If you look at the clouds for a long, long time, you can see how the wind transforms them into different amazing shapes. First, an ordinary blot floats across the sky, then it starts to look like a crocodile, then like a hippopotamus, and then like a wonder-beast altogether.
One day Victoria saw just such a Wonder-Beast in the sky.
Victoria watches as the Wonder-Beast claps its hands loudly, sprays a multicoloured rain, and the rain is magical. It washed everything away. Victoria looks around: there are no houses or playgrounds. Only fir trees dancing and mushrooms in colourful caps running about.
Victoria looked closer, and they weren't mushrooms at all, but tiny little people. Only their caps were like those of penny bun mushrooms, cep mushrooms and chanterelles.
Who are you?
One little person asks her.
I'm Victoria. And who are you?
We're mushrooms!
The little person replies.
Why are you always running?
Victoria asks.
We're frightened!
The mushrooms squeaked in unison and suddenly scattered in all directions, hiding in the grass.
Victoria had only just wanted to ask whom they were so terribly afraid of when a black shadow covered the whole clearing, and an evil wizard Fear swirled above the trees like a terrible cloud.
Why aren't you running away?
He asked Victoria in a thunderous voice.
I'm not afraid of you!
The girl answers boldly.
Fear gasped, groaned, stamped his foot, snatched a Cep from the grass and shouted:
I'll eat him right now, and then you! Are you frightened?
No! Let the little one go! Or I'll give you a whack with a stick!
Victoria answers again.
And suddenly after these words Fear shrivelled up, became smaller and weaker, whilst Victoria became bigger and stronger.
The girl grabbed a stick and swung it at the evil wizard.
Fear shrieked:
Now, be afraid of me at once! Everyone must be afraid of me!
But he himself backed away, retreated and kept looking at the stick. And Victoria advanced and became bigger and stronger. And the stick in her hands grew.
Oh, don't touch me!
Finally, Fear squealed, dropped the little mushroom and hid behind a tree stump.
And the toadstools there began to tickle him, so Fear had to run away. He turned into a black cloud, flew up into the sky and fell as rain, turning into a rainbow.
Oh, great Victoria, — the mushrooms exclaimed. — How did you manage to defeat the evil wizard? He's the most terrifying Fear!
And Victoria replies to them:
Anyone who stands up for the weak becomes stronger!
So if I stand up for some tiny creature, I'll also become big and strong? — tiny Ginger asks the girl.
You will!
Victoria smiles.
Just then a caterpillar attacked a firefly. Ginger grabbed a blade of grass and drove the caterpillar away from the firefly.
Ginger, how strong and brave you are!
The firefly exclaimed.
I'm strong and brave!
Ginger was delighted.
Thank you, Victoria! Now we know that the strongest is the one who protects the weak. We'll now protect each other and won't be afraid of anyone!
The mushrooms said goodbye to Victoria, put her on a cloud and sent her home.
And Fear never returned to that fairy tale again.
