And Dunno, of course, did not have the patience to sit in the thickets of dandelions. From time to time he got out, and it was then that he had a hard time. The little ones did not pay any attention to him at all, as if he did not exist, but the little ones simply did not give a pass.
- Dunno liar! They shouted. - Dunno braggart! Dunno coward!
"No, apparently, they haven't forgotten yet!" - thought Dunno with annoyance and rushed back into the dandelions.
After a while, he got out again, and everything was repeated again. Finally he said:
- I will not get out anymore! You have to be firm. I will firmly sit here until tomorrow. I'll only get out when the ball starts.
Chapter twenty-eight. RECONCILIATION
The next day, the ball was held, which everyone was looking forward to. Around the dance floor were fancy tents. They sparkled with bright colors, like gingerbread huts. Ropes were stretched over the platform, on which multicolored lanterns and flags hung. The same flags and lanterns hung on all the trees around. Each tree looked like an ornate Christmas tree.
On the second floor of the gazebo, which was decorated with flowers, there was an orchestra of ten babies. Every little girl played the harp. There were very small harps to hold in your hands; there were larger harps that were held on their knees; there were also large harps that stood on the floor, and one harp was quite huge: to play it, you had to climb a ladder.
Evening had not yet come, but everyone had already gathered around the site and were waiting for guests from Zmeevka. Gvozdyk arrived first. He was in a clean shirt, washed and combed. True, one curl at the very top of his head stuck up like a cock's comb, but still it was clear that Gvozdik had thoroughly worked on his hairdo.
“Now you’re a good kid,” Kitten told him. - You, probably, yourself are pleased to be so smart and clean.
“Of course,” Gvozdyk agreed, tugging at his shirt.
After Gvozdik, Shurupchik and Bublik arrived, and other inhabitants of Zmeevka began to appear after them. Although no one invited them, each of them said that he had come to thank the babies for the fruit, and immediately received an invitation to stay at the ball.
And Dunno actually sat in dandelions until the start of the ball. To tell the truth, he was not so much sitting as lying, that is, to put it simply, he was asleep, but as soon as he saw that the kids were starting to gather, he got out and went straight to the site.
The kids saw him and began to shout:
- Ah, liar, and you came! Come on, tell me how you flew upside down!
- Well, tell me how you ate a cloud instead of jelly! - Shouted Donut, jumping up to him.
Dunno was terribly offended. He turned and walked aimlessly. The kids were shouting something after him and laughing, but he didn't even hear.
Without making out the road, he wandered to the edge of the city, came across a fence there and got a bump on his forehead. Stopping, he looked up and saw the inscription on the fence: "Dunno is a fool."
- Here you go! - said Dunno. - They are already beginning to write about me inscriptions on the fences.
He felt so sorry for himself, so sorry that he could not say! He pressed his forehead against the fence, and tears dripped from his eyes.
- Oh, how unhappy I am! - he said. - Everyone is laughing at me now! Everyone despises me! And nobody, nobody in the world loves me!
He stood for a long time, pressing his forehead against the fence, and all the tears flowed and could not stop. Suddenly he felt that someone was touching him on the shoulder, and a gentle voice said:
- Don't cry, Dunno!
He turned and saw Sineglazka.
“Don't cry,” she repeated.
Dunno turned away from her, grabbed the fence with his hands and howled even louder. Sineglazka silently stroked his shoulder with her hand. Dunno shrugged his shoulder, trying to throw off her hand, and even kicked his leg.
- Well, don't, don't be so angry! - she spoke affectionately. - After all, you are a kind, good kid. You wanted to look better, so you bragged and deceived us. But now you won't do that again, will you? Won't you?
Dunno was silent.
- Say you won't. After all, you are good!
- No, I'm bad!
- But there are even worse.
- No, I'm the worst ...
- Not true! Carnation was worse than you. You have never done such dirty tricks that Gvozdyk allowed himself, and in the end he also corrected himself. This means that if you want, you can do better too. Say you won't do that again and start new life... We will no longer remember the old.
- Well, I won't! - Dunno grunted gloomily.
- You see how good it is! - Sineglazka was delighted. - Now you will try to be honest, courageous and smart, you will do good deeds, and you will not have to invent anymore to appear better. Truth?
- True, - answered Dunno.
He looked sadly at Sineglazka and smiled through his tears.
Sineglazka took his hand:
- Let's go where everyone is.
They were soon at the dance floor. Donut saw that Dunno was returning with Sineglazka, and yelled at the top of his lungs:
- Dunno deceiver! Dunno donkey!
- Tell me how you swallowed the cloud! - shouted Syrup.
- It's a shame, kids! - exclaimed Sineglazka. - Why are you teasing him?
- Why did he cheat? - said Donut.
- Did he deceive you? - Sineglazka was surprised. - He deceived us, but you were silent - that means you were at the same time with him!
- You are no better than him! - exclaimed Snowflake. - You knew that he was lying and bragging, and no one stopped him. Nobody told him it was not good. Why are you better?
- We do not say that we are better, - Donut shrugged his shoulders.
- Well, do not tease him, since you yourself are not better! - Kisonka intervened in the conversation. - Others in your place would have helped him to improve long ago.
Donut and Syrup felt ashamed, and they stopped teasing Dunno.
The swallow came up to him and said:
- Poor! Did you cry? You've been teased. The kids are so eccentric, but we will not give you offense. We won't let anyone tease you. - She stepped aside and whispered to the little ones: - He should be treated kindly. He was guilty and punished for it, but now he repented and will behave well.
- Sure! - picked up Kisonka. “And teasing is bad. He will get angry and start acting even worse. If you feel sorry for him, then he will feel his guilt more and will sooner improve.
The little ones surrounded Dunno and began to feel sorry for him. Dunno said:
- I didn't want to hang out with babies before and thought that babies are better, but now I see that babies are not better at all. The little ones did nothing but tease, and the little ones stood up for me. Now I will always be friends with the little ones.
Chapter twenty-nine. AT THE BALL
Then the music began to play, and everyone rushed to dance. Toropyzhka whirled with the black-haired Checkmark, Znayka danced with Snowflake, Grumpy - with Swallow. And - who would have thought! - Dr. Pilyulkin danced with Medunitsa. Yes Yes! The honeybee also came to the ball. Instead of a white robe, in which everyone is accustomed to seeing her, she put on a beautiful dress with flowers and did not at all look like that strict Medunitsa, who so imperiously disposed of in her hospital. She spun in a dance, putting her hand on Pilyulkin's shoulder, and smiling, said to him:
- All the same, admit that our method of treatment is much better than yours. Various abrasions, wounds, scratches, bruises, boils and even abscesses should be smeared with honey. Honey is a very good disinfectant and protects against suppuration.
“I cannot agree with you,” argued Dr. Pilyulkin. - All wounds, scratches, abrasions should be smeared with iodine. Iodine is also a very good disinfectant and protects against suppuration.
- But you must agree that your iodine burns the skin, while honey treatment is completely painless.
- I can agree that honey treatment may be suitable only for babies, but your honey is not at all suitable for babies.
- Why not? - Surprised Medunitsa.
- You yourself said that honey treatment is painless.
- Do you really need it to be painful?
- Surely, - answered Dr. Pilyulkin. - If the baby climbs over the fence and scratches the note, then the scratch must be burned with iodine so that the baby will remember that climbing over the fence is dangerous, and next time he will not climb over the fence.
“And another time he will not climb over the fence, but climb to the roof, fall and break his head,” said Medunitsa.
- Then we will smear his head with iodine, and he will remember that climbing on the roof is also dangerous. Iodine is of great educational value.
- The doctor should think not about the educational value, but about alleviating the suffering of the patient, - replied Medunitsa. - With your iodine, you only increase suffering.
