How King Gambabol wrote the letter

An ordinary king lives in a small village on a quiet street near the river. His name is Gambabol. He is small in stature – a little bigger than a gray cat, not very thin (a thin king will not be respected by his subjects), but not very fat either. Such a handsome little man with magnificent ears and kind eyes.
Gambabol lives almost at the very end of the street – where it turns sharply to the left near the old mill and stretches over the river. The street, overgrown with huge burdocks and hollow willows, is called “Frog Corner” – a strange and not very pleasant name. However, this is only at first glance. After all, there is a mighty force of all kinds of birds and frogs living in the river.
Oh no, don’t think that they are ugly pot-bellied frogs that flap their bulging eyes and scare children. Beautiful frogs live there, of a pleasant green color, always washed and well-groomed, very polite. Someone just walks along the path near the river, they always say to him politely: ” Kwa-kwa .” And then, crouching a little, the frogs jump up high and, having flown far, far, dive into the water.
The streets are famous for their polite and very singing frogs, which in the spring sing so loudly and sonorously that everyone who lives there has very big and beautiful ears to listen to this wonderful song.
You would probably want to live on such an incredibly pleasant street, but King Gambabol already lives there. But he has lived there for many years: either since last Thursday, or maybe all his life.
It was in the evening, after dinner, just at that wonderful time when you want to take a nap in the garden or just lie in the grass looking at the sky. He wanted to write a letter to his old friend who lives in an old garden across the river. In the closet, if you felt your hand on the shelf, there was a piece of paper and a pencil, and under the sprawling acacia there was already a “pie” table, from which it is very pleasant to take pies with jam (if you have them).
“Probably, it will be nice to write a letter on this table,” thought Gambabol. He sat for a while, gazing dreamily at the blossoming apple trees in the garden beyond the river, where his friend lived. “It’s good for him there, among the blossoming trees and the singing of birds,” thought the king. – But if he receives a letter, he will be very pleased. It’s probably as nice as getting two or three large candies or ice cream.”
He scratched one ear, then the other, frowned and stuck out his tongue, and that hand began to write a letter by itself. He didn’t write a lot of letters: he looks like candy, and we know that if you eat a lot of sweets, your stomach will hurt.
“Probably, if the letter is very long, my old friend will have a stomach ache,” thought Gambabol and decided to write a small letter.
An hour later, the letter was written. And his ears became even bigger and redder: when the king was doing some important thing, he liked to pull his ears, and writing a letter was a very important thing.
He put aside his pencil, began to look at the letter and think to himself: here my friend is sitting at home and probably eating a pie, or maybe he is looking at the river and thinking of me; and I have already written him such a beautiful letter, he will probably be very happy and say: “Thank you, my friend.”
But Gambabol decided to reread the letter. This is what was written there:
“Good afternoon, my dear friend. Today I ate ten pies and looked at the river, in the evening I will listen to the singing of frogs. When will you come to visit me? Did you swim through your mom today? I don’t know what to write anymore, so I won’t write to you anymore. But I will still write so that you can say hello to everyone. Unfortunately, I don’t know your neighbors, so don’t say hello. Your best friend is King Gambabol.”
“What a wonderful and pleasant letter,” thought the king, he carefully wrapped the letter in a large burdock and hid it in his ear. “Probably, tomorrow I will take the letter to the river for the frogs to deliver it to my friend who lives on the other side of the river…”
After such a hard day, Gambabol once again tugged on his ear, checking whether the leaf would fall out, and went to sleep.

How King Gambabol received a secret letter

Part 1. An important letter from a best friend and a mysterious meeting

“What a wonderful evening, quiet and cozy, smelling deliciously of honey and pies,” thought King Gambabol, sitting in a chair by the old acacia tree and looking at the river and the blooming garden beyond. “I’ll probably get a letter tomorrow from my friend telling me the news and asking when he can visit me and taste the honey pies.”
Behind these pleasant thoughts, which were circling around him and rising in light clouds high into the sky or clinging to the leaves of the acacia, the king already wanted to go to rest… But something changed, the rustling and rustling of the leaves was heard, on the branches and trunk of the acacia, like streaks of lightning in a summer thunderstorm , squirrels ran in…
“What kind of wonder? Gambabol thought. – What were they running for? What’s the commotion?”
— A letter! Letter ! Letter ! A large leaf tied with a needle – several squirrels made a noise at the same time, as if excitedly jumping from tree to tree.
“The letter is good,” the king smiled at the happy news…
He received the letter from a cunning squirrel with black eyes, to which he immediately poured full paws of nuts and pumpkin seeds, which were in the Big Pocket. (Gambabol had many pockets, but this one was the largest, and he carried all sorts of things in it). There were times when there wasn’t something at hand – whether it was a button or matches – you could definitely find it in the Big Pocket.
He took the letter, but was in no hurry to unfasten it and read it. Although the letter was not very large, he held it in his hands and thought: how many pleasant news he will receive now and how nice it will be to fall asleep, having a large pile of good words in his heart.
