Дюймовочка

Vein on light one woman. It did not have children, and it very much would like the baby. It here has gone to the old sorcerer and speaks:

- I so would like, that I had a daughter, though the smallest!.

- Than that is easier! - the sorcerer has answered. - here to you barley grain. This grain not idle time, not that ripen at you on fields and will be born to a bird on a forage. Take ake it yes plant in a flowerpot. You will see, that will be.

- Thanks you! - the woman has told and has given to the sorcerer twelve copper coins.

Then it has gone home and has planted a barley kernel in a flowerpot.

Only it has watered it, the kernel has sprouted at once. From the earth two leaflets and a gentle stalk have seemed. And on a stalk there was a big wonderful flower, like a tulip. But flower petals have been densely compressed: it was not dismissed yet.

- What charming flower! - the woman has told and has kissed beautiful motley petals.

A same minute in a core of a flower something has clicked, and it has revealed. It was really the big tulip, but in its cup the live girl sat. It was small-small, all in inch growth. Therefore it and have nicknamed - Дюймовочка.

Cradle for Дюймовочки have made from brilliant varnished скорлупки a walnut. Instead of перинки there have put some violets, and instead of a blanket - a rose-petal. In this cradle the girl stacked on night, and in the afternoon she played a table.

In the middle of a table the woman has put a soup plate with water, and on plate edge has spread out flowers. Their long small stalks bathed in water, and flowers long remained fresh and fragrant.

For small Дюймовочки the plate with water was the whole lake, and it floated on this lake on a tulip petal, as on лодочке. Instead of oars it had two white horsehair. Дюймовочка the whole days went for a drive on wonderful лодочке, crossed on the one hand plates on another and sang songs. Such gentle voice as at it, anybody never heard.

Once at night when Дюймовочка slept in the cradle, through an open window in a room the enormous old toad, wet and ugly has made the way. From a window sill she has jumped on a table and has glanced in скорлупку where slept under rose-petal Дюймовочка.

- As it is good! - the old toad has told. - the nice bride will be to my son!

It has seized nut скорлупку with the girl and has jumped out through a window in a garden.

Near a garden the small river proceeded, and under its most coast there was a fenny bog. Here, in marsh ooze, and a vein an old toad with the son. The son was too wet and ugly - exactly mummy!

- Коакс, коакс, a brekke-ke-fruitcake! - only he when has seen the little girl in nut скорлупке also could tell.

- More silently you! Still you will wake, that kind, and it will escape from us, - the old toad has told. - after all it is easier than a plumelet. Give ive we will carry it on the middle of the river and we will plant there on water-lily sheet - for such crumb it is the whole island. Therefrom to it for what not to escape. And I will suit in the meantime for you in ooze a cosy nest.

Many water-lilies grew in the river. Their wide green leaves floated on water. The biggest sheet was further all from coast! The toad has swum up to this sheet and has put on it nut скорлупку in which the girl slept.

Ah, as was frightened poor Дюймовочка, having woken up in the morning! And as was not to be frightened! From different directions it was surrounded with water, and coast hardly was seen in the distance. Дюймовочка has closed eyes hands and has bitterly begun to cry.

And the old toad sat in ooze and decorated the house a cane and yellow water-lilies, - she wished to please the young daughter-in-law. When all was ready, it has swum up with the disgusting sonny to sheet, on which sat Дюймовочка to take its bed and to transfer to itself to the house.

It is sweet having smiled, the old toad has low sat down in water before the girl and has told:

- Here my sonny! It will be your husband! You nicely will begin to live with it at us in ooze.

- Коакс, коакс, a brekke-ke-fruitcake! - only the sonny also could tell.

Toads took скорлупку and have departured with it. And Дюймовочка all there was one in the middle of the river on the big green sheet of a water-lily and bitterly-bitterly cried - she would not like to live at a disgusting toad at all and to marry its opposite son.

Small small fishes who floated under water, услыхали, that the old woman a toad has told. The groom with the mother they saw and earlier. Now they have put out from head water to have a look at the bride.

Having looked on Дюймовочку the round eyes, they have left on the bottom and began to think what now to do. It was awfully a pity to them, that such pretty little girl should live together with these disgusting toads somewhere under a snag in dense fat ooze. Not to happen to it! Small fishes from all small river have gathered at water-lily sheet on which sat Дюймовочка, and перегрызли a sheet small stalk.

