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+ height: 120px; width: 108px; /* adjust for your image */ + margin: 0 1em 1em 0; + background: url("images/dcp-t6.png") no-repeat top left; } +span.dcp-t7 { float: left; + height: 120px; width: 108px; /* adjust for your image */ + margin: 0 1em 1em 0; + background: url("images/dcp-t7.png") no-repeat top left; } +span.dcp-t8 { float: left; + height: 120px; width: 108px; /* adjust for your image */ + margin: 0 1em 1em 0; + background: url("images/dcp-t8.png") no-repeat top left; } + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Verotchka's Tales, by Mamin Siberiak + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Verotchka's Tales + +Author: Mamin Siberiak + +Illustrator: Boris M. Artzybasheff + +Translator: Ray Davidson + +Release Date: January 22, 2011 [EBook #35036] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VEROTCHKA'S TALES *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, JoAnn Greenwood and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 417px;"> +<img src="images/i_cover.png" width="417" height="640" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 350px;"> +<img src="images/i_003titlepg.png" width="350" height="417" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> + +<h1>VEROTCHKA'S<br /> +TALES</h1> + +<h3><i>by</i><br /></h3> + +<h2>MAMIN<br /> +SIBERIAK<br /><br /><br /></h2> + +<h3>TRANSLATED BY<br /> +RAY DAVIDSON</h3> +<p><br /></p> +<h3>ILLUSTRATED BY<br /> +BORIS M.<br /> +ARTZYBASHEFF</h3> +<p><br /><br /></p> +<h4>E. P. DUTTON & CO., INC.<br /> +PUBLISHERS NEW YORK<br /><br /><br /></h4> + +<h4> +Copyright, 1922,<br /> +By E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY<br /><br /></h4> + +<h5><i>All rights reserved</i> +<br /><br /> +<i>Reprinted March, 1932</i> +<br /> +<i>Printed in the United States of America</i></h5> + + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + + + + + + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="Contents"> +<tr> +<td align="left"> </td> +<td align="right">PAGE</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">How They Happened</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Story of a Bold Rabbit with Cock Eyes and a Short Tail</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_3">3</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Story of Little Cacinella</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Story of Mosquito Long-Nose and Fuzzy Bear, Mishka Short-Tail</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Vanka's Birthday</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_40">40</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Story of Master Sparrow, Master Stickelback and the Jolly Chimney-Sweep, Yasha</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_62">62</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Story of the Last Fly</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_82">82</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Story of a Black-Headed Crow and a Little Yellow Canary</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_106">106</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Wisest of All</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_129">129</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Story of Little Milk, Little Cereal and Gray Kitten, Moorka</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_153">153</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td align="left"><span class="smcap">Bed Time</span></td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_166">166</a></td> +</tr> +</table></div> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + + + + +<h1>VEROTCHKA'S TALES</h1> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 250px;"> +<img src="images/i_002horse.png" width="250" height="161" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[ 1]</a></span></p> +<h2>HOW THEY HAPPENED</h2> + + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-l1"><span class="dropcap">L</span></span>ULLA-LULLABY. +Verotchka's +one little eye is sleeping, the +other little eye is still open. +Verotchka's one little ear is +sleeping, the other little ear is +still listening. Sleep, Verotchka, sleep, +my pretty one, and father will tell you +these stories. I think they are all here. +The Siberian cat, Vasca; the shaggy village +dog, Postoika; the gray mousie-gnawers; +the cricket behind the stove; the iridescent +starling in the cage; and the cock, +the bully.</p> + +<p>Sleep, Verotchka, the story begins. +The full moon in the heaven looks into +the window. The cock-eyed rabbit hops<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span> +on his haunches and the wolf's eyes flash +yellow fire lights. The bear, Mishka, is +sucking his paw, and the old sparrow flies +up to the window, pecks the pane with his +bill, and asks, "How soon, now?"</p> + +<p>I think they're all here now, waiting for +Verotchka's Tale.</p> + +<p>Verotchka's one little eye is asleep, the +other little eye is still open. Verotchka's +one little ear is asleep, the other little ear +is still listening. Lulla-Lullaby.</p> + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[ 3]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 550px;"> +<img src="images/i_011arabbits.png" width="550" height="395" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<h2>THE STORY OF A BOLD RABBIT WITH +COCK EYES AND A SHORT TAIL</h2> + + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-t1"><span class="dropcap">T</span></span>HIS rabbit +was born in the woods and was scared of +everything. If a branch +cracked anywhere or a bird +flew past or a lump of snow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[ 4]</a></span> +fell from a tree, his rabbit heart went +down, down, down into his furry boots. +Now this little rabbit was afraid for a day, +for two days, for a week, for a whole year. +But when he was grown up, he just got +tired of being a scared rabbit.</p> + +<p>"I am not afraid of anybody!" he +shouted through the woods. "I am not +afraid at all! I am not afraid of anything +or of anybody, and that's all there is to it!"</p> + +<p>One day, the rabbits gathered to listen +to him. The little ones ran, the old rabbits +hobbled along to hear Long-Ear, Cock-Eye, +Short-Tail's boastings.</p> + +<p>They listened and couldn't believe their +own ears, for there never had been anything +like a rabbit, unafraid of anything +or anybody before.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you Cock-Eye," called one, "do +you mean to say you aren't even afraid of +a wolf?"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[ 5]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Not even a wolf, nor a fox, nor a bear. +I am afraid of no one," said Cock-Eye.</p> + +<p>Now this was altogether too amusing. +The little rabbits giggled, covering their +faces with their front paws. The kind old +mother rabbits laughed and even the wise +old rabbits, who had had a taste of the +paws of the fox, and had felt the fangs of +the wolf, smiled. So very funny was this +rabbit that suddenly everyone was seized +with merriment. They started jumping, +tumbling, turning somersaults, and playing +tag as if they had all suddenly gone +mad.</p> + +<p>"What is the use of talking so much," +finally shouted Cock-Eye, drunk with his +own boldness. "I tell you if I were to +meet a wolf, I'd eat him up myself."</p> + +<p>"My, what a funny rabbit!" said the +crowd. "And what a foolish rabbit, too." +They all knew he was funny and foolish;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[ 6]</a></span> +still they laughed at him and jested with +him about the wolf. And as they were +speaking of the wolf, the wolf stood right +there listening, though they did not see +him.</p> + +<p>The wolf was walking through the +forest on his own wolfish business. Then +he grew hungry and began to think how +fine it would be to have a bit of fresh rabbit. +Suddenly quite near by, he heard +rabbits talking, laughing and shouting his +name. He stopped short, sniffed the air +and crept nearer and nearer. When he +was very near the merry-making rabbits, +he learned that they were making sport +of him, and that Cock-Eye, Long-Ear, +Short-Tail was laughing at him more than +anyone else.</p> + +<p>"Eh, Brother! Just wait and I'll gobble +you up," said the Gray Wolf to himself,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[ 7]</a></span> +as he tried to spy out the boastful, bold +rabbit.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, the rabbits, aware of nothing, +made merry and merrier. Finally, +the boaster climbed up on the stump of a +tree, sat on his hind legs, and said,</p> + +<p>"Hear, all ye cowards! Listen and look +at me! Now I will show you some tricks. +I ... I ... I...."</p> + +<p>The words were frozen on his lips, for +just then he saw the wolf looking, looking +straight at him. The other rabbits did not +see the wolf, but Cock-Eye did and he +didn't dare to breathe.</p> + +<p>Then happened the most extraordinary +thing. Through sheer fear, the Boaster +jumped up like a rubber ball, fell on the +wide forehead of the wolf, rolled over his +back, turned a somersault in the air, +landed on his feet, and ran as if he were +trying to run out of his skin.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[ 8]</a></span></p> + +<p>Long, long did the unfortunate rabbit +run. It seemed to him the wolf was right +behind him and that in another moment +he would feel the wolf's fangs. The poor +limp rabbit ran on until he had no +strength left and finally he closed his eyes +and fell under a bush, dead with weariness.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, the wolf was running in +another direction. When the rabbit fell +on his forehead, the wolf thought he had +been hit by a gun shot and he ran away as +fast as he could, saying to himself, "There +are plenty of other rabbits in the forest. +This one seems quite crazy anyway and +not fit to eat."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[ 9]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/i_017wolfrabbit.png" width="400" height="555" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[ 10]</a></span></p> + +<p>Now for a long time the other rabbits +did not realize what had happened. Some +ran into the bushes, some hid behind +stumps, others crawled into their holes. +After a while they grew tired of hiding +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[ 11]</a></span> +and little by little, they crept out and +looked around.</p> + +<p>Then said one, "Our rabbit certainly +scared that wolf. If it had not been for +him, few of us would have escaped alive. +But where is he, our Fearless One?"</p> + +<p>And everyone began looking for him. +They looked everywhere, but Cock-Eye +was nowhere to be found. They began to +think the Gray Wolf had eaten him up, +when they discovered him, lying in a hole +under a bush, almost dead from fear.</p> + +<p>"Good for you, Cock-Eye," shouted the +rabbits all in one voice. "You certainly +frightened that wolf very cleverly. We +thought you were boasting all the time, +when you were telling us you were not +afraid of anything or anybody."</p> + +<p>At once the bold rabbit came to life. +He crept out of the hole, shook himself, +squinted his eyes, and said:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[ 12]</a></span></p> + +<p>"And what did you think, you cowards?"</p> + +<p>And from that day, the bold rabbit was +convinced that he was really not afraid of +anyone.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 550px;"> +<img src="images/i_021acachinille.png" width="550" height="396" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<h2>THE STORY OF LITTLE CACINELLA</h2> + + +<h3>I</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-h1"><span class="dropcap">H</span></span>OW and where little Cacinella +was born, no one knows. It +happened one sunny day +in spring. Little Cacinella +looked around and said,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[ 14]</a></span> +"Very nice." She stretched her tiny +wings, rubbed one little thin leg against +the other, looked around again and said:</p> + +<p>"How very, very nice! How warm the +sun! How blue the sky! How green the +grass! How very, very nice! and all this +is mine!"</p> + +<p>Rubbing one little leg against the other +once more, little Cacinella began to fly. +She flew and looked around and rejoiced. +Beneath her, the grass was green, and hidden +in its bosom, was a crimson flower.</p> + +<p>"Little Cacinella, come to me," called +the flower.</p> + +<p>Cacinella came down to the ground, +climbed into the flower and sipped its +sweet nectar.</p> + +<p>"How kind you are, little flower," said +Cacinella, rubbing her mouth with one of +her little thin legs.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[ 15]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, I may be kind, but I cannot walk," +complained the flower.</p> + +<p>"Still, the world is lovely," said little +Cacinella, "and it is all mine, too."</p> + +<p>She had hardly finished, when a hairy +drone flew down upon the flower with a +loud buzz.</p> + +<p>"Buzz! Buzz! Who dares to get into +my flower? Buzz! Buzz! Who dares +to sip my sweet nectar? Buzz! Buzz! +Oh, you nasty little Cacinella, get away +from here! Buzz! Buzz! Get away +or I'll sting you to death."</p> + +<p>"I say, what does this mean?" piped +little Cacinella. "Everything is mine."</p> + +<p>"Buzz! Buzz! No, it's mine."</p> + +<p>Little Cacinella was barely able to +escape from the angry drone. She crept +into the grass, licked her thin little legs, +sticky with flower nectar, and said angrily:</p> + +<p>"How rude that drone was! It's quite<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[ 16]</a></span> +amazing! He even tried to sting me to +death! Why, aren't they all mine, the sun +and the grass and the flower!"</p> + +<p>"No, pardon me. They are all mine," +said a fuzzy Caterpillar, crawling along a +blade of grass. Little Cacinella realized +that a caterpillar cannot fly, so she grew +bold.</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, Mr. Caterpillar. You are +mistaken. I do not interfere with your +crawling. Don't argue with me."</p> + +<p>"Very well. Pray don't touch my +grass. To tell you the truth, I don't like +it. So many of you fly about here. You +are all such light-minded creatures; while +I, Caterpillar, am a serious person. To be +frank, everything is mine. I crawl along +a blade of grass and I eat it up. I get into +a flower and I eat that up. Good day."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[ 17]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 393px;"> +<img src="images/i_025caterpillarcachinille.png" width="393" height="550" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[ 18]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3>II</h3> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[ 19]</a></span></p> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-i1"><span class="dropcap">I</span></span>N a few hours, little Cacinella +learned many things. She learned +that besides the sun, the blue sky +and the green grass, there are +angry drones, serious caterpillars, +thorns on flowers—all of which made +one sad. Little Cacinella had thought +that everything belonged to her and was +especially created for her. Now it hurt +her to discover that others thought that +everything had been made especially for +them. Something was wrong.</p> + +<p>Little Cacinella flew further and she +came to a pool.</p> + +<p>"Now, this is surely mine," she piped +gaily. "My water. I am so happy. +Here are also grass and flowers."</p> + +<p>Then she met other cacinellas.</p> + +<p>"Hello, sister," they called.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[ 20]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Hello, dears. I'm so glad I met you. +It was getting very lonely flying about +alone. What are you doing here?"</p> + +<p>"We are playing, sister. Come along +with us. We are very happy. When were +you born?"</p> + +<p>"Just to-day. A drone almost stung me +to death and I also met a caterpillar. I +thought everything belonged to me. They +said everything was theirs."</p> + +<p>The little cacinellas calmed their guest +and invited her to play with them. Then +they swarmed in a thick cloud over the +pool, playing tag, flying and squeaking.</p> + +<p>Our little Cacinella was almost overcome +with joy and completely forgot the +angry drone and the serious caterpillar.</p> + +<p>"Oh how nice," she gurgled with delight. +"It's all mine—the sun, the grass, +the water. I cannot understand why the +others were so angry. It is all mine, but I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[ 21]</a></span> +don't interfere with anybody's life. I let +them fly and buzz and be happy. It +doesn't bother me."</p> + +<p>Little Cacinella played a while and +then sat down for a rest among some reeds. +Sitting there, little Cacinella watched the +other cacinellas playing, when suddenly a +sparrow flashed by, no one knew whence, +and dropped like a stone among them.</p> + +<p>"Oh! Oh!" cried the little cacinellas, +scattering in all directions.</p> + +<p>When the sparrow flew away, many +little cacinellas were missing from the +flock.</p> + +<p>"The thief," scolded the older cacinellas. +"He ate about fifteen or more of us."</p> + +<p>"That's worse than the drone," thought +little Cacinella, and growing frightened, +she hid with the other cacinellas deeper +among the reeds. But there too, they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[ 22]</a></span> +found enemies. Two of them were eaten +by a small fish and two more by a frog.</p> + +<p>"What's all this?" wondered little Cacinella. +"This is not a bit nice. It is almost +impossible to live. They are perfectly +horrid!"</p> + +<p>It was a good thing that there were +many little cacinellas. Those that disappeared +were hardly missed; many new +ones were always coming, flying about +and squeaking, "It's all ours! It's all +ours!"</p> + +<p>"No, it's not," called our little Cacinella +to them. "There are, besides us, angry +drones, serious caterpillars, horrid sparrows, +fishes and frogs. Take care, sisters! +Take care!"</p> + +<p>When night came, all the little cacinellas +hid in the rushes. Stars sprinkled +the sky. The moon rose and reflected +everything in the water.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[ 23]</a></span></p> + +<p>"My moon, my stars," thought little +Cacinella; but she did not dare to say it +aloud. Some one might take them away +from her.</p> + + +<h3>III</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-s1"><span class="dropcap">L</span></span>UMMER passed quickly for +little Cacinella. There was so +much to make her happy, but +there were sad times, too. Twice +she was almost swallowed by a +swift marten. Once a frog crept up to her +unawares and nearly gobbled her up. A +little cacinella has many enemies, you +know.</p> + +<p>Our little Cacinella had her own joys. +One day, she met another little Cacinella +with long hairy moustache, who said:</p> + +<p>"You are so pretty, little Cacinella. Let +us be friends and live together."</p> + +<p>And they did. And they were very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[ 24]</a></span> +happy. They were always together; +wherever one went, the other followed.</p> + +<p>Summer passed before they were aware +of it.</p> + +<p>Rainy days came; nights grew cold. +Our little Cacinella laid many eggs. She +hid them in the thick grass, murmuring, +"How tired I am."</p> + +<p>No one saw how or when little Cacinella +died. She may not have died at all. +She may have only fallen asleep quietly +for the winter, to wake up in the spring +and be happy once more.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 564px;"> +<img src="images/i_033abear.png" width="564" height="400" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<h2>THE STORY OF MOSQUITO LONG-NOSE +AND FUZZY BEAR, MISHKA SHORT-TAIL</h2> + + +<h3>I</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-i2"><span class="dropcap">I</span></span>T happened at noon, when all the +mosquitoes hid in the marsh to +escape the heat.</p> + +<p>Mr. Long-Nose settled under a +leaf and fell asleep. His sleep was +disturbed by a despairing shout.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[ 26]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Wow! Wow! Help! Help!"</p> + +<p>Mosquito Long-Nose jumped out from +under the leaf and called:</p> + +<p>"What happened? Why are you +screaming?"</p> + +<p>A whole swarm of mosquitoes flew +about, buzzed and shrieked—apparently +for no reason at all.</p> + +<p>"Oh, my! Just think what happened! +A bear came into our marsh, stretched +himself out full length and fell asleep. +And as he lay down, he crushed five hundred +of us; and as he opened his mouth, +he swallowed a hundred of us. Some +trouble, brothers. We hardly escaped being +crushed to death ourselves."</p> + +<p>Mosquito Long-Nose grew furiously +angry—angry at the bear and at the +foolish mosquitoes, who were shouting to +no purpose.</p> + +<p>"Stop your squealing!" shouted he.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[ 27]</a></span> +"It's all very simple. I will go and chase +the bear away. Your noise is foolish."</p> + +<p>Mosquito Long-Nose grew even more +angry and flew away. He reached the +marsh and there lay the bear in the very +thickets where the mosquitoes had lived +from the beginning of time.</p> + +<p>The Bear lay stretched full length, +snoring and whistling like a trumpeter.</p> + +<p>"The beast! Grabbed the place that +doesn't belong to him ... killed off +so many mosquitoes ... and now he +sleeps so soundly! It's outrageous!"</p> + +<p>"Hey, Uncle, what are you doing?" +shouted Mosquito Long-Nose through +the forest. He shouted so loudly that he +grew afraid of himself. Fuzzy Mishka +opened one eye and saw nothing. Then +he opened the other eye and all he could +see was a mosquito hovering over his nose.</p> + +<p>"What do you want, Comrade?" grumbled<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[ 28]</a></span> +Mishka, getting angry, and justly so. +There he was all ready for a nap when +along comes this good-for-nothing squealing +at him and waking him up.</p> + +<p>"Hey, Uncle, get away! Get up and go +away in a friendly fashion!" advised +Long-Nose.</p> + +<p>Mishka opened his eyes, looked at Mr. +Impudence, snorted and grew furiously +angry.</p> + +<p>"What do you want, you good-for-nothing?" +growled Mishka.</p> + +<p>"Leave our quarters or I'll eat you up, +fur coat and all."</p> + +<p>The bear was very much amused. He +turned over on the other side, covered his +face with his paw and fell asleep, snoring +immediately.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[ 29]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>II</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-m1"><span class="dropcap">M</span></span>OSQUITO Long-nose returned +to the flock, shouting +across the entire marsh, "I +certainly did frighten him! +He will never come again."</p> + +<p>The mosquitoes wondered. They were +perplexed and asked, "But what about +Mishka? Where is he now?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know, brothers. He surely got +scared when I told him I'd eat him up, if +he did not go away. You know I don't +like to jest, so I just said, 'I'll eat you up,' +I'm afraid he perished from fear while I +was coming back here. Well, it's his own +fault."</p> + +<p>The mosquitoes buzzed loudly. They +were discussing how to deal with an invading +bear. There never had been such +a noise in the marsh before. They buzzed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[ 30]</a></span> +and hissed and finally decided to chase the +bear away from their domain.</p> + +<p>"Let him go home into his forest and +sleep there. The marsh is ours. Our +fathers and our grandfathers lived in this +very marsh. It is ours."</p> + +<p>One sensible old mosquito advised them +to leave the bear alone. "Let him have his +sleep," said she, "when he wakes up, he +will leave the marsh of his own accord."</p> + +<p>But the rest of the flock just flew at her. +The poor old thing was glad to get away +and hide.</p> + +<p>"Come on, brothers!" shouted Mosquito +Long-Nose, louder than the rest. +"We will show him who we are!"</p> + +<p>The whole flock followed Mosquito +Long-Nose. They came to the spot where +Mishka was lying as still as death.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[ 31]</a></span></p> +<p>"Didn't I say he died of fright?" +boasted Mosquito Long-Nose. "It's a +pity! He was a fine, strong bear!"</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[ 32]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/i_039bearrunning.png" width="400" height="556" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[ 33]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Brothers, he is only asleep," piped a +tiny mosquito, flying close to Mishka's +nose and being almost blown to pieces by +the wind from the bear's nostrils.</p> + +<p>"The shameless rascal!" squealed the +Mosquitoes in chorus. "He crushed five +hundred of us ... swallowed another +hundred ... and now he sleeps as if +nothing had happened."</p> + +<p>But shaggy Mishka slept soundly as if +nothing had really happened. He was +whistling through his nose.</p> + +<p>"He is pretending to be asleep," said +Mosquito Long-Nose. "I'll show him +who I am. Hey, Uncle, enough of this +make-believe!"</p> + +<p>And with this, Mosquito Long-Nose +flew at the bear, aimed at his black nose +and pierced it with his mosquito-sting.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[ 34]</a></span> +Mishka fairly jumped, grabbing his nose +with his paw; but Mosquito Long-Nose +was already too far away.</p> + +<p>"Well, Uncle, you did not seem to like +that," squealed Mosquito Long-Nose. +"Go away or it will be the worse for you. +I'm not alone. With me, is Grandfather, +Mosquito Longer-Nose, and my younger +brother, Mosquito Longest-Nose. Better +go away, Uncle."</p> + +<p>"I will not go away!" shouted the bear, +sitting down on his haunches. "I'll crush +you all to death!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, uncle, you're boasting foolishly."</p> + +<p>Once more, Mosquito Long-Nose flew +at the bear and this time he aimed at his +eye. Mishka groaned with pain, and slapped +his paw over his face, trying to catch +the mosquito. Again he failed and he +only scratched his face in the effort. +Mosquito Long-Nose was meanwhile<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[ 35]</a></span> +buzzing by close to his ear and threatening +Mishka, "I'll eat you up, Uncle."</p> + + +<h3>III</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-m2"><span class="dropcap">M</span></span>ISHKA grew angry and +angrier. He grabbed a birch +tree and tore it up by the roots, +aiming it at the mosquitoes. +He waved it and waved it until +he grew very tired, but he did not succeed +in killing a single mosquito. They +just swarmed and buzzed a little beyond +his reach. Then Mishka took a huge +stone and hurled it at the Mosquitoes, but +all in vain.</p> + +<p>"Well, Uncle," squealed Mosquito +Long-Nose, "I'll eat you up after all."</p> + +<p>The battle raged between Mishka and +the mosquitoes. There was much noise; +one could hear the bear's growling from +afar.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[ 36]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>IV</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-h2"><span class="dropcap">H</span></span>E tore up many trees, he dug +up many stones. He always +aimed at Mosquito Long-Nose, +who seemed to be right +over his ear. But the bear's +paw always missed its aim, while his face +was scratched and bleeding from his own +claws.</p> + +<p>Finally, Mishka was overpowered. He +sat on his haunches and snorted and +thought of a new trick, which was to roll +in the grass and crush the whole mosquito +kingdom. Mishka rolled and rolled but +nothing happened. He only grew more +tired. Then he hid his face in the moss, +but that was even worse because the mosquitoes +clung to his bear tail. Mishka +became furious.</p> + +<p>"Just wait, I'll show you!" he howled so +loudly that he could be heard for miles<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[ 37]</a></span> +around. "I'll show you some trick! Aiy! +Aiy! Aiy!"</p> + +<p>The mosquitoes flew aside and waited to +see what would happen. Now Mishka +climbed a tree like an acrobat, sat on the +thickest bough and roared:</p> + +<p>"You just dare to come near to me and +all your noses will be broken!"</p> + +<p>The mosquitoes laughed in their shrill +voices and flew at the bear, full force, +squealing, swarming and attacking him. +Mishka beat them off again and again. +Without intending, he swallowed a hundred +of them, choking. He coughed and +the bough broke under the strain. Down +fell Mishka. But he was up again, patting +his bruised sides and saying:</p> + +<p>"Who is the winner? You see how +skillful I am at jumping from trees."</p> + +<p>The mosquitoes laughed in their thin, +shrill laughter. And Mosquito Long-Nose<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[ 38]</a></span> +just trumpeted, "I'll eat you up! I'll +eat you up! I'll eat you up!"</p> + +<p>Completely exhausted, Mishka knew +that he was beaten, but he was ashamed to +leave the marsh. He sat on his haunches, +but all he could do was to blink his eyes.</p> + +<p>He was saved from further shame by a +Wise Frog. She came hopping along +from under a bush and seeing Mishka in +such difficulty, she said:</p> + +<p>"Why do you bother yourself needlessly, +Master Mishka? Don't waste your +time with these nasty little mosquitoes. +They aren't worth it."</p> + +<p>"They really are not," cried the bear +joyfully. "I was only fooling a bit. Just +let them visit my lair, then I'll ... I'll +... I'll...."</p> + +<p>In a flash, Mishka turned and ran from +the marsh. But Mosquito Long-Nose +flew right after, shouting:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[ 39]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Catch him, brothers! Catch him! +Hold him!"</p> + +<p>The mosquitoes gathered in meeting +and decided, "It isn't worth while. Let +him go. The marsh is left. It did not +go away."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 560px;"> +<img src="images/i_048avanka.png" width="560" height="400" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<h2>VANKA'S BIRTHDAY</h2> + + +<h3>I</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-b1"><span class="dropcap">B</span></span>EAT, drum! Rub-a-dub-dub! +Blow, trumpets! Toot-a-toot-too!</p> + +<p>This is Vanka's birthday. +Let's have music. All are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[ 41]</a></span> +welcome. Come, let us gather. Rub-a-dub-dub! +Toot-a-toot-too! Vanka is +strutting about in his new red blouse, exclaiming:</p> + +<p>"Brothers, you are welcome. There is +plenty to eat. The soup is made of the +freshest shavings; the cutlets of the very +best and cleanest sand; doughnuts of different-colored +papers; tea of the finest +boiling water. You are all welcome. +Music, play! Rub-a-dub-dub! Rub-a-dub-dub! +Toot-a-toot-too!"</p> + +<p>The room was crowded with visitors. +The first to arrive was the bulging +Wooden Top.</p> + +<p>"Z-z-z! Z-z-z! Where is the birthday +child? Z-z-z! Z-z-z! I am very fond of +making merry in good company."</p> + +<p>The next to arrive were two Dolls; one, +blue-eyed Anya with a slightly damaged +nose; the other, black-eyed Katya with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[ 42]</a></span> +one arm missing. Both came in very modestly +and sat down on the toy couch.</p> + +<p>"Let us see the treat Vanka has for us," +said Anya, "I think he boasts too much. +The music isn't bad, but I have my doubts +about the treat."</p> + +<p>"Anya, you are always grumbling," +said Katya, chidingly.</p> + +<p>"And you are always ready to argue," +said Anya.</p> + +<p>The Dollies had a little argument and +were just about to quarrel, when a much +worn Clown hobbled in on one leg, and +made peace.</p> + +<p>"Ladies, patience! Everything will be +very nice and we will have a good time. +Of course, I have only one leg, but Top +isn't any better off than I am. See him +spin on his one leg. Hello, old Top!"</p> + +<p>"Z-z-z! Z-z-z! Hello! Why does one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[ 43]</a></span> +of your eyes look as if someone had +punched you?"</p> + +<p>"Nonsense! I fell off the couch. +Worse things than that happen."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I know that. Spinning, I sometimes +strike my head against the wall full +force."</p> + +<p>"It's a good thing your head is empty," +said Clown.</p> + +<p>"All the same, it hurts. Z-z-z! Just try +it and you'll find out."