* Clean birds *
- Have you ever listened to silence, Hedgehog?
- I listened.
- So what?
- Nothing. Quiet.
- And I love it when something moves in silence.
- Give an example, - asked the Hedgehog.
- Well, for example, thunder, - said the Bear.

There was a house on the hill — with a chimney and a porch, with a stove for a cat, with a pole for a rooster, with a stable for a cow, with a kennel for a dog, and with a new board gate.
In the evening, smoke went out of the chimney, a grandmother came out onto the porch, a cat climbed onto the stoves, a rooster perched on a pole, a cow crunched with hay in a barn, a dog sat at the kennel - and everyone began to wait for the night.
And when night fell, a little frog crawled out from under the burdock. He saw a blue bell, tore it off and ran across the yard. And a blue chime hung over the yard.
- Who's that calling? - asked the grandmother. - Is that you, cat? Is that you, rooster? Is that you, cow? ..
And the frog ran and ran, and the blue ringing rose higher and higher, and soon it hung not only over the yard, but over the entire village.
- Who is it, who is this calling? People asked. And they ran out into the street, and began to look at the starry sky and listen to the blue ringing.
“The stars are ringing,” the boy said.
“No, it's the wind,” the girl said.
“It’s just silence,” said the deaf grandfather.
And the frog ran tirelessly, and the blue ringing rose so high that the whole earth listened to him.
- Why are you ringing? The grasshopper asked the frog.
“It’s not me ringing,” answered the frog. - This blue bell is ringing.
- Why are you calling? - the grasshopper did not stop.
- What do you mean why? - the frog was surprised. - Not everyone can sleep on the stove and chew hay. Someone has to ring the bell ...

- And here you are! - said the Bear, once waking up and seeing the Hedgehog on his porch.
- I AM.
- Where have you been?
- I was gone for a very long time, - said the Hedgehog.
- When you disappear, you need to warn your friends in advance.

Raven

It poured fine snow, then stopped, only the wind weakly swayed the tops of the trees. Grass, unopened leaves, branches - everything faded, brightened from the cold. But the forest was still large, beautiful, only empty and sad.
The raven sat on a branch and thought his old thought. "It's winter again," thought Raven. - Again, it will sweep everything with snow, blast it; the trees will freeze; birch branches will become brittle from frost. The sun will flare up, but not for long, dimly, and in the early winter twilight only we, crows, will fly. Fly and croak. "
Dusk fell.
"I'm flying," thought Raven. And unexpectedly easily slid off his familiar place.
He flew almost without moving his wings, with a barely noticeable movement of his shoulder choosing the path between the trees.
"No one," sighed the Raven. - Where did they all hide? Indeed, the forest was empty and sire.
- Ser-rr! - said the Raven aloud. He sank down on an old tree stump in the middle of the clearing and slowly turned his blue-eyed head.
- Crow, - the Bear cub said to the Hedgehog.
- Where?
- Over there on the stump.
They sat under a big tree and watched the gray twilight fill the forest.
- Let's go talk to her, - said the Hedgehog.
- What will you tell her?
- Nothing. I will call for tea. I will say: “It will get dark soon. Let's go, Crow, to drink tea. "
- Come on, - said the Bear. They climbed out from under the tree and approached Raven.
- It will get dark soon, - said the Hedgehog. - Crow, let's go have tea.
- I'm Thief-r-ron, - Raven said slowly, hoarsely. - I don't drink tea.
“And we have raspberry jam,” said Bear.
- And fungi!
The raven looked at the Hedgehog with the Teddy Bear with ancient, stone eyes and thought: "E-he-heh! .."
“I don’t drink tea,” he said.
- I'll treat you to honey, - said the Bear.
- And we have lingonberries and cranberries, - said the Hedgehog. Raven said nothing.
He flapped his wings heavily and floated over the clearing. In the dense twilight with outstretched wings, he seemed so huge that the Hedgehog and the Bear cub even sat down.
- This is a bird! - said the Bear. - She will drink tea with you!
- This is it, Raven, - said the Hedgehog.
- It's still a bird. "Let's call, call!" - he mimicked the Hedgehog. - They called.
- So what? - said the Hedgehog. - He'll get used to it. Imagine, all one and one. And next time - he will definitely agree ...
Already almost in the dark, the Raven flew over the field, saw some distant lights and almost did not think about anything, only wide and strongly raised and lowered its wings.

Merry tale

One day the Donkey was returning home at night. The moon was shining, and the plain was all foggy, and the stars sank so low that with every step they shuddered and rang in his ears like bells.
It was so good that the Donkey sang a sad song.
- Pass the ring, - the Donkey pulled, - a-a-bruchal ...
And the moon went down very low, and the stars spread right on the grass and now rang already under the hooves.
“Oh, how good,” thought Donkey. - Here I go ... Here the moon is shining ... Is it possible that the Wolf does not sleep on such a night?
The wolf, of course, did not sleep. He sat on the hill behind the donkey house and thought: "My gray brother Donkey is lingering somewhere ..."
When the moon, like a clown, jumped out to the very top of the sky, the Donkey sang:
And when I die
And when I die
My ears are like ferns
Will sprout from the ground.
He approached the house and now no longer doubted that the Wolf was not sleeping, that he was somewhere nearby and that a conversation would take place between them today.
- Are you tired? - asked the Wolf.
- Yes a little.
- Well, rest. Tired donkey meat is not that tasty.
The donkey lowered its head, and the stars, like bells, rang at the tips of its ears.
“Beat the moon like a tambourine,” Donkey thought to himself, “crush the wolves with your hoof, and then your ears, like ferns, will remain on the ground.”
- Have you already rested? - asked the Wolf.
- My leg is numb - said the Donkey.
- We must grind - said the Wolf.
- Stiff donkey meat is not so tasty.
He went up to the Donkey and began to rub his hind leg with his paws.
- Just do not try to kick - said the Wolf. - Not this time, so next, but I'll eat you anyway.
“Beat the moon like a tambourine,” the Donkey recalled. “Crush the wolves with your hoof! ..” But he didn't hit, no, he just laughed. And all the stars in the sky laughed softly with him.
- Why are you laughing? - asked the Wolf.
“It tickles me,” said the Donkey.
- Well, be patient a little, - said the Wolf. - How is your leg?
- How wooden!
- How old are you?! - asked the Wolf, continuing to work with his paws.
- 365 250 days.
The wolf thought about it.
- Is it a lot or a little? He asked finally.
- It's about a million, - said the Donkey.
- And all the donkeys are so old?
- In our copse - yes!
The wolf walked around the Donkey and looked into his eyes.
- And in other copses?
- In others, I think, younger, - said the Donkey.
- How much?
- On 18,262 and a half days!
- Hmm! - said the Wolf. And he left across the white plain, sweeping the stars with his tail like a janitor.
And when I die- Purr, going to bed, Donkey, -
And when I die
My ears are like ferns
Will sprout from the ground!

