Interesting stories for children. Funny story about children and their parents

This section of our website contains stories from our favorite Russian writers for children aged 7-10 years. Many of them are included in the basic school curriculum and the curriculum extracurricular reading for 2nd and 3rd grade. However, these stories are worth reading not for the sake of a line in reader's diary. Being classics of Russian literature, the stories of Tolstoy, Bianchi and other authors have educational and educational functions. In these short works, the reader encounters good and evil, friendship and betrayal, honesty and deception. Junior schoolchildren learn about the life and way of life of previous generations.

The stories of the classics not only teach and edify, but also entertain. The funny stories of Zoshchenko, Dragunsky, Oster are familiar to every person since childhood. Plots understandable to children and light humor made the stories the most read works among primary schoolchildren.

Read interesting stories Russian writers online on our website!

The section is under development and will soon be filled with interesting works with illustrations.

Notebooks in the rain

During recess, Marik says to me:

Let's run away from class. Look how nice it is outside!

What if Aunt Dasha is late with the briefcases?

You need to throw your briefcases out the window.

We looked out the window: it was dry near the wall, but a little further away there was a huge puddle. Don't throw your briefcases into a puddle! We took the belts off the trousers, tied them together and carefully lowered the briefcases onto them. At this time the bell rang. The teacher entered. I had to sit down. The lesson has begun. The rain poured outside the window. Marik writes me a note: “Our notebooks are missing.”

I answer him: “Our notebooks are missing.”

He writes to me: “What are we going to do?”

I answer him: “What are we going to do?”

Suddenly they call me to the board.

“I can’t,” I say, “I have to go to the board.”

“How, I think, can I walk without a belt?”

Go, go, I’ll help you,” says the teacher.

You don't need to help me.

Are you sick by any chance?

“I’m sick,” I say.

How's your homework?

Good with homework.

The teacher comes up to me.

Well, show me your notebook.

What's happening to you?

You'll have to give it a two.

He opens the magazine and gives me a bad mark, and I think about my notebook, which is now getting wet in the rain.

The teacher gave me a bad grade and calmly said:

You're feeling strange today...

How I sat under my desk

As soon as the teacher turned to the board, I immediately went under the desk. When the teacher notices that I have disappeared, he will probably be terribly surprised.

I wonder what he'll think? He’ll start asking everyone where I’ve gone - it’ll be a laugh! Half the lesson has already passed, and I’m still sitting. “When,” I think, “will he see that I’m not in the class?” And it’s hard to sit under the desk. My back even hurt. Try to sit like that! I coughed - no attention. I can't sit anymore. Moreover, Seryozha keeps poking me in the back with his foot. I couldn't stand it. Didn't make it to the end of the lesson. I get out and say:

Sorry, Pyotr Petrovich...

The teacher asks:

What's the matter? Do you want to go to the board?

No, excuse me, I was sitting under my desk...

Well, how comfortable is it to sit there, under the desk? You sat very quietly today. This is how it would always be in class.

When Goga started going to first grade, he knew only two letters: O - circle and T - hammer. That's all. I didn't know any other letters. And he couldn't read.

Grandmother tried to teach him, but he immediately came up with a trick:

Now, now, grandma, I’ll wash the dishes for you.

And he immediately ran to the kitchen to wash the dishes. And the old grandmother forgot about studying and even bought him gifts for helping him with the housework. And Gogin’s parents were on a long business trip and relied on their grandmother. And of course, they didn’t know that their son still hadn’t learned to read. But Goga often washed the floor and dishes, went to buy bread, and his grandmother praised him in every possible way in letters to his parents. And I read it aloud to him. And Goga, sitting comfortably on the sofa, listened with his eyes closed. “Why should I learn to read,” he reasoned, “if my grandmother reads aloud to me.” He didn't even try.

And in class he dodged as best he could.

The teacher tells him:

Read it here.

He pretended to read, and he himself told from memory what his grandmother read to him. The teacher stopped him. To the laughter of the class, he said:

If you want, I’d better close the window so it doesn’t blow.

I'm so dizzy that I'm probably going to fall...

He pretended so skillfully that one day his teacher sent him to the doctor. The doctor asked:

How's your health?

It’s bad,” Goga said.

What hurts?

Well, then go to class.

Because nothing hurts you.

How do you know?

How do you know? - the doctor laughed. And he slightly pushed Goga towards the exit. Goga never pretended to be sick again, but continued to prevaricate.

And the efforts of my classmates came to nothing. First, Masha, an excellent student, was assigned to him.

Let’s study seriously,” Masha told him.

When? - asked Goga.

Yes, even now.

“I’ll come now,” Goga said.

And he left and did not return.

Then Grisha, an excellent student, was assigned to him. They stayed in the classroom. But as soon as Grisha opened the primer, Goga reached under the desk.

Where are you going? - Grisha asked.

“Come here,” Goga called.

And here no one will interfere with us.

Come on! - Grisha, of course, was offended and left immediately.

No one else was assigned to him.

Time passed. He was dodging.

Gogin's parents arrived and found that their son could not read a single line. The father grabbed his head, and the mother grabbed the book she had brought for her child.

Now every evening,” she said, “I will read this wonderful book aloud to my son.

Grandma said:

Yes, yes, I also read interesting books aloud to Gogochka every evening.

But the father said:

It was really in vain that you did this. Our Gogochka has become so lazy that he cannot read a single line. I ask everyone to leave for the meeting.

And dad, along with grandmother and mom, left for a meeting. And Goga was at first worried about the meeting, and then calmed down when his mother began to read to him from a new book. And he even shook his legs with pleasure and almost spat on the carpet.

But he didn't know what kind of meeting it was! What was decided there!

So, mom read him a page and a half after the meeting. And he, swinging his legs, naively imagined that this would continue to happen. But when mom stopped at the most interesting place, he became worried again.

And when she handed him the book, he became even more worried.

He immediately suggested:

Let me wash the dishes for you, mommy.

And he ran to wash the dishes.

He ran to his father.

His father sternly told him never to make such requests to him again.

He thrust the book to his grandmother, but she yawned and dropped it from her hands. He picked up the book from the floor and gave it to his grandmother again. But she dropped it from her hands again. No, she had never fallen asleep so quickly in her chair before! “Is she really asleep,” thought Goga, “or was she instructed to pretend at the meeting? “Goga tugged at her, shook her, but grandma didn’t even think about waking up.

In despair, he sat down on the floor and began to look at the pictures. But from the pictures it was difficult to understand what was happening there next.

He brought the book to class. But his classmates refused to read to him. Not only that: Masha immediately left, and Grisha defiantly reached under the desk.

Goga pestered the high school student, but he flicked him on the nose and laughed.

That's what a home meeting is all about!

This is what the public means!

He soon read the entire book and many other books, but out of habit he never forgot to go buy bread, wash the floor or wash the dishes.

That's what's interesting!

Who cares what's surprising?

Tanka is not surprised by anything. She always says: “That’s not surprising!” - even if it happens surprisingly. Yesterday, in front of everyone, I jumped over such a puddle... No one could jump over, but I jumped over! Everyone was surprised except Tanya.

“Just think! So what? It’s not surprising!”

I kept trying to surprise her. But he couldn't surprise me. No matter how hard I tried.

I hit a little sparrow with a slingshot.

I learned to walk on my hands and whistle with one finger in my mouth.

She saw it all. But I wasn't surprised.

I tried my best. What didn’t I do! Climbed trees, walked without a hat in winter...

She still wasn't surprised.

And one day I just went out into the yard with a book. I sat down on the bench. And he began to read.

I didn't even see Tanka. And she says:

Marvelous! I wouldn't have thought that! He's reading!

Prize

We made original costumes - no one else will have them! I will be a horse, and Vovka will be a knight. The only bad thing is that he has to ride me, and not me on him. And all because I'm a little younger. True, we agreed with him: he will not ride me all the time. He’ll ride me a little, and then he’ll get off and lead me like horses are led by the bridle. And so we went to the carnival. We came to the club in ordinary suits, and then changed clothes and went into the hall. That is, we moved in. I crawled on all fours. And Vovka was sitting on my back. True, Vovka helped me - he walked on the floor with his feet. But it was still not easy for me.

And I haven't seen anything yet. I was wearing a horse mask. I couldn’t see anything at all, although the mask had holes for the eyes. But they were somewhere on the forehead. I was crawling in the dark.

I bumped into someone's feet. I ran into a column twice. Sometimes I shook my head, then the mask slipped off and I saw the light. But for a moment. And then it's dark again. I couldn't shake my head all the time!

At least for a moment I saw the light. But Vovka saw nothing at all. And he kept asking me what was ahead. And he asked me to crawl more carefully. I crawled carefully anyway. I didn’t see anything myself. How could I know what was ahead! Someone stepped on my hand. I stopped immediately. And he refused to crawl any further. I told Vovka:

Enough. Get off.

Vovka probably enjoyed the ride and didn’t want to get off. He said it was too early. But still he got down, took me by the bridle, and I crawled on. Now it was easier for me to crawl, although I still couldn’t see anything.

I suggested taking off the masks and looking at the carnival, and then putting the masks back on. But Vovka said:

Then they will recognize us.

It must be fun here,” I said. “But we don’t see anything...

But Vovka walked in silence. He firmly decided to endure until the end. Get first prize.

My knees started to hurt. I said:

I'll sit on the floor now.

Can horses sit? - said Vovka. “You’re crazy!” You're a horse!

“I’m not a horse,” I said. “You’re a horse yourself.”

“No, you’re a horse,” Vovka answered. “Otherwise we won’t get a bonus.”

Well, so be it,” I said. “I’m tired of it.”

“Be patient,” said Vovka.

I crawled to the wall, leaned against it and sat on the floor.

Are you sitting? - asked Vovka.

“I’m sitting,” I said.

“Okay,” Vovka agreed. “You can still sit on the floor.” Just don't sit on the chair. Do you understand? A horse - and suddenly on a chair!..

Music was blaring all around and people were laughing.

I asked:

Will it end soon?

Be patient,” said Vovka, “probably soon...

Vovka couldn’t stand it either. I sat down on the sofa. I sat down next to him. Then Vovka fell asleep on the sofa. And I fell asleep too.

Then they woke us up and gave us a bonus.

In the closet

Before class, I climbed into the closet. I wanted to meow from the closet. They'll think it's a cat, but it's me.

I was sitting in the closet, waiting for the lesson to start, and didn’t notice how I fell asleep.

I wake up - the class is quiet. I look through the crack - there is no one. I pushed the door, but it was closed. So, I slept through the entire lesson. Everyone went home, and they locked me in the closet.

It's stuffy in the closet and dark as night. I became scared, I started screaming:

Uh-uh! I'm in the closet! Help!

I listened - silence all around.

ABOUT! Comrades! I'm sitting in the closet!

I hear someone's steps. Someone is coming.

