Enchanted dolls. Marina's magic dolls - no magic? Tastes could not be discussed

“I make dolls because I strive for integrity. I need everything or nothing,” says Marina Bychkova, one of the most famous and recognized puppeteers in the world, about her work.

“Enchanted dolls” by Marina Bychkova are not toys. These are works of art that combine the work of an artist, sculptor, designer, planner, engineer, philosopher and much, much more. Each of them has its own name, its own history, its own meaning, its own world.

"Lighting"

Marina’s dolls are adored, praised, and bought for crazy amounts of money. They are also mercilessly copied and her ideas are passed off as their own. Of course, many novice masters would like to be like Marina, because it is difficult to avoid the temptation to take something ready-made. But for an artist this is a dead end. Inspiration comes at the cost of long and hard work. There are no miracles. Marina's story is proof of this.

Stockholm syndrome doll

She does not teach others how to live and create, but she talks a lot about herself and her work. Marina’s life and actions are wonderful, living illustrations for the book of her success. Every day she reveals to us the secrets of her craft, you just need to watch carefully.

"Cinderella"

Tastes could not be discussed

A true artist can make us love what he loves. How? He simply lets us see the world with our own eyes.

Marina's dolls are beautiful, fragile, fabulous and at the same time very earthly. And they are also subtly Russian, as if they were held in the hands of Vasnetsov or Vrubel. After all, Marina embodied her passions and tastes in painting in these fragile porcelain figurines. That’s why it’s so easy to love them; a piece of the real Marina lives in them.

"Cathedral"

Inspiration and copying

“I recently realized that I may have accidentally reproduced the wonderful illustration of Shulamith Wulfing, who for a long time was on my shelf. This got me thinking about other images that I see every day, “appropriate”, process in my head and then use in my work. And who knows how much of each creation is a figment of my imagination, and how much is a picture I saw at age 5, a book I read at age 7, or a film that impressed a little girl many years ago.”

These words of Marina only confirm long ago known fact. Creating your own is the next step after observing and admiring the creations of others. Observe, learn, enjoy life, and then go your own way own path— stages of becoming an artist.

Chinese actress Fan Bingbing

Studies

History knows self-taught nuggets in different areas. But most often, behind good results there is serious professional training. Marina Bychkova not only studied at the renowned Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, but also studied jewelry making. She constantly takes lessons and master classes in a variety of areas. That is why there is no negligence in her dolls - every detail is made professionally.

Productivity and creativity

Marina lives in a city apartment, she does not have her own garden, but she once read that seeing plants and being close to them has a beneficial effect on emotional state and productivity. Now she has over a hundred indoor plants- a whole apartment garden! After all, it is very important to work in a comfortable and inspiring environment.

Timely break

A talented person is talented in everything. Marina has reached unprecedented heights in puppetry, but she has many others creative projects. One day, she realized that she was “burning out.” And he won’t be able to draw a single doll’s eyelash anymore. She urgently needed a break. Marina took a sabbatical and spent several months doing a wide variety of things - making furniture, organizing her collections, and even ordering a coloring book from Amazon. And then with renewed vigor she returned to her favorite dolls.

Madame Pompadour

Philosophy

Marina's dolls are not just beautiful pieces of porcelain. Behind each of them there is an idea. With their help, Marina leaves messages: they talk about women's problems in modern society, O creative difficulties and crises, about good and evil. These are not perfect creatures from a fantasy world - they have scars and tattoos, they cry and are sad.

Salome

Ruby

Herald

A game

And yet these are dolls. Their main difference from sculptures or paintings is that you can really play with them. On her website Marina gives detailed instructions How you can and cannot play with dolls. After all, they are porcelain, which means they are durable, but fragile. Therefore, they must be handled very carefully. Marina dolls are usually not bought for children.

The dolls are mobile, can take realistic poses, and are incredibly photogenic. They can be examined, planted and put in a variety of poses, and photographed. And of course, admire them endlessly!