Moon path

The days were sunny, light, and the nights were starry, lunar.
In the evening, the Hedgehog with the Bear invited the Hare for a walk along the moonlit path.
- Don't we fail? - asked the Hare.
- Moon rovers, - said the Bear and handed the Hare two boards. - You can wear these both here and on the moon.
The hare raised its head, looked at the moon, it was large, round, then - at the Hedgehog with the Bear.
- Why ropes?
- To the paws, - said the Hedgehog.
And the Hare began to watch as the Hedgehog and the Bear tied the boards to their paws. Then he tied it himself.
The owl sat on a charred pine tree and looked at them with round eyes.
- See? - Inaudibly said the Hare to Owl. And he jumped up to try how he did it in the boards.
“I see,” Owl said inaudibly. - Now you will drown.
“They shouldn't,” Bear said quietly. - I calculated.
- He calculated, - the Hedgehog said confidently, but also inaudibly.
“You will see,” said Owl.
And the Hare wept inaudibly and turned away.
- Well let's go! - said the Hedgehog.
Rustling with planks, they came to the river.
- Who is first? - asked the Hedgehog.
- Chur, I'm the third! - asked the Hare.
The little bear went down to the water and clapped the planks.
The bear cub walked straight to the middle of the river, without sinking, and the Hedgehog jumped off the bank, ran after him and also did not fall, and the Hare did not know what to do, but nevertheless jumped off, and also ran, and caught up with the Hedgehog with the Bear.
They walked along the moonlit path to the middle of the river, and the Hare was afraid to look at his boards; he felt that it could not be so, that one more step, and he would surely fail, and therefore the Hare walked with his head raised and looking at the moon.
- Are you afraid? - asked the Hedgehog.
- Afraid, - said the Bear.
And the Hare thought that if he had to say a word, he would surely fail, and therefore he was silent.
“I swallowed my tongue,” said Bear.
- From fear, - said the Hedgehog.
- Don't be afraid! - Bear cub shouted and fell to the knee.
The hare shuddered and raised his head even higher.
- Do not be afraid, - said the Hedgehog, picking up the Bear.
But the Hare still did not believe that this could be, and reached the other shore, without once looking down, silently.
- Let's go back, - said the Bear.
- No, - said the Hare. And he got out on the shore.
- What are you afraid of? - said the Hedgehog.
- Let's go! - called the Bear.
The hare shook his head, and the Hedgehog and the Bear went to the other side.
"Here they are going to the other side," thought the Hare. - And do not fail. But this cannot be. "It can not be!" - the Hare shouted inaudibly.
“Well,” said Bear when they returned. - Jump!
The moonlit path lay like a golden fish across the river. Her head rested against that bank, and her tail moved at the very hare's paws.
- Do not be afraid! - said the Hedgehog.
- Jump! - shouted the Bear.
The hare looked at his friends and cried inaudibly. He knew that the second time he would never cross the river.

IS THE TRUTH WE WILL ALWAYS?

"Does it all end so quickly?" Thought the Donkey.
Will the summer end, the Bear Cub will die and winter will come? Why can't it
to be forever: me, summer and Teddy bear?
Summer will die before everyone else, summer is already dying. Summer in
believes something. that's why he dies so boldly. Summer is not at all sorry for myself -
it knows something. It knows it will be again! It will die for a very short time
and then be born again. And it will die again ... It is used to it. It would be good if
I'm used to dying and being born. How sad and how fun! .. "
The little bear rustled with fallen leaves.
- What are you thinking about? - he asked.
- I? .. Lie down, lie down, - said the Donkey.
Now he began to remember how they met,
how they ran through the whole forest in the pouring rain, how they sat down to rest and like a Bear
then said:
- Really, we will always be?
- True.
- Really, we will never part?
- Sure.
- True, it will never be so that we needed
to part?
- That's impossible!
And now the Bear was lying on fallen leaves with a bandaged
head, and blood came out on the bandage.
"How is this so? - thought the Donkey. - How is it so,
that some oak broke the bear's head? How is it that he fell
just when we passed under it? .. "
The Stork has arrived.
- Better? .. - he asked.
The donkey shook his head.
- How sad! - Stork sighed and stroked the Bear
wing.
The donkey thought again. Now he was thinking about how
bury the Bear so he comes back like summer. "I will bury him on
high, high mountain, he decided, so that there was a lot of sun around,
and a river flowed below. I will water it with fresh water and loosen it every day
the ground. And then he will grow up. And if I die, he will do the same, -
and we will never die ... "
“Listen,” he said to Bear, “don't be afraid.
You will grow up again in the spring.
- How is the tree?
- Yes. I will water you every day. And loosen
the ground.
- And you won't forget?
- What are you!
- Do not forget, - asked the Bear.
He lay with his eyes closed, and if only a little
nostrils flinched, one would think that he was completely dead.
Now the Donkey was not afraid. He knew: to bury is
means to plant like a tree.

You can't even talk to you, - said the Hedgehog.
The bear was silent.
- Why are you silent?
The bear did not answer.
He sat on the porch and cried bitterly.
- Stupid you: we are with you, - said
Hedgehog.
- Who will be the Bear? - sobbing, asked
Teddy bear.

