Bianchi Vitaly

Red hill

Vitaly Valentinovich Bianchi

Red hill

Chick was a young red-headed sparrow. When he was a year old from birth, he married Chirika and decided to live in his house.

Chick, - Chirika said in sparrow language, - Chick, where are we going to make a nest for ourselves? After all, all the hollows in our garden are already occupied.

Eka thing! - Chick answered, also, of course, in a sparrow way. - Well, let's kick the neighbors out of the house and fill their hollow.

He was very fond of fighting and was delighted with such an opportunity to show Chirika his prowess. And, before the timid Chirika had time to stop him, he fell off the branch and rushed to a large mountain ash with a hollow. There lived his neighbor, a young sparrow like Chick.

The owner was not near the house.

"I'll climb into the hollow," Chick decided, "and when the owner arrives, I'll shout that he wants to take my house away from me. The old people will flock - and now we'll ask the neighbor!"

He completely forgot that the neighbor is married and his wife has been making a nest in a hollow for the fifth day.

As soon as Chick stuck his head into the hole, - rraz! Someone poked him hard on the nose. Chick squeaked and bounced off the hollow. And a neighbor was already rushing at him from behind.

With a cry they collided in the air, fell to the ground, grappled and rolled into the ditch.

Chick fought well, and his neighbor was already having a hard time. But at the noise of the fight, old sparrows flocked from all over the garden. They immediately figured out who was right and who was wrong, and gave Chick such a kick that he did not remember how he escaped from them.

Chick came to himself in some bushes, where he had never happened to be before. All his bones ached.

Next to him sat a frightened Chirika.

Chick! she said so sadly that he would surely burst into tears, if only sparrows could cry. - Chick, now we will never return to our native garden! Where will we take the children now?

Chick himself understood that he could no longer catch the eye of the old sparrows: they would beat him to death. Still, he did not want to show Chirika that he was a coward. He straightened his disheveled feathers with his beak, caught his breath a little and said nonchalantly:

Eka thing! Let's find another place, even better.

And they went wherever they look - to look for a new place to live.

As soon as they flew out of the bushes, they found themselves on the banks of a cheerful blue river. Behind the river rose a high, high mountain of red clay and sand. Under the very top of the cliff, there were many holes and minks. Jackdaws and red kestrel falcons sat in pairs near the large holes; from small burrows now and then swift shore swallows flew out. A whole flock of them hovered over the cliff in a light cloud.

Look how fun they are! Chirik said. - Let's make ourselves a nest on Red Hill.

Chick looked warily at the falcons and jackdaws. He thought: "It's good for the shorebirds: they dig their own minks in the sand. And should I beat someone else's nest?" And again, all the bones ached at once.

No, - he said, - I don't like it here: such a noise, you can just go deaf.

Chick and Chirika sat down on the roof of the barn. Chick immediately noticed that there were no sparrows or swallows.

That's where life is! he said happily to Chirika. - Look how many grains and crumbs are scattered around the yard. We'll be alone here and won't let anyone in.

Chsh! - Chirika hissed. - Look, what a monster there, on the porch.

And it's true: a fat Red Cat was sleeping on the porch.

Eka thing! Chick said bravely. What will he do to us? Look, that's how I do it now!..

He flew off the roof and rushed at the Cat so quickly that Chirika even screamed.

But Chick deftly picked up a piece of bread from under the Cat's nose and - once again! was on the roof again.

The cat did not even move, only opened one eye and looked sharply at the bully.

Did you see? Chick boasted. - And you're afraid!

Chirika did not argue with him, and both began to look for a convenient place for the nest.

They chose a wide gap under the roof of the barn. Here they began to drag first straw, then horsehair, down and feathers.

Less than a week later, Chirika laid the first egg in the nest - a small one, all in pinkish-brown mottled. Chick was so happy for him that he even composed a song in honor of his wife and himself:

Chirik, Chik-chik,

Chirik, Chik-chik,

Chiki-chiki-chiki-chiki,

Chicky, Chick, Chick!

This song meant absolutely nothing, but it was so convenient to sing it, jumping over the fence.

When there were six testicles in the nest. Chirika sat down to hatch them.

Chick flew off to collect worms and flies for her, because now she had to be fed delicate food. He hesitated a little, and Chirika wanted to see where he was.

As soon as she stuck her nose out of the crack, a red paw with outstretched claws reached out from the roof behind her. Chirika rushed - and left a whole bunch of feathers in the cat's claws. A little more - and her song would be sung.

The cat followed her with his eyes, put his paw into the crack and pulled out the whole nest at once, a whole wad of straw, feathers and fluff. In vain Chirika shouted, in vain Chick, who arrived in time, boldly rushed at the Cat - no one came to their aid. The red-haired robber calmly ate all six of their precious testicles. The wind picked up an empty light nest and threw it from the roof to the ground.

On the same day, the sparrows left the barn forever and moved to a grove, away from the Red Cat.

In the grove they were soon lucky enough to find a free hollow. They again began to carry straw and worked for a whole week, building a nest.

In their neighbors lived the thick-billed and dapper Goldfinch with the Goldfinch, the motley Flycatcher with the Flycatcher. Each couple had their own house, there was enough food for everyone, but Chick had already managed to fight with the neighbors - just to show them how brave and strong he was.

Only Finch turned out to be stronger than him and patted the bully well. Then Chick became more careful. He no longer got into a fight, but only puffed up his feathers and chirped cockily when one of the neighbors flew by. For this, the neighbors were not angry with him: they themselves loved to boast to others of their strength and prowess.