</p> + +<p>Clown only clapped his brass cymbals +in answer. He was really a very light-minded +fellow.</p> + +<p>Then came Petrooshka, bringing along +with him a crowd of visitors: his own +wife, Matryona Ivanovna; the German +doctor, Carl Ivanovitch; and a huge-nosed +Gypsy, riding on a three-legged horse.</p> + +<p>"Now, Vanka, receive your visitors!" +said Petrooshka gaily, tapping his own<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[ 44]</a></span> +nose. "They're all fine. Look at my own +wife, Matryona Ivanovna! Isn't she +splendid? She is as fond of tea as a duck +is of water."</p> + +<p>"We will find some tea for her, Master +Petrooshka, and we are always glad to see +good company," said Vanka. "Please sit +down, Matryona Ivanovna. Carl Ivanovitch, +pray be seated."</p> + +<p>Then came Mr. Bear with Mr. Rabbit, +Gray Billy Goat and Waddling Duckling, +Mr. Rooster and Mr. Wolf. There was +plenty of room for everyone.</p> + +<p>The last to arrive was Verotchka's Slipper +with Verotchka's Broom. They +looked around and found all seats occupied.</p> + +<p>"Never mind. I'll stand in the corner," +said Broom.</p> + +<p>Slipper said nothing, but crept silently +under the couch. She was a venerable old<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[ 45]</a></span> +Slipper, very much worn. She was +slightly embarrassed by the tiny hole near +her toe, but she hoped that under the +couch no one would notice that.</p> + +<p>"Music, start!" ordered Vanka. "Drum, +beat! Rub-a-dub-dub! Trumpets toot! +Toot-a-toot-too!"</p> + +<p>Immediately the guests became merry +and gay.</p> + + +<h3>II</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-a1"><span class="dropcap">A</span></span>T the beginning, the party was +splendid. Drum did his own +beating, and Trumpet his own +tooting. Top buzzed, Clown +beat his cymbals and Petrooshka +squealed with all his might. It +was merry and gay.</p> + +<p>"Friends, be happy!" called Vanka, +smoothing his flaxen curls.</p> + +<p>Anya and Katya laughed in their shrill<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[ 46]</a></span> +voices, clumsy Bear danced with little +Broom, Gray Billy Goat strutted about +with Waddling Duck, Clown tumbled +about, showing off his tricks, and Dr. Carl +Ivanovitch, chatting with Matryona +Ivanovna, asked:</p> + +<p>"Does your stomach ache, Matryona +Ivanovna?"</p> + +<p>"Why, no, Carl Ivanovitch," replied +Matryona Ivanovna, offended. "What +makes you think that?"</p> + +<p>"Just show me your tongue," insisted +the Doctor.</p> + +<p>"Leave me alone, please."</p> + +<p>"I'm here," rang the thin voice of Silver +Spoon, with which Verotchka ate her +cereal. She had been lying quietly on the +table until the Doctor spoke of showing a +tongue. Then she jumped up, for she +knew that the Doctor always needed her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[ 47]</a></span> +help when he looked at Verotchka's +tongue.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no! Not that!" piped Matryona +Ivanovna, waving her arms comically, as +if she were a windmill.</p> + +<p>"Very well. I will not burden you with +my services," said little Spoon, very +much offended. She was growing angry, +when little Top came spinning up to her +and invited her to dance. Top hummed. +Little Spoon rang.</p> + +<p>Little Slipper could resist no longer. +She crept out from under the couch and +whispered to little Broom:</p> + +<p>"I love you very much, little Broom."</p> + +<p>Little Broom closed her eyes softly and +sighed: she loved to be loved. She was +such a modest little Broom, never boasting +as others do,—for instance, Matryona +Ivanovna, Anya, and Katya. These dollies<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[ 48]</a></span> +always liked to make fun of other +people's failings, saying:</p> + +<p>"Clown has but one leg. Petrooshka's +nose is too long. Carl Ivanovitch is bald. +Gypsy is like a firebrand."</p> + +<p>But Vanka, the birthday child, was criticized +most of all.</p> + +<p>"He is too much of a moujik," Katya +said.</p> + +<p>"And he boasts too much," added +Anya.</p> + +<p>After dancing and making merry, they +all sat down at the table and the real feast +began. The dinner passed as a real birthday +dinner should; not without a few mishaps, +however. Bear almost ate Rabbit, +mistaking him for the cutlet. Top nearly +came to blows with Gypsy about little +Spoon. You see, Gypsy wanted to steal +little Spoon and he tried to put her into +his pocket. Petrooshka, a well-known<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[ 49]</a></span> +squabbler, quarrelled with his wife over +nothing at all.</p> + +<p>"Matryona Ivanovna, be calm," urged +Carl Ivanovitch.</p> + +<p>"Petrooshka is really kind. Perhaps your +head aches. I have wonderful powders +for headaches."</p> + +<p>"Doctor, do leave her alone," said Petrooshka. +"She is an impossible woman. I +love her very much. Come Matryona +Ivanovna, let us kiss and be friends."</p> + +<p>"Hurrah!" shouted Vanka. "That's +much better than quarreling. I hate to see +people quarrel. Just look ..."</p> + +<p>Then something quite unexpected happened, +something so horrible, it's dreadful +to relate.</p> + +<p>Drum beat—rub-a-dub-dub! Trumpets +blew—toot-a-toot-too. Clown clanged his +cymbals. Little Spoon laughed in her silver +voice. Top hummed. Rabbit shouted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[ 50]</a></span> +merrily, "Bo! Bo! Bo!" Porcelain Dog +barked loudly. Rubber Cat meowed gently. +Bear stamped his feet with such force +that the floor shook. Gayest of all was +Gray Billy Goat. He was the best dancer. +And he shook his beard so comically and +bleated "Baa! Baa! Baa!" in his cracked +voice.</p> + + +<h3>III</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-h3"><span class="dropcap">H</span></span>OW did it all happen? That +is hard to tell because of all +the guests only Verotchka's +Slipper remembered just +what had transpired. She +was the only sensible one. She crept away +under the couch just in time.</p> + +<p>This is how it all happened. First the +Wooden Blocks went up to Vanka to congratulate +him. No-No-NO. That +isn't how it started. The Blocks really did<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[ 51]</a></span> +go up to Vanka, but the real cause of the +trouble was Katya. Yes, it was all her +fault. This pretty little rascal, towards the +very end of the dinner, whispered to +Anya:</p> + +<p>"Anya, who do you think is the prettiest +of all here?"</p> + +<p>It was quite a simple question to ask, but +Matryona Ivanovna, overhearing it, grew +frightfully offended and asked Katya:</p> + +<p>"Do you think my Petrooshka is ugly?"</p> + +<p>"Nobody thinks that," answered Katya, +trying to defend herself. But it was too +late.</p> + +<p>"Of course, his nose is too big," continued +Matryona Ivanovna, "but that is +hardly noticeable, if you look at him sideways. +I know he has a bad habit of squealing +and squabbling with people but he +is really very kind. And as for +brains ..."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[ 52]</a></span></p> + +<p>She was unable to finish because the +Dolls began to argue with so much heat +that they attracted everybody's attention. +The first to interfere was, of course, Petrooshka +himself.</p> + +<p>"It's true, Matryona Ivanovna," said he, +"I am the handsomest here."</p> + +<p>Then the men were all offended.</p> + +<p>"Just listen to this conceited Petrooshka!" +said they. "It's disgusting!"</p> + +<p>Clown was not much of a talker, so he +was silently offended. But Dr. Carl +Ivanovitch almost shouted:</p> + +<p>"Does that mean that the rest of us are +monsters? Gentlemen, I congratulate +you!"</p> + +<p>There was great noise and confusion. +Gypsy shouted something in his own language. +Bear growled. Wolf howled. +Gray Billy Goat bawled. Top hummed. +They all shouted their offense.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[ 53]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Gentlemen, stop!" pleaded Vanka. +"Please pay no attention to Petrooshka. I +am sure he was only jesting."</p> + +<p>It was all in vain. Carl Ivanovitch was +noisier and more excited than the rest. He +even pounded his fist on the table and +shouted:</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen, this is a fine treat, I must +say! We were invited here only to be told +that we are monsters!"</p> + +<p>"Ladies and gentlemen!" shouted +Vanka, trying in vain to be heard. "If +monsters are under discussion, there is but +one monster here. It is I! Now are you +satisfied?"</p> + +<p>Then, let us see what happened +next....</p> + +<p>Carl Ivanovitch completely lost control +and flew at Petrooshka, with a threatening +fist.</p> + +<p>"If I were not an educated man, knowing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[ 54]</a></span> +how to behave properly in decent +society, I would say to you, 'Master Petrooshka, +you are quite a fool.'"</p> + +<p>Knowing Petrooshka's squabbling disposition, +Vanka tried to get between him +and the Doctor, but on his way, his fist +caught Petrooshka's long nose. Petrooshka +thought that it was not Vanka, +but the doctor who had struck him. And +that's how it all began.</p> + +<p>Petrooshka clutched at the doctor. +Gypsy, seated at one side, began without +any provocation to pummel Clown. Bear +threw himself with a growl upon Wolf. +Top hit Billy Goat with his empty head. +In a word, there was a row. Dolls +squealed in their shrill voices and all three +fainted with fright.</p> + +<p>"I'm fainting," screamed Matryona +Ivanovna, falling off the couch.</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen! What does all this +mean?" pleaded Vanka. "Gentlemen! +Is this not my birthday? Gentlemen! +This is rude!"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[ 55]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/i_063vanka2.png" width="400" height="560" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[ 56]</a></span></p> + + +<p>It was a real fight. The confusion was +so great that it was impossible to tell who +was beating whom. Vanka tried to separate +the fighters, but it ended in his beating +anybody and everybody who came within +his arm's reach. And as he was the +strongest, his guests came off pretty badly.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[ 57]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Help! Help! Heavens' help!" cried +Petrooshka, loudest of all, trying to strike +the Doctor.</p> + +<p>"They are murdering Petrooshka! +Help! Help!"</p> + +<p>Slipper was the only one who escaped +the fight. She crept under the couch just +in time. She closed her eyes in fear. Rabbit, +seeking safety, hid inside Slipper.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going?" grumbled +Slipper.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[ 58]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Keep still! They might hear us and +then both of us would get it," pleaded +little Rabbit, peeping through the tiny +hole in Slipper's toe. "What a rascal that +Petrooshka is! He beats everyone and +shouts loudest of all. He's a fine guest, I +must say! You know I hardly got away +from Wolf. My! it's horror, just to think +of it! Just see Duckling with her tiny +legs up. Poor thing! She must be dead."</p> + +<p>"How foolish you are, little Rabbit," +said Slipper. "All the dolls have fainted +and so has Duckling."</p> + +<p>They fought and fought and fought +until Vanka drove away all the guests except +the Dolls.</p> + +<p>Matryona Ivanovna, tired of lying in a +faint, opened one eye and asked:</p> + +<p>"Where am I? Doctor, will you see if +I am still alive?"</p> + +<p>No one answered her and Matryona<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[ 59]</a></span> +Ivanovna opened her other eye. The +room was empty except for Vanka, who +stood in the center looking around, much +astonished. Anya and Katya also revived +and they, too, were amazed. Something +horrible must have happened.</p> + +<p>"You're a fine birthday child, I must +say!" simultaneously exclaimed the Dolls, +addressing Vanka, who did not know +what to answer.</p> + +<p>Someone hit him; he hit someone. +Why? Wherefore? He did not know.</p> + +<p>"I really do not know how it all happened," +said Vanka. "The thing that +hurts most is that I love them all. All +without exception."</p> + +<p>"We know how it all happened," called +Slipper and Rabbit from under the couch. +"We saw it all."</p> + +<p>"It is all your fault," said Matryona +Ivanovna, accusing little Slipper and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[ 60]</a></span> +Rabbit. "Of course, it is you who are to +blame. You started the row and then you +ran away and hid."</p> + +<p>"They're to blame! They're to blame!" +screamed Anya and Katya in chorus.</p> + +<p>"Now I see it all," cried Vanka, joyfully. +"Get out, you rascals! You only +visit people to start quarrels."</p> + +<p>Slipper and Rabbit were barely able to +make their escape through the window.</p> + +<p>"I'll teach you a lesson," threatened +Matryona Ivanovna, following in their +wake. "There are some nasty people in +this world! Even little Duckling will +agree with me."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," said little Duckling. "I +saw them hide under the couch." Duckling +always agreed with everybody.</p> + +<p>"Let the guests return," said Katya. +"We can still have a jolly time."</p> + +<p>The guests were all glad to come back.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[ 61]</a></span> +Some had black eyes; some limped. Petrooshka's +long nose had the worst of it.</p> + +<p>"The rascals!" all repeated in chorus, +blaming Rabbit and Slipper for everything. +"Who would have thought it of +them!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I am so tired! My hands are all +sore," complained Vanka. "But let us +forget it and bear no grudge. Let's have +music."</p> + +<p>Once more, drum beat—rub-a-dub-dub! +Trumpets blew—toot-a-toot-too! +And Petrooshka shouted with all his +might:</p> + +<p>"Hurrah for Vanka!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 562px;"> +<img src="images/i_070acanaryfish.png" width="562" height="400" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<h2>THE STORY OF MASTER SPARROW, +MASTER STICKELBACK AND THE +JOLLY CHIMNEY-SWEEP, YASHA</h2> + + +<h3>I</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-m3"><span class="dropcap">M</span></span>ASTER Sparrow and Master +Stickelback were great +friends. In summer, Master +Sparrow came daily to the +river, calling:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[ 63]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Hello, brother! How are you?"</p> + +<p>"Pretty well. Managing to keep alive," +answered Stickelback. "Come to visit me. +The deep pools are fine. The water is +quiet. And it's just full of water grass. I +will treat you to frogs' eggs, worms and +water bugs."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, brother, I would come +with pleasure, only I am afraid of the +water," said the Sparrow. "You better +visit me on my roof. I'll treat you to +berries—I have a whole garden full—and +we will rummage for some bread crusts, +some oats, a bit of sugar and live mosquitoes. +You like sugar, don't you?"</p> + +<p>"What does it look like?" asked Stickelback.</p> + +<p>"It is white."</p> + +<p>"Like the pebbles in my river?"</p> + +<p>"Exactly. But when you take it into +your mouth it's sweet. One can't eat<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[ 64]</a></span> +pebbles, you know. Come, let us fly to +my roof."</p> + +<p>"No, I can't fly. And I suffocate in the +open air," said the Fish. "Let us have a +swim together in my river. That's much +better. I will show you all sorts of +things."</p> + +<p>Master Sparrow tried to get into the +water. He jumped in up to his knees; +then fear seized him—fear of drowning. +Heretofore, all that the Sparrow had ever +done was to get a drink of clear river water +and to take a bath in the shallowest part on +a hot day. Then he would shake his feathers +out and return to his roof.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, the two were great +friends. They liked chatting together +about all sorts of things.</p> + +<p>"Don't you ever get tired of staying in +the water," Sparrow would say, wondering.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[ 65]</a></span> +"It is so wet. Aren't you afraid of +taking cold?"</p> + +<p>Master Stickelback in his turn would +wonder at Master Sparrow:</p> + +<p>"Don't you ever get tired of flying? +Isn't it too warm to be out in the sun? It +would just suffocate me. It is always cool +where I live. I swim as I like. When +summer comes, my river is crowded with +bathers. But who ever visits your roof?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I have plenty of visitors. I have +one great chum, the Chimney-Sweep, +Yasha. He often visits me. He is such a +jolly Chimney-Sweep, always singing. +He cleans the chimneys, singing away. +When he rests, he sits on the very edge of +the roof, eats his piece of bread for lunch, +while I pick up the crumbs. We are great +friends. I also like to be jolly sometimes."</p> + +<p>The Sparrow and the Fish had many +troubles in common. Winter was very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[ 66]</a></span> +hard on both. Poor Master Sparrow almost +froze to death. The days were so +bitter cold. His very soul seemed to +freeze within him. He would puff himself +up, tuck his legs underneath him and +sit on his roof, waiting for the sunshine. +There was only one other warm place for +him and that was the chimney, but even +here it was hardly safe.</p> + +<p>Once, Master Sparrow almost perished. +It was the fault of his best friend, the +Chimney-Sweep. One day, Yasha came +to clean the chimney. His brush, with the +weight attached, came down the chimney +and almost smashed Master Sparrow's +head. Covered with soot, Master Sparrow +escaped from the chimney. He was +even blacker than Yasha.</p> + +<p>"I say! What do you mean, Yasha? +You almost killed me," scolded Master +Sparrow.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[ 67]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/i_075house.png" width="400" height="557" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[ 68]</a></span></p> + + +<p>"How was I to know you were sitting in +the chimney?" asked Yasha.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[ 69]</a></span></p> + +<p>"You must be more careful," said +Master Sparrow. "It isn't very nice to be +hit by such a heavy weight. I am sure you +wouldn't like it."</p> + +<p>In winter, Stickelback's life was not +very pleasant. He crawled somewhere +deep, deep into the river and dozed there +for days. It was dark and cold and he had +no desire to move. Occasionally he came +up to the ice-hole to chat with his friend.</p> + +<p>When Master Sparrow came to the ice-hole +for a drink, he would call, "Hey, +Master Stickelback! Are you still alive?"</p> + +<p>"I am," Master Stickelback would answer +sleepily. "But I want to stay asleep +all the time. It isn't very nice here. +Everybody is asleep."</p> + +<p>"It isn't much better where I live," said +Sparrow. "But we must be patient. At<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[ 70]</a></span> +times the wind is very cruel. There is no +sleep then. I hop along on one leg to keep +warm, while people watching me say, +'What a gay little sparrow!' If only warm +days would come! Brother, I believe you +are asleep again."</p> + +<p>Summer brought with it its own +troubles. Once a hawk chased Master +Sparrow for two miles. Sparrow barely +escaped by hiding in the sedge near the +river.</p> + +<p>"My! I am glad to get off alive," complained +Master Sparrow to Master Stickelback, +scarcely able to catch his breath. +"That rascal almost caught me then."</p> + +<p>"He must be something like our pike," +said Stickelback, consolingly. "Not long +ago I, too, barely escaped the pike's fangs. +That pike was as quick as lightning. One +day, as I was swimming out with some +friends, I mistook him for a log, he lay so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[ 71]</a></span> +still, and he chased me. Will you tell me +why there are pikes in the world? I have +often wondered, but I cannot understand."</p> + +<p>"Neither can I," said Master Sparrow. +"Do you know, I sometimes think that a +hawk must at one time have been a pike +and a pike must have been a hawk. Anyway, +both are rascals."</p> + + +<h3>II</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-t2"><span class="dropcap">T</span></span>HUS lived Master Sparrow +and Master Stickelback, freezing +in winter, joyous in summer; +while jolly Chimney-Sweep, +Yasha, cleaned his +chimneys and sang his songs. Each had +his work, his joys and his troubles.</p> + +<p>One summer day the Chimney-Sweep +walked down to the river to wash. He +walked along, whistling, when suddenly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[ 72]</a></span> +he heard a terrific noise. What had happened?</p> + +<p>Whirling above the river was a crowd +of birds, ducks, geese, swallows, snipe, +crows and pigeons, shouting with laughter, +for no apparent reason.</p> + +<p>"I say! What has happened?" asked +the Chimney-Sweep.</p> + +<p>"This is what happened," piped a bold +Bluebird. "It is too funny for words. +Just see what Master Sparrow is doing. +He seems quite mad."</p> + +<p>The Bluebird piped in her thin, high +voice, flicked her tail and soared above the +river. When Chimney-Sweep drew +nearer, Master Sparrow just flew at him. +He was frightful to behold. His beak +was open, his eyes wild, his feathers all +ruffled.</p> + +<p>"Master Sparrow, what is all this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[ 73]</a></span> +about? Why are you making all this +noise?" asked the Chimney-Sweep.</p> + +<p>"No! I'll teach him a few things!" +shouted Master Sparrow, fairly choking +with rage. "He doesn't yet know who I +am! I'll teach that confounded Stickelback! +He'll have cause to remember me! +The rascal!"</p> + +<p>"Don't listen to him," shouted Stickelback +from his river. "It's all lies."</p> + +<p>"Who is lying?" shouted Master Sparrow. +"Who found the worm? I'm lying? +Indeed! A nice fat worm that I +myself dug up on the bank. I worked +hard, too. I finally got him and was just +about ready to take him home to my nest—I +have a family, you know, that has to be +fed. No sooner did I get above the river, +the worm in my mouth, than that abominable +Stickelback (I hope the pike swallows +him) shouted, 'Hawk! Hawk!' I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[ 74]</a></span> +screamed with fright and the worm dropped +out of my mouth into the water and +Master Stickelback swallowed him. I call +this cheating. There was no hawk in +sight."</p> + +<p>"It was only a little joke of mine," said +Stickelback, defending himself. "That +worm was really delicious."</p> + +<p>All kinds of fish were gathered about +Stickelback, minnows, carp and perch, +listening and laughing at the story.</p> + +<p>"Yes, that was a fine trick Master +Stickelback played on his old friend. But +funnier still was to see Master Sparrow +fighting Master Stickelback, flying at him +again and again and getting nothing."</p> + +<p>"I hope my worm chokes you! I'll dig +up another," shouted Master Sparrow. +"What hurts me most is that Stickelback +fooled me and now he laughs at me. I was +even inviting him to visit me on my roof.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[ 75]</a></span> +A fine friend he is, I must say! Here's +our Chimney-Sweep, Yasha. He will +agree with me, I'm sure. He's my good +friend. At times, we even eat together. +Yasha eats his bread and I pick up the +crumbs."</p> + +<p>"Wait, brothers! This affair needs a +judge," announced Yasha. "Just let me +wash myself and I shall deal with the +whole thing fairly. And you, Master +Sparrow, just calm yourself a bit."</p> + +<p>"I know I am right. I have nothing to +worry about," shouted Master Sparrow. +"I only want to show Stickelback that I +shall not stand for his jokes."</p> + +<p>Chimney-Sweep Yasha sat down on the +bank, put his lunch near him, washed his +face and hands, and said:</p> + +<p>"Now, brothers, let us get at the bottom +of this trouble. You, Master Stickelback,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[ 76]</a></span> +are a fish. And you, Master Sparrow, are +a bird. Am I right?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," shouted the birds and fishes +in chorus.</p> + +<p>"Let us go on," said Yasha. "A fish must +live in water, a bird in the air. Am I +right? Well then, a worm lives in the +ground. Very well. Now let's see."</p> + +<p>The Chimney-Sweep opened his lunch, +a piece of wheaten bread, and laid it on a +stone, saying:</p> + +<p>"Now look! What is this? Bread, +isn't it? I earned it and I shall eat it. And +with it, I shall have a drink of water. All +this means that I have earned my dinner +without harming anyone. A fish and a +bird also want their dinner. Each of you +has his own food. Why quarrel? Master +Sparrow dug up the worm, therefore the +worm was his. He earned it."</p> + +<p>"Wait, Uncle," piped a thin voice in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[ 77]</a></span> +the crowd. The birds moved apart to +allow a little snipe to come forward. +Standing on his thin little legs close to the +Chimney-Sweep, the snipe said:</p> + +<p>"It isn't true, Uncle."</p> + +<p>"What isn't true?" asked Yasha.</p> + +<p>"About the worm," said the snipe. "I +found it. You can ask the ducks. They +saw me. I found the worm and Master +Sparrow snatched it away from me."</p> + +<p>Chimney-Sweep Yasha was puzzled. +This was quite a different story.</p> + +<p>"Let me see," he murmured, trying to +gather his thoughts together. "Hey, +Master Sparrow! What do you mean by +lying to me?"</p> + +<p>"I'm not lying. The snipe is. He and +the ducks made that story up."</p> + +<p>"Well, brothers, something is wrong. +Of course, a worm isn't anything, but to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[ 78]</a></span> +steal it, is not nice. And he who steals +must lie. Am I not right?"</p> + +<p>"Right! You are right!" shouted all in +chorus. "All the same, you have to be the +judge between Master Stickelback and +Master Sparrow."</p> + +<p>"Which of those two is right?" asked +Yasha. "Both made a noise. Both fought +and stirred up everybody else. Who is +right? Oh, the two of you, Master Stickelback +and Master Sparrow, the two of you +are rascals. I will punish both of you as +an example. Now, both of you make up +quickly."</p> + +<p>"That's right," shouted the crowd in +chorus. "Let them make up."</p> + +<p>"As for the snipe who worked to get the +worm, I will feed him with my crust," decided +the Chimney-Sweep. "Then everybody +will be satisfied."</p> + +<p>"Splendid!" all shouted their approval.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[ 79]</a></span></p> + +<p>The Chimney-Sweep made a move to +offer his crust to the snipe, but the crust +had disappeared. While Yasha was talking, +Master Sparrow grabbed the crust +and flew away with it.</p> + +<p>"The rascal! The scamp!" shouted the +birds and the fishes indignantly, starting +in pursuit of the thief.</p> + +<p>The crust was heavy and Master Sparrow +could not fly far with it. He was +caught just beyond the river. Birds, large +and small, threw themselves upon the +thief. It was a real battle. They were all +tearing the bread to bits and the crumbs +fell into the river. These the fishes grabbed. +Then followed a battle between +birds and fish. The crust was broken into +tiny crumbs. The crumbs were eaten up. +When it was all over, everybody grew +thoughtful. They felt ashamed. While<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[ 80]</a></span> +chasing the thief to recover the crust, they +had grabbed it up themselves.</p> + +<p>The jolly Chimney-Sweep, Yasha, sat +on the bank, watching and laughing. The +whole affair had turned out to be so funny. +They were all gone. There remained only +the Sandy Snipe.</p> + +<p>"Why don't you fly along with the +others?" asked the Chimney-Sweep.</p> + +<p>"I would, Uncle, only I am too small. +The big birds might peck me to death."</p> + +<p>"Well, maybe you are right, little Snipe. +Both of us are left without our dinner. +Evidently, we haven't worked hard +enough for it."</p> + +<p>Then came Verotchka to the river bank +and asked the jolly Chimney-Sweep what +had happened. How she laughed when +she heard the story!</p> + +<p>"How foolish they all are, the fish and +the birds," said Verotchka. "I could<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[ 81]</a></span> +divide everything right, and no one would +quarrel. Not long ago I divided four +apples. Father brought four apples and +said, 'Divide these between you and Lisa +and me evenly.' I divided them into three +parts. I gave one apple to father, one +apple to Lisa, and I took two apples for +myself."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 555px;"> +<img src="images/i_090aspider.png" width="555" height="400" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<h2>THE STORY OF THE LAST FLY</h2> + + +<h3>I</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-s2"><span class="dropcap">S</span></span>UMMER-TIME is a merry time +for flies. It is hard to tell just +how it all happened. There were +so many flies; thousands of them, +gaily flying and buzzing.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[ 83]</a></span></p> + +<p>When Little Fly was born, she +straightened out her wings and immediately +felt happy,—so happy that one +really cannot tell it in words. It was all so +interesting. The doors and windows leading +to the porch were thrown wide open in +the morning, and Little Fly flitted in and +out as she pleased.</p> + +<p>"How kind human beings are!" exclaimed +Little Fly, astonished, flying in +and out of the windows. "The windows +were made for us, and they are open for us. +It is so nice to be alive and feeling so +happy."</p> + +<p>She flew in and out of the garden many +times. Sitting on a blade of grass, she admired +the blooming lilacs, the delicate +leaves of the budding poplars, and the different +flowers in their beds. The gardener, +still unknown to her, had taken care of +everything. What a kind gardener! Little<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[ 84]</a></span> +Fly was not born yet and he had already +prepared everything she might need. It +was all the more amazing since he himself +was not only unable to fly, but he even +walked about with great difficulty, trembling +all over at times, and muttering to +himself.</p> + +<p>"I wonder where these nasty flies come +from?" grumbled the kind gardener.</p> + +<p>The poor dear probably said this from +sheer envy because all he could do was to +dig beds, set out and water flowers. He +couldn't fly. Little Fly liked to buzz +around the gardener's red nose, which annoyed +him very much.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[ 85]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/i_093gardener.png" width="400" height="552" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[ 86]</a></span></p> + + +<p>People were usually very kind, providing +all kinds of pleasures for flies. For instance, +when Verotchka had her bread +and milk in the morning, she always asked +Aunt Olga for a piece of sugar. This she +did just to give Little Fly a chance to have +a bit of sugar, a few crumbs of bread, and +a few drops of milk.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[ 87]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Now tell me, is there anything more +delicious than this treat after working +busily all morning?" said Little Fly.</p> + +<p>Cook Pascha was even kinder than +Verotchka. Every morning she would go +to market and bring such wonderful +things, especially for the flies—meat, fish, +cream and butter. Pascha was the kindest +woman in the whole house. Though, like +the gardener, she could not fly, she knew +perfectly well every need of a fly. She was +the kindest woman in all the world.</p> + +<p>And Aunt Olga—oh, that wonderful +woman!—seemed to live only for the flies. +With her own hands she would open all +the windows every morning, so that the +flies might come and go at will. When it +rained, or it was cold, she closed the windows +to keep their little wings dry and prevent<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[ 88]</a></span> +them from catching cold. Then +Aunt Olga noticed that flies liked sugar +and berries. So every day she cooked berries +and sugar. The flies knew at once +why she did this, and to show their gratitude, +they crawled right into the pans of +jam.