"The doctor must think about everything," said Pilyulkin. - Of course, if you treat babies, you may not think about anything at all, but when you treat babies ...
“Let's talk better about something else,” Medunitsa interrupted him. - It is simply impossible to dance with you.
- No, it's impossible to dance with you!
- Yes, I am impolite when such ignorant views are expressed in front of me.
- It is you who express ignorant views! You are not a doctor, but an unfortunate doctor.
- And you ... you! ..
From insult, Dr. Pilyulkin could not say anything.
He stopped in the middle of the dance floor and frantically opened his mouth like a fish pulled out of water. Dancing couples began to swoop in on him. They completely pushed the medunitsa. She tugged at his sleeve.
- Well, dance! What have you become? We interfere with everyone!
Pilyulkin waved his hand, and they began to dance again. At first they danced in silence, then again began to argue about methods of treatment.
The donut danced with the Jug. A completely different conversation took place between them.
- Do you like candy? Donut asked.
- Very much, - answered Kubyshka. - And you?
- I also. But most of all I love cakes.
- And I love ice cream more than anything else.
Cog danced with Squirrel.
“I dream of learning to drive a car,” said Squirrel. - Many kids have learned from us - so I can.
- It's very simple, - confirmed the Cog. - First you need to squeeze the clutch, then give the gas ...
Dunno danced with Sineglazka. However, this is the only way it is said that Dunno danced. In fact, only Sineglazka danced, and Dunno jumped like a goat, stepped on Sineglazka's feet and pushed others all the time. Finally Sineglazka said:
- Let's sit better.
They sat down on a bench.
“You know,” said Dunno, “I don’t know how to dance at all.
“It's good that you yourself confessed,” Sineglazka answered. - Another person in your place would have lied with three boxes, would have said that his legs and arms hurt, but you honestly said that you do not know how. I see that you can be friends.
- Of course you can, - agreed Dunno.
- I like to be friends with kids, - said Sineglazka. - I don't like babies because they imagine too much about their beauty and turn around in front of the mirror.
“There are also kids who like to look in the mirror,” Dunno answered.
- But you are not like that, Dunno? Are you not like that?
- No, I'm not like that, - answered Dunno.
And he lied. In fact, often when no one was seeing, he turned in front of the mirror and thought about his beauty. Like every other kid, though.
- I am very glad that you are not like that, - answered Sineglazka. - We will be friends with you. I have an interesting suggestion. Let's write letters to each other. First you write me a letter, and then I will write to you.
"Here are the times!" - thought Dunno, who could only write in block letters and was very shy about showing his ignorance.
- Why the letter? He muttered in confusion. - We live not far. You can talk like that.
- Oh, how boring you are, Dunno! You don't want to do anything for me. It's so interesting to receive a letter!
- Well, well, - agreed Dunno. - I will write a letter.
It soon got dark. Hundreds of multi-colored lanterns lit up around. They sparkled both on trees and on tents. In some places they were hidden in the grass under the trees, and from this it seemed that the grass itself was glowing with some kind of magical light. The lower part of the pavilion, above which the orchestra was located, was drawn by a beautiful blue curtain. Suddenly the curtain opened and everyone saw the stage behind it.
The poetess Samotsvetik entered the stage and shouted:
- Silence! Silence! Now there will be a concert. Attention!
Everyone sat down on benches and prepared to listen.
- Attention! - continued to shout the Gem. - I am the first to speak. I will read you my new friendship poems.
Toddlers and toddlers clapped their hands loudly. As soon as the applause subsided, Guslya waved his conductor's baton, the orchestra began to play, and Samotsvetik began to read her new poems about friendship to the music. These poems were as good as all the poems that Samotsvetik composed, and they ended with the words: "We all need to make friends, we need to strengthen friendship!"
After reading the poems, which everyone really liked, a dance ensemble began to perform. Twelve little girls, dressed in beautiful, multi-colored dresses with ribbons, danced different dances, among which the best was the "Turnip" dance. The audience clapped their hands for a long time and shouted “bravo” until “The Turnip” was repeated two more times. After the dance ensemble a choir of kids from the town of Zmeevka performed. The choir sang several songs.
As soon as the choir left the stage, Guslya left his orchestra, went down from the second floor down the pillar, climbed onto the stage and shouted:
- Come to me, brothers! To me!
Znayka, Toropyzhka, Doctor Pilyulkin and the rest of Znayka's comrades climbed onto the stage.
- Attention! - shouted Guslya. - Now a choir of kids from the Flower City will perform.
He played his flute, and all the kids sang in chorus a song about a grasshopper, which was composed by the poet Tsvetik:
In the grass sat a grasshopper, Just like a cucumber, he was green, he was green.
He ate only grass, Didn't touch the booger And he was friends with flies, And he was friends with flies.
But then the frog came, The gluttonous belly, And ate the blacksmith, And ate the blacksmith.
He didn’t think, he didn’t guess, He didn’t expect Such an end, Such an end!
And this song was so sad that in the end even the singers themselves could not stand it and wept bitterly. Everyone felt sorry for the poor grasshopper who had been eaten by the gluttonous frog. Tears flowed from their eyes in three streams.
- He was such a good grasshopper! - sobbed Rustyayka.
“I didn't touch anyone at all and was friends with flies,” said Toropyzhka.
Only Znayka did not cry and consoled his comrades:
- Don't cry, brothers! The frog did not eat the grasshopper. It is not true. She ate a fly.
- All the same ... - cog sobbed. - I feel sorry for the fly.
- Why feel sorry for flies? They only annoy everyone and spread the infection. They also invented it - crying because of a fly.
“I’m not crying because of a fly,” Grumbler said. - I just remembered how we sang this song when we were at home.
At this time, Dunno howled so loudly that everyone stopped crying from surprise and began to console him. Everyone asked why he was crying so loudly, but Dunno whimpered and did not answer. Finally, he said without ceasing to sob:
- I’m Gu… I’m Gu… I miss Gunka!
- Why did it happen? - everyone was surprised. - Didn't miss, did not miss and suddenly got bored!
- Yes! - Dunno answered capriciously. - I'm here, but Gunka stayed at home!
- Well, your Gunka will not be lost without you, - said Toropyzhka.
- No, it will be lost! I know he misses me too. Gunka is my most best friend, and I did not even say goodbye to him when we flew away in a hot air balloon.
- Why didn't you say goodbye?
- I quarreled with him and did not want to say goodbye. When we flew away, he kept looking at me and waving at me, and I even turned away on purpose and did not want to look at him. I was then proud of the fact that I was flying in a balloon, and now I am tormented by this ... how is her? ..
- Conscience? - suggested Dr. Pilyulkin.
- Here, here, brothers, conscience! If I said goodbye, it would be easier for me. Let's go back, brothers, home - I'll make peace with Gunka and say goodbye.
- If we return, then we will have to say hello, and not say goodbye, - said Znayka.
- Well, all the same, I will say goodbye first, and then say hello, and everything will be fine.
“We’ll have to go back, friends,” said Guslya. - Dunno wanted to go home.
“Yes, brothers, I must go home too,” said Pilyulkin. - After all, without me in the Flower City someone can get sick, but there is no one to treat.
- Well, take a walk - and that's enough, - Znayka answered. - We must come back home sometime. Tomorrow we will go hiking.
The ball was over. Sineglazka went up to Dunno.
“So we are parting with you,” she said sadly.
- Yes ... - Dunno answered quietly. - We have to go home.
- You did not stay long with us.
- I really want to stay still, but I also want to go home, - Dunno said, dropping his head.
Sineglazka thought about something, then said:
- Of course, it's time for you to go home. You have friends at home who are probably worried about you. You are good at not forgetting your friends.
