For children of primary and secondary school age. Stories by M. Zoshchenko, O. Verigin, A. Fedorov-Davydov.
Christmas tree
This year, guys, I turned forty years old. So, it turns out that I saw the Christmas tree forty times. It's a lot!
Well, for the first three years of my life, I probably did not understand what a Christmas tree was. Probably, my mother endured me on her arms. And, probably, with my black little eyes I looked at the painted tree without interest.
And when I, children, hit five years old, I already perfectly understood what a Christmas tree is.
And I was looking forward to this happy holiday. And even in the crack of the door I peeped how my mother decorates the Christmas tree.
And my sister Lelya was seven years old at that time. And she was an exceptionally lively girl.
She once told me:
- Minka, mom went to the kitchen. Let's go to the room where the tree stands and see what's going on there.
So my sister Lelya and I entered the room. And we see: a very beautiful Christmas tree. And under the tree are gifts. And on the Christmas tree there are multi-colored beads, flags, lanterns, golden nuts, pastilles and Crimean apples.
My sister Lelya says:
We won't look at gifts. Instead, let's just eat one lozenge each.
And now she comes up to the Christmas tree and instantly eats one lozenge hanging on a thread. I speak:
- Lyolya, if you ate a pastille, then I will also eat something now.
And I go up to the tree and bite off a small piece of an apple. Lelya says:
“Minka, if you took a bite of an apple, then I’ll eat another lozenge now and, in addition, I’ll take this candy for myself.”
And Lyolya was a very tall, long-knit girl. And she could reach high.
She stood on tiptoe and began to eat the second lozenge with her big mouth.
And I was surprisingly short. And I could hardly get anything, except for one apple, which hung low. I speak:
- If you, Lyolisha, ate the second lozenge, then I will bite off this apple again.
And I again take this apple with my hands and bite it off a little again. Lelya says:
- If you have bitten off an apple for the second time, then I will no longer stand on ceremony and now I will eat the third lozenge and, in addition, I will take a cracker and a nut as a keepsake.
Then I almost cried. Because she could reach everything, but I could not.
I tell her:
- And I, Lyolisha, how will I put a chair by the Christmas tree and how will I also get something for myself, except for an apple.
And so I began to pull a chair to the Christmas tree with my thin little hands. But the chair fell on me. I wanted to lift a chair. But he fell again. And straight to gifts. Lelya says:
- Minka, you seem to have broken the doll. This is true. You took the porcelain handle from the doll.
Then my mother's steps were heard, and Lelya and I ran into another room. Lelya says:
“Now, Minka, I can’t guarantee that mom won’t kick you out.”
I wanted to cry, but at that moment the guests arrived. Lots of kids with their parents.
And then our mother lit all the candles on the Christmas tree, opened the door and said:
- Everyone come in.
And all the children entered the room where the Christmas tree stood. Our mom says:
“Now let every child come to me, and I will give everyone a toy and a treat.
And then the children began to approach our mother. And she gave everyone a toy. Then she took an apple, a lozenge and a candy from the tree and also gave it to the child.
And all the children were very happy. Then my mother picked up the apple that I had bitten off and said:
- Lyolya and Minka, come here. Which one of you took a bite of that apple?
Lelya said:
- This is Minka's work. I pulled Lelya's pigtail and said:
- It was Lyolka who taught me. Mom says:
- I'll put Lyolya in a corner with his nose, and I wanted to give you a clockwork engine. But now I will give this clockwork engine to the boy to whom I wanted to give a bitten apple.
And she took the little engine and gave it to one four-year-old boy. And he immediately began to play with him.
And I got angry with this boy and hit him on the arm with a toy. And he roared so desperately that his own mother took him in her arms and said:
“From now on, I will not come to visit you with my boy.
And I said
- You can leave, and then the engine will remain with me.
And that mother was surprised at my words and said:
- Your boy will probably be a robber. And then my mother took me in her arms and said to that mother:
Don't you dare talk about my boy like that. Better go with your scrofulous child and never come to us again.
And that mother said:
“I will. Hanging with you is like sitting in nettles.
And then another, third mother, said:
"And I'll leave too." My girl didn't deserve to be given a doll with a broken arm.
And my sister Lelya screamed:
“You can also leave with your scrofulous child. And then the doll with the broken handle will be left to me.
And then I, sitting in my mother's arms, shouted:
- In general, you can all leave, and then all the toys will remain with us.
And then all the guests began to leave. And our mother was surprised that we were left alone. But suddenly our dad came into the room. He said:
“This upbringing is ruining my children. I don't want them to fight, quarrel and kick guests out. It will be difficult for them to live in the world, and they will die alone.
And dad went to the Christmas tree and put out all the candles. Then he said:
- Go to bed immediately. And tomorrow I will give all the toys to the guests.
And now, guys, thirty-five years have passed since then, and I still remember this tree well.
And in all these thirty-five years, I, children, have never again eaten someone else's apple and never hit someone who is weaker than me. And now the doctors say that's why I'm so comparatively cheerful and good-natured.
The grandmother is sitting at the window, waiting, waiting for her granddaughter Agasha - she is still not there ... And it is already late in the yard and the frost is fierce.
The grandmother cleaned everything up secretly from her granddaughter and arranged a tiny Christmas tree, bought sweets, a simple doll. Just now, as she equipped the girl, she said:
“Come back from the masters quickly, Agasha. I will please you.
And she answered:
- I'll stay with the gentlemen. The young lady called me to the Christmas tree. I'll be fine there...
Well, okay, that's fine. But the grandmother is still waiting - maybe the girl will come to her senses and remember her. But the granddaughter forgot! ..
Passers-by are walking by the window; the snow creaks loudly from the frost under their feet: "Roof-roof-roof ...". And there is no Agashi and no ...
For a long time Agasha had been seeking to visit the young lady. When the young lady Katya was ill, they kept demanding Agasha from the basement to comfort the young lady and amuse her... None of the children were allowed to see the young lady, only Agasha...
And the young lady Katya became very friendly with Agasha while she was sick. And she recovered - and as if she was not there ...
Only somehow at Christmas they met in the yard, young lady Katya and says:
- We will have a Christmas tree, Agasha, come. Have fun.
Agasha rejoiced! How many nights
I slept - I kept thinking about the young lady's Christmas tree ...
Agasha wanted to surprise her grandmother.
- And me, - she says, - the young lady Katya called to the Christmas tree! ..
- Look, what a good one! .. But where are you going to go? There, go, there will be important guests, smart ... She called - say thank you to her, and that's fine ...
Agasha pouted like a mouse on grits.
- And I'll go. She called!
Grandma shook her head.
- Well, go and visit ... But if only you didn’t get any grief, resentment.
- What more!..
Agasha looked at her grandmother with regret. She doesn't know anything, she doesn't understand anything - she's an old man!...
Grandma says on Christmas Eve:
- Go, Agasha, to the gentlemen, take down the linen. Don't stay too long. I can't stand up or sit down. And you put on a samovar, we will drink tea for the holiday, and already I will amuse you.
Agasha is just what you need. I took the bundle - and to the gentlemen.
Didn't make it to the kitchen. Here, at first they drove her from everywhere, and then - who will give the pan to rinse, who will wipe the plates - someone, someone else ...
It's gotten completely dark. Guests began to come to the gentlemen. Agasha crept into the hall to see the young lady.
And in the ante-chamber there was hustle and bustle—and guests, guests... And all dressed up! And the young lady Katya is like an angel, all in lace and muslin, and golden curls scattered over her shoulders ...
Agasha - rushed straight to her, it was, but in time her maid grabbed her shoulder.
- Where are you going? Ah, dirty! ..
Agasha was taken aback, huddled in a corner, waited for time, as the young lady ran past, called out to her. Katya looked around, grimaced, ashamed.
- Oh, is that you? .. She turned and ran away.
The music began to play - the dances began; children are laughing in the hall, they are running around the Christmas tree, they are eating sweets, they are biting apples.
She stuck her head in, Agasha, in the hall, - one of the servants wiped her off.
