Gray star Boris Zakhoder print. Boris Zakhoder: Gray Star

Well, - said Papa Przhik, - this fairy tale is called “ Gray Star“, just by the title you’ll never guess who this fairy tale is about. Therefore, listen carefully and do not interrupt. All questions later.

Are there really gray stars? - asked the Hedgehog.

If you interrupt me again, I won’t tell you,” Przhik answered, but, noticing that his little son was about to cry, he softened: “Actually, they don’t exist, although, in my opinion, this is strange: after all, grey colour the most beautiful. But there was one Gray Star.

So, once upon a time there lived a toad - clumsy, ugly, in addition it smelled of garlic, and instead of thorns it had - can you imagine! - warts. Brr!

Fortunately, she did not know that she was so ugly, nor that she was a toad. Firstly, because she was very small and knew little at all, and secondly, because no one called her that. She lived in a garden where Trees, Bushes and Flowers grew, and you should know that Trees, Bushes and Flowers only talk to those whom they really, really love. But you wouldn’t call someone you really, really love a toad?

The hedgehog snorted in agreement.

Well, the Trees, Bushes and Flowers loved the toad very much and therefore called it the most affectionate names. Especially Flowers.

Why did they love her so much? - Hedgehog asked quietly.

The father frowned, and the Hedgehog immediately curled up.

If you keep quiet, you’ll soon find out,” Przyk said sternly. He continued: “When the toad appeared in the garden, the Flowers asked what its name was, and when she answered that she did not know, they were very happy.

“Oh, how great! - said Pansies (they were the first to see her). “Then we’ll come up with a name for you ourselves!” Do you want us to call you... will we call you Anyuta?”

“It’s better than Margarita,” said the Daisies. “This name is much more beautiful!”

Then the Roses intervened - they suggested calling her Beauty; The bells demanded that she be called Tinkerbell (this was the only word they knew how to speak), and the flower, named Ivan da Marya, suggested that she be called “Vanechka-Manechka.”

The Hedgehog snorted and glanced sideways at his father in fear, but the Hedgehog was not angry, because the Hedgehog snorted at the right time. He continued calmly:

In a word, there would be no end to the controversy if it were not for Asters. And if it weren’t for the Scientist Starling.

“Let her be called Astra,” said the Asters.

“Or, better yet, Little Star,” said the Scientist Starling. - This means the same thing as Astra, only much clearer. Besides, she really does resemble a star. Just look how radiant her eyes are! And since she's gray, you can call her Gray Star. Then there will be no confusion! Seems clear?

And everyone agreed with the Scientist Starling, because he was very smart, could speak a few real human words and whistle almost to the end musical composition, which is called, it seems... “Pzhik-Pyzhik” or something like that. For this, people built him a house on a poplar tree.

Since then, everyone began to call the toad Gray Star. Everyone except Bells, they still called her Tinker Bell, but that was the only word they knew how to say.

“There’s nothing to say, little star,” hissed the fat old Slug. He crawled onto the rose bush and approached the tender young leaves. - Nice “star”! After all, this is the most ordinary gray..."

He wanted to say “toad,” but he didn’t have time, because at that very moment the Gray Star looked at him with her radiant eyes - and the Slug disappeared.

“Thank you, dear Star,” said Rose, turning pale with fear. “You saved me from a terrible enemy!”

But you need to know,” Przhik explained, “that Flowers, Trees and Bushes, although they do no harm to anyone, on the contrary, do only good! - there are also enemies. A lot of them! Good thing these enemies are pretty tasty!

So, Starlet ate that fat Slug? - asked the Hedgehog, licking his lips.

Most likely, yes,” Przyk said. - True, you can’t guarantee. No one saw how the little star ate Slugs, Voracious Beetles and Harmful Caterpillars. But all the enemies of the Flowers disappeared as soon as the Gray Star looked at them with her radiant eyes. Disappeared forever. And since the Gray Star settled in the garden, the Trees, Flowers and Bushes began to live much better. Especially Flowers. Because the Bushes and Trees protected the Birds from enemies, but there was no one to protect the Flowers - they are too short for Birds.

That's why the Flowers fell in love with the Gray Star so much. They blossomed with joy every morning when she came to the garden. All you could hear was: “Star, come to us!”, “No, come to us first!” To us!.."

The flowers told her the most sweet words, and they thanked and praised her in every way, but the Gray Star was modestly silent - after all, she was very, very modest - and only her eyes were shining.

One Magpie, who loved to eavesdrop on human conversations, once even asked if it was true that she had something hidden in her head. gem and that's why her eyes shine so much.

“I don’t know,” Gray Star said embarrassedly. - In my opinion, no...”

“Well, Soroka! What a blabbermouth! - said the Scientist Starling. - Not a stone, but confusion, and not in Asterisk’s head, but in yours! Gray Star has radiant eyes because she has a clear conscience - after all, she is doing a Useful Deed! Seems clear?

Dad, can I ask a question? - asked the Hedgehog.

All questions later.

Well, please, daddy, just one!

One - well, so be it.

Dad, are we... are we useful?

Very much,” said Przyk. - Rest assured. But listen to what happened next.

So, as I already said, the Flowers knew that Gray Star was kind, good and useful. The Birds knew this too. People knew, of course, too, understandably - Smart people. And only the enemies of the Flowers did not agree with this. “Vile, harmful little bitch!” - they hissed, of course, when Zvezdochka was not around. "Freak! It's disgusting! - the voracious Beetles creaked. “We must deal with her! - the Caterpillars echoed them. “There’s simply no life for her!”

True, no one paid attention to their abuse and threats, and besides, there were fewer and fewer enemies, but, unfortunately, the closest relative of the Caterpillars, the Nettle Butterfly, intervened in the matter. She looked completely harmless and even pretty, but in reality she was terribly harmful. This happens sometimes.

Yes, I forgot to tell you that Gray Star never touched the Butterflies.

Why? - asked the Hedgehog. -Are they tasteless?

That's not why, stupid. Most likely, because Butterflies look like Flowers, and Little Star loved Flowers so much! And she probably didn’t know that Butterflies and Caterpillars are one and the same. After all, Caterpillars turn into Butterflies, and Butterflies lay eggs, and new Caterpillars hatch from them...

So, the cunning Nettle came up with a cunning plan - how to destroy Gray Star.

“I will soon save you from this vile toad!” - she said to her sisters Caterpillars, her friends Beetles and Slugs. And she flew away from the garden.

And when she returned, a Very Stupid Boy was running after her. He had a skullcap in his hand, he was waving it in the air and thought that he was about to catch the pretty Nettle. Skullcap.