And here the water-lily sheet has floated on a current. The current was strong, and the sheet floated very quickly. Now the old toad could not catch up Дюймовочку in any way.

Дюймовочка floated all further and further, and small birdies who sat in bushes, looked at it and sang:

- What pretty little girl!

The easy white moth all was turned over Дюймовочкой and at last has fallen on sheet - very much it liked this tiny traveller.

And Дюймовочка has removed the silk belt, one end has thrown on a moth, another has adhered to sheet, and the leaf has floated even faster. At this time the may-bug by flew by. He has seen Дюймовочку, has seized it and has carried away on a tree. The green sheet of a water-lily has floated without it further and has soon passed out of sight, and with it together and a moth: after all it has been strong adhered to sheet by a silk belt.

As was frightened poor Дюймовочка when the horned bug has clasped its pads and has risen with it highly in air! And a white moth it was very a pity to it. Something with it will be now? After all he will starve to death, if it will not manage to be released.

And the may-bug and burning has not enough. He has taken seat on a branch of the big tree, has set nearby Дюймовочку and has told to it, that it very much is pleasant to it, though is completely not similar to may-bugs.

Then to them other may-bugs who lived on the same tree have come on a visit. They with curiosity examined Дюймовочку, and their daughters in perplexity planted with wings.

- At it only two legs! - spoke one.

- It even does not have feelers! - spoke others.

- What it weak, thin! That also look, will break half-and-half, - spoke the third.

- Very much to the person it is similar, and besides ugly, - all bugs have solved at last.

Even to a may-bug who has brought Дюймовочку, it seemed now, that it is absolutely bad, and he has decided to say goodbye to it - let goes where knows. It has flied with Дюймовочкой downwards and has planted it on a camomile.

Дюймовочка sat on a flower and cried: to it it was sad, that it such ugly. Even may-bugs have banished it!

And actually it was very nice. Perhaps, it is better than it and on light was nobody.

All the summer long one-odineshenka has lived Дюймовочка in the big wood. It has weaved to herself from a grass a cradle and has suspended it under the big sheet of a burdock to take cover from a rain and from the sun. She ate sweet flower honey and drank dew which found every morning on leaves.

So there has passed summer, there has passed also autumn. The long cold winter approached. Birds have departed, flowers завяли, and the big sheet of a burdock under which lived Дюймовочка, has turned yellow, has dried up and was curtailed into a tube.

The cold scolded Дюймовочку through. Its dress all was tore, and it was such small, gentle - as here not мерзнуть! Snow has gone, and each snowflake was for Дюймовочки the same, that for us the whole shovel of snow. We after all big, and it was growth only about inch. It was turned was in dry sheet, but it at all did not heat, and the poor thing herself shivered, as an autumn leaf on a wind.

Then Дюймовочка has decided to leave from wood and to look to itself for a shelter for the winter.

For wood in which she lived, there was a big field. Bread from a field for a long time already have cleaned, and only short dry small stalks stuck out of the frozen earth.

Was in the field even colder, than in wood, and Дюймовочка has absolutely frozen, while made the way between the dried up rigid stalks.

At last it has reached a mink of the field mouse. The input in a mink has been carefully covered by blades and былинками.

The field mouse lived in heat and content: the kitchen and a pantry at it were chock filled grain grains. Дюймовочка as нищенка, has stopped at a threshold and has asked to submit to it though a slice of barley grain - here two days in a mouth at it was not crumbs.

- Ah you, the poor thing! - the field mouse (it was, in effect, the kind old woman) has told. Well go here, get warm yes you sing with me!

And Дюймовочка has gone down in a mink, it was warmed and has eaten.

- You to like me, - have told to it to wash, having had a look at it shining, as beads, black eyes. - Remain with me for the winter. I will feed you, and you tidy up properly my house yes tell to me fairy tales - I to them the big hunter.

And Дюймовочка remained.

It did everything, that the old mouse ordered to it, and was to it absolutely not bad in a warm secluded mink.

