Autumn had arrived. The girl Katya travelled to the village with her parents to visit her grandfather and grandmother. Katya had prepared carefully for this trip, as her grandfather had promised her a walk in the forest to pick mushrooms.
The weather was wonderful. Katya jumped out of bed as soon as it began to get light, and Fyodor Petrovich was already bustling about in the kitchen – preparing provisions for the walk. The mushroom pickers had breakfast, got dressed, left the house and headed to the edge of the village. Then they crossed a field and reached the edge of the forest. The trees had already managed to dress themselves in multicoloured clothes. Autumn sunshine shone through the branches. Between the bushes, a thin, delicate cobweb glistened. The air smelled of mushrooms.
Katya had barely entered the forest when she spotted a mushroom. She ran over and pulled it out of the ground along with its root.
Grandfather, look at the mushroom I found!
A mushroom is good, – grandfather frowned, – but pulling it out with the root is bad. Next autumn, a new mushroom won't grow in this spot. You have a small knife in your basket. You should have used that to cut it. That way you wouldn't have damaged the mycelium.
All right, grandfather, I'll definitely bring a knife next time, – said Katya, and she walked along the path deeper into the forest without looking back.
She saw nuts hanging high on a tree ahead. She wanted to gather some. She found a large stick and started to knock them down. After gathering some nuts, she looked around, but grandfather was nowhere to be seen. Katya became frightened: which way should she go? Tears were already starting to appear in her eyes. But Fyodor Petrovich emerged from behind a tree.
Katya, you mustn't fall behind your elders in the forest. And if you lose sight of me, you must shout loudly "Hello". Otherwise, I'll have to search for you for a long time.
Grandfather, I won't wander far from you again, – said the girl happily, – look at what I've gathered!
The girl took the nuts out of her pocket. Fyodor Petrovich looked at Katya's hand and smiled.
Those are acorns you've gathered. Such nuts are the best delicacy for wild boars and squirrels, and even some birds like to peck at them.
So they're completely useless, and I should throw them away? – asked the girl.
When we get home, I'll teach you how to make little figures from acorns! – answered grandfather.
Fyodor Petrovich and his granddaughter continued their walk through the autumn forest. Katya gathered a large, bright bouquet of leaves for her mother. Then they found a large tree stump, which served as their dining table, and had something to eat. Grandfather treated Katya to a sweet. She unwrapped the sweet, threw the wrapper on the ground, and popped the sweet into her mouth.
Katya, please pick up the wrapper, – asked Fyodor Petrovich, – there's no one here to clean up after us. This wrapper could cause a lot of harm to the forest creatures, and after all, we are their guests.
Oh, grandfather, I love the forest so much! But there are so many rules we have to follow... – murmured Katya.
Fyodor Petrovich could see that his granddaughter was tired. They began to make their way out of the forest. They came home, and from the doorway Katya began to tell her mother about all the adventures that had happened to her and about how to behave properly in the forest. Mother Svetlana put the bright bouquet in a vase, and grandfather began to teach the girl how to make various little figures from acorns.
What an interesting weekend Katya had! She would definitely tell her classmates about it. And she would bring a beautiful autumn craft to school! And you, little one, will you go for a walk in the forest? Will you follow the rules of behaviour in nature? I wish you gather lots of interesting materials for autumn crafts for your nursery and school!