And the cunning Nettle pretended that she was about to get caught: she would sit on a flower, pretend not to notice the Very Stupid Boy, and then suddenly flutter in front of his very nose and fly to the next flowerbed.

And so she lured the Very Stupid Boy into the very depths of the garden, onto the path where the Gray Star sat and talked with the Learned Starling.

The nettle was immediately punished for her vile act: the Scientist Starling flew off the branch like lightning and grabbed her with his beak. But it was too late: the Very Stupid Boy noticed the Gray Star.

Gray Star at first did not understand that he was talking about her - after all, no one had ever called her a toad. She did not move even when the Very Stupid Boy swung a stone at her.

At that same moment, a heavy stone fell to the ground next to Gray Star. Fortunately, the Very Stupid Boy missed, and Gray Star managed to jump to the side. Flowers and Grass hid her from view. But the Very Stupid Boy did not stop. He picked up a few more stones and continued throwing them towards where the Grass and Flowers were moving.

"Toad! Poisonous toad! - he shouted. - Beat the ugly one!”

“Dur-ra-chok! Dur-ra-chok! - the Scientist Starling shouted to him. - What kind of confusion is in your head? After all, she is useful! Seems clear?

But the Very Stupid Boy grabbed a stick and climbed straight into the Rose Bush - where, as it seemed to him, the Gray Star was hiding.

The Rose Bush pricked him with all its might with its sharp thorns. And the Very Stupid Boy ran out of the garden roaring.

Hurray! - Hedgehog shouted.

Yes, brother, thorns are a good thing! - continued the Hedgehog. - If Gray Star had thorns, then perhaps she would not have had to cry so bitterly that day. But, as you know, she had no thorns, and so she sat under the roots of the Rose Bush and wept bitterly.

“He called me a toad,” she sobbed, “ugly! That's what the Man said, but people know everything! So, I’m a toad, a toad!..”

Everyone consoled her as best they could: Pansy said that she would always remain their sweet Gray Star; The roses told her that beauty is not the most important thing in life (this was no small sacrifice on their part). “Don’t cry, Vanechka-Manechka,” Ivan-da-Marya repeated, and the Bells whispered: “Ding-Ding, Ting-Ding,” and this also sounded very comforting.

But Gray Star cried so loudly that she did not hear any consolation. This always happens when people start consoling too early.

The flowers did not know this, but the Scientist Starling knew it very well. He let Gray Star cry as much as she could, and then said:

“I won’t console you, darling. I'll tell you only one thing: it's not about the name. And, in any case, it doesn’t matter at all what some Stupid Boy, who has nothing but confusion in his head, says about you! For all your friends, you were and will be a sweet Gray Star. Seems clear?

And he whistled a piece of music about... about Pzhik-Pyzhik to cheer up Gray Star and show that he considered the conversation over.

Gray Star stopped crying.

“You’re right, of course, Skvorushka,” she said. “Of course, it’s not the name... But still... still, I probably won’t come to the garden during the day anymore, so... so as not to meet someone stupid...”

And since then, Gray Star - and not only she, but all her brothers, sisters, children and grandchildren come to the garden and do their useful work only at night.

Pzhik cleared his throat and said:

Now you can ask questions.

How many? - asked the Hedgehog.

Three,” Przhik answered.

Oh! Then... First question: is it true that Stars, that is, toads, do not eat Butterflies, or is this just in a fairy tale?

And the Very Stupid Boy said that toads are poisonous. This is true?

Nonsense! Of course, I don’t advise you to put them in your mouth. But they are not poisonous at all.

But really... Is this the third question?

Yes, the third one. All.

As everybody?

So. After all, you already asked it. You asked: “Is this the third question?”

Well, dad, you're always teasing.

Wow, how smart! Okay, so be it, ask your question.

Oh, I forgot... Oh, yes... Where did all these nasty enemies disappear to?

Well, of course, she swallowed them. She just grabs them with her tongue so quickly that no one can follow it, and it seems like they just disappear. And now I have a question, my little furry one: isn’t it time for us to go to bed? After all, you and I are also useful and must also do our Useful Work at night, and now it’s morning...

“Well,” said Papa Przhik, “this fairy tale is called “The Gray Star”, by the name you would never guess who this fairy tale is about. Therefore, listen carefully and do not interrupt. All questions later.

Are there really gray stars? - asked the Hedgehog.

If you interrupt me again, I won’t tell you,” Przhik answered, but, noticing that his son was about to cry, he softened: “Actually, they don’t exist, although, in my opinion, this is strange: after all, gray is the most beautiful color.” But there was one Gray Star.

So, once upon a time there lived a toad - clumsy, ugly, in addition it smelled of garlic, and instead of thorns it had - can you imagine! - warts. Brr!

Fortunately, she did not know that she was so ugly, nor that she was a toad. Firstly, because she was very small and knew little at all, and secondly, because no one called her that. She lived in a garden where Trees, Bushes and Flowers grew, and you should know that Trees, Bushes and Flowers only talk to those whom they really, really love. But you wouldn’t call someone you really, really love a toad?

The hedgehog snorted in agreement.

Well, the Trees, Bushes and Flowers loved the toad very much and therefore called her by the most affectionate names. Especially Flowers.

Why did they love her so much? - Hedgehog asked quietly.

The father frowned, and the Hedgehog immediately curled up.

If you keep quiet, you’ll soon find out,” Przyk said sternly. He continued: “When the toad appeared in the garden, the Flowers asked what its name was, and when she answered that she did not know, they were very happy.

“Oh, how great! - said Pansies (they were the first to see her). “Then we’ll come up with a name for you ourselves!” Do you want us to call you... will we call you Anyuta?”

“It’s better than Margarita,” said the Daisies. “This name is much more beautiful!”

Then the Roses intervened - they suggested calling her Beauty; The bells demanded that she be called Tinkerbell (this was the only word they knew how to speak), and the flower, named Ivan da Marya, suggested that she be called “Vanechka-Manechka.”

The Hedgehog snorted and glanced sideways at his father in fear, but the Hedgehog was not angry, because the Hedgehog snorted at the right time. He continued calmly:

In a word, there would be no end to the controversy if it were not for Asters. And if it weren’t for the Scientist Starling.

“Let her be called Astra,” said the Asters.

“Or, better yet, Little Star,” said the Scientist Starling. - This means the same thing as Astra, only much clearer. Besides, she really does resemble a star. Just look how radiant her eyes are! And since she's gray, you can call her Gray Star. Then there will be no confusion! Seems clear?