And yet he untied the bow with which the piece of paper was tied, and was surprised: the rope was expertly woven from two threads – yellow and blue. He already wanted to think that it could mean if there was some special and secret sign in it. But I was even more surprised when I read short sentences.
“A particularly secret letter for my best friend, King Gambabol .
My Friend, very secret and confidential.
Today, after sunset, when the moon rises over the garden and illuminates the lonely pear on the hill, you must urgently arrive at the river bank – where the old masonry was.”
And the signature: “Your Best Friend.”
It was very strange and mysterious. Even the flock of squirrels, who sat patiently waiting for news, sensed that unusual things were happening. After all, the king would surely smile with the biggest smile and would even read each word out loud to them several times… But Gambabol stood silently and did not say any words. After a while, he just said: “Very strange, very strange…”. But he didn’t say another word.
And the king stood and thought: “What can this mean? Did something bad happen? I guess I need to get ready. But if the letter is secret, then my journey must be secret too.”
With these thoughts, he immediately put his hand into the Big Pocket, where he felt the Linden Whistle, and, puffing out his cheeks, blew several times at it. It was a special whistle that Gambabol used in emergencies. After some time, there was a rustling in the grass, it was a hedgehog that used to guard the hut and yard at night. Also, with an inaudible, soft gait, came the Gray Cat…
The king looked around to see if there were any evil eyes nearby and, bowing low, began a quiet conversation with them. They spoke very quietly, so I won’t tell you about that conversation. However, after her, the hedgehog quickly hid under the large burdocks, and the Gray Cat, like a ghost, disappeared – as if he had never been there.
Gumball stood a little longer, smiled kindly at the quiet squirrels, and said: “All news tomorrow, my friends.” And he went to the hut, closing the door tightly behind him… Then the evening came, the village became quiet, the sun once again illuminated the garden on the other side of the river, dusk slowly crept into the neighborhood, but the moon had not yet risen.
It was quiet in the king’s yard, only the bees buzzed measuredly in the hives, from which the aroma of honey, thick and sweet, emanated. Somewhere in the branch of an acacia, a bird was chirping as it drifted off to sleep, the evening coolness quietly crept into all the crevices, enveloping the stones, which had been heated during the day, in a bucket of water.
The door creaked quietly, and it was Gambabol who came out, already ready for a mysterious journey. Although there was a trodden path from the threshold to the Green Gate, Gambabol thought, “A mysterious journey needs mysterious paths.”
And he decided to go around the house and go through the garden. It was damp and dark behind the house, also slightly overgrown with nettles and large elder bushes. However, the king tried not to fall into the nettle – it was a special stinging nettle, called “stinging”: it stung and bit his bare hands and knees so badly.
And then something snorted and stirred under his feet – Gambabol’s heart sank with fright and his knees trembled. But, fortunately, there was a hedgehog friend who had a task: to lead him along a secret path through the garden.
“The two of us will have more fun,” the king whispered quietly and, treading carefully, followed the hedgehog, who was chomping through the elder bushes. After a few steps, Gambabol, quietly bypassing the house, went down to the garden and approached the stone wall, where the Gray Cat was already sitting. His eyes glowed in the dark. He whispered: “Quiet, mur-r-r “…
Not very talkative Gray Cat was too smart, tidy and mysterious. His favorite thing is to lie in the sun in a cozy place and dream about the stars and the universe. (Although some said that he was just sleeping.) The king hurried after him, the road to the pond was not so far – the street on which he lived stretched over the river and twisted a little: sometimes it went up, bypassing the gardens, then it went down to the water.
So, Gambabol, quietly following the Gray Cat, walked along such a familiar street that it became mysterious and mysterious. At the pond, the Cat stopped and, flashing his eyes, said: “Moor.” And the king saw a white swan leaning against the shore.
He is the one waiting for me, he thought. After quietly saying hello, he sat down on him and immediately grabbed his neck. (Gambabol was a little afraid of water, he didn’t even really like to wash himself in the morning.)
The swan turned its head, hissed something (apparently, said hello) and inaudibly swam through the darkness, towards the huge moon, which was already shining somewhere in the distance. The river, familiar since childhood – not very wide and not very narrow – that night quietly moved in waves under the bank, the tails of fish slapped somewhere under the bank, but it was calm and quietly breathed coolness…
The king sat on the swan’s back and looked around, peering into the darkness. He moved his feet a little so as not to get his neat shoes wet. And to tell the truth: he was a little afraid that a mermaid or a merman would drag him under the water.
However, after a few minutes, the swan swam majestically to the rosebush and, turning around, spread its wings so that Gambabol could go ashore without getting his feet wet. A green lizard was waiting for him on the shore, which greeted him and said: “Your friend is waiting for you, follow me.”