“Ksh... you... don’t stick your head in the front... Look, it’s climbing... However, the mistress saw, she went up to her, affectionately took her hand.
- Go, go, dear, do not be afraid! .. She led me to some old lady.
“This,” he says, “is Katya’s babysitter!” Nice girl!..
And the old lady smiled at Agasha, stroked her head, and gave him a chocolate fish. Agasha looked around, “Oh, it’s good!.. I wouldn’t leave here...
Oh, my grandmother would have looked! And they have something cold and damp. Dark...
“Katya, Katya!” called the lady. Your nurse has arrived!
And Katya came up, pouted her lips and said this way over her shoulder:
- And it's you? Well, are you having fun? .. Fu, what a mess you are, - she snorted, turned and ran away ...
The kind lady poured gifts into the apron, escorted them to the door:
- Well, go home, Agasha, bow to your grandmother! ..
And bitterly, and offended for some reason by Agasha. She didn’t expect that: she thought the young lady Katya would be the same as she was during her illness. Then I chatted with her, and caressed her, and shared every sweet piece with her ... And now, go, you won’t get close! ..
Agashi's heart hurts. Tears appear in her eyes, and now she has no time for gifts, even though they are, though not, everything is one ...
And then it’s sickening, and reluctance to return home - grandmother, go to bed, has already gone to bed or will grumble at her, that she has hesitated for a long time with the gentlemen ... Oh, you, what a grief!
Where to go now?
She went downstairs, swallowing tears, - she pushed the hated door - and was stunned ...
Bright room, comfortable...
There is a small Christmas tree on the table, and the candles on it are burning out. Where is the Christmas tree from, pray tell?
Agasha rushed to her grandmother - as if she had not seen her for a hundred years ... She clung to her:
- Grandmother, dear, golden!
The old woman hugged her, but Agasha was trembling and crying, and she didn’t even know why...
“I’ve been waiting for you, Agashenka,” says the grandmother, “all the candles have burned out. Look, did you stay away like at the masters, or did you receive it painfully affectionately?
Agasha is muttering something—incomprehensible—and crying... Grandmother shook her head...
- It's enough for you to sniff, for the sake of the holiday. What are you, the Lord is with you! .. I said - do not go there. Better another time ... And you - all your own. And you look - what a curly Christmas tree we have with you ... But don’t hold your heart against them: they have their own, you have your own, - every grain has its own furrow ... You are glorious with me, you are good with me - you defeated the proud young lady! ..
Grandmother speaks well, affectionately, consolingly.
Agasha lifted her sobbing muzzle, looked at her grandmother and said:
“The lady took me by the hand into the hall, but the young lady doesn’t even want to know ...
- That's it, young-green ... she's ashamed - don't know what ... And you, I say, don't hold your heart against her - defeat the young lady ... That's good for you - oh, how good, God!..
Agasha smiled at her grandmother.
- Well, her, - he says, - let her! .. I'm nothing ...
Agasha looked around and threw up her hands.
- But there is no samovar ... My grandmother was waiting for me. Sitting without tea, dear ...
She rushed into the kitchen, rattled the bucket, rumbled the chimney...
Grandma is sitting. She smiles - she waited for her granddaughter: she herself, after all, came, laid out her soul herself - now she will remain with her grandmother.
How good! - Katerinka thought, falling asleep, - tomorrow is Christmas and Sunday - you can not go to school and in the morning, right up to the church, calmly play with new toys that someone will put under a merry Christmas tree ... Only now I need to put my surprise there - gifts for dad and mom, and for this it will be necessary to wake up early.
And, stamping her foot six times so as not to oversleep for six hours, Katerinka curled up and immediately fell into a deep and joyful sleep.
But soon, soon something woke her up. She heard from all sides indistinct rustles, sighs, steps and some quiet conversations.
“What language is that spoken? she thought. - Somehow it doesn’t look like anything, but I still understand - it means: “Hurry, hurry, the star is already shining!” Oh, they are talking about the Christmas Star!” she exclaimed, opening her eyes wide.
And what? The room was no more. She stood in the open air, dry grass swayed around, stones shone, a quiet, warm wind breathed, and thousands of animals walked somewhere along barely noticeable paths, dragging her along with them.
.jpg)
“Where am I? thought Katherine. Why are there only animals here? What am I doing among them? Or am I a beast too? »
She looked at her feet in white boots, at her hands and her colorful skirt, and calmed down that she remained the same as before.
— Go, so go! - she said. — But where?
“A star... a star...” someone nearby squeaked.
Katerinka raised her head and saw a short,
bright, brilliant, but not blinding, but some kind of soft, kind star.
Christmas, she thought, and we're going to the manger. But why me, and not Nikolik, Irina, Sandrik. They are all better than me, and, of course, little Mike is the best of all.
- Better, better! someone chimed in her ear.
“Better, of course,” the mouse squeaked at her feet, “but we all, all asked for you!”
My Angel, she thought. “Only he is with me and the animals.”
And in the distance, behind the trees, the lights of Bethlehem were already flashing, and the cave was softly darkening, on which the star was falling.
Why am I here? Katerinka asked.
“The animals asked for you,” said the Angel. “You somehow saved a mouse from a cat, and he bit you.” You pulled the wasp out of the water so it wouldn't choke, and the wasp stung you. The animals did not forget their sin before you and wanted to take you with them on their brightest night. But look...
Katerinka saw a descent into a cave and a high manger in it. And suddenly such a light flooded her soul and such joy filled her that she no longer asked anything more, but only bowed low, low at the feet of the Infant among Angels, birds and animals ...
“There are holidays that have their own smell. On Easter, Trinity and Christmas, the air smells of something special. Even non-believers love these holidays. My brother, for example, interprets that there is no God, and on Easter he is the first to run to matins ”(A.P. Chekhov, story“ On the Way ”).
Orthodox Christmas is just around the corner! Many interesting traditions are associated with the celebration of this bright day (and even several - Christmas time). In Rus', it was customary to devote this period to serving one's neighbor, to works of mercy. Everyone knows the tradition of caroling - the performance of chants in honor of the born Christ. The winter holidays have inspired many writers to create magical Christmas stories.
There is even a special genre of Christmas story. The plots in it are very close to each other: often the heroes of Christmas stories find themselves in a state of spiritual or material crisis, the resolution of which requires a miracle. Christmas stories are imbued with light, hope, and only a few of them have a sad ending. Especially often Christmas stories are dedicated to the triumph of mercy, compassion and love.
Especially for you, dear readers, we have prepared a selection of the best Christmas stories from both Russian and foreign writers. Read and enjoy, let the festive mood last longer!
"Gifts of the Magi", O. Henry
A well-known story about sacrificial love, which will give the last for the happiness of its neighbor. A story about quivering feelings that cannot but surprise and delight. At the end, the author ironically remarks: “And I was just telling you an unremarkable story about two stupid children from an eight-dollar apartment who, in the most unwise way, sacrificed their greatest treasures for each other.” But the author does not make excuses, he only confirms that the gifts of his heroes were more important than the gifts of the Magi: “But let it be said for the edification of the wise men of our days that of all the donors these two were the wisest. Of all those who offer and receive gifts, only those like them are truly wise. Anywhere and everywhere. They are the Magi." In the words of Joseph Brodsky, "on Christmas everyone is a little magician."
"Nikolka", Evgeny Poselyanin
The plot of this Christmas story is very simple. The stepmother on Christmas very meanly acted with her stepson, he had to die. At the Christmas service, a woman experiences belated remorse. But on a bright festive night, a miracle happens ...
By the way, Yevgeny Poselyanin has wonderful memories of the childhood experience of Christmas - "Christmas Days". You read - and plunge into the pre-revolutionary atmosphere of noble estates, childhood and joy.
"A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens
The work of Dickens is the story of a real spiritual rebirth of a person. The main character, Scrooge, was a miser, became a merciful benefactor, from a lone wolf turned into a sociable and friendly person. And this change was helped by the spirits that flew to him and showed him a possible future. Observing different situations from his past and future, the hero felt remorse for his wrongly lived life.