They both stood in silence for a while. Dunno wanted to say something, but for some reason his throat felt cramped and the words did not come from within. He looked down, picking at the ground with his heel, and did not dare to look at Sineglazka. He was afraid that she would notice tears in his eyes. Finally they raised their heads. Their eyes met.
- Do you want me to sew a bag for you on the road? She asked.
The next day Znayka and his comrades set out on a campaign. It was decided to travel on foot. The balloon burst and was difficult to repair, and besides, there was no tailwind. Znayka walked in front of everyone with a compass in his hands, followed by Doctor Pilyulkin, then Vintik and Shpuntik, and behind them the rest of the shorty kids. Dunno walked behind everyone.
Each one had a bag behind him. These bags were made by the little ones. The bags contained pies for the road, as well as seeds of various fruits, vegetables and flowers that were not in the Flower City. Syrup had a watermelon seed in each pocket. All the little ones went out to see the kids off. Many were crying.
“Don't cry,” Znayka told them. - Someday we will do again balloon and we will fly to you.
- Fly in the spring when the apple trees bloom! - shouted the little ones. - It's very beautiful here in spring.
The little ones stopped on the outskirts of the city, and the little ones went along the path among thickets of grass and wildflowers.
- Goodbye! Goodbye! - the little ones shouted and waved their hands.
- Goodbye! - the kids answered them.
Sineglazka waved her hand in silence.
- Dunno! Dunno! - Sineglazka suddenly shouted.
Dunno turned around.
- Letter, Dunno! Letter!
Dunno nodded his head with all his might and began to wave his hat.
- He heard! - Sineglazka was delighted.
Soon the travelers turned into hardly noticeable points, and then completely disappeared around the bend of the road. The kids slowly went home. Everyone was sad.
Chapter Thirty RETURN
For many days Znayka and his comrades made their way through the fields and forests and finally returned to their native lands. They stopped on a high hill, and ahead the Flower City was already visible in all its glory. Summer was drawing to a close, and the most beautiful flowers bloomed on the streets: white chrysanthemums, red dahlias, colorful asters. All the courtyards were full of beautiful, like moths, pansies. Fiery nasturtiums curled along the fences, along the walls of houses and even bloomed on the roofs. The breeze carried the gentle scent of mignonette and chamomile.
With joy, Znayka and his comrades hugged each other.
Soon they were already walking the streets hometown... Residents ran out of all the houses and looked at our travelers. Znayka and his friends were so tanned from their long wanderings that at first no one recognized them.
Suddenly someone shouted:
- Brothers, but this is Znayka! Look, here he is ahead of everyone!
Here shouts were heard from all sides:
- And there is Doctor Pilyulkin! And the hunter Pulka, and Confused, and Donut!
The inhabitants rejoiced and shouted:
And what was done when Znayka and his comrades turned to Kolokolchikov Street! Here they all had neighbors and good friends. The little ones filled the whole street. The little ones hugged and kissed the brave travelers, and the little ones covered all the way with petals from daisies.
Suddenly a little dog came running from somewhere. She began to bark, jump around the hunter Bulka and lick his hands.
- Brothers, this is my Bulka! - shouted the hunter Pulka.
Neighbors began to tell us that a few days after the kids flew away in a hot air balloon, Bulka returned home. Therefore, everyone thought that Pulka and his comrades were dead, and no one hoped to see them alive again. Pulka grabbed Bulka in his arms and began to kiss him.
- Oh, you are my faithful, good dog! - he said. - So you are not dead? And I was so sad for you!
Then at the end of the street a new crowd of short men appeared. The poet Tsvetik ran ahead of all.
- Poems! - everyone shouted. - Now there will be poetry!
The little ones clapped their hands loudly, and several kids rolled up an empty barrel from somewhere and put it upside down in the middle of the street.
Someone shouted:
- Get up, Tsvetik, on the barrel and read poetry!
Flowers were grabbed by the arms and helped him climb onto the barrel. Tsvetik thought for a minute, coughed a little, then stretched out his hand to Znayka and his comrades and with feeling read the verses, which he composed right there, standing on the barrel:
We welcome brave travelers with warmth!
They set off with a large balloon, And returned - hurray! - They are without any ball.
- Hurray-ah! - shouted from all sides the short ones.
The flower was immediately pulled from the barrel. The little ones picked him up in their arms and dragged him home, and the little ones ran behind and threw him daisy petals.
Thanks to these verses, Tsvetik became famous as if he himself made such a wonderful journey.
Our brave travelers opened the gate and went to their house, which had been empty for many days. There was only Dunno left on the street. He looked sadly after the retreating crowd, then looked around, as if looking for someone. The street was completely empty. Everyone seemed to have been blown away by the wind. Dunno's eyes became even sadder, but at that time he saw on the opposite side of the street, in the shadow of the fence, a small figure that stood with open mouth and looked at him with wide open eyes.
- Gunka! - exclaimed Dunno, recognizing his friend, and held out his hands forward.
Gunka squealed with joy and rushed to Dunno, and Dunno ran towards him. The friends almost collided with their heads and stopped in the middle of the street. Gunka looked with pride and love at his friend, who had become a famous traveler, and Dunno looked at him with a guilty smile. So they stood for a long time, looking at each other, and from their excitement they could not say a single word. Then they hugged each other tightly, and tears fell from their eyes.
That's how the meeting was!
On this, the famous journey of Znayka and his comrades ended. Life in the City of Flowers flowed in the old way ... although no, it cannot be said that it was completely in the old way.
Ever since our brave travelers returned home, nothing has been said about them in the city. All residents, both toddlers and toddlers, came in the evenings to Znayka's house and listened to the stories of travelers about their life in the Green City.
Donut liked to remember what delicious pies the little ones had treated him to, and Syrup boasted how much soda water he had drunk with syrup. Znayka talked about the reed water supply, and about the fountains, and about what a wonderful bridge the little ones made, as well as about what huge watermelons they grew. At the same time, the syrup always took a watermelon bone out of his pocket and said:
- Who would have thought that several barrels of syrup could turn out from this bone!
Avoska and Toropyzhka loved most of all to tell how they and the little ones were harvesting. Vintik and Shpuntik talked about mechanization, about their friend, the driver Bublik, and about the mechanic-inventor Shurupchik, who has everything on buttons. Most of all, Pulka liked to remember how he was cured in the hospital and what a wonderful doctor Medunitsa, who cured his sprained leg so well that now he can not only walk, but run and even jump. To prove it, Pulka was jumping on one leg - exactly the one that was dislocated.
Everyone talked about their friendship with the little ones. Even the Silent One, from whom one could rarely hear even a word, said:
- Honestly, brothers, I did not even think before that you can be as good friends with babies as with babies.
- You'd better be silent! - answered Dunno. “I didn’t notice that you were making friends with anyone there.
- Have you made friends? - asked his little ones.
- I made friends with Sineglazka! - Dunno answered proudly.
- So they believed you! - said Button. - You even quarreled with your friend Gunka because he is friends with the little ones.
- Nothing like this! I have already made up with Gunka and now I myself will always be friends with the little ones.
- Why haven't you been friends before? - asked Daisy.
- I used to be very stupid. I was afraid that I would be teased for keeping company with the little ones.
- And now you will be afraid, - answered Button.
- No. Now I am already a scientist. Do you want to be friends with you? And the one who laughs will get it in the forehead from me.
- It is very necessary that you fight because of me! - answered the Button.
- Well, I won't fight. I just won't pay attention to ridicule.
Dunno made friends with Button, and since then, if he noticed that someone offends the little ones, he came up and said:
- Why do you offend the little ones? See that I don't see this again! It is not customary for us to offend babies.
