Translated from the Ukrainian by Oles Kovalenko and Vasil Baryshev It wouldn't be inaccurate to say that it is the story-writers who actually introduce kids to the world they live in... Using words, they paint a bizarre yet convincing pattern of the essential human values Love, Beauty, Honesty, Courage as opposed to Hatred, Uglyness, Meanness, Cowardice... This is a massive, wide-ranging collection of tales full of action, ferocious energy and imagination offered by leading Ukrainian authors of several generations. .j Rocking with laughter and dissolving in tears, praising the good and grappling with the evil — these entertaining and brilliantly plotted mysteries have it all!
Have you ever heard of Wonderland and its wonderful inhabitants? If not, you should be ashamed of yourselves! It was a mysterious land cut off from the rest of the world by deep seas and high mountains. Among its fairy inhabitants there lived Grandpa Wisehead and Grandma Concordia. They had no wonderful children of their own, so Grandpa Wisehead and Grandma Concordia adopted seven boys from the ordinary world. They loved their adopted sons very much. Indeed, the boys were cheerful and smart, strong and handsome. They had hazel eyes and dark curly hair. So their grandparents just doted on them and bent over backwards to please them and make life easy for them. Especially, the grandma. She didn't let the boys do any work. She did all the chores herself saying, "Never mind! Boys will be boys! Let them play! They aren't strong enough to help us. They are too young!" Grandpa Wisehead frowned when he heard this, but he never argued with his wife. He was afraid she would say he didn't care about their boys as much as she did. Finally, the youngsters grew accustomed to their carefree life and believed that they had a natural right to a comfortable life with no work. So, life was free and easy for the boys who lived with Grandpa Wisehead and Grandma Goncordia in the wonderland. As the years flew by, the boys matured and became strong young men. One day, Grandpa Wisehead and Grandma Concor-dia called their grandsons and said: "We are much too old, our dear sonny-boys, we're weak and weary. We are going to move to Serene Mountain to live peacece-ful life there reading books and watching our Imagavision set. From now on you will be on your own. But before we go we'll make your dreams come true. Anything you like. Just remember that only one dream will come true for each of you. Only one. Think carefully before choosing your wish, there's no hurry. And take it seriously. This decision will effect your whole life..." The seven brothers exchanged glances taking their time. It was hard for them to decide. "Of course!" one of the lads suddenly exclaimed. "I know what I want! I want to be a magic builder. I would be glad to build magnificent palaces by just waving my hand. One, two, three — and there's a palace, come and see!" "Yes!" the second brother sprang to his feet. "I know what I want too! I'll be a magic gardener. I'll just raise an eyebrow and an apple-tree will pop up with golden fruit on every branch..." "I know what I..." jumped up the third brother. "I know..." jumped up the fourth one. "I..." jumped up the fifth one. One by one, the brothers jumped up with their bright ideas. Everyone of them wanted to be able to perform miracles. "Are you sure you want to be magicians?" asked Grandpa Wisehead. "Dead sure!" the brothers answered as one. "You won't change your minds?" Grandpa Wisehead asked again. "No, we won't!" "Are you sure you won't regret it?" Grandpa Wisehead asked the brothers a third time. "Regret it? Ha-ha!" the brothers laughed. "Why should we regret performing miracles?! Ha-ha-ha!" "Let them be what they want. Never mind!" Grandma Con-cordia intervened. "All right, so be it," said Grandpa Wisehead. "Let it be as you wish. Now go to bed, boys, and sleep well. You'll wake up magicians tomorrow morning, all of you. Remember, we'll miss you. Take care of yourselves." And with these words Grandpa Wisehead and Grandma Con-cordia packed up and left for Serene Mountain. Meanwhile, the seven brothers had their supper, cleaned their teeth, washed behind their ears and went to sleep. ...They woke up in the morning, did their morning exercises, and washed. Then they had their breakfast. When they had finished, they looked anxiously at each other not knowing whether they had already become magicians or not. Each of them was afraid to be the first to check, as none of the brothers had ever tried to perform miracles before. At last, the eldest brother plucked up courage, took a deep breath and pronounced: "Magic powers, Give me a chance — Let a palace Rise at once." As he said these words, he waved his hand and squatted, his eyes half-closed... A moment later — z-zounds! the air was split with an explosive sound as if a mountain had creacked into halves. The astounded brothers saw a brand-new magnificent palace rise in front of them in no time. Only dust was swirling as though stirred up by a herd of cattle. The lads again looked at each other, hardly believing what they saw. It was severalminutes before they got a grip on themselves. Then they congratulated each other on their new magic powers. The elder brother was now, as you can guess, the Magic Builder. He proved that by having a magnificent palace pop up with just a wave of his hand. The second brother was now the Magic Gardener. He produced apple-trees laden with golden fruit by simply raising an eyebrow. The third brother was now the Magic Cook. He had a wonderful tablecloth. As it was unrolled the most delicious food and drink appeared in vast quantities. Any number of persons could feast on it from morning till night. The fourth brother was now the Magic Beautifier. He could change the ugliest creature into a real beauty. The fifth brother was now the Magic Tailor. He could make wonderful clothes for the whole world. The sixth brother was now the Magic Craftsman. He could make the most intricate mechanisms and sophisticated devices by a quick wish. Among his first creations were a set of automatic servants that did all the housework. The seventh brother was now the Magic Traveler. He had flying carpets, seven-league boots and a variety of other fairytale means of transportation at his disposal. The lads were beside themselves with joy. They praised their Grandpa Wisehead and Grandma Concordia: "Good for them!" "We've received royal gifts indeed." "This is wonderful." "We must be unique." "Is it really possible?" "Now we're going to be happy for the rest of our lives!" "Let us build ourselves a city where there'll be all play and no work!" "We'll live there in real style!" "Sure thing!" "Absolutely!" And that's just what the magician brothers did. They built a Fun City with a luxurious palace for each of them. And in each palace there was an Imagavision set to watch and an Imaga-phone to speak into. There were also swimming pools, gardens of the golden apple-trees and a horde of clever machines doing all the work for the brothers. In the centre of the Fun City there was a huge Amusement Palace offering amusements and games