Winter in the forest is always great fun! The forest creatures — little animals, birds, beetles and spiders spend all day outside playing with fluffy snow. Little bear Sasha usually sleeps in winter. But when the winter cold retreats and you can already feel spring approaching in the air, Sasha quietly wakes up and comes out of his den to his friends.
Sasha is a very cheerful and active little bear; he is always the first to suggest interesting games, and the other animals happily support his ideas.
But sometimes the games that the little bear invents are not only fun but also dangerous. Once he suggested racing under hanging icicles, after which the rabbit had to stay in hospital for a long time because an icicle fell right on his paw.
And Sasha's mum forbade him from going out and getting up to mischief. But children are children, and Sasha couldn't stay at home for long, and as soon as he was back outside, unsafe but very amusing ideas would come to him.
Little bear Sasha's best friends were twin rabbits Tolik and Vovik and a beautiful squirrel named Marusya. This time the little bear decided to invite his friends to play on the ice. He gathered them near a large forest lake and said:
Why don't we play at crossing? Shall we have a relay race on the ice? Whoever gets to the other end of the lake first wins!
We're in! — the rabbits Tolik and Vovik replied in unison.
But squirrel Marusya was in no hurry to agree to the dangerous game. She said to her friends:
It seems to me it's starting to warm up and the ice might not be thick enough...
Are you scared then? — the rabbits teased Marusya in unison.
Didn't your mum tell you it's dangerous to walk on thin ice? — Marusya said indignantly.
She did tell me, she did, — answered Sasha, — but how does she know the ice is already thin? It seems to me it will easily hold us, shall we check?
Why don't you go first? — said Tolik and pushed the squirrel towards the ice.
There was a crack, but nothing happened. The squirrel got frightened, squeaked, and in one leap found herself in a tree.
I'm not playing games like this! I don't want to fall through the ice! I'm going home, — she said and ran away.
For a while, none of the little animals dared to step on the ice. They still remembered the crack they had heard. But little bear Sasha said:
What's wrong, little rabbits, lost your nerve? Shall we play? Or do you want to go home too?
I think I'll go home, — came Vovik's voice.
How can you do that? — called out Tolik when his brother rabbit was about to leave.
I don't want to fall through the ice!
Vovik, don't be silly, stay here, let's play, it'll be fun, — Sasha tried to convince his friend.
All right, I won't go home, but I won't go on the ice either. I'll watch from the side and tell you who wins.
They agreed on that. Rabbit Tolik and little bear Sasha took their starting positions. They decided to cross the lake one at a time, there and back. And Vovik would keep time and say who was faster.
Tolik decided to start first. He approached the edge of the lake, squeezed his eyes shut and, when his brother Vovik said: "Go!", the rabbit hopped across the ice as fast as he could. At first everything was fine, in the middle of the lake Tolik opened his eyes and stopped being afraid that the ice would crack. But on the way back, he began to see how small cracks appeared with each jump on the ice. The closer to the shore, the louder the cracking sound.
Oh no! I barely made it! Sasha, you'd better not go on the ice, it nearly cracked under me! — said frightened Tolik.
No way! You just want to win without a fight, but I won't give up so easily. Vovik, start the timer, — saying this the little bear stepped onto the ice.
Step — a terrible crack was heard.
Second step — a huge blue crack ran across the lake.
Third step — the little bear looked around in horror and realised the ice under him was cracking.
Fourth step — and the bear fell into the cold water!
Oh! What shall we do?! — cried the little rabbits in unison.
It's cold! Help! I'm drowning! — cried the little bear and desperately tried to grab onto the slippery ice, but he couldn't manage it.
The little rabbits rushed to help their friend, but the ice started cracking under them too, and they quickly returned to the shore. And the bear kept trying to grab onto the ice.
Suddenly heavy footsteps were heard in the forest and shouts:
Sasha! Sashka, little bear, hold on!
It was the little bear's mum running towards him through the forest as fast as she could. It turned out that the squirrel had warned her that the little animals were playing a dangerous game. And the mother bear hurried to the lake.
She saw her poor, miserable and frozen little bear and rushed into the icy water towards him. She grabbed her son and pulled him to the shore.
By that time the rabbits had already brought a warm woollen blanket and wrapped the little bear up. He spent a long time warming up at home, drinking tea with honey and mint. But even so, he had to stay in bed with a fever for the rest of the winter.
And mum strictly forbade Sasha from playing dangerous games, and scolded the little rabbits for not using their heads in time. And squirrel Marusya — well done! She saved the little bear from trouble!
