Pykh Fairy Tale

Once upon a time there lived a grandfather, a grandmother and their granddaughter Alyonka. In their garden grew a sweet, juicy turnip. One day Grandfather said, "I'll go and pull up the turnip."

Grandfather went into the garden and reached for the turnip, when something in the vegetable bed snorted, "Pykh-pykh-pykh!" Grandfather took fright and ran home. "There's a monster in the garden, and it's huffing and puffing!"

"What a scaredy-cat you are. I'll go myself," said Grandmother, and she went into the garden. As soon as she bent over the turnip, she heard it again: "Pykh-pykh-pykh!" Grandmother picked up her skirts and ran home too.

Then little Alyonka said, "I'll go and see who it is." She crept up carefully and peeped between the rows. And there sat a little hedgehog with all its prickles standing on end!

"Oh, so it's you, Pykh! You frightened Grandfather and Grandmother," laughed Alyonka. She pulled up the turnip and tossed the hedgehog an apple.

At home everyone laughed and laughed. Since then the hedgehog has lived in the garden, chasing mice and guarding the vegetables. And Grandfather and Grandmother aren't afraid of him any more.