Once upon a time there lived a cat named Bonya and a little fox named Sonya. They lived in the forest, near a birch grove. They were very fond of cleanliness and order.
One day Bonya and Sonya set off to a clearing to have a picnic and play in the fresh air. But when they arrived, they were very frightened and surprised: rubbish was scattered everywhere! Sweet wrappers, juice and crisp packets, plastic bottles and cups, tin cans, scraps and bits of paper covered the entire ground. Their mood was instantly spoiled by such filth. Even the bright spring sunshine no longer brought joy…
This is absolutely dreadful! ― exclaimed Sonya.
The two of us can't cope with such a mountain of rubbish! ― said Bonya sadly.
Sonya and Bonya decided to call on the forest dwellers for help. They went to the wolf.
Wolf, we need your help! Our beautiful green clearing is very dirty, and it needs to be cleaned up and cleared of rubbish!
I've been chasing hares and I'm very tired, ― said the wolf, ― besides, I have no use for the clearing.
Then Bonya and Sonya went to the bear.
Grandfather Bear, our clearing is buried in rubbish, it urgently needs to be tidied up!
Oh, I'm already too old for this, ― replied the bear.
The cat and the little fox decided to go to the hares.
Dear Mrs Hare! Your little ones love to frolic on the forest clearing! Help us clean it of rubbish!
Dear girls, I would be delighted to help you, but I have a large family and so much housework to do, ― said the hare and hopped off to her burrow.
Sonya and Bonya wandered through the forest for a long time hoping for help from the forest creatures. But everyone was either busy or simply didn't want to get dirty. Bonya sat down on a tree stump and wept bitterly.
How can we cope with such a mountain of rubbish? This was our favourite clearing! We loved to play there on the grass, pick flowers, look for the first mushrooms after the rain… And now all this beauty will be destroyed! Rubbish decomposes and kills everything living!
Then a little squirrel came bounding up out of nowhere.
Hello! I happened to overhear that you want to clean up the rubbish on the clearing! I know how to help you: on the edge of the forest lives the Old Forest Keeper, he is a wizard! He always finds a way out of difficult situations!
Thank you, little squirrel! ― said the girls gratefully and set off to find the Old Forest Keeper.
They walked for a long time ― through a pine forest, around a field of daisies ― and finally saw by the river a little old man in a green coat, a red cap and yellow mittens.
Hello, Grandfather! ― greeted him Sonya and Bonya.
Hello, girls! ― replied the old man.
They say you can help in any trouble?
I can, ― answered the Forest Keeper sadly, ― but in return you will help me!
The old man told them that this was his beloved river, but now it had become very dirty because of the rubbish that people scatter about. And he desperately needed the help of these noble girls to make the forest and river clean. Of course, Sonya and Bonya agreed, because this river flows near their beloved clearing too. Very soon all the rubbish would be carried to them by the current.
I will give you magical containers. With their help you will be able to collect the rubbish and sort it for removal and proper recycling.
The Old Forest Keeper struck his magical staff on the ground, and four containers appeared on the riverbank: one for plastic, one for glass, one for paper and one for general waste.
Thank you very much, Old Forest Keeper! You've helped us so much! ― said the girls and got to work.
Sonya and Bonya spent a long time collecting rubbish, sorting it into the right containers. They worked day and night until the river, and then the clearing, were completely clean.
When the work was finished, all the forest dwellers came running to the clean green clearing to have fun.
So the cat Bonya and the little fox Sonya made the forest clean, and all its inhabitants understood that they must keep things tidy and in order! And they never again refused to help Sonya and Bonya.
