Attention, attention!
Sports competitions are announced!
Competitions, races!
Recognition for the fastest runner!
A prize for the speediest,
Fame and a cruise ticket
Across the seas to distant lands.
Hurry: the competitions start soon!
Cat Vasily read such an announcement in the local newspaper. His eyes lit up: "They'll recognize the best, and the best is obviously me!"
The cat rushed out onto the street and ran at full speed. His dog friend Druzhok saw him:
Vasily, what's wrong with you? Where are you running so fast?
Don't you see, I'm training," said the cat, out of breath, "they announced a running competition, they're calling for the best runners, and who's the best among us?
Who?
Me, of course! My owner tells me every day: 'You're our most handsome, most chubby, most fluffy, the very best!'
You silly thing, they're calling for the best runners, the fastest and strongest ones," laughed Druzhok.
Never mind, I'll train a little and, you'll see, I'll become famous, you'll hear about me!
And Vasily rushed forward.
For a whole month Vasily trained: he did exercises in the mornings, then went for a run, after lunch he raced with Druzhok. And in the evening and at night Vasily, while hunting, chased mice. The poor thing barely had time to sleep; he could only doze during breaks between training sessions.
And finally the day of the competition opening arrived. Vasily asked Druzhok to accompany him. Athletes from different countries came to compete: cheetahs from Africa, tigers from India, Amur tigers from Russia, jaguars from North America, pumas from South America.
Druzhok was speechless; he had never seen such big and strong cats before.
Vasily, let's go home," pleaded the dog in a trembling voice.
Never mind, I'm no weakling either," said Vasily, trying not to show his amazement.
I'll show these cats!" the little cat boasted and hissed as menacingly as he could, but no one paid any attention to him.
And then the moment came: all the race participants lined up at the starting line. One thought kept spinning in Druzhok's head: "Vasily is done for."
Vasily was indeed hard to see among the graceful predatory animals. The cat ran with all his might. At first the tails of his competitors flickered in front of Vasily's nose, but soon they were far ahead, farther and farther still. The little tails waved goodbye to Vasily and completely disappeared.
Vasily collapsed on the track from exhaustion, and through a haze he heard his friend's voice:
Get up, don't give up, keep going!
I can't...
Druzhok picked the cat up on his back and rushed forward with him.
Vasily, wake up, we're catching up now!
The competitors' tails appeared ahead again.
Vasily, you're the best!" shouted Druzhok.
Then Vasily woke up, jumped off his friend's back and ran forward. He caught up with the tails and even passed one.
Vasily crossed the finish line last, but he wasn't upset at all. Vasily congratulated the gold medalist—the cheetah from Africa, the silver medalist—the jaguar from North America, and the bronze medalists—the tiger and the puma.
In competitions there are always winners and, unfortunately, losers. Vasily considered it an honor to participate in a competition with such strong athletes.
Besides, he now knows that the best thing is a friend who supports you in difficult moments.
