Slovenská verzia
Lili bývala pri okraji čarovného lesa. Nebol to obyčajný les. Videli ho najmä deti, ktoré mali dobrú predstavivosť a vedeli sa pozerať potichu.
V to ráno mala Lili oblečený mäkký zelený pršiplášť. Na nohách jej cupkali malé žlté čižmičky a cez plece niesla taštičku v tvare lístka. Do taštičky si dávala pekné kamienky, hladké drievka a niekedy aj pierko, ak ho našla na tráve.
Pri lese bolo pokojne. Vietor šuchotal v lístkoch tak jemne, akoby si les spieval uspávanku. Medzi stromami sem-tam zažmurkali malé teplé svetielka.
Lili sa zastavila a usmiala sa.
– Dobrý deň, les, – zašepkala.
Les zašumel: ššššš. Znelo to skoro ako odpoveď.
Lili sa zohla k machu pri úzkej cestičke. Mach bol mäkký ako zelený vankúšik. V ňom sa ligotal kamienok, jeden malý žalúdok a niečo ešte menšie.
Lili naklonila hlavu.
– Čo si ty? Nie si kamienok. Ani šiška.
V machu ležal drobný lampášik. Bol taký maličký, že by sa schoval do Lilinej dlane. Mal tenké rúčky, okrúhle skielko a na vrchu malú striešku. Lenže nesvietil. Bol zhasnutý a prikrytý kúskami lístkov.
Lili sa ho najprv iba dotkla prstom.
– Neboj sa, – povedala potichu, hoci nevedela, či ju lampášik počuje. – Zdvihnem ťa opatrne.
Vzala lampášik oboma rukami. Bol ľahučký. Jemne z neho zotrela kúsky machu a lístky. Jeden lístok sa prilepil na skielko, tak ho Lili odfúkla len tak slabo, aby lampášiku neublížila.
Lampášik stále nesvietil.
Lili si sadla na kraj cestičky. Žlté čižmičky položila vedľa seba a lampášik si dala na kolená.
– Komu asi patríš? – premýšľala. – Možno veveričke? Ale veveričky skôr nosia oriešky. Možno lesnej myške? Ale pre myšku by bol lampášik veľký ako domček.
Pozrela sa dovnútra. Vo vnútri bolo ticho a tma, ale nie strašidelná. Skôr taká spiaca.
Lili lampášikom veľmi jemne zatriasla. Cinkol tak ticho, ako keď sa dotknú dve kvapky rosy.
Nič.
Potom naň opatrne fúkla.
Fúúú.
Lampášik sa ani nepohol. Ani iskrička.
Lili sa trochu zamračila, nie od hnevu, ale od premýšľania.
– Možno nechce, aby som ho budila fúkaním, – povedala. – Možno potrebuje svojho majiteľa. Alebo nejakú malú pomoc.
Vtom sa vedľa lampášika mihlo teplé zlaté svetielko. Najprv bolo malé ako bodka. Potom sa zatočilo vo vzduchu. A z bodky sa stal maličký guľatý tvor.
Mal priesvitné krídelká, veľké výrazné oči a svietil zlatou farbou ako slniečko v kvapke medu. Na hlave však nemal nič, hoci sa tváril, akoby mu niečo chýbalo.
– Ó! – pípol tvorček. – Tu to je! Alebo tu to nie je? Čo som to vlastne hľadal?
Lili zostala ticho. Bola trochu nesmelá. Nikdy predtým nehovorila s takým malým zlatým tvorom. Ale tvorček vyzeral milo a popletene, nie nebezpečne.
Lili sa nadýchla.
– Ahoj, – povedala veľmi jemne.
Tvorček sa otočil a jeho svetlo zosilnelo.
– Ahoj! Ty ma vidíš? To je výborné! Ja som Svetlík. Teda myslím, že som Svetlík. Áno, určite som Svetlík.
– Ja som Lili, – povedalo dievčatko. – Našla som tento lampášik v machu. Je tvoj?
Svetlík priletel bližšie. Pozrel sa na lampášik z jednej strany, potom z druhej, potom zospodu. Pri tom sa skoro prevrátil vo vzduchu, ale krídelká ho zachytili.
– Hm. Lampášik. Lesný lampášik. Veľmi dôležitý lampášik. Len si neviem spomenúť, prečo je dôležitý.
– Nesvieti, – povedala Lili.
– Ach jaj, nesvieti? – Svetlíkovo svetlo trochu zbledlo. – Lesné lampášiky zvyčajne svietia, keď je pri nich dobré a priateľské srdce. Ale niekedy… niekedy… čo som to chcel povedať?
