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The great adventure of Booms

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Школа кожевенного мастерства: сумки, ремни своими руками
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  Chapter 1
  
  Somewhere in the Enchanted world, not far from the Harvest Tree, Big Booms lived. He was called in this manner because of he was taller and bigger than all the other inhabitants of the Enchanted world. Also, he was Booms through his clumsiness and especial ability to break everything around.
  As soon as he began to do something immediately aroused noise and crackling, and everything around was broken. Going across the forest, he could see everyone scattered being afraid to get under his feet, so that Big Booms was confident that he was the only one great creature in the Enchanted World. It made the dragon feeling himself very alone.
  Actually, he was very kind and joyful, although being considered as a vicious and awful. Only one look at his sharp teeth, paws with bent long claws and very loud voice cost a lot. However, there was nothing wrong because Big Booms was a dragon.
  For the time being no one including himself knew nothing of his cheerful character. Due to his great height he didn"t notice masses of beings around, so that he"s never played funny games with them.
  Not far from The Speaking Lake lived Imedin. Industrious Imedin created his strange name himself, he liked it much. Compared to Booms, he was rather small. Imedin was slender, his body was covered with brown fur. His strong legs were attached to the body as well as his dexterous hands. That hands were always in work. They were stocking up the Stock.
  Being required by his neighbors about his numerous belongings, Imedin shrugged in response. If something might have happened, everything would be right thanks to his Stock! It could help to go through the Dark Ages. True, Imedin knew nothing of it but felt as if he was aware of it.
  He didn"t make friends with the rest inhabitants of the Enchanted World but never quarreled with them. Imedin didn"t need friends because he lived on the shore of the Talking Lake! When Imedin approached the water, the Lake was showing him funny pictures and telling droll stories. The fluffy animal made a high fence around the lake, made a gate and hung a big lock upon it. He did not allow anyone to go close to the water just for nothing. To talk to the Lake one needed to cast a Heavenly Glitter to the water. A grief could have happened if not doing that but he didn"t know what the grief it was. Imedin has never been curious, he was content with the fact that there were The Rules. Also, he knew that Invisible Artist was living on the bottom of the Lake, the one who raised up to the sky to festoon it with Heavenly Glitters.
  Heavenly Glitters were going down through the sky when Invisible Artist changed the picture. Every morning the inhabitants of the Enchanted World set out for the search, and then went to Imedin to talk to the Lake. Imedin checked whether the visitor had a Glitter and only after that opened the lock with a large key. When the Glitters were throwing into the water, the Lake rejoiced and told funny stories.
  Imedin was afraid that the Heavenly Glitters could end, so he made another Stock. Every morning he zealously searched for the shiny pieces of sky in the grass, finding much more than all the others. Imedin made a deep hole in the ground, covered it with petals of flowers and put his finds there. Imedin covered the little pit with leaves, so that no one could guess what lay there.
  A lot of sparkles brought Kuzyoba. She knew how to fly, because it was good to see from above. Having found the next piece of the sky, Kuzyoba put it in a pocket on her tummy. The pocket was fastened with a button, which often came off. Kuzyoba was very neat, she washed and brushed every day.
  But sometimes she was forgetting to sew it down in time. Kuzyoba had wings, but she only fluttered from branch to branch, rarely rising above the trees. Most of all in the world Kuzyoba liked to look to the water of the Speaking Lake and admire her own reflection.
  Kuzyoba made friends only with the Harmful Fly. Girlfriends constantly swore, quarreled, and even sometimes fought, but after that reconciled and enjoyed playing together. They had strange games. They threw garbage into the water of the Singing River, which made River Monkeys greatly upset. Also mischief-makers liked to wake up Sleepies during their recreation hours making them jumping and yelling, exploding and preventing the others from sleeping.
  Inhabitants of the Enchanted World could do nothing with nasty girlfriends. Being asked not to do that they only laughed. It seemed impossible to catch them as no one could fly in the Enchanted World.
  Both Kuzyoba and the Harmful Fly were very fond of teasing Sleepies. Sleepies, they are like pumpkins with six thin tails and triangular eyes on the vertex. The inhabitants of the Enchanted World could not decide for a long time whether the Sleepies were plants or not. Maybe some sort of animals?
  Were they able to do something useful and interesting? True, Sleepies weren"t interested in anything, they loved to render little explosions, tearing themselves apart and making terrible noise. Pieces of Sleepies got to soil giving birth to the new Sleepies. Because of that everyone was confident that Sleepies are plants, rather useless out of their silly temper.
  Intently, Kuzyoba and Harmful Fly carried Sleepies to the most unexpected places. After that girlfriends laughed for a while watching Imedin or Oiki or maybe someone else trembled by explosions of a ripe Sleepie beneath one"s foot. In was useless to catch up pranksters, they flew up on tops of trees.
  Yet, there was another creature with wings - Oiki. Her wings were big and strong. When he ran through the forest it seemed that he was able to fly. But he himself considered his wings too thin to fly being afraid of they could torn away.
  Oiki didn"t fly but never was disappointed of that. He could run so fast so that he"d never dreamt of heaven. He had no time to think about flies - he watched a cave near the Big Hill. Oiki was confident of the fact that there lived the Fearful Fear. Also, Oiki knew well that that substance couldn"t been admitted to enter the forest. Oiki gathered stones all days long to close the entranceway to the cave in order The Fear couldn"t get out of there. Each night he couldn"t fall asleep being afraid that the Fear might break the stone obstacle. It was partially true - in the morning the stone fence was partway broken.
  Frightened, Oiki ran by the Enchanted World asking all around if someone saw the Fear. Only after it was cleared out that there was no the Fearful Fear, Oiki calmed and started to restore his face spoilt by the fearful thoughts.
  In his free time Oiki worked on a sunflower field. He loved seeds much. Oiki lived in the nest under roots of a tree which couldn"t grow in the ground as all normal plants. It hangs over the land having its roots dry. It also had neither leaves no flowers that"s why it was called the Bizarre Tree.
  And, if you don"t know, Bluke and Fi-fi-fi lived in the Forest. Dosser was sitting in a swamp. On the strawberry glade you could always meet clever Pufic. But Big Booms wasn"t aware of that all. From the greatness of his height he couldn"t notice anyone. More to that, he"s never looked under his feet.
  The Harvest Tree helped Booms with its apples. He had a hearty breakfast and suddenly, for the first time in his life, he looked at his feet. Right on the ground laid an amazing Beautiful Flower. Her petals were dazzling white, and the core - sky blue. This flower had neither a stem nor roots.
  "Perhaps the wind brought you at night," decided Big Booms
  "I'm so small and fragile," cried the Flower, "I'm scared and cold. And I'm hungry."
  Big Booms bent down, gently wrapped the white petals with thick fingers and lifted the poor thing. He sat in the shadow of the Harvest Tree, admiring the Beautiful Flower. This occupation seemed more interesting to him than dinner, breakfast and supper. The flower flashed coquettishly with her blue eye. Petals, white as if molded from plasticine, fluttered joyfully.
  And then Big Booms felt that something painfully pricked him. He lifted his paw closer to his eyes, gently lifted the white petals and froze in surprise: a large spike, like a sharp fang, was hidden beneath the petals. And this spike was so strong that he could pierce the solid scales that covered the whole body of Booms.
  The dragon wanted to pull the spike out, but the Beautiful Flower blinked sadly with a blue eye and cried. Big Booms thought that the pain from a small splinter is weak, and the happiness that he feels when he contemplates the Beautiful Flower is huge. So that he did not pull out the thorn from his palm. After all, if he"d pulled it out, the flower could take umbrage and leave him.
  So he was sitting, admiring the flower, until the next harvest was ripe. The Harvest Tree productively sprang up, shook the branches, and ripe, yellow bananas fell down.
  Big Booms felt hungry. He did not want to tear himself away from the contemplation of a beautiful flower to have his hearty breakfast, but the food was more important to him. Then, he sat down at his former place, stroking his rounded stomach with pleasure. He wanted to take a nap, but suddenly he remembered about the Beautiful Flower and froze.
  "Horrible!" exclaimed the dragon. "After all, when I ate bananas, I completely forgot about my little friend! What if my movements could damage her tender petals?"
  The dragon looked at Flower and sighed with relief - she was intact. Moreover, the Beautiful Flower released a long thin stem, then another, and more.
  "Maybe, these new shoots will produce new Beautiful Flowers?" thought Big Booms and prepared to watch the Miracle. He even held his breath, being afraid to miss the moment when new colors appeared. He imagined the crackling of opening buds and the joyful exclamations of the Beautiful Flower. But instead a plaintive groan sounded.
  "I'm hungry," the Beautiful Flower claimed.
  "How can I feed you, baby?" asked Booms.
  "Eat yourself first," said the Flower.
  "But I just ate," Big Booms replied. "That's enough for me."
  "It only seems to you that it is enough," answered the Beautiful Flower. "Now you need a lot more food, because you now have me!"
  Big Booms listened to his feelings and realized that the Beautiful Flower is right. He was hungry again, as if he had not just eaten a mountain of bananas. The dragon carefully walked around the tree and picked up a few previously unseen fruits.
  He ate one banana - new leaves appeared on the stems. He ate another - and the stems became larger. And the third was eaten - the stems were longer and wrapped around his entire paw. But the Beautiful Flower required more food. He cried no more, he was angry. Big Booms thought that it was necessary to transplant the Flower to the soil, so that it would draw strength from it and grow just like all other plants.
  "Other plants are not as beautiful as I am," said the Beautiful Flower. "Will you put me in this dirty, damp ground and force me to work, growing the roots? Do you want me to become as ugly as the other flowers? So that I become ordinary and cease to be a Perfect Flower?"
  Big Booms did not want this. He got up, looked under the tree and found some yesterday's oranges. When Booms bent down to pick up orange fruit, he felt dizzy.
  "It's because of hunger," the Flower prompted. "I'm hungry, and so are you. After all, we are the one, which means that I feel, and you are experiencing the same thing!"
  "I feel that you need to learn how to find food yourself!" said Big Booms, but the Beautiful Flower did not listen to him. She was offended and shut her blue eyes with petals, as if she was going to cry.
  The Beautiful Flower was the Parasite. Parasites are such creatures that are lazy to run fast, cannot stand work and want everything to be done for them by others. Anyone can become a parasite if he suddenly falls ill with Laziness.
  The dragon did not know that he was in great danger. After all, the Parasite eats all the tastiest, leaving nothing to the one who cares about it. The fact, that the Flower is hungry again, should have alerted Big Booms. But Booms did not want to think, he only wanted to sit under a tree and admire the flower. However, Booms noticed that he was very weak, but he also did not attach any importance to this.
  "I am hungry! I want to eat!" The Flower shouted loudly.
  "Be patient before dinner," Big Booms persuaded her. "Now I have nothing."
  "Then I'll leave you," the Beautiful Flower threatened.
  Big Booms leaned against the trunk and wept bitterly. But the Flower still asked for food, threatening to leave him and Big Booms will no longer have a friend.