</p> + +<p>Verotchka was also very fond of jam, +but Aunt Olga would only give her one or +two teaspoonfuls, because she did not wish +to deprive the flies of their share. As the +flies could not eat all the jam at once, Aunt +Olga put away the jam in jars (to keep it +away from mice who were not entitled to +jam) ready to serve to the flies each day at +tea time.</p> + +<p>"Oh, how kind and good everybody is!" +exclaimed Little Fly, flitting in and out of +the window. "It is even good that people +cannot fly, for they would turn into big,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[ 89]</a></span> +greedy flies, grabbing up everything. It's +fine to live in this world!"</p> + +<p>"But people aren't at all as kind as you +think," remarked an old fly who liked to +grumble occasionally. "It only seems so +to you. Have you ever noticed the man +they call Papa?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes. He is a very strange gentleman. +You are perfectly right, good old +fly. Why does he smoke that pipe? He +knows very well I do not like tobacco +smoke. It seems to me sometimes that he +does it just to spite me. And he doesn't +like to do anything for flies. You know, +once I tasted that ink with which he is forever +writing, and I almost died. It was +awful. I once saw with my own eyes two +pretty, inexperienced young flies drown in +his ink. It was a dreadful sight to see how +he pulled them out with his pen, put them +on his paper, making a splendid blot.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[ 90]</a></span> +Just think of it! Then he blames us and +not himself. Where is justice?"</p> + +<p>"I think this Papa has no sense of justice, +although he has one good quality," +answered the old, experienced fly. "He +drinks beer after dinner. That isn't at all +a bad habit. To tell the truth, I like a taste +of beer myself, though it does make me +dizzy."</p> + +<p>"I also like beer," confessed Little Fly, +blushing slightly. "I become quite gay +after having some, although my head +aches the next day. Perhaps Papa does +not do anything for flies because he does +not care for jam and puts all of his sugar +into his tea. One really cannot expect +much of a man who does not eat jam. +There is nothing left for him but his pipe."</p> + +<p>The flies knew people very well, although +they interpreted them in their own +fashion.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[ 91]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>II</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-t3"><span class="dropcap">T</span></span>HE summer was hot. Each +day brought more and more +flies. They fell into the milk, +crawled into the soup and +into the ink-well, they buzzed +and they whirled and annoyed everyone. +Our Little Fly grew up into a big fly. On +several occasions she almost perished. +The first time her legs stuck in jam and +she was just able to free herself. The +second time she flew sleepily against a +burning lamp and almost scorched her +wings. The third time she was almost +crushed by a closing window. On the +whole, she had many adventures.</p> + +<p>"There is no living with these flies +about," complained Cook. "They act +like mad—crawling into everything. +They must be done away with."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[ 92]</a></span></p> + +<p>Even our Fly decided that there were altogether +too many flies, especially in the +kitchen. At night the ceiling was black +with them. They seemed like a moving +net. When the provisions were brought, +the flies threw themselves upon them—a +live mass, pushing, jostling, quarrelling. +The best morsels fell to the lot of the bold +and the strong. The rest had the remains.</p> + +<p>Pascha, the cook, was right. There +were too many flies. Then something horrible +happened. One morning, Pascha +brought along with the provisions a package +of very tasty papers—that is, she made +them tasty, when she spread them out on +plates, by moistening them with warm +water and sprinkling sugar over them.</p> + +<p>"There is a fine treat for the flies," said +Pascha, putting the plates where they +could be seen. Without Pascha's saying +anything, the flies knew at once that this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[ 93]</a></span> +was a special treat for them. Buzzing +gaily, they threw themselves upon the new +dainty. Our Fly tried to get into a plate, +but she was pushed rudely aside.</p> + +<p>"No pushing, please," said she, offended, +"I'm not one of those greedy ones, you +know. You are quite rude."</p> + +<p>Then something quite terrible happened. +Thousands of flies died. The +greediest were the first to succumb. They +crawled about as if drunk and then fell to +the ground, dead. In the morning, Pascha +swept up a large plate full of dead flies. +Only the most sensible ones remained +alive. Among these was our Fly.</p> + +<p>"No papers for us," buzzed the surviving +flies. "We don't want them."</p> + +<p>The next day the same thing happened. +Of all the sensible flies only the most sensible +remained alive. But Pascha still<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[ 94]</a></span> +complained, "There is no living with these +flies about."</p> + +<p>Then the gentleman they called Papa +brought home three very pretty glass +bowls and filled them with beer. This +time even the most sensible flies were +caught. It turned out that these bowls +were nothing but fly-catchers. The flies, +attracted by the smell of beer, were caught +in the bowls and perished.</p> + +<p>"That's good," said Pascha approvingly. +She had turned out to be the most +heartless of women, rejoicing at others' +misfortunes.</p> + +<p>"There isn't anything good about that," +said Little Fly. "If people had wings like +flies and someone were to set a fly-catcher +as big as a house, they, too, would be +caught."</p> + +<p>Our Fly, learning from the bitter experiences +of the sensible flies, ceased to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[ 95]</a></span> +trust people. They only seem kind, these +people; while, in reality, they are busy +with just one thing—to cheat poor trusting +flies. To tell the truth, human beings +are the slyest and crudest of animals.</p> + +<p>Through all these misfortunes the number +of flies decreased considerably. Then +followed another calamity. Suddenly +summer was gone. Rains began to fall. +Cold winds blew. The weather was very +disagreeable.</p> + +<p>"Is summer really gone?" asked the few +remaining flies. "How could it have +passed so quickly. It doesn't seem quite +fair. We have hardly had time to live and +autumn is already upon us."</p> + +<p>This was worse than poison paper or +glass fly-catchers. There was only one +escape from the coming bad weather—to +seek shelter with one's bitterest enemy, +Master Man. Alas, now the windows<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[ 96]</a></span> +were closed all day long and only the ventilators +were occasionally open! The +very sun seemed to shine just to deceive +the trustful house flies.</p> + +<p>For instance, what do you think of this +picture? It is morning. The sun is gaily +peeping into all the windows as if inviting +the flies into the garden. You would +think summer was returning. And what +happens? The trustful flies fly through +the ventilator into the garden. True, the +sun is shining, but it gives no heat. They +try to return to the house but the ventilator +has been closed. Thus many flies +perished in the cold autumn nights.</p> + +<p>"No, I no longer believe," said our Little +Fly, "I have no faith in anything. +Since even the sun deceives me, I believe +in nothing."</p> + +<p>It is understood that with the coming of +the fall all flies experienced the same unhappy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[ 97]</a></span> +moods. They became very disagreeable. +Not a sign of their former +gayety remained. They became gloomy, +indolent and dissatisfied. Some of them +even began to bite, which they had never +been known to do before.</p> + +<p>Our Fly's disposition became so bad she +didn't know herself. She had always been +so sorry for other flies. Now when they +perished, she thought only of herself. She +was even ashamed to speak the thoughts +that were in her mind, "Let them perish, +then there will be more left for me." In +the first place, there were not many warm +corners where a decent fly could spend the +winter. In the second place, the other flies +were very annoying, always in the way, +snatching from under her nose the very +best tidbits, and behaving badly in general. +Besides, it was time for them to rest.</p> + +<p>The flies seemed to understand the cruel<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[ 98]</a></span> +thoughts of our Fly and they fell by the +hundreds. They didn't seem to die—just +to fall asleep. With each day their number +grew smaller and smaller. There was +no longer any need of poison paper or +glass fly-catchers. But all this was not +enough to satisfy our Fly. She wanted to +be the only fly left in the world.</p> + + +<h3>III</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-t4"><span class="dropcap">T</span></span>HERE came a very happy +day. One morning our Fly +woke up quite late. She had +felt a curious weariness for a +long time and preferred to remain +immovable in her corner under the +stove. And now she felt that something +unusual was going to happen. She flew +to the window. The first snow had fallen! +The ground was covered with a brilliant, +white, shining sheet.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[ 99]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, this must be winter!" Our Fly +knew at once. "Winter is all white, like a +piece of sugar."</p> + +<p>Then our Fly noticed that all the other +flies had disappeared. The poor things +could not survive the first frost and dropped +off to sleep wherever they happened to +be. In former days, our Fly would have +felt very sorry for them. But now she +thought, "This is splendid. Now I am +really the only one. No one will eat my +jam, my sugar, my crumbs. This is fine."</p> + +<p>She flew through all the rooms to convince +herself that she was the only fly left. +Now she could do anything she pleased. +It was so nice. The house was so warm. +Winter was there, out of doors; but inside +the house it was bright, warm, and cozy, +especially in the evening when the candles +and lamps were lighted. A slight misfortune +occurred when the first lamp was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[ 100]</a></span> +lighted. Our Fly once more flew against +it and was almost scorched to death.</p> + +<p>"This must be the winter fly-trap," said +our Fly, rubbing her burnt legs. "Now +you can't fool me. I know too much. You +wish to burn the Last Fly, do you? Well, +that's the last thing that I want. There is +also a hot stove in the kitchen. Don't I +know that, too, is a fly-catcher?"</p> + +<p>The Last Fly was happy for a few days +only. Then suddenly she felt lonely, so +lonely, so very lonely. Of course, she was +warm and there was plenty to eat, but still +she was unhappy. She flew and rested and +ate. She flew again, but she felt lonelier +than ever.</p> + +<p>"Oh, how lonely I am!" she buzzed in +a thin, pitiful voice, flying from one room +to the other. "If there were only one other +fly here! The meanest, the worst of them, +but only one fly!"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[ 101]</a></span></p> + +<p>No one seemed to understand the complaints +of the Last Fly and this of course +made her cross. She flew about like one +mad, alighting on this one's nose, on that +one's ear, or back and forth in front of +people's eyes.</p> + +<p>"Heavens, can't you understand? I am +quite alone in the world and I am very, +very lonely," she would buzz at every one. +"You don't even know how to fly. How +can you know loneliness? If someone +were only to play with me! But no, how +can they? What can be clumsier and +heavier than a human being? The ugliest +creatures I have ever met."</p> + +<p>The Last Fly annoyed the dog and the +cat and everybody else. She was most +hurt when she heard Aunt Olga say, +"Please don't touch the Last Fly. Leave +her alone. Let her live through the winter." +This was insulting! It sounded as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[ 102]</a></span> +if she was not even considered a fly. "Let +her live." What a kindness!</p> + +<p>"But I am so lonely! Maybe I don't +want to live. That's all there's to it."</p> + +<p>The Last Fly was so angry at everybody +that she grew frightened at herself. She +flew, she buzzed, she squeaked, she +squealed. The spider in the corner finally +took pity on her and said:</p> + +<p>"Dear fly, come to me. See how pretty +my web is!"</p> + +<p>"Thank you very much," said the Last +Fly. "Are you my new friend? I know +what your pretty cob web means. You +were probably a human being at one time +who is now pretending to be a spider."</p> + +<p>"You know I wish you well," said the +spider.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you ugly creature!" said the Fly. +"To eat the Last Fly means to wish me +well, hey?"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[ 103]</a></span></p> + +<p>They had a great quarrel. Nevertheless, +it was lonely, too lonely for words to +tell. The Fly was bitter against everybody. +She grew weary and in a loud voice +announced:</p> + +<p>"Since all of you refuse to understand +how lonely I am, I will sit here in the corner +the whole winter through. That's all +there is to it! Yes, I will stay in the corner +and nothing will make me leave it. So +there!"</p> + +<p>When she returned to her corner she +cried, thinking of last summer's gladness. +There had been so many merry flies. How +foolish she had been to desire to be left +alone. That had been a great mistake.</p> + +<p>The winter seemed endless and Last Fly +was beginning to think that summer +would never return. She wished to die +and she wept quietly. Surely human beings +invented winter. They always<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[ 104]</a></span> +seemed to think of things that harmed +flies. Perhaps it was Aunt Olga who had +hidden away the summer, as she did sugar +and jam. Last Fly was almost dead with +despair when something unexpected happened.</p> + +<p>One day she was sitting in her corner, +as was her custom, when she suddenly +heard, "Buzz! Buzz!" She couldn't believe +her own ears at first and then she +thought that someone was fooling her. +And then—heavens!—what was that? A +real live fly! A Fly, very young, flew past. +It was just born and it was glad.</p> + +<p>"Spring is coming! Spring is coming!" +it buzzed.</p> + +<p>How glad the two were to see each +other! They embraced and kissed, and +licked each other's feelers. The Last Fly +talked for days, telling her new friend +what an awful winter she had spent and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[ 105]</a></span> +how lonely she had been. The young fly +only laughed in her thin little voice. She +couldn't understand how anyone could be +lonely.</p> + +<p>"Spring! Spring!" she joyfully repeated.</p> + +<p>When Aunt Olga ordered the winter +windows removed and Verotchka leaned +out of the first open window, Last Fly +knew what was happening.</p> + +<p>"Now, I know it all," buzzed Last Fly, +flying out of the window. "We flies make +the summer."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 556px;"> +<img src="images/i_114acrow.png" width="556" height="397" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<h2>THE STORY OF A BLACK-HEADED CROW +AND A LITTLE YELLOW CANARY</h2> + + +<h3>I</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-t5"><span class="dropcap">T</span></span>HE Black-Headed Crow sat in +a birch tree, pecking at a twig. +Peck! Peck! She cleaned +her bill, looked around, and +suddenly cawed, "Caw! Caw!"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[ 107]</a></span></p> + +<p>The drowsy cat, Vaska, sitting on a +fence, almost fell off with fright at the +noise and growled:</p> + +<p>"What is the matter with you, Blackhead? +The Lord has given you some +voice! What are you happy about?"</p> + +<p>The Crow answered, "Leave me alone. +Don't you see I'm busy? Caw! Caw! +Caw! So much to do, so much to do."</p> + +<p>"You poor thing," laughed Vaska.</p> + +<p>"Keep still, you lazy thing. Your sides +must be all worn out with lying about, forever +baking in the sun; while I know no +rest from early morning. Look at me. +Just see what I've done today. I perched +on ten roofs, flew over half the town, +peeped into every corner and hole there is, +and now I must fly up the church steeple, +visit the market, and dig a little in the +garden. But I'm really wasting time talking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[ 108]</a></span> +to you. Too busy! Too busy! Caw! +Caw! Caw!"</p> + +<p>The Crow pecked her beak for the last +time against the twig, shook her feathers +out and was just ready to fly off when she +heard a terrible noise. A flock of sparrows +was noisily chasing a tiny little yellow +bird.</p> + +<p>"Catch her! Catch her!" squawked the +sparrows.</p> + +<p>"What's happened? Whither away?" +cawed the Crow, following the sparrows.</p> + +<p>The Crow flapped her wings ten times +and caught up with the sparrows. The +tiny yellow bird, completely exhausted, +dropped into the little garden overgrown +with bushes of lilacs, currants +and syringa, to hide from the pursuing +sparrows. The little yellow bird hid +under a bush and there was the Crow.</p> + +<p>"Who are you?" cawed the Crow.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[ 109]</a></span></p> + +<p>The sparrows scattered over that bush +like a handful of peas. They were furious +with the little yellow bird and wanted to +peck her to death.</p> + +<p>"What do you want with her?" asked +the Crow.</p> + +<p>"Why is she yellow?" peeped the sparrows +in chorus.</p> + +<p>The Crow looked at the little yellow +bird. She certainly was all yellow. He +jerked his head and said:</p> + +<p>"Oh, you mischiefs! Why, it isn't a bird +at all! There never was a bird like this! +However, all you clear out. I must speak +with this curiosity that pretends to be a +bird."</p> + +<p>The sparrows piped, chatted, and were +very angry, but they had to clear out. Conversations +with a Crow are always very +brief. He can peck you to death, you +know.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[ 110]</a></span></p> + +<p>After chasing the sparrows, the Crow +questioned the little yellow bird that was +breathing heavily and looking pitifully at +him with her little black eyes.</p> + +<p>"Who are you?" asked the Crow.</p> + +<p>"I am a canary."</p> + +<p>"No fooling now, or you will get the +worst of it. Remember, if it had not been +for me, the sparrows would have pecked +you to death."</p> + +<p>"But I am a canary."</p> + +<p>"Where do you come from?" asked the +Crow.</p> + +<p>"I lived in a cage. I was born in a cage. +I grew up in a cage. But I always wanted +to fly about like other birds. The cage +hung near the window and I always +watched other birds. They looked so +happy and my cage seemed so small. +Well, one day when the little girl, +Verotchka, brought my cup of water, she +left the door open and I flew out. I flew +about the room first and then I flew out +through the open window."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[ 111]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/i_119crowcanary.png" width="400" height="561" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[ 112]</a></span></p> + + +<p>"What were you doing in a cage?" said +the Crow.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[ 113]</a></span></p> +<p>"I am a singer, you know."</p> + +<p>"Just sing for me, then," said the Crow.</p> + +<p>The Canary sang. The Crow, with his +head tilted to one side, listened and wondered.</p> + +<p>"You call this singing?" he exclaimed. +"Ha! Ha! Ha! How foolish were +your masters to feed you for such singing. +If they fed anyone, why should it not have +been a real bird like me? Just a while ago +I cawed and that rascal Vaska almost fell +off the fence. That's what I call singing."</p> + +<p>"I know Vaska, a most awful beast! +Many a time he softly crept to my cage, his +green eyes burning, his claws out."</p> + +<p>"To some, he seems fierce, but not to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[ 114]</a></span> +others. That he is sly, is true, but there is +nothing fierce about him. However, we +can talk about this later, for somehow I +cannot yet believe that you are a real +bird."</p> + +<p>"But, Aunty, I am a bird. I am a real +bird. All canaries are birds, you know."</p> + +<p>"Very well. We shall see. How do you +expect to make a living?"</p> + +<p>"I don't need very much, really. A few +seeds, a bit of sugar and a bit of toast. +That is all."</p> + +<p>"What a lady you are! A bit of sugar +indeed! You can do without sugar. As +for seeds, those might be found. On the +whole, I like you. Do you want to live +with me? I have a splendid nest in the +birch tree."</p> + +<p>"Thank you. But how about the sparrows?"</p> + +<p>"If you live with me, no one will dare to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[ 115]</a></span> +touch you. Not only the sparrows, but +even sly Vaska knows my character well. +I don't like fooling."</p> + +<p>The Canary at once took courage and +flew off with the Crow. Yes, the nest was +fine. If there were only some toast and a +wee bit of sugar!</p> + + +<h3>II</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-s3"><span class="dropcap">S</span></span>O the Canary and the Crow lived +together in one nest. Although +the Crow liked to grumble occasionally, +on the whole she was +not unkind. Her chief fault was +that she envied everybody and very often +considered herself abused.</p> + +<p>"Will you tell me why the foolish hens +are better than I? Just see how they are +cared for, fed and watched," she would +complain to the Canary. "Then look at +the pigeons. Of what use are they? and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[ 116]</a></span> +still look at the handfuls of oats they get. +They are so foolish. Yet whenever I +come near I am chased from every corner. +Is this just? And I'm scolded, too. +Haven't you noticed that I'm nicer than +other birds and much prettier, too? However, +one should not say such things about +oneself. Don't you think so?"</p> + +<p>The Canary agreed with everything.</p> + +<p>"Yes, you are a big bird," she would +say.</p> + +<p>"Here you are. They keep parrots in +cages and look after them. Can you see +why the foolish parrot is better than I? +He only knows how to scream and chatter +and no one can really understand what +he says."</p> + +<p>"I know. We had a parrot that every +one grew tired of," said the Canary.</p> + +<p>"Yes, one can think of many birds that +live, no one knows why. For instance, the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[ 117]</a></span> +starling; it comes like a mad thing no one +knows whence, stays through the summer, +and flies away again. There are also the +swallows, the bluebirds and nightingales, +but one can't really count all this rubbish. +There isn't a single really desirable bird. +Why, just as soon as there is a cold breeze, +all of them seem to fly away, the Lord +knows where."</p> + +<p>In reality, the Crow and the Canary did +not understand each other. The Canary +could not understand a life of freedom; +the Crow could not understand a life of +captivity.</p> + +<p>"Aunty, has no one ever thrown you a +bit of seed," wondered the Canary, "not a +single grain?"</p> + +<p>"How foolish you are to talk of seeds, +when I have to dodge sticks and stones. +People are very cruel."</p> + +<p>With this, the Canary could never<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[ 118]</a></span> +agree, because people had always been +kind to her. She thought that the Crow +imagined these things, but the Canary was +soon to see the cruelty of people. Once, +perched on a fence, she heard a heavy +stone whizz over her very head. Some +school boys walking past the fence saw +the Crow and couldn't resist throwing a +stone at her.</p> + +<p>"Now, have you seen for yourself?" +asked the Crow, climbing upon the roof. +"People are always like that."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you have done something to +annoy them, Aunty."</p> + +<p>"Nothing at all. They are just cruel +and all of them hate me."</p> + +<p>The Canary felt very sorry for the poor +Crow whom no one loved. It must be +very hard to live under such circumstances.</p> + +<p>On the whole, there were many enemies.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[ 119]</a></span> +For instance, Vaska, with his oily eyes, +watching the birds and always feigning +sleep. The Canary saw with her own +eyes how he caught a young inexperienced +sparrow; one could only see the +feathers flying, and hear the bones crackling. +Horrible! Horrible! Then the +hawks, too; very fine to watch them as +they sail up into the air, but suddenly you +see them, like a heavy stone dropping to +the ground, and before you know it, a +chick is in their claws.</p> + +<p>All this the Canary saw. The Crow, +however, was not afraid of either cats or +hawks. She often had a notion to have a +taste of a young bird herself. At first, the +Canary could not believe this, but she +really did see this with her own eyes. A +flock of sparrows were chasing the Crow, +chattering and screaming.</p> + +<p>"Let her go! Let her go!" screamed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[ 120]</a></span> +the sparrows, beside themselves, flying +over the Crow's nest in a frenzy. "This is +awful! This is real robbery!"</p> + +<p>The Crow hid deep in her nest and the +Canary saw with horror a bleeding sparrow, +dead.</p> + +<p>"Aunty, what are you doing?"</p> + +<p>"Keep still!" said the Crow.</p> + +<p>Her eyes were horrible. They seemed +to burn. The Canary had to shut her own +eyes for fear she would see the Crow gobbling +up the poor little victim.</p> + +<p>"Some day she may even eat me," +thought the Canary.</p> + +<p>Having satisfied her hunger, the Crow +grew kinder and kinder. She cleaned her +bill, perched comfortably and fell into a +sweet slumber. The Canary noticed that +the Crow was very greedy and not very +particular as to what she ate.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[ 121]</a></span></p> + +<p>Sometimes she would carry a piece of +bread, a bit of decayed meat, or some leavings +found in a dump hole. The dump +hole the Crow liked best, but the Canary +could never understand the pleasure of +digging in such places.</p> + +<p>In fact, it was hard to blame the Crow. +She alone ate in one day food enough for +twenty canaries. The Crow had only one +care—food. Perched on some roof, she +was always on the lookout for food.</p> + +<p>When the Crow was too lazy to search +for food, she would resort to slyness. If +she saw a flock of sparrows tearing at +something, she would fly right over to +them, pretending she was just passing by, +cawing with her whole might, "Caw! +Caw! I'm busy! I'm busy!"</p> + +<p>She would then swoop down, grab the +booty, and that was the end of it.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[ 122]</a></span></p> + +<p>"But it isn't a bit nice to take food away +from others," once remarked the indignant +Canary.</p> + +<p>"Isn't it? But what if I am hungry?"</p> + +<p>"Others are hungry, too," said the +Canary.</p> + +<p>"Well, let them look out for themselves. +It is easy enough for you, the pets, cuddled +in cages. We have to get our own food. +You and the sparrows—how much do you +need? A few grains and you are satisfied +for the whole day."</p> + + +<h3>III</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-s4"><span class="dropcap">S</span></span>UMMER passed unnoticed. The +sun seemed to grow colder, the +day shorter. Rains began to fall. +A cold wind blew. The Canary +felt herself a most unfortunate +bird, especially when it rained. But the +Crow did not seem to mind it.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[ 123]</a></span></p> + +<p>"What if it does rain? It will stop," +said the Crow.</p> + +<p>"But it is so cold, too cold, Aunty," +said the Canary.</p> + +<p>It was especially hard at night. The +little wet Canary would shiver with cold +and the Crow would scold at her.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you baby! What will you do +when the real frost comes and the snow +falls?"</p> + +<p>The Crow was puzzled. "What sort of +bird is this that is afraid of rain, wind and +cold?" And she began to doubt once more +whether the Canary was a real bird, after +all. "Surely she must be pretending."</p> + +<p>"Truly, Aunty, I am a real bird," the +Canary would assert with tears in her eyes, +"even if I do feel cold sometimes."</p> + +<p>"Look out, now! It always seems to me +that you are only pretending to be a bird," +said the Crow.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[ 124]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Honestly, Aunty, I'm not pretending."</p> + +<p>Sometimes the Canary would try to +think about her future. Perhaps it would +have been better to have stayed in the cage, +after all. There it was warm and one always +had plenty to eat.</p> + +<p>Several times she flew up to the window, +where her old cage hung. Two new +canaries looked out at her and envied her.</p> + +<p>"Oh, how cold it is!" pitifully piped the +freezing Canary. "How I would like to +be in there with you."</p> + +<p>One morning the Canary looked out of +the Crow's nest. She was astonished at the +dreary sight. Over night, the ground had +been covered with the first snow. Everything +was white, but, saddest of all, the +snow covered all the grains on which the +Canary fed. There remained only the +mountain ash berry, but she couldn't possibly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[ 125]</a></span> +eat that! It was too sour! As for the +Crow, she ate that, saying, "Very fine!"</p> + +<p>After starving two whole days, the +Canary was in despair.</p> + +<p>"What is going to happen to me? I will +die of hunger," thought the Canary.</p> + +<p>The next day the Canary sat wondering +when suddenly she saw coming into the +garden the very same boys who had +thrown stones at the Crow. They spread +a net on the ground and covered it with +very tasty bird seed then went away.</p> + +<p>"These boys aren't so bad," said the +happy Canary, looking at the seeds. +"Look, Aunty, the boys have brought +me some food."</p> + +<p>"Very fine food, I must say," croaked +the Crow. "Don't you dare stick your +bill in there! Do you hear me! If you +try to get that seed, you will be caught in +the net."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[ 126]</a></span></p> + +<p>"And what will happen then?" asked +the Canary.</p> + +<p>"Why, they will put you into a cage +again," said the Crow.</p> + +<p>The Canary grew thoughtful. She +wanted food, but she did not want a cage. +Of course, it was cold and at times there +was little to eat. Still, life in freedom was +better, especially when it did not rain. +For several days the Canary was strong. +But hunger was stronger. Finally she +just had to yield to her longing for food. +She was caught in the net.</p> + +<p>"Help! Help!" piped the Canary pitifully. +"I will never do it again. It is +better to die of hunger than to live in a +cage."</p> + +<p>The Canary now thought that there was +nothing in the whole world nicer than the +Crow's nest. Of course, it was cold and +occasionally one had no food. But there<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[ 127]</a></span> +was freedom. One could fly about wherever +one pleased. She wept, waiting for +the boys to come to put her into the cage. +But as luck would have it, the Crow +passed by that very moment and spied the +Canary in difficulty.</p> + +<p>"You are foolish," scolded the Crow. +"Didn't I tell you not to touch those +seeds?"</p> + +<p>"Aunty, I'll never do it again."</p> + +<p>The Crow was just in time. The boys +were already on their way to fetch their +victim. The Crow tore the net quickly +with her beak. The Canary was free.</p> + +<p>The boys chased the Crow, throwing +sticks and stones and scolding her for +some time.</p> + +<p>"How nice it is to be free," chirped the +glad Canary, finding herself once more in +the Crow's nest.</p> + +<p>"Of course, it's nice. You'd better take<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[ 128]</a></span> +care if you want to stay free," scolded the +Crow.</p> + +<p>The Canary, safe in the Crow's nest, +started life anew. Never again did she +complain of either cold or hunger.</p> + +<p>One day, the Crow flew away in search +of food and stayed all night in the field. +When she returned she found the little +Canary lying in the nest with her little legs +up—cold and stiff.