_Дядя Костя_. Я уже старый и уставший человек, Маша, хоть и немного Кащей. Мне почти ничего не нужно от жизни. Я ведь В САМОМ ДЕЛЕ хотел вам всем добра!.. *(Глядя Маше в глаза и не видя в них пощады.)* Ну, разве что... если... оставь мне малость от моего вечного праздника, Маша. Хотя бы затем, чтобы ты смогла к нему в трудную минуту вернуться! _ Маша смотрит через Зеленое стеклышко на Дядю Костю, и он уменьшается, уменьшается, уменьшается, превращаясь в крошечную надувную елочную игрушку, которую Маша тут же вешает на телескопическую карманную елку.
      _Ну, а это тебе!_ _ _Маша_. Ну, теперь, кажется, все! *(И она с размаху бьет Зеленое стеклышко об пол подвала, и оно разлетается во все стороны зелеными брызгами.)* _ И тут же сказочный Синич молнией вырывается из котла на свет, разбив окно подвала и засыпав осколками стекол двор. Мгновение - и он взлетает вверх, унося солнце на своих огромных, удивительных, ослепительно-синих крыльях. И эти синие крылья он распахивает над выстуженным, заснеженным, замороженным, веселым городом... И после этого зима отступает. Вечный Новый год кончается, а вслед за ним кончается Вечность: становится слышно, как где-то с крыш начинают падать на освобождающуюся от многолетних сугробов землю первые капли воды. Фонтан за окном страшно урчит и извергает из себя одну-единственную ржавую каплю, затыкается, а потом начинает бить не переставая. И тогда в самом деле наступает Бессмертие - праздник вечного обновления... _ _Воркис_. Бежим!.. *(Губами он издает "пустой звук".)*
      _Алибаба Викторовна_. Куда?
      _Воркис_. Назад! Назад! *(Губами он опять издает "пустой звук", отпихивает в сторону Алибабу Викторовну и кидается к потухшему котлу.)*
      _Алибаба Викторовна_ *(взвизгивает).* Мы из-за вас застрянем, Воркис! Вас заклинит!
      _Воркис_. Небось, не заклинит! Я тоже кое-что умею! Я зарядку делал!
      _Алибаба Викторовна_. Я надеюсь, это стопроцентХное вранье, Воркис?
      _Воркис_. Это вранье на двести процентов!.. *(В третий раз он издает губами "пустой звук", вытягивается в струну и "ласточкой" ныряет в котел.)*
      _Алибаба Викторовна_. Талантлив, сволочь! Я и не думала! *("Ласточкой" ныряет в котел вслед за Воркисом.)* _ Маша остается в подвале одна. _ _Маша_. Все это, наверное, очень хорошо. Только почему-то я чувствую себя ужасно несчастной!
      _Картина третья_ _ Тот же самый двор. Только теперь здесь плохо и сыро: повсюду, куда ни глянь, видна выступившая из-под снега грязь. Посередине Детской площадки торчит вновь заткнувшийся фонтан с наполовину застрявшими в его трубе Воркисом и Алибабой Викторовной Яицких, сплетенными друг с другом в смертельном объятии. _ _Маша_. Ничего. Пусть немного тут посидят. А фонтан мы потом починим. Пригласим к нему настоящего сантехника!.. *(Подходит к фонтану, вкладывает в торчащие из его трубы руки Воркиса и Алибабы Викторовны по утюгу.)* Композиция: фонтан с утюгами! Спорить могу?- чего-чего, а такого фонтана ни в одном другом городе не увидишь! *(После паузы.) *Холодно! И какая кругом ужасная грязь! _ Во дворе появляется Дед Мороз с тяжелым ящиком. _ _Маша_. Боже мой, он ОПЯТЬ с подарками?! Нет, я этого больше не перенесу! _ Дед Мороз снимает фальшивый нос, фальшивые бороду и усы, стаскивает с себя ватные одежды, превращаясь в Рабочего, и открывает ящик с инструментами. _ _Рабочий_. Ну, накопилось работы! Крыша дома течет?- раз. Детскую площадку давным-давно пора ремонтировать - два! Ну, и все остальное прочее - это три! *(Начинает поправлять "грибок" на детской площадке. Для чего берет в руки молоток и гвоздь. Размахивается, конечно же промахивается, и... крепко бьет себя молотком по пальцам.) *Ай! Руки с похмелья дрожат, совсем отвыкли работать. Ну, ничего. Это ведь мой ПЕРВЫЙ гвоздь после такого страшного перерыва!.. *(Вновь берет в руку молоток, бьет им по гвоздю и загоняет гвоздь по самую шляпку.) *Ох, и надоел же всем нам этот веселый праздник!
