If you look at the clouds for a long, long time, you can see how the wind transforms them into different amazing shapes. First, an ordinary blot floats across the sky, then it starts to look like a crocodile, then like a hippopotamus, and then like a real monster.
One day, Vika saw just such a monster in the sky.
Vika watches as the monster claps its hands and sprays a rainbow rain—but this rain is magical. It washed everything away. Vika looks around: there are no houses or playgrounds. Only fir trees are dancing, and mushrooms in colorful caps are running around.
Vika looks closer and realizes they're not mushrooms at all, but tiny people. They just have caps like those of red-capped boletes, porcini mushrooms, and chanterelles.
Who are you?
One little person asks her.
I'm Vika. Who are you?
We're mushrooms!
The little person answers.
Why are you always running?
Vika asks.
We're scared!
The mushrooms squeak in unison and suddenly scatter in different directions, hiding in the grass.
Just as Vika was about to ask who they were so afraid of, a black shadow covered the entire clearing, and the evil Wizard of Fear swirled above the trees like a terrible cloud.
Why aren't you running away?
He asked Vika in a thunderous voice.
I'm not afraid of you!
The girl answers boldly.
Fear gasped, cried out, stomped his foot, grabbed a Porcini from the grass, and shouted:
I'll eat him right now, and then you! Are you scared?
No! Let the little one go! Or I'll hit you with a stick!
Vika answers again.
And suddenly, after these words, Fear shrank, became smaller and weaker, while Vika became bigger and stronger.
The girl grabbed a stick and swung it at the evil wizard.
Fear shrieked:
Be afraid of me right now! Everyone must fear me!
But he backed away, retreating and eyeing the stick. Vika advanced and grew bigger and stronger. The stick in her hands grew too.
Don't touch me!
Finally, Fear squealed, dropped the mushroom, and hid behind a stump.
Toadstools started tickling him there, so Fear had to run away. He turned into a black cloud, flew up into the sky, and fell as rain, transforming into a rainbow.
Oh, great Vika, — the mushrooms exclaimed. — How did you manage to defeat the evil wizard? He's the scariest Fear!
And Vika answers them:
Everyone who stands up for the weak becomes stronger!
So if I stand up for some tiny bug, I'll become big and strong too? — asks tiny Redcap.
You will!
Vika smiles.
Just then a caterpillar attacked a firefly. Redcap grabbed a blade of grass and chased the caterpillar away from the firefly.
Redcap, you're so strong and brave!
The firefly exclaimed.
I'm strong and brave!
Redcap rejoiced.
Thank you, Vika! Now we know that the strongest one is the one who protects the weak. We'll protect each other now and won't be afraid of anyone!
The mushrooms said goodbye to Vika, put her on a cloud, and sent her home.
And Fear never returned to that fairy tale again.