</p> + +<p>The Crow tilted her head to one side +and looking very closely at the Canary, +she said:</p> + +<p>"Well, I told you you were not a real +bird."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 563px;"> +<img src="images/i_137aturkeyporcpn.png" width="563" height="400" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<h2>THE WISEST OF ALL</h2> + + +<h3>I</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-t6"><span class="dropcap">T</span></span>URKEY Gobbler awoke +as usual before any one else. +It was still dark. He woke up +his wife and said:</p> + +<p>"Am I not the wisest of all?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[ 130]</a></span>"</p> + +<p>Turkey Hen was not quite awake. She +coughed and then answered:</p> + +<p>"Oh, you are very wise. Khe! Khe! +Khe! Who does not know that? Khe! +Khe! Khe!"</p> + +<p>"No, it isn't enough to say 'wisest of +all,'" said Turkey Gobbler. "There are +plenty of wise birds, but the wisest of all +is one, and that is I."</p> + +<p>"The wisest of all! Khe! Khe! Khe! +The wisest of all! Khe! Khe! Khe!"</p> + +<p>"That's right," said Turkey Gobbler.</p> + +<p>A little cross, Turkey Gobbler added in +a voice that other birds might hear:</p> + +<p>"Do you know, I think that I am not +respected enough."</p> + +<p>"You only imagine that. Khe! Khe!"</p> + +<p>Turkey Hen calmed him, at the same +time smoothing her feathers that had +ruffled over night.</p> + +<p>"You only think that, for one could not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[ 131]</a></span> +imagine a wiser bird than you. Khe! +Khe!"</p> + +<p>"What about the Gander? Oh, I see +everything. Of course, he is silent most of +the time, never saying anything directly, +but I feel that silently he does not respect +me."</p> + +<p>"Don't pay any attention to him," said +Turkey Hen. "He isn't worth it. Khe! +Khe! Haven't you noticed how foolish +he is?"</p> + +<p>"Any one can see that," said Turkey +Gobbler. "It is written all over his face, +'Foolish Gander,' and nothing else. But +it isn't really the Gander, for, after all, can +one be angry with a fool? The Rooster, +for instance. The most ordinary Rooster. +Did you hear him scream at me the other +day? He screamed so loudly that all the +neighbors heard him. It seemed to me he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[ 132]</a></span> +was saying I was foolish or something like +that."</p> + +<p>"How strange you are," said Turkey +Hen, astonished. "Don't you know why +Rooster screams?"</p> + +<p>"Why?" asked Turkey Gobbler.</p> + +<p>"Khe! Khe! Khe! It's very simple and +everybody knows it. You're a Cock and +he's a Cock. Only he is a very, very common +Cock, while you are a real beyond-the-sea +Indian Cock. That's why he +screams with envy. Every bird wishes to +be an Indian Cock. Khe! Khe!"</p> + +<p>"But that's hard to be, mother. Ha! +ha! ha! Some ambition for a common +little Rooster to become a Turkey Gobbler! +No, sir. That never can be!" said +Turkey Gobbler.</p> + +<p>Turkey Hen was a very modest, kind +bird. She was always worried when Turkey +Gobbler quarreled with anyone.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[ 133]</a></span></p> + +<p>This morning, he was hardly awake +when he was thinking with whom to pick +a quarrel and fight. He was a restless +bird, though not unkind. Turkey Hen +was often hurt when other birds made +sport of Turkey Gobbler, calling him, +"Old Stuck-Up" or "Chatterbox" or +"Empty-Head." They were partly right, +of course. But then, there are no birds +without faults. That's why it is pleasant +to find in another bird even the tiniest +shortcomings.</p> + +<p>The birds, now awakened, proceeded +from the poultry house into the barnyard, +and at once there arose a horrible clatter. +The hens made the most noise; they ran +around the yard, they climbed on the kitchen +windows, and they screamed, beside +themselves,</p> + +<p>"Cut-a-cut! Cut-a-cut! Cut-a-cut! +We are hungry! Cook Matryona must<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[ 134]</a></span> +either be dead or she wants to starve us to +death."</p> + +<p>"Ladies and gentlemen, have patience!" +remarked Gander, standing on +one leg. "Look at me. I, too, am hungry, +but I don't shout in the way you do. If I +were to open my mouth and scream, +'Quack! Quack!' or louder, 'QUACK! +QUACK! QUACK!'..."</p> + +<p>Gander quacked so loudly that Cook +Matryona awakened immediately.</p> + +<p>"It's easy for him to talk of patience," +grumbled a Duck. "His throat is like a +megaphone. If I had a neck as long as +his, and a bill as strong as his, I'd also +preach patience. I would also have my +food before any one else, and preach patience +to the others. We know Master +Gander's patience."</p> + +<p>Rooster, supporting Duck in this, +screamed, "Yes, it's easy for Gander to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[ 135]</a></span> +talk of patience. Who pulled out two of +my finest tail feathers yesterday? It is dishonorable +to grab hold of a bird's tail. Of +course, we quarreled slightly and I won't +deny that I intended to pick Gander's +head, but then I was to blame, not my poor +tail. Am I not right, ladies and gentlemen?"</p> + +<p>Hungry birds, like hungry people, become +unjust—just because they are +hungry.</p> + + +<h3>II</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-t7"><span class="dropcap">T</span></span>URKEY Gobbler, through +sheer pride, never scrambled +for food like other birds. He +always waited patiently for +Matryona to chase some +greedy bird away and to call him.</p> + +<p>It was the same this morning. Turkey +Gobbler strutted along the side of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[ 136]</a></span> +fence, pretending to be looking for something.</p> + +<p>"Khe! Khe! I am so hungry," complained +Turkey Hen, stepping along behind +her husband. "Cook Matryona has +already strewn the oats and now, I think, +the leftover cereal of yesterday is coming. +Khe! Khe! Oh, how I do love cereal! I +think I could eat nothing but cereal the +rest of my life. I even dream of cereal +sometimes."</p> + +<p>Turkey Hen liked to complain when +she was hungry and she demanded sympathy +from Turkey Gobbler. Compared +with other birds, she looked like an old +woman, humping her back and coughing. +She even walked with a broken gait, as if +her legs didn't belong to her.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it would be nice to have some +cereal," said Turkey Gobbler, agreeing +with her. "But a wise bird never scrambles<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[ 137]</a></span> +for food. Am I not right? If my +master does not feed me, then I die of +hunger. Just let him find another Turkey +Gobbler like me!"</p> + +<p>"There is not another like you," said +Turkey Hen.</p> + +<p>"Of course not," said her husband.</p> + +<p>"In reality, cereal is nothing. It is not +a question of cereal, but of Matryona. +Am I not right? As long as there is Matryona +there will be cereal. Everything in +the world depends upon Matryona—oats, +cereal, grains and crusts of bread."</p> + +<p>In spite of these discussions, Turkey +Gobbler began to feel the pangs of hunger. +He became very sad indeed.</p> + +<p>All the birds had been fed, and still +Matryona did not call him. Could she +have forgotten him? That would be no +joke.</p> + +<p>Then something happened which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[ 138]</a></span> +caused Turkey Gobbler to forget his +hunger.</p> + +<p>A young hen, walking near the barn, +began to call, "Cut-a-cut! Cut-a-cut! +Cut-a-cut!" All the other hens took up the +call at once, screaming with all their +might, "Cut-a-cut! Cut-a-cut!" Loudest +of all was Rooster, of course, with his +"Cock-a-doodle-doo! Who's there?"</p> + +<p>Attracted by the noise, all the birds ran +toward the barn. There they saw a most +unusual sight. Close to the barn, in a +hole, lay something gray and round and +all covered with sharp needles.</p> + +<p>"Just an ordinary stone," said one.</p> + +<p>"It's moving," exclaimed Little Hen. +"I also thought it was a stone, but it moved +when I came close, and it seems to me that +I saw eyes. Stones have no eyes, you +know."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[ 139]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/i_147geese.png" width="400" height="557" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[ 140]</a></span></p> + + +<p>"A foolish hen can see anything if she is +frightened," remarked Turkey Gobbler. +"Perhaps it ... it ..."</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[ 141]</a></span></p> + +<p>He was interrupted by Gander, who +screamed:</p> + +<p>"It's a mushroom. I have seen mushrooms +just like this, only they had no +needles."</p> + +<p>Everybody laughed loudly at the +Gander.</p> + +<p>"It looks more like a hat," someone ventured +to say, but this remark, too, met with +laughter.</p> + +<p>"A hat has no eyes."</p> + +<p>"Let us waste no time in empty conversation. +Let us act," decided the Rooster +for everybody. "Hey, you thing full of +needles, you speak for yourself! What +sort of beast are you? I like no fooling. +Do you hear?"</p> + +<p>As there was no answer, the Rooster felt +insulted, and threw himself upon the unknown<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[ 142]</a></span> +offender. He tried to peck him +once or twice but stepped aside, abashed.</p> + +<p>"It is nothing but a huge pine cone," he +said. "Nothing tasty about it. Would +someone like to try?"</p> + +<p>Everybody chattered, saying the first +thing that occurred to him.</p> + +<p>There was no end to the different opinions. +Turkey Gobbler was the only silent +one. All the others chattered while he +listened to their foolishness. They clattered +and chattered for a long time, until +someone shouted:</p> + +<p>"Ladies and gentlemen, we are wasting +time, and needlessly tiring ourselves, when +we have Turkey Gobbler with us. He +knows everything."</p> + +<p>"I do, indeed!" said Turkey Gobbler, +spreading his tail and puffing out his red +wattles.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[ 143]</a></span></p> + +<p>"If you do, then tell us who is this +strange creature."</p> + +<p>"And if I don't want to tell you? Just +refuse to tell you?" said Turkey Gobbler.</p> + +<p>Then all the birds began to beg him to +tell them.</p> + +<p>"You are our wisest bird, Turkey Gobbler. +Please tell us. It will cost you nothing."</p> + +<p>Turkey Gobbler plumed himself for a +time and finally said:</p> + +<p>"Very well. I will. Yes, I will tell you. +But first you must answer me—what do +you think of me?"</p> + +<p>"Who doesn't know? You are the +wisest of all!" they answered in chorus. +"Isn't there a saying, 'As wise as a +Turkey?'"</p> + +<p>"Then you do respect me?" asked Turkey +Gobbler.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[ 144]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Of course we do. All of us respect +you."</p> + +<p>Turkey Gobbler plumed himself +some more, puffed up his red wattles, +strutted around the strange beast three +times and finally said:</p> + +<p>"This is.... So you want to know +what this is?"</p> + +<p>"We do! Please tell us! Don't torture +us any longer!" said the others.</p> + +<p>"This ... but it is creeping!" said +Turkey Gobbler.</p> + +<p>The fowls felt like laughing at him +when a giggle was heard and a thin little +voice said:</p> + +<p>"There is the wisest bird of all! He! +He! He!" And from under the needles +appeared a black snout and two tiny black +eyes. The tiny black snout sniffed the air +and said:</p> + +<p>"Hello, everybody! Is it possible that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[ 145]</a></span> +you do not recognize Porcupine—Porcupine +Gray? Pardon me ... but what a +funny Turkey Gobbler you have! I really +do not know how to say it politely ... but +your Turkey Gobbler is stupid."</p> + + +<h3>III</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-e1"><span class="dropcap">E</span></span>VERYBODY was horrified at +this insult that Porcupine +hurled at Turkey Gobbler. Of +course, Turkey Gobbler did +say a foolish thing just now, +but it does not mean that Porcupine has +any right to insult him.</p> + +<p>It is very rude to enter a house and then +to insult the master. You must admit that +a Turkey Gobbler is a very dignified and +imposing bird. There is surely no comparison +between him and a Gray Porcupine.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[ 146]</a></span></p> + +<p>Suddenly, everybody sided with Turkey +Gobbler and there arose a terrific clatter.</p> + +<p>"Porcupine probably thinks that all of +us are foolish," said Rooster, flapping his +wings.</p> + +<p>"He insulted all of us! If any one is +foolish, it is surely the Porcupine himself," +said Gander, stretching his neck. +"I noticed that at once."</p> + +<p>"How can mushrooms be foolish?" +answered Porcupine.</p> + +<p>"Ladies and gentlemen, we are wasting +time talking to him," shouted Rooster. +"He will not understand us, anyway. If, +instead, you, Mr. Gander, were to grab his +needles on one side, and Master Gobbler +and I on the other side, we would at once +know who is the wiser, for you cannot +hide brains under foolish needles."</p> + +<p>"I am ready," replied Gander. "It +would be better still if I were to grab his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[ 147]</a></span> +needles in the back and you, Master +Rooster, pecked his snout. Then, ladies +and gentlemen, it will be seen who is the +wisest."</p> + +<p>Turkey Gobbler was silent all this time. +At first, he was overwhelmed by the Porcupine's +impudence and he did not know +what answer to make. Then Turkey Gobbler +grew so angry, so angry that he was +horrified at himself. His first wish was to +throw himself upon the offender and tear +him into tiny bits. Then would the world +see and be convinced what a strict and +serious bird a Turkey Gobbler is. He +even started in Porcupine's direction, +blowing himself up more and more, and +just as he was about to throw himself upon +Porcupine everybody began shouting and +scolding the stranger. Turkey Gobbler +stopped and waited patiently to see the end +of it all.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[ 148]</a></span></p> + +<p>When Rooster suggested that they grab +Porcupine's needles and drag him in different +directions, Turkey Gobbler stopped +his ardor.</p> + +<p>"Ladies and gentlemen," said he, "perhaps +all this can be settled amicably. Yes, +it seems to me there is a little misunderstanding +here. Leave the whole thing to +me."</p> + +<p>"Very well. Let us wait," agreed the +Rooster, unwillingly. He was eager to +fight Porcupine. "I know nothing will +come of it."</p> + +<p>"This is my affair," answered Turkey +Gobbler calmly. "Just stay around and +hear what I say."</p> + +<p>All the birds formed a ring around Porcupine +and waited.</p> + +<p>Turkey Gobbler walked around the +stranger, coughed and said:</p> + +<p>"Listen, Mr. Porcupine. Let us have a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[ 149]</a></span> +serious explanation. In general, I do not +like domestic troubles."</p> + +<p>"Heavens! How wise! How wise he +is!" thought Turkey Hen, listening to her +husband, silent with admiration.</p> + +<p>"First of all, I want you to understand +that you are in respectable, well-behaved +society," said Turkey Gobbler, "and that +means something. Yes, you may consider +it an honor to get into our company."</p> + +<p>"True! True!" shouted several.</p> + +<p>"But this is between ourselves. The +main thing is not ..." here Turkey Gobbler +stopped, was silent a moment for better +effect, then continued, "Yes, the main +thing is—did you really think that we had +no idea what a Porcupine was? I have no +doubt that Gander was only joking when +he took you for a mushroom. And I can +say the same of what Rooster and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[ 150]</a></span> +others said. Am I not right, ladies and +gentlemen?"</p> + +<p>"You certainly are, Turkey Gobbler," +shouted the fowls in a voice so loud, that +poor Gray Porcupine tucked in her little +black snout.</p> + +<p>"Oh, how wise he is!" thought Turkey +Hen, beginning to understand what her +husband was driving at.</p> + +<p>"You see, Master Porcupine," continued +Turkey Gobbler, "we all like our +little jokes. I will not speak for myself. +Why not have a little joke? And as I see +it, you, Mr. Porcupine, seem also to be of +a merry disposition."</p> + +<p>"And you guessed right," admitted +Porcupine, once more showing his little +black snout. "I have such a merry disposition +that I cannot sleep at night. +Many cannot stand that, but sleeping +bores me."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[ 151]</a></span></p> + +<p>"You will probably agree best with our +Rooster, who crows like mad all night," +said Turkey Gobbler.</p> + +<p>Everybody suddenly became gay. They +all felt Porcupine was there to complete +their happiness.</p> + +<p>Turkey Gobbler was triumphant at so +cleverly getting out of an awkward situation +caused by Porcupine's laughing in +his face and calling him stupid.</p> + +<p>"Now Mr. Porcupine," said Turkey +Gobbler, winking, "confess that even +you were joking when you said that I was +not a wise bird."</p> + +<p>"Of course, I was joking," said Porcupine, +reassuring him. "I have a merry +disposition. I love to joke."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, I was quite sure of that. +Ladies and gentlemen, have you heard +him?" asked Turkey Gobbler.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[ 152]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Of course, we did. No one could +doubt it. He was joking."</p> + +<p>Turkey Gobbler bent close to Porcupine's +ear and whispered:</p> + +<p>"I want to tell you a horrible secret. +But only on one condition—don't breathe +it to a soul. It is true ... I am a little +ashamed to talk about myself ... but +how can I help it? I am the wisest bird! +At times, it even embarrasses me, but as +the wise Russians say, 'You can't hide an +awl in a sack.' Please not a word of this +to anyone!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 564px;"> +<img src="images/i_161amilkcereal.png" width="564" height="400" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<h2>THE STORY OF LITTLE MILK, LITTLE +CEREAL AND GRAY KITTEN, MOORKA</h2> + + +<h3>I</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-i3"><span class="dropcap">I</span></span>T was wonderful. It was wonderful +that it happened every day. As +soon as Cook placed the pot of +milk and the earthenware oatmeal +pan upon the stove, it would all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[ 154]</a></span> +begin. At first, there was silence; then +conversation.</p> + +<p>"I am Little Milk."</p> + +<p>"And I am Little Cereal."</p> + +<p>At first, conversation was carried on in +whispers. But gradually both Little +Cereal and Little Milk would grow more +and more excited.</p> + +<p>"I AM LITTLE MILK!"</p> + +<p>"AND I AM LITTLE CEREAL!"</p> + +<p>The cereal was generally covered with +an earthenware cover and she grumbled +away in her pot like an old woman. When +she grew angry, there came to the top a +bubble that burst and said:</p> + +<p>"Still, I am Little Cereal. Puff!!"</p> + +<p>This boasting was offensive to Little +Milk.</p> + +<p>"My what a wonder! As if one had +never seen oatmeal cereal before!" and +Little Milk would grow more and more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[ 155]</a></span> +excited until rising to the top in a foam, +she tried to get out from the pot. No +sooner would Cook turn her head away +than Little Milk would run all over the hot +stove.</p> + +<p>"Oh, this milk," complained Cook +every time it happened. "No sooner do I +take my eyes off it than it runs over."</p> + +<p>"I can't help my fiery temper," would +reply Little Milk, defending herself. "It +doesn't make me happy to be angry and to +hear the boastings of Cereal, 'I'm Cereal! +I'm Cereal! I'm Cereal!' To see her sitting +there in her pan and grumbling +makes me angrier and angrier."</p> + +<p>It happened sometimes that, in spite of +the cover, Little Cereal would escape from +her pan and creep along the stove, forever +repeating:</p> + +<p>"I'm Cereal! I'm Cereal! I'm Cereal! +Z-h-h! Z-h-h!"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[ 156]</a></span></p> + +<p>Of course, this did not happen every +day, but it did happen, and each time, +Cook in despair would say:</p> + +<p>"Oh, this Cereal! It is amazing how it +will not stay in the pan."</p> + + +<h3>II</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-a2"><span class="dropcap">A</span></span>S a rule, Cook was excited. Of +course, there were plenty of +reasons for her agitation. For +instance, there was Kitty +Moorka. He was a very +beautiful cat and Cook loved him very +much. In the morning, Moorka would +follow at the Cook's heels and meow so +pitifully that it would melt a heart of stone.</p> + +<p>"Isn't your belly ever filled?" asked +Cook, astonished, chasing the cat. "Just +think of all that liver you ate last night."</p> + +<p>"But that was yesterday," answered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[ 157]</a></span> +Moorka, astonished in his turn. "To-day, +I am hungry again. Meow."</p> + +<p>"Why don't you catch mice if <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'your're'">you're</ins> +hungry? Lazy! That's what you are!"</p> + +<p>"Talking is very easy. I'd like to see +you catch a mouse," Moorka defended +himself. "However, I always try hard. +Who caught a mouse last week? Who +had a scratch the full length of his nose? +That's the kind of rat I almost caught. +Then she grabbed hold of my nose. It's +easy to talk of catching mice. Indeed!"</p> + +<p>After eating his liver, Moorka would +sit somewhere near the stove where it was +warm, close his eyes and doze sweetly.</p> + +<p>"I hope you're full, now," said Cook. +"Even your eyes are squinting. Well, you +lie-on-your-side cat? Always meat, meat, +meat!"</p> + +<p>"I'm no vegetarian, you know. I can +eat meat!" said Moorka, opening just one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[ 158]</a></span> +eye. "You know I like fish too. It is +really pleasant to eat fish, and up to this +moment, I can't say which I like better, +liver or fish. Out of politeness, I like both. +If I were a man, I'd be either a fishman or +the butcher-boy who brings us the liver. +I'd feed all the cats from every corner of the +earth, and I myself would always have my +fill."</p> + +<p>After eating, Moorka would grow interested +in things going on around him, +just by way of amusement. He would sit +on the window where the starling's cage +hung. It was pleasant to watch the foolish +bird, hopping back and forth.</p> + +<p>"I know you, you old rascal!" the starling +would call to him. "You don't have +to be watching me!"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I would like to make your acquaintance," +said Moorka.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I know how you make friends," +said the starling. "Didn't I see you eat a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[ 159]</a></span> +real live baby sparrow? You disgusting +brute!"</p> + +<p>"I'm not at all disgusting. On the contrary, +everybody loves me," said Moorka. +"Come to me. I'll tell you a fairy tale."</p> + +<p>"Oh, you rascal!" said the starling. "I +know what a fine story-teller you are. +Haven't I seen you tell stories to a roasted +spring chicken stolen from the kitchen? I +know you! You're a fine one!"</p> + +<p>"Just as you like," said Moorka. "I +was thinking only of your pleasure. As +for that roasted spring chicken, I did eat +him. But anyhow, he wasn't good for anything +else."</p> + + +<h3>III</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-e2"><span class="dropcap">E</span></span>VERY morning, Moorka +would sit near the stove and +listen patiently to the quarreling +of Little Milk and Little +Cereal. He could never understand<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[ 160]</a></span> +what it was all about and only +blinked his eyes.</p> + +<p>"I am Little Milk!"</p> + +<p>"I am Little Cereal! Cereal! Cereal!"</p> + +<p>"I can't understand a word of it. No, +I don't understand it. Why are they +angry? If I were to repeat, 'I'm a Cat! +I'm a Cat! I'm a Cat!' could any one take +offense at it? I can't understand it at all. +However, I must confess I prefer Milk, +especially when she isn't angry."</p> + +<p>When they quarreled, Little Cereal and +Little Milk would become so heated, they +ran all over the stove. Then there arose a +horrible smell. Cook would rush in, +wringing her hands, and crying:</p> + +<p>"Whatever shall I do now? I can +never turn my head away without having +something happen."</p> + +<p>Setting Milk and Cereal aside, Cook +went to market for provisions. Moorka +at once made the best of this. He sat down +close to Little Milk and said:</p> + +<p>"Mistress Milk, please don't be angry."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[ 161]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/i_169mishka.png" width="400" height="561" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[ 162]</a></span></p> + + +<p>Little Milk grew calmer as the cat +watched her. Moorka walked around the +spot several times, fixed his whiskers very +gently and said:</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[ 163]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Listen, folks! It isn't nice to quarrel. +Choose me for your judge and I'll settle +your affairs very quickly."</p> + +<p>The black roach, sitting in the crack of +the wall, almost choked with laughter.</p> + +<p>"A judge indeed! I must say! Ha! +Ha! Ha! It took you to think of it, you +old rascal."</p> + +<p>But Little Milk and Little Cereal were +very glad to have someone settle their +quarrel at last, for they really did not +know why they were quarreling or what it +was all about.</p> + +<p>"Very well. Very well. I'll unravel<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[ 164]</a></span> +this," said Kitty Moorka. "And I'll do it +honestly. Let us begin with Milk."</p> + +<p>He walked around the pot several times, +touched Little Milk gently with his paw, +blew upon her again and started lapping +her up.</p> + +<p>"Help Help!" shouted the black roach. +"He will lap up all the milk and I will be +blamed for it."</p> + +<p>When Cook returned from market and +looked for the milk, the pot was empty. +Cat Moorka was sleeping sweetly near the +stove as if nothing had happened.</p> + +<p>"You good-for-nothing!" scolded Cook, +pulling his ear. "Tell me, who drank the +milk?"</p> + +<p>It was very painful, but Moorka pretended +not to understand anything. He +had suddenly become speechless! Then +he was thrown out of the kitchen.</p> + +<p>Behind the door, he shook himself,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[ 165]</a></span> +smoothed his ruffled fur, curved his tail +and said:</p> + +<p>"If I were Cook, all the cats would +drink milk day and night. However, I am +not angry with my Cook, because this is +something she can never really understand!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 450px;"> +<img src="images/i_174averotchka.png" width="450" height="473" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<h2>BED TIME</h2> + + +<h3>I</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-l2"><span class="dropcap">L</span></span>ITTLE Verotchka's one little +eye is falling asleep. Verotchka's +one little ear is falling +asleep.</p> + +<p>"Father, are you here?"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[ 167]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, dear child."</p> + +<p>"You know, father, I want to be a +Queen."</p> + +<p>Verotchka sleeps. She smiles as she +sleeps.</p> + +<p>There are so many flowers. All of them +are smiling. They surround Verotchka's +little bed; they whisper and laugh in their +thin little voices.</p> + +<p>There are crimson flowers, blue flowers, +yellow flowers, azure, pink, scarlet, white, +as if a rainbow, falling, struck the earth +and scattered its living sparks into many-colored +lights.</p> + +<p>"Verotchka wants to be a Queen," gaily +proclaimed the Field Bluebells, swaying +on their thin, green stems.</p> + +<p>"Oh, how comical she is!" whispered +the modest Forget-me-nots.</p> + +<p>"Ladies and gentlemen, this affair needs<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[ 168]</a></span> +serious discussion," said the yellow Dandelion +pertly.</p> + +<p>"What does it mean to be a Queen?" +asked the blue Cornflower. "I grew up in +a field and I cannot understand your city +ways."</p> + +<p>"It's very simple," said the pink Carnation. +"It is so simple it requires no explaining. +A Queen is ... is ... is.... +You don't seem to understand.... +How strange you are! A Queen is like a +flower, as pink as I am. In other words, +Verotchka wants to be a pink Carnation. +Isn't that simple?"</p> + +<p>Everybody laughed gaily. Only the +Roses were silent. They were much +offended.</p> + +<p>"Who doesn't know that the Queen of +Flowers is a Rose—delicate, fragrant, +marvellous? And suddenly a mere pink +Carnation calls herself a Queen. It's all +nonsense."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[ 169]</a></span></p> + +<p>Finally one Rose grew angry and, turning +scarlet, she said: "Pardon me. Verotchka +wants to be a Rose. A Rose is the +Queen because everybody loves her."</p> + +<p>"Oh, that is nice," said Dandelion, +growing angry. "If that's the case, where +do I come in?"</p> + +<p>"Dandelion, please don't be angry," +pleaded the Wood Bluebells. "It spoils +your temper and it is very ugly to be +angry. Look at us. We are silent, although +we know perfectly well Verotchka +wants to be a Wood Bluebell."</p> + + +<h3>II</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-t8"><span class="dropcap">T</span></span>HERE were many flowers and +they all talked calmly without +arguing.</p> + +<p>All the field flowers, Lilies-of-the-Valley, +Violets, Forget-me-nots, +Bluebells, Cornflowers, Field +Clovers, were so very modest; while the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[ 170]</a></span> +cultivated flowers, like the Roses, Tulips, +Lilies, Narcissuses, put on airs like rich +children in their Sunday clothes.</p> + +<p>Verotchka loved the modest field +flowers best. Of these, she would make +wreaths and bouquets for the table. They +were all so nice.</p> + +<p>"Verotchka loves us very much," whispered +the Violets. "We are the first to +arrive in spring. We come here as soon +as the snow melts."</p> + +<p>"And we, too," said the Lilies-of-the-Valley. +"We are also spring flowers. We +are not exacting; we come direct from the +woods."</p> + +<p>"It is not our fault that it is too cold for +us to grow in the fields," complained the +fragrant curly Stocks and Hyacinths. +"We are only visitors here. Our native +land is far away, in a warm country where +there is no winter. Oh, it is so nice there! +We are always longing for our native<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[ 171]</a></span> +land. Your north is so cold. Verotchka +loves us, and very much, too."</p> + +<p>"It is also very nice here," argued the +Field Flowers. "Of course, it is very cold +at times, but it is healthy. The frost kills +our bitterest enemies, worms and bugs of +all kinds. If not for frost, life would be +very difficult."</p> + +<p>"We also like cold," said the Roses.</p> + +<p>The Azaleas and Camelias agreed with +this. They all liked the cold when they +were through blooming.</p> + +<p>"Ladies and gentlemen, let us talk about +our native countries," suggested White +Narcissus. "It will be so interesting. +Verotchka will listen, because she loves us +all."</p> + +<p>Then they all talked together. Roses, +with tears, remembered the Vale of Shiraz +in Persia; the Hyacinths recalled Palestine; +the Azaleas, America; the Lilies, +Egypt; the flowers gathered there were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[ 172]</a></span> +from all corners of the earth and each one +could tell many wonderful stories. Most +of them came from the South, where there +is no winter and much sunshine.</p> + +<p>There it is lovely—the summer is eternal. +The south is full of enormous trees, +wonderful birds, many butterflies, beauties, +resembling flying flowers, and +flowers resembling butterflies.</p> + +<p>"We are only visitors here in the North. +At times, we feel very cold," whispered all +these southern flowers.</p> + +<p>The native Field Flowers felt sorry for +them. Really, it must take a good deal of +patience to stand the cold north wind, the +cold rain and the falling snow. Of +course, the spring snow melts quickly, but +it is snow, nevertheless.