For this, the little ones began to respect him and said that Dunno was not a bad shorty at all. The rest of the kids, of course, were jealous that they were praising Dunno, and they also began to protect the little ones. It was simply not accepted to offend the little ones in the Flower City. If there was such a case that some kid would open his fists or even say an insulting word to a baby, then everyone laughed at him and said that he was an ill-mannered ignoramus and an uncouth blockhead who was unfamiliar with the most simple rules decent behavior.
Now no one chased the little ones away when they wanted to play with the little ones
- on the contrary, they were always accepted into the game.
Soon, Znayka came up with the idea of \u200b\u200bmaking a reed water supply in the Flower City and arranging several fountains, for a start, at least one on each street. In addition, he proposed making a bridge across the Ogurtsovaya River so that one could walk into the forest. The little ones got involved in the work on a par with the little ones. From morning until lunchtime, everyone worked on the construction of the bridge, on the laying of the water supply system, and also on the arrangement of the fountains. After dinner, everyone went to play - some tag, some hide and seek, some soccer or volleyball.
Only Dunno rarely participated in games. He said:
Instead of going to play towns or football, Dunno sat down at the table and started reading. He read every day one page at a time, but this was, of course, of great benefit. Sometimes he even read two pages: for today and for tomorrow. When he finished reading, he took the notebook and began to write. He wrote not in block letters, but in writing, but at first he did not get them very beautifully. At first, in his notebook, instead of letters, some incongruous curls and pretzels came out, but Dunno tried very hard and gradually learned to write beautiful letters, both large, that is, capital, and small. Much worse was his case with the blots.
Dunno often planted blots in a notebook. And besides, as soon as he puts a blot, he will immediately lick it with his tongue. From this, he got blots with long tails. Dunno called such tailed blots comets. He had these "comets" on almost every page. But Dunno did not lose heart, because he knew that patience and work would help him get rid of the "comets".
STRAWBERRY DECEPTION
In the country of short people, where Dunno and his friends lived, they were very fond of strawberries. After all, all kids and babies love different berries. And ripe strawberries are very sweet, juicy and smell great of the forest.
So, strawberries ripened in the middle of summer. And then everyone went to collect it in the forest glades.
I especially liked to go for strawberries Syrup. Then he cooked strawberry syrup and poured it into jars. He prepared several hundred such cans for the winter.
The berries were usually picked in a large basket. Then Vintik and Shpuntik drove the basket to the Flower City in a carbonated car. But the forest and the Flower City were on different banks of the Cucumber River. Therefore, once the basket was moved by a crane to a raft and transported across a stream. But once Vintik and Shpuntik figured out how to make an amphibian out of a simple car, that is, a floating car.
They did it very simply. They took and put huge inflatable wheels on the car, which keep the car afloat even with a heavy load. Well, like four big life buoys. Such an all-terrain vehicle drove straight from the forest into the water and sailed to the Flower City, where Donut made jam and Syrup made syrup.
Together with everyone he collected strawberries and Dunno. Only he never brought a lot of berries to the common basket.
The fact is that he ate everything. Whatever he finds, he will eat. But he could not admit his weakness. It was a shame: all the short ones were in the basket, and he was in his belly.
And to justify himself, he always came up with some fables.
For example, they will ask him:
- Dunno, that brought so little strawberries? And he, without batting an eye, will take and lie:
- You will not believe, brothers. Today I found a clearing where these strawberries are visible and invisible!
- So why didn't you bring anything? - Grumpy is indignant.
- I couldn't.
- How could not ?!
- I couldn't, I say. I couldn't carry it away. Strawberries, you see, in that glade is huge, well, each berry - with a plum! No, with an apple! A berry the size of an apple, you know? Under each bush lies a kind of hefty strawberry. I barely tore one off and rolled. I rolled it through the whole forest!
- Well, where is she? - asked the dumbfounded Neboska.
Another time Dunno brought only two or three berries for the whole day. Cog noticed this and said sternly:
- You have not enough strawberries today.
- Something unlucky, Vintik. I walked three glades: everywhere is empty.
- Come on, lie! - Cog did not believe him.
- I'm not lying. Empty. Someone ate all the strawberries.
Why did he eat it and not collect it? - Cog inquired.
Dunno looked around with caution and whispered:
- I know for sure that I did not collect it, but ate it. I saw it myself later. Just don't tell anyone yet: Gunka ate everything.
The next day Dunno told Avoska about the tube the same story. Then Knobotochka about Confusion and Gusle about Pilyulkin. Soon he was so lying that he began to forget to whom and about whom he had lied.
Once Gunka approached Dunno and said:
- Look, everyone says that I eat the strawberries I find. I ask everyone where they got it from. And they answer that everyone is talking about it. Maybe you know who invented this nonsense?
Dunno became terribly ashamed, but he was afraid to confess, and he had to lie further:
- Yes you, Gunka, do not be upset. Surely some liar invented it. He eats everything himself, but slanders others. He's not only invented this about you! And about Avoska, and about Button, and even about Dr. Pilyulkin!
A week later, everyone was indignant. After all, there was a rumor about everyone that it was he who eats all the strawberries that he finds. The short men were angry and threatened to kick the ears of an unknown deceiver.
And although at that time no one understood anything and Dunno got away with the lie, one day he still got caught ...
As always, Dunno ate almost all the strawberries. Then he lay down to rest.
Usually he was still covered with a hat so that the bright light did not interfere. But the hat was full of strawberries, which he ate half asleep. Soon he fell fast asleep.
Meanwhile, everyone gathered at the edge. Suddenly Fuchsia remarked:
- Dunno, no. Earned money: picking berries.
They waited for him, waited and became worried. Button worried more than others:
- We need to look for him, what if he is in trouble?
In the Flower City, it is not customary to leave friends in distress. And the little ones went back to the forest in search.
Soon there was a cry of Confusion:
Everyone ran to shout and saw a strange picture. Dunno, all smeared with strawberries, arms folded on a plump belly, was fast asleep.
Doctor Pilyulkin, Button, Avoska, Fuchsia and other short men surrounded the deceiver. And he, as if nothing had happened, continued to sleep soundly. He dreamed that he was gorging on ripe strawberries, of which there were so many around that even ten babies could not eat.
The bewildered man began to bother him by the shoulder. But Dunno only brushed him off and muttered in a dream:
- Do not persuade me. I won't eat a single berry again. Fed up with your strawberries.
It was then that everyone understood: here he is, a shameless liar. And Pilyulkin, not hiding gloating, said:
- Poor thing, he ate strawberries. Fed up, then. You even feel bad. Well nothing! Now we will cure with castor oil from gluttony and lies. Wake up!
Scene seven
Part of the park with a dance circle at the back of the stage. Colorful flags and lanterns hang everywhere. Flowers grow along the paths. To the left, in the foreground, dandelions are blooming, to the right is an open gazebo. Music is heard. After the curtain opens, Snowflake runs onto the stage, She runs to the dance circle and shouts: “The holiday is beginning! Hooray". Throws confetti in the air and dances. Holding hands, Dunno, Galochka, Vintik, Squirrel, Shpuntik, Swallow, Grumpy, Medunitsa, Pillkin, Syrup and Donut, run out onto the stage and begin to circle in a round dance. Sineglazka and the poetess Samotsvetik appear in the gazebo. They watch the round dance in silence for a while.
Gem. Tell me, which of them is this famous Dunno?
Sineglazka. Dunno that one in yellow trousers.
Gem (surprised). This eared one? I would never say that it was Dunno. He looks rather silly.
Sineglazka. No, exactly, exactly! True, he looks silly, but his eyes are very smart.
Gem. So is it true that he invented the balloon?
Sineglazka. Of course it's true. We ourselves saw how he flew on the balloon.
Gem. How brave! I will have to write poetry about him.
Sineglazka. Write, my dear, this will greatly glorify him.
Gem. You introduce me to him.