for every taste, playgrounds and skating rinks, a library and shooting gallery, merry-go-rounds and a maze. In short, it was the perfect place for our seven young magicians to while away their time. Soon after the brothers layed out their Fun City and settled there, Grandpa Wisehead and Grandma Concordia gave them a ring: %i Hallo! It's your grandpa and grandma speaking. How are you, dear boys? Hope you enjoy yourselves!" "Hallo, dear grandpa! Hallo, dear grandma! It's great to hear you! Yes, we're enjoying ourselves alright. It's all play and no work for us, can you imagine that? We've got a really easy life! You've been so kind to us, dear grandpa and grandma! Thanks a lot! We're extremely grateful for all you've done for us..." "Very good. We are glad you are having fun. Keep well and take care, bye-bye!" And the grandparents rang off. The seven brothers then decided to have a party, a celebration of their new life, as one of them put it. So they did. ...They woke up late next morning. But, they did their morning exercises, washed and had breakfast as usual. Then they hesitated. The brothers looked at each other questioningly, not knowing what to do with themselves. "What shall we do now, boys?" one of the brothers asked. The rest shrugged. None of them had expected that they would ever be bored in their Fun City... "Let's go to the Amusement Palace!" "Why not?" They walked over to the Amusement Palace. There the lads spent some of their time in the Playground. Then they spent a few minutes in the Maze and after that they started to play games but soon they'd had enough of that too. The brothers tried to kill time trailing around the palace... They didn't feel like playing or laughing, or reading anymore. They were bored... Then Grandpa Wisehead and Grandma Concordia phoned their boys again: "How are you doing, boys? Are you in good health?" "We are fairly well, thank you," the brothers answered in restrained yet rather cheerful voices. They simply couldn't tell their grandparents how boring their lives had become! "Very well. Keep cheerful. Hope everything's fine. Goodbye, dear boys!" "Bye!" the brothers said and hung up. ...Some days passed. ...Then a week. ...Then a month. It was as if a dark cloud was hanging over the Fun City. The seven brothers traipsed about looking very downhearted. They just didn't know what to do with themselves. They had everything they could think of. But that didn't make them happy at all because they could make any dream come true in no time at all. And it is no fun at all when all your wishes become reality without any effort. Soon the brothers felt they had no wishes left. Their heads were as empty as their hearts. They didn't want anything! Anything at all. If you don't want anything at all, you can hardly enjoy yourself. There was no excitement. There was no happiness. The brothers forgot how to smile, how to feel happy, how to laugh. They were on the verge of tears all the time. Then one day their Imagaphones rang again: "Hallo? How are you doing, dear boys? Are you keeping cheerful in your Fun City?" The brothers couldn't pretend any longer. They broke down and wept into the receivers of their Imagaphones: "Oh, dear Grandpa! Oh, dear Grandma! We've been so silly! We're very ashamed, but it's so -- dull here! We can't remember the last time we smiled. Help us, please! Do something!" "Didn't we warn you, poor dears: Think twice before asking! Now we can do nothing for you. We have retired, don't you remember?" "What shall we do then?!" the brothers sobbed even louder. "Are we going to live bored and die bored? Tell us what to do! You're so clever, so wise. You must know some way to help us." "Well... there is one possibility. There is an old soothsayer, Merrythought. Go and see him. He may be able to help you..." "But where does this Never — say — ... where does he live?" "Old Merrythought has a house beyond three seas: the Blue Sea, the Green Sea and the Red Sea." "We'll go there right away!" "Hold on,.dear boys! Don't be in such hurry. It's growing dark already. Go to bed now and get up in the morning to make an early start because it's a long long way. Good night, dear children, and we wish you a good journey!" And with these words Grandpa Wisehead and Grandma Con-cordia rang off. Following their advice, the seven brothers had their supper, brushed their teeth, washed their ears and went to bed. When the day broke, they woke up, did their morning exercises, washed and had breakfast. Then they looked at each other questionmgly: "Well?" "Well what?" "Let's get going!" the Magic Builder ordered. "You, the Magic Traveler, make us a flying ship and quickly!" "Sure thing," said the Magic Grower. "Absolutely," said the Magic Cook. And the rest said, "Absolutely sure thing!" The Magic Traveler clapped his hands one-two-three and -lo! the flying ship appeared right in front of them. The brothers quickly climbed on board, wasting no time. The Magic Traveler immediately took the helm and switched on the magarocket engine. As he did so, his ringing voice called out:
"There are lots of stars in heaven! Eighty-nine plus sixty-seven Multiplied by fifty-eight. Climb up, as if you have no weight! Reach the sky and gather speed! Take us to the place we need! Z-o-o-om!"
The rocket engine roared at such an earsplitting pitch that the earth shook! The brothers saw trees nearby bent low to the ground. Golden apples were shaken off the trees by the powerful blast and dust clouds soared skywards. But their ship didn't as much as stir as if unable to overcome the force of gravity. "What's the matter? Why aren't we taking off?!" the brothers shouted through the roar of the engine. The Magic Traveler turned off the engine and sighed: "It seems the ship is overloaded... She is not designed to carry so much weight. One of us will have to get out or..." Their faces fell. They all looked down at the ground for none of them wanted to get off. All the brothers were eager to go to the old soothsayer. Suddenly, an idea flashed across the Magic Master's mind. "Brothers!" he called out cheerfully, "let our ship ride the waves since she cannot fly!" "Sure thing!" said the Magic Gardener. "Absolutely!" said the Magic Cook. And the rest said, "Absolutely sure thing!" The Magic Traveler was again in good humour. "Never say die!" he exclaimed. "Nothing is impossible for me! Hey, brothers, help me to launch her!" The brothers quickly got out and prepared to put all their strength into pushing the ship, three of them on each side. The Magic Traveler helped them at the stern, shouting: "Ready boys, one, two, push with all your might. Come on, lads, push hard, push, the sea's in sight!" Inch by inch, they pushed the ship towards the sea, leaving a deep trail in the sand. Then the seven brothers climbed aboard again and took their seats on the deck. The Magic Traveler put his hands on the helm and switched on the engine. Brimming with excitement he pronounced:
"There are lots of stars in heaven! Thirty-nine plus forty-seven Multiplied by twenty-eight. Ship, ahead! Pick up the rate! Now sail ahead, my ship! Full speed! Take us to the place we need! Zip!"