"Christ's boy on the Christmas tree", F. M. Dostoevsky
A touching story with a sad (and joyful at the same time) ending. I doubt if it should be read to children, especially sensitive ones. But for adults, it's probably worth it. For what? I would answer with Chekhov’s words: “It is necessary that someone with a hammer stands behind the door of every happy, happy person and constantly reminds by knocking that there are unfortunate people, that, no matter how happy he is, sooner or later life will show him its claws.” , trouble will strike - illness, poverty, loss, and no one will see or hear him, just as now he does not see or hear others.
Dostoevsky included it in the "Diary of a Writer" and himself was surprised how this story came out from under his pen. And his writer's intuition tells the author that this very much could actually happen. There is a similar tragic story in the main sad storyteller of all times, G. H. Andersen - “The Girl with Matches”.
"Gifts of the Christ Child" by George MacDonald
The story of one young family going through difficult times in relationships, difficulties with a nanny, alienation from their daughter. The latter is the sensitive lonely girl Sophie (or Fauci). It was through her that joy and light returned to the house. The story emphasizes that the main gifts of Christ are not gifts under the Christmas tree, but love, peace and mutual understanding.
"Christmas letter", Ivan Ilyin
I would call this short work, composed of two letters from mother and son, a real hymn of love. It is she, unconditional love, that runs like a red thread through the whole work and is its main theme. It is this state that opposes loneliness and defeats it.
“Whoever loves, his heart blooms and smells sweet; and he gives his love just like a flower gives its scent. But then he is not alone, because his heart is with the one he loves: he thinks about him, takes care of him, rejoices in his joy and suffers in his sufferings. He doesn't even have time to feel lonely or think about whether he is lonely or not. In love man forgets himself; he lives with others, he lives in others. And that is happiness."
After all, Christmas is a holiday of overcoming loneliness and alienation, this is the day of the manifestation of Love ...
"God in the Cave" by Gilbert Chesterton
We are accustomed to perceive Chesterton primarily as the author of detective stories about Father Brown. But he wrote in different genres: he wrote several hundred poems, 200 stories, 4,000 essays, a number of plays, the novels The Man Who Was Thursday, The Ball and the Cross, The Flying Tavern, and much more. Chesterton was also an excellent publicist and deep thinker. In particular, his essay "God in the Cave" is an attempt to comprehend the events of two thousand years ago. I recommend it to people with a philosophical mindset.
"Silver Blizzard", Vasily Nikiforov-Volgin
Nikiforov-Volgin in his work surprisingly subtly shows the world of children's faith. His stories are thoroughly permeated with a festive atmosphere. So, in the story “Silver Blizzard”, he shows the boy with trepidation and love with his zeal for piety, on the one hand, and with mischief and pranks, on the other. What is worth one well-aimed phrase of the story: “These days I don’t want anything earthly, and especially school”!
Holy Night, Selma Lagerlöf
Selma Lagerlöf's story continues the theme of childhood.
Grandmother tells her granddaughter an interesting legend about Christmas. It is not canonical in the strict sense, but reflects the immediacy of popular faith. This is an amazing story about mercy and how "a pure heart opens the eyes with which a person can enjoy the contemplation of the beauty of heaven."
"Christ Visiting a Man", "The Unchangeable Ruble", "On Christmas Offended", Nikolai Leskov
These three stories struck me to the core, so it was difficult to choose the best one from them. I discovered Leskov from some unexpected side. These works of the author have common features. This is both a fascinating plot and general ideas of mercy, forgiveness and doing good deeds. Examples of heroes from these works surprise, cause admiration and a desire to imitate.
"Reader! be kind: intervene in our history too, remember what today’s Newborn taught you: punish or pardon? The one who gave you "the words of eternal life"... Think! This is very worthy of your thought, and the choice is not difficult for you ... Do not be afraid to seem ridiculous and stupid if you act according to the rule of the One Who told you: “Forgive the offender and get yourself a brother in him” (N. S. Leskov, “Under Christmas offended").
In many novels there are chapters dedicated to Christmas, for example, in B. Shiryaev’s “The Unquenchable Lamp”, L. Kassil’s “Konduit and Shvambrania”, A. Solzhenitsyn’s “In the First Circle”, I. S. Shmelev’s “The Summer of the Lord”.
The Christmas story, for all its seeming naivety, fabulousness and extraordinaryness, has always been loved by adults. Maybe because Christmas stories are primarily about goodness, about faith in a miracle and in the possibility of a person's spiritual rebirth?
Christmas is really a celebration of children's faith in a miracle... Many Christmas stories are devoted to describing this pure joy of childhood. I will quote the wonderful words from one of them: “The great feast of Christmas, surrounded by spiritual poetry, is especially understandable and close to the child… The Divine Infant was born, and to Him be praise, glory and honors of the world. Everyone rejoiced and rejoiced. And in memory of the Holy Infant in these days of bright memories, all children should have fun and rejoice. This is their day, a holiday of innocent, pure childhood…” (Klavdiya Lukashevich, “Christmas Holiday”).
P.S. In preparing this collection, I read a lot of Christmas stories, but, of course, not all that are in the world. I chose according to my taste those that seemed the most fascinating, artistically expressive. Preference was given to little-known works, so, for example, the list does not include N. Gogol's The Night Before Christmas or Hoffmann's The Nutcracker.
And what are your favorite Christmas stories, dear matrons?
Christmas miracle
Fairy tales for children
"Christmas for the Sun"
Julia Smal
Christmas for the Sun
One Sunday afternoon, among the foliage, a little ladybug named Sunny grieved bitterly and bitterly ... This is such a tiny bug with beautiful red wings in black speck - how many specks on the wings, so many insect years. We also call it bedrik or zozulka. The sun was very small, he had just had his first speck, and therefore the other day the whole family celebrated his birthday. The kid was very proud of his speck! After all, his other brothers and sisters did not yet have a single spot on their wings.
But why did the little Sun feel sad? No one knew this, because no matter who asked, it only sighed heavily and remained silent.
Suddenly, on the path near the tree on which the saddened Sun was sitting, two children appeared - brother and sister Oles and Olesya. They were kind children: they never offended insects or animals, they never touched the flowers in the yard, and they never even kicked an old fly agaric with a red cap on his head.
Oles and Olesya walked along the path, smiled at the trees and birds, rejoiced at the bright sun, until they met the sad, sad Sun.
"What's wrong, buddy?" Oles asked. He remembered how just recently they celebrated the birthday of the Sun, and did not understand how you can grieve when you have so many gifts.
"Why are you so sad, brat?" Olesya asked next.
“Oh, my friends, what can I say to you? The sun sank even more. “You see, I have been living in the world for a whole year, I have seen it for two summers, but I have never seen winter yet! After all, we bugs sleep in winter!
- Well, so what? the children were surprised.
- Like what? I have never seen and most likely will not see snow, ice rink and, most annoying of all, Christmas holidays. You spoke so wonderfully about them that I, too, would like to take a look at it, at least with one eye, - and Sunshine sighed.
Why can't you see winter? - Olesya could not understand in any way.
“You know, it’s cold in winter. We hide in slit houses and, covered with a warm blanket of snow, fall asleep. And if someone wants to get out of their hiding place even for a moment, they will freeze and die. All insects sleep in winter, because we are small, and we need a lot of strength.
- ABOUT! - thought Olesya. - You can
hibernate on the leaf of my violet! It is cozy, warm and soft, you will sleep well.
And when the time comes, I'll gently wake you up,
so that you can see what winter and Christmas are like.
Summer has flashed by in merry amusements, and the foliage has already turned yellow on the trees. Everything got colder
nights, it rained more often. It's time for the sun to go to bed. Olesya did not forget
about your invitation. Once upon a cold
on an autumn day she took a friend home
and settled on a beautiful leaf
purple violet. There was
warm and soft, delicate fragrance
the flower lulled the hip, he
dozed off, it seemed
for one minute.
Suddenly:
- Sun,
wake up!
Christmas is coming soon!
- What already? — wiped the bug sleepy eyes.