      _Маша_. Почему-то Бабуля во двор не идет... *(И вдруг в страхе кричит.)* Бабуля!!! Нет! Не хочу! Если бы только можно было все вернуть обратно, назад!
      Хриплый тоненький _Голосок_. НЕТ НИЧЕГО ПРОЩЕ. ТЫ ВПРАВДУ ЭТОГО ХОЧЕШЬ, Маша?
      _Маша_ *(разглядев под ногами маленькую карманную елку и на ней одну-единственную игрушку).* Я? Да! Я хочу! То есть, нет! Я... Я... Разве это возможно?
      Хриплый тоненький _Голосок_. НА ТО ОН И БЕССМЕРТНЫЙ, КАЩЕЙ-ТО. РЕШАЙ, Маша! _ Под ногами Маши взрывается маленькая хлопушка и в воздух взлетает маленькое разноцветное облачко конфетти... __ И тут же во двор влетает Помогай с двумя вишнями в зубах. _ _Помогай_. Стой! Не делай этого, Маша! Вишня - это, конечно, условность. Первые вишни вырастут у вас во дворе не раньше, чем лет через десять. Но ведь так хочется невозможного! И поэтому первые вишни лично от меня - вот! Смотри: на них даже два зеленых листочка! Настоящего времени ведь еще нет, мы по-прежнему живем в вечности. Ничего, пусть чуть-чуть, в самый последний раз, перепутается следствие и причина - от этого, я думаю, большой беды не произойдет. Ведь это будет и в самом деле в последний раз! А это тебе от настоящего... нет, я не имею права называть ЕГО по имени. Об этом ты должна будешь догадаться сама. Скажу только, что ровно через год - тридцать первого декабря - ОН обещал вернуться и проверить: как ты воспользовалась ЕГО подарком... *(Помогай оставляет у ног Маши школьный ранец.)* И еще тебе от Фрявы привет!
      _Маша_. Значит, Фрява была права, и ОН есть на самом деле? Быть может, и океаны тоже где-нибудь есть, а не только наш фонтан? _ Помогай молча исчезает. И тогда где-то звенит противный школьный звонок, и слышится голос, чем-то напоминающий противный голос Алибабы Викторовны Яицких: "Перемена закончилась! Все на урок! Все-все на урок!" _ _Маша_. Звонок на урок... А я ведь так ничегошеньки и не знаю!
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      --======-
      Andrey Zinchuk
      (Translated by O. Zhivago)
      ____ _COME ON, KITTEN!_
      ________ Worldwide is a garbage dump. How to clean this filthy sump? How to cure this crazy world? Our days are dark and cold. Those who rule us are malicious Caddish, impudent, suspicious And to us they've always lied. Never mind. Our indifference and fears Ruin up our souls and ears. They can't hear very much, Only "March!" Folly laziness and lies, Whim that nobody denies, Cruelty is going fatter, If there's somebody to flatter. If there's somebody to lie, Garbage dumps would never die.