Who's bawling here?

I immediately recognized Aunt Nyusha, the cleaning lady.

I was delighted and shouted:

Aunt Nyusha, I'm here!

Where are you, dear?

I'm in the closet! In the closet!

How did you, my dear, get there?

I'm in the closet, grandma!

So I hear that you are in the closet. So what do you want?

I was locked in a closet. Oh, grandma!

Aunt Nyusha left. Silence again. She probably went to get the key.

Pal Palych knocked on the cabinet with his finger.

There’s no one there,” said Pal Palych.

Why not? “Yes,” said Aunt Nyusha.

Well, where is he? - said Pal Palych and knocked on the closet again.

I was afraid that everyone would leave and I would remain in the closet, and I shouted with all my might:

I'm here!

Who are you? - asked Pal Palych.

I... Tsypkin...

Why did you go there, Tsypkin?

I was locked... I didn't get in...

Hm... He's locked up! But he didn’t get in! Have you seen it? What wizards there are in our school! They don't get into the closet when they are locked in the closet. Miracles don’t happen, do you hear, Tsypkin?

How long have you been sitting there? - asked Pal Palych.

Don't know...

Find the key,” said Pal Palych. - Fast.

Aunt Nyusha went to get the key, but Pal Palych stayed behind. He sat down on a chair nearby and began to wait. I saw his face through the crack. He was very angry. He lit a cigarette and said:

Well! This is what prank leads to. Tell me honestly: why are you in the closet?

I really wanted to disappear from the closet. They open the closet, and I’m not there. It was as if I had never been there. They will ask me: “Were you in the closet?” I will say: “I wasn’t.” They will say to me: “Who was there?” I will say: “I don’t know.”

But this only happens in fairy tales! Surely tomorrow they will call mom... Your son, they will say, climbed into the closet, slept through all the lessons there, and all that... as if it’s comfortable for me to sleep here! My legs ache, my back hurts. One torment! What was my answer?

I was silent.

Are you alive there? - asked Pal Palych.

Well, sit tight, they'll open soon...

I'm sitting...

So... - said Pal Palych. - So will you answer me why you climbed into this closet?

Who? Tsypkin? In the closet? Why?

I wanted to disappear again.

The director asked:

Tsypkin, is that you?

I sighed heavily. I simply couldn't answer anymore.

Aunt Nyusha said:

The class leader took the key away.

“Break down the door,” said the director.

I felt the door being broken down, the closet shook, and I hit my forehead painfully. I was afraid that the cabinet would fall, and I cried. I pressed my hands against the walls of the closet, and when the door gave way and opened, I continued to stand in the same way.

Well, come out,” said the director. - And explain to us what that means.

I didn't move. I was scared.

Why is he standing? - asked the director.

I was pulled out of the closet.

I was silent the whole time.

I didn't know what to say.

I just wanted to meow. But how would I put it...

Carousel in my head

Towards the end academic year I asked my father to buy me a two-wheeler, a battery-powered submachine gun, a battery-powered airplane, a flying helicopter and a table hockey game.

I really want to have these things! - I told my father. “They are constantly spinning in my head like a carousel, and this makes my head so dizzy that it is difficult to stay on my feet.”

“Hold on,” said the father, “don’t fall and write all these things on a piece of paper for me so that I don’t forget.”

But why write, they are already firmly in my head.

Write,” said the father, “it doesn’t cost you anything.”

“In general, it’s worth nothing,” I said, “just extra hassle.” And I wrote in large letters on the entire sheet:

VILISAPET

PISTAL GUN

VIRTALET

Then I thought about it and decided to write “ice cream”, went to the window, looked at the sign opposite and added:

ICE CREAM

The father read it and said:

I'll buy you some ice cream for now, and we'll wait for the rest.

I thought he had no time now, and I asked:

Until what time?

Until better times.

Until what?

Until the next end of the school year.

Yes, because the letters in your head are spinning like a carousel, this makes you dizzy, and the words are not on their feet.

It's as if words have legs!

And they’ve bought me ice cream a hundred times already.

Betball

Today you shouldn’t go outside - today is the game... - Dad said mysteriously, looking out the window.

Which? - I asked from behind my dad’s back.

“Wetball,” he answered even more mysteriously and sat me down on the windowsill.

A-ah-ah... - I drawled.

Apparently, dad guessed that I didn’t understand anything and began to explain.

Wetball is like football, only it is played by trees, and instead of a ball, they are kicked by the wind. We say hurricane or storm, and they say wetball. Look how the birch trees rustled - it’s the poplars that are giving in to them... Wow! How they swayed - it’s clear that they missed a goal, they couldn’t hold back the wind with branches... Well, another pass! Dangerous moment...

Dad spoke just like a real commentator, and I, fascinated, looked at the street and thought that wetball would probably give 100 points ahead to any football, basketball and even handball! Although I didn’t fully understand the meaning of the latter either...

Breakfast

Actually, I love breakfast. Especially if mom cooks sausage instead of porridge or makes sandwiches with cheese. But sometimes you want something unusual. For example, today's or yesterday's. I once asked my mother for an afternoon snack, but she looked at me in surprise and offered me an afternoon snack.

No, I say, I would like today’s one. Well, or yesterday, at worst...

Yesterday there was soup for lunch... - Mom was confused. - Should I warm it up?

In general, I didn’t understand anything.

And I myself don’t really understand what these today’s and yesterday’s ones look like and what they taste like. Maybe yesterday's soup really tastes like yesterday's soup. But what then does the taste of today’s wine taste like? Probably something today. Breakfast, for example. On the other hand, why are breakfasts called that? Well, that is, if according to the rules, then breakfast should be called segodnik, because they prepared it for me today and I will eat it today. Now, if I leave it for tomorrow, then it’s a completely different matter. Although no. After all, tomorrow he will already be yesterday.

So do you want porridge or soup? - she asked carefully.

How the boy Yasha ate poorly

Yasha was good to everyone, but he ate poorly. All the time with concerts. Either mom sings to him, then dad shows him tricks. And he gets along well:

- Don't want.

Mom says:

- Yasha, eat your porridge.

- Don't want.

Dad says:

- Yasha, drink juice!

- Don't want.

Mom and Dad are tired of trying to persuade him every time. And then my mother read in one scientific pedagogical book that children do not need to be persuaded to eat. You need to put a plate of porridge in front of them and wait until they get hungry and eat everything.

They set and placed plates in front of Yasha, but he didn’t eat or eat anything. He doesn’t eat cutlets, soup, or porridge. He became thin and dead, like a straw.

-Yasha, eat porridge!

- Don't want.

- Yasha, eat your soup!

- Don't want.

Previously, his pants were difficult to fasten, but now he was hanging out completely freely in them. It was possible to put another Yasha in these pants.

And then one day a strong wind blew. And Yasha was playing in the area. He was very light, and the wind blew him around the area. Rolled to the fence from wire mesh. And there Yasha got stuck.

So he sat, pressed against the fence by the wind, for an hour.

Mom calls:

- Yasha, where are you? Go home and suffer with the soup.

But he doesn't come. You can't even hear him. He not only became dead, but his voice also became dead. You can't hear anything about him squeaking there.

And he squeaks:

- Mom, take me away from the fence!

Mom began to worry - where did Yasha go? Where to look for it? Yasha is neither seen nor heard.

Dad said this:

“I think our Yasha was blown away somewhere by the wind.” Come on, mom, we'll take the pot of soup out onto the porch. The wind will blow and bring the smell of soup to Yasha. He will come crawling to this delicious smell.

And so they did. They took the pot of soup out onto the porch. The wind carried the smell to Yasha.

How Yasha smelled it delicious soup, immediately crawled towards the smell. Because I was cold and lost a lot of strength.

He crawled, crawled, crawled for half an hour. But I achieved my goal. He came to his mother’s kitchen and immediately ate a whole pot of soup! How can he eat three cutlets at once? How can he drink three glasses of compote?

Mom was amazed. She didn't even know whether to be happy or sad. She says:

“Yasha, if you eat like this every day, I won’t have enough food.”

Yasha reassured her:

- No, mom, I won’t eat that much every day. This is me correcting past mistakes. I will, like all children, eat well. I'll be a completely different boy.

He wanted to say “I will,” but he came up with “bubu.” Do you know why? Because his mouth was stuffed with an apple. He couldn't stop.

Since then, Yasha has been eating well.

Secrets

Do you know how to make secrets?

If you don't know how, I'll teach you.

Take a clean piece of glass and dig a hole in the ground. Place a candy wrapper in the hole, and on the candy wrapper - everything that is beautiful.

You can put a stone, a fragment of a plate, a bead, a bird feather, a ball (can be glass, can be metal).

You can use an acorn or an acorn cap.

You can use a multi-colored shred.

You can have a flower, a leaf, or even just grass.

Maybe real candy.

You can have elderberry, dry beetle.

You can even use an eraser if it’s pretty.

Yes, you can also add a button if it’s shiny.

Here you go. Did you put it in?

Now cover it all with glass and cover it with earth. And then slowly clear away the soil with your finger and look into the hole... You know how beautiful it will be! I made a secret, remembered the place and left.

The next day my “secret” was gone. Someone dug it up. Some kind of hooligan.

I made a “secret” in another place. And they dug it up again!

Then I decided to track down who was involved in this matter... And of course, this person turned out to be Pavlik Ivanov, who else?!

Then I made a “secret” again and put a note in it:

“Pavlik Ivanov, you are a fool and a hooligan.”

An hour later the note was gone. Pavlik did not look me in the eye.

Well, did you read it? - I asked Pavlik.

“I haven’t read anything,” Pavlik said. - You yourself are a fool.

Composition

One day we were told to write an essay in class on the topic “I help my mother.”

I took a pen and began to write:

“I always help my mother. I sweep the floor and wash the dishes. Sometimes I wash handkerchiefs.”

I didn't know what to write anymore. I looked at Lyuska. She scribbled in her notebook.

Then I remembered that I washed my stockings once, and wrote:

“I also wash stockings and socks.”

I didn’t really know what to write anymore. But you can’t submit such a short essay!

Then I wrote:

“I also wash T-shirts, shirts and underpants.”

I looked around. Everyone wrote and wrote. I wonder what they write about? You might think that they help their mother from morning to night!

And the lesson did not end. And I had to continue.

“I also wash dresses, mine and my mother’s, napkins and bedspreads.”

And the lesson did not end and did not end. And I wrote:

“I also like to wash curtains and tablecloths.”

And then the bell finally rang!

They gave me a high five. The teacher read my essay out loud. She said that she liked my essay the most. And that she will read it at the parent meeting.

I really asked my mother not to go to parent meeting. I said that my throat hurts. But mom told dad to give me hot milk with honey and went to school.

The next morning at breakfast the following conversation took place.

Mom: Do you know, Syoma, it turns out that our daughter writes essays wonderfully!