Sergey Kozlov, Bodyakova Galina: Hedgehog in the fog. Tales of the present (including "Autumn Tale") 720 р. http://www.labirint.ru/books/488606/?p\u003d11433 795 p. http://www.ozon.ru/context/detail/id/32731385/?partner\u003dbook_set Sergey Kozlov: An Autumn Tale Every day it was getting darker and later, and the forest became so transparent that it seemed: if you search it far and wide, you won't you will not find a single leaf. - Soon our birch will fly over, - said the Bear. And he pointed with his paw to a lonely birch standing in the middle of the clearing. - Will fly around ... - the Hedgehog agreed. “The winds will blow,” the Bear went on, “and it will all shake, and in my sleep I will hear the last leaves falling from it. And in the morning I wake up, go out on the porch, and she is naked! - Naked ... - agreed the Hedgehog. They sat on the porch of the bear's house and looked at a lonely birch in the middle of the clearing. - Now, if only leaves would grow on me in the spring! - said the Hedgehog. - I would sit by the stove in the fall, and they would never fly around. - What kind of leaves would you like? - asked the Bear. - Birch or ash? - Like a maple! Then I would have been red-red in the fall, and you would have taken me for a Little Fox. You would tell me: "Little Fox, how is your mother doing?" And I would say: “My mother was killed by the hunters, and now I live with the Hedgehog. Come and visit us! " And you would come. "And where is the Hedgehog?" you would ask. And then I finally figured it out, and we would have laughed for a long, long time, until spring ... - No, - said the Bear. - It would be better if I had not guessed, but asked: “Why. Did the hedgehog go for water? " - "Not!" - you would say. "For firewood?" - "Not!" - you would say. "Maybe he went to visit the Bear?" And then you would nod. And I would say good night to you and run to my room, because you don't know where I hide the key now, and you would have to sit on the porch. - But I would have stayed at home! - said the Hedgehog. - Well then! - said the Bear. - Would you sit at home and think: "I wonder if the Bear is pretending or did not really recognize me?" And while I was running home, I took a small jar of honey, came back to you and asked: "Well, the Hedgehog has not returned yet?" And you would say ... - And I would say that I am the Hedgehog! - said the Hedgehog. - No, - said the Bear. “You’d better not say anything like that. And he said so ... Then the Bear stumbled, because three leaves suddenly fell off a birch in the middle of the clearing. They circled a little in the air, and then gently sank into the reddened grass. - No, it would be better if you didn't say anything like that, - repeated the Bear. - And we would just drink tea with you and go to bed. And then I would have guessed everything in a dream. - Why in a dream? - The best thoughts come to me in a dream, - said the Bear. - You see: there are twelve leaves on the birch. They will never fall. Because last night in a dream I guessed that this morning they need to be sewn to a branch. - And sewed it on? - asked the Hedgehog. - Of course, - said the Bear. - The same needle that you gave me last year.

Autumn tale

Every day it was getting darker and later, and the forest became so transparent that it seemed: if you search it up and down, you will not find a single leaf.

Soon our birch will fly around, - said the Bear. And he pointed with his paw to a lonely birch standing in the middle of the clearing.

Will fly around ... '' agreed the Hedgehog.

The winds will blow, - the Bear went on, - and it will all shake, and in my sleep I will hear the last leaves falling from it. And in the morning I wake up, go out on the porch, and she is naked!

Naked ... - agreed the Hedgehog.

They sat on the porch of the bear's house and looked at a lonely birch in the middle of the clearing.

Now, if only leaves would grow on me in the spring! - said the Hedgehog. -I would sit by the stove in the fall, and they would never fly around.

What kind of leaves would you like? - asked the Bear. - Birch or ash?

Like a maple! Then I would be red-red in the fall, and you would take me for a little Fox in the fall. Would you tell me: "Little Fox, how is your mother doing?" And I would say: "The hunters killed my mother, and now I live with the Hedgehog. Come and visit us!" And you would come. "Where is the Hedgehog?" you would ask. And then, finally, I would have guessed, and we would have laughed for a long time, until the very spring ...

No, - said the Bear. - It would be better if I had not guessed, but asked: "What, the Hedgehog went for water?" - "Not!" - you would say. "For firewood?" - "No" - you would say. "Maybe he went to visit the Bear?" And then you would nod your head. And I would say good night to you and run to my room, because you don't know where I hide the key now, and you would have to sit on the porch.

But I would have stayed at home! - said the Hedgehog.

Well, so what! - said the Bear. -Would you sit at home and think: "I wonder if this Bear is pretending or did not really recognize me?" And while I would run home, I took a small jar of honey, returned to you and asked: "Well, the Hedgehog has not returned yet?" Would you say ...

And I would say that I am the Hedgehog! - said the Hedgehog.

No, - said the Bear. “You’d better not say anything like that.” And I would say so ...

Then the Little Bear stumbled, because three leaves suddenly fell off a birch in the middle of the clearing. They whirled a little in the air, and then gently sank into the reddened grass.

No, you'd better not say anything like that, - repeated the Bear. - And we would just drink tea with you and go to bed. And then I would have guessed everything in a dream.

Why in a dream?

The best thoughts come to me in a dream, - said the Bear. - You see: there are twelve leaves on the birch. They will never fall. Because last night in a dream I guessed that this morning they need to be sewn to a branch.

And sewed it on? - asked the Hedgehog.

Of course, - said the Bear. - The same needle that you gave me last year.

Kozlov S.G. Autumn tale // Kozlov S.G. Really, we will always be ?: Fairy tales / Art. S. Ostrov.-M .: Sov. Russia, 1987.-P.73-75.

Pull! - whispered the Bear.

The hedgehog swung his fishing rod - and a small star flew high into the sky, above the moon.

So ... - the Hedgehog whispered, taking out two new peas. - Now if only there is enough bait! ..

And they, forgetting about the fish, all night long caught the stars and threw them all over the sky.

And before dawn, when the peas ran out. The teddy bear hung from the walkway and pulled two orange maple leaves out of the water.

Better not than catching with a maple leaf! - he said.

And he was already starting to doze off, when suddenly someone firmly grabbed the hook.

Help! .. - the Bear cub whispered to the Hedgehog.

And they, tired, sleepy, together barely pulled the sun out of the water.

It shook itself off, walked along the narrow walkway and rolled into the field.

Everything was quiet, good, and the last leaves, like small boats, slowly floated along the river ...

Autumn tale

Every day it was getting darker and later, and the forest became so transparent that it seemed: if you search it up and down, you will not find a single leaf.

Soon our birch will fly around, - said the Bear. And he pointed with his paw to a lonely birch standing in the middle of the clearing.

Will fly around ... - agreed the Hedgehog.

The winds will blow, - the Bear went on, - and it will all shake, and in my sleep I will hear the last leaves falling from it. And in the morning I wake up, go out on the porch, and she is naked!

Naked ... - agreed the Hedgehog.

They sat on the porch of the bear's house and looked at a lonely birch in the middle of the clearing.

Now, if leaves grew on me in the spring? - said the Hedgehog. - I would sit by the stove in the fall, and they would never fly around.

What kind of leaves would you like? - asked the Bear. - Birch or ash?

How is maple? Then I would have been red-red in the fall, and you would have taken me for a little Fox. You would tell me: "Little Fox, how is your mother doing?" And I would say: “My mother was killed by the hunters, and now I live with the Hedgehog. Come to visit us? " And you would come. "And where is the Hedgehog?" you would ask. And then, finally, I figured it out, and we would have laughed for a long, long time, until spring ...

