One day, Vanya and his mother were in a hurry and didn't close the door behind them. Druzhok was so curious that he decided to go outside and find his owners. The puppy looked around, but didn't see any familiar faces.

They must be on the other side of the street.

Druzhok thought.

But how do I get there? How do I cross the road when cars are speeding by?

The puppy looked up and saw a stern red light. People were gathering on the sidewalk. They probably also needed to get to the other side. The red light went out, the green light came on, and all the pedestrians walked onto the road. Druzhok ran too.

His joy knew no bounds—on the other side of the street, Druzhok met Vanya and his mother.

The boy picked up his beloved puppy and began to explain:

You see, there are three lights over there—that's a traffic light. This is a busy intersection and you can't cross the road without it. Remember: if the red light is on, stop and wait. As soon as the green light comes on, look both ways and go boldly. And always cross the road only at crosswalks.

How do you know all this?

The puppy asked in surprise.

Well, I'm already grown up. We learn these traffic rules in school.

The boy answered.

And so Druzhok became acquainted with the traffic light and the rules for crossing to the other side of the street.

Little rabbits, little squirrels, little owls — no one could fall asleep. Not the little mice, not the little bears, not the little hedgehogs.

Leaves rustled on the branches, pinecones whistled as they fell from the trees. A young breeze was causing mischief.

And the animals wanted to hold a council and decide how to calm the breeze.

Let's sing it a lullaby!

Said the Owl.

She was the wisest of all, so they decided to listen to her.

However, it turned out that almost none of the animals knew lullabies.

The Fox volunteered to sing. Although he was cunning, he had excellent vocal abilities. Taking a deep breath, the Fox began to sing:

Sleep my joy, fall asleep, the lights in the sky have gone out...

But as soon as he started singing, the breeze grew stronger, sometimes even turning into gusts of wind.

Then the Wolf decided to come to the Fox's aid.

After all, although he clicked his teeth, he was very good at lulling his wolf cubs to sleep with his mournful howl at the Moon. And he had quite a few of them — ten wolf cubs in total.

The Wolf also took a deep breath and howled at length. He howled for one minute, then a second and a third, and many animals were already beginning to yawn, but the breeze wouldn't stop, it only grew stronger.

Then the Bear decided to come to the Wolf's aid.

Let's play a beautiful melody for it

He said in a bass voice. By the way, the bear was an excellent musician. In his youth, he performed in the circus, and his signature act was playing the piano.

But where could you find a piano in the forest? Although this forest is magical, pianos or other musical instruments like flutes can't just fall from the sky.

But there was no need to wait for a flute from the sky, because the bear always carried one with him.

And so, taking a deep breath, the Bear began to play. The melody was truly beautiful: songbirds sang along with it in different voices, streams murmured in time with the music, a light melodic ripple passed over the magical lakes, and even the breeze paused for a moment, as if listening, during the most beautiful moments. However, when the bear finished and silence fell over the forest clearing, the Breeze started causing mischief again.

So the animals tried until late evening to figure out how to calm the breeze:

Little rabbits jumped and performed various tricks, little squirrels showed magic tricks, and even the hedgehog tried to calm the breeze by drawing a wonderful picture.

But that didn't help either. The leaves rustled as they rustled before. The breeze whistled as it whistled before, it wouldn't stop.

Who knows how long this would have continued if the sun hadn't gone beyond the horizon, giving way to the Moon, and clouds hadn't appeared in the sky, covering the entire sky with their big fluffy blanket. Night fell, a cool night fog descended on the forest, and the breeze began to calm down.

The trees rustled less and less, and the leaves no longer rose in a whirlwind above the ground.

And all the inhabitants of the magical forest began to fall asleep:

First the little bears, then the little hedgehogs, then the little mice... And even the little rabbits, little squirrels, and little owls. And the cunning fox, and the wolf — everyone fell asleep with the coming of night.

And no one heard the soft whistling of the breeze in the silence of the night that had fallen.

Tuzik kept pestering them with questions: why, where were they running to, but his friends always joked around, saying he was still too small. One day, hearing those same words again, the little dog felt hurt, cried, and decided to leave home forever.

Tuzik took a bag, packed his favorite toys, took a book from the shelf that he never parted with—these were his favorite fairy tales, he knew them all by heart—and went off into the world.

The puppy wandered around the countryside for a long time until one day he stumbled upon a village. Running past a beautiful building, Tuzik heard children's voices and became curious. He decided to pop in for a visit.

When the children saw the little puppy with a book in his paws, they ran up to him, started petting him and asking about the colorful book. The puppy was so happy that they were interested in him that he was ready to share all the knowledge he possessed.

The children, in turn, gave him a tour of the area. Tuzik understood he had nowhere else to go, so he decided to ask the children to let him stay with them. He really wanted attention and care.

From that time on, the children often visited the puppy, played with him, and he would take the book from his bag and tell them his favorite fairy tales.

His owners nicknamed him Kesha the Grumbler: no matter what they did, he didn't like anything at all. Either the seeds tasted bad, or the swing was too small, or the blanket on the cage was cold, or the bell was too quiet...

One fine morning the owners let the grumbling parrot out onto the balcony to fly around and stretch his wings, while they themselves began to puzzle over how to re-educate the bird. They decided to hide everything that was in the cage: the house, toys, food...

The parrot flew into the room and started his dissatisfied song again:

It's cold on the balcony and the rope is poorly stretched.

The owners went out onto the balcony, and there the sun was smiling with its bright rays and giving warmth. They were once again convinced that the bird was simply being capricious and went to the kitchen to have lunch.

Kesha's appetite was also awakened, he flew into his beautiful large cage, and it was empty! There were no bowls with seeds, no swings, no house, no mirror and none of his favorite toys.

The parrot was surprised and became sad. He began to remember how much he liked his food, the mirror in which he admired his beauty, his favorite toys.

After thinking it over carefully, Kesha decided to ask his family for forgiveness, because they really loved him very much.

The owners forgave the parrot, and he never grumbled again and appreciated what he had.

Every day the Rabbit would leave his dwelling in search of food, and on weekends he would venture to a meadow where other rabbits often gathered to have a fun and interesting time.

The meadow was very beautiful. Flowers grew everywhere there, their fragrance spreading throughout the forest, and tall green grass protected the rabbits from the hot sun.

One Sunday, the Rabbit set off to the meadow once again. He lay down under the tall grass, plucking a few flowers to enjoy their wonderful scent.

The Rabbit lay there dreaming of meeting a beautiful female Rabbit. And suddenly, like a bolt from the blue, something soft and warm fell on him. The Rabbit jumped up and saw a female Rabbit lying on the grass.

Are you crazy? Don't you see that respectable rabbits are resting here?

The Rabbit asked cautiously.

I'm sorry. I was so distracted by that flower over there that I didn't notice you in the tall grass.

The female Rabbit hurried to apologize.

Well, it's okay. You're not heavy at all, I'm perfectly fine! Maybe we could admire the flowers on the meadow together, and then take a walk. The sun is so hot, I'm afraid my ears might get burned and that would hurt a lot.

I don't mind.

The female Rabbit was delighted. She clearly liked the Rabbit. And no wonder, he was the most handsome in the entire forest.

Together the female Rabbit and the Rabbit strolled through the meadow, admired the flowers, and then went for a walk along a shaded path to protect their ears from the sun. And so they walked together every day. The Rabbit gave the female Rabbit bouquets of carrots and cabbage, and then he finally gathered the courage to confess that he had fallen in love.

You are the most beautiful Rabbit in the world! I love you!

The Rabbit shouted joyfully at almost every step.

But the female Rabbit had never said such a thing to the Rabbit before. She was afraid that it only seemed that way to the Rabbit, and that he wasn't really in love.

Well, Rabbit, you can certainly say anything you want. But I'm not entirely sure that you really love me!

The Rabbit became upset and fell silent. He was so hurt that he couldn't even think of a response. They walked silently through the meadow, stopping at each beautiful flower, and didn't notice how the sun ended up directly above their heads. And when the Rabbit walked the female Rabbit home, he suddenly saw that her ears had turned burgundy, like cherries.

Female Rabbit, what's wrong with your ears?