And everyone agreed with the Scientist Starling, because he was very smart, knew how to speak a few real human words and whistle almost to the end a piece of music called, it seems... “Pzhik-Pyzhik” or something like that. For this, people built him a house on a poplar tree.

Since then, everyone began to call the toad Gray Star. Everyone except Bells, they still called her Tinker Bell, but that was the only word they knew how to say.

“There’s nothing to say, little star,” hissed the fat old Slug. He crawled onto the rose bush and approached the tender young leaves. - Nice “star”! After all, this is the most ordinary gray..."

He wanted to say “toad,” but he didn’t have time, because at that very moment the Gray Star looked at him with her radiant eyes - and the Slug disappeared.

“Thank you, dear Star,” said Rose, turning pale with fear. “You saved me from a terrible enemy!”

But you need to know,” Przhik explained, “that Flowers, Trees and Bushes, although they do no harm to anyone, on the contrary, do only good! - there are also enemies. A lot of them! Good thing these enemies are pretty tasty!

So, Starlet ate that fat Slug? - asked the Hedgehog, licking his lips.

Most likely, yes,” Przyk said. - True, you can’t guarantee. No one saw how the little star ate Slugs, Voracious Beetles and Harmful Caterpillars. But all the enemies of the Flowers disappeared as soon as the Gray Star looked at them with her radiant eyes. Disappeared forever. And since the Gray Star settled in the garden, the Trees, Flowers and Bushes began to live much better. Especially Flowers. Because the Bushes and Trees protected the Birds from enemies, but there was no one to protect the Flowers - they are too short for Birds.

That's why the Flowers fell in love with the Gray Star so much. They blossomed with joy every morning when she came to the garden. All you could hear was: “Star, come to us!”, “No, come to us first!” To us!.."

The flowers spoke to her the most kind words, and thanked her, and praised her in every way, but the Gray Star was modestly silent - after all, she was very, very modest - and only her eyes were shining.

One Magpie, who loved to eavesdrop on human conversations, once even asked if it was true that she had a gem hidden in her head and that’s why her eyes sparkled so much.

“I don’t know,” Gray Star said embarrassedly. - In my opinion, no...”

“Well, Soroka! What a blabbermouth! - said the Scientist Starling. - Not a stone, but confusion, and not in Asterisk’s head, but in yours! Gray Star has radiant eyes because she has a clear conscience - after all, she is doing a Useful Deed! Seems clear?

Dad, can I ask a question? - asked the Hedgehog.

All questions later.

Well, please, daddy, just one!

One - well, so be it.

Dad, are we... are we useful?

Very much,” said Przyk. - Rest assured. But listen to what happened next.

So, as I already said, the Flowers knew that Gray Star was kind, good and useful. The Birds knew this too. Of course, People knew too, obviously - Smart People. And only the enemies of the Flowers did not agree with this. “Vile, harmful little bitch!” - they hissed, of course, when Zvezdochka was not around. "Freak! It's disgusting! - the voracious Beetles creaked. “We must deal with her! - the Caterpillars echoed them. “There’s simply no life for her!”

True, no one paid attention to their abuse and threats, and besides, there were fewer and fewer enemies, but, unfortunately, the closest relative of the Caterpillars, the Nettle Butterfly, intervened in the matter. She looked completely harmless and even pretty, but in reality she was terribly harmful. This happens sometimes.

Yes, I forgot to tell you that Gray Star never touched the Butterflies.

Why? - asked the Hedgehog. -Are they tasteless?

That's not why, stupid. Most likely, because Butterflies look like Flowers, and Little Star loved Flowers so much! And she probably didn’t know that Butterflies and Caterpillars are one and the same. After all, Caterpillars turn into Butterflies, and Butterflies lay eggs, and new Caterpillars hatch from them...

So, the cunning Nettle came up with a cunning plan - how to destroy Gray Star.

“I will soon save you from this vile toad!” - she said to her sisters Caterpillars, her friends Beetles and Slugs. And she flew away from the garden.

And when she returned, a Very Stupid Boy was running after her. He had a skullcap in his hand, he was waving it in the air and thought that he was about to catch the pretty Nettle. Skullcap.

And the cunning Nettle pretended that she was about to get caught: she would sit on a flower, pretend not to notice the Very Stupid Boy, and then suddenly flutter in front of his very nose and fly to the next flowerbed.

And so she lured the Very Stupid Boy into the very depths of the garden, onto the path where the Gray Star sat and talked with the Learned Starling.

The nettle was immediately punished for her vile act: the Scientist Starling flew off the branch like lightning and grabbed her with his beak. But it was too late: the Very Stupid Boy noticed the Gray Star.

Gray Star at first did not understand that he was talking about her - after all, no one had ever called her a toad. She did not move even when the Very Stupid Boy swung a stone at her.

At that same moment, a heavy stone fell to the ground next to Gray Star. Fortunately, the Very Stupid Boy missed, and Gray Star managed to jump to the side. Flowers and Grass hid her from view. But the Very Stupid Boy did not stop. He picked up a few more stones and continued throwing them towards where the Grass and Flowers were moving.

"Toad! Poisonous toad! - he shouted. - Beat the ugly one!”

“Dur-ra-chok! Dur-ra-chok! - the Scientist Starling shouted to him. - What kind of confusion is in your head? After all, she is useful! Seems clear?

But the Very Stupid Boy grabbed a stick and climbed straight into the Rose Bush - where, as it seemed to him, the Gray Star was hiding.

The Rose Bush pricked him with all its might with its sharp thorns. And the Very Stupid Boy ran out of the garden roaring.

Hurray! - Hedgehog shouted.

Yes, brother, thorns are a good thing! - continued the Hedgehog. - If Gray Star had thorns, then perhaps she would not have had to cry so bitterly that day. But, as you know, she had no thorns, and so she sat under the roots of the Rose Bush and wept bitterly.

“He called me a toad,” she sobbed, “ugly! That's what the Man said, but people know everything! So, I’m a toad, a toad!..”

Everyone consoled her as best they could: Pansy said that she would always remain their sweet Gray Star; The roses told her that beauty is not the most important thing in life (this was no small sacrifice on their part). “Don’t cry, Vanechka-Manechka,” Ivan-da-Marya repeated, and the Bells whispered: “Ding-Ding, Ting-Ding,” and this also sounded very comforting.

But Gray Star cried so loudly that she did not hear any consolation. This always happens when people start consoling too early.

The flowers did not know this, but the Scientist Starling knew it very well. He let Gray Star cry as much as she could, and then said:

“I won’t console you, darling. I'll tell you only one thing: it's not about the name. And, in any case, it doesn’t matter at all what some Stupid Boy, who has nothing but confusion in his head, says about you! For all your friends, you were and will be a sweet Gray Star. Seems clear?

