Time flies quickly and our little boy Mitya, who seemed to have only recently learned to walk and talk, now attends nursery school. Mitya loves it at the nursery, where there are many cheerful and clever children whom he happily plays with. There are even more interesting and unusual toys at the nursery.
For example, there is a huge bear named Mikhail Potapovich, whom all the children love to hug, or a real big electric car where any little one can feel like a driver and take their friends for a ride. There are also animals at the nursery, which Mitya loves so much. A big red parrot named Stepan, whom the children have taught to say: "Hello". And many little colourful fish living in a glass aquarium.
Mitya often gazes at them and sometimes can spend an entire day doing this. The little boy has given each fish a name and he knows exactly who lives where and what seaweed each one eats.
One day, when Mitya approached the aquarium again, he discovered that among the familiar fish, there were little unknown fish swimming around. He called over to the aquarium his friends, the dark-haired curly-haired boy Alyosha and the funny red-haired girl Tanya.
Look! The teachers have brought new fish! — he said enthusiastically to his friends.
How beautiful they are... — Tanya said thoughtfully, examining the newcomers.
They're just so tiny, — added Alyosha with a knowing look.
Then Vitalik came over to the group of friends. He was the oldest in the group and liked to tease the others.
What are you looking at? — asked Vitalik.
The teachers brought new fish, — Mitya answered him. He wanted to share the joy with everyone.
Ha, you're silly kids. The teachers didn't bring the fish, these are the children of the ones who already lived here, — Vitalik laughed at the children.
Children? — Tanya became interested, — where did they come from?
They were born, I guess, I don't know, — answered Vitalik and he himself became interested in Tanya's question.
Let's ask the teacher? — suggested Alyosha.
The children all went together to the teacher. Finding Tamara Ivanovna near the parrot, they asked her the question:
Tamara Ivanovna, where do babies come from?
The teacher was very surprised by the unexpected question, but hastened to answer:
Babies appear from mummy's tummy, — she said confidently.
But how do they get there? — Tanya asked in surprise.
To answer this question, the teacher led the children to a large table. They stood around it, and she took out a box of puzzles and spilled them onto the table. Then she said:
Imagine that all the people you know, your mums, dads, grandmothers and grandfathers, and you yourselves — are puzzles, — she began. The children took puzzle pieces in their hands and nodded their heads, — Each person is unique in their own way, but somewhere on the planet there is another person who is right for them, just like one puzzle piece fits another. Your mum and dad are two pieces that found each other. When they come together, they give the very best of what they have and create new life. But only if these puzzle pieces fit each other does a picture of amazing beauty result.
So we are a picture that came together from mum and dad? — asked Mitya.
You could say that, — answered Tamara Ivanovna, — Your parents came together and you resulted.
Is it the same with fish? — asked attentive Alyosha.
With fish? — clarified the teacher.
Yes, the ones in the aquarium, — said Vitalik.
Ah, so that's where your questions come from! — laughed Tamara Ivanovna, — Yes, it's the same with fish, only when they find a mate, they get lots and lots of babies all at once, because the mother fish lays them as tiny little eggs.
Wow! — the children exclaimed, — A whole bunch of brothers and sisters at once!
Everyone laughed and ran back to the aquarium. So the children learned where babies come from, and Tamara Ivanovna realised that her little ones were growing up very quickly.