“Yes, it’s time to start,” Olesya gestured around the room with her hand. A mess reigned around: scraps of paper, some glitter, bottles, brushes and pencils scattered on the table, beads rolled across the floor.
- What's going on here? Sunny asked the children.
- We are gluing a Christmas star!
- What for?
- You do not know? Listen! Once upon a time, Jesus, the Son of God, was born in a distant land in the small town of Bethlehem. The Lord sent Him to earth to save people from their sins. At this time, a bright Star shone in the sky to show the way to the three wise men. Following her beam, they reached the koshara, the sheepshed in which little Jesus was born, congratulated Him with generous gifts and worshiped Him. In memory of this event, we will make a big shiny star and go with it to sing festive carol songs.
- Here, it's ready! - Oles raised the star high up.
- Now let's go decorate the Christmas tree and put up a didukh! my sister shouted. — Sunny, sit on your shoulder to see everything. Mom and dad have already got our beauty.
“Somehow she seems to be real,
but it doesn't smell, Sunny thought.
Why doesn't this tree smell? asked
bug. — Because we don’t have time for the holiday
a standing Christmas tree, but a toy one. Imagine what was
If only we had a live Christmas tree every year!
There wouldn't be a single tree left around!
Didukh stood in the corner... - And this is a sheaf of wheat,
its poured ears are a symbol of a good harvest
and prosperity in the house!
The children took colorful glass balls out of the box, brought sweets and nuts and decorated the Christmas tree with them. Toys and garlands were hung around the house.
Having managed, Olesya began to clean up.
“Today is the day when angels fly into people’s homes to sing carols together with people, rejoicing at the birth of Jesus Christ, so the house should be very clean.
Soon the house was shining with cleanliness, and an unimaginable aroma of honey, grated poppy seeds, fried mushrooms and something else was wafting from the kitchen ... It will be delicious on Christmas Eve, at the Holy Supper!
- That's when the first star rises, - then Holy Evening will come. We'll be looking out to be the first to spot it. In the meantime, you need to get ready for church, ”said Olesya.
The whole family dressed warmly, and Sunny burrowed into the fluffy collar of Olesya's fur coat. The snow was silvering outside. Small snowflakes, like tiny bugs, flew in the air. The sun was so fascinated by them that he even forgot how much he wanted to sleep.
Peace and celebration reigned in the church. People were praying. And then the Sun saw next to him a tall young man in white clothes, his snow-white wings were as beautiful as those snowflakes.
“Greetings to you, creation of God,” the stranger smiled. Why don't you sleep in winter?
“I wanted to see Christmas so much that my friends, human children, figured out how I could do it,” Sunny was embarrassed.
- What good fellows! Well, zozulka, Christ is born! the winged young man said softly, and melted into the air.
And then loudly rang out from all sides:
« Rejoice, rejoice, earth, the Son of God was born into the world!»
There, high under the dome of the temple, a whole choir of amazing winged creatures sang along with people standing below, in fur coats and jackets ...
"How beautiful!" Sunny wondered.
"These are angels!" whispered the children, who also saw the heavenly guests.
« Christ is born! Praise Him“, people congratulated each other.
The first star illuminated the earth with a bright beam, paving the way from the church to the house.
— Christ is born! Now I know what this holiday is - Christmas! whispered the Sun, peacefully falling asleep in the evening on a violet leaf - until the very spring ...
Natalka Maletich
Gift from Jesus
Holy Evening. Christmas Eve. Gannusya (in Russia she would be called Annusey, Anechka) looks out the window at the white flakes of snow. He covered the lantern so that it seems that soon the light will not be visible behind him. The little girl is sad: a carol sounds somewhere under the neighboring house, and the girl so wanted to go caroling with her friends. But this is absolutely impossible... She was preparing to be a den Angel bringing the Good News! The wonderful wings that dad made for her, and the white dress sewn by mom, will be put on by her best friend Tanya - now she will be an Angel instead of Gannusi.
And what a disaster happened. On the day of St. Nicholas, Gannusya broke her leg. It was noisy and fun at the rink that day. On the wonderful new skates given to her by St. Nicholas, the girl raced across the ice like a whirlwind. And then, out of nowhere, a clumsy boy, accelerating, ran into her so that the two of them rolled somersault. The girl at the same moment felt a terrible pain in her leg, it even darkened in her eyes ... She came to herself in an ambulance that was taking her to the hospital. They were sent home just before the New Year. It remained to lie with a plastered leg in bed, on a high pillow, read books and play with bunnies, of which she had a dozen, and all different.
The girl was very fond of these toy animals, but her favorite was white and fluffy, like the first snow, Snowflake. With her mother's help, Gannusia sewed a dress for her, knitted a hat and a scarf ...
And today, on the eve of Christmas, she dressed Snezhinka in a small vyshyvanka (a shirt embroidered with colored threads), a spare skirt and a vest. Festive clothes for the hare were made by my mother, repeating the outfit of Gannusi in miniature.
Gannusia presses the Snowflake to her cheek and looks at the flickering lights of the Christmas tree, which this year was placed in her room to make lying down more fun and festive. She can hear mom and dad singing soft carols in the kitchen as they wash and stack the dishes after the Holy Supper (Christmas dinner).
The room smells of vanilla and yeast holiday pampushkas. Today, dad carried her to the table in his arms, and after dinner (the most delicious, of course, were kutya and uzvar - a compote of dried apples and pears) they sang a few carols together. And Gannusia promised that next year she would definitely help her mother prepare the Holy Supper. Parents kissed her goodnight, and now the daughter is again in her room, at dusk, filled with the flickering reflection of garlands.
Hannusia thinks about the book that St. Nicholas brought. She has already read it all. There are so many Christmas stories in it where magical things happen. I wonder what little Jesus was like when he was born? The same as it is depicted on the icons? Like other little kids? Like her cousin Lesik, who is only a few weeks old? (Gannusia saw him only in photographs, but as soon as she can walk, she will definitely get to know the baby). “Now, if a long time ago, two thousand years ago, there were cameras, then you could see what little Jesus was like, you could even film it! Then surely there would be no people left who say that the biblical stories are fiction, ”the girl thought.
Jesus always helps Hannusa - she tells Him about her friends, asks for help on the test, if she is afraid that she will get excited and forget everything. She believes in Jesus, even though she has never seen Him, and asks for a speedy recovery in order to have time to play snowballs with her friends this winter and make a big snowman. But still, she would very much like to see little Jesus and play with Him ...
“Get up soon,” someone’s voice suddenly sounded from the semi-darkness. “Otherwise we won’t be in time for Christmas.”
In the flickering reflection of the Christmas tree, the girl saw Snowflake, so beautiful in an embroidered waistcoat. The hare tickles her neck with a plump, warm paw, pulls somewhere by the sleeve of her pajamas, and Gannusia does not cease to be surprised that the Snowflake has come to life and is talking to her.
— Can you talk, Snowflake? the girl asks softly, groping for her clothes.
“Not only to talk, but also to fly, but only on Holy Night,” the hare answers, settling on the windowsill. “And you can too!”
Gannusia quickly dresses, she is very surprised, because there is no cast on her leg. Taking Snowflake by the paw, the girl fearlessly opens the window. By the light of a lantern, she sees that the snow has stopped falling, the sky is dotted with stars, one of which is the brightest. The girl guesses that this is the Star of Bethlehem. Both Gannusi and Snowflake suddenly grow wings like angels, and, pushing off, they fly over the night snow-covered city.
They are very high, and Hannusa is a little scared, but the dream of seeing the newborn Jesus with her own eyes adds courage to her. The girl also likes to have real angel wings - they are much lighter than those that her dad made for her.
“Look at the Star of Bethlehem,” Snowflake tells her, “then you won’t be afraid.”
The girl looks, and suddenly there is so much light that she even covers her eyes. She remembers and hums her mother's favorite carol to herself:
The night is quiet, the night is holy, A star is burning in the sky...
From the push, Gannusia opens her eyes and immediately sees in the manger the Infant Jesus in swaddling clothes and the Mother of God and Saint Joseph bowed over Him. The Holy Family is enveloped in an amazing radiance, little shepherdesses with lambs peek in, not daring to cross the threshold.
