The shepherdess and the chimney sweep

You sometime saw the ancient-ancient case turned black from time and decorated with carved curls and leaves? Such here the case - прабабушкино the inheritance - stood in a drawing room. It was all is covered by a carving - roses, tulips and the most intricate curls. Between them looked out оленьи heads with branchy horns, and on most середке the little man has been cut out in all growth. It was impossible to look at it without laughter, and he grinned from an ear to an ear - a smile such grimace in any way will not name. It had goat feet, small small horns on a forehead and a long beard. Children called its ober-unter-general krigskomissar-sergeant Kozlonog because to utter such name difficultly and such title not is given to much. But and to cut out such figure not easily, well all the same cut out. The little man all time looked on подзеркальный a little table where there was a pretty porcelain shepherdess. The gilt boots, the short skirt which has been gracefully pinned up by a crimson rose, the gilt hat on a head and the shepherd's staff in a hand - well unless not beauty!

Near to it there was a small chimney sweep, black, as coal, but too from porcelain both same clean and lovely, as all other other. It after all only represented the chimney sweep, and the master in the same way could make its prince - all the same!

It stood gracefully, with a ladder in hands, and the person at it was white-pink as if at the girl, and it was a little bit wrong, it could be and почумазей. There was it absolutely near to the shepherdess - as they were put, so they and stood. And time so, they took yes have become engaged. The couple left though where: both are young, both from the same porcelain and both equally fragile.

There and then nearby there was one more doll, three times more their growth, - the old Chinese, able to nod a head. It was too porcelain and named itself the grandfather of the small shepherdess, here only proofs at it did not suffice. He asserted, that she should obey him and consequently nodded головою to ober-unter-general krigskomissar-sergeant Kozlonogu who asked in marriage the shepherdess.

- Good you will have a husband! - the old Chinese has told. - it is similar, even from mahogany. With it you will be ober-unter-general-krigskomissar-serzhantshej. At it the whole case of silver, not saying that lays in secret boxes.

- I do not want in a dark case! - the shepherdess answered. - speak, at it there eleven porcelain wives!

- Well so you will be the twelfth! - the Chinese has told. - at night as soon as an old case закряхтит, we will play your wedding, differently not to be to me the Chinese!

Here he has nodded a head and has fallen asleep.

And the shepherdess has burst into tears and, looking at the lovely porcelain chimney sweep, has told:

- I ask you, we will escape with me where eyes look. Here we cannot remain.

- For the sake of you I am ready on all! - the chimney sweep answered. - we will leave now! Probably, I will manage to support you the craft.

- If only to go down from a little table! - she has told. - I will not sigh freely while we will not be far-far!

The chimney sweep calmed her and showed, where it is better to it to go the porcelain leg, into what ledge or a gilt curl. Its ladder also сослужила it kind service, and eventually they have safely gone down on a floor. But, having looked at an old case, they have seen there a terrible alarm. Carved deer have extended forward heads, have exposed horns and twirled by them extensively, and ober-unter-general krigskomissar-sergeant Kozlonog has highly jumped up and has shouted to the old Chinese:

- They escape! Escape!

The shepherdess and the chimney sweep were frightened and have slipped in подоконный a box. Isolated packs here laid, the puppet theatre has been somehow established. On a scene there was a representation.

All ladies - of diamonds and red, трефовые and peak - sat in the first row and fanned with tulips, and behind them there were jacks and tried to show, as they about two heads, as all figures in cards. In the play sufferings of an enamoured couple which separated were represented, and the shepherdess has begun to cry: it so has reminded its own destiny.

- My forces are not present more! - she has told to the chimney sweep. - we will leave from here!

But when they have come to be on a floor and have looked at the little table, they have seen, that the old Chinese has woken up and shaken by all body - after all in it the lead ball was rolled.

- Ah, the old Chinese pursues us! - the shepherdess has screamed and in despair has fallen to the porcelain. Knees.

