There was once a woman who lived all by herself and was very lonely. She never had any children of her own, but she wished very much to have a child. So, one day she went to an old witch and told her, “I so very much wish to have a little daughter! No matter how tiny!”

“That can be easily managed!” said the witch. “Here is a barley corn for you. Take it and plant it in a flower pot, and then wait and see what happens.”

The woman did as she was told. The next morning a magnificent flower had grown in the pot. When it opened its petals, sitting inside was a tiny little girl, scarcely as tall as a thumb. And so, they called her Thumbelina.

A walnut shell served her as a cradle, a rose petal – as a blanket. All day long she would sing beautiful songs and play on the table, bathing in a plateful of water that seemed as large as a lake to her.

One night, while Thumbelina was asleep, a large and ugly toad crept into the room. She saw the pretty little girl and exclaimed in delight, “Here is a perfect wife for my little son!”

The toad grabbed the walnut shell with Thumbelina inside and hopped out into the garden.
A broad stream flowed nearby. The toad and her son lived on on its muddy bank. Ugh! What a nasty, clammy thing he was! Just like his mother.

“Croak! Croak! What have you brought?” he cried as he saw Thumbelina.

“Quiet!” the toad ordered. “Or she’ll wake up and run away from us. Let’s put her on a lily pad out in the stream. She’ll never escape from there. Meanwhile, I’ll make you both a cozy nest in the mud.”

When the poor girl woke up in the middle of the stream, she was very scared.
 
The little fish that lived in the stream heard what the toad was up to. They felt sorry for the girl and bit through the stalk that held the lily pad. Away sailed the lily pad with little Thumbelina on it. She was free!

A butterfly flew over and wanted to help too. Thumbelina threw it her waistband, and the lily pad glided on much faster. No way the ugly toad could catch up with her now!

Just then a great cockchafer flew past above the stream.

“What a pretty little thing!” he thought when he noticed Thumbelina. He snatched her up and took her to his tree.

The other cockchafers examined the girl curiously but they did not like her at all:

“She has only two legs!”
“She hasn’t even got any wings!”
“Pooh! She looks like a human. How ugly!»

Thereupon, the cockchafer found all at once that Thumbelina was not so beautiful as he had thought at first. He did not want to keep her anymore. She could go wherever she liked. He took her down to the ground and left her on a daisy flower.

Poor Thumbelina began to cry. Was she really so ugly that even the cockchafers had driven her away?

All through the summer and all through the fall, Thumbelina lived all by herself in the woods, but when it turned cold and the first snow fell, she set off to to look for a shelter. She was so frail and delicate, she would freeze to death in the winter!

As she wandered along, she came across a mouse hole. A field mouse lived there in warmth and contentment with lots of food stocked up for the winter. She took a shine to Thumbelina and said, “You can stay with me through the winter as long as you keep my rooms nice and clean and tell me stories.” So, Thumbelina did everything the field mouse told her to do.

The mouse’s neighbor was a blind mole. He was also rich and his rooms were large, but he hated the sun and the flowers. As if! He’d never seen them!

“If you could only have him for a husband,”the mouse would say. “You would be set for life!”

Thumbelina, however, did not want to marry a greedy, boring mole. Especially not when there there was a dead swallow in his hole.

“I have no idea how he got here,”aid the mole. “I guess he must have hurt his wing and frozen to death. Don’t you mind him.”

But how can anyone turn their back on such misery! Thumbelina wove a blanket of hay and covered the swallow.

“Poor swallow, you sang to me so sweetly in the spring!”

Suddenly the bird’s heart began to beat again. The warmth of the blanket had restored him to life!

All through the winter, Thumbelina nursed the swallow. Neither the mole nor the field mouse had any idea. By spring, his wing was healed, and the swallow was ready to fly away.

It was then that the mole asked Thumbelina to be his wife, while the field mouse began to prepare a dowry for the wedding.

“Dear swallow, take me with you!” Thumbelina begged. “If I stay and live under ground with the mole, I will never see the sun and the flowers again!”

The swallow gladly took Thumbelina with him to warmer climes where there is so much sunshine and so many flowers that there’s no better place in the whole world.

He put Thumbelina down upon the flower that she chose as a beautiful home to live in. But how amazing! Out of the nearby flower buds flew lots of lovely tiny flower-fairies. They surrounded the girl and could not take their eyes off of her.

“You are so pretty! Would you like to live with us and fly like we do?”they asked her.

“Oh, yes, that would be wonderful!” said Thumbelina.

And the elves presented her with a pair of wings so that she, too, could flit like them from flower to flower!

Once upon a time there lived a miller who had three sons. When the miller died, his scarce possessions were his sons’ only inheritance: a mill, a donkey, and a cat. The mill went to the eldest son, the donkey to the second son, and the youngest son was left with the cat.

“A bequest that’s just right for you,” laughed the older brothers, who never missed a chance to make fun of the youngest.

“Do not be concerned, master,” mewed the cat. “I am no mill and no donkey, but neither am I just an ordinary cat. I cannot grind grain like a mill nor carry heavy weights like a donkey, but I’ve got the smarts aplenty. If you will but buy me a pair of boots and give me a bag, you will soon be living a life you’ve never even dreamed of.

The master was surprised but he did as the cat asked.

The cat pulled the boots onto his hind legs, put oats in the bag, slung the bag over his shoulder, and went out hunting. In the forest he found a place where there was an abundance of rabbits, opened the bag, threw it on the ground and hid himself in the bushes.

He did not have to wait long. Curious, some young rabbits hopped up to the bag, sniffed it and jumped inside to feast on the oats: just as the cat had expected. He leaped out of the bushes, pulled the strings to close the bag, and off he went with it to the royal palace.

It has to be said that the king was a great lover of good food. He was a great lover of money too. Nothing gave him such joy as good food or a jingling coin.

The cat made a low bow and said to the king, “Your Majesty! I have brought you this humble gift from my noble master as a token of his deep respect.”

— “How generous of him! What is the name of your master?”

— “The Marquis of Carabas, Your Majesty,” said the cat inventing the name on the spot.

—“Tell the Marquis that I am very pleased with his gift.”

The cat bowed in farewell and set off for home. From that day on for several months he brought the king treats from the Marquis of Carabas — rabbits and partridges that he caught in the forest. And his master had no idea what Puss in Boots was up to.

“Oh, what an honorable man, that Marquis of Carabas!”— the king would say in delight.

“Indeed he is, Your Majesty,” the cat agreed with a nod of the head. “Honorable and very rich.”

The daughter of the king, the beautiful princess, was also curious about the mysterious marquis.

“I should like to meet your master!”she told the cat.

The cat looked at the princess and realized she would make his master a wonderful wife.

“Nothing could be simpler, Your Highness,” the cat exclaimed. “Tomorrow you will find him taking his walk by the river. He goes there every day and believes there’s no better place for quiet reflection.”

“Father, let’s pay a visit to the Marquis of Carabas!” the princess begged of the king.

The king nodded his consent, and the cat ran home to the miller’s son in all haste.

“Tomorrow, master, your life will change. All you have to do is go for a swim in the river”.

“I’ve never heard of lives being changed by swimming in a river. But I don’t mind taking a dip.”

Next morning, accompanied by the cat, the miller’s son went to the river. As soon as he slid into the water, the cat snatched up all his clothes and hid them in the bushes.

