— In such cases, when there is no understanding, the elders will help, — grandfather replied, — you can come to them for advice, they will definitely find an answer and explain. And also, reading books helps. Here's Mickey, he often sits and reads books, and you jump like a scalded one, he has no time for everything. And Mickey has a strong house, but you don't.
— Yes, Grandpa, I like to read books and learned a lot of useful things from them for myself, — Mickey said happily, — so they help me choose good deeds and deeds and avoid bad ones? Mickey asked Grandpa happily.
— That's right, Mickey, that's right, — Grandpa replied and continued, — and also, you always listened to your parents and elders. The elders have seen a lot in their lives and done a lot of different things. Will the elders give bad advice? And we've read a lot of books. Books, my children, tell about various deeds and deeds, and there is always an assessment of them. And we, being carried away by the plot, involuntarily remember what is good and what is bad. And when we come to the life fair, we unconsciously select only good deeds, because we have already been given this hint in the books.
— I see, Grandfather. I will read books and listen to my elders, — Oscar said and, satisfied with the answer to his question, looked at the dark starry sky. They got to their grandfather's house and breathlessly admired nature. It was already dark outside and a soft mist, in thin trickles, crept in the garden along the treetops and over the mirrored surface of a quiet lake. The birds were no longer heard, and only the crickets cut through the silence with their sharp roll calls. In the dark, endless sky, the stars fell sparkling, giving a small, but still a chance to make the children their innermost wish. Our fabulous souls went to bed, and the quiet night life of distant and mysterious stars continued outside the window.
Excursion to the grandfathered house
Waking up and stretching, Mickey and Oscar peeked out the window. Everything around was singing and blooming. The sun was already shining brightly high above the horizon, filling the magical world with joy and warmth.
— Hello, Grandpa! — Mickey cheerfully shouted, seeing Grandpa flying towards his house.
— Good morning, little ones! I've already flown to the fair of life this morning, worked a bit, warmed up my body and soul, — Grandpa laughed.
— What interesting things did you do at the fair? — Oscar asked, rushing into the yard to do his morning exercises.
— I took on a serious task — «managing the construction of a house»! — Grandpa proudly replied.
— Now that's some warm-up! We're still far from that! We should first learn how to do the task 'hang a picture on the wall.' It's always something — a nail in the wrong wall or a blunt drill bit! — Oscar laughed.
— Indeed, my dear children, not every soul can handle management. It takes centuries of learning because you have to make the right decisions, delegate tasks properly, and make sure a chicken coop doesn't turn into a house! — Grandpa laughed and continued, — long, long ago, just like you, Oscar, I dreamed of building a marvelous castle for myself. So, I began to engage in the affairs of the fair of life, related to construction and furnishing of a home. That's how I learned and got involved in this fascinating endeavor. Let's fly, and I'll show you my grand mansion!
— Let's go! — Mickey joyfully shouted, and they followed Grandpa into his grand house.
It wasn't just a house, it was a true small palace! With light blue walls, majestic white columns, and beautiful capitals. The windows, arranged in straight rows, were crowned with elegant arches, emphasizing the harmony of lines and forms of the palace. The massive main door made of red wood, adorned with carved figurines, beckoned one to step inside the splendid building. Near the entrance stood sculptures of heroes from their fairy-tale world, as if they had come to life, and a beautiful fountain adorned with reliefs, paintings, and intricate stone carvings splashed nearby.
Mickey and Oscar flew alongside Grandpa through the spacious and well-maintained rooms of his grand mansion. Inside, it turned out to be even more spacious and magnificent than it appeared from the outside.
— Grandpa, it seems even bigger, more beautiful, and sturdier from the inside! — Oscar exclaimed in astonishment as he flew through the magnificent hall with a fireplace, admiring the paintings on the walls.
— Yes, Oscar, — Grandpa replied, — not everything can be seen, understood, and felt from the outside. Only by stepping inside the house of life can its beauty and grandeur fully unfold. Many souls in our magical world build their houses of life to appear dull from the outside, as a means of protection, while inside, everything is bright, intriguing, and warm. A soft couch provides comfort, and a wonderful fireplace warms a beloved guest with its heat. But there are castles that appear huge and beautiful on the outside, yet inside, they are empty and cold, with only the eerie howling of the wind throughout the damp halls…
— And I prefer to show off! The bigger and brighter on the outside, the better! — Oscar proudly declared and continued, — well, how else? If the house is big and beautiful, it means its owner is important and noble!
— He may indeed be important and noble, to his credit and praise, — Grandpa replied, — but he may also not be. Rain and storms will put everything in its place and answer the question of whether he is involved in good or bad deeds.
— Judging by the ruins of my castle, it's clear what kind of expert I am! — Oscar laughed and continued his journey through Grandpa's house.
There were no drafts or leaks on the beautiful walls of Grandpa's spacious rooms. It has stood for centuries, delighting its guests and enveloping them with warmth and coziness within its dependable and kind walls.
— Every brick of this house holds its own story, and there are hundreds, if not more, of good deeds behind them, — Grandpa explained.
— Tell us, Grandpa! — Oscar pleaded, — so that I know, and the snakes don't fool me, as they usually do, with their tricks and treats!
— Well, these walls of the spacious living room were particularly challenging for me, — Grandpa said thoughtfully and continued, — I was still learning to build, and the snakes were already swirling around me, twisting and offering their vile schemes at the fair of life. They would suggest «covering up flaws since no one would notice anyway», or «taking construction materials for oneself since no one would count them», or «doing things differently from the instructions to earn more». In short, my dear children, snakes were pushing their own agendas and rotten bricks from all sides, but I managed. After struggling with the holes in my house, I learned and soon received only good bricks for my deeds. I understood that even the slightest bad deed would leave a hole in the wall, and not a small one!
— Yes, Grandpa, experience and steadfastness are crucial in such serious matters, — Mickey agreed, — and please, tell us another story! — he requested.
— Ah, right here, — Grandpa continued, — when we entered the large and cozy guest bedroom, there was a massive hole after a heavy rain! In the middle of the night, the rotten bricks were washed away, and the guests were drenched by the rain! — Grandpa smiled as he reminisced, — Oh, it was quite embarrassing! That's how my own bad actions let down dear guests. It's funny, but my reputation was tarnished, quite literally, and it took a while for those important acquaintances of mine to visit me again.