TEN_. I'll!.. I'll!.. I'll scamper about! I'll! I'll! I'll get worked
up! I'll become playful! I'll! I'll! How dull it is... Oh! There's somebody
here! 
_
The Boot and The Pot. 
_
_THE OLD BOOT._ Good evening!
 _THE POT_. Good evening!
 _THE OLD BOOT._ What I told you! Even the sun is worn out. Everything wears
out...
 _THE POT_. Fins...
 _THE OLD BOOT._ Wings...
 _THE POT._ Everything is worn out, everything is over.
 _THE OLD BOOT._ How dark it is!
 _THE POT_. Dark! What is it, there?
 _THE OLD BOOT._ The moon has risen.
 _THE POT._ It'll wear out by the morning.
 _THE OLD BOOT._ It is not worth thinking about it. It will certainly be warn
out.
 _THE POT_. And stars will be worn out.
 _THE OLD BOOT._ Only we won't be worn out.
 _THE POT_. We'll remain.
 _THE OLD BOOT._ Yes...
 _THE POT_. Yes...
 _THE OLD BOOT._ See you soon!
 _THE POT._ Let's meet in the morning, after the night is worn out.
 _THE OLD BOOT._ In the morning, when the night is worn out. 
_
They part. 
_
_THE KITTEN._ They've gone away. And I'm alone! Oh, I feel upset! It is so
boring. Who is here? 
_
The Moth, The Little Carp. 
_
_THE LITTLE CARP_. I've nearly become the Goldfish forever...
 _THE MOTH_. And I've nearly become a Butterfly!..
 _THE LITTLE CARP_. Now I've got only gold dreams, left for me...
 _THE MOTH._ Sometimes I still fly in my dreams...
 _THE LITTLE CARP_. I'll go and have my dream...
 _THE MOTH._ I may fly over the thistles in my dream... 
_
Go away. The Smart Cat. 
_
_THE SMART CAT_. I can't get asleep. I'm fond of walking under the Moon! I'll
tell you a secret: it's easier to steal something by moonlight. Because then
you can see everything. I mean, one can see nothing. My only eye is shining
brightly, isn't it? As if it were a green glow-worm! And my hair is so bright!
My second eye was catapulted. What an eye it was! Much better than this one!
They couldn't even be compared! How I could look at the world then! What a
keen eye I had! And now... When one looks at the world with his only eye,
everybody seems to be an enemy. I hear somebody approaching. Who is that? Oh,
it's you!... And there's somebody else... I'm leaving! 
_
leaves. The Fly.
 _
_THE FLY_. How quiet it is! How silent! Everybody is sleeping. Everything is
in order. The night moonlight is useful only to cats. 
_
Leaves. The Kitten and The Dandelion. 
_
_THE KITTEN._ Where did everybody hide from me? Hey! Is there anybody here?
Hey! Here you are!
 _THE DANDELION_. I'm sleeping. Children should go to bed at night.
 _THE KITTEN_. But I am bored! Well... Listen... Look... the Moon is so bright!
 _THE DANDELION._ Moon! (Opening slightly). I like looking at the Moon!
 _THE KITTEN_. As for us, cats, it's the best time for walks.
 _THE DANDELION_ (half-open). Walks! I am fond of walks!
 _THE KITTEN_. Well, get out!
 _THE DANDELION._ What for?
 _THE KITTEN._ Let's do something.
 _THE DANDELION_ (getting out). Let's do.
 _THE KITTEN_. Let's admire the Moon! 
_
They admire the Moon. 
_
Well, we have admired enough. Let's do something else.
 _THE DANDELION_. Let's listen .
 _THE KITTEN_. Well, let's listen. 
_
They listen. 
_
We've listened. What else? Well, let's smell.
 _THE DANDELION_. But I can't.
 _THE KITTEN._ Neither can I. We Cats have a poor nose. We'd rather look.
 THE DANDELION. How clever you are. 
_
They look. 
_
_THE KITTEN._ Well, What did you see?
 _THE DANDELION._ You.
 _THE KITTEN._ And I saw you. It's Wonderful. Let's continue looking. 
_
They look. 
_
What else did you see?
 _THE DANDELION._ The Moon.
 _THE KITTEN._ Oh, so did I! Well, wait a minute. I've already seen it before.
When we were admiring it. And you? 
_THE DANDELION._ I had seen it before too. Do you know, what we are doing now?
 _THE KITTEN._ What?
 _THE DANDELION._ It seems to me, that we are recalling. Let's recollect.
 _THE KITTEN._ Let us. 
_
They recall. 
_
What are you recalling?
