In the land of unlearned lessons, a summary of the author. Review of the book by L. Geraskina “In the land of unlearned lessons

Year of writing: 1965

Genre of the work: story

Main characters: Vitya- schoolboy.

Plot

Vita Perestukin finds it difficult to study. Parents blame the boy for a lack of character. Once, he received five twos, one in each lesson. After a hard day, my mother made me do my homework. There were a lot of lessons, I couldn't do it. Then Vitya, in despair, threw the textbooks on the floor. And then a miracle happened - the textbooks came to life, and they conspired to send a lazy boy to the Land of unlearned lessons. It was possible to enter the castle of the Country by writing the words lock and key without errors. An old woman with a comma complained that the student put it incorrectly. In his verdict "you cannot execute, pardon," the comma saved Verb from the wrath. Vitya sees that the forest is drying up, the animals are dying. This is due to the incorrect answer that the water that evaporates disappears. Then the boy remembered how rain formed. Because of the solution to the problem, people suffered. He met a digger that has no torso. Errors have to be corrected. Remembering that the cow is not carnivorous, but herbivorous, allows the animal to return to the meadow. The heat is hard for the polar bear. With the help of geography, remembering the poles, everyone goes home. This trip had a positive impact on Vitya. He learned better and appreciated the lessons.

Conclusion (my opinion)

School is a place where you can learn a lot of valuable things. Many of them will come in handy in life. Do not deprive yourself of this opportunity. And mistakes of both children and adults affect others, it is important to correct them in time.

The protagonist of the book "In the Land of Unlearned Lessons" is schoolboy Vitya Perestukin. His studies were not going well. In the classroom, he did anything but school subjects. Once Vitya managed to get five twos in five lessons. At home, his mother made him do his homework, while the guys in the yard were playing football. As luck would have it, the problem did not want to be solved, and, as a result, Vitya managed to dig a ditch by one and a half excavators. No success was observed with unstressed vowels either. Angry, Vitya decided to recoup the textbooks and threw them on the floor with all his might.

There was a loud crash and the textbooks came to life. They began to scold Vitya for the fact that he does not study well. To which he was offended and said that he would live peacefully without school knowledge. The textbooks decided to teach the negligent student a lesson and sent him to the Land of unlearned lessons. Together with Vitya, his beloved cat Kuzya, who suddenly began to speak in a human voice, went to keep company.

But in the Land of unlearned lessons, travelers immediately encountered difficulties. At first, they could not get into the castle, which was guarded by exclamation and question marks. To open the lock on the gate, it was necessary to correctly write words with unstressed vowels on the board. Fortunately, Vitya managed to remember the rule of checking such words and he and the cat Kuzey ended up in the castle. His Majesty Verb was sitting on the throne, and not far from him was the Comma, which turned out to be very unhappy with Vitya Perestukin. She stated that the boy never put her in the right place in his Russian language exercises.

The verb pronounced a three-word sentence on Vitya and asked him to put the comma correctly. If he succeeds, then Vitya will be acquitted. With great difficulty, Vitya managed to put the comma in the correct place, and he and the cat Kuzey went on to travel through an unusual country.

The journey was difficult. I constantly had to correct the mistakes made by Vitya during his studies. First, we had to save the forest and animals from drought, because at school Vitya told him incorrectly about the water cycle in nature. Then the travelers met one and a half excavators, and they had to solve the problem correctly so that the second excavator would become a normal person. Vitya and Kuza got a lot of trouble from a cow that wanted to eat them all the time. And all because Vitya once said in a lesson that cows are carnivores. He had to remember that cows were actually herbivores.

To solve the most difficult task, Vita Perestukin even had to call for help from a geography textbook, which helped the boy save the cat Kuzya and returned the travelers home.

Returning home, Vitya realized that it was impossible to live without school knowledge, and since then he began to study much better.

This is the summary of the book.

The main idea of ​​the work "In the land of unlearned lessons" is that the knowledge that children receive at school will certainly be needed in their adult life. And in order not to experience difficulties after leaving school, it is necessary to study diligently and master well the knowledge that teachers give to children. The book teaches you to be sure to think before you do something. To improve your academic performance, you need to learn to reason. Reasoning helps you make the right decision.

In the book, I liked the Verb, which made a very interesting verdict for Viti Perestukin, thereby forcing the negligent student to decide his own fate. This sentence helped Vitya understand the role of school knowledge and during his further travel he diligently corrected his numerous mistakes made during his studies at school.

What proverbs fit the book In the Land of Unlearned Lessons?

Diligence and negligence in friends do not go.
It is hard to learn, easy to fight.
I knew how to make a mistake, and know how to get better.

I am not proud that at one time I did not read the age-appropriate children's books, but I am glad that it is never too late to return to them!

"In the Land of Unlearned Lessons" by Leah Geraskina is the very case when I enjoyed the cartoon without thinking about the original source. It turned out that there are more heroes in the book, and the adventure is longer.

What catches the eye first is the reliance of the Soviet fairy tale on the traditional fairy tale. Textbooks come to life, and there are certainly three of them sacred - mathematics, grammar and geography. It is their collective "effort" that sends the boy on a journey full of hardships and hardships, from which he will not only emerge having learned his lessons, but will also temper his character. The boy is given a guide - ̶v̶o̶l̶sh̶e̶b̶n̶y̶y̶ ̶k̶l̶u̶b̶o̶ch̶e̶k̶ soccer ball, which must be followed without deviating. The boy is accompanied by a partner - the cat Kuzya, who will prove himself not only as a real friend, but also as a protector and assistant, like a real Puss in Boots!

Viktor Perestukin, a fourth-grade student, who manages to get five twos in one day, has a lot of adventures! These are the familiar to us "Execution cannot be pardoned", and 1.5 diggers, and soda for solved examples, and a carnivorous cow and a lost polar bear. But in fact, they would be enough for a whole series! My favorite moments not included in the cartoon: a tailor arrested for theft; visual test with the vocabulary words "dog" and "sun"; pioneer retirees, whom Vitya calculated to meet in 67 years instead of two hours; the war between Ivan the Terrible and Napoleon, the guardsmen in cars and with telephones in the rooms. By the way, the question of the polar bear is not resolved in the book. Meetings with him occur periodically, but Vitya could not deceive him, as in a cartoon. And the comma in the palace is not a chorus girl, but a very mischievous old woman.

In the book, travelers immediately get to the gates of the palace of His Majesty the Verb of the imperative mood and already from the palace through the city square go into the depths of the forest. That is, with respect to the cartoon, the path goes the other way around.

Needless to say, I liked this story! Moreover, now it seems to me even more relevant than at the time of its writing (1965). At the beginning of the story there are arguments that "I probably got four deuces for not answering the way the teachers would like." That is, the competence of teachers is being questioned. I may be wrong, because I myself have studied at school for a long time, my child is still far from it, so I base my assumptions on the experience of communicating with other people, but it seems to me that the status of a teacher has significantly shaken after the 90s. Now they don't give a student a belt or neck for a deuce, but prefer to convey to the teacher by flattery and blackmail that their child is not shaking, but a finely organized nature, which should be assessed not by the standards of the program, but rather not at all, everything that is priceless. and give higher grades so as not to spoil the overall score, “He’s trying!” when he doesn’t even try at all. I wish I was wrong! Moreover, at the end, Victor himself realized that he picked up the deuces solely for his laziness and lack of knowledge, and not because of the whim of the teacher.

Let us examine the work of Leah Geraskina "In the Land of Unlearned Lessons" (summary). Statements that it is enough to watch the Soviet cartoon of the same name are not entirely correct. The fact is that the chronology of events has been changed in the tape, some characters and storylines are missing. The age of the protagonist has also been changed - in the book the boy is in the fourth grade, and in the cartoon - in the fifth.

"In the Land of Unlearned Lessons": a summary

Viktor Perestukin, a fourth grade student, once received a whopping 5 twos. According to the boy, unfair. The parents did not understand why their son was so spineless, lazy and irresponsible. This is how the book begins and, accordingly, the summary of the story "In the Land of Unlearned Lessons."

Reluctantly, the boy began his homework. Vita was visited by classmates who wanted to help with the lessons. But in spite of everything he did in his own way. The boy quarreled with his friends, and the guys left.

Meeting with the Textbooks

We continue our acquaintance with the story written by Leah Geraskina - "In the Land of Unlearned Lessons." The summary continues with the meeting with the Textbooks.

The boy was left alone. He decided that he was a bad student because he had no willpower. And it can appear only when overcoming various dangers. In his hearts, he threw his books on the floor. There was a crash, and textbooks appeared in front of Vitya in the form of little men.

They accused the boy of not knowing grammar, arithmetic, geography and decided to send him to the Land of unlearned lessons. The boy found out that there are many difficulties and dangers, and agreed. Geography has promised to help. A soccer ball, which could not be lost from sight, served as a guide, and the cat Kuzya became a companion.

The beginning of the journey

We continue to talk about the amazing journey described in the story "In the Land of Unlearned Lessons." The summary tells how the friends got to the mysterious palace. Vitya and the cat were in front of the palace. The entrance was guarded by a question mark and a signpost. In order to get to the palace, it was necessary to write the words "key" and "lock". Vitya remembered the rules.

At the palace, they met His Majesty with the Imperative Verb and the Comma. The student was given assignments, but he failed. Then he was given the last task - to correctly put the comma in the sentence "Execution cannot be pardoned." The boy pulled himself together and did everything right.

in nature

The heroes continued their journey. They got into the desert, and the camel told them that all the water was gone. The gnarled old tree has turned into Drought. She announced that the water would appear only when Vitya remembered. Drought tried to confuse the boy, but he coped with the task. The rains came and the Drought disappeared.

Math problems

We continue to analyze "In the Land of Unlearned Lessons." The synopsis describes how to fix errors in math problems. A new danger immediately arose. A polar bear jumped out into the clearing. Camel said that the beast is very angry with Perestukin. The heroes had to flee.

The cat and the boy entered the city with houses in the form of geometric shapes. They met two people selling water for the correct solution of examples. The cat asked for an easy task. The little men asked how much would be twice two. Vitya answered and shared a glass of water with Kuzya.

At that moment, the diggers appeared - legs and a whole person. The digger asked Vitya to solve the problem correctly and help his comrade. The boy coped with it, and there were two diggers. The polar bear reappeared. Vitya and Kuzya hid and found the sad tailor. He said that he was accused of stealing fabric due to an incorrectly solved problem. Vitya corrected the mistake, and the tailor was released.

Then the student met a cyclist who almost died. Vitya could not help him, took the bike and left. The next meeting took place in the forest. The old woman, due to an incorrectly solved problem, has not been able to meet with her brother for many years. In front of the boy's eyes, the old people met. Perestukin solved the problem correctly, and they turned into children.

Meeting with unusual animals

Vitya went to look for the lost Kuzya and found him in the bag where the evil racer hid the cat. In the meadow our friends with rolls and iron with spoons, forks, knives. A cow appeared and said that she was a predator and would eat everyone, as Vitya called her carnivorous. The heroes were overtaken by a polar bear. Perestukin and Kuzya climbed a tree and met a kangaroo bird, which thanked for its transformation and flew away. The boy called the cow herbivore, and she calmed down, and the bear asked his friends to show him where the North Pole was.

History error

A car drove onto the road along which the friends were walking. The cat and the bear ran away, and the boy ended up in the palace of Ivan the Terrible right during the attack of Napoleon. It turns out that in the history lesson the student mixed up the dates. Vitya corrected the mistake, and the palace disappeared.

Geography

We conclude the story about the book "In the Land of Unlearned Lessons". The summary tells about the correction of the last error. Vitya continued to follow the ball and found 2 mountains. One was covered with snow, a negro and a monkey were freezing on it, and on the other, an Eskimo and a polar bear were suffering from the heat under a palm tree. They had a cat Kuzya as hostages, who felt equally bad both there and there. This happened because Perestukin confused the geographic zones. He felt sorry for the cat, but he couldn't remember the names he needed.

The boy called for help from Geography. In her presence, he immediately remembered the necessary names, and everything fell into place. Vitya asked Geography to return them with Kuzya home.

The next day at school, the boy told his classmates about his adventures and began to study much better.

The story "In the Land of Unlearned Lessons" is a story written for younger schoolchildren by the children's writer Leah Geraskina. The main characters of the story, Vitya Perestukin and his cat, find themselves in a country where they will meet their mistakes and will be able to correct them. This journey will teach the boy to take school seriously. It turns out that getting new knowledge is very interesting!

Story In the land of unlearned lessons download:

Story In the land of unlearned lessons read

On the day it all started, I had no luck since the morning. We had five lessons. And at each I was called. And for each subject, I got a two. Only five twos a day! I probably got four deuces for not answering the way the teachers would like, but the fifth deuce was given completely unfairly.

It’s even ridiculous to say why this unfortunate deuce was slapped to me. For some kind of water cycle in nature.

I wonder what your answer would be to a teacher's question:

Where does the water that evaporates from the surface of lakes, rivers, seas, oceans and puddles go?

I don’t know what you would answer, but it’s clear to me that if water evaporates, then it is no longer there. It's not for nothing that they talk about a man who suddenly disappeared somewhere: "He evaporated." It means - "he disappeared". But Zoya Filippovna, our teacher, for some reason began to find fault and ask unnecessary questions:

Where does the water disappear to? Or maybe she still does not disappear? Maybe you will think carefully and answer properly?

In my opinion, I already answered properly. Zoya Filippovna, of course, did not agree with me. I noticed long ago that teachers rarely agree with me. They have such a negative minus.

Who wants to rush home if you carry a whole bunch of twos in your briefcase? For example, I am reluctant. Therefore, I walked home an hour later on a tablespoon. But no matter how slowly you go, you will still come home. It's good that dad is on a business trip. Otherwise, a conversation would immediately begin that I have no character. Dad always remembered this as soon as I brought a deuce.