- Stand! Has thought up! - the chimney sweep has told. - you see there, in a corner, the big vase with dried fragrant grasses and colours? We will hide in it! We will lay down there on pink and лавандовые petals and if the Chinese reaches us, we will fill up to it of an eye salt [In olden time in rooms put for a smell of a vase with dry colours and grasses; this mix was salted, that smelt] more strongly.

- Anything from this does not leave! - the shepherdess has told. - I know, the Chinese and a vase have once been affianced, and from old friendship always something yes remains. No, to us one road - to be started up on белу to light!

- And at you will suffice on it to spirit? - The chimney sweep has asked. - you have thought of how light is great? What to us never to return back?

- Yes, yes! - she answered.

The chimney sweep has steadfastly looked at it and has told:

- My way conducts through a chimney! Whether courage will suffice at you to climb with me in an oven, and then in a chimney? There I know what to do! We will rise so highly, that us and will not reach. There, on the top, there is a hole, through it it is possible to get out on a this world!

And it has led it to an oven.

- As here it is black! - she has told, but all the same has got behind it both into an oven, and in a flue where it was dark it's pitch dark.

- Well here we and in a pipe! - the chimney sweep has told. - look, look! Directly over us the wonderful asterisk shines!

In the sky and really the star, as if specifying to them a way shone. And they climbed, clambered awful road all above and above. But the chimney sweep supported the shepherdess and prompted, where it is more convenient to it to put the porcelain legs. At last they have reached the top and have sat down to have a rest on pipe-they edge very much have got tired, and no wonder.

To us the sky covered with stars, under them all roofs of a city, and around on all parties, both in breadth was them and afar, the free world has swung open. The poor shepherdess did not think in any way, that light so is great. It was inclined by a head to a shoulder of the chimney sweep and has begun to cry so bitterly, that tears have washed off all gilding from its belt.

- It for me too! - the shepherdess has told. - it to me not to take out! Light is too great! Ah, as I would like back on подзеркальный a little table! Will not be at me minute quiet while I there will not return! I after all have followed you on a world's end, and now you take me back home if you love me!

The chimney sweep began to teach it, reminded of the old Chinese and ober-unter-general krigskomissar-sergeant Kozlonoge, but she only sobbed inconsolably yes kissed the chimney sweep. There is nothing, it was necessary to concede to it though it and was unreasonable.

And here they have gone down back downwards on a pipe. It was not easy! Having appeared again in the dark furnace, they at first have stood at a door, listening to that becomes in a room. All was silent, and they have looked out of the furnace. Ah, the old Chinese rolled on a floor: having pursued them, it has fallen down from a little table and has broken into three parts. The back has flown away absolutely, the head was went in a corner. The Ober-unter-general krigskomissar-sergeant stood, as always, on the place and deliberated.

- What horror! - the shepherdess has exclaimed. - the old grandfather has broken, and виною to it we! Ah, I of it will not go through!

And it has broken the tiny handles.

- It still can be repaired! - the chimney sweep has told. - it can be repaired! Only do not worry! To it will paste a back, and in a nape will drive a good rivet, and it again will be just as new and can tell to us a heap of unpleasant things!

- You think? - The shepherdess has told.

And they have again scrambled on the little table.

- Far we with you have left! - the chimney sweep has told. - it is not necessary also works!

- If only the grandfather have repaired! - the shepherdess has told. - or it very much will cost much?.

The grandfather have repaired: have pasted to it a back and have driven in a nape a good rivet. It became as new, only a head to nod has ceased.

- You something have grown proud since have broken! - ober-unter-general krigskomissar-sergeant Kozlonog has told to it. - Only from what it? Well as, will give for me the grand daughter?

The chimney sweep and the shepherdess with entreaty have looked at the old Chinese: they so were afraid, that he will nod. But to nod it already could not any more, and explain to strangers, that at you in a nape the rivet, too is not enough pleasure. And there was a porcelain couple is unseparable. The shepherdess and the chimney sweep blest a grand-dad's rivet and loved each other, have not broken yet.