Maria smiles, nods her head, allowing the girl to come closer. Gannusia takes in her palm the tiny hand of the Child in the radiance of light and whispers:
Happy birthday, Jesus! - and then kisses little fingers and pours into the manger a handful of sweets, which, from nowhere, ended up in the pocket of her fur coat.
Snowflake also strokes Jesus with a fluffy paw and puts his gift - an orange carrot.
And then even the shepherds dare
come in and quietly start a carol:
Heaven and earth, heaven and earth now triumph ...
The girl and the hare pick up:
Angels, people, Angels, people Cheerfully rejoice. Christ was born, God became incarnate, Angels sing, give glory. The shepherds play, The shepherd is met, The miracle, the miracle is proclaimed.
The carol sounds solemnly, little angels in white shirts are dancing above. Everyone becomes very happy, and Baby Jesus closes his eyes and falls asleep, lulled by singing.
"Come on, it's time for Jesus to sleep," Snowflake whispers to Hannus. They turn up again
in the air and fly, fly ...
Suddenly, such a snowstorm rises that Gannusia does not see anything around. She is worried, as she has let go of her pet's plump paw.
- Snowflake! Snowflake! - the girl calls with all her strength. Now she gets really scared and feels like she's starting to fall...
— Christ is born! she suddenly hears a festive greeting and opens her eyes. The winter sun peeps into the room, frosty flowers painted on the window shine in its rays, dad and mom smile at her.
- Praise him! - the girl replies joyfully and cannot understand in any way whether everything that happened to her is true, or whether it was a dream.
So Snowflake lies on the pillow, does not move at all, does not talk and does not carol. But it was all so real! She still feels the touch of Jesus' fingers in her palm. But at night she did not have a cast. And now there is ... But it was the Holy Night! ..
"What are you thinking about, little girl?" Mom asks.
Gannusia is silent and smiles, because she notices on Snowflake's vest a feather from an angel's wing - it is special, not the same as in birds, rather it looks like the lightest wing of a butterfly ...
Then the girl smiles again, because in the hands of her father is an Easter basket.
Why an Easter basket for Christmas? asks Gannusia, getting up a little and leaning on the pillow.
Dad sits on the edge of the bed and unfolds the towel that covers the basket. The girl looks in and sees there ... a live hare !!! White, like her Snowflake, and just as fluffy, only his paw is bandaged. Hannusya does not take her eyes off the bunny, lightly touches his ear, as if she wants to make sure if she is real.
— Where did he come from? the girl asks, fascinated. She takes the hare in her arms, and then puts it on the blanket - the hare limps.
“My veterinarian friend treated him a little, because some hunter accidentally shot a hare in the forest. And now he gave it to us so that both the bunny and you get better soon, ”explains dad.
But Gannusia knows that this is actually a gift from Jesus...
Galina Maniv
How Dzinka and Manyunya reconciled
There lived a cat. Her name was Manyunya. She loved to sit on the windowsill and watch the yellow leaves fall from the maples. But one day all the leaves flew around. And Tanya, the owner of the cat, hung a feeder outside the window, pouring sunflower seeds into it.
Soon, the titmouse Dzinka flew to the feeder, caught on the lid with its paws, and like this - upside down - began to peck the seeds. For some reason, these titmouses like to hang upside down. Who knows, maybe it's more convenient for them to think that way.
And Manyunya, having spotted a bird, immediately set out to catch it. And she began to quietly creep closer, hiding behind the window frame. And then how to jump! But Dzinka - at least something to you. At least move a wing. No. Know yourself pecking delicious seeds. Because she is already an adult (not like Manyunya) and she knows: people insert such transparent things into window frames that do not let anything through except light and sunbeams. Therefore, the robber cat will not get to Dzinka.
And the titmouse began to mock Manyunya:
"What a stupid cat you are!" Try it, jing-become me! Jin-dzili-lin (translated from blue, it is approximately like our “be-be-be”).
And Manyuni's eyes sparkled with anger and annoyance. She throws herself at the glass and meows angrily:
- S-meow stupid! Meow-chis first talk with the young lady-meow!
“Oh, look-jin-te, are you a young lady ?! - from laughter, Dzinka even fell from the roof of the feeder and had to do a somersault in the air in order to return to the window and quarrel with Manyunya. “Yes, with my own eyes, I saw with my own eyes how the good zen-vochka on the garbage heap took you in a jingle way.
- Wrong-meow-yes! Wrong-meow-yes! Meow-nya noble parents lost! Here I sing you-meow!!! - and Manyunya again jumped onto the glass.
And Dzinka his own: "Jin-jili-lin!"
Like this, the titmouse and the cat would probably have been arguing for a long time, but only an angel flew past them on his own business and said reproachfully:
- Oh, you! Quarrel, and today is such a day! - and only flashed, flying further.
And the cat and the tit immediately remembered that today, when evening comes and the first star shines, everyone - people, animals, and birds - will celebrate the birth of God's Child, Jesus. Christmas Eve will come - Holy evening on the eve of Christmas.
Who knows how the animals know this, but even such a small cat as Manyunya feels the approach of the holiday. I just forgot today. And Manyunya felt ashamed and annoyed that she quarreled on such a day! This is the first Christmas in her life!
And Jinka felt ashamed and annoyed - even more than the kitty. Because she, Dzinka, already an adult, should, it seems, herself remember and set an example for Manyunya ...
- Kitsunya, hwa-jin quarrel, let's make peace! - said Dzinka.
— Let's murrrr-im? With pleasure, - the cat happily agreed.
- Merry Christmas! - Dzinka fluttered up to the half-open window and reached out with her beak to the cat.
- Merry and merry Christmas! - Manyunya stood up on her hind legs and stretched her muzzle towards the bird.
“Mom,” whispered Tanya, “come here quickly!” Look, Manyunya and Titmouse are kissing!!!
Oksana Lushchevskaya
Mitten
In autumn, when the first frosts began to pinch their noses, blush their cheeks and cool their hands, my aunt knitted a hat, a scarf and mittens for Nadiya (in Russian, Nadiya is Nadyushka). Beautiful, comfortable and warm.
The girl liked both the hat and the scarf. And the mittens ... Here are the mittens! Amazing! A whole fairy tale is tied to them with multi-colored threads: a mouse-hole, a frog-frog, and even a runaway bunny ...
- Who lives in a mitten? - the girl now and then looked into the left, then into the right mitten: if a mouse or a frog would respond. Or maybe a bunny?
Nadiya even purposely lost her mittens, in the hope that she would later find one of the forest guests there: either a fox-sister, or a top-gray barrel ... Even a fanged boar and a clubfoot bear would be welcome guests. However, while waiting for them, the girl was still a little worried, because she remembered well how the fabulous mitten almost burst from tightness.
All the animals asked for that fabulous mitten. Surely none of them will look into Nadiykina?
Oh, how many times, returning from a kindergarten or a walk, the girl pretended not to notice how the mitten fell into the snow! And after a few steps, she had to cunning that she did not know where and when she had lost her. I had to return to search.
- Who lives in a mitten? she asked hopefully when dad or mom found it missing.
But no matter how hard I tried, it was all in vain. Not a sound came from the mitten.
Nadiya picked up her bright mitten, slowly pulled it over her hand, and looked reproachfully first at the big-eyed frog, then at the gray mouse, knitted of soft woolen yarn.
Over time, the girl resigned herself to the fact that she could not wait for the forest guests, and began to wear mittens, like all people, in order to warm her hands in the prickly winter cold.
So December passed - snowy, snowy. Celebrated the New Year. Christmas is about to start ringing with merry carols...
“Your gloves are good,” said friends. - Fabulous!
But Nadiya, listening to the praise, only nodded her head and looked with annoyance at the pointed-nosed mouse: they say, they are fabulous to me too! ..