      ______ _THE DANDELION THE KITTEN THE SMART CAT THE FLY THE LITTLE CARP THE MOTH THE POT THE OLD BOOT _ __ _ACT 1 _ _ The Pot's rattling. The Kitten, The the Little Carp, The Moth and the Fly alarmed. _ _EVERYBODY_. What has happened? What has happened? What has happened here? Who is making these sounds? _THE POT_. Horror, horror, disaster! _EVERYBODY_. What's the matter? Quickly tell us about it! What's the matter? Quickly tell us! What? Would you tell us about it? _THE POT_. Help! Help! We are lost! _EVERYBODY_. Who is missing? Who is missing? One, two, three, four... The Boot is missing. Where is the Boot? We've lost The Boot. One, two, three, four... Where is The Smart Cat? We've lost The Smart Cat! _THE POT_ (keeps rattling). Quickly! Quickly! Come on! Help! _EVERYBODY_. Help! And what has happened? What has happened? _THE POT_. Is everybody here? _EVERYBODY_. Everybody! Oh, no, not everybody! The Boot is missing, The Smart Cat is missing. Well, well, speak! _THE POT_. Save yourselves! _EVERYBODY_. Save yourselves! Save yourselves! _THE MOTH_. But I can't save myself, I have no wings. Please, someone save me. _THE KITTEN_. I don't know how to save myself. Please, someone teach me. _THE POT_. The Smart Cat and The Boot must have already saved themselves. And we'll be lost here! _EVERYBODY_. We'll be lost... _THE KITTEN_. I don't know how to be lost. I'm so small. Please, someone teach me. _THE POT_. Save yourselves! _EVERYBODY_. Save yourselves, before it's too late. _THE KITTEN_. You know, Fly, I want to learn quickly how to save myself? _THE LITTLE CARP _and_ THE MOTH_. So do we! So do we! We want to save ourselves too! _THE FLY_. To save yourselves you have to do this way: don't care a bother about anything. You, Moth, don't care about The little Carp. And you, Kitten, don't care about the Moth. _THE KITTEN._ I can't. Teach me! _THE FLY_. Oh, it's very easy to do. You must tell the Moth that you are bored with him. Well, then! _THE KITTEN_ (To The Moth). I'm bored with you. _THE MOTH_. Why are you bored with me, Kitten? _THE FLY_. Don't you dare answer him! Go away from him! This is called saving oneself. _THE KITTEN_. So easy? Then I'll hurry on... Oh! _THE OLD BOOT_. Stop, Kitten. Where are you galloping to? _THE KITTEN_. I'm saving myself. I can teach you how to do it. You, Boot, just tell me that you are bored with me. Now, then! _THE OLD BOOT_. I'm bored with all of you. _THE POT_. He doesn't understand. He doesn't want to save himself! He doesn't hear! Listen! Everybody, listen! _THE POT_ (stops ratting). (A rustle is heard.) Do you hear? Haven't told you? Now you can make sure! Save yourselves! _THE OLD BOOT_. Whom from? _THE POT_. From him, from this one. Just here. _THE KITTEN_. Hey! Who is there? _THE MOTH_. Is it silent? _THE LITTLE CARP_. Isn't answering? _THE KITTEN_. It is rustling. _EVERYBODY_. It is rustling. _THE KITTEN_. It's climbing out. _EVERYBODY_. It's climbing out. _THE KITTEN_. It's creeping up. _EVERYBODY_. It's creeping up. _THE POT_. I warned you! I warned you! I was the first to sound! _THE FLY_. Now then... Let me listen... What could it be? One, two, three, four... Boot?.. No, The Boot is here. May be The Cat? Hey, Cat. Have you heard me? Ca-a-t! It's rustling. It's scratching. _THE KITTEN_. The Smart Cat can't rustle. He growls and then at once rushes at you. Here it is something else. Let us do it this way: you all go away and I'll sneak up and catch it. I can do it, The Smart Cat taught me. _THE OLD BOOT_. And if it goes all the way round and it catches you? _EVERYBODY_. It will catch you! It will catch you! _THE LITTLE CARP_. Let me listen too. Well then? Now it is scratching louder. _THE POT_. Save yourselves! _THE OLD BOOT_. But who would steal up on us from under the earth? _THE LITTLE CARP_. May be this is... May be this is... a mountain growing! _EVERYBODY_. A mountain! _THE LITTLE CARP_. Oh, yes! Have you ever seen how the mountains grow? They simply grow up and that's all. When I was The Goldfish!.. _EVERYBODY._ Tell us, tell us, Little Carp, what are mountains? _THE LITTLE CARP_. Mountains - it's something... it's something huge! _THE FLY_. Don't listen to him, I've flow all over the world, I've been everywhere. _EVERYBODY._ Tell us, tell us, have you even seen the