They lived peacefully until disaster struck.

Hurry, hurry! shouted Chick to Chirike. - Do you hear: Finch zapinka danger!

And the truth is: someone terrible was approaching them. After the Finch, the Goldfinch cried, and then the Motley Flycatcher. Mukholov lived just four trees from the sparrows. If he saw the enemy, it means that the enemy was very close.

Chirika flew out of the hollow and sat on a branch next to Chick. Neighbors warned them of the danger, and they prepared to meet it face to face.

Fluffy red hair flashed in the bushes, and their fierce enemy - the Cat - came out into the open. He saw that the neighbors had already betrayed him to the sparrows and now he could not catch Chiriku in the nest. He got angry.

Red hill

Vitaly Valentinovich Bianchi
Red hill
Chick was a young red-headed sparrow. When he was a year old from birth, he married Chirika and decided to live in his house.
- Chik, - Chirika said in sparrow language, - Chik, where are we going to make a nest for ourselves? After all, all the hollows in our garden are already occupied.
- What a thing! - Chick answered, also, of course, in a sparrow way. - Well, let's kick the neighbors out of the house and fill their hollow.
He was very fond of fighting and was delighted with such an opportunity to show Chirika his prowess. And, before the timid Chirika had time to stop him, he fell off the branch and rushed to a large mountain ash with a hollow. There lived his neighbor, a young sparrow like Chick.
The owner was not near the house.
"I'll climb into the hollow," Chick decided, "and when the owner arrives, I'll shout that he wants to take my house away from me. The old people will flock - and now we'll ask the neighbor!"
He completely forgot that the neighbor is married and his wife has been making a nest in a hollow for the fifth day.
As soon as Chick stuck his head into the hole, - rraz! Someone poked him hard on the nose. Chick squeaked and bounced off the hollow. And a neighbor was already rushing at him from behind.
With a cry they collided in the air, fell to the ground, grappled and rolled into the ditch.
Chick fought well, and his neighbor was already having a hard time. But at the noise of the fight, old sparrows flocked from all over the garden. They immediately figured out who was right and who was wrong, and gave Chick such a kick that he did not remember how he escaped from them.
Chick came to himself in some bushes, where he had never happened to be before. All his bones ached.
Next to him sat a frightened Chirika.
- Chick! she said so sadly that he would surely burst into tears, if only sparrows could cry. - Chick, now we will never return to our native garden! Where will we take the children now?
Chick himself understood that he could no longer catch the eye of the old sparrows: they would beat him to death. Still, he did not want to show Chirika that he was a coward. He straightened his disheveled feathers with his beak, caught his breath a little and said nonchalantly:
- What a thing! Let's find another place, even better.
And they went wherever they look - to look for a new place to live.
As soon as they flew out of the bushes, they found themselves on the banks of a cheerful blue river. Behind the river rose a high, high mountain of red clay and sand. Under the very top of the cliff, there were many holes and minks. Jackdaws and red kestrel falcons sat in pairs near the large holes; from small burrows now and then swift shore swallows flew out. A whole flock of them hovered over the cliff in a light cloud.
- Look how fun they are! Chirik said. - Let's make ourselves a nest on Red Hill.
Chick looked warily at the falcons and jackdaws. He thought: "It's good for the shorebirds: they dig their own minks in the sand. And should I beat someone else's nest?" And again, all the bones ached at once.
“No,” he said, “I don’t like it here: such a noise, you can just go deaf.
And they flew on. Further there was a grove, and behind the grove - a house with a wooden shed.
Chick and Chirika sat down on the roof of the barn. Chick immediately noticed that there were no sparrows or swallows.
- That's where life is! he said happily to Chirika. - Look how many grains and crumbs are scattered around the yard. We'll be alone here and won't let anyone in.
- Chsh! - Chirika hissed. - Look, what a monster there, on the porch.
And it's true: a fat Red Cat was sleeping on the porch.
- What a thing! Chick said bravely. What will he do to us? Look, that's how I do it now!..
He flew off the roof and rushed at the Cat so quickly that Chirika even screamed.
But Chick deftly picked up a piece of bread from under the Cat's nose and - once again! was on the roof again.
The cat did not even move, only opened one eye and looked sharply at the bully.
- Did you see it? Chick boasted. - And you're afraid!
Chirika did not argue with him, and both began to look for a convenient place for the nest.
They chose a wide gap under the roof of the barn. Here they began to drag first straw, then horsehair, down and feathers.
Less than a week later, Chirika laid the first egg in the nest - a small one, all in pinkish-brown mottled. Chick was so happy for him that he even composed a song in honor of his wife and himself:
Chirik, Chik-chik,
Chirik, Chik-chik,
Chiki-chiki-chiki-chiki,
Chicky, Chick, Chick!
This song meant absolutely nothing, but it was so convenient to sing it, jumping over the fence.
When there were six testicles in the nest. Chirika sat down to hatch them.
Chick flew off to collect worms and flies for her, because now she had to be fed delicate food. He hesitated a little, and Chirika wanted to see where he was.
As soon as she stuck her nose out of the crack, a red paw with outstretched claws reached out from the roof behind her. Chirika rushed - and left a whole bunch of feathers in the cat's claws. A little more - and her song would be sung.
The cat followed her with his eyes, put his paw into the crack and pulled out the whole nest at once, a whole wad of straw, feathers and fluff. In vain Chirika shouted, in vain Chick, who arrived in time, boldly rushed at the Cat - no one came to their aid. The red-haired robber calmly ate all six of their precious testicles. The wind picked up an empty light nest and threw it from the roof to the ground.
On the same day, the sparrows left the barn forever and moved to a grove, away from the Red Cat.
In the grove they were soon lucky enough to find a free hollow. They again began to carry straw and worked for a whole week, building a nest.
In their neighbors lived the thick-billed and dapper Goldfinch with the Goldfinch, the motley Flycatcher with the Flycatcher. Each couple had their own house, there was enough food for everyone, but Chick had already managed to fight with the neighbors - just to show them how brave and strong he was.