- Soon we will have visitors, - the field mouse has told to it once. - once a week me comes to visit mine the neighbour. It is very rich and lives where better me. At it the big house under the earth, and it carries a fur coat such, what you, truly, and not видывала, - a magnificent black fur coat! Leave, the girl, for it in marriage! With it you will not be gone! One trouble: it is blind and will not make out, what you pretty. Well, you but will tell to it the best fairy tale what only you know.

But Дюймовочке it would not be desirable to marry the rich neighbour at all: after all it was a mole - the gloomy underground inhabitant.

Soon the neighbour and really has come to them on a visit.

However, it carried a fur coat very elegant - from a dark velvet. Besides, according to the field mouse, it was scientific and very rich, and its house was almost in twenty times more, than at the mouse. But it hated the sun and abused all flowers. And no wonder! After all he never in a life saw any flower.

The mistress-mouse has forced Дюймовочку to sing for expensive visitor, and the girl is willy-nilly ripe two songs, yes so it is good, that the mole was delighted. But he has not told words - it were such important, sedate, reticent...

Having visited on a visit at the neigbour, the mole has dug under the earth a long corridor from the house to the mink of the field mouse and has invited the old woman together with a reception daughter to walk on this adit.

It took in a mouth гнилушку - in darkness гнилушка shines not worse a candle - and has gone forward, shining road.

Halfway the mole has stopped and has told:

- Here any bird lays. But we have nothing to be afraid of it - it dead. Yes here can have a look.

And the mole began to be stuck with the wide nose into a ceiling, yet has not dug in it a hole. The daylight has got into an underground course, and Дюймовочка has seen a dead swallow.

Should be, the poor birdie was lost from a cold. Its wings have been strong pressed to a body, legs and a head are hidden in plumelets.

Дюймовочке it became very a pity it. She so loved these cheerful легкокрылых birdies - after all they sang the whole summer to it wonderful songs and learnt it to sing. But the mole has pushed a swallow with the short paws and has grumbled:

- What, has probably become silent? You do not whistle more? Here that also is!. Yes, I would not like to be a such bird. Only also are able to be in the air yes to chirp. And the winter will come - that by it to do? Die, and all here. Is not present, my children should not vanish in the winter for hunger and a cold.

- Yes, yes, - the field mouse has told. - what use from this chirping and a twitter? Songs will not be full, by chirping you will not be warmed in the winter!

Дюймовочка was silent. But when a mole and the mouse have turned to a bird a back, it has bent down to a swallow, has moved apart plumelets and has kissed her directly on the closed eyes.

“Perhaps, it is that swallow who so wonderfully sang in the summer, - the girl has thought. - how many pleasures were brought by you to me, a lovely swallow!”

And the mole has again closed up in the meantime a hole in a ceiling. Then, having picked up гнилушку, it has taken home the old woman the mouse and Дюймовочку.

At night Дюймовочке it was not slept. It has got up, has weaved from dry былинок the big carpet and, having made the way in an adit, has covered with it a dead birdie. Then it has found in a pantry at the field mouse warm to down, a dry moss and has arranged for a swallow something like a nest that to it not so was rigid and cold to lay on the frozen earth.

- Farewell, the lovely swallow, - has told Дюймовочка. - Farewell! Thanks you that you sang to me the wonderful songs in the summer when trees were still green, and so nicely heated the sun.

And it has nestled a head on silky plumelets on a breast at a birdie.

And suddenly she has heard, that in a breast at a swallow something has gradually begun to knock: “Knock! Knock!” - at first it is silent, and is then louder and louder. It was hammered heart of a swallow. The swallow was not dead - she only has stiffened from a cold, and now was warmed and has revived.

For winter of flight of swallows always depart to warm edges. The autumn has not had time to break yet from trees the green dress, and winged путницы already gather in a long journey. If any of them will lag behind or - will be late, a prickly wind in a trice оледенит its easy body. She will stiffen, will fall to the earth замертво, and it will bring cold snow.

So happens and with this swallow who has warmed Дюймовочка.

When the girl has understood, that the bird is live, she and was delighted and frightened. Still not to be frightened! After all near to it the swallow seemed such huge bird.

But all the same Дюймовочка has got up courage, has more warmly covered a swallow the wattled carpet, and has then run home, has brought a leaflet of mint which itself took cover instead of a blanket, and has wrapped up with it a head of a bird.