And who are you like? - dad was surprised. - There is no character at all. You can't pull yourself together and study well.

He has no will, - added his mother and was also surprised: - In whom would it be?

My parents have a strong character and strong will, but I, it turns out, for some reason do not have. That is why I did not dare to immediately drag home with five deuces in my portfolio.

To play for a longer time, I went on the way to all the shops in a row. In the bookstore I met Lyusya Karandashkina. She is my neighbor twice: she lives in the same house with me, and in the class she sits behind me. There is no peace anywhere from her - not at school, not at home. Lucy had already had lunch and ran to the store for notebooks. Seryozha Petkin was also here. He came to find out if new stamps had been received. Seryozha buys stamps and imagines himself a philatelist. And in my opinion, every fool can collect a collection of stamps in this way, if he has money.

I didn’t want to meet with the guys, but they noticed me and immediately began to discuss my deuces. Of course, they argued that Zoya Filippovna acted justly. And when I pinned them to the wall, it turned out that they, too, did not know where the evaporated water went. I suppose Zoya would have slapped them in two for this - they would have immediately sang something else.

We argued, it seems a little noisy. The saleswoman invited us to leave the store. I left immediately, but the guys stayed. The saleswoman immediately guessed which of us was the best educated. But tomorrow they will tell you that I made the noise in the store. Perhaps they will still say that I showed them my tongue at parting. What's wrong with that? Anna Sergeevna, our school doctor, does not take offense at all, she even asks the children to show her their tongues. And she already knows what is good and what is bad.

When I was kicked out of the bookstore, I realized that I was very hungry. I wanted to eat more and more, and to go home - less and less.

Only one store remained on the way. Uninteresting - economic. It smelled disgustingly of kerosene. He also had to leave. The seller asked me three times:

What do you want here, boy?

Mom opened the door in silence. But that didn't make me happy. I knew that she would feed me first, and then ...

It was impossible to hide the deuces. Mom said long ago that she reads in my eyes everything that I want to hide from her, including what is written in my diary. What's the point in lying?

I ate and tried not to look at my mother. I wondered if she could read all five twos in my eyes at once.

Kuzya the cat jumped off the windowsill and spun at my feet. He loves me very much and caresses me not at all because he expects something tasty from me. Kuzya knows that I came from school, and not from the store, which means that I could not bring anything but bad grades.

I tried to eat as slowly as possible, but it didn’t work because I was very hungry. Mom sat opposite, looked at me and was terribly silent. Now, when I eat the last spoonful of compote, and it begins ...

But the phone rang. Hooray! Aunt Paul called. In less than an hour, she will not let mom go from the phone.

Sit down for your lessons immediately, ”Mom ordered and answered the phone.

For the lessons when I'm so tired! I wanted to relax for at least an hour and play in the yard with the guys. But my mother put her hand on the phone and said that I should count the shopping trip as a vacation. That's how she can read eyes! I’m afraid she’ll read about the deuces too.

I had to go to my room and sit down for my lessons.

Clean up on your desk! - shouted after her mother.

Easy to say - take it away! Sometimes I just wonder when I look at my desk. How many items fit on it. There are torn textbooks and four-leaf notebooks, pens, pencils, rulers. They are, however, crowded by nails, screws, wire scraps and other necessary things. I really love nails. I have them in all sizes and different thicknesses. And for some reason my mother does not like them at all. She has thrown them out many times, but they come back to my desk like boomerangs. Mom is angry with me for loving nails more than textbooks. Who's to blame? Of course, not me, but the textbooks. Don't be so boring.

This time I got through the cleaning quickly. He pulled out a drawer and scooped up all the things in it. Soon and convenient. And the dust is immediately erased. Now it was possible to take up the lessons. I opened the diary, and the deuces flashed in front of me. They were so noticeable because they were written in red ink. In my opinion, this is wrong. Why write a two in red ink? After all, all good things are also marked in red. For example, holidays and Sundays in the calendar. You look at the red number and you are happy: you don’t need to go to school. The five can also be written in red ink. And three, two and a count - only with black! It's amazing how our teachers themselves cannot think of this!

There were a lot of lessons, as if on purpose. And the day was sunny, warm, and the boys in the yard were playing the ball. I wonder who stood at the gate instead of me? Probably Sashka again: he has been aiming for my place at the gate for a long time. This is ridiculous. Everyone knows what kind of shoemaker he is.

The cat Kuzya settled down on the windowsill and from there, as from a tribune, watched the game. Kuzka did not miss a single match, and dad and mom do not believe that he is a real fan. And in vain. He even likes to listen when I talk about football. He does not interrupt, does not leave, even purrs. And cats only purr when they are pleased.

I was given the rules for unstressed vowels. I had to repeat them. Of course, I didn’t do this. It is useless to repeat what you don’t know anyway. Then I had to read about this very water cycle in nature. I remembered Zoya Filippovna and decided to better deal with the problem.

There was nothing pleasant here either. Some diggers were digging a trench for some unknown reason. Before I had time to write out the conditions, the loudspeaker spoke up. It would be possible to distract a little and listen. But whose voice did I hear? The voice of our Zoya Filippovna! Little did I get tired of her voice at school! She told the children on the radio how to prepare for exams, told how our best student Katya Pyaterkina does it. Since I was not going to prepare for the exams, the radio had to be turned off.

The task was very difficult and stupid. I almost began to guess how it should be solved, but ... a soccer ball flew in through the window. It was the guys who called me into the yard. I grabbed the ball and was about to get out through the window, but my mother’s voice caught up with me on the windowsill.

Vitya! You are doing homework?! she shouted from the kitchen. There, something boiled and grumbled in the pan. Therefore, my mother could not come and give me what is due for an escape. For some reason she really did not like it when I went out through the window, and not through the door. I would be nice if my mother came in!

I got down from the windowsill, threw a ball to the guys and told my mother that I was doing my homework.

I opened the problem book again. Five excavators dug a trench of one hundred linear meters in four days. What to come up with for the first question? I almost began to think again, but they again interfered with me. Lyuska Karandashkina looked through the window. One braid was tied with a red ribbon, and the other was loose. And this is not only today. She has it almost every day. Either the right pigtail is loose, then the left. It would be better if she paid more attention to her hairstyle than to other people's deuces, especially since she has enough of her own. Lucy said that the problem of diggers was so difficult that even her grandmother could not solve it. Happy Lyuska! And I don't have any grandmother.

Let's decide together! - suggested Lyuska and climbed through the window into my room.

I refused. Nothing good would come of it. Better yourself.

I began to reason again. Five diggers dug a trench of one hundred running meters. Runners? Why are meters called running meters? Who is driving them?

I began to think about it and composed a tongue twister: "The driver in uniform was driving with a running meter ..." Then my mother screamed from the kitchen again. I caught myself and began shaking my head violently in order to forget about the driver in uniform and return to the diggers. What am I to do with them?

And it would be nice to call the driver Paganel. But what about the diggers? How to deal with them? Maybe multiply them by meters?

There is no need to multiply, - objected Lucy, - you still won't know anything.

To spite her, I have multiplied diggers. True, I did not learn anything good about them, but now it was possible to move on to the second question. Then I decided to divide the meters into excavators.

There is no need to divide, - Lucy intervened again - I have already divided. Nothing works.

Of course, I did not listen to her and shared. It turned out to be such nonsense that I began to look for an answer in a problem book. But, as luck would have it, a page with an answer about excavators was torn out. I had to take full responsibility on myself. I have solved everything. It turned out that the work had to be done by one and a half excavators. Why one and a half? How do I know! After all, what do I care how many diggers have dug this very trench? Who is digging with excavators now? They would have taken an excavator and would have done away with the trench right away and the work would have been done as soon as possible, and the schoolchildren would not have fooled their heads. Well, be that as it may, the problem is solved. You can already run to the guys. And I, of course, would have run, but Lyuska stopped me.

When are we going to learn poetry? she asked me.

What poems?

How what? Forgot? And "Winter. Peasant Triumphant"? I just can't remember them.

This is because they are not interesting, - I said - Those poems that the boys wrote in our class are immediately remembered. Because they are interesting.

Lyusya did not know new poems. I read them to her memory:

We study all day

Laziness, laziness, laziness

We should run and play

To drive the ball across the field -

This case!

Lyusa liked the poems so much that she immediately remembered them. Together we quickly defeated the "peasant". I was about to slowly crawl out the window, but Lucy again remembered - they must insert missing letters into words. Even my teeth ached with annoyance. Who cares about doing useless work? Letters in words are skipped, as if on purpose, the most difficult ones. In my opinion, this is not fair. No matter how much I wanted, I had to insert it.

P .. another days of my harsh,

My decrepit deep.

Lucy assures that Pushkin wrote this poem to his nanny. Grandma told her that. Does Karandashkina really think I'm such a simpleton? So I will believe that adults have nannies. The grandmother just laughed at her and that's it.

But what about this "n ... other"? We consulted and decided to insert the letter "a", when suddenly Katya and Zhenchik burst into the room. I don’t know why they wanted to stick with it. I, in any case, did not invite them. It was still not enough for Katka to go to the kitchen and report to my mother how many twos I grabbed today. These cramps looked down on me and Lyusa, because they studied better than us. Katya had bulging round eyes and thick braids. She was proud of these braids, as if they were given to her for her good academic performance and excellent behavior. Katya spoke slowly, in a singsong voice, did everything efficiently and never rushed. And about Zhenchik it is simple and there is nothing to tell. He hardly spoke by himself, but only repeated Katya's words. His grandmother called him Ginger, who accompanied him to school like a little one. Therefore, we all began to call him Zhenichik. Only Katya called him Eugene. She loved to do everything right.

Katya greeted her, as if we hadn’t seen her today, and said, looking at Lucy:

Again your braid has come undone. It's sloppy. Brush your hair.

Lucy butted her head. She didn't like combing her hair. She didn’t like to be reprimanded. Katya sighed. Ginger sighed too. Katya shook her head. Ginchik shook it too.

Since you are both here, - said Katya, - we will bring you two up.

Pull up soon! - shouted Lucy. - And then we have no time. We have not done all the lessons yet.

What was your answer to the problem? Katya asked, exactly like Zoya Filippovna.

One and a half digger, - I answered very rudely on purpose.

Wrong, - Katya objected calmly.

Well, let it be wrong. What is it to you! - I answered and made a terrible grimace at her.

Katya sighed again and shook her head again. Ginger, of course, too.

She needs it most of all! - blurted out Lyuska.

Katya straightened her braids and said slowly:

Come on, Evgeny. They are also rude.

Ginchik got angry, blushed and scolded us on his own. We were so surprised at this that we did not answer him anything. Katya said that they would leave immediately, and this would only make things worse for us, since we would remain unsuitable.

Goodbye, quitters, - said Katya affectionately.

Goodbye, quitters, - Zhenchik squeaked.

Tailwind in the back! - I barked.

Goodbye, Pyaterkiny-Chetverkin! - Lyuska sang in a funny voice.

This was, of course, not entirely polite. After all, they were in my house. Almost visiting. Polite - impolite, but I still put them out. Yes, and Lyuska ran after them.

I was left alone. It’s amazing how much I didn’t want to do my homework. Of course, if I had a strong will, I would take it, in spite of myself, and did it. I suppose Katya had a strong will. I will have to make peace with her and ask how she got it. The Pope says that everyone can develop will and character if he struggles with difficulties and despises danger. Well, what should I fight with? Daddy says - with laziness. But is laziness a difficulty? But I would gladly despise danger, but where can you get it?

I was very unhappy. What is unhappiness? In my opinion, when a person is forced to do what he does not want at all, this is unhappiness.

Boys were shouting outside the window. The sun was shining, it smelled very strongly of lilacs. I was tempted to jump out the window and run to the guys. But my textbooks were on the table. They were tattered, inked, filthy and dreadfully boring. But they were very strong. They kept me in a stuffy room, forced me to solve a problem about some antediluvian diggers, insert missing letters, repeat unnecessary rules and do many other things that I was not at all interested in. I hated my textbooks so suddenly that I grabbed them from the table and threw them with all my might on the floor.

You will be lost! Tired of it! - I shouted not in my own voice.

There was such a crash, as if forty thousand iron barrels had fallen from a high building onto the pavement. Kuzya darted from the windowsill and pressed himself to my feet. It became dark, as if the sun had gone out. But it just shone. Then the room lit up with a greenish light, and I noticed some strange people. They wore robes of blotted crumpled paper. One had a very familiar spot on his chest with arms, legs and horns. Exactly the same legs-horns I added to the blot that I planted on the cover of a geography textbook.

The little men stood silently around the table and looked at me angrily. I had to do something immediately. So I politely asked:

Who are you going to be?

You take a closer look - maybe you will find out, - answered the little man with a blot.

He's not used to looking at us attentively point, - another man said angrily and threatened me with a finger stained with ink.

I got it. These were my tutorials. For some reason they came to life and came to visit me. If you only heard how they reproached me!

Under no degree of latitude and longitude, no one anywhere on the globe treats textbooks like you do! - shouted Geography.

You're pouring ink on us! You draw all sorts of nonsense on our pages, - Grammar was straining.

Why did you attack me like that? Do Seryozha Petkin or Lyusya Karandashkina study better?

Five twos! - the textbooks shouted in chorus.

But I have prepared lessons today!

Today you solved the problem incorrectly!

I have not learned the zones!

I didn't understand the water cycle in nature!

Grammar was boiling over most of all.

You didn't repeat unstressed vowels today! Not knowing your native language is a shame, misfortune, a crime!

I hate it when they yell at me. All the more so in chorus. I'm offended. And now I was very offended and replied that somehow I would live without unstressed vowels, and without the ability to solve problems, and even more so without this very cycle.

This is where my textbooks went numb. They looked at me with such horror, as if I were rude to the headmaster in their presence. Then they began to whisper and decided that they needed me immediately, what do you think - what? Punish? Nothing like this! Save! Freaks! From what, one wonders, to save?

