Suhrik the Traveller

This story happened at the very end of summer, when the leaves on the trees began to turn yellow, rain fell more often, the sun started to set earlier behind the hill and the days became shorter and shorter.

Suhrik woke up early in the morning, poked his little grey nose out into the street and squeaked:

Brrr, how cold it's become in the mornings!

Yes, my son, autumn will arrive in a few days.

Sighed Mummy Grey Mouse.

Well then, autumn is just around the corner, and I haven't seen anything good all summer long.

Said Suhrik indignantly.

How can that be? We have such a wonderful forest. Your friends – the little forest creatures – live here. The birds sing such beautiful songs, colourful butterflies fly about, so many fragrant flowers and aromatic berries have grown in the clearing. Soon the lingonberries will ripen, and I'll bake your favourite lingonberry pie!

Mummy was surprised and said.

But I don't want lingonberry pie! I want to try pineapples and coconuts. A crane I know once told me that far, far away in warm lands on islands in the ocean these exotic fruits grow.

Said the little mouse angrily. He snorted so hard that his whiskers trembled!

Mummy Grey Mouse became upset, she was distressed. She lowered her grey head and continued to listen to Suhrik's complaints.

I want to visit the islands and see how coconuts and pineapples grow!

He repeated.

The little mouse stamped his grey paw and hurried to scurry out of his burrow. He quickly ran along the forest path and soon found himself at the forest stream.

"I'll make myself a little boat right now and sail in it to the warm lands to see the islands" – Suhrik decided firmly.

Looking around, he found a watermelon rind on the bank of the stream, was delighted and confidently said:

This will be my little boat, I'll sit in it and sail to the warm lands to look at the islands in the ocean.

Muttered the little mouse to himself.

Happy Suhrik sat in his little boat made from a watermelon rind, content and joyful, and sailed along the forest stream.

Bush after bush, tree after tree, the little boat sailed quickly, quickly. The little mouse daydreamed and imagined how his boat would float down the winding stream to the blue sea, and then the sea would carry him into the deep ocean. And in the ocean islands with palm trees awaited him, on which coconuts grew....

But then suddenly a strong wind blew, a dark cloud rushed in and it became dark at once. The bad weather howled. The little mouse became very frightened, his boat rocked from side to side. And suddenly the watermelon rind cracked and burst......

The little mouse fell into the water and cried out:

Mummy, Mummy, where are you, save me!!!

Suddenly he felt someone skillfully catch him in the water and pull him onto the bank. It turned out that Suhrik was saved by a young beaver named Tarasik, who at that moment was building a dam on the stream and saw the little mouse sailing past on the watermelon rind.

Where were you heading, Suhrik, if you can't even swim properly?

Asked Tarasik.

I wanted to get to the warm lands and see the islands. I wanted to see how coconuts and pineapples grow. First I had to sail down the stream, then across the blue sea, and then across the deep ocean.

Said the wet Suhrik quietly, shaking water droplets from his fur.

What a silly little mouse you are! How could you set off on such a long journey on a watermelon rind?

Asked Tarasik. The little mouse lowered his little black bead-like eyes. He didn't know what to say to the young beaver.

Your mummy is worried, running all over the forest, asking all the animals where her son has gone.

Continued Tarasik.

The little mouse remembered his kind mummy, the cosy burrow near which purple bluebells grew. And Mummy had probably lit the stove and baked a delicious lingonberry pie.... Suhrik felt very sad, he lowered his head sorrowfully and bitter tears began to fall to the ground.

I want to go to Mummy!

Cried Suhrik.

Let me take you, I know where your burrow is.

Offered Tarasik.

Bush after bush, tree after tree, soon the little mouse found himself at home. Mummy was very happy that her son had returned. She hugged her little one and said:

Suhrik, how wonderful that you're safe, and kissed his little shiny nose.

The little mouse ate a piece of fragrant lingonberry pie, lay down in his little bed and fell into a sweet sleep. He was happy that he was at home with his beloved mummy.

And Suhrik dreamed of distant warm wonderful lands and paradise islands in the ocean with beautiful tropical palm trees.