And he whistled a piece of music about... about Pzhik-Pyzhik to cheer up Gray Star and show that he considered the conversation over.

Gray Star stopped crying.

“You’re right, of course, Skvorushka,” she said. “Of course, it’s not the name... But still... still, I probably won’t come to the garden during the day anymore, so... so as not to meet someone stupid...”

And since then, Gray Star - and not only she, but all her brothers, sisters, children and grandchildren come to the garden and do their useful work only at night.

Well, - said Papa Przhik, - this fairy tale is called “The Gray Star”, by the name you would never guess who this fairy tale is about. Therefore, listen carefully and do not interrupt. All questions later.
- Are there really gray stars? - asked the Hedgehog.
“If you interrupt me again, I won’t tell you,” Przhik answered, but, noticing that his son was about to cry, he softened: “Actually, they don’t exist, although, in my opinion, this is strange: after all, gray is the most beautiful color.” But there was one Gray Star.
So, once upon a time there lived a toad - clumsy, ugly, in addition it smelled of garlic, and instead of thorns it had - can you imagine! - warts. Brr!
Fortunately, she did not know that she was so ugly, nor that she was a toad. Firstly, because she was very small and knew little at all, and secondly, because no one called her that. She lived in a garden where Trees, Bushes and Flowers grew, and you should know that Trees, Bushes and Flowers only talk to those whom they really, really love. But you wouldn’t call someone you really, really love a toad?
The hedgehog snorted in agreement.
- Well, the Trees, Bushes and Flowers loved the toad very much and therefore called it the most affectionate names. Especially Flowers.
- Why did they love her so much? - Hedgehog asked quietly.
The father frowned, and the Hedgehog immediately curled up.
“If you keep quiet, you’ll soon find out,” Przyk said sternly. He continued: “When the toad appeared in the garden, the Flowers asked what its name was, and when she answered that she did not know, they were very happy.
“Oh, how great! - said Pansies (they were the first to see her). “Then we’ll come up with a name for you ourselves!” Do you want us to call you... let us call you Anyuta?”
“It’s better than Margarita,” said the Daisies. “This name is much more beautiful!”
Then the Roses intervened - they suggested calling her Beauty; The bells demanded that she be called Tinkerbell (this was the only word they knew how to speak), and the flower, named Ivan da Marya, suggested that she be called “Vanechka-Manechka.”
The Hedgehog snorted and glanced sideways at his father in fear, but the Hedgehog was not angry, because the Hedgehog snorted at the right time. He continued calmly:
- In a word, there would be no end to the disputes if not for the Asters. And if it weren’t for the Scientist Starling.
“Let her be called Astra,” said the Asters.
“Or, better yet, Little Star,” said the Scientist Starling. - This means the same thing as Astra, only much clearer. Besides, she really does resemble a star. Just look how radiant her eyes are! And since she's gray, you can call her Gray Star. Then there will be no confusion! Seems clear?
And everyone agreed with the Scientist Starling, because he was very smart, knew how to speak a few real human words and whistle almost to the end a piece of music called, it seems... “Pzhik-Pyzhik” or something like that. For this, people built him a house on a poplar tree.
Since then, everyone began to call the toad Gray Star. Everyone except Bells, they still called her Tinker Bell, but that was the only word they knew how to say.
“There’s nothing to say, little star,” hissed the fat old Slug. He crawled onto the rose bush and approached the tender young leaves. - Nice “star”! After all, this is the most ordinary gray..."
He wanted to say “toad,” but he didn’t have time, because at that very moment the Gray Star looked at him with her radiant eyes - and the Slug disappeared.
“Thank you, dear Star,” said Rose, turning pale with fear. “You saved me from a terrible enemy!”
But you need to know,” Przhik explained, “that Flowers, Trees and Bushes, although they do no harm to anyone, on the contrary, do only good! - there are also enemies. A lot of them! Good thing these enemies are pretty tasty!
- So, the Star ate this fat Slug? - asked the Hedgehog, licking his lips.
“Most likely, yes,” said Przyk. - True, you can’t guarantee. No one saw how the little star ate Slugs, Voracious Beetles and Harmful Caterpillars. But all the enemies of the Flowers disappeared as soon as the Gray Star looked at them with her radiant eyes. Disappeared forever. And since the Gray Star settled in the garden, the Trees, Flowers and Bushes began to live much better. Especially Flowers. Because the Bushes and Trees protected the Birds from enemies, but there was no one to protect the Flowers - they are too short for Birds.
That's why the Flowers fell in love with the Gray Star so much. They blossomed with joy every morning when she came to the garden. All you could hear was: “Star, come to us!”, “No, come to us first!” To us!.."
The flowers spoke to her the most kind words, and thanked her, and praised her in every way, but the Gray Star was modestly silent - after all, she was very, very modest - and only her eyes were shining.
One Magpie, who loved to eavesdrop on human conversations, once even asked if it was true that she had a gem hidden in her head and that’s why her eyes sparkled so much.
“I don’t know,” Gray Star said embarrassedly. - In my opinion, no...”
“Well, Soroka! What a blabbermouth! - said the Scientist Starling. - Not a stone, but confusion, and not in Asterisk’s head, but in yours! Gray Star has radiant eyes because she has a clear conscience - after all, she is doing a Useful Deed! Seems clear?
- Dad, can I ask a question? - asked the Hedgehog.
- All questions later.
- Well, please, daddy, only one!
- One - well, so be it.
- Dad, are we... are we useful?
“Very,” said Przyk. - Rest assured. But listen to what happened next.
So, as I already said, the Flowers knew that Gray Star was kind, good and useful. The Birds knew this too. Of course, People knew too, obviously - Smart People. And only the enemies of the Flowers did not agree with this. “Vile, harmful little bitch!” - they hissed, of course, when Zvezdochka was not around. "Freak! It's disgusting! - the voracious Beetles creaked. “We must deal with her! - the Caterpillars echoed them. “There’s simply no life for her!”
True, no one paid attention to their abuse and threats, and besides, there were fewer and fewer enemies, but, unfortunately, the closest relative of the Caterpillars, the Nettle Butterfly, intervened in the matter. She looked completely harmless and even pretty, but in reality she was terribly harmful. This happens sometimes.
Yes, I forgot to tell you that Gray Star never touched the Butterflies.
- Why? - asked the Hedgehog. -Are they tasteless?
- That’s not why, stupid. Most likely, because Butterflies look like Flowers, and Little Star loved Flowers so much! And she probably didn’t know that Butterflies and Caterpillars are one and the same. After all, Caterpillars turn into Butterflies, and Butterflies lay eggs, and new Caterpillars hatch from them...
So, the cunning Nettle came up with a cunning plan - how to destroy Gray Star.
“I will soon save you from this vile toad!” - she said to her sisters Caterpillars, her friends Beetles and Slugs. And she flew away from the garden.
And when she returned, a Very Stupid Boy was running after her. He had a skullcap in his hand, he was waving it in the air and thought that he was about to catch the pretty Nettle. Skullcap.
And the cunning Nettle pretended that she was about to get caught: she would sit on a flower, pretend not to notice the Very Stupid Boy, and then suddenly flutter in front of his very nose and fly to the next flowerbed.
And so she lured the Very Stupid Boy into the very depths of the garden, onto the path where the Gray Star sat and talked with the Learned Starling.
The nettle was immediately punished for her vile act: the Scientist Starling flew off the branch like lightning and grabbed her with his beak. But it was too late: the Very Stupid Boy noticed the Gray Star.
“Toad, toad! - he shouted in a Very Stupid Voice. - Oooh, how disgusting! Beat the toad! Hit!
Gray Star at first did not understand that he was talking about her - after all, no one had ever called her a toad. She did not move even when the Very Stupid Boy swung a stone at her.
“Star, save yourself!” - the Scientist Starling shouted to her in a desperate voice, almost choking on Hives.
At that same moment, a heavy stone fell to the ground next to Gray Star. Fortunately, the Very Stupid Boy missed, and Gray Star managed to jump to the side. Flowers and Grass hid her from view. But the Very Stupid Boy did not stop. He picked up a few more stones and continued throwing them towards where the Grass and Flowers were moving.
"Toad! Poisonous toad! - he shouted. - Beat the ugly one!”
“Dur-ra-chok! Dur-ra-chok! - the Scientist Starling shouted to him. - What kind of confusion is in your head? After all, she is useful! Seems clear?
But the Very Stupid Boy grabbed a stick and climbed straight into the Rose Bush - where, as it seemed to him, the Gray Star was hiding.
The Rose Bush pricked him with all its might with its sharp thorns. And the Very Stupid Boy ran out of the garden roaring.
- Hurray! - Hedgehog shouted.
- Yes, brother, thorns are a good thing! - continued the Hedgehog. - If Gray Star had thorns, then perhaps she would not have had to cry so bitterly that day. But, as you know, she had no thorns, and so she sat under the roots of the Rose Bush and wept bitterly.
“He called me a toad,” she sobbed, “ugly! That's what the Man said, but people know everything! So, I’m a toad, a toad!..”
Everyone consoled her as best they could: Pansy said that she would always remain their sweet Gray Star; The roses told her that beauty is not the most important thing in life (this was no small sacrifice on their part). “Don’t cry, Vanechka-Manechka,” Ivan-da-Marya repeated, and the Bells whispered: “Ding-Ding, Ting-Ding,” and this also sounded very comforting.
But Gray Star cried so loudly that she did not hear any consolation. This always happens when people start consoling too early. The flowers did not know this, but the Scientist Starling knew it very well. He let Gray Star cry as much as she could, and then said:
“I won’t console you, darling. I'll tell you only one thing: it's not about the name. And, in any case, it doesn’t matter at all what some Stupid Boy, who has nothing but confusion in his head, says about you! For all your friends, you were and will be a sweet Gray Star. Seems clear?
And he whistled a piece of music about... about Pzhik-Pyzhik to cheer up Gray Star and show that he considered the conversation over.
Gray Star stopped crying.
“You’re right, of course, Skvorushka,” she said. “Of course, it’s not the name... But still... still, I probably won’t come to the garden during the day anymore, so... so as not to meet someone stupid...”
And since then, Gray Star - and not only she, but all her brothers, sisters, children and grandchildren come to the garden and do their useful work only at night.
Pzhik cleared his throat and said:
- Now you can ask questions.
- How many? - asked the Hedgehog.
“Three,” Przyk answered.
- Oh! Then... First question: is it true that Stars, that is, toads, do not eat Butterflies, or is this just in a fairy tale?
- Is it true.
- And the Very Stupid Boy said that toads are poisonous. This is true?
- Nonsense! Of course, I don’t advise you to put them in your mouth. But they are not poisonous at all.
- Is it true... Is this the third question?
- Yes, the third one. All.
- As everybody?
- So. After all, you already asked it. You asked: “Is this the third question?”
- Well, dad, you're always teasing.
- Look, he’s so smart! Okay, so be it, ask your question.
- Oh, I forgot... Oh, yes... Where did all these nasty enemies disappear to?
- Well, of course, she swallowed them. She just grabs them with her tongue so quickly that no one can follow it, and it seems like they just disappear. And now I have a question, my little furry one: isn’t it time for us to go to bed? After all, you and I are also useful and must also do our Useful Work at night, and now it’s morning...