At that very moment, the royal carriage appeared on the road. The cat sprang into the road and yelled at the top of his lungs, “Help! Help! The Marquis of Carabas is drowning!”

The king heard the yelling and commanded the coachman to stop.

“Hurry, Father, we have to help,” the princess exclaimed, peeping out of the carriage.

“Hey, Guardsmen! Pull the Marquis out of the water!” the king commanded.

The miller’s son had the fright of his life when two big fellows started dragging him out of the river where he was enjoying the warm water.

The king’s servants searched every bush on the river bank but failed to find the young man’s clothes. The king ordered them to run and fetch his silk suit for the Lord Marquis of Carabas. The miller’s son refused at first, but he rather liked the magnificent gold-embroidered suit and so he gladly donned on the royal attire.

“After you, Marquis,” said the king, inviting the young man to enter the carriage where the beautiful princess was sitting.

The poor miller’s son was stunned at such a great honor, but he needed no persuasion to climb into the carriage. They rode over fields and meadows which belonged to a wealthy ogre whose castle was nearby.

Meanwhile, the cat had run on ahead. On his way he saw peasants mowing hay in a meadow.

“Hey, folks,” the cat said, “the king will soon be coming down this road and if you don’t tell him that these meadows belong to the Marquis of Carabas, it’ll be off with your heads!”

The mowers barely had time to be surprised before the king’s carriage drew up.

“Tell me, whose meadows are you mowing?” the king inquired.

“They belong to the Marquis of Carabas,” they chorused.

The king exclaimed, “What fine lands you have, Marquis!”

The miller’s son, who was increasingly enjoying the role of a rich marquis, only managed to say, “Yes, sire.”

In the meantime, the cat had sped to the ogre’s castle. With feline dexterity, he jumped over the stone wall and made his way into the castle.

The ogre was sitting at a huge table groaning with all kinds of foods. He nearly choked at the sight of a cat in boots.

“What are you doing here?”

“I have come to pay my respects,” the cat answered.“They say that you are able to change yourself into any kind of creature you like. Even one that’s bigger than you, a lion, for example. But I find that hard to believe.”

“How dare you!” the ogre roared and, quick as a flash, he turned himself into a giant lion with a shaggy mane.

The cat’s heart sank into his boots, but he collected himself and said, “Other people say you can change into something small, a mouse, for example, but I have my doubts.”

Insulted, the lion began to roar and immediately disappeared. Where he had been standing there was a tiny little mouse. That was what the cat had been waiting for. In the blink of an eye, he fell him and ate him up.

At that very moment, the royal carriage drove through the gates of the castle. The cat rushed out to meet the guests.

“Your Majesty is welcome to the castle of the Marquis of Carabas!”

It was hard to say who was more surprised, the king or the miller’s son who no longer had any idea what was happening.

“What a splendid castle!” said the king in admiration. “I’m very pleased to call you my loyal friend, Marquis.”

“Indeed,” was all the miller’s son could say.

“May I invite you to dine with us?” asked Puss in Boots and led the guests into a hall where a magnificent dinner was served.

The king ate to his heart’s content, then said, “Well, my dear Marquis, I can see that you in fact are a man of worth. I would be delighted to give you my daughter’s hand in marriage”.

The princess clapped her hands in happiness. The young, handsome, and what’s more wealthy Marquis was very much to her liking.

And so, the miller’s son married the princess and became a prince. They lived long and happily ever after, especially the cat, who became a great lord and ever after caught mice only for fun.

And when the miller’s son was asked how he achieved such success, he would simply reply, “Well... You had better ask my cat.”

In a certain town, there once lived a boy and a girl, named Kai and Gerda. They had been friends since they were small, and they loved each other very much. Their houses were so close together that the children could talk to each other through the windows. On the windowsill they grew roses and sat and looked at picture books. Every so often Kai would visit Gerda and her Granny would tell them stories.

But then came winter. Cold winds swooped down upon the town, and a strange malady befell Kai.

“Ow!” he cried.“Something has pierced my heart! And there’s something in my eye!”

“Let me help!” said Gerda, reaching out to him, but Kai brushed her away.

“It doesn’t hurt. It’s gone now!”

Kai was wrong: a splinter of ice was stuck in his eye and another in his heart. They made his eyes unkind and his heart cold and wicked.

From that day on, Kai was different. He made fun of Granny, trampled in the rose beds that he and Gerda had once tended with so much love, and finally he shouted at Gerda, “I don’t want to be your friend any more, you’re stupid! I’d rather go sledding!”

In the town square the boys would tie theirs sleds to the big country sleighs and have fun being towed along at top speed. Kai too tied his sled to a large white sleigh in which a beautiful lady was sitting. Little did he know that this was the Snow Queen herself!

Suddenly snow began to fall thickly, and the cart kept going faster and faster and on out of town..

“Help!” cried Kai, but there was no one to hear him.

The Snow Queen took Kai into her lap and gave him a kiss. It made his heart freeze still more and he immediately forgot about Gerda, Granny, and everyone he knew.

As soon as the snow melted, Gerda took a little boat and sailed down the river in search of Kai.
The sleigh soared up into the sky and, along with the snowstorm, it headed for the far north.

But what became of little Gerda when Kai disappeared? Everyone in town said he must be dead, but Gerda refused to believe it. As soon as the snow melted, she took a little boat and sailed down the river in search of her friend.

An old woman who knew witchcraft lived on the river bank.

She saw Gerda and thought, ‘What a fine little girl that is! She would make me a nice companion!’ She drew the boat to shore with her crooked stick.

“I am looking for Kai! Have you seen him?”Gerda asked.

“No,” said the old woman. “But you could do with a meal and a nap, my dear.”

The old woman’s cottage was warm and cozy inside. And what a lovely flower garden! Every flower on earth was there. Mesmerized, Gerda wandered around the garden, unaware of time passing, day after day after day…

She could tell she had forgotten something important, but what was it? She just couldn’t remember. Gerda started crying bitterly and where her tears fell, a beautiful rose grew. It was the rose that reminded her of Kai.

“How long I have delayed! I must go and find Kai!” Gerda cried and made her escape from the wicked witch.

It was already late fall when Gerda ran out of the garden. She had spent all spring and summer in the old woman’s cottage!

On and on Gerda ran until she came to a magnificent castle. A raven sat at the gate.

“Dear raven, I am looking for Kai. Have you seen him?”

“Caw! Could it be your Kai who r-recently mar-r-ried our princess?? Come with me! My fiancée is a court r-raven. She will take us in.”

The ravens took Gerda into the bedroom where the prince and the princess slept peacefully in their flower-shaped beds. Full of hope, Gerda held the candle near the prince’s face. He woke up and looked at Gerda. Alas! It wasn’t Kai!

Gerda sighed heavily and told the prince and the princess about her sorrow.

“You poor thing!” they said and gave Gerda a golden carriage so that she could find Kai more quickly.‘How kind everyone is to me,’ Gerda thought happily.

In the morning the girl bid farewell to her new friends and hastened on her way.

Even in the dark woods, the carriage shone like the sun, and was immediately spotted by robbers. They swooped down on it and quickly stole everything of value.
“Don’t you lay a finger on the princess! She’s going to play with me!” commanded a little robber girl and threatened Gerda with her knife. “If you refuse, I’ll cut you into bits!”

“I am not a princess at all,” said Gerda. She told the little robber girl how she loved Kai and how much she wanted to find him.

