The Flea and the Ant

The flea and the ant became friends. They set off together and came to a stream. The flea said to the ant:
— I’ll jump across, and you?
— I can’t jump across! — said the ant.

The flea — hop! — leaped to the other side, but the ant — hop! — fell into the water. The ant began to beg the flea:
— Little flea, dear sister, help me, don’t let me perish, let me climb out of the water.
The flea — hop-hop! — ran to the pig and asked:
— Pig, give me some bristles, I’ll weave a rope, throw it into the water, and pull out my brother, the little ant.

The pig said:
— Have you brought me acorns?
The flea — hop-hop! — ran to the oak tree and asked:

— Oak, give me acorns,
I’ll take them to the pig,
the pig will give me bristles,
I’ll weave a rope,
throw it into the water, and pull out
my brother, the little ant.

The oak said:
— Have you driven the crows away from me?
The flea — hop-hop! — ran to the crow and asked:

— Crow, leave the oak alone,
the oak will give me acorns,
I’ll take them to the pig,
the pig will give me bristles,
I’ll weave a rope,
throw it into the water, and pull out
my brother, the little ant.

The crow said:
— Have you brought me chicks?
The flea — hop-hop! — ran to the hen and asked:

— Hen, give me a chick,
I’ll take it to the crow,
the crow will leave the oak alone,
the oak will give me acorns,
I’ll take them to the pig,
the pig will give me bristles,
I’ll weave a rope,
throw it into the water, and pull out
my brother, the little ant.

The hen said:
— Have you brought me millet?
The flea — hop-hop! — hopped to the pit:

— Pit, give me millet,
I’ll take it to the hen,
the hen will give me a chick,
I’ll take it to the crow,
the crow will leave the oak alone,
the oak will give me acorns,
I’ll take them to the pig,
the pig will give me bristles,
I’ll weave a rope,
throw it into the water, and pull out
my brother, the little ant.

The pit said:
— Have you driven the mouse away from me?
The flea — hop-hop! — hopped to the mouse:

— Mouse, leave the pit alone,
the pit will give me millet,
I’ll take it to the hen,
the hen will give me a chick,
I’ll take it to the crow,
the crow will leave the oak alone,
the oak will give me acorns,
I’ll take them to the pig,
the pig will give me bristles,
I’ll weave a rope,
throw it into the water, and pull out
my brother, the little ant.

The mouse said:
— Have you saved me from the cat?
The flea — hop-hop! — hopped to the cat:

— Cat, don’t chase the mouse,
the mouse will leave the pit alone,
the pit will give me millet,
I’ll take it to the hen,
the hen will give me a chick,
I’ll take it to the crow,
the crow will leave the oak alone,
the oak will give me acorns,
I’ll take them to the pig,
the pig will give me bristles,
I’ll weave a rope,
throw it into the water, and pull out
my brother, the little ant.

The cat said:
— Have you brought me milk?
The flea — hop-hop! — hopped to the cow:

— Cow, give me milk,
I’ll take it to the cat,
the cat won’t chase the mouse,
the mouse will leave the pit alone,
the pit will give me millet,
I’ll take it to the hen,
the hen will give me a chick,
I’ll take it to the crow,
the crow will leave the oak alone,
the oak will give me acorns,
I’ll take them to the pig,
the pig will give me bristles,
I’ll weave a rope,
throw it into the water, and pull out
my brother, the little ant.

The cow said:
— Have you brought me grass?
The flea — hop-hop! — ran to the field, gathered some grass, and brought it to the cow. The cow gave her milk.

She took it to the cat,
the cat stopped chasing the mouse,
the mouse left the pit alone,
the pit gave her millet,
she took it to the hen,
the hen gave her a chick,
she took it to the crow,
the crow left the oak alone,
the oak gave her acorns,
she took them to the pig,
the pig gave her bristles,
the flea wove a rope from the bristles,
tied a blade of grass to the rope,
and threw it into the water.

The ant climbed onto the blade of grass, the flea pulled the rope, and pulled her brother, the little ant, to the shore, saving him from death. Then they set off together again. Fairy girl