“What kind of wonder?” thought the king. He had not been in such a mysterious situation for a long time. But the lizard ran along the path that went up, straight into the acacia grove, and turned sharply to the right to a lonely pear that grew alone on the mountain.
Gambabol carefully followed the lizard (it is not good for the king of even a small kingdom to run) and after a while he already saw a lonely pear tree, through the branches of which the moonlight was shining.
“My friend, forgive me for this secret,” heard Gambabol. This was said by the Best Friend who was waiting by the pear tree – I will explain everything to you now. We have an unusual guest with important news.” Best Friend was very focused and excited. But taking the king by the hand, he pulled him along.
In a moment they were in the hollow of the old pear tree, where it smelled deliciously of dried pears, apples, and mushrooms drying on pegs under the ceiling. Patron the dog was sitting at a small table with a candle, a jar of honey and a plate of pies. Gambabol remembered him as a puppy. However, now he was surprised: in front of him was the same dog, but he was dressed in a military uniform, on which there were several medals.
“Good evening to you, Uncle Gambabol,” Patron said, wagging his tail and smiling, showing his sharp teeth.
The king happily greeted his godfather and sat down at the table, having wisely reasoned: one must listen first, and then think about how to speak. They ate several pies, washed them down with honey water, and Patron began his story. He did not speak for long, but Gambabol remembered that conversation for the rest of his life.
The dog told: from the distant rotten swamps of Zalissya, shrouded in a fog that takes away memory, sows hatred and black malice in souls, hordes of tribes advanced on our country, their hearts burned with greed and envy.
These tribes forgot their language and traditions; hatred and contempt rule them; and from the howling of the shamans, who are called ” salavey “, the tribes go crazy, fall into a frenzy and rush like madmen with bulging eyes. On their way, they try to steal and destroy everything that is considered their highest valor and honor…
Stunned and depressed, the king sat listening to the Patronus. And he continued the story about the resistance of the horde, which, like locusts, devoured and devoured everything without pity or compassion, about destroyed cities and villages, about people who ran away crying – and their own houses were burning behind them…
But there was also good news. The dog told about the Konotop witches (they sent bad diseases to those traitors ), about forest people (they raised hordes in thickets and forests where they disappeared), about old Chornobay (he lured them with an old toilet bowl – for the Zalissya tribes it is the biggest dream, because who stole the toilet bowl — he becomes the leader of the tribe)…
– So, all is not lost yet? Gambabol asked in a low voice and looked hopefully at Patron.
“Of course not,” answered the guest cheerfully and took a bite of a good piece of pie. — We stopped the offensive and recaptured the largest cities, although there is still a lot of work to be done.
Here the king heard a story about the men of steel in a city by the sea who had taken the blow and were repelling the attacks of the enraged Zayds.
– Are they really made of steel? – Gambabol did not believe it a little.
– No, these are ordinary people. However, our land gave them such strength and strength that they became as if made of steel, and it is impossible to defeat them with any weapon, – answered Patron.
They sat for a long time and talked quietly, lit by a candle that had already burned to the end.
“Friends, I’m running out of time,” Patron said, “I need to make it to the morning line-up.” And I will ask you for help. Many children have now left their homes and are very sad. So, try to help them in any difficult situation. I will also leave you a letter with instructions that you will read a little later.
The dog took out a small box from his pocket, pressed a few buttons on it and quietly said something…
– Will you see me? In a few minutes I have to fly to the location of the unit, – Patron asked.
They went outside into the dewy grass. The sky was already gray – the night was beginning to melt, somewhere in the village a rooster crowed, a dog lied, who had dreamed of something. The morning of Alarming News was beginning.
Something rustled in the sky, like the wind in a leaf before rain, a small airplane or a small rotorcraft descended to the ground. Gambabol had never seen anything like this. In general, he saw airplanes only in the sky and was a little afraid of them, not really understanding how they could fly. “Although witches can, there must be a witch sitting there,” the king once concluded and never thought about it again.
“An electric quadcopter ,” Patron explained, but Gambabol didn’t understand anything. He nodded solemnly, as if every day he sees an “electric quadrocopter ” that flies by itself on moonlit nights over the garden. But it was time to say goodbye, although there were thousands of thoughts and questions in the king’s head, like wasps on a pear from which sweet juice flows, and these thoughts buzzed and stirred in his head, demanding attention.
Short hugs – and Patron opened the small door. Finally, smiling with all his shiny teeth, he shouted: “Hold on, friends! Wait for news from me.” In a moment, the strange plane rose above the pear, hovered for a moment and flew towards the pink sky, where the star was already breaking out.
King Gambabol talked with his Best Friend for a while longer, but the events of the night had so excited him that he refused breakfast and hurried home. He needed to think things over alone.

Gambabol and Rob from Michigan

After the meeting with Patron the dog, which excited King Gambabol so much that he went crazy and even stopped smiling with his pleasant and affectionate smile, some time passed… As we know, he lives in a small hut on a cozy street by the river, with little frogs neighborhood, the Gray Cat and the hedgehog.