  A tree felt sorry for Booms. It prepared the whole daytime harvest of fruits and shook its branches, dropping food to the unfortunate dragon. After that Big Boom"s stomach has grown great, but he remained powerless. He could only open his eyes to admire the Beautiful Flower.
  The flower became prettier. The snow-white petals were filled with strength, increasing constantly. The stems became thick. The thin green skin that covered them before, turned into a strong brown bark, making them look like creepers. The flower produced more and more sprouts that clung to the dragon, braiding him like a mesh.
  "What is it, how it turns out?" whispered Booms in a weak voice. "I love my Flower so much that I am growing fond of it. This means that I will be wooden. I'll turn into a tree. And I will have roots ... How can I avoid it?"
  Then Booms realized that he would not be able to eat fruit either. Soon the vines will weave him so thickly that he is being unpossible to open his mouth.
  "How unhappy I am," whispered Big Booms, and wept bitterly.
   "So what?" the Beautiful Flower answered indifferently. "You're so big that you should live long enough."
  "What's next?"
  "I'll pull out my spike and fall into the grass. I'm so beautiful that someone else will pick me up."
  "And what about me?" Big Booms asked. He could not believe that such a beautiful creature could be so cruel.
  "And you will be a tree. Your roots will grow back, you'll cover with leaves, maybe you'll even bloom ... Ha-ha-ha !!! But no, hardly ... No other creature, after I turned it into a tree, give flowers. For this you need to rejoice, and what joy can it be to stand still, remembering that recently you could run and jump ?!"
  "Don"t you feel pity for me at all?" Big Booms sobbed.
  "No. Remain a tree," answered the Beautiful Flower. "And then, I will never leave you. As for now, you can keep on admiring my beauty. Ha-ha! As yet you are not quite a tree!"
  Since then Big Booms slowly began to turn into a tree. At first his paws stiffened, and then the creepers clung to his whole body. Only Booms's big heart kept beating. Booms felt it contracting from grief. His eyes still could see. The flower liked being admired and watched, so she didn"t close the eyes of Big Booms with lianas.
   Big Booms was crying, but now he could not even wipe away his tears. His wooden paws remained motionless.
  The evil Beautiful Flower was hungry again.
  "If you do not feed me, I'll make your heart wooden," she said, threateningly sparkling with a blue eye.
  "But if my heart becomes wooden, I can"t rejoice ..." Big Booms was horrified.
  "Yes," the Flower agreed, "but you will not be grieved either."
  "But if my heart becomes wooden, how will I go on loving you?"
  "But you will not hate me when I leave you," replied the Flower. "So you will not hurt me."
  "Do not leave me, Beautiful Flower!" Big Booms begged. "I will find strength and eat something!"
  But on the Harvest Tree there was nothing left. Big Booms prepared to roar from grief, when he suddenly remembered an incomprehensible fruit with a long spike that grew on the very tip of the Harvest Tree. The dragon gathered his last strength and pushed the tree with his back. And - hurray! - strange fruit pulled away from the branch and flew down. The Иeautiful Flower suddenly hissed and struck the fruit with her stem, throwing it away from the mouth of the dragon.
  A great dragon's heart contracted with grief. Booms closed his eyes and prepared to become a tree.
  It was possible that that would have happened: Big Booms has always remained a tree, and the Beautiful Flower would have weathered the entire Enchanted World with its lianas, gradually destroying its inhabitants. But a sudden Case intervened in the face of Big Booms.
  The Case is a necessary and very important event. After all, only something predestined can happen in the moments like this. The case, which saved the Enchanted World, occurred in the place where the Fearful Fear lived. At night, the fence, which held the Fear in a dark cave, broke down. It really scared Oiki: what if the Fearful Fear had already fled and now wanders around the Enchanted World?!
  After checking all the inhabitants of the forest, he already wanted to set off to close a hole in the fence, but suddenly he remembered Big Booms - he did not visit the dragon! And Oiki rushed all the way to the Harvest Tree.
  Something terrible was sitting on the grass under the Tree. Oiki could hardly recognize Big Booms in the arms of lion-braided monster.
  "Alarm," shouted Oiki and rushed away. "Alarm! My Scary Fear got out of the cave and attacked Big Booms!"
  "What are you saying?" Kuzyoba was surprised. She was curious and was first who rushed to find out what happened. "I'll fly, I'll admire this sweetheart!"
  "Terrible Fear ruined Booms. What are you so happy about? "asked Oiki.
  "I am always happy with someone else's grief," answered the light-hearted Kuzyoba. "When I see that someone is bad, I always rejoice that it did not happen to me!"
  She flung herself onto the branch of another tree, and Oiki ran on.
  "What happened? " River Monkeys squeaked excitedly.
  "My Fear has escaped from the cave and turned Big Booms into a tree! " shouted Oiki and ran farther to tell the terrible news to the rest.
  "We have to save Big Booms," the River Marts aroused.
  They jumped out of the water and rushed to the Harvest Tree, clinging to the branches of trees with their clever hands.
  Soon, near the stiffened dragon, all the inhabitants of the forest gathered. Even the Harmful Fly has arrived. She settled herself on a branch of a tall tree, next to Kuzyoba. The girls laughed gleefully and talked in a whisper.
  "What do we do?" the River Monkeys squealed.
  "We need to save him," shouted Oiki.
  "What for? He is already not so bad!" Kuzyoba giggled.
  "We need advice," suggested the discreet Imedin. "Monkeys, go to Strawberry Glade and quickly bring Pufik here."
  Pufik was considered to be the smartest in the Enchanted World because he had the biggest head. And still Pufik was very kind. If he was asked for something, he could not refuse. When he was asked whether he could sit on his comfortable head, he politely agreed, afraid to offend the interlocutor. But as soon as he sat down on his big head, as soon as Pufik bent down, the one who was preparing to rest, fell to the ground. Pufik politely asked if he was not hurt, he was always very worried about such cases. Each of the inhabitants of the Enchanted World at least fell from Pufik for a one time. There were no volunteers to sit on his head.
  Also, Pufik said only what he wanted to hear from him, so he was considered to be a very good creature.
  Soon the River Monkeys brought Pufik to the Harvest Tree. They threw him at each other like a ball. Pufik was scared, but he was silent.
  "Give back the Fearful Fear immediately!" shouted Oiki, barely seeing Pufik.
  "What for? " asked Pufik, carefully examining the noisy bird.
  "What do you mean by your what?! " Oiki was surprised. "It must be locked in a cave. Otherwise, It will reach me, and I will also become a tree!"
  "It was not your fear who attacked Big Booms," said Pufik.
  "Oh! So, my fear can get out ?! " Oiki frightened and ran to close a hole in the cave, so that his Fear did not crawl out of the Dark Cave.
  "Yes, I regret Booms," said Bluke. He hid Fi-fi in a secluded place and nevertheless got to the Harvest Tree. Bluke breathed heavily - it"s not easy to run around when you have a heavy shell on you.
  "How can we help him?" Imedin asked.
  "We need to get out a splinter, and everything will be all right," advised Pufik.
  "What kind of splinter?" the curious River Monkeys squealed in surprise.
  "The one that Beautiful Flower hooked on the dragon's paw."
  "But how to do that? " Imedin asked. He walked around the wooden Booms, examining it from all sides and added:
   "How can I find a wooden splinter in wooden Booms?"
  Pufik did not answer, just looked at Big Booms with kind and pitiful eyes. He knew how to get out a splinter, but he was afraid to say. Usually, when asked for advice, they immediately sat down on his large and comfortable head. Pufuk thought that Big Booms had never sat on him before. He did not do this, and he couldn"t do it, because the dragon was very big and would hardly noticed little Pufik in the thick grass. Big Booms did nothing bad for Pufik. But he did not do anything good either.
  Pufik thought it out trying to find something good for him. He realized that good is when no one touches the burdock under which he lives. When they do not sit on his big head, and do not make noise, preventing him from dreaming in the thickets of strawberries. Big Booms did not do anything about it.
  How does this turn out ?! Not noticing Pufik, Big Booms did for him only all good things?
  Pufik was very surprised by his discovery and decided to think about it later, when he returned to his house under the mug. So, he decided to help Booms.
   "Only he himself can pull out a splinter," said Pufik, turning his back on the others.
  "But he is a tree!" they shouted indignantly. "He has no strength! He can"t move!"
  "As long as his heart beats, he is strong," answered Pufik, ignoring the indignant exclamations. "If he wants to, he will again be big, strong and noisy Booms. Leave him alone. If he does not cope, you will not help him in any way," and Pufik went home, to Strawberry Glade.
  Residents of the Enchanted World rustled long, scolding Pufic and marveling at his cruelty. Everyone was ready to take care of Big Booms. They were going to feel sorry for him, to carry him food - and here such advice! But soon the glade around the Harvest Tree was empty. Bluke had to watch over Fi-fi-fi. Imedin was worried that while he was absent, someone would make his way to the Speaking Lake without a Heavenly Glitter. River Monkeys rushed to the Singing River. They were very frivolous creatures and did not know how to keep their attention on anything for long. Kuzyoba got sick of this earlier than the Monkeys. She whispered something in the ear of the Harmful Fly. The girls cheerfully laughed and flew off. They decided to play pranks while everyone else was in the meadow. And Grym simply fell asleep. He was never touched by other beings's suffering, Grym was quite enough of his own troubles.
  Grym lived on the branches of trees, but no one knew exactly where. He ran fast, his body was flexible and dexterous. A long tail was adorned with a luxuriant tassel, and four ears stood on the head. The nature of Grym was ill, he argued with everyone and could painfully bite, he knew everything and was not afraid of anyone. And Grym felt himself to be the strongest. Big Booms, of course, was stronger, but he did not notice Grym. Grym, in response, did not notice Booms.
  Big Booms was left alone. He heard what Pufik said, but did not know how to do it. How to become free from the Beautiful Flower? Booms watched the Flower puffing up, spreading her petals, exposing them to the light of the Heavenly Glitters and did not find the strength to abandon it.
  "When I become a tree, I cannot love you," Booms whispered bitterly.
  "You already told me that," said the Flower indifferently.
  "So you do not care about my love?" Big Booms was surprised.
  "Well, why? As long as your love feeds me, I just need it."
  "But if you destroy both my heart and my love, then you yourself will remain hungry," Big Booms said.
   "In the Enchanted World there is as much love as possible. Everyone is ready to fall in love with such a beautiful creature as I am," the Flower blustered.
  "You do not love me," whispered Big Booms. "You need only food. And you do not care, even if you have to eat me ..."
  And then Big Booms realized that this was happening. A beautiful Flower eats its vitality, turning it into a dry, unfeeling tree.
  "Do not happen to it!" roared the dragon and got to his feet.
  He tore the vines and tried to shake off the Beautiful Flower. But the Flower was not going to leave Booms. He only grabbed his hand harder.
  Big Booms looked around and suddenly noticed in the grass a strange fruit with a long thorn on its top.
  He picked it up and brought the spine to the Beautiful Flower, deciding once and for all to get rid of the evil creature. The beautiful Flower hissed, picked up the petals and was very frightened.
  The Determination of Booms strengthened. The dragon picked up the Flower with a thorn. The flower instantly changed. The blue eye, which seemed so beautiful for Booms, turned black with anger. Frayed petals extinguished terrible spines, similar to the teeth of a dangerous beast. Every moment the Flower grew a new spike and Booms roared with pain.
  "There you are! Know it well, the Evil Flower, even if I have to nibble off my paw, I will still get rid of you!" cried Big Booms.
  And then a miracle happened. A small lightning flew off from the tip of the thorns, she scorched her petals and crushed sharp spikes. The flower fell into the thick grass, and Big Booms became the same - a strong, cheerful and noisy dragon.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 2
  
