Once, a boy visiting the countryside for the first time pointed at a goat and said to his mother, "Mum, what strange little cows!" How can you introduce children to farm animals without leaving your apartment? With the help of our new short fairy tale. For a few minutes, it will transport a young child to a farm and tell how goats live and what they think about while walking in the yard.
A young white nanny goat Nyuska came out into the yard with her large herd and saw snow for the first time.
It covered all the earth in the yard, lay on the roof of the big long barn, wrapped the trees in a white coat, and painted the tall wire fence a silvery colour.
Looking at this glittering beauty with enormous eyes, Nyuska licked the trough with her pink tongue.
What are you doing? — asked the oldest goat Stesha.
I thought it was new hay, or maybe grain mix. Perhaps our guard dog Barbos scattered such beautiful food during the night, — answered the young nanny goat.
Baa-a-a! Baa-a-a! ― the herd laughed together.
You were born in spring, — Nyuska's mother, the goat Mashka, began to explain, — when the snow had already melted and the earth had removed its white blanket. The sun shone brightly and warmed everything around. Green leaves began to grow on the trees, and tender grass on the meadow. The grass grows, and the owner cuts it with a scythe, dries it, and then stacks it in a haystack to feed us in winter.
In summer, vegetables grow in the garden: beetroot, carrots, rutabaga, potatoes, and pumpkin. Warm rain and sun help them ripen, — Mashka continued, — and then autumn comes. The rain becomes prickly, an evil wind appears, leaves on the trees turn yellow, and grass wilts from the cold. We sleep in a warm barn so we don't catch a cold. And then winter comes — snow covers the earth and trees, just as it has today. And frost arrives.
But who is this frost? — Nyuska asked naively.
It's a mean old fellow who pinches your nose and ears. He brings an icy blizzard with him. Then our owner doesn't let us outside, and we spend the whole day in the barn, chewing hay and bleating because we want to go outside, even though we know it's cold, — her mother explained.
In severe cold, we're given grain mix and juicy vegetables — finely chopped. Today there's no strong frost or blizzard, so the owner let us into the pen — to breathe fresh air, jump around and play, — added the oldest goat Stesha. And then she bleated, — do you hear? The owner is bringing us food!
Is the dog Barbos barking at someone? ― the herd became alarmed.
Look, a strange owner has come with ours, — Mashka sang softly, shielding Nyuska, — ours must be giving someone away. They'll choose now...
Maybe we should hide? Let's go into the barn, — Nyuska suggested.
It's too late, they've seen us all. They only take the young ones. Adults are needed. We give milk, which children love. It's very nutritious. We have lots of wool. They knit warm mittens and socks, hats and scarves from it. But you young ones still need to grow up and learn everything, — Stesha answered.
I hope they don't take me! I don't want to be separated from my mother, — squeaked the young nanny goat. From worry, she trembled and stopped chewing her carrot.
Nyuska watched as the strange owner took the young mischievous goat Valka by the ears and led her to the gate.
How lucky I am! The other owner didn't choose me! I'm staying home! — thought Nyuska, happily munching on a piece of juicy pumpkin.