His letter, which Gambabol carefully read several times, moved him. As we remember, he received the letter from Patron. What wasn’t there! Even about the ghost of Kyiv, which hovers under the sky and tears apart enemy planes with its steel claws, where there are face-faced and red- beaked “bottles” with pig eyes : because when they fall to the ground, you can only hear: ” bottle ” – that stinking stain on the ground remains from them .
The king also read about the volunteers. He had never heard such a word, so he read carefully what kind of people they are… And these are ordinary people whom we see every day, but these people try their best to help others, knowing how to find the incredible and do the impossible.
There was a lot of strange and interesting things in that letter, but the most important thing was a personal request from the Patronus: “Dear Uncle Gambabol, perhaps in a few days I will turn to you with a request for help for my friend who came to us from across the ocean. Be so kind, listen to his request and help in any way you can. Your patron.”
“How strange,” thought the king, “why didn’t he tell right away?” (And does someone live across the ocean?) After all, everyone knows: the ocean is boundless, even if you sail on a boat for a day or two, you will not see the end…”
But asking a friend is a big responsibility, so Gambabol began to prepare carefully. The first thing he did was clean up the hut a little, carefully wiped the dust and washed the windows well, watered the flowers near the threshold, ordered the squirrels, who were eagerly jumping on the branches, to be alert and wait for the guests, took a jar of fragrant honey from the bees.
“Well then,” the king wiped his sweaty forehead, “now you can meet the guests,” and sat down at the pie table to rest for a while and eat a few pies.
That’s how the day passed, there was no news. On the second day too. Only restless squirrels ran up every minute and peppered me with questions: “Have you arrived yet? Have you arrived yet? And who is this?”. From such noise and expectations, Gambabol ‘s head hurt and his wonderful ears turned red, so he ran away to the house to rest a little…
Just as the king dozed off, he immediately heard someone quietly scratching at the window near the bed. It was the Gray Cat. Gumball opened the window and he jumped into the room, looked around and said:
— Tomorrow at 8 a.m. near the mill, meet the volunteers who will bring a friend Patron… I have friends among dogs and cats who are currently at war, so the message was delivered by me. Although we are not very good friends with the dogs, there is no enmity in such difficult times. That’s all I was told…
“Thank you,” the king said quietly and went to wash. He remembered that the volunteers are girls and boys who help our soldiers, but he firmly decided: he would not let them go without gifts.
Just as the still-sleeping birds began to chirp in the branches of the acacia, Gambabol was already dressed and combed. He hardly slept at night, dusting off the jam jars that he had taken from the cellar, baked a huge tray of pies with all sorts of things, got a jar of honey from the spring garden and a bag of herbs for tea that he collected himself: there was thyme and m yata, and linden blossom, and many others – but that tea had a special property: whoever drank it, it was the taste of their favorite tea – only such tea can be drunk at home.
“It’s still early,” said the cat, who had already settled down next to him. “We’ll leave when the sun rises to that branch,” and immediately dozed off.
Gambabol himself understood that it was a little early, and his impatience did not allow him to sit in one place. Therefore, I decided to wash my luxurious ears once more.
“Clean ears are a good sign,” he said quietly and went to wash himself once more. As we know, the king is small in stature, so he asked the neighbor’s shepherd, Aza, to help him carry the huge bag, which he still wrapped in a clean checkered cloth.
The three of them set off like that. Several more squirrels accompanied them. As Gambabol realized, his guest was no longer a secret for anyone in the village. If squirrels accompanied the king on land, then shy frogs looked out of the water, which was as curious as fear, several times an otter swam inaudibly, which, probably, began to accompany them all the way to the mill.
So they went: Gumball, Gray Cat and Aza – along a path among burdocks and mint, squirrels jumped on trees, frogs swam ahead and climbed ashore to have a good look at everything, and then jumped into the water…
At last they arrived at the mill, a little early for the meeting. There was no one around yet, only a woman’s goat had already climbed up an old willow tree and was eating young leaves. Having greeted her politely, they sat down on a bench near the dam, which one of the fishermen had made so that it would be convenient to sit with a fishing rod while dozing while fishing.
The sun was already rising, dispersing the fog over the river and shimmering in the dew drops, a car rumbled in the distance, Gambabol was startled: “Are they going?”. But no, the car drove somewhere far away and stopped. The king, who was already tired in the sun, almost dozed off, but the Gray Cat, who was sitting with his paws under him, said: “They.”
Indeed, a green car came down from the street, which went up a steep hill, and also a kind of spotted one with big curly wheels. The car stopped near the mill, swayed, the doors creaked, and a very strange and beautiful girl got out, wearing high boots, green pants tucked into them, a T-shirt with some inscriptions, a yellow-blue flag on one shoulder, and a trident on the other.