Sineglazka (shouts, waving her hand). Dunno! Dunno! Come here! Well, rather, rather!
Dunno (coming up). What?
Sineglazka. Our poetess Samotsvetik wants to meet you.
Dunno. Well, let him get acquainted.
Gem. Hello.
Dunno. Hello.
Gem. So you are the famous Dunno?
Dunno. Yes, I am me.
Gem. Are you the inventor of the balloon?
Dunno. Yes, I am an inventor and I am.
Gem. There are so many different stories about you! Everyone says you were flying upside down. It's true?
Dunno. It’s true.
Gem. They say that they ate a cloud instead of jelly.
Dunno. How, how! And they flew and ate.
Gem. Tell me, is it very difficult to invent balloons?
Dunno. Terribly difficult. You have to, you know, strain your head.
Gem. I understand. It's terrible when you have to strain your head. I’m a poetess, and when you write poetry, you also have to strain your head.
Dunno. What poems have you composed?
Gem. Oh, I wrote a lot of poetry. Do you want me to read you my latest mosquito poems?
Dunno. What does this mean - mosquitoes?
Gem. This means - poems about a mosquito.
Dunno. Well, read it.
Sineglazka (clapping her hands). Attention! Attention! Come all over here! Now Samotsvetik will read his poems about the mosquito.
Everyone stops dancing and runs to the gazebo.
Donut (Checkmark). What does she say?
Squirrel. Poetess. Her name is Gemstone. You see, so beautiful.
Gem. Well, listen. Kgm! Kgm! Poems.
I caught a mosquito Ta-ra, ta-ra, ta-ra-ra! I love the little mosquito Tru-l-lushki, tru-lu-lu But the mosquito became sad Sorry for the little mosquito. No, I'll catch myself Better an ant. The ant is also sad He also likes to take a walk ... Stop messing with them - I need to read a book.
Donut. Bravo! Bravo! (Claps her hands.)
Everyone claps their hands.
Gem. Great poetry, right?
Syrup. Amazing! And even very useful ones. They say not only about a mosquito, but also about reading a book.
Swallow. This is very ne-da-go-gich-but!
Gem (Dunno). I have many different poems. There are mosquitoes, ants, flies, bugs and spiders. There are all sorts.
Dunno. Do you want me to read my poems to you?
Gem. Do you also write poetry?
Dunno. But how! I am very capable of this business.
Gem. Well, read it.
Donut (clapping). Please! Please!
Syrup. Attention! Attention!
Check mark. Attention! Dunno now will read poetry of his own product.
Squirrel. We must say not “our own product”, but “our own production”.
Check mark. No, products!
Squirrel. No, workmanship!
Check mark. And I say, products. (Tries to hit Squirrel.)
Snowflake. Oh, you quieter!
Those present separate the Tick and Squirrel.
Gem. And what are your poems about?
Dunno. About chamomile.
Gem. Oh, how poetic! (Sineglazka.) Listen, it's a wonderful idea to write poems about a camomile!
Sineglazka. A very poetic thought!
Donut. Attention! Now Dunno will read his poems about chamomile.
Syrup. Please! Please!
Everyone claps their hands and shouts: "Please!"
Dunno. Well, listen. So. Kgm!
At the foot of the chamomile I lay with my head up.
Syrup. Br-r-ravo! (Claps her hands deafeningly.)
Donut. Bravo! Hooray! (Claps her hands.)
Syrup (Gem.) Very good poetry, right?
Gem (evasive). Wow.
Donut. Amazing!
Syrup. Brilliant!
Cog. Donkey, and donkey poems.
Donut. Don't you like it?
Shpuntik (Donut). And you forgot how you yourself said that the verses are stupid.
Donut. So when did I say it? When Dunno was not yet in charge.
Cog, So since then the poems have become better, or what?
Syrup. And you better be silent if you don't understand anything about poetry.
Gem (Dunno). Do you want me to write poetry about you?
Dunno. When will you compose?
Gem. Now.
Dunno, Come on, go ahead.
Swallow. Do not "go on" you have to say, but "compose".
Dunno. Well, compose.
Swallow. And “please” should be added when talking with poetesses.
Dunno. Well, please, I don't mind adding an extra word.
Gem. Listen to poems about Dunno!
Donut. Attention! Listen to poems about famous traveler Dunno!
Gem. Attention! So ... Poems.
Dunno wanted to fly in the sky. He came up with an air balloon. On this ball, he flew up. He is a good boy, obedient.
Donut. Bravo! (Claps her hands.) A syrup. Hooray!
Everyone claps their hands.
Donut (recites).
Dunno wanted to fly in the sky ...
Everyone picks up and reads the rest of the lines of the poem in chorus.
Syrup. Bravo, Dunno!
Donut, Syrup, Grumpy and Pilyulkin grab Dunno in their arms and lift him up. Everyone around is shouting: “Bravo! Hooray!" Throw up their hats. Znayka appears in the distance.
Cog (Shpuntik). Look, who is this?
Shpuntik. Fathers! Why, this is our Znayka!
Cog. Brothers! Znayka has arrived!
Pillkin, Grumpy and Syrup with Donut throw Dunno to the ground and, running up to Znayka, surround him from all sides. Dunno lies on the ground and looks in the direction of Znayka in bewilderment.
Pilyulkin. Znayka has arrived!
Donut. Znayka has arrived!
Grunt. Hooray!
Syrup (hugging Znayka), Finally we found you!
Know. How is it - you found me? I think I found you.
Pilyulkin. Yes, yes, that's right, you found us. But we thought that you completely left us.
Znayka (surprised). Have I left you? In my opinion, it was you who left me.
Donut. You jumped with a parachute, and we stayed.
Know. Why did you stay? I gave the command to everyone to jump. So everyone had to jump after me, because the ball could not fly anyway. And you, probably, were afraid, were afraid.
Grunt. Yes Yes!
Cog. They got cold feet!
Shpuntik. They got cold feet!
Dunno, meanwhile, got up from the ground and also approached Znayka.
Dunno. Of course, they got cold feet! We were afraid to jump. It would be interesting to find out who first chickened out.
Cog. Who! You were the first to get cold feet.
Dunno. I?
Shpuntik. Who else?
Pilyulkin. Of course you!
Grunt. Who said you shouldn't jump, didn't you?
Dunno. Well, I ... Why did you listen to me?
Know. Correctly! Found someone to listen to! As if you don't know that Dunno is a donkey?
Dunno (offended). Well, now it turns out that I am a donkey.
Syrup. Donkey and coward in addition.
Donut. Besides, he is also a liar.
Dunno (indignantly). This is when I was lying?
Donut. And who said that you invented the ball, didn't you?
Dunno (waves his hands in fear). What are you! What are you! I didn’t invent any ball. It was Znayka who invented the ball.
Syrup. And who said that you are in charge of us?
Dunno. What are you! What am I in charge! This is Znayka in charge of us, and I'm so simple ... Well, just nothing at all.
Donut. And now we're just fie on you! Now we have Znayka in charge.
Squirrel. Girls, have you heard? Dunno is not the main one.
Check mark. He lied to us all.
Squirrel. And he did not invent the ball at all, but Znayka.
Swallow. What a disgrace!
Sineglazka (Dunno), why did you deceive us? We believed you - we thought you were really smart, honest and brave, but you turned out to be a pathetic deceiver and a despicable coward! (Raising his head proudly, steps aside.)
Snowflake. You are unworthy of our friendship! (Also departs from Dunno.)
Gem. I will not write poems about you anymore. (Moves away.)
Everyone is crowding around Znayka.
Sineglazka (Know). Please tell me, is it true that when you fly in a hot air balloon, the earth below seems as big as a pie?
Know. No that's not true. The earth is very large, and no matter how much you go up in a hot air balloon, it seems even larger, since a wider view opens up from above.