Dad: It doesn't surprise me. She was always good at composing.

Mom: No, really! I’m not kidding, Vera Evstigneevna praises her. She was very pleased that our daughter loves to wash curtains and tablecloths.

Dad: What?!

Mom: Really, Syoma, this is wonderful? - Addressing me: - Why have you never admitted this to me before?

“I was shy,” I said. - I thought you wouldn’t let me.

Well, what are you talking about! - Mom said. - Don't be shy, please! Wash our curtains today. It's good that I don't have to drag them to the laundry!

I rolled my eyes. The curtains were huge. Ten times I could wrap myself in them! But it was too late to retreat.

I washed the curtains piece by piece. While I was soaping one piece, the other was completely blurry. I'm just exhausted with these pieces! Then I rinsed the bathroom curtains bit by bit. When I finished squeezing one piece, water from neighboring pieces was poured into it again.

Then I climbed onto a stool and began hanging the curtains on the rope.

Well, that was the worst! While I was pulling one piece of curtain onto the rope, another fell to the floor. And in the end, the whole curtain fell to the floor, and I fell onto it from the stool.

I became completely wet - just squeeze it out.

The curtain had to be dragged into the bathroom again. But the kitchen floor sparkled like new.

Water poured out of the curtains all day.

I put all the pots and pans we had under the curtains. Then she put the kettle, three bottles and all the cups and saucers on the floor. But water still flooded the kitchen.

Oddly enough, my mother was pleased.

You did a great job washing the curtains! - Mom said, walking around the kitchen in galoshes. - I didn’t know you were so capable! Tomorrow you will wash the tablecloth...

What is my head thinking?

If you think that I study well, you are mistaken. I study no matter. For some reason, everyone thinks that I am capable, but lazy. I don't know if I'm capable or not. But only I know for sure that I am not lazy. I spend three hours working on problems.

For example, now I’m sitting and trying with all my might to solve a problem. But she doesn’t dare. I tell my mom:

Mom, I can’t do the problem.

Don’t be lazy, says mom. - Think carefully, and everything will work out. Just think carefully!

She's leaving on business. And I take my head with both hands and tell her:

Think, head. Think carefully... “Two pedestrians went from point A to point B...” Head, why don’t you think? Well, head, well, think, please! Well what is it worth to you!

A cloud floats outside the window. It is as light as feathers. There it stopped. No, it floats on.

Head, what are you thinking about?! Shame on you!!! “Two pedestrians went from point A to point B...” Lyuska probably left too. She's already walking. If she had approached me first, I would, of course, forgive her. But will she really fit, such a mischief?!

“...From point A to point B...” No, she won’t do. On the contrary, when I go out into the yard, she will take Lena’s arm and whisper to her. Then she will say: “Len, come to me, I have something.” They will leave, and then sit on the windowsill and laugh and nibble on seeds.

“...Two pedestrians left point A to point B...” And what will I do?.. And then I’ll call Kolya, Petka and Pavlik to play lapta. What will she do? Yeah, she'll play the Three Fat Men record. Yes, so loud that Kolya, Petka and Pavlik will hear and run to ask her to let them listen. They've listened to it a hundred times, but it's not enough for them! And then Lyuska will close the window, and they will all listen to the record there.

“...From point A to point... to point...” And then I’ll take it and fire something right at her window. Glass - ding! - and will fly apart. Let him know.

So. I'm already tired of thinking. Think, don’t think, the task will not work. Just an awfully difficult task! I'll take a walk a little and start thinking again.

I closed the book and looked out the window. Lyuska was walking alone in the yard. She jumped into hopscotch. I went out into the yard and sat down on a bench. Lyuska didn’t even look at me.

Earring! Vitka! - Lyuska immediately screamed. - Let's go play lapta!

The Karmanov brothers looked out the window.

“We have a throat,” both brothers said hoarsely. - They won't let us in.

Lena! - Lyuska screamed. - Len! Come out!

Instead of Lena, her grandmother looked out and shook her finger at Lyuska.

Pavlik! - Lyuska screamed.

No one appeared at the window.

Whoops! - Lyuska pressed herself.

Girl, why are you yelling?! - Someone's head poked out of the window. - A sick person is not allowed to rest! There is no peace for you! - And his head stuck back into the window.

Lyuska looked at me furtively and blushed like a lobster. She tugged at her pigtail. Then she took the thread off her sleeve. Then she looked at the tree and said:

Lucy, let's play hopscotch.

Come on, I said.

We jumped into hopscotch and I went home to solve my problem.

As soon as I sat down at the table, my mother came:

Well, how's the problem?

It doesn't work.

But you’ve been sitting over it for two hours already! This is just terrible! They give the children some puzzles!.. Well, show me your problem! Maybe I can do it? After all, I graduated from college. So. “Two pedestrians went from point A to point B...” Wait, wait, this problem is somehow familiar to me! Listen, you and your dad decided it last time! I remember perfectly!

How? - I was surprised. - Really? Oh, really, this is the forty-fifth problem, and we were given the forty-sixth.

At this point my mother became terribly angry.

This is outrageous! - Mom said. - This is unheard of! This is a disgrace! Where is your head?! What is she thinking about?!

About my friend and a little about me

Our yard was large. There were a lot of different children walking in our yard - both boys and girls. But most of all I loved Lyuska. She was my friend. She and I lived in neighboring apartments, and at school we sat at the same desk.

My friend Lyuska had straight yellow hair. And she had eyes!.. You probably won’t believe what kind of eyes she had. One eye is green, like grass. And the other one is completely yellow, with brown spots!

And my eyes were kind of gray. Well, just gray, that's all. Completely uninteresting eyes! And my hair was stupid - curly and short. And huge freckles on my nose. And in general, everything with Lyuska was better than with me. Only I was taller.

I was terribly proud of it. I really liked it when people called us “Big Lyuska” and “Little Lyuska” in the yard.

And suddenly Lyuska grew up. And it became unclear which of us is big and which is small.

And then she grew another half head.

Well, that was too much! I was offended by her, and we stopped walking together in the yard. At school I didn’t look in her direction, and she didn’t look in mine, and everyone was very surprised and said: “Between the Lyuskas black cat ran through,” and pestered us about why we had quarreled.

After school, I no longer went out into the yard. There was nothing for me to do there.

I wandered around the house and found no place for myself. To make it less boring, I secretly watched from behind the curtain as Lyuska played rounders with Pavlik, Petka and the Karmanov brothers.

At lunch and dinner I now asked for more. I choked and ate everything... Every day I pressed the back of my head against the wall and marked my height on it with a red pencil. But strange thing! It turned out that not only was I not growing, but, on the contrary, I had even decreased by almost two millimeters!

And then summer came, and I went to a pioneer camp.

In the camp, I kept remembering Lyuska and missing her.

And I wrote her a letter.

“Hello, Lucy!

How are you doing? I'm doing well. We have a lot of fun at camp. The Vorya river flows next to us. The water there is blue-blue! And there are shells on the shore. I found a very beautiful shell for you. It is round and with stripes. You'll probably find it useful. Lucy, if you want, let's be friends again. Let them now call you big and me small. I still agree. Please write me the answer.

Pioneer greetings!

Lyusya Sinitsyna"

I waited a whole week for an answer. I kept thinking: what if she doesn’t write to me! What if she never wants to be friends with me again!.. And when a letter finally arrived from Lyuska, I was so happy that my hands even shook a little.

The letter said this:

“Hello, Lucy!

Thank you, I'm doing well. Yesterday my mother bought me wonderful slippers with white piping. I also have a new big ball, you'll really get pumped! Come quickly, otherwise Pavlik and Petka are such fools, it’s no fun to be with them! Be careful not to lose the shell.

With pioneer salute!

Lyusya Kositsyna"

That day I carried Lyuska’s blue envelope with me until the evening. I told everyone what a wonderful friend I have in Moscow, Lyuska.

And when I returned from the camp, Lyuska and my parents met me at the station. She and I rushed to hug... And then it turned out that I had outgrown Lyuska by a whole head.

Notebooks in the rain

During recess, Marik says to me:

Let's run away from class. Look how nice it is outside!

What if Aunt Dasha is late with the briefcases?

You need to throw your briefcases out the window.

We looked out the window: it was dry near the wall, but a little further away there was a huge puddle. Don't throw your briefcases into a puddle! We took the belts off the trousers, tied them together and carefully lowered the briefcases onto them. At this time the bell rang. The teacher entered. I had to sit down. The lesson has begun. The rain poured outside the window. Marik writes me a note: “Our notebooks are missing.”

I answer him: “Our notebooks are missing.”

He writes to me: “What are we going to do?”

I answer him: “What are we going to do?”

Suddenly they call me to the board.

“I can’t,” I say, “I have to go to the board.”

“How, I think, can I walk without a belt?”

Go, go, I’ll help you,” says the teacher.

You don't need to help me.

Are you sick by any chance?

“I’m sick,” I say.

How's your homework?

Good with homework.

The teacher comes up to me.

Well, show me your notebook.

What's happening to you?

You'll have to give it a two.

He opens the magazine and gives me a bad mark, and I think about my notebook, which is now getting wet in the rain.

The teacher gave me a bad grade and calmly said:

You're feeling strange today...

How I sat under my desk

As soon as the teacher turned to the board, I immediately went under the desk. When the teacher notices that I have disappeared, he will probably be terribly surprised.

I wonder what he'll think? He’ll start asking everyone where I’ve gone - it’ll be a laugh! Half the lesson has already passed, and I’m still sitting. “When,” I think, “will he see that I’m not in the class?” And it’s hard to sit under the desk. My back even hurt. Try to sit like that! I coughed - no attention. I can't sit anymore. Moreover, Seryozha keeps poking me in the back with his foot. I couldn't stand it. Didn't make it to the end of the lesson. I get out and say:

Sorry, Pyotr Petrovich...

The teacher asks:

What's the matter? Do you want to go to the board?

No, excuse me, I was sitting under my desk...

Well, how comfortable is it to sit there, under the desk? You sat very quietly today. This is how it would always be in class.

When Goga started going to first grade, he knew only two letters: O - circle and T - hammer. That's all. I didn't know any other letters. And he couldn't read.

Grandmother tried to teach him, but he immediately came up with a trick:

Now, now, grandma, I’ll wash the dishes for you.

And he immediately ran to the kitchen to wash the dishes. And the old grandmother forgot about studying and even bought him gifts for helping him with the housework. And Gogin’s parents were on a long business trip and relied on their grandmother. And of course, they didn’t know that their son still hadn’t learned to read. But Goga often washed the floor and dishes, went to buy bread, and his grandmother praised him in every possible way in letters to his parents. And I read it aloud to him. And Goga, sitting comfortably on the sofa, listened with his eyes closed. “Why should I learn to read,” he reasoned, “if my grandmother reads aloud to me.” He didn't even try.

And in class he dodged as best he could.