Only Finch turned out to be stronger than him and patted the bully well. Then Chick became more careful. He no longer got into a fight, but only puffed up his feathers and chirped cockily when one of the neighbors flew by. For this, the neighbors were not angry with him: they themselves loved to boast to others of their strength and prowess.
They lived peacefully until disaster struck.
Finch was the first to raise the alarm. He lived farther than others from the sparrows, but Chick heard his loud alarm: rum-pink-pink! rum-pink-pink!
- Hurry, hurry! shouted Chick to Chirike. - Do you hear: Finch zapinka danger!
And the truth is: someone terrible was approaching them. After the Finch, the Goldfinch cried, and then the Motley Flycatcher. Mukholov lived just four trees from the sparrows. If he saw the enemy, it means that the enemy was very close.
Chirika flew out of the hollow and sat on a branch next to Chick. Neighbors warned them of the danger, and they prepared to meet it face to face.
Fluffy red hair flashed in the bushes, and their fierce enemy - the Cat - came out into the open. He saw that the neighbors had already betrayed him to the sparrows and now he could not catch Chiriku in the nest. He got angry.
Suddenly the tip of his tail moved in the grass, his eyes narrowed: the cat saw a hollow. Well, even half a dozen sparrow eggs is a good breakfast. And the cat licked his lips. He climbed up a tree and put his paw into the hollow.
Chick and Chirika raised a cry throughout the grove. But even then no one came to their aid. The neighbors sat in their seats and shouted loudly in fear. Each couple feared for their home.
The cat caught the nest with its claws and pulled it out of the hollow.
But this time he came too early: there were no eggs in the nest, no matter how much he searched.
Then he left the nest and went down to earth himself. The sparrows followed him with a cry.
At the very bushes, the Cat stopped and turned to them with such an air as if he wanted to say:
"Wait, darlings, wait! You can't get away from me anywhere! Make yourself a new nest wherever you want, bring out the chicks, and I will come and devour them, and you at the same time."
And he snorted so menacingly that Chirika shuddered in fear.
The cat left, and Chick and Chirika were left to grieve at the ruined nest. Finally Chirika said:
- Chick, because in a few days I will certainly have a new testicle. Let's fly quickly, find a place for ourselves somewhere across the river. The Cat won't get us there.
She did not know that there was a bridge across the river and that the Cat often walked along this bridge. Chick didn't know that either.
"Let's fly," he agreed. And they flew.
Soon they found themselves under the very Red Hill.
- To us, fly to us! - Shouted to them the coast guards in their own, in the swallow language. - We have a friendly, cheerful life on Krasnaya Gorka.
- Yes, - Chick shouted to them, - but you yourself will fight!
Why should we fight? - the coastguards answered. - We have enough midges over the river for everyone, we have a lot of empty minks on Krasnaya Gorka - choose any one.
- And the kestrels? And the jackdaws? Chick didn't let up.
- Kestrels catch grasshoppers and mice in the fields. They don't touch us. We are all in friendship.
And Chirika said:
- We flew with you, Chick, we flew, but we did not see a more beautiful place than this. Let's live here.
- Well, - Chick surrendered, - since they have free minks and no one will fight, you can try.
They flew up to the mountain, and it’s true: neither the kestrels touched them, nor the jackdaws.
They began to choose a mink to their liking: so that it was not very deep, and the entrance was wider. Found two of these side by side.
In one they built a nest and Chirik to incubate the village, in the other Chik spent the night.
At the coast, at the jackdaws, at the falcons - all of them have hatched chicks for a long time. Chirika alone sat patiently in her dark hole. Chick brought her food there from morning till night.
Two weeks passed. The red cat did not show up. The sparrows have already forgotten about him.
Chick was looking forward to the chicks. Every time he brought a worm or a fly to Chirika, he asked her:
- Do they knock?
- No, they don't knock.
- Will they be soon?
"Soon, soon," Chirika answered patiently.
One morning, Chirika called him from the mink:
- Fly quickly: one knocked! Chick immediately rushed to the nest. Then he heard how, in one egg, a chick poked a little audibly into the shell with a weak beak. Chirika carefully helped him: she broke the shell in different places.
A few minutes passed, and the chick emerged from the egg - tiny, naked, blind. On a thin, thin neck dangled a large naked head.
- How funny he is! Chick was surprised.
- Not funny at all! Chirika was offended. - A very pretty chick. And you have nothing to do here, take the shells here and throw them somewhere far away from the nest.
While Chick was carrying the shells, the second chick hatched and the third began to tap.
It was then that the alarm on Red Hill began.
From their mink, the sparrows heard the swallows suddenly scream piercingly.
Chick jumped out and immediately returned with the news that the Red Cat was climbing the cliff.
- He saw me! Chick shouted. - He will be here now and will pull us out together with the chicks. Hurry, hurry, let's fly away from here!
- No, - Chirika answered sadly. - I will not fly anywhere from my little chicks. Let it be what will be.
And no matter how much Chick called, she did not budge.
Then Chick flew out of the hole and began, like a madman, to throw himself at the Cat. And the Cat climbed and climbed the cliff. Swallows hovered over him in a cloud, screaming jackdaws and pu-strings flew to their rescue.
The cat quickly climbed up and grabbed the edge of the mink with its paw. Now all he had to do was stick his other paw behind the nest and pull it out along with Chirika, chicks and eggs.
But at that moment one kestrel pecked at his tail, another at his head, and two jackdaws struck him in the back.
The cat hissed in pain, turned around and wanted to grab the birds with his front paws. But the birds dodged, and he rolled head over heels down. He had nothing to cling to: the sand poured along with him, and the further, the sooner, the farther, the sooner ...
The birds could no longer see where the Cat was: only a cloud of red dust rushed from the cliff. Plop! - and the cloud stopped over the water. When it dissipated, the birds saw a wet cat's head in the middle of the river, and Chick kept up behind and pecked at the back of the Cat's head.
The cat swam across the river and got to the shore. Chick didn't leave him behind. The cat was so frightened that he did not dare to grab him, lifted his wet tail and galloped home.
Since then, the Red Cat has never been seen on the Red Hill.
Chirika calmly brought out six chicks, and a little later, six more, and all of them remained to live in free swallow nests.
And Chick stopped bullying the neighbors and made good friends with the swallows.