“The Snow Queen probably took your Kai to Lapland,” said a reindeer that lived as a prisoner of the little robber girl.

“Do you know where Lapland is, sir?” asked Gerda.

“I most certainly do for I was born there!”

The robber girl twiddled her knife and took pity on poor Gerda.

“So be it! Off with you! And hurry, before I change my mind!“

“Thank you! Thank you!” Gerda wept for joy and the reindeer raced away to Lapland with little Gerda on his back.

He ran through forests and over plains, stopping neither day nor night until the Northern Lights blazed up in the sky.

“Here it is, Lapland, my home!” said the reindeer and stopped by a shabby little hut where an old Lapland woman lived.

The woman was cooking fish soup and gave a warm welcome to her guests.

The reindeer told her the story of Gerda and Kai while Gerda was so numb with cold she couldn’t utter a word.

“Ah, you poor creatures!” said the old Lapland woman. “The Snow Queen really does have Kaibutt he is quite content and thinks there is no better place on earth! And all because there are splinters of ice in his heart and eye. They must be removed or he will stay like this forever.”

“But how can we break the spells cast by the Snow Queen?”the reindeer asked.

“Gerda’s power is that she has the pure heart of a child,”said the old Lapland woman. “Look, she has traveled half the world, and all the people and all the animals help her. If she can’t free Kai, then no one can! Take her to the ice castle and may neither mist nor snow stop you!”

Meanwhile, Kai was making complicated figures out of bits of ice. He was blue with cold, but he didn’t notice, for the Snow Queen’s kisses had turned his heart to ice. The Queen herself was away, covering the towns with snow and Kai was playing by himself.

Little Gerda ran into the hall of ice. When she caught sight of Kai, she flung her arms around him. “Oh, Kai, my dear Kai! I have found you at last!”

But Kai did not recognize her. He was as cold as the ice figures all around him.

Gerda burst into tears. Was she really too late?

Her warm tears fell onto Kai’s chest and melted his ice heart. Kai looked at Gerda and burst into tears as well. His tears melted the splinter of ice in his eye.

“Gerda!”he cried. “I am so happy! What is this place? How cold and empty it is!”

Hand in hand, Kai and Gerda left the Snow Queen’s castle, and the reindeer took them home — to the delight of Granny and of all their kith and kin.

Once upon a time an unusual band of musicians from the town of Bremen arrived at the royal palace – a Dog, a Cat, a Donkey, and a Rooster, and with them — their jovial master Troubadour. The town’s folk gathered in the square, for whoever heard of animals singing and playing musical instruments! Even the King and his daughter, the Princess, stepped out onto the balcony to take a look at the show.

The Musicians of Bremen performed a song, then climbed on each other’s backs to make a pyramid so high that Troubadour found himself face to face with the beautiful Princess.

“Oh!” cried the Princess. It was love at first sight. But this did not especially delight the King.

“That’s all I needed! A Princess mixing with traveling players!” he yelled and ordered his royal guard to kick the musicians out immediately.

Hardly had our friends finished their song than the guard threw them out of the palace.

“Just you try and come back!” yelled the King. “You’ll never get away with it!”

The people of the town were terribly upset. They could have listened to the musicians of Bremen every day of the week! And how the Princess wept when separated from Troubadour. But no one dared defy the King.

The Dog, the Cat, the Donkey, and the Rooster picked up their instruments and wandered
away. Behind them came the sad Troubadour. For once in his life he did not feel like singing or dancing. Forlorn, he simply yearned for his Princess.

“Chin up, Troubadour! We’ll think of something!” his friends promised.

They wandered all day and, when darkness descended, they came upon a small hut in the woods.

“Whoever lives here will perhaps not refuse us shelter for the night,” they said hopefully and peeped through the window.

Inside a gang of robbers were feasting. They were roasting meat over the fire, swilling it down with wine, and bellowing out songs.

“The King rides through our woods tomorrow! We go – bam! And all his lovely gold’s in our pocket!” their chief said, roaring with laughter.

Troubadour immediately came up with a cunning plan. He put it to his friends, and they all began screaming in scary voices, blowing the trumpets, and banging the drums. The robbers were scared stiff. They took to their heels and fled and have never been seen in those woods since.

In the morning the King did indeed travel through the wood in his carriage. The Dog, the
Cat, the Donkey, and the Rooster, disguised as a gang of robbers, lay in wait, dragged the King out of the carriage and tied him to a tall tree.

“Got you, Your Majesty!” they chuckled and went off into the hut to celebrate.

“Help!” cried the King, but who could hear him deep in the woods?

Right then, out of nowhere, appeared Troubadour.

“Your Majesty, is it you?!” cried Troubadour as if he really hadn’t expected to see the King.

“Yes, yes! It’s me!” the King whispered. “I’ve been attacked! Rescue me, I beg you!”
And he wept like a little child.

Troubadour didn’t only rescue the King, he chased off the “robbers” as well.

“Well,” the King said to Troubadour. “I can see you are a nice fellow, even though you are a musician. You can marry my daughter if you like. I give you my blessing!”

Troubadour married the Princess that very day. All the people of the town came to wish joy to the newlyweds. And the loyal friends – the Dog, the Cat, the Donkey, and the Rooster, sang them a merry song.

Once upon a time and long time ago, there lived a man of noble family. He had a charming young daughter and he loved her with all his heart and soul. Unfortunately, his wife died, and he decided to marry again. But his second marriage did not last long. Very soon he too got sick and died. And so, his daughter was left to the care of her wicked stepmother who had two daughters of her own – two spoiled and willful sisters.

The stepmother and the sisters took a dislike to the poor girl. They sent her to live in a tiny room in the attic and treated her like a servant. From morning till night, she would sweep the floor, cook their meals, wash their clothes, and clean their rooms. Her dress was always dirty with ash and cinders: after all, she cleaned the hearth every night. And so everyone called her Cinderella. But even dressed in rags, Cinderella was beautiful and kind, and she never once complained about her unhappy lot.

One day a royal messenger came to their house with an announcement from the king himself, “All unmarried young ladies of our kingdom are invited to attend the royal ball at the king’s palace. The Prince, the king’s heir, will be choosing a bride!”

"Oh! Ah!" gasped the sisters in excitement as they rushed to the mirror to pink and preen and put on their finest clothes.

Orders and instructions were hurled at Cinderella:

"Do my hair, Cinderella! Tie my bow, Cinderella!”

"Bring me my shoes and hat! And hurry or we’ll be late!

"Does this mean I can go to the ball too?" Cinderella asked in delight. "All the unmarried girls are invited.”

But the cruel sisters just made fun of her, "Look at her! The cinder wench is hoping to marry the prince! What an idea! Go and sweep the floor while we’re out dancing at the ball!”

Off to the ball went the sisters and the stepmother, while Cinderella sat in the garden and wept bitterly. Would nothing good ever happen to her?

At that very moment, her Fairy Godmother popped up out of nowhere.

"Don’t cry, Cinderella! I can help you! You’ll see. Tonight you will sparkle at the ball!”

She waved her magic wand, and a large pumpkin in the garden began to grow bigger and bigger until it turned into a magnificent golden carriage. Mice became horses, and a dog a coachman with a jaunty mustache.

The Fairy Godmother waved her wand again, and Cinderella suddenly found herself wearing a fabulous evening gown and on her feet a pair of glass slippers.