- Ordinary woolen mittens - my aunt knitted them for me, - the girl answered with a slight sadness. But once…
Nadiyka, together with her friends, rode on a skating rink near the house. It was evening. Light snow was falling… But the frost was stinging with all its might. Children wrapped themselves in scarves, pulled their hats up to their eyes and blew on their hands. Nadia's girlfriend, Svetlanka, lost her mittens and was completely cold - at least run home, but then they won't let her out, they will say: "It's too late already!" So Nadia lent her hers for a few minutes to keep her warm. It’s always like this in winter: you want to play longer, because the days are short, it gets dark early ... Now, if only it weren’t so cold! ..
The children skated to their heart's content, and played snowballs, and made a snowman, until Nadiya's mother called her to dinner, and other mothers responded after her:
- Svetlana, go home!
- Seryozha, it's time!
- Andryusha, stop walking - dinner is on the table!
The girl said goodbye to her friends, took the mittens from Svetlanka, put them in her pocket and rushed headlong to the house.
And in the morning, going to kindergarten, Nadiya did not find one mitten. "I must have forgotten at Svetlanka's," the girl thought.
But in kindergarten, it turned out that the girlfriend did not have mittens either.
“So lost! How annoying…” Nadiya sighed. - Although my mittens are not fabulous, they are still warm, warm. And beautiful. Yes, and an aunt's gift! Now the girl was very sorry that she had so recklessly lost her knitted friends. She fell in love with the big-eyed frog, and the sharp-nosed mouse, and the eared bunny ...
Two days have passed. The holiday is about to knock on the door. The houses smelled of tangerines, pine needles, and hot pies. Oh, I wish I could wait for that Star of Bethlehem! And Christmas miracles, and gifts!
On a sunny and snowy pre-holiday morning, running out into the street, Nadiya suddenly heard something rustling in the stairwell. She carefully descended the stairs - a mitten! Whoops! Her glove! The girl no longer hoped to find a loss - is it really a Christmas miracle?
But as soon as Nadiya bent down and held out her hand to her, she immediately ran away.
- What's happened? - the girl froze in indecision, stood for a minute and again leaned towards the mitten. She ran to the door and froze.
Did the little girl look around? Maybe some neighbor boy is joking? But if someone was in the entrance, she would hear someone's steps, or at least someone's breathing. Silence! Nobody...
The girl again went to the mitten, carefully sat down beside it, looked inside. And she said the magic words from the fairy tale:
- Who lives in a mitten?
A little black nose appeared from the mitten, the beads of the eyes flashed, and, finally, a fluffy muzzle looked out.
- Hamster! That's such a miracle! Nadiya gently touched the animal and took it in her arms. — Whose are you? How did you get here?
The hamster was silent. He turned on his palm, looking for some food.
- That's my mitten! - the girl said when she carried the find home. - It really is fabulous!
Mom and dad asked all the neighbors if anyone accidentally lost a hamster. They even put up a notice in the entrance.
People laid the festive table, gathered for church, and no one applied about the loss.
To tell the truth, Nadiya did not want the red-haired friend she had just found to leave their house at all. It's not simple - but from a fairy tale! He came to her, to Nadiya, knocked on her mitten ... how can I give it to someone?
A week or two passed, and no one showed up for the Christmas guest.
True, the hamster no longer lived in a mitten, but in a toy box. He ate his fill of apples and nuts. And only sometimes, walking around the apartment, he hid in Nadia's fabulous mitten, expecting that the hostess was about to come up, find him and treat him with a piece of snow-white fragile sugar.
And the girl did not lose her mittens anymore.
Valentina Vzdulskaya
Naughty Christmas
Lived and lived in the same forest fox Vertihvost, a sorcerer.
To evil, so no, but only very mischievous.
There was a lot of snow that winter - neither to pass, nor to drive. He sees a young fox that he cannot get out of the hole. Then he took chamomile tea, poured it into a saucer, blew it to cool it down, and dipped the tip of his red, black-haired tail into it. Once, once - and drew on the table with his tail, like a brush, the silhouette of a brown bear Riding Hood.
In three moments the bear Riding Hood was already standing near the fox hole, yawning half asleep.
“What am I doing under that little dirty trickster’s house again when I have to sleep in a lair?” - he only had time to think, when he fell asleep again - standing up. In the meantime, the fox opened the door of the hole and, putting a shovel into the paws of the bear, ordered:
- Dig! And pointed out the direction.
Bear Riding Hood slept sweetly, and he dreamed of small white daisies flying from heaven to earth, covering everything around them. And without knowing it, in a dream he was digging a snow tunnel for the fox - a long, long passage from a hole in the forest to the very town, where Whirltail later arranged a dirty Christmas.
And so it was.
Early in the morning on the eve of the holiday, the Whirltail-sorcerer looked out of the hole - to look at the town - and even squealed in surprise. Directly in front of him, on the side of the forest road, a man dressed in a jacket was hiding a magnificent beautiful Christmas tree stolen in the forest in a truck. He tied her with a thick rope in three places, and covered her with a tarpaulin on top.
“Ay-oh, honey, you got it!” —
thought Whirltail and smiled at
mustache. While the uncle got behind the wheel and started
car, the fox quickly drew his tail on
the snow of the Gray Goat. At the same moment next to the blue
a dumbfounded Gray appeared on the back of the truck
goat. The wiggler quickly jumped on the goat, and from the goat
on a truck and hid under a sad tree. Co-
Zel wanted to bleat something angrily, but melted into
air. The car rumbled and moved off. Driver
rode, looking to see if they had inadvertently hid somewhere
some policemen guarding the Christmas trees before the holiday
nicknames. Suddenly something rustled, then pounded,
And then even as if and groaned behind. Isn't it a beast
which one jumped into the car? The uncle stopped and went
look. And in the back under the tarpaulin, everything is hodor
walked. "Squirrel, and not alone," he thought, and
came to check. But there was no squirrel here.
In the back, arching and rushing from the side
to the side, freaking out of the fetters
living tree.
— Oh-oh-oh-oh, mom! shouted the driver, and the tree finally broke the rope, straightened the branches, dusted itself off and moved towards him. - Spa-a-site! the uncle yelled and rushed into the cab.
The disheveled and furious Christmas tree jumped off the body and rushed after it. But the driver was already pressing on the gas.
The truck roared, pulled along the road towards the city and could not stop for a long time. Soon the policemen appeared out of nowhere. A siren howled, blue lights flashed - law enforcement officers rushed to catch the intruder who was exceeding the speed limit.
And the tree trudged along the road for some time, sorting through its branches, and then sighed sadly, turned around and wandered into the forest. A red tail with a black tip hung down to the ground from its thickest branch, and a giggle could be heard from the thick of the branches.
Christmas Eve has come.
The tethered Christmas tree stood near the fox hole, and Vertikhvost himself warmed himself inside near the stove, sipping his favorite chamomile tea.
"Isn't it time for a new mischief?" the fox thought. And then I realized that I changed my mind just in time. After all, tomorrow is Christmas, and there will be no way to be naughty, and tonight there is still some time left for a good trick.
He tightly closed the door of the hole, untied the bored tree from the threshold, and after a moment he was already riding, shouting “vyo-o-o!”, towards the town.
And night fell on the city.
The yellowish houses covered with snow did not glow, carolers did not go under the windows, there was no singing, and in general there was not a soul on the streets. Only here and there a single candle flickered in the window.
- Wow! The fox even whistled. — Whoa! - he commanded the tree, darted between the branches to the ground and drew the magpie Tamara with his tail on the snowdrift.
- Oh, you rascal! a magpie in a green apron pounced on Whirltail. - Yes, I have a kutya on the stove! Say what you need as soon as possible!
The fox asked her why they don't celebrate Christmas in the town.
"Are you still asking, you bastard?" - Magpie chirped Tamara. - And who let the Christmas tree roam the world today? The poor fellow-driver ran away from this Christmas tree so much that he knocked down a pole with wires with a car, and the light went out throughout the city. And on the way, he also destroyed the stage with the nativity scene, and now the children cannot be shown a Christmas performance. And they prepared it so wonderfully! And that uncle is now sitting in a house for those who have lost their minds, because he tells everyone how a mad Christmas tree was chasing him.
