Author: Vladimir Suteyev
English Translation: Mirra Ginsburg
The translation of world literature to Baluchi language is very limited. The translation of short story “Mushroom in the Rain” by Vladimir Suteyev, is an attempt by Karim Baluch to introduce popular stories originally in a foreign language to the Baluchi readers.
One day an ant was caught in the rain. “Where can I hide?” he wondered.
He saw a tiny mushroom peeking out of the ground in a clearing, and he hid under it. He sat there, waiting for the rain to stop. But the rain came down harder and harder.
A wet butterfly crawled up to the mushroom.
“Cousin Ant, let me come in from the rain. I am so wet I cannot fly.”
“How can I let you in?” said the ant. “There’s barely enough room for one.”
“It does not matter,” said the butterfly. “Better crowded than wet.”
The an moved over and made room for the butterfly. The rain came down harder and harder.
A mouse ran up.
“Let me in under the mushroom. I am drenched to the bone.”
“How can we let you in? There is no more room here.”
“Just move a little closer!”
They huddled closer and let the mouse in. And the rain came down and came down and would not stop.
A little sparrow hopped up to the mushroom, crying, “My feathers are dripping, my wings are so tired! Let me in under the mushroom to dry out and rest until the rain stops!”
“But there is no room here.”
“Please! Move over just a little!”
They moved over, and there was room enough for the sparrow.
Then a rabbit hopped into the clearing and saw the mushroom.
“Oh, hide me!” he cried. “Save me! A fox is chasing me!”
“Poor rabbit,” said the ant. “Let’s crowd ourselves a little more and take him in.”
As soon as they hid the rabbit, the fox came running.
“Have you seen the rabbit? Which way did he go?” he asked.
“We have not seen him.”
The fox came nearer and sniffed. “There is a rabbit smell around. Isn’t he hiding here?”
“You silly fox! How could a rabbit get in here? Don’t you see there isn’t any room?”
The fox turned up his nose, flicked his tail, and ran off.
By then the rain was over. The sun looked out from behind the clouds. And everyone came out from under the mushroom, bright and merry.
The ant looked at his neighbors. “How could this be? At first I had hardly room enough under the mushroom just for myself, and in the end all five of use were able to sit under it.”
“Qua-ha-ha! Qua-ha-ha!” somebody laughed loudly behind them.
They turned and saw a fat green frog sitting on top of the mushroom, shaking his head at them.
“Qua-ha-ha!” said the frog. “Don’t you know what happens to a mushroom in the rain?” And he hopped away, still laughing.
The ant, the butterfly, the mouse, the sparrow, and the rabbit looked at one another, then at the mushroom. And suddenly they knew why there was room enough under the mushroom for them all.
Do you know? Can you guess what happens to a mushroom when it rains?