Cinderella could hardly believe her eyes. She rushed to her Fairy Godmother and wound her arms around her, “"Thank you, dear Godmother!”

"Hurry up, my love, but remember: on the stroke of midnight the carriage will turn back into a pumpkin!" the Fairy Godmother warned and then she disappeared.

When Cinderella entered the palace, everyone gasped and wondered who the beautiful stranger could be. Had she appeared at court before? Not even her stepmother and the two stepsisters recognized her.

The prince too was so captivated by Cinderella that all the evening he danced only with her. The stepsisters nearly burst with envy!

Cinderella was swept away by the dancing and so happy that she lost track of time. Suddenly the clock struck midnight. She had to run, for the magic would soon melt away!

"Farewell!"cried Cinderella to the prince and, although she was sorry to part with him, she ran toward the gates. She went down the stairs so fast that she dropped one of her slippers on the stairs.

And that was that! The carriage turned back into a pumpkin, the horses into mice, and the coachman into a dog. Instead of the fabulous gown, Cinderella was once again in rags smudged with ash and cinder.

And yet she did manage to take something away from the ball – her happy memories and her love for the handsome prince.

Next day the news spread all through the kingdom land that the Prince was determined, come what may, to find the girl who had lost her glass slipper at the ball.

"The lady whose foot the slipper fits, will become the Prince’s wife!" messengers announced on every corner.

The prince traveled to all the nearby towns, but he could not find the owner of the slipper. Eventually, he came to the house where Cinderella lived. She opened the door to him and immediately recognized her tiny slipper in his hands. Her heart began to beat more quickly, but she was so excited she could not utter a single word…

At that very moment, the stepsisters pounced on the Prince. They snatched the slipper from his hands and started squeezing their chubby feet into it this way and that. They curled up their toes, they huffed and complained, but the slipper was hopelessly small.

Saddened by yet another failed attempt, the Prince was about to leave when all of a sudden caught he sight of sweet, modest Cinderella and asked: "Why don’t you try it on as well?”

"Who? Her? Your Highness, she’s just a servant!" said the wicked stepmother indignantly.

But the Prince insisted.

To everybody’s astonishment, the slipper was a perfect fit. It began to sparkle on her tiny foot!

"So it was you! "rejoiced the prince. "How happy I am to have found you!”

He went down on one knee and asked Cinderella to be his wife. She was delighted to accept.

Meanwhile, the king was thrilled to learn that his only son was getting married at last.

"I will throw the grandest celebration in the history of this kingdom!" he exclaimed. And he was true to his word.

The Prince and Cinderella were married and they lived happily ever after.

Once upon a time, in a large Persian city, there lived a poor tailor who had a son called Aladdin. When the tailor died, the boy was left an orphan and had to fend for himself.

One day, a stranger called out to him in the street, “Aren’t you Aladdin, the tailor’s son?”

"The very same, sir," answered Aladdin, "but my father died a long time ago.”

Upon hearing this, the stranger took Aladdin into his arms and began to cry and wail loudly, “Woe is me, woe is me! I am your father’s brother, your uncle! I have traveled for many years, and now I am back. I hoped to see my brother, but alas, he is dead!

"My father never told me he had a brother," said the boy suspiciously.

But the stranger started to cry even more loudly, and Aladdin believed him.

"You are my only consolation," exclaimed the uncle and gave ten dinars to Aladdin. "Do as I tell you and I will make you rich.

‘Fortune has favored me in granting me such a generous uncle!’ Aladdin thought happily.

"Do you see that mountain over there?" the uncle asked. "Follow me.”

Aladdin did not feel like walking so far, for night was approaching, but he didn’t dare object. At the foot of the mountain, the uncle uttered some strange words, and the stones split apart, revealing the entrance to a cave.

"Go down," said the uncle. "You will find a treasure trove. Take whatever you like, and just bring me an old copper lamp.”

"But why don’t you want to go down there yourself, uncle?" asked Aladdin.

"No one can enter the treasure trove but you. It is under a spell and the treasure can only be taken by a boy called Aladdin. I have searched the world for you, and you won’t escape me now. Do as you’re told, or it will be the worse for you.”

Aladdin realized that this man was not his uncle but a wicked Sorcerer. ‘He will kill me if I don’t bring him the lamp,’ he thought in terror and climbed down into the cave.

The treasure trove was lit by a faint glimmer of moonlight, and Aladdin saw piles of silver, gold, and precious gems. He rushed to fill his pockets. He only wished he had a bag with him!

"Make haste and bring me the lamp!" yelled the Sorcerer.

Aladdin took the lamp, green with age, from the wall, and shouted, “Haul me up, I can’t get out on my own.”

"First, give me the lamp!”

The Sorcerer had no intention of hauling Aladdin up, he cared only for the lamp.

But Aladdin refused to hand it over until he was back above ground.

"Arghhh!" The Sorcerer flew into a terrible rage. "Then here you will stay forever!

He uttered the magic words again, and the earth closed over Aladdin head.

The boy yelled and shouted for help, but no one heard him. So he sat down and began to cry. He was going to die of hunger, all because of some filthy lamp! He happened to run a hand over the lamp, and the earth trembled A voice rang out like thunder in the darkness, "What is it you want? Your wish is my command.”

Aladdin was so scared that he gripped the lamp and cried, “Get me out of here!”

No sooner had he uttered the words, than he found himself outside. It was daylight and the sun shone brightly. Before him stood an enormous genie.

"I am the Slave of the Lamp and of whoever who owns it," he said. "I will grant your every wish. If you want me to destroy the city or build a palace, give me the command.”

"Can you bring me something to eat?" asked Aladdin.

"Your wish is my command.” In an instant, the genie placed a table spread with food before the boy.

When he had eaten his fill, Aladdin put the lamp in his bosom and ran back to the city.

Princess Budur, daughter of the Sultan, was riding through the market square. Her beauty was unrivaled and so the Sultan had forbidden the citizens from looking at her face. Pushing and shoving, the crowd fled the square. Only Aladdin hid and watched so great was his desire to see the beautiful Princess. One glance and Aladdin knew no peace. “I will marry her, or I will die!” he resolved.

The next day, Aladdin commanded the genie to fetch him a dozen camels laden with precious gems and headed to the Sultan’s Palace.

The Sultan was seated on the throne, and by his side stood the Grand Vizier.

"Oh, Sultan, accept my gift and hear my request," said Aladdin, bowing to the Sultan. "I wish to marry your daughter Princess Budur.

Sultan adored precious jewels, and he had none like the ones brought by Aladdin.

“Someone with such precious stones is surely worthy to be my daughter’s husband,” thought the Sultan. “What say you, Vizier?”
The Vizier’s face was green with envy for he had a son and wanted him to marry Princess Budur.

"But what if these gems are all he has, Sultan, and you will be marrying your daughter to a poor man?" said the Vizier. "Let him build a palace on the barren ground beneath your windows. Then we will know if he is rich or poor.”

So said the Sultan to Aladdin.
Barely had night fallen and Aladdin rubbed the lamp, and when the genie appeared, he commanded him to build a palace, the like of which the world had never seen. The genie set to work and by morning he had built a magnificent castle, its roof made of diamonds. The Sultan was thunderstruck and that very evening he threw a great feast to celebrate the wedding of Aladdin and Princess Budur.