No, - said the Bear. - It would be better if I had not guessed, but asked: “Why. Did the hedgehog go for water? " - "Not?" - you would say. "For firewood?" - "Not?" - you would say. "Maybe he went to visit the Bear?" And then you would nod your head. And I would say good night to you and run to my room, because you don't know where I hide the key now, and you would have to sit on the porch.

But I would have stayed at home! - said the Hedgehog.

Well, so what! - said the Bear. - Would you sit at home and think: "I wonder if the Bear is pretending or did not really recognize me?" And while I would run home, I took a small jar of honey, returned to you and asked: “Why. Has the hedgehog returned yet? " Would you say ...

And I would say that I am the Hedgehog! - said the Hedgehog.

No, - said the Bear. “You’d better not say anything like that.” And he said so ...

Then the Bear cub stumbled, because three leaves suddenly fell off a birch in the middle of the clearing. They whirled a little in the air, and then gently sank into the reddened grass.

No, you'd better not say anything like that, - repeated the Bear. - And we would just drink tea with you and go to bed. And then I would have guessed everything in a dream.

Why in a dream?

The best thoughts come to me in a dream, - said the Bear. - You see: there are twelve leaves on the birch. They will never fall. Because last night in a dream I guessed that this morning they need to be sewn to a branch.

And sewed it on? - asked the Hedgehog.

Of course, - said the Bear. - The same needle that you gave me last year.

How the Donkey had a terrible dream

The autumn wind was blowing. The stars circled low in the sky, and one cold, blue star caught on a pine tree and stopped right in front of the Donkey's house.

The donkey was sitting at the table, its head resting on its hooves and looking out the window.

What a spiky star, he thought. And fell asleep. And then the star sank directly to his window and said:

What a stupid Donkey! So gray, but no fangs.

Fangs! - said the star. - The gray boar has fangs and the gray wolf, but you do not.

Why do I need them? - asked the Donkey.

If you have fangs, said the star, everyone will be afraid of you.

And then she quickly, quickly blinked, and Donkey's cheeks grew by one and the other a fang.

And there are no claws, - the star sighed. And made him claws.

Then the Donkey found himself on the street and saw the Hare.

Hi-r-ravstvuy, Tail! he shouted. But the scythe rushed as fast as he could and disappeared behind the trees.

"Why is he scared of me?" - thought the Donkey. And I decided to go visit the Bear.

Knock-Knock! - Donkey knocked on the window.

Who's there? - asked the Bear.

Who! - asked the Bear cub.

I AM? Open swarm! ..

The teddy bear opened the door, backed away and instantly disappeared behind the stove.

"What is he?" - thought the Donkey again. I entered the house and sat on a stool.

He went to drink some tea, - wheezed the Donkey. “However, I have a strange voice,” he thought.

No tea! - shouted the Bear. - The samovar is leaky!

How did you get thin ?!

I just gave you a new samovar last week!

You didn't give me anything! Donkey gave me a samovar!

And who am I?

I AM?!. What are you! I love tr-r-ravka!

Weed? - Little Bear leaned out from behind the stove.

I'm not a wolf! - said the Donkey. And suddenly he accidentally snapped his teeth.

He grabbed his head and ... did not find his long fluffy ears. Instead of them, some hard, short ears stuck out ...

He looked at the floor - and was stunned: clawed wolf paws hung from the stool ...

I'm not a wolf! - repeated the Donkey, clicking his teeth.

Tell me! - said the Bear cub, getting out from behind the stove. He had a log in his paws, and on his head was a pot of ghee.

What are you up to ?! - the Donkey wanted to shout, but only growled hoarsely: - Rrrr !!!

The bear hit him with a log and grabbed the poker.

Will you pretend to be my friend Donkey? he shouted. - Will you ?!

Honestly, I'm not a wolf, ”Donkey muttered, retreating behind the stove. - I love weed!

What?! Weed ?! There are no such wolves! - shouted Bear opened the stove and snatched a burning brand out of the fire.

Then the Donkey woke up ...

Someone knocked on the door, so hard that the hook jumped.

Who's there? - Donkey asked thinly.

It's me! - Bear cub shouted from behind the door. - What are you sleeping there?

Yes, - said the Donkey, unlocking it. - I was watching a dream.

Well?! - said the Bear, sitting down on a stool. - Interesting?

Terrible! I was a wolf, and you beat me with a poker ...

You would have told me that you are a Donkey!

I said, - the Donkey sighed, - but you still didn't believe. I said that even if I seem like a wolf to you, I still love to pinch grass!

So what?

Did not believe…

Next time, - said the Bear cub, - you tell me in a dream: "Bear cub, do you mind, did we talk to you? .." And I will believe you.

Trusting Hedgehog

For two days it was snowing, then it melted, and it started raining.

The forest was soaked to the last aspen. The fox - to the very tip of the tail, and the old Owl did not fly anywhere for three nights, sat in his hollow and was upset. "Wow!" he sighed.

And throughout the forest was heard: "Wow! .."

And in the house of the Hedgehog the stove was heated, the fire crackled in the stove, and the Hedgehog himself sat on the floor by the stove, blinking, looking at the flame and rejoicing.

Good morning! - said the grass.

Good morning! - muttered the Hedgehog. I washed myself in the dew and went to breakfast.

After breakfast, he again went out onto the porch, stretched, walked to a wide clearing and sat there under a thick elm tree.

The sun hares danced in a round dance in the grass, birds sang in the branches, and the Hedgehog looked with all his eyes and listened.

The Bear came, sat down next to the Hedgehog, and they began to watch and listen together.

How beautiful they dance! - said the Bear, slightly moving to the right.

Very! - said the Hedgehog. And he also moved over, because the sun hares were gradually taking the round dance to the right.

I have never seen such large sun hares, - said Bear.

And I, - confirmed the Hedgehog.

How do you think they have ears? - asked the Bear cub, continuing to move quietly around the trunk for a hare dance.

No, - said the Hedgehog, trying to keep up with the Bear. - I think no.

But in my opinion there is! - said the Bear.

And I think so, - agreed the Hedgehog.

So you just thought differently!

I like to think differently, - answered the Hedgehog, fingering his paws.

It is bad to think differently, - said the Bear.

They had already wrapped themselves around the elm once and now went to the second circle.

To think differently, - continued Bear, - it means - to speak differently ...

What are you! - objected the Hedgehog. - you can say the same thing. - And moved over.

No, - said the Bear. - If you think differently, you speak differently!

But no! - said the Hedgehog. You can think in different ways, but say the same thing.

How so? - the Bear cub was surprised, continuing to move and listen to birds. He even raised the ear farthest from the Hedgehog to hear the birds better.