However, where the sleeves ended, the hands were painted: on the right hand, as if red flowers on the background of some pattern and two silver bracelets, and on the left – either letters or a pattern and another bracelet, but wide, black, with a square in the middle . Gambabol immediately thought it was a clock. But there was only a black shiny surface without arrows and numbers.
“Some kind of decoration, probably,” decided the king. But he was most surprised by the hairstyle: as if one part of the head had been shaved, and on top of it there was a large strand of hair thrown to the right side. Gambabol was a little embarrassed, looking at her, while the strange girl squinted at the sun, took several deep breaths and said with a smile:
– Glory to Ukraine!
“Glory to the heroes,” answered the king. (It was Patron who taught him.)
“Are you King Gambabol?” she asked, sitting down on the bench next to the Gray Cat, who immediately climbed into her lap and purred.
“I’m Gam, Gam , babol ,” the king was even more embarrassed, but immediately pulled himself together. – And you?
– I am Yulia from Patron. I brought you a guest, he took a little nap in the car. I’ll call him now,’ she said, scratching Gray Cat’s ear.
– Are you a volunteer? – Gambabol had already mastered himself. – I would also like to give a gift from myself, from the Gray Cat and from all my friends, – but I immediately thought: “Will he take it? Maybe he will say that they don’t need that. And everything is wrapped up in the thread.”
“There’s jam and honey, the pies are still warm, take them and taste them, they’re very good,” Gambabol was afraid that she wouldn’t take his modest gift and began to open the bag to feel the knot of pies.
“Let’s have a pie,” Yulia laughed.
The king was frightened. I thought she was laughing at him. But when he looked at her, he understood: she is laughing, because everything around is so wonderful: the old willow tree with the goat, and the dew on the grass, and the rosebush, and the mountain beyond the river with a blooming garden, – Yuli’s soul is pleasant and easy.
— And I will treat you to volunteer special coffee. Do you drink coffee? she asked and headed to the car with the cat in her arms.
“Drink,” said Gambabol. But I immediately thought: “Oh, I have to give gifts, and Yulia is already treating me.” – And your, that is, my guest will drink coffee?
– Let him sleep for a few more minutes – he is very tired. And ate a few hot dogs at a gas station on the way, she laughed again.
While the king was taking out and laying out several pies, Julia had already returned with a large thermos and two silver cups.
– Maybe you will visit me? Gambabol suggested. – It’s not far, rest and have breakfast.
“Thank you, but I have to hurry.” Although I will definitely visit you, – she said and immediately handed the king a large cup full of coffee, which he barely grasped with both hands, – Treat yourself, this is special coffee. — And she herself took a pie and a second cup of coffee and somehow dreamily began to eat breakfast, not forgetting to share it with Aza. Gray Cat refused to eat, just sat on his lap and sometimes looked around…
The coffee was delicious, with a wonderful bitter aftertaste of slight sadness, sweet, like meeting friends after separation… So they sat: the strange girl Yulia, the Gray Cat, Gumball and Aza, sipping coffee and watching the sun sparkle on the water.
“Well, thank you for the coffee, pies and a wonderful morning,” Yulia said. The king was surprised: it was she who treated him to coffee. However, he also politely thanked.
— I give you this cup, Gambabol. It is made of a special metal. It’s metal from a city by the sea, – a cloud must have found the sun, because a black shadow fell on her face. But Yulia smiled again: “Are we going to wake up your guest?”
“Thank you, let’s go,” the king was a little confused again. – Will you take my gifts?
– Of course, I’ll take it. I haven’t eaten such wonderful pies in a long time. I will give them to very nice people and tell them that they are from you, – she took the bag and went to the car.
Gambabol hurried after her to meet the guest. He was a little worried because he did not receive guests very often. However, when Yulia opened the car door and quietly said: ” Rob , wake up, we have arrived,” there was no one in the car.
“He’s not there,” she said a little confused, looking around the whole car, which was jammed with bags and boxes.
The king was confused, began to look around and saw a strange little man in blue pants with braces, a checkered shirt, yellow leather shoes, with a luxurious beard and a cap on his head came out of the mill. But the most surprising thing is that instead of a hand, there was some kind of mechanism with wheels and gears that turned and turned. But it was all so exciting that you could watch it forever.
– Hi there! How are you doing? he exclaimed cheerfully, shaking off the dust until a whole cloud rose. “I’m Rob from Michigan.” What is this wonderful old mill? And what are the mechanisms here! This is a rarity, this is unique, – he did not stop, grabbed Gambabol’s hand and squeezed it like a best friend.
The king was a little embarrassed. He already wanted to tell about his business, that he brought pies and they were just drinking coffee by the river, but Rob couldn’t calm down.
