Fairy Tales for Fun and Wisdom - страница 5
– didn’t believe something could happen (сомневался).
The Birch That Hid the Stars (Берёза, которая спрятала звёзды)
Deep in a Russian forest, there stood a tall birch tree named Alyona. She was proud of her silvery bark and graceful branches. At night, the stars danced above her, reflecting in the quiet lake nearby.
One evening, Alyona noticed something strange. A shadow crept over the lake, and the stars disappeared one by one. Alarmed, she whispered to the wind, “Where are the stars going?”
The wind answered, “A greedy crow is stealing them and hiding them in his nest.”
Alyona couldn’t stand to see the sky empty. She stretched her branches higher and higher until they touched the clouds. She gathered the stars one by one and held them tightly in her leaves.
The crow squawked angrily, “Give them back! They are mine!”
Alyona replied, “The stars don’t belong to you or me. They belong to everyone.” She gently threw the stars back into the sky, where they began to shine again.
That night, the forest animals gathered under Alyona’s branches and thanked her. She stood taller than ever, her leaves glowing faintly, as if kissed by starlight.
Moral:
What belongs to everyone must be protected by each of us.
Notes:
– Silvery – shiny and gray, like silver (серебристый).
– Graceful – elegant and beautiful (изящный).
– Alarmed – worried or frightened (тревожный).
– Greedy – wanting too much of something (жадный).
The Snowflake That Refused to Melt (Снежинка, которая отказалась таять)
One winter in Siberia, a snowflake named Polina fell from the sky. She was tiny but perfect, with sharp, sparkling edges.
As she landed on a boy’s mitten, she overheard him say, “I wish winter could last forever.”
Polina decided she would grant his wish. “I won’t melt,” she thought. “I’ll stay frozen forever!”
The boy carried Polina into his warm house. She felt the heat but refused to change. She clung to the mitten, determined to remain a snowflake.
Day by day, Polina grew tired. She missed the sky and the cold wind. She whispered, “Maybe it’s okay to let go.”
The next morning, as sunlight streamed through the window, Polina melted. Her water seeped into a potted plant on the windowsill.
Spring came, and a flower bloomed in that very pot. The boy smiled and said, “Even winter leaves gifts behind.”