Sineglazka casts a reproachful glance in the direction of Dunno. Dunno bows his head in shame. Sineglazka proudly turns away from him.
Snowflake. And tell me, is it true that a balloon can fly upside down?
Know. No, that's not true either.
Squirrel. And tell me, please, is it true that the clouds are made of jelly?
Know. No, what are you! The clouds are not from jelly at all, but from fog.
Check mark. So you didn't eat them at all?
Know. Whom?
Check mark. Well, the clouds.
Know. Of course no. How can you eat fog?
Squirrel. And didn't you chop them down with an ax?
Know. Why cut them with an ax?
Squirrel. Well, they are frozen.
Know. Who told you such nonsense?
Check mark. This is Dunno, hee hee!
Everyone turns to Dunno and laughs loudly. Dunno hides behind a gazebo, but Syrup and Donut look for him and begin to tease him.
Donut. Dunno liar!
Syrup. Dunno is a braggart.
Donut. Well, tell me how you came up with the ball.
Syrup. Well, tell me how you flew upside down.
Donut. Tell me how you ate a cloud instead of jelly.
Dunno runs away. Syrup and Donut hide after him.
Snowflake (Know). Tell us how it happened that you got lost.
Gem. Yes, yes, tell us. I'm sure it will be a very poetic story.
Know. As soon as I saw that the ball began to fall, I immediately gave the command that everyone should jump with parachutes. I jumped first, but no one followed me. I landed badly and nearly sprained my leg ...
Check mark. Oh!
Squirrel. Ah ah ah!
Know. I managed to notice in which direction the ball flew, and the next day, when the pain in my leg subsided a little, I went in search. I got lost in the forest ...
Gem. Oh, how poetic!
Check mark. Horror!
Know. But still I managed to get out of the forest, and here I am, as you can see for yourself.
Swallow. A very instructive story.
Squirrel. What did you do in the forest?
Know. During the day I looked for the way, and at night I slept, climbing a tree.
Check mark. And you were not afraid to fall from a tree in a dream?
Know, No. I tied myself to the trunk with a rope so as not to fall.
Gem. Ah, this is all poetry!
Snowflake. How smart you are, Znayka, and brave! I would never have guessed to climb a tree.
Check mark. I would have guessed.
Squirrel. And you would not have guessed there is nothing to write!
Check mark. And I say, I would have guessed!
Squirrel. And I say, I would not have guessed! (He wants to hit his girlfriend.)
Sineglazka. Girls, be quiet! Again you are arguing, only interfere with telling. Tell me further, Znayka, please. You speak so interestingly.
Know. And I have already told about everything.
Music is heard.
Snowflake (shouts). Ball, girls, ball! The dancing continues!
The snowflake grabs Znayka by the hand and carries him to the dance circle. The others rush after them. A round dance is formed again. Sineglazka, Galochka and Squirrel remain in the gazebo for a while. Syrup and Donut appear. They are out of breath from fast running and tumble down on benches from fatigue.
Syrup. Oh! (Fan herself with a handkerchief.)
Donut. Wow! (Wipes sweat from his forehead.)
Check mark. What's wrong with you?
Syrup. They were chasing Dunno.
Squirrel. What else is this for?
Donut. Teased.
Syrup. And so as not to lie.
Sineglazka. And where he?
Donut. Sits and cries in the bushes.
Syrup. We teased him to tears.
Donut. It serves him right! Will remember!
Check mark. Well, let's go dance now.
Donut. Now. I'm just here to portray Dunno.
The donut draws a funny face with long ears on the side of the gazebo. The syrup signs: "Dunno is a donkey." Checkmark and Squirrel laugh at their work. Then all four join hands, jump to the music and join the round dance. Sineglazka leaves with a thoughtful look. All the dancers line up on the dance floor in a semicircle and clap their hands to the music. Snowflake and Znayka are dancing in the center. They are replaced by another dancing couple - Pilyulkin and Medunitsa. After them, they perform a dance with flowers Check and Squirrel. Finally Syrup and Donut are dancing. These clumsy ones tread on one place, from time to time chipping off some funny knee. Dunno appears and peeks furtively from behind the arbor, looks with envy at the dancers. A round dance is formed again, and the dancers disappear in a string backstage. Dunno looks after them. Sineglazka appears behind him and watches him. Dunno notices an inscription on the wall.
Dunno (pointing a finger at each letter). Dunno - oh-oh-oh-sat down! .. Well, now all sorts of inscriptions on the walls are beginning to write about me. How unhappy I am! Everyone is laughing at me now! Everyone despises me! .. And no one, no one in the world loves me!
Dunno presses his forehead against the wall and sobs. Sineglazka comes up from behind and puts her hand on his shoulder.
Sineglazka. Don't cry, Dunno!
Dunno, without turning around, jerks his shoulder, trying to throw off his hand.
Sineglazka. Do not Cry!
Dunno (clinging to the wall with his hands). Uh-uh!
Sineglazka. Well, why are you doing that?
Dunno. Oooh! (She jerks her shoulder and jerks her leg again.)
Sineglazka (stroking him on the shoulder). Well, you don't have to be so angry. After all, I know that you are kind, good. You wanted to look better, so you bragged and deceived us. But now you won't do that anymore? .. Won't you?
Dunno does not answer.
Say you won't. After all, you are good!
Dunno (without turning around). No, I'm bad!
Sineglazka. But there are even worse.
Dunno. No, I'm the baddest.
Sineglazka. Not true. We had one boy. His name was Carnation. If you only knew what he was doing! He didn't want to do anything at all and even fought. But in the end even he corrected himself. This means that if you wanted, you could also do better. Say you won't do that again and start a new life. We will no longer remember the old.
Dunno (gradually ceasing to sob). Well, I won't.
Sineglazka. You see how good it is! Now you will try to be honest, courageous and smart, you will do good deeds, and you will no longer have to invent, write and brag to appear better. Truth?
Dunno (smiling through tears). Truth.
Sineglazka. Well, let's go where everyone is.
Sineglazka takes Dunno by the hand and leads to the dance floor. Dancers rush towards them. Syrup and Donut at the end of the line stop in front of Dunno and start teasing again.
Syrup. Dunno liar!
Donut. Dunno bouncer!
Syrup. Deceiver! Ha ha ha!
Donut. Coward!
Syrup. Well, tell me how you flew upside down.
Donut. Tell me how you swallowed the cloud. Ha ha!
Sineglazka. Shame on you? Why are you teasing him?
Donut. Why did he cheat?
Syrup. He was cheating.
Sineglazka. Did he deceive you? He deceived us, and you were silent - that means you were at the same time with him.
Snowflake (coming up). You are no better than him, you should not imagine! You knew that he was lying and bragging, and no one stopped him. Nobody told him it was not good. Why are you better?
Syrup. And we do not say that we are better.
Donut. What are we? We're nothing. (Shrugs his hands.)
Swallow. Well, do not tease, since you yourself are not better. Others in your place would have helped him improve long ago.
Donut (waving his hand). Well, we won't.
Syrup and Donut guiltily walk away from Dunno. The girls surround Dunno and look at him sympathetically.
Gem. Poor! You were crying! You've been teased!
Check mark. This Syrup and Donut are so crazy! As they undertake to tease, so tease and tease.
Squirrel. And they themselves are more to blame than others.
Snowflake (Dunno). But we will not give you any more offense. We won't let anyone tease you anymore. (With a conspiratorial look to the girls.) Come here, girls. (Takes the girls aside.) You should treat him gently, girls. He was guilty and punished for this, but now he repented and will behave well.
Check mark. Now he will know how to behave. Previously, he kept saying that it was only girls who cry if they were offended, but now he himself was offended, and he cried himself.