– Is this your village? do you live here Is this your goat? And the dog is yours too? – he shouted, getting into the car – only his yellow shoes were peeking out…
“Julia, I’ll take my things and now I’ll check again: whether the engine is working well,” Rob had already opened the hood and was turning something inside the car. “That’s all, now this swallow will run another thousand miles,” he said contentedly and was already hugging Yulia: “Remember me and come to visit…”
Gambabol stood nearby, looking at the restless guest, who asked a lot of questions and did not sit still for a moment: he sometimes hugged Yulia, then ran by the car, twisted something with a steel hand and knocked on the wheels. Finally, Rob calmed down and they began to say goodbye, Yulia wanted to give them a ride to the king’s hut, but Rob waved it off: “I need a walk in such a wonderful village.”
“Brother Gambabola, shall we not go for a walk on this fine morning?” cried Rob, stroking his beard, and thrusting his hands into the large stomach pocket from which the shoulder straps came, he looked at the bags lying on the grass near the car. – Yulia, don’t worry about me. The king and I have a lot to do.” He put his arms around her lap once more, for he was as short as Gambabol.
Yulia thanked the king once again, kissed the shepherd Aza and the Gray Cat, even scratched the goat, which was watching all this while chewing willow leaves. She got into the car, waved her hand and drove away… So Gambabol felt a little sad in his heart and he secretly wiped a tear that appeared in his eyes… However, all his sadness disappeared when he saw how Rob had already opened one of his bags and took out a bunch of all kinds of things from it flat and bent boards.
— Friend Gambabol, help. We will swim to your house. Do you live by the river?
“Yes, at the end of the street is my hut,” answered the king, not really understanding what was happening.
“So we’re going to swim down that beautiful river, like we do in Michigan.” I’m just going to put the boat together, – shouted Rob and gathered the planks together, knocking on them a little with his mechanical hand, which he also had a hammer, a screwdriver, and a drill .
He also sang a song, loudly and in a slightly hoarse voice:
And we’re Michigan boys, we’re Michigan boys,
Mosquitoes bite us, we make canoes.
Whether in the swamp or the woods, Michigan boys will always be warm and full.
And us boys from Michigan, we’re always ahead of the pack,
We will go through all the forests, we will go through all the swamps.
And we are Michigan boys, we are Michigan boys
And in the swamp, and in the forest, and on the open river, the best boys from Michigan for all ages.
Gambabol stood a little stunned as he watched Rob sing a loud song and expertly fit the planks together. After some time, a boat appeared from a pile of boards. It was a long boat with rounded ends and not very deep, but quite large and light, almost weightless even in appearance.
“Well, king, we can go to your house,” Rob said contentedly, rubbing his hands together. – I heard that you can make the best pies in the world? I already want to try them and treat you to the food we love in Michigan.
And he was already pushing the boat towards the river, leaning on it with his hands. Even Aza tried to help, licking Rob’s face with her tongue and wagging her tail. Gambabol was so amazed and surprised that he silently began to help, thinking to himself: “I’m already a little used to guests, and it will be interesting with Rob , although he is so restless. Probably, everyone is like that in that Michigan, I would still like to know where it is…”. However, the king was too shy and polite to ask his guest for any details.
But Rob remained cheerful and cheerful. As soon as the boat plunged into the water and was already swaying near the shore, he called out: “My friend Gambabol, lie down on this bag, you will be comfortable. And let this luxurious and beautiful cat sit in our canoe. We have a long journey ahead of us.”
The Gray Cat jumped into the boat, and the shepherd Aza, who remained on the shore, waved her tail and showed that she wanted to be a guide and was ready for the trip, impatiently running along the shore.
– Hey , my friend, are you settled? Are you sitting comfortably? Rob asked, and began to switch some levers on his mechanical arm, which gave off smoke and steam, and its fingers folded into a paddle, like a motor boat.
– Give it to the mooring man! Raise the sails! Jungo, hold on tight! We’re going,’ Rob called merrily and lowered the mechanical arm into the water – it rumbled under the boat as it began to pick up speed. The boat picked up great speed, familiar sights flew by with crazy speed, and after a few minutes Gambabol, who was a little scared and firmly grabbed the sides, saw that they were already near a familiar willow.
“We’ve already sailed,” he called to Rob, “dock to the shore.”
He listened to him and the boat gently touched the bank of the river. The King and Rob quickly threw a few bags ashore and stepped onto solid ground…
“We need to take the boat apart and put it in the bag,” said Rob.
“Don’t worry,” Gambabol had already mastered himself, “I’ll see to it that everything is fine with the boat,” smiled the king and took out a linden whistle from the Big Pocket, which he lightly blew…
Rob stood by him, surveying the surroundings, but crouched down in surprise when a large white swan swam up to them and, arching his neck, hissed something.
– Don’t worry, Rob , it’s Shipun. He will take care of your boat and hide it in the verbologist. He’s over there,’ said Gambabol with his hand. – When we want to use it, we will come here, to the bank of the river, and call Shipun.
After a few minutes, Aza, who was running ahead with the squirrels, ran up to them and greeted Shipun, who was already pushing the boat over the shore to a secret place. The restless squirrels had already climbed into Rob’s large bag and were trying to get into one of the many pockets, which, much to their chagrin, were fastened with large buttons.