Cinderella

Northern Cinderella

Cinderella

"Stockholm Syndrome"

Herald

Madame Pompadour

Venetian

Such a short and long way

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step,” says the ancient Chinese proverb. The story of Marina Bychkova is proof of this. On her website you can find photographs of her first works. They are not at all similar to the masterpieces that the artist is making now. They have many shortcomings; they do not yet have that unique, individual style for which Marina Bychkova’s dolls are so valued.

But the dollmaker is not shy about it. After all, her skill is the fruit of painstaking work, long study, attempts, and reflection. We can only be proud of this. There is no doubt that Marina is talented, but she is also incredibly hardworking, persistent and purposeful.

And when we see this miracle, this thousand-mile journey traveled by another person, we understand that everything is real. You just have to try really hard!

Ilovehobby wishes you inspiration!

Prepared specifically for

* * *

Dear reader!

I have no doubt that you love fairy tales and adventures. And if so, then you will probably be interested to know about amazing city called Myshkin. This, I’ll tell you a secret, is not an ordinary city, but a real magical city. Here at every step you can meet fairy-tale creatures, such as Goblin, Scientist Cat, three-headed Mouse King, or see all sorts of miracles. In the middle of summer, a blizzard suddenly begins here, and under New Year Snowdrops are blooming. Some animals, plants and even things in Myshkin can talk, tables on holidays are covered with self-assembled tablecloths, and sometimes a flying carpet or a witch on a broom flies overhead. Locals They are not surprised by this, since they got used to it a long time ago. And tourists, who are visible and invisible in Myshkin at any time of the year, are sure that all these are just special effects and a show specially invented for their entertainment. And only you, the reader, now know that this is not so and that all miracles are in fairytale city ABSOLUTELY REAL!

Usually fairy tales and true stories coexist quite peacefully in Myshkin. But sometimes it happens that fairy tales get out of control, and something completely unimaginable begins to happen in the city. And then the FAIRY PATROL gets down to business.

Chapter 1. Fatal Full Moon

The full moon climbed to the very top of the sky, straddled a lonely cloud, illuminated the sleeping city and, tired, began to quietly descend towards the horizon. The full moon has ended, and there is a whole month left until the next one. The stars faded, the first rays of the sun broke through the fog over the river, and the morning came into its own. A new day dawned, and with it new adventures began.

* * *

On Grand opening It seemed like the whole city had gathered. The toy store that everyone was talking about Lately, was preparing to throw heavy curtains from the windows. A few more minutes until noon and...

The owner of the store, Mrs. Naina, had been restless since the morning. She either rushed around the sales floor, re-checking the composition on the main window, then ran out into the street, sternly driving away curious children from the windows who were trying to sneak a peek at what was hidden behind the thick curtain, then she urged the workers who were too slowly screwing in light bulbs into large chandelier. The old raven, sitting on a specially equipped perch near the ceiling, looked askance at all this fuss with one eye and seemed to grin to himself. But finally, the clock on the old tower struck noon. And immediately music began to play in the store, the curtains fell, and shining crystal display cases were revealed to the enthusiastic gaze of those gathered.

People gasped in unison and at first involuntarily took a step back, and then rushed to the obligingly open doors.

There was cheerful confusion in the trading floor. Children scurried back and forth, running from one display case to another. Exclamations of admiration, aahs and aahs were heard from everywhere. And it’s not surprising - there was really something to see here.

Almost the entire room was filled with dolls. There were many of them, very different, boys and girls in outfits of all kinds of eras. There was no one here! Pirates and acrobats, ladies and gentlemen, doctors and cooks, jesters and soldiers. On foot and on horseback, on motorcycles and vintage bicycles, in carriages and cars... All the dolls turned out to be so well made that one could spend hours looking at the details. And everyone is as if they were alive. It felt like they were about to start moving or even start talking.

Toys were seen everywhere - not only in display cases, but also on tables, in cabinets, on shelves along the walls. Only one wall in the store was empty. Or rather, it was not completely empty, because next to it stood a huge, floor-to-ceiling, antique mirror in an exquisite, fancy frame. And everyone who was in the store involuntarily stopped at this mirror to casually fix their hair, tug at their T-shirt, or simply wink at their reflection.