The teacher tells him:

Read it here.

He pretended to read, and he himself told from memory what his grandmother read to him. The teacher stopped him. To the laughter of the class, he said:

If you want, I’d better close the window so it doesn’t blow.

I'm so dizzy that I'm probably going to fall...

He pretended so skillfully that one day his teacher sent him to the doctor. The doctor asked:

How's your health?

It’s bad,” Goga said.

What hurts?

Well, then go to class.

Because nothing hurts you.

How do you know?

How do you know? - the doctor laughed. And he slightly pushed Goga towards the exit. Goga never pretended to be sick again, but continued to prevaricate.

And the efforts of my classmates came to nothing. First, Masha, an excellent student, was assigned to him.

Let’s study seriously,” Masha told him.

When? - asked Goga.

Yes, even now.

“I’ll come now,” Goga said.

And he left and did not return.

Then Grisha, an excellent student, was assigned to him. They stayed in the classroom. But as soon as Grisha opened the primer, Goga reached under the desk.

Where are you going? - Grisha asked.

“Come here,” Goga called.

And here no one will interfere with us.

Come on! - Grisha, of course, was offended and left immediately.

No one else was assigned to him.

Time passed. He was dodging.

Gogin's parents arrived and found that their son could not read a single line. The father grabbed his head, and the mother grabbed the book she had brought for her child.

Now every evening,” she said, “I will read this wonderful book aloud to my son.

Grandma said:

Yes, yes, I also read interesting books aloud to Gogochka every evening.

But the father said:

It was really in vain that you did this. Our Gogochka has become so lazy that he cannot read a single line. I ask everyone to leave for the meeting.

And dad, along with grandmother and mom, left for a meeting. And Goga was at first worried about the meeting, and then calmed down when his mother began to read to him from a new book. And he even shook his legs with pleasure and almost spat on the carpet.

But he didn't know what kind of meeting it was! What was decided there!

So, mom read him a page and a half after the meeting. And he, swinging his legs, naively imagined that this would continue to happen. But when mom stopped at the most interesting place, he became worried again.

And when she handed him the book, he became even more worried.

He immediately suggested:

Let me wash the dishes for you, mommy.

And he ran to wash the dishes.

He ran to his father.

His father sternly told him never to make such requests to him again.

He thrust the book to his grandmother, but she yawned and dropped it from her hands. He picked up the book from the floor and gave it to his grandmother again. But she dropped it from her hands again. No, she had never fallen asleep so quickly in her chair before! “Is she really asleep,” thought Goga, “or was she instructed to pretend at the meeting? “Goga tugged at her, shook her, but grandma didn’t even think about waking up.

In despair, he sat down on the floor and began to look at the pictures. But from the pictures it was difficult to understand what was happening there next.

He brought the book to class. But his classmates refused to read to him. Not only that: Masha immediately left, and Grisha defiantly reached under the desk.

Goga pestered the high school student, but he flicked him on the nose and laughed.

That's what a home meeting is all about!

This is what the public means!

He soon read the entire book and many other books, but out of habit he never forgot to go buy bread, wash the floor or wash the dishes.

That's what's interesting!

Who cares what's surprising?

Tanka is not surprised by anything. She always says: “That’s not surprising!” - even if it happens surprisingly. Yesterday, in front of everyone, I jumped over such a puddle... No one could jump over, but I jumped over! Everyone was surprised except Tanya.

“Just think! So what? It’s not surprising!”

I kept trying to surprise her. But he couldn't surprise me. No matter how hard I tried.

I hit a little sparrow with a slingshot.

I learned to walk on my hands and whistle with one finger in my mouth.

She saw it all. But I wasn't surprised.

I tried my best. What didn’t I do! Climbed trees, walked without a hat in winter...

She still wasn't surprised.

And one day I just went out into the yard with a book. I sat down on the bench. And he began to read.

I didn't even see Tanka. And she says:

Marvelous! I wouldn't have thought that! He's reading!

Prize

We made original costumes - no one else will have them! I will be a horse, and Vovka will be a knight. The only bad thing is that he has to ride me, and not me on him. And all because I'm a little younger. True, we agreed with him: he will not ride me all the time. He’ll ride me a little, and then he’ll get off and lead me like horses are led by the bridle. And so we went to the carnival. We came to the club in ordinary suits, and then changed clothes and went into the hall. That is, we moved in. I crawled on all fours. And Vovka was sitting on my back. True, Vovka helped me - he walked on the floor with his feet. But it was still not easy for me.

And I haven't seen anything yet. I was wearing a horse mask. I couldn’t see anything at all, although the mask had holes for the eyes. But they were somewhere on the forehead. I was crawling in the dark.

I bumped into someone's feet. I ran into a column twice. Sometimes I shook my head, then the mask slipped off and I saw the light. But for a moment. And then it's dark again. I couldn't shake my head all the time!

At least for a moment I saw the light. But Vovka saw nothing at all. And he kept asking me what was ahead. And he asked me to crawl more carefully. I crawled carefully anyway. I didn’t see anything myself. How could I know what was ahead! Someone stepped on my hand. I stopped immediately. And he refused to crawl any further. I told Vovka:

Enough. Get off.

Vovka probably enjoyed the ride and didn’t want to get off. He said it was too early. But still he got down, took me by the bridle, and I crawled on. Now it was easier for me to crawl, although I still couldn’t see anything.

I suggested taking off the masks and looking at the carnival, and then putting the masks back on. But Vovka said:

Then they will recognize us.

It must be fun here,” I said. “But we don’t see anything...

But Vovka walked in silence. He firmly decided to endure until the end. Get first prize.

My knees started to hurt. I said:

I'll sit on the floor now.

Can horses sit? - said Vovka. “You’re crazy!” You're a horse!

“I’m not a horse,” I said. “You’re a horse yourself.”

“No, you’re a horse,” Vovka answered. “Otherwise we won’t get a bonus.”

Well, so be it,” I said. “I’m tired of it.”

“Be patient,” said Vovka.

I crawled to the wall, leaned against it and sat on the floor.

Are you sitting? - asked Vovka.

“I’m sitting,” I said.

“Okay,” Vovka agreed. “You can still sit on the floor.” Just don't sit on the chair. Do you understand? A horse - and suddenly on a chair!..

Music was blaring all around and people were laughing.

I asked:

Will it end soon?

Be patient,” said Vovka, “probably soon...

Vovka couldn’t stand it either. I sat down on the sofa. I sat down next to him. Then Vovka fell asleep on the sofa. And I fell asleep too.

Then they woke us up and gave us a bonus.

In the closet

Before class, I climbed into the closet. I wanted to meow from the closet. They'll think it's a cat, but it's me.

I was sitting in the closet, waiting for the lesson to start, and didn’t notice how I fell asleep.

I wake up - the class is quiet. I look through the crack - there is no one. I pushed the door, but it was closed. So, I slept through the entire lesson. Everyone went home, and they locked me in the closet.

It's stuffy in the closet and dark as night. I became scared, I started screaming:

Uh-uh! I'm in the closet! Help!

I listened - silence all around.

ABOUT! Comrades! I'm sitting in the closet!

I hear someone's steps. Someone is coming.

Who's bawling here?

I immediately recognized Aunt Nyusha, the cleaning lady.

I was delighted and shouted:

Aunt Nyusha, I'm here!

Where are you, dear?

I'm in the closet! In the closet!

How did you, my dear, get there?

I'm in the closet, grandma!

So I hear that you are in the closet. So what do you want?

I was locked in a closet. Oh, grandma!

Aunt Nyusha left. Silence again. She probably went to get the key.

Pal Palych knocked on the cabinet with his finger.

There’s no one there,” said Pal Palych.

Why not? “Yes,” said Aunt Nyusha.

Well, where is he? - said Pal Palych and knocked on the closet again.

I was afraid that everyone would leave and I would remain in the closet, and I shouted with all my might:

I'm here!

Who are you? - asked Pal Palych.

I... Tsypkin...

Why did you go there, Tsypkin?

I was locked... I didn't get in...

Hm... He's locked up! But he didn’t get in! Have you seen it? What wizards there are in our school! They don't get into the closet when they are locked in the closet. Miracles don’t happen, do you hear, Tsypkin?

How long have you been sitting there? - asked Pal Palych.

Don't know...

Find the key,” said Pal Palych. - Fast.

Aunt Nyusha went to get the key, but Pal Palych stayed behind. He sat down on a chair nearby and began to wait. I saw his face through the crack. He was very angry. He lit a cigarette and said:

Well! This is what prank leads to. Tell me honestly: why are you in the closet?

I really wanted to disappear from the closet. They open the closet, and I’m not there. It was as if I had never been there. They will ask me: “Were you in the closet?” I will say: “I wasn’t.” They will say to me: “Who was there?” I will say: “I don’t know.”

But this only happens in fairy tales! Surely tomorrow they will call mom... Your son, they will say, climbed into the closet, slept through all the lessons there, and all that... as if it’s comfortable for me to sleep here! My legs ache, my back hurts. One torment! What was my answer?

I was silent.

Are you alive there? - asked Pal Palych.

Well, sit tight, they'll open soon...

I'm sitting...

So... - said Pal Palych. - So will you answer me why you climbed into this closet?

Who? Tsypkin? In the closet? Why?

I wanted to disappear again.

The director asked:

Tsypkin, is that you?

I sighed heavily. I simply couldn't answer anymore.

Aunt Nyusha said:

The class leader took the key away.

“Break down the door,” said the director.

I felt the door being broken down, the closet shook, and I hit my forehead painfully. I was afraid that the cabinet would fall, and I cried. I pressed my hands against the walls of the closet, and when the door gave way and opened, I continued to stand in the same way.

Well, come out,” said the director. - And explain to us what that means.

I didn't move. I was scared.

Why is he standing? - asked the director.

I was pulled out of the closet.

I was silent the whole time.

I didn't know what to say.

I just wanted to meow. But how would I put it...

Carousel in my head

By the end of the school year, I asked my father to buy me a two-wheeler, a battery-powered submachine gun, a battery-powered airplane, a flying helicopter, and a table hockey game.

I really want to have these things! - I told my father. “They are constantly spinning in my head like a carousel, and this makes my head so dizzy that it is difficult to stay on my feet.”

“Hold on,” said the father, “don’t fall and write all these things on a piece of paper for me so that I don’t forget.”

But why write, they are already firmly in my head.

Write,” said the father, “it doesn’t cost you anything.”

“In general, it’s worth nothing,” I said, “just extra hassle.” And I wrote in large letters on the entire sheet:

VILISAPET

PISTAL GUN

VIRTALET

Then I thought about it and decided to write “ice cream”, went to the window, looked at the sign opposite and added:

ICE CREAM

The father read it and said:

I'll buy you some ice cream for now, and we'll wait for the rest.

I thought he had no time now, and I asked:

Until what time?