The Rabbit asked in alarm.

The female Rabbit wanted to touch her ear with her paw, but it hurt so much that she cried out.

The Rabbit touched the female Rabbit's forehead and his eyes became round like coins.

You have a fever! You need to get treatment right away, and your ears need to be covered with some cream.

The female Rabbit was in so much pain that she didn't even hear what the Rabbit was saying. Her vision darkened, and she fell.

Opening her eyes, the female Rabbit began to remember what had happened to her. Now she was lying in her soft, cozy bed, and on a small table beside her was a bouquet of carrots.

The female Rabbit tried to touch her ears and immediately noticed that it didn't hurt at all. Her fever was gone, and she felt very well.

And then she heard careful footsteps, and the Rabbit's head appeared in the doorway.

Female Rabbit, my dear, you've finally woken up!

My ears don't hurt at all anymore, and I don't seem to have a fever. But how did you get here and where did this wonderful bouquet of carrots on my table come from?

Well, how else! I wanted you to be happy and eat something when you woke up. I love you so much and I worry about you.

And the female Rabbit understood that the Rabbit truly loved her very much. After all, only those who are in love are willing to help and save someone in a difficult moment! He saved her, and now they will live long and happily! And a few weeks later, the female Rabbit and the Rabbit got married, and very soon they had a whole bunch of little fluffy baby rabbits!

This story happened on an ordinary spring day. Vanya had just finished all his lessons and had no idea what to do with himself. He had been counting on going for a walk with Vasya, but his friend was delayed at school, and the other kids were nowhere to be seen.

"What bad luck!" thought the boy, sitting on a bench and throwing pebbles at sparrows—fortunately for them, they were quick enough, and the boy wasn't a very good shot.

Hey, Vanya, aren't you ashamed of bullying little birds!

But I... I'm not doing anything wrong.

The boy was startled. An elderly man with gray hair was sitting next to him. Vanya had no idea how he hadn't noticed him—he certainly hadn't appeared out of thin air!

Do you know my mother?

Vanya asked in a fallen voice, worried that the old man would now definitely tell on him!

I know you far too well, unfortunately, and I'm not going to tell on you!

The grandfather answered calmly.

Well, how? How do you know my thoughts? Are you a psychic?

No, just a wizard.

You're joking—wizards don't exist!

Vanya laughed.

They do, my boy, they do! I remember you as a little child, how good you were, but now it seems to me you've simply forgotten what it means to be human!

And who am I, in your opinion—maybe a potato or some beetle?

Vanya was starting to get angry. The old man was certainly strange, but he was clearly just crazy, not a real wizard. The boy decided it was time to leave this strange old man.

Goodbye, I have to go!

The boy stood up and was about to leave when he heard behind him:

But if I perform a miracle, will you stop thinking I'm crazy?

What kind of miracle?

Well, for example, such a small trifle!

The grandfather snapped his fingers, and an ice cream cup appeared in his hand.

Not bad for a crazy person?

The grandfather asked, holding out the cup to the boy.

I'm sorry, the boy said sheepishly, I've never met a wizard before and I insulted you!

The grandfather snapped his fingers, and the cup disappeared.

Oh, Vanya, Vanya! What a wonderful little child you were, you loved nature, but now... oh!

Respected wizard, I apologize, but you're repeating yourself. I haven't done anything wrong!

What do you mean? Who was throwing stones at the sparrows?

The old man asked in surprise.

"He knows that too!" thought the boy to himself, but aloud he said:

But I didn't hit them! I was just playing!

That's a fine thing! And what if someone did that to you? Would you like it?

The grandfather protested.

Absolutely not! "Man is the king of nature!"

The boy noted.

Wouldn't you like to feel what those you hurt feel?

The grandfather suddenly suggested.

How?

Well, for example, you and your friend lure a stray dog, then chase it with a stick, or scare the yard cats, or...

Yes, I understand, I understand. But I still can't figure out, respected wizard, why you're so concerned with these creatures. They can't think or feel—they just have instincts. They'll forget about us in two minutes, whether we're people or not!

That's exactly what you're going to find out!

The wizard suddenly shouted and snapped his fingers. Vanya began to shrink. He wanted to object, but instead of words, only sounds like growling came out.

You'll become a boy again only when you understand what it means to be human!

He heard as if from far away.

Chapter 2. In a Dog's Skin!

Everything around looked different. Vanya was in the yard, in the same spot, but the colors! He saw everything differently, and he had become smaller. His hand itched terribly. And then he discovered with horror that he was standing on all fours, and he didn't have hands anymore—he had paws! In a puddle, he saw his reflection: yes, he was now a stray dog!

"This is actually funny!" thought the boy. Fear was replaced by curiosity, and then he saw Zoya, the younger sister of his best friend.

"I'll go say hello and ask about Vasya. Zoya will be so surprised to hear a talking dog!"

Vanya decided.

Approaching the girl, who was sitting in a sandbox making sand pies with her back to him, Vanya said in a quite friendly manner:

Hey there, little one, where's Vasya?

The boy even smiled, or at least he thought he did.

The girl, hearing a growl behind her, turned around in fright. A yard dog was staring at her, baring its teeth.

It seemed enormous to her. The little girl was so frightened that she burst into tears. Vanya wanted to calm her down, to tell her it was him, but something hit him painfully on the leg—or rather, on the paw. It was his friend Vasya! The boy, hearing Zoya's cries, rushed to help and immediately threw a stone at the dog, which seemed to him to be about to hurt his sister. But the rescuer hit the animal's paw. Vanya hurried away. He was hurt and offended: some friend he was, throwing stones! And it didn't seem so funny now when someone was throwing stones at you!

Come here, my good boy!

Suddenly he heard a kind voice. It was Uncle Borya, a well-known joker. The boy loved laughing at his jokes.

Come on, come here!

The neighbor called again. He was holding something in his hand. He beckoned to Vanya-the-dog and put it on the ground.

Vanya's stomach rumbled, and only now did the boy realize how hungry he was.

"Oh, I should have listened to Grandma and eaten before rushing outside!" thought the boy. "Still, my neighbor is a good guy, kind! Eating from the ground isn't very nice, but I'm a dog now, not eating from fine china!"

The boy even smiled to himself mentally, remembering his grandmother's favorite word—"dine." Oh, if only she were here now!

Uncle Borya stepped back a reasonable distance from such a tasty morsel so he could approach without fear of being hit, and Vanya-the-dog decided to try. But what was this strange taste in the sausage piece?

It had so much salt, pepper, and all sorts of spices that Vanya, after spitting out the unfortunate piece, stuck out his tongue and breathed heavily. He looked like a fire-breathing dragon now, not a boy and certainly not a dog.

Apparently, it looked funny from the side: he heard loud adult laughter and children's laughter. Uncle Borya stood aside laughing, and next to him were the boys who had been playing cops and robbers with Vanya, laughing their heads off. But now he was a yard dog, that was all. And then Vanya suddenly remembered with bitterness that he had laughed like that not long ago. How could he have forgotten!

The neighbor was quite the joker, and for some reason, he found it amusing to call an animal over, treat it to an oversalted, over-peppered piece of sausage, and laugh while watching its reaction. Vanya had found it amusing too, but not now!

"I'm so thirsty!" And then Vanya saw a small puddle. In other circumstances, he wouldn't have considered it an option, but not now, when his mouth felt like it was on fire, like he was a fire-breathing dragon!

After quenching his thirst, the boy-dog caught the gaze of a cat. It was sitting on a bench looking so pleased that Vanya understood: the mangy thing was laughing at him. "But now I'll chase you, and yes, it will be fun!" With a shout of "You won't get away!" he rushed at the cat. The cat hissed and scratched his paw painfully. Vanya let out a yelp: "Now you'd better watch out, you mangy thing!"

Chasing the cat, he suddenly thought that things weren't so bad after all—he could at least chase a cat!

And then again...

Chapter 3. I'm a Cat!

"Something's happening to me again..." the boy had just thought when the cat he was chasing stopped and rushed at him. Vanya ran for his life. What if it was rabid? Would a normal cat chase a dog? But when Vanya flew up a birch tree in a whirlwind, he understood: he was no longer a dog! The pursuer remained below, and the boy, looking himself over carefully, realized: now he was a cat, a street cat!