It's very simple! - said the Hedgehog. - I, for example, all the time think about how good it is to sit under an elm tree and look at the sun hares, but I'm talking about something completely different.

How about something else ?! - Bear cub was indignant. - We're talking about whether they have ears!

Of course not! - said the Hedgehog.

You just said there is!

And now I say no.

Aren't you ashamed ?!

Why should I be ashamed? - the Hedgehog was surprised. - I can have my own opinion.

But you have it - different! ..

Why can't I have a different opinion? - asked the Hedgehog and moved over.

While he was talking, the Bear did not move, and now a considerable distance formed between them.

You upset me, - said the Bear and sat down next to the Hedgehog. - Let's look at hares in silence and listen to birds.

Tui! Tui! - the birds sang.

Still, it's better to think alike! - Bear cub sighed.

The hares got tired of dancing and stretched out on the grass.

Now the Hedgehog with the Bear cub sat motionless under the elm and looked at the setting sun.

You shouldn't be upset, - said the Hedgehog. - Of course, sun hares have ears! ..

And although the Hedgehog and the Teddy bear almost had a fight, it was a very happy sunny day!

Autumn tales

- Here we are talking, we are talking, the days fly by, and we keep talking.

- We speak, - the Hedgehog agreed.

- Months pass, the clouds are flying, the trees are bare, and we are all talking.

- Let's talk.

- And then everything will completely pass, and we will only stay together.

- If!

- And what will become of us?

- We can fly too.

- How are the birds?

- Yeah.

- And where to?

- To the south, - said the Hedgehog.

How to catch a cloud

When the time came for the birds to fly south and the grass had long since withered and the trees had flown around. The hedgehog said to the Bear:

Winter is coming soon. Let's go get some fish for you. You love fish!

And they took their fishing rods and went to the river.

It was so quiet on the river, so calm, that all the trees bowed their sad heads towards it, and in the middle the clouds drifted slowly. The clouds were gray, shaggy, and the Bear was scared.

“What if we catch a cloud? he thought. "What are we going to do with him then?"

- Hedgehog! - said the Bear. - What will we do if we catch a cloud?

We won't catch, - said the Hedgehog. - Clouds are not caught on dry peas! Now, if they caught on a dandelion ...

Can you catch a cloud on a dandelion?

Sure! - said the Hedgehog. - Only clouds are caught on a dandelion!

It began to get dark.

They sat on a narrow birch bridge and looked into the water. The Teddy Bear looked at the Hedgehog's float, and the Hedgehog looked at the Teddy Bear's float. It was quiet, and the floats reflected motionless in the water.

Why doesn't she bite? - asked the Bear.

She listens to our conversations, - said the Hedgehog. - Pisces are very curious by autumn!

Then let's be silent.

And they sat in silence for an hour.

Suddenly Bear's float danced and dived deeply.

It bites! - shouted the Hedgehog.

Oh! - exclaimed the Bear. - Pulls!

Hold it, hold it! - said the Hedgehog.

Something very heavy, - whispered the Bear. “An old cloud sank here last year. Maybe this is it? ..

Hold it, hold it! - repeated the Hedgehog.

But then the bear's fishing rod bent in an arc, then straightened with a whistle - and a huge red moon soared high into the sky.

And the moon swayed and floated quietly over the river.

And then the Hedgehog's float disappeared.

Pull! - whispered the Bear.

The hedgehog swung his fishing rod - and a small star flew high into the sky, above the moon.

So ... - the Hedgehog whispered, taking out two new peas. - Now if only there is enough bait! ..

And they, forgetting about the fish, all night long caught the stars and threw them all over the sky.

And before dawn, when the peas ran out. The teddy bear hung from the walkway and pulled two orange maple leaves out of the water.

Better not than catching with a maple leaf! - he said.

And he was already starting to doze off, when suddenly someone firmly grabbed the hook.

Help! .. - the Bear cub whispered to the Hedgehog.

And they, tired, sleepy, together barely pulled the sun out of the water.

It shook itself off, walked along the narrow walkway and rolled into the field.

Everything was quiet, good, and the last leaves, like small boats, slowly floated along the river ...

Autumn tale

Every day it was getting darker and later, and the forest became so transparent that it seemed: if you search it up and down, you will not find a single leaf.

Soon our birch will fly around, - said the Bear. And he pointed with his paw to a lonely birch standing in the middle of the clearing.

Will fly around ... - agreed the Hedgehog.

The winds will blow, - the Bear went on, - and it will all shake, and in my sleep I will hear the last leaves falling from it. And in the morning I wake up, go out on the porch, and she is naked!

Naked ... - agreed the Hedgehog.

They sat on the porch of the bear's house and looked at a lonely birch in the middle of the clearing.

Now, if leaves grew on me in the spring? - said the Hedgehog. - I would sit by the stove in the fall, and they would never fly around.

What kind of leaves would you like? - asked the Bear. - Birch or ash?

How is maple? Then I would have been red-red in the fall, and you would have taken me for a little Fox. You would tell me: "Little Fox, how is your mother doing?" And I would say: “My mother was killed by the hunters, and now I live with the Hedgehog. Come to visit us? " And you would come. "And where is the Hedgehog?" you would ask. And then, finally, I figured it out, and we would have laughed for a long, long time, until spring ...

No, - said the Bear. - It would be better if I had not guessed, but asked: “Why. Did the hedgehog go for water? " - "Not?" - you would say. "For firewood?" - "Not?" - you would say. "Maybe he went to visit the Bear?" And then you would nod your head. And I would say good night to you and run to my room, because you don't know where I hide the key now, and you would have to sit on the porch.

But I would have stayed at home! - said the Hedgehog.

Well, so what! - said the Bear. - Would you sit at home and think: "I wonder if the Bear is pretending or did not really recognize me?" And while I would run home, I took a small jar of honey, returned to you and asked: “Why. Has the hedgehog returned yet? " Would you say ...

And I would say that I am the Hedgehog! - said the Hedgehog.

No, - said the Bear. “You’d better not say anything like that.” And he said so ...

Then the Bear cub stumbled, because three leaves suddenly fell off a birch in the middle of the clearing. They whirled a little in the air, and then gently sank into the reddened grass.

No, you'd better not say anything like that, - repeated the Bear. - And we would just drink tea with you and go to bed. And then I would have guessed everything in a dream.

Why in a dream?

The best thoughts come to me in a dream, - said the Bear. - You see: there are twelve leaves on the birch. They will never fall. Because last night in a dream I guessed that this morning they need to be sewn to a branch.

