I had a grandmother. And she loved me very much.
She came to visit us every month and gave us toys. And on top of that, she would bring us a whole basket of cakes.
Of all the cakes, she let me choose the one I liked.
Grandma's gift is a story by Zoshchenko
And my big sister, Lela, wasn't very fond of my grandmother. And did not allow her to choose cakes. She herself gave her what she would have to.
And from this my sister Lelia whimpered every time and was more angry at me than at my grandmother.
One beautiful summer day my grandmother came to our country house.
She came to the country house and walked through the garden. She had a basket of cakes in one hand and a purse in the other.
And Lelia and I ran up to my grandmother and said hello to her. And we saw with sadness that this time, except for the cakes, Grandma had brought us nothing.
And then my sister Lelia told her grandmother:
- Grandma, but didn't you bring us anything but cakes today?
And my grandmother was angry with Lela and answered her that way:
- She brought it. But I won't give it to an ill-mannered person who asks about it so frankly. The gift will be given to the well-educated boy Minya, who is the best in the world thanks to his tactful silence.
And with these words, my grandmother told me to reach out.
Grandma's gift - a story by Zoshchenko
And in my palm, she put ten new coins at ten kopecks apiece. And now I stand there like a fool and look at the new coins, which lie in my palm. And Lelia also looks at these coins. And he says nothing. Only her eyes sparkle with an evil light.
My grandmother admired me and went to drink tea.
And then Lelia stabbed me from the bottom to the top of my hand with force, so that all my coins jumped in the palm of her hand and hit the grass and the ditch. And I cried so loudly that all the adults - Dad, Mom, and Grandma - ran away. And they all bent over and started looking for my fallen coins.
And when all but one coin was collected, Grandma said:
- You see, I did the right thing by not giving Lelka a single coin! That's what a jealous person she is: If," she thinks, "it wasn't me, it wasn't him! Where, by the way, is this villain at the moment?
Zoshchenko's grandmother's gift
In order to avoid a slap, Lelia climbed a tree and was teasing me and my grandmother with her tongue from a tree.
Grandma's gift - a story by Zoshchenko
Neighborhood boy Pavlik wanted to shoot Lela with a slingshot to take her off the tree. But his grandmother wouldn't let him do that because Lelia could fall and break her leg. Grandma did not go to this extreme and even wanted to take away his slingshot from him. And then the boy was angry at everyone, including his grandmother, and shot at her from afar with a slingshot.
My grandmother, ahnuv, said:
- How do you like it? Because of this villain, I was hit with a slingshot. No, I won't come to you anymore so that I don't have such stories. You'd better bring my glorious boy Minya to me. And every time, in Lelké's Peak, I will give him presents.
Dad said:
- Okay. I will do so. But only you, Mom, praise Minka in vain! Of course, Lelia didn't do well. But Minka was not one of the best boys in the world either. The best boy in the world was the one who would give his sister a few coins to see she had nothing. And he wouldn't have made his little sister angry and jealous with that.
Sitting on her tree, Lelka said:
- And the best grandmother in the world is the one who gives something to all the children, not just Minke, who by his stupidity or cunning is silent and therefore receives gifts and cakes.
Grandma did not want to stay in the garden anymore.
And all the adults went out for tea on the balcony.
Then I told Lela:
- Lela, get off the tree! I'll give you two coins.
Lelia came down from the tree and I gave her two coins. And in a good mood I went to the balcony and told the adults:
- Still, Grandma was right. I am the best boy in the world - I just gave Lela two coins.
My grandmother awoke with delight. And my mother also ahnulla. But Dad, frowning, said:
- No, the best boy in the world is the one who will do something good and then won't brag.
And then I ran to the garden, found my sister and gave her another coin. And I didn't say anything about it to the adults.
In total, Lelka had three coins, and she found the fourth coin in the grass, where she hit me on the arm.
And with all these four coins Lelka bought ice cream. And she ate it for two hours, ate it, ate it, and she still had it.
And by nightfall, her stomach hurt, and Lelka lay in bed for a week.
Grandma's gift
So, guys, it's been years since then.
And I still remember Dad's words perfectly.
No, maybe I didn't get to be very good. It's very difficult. But, kids, I always wanted to do that.
And that's good.