"Have it your way! Let's go! It's something to do."

They climbed the hillside. Then the squirrel said quietly and mysteriously,

"It's here."

"What is here?"

"You will soon hear."

Ham looked around. Several withering trees stood nearby, but nothing special.

"Well? Where is your hiding place?"

"Be quiet and listen, please."

They sat and waited for some time. Then, all of a sudden, a breeze blew and a gentle trill resounded.

"Tra-lia, tra-lia-lia..."

Sometimes it was quiet, sometimes it was louder.

"Ha!" cried the hamster, "It's a nestling that fell out of the nest and is crying! What a miracle!"

"You don't believe it? In vain. Please, approach this withered twig with small holes in its side."

Ham drew close to the twig and was thrilled. As soon as the wind began to blow, it played like a flute.

"Oh-ho-ho!" Ham shouted joyfully and began running around the tree.

"Are you crazy?" the squirrel began shouting, "Have you been bitten by a fly?"

"I need this twig-flute, very badly..." Ham continued to rejoice loudly.

"No, no! I can't give it to you. It's my secret. My..."

The squirrel was indignant and took a stroll with her luxuriant tail across the hamster's muzzle so that Ham could not see for some time. But the artful pet ran and poked the squirrel on the side.

"Stop! Don't dare fight!" Johnny suddenly appeared from behind the dense brush woods with a long twig in his hand. "Dear Ham, I have been searching for you for a long time, and I've found you at last."

Johnny approached the two bullies.

"Look both of you. I also have a twig. I cut it here and made a nice flute. Let's sing together!"

"Let's!" Ham rejoiced that Johnny had found him and would be playing the flute.

"Let's!" the squirrel rejoiced that her marvel would stay in place.

And they advanced through the forest with a song.

"My beloved twig was supple and green,

I jumped, flew very high,

The twig suddenly faded, I was mean,

But I livened and played by the wind."

The squirrel was singing, Johnny was playing the flute, and Ham was grunting lively.

Now Ham would be rolling his wheel again and, sooner or later, achieve the darling peak.

The end.

Russian English translator

Leah Dugue