Сказки дедушки Ралота. Учим наших детей иностранным языкам

Он так бы и не попал на приём к правительнице, если бы главная муравьиха не заметила Рыжика и грозно скомандовала:

– Пропустите маленького. Вижу, он хочет сказать что-то важное!

Минуту спустя, выслушав историю одного из своих многочисленных сыновей, она честно призналась, что отгадки у неё нет, но она знакома с той, которая знает ответ наверняка. Это главная пчела Фрося. И друзьям надо поспешить к ней в улей. Но быть, при этом, крайне осторожными, ибо пчёлы жалят инородцев без всякого предупреждения.

The third evening.

In the trap

Spring rain is swift. It will scare everybody for about fifteen minutes and rush off away. This has happened today, too. After a brief rain, the forest was filled with a familiar melody: grasshoppers chirped, cicadas sang and… a fly moaned plaintively! The poor thing got caught in a spider’s web!

Friends! We must release her straight away!

The brave ant took his guard, urging his friends to go immediately and fight the terrible spider-invader

– Go and tear up his cobweb! It will teach him not to offend the little ones! – Floky commanded, addressing the mantis, – and Gingy will help you: he is to cling to the villain and hold him until you release the buzzing fly.

– Maybe we just should ask him to free her? Why should we show hackles right away? – Zlik suggested unexpectedly for himself. – First, we need to be nice. Do you agree?

***

– No way! I won’t do it! She’s my prey. Moreover, it’s legal. I’ve spun a cobweb. I have been watching her for many hours and now you repeat over and over: let her go.

Don’t you know that all spiders are predators? It’s true, we can sometimes feed on nectar or plant juice, but not too often, – Glotton, the spider, turned obstinate, brushing raindrops from the web with his six paws, and tangling the fly tightly with the other two.

– Do you want us to bring you a sweet juicy stalk and exchange it for the fly? Floky rejoiced.

– No! – the spider snapped, – but if you really need this buzzing fly, you have to guess my riddle.

If your answer is correct – all right, I’ll let her go.

– Stop stalling for time and ask your riddle! – the friends exclaimed all together.

– Why do all insects have six paws, but we, spiders, have eight ones?

On hearing this, the mantis, the firefly and the ant spread all their eighteen paws apart and began to scratch the back of their heads simultaneously.

Gingy was the first to collect himself.