The water churned at the stern as the ship plowed on. "At last we're on our" way! Full speed ahead!" shouted the brothers excitedly. It turned out to be a very long journey indeed. First, they sailed across the Blue Sea. One day passed... Then a second... Then a third. At last the Blue Sea was left behind them. Then, the seven brothers cruised across the Green Sea. One day passed... Then a second... Then a third. The Green Sea was now left behind them. Finally, the brave navigators plied across the Red Sea. One day passed... Then a second... On a third day, the seven brothers approached the land. They went ashore and made their way uphill. Soon they saw a hut the likes of which none of them had ever seen before. The hut had evidently been made to look like a human head. It had a pair of round-shaped windows for the eyes, a door for the mouth, a thatched roof was its hair and there were oddly-shaped eaves for the nose. The green ivy twined about the hut, arching above the entrance was just like a moustache and running down the porch like a long green beard. Presently, an old man came out, his face was obviously the model for his house. He smiled a friendly smile. The seven brothers immediately realized it was Merrythought, the old soothsayer they were looking for. They greeted him politely and explained what their trouble was. Merrythought listened attentively and said: "It's not me you need, I'm afraid, but the Bliss Bird. There's no doubt she's the only one who can help you, no doubt about it. Only the Bliss Bird can make you smile again. Only she can make you feel joy. That's all I can advise you." "But where can we find this Bliss Bird? How can we catch her?" the brothers cried out together. "It is almost impossible to catch the Bliss Bird." "But maybe it's possible to see her at least?" "To see her, you say?... Well, I don't know... You'd better go and talk to the fair maidens who guard the Bliss Bird. That is much easier and I can tell you how to go about. There is a strawberry glade in the nearby forest. At midnight, the Bliss Bird wings her way there to peck strawberries. She just loves strawberries, you know. She can't get enough of them. It's not surprising because strawberries are immensely popular with the local folks who eat them to be strong and healthy... "As I told you, there are seven fair maidens who keep watch on the Bliss Bird while she's enjoying the strawberries. Their oldest maiden's name is Belle Beautia, by the way. The sisters take turns, each one watches for one night. Only, don't go there all together, or you'll scare the Bliss Bird and won't see her again. You'd better go one by one. That's all." The brothers had no choice but to wait impatiently for the night to come. As darkness fell, the Magic Builder, the eldest of the brothers, went to the glade and hid behind a bramble bush. At exactly midnight the Magic Builder heard a flapping sound. The next moment the strawberry glade was bathed in soft flame-coloured light. Although the Magic Builder strained his eyes to make out the Bliss Bird, he could see only an orange halo-shaped light roving around the glade. Suddenly, the bushes rustled and someone stepped into the pool of soft light. It was a tall slender girl with dark hair. She was pretty as a picture. She sat on the grass and began to weave a wreath from marigolds, smiling softly to herself. The' Magic Builder couldn't take his eyes off the girl. Neither could he utter a word, stunned by the girl's beauty. At last he managed to whisper: "Oh beautiful maiden! Don't be afraid of me, I just want to have the Bliss Bird. Let me catch her!" Belle Beautia (for it was she!) turned around and asked: "Who are you? And tell me what you can do." The Magic Builder told Belle Beautia about himself. "Well, show me your skills then." The Magic Builder rose to his feet and pronounced: "Magic powers, Give me a chance — Let a palace Rise at once." He waved his hand and in a split-second a wonderful palace grew up in front of him. Belle Beautia glanced at the palace and shook her head dejectedly. "No, I don't like it!" "What?" The Magic Builder was amazed. "But you must admit it's magnificent." "No, it is not. You didn't seem to put your heart into it. Goodbye!" With those words Belle Beautia was gone before the Magic Builder could utter another word. His palace disappeared also. The strawberry glade was now dark again. The Magic Builder stayed there till sunrise waiting for Belle Beautia and the Bliss Bird to come back. But neither of them appeared again. As the sun rose, the Magic Builder saw that the beautiful maiden left her wreath on the ground. He picked it up and put it inside his shirt. Then the Magic Builder returned to his waiting brothers and told them about his failure. When the second night came, the Magic Gardener went to the strawberry glade. He hid behind the bramble bush and waited impatiently for the Bliss Bird to appear. At midnight the Magic Gardener heard wings flapping overhead. The next moment the strawberry glade was bathed in soft, flame-coloured light. The Magic Gardener strained his eyes but he saw only an orange radiance moving about grass. Presently, the bushes rustled and a young maiden stepped into the pool of light. Her gray eyes were shining with kindness and her full lips were as bright as red poppies. The girl sat on the grass and began to weave a poppy wreath, smiling softly to herself. The young man was stunned by her tremendous beauty. At last he managed to whisper: "Don't be afraid, fair maiden! I came here for the Bliss Bird as I need her badly. Let me catch her." "Who are you?" asked the girl, turning around. "Tell me who you are and what you can do." The Magic Gardener duly rose to his feet and stepped forward. He told the maiden who he was and what his trouble was. "Well, show me your skills then." The Magic Gardener pronounced: "Let a golden apple-tree Grow quickly! One, two, three!" He raised an eyebrow and in a flash there was an apple-tree covered with golden fruit. But the girl only shook her head and turned away: "No, I don't like it!" "What?" The Magic Gardener was amazed. "Isn't it beautiful?" "No, it is not. You didn't seem to put your heart into it. Goodbye!" With this, the beautiful maiden disappeared. The Magic Gardener didn't have time even to say a word. His golden apple-tree was gone, too. The young magician stayed there till the very sunrise, waiting for the graceful maiden and the Bliss Bird to return. But neither of them did. When the day broke, the Magic Gardener saw that the maiden had left her wreath on the grass. He took it up and put it inside