M O S C O W - Passport magazine

and sleighs runs magically manifested themselves. Snow-ball fights
started and the Pileloops shattered into a multitude of coloured
particles when they were hit by a snowball, then they reformed.
“Snow Pileloops! Snow Pileloops!” the Pileoops shouted at
the newly arrived guests.
Peter whispered to his friend: “I didn’t know that snow is
dust.”
The old man smiled and said: “That doesn’t surprise me,
there’s a lot you don’t know. After the festival the snow dust
will melt and will return only when winter comes.”
Peter waved the hat again. This time sand poured out. Sand
lay in waves around the clearing. Sand castles, little houses, fish,
and other shapes that children make in the sand appeared. The
shapes dematerialised and formed into Sand Pileloops.
When all the Pileloops had gathered, the old man shook his head
and said: “You are so like your great grandfather.” The boy smiled.
A very beautiful girl in a pink dress flew up to the old man.
She whispered something to him, turned to Peter and smiled.
Pileloop gave the hat to Peter. “This is yours,” he said. “The
tricks are over. All the Pileloops are here. Here is your hat. You
can go back home. Do you remember the way?”
Peter didn’t know what to do. He wanted to stay very much.
The boy nodded his head and hesitatingly took the hat.
Chapter 10
The Pileloop’s Festival
Peter thought up an excuse to stay, but he didn’t need to because
the old man flew up to him and said ceremoniously: “We
invite you, Pileloop Peter, to attend the Pileloop’s Festival as our
guest!” The old man screwed his eyes up and smiled broadly.
“Yes, great!” Peter said, other Pileloops clapped.
The boy flew up into the air and shouted: “People give pres-
January 2011
Family pages