Geography said it was best to send me to the Land of Unlearned Lessons. The little people immediately agreed with her.

Are there difficulties and dangers in this country? I asked.

As much as you like, - answered Geography.

The whole journey consists of difficulties. It's as clear as two times two makes four, added Arithmetic.

Every step there threatens life! - tried to scare me Grammar.

It was worth thinking about. After all, there will be no dad, no mom, no Zoya Filippovna!

No one will stop me every minute and shout: "Don't go! Don't run! Don't jump! Don't peep! Don't tell me! Don't turn around on the desk!" - and a dozen more different "not" that I hate.

Maybe it is on this journey that I will be able to develop will and acquire character. I will return from there with character - that dad will be surprised!

Maybe we can think of something else for him? - asked Geography.

I don’t need another! I shouted. - So be it. I will go to this dangerous and difficult country of yours.

I wanted to ask them if I would be able to temper my will and acquire character there so that I could voluntarily do my homework. But he didn't ask. He was ashamed.

Resolved! - said Geography.

The answer is correct. We will not override, - added Arithmetic.

Go immediately, ”finished the Grammar.

Okay, ”I said as politely as possible. - But just how to do it? Trains, probably, do not go to this country, planes do not fly, steamers do not sail.

We will do so, - said Grammar, - as we always did in Russian folk tales. Let's take a ball ...

But we didn't have any tangle. Mom didn't know how to knit.

Do you have anything spherical in your house? - asked Arithmetic, and since I did not understand what "spherical" is, she explained: - It's all the same that it is round.

Round?

I remembered that Aunt Paul gave me a globe on my birthday. I also suggested this globe. True, it is on a stand, but it is not difficult to tear it off. For some reason, Geography was offended, waved her hands and shouted that she would not allow. That the globe is a great visual aid! Well, all that other stuff that didn't go to the point at all. At this time, a soccer ball flew into the window. It turns out that it is also spherical. Everyone agreed to count him as a ball.

The ball will be my guide. I have to follow him and keep up. And if I lose it, I will not be able to return home and will forever remain in the Land of unlearned lessons.

After I was put in such a colonial dependence on the ball, this spherical one jumped down on the windowsill by itself. I climbed after him, and Kuzya followed me.

Back! - I shouted to the cat, but he did not obey.

I will go with you, - declared my cat in a human voice.

Now let's go, ”said the grammar. - Repeat after me:

Fly soccer ball

Do not jump and do not gallop,

Don't get lost in the way

Fly straight to that country

Where Viti's mistakes live,

So that he is among the events,

Full of fear and anxiety

I could help myself.

I repeated the verses, the ball fell off the windowsill, flew out of the window, and Kuzya and I flew after it. Geography waved goodbye to me and shouted:

If you're feeling really bad, call me for help. So be it I will help out!

Kuzya and I quickly took off, and the ball flew in front of us. I didn't look down. I was afraid that my head would spin. In order not to be very scary, I did not take my eyes off the ball. How long we flew - I don't know. I don't want to lie. The sun was shining in the sky, and Kuzya and I rushed after the ball, as if we were tied to it with a rope and he was dragging us in tow. Finally the ball began to descend, and we sank onto the forest road. The ball rolled, jumping over stumps and fallen trees. He gave us no respite. Again, I can't say how long we walked. The sun never set. Therefore, you might think that we only walked one day. But who knows if the sun is setting at all in this unknown country?

It's so good that Kuzya followed me! How good that he began to talk like a man! We chatted all the way. I really didn't like that he talked too much about his adventures: he loved to hunt mice and hated dogs. I loved raw meat and raw fish. Therefore, most of all I chatted about dogs, mice and food. Yet he was a poorly educated cat. It turned out that in football he absolutely did not understand anything, but watched because, in general, he likes to watch everything that moves. It reminds him of hunting for mice. So, he was listening to about football only out of politeness.

We walked along a forest path. A high hill appeared in the distance. The ball went around him and disappeared. We were very scared and ran after him. Over the hill we saw a large castle with a tall gate and a stone fence. I took a closer look at the fence and noticed that it was made up of huge intertwining letters.

My dad has a silver cigarette case. There are two intertwined letters carved on it - D and P. The Pope explained that this is called a monogram. So this fence was a solid monogram. It even seems to me that it was not made of stone, but of some other material.

On the gate of the castle hung a padlock weighing forty kilograms. On both sides of the entrance were two strange people. One was bent over so that it seemed as if he was examining his knees, and the other was as straight as a stick.

The bent one held a huge pen, and the straight one held the same pencil. They stood motionless, as if lifeless. I came closer and touched the bent finger. He didn't move. Kuzya sniffed both of them and said that, in his opinion, they were still alive, although they did not smell of human. Kuzya and I named them Hook and Stick. Our ball was breaking into the goal. I went up to them and wanted to try to push the lock. What if it's not locked? Hook and Stick crossed pen and pencil and blocked my path.

Who are you? - Hook asked abruptly.

And Stick, as if pushed under his sides, shouted at the top of his voice:

Oh! Oh! Oh oh! Ahah!

I replied politely that I was a fourth grade student. I turned the hook with its head. The stick snapped open as if I had said something very bad. Then the Hook looked sideways at Kuzya and asked:

And you, the one with the tail, is also a student?

Kuzya was embarrassed and said nothing.

This is a cat, - I explained to Hook, - he is an animal. And animals have the right not to learn.

Name? Surname? - Hook interrogated.

Perestukin Victor, - I answered, as if at roll call.

If you only saw what happened to the Stick!

Oh! Oh! Alas! That! Most! Oh! Oh! Alas! - He shouted without a break for fifteen minutes in a row.

I'm really tired of this. The ball brought us to the Land of unlearned lessons. Why should we stand at its gate and answer stupid questions? I demanded that they immediately give me a key to unlock the lock. The ball moved. I realized that I was doing the right thing.

The stick gave a huge key and shouted:

Open up! Open up! Open up!

I inserted the key and wanted to turn it, but it didn't work. The key did not turn. It became clear that they were laughing at me.

Hook asked if I could spell the words "lock" and "key" correctly. If I can, the key will unlock the lock immediately. Why not be able to! Just think, what a trick! It is not known where the chalkboard came from and hung right in the air right in front of my nose.

Write! - Stick shouted and handed me the chalk.

I immediately wrote: "key ..." - and stopped.

It was good for him to shout, but if I don't know what to write next: CHIK or CHECK.

Which is correct - KEY or KEY? It was the same with the "lock". LOCK or LOCK? There was something to think about.

There is a certain rule ... What grammar rules do I even know? I began to remember. It seems that after the sibilants it is not written ... But what has the sibilant to do with it? They don't fit here in any way.

Kuzya advised me to write at random. If you write it wrong, you will correct it later. But how can you guess? It was good advice. I was about to do so, but Stick shouted:

It is forbidden! Ignoramus! Ignorant! Alas! Write! Straightaway! Right! - For some reason, he did not say anything calmly, but only shouted everything.

I sat down on the ground and began to remember. Kuzya all the time spun around me and often brushed his tail across the face. I shouted at him. Kuzya was offended.

In vain I sat down, - said Kuzya, - you still can't remember.

But I remembered. I remembered to spite him. Perhaps this was the only rule that I knew. I never thought that it would ever come in handy to me so cool!

If a vowel drops out in the genitive case of a word in the suffix, then CHECK is written, and if it does not drop out, CHIK is written.

It is not difficult to verify: the nominative is the lock, the genitive is the lock. Aha! The letter dropped out. So that's right - a lock. Now it is quite easy to check the "key". Nominative - KEY, genitive - KEY. The vowel remains in place. So, you need to write "KEY".

The stick clapped his hands and shouted:

Wonderful! Delightful! Delightful! Hooray!

I boldly wrote on the blackboard in large letters: "LOCK, KEY". Then he easily turned the key in the lock and the gate swung open. The ball rolled forward, and Kuzya and I went after him. The Stick and the Hook trudged from behind.

We walked through the empty rooms and found ourselves in a huge hall. Here someone has written grammar rules in large, beautiful handwriting right on the walls. Our journey began very well. I easily remembered the rule and opened the lock! If only such difficulties are encountered all the time, there is nothing for me to do here ...

At the back of the room, on a high chair, sat an old man with white hair and a white beard. If he held a small Christmas tree in his hands, he could be mistaken for Santa Claus. The old man's white cloak was embroidered with shiny black silk. When I took a good look at this cloak, I saw that it was all embroidered with punctuation marks.

A hunched-over old woman with evil red eyes spun beside the old man. She kept whispering something in his ear and pointing at me with her hand. We did not like the old woman at once. She reminded Kuze of her grandmother Lucy Karandashkina, who often beat him with a broom for stealing sausages from her.

I hope you will punish this ignoramus approximately, Your Majesty, Verb of Imperative Inclination! - said the old woman.

The old man looked at me importantly.

Stop doing that! Don't be mad, Comma! - he ordered the old woman.

It turns out it was a Comma! Oh, and she was fuming!

How can I not be angry, your majesty? After all, the boy has never put me in my place!

The old man looked at me sternly and motioned with his finger. I went.

The comma fussed even more and hissed:

Look at him. It is immediately obvious that he is illiterate.

Was it really noticeable in my face? Or could she also read in the eyes, like my mother?

Tell us how you learn! - the Verb ordered me.

Say it's good, - whispered Kuzya, but somehow I was ashamed and answered that I study like everyone else.

Do you know grammar? - Comma asked sarcastically.

Tell me that you know very well, ”Kuzya suggested again.

I kicked him down and replied that I knew grammar as well as anyone else. After I opened the lock with the help of my knowledge, I had every right to answer that way. And in general, it's enough to ask me questions about my grades. I, of course, did not listen to Cousin's stupid prompts and told her that my grades were different.

Different? the comma hissed. - And now we will check it.

I wonder how she could do this if I didn’t take my diary with me?

Let's get the documents! - screamed the old woman in a disgusting voice.

Little men with the same round faces ran into the hall. Some had black circles embroidered on white dresses, while others had crochet hooks, and still others had crochet hooks and circles. Two men brought in some kind of huge blue folder. When they unfolded it, I saw that it was my Russian language notebook. For some reason she almost became as tall as me.

The comma showed the first page on which I saw my dictation. Now that the notebook had grown, he looked even uglier. An awful lot of red pencil corrections. And how many blots! .. Probably, then I had a very bad pen. Under the dictation there was a deuce, like a big red duck.

Deuce! - Comma announced gloatingly, as if without it it was not clear that it was a two, not a five.

The verb ordered to turn the page. The little men turned over. The notebook groaned plaintively and softly. On the second page, I wrote a summary. It seems that it was even worse than the dictation, because there was a stake under it.

Flip! - ordered the Verb.

The notebook groaned even more plaintively. It's good that nothing was written on the third page. True, I painted a face with a long nose and slanting eyes on it. Of course, there were no mistakes here, because under the face I wrote only two words: "This kohl".

Flip? - Asked Comma, although she perfectly saw that there was nowhere to turn it over. There were only three pages in the notebook. The rest I tore out in order to make pigeons out of them.

Enough, the old man ordered. - How did you, boy, say that your grades are different?

Let me meow? - Kuzya suddenly got out. “I beg your pardon, but my master is not to blame. Indeed, in the notebook there is not only two, but also one. This means that the marks are still different.

The comma giggled, and the Stick shouted in delight:

Oh! Oh! I killed you! Ouch! Fun! Smart ass!

I was silent. It is not clear what was happening to me. Ears and cheeks burned. I couldn't look the old man in the eye. So, without looking at him, I said that he knows who I am, but I do not know who they are. Kuzya supported me. In his opinion, it was unfair play. Verb listened to us attentively, promised to show all his subjects and introduce them. He waved a ruler - music was heard, and little men with circles on their clothes ran out into the middle of the hall. They began to dance and sing:

We guys are accurate

We are called Points.

To write correctly,

Where to put us, you need to know.

You should know our place!

Kuzya asked if I knew where they should be placed. I replied that sometimes I put it right.

The verb again waved the ruler, and Dots were replaced by little men, on whose dresses two commas were embroidered. They took hold of their pens and sang:

We are funny sisters

Inseparable Quotes.

If I open a phrase, - I sang alone, -

I'll close it right away, ”another said.

Quotes! I know them! I know and do not like. If you put them on, they say you don’t need to, you don’t put them on - they say, this is where it was necessary to put quotation marks. You never know ...

After the Quotes, Hook and Stick came out. Well, it was a funny couple!

Everyone knows me and my brother

We are expressive signs.

I am the most significant -

Interrogative!

And Stick sang very shortly:

I am the most wonderful -

Exclamatory!

Interrogative and Exclamation! Old acquaintances! They were slightly better than the rest of the characters. They had to be installed less often, so they were hit less often. They were nevertheless nicer than this wicked hunchback Comma. But she was already standing in front of me and sang in her raspy voice:

Even though I'm just a dot with a ponytail

I am small in stature,

But I need grammar

And it is important for everyone to read.

All people, no doubt,

Of course, they know about that

What's important

Has a comma.

Kuzi's fur even stood on end from such impudent singing. He asked me for permission to rip the tail off the Comma and turn it into a Point. Of course, I did not allow him to misbehave. Maybe I myself wanted to say something to the old woman, but I must somehow restrain myself. Be rude, and then they won't let you out of here. And I wanted to leave them for a long time. Ever since I saw my notebook. I went up to Verb and asked him if I could leave. The old man did not even have time to open his mouth when the Comma squealed to the whole hall:

Never! Let him first prove that he knows the spelling of unstressed vowels!

Immediately she began to come up with various examples.

Fortunately for me, a huge dog ran into the hall. Kuzya, of course, hissed and jumped on my shoulder. But the dog was not going to throw himself at him. I bent down and stroked her red back.