Vitaly Valentinovich Bianchi

Red hill

Chick was a young red-headed sparrow. When he was a year old from birth, he married Chirika and decided to live in his house.

Chick, - Chirika said in sparrow language, - Chick, where are we going to make a nest for ourselves? After all, all the hollows in our garden are already occupied.

Eka thing! - Chick answered, also, of course, in a sparrow way. - Well, let's kick the neighbors out of the house and fill their hollow.

He was very fond of fighting and was delighted with such an opportunity to show Chirika his prowess. And, before the timid Chirika had time to stop him, he fell off the branch and rushed to a large mountain ash with a hollow. There lived his neighbor, a young sparrow like Chick.

The owner was not near the house.

"I'll climb into the hollow," Chick decided, "and when the owner arrives, I'll shout that he wants to take my house away from me. The old people will flock - and now we'll ask the neighbor!"

He completely forgot that the neighbor is married and his wife has been making a nest in a hollow for the fifth day.

As soon as Chick stuck his head into the hole, - rraz! Someone poked him hard on the nose. Chick squeaked and bounced off the hollow. And a neighbor was already rushing at him from behind.

With a cry they collided in the air, fell to the ground, grappled and rolled into the ditch.

Chick fought well, and his neighbor was already having a hard time. But at the noise of the fight, old sparrows flocked from all over the garden. They immediately figured out who was right and who was wrong, and gave Chick such a kick that he did not remember how he escaped from them.

Chick came to himself in some bushes, where he had never happened to be before. All his bones ached.

Next to him sat a frightened Chirika.

Chick! she said so sadly that he would surely burst into tears, if only sparrows could cry. - Chick, now we will never return to our native garden! Where will we take the children now?

Chick himself understood that he could no longer catch the eye of the old sparrows: they would beat him to death. Still, he did not want to show Chirika that he was a coward. He straightened his disheveled feathers with his beak, caught his breath a little and said nonchalantly:

Eka thing! Let's find another place, even better.

And they went wherever they look - to look for a new place to live.

As soon as they flew out of the bushes, they found themselves on the banks of a cheerful blue river. Behind the river rose a high, high mountain of red clay and sand. Under the very top of the cliff, there were many holes and minks. Jackdaws and red kestrel falcons sat in pairs near the large holes; from small burrows now and then swift shore swallows flew out. A whole flock of them hovered over the cliff in a light cloud.

Look how fun they are! Chirik said. - Let's make ourselves a nest on Red Hill.

Chick looked warily at the falcons and jackdaws. He thought: "It's good for the shorebirds: they dig their own minks in the sand. And should I beat someone else's nest?" And again, all the bones ached at once.

No, - he said, - I don't like it here: such a noise, you can just go deaf.

Chick and Chirika sat down on the roof of the barn. Chick immediately noticed that there were no sparrows or swallows.

That's where life is! he said happily to Chirika. - Look how many grains and crumbs are scattered around the yard. We'll be alone here and won't let anyone in.

Chsh! - Chirika hissed. - Look, what a monster there, on the porch.

And it's true: a fat Red Cat was sleeping on the porch.

Eka thing! Chick said bravely. What will he do to us? Look, that's how I do it now!..

He flew off the roof and rushed at the Cat so quickly that Chirika even screamed.

But Chick deftly picked up a piece of bread from under the Cat's nose and - once again! was on the roof again.

The cat did not even move, only opened one eye and looked sharply at the bully.

Did you see? Chick boasted. - And you're afraid!

Chirika did not argue with him, and both began to look for a convenient place for the nest.

They chose a wide gap under the roof of the barn. Here they began to drag first straw, then horsehair, down and feathers.