  
  
  
  The first thing that Big Booms felt, becoming free again, was hunger. He looked around, looked at the grass, but did not see anything edible.
  And then he remembered an incomprehensible fruit with a thorn, which still was in his hands. Booms tried to bite off a piece, but could not do it. The strange fruit was so elastic that it seemed to the dragon that he would try to bite a rubber ball. The fruit simply sprung under the teeth of hungry Booms.
  "I wonder," Big Booms said. "You can"t eat it. But in fact is it necessary for anything? It can"t be that it appeared on the tree, only to help me get rid of the evil Beautiful Flower?
  Someone else would simply throw the incomprehensible fruit aside and forget about it. But Big Booms never gave up what he considered as his own. After all, it was grown by the Harvest Tree. Now the Harvest Tree was the property of Big Booms. Hence, the fruit was also the property of Booms.
  If it can"t be eaten being a rubber, then what to do with it? He took the fruit so that the thorn was on top, and opened his mouth. This spine is simply created to pick one's teeth, pulling out pieces of food! Big Booms decided to use the fruit as a toothpick.
  But as soon as the dragon brought the thorn to the jaws, a small lightning fell from its tip again, painfully hitting Booms in the teeth. Big Booms roared with resentment and threw an incomprehensible fruit aside.
  Booms thought that he would hit the ground and jump up like a ball, but the incredible thing happened. The multicolored peel suddenly turned around, and Booms saw a small dragon with bright ears, which were like butterfly wings. It had large dark purple eyes, a small oval body, plump arms and legs. And what Booms considered as a thorn was a long horn. A bow was tied around the neck of the dragon, and the cilia were long and beautifully curved. The dragon sank into the grass, put its feet as if it were going to dance and, with his hands clasped on its tummy, waved its ears. At the tips of its ears, cute tassels flared. From them, small lights flashed and spun around a long, twisted horn.
  "So where the lightning came from," Big Booms guessed. And the creature, having lifted its ink eyes on Booms, greeted him.
  "Hi! " the baby's voice was quiet, it seemed that a bee buzzed somewhere near.
  "Who are you?" asked the dragon.
  "I only know that my name is Flipri, and that I'm very small," replied Flipri. "I do not know who I am. And who are you?"
  "I'm Big Booms," the dragon said proudly, and suddenly realized that he did not know who he was either. "This is my name," he added.
  "I see," said Flipri. "Anyway, who are you?
  "Here's a fix," Big Booms said angrily. "Well, how do I know who I am, if I haven"t been told this ?!"
  "So let's go, we'll ask," offered Flipri.
  "Whom?"
  "I do not know yet, but maybe someone else knows this."
  "And if we do not succeed?"
  "It does not happen," said Flipri. "If there is a Question, then there must necessarily be an Answer!"
  "All right, let's go right away, as soon as I eat the latest banana," said Booms. He just saw it in the grass and bent over to pick it up.
  Big Booms was always surprised that the most delicious of all fruits was the one he ate first. The one that remained the last was even tastier than the first. Flipri sat quietly next to her and did not even ask for a delicacy. She was hungry, but at the same time she felt that the Big Booms"s hunger was much stronger than hers.
  "My hunger will not offend me," thought Flipri, "it's small."
  And Booms is big, so his hunger is also great.
  She looked at her new friend and was amazed at what big a hunger such a huge dragon must have!
  "Well, let's go?" Big Booms asked, tossing aside the banana peel.
  And they went on a quest. Neither Big Booms nor Flipri knew why the Question was so important, but both felt that it was necessary to find the answer, absolutely necessary.
  Grym lay on the branch of a nearby tree and heard their conversation. He was very surprised. He was surprised that he, too, could not find the answer.
  "Who am I? I'm Grym. Grym is my name. And who am I really?" and Grym realized that he did not know this. "I have four paws, four ears, sharp teeth and a beautiful striped skin. I'm strong and cunning, everybody afraid of me. But, who am I?
  Grym did not like to think long. When he thought, something began to buzz in his head, and he was very much afraid that there might be a Mind. And he heard that if thoughts are not released outside they become too numerous.
  In that case the head overflows and can explode like a Sleepie.
  "And what if it turns out that I'm nobody?" experienced Grym. "Do I exist or not? And if Big Booms and Flipri get an answer to their question, everyone will also want to know who they really are. And then everyone will know that I'm nobody ?! This cannot be allowed!
  And Grym rode through the trees, determined to put a crimp in Booms and Flipri"s plans.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 3
  