Well, - said Papa Przhik, - this fairy tale is called “The Gray Star”, by the name you would never guess who this fairy tale is about. Therefore, listen carefully and do not interrupt. All questions later.

Are there really gray stars? - asked the Hedgehog.

If you interrupt me again, I won’t tell you,” Przhik answered, but, noticing that his son was about to cry, he softened: “Actually, they don’t exist, although, in my opinion, this is strange: after all, gray is the most beautiful color.” But there was one Gray Star.

So, once upon a time there lived a toad - clumsy, ugly, in addition it smelled of garlic, and instead of thorns it had - can you imagine! - warts. Brr!

Fortunately, she did not know that she was so ugly, nor that she was a toad. Firstly, because she was very small and knew little at all, and secondly, because no one called her that. She lived in a garden where Trees, Bushes and Flowers grew, and you should know that Trees, Bushes and Flowers only talk to those whom they really, really love. But you wouldn’t call someone you really, really love a toad?

The hedgehog snorted in agreement.

Well, the Trees, Bushes and Flowers loved the toad very much and therefore called her by the most affectionate names. Especially Flowers.

Why did they love her so much? - Hedgehog asked quietly.

The father frowned, and the Hedgehog immediately curled up.

If you keep quiet, you’ll soon find out,” Przyk said sternly. He continued: “When the toad appeared in the garden, the Flowers asked what its name was, and when she answered that she did not know, they were very happy.

“Oh, how great! - said Pansies (they were the first to see her). “Then we’ll come up with a name for you ourselves!” Do you want us to call you... will we call you Anyuta?”

