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Божьи коровки
“Ladybugs” by Nina Dashevskaya
Translated by Elizaveta Lyons
From the book “Tales on Tea Bags”
-Musya, what is your favorite animal?
-A ladybug, of course! Can’t you tell?
Of course, everyone could tell! Musya even had ladybugs on her swimsuit, twelve of them. Musya came to the sea with her mom and dad to teach her ladybugs how to swim. At first, they were a little scared of the waves, and they couldn’t really swim. Then they learned, all twelve of them, and after a week, you couldn’t get neither them nor Musya out of the water by their wings.
Then it was time to leave. Musya was packing her suitcase, but then realized: the ladybugs disappeared! All twelve! The swimsuit was there, but the ladybugs were gone!
-Oh,-said mom-I must have washed it wrong?!
But Musya had a different idea. That’s why she didn’t even cry.
They waited for a long time at the airport; the airplane was late. Musya pressed her nose to the glass and saw why. A little red snake was slithering across the runway, and all the airplanes were letting it through. The snake slithered closer, and it became apparent that it was twelve ladybugs crawling one after another. They crossed the runway and headed straight to Musya’s family on the stairs to the airplane. Musya opened her suitcase ajar, and the ladybugs darted into it one by one.
At home, all twelve ladybugs were clearly back where they belonged, on Musya’s swimsuit. They looked a little guilty, though. They wanted to go swimming in the ocean one last time so much that they almost missed the plane!
-Ok,-sighed Musya,-have it your way! I’ll sign us up for swimming lessons!
Translated by Elizaveta Lyons
From the book “Tales on Tea Bags”
-Musya, what is your favorite animal?
-A ladybug, of course! Can’t you tell?
Of course, everyone could tell! Musya even had ladybugs on her swimsuit, twelve of them. Musya came to the sea with her mom and dad to teach her ladybugs how to swim. At first, they were a little scared of the waves, and they couldn’t really swim. Then they learned, all twelve of them, and after a week, you couldn’t get neither them nor Musya out of the water by their wings.
Then it was time to leave. Musya was packing her suitcase, but then realized: the ladybugs disappeared! All twelve! The swimsuit was there, but the ladybugs were gone!
-Oh,-said mom-I must have washed it wrong?!
But Musya had a different idea. That’s why she didn’t even cry.
They waited for a long time at the airport; the airplane was late. Musya pressed her nose to the glass and saw why. A little red snake was slithering across the runway, and all the airplanes were letting it through. The snake slithered closer, and it became apparent that it was twelve ladybugs crawling one after another. They crossed the runway and headed straight to Musya’s family on the stairs to the airplane. Musya opened her suitcase ajar, and the ladybugs darted into it one by one.
At home, all twelve ladybugs were clearly back where they belonged, on Musya’s swimsuit. They looked a little guilty, though. They wanted to go swimming in the ocean one last time so much that they almost missed the plane!
-Ok,-sighed Musya,-have it your way! I’ll sign us up for swimming lessons!
