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The squirrel jumped up on the edge of the top of window and hung with his head down.

"Stupid cuss, listen to what I have to say to you."

"I...pruph-truph...don't want to listen to you!"

The catchy squirrel thought of what to do and screamed,

"Be careful!!! Stop!!! A big bee is sitting on your belly! Stop, bulky guy!"

The scared hamster stumbled over and fell down the stairs. The untwisted wheel continued to rotate, turning him with his short tail back up, then stopped. Ham could not hold himself and flew to the floor.

The squirrel sprang to him and said,

"Now listen to me. Try to keep your spirits up, ninny! Don't dream of touching the top of the wheel! It's quite impossible. Do you not believe me?"

"How do you know?"

"My grandmother told me long ago that people invented this wheel to amuse themselves. They like to see how we uselessly try to get to the top. For us it's much better to be running in the forest. If you still want to climb up high, we can do it more easily. Let's go!"

With much difficulty the squirrel urged the hamster, and, after several times, they strolled through the wonderful woods with tall, powerful green pines and oaks. Sunny glades were strewn with plenty of various colored flowers, over which soared beautiful butterflies waving their decorated wings.

The hamster was so amazed at such a striking landscape that big tears formed in his eyes.

The squirrel didn't lie to the hamster. It was really simple and easy climbing high toward the trunk of the tree. There they chose a long, flexible branch waving from the wind.

"Look what a wonderful scenery is around," the squirrel said, delighted, and continued, "There in the South early in the morning behind the mountains the sun rises. It sets on the other side in West straight over the ocean."

"Indeed, it's very nice," Ham agreed.

He watched, fascinated, how the ocean waves glittered like silver, then how the woodpecker furiously knocked with his long beak the nearest tree trunk, and was abstract of a small spider who dropped on the shiny web past his nose.

There was real beauty throughout the forest. Nevertheless, something was constantly bothering the hamster.

"I feel sorry for Johnny," said Ham on the branch. He thought, his parents force him to play the piano. Will it only be so? Besides, I left home, and Johnny will look for me.

"What are you thinking about? Why are you so gloomy?" the squirrel asked, surprised.

Ham snapped,

"I like to be gloomy there! That's all!"

"But I don't like that! I like to be merry!" the squirrel shouted aggressively and jumped up high like a bullet over the boughs to the radiant heavens.

Meanwhile, the echo carried her words through the woods for a long time,

"Iii liiike tooo beee meeerryyy!"

The squirrel returned to her friend and gasped out,

"I meant to amuse you, but you're still sad."

"Do you understand me?" In vexation Ham turned away from his companion and asked her sadly, "Tell me, please, what do you do the whole day here?"

"What? I leap from one twig to another, eating nuts and hiding the rest for winter."

"That's all?"

The squirrel thought one minute, then drew close to the hamster and mysteriously whispered to him,

"That's not all. But don't tell anybody."

"OK, I'm listening," answered Ham, thinking inside, what kind of secrets might the squirrel have?

"Don't rush me. I have to decide whether or not I'm going to tell you."

The crafty squirrel decided to wait a while and not reveal at once the big mystery.

"No, I can't tell you now."

"Well, I may have to live without your mystery anyhow."

"But it's really wrong! To live without any wonder is the same as being dead."

"Hurry up!" creaked the hamster at once, "What a show off! Do you think only you have a lot of prodigy and hugger-mugger?!"

"However, my mystery is unique. No one in the world has such a wonder like mine."

"Really? One can hardly believe."

"Let's go!"

"Have it your way! Let's go! It's something to do."

They climbed the hillside. Then the squirrel said quietly and mysteriously,

"It's here."

"What is here?"

"You will soon hear."

Ham looked around. Several withering trees stood nearby, but nothing special.

"Well? Where is your hiding place?"

"Be quiet and listen, please."

They sat and waited for some time. Then, all of a sudden, a breeze blew and a gentle trill resounded.

"Tra-lia, tra-lia-lia..."

Sometimes it was quiet, sometimes it was louder.

"Ha!" cried the hamster, "It's a nestling that fell out of the nest and is crying! What a miracle!"

"You don't believe it? In vain. Please, approach this withered twig with small holes in its side."

Ham drew close to the twig and was thrilled. As soon as the wind began to blow, it played like a flute.

"Oh-ho-ho!" Ham shouted joyfully and began running around the tree.

"Are you crazy?" the squirrel began shouting, "Have you been bitten by a fly?"

"I need this twig-flute, very badly..." Ham continued to rejoice loudly.

"No, no! I can't give it to you. It's my secret. My..."

The squirrel was indignant and took a stroll with her luxuriant tail across the hamster's muzzle so that Ham could not see for some time. But the artful pet ran and poked the squirrel on the side.

"Stop! Don't dare fight!" Johnny suddenly appeared from behind the dense brush woods with a long twig in his hand. "Dear Ham, I have been searching for you for a long time, and I've found you at last."

Johnny approached the two bullies.

"Look both of you. I also have a twig. I cut it here and made a nice flute. Let's sing together!"