The story of vain vanity

Hedgehog. The story of vain vanity

Dad was forty years old, Slavik ten hedgehog — less. Slavik brought the hedgehog in the hat ran to the sofa, on which lay the Pope with an open newspaper, and, panting with happiness, cried out: — Dad, look! Dad put down the paper and looked at the hedgehog. The hedgehog was snub-nosed and pretty. In addition, the dad encouraged the son's love for animals. In addition, the Pope himself loved animals.

Good hedgehog! dad said. — Handsome! Where did you get it? — I the boy in the yard, said Slavik.

— Gave? — said dad.

— No, we exchanged, said Slavik. — He gave me a hedgehog, and I told him the ticket.

— What kind of ticket?

— The lottery — said Slavik and released the hedgehog on the floor.

— Dad, he had milk to give...

Wait milk! — strictly said the Pope. — Where did you get a lottery ticket? — I bought it — said Slavik. — Who? — The man on the street... He's a lot of tickets sold. Thirty cents... Oh, daddy, the hedgehog under the sofa got... Oh, Wait, you and your hedgehog! nervously said dad put his friend next to him. — How did you give the boy your lottery ticket?..

And suddenly this ticket won anything? — He won — said Slavik, never ceasing to observe the hedgehogs. — How was it won? — quietly asked dad, and his nose was covered with droplets of sweat. — What did you win? — The fridge! — Slavik said, and smiled. — What is?! — Dad had gone funny. — Fridge?!.. What are you talking about?.. How do you know?!

— How — where? — Slavik offended. — I checked it on the newspaper... There's the first three numbers matched... and the rest... And the series is the same!.. I already know how to check, dad! I'm an adult!

— Adult?! — Dad hissed, that the hedgehog, which came out from under the couch, from fear curled into a ball. — Adult?!.. Changing the refrigerator for a hedgehog?

But I thought, anxiously said Slavik, I thought that the fridge we already have a hedgehog — no... — dad shouted and jumped up from the sofa. — Who?! Who is this boy?! Where is he?!

— He live next door, said Slavik and cried. — His name is Senya...

— Go! — again screamed and dad grabbed the hedgehog with his bare hands. — Go quickly!!!

— No go, still sobbing, said Slavik. — I don't want a refrigerator, I want a hedgehog!

— Come on, idiot, — he grunted dad. Only to return the ticket, I'm a hundred hedgehogs buy...

— No... — roared Slavik. — Do not buy... Senka didn't want to change, I barely talked...

— Also, apparently, the thinker! — sarcastically said the Pope. Well, fast!

The Seine was about eight years old. He stood in the middle of the yard and with fear looked at the terrible the Pope, who in one hand carried Slavik and the other a hedgehog.

— Where? my father asked, approaching Senya. Where is the ticket? Criminal, take your thorns and give me the ticket!

I have no ticket! said Senya and trembled.

— Where is he?! — cried the Pope. — What did you do to him, the loan shark? Sold?

— I'm a dove did Senya whispered and whimpered.

— Do not cry! dad said, trying to be calm. Don't cry, boy... So you made him a dove. And where is this dove?.. Where is he?..

— He sat down on the ledge. ' said Senya.

What ledge?

— Look at that! and Senya pointed to the cornice of the second floor.

Dad took off his coat and climbed the drainpipe. Children from below were watching him. Twice dad broke, but then still crawled to the ledge and took a little yellow paper dove, which is already slightly soaked from the water. Going down to the ground and breathing heavily, dad turned the ticket and saw that he was released two years ago.

— When you bought? my father asked the Slavik.

— Still in the second grade, said Slavik.

— When checked? Yesterday.

— This is not the edition... — tired dad said.

— Well, what? — said Slavik. But all the numbers agree...

Dad silently went aside and sat down on the bench. His heart pounded in his chest, before my eyes swam the orange circles... He's lowered his head.

— Dad, said quietly Slavik, approaching the father. — Do not worry! Senka says that he still gives us the hedgehog...

— Thank you! dad said. Thanks, Hsien...

He got up and went to the house. He suddenly felt very sad. He realized that he was never to return to that happy time, when with a light heart, change your refrigerator on a hedgehog. published

Author: Grigory Gorin

P. S. And remember, only by changing their consumption — together we change the world! ©

Source: ok.ru/iq.zhurnal/topic/63865001945926