mountains? _THE FLY_. To be sure, there is no such thing as mountains in the world. _THE KITTEN_. But something is scratching here? _EVERYBODY_. And what in the whole world is there? Tell us, tell us! _THE LITTLE CARP_. There is the sea. _EVERYBODY_. The sea! Tell us, have you ever seen the sea? _THE FLY_. The sea is something that doesn't exist either. _EVERYBODY_. And what does exist in the world? Tell us! _THE FLY_. Then listen... I've flown all over the world. I've been everywhere. There are only garbage dumps in the world. Big and small ones. I've flown all over the world. I've seen everything. Everything! _THE MOTH_. Don't listen to her. It's not true! There are the mountains behind the thistles. _THE LITTLE CARP_. There is the sea behind the thistles! _THE MOTH_ and _THE LITTLE CARP_. The world is quite quite different there behind the Thistles. _EVERYBODY_. The world! _THE MOTH_ and _THE LITTLE CARP_. There, behind the thistles the life is different too. _EVERYBODY_. Life! _THE FLY_. Over there on that other garbage dump everything is just the same. Well, how about scratching? _THE KITTEN_. It's very close. _THE LITTLE CARP_. Here is a big mountain growing! _THE FLY_. There is no such thing as mountain. _THE OLD BOOT_. Yes. That's true. There were the mountains before, indeed. But now I won't find a thing like that. _EVERYBODY_. Where are they? _THE OLD BOOT_. They are worn out. Everything is worn out. Everything falls into decay. Everything gets older and goes to ruin. _THE MOTH_. But there is the sun in the world. _THE OLD BOOT_. It will be worn out too. _THE FLY_. And there won't be any sun in the world! _THE LITTLE CARP_. But the moon will remain. _THE POT_. The moon! Why do you think it is better than me, the old pot? I used to be a shining star too when I was young. And now look at me? _THE OLD BOOT_. And the moon will be worn out too. _THE POT_. And the stars will be worn out. _THE FLY_. And you know what'll be left? One big garbage dump. _THE POT_ and _THE OLD BOOT_. Which will be worn out too! _THE KITTEN_. Look! Look! It's growing up! It's growing up! _THE LITTLE CARP_. And I told you that it was the mountain! _THE FLY_. Ha-ha-ha! It is so small! Smaller then The Kitten! _THE LITTLE CARP_. But it'll rise soon. _THE FLY_. It is such a charming green! _THE MOTH._ Yes, it is still green. But then it becomes mature, and the show-white peak shows up, and the pine grove covers its slopes. And the sun rises and thaws the top, fast streams break into a run and form lakes and those in turn flow together into the blue of the sea. _THE LITTLE CARP_. And then again I'll become The Goldfish. Oh, I already feel my fins growing! Look, Moth, have you noticed? _THE MOTH_. And I'll be fluttering among slender pine trees and drinking the Alpine flowers' nectar. Look, Little Carp, I already feel my wings growing! _THE KITTEN_. And me! And me too! Me too! _THE POT_. It looks like they have stopped growing! They are so small! _THE OLD BOOT_. I think, Little Carp, that there is no place for you to swim here! _THE LITTLE CARP_. But it has already two little blue lakes! _THE POT_. I think, Moth, there isn't any place for you to fly here... _THE MOTH_. But on its summit I can already see a little Alpine flower blossoming. _THE FLY_. I know what is it, I suppose. Surely it isn't a mountain. Because a mountain is something that you won't find anywhere. I have already seen it somewhere. Let me remember... On some other garbage dump. Yes. That's it. It looks like a flower. That's right, a flower. _EVERYBODY_. Flower! _THE FLY_. Sometimes they happen on garbage dumps. _THE POT_. Are they dangerous? _THE FLY_. Oh, no. They are totally harmless. First they are yellow for some reason. You can see a cloud on its crown! Then - for some reason - they become white. And then die. _THE OLD BOOT_. Oh yes, that's sure. I can remember too... A cloud, a cloud... Oh yes, they are useless, because they die rather quickly. Especially when you touch them or blow on them by chance. _THE POT_. What a delicacy! _THE LITTLE CARP_. So, I'll never swim in the blue sea? _THE MOTH._ So, I'll never flutter among the high pine trees? _THE FLY_. You can be certain now! I've flown all over the world, I've seen everything. The world is none other then the big