 _THE DANDELION._ I think, I'm recalling you.
 _THE KITTEN_. How nice it is! And what am I like?
 _THE DANDELION._ You are young in my recollections.
 _THE KITTEN._ And you know, I'm recalling you. And you are young too. How
nice it is! Well, let's recall something else. It is not very interesting -
you recall only me, you look at me... Try to recall something else.
 _THE DANDELION._ What should I?
 _THE KITTEN._ Try to recall, how we admired the Moon.
 _THE DANDELION._ Oh, I recall it.
 _THE KITTEN_. And that's all?
 _THE DANDELION._ I think it is.
 _THE KITTEN._ I know what we shall do. But it's difficult.
 _THE DANDELION_. What?
 _THE KITTEN._ We'll dream.
 _THE DANDELION_. But how?
 _THE KITTEN_. It means to speak about something, that will never happen.
 _THE DANDELION_. But I can't.
 _THE KITTEN._ Little Carp taught me to dream. Well... So, when I become The
Goldfish...!
 _THE DANDELION._ Do you want to become The Goldfish?
 _THE KITTEN._ Of course, not. Little Carp does. And I only dream. Listen...
When I become a Goldfish again... and I get golden fins!
 _THE DANDELION_. Will you get golden fins?
 _THE KITTEN_. Well, not. Little Carp will. Don't interrupt. When I get golden
fins...!
 _THE DANDELION_. Well?
 _THE KITTEN._ That's all. Little Carp would tell nothing more. And now it's
your turn.
 _THE DANDELION._ Well, I'll try... So ... When I become The Goldfish again...!
 _THE KITTEN._ Well?
 _THE DANDELION._ When I get golden fins!
 _THE KITTEN._ Well? What else?
 _THE DANDELION._ But you didn't teach me anything else!
 _THE KITTEN._ Oh! How I wish I could learn what will happen to these fins. I
think we aren't good at dreaming.
 _THE DANDELION._ Let's peep into the future.
 _THE KITTEN._ Let's, but what is the future?
 _THE DANDELION._ That's something that will certainly happen.
 _THE KITTEN._ Well, let's try... 
_
They peep into the future. 
_
Well?
 _THE DANDELION._ Ooh, it is wonderful!
 _THE KITTEN._ It's wonderful! Now, you'll try to learn what's in store for
me, and I'll do it for you. 
_
They peep into the future of each other. 
_
Your future seems better than mine.
 _THE DANDELION._ Do you like it? So I give it to you.
 _THE KITTEN._ So do I! I give it to you.
 _THE DANDELION._ What do you want to give me?
 _THE KITTEN._ Everything!
 _THE DANDELION._ I give you everything too!
 _THE KITTEN._ Hurrah! You've given to me, and I give to you! I wish Little
Carp could hear our words. He's fond of giving too. Let's give him something.
 _THE DANDELION._ Well, what?
 _THE KITTEN._ We'll give him everything too. Well... He doesn't need
everything. He wants his fins. Let's give him the fins .
 _THE DANDELION_. Well, let's.
 _THE KITTEN._ Little Carp, we give you golden fins.
 _THE DANDELION._ And we give Moth his wings.
 _THE KITTEN._ Little Carp!
 _THE DANDELION._ Moth!
 _THE KITTEN._ I think, they can't hear our words. They're sleeping. Let's
call them!
 _THE DANDELION_ and _THE KITTEN._ Moth! Little Carp! 
_
The Moth and The Little Carp. 
_
_THE KITTEN._ Moth and Little Carp! Listen, we give you your fins and wings.
 _THE LITTLE CARP._ Thank you.
 _THE MOTH._ I'm so happy.
 _THE LITTLE CARP._ Well... You say... How could it be! I'll get my golden
fins again!
 _THE MOTH._ It seems to me... new wings?!
 _THE LITTLE CARP._ Moth, wake up!
 _THE MOTH._ Wake up, Little Carp!
 _THE LITTLE CARP._ My fins!
 _THE MOTH._ My wings!
 _THE KITTEN._ So, we've made them a present! Let's give something to somebody
else.
 _THE LITTLE CARP._ Why... But where are my fins?
 _THE MOTH._ And what about wings? Give me them!
 _THE KITTEN._ But should one give anything, while making a present?
 _THE LITTLE CARP._ Oh, look at him!
 _THE KITTEN._ But we can't do it yet. We can only make presents.
 _THE MOTH._ How would you like it! Well, Little Carp, listen to what they are
talking about!
 _THE LITTLE CARP._ Well, Moth! They seem to be deceiving us!