And sewed it on? - asked the Hedgehog.

Of course, - said the Bear. - The same needle that you gave me last year.

How the Donkey had a terrible dream

The autumn wind was blowing. The stars circled low in the sky, and one cold, blue star caught on a pine tree and stopped right in front of the Donkey's house.

The donkey was sitting at the table, its head resting on its hooves and looking out the window.

What a spiky star, he thought. And fell asleep. And then the star sank directly to his window and said:

What a stupid Donkey! So gray, but no fangs.

Fangs! - said the star. - The gray boar has fangs and the gray wolf, but you do not.

Why do I need them? - asked the Donkey.

If you have fangs, said the star, everyone will be afraid of you.

And then she quickly, quickly blinked, and Donkey's cheeks grew by one and the other a fang.

And there are no claws, - the star sighed. And made him claws.

Then the Donkey found himself on the street and saw the Hare.

Hi-r-ravstvuy, Tail! he shouted. But the scythe rushed as fast as he could and disappeared behind the trees.

"Why is he scared of me?" - thought the Donkey. And I decided to go visit the Bear.

Knock-Knock! - Donkey knocked on the window.

Who's there? - asked the Bear.

Who! - asked the Bear cub.

I AM? Open swarm! ..

The teddy bear opened the door, backed away and instantly disappeared behind the stove.

"What is he?" - thought the Donkey again. I entered the house and sat on a stool.

He went to drink some tea, - wheezed the Donkey. “However, I have a strange voice,” he thought.

No tea! - shouted the Bear. - The samovar is leaky!

How did you get thin ?!

I just gave you a new samovar last week!

You didn't give me anything! Donkey gave me a samovar!

And who am I?

I AM?!. What are you! I love tr-r-ravka!

Weed? - Little Bear leaned out from behind the stove.

I'm not a wolf! - said the Donkey. And suddenly he accidentally snapped his teeth.

He grabbed his head and ... did not find his long fluffy ears. Instead of them, some hard, short ears stuck out ...

He looked at the floor - and was stunned: clawed wolf paws hung from the stool ...

I'm not a wolf! - repeated the Donkey, clicking his teeth.

Tell me! - said the Bear cub, getting out from behind the stove. He had a log in his paws, and on his head was a pot of ghee.

What are you up to ?! - the Donkey wanted to shout, but only growled hoarsely: - Rrrr !!!

The bear hit him with a log and grabbed the poker.

Will you pretend to be my friend Donkey? he shouted. - Will you ?!

Honestly, I'm not a wolf, ”Donkey muttered, retreating behind the stove. - I love weed!

What?! Weed ?! There are no such wolves! - shouted Bear opened the stove and snatched a burning brand out of the fire.

Then the Donkey woke up ...

Someone knocked on the door, so hard that the hook jumped.

Who's there? - Donkey asked thinly.

It's me! - Bear cub shouted from behind the door. - What are you sleeping there?

Yes, - said the Donkey, unlocking it. - I was watching a dream.

Well?! - said the Bear, sitting down on a stool. - Interesting?

Terrible! I was a wolf, and you beat me with a poker ...

You would have told me that you are a Donkey!

I said, - the Donkey sighed, - but you still didn't believe. I said that even if I seem like a wolf to you, I still love to pinch grass!

So what?

Did not believe…

Next time, - said the Bear cub, - you tell me in a dream: "Bear cub, do you mind, did we talk to you? .." And I will believe you.

Trusting Hedgehog

For two days it was snowing, then it melted, and it started raining.

The forest was soaked to the last aspen. The fox - to the very tip of the tail, and the old Owl did not fly anywhere for three nights, sat in his hollow and was upset. "Wow!" he sighed.

And throughout the forest was heard: "Wow! .."

And in the house of the Hedgehog the stove was heated, the fire crackled in the stove, and the Hedgehog himself sat on the floor by the stove, blinking, looking at the flame and rejoicing.

How good! How warm! How amazing! he whispered. - I have a house with a stove!

“House with a stove! House with a stove! House with a stove! " - he sang and, dancing, brought more wood and threw them into the fire.

Ha ha! - Fire laughed and licked the wood. - Dry!

Still would! - said the Hedgehog.

Do we have a lot of firewood? asked Fire.

Enough for the whole winter!

Ha ha ha ha ha! - Fire laughed and began to dance so that the Hedgehog was afraid that he would jump out of the stove.

You're not pretty! he said to Fire. - Jump out! - And covered it with the door.

Hey! - shouted Fire from behind the door. - Why did you lock me up? Let's talk!

What do you want! - said Fire and stuck his nose into the crack.

No, no, no! - said the Hedgehog and hit Fire on the nose.

Ah, you're fighting! - the Fire soared and buzzed so that the Hedgehog was frightened again.

They were silent for a while.

Then Fire calmed down and said plaintively:

Listen, Hedgehog, I'm hungry. Give me more firewood - we have a lot of them.

No, - said the Hedgehog, - I won't. The house is already warm.

Then open the door and let me look at you.

I doze, - said the Hedgehog. - It's not interesting to look at me now.

Well, what are you! Most of all I love to look at dozing hedgehogs.

Why do you like to look at the sleeping ones?

The slumbering hedgehogs are so beautiful that it is difficult to look at them.

And if I open the stove, you will watch, and I will doze?

And you will doze, and I will doze, only I will still look at you.

You are beautiful too, - said the Hedgehog. - I'll look at you too.

Not. You'd better not look at me, - said Fire, - but I will look at you, and breathe hotly, and stroke you with warm breath.

Okay, - said the Hedgehog. - Just don't get out of the stove.

The fire was silent.

Then the Hedgehog opened the stove door, leaned against the wood and dozed off. The fire also dormant, and only in the darkness of the furnace did his evil eyes gleam.

Forgive me, please, Hedgehog, - he turned to the Hedgehog a little later, - but it will be very good for me to look at you if I am full. Throw in some firewood.

The hedgehog was so sweet by the stove that he threw three pieces of wood and dozed off again.

Ooh! - the Fire boomed. - Ooh! What a beautiful hedgehog! How he sleeps! - and with these words he jumped to the floor and ran through the house.

Smoke crept. The hedgehog coughed, opened his eyes and saw Fire dancing throughout the room.

I'm burning! - shouted the Hedgehog and rushed to the door.

But Fire was already dancing on the threshold and did not let it go.

The hedgehog grabbed a felt boot and began to beat Fire with a felt boot.

Get in the stove, you old deceiver! - shouted the Hedgehog.

But Fire only laughed in response.

Ah well! - Hedgehog shouted, broke the window, rolled out into the street and tore the roof off his house.