Zrazu si Svetlík chytil vrch hlavy.
– Moja čiapočka! Moja lístková čiapočka je preč!
Lili si všimla, že Svetlík má na hlave iba malý zlatý chumáčik svetla.
– Mal si čiapočku z lístka? – spýtala sa.
– Áno! Malú zelenú. Sedela mi presne tu. – Svetlík si poklepal po hlave. – Bez nej som ešte popletenejší než obyčajne. A keď som popletený, zabúdam aj na lampášiky.
Lili sa usmiala.
– Môžeme ju spolu pohľadať.
Svetlík zažiaril teplejšie.
– Spolu? To znie oveľa lepšie ako sám!
Lili položila lampášik späť na mäkký mach, ale tak, aby naň videla. Potom sa s Svetlíkom pustili do hľadania.
Najprv pozreli pod papraď. Papraď mala dlhé zelené prsty a pod nimi sa schovávali len dve kvapky rosy.
– Nie je tu, – povedala Lili.
– Ale rosa sa pekne leskne, – povedal Svetlík a na chvíľu sa v nej obdivoval ako v zrkadle.
Potom pozreli pri korienkoch starého stromu. Korienky vyzerali ako malé cestičky pre mravce.
– Čiapočka? – zavolal Svetlík. – Lístková čiapočka, kde si?
Z mäkkých lístkov vyskočil len malý chrobáčik. Zamával tykadlami a cupital ďalej.
– Prepáč, – zašepkala Lili chrobáčikovi. – Nechceli sme ťa vyrušiť.
Hľadali medzi listami, pri kamienkoch aj vedľa hubky s bielou bodkou. Lili kráčala pomaly a dávala pozor, kam stúpa. Svetlík lietal raz vpravo, raz vľavo a občas zabudol, čo hľadajú.
– Hľadáme oriešok? – spýtal sa.
– Čiapočku, – pripomenula Lili.
– Pravda! Moju čiapočku!
Vtom Lili zbadala niečo zelené na nízkej vetvičke. Nebol to obyčajný list. Bol zohnutý ako maličká čiapka a mal drobnú stopku ako pierko.
– Svetlík, pozri! – ukázala Lili.
Svetlík priletel bližšie. Oči sa mu rozžiarili.
– Moja čiapočka! Tam sa schovala! Alebo sa zachytila. Alebo oboje.
Lili natiahla ruku. Vetvička bola nízko, takže nemusela liezť ani skákať. Opatrne vzala lístkovú čiapočku a podala ju Svetlíkovi.
– Nech sa páči.
Svetlík si ju položil na hlavu. Najprv nakrivo. Potom ešte viac nakrivo. Nakoniec ju Lili jemne posunula prstom.
– Takto?
– Presne! – zvolal Svetlík.
Zatočil sa vo vzduchu. Jeho zlaté svetielko bolo zrazu teplejšie a jasnejšie, ale stále mäkké, aby nebolelo oči.
– Už si spomínam! – povedal. – Lesné lampášiky majú rady, keď sa niekto o niekoho postará. Nemusia sa rozsvietiť silou. Ani veľkým fúkaním. Majú rady malú láskavú pomoc.
Lili sa pozrela na zhasnutý lampášik v machu.
– Tak mu tiež pomôžeme, – povedala.
Vzala lampášik do dlaní a našla mu miesto pri machovej cestičke. Nebolo skryté pod lístkami, ani príliš blízko ku kamienku. Lampášik tam stál rovno a bezpečne.
– Tu ho každý uvidí, – povedala Lili. – Nik oň nezakopne a nezostane sám pod lístkami.
Svetlík sa vznášal vedľa nej a spokojne žiaril.
V tej chvíli sa vo vnútri lampášika objavila maličká iskrička. Najprv bola slabá ako zlatý prášok. Potom sa rozšírila do mäkkého svetla.
Lampášik nesvietil silno. Svietil pokojne, ako keď sa večer v izbe rozsvieti malá lampička.
Lili otvorila ústa od radosti.
– Pozri! Funguje!
– Funguje, – prikývol Svetlík. – Lebo si pomohla mne. A potom aj lampášiku. Malá pomoc je pre les niekedy veľká.
Lili cítila v hrudi teplý pocit. Bola rada, že sa odvážila Svetlíka pozdraviť. Keby bola mlčala, možno by čiapočka stále visela na vetvičke a lampášik by spal v machu.
Svetlík priletel bližšie a uklonil sa, až mu lístková čiapočka skoro spadla.