It was not long before the news of Aladdin’s magnificent castle reached the wicked Sorcerer, who was livid with anger. After all, only the genie was capable of building a castle like that. The Sorcerer flew back to Persia, and while Aladdin was away hunting, he sneaked into the palace and seized the lamp. He commanded the genie to carry Aladdin’s palace and the beautiful Princess to a faraway land, and his wish was granted instantly.

"Oh, Princess Budur, forget Aladdin and marry me instead!" the Sorcerer begged. "He is poor, a street urchin. He stole my lamp and made fools of us all!”

But Budur loved Aladdin and did not trust the Sorcerer. She realized that the lamp was magic, for the Sorcerer wouldn’t take his hands off it. So, the next day, she pretended to be fond of the Sorcerer.

"You were right, my Lord. Aladdin does not deserve my love. I will marry you," she promised and handed him a glass of wine, into which she had sprinkled a sleeping potion.

Overjoyed, the Sorcerer drained the glass, fell to the floor, and never woke up again.

The Princess took the magic lamp, rubbed it, and commanded the genie to restore the palace to its former location. From that day on, Aladdin and Princess Budur lived happily ever after.

It was Christmas Eve. The big Christmas tree in the parlor sparkled with candles, lighting up its surroundings. Golden apples, walnuts, and colored candy that you longed to tear off had appeared like pine cones on each branch.

Marie and her brother Fritz found lots of presents from Mama and Papa under the tree. Marie was delighted with her porcelain doll, silk dress, and picture books, while Fritz immediately went to sit on his new rocking horse and galloped off around the room, commanding a troop of hussars. But their godfather, Drosselmeyer, who was a great inventor and watchmaker, always gave the children the most unusual toys whenever he came to visit. This year too Marie and Fritz waited impatiently for his present.

Their godfather had made them an ingenious mechanical castle, which contained tiny clockwork figures walking around, and on the turret a clock was ticking. But this castle was for admiring, not for playing with, and Papa put it away in the cupboard with the other toys.

Drosselmeyer hdid have another present too though.

“Godfather, what type of doll is that?” inquired Fritz curiously.

“He’s called the Nutcracker. He will crack nuts for you.”

Marie was immediately fond of the Nutcracker, even though he was ungainly with his big head, heavy jaw, and small body, but he had kind, welcoming eyes.

“Well, let’s see what he can do!” Fritz was the first to grab the Nutcracker and began to stuff the biggest and hardest nuts into his mouth.

Crack! One of the Nutcracker’s teeth fell out, and his lower jaw came loose and hung open.

“He’s rubbish! He can’t do anything!” said Fritz, pushing the toy aside.

“Poor, dear Nutcracker!” lamented Marie, taking him in her arms to care for him and fix him.

In the evening, when Marie was lying in her bed, still cradling the wounded Nutcracker, her godfather popped in.

“Let’s fix that Nutcracker of yours. I found his lost tooth on the parlor floor.” Her godfather skillfully put the tooth back in place.

“Thank you, dear Godfather!” said Marie and hugged the Nutcracker to her chest.

“I’m glad that you are so kind to him, Marie,” said her godfather. “The fact is he wasn’t always made from wood. I remember him as a fine young man who saved the Princess from the wicked schemes of the evil and vengeful Mouse Queen. She turned the beautiful princess into a monster but the Nutcracker found a magic walnut, which turned the Princess back into her original form. Seeing this, the Mouse Queen hurled herself at the young man, but she landed under his heel and died. Unfortunately, she was able to turn him into a wooden nutcracker who can only crack nuts. And there’s more bad news! Her son, the terrible Mouse King, is pursuing him.

“Oh, poor Nutcracker! What a fate he has endured!” exclaimed Marie. “But why don’t you help him, Godfather? After all, there must be a way to lift the spell!”

“It’s not in my power,” her godfather sighed “But perhaps, my kind and constant Marie, you will manage it?”

That night, Marie was woken by rustling and squeaking, the pitter-patter of tiny paws on the other side of the wall. The girl hung off the edge of her bed Through cracks in the floor, thousands of bright eyes were looking at her. Marie screamed, and out came the mice – hordes of them!

The Nutcracker leaped out of the toy cupboard and, swinging a saber, commanded: “Platoon, fall in! Onward into battle!” The toy hussars raised their sabers, loaded their guns, and marched toward the mouse army.The toys fought bravely, but the mice just kept on coming. Victory hung in the balance. Yet the worst was still to come: in the midst of the battle, the evil Mouse King emerged from a hole in the wall and hurled himself at the Nutcracker. Marie’s heart skipped a beat in horror: the mice surrounded the Nutcracker, and the Mouse King raised his saber over him.

“Oh, no!” cried Marie. She took off her slipper and with all her might she launched it straight at the Mouse King.

With that one blow, the Mouse King came crashing down… and crumbled into dust. The mice squeaked and fled. The toys celebrated their victory.

“My dear Marie, said the Nutcracker, “you favored me with your kindness and saved me from death! I am eternally grateful to you. And now, allow me to show you my kingdom. You really must come to visit!”

“I would love to!” agreed Marie, but, remembering it was the middle of the night, she added: “But only if it’s not too far away and just for a little while.”

“I’ll choose the shortest route!”

The doors of the cupboard swung open, and Marie, with bated breath, stepped into fairyland after the Nutcracker.

“Oh, it’s wonderful here!” exclaimed Marie.

They were surrounded by a magical forest: instead of snow, their feet crunched on sparkling sugar crystals. Candied fruits were painted on candy trees, and the air smelled of gingerbread and oranges. In the distance was a castle – remarkably similar to the one that Drosselmeyer had made – and a cozy gingerbread town lay at the bottom of a hill. The inhabitants were singing, dancing, and loading carts with chocolate bars.

“We are in Christmas Forest,” said the Nutcracker, and Marie noticed that the figure beside her was not a wooden toy but a handsome young man. He gestured toward his kingdom with his hand. “Over there is Candyland and Marzipan Castle. My subjects will be happy to meet you and arrange a ball in your honor!”

Marie laughed for joy as together they set off toward Marzipan Castle.

Carlo, the old organ grinder, lived in a tiny cubby hole under the stairs. He was so poor that his only possessions were an old table which was missing a leg and a beautiful hearth. But the hearth was not real: it was painted on canvas.

One day, Giuseppe, the carpenter that lived nearby, gave Carlo a wooden log that suddenly came to life and spoke to him. “What should I do with it?” Carlo wondered. He decided to use the log to carve a wooden boy, whom he named Burattino.

Carlo carved the boy’s head and eyes, and the eyes suddenly opened and stared at him intently. He carved the nose, and the nose suddenly began to grow. It came out long, sharp and curious. Then Carlo carved the mouth…

“Hee-hee-hee! Ha-ha-ha!” Burattino laughed and stuck out his tongue at Carlo.

— I’m not done with you yet, and you're already up to some sort of mischief! — Carlo said sternly. — What next, I wonder?

Shooshera the Rat sniffed at the boy, but didn't smell food, only wood shavings.

“Cree-cree! Listen to Papa Carlo, go school tomorrow” said the talking Cricket behind the hearth.

The next morning, Burattino went to school. Papa Carlo made him a jacket out of colored paper and a cap made out of a sock. He had to sell his own jacket, the only one he had, to buy an ABC book for Burattino, which had beautiful pictures.

— When I grow up and finish school, I will buy a thousand new jackets for you! — said Burattino, and off he ran to school.