Until better times.

Until what?

Until the next end of the school year.

Yes, because the letters in your head are spinning like a carousel, this makes you dizzy, and the words are not on their feet.

It's as if words have legs!

And they’ve bought me ice cream a hundred times already.

Betball

Today you shouldn’t go outside - today is the game... - Dad said mysteriously, looking out the window.

Which? - I asked from behind my dad’s back.

“Wetball,” he answered even more mysteriously and sat me down on the windowsill.

A-ah-ah... - I drawled.

Apparently, dad guessed that I didn’t understand anything and began to explain.

Wetball is like football, only it is played by trees, and instead of a ball, they are kicked by the wind. We say hurricane or storm, and they say wetball. Look how the birch trees rustled - it’s the poplars that are giving in to them... Wow! How they swayed - it’s clear that they missed a goal, they couldn’t hold back the wind with branches... Well, another pass! Dangerous moment...

Dad spoke just like a real commentator, and I, fascinated, looked at the street and thought that wetball would probably give 100 points ahead to any football, basketball and even handball! Although I didn’t fully understand the meaning of the latter either...

Breakfast

Actually, I love breakfast. Especially if mom cooks sausage instead of porridge or makes sandwiches with cheese. But sometimes you want something unusual. For example, today's or yesterday's. I once asked my mother for an afternoon snack, but she looked at me in surprise and offered me an afternoon snack.

No, I say, I would like today’s one. Well, or yesterday, at worst...

Yesterday there was soup for lunch... - Mom was confused. - Should I warm it up?

In general, I didn’t understand anything.

And I myself don’t really understand what these today’s and yesterday’s ones look like and what they taste like. Maybe yesterday's soup really tastes like yesterday's soup. But what then does the taste of today’s wine taste like? Probably something today. Breakfast, for example. On the other hand, why are breakfasts called that? Well, that is, if according to the rules, then breakfast should be called segodnik, because they prepared it for me today and I will eat it today. Now, if I leave it for tomorrow, then it’s a completely different matter. Although no. After all, tomorrow he will already be yesterday.

So do you want porridge or soup? - she asked carefully.

How the boy Yasha ate poorly

Yasha was good to everyone, but he ate poorly. All the time with concerts. Either mom sings to him, then dad shows him tricks. And he gets along well:

- Don't want.

Mom says:

- Yasha, eat your porridge.

- Don't want.

Dad says:

- Yasha, drink juice!

- Don't want.

Mom and Dad are tired of trying to persuade him every time. And then my mother read in one scientific pedagogical book that children do not need to be persuaded to eat. You need to put a plate of porridge in front of them and wait until they get hungry and eat everything.

They set and placed plates in front of Yasha, but he didn’t eat or eat anything. He doesn’t eat cutlets, soup, or porridge. He became thin and dead, like a straw.

-Yasha, eat porridge!

- Don't want.

- Yasha, eat your soup!

- Don't want.

Previously, his pants were difficult to fasten, but now he was hanging out completely freely in them. It was possible to put another Yasha in these pants.

And then one day a strong wind blew. And Yasha was playing in the area. He was very light, and the wind blew him around the area. I rolled to the wire mesh fence. And there Yasha got stuck.

So he sat, pressed against the fence by the wind, for an hour.

Mom calls:

- Yasha, where are you? Go home and suffer with the soup.

But he doesn't come. You can't even hear him. He not only became dead, but his voice also became dead. You can't hear anything about him squeaking there.

And he squeaks:

- Mom, take me away from the fence!

Mom began to worry - where did Yasha go? Where to look for it? Yasha is neither seen nor heard.

Dad said this:

“I think our Yasha was blown away somewhere by the wind.” Come on, mom, we'll take the pot of soup out onto the porch. The wind will blow and bring the smell of soup to Yasha. He will come crawling to this delicious smell.

And so they did. They took the pot of soup out onto the porch. The wind carried the smell to Yasha.

Yasha smelled the delicious soup and immediately crawled towards the smell. Because I was cold and lost a lot of strength.

He crawled, crawled, crawled for half an hour. But I achieved my goal. He came to his mother’s kitchen and immediately ate a whole pot of soup! How can he eat three cutlets at once? How can he drink three glasses of compote?

Mom was amazed. She didn't even know whether to be happy or sad. She says:

“Yasha, if you eat like this every day, I won’t have enough food.”

Yasha reassured her:

- No, mom, I won’t eat that much every day. This is me correcting past mistakes. I will, like all children, eat well. I'll be a completely different boy.

He wanted to say “I will,” but he came up with “bubu.” Do you know why? Because his mouth was stuffed with an apple. He couldn't stop.

Since then, Yasha has been eating well.

Secrets

Do you know how to make secrets?

If you don't know how, I'll teach you.

Take a clean piece of glass and dig a hole in the ground. Place a candy wrapper in the hole, and on the candy wrapper - everything that is beautiful.

You can put a stone, a fragment of a plate, a bead, a bird feather, a ball (can be glass, can be metal).

You can use an acorn or an acorn cap.

You can use a multi-colored shred.

You can have a flower, a leaf, or even just grass.

Maybe real candy.

You can have elderberry, dry beetle.

You can even use an eraser if it’s pretty.

Yes, you can also add a button if it’s shiny.

Here you go. Did you put it in?

Now cover it all with glass and cover it with earth. And then slowly clear away the soil with your finger and look into the hole... You know how beautiful it will be! I made a secret, remembered the place and left.

The next day my “secret” was gone. Someone dug it up. Some kind of hooligan.

I made a “secret” in another place. And they dug it up again!

Then I decided to track down who was involved in this matter... And of course, this person turned out to be Pavlik Ivanov, who else?!

Then I made a “secret” again and put a note in it:

“Pavlik Ivanov, you are a fool and a hooligan.”

An hour later the note was gone. Pavlik did not look me in the eye.

Well, did you read it? - I asked Pavlik.

“I haven’t read anything,” Pavlik said. - You yourself are a fool.

Composition

One day we were told to write an essay in class on the topic “I help my mother.”

I took a pen and began to write:

“I always help my mother. I sweep the floor and wash the dishes. Sometimes I wash handkerchiefs.”

I didn't know what to write anymore. I looked at Lyuska. She scribbled in her notebook.

Then I remembered that I washed my stockings once, and wrote:

“I also wash stockings and socks.”

I didn’t really know what to write anymore. But you can’t submit such a short essay!

Then I wrote:

“I also wash T-shirts, shirts and underpants.”

I looked around. Everyone wrote and wrote. I wonder what they write about? You might think that they help their mother from morning to night!

And the lesson did not end. And I had to continue.

“I also wash dresses, mine and my mother’s, napkins and bedspreads.”

And the lesson did not end and did not end. And I wrote:

“I also like to wash curtains and tablecloths.”

And then the bell finally rang!

They gave me a high five. The teacher read my essay out loud. She said that she liked my essay the most. And that she will read it at the parent meeting.

I really asked my mother not to go to the parent meeting. I said that my throat hurts. But mom told dad to give me hot milk with honey and went to school.

The next morning at breakfast the following conversation took place.

Mom: Do you know, Syoma, it turns out that our daughter writes essays wonderfully!

Dad: It doesn't surprise me. She was always good at composing.

Mom: No, really! I’m not kidding, Vera Evstigneevna praises her. She was very pleased that our daughter loves to wash curtains and tablecloths.

Dad: What?!

Mom: Really, Syoma, this is wonderful? - Addressing me: - Why have you never admitted this to me before?

“I was shy,” I said. - I thought you wouldn’t let me.

Well, what are you talking about! - Mom said. - Don't be shy, please! Wash our curtains today. It's good that I don't have to drag them to the laundry!

I rolled my eyes. The curtains were huge. Ten times I could wrap myself in them! But it was too late to retreat.

I washed the curtains piece by piece. While I was soaping one piece, the other was completely blurry. I'm just exhausted with these pieces! Then I rinsed the bathroom curtains bit by bit. When I finished squeezing one piece, water from neighboring pieces was poured into it again.

Then I climbed onto a stool and began hanging the curtains on the rope.

Well, that was the worst! While I was pulling one piece of curtain onto the rope, another fell to the floor. And in the end, the whole curtain fell to the floor, and I fell onto it from the stool.

I became completely wet - just squeeze it out.

The curtain had to be dragged into the bathroom again. But the kitchen floor sparkled like new.

Water poured out of the curtains all day.

I put all the pots and pans we had under the curtains. Then she put the kettle, three bottles and all the cups and saucers on the floor. But water still flooded the kitchen.

Oddly enough, my mother was pleased.

You did a great job washing the curtains! - Mom said, walking around the kitchen in galoshes. - I didn’t know you were so capable! Tomorrow you will wash the tablecloth...

What is my head thinking?

If you think that I study well, you are mistaken. I study no matter. For some reason, everyone thinks that I am capable, but lazy. I don't know if I'm capable or not. But only I know for sure that I am not lazy. I spend three hours working on problems.

For example, now I’m sitting and trying with all my might to solve a problem. But she doesn’t dare. I tell my mom:

Mom, I can’t do the problem.

Don’t be lazy, says mom. - Think carefully, and everything will work out. Just think carefully!

She's leaving on business. And I take my head with both hands and tell her:

Think, head. Think carefully... “Two pedestrians went from point A to point B...” Head, why don’t you think? Well, head, well, think, please! Well what is it worth to you!

A cloud floats outside the window. It is as light as feathers. There it stopped. No, it floats on.

Head, what are you thinking about?! Shame on you!!! “Two pedestrians went from point A to point B...” Lyuska probably left too. She's already walking. If she had approached me first, I would, of course, forgive her. But will she really fit, such a mischief?!

“...From point A to point B...” No, she won’t do. On the contrary, when I go out into the yard, she will take Lena’s arm and whisper to her. Then she will say: “Len, come to me, I have something.” They will leave, and then sit on the windowsill and laugh and nibble on seeds.

“...Two pedestrians left point A to point B...” And what will I do?.. And then I’ll call Kolya, Petka and Pavlik to play lapta. What will she do? Yeah, she'll play the Three Fat Men record. Yes, so loud that Kolya, Petka and Pavlik will hear and run to ask her to let them listen. They've listened to it a hundred times, but it's not enough for them! And then Lyuska will close the window, and they will all listen to the record there.

“...From point A to point... to point...” And then I’ll take it and fire something right at her window. Glass - ding! - and will fly apart. Let him know.

So. I'm already tired of thinking. Think, don’t think, the task will not work. Just an awfully difficult task! I'll take a walk a little and start thinking again.

I closed the book and looked out the window. Lyuska was walking alone in the yard. She jumped into hopscotch. I went out into the yard and sat down on a bench. Lyuska didn’t even look at me.

Earring! Vitka! - Lyuska immediately screamed. - Let's go play lapta!

The Karmanov brothers looked out the window.