Oh, you love dogs! Very good! - Comma said sarcastically and clapped her hands. A black board hung in the air in front of me again. It was written in chalk: "From ... baka".

I quickly realized what was the matter. I took the chalk and wrote in the letter "a". It turned out: "Sabaka".

The comma burst out laughing. The verb furrowed his gray eyebrows. The exclamation point waved and groaned. The dog bared its teeth and growled at me. I got scared of her evil muzzle and ran. She chased after me. Kuzya desperately hissed, clutching his claws into my jacket. I guessed that I had inserted the letter incorrectly. I went back to the blackboard, erased the "a" and wrote "o". The dog immediately stopped growling, licked my hand and ran out of the hall. Now I will never forget that a dog is spelled with an "o".

Maybe only this dog is spelled with "o"? - asked Kuzya. - And all the others through "a"?

The cat is just as ignorant as its owner, ”Comma chuckled, but Kuzya objected to her that he knew dogs better than she did. From them, in his opinion, one can always expect any meanness.

While this conversation was going on, a sunbeam peeped in through the high window. The room immediately brightened.

Oh! The sun! Wonderful! Delightful! the exclamation point shouted joyfully.

Your Majesty, the sun, - whispered the Comma to the Verb. - Ask the ignorant ...

Okay, - agreed Verb and waved his hand. The word "dog" disappeared on the black board and the word "so..ntse" appeared.

What letter is missing? - asked the Interrogator.

I read again: "So..ntse". In my opinion, nothing is missing here. Just a trap! And I will not fall into it! If all the letters are in place, why insert the extra ones? What happened when I said this! The comma laughed like crazy. The exclamation point was crying and breaking pens. The verb frowned more and more. The sun ray disappeared. It became dark and very cold in the hall.

Oh! Alas! Oh! The sun! I'm dying! - yelled Exclamation.

Where is the sun? Where is the warmth? Where is the light? - Continuously, as a wound, asked the Interrogator.

The boy angered the sun! - the Verb boomed angrily.

I'm freezing, - Kuzya cried and clung to me.

Answer how the word "sun" is spelled! - ordered the Verb.

Indeed, how is the word "sun" spelled? Zoya Filippovna always advised us to change the word so that all dubious and hidden letters crawl out. Maybe try? And I started shouting: "Sun! Sun! Sunny!" Aha! The letter "l" came out. I grabbed the chalk and quickly wrote it in. At the same moment, the sun again looked into the hall. It became light, warm and very merry. For the first time, I realized how much I love the sun.

Long live the sun through the letter "l"! I sang merrily.

Hooray! The sun! Light! Joy! A life! - Shouted Exclamation.

I spun on one leg and also began to shout out:

Merry sun

Hello to our school!

We are dear without the sun

There is simply no life.

Shut up! - barked the Verb.

I just froze on one leg. The fun immediately disappeared. It even became somehow unpleasant and scary.

A fourth-grade student, Viktor Perestukin, who came to us, "said the old man sternly," discovered a rare, ugly ignorance. Showed contempt and dislike for his native language. For this he will be severely punished. I am retiring to pass judgment. Put Perestukin in square brackets!

The verb is gone. The comma ran after him and kept repeating on the go:

No mercy! Just no mercy, your majesty!

The little men brought large iron brackets and placed them to my left and right.

All this is very bad, master, ”Kuzya said seriously and began wagging his tail. He always did this when he was dissatisfied with something. - Could you get out of here?

It would be very cool, - I replied, - but you see that I am arrested, bracketed and we are being watched. In addition, the ball lies motionless.

Poor! Unhappy! - Exclamation point groaned. - Oh! Ouch! Alas! Alas! Alas!

Are you scared, boy? - asked the Interrogator.

What weirdos! Why should I be scared? Why should you feel sorry for me? “You don’t need to anger the strong,” said Kuzya. - One of my familiar cat named Kisa had a habit of angering the watchdog. What nasty things she didn’t tell him! And then one day the dog broke off the chain and forever weaned her from this habit.

Good signs were worried more and more. The exclamation point kept repeating that I did not understand the danger that was hanging over me. The interrogator asked me a bunch of questions and in the end asked if I had any request.

What would you ask for? Kuzya and I consulted and decided that now is the time to have breakfast. The signs explained to me: I will get everything I want if I write my wish correctly. Of course, the board immediately jumped out and hung in front of me. In order not to be mistaken, Kuzya and I discussed this issue again. The cat could not think of anything tastier than amateur sausage. I love Poltava more. But in the words "amateur" and "Poltava" one can make an abyss of mistakes. So I decided to ask for just the sausages. But eating sausage without bread is not very tasty. And so, to begin with, I wrote on the board: "Slap". But Kuzya and I did not see any bread.

Where is your bread?

Wrong! - the signs answered in unison.

Don't know how to spell such an important word! - grumbled the cat.

We'll have to eat sausage without bread. Nothing to do.

I took the chalk and brought it out in large size: "Kalbasa".

Not properly! shouted the signs.

I erased and wrote: "Kalbosa".

Not properly! the signs screamed.

I again erased and wrote: "Kolbosa".

Not properly! - signs shouted. I got angry and threw chalk. They just mocked me.

We ate both bread and sausages, - Kuzya sighed. - It is not clear why the boys go to school. Didn't they teach you how to write at least one edible word correctly?

I think I could write one edible word correctly. I erased the "sausage" and wrote "onion". Dots immediately appeared and brought in peeled onions on a platter. The cat was offended and snorted. He did not eat onions. I didn't like him either. And I was terribly hungry. We started chewing onions. Tears flowed from my eyes.

Suddenly a gong rang out.

Do not Cry! - Shouted the Exclamation. - There is still hope!

How do you feel about Comma, boy? - asked the Interrogator.

For me, she is not needed at all, - I answered frankly. - You can read without it. After all, when you read, you do not pay any attention to the commas. But when you write and forget to put it on, you will certainly get it.

The exclamation point got even more upset and began to groan in every way.

Did you know that a comma can decide the fate of a person? - asked the Interrogator.

Stop telling stories, I'm not small!

The owner and I have not been kittens for a long time, - Kuzya supported me.

A Comma and several Dots entered the room, carrying a large folded sheet of paper.

This is a verdict, ”the Comma announced.

The dots unfolded the sheet. I've read:

VERDICT in the case of the ignorant Viktor Perestukin:

EXECUTE CANNOT BE FORGIVEN.

You can't execute! Have mercy! Hooray! Have mercy! - exclamation point rejoiced. - You can't execute! Hooray! Wonderful! Generously! Hooray! Wonderful!

Do you think you can't execute? - seriously asked the Interrogator. Apparently he doubted a lot.

What are they talking about? Whom to execute? Me? What right do they have? No, no, this is some kind of mistake!

But Comma sarcastically looked at me and said:

Signs misunderstand the verdict. You must be executed, you cannot be pardoned. This is how it should be understood.

For what to execute? I shouted. - For what?

For ignorance, laziness and ignorance of the native language.

But here it is clearly written: you cannot execute.

It's not fair! We will complain, - Kuzya yelled, grabbing a comma by the tail.

Oh! Oh! Terrible! I will not survive! - moaned Exclamation.

I got scared. Well my textbooks have dealt with me! This is how the promised dangers began. They simply did not let the person look around properly - and please, they immediately pronounced the death sentence. Here you want it or not, but do it yourself. There is no one to complain to. No one will protect here. Neither parents nor teachers. Of course, there are no police and courts here either. Just like the old days. Whatever the king wanted, he did. In general, this king, His Majesty the Verb of Imperative Inclination, should also be eliminated as a class. Disposes of all grammar here!

The exclamation point was breaking pens and shouting out interjections all the time. Tiny tears rolled from his peephole. The interrogative pestered the comma:

Is there really nothing you can do to help the unfortunate boy?

After all, they were nice guys, these signs!

The comma broke a little, but then she replied that I could help myself if I knew where to put the comma in the sentence.

Let him finally understand the meaning of the comma, ”the hunchback said gravely. - A comma can even save a person's life. Let Perestukin try to save himself if he wants to.

Of course I wanted it!

The comma clapped her hands, and a huge clock appeared on the wall. The hands pointed at five minutes to twelve.

Five minutes to think, - the old woman creaked. - Exactly at twelve comma must be in place. At twelve o'clock and one minute it will be too late.

She thrust a large pencil into my hand and said:

The clock immediately began to beat loudly and count down the time: "Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock." Here they flow several times - and a minute away. And there are only five of them.

There will be, - I was delighted. - Where should I put the comma?

Alas! Decide youself! - the exclamation point cried.

Kuzya ran up to him and began to caress him.

Tell me, tell my master where to put this damn comma, - begged Kuzya. - Tell me, they ask you as a person!

Suggest? - shrieked the Comma. - In no case! Our hint is strictly prohibited!

And the clock was ticking. I looked at them and was stunned: they had already managed to tap for three minutes.

Call Geography! - Kuzya yelled. - Aren't you afraid of death?

I was afraid of death. But ... but what about the tempering of the will then? Should I despise danger, not fear it? And if I scoff now, where will I get myself danger again? No, it doesn't suit me in any way. You cannot call anyone. What do I really say to Geography? "Hello, dear Geography! Sorry to bother you, but, you know, I drifted a little ..."

And the clock was ticking.

Hurry up, boy! - exclamatory shouted. - Oh! Oh! Alas!

Did you know that there are only two minutes left? - Anxiously asked the Interrogator.

Kuzya purred and clutched at the hem of the comma with his claws.

You wish the boy death, - the cat hissed angrily.

He deserved it, - the old woman answered, tearing off the cat.

What should I do? - I asked out loud by accident.

Reason! Reason! Oh! Alas! Reason! - exclaimed exclamation. Tears flowed from his sad little eyes.

It's a pretty good thing to reason when ... If I put a comma after the word "execute", it will be like this: "Execute, you cannot pardon." So it will work out - you can't pardon? It is forbidden!

Alas! Oh! Misfortune! No mercy! - sobbed Exclamation. - Execute! Alas! Oh! Oh!

Execute? - asked Kuzya. - It doesn't suit us.

Boy can't you see there's only one minute left? - Through tears the Interrogator asked.

One last minute ... And what will happen then? I closed my eyes and began to reason quickly, quickly:

And if you put a comma after the words "you can not execute"? Then it will turn out: "You cannot execute, pardon." This is what we need! Resolved. I'll bet.

I went to the table and drew a large comma in the sentence after the word "no". At the same minute, the clock struck twelve times.

Hooray! Victory! Oh! Good! Wonderful! - Exclamation jumped happily, and Kuzya with him.

The comma grew kinder at once.

Remember that when you give your head a job, you are always getting things done. Do not be mad at me. Better make friends with me. When you learn to put me in my place, I will not cause you any trouble.

I firmly promised her that I would learn.

Our ball began to stir, and Kuzya and I hurried.

Goodbye, Vitya! - shouted after the punctuation marks. - We will meet again on the pages of books, on the sheets of your notebooks!

Don't confuse me with my brother! - Shouted Exclamation. - I always exclaim!

Do you remember what I always ask? - asked the Interrogator.

The ball rolled out of the goal. We ran after him. I looked around and saw that everyone was waving their hands to me. Even the important Verb looked out of the castle window. I waved them all at once with both hands and rushed to catch up with Kuzya.

For a long time the exclamation of the exclamation was heard. Then everything fell silent, and the castle disappeared behind a hill.

Kuzya and I followed the ball and discussed everything that had happened to us. I was very glad that I did not call Geography, but saved myself.

Yes, it turned out well, - agreed Kuzya. - I remember a similar story. One of my acquaintances, a cat named Troshka, served in the meat section of a self-service store. He never waited for the seller to be generous and toss him an appendage. Troshka was self-serving: he treated himself to the best piece of meat. This cat always said: "No one will take care of you as much as you do."

What a nasty habit Kuzi had - ten times a day telling all sorts of ugly stories about some tattered cats and cats. To ennoble Kuzya, I began to tell him about the friendship between people and animals. For example, he himself, Kuzya, behaved like a loyal friend when I got into trouble. Now I can rely on him. The cat purred as he walked. Apparently he likes to be praised. But then he remembered some red cat named Froska, who said: "For the sake of friendship, I will give the last mouse." It became clear to me that it would not be possible to ennoble it. Kuzya is an unyielding animal. Even Zoya Filippovna herself could not do anything with him. I decided to tell him another useful story that I had heard from my dad.

I told Kuza how cats and dogs became man's friends, how man chose them among other wild animals. And what did my cheeky cat say to me? The dog, in his opinion, the man chose himself - and made a terrible mistake. But the cat ... with the cat, it was not at all like this: it was not the man who chose the cat, but, on the contrary, the cat chose the man.

I was so angry with the Cousins' reasoning that I was silent for a long time. If I continued to talk to him, he, what good, would have gone so far as to declare the king of nature not a man, but a cat. No, Kuzin's upbringing had to be taken seriously. Why haven't I thought about it before? Why hadn't I thought about anything before? The comma said that if I give my head a job, it will always work. And really. I thought then at the gate, remembered a rule that I almost forgot, and it came in handy a lot. It also helped me when I was deciding where to put the comma with a pencil in my hands. I would probably never be behind in class if I thought about what I was doing. Of course, for this you need to listen to what the teacher says in the lesson, and not play "tic-tac-toe". What am I stupider than Zhenchik, or what? If I temper my will and pull myself together, it remains to be seen who will have the best marks by the end of the year.

And it would be interesting to see how Katya would have coped in my place. It's good that she didn't see me in the castle at the Verb. There would be conversations ... No, nevertheless I am glad that I have been in this country. First, I will now always spell the word "dog" and "sun" correctly. Secondly, I realized that it is still necessary to learn the rules of grammar. They can come in handy on occasion. And thirdly, it turned out that punctuation marks are really needed. Now, if they gave me a whole page to read without punctuation marks, could I read it and understand what is written there? I would read, read, without catching my breath, until I suffocated. What's good? Besides, I would understand little from such a reading.