On his way he heard cheerful music playing in the distance. He saw people crowded around a tent who were buying tickets to a puppet show. Burattino couldn’t resist and his feet carried him into the crowd. So eager was he to see the show that he traded his new ABC book for a front-row ticket.

The curtain went up and the puppets appeared on the stage. There was a tiny man in a long-sleeved white shirt whose name was Pierrot, and he was reciting a poem to his fiancée, Malvina, a girl with blue hair. Malvina gave a performance with her noble poodle Artemon.

Suddenly, the puppets noticed Burattino and called out to him: "Join us, join us, dear Burattino!" They pulled him onto the stage, hugged and kissed him like an old friend, and then danced a polka together. The audience was moved to tears!

Perplexed by all the noise, a man appeared from behind the curtain, so ghastly in appearance that one might freeze in horror. His thick, unkempt beard dragged along the floor, and his teeth clanked like a crocodile's. It was the owner of the puppet theatre, Karabas Barabas.

— So it was you! You disrupted the show! — he roared, grabbing Burattino and dragging him to the kitchen to throw him into the fire.

Burattino cried out weakly:

— Oh, please, let me go, Signor! My poor Papa Carlo! I am all he has in his old age!

— I know no pity! Get into the fire!

—But I can't, Signor! I once tried to climb into a hearth, but I only poked a hole in it with my nose: the hearth in Papa Carlo’s room is drawn on a piece of canvas.

Karabas glared at the boy with wide eyes.

— So, it is in old Carlo's cubby… Now I know where it is, the secret… — he shut his mouth with his hand to stop himself from blurting out what the secret was. But the puppets had heard enough to know that there was a secret hidden behind the hearth in Papa Carlo’s cubby.

Karabas suddenly warmed up to Burattino and offered him five gold coins:

— Give these to Papa Carlo and tell him never to abandon his tiny old room!

Burattino took the money and ran home in high spirits. Two beggars, Alice the Fox and Basilio the Cat, limped towards him.

— Wealthy, wealthy Burattino, what are you going to do with all this money? — Alice the Fox asked sweetly.

— I will buy a new jacket for Papa Carlo! And an ABC book for myself!

— Goody, goody Burattino, would you like to have ten times as much money? Come with us! We know how to do it.

— They are lying! They are liars! — croaked a crow from a tree. Basilio the Cat jumped up and knocked her down with his paw. She got away in the nick of time!

— Are you lying? — Burattino hesitated.

— Well, too bad if you don’t believe us, it’s your loss! — Alice the Fox wagged her tail and they started walking away.

— No, wait, I want to go with you! — Burattino cried and ran after them.

The Fox and the Cat led Burattino to an empty lot littered with broken pots, torn shoes and piles of garbage.

— Here we are, dear Burattino, this is the Field of Wonders! — said the Alice the Fox. — Dig a hole in the ground, put your money in it and don't forget to repeat “Krex-Fex-Pex” three times. Then you should go home and have a good night’s sleep. And in the morning a tree will grow in that hole with gold coins instead of leaves.

— Will you please turn around? — asked Burattino cautiously.

— Oh, of course, we don't want to see where you're putting your money! — The Fox and the Cat moved away and hid behind a pile of garbage.

Burattino buried his coins in the field but did not go home. He sat still beside the hole, waiting patiently for the tree to grow. Then, Alice the Fox ran to the police station and said that there was a thief sitting in the field. The policemen immediately seized Burattino and threw him into a muddy pond full of leeches and frogs. And the Cat and the Fox dug up the hole and took the coins.

Luckily, Burattino was made of wood, so he couldn't drown in the pond. But he was very upset. At that moment, Tortilla the Turtle, who lived in that pond, swam up from the bottom and said:

— What a naïve little fool! You could be at school now, but instead you have had all your money stolen.

— What’s the use scolding me when you could help me? — grumbled Burattino. — How am I going to get back to Papa Carlo?"

— All right, — sighed Tortilla the Turtle and disappeared under the water. Presently she surfaced again, holding a golden key in her mouth. — Don't worry, boy. Take this key. It was dropped into this pond by a man with a beard so long that he would put it into his pocket so that he did not step on it as he walked.

Burattino forgot all his misfortunes in an instant, thanked the Turtle and hurried home.

Halfway home, he saw Pierrot running towards him, looking scared.

— We escaped from Karabas! I overheard the secret of the golden key, and now Karabas is after us. He hired bandits to catch us!

— Give me the golden key! — yelled Karabas to Burattino, and then bellowed to the Cat and the Fox, — Catch these rascals!

— Help! Thieves! — screamed Burattino. — Save the innocent little puppets!

His scream was heard by the noble Artemon, who left his mistress Malvina in a safe place and rushed into battle: he gave Karabas a good bite on the thigh and chased the Cat away.

All the forest folk ran to help the puppets — swallows, hedgehogs, bumblebees and hawks. The field was filled with screeching and howling.

Suddenly, Papa Carlo appeared on the hillside.

— Burattino, my son! You're alive!

Together, they chased Karabas and his minions away, and finally returned home.

Just as they had expected, behind the painted hearth in Papa Carlo's cubby there was a secret door, which Burattino opened with the golden key. Behind the door there was a magnificent puppet theater waiting for them!

— In this theater we will perform a new play called “The Adventures of Burattino”! — rejoiced the puppets. — Karabas Barabas will be green with envy!

And so, they had their own theater, where they wrote their own plays and performed them, and Papa Carlo ground his street organ, and they lived happily ever after in friendship and harmony.

It once so happened that near the mouth of the cave that was home to the wolf family, there appeared a human baby. He looked at the wolves and was not at all afraid. In the jungle, a tiger let out an evil throaty roar. It was Shere Khan, and he was man-hunting.

“A man cub! I have never seen one before. How bold he is!” Mother Wolf said fondly.“He will stay with me. I won’t let Shere Khan kill him. I shall call him Mowgli, and he will live with the Pack. A time will come, Mowgli, when you will hunt Shere Khan, like he hunts you now.”

Father Wolf looked at her, amazed. “Are you sure? Will the Pack accept him?”

According to the Law of the Jungle, Father Wolf and Mother Wolf took Mowgli to the Pack Council. Shere Khan came along too and demanded his prey back, “The cub is mine. Give him to me. What business do the wolves have with a man cub?”

And so Mowgli joined the Pack. Shere Khan roared with rage.
“Who is in favor of accepting the cub into the Pack?” asked the leader, Akela.

No one spoke, and Mother Wolf got ready for a fight. But then the sleepy brown bear Baloo, who taught the wolf cubs the Law of the Jungle, said, “I am in favor. He will do no harm. Let him run with the Pack, and I myself will teach him.”

“I am in favor too,” — purred Bagheera the Black Panther. She was bold and cunning, and her voice was as soft as wild honey. “Let him run with the Pack, and I will give you a newly killed buffalo.”

The Wolves sniffed Mowgli and agreed. Shere Khan roared with rage.

Mowgli grew up with the wolf cubs. He picked thorns out of his friends’ paws, climbed trees, and hunted in warm depths of the forest with Bagheera. And Baloo did teach him. Mowgli was a smart student and quickly learned the Master Words “We be of one blood, ye and I,” in all the tongues of the jungle.

Baloo was very pleased, “Now neither snake, nor bird, nor beast will hurt you. But don’t talk to the Bandar-log: the Monkey People.”