Rob had already turned the levers on his hand and it had become like a real hand again, but only with metal fingers. Now he looked with pleasure at the surroundings, the huge burdocks, the nettles taller than him, the old willow near the masonry, the garden with the church on the other bank of the river.
He said with pleasure: “You live in a nice place, my friend. It’s good for you here.” Gumball only smiled, he already knew that his street was the best in the world.
“I invite you to my house,” said the king, and taking one of the heavy bags, he began to climb to his house, which was nearby: a few steps – and here was the Green Gate with an open gate and a path to the house.
Finally, they went up to Gambabol ‘s house .
– In our village, we do not lock the doors, only a broom or a stick can be leaned against the door to make it clear that no one is at home. However, if the neighbor needs something, he can always go in and get it for himself, – explained the king, opening the door.
— Welcome, Rob , to my cabin. “Come in, please,” said Gambabol, leading the guest into a room immediately to the left as one entered the hayloft, and opened the wide, white-painted door.
The room was not very big, but not very small either, there was a bookcase and a table on the left. There was an open window above the table, from which a row of beehives could be seen: this is where Gambabola ‘s apiary began . From the window, you can probably reach the first beehive with your hand – that’s how close it was. There were 3 windows in the room: two on the left side and one on the right, all open and all looking at the apiary.
Oh, have you ever been to an apiary? Did you drink honey air? Are you dizzy from the honey spirit? Rob walked into a room that could be heard buzzing with bees and smelled of honey. He took off his large backpack and immediately sat down in a chair by the wall. He sat down and closed his eyes, just sat there and didn’t say a word.
The king sat down in another chair. He knew that the hut – very cozy, cleanly whitewashed, with the smell of honey and pies, coziness and flowers peeking through the windows – makes an incredible impression on the guests. So I was waiting for Rob to rest…
Gumball was a very friendly host, he rested for a moment and immediately ran to his little kitchen. There was only a stove, a small table by the window and a large sideboard where the king kept plates and pots, and on pegs on the wall in canvas bags were kept various healing herbs and mushrooms that the squirrels brought him.
at Gambabol ‘s place to receive guests: a huge banyak with borscht for lunch was steaming in the oven, pies with various fillings were browning on a large tray, a scalding teapot in which herbs and honey were infused.
The king quickly took the pie table outside and placed it on the doorstep under a huge jasmine bush, covered it with a tablecloth. Aza and the Gray Cat were already sitting by the table , who immediately settled down next to her and dozed off again. Squirrels were sitting on the branch of an acacia – quietly and politely, only their luxurious tails fluttered, showing impatience.
Gambabol immediately poured the nuts he had taken from the Big Pocket onto the table: “These are treats for you, but wait for our guest,” he said.
“I’m already here,” Rob went outside the house. – Oh, and it’s cozy in your house. He sat down only for a moment – and immediately gained strength, – said the guest, examining the apiary. – Come on, I’ll help. What has to be done?
– Prepared some food, help me take it out and spread it on the table. I have invited several friends to meet you, – only said the king and immediately ran to the kitchen to get everything necessary to treat his guest to a delicious breakfast.
There were also deep clay bowls, beautifully painted, and cups for tea, and a large tray for pies, and many different plates for honey, sour cream, jam… Gumball was a little afraid that Rob’s metal hand, which knows how to be a screw for a boat, would not will be able to cope with carrying plates, but he will break them, so he will be embarrassed.
However, Rob carefully and confidently snatched a whole mountain of plates, small and large, from the king’s hands, and began to deftly place them on the table. Gumball calmed down and began to search for large mittens to fetch the huge teapot. Here again Rob came to the rescue. His hand had truly fantastic capabilities: he so deftly gripped the hot teapot with his metal fingers that the king wondered how skillfully he did it.
Finally, the preparations were completed and everyone was able to sit at the table: Gumball, Rob, Gray Cat, Aza the shepherd, restless squirrels. Only there was no hedgehog, who liked to sleep a little during the day.
It was a wonderful morning. The king always remembers that day with great pleasure: both the fragrant tea with honey, and the pies that the guest from across the ocean really liked, and his special story about a distant country across the ocean.
Rob talked for a good hour about big cities flooded with light from advertising and thousands of cars, about mountains and lakes, about great steppes where bison live. Oh, everything cannot be conveyed from that wonderful story under the old acacia tree at the pie table in good company.
But the pies and tea ran out, the squirrels ran to their friends to share the news, the Gray Cat either dozed off or listened so intently with his eyes closed, Aza also said goodbye and ran off on business. Gambabol offered Rob a little rest after his hard journey, but he refused and asked:
— When I was in the old mill, I thought I heard someone crying?
The king, who had already begun to doze a little after his second breakfast, immediately answered:
“This must be my friend Two Grains,” and told Rob his story.