garbage dump where sometimes a useless flower grows. _THE POT_. What an uninteresting, boring fact! _THE MOTH_. Well, I'm off. They say the winter will come some day. It's high time to build a cocoon. _THE OLD BOOT._ Oh yes, that's sure. First comes the summer, then the autumn and then the winter is sure to come. It's high time to lace myself up. _THE LITTLE CARP_. I will hide myself in the slime. _THE KITTEN_. And I'll go somewhere and do something! _THE FLY_. That's correct. You must leave it! _EVERYBODY_. And we'll surely leave it! _THE KITTEN_. But I don't know how to leave anyone... _THE FLY_. Oh, it's so easy! It's quite like saving yourself. To leave you must just turn your back. And never run, but just go away slowly, without glancing back. _THE KITTEN_. Aha, now I can do that! Soon I'll grow up and begin leaving everybody! _THE DANDELION_. Ah!.. _THE LITTLE CARP_. Have you heard? May be it doesn't want to be left? _THE OLD BOOT_. As for me, I've heard nothing... _THE DANDELION_. Where am I? _THE MOTH_. It is saying something! _THE POT_. Probably he is saying something, but we don't hear anything. Is it true, Boot? _THE LITTLE CARP_. Who are you? _THE DANDELION_. A Dandelion. _THE LITTLE CARP_. You see, he named himself. He has the name! _THE DANDELION_. Where am I? _THE FLY_. Ha-ha-ha! He is so stupid! He doesn't understand anything! He doesn't know where is he! He doesn't know what it is! Tis the World! Ha-ha-ha! _THE DANDELION_. The world! I love the world! _THE FLY_. He doesn't know yet that the world is the big garbage dump! _THE DANDELION_. There is something that irritates my eyes... _THE FLY_. Have you heard that? He doesn't feel yet! This is the light! _THE DANDELION_. The light... I love the light! _THE FLY_. Look at this fool! He doesn't how the sun can blind you. _THE DANDELION_. Oh, what's happening to me? There is something moving inside me... _THE FLY_. Ha-ha-ha! He still hasn't an idea! It is life! _THE DANDELION_. Life!.. I love life so much! _THE FLY_. He doesn't understand that he will die soon! _THE DANDELION_. The world... light... life... I have light, the world and life. Seems I can understand it! _THE FLY_. Poor thing! He is totally a beggar! _THE MOTH._ And he hasn't any high pine-tree... _THE LITTLE CARP_. Oh, yes, now I'm sure that he hasn't any blue lake! _THE MOTH_. I've no where to flutter! _THE LITTLE CARP_. I've no where to swim. _EVERYBODY_. He has nothing. He is a beggar. _THE DANDELION._ You have to fly? You need wings? Take my leaves. They will hold you in the air... _THE MOTH_. Wings! I have new wings! _THE DANDELION_. Take some of my golden hair. They will serve you for fins. _THE LITTLE CARP_. Golden fins! I have golden fins! _THE MOTH_. Look! Look! I'm rising! I'm flying! _EVERYBODY_. Flying! Flying! What can you see there, Moth? _THE MOTH_. The sun! _EVERYBODY_. The sun! Rise higher. What more can you see? _THE MOTH_. The world! _EVERYBODY_. The world! What does it look like? _THE MOTH_. It is wonderful! _EVERYBODY_. Higher! Higher! What can you see behind the thistles? _THE MOTH_. I can see... Ah! You are so small! Oh, no, I'm sinking. I have forgotten how to fly! I'm so excited! _THE LITTLE CARP_. Here are my golden fins! I can make miracles! _EVERYBODY_. Make a miracle, Moth! _THE LITTLE CARP_. I want... want... No, I order! I order my fins to glare like the sun! _EVERYBODY_. Ah! _THE MOTH_. Seems I'm rising once more! Oh yes, I'm flying! _THE LITTLE CARP_. I command my fins to glare stronger than the Sun! _EVERYBODY_. Ah! _THE POT_. I can glare too. I'm glaring! _THE OLD BOOT_. That's great, splendid! _THE LITTLE CARP_. What a filthy mess here! _THE MOTH_. So much dust here! _THE OLD BOOT_. So it looks like a garbage dump! _EVERYBODY_. A garbage dump! _THE KITTEN_ (to The Dandelion). And for me! For me? Have you got something for me? Squandered everything? You, greedy-guts. Nothing is left for me! _ Somebody growls, The Smart Cat. _ _THE SMART CAT_. What kind of profit,of profit,
      ____ of profit, Can I get here? What kind of fun? When the moon is shining Or the sun Or the sun Or the sun... Why are you so nervous, What are you looking for? You know Cat is coming That's great misfor... Silence! You fool, be carefu-u-l, be carefu-u-l, ____ Can you deceive anyone?
