Suddenly one of the branches of the apple-tree shook and a big apple fell down with a thud. The apple hurt its f lank. İt started to moan. The apple rolled and stopped near the beetles. The white thin apple sapwood went out of the apple. It turned head and saw the beetles around.
– Hey! Who are you? What are you doing there? – The white thin apple sapwood asked them with a low tender voice.
Mother beetles knew apple sapwood very well. That was why they paid no attention to it. But the baby beetle which was interested in everything, asked the apple sapwood with astonishment:
– Can I come and see you, baby? – The baby beetle quickly flew to it without waiting for reply.
– Wow! You have wings! – The apple sapwood said with astonishment.
– Of course! – The baby beetle boasted.
– Ugh! How badly you smell! – The apple sapwood rumpled its face.
– You will also smell badly if you live inside the manure briquette!.. – The baby beetle justified itself.
– There are so many beautiful trees in the garden. Why do you rummage in the manure briquette with such horrible smell?..
– My mother says that manure briquette is our fate. We cannot live another life.
– You are a crazy one! Your mother deceives you! – The apple sapwood laughed.
– It means that I can also live inside this apple as you?..
– Of course! – The apple sapwood said. – It depends just on your will.
At that moment, the gardener stopped as soon as he saw the big red apple on the grass. The baby beetle ran away immediately. The apple sapwood hid inside the hole on the red apple. The gardener picked the apple, cleaned it and went away.
The baby beetle came to its mother in a bad mood.
– Stop idleness! – Mother beetle cried.
– Mom,how long are we going to rummage in the manure briquette?.. – The baby beetle murmured.
– What can we do, my darling?! – Mother was surprised.
– Look around! There are so many beautiful fragrant plants and trees in the garden. Are we worse than the rest ones?
Mother beetle understood that the apple sapwоod had already filled its head with nonsense.
– Don’t pay attention to everything, my dear. You know nothing about this world yet. I had also much dream when I was young… – Mother said.
But the baby beetle did not remember mother’s words at all…
THE RABBIT STUBBORNNESS
The lion commissioned the rabbit to rule over the forest when he went somewhere. The rabbit was embittered on the wolf.
As soon as the rabbit seized power, she convened meeting and gathered animals together on the pretext of a serious event. Suddenly she looked at the wolf sourly and asked:
– Where is your cap?..
The wolf was surprised. He looked at the rabbit and asked:
– What cap, sister rabbit? What do you mean?..
The rabbit:
– I shall show you now what cap I ask!..
The rabbit suddenly jumped over the wolf. She started to kick and beat the wolf heartily.
The next morning the rabbit called all animals again. She again called the wolf and asked:
– Tell me, where is your cap?..
The wolf again had a blank look at the rabbit. He did not know what to say. The rabbit began to shout loudly:
– I ask you where is your cap!..
The wolf remembered the yesterday’s blows and began to toady upon the rabbit:
– Oh! What do you say, dear sister rabbit? I have never had a cap on my head!..
The rabbit shivered with rage and again began to kick and beat the wolf in front of everyone.
It was repeated for some days. At last the lion returned the forest. The wolf complained to the lion about the rabbits
– Your majesty! You know that I have never had a cap at all. What is the matter? What does the rabbit want from me?..
The lion was surprised hearing the wolf’s complaint. He called the rabbit and asked her:
– What is the matter, sister rabbit?
The rabbit admitted the truth when they were alone together:
Your majesty! I was embittered by the wolf very much. I did not know how to take vengeance on him. And I found a pretext for it.
The lion approved the rabbit’s idea. He howled with laughter:
– Remember it, the next time you will ask him another thing.
– What?.. – The rabbit asked.
– Ask him to bring a bowl of water for you… If he brings hot water, you will say that you wanted the cold one. If he brings cold water then you will say you wanted the hot one.
The next time when the lion was apsent the rabbit did the same thing what the lion advised her. She called the wolf and sent him for water in front of the animals.
She drank the water and got angry:
– What is this? I asked you to bring hot water for me.
The wolf was aware of the talk of the lion and the rabbit. That was why he immediately gave the rabbit the hot water bowl which he had hid behind him.
The rabbit did not expect it from the wolf. She became more angry, when she failed:
– Heyy! No! No! Tell me where is your cap? – She again began to kick and beat the wolf.
THE STROKE OF A BLIND MAN
Once a beggar was standing near the bridge. Suddenly someone put paper money (a banknote) into his palm. The beggar’s eyes sparkled as soon as he saw the money. It was for the first time, he got such a big sum of money. He could not stand in his place from happiness. “Probably the man was mistaken. What if he returns and takes back the money?”
He ran down another beggar and hurt his foot when he went to the other side of the bridge.
– Are you blind? Don’t you see me on your way? – The sufferer began to shout. He had been out of luck that day. That was why he was as angry as a dog. On the other hand, he did not like appearance of the newcomer in his area.
The new beggar understood that there was no need to apologize. So, he thought a little bit and answered:
– Oh, yes, you are right, brother. I am blind.
– What? Are you blind? – The sufferer was sorry to be rude with him. But he saw that the beggar did not look like a blind one.
– Yes, I am blind. – The newcomer approved. I am in need of an honest one. – He thought: “One can think of nothing better” and added: – Someone gave me paper money. But I do not know how much it is?
– I am that very honest man and I shall tell you how much it is.
– Who are you?
– I am a beggar as you, but I can see.
– Won’t you deceive me? Won’t you run away?
– No, I will not. Don’t you know that the beggar never gives gift to another one?
– If so, then swear on your honor.
– Let me be a blind as you, if I deceive you.
The eyes of the sufferer sparkled as soon as he saw the money. He had never had such a big sum since he began to solicit alms.
The