Okay, I'm getting tired of this, wizard. Where are you?

The boy called out quietly.

But there was only silence in response. An old woman sighed: "Oh, how the kitty is meowing. The poor thing is stuck!"

Then Vanya thought with horror: "But how am I supposed to get down? I'm in quite a predicament! So, what do I know about cats? That they land on all four paws, so everything should be fine. Wait! BUT I'M NOT A CAT, I'M AN ENCHANTED BOY! WIZARD, WIZARD!"

But again, silence. From the side, it looked like a street cat was meowing pitifully in a tree.

Backing up slowly, Vanya began to carefully descend, but those couple of minutes seemed like an eternity! His paws had just touched the ground when he was roughly grabbed.

Kitty!

He heard above his ear.

"Oh no!" flashed through Vanya's mind.

Now he saw that it was Alyosha, the neighbor's little boy, who had grabbed him. Vanya had always found it amusing how the little boy would squeeze cats, but not now! Sticky fingers gripped him unpleasantly, and Vanya was about to scratch the annoying little boy when Alyosha's grandmother came running up:

Ugh, ugh, Alyosha! Drop that cat. It's full of fleas!

"You're full of fleas!" Vanya wanted to answer, but he didn't have time. He was dropped on the ground, and that's when all four paws came in handy!

Chapter 4. I'm a Sparrow!

Climbing onto a bench, the boy decided to think about what to do next.

"The wizard told me I need to be human. But I am human! Well, I was until I met this weirdo! What if he can hear me? GRANDPA, I DIDN'T MEAN TO OFFEND YOU!"

Then Vanya's attention was drawn to a little sparrow—a tiny, silly thing, hopping right next to him.

"I've always wanted to catch a bird! When better than now!" And Vanya was already next to the little sparrow. The bird was so startled at the sight of a cat that it didn't even think of flying away.

"I'll just touch it, that's all!" Vanya didn't even think that he now had a paw with claws instead of a hand!

And then something pecked him painfully on the head. It was the mother sparrow! The attack was fierce. Vanya hurried away, but then he realized something was happening again. He felt himself shrinking, and he saw the old cat pursuer rushing toward him.

This time Vanya already guessed that he was now a sparrow himself, so hiding in a tree wasn't an option—he couldn't fly! So he tried to hide in a small crack in the wall. The cat wouldn't be able to squeeze in there.

He hopped as much as his little legs allowed and managed to hide in the shelter just as an enormous paw reached after him. But fortunately for Vanya, no matter how hard the cat tried, it couldn't reach him.

Vanya had no watch and didn't know how long he sat in his hiding place. It seemed like an eternity! Carefully peeking out and making sure no one was around, Vanya saw a beautiful butterfly.

"I wonder if butterflies are afraid of sparrows?"

He wanted so much to pull at its wing. The boy-sparrow was already next to it when...

Chapter 5. And Who Am I?

"Again?" But then Vanya thought that being a butterfly might not be so bad, and he could try to fly. But to his horror, he discovered he had no wings!

"So if I'm not a butterfly, who am I?" But his mental dialogue was interrupted by something incomprehensible and enormous, right next to him.

"What are these pillars?" thought the boy in horror when this enormous thing was right next to him and almost crushed him. He hid behind a pebble and then realized: these were legs, and they weren't enormous at all—he was just too small!

"Very funny, Grandpa Wizard. I suppose my next transformation will be into a microbe?"

Vanya wanted to add something else when suddenly an enormous hand grabbed him, and he heard a familiar voice:

"Look at this little bug. Vanya will like it!"

"Vasya, it's me—Vanya!" But his friend couldn't hear him or understand him. Instead of words, there was only buzzing.

"Sit here for now," the boy moved a matchbox.

"Oh no, Vasya wants to put me in there! No!" But his friend didn't understand him.

The matchbox was dark and cramped, and Vanya suddenly felt sad that his best friend didn't understand him. The boy began to remember all the bugs he had caught alone or with his friend, the sparrows he had thrown stones at, the cats and dogs that he and Vasya loved to bully. And he wanted to cry.

He realized that all these living creatures, which were much smaller in size, felt pain and fear. And how like terrible giants the yard boys, including him and Vasya, must seem to them sometimes.

"Forgive me all," whispered Vanya. "I probably really did deserve to sit in a matchbox!"

The boy felt himself falling asleep. He seemed to be falling into something and didn't know what would happen next.

Chapter 6. Being Human!

Vanya opened his eyes and found himself sitting in the yard on the same bench where he had met the wizard.

His clothes were covered in dust, and a fresh scratch reminded him that it all hadn't been a dream. The boy wanted to tell the grandfather that he understood everything, but the old man was nowhere to be found. However, Vasya was already hurrying toward him.

Hey, where were you? I want to show you something!

A bug?

Yeah... But how did you... never mind. Look! But where is it?

Vasya stared at the empty box with his mouth open, and Vanya suddenly felt so happy that he burst out laughing.

Indeed, it was a funny situation—the bug was him! Vasya looked at him and laughed too.

A couple of minutes later, Vanya was already telling his friend about his unusual transformations. Vasya smiled at first, but then became more and more serious. When his friend finished the story, he said:

Forgive me for the stone and the matchbox. I didn't know it was you! And I saw that grandfather too, but he suddenly disappeared, like he vanished into thin air! I thought my imagination was playing tricks on me. But it turns out it wasn't. Miracles do happen!

The boys never saw the wizard-grandfather again, but they didn't need to. They no longer bullied their smaller brothers and sisters in the animal kingdom. And the wizard is somewhere nearby, maybe on your street too, watching to make sure we don't forget: we should treat others the way we want to be treated. That's what it means to be human!

The house resembled a real fairy-tale tower. It was small, with round windows framed by carved, lace-like trim, a roof that looked like a large honey cake, and walls painted in a delicate pink color.

Around the house were many flowers and blooming trees, and there was even a pond where two magnificent snow-white swans swam. Everything about this house was extraordinary.

And no one suspected that a family of magicians lived in it. A mother, father, grandmother, and a girl named Milana, who was celebrating her birthday today—she was turning sixteen years old.

For this momentous occasion, a grand celebration was held in the house, because the girl had reached the age when she could begin learning the intricacies of magic.

As the holiday was coming to an end and guests began to leave, Milana's grandmother called her:

You know, my dear girl, that we are not like most people. We have a power called magic. And we must direct this power only toward doing good deeds. We have been helping people for many years when we see they cannot manage without our help.

To begin learning all the intricacies, I will give you three ribbons with which you can perform three good deeds, but remember this. If you try to direct their power toward something bad, the ribbons will turn into mere twigs and lose their magical properties.

The grandmother continued her story.

Milana took the magical ribbons from her grandmother—they were blue, green, and orange—and went to sleep.

In the morning, when it was fully light, Milana went out through the gate of the house. She decided to take a walk through the village. Today was Saturday, which meant there should be many people on the streets.

The girl couldn't figure out where to use the ribbons' magical power. Milana walked down one street, then another. Everywhere, everyone was busy with their own affairs and paid no attention to the girl.

Milana met an old woman carrying heavy bags and offered to help her. The old woman thanked her but said she had already reached her house. So the girl walked until noon and even got a little tired.

Milana came to some old ruins that had long been abandoned by people, and only children played dangerous games there. The abandoned buildings were located almost in the center of the village and cast a shadow over the lives of most people living on that street.

Just then, children's voices could be heard coming from there. Boys were playing some game.

Milana climbed over the old logs and saw one of the boys:

Why are you playing here? Don't you have anything better to do? It's dangerous here—you could be crushed by something at any moment!

Milana said to him.

Seeing the girl, all the boys ran up to her and shouted in unison that they had nowhere else to go, since there was no playground or park in the village.

Then the girl remembered her magical ribbons and thought of how to use them.

Milana told the boys to go home for lunch and come back here in the evening. She threw the orange ribbon on the ground, and in an instant all the old buildings disappeared, and well-maintained flower beds and paths with benches appeared in their place.