I must say that the prices in the new store were surprisingly affordable. It would seem that such wonderful dolls should be very expensive, but no - the amounts on the price tags were such that not only adults, but also children could afford the purchase. So a long line immediately formed at the checkout. There were also conflicts, as it happened that several buyers liked the same toy, which is why they got into a fight. Then Mrs. Naina came to the rescue. She settled disputes so skillfully, helped us choose this or that doll so skillfully, that in the end no one left dissatisfied. Moreover, it turned out that there was an indisputable rule in the store: the one who bought the doll was obliged to smile in a huge mirror, and his reflection was immediately photographed. The lucky owner didn't have time new toy get to the exit, and Naina was already hanging his picture with the purchase in his hands on the wall. Needless to say, not even a couple of hours had passed before the entire wall around the mirror was beaming with happy children’s smiles. The photograph of a fiery red-haired, freckled boy especially stood out. In one hand he had a doll depicting a cowboy in a plaid shirt, wide-brimmed hat and pointed boots, and with his other hand he clutched a bright red tractor to himself. The boy’s smile looked so joyful that it seemed that there was no one happier than him and there couldn’t be anyone in the world.

- Oh, Alyonka, look how lovely it is! “Varya tugged at her friend’s sleeve and pointed to a beautiful horsewoman sitting astride a snow-white horse. The horse's lush mane fell like white foam down to the very hooves, and in this foam the lace dress riders.

Alyonka looked away from the schoolgirl doll, which looked exactly like her grandmother in the childhood photograph - two braids with bows, a dark dress and a white apron - and turned to Varya.

- Yeah, lovely! You just know what... - Alyonka hesitated. – The more I look at these dolls, the less I want to buy them.

- Why? – Varya was surprised. - They are so beautiful!

“Beautiful...” Alyonka nodded. – But some... I don’t even know how to say. Too real, maybe. Too similar to people. As if these are not toys, but children. I guess I don’t want to have a doll at home that looks so much like a person. I'd rather buy this funny little bear. Look how stupid his face is.

Varya looked at the little one, the size of a palm, teddy bear and smiled. His face was really stupid. But so funny! Then Masha called Varya, and the girls scattered around the hall again, looking at more and more dolls.

When the friends left the store, the sun was already slowly setting. Deciding that such a busy day required a worthy end, the girls went to the ice cream parlor in the park, took a portion, sat down at a table and began to share their impressions. Varya started first.

- Well, how do you like the store? - she asked, and without waiting for answers, she continued: - I liked it there... Although...

Varya suddenly fell silent, but then Snezhka spoke:

“And I bought a hare,” she showed a small floppy-eared hare. - Look at what a stupid face he has!

Varya and Alyonka looked at each other and laughed. Snow was surprised:

-What's so funny? Well, really stupid!

Alyonka took out her bear and placed it on the table next to the hare. Masha and Varya also dug into their pockets, and a red puppy and a funny duckling appeared on the table next to the hare and the bear. The girls looked at them and, without saying a word, said in unison:

- And their faces are really stupid!

And they burst out laughing again.

And then Alyonka said:

- You know, girls, do as you wish, but I won’t go to this store again. Something is there somehow... Something is wrong.

And her friends agreed with her. They themselves had the same feeling. But they just couldn’t explain it.

Chapter 2. The Mystery of the Toy Store

Time passed, and the trip to the toy store began to gradually become forgotten. The friends have new concerns. And the weather suddenly turned bad, it began to rain tediously, and the girls stayed indoors for a whole week, practically not going outside. But finally, the sun dispersed the gray boredom, dried up the puddles on the asphalt, and “ Fairytale Patrol" V in full force met again at the ice cream parlor. The girls sat down at the table and started talking vying with each other - during the forced separation they had accumulated a lot of things that they absolutely had to tell each other.