Less than a week later, Chirika laid the first egg in the nest - a small one, all in pinkish-brown mottled. Chick was so happy for him that he even composed a song in honor of his wife and himself:

Chirik, Chik-chik,

Chirik, Chik-chik,

Chiki-chiki-chiki-chiki,

Chicky, Chick, Chick!

This song meant absolutely nothing, but it was so convenient to sing it, jumping over the fence.

When there were six testicles in the nest. Chirika sat down to hatch them.

Chick flew off to collect worms and flies for her, because now she had to be fed delicate food. He hesitated a little, and Chirika wanted to see where he was.

As soon as she stuck her nose out of the crack, a red paw with outstretched claws reached out from the roof behind her. Chirika rushed - and left a whole bunch of feathers in the cat's claws. A little more - and her song would be sung.

The cat followed her with his eyes, put his paw into the crack and pulled out the whole nest at once, a whole wad of straw, feathers and fluff. In vain Chirika shouted, in vain Chick, who arrived in time, boldly rushed at the Cat - no one came to their aid. The red-haired robber calmly ate all six of their precious testicles. The wind picked up an empty light nest and threw it from the roof to the ground.

On the same day, the sparrows left the barn forever and moved to a grove, away from the Red Cat.

In the grove they were soon lucky enough to find a free hollow. They again began to carry straw and worked for a whole week, building a nest.

In their neighbors lived the thick-billed and dapper Goldfinch with the Goldfinch, the motley Flycatcher with the Flycatcher. Each couple had their own house, there was enough food for everyone, but Chick had already managed to fight with the neighbors - just to show them how brave and strong he was.

Only Finch turned out to be stronger than him and patted the bully well. Then Chick became more careful. He no longer got into a fight, but only puffed up his feathers and chirped cockily when one of the neighbors flew by. For this, the neighbors were not angry with him: they themselves loved to boast to others of their strength and prowess.

They lived peacefully until disaster struck.

Hurry, hurry! shouted Chick to Chirike. - Do you hear: Finch zapinka danger!

Chick was a young red-headed sparrow. When he was one year old, he married Chirika and decided to live in his house.

Chick, - Chirika said in sparrow language, - Chick, where are we going to make a nest for ourselves? After all, all the hollows in our garden are already occupied.

Eka thing! - Chick answered, also, of course, in a sparrow way. - Well, let's drive the neighbors out of the house and occupy their hollow.

He was very fond of fighting and was delighted with such an opportunity to show Chirika his prowess. And, before the timid Chirika had time to stop him, he fell off the branch and rushed to a large mountain ash with a hollow. His neighbor lived there - the same young sparrow as Chick.

The owner was not near the house.

“I’ll climb into the hollow,” Chick decided, “and when the owner arrives, I’ll shout that he wants to take the house away from me. The old people will flock - and now we will ask the neighbor!

He completely forgot that the neighbor is married and his wife has been making a nest in a hollow for the fifth day.

As soon as Chick stuck his head into the hole, - rraz! Someone poked him hard on the nose. Chick squeaked and bounced off the hollow. And a neighbor was already rushing at him from behind. With a cry they collided in the air, fell to the ground, grappled and rolled into the ditch.

Chick fought well, and his neighbor was already having a hard time. But at the noise of the fight, old sparrows flocked from all over the garden. They immediately figured out who was right and who was wrong, and gave Chick such a kick that he did not remember how he escaped from them.

Chick came to himself in some bushes, where he had never happened to be before. All his bones ached.

Next to him sat a frightened Chirika.

Chick! she said so sadly that he would surely burst into tears, if only sparrows could cry. - Chick, now we will never return to our native garden! Where will we take the children now?

Chick himself understood that he could no longer catch the eye of the old sparrows: they would beat him to death. Still, he did not want to show Chirika that he was a coward. He straightened his disheveled feathers with his beak, caught his breath a little and said nonchalantly:

Eka thing! Let's find another place, even better.

And they went wherever they look - to look for a new place to live.

As soon as they flew out of the bushes, they found themselves on the banks of a cheerful blue river. Behind the river rose a high, high mountain of red clay and sand. Under the very top of the cliff, there were many holes and minks. Jackdaws and red kestrel falcons sat in pairs near the large holes; from small burrows now and then swift shore swallows flew out. A whole flock of them hovered over the cliff in a light cloud.

Look how fun they are! Chirik said. - Let's make ourselves a nest on Red Hill.

Chick looked warily at the falcons and jackdaws. He thought: “It’s good for the coasters: they dig their own minks in the sand. Should I beat someone else's nest?" And again, all the bones ached at once.

No, - he said, - I don't like it here: such a noise, you can just go deaf.

Chick and Chirika sat down on the roof of the barn. Chick immediately noticed that there were no sparrows or swallows.

That's where life is! he said happily to Chirika. - Look how many grains and crumbs are scattered around the yard. We'll be alone here and won't let anyone in.

Chsh! - Chirika hissed. - Look, what a monster there, on the porch.

And it's true: a fat Red Cat was sleeping on the porch.

Eka thing! Chick said bravely. What will he do to us? Look, that's how I do it now!..

He flew off the roof and rushed at the Cat so quickly that Chirika even screamed.

But Chick deftly picked up a piece of bread from under the Cat's nose and - once again! - was already on the roof again.

The cat did not even move, only opened one eye and looked sharply at the bully.

Did you see? Chick boasted. - And you're afraid!

Chirika did not argue with him, and both began to look for a convenient place for the nest.