his shirt. Then he came back to where his brothers had been waiting for him and told them about his failure. When the third night came, it was the Magic Cook's turn. He went to the strawberry glade and knelt down behind the bramble bush. At midnight he heard a flapping sound. A moment later, the strawberry field was bathed in soft, flame-coloured light. Then the bushes rustled and a beautiful girl stepped into the pool of soft light. Her hazel eyes were sparkling and her cheeks were shining and rosy. She sat on the grass and began to weave a wreath of mallow flowers, smiling softly to herself. The Magic Cook froze to the spot, stunned by the girl's dazzling beauty. At last, he managed to whisper: "Don't be afraid of me, fair maiden! Let me catch the Bliss Bird. I need her badly!..." The girl turned around and asked: "Who are you? Tell me who you are and what you can do." The Magic Cook duly rose to his feet and told the girl who he was and what his trouble was. "Well, show me your skills then." The Magic Cook promptly unrolled his wonderful tablecloth and pronounced: "Everything tasty, everything nice, Let it appear on this table tonight. Ho tages-po tages, Served in the cottages. Let all now appear On a table Right here!" In a jiffy the tablecloth was heavily laiden with all sorts of food -- boiled and stewed, roasted and fried, grilled and broiled, baked and dried. But the girl only took one little bite and made a face. Then she shook her head and said: "No, I don't like it at all!" "But why?" The Magic Cook was utterly amazed. "Isn't it delicious!" "No, it isn't. You didn't seem to put your heart into your work," said the girl. "Good-bye!" With this, she disappeared. When the day broke, the Magic Cook saw that she left her mallow wreath on the grass. He picked it up and put it inside his shirt. Then he returned to where his brothers had been waiting for him and told them about his failure. When the fourth night came, the Magic Craftsman took his turn. When he reached the mysterious strawberry glade, he sat under the bramble bush and waited. At midnight he heard the sound of flapping wings. The next moment the strawberry glade was bathed in soft flame-coloured light. Then, a graceful girl stepped into the pool of light. She was a striking beauty with velvety eyes like violets... The maiden sat on the grass and began to make a wreath of violets, smiling softly to herself. Enchanted by her breathless beauty, the Magic Craftsman barely managed to whisper: "Don't f-fear, f-fair maiden! I've come to catch the Bliss Bird. Let me do that, will you!" The girl turned her head and asked: "Who are you? Tell me about yourself and what you can do." The Magic Craftsman obediently rose to his feet and explained who he was and what his trouble was. "Well, show me your skills then." The Magic Craftsman stepped forward and pronounced: "Tangent-sinus Kerosinus, Minus Cosine plus Benzinus. Cyber-scriber Energetic, Scriber-cyber Automatic!" In a flash, the glade swarmed with most fantastic robots, beeping and booming, droning and buzzing, their lights flashing on and off. These automatic servants could do any kind of work. The maiden only glanced at those wonders of technology and shrugging her shoulders said: "No, I don't like your machines. I'm sorry." "But why?" asked the Magic Craftsman, astonished. "My machines are clever, they can do wonders!" "Yes, but you didn't seem to put your heart into them. Goodbye!" With this, the beautiful maiden vanished, as if she had never been there. When the day broke, the Magic Craftsman saw that she left her wreath of violets on the grass. He picked it up and hid it inside his shirt. Then he returned to where his brothers had been waiting for him and told them everything. And the fifth night came. This time it was the Magic Beauti-fier who volunteered. He was very sure of himself! "I'll catch the Bliss Bird, no problem," he kept saying to himself as he made his way to the strawberry glade. "I'm not like my brothers. I won't be taken in by good looks. I can create a beauty myself!" Soon the Magic Beautifier. reached the glade and hid behind the bramble bush. At midnight he heard wings flapping and the next moment the strawberry glade was bathed in soft flamecoloured light. The bushes rustled and a girl stepped into the pool of light. It was as if the sun itself appeared on the glade! Her golden hair was shining in the rosy light like pale-yellow dandelions. The girl sat on the grass and began to make a wreath from dandelions, smiling softly to herself. The Magic Beautifier couldn't take his eyes off her, stunned by her splendour and grace. When he came to his senses, he stammered: "F-fair m-maiden!... D-don't f-fear... I need... B-bliss B-bird..." The girl turned her head and asked: "Who are you and what you can do." The Magic Beautifier rose and stammering explained, who he was and what his trouble was. "Well, show me your skills then." The Magic Beautifier looked around and spotted a large toad with bulging eyes, sitting in the grass. He pointed his finger at it and pronounced: "Quickly change your ugly features And become a princess, creature!" In an instant, the ugly toad became a lovely princess. But the fair maiden only looked at her and turned away, shaking her head dejectedly: "No, I don't like her at all!" The Magic Beautifier saw himself that his creation was no match for the fair maiden. "Good-bye!" said the maiden and was gone. As the sun rose, the Magic Beautifier saw that she had left her wreath on the grass. He picked it up and placed it carefully inside his shirt. Then he returned to where his brothers had been waiting for him and told them about his failure. "What sort of magicians are you?" the Magic Tailor laughed derisively. "You useless lot. Now it's my turn! Have you ever seen a girl who didn't care about a fancy dress?" The Magic Tailor went to the strawberry glade and hid behind the bramble bush. At midnight he heard wings flapping and saw that the strawberry glade was bathed in soft, flame-coloured light. A moment later a charming girl came into his view. Her eyes were as blue as cornflowers. She sat down on the grass and began to weave a cornflower wreath, smiling softly to herself. The Magic Tailor gaped at her, craning his neck. He was so impressed by the girl's beauty he couldn't move. At last he pulled himself together and addressed the girl, his voice heavy with emotion: "Oh fair maiden! Don't be afraid of me. Please let me catch the Bliss Bird... I need her badly!" The girl turned her head and asked: "Who are you? Tell me who are you and what you can do." The Magic