While eating ice cream, the friends chatted and laughed, but soon the laughter, and then the conversation, died down on their own. The girls fell silent more and more often and involuntarily listened, until finally Masha asked:

– Don’t you think this is strange?

- What exactly? – Snowball didn’t understand.

“Listen,” Alyonka answered her, and Varya explained:

- Silence.

And indeed. It seemed like everything around was as usual. Birds chirped, adults scurried back and forth about their adult affairs, kids dug in sandboxes and played on playgrounds. But all this was accompanied by some unusual silence. No one made noise, no one laughed, even conversations were conducted as if in low voices. No cheerful children's voices were heard, no one sang, no one shouted, no one quarreled over toys. Even little girls slid down the slide and rode on the carousel in silence, although before the squeal was so loud that you could at least cover your ears.

– Maybe it’s some kind of disease? – Masha suggested and immediately went to look for information on her tablet.

- Epidemic! – Snow grabbed her head with her hands. - They're all sick! Now we will get sick too. What to do?

“Wait, don’t panic,” Varya said judiciously. “It looks like we haven’t gotten sick yet, so we remain calm.” And anyway, who said that this is an epidemic?

Snow turned around, looking for someone to point her finger at, but everyone looked at her questioningly, and the girl became embarrassed.

- Well, this... It seemed to me so. What are they doing then?

Varya waved her hand decisively:

- So, everyone listen to me! Let's divide the city into squares.

- For what? – Alyonka didn’t understand.

“To examine him faster,” Masha explained. “If we study the situation all together, we will lose too much time.”

“I see,” Snezhka nodded, and Varya commanded:

- "Fairytale Patrol", let's get to work!

And the girls ran away in different directions. Snezhka, as usual, went north, Alyonka got western edge city, Masha hurried to the east, and Varya rushed to inspect the south.

An hour later, the out of breath girls met again in the park, and the restless Alyonka began to report without even having time to catch her breath.

- Oh, girls, what am I going to tell you now! In general, so... Everywhere the same silence. Just like in the library honestly! Or in the hospital... Past kindergarten ran by - and there was silence there. What about you?

“You” turned out to be the same. It turned out that throughout the city the children walked around silent and dejected, and if they played, it was very quietly, as if reluctantly. Masha noticed that even adults, who usually ask particularly naughty and loud children to behave calmer, now looked with surprise at the quiet groups. And only in one place in the city did Varya and Snezka hear children’s laughter and joyful hubbub. And it was at the new toy store.

When Varya mentioned the store, Masha frowned. She tried to remember something, but the memory did not want to linger in her head. And even the tablet didn’t help her this time. To concentrate, Masha stood up and began to walk back and forth. She looked around blankly until she suddenly caught her eye on the detail that was so missing.

- Here it is! – Masha even jumped and pointed her finger somewhere to the side. - Look, here it is!

The girls, as if on command, jumped off the bench and turned their heads to where Masha was pointing.

-Where should I look? – Alyonka was surprised. - Well, sandbox... So what's wrong?

- Tractor, girls, tractor! – Masha spoke in a loud whisper out of excitement. -Are you blind?

- What does the tractor have to do with it? – Varya asked and immediately stopped short, having guessed. - That's it…

The girlfriends came closer to the sandbox. On the wide side stood a toy tractor, the same red, shining one that the red-haired boy posed with in the toy store. It was exactly the same tractor, it was impossible to confuse it, but it looked completely different. No, of course he was still shining new paint, sparkled, but for some reason looked extremely sad. Something that made a new toy a holiday has disappeared somewhere. I wasn’t happy with his appearance – that’s all! Alyonka tried to express her feelings, but she didn’t succeed.

- He’s some kind of... How sad clown at the circus. He was just joking and jumping in the arena, and then he returned backstage and it was as if the batteries had run out. Oh, what am I talking about?

However, her friends understood her perfectly.

- That's what I'm talking about! – Masha picked up. - Girls, use your head. Where is the laughter now? That's right, at the store. Where is the sadness and despondency? That's right, everywhere - except the store. What conclusions can be drawn, huh? Well, think quickly!