The girl threw the green ribbon, and a small pond formed where the old pit had been, with a willow tree spreading over it, and ducks swimming on the water.

Finally, only the last blue ribbon remained, from which an entire playground appeared with everything you could imagine: swings, slides, various ladders, and carousels.

When the boys came in the evening, they couldn't believe their eyes at how beautiful it was. Even the adults came with joy to see the small park that had appeared out of nowhere.

And Milana was very happy that she had been able to bring so much joy to people through her good deeds.

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.

A gentle breeze blew, and the little seeds scattered in all directions. One tiny seed flew far, far away, fell into a stream, and floated along...

The seed drifted along the current for quite some time until it caught on a branch lying on the shore.

I really like this place; the soil here is good.

Thought the future Cornflower.

But there's so much trash here! What should I do?

There was no other choice. It sent its roots into the earth and began to grow. Time passed, and the Cornflower became a beauty. One day, two giggling girlfriends, Masha and Dasha, were taking a walk when they spotted the Cornflower.

Oh, look how pretty it is! If I put it in my hair, it will look so beautiful!

Masha said excitedly.

The Cornflower got frightened, hung its head, and trembled with fear.

Why pick it? We shouldn't. Let it bloom and bring joy to everyone with its beauty. Look at all this trash here. I suggest we clean it up and clear the area, and then we can come back and admire the flower.

Said Dasha.

I'm all for it. Let's get to work.

Masha supported her friend.

The girls, humming a little song, collected all the trash. And there was plenty of it: cans, bottles, papers... Although the girls were small, they weren't afraid of the work and cleaned everything up. How the meadow blossomed!

Thank you so much for your care.

Said the Cornflower.

But the girls didn't hear him, because he was speaking in his flower language, which people cannot hear.

In high spirits, Masha and Dasha headed home. They had done a good deed by cleaning nature of its trash.

But suddenly, out of nowhere, appeared the Old Forest Keeper, the master of the forest. He lives in every forest, but especially loves the spruce forests. The old man was dressed like a person: in a red sash, with the left side of his caftan tucked behind the right. His shoes were mixed up: the left bast shoe on his right foot, and the right one on his left. His eyes were green, green, glowing like hot coals. But there was such sadness in those eyes!

Hello, grandfather.

The girls greeted him.

Why are you so sad? What happened?

The forest keeper told the girlfriends how clean and beautiful the forest used to be. Birds and animals lived in it, and many flowers and berries grew there. But people don't appreciate the forest's beauty; they litter and don't clean up after themselves.

I suppose I'll have to move to another clean forest, far from my home, just so I don't have to see how people destroy Nature.

The Old Forest Keeper explained sadly.

Don't be upset. We'll think of something.

The girls supported the Old Keeper. They looked around and realized that the two of them couldn't handle this problem alone. The work was just too much.

What if we ask the whole class to come help fight the trash in the forest?

Masha thought aloud.

Exactly! Let's call everyone to help. We'll organize a community cleanup!

Dasha supported her friend again.

On one of the weekend days, the children went to the forest to clean it of trash. It wasn't an easy task they had taken on, but no one gave up or lost heart. After all, they were almost grown up and understood what a good deed they were doing for their planet. After finishing the work, the schoolchildren hung up drawn posters that warned people not to leave trash in the forest.

And the Old Keeper watched from the side, and he was so pleased and joyful that he couldn't help but sing a little song:

They've called me Leshy since I was small.
I respect all the animals and birds.
Every bush in my domain I know.
I vigilantly protect my native forest.

A fairy tale is a lie, but it holds a lesson for good people! Let this tale be a good example for everyone. Let each person join the fight against trash, for the world is suffocating from it.

Don't litter, and Nature itself will say to you: "Thank you so much, friends!"

The weather was wonderful. Bright sunshine shone from early morning, peeking through the portholes, and the sea was calm and endless. Seagulls circled in the sky, calling to each other, and passengers were having a great time on deck.

The captain was in charge of the steamship. He walked proudly along the deck and made sure everything was going well for everyone. He gave clear commands to his assistants, carefully inspected everything around him, and maintained order.

For all seven days, different entertainments were planned. And so that the vacationers would have fun, be comfortable and safe, people of different professions worked on the steamship. A professional chef prepared delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He created such wonderful culinary masterpieces that some people were even afraid to touch them. There was also a doctor on the steamship who knew which medicine to give a person in case of illness.

To make the vacationers' time more enjoyable, singers, musicians, and dancers performed concerts. People happily listened to beautiful songs and musical pieces and watched wonderful couples dancing dances from different cultures around the world.

And everything was fine until the steamship encountered a terrible fog. Nothing could be seen ahead, the sea became turbulent, and the seagulls began to cry so loudly that people were afraid to leave their cabins. The steamship stopped, and the fog, as if enchanted, engulfed everything around it. The steamship had entered an enchanted zone.

From that moment on, everything began to go wrong...

The chef suddenly announced that he no longer wanted to cook; he would treat people instead. The doctor happily agreed to prepare breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, just to avoid dealing with thermometers and pills anymore. The captain's assistants suddenly decided to become dancers, and the singer announced that she would take the helm.

People could not understand what was happening.

What is this? This isn't food, it's medicine! We're hungry!

The ship's guests cried out indignantly when they saw a pile of small round pills on their plates instead of a beautiful dish.

Are you trying to treat me with flour? Do you think if I smear it on my face, my rash will go away?

A patient with an allergic reaction to some fruit asked the new doctor in confusion. His face had begun to look like a fly agaric mushroom.

What kind of clumsy movements are these?

People cried out in outrage when they saw the captain's assistants on stage instead of professional performers.

Why is our steamship spinning like a top in one place? What's happening and who's at the helm?

The vacationers asked the captain anxiously.

It was the eighth day of the journey, and people began to worry about how they would get home. Chaos reigned on the steamship, and no one knew what would happen next. Then, in the distance, a huge white ship appeared. It was rapidly approaching the steamship, sending out loud signals.

As it drew close to the steamship, the captain suddenly heard a voice:

What's going on with you? Your steamship should have returned home long ago!

We don't know what happened! But my entire crew has become as if enchanted. The chef started treating people, the doctor suddenly became a chef. Our singer is at the helm and I can't make her leave. My assistants decided they were dancers, and now there's no one to operate the steamship.

The captain shouted with all his might so they could hear him on the ship.

We'll help you! Be patient!

At that moment, thunder rumbled, and rain poured down. But literally a minute later, the sun appeared in the sky, and the clouds suddenly disappeared. The fog dispersed, and the seagulls stopped crying loudly and frightening people.

Everyone returned to their own work.

The chef resumed cooking, the doctor returned to his cabin and began prescribing medicines and taking temperatures for those who needed it.

The singer performed such a beautiful song that all the people on the steamship began to smile.

The steamship got underway, and the captain's assistants returned to their duties. Everything fell back into place.

No one ever found out what really happened. But everyone understood one thing—each person should focus on their own work and do it well!

The chef should cook, the doctor should treat, artists should bring joy and emotion to people, and the captain's assistants should follow his commands and ensure the safety of people on the steamship!

Everything ended well, but each of those who had been on this steamship became more attentive, responsible, and devoted to their beloved profession.

Kolya was a good student and had many friends. The boy always helped his parents. Sometimes he would cook dinner by himself without his mom's help and set the table. Kolya could repair a chair on his own and helped his dad maintain the car.

But the boy had one peculiarity — he didn't believe in anything and was very suspicious.

All the teachers said in unison: "This Kolya will drive us crazy! He constantly argues with us and doesn't believe in anything!"

And if the conversation turned to magic, Kolya would laugh so loudly that everyone around would turn to look.

The mischievous boy was 100% sure that there were no such miracles, that it was all made up for small stupid children, and that he was already grown up and smart.

One morning, heading to school, Kolya, as usual, went to the store and bought sausages for his shaggy friend. But this time the kitten didn't meet Kolya as he usually did. The boy immediately sensed something was wrong. He carefully looked around the house, but the kitten was nowhere to be found.

Suddenly, Kolya heard a strange sound. It was the kitten meowing somewhere in the distance. Listening carefully, the boy followed the sound and within a minute he saw his little friend under a bench.