      _THE DANDELION._ No. _THE KITTEN._ Deceive! Neither can I! _THE SMART CAT._ May be you can attack? _THE DANDELION_. No. _THE KITTEN_. Attack! Tell me quickly how to attack! _THE SMART CAT_. Or you can be a thief? _THE DANDELION_. No! _THE KITTEN_. To be a thief! That's my dream to become a thief! _THE SMART CAT_. Oh it's so easy. Well, then, everybody, come here. So do you, Moth. Well, come nearer. Now I'll show you something interesting. You must do this way... One, two, three... Finish! _THE MOTH._ My new wings! _THE SMART CAT_. Tearing your wings in pieces! That is what we call deception. _THE KITTEN_. It is so easy to deceive! _THE SMART CAT_. Now look! One, two, three... Done! _THE LITTLE CARP._ My golden fins! _THE SMART CAT_. Tearing your golden fins in pieces! That is what we call attacking! _THE KITTEN_. Attacking is also very easy. _THE SMART CAT_. Well. Attacking... deceiving... threatening. Threatening. Don't beg for fins and wings again! I'll take them away and tear them into pieces. Look, he - himself hasn't anything more. You wouldn't dare! _ The Moth and The Little Carp disappear. _ Deceiving... threatening... What else? Ah! To be a thief! (To The Dandelion) Let's do something else. I'll show you how to be a thief. _THE KITTEN._ (To The Dandelion). Is it possible that you haven't anything more? _THE DANDELION_. Would you like me to make you a present?.. _THE KITTEN_. Oh, that's great! _THE DANDELION_. If I give you friendship? _THE KITTEN._ Friendship? Oh! I see! Is it better than the golden fins and the new wings? Okay, let's. I'll take friendship. Let's see what kind of profit I can get here. _THE DANDELION._ Take it! _THE KITTEN_. Give me! _THE DANDELION_. Take! _THE KITTEN_. Give, give! Throw it here! _THE DANDELION_. Oh, no, friendship is something different. I can't give it to you this way. _THE SMART CAT_. What did you say you have? Friendship? Does it mean that you don't want to give it on your own free will? Good, look, Kitten, now I'll steal the friendship. Well. You all go away! One, two, three... One, two, three... _THE KITTEN._ It seems that you didn't succeed. Try once more. _THE SMART CAT_. I'll get excited and I'll steal it. One, two, three... One, two, three... It means I'm not excited enough. Hey, Boot, step on my tail. Aha! Now I got excited indeed! Now look out! One, two, three!.. One, two, three... _THE OLD BOOT_. I'm quitting. _THE POT_. I'm saving myself. _THE FLY_. Stop, Smart Cat! _THE SMART CAT_. I can't stop. They excited me! _THE FLY_. You dare, you risk hurting yourself. _THE SMART CAT_. Let me hurt myself! There is nothing that can be done for me now! _THE FLY_. Stop! You are trying to catch something that doesn't exist! _THE SMART CAT_. What! What are you buzzing? I don't hear you! One, two, three... _THE FLY_. But you can't steal something that doesn't exist! _THE SMART CAT._ I can! Something you can give - you can also steal! Now I'll take it the same! It won't get away! Now I'll take it the same! It won't get away! I'll run it down! I'll deceive it! I'll catch it! _THE FLY_. You should wait it appears. _THE SMART CAT_. Who else must appear? _THE FLY._ Friendship! _THE SMART CAT._ What friendship? _THE FLY_. Friendship that soon will appear between them! _THE SMART CAT_. I can't understand it. What are you buzzing about? _THE FLY_. What do you want to steal? _THE SMART CAT_. Everything! _THE FLY_. You are greedy! _THE SMART CAT_. I'm excited! _THE FLY_. Their friendship is still a very small one, that is why you can't catch it. It always falls through your claws. _THE SMART CAT_. Ah, through my claws... I see... _THE FLY_. Have some pity on yourself! _THE SMART CAT._ Pity? On myself? I got excited