Как котенок Правду искал, стр. 14

the wood that wrapped him with a pine scent.

Murzik was walking down the path when he ran into a little birdie. She had

a yel ow breast, blue neck and dark blue wings.

- Good afternoon, birdie! – The kitten greeted her loudly.

The birdie leapt back and greeted the kitten cautiously. Then she flew

closer to him

- I’m looking for Titmouse, - he said her trustfully. – Old father Pinestry said

that Titmouse knows where I can find Truth.

The birdie looked at the kitten thoughtfully and then answered:

- I am Titmouse, - she nodded. – As old father Pinestry sent you to me, I’l

help you, except that I don’t know where to find Truth, but there’s someone who

knows her by name.

The kitten looked at a little bright birdie with delight and respect.

- Go deep into the forest. But be careful: different animals may crop up

along the way. When you reach the middle, you’l see a forest mushroom

Lesovichok-Borovichok. The old man by far knows Truth. However, Hedgehog wil

help you to find him.

The kitten nodded and hurried deep into the forest. The trees were

crowding him round, the sun was hiding far behind the tall pines and the kitten

began to fear. He felt tired and wanted to drink some milk badly. Vania’s mother

always poured it into his bowl. The kitten sat on a little stub as suddenly he heard

fearful:

- Оw!

Murzik was scared, so he jumped back and looked with all eyes at a stub.

Small, hidden under the huge amount of sharp needles eyes were staring at him.

«Hedgehog!» - thought the kitten happily when he remembered, that he

saw the same one in Vitia’s books.

- Good afternoon, uncle Hedgehog! – purred Murzik politely.

Hedgehog smiled back and greeted him too.

- How did you being so small happen to be here? – asked Hedgehog. – It’s

getting dark soon and kids shouldn’t go to the forest so late without their parents.

- My friend Vania got in trouble, - told him the kitten sincerely. – I have to

find Truth to help him. Then his mother won’t be upset. Mommy-cat told me, that

people fear Truth and that’s why they hardly can find her. Though, Water in pond

said Truth is beautiful. I asked the old father Pinestry and he sent me to Titmouse.

And Titmouse – to you.

Hedgehog listened to him carefully, nodded primly and said:

- Squirrel knows more. I just tread the ground and she can even jump from

tree to tree. She knows much better from there. You’ll find Squirrel in a hollow

where she hides her nuts from view and lay them in a store for winter.

- Thank you, uncle Hedgehog! – said the kitten and went on through the

wood without even knowing where to go and where to find Squirrel that knows

where Truth hides.

It seemed to little Murzik that he was walking for so much time whereas it

wasn’t more than one hour. The kitten was looking around frightenedly in a

gradually darkling forest when he heard threatening:

- Who-o-o! Who-o-o!

The kitten bristled, arched his back and started to move back to a tree

when he saw a huge Owl just in front of him.

- G-good evening, uncle Owl! – The kitten said stammering from fright and

began to straighten little by little.

Owl looked at him carefully before greeting. Then he said:

-Why are you strolling alone in the woods so late?

- I’m not strolling, uncle Owl, I’m looking for Truth, - the kitten answered.

- Truth, you say? Wel , to look for Truth is a good, noble thing. – Owl

nodded stately.

- Uncle Hedgehog advised me to address Squirrel.

- It is truly advised. Wait here a minute and don’t go anywhere. I’l be back

right now.

Owl spread his huge wings, flapped and went out of sight reaching into the

sky. The kitten was following him with his eyes trying to trace a big wise bird but

he didn’t see anything but the darkling sky above the crowns of the old pines. He

sat down by a tree and began to wait.

Owl was back shortly – he dived down with a gentle flap, folded his wings

along his strong body and landed steadily. A din of voices was heard from a tree

and by the next moment squirrel kits went down one by one with their mother

Squirrel behind. Kits were chatting cheerfully, looking at the kitten and hiding

behind old Owl.

The kitten admired funny switches on their ears, golden tint of their hair

and enormous fluffy tails. He unwittingly waved his tail to see it better and grew

sad as it wasn’t so fluffy. Squirrel passed her kids paying attention to everyone

and turned to the kitten.

- They say you went bravely into the deep dark forest to find Truth for your

friend… - Squirrel started speaking.

The kitten nodded humbly, standing in front of two adults and the whole

brood of playing squirrel kits.

Squirrel smiled to the kitten encouragingly.

- Why does your friend need Truth? – she asked little Murzik.

- Aunt Squirrel, my friend Vanechka got into trouble. His mother is very

upset because of a broken vase and he needs to bring back her good mood

badly. He said that Truth could help him. I heard it and went to look for her. On my

way I met a chick and a duckling, kind Water from the pond, the old father

Pinestry, Titmouse and Hedgehog. Then, Owl flew away to find you, because

you’re said to