Indeed, there was a terrible mess in the square in front of the church. A long pole with broken wires blocked the road, a broken truck stood nearby, and the ground was covered with fragments of a wooden platform. Right in the snow lay the broken figures of the Magi, the Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus.
- What have I done! Whirltail whispered in despair. The adventure with the Christmas tree no longer amused him, but seemed stupid and cruel. And he really, really didn't want to commit any prank again. The fox turned around and, drooping, wandered towards the forest. The Christmas tree timidly trotted along.
A breeze blew, driving clouds from the sky, and a majestic Star shone over the city, over the forest, over all the white light. One ray made its way imperceptibly into the fox fur, red, with a black veil. The fox stopped. I thought. He shot his eyes. Sly grinned into his mustache. And said:
- Hey, tree! Am I a wizard or not?
One after another, following the drawings in the snow, next to Whirltail appeared the bear Riding Hood with his family, the Gray Goat with two sons and daughter, the wolf Mamai with seven godfathers and three nephews, magpies and crows, a woodpecker and two roe deer, hares and hares, grandfather - a beaver with grandchildren, a whole detachment of wild boars and all Vertikhvostov's numerous relatives. Oh, and they were angry with the fox, but he sincerely apologized and told what was the matter.
All night in the town something scurried back and forth, squeaking softly, clattering, rattling, quacking and grunting. From the forest itself to the square, the snow was covered with a pattern of traces of paws and paws. Just before morning, everything calmed down.
Christmas bells rang, and festively dressed people headed for the church. But as soon as the townspeople got to the square, they froze in surprise ...
A whole crowd had already gathered in front of the temple - people were talking,
oohed and marveled at the diva. In the end, without waiting for the flock, to the square
the priest came out - and he himself froze, his mouth open in surprise.
In the middle of the square stood a huge platform of twigs, as bizarre as if it were being built by beavers. On the platform, someone erected a high cave, covered it with moss and covered it with pine branches, so that it resembled a bear's lair. In the cave there was a magnificent beautiful tree, and next to it were whole, intact figurines of the Virgin Mary with the Child, Joseph and the Magi. The whole den shimmered with colored lights, because no one knew who raised the pole from the ground, connected the broken wires, and now there was electricity again in the city. A little further away, a truck with a blue body, just like a new one, quietly purred with its engine, and in the warm cab the same uncle who was running away from the Christmas tree was snoring at the top of his lungs. Only for some reason he was in striped hospital pajamas.
The first to come to their senses, of course, were the children. They were very happy because they could now put on their Christmas show. The kids ran up to the den to see everything.
— Oh, look! - shouted a boy with a teddy bear on a blue cap
and pointed to the bag under the tree. And there was full of nuts, a bag of dried
berries, a bundle of mushrooms, and also a full barrel of honey stood nearby.
- That's such a miracle! the crowd boomed. - Who fixed it? Who brought us
present? It must be some kind of wizard! A real Christmas miracle!
- And what a beautiful tree! Never seen such a lush, - said
godfather priest.
“Your truth, father. That's just ... She seemed to have just stood on the left, and now - on the right. It seemed to be...
Nadia Gerbish
orange gift
The little gray mouse is tired of playing with his short gray tail. On the table in a cozy burrow lay three golden grains. He sniffed them, stroked them, tossed them up, juggled them and put them in their place. It was quiet and calm in the mink, but there was so little color! Everything is gray, gray, gray ... And only three fragrant grains! They smelled so captivatingly of a fresh, tasty golden color that the little gray mouse just painfully wanted to feel how other colors smelled. Therefore, he pulled a small gray cap over his head, wrapped a gray scarf around his neck and darted out of the mink into the tunnel leading to the yard ...
The little mouse sometimes played in it. However, he always came across an old uncle Mole, who was heading to his hole, got scared and hurriedly ran home. He had never gone beyond the tunnel before. But that day, the little mouse realized that it was time to see the world. Quickly moving his paws, he recalled his mother's stories about crisp green grass, juicy red strawberries, fragrant and sweet blue skies, various unattainable red hills on the horizon, from which the wind brought mysterious aromas ...
However, the little mouse did not have time to get out into the white light, as it immediately squeaked and closed its eyes. There were no colors in the world, except for one - the white light turned out to be really white-white and even blinding ...
“But… mother always tells the truth,” he thought. - So, the colors are somewhere, you just need to look for them ...
So the little gray mouse went on a journey - in search of colorful smells.
The little mouse minced across the white-white snow, the white-white field, and the white-white sky hung over him. And suddenly he felt what this white color smells like.
He smelled like a fairy tale! Crunch-crunch - little paws gradually entered the rhythm, and white fluffy sparkling snow began to play a fragrant melody, reminiscent of the ringing of silver bells.
The smell of white snow gave anticipation -
holiday dress. And the mouse already felt
that is about to get acquainted with other colors ...
But suddenly a house appeared from behind the hill. Neat, brick, with large windows.
Near it was a luxuriously decorated Christmas tree. The mouse hurried to meet her, and so sweet
a fresh fragrance enveloped him that he momentarily
even sat down in surprise. Now the mouse knew that green was the color of the meeting, and also from him
smelled of discoveries and new life...
The mouse took a deep breath of this wonderful aroma and went on -
inspect the house.
It was much larger than a mouse hole and seemed very warm. Someone opened the window, and the wonderful smells of baking reached the mouse, as golden as the three grains that inspired him on these wanderings, and apples with cinnamon, and hot tea, and sincere hugs, and ringing laughter ... All this the mixture of aromas was different from the smells of his mink, but still the smell came from this house, the same as from the mink - the smell of the house ...
But suddenly someone's hand fell in front of him, with a large orange ball. The little mouse raised his head and saw a girl with two red pigtails and very kind green eyes, who held out this amazing ball to him and smiled.
— Take the tangerine, little mouse! Merry Christmas to you!!!
He carefully took the gift, politely thanked the girl, and she quickly ran somewhere, laughing merrily.
The little mouse once again sniffed the fragrant orange skin and decided that such a warm and bright color smells like… a gift!
In one of the picturesque corners of Russia, there is a small village with the cheerful name "Good". This is where the little girl Sophia lived.
Incredible things happened to her every now and then. And all because the baby believed in a miracle ...
Just before Christmas, the girl's parents went to town for a fair. Mom, hurrying up, said:
We won't be long. We will choose gifts for everyone and return on the evening bus!
Although Sophia did not like to be alone, but today, the departure of her parents was most welcome. The fact is that the little girl made a postcard for the holiday for her father and mother. And, drawing, knowing that at any moment they can enter the room, it was inconvenient.
Don't worry, I'll be good," Sophia promised.
Dad laughed and said that no one doubted it. After seeing off her parents, she decided to immediately get down to business. But, as soon as she closed the gate, an unfamiliar girl suddenly appeared on the road. So beautiful that you can't take your eyes off her! Her snow-white fur coat shone under the rays of the bright winter sun, her boots shone with cleanliness, and a huge pom-pom dangled merrily on a knitted white hat. The girl walked and wept bitterly, wiping her tears with her sleeve.
What, are you lost? Sofia called out to the stranger.
No, - the girl sobbed, - no one wants to be friends with me!
What is your name? Sofia asked.
Envy, she whispered.
Seeing that Sophia was frowning, she hastened to add:
So you will drive me away now, but I, in fact, am good! It's just that all people confuse me with my sister, so they drive me out of the yard ...
Sofia thought about it. She didn't know envy had a sister. At least the parents never talked about it. Maybe they didn’t know?.. Meanwhile, the uninvited guest, seeing her confusion, began to ask:
Let's be friends! Do you want me to tell you the whole truth about my sister and me, and you will see for yourself that we are completely different from her?
Sophia became curious and opened the gate. When the girls entered the house, Envy exclaimed:
How delicious you smell here!
These are tangerines! Mom bought three kilos!
Why so many? - Envy was amazed, - Do you eat so much?
Sofia laughed.
Of course not! We just have guests. My cousins are Yulia and Nastenka. So we came up with the idea of putting gifts in beautiful packages for them. Each will get tangerines, chocolate and some other souvenir. I don't know which one yet. Parents themselves will choose at the fair ... You better tell about your sister!
