Читать онлайн "Спасти Кощея" - Крихели Ангелина - RuLit

– It can’t be! It’s a circus act! Confess! It’s Matvey Ivanovich asked you to play a trick on me, so I believe that miracles happen? – and the girl curiously tilted her head to one side, looking at the strange forest inhabitants one after another.

– Who is Matvey Ivanovich? – the monster asked with a deep voice and blinked in confusion with all its huge eyes.

– What do you mean, miracles don’t happen?! – the old man frowned even harder.

– Come on! – the girl waved her hand. – I do not believe in anything like that! These are just fairy-tales, fiction!

The girl smiled, and two of her interlocutors couldn’t but blink in a surprise and look at this miracle. A little girl with two wonderful braids was looking at them and couldn’t believe they were real.

«A real miracle!» – Koschei thought and scratched his head. The door behind his back creaked quietly, showing hidden earlier different household items – one by one they started sneaking in a yard to have a look at a strange guest.

– Who are you? – looking dreadfully at her, Koschei asked.

– My name is Hope, – the girl introduced herself and did a giggly curtsy, holding the edge of her dress.

Gorynych continued to snuffle heavily, so it was impossible not to pay attention to him or forget about him even for a minute. Besides, he didn’t look like a toy, unreal or fictional to Hope at all. She had to put herself together to turn back to the monster again. Having assured that everything is for real, it turned out to be much more difficult than before, when she thought that this was just a circus act arranged by her drawing teacher.

Gorynych was curiously watching the girl, the old man was looking at him, mumbling something petulantly, and the girl herself couldn’t take her eyes off huge Gorynych’s arms-wings, laying on his belly.

Mother always said that the best cure for the pain and fear is to help those who need you at this moment. Therefore, the girl tried bravely to focus on Gorynych’s behaviour (and now she couldn’t deny it was really him!) and came to the conclusion that the three-headed dragon clearly suffered from colic.

– Well, – Hope concluded with confidence, turning her face to the house and its angry owner, – it’s good that you appeared here…

– It’s you the one to «appear»... – Koschei grumbled petulantly.

– I think your friend needs our help, – claimed Hope and turned to Gorynych. – Could you tell me, how was your day?

The girl looked so self-confident that neither Gorynych nor Koshchey even thought to put her in her place or argue.

Gorynych blinked in surprise and broke forth into descriptions of how he was walking along the lawn, admiring the flowers and the beautiful sunrise. He closed his eyes dreamily, remembering his wonderful walk. Suddenly, as if coming to his sense, he looked dreadful and even seemed to growl. But that was not entirely convincing, thought Hope, coming closer. For some reason she was sure that a huge monster would not offend her, although in fairy-tales people wrote all kinds of horrors about him.

– I didn’t mean what you were doing, – the girl smiled, referring to Gorynych as if he were the youngest in this clearing, and not she. And besides, the most inapprehensive. – Better tell me, where it hurts.

Zmey Gorynych frowned, rubbing his belly with his huge paws and waving his tail at the same time. Confused Koschei was standing near the house, observing this very amusing scene, and had no idea what to do. For the first time in hundreds of years, he met a person who wasn’t a bit afraid of him or rushing at him and shouting that his time has come.

Watching him, teapots, plates and brooms grew even bolder and started to slowly getting out into the clearing, gathering around the little funny guest with a snubby nose and curious eyes. No one like her hadn’t dropped in on them for a long time. They were stumbling and running into each other – the plates jangled, hitting the cups, and the forks clinked, touching the spoons and a ladle.

Gorynych was openly enjoying the undivided attention, literally bathing in the beams of kindness and care.

– So, patient, – Hope started to talk and everyone focused on her words, – what did you eat today?

Gorynych even made a hiccup in amazement and started to list his numerous meals, bending his plumpy fingers.

– No-no-no, – Hope interrupted him. – That’s unacceptable! The diet should be healthy, balanced and full of vitamins… – She thought to herself for a moment, trying to remember what else her mother told her in such cases, as she had been a nutritionist for many years. – Would you like to lie down?

– Oh, yes! – Gorynych nodded joyfully with all his heads and lied down immediately.

Little Hope could hardly keep from laughing, looking at his amusing happy snouts.

– I also want to do this… – Gorynych said with his deep voice and began chafing against the grass. – And I also want to drink… And as for eating… I don’t really want to eat... – he added sadly. Apparently, the absence of appetite was a new but not the most pleasant feeling for him.

– Sit down immediately! – Hope ordered strictly and even tried to help him, what made Koschey's brows go up in astonishment, and a sort of smile flashed across his face. Having noticed that, all magic household utensils froze, afraid to move. The last time the owner smiled ... Yes, no one really remembered when it was!

– But I want to lie down… – whined Gorynych, refusing to move.

The little girl kept pushing him in the back, trying to seat him.