“Wait, don’t rush us,” Varya stopped her. - And so it’s clear that the matter is in the store...

– Remember how we all didn’t like it there right away? – Alyonka picked up.

– What do we even know about the store? – asked Masha.

The friends looked at each other. And very soon it became clear that they knew so little about the new toy store that, one might say, nothing at all. And even less about his owner. The girls had no idea who Naina was or where she came from in their city. Even Masha could not find any information on the Internet.

“You girls do as you wish, but you definitely need to find out what’s going on!” – Alyonka summed up. “Otherwise, you see, we too will become infected with this melancholy.”

- Well, what's up with the Fairytale Patrol? – Varya clapped her hands, and her friends answered her in chorus:

- Get to work!

Getting into the store was not easy. The “Fairytale Patrol” appeared in the shopping area closer to closing, and the girls tried to hide so that neither the store owner nor her pet raven, Karl, would notice them. Varya climbed into a huge doll box and covered herself with wrapping paper on top, but after a while she realized that her shelter was not at all safe. With every slightest movement, the paper crunched and rustled so much that it seemed to be heard on the other side of the city. In addition, every now and then her nose was itching, and Varya was always afraid that she would sneeze and thereby give herself away.

Alyonka and Masha hid under the counter and blocked themselves with boxes. Lying on the cold floor was hard, but the girls bravely endured this trouble. Moreover, there was not long to wait.

But Snowball couldn’t think of anything better than sneaking into the back room of the store. She was almost caught by Mrs. Naina, but the girl came out of this situation with dignity. In one leap, she flew up onto the closet and hid behind a stuffed huge crocodile, which we don’t know how it ended up there. All that was left was to be quiet and not move.

In the evening, when all the customers had left and Mrs. Naina lowered the heavy metal curtains on the windows and left, the girls got out of their hiding places.

– Phew, well, I’ve been through enough! – Varya wrinkled her nose, about to sneeze, but nothing came of it. “It’s strange, when I was sitting in the box, I wanted to sneeze like crazy, but now I seem to have let it go.”

“And Masha and I were so flattened under the counter that we almost turned into flounders.” – Alyonka rubbed her sides, which she lay on the hard floor. - A little more, and we would have grown fins and gills.

“And I was hiding next to the crocodile,” Snow said quietly.

– What other crocodile? Naina has not only a raven, but also a crocodile? – The girls widened their eyes.

Snow waved her hands:

– Don’t be afraid, he’s not alive! There, on the closet, there is a stuffed crocodile for some reason. Well, I was hiding behind him.

“Okay, let’s get down to business,” Varya commanded. – Remember: we are looking for everything suspicious and unusual.

The friends searched everything centimeter by centimeter, but did not find anything suspicious. There was nothing unusual in the store, even if you burst! Showcases, shelves, cabinets, lots of toys - and nothing else, if you don’t take into account the stuffed crocodile. The upset girls had already completely given up.

- Or maybe we were mistaken? – Alyonka looked around again. – Maybe this is all just a stupid fantasy?

Masha, who was straightening her hair in front of a huge mirror, said without turning around:

“And yet it seems to me that we are missing something.” I just don’t understand what exactly...

Varya, who at that moment was looking at the wall with photographs, suddenly asked:

“Girls, why does Naina photograph customers so strangely?” Why not themselves, but rather the reflection in the mirror? Wouldn't it be easier to just take off?

- Or maybe it’s all about this mirror? – Masha knocked on the gilded frame. - How can I check this?..

Without saying a word, Alyonka also jumped up to the mirror and tried to move it away. At first things were going slowly, but suddenly the mirror gave way, moved away from the wall and swung open like a door. The girls gasped.

Thick multi-colored pipes snaked from the mirror into the darkness of the dungeon. On back side mirror, there was a remote control with some kind of instruments, the arrows on which trembled and jumped, the lights blinked, and every now and then some kind of melodic signal was heard, as if a bell was tinkling.

