An apple tree grew above the spring. And there was a lot of grass around. One spring, the Gray Hare came to the apple tree, and he really liked it here: the grass was growing delicious, and cold water was coming out of the ground, and the tree was giving shade.
“I’ll live here!” said the Gray Hare and settled under the apple tree.
It was quiet all around. Nothing scared the hare. I ate grass, drank some water, slept under a tree. So the summer passed. The apple tree was filled with large, heavy apples. But the hare did not know that apples grew on the apple tree. The hare didn't know anything. He never looked up, because he had enough food on the ground.
And then one day, when the hare approached the spring and began to drink, a heavy, ripe apple fell from the branch and plopped into the water right in front of the hare’s nose.
The hare pulled back his nose, closed his eyes and took off running. He runs and thinks: “How scary! There was no one, there was nothing and suddenly - plop! Where did such a terrible one come from?”
He ran and ran and came across a whole flock of hares.
- Stop! Where are you running?! - they shout. -You closed your eyes in fear! Who were you afraid of? Who's chasing you?
- Plop! - shouted the Gray Hare.
- What kind of splash?
- What splash?
- Where is the splash?
- There, at the spring, right in front of my nose - splash! - said the Gray Hare. He looked around cautiously and ran even faster.
The hares rushed after him. They run and run, and the Fox comes towards them. She looks and thinks: “So many hares! I'll have lunch now! But who are they running from?
“Hey, hares,” shouts the Fox, “who are you running from?!” What's happened?
- Plop! - shouted the Gray Hare. ‘
- Splash has arrived! - the other hares shouted and ran even faster.
The fox thinks: “What kind of splash is this? Never saw him, never heard of him. But it’s better to get on your feet.”
And she ran along with the hares. Towards - Wolf. And asks:
- Who are you running from? What's happened?!
- Splash has arrived! - the hares shout in unison.
-Plyukh has arrived! - Lisa repeats. The wolf thinks: “The hares are running - so they are just cowards. But if the Fox runs, it means there is something to be afraid of. She's smart after all. And what kind of person he is, this same flop, I don’t know!”
And he ran with everyone. Towards - Bear.
- Who are you running from? - shouts. - What's happened?!
- Splash has arrived! - the hares shout in unison.
- Splash has arrived! - Lisa answers.
- Splash has arrived! - repeats the Wolf.
The bear thinks: “Hares and Fox are weak animals, they run. But the Wolf Beast is strong and toothy. And he runs too. This means the splash is even stronger. I’m kind of scared!”
And he ran with everyone. Towards - Bars. He sees: both big and small animals are all running, not making out the road, running wherever they look.
- What's happened? - Bars shouts. - Who scared you?!
- Splash has arrived! - the hares shout in unison. , - Splash has arrived! - Lisa answers.
- Splash has arrived! - repeats the Wolf.
- Splash has arrived! - Bear roars.
The leopard thinks: “What kind of animal is this - splash? I've never heard of him? What to do?"
And he ran along with everyone. Leopard runs, looks at the animals, sees how scared they all are, and thinks:
“They probably saw the splash. What is this - splash? And why is he scary? Can’t we all defeat him together?”
And he shouted in his loud voice:
- Stop!
The animals stopped.
- Tell me, Bear, what did the splash do to you? Have you seen him?
“No,” answered the Bear, “I didn’t see him.” The Wolf told me about him.
- Lisa told me!
- And I want hares!
- And for us... and for us... this Gray Hare.
“Well,” said Leopard, “answer, Gray Hare, have you seen the flop?”
- N-no, I... I didn’t see him... but I heard him!
- He heard him! - the hares chorused.
- He heard him! Heard! - repeated the Fox and the Wolf.
- And what did he say to you, Gray Hare? - asked Bars.
- What did he tell you? What did he tell you? What did he tell you? - the animals chattered.
- He said... he said: “Plop!” - answered the Gray Hare.
- That's all?
- That's all.
- Where is he, this flop? - asked Bars.
- In a spring under an apple tree.
“Let’s go have a look,” said Bars. - Lead us, Gray Hare, to this spring.
The hare led everyone to a spring under an apple tree.
- Here - splash! “He said, trembling all over.
The animals look and see nothing. And the Gray Hare is so afraid that he turned away from the spring. At this time, another apple fell and flopped into the water:
-Plop!
- Plop again! - shouted the Gray Hare and started running. But Bars caught up with him in two leaps, grabbed him by the ears and asked:
- So this is the splash with which you scared my whole forest?
“That’s what it is,” answered the Gray Hare plaintively. And all the animals began to laugh loudly and loudly.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru