Читать книгу The young fox, who raps - Rosemary Bloom - Страница 2

My family

This is my mum. She is graceful, beautiful and kind. Mummy takes care of us all the time, especially when my Dad is out. I love her a lot, because she is nice and fair. She never scolds me without clearing the matter up.

‘Are you fighting again, boys? Stop it at once! What will Father say?’ she says.

We aren’t listening, because we are both injured and angry. Brother’s ear hurts and I’m rubbing my neck.

‘Why should I? He started first!’

‘Lies! It was you who attacked me!’

Mother comes up, puts us apart and says, ‘Speak in turns.’

‘Fred has bitten my ear!’

‘And you have squeezed my neck!’

My brother is rather strong, a bit older than me and always boasts of it, then we usually fight. Today it has happened again. He has started teasing me, I have called him a fool and he has attacked me.

The mother hugs us and says, ‘You make me sad, boys! You are brothers, you have to stand for each other!’

Here comes my father. We dash to meet him! My Dad is good-tempered and wise. He knows each animal, path, ditch and den in our forest. I love listening to his stories!

‘Here are my dear boys! Were you good?’ Dad asks. I only manage to open my mouth to tell him the whole truth, when my sister appears! Yes, unfortunately, there are three of us!

My sister is very pretty. She can cast charming glances and look nice and obedient. But she is the first to make a mess and get us into trouble!

‘Not half, daddy! How could they be, if they fight every single day?’ she declares. ‘They also call each other names and say bad words!’

‘Look who’s talking!’ I am outraged.

‘Exactly! It is you, who starts first!’ my brother says.

‘And calls us names!’ I add.

‘Liars!’ Fiona says and pretends to get offended. She covers her eyes with paws as if crying.

‘What I hear?’ Mother decides to interfere. She hugs Fiona and shakes her head sadly.

‘Do you think boys should act like that? Look, you have brought a poor girl to tears! Come up at once and apologize, both of you!’ Father growls.

Dad always takes her side, because she is a girl! I constantly tell him to watch her for a while and realize she is not as innocent as she looks! Father doesn’t want to listen. He frowns and waits.

Of course, we do as we are told, then Mum and Dad hug us. It looks like we, I mean the kids, are friends again. Behind our parents’ back, Fiona sticks out a tongue and makes faces at us. Brother and I aren’t better either! We show her our fists and bare our teeth.

Later, when everything becomes quiet, and mum has kissed us goodnight, a storytime comes. The scary ones are my favourite! They are so thrilling! Daddy tells us about traps and bad people called hunters, cruel and skillful. They’ve got rifles with telescopic sights. Our sister is always scared, trembling like a leaf. We, boys, aren’t at all! Well… Maybe just a little. Father doesn’t want to frighten us, but to keep us safe. We respect him and try to be careful.

Oh, the names!

Mummy’s name’s Flora,

Daddy’s name’s Finn,

Sister’s name’s Fiona,

Brother’s name’s Flynn!