</p> + +<p>"You have one great fault," exclaimed +the Cornflower, after listening to all these +stories. "I don't deny you are, at times,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[ 173]</a></span> +more beautiful than we, simple Field +Flowers. I readily admit that, and then +you, too, you are our dear visitors, but +your main fault is that you grow only for +the few rich, while we grow for everybody. +In that we are kinder than you. +For example, look at me! You will find +me in the hands of every country child. +Just see how much pleasure I give to the +children of the poor! No one has to pay +money to buy me. It takes only a walk in +the woods to get me. I grow among the +wheat, the rye, and the oats."</p> + + +<h3>III</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-l3"><span class="dropcap">L</span></span>ITTLE Verotchka listened +and wondered at these stories of +the flowers. She longed to see +everything for herself—all the +wonderful countries of which +the flowers spoke.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[ 174]</a></span></p> + +<p>"If I were only a Swallow I would fly +thither at once," said Verotchka. "Why +haven't I wings! Oh, it would be so nice +to be a bird!"</p> + +<p>She had hardly finished speaking when +a little Lady Bug crept up to her,—a real +Lady Bug all red with tiny black spots, a +little black head, thin little black feelers +and thin little black legs.</p> + +<p>"Let us fly, Verotchka," whispered +Lady Bug, twitching her feelers.</p> + +<p>"But I have no wings, Lady Bug," said +Verotchka.</p> + +<p>"Get on my back."</p> + +<p>"How can I? You are so small, Lady +Bug."</p> + +<p>"Just watch me," said Lady Bug.</p> + +<p>Verotchka watched and wondered more +and more. Lady Bug stretched out her +strong upper wings and doubled in size; +then she opened her thin cobwebby lower<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[ 175]</a></span> +wings and grew still larger. She grew +under Verotchka's very eyes and she became +so large—large enough for Verotchka +to sit comfortably upon her back +between her red wings.</p> + +<p>"Are you comfortable, Verotchka?" +asked Lady Bug.</p> + +<p>"Very," said Verotchka.</p> + +<p>"Then hold on tight," said Lady Bug.</p> + +<p>Then they flew. At first Verotchka was +afraid and closed her eyes. It seemed to +her that it was not she who was flying, but +as if cities, woods, rivers and mountains +were flying beneath her. Then it seemed +as if she had grown small—as small as a +pin head and as light as the down of Dandelion.</p> + +<p>Lady Bug flew fast and faster, so fast +that the air whistled through her wings.</p> + +<p>"Look down, Verotchka," said Lady +Bug.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[ 176]</a></span></p> + +<p>Verotchka looked down and clapped +her hands.</p> + +<p>"Oh, how many Roses—red, yellow, +white, pink," exclaimed Verotchka. The +world seemed to be covered with a carpet +of swaying Roses. "Let us descend," begged +Verotchka of the Lady Bug.</p> + +<p>They descended and Verotchka grew +big again, as big as she was before, and +Lady Bug grew tiny again.</p> + +<p>For a long time Verotchka ran about in +the rose-field and gathered a huge bunch +of Roses. How beautiful they were! +Their perfume made one faint. If one +could only carry the rose-field to the +North, where Roses were mere visitors!</p> + +<p>"Now, let us go further," said Lady +Bug, stretching out her wings again. +Again, Lady Bug grew large and larger +and Verotchka grew small and smaller.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[ 177]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>IV</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-a3"><span class="dropcap">A</span></span>GAIN they flew. It was all so +nice. Above, the sky so blue; +beneath, the water still bluer. +They flew over a steep rocky +shore.</p> + +<p>"Will we really fly across the sea?" +asked Verotchka.</p> + +<p>"Yes. But you must sit still and hold +me tight," said Lady Bug.</p> + +<p>At first, Verotchka was afraid, but after +a while she wasn't. There was nothing +but sky and sea. On the sea sailed ships +like huge birds with white wings. The +little boats looked like flies.</p> + +<p>Everything was lovely—so nice. Way +yonder was the shore, low, yellow, sandy. +It was the mouth of some huge river and +near it gleamed a city all white, as if built +of sugar. Still beyond, one saw a dead<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[ 178]</a></span> +desert, where stood the Pyramids. Lady +Bug descended upon the bank of the +river. Upon it grew tall Papyrus and +among them were Lilies, wonderful, +delicate.</p> + +<p>"Your home is very lovely," said Verotchka +to the Lilies. "Does winter never +come here to you?"</p> + +<p>"What is winter?" asked the Lilies, +wonderingly.</p> + +<p>"Winter is the time snow falls," said +Verotchka.</p> + +<p>"And what is snow?" asked the Lilies.</p> + +<p>The Lilies even laughed at Verotchka. +They thought the little northern girl was +making fun of them. It is true that every +fall huge flocks of birds from the North +visited them and told them about the winter. +But these birds had never really seen +winter. They were only repeating what +they had heard and Verotchka could not +believe that there was no winter, for that +meant no need of warm coats or warm +shoes.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[ 179]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/i_187flying.png" width="400" height="558" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[ 180]</a></span></p> + +<p>They flew further. Verotchka wondered +no longer at the blue sea, the mountains, +the sun-kissed desert and the Hyacinths.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[ 181]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I'm too warm," complained Verotchka. +"You know, Lady Bug, I don't +think it's nice to have summer all the +time."</p> + +<p>"It all depends upon what one is accustomed +to," said Lady Bug.</p> + +<p>They flew towards high mountains, the +tops of which were always white with +snow. There it wasn't so warm. Beyond +the mountains, stretched deep, dark forests. +Under the forest trees, it was dark, +for the rays of the sun never penetrated +beyond the thick tree tops. Monkeys +swung from bough to bough. The woods<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[ 182]</a></span> +were full of birds—green, yellow, blue. +But the most wonderful of all were the +flowers growing directly from the tree +trunks. There were flowers like fire, +flowers of all colors, flowers that looked +like birds and butterflies. The whole forest +seemed to blaze with many-colored +living fires.</p> + +<p>"These are Orchids," explained Lady +Bug.</p> + +<p>Here it was all a tangle. It was impossible +to walk.</p> + +<p>They flew further. Beneath them, a +huge river spread between green banks. +Lady Bug alighted upon a huge white +flower that grew in the water. Verotchka +had never before seen a flower so large as +this.</p> + +<p>"This is a holy flower," explained Lady +Bug. "It is called 'Lotus.'"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[ 183]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>V</h3> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-l4"><span class="dropcap">L</span></span>ITTLE Verotchka had seen +so much that she finally grew +tired and wanted to go home. +Home is best.</p> + +<p>"I love white snow," said +Verotchka. "It isn't nice without winter."</p> + +<p>Again they flew. The higher they flew, +the colder it grew. Soon there appeared +beneath them white fields and only the +pine woods were green. Verotchka was +so happy when she saw the first fir-tree.</p> + +<p>"Little Fir-Tree! Little Fir-Tree!" +called Verotchka.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Verotchka," answered the +Little Fir-Tree beneath her.</p> + +<p>This was a real Christmas tree. Verotchka +knew her at once. That dear +Christmas tree! Verotchka bent down to +tell her how lovely she was and all of a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[ 184]</a></span> +sudden she felt herself going down, down, +down.</p> + +<p>It was frightful. She turned somersaults +in the air several times, and then fell +right into the soft white snow. Verotchka +closed her eyes with fear and didn't know +whether she was dead or alive.</p> + +<p>"How did you get here, Little One?" +asked somebody.</p> + +<p>Verotchka opened her eyes and saw a +bent, old man, all gray. She knew him at +once. It was the same old man who +brought Christmas trees and golden stars, +boxes of candy and wonderful toys, to the +good children. He was so kind, this old +man; he picked her up in his arms and +covered her with his fur coat, asking her +again:</p> + +<p>"How did you come here, Little Girl?"</p> + +<p>"I travelled on Lady Bug's back, and I +saw so much, Grandfather!"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[ 185]</a></span></p> + +<p>"So, so."</p> + +<p>"I know you, Grandfather. You bring +Christmas trees to children."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes. I'm fixing one now." And +he pointed to a tall pole that didn't look +like a Christmas tree at all.</p> + +<p>"What sort of Christmas tree is that, +Grandfather? It's nothing but a long +stick."</p> + +<p>"Wait and see," said Grandfather.</p> + +<p>Grandfather carried Verotchka into a +tiny village almost buried in snow. Only +the roofs and chimneys were visible. The +country children were all waiting for the +old grandfather. They jumped and +shouted, when they saw him.</p> + +<p>"Christmas tree! Christmas tree!"</p> + +<p>They came to the first hut. Grandfather +got an unbroken sheaf of oats, tied +it to the end of the pole and stuck the pole +on the roof. Immediately the tiny birds<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[ 186]</a></span> +that do not go away for the winter flew +upon it from all sides and began pecking +the seeds.</p> + +<p>"It is our Christmas tree," they shouted.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, Verotchka felt very happy. +That was the first time she had seen a +Christmas tree made for the winter birds.</p> + +<p>"What a kind old grandfather!"</p> + +<p>One little Sparrow, bustling about more +than the others, recognized Verotchka +and called out!</p> + +<p>"Why, this is Verotchka! I know her +very well. Many, many times has she +scattered crumbs for me."</p> + +<p>Other Sparrows also recognized her +and piped noisily with joy.</p> + +<p>Then came another Sparrow that +turned out to be the squabbler. He began +pushing everybody aside and snatching +the best seeds. This was the same Sparrow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[ 187]</a></span> +who had quarreled with Stickelback. +Verotchka knew him at once.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Master Sparrow!" she said.</p> + +<p>"Is that you, Verotchka? Why, hello!"</p> + +<p>Sparrow Squabbler hopped on one leg, +winked knowingly with one eye and said +to the old man:</p> + +<p>"Why, this is Verotchka, who wants to +be the Queen. I myself heard her say +that."</p> + +<p>"Do you want to be a Queen, Little +One?" asked the Old Man.</p> + +<p>"Yes, very much, Grandfather," said +Verotchka.</p> + +<p>"Very well," said the wise old man. +"There is nothing simpler. Every Queen +is a woman and every woman a Queen. +Now go home and tell that to all the other +little girls."</p> + +<p>Lady Bug was very glad to get away.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[ 188]</a></span> +She was afraid that the quarrelsome Sparrow +would gobble her up.</p> + +<p>So Verotchka and Lady Bug flew home. +Faster and faster they flew. At home, all +the flowers were waiting for Verotchka. +They had been wondering what is a Queen +all the time she was away.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[ 189]</a></span></p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p class="txtidt"><span class="dcp-l5"><span class="dropcap">L</span></span>ULLA-LULLABY. Verotchka's +one eye is sleeping; the other +little eye is open. Verotchka's +one little ear is sleeping; the +other ear listens.</p> + +<p>Now everybody gathered about Verotchka's +bed. Bold Rabbit, Bear Mishka, +Squabbling Rooster and Sparrow, Black-headed +Crow, Stickelback and tiny, tiny +Cacinella. They were all there near Verotchka.</p> + +<p>"Father, I love them all," whispered +Verotchka. "I love even the Black +Roach, Father."</p> + +<p>Verotchka's other eye is asleep. The +other little ear is also asleep. Near Verotchka's +bed, the green spring grass grows +gaily, the flowers are smiling—many +flowers, blue, pink, yellow, azure and +scarlet. The green birch bends over Verotchka's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[ 190]</a></span> +bed and whispers something, lovingly.</p> + +<p>The sun is shining, the sand is yellow, +and the blue sea waves beckon to Verotchka +to come to them.</p> + +<p>Sleep, Verotchka, and grow strong!</p> + +<p>Lulla-Lullaby.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> +<img src="images/i_198theend.png" width="200" height="200" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<p></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 100%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span></p> + + +<p><b>Transcriber's Notes:</b></p> +<p>Locations of images (p.9, p.34, p.55, p.85, p.139, p.161, p.179) changed slightly to match text.</p> + +<p>Missing, extra, incorrect, and misplaced punctuation corrected.</p> + +<p>P. 157: original reads—"mice if your're" changed to "you're"; noted in text</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Verotchka's Tales, by Mamin Siberiak + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VEROTCHKA'S TALES *** + +***** This file should be named 35036-h.htm or 35036-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/5/0/3/35036/ + +Produced by Chris Curnow, JoAnn Greenwood and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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index 0000000..6e6b35b --- /dev/null +++ b/35036.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3381 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Verotchka's Tales, by Mamin Siberiak + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Verotchka's Tales + +Author: Mamin Siberiak + +Illustrator: Boris M. Artzybasheff + +Translator: Ray Davidson + +Release Date: January 22, 2011 [EBook #35036] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VEROTCHKA'S TALES *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, JoAnn Greenwood and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + + [Illustration] + + + + + VEROTCHKA'S + TALES + + _by_ + + MAMIN + SIBERIAK + + TRANSLATED BY + RAY DAVIDSON + + ILLUSTRATED BY + BORIS M. + ARTZYBASHEFF + + + E. P. DUTTON & CO., INC. + PUBLISHERS NEW YORK + + + Copyright, 1922, + By E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY + + _All rights reserved_ + + _Reprinted March, 1932_ + + _Printed in the United States of America_ + + + + +CONTENTS + + + PAGE + HOW THEY HAPPENED 1 + + THE STORY OF A BOLD RABBIT WITH COCK EYES + AND A SHORT TAIL 3 + + THE STORY OF LITTLE CACINELLA 13 + + THE STORY OF MOSQUITO LONG-NOSE AND + FUZZY BEAR, MISHKA SHORT-TAIL 25 + + VANKA'S BIRTHDAY 40 + + THE STORY OF MASTER SPARROW, MASTER STICKELBACK + AND THE JOLLY CHIMNEY-SWEEP, YASHA 62 + + THE STORY OF THE LAST FLY 82 + + THE STORY OF A BLACK-HEADED CROW AND A + LITTLE YELLOW CANARY 106 + + THE WISEST OF ALL 129 + + THE STORY OF LITTLE MILK, LITTLE CEREAL + AND GRAY KITTEN, MOORKA 153 + + BED TIME 166 + + + + + + +VEROTCHKA'S TALES + + +[Illustration] + + + + +HOW THEY HAPPENED + + +Lulla-lullaby. Verotchka's one little eye is sleeping, the other little +eye is still open. Verotchka's one little ear is sleeping, the other +little ear is still listening. Sleep, Verotchka, sleep, my pretty one, +and father will tell you these stories. I think they are all here. The +Siberian cat, Vasca; the shaggy village dog, Postoika; the gray +mousie-gnawers; the cricket behind the stove; the iridescent starling +in the cage; and the cock, the bully. + +Sleep, Verotchka, the story begins. The full moon in the heaven looks +into the window. The cock-eyed rabbit hops on his haunches and the +wolf's eyes flash yellow fire lights. The bear, Mishka, is sucking his +paw, and the old sparrow flies up to the window, pecks the pane with +his bill, and asks, "How soon, now?" + +I think they're all here now, waiting for Verotchka's Tale. + +Verotchka's one little eye is asleep, the other little eye is still +open. Verotchka's one little ear is asleep, the other little ear is +still listening. Lulla-Lullaby. + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE STORY OF A BOLD RABBIT WITH COCK EYES AND A SHORT TAIL + + +This rabbit was born in the woods and was scared of everything. If a +branch cracked anywhere or a bird flew past or a lump of snow fell +from a tree, his rabbit heart went down, down, down into his furry +boots. Now this little rabbit was afraid for a day, for two days, for a +week, for a whole year. But when he was grown up, he just got tired of +being a scared rabbit. + +"I am not afraid of anybody!" he shouted through the woods. "I am not +afraid at all! I am not afraid of anything or of anybody, and that's +all there is to it!" + +One day, the rabbits gathered to listen to him. The little ones ran, +the old rabbits hobbled along to hear Long-Ear, Cock-Eye, Short-Tail's +boastings. + +They listened and couldn't believe their own ears, for there never had +been anything like a rabbit, unafraid of anything or anybody before. + +"Oh, you Cock-Eye," called one, "do you mean to say you aren't even +afraid of a wolf?" + +"Not even a wolf, nor a fox, nor a bear. I am afraid of no one," said +Cock-Eye. + +Now this was altogether too amusing. The little rabbits giggled, +covering their faces with their front paws. The kind old mother rabbits +laughed and even the wise old rabbits, who had had a taste of the paws +of the fox, and had felt the fangs of the wolf, smiled. So very funny +was this rabbit that suddenly everyone was seized with merriment. They +started jumping, tumbling, turning somersaults, and playing tag as if +they had all suddenly gone mad. + +"What is the use of talking so much," finally shouted Cock-Eye, drunk +with his own boldness. "I tell you if I were to meet a wolf, I'd eat +him up myself." + +"My, what a funny rabbit!" said the crowd. "And what a foolish rabbit, +too." They all knew he was funny and foolish; still they laughed at +him and jested with him about the wolf. And as they were speaking of +the wolf, the wolf stood right there listening, though they did not see +him. + +The wolf was walking through the forest on his own wolfish business. +Then he grew hungry and began to think how fine it would be to have a +bit of fresh rabbit. Suddenly quite near by, he heard rabbits talking, +laughing and shouting his name. He stopped short, sniffed the air and +crept nearer and nearer. When he was very near the merry-making +rabbits, he learned that they were making sport of him, and that +Cock-Eye, Long-Ear, Short-Tail was laughing at him more than anyone +else. + +"Eh, Brother! Just wait and I'll gobble you up," said the Gray Wolf to +himself, as he tried to spy out the boastful, bold rabbit. + +Meanwhile, the rabbits, aware of nothing, made merry and merrier. +Finally, the boaster climbed up on the stump of a tree, sat on his hind +legs, and said, + +"Hear, all ye cowards! Listen and look at me! Now I will show you some +tricks. I ... I ... I...." + +The words were frozen on his lips, for just then he saw the wolf +looking, looking straight at him. The other rabbits did not see the +wolf, but Cock-Eye did and he didn't dare to breathe. + +Then happened the most extraordinary thing. Through sheer fear, the +Boaster jumped up like a rubber ball, fell on the wide forehead of the +wolf, rolled over his back, turned a somersault in the air, landed on +his feet, and ran as if he were trying to run out of his skin. + +Long, long did the unfortunate rabbit run. It seemed to him the wolf +was right behind him and that in another moment he would feel the +wolf's fangs. The poor limp rabbit ran on until he had no strength left +and finally he closed his eyes and fell under a bush, dead with +weariness. + +[Illustration] + +Meanwhile, the wolf was running in another direction. When the rabbit +fell on his forehead, the wolf thought he had been hit by a gun shot +and he ran away as fast as he could, saying to himself, "There are +plenty of other rabbits in the forest. This one seems quite crazy +anyway and not fit to eat." + +Now for a long time the other rabbits did not realize what had +happened. Some ran into the bushes, some hid behind stumps, others +crawled into their holes. After a while they grew tired of hiding and +little by little, they crept out and looked around. + +Then said one, "Our rabbit certainly scared that wolf. If it had not +been for him, few of us would have escaped alive. But where is he, our +Fearless One?" + +And everyone began looking for him. They looked everywhere, but +Cock-Eye was nowhere to be found. They began to think the Gray Wolf had +eaten him up, when they discovered him, lying in a hole under a bush, +almost dead from fear. + +"Good for you, Cock-Eye," shouted the rabbits all in one voice. "You +certainly frightened that wolf very cleverly. We thought you were +boasting all the time, when you were telling us you were not afraid of +anything or anybody." + +At once the bold rabbit came to life. He crept out of the hole, shook +himself, squinted his eyes, and said: + +"And what did you think, you cowards?" + +And from that day, the bold rabbit was convinced that he was really not +afraid of anyone. + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE STORY OF LITTLE CACINELLA + + +I + +How and where little Cacinella was born, no one knows. It happened one +sunny day in spring. Little Cacinella looked around and said, "Very +nice." She stretched her tiny wings, rubbed one little thin leg against +the other, looked around again and said: + +"How very, very nice! How warm the sun! How blue the sky! How green the +grass! How very, very nice! and all this is mine!" + +Rubbing one little leg against the other once more, little Cacinella +began to fly. She flew and looked around and rejoiced. Beneath her, the +grass was green, and hidden in its bosom, was a crimson flower. + +"Little Cacinella, come to me," called the flower. + +Cacinella came down to the ground, climbed into the flower and sipped +its sweet nectar. + +"How kind you are, little flower," said Cacinella, rubbing her mouth +with one of her little thin legs. + +"Yes, I may be kind, but I cannot walk," complained the flower. + +"Still, the world is lovely," said little Cacinella, "and it is all +mine, too." + +She had hardly finished, when a hairy drone flew down upon the flower +with a loud buzz. + +"Buzz! Buzz! Who dares to get into my flower? Buzz! Buzz! Who dares to +sip my sweet nectar? Buzz! Buzz! Oh, you nasty little Cacinella, get +away from here! Buzz! Buzz! Get away or I'll sting you to death." + +"I say, what does this mean?" piped little Cacinella. "Everything is +mine." + +"Buzz! Buzz! No, it's mine." + +Little Cacinella was barely able to escape from the angry drone. She +crept into the grass, licked her thin little legs, sticky with flower +nectar, and said angrily: + +"How rude that drone was! It's quite amazing! He even tried to sting +me to death! Why, aren't they all mine, the sun and the grass and the +flower!" + +"No, pardon me. They are all mine," said a fuzzy Caterpillar, crawling +along a blade of grass. Little Cacinella realized that a caterpillar +cannot fly, so she grew bold. + +"Pardon me, Mr. Caterpillar. You are mistaken. I do not interfere with +your crawling. Don't argue with me." + +"Very well. Pray don't touch my grass. To tell you the truth, I don't +like it. So many of you fly about here. You are all such light-minded +creatures; while I, Caterpillar, am a serious person. To be frank, +everything is mine. I crawl along a blade of grass and I eat it up. I +get into a flower and I eat that up. Good day." + +[Illustration] + + +II + +In a few hours, little Cacinella learned many things. She learned that +besides the sun, the blue sky and the green grass, there are angry +drones, serious caterpillars, thorns on flowers--all of which made one +sad. Little Cacinella had thought that everything belonged to her and +was especially created for her. Now it hurt her to discover that others +thought that everything had been made especially for them. Something +was wrong. + +Little Cacinella flew further and she came to a pool. + +"Now, this is surely mine," she piped gaily. "My water. I am so happy. +Here are also grass and flowers." + +Then she met other cacinellas. + +"Hello, sister," they called. + +"Hello, dears. I'm so glad I met you. It was getting very lonely flying +about alone. What are you doing here?" + +"We are playing, sister. Come along with us. We are very happy. When +were you born?" + +"Just to-day. A drone almost stung me to death and I also met a +caterpillar. I thought everything belonged to me. They said everything +was theirs." + +The little cacinellas calmed their guest and invited her to play with +them. Then they swarmed in a thick cloud over the pool, playing tag, +flying and squeaking. + +Our little Cacinella was almost overcome with joy and completely forgot +the angry drone and the serious caterpillar. + +"Oh how nice," she gurgled with delight. "It's all mine--the sun, the +grass, the water. I cannot understand why the others were so angry. It +is all mine, but I don't interfere with anybody's life. I let them fly +and buzz and be happy. It doesn't bother me." + +Little Cacinella played a while and then sat down for a rest among some +reeds. Sitting there, little Cacinella watched the other cacinellas +playing, when suddenly a sparrow flashed by, no one knew whence, and +dropped like a stone among them. + +"Oh! Oh!" cried the little cacinellas, scattering in all directions. + +When the sparrow flew away, many little cacinellas were missing from +the flock. + +"The thief," scolded the older cacinellas. "He ate about fifteen or +more of us." + +"That's worse than the drone," thought little Cacinella, and growing +frightened, she hid with the other cacinellas deeper among the reeds. +But there too, they found enemies. Two of them were eaten by a small +fish and two more by a frog. + +"What's all this?" wondered little Cacinella. "This is not a bit nice. +It is almost impossible to live. They are perfectly horrid!" + +It was a good thing that there were many little cacinellas. Those that +disappeared were hardly missed; many new ones were always coming, +flying about and squeaking, "It's all ours! It's all ours!" + +"No, it's not," called our little Cacinella to them. "There are, +besides us, angry drones, serious caterpillars, horrid sparrows, fishes +and frogs. Take care, sisters! Take care!" + +When night came, all the little cacinellas hid in the rushes. Stars +sprinkled the sky. The moon rose and reflected everything in the +water. + +"My moon, my stars," thought little Cacinella; but she did not dare to +say it aloud. Some one might take them away from her. + + +III + +Summer passed quickly for little Cacinella. There was so much to make +her happy, but there were sad times, too. Twice she was almost +swallowed by a swift marten. Once a frog crept up to her unawares and +nearly gobbled her up. A little cacinella has many enemies, you know. + +Our little Cacinella had her own joys. One day, she met another little +Cacinella with long hairy moustache, who said: + +"You are so pretty, little Cacinella. Let us be friends and live +together." + +And they did. And they were very happy. They were always together; +wherever one went, the other followed. + +Summer passed before they were aware of it. + +Rainy days came; nights grew cold. Our little Cacinella laid many eggs. +She hid them in the thick grass, murmuring, "How tired I am." + +No one saw how or when little Cacinella died. She may not have died at +all. She may have only fallen asleep quietly for the winter, to wake up +in the spring and be happy once more. + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE STORY OF MOSQUITO LONG-NOSE AND FUZZY BEAR, MISHKA SHORT-TAIL + + +I + +It happened at noon, when all the mosquitoes hid in the marsh to escape +the heat. + +Mr. Long-Nose settled under a leaf and fell asleep. His sleep was +disturbed by a despairing shout. + +"Wow! Wow! Help! Help!" + +Mosquito Long-Nose jumped out from under the leaf and called: + +"What happened? Why are you screaming?" + +A whole swarm of mosquitoes flew about, buzzed and shrieked--apparently +for no reason at all. + +"Oh, my! Just think what happened! A bear came into our marsh, +stretched himself out full length and fell asleep. And as he lay down, +he crushed five hundred of us; and as he opened his mouth, he swallowed +a hundred of us. Some trouble, brothers. We hardly escaped being +crushed to death ourselves." + +Mosquito Long-Nose grew furiously angry--angry at the bear and at the +foolish mosquitoes, who were shouting to no purpose. + +"Stop your squealing!" shouted he. "It's all very simple. I will go +and chase the bear away. Your noise is foolish." + +Mosquito Long-Nose grew even more angry and flew away. He reached the +marsh and there lay the bear in the very thickets where the mosquitoes +had lived from the beginning of time. + +The Bear lay stretched full length, snoring and whistling like a +trumpeter. + +"The beast! Grabbed the place that doesn't belong to him ... killed off +so many mosquitoes ... and now he sleeps so soundly! It's outrageous!" + +"Hey, Uncle, what are you doing?" shouted Mosquito Long-Nose through +the forest. He shouted so loudly that he grew afraid of himself. Fuzzy +Mishka opened one eye and saw nothing. Then he opened the other eye and +all he could see was a mosquito hovering over his nose. + +"What do you want, Comrade?" grumbled Mishka, getting angry, and +justly so. There he was all ready for a nap when along comes this +good-for-nothing squealing at him and waking him up. + +"Hey, Uncle, get away! Get up and go away in a friendly fashion!" +advised Long-Nose. + +Mishka opened his eyes, looked at Mr. Impudence, snorted and grew +furiously angry. + +"What do you want, you good-for-nothing?" growled Mishka. + +"Leave our quarters or I'll eat you up, fur coat and all." + +The bear was very much amused. He turned over on the other side, +covered his face with his paw and fell asleep, snoring immediately. + + +II + +Mosquito Long-nose returned to the flock, shouting across the entire +marsh, "I certainly did frighten him! He will never come again." + +The mosquitoes wondered. They were perplexed and asked, "But what about +Mishka? Where is he now?" + +"I don't know, brothers. He surely got scared when I told him I'd eat +him up, if he did not go away. You know I don't like to jest, so I just +said, 'I'll eat you up,' I'm afraid he perished from fear while I was +coming back here. Well, it's his own fault." + +The mosquitoes buzzed loudly. They were discussing how to deal with an +invading bear. There never had been such a noise in the marsh before. +They buzzed and hissed and finally decided to chase the bear away from +their domain. + +"Let him go home into his forest and sleep there. The marsh is ours. +Our fathers and our grandfathers lived in this very marsh. It is ours." + +One sensible old mosquito advised them to leave the bear alone. "Let +him have his sleep," said she, "when he wakes up, he will leave the +marsh of his own accord." + +But the rest of the flock just flew at her. The poor old thing was glad +to get away and hide. + +"Come on, brothers!" shouted Mosquito Long-Nose, louder than the rest. +"We will show him who we are!" + +The whole flock followed Mosquito Long-Nose. They came to the spot +where Mishka was lying as still as death. + +"Didn't I say he died of fright?" boasted Mosquito Long-Nose. "It's a +pity! He was a fine, strong bear!" + +[Illustration] + +"Brothers, he is only asleep," piped a tiny mosquito, flying close to +Mishka's nose and being almost blown to pieces by the wind from the +bear's nostrils. + +"The shameless rascal!" squealed the Mosquitoes in chorus. "He crushed +five hundred of us ... swallowed another hundred ... and now he sleeps +as if nothing had happened." + +But shaggy Mishka slept soundly as if nothing had really happened. He +was whistling through his nose. + +"He is pretending to be asleep," said Mosquito Long-Nose. "I'll show +him who I am. Hey, Uncle, enough of this make-believe!" + +And with this, Mosquito Long-Nose flew at the bear, aimed at his black +nose and pierced it with his mosquito-sting. Mishka fairly jumped, +grabbing his nose with his paw; but Mosquito Long-Nose