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Царь зверей
Sergey Sedov - King of the Jungle (translated by Alexander Suponya)
Once upon a time, the stuffed animals living inside of a store decided to choose themselves a King.
All of the animals instantly agreed that a Lion should be King of the toy store jungle. But there were three lions in the store. The first had an impressive, large stance, the second had a bellowing voice, but the third was neither large nor a powerful roarer. The animals had to decide which one would make the best king.
“The Large Lion should be our king!” said Grandma-turtle, so ancient that she has been living in the store since the previous century. “All of the animals would fear him - even the underwater animals, and the tin-made ones, and the transformer robots!”
And thus, the Large Lion became King of the toy story jungle. The first thing that the new King did was push through two elephants and three large chimpanzees as he climbed atop the highest, most prestigious shelf and took his reigning throne in a manner more splendid than the world has ever seen. The other animals all fell into a huge pile on the floor, and then kneeled before the Lion. “What a King!” they thought.
But before anyone could get used to the new King, somebody purchased him! The buyer, a 6 year old named Senya, was really short and would have never seen the Lion from behind the counter, had the Lion himself not climbed so high up the shelves that he illuminated the store with his size and beauty.
“We have lost our king!” said Grandma-turtle. “But let’s not despair! Life must continue, and the Roaring Lion should be our new leader!”
Everyone instantly agreed, because they really wanted themselves a king.
The first thing that the new King did was roar in his bellowing voice, like this:
“Rooooaaaarrrrrrrr!”
So powerful was the King’s roar that all of the animals quieted down - not only the tiniest ones, but even the underwater animals, and the tin-made ones, and the transformer robots. Even the toy machine guns stopped shooting, and the toy tanks stopped humming. Two saleswomen fainted, and some could hear the manager’s heavy oak desk tremble behind the office doors, as though it too was afraid of the roar. The stuffed animals looked in awe at the Roaring Lion. “What a King!” they thought.
Suddenly, a boy named Vasya entered the toy store. He instantly heard the Lion’s deafening roar, which droned out the already loud music coming through his headphones. Of course, Vasya bought the Lion that very moment. He liked everything that was loud.
The poor animals could not recover from their terrible loss. Many animals cried, despite the fact that it’s very unhealthy for stuffed animals to cry wet tears, as they could grow moist.
“Oh, dear animals, please don’t become so upset,” said Grandma-turtle, “We still have a third Lion. Even though he is tiny and quiet, he is still a Lion.”
Thus, the Small and Quiet Lion became King of the toy store jungle. Not only was he small and quiet, but he was also very timid and modest, so much so that he never jumped ahead of anyone and never tried to stick out from behind the elephants and the hippos. Not a single person who came to the store ever noticed the new King, and so he reigned forever and ever in the toy store jungle. In fact, he is still there today. Why do you think the animals behave themselves instead of fighting, quarrelling, or even waging war with robots? They always know to obey the rule of their unnoticeable and silent King…
If you ever find the Small and Quiet Lion in your toy store, don’t be afraid to buy him, because the Lion would honestly be very glad if you do. It’s great to be a King, but being someone’s favourite toy is certainly better. Don’t worry about the next King, there are many more Lions ready to be shipped into the store and keep the stuffed animals in order. Some say that there could be seven, or even eight of them!
Once upon a time, the stuffed animals living inside of a store decided to choose themselves a King.
All of the animals instantly agreed that a Lion should be King of the toy store jungle. But there were three lions in the store. The first had an impressive, large stance, the second had a bellowing voice, but the third was neither large nor a powerful roarer. The animals had to decide which one would make the best king.
“The Large Lion should be our king!” said Grandma-turtle, so ancient that she has been living in the store since the previous century. “All of the animals would fear him - even the underwater animals, and the tin-made ones, and the transformer robots!”
And thus, the Large Lion became King of the toy story jungle. The first thing that the new King did was push through two elephants and three large chimpanzees as he climbed atop the highest, most prestigious shelf and took his reigning throne in a manner more splendid than the world has ever seen. The other animals all fell into a huge pile on the floor, and then kneeled before the Lion. “What a King!” they thought.
But before anyone could get used to the new King, somebody purchased him! The buyer, a 6 year old named Senya, was really short and would have never seen the Lion from behind the counter, had the Lion himself not climbed so high up the shelves that he illuminated the store with his size and beauty.
“We have lost our king!” said Grandma-turtle. “But let’s not despair! Life must continue, and the Roaring Lion should be our new leader!”
Everyone instantly agreed, because they really wanted themselves a king.
The first thing that the new King did was roar in his bellowing voice, like this:
“Rooooaaaarrrrrrrr!”
So powerful was the King’s roar that all of the animals quieted down - not only the tiniest ones, but even the underwater animals, and the tin-made ones, and the transformer robots. Even the toy machine guns stopped shooting, and the toy tanks stopped humming. Two saleswomen fainted, and some could hear the manager’s heavy oak desk tremble behind the office doors, as though it too was afraid of the roar. The stuffed animals looked in awe at the Roaring Lion. “What a King!” they thought.
Suddenly, a boy named Vasya entered the toy store. He instantly heard the Lion’s deafening roar, which droned out the already loud music coming through his headphones. Of course, Vasya bought the Lion that very moment. He liked everything that was loud.
The poor animals could not recover from their terrible loss. Many animals cried, despite the fact that it’s very unhealthy for stuffed animals to cry wet tears, as they could grow moist.
“Oh, dear animals, please don’t become so upset,” said Grandma-turtle, “We still have a third Lion. Even though he is tiny and quiet, he is still a Lion.”
Thus, the Small and Quiet Lion became King of the toy store jungle. Not only was he small and quiet, but he was also very timid and modest, so much so that he never jumped ahead of anyone and never tried to stick out from behind the elephants and the hippos. Not a single person who came to the store ever noticed the new King, and so he reigned forever and ever in the toy store jungle. In fact, he is still there today. Why do you think the animals behave themselves instead of fighting, quarrelling, or even waging war with robots? They always know to obey the rule of their unnoticeable and silent King…
If you ever find the Small and Quiet Lion in your toy store, don’t be afraid to buy him, because the Lion would honestly be very glad if you do. It’s great to be a King, but being someone’s favourite toy is certainly better. Don’t worry about the next King, there are many more Lions ready to be shipped into the store and keep the stuffed animals in order. Some say that there could be seven, or even eight of them!
