Once, a boy visiting the countryside for the first time pointed at a goat and said: "Mum, what strange little cows!" How can you introduce children to farm animals without leaving your flat? With the help of our new short fairy tale. For a few minutes it will transport a little one to the farm and tell how goats live and what they think about whilst walking in the yard.
A young white goat Nyuska came out into the yard with her large herd and saw snow for the first time.
It covered all the earth in the yard, lay on the roof of the big long barn, wrapped the trees in a white coat, painted the tall mesh fence a silvery colour.
Looking at this glittering beauty with enormous eyes, Nyuska licked the trough with her pink tongue.
What are you doing? — asked the oldest goat Stesha.
I thought it was new hay, or perhaps compound feed. Maybe our watchdog, the dog Barbos, scattered such beautiful food during the night, — answered the young goat.
Baa-aa-aa! Baa-aa-aa! ― the herd laughed together.
You were born in spring, — Nyuska's mum, the goat Mashka, began to tell her, — when the snow had already melted and the earth had taken off its white blanket. The sun shone brightly and warmed everything around. Green leaves began to grow on the trees, and tender grass on the meadow. The grass grows, and the mistress cuts it with a scythe, dries it, and then stacks it in a haystack and feeds us with it in winter.
In summer, vegetables grow in the garden: beetroot, carrots, swede, potatoes, pumpkin. Warm rain and sun help them ripen, ― Mashka continued, ― and then autumn comes. The rain becomes prickly, a mean wind appears, the leaves on the trees turn yellow, and the grass wilts from the cold. We sleep in a warm barn so we don't catch a cold. And then winter comes — snow covers the earth and trees, as happened today. And frost arrives.
And who is this frost? — Nyuska asked naively.
It's a mean old fellow who pinches your nose and ears. He brings an icy blizzard with him. Then our mistress doesn't let us out, and we spend the whole day in the barn, chewing hay and bleating because we want to go outside, even though we know it's cold there, ― her mum explained.
In the cold we're given compound feed and juicy vegetables — finely chopped. Today there's no severe frost and blizzard, so the mistress let us out into the pen — to breathe fresh air, to jump about and play, ― added the oldest goat Stesha. And then she bleated, ― do you hear? The mistress is bringing us food!
Is the dog Barbos barking at someone? ― the herd became alarmed.
Look, a stranger's mistress has come with ours, ― Mashka sang softly, shielding Nyuska, ― ours will probably give someone to her. Now they'll choose...
Maybe we should hide? Let's go into the barn, — suggested Nyuska.
It's too late, they've seen us all. They only take the young ones. Adults are needed. We give milk, which children love. It's very useful. We have lots of wool. Warm mittens and socks, hats and scarves are knitted from it. And you young ones still need to be grown and taught everything, ― answered Stesha.
I hope they don't take me! I don't want to part with my mum, — squeaked the young goat. From worry she trembled and stopped chewing the carrot.
Nyusha watches as the stranger's mistress took the young cheeky goat Valka by the ears and led her to the gate.
How lucky I am! The other mistress didn't choose me! I'm staying home! — thought Nyuska, happily munching a piece of juicy pumpkin.
