“Poor thing!” The mouse took pity on him.

   “You laid the table and found yourself here?” The cat was doubtful.

   “Why, yes! First I had a slice of cheese and then went here.” Vovka sighed. He realized that it was the most unbelievable explanation in the world. If all this hadn’t happened to him, he would have never believed such stories.

   “Cheese?! What cheese? Wer-re there any holes in it? How did it appear and why did it vanish her-re?”

   “The cheese was so delicious! Like the one you have in your pot on the stove. It smells the same. I have never seen such cheese before, but today, when I was helping that old lady in the store…”

   “The old lady? The old lady!” The cat interrupted Vovka and quite unexpectedly gave him a hug. “My dear-rest, my sur-rely best! So, she has been found! Our Gr-randma fr-rom the dair-ry, the Cheese Fair-ry has been found! Where is she?”

   “But…I don’t know.” Vovka had no idea what to say. “She vanished! Right there, in the store!”

   “Vanished at once, left us no chance…” The cat became sad again.

   “Let’s give our guest something to eat at first, Curdfritter. He is still not sitting, so how can he be further speaking? See in people no vice – when they visit, please, be nice. Better look into your pot, or you’ll have your cheese all burnt,” grumbled the little mouse. “Have a seat!” She led Vovka to a table and made him sit down to a wide wooden bench. “You must be hungry after your walk, and meanwhile let us talk.”

   Vovka obeyed and got ready to listen. He was really hungry by that time. The only thing he hadn’t decided about yet was whether he should wash his hands. On the one hand, he always washed his hands at home. On the other, he didn’t believe that there could be any bacteria in a magic place like that. And Vovka had no doubts that the place he had got at was really magic.

   “My name is Cheese-eater, the cat is Curdfritter, and the mistress of the dairy is the Cheese Fairy. First eat the porridge, then listen to our story. You need to eat more to grow strong. If you put in porridge some butter, it will only make you smarter. The strength of a mill comes from the wind, a man’s – from what he can eat.” The mouse was talking and at the same time putting on the table wooden plates, clay jars and pots. Curdfritter brought hot pots and pans from the stove.

   “Why are you eating nothing?” asked Vovka. Somehow he didn’t feel right having all the food for himself.

   “When you’ve got many dishes to make, you won’t car-re what’s on a plate,” purred Curdfritter. “Since our Gr-randma the Cheese Fair-ry disappear-red, I have had no r-rest or appetite. Befor-re that I always ate with pleasure, but it’s not like that now.” Curdfritter sighed.

   “Don’t listen to his complaints; let me fill again your plates. Eat and drink our bread and milk. But I’ll surely have no rest, if you don’t say that our cheese is the best,” said Cheese-eater.

   “Thank you, I just love cheese, and you have the most delicious kind of it!” exclaimed Vovka.

   “Cheese is cer-rtainly our best, and we gladly shar-re it with our guest. Fr-rom the sunr-rise we are awake, for there is always mor-re cheese to make. Do you know The Crow and the Fox fable?” asked Curdfritter.

   “Of course, I do,” smiled Vovka. “Everybody does.”

   “But not ever-ryone understands. Have you r-read it? R-remember how the Fox cheated the Crow and r-ran away with the cheese? But when you r-read it next time, the Cr-row has cheese again. How did it appear, if the Fox had stolen it?”