The kitten had an injured paw and couldn't even stand.

Kolya picked him up, pressed him to his shoulder and said:

Well, how did you manage to hurt yourself? You're still so small and you need to be more careful!

The kitten, as if understanding what Kolya was saying, purred loudly.

Kolya took the sausages out of his backpack and began to feed his friend. After some time, Kolya hurried to school.

He couldn't be late because today there was a new geography lesson and the boy simply had to disbelieve something and argue with the teacher.

But what should he do with the kitten? Kolya decided to leave him here and take the kitten to the veterinarian on the way back. Let them treat his paw.

The lesson began. The teacher was talking about some geographical discovery, but Kolya couldn't stop thinking about the injured kitten. He thought about how the poor little kitten was all alone there and no one could help him. The boy got so tired of worrying that he didn't notice how he fell asleep.

Kolya, wake up!

Suddenly the boy heard and opened his eyes. Before him he saw a man in white clothes. He had a gray beard, big kind eyes, and a beautiful unusual pendant hung on his chest.

Who are you?

The boy asked suspiciously.

I am the one who will help you! But you must believe me.

The mysterious man answered.

Believe? Why should I! And besides, what are you talking about?

Kolya continued to look at the man suspiciously.

I know what you're thinking! You're worried about the kitten with the injured paw, who is now sitting all alone under a bench.

The man answered.

How do you know that? I didn't tell anyone!

Kolya was genuinely surprised.

That is magic.

The man said calmly.

Ha-ha-ha! Magic! You found someone to tell! Magic doesn't exist, it's all fairy tales for little children. And I'm already grown up and I don't believe in any of this.

You don't have to believe. But your disbelief won't make things better for anyone, especially not for the kitten. Now I will tell you magic words that you must say out loud three times: "Magic exists, magic exists, magic exists." When you say these words, be sure to think about what you want most at this moment.

The bell rang and Kolya woke up. It turned out it was all a dream. Kolya put his textbook and notebook in his backpack; his next class was mathematics.

The boy went to class and sat in his seat. But he couldn't stop thinking about the words of the man from his dream. And he kept thinking about the kitten who needed help. And then Kolya decided to believe in miracles, at least for a moment.

Magic exists, magic exists, magic exists!

The boy said out loud.

The class was noisy, so no one heard these words. Kolya was worried that his classmates and teacher would think he believed in miracles and would laugh at him.

The lessons ended and Kolya hurried to his shaggy friend. Running to the bench where the kitten was lying, the boy couldn't believe his eyes.

Instead of the injured little friend, there was a pendant lying there — the same one that hung on the chest of that man with the gray beard.

And suddenly the boy heard from behind: "Meow!"

Kolya quickly turned around and saw the kitten. His paw was whole, and the kitten was jumping around the boy and didn't even limp.

Magic exists!

Kolya whispered and smiled.

The Hare was very kind; he never hurt anyone and always tried to help other forest dwellers. Once the long-eared one caught a nut that his friend Squirrel had dropped. The nut fell from the tree and rolled down the hill. The Hare saw this and rushed after it. Catching up, he gave the nut back to Squirrel. He ran very fast and could outrun any forest creature.

And once the Hare helped Owl find her way home. The bright sun had blinded Owl's eyes, and she got lost. The Hare saw that the night hunter was sitting on a branch crying. He immediately understood what was wrong and offered his help.

And so one fine morning the Hare woke up and remembered that tomorrow was his birthday. Of course, he immediately thought about what gift he would receive. After all, it often happens that you dream of one thing but receive a completely different gift. And then you feel so upset. And sometimes you fall asleep thinking about getting, for example, a new beautiful game, and they give it to you. But for some reason you suddenly change your mind and start dreaming of something else.

The Hare's thoughts were interrupted by the singing of birds, who were singing their beautiful songs at the top of their voices. The Hare stretched out his paws, stretched well, and got up. He had no idea what he wanted for his birthday. He already had toys, interesting books, and beautiful clothes.

And so the long-eared one decided to go for a walk in the forest. There, someone would surely help him figure out what gift he was dreaming of.

The Hare runs through the forest and suddenly sees Mole in front of him.

Hello, friend!

The Hare said happily.

Hello.

Mole mumbled barely audibly.

Why are you so gloomy? Did something happen?

The Hare asked cheerfully.

No, nothing. I'm just tired. I've been digging a burrow all day, and all by myself, without tools or help.

Mole answered.

The Hare thought for a moment, scratched his head, and said:

Oh, that would be the perfect gift! Come on, Mole, see you later, I still have a lot to do.

The Hare ran further into the forest. And suddenly a large bag of nuts landed on the ground with a crash in front of him.

Hey, up there! Why are you throwing things! Does it matter that I'm standing under the tree and you almost hit me on the head?

The Hare cried out, raising his long-eared head.

Sorry, friend!

A guilty voice was heard from above.

The Hare looked up and saw a squirrel on the branch.

I dropped my little bag where I collect nuts. It's already very old and the handles fell off. I'm sorry, I didn't do it on purpose.

The Squirrel jumped from the branch to the ground and smiled shyly.

The Hare scratched his head again, looked carefully at the little bag, and went on.

He runs through the forest, humming a little song, thinking about tomorrow. And suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by a terrible knocking sound. It was the Woodpecker making a hole in the tree.

Hey, Woodpecker, hello, friend!

The Hare cried out.

Hello, little Hare. I'm making a new hole, getting ready for winter, I need to insulate. I spent last winter in a small house and froze so much that I had to brew berries and drink tea for two whole weeks.

The Woodpecker answered.

Meanwhile, evening was falling outside, so the Hare decided to go home. He wanted to go to bed early today so he could wake up early tomorrow. After all, tomorrow was his birthday and he couldn't wait to receive gifts.

Every year the Hare makes a wish, and gifts appear in his house early in the morning. Who brings them is still unknown. But the Hare knows that he will never be without a gift.

The Hare lay down in his warm bed and began to dream. What was happening in his head, in his thoughts—no one knows. But the important thing was that the Hare knew what he wanted and firmly believed that it would definitely come true.

In the morning he woke up in a wonderful mood. Getting out of bed and going to the door, he saw a huge box. Hurray! This is a gift!

There was a knock on the door, and the Hare hurried to open it. On the doorstep stood Mole, Squirrel, and Woodpecker.

Happy birthday, friend!

They cried out in unison.

Thank you so much! Thank you for not forgetting my birthday and coming to congratulate me. I was just about to open my gift! Let's go quickly!

The Hare said joyfully.

The Hare placed the box in the center and began to open it. He reached his paw down and said happily:

This is for you! You'll dig burrows quickly and easily!

He handed a beautiful bright shovel to the Mole.

And this is for you!

The Hare took out a beautiful red bag from the box and handed it to the Squirrel.

This bag is perfect for nuts.

The Hare's friends were speechless; they couldn't understand what was really happening! Why was the Hare giving them gifts when it was his birthday?!

And this is for you!

The Hare took out a set of hammers for the Woodpecker from the box.

This is so you don't break your beak on the hard bark of the tree. You'll make yourself a big and warm house.

What does this mean?

The Hare's friends cried out in unison, full of confusion!

It means, friends, that for my birthday I ordered friends, or rather happiness for my friends. After all, if everything is good for you, then I will be happy with you! True friends are the best gift in the world!

In autumn it was time for her to start school, so the girl had already learned all the letters and numbers. Alenka was a good and obedient girl who always listened to her mother. Well, almost always...

The girl really didn't like it when her mother asked her to come home or go to bed. She had a thousand excuses for her mother's instructions. Her discontent grew especially when the girl was drawing.

I don't want to stop drawing, never ever!

The girl insisted.

I love drawing more than anything in the world!

Why do you never draw with pencils?

Her mother asked.

Why don't I draw with them? I do, but then I erase them. There are such bright colors all around, but pencils can't convey all the beauty, so I don't draw with pencils.

The girl explained.

One evening Alenka sat at her desk and, as always, was drawing. She had been so tired all day that she didn't even notice her eyes getting heavy and she fell asleep without realizing it.

And the girl had a wonderful, colorful, magical dream. Alenka found herself in a mysterious unfamiliar country where the inhabitants were... paints.