So I thought to myself. Kuza had nothing to tell about all this. I was so thoughtful that I did not immediately notice that the cat began to complain about the heat. Indeed, it has become very hot. To cheer Kuzya up, I started to sing along, and Kuzya picked up:

We walk merrily

We sing a song.

We despise danger!

Oh, how thirsty, but nowhere there was not a single stream. Kuzya was thirsty. I myself would give a lot for a glass of soda and syrup. Even without syrup ... But one could only dream of it ...

We walked past the bed of a dried-up river. At its bottom, like in a frying pan, dry fish were scattered about.

Where did the water go? - Kuzya asked plaintively. - Are there really no decanters, no teapots, no buckets, no taps? Are there not all these useful and good things from which water is extracted?

I was silent. My tongue seemed to be dry and not tossing and turning.

And our ball kept rolling. He stopped only in a clearing scorched by the sun. In the middle of it was a bare, twisted tree. And around the clearing the bare forest creaked with dry black branches.

I sat down on a hillock covered with yellowed leaves. Kuzya jumped into my lap. Oh, how thirsty we were! I didn't even know that you can be so thirsty. All the time I seemed to see a cold stream. She pours so beautifully from the tap and sings merrily. I also remembered our crystal jug, and even droplets on its crystal barrels.

I closed my eyes and, as in a dream, I saw Aunt Lyubasha: at the corner of our street she was selling soda water. Aunt Lyubasha was holding a glass of cold water with cherry syrup. Oh, this glass would be! Even without syrup, even if not carbonated ... Why is there a glass! I could drink a whole bucket now.

Suddenly the mound began to stir under me. Then he began to grow and sway strongly.

Hold on, Kuzya! - I shouted and rolled down.

Here the slides are crazy, ”grumbled Kuzya.

I am not a slide, I am a camel, - we heard someone's plaintive voice.

Our "slide" got to its feet, brushed off the leaves, and we really saw a camel. Kuzya immediately arched his back and asked:

Are you going to eat the boy and his faithful cat?

The camel was greatly offended.

Don't you know, cat, that camels eat grass, hay and thorns? he asked Kuzyu mockingly. - The only trouble I can do to you is to spit on you. But I'm not going to spit. I am busy. Even I, a camel, are dying of thirst.

Please don't die, ”I asked the poor camel, but he only groaned in response.

No one can endure thirst longer than a camel. But the time comes when the camel stretches out its legs. Many animals have already died in the forest. There are still living people, but they will also die if they are not immediately rescued.

Silent groans came from the forest. I felt so sorry for the unfortunate animals that I forgot a little about the water.

Is there anything I can do to help them? I asked the camel.

You can save them, ”the camel replied.

Then let's run into the forest, ”I said.

The camel laughed with joy, but Kuzya was not at all happy.

Think what you say, - the cat hissed displeasedly. - How can you save them? What do you care about them?

You are an egoist, Kuzya, - I told him calmly. - I will definitely go to rescue them. Here the camel will tell me what needs to be done, and I will save them. And you, Kuzya ...

I was just about to tell Kuza that I was thinking about his trick when something cracked violently next to me. The gnarled tree straightened the dry branches and turned into a wrinkled, thin old woman in a torn dress. Dry leaves were stuck in her matted hair.

The camel ran away with a groan. The old woman began to examine Kuzya and me. I was not scared at all, even when she began to hum in a bass:

Who is shouting here, disturbing the peace?

Nasty boy, who are you?

Don't say that you are Perestukin, ”whispered Kuzya in fright. - Say that you are Serokoshkin.

You yourself are Serokoshkin. And my last name is Perestukin, and I have nothing to be ashamed of.

As soon as the old woman heard this, she immediately changed, doubled over, made a sweet smile, and this made her even more disgusting. And suddenly ... she began to praise me in every way. She praised, I was surprised, and the camel groaned. She said that it was I, Viktor Perestukin, who helped her turn the green dry forest into dry logs. Everyone is struggling with drought, only I, Viktor Perestukin, turned out to be her best friend and helper. It turns out that I, Viktor Perestukin, said magic words in class ...

I knew it, ”Kuzya yelled desperately. - Probably, you, the owner, blurted out something inappropriate.

Your master, - the camel groaned, - blurted out in the lesson that the water that evaporates from the surface of rivers, lakes, seas and oceans disappears.

The water cycle in nature, - I remembered. - Zoya Filippovna! Fifth deuce!

The old woman straightened up, put her hips on her hips and began to beat:

He rightly said that forever

Hateful water will disappear

And all living things will perish without a trace.

For some reason, this scarecrow spoke only in poetry. Her words made me want to drink even more. Moans were heard from the forest again. The camel came up to me and whispered in my ear:

You can save the unfortunate ... Remember the water cycle, remember!

It's easy to say - remember. Zoya Filippovna kept me at the blackboard for a full hour, and even then I could not remember anything. - You must remember! - Kuzya was angry. “We are suffering through your fault. After all, it was you who said stupid words in class.

What nonsense! I shouted angrily. - What can words do?

The old woman creaked with her dry twigs and again began to speak in verse:

Here's what the words did:

The grass has dried in the hay,

No more rain will drip

The animals stretched out their paws,

The waterfalls are dry

And all the flowers dried up.

This is what I need -

The kingdom of dead beauty.

No, it was unbearable! It seems that I, in fact, have done something. We'll still have to remember the cycle. And I began to mumble:

Water evaporates from the surface of rivers, lakes, seas ...

The old woman was afraid that I would remember, and began to dance, so much so that dry branches and leaves flew in all directions. She spun around in front of me and shouted:

I hate water

I hate rain.

Withered nature

I love to death.

My head was spinning, I wanted to drink more and more, but I did not give up and recalled with all my might:

Water evaporates, turns into steam, turns into steam and ...

The old woman ran up to me, waved her hands in front of my nose and began to hiss:

This very moment

Oblivion will find you

Everything that I knew and what I taught

You forgot, forgot, forgot ...

What was I arguing with the old woman about? Why was he angry with her? I don’t remember anything.

Remember, remember! - Kuzya shouted desperately, jumping on his hind legs. - You spoke, remembered ...

What did you talk about?

That steam turns ...

Oh yes, steam! .. - I suddenly remembered everything: - Steam cools down, turns into water and falls to the ground like rain. It's raining!

Clouds suddenly came, and immediately large drops fell to the ground. Then they began to fall more and more often - the earth darkened.

The leaves of the trees and the grass turned green. Water ran merrily along the riverbed. A waterfall rushed from the top of the cliff with a noise. The joyful voices of animals and birds were heard from the forest.

Me, Kuzya and the camel, soaked through, danced around the frightened Drought and shouted to her right into her gnarled ears:

Rain, rain, pour faster!

Go for it, the villainous drought!

It will rain for a long time

The animals will drink a lot.

The old woman suddenly bent over, spread her arms out, and again turned into a dry, twisted tree. All the trees rustled with fresh green leaves, only one tree - Drought - stood bare and dry. Not a single rain fell on him.

Beasts ran out of the forest. They drank plenty of water. Hares jumped and tumbled. The foxes were waving their red tails. Squirrels galloped along the branches. Hedgehogs rolled like balls. And the birds chirped so deafeningly that I could not understand a word of all their chatter. My cat was overwhelmed with veal delight. One might have thought that he was sucked on valerian.

Drink! Enjoy! - shouted Kuzya. - It was my master who made it rain! I helped the owner to get so much water! Drink! Enjoy! Drink as much as you like! The owner and I are treating everyone!

I don’t know how long we would have been having fun like this if a terrible roar had not been heard from the forest. The birds are gone. The animals scattered instantly, as if they weren't there. Only the camel remained, but he, too, trembled with fear.

Save yourself! the camel shouted. - It's a polar bear. He got lost. He wanders around and scolds Viktor Perestukin. Save yourself!

Kuzya and I quickly buried ourselves in a pile of leaves. The poor camel did not have time to escape.

A huge polar bear fell out into the clearing. He moaned and fanned himself with a branch. He complained about the heat, growled and swore. Finally he spotted a camel. We did not breathe, lay under wet leaves, saw everything and heard everything.

What is it? - the bear roared, pointing his paw at the camel.

This, excuse me, I am a camel. Herbivore.

I thought so, - said the bear with disgust. - Humpbacked cow. Why were you born such a freak?

Sorry. I won't do it anymore.

I'm sorry if you tell me where the north is.

I will be very happy to tell you if you explain to me what the north is. Is it round or long? Red or green? What does it smell like and how does it taste?

The bear, instead of thanking the polite camel, rushed at him with a roar. He started with all his long legs into the forest. In a minute, both disappeared from my eyes.

We crawled out of the heap of leaves. The ball moved slowly, and we walked after it. I was very sorry that because of this rude bear we lost such a good guy like a camel. But Kuzya did not regret the camel. He still went on boasting that we "made water" with him. I didn't listen to his chatter. I thought again. So this is what the water cycle means! It turns out that the water does not actually disappear, it just turns into steam, and then cools down and again falls to the ground in the form of rain. And if she completely disappeared, then little by little the sun would dry everything and we, people, animals, and plants would dry up. Like those fish that I saw at the bottom of a dry river. That's it-t0! It turns out that Zoya Filippovna gave me a bad grade. The funny thing is that in class she told me the same thing more than once. Why didn't I understand and remember? Because, probably, he listened and did not hear, looked and did not see ...

The sun was not visible, but still it was getting hot. Thirsty again. But, although the forest on the sides of our path was green, we did not see the river anywhere.

We were going. Everybody walked and walked. Kuzya managed to tell me about a dozen stories about dogs, cats and mice. It turns out that he is closely acquainted with Lyuska's cat named Topsi. It always seemed to me that Topsy was kind of sluggish and unplayable. In addition, she was meowing very tearfully and disgustingly. She won't shut up until you shove something at her. And I don't like beggars. Kuzya told me that Topsy is also a thief. Kuzya swore that it was she who stole a large piece of pork from us last week. My mom thought of him and whipped him with a wet kitchen towel. It didn't hurt Kuza as much as it hurt. And Topsy was so overwhelmed by the stolen pork that she even got sick. Lucia's grandmother took her to the vet. So I will come back, I will open my eyes to Lyuska her cute kitty. I will definitely expose this Topsi.

During our conversations, we did not notice how we approached some wonderful city. The houses in it were round, like a circus tent, or square, or even triangular. There were no people in the streets.

Our ball rolled into the street of a strange city and froze. We approached a large cube and stopped in front of it. Two plump men in white robes and hats were selling soda water. One seller had a plus on his hat, and a minus on the other.

Tell me, - Kuzya asked timidly, - is your water real?

Positively real, - answered Plus. - Would you like a drink?

Kuzya licked his lips. We were very thirsty, but the trouble is - I didn't have a penny, and Kuzi's even more so.

I have no money, - I confessed to the sellers.

And in our country water is sold not for money, but for correct answers.

Minus narrowed his eyes slyly and asked:

Seven nine?

Seven nine ... seven nine ... - I muttered, - I think thirty-seven.

I don’t think so, ”Minus said. - The answer is negative.

Give it to me for free, - asked Kuzya. - I'm a cat. And you don't have to know the multiplication table.

Both sellers took out some papers, read them, leafed through, looked through and then announced in chorus to Kuza that they did not have an order to water illiterate cats for free. Kuza only had to lick his lips.

A cyclist drove up to the kiosk.

More like water! - shouted from, without getting off the bike. - I'm in a hurry.

Seven seven? - asked Minus and handed him a glass of sparkling rose water.

Forty nine. - Answered the racer, drank water on the go and dashed off.

I asked the salespeople who he was. Plus he said that this is a famous racer who is engaged in checking homework on arithmetic.

Terribly thirsty. Especially when there were vessels with cool rose water in front of my eyes. I could not resist and asked to ask another question.

Eight nine? - asked Minus and poured water into a glass. She hissed and covered with bubbles.

Seventy six! I blurted out, hoping to get there.

Past, - said Minus and threw out the water. It was terribly unpleasant to see how the wonderful water was absorbed into the ground.

Kuzya began to rub against the sellers' legs and humbly ask them to ask his owner the easiest, easiest question that any quitter and poor student could answer. I shouted at Kuzya. He fell silent, and the salesmen looked at each other without mockery.

Two by two? - Plus asked smiling.

Four, ”I replied angrily. For some reason I was very ashamed. I drank half a glass, and gave the rest to Kuza.

Oh, how good the water was! Even Aunt Lyubasha never sold one of these. But there was so little water that I couldn’t even make out what kind of syrup it was.

The racer appeared on the road again. He quickly pedaled and sang:

Singing, riding, riding

A young racer is riding.

On my bike

He traveled around the globe.

He flies faster than the wind

Never get tired

Hundreds of thousands of kilometers

Waves off without difficulty.

The cyclist rode past and nodded his head. It seemed to me that he was in vain bravery and assures of his indefatigability. I just wanted to tell Kuza about this when I noticed that the cat was very frightened by something. His fur stood on end, his tail fluffed, his back curved. Are there dogs here?

Hide, hide me soon! - Kuzya pleaded. - I'm afraid ... I see ...

I looked around, but did not notice anything on the road. But Kuzya was trembling and insisted that he saw ... legs.

Whose legs? - I was surprised.

The fact of the matter is that nobody's, - answered the cat, - I am very afraid when the legs are on their own, without a master.

And it’s true, the legs came out on the road. They were large male legs in old shoes and dirty work trousers with protruding pockets. At the waist, the trousers were pulled together by a belt, and there was nothing higher.

The legs came up to me and stopped. I felt a little uneasy.

Where is the rest? - I decided to ask. - What's above the belt?

The feet trampled silently and froze.

Excuse me, are you living legs? I asked again.

The legs swung back and forth. They probably wanted to say yes. Kuzya growled and snorted. His legs frightened him.