  
  Flipri was very small, and where Big Booms took one step, she had to do twenty steps. First, Big Booms looked around, stopped and waited for her, but then he saw an oak aside and hurried to it. At the thought that now he could get ripe acorns, the dragon drooled. The acorns were ripe, they cracked, falling to the ground.
  "That's good," decided Booms, "I do not have to shake the tree. Bouncing to get the food, I can fall apart on the grass and just open my mouth. And the acorns themselves will fall into it!"
  He did so. He stretched himself under an oak tree and opened his toothy mouth, forgetting about Flipri.
  Flipri was very surprised when her great friend fled.
  "Doesn"t he want to know who is he?" she whispered in frustration.
  She was very interested in this question, and the little girl, spreading her ears, went on. The grass was getting higher and higher, and the little Flipri was lost. Very soon, Flipri felt thirsty. She sat down under a large dandelion and wept bitterly.
  "You're crying," someone said in an iridescent voice. "Perhaps I can help you?"
  "I want to drink," complained Flipri, "but there's no water anywhere. And I'm lost, and I do not know how to get back to the Harvest Tree.
  "Go around the dandelion and go to the thickets of pansies, and I will help you."
  Flipri did it. Pansies blinked graciously and moved apart their multicolored petals, letting her pass. Flipri looked around, but saw nothing except a large dirty pool.
  "Who are you?" she asked, continuing to look around.
  "I'm the Happy Spring," someone said.
  Flipri listened and realized that the voice was coming from the puddle.
  "But why the Spring is in the dirty pool?" she was surprised.
  "First, drink some water, and then I'll tell you my story," answered the Spring.
  A blue drop of pure water appeared in the center of the dirty spot. Hearing how hard it was for the Happy Spring to make its way through the mud, she felt very sorry for him. She went to the edge and began digging out the groove, so that the weakened Spring had less work. Soon a trickle of clear water met Flipri.
  "Can I have a drink?" asked polite Flipri.
  "Of course," answered the Spring, "I am living for that."
  Flipri folded her hands and scooped up a handful of water. She gulped and was surprised. The water of Happy Spring was magical. A strength came after a one sip, fatigue passed, and the joy came in to the soul. After taking this water in, Flipri's scales shone as if she had been specially sanded, and the patterns on the wings-wings were colored. Flipri splashed out the remnants of the water and laughed joyfully.
  "Thank you, the Spring," she said. "I never drank anything better."
  "Please," the Spring murmured and laughed.
   Flipri noticed that the mud had moved away, and there was more clean water.
   "I do not like it when someone is crying and sad."
  "Will you tell me why there is so much dirt around you?" "Flipri reminded him.
  "I'm friends with one very beautiful pink Fly," the Spring began. "No one comes to me besides her. I was very lonely, but once she arrived and drank some water. The fly was very happy, and I was having fun with her. But then something happened to me, and the water ceased to be magical."
  "It's strange, how did your water stop being magical? I did drink it and it helped me a lot, "said Flipri.
  "I do not understand this either," the Spring sighed, "but last time the Fly said that the water is bad, that it is not enough, that there is no previous joy. She says that before she gets drunk, she grows up, and now her growth stopped. She says that I'm very lazy. And each of her words, falling to the bottom, becomes a clod of dirt."
  "It's sad," said Flipri, and she wanted to ask about something else, and that moment she heard the rustling of wings and loud buzz.
  "Hide yourself sooner," scared the Happy Spring, "it's the Fly!"
  "But why hiding?" Flipri was surprised.
  "She does not allow me to make friends with anyone but herself, she says that if she does not talk to anyone and does not talk to anyone other than me, then I, too, can"t do this. And she also says if I get along with someone, she will be offended and leave me. Because of this, she will be very worried, but I do not want to hurt her."
  "All right," said Flipri, and hid in the thicket of pansies. She did it on time, because the Harmful Fly landed on the edge of a muddy puddle.
  The fly was very large - much larger than Flipri. It shone and shimmered with all shades of pink. The wings of the fly were also pink and trembled very beautiful even when the Harmful Fly did not fly.
  With a suspicious look at the blue drop of clear water, the Fly asked:
  "Who was there?"
  The Spring did not have time to respond, because his girlfriend began to drink. She drank almost all clean water. Flipri noticed with surprise that the Fly had grown a little more.
  "What the bad water!" cried the Harmful Fly, rubbing her paws contentedly. "Bitter, tasteless and completely useless!"
  "But they told me that the water is still magical," The Spring replied timidly.
  "Who told you that ?!" The Harmful Fly alerted. "Did you talk to someone? Did you give someone to get drunk, knowing that I might not have enough water? How dare you, wicked, vile Spring?!"
  "I'm sorry," whispered the Happy Spring.
  Flipri heard that his voice struggled through the mud with great difficulty. After all, every word of the Harmful Fly fell into the water as a dark lump.
  "I have no one to make friends," Fly continued to curse, "and you must not! I'll leave you, and you'll be all alone! In addition , no one will come to you, because no one else lives in the Enchanted World."
  The Harmful Fly was lying, because she was friends with Kuzyoba and Grym. But the Harmful Fly also did not tell her friends about the Happy Spring. She was afraid that someone would know about him. What if Kuzyoba and Grym would get drunk from the Spring and grow more than she?
  "You'll spend a few days alone, you'll know how to deceive me!" cried the Harmful Fly, and, flashing its wings, flew away.
  "Spring," Flipri called, when the hum died away.
  "I'm here," came to her from under the thick crust of dirt.
  "Why don"t you go elsewhere?" she asked.
  "What for? You've heard that there is no one else in the world except the Fly. I really like her, she's so beautiful. Probably, she was ill, because she stopped being kind. Or I'm sick because my water can"t help her."
  "The fly deceived you," said Flipri. "There are a lot of creatures in the world who will be happy to drink your water. They will rejoice and share this joy with you. You need a new place to be in sight."
  "But how can I find it?" the Spring asked hopefully.
  "You can travel underground, can"t you?" asked Flipri.
  "Yes, I often wander down, moistening the earth. Plants also want to drink. I like to see to it that their roots do not dry up."
  "Then go ahead! " cried Flipri. "Find yourself a place so that you can talk with everyone who comes to you. Then the whole Enchanted World will rejoice in your magical water."
  "All right," the Happy Spring roared. "I'm going on a trip to find a new home! Farewell, pansies! I will visit you and water you, so that you will always be beautiful and cheerful!"
  Pansies rustled with petals and wished the Spring a good way.
  "And you, Flipri, go straight, then turn left and go to the Harvest Tree. Bye!"
  And Happy Spring went out to find a new home.
  Flipri went on the indicated path. When she came up to the Harvest Tree where the light of the Heavenly Heights began to fade.
  Big Booms was asleep. He had eaten all the acorns under the oak tree, then returned to the Harvest Tree and had supper. But, for the first time in his life, Big Booms did not feel the taste of food. Something was bothering him, but he could not find a reason. If Booms remembered Flipri, he would immediately realize that this restless state is calling anxiety. But Big Booms lived too long alone and did not know how to think or remember anyone except himself. For a long time he tossed from side to side and finally fell asleep, without realizing what is preventing him from being happy as before.
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 4
  
  
  
