
There was a crack, but nothing happened. The squirrel got scared, squeaked, and in one leap found herself in a tree.
I won't play games like this! I don't want to fall through the ice! I'm going home, — she said and ran away.
For a while, none of the little animals dared to step on the ice. They still remembered the crack they had heard. But little bear Sasha said:
What, little rabbits, got your ears tucked back? Are we playing? Or do you want to go home too?
I think I'll go home, — came Vovik's voice.
How can you do that? — called out Tolik when his brother rabbit was about to leave.
I don't want to fall through the ice!
Vovik, don't be silly, stay here, let's play, it'll be fun, — Sasha tried to convince his friend.
Okay, I won't go home, but I won't go on the ice either. I'll watch from the side and tell you who wins.
And so they agreed. Little rabbit Tolik and little bear Sasha took their starting positions. They decided to run across the lake one at a time, back and forth. And Vovik would keep time and say who was faster.
Tolik decided to start first. He approached the edge of the lake, squeezed his eyes shut, and when his brother Vovik said: "Go!", the little rabbit hopped across the ice as fast as he could. At first everything was fine, in the middle of the lake Tolik opened his eyes and stopped being afraid that the ice would crack. But on the way back, he began to see small cracks forming with each jump on the ice. The closer to the shore, the louder the cracking sound.
Ooh! I barely made it! Sasha, you better not go on the ice, it almost cracked under me! — said frightened Tolik.
No way! You just want to win without a fight, but I won't give up so easily. Vovik, start the timer, — saying this, the little bear stepped onto the ice.
Step — a terrible crack was heard.
Second step — a huge blue crack ran across the lake.
Third step — the little bear looked around in horror and realized the ice under him was cracking.
Fourth step — and the bear fell into the cold water!
Oh! What do we do?! — cried the little rabbits in unison.
It's cold! Help! I'm drowning! — cried the little bear and desperately tried to grab onto the slippery ice, but he couldn't.
The little rabbits rushed to help their friend, but the ice began to crack under them too, and they quickly returned to the shore. And the bear kept trying to grab onto the ice.
Suddenly heavy footsteps were heard in the forest and cries:
Sasha! Sashka, bear, hold on!
It was the little bear's mum running towards him through the forest as fast as she could. It turned out that the little squirrel had warned her that the animals were playing a dangerous game. And the mother bear hurried to the lake.
She saw her poor, miserable and frozen little bear, and rushed into the icy water to him. She grabbed her son and pulled him onto the shore.
By that time, the little rabbits had already brought a warm woollen blanket and wrapped up the little bear. For a long time he warmed up at home, drinking tea with honey and mint. But he still had to spend the rest of the winter in bed with a fever.
And mum strictly forbade Sasha from playing dangerous games, and scolded the little rabbits for not using their heads in time. And little squirrel Marusia — well done! She saved the bear from trouble!