was already too +far away. + +"Well, Uncle, you did not seem to like that," squealed Mosquito +Long-Nose. "Go away or it will be the worse for you. I'm not alone. +With me, is Grandfather, Mosquito Longer-Nose, and my younger brother, +Mosquito Longest-Nose. Better go away, Uncle." + +"I will not go away!" shouted the bear, sitting down on his haunches. +"I'll crush you all to death!" + +"Oh, uncle, you're boasting foolishly." + +Once more, Mosquito Long-Nose flew at the bear and this time he aimed +at his eye. Mishka groaned with pain, and slapped his paw over his +face, trying to catch the mosquito. Again he failed and he only +scratched his face in the effort. Mosquito Long-Nose was meanwhile +buzzing by close to his ear and threatening Mishka, "I'll eat you up, +Uncle." + + +III + +Mishka grew angry and angrier. He grabbed a birch tree and tore it up +by the roots, aiming it at the mosquitoes. He waved it and waved it +until he grew very tired, but he did not succeed in killing a single +mosquito. They just swarmed and buzzed a little beyond his reach. Then +Mishka took a huge stone and hurled it at the Mosquitoes, but all in +vain. + +"Well, Uncle," squealed Mosquito Long-Nose, "I'll eat you up after +all." + +The battle raged between Mishka and the mosquitoes. There was much +noise; one could hear the bear's growling from afar. + + +IV + +He tore up many trees, he dug up many stones. He always aimed at +Mosquito Long-Nose, who seemed to be right over his ear. But the bear's +paw always missed its aim, while his face was scratched and bleeding +from his own claws. + +Finally, Mishka was overpowered. He sat on his haunches and snorted and +thought of a new trick, which was to roll in the grass and crush the +whole mosquito kingdom. Mishka rolled and rolled but nothing happened. +He only grew more tired. Then he hid his face in the moss, but that was +even worse because the mosquitoes clung to his bear tail. Mishka became +furious. + +"Just wait, I'll show you!" he howled so loudly that he could be heard +for miles around. "I'll show you some trick! Aiy! Aiy! Aiy!" + +The mosquitoes flew aside and waited to see what would happen. Now +Mishka climbed a tree like an acrobat, sat on the thickest bough and +roared: + +"You just dare to come near to me and all your noses will be broken!" + +The mosquitoes laughed in their shrill voices and flew at the bear, +full force, squealing, swarming and attacking him. Mishka beat them off +again and again. Without intending, he swallowed a hundred of them, +choking. He coughed and the bough broke under the strain. Down fell +Mishka. But he was up again, patting his bruised sides and saying: + +"Who is the winner? You see how skillful I am at jumping from trees." + +The mosquitoes laughed in their thin, shrill laughter. And Mosquito +Long-Nose just trumpeted, "I'll eat you up! I'll eat you up! I'll eat +you up!" + +Completely exhausted, Mishka knew that he was beaten, but he was +ashamed to leave the marsh. He sat on his haunches, but all he could do +was to blink his eyes. + +He was saved from further shame by a Wise Frog. She came hopping along +from under a bush and seeing Mishka in such difficulty, she said: + +"Why do you bother yourself needlessly, Master Mishka? Don't waste your +time with these nasty little mosquitoes. They aren't worth it." + +"They really are not," cried the bear joyfully. "I was only fooling a +bit. Just let them visit my lair, then I'll ... I'll ... I'll...." + +In a flash, Mishka turned and ran from the marsh. But Mosquito +Long-Nose flew right after, shouting: + +"Catch him, brothers! Catch him! Hold him!" + +The mosquitoes gathered in meeting and decided, "It isn't worth while. +Let him go. The marsh is left. It did not go away." + +[Illustration] + + + + +VANKA'S BIRTHDAY + + +I + +Beat, drum! Rub-a-dub-dub! Blow, trumpets! Toot-a-toot-too! + +This is Vanka's birthday. Let's have music. All are welcome. Come, let +us gather. Rub-a-dub-dub! Toot-a-toot-too! Vanka is strutting about in +his new red blouse, exclaiming: + +"Brothers, you are welcome. There is plenty to eat. The soup is made of +the freshest shavings; the cutlets of the very best and cleanest sand; +doughnuts of different-colored papers; tea of the finest boiling water. +You are all welcome. Music, play! Rub-a-dub-dub! Rub-a-dub-dub! +Toot-a-toot-too!" + +The room was crowded with visitors. The first to arrive was the bulging +Wooden Top. + +"Z-z-z! Z-z-z! Where is the birthday child? Z-z-z! Z-z-z! I am very +fond of making merry in good company." + +The next to arrive were two Dolls; one, blue-eyed Anya with a slightly +damaged nose; the other, black-eyed Katya with one arm missing. Both +came in very modestly and sat down on the toy couch. + +"Let us see the treat Vanka has for us," said Anya, "I think he boasts +too much. The music isn't bad, but I have my doubts about the treat." + +"Anya, you are always grumbling," said Katya, chidingly. + +"And you are always ready to argue," said Anya. + +The Dollies had a little argument and were just about to quarrel, when +a much worn Clown hobbled in on one leg, and made peace. + +"Ladies, patience! Everything will be very nice and we will have a good +time. Of course, I have only one leg, but Top isn't any better off than +I am. See him spin on his one leg. Hello, old Top!" + +"Z-z-z! Z-z-z! Hello! Why does one of your eyes look as if someone had +punched you?" + +"Nonsense! I fell off the couch. Worse things than that happen." + +"Oh, I know that. Spinning, I sometimes strike my head against the wall +full force." + +"It's a good thing your head is empty," said Clown. + +"All the same, it hurts. Z-z-z! Just try it and you'll find out." + +Clown only clapped his brass cymbals in answer. He was really a very +light-minded fellow. + +Then came Petrooshka, bringing along with him a crowd of visitors: his +own wife, Matryona Ivanovna; the German doctor, Carl Ivanovitch; and a +huge-nosed Gypsy, riding on a three-legged horse. + +"Now, Vanka, receive your visitors!" said Petrooshka gaily, tapping his +own nose. "They're all fine. Look at my own wife, Matryona Ivanovna! +Isn't she splendid? She is as fond of tea as a duck is of water." + +"We will find some tea for her, Master Petrooshka, and we are always +glad to see good company," said Vanka. "Please sit down, Matryona +Ivanovna. Carl Ivanovitch, pray be seated." + +Then came Mr. Bear with Mr. Rabbit, Gray Billy Goat and Waddling +Duckling, Mr. Rooster and Mr. Wolf. There was plenty of room for +everyone. + +The last to arrive was Verotchka's Slipper with Verotchka's Broom. They +looked around and found all seats occupied. + +"Never mind. I'll stand in the corner," said Broom. + +Slipper said nothing, but crept silently under the couch. She was a +venerable old Slipper, very much worn. She was slightly embarrassed by +the tiny hole near her toe, but she hoped that under the couch no one +would notice that. + +"Music, start!" ordered Vanka. "Drum, beat! Rub-a-dub-dub! Trumpets +toot! Toot-a-toot-too!" + +Immediately the guests became merry and gay. + + +II + +At the beginning, the party was splendid. Drum did his own beating, and +Trumpet his own tooting. Top buzzed, Clown beat his cymbals and +Petrooshka squealed with all his might. It was merry and gay. + +"Friends, be happy!" called Vanka, smoothing his flaxen curls. + +Anya and Katya laughed in their shrill voices, clumsy Bear danced with +little Broom, Gray Billy Goat strutted about with Waddling Duck, Clown +tumbled about, showing off his tricks, and Dr. Carl Ivanovitch, +chatting with Matryona Ivanovna, asked: + +"Does your stomach ache, Matryona Ivanovna?" + +"Why, no, Carl Ivanovitch," replied Matryona Ivanovna, offended. "What +makes you think that?" + +"Just show me your tongue," insisted the Doctor. + +"Leave me alone, please." + +"I'm here," rang the thin voice of Silver Spoon, with which Verotchka +ate her cereal. She had been lying quietly on the table until the +Doctor spoke of showing a tongue. Then she jumped up, for she knew that +the Doctor always needed her help when he looked at Verotchka's +tongue. + +"Oh, no! Not that!" piped Matryona Ivanovna, waving her arms comically, +as if she were a windmill. + +"Very well. I will not burden you with my services," said little Spoon, +very much offended. She was growing angry, when little Top came +spinning up to her and invited her to dance. Top hummed. Little Spoon +rang. + +Little Slipper could resist no longer. She crept out from under the +couch and whispered to little Broom: + +"I love you very much, little Broom." + +Little Broom closed her eyes softly and sighed: she loved to be loved. +She was such a modest little Broom, never boasting as others do,--for +instance, Matryona Ivanovna, Anya, and Katya. These dollies always +liked to make fun of other people's failings, saying: + +"Clown has but one leg. Petrooshka's nose is too long. Carl Ivanovitch +is bald. Gypsy is like a firebrand." + +But Vanka, the birthday child, was criticized most of all. + +"He is too much of a moujik," Katya said. + +"And he boasts too much," added Anya. + +After dancing and making merry, they all sat down at the table and the +real feast began. The dinner passed as a real birthday dinner should; +not without a few mishaps, however. Bear almost ate Rabbit, mistaking +him for the cutlet. Top nearly came to blows with Gypsy about little +Spoon. You see, Gypsy wanted to steal little Spoon and he tried to put +her into his pocket. Petrooshka, a well-known squabbler, quarrelled +with his wife over nothing at all. + +"Matryona Ivanovna, be calm," urged Carl Ivanovitch. + +"Petrooshka is really kind. Perhaps your head aches. I have wonderful +powders for headaches." + +"Doctor, do leave her alone," said Petrooshka. "She is an impossible +woman. I love her very much. Come Matryona Ivanovna, let us kiss and be +friends." + +"Hurrah!" shouted Vanka. "That's much better than quarreling. I hate to +see people quarrel. Just look ..." + +Then something quite unexpected happened, something so horrible, it's +dreadful to relate. + +Drum beat--rub-a-dub-dub! Trumpets blew--toot-a-toot-too. Clown clanged +his cymbals. Little Spoon laughed in her silver voice. Top hummed. +Rabbit shouted merrily, "Bo! Bo! Bo!" Porcelain Dog barked loudly. +Rubber Cat meowed gently. Bear stamped his feet with such force that +the floor shook. Gayest of all was Gray Billy Goat. He was the best +dancer. And he shook his beard so comically and bleated "Baa! Baa! +Baa!" in his cracked voice. + + +III + +How did it all happen? That is hard to tell because of all the guests +only Verotchka's Slipper remembered just what had transpired. She was +the only sensible one. She crept away under the couch just in time. + +This is how it all happened. First the Wooden Blocks went up to Vanka +to congratulate him. No-No-NO. That isn't how it started. The Blocks +really did go up to Vanka, but the real cause of the trouble was +Katya. Yes, it was all her fault. This pretty little rascal, towards +the very end of the dinner, whispered to Anya: + +"Anya, who do you think is the prettiest of all here?" + +It was quite a simple question to ask, but Matryona Ivanovna, +overhearing it, grew frightfully offended and asked Katya: + +"Do you think my Petrooshka is ugly?" + +"Nobody thinks that," answered Katya, trying to defend herself. But it +was too late. + +"Of course, his nose is too big," continued Matryona Ivanovna, "but +that is hardly noticeable, if you look at him sideways. I know he has a +bad habit of squealing and squabbling with people but he is really very +kind. And as for brains ..." + +She was unable to finish because the Dolls began to argue with so much +heat that they attracted everybody's attention. The first to interfere +was, of course, Petrooshka himself. + +"It's true, Matryona Ivanovna," said he, "I am the handsomest here." + +Then the men were all offended. + +"Just listen to this conceited Petrooshka!" said they. "It's +disgusting!" + +Clown was not much of a talker, so he was silently offended. But Dr. +Carl Ivanovitch almost shouted: + +"Does that mean that the rest of us are monsters? Gentlemen, I +congratulate you!" + +There was great noise and confusion. Gypsy shouted something in his own +language. Bear growled. Wolf howled. Gray Billy Goat bawled. Top +hummed. They all shouted their offense. + +"Gentlemen, stop!" pleaded Vanka. "Please pay no attention to +Petrooshka. I am sure he was only jesting." + +It was all in vain. Carl Ivanovitch was noisier and more excited than +the rest. He even pounded his fist on the table and shouted: + +"Gentlemen, this is a fine treat, I must say! We were invited here only +to be told that we are monsters!" + +"Ladies and gentlemen!" shouted Vanka, trying in vain to be heard. "If +monsters are under discussion, there is but one monster here. It is I! +Now are you satisfied?" + +Then, let us see what happened next.... + +Carl Ivanovitch completely lost control and flew at Petrooshka, with a +threatening fist. + +"If I were not an educated man, knowing how to behave properly in +decent society, I would say to you, 'Master Petrooshka, you are quite a +fool.'" + +Knowing Petrooshka's squabbling disposition, Vanka tried to get between +him and the Doctor, but on his way, his fist caught Petrooshka's long +nose. Petrooshka thought that it was not Vanka, but the doctor who had +struck him. And that's how it all began. + +Petrooshka clutched at the doctor. Gypsy, seated at one side, began +without any provocation to pummel Clown. Bear threw himself with a +growl upon Wolf. Top hit Billy Goat with his empty head. In a word, +there was a row. Dolls squealed in their shrill voices and all three +fainted with fright. + +"I'm fainting," screamed Matryona Ivanovna, falling off the couch. + +"Gentlemen! What does all this mean?" pleaded Vanka. "Gentlemen! Is +this not my birthday? Gentlemen! This is rude!" + +[Illustration] + +It was a real fight. The confusion was so great that it was impossible +to tell who was beating whom. Vanka tried to separate the fighters, but +it ended in his beating anybody and everybody who came within his arm's +reach. And as he was the strongest, his guests came off pretty badly. + +"Help! Help! Heavens' help!" cried Petrooshka, loudest of all, trying +to strike the Doctor. + +"They are murdering Petrooshka! Help! Help!" + +Slipper was the only one who escaped the fight. She crept under the +couch just in time. She closed her eyes in fear. Rabbit, seeking +safety, hid inside Slipper. + +"Where are you going?" grumbled Slipper. + +"Keep still! They might hear us and then both of us would get it," +pleaded little Rabbit, peeping through the tiny hole in Slipper's toe. +"What a rascal that Petrooshka is! He beats everyone and shouts loudest +of all. He's a fine guest, I must say! You know I hardly got away from +Wolf. My! it's horror, just to think of it! Just see Duckling with her +tiny legs up. Poor thing! She must be dead." + +"How foolish you are, little Rabbit," said Slipper. "All the dolls have +fainted and so has Duckling." + +They fought and fought and fought until Vanka drove away all the guests +except the Dolls. + +Matryona Ivanovna, tired of lying in a faint, opened one eye and asked: + +"Where am I? Doctor, will you see if I am still alive?" + +No one answered her and Matryona Ivanovna opened her other eye. The +room was empty except for Vanka, who stood in the center looking +around, much astonished. Anya and Katya also revived and they, too, +were amazed. Something horrible must have happened. + +"You're a fine birthday child, I must say!" simultaneously exclaimed +the Dolls, addressing Vanka, who did not know what to answer. + +Someone hit him; he hit someone. Why? Wherefore? He did not know. + +"I really do not know how it all happened," said Vanka. "The thing that +hurts most is that I love them all. All without exception." + +"We know how it all happened," called Slipper and Rabbit from under the +couch. "We saw it all." + +"It is all your fault," said Matryona Ivanovna, accusing little Slipper +and Rabbit. "Of course, it is you who are to blame. You started the +row and then you ran away and hid." + +"They're to blame! They're to blame!" screamed Anya and Katya in +chorus. + +"Now I see it all," cried Vanka, joyfully. "Get out, you rascals! You +only visit people to start quarrels." + +Slipper and Rabbit were barely able to make their escape through the +window. + +"I'll teach you a lesson," threatened Matryona Ivanovna, following in +their wake. "There are some nasty people in this world! Even little +Duckling will agree with me." + +"Yes, yes," said little Duckling. "I saw them hide under the couch." +Duckling always agreed with everybody. + +"Let the guests return," said Katya. "We can still have a jolly time." + +The guests were all glad to come back. Some had black eyes; some +limped. Petrooshka's long nose had the worst of it. + +"The rascals!" all repeated in chorus, blaming Rabbit and Slipper for +everything. "Who would have thought it of them!" + +"Oh, I am so tired! My hands are all sore," complained Vanka. "But let +us forget it and bear no grudge. Let's have music." + +Once more, drum beat--rub-a-dub-dub! Trumpets blew--toot-a-toot-too! +And Petrooshka shouted with all his might: + +"Hurrah for Vanka!" + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE STORY OF MASTER SPARROW, MASTER STICKELBACK AND THE JOLLY +CHIMNEY-SWEEP, YASHA + + +I + +Master Sparrow and Master Stickelback were great friends. In summer, +Master Sparrow came daily to the river, calling: + +"Hello, brother! How are you?" + +"Pretty well. Managing to keep alive," answered Stickelback. "Come to +visit me. The deep pools are fine. The water is quiet. And it's just +full of water grass. I will treat you to frogs' eggs, worms and water +bugs." + +"Thank you, brother, I would come with pleasure, only I am afraid of +the water," said the Sparrow. "You better visit me on my roof. I'll +treat you to berries--I have a whole garden full--and we will rummage +for some bread crusts, some oats, a bit of sugar and live mosquitoes. +You like sugar, don't you?" + +"What does it look like?" asked Stickelback. + +"It is white." + +"Like the pebbles in my river?" + +"Exactly. But when you take it into your mouth it's sweet. One can't +eat pebbles, you know. Come, let us fly to my roof." + +"No, I can't fly. And I suffocate in the open air," said the Fish. "Let +us have a swim together in my river. That's much better. I will show +you all sorts of things." + +Master Sparrow tried to get into the water. He jumped in up to his +knees; then fear seized him--fear of drowning. Heretofore, all that the +Sparrow had ever done was to get a drink of clear river water and to +take a bath in the shallowest part on a hot day. Then he would shake +his feathers out and return to his roof. + +Nevertheless, the two were great friends. They liked chatting together +about all sorts of things. + +"Don't you ever get tired of staying in the water," Sparrow would say, +wondering. "It is so wet. Aren't you afraid of taking cold?" + +Master Stickelback in his turn would wonder at Master Sparrow: + +"Don't you ever get tired of flying? Isn't it too warm to be out in the +sun? It would just suffocate me. It is always cool where I live. I swim +as I like. When summer comes, my river is crowded with bathers. But who +ever visits your roof?" + +"Oh, I have plenty of visitors. I have one great chum, the +Chimney-Sweep, Yasha. He often visits me. He is such a jolly +Chimney-Sweep, always singing. He cleans the chimneys, singing away. +When he rests, he sits on the very edge of the roof, eats his piece of +bread for lunch, while I pick up the crumbs. We are great friends. I +also like to be jolly sometimes." + +The Sparrow and the Fish had many troubles in common. Winter was very +hard on both. Poor Master Sparrow almost froze to death. The days were +so bitter cold. His very soul seemed to freeze within him. He would +puff himself up, tuck his legs underneath him and sit on his roof, +waiting for the sunshine. There was only one other warm place for him +and that was the chimney, but even here it was hardly safe. + +Once, Master Sparrow almost perished. It was the fault of his best +friend, the Chimney-Sweep. One day, Yasha came to clean the chimney. +His brush, with the weight attached, came down the chimney and almost +smashed Master Sparrow's head. Covered with soot, Master Sparrow +escaped from the chimney. He was even blacker than Yasha. + +"I say! What do you mean, Yasha? You almost killed me," scolded Master +Sparrow. + +[Illustration] + +"How was I to know you were sitting in the chimney?" asked Yasha. + +"You must be more careful," said Master Sparrow. "It isn't very nice to +be hit by such a heavy weight. I am sure you wouldn't like it." + +In winter, Stickelback's life was not very pleasant. He crawled +somewhere deep, deep into the river and dozed there for days. It was +dark and cold and he had no desire to move. Occasionally he came up to +the ice-hole to chat with his friend. + +When Master Sparrow came to the ice-hole for a drink, he would call, +"Hey, Master Stickelback! Are you still alive?" + +"I am," Master Stickelback would answer sleepily. "But I want to stay +asleep all the time. It isn't very nice here. Everybody is asleep." + +"It isn't much better where I live," said Sparrow. "But we must be +patient. At times the wind is very cruel. There is no sleep then. I +hop along on one leg to keep warm, while people watching me say, 'What +a gay little sparrow!' If only warm days would come! Brother, I believe +you are asleep again." + +Summer brought with it its own troubles. Once a hawk chased Master +Sparrow for two miles. Sparrow barely escaped by hiding in the sedge +near the river. + +"My! I am glad to get off alive," complained Master Sparrow to Master +Stickelback, scarcely able to catch his breath. "That rascal almost +caught me then." + +"He must be something like our pike," said Stickelback, consolingly. +"Not long ago I, too, barely escaped the pike's fangs. That pike was as +quick as lightning. One day, as I was swimming out with some friends, I +mistook him for a log, he lay so still, and he chased me. Will you +tell me why there are pikes in the world? I have often wondered, but I +cannot understand." + +"Neither can I," said Master Sparrow. "Do you know, I sometimes think +that a hawk must at one time have been a pike and a pike must have been +a hawk. Anyway, both are rascals." + + +II + +Thus lived Master Sparrow and Master Stickelback, freezing in winter, +joyous in summer; while jolly Chimney-Sweep, Yasha, cleaned his +chimneys and sang his songs. Each had his work, his joys and his +troubles. + +One summer day the Chimney-Sweep walked down to the river to wash. He +walked along, whistling, when suddenly he heard a terrific noise. What +had happened? + +Whirling above the river was a crowd of birds, ducks, geese, swallows, +snipe, crows and pigeons, shouting with laughter, for no apparent +reason. + +"I say! What has happened?" asked the Chimney-Sweep. + +"This is what happened," piped a bold Bluebird. "It is too funny for +words. Just see what Master Sparrow is doing. He seems quite mad." + +The Bluebird piped in her thin, high voice, flicked her tail and soared +above the river. When Chimney-Sweep drew nearer, Master Sparrow just +flew at him. He was frightful to behold. His beak was open, his eyes +wild, his feathers all ruffled. + +"Master Sparrow, what is all this about? Why are you making all this +noise?" asked the Chimney-Sweep. + +"No! I'll teach him a few things!" shouted Master Sparrow, fairly +choking with rage. "He doesn't yet know who I am! I'll teach that +confounded Stickelback! He'll have cause to remember me! The rascal!" + +"Don't listen to him," shouted Stickelback from his river. "It's all +lies." + +"Who is lying?" shouted Master Sparrow. "Who found the worm? I'm lying? +Indeed! A nice fat worm that I myself dug up on the bank. I worked +hard, too. I finally got him and was just about ready to take him home +to my nest--I have a family, you know, that has to be fed. No sooner +did I get above the river, the worm in my mouth, than that abominable +Stickelback (I hope the pike swallows him) shouted, 'Hawk! Hawk!' I +screamed with fright and the worm dropped out of my mouth into the +water and Master Stickelback swallowed him. I call this cheating. There +was no hawk in sight." + +"It was only a little joke of mine," said Stickelback, defending +himself. "That worm was really delicious." + +All kinds of fish were gathered about Stickelback, minnows, carp and +perch, listening and laughing at the story. + +"Yes, that was a fine trick Master Stickelback played on his old +friend. But funnier still was to see Master Sparrow fighting Master +Stickelback, flying at him again and again and getting nothing." + +"I hope my worm chokes you! I'll dig up another," shouted Master +Sparrow. "What hurts me most is that Stickelback fooled me and now he +laughs at me. I was even inviting him to visit me on my roof. A fine +friend he is, I must say! Here's our Chimney-Sweep, Yasha. He will +agree with me, I'm sure. He's my good friend. At times, we even eat +together. Yasha eats his bread and I pick up the crumbs." + +"Wait, brothers! This affair needs a judge," announced Yasha. "Just let +me wash myself and I shall deal with the whole thing fairly. And you, +Master Sparrow, just calm yourself a bit." + +"I know I am right. I have nothing to worry about," shouted Master +Sparrow. "I only want to show Stickelback that I shall not stand for +his jokes." + +Chimney-Sweep Yasha sat down on the bank, put his lunch near him, +washed his face and hands, and said: + +"Now, brothers, let us get at the bottom of this trouble. You, Master +Stickelback, are a fish. And you, Master Sparrow, are a bird. Am I +right?" + +"Yes, yes," shouted the birds and fishes in chorus. + +"Let us go on," said Yasha. "A fish must live in water, a bird in the +air. Am I right? Well then, a worm lives in the ground. Very well. Now +let's see." + +The Chimney-Sweep opened his lunch, a piece of wheaten bread, and laid +it on a stone, saying: + +"Now look! What is this? Bread, isn't it? I earned it and I shall eat +it. And with it, I shall have a drink of water. All this means that I +have earned my dinner without harming anyone. A fish and a bird also +want their dinner. Each of you has his own food. Why quarrel? Master +Sparrow dug up the worm, therefore the worm was his. He earned it." + +"Wait, Uncle," piped a thin voice in the crowd. The birds moved apart +to allow a little snipe to come forward. Standing on his thin little +legs close to the Chimney-Sweep, the snipe said: + +"It isn't true, Uncle." + +"What isn't true?" asked Yasha. + +"About the worm," said the snipe. "I found it. You can ask the ducks. +They saw me. I found the worm and Master Sparrow snatched it away from +me." + +Chimney-Sweep Yasha was puzzled. This was quite a different story. + +"Let me see," he murmured, trying to gather his thoughts together. +"Hey, Master Sparrow! What do you mean by lying to me?" + +"I'm not lying. The snipe is. He and the ducks made that story up." + +"Well, brothers, something is wrong. Of course, a worm isn't anything, +but to steal it, is not nice. And he who steals must lie. Am I not +right?" + +"Right! You are right!" shouted all in chorus. "All the same, you have +to be the judge between Master Stickelback and Master Sparrow." + +"Which of those two is right?" asked Yasha. "Both made a noise. Both +fought and stirred up everybody else. Who is right? Oh, the two of you, +Master Stickelback and Master Sparrow, the two of you are rascals. I +will punish both of you as an example. Now, both of you make up +quickly." + +"That's right," shouted the crowd in chorus. "Let them make up." + +"As for the snipe who worked to get the worm, I will feed him with my +crust," decided the Chimney-Sweep. "Then everybody will be satisfied." + +"Splendid!" all shouted their approval. + +The Chimney-Sweep made a move to offer his crust to the snipe, but the +crust had disappeared. While Yasha was talking, Master Sparrow grabbed +the crust and flew away with it. + +"The rascal! The scamp!" shouted the birds and the fishes indignantly, +starting in pursuit of the thief. + +The crust was heavy and Master Sparrow could not fly far with it. He +was caught just beyond the river. Birds, large and small, threw +themselves upon the thief. It was a real battle. They were all tearing +the bread to bits and the crumbs fell into the river. These the fishes +grabbed. Then followed a battle between birds and fish. The crust was +broken into tiny crumbs. The crumbs were eaten up. When it was all +over, everybody grew thoughtful. They felt ashamed. While chasing the +thief to recover the crust, they had grabbed it up themselves. + +The jolly Chimney-Sweep, Yasha, sat on the bank, watching and laughing. +The whole affair had turned out to be so funny. They were all gone. +There remained only the Sandy Snipe. + +"Why don't you fly along with the others?" asked the Chimney-Sweep. + +"I would, Uncle, only I am too small. The big birds might peck me to +death." + +"Well, maybe you are right, little Snipe. Both of us are left without +our dinner. Evidently, we haven't worked hard enough for it." + +Then came Verotchka to the river bank and asked the jolly Chimney-Sweep +what had happened. How she laughed when she heard the story! + +"How foolish they all are, the fish and the birds," said Verotchka. "I +could divide everything right, and no one would quarrel. Not long ago +I divided four apples. Father brought four apples and said, 'Divide +these between you and Lisa and me evenly.' I divided them into three +parts. I gave one apple to father, one apple to Lisa, and I took two +apples for myself." + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE STORY OF THE LAST FLY + + +I + +Summer-time is a merry time for flies. It is hard to tell just how it +all happened. There were so many flies; thousands of them, gaily flying +and buzzing. + +When Little Fly was born, she straightened out her wings and +immediately felt happy,--so happy that one really cannot tell it in +words. It was all so interesting. The doors and windows leading to the +porch were thrown wide open in the morning, and Little Fly flitted in +and out as she pleased. + +"How kind human beings are!" exclaimed Little Fly, astonished, flying +in and out of the windows. "The windows were made for us, and they are +open for us. It is so nice to be alive and feeling so happy." + +She flew in and out of the garden many times. Sitting on a blade of +grass, she admired the blooming lilacs, the delicate leaves of the +budding poplars, and the different flowers in their beds. The gardener, +still unknown to her, had taken care of everything. What a kind +gardener! Little Fly was not born yet and he had already prepared +everything she might need. It was all the more amazing since he himself +was not only unable to fly, but he even walked about with great +difficulty, trembling all over at times, and muttering to himself. + +"I wonder where these nasty flies come from?" grumbled the kind +gardener. + +The poor dear probably said this from sheer envy because all he could +do was to dig beds, set out and water flowers. He couldn't fly. Little +Fly liked to buzz around the gardener's red nose, which annoyed him +very much. + +[Illustration] + +People were usually very kind, providing all kinds of pleasures for +flies. For instance, when Verotchka had her bread and milk in the +morning, she always asked Aunt Olga for a piece of sugar. This she did +just to give Little Fly a chance to have a bit of sugar, a few crumbs +of bread, and a few drops of milk. + +"Now tell me, is there anything more delicious than this treat after +working busily all morning?" said Little Fly. + +Cook Pascha was even kinder than Verotchka. Every morning she would go +to market and bring such wonderful things, especially for the +flies--meat, fish, cream and butter. Pascha was the kindest woman in +the whole house. Though, like the gardener, she could not fly, she knew +perfectly well every need of a fly. She was the kindest woman in all +the world. + +And Aunt Olga--oh, that wonderful woman!