  
  The next morning the Invisible Artist pleased the inhabitants of the Enchanted World with a new picture. In the center of the sky the sun was smiling, throwing its rays in all directions. White lambs-clouds leaped through the rays.
  Big Booms yawned loudly and woke up.
  "I want to eat," Booms said angrily. When he was hungry, he was always angry.
  Ripe fruit fell on the ground and Big Booms began to eat. He ate almost everything, and there was only one banana left. The dragon carefully peeled the rind and then suddenly remembered Flipri. She sat quietly beside him, because she did not want to stop Big Booms from eating breakfast. Big Booms looked at her, and then - at the most delicious last banana. He suddenly remembered that Flipri did not eat at all! Maybe to give the banana to Flipri? In that case it turns out that he himself will remain without the best delicious banana. On the other hand, Flipri is small, she couldn"t find food herself. Big Booms broke off a piece of banana and handed it to Flipri.
  "Thank you," said the little girl.
  "Don"t mention it," Big Booms replied. He felt happy and very surprised. Booms learned to take care of others and did not know how pleasant it was.
  After breakfast, they again went to look for the Answer to the most important Question. Booms constantly looked back. He was afraid of losing Flipri again. Finally, he got tired of it.
  "So we will not go far," he grumbled and put the girlfriend on his shoulder.
  "Where are we going?" asked Flipri.
  "Don"t you know?! We're going to look for the answer!"
  "Do you know where to look for it?"
  "No," Big Booms replied.
  "Let's find Pufik and ask him," suggested Flipri.
  "And who is this?" inquired Booms.
  "This is a clever creature that helped you to get free from the evil Beautiful Flower," Flipri said. "Maybe he will help us. I heard that he lives under a burdock on Strawberry Glade."
  "Wow!" Big Booms was little upset, but remembered in time that he was very big and could go around the whole Enchanted World in one day.
  Strawberry Glade was on the very edge of the Enchanted World. First friends had to go through the Dense Grove, then go over the stones of the Singing River and, passing the Tired Swamp, turn to the High Hill.
  The Strawberry Glade was not far from there.
  Perhaps they would have found the answer today, if not for Grym. Yesterday he was very upset that he did not manage to delay Flipri. All night, Grym tossed from side to side and could not fall asleep. In the head of Grym all the time came the same bothersome Thought. Grym spoke it out loud, letting it go, but the stubborn Thought was coming back.
  "What will happen if everyone finds out that I'm nobody? !!" whispered Grym again and again. He was afraid that such a big Thought could break his head.
  In the morning, angry after a sleepless night, Grym was laying in an ambush near the Harvest Tree. When the dragons went on a quest, Grym leaped over the branches, trying not to let them out of sight. He overtook Booms and flew to the Dense Grove. When Big Booms passed under one of the trees, Grym grabbed Flipri and swept forward along the branches of the trees.
   "Stop! " shouted Big Booms, but he"d never catch up with so quick and deft Grym.
  "Why did you take me?" asked Flipri.
  "I'll hide you," answered Grym. "If not to do that, Booms will not go to find out who is he. And then no one will know that I am nobody."
  "Why did you decide that you're nobody?" Flipri was surprised.
  "I came up with such a thought," said Grym, "and I was frightened. I'm so strong, beautiful, I'm the best, and suddenly it turns out that I'm nobody? Then everyone will laugh at me, which is a shame."
  "Indeed, that's insulting," agreed Flipri. "In that case, be somebody, and everything will be all right."
  "I'm feeling so good," answered Grym. "It's easier to hide you so that you'll never find it, that's all." And shut up, I do not want to talk to you!
  Flipri stopped, wondering at Grym's inconsistency. Grym went to the top of the High Hill, where was the Empty Well. Previously, the well was full of magical water, and if one of the residents fell ill with Sadness, or Grief, a one sip was enough to be cured. Grym did not believe in this tale, he considered the Empty Well just a hole in the ground.
  "Well, I'll leave you there, and no one will ask unnecessary questions again."
  "But the well is deep and I can crash," Flipri was frightened.
  "Ha-ha, I saw you fall when Big Booms threw you away. Nothing will happen to you."
  Grym threw Flipri into the well and ran off to his business. And Flipri fell into the darkness of the bottomless Empty Well. She wanted to spread the ears-wings to slow the fall a little and see what is interesting around, but could not do it. The well was too narrow, much narrower than it was possible to suppose looking from above. Flipri was small. She did not know that all bad things end one day. She thought that the good can last forever and never gets boring.
  The empty well too soon ran out and Flipri fell on a strong cobweb stretched under the ceiling of the cave.
  "Who are you?" it was a very quiet voice heard by Flipri.
  "I do not know who I am," she answered, "but I know what my name is."
  "And what is your name?" whispered the host of the web, invisible in the darkness.
  "My name is Flipri," she answered and jumped. It was funny to jump on the web, and Flipri laughed. And who are you?"
  "I do not know. I have not even seen myself, and I do not know how I look like. And no one told me who I was."
  "Why?" Flipri was surprised.
  "Because there's no one next to me," said the sad creature.
  "But do you have a name?" asked Flipri.
  "I like the word Oxinol," replied the unseen companion. "When I think of myself, I call myself Oxinol. It seems to me that this is a very beautiful combination of sounds."
  "Of course," answered Flipri, "it sounds as if someone is touching a very thin string, and she sings - Ok-sii-noool ... You chose a very beautiful and very gentle name. And why are you sitting in this dark cave? It's boring here. In the dark you will not see the brilliance of the Heavenly Glitterers, you will never laugh, watching the tricks of the River Martyrs, you will not hear the songs of the Singing River and the tale of the Speaking Lake. Why don"t you come to the light?"
  "I can"t," Oxinol answered, frightened, "behind the wall that closes the exit from the cave, lives the terrible fear. If the partition breaks, it will climb into the cave and attack me. I constantly check to see if the pebbles are held firmly, but each time one or two stones fall out of the wall. Then I carefully search the cave, make sure that the Fear did not sneak into it while I was sleeping. And then I restore the wall and watch it. I can"t always watch, because sometimes I need to sleep. But it's worth falling asleep, as the wall turns out to be a little shaky, and everything has to start again.
  "It's strange," said Flipri, and thought about it, "I already heard this story somewhere."
  "You could not hear it before," Oxinol said, "because I'm telling it for the first time. Have you forgotten that before I had no one to talk to?"
  "But I've already heard this story!" cried Flipri. "I was still very young and slept on the top of the Harvest Tree, so I can"t say who told it. But someone just like you, every day, repairs the wall so that the Fear couldn"t creep out."
  "Who could it be?" Oxinol was surprised.
  "Maybe this is your terrible fear?" suggested Flipri. "Come on, we'll see."
  "I'm afraid," said Oxinol.
  "You can"t be afraid of the terrible fear all your life, otherwise you"ll never know who are you. Can I look at you?"
  "How can you do it, it's dark in the cave?"
  "Very simple," laughed Flipri.
  Little lights fell from the brushes of her ears. They cheerfully circled around the long, twisted horn and, gathering in a pile, began to look like a little sun.
  The little fire dispersed the darkness, and Flipri noticed something great dashed to the far end of the cave.
  She walked to the edge of the web and jumped down. The floor of the cave was smooth, as if someone polished pebbles for a very long time."
  "Oxinol, why are you hiding?" she was surprised.
  "I'm scared!" answered Oxinol. "What if I do not like you?"
  "Do you like yourself?" asked Flipri.
  "Of course," Oxinol replied proudly.
  "Without knowing who you are?"
  "Why should I know this? To please myself? What is the difference, what is my appearance? The main thing is I'm good and kind, isn"t it enough?"
  "Of course, it's enough," agreed Flipri. "What does it matter how you look, if you are kind and good? But that's enough for me, too. And for all the others it"s good also, it"s enough! I like it, Oxinol!"
  "Indeed, I did not think of that," agreed Oxinol and crawled out of the dark corner.
  "Wow! " Flipri exclaimed admiringly, staring at her new friend.
  Oxinol was like a spider. He had long paws, a large round body, cute wings and a long, fluffy tail. And Oxinol's eyes were very kind, very calm and clever, as if being in the dark he learned something especial.
  "How handsome you are!" cried Flipri.
  "I guess I look like someone you know?" asked Oxinol and embarrassed as he was a very modest spider.
  "How can you be like anyone else? Can the beautiful be similar?" Flipri was surprised. "Things are beautiful only because of their otherness."
  "This is not true!" said Oxinol. "Come here and I'll show you something!"
  He beckoned Flipri into the far corner of the cave. There, high above the ceiling, mushrooms grew on a damp wall. Their hats were equally round, legs - of the same length. And even the color of all the fungi was silvery and quite the same. These mushrooms flickered in the dark, and the sparkles flashed on their hats synchronously.
  "Look," said Oxinol, when Flipri admired him a lot, "they're all the same, but they do not cease to be beautiful. Seeing them I feel happy!"
  "Indeed, this is a very beautiful Glade of Mushrooms," agreed Flipri.
  "Glade?" Oxinol was surprised.
  "Of course, the Glade! And it's beautiful, because there is nothing like this in the whole world. If the beautiful is similar, then it will become familiar. And, becoming habitual, the beautiful will turn into the inconspicuous. You, Oxinol, do not look like anyone, you're just beautiful. And this means that you do not need to hide and be invisible!"
  "So, I'm not ordinary ?!" asked Oxinol enthusiastically.
  "Yes, you are unusual, so beautiful," said Flipri. "Well, let's go, let's look at your terrible fear! For some reason it seems to me that it is also unusual for you."
  "Why do you think so?" asked Oxinol.
  "If you are kind and good, it means that you are beautiful. And if you are handsome, it means that you are unusual. So you also have an unusual fear. He's your Fear !!!"
  "That's right," agreed Oxinol. "This is what happens! After all, if my fear is unusual, does it also look beautiful? And if it is handsome, then is it good and kind?"
  "Correct!" Flipri exclaimed and laughed merrily. " And if it is so, then ..."
  "Then it's not scary at all and will not offend me!" finished Oxinol.
  Together, they took on to disassemble the wall behind which the terrible fear of Oxinol lived.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapet 5
  
  
  
  And what did Big Booms do after Grym grabbed Flipri? Of course, he bellowed loudly with resentment. He barked so loud that all the Sleepies woke up and there was the awful brouhaha.
  "What happened?" asked someone when Booms took a breath for a moment.
  Booms looked at his feet and noticed Pufik. Pufik walked very slowly and had not yet managed to get to Strawberry Glade. He even slept not under his burdock, but in someone's abandoned mink.
  "We went with Flipri to you to ask who we are, but Grym grabbed Flipri and fled somewhere."
  "So what are you going to do?" asked the clever Pufik.
  "I do not know," Big Booms replied, and roared again.
  "Stop bawling. It is necessary to find her."
  "But I do not know where to look her," Big Booms sobbed.
  "It's very simple," said clever Pufik, "you should search where she can be hidden. There is the only place in the Enchanted World for hiding things and beings."
  "What is that place?" Booms was surprised.
  "Where Oiki hides his fear," answered Pufik, "in the cave at the foot of High Hill."
  Big Booms imagined how scared was little Flipri in a dark cave, how The Fearful Fear was frightening her, and roared even louder.
  "Stop it!" shouted Pufik. "Let's help your girlfriend."
  Big Booms picked up Pufik in his arms and headed for the cave in which the Fearful Fear lived.
  "Help! Save! Guard! " came to them.
  Big Booms rushed to the rescue.
  At the foot of the Hill, where the partition blocked the entrance to the cave, Oiki was running back and forth. He collected pebbles and put them to the place, but on the other side was someone who prevented him from doing that pushing stones back. The stones jumped out of the wall and fell to the ground. Oiki was collecting them, not forgetting to call for help in a loud a voice.
  "Oiki, what's wrong?" exclaimed Pufik.
  "Fearful Fear went crazy!" shouted Oiki, leaning back against the wall.
  "It does not shout, and does not call for help," Pufik wondered. "Maybe, you're crazy?"
  "What else could have happened to it? It breaks the protective partition and wants to get out! It sat there so much time, but suddenly it decided to get out! And now you are telling me that nothing has happened to it?!"
  "Maybe it just grew up, and it felt cramped in the cave?" suggested Pufik.
  "Oh God!!! " Oiki cried out. "If it grew up the size of a cave, then soon it will become as big as the whole Enchanted World! What to do?!"
  "Maybe, stop being afraid of it? Then your terrible fear will cease to grow?" said the otter.
  "Do not be afraid, Oiki," Big Booms approached the wall and pawed it, "whatever happens to your Fear, we'll help you. Look how big and strong I am!"
  "Yes, you are," Oiki said, delighted. "You will keep the wall so that the Fear couldn"t break it!"
  The dragon was pleased that he could help. After he realized that helping the others is very pleasant, Booms decided to do it as often as possible. He leaned against the partition in order to the Fearful Fear could not push out a single pebble. Oiki sighed with relief, but Pufik interfered.
  "Stop, what are you doing?" he exclaimed.
  "I am helping," Big Booms replied.
  "Is this a help?" said Pufik in surprise.
  He decided to help Oiki. After all, Oiki also had never sat on his head. When the Fearful Fear was securely locked, Oiki came to visit Pufik and helped to collect strawberries. Oiki and Pufik talked for a long time. During these conversations, Pufik felt that he needed someone, that he was not indifferent to this little bird. And there was no one else to talk to Pufik, because the rest came to Strawberry Glade in order to sit on his huge head.
  "Come on, get away from the wall," said Pufik sternly.
  "But in that case my Scary Fear will get free!" Oiki scared.
  "Booms, are you afraid of this?" asked Pufik.
  "Why should I be afraid?" Big Booms was surprised. "It's not my terrible fear!"
  "So if it gets out and decides to scare Oiki, can you stop it?" clarified Pufuk.
  "Easy," Big Booms replied. He really was not afraid of anything being not only the most powerful being in the Enchanted World, but also the bravest.
  "Oiki, Oiki, calm down," said Pufik, " Booms will not let the Fearful Fear attack you!"
  "Right? " repeated Oiki incredulously.
  "That's right," said Booms. He took Oiki and seated him on his shoulder, next to Pufik. "Calm down, Oiki! The Fearful Fear can"t even reach you, no matter how big it is.
  "Now break the partition," ordered Pufik.
  "What for? " Booms was surprised.
  "I do not have time to wait for the Fear to cope with it myself," growled Pufik. "I need to go home to Strawberry Glade. It is high time for me to start thinking. I'm very tired of going by someone else's way, just because someone needs help!"
  Pufik, of course, paltered a bit. He never denied those who very, very much wanted to get rid of the terrible Fear, or Evil Anger, or Bitter Grief. But they had to want it wholeheartedly. If this was not the case, and only empty Councils and Harmful Pity were needed from Pufik, then he immediately fell on one leg. He did not like very much when they sit down on his head ...
  Booms walked over to the wall and began to turn out the stones one by one. Soon the passage was free.
  "Come on, Scary Fear, come out !!! " Booms growled into the darkness of the cave and departed, so that he could have a place for maneuver. And Oiki closed his eyes with wings, because he was still scared. But one eye did not close completely and peeped into the gap between the feathers - he really wanted to see how his Fear looked.
  Flipri came out of the cave surprising Booms
  "So it turns out you are Oiki's Fearful Fear?" he asked.
  "No," answered Flipri. "There is no terrible fear in the cave."
  "Whom I was so afraid of for so long?" Oiki asked in confusion. "Did someone live in this cave?"
  "It was Oxinol. This is a very kind, beautiful and intelligent spider," explained Flipri and, turning, shouted. "Oxinol, come out, do not be afraid."
  "Is there no my Fearful Fear? " was a voice from the cave.
  "No," answered Flipri. "There's no terrible fear here."
  "Then, who was busy closing a hole in the wall every day?" came from the cave.
  "This was Oiki," laughed Pufuk, "you were sitting with him on different sides of the wall and were afraid of each other.
  Oxinol came out and closed his eyes. He had never seen before the beauty of the Heavenly Glitters. And when he got used to their bright light, he looked around admiringly.
  "Oh," he said, "how beautiful and kind everything is around!"
  "Oh," repeated Oiki after him, and suddenly burst into tears.
  "Why are you crying, Oiki?" Everyone was surprised.
  "I'm crying because I just realized a very terrible thing," Oiki said, and sobbed even louder.
  "Which one?"
  "What will I do now? Previously, my life was full of meaning - every day I guarded the Fearful Fear. I took care that he did not crawl out of the cave and did not frighten the others. And now, when my fear is gone, what will I do ?! What will I do ?! Who will I care about ?!"
  "You can take care of Oxinol," suggested Flipri. "He's actually very small, mere a child, and he needs your help. He does not know anything about the Enchanted World, he needs to be taught everything!"
  "True?" Oiki stopped crying.
  "Of course," Flipri supported Pufik. "He does not know where to stay, he does not know how to find food. And he never watched the heavenly picture. What if tomorrow the Invisible Artist draws a new picture, who will teach Oxinol to count all the crosses on it?"
  "Or all the smiles, if the Artist decides to paint the sky with smiles," added Flipri.
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 6
  