They chose a wide gap under the roof of the barn. Here they began to drag first straw, then horsehair, down and feathers.

Less than a week later, Chirika laid the first egg in the nest - a small one, all in pinkish-brown mottled. Chick was so pleased with him that he even composed a song in honor of his wife and himself:

Chirik, Chik-chik,

Chirik, Chik-chik,

Chiki-chiki-chiki-chiki,

Chicky, Chick, Chick!

This song meant absolutely nothing, but it was so convenient to sing it, jumping over the fence.

When there were six eggs in the nest, Chirika sat down to hatch them.

Chick flew off to collect worms and flies for her, because now she had to be fed delicate food. He hesitated a little, and Chirika wanted to see where he was.

As soon as she stuck her nose out of the crack, a red paw with outstretched claws reached out from the roof behind her. Chirika rushed - and left a whole bunch of feathers in the cat's claws. A little more - and her song would be sung.

The cat followed her with his eyes, put his paw into the crack and pulled out the whole nest at once - a whole lump of straw, feathers and fluff. In vain Chirika shouted, in vain Chick, who arrived in time, boldly rushed at the Cat - no one came to their aid. The red-haired robber calmly ate all six of their precious testicles. The wind picked up an empty light nest and threw it from the roof to the ground.

On the same day, the sparrows left the barn forever and moved to a grove, away from the Red Cat.

In the grove they were soon lucky enough to find a free hollow. They again began to carry straw and worked for a whole week, building a nest.

In their neighbors lived a thick-billed Finch with a Finch, a motley Flycatcher with a Flycatcher, and a dapper Goldfinch with a Goldfinch. Each couple had their own house, there was enough food for everyone, but Chick had already managed to fight with the neighbors - just to show them how brave and strong he was.

Only Finch turned out to be stronger than him and patted the bully well. Then Chick became more careful. He no longer got into a fight, but only puffed up his feathers and chirped cockily when one of the neighbors flew by. For this, the neighbors were not angry with him: they themselves loved to boast to others of their strength and prowess.

They lived peacefully until disaster struck.

Hurry, hurry! shouted Chick to Chirike. - Do you hear: Finch zapinkat - danger!

And the truth is: someone terrible was approaching them. After the Finch, the Goldfinch screamed, and then the Spotted Flycatcher. Mukholov lived just four trees from the sparrows. If he saw the enemy, then the enemy was very close.

Chirika flew out of the hollow and sat on a branch next to Chick. Neighbors warned them of the danger, and they prepared to meet it face to face.

Fluffy red hair flashed in the bushes, and their fierce enemy - the Cat - came out into the open. He saw that the neighbors had already betrayed him to the sparrows and now he could not catch Chiriku in the nest. He got angry.

Suddenly the tip of his tail moved in the grass, his eyes narrowed: the cat saw a hollow. Well, after all, half a dozen sparrow eggs is a good breakfast! And the cat licked his lips. He climbed up a tree and put his paw into the hollow.

Chick and Chirika raised a cry throughout the grove. But even then no one came to their aid. The neighbors sat in their seats and shouted loudly in fear. Each couple feared for their home.

The cat caught the nest with its claws and pulled it out of the hollow.

But this time he came too early: there were no eggs in the nest, no matter how much he searched.

Then he left the nest and went down to earth himself. The sparrows followed him with a cry.

At the very bushes, the Cat stopped and turned to them with such an air as if he wanted to say:

“Wait, little ones, wait! You won't get away from me anywhere! Build a new nest for yourself wherever you want, breed chicks, and I will come and devour them, and you at the same time.

And he snorted so menacingly that Chirika shuddered in fear.

The cat left, and Chick and Chirika were left to grieve at the ruined nest.

Finally Chirika said:

Chick, because in a few days I will definitely have a new testicle. Let's fly quickly, find a place for ourselves somewhere across the river. The Cat won't get us there.

She did not know that there was a bridge across the river and that the Cat often walked along this bridge. Chick didn't know that either.

Let's go, he agreed.

And they flew.

Soon they found themselves under the very Red Hill.

Fly to us, fly to us! - they shouted to them the coasters in their own, in swallow, language. - We have a friendly, cheerful life on Krasnaya Gorka.

Yes, - Chick shouted to them, - but you yourself will fight!

Why should we fight? - the coastguards answered. - We have enough midges over the river for everyone, we have a lot of empty minks on Krasnaya Gorka - choose any one.

And the kestrels? And the jackdaws? Chick didn't let up.

Kestrels catch grasshoppers and mice in the fields. They don't touch us. We are all in friendship.

And Chirika said:

We flew with you, Chick, we flew, but we did not see a more beautiful place than this. Let's live here.

Well, - Chick surrendered, - since they have free minks and no one will fight, you can try.

They flew up to the mountain, and it’s true: neither the kestrels touched them, nor the jackdaws.

They began to choose a mink to their liking: so that it was not very deep, and the entrance was wider. Found two of these side by side.

In one they built a nest, and Chirik sat down to incubate, in the other Chik spent the night.

At the coast, at the jackdaws, at the falcons - all of them have hatched chicks for a long time. Chirika alone sat patiently in her dark hole. Chik carried her food there from morning till night.

Two weeks passed. The red cat did not show up. The sparrows have already forgotten about him.

Chick was looking forward to the chicks. Every time he brought a worm or a fly to Chirika, he asked her:

No, they don't knock.

Will they be soon?

Soon, soon, - Chirika answered patiently.

