My dear girls and boys! You are probably a little puzzled by this strange name, “The Sweet Forest.” The answer is hidden in the name itself. In this forest, alongside ordinary trees, grow sugar birches with marmalade leaves, flowers whose pollen is sweet jam, doughnut trees, and so much more that there is no way to list it all. The forest's inhabitants are unusual too: they can talk, invent things and, of course, be friends. But, friends, let's get to know them better. So, welcome to the Sweet Forest!
Even though the Sweet Forest was unusual, and sweets grew there, the seasons followed one another just as they do in an ordinary forest.
Bramble, one of the residents of the Sweet Forest, dreamed with all his heart of seeing winter, celebrating New Year's Eve and receiving a present from Santa Claus. But how? Every year his whole family slept soundly at this time.
You know how much I want to see winter, dance around the Christmas tree, — Bramble sighed, — and get a present from Santa Claus…
And what stops you from celebrating New Year's Eve with us? — asked his best friend, the little squirrel Zippy.
But I sleep through winter, Zippy! Stop laughing! — the little bear replied, nearly in tears.
I'm not laughing. We'll set an alarm clock for you, and we'll celebrate this New Year together!
Really?
Really, really. You'd better learn a poem. Ask my sister, she has a whole book of New Year's poems, — said Zippy cheerfully, — you can recite it to Santa Claus at the Christmas tree.
Bramble was so happy, so delighted, that he learned as many as three whole poems, and every morning he recited them to Mom and Dad.
Summer passed, autumn raced by like a red squirrel, and winter arrived, like a snow leopard padding on soft paws.
The alarm clock did wake up Bramble, but Zippy, instead of setting it for the evening, set it for the morning.
Where is Santa Claus, the Christmas tree, the dancing, the presents? — the bear asked, looking at the snow in amazement. — Are the presents under these white pillows?
No, silly, — Zippy laughed, — it's morning now, and all of that will happen in the evening. And what's around you is not pillows, it's snow.
Snow?
Yes, snow! Let's go play!
WHAT CAN YOU PLAY IN WINTER? — Bramble was very surprised.
You're kidding! — Zippy was even more surprised. — Winter is so much fun, you know! Let's start by sledding down the hill!
All morning the friends went sledding, and only ran home for lunch before heading back outside. There they played snowball fights, skated on the pond and went skiing! The friends even built a couple of snowmen. There were only a couple of hours left until New Year's Eve.
Very soon, — smiled Bramble, — very soon.
He sat down on a little stool to rest, but he didn't notice how sweetly he fell asleep, and neither his friends nor the alarm clock could wake him.
At the Christmas tree, the forest animals took turns reciting their poems to Santa Claus.
Where is Bramble? I saw in my crystal ball how much he wanted to come to the Christmas tree, — said Santa Claus cheerfully, — he was learning poems.
Grandpa, he dreamed about it so much, he even learned three poems, but he got up early, played so hard all day that he got tired and fell asleep, — sighed Zippy.
Don't be upset, Zippy, — smiled Santa Claus, — here is a present for your friend. When he wakes up in the summer, he'll find his winter dream right beside him. I am proud of him!
Yes, my dear girls and boys: if you believe in something, miracles will surely happen, especially at the most magical holiday of all, New Year's Eve! Believe, my dears, and dream!