It was raining heavily. The drops trampled on the floor and began to trample the hands, feet, beard, nose to the Fire.

"Slap-slap! Slap-slap! " - the drops were sentenced, and the Hedgehog beat the Fire with a wet felt boot and did not sentence anything - he was so angry.

When Fire, hissing angrily, climbed back into the stove. The hedgehog covered his house with a roof, covered up the broken window with firewood, sat down by the stove and got burned: the house was cold, wet and smelled of burning.

What a red-headed, deceitful old man! - said the Hedgehog.

The fire said nothing. And what was there to say to Fire if everyone except the trusting Hedgehog knew what a deceiver he was.

Pig in a prickly coat

- Let's not fly away, Hedgehog. Let's sit on our porch forever, and in the winter - in the house, and in the spring - again on the porch, and in the summer - too.

- And at our porch wings will grow slowly. And one day you and I will wake up together high above the earth.

“Who’s running down there so dark? - you ask. - And next - another one?

- Yes, it's you and me, - I say. “These are our shadows,” you add.

Snow flower

Aw! aw! aw! the dog barked.

Snow was falling - and the house, and the barrel in the middle of the yard, and the doghouse, and the dog itself were white and fluffy.

It smelled of snow and a Christmas tree brought in from the frost, and this smell was bitter with a tangerine crust.

Aw! aw! aw! the dog barked again.

“She probably smelled me,” thought the Hedgehog and began to crawl away from the forester's house.

He was sad to walk through the forest alone, and he began to think how at midnight he would meet with the Donkey and the Bear Cub on the Big Glade under the blue Christmas tree.

“We will hang out one hundred red chanterelle mushrooms,” thought the Hedgehog, “and it will become light and fun for us. Maybe hares will come running, and then we will start to dance. And if the Wolf comes, I will prick him with a needle, the Bear will hit with his paw, and the Donkey with his hoof. "

And the snow kept falling and falling. And the forest was so fluffy, so shaggy and furry that the Hedgehog suddenly wanted to do something completely extraordinary: well, let's say, climb up to the sky and bring a star.

And he began to imagine how he with a star descends to the Bolshaya Polyana and gives the Donkey and the Bear a star.

“Take it, please,” he says. And the Little Bear waves off his paws and says: “Well, what are you? You've got one ... ”And the Donkey nods his head nearby - they say that you, you have only one! - but he still makes them obey, take the star, and he again runs away to heaven.

"I'll send you more!" he shouts. And when it already rises very high, he hears the barely reaching: "What are you, Hedgehog, one is enough for us? .."

But he still takes out the second one and again descends into the clearing - and everyone has fun, everyone laughs and dances.

"And for us! And for us!" - the hares shout.

He gets them too. And for himself he does not need. He is already so happy that everyone has fun ...

“Here,” thought the Hedgehog, climbing a huge snowdrift, “if a flower“ EVERYONE IS GOOD AND EVERYBODY IS FUN ”could grow somewhere, I would have dug out the snow, got it out and put it in the middle of the Big Glade. And the hares, and the Bear, and the Donkey - everyone, everyone who saw him, immediately felt good and fun! "

And then, as if hearing him, the old fluffy Yolka took off her white hat and said:

I know where such a flower grows, Hedgehog. Two hundred pines from me, beyond the Crooked ravine, by the icy stump, the Unfreezing Key beats. There, at the very bottom, is your flower!

Didn't I dream about you, Yolka? - asked the Hedgehog.

No, - said Yolka and put on her hat again.

And the Hedgehog ran, counting the pine trees, to the Crooked ravine, climbed over it, found an icy stump and saw the Unfreezing Key.

He bent over him and cried out in surprise.

Close by, swaying transparent petals, stood a magic flower. It looked like a violet or a snowdrop, or maybe just a large snowflake that does not melt in water.

The hedgehog stretched out his paw, but didn't get it. He wanted to take the flower out with a stick, but he was afraid to hurt it.

"I will jump into the water, - the Hedgehog decided, - I will dive deeply and carefully take it with my paws."

He jumped and when he opened his eyes under water, he did not see a flower. "Where is he?" - Hedgehog thought. And he surfaced ashore.

A wonderful flower still swayed at the bottom.

How so! .. - Hedgehog cried. And again he jumped into the water, but again he saw nothing.

The Hedgehog dived into the Unfreezing Key seven times ...

Chilled to the last needle, he ran home through the forest.

“How is it? he sobbed. - How so?" And he himself did not know that on the shore it turns into a white snowflake like a flower.

And suddenly the Hedgehog heard music, saw a Big Glade with a silver Christmas tree in the middle, a Teddy Bear, a Donkey and hares leading a round dance.

"Tara-tara-tam-ta-ta! .." - the music played. Snow whirled, hares glided smoothly on soft paws, and a hundred red bulbs illuminated this celebration.

Oh! - exclaimed the Donkey. - What an amazing snow flower!

Everyone spun around the Hedgehog and, smiling, dancing, began to admire him.

Oh, how good and fun it is for everyone! - said the Bear. - What a wonderful flower! The only pity is that there is no Hedgehog ...

"I'm here!" - the Hedgehog wanted to shout.

But he was so chilled that he could not utter a word.

Pig in a prickly coat

It was winter. It was so cold that the Hedgehog did not leave his house for several days, heated the stove and looked out the window. Frost decorated the window with different patterns, and from time to time the Hedgehog had to climb onto the windowsill and breathe and rub the frozen glass with his paw.

“Here,” he said, seeing again a tree, a tree stump and a clearing in front of the house. Over the clearing, snowflakes circled and then flew somewhere up, then fell to the ground itself.

The hedgehog pressed his nose to the window, and one Snowflake sat on his nose from the other side of the glass, stood up on thin legs and said:

Is that you, Hedgehog? Why don't you come out to play with us?

It's cold outside, - said the Hedgehog.

No, - Snowflake laughed. - We are not at all cold! Look how I fly!

And she flew off the Hedgehog's nose and whirled over the clearing. “See? Do you see? " she shouted as she flew past the window. And the Hedgehog pressed against the glass so that his nose flattened out and looked like a piglet; and it seemed to Snowflake that it was no longer the Hedgehog, but a piglet wearing a prickly fur coat, looking at her from the window.

Piglet! she shouted. - Come out with us for a walk!

"Who is she calling?" - thought the Hedgehog and pressed into the glass even harder to see if there is a pig on the heap.

And Snowflake now firmly knew that a pig in a prickly fur coat was sitting outside the window.

Piglet! she shouted even louder. - You have a fur coat. Come play with us!