Tailor rose readily to his feet and explained who he was and what his trouble was. "Well, show me your skills then." The Magic Tailor pronounced solemnly: "You must know How to sew. Mini or maxi, It must be classy. Fasten deftly piece to piece — Here is your masterpiece. A second later, the Magic Tailor was holding two gowns in his hands, an evening gown and a summer dress. The girl only glanced at them and turned away. "I don't like them," she sighed. "Why?!" the Magic Tailor couldn't believe his ears. "Have a better look, they're extremely fashionable!" "Yes, but you didn't seem to put your heart into it," the girl replied. "Good-bye!" With this she vanished from sight. When the day broke, the Magic Tailor saw that the fair maiden had left a cornflower wreath on the grass. He picked it up and hid it inside his shirt. Then he returned to where his brothers had been waiting for him and told them frankly about his pathetic failure. When he finished, the brothers turned to the Magic Traveler. "Look, brother, you're our last hope," they said. "If you fail too, it'll be the end of us!" So, the Magic Traveler went to the strawberry glade. As he made his way through the woods, he came across a dark figure wrapped up in a cloak. "Hey, wait a minute," the stranger called out. "Who are you and where are you going?" "I happen to be a magician," the Magic Traveler boasted. "I'm on business here. And who are you?" "I happen to be a magician, too," the stranger answered coldly. "You may call me the Wandering Magician. I travel a good deal myself. The world's in such a mess, I try to be useful to people and help them whenever I can. If you need my help, just say so." "Oh," thought the Magic Traveler, delighted. "Fate must have sent him to me. I should make the most of this chance." And he told his new companion about his brothers and their misfortune, their search for the Bliss Bird and the hopes the brothers had laid upon him, the Magic Traveler. "Why, aren't you the lucky one!" the cloaked figure remarked when the Magic Traveler finished. "I'll help you and your poor brothers to catch the Bliss Bird. I have a catching sack! Soon you'll be able to do whatever you want with the bird. You'd better lead the way to the glade and I'll follow. Hurry, let's get a move on, brother!" Soon the Magic Traveler lead his new friend, the Wandering Magician, to the strawberry glade and they hid behind the bramble bush. At midnight, they heard the sound of flapping wings and the next moment the glade was bathed in soft, flame-coloured light. Then a girl stepped into the pool of light. She was beautiful to behold, as fine and delicate as a lily. She sat on the grass and began to weave a wreath of lilies, smiling softly to herself. The Magic Traveler stared at the beautiful girl, unable to check his emotions. At last, he whispered: "Fear me not, fair maiden! I'm after the Bliss Bird. I need her badly. Let me catch her!" The girl turned around and asked: "Tell me who you are and what you can do." The Magic Traveler stepped forward and explained who he was and what his trouble was. "Well, show me your skills then." The Magic Traveler pronounced: "Clapping first my hands with force I shall .call a humpback-horse. Then a flying carpet lands When again I clap my hands. Next you'll see the magic boots Which can cover any routes. And to learn what clapping's worth You may circle our earth In an instant with delight. Here's a ship. It's feather-light. If I clap my hands: One! Two! A spade pops up in front of you! So now I shall begin to call: One, two, three, four, five! That's all!" The Magic Traveler clapped his hands and a pair of swift humpback-horses appeared right in front of him. One of them was gray, the other was black. The horses neighed and beat the ground with their hooves. Then the Magic Traveler clapped his hands the second time and a fluffy flying carpet with a rich ornament and long tassels was spread at his feet. As the Magic Traveler clapped his hands the third time, a pair of magic boots with thick rubber soles appeared from nowhere. When he clapped his hands the fourth time, an elegant flying ship with blue sails landed on the strawberry glade. And when the Magic Traveler clapped his hands the fifth time, the earth quivered under his feet and a magic spade that could cut a tunnel through a big mountain in no time, appeared. The Magic Traveler looked at all these objects and rubbed his hands in satisfaction. Then he looked at the girl proudly. But she only shrugged and shook her head: "No, these things don't impress me!" "But why?" the Magic Traveler asked, flubbergasted. "Because you didn't seem to put your heart in it," the girl explained. "It's too easy for you, your work doesn't need any love or dedication, effort or skill. It doesn't move me at all." She had hardly finished speaking when the Wandering Magician leapt out of the shadows. He flung his catch sack open and threw the Bliss Bird and the maiden into it as quick as a flash! Instantly, the other six maidens appeared and tried to rescue their sister, but the vicious stranger caught hold of them and hurled them into his sack -- one by one. Then he jumped into the flying ship and zoomed into the air. Seconds later all the other devices vanished without a trace. The Magic Traveler stood rooted to the spot. Everything had happened so quickly that he hadn't had time to lift a finger! Looking about, he saw the lily wreath the fair maiden had lost in the struggle. The young magician stooped and picked it up. He hid it inside his shirt and ran away. He raced to where his brothers were waiting and without stopping to catch his breath he blurted out his story, but he spoke so fast and in such a confused way, that the brothers couldn't understand a thing. Finally, the Magic Traveler calmed down and told them what had happened back in the woods. All the brothers were enraged by the story. They decided to find that Wandering Magician, or whoever the rogue was, and punish him! But where had he gone? The brothers knew they had no chance of finding him without special help, so they decided to see old Merrythought again. The old soothsayer heard them out and sighed ruefully: "That's too bad. The Bliss Bird and her maiden guards are in trouble indeed. I know that rogue. He only posed as the Wandering Magician. In fact, his name is Barrak the Brute and he's spent years tracking down the Bliss Bird... You shouldn't have shown him the way to the strawberry glade, of course. But it's too late to talk about that now." "I didn't know! I thought he was a good old man! What are we going to do?" the Magic