– Ďakujem, Lili. Si dobrá hľadačka čiapočiek a veľmi dobrá kamarátka.
Lili sa zasmiala.
– Aj ty si dobrý kamarát. Aj keď trochu zabúdaš.
– To je pravda, – povedal Svetlík veselo. – Ale s kamarátmi sa zabúda menej.
Obaja sa pozreli medzi stromy. Tam, hlbšie v lese, blikalo viac malých lampášikov. Jeden zažmurkal. Druhý svietil ako medová bodka. A jeden, celkom vzadu, na chvíľku zoslabol.
Lili si to všimla.
– Svetlík, prečo niektoré lampášiky zhasínajú?
Svetlík sa zamyslel. Jeho svetlo ticho pulzovalo.
– Neviem celkom. Ale môžeme si ich nabudúce lepšie všímať.
Lili prikývla.
– Dobre. Nabudúce.
Pri machovej cestičke stál malý lampášik a mäkko svietil. Les šumel pokojne a priateľsky. Lili si vzala taštičku v tvare lístka a Svetlík jej zamával priesvitnými krídelkami.
– Dovidenia, Lili!
– Dovidenia, Svetlík!
A keď Lili odchádzala domov v zelenom pršiplášti a žltých čižmičkách, vedela, že pri okraji čarovného lesa má nového kamaráta. A v lese čaká ešte veľa malých svetielok, ktoré možno potrebujú len trochu láskavej pomoci.
Pokračovanie nabudúce…
The Forest of Little Lights, part 1: The Lantern in the Moss
Lily lived near the edge of a magic forest. It was not an ordinary forest. Children could see it best when they had a good imagination and looked very quietly.
That morning, Lily wore her soft green raincoat. Her tiny yellow boots went tap, tap on the path. Over her shoulder she carried her little leaf-shaped bag. In the bag, she kept pretty stones, smooth sticks, and sometimes a feather, if she found one in the grass.
It was peaceful near the forest. The wind moved the leaves very softly. It sounded as if the forest was singing a sleepy song. Between the trees, small warm lights blinked here and there.
Lily stopped and smiled.
— Good morning, forest, she whispered.
The forest went shhhh. It sounded almost like an answer.
Lily bent down to the moss beside the narrow path. The moss was soft, like a green pillow. In it, Lily saw a shiny stone, one little acorn, and something even smaller.
Lily tilted her head.
— What are you? You are not a stone. You are not a pinecone.
In the moss lay a tiny lantern. It was so small it could hide in Lily’s hand. It had thin little arms, round glass, and a small roof on top. But it did not shine. It was dark and covered with bits of leaves.
First, Lily touched it with one finger.
— Do not be afraid, she said softly, though she did not know if the lantern could hear her. — I will pick you up carefully.
She took the lantern in both hands. It was very light. She gently wiped away the moss and leaves. One leaf stuck to the glass, so Lily blew on it very softly, so she would not hurt the lantern.
The lantern still did not shine.
Lily sat down at the side of the path. She put her yellow boots next to each other and placed the lantern on her knees.
— Who do you belong to? she wondered. — Maybe a squirrel? But squirrels carry nuts. Maybe a forest mouse? But for a mouse, this lantern would be as big as a house.
She looked inside. Inside, it was quiet and dark. But it was not scary. It was more like sleeping.
Lily shook the lantern very, very gently. It made a tiny clink, like two drops of dew touching.
Nothing happened.
Then she blew on it carefully.
Fooo.
The lantern did not move. Not even one little spark.
Lily frowned a little. She was not angry. She was thinking.
— Maybe it does not want me to wake it by blowing, she said. — Maybe it needs its owner. Or maybe it needs a little help.
Just then, a warm golden light moved beside the lantern. At first it was as small as a dot. Then it spun in the air. And the dot became a tiny round creature.
He had clear little wings, big bright eyes, and he glowed golden, like sunshine in a drop of honey. But there was nothing on his head, though he looked as if something was missing.
— Oh! the little creature squeaked. — Here it is! Or is it not here? What was I looking for?
Lily stayed quiet. She was a little shy. She had never talked to such a small golden creature before. But the creature looked kind and mixed-up, not dangerous.
Lily took a breath.
— Hello, she said very gently.
The creature turned around, and his light grew brighter.
— Hello! You can see me? That is wonderful! I am Glimmer. I think I am Glimmer. Yes, I am sure I am Glimmer.
— I am Lily, said the little girl. — I found this lantern in the moss. Is it yours?
Glimmer flew closer. He looked at the lantern from one side, then from the other side, then from underneath. He almost turned upside down in the air, but his wings caught him.
— Hmm. A lantern. A forest lantern. A very important lantern. I just cannot remember why it is important.
— It does not shine, said Lily.
— Oh dear, it does not shine? Glimmer’s light became a little pale. — Forest lanterns usually shine when a good, friendly heart is near. But sometimes… sometimes… what did I want to say?
Suddenly Glimmer touched the top of his head.
— My hat! My leaf hat is gone!
Lily saw that Glimmer had only a small golden puff of light on his head.
— You had a hat made of a leaf? she asked.
— Yes! A little green one. It sat right here. Glimmer tapped his head. — Without it, I am even more mixed-up than usual. And when I am mixed-up, I forget about lanterns too.
Lily smiled.
— We can look for it together.
Glimmer shone warmer.
— Together? That sounds much better than alone!
Lily put the lantern back on the soft moss, where she could still see it. Then she and Glimmer started to look.
First, they looked under a fern. The fern had long green fingers. Under it, there were only two drops of dew.
— It is not here, said Lily.
— But the dew is very shiny, said Glimmer. For a moment, he looked at himself in it like in a mirror.
Then they looked near the roots of an old tree. The roots looked like little roads for ants.
— Hat? called Glimmer. — Leaf hat, where are you?
Only a small beetle jumped out of the soft leaves. It waved its feelers and hurried away.
— Sorry, whispered Lily to the beetle. — We did not want to bother you.
They looked between leaves, near stones, and beside a little mushroom with one white spot. Lily walked slowly and watched where she stepped. Glimmer flew right, then left, and sometimes he forgot what they were looking for.
— Are we looking for a nut? he asked.
— A hat, Lily reminded him.
— Oh yes! My hat!
Then Lily saw something green on a low branch. It was not an ordinary leaf. It was bent like a tiny hat and had a small stem like a feather.
— Glimmer, look! Lily pointed.
Glimmer flew closer. His eyes lit up.
— My hat! It hid there! Or it got caught there. Or both.
Lily reached out her hand. The branch was low, so she did not have to climb or jump. She carefully took the leaf hat and gave it to Glimmer.
— Here you are.
Glimmer put it on his head. First it was crooked. Then it was even more crooked. At last, Lily gently moved it with one finger.
— Like this?
— Perfect! cried Glimmer.
He spun in the air. His golden light became warmer and brighter, but still soft, so it did not hurt the eyes.
— Now I remember! he said. — Forest lanterns like it when someone takes care of someone else. They do not light up by force. Not by big blowing. They like a small, kind help.
Lily looked at the dark lantern in the moss.
— Then we will help it too, she said.
She took the lantern in her hands and found a place for it beside the mossy path. It was not hidden under leaves, and it was not too close to a stone. The lantern stood straight and safe.
— Everyone can see it here, said Lily. — No one will trip on it, and it will not be alone under the leaves.
Glimmer floated beside her and shone happily.
At that moment, a tiny spark appeared inside the lantern. First it was faint, like golden dust. Then it grew into a soft light.
The lantern did not shine strongly. It shone peacefully, like a small lamp in a room at night.
Lily opened her mouth with joy.
— Look! It works!
— It works, said Glimmer. — Because you helped me. And then you helped the lantern. A little help can be big for the forest.
Lily felt warm inside her chest. She was happy she had been brave enough to say hello to Glimmer. If she had stayed quiet, maybe the hat would still be hanging on the branch, and the lantern would still be sleeping in the moss.
Glimmer flew closer and bowed. His leaf hat almost fell off.
— Thank you, Lily. You are a very good hat-finder and a very good friend.
Lily laughed.
— You are a good friend too. Even if you forget a little.
— That is true, said Glimmer cheerfully. — But with friends, I forget less.
Together they looked between the trees. Deeper in the forest, more little lanterns were blinking. One winked. Another shone like a honey dot. And one, far away, grew dim for a moment.
Lily noticed it.
— Glimmer, why do some lanterns go out?
Glimmer thought. His light pulsed softly.
— I do not really know. But next time, we can watch them more carefully.
Lily nodded.
— All right. Next time.
Beside the mossy path, the small lantern stood and shone softly. The forest rustled in a calm, friendly way. Lily picked up her leaf-shaped bag, and Glimmer waved his clear little wings.
— Goodbye, Lily!
— Goodbye, Glimmer!
And as Lily went home in her green raincoat and yellow boots, she knew she had a new friend at the edge of the magic forest. And in the forest, many little lights were waiting. Maybe they only needed a little kind help.
To be continued…