“We have a throat,” both brothers said hoarsely. - They won't let us in.

Lena! - Lyuska screamed. - Len! Come out!

Instead of Lena, her grandmother looked out and shook her finger at Lyuska.

Pavlik! - Lyuska screamed.

No one appeared at the window.

Whoops! - Lyuska pressed herself.

Girl, why are you yelling?! - Someone's head poked out of the window. - A sick person is not allowed to rest! There is no peace for you! - And his head stuck back into the window.

Lyuska looked at me furtively and blushed like a lobster. She tugged at her pigtail. Then she took the thread off her sleeve. Then she looked at the tree and said:

Lucy, let's play hopscotch.

Come on, I said.

We jumped into hopscotch and I went home to solve my problem.

As soon as I sat down at the table, my mother came:

Well, how's the problem?

It doesn't work.

But you’ve been sitting over it for two hours already! This is just terrible! They give the children some puzzles!.. Well, show me your problem! Maybe I can do it? After all, I graduated from college. So. “Two pedestrians went from point A to point B...” Wait, wait, this problem is somehow familiar to me! Listen, you and your dad decided it last time! I remember perfectly!

How? - I was surprised. - Really? Oh, really, this is the forty-fifth problem, and we were given the forty-sixth.

At this point my mother became terribly angry.

This is outrageous! - Mom said. - This is unheard of! This is a disgrace! Where is your head?! What is she thinking about?!

About my friend and a little about me

Our yard was large. There were a lot of different children walking in our yard - both boys and girls. But most of all I loved Lyuska. She was my friend. She and I lived in neighboring apartments, and at school we sat at the same desk.

My friend Lyuska had straight yellow hair. And she had eyes!.. You probably won’t believe what kind of eyes she had. One eye is green, like grass. And the other one is completely yellow, with brown spots!

And my eyes were kind of gray. Well, just gray, that's all. Completely uninteresting eyes! And my hair was stupid - curly and short. And huge freckles on my nose. And in general, everything with Lyuska was better than with me. Only I was taller.

I was terribly proud of it. I really liked it when people called us “Big Lyuska” and “Little Lyuska” in the yard.

And suddenly Lyuska grew up. And it became unclear which of us is big and which is small.

And then she grew another half head.

Well, that was too much! I was offended by her, and we stopped walking together in the yard. At school, I didn’t look in her direction, and she didn’t look in mine, and everyone was very surprised and said: “A black cat ran between the Lyuskas,” and pestered us about why we had quarreled.

After school, I no longer went out into the yard. There was nothing for me to do there.

I wandered around the house and found no place for myself. To make it less boring, I secretly watched from behind the curtain as Lyuska played rounders with Pavlik, Petka and the Karmanov brothers.

At lunch and dinner I now asked for more. I choked and ate everything... Every day I pressed the back of my head against the wall and marked my height on it with a red pencil. But strange thing! It turned out that not only was I not growing, but, on the contrary, I had even decreased by almost two millimeters!

And then summer came, and I went to a pioneer camp.

In the camp, I kept remembering Lyuska and missing her.

And I wrote her a letter.

“Hello, Lucy!

How are you doing? I'm doing well. We have a lot of fun at camp. The Vorya river flows next to us. The water there is blue-blue! And there are shells on the shore. I found a very beautiful shell for you. It is round and with stripes. You'll probably find it useful. Lucy, if you want, let's be friends again. Let them now call you big and me small. I still agree. Please write me the answer.

Pioneer greetings!

Lyusya Sinitsyna"

I waited a whole week for an answer. I kept thinking: what if she doesn’t write to me! What if she never wants to be friends with me again!.. And when a letter finally arrived from Lyuska, I was so happy that my hands even shook a little.

The letter said this:

“Hello, Lucy!

Thank you, I'm doing well. Yesterday my mother bought me wonderful slippers with white piping. I also have a new big ball, you'll really get pumped! Come quickly, otherwise Pavlik and Petka are such fools, it’s no fun to be with them! Be careful not to lose the shell.

With pioneer salute!

Lyusya Kositsyna"

That day I carried Lyuska’s blue envelope with me until the evening. I told everyone what a wonderful friend I have in Moscow, Lyuska.

And when I returned from the camp, Lyuska and my parents met me at the station. She and I rushed to hug... And then it turned out that I had outgrown Lyuska by a whole head.

Victor Golyavkin

How I sat under my desk

As soon as the teacher turned to the board, I immediately went under the desk. When the teacher notices that I have disappeared, he will probably be terribly surprised.

I wonder what he'll think? He’ll start asking everyone where I’ve gone - it’ll be a laugh! Half the lesson has already passed, and I’m still sitting. “When,” I think, “will he see that I’m not in the class?” And it’s hard to sit under the desk. My back even hurt. Try to sit like that! I coughed - no attention. I can't sit anymore. Moreover, Seryozha keeps poking me in the back with his foot. I couldn't stand it. Didn't make it to the end of the lesson. I get out and say:

Sorry, Pyotr Petrovich.

The teacher asks:

What's the matter? Do you want to go to the board?

No, excuse me, I was sitting under my desk...

So, is it comfortable to sit there, under the desk? You sat very quietly today. This is how it would always be in class.

In the closet

Before class, I climbed into the closet. I wanted to meow from the closet. They'll think it's a cat, but it's me.

I was sitting in the closet, waiting for the lesson to start, and didn’t notice how I fell asleep. I wake up - the class is quiet. I look through the crack - there is no one. I pushed the door, but it was closed. So, I slept through the entire lesson. Everyone went home, and they locked me in the closet.

It's stuffy in the closet and dark as night. I became scared, I started screaming:

Uh-uh! I'm in the closet! Help! I listened - silence all around.

ABOUT! Comrades! I'm sitting in the closet! I hear someone's steps.

Someone is coming.

Who's bawling here?

I immediately recognized Aunt Nyusha, the cleaning lady. I was delighted and shouted:

Aunt Nyusha, I'm here!

Where are you, dear?

I'm in the closet! In the closet!

How about you? honey, did you get there?

I'm in the closet, grandma!

So I hear that you are in the closet. So what do you want? I was locked in a closet. Oh, grandma! Aunt Nyusha left. Silence again. She probably went to get the key.

Pal Palych knocked on the cabinet with his finger.

There’s no one there,” said Pal Palych. Why not? “Yes,” said Aunt Nyusha.

Well, where is he? - said Pal Palych and knocked on the closet again.

I was afraid that everyone would leave and I would remain in the closet, and I shouted with all my might:

I'm here!

Who are you? - asked Pal Palych.

I... Tsypkin...

Why did you go there, Tsypkin?

I was locked... I didn't get in...

Hm... He's locked up! But he didn’t get in! Have you seen it? What wizards there are in our school! They don't get into the closet when they are locked in the closet! Miracles don’t happen, do you hear, Tsypkin?

I hear...

How long have you been sitting there? - asked Pal Palych.

Don't know…

Find the key, said Pal Palych. - Fast.

Aunt Nyusha went to get the key, but Pal Palych stayed behind. He sat down on a chair nearby and began to wait. I saw his face through the crack. He was very angry. He lit a cigarette and said:

Well! This is what pranks can lead to! Tell me honestly, why are you in the closet?

I really wanted to disappear from the closet. They open the closet, and I’m not there. It was as if I had never been there. They will ask me: “Were you in the closet?” I will say: “I wasn’t.” They will say to me: “Who was there?” I'll say, "I don't know."

But this only happens in fairy tales! Surely tomorrow they will call mom... Your son, they will say, climbed into the closet, slept through all the lessons there, and all that... As if it’s comfortable for me to sleep here! My legs ache, my back hurts. One torment! What was my answer?

I was silent.

Are you alive there? - asked Pal Palych.

Alive...

Well, sit tight, they'll open soon...

I'm sitting...

So... - said Pal Palych. - So will you answer me why you climbed into this closet?

Who? Tsypkin? In the closet? Why?

I wanted to disappear again.

The director asked:

Tsypkin, is that you?

I sighed heavily. I simply couldn't answer anymore.

Aunt Nyusha said:

The class leader took the key away.

“Break down the door,” said the director.

I felt the door being broken down, the closet shook, and I hit my forehead painfully. I was afraid that the cabinet would fall, and I cried. I pressed my hands against the walls of the closet, and when the door gave way and opened, I continued to stand in the same way.

Well, come out,” said the director. - And explain to us what that means.

I didn't move. I was scared.

Why is he standing? - asked the director.

I was pulled out of the closet.

I was silent the whole time.

I didn't know what to say.

I just wanted to meow. But how would I say this?..

Secret

We have secrets from the girls. There is no way in hell we trust them with our secrets. They can spill any secret all over the world. They can spill even the most state secret. It's good that they don't trust them with this!

We really don't have those important secrets, where do we get them from! So we came up with them ourselves. We had this secret: we buried a couple of bullets in the sand and didn’t tell anyone about it. There was another secret: we collected nails. For example, I collected twenty-five different nails, but who knew about it? Nobody! I didn't tell anyone. You understand how difficult it was for us! So many secrets passed through our hands that I don’t even remember how many there were. And not a single girl found out anything. They walked and looked sideways at us, all sorts of crooks, and all they thought about was to get our secrets out of us. Although they never asked us anything, that doesn’t mean anything! How cunning they are!

And yesterday I was walking around the yard with our secret, with our new wonderful secret, and suddenly I saw Irka. I walked by a few times and she glanced at me.

I walked around the yard some more, and then approached her and sighed quietly. I deliberately sighed slightly so that she would not think that I sighed on purpose.

I sighed twice more, she again just glanced sideways, and that’s all. Then I stopped sighing, since there was no point in it, and said:

If you knew that I know, you would have failed right here on the spot.

She looked sideways at me again and said:

“Don’t worry,” he answers, “I won’t fail, no matter how you fail.”

“Why should I,” I say, “fail, I have no reason to fail, since I know the secret.”

A secret? - speaks. - What secret?

She looks at me and waits for me to start telling her about the secret.

And I say:

A secret is a secret, and it does not exist to blab this secret out to everyone.

For some reason she got angry and said:

Then get out of here with your secrets!

Ha, I say, that’s still not enough! Is this your yard, or what?

It actually made me laugh. This is what we've come to!

We stood and stood for a while, then I saw her looking askance again.

I pretended that I was about to leave. And I say:

OK. The secret will remain with me. - And he grinned so that she understood what it meant.

She didn’t even turn her head towards me and said:

You don't have any secret. If you had any secret, you would have told it long ago, but since you don’t tell it, it means there is nothing like that.

What do you think she's saying? Some kind of nonsense? But, to be honest, I was a little confused. And it’s true, they may not believe me that I have some kind of secret, since no one knows about it except me. Everything was mixed up in my head. But I pretended that nothing was mixed up there and said:

It's a shame that you can't be trusted. Otherwise I would have told you everything. But you may turn out to be a traitor...

