But Moc is afraid. I think she may be angry, he says.
I dont think so, she is kind, Alyosha smiles, Lets try.
He takes Moc and goes to his parents.
Mum, Dad, meet Moc, he says.
Mum is surprised, Dad is interested.
Who is Moc? they ask.
Moc is my friend. And he is the friend of Bertha and Timoshka, Alyosha says, He is a very nice mouse.
A mouse? Mum says, But mice eat everything. He may eat everything in our yard, in our car, and in our house. A mouse cannot be a friend.
Moc tries to go back to Alyoshas pocket. He is sad because Mum doesnt like him.
No, no, Alyosha says, Moc doesnt eat everything. He lives in the yard in his den and comes to play with Bertha and Timoshka.
But Timoshka may eat him, says Dad, Cats always est mice.
Timoshka is near. I never eat mice, he says, And Moc is my friend, I cannot eat him.
But where is Moc?
He is sitting in the pocket again, very, very sad.
Alyosha takes Moc out of the pocket.
Moc, meet my Mum and Dad, he says. Mum, Dad, meet Moc.
We are glad to meet you, Moc, Mum and Dad say.
I am glad to meet you, says Moc.
He is happy.
CHAPTER 14. HAPPY HOP
All the family goes home. Father is driving the car. Mother is sitting near him. Alyosha, Timoshka, Bertha, and Moc are sitting behind.
Suddenly they see some animal on the ground. It is small and brown. The animal is sitting and looking at the car.
Whos that? Alyosha asks, I want to see.
Me too, Timoshka says.
Me too, Bertha says.
Me too, Moc says.
Ok, Father says, Lets see.
They all go out of the car and go to the animal.
Who are you? Alyosha asks.
I dont know, the animal says, But my name is Happy Hop. My friends call me Happy Hop.
A strange name, Timoshka thinks.
Have you got a family? Alyosha asks.
No, I havent got a family, I have got only friends, Happy Hop says.
And where are your friends? Alyosha asks.
I dont know, Happy Hop answers, May I go with you?
Lets take Happy Hop with us, Alyosha says, Mum, please.
I dont know, Mum says, He may be not good.
I am good, I am good, Happy Hop says, Take me with you please, I am good.
Mum, he is good. Lets take him with us.
Ok, Mother says, But Alyosha, you must wash him. I think he is dirty.
Happy Hop jumps very high on his all four legs. Wow, wow, wow! he cries, I go with you!
Alyosha laughs. Now I know why your friends call you Happy Hop, he says, because you jump high when you are happy.
A nice name, Timoshka thinks.
The friends are happy. They dont know who Happy Hop is but they have a new friend.
Happy Hop is happy too.
CHAPTER 15. ALYOSHA WASHES HAPPY HOP
Alyosha brings water and soap to the yard.
Time to wash, he says, Happy Hop, come to me!
I dont want to wash, says Happy Hop, I never wash. And Happy Hop tries to hide behind Bertha.
But you are dirty, Alyosha says, You are so dirty that we cannot understand what animal you are.
At this moment Mum comes.
If you dont wash I am going to take you back to the field, she says. Everybody must be clean.
Dont be afraid, Timoshka says, It is not dangerous.
But Happy Hop is a bit afraid. He closes his eyes when Alyosha takes him and puts him into the water, very, very carefully.
All the friends are sitting around them and looking at Alyosha and Happy Hop.
Happy Hop, how are you? Bertha asks.
Happy Hop, are you fine? Timoshka asks.
Happy Hop, open your eyes, Moc says.
Happy Hop opens his eyes and smiles.
I am fine, he says, The water is warm and nice. It is very nice to wash. I like to wash.
Alyosha, Alyosha, Moc says, Let me wash too. I also want warm water. Wash me too please.
Alyosha takes Moc and carefully puts him into the water too.
Moc and Happy Hop jump and splash water. They like to wash very much.
When they are clean Alyosha puts them in the sun on a small carpet.
Dad comes to them.
Now I know who you are, he says to Happy Hop. You are a hamster. A small clean hamster.
CHAPTER 16. HAPPY HOP CANNOT BE A HAMSTER
No, Alyosha says, Happy Hop cannot be a hamster.
Why? Dad is surprised.
Because hamsters never jump. They cannot jump. They can only run.
But I can! Happy Hop cries, I can jump! And I am a hamster!
I like to be a hamster!
It sometimes happens, Father says. Look, cats dont like to swim and our Timoshka likes.
Yes, I like to swim, Timoshka says.
Dogs dont like cats, Father continues, and our Bertha likes Timoshka.
Yes, I like Timoshka, Bertha says.
All cats eat mice and Timoshka doesnt want to eat Moc because he doesnt eat mice, Father says.
No, I dont want to eat my friend Moc, Timoshka says.
You see, it sometimes happens, Dad says.
Its interesting, Alyosha says, Can you say something about me?
Of course I can, Dad says, Boys dont like to work in the kitchen and you often help Mum in the kitchen.
Yes, I do, Alyosha says.
Boys dont like to cook, Father continues, and you often help Mum to cook food.
Yes, really, Alyosha says, Do you want to say that Timoshka is an unusual cat, Bertha is an unusual dog, Happy Hop is an unusual hamster and I am an unusual boy?
Yes, Father says.
I am an unusual cat, Timoshka thinks.
I am an unusual dog, Berta thinks.
I am an unusual hamster, Happy Hop thinks.
And Moc? Is he also unusual? Alyosha asks.
Of course he is, Father answers.
Why?
Because mice never make friends with cats and dogs. And Moc is Timoshkas and Berthas friend.
Wow! I am an unusual mouse! Moc cries.
Of course you are, his friends say.
CHAPTER 17. HAPPY HOP CHOOSES A HOUSE FOR HIMSELF
Where do you want to live? Alyosha asks Happy Hop.
Where may I live? Happy Hop asks.
You may live in the big house with me and Timoshka, Alyosha answers, or you may live in the yard with Bertha or with Moc. But we have no house for you in the yard.
We dont need one more house, Bertha says, Happy Hop may live with me in my house.
Or he may live with me in my den, Moc says.
Happy Hop is interested. May I look at your houses and choose? he asks.
Of course you may, his friends say.
At first, Happy Hop goes to the big house where Alyosha lives with his parents. And with Timoshka.
He looks at all the rooms and says, I think this house is too big for me. Lets see Mocs den.