Traveler cried out desperately. "I think you must rescue the Bliss Bird and the poor sisters yourselves, boys. That's all I can say!" the old soothsayer said. "Whatever you tell us!" exclaimed the Magic Traveler. "We'll go anywhere you tell us, even to the end of the world! Wait a minute, I'll make the flying carpet and..." "No more miracle making for you, dear boy," Merrythought said, in a low voice. "Your magic power has gone. Barrak the Brute took it away from you along with the flying ship." "Did he?... What shall we do then?" the Magic Traveler implored, embarrassed. "You'll have to use your legs, I'm afraid." "But where to? Which way shall we go?" "I'll give you my flashlight. Here. It'll show you the way. It'll flash when you are on the right track. So be on your way now. Good luck!" The seven brothers bade farewell to Merrythought, bowing low to express their gratitude and set off. ...They walked in silence. Each of the brothers had his hand pressed against his shirtfront where the floral wreath had been placed. In their mind's eye they could see fair maidens in front of them. The young men's hearts were bleeding for the maidens' poor lot. The brothers wanted to find Barrak the Brute and to set the Bliss Bird and the seven sisters free as soon as possible. Now and then the brothers looked impatiently at the beam of the flashlight and quickened their pace. They completely forgot about food or rest, treking across fields and forests, climbing mountains and crossing rivers... At last, the brothers saw a formidable fortress looming ahead of them. They approached it and stopped in front of the massive iron gate; and at this moment their torch flashed one more time and then went out. They looked up and saw a sign above the gate reading:
BRUTELAND LAUGHING PROHIBITED
There were two wry-mouthed dwarfs standing on guard at the sides of the iron gate. There was also a bulky, grim-looking watchman with a drooping nose and bristly moustache. He stared sternly at the brothers from his sentry box painted with black and white stripes. Presently, the watchman signalled the lads to come near with his crooked finger without as much as a word. As the lads drew near, he silently produced a large test tube labelled Laughter Test and made them sniff into it, one by one. The brothers' noses itched but none of them even smiled. They were in no mood to ask what he was doing, let alone to laugh. "Let'em in!" the grim-visaged watchman growled to the wry-mouthed dwarfs and the latter slowly, with visible effort, opened the screeching gate. Only then did the brothers realize that they had been admitted into Bruteland because they couldn't laugh or smile. Barrak the Brute was waging a war against happiness and joy. That's why he had been out to catch the Bliss Bird, the symbol of happiness! The young men entered the gate and found themselves in an abandoned, dreary town. They slowly moved along the empty streets past rows of shuttered windows. Soon they reached the square and immediately saw a gloomy castle with cannon muzzles sticking from the walls. Obviously, it was the residence of Barrak the Brute. The brothers came up to the castle and pounded on the front gate. After several minutes, the gate opened slightly and they saw Barrak the Brute himself poking his head out to see who was making the noise. Oh, what a frightful creature he was! He had bulging eyes, hooked nose and there was a crooked tooth sticking out of his mouth. He was ugly as sin! "Who are you! What do you want!" Barrak the Brute shouted. "Have you come to fight me or to make peace with me?" The brothers looked at each other, touched their wreaths in the shirtfronts and said firmly: "We have come to fight you, ugly spirit, and to set your prisoners free!" "Indeed? That's interesting. Come on in!" The brothers walked in and found themselves in a spacious hall with walls covered with weapons of every shape and size. Sitting on a sofa were two women. The older one was fat and ugly with one bump on her nose, the younger one was still fatter and uglier with two bumps on her nose. "Meet my wife, Lady Brute," Barrak the Brute said politely. "And this is my daughter, Miss Brute... Deary, these young gentlemen have come to fight me and set my captives free, they say.' "Really? How"-- nice of them!" said Lady Brute scratching the bump on her nose. "Will you kindly begin then!" exclaimed Miss Brute. The brothers looked at each other wondering what was going on. Before any one of them had moved his finger, Barrak the Brute blew the air through his hooked nose -- whe-e-e-ezzz! Knocked down by the blast, the lads rolled across the floor and crashed against the opposite wall -- s-s-smack! "You asked for it, fellows," Barrak the Brute said, getting quite excited. "I'll make you criples, you miserable weaklings! Barging in on to fight me! What impudence!" "Wait, Dad!" his daughter chimed in. "Don't make them cripples. Better give them to me to play with. I'm so bored!" "As you wish, deary. I'll deal with them later then." Miss Brute sprang to her feet, ran to the overpowered brothers and squatted beside them: "Now tell me who you are. If you can please and amuse me, then, who knows, maybe I shall try to help you," she said. The brothers exchanged glances. Things began to look a little brighter for them. "We happen to be magic makers," they said, clinging to the hope that they might somehow deceive Miss Brute. They told her in detail what they could do. "How interesting!" exclaimed Miss Brute, clapping her hands in excitement. "Wonderful, just wonderful!" Then she went on in a business-like manner: "Now look, all of you. I want the Magic Beautifier to turn me into a beauty. I want the Magic Tailor to make me the best dress in the whole world. I want the Magic Cook to make me ten hundred sorts of the sweetest icecream. I want the Magic Gardener to grow me a rose bush with a thousand roses on it, all different. I want the Magic Craftsman to entertain me with all the mechanical wonders there are in the world. "I want the Magic Traveler to make me shoes that will help me to dance a waltz, or a tango, or.a step dance, and to jump over the trees and houses while dancing. I want the Magic Builder to build me a palace that'll reach up to the sky with musicians playing merry tunes all day long. Now, set down to work, everybody! Quick! I can't wait! You'll begin, Magic Beautifier. Make me a beautiful princess!" The Magic Beautifier slowly climbed to his feet, rubbing his body and groaning. He waved his hand hesitatingly and pronounced:
"Quickly change your ugly features And become a princess, creature!"