And then I see her looking at me with one eye again.

I speak:

This is not a simple matter, I hope you understand this very well, and I think there is no point in being offended over any reason, especially if it were not a secret, but some trifle, and if I knew you better...

I talked for a long time and a lot. For some reason, I had such a desire to talk for a long time and a lot. When I finished, she wasn't there.

She was crying, leaning against the wall. Her shoulders were shaking. I heard sobs.

I immediately realized that there was no way in hell she could turn out to be a traitor. She is just the person you can safely trust with everything. I understood this immediately.

You see... - I said, - if you... give your word... and swear...

And I told her the whole secret.

The next day they beat me.

She blabbed to everyone...

But the most important thing was not that Irka turned out to be a traitor, not that the secret was revealed, but that then we could not come up with a single new secret, no matter how hard we tried.

I didn't eat any mustard

I hid the bag under the stairs. And he turned the corner and came out onto the avenue.

Spring. Sun. The birds are singing. Somehow I don’t feel like going to school. Anyone will get tired of it. So I'm tired of it.

I look - the car is standing, the driver is looking at something in the engine. I ask him:

Broken?

The driver is silent.

Broken? - I ask.

He is silent.

I stood, stood, and said:

What, the car broke down?

This time he heard.

“I guessed right,” he says, “it’s broken.” Do you want to help? Well, let's fix it together.

Yes, I... I can’t...

If you don't know how, don't. I'll do it myself somehow.

There are two standing there. They are talking. I come closer. I'm listening. One says:

What about the patent?

Another says:

Good with the patent.

“Who is this,” I think, “patent? I’ve never heard of him.” I thought they would also talk about the patent. But they didn’t say anything more about the patent. They started talking about the plant. One noticed me and said to the other:

Look, the guy has his mouth open.

And he turns to me:

What do you want?

It’s okay for me,” I answer, “I’m just like that...

Don't you have anything to do?

That's good! Do you see the crooked house over there?

Go push him from that side so that he is level.

How is this?

And so. You have nothing to do. You push him. And they both laugh.

I wanted to answer something, but couldn’t think of one. On the way I came up with an idea and returned to them.

It’s not funny, I say, but you laugh.

It's like they don't hear. Me again:

Not funny at all. Why are you laughing?

Then one says:

We don't laugh at all. Where do you see us laughing?

They really weren't laughing anymore. They were laughing before. So, I'm a little late...

ABOUT! The broom is standing against the wall. And there is no one around. Wonderful broom, big!

The janitor suddenly comes out of the gate:

Don't touch the broom!

Why do I need a broom? I don't need a broom...

If you don’t need it, don’t go near the broom. A broom is for work, not to be approached.

Some evil janitor got caught! I even feel sorry for the brooms. Eh, what should I do? It's too early to go home. The lessons are not over yet. Walking the streets is boring. The guys can't see anyone.

Climb onto scaffolding?! The house right next door is being renovated. I'll look at the city from above. Suddenly I hear a voice:

Where are you going? Hey!

I look - there is no one. Wow! There is no one, but someone is screaming! He began to rise higher - again:

Come on, get off!

I turn my head in all directions. Where are they shouting from? What's happened?

Get off! Hey! Get off, get off!

I almost fell down the stairs.

I crossed to the other side of the street. Upstairs, I look at the forests. I wonder who shouted it. I didn't see anyone nearby. And from afar I saw everything - workers on scaffolding plastering, painting...

I took the tram and got to the ring. There's nowhere to go anyway. I'd rather ride. Tired of walking.

I made my second round on the tram. I arrived at the same place. Drive another lap, or what? It's not time to go home yet. It's a bit early. I look out the carriage window. Everyone is in a hurry to get somewhere, in a hurry. Where is everyone rushing to? Not clear.

Suddenly the conductress says:

Pay again, boy.

I have more money There is not. I only had thirty kopecks.

Then go, boy. Walk.

Oh, I have a long way to walk!

Don't ride around in vain. Probably didn't go to school?

How do you know?

I know everything. You can see it.

What can you see?

It's obvious that you didn't go to school. Here's what you can see. Happy kids are coming home from school. And you seem to have eaten too much mustard.

I didn’t eat any mustard...

Go anyway. I don't drive truants for free.

And then he says:

Okay, go for a ride. I won't allow it next time. Just know that.

But I got off anyway. It's somehow inconvenient. The place is completely unfamiliar. I've never been to this area. On one side there are houses. There are no houses on the other side; five excavators are digging the ground. Like elephants walking on the ground. They scoop up soil with buckets and sprinkle it to the side. What a technique! It's good to sit in the booth. Much better than going to school. You sit there, and he walks around and even digs the ground.

One excavator stopped. The excavator operator got down to the ground and said to me:

Do you want to get into the bucket?

I was offended:

Why do I need a bucket? I want to go to the cabin.

And then I remembered what the conductress told me about mustard, and began to smile. So that the excavator operator thinks I’m funny. And I'm not bored at all. So that he wouldn't guess that I wasn't at school.

He looked at me in surprise:

You look kind of stupid, brother.

I began to smile even more. His mouth stretched almost to his ears.

What's wrong with you?

Why are you making faces at me?

Take me for a ride on an excavator.

This is not a trolleybus for you. This is a working machine. People work on it. Clear?

I speak:

I also want to work on it.

He says:

Hey, brother! We need to study!

I thought he was talking about school. And he began to smile again.

And he waved his hand at me and climbed into the cabin. He didn't want to talk to me anymore.

Spring. Sun. Sparrows bathe in puddles. I walk and think to myself. What's the matter? Why am I so bored?

Traveler

I firmly decided to go to Antarctica. To strengthen your character. Everyone says I’m spineless - my mother, my teacher, even Vovka. It's always winter in Antarctica. And there is no summer at all. Only the bravest go there. That's what Vovkin's dad said. Vovkin's dad was there twice. He spoke to Vovka on the radio. He asked how Vovka lived, how he studied. I will also speak on the radio. So that mom doesn't worry.

In the morning I took all the books out of my bag, put sandwiches, lemon, alarm clock, glass and soccer ball. I'm sure I'll meet sea lions there - they love to twirl the ball on their nose. The ball didn't fit into the bag. I had to let the air out of him.

Our cat walked across the table. I put it in my bag too. Everything barely fit.

Now I’m already on the platform. The locomotive whistles. So many people are coming! You can take any train you want. In the end, you can always change seats.

I climbed into the carriage and sat down where there was more space.

An old lady was sleeping opposite me. Then a military man sat down with me. He said: "Hello neighbors!" - and woke up the old woman.

The old woman woke up and asked:

Are we going? - and fell asleep again.

The train started moving. I went to the window. Here is our house, our white curtains, our laundry hanging in the yard... Our house is no longer visible. At first I felt a little scared. But this is just the beginning. And when the train went really fast, I somehow even felt happy! After all, I’m going to strengthen my character!

I'm tired of looking out the window. I sat down again.

What's your name? - asked the military man.

Sasha,” I said barely audibly.

Why is grandma sleeping?

Who knows?

Where are you going? -

Far…

On a visit?

For how long?

He talked to me like an adult, and I really liked him for that.

“For a couple of weeks,” I said seriously.

Well, not bad,” said the military man, “very good indeed.”

I asked:

Are you going to Antarctica?

Not yet; do you want to go to Antarctica?

How do you know?

Everyone wants to go to Antarctica.

And I want to.

Well, you see!

You see... I decided to toughen up...

I understand,” said the military man, “sports, skates...

Not really…

Now I understand - all around there are A's!

No... - I said, - Antarctica...

Antarctica? - asked the military man.

Someone invited the military man to play checkers. And he went to another compartment.

The old lady woke up.

“Don’t swing your legs,” said the old woman.

I went to watch them play checkers.

Suddenly... I even opened my eyes - Murka was walking towards me. And I forgot about her! How was she able to get out of the bag?

She ran back - I followed her. She climbed under someone's shelf - I also immediately climbed under the shelf.

Murka! - I shouted. - Murka!

What's that noise? - the conductor shouted. - Why is there a cat here?

This cat is mine.

Who is this boy with?

I'm with a cat...

With which cat?

“He’s traveling with his grandmother,” the military man said, “she’s here nearby, in the compartment.”

The guide took me straight to the old lady...

Is this boy with you?

“He’s with the commander,” said the old woman.

Antarctica... - the military man remembered, - everything is clear... Do you understand what’s the matter? This boy decided to go to Antarctica. And so he took the cat with him... And what else did you take with you, boy?

Lemon,” I said, “and also sandwiches...

And went to develop your character?

What a bad boy! - said the old lady.

Ugliness! - the conductor confirmed.

Then for some reason everyone started laughing. Even grandma started laughing. Even tears came from her eyes. I didn’t know that everyone was laughing at me, and little by little I started laughing too.

Take the cat,” said the guide. - You have arrived. Here it is, your Antarctica!

The train stopped.

“Is it really,” I think, “Antarctica? So soon?”

We got off the train onto the platform. They put me on an oncoming train and took me home.

Mikhail Zoshchenko, Lev Kassil and others - The Enchanted Letter

Alyosha once had a bad grade. By singing. And so there were no more twos. There were threes. Almost all three were. There was one four once upon a time, a long time ago.

And there were no A’s at all. The person has never had a single A in his life! Well, it wasn’t like that, it wasn’t, well, what can you do! Happens. Alyosha lived without straight A's. Ross. He moved from class to class. I got my C's. He showed everyone the four and said:

That was a long time ago.

And suddenly - five. And most importantly, for what? For singing. He got this A completely by accident. He sang something like that successfully, and they gave him an A. And they even verbally praised me. They said: “Well done, Alyosha!” In short, this was a very pleasant event, which was overshadowed by one circumstance: he could not show this A to anyone, since it was entered in the magazine, and the magazine, of course, is not given to students as a rule. And he forgot his diary at home. If this is so, it means that Alyosha does not have the opportunity to show everyone his A’s. And so all the joy was darkened. And he, understandably, wanted to show everyone, especially since this phenomenon in his life, as you understand, is rare. They may simply not believe him without factual data. If an A was in the notebook, for example, for a problem solved at home or for a dictation, then it would be as easy as shelling pears. That is, walk around with this notebook and show it to everyone. Until the sheets start to pop out.

During his arithmetic lesson, he hatched a plan: to steal the magazine! He will steal the magazine and bring it back in the morning. During this time, he can get around all his friends and strangers with this magazine. Long story short, he seized the moment and stole the magazine during recess. He put the magazine in his bag and sits as if nothing had happened. Only his heart is beating desperately, which is completely natural, since he committed theft. When the teacher returned, he was so surprised that the magazine was not there that he didn’t even say anything, but suddenly became somewhat thoughtful. It seemed that he doubted whether the magazine was on the table or not, whether it came with or without a magazine. He never asked about the magazine: the thought that one of the students stole it did not even occur to him. There was no such case in his teaching practice. II, without waiting for the call, he quietly left, and it was clear that he was very upset by his forgetfulness.