“It’s better than Margarita,” said the Daisies. “This name is much more beautiful!”

Then the Roses intervened - they suggested calling her Beauty; The bells demanded that she be called Tinkerbell (this was the only word they knew how to speak), and the flower, named Ivan da Marya, suggested that she be called “Vanechka-Manechka.”

The Hedgehog snorted and glanced sideways at his father in fear, but the Hedgehog was not angry, because the Hedgehog snorted at the right time. He continued calmly:

In a word, there would be no end to the controversy if it were not for Asters. And if it weren’t for the Scientist Starling.

“Let her be called Astra,” said the Asters.

“Or, better yet, Little Star,” said the Scientist Starling. - This means the same thing as Astra, only much clearer. Besides, she really does resemble a star. Just look how radiant her eyes are! And since she's gray, you can call her Gray Star. Then there will be no confusion! Seems clear?

And everyone agreed with the Scientist Starling, because he was very smart, knew how to speak a few real human words and whistle almost to the end a piece of music called, it seems... “Pzhik-Pyzhik” or something like that. For this, people built him a house on a poplar tree.

Since then, everyone began to call the toad Gray Star. Everyone except Bells, they still called her Tinker Bell, but that was the only word they knew how to say.

“There’s nothing to say, little star,” hissed the fat old Slug. He crawled onto the rose bush and approached the tender young leaves. - Nice “star”! After all, this is the most ordinary gray..."

He wanted to say “toad,” but he didn’t have time, because at that very moment the Gray Star looked at him with her radiant eyes - and the Slug disappeared.

“Thank you, dear Star,” said Rose, turning pale with fear. “You saved me from a terrible enemy!”

But you need to know,” Przhik explained, “that Flowers, Trees and Bushes, although they do no harm to anyone, on the contrary, do only good! - there are also enemies. A lot of them! Good thing these enemies are pretty tasty!

So, Starlet ate that fat Slug? - asked the Hedgehog, licking his lips.

Most likely, yes,” Przyk said. - True, you can’t guarantee. No one saw how the little star ate Slugs, Voracious Beetles and Harmful Caterpillars. But all the enemies of the Flowers disappeared as soon as the Gray Star looked at them with her radiant eyes. Disappeared forever. And since the Gray Star settled in the garden, the Trees, Flowers and Bushes began to live much better. Especially Flowers. Because the Bushes and Trees protected the Birds from enemies, but there was no one to protect the Flowers - they are too short for Birds.

That's why the Flowers fell in love with the Gray Star so much. They blossomed with joy every morning when she came to the garden. All you could hear was: “Star, come to us!”, “No, come to us first!” To us!.."

The flowers spoke to her the most kind words, and thanked her, and praised her in every way, but the Gray Star was modestly silent - after all, she was very, very modest - and only her eyes were shining.

One Magpie, who loved to eavesdrop on human conversations, once even asked if it was true that she had a gem hidden in her head and that’s why her eyes sparkled so much.

“I don’t know,” Gray Star said embarrassedly. - In my opinion, no...”

“Well, Soroka! What a blabbermouth! - said the Scientist Starling. - Not a stone, but confusion, and not in Asterisk’s head, but in yours! Gray Star has radiant eyes because she has a clear conscience - after all, she is doing a Useful Deed! Seems clear?

Dad, can I ask a question? - asked the Hedgehog.

All questions later.

Well, please, daddy, just one!

One - well, so be it.

Dad, are we... are we useful?

Very much,” said Przyk. - Rest assured. But listen to what happened next.

So, as I already said, the Flowers knew that Gray Star was kind, good and useful. The Birds knew this too. Of course, People knew too, obviously - Smart People. And only the enemies of the Flowers did not agree with this. “Vile, harmful little bitch!” - they hissed, of course, when Zvezdochka was not around. "Freak! It's disgusting! - the voracious Beetles creaked. “We must deal with her! - the Caterpillars echoed them. “There’s simply no life for her!”

True, no one paid attention to their abuse and threats, and besides, there were fewer and fewer enemies, but, unfortunately, the closest relative of the Caterpillars, the Nettle Butterfly, intervened in the matter. She looked completely harmless and even pretty, but in reality she was terribly harmful. This happens sometimes.

Yes, I forgot to tell you that Gray Star never touched the Butterflies.

Why? - asked the Hedgehog. -Are they tasteless?

That's not why, stupid. Most likely, because Butterflies look like Flowers, and Little Star loved Flowers so much! And she probably didn’t know that Butterflies and Caterpillars are one and the same. After all, Caterpillars turn into Butterflies, and Butterflies lay eggs, and new Caterpillars hatch from them...

So, the cunning Nettle came up with a cunning plan - how to destroy Gray Star.

“I will soon save you from this vile toad!” - she said to her sisters Caterpillars, her friends Beetles and Slugs. And she flew away from the garden.

And when she returned, a Very Stupid Boy was running after her. He had a skullcap in his hand, he was waving it in the air and thought that he was about to catch the pretty Nettle. Skullcap.

And the cunning Nettle pretended that she was about to get caught: she would sit on a flower, pretend not to notice the Very Stupid Boy, and then suddenly flutter in front of his very nose and fly to the next flowerbed.

And so she lured the Very Stupid Boy into the very depths of the garden, onto the path where the Gray Star sat and talked with the Learned Starling.

The nettle was immediately punished for her vile act: the Scientist Starling flew off the branch like lightning and grabbed her with his beak. But it was too late: the Very Stupid Boy noticed the Gray Star.

Gray Star at first did not understand that he was talking about her - after all, no one had ever called her a toad. She did not move even when the Very Stupid Boy swung a stone at her.

At that same moment, a heavy stone fell to the ground next to Gray Star. Fortunately, the Very Stupid Boy missed, and Gray Star managed to jump to the side. Flowers and Grass hid her from view. But the Very Stupid Boy did not stop. He picked up a few more stones and continued throwing them towards where the Grass and Flowers were moving.

"Toad! Poisonous toad! - he shouted. - Beat the ugly one!”

“Dur-ra-chok! Dur-ra-chok! - the Scientist Starling shouted to him. - What kind of confusion is in your head? After all, she is useful! Seems clear?

But the Very Stupid Boy grabbed a stick and climbed straight into the Rose Bush - where, as it seemed to him, the Gray Star was hiding.

The Rose Bush pricked him with all its might with its sharp thorns. And the Very Stupid Boy ran out of the garden roaring.

Hurray! - Hedgehog shouted.