Minute after minute passed, but nothing happened. The Magic Beautifier grew pale as he saw that Miss Brute remained as ugly as she'd been. He shrugged and repeated his incantation. The result was the same. The Magic Beautifier went through the procedure for the third time... Nothing changed. Miss Brute went red with anger. "What do you think you are doing!" she shouted at the embarrassed lad. "Waving your hands in front of my face and calling me names. What sort of wizard are you?" "Sorry, young lady," the Magic Beautifier sighed. "Can't understand what's wrong. I feel -- weak all over... By the way, it was your dad who stole...er... I mean took away my powers." "And what about you?" Miss Brute shouted at the Magic Cook. The lad struggled to his feet groaning. He waved his weak hand and pronounced: "Po t ages-ho tages, Dumplings with cottage cheese. Hotages-potages, Served in the cottages. Let all on the table Appear If it's able." But nothing happened. No dumplings, no ice-cream. The Magic Cook braced himself and tried again. The result was the same. He waved his hand for the third time and once more pronounced the magic words. Nothing! The Magic Cook stopped short, bewildered. Seeing this, Miss Brute went wild with rage. Even the bumps on her nose went blue with fury. "You blithering idiots! Are you trying to make a fool of me?!" "But Miss Brute," the brothers protested, "you saw how that brute... we mean your father, sent us crashing into the wall! We can hardly breathe now, let alone perform miracles!" "What rubbish!" roared Barrak the Brute. "Don't waste your time on these weaklings, my dear, a sneeze is enough to make them disappear!" "Daddy, don't!" begged Miss Brute. "You've already spoiled everything. I could've been beautiful and rich if it weren't for you!" "Right!" Lady Brute broke in. "Leave them alone! I want them to regain their powers and use their art for me. I want to be beautiful, too!" "Now listen, you boys," Miss Brute said, "I'll give you one last chance. You can have one night's rest, but if you don't turn me into a beauty tomorrow morning, that'll be the end of you." Just as she finished speaking, the floor under the brothers' feet split open and they plunged headlong into a damp dark cellar. ...Their landing was safe, though, due to the heaps of wet straw scattered on the cellar floor. Very soon they were numb with cold. The poor lads huddled together to warm up. The Magic Builder tried to turn their dark hole into more or less comfortable room, but failed. Then the Magic Tailor tried to make some warm clothes, but nothing came out of it. The rest failed as well. They didn't have one single bit of magic power between them. The brothers looked at each other hopelessly. "This is the end of us," they sighed and lay down on the wet straw shivering even more violently from cold. Then suddenly hopelessness changed to desperation when they realized that, apart from not being able to save themselves, they wouldn't be able to rescue the seven sisters and the Bliss Bird either! The lads silently touched the wreaths, hidden under their shirts, and their hearts overflowed with sorrow... "Oh!" the Magic Builder muttered, crestfallen. "I wouldn't mind giving my life away to have a look at you, my fair maiden..." Suddenly they heard a ringing voice: "Really, you don't need to die to see me! I'm here." As soon as these words were said, the flashlight the lads had completely forgotten about in the mess, came to life and lit up the dark cellar. In its dim light, the brothers made out Belle Beautia and her six sisters sitting close to one another in the farthest corner. The brothers leapt to their feet. "You... here..." they exclaimed and broke off, brimming with emotions. Each of them felt a lump in his throat. The lads just stood before the fair maidens, staring at them with burning eyes. The Magic Builder was the first to remember where they were. "Now I'm not afraid to die," he said. Belle Beautia smiled. "No, it's life, and not death, that we should think about. We must get free from Barrak the Brute and rescue our Bliss Bird!" "But how are we going to do that?" the brothers sighed. "We've lost all our magic powers... We are helpless." The dark-haired girl smiled again, and her smile seemed to light up the whole cellar. "Come now," she went on, "keep calm. With Barrak the Brute around, no other magic works. It is his own brutal force that remains while your abilities wane. No wonder you couldn't do a thing in his presence. But neither he, nor his wife or daughter understand that it is the human endeavour, and not the magic power, that will do away with them. Intellect and industriousness, courage and friendship are our weapons. United, we shall beat Barrak the Brute and his henchmen!" "We're ready!" the brothers exclaimed. "Tell us what to do." "First, we must get out of here. Then, we must find our way to the cellar where Barrak the Brute keeps his sackcloth from which he makes catch sacks. If we get hold of those sacks, we'll deal with the Brute family, the watchman and the dwarfs." "Do you know how to get out of here, Belle Beautia?" the brothers asked. "Which of you is clever enough to match our Slick Smartia?" And Belle Beautia pointed at one of her sisters who had eyes like a pair of violets. She was the maiden the Magic Craftsman had seen on the strawberry glade and it was her wreath he had later hid under his shirt. The brothers looked at the Magic Craftsman. "He is the cleverest of us!" they said in chorus. The Magic Craftsman blushed and lowered his eyes. The only thing he remembered was his usual, "Tangent... sinus..." "I can't... I don't know..." he confessed in whisper. "Don't be so hesitant," Slick Smartia said with a smile. "There's nothing to stop you learning." She led the Magic Craftsman aside and whispered something into his ear. The lad listened and nodded in agreement. Presently, Slick Smartia announced: "We've devised a digging device to cut through the walls. You, sisters, give us your combs and you, boys, give us your shoes. We shall use the combs to dig the earth and the shoes to throw it away." The fair maidens gave Slick Smartia their combs while the brothers gave the Magic Craftsman their shoes. The two put their heads together and began to make their digging device. The Magic Craftsman agreed to all the ideas Slick Smartia suggested and soon they were so absorbed in their work they saw and heard nothing but each other. Suddenly, the brothers saw that a slight smile was starting to appear on the Magic Craftsman's face. It was the first smile since he had become a magic maker. Soon, Slick Smartia and the Magic Craftsman had made their digging device, and they set about digging the underground passage. They thrust through the wall with the combs and threw the earth away with the shoes. The lads and the maidens worked in turns, one pair after the other. They worked hard for a long time. At last, the underground passage was ready. Wasting no time, the runaways crawled through the passage and found themselves in the ajacent cellar. They looked around and saw rolls of the sackcloth Belle Beautia had mentioned. She checked one of the rolls and exclaimed: "This is it! Now we must make sacks out of this stuff if we want to catch the wicked brute. The sacks should be cut out and sewn in a special