 _THE KITTEN_ and _THE DANDELION._ Deceive you?!
 _THE MOTH._ I was just flying over the thistles... in my dream, of course...
 _THE LITTLE CARP._ And you?..
 _THE MOTH._ And I was woke up?
 _THE KITTEN_ and _THE DANDELION._ Who woke you?
 _THE LITTLE CARP._ I don't know how to put it... They promised to give me the
fins...
 _THE MOTH._ Oh, I was awaken at the same moment - they promised to give me my
wings...
 _THE KITTEN_ and _THE DANDELION._ Who promised that?
 _THE MOTH._ There are two know-it-alls. Am I right, Little Carp?
 _THE DANDELION_. Well, Kitten, we happen to be these know-it-alls, we
promised...
 _THE KITTEN._ How could it be? I don't know how to promise. I did it
accidentally! Please forgive me!
 _THE DANDELION_. Forgive me too! Please!
 _THE LITTLE CARP._ Well, we'll forgive you, but...
 _THE MOTH._ It can't be helped - one should keep his promise.
 _THE KITTEN._ But I... We can't keep promise!
 _THE MOTH._ So you should learn!
 _THE LITTLE CARP._ So you'll have to learn! And I'll go and see my dream up
to the end. I want to know, how it ended. 
_
He leaves. 
_
_THE MOTH._ I may have time to fly over those thistles by the morning. (He
leaves.)
 _THE KITTEN_ and _THE DANDELION._ Don't get upset about it! We'll keep our
promise! Honest!
 _THE KITTEN._ Why didn't you warn me? I wouldn't have promised then. We made
a present to our own misfortune. What shall we do?
 _THE DANDELION._ You know, I seem to know what to do. Let's... invent
something!
 _THE KITTEN._ Hurrah! Let us! But let's whisper at first.
 _THE DANDELION._ Let's whisper! 
_
They whisper. 
_
_THE KITTEN._ It's a secret!
 _THE DANDELION._ It's our secret!
 _THE KITTEN._ Let's whisper a little more!
 _THE DANDELION._ Let's whisper then. 
_
They continue whispering.
 

_
_ACT 2 _
_
The Smart Cat and The Fly. 
_
_THE FLY._ Have a good rest, sleepy-head?
 _THE SMART CAT._ I didn't have a wink of sleep. I was lying in wait. Do you
think, it's very interesting? Give it a try!
 _THE FLY._ What's the news?
 _THE SMART CAT._ Bad news. I didn't have enough sleep.
 _THE FLY._ That's a good boy. You don't have to tell everything they said.
I'm sure they talked nonsense. Report on what you heard.
 _THE SMART CAT._ I'm reporting: I didn't understand a word. I was lying in
wait.
 _THE FLY._ What for then?
 _THE SMART CAT._ What for? We, cats, have this habit.
 _THE FLY_. So you didn't hear a word?
 _THE SMART CAT._ Pains me to hear it! We cats have a keen ear... But my
memory...
 _THE FLY._ Can you remember at least one word?
 _THE SMART CAT_. Mm... We often repeat it.
 _THE FLY._ "Promise"?
 _THE SMART CAT._ Another one... One says, when he's lying.
 _THE FLY._ "Honest".
 _THE SMART CAT. _That's right. That's what they were talking about.
 _THE FLY_. How interesting! Could you even imagine it? Such a little but
harmful seed has flown here from behind these thistles!
 _THE SMART CAT_. What are you talking about?
 _THE FLY_. Wait, you'll see what the things will be like!
 _THE SMART CAT_. I don't like anybody, saying contradictions. I can't
understand it!
 _THE FLY._ It's quite easy - As you sow, you shall reap.
 _THE SMART CAT_. What shall one sow?
 _THE FLY._ Sow the wind...
 _THE SMART CAT_. And what shall one reap?
 _THE FLY._ And reap the whirlwind. As you sow you shall reap!
 _THE SMART CAT._ But why does one reap not, what he's sown?
 _THE FLY. _Nobody knows, what grow on our ground!..
 _THE SMART CAT_. What will grow?
 _THE FLY._ Well, Smart Cat!..
 _THE SMART CAT_. Oh, Fly!.. Well... We need a plan! How to save ourselves
from it!
 _THE FLY_. How nice of you to understand it! Let's think it over. 
_
They are whispering. 
_
_THE SMART CAT._ Hush! Who is coming here? 
_
They disappear. The Old Boot and The Pot. 
_
_THE OLD BOOT. _How are you?! Still rattling, aren't you?
 _THE POT._ I am. Well, is the night over?