“So,” thought the Hedgehog. - There, under the window, probably sits a pig in a fur coat and does not want to play. We must invite him into the house and give him some tea. "

And he climbed down from the windowsill, put on his boots and ran out onto the porch.

Piglet? he shouted. - Go and drink tea!

- Hedgehog, - said Snowflake, - the piglet just ran away. Come play with us!

I can not. Cold! - said the Hedgehog and went into the house.

Having closed the door, he left his boots at the threshold, threw some wood into the stove, climbed onto the windowsill again and pressed his nose against the glass.

Piglet - Snowflake shouted. - Are you back? Come out! Let's play together!

"He's back," thought the Hedgehog. He put on his boots again and ran out onto the porch. - Piglet! he shouted. - Piglet-oh-ok! .. The wind howled and snowflakes whirled merrily.

So until the evening, the Hedgehog either ran to the porch and called the piglet, then, returning to the house, climbed onto the windowsill and pressed his nose against the glass.

The snowflake did not care who to play with, and she called either the pig in a prickly fur coat when the Hedgehog was sitting on the windowsill, then the Hedgehog himself when he ran out onto the porch.

And the Hedgehog, and falling asleep, was afraid that a pig in a thorny fur coat would freeze on such a frosty night.

On a long winter evening

Oh, what drifts the blizzard has covered! All the hemp, all the bumps were covered with snow. The pines squeaked dully, swaying in the wind, and only a toiler-woodpecker hammered and hammered somewhere above, as if he wanted to hollow out low clouds and see the sun ...

The hedgehog was sitting at home by the stove and doted on when spring came.

“Hurry,” thought the Hedgehog, “the streams purred, the birds sang and the first ants ran along the paths! .. Then I would go out into the clearing, shout to the whole forest, and Squirrel would come running to me, and I would say to her:“ Hello , Squirrel! Spring has come! How did you spend the winter? ""

And Squirrel would have fluffed up her tail, waved them in different directions and answered: “Hello, Hedgehog! Are you healthy? " And we would run through the whole forest and inspect every stump, every Christmas tree, and then we would start treading last year's paths ...

"You trample on the ground," Belka would say, "and I - on top!" And jumped up the trees ...

Then we would see the Bear.

"And this is you!" - Bear cub would have shouted and would have helped me to tread the paths ...

And then we would call Donkey. Because without it, you can't make a big path.

The donkey would run first, followed by the Bear, and after them - I ...

"Tzok-tzok-tzok" - the Donkey would have pounded with its hooves, "top-top-top" - the Bear would have stomped, and I would not keep up with them and would just roll.

“You're ruining the path! - Donkey would have shouted. - You ripped it all out with your needles! "

"No problem! - the Bear would have smiled. “I’ll run after the Hedgehog and trample the ground.”

"No, no," said the Donkey, "better let the Hedgehog open the gardens!"

And I would roll on the ground and loosen the gardens, and the Donkey with the Teddy Bear - carry water ...

"Now loosen mine!" - Chipmunk would ask.

"And mine!" - the Forest Mouse would say ... And I would ride throughout the forest and benefit everyone.

And now you have to sit by the stove, - the Hedgehog sighed sadly, - and it is still unknown when spring comes ... "

How Donkey, Hedgehog and Bear Cub celebrated the New Year

A blizzard raged in the fields all New Year's Eve. In the forest, there was so much snow that neither the Hedgehog, nor the Donkey, nor the Bear Cub could leave the house all week.

Before the New Year, the blizzard subsided, and friends gathered at the Hedgehog's house.

That's what, - said the Bear, - we do not have a tree.

No, Donkey agreed.

I don't see that we had it, - said the Hedgehog. He liked to express himself intricately on holidays.

We must go look, - said the Bear.

Where do we find her now? - Donkey was surprised. - It's dark in the forest ...

And what snowdrifts! .. - Hedgehog sighed.

And yet we must go for the tree, - said the Bear.

And all three left the house.

The blizzard subsided, but the clouds had not yet dispersed, and not a single star was visible in the sky.

And the moon is gone! - said the Donkey. - What tree is there?

And to the touch? - said the Bear. And crawled through the snowdrifts.

But he didn't find anything by touch either. Only big trees came across, but they still would not have climbed into the Hedgehog's house, and the little ones were all covered with snow.

Returning to the Hedgehog, the Donkey and the Teddy bear became sad.

Well, what a New Year it is! .. - sighed the Bear.

“If it were some kind of autumn holiday, maybe the tree is not necessary,” thought Donkey. "And in winter you can't do without a tree."

The hedgehog, meanwhile, boiled the samovar and poured the tea into saucers. He put a jar of honey for the bear cub, and a plate with burdocks for the donkey.

The Hedgehog did not think about the tree, but he was saddened that it had already been half a month since his clock-walker had broken, and the watchmaker Woodpecker had promised, but did not come.

How do we know when it's twelve o'clock? - he asked the Bear.

We will feel! - said the Donkey.

How will we feel this? - the Bear cub was surprised. “It's very simple,” said the Donkey. - At twelve o'clock we will be sleepy for exactly three hours!

Right! - the Hedgehog was delighted.

Isn't it a tree? - shouted the Bear.

And so they did.

They put a stool in the corner, the Hedgehog stood on the stool and fluffed the needles.

The toys are under the bed, ”he said.

The Donkey and the Teddy Bear took out toys and hung a large dried dandelion on the Hedgehog's upper paws, and a small spruce cone for each needle.

Don't forget the light bulbs! - said the Hedgehog.

And they hung three chanterelle mushrooms on his chest, and they lit up cheerfully - they were so red.

Aren't you tired, Yolka? - asked the Bear, sitting down and sipping tea from a saucer.

The hedgehog stood on a stool like a real Christmas tree and smiled.

No, - said the Hedgehog. - What time is it now?

The donkey was dozing.

Five minutes to twelve! - said the Bear. - As the Donkey falls asleep, it will be exactly New Year.

Then pour me and yourself some cranberry juice, - said the Hedgehog-Yolka.

Do you want some cranberry juice? - asked the Little Bear at the Donkey. The donkey was almost completely asleep.

The clock should strike now, ”he muttered.

The hedgehog, carefully, so as not to spoil the dried dandelion, took a cup of cranberry juice in his right paw and stamped the clock with his lower paw.

Bam! bam! bam! he said.

It's already three, - said the Bear. - Now let's hit me!

He hit the floor three times with his paw and also said:

Bam! bam! bam! .. Now it's your turn, Donkey!

The donkey banged its hoof three times on the floor, but said nothing.