A girl once had a doll that she found one day by the entrance to her building, sitting alone and abandoned on a bench. The doll was handmade, sewn from old rags. Her eyes were embroidered with thread and looked somewhat sad, gazing off into the distance. She was wet and dirty.
The girl felt sorry for the doll:
Mum, let's take her home. It's not right for her to be abandoned like this.
The girl said.
Alright.
Her mum replied.
But we'll put up a notice that we have this doll, just in case the owner shows up and wants her back.
Okay.
The girl answered.
At home, they washed and dried the doll.
You're very unusual.
The girl said to the doll, examining her closely.
If you stay with me, I'll definitely give you a beautiful name. Do you agree?
The girl looked into the doll's embroidered eyes, and it seemed to her that the doll blinked.
A week later, the doll's owner appeared—a man named Angust. His mother had sewn this doll for him when he was very small. Angust had kept it as a memory.
He explained that the doll had been washed and hung to dry on the balcony, but the wind had blown it off the line, and it fell into the dirt. Someone must have felt sorry for the poor thing, picked it up, and placed it on the bench.
Hello, girl.
The visitor said.
You have my doll, according to the notice.
Yes.
The girl answered sadly.
Here.
And she handed the doll to its owner.
You know what?
Angust smiled.
Keep her. I'd be happy if you two became friends. I think she'll be very well cared for with you.
My name is Rinata.
She answered with a happy smile.
Thank you so much!
Rinata sat at the table on a small cushion in her room. She was painting an apple with gouache. Next to the paints sat the doll. She accidentally knocked over the white gouache with her hand and spilled paint on the doll.
Oh no!
Rinata exclaimed.
I'll have to wash you again.
She said to the doll.
The doll looked at the girl in a strange way. At least, that's what it seemed to Rinata. They washed the doll and left her to dry on the windowsill. Night was falling, and Rinata went to bed.
The first rays of sun peeked through the window. The doll opened her eyes:
What a lovely morning.
The doll thought, and smiled at the flower growing in the flower bed below the window.
Would you mind if I gave you to the girl?
She asked the flower.
I would.
The flower answered.
You'll pick me, and that means I'll simply die.
Nonsense.
The doll thought, and bending down, picked the flower. The flower immediately wilted and fell silent.
Hey!
The doll tried to stir it. But the flower was silent.
I didn't want you to die. I just wanted to give you to the girl because she saved me.
The flower remained silent. The doll tried to reattach it to the stem. The flower was silent.
Rinata woke up:
Good morning!
She said to the doll.
I've been thinking it's time to give you a name. A name is like a document.
Rinata thought for a moment, looked at the doll again, and said:
Let's call you Gennadiy! Do you like it?
The doll fluttered her cloth eyelashes:
Actually, I'm sort of a girl. Why Gennadiy?
But she didn't argue with Rinata:
Gennadiy it is—that's actually kind of cool.
The doll thought.
In reality, her thoughts were occupied with something else—behind her back, in her cloth hands, the flower was dying.
I'll definitely save you.
The doll said to the flower.
And you'll live again.
Rinata had her own plans for the new day—she was supposed to meet her friends.
You're coming with me.
She said to Gennadiy.
It's time to introduce you to society.
These meetings usually took place in a clearing not far from Rinata's house.
She opened her backpack, put Gennadiy inside, and didn't even notice how the doll grabbed the picked flower with her.
This is where Gennadiy's adventures began.
First Meetings
Gennadiy opened the backpack's zipper and climbed out, holding the flower tightly in her hand.
Dandelions grew in the clearing, and Gennadiy spotted a stranger.
She decided to approach closer. The stranger was very busy: he was the size of a pea, yellow with a brown stripe, and had antennae. Next to Gennadiy, she saw 5 or 6 more just like him.
She gathered her courage and said:
Hello, I'm Gennadiy.
One stranger answered:
I'm Maksim, and I'm a bee! Yes, we're all bees here!
I want to bring this little flower back to life. Will you help me?
Gennadiy asked.
The bees buzzed indignantly:
We're busy! We need to stock up on honey for winter!!!
And only Maksim answered:
I'll help you!