These are dangerous Legs, - he hissed slowly. “They ran away from their master. Decent Legs never do that. These are bad Legs. This is homeless ...

The cat did not have time to finish. The Right Foot gave him a hefty kick. Kuzya flew off to the side with a squeal.

You see, see ?! he yelled, dusting himself off. - These are evil Legs, get away from them!

Kuzya wanted to go around the Legs from behind, but they contrived and kicked him. From resentment and pain, the cat screamed until hoarse. To calm him down, I took him in my arms and began to scratch his chin and forehead. He loves it very much.

A man in overalls came out of the triangular house. He was wearing exactly the same trousers and shoes as the legs. The man came closer to the Feet and said:

Do not go far from me, comrade, you will get lost.

I wanted to know who cut off this comrade's half of the torso.

Did the tram run over him? I asked.

He was as much a digger as I am, ”the man replied sadly. - And it was not the tram that moved him, but the fourth-grade student Viktor Perestukin.

It was too much! Kuzya whispered to me:

Wouldn't it be better if we get out of here, pick up, hello?

I looked at the ball. He lay still.

Adults are ashamed to tell a lie, ”I reproached the digger. - How could Vitya Perestukin run over a person? These are fairy tales.

The digger only sighed.

You don't know anything, boy. This Viktor Perestukin solved the problem, and it turned out that one and a half excavators dug a trench. So only half of my friend remained ...

Then I remembered the problem about running meters. The digger sighed heavily and asked if my heart was kind. How could I have known this? Nobody talked to me about it. True, my mother sometimes claimed that I had no heart at all, but I did not believe in it. Still, something is knocking inside me.

I don’t know, ”I answered honestly.

If you had a good heart, - said the excavator sadly, - you would have pity on my poor friend and tried to help him. You just need to correctly solve the problem, and he will again become what he was before.

I'll try, - I said, - I'll try ... What if I can't ?!

The digger fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. The solution to the problem was written on it in my handwriting. I thought about it. What if nothing comes of it again? And if it turns out that one and a quarter of an excavator dug a trench? Then there will be only one leg of his comrade? I even felt hot from such thoughts.

Then I remembered the advice of the Comma. This calmed me down a little. I will only think about the problem, I will solve it slowly. I will argue as the Exclamation One taught me.

I looked at Plus and Minus. They winked mockingly at each other with the same round eyes. I suppose they didn't let the greedy get drunk! .. I showed them my tongue. They were not surprised or offended. Probably not understood.

What is your opinion of the boy, brother Minus? Plus asked.

Negative, - answered Minus. - And yours, brother Plus?

Positive, Plus said sourly.

I think he was lying. But after their conversation, I was determined to cope with the task. I started to decide. Think only about the task. He reasoned, reasoned, reasoned until the problem was solved. Well, I was really happy! It turned out that digging a trench took not one and a half, but as many as two excavators.

It turned out two diggers! - I announced the solution to the problem.

And then the Legs immediately turned into a digger. He was exactly the same as the first one. They both bowed to me and said:

In work, in life and work

We wish you the best of luck.

Learn always, learn everywhere

And solve problems correctly.

Plus and Minus tore off their caps, threw them into the air and shouted cheerfully:

Five five - twenty five! Six six - thirty six!

You are my savior! - shouted the second excavator.

Great mathematician! - his comrade admired. - If you meet Viktor Perestukin, tell him that he is a quitter, a stupid and evil boy!

Someone who, but he will definitely pass it on, - Kuzya mocked.

I had to promise that I would. Otherwise the diggers would never have gotten away.

Of course, it’s not good that they cursed me at the end, but nevertheless I was very pleased that I myself had solved this difficult problem. After all, even Lyuska's grandmother could not solve it, although she is the most capable of arithmetic of all the grandmothers of our class. Maybe I'm already starting to develop character? That would be great!

The cyclist passed again. He no longer sang or drank. It was evident that he could barely stay in the saddle.

Kuzya suddenly arched his back and hissed.

What's the matter? Legs again? I asked.

Not legs, but paws, - answered the cat, - but a beast on its paws. Let's hide ...

Kuzya and I rushed to a small round house with a lattice window. The door was locked and we had to huddle under the porch. There, lying under the porch, I remembered that I should despise danger, and not hide. I was about to look out, but on the road I saw our old friend - a polar bear. I had to get out, but ... it's too scary. Even tamers are afraid of polar bears.

Our polar bear seemed even more angry than when we first met. He sighed, growled, scolded me, was dying of thirst, looked for the north.

We hid until he walked past the house. Kuzya began to ask what it was that I could annoy the terrible beast. Freak Kuzya. If I knew it myself.

The polar bear is an evil and merciless beast, - Kuzya frightened me. - I wonder if he eats cats?

Perhaps, if he does eat, then only sea cats, - I said to Kuza to calm him down a little. But I didn't know for sure myself.

Actually, it's time to get out of here. There was nothing to do here. But the ball was lying and we had to wait.

From the round house, under the porch of which we were hiding, came a plaintive groan. I came closer.

Please do not get involved in any stories, - Kuzya asked me.

I knocked on the door. There was an even more plaintive groan. I looked through the window and saw nothing. Then I began pounding on the door with my fist and shouting loudly:

Hey, who's there ?!

It's me, - was heard in response. - Innocently convicted.

Who are you?

I am a poor tailor, I was accused of theft.

Kuzya jumped around me and demanded that I do not get involved with the thief. And I was curious to know what the tailor stole. I began to question him, but the tailor did not want to confess and insisted that he was the most honest man in the world. He claimed to have been slandered.

Who has slandered you? I asked the tailor.

Victor Perestukin, - the prisoner replied insolently.

What is it really? Now half a digger, now a tailor thief ...

This is not true, not true! - I shouted through the window.

No, really, really, ”the tailor whined. - Listen. As the head of the sewing workshop, I received twenty-eight meters of fabric. I had to find out how many suits could be made from it. And now, on my grief, this same Perestukin decides that I must sew twenty-seven suits from twenty-eight meters, and even get one meter in the rest. Well, how can you sew twenty-seven suits when only one suit is three meters long?

I remembered that it was for this task that I was slapped with one of five twos.

Nonsense, ”I said.

Yes, it’s nonsense for you, ”the tailor whimpered,“ but on the basis of this decision, they demanded twenty-seven suits from me. Where would I get them? Then I was accused of theft and put in jail. - Do you have this task with you? I asked.

Of course there is, - the tailor was delighted. “They handed it to me along with a copy of the verdict.

He handed me a piece of paper through the bars. I unfolded it and saw the solution to the problem written in my hand. Wrong decision at all. I first divided the ones, and then the tens. That's why it turned out so stupid. It didn't even take much thought to fix the decision. I told the tailor that he had to make only nine suits.

At that moment, the door opened by itself and a man ran out of it. Large scissors dangled from his belt, and a centimeter hung around his neck. The man hugged me, jumped on one leg and shouted:

Glory to the great mathematician! Glory to the great little unknown mathematician! Shame on Viktor Perestukin!

Then he jumped up again and ran away. His scissors clinked and the centimeter fluttered in the wind.

A barely living cyclist drove onto the road. He was gasping for breath, and then suddenly he fell off the bike! I rushed to pick him up, but there was nothing I could do. He wheezed and rolled his eyes. “I’m dying, dying at the post,” the cyclist whispered. - I cannot carry out this terrible decision. Oh, boy, tell the students that the death of the cheerful racer is on the conscience of Viktor Perestukin. Let them avenge me ...

Not true! - I was indignant. - I have never killed you. I don't even know you!

Ah ... So you are Perestukin? - said the racer and got up. - Come on, quitter, solve the problem correctly, otherwise you will have a bad time.

He thrust a piece of paper into my hands with a problem. While I was reading the problem statement, the driver grumbled:

Decide, Decide! You will learn from me how to subtract meters from people. You drive my cyclists a hundred kilometers an hour.

Of course, at first I tried to solve the problem. I reasoned as best I could, but so far nothing has worked out. In all honesty, I really did not like that the driver treated me so rudely. When they ask me to help, this is one thing, but when they force me, it is another. And in general, try to think for yourself when next to you they stomp their feet out of anger and scold you with all their might. The racer with his angry chatter prevented me from thinking. I didn't even want to reason. Of course, I had to pull myself together, but apparently I have not yet developed the will enough for this.

I ended up throwing the paper down and saying:

The task does not come out.

Oh, it doesn’t come out ?! - the racer growled. - Then you will sit down where you let the tailor out! You sit there and think until you decide.

I didn't want to go to jail. I started to run. The racer ran after me. Kuzya jumped on the roof of the prison and from there vilified the racer in every possible way. He compared him to all the fierce dogs he had ever met in his life. Of course, the racer would have caught up with me, if not for the cat. Kuzya threw himself at his feet straight from the roof. The racer fell. I didn’t wait for him to get up, jumped on his bike and rolled along the road.

The racer and Kuzya disappeared from sight. I drove a little more and got off the bike. I had to wait for Kuzya and find the ball. In the confusion, I forgot to see where he is. I threw the bike into the bushes, and turned into the forest, sat down under a tree to rest. When it gets dark, I decided, I'll go look for my cat. It was warm and quiet. Leaning against a tree, I fell asleep imperceptibly. When I opened my eyes, I saw that an old woman was standing next to me, leaning on a stick. She was in a blue short skirt and a white blouse. Her gray pigtails had lush bows of white nylon ribbons. All our girls wore such ribbons. But what surprised me most was that a red pioneer tie dangled around her wrinkled neck.

Grandma, why are you wearing a pioneer tie? I asked.

From the fourth.

And I'm from the fourth ... Oh, how my legs hurt! I have walked many thousands of kilometers. Today I must finally meet my brother. He goes to meet me.

Why are you walking so long?

Oh, this is a long and sad story! - the old woman sighed and sat down next to me. - One boy was solving a problem. From two villages, the distance between which is twelve kilometers, brother and sister came out to meet each other ...

My stomach just ached. I immediately realized that there was nothing good to expect from her story. And the old woman continued:

The boy decided that they would meet in sixty years. We have submitted to this stupid, evil, wrong decision. And now everything goes, let's go ... we are exhausted, we are old ...

Probably, she would have complained for a long time and talked about her journey, but suddenly an old man came out from behind the bushes. He was wearing panties, a white blouse and a red tie.

Hello, sister, the old pioneer mumbled.

The old woman kissed the old man. They looked at each other and cried bitterly. I felt very sorry for them. I took a problem from an old woman and wanted to solve it. But she just sighed and shook her head. She said that only Viktor Perestukin should solve this problem. I had to admit that Perestukin is me. I wish I hadn't!

Now you will come with us, ”the old man said sternly.

I can't, my mother won't let me, - I fought back.

Did mom let us leave home without asking for sixty years?

So that the old pioneers would not interfere with me, I climbed a tree and began to make decisions there. The problem was trivial, not like the racer. I dealt with it quickly.

You were supposed to meet in two hours! I shouted from above.

The old men immediately became pioneers, and they were very happy. I got down from the tree and had fun with them. We held hands, danced and sang:

We are no longer gray-haired,

We are young guys.

We are not old people now

We are students again.

We have completed the task.

There is no need to walk anymore!

We are free. This means -

You can sing and dance!

Brother and sister waved goodbye to me and ran away.

I was left alone again and began to think about Kuza. Where is my poor cat? I remembered his funny advice, stupid cat stories, and I was getting sadder ... All alone in this incomprehensible country! It was necessary to find Kuzya as soon as possible.

Plus I lost the ball. It tormented me. What if I can never go home? What awaits me? because every minute something terrible can happen here. Shouldn't I call Geography?

He walked and counted very slowly. The forest grew thicker and thicker. I wanted to see my cat so much that I could not resist and shouted loudly:

And suddenly a booming meow came from somewhere. I was very happy and began to call the cat loudly.

Where are you? I can not see you.

I don't see anything myself, ”Kuzya complained. - Look up.

I raised my head and began to carefully examine the branches. They swayed and made noise. Kuzi was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly I noticed a gray bag among the foliage. Something was stirring in him. I immediately climbed up the tree, reached the sack and untied it. Gasping and snorting, a disheveled Kuzya fell out of there. We were very happy about each other. They were so happy that they almost fell off the tree. Then, when we got off him, Kuzya talked about how the racer caught him, put him in a bag and hung him on a tree. The racer is very angry with me. He looks everywhere for his bike. If the rider catches us, he will certainly go to jail for unsolved problem and bicycle theft.

We began to get out of the forest. We went out into a small clearing where a beautiful tall tree grew. On its branches hung rolls, cakes, bagels and pretzels.

Breadfruit! When I said in class that buns and bagels grow on a breadfruit, everyone laughed at me. What would the guys say now if they saw this tree?

Kuzya found another tree on which there were forks, knives, spoons. Iron tree! And I talked about him. Then, too, everyone laughed.

Kuza liked the breadfruit more than the iron one. He sniffed the ruddy bun. He really wanted to eat her, but he did not dare.

Eat and turn into a dog, ”grumbled Kuzya. - In a strange country one must beware of everything.

And I tore off a roll and ate it. It was warm, tasty, with raisins. When we had refreshed, Kuzya began to look for a sausage tree. But such trees did not grow here. As we ate rolls and chatted, a large horned cow came out of the woods and stared at us. Finally we got to see a kind pet. Not a ferocious bear, not even a camel, but a lovely village Burenka.

Hello dear cow!

Hello, - said the cow indifferently and came closer. She studied us carefully. Kuzya asked why she liked us so much.

Instead of answering, the cow came closer and bent its horns. Kuzya and I looked at each other.

What are you going to do, cow? - asked Kuzya.

Nothing special. I'll just eat you.