And Alyosha grabbed his bag and rushed home. On the tram, he took the magazine out of his bag, found his five and looked at it for a long time. And when he was already walking down the street, he suddenly remembered that he had forgotten the magazine on the tram. When he remembered this, he almost fell down from fear. He even said "oops!" or something like that. The first thought that came to his mind was to run after the tram. But he quickly realized (he was smart, after all!) that there was no point in running after the tram, since it had already left. Then many other thoughts came to his mind. But these were all such insignificant thoughts that they are not worth talking about.

He even had this idea: to take the train and go to the North. And get a job there somewhere. Why exactly to the North, he did not know, but he was going there. That is, he didn’t even intend to. He thought about it for a moment, and then remembered his mother, grandmother, his father and gave up this idea. Then he thought about going to the Lost and Found office, it was quite possible that the magazine was there. But here suspicion will arise. He will most likely be detained and brought to justice. And he did not want to be held accountable, despite the fact that he deserved it.

He came home and even lost weight in one evening. And he couldn’t sleep all night and by morning he probably lost even more weight.

Firstly, his conscience tormented him. The whole class was left without a magazine. All friends' marks have disappeared. His excitement is understandable.

And secondly, five. One in my entire life - and it disappeared. No, I understand him. True, I don’t quite understand his desperate act, but his feelings are completely understandable to me.

So he came to school in the morning. Worried. Nervous. There is a lump in my throat. Doesn't make eye contact.

The teacher arrives. Speaks:

Guys! The magazine is missing. Some kind of opportunity. And where could he have gone?

Alyosha is silent.

Teacher says:

I seem to remember coming to class with a magazine. I even saw it on the table. But at the same time, I doubt it. I couldn’t lose it along the way, although I remember very well how I picked it up in the staff room and carried it along the corridor.

Some guys say:

No, we remember that the magazine was on the table. We saw.

Teacher says:

In that case, where did he go?

Here Alyosha could not stand it. He could no longer sit and be silent. He stood up and said:

The magazine is probably in the lost things chamber...

The teacher was surprised and said:

Where? Where?

And the class laughed.

Then Alyosha, very worried, says:

No, I’m telling you the truth, he’s probably in the chamber of lost things... he couldn’t have disappeared...

In which cell? - says the teacher.

Lost things,” says Alyosha.

“I don’t understand anything,” says the teacher.

Then Alyosha suddenly became afraid for some reason that he would get into trouble for this matter if he confessed, and he said:

I just wanted to advise...

The teacher looked at him and said sadly:

There is no need to talk nonsense, do you hear?

At this time, the door opens and a woman enters the classroom and holds something wrapped in newspaper in her hand.

“I’m a conductor,” she says, “I’m sorry.” I have a free day today, and so I found your school and class, in which case, take your magazine.

There was immediate noise in the class, and the teacher said:

How so? This is the number! How did our cool magazine end up with the conductor? No, this can't be! Maybe this is not our magazine?

The conductress smiles slyly and says:

No, this is your magazine.

Then the teacher grabs the magazine from the conductor and quickly flips through it.

Yes! Yes! Yes! - he shouts, - This is our magazine! I remember that I carried him along the corridor...

The conductor says:

And then you forgot on the tram?

The teacher looks at her with wide eyes. And she, smiling widely, says:

Well, of course. You forgot it on the tram.

Then the teacher grabs his head:

God! Something is happening to me. How could I forget a magazine on the tram? This is simply unthinkable! Although I remember carrying it down the corridor... Maybe I should leave school? I feel like it’s becoming more and more difficult for me to teach...

The conductress says goodbye to the class, and the whole class shouts “thank you” to her, and she leaves with a smile.

In parting, she says to the teacher:

Next time, be more careful.

The teacher sits at the table with his head in his hands, in a very gloomy mood. Then he, resting his cheeks with his hands, sits and looks at one point.

I stole a magazine.

But the teacher is silent.

Then Alyosha says again:

I stole the magazine. Understand.

The teacher says weakly:

Yes... yes... I understand you... your noble deed... but there is no point in doing this... You want to help me... I know... take the blame... but why do it, my dear...

Alyosha says, almost crying:

No, I'm telling you the truth...

Teacher says:

Look, he still insists... what a stubborn boy... no, this is an amazingly noble boy... I appreciate it, dear, but... since... such things happen to me... I need to think about leaving... leaving teaching for a while...

Alyosha says through tears:

I... tell you... the truth...

The teacher abruptly stands up from his seat, slams his fist on the table and shouts hoarsely:

No need!

After that, he wipes his tears with a handkerchief and quickly leaves.

What about Alyosha?

He remains in tears. He tries to explain to the class, but no one believes him.

He feels a hundred times worse, as if he had been cruelly punished. He can neither eat nor sleep.

He goes to the teacher's house. And he explains everything to him. And he convinces the teacher. The teacher strokes his head and says:

This means that you are not yet a completely lost person and you have a conscience.

And the teacher accompanies Alyosha to the corner and lectures him.


...................................................
Copyright: Victor Golyavkin

This year, guys, I turned forty years old. So it turns out that I saw forty times Christmas tree. That's a lot!

Well, for the first three years of my life I probably didn’t understand what a Christmas tree was. Mannerically, my mother carried me out in her arms. And I probably looked at the decorated tree with my black little eyes without interest.

And when I, children, turned five years old, I already perfectly understood what a Christmas tree was.

And I was looking forward to it happy holiday. And I even spied through the crack of the door as my mother decorated the Christmas tree.

And my sister Lelya was seven years old at that time. And she was an exceptionally lively girl.

She once told me:

When I was little, I really loved ice cream.

Of course, I still love him. But then it was something special - I loved ice cream so much.

And when, for example, an ice cream maker with his cart was driving down the street, I immediately began to feel dizzy: I wanted so much to eat what the ice cream maker was selling.

And my sister Lelya also exclusively loved ice cream.

I had a grandmother. And she loved me very dearly.

She came to visit us every month and gave us toys. And in addition, she brought with her a whole basket of cakes.

Of all the cakes, she let me choose the one I liked.

But my grandmother didn’t really like my older sister Lelya. And she didn't let her choose the cakes. She herself gave her whatever she needed. And because of this, my sister Lelya whined every time and was more angry with me than with her grandmother.

One fine summer day, my grandmother came to our dacha.

She has arrived at the dacha and is walking through the garden. She has a basket of cakes in one hand and a purse in the other.

I studied for a very long time. There were still gymnasiums back then. And the teachers then put marks in the diary for each lesson asked. They gave any score - from five to one inclusive.

And I was very small when I entered the gymnasium, the preparatory class. I was only seven years old.

And I still didn’t know anything about what happens in gymnasiums. And for the first three months I literally walked around in a fog.

And then one day the teacher told us to memorize a poem:

The moon shines merrily over the village,

White snow sparkles with blue light...

My parents loved me very dearly when I was little. And they gave me many gifts.

But when I got sick with something, my parents literally bombarded me with gifts.

And for some reason I got sick very often. Mainly mumps or sore throat.

And my sister Lelya almost never got sick. And she was jealous that I got sick so often.

She said:

Just wait, Minka, I too will somehow fall ill, and then our parents will probably start buying everything for me too.

But, as luck would have it, Lelya was not ill. And only once, putting a chair by the fireplace, she fell and broke her forehead. She groaned and moaned, but instead of the expected gifts, she received several spanks from our mother, because she put a chair near the fireplace and wanted to get her mother’s watch, and this was forbidden.

One day Lelya and I took a box of chocolates and put a frog and a spider in it.

Then we wrapped this box in clean paper, tied it with a chic blue ribbon and placed this package on the panel facing our garden. It was as if someone was walking and lost their purchase.

Having placed this package near the cabinet, Lelya and I hid in the bushes of our garden and, choking with laughter, began to wait for what would happen.

And here comes a passerby.

When he sees our package, he, of course, stops, rejoices and even rubs his hands with pleasure. Of course: he found a box of chocolates - this doesn’t happen very often in this world.

With bated breath, Lelya and I watch what will happen next.

The passerby bent down, took the package, quickly untied it and, seeing the beautiful box, became even more happy.

When I was six years old, I did not know that the Earth is spherical.

But Styopka, the owner’s son, with whose parents we lived at the dacha, explained to me what land was. He said:

The earth is a circle. And if you go straight, you can go around the entire Earth and still end up in the very place you came from.

When I was little, I really loved having dinner with adults. And my sister Lelya also loved such dinners no less than me.

Firstly, a variety of food was placed on the table. And this aspect of the matter especially attracted Lelya and me.

Secondly, adults always told interesting facts from your life. And this amused Lelya and me.

Of course, the first time we were quiet at the table. But then they became bolder. Lelya began to interfere in conversations. She chattered endlessly. And I also sometimes inserted my comments.

Our remarks made the guests laugh. And at first mom and dad were even pleased that the guests saw such our intelligence and such our development.

But then this is what happened at one dinner.

Dad's boss began to tell some incredible story about how he saved a fireman.

Petya was not like that little boy. He was four years old. But his mother considered him a very tiny child. She spoon-fed him, took him for walks by the hand, and dressed him herself in the morning.

One day Petya woke up in his bed. And his mother began to dress him. So she dressed him and put him on his legs near the bed. But Petya suddenly fell. Mom thought he was being naughty and put him back on his feet. But he fell again. Mom was surprised and placed it near the crib for the third time. But the child fell again.

Mom got scared and called dad at the service on the phone.

She told dad:

Come home quickly. Something happened to our boy - he can’t stand on his legs.

When the war began, Kolya Sokolov could count to ten. Of course, it’s not enough to count to ten, but there are children who can’t even count to ten.

For example, I knew one little girl Lyalya who could only count to five. And how did she count? She said: “One, two, four, five.” And I missed “three”. Is this a bill? This is downright ridiculous.

No, it is unlikely that such a girl will become a scientist or a mathematics professor in the future. Most likely, she will be a domestic worker or a junior janitor with a broom. Since she's so incapable of numbers.

Works are divided into pages

Zoshchenko's stories

When in distant years Mikhail Zoshchenko wrote his famous children's stories, then he was not at all thinking about the fact that everyone would laugh at the cocky boys and girls. The writer wanted to help children become good people. Series " Zoshchenko's stories for children" matches school curriculum literary instruction for junior school classes. It is primarily addressed to children who are between the ages of seven and eleven years and includes Zoshchenko's stories various topics, trends and genres.

Here we have collected wonderful children's stories by Zoshchenko, read which is a great pleasure, because Mikhail Mahailovich was a true master of words. M. Zoshchenko's stories are filled with kindness; the writer was unusually able to portray children's characters, the atmosphere of the most youth filled with naivety and purity.