The next night Дюймовочка again on the sly has made the way to a swallow. The bird already has absolutely revived, but was still very weak and has hardly opened eyes to look at the girl.

Дюймовочка faced to it with a piece гнилушки in hands - other lantern at it was not.

- Thanks you, a lovely crumb! - the sick swallow has told. - I so was well warmed! Soon I absolutely will recover and again I will take off on the sun.

- Ah, - has told Дюймовочка, - now so it is cold, it is snowing! Remain better in warm постельке, and I will look after you.

And it has brought to a swallow of barley kernels and waters in a flower petal. The swallow has had a drink, has eaten, and has then told to the girl as it has wounded to herself a wing about a thorny bush and could not depart together with other swallows to warm edges. The winter has come, became very cold, and it has fallen to the earth... The swallow is More already remembered than nothing. She at all did not know, how has got here, to this vault.

All the winter long the swallow has lived in an adit, and Дюймовочка looked after it, fed and gave to drink to her. Neither to a mole, nor the field mouse she has not told about it words - after all both of them at all did not love birds.

When the spring has come and has warmed the sun, Дюймовочка has opened that window which was done in a ceiling by a mole, and the warm solar beam has sliped under the earth.

The swallow has said goodbye to the girl, has straightened wings but before to take off, has asked, whether wishes Дюймовочка to get out together with it on will. Let will sit down to it on a back, and they will depart to green wood.

But Дюймовочке it was a pity to throw the old field mouse - she knew, that to the old woman it will be very boring without it.

- No, it is impossible for me! - she has told, sighing.

- Well, farewell! Farewell, the lovely girl! - прощебетала a swallow.

Дюймовочка long looked to it following, and tears dripped at it from eyes - it too would like on open space and was sad to leave a swallow.

-Tvi-twist, tvi-twist! - the swallow has shouted last time and has disappeared in green wood.

And Дюймовочка remained in a mouse hole.

Every day all was to it worse, all is more boring. The old mouse did not allow it to leave far from the house, and the field round a mink has grown with high thick ears and it seemed Дюймовочке dense wood.

And here once the old woman the mouse has told Дюймовочке:

- We the neighbour, an old mole, came to ask in marriage to you. Now you need to prepare a dowry. You marry the bigwig, and it is necessary, that at you all were much.

And Дюймовочке it was necessary to spin a yarn on the whole days.

The old woman has employed the mouse of four spiders. They sat day and night on corners of a mouse mink and on the quiet did the business - weaved different fabrics and spun laces from the most thin web.

And the blind mole came every evening on a visit and stirred that will be fast to summer the end, the sun will cease to scorch the earth and it again will become soft and friable. Here then they also will celebrate a wedding. But Дюймовочка all longed and cried: she at all did not wish to marry, moreover for a thick blind mole.

Every morning, on sunrise, and every evening, on a decline, Дюймовочка left for a threshold of a mouse mink. Sometimes the cheerful breeze moved apart tops of ears, and it was possible to girl to see a slice of the blue sky.

“As it is light, as it is good here on an ox!” - thought Дюймовочка and all recollected a swallow. It very much would like to see a birdie, but the swallow was not shown over a field. Should be, it was twisted and rushed far-far there, in green wood over the blue river...

And here there has come autumn. The dowry for Дюймовочки was ready.

- In four weeks your wedding! - the field mouse has told Дюймовочке.

But Дюймовочка has begun to cry and has answered, that does not wish to marry a boring mole.

The old woman the mouse has become angry.

- Trifles! - she has told. - do not go obstinate, instead of that you will try my teeth. Than you a mole not the husband? One fur coat of that costs! The king does not have such fur coat! And in cellars at it it is not empty. Thank destiny for such husband!

At last day of wedding has come, and the mole has come for the bride. Means, it all the same should go with it to its dark hole, to live there, deeply-deeply under the earth, and never to see neither a this world, nor the clear sun - after all the mole hates them?! And poor Дюймовочке was so hard to say goodbye for ever to the high sky and the red sun! At the field mouse it could though have published, from a threshold of a mink, to admire them.