Swallow. Once he cried, then he repented. And teasing is not-ne-da-go-gich-no. He will get angry and begin to behave even worse, and if you feel sorry for him, then he will feel more guilty and will sooner improve.
Music plays again.
Sineglazka. Well, now let's all go dancing.
Sineglazka takes Dunno by the hand. A round dance is formed again. Donut and Syrup are left alone. Taking each other's hands, they form their own separate small round dance. Gradually, they approach the others and join them. Dunno and Sineglazka separate from the dancers and head to the gazebo.
Sineglazka (sitting on the bench). Let's sit better.
Dunno. You know, but I don't know how to dance at all.
Sineglazka. Imagine, I noticed it right away. But it's good that you yourself confessed. Another person in your place would have lied about three boxes, would have said that his legs hurt, that a nail in his heel or boots were tight, but you honestly said that you didn’t know how. I see that you can be friends.
Dunno. I also see that you can be friends. I didn’t want to be friends with girls before and thought that boys were better, but now I see that they are not better at all. The boys did nothing but tease, I was even ready to drown in the river out of grief, and the girls stood up for me. If you want, I will be friends with you, and if someone starts laughing, he will get a blow from me.
Sineglazka. I don’t want you to fight over me.
Dunno. Well, I won't fight. I just won't pay attention to ridicule.
Sineglazka. This is another matter.
Dunno. And when I return back to the Flower City, make friends with Fly and Button.
Sineglazka. Who is this Fly and Button?
Dunno. These are the two girls I beat all the time.
Sineglazka. Why did you beat them?
Dunno. Just. For being girls. He was stupid! .. And I'll make peace with Gunka. After all, I beat him too for what happens with girls.
Sineglazka (laughing). Oh, how wonderful you are, Dunno! .. Wonderful and ... good.
The dancers appear again, who for a while disappeared behind the scenes. The music stops.
Know. Come to me, brothers! Let's sing our favorite song. Let everyone listen to what beautiful songs are being sung in our Flower City.
Vintik, Shpuntik, Syropchik and the rest are running to Znayka. The girls sit on the benches, and the boys line up on the site, like on a stage.
Dunno (Sineglazka). Now they will sing about the grasshopper.
Sineglazka. Let's go. You will sing, and I will also listen.
Dunno joins his comrades. Znayka waves her hands and everyone sings.
In the grass Grasshopper sat. Just like a cucumber He was green He was green. He only ate weed Didn't touch the booger And he was friends with flies, And he was friends with flies. But then the frog came Gluttonous belly And ate the blacksmith And she ate the blacksmith. I didn't think, he didn't guess, He did not expect This is the end Such is the end!
The song dies down. Grumpy sobs are heard. Everyone looks at him in surprise.
Know. Why are you crying?
Grunt (sobbing). Such a good grasshopper was!
Cog. He did not touch anyone at all and was friends with flies ... (He also sobs.)
Shpuntik. And for this the frog ate it! (Whimpers too.)
Know. Don't cry, brothers! The frog did not eat the grasshopper. It is not true. She ate a fly.
Cog. Does not matter. I feel sorry for the fly.
Pills and. Why feel sorry for flies? They only annoy everyone and spread the infection. They also invented crying because of a fly!
Grunt. I am not crying because of the fly. I just remembered how we sang this song when we were at home.
Dunno (covering his face with his hands). Uh-uh!
Know. What happened to you?
Dunno (sobbing). I'm Gu ... I'm Gu ... I miss Gunka-ah!
Donut. Why did it happen? I didn’t miss, I didn’t get bored - and suddenly I got bored.
Dunno (capriciously). Yes! I'm here, but Gunka stayed at home.
Syrup. Well, your Gunka will not be lost without you.
Dunno. No, it will be lost. I know he misses me too. Gunka is my best friend, and I didn't even say goodbye to him when we flew away in a balloon.
Grunt. Why didn't you say goodbye?
Dunno. I quarreled with him and did not want to say goodbye. When we flew away, he kept looking at me and waving at me, and I even turned away on purpose and did not want to look at him. Then I was proud of the fact that I was flying in a balloon, but now I am tormented by this ... how is her? ..
Pilyulkin. Conscience?
Dunno. Here, brothers, conscience! She torments me, brothers. If I said goodbye, it would be easier for me. Let's go back, brothers, home, I will make peace with Gunka and say goodbye.
Know. If we return, we will have to say hello, not say goodbye.
Dunno. Well, it does not matter. I will say hello first, and then I will say goodbye, and everything will be fine.
Know. We'll have to go back, friends. Dunno wanted to go home.
Donut. I want to go home too.
Grunt. And I.
Pilyulkin. Yes, brothers, I must go home too. After all, without me in the Flower City someone can get sick, but there is no one to treat.
Know. Well, friends, take a walk, and that's enough. The balloon burst, but we can get there on foot. We must someday return home. Grab your hiking bags and let's hit the road.
Grunt. Our bags remained in the hospital. Your bag is there, Znayka. Now write is gone!
Lungwort. How did it go? I will return your bags. Let's go.
Everyone, except Znayka and Dunno, go for bags.
Snowflake (Know). How do you find your way home? Won't you get lost?
Know. No. I have a compass. When we flew, I noticed on the compass in which direction the wind was carrying us. Now I will look at the compass and find my way back. Have you ever seen a compass?
Snowflake. No.
Know. Look here. (Shows the compass.) Here is the arrow. She points there. Where do we go? There? Let's go.
Leaning over the compass, Znayka leaves. The snowflake runs after him.
Sineglazka (Dunno). So we are parting with you.
Dunno (sadly). Yes ... It's time for us to go home.
Sineglazka. You have been with us for a very short time.
Dunno. I really want to stay still, but I also want to go home.
Sineglazka. Of course, it's time for you to go home. You have friends at home who are probably worried about you. You are good at not forgetting your friends.
Dunno. I couldn't forget them.
Sineglazka. Why don't you go for your bag?
Dunno. And I do not have. I've lost. Or not, I don't seem to have had one.
Sineglazka. If you want, I'll give you my backpack.
Dunno. Want.
Sineglazka. Let's go.
Sineglazka and Dunno run away holding hands. The remaining girls gather in the gazebo. Znayka and his comrades appear from behind the curtains. They walk past the gazebo in a chain. Znayka holds a compass in front of him and, bending over it in three deaths, walks ahead of everyone.
The others follow him in step. To the sounds of a march, they walk around the gazebo, then around the dance floor. Sineglazka and Dunno appear with a bright backpack embroidered with flowers over their shoulders. Sineglazka stops near the gazebo, and Dunno is attached to the rearguard of the procession. The girls gathered in the gazebo waving their hands and hats and shouting: “Goodbye! Bye!"
Know. Bye! Someday we will make a balloon again and fly to you again.
Snowflake. Fly in the spring when the apple trees bloom!
Gem. We have a very beautiful spring!
Walking around the dance floor again to the music, Znayka and his friends leave the stage.
Dunno marches behind everyone, diligently waving his arms. Sineglazka stands near the gazebo, looks at Dunno and waves goodbye.
Sineglazka. Goodbye, Dunno! Bye!
Dunno turns around on the way, takes off his hat and waves it. As he continues to walk, he turns more and more, so that eventually he walks behind the others, back forward. But even in this position, he walks to the music, waving his hand measuredly and trying not to get off his feet. Just before leaving the stage, he finally stumbles and rolls head over heels backstage.