Thank you.
Gennadiy said happily.
But we need to find what will bring it back to life.
The bee Maksim, after thinking, said:
I know what it is! Didn't Rinata's white gouache bring you to life?
Yes.
That's what we need to find! Does Rinata still have some?
Maksim asked.
No.
Gennadiy answered sadly.
We'll have to search for it! Otherwise the flower will die in just two days!
How do you know?
Gennadiy asked fearfully.
I studied 'FLOWER SCIENCE' in school and got top marks!
Maksim boasted.
Oh! I know some acquaintances, ants: they collect everything that falls. We should ask them about white gouache.
Will you come with me?
No, unfortunately! I have to work with everyone else, or they'll kick me out of the hive! And I really don't want that!
Oh well!
Gennadiy said sadly.
Alright, good luck!
And Maksim flew away!
Bye.
Gennadiy set off on her journey, but then remembered that the bee Maksim hadn't told her where to go! She looked around, saw a large mound, thinking it was an anthill, and headed in that direction.
The Ant Colonel
The journey turned out to be longer than expected. Gennadiy finally reached the anthill. Around her, small creatures bustled about, busily moving things from place to place.
These must be the ants.
Gennadiy thought.
And suddenly she noticed that the one directing the work was looking at her suspiciously:
Hello, I'm Gennadiy.
The doll said hurriedly.
Hello.
He said in a loud voice.
Who sent you, comrade?
I came from Maksim, he's a bee.
Maksim... I haven't heard from him in ages! What are you here for?
I came for white gouache to bring a little flower back to life.
Too late. Oh yes, excuse me, Gennadiy, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Colonel Mikhail!
So, Misha?
That's right!
And who did you give the white gouache to?
To my soldier brothers and the red ants!
And where are they?
The soldiers are over there!
Colonel Misha pointed at the curb.
And the red ants are over there!
And he pointed at the trees.
But! You should go to the soldiers first!
Alright, thank you! Bye!
Gennadiy ran toward the soldiers.
Good luck, Comrade Gennadiy!
The colonel said and returned to his duties.
Gennadiy turned around and waved at him.
Soldier Masha
The first one Gennadiy noticed was a red ant with black spots and antennae:
Hello, I'm Gennadiy.
Hello, I'm Masha, and I'm in a terrible hurry!
The red ant with black spots and antennae said gruffly.
Colonel Misha sent me.
I'm sorry, I'm in such a rush! I need to get to those bushes over there right away. Let's talk later!
I can help you.
Really? Then what are you waiting for, help!
Alright.
And they quickly reached the place.
Thank you so much! I'll be right back, please wait.
Masha said and dove into the bushes.
Appearing a minute later, she asked Gennadiy:
So what did you want to talk about?
I came for white gouache, from Colonel Misha.
You're too late, my dear, my subjects used it all up. You'll have to go to the red ants. Well, don't worry, all is not lost!
Thank you.
Gennadiy said and went to the red ants, but it turned out they also had no white gouache left that could bring the flower back to life.
The day was ending, and Gennadiy had to return to the clearing with dandelions and bees.
Seeing that Rinata was already packing her backpack, she quietly slipped inside, clutching the wilted flower to herself.
Back home, Rinata placed the doll on the windowsill and asked:
Well, did you enjoy the walk? It's a shame you can't talk.
Rinata said.
Alright, don't be sad. I'm going to talk to Mum.
And she shut the door.
In the doll's cloth chest, a tiny heart beat desperately from pain and sorrow at having killed the flower.
A tear rolled from her toy eyes... and fell on the flower.
It stirred and sighed.
Don't cry, Gennadiy. Instead, collect the seeds from my head. In spring, scatter them around the flower bed. When the rain comes, they'll wake up. Many new flowers will grow. Don't cry, but remember: to make one happy, you cannot hurt another.
I'll remember.
Gennadiy smiled.
Night fell. Rinata was getting ready for bed.
Come on, I'll put you to bed with me.
She said to the doll.
You shouldn't be sitting alone out there.
Rinata placed the doll on the pillow, hugged her, and it seemed to the girl that she heard the beat of a real heart...