Old, worn-out steps led down into the dungeon. There were no railings on this staircase, and in the darkness nothing more than two or three steps could be seen. Without saying a word, the girls let Alyonka go ahead.

- Do we need to go there? – Alyonka spoke in a whisper, as if she could wake someone up. - It’s not that I’m afraid, but I’m so afraid...

- Necessary! – Varya said sternly. - Definitely necessary. Otherwise, why did we come here? It seems that now we will find out everything...

- Luckily, I have a flashlight with me. – Alyonka rummaged in her bag. - Here he is... Oh, no, that’s not it... And this too... Oh, here he is!

A cheerful light danced on the wall. It immediately became lighter, and the girls began to carefully descend the steps. The dungeon turned out to be unexpectedly deep, so that, having reached the end of the stairs, the girls did not hear how, upstairs in the store, the mirror silently fell into place, cutting off the path to retreat.

Chapter 3. Behind the magic mirror

Going down to the basement, the friends looked around. A real magical laboratory appeared before them. Long tables laden with objects of the most incomprehensible shapes and colors, a dozen magic balls dumped in a bucket and shoved under the table, human skulls placed at the corners of a pentagram inscribed on a separate table, and black candles stuck in a wide variety of candlesticks - all this gave away the witch's lair. And at the same time, the witch is very unkind.

Thick pipes extending from the mirror ended in a large glass tank. Each pipe was equipped with a sign with an inscription. One said “Fun”, the other “Happiness”, the third “Joy”, and the fourth had a blue lightning bolt drawn on it and “Energy” written in large letters. In the tank itself, a bright liquid bubbled and seethed, shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow. An ancient bronze pole, darkened by time, stuck out nearby. On it, like on a ruler, strange symbols were stamped, among which, however, the marks were clearly readable - one hundred years, two hundred years, five hundred years, and the very last mark - eternity. Now the liquid in the tank was between the “five hundred” and “eternity” marks.

- So that's it! – Masha grabbed her head. – With the help of her mirror, Naina steals children’s joy and energy. And the mirror itself is a magical emotional pump! Now it’s clear why the children in the city are so sad.

Varya clicked her finger on the pole with marks:

“I think I can guess why she needs it.” After Naina has sucked out all the childish joy in the city, she will bathe in it and live forever.

- Well, I do not! – Alyonka grabbed the heavy ruler pole, trying to pull it out of the floor. – I won’t allow this!

At that moment, a loud alarm sounded throughout the dungeon, and the sound of wings was heard in the semi-darkness. Out of surprise, Alyonka dropped the pole, and a huge raven immediately swooped down on her. Where he came from in the dungeon and where he was hiding before, none of the girls understood. While the raven was circling over Alyonka, using its beak, wings and claws to drive her away from the bronze pole, Mrs. Naina herself appeared in the dungeon.

- Wow, what do we have here? Karl, move away! “The sorceress waved her hand, and the girls froze in place, unable to even lift a finger. - Wow, four nasty girls! And aren’t you ashamed to look out and sniff out something that doesn’t concern you at all?

Under the game there is a description, instructions and rules, as well as thematic links to similar materials - we recommend that you read it.

How to play - rules and description

The vile witch tore and scattered the doll in pieces around the house. The guy from the game claims that if you don’t put the doll back together piece by piece, it will be an irreparable loss and generally threaten a universal catastrophe. Okay, let's help him find everything he needs.

Well, the authors brought horror and mysticism here. Do not pay attention, because this is an ordinary game of an equally ordinary search for objects. Look at the task and read what you need to find. Here, unfortunately, the required things are indicated in words, and in English, so if you don’t speak English, open a dictionary.

There are a lot of items, and instead of those found, new ones appear on the task list. And time is ticking, the first picture must be processed in five minutes and not a second longer!

Can download game SEARCH: ENCHANTED DOLL on your computer, it will not take up much space, but think about whether it makes sense to do this, because it is always available here, you just need to open this page.