The donut draws a funny face with long ears on the side of the gazebo. The syrup signs: "Dunno is a donkey." Checkmark and Squirrel laugh at their work. Then all four join hands, jump to the music and join the round dance. Sineglazka leaves with a thoughtful look. All the dancers line up on the dance floor in a semicircle and clap their hands to the music. Snowflake and Znayka are dancing in the center. They are replaced by another dancing couple - Pilyulkin and Medunitsa. After them, they perform a dance with flowers Check and Squirrel. Finally Syrup and Donut are dancing. These clumsy ones tread on one place, from time to time chipping off some funny knee. Dunno appears and peeks furtively from behind the arbor, looks with envy at the dancers. A round dance is formed again, and the dancers disappear in a string backstage. Dunno looks after them. Sineglazka appears behind him and watches him. Dunno notices an inscription on the wall.
Dunno (jabbing a finger at each letter). Dunno - oh-oh-oh-sat down! .. Well, now all sorts of inscriptions on the walls are beginning to write about me. How unhappy I am! Everyone is laughing at me now! Everyone despises me! .. And no one, no one in the world loves me!
Dunno presses his forehead against the wall and sobs. Sineglazka comes up from behind and puts her hand on his shoulder.
Sineglazka. Don't cry, Dunno!
Dunno, without turning around, jerks his shoulder, trying to throw off his hand.
Sineglazka. Do not Cry!
Dunno (clinging to the wall with his hands). Uh-uh!
Sineglazka. Well, why are you doing that?
Dunno. Oooh! (She jerks her shoulder and jerks her leg again.)
Sineglazka (strokes his shoulder). Well, you don't have to be so angry. After all, I know that you are kind, good. You wanted to look better, so you bragged and deceived us. But now you won't do that anymore? .. Won't you?
Dunno does not answer.
Say you won't. After all, you are good!
Dunno (without turning around). No, I'm bad!
Sineglazka. But there are even worse.
Dunno. No, I'm the baddest.
Sineglazka. Not true. We had one boy. His name was Carnation. If you only knew what he was doing! He didn't want to do anything at all and even fought. But in the end even he corrected himself. This means that if you wanted, you could also do better. Say you won't do that again and start a new life. We will no longer remember the old.
Dunno (gradually ceasing to sob). Well, I won't.
Sineglazka. You see how good it is! Now you will try to be honest, courageous and smart, you will do good deeds, and you will no longer have to invent, write and brag to appear better. Truth?
Dunno (smiling through tears). Truth.
Sineglazka. Well, let's go where everyone is.
Sineglazka takes Dunno by the hand and leads to the dance floor. Dancers rush towards them. Syrup and Donut at the end of the line stop in front of Dunno and start teasing again.
Syrup. Dunno liar!
Donut. Dunno bouncer!
Syrup. Deceiver! Ha ha ha!
Donut. Coward!
Syrup. Well, tell me how you flew upside down.
Donut. Tell me how you swallowed the cloud. Ha ha!
Sineglazka. Shame on you? Why are you teasing him?
Donut. Why did he cheat?
Syrup. He was cheating.
Sineglazka. Did he deceive you? He deceived us, and you were silent - that means you were at the same time with him.
Snowflake (coming up). You are no better than him, you should not imagine! You knew that he was lying and bragging, and no one stopped him. Nobody told him it was not good. Why are you better?
Syrup. And we do not say that we are better.
Donut. What are we? We're nothing. (Shrugs his hands.)
Swallow. Well, do not tease, since you yourself are not better. Others in your place would have helped him improve long ago.
Donut (waving his hand). Well, we won't.
Syrup and Donut guiltily walk away from Dunno. The girls surround Dunno and look at him sympathetically.
Gem. Poor! You were crying! You've been teased!
Check mark. This Syrup and Donut are so crazy! As they undertake to tease, so tease and tease.
Squirrel. And they themselves are more to blame than others.
Snowflake (Dunno). But we will not give you any more offense. We won't let anyone tease you anymore. (With a conspiratorial look to the girls.) Come here girls. (Takes the girls aside.) He should be treated kindly, girls. He was guilty and punished for this, but now he repented and will behave well.
Check mark. Now he will know how to behave. Previously, he kept saying that it was only girls who cry if they were offended, but now he himself was offended, and he cried himself.
Swallow. Once he cried, then he repented. And teasing is not-ne-da-go-gich-no. He will get angry and begin to behave even worse, and if you feel sorry for him, then he will feel more guilty and will sooner improve.
Music plays again.
Sineglazka. Well, now let's all go dancing.
Sineglazka takes Dunno by the hand. A round dance is formed again. Donut and Syrup are left alone. Taking each other's hands, they form their own separate small round dance. Gradually, they approach the others and join them. Dunno and Sineglazka separate from the dancers and head to the gazebo.
Sineglazka (sitting on the bench). Let's sit better.
Dunno. You know, but I don't know how to dance at all.
Sineglazka. Imagine, I noticed it right away. But it's good that you yourself confessed. Another person in your place would have lied about three boxes, would have said that his legs hurt, that a nail in his heel or boots were tight, but you honestly said that you didn’t know how. I see that you can be friends.
Dunno. I also see that you can be friends. I didn’t want to be friends with girls before and thought that boys were better, but now I see that they are not better at all. The boys did nothing but tease, I was even ready to drown in the river out of grief, and the girls stood up for me. If you want, I will be friends with you, and if someone starts laughing, he will get a blow from me.
Sineglazka. I don’t want you to fight over me.
Dunno. Well, I won't fight. I just won't pay attention to ridicule.
Sineglazka. This is another matter.
Dunno. And when I return back to the Flower City, make friends with Fly and Button.
Sineglazka. Who is this Fly and Button?
Dunno. These are the two girls I beat all the time.
Sineglazka. Why did you beat them?
Dunno. Just. For being girls. He was stupid! .. And I'll make peace with Gunka. After all, I beat him too for what happens with girls.
Sineglazka (laughing). Oh, how wonderful you are, Dunno! .. Wonderful and ... good.
The dancers appear again, who for a while disappeared behind the scenes. The music stops.
Know. Come to me, brothers! Let's sing our favorite song. Let everyone listen to what beautiful songs are being sung in our Flower City.
Vintik, Shpuntik, Syropchik and the rest are running to Znayka. The girls sit on the benches, and the boys line up on the site, like on a stage.
Dunno (Sineglazka). Now they will sing about the grasshopper.
Sineglazka. Let's go. You will sing, and I will also listen.
Dunno joins his comrades. Znayka waves his hands and everyone sings.
In the grass Grasshopper sat.
Just like a cucumber
He was green
He was green.
He only ate weed
Didn't touch the booger
And he was friends with flies,
And he was friends with flies.
But then the frog came
Gluttonous belly
And ate the blacksmith
And she ate the blacksmith.
I didn't think, he didn't guess,
He did not expect
This is the end
Such is the end!
The song dies down. Grumpy sobs are heard. Everyone looks at him in surprise.
Know. Why are you crying?
Grunt (sobbing). Such a good grasshopper was!
Cog. He did not touch anyone at all and was friends with flies ... (Sobbing too.)
Shpuntik. And for this the frog ate it! (Whimpers too.)
Know. Don't cry, brothers! The frog did not eat the grasshopper. It is not true. She ate a fly.
Cog. Does not matter. I feel sorry for the fly.
Pills and. Why feel sorry for flies? They only annoy everyone and spread the infection. They also invented crying because of a fly!
Grunt. I am not crying because of the fly. I just remembered how we sang this song when we were at home.
Dunno (covering her face with her hands). Uh-uh!
Know. What happened to you?
Dunno (sobbing). I'm Gu ... I'm Gu ... I miss Gunka-ah!
Donut. Why did it happen? I didn’t miss, I didn’t get bored - and suddenly I got bored.
Dunno (moody). Yes! I'm here, but Gunka stayed at home.
Syrup. Well, your Gunka will not be lost without you.
Dunno. No, it will be lost. I know he misses me too. Gunka is my best friend, and I didn't even say goodbye to him when we flew away in a balloon.
Grunt. Why didn't you say goodbye?