- We have already come, - the bear puffed. – Hear you’l find Borovichok.
But be careful, because this whitebeard is sly. And for me it’s time to go home,
because my mother wil begin to worry.
- Thank you, bear, - the kitten said farewell and a splay-footed went back
into the thick and dark forest. Murzik thought ashamedly that his mother-cat is
probably also worrying now about where her kitten went. But he was sure that
mother-cat would necessarily understand him when she knew that he managed
to find Truth.
In the meantime, he was looking around a forest meadow, trying to follow
the fireflies, but every time he lagged behind their direction.
- Good evening, fireflies! – The kitten said and the whole choir of voices
replied to him.
- Good evening, kitten!
- I’m looking for Lesovichok-Borovichok. I really have to help my friend
Vanechka – the kitten explained, sitting down next to a huge mushroom with a
wide brown cap that could easily serve the kitten an umbrella in case of rain.
Luckily, the rain didn’t come. However, the mushroom appeared to be not an
ordinary one. That’s because while the kitten was talking, the mushroom
suddenly opened his eyes and straightened, facing the kitten. It turned out that
wasn’t a mushroom at all, but a short whitebeard with a huge hat.
The fireflies giggled looking at a surprised kitten and flew away in different
sides.
Borovichok smiled to the kitten gladly.
- Wel , good evening, Murzkik, - he said with a clap and a bowl with milk
appeared in front the kitten.
- Good evening, Borovichok-Lesovichok. Thank you, - and the kitten
started to lap. After quenching his thirst he thanked a whitebeard one more time
and a bowl disappeared.
- Your story about poor Ivan has already gone around the whole forest, -
an old father addressed to the kitten. – I know that you’re looking for Truth to help
your friend too. It’s amazing! It’s difficult to find such a friend that can go to a dark
forest because of you and is not afraid of danger. – A whitebeard with a huge
brown hat said and looked at the kitten.
Murzik too thought for a minute.
- Vanechka would go to a forest for me as well, - the kitten added finally. –
What’s more, I met very kind and good griends on my way. A chick would stand
up for a duckling, old father Pinestry – for aunt Water, Hedgehog - for Titmouse
and Owl with a bear cub for Squirrel.
Starichok-Borovichok clapped his hands.
- Oh dear! – He felt happy. – Then, my little brave kitten, you need my help
indeed!
- Indeed, - the kitten nodded and told Borovichok the whole story from the
very beginning. – I don’t even know what it is – Truth? Is it an animal or a human?
Is she beautiful or terrible? And where I can find her?
Borovichok smiled archly dropped on his knees in front him.
-
There’s no need to look for Truth, - a forest creature answered the
surprised cat. – Everyone has his own Truth.
- But how? And why Vanechka couldn’t find it?
- In the house where Goodness lives, - answered Borovichok, - Honesty
settles down too. She definitely knows where to find Truth.She often asks her
over, treats with sweets, lures and welcomes.
The kitten didn’t understand anything and meanwhile Borovichok
continued:
- But if there’s somebody in a house who doesn’t get along with Honesty
well, Truth also stops coming and Goodness moves to another house. Truth is
neither beautiful, nor terrible – she’s of all sorts depending on your point of view, -
an old man said reasonably. – Each Truth has own course. For example, wil you
see the starts if you look at them in the middle of the day?
- No, - the kitten answered but looked with pleasure at stars that seemed
to be winking right from the skies.
- And what if you look at the night?
- Then, I wil , – the kitten answered dreamily looking at the starts again.
- Therefore, you need to learn to wait from day til night to see the stars
and sunrise. Everything is good in its season. – Borovichok said looking closely at
a curious kitten that was listening carefully to an old man and admiring both
fireflies and stars at the same time.
- It means that if Vania didn’t find Truth, our Goodness has moved to
another house? – The kitten asked frightenedly.
- Not yet –the old man answered. – Given that you went to the forest
because of your friend and Vania himself wants to find Truth to bring back his
mother her good mood, Goodness stil lives in your house. But hurry up to invite
Honesty and then these three wil keep Happiness in your house.
- But where should I look for Honesty? – The kitten kept asking.
- Truth is where the candy wrappings are…- Borovichok answered with a
mysterious smile. – And now hurry up, otherwise your mother wil worry. The
fireflies wil lead you so you won’t get lost in a dark forest.