  
  
  Oiki was a very fussy bird. He jumped off the shoulder of Big Booms to immediately start taking care of Oxinol. After all, the spider had a lot to learn.
  "Excuse me, could you fly back to the shoulder of Big Booms?" asked Oxinol. "I'm afraid I might unintentionally step on you."
  "To take off? What are you talking about?" Oiki was taken aback by this request. "I can"t fly!"
  "But then why do you have wings?" asked Oxinol. Like all kids, he was very inquisitive.
  "So that he does not get bogged down when he runs," Big Booms suggested.
  "Maybe for that, too," said Oiki, and fell silent. He wilted, became small and sad.
  "Oiki, are you afraid to fly?" Flipri realized.
  "That's right, he's afraid," Big Booms said confidently.
  "And your fear did not live in a cave, but in yourself!" concluded Pufik.
  "I can fly," said Oiki, and quietly added:
  "I just do not want to."
  "But why?" Oxinol was surprised. "Do not you want to take a closer look at the Heavenly Glitters?"
  "I want to," said Oiki sadly, "I really want to. But if I take off, I can fall. And the earth is so hard ..."
  "What do we do?" cried Flipri. "We need to help Oiki somehow, otherwise he will never fly up and experience the joy of flying."
  "Yes," said Oiki quietly, "I often dream at night the same dream. It's like I'm floating under the firmament and I can see everything at once - and Singing River, Talking Lake, and everyone who lives in the Enchanted World."
  "I'll help you learn how to fly," suggested Oxinol.
  "No one can help me," exclaimed Oiki and wept bitterly, "no one can make the earth soft!"
  "On the contrary," said Flipri. She guessed how to help the bird. "You're afraid not to fly, you're afraid of falling, but that's completely different."
  "That's right, Flipri," the clever Owl supported her. "It is very important to know what exactly you are afraid."
  "I can weave a web," said Oxinol, "and you will stop being afraid. Because if you fall, then underneath you will always be having this strong and soft mesh. It will not let you hit the ground and break!"
  And he immediately set to work. Oxinol weaved very quickly. Soon, between the tall trees that grew nearby, a strong web was stretched.
  "Well, Oiki, let me help you now," Big Booms said. "If you did not notice me and did not tell the others about this problem, I would already become a tree. That's why I want to do something good for you."
  And Big Booms, picking up Oiki, threw him as high as he could.
  "A-aaaaaa !!!" shouted Oki, and quickly waved his wings. He did not expect such "help". Oiki thought that at first he would prepare himself, carefully consider how he would wag his wings, and only then, after training well, he would fly off. But soon the fear in his voice was replaced by admiration.
  "Hurray!"
  Everyone froze. Can Oiki do it or not? But then a loud scream came from the height.
  "I'm flying! " shouted Oiki and his voice was so happy, that everyone laughed joyfully.
  "I can fly," shouted Oiki, flying over a spider web between the trees. "It's such happiness!"
  Oiki did what he had long dreamed of - he touched the Heavenly Glitters with his wings. And also Oiki made the Discovery: it turns out that below, in the land of Heavenly Glitters, there is too much space! He sank lower, then more, marking the places where they lie. He has been confident that later, when his flight would be ordinary for him, he would gather all the Heavenly Glitters he saw this day.
  "Well, how to land now?" he shouted. "Can anybody tell me?"
  "Just fold your wings and fall into a web," advised Pufik. "The main thing is do not be afraid, because it was made just for you!"
  "What?!" Oiki asked. Pufik spoke very quietly, and he did not hear.
  "Pufik told that it's time to eat!" Big Booms shouted very loudly. "And if you do not land right now, then I'll be late for dinner!"
  "And I have something to do with it?" Oiki was surprised, making circles over the cobweb.
  "And besides," Big Booms replied, "if you do not land now, then I'll go to dinner on your Sunflower Field and eat all the sunflowers! They are also food."
  "But I can"t!" shouted Oiki. "I'm afraid." I have never fallen in my life."
  "You'll learn," he comforted him, "experience comes with time. I have to know how to fall properly. To learn to fall without breaking and damaging your wings is just as important as learning how to fly."
  Oiki made up his mind. He folded his wings and plopped straight into the center of the web. Strong threads sprung under it, Oiki jumped several times before restoring his balance. When he began to make his way to the edge of the web, something was going wrong.
  "I'm stuck!" shouted Oiki.
  "Oiki, please listen to me. The web is my native element!" said Oxinol. "Do not worry and do not fuss! As soon as you stop rushing from side to side, you will immediately see that the web consists of very clear and straight lines! You can go in any direction. Whichever way you choose, it will lead you to the edge, and you will jump to the ground. The main thing when you get confused is to choose a direction."
  Oiki listened to Oxinol's words, he easily reached the edge and jumped to his friends.
  "Thank you all," said Oiki. "Now I'm not afraid of anything, because I learned to fly, to land, and to walk on the web!"
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 7
  
  
  Something smothered, grumbled and screeched in the cave.
  "Help!" shouted Oiki and swept from side to side by force of habit . "A new terrible fear appeared in the cave!"
  "Stop!" Big Booms managed to grab the frightened Oiki. "It's not a terrible fear, it's something else."
  "Then why does the earth tremble?" Oiki did not stop.
  "It's water," said the clever Owl. He knew everything about the Enchanted World, because he lived here longer than others. "At the top of the High Hill begins an empty well. It was filled with a spring that was in a cave. Previously, it had magical water, and then the Empty Well was called the Well of Happiness."
  "But why did he start to wake up again?" asked Flipri.
  "Because Happiness of Oiki and Oxinol is very contagious," answered Pufik. "Let's see..."
  And they looked into the cave.
  "Look! There was a miracle!" Flipri flared with admiration.
  A fountain was in the center of a dark cave. He gained strength, reached to the ceiling, and filled the Empty Well. The strength of the flow was such that the well was not enough. The water soared up to the sky.
  "What does it do?" Big Booms raised his paw and scratched the crest on the vertex. "If the source could fill a well that goes from the cave to the very top of the High Hill, can it flood the whole Enchanted World?"
  "Why should it flood the Enchanted World?" Flipri was surprised.
  "So it has another way out, too." Big Booms pointed to the dark entranceway to the cave. Big Booms, of course, liked to look at Miracle, but he did not forget that any Miracle conceals Surprises in itself. Surprises are necessary, but they are Dangerous. Remember, one day the Beautiful Flower looked like a Miracle for the dragon. After meeting him, Big Booms became very cautious with all the Surprises.
  "Quickly!" excited intelligent Pufik. " Let"s restore the partition, otherwise we will choke with Happiness!"
  "Well, what is all that for?" growled Oiki, rolling the first stone. "River Monkeys will survive, they have gills."
  They began to work. Soon the wall was restored. Flipri taught it how to ear against the mountain. The water came and came, and in its murmur. Flipri suddenly heard familiar notes.
  "Happy Spring, is that you?" she exclaimed in astonishment.
  "Yes, it's me," answered The Spring. "I found a new home. From the top of the High Hill, my water will drain in different directions. It's enough for everyone! And those who fall ill with Sorrow or Sadness, will always be able to taste the magic of Happy Water!"
  The water poured over the edge of the well and flowed down the hill by rapid, noisy streams. Some brooks carried happiness to the forest, others poured into the Singing River, others flowed into the Tired Swamp and gave it strength.
  "Where is Oiki?" asked Pufik, looking around.
  And Oiki decided to teach Oxinol a little, but then it got dark. Oiki saw that the spider's eyes were sticking together which allowed him to rest.
  "Somebody is studying in the dark," thought Oiki."
   He lay down beside and fell asleep also. And the breeze rocked the big web like it was a cradle, and he himself was a caring nurse.
  "Sleep," smiled Pufik, "yes, and it's time for us, soon the night will come."
  "How's the night?" roared Big Booms. " I have not had dinner yet!"
  And he raised his friends in his arms and ran first to Strawberry Glade to leave there Pufik, and then to the Harvest Tree.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 8
  