Yes, brother, thorns are a good thing! - continued the Hedgehog. - If Gray Star had thorns, then perhaps she would not have had to cry so bitterly that day. But, as you know, she had no thorns, and so she sat under the roots of the Rose Bush and wept bitterly.

“He called me a toad,” she sobbed, “ugly! That's what the Man said, but people know everything! So, I’m a toad, a toad!..”

Everyone consoled her as best they could: Pansy said that she would always remain their sweet Gray Star; The roses told her that beauty is not the most important thing in life (this was no small sacrifice on their part). “Don’t cry, Vanechka-Manechka,” Ivan-da-Marya repeated, and the Bells whispered: “Ding-Ding, Ting-Ding,” and this also sounded very comforting.

But Gray Star cried so loudly that she did not hear any consolation. This always happens when people start consoling too early.

The flowers did not know this, but the Scientist Starling knew it very well. He let Gray Star cry as much as she could, and then said:

“I won’t console you, darling. I'll tell you only one thing: it's not about the name. And, in any case, it doesn’t matter at all what some Stupid Boy, who has nothing but confusion in his head, says about you! For all your friends, you were and will be a sweet Gray Star. Seems clear?

And he whistled a piece of music about... about Pzhik-Pyzhik to cheer up Gray Star and show that he considered the conversation over.

Gray Star stopped crying.

“You’re right, of course, Skvorushka,” she said. “Of course, it’s not the name... But still... still, I probably won’t come to the garden during the day anymore, so... so as not to meet someone stupid...”

And since then, Gray Star - and not only she, but all her brothers, sisters, children and grandchildren come to the garden and do their useful work only at night.

Pzhik cleared his throat and said:

Now you can ask questions.

How many? - asked the Hedgehog.

Three,” Przhik answered.

Oh! Then... First question: is it true that Stars, that is, toads, do not eat Butterflies, or is this just in a fairy tale?

And the Very Stupid Boy said that toads are poisonous. This is true?

Nonsense! Of course, I don’t advise you to put them in your mouth. But they are not poisonous at all.

But really... Is this the third question?

Yes, the third one. All.

As everybody?

So. After all, you already asked it. You asked: “Is this the third question?”

Well, dad, you're always teasing.

Wow, how smart! Okay, so be it, ask your question.

Oh, I forgot... Oh, yes... Where did all these nasty enemies disappear to?

Well, of course, she swallowed them. She just grabs them with her tongue so quickly that no one can follow it, and it seems like they just disappear. And now I have a question, my little furry one: isn’t it time for us to go to bed? After all, you and I are also useful and must also do our Useful Work at night, and now it’s morning...

Well, - said Papa Przhik, - this fairy tale is called “The Gray Star”, by the name you would never guess who this fairy tale is about. Therefore, listen carefully and do not interrupt. All questions later.

Are there really gray stars? - asked the Hedgehog.

If you interrupt me again, I won’t tell you,” Przhik answered, but, noticing that his son was about to cry, he softened: “Actually, they don’t exist, although, in my opinion, this is strange: after all, gray is the most beautiful color.” But there was one Gray Star.

So, once upon a time there lived a toad - clumsy, ugly, in addition it smelled of garlic, and instead of thorns it had - can you imagine! - warts. Brr!

Fortunately, she did not know that she was so ugly, nor that she was a toad. Firstly, because she was very small and knew little at all, and secondly, because no one called her that. She lived in a garden where Trees, Bushes and Flowers grew, and you should know that Trees, Bushes and Flowers only talk to those whom they really, really love. But you wouldn’t call someone you really, really love a toad?

The hedgehog snorted in agreement.

Well, the Trees, Bushes and Flowers loved the toad very much and therefore called her by the most affectionate names. Especially Flowers.

Why did they love her so much? - Hedgehog asked quietly.

The father frowned, and the Hedgehog immediately curled up.

If you keep quiet, you’ll soon find out,” Przyk said sternly. He continued: “When the toad appeared in the garden, the Flowers asked what its name was, and when she answered that she did not know, they were very happy.

“Oh, how great!” said Pansies (they were the first to see her). “Then we’ll come up with a name for you ourselves! Do you want us to call you... will we call you Anyuta?”

“It’s better than Margarita,” said the Daisies. “This name is much more beautiful!”

Then the Roses intervened - they suggested calling her Beauty; The bells demanded that she be called Tinkerbell (this was the only word they knew how to speak), and the flower, named Ivan da Marya, suggested that she be called “Vanechka-Manechka.”

The Hedgehog snorted and glanced sideways at his father in fear, but the Hedgehog was not angry, because the Hedgehog snorted at the right time. He continued calmly:

In a word, there would be no end to the controversy if it were not for Asters. And if it weren’t for the Scientist Starling.

“Let it be called Astra,” said the Asters.

“Or, even better, an asterisk,” said the Scientist Starling. “This means the same thing as Astra, only much more understandable. Besides, she really resembles an asterisk. Just look at how radiant her eyes are! And since she gray, you can call her Gray Star. Then there won't be any confusion! It seems clear?"

And everyone agreed with the Scientist Starling, because he was very smart, knew how to speak a few real human words and whistle almost to the end a piece of music called, it seems... “Pzhik-Pyzhik” or something like that. For this, people built him a house on a poplar tree.

Since then, everyone began to call the toad Gray Star. Everyone except Bells, they still called her Tinker Bell, but that was the only word they knew how to say.

“There’s nothing to say, little star,” hissed the fat old Slug. He crawled onto the rose bush and approached the tender young leaves. “It’s a good little star! After all, it’s the most ordinary gray one...”

He wanted to say “toad,” but he didn’t have time, because at that very moment the Gray Star looked at him with her radiant eyes - and the Slug disappeared.

“Thank you, dear Star,” said Rose, turning pale with fear. “You saved me from a terrible enemy!”

But you need to know,” Przhik explained, “that Flowers, Trees and Bushes, although they do no harm to anyone, on the contrary, do only good! - there are also enemies. A lot of them! Good thing these enemies are pretty tasty!

So, Starlet ate that fat Slug? - asked the Hedgehog, licking his lips.

Most likely, yes,” Przyk said. - True, you can’t guarantee. No one saw how the little star ate Slugs, Voracious Beetles and Harmful Caterpillars. But all the enemies of the Flowers disappeared as soon as the Gray Star looked at them with her radiant eyes. Disappeared forever. And since the Gray Star settled in the garden, the Trees, Flowers and Bushes began to live much better. Especially Flowers. Because the Bushes and Trees protected the Birds from enemies, but there was no one to protect the Flowers - they are too short for Birds.

