In the 71st Kingdom, the defense-weapons - samovar state lived-there were also gingerbread. Formed, grew, transformed. But they differed from all other similar delicacies not only fillings. Their ancestors created gingerbread unusual-with a selective property: they reacted to negative human qualities.
This is how it happened:
On an autumn Saturday morning, the parents of two fairly independent children - Tanya (8 years old) and Ruslan (10 years old) - went on a one-day business trip, leaving a certain amount of money just in case and allowing some to spend on sweets. The children, of course, could not miss such a pleasant opportunity, so they divided the duties for the morning-Ruslan walks with the dog; Tanya goes for a fresh batch of gingerbread in the bakery. She was literally two streets away from their house and worked even on weekends.
Rustling leaves under their feet, Tanya cheerfully went to the destination. The sign on the door winked invitingly with the letters "Welcome", the wonderful aroma was heard already on the street.
The bell at the entrance made the salesman pay attention to the girl.
- Hello. To help you with your choice? the middle-aged woman on the other side of the counter asked solicitously.
- Hello. I'm almost certain. Now, I'll think about it for a few more minutes. the girl replied.
- Nicely. Choose. No hurry.
Tanya's eyes darted back and forth. The choice is huge, the flavors are tempting. All at once...
I really wanted to eat gingerbread with boiled condensed milk. And with fruit, too....not small.
In the head of Tanya came an unpleasant thought: & quot;Gingerbread need to take both yourself and your brother. There's enough money for two. My brother doesn't know the exact price of them. Buy one large with fruit filling, and the second (smaller) with boiled condensed milk. I will tell Ruslan that gingerbread rose in price, there was only enough for one, and we will eat it with him, and the second hide-polamkomlyus then one."
So she did. After paying for the purchase, one put in a bag, the second put in a backpack. Satisfied with her decision, she went back home.
Ruslan had just returned. He sat in the kitchen, playing with the dog, waiting for Tanya.
The girl joyfully put the package with the purchased delicacy on the table with the words "This is our dessert for today"and went to put buckwheat on plates to warm it in the microwave.
- Perfectly. Thank You, Tanya. With what filling bought in the end? - said Ruslan.
- Fruit. There was enough money for exactly one big one.
"Ah, well, but...with condensed milk I wanted no less.
"Then some day we'll eat it with condensed milk." Today-fruit our dessert. - Tanya answered, but her conscience was more and more dissatisfied with the girl.
After finishing the meal with herbal tea and gingerbread, the children went about their own business and Hobbies. Then the day was quite normal: they cleaned their rooms, did their homework, had lunch, and went out with the dog again.
The evening came. The daylight was gradually diminishing, and a thick twilight was already falling over the city. Until the return of the parents remained presumably 2 hours (they called to find out how the children are doing). Ruslan decided to spend this time usefully, in his opinion - to play computer games. Tanya, knowing that her brother could not be torn away from the computer, decided to pass the time with the delicacy that had been postponed since the morning.
But the Goodies of the 71st Kingdom, as mentioned above, are not easy-special. If conscience gnawed at the girl, then gingerbread was definitely dissatisfied with her behavior.
Tanya put the kettle on, opened her backpack, and sat down .... I found it empty.
" How so?!" - a thought flashed through Tatiana's head - " I remember exactly what I paid for and took the gingerbread. Where could he have gone?!".
The girl went back to the hall, looked at the nightstand, pushed it back a little in case the gingerbread fell out of the backpack, but...there was no Goodies anywhere.
& nbsp;Gingerbread can not be deceived: the girl did not act honestly, not in conscience, and he disappeared.
Upset, Tanya sat down on the floor. Mused.
"Why are you sitting here?" - interrupted thought girls question brother.
- J... She didn't know what to say. "You finished the games quickly today.
- Tired. So why are you sitting here? You didn't answer.
- Actually, Ruslan, I lied to you -bought two gingerbread in the morning, put one in a backpack and wanted to please them in the evening. It's just with condensed milk, just like you wanted, but I think you left it at the bakery.
"Give me the backpack, please." Let's take a closer look.
"It's empty. Tanya answered, handing the backpack to her brother.
"How empty is it?" Here-look-it?
Tanya's eyes widened in surprise. "It?! How could this happen? She looked several times - there was no gingerbread. What wonders!& quot; - the girl thought tensely.
- Ruslan, this seems to be entirely your carrot, since I have deceived you again. I bought two this morning, but I wanted to eat this one alone... - Almost crying said the girl. "Right now I was looking for it to eat, but the backpack was definitely empty.
"Then it's all clear.
"Understand what?" The girl asked.
"Didn't you know that our local gingerbread is special?" They do not tolerate negative qualities, including lies. So he disappeared.
When they tried to find out what I was allergic to, my mother forbade me to eat sweets (and gingerbread as well), but I disobeyed and bought one with my pocket money. When I got home, I didn't find it in my backpack either. I confessed to my mother. It was then that she told me about the peculiarity of our local delicacies. According to her, there were such cases in the production, for example: someone dropped a bad word while painting a gingerbread by hand, and it turned into coal.
- It's amazing, you speak so wisely, as if you are not 2 years older than me, but 10. So you're not mad at me at all? - wiping her eyes wet with tears, the girl asked.
"No, of course not. I've stepped on that rake myself, especially since you've repented. My parents will be here soon. Let's put down the gingerbread and drink tea with them?
"How well you thought of it! Let's. Thank you. Tanya said and hugged her brother.
At this point, even gingerbread seemed to smile with its pattern.