“Why not? They play all day. They walk on two legs like me!” said Mowgli.

“They do not obey the law. They are evil and boastful, and they lie all the time,” Bagheera explained.

From high up above came the sound of shouts, shrieks, and leaping about. Nuts and twigs rained down It was the Bandar-log quarreling again. Mowgli resolved to have no more to do with the Monkey People.

All of a sudden, he felt strong little hands on his shoulders, and then the swish of branches in his face. He heard Baloo roar below him. Bagheera bounded up the trunk, but the monkeys jumped across to the thinnest branches where Bagheera could not follow, and they raced through the tree tops toward the Deserted City.

Then Mowgli shouted the Master Words in the bird tongue to Chil the Kite, “We be of one blood, ye and I! Tell Baloo and Bagheera where they’re taking me!”

Baloo and Bagheera were beside themselves with rage and grief. They went to Kaa the Rock Python to ask for help.

“O Kaa the great, we love the man cub, help us get him back,” Baloo pleaded. “We know that of all the Jungle People, the Bandar-log fear you alone.”

“Besides, I heard them call you an earthworm!” Bagheera said.

“We must teach them a lesson!” Kaa hissed.

When the enormous python Kaa slithered into the Deserted City, the Bandar-log shrieked and scattered to the walls and roofs of the houses. “Ssstand ssstill!”, Kaa hissed, and the Bandar-log froze, trembling with fear and unable to stir under his gaze.

“Mowgli, jump on my back, and let’s get out of here!” Bagheera said.

“You saved my life tonight, o Kaa! We be of one blood, ye and I!” Mowgli said. “My kill will be your kill should you ever be hungry.

“Thank you Little Brother!” Kaa replied.“But now go quickly with your friends. Kaa will have good hunting today!” and he set off toward the Bandar-log.

Mowgli once noticed that the water had gone and he could no longer go swimming in the pool. Baloo’s favorite tree failed to flower or put forth fruit. Drought had set in. The big river turned into a thin trickle. When Hathi, the wild elephant, who was over a hundred years old, saw this, he lifted up his trunk and proclaimed a Water Truce.

Under the Law of the Jungle it is forbidden to kill at watering holes once a Water Truce has been declared. In those scorching hot days, the Jungle People could drink from the stream without fear.

“O Hathi, have you ever seen a drought like this?” the little elephants asked.

“It will pass, it will pass,” said Hathi, squirting water along his back.

“If it weren’t for the drought, it would be a wonderful time for hunting,” Bagheera sighed, keeping a beady eye on the deer.

“The Truce! Remember the Truce!”said Hathi the elephant

All of the Jungle obeys one Law. But Shere Khan killed a man, not because he was hungry, but because that was his wish.

The drought ended, and Bagheera told Mowgli, “Shere Khan is still your enemy. Akela is getting old, and the Pack will get a new leader soon. Then Shere Khan will try to kill you again. But I know what to do! Take some of man’s Red Flower and you will have a stronger ally than me.”

The Red Flower was what they called fire in the jungle. All animals feared it. Mowgli ran to the village, stuck a dry twig in a fire, and a burning Red Flower blossomed on the tip.

When the Pack assembled for the Council, Shere Khan demanded once again, “Give him to me! He is a man and has no place in the jungle!”

“Yes, I am a man! And I have brought the Red Flower, which you fear!” Mowgli said and singed Shere Khan’s tail. “You fake cat, be gone! [Please check: паленая кошка!]

Shere Khan whimpered and ran away, trembling with fear.

Mowgli felt that he wasn’t a cub anymore. He was a man and it was time to go back to his own kind.

“Farewell, Little Brother, we will never forget you!” said Baloo and Bagheera.

“Come visit us sometime!” said Father Wolf and Mother Wolf.

Mowgli bid them farewell and went to the village. Some people met him there, and one of the women cried with joy: she recognized him as her son.

An Aviator was once forced to land in the middle of the desert when his plane broke down. While he tried to fix the engine, someone said in a tiny voice, “Could you draw me a lamb?”

It was a fair-haired boy in a gold scarf. How did he get here, all the way out in the desert? The Aviator was pretty surprised, yet he drew a lamb as well as he could. But the boy didn't like the lamb, or the next one or the next. Finally, the Aviator drew a box and said the sort of lamb the boy wanted was inside the box.

“That's exactly the kind of lamb I wanted!” the boy rejoiced. “As long as it doesn't eat my flower!”

Thus, the Aviator met the Little Prince. The Little Prince came from another planet only slightly bigger than he was. It should be noted for adults who only trust figures that the planet was called asteroid B-612. Every day the Little Prince cared for his planet: He cleaned three small volcanoes (two active and one extinct) and pulled up baobab shoots so that they would not take root and cover the entire planet. And after he had finished this tedious but essential work, the Little Prince made himself breakfast on top of one of the volcanoes.

Sometimes the Little Prince was sad because he lived alone and had no friends. On days like this, he liked to watch the sunset. On his tiny planet, you just needed to move your chair a touch to the left or right and you could admire the sunset over and over again, as often as forty-three times a day!

One day a seed landed on his planet, which blossomed into a beautiful flower. The Little Prince named the flower Rose. He watered it, sheltered it under a glass cover to protect it from the wind at night, and talked to it. He fell in love with Rose, but she turned out to be capricious and resentful. She constantly complained about draughtsand bragged about her thorns. In the end, the Little Prince grew tired of her whims and set off to explore the neighboring planets and find new friends.

On the first planet, there lived a king. As soon as he saw the Little Prince, he started giving him orders because kings are only interested in ruling over others. The Little Prince was not used to being ordered around, and so he left that planet.

On the second planet, there was an egomaniac. “Here's a new admirer!” he rejoiced. “Come on, clap your hands and admire me!” The Little Prince clapped, and the egomaniac took off his hat and bowed. The Little Prince quickly grew bored of this and headed off once again. On the next planet, lived a drunkard. He drank to drown his shame and was ashamed because he drank. He was not fun to be around, and the Little Prince ran away from him, too.

The fourth planet was run by a businessman. He counted the stars and was convinced that he owned all of them. “These grown-ups sure are weird!” thought the Little Prince and hastened on his journey.

On the fifth planet, there lived a lamplighter. He would light his lantern in the evening and put it out at dawn. But his world was so tiny that day and night alternated every minute, and thus the lamplighter had no time to take a rest. He was loyal to his task and the Little Prince liked him for it, but there was no room for both of them on his planet.

On the sixth planet, there was a geographer who told travelers’ tales. The Little Prince told him about his world: about the three volcanoes and the beautiful flower.

“I don't describe flowers,” said the geographer. “Only mountains, oceans, and deserts. They are timeless, while a flower is here today, gone tomorrow!” The Little Prince remembered his defenceless Rose whom he had left all alone, and his heart ached.

On the geographer’s advice, the Little Prince visited another planet. It was called Earth. It was a big planet with billions of people living on it.

While on Earth, the Little Prince met a Fox who used to catch chickens and flee from hunters.

"I feel very sad. Want to play?" suggested the Little Prince.

"Only if you tame me," the Fox replied.

"What do you mean, ‘tame’?"

“It means we have to need each other. So far, you're just a boy to me, and there are a lot of boys. And I'm just a fox to you. If you come every day, I'll get used to you coming, wait for you, and one day I'll be your Fox, and you'll be my boy!"