--seemed to live only for the +flies. With her own hands she would open all the windows every morning, +so that the flies might come and go at will. When it rained, or it was +cold, she closed the windows to keep their little wings dry and +prevent them from catching cold. Then Aunt Olga noticed that flies +liked sugar and berries. So every day she cooked berries and sugar. The +flies knew at once why she did this, and to show their gratitude, they +crawled right into the pans of jam. + +Verotchka was also very fond of jam, but Aunt Olga would only give her +one or two teaspoonfuls, because she did not wish to deprive the flies +of their share. As the flies could not eat all the jam at once, Aunt +Olga put away the jam in jars (to keep it away from mice who were not +entitled to jam) ready to serve to the flies each day at tea time. + +"Oh, how kind and good everybody is!" exclaimed Little Fly, flitting in +and out of the window. "It is even good that people cannot fly, for +they would turn into big, greedy flies, grabbing up everything. It's +fine to live in this world!" + +"But people aren't at all as kind as you think," remarked an old fly +who liked to grumble occasionally. "It only seems so to you. Have you +ever noticed the man they call Papa?" + +"Oh, yes. He is a very strange gentleman. You are perfectly right, good +old fly. Why does he smoke that pipe? He knows very well I do not like +tobacco smoke. It seems to me sometimes that he does it just to spite +me. And he doesn't like to do anything for flies. You know, once I +tasted that ink with which he is forever writing, and I almost died. It +was awful. I once saw with my own eyes two pretty, inexperienced young +flies drown in his ink. It was a dreadful sight to see how he pulled +them out with his pen, put them on his paper, making a splendid blot. +Just think of it! Then he blames us and not himself. Where is justice?" + +"I think this Papa has no sense of justice, although he has one good +quality," answered the old, experienced fly. "He drinks beer after +dinner. That isn't at all a bad habit. To tell the truth, I like a +taste of beer myself, though it does make me dizzy." + +"I also like beer," confessed Little Fly, blushing slightly. "I become +quite gay after having some, although my head aches the next day. +Perhaps Papa does not do anything for flies because he does not care +for jam and puts all of his sugar into his tea. One really cannot +expect much of a man who does not eat jam. There is nothing left for +him but his pipe." + +The flies knew people very well, although they interpreted them in +their own fashion. + + +II + +The summer was hot. Each day brought more and more flies. They fell +into the milk, crawled into the soup and into the ink-well, they buzzed +and they whirled and annoyed everyone. Our Little Fly grew up into a +big fly. On several occasions she almost perished. The first time her +legs stuck in jam and she was just able to free herself. The second +time she flew sleepily against a burning lamp and almost scorched her +wings. The third time she was almost crushed by a closing window. On +the whole, she had many adventures. + +"There is no living with these flies about," complained Cook. "They act +like mad--crawling into everything. They must be done away with." + +Even our Fly decided that there were altogether too many flies, +especially in the kitchen. At night the ceiling was black with them. +They seemed like a moving net. When the provisions were brought, the +flies threw themselves upon them--a live mass, pushing, jostling, +quarrelling. The best morsels fell to the lot of the bold and the +strong. The rest had the remains. + +Pascha, the cook, was right. There were too many flies. Then something +horrible happened. One morning, Pascha brought along with the +provisions a package of very tasty papers--that is, she made them +tasty, when she spread them out on plates, by moistening them with warm +water and sprinkling sugar over them. + +"There is a fine treat for the flies," said Pascha, putting the plates +where they could be seen. Without Pascha's saying anything, the flies +knew at once that this was a special treat for them. Buzzing gaily, +they threw themselves upon the new dainty. Our Fly tried to get into a +plate, but she was pushed rudely aside. + +"No pushing, please," said she, offended, "I'm not one of those greedy +ones, you know. You are quite rude." + +Then something quite terrible happened. Thousands of flies died. The +greediest were the first to succumb. They crawled about as if drunk and +then fell to the ground, dead. In the morning, Pascha swept up a large +plate full of dead flies. Only the most sensible ones remained alive. +Among these was our Fly. + +"No papers for us," buzzed the surviving flies. "We don't want them." + +The next day the same thing happened. Of all the sensible flies only +the most sensible remained alive. But Pascha still complained, "There +is no living with these flies about." + +Then the gentleman they called Papa brought home three very pretty +glass bowls and filled them with beer. This time even the most sensible +flies were caught. It turned out that these bowls were nothing but +fly-catchers. The flies, attracted by the smell of beer, were caught in +the bowls and perished. + +"That's good," said Pascha approvingly. She had turned out to be the +most heartless of women, rejoicing at others' misfortunes. + +"There isn't anything good about that," said Little Fly. "If people had +wings like flies and someone were to set a fly-catcher as big as a +house, they, too, would be caught." + +Our Fly, learning from the bitter experiences of the sensible flies, +ceased to trust people. They only seem kind, these people; while, in +reality, they are busy with just one thing--to cheat poor trusting +flies. To tell the truth, human beings are the slyest and crudest of +animals. + +Through all these misfortunes the number of flies decreased +considerably. Then followed another calamity. Suddenly summer was gone. +Rains began to fall. Cold winds blew. The weather was very +disagreeable. + +"Is summer really gone?" asked the few remaining flies. "How could it +have passed so quickly. It doesn't seem quite fair. We have hardly had +time to live and autumn is already upon us." + +This was worse than poison paper or glass fly-catchers. There was only +one escape from the coming bad weather--to seek shelter with one's +bitterest enemy, Master Man. Alas, now the windows were closed all day +long and only the ventilators were occasionally open! The very sun +seemed to shine just to deceive the trustful house flies. + +For instance, what do you think of this picture? It is morning. The sun +is gaily peeping into all the windows as if inviting the flies into the +garden. You would think summer was returning. And what happens? The +trustful flies fly through the ventilator into the garden. True, the +sun is shining, but it gives no heat. They try to return to the house +but the ventilator has been closed. Thus many flies perished in the +cold autumn nights. + +"No, I no longer believe," said our Little Fly, "I have no faith in +anything. Since even the sun deceives me, I believe in nothing." + +It is understood that with the coming of the fall all flies experienced +the same unhappy moods. They became very disagreeable. Not a sign of +their former gayety remained. They became gloomy, indolent and +dissatisfied. Some of them even began to bite, which they had never +been known to do before. + +Our Fly's disposition became so bad she didn't know herself. She had +always been so sorry for other flies. Now when they perished, she +thought only of herself. She was even ashamed to speak the thoughts +that were in her mind, "Let them perish, then there will be more left +for me." In the first place, there were not many warm corners where a +decent fly could spend the winter. In the second place, the other flies +were very annoying, always in the way, snatching from under her nose +the very best tidbits, and behaving badly in general. Besides, it was +time for them to rest. + +The flies seemed to understand the cruel thoughts of our Fly and they +fell by the hundreds. They didn't seem to die--just to fall asleep. +With each day their number grew smaller and smaller. There was no +longer any need of poison paper or glass fly-catchers. But all this was +not enough to satisfy our Fly. She wanted to be the only fly left in +the world. + + +III + +There came a very happy day. One morning our Fly woke up quite late. +She had felt a curious weariness for a long time and preferred to +remain immovable in her corner under the stove. And now she felt that +something unusual was going to happen. She flew to the window. The +first snow had fallen! The ground was covered with a brilliant, white, +shining sheet. + +"Oh, this must be winter!" Our Fly knew at once. "Winter is all white, +like a piece of sugar." + +Then our Fly noticed that all the other flies had disappeared. The poor +things could not survive the first frost and dropped off to sleep +wherever they happened to be. In former days, our Fly would have felt +very sorry for them. But now she thought, "This is splendid. Now I am +really the only one. No one will eat my jam, my sugar, my crumbs. This +is fine." + +She flew through all the rooms to convince herself that she was the +only fly left. Now she could do anything she pleased. It was so nice. +The house was so warm. Winter was there, out of doors; but inside the +house it was bright, warm, and cozy, especially in the evening when the +candles and lamps were lighted. A slight misfortune occurred when the +first lamp was lighted. Our Fly once more flew against it and was +almost scorched to death. + +"This must be the winter fly-trap," said our Fly, rubbing her burnt +legs. "Now you can't fool me. I know too much. You wish to burn the +Last Fly, do you? Well, that's the last thing that I want. There is +also a hot stove in the kitchen. Don't I know that, too, is a +fly-catcher?" + +The Last Fly was happy for a few days only. Then suddenly she felt +lonely, so lonely, so very lonely. Of course, she was warm and there +was plenty to eat, but still she was unhappy. She flew and rested and +ate. She flew again, but she felt lonelier than ever. + +"Oh, how lonely I am!" she buzzed in a thin, pitiful voice, flying from +one room to the other. "If there were only one other fly here! The +meanest, the worst of them, but only one fly!" + +No one seemed to understand the complaints of the Last Fly and this of +course made her cross. She flew about like one mad, alighting on this +one's nose, on that one's ear, or back and forth in front of people's +eyes. + +"Heavens, can't you understand? I am quite alone in the world and I am +very, very lonely," she would buzz at every one. "You don't even know +how to fly. How can you know loneliness? If someone were only to play +with me! But no, how can they? What can be clumsier and heavier than a +human being? The ugliest creatures I have ever met." + +The Last Fly annoyed the dog and the cat and everybody else. She was +most hurt when she heard Aunt Olga say, "Please don't touch the Last +Fly. Leave her alone. Let her live through the winter." This was +insulting! It sounded as if she was not even considered a fly. "Let +her live." What a kindness! + +"But I am so lonely! Maybe I don't want to live. That's all there's to +it." + +The Last Fly was so angry at everybody that she grew frightened at +herself. She flew, she buzzed, she squeaked, she squealed. The spider +in the corner finally took pity on her and said: + +"Dear fly, come to me. See how pretty my web is!" + +"Thank you very much," said the Last Fly. "Are you my new friend? I +know what your pretty cob web means. You were probably a human being at +one time who is now pretending to be a spider." + +"You know I wish you well," said the spider. + +"Oh, you ugly creature!" said the Fly. "To eat the Last Fly means to +wish me well, hey?" + +They had a great quarrel. Nevertheless, it was lonely, too lonely for +words to tell. The Fly was bitter against everybody. She grew weary and +in a loud voice announced: + +"Since all of you refuse to understand how lonely I am, I will sit here +in the corner the whole winter through. That's all there is to it! Yes, +I will stay in the corner and nothing will make me leave it. So there!" + +When she returned to her corner she cried, thinking of last summer's +gladness. There had been so many merry flies. How foolish she had been +to desire to be left alone. That had been a great mistake. + +The winter seemed endless and Last Fly was beginning to think that +summer would never return. She wished to die and she wept quietly. +Surely human beings invented winter. They always seemed to think of +things that harmed flies. Perhaps it was Aunt Olga who had hidden away +the summer, as she did sugar and jam. Last Fly was almost dead with +despair when something unexpected happened. + +One day she was sitting in her corner, as was her custom, when she +suddenly heard, "Buzz! Buzz!" She couldn't believe her own ears at +first and then she thought that someone was fooling her. And +then--heavens!--what was that? A real live fly! A Fly, very young, flew +past. It was just born and it was glad. + +"Spring is coming! Spring is coming!" it buzzed. + +How glad the two were to see each other! They embraced and kissed, and +licked each other's feelers. The Last Fly talked for days, telling her +new friend what an awful winter she had spent and how lonely she had +been. The young fly only laughed in her thin little voice. She couldn't +understand how anyone could be lonely. + +"Spring! Spring!" she joyfully repeated. + +When Aunt Olga ordered the winter windows removed and Verotchka leaned +out of the first open window, Last Fly knew what was happening. + +"Now, I know it all," buzzed Last Fly, flying out of the window. "We +flies make the summer." + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE STORY OF A BLACK-HEADED CROW AND A LITTLE YELLOW CANARY + + +I + +The Black-Headed Crow sat in a birch tree, pecking at a twig. Peck! +Peck! She cleaned her bill, looked around, and suddenly cawed, "Caw! +Caw!" + +The drowsy cat, Vaska, sitting on a fence, almost fell off with fright +at the noise and growled: + +"What is the matter with you, Blackhead? The Lord has given you some +voice! What are you happy about?" + +The Crow answered, "Leave me alone. Don't you see I'm busy? Caw! Caw! +Caw! So much to do, so much to do." + +"You poor thing," laughed Vaska. + +"Keep still, you lazy thing. Your sides must be all worn out with lying +about, forever baking in the sun; while I know no rest from early +morning. Look at me. Just see what I've done today. I perched on ten +roofs, flew over half the town, peeped into every corner and hole there +is, and now I must fly up the church steeple, visit the market, and dig +a little in the garden. But I'm really wasting time talking to you. +Too busy! Too busy! Caw! Caw! Caw!" + +The Crow pecked her beak for the last time against the twig, shook her +feathers out and was just ready to fly off when she heard a terrible +noise. A flock of sparrows was noisily chasing a tiny little yellow +bird. + +"Catch her! Catch her!" squawked the sparrows. + +"What's happened? Whither away?" cawed the Crow, following the +sparrows. + +The Crow flapped her wings ten times and caught up with the sparrows. +The tiny yellow bird, completely exhausted, dropped into the little +garden overgrown with bushes of lilacs, currants and syringa, to hide +from the pursuing sparrows. The little yellow bird hid under a bush and +there was the Crow. + +"Who are you?" cawed the Crow. + +The sparrows scattered over that bush like a handful of peas. They were +furious with the little yellow bird and wanted to peck her to death. + +"What do you want with her?" asked the Crow. + +"Why is she yellow?" peeped the sparrows in chorus. + +The Crow looked at the little yellow bird. She certainly was all +yellow. He jerked his head and said: + +"Oh, you mischiefs! Why, it isn't a bird at all! There never was a bird +like this! However, all you clear out. I must speak with this curiosity +that pretends to be a bird." + +The sparrows piped, chatted, and were very angry, but they had to clear +out. Conversations with a Crow are always very brief. He can peck you +to death, you know. + +After chasing the sparrows, the Crow questioned the little yellow bird +that was breathing heavily and looking pitifully at him with her little +black eyes. + +"Who are you?" asked the Crow. + +"I am a canary." + +"No fooling now, or you will get the worst of it. Remember, if it had +not been for me, the sparrows would have pecked you to death." + +"But I am a canary." + +"Where do you come from?" asked the Crow. + +"I lived in a cage. I was born in a cage. I grew up in a cage. But I +always wanted to fly about like other birds. The cage hung near the +window and I always watched other birds. They looked so happy and my +cage seemed so small. Well, one day when the little girl, Verotchka, +brought my cup of water, she left the door open and I flew out. I flew +about the room first and then I flew out through the open window." + +[Illustration] + +"What were you doing in a cage?" said the Crow. + +"I am a singer, you know." + +"Just sing for me, then," said the Crow. + +The Canary sang. The Crow, with his head tilted to one side, listened +and wondered. + +"You call this singing?" he exclaimed. "Ha! Ha! Ha! How foolish were +your masters to feed you for such singing. If they fed anyone, why +should it not have been a real bird like me? Just a while ago I cawed +and that rascal Vaska almost fell off the fence. That's what I call +singing." + +"I know Vaska, a most awful beast! Many a time he softly crept to my +cage, his green eyes burning, his claws out." + +"To some, he seems fierce, but not to others. That he is sly, is true, +but there is nothing fierce about him. However, we can talk about this +later, for somehow I cannot yet believe that you are a real bird." + +"But, Aunty, I am a bird. I am a real bird. All canaries are birds, you +know." + +"Very well. We shall see. How do you expect to make a living?" + +"I don't need very much, really. A few seeds, a bit of sugar and a bit +of toast. That is all." + +"What a lady you are! A bit of sugar indeed! You can do without sugar. +As for seeds, those might be found. On the whole, I like you. Do you +want to live with me? I have a splendid nest in the birch tree." + +"Thank you. But how about the sparrows?" + +"If you live with me, no one will dare to touch you. Not only the +sparrows, but even sly Vaska knows my character well. I don't like +fooling." + +The Canary at once took courage and flew off with the Crow. Yes, the +nest was fine. If there were only some toast and a wee bit of sugar! + + +II + +So the Canary and the Crow lived together in one nest. Although the +Crow liked to grumble occasionally, on the whole she was not unkind. +Her chief fault was that she envied everybody and very often considered +herself abused. + +"Will you tell me why the foolish hens are better than I? Just see how +they are cared for, fed and watched," she would complain to the Canary. +"Then look at the pigeons. Of what use are they? and still look at the +handfuls of oats they get. They are so foolish. Yet whenever I come +near I am chased from every corner. Is this just? And I'm scolded, too. +Haven't you noticed that I'm nicer than other birds and much prettier, +too? However, one should not say such things about oneself. Don't you +think so?" + +The Canary agreed with everything. + +"Yes, you are a big bird," she would say. + +"Here you are. They keep parrots in cages and look after them. Can you +see why the foolish parrot is better than I? He only knows how to +scream and chatter and no one can really understand what he says." + +"I know. We had a parrot that every one grew tired of," said the +Canary. + +"Yes, one can think of many birds that live, no one knows why. For +instance, the starling; it comes like a mad thing no one knows whence, +stays through the summer, and flies away again. There are also the +swallows, the bluebirds and nightingales, but one can't really count +all this rubbish. There isn't a single really desirable bird. Why, just +as soon as there is a cold breeze, all of them seem to fly away, the +Lord knows where." + +In reality, the Crow and the Canary did not understand each other. The +Canary could not understand a life of freedom; the Crow could not +understand a life of captivity. + +"Aunty, has no one ever thrown you a bit of seed," wondered the Canary, +"not a single grain?" + +"How foolish you are to talk of seeds, when I have to dodge sticks and +stones. People are very cruel." + +With this, the Canary could never agree, because people had always +been kind to her. She thought that the Crow imagined these things, but +the Canary was soon to see the cruelty of people. Once, perched on a +fence, she heard a heavy stone whizz over her very head. Some school +boys walking past the fence saw the Crow and couldn't resist throwing a +stone at her. + +"Now, have you seen for yourself?" asked the Crow, climbing upon the +roof. "People are always like that." + +"Perhaps you have done something to annoy them, Aunty." + +"Nothing at all. They are just cruel and all of them hate me." + +The Canary felt very sorry for the poor Crow whom no one loved. It must +be very hard to live under such circumstances. + +On the whole, there were many enemies. For instance, Vaska, with his +oily eyes, watching the birds and always feigning sleep. The Canary saw +with her own eyes how he caught a young inexperienced sparrow; one +could only see the feathers flying, and hear the bones crackling. +Horrible! Horrible! Then the hawks, too; very fine to watch them as +they sail up into the air, but suddenly you see them, like a heavy +stone dropping to the ground, and before you know it, a chick is in +their claws. + +All this the Canary saw. The Crow, however, was not afraid of either +cats or hawks. She often had a notion to have a taste of a young bird +herself. At first, the Canary could not believe this, but she really +did see this with her own eyes. A flock of sparrows were chasing the +Crow, chattering and screaming. + +"Let her go! Let her go!" screamed the sparrows, beside themselves, +flying over the Crow's nest in a frenzy. "This is awful! This is real +robbery!" + +The Crow hid deep in her nest and the Canary saw with horror a bleeding +sparrow, dead. + +"Aunty, what are you doing?" + +"Keep still!" said the Crow. + +Her eyes were horrible. They seemed to burn. The Canary had to shut her +own eyes for fear she would see the Crow gobbling up the poor little +victim. + +"Some day she may even eat me," thought the Canary. + +Having satisfied her hunger, the Crow grew kinder and kinder. She +cleaned her bill, perched comfortably and fell into a sweet slumber. +The Canary noticed that the Crow was very greedy and not very +particular as to what she ate. + +Sometimes she would carry a piece of bread, a bit of decayed meat, or +some leavings found in a dump hole. The dump hole the Crow liked best, +but the Canary could never understand the pleasure of digging in such +places. + +In fact, it was hard to blame the Crow. She alone ate in one day food +enough for twenty canaries. The Crow had only one care--food. Perched +on some roof, she was always on the lookout for food. + +When the Crow was too lazy to search for food, she would resort to +slyness. If she saw a flock of sparrows tearing at something, she would +fly right over to them, pretending she was just passing by, cawing with +her whole might, "Caw! Caw! I'm busy! I'm busy!" + +She would then swoop down, grab the booty, and that was the end of it. + +"But it isn't a bit nice to take food away from others," once remarked +the indignant Canary. + +"Isn't it? But what if I am hungry?" + +"Others are hungry, too," said the Canary. + +"Well, let them look out for themselves. It is easy enough for you, the +pets, cuddled in cages. We have to get our own food. You and the +sparrows--how much do you need? A few grains and you are satisfied for +the whole day." + + +III + +Summer passed unnoticed. The sun seemed to grow colder, the day +shorter. Rains began to fall. A cold wind blew. The Canary felt herself +a most unfortunate bird, especially when it rained. But the Crow did +not seem to mind it. + +"What if it does rain? It will stop," said the Crow. + +"But it is so cold, too cold, Aunty," said the Canary. + +It was especially hard at night. The little wet Canary would shiver +with cold and the Crow would scold at her. + +"Oh, you baby! What will you do when the real frost comes and the snow +falls?" + +The Crow was puzzled. "What sort of bird is this that is afraid of +rain, wind and cold?" And she began to doubt once more whether the +Canary was a real bird, after all. "Surely she must be pretending." + +"Truly, Aunty, I am a real bird," the Canary would assert with tears in +her eyes, "even if I do feel cold sometimes." + +"Look out, now! It always seems to me that you are only pretending to +be a bird," said the Crow. + +"Honestly, Aunty, I'm not pretending." + +Sometimes the Canary would try to think about her future. Perhaps it +would have been better to have stayed in the cage, after all. There it +was warm and one always had plenty to eat. + +Several times she flew up to the window, where her old cage hung. Two +new canaries looked out at her and envied her. + +"Oh, how cold it is!" pitifully piped the freezing Canary. "How I would +like to be in there with you." + +One morning the Canary looked out of the Crow's nest. She was +astonished at the dreary sight. Over night, the ground had been covered +with the first snow. Everything was white, but, saddest of all, the +snow covered all the grains on which the Canary fed. There remained +only the mountain ash berry, but she couldn't possibly eat that! It +was too sour! As for the Crow, she ate that, saying, "Very fine!" + +After starving two whole days, the Canary was in despair. + +"What is going to happen to me? I will die of hunger," thought the +Canary. + +The next day the Canary sat wondering when suddenly she saw coming into +the garden the very same boys who had thrown stones at the Crow. They +spread a net on the ground and covered it with very tasty bird seed +then went away. + +"These boys aren't so bad," said the happy Canary, looking at the +seeds. "Look, Aunty, the boys have brought me some food." + +"Very fine food, I must say," croaked the Crow. "Don't you dare stick +your bill in there! Do you hear me! If you try to get that seed, you +will be caught in the net." + +"And what will happen then?" asked the Canary. + +"Why, they will put you into a cage again," said the Crow. + +The Canary grew thoughtful. She wanted food, but she did not want a +cage. Of course, it was cold and at times there was little to eat. +Still, life in freedom was better, especially when it did not rain. For +several days the Canary was strong. But hunger was stronger. Finally +she just had to yield to her longing for food. She was caught in the +net. + +"Help! Help!" piped the Canary pitifully. "I will never do it again. It +is better to die of hunger than to live in a cage." + +The Canary now thought that there was nothing in the whole world nicer +than the Crow's nest. Of course, it was cold and occasionally one had +no food. But there was freedom. One could fly about wherever one +pleased. She wept, waiting for the boys to come to put her into the +cage. But as luck would have it, the Crow passed by that very moment +and spied the Canary in difficulty. + +"You are foolish," scolded the Crow. "Didn't I tell you not to touch +those seeds?" + +"Aunty, I'll never do it again." + +The Crow was just in time. The boys were already on their way to fetch +their victim. The Crow tore the net quickly with her beak. The Canary +was free. + +The boys chased the Crow, throwing sticks and stones and scolding her +for some time. + +"How nice it is to be free," chirped the glad Canary, finding herself +once more in the Crow's nest. + +"Of course, it's nice. You'd better take care if you want to stay +free," scolded the Crow. + +The Canary, safe in the Crow's nest, started life anew. Never again did +she complain of either cold or hunger. + +One day, the Crow flew away in search of food and stayed all night in +the field. When she returned she found the little Canary lying in the +nest with her little legs up--cold and stiff. + +The Crow tilted her head to one side and looking very closely at the +Canary, she said: + +"Well, I told you you were not a real bird." + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE WISEST OF ALL + + +I + +Turkey Gobbler awoke as usual before any one else. It was still dark. +He woke up his wife and said: + +"Am I not the wisest of all?" + +Turkey Hen was not quite awake. She coughed and then answered: + +"Oh, you are very wise. Khe! Khe! Khe! Who does not know that? Khe! +Khe! Khe!" + +"No, it isn't enough to say 'wisest of all,'" said Turkey Gobbler. +"There are plenty of wise birds, but the wisest of all is one, and that +is I." + +"The wisest of all! Khe! Khe! Khe! The wisest of all! Khe! Khe! Khe!" + +"That's right," said Turkey Gobbler. + +A little cross, Turkey Gobbler added in a voice that other birds might +hear: + +"Do you know, I think that I am not respected enough." + +"You only imagine that. Khe! Khe!" + +Turkey Hen calmed him, at the same time smoothing her feathers that had +ruffled over night. + +"You only think that, for one could not imagine a wiser bird than you. +Khe! Khe!" + +"What about the Gander? Oh, I see everything. Of course, he is silent +most of the time, never saying anything directly, but I feel that +silently he does not respect me." + +"Don't pay any attention to him," said Turkey Hen. "He isn't worth it. +Khe! Khe! Haven't you noticed how foolish he is?" + +"Any one can see that," said Turkey Gobbler. "It is written all over +his face, 'Foolish Gander,' and nothing else. But it isn't really the +Gander, for, after all, can one be angry with a fool? The Rooster, for +instance. The most ordinary Rooster. Did you hear him scream at me the +other day? He screamed so loudly that all the neighbors heard him. It +seemed to me he was saying I was foolish or something like that." + +"How strange you are," said Turkey Hen, astonished. "Don't you know why +Rooster screams?" + +"Why?" asked Turkey Gobbler. + +"Khe! Khe! Khe! It's very simple and everybody knows it. You're a Cock +and he's a Cock. Only he is a very, very common Cock, while you are a +real beyond-the-sea Indian Cock. That's why he screams with envy. Every +bird wishes to be an Indian Cock. Khe! Khe!" + +"But that's hard to be, mother. Ha! ha! ha! Some ambition for a common +little Rooster to become a Turkey Gobbler! No, sir. That never can be!" +said Turkey Gobbler. + +Turkey Hen was a very modest, kind bird. She was always worried when +Turkey Gobbler quarreled with anyone. + +This morning, he was hardly awake when he was thinking with whom to +pick a quarrel and fight. He was a restless bird, though not unkind. +Turkey Hen was often hurt when other birds made sport of Turkey +Gobbler, calling him, "Old Stuck-Up" or "Chatterbox" or "Empty-Head." +They were partly right, of course. But then, there are no birds without +faults. That's why it is pleasant to find in another bird even the +tiniest shortcomings. + +The birds, now awakened, proceeded from the poultry house into the +barnyard, and at once there arose a horrible clatter. The hens made the +most noise; they ran around the yard, they climbed on the kitchen +windows, and they screamed, beside themselves, + +"Cut-a-cut! Cut-a-cut! Cut-a-cut! We are hungry! Cook Matryona must +either be dead or she wants to starve us to death." + +"Ladies and gentlemen, have patience!" remarked Gander, standing on one +leg. "Look at me. I, too, am hungry, but I don't shout in the way you +do. If I were to open my mouth and scream, 'Quack! Quack!' or louder, +'QUACK! QUACK! QUACK!'