One morning, Chirika called him from the mink:

Fly quickly: one knocked!

Chick immediately rushed to the nest. Then he heard how, in one egg, a chick poked a little audibly into the shell with a weak beak. Chirika carefully helped him: break the shell in different places.

A few minutes passed, and the chick emerged from the egg - tiny, naked, blind. On a thin, thin neck dangled a large naked head.

Yes, he is funny! Chick was surprised.

Not funny at all! Chirika was offended. - A very pretty chick. And you have nothing to do here, take the shells here and throw them somewhere far away from the nest.

While Chick was carrying the shells, the second chick hatched and the third began to tap.

It was then that the alarm on Red Hill began.

From their mink, the sparrows heard the swallows suddenly scream piercingly.

Chick jumped out and immediately returned with the news that the Red Cat was climbing the cliff.

He saw me! Chick shouted. - He will be here now and will pull us out together with the chicks.

Hurry, hurry, let's fly away from here!

No, - Chirika answered sadly. - I will not fly anywhere from my little chicks. Let it be what will be.

And no matter how much Chick called, she did not budge.

Then Chick flew out of the hole and began, like a madman, to throw himself at the Cat. And the Cat climbed and climbed the cliff. Swallows hovered over him in a cloud, jackdaws and kestrels flew screaming to their rescue.

The cat quickly climbed up and grabbed the edge of the mink with its paw. Now all he had to do was stick his other paw behind the nest and pull it out along with Chirika, chicks and eggs.

But at that moment one kestrel pecked at his tail, another at his head, and two jackdaws struck at his back.

The cat hissed in pain, turned around and wanted to grab the birds with his front paws. But the birds dodged, and he rolled head over heels down. He had nothing to cling to: the sand poured along with him, and the farther, the sooner, the farther, the sooner.

The birds could no longer see where the Cat was; only a cloud of red dust rushed off the cliff. Plop! - and the cloud stopped over the water.

When it dissipated, the birds saw a wet cat's head in the middle of the river. Behind him, Chick kept up on wings and pecked at the back of the Cat's head.

The cat swam across the river and got to the shore. Chick didn't leave him behind. The cat was so frightened that he did not dare to grab him, lifted his wet tail and rushed home at a gallop.

Since then, the Red Cat has never been seen on the Red Hill.

Chirika calmly brought out six chicks, and a little later, six more, and all of them remained to live in free swallow nests.

And Chick stopped bullying the neighbors and made good friends with the swallows.

Illustrations: E. Nazarov

Bianchi Vitaly

Red hill

Vitaly Valentinovich Bianchi

Red hill

Chick was a young red-headed sparrow. When he was a year old from birth, he married Chirika and decided to live in his house.

Chick, - Chirika said in sparrow language, - Chick, where are we going to make a nest for ourselves? After all, all the hollows in our garden are already occupied.

Eka thing! - Chick answered, also, of course, in a sparrow way. - Well, let's kick the neighbors out of the house and fill their hollow.

He was very fond of fighting and was delighted with such an opportunity to show Chirika his prowess. And, before the timid Chirika had time to stop him, he fell off the branch and rushed to a large mountain ash with a hollow. There lived his neighbor, a young sparrow like Chick.

The owner was not near the house.

"I'll climb into the hollow," Chick decided, "and when the owner arrives, I'll shout that he wants to take my house away from me. The old people will flock - and now we'll ask the neighbor!"

He completely forgot that the neighbor is married and his wife has been making a nest in a hollow for the fifth day.

As soon as Chick stuck his head into the hole, - rraz! Someone poked him hard on the nose. Chick squeaked and bounced off the hollow. And a neighbor was already rushing at him from behind.

With a cry they collided in the air, fell to the ground, grappled and rolled into the ditch.

Chick fought well, and his neighbor was already having a hard time. But at the noise of the fight, old sparrows flocked from all over the garden. They immediately figured out who was right and who was wrong, and gave Chick such a kick that he did not remember how he escaped from them.

Chick came to himself in some bushes, where he had never happened to be before. All his bones ached.

Next to him sat a frightened Chirika.

Chick! she said so sadly that he would surely burst into tears, if only sparrows could cry. - Chick, now we will never return to our native garden! Where will we take the children now?

Chick himself understood that he could no longer catch the eye of the old sparrows: they would beat him to death. Still, he did not want to show Chirika that he was a coward. He straightened his disheveled feathers with his beak, caught his breath a little and said nonchalantly:

Eka thing! Let's find another place, even better.

And they went wherever they look - to look for a new place to live.

As soon as they flew out of the bushes, they found themselves on the banks of a cheerful blue river. Behind the river rose a high, high mountain of red clay and sand. Under the very top of the cliff, there were many holes and minks. Jackdaws and red kestrel falcons sat in pairs near the large holes; from small burrows now and then swift shore swallows flew out. A whole flock of them hovered over the cliff in a light cloud.

Look how fun they are! Chirik said. - Let's make ourselves a nest on Red Hill.

Chick looked warily at the falcons and jackdaws. He thought: "It's good for the shorebirds: they dig their own minks in the sand. And should I beat someone else's nest?" And again, all the bones ached at once.

No, - he said, - I don't like it here: such a noise, you can just go deaf.

Chick and Chirika sat down on the roof of the barn. Chick immediately noticed that there were no sparrows or swallows.

That's where life is! he said happily to Chirika. - Look how many grains and crumbs are scattered around the yard. We'll be alone here and won't let anyone in.