Take a break and play Online Games , which develop logic and imagination, allow you to relax pleasantly. Relax and take your mind off things!

I have no doubt that you love fairy tales and adventures. And if so, then you will probably be interested in learning about the amazing city called Myshkin. This, I’ll tell you a secret, is not an ordinary city, but a real magical city. Here at every step you can meet fairy-tale creatures such as the Goblin, the Scientist Cat, the three-headed Mouse King, or see all sorts of miracles. In the middle of summer, a blizzard suddenly begins here, and on New Year’s Eve snowdrops bloom. Some animals, plants and even things in Myshkin can talk, tables on holidays are covered with self-assembled tablecloths, and sometimes a flying carpet or a witch on a broom flies overhead. Local residents are not surprised by this, since they got used to it a long time ago. And tourists, who are visible and invisible in Myshkin at any time of the year, are sure that all these are just special effects and a show specially invented for their entertainment. And only you, the reader, now know that this is not so and that all the miracles in the fairy-tale city are ABSOLUTELY REAL!

Chapter 1. Fatal Full Moon

It seemed like the whole city had gathered for the grand opening. The toy store, whose appearance everyone had been talking about lately, was preparing to throw down the heavy curtains from the windows. A few more minutes until noon and...

The owner of the store, Mrs. Naina, had been restless since the morning. She either rushed around the sales floor, re-checking the composition on the main window, then ran out into the street, sternly driving away curious children from the windows who were trying to sneak a peek at what was hiding behind the thick curtain, then she urged the workers who were too slowly screwing light bulbs into a large chandelier. The old raven, sitting on a specially equipped perch near the ceiling, looked askance at all this fuss with one eye and seemed to grin to himself. But finally, the clock on the old tower struck noon. And immediately music began to play in the store, the curtains fell, and shining crystal display cases were revealed to the enthusiastic gaze of those gathered. People gasped in unison and at first involuntarily took a step back, and then rushed to the obligingly open doors.

I must say that the prices in the new store were surprisingly affordable. It would seem that such wonderful dolls should be very expensive, but no - the amounts on the price tags were such that not only adults, but also children could afford the purchase. So a long line immediately formed at the checkout. There were also conflicts, as it happened that several buyers liked the same toy, which is why they got into a fight. Then Mrs. Naina came to the rescue. She settled disputes so skillfully, helped us choose this or that doll so skillfully, that in the end no one left dissatisfied. Moreover, it turned out that there was an indisputable rule in the store: the one who bought the doll was obliged to smile in a huge mirror, and his reflection was immediately photographed. Before the happy owner of the new toy had time to get to the exit, Naina was already hanging his photo with the purchase in his hands on the wall. Needless to say, not even a couple of hours had passed before the entire wall around the mirror was beaming with happy children’s smiles. The photograph of a fiery red-haired, freckled boy especially stood out. In one hand he held a doll of a cowboy in a plaid shirt, wide-brimmed hat and pointy boots, and in the other hand he clutched a bright red tractor. The boy’s smile looked so joyful that it seemed that there was no one happier than him and there couldn’t be anyone in the world.

- Oh, Alyonka, look how lovely it is! “Varya tugged at her friend’s sleeve and pointed to a beautiful horsewoman sitting astride a snow-white horse. The horse's lush mane flowed down to the hooves like white foam, and the rider's lace dress disappeared into this foam.

Alyonka looked away from the schoolgirl doll, which looked exactly like her grandmother in the childhood photograph - two braids with bows, a dark dress and a white apron - and turned to Varya.

- Yeah, lovely! You just know what... - Alyonka hesitated. – The more I look at these dolls, the less I want to buy them.

- Why? – Varya was surprised. - They are so beautiful!

Varya looked at the small, palm-sized teddy bear and smiled. His face was really stupid. But so funny! Then Masha called Varya, and the girls scattered around the hall again, looking at more and more dolls.

- Well, how do you like the store? - she asked, and without waiting for answers, she continued: - I liked it there... Although...