 _THE OLD BOOT._ Of course, it is. And the day will certainly be over.
Everything passes: morning, day, evening, night...
 _THE POT_. It is an old custom.
 _THE OLD BOOT. _But we shall never be worn out.
 _THE POT_. We are inanimate objects. 
_
The Moth and The Little Carp. 
_
_THE LITTLE CARP._ I'll soon get my golden fins.
 _THE MOTH._ And they promised to give me the wings!
 _THE OLD BOOT_. Oh, as soon as you start dreaming of something they'll
immediately interrupt you!
 _THE POT._ They'll immediately interrupt you!
 _THE POT._ They'll find and certainly interrupt! Certainly!
 _THE LITTLE CARP._ Oh, Moth, if you ever could imagine, how these two old
whimperers bother me!
 _THE MOTH._ Little Carp, I'm bored to death with this lame Boot!
 _THE OLD BOOT._ Come! Come! If you were more careful, you could notice long
ago that I'm the left one!
 _THE POT_. And I'm always right!
 _THE LITTLE CARP._ And I'll get the fins!
 _THE MOTH._ And I'll get the wings!
 _THE LITTLE CARP._ I'll swim away!
 _THE MOTH. _I'll fly away!
 _THE OLD BOOT_. I say! We can dream better, can't we, Pot?
 _THE POT_. We can! You can't even imagine!
 _THE LITTLE CARP_. Well, try then and show us how you do!
 _THE MOTH_. You can't!
 _THE OLD BOOT_. Ah! Well... I... Mm...
 _THE POT _(is prompting). I can dream... so...
 _THE OLD BOOT_. Can dream so...
 _THE POT _(is prompting). That...
 _THE OLD BOOT_. That!..
 _THE MOTH._ Is that all?
 _THE OLD BOOT_. It is all!
 _THE LITTLE CARP_. It is clear.
 _THE POT_. Feel envious? Well, Boot, Tell them, how the day passes.
 _THE OLD BOOT_. Day passes and...
 _THE LITTLE CARP_. Stop talking! You are dreaming in the wrong way! One
shouldn't dream as you do!
 _THE OLD BOOT_. I am right!
 _THE MOTH_. Try to dream of the most important thing.
 _THE OLD BOOT_. That's what I'm doing: everything passes, everything goes to
its end...
 _THE LITTLE CARP_. Boot, tell me, do you have something valuable?
 _THE OLD BOOT_. I have... My thoughts!
 _THE LITTLE CARP_. No, the most important thing, you've got is your sole.
 _THE OLD BOOT_. My sole!
 _THE MOTH_. And what about you, Pot?
 _THE POT_. My soul!
 _THE MOTH_. No, Pot, it's your cover.
 _THE POT_. Cover!
 _THE MOTH _and _THE LITTLE CARP_. And you should dream of this!
 _THE POT_. My Cover!
 _THE OLD BOOT_. Sole!
 _THE LITTLE CARP_. Oh, my fins.
 _THE MOTH_. My wings.
 _THE LITTLE CARP_. I'll swim to the black sea!
 _THE MOTH_. I'll fly to high pine-trees!
 _THE OLD BOOT_. I can't remain on my feet!
 _THE POT_. I'm boiling with life!
 _THE OLD BOOT _(suddenly). Let's take the field!
 _EVERYBODY_. The field! The field!
 _THE OLD BOOT_. We are marching together!
 _EVERYBODY_. Together!
 _THE POT_. We are singing our song loudly!
 _EVERYBODY_. Our song!
 _THE LITTLE CARP_. We'll try to catch the sunshine!
 _EVERYBODY_. The sunshine!
 _THE MOTH_. We'll be jumping over the thistle!
 _EVERYBODY_. Over the thistles! 
_
They sing their song. 
_
_THE OLD BOOT_. We are marching together!
 _EVERYBODY_. Together!
 _THE POT_. Go on, music!
 _EVERYBODY_. Music!
 _THE LITTLE CARP_. Hello, Sunshine!
 _EVERYBODY_. Sunshine!
 _THE MOTH_. Our beautiful dream has got the wings!
 _EVERYBODY_. The wings! 
_
They leave singing.
 The Smart Cat and The Fly. 
_
_THE SMART CAT_. How silly they are! They'll never get over the thistles!
 _THE FLY_. The sun will set by the evening, they'll lose their way!
 _THE SMART CAT_. They can't see anything in the darkness!
 _THE FLY_. They can't see anything in the darkness!
 _THE FLY_. They'll step on each others feet! They'll beat each other up!
They'll quarrel!
 _THE SMART CAT_. They'll attack each other!