Chsh! - Chirika hissed. - Look, what a monster there, on the porch.

And it's true: a fat Red Cat was sleeping on the porch.

Eka thing! Chick said bravely. What will he do to us? Look, that's how I do it now!..

He flew off the roof and rushed at the Cat so quickly that Chirika even screamed.

But Chick deftly picked up a piece of bread from under the Cat's nose and - once again! was on the roof again.

The cat did not even move, only opened one eye and looked sharply at the bully.

Did you see? Chick boasted. - And you're afraid!

Chirika did not argue with him, and both began to look for a convenient place for the nest.

They chose a wide gap under the roof of the barn. Here they began to drag first straw, then horsehair, down and feathers.

Less than a week later, Chirika laid the first egg in the nest - a small one, all in pinkish-brown mottled. Chick was so happy for him that he even composed a song in honor of his wife and himself:

Chirik, Chik-chik,

Chirik, Chik-chik,

Chiki-chiki-chiki-chiki,

Chicky, Chick, Chick!

This song meant absolutely nothing, but it was so convenient to sing it, jumping over the fence.

When there were six testicles in the nest. Chirika sat down to hatch them.

Chick flew off to collect worms and flies for her, because now she had to be fed delicate food. He hesitated a little, and Chirika wanted to see where he was.

As soon as she stuck her nose out of the crack, a red paw with outstretched claws reached out from the roof behind her. Chirika rushed - and left a whole bunch of feathers in the cat's claws. A little more - and her song would be sung.

The cat followed her with his eyes, put his paw into the crack and pulled out the whole nest at once, a whole wad of straw, feathers and fluff. In vain Chirika shouted, in vain Chick, who arrived in time, boldly rushed at the Cat - no one came to their aid. The red-haired robber calmly ate all six of their precious testicles. The wind picked up an empty light nest and threw it from the roof to the ground.

On the same day, the sparrows left the barn forever and moved to a grove, away from the Red Cat.

In the grove they were soon lucky enough to find a free hollow. They again began to carry straw and worked for a whole week, building a nest.

In their neighbors lived the thick-billed and dapper Goldfinch with the Goldfinch, the motley Flycatcher with the Flycatcher. Each couple had their own house, there was enough food for everyone, but Chick had already managed to fight with the neighbors - just to show them how brave and strong he was.

Only Finch turned out to be stronger than him and patted the bully well. Then Chick became more careful. He no longer got into a fight, but only puffed up his feathers and chirped cockily when one of the neighbors flew by. For this, the neighbors were not angry with him: they themselves loved to boast to others of their strength and prowess.

They lived peacefully until disaster struck.

Hurry, hurry! shouted Chick to Chirike. - Do you hear: Finch zapinka danger!

And the truth is: someone terrible was approaching them. After the Finch, the Goldfinch cried, and then the Motley Flycatcher. Mukholov lived just four trees from the sparrows. If he saw the enemy, it means that the enemy was very close.

Chirika flew out of the hollow and sat on a branch next to Chick. Neighbors warned them of the danger, and they prepared to meet it face to face.

Fluffy red hair flashed in the bushes, and their fierce enemy - the Cat - came out into the open. He saw that the neighbors had already betrayed him to the sparrows and now he could not catch Chiriku in the nest. He got angry.

Suddenly the tip of his tail moved in the grass, his eyes narrowed: the cat saw a hollow. Well, even half a dozen sparrow eggs is a good breakfast. And the cat licked his lips. He climbed up a tree and put his paw into the hollow.

Chick and Chirika raised a cry throughout the grove. But even then no one came to their aid. The neighbors sat in their seats and shouted loudly in fear. Each couple feared for their home.

The cat caught the nest with its claws and pulled it out of the hollow.

But this time he came too early: there were no eggs in the nest, no matter how much he searched.

Then he left the nest and went down to earth himself. The sparrows followed him with a cry.

At the very bushes, the Cat stopped and turned to them with such an air as if he wanted to say:

"Wait, darlings, wait! You can't get away from me anywhere! Make yourself a new nest wherever you want, bring out the chicks, and I will come and devour them, and you at the same time."

And he snorted so menacingly that Chirika shuddered in fear.

The cat left, and Chick and Chirika were left to grieve at the ruined nest. Finally Chirika said:

Chick, because in a few days I will definitely have a new testicle. Let's fly quickly, find a place for ourselves somewhere across the river. The Cat won't get us there.

She did not know that there was a bridge across the river and that the Cat often walked along this bridge. Chick didn't know that either.

Let's go, he agreed. And they flew.

Soon they found themselves under the very Red Hill.

Fly to us, fly to us! - Shouted to them the coast guards in their own, in the swallow language. - We have a friendly, cheerful life on Krasnaya Gorka.

Yes, - Chick shouted to them, - but you yourself will fight!

Why should we fight? - the coastguards answered. - We have enough midges over the river for everyone, we have a lot of empty minks on Krasnaya Gorka - choose any one.

And the kestrels? And the jackdaws? Chick didn't let up.

Kestrels catch grasshoppers and mice in the fields. They don't touch us. We are all in friendship.

And Chirika said:

We flew with you, Chick, we flew, but we did not see a more beautiful place than this. Let's live here.

Well, - Chick surrendered, - since they have free minks and no one will fight, you can try.

They flew up to the mountain, and it’s true: neither the kestrels touched them, nor the jackdaws.