That's why the Flowers fell in love with the Gray Star so much. They blossomed with joy every morning when she came to the garden. All you could hear was: “Little star, come to us!”, “No, come to us first! To us!”

The flowers spoke to her the most kind words, and thanked her, and praised her in every way, but the Gray Star was modestly silent - after all, she was very, very modest - and only her eyes were shining.

One Magpie, who loved to eavesdrop on human conversations, once even asked if it was true that she had a gem hidden in her head and that’s why her eyes sparkled so much.

“I don’t know,” Gray Star said embarrassedly. “I don’t think so...”

“What a Magpie! What a windbag!” said the Scientist Starling. “It’s not a stone, but confusion, and it’s not in the Star’s head, but in yours!” The Gray Star has radiant eyes because she has a clear conscience - after all, she is doing a Useful Thing ! Seems clear?"

Dad, can I ask a question? - asked the Hedgehog.

All questions later.

Well, please, daddy, just one!

One - well, so be it.

Dad, are we... are we useful?

Very much,” said Przyk. - Rest assured. But listen to what happened next.

So, as I already said, the Flowers knew that Gray Star was kind, good and useful. The Birds knew this too. Of course, People knew too, obviously - Smart People. And only the enemies of the Flowers did not agree with this. "Vile, harmful little bitch!" - they hissed, of course, when Zvezdochka was not around. "Ugly! Disgusting!" - the voracious Beetles creaked. “We must deal with her!” the Caterpillars echoed. “There’s simply no life left for her!”

True, no one paid attention to their abuse and threats, and besides, there were fewer and fewer enemies, but, unfortunately, the closest relative of the Caterpillars, the Nettle Butterfly, intervened in the matter. She looked completely harmless and even pretty, but in reality she was terribly harmful. This happens sometimes.

Yes, I forgot to tell you that Gray Star never touched the Butterflies.

Why? - asked the Hedgehog. -Are they tasteless?

That's not why, stupid. Most likely, because Butterflies look like Flowers, and Little Star loved Flowers so much! And she probably didn’t know that Butterflies and Caterpillars are one and the same. After all, Caterpillars turn into Butterflies, and Butterflies lay eggs, and new Caterpillars hatch from them...

So, the cunning Nettle came up with a cunning plan - how to destroy Gray Star.

"I will soon save you from this vile toad!" - she said to her sisters Caterpillars, her friends Beetles and Slugs. And she flew away from the garden.

And when she returned, a Very Stupid Boy was running after her. He had a skullcap in his hand, he was waving it in the air and thought that he was about to catch the pretty Nettle. Skullcap.

And the cunning Nettle pretended that she was about to get caught: she would sit on a flower, pretend not to notice the Very Stupid Boy, and then suddenly flutter in front of his very nose and fly to the next flowerbed.

And so she lured the Very Stupid Boy into the very depths of the garden, onto the path where the Gray Star sat and talked with the Learned Starling.

The nettle was immediately punished for her vile act: the Scientist Starling flew off the branch like lightning and grabbed her with his beak. But it was too late: the Very Stupid Boy noticed the Gray Star.

Gray Star at first did not understand that he was talking about her - after all, no one had ever called her a toad. She did not move even when the Very Stupid Boy swung a stone at her.

At that same moment, a heavy stone fell to the ground next to Gray Star. Fortunately, the Very Stupid Boy missed, and Gray Star managed to jump to the side. Flowers and Grass hid her from view. But the Very Stupid Boy did not stop. He picked up a few more stones and continued throwing them towards where the Grass and Flowers were moving.

“Toad! Poisonous toad!” he shouted. “Beat the ugly one!”

“Dur-ra-chok! Dur-ra-chok!” the Scientist Starling shouted to him. “What kind of confusion is in your head? After all, it’s useful! It seems clear?”

But the Very Stupid Boy grabbed a stick and climbed straight into the Rose Bush - where, as it seemed to him, the Gray Star was hiding.

The Rose Bush pricked him with all its might with its sharp thorns. And the Very Stupid Boy ran out of the garden roaring.

Hurray! - Hedgehog shouted.

Yes, brother, thorns are a good thing! - continued the Hedgehog. - If Gray Star had thorns, then perhaps she would not have had to cry so bitterly that day. But, as you know, she had no thorns, and so she sat under the roots of the Rose Bush and wept bitterly.

“He called me a toad,” she sobbed, “ugly! That’s what the Man said, but people know everything! That means I’m a toad, a toad!..”

Everyone consoled her as best they could: Pansy said that she would always remain their sweet Gray Star; The roses told her that beauty is not the most important thing in life (this was no small sacrifice on their part). “Don’t cry, Vanechka-Manechka,” Ivan-da-Marya repeated, and the Bells whispered: “Ding-Ding, Ting-Ding,” and this also sounded very comforting.

But Gray Star cried so loudly that she did not hear any consolation. This always happens when people start consoling too early.

The flowers did not know this, but the Scientist Starling knew it very well. He let Gray Star cry as much as she could, and then said:

“I won’t console you, dear. I’ll tell you only one thing: it’s not about the name. And, in any case, it doesn’t matter at all what some Stupid Boy, who has nothing but confusion in his head, will say about you! For all your friends You were and will be a sweet Gray Star. Is it clear?"

And he whistled a piece of music about... about Pzhik-Pyzhik to cheer up Gray Star and show that he considered the conversation over.

Gray Star stopped crying.

“You’re right, of course, Skvorushka,” she said. “Of course, it’s not the name... But still... still, I probably won’t come to the garden during the day anymore, so... so that don't meet anyone stupid..."

And since then, Gray Star - and not only she, but all her brothers, sisters, children and grandchildren come to the garden and do their useful work only at night.

Pzhik cleared his throat and said:

Now you can ask questions.

How many? - asked the Hedgehog.

Three,” Przhik answered.

Oh! Then... First question: is it true that Stars, that is, toads, do not eat Butterflies, or is this just in a fairy tale?

And the Very Stupid Boy said that toads are poisonous. This is true?

Nonsense! Of course, I don’t advise you to put them in your mouth. But they are not poisonous at all.

But really... Is this the third question?

Yes, the third one. All.

As everybody?

So. After all, you already asked it. You asked: “Is this the third question?”

Well, dad, you're always teasing.

Wow, how smart! Okay, so be it, ask your question.

Oh, I forgot... Oh, yes... Where did all these nasty enemies disappear to?

Well, of course, she swallowed them. She just grabs them with her tongue so quickly that no one can follow it, and it seems like they just disappear. And now I have a question, my little furry one: isn’t it time for us to go to bed? After all, you and I are also useful and must also do our Useful Work at night, and now it’s morning...