You're out of your mind! - Kuzya was surprised. - Cows don't eat cats. They eat grass. Everyone knows that! “Not all of them,” the cow objected. - Victor Perestukin, for example, does not know. He said in class that a cow is a carnivore. That's why I started eating other animals. I've already eaten almost everyone here. Today I'll eat a cat, and tomorrow I'll eat a boy. You can, of course, eat both at once, but in this situation you have to be economical.

Never have I met such a nasty cow. I argued to her that she should eat hay and grass. And she doesn't dare eat a person. The cow lazily waved its tail and kept repeating:

I'll eat you both anyway. I'll start with the cat.

We were arguing so heatedly with the cow that we did not notice how a polar bear appeared near us. It was too late to run.

Who are they? - the bear barked.

The owner and I are traveling, - Kuzya squeaked in fright.

The cow intervened in our conversation. She stated that Kuzya and I were her prey and she would not yield us to the bear. In the best case, since she does not want to enter into conflict, the bear can eat a boy, and there can be no talk of a cat. She was determined to eat it herself. Apparently she thought the cat was tastier than the boy. Nothing to say, cute pet!

Before the bear had time to answer the cow, a noise was heard from above. Leaves and broken branches rained down on us. A huge and strange bird perched on a fat bitch. She had long hind legs, short front legs, a thick tail and a pretty muzzle without any beak. Two awkward wings protruded from her back. Birds flocked around her and screamed alarmingly. Probably, they also saw such a bird for the first time.

What is this ugly thing? the bear asked impolitely.

And the cow asked if it could be eaten. Bloodthirsty creature! I wanted to throw a stone at her.

Is it a bird? - Kuzya asked in surprise.

There are no such big birds, ”I replied.

Hey in the tree! - the bear roared. - Who are you?

You're lying! - the bear got angry. - Kangaroos don't fly. You are a beast, not a bird.

The cow also confirmed that the kangaroo is not a bird. And then she added:

Such a carcass is perched on a tree and makes a nightingale out of itself. Get down, you impostor! I will eat you.

The kangaroo said that before she really was a beast, until one kind wizard in the lesson declared her a bird. After that, her wings grew and she began to fly. Flying is fun and enjoyable!

The envious cow was angered by the words of the kangaroo.

Why are we listening to her? she asked the bear. - Let's eat it better.

Then I grabbed a hefty spruce cone and hit the cow right in the nose.

How bloodthirsty you are! - I reproached the cow.

It's nothing you can do. This is all because I am carnivore.

I liked the funny kangaroo. Only she alone did not scold me and did not demand anything.

Listen, kangarikha! - the bear bellowed. - Have you really become a bird?

Kunguru swore that she had told the truth. Now she is even learning to sing. And then she pulled in a funny voice:

Such happiness to dream

We can only in a dream:

Suddenly became a bird.

It's nice to fly!

I was a kangaroo

And I'll die as a bird!

Ugliness! - the bear was indignant. - Everything turned upside down. Cows eat cats. Animals fly like birds. Polar bears are losing their native north. Where have you seen this?

The cow moaned in displeasure. This order was not to her liking either. Only the kangaroo was happy with everything. She said that she was even grateful for such a transformation to the kind Viktor Perestukin.

Perestukin? the bear asked menacingly. - I hate this boy! In general, I do not like boys!

And the bear rushed at me. I quickly climbed the iron tree. Kuzya darted after me. The kangaroo shouted that it was shameful and ignoble to pursue a defenseless human cub. But the bear with its paws, and the cow with its horns began to shake the tree. The kangaroo could not see such injustice, flapped its wings and flew away.

Don't try to sneak away, cat, ”the cow bellowed from below. - I even learned to catch mice, and they are more difficult to catch than a cat.

The iron tree swayed more and more. Kuzya and I threw knives, forks, spoons at the bear and the cow.

Get off! - the animals screamed.

It was clear that we could not last long. Kuzya begged me to urgently call Geography. To tell the truth, I already wanted to do it myself. You should have seen the grinning greedy muzzle of a cow! She was not at all like that beautiful cow, which was painted on creamy chocolate. And the bear was even scarier.

Call Geography soon! - Kuzya yelled. - I'm afraid of them, I'm afraid!

Kuzya convulsively clung to the branches. Am I as much a coward as a cat?

No, we can still hold out! - I shouted to Kuza, but I was mistaken.

The iron tree swayed, rattled, and iron fruits rained down from it, and Kuzya and I fell with them.

Ooh, - the bear growled. - Now I will deal with you!

The cow demanded to follow the rules of hunting. She concedes the boy to the bear, and the cat belongs to her.

The last time I decided to try to persuade the cow:

Listen, little cow, you still have to eat grass, not cats.

Can not do anything. I'm carnivorous.

You’re not carnivorous at all, ”I argued in despair. - You ... you ... artiodactyl.

So what? .. I can be cloven-hoofed and carnivorous.

No, no! .. You are hay-eating ... fruct-eating ...

Stop talking nonsense! - the bear interrupted me. “You'd better remember where the north is.

One minute, - I asked the bear. - You, cow, herbivore! Herbivore!

As soon as I said this, the cow moaned pitifully and immediately began to greedily nibble on the grass.

Finally some juicy weed! - she rejoiced. - I'm so tired of gophers and mice. They make my stomach go bad. I am still a cow, I love hay and grass.

The bear was very surprised. He asked the cow: what about the cat now? Will the cow eat it or not?

The cow was offended. She's not crazy enough to eat cats yet. Cows never do this. They eat grass. Even children know this.

While the cow and the bear were arguing, I decided to use a military trick. I’ll deceive the bear: I’ll tell him that I know where the north is, and then I’ll sneak out along the road with Kuzya.

The bear waved his paw at the cow and again began to demand that I show him north. For the sake of appearance, I broke a little, and then I promised to show ...

And suddenly I saw our ball! He rolled over to me, he found us! It was very helpful.

The three of us - me, Kuzya and the bear - went to fetch the ball. The nasty cow didn't even say goodbye to us. She missed the grass so much that she could not tear herself away from it.

Walking was no longer as fun and pleasant as before. A bear puffed and grumbled next to me, and I still had to figure out a way to get rid of it. It turned out to be a difficult task, because he did not believe me in the least and did not take his eyes off me.

Eh, I should know where the north is! And my dad gave me a compass, and they explained it a hundred times during the lessons, but no - I didn't listen, I didn't learn, I didn't understand.

We all walked and walked, but I could not think of anything yet. Kuzya quietly grumbled that my military trick had failed and that I had to run away from the bear without any trick.

Finally, the bear announced that if I did not show him north, then when we got to that tree, he would tear me apart. I lied to him that it was very close from that tree to the north. What else could I do?

We all walked, walked, but we could not get to the tree. And when, finally, we got there, I said that I was not talking about this tree, but about that! The bear realized that he was being deceived. He bared his teeth and prepared to jump. And at that most terrible moment, a car suddenly jumped out of the forest right at us. The frightened bear roared and jerked off such a hundred-meter distance, which was probably not seen at any other Olympiad. A moment - and Mishki was gone.

The car stopped abruptly. There were two people sitting in it, dressed exactly as I once saw in the opera Boris Godunov, which was broadcast on TV. The one who was turning the steering wheel had a falcon on his shoulder with a hat pulled down over his eyes, while the other had the same falcon clutching a long leather mitten with its claws. Both were bearded, only one was black and the other was red. In the back seat of the car were two brooms decorated with ... dog heads. We all looked at each other in amazement and were silent.

Kuzya was the first to wake up. With a desperate squeal, he took off and flew like a rocket to the top of a tall pine tree. The bearded men got out of the car and came up to me.

Who is this? the black-bearded man asked.

I'm a boy, I replied.

Whose man are you? - the red-beard asked.

I tell you: I am a boy, not a man.

The black-bearded man carefully examined me from all sides, then felt my jersey T-shirt, shook his head in surprise and exchanged glances with the red-bearded one.

Some kind of wonderful, - he said with a sigh, - and a shirt like ... overseas ... So, who are you, soaring, will you be?

I told you in Russian: I am a boy, a student.

You will come with us, - ordered the red-beard. - We will show you to the king himself. Looks like you are one of the blessed, and he loves the blessed.

No, these bearded men are weirdos! Some other king was dug up, some blessed ones are being repeated. I knew only one of the blessed ones - St. Basil's Cathedral. That was the name of the builder of the temple. But what have I to do with it?

Haven't you read the story? - I asked the bearded men. - Which king are you going to show me to? There are no kings for a long time. The last Russian tsar was liquidated in the seventeenth year ... as a class, - I added, so that it would be clearer for them, these ignoramuses.

The bearded men obviously did not like my performance. They frowned and stepped closer.

Do you say thieves' words? - the black-bearded man menacingly approached. - Twist his hands!

The redhead quickly untied his sash, pulled my hands behind my back and threw me into the car. Before I even had time to utter a word, she roared and jumped off the spot. The head of Kuzi flashed through the dust, who ran after him and screamed something desperately. I only heard one word:

"Geography!"

All clear. Kuzya asked me to call Geography, but I thought that our affairs were not so bad. You can still wait.

The bearded men drove me, probably, along a very bad road. The car was thrown, shook and rocked. Of course, it was not asphalt.

Bells were heard ringing. I raised my head and saw the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed. Immediately they gave me in the ear, and I dived to the bottom. The car drove up to a large old house. For a long time I was led up the steep narrow staircases. Then my hands were untied and pushed into a large room with a vaulted ceiling. Instead of chairs, wide oak benches stood along the walls. In the middle of the room was a large table covered with a heavy red tablecloth. There was nothing on it except the phone.

A fat and also bearded man was sitting at the table. He snored loudly and whistling. But my bearded men did not dare to wake him up. So we stood in silence until the phone rang. The fat man woke up and barked in a deep bass into the receiver:

The guardsman on duty listens ... There is no king ... Where, where ... I went to the objects. The boyar destroys, and distributes the land to the guardsmen ... He is not late, but delayed ... Just think - a meeting! .. Wait, the bar is not great ... That's it! Deal!

And the oprichnik on duty hung up. He stretched and yawned so hard that he dislocated his jaw. The red-beard ran up to him and quickly set his jaw in place. The attendant immediately fell asleep, and only a new call made him open his eyes.

They rang, - he grumbled, picking up the receiver, - just like at the telephone exchange. Well, what else? You are told there is no king.

He slammed his pipe, yawned again, but this time carefully, and stared at us.

Who is this? he asked, pointing at me with a thick finger adorned with a huge ring.

My bearded men bowed deeply and told how they had caught me. It was very strange to listen to them. They spoke as if in Russian, and at the same time I did not understand many words. I, in their opinion, was not that blissful, not that wonderful.

Wonderful? - Slowly said the guardsman on duty. “Well, if she’s strange ... in his jesters.” And you go!

My bearded men bowed again and left, and I was left alone with the guardsman on duty. He sniffed importantly, looked at me and drummed on the table with a thick finger.

A boy in a long caftan and red boots entered the room. The fat man on duty jumped up briskly and bowed low to him. The boy did not answer his greeting.

Don't be a sign of you coming here, tsarevich, - said the oprichnik on duty, - this is the sovereign's office.

And you, serf, don't drive me away, ”the boy interrupted him and stared at me with great surprise.

I winked at him. He was even more surprised. I wanted to show him my tongue, but changed my mind. Suddenly he will be offended. And I didn't want that. Although they called him "prince", I liked him. His face was sad and kind. So he could tell me what's what. But we didn't have to get to know each other better. Some terrible old woman ran in and dragged the boy away with a cry. He, poor thing, did not have time to utter a word.

The guardsman on duty began examining me again. I decided to say hello to him just in case. Politeness never hurts business.

Hello, comrade oprichnik on duty, - I said as cultured as possible.

The fat man suddenly turned purple all over and barked:

At your feet, puppy!

I looked around, but did not see any puppy.

Where is the puppy? - I asked him

You are a puppy! - roared the oprichnik.

I'm not a puppy, ”I said firmly. - I'm a boy.

At the feet, I say! - He just choked with anger.

These legs were given to him! And what did he mean by that? It was urgent to find out.

Excuse me, in what legs?

Touched! - the attendant sighed, took out a huge handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his face. His cheeks turned pale. - Blessed.

A breathless young oprichnik burst into the office.

The Emperor is back! - he blurted out from the doorway - Angry, passion! And Malyuta Skuratov is with him! The attendant demands!

The fat man jumped up, crossed himself in fright and turned white.

Both of them flew out of the office like a whirlwind and stomped down the stairs. I was left alone. I had to think, figure out this whole story. What a pity that my Kuzi is not with me! All, all alone, and there is no one to consult with. I sat down in a chair and took a deep breath.

A boyar entered the office with a mail bag on his shoulder. He asked where the guardsman on duty was. I said that the guardsman on duty was summoned by the king, who was angry about something. The postman crossed himself in fright. I thought he would leave immediately, but he hesitantly hesitated on the spot and asked if I could read and write. I replied that I would be able to sign. The postman handed me a book and I signed. Then he handed me a rolled-up paper and announced that it was a message from Prince Kurbsky. Having said that the message should be given to the oprichnik on duty, the postman left. Out of boredom, I unrolled the receiver and, with great difficulty, began to parse the message of Prince Kurbsky. It was very difficult to read this message, but nevertheless I somehow read that the countless hordes of Napoleon Buonapartius were moving to Russia. Just like that! All these adventures are not enough, the war is still approaching!

Someone is persistently scratching at the door. Mice? No, they could not have crossed so loudly. I pulled the heavy large handle of the door towards me, and my dear Kuzya ran into the room.

The cat was terribly out of breath, it was covered in dust. His fur is tousled. He didn’t have time to snuggle up. I've never seen him so sloppy.

I barely got to you, master, ”Kuzya said in a tired voice. - They almost hounded me with dogs. And where did we end up with you? Some strange people! Animals are not respected at all. Met a ginger cat named Masha. So this is just some kind of savage! I asked her where the veterinary clinic was (I wanted to run in so that they would smear my wound with iodine: one damned mongrel still grabbed my leg), so, can you imagine, this very redhead, it turns out, does not even know what a “veterinary clinic” is! Even cats speak here somehow not our way. Run, master, run! And as soon as possible!

