Short Story for Kids written by: Stas Holodnak.
That afternoon the grandmother could not manage to pack her suitcase because Leo the house cat was getting in her way. Each time she tried to open it, Leo squeezed his head in and mixed up her stuff with his furry paws.
“Modern cats don’t know anything about manners” observed the grandmother.
“Cats don’t have matters grandma”, Effie laughed.
“I met once a cat who did”, said the grandmother. His name was Pushok.
“Tell me about Pushok, please!” Effie begged. Who wouldn’t be curious to hear about the cat who had manners?
“Very well” – began the grandmother at last surrendering the suitcase to Leo. ”Pushok was a grey tabby – short fur, green eyes – there was nothing that made him look different from any Russian street cat. In fact a street was where your grandfather Efim first met Pushok who was dwelling in a cardboard box filled with fluffy feathers from a ripped old pillow. Efim was about your age at the time and Pushok was only a little kitten. Efim brought the kitten home, fed it and gave it a bath. He named it Pushok which means fluff in Russian”, said the grandmother before pausing for a moment.
In the meanwhile Effie was not the only one in the room who paid attention. Lilac colored Leo fixed his green eyes on the grandmother as if interested in another cat’s story.
“Pushok grew into a strong young cat at the worst possible time and place for a pet to live in. The time was the start of the Second World War, the place – the besieged city of Leningrad.
Invading German and Finnish armies surrounded the city from the sea and the land cutting off all supply routes. Food in Leningrad dwindled to the bare minimum in the matter of few weeks. What was still available was being rationed by the city government. The hunger set in – a long, deep hunger. Sensing that they themselves can be eaten, many pets had escaped. Not Pushok. Miriam was sharing her own food with him.
Children, on average, have better eyesight than grownups and Efim put his to a good use. With a slingshot he was hunting small birds – pigeons, crows and sparrows. He would bring what he had caught to Miriam who made a stew for Efim, Pushok and herself.
One day a Navy officer saw Efim shooting down a tiny sparrow hiding in the tree up above.
“I believe you have a talent we could use”, the officer told him.
Efim did not want to leave Miriam but she convinced him to go with the officer. Efim was better off with the navy she felt because sailors, unlike civilians, were receiving enough nutrition.
Not very long after Efim’s departure the winter came. The Leningrad winter is not the winter as we know it – a little snow, a bit of ice, a Nor’easter now and then. Situated less than five hundred miles from the Arctic Circle, the city itself is a Nor’easter. Supercharged by the Gulf of Finland the winds from the Baltic Sea will frost bite your ears if you don’t wear a fur hat with ear flaps. You must wear layered clothing and when there is no heat in-door you will sleep in one.
Miriam did not eat for days now. The cat Pushok was gone at last. She was not bitter just amazed that Pushok had stuck with her for so long. She lied in bed, now very week when suddenly she heard scratching on the window glass. She dismissed it at first but the scratching did not stop. Mustering the last bits of strength Miriam got up and opened the window. Guess who jumped in?”
“Pushok”, cried Effie.
“That is correct”, the grandmother noded. “It was Pushok and he did not come empty pawed – he was carrying a pigeon in his teeth.
From that moment on when Miriam ran out of food, Pushok went out hunting. Miriam was grateful and very very proud of Pushok, yet she did not realize how dangerous Pushok’s hunts really were.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Click to read: PUSHOK (SECOND PART)
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