In a wonderful forest, unknown to us, animals lived – they didn't grieve, they were friends with one another. Sometimes they feasted, sometimes they sorrowed, but they always helped each other.
Time flies quickly, winter came after autumn – it brought snow. Snowdrifts piled up in the wonderful forest! You couldn't drive through or walk! And soon it would be New Year.
All the animals gathered on a small hill, where stood a green tree, fluffy and tall, its top reaching into the clouds.
And the animals decided to dress up this tree for the New Year. Yes, they announced a competition!
Magpie-white-breast flew through the forest, chattering and singing in every clearing:
Inhabitants of the wonderful forest! Listen to this lovely news! And don't say afterwards that you didn't hear! There stands on a small hill a green tree, fluffy and tall, its top reaching into the clouds! For the New Year, the forest folk gather around the tree! And we announce a competition: Decorate the tree for the holiday! We take any decorations: small and large, short and tall, narrow and wide! And plain-coloured and colourful! We take any toys for the tree! They will hang on the tree year after year, and we will dance around it in a circle!
And what a commotion started in the forest! Squirrels scampered up the pines and firs, gathered pinecones, made decorations. Boars dug in the snow with their snouts, gathered acorns, made garlands from them. The bear gathered branches, wove a star for the top. Little birds – bullfinches and blue tits – gathered rowan berries, strung them on cobwebs into beads.
But the Cunning Fox watched, and grew angry, having nothing to boast about. She looked at her little hut and got an idea – to gather icicles from her roof and decorate the tree with them!
The animals gathered in the clearing, decorated the tree, and stood admiring it.
And then the Cunning Fox appeared in the clearing. She carried a whole basket of sparkling decorations! The animals froze in amazement! And the fox danced around the tree, waving her tail, hanging decorations on the tree and saying:
Made of pure crystal are these decorations! Magical, transparent, like spring streams! They sparkle in the sun, jingle in the wind, reflect moonlight and glow in the dark!
The animals folded their paws in surprise, stood – gasping and marvelling at the never-before-seen decorations. A breeze blew – the crystal figurines jingled in the wind.
Everyone decided that the Cunning Fox had won! The bear gave the fox the main prize – a barrel of honey from his personal stores and a jar of raspberry jam.
The fox stood on the hill, pleased with herself, rejoicing at how cunning and clever she was.
But then the sun came out. The fox's decorations warmed up in the sunshine and began to drip with water.
Magpie-white-breast chattered:
Look, forest animals, at the fox's decorations! They were crystal, but turned to water! They melt in the sun, only drops sparkle!
The animals gasped in astonishment! They realised these were ordinary icicles, not magical decorations. The animals grew angry, grabbed the icicles and started throwing them at the fox.
The Cunning Fox rolled down the hill in fear, and her icicles flew after her! She even lost her barrel of honey! She barely got away. And Magpie-white-breast flew after her chattering:
Oh, Fox-beauty! You've deceived the forest animals again! You still don't understand: it's not the one who looks good that's good, but the one who does good!!!
