One evening, when Mum had already switched off the light and only a yellowish nightlight was glowing in the room, a delicate melodious tinkling suddenly rang out. Right in the centre of the room, Anya saw a golden spark, then another. More and more sparks appeared, swirling and whirling like midges, gradually condensing into a glowing little figure. And suddenly the tinkling and light disappeared, and in the middle of the carpet stood a small gnome, about the size of a stool.
– How lovely! – said Anya, who was now sitting up in bed rather than lying down, so she could observe the sparks more comfortably.
– Hello, Anya, – said the gnome.
– Hello… – Anya felt a bit embarrassed, – Who are you?
– I'm Fedya from the team of fairy tale helpers, we help the inhabitants of fairy tale lands…
– Oh, how interesting, – exclaimed Anya, – What sort of lands are they? Where are they? How do you get to them?
The girl was bouncing up and down on the bed with impatience.
– Wait, Anya! – interrupted the gnome, – I only have ten minutes, and our wizard Elizard said that only an inhabitant of a non-magical land can give the right advice. He says you have a different way of thinking, more suitable. Will you help?
– Of course! – The pillow was now bouncing along with Anya.
– Only listen carefully, it's important not to miss a single detail! High on a mountain there's a cave, and a dragon lives in it…
– A dragon? I'm scared! Don't tell me such frightening fairy tales! – Anya pulled the blanket up over her eyes.
– It's not a fairy tale! Well, it is, – the gnome got confused, – but everything is a fairy tale where we are… Besides, the dragon is kind, and he's the one who needs help! Will you help the dragon?
– Can I think about it?
– Anyechka, – pleaded the gnome, – help is really needed, time is running out, and I haven't explained anything to you yet!
Slowly from behind the blanket appeared the girl's nose, then her chin, then her neck. Then Anya put her hands on top of the blanket and sighed:
– All right then. I'll help!
– So, – the gnome was pleased, – in the cave the dragon has a wonderful garden, only instead of flowers, precious stones grow there…
– Wow! – Anya had already forgotten her fear and was bouncing on the bed again. – Are they pretty, these stones? What colour are they? You know, I love pink stones most of all, they're called rubies! And I've always wanted golden stones to exist! Does your dragon have them? He's a fairy tale dragon, he must have them, mustn't he?
– He has, he has… Probably… – the gnome waved his hand distractedly, thinking he was perhaps beyond politeness now. – So, you see, they grow from bottom to top, like crystals, like ivy…
– Like ivy! Like a goat! – the girl was no longer listening to the gnome, precious stones sparkled and shimmered in all colours before her mind's eye. And then she realised it wasn't them glittering at all, but the little gnome's figure was breaking up into sparks, which gradually faded away.
– Well? – asked the wizard.
– You see, that girl, she's so timid, so dreamy! And interrupting someone is so rude! Anyway, I didn't manage to tell her anything…
– I hoped that an emotional girl with a lively imagination would be the best option for making contact, but I didn't account for us having so little time, – the wizard thoughtfully turned his hat in his hands, – Don't worry, tomorrow the transition stone will recharge, and you can try talking to the boy.
Yuri didn't have a nightlight, he wasn't afraid of the dark at all and loved it when stars shone through the uncurtained window into his bedroom. So when the stars suddenly lit up right on the ceiling of his room, he was very pleased. The stars descended smoothly and gathered into the shape of a gnome.
– Hello, Yuri! I really need your help, and I only have ten minutes! – Fedya hurried straight away.
– How glad I am that you've come! – exclaimed Yuri, – I've always dreamed of having a mysterious friend! – and Yuri rushed to hug him.
But the gnome managed to stop him:
– Wait, don't touch me, or I'll disappear!
The boy dropped his arms sadly, but almost immediately smiled:
– Guess what, I lost a tooth! Yesterday!
Gnome Fedya was confused again, but quickly said:
– Excellent, so you're already quite grown up, clever and can help me! Listen carefully and don't interrupt. In our fairy tale land, high on a mountain in a cave, lives a dragon, he's kind, and he grows a garden of precious stones.
– What's his name? – the boy still asked.
– Roma.
– Just like my friend! – Yuri was delighted.
– Er, yes, – the gnome continued, – so, the gems in his garden are interconnected, they grow from each other from bottom to top and shine brighter and brighter, and then, one lilac stone, growing at a medium height, suddenly began to fade and shimmer strangely, – the gnome was now in full flow and waving his arms about, – and around it…
Yuri, who had been watching the gnome intently and with interest until then, suddenly said:
– My dad's going to buy me a remote-controlled car! Can you imagine? A big one! I think you'll fit in it, and next time I'll be able to take you for a ride!
– Yuri, weren't you listening to me at all? – Fedya was surprised. He was so hurt that tears came to his eyes, and he took off his cap to wipe them away unnoticed.
– And I've got a new ball too, a basketball, let me show you!
Yuri crawled under the bed to get the ball, and when he emerged, there was no one in the room.
– How did it go? – the wizard asked carefully.
– That boy must be very lonely, with no one to talk to…– gnome Fedya nervously crumpled his cap in his hands, and didn't even notice the pompom fall off and roll across the floor.
– What makes you think that? The Magic Ball said he has lots of friends and caring parents.
– He was in such a hurry to share all his news with me that he didn't listen to me…– the gnome noticed the missing pompom, but didn't even bother to look for it.
Elizard tried to cheer him up:
– While you were away, the ball suggested another candidate to me, they say he's a very clever boy!
– Who says? – Fedya was not so easily convinced.
– His mother.
– All mothers say that, – the gnome sat down right on the faintly glowing transition stone and began to listlessly pull threads from his cap, he always did that when he was very upset.
– And his nursery teacher, – the wizard continued, – and his English teacher, and his logic teacher…
– All right then, – Fedya smiled weakly, – see you tomorrow!
– Hello, Benjamin! – gnome Fedya took off his cap and bowed ceremoniously.
Benjamin was almost seven years old, but everyone in the family called him by his full name from childhood and strictly told everyone they knew, nursery teachers and teachers to do the same. The wizard had warned the gnome about this beforehand, and Fedya tried to be very polite.
– Benjamin, the fairy tale land and dragon Roma really need your help! – the gnome continued.
–Right then! – Benjamin put on his glasses, took a notebook and pencil from his bedside table and prepared to write, – How can I be of use?
– The Magic Ball told our wizard Elizard that a child from a non-magical land will give the right advice when they hear our problem.
– Did it say