“I see,” said the Little Prince. “There is a rose on my planet. I guess it tamed me.”

Just then, the Little Prince noticed a bush that had flowers just like his Rose. He had thought his was the only one in the world! Yet these flowers meant nothing to him. But his Rose... she might have been unbearable but the Little Prince took care of her, watered her, sheltered her from the wind, and protected her from caterpillars. Eventually, she became dear to him.

"You have cared for your rose for a long time; that's why she is so important to you," said the Fox and added, "We are responsible for those we have tamed. Don’t ever forget that."

The Little Prince also met a snake, who told him that if he ever wanted to return to his planet, it was ready to help: one of its bites would send him home in an instant.

That was the story the Little Prince told the Aviator in the desert as he worked on his plane. When the engine started again, the Little Prince said, “Well, I'm glad that you're also going home. I need to go, too, my Rose needs me. And thanks for drawing me this lamb! I'll take it with me.”

The Aviator was sad to have to say goodbye to his new friend.

“Cheer up,” said the Little Prince. “When you look at the stars, think of me living on one of them. And when I laugh, it will be like all the stars laughing like a million bells. And I'll think of you, too, when I look at the stars.”

The Little Prince summoned the snake. One bite and the Little Prince was gone. Ever since, the Aviator has frequently looked up at the stars wondering how the Little Prince was doing. He hopes the lamb hasn’t eaten the Rose And he thinks to himself, "Of course not!" After all, the Little Prince places a glass cover over her at night and keeps a watchful eye on his lamb.

Antone and his little sister, Babette, lived in a humble cottage on the edge of a forest. Their parents worked hard: their father was a woodcutter, and their mother sat up late into the night making lace. Despite all their efforts, they could barely make ends meet. They couldn’t even afford to send Antone to school, although he was already ten years old, and so Antone decided to raise the money himself by growing vegetables to sell.

“I will sell vegetables and save up to go to school,” he told his mother. “And when I finish school, I will buy a fine gown for you, a pair of oxen for Father, and a real doll for Babette instead of the turnip doll I made for her.”

“You’re so good at anything you put your mind to,” Mother said. “I believe you will do this too.”

The day before Halloween, Anton began making pumpkins into jack o’lanterns to sell in the village. Babette watched curiously as he worked and asked how Halloween was celebrated. She had no idea as she had never been to the village. Antone told her that at Halloween children light jack o’lanterns, dress up as witches and ghosts, have fun all night, and play tricks on grown-ups.

Babette clapped her hands. “I want to dress up and have fun all night in the village too!”

“We can’t. We won’t be able to find the way back in the dark, and we’ll get lost in the forest,” said Antone. “I’ll sell the pumpkins and come home in daylight. And we don’t have costumes either.”

“Oh, please, I really want to celebrate Halloween!” Babette said and burst into tears.

“Fine, we’ll do it at home, just don’t cry!”

“With costumes?” Babette sniffled.

“We’ll wear our nightshirts and be just like ghosts.”

When Antone came back from the village in the evening, he and Babette put on their nightshirts. Antone had saved one jack o’lantern to show Babette how the pumpkin would shine and grin in the darkness. When he struck a match, however, it turned out that there was no candle inside the lantern. There it was on the ground, as if something had chewed it to bits.

“It’s the rats!” said Babette in a rage and gave the pumpkin a kick.

Roaring with laughter, the pumpkin rolled off down the hill.

“Come back here!” Anton yelled and set off in pursuit.

Babette ran after him, repeating huffily, “Some Halloween – with no candle and no pumpkin!”

Meanwhile, Pumpkin had rolled as far as the vegetable patch.

“Follow me, Turnips! Follow me, Carrots!” he cried. “It’s Halloween. What fun we’ll have!”

Turnips, carrots, potatoes, and onions leaped from their beds and strode after Pumpkin, singing Halloween songs. Antone and Babette struggled to keep up. That’s all they needed: to lose the entire harvest!

“You can’t catch us!” laughed Pumpkin. “We set the rules at Halloween!”

But Antone did not give up easily. Running faster, he grabbed Potato who squirmed and tried to break free, but Antone held on tight.

“Help! Save me!” Potato screeched.

“Fine, Antone,” said Pumpkin. “Let us have one night of fun, and we will make it up to you. After all, it is Halloween.”

Pumpkin grinned broadly and looked so good natured that Antone relaxed his grip for a second. Then he changed his mind.

“No way!” he said firmly. “I grew these vegetables to sell.”

“But we’re fed up of sitting in our beds,” Pumpkin whined. “Let Potato go, and we’ll make it up to you, I promise. Let’s celebrate Halloween together!”

“Halloween! Halloween!” Babette was thrilled. She so wanted to have fun.

“Very well then,” Anton agreed, and he let Potato go.

Together they set off for the forest. On their way, they met some cabbages. Anton recognized them: they had escaped from a neighbor's farm and were also celebrating Halloween by singing and dancing. Out from among the trees came black cats, their yellow eyes glittering in the darkness. After them, came real witches in pointed hats and holding broomsticks.

“Children, meet the witches!” said Cabbage by way of an introduction.

Babette was frightened and asked her brother in a whisper, “Antone, but are they wicked witches?”

“Don’t be afraid, my dear. Of course, we’re wicked witches just not at Halloween,” said one of the witches. “Bump into us any other night and no good will come of it, but today we’re good witches! Let’s have fun!”

They sang and danced, played hide and seek, and rode their broomsticks. Glowworms gleamed in the darkness, and even the frogs in the pond joined in the singing. Babette had never dreamed it would be such fun!

And then it was daybreak.

“It’s nearly morning, time for all vegetables to go back to their beds,” the Witch said.

“No way! I’ve had enough of those beds of yours!” Pumpkin declared.

“And we’re not going back to the farm either. They’ll turn us into sauerkraut!” said Cabbage.

And all vegetables decided to stay in the forest and live like lords and ladies.

“What about our agreement?” Antone said angrily.

“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll honor it,” Pumpkin said. “Take this sack of gold coins that will never be empty. Now you will want for nothing. And now, the Witch will take you home.”

“I adore Halloween,” said Babette as they soared into the sky on a broomstick.

The broomstick flew over the forest like a bird and the Witch told Antone to keep a tight hold on Babette so that she wouldn’t fall off. With the first rays of the sun, the broomstick came down smoothly outside the children’s window. The Witch shook Antone’s hand, said goodbye to Babette, and, sitting astride the broomstick, she whirled up towards the clouds like a hurricane.

“What about the cat? You’ve forgotten the cat,” Babette called after her.

“Oh, this wayward broomstick! Look after my cat until next Halloween!” she cried and vanished from sight.

Antone and Babette were barely in bed when in came their parents.

“Good morning!” said Mother “Look, a black cat at Halloween! That’s good luck. I expect we’ll have a good harvest!”

“We won’t,” said Antone, yawning. “All the vegetables have run away to the forest. But they did give me a sack of gold. And we celebrated Halloween and flew home on a witch’s broomstick.”

Mother peeped into the sack and couldn’t believe her eyes. She had never seen so much gold! From that day on, the woodcutter’s family wanted for nothing. Father acquired his pair of oxen and Mother her fine gown, and Antone went to school. But Babette didn’t want any dolls from the shop. She preferred the turnip doll Antone had made for her.

Meanwhile, the witch’s cat became so attached to Babette that it stayed forever and brought the family good luck for the rest of their days.