Lyuba is a girl who lives in a large multi-storey building with her mum and dad. She's already quite grown up and attends nursery school. Lyuba is very sweet, mischievous and makes friends easily. Almost all the girls in the nursery want to play with her, but the boys tease her and sometimes even pull her thin blonde plaits.
When asked: "What's your name?" Lyuba always answers: "My name is Lyubov" (Love). That's what her parents taught her to say. But Lyuba doesn't know what love actually is.
Recently she lost a milk tooth, and the boys from the older group came up with a new game. They started giving her different nicknames: Lyubka-no-teeth or Lyubik-tooth. The girl was very upset. And when she asked the children to stop name-calling, they just laughed in response.
Lyuba used to like it when they called her by her full name, and even the nursery teachers often called her Lyubov rather than Lyuba. Now it seemed to her that the boys were laughing at her because of this mysterious "Lyubov". And the girl no longer wanted to hear her own name.
Mum noticed that her usually cheerful, restless daughter had become sad for some reason. On the way home from nursery, she asked:
My dear Lyubov, why are you sad? What's happened?
Don't call me that! The boys from the older group are always teasing me, – Lyuba didn't hide her hurt from her mum.
Teasing? They're hurting your feelings? – Mum was very surprised, as her daughter had never had problems with other children.
They're mangling my name! – Lyuba muttered indignantly.
And now you don't want me to call you Lyubov? – Mum asked, puzzled.
I don't. I don't like my name, – Lyuba answered and wondered: what would they call her now?
What nonsense! You have a beautiful name, it suits you perfectly.
Lyubov, Lyubov! But what actually is love? – the girl asked.
Mum didn't know how to properly explain to her daughter the meaning of such an important word. How could she convince the girl that her name meant the most wonderful feeling in the world? After thinking for a moment, she said:
Do you like playing with your friends?
Of course!
And which game gives you the most pleasure? When do you laugh the most?
When I play tag with Tanya! She tries to catch me, and I dodge quickly. And then it's the other way round! – the girl shared.
Well, love is what you feel when you think about tag. Or about your friends, for example, about Tanya.
So I love playing tag?
Yes, you do. But that's only one side of love. Your dad and I love you, and you love us. That's the love between parents and children, it's quite different. Not like the love for friends and games. And then there's love for boys. The very ones who pull your plaits.
I definitely don't love them! – Lyuba hastened to assure her mum.
And love isn't always mutual. And it doesn't always come straight away, – Mum laughed.
Where can I find it, this love?
Finding it isn't easy. It's even harder to keep it and carry it through your whole life.
Will I be able to find it?
You will, my sunshine, you just need to look hard!
Mum saw that Lyuba had cheered up. She no longer worried about the name-calling. Now she understood that her name was extraordinary!
Lyuba thought for a long time about her mum's words: "You just need to look hard!". She decided that she had to find love no matter what, and right away! But where?
Lyuba began her search in the kitchen: perhaps there was something she loved there? Cupboards, shelves, dishes – nothing was right! Then her gaze fell on a box of chocolates lying on the table. "That's it!" – thought the girl.
Lyuba had always liked chocolate sweets, but Mum and Dad wouldn't let her eat lots at once. They always hid the sweets as high as possible so their daughter couldn't reach them. "What luck! I love sweets!" – thought Lyuba and, quickly taking one from the box, put it in her mouth. How wrong she was! It was dark chocolate… The feeling vanished instantly.
"No, I won't find love here, I need to keep looking", – thought the girl and went to her room. The bedroom was cluttered with toys. Lyuba decided she definitely loved them, but which ones exactly? Dolls in bright dresses? She hadn't liked them as much as before for a long time. Building blocks, construction sets, soft animals? Then the girl remembered that long ago she had a teddy bear that she always took to bed with her. Where was it?
Lyuba started opening boxes and drawers, checking shelves in the wardrobe, but the bear was nowhere to be found. Maybe under the bed? Success! The girl pulled out a dusty little bear with one paw and a worn ear.
There you are! – she said to the bear. She used to like hugging the teddy and chewing its ear before sleep. She was sure she loved this toy more than the others. But now... Now it was just an ordinary plush bear. "So I won't find love here either", – Lyuba was upset.
Suddenly Mum came into the room. She asked her daughter to tidy up the toys and added:
Don't be sad, you'll find your love. Better tidy up and go for a walk with the other children, play tag with Tanya.
That's right! – Lyuba exclaimed, – I do love tag!
The girl quickly gathered up the scattered things, got dressed and ran outside. Tanya lived in the next entrance. Lyuba easily remembered her flat number: "22" – like two swans. She was about to ring the intercom when she heard strange sounds. Something was squeaking very close by. Lyuba looked around and saw a fluffy little bundle right by the door.
It was a small kitten that was mewing pitifully and trembling. It was cold outside, and it was freezing badly. Dirt clung to its ginger fur with spots.
Looking at the tiny creature, Lyuba felt a strange feeling: she wanted to warm it up, protect it from the cold and wind. The girl quickly took off her warm scarf, even though she knew Mum would be cross, and carefully wrapped up the little animal. Forgetting why she had come to see Tanya, Lyuba hurried home.
Mum, look who I found! – she said as soon as she came into the flat.
How small he is. He must have been born recently, – Mum took the kitten from the girl and began to examine it carefully.
Can we keep him? I so want to look after him!
Of course we'll keep him! You see, I told you that you'd find your love!
Thank you! – the girl hugged her mum and took the kitten. He had already warmed up and was now looking around with interest. Strangely enough, he didn't try to escape. On the contrary, the kitten settled comfortably in his new owner's arms.
What will you call him? – asked Mum.
I'll call him Lubik! And let the boys tease me as much as they want!
The kitten was washed and fed. Lyuba looked after him herself. And the boys at nursery became jealous that she had a new friend – the kitten Lubik – and stopped name-calling. And a new tooth quickly appeared where the old one had fallen out.
And so Lyuba understood what love is.
