Have you ever wondered what happens in the books that sit on shelves and are never read? It turns out that the characters in books live their own lives as soon as the book is closed and placed on the shelf.
In an alphabet book, the main characters are letters. And they come to life too, as soon as the book is closed and put on the shelf.
Katya's room had many books, and she loved them very much. But after reading a book, Katya would put it on the shelf and never read it again. On her shelf stood an Alphabet book, by which Katya had once learned to read.
In this Alphabet book lived 33 letters. They lived peacefully, but one day the letter Ya, known as a troublemaker, decided to stage a revolution in the book. She no longer wanted to stand last.
Why should I stand at the very end? After all, I am the most important letter; nothing can be done without me. I am both a letter and even a whole word. Now give me your place.
Said the letter Ya to the letter A.
But it's not up to you or me to decide how the letters should be arranged in it. Each of us has our own turn. Why should you be first?
Asked the letter A.
Because I decided so. If you won't do it the easy way, it will be the hard way.
Threatened the letter Ya and pushed the letter A out of the Alphabet book, taking its place.
And then something strange happened. The letter A disappeared from all the words in the alphabet book, and the letter Ya took its place. The word "arbuz" (watermelon) became "yarbuz," and instead of "aist" (stork) there was now "yaist."
The letters were very surprised by their new neighbors. But when they went to the letter A for an explanation, they couldn't find her at all. In the house of the letter A, the letter Ya now lived. And on all the pages of the alphabet book, the impostor Ya now appeared.
But where is the letter A?
The letters asked each other.
Letter A, letter A... why is it needed, now I'm here instead of it.
Answered the letter Ya proudly.
But how can that be? We can't do without the letter A.
Said the letter K.
Why is that?
Asked the letter Ya again.
Because most words end with the letter A, and now what do we get: "sobyakya," "koshkya," "polkya," "cherepyakhya"...
Well, what's wrong with these words?
Asked the letter Ya.
They sound funny, don't you hear it?
Answered the letter K.
But I don't think they sound funny at all. Everything is as it should be. If someone doesn't like something, I'm not keeping you here. You can follow the letter A.
Said the letter Ya.
The letters were confused. They didn't like this situation at all, but how could they fix it?
Fortunately, Katya's friend came to visit with her younger sister, a girl named Yana, who was 6 years old and was about to start school.
Here is this Alphabet book—my first book. It will help you learn to read.
Said Katya and handed her Alphabet book to Yana.
I can already read a little.
Said Yana and opened the alphabet book on the first page.
Yana saw that this Alphabet book was different from the one she was learning to read from, but she still tried to read the words in it.
Yaist, yazbukya, yarbuz...
Read Yana.
You're not reading correctly. It should be "aist," "azbuka," "arbuz."
Corrected her sister.
But that's how it's written here.
Said Yana, offended.
Let me see that.
Said Katya and took the Alphabet book in her hands.
And indeed, the girl saw that on the first page, instead of the letter A, there was the letter Ya. Katya began to flip through the pages of the Alphabet book and noticed that the letter A was completely missing from her Alphabet book.
This is wrong!
Said Katya and took a red marker.
She began to cross out the letter Ya in those words where it shouldn't be. It took a lot of time, but Katya carefully corrected all the words. Then she closed the Alphabet book and put it on the shelf.
And a miracle happened—the letter A returned. It stood in its place again, and the letter Ya in its own.
The letter Ya had no choice but to accept her position. The letter Ya understood that she shouldn't have behaved that way, because each letter in the Alphabet book has its own place and order, and it shouldn't be disrupted.
