Patch (with illustrations by E. Vasiliev)

The story of N. Nosov with illustrations by E. Vasilyev for preschool age.

N. Nosov.

Bobka had wonderful pants: green, or rather, khaki. Bobka loved them very much and always boasted:

Look guys, what my pants are. Soldier!

All the guys, of course, were jealous. No one had these pants.

Once Bobka climbed over the fence, caught on a nail and tore those wonderful pants. From annoyance, he almost cried, went home as soon as possible and began to ask his mother to sew up.

Mom got angry:

You will climb fences, tear your pants, and I have to sew up?

I won't do it again! Shut up, mom!

I sew it myself.

So I can't!

Managed to tear, manage and sew.

Well, I'll walk like that, - Bobka grumbled and went into the yard.

The guys saw that he had a hole in his pants, and began to laugh.

What kind of soldier are you, they say, if your pants are torn?

And Bobka justifies himself:

I asked my mother to sew it up, but she does not want to.

Do mothers sew up pants for soldiers? - say the guys. - The soldier himself must be able to do everything: put on a patch and sew on a button.

Bob was embarrassed.

He went home, asked his mother for a needle, thread and a piece of green cloth. He cut out a patch the size of a cucumber from the fabric and began sewing it to his pants. This matter was not easy. In addition, Bobka was in a hurry and pricked his fingers with a needle.

What are you up to? Oh you disgusting! - Bobka said to the needle and tried to grab it by the very tip so as not to prick.

Finally the patch was sewn on. She stuck out on her pants like a dried mushroom, and the material was wrinkled so that one leg became shorter.

Well, where does it fit? Bobka grumbled, looking at his pants. -Even worse than before! You'll have to redo everything.

He took a knife and ripped off the patch. Then he straightened it, put it on his pants, circled the patch with an ink pencil and began to sew it on again. Now he sewed slowly, carefully and all the time making sure that the patch did not crawl out of the line.

He fiddled for a long time, sniffling and groaning, but when everything was done, it was a pleasure to look at the patch. It was sewn on evenly, smoothly, and so firmly that even teeth could not tear it off.

Finally, Bobka put on his pants and went out into the yard. The guys surrounded him.

Well done! - they said. - And - the patch, look, circled in pencil. It is immediately obvious that he sewed.

And Bobka turned in all directions, so that everyone could see, and said:

Oh, I would like to learn how to sew on buttons, but it's a pity, none of them came off! That is OK. Someday it will come off - I will definitely sew it myself.