by myself, and I'll calm down by myself. The Smart Cat is good, he is cunning, dexterous, cowardly. Calm yourself down, take off your claws, lower your tail, screw up your eyes, purr... All you are fools! _THE FLY._ You have to be more cunning. _THE SMART CAT_. I can't be more cunning than I am. Teach me. _THE FLY_. Okay. But first let's overhear what they are talking about... _THE SMART CAT_. I am an expert at eavesdropping! _ The Kitten and The Dandelion. _ _THE KITTEN_. I don't know how to be friends. Teach me. _THE DANDELION._ To be friends? - You must stretch out your hand. _THE KITTEN_. I only have a paw. _THE DANDELION._ Give me your paw. _THE KITTEN_. And what else? _THE DANDELION._ Now you must say that yo-uu need me so-o much. _THE KITTEN._ I need you so-o much, I need you so-o much. And what else? Well, then? _THE DANDELION_. Now you give me your word of honour. Tell me that you will never leave me. _THE KITTEN_. I will give it to you. I am able to leave. The Fly taught me. If you like. I can teach you too! You must turn your back on me. Well? You don't want to? Then I'll turn. _THE DANDELION._ Kitten! _THE KITTEN_. What? _THE DANDELION_. Where are you going to? _THE KITTEN._ Now I must go and not glance back. Bye! _THE DANDELION._ Farewell... Stop! _THE KITTEN._ I can't stop. Farewell! _THE DANDELION_. Doesn't it mean that if I suffer you won't come to save me? It's so strange... Well, Okay, bye! _THE KITTEN._ Adieu. _ Goes off. _ _THE FLY_. They have parted. That's great! This means that it works! I know that friendship strengthens when apart. They say it becomes even stronger. What a pity! But those who make friends posses all the world. Oh, sorry, garbage dumps! _THE SMART CAT_. Our garbage dumps! _THE FLY_. Yes, those who are friends, can withstand all adversities! _THE SMART CAT_. Our adversities! _THE FLY_. They say, that friendship can destroy a lie! _THE SMART CAT_. Our lie! _THE FLY_. Cowardice can be lost because of friendship! _THE SMART CAT_. Our cowardice! _THE FLY_. Indifference! _THE SMART CAT_. Our Indifference! _THE FLY_. Stupidity! _THE SMART CAT_. Stupidity! _THE FLY_. Flattery! _THE SMART CAT_. Flattery! _THE FLY_. Envy. _THE SMART CAT_. Envy! _THE FLY_. Selfishness. _THE SMART CAT_. Selfishness. _THE SMART CAT_. Selfishness! Oh, will selfishness be lost too? Well, I can't agree with you. Fly, bite my tail, try to tease me. _THE FLY_. You'll do a lot of harm to yourself. You should be careful. _THE SMART CAT_. I will be careful. I'm good at sneaking up. _THE FLY_. You should be patient... _THE SMART CAT_. I'm always very patient, while I'm waiting. _THE FLY._ You should be more cunning! _THE SMART CAT_. Oh, I'm cunning enough, you know. _THE FLY_. Then... we'll wait! Let their friendship grow up and then... _THE SMART CAT_. And then what?.. _THE FLY_. Then you'll seize it with all your paws. _THE SMART CAT_. Oh, Fly!.. _THE FLY_. Well, Smart Cat! _THE SMART CAT_. They are all fools. _THE FLY_. Ha-ha-ha! _ Disappear. The Kitten. _ _THE KITTEN_. I'll!.. I'll!.. I'll scamper about! I'll! I'll! I'll get worked up! I'll become playful! I'll! I'll! How dull it is... Oh! There's somebody here! _ The Boot and The Pot. _ _THE OLD BOOT._ Good evening! _THE POT_. Good evening! _THE OLD BOOT._ What I told you! Even the sun is worn out. Everything wears out... _THE POT_. Fins... _THE OLD BOOT._ Wings... _THE POT._ Everything is worn out, everything is over. _THE OLD BOOT._ How dark it is! _THE POT_. Dark! What is it, there? _THE OLD BOOT._ The moon has risen. _THE POT._ It'll wear out by the morning. _THE OLD BOOT._ It is not worth thinking about it. It will certainly be warn out. _THE POT_. And stars will be worn out. _THE OLD BOOT._ Only we won't be worn out. _THE POT_. We'll remain. _THE OLD BOOT._ Yes... _THE POT_. Yes... _THE OLD BOOT._ See you soon! _THE POT._ Let's meet in the morning, after the night is worn out. _THE OLD BOOT._ In the morning, when the night is worn out. _ They part. _ _THE KITTEN._ They've gone away. And I'm alone! Oh, I feel upset! It is so boring. Who is here? _ The Moth, The Little Carp. _ _THE LITTLE CARP_. I've nearly become the Goldfish forever... _THE MOTH_. And I've nearly become a Butterfly!.. _THE LITTLE CARP_. Now I've got only gold dreams, left for me... _THE MOTH._ Sometimes I still fly in my dreams... _THE LITTLE CARP_. I'll go and have my dream... _THE MOTH._ I may fly over the thistles in my dream... _ Go away. The Smart Cat. _ _THE SMART CAT_. I can't get asleep. I'm fond of walking under the Moon! I'll tell you a secret: it's easier to steal something by moonlight. Because then you can see everything. I mean, one can see nothing. My only eye is shining brightly, isn't it? As if it were a green glow-worm! And my hair is so bright! My second eye was catapulted. What an eye it was! Much better than this one! They couldn't even be compared! How I could look at the world then! What a keen eye I had! And now... When one looks at the world with his only eye, everybody seems to be an enemy. I hear somebody approaching. Who is that? Oh, it's you!... And there's somebody else... I'm leaving! _ leaves. The Fly. _ _THE FLY_. How quiet it is! How silent! Everybody is sleeping. Everything is in order. The night moonlight is useful only to cats. _ Leaves. The Kitten and The Dandelion. _ _THE KITTEN._ Where did everybody hide from me? Hey! Is there anybody here? Hey! Here you are! _THE DANDELION_. I'm sleeping. Children should go to bed at night. _THE KITTEN_. But I am bored! Well... Listen... Look... the Moon is so bright! _THE DANDELION._ Moon! (Opening slightly). I like looking at the Moon! _THE KITTEN_. As for us, cats, it's the best time for walks. _THE DANDELION_ (half-open). Walks! I am fond of walks! _THE KITTEN_. Well, get out! _THE DANDELION._ What for? _THE KITTEN._ Let's do something. _THE DANDELION_ (getting out). Let's do. _THE KITTEN_. Let's admire the Moon! _ They admire the Moon. _ Well, we have admired enough. Let's do something else. _THE DANDELION_. Let's listen . _THE KITTEN_. Well, let's listen. _ They listen. _ We've listened. What else? Well, let's smell. _THE DANDELION_. But I can't. _THE KITTEN._ Neither can I. We Cats have a poor nose. We'd rather look. THE DANDELION. How clever you are. _ They look. _ _THE KITTEN._ Well, What did you see? _THE DANDELION._ You. _THE KITTEN._ And I saw you. It's Wonderful. Let's continue looking. _ They look. _ What else did you see? _THE DANDELION._ The Moon. _THE KITTEN._ Oh, so did I! Well, wait a minute. I've already seen it before. When we were admiring it. And you? _THE DANDELION._ I had seen it before too. Do you know, what we are doing now? _THE KITTEN._ What? _THE DANDELION._ It seems to me, that we are recalling. Let's recollect. _THE KITTEN._ Let us. _ They recall. _ What are you recalling? _THE DANDELION._ I think, I'm recalling you. _THE KITTEN_. How nice it is! And what am I like? _THE DANDELION._ You are young in my recollections. _THE KITTEN._ And you know, I'm recalling you. And you are young too. How nice it is! Well, let's recall something else. It is not very interesting you recall only me, you look at me... Try to recall something else. _THE DANDELION._ What should I? _THE KITTEN._ Try to recall, how we admired the Moon. _THE DANDELION._ Oh, I recall it. _THE KITTEN_. And that's all? _THE DANDELION._ I think it is. _THE KITTEN._ I know what we shall do. But it's difficult.