  
  
  
  
  The next day, Big Booms woke up first. He awakened Flipri and said:
  "Today it is necessary to find the answer. Until I find out who I am, I will not be able to sleep peacefully," and yawned loudly. "I did not get enough sleep, because all night I had a dream Question."
  Flipri and Big Booms again went to Strawberry Glade, to Pufik. Yesterday, when they helped Oiki and Oxinol, they completely forgot about their Question. Their path lay by the cave, in which Oiki's Fearful Fear had previously lived.
  "Interesting," said Flipri. "And what is it that Oiki so noisy?"
  "I do not hear anything," said Booms.
  "Of course, your ears are not as sensitive as mine," replied Flipri, "Oiki is very angry today." And it seems to me that he is angry with Oxinol. Shall we go and see?"
  The friends rounded the hill, and approached the strange tree, under the roots of which lived Oiki. This tree was called strange because it grew in the air. Even from afar it was audible, as the power rustled in the trunk and branches, but the Tree obstinately did not want to grow.
  "Enough playing!" they heard a loud scream.
  Oiki ran around the tree and waved his wings angrily.
  "Oiki, why are you so angry?" Asked Flipri.
  "Oxinol is joking," answered Oki.
  Oxinol sat on the top of the Strange Tree. He tied a large petal to the cobweb and launched it, as if it were a kite. Spider laughed happily, watching the breeze rejoice in the new toy.
  "Now I understand why I'm angry?" growled Oiki.
  "Nothing is clear." Big Booms said. "The kid came up with an interesting game, and you're angry."
  "That's just the point, baby!" shouted Oiki, running around Big Booms. "He needs to learn, and he only knows what to play."
  "What do you teach him, Oiki?" asked Flipri.
  "Useful and important things!" said Oki with pride. "I'm trying to teach him how to build a nest, and he does not want to do it!" Oiki puffed up his wings indignantly and shouted:
  "Oxinol, immediately stop messing around! "
  "I'm not messing around," the spider replied. "Hello, Big Booms and Flipri!"
  He tied a spider web with a petal to a tree branch so that a breeze could entertain without him.
  "Do not mess around?" shouted Oiki. "And how else can you name what you are doing?"
  "I'm studying," said Oxinol.
  "What can you learn from the wind? Pranks ?! Immediately go to build a nest!"
  "Well, why should he learn to build a nest?" Flipri was surprised. "Oiki, he does not need a nest, he can weave a fine web."
  "What if it rains?" Oiki did not give up. "What will he do in his web?"
  "Gets wet," Big Booms laughed.
  "I'll tie it under a tree and the tree will protect me from the rain with my leaves," Oxinol replied.
  "What tree?" exclaimed Oiki, running around the Strange Tree. "Under this tree? And with what leaves, tell me, will it cover you, if it is STRANGE ?! It does not want to grow!"
  "I wonder ... Booms, put me to the ground, I'll talk to the tree," said Flipri.
  "Don"t the trees talk?" Booms was surprised, but he fulfilled the request.
  "It seems to me that something is wrong here," she whispered, touching the trunk. "The tree trembles, hardly restraining the juices. He really wants to grow. Tree, why do not you grow?
  "How does it answer you?" exclaimed Oiki. "The trees do not talk!"
  "They're talking," said Flipri. "Only very quietly. To hear them, you should listen not with your ears, but with your heart."
  "Like this?" everyone was surprised.
  "Very simple," answered Flipri. "You have to forget about everything that surrounds you and feel your heart. And then it will hear everything, everything! Even what the trees say."
  "But if the trees know how to speak, then why do not they make it loud?" Oiki was surprised.
  "Trees are so shy! cried Flipri. "They try to attract attention. Let's find out why the Strange Tree does not want to grow."
  They fell silent and listened.
  "I hear," whispered Oxinol.
  "I can hear it too!" exclaimed Oiki.
  "Yeah," Big Booms confirmed, smiling broadly, "I can hear it too. It grumbles as if it wants to! When I have a hunger, my stomach is just as grumbling at me!
  "Yes, this is your stomach!" shouted Oiki and flashed his wings indignantly. "He grumbles and grumbles so hard that he can"t listen to the Tree!" he turned to Flipri and asked: "Flipri, what does it say?"
  "It says it's embarrassed to grow," replied Flipri. "It turns out that it's So Modest! The tree says that if it starts to grow, then it will have to take water from the ground and other substances necessary to the tree."
  "So why does not it do it?" Big Booms was surprised.
  "It's shy. This tree is the biggest stubborn among all the trees in the world."
  "But what can I do? will this Tree never grow? "Oxinol almost cried.
  "I do not know," said Flipri.
  She really wanted to help the unfortunate Strange Tree, which, because of its shyness, never blossomed. Its ears flinched, sparkles flashed on their tips.
  "Strange tree, Earth says that you are worrying in vain. It says that it will gladly share with you all that it has itself," exclaimed Flipri.
  "And what does it say?" asked Big Booms, who still could not hear anything but the grumbling of his own stomach.
  "And the Earth also knows how to talk ?!" Big Booms was amazed.
  "Of course," answered Flipri. "He knows everything in the world, but many people do not know about it. We usually Listen. And it is necessary to hear!"
  "What's the difference? " Big Booms scratched his head again.
  "Great. For example, if I just Listen to the grumbling of your stomach, then only nagging sounds come to me - that's all. It's just someone else's meaningless sound that hinders and annoys, distracting me from my interesting Thoughts and Feelings. And if I Hear this grumbling, then Understanding comes to me. And I begin to understand that you are very hungry and need food. And it does not irritate me, but call for action - I will understand and share food with you. When you Listen, everything goes through your ears and does not stay in you. And when you Hear - then the sounds fall into the heart and stay with you forever. Try again to Hear, Big Booms, and you will surely succeed!"
  And Big Booms tried.
  "I"ve done it!" he roared enthusiastically and suddenly realized:
  "Strange Tree asks to remove the nest from under its roots, because it can break."
  "My nest!" shouted Oiki and began to pull the things out of the nest.
  In the nest of Oiki lay several Heavenly Glitters, which he found, after he learned to fly. Also there were large heads of sunflowers, full of strong seeds, colored pebbles, large feathers dropped by an unknown creature, and many, many other small things.
  Everyone began to help Oiki, and soon the place under the roots of Strange Tree was free.
  "Thank you," whispered Tree, and this time everyone heard it, because once you learn how to hear with your heart you'll never forget it.
  The strange tree gradually sank, its roots buried in the ground. The earth roared joyfully, hurrying to give them water, to share their strength. On the strange tree buds appeared. They cracked, and our friends saw how beautiful flowers bloomed.
  "It said that very delicious cherries would ripen in place of the flowers," whispered Oxinol and asked:
   "What is a cherry?"
  "Food!" roared Booms.
  On that day, friends did not reach Strawberry Glade again, because Big Booms wanted to eat. And after dinner he suddenly fell asleep and did not wake him up.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 9
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  "Wake up!"
  "Why are you shouting so loud?" Flipri yawned and opened her eyes.
   "Glitters have long been sparkling, and we have not had breakfast!"
  Big Booms handed Flipri a slice of orange.
  "Thank you," she said.
  "Eat soon, we go to Strawberry Glade!" said Big Booms.
  Again, he dreamed the whole night of the Question, and he decided , by all means, to find the answer this day. But that day friends did not come to visit Pufik. They reached the hill. Flipri wanted to talk with the Spring. Big Booms did not argue, he also wanted to drink.
  "Hello, Happy Spring!" said Flipri and crouched beside the water.
  "Hello, Flipri!" Happy Spring rejoiced. "I found a new Home, and now my water pleases the whole Enchanted World!"
  "How good!" Flipri laughed gaily, but, remembering the last meeting, she asked:
  "What about the Harmful Fly? She wasn"t in touch for a time. Do not you miss her?"
  "How can you miss the dirt, which produced the angry words ?!" the Happy Spring was surprised. "She flew in and swore a lot because I found a new home. She said that she will not be friends with me, and I will remain alone. Flipri, it turns out, she always deceived me! In the Enchanted World there are many inhabitants, and everyone is happy with my happy water."
  "I share your joy, Spring!" Flipri exclaimed and asked:
  "But what's the Harmful Fly? Did her dirty words muddy your water?"
  "No," said the Spring. "When she sipped my water, something strange happened. The Harmful Fly did not grow, as it used to be. On the contrary, it has decreased and changed her color."
  "What was she like now?" asked Flipri.
  "It has become dirty green!" cried Happy Spring.
  "Bad Spring! " it buzzed over his ear. Flipri looked around and saw the Fly.
  "Oh!" Flipri was surprised. The Harmful Fly was now a small and inconspicuous thing.
  "Harmful Fly became what she was before meeting you!"
  "I forgave her," said the Happy Spring. "I really want her to be happy and, as before, she became beautiful and pink. But my water acts on it not as it used to. The more she drinks it, the less it becomes."
  "It's a pity, but maybe the Fly herself will think why it happened. And it's time for us. Goodbye, the Happy Spring! "Flipri scooped up some water, got drunk, and laughed happily, added:
  "Thanks! "
  "And thank you, Flipri, for an interesting conversation!" said the Spring, saying good-bye.
  "All! We set out for!" said Big Booms. "We go to Pufik. It is necessary to find the answer, otherwise I'll lose weight! " the dragon patted his round stomach and added:
  "If you constantly skip dinner, it will become a bad habit."
  Flipri was in agreement with Big Booms. If you skip lunch, the Harvest Tree will be offended. Who is worth trying so hard to grow delicious fruit?
   "Pufik stood under a large burdock and thought. Pufik liked strawberries a little bit less than thinking. Maybe that's why the Strawberry Glade was invented specially for him in the Enchanted World.
  "Hello, Pufik!" said Flipri, but he did not answer. He was too deeply absorbed in his thoughts.
  "Pufik, hello!" Big Booms shouted as loud as possible, but Pufik did not hear again.
  "He thinks," said Flipriб "I hear his Thoughts, they are very Serious. Do not disturb him."
  "Why do we think Serious Thoughts?" Booms was surprised. "It's not interesting."
  "Very interesting," retorted Flipri. "That's when you think about who you are, and then you also think Serious Thought. And when you find the Answer, then you will look for another Question to think again."
  "What if I do not think?" asked Booms.
  "Then you will again turn into a tree and to hear yourself, you will have to have a very large heart."
  "But I became a tree because of the Evil Fine Flower!" replied Big Booms. "Because I regretted it, not because I did not think in such!"
  "If you were able to think Serious Thoughts, then you would know that the Pity never benefits. When you became a tree, everyone was sorry for you, willing to look after you, feeding you, so that the Parasite Flower had something to eat. And Pufik did not feel sorry for you, so he helped you."
  "Isn"t Pufik so kind?" the dragon was surprised. "Why didn"t he take pity on me?"
  "He is kind. He thought about how to help you, when everyone else thought how to Pity you. And these are different things!"
  "I see," Big Booms said, and sat down next to Pufik.
  He decided that every day he would think Serious Thoughts in order not to become a tree again.
  "You'll find your answer at the bottom of the Talking Lake," said Pufik without opening his eyes.
  "How do you know that we need an answer?" Big Booms was surprised.
  "I heard it," said Pufik. "I, too, can hear with my heart."
  "And what is there, at the bottom of the Speaking Lake?" asked Flipri.
  "The Answer. Everyone who wants to know who he is dives to the bottom."
  "Did you dive too?" Big Booms asked.
  "Of course," answered Pufik. "I was the first to appear in the Enchanted World. That time I was also worried about the question: who I am? And then I dived into the waters of the Talking Lake to find the Answer."
  "Tell me, what did the Talking Lake answer you ?!" demanded Big Booms. He became very interested, and he prepared to listen. Booms even thought that the Harvest Tree would not be offended if it missed another dinner.
  But Pufik smiled mysteriously and closed his eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 10
  