way, of course. This job calls for expert hands. Which one of you, lads, can work as well with his hands as our Pearly Perfectia?" And Belle Beautia pointed at one of her sisters who had the cornflower blue eyes. She was the maiden the Magic Tailor had met on the strawberry glade and it was her wreath he had later hid inside his shirt. The brothers looked at the Magic Tailor. "He can do it best of all!" they said in chorus. The Magic Tailor blushed and lowered his eyes. "I can't... I don't know..." he confessed. "Don't be so hesitant," Pearly Perfectia said with a smile. "There's nothing to stop you learning." She pulled out tailor's scissors and began to cut out the fabric. The Magic Tailor helped her as best he could, following the girl's instructions. When the cutting out was done, they began to sew. The Magic Tailor had never sewn before in his life and he put in a great deal of effort. He pricked his finger with a needle but that didn't stop him. Sweat stood out on the lad's forehead. Suddenly, the brothers saw that a faint smile was trying to appear on their brother's face. It was the first smile since he had become a magic maker. It took Pearly Perfectia and the Magic Tailor a long time to make four large-size catch sacks. The rest of the runaways helped them, one pair after another. "Well, now we must get to the surface somehow," Belle Beautia said. "Usually, Barrak the Brute uses his elevator over there. But we don't know how it works, it's rather tricky. Which one of you, lads, is as good at engineering as our Slim Speedia?" And Belle Beautia pointed at another of her sisters who was as beautiful as a lily. She was the maiden the Magic Traveler had met on the strawberry glade and it was her wreath he had later hid inside his shirt. The brothers looked at the Magic Traveler. "He is an expert engineer!" they said in chorus. The Magic Traveler blushed and lowered his eyes. "You see I... don't know this machine," he confessed. "Don't be hesitant," Slim Speedia said with a smile. "There's nothing to stop you learning." She came up to the elevator and began to examine it thoroughly. The Magic Traveler joined her and soon they were very busy exchanging remarks and trying various parts of the intricate machine. They had never seen such mechanisms before; yet both of them turned out to be smart enough to figure it out. Slim Speedia pressed a button and -- swish-h-h! the doors of the elevator creeked open. Suddenly, the brothers saw that a faint smile was trying to appear on their brother's face, the first one since he had become a magic maker. "Get in and let's go," said Slim Speedia and the Magic Traveler. The maidens and the lads filed inside. The doors purred shut and the elevator went up. When the runaways reached the ground floor of their enemy's castle, they found themselves in the vast hall they had been in that evening, with weapons all around the walls. It was early morning. The first sun rays poured in through the windows. The Brute family were fast asleep on their four-poster-beds and snoring so loudly the weapons on display clanked and jungled with the vibrations. The brothers unrolled their catch sacks and opened them. Hop! Hop! Hop! Barrak the Brute, Lady Brute and Miss Brute didn't even have time to wake up and see what was going on. And in the fourth catch sack went the wry-mouthed dwarfs and the stupid watchman. Then the lads quickly fastened the sacks, dumped them into the elevator and sent it down -- whoosh! The elevator descended to the deepest cellar. That was the end of the wicked wizard and his family. They were going to remain in the dark depths for ever. The Bruteland was no more! Meanwhile, the victorious youngsters ran outside. "Now we must free our Bliss Bird," Belle Beautia reminded them. "See that steep mountain over there? It's so high its top is above the clouds. The Bliss Bird is there, on the top. Barrak the Brute had her bricked up in a gloomy cave so that she would never again see daylight and bring happiness to people." "How are we going to climb it?" the brothers cried out as they looked at the grey, steep slopes of the mountain. "The only way to climb that mountain is to build steps," Belle Beautia said. "I think we can pull down this gloomy castle and use stone for the steps. It is a hard work, so we'll need all our strength. But we are all exhausted and hungry. We've had nothing to eat for a long, long time. "There is a garden with strange-looking plants nearby. Which one of you, boys, can tell the good fruit and vegetables from the bad ones as well as our Prune Floria? And, which one of you can cook as well as our Nice Nectaria?" With this, Belle Beautia pointed at the maiden whose lips were fresh and red as poppies, and then at the maiden with hazel eyes and rosy cheeks. These were the girls the Magic Gardener and, later, the Magic Cook had met in the strawberry glade. Now they blushed and lowered their eyes, ashamed. But Prune Floria and Nice Nectaria had soon shared all their knowledge of gardening and cooking with them and soon the young magicians were smiling and working confidently. The Magic Gardener helped Prune Floria to gather fruit and vegetables, then the Magic Cook helped Nice Nectaria to prepare the long-awaited lunch. The maidens and the lads were so hungry and the meals looked so appetizing that everyone rushed to the table. But Belle Beautia stopped them: "Wait a minute," she said in an authoritative voice. "Just look at yourselves! Maybe you don't mind eating in the company of dirty creatures, but I do." The lads and the maidens looked at each other and laughed. What a mess they were! So shabby and dirty! "Which one of you, lads, can make people look as neat and attractive as our Sweet Charmia?" Belle Beautia asked. And she pointed at the maiden with the golden hair. She was the one the Magic Beautifier had met on the strawberry glade and it was her wreath he had picked up there. But now he blushed and lowered his eyes, ashamed. Sweet Charmia was a good teacher, though, and the Magic Beautifier proved to be a quick learner. Before long, the lad and the maidens, spick and span, sat down to their wonderful meal. After they had finished, Belle Beautia said cheerfully: "Now let's get down to work, we haven't got any time to lose. Which one of you, lads, is good at building?" Now it was the time for the Magic Builder to blush. He looked down to hide the shame in his eyes. He was challenged by Belle Beautia herself! But the Magic Builder hated to tell the truth, he muttered: "I can't... I don't know how..." The answer came at once: "Don't be so hesitant. There is nothing to stop you learning." Of course it was true! You're not much good to anyone if you can't do anything with your hands... The company eagerly got down to work. They pulled down the gloomy castle stone by stone and began to build their long stairway... It was an exhausting job. The stones were so heavy and the mountain was so high and steep! But, as they soon noticed, the higher they climbed, the happier they felt. Both the maidens and the lads were so happy they forgot how tired they were. They even struck up a song on the way: "It's very warm, We're no longer sad. He who works Is always glad! Flowers bloom, We sing a song. He who works Is always strongl"
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