Two Grains always lived in the old mill, he was small in stature with a forelock, always dusted with flour, and cheerful eyes. Most of all, he loved all kinds of mechanisms that were in the old mill, and making flour from the grain that the peasants brought in big sacks. Every day, restlessly, he watched over the millstones that ground grain into white flour, making sure that all the mechanisms worked.
The flour from the mill where Dva Zernyatka lived was famous throughout the neighborhood, and what delicious pies were made from it, and donuts! However, over time, people stopped going to the mill, began to forget how to bake bread or pies, and began to buy everything in the store.
“But can it be tastier in the store than at home? asked Gumball. And he himself answered: “I will never believe it!”
But over time, the mill fell into disrepair, people forgot the way to it, no one carried wheat anymore, and since then Dva Zernyatka has been sad. The king wiped away a tear that rolled down his cheek, it was clear how he was worried and sympathized with his friend.
– I found a new home for him at his grandmother’s, over there, across the street. However, he goes to the mill every day and is sad. And I don’t know how to help him, – Gambabol finished his story.
Rob got a little sad too, but he never lost his good humor.
– We will help him. Right today we will find a way out, because we, too, are probably volunteers! said the guest cheerfully.
– How can we help him? asked the king.
“We’ll find him a job,” Rob said as he ran to the house and returned with a bag from which he began to take out metal tubes and some wheels.
– What it is? – wondered Gambabol.
– My gift to you is an electric scooter. It drives itself, you don’t even have to push with your foot, said Rob with satisfaction. And his miraculous hand had already turned into a screwdriver and skillfully twisted and tapped something.
Gambabol just stood in amazement, watching how skillfully Rob tinkered, fitting one part to another, squinting one eye and tugging at his beard with pleasure.
“But there is no electricity in my house,” the king recalled. – How will he go?
“Don’t worry, my friend, I’ve taken care of everything,” Rob had already assembled the scooter and stepped back a few steps to admire his work. – Do you like it?
The scooter was on the doorstep, nice and shiny, with huge wheels, brakes on the handlebars, and even a little screen that showed the battery level. Gambabol was very impressed, this day brought him many surprises and surprises. He was embarrassed and ashamed – that is a very expensive gift. Just as he was about to start giving up, Rob reached back into the bag and began to pull out some items and lay them out on the doorstep.
“I know you don’t have electricity – Patron told me about it, so I made a special generator for one protein,” answered the guest and quickly fitted one part to another and something like a wheel appeared, empty inside.
“This is where the squirrel comes in and runs on the wheel, and the small generator here will generate electricity,” Rob explained, pleased with Gambabol ‘s surprise . – Numo, call those restless squirrels that scurry in the branches of the acacia, let’s conduct the first test.
The king called the squirrels, who in a second were already on the table and listening to the instructions of the guest, who explained what needed to be done. The squirrels all together tried to climb into that strange wheel. But in a minute, Gambabol brought order and said that everyone would try, but in turn. Rob connected the scooter to the generator and the first squirrel jumped into the wheel, which immediately whirred and spun at breakneck speed, and the screen on the scooter lit up.
— The charge went off. Look, king, it’s charging! Rob almost danced, glad that everything was working.
Meanwhile, the squirrels were running in the wheel with such zeal and pleasure. In no time the scooter was loaded to the brim, as Rob said, pleased that everything had gone well with no breakdowns.
— Hey , my friend Gambabolu, we have to test your scooter. Let’s visit your friend Two grains. We can’t leave him alone on such a beautiful day, can we? Rob smiled slyly. – Why is he called Two Seeds?
“He always sang his favorite song,” answered the king.
Two grains to a cup,
Eat pies girls.
Two grains to a cup,
Eat pies, boy.
“Now he has stopped singing and I don’t know how to help him,” said Gambabol in a sad voice.
– Do not be sad, we will solve this problem. We are volunteers! And the volunteers can do anything, said Rob, disconnecting the scooter from the generator for one white power.
– Are you ready to travel? he exclaimed. – Close the hut and let’s test your scooter.
Oh , what a trip it was! The king did not dare to lead alone, so he threw his arms around Rob and they ran like a whirlwind down the street. The wind ruffled Rob’s beard, and Gumball’s ears flapped like sails. The king closed his eyes in fright. But after a while, he looked around a little, at the familiar road that lay under the wheels of the scooter.
Although the street was a little long, they ran down it in a minute. Here is already the mill and the goat, which has not even taken a step away from the willow since the very morning. She just looked at such a strange thing in surprise – probably, a goat rarely saw a scooter. Maybe if she lived in some city, then scooters are not uncommon there.
“Well, you probably won’t surprise anyone with a goat on a scooter in the cities,” she thought and turned to the tasty twigs with leaves, because it is not appropriate for a country goat to ride a scooter. Gambabol and Rob had already got off the scooter and were sharing their impressions of the first ride. The king was very impressed and grateful for such a gift. And he promised himself that he would definitely learn to drive as soon as he found a helmet that would fit his magnificent ears.