- Thank you, uncle Borovichok! – The kitten cried out at last and rushed
after the fireflies.
The road turned to be not so long as it seemed when Murzik was looking
for Borovichok. Soon the kitten found himself near the pond. He gladly thanked
aunt Water and uncle Pinestry for their help and told them how he found
Borovichok and what advise he gave him. The forest creatures wished the kitten
luck and he went home briskly. There his worried mother-cat was waiting for him
with his friend Vanechka beside her.
The kitten stretched with pleasure and sat himself on boy’s knees. He was
stroking kitten’s head and back and the kitten started purring his mother-cat about
the things he found out in the woods. Mother-cat was listening to him carefully
and went to the house when he fell asleep. She went around the whole house
and talked with the mouth that lived in a hole. And then her eyes caught a glint in
the corner. It was the moon that was helping her find Truch and was shining on a
bright wrapper on the floor next to Misha’s bed.
The boy himself was sitting at the table and reading a book. Mother-cat
meowed loudly trying to attract his attention. The boy tore himself away from
reading and turned to her. The cat rased a bright wrapper and it rustled loudly.
She looked closely at the boy, the wrapper and the door of a child room. A boy
frowned but said nothing. The cat stood up, went to the other bed and began
washing herself. But it would appear at first sight. Actually, mother-cat hided her
face with shame and Misha felt ashamed for himself too. Goodness stil lived in
their house and the boy didn’t want his brother and mother to feel upset at all.
Misha picked up a wrapper that he threw away in the morning and shuffled
off to “give up”. Mother-cat followed him with her pleased eyes and went back to
the sil where her kitten was kicking up his paws and purring asleep as he stil
was in the forest and saw incredibly kind and sympathetic animals and birds.
Mother-cat was proud of her son badly, as Murzik was a real true friend to
Vanechka.
Meanwhile Mishenka entered the living room where his mother and father
were reading in the armchairs.
- Mother… - the boy called quietly and lowered his eyes ashamedly.
Mum turned her attention to him at once and put a book aside.
- What happened, Mishenka?
The boy stretched a candy wrapper to her and confessed:
- I feel so embarrassed that I lied to you today in the morning when you
asked me who broke the vase. It was me who stretched out for a candy, didn’t
reach it and dropped the vase unwittingly.
- But why didn’t you tell me al at once? – Mother surprised and father also
put his book aside, listening carefully to their conversation. – Didn’t I teach you to
be always honest?
- You did, - the boy nodded. – But I thought you’d get upset when you
found out that it was me.
- That’s right, sonny, - his mother answered him, sitting him on her knees.
– But I would upset more if Honesty left our house together with Truth.
- Otherwise we would lose Goodness and Happiness forever, - said father.
– Would it be good?
- No, - Misha shook his head and gave a hug at first to his mother and then
to his father. – I wil never cheat. After all, Goodness and Happiness should live in
every house! And in our as well!
Vanechka entered the room to wish everyone good night and saw his
mother, father and brother hugging each other. Mother was smiling and didn’t feel
upset anymore. Vanechka felt so happy that he flew into their arms immediately.
Misha told his brother about the candies and a broken vase.
- I’m so happy that Truth is found! - the boy yelled and parents laughed.
But the kitten who found Truth and helped to keep Happiness in the house
was the happiest.
My dear young reader and his loving parents!
We have come a long way together with a kitten and helped him to find
Truth.
Do you remember his name?
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Has he met anyone on his way?
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Is the kitten a true friend?
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Together with your parents try to draw the fairytale characters you liked the
most on a separate page. Tel about them. What are they like? How do they look
like? Are they kind or evil? Why did you choose them?
How do you imagine the fairytale
heroes?
Литературно-художественное издание
Ангелина Крихели
КАК КОТЕНОК ПРАВДУ ИСКАЛ
Перевод на украинский - Ангелина Крихели (Ангеліна Кріхелі)
Литературный редактор – Ольга Кухаренко (Ольга Кухаренко)
Перевод на английский, редактор - преподаватель английского
языковой школы «Аддриан» Вероника Писарева (Вероніка
Пісарєва)
Иллюстрация на обложке Ангелины Крихели (Ангеліни Кріхелі)
Дизайнер (макет, верстка) – Ирина Шатура (Ірина Шатура)
Комментарии, отзывы, пожелания и впечатления можно присылать
по адресу angelinakrikheli@ukr.net