Kuzya and I began to discuss the escape plan. It was bad that our ball got lost, and we, even if we managed to escape, would not know in which direction to move. But he had to hurry. The guardsman on duty could return every minute, unless, of course, the king pierced him through with a stick, as he did with his son. And then we were threatened by war ...

Kuzya started his old song again:

Call Geography!

Kuzya demanded that I stop playing the hero. According to him, we have already overcome many difficulties, and we were exposed to more dangers than was necessary to develop will and character. Maybe he was right, but I didn't want to end my journey like that. It's like lying on two shoulder blades yourself.

During our argument, shots suddenly rang out. A real shooting began. What happened? There was some kind of commotion, noise, shouts were heard, the window was illuminated by the glow of a fire.

Well, that's it! - I shouted in despair. - The French are advancing! It pulled me by the tongue to say that in class!

I knew that these are your tricks! - Kuzya shouted ferociously and even snorted at me, which had never happened before. - Even I understand that it is a shame not to know the history of my homeland, it is a shame to confuse time and events. You are a poor student!

The noise and shots did not stop. The phone rattled endlessly. Frightened boyars and guardsmen ran into the office. They all shouted something and shook their long beards. I went cold with fear. The war has begun! And only I was to blame for this. This could not be hidden. I jumped on the table and shouted at the top of my voice:

Stop! Listen! It is my fault that the French are advancing. I'll try to fix everything now!

The boyars quieted down.

What is your fault, lad? the oldest of them asked sternly.

I said in class that Ivan the Terrible fought with Bonaparte! For this I was wheeled in a couple. If I remember in what year Napoleon started the war with Russia, all this will disappear. There will be no war! I'll stop her.

Stop the war immediately, lad! the old man demanded even more severely. - Stop before our sovereign has executed you.

And everyone began to cry in chorus:

Speak, or we'll hang!

Rack him up! Will vividly remember!

Nice business - remember! You can remember what you have forgotten, but how to remember what you do not know? No, I couldn't remember anything. Blur again something at random? This is not an option. Even worse mistakes can be made. And I confessed that I could not remember.

Everyone rushed at me with a roar and, of course, would have pulled me off the table and torn to pieces, if the guardsmen had not burst into the office with rifles at the ready. Everything was covered with smoke.

Call Geography! Do not want? Then at least call your dad!

And it dawned on me!

Remembered! Remembered! I shouted. - It was the Patriotic War of one thousand eight hundred and twelve!

And immediately everything calmed down ... Everything around turned pale ... melted away ... A cloud of blue smoke enveloped Kuzya and me, and when it dissipated, I saw that I was sitting under a tree in the forest, and my Kuzya was curled up on my knees. The ball lay at my feet. It was all very strange, but we are already used to the oddities in this strange country. Probably, I would not be surprised if I myself turned into an elephant, and Kuzya into a tree. Or vice versa.

Explain to me, please, - asked the cat, - how did you remember what you did not know?

When dad was given a new phone at work, mom could not remember it, and dad told her: "But it's so simple! The first three digits are the same as our home phone, and the last four are the year of the Patriotic War - one thousand eight hundred and twelve ". When you asked me to call my dad, I remembered that. It's clear? Now I will firmly remember this, and when I return home, I will definitely read and learn everything about Ivan the Terrible. I’ll find out in detail about all his sons, especially about Fedya. In general, it's great, Kuzya, that I was able to help myself. Do you know how pleasant it is to solve the problem yourself correctly? It's like scoring a goal.

Or catch a mouse, - Kuzya sighed.

The ball moved and rolled quietly on the grass. Kuzya and I followed him. Our journey continued.

Still, it’s very interesting here, ”I said. “There’s an adventure awaiting us every minute.

And always either unpleasant or dangerous, ”Kuzya grumbled. “As for me, I'm fed up.

But how many extraordinary things we have seen here! All the guys will envy me when I tell them about this Land of unlearned lessons. Zoya Filippovna will call me to the board. There will be silence in the class, only the girls will gasp and groan. Perhaps Zoya Filippovna will even invite the director to listen to my story.

Do you really think that someone will believe you? - asked Kuzya. - Yes, you will simply be laughed at!

Do people believe in what they have not seen with their own eyes? And then, no one can confirm your words.

And you? I'll take you to class with me. The mere fact that you can speak in a human way ...

Bear! - Kuzya shouted.

An angry polar bear jumped out of the forest right at us. Steam poured from him. The mouth was bared and huge teeth were displayed. That was the end ... But Kuzya, my dear Kuzya! ..

Goodbye master! - Kuzya shouted. - I'm running north from you!

And the cat started to run, and the bear with a roar rushed after him. The cousin's military ruse was a success. He saved me.

I wandered off to get the ball. It was very sad without Kuzi. Maybe the bear caught up and tore him to shreds? It would be better if Kuzya did not go with me to this country.

So that I would not be so lonely and sad, I sang:

You walk across the country, you are deserted

And you sing a song to yourself.

The road doesn't seem hard

When you walk with a friend.

And you don’t know that he’s a friend

And you don't want to be friends with him.

But only you will lose it -

How sad it becomes to live.

I missed Kuza very much. Whatever the cat may say - stupid or funny, he always wished me well and was a faithful friend.

The ball has stopped. I looked around. To my right was a mountain covered with snow and ice. On top of it, under a snow-covered fir tree, sat shivering from the cold and huddled together, a negro and a monkey. Snow fell on them in large flakes.

He looked to the left. And there was a mountain, but the snow did not fall here. On the contrary, the hot sun shone over the mountain. Palm trees, tall grass, bright flowers grew on it. A Chukchi and my friend a polar bear were sitting under a palm tree. Will I never get rid of him? I went to the foot of the Cold Mountain and immediately froze. Then I ran to the foot of the Hot Mountain, and I felt so stuffy that I wanted to pull off my shirt. Then I ran out into the middle of the road. It was good here. Neither cold nor hot. Fine.

Moans and screams were heard from the mountains.

I'm shaking all over, ”the negro complained. - Cold white flies sting me painfully! Give me the sun! Drive the white flies away!

I will soon melt like seal fat, - the little Chukchi cried. - Give at least a little snow, at least a piece of ice!

The polar bear roared so that it drowned out everyone:

Give me north at last! I’ll cook in my own skin!

The negro boy noticed me and said:

White boy, you have a kind face. Save us!

Have pity! - the little Chukchi prayed.

Who drove you there? - I shouted to them from below.

Victor Perestukin! - the boys, the bear and the monkey answered in unison. - He mixed up the geographic zones. Save us! Save!

I can not! I need to find my cat first. Then, if I have time ...

Save us, ”the monkey squeaked. - Save, and we will give you your cat.

Do you have Kuzya?

Do not believe? Look! - the bear barked.

And immediately my cat appeared on Hot Mountain.

Kuzya! Kss, kss, kss, - I called the cat. I jumped for joy.

I'm dying of heat, save me! - Kuzya croaked and disappeared.

Hold on! I'm coming to you!

I began to climb the mountain. I smelled of heat, like from a huge oven.

I looked around and saw the cat already on the Cold Mountain, next to the monkey. Kuzya was shivering from the cold.

I'm frozen. Save!

Hold on, Kuzya! I run to you!

Having quickly escaped from the Hot Mountain, I began to climb on the ice to another mountain. Cold swept over me.

The cat was already standing on Hot Mountain with a bear. I rolled down the ice in the middle of the road. It became clear to me that they would not give me Kuzya.

Give me my cat!

Tell me: what belts should we live in?

Do not know. When the teacher talked about geographic zones, I read a book about spies.

The animals, hearing my answer, roared, and the boys began to cry. The bear threatened to tear me to pieces, and the monkey promised to gouge out my eyes. Kuzya wheezed and gasped. I was terribly sorry for them all, but what could I do? I promised them to learn all the seas and oceans, continents, islands and peninsulas. But they demanded one thing: I had to remember the geographical zones.

I can not! I can not! I screamed desperately and covered my ears with my fingers.

It was immediately quiet. When I pulled my fingers out, I heard Kuzi's voice:

I'm dying ... Goodbye master ...

I could not let Kuza die. And I shouted:

Dear Geography, help!

Hello, Vitya! - said someone near me.

I looked around. Before me was my geography textbook.

Can't you remember the geographic zones? What nonsense! You know that. Well, in what belt does the monkey live?

In the tropical, - I answered so confidently, as if I knew about it before.

And what about the polar bear?

Over the Arctic Circle.

Great, Vitya. Now look to the right, then to the left.

That's exactly what I did. Now a negro was sitting on Hot Mountain, eating a banana and smiling. The monkey climbed onto a palm tree and made funny faces. Then I looked at Cold Mountain. There a polar bear sprawled on the ice. Finally, the heat stopped tormenting him. The little Chukchi waved a fur mitten at me.

Where is my Kuzya?

I'm here.

The cat sat quietly at my feet, wrapping its tail around its paws. Geography asked me what I wish: to continue the journey or return home?

Home, home, - Kuzya purred and screwed up his green eyes.

Well, what about you, Vitya?

I also wanted to go home. But how do you get there? My ball disappeared somewhere.

Now that I am with you. - Quietly said the textbook of geography, - no ball is needed. I know all the roads in the world.

Geography waved its pen, and Kuzya and I took to the air. We got up and immediately sank down at the threshold of our house. I ran into my room. How I miss home!

Hello table and chairs! Hello walls and ceiling!

And here is my cute table with scattered textbooks and nails.

How good, Kuzya, that we are already at home!

Kuzya yawned, turned away and jumped onto the windowsill.

Tomorrow you will come with me to school and confirm my story about the Land of Unlearned Lessons. Okay?

Kuzya lay down on the windowsill and began waving his tail. Then he jumped to his feet and looked out the window. I looked out too. Topsy, the cat of Lucy Karandashkina, walked importantly through the yard.

Listen to me, - I told Kuza sternly. - Tomorrow you ... Why don't you answer? Kuzya!

The cat was stubbornly silent. I pulled his tail. He meowed and jumped off the windowsill. Everything! I realized that I would never hear a single word from him.

The geography textbook was probably outside the door. I ran out to invite him into the house.

Come in, dear Geography!

But there was no one outside the door. There was a book on the doorstep. This was my geography textbook.

How could I forget about her! How dare, without asking, fly away to the Land of unlearned lessons! Poor mother! She was terribly worried.

Mom entered the room. My dear, the best, most beautiful, kindest mother in the world. But she didn't seem in the least worried.

Are you worried about me Mommy?

She looked at me in surprise and attentively. This is probably because I rarely call her mommy.

I'm always worried about you, ”Mom replied. - Exams are coming soon, and you are preparing so badly. Woe you are mine!

Mommy, Mommy my dear! I will no longer be your grief!

She bent down and kissed me. She rarely did it either. Probably because I ... Come on! And so it is understandable.

Mom kissed me again, sighed and went to the kitchen. She left the delicious smell of fried chicken. As she left, she turned on the radio, and I heard: "The program was attended by the teacher of school number twelve Zoya Filippovna Krasnova and a student of this school Pyaterkina Katya. The program for the children is over."

What's happened? No, it can't be! Really, during the time the radio broadcast was going on, I managed to visit ... So that's why my mother did not notice anything!

I took the diary and read again what lessons had been asked for tomorrow. Corrected the diggers problem, solved the tailor problem correctly.

Lyuska Karandashkina appeared with a loose pigtail. I didn’t want to tell her about my trip ... but I couldn’t resist. I told him. Of course she didn't believe it. I was very angry with her.

We had a great meeting the next day after school. Zoya Filippovna asked unsuccessful children to tell what prevents them from studying well. Everyone invented something. And when my turn came, I said bluntly that no one bothers me.

Rather, one person interferes. And this person is myself. But I will fight with myself. All the guys were surprised because I had never made a promise to fight myself before. Zoya Filippovna asked why and how I thought of this.

I know! I know! He visited the Land of unlearned lessons.

The guys made a noise, began to ask me to tell about this trip. I refused. They won't believe me anyway. But the guys promised to believe it if it was interesting. I broke down a little, and then I asked those who wanted to eat to leave and not interfere, because I will talk for a very long time. Of course, everyone was hungry, but no one left. And I started to tell everything from the very beginning, from the day when I got five twos. The guys sat very quietly and listened.

I told the story and kept looking at Zoya Filippovna. It seemed to me that she was about to stop me and say: "Enough for you, Perestukin, to invent, it would be better if he taught lessons as a person." But the teacher was silent and listened attentively. The guys didn’t take their eyes off me, sometimes they laughed quietly, especially when I told about Kuzin’s stories, sometimes they worried and frowned, sometimes they exchanged looks in surprise. They would listen again and again. But I had already finished my story, and they were still silent and looked into my mouth.

OK it's all over Now! Shut up? So I knew you wouldn't believe me.

The guys started to cry. All at once, vying with each other, they said that even if I had invented it, I had invented it so cool, so interesting that one could believe it.

Do you, Zoya Filippovna, believe? - I asked the teacher and looked her straight in the eyes. If I thought of all this, would I dare to ask her like that?

Zoya Filippovna smiled and stroked my head. It was totally amazing.

I believe. I believe that you, Vitya, will study well.

And really. Now I’m better at school. Even the correct Katya said that I was improving. Zhenchik confirmed this. But Lyuska still grabs a deuce and walks with a loose braid.

I passed the exams and went to the fifth grade. True, sometimes I really want to talk with Kuzya, remember what happened to us during our trip to the Land of unlearned lessons. But he is silent. I even began to love him a little less. Recently I even told him: "Well, Kuzya, whether you like it or not, I will still have a dog. Sheepdog!"

Kuzya snorted and turned away.