Oh my, how beautiful it was here! The houses looked like pencils, the trees were green like brushes, and along the streets walked chubby jars of paint. There were five of them.

The paints immediately recognized the girl:

Allow me to introduce myself: Red!

Said the jar.

The most cheerful.

I'm Yellow, like the sun and sand.

Blue – like forget-me-nots in the field and the sky.

And I'm Green, I love leaves and grass.

I'm very pleased.

Alenushka said joyfully.

I know you all well, because I love painting with paints. But I think someone didn't introduce themselves. Why are you so shy and quiet?

Because I'm White color. My drawing is completely invisible on white paper.

The last jar of paint introduced itself.

Then it's all clear to me! So you're all artists here?

The girl asked.

Everyone said in unison:

Yes, we're paints, which means we're famous and well-known artists!

Oh, praising yourself and boasting isn't very nice. Maybe you'll show yourselves in action? Paint a cheerful, beautiful picture. I have a free space on the wall in my room.

Alenka said.

Great idea! But we need to think about what to paint. We'll consult now, decide, and get to work.

The paints answered in chorus.

They stepped aside and took a long time making a decision.

You listen to the music, sit here, and we'll go paint our own pictures. Five paintings are much better than one. Do you mind?

The jars of paint asked.

The paints scattered in different directions, and the girl was left alone. She looked at the fairy tale city, listened and hummed along to a little song.

Some time passed. Red appeared first. He approached the girl and handed her an album with a drawing.

Oh, how beautiful! But somehow it scares me, everything is so red! It must be a fire! My mother doesn't let me play with matches, I'm afraid of fire!

The girl said.

Yellow handed over his drawing second.

Well, Alenka didn't understand this either:

What is this? Nothing is clear, is this a sandbox or what?

Blue also showed his art, but there was a question for him too:

This is a beautiful drawing, but I don't know what it looks like. If this is the sky, why are there no clouds?

A drawing by Green ended up in the girl's hands.

Is this a meadow of grass? But why do I need so much of it, I'm a girl, not a rabbit!

Alena protested.

Last of all, the jar with white paint handed over a white sheet of the album.

I wouldn't want to seem like a capricious girl in your eyes, so you don't think I don't like anything. I know you're all great artists, but separately it turned out very badly. Let's try to paint one picture together.

Alena suggested.

How do we do it together? I can only paint an autumn forest, poppies, or a dress, if it's red.

Well, that's good! Green will paint the meadow, you paint red poppies. A girl in white shoes and white bows will pick the flowers. Above them will be a blue sky and a bright yellow sun shining.

How well we thought of everything! Great idea! We'll do it! Hurray!

The chubby jars discussed the idea animatedly.

Alenushka, wake up.

Mother woke her daughter.

Get up, wash your face, brush your teeth and into bed.

Mom, mommy, I had the most wonderful dream.

The girl said happily.

You'll paint it tomorrow, but today it's time to wash up and go to bed, to sleep.

Mother advised.

I'll definitely paint it, but that's not what I wanted to say! I understood something new!

What did you understand?

Mother asked.

But Alenka didn't answer, she was already sleeping sweetly.

Did you guess what new thing the girl understood? If not, listen: each of us has little strength on our own, but if we unite with friends, we can do something big, important, and bright. After all, to achieve a good result, we need to do everything together, a team is strength!

One day she was walking through the forest. A cheerful and nimble rabbit came toward her.

Oh, Bella, let's run together. We're about to play tag with the other animals.

No way, Rabbit! You're cross-eyed, your ears are so long, and your tail is just a little pom-pom, and your name is b-r-r

The squirrel snorted and hopped away.

A name is a name — "Floppy" — my mother gave it to me and I don't need any other

The Rabbit thought cheerfully and ran off to his friends.

The squirrel met a little mouse near her home one day.

Bella, please help me. My burrow entrance is blocked with pinecones, and my paw hurts.

No way. You're so tiny, and you seem sick too. No, you'll manage on your own

And she hid in her hollow.

One day, a white bear cub named Snowball came to visit his distant cousin, the brown bear.

The squirrel saw them together and started laughing at Snowball:

Ha-ha-ha, hee-hee-hee. White as snow, and your name is Snowball too. Oh, I'm dying laughing, ha-ho-hee, have you looked in a mirror?

Bella mocked him.

Snowball burst into tears, feeling hurt. He had always been proud of his white fur, but now they were laughing and insulting him.

The animals couldn't take it anymore. And the brown bear spoke in his deep voice:

So what, should we all be squirrels? And live without friends? Open your eyes and look around: everyone is different — in height, in color, in talents. Everyone has their own special qualities. The rabbit is cross-eyed, but those eyes help him see all his enemies. But he's fast and cheerful.

The mouse is small but clever. She always helps everyone. And if she twisted her paw, that can happen to anyone. But she's so kind. And why do you insult my Snowball? He was born white, you're red, I'm brown, and the frog is green. So should we laugh at you? My bear cub won't be seen in the white snow in winter, but your fiery beauty can be seen from a mile away. So which is better?

The bear roared and asked:

Should we all be squirrels?

Live without friends like this?

Look around quickly

And you might understand suddenly.

And the ant spoke as if he were the bravest of all:

There are countless differences in the world, and each one here is just as they are.

A tiny ant, but oh so clever.

A small hedgehog, but with a big heart.

All covered in spines, but not mean at all.

The hedgehog also spoke, though he had been silent until now:

A white rabbit, a red fox. A green frog is also nice.

If a grasshopper has a broken leg, that doesn't mean he's bad now.

One is faster, another is more agile. One is kinder, another is smarter.

There are countless differences in the world, and each one here is just as they are.

The friends spoke together then:

It's not for us to decide, not for us to judge.

For we must live together in friendship.

I live here with my family, with my brothers and sisters. But I have no friends!

Snowball thought about it and decided to go play in the yard and look for friends there. So Snowball goes out and sees — a big dog, Uncle Sharik, is chasing the neighbor's cat.

And suddenly Snowball asks Uncle Sharik:

Uncle Sharik, will you be my friend?

Uncle Sharik laughed and said:

Look for friends who are younger and smaller, like my son Bublik.

And Snowball went on. He sees a kitten named Murzik walking on the roof, and says to him:

Murzik, let's be friends?

Murzik answers him:

Yes! I've never had friends before. And your owner is so kind!

Should we find more friends?

Snowball asked.

Okay.

And they went on together. They see a puppy named Bublik, the very son of Uncle Sharik's dog.

They ask Bublik:

Will you be our friend?

Of course I will! I love making friends!

And now the three of them decided to find more friends. But there was no one else in the yard.

It was already dark and they went home. And from that day on, they always played together and were the very best of friends.

Since ancient times, people came to this man for various kinds of help. Some asked him to look into the future and tell them what the harvest would be like in the coming year. Others sought his help to overcome illness. Everyone believed that this man had supernatural abilities, thanks to which all the people of this town were happy. The man always came to everyone's aid, so they called him the Sorcerer.

No one in the town knew how old the Sorcerer was. His eyes were spirited and young, his hair was completely gray, and his gaze was calm, deep, and wise.

Every day he opened the doors of his house to those who needed help. The Sorcerer could also hear things that others could not. The gray-haired man easily spoke with birds in their language, understood animals, and was friends with trees and flowers. By looking at the sky and speaking mysterious magical words, the Sorcerer could predict rain, snow, or storms.

Everyone in town knew of the Sorcerer's existence, but where he came from and how old he was—that was a mystery of mysteries. Many said that once he had been an ordinary person, just like all the other residents of this town. But then something happened, and he gained a wonderful gift of magic. Now the Sorcerer lived alone on the shore of the sea, and his calling was to help everyone in need and bring happiness to the people of the seaside town.

In many homes, children would ask their parents in the evenings about the Sorcerer's fate. They were so curious about where his incredible abilities came from and how he controlled them. After all, it was real magic—a true miracle!

One day, people from a neighboring town learned about the Sorcerer and wanted to take the wizard away with them. Everyone there was gloomy, angry, and discontented; the sun rarely shone in their town, and smiles could be seen on faces only when someone was suffering.

And so one day, these angry and discontented people set out after the Sorcerer. They burst into the joyful town and began to beat, destroy, and break everything around them.

Where does your Sorcerer live?

They cried out, breaking into the doors of every house.

We will take him from you, and he will obey our commands.

At that moment, the Sorcerer sensed something was wrong. He went to the shore of the sea, looked at the sky, and whispered something.

At that very moment, someone called out to him:

Sorcerer, help! Terrible things are happening in the town! Some people want you to go with them and do whatever they wish!

Do not be afraid, we will handle everything together!

The man answered calmly.

But how? Magic only exists in you! Only you can protect us from all these troubles and these evil people.

The frightened townspeople asked with doubt.

Listen to me carefully, and try to grasp the essence of what I am about to tell you!

The Sorcerer said calmly.

Magic exists within each of you! I want each of you to close your eyes for a moment and listen to yourselves.

The people followed the Sorcerer's advice. Each of them closed their eyes, took a deep breath, and felt that the earth was breathing with them.

This is an incredible feeling!

One of the people exclaimed.

I hear the sounds of nature. I hear how the sea whispers that it will help us overcome all hardships and will protect our town from evil people at any cost. I hear how the wind rustles, and it seems to tune my inner world toward goodness.

Then the other people who had come to the Sorcerer for help joined in.

The Sorcerer looked at those around him and said:

Now you know what magic is. I have passed my knowledge to you, and now you will be able to overcome all difficulties. Magic is not only the ability to recognize the sounds of nature, but also the ability to hear its rhythm and the rhythm of your own heart. Only in harmony with yourself and nature will you be able to move mountains and live in goodness and happiness.

The people thanked the Sorcerer and went home. Evening was falling, and they all needed to return to their homes. When they returned to the town, they suddenly saw that the evil people had disappeared.

The next day, the townspeople went to the Sorcerer again to tell him what had happened and to rejoice that the town was no longer in danger.

But when they came to the shore of the sea, they saw only a lonely tree in place of the house, which rustled its leaves quietly as if trying to say something. The people came closer, closed their eyes, and again listened to the rhythm of nature.

Now you know how to help yourselves and others, how to live in harmony and goodness.

Each of them heard the Sorcerer's voice within themselves.

From that time on, the man never appeared in those lands again. And the townspeople completely forgot about the existence of the evil people.

Now they could hear each other, listen to their inner voice. The townspeople began to recognize the sounds and desires of nature, and harmony, goodness, and peace surrounded them.

It turns out that magic exists within each of us, and we are the true creators of a happy and peaceful life!

This story happened on a hot, scorching summer day. One beautiful early morning, when the sun was already shining brightly and songbirds were singing loudly, Mother Gray Mouse woke up. She hurried to wake up her little mouse. She went to the small bed, bent down, looked at her beloved son's little face, and quietly squeaked:

My little one, wake up quickly, because today is your Birthday!

Sugarik opened his tiny bead-like eyes, stretched sweetly in his warm bed, and sleepily asked:

Mommy, what is a birthday?

A birthday is a special day, because exactly one year ago, on this very day, you came into the world!

Wow! How wonderful! And what will happen today?

The curious little mouse rejoiced.

Today we will have a celebration, because on this day guests come to congratulate and delight the birthday child.

And how do you delight someone?

The little mouse asked again. He was still very small and didn't know what a birthday was, or that he was the real birthday child today.

For a birthday, guests prepare kind words and wishes, congratulate the birthday child, and give gifts!

Mother answered. She kissed the mouse on his black shiny nose and said:

Get up quickly and run to the pine forest, to the old pine tree. Fill a basket with pine cones.

But why?

Sugarik wondered.

Today we will drink tea from a large decorated samovar, which we'll heat with pine cones.

Oh, how interesting! I've never drunk tea from a samovar.

The little mouse answered.

Hurry up, Sugarik, and I'll stay home and bake a blueberry pie. At noon our guests will arrive — the forest animals — and we'll celebrate your holiday.

Mother Gray Mouse answered.

The little mouse grabbed a small basket, jumped out of the burrow, and quickly scurried along on his tiny paws. He hurried along the forest path to the pine forest.

His mood was wonderful; all the way he jumped with delight, smiled at the birds and butterflies flying by, and joy spread through the forest like cheerful mischievous splashes.

After all, today was such a wonderful and magical day. His best friends would come to visit, and there would be a cheerful celebration at home!

Meanwhile, Mother Mouse was busy in the kitchen, kneading dough, heating the stove, and baking a fragrant blueberry pie. Then the mouse spread a fancy new tablecloth on the clearing, placed a beautiful decorated samovar with a chimney on it, and arranged tea cups with saucers.

The little mouse collected pine cones in the forest; he tried very hard, because he wanted to treat his friends to delicious pie and fragrant tea. He barely managed to drag the heavy basket home.

Mother Mouse poured fresh spring water from a stream into the samovar, added sprigs of mint, thyme, and linden flowers, and poured pine cones into the chimney. They heated the samovar and waited for guests.

The samovar hissed and steamed, smelling of pine and spruce, and the aroma of the rosy blueberry pie spread throughout the forest. The little mouse's friends had been waiting for this day and had prepared gifts.

Squirrel Reddish collected a whole basket of fragrant wild strawberries, and little hare Stepashka gathered sweet lingonberries.

Frog Quackie collected the largest cranberries from the swamp.

And Hedgehog Yashka picked a basket of juicy forest raspberries and gathered a bouquet of the little mouse's favorite flowers — lilac bells.

The animals came to visit and congratulated Sugarik on his Birthday, wished him all the best and good things, gave him gifts, and sat down to drink fragrant tea with the festive pie.

The little mouse was very happy! He smiled. Every guest was pleased. Friends played fun games and had a good time. First they played tag, then hide-and-seek. At the end, everyone sang songs together, danced, and celebrated.

The birthday turned out to be wonderful. The animals were delighted, because they had never before drunk such healthy, fragrant tea made from forest herbs with aromatic, rosy blueberry pie! The guests were amazed that you could heat a samovar with pine cones.

The satisfied little animals thanked the birthday child for the delicious treat and went home, because their mothers were waiting for them.

The sun set behind the hill, and the forest grew dark. Mother hugged her little one with her paws, looked at him tenderly, and said:

Sugarik, soon stars will appear in the sky. Look at them and make a wish. After all, a wish made on your Birthday always comes true!

The little mouse raised his tiny bead-like eyes, looked at the first star that lit up in the sky, and it twinkled at Sugarik with a bright magical light. The little one made his secret wish….

Mother Gray Mouse kissed the little mouse on his shiny black nose and said:

And now, my good one, it's time to go to sleep! After all, tonight you will have a magical, wonderful dream.

Mother Mouse often told stories about how harsh and long winters could be, how difficult it was to find food because deep snowdrifts covered everything, and there was nothing edible at all.

At the beginning of winter, lots and lots of snow fell. The entire forest was covered with a blanket of snow. The little mouse had never seen snow because he was very afraid to leave his burrow.

One day, while Mother was busy with her mouse errands in the forest, she returned to the burrow and said:

How beautiful the forest is in winter! Snowflakes slowly twirl in a gentle waltz and quietly settle on the ground. And there are so many different animal tracks in the snow! It's so interesting! Would you like to see?

No, no, I'm scared!

Crumbly huddled in the corner of the burrow.

After some more time passed, Mother Gray Mouse said:

Soon there will be a big holiday! The New Year will arrive. Crow Matryona has already decorated the Christmas tree at the edge of the forest. Father Frost will ride through the forest past our burrow.

Mommy, I really want to see Father Frost and the beautifully decorated tree. But I'm so scared!

Crumbly called out.

Father Frost is a real Good Wizard who gives gifts to everyone. You should ask him for something to cure your fear, so that you, Crumbly, finally stop being afraid….

On New Year's Eve, Mother Gray Mouse jumped out of her bed and began to listen….

I hear it—I hear it, Father Frost is coming! How brightly the little bells on his sleigh harness ring!

Crumbly was so happy that he forgot all his fears and bravely jumped out onto the street from his burrow.

On the snowy clearing, he saw beautiful painted sleighs pulled by three snow-white reindeer. In the sleigh sat a giant—Father Frost with a white beard and a red coat. In his right hand he held a staff, and in his left hand a large sack.

The Wizard had a very kind face. Noticing the tiny mouse, he winked, pulled a gift from his sack, and tossed him a small shiny box as he rode by. Father Frost was in a great hurry, and the sleigh with the reindeer quickly disappeared into the snowy forest.

Crumbly looked around: the snow sparkled in the moonlight, animal tracks were everywhere, a beautifully decorated Christmas tree stood at the edge of the forest and shone with bright lights. All around was such beauty and not scary at all!!!!

Mommy, mommy, Father Frost really is the Kindest Wizard in the whole world! He gave me a gift!

Crumbly cried out joyfully, running back into his cozy burrow.

And winter isn't scary at all! And Father Frost brought the New Year to everyone!

Mother Gray Mouse gently kissed her beloved son on his shiny black nose, tenderly hugged him with her paws, and Crumbly fell asleep. He had a very kind dream.

From that day on, the little mouse was no longer afraid of winter. He was happy about the white snow, looked at snowflakes and animal tracks at the edge of the forest.

What do you think—what gift did Father Frost give to Crumbly? What was in the shiny box?

That's exactly what a boy named Peter thought. Almost every morning he and his dad were late—one to school and one to work.

It happened this morning too…

Dad, have you seen my backpack? And where is my school uniform?

Peter cried, running down the hallway.

Son, I'm late for work. Let's hurry up and get ready.

His father answered roughly.

Well, Dad, I'm also late for school. And I've even lost my backpack.

Ask your mom. I also can't find my tie.

Just then, Mom came out into the hallway. She gave Peter an already packed backpack and handed Dad his tie.

That's why I keep telling you that you need to prepare things and pack your backpack in advance.

Mom said sternly but calmly.

But no one was listening to her anymore. Peter and Dad were running very late. They quickly ran down the stairs and jumped into the car.

Now we won't be late.

Dad said with relief.

But when he drove onto the road, he saw a huge traffic jam. The thing was that winter decided to arrive early this year. Snow fell during the night. And many drivers hadn't managed to prepare their vehicles for winter. Including Peter's dad.

He hadn't prepared for winter in advance either. And for good reason… Because it was precisely because of this that many accidents happened on the road that day.

Peter saw how one car skidded badly on a turn and almost crashed into a pole.

Dad, how terrible.

Peter cried out, pointing to the car that ended up on the roadside.

Yes, son. You need to prepare your car for winter in advance. And you shouldn't make sharp turns in weather like this.

Peter's dad deeply regretted that he hadn't prepared his own car for winter. After all, driving that day was truly difficult.

Peter's dad was lost in thought, but his son interrupted his reflections.

You know, Dad. Mom wasn't wrong when she kept telling us that everything needs to be done in advance. If I had packed my backpack yesterday evening, I wouldn't have spent so much time this morning looking for my school supplies, and we wouldn't have been late.

You're right, son. Everything needs to be done in advance.

His father answered, and he even felt ashamed that he hadn't followed his wife's truly valuable advice.

They are so beautiful that just at the sight of them, all other residents of this wonderful town are filled with incredible inspiration and their mood lifts.

These birds not only delight everyone living in the town, but also perform a huge number of important tasks. Some of them deliver important messages to other cities, some birds joyfully wish good morning to everyone with their beautiful singing.

Especially important is the task of saving plants from harmful insects and various diseases. For this, birds use their sharp beaks, tirelessly destroying parasites.

All the birds in this town lived in large, happy, friendly families. When chicks were born, their mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters would begin to teach the newborn everything they knew themselves.

The most important task was to teach the little chick to fly. After all, all birds have wings, which means they must soar high-high in the endless sky.

Bird families lived on a high mountain. Each family had their own home there, and everyone was happy and friendly.

And so, in one of the families of wonderful birds, a chick was born. He was so small that his brothers and sisters sometimes laughed at him. The newborn chick was named Lily. Perhaps this was a hint at a Lilliputian.

Look how funny and clumsy he is!

His brothers and sisters teased the little bird good-naturedly.

The wind shakes him, how will he ever fly high in the sky?

Stop making fun of your little brother!

Their mother scolded the grown chicks.

He will definitely learn to fly, he just needs to get a little stronger.

Several days passed. Lily's mom and dad constantly flew away from home to find food. After all, they needed to feed the newborn chick. The older chicks could already fly on their own, but their parents wouldn't let them go for food yet.

So the chicks spent whole days playing, flying from tree to tree, rushing from one meadow to another, and fluttering over crystal clear rivers and lakes, admiring their beautiful plumage in the reflection.

One such day, mom and dad set off again in search of food.

We're flying away, and you stay home alone. Please don't cause any trouble while we're gone. And don't forget about Lily, he's still just a baby.

The parents gave instructions to their chicks.

Don't worry, mom and dad, we'll have a great time here.

The chicks answered their parents.

Mom and dad flapped their wings and swiftly flew over the abyss that was visible far below from the top of the mountain. In a few seconds, they disappeared into the clouds.

The chicks went about their usual activities. Together with Lily, they began to play tag, constantly teasing the little one.

Evening came, and mom and dad did not return. The sun was already almost hidden behind the cliff, and the chicks looked hopefully into the clouds, from which their returning parents usually appeared. But mom and dad were nowhere to be seen.

Night fell, and the chicks fell asleep, hugging each other. With the first rays of the sun, Lily opened his eyes and saw that neither his brother nor sister were nearby.

He jumped up and wanted to rush off to search, but suddenly his brother called out to him.

Lily, our mom and dad never came back. One of our bird friends told us that they got caught in a storm and dad's wing is injured. Without our help, they won't manage, mom alone won't be able to carry him home. But without you, it will be hard for us too. We're small, so even your strength will be needed to lift dad and bring him back.

But how, I don't know how to fly at all!

Lily said frightened.

No-no, there's such wind down there, it will carry me far away and smash me against the rocks.

You must help us. Don't be afraid. You are a bird! And you must fly! Believe me, you will definitely succeed.

Lily's brother and sister tried to convince him.

Lily trembled so much that it seemed he couldn't even lift his wings. What more could be said about flying! He ran to his secret place, wrapped himself in the soft grass that his parents had gathered, and closed his eyes.

Lily imagined himself taking a step into the abyss and falling down. There were huge stones and a bottomless sea. The chick falls, crashes against the stones, and his lifeless body is carried away by the waves.

All these scary thoughts were interrupted by his brother's voice.

Lily, listen to me, please. When I was first born, I was also small and clumsy like you, a real coward. I'm big, brave and daring now. But not so long ago, I was afraid not just to fly, I was afraid to even look down the mountain.

Is that really true? You're the bravest!

Lily was genuinely surprised.

Yes, I'm telling you the truth. And I know one thing – you need to overcome your fear and take the first step. We are birds, we have wings, which means we must fly. You will definitely succeed, you'll see. Our mom and dad are waiting for us, they need help, and only all of us together can help them.

His brother spoke confidently.

Lily closed his eyes for a moment and imagined that he would never see his parents again.

I'll try! I must! I am a bird and I have wings, which means I will definitely succeed!

Together with his brother, they rushed to the edge of the mountain, where their little sister was waiting.

Well, are you ready?

His brother cried out.

Ready!

Lily whispered and pressed his wing tightly against his brother's wing.

Together, holding onto each other's wings, they took a step forward and found themselves over the abyss.

Now flap your wings, Lily! Don't be afraid, look how beautiful it is around us! This is a miracle!

His brother shouted.

Lily opened his eyes and couldn't believe what was happening. Clouds were floating below, and he, a small and clumsy chick, was proudly flying over them, flapping his wings.

I did it! I'm flying! Hooray!!!

Lily couldn't contain his joy.

A few hours later, they saw mom and dad below, lying on the branches of a tree. Descending to their parents, the chicks picked them up and flew high-high into the sky.

The family was reunited again, and Lily was no longer afraid to fly. He believed in himself, he wanted to learn. And his brother's faith and the desire to save his parents helped him. He is strong, he was able to overcome his fear! He is a bird!