..." + +Gander quacked so loudly that Cook Matryona awakened immediately. + +"It's easy for him to talk of patience," grumbled a Duck. "His throat +is like a megaphone. If I had a neck as long as his, and a bill as +strong as his, I'd also preach patience. I would also have my food +before any one else, and preach patience to the others. We know Master +Gander's patience." + +Rooster, supporting Duck in this, screamed, "Yes, it's easy for Gander +to talk of patience. Who pulled out two of my finest tail feathers +yesterday? It is dishonorable to grab hold of a bird's tail. Of course, +we quarreled slightly and I won't deny that I intended to pick Gander's +head, but then I was to blame, not my poor tail. Am I not right, ladies +and gentlemen?" + +Hungry birds, like hungry people, become unjust--just because they are +hungry. + + +II + +Turkey Gobbler, through sheer pride, never scrambled for food like +other birds. He always waited patiently for Matryona to chase some +greedy bird away and to call him. + +It was the same this morning. Turkey Gobbler strutted along the side of +the fence, pretending to be looking for something. + +"Khe! Khe! I am so hungry," complained Turkey Hen, stepping along +behind her husband. "Cook Matryona has already strewn the oats and now, +I think, the leftover cereal of yesterday is coming. Khe! Khe! Oh, how +I do love cereal! I think I could eat nothing but cereal the rest of my +life. I even dream of cereal sometimes." + +Turkey Hen liked to complain when she was hungry and she demanded +sympathy from Turkey Gobbler. Compared with other birds, she looked +like an old woman, humping her back and coughing. She even walked with +a broken gait, as if her legs didn't belong to her. + +"Yes, it would be nice to have some cereal," said Turkey Gobbler, +agreeing with her. "But a wise bird never scrambles for food. Am I not +right? If my master does not feed me, then I die of hunger. Just let +him find another Turkey Gobbler like me!" + +"There is not another like you," said Turkey Hen. + +"Of course not," said her husband. + +"In reality, cereal is nothing. It is not a question of cereal, but of +Matryona. Am I not right? As long as there is Matryona there will be +cereal. Everything in the world depends upon Matryona--oats, cereal, +grains and crusts of bread." + +In spite of these discussions, Turkey Gobbler began to feel the pangs +of hunger. He became very sad indeed. + +All the birds had been fed, and still Matryona did not call him. Could +she have forgotten him? That would be no joke. + +Then something happened which caused Turkey Gobbler to forget his +hunger. + +A young hen, walking near the barn, began to call, "Cut-a-cut! +Cut-a-cut! Cut-a-cut!" All the other hens took up the call at once, +screaming with all their might, "Cut-a-cut! Cut-a-cut!" Loudest of all +was Rooster, of course, with his "Cock-a-doodle-doo! Who's there?" + +Attracted by the noise, all the birds ran toward the barn. There they +saw a most unusual sight. Close to the barn, in a hole, lay something +gray and round and all covered with sharp needles. + +"Just an ordinary stone," said one. + +"It's moving," exclaimed Little Hen. "I also thought it was a stone, +but it moved when I came close, and it seems to me that I saw eyes. +Stones have no eyes, you know." + +[Illustration] + +"A foolish hen can see anything if she is frightened," remarked Turkey +Gobbler. "Perhaps it ... it ..." + +He was interrupted by Gander, who screamed: + +"It's a mushroom. I have seen mushrooms just like this, only they had +no needles." + +Everybody laughed loudly at the Gander. + +"It looks more like a hat," someone ventured to say, but this remark, +too, met with laughter. + +"A hat has no eyes." + +"Let us waste no time in empty conversation. Let us act," decided the +Rooster for everybody. "Hey, you thing full of needles, you speak for +yourself! What sort of beast are you? I like no fooling. Do you hear?" + +As there was no answer, the Rooster felt insulted, and threw himself +upon the unknown offender. He tried to peck him once or twice but +stepped aside, abashed. + +"It is nothing but a huge pine cone," he said. "Nothing tasty about it. +Would someone like to try?" + +Everybody chattered, saying the first thing that occurred to him. + +There was no end to the different opinions. Turkey Gobbler was the only +silent one. All the others chattered while he listened to their +foolishness. They clattered and chattered for a long time, until +someone shouted: + +"Ladies and gentlemen, we are wasting time, and needlessly tiring +ourselves, when we have Turkey Gobbler with us. He knows everything." + +"I do, indeed!" said Turkey Gobbler, spreading his tail and puffing out +his red wattles. + +"If you do, then tell us who is this strange creature." + +"And if I don't want to tell you? Just refuse to tell you?" said Turkey +Gobbler. + +Then all the birds began to beg him to tell them. + +"You are our wisest bird, Turkey Gobbler. Please tell us. It will cost +you nothing." + +Turkey Gobbler plumed himself for a time and finally said: + +"Very well. I will. Yes, I will tell you. But first you must answer +me--what do you think of me?" + +"Who doesn't know? You are the wisest of all!" they answered in chorus. +"Isn't there a saying, 'As wise as a Turkey?'" + +"Then you do respect me?" asked Turkey Gobbler. + +"Of course we do. All of us respect you." + +Turkey Gobbler plumed himself some more, puffed up his red wattles, +strutted around the strange beast three times and finally said: + +"This is.... So you want to know what this is?" + +"We do! Please tell us! Don't torture us any longer!" said the others. + +"This ... but it is creeping!" said Turkey Gobbler. + +The fowls felt like laughing at him when a giggle was heard and a thin +little voice said: + +"There is the wisest bird of all! He! He! He!" And from under the +needles appeared a black snout and two tiny black eyes. The tiny black +snout sniffed the air and said: + +"Hello, everybody! Is it possible that you do not recognize +Porcupine--Porcupine Gray? Pardon me ... but what a funny Turkey +Gobbler you have! I really do not know how to say it politely ... but +your Turkey Gobbler is stupid." + + +III + +Everybody was horrified at this insult that Porcupine hurled at Turkey +Gobbler. Of course, Turkey Gobbler did say a foolish thing just now, +but it does not mean that Porcupine has any right to insult him. + +It is very rude to enter a house and then to insult the master. You +must admit that a Turkey Gobbler is a very dignified and imposing bird. +There is surely no comparison between him and a Gray Porcupine. + +Suddenly, everybody sided with Turkey Gobbler and there arose a +terrific clatter. + +"Porcupine probably thinks that all of us are foolish," said Rooster, +flapping his wings. + +"He insulted all of us! If any one is foolish, it is surely the +Porcupine himself," said Gander, stretching his neck. "I noticed that +at once." + +"How can mushrooms be foolish?" answered Porcupine. + +"Ladies and gentlemen, we are wasting time talking to him," shouted +Rooster. "He will not understand us, anyway. If, instead, you, Mr. +Gander, were to grab his needles on one side, and Master Gobbler and I +on the other side, we would at once know who is the wiser, for you +cannot hide brains under foolish needles." + +"I am ready," replied Gander. "It would be better still if I were to +grab his needles in the back and you, Master Rooster, pecked his +snout. Then, ladies and gentlemen, it will be seen who is the wisest." + +Turkey Gobbler was silent all this time. At first, he was overwhelmed +by the Porcupine's impudence and he did not know what answer to make. +Then Turkey Gobbler grew so angry, so angry that he was horrified at +himself. His first wish was to throw himself upon the offender and tear +him into tiny bits. Then would the world see and be convinced what a +strict and serious bird a Turkey Gobbler is. He even started in +Porcupine's direction, blowing himself up more and more, and just as he +was about to throw himself upon Porcupine everybody began shouting and +scolding the stranger. Turkey Gobbler stopped and waited patiently to +see the end of it all. + +When Rooster suggested that they grab Porcupine's needles and drag him +in different directions, Turkey Gobbler stopped his ardor. + +"Ladies and gentlemen," said he, "perhaps all this can be settled +amicably. Yes, it seems to me there is a little misunderstanding here. +Leave the whole thing to me." + +"Very well. Let us wait," agreed the Rooster, unwillingly. He was eager +to fight Porcupine. "I know nothing will come of it." + +"This is my affair," answered Turkey Gobbler calmly. "Just stay around +and hear what I say." + +All the birds formed a ring around Porcupine and waited. + +Turkey Gobbler walked around the stranger, coughed and said: + +"Listen, Mr. Porcupine. Let us have a serious explanation. In general, +I do not like domestic troubles." + +"Heavens! How wise! How wise he is!" thought Turkey Hen, listening to +her husband, silent with admiration. + +"First of all, I want you to understand that you are in respectable, +well-behaved society," said Turkey Gobbler, "and that means something. +Yes, you may consider it an honor to get into our company." + +"True! True!" shouted several. + +"But this is between ourselves. The main thing is not ..." here Turkey +Gobbler stopped, was silent a moment for better effect, then continued, +"Yes, the main thing is--did you really think that we had no idea what +a Porcupine was? I have no doubt that Gander was only joking when he +took you for a mushroom. And I can say the same of what Rooster and +the others said. Am I not right, ladies and gentlemen?" + +"You certainly are, Turkey Gobbler," shouted the fowls in a voice so +loud, that poor Gray Porcupine tucked in her little black snout. + +"Oh, how wise he is!" thought Turkey Hen, beginning to understand what +her husband was driving at. + +"You see, Master Porcupine," continued Turkey Gobbler, "we all like our +little jokes. I will not speak for myself. Why not have a little joke? +And as I see it, you, Mr. Porcupine, seem also to be of a merry +disposition." + +"And you guessed right," admitted Porcupine, once more showing his +little black snout. "I have such a merry disposition that I cannot +sleep at night. Many cannot stand that, but sleeping bores me." + +"You will probably agree best with our Rooster, who crows like mad all +night," said Turkey Gobbler. + +Everybody suddenly became gay. They all felt Porcupine was there to +complete their happiness. + +Turkey Gobbler was triumphant at so cleverly getting out of an awkward +situation caused by Porcupine's laughing in his face and calling him +stupid. + +"Now Mr. Porcupine," said Turkey Gobbler, winking, "confess that even +you were joking when you said that I was not a wise bird." + +"Of course, I was joking," said Porcupine, reassuring him. "I have a +merry disposition. I love to joke." + +"Yes, yes, I was quite sure of that. Ladies and gentlemen, have you +heard him?" asked Turkey Gobbler. + +"Of course, we did. No one could doubt it. He was joking." + +Turkey Gobbler bent close to Porcupine's ear and whispered: + +"I want to tell you a horrible secret. But only on one condition--don't +breathe it to a soul. It is true ... I am a little ashamed to talk +about myself ... but how can I help it? I am the wisest bird! At times, +it even embarrasses me, but as the wise Russians say, 'You can't hide +an awl in a sack.' Please not a word of this to anyone!" + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE STORY OF LITTLE MILK, LITTLE CEREAL AND GRAY KITTEN, MOORKA + + +I + +It was wonderful. It was wonderful that it happened every day. As soon +as Cook placed the pot of milk and the earthenware oatmeal pan upon the +stove, it would all begin. At first, there was silence; then +conversation. + +"I am Little Milk." + +"And I am Little Cereal." + +At first, conversation was carried on in whispers. But gradually both +Little Cereal and Little Milk would grow more and more excited. + +"I AM LITTLE MILK!" + +"AND I AM LITTLE CEREAL!" + +The cereal was generally covered with an earthenware cover and she +grumbled away in her pot like an old woman. When she grew angry, there +came to the top a bubble that burst and said: + +"Still, I am Little Cereal. Puff!!" + +This boasting was offensive to Little Milk. + +"My what a wonder! As if one had never seen oatmeal cereal before!" and +Little Milk would grow more and more excited until rising to the top +in a foam, she tried to get out from the pot. No sooner would Cook turn +her head away than Little Milk would run all over the hot stove. + +"Oh, this milk," complained Cook every time it happened. "No sooner do +I take my eyes off it than it runs over." + +"I can't help my fiery temper," would reply Little Milk, defending +herself. "It doesn't make me happy to be angry and to hear the +boastings of Cereal, 'I'm Cereal! I'm Cereal! I'm Cereal!' To see her +sitting there in her pan and grumbling makes me angrier and angrier." + +It happened sometimes that, in spite of the cover, Little Cereal would +escape from her pan and creep along the stove, forever repeating: + +"I'm Cereal! I'm Cereal! I'm Cereal! Z-h-h! Z-h-h!" + +Of course, this did not happen every day, but it did happen, and each +time, Cook in despair would say: + +"Oh, this Cereal! It is amazing how it will not stay in the pan." + + +II + +As a rule, Cook was excited. Of course, there were plenty of reasons +for her agitation. For instance, there was Kitty Moorka. He was a very +beautiful cat and Cook loved him very much. In the morning, Moorka +would follow at the Cook's heels and meow so pitifully that it would +melt a heart of stone. + +"Isn't your belly ever filled?" asked Cook, astonished, chasing the +cat. "Just think of all that liver you ate last night." + +"But that was yesterday," answered Moorka, astonished in his turn. +"To-day, I am hungry again. Meow." + +"Why don't you catch mice if you're hungry? Lazy! That's what you are!" + +"Talking is very easy. I'd like to see you catch a mouse," Moorka +defended himself. "However, I always try hard. Who caught a mouse last +week? Who had a scratch the full length of his nose? That's the kind of +rat I almost caught. Then she grabbed hold of my nose. It's easy to +talk of catching mice. Indeed!" + +After eating his liver, Moorka would sit somewhere near the stove where +it was warm, close his eyes and doze sweetly. + +"I hope you're full, now," said Cook. "Even your eyes are squinting. +Well, you lie-on-your-side cat? Always meat, meat, meat!" + +"I'm no vegetarian, you know. I can eat meat!" said Moorka, opening +just one eye. "You know I like fish too. It is really pleasant to eat +fish, and up to this moment, I can't say which I like better, liver or +fish. Out of politeness, I like both. If I were a man, I'd be either a +fishman or the butcher-boy who brings us the liver. I'd feed all the +cats from every corner of the earth, and I myself would always have my +fill." + +After eating, Moorka would grow interested in things going on around +him, just by way of amusement. He would sit on the window where the +starling's cage hung. It was pleasant to watch the foolish bird, +hopping back and forth. + +"I know you, you old rascal!" the starling would call to him. "You +don't have to be watching me!" + +"Perhaps I would like to make your acquaintance," said Moorka. + +"Yes, I know how you make friends," said the starling. "Didn't I see +you eat a real live baby sparrow? You disgusting brute!" + +"I'm not at all disgusting. On the contrary, everybody loves me," said +Moorka. "Come to me. I'll tell you a fairy tale." + +"Oh, you rascal!" said the starling. "I know what a fine story-teller +you are. Haven't I seen you tell stories to a roasted spring chicken +stolen from the kitchen? I know you! You're a fine one!" + +"Just as you like," said Moorka. "I was thinking only of your pleasure. +As for that roasted spring chicken, I did eat him. But anyhow, he +wasn't good for anything else." + + +III + +Every morning, Moorka would sit near the stove and listen patiently to +the quarreling of Little Milk and Little Cereal. He could never +understand what it was all about and only blinked his eyes. + +"I am Little Milk!" + +"I am Little Cereal! Cereal! Cereal!" + +"I can't understand a word of it. No, I don't understand it. Why are +they angry? If I were to repeat, 'I'm a Cat! I'm a Cat! I'm a Cat!' +could any one take offense at it? I can't understand it at all. +However, I must confess I prefer Milk, especially when she isn't +angry." + +When they quarreled, Little Cereal and Little Milk would become so +heated, they ran all over the stove. Then there arose a horrible smell. +Cook would rush in, wringing her hands, and crying: + +"Whatever shall I do now? I can never turn my head away without having +something happen." + +Setting Milk and Cereal aside, Cook went to market for provisions. +Moorka at once made the best of this. He sat down close to Little Milk +and said: + +"Mistress Milk, please don't be angry." + +[Illustration] + +Little Milk grew calmer as the cat watched her. Moorka walked around +the spot several times, fixed his whiskers very gently and said: + +"Listen, folks! It isn't nice to quarrel. Choose me for your judge and +I'll settle your affairs very quickly." + +The black roach, sitting in the crack of the wall, almost choked with +laughter. + +"A judge indeed! I must say! Ha! Ha! Ha! It took you to think of it, +you old rascal." + +But Little Milk and Little Cereal were very glad to have someone settle +their quarrel at last, for they really did not know why they were +quarreling or what it was all about. + +"Very well. Very well. I'll unravel this," said Kitty Moorka. "And +I'll do it honestly. Let us begin with Milk." + +He walked around the pot several times, touched Little Milk gently with +his paw, blew upon her again and started lapping her up. + +"Help Help!" shouted the black roach. "He will lap up all the milk and +I will be blamed for it." + +When Cook returned from market and looked for the milk, the pot was +empty. Cat Moorka was sleeping sweetly near the stove as if nothing had +happened. + +"You good-for-nothing!" scolded Cook, pulling his ear. "Tell me, who +drank the milk?" + +It was very painful, but Moorka pretended not to understand anything. +He had suddenly become speechless! Then he was thrown out of the +kitchen. + +Behind the door, he shook himself, smoothed his ruffled fur, curved +his tail and said: + +"If I were Cook, all the cats would drink milk day and night. However, +I am not angry with my Cook, because this is something she can never +really understand!" + +[Illustration] + + + + +BED TIME + + +I + +Little Verotchka's one little eye is falling asleep. Verotchka's one +little ear is falling asleep. + +"Father, are you here?" + +"Yes, dear child." + +"You know, father, I want to be a Queen." + +Verotchka sleeps. She smiles as she sleeps. + +There are so many flowers. All of them are smiling. They surround +Verotchka's little bed; they whisper and laugh in their thin little +voices. + +There are crimson flowers, blue flowers, yellow flowers, azure, pink, +scarlet, white, as if a rainbow, falling, struck the earth and +scattered its living sparks into many-colored lights. + +"Verotchka wants to be a Queen," gaily proclaimed the Field Bluebells, +swaying on their thin, green stems. + +"Oh, how comical she is!" whispered the modest Forget-me-nots. + +"Ladies and gentlemen, this affair needs serious discussion," said the +yellow Dandelion pertly. + +"What does it mean to be a Queen?" asked the blue Cornflower. "I grew +up in a field and I cannot understand your city ways." + +"It's very simple," said the pink Carnation. "It is so simple it +requires no explaining. A Queen is ... is ... is.... You don't seem to +understand.... How strange you are! A Queen is like a flower, as pink +as I am. In other words, Verotchka wants to be a pink Carnation. Isn't +that simple?" + +Everybody laughed gaily. Only the Roses were silent. They were much +offended. + +"Who doesn't know that the Queen of Flowers is a Rose--delicate, +fragrant, marvellous? And suddenly a mere pink Carnation calls herself +a Queen. It's all nonsense." + +Finally one Rose grew angry and, turning scarlet, she said: "Pardon me. +Verotchka wants to be a Rose. A Rose is the Queen because everybody +loves her." + +"Oh, that is nice," said Dandelion, growing angry. "If that's the case, +where do I come in?" + +"Dandelion, please don't be angry," pleaded the Wood Bluebells. "It +spoils your temper and it is very ugly to be angry. Look at us. We are +silent, although we know perfectly well Verotchka wants to be a Wood +Bluebell." + + +II + +There were many flowers and they all talked calmly without arguing. + +All the field flowers, Lilies-of-the-Valley, Violets, Forget-me-nots, +Bluebells, Cornflowers, Field Clovers, were so very modest; while the +cultivated flowers, like the Roses, Tulips, Lilies, Narcissuses, put on +airs like rich children in their Sunday clothes. + +Verotchka loved the modest field flowers best. Of these, she would make +wreaths and bouquets for the table. They were all so nice. + +"Verotchka loves us very much," whispered the Violets. "We are the +first to arrive in spring. We come here as soon as the snow melts." + +"And we, too," said the Lilies-of-the-Valley. "We are also spring +flowers. We are not exacting; we come direct from the woods." + +"It is not our fault that it is too cold for us to grow in the fields," +complained the fragrant curly Stocks and Hyacinths. "We are only +visitors here. Our native land is far away, in a warm country where +there is no winter. Oh, it is so nice there! We are always longing for +our native land. Your north is so cold. Verotchka loves us, and very +much, too." + +"It is also very nice here," argued the Field Flowers. "Of course, it +is very cold at times, but it is healthy. The frost kills our bitterest +enemies, worms and bugs of all kinds. If not for frost, life would be +very difficult." + +"We also like cold," said the Roses. + +The Azaleas and Camelias agreed with this. They all liked the cold when +they were through blooming. + +"Ladies and gentlemen, let us talk about our native countries," +suggested White Narcissus. "It will be so interesting. Verotchka will +listen, because she loves us all." + +Then they all talked together. Roses, with tears, remembered the Vale +of Shiraz in Persia; the Hyacinths recalled Palestine; the Azaleas, +America; the Lilies, Egypt; the flowers gathered there were from all +corners of the earth and each one could tell many wonderful stories. +Most of them came from the South, where there is no winter and much +sunshine. + +There it is lovely--the summer is eternal. The south is full of +enormous trees, wonderful birds, many butterflies, beauties, resembling +flying flowers, and flowers resembling butterflies. + +"We are only visitors here in the North. At times, we feel very cold," +whispered all these southern flowers. + +The native Field Flowers felt sorry for them. Really, it must take a +good deal of patience to stand the cold north wind, the cold rain and +the falling snow. Of course, the spring snow melts quickly, but it is +snow, nevertheless. + +"You have one great fault," exclaimed the Cornflower, after listening +to all these stories. "I don't deny you are, at times, more beautiful +than we, simple Field Flowers. I readily admit that, and then you, too, +you are our dear visitors, but your main fault is that you grow only +for the few rich, while we grow for everybody. In that we are kinder +than you. For example, look at me! You will find me in the hands of +every country child. Just see how much pleasure I give to the children +of the poor! No one has to pay money to buy me. It takes only a walk in +the woods to get me. I grow among the wheat, the rye, and the oats." + + +III + +Little Verotchka listened and wondered at these stories of the flowers. +She longed to see everything for herself--all the wonderful countries +of which the flowers spoke. + +"If I were only a Swallow I would fly thither at once," said Verotchka. +"Why haven't I wings! Oh, it would be so nice to be a bird!" + +She had hardly finished speaking when a little Lady Bug crept up to +her,--a real Lady Bug all red with tiny black spots, a little black +head, thin little black feelers and thin little black legs. + +"Let us fly, Verotchka," whispered Lady Bug, twitching her feelers. + +"But I have no wings, Lady Bug," said Verotchka. + +"Get on my back." + +"How can I? You are so small, Lady Bug." + +"Just watch me," said Lady Bug. + +Verotchka watched and wondered more and more. Lady Bug stretched out +her strong upper wings and doubled in size; then she opened her thin +cobwebby lower wings and grew still larger. She grew under Verotchka's +very eyes and she became so large--large enough for Verotchka to sit +comfortably upon her back between her red wings. + +"Are you comfortable, Verotchka?" asked Lady Bug. + +"Very," said Verotchka. + +"Then hold on tight," said Lady Bug. + +Then they flew. At first Verotchka was afraid and closed her eyes. It +seemed to her that it was not she who was flying, but as if cities, +woods, rivers and mountains were flying beneath her. Then it seemed as +if she had grown small--as small as a pin head and as light as the down +of Dandelion. + +Lady Bug flew fast and faster, so fast that the air whistled through +her wings. + +"Look down, Verotchka," said Lady Bug. + +Verotchka looked down and clapped her hands. + +"Oh, how many Roses--red, yellow, white, pink," exclaimed Verotchka. +The world seemed to be covered with a carpet of swaying Roses. "Let us +descend," begged Verotchka of the Lady Bug. + +They descended and Verotchka grew big again, as big as she was before, +and Lady Bug grew tiny again. + +For a long time Verotchka ran about in the rose-field and gathered a +huge bunch of Roses. How beautiful they were! Their perfume made one +faint. If one could only carry the rose-field to the North, where Roses +were mere visitors! + +"Now, let us go further," said Lady Bug, stretching out her wings +again. Again, Lady Bug grew large and larger and Verotchka grew small +and smaller. + + +IV + +Again they flew. It was all so nice. Above, the sky so blue; beneath, +the water still bluer. They flew over a steep rocky shore. + +"Will we really fly across the sea?" asked Verotchka. + +"Yes. But you must sit still and hold me tight," said Lady Bug. + +At first, Verotchka was afraid, but after a while she wasn't. There was +nothing but sky and sea. On the sea sailed ships like huge birds with +white wings. The little boats looked like flies. + +Everything was lovely--so nice. Way yonder was the shore, low, yellow, +sandy. It was the mouth of some huge river and near it gleamed a city +all white, as if built of sugar. Still beyond, one saw a dead desert, +where stood the Pyramids. Lady Bug descended upon the bank of the +river. Upon it grew tall Papyrus and among them were Lilies, wonderful, +delicate. + +"Your home is very lovely," said Verotchka to the Lilies. "Does winter +never come here to you?" + +"What is winter?" asked the Lilies, wonderingly. + +"Winter is the time snow falls," said Verotchka. + +"And what is snow?" asked the Lilies. + +The Lilies even laughed at Verotchka. They thought the little northern +girl was making fun of them. It is true that every fall huge flocks of +birds from the North visited them and told them about the winter. But +these birds had never really seen winter. They were only repeating what +they had heard and Verotchka could not believe that there was no +winter, for that meant no need of warm coats or warm shoes. + +[Illustration] + +They flew further. Verotchka wondered no longer at the blue sea, the +mountains, the sun-kissed desert and the Hyacinths. + +"I'm too warm," complained Verotchka. "You know, Lady Bug, I don't +think it's nice to have summer all the time." + +"It all depends upon what one is accustomed to," said Lady Bug. + +They flew towards high mountains, the tops of which were always white +with snow. There it wasn't so warm. Beyond the mountains, stretched +deep, dark forests. Under the forest trees, it was dark, for the rays +of the sun never penetrated beyond the thick tree tops. Monkeys swung +from bough to bough. The woods were full of birds--green, yellow, +blue. But the most wonderful of all were the flowers growing directly +from the tree trunks. There were flowers like fire, flowers of all +colors, flowers that looked like birds and butterflies. The whole +forest seemed to blaze with many-colored living fires. + +"These are Orchids," explained Lady Bug. + +Here it was all a tangle. It was impossible to walk. + +They flew further. Beneath them, a huge river spread between green +banks. Lady Bug alighted upon a huge white flower that grew in the +water. Verotchka had never before seen a flower so large as this. + +"This is a holy flower," explained Lady Bug. "It is called 'Lotus.'" + + +V + +Little Verotchka had seen so much that she finally grew tired and +wanted to go home. Home is best. + +"I love white snow," said Verotchka. "It isn't nice without winter." + +Again they flew. The higher they flew, the colder it grew. Soon there +appeared beneath them white fields and only the pine woods were green. +Verotchka was so happy when she saw the first fir-tree. + +"Little Fir-Tree! Little Fir-Tree!" called Verotchka. + +"Hello, Verotchka," answered the Little Fir-Tree beneath her. + +This was a real Christmas tree. Verotchka knew her at once. That dear +Christmas tree! Verotchka bent down to tell her how lovely she was and +all of a sudden she felt herself going down, down, down. + +It was frightful. She turned somersaults in the air several times, and +then fell right into the soft white snow. Verotchka closed her eyes +with fear and didn't know whether she was dead or alive. + +"How did you get here, Little One?" asked somebody. + +Verotchka opened her eyes and saw a bent, old man, all gray. She knew +him at once. It was the same old man who brought Christmas trees and +golden stars, boxes of candy and wonderful toys, to the good children. +He was so kind, this old man; he picked her up in his arms and covered +her with his fur coat, asking her again: + +"How did you come here, Little Girl?" + +"I travelled on Lady Bug's back, and I saw so much, Grandfather!" + +"So, so." + +"I know you, Grandfather. You bring Christmas trees to children." + +"Yes, yes. I'm fixing one now." And he pointed to a tall pole that +didn't look like a Christmas tree at all. + +"What sort of Christmas tree is that, Grandfather? It's nothing but a +long stick." + +"Wait and see," said Grandfather. + +Grandfather carried Verotchka into a tiny village almost buried in +snow. Only the roofs and chimneys were visible. The country children +were all waiting for the old grandfather. They jumped and shouted, when +they saw him. + +"Christmas tree! Christmas tree!" + +They came to the first hut. Grandfather got an unbroken sheaf of oats, +tied it to the end of the pole and stuck the pole on the roof. +Immediately the tiny birds that do not go away for the winter flew +upon it from all sides and began pecking the seeds. + +"It is our Christmas tree," they shouted. + +Suddenly, Verotchka felt very happy. That was the first time she had +seen a Christmas tree made for the winter birds. + +"What a kind old grandfather!" + +One little Sparrow, bustling about more than the others, recognized +Verotchka and called out! + +"Why, this is Verotchka! I know her very well. Many, many times has she +scattered crumbs for me." + +Other Sparrows also recognized her and piped noisily with joy. + +Then came another Sparrow that turned out to be the squabbler. He began +pushing everybody aside and snatching the best seeds. This was the same +Sparrow who had quarreled with Stickelback. Verotchka knew him at +once. + +"Hello, Master Sparrow!" she said. + +"Is that you, Verotchka? Why, hello!" + +Sparrow Squabbler hopped on one leg, winked knowingly with one eye and +said to the old man: + +"Why, this is Verotchka, who wants to be the Queen. I myself heard her +say that." + +"Do you want to be a Queen, Little One?" asked the Old Man. + +"Yes, very much, Grandfather," said Verotchka. + +"Very well," said the wise old man. "There is nothing simpler. Every +Queen is a woman and every woman a Queen. Now go home and tell that to +all the other little girls." + +Lady Bug was very glad to get away. She was afraid that the +quarrelsome Sparrow would gobble her up. + +So Verotchka and Lady Bug flew home. Faster and faster they flew. At +home, all the flowers were waiting for Verotchka. They had been +wondering what is a Queen all the time she was away. + + * * * * * + +Lulla-lullaby. Verotchka's one eye is sleeping; the other little eye is +open. Verotchka's one little ear is sleeping; the other ear listens. + +Now everybody gathered about Verotchka's bed. Bold Rabbit, Bear Mishka, +Squabbling Rooster and Sparrow, Black-headed Crow, Stickelback and +tiny, tiny Cacinella. They were all there near Verotchka. + +"Father, I love them all," whispered Verotchka. "I love even the Black +Roach, Father." + +Verotchka's other eye is asleep. The other little ear is also asleep. +Near Verotchka's bed, the green spring grass grows gaily, the flowers +are smiling--many flowers, blue, pink, yellow, azure and scarlet. The +green birch bends over Verotchka's bed and whispers something, +lovingly. + +The sun is shining, the sand is yellow, and the blue sea waves beckon +to Verotchka to come to them. + +Sleep, Verotchka, and grow strong! + +Lulla-Lullaby. + +[Illustration] + + +THE END + + + + * * * * * + + +Transcriber's Notes: + +Illustration locations on p.9, p.31, p.55, p.85, p.139, p.161, and +p.179 changed slightly to match text. + +Missing, extra, incorrect, and misplaced punctuation corrected. + +P.157--"mice if your're" changed to "mice if you're" + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Verotchka's Tales, by Mamin Siberiak + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VEROTCHKA'S TALES *** + +***** This file should be named 35036.txt or 35036.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/5/0/3/35036/ + +Produced by Chris Curnow, JoAnn Greenwood and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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