 _THE FLY_. They'll quarrel!
 _THE SMART CAT_. They'll beat each other!
 _THE FLY_. They'll return back. They won't get over the thistles!
 _THE SMART CAT_. The sun will set! They'll lose their way!
 _THE FLY_. They'll deceive themselves.
 _THE SMART CAT_. They'll return! Quarrel! That's it!
 _THE FLY. _They'll quarrel! This way... 
_
They start beating each other. 
_
_THE SMART CAT_. Oh' They'll tease each other!
 _THE FLY_. They'll attack!
 _THE SMART CAT_. Hide!
 _THE FLY_. Bite one another!
 _THE SMART CAT_. My only eye!
 _THE FLY_. My only sixth leg! 
_
Stop beating each other. 
_
_THE SMART CAT_. Smart Cat is nice, shrewd, clever, cowardly! Calm down, take
away your paw. drop your tail, hide your claws, open your eye. You can't open
it! Well, purr then... Mrr... How silly they are!
 _THE FLY. _You see now, our first plan didn't work. We thought it over for
nothing!
 _THE SMART CAT_. I see! I can't see anything! How dark it is!.. They can't
see in the darkness! Neither do I now! Why did you bite me?
 _THE FLY_. Night will soon fall. Sun will set. Still we have the time to
start the quarrel between them. We should steal their friendship.
 _THE SMART CAT_. I'm always ready to steal something.
 _THE FLY_. Then, listen. I am small, so I'll follow Little Carp, Moth, Old
Boot and Pot. I'll attack then in the darkness and make them quarrel. Their
friendship is so small, that I'll be able to steal it. And you, Smart Cat,
stay here with Kitten and Dandelion. They've got the large friendship.
 _THE SMART CAT_. I'm fond of stealing large things.
 _THE FLY_. See you then! (Disappears.)
 _THE SMART CAT_. Off away with you! I'll get along myself! What shall I begin
with? First of all, I'll attack them. I'll steal up to them and attack. But
Kitten has got a keen ear, he'll hear me approaching. I'd rather try to
overhear, what they are talking about. Oh, I hear something, what shall I do
then? I should be clever. I'll lie to them. But they will realize that I'm
lying. And I must lie so that they could believe me. What shall I tell them?
Oh, I'll tell then the truth. I think I,m the first to lie like that. Well,
I'll steal up to them and tell a lie. No, I'd rather attack them and tell a
lie! No, it would be better to deceive them and then tell a lie! I'll steal up
to them... I'll attack them... I'll tell them a lie... Mm... No, I'd rather
come up to them, without stealing up. I'll come up and... tell a lie. So they
won't understand, that I'm lying. Oh, what a Smart Cat I am! Fly could never
even imagine this. So, I'll go. I'm already going! 
_
The Dandelion and The Kitten, The Smart Cat. 
_
_THE SMART CAT_. Hey! I'm not going to make friends with you! I'm not interest
in it! It is so dull! (I shouldn't mix anything and tell them a lie, otherwise
they'll understand everything). While you making plans and whispering, Little
Carp and Moth has already gone to get their fins and wings. (Oh, I'm telling
the truth for the first time in the whole life. I'm excited! The truth appears
to tickle my nerves.) Well. While you are making plans, malicious Fly has
followed them. She'll make them quarrel. And she'll steal their friendship.
They've got small friendship, and it'll be easy to steal it. The Sun will set,
they'll lose their way. They won't see their Happinness, as one can't see his
own tail! (I seem to have told a lie. Here is my tail. What if they don't
believe me?.)
 _THE KITTEN. _Oh, Golden fins!
 _THE DANDELION. _Wings?
 _THE SMART CAT_. They'll be lost! They'll lost their way!
 _THE KITTEN_. Lost their way!
 _THE DANDELION_. They'll be lost!
 _THE SMART CAT_. Night has fallen. It has Honest!
 _THE DANDELION. _Honest! We gave the promise!
 _THE SMART CAT_. Sun is setting. They can't see in the darkness.
 _THE KITTEN_. But I can!
 _THE SMART CAT_. They'll lose their way!
 _THE KITTEN_. But I won't lose it!
 _THE DANDELION_. Kitten, you run after them! Find them and show them the way!
 _THE KITTEN_. I shall! And what about you?
 _THE DANDELION_. I'll light up your way! Kitten, you run, run without turning
back!
 _THE KITTEN_. But it means to save myself!
 _THE DANDELION_. Kitten, you run and don't lose the time!
 _THE KITTEN_. But it means to leave!
 _THE DANDELION_. Good bye, Kitten! Don't turn around