  
  
  
  
  The hard-working Imedin was busy with something every minute. His fluffy fur coat could be seen in the Nut Grove, and in the thickets of the Delicious Drain, and on the Strawberry Glade. Even Imedin was friends with Honey Bee and he could always ask for honey. Inhabitants of the Enchanted World knew, while Imedin's bright brown skin flashed in the distance, that everything would be all right in the world. But today Imedin was sitting on the porch of his house and wept bitterly.
  "Imedin, do you have trouble ?!" cried Flipri.
  "Something happened to my stock," Imedin said. "Heavenly Glitters ceased to sparkle."
  "It can"t be!" Flipri and Big Booms looked at the sky - the picture was in place, and dark spots were not observed anywhere."
  "Not those sparkles that are in the sky, but those that lie in my stock," Imedin said. "I heard that you are going to descent to the bottom of the lake for an answer. But in order to do this, you need to have a sparkle with you. And I can"t even share it with you, because all the Heavenly Sparkles in my Stock have gone out!"
  "Do not cry, Imedin," said Flipri, " show us your stock, maybe the Glitters themselves will tell you what happened to them."
  "Do the Heavenly Glitters know how to talk?" Imedin was surprised. "I never heard them speak."
  "You're not listening right!" said Big Booms with an air of importance. "You listen with your ears, but you must listen with your heart! Lead us to the Stock, now we'll figure out what happened there."
  They walked around the Speaking Lake, entered the shady twilight of the forest, and Imedin pointed at a hill of flower petals.
  "There is a hole under. I planted it with petals, so that the snowflakes were comfortable to lie on. They are so fragile!" exclaimed caring Imedin. "I have not looked in here for a long time, and when I decided to see today whether everything is in order, it turned out that the sparkles went out."
  Imedin sank to his knees and began to rake away the petals. Flipri sat next to him, listening. Big Booms, on the contrary, moved away from the hole. Sparkles are small and fragile, not very huge, you can step on them. And if they do not get Glitters with Flipri, the annoying Question will torment him all his life, preventing from sleep at night."
  "They are grieving," said Flipri, listening to the conversation of the celestial twinkles. " In order to always glow, the Glitterers should at least occasionally see a heavenly picture!"
  "They can"t be wrapped and covered?" Imedin was amazed. "What if something happens, and Glitterers will end?"
  "Glitters say they never end. The more you share them, the more of them you will have. Look!" Flipri exclaimed with bated breath.
  Even for a few moments it was enough for the Heavenly Glitters to see the daylight, to rejoice and to shine brighter than before.
  "Thank you." Imedin took two Glitters from the hole. He handed one to Flipri, and the another one to Big Booms.
  "Come, I'll open the gates to you!"
  Booms was so keen to be at the bottom of the Talking Lake, that he did not wait for Flipri and Imedin to reach the gate with their small legs. He picked them up and in two steps overcame the path. Imedin inserted the key in the keyhole and turned it three times. Big Booms checked if Flipri was holding the Heavenly Glitter, then lifted the baby in his arms and stepped toward the water.
  "Happy journey," Imedin said after the dragons, "good answers to you!"
  Big Booms stepped into the water. He was very worried about Flipri. I thought, can the water hurt her ears? And Flipri was very worried that she didn"t ask the stocky Imedin for at least one banana for Booms. He's sure to be hungry on the road! But they did not have time to say this to each other - the water spun by a quick funnel and pulled them along. The current was so strong that Big Booms could not hold the small Flipri. She was blown away somewhere.
  "Flipri!" shouted Big Booms, but it was a quiet cry, like the mewing of a small kitten. Flipri wanted to answer Big Booms, but she failed.
  And suddenly everything died down. The bottom was strewn with the Heavenly Glitters. In the water their shine was as beautiful as it was in the firmament. From the bottom, swaying, rose stems of water lilies, between which scurried small colorful fish. Near the stems lay a large sink, in which an invisible artist slept.
  "Why is it invisible?" Big Booms was surprised. "I can see it perfectly!"
  "I'm invisible because I work at night," the artist replied, opening his eyes, "everyone is asleep and no one sees me."
  "And you're not scared?" asked Flipri, looking at someone who every morning gives joy to all the Enchanted World.
  "Why to be afraid? "answered the artist, blowing air bubbles. "Night is just like the day. Just can"t see anything. I like to work at night - quietly, no one distracts from a favorite occupation. Why did you come here?"
  "I really need to know who I am!" cried Big Booms. "This question tortured me so much that I can"t sleep!"
  "Yes, said the Flipri's friend, "We just need to know."
  "What is your name? " asked the artist.
  "I'm Big Booms, and she's Flipri," the big dragon replied.
  "Booms, tell me, who is Flipri?" smiled the artist.
  "She is my friend!"
  "And now you, Flipri, tell us, who is Big Booms?"
  "He is my friend!" answered Flipri.
  "You got the Answer," said the Invisible Artist and ducked into the sink to keep on sleeping.
  "Everything was so simple?" there was a disappointment in Flipri's voice. "We have been looking for the answer for so long, but it turned out that it was always with us?"
  "Of course, the answers are always beside the Questions. And if you do not see the answer itself, then ask the one who stands next to you - maybe he knows better? " said the Artist and fell asleep.
  Again the whirlpool began to spin ...
  When Booms opened his eyes, he saw a kind face above him.
  "Mom," he wanted to say, but he couldn"t - he did not know how to talk.
  "Hello, son!" said mother, and Big Booms understood her.
  He still remembered the Enchanted World, and was worried about Flipri - where is she now, is she all right? And somewhere in the other city, and even in another country a little girl appeared. She also remembered the Enchanted World, but not for long.
  Someday, when they grow up, they will definitely meet to find together the answer to the important question: who are they. And on the way they will meet both wise Pufik, and noisy Oiki, and shy Oxinol. They will argue with the Harmful Fly, defeat Grym and Kuzyoba, and all other previous heroes.
  Sometimes Booms and Flipri will be returning to the Enchanted World to get a new question, which, of course, needs its appropriate Answer!
  
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