Sukhrik the Traveler

This story happened at the very end of summer, when the leaves on the trees began to turn yellow, rain fell more often, the sun began to set earlier behind the hill, and the days grew shorter.

Sukhrik woke up early in the morning, poked his little gray snout outside, and squeaked:

Brrr, how cold it's gotten in the mornings!

Yes, my son, autumn will arrive in a few days.

Sighed Mama Gray Mouse.

Well, autumn is almost here, and I haven't seen anything good all summer long.

Said Sukhrik offendedly.

How can that be? We have such a wonderful forest. Your friends—the forest animals—live here. The birds sing such beautiful songs, colorful butterflies fly around, and so many fragrant flowers and aromatic berries have grown in the meadow. Soon the lingonberries will ripen, and I'll bake your favorite lingonberry pie!

Mama said, surprised.

But I don't want lingonberry pie! I want to try pineapples and coconuts. A crane I know told me that far, far away in warm lands on islands in the ocean, these exotic fruits grow.

The little mouse got angry. He snorted so hard that his whiskers trembled!

Mama Gray Mouse was upset and distressed. She lowered her gray head and continued to listen to Sukhrik's complaints.

I want to visit the islands and see how coconuts and pineapples grow!

He repeated.

The little mouse stamped his gray paw and hurried out of his burrow. He quickly ran along the forest path and soon found himself at the forest stream.

"Now I'll make myself a little boat and sail in it to the warm lands to see the islands," Sukhrik decided firmly.

Looking around, he found a watermelon rind on the stream bank, became very happy, and confidently said:

This will be my boat. I'll sit in it and sail to the warm lands to look at the islands in the ocean.

Muttered the little mouse to himself.

Happy and content, Sukhrik sat in his watermelon rind boat and sailed down the forest stream.

Bush after bush, tree after tree, the little boat floated quickly. The little mouse began to daydream and imagined how his boat would float down the winding stream to the blue sea, and then the sea would carry him into the deep ocean. And in the ocean, islands with palm trees awaited him, on which coconuts grew.....

But suddenly a strong wind blew, a dark cloud rushed in, and it became dark. The storm howled. The little mouse became very frightened; his boat rocked from side to side. And suddenly the watermelon rind cracked and burst......

The little mouse fell into the water and cried out:

Mama, mama, where are you, save me!!!

Suddenly he felt someone skillfully catch him in the water and pull him to the shore. It turned out that Sukhrik was saved by a young beaver named Tarasik, who was building a dam on the stream at that moment and saw the little mouse floating by on the watermelon rind.

Where were you going, Sukhrik, if you don't even know how to swim?

Asked Tarasik.

I wanted to get to the warm lands and see the islands. I wanted to see how coconuts and pineapples grow. First I had to sail down the stream, then across the blue sea, and then across the deep ocean.

Said the wet Sukhrik quietly, shaking water droplets from his fur.

What a silly little mouse you are! How could you set out on such a long journey on a watermelon rind?

Asked Tarasik. The little mouse lowered his small black bead-like eyes. He didn't know what to answer the young beaver.

Your mama is worried, running all over the forest, asking all the animals where her son has gone.

Tarasik continued.

Sukhrik remembered his kind mama, the cozy burrow near which purple bellflowers grew. And mama probably had lit the stove and baked a delicious lingonberry pie.... Sukhrik felt very sad; he lowered his head sadly, and bitter tears began to fall to the ground.

I want to go to mama!

Cried Sukhrik.

Let me take you home. I know where your burrow is.

Offered Tarasik.

Bush after bush, tree after tree, soon the little mouse found himself at home. Mama was very happy that her son had returned. She hugged her little one and said:

Sukhrik, how wonderful that you're found, and she kissed his little shiny nose.

The little mouse ate a piece of fragrant lingonberry pie, lay down in his little bed, and fell sweetly asleep. He was happy to be home with his beloved mama.

And Sukhrik dreamed of distant warm wonderful lands and paradise islands in the ocean with beautiful tropical palm trees.