At last the long-awaited celebration arrived. Dasha turned five years old. From the very morning the birthday girl began receiving gifts and congratulations. The festive day flew by in the merriment, and it was time to go to bed.
The girl sat on the edge of her bed, looked over the gifts and said with a sigh: "How I wish I had a little cat, I would call her Tasya".
At that moment Grandmother was closing the door to Dasha's bedroom and happened to hear her secret wish. In the morning, whilst her granddaughter was still asleep, she went to visit her neighbour.
The neighbour's cat had recently given birth to kittens. The woman listened to Grandmother's request and with great joy gave the birthday girl the most beautiful little kitten.
As soon as little Dasha woke up – she immediately noticed a new box standing in the corner.
What's this? This box wasn't here yesterday, – with these words the girl hurried to open it. Dasha's joy knew no bounds when a little ginger kitten with white paws and striped sides poked its head out of the box.
Tasya! Tasya! How wonderful that you're mine now! – exclaimed Dasha and, with the kitten in her arms, ran out of the room to share her joy with the family.
Several months passed. Dasha and Tasya became such good friends that they were inseparable. The little kitten grew quickly. She could already jump onto the windowsill by herself to warm herself in the sun and look out the window. The older Tasya became, the more her interest in everything around her grew.
One day, whilst her granddaughter was at nursery school, Grandmother decided to bake pies. She switched on the oven and, to keep the kitchen cooler, opened the window slightly.
It's boring without Dasha, I need to pass the time somehow, – thought Tasya and jumped onto the windowsill to look out the window.
The smell of fresh air from the open window beckoned Tasya outside. The kitten couldn't resist, cleverly squeezed through the gap and jumped to the ground. But it turned out that no one was waiting for her there… Although at first she was surrounded by sparrows, who just a moment before had been doing something in the grass.
Chirp-chirp! What's this marvel! – asked the youngest sparrow bravely, – You nearly fell right on our heads! Who are you?
Meow, I'm a cat, my name is Tasya. I live over there, – and she nodded towards her window.
Chirp-chirp! Brothers, it's a c-c-cat, – cried the brave one, stammering slightly. – Let's fly away from here while we're still in one piece!
And the flock of sparrows scattered in all directions, as if they had never been there.
Well, I wanted to play with them, but they all flew away, – sighed Tasya in frustration.
And the kitten went to look for someone to play with. She walked a few steps and met a butterfly. The butterfly was sitting calmly on a flower and drinking sweet nectar.
Meow, butterfly, let's play tag! – said Tasya to her. – I'll chase you and you fly away. We'll have fun!
The butterfly was not pleased with the cat's suggestion to play. She quickly fluttered off the flower and flew away.
Well, another failure, – Tasya was upset and decided to lie down in the shade on the grass. She had barely lain down when she heard a rustling sound. The kitten looked closely and saw a little mouse crawling out of its hole.
Meow! – Tasya was delighted, – now I'll definitely play with her! She must be bored sitting alone in her hole, just as I'm bored without Dasha.
Tasya quickly ran towards the mouse, but the mouse quickly scurried away. The mouse sat in her hole, trembling with fear.
She hears Tasya calling her to play tag, but thinks to herself: "How cunning this cat is, she wants to trick me and eat me. No way! Mum said mice should stay far away from cats".
Tasya sat by the hole for a while longer, but the mouse didn't come out.
The kitten didn't find anyone to play tag with and returned home in a bad mood. She climbed through the slightly open window, lay down on the windowsill and thought: "What a good friend my Dasha is: she feeds me, plays with me, and strokes me. I'm so lucky to have her. I couldn't find a better friend! Meow, Dashenka! Do come back from nursery school soon. I miss you so much".