Envy sighed sadly.
It’s embarrassing for me to talk badly about her, but, on the other hand, I’m not lying ... You see, I am White Envy, and my sister is called Black Envy. We are often confused, but we, after all, are so different! My sister is angry and does not like it when something good happens to people. And I, for example, am very happy if someone has been given a new toy. I'm just trying to do everything so that I have the same thing. Is it bad? I think it's very good!
Sofia shrugged. She wasn't sure if it was really good. However, the girl did not want to quarrel with a new acquaintance.
Envy, I need to draw a postcard for mom and dad, so I have no time to entertain you - said Sofia.
I'll sit in the corner. Don't worry, I won't distract you! the guest responded.
Soon a Nativity scene appeared on a sheet of paper. The bright purple sky above it was illuminated by a slightly uneven, but a big star ... Sophia diligently drew the inscription under the picture: "Merry Christmas!" The girl almost forgot about her new acquaintance, who modestly settled on the sidelines. The little girl folded the postcard and suddenly thought: “It’s like parents don’t know that there is Black Envy and White Envy. And, so they would definitely allow us to be friends. After all, there is no harm from this snow-white girl. He sits quietly, does not interfere with anyone.
Until the very evening, Envy told Sofia what gifts her girlfriends would receive for Christmas: Masha would be given a huge teddy bear, Tanya would get real skates, and a set of toy dishes was bought for Lyudochka. Porcelain! The girls chatted so much that they did not hear how mom and dad entered the house.
Oh, what will happen?! Now I'm being kicked out! - envy fussed.
Don't worry, - Sophia began to reassure her, - I'll tell my parents everything. Explain that you are White!
No, no, no, - whimpered Envy, - I know your parents! When they were little, I used to visit them. They did not believe then that I was good, they will not believe now. I can't see them!
Sophia said sadly:
Okay, let me let you out the window then.
Envy began to shift from foot to foot, and then blushed and confessed:
To be honest, I really want to see what they bought your sisters ... Can I hide under your bed? I would just take a look, and then I'll leave!
And without waiting for an answer, the guest quickly darted under the bed.
Daughter, look, what a beauty! - said dad, entering the nursery.
He placed two small bright boxes on the table. Sofia carefully opened one of them and gasped in delight. On a velvety pillow lay a tiny glass bell. An angel was painted on his frail side. The baby immediately understood: this is the best gift in the world ...
You call! Dad smiled.
Sophia took the memento by the white ribbon and shook it slightly. The sound was so gentle and clear that even my mother, running out of the kitchen, clapped her hands happily:
What a wonder our dad found! And I was already going to buy ordinary wooden boxes for Nastya and Yulia ...
In the second box was exactly the same bell, only it was tied to a pink ribbon. Sophia carefully placed the gifts on the shelf, and the parents left the room, closing the door tightly behind them.
Yeah, - Envy whispered under the bed, - they definitely didn’t buy you such a bell ...
Why? – the girl was surprised.
Yes, because it is unlikely that the seller immediately found three identical ones! For you, they most likely chose some mittens.
Mittens are also a great gift! Sofia objected.
Yeah, only the bell is better.
The little girl couldn't argue with that.
Okay, don't be upset, - said Envy, so be it, I'll teach you how to make sure that you get both of these gifts! Listen carefully and remember: you will go to your mother now and start whimpering. Better even cry. Tell her that you liked these bells so much - you don’t have the strength to part with them! And, sisters and tangerines with chocolate will suffice. If mom does not agree, then start to roar louder. And don't forget to stomp your feet!
Then Envy crawled out from under the bed and, carefully examining Sophia, waved her hand:
However, you won't get anything. You can't be naughty. But, and it does not matter. Take now one box and throw it on the floor. No one will even guess that we did it on purpose! But the second bell will definitely be given to you! The parents of Nastya and Yulia will not give one gift for two.
Then Sofia saw how the guest's fur coat and boots turned black! And even the hat turned black, so that now the pom-pom looked like a huge coal. Envy had already stretched out her hand towards the shelf, but Sophia grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and said angrily:
You lied to me. You don't have any sister! Envy in the world is only one - Black. It's you who change into a white coat on purpose to confuse people!
Envy began to break out, but Sophia held her tightly. The girl bravely opened the window and threw her out into the street. Envy landed right in the snowdrift and floundered in it for a long time, snorting with indignation. And Sophia closed the window and began to sharpen her pencils. She drew a postcard for mom and dad, but she didn’t have time for her sisters yet. The little girl tried her best to make it, like the gifts, the most beautiful in the world ...
Parents, meanwhile, took out another box and hid it in a sideboard. It contained a glass bell on a purple ribbon.
Also on our website you can
And, we also have informative stories for the whole family in the section
Mom and Dad are invited
Reprinting of the material is possible only with the indication of the author of the work and an active link to the Orthodox site
We have also prepared for you:
One day a woman appeared on the threshold of the puppet craftswoman. She held a bundle in her hand and smiled happily: - Look how many colors I have ...
There is very little left before the start of the long New Year holidays, and you have work, preparation for the holidays, the choice of gifts, and there is absolutely no time to relax, and maybe there is not even that “New Year mood” that everyone talks about so much.
Don't be sad! We have selected for you short stories and novels by your favorite authors, which will improve your mood and will not take much time. Read on the run and enjoy the New Year and Christmas!
"Gifts of the Magi".
14 minutes
Readers know this story almost by heart, but still remember it year after year on Christmas Eve. The story of two "stupid kids" who sacrifice their most precious things for each other has been inspiring us for over a century. Its moral is this: no matter how poor you are, love makes you both rich and happy.
New Year's holiday of father and little daughter.
11 minutes
A very short and bright story about a man who spent the best years of his life on some work unknown to the reader and did not notice how his daughter grew up.
In the "New Year's Holiday ..." one feels the cold and hopelessness that the author himself experienced in an unheated St. Petersburg room in the terrible year 1922, but there is also that warmth that only close people can give. In the case of Green's hero, this is his daughter, Tavinia Drap, and in the case of the writer himself, his wife Nina Mironova.
"Angel".
25 minutes
Sasha is a thirteen-year-old teenager from a poor family, eccentric, embittered, used to enduring beatings and insults. On Christmas Eve, he is invited to a Christmas tree in a rich house, where the boy is surrounded by clean and happy children of the owners. In addition to this, he sees his father's first love. The woman he still remembers.
But on Christmas, as we remember, miracles happen, and Sasha's heart, which has been squeezed by an iron vise until now, melts at the sight of a toy angel. In an instant, his usual rudeness, hostility and callousness disappear.
"Christmas tree". Tove Jansson
15 minutes
A charming story about unknown to science, but so beloved Moomin. This time, Tove Jansson described how a familiar family celebrated Christmas. Not knowing what it is and how it is celebrated, the Moomin family managed to arrange a real holiday with a Christmas tree and gifts for whips (even more mysterious animals).
The story, of course, is for children, but adults will also be pleased to re-read it on New Year's Eve.
"Anniversary". Narine Abgaryan
20 minutes
A realistic story, devoid of even a hint of magic, nevertheless leads to the most joyful New Year's thoughts. "Jubilee" is a story of friendship, old and newly acquired, a break with an unpleasant past and the hope of fulfilling all the promises made with the advent of the New Year.
"Not just around Christmas."
30 minutes
A fly in the ointment in our barrel of honey: a satirical story about how Christmas suddenly became a daily unbearable torture. At the same time, the whole essence of the holiday, its religious and moral overtones came to naught because of people's love for "tinsel". A masterpiece from the Nobel Prize winner in literature, Heinrich Böll.
« ».
1 hour, 20 minutes
Both adults and children know that the blacksmith Vakula had to make a deal with the devil himself for the sake of Oksana's little boots. "The Night Before Christmas" is the brightest, funniest and most atmospheric thing in Gogol's cycle "Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka", so do not take it for work, take an hour and a half for the pleasure of spending time with your favorite characters.