And here it left to look at a this world last time. Bread has been already cleaned from a field, and again one naked, dried up stalks stuck out of the earth. The girl has departed far away from a mouse mink and has stretched to the sun of a hand:

- Farewell, the sun, farewell! Then she has seen a small red floret, has embraced him and has told:

- Lovely floret if you will see a swallow, send to it regards from Дюймовочки.

- Tvi-twist,-twist! - it was suddenly distributed at it over a head.

Дюймовочка has lifted a head and has seen a swallow who flew by over a field. The swallow too has seen the girl and very much was delighted. It has fallen on the earth, and Дюймовочка, crying, has told to the girlfriend as she would not like to marry an old gloomy mole and to live with it deeply under the earth where the sun never looks.

- Already there comes cold winter, - the swallow has told, - and I depart far-far, to the distant countries. You wish to fly with me? Sit down to me on a back, only adhere itself more strong a belt, and we will depart with you from a disgusting mole, we will depart far, for the dark blue seas, in warm edges where the sun shines more brightly where there is an eternal summer and always flowers blossom. We will depart with me, a lovely crumb! You after all have rescued to me a life when I froze in a dark cold hole.

- Yes, yes, I will depart with you! - has told Дюймовочка. It has sat down to a swallow on a back and has strong adhered itself a belt to the biggest and strong feather.

The swallow an arrow has risen to the sky and has departed over dark woods, over the dark blue seas and the high mountains covered with snow. Here it was very cold, and Дюймовочка all was buried in warm feathers of a swallow and has put out only a head to admire fine places over which they flew by.

Here at last and warm edges! The sun shone here much more brightly, than at us, the sky was above, and along fences curly green grapes were twisted. In groves oranges and lemons kept up, and on paths cheerful children ran and caught the big motley butterflies.

But the swallow flied further and further. On the bank of transparent blue lake in the middle of sprawling trees there was an ancient white marble palace. Grapevines twisted its high columns, and above, under a roof, the bird's nests were moulded. In one of them also there lived a swallow.

- Here my house! - she has told. - and you choose to itself the most beautiful flower. I will plant you in its cup, and you will perfectly begin to live.

Дюймовочка was delighted and for pleasure has clapped the hands.

Below, in a grass, pieces of white marble laid is the top of one column has fallen down and has broken into three parts. Between marble fragments flowers grew large white as snow.

The swallow has gone down and has planted the girl on a wide petal. But what for a miracle? In a flower cup there was a small little man, such light and transparent as if it was from crystal or morning dew. Behind shoulders at it easy wings shivered, on a head the small gold crown shone, and growth it was no more ours Дюймовочки. It was the king эльфов.

When the swallow has flown up to a flower, эльф has outright got a fright. After all it was such small, and a swallow such big!

But as he was delighted, when the swallow has departed, having left in flower Дюймовочку! Never before he did not see such beautiful girl of one growth with it. He has low bowed to it and has asked, what is her name.

- Дюймовочка! - the girl has answered.

- Darling Djujmovochka, - has told эльф, - whether to be agree you my wife, the queen of colours?

Дюймовочка has had a look on beautiful эльфа. Ah, it was completely not similar to the silly, dirty sonny of an old toad and on a blind mole in a velvet fur coat! And she has agreed at once.

Then from each flower, overtaking each other, have taken off эльфы. They have surrounded Дюймовочку and have presented with its wonderful gifts.

But most other gifts have liked Дюймовочке wings - pair of transparent easy wings. Just as at a dragonfly. Them have adhered Дюймовочке behind shoulders, and it too could fly now from a flower on a flower. That was the pleasure!

- You will not call any more Дюймовочкой. At us, эльфов, other names, the king-has told Дюймовочке. - we will name you Майей!

And all эльфы have begun to spin over colours in a cheerful round dance, easy and bright, as petals of colours.

And the swallow sat above in the nest and sang songs as was able.

All warm winter эльфы danced under its songs. And when the spring has come to the cold countries, the swallow began to gather home.

- Farewell, farewell! - прощебетала it to the small girlfriend also has departed through the seas, mountains and woods home, to Denmark.

There it had a small nest, just over a window of the person which was able to tell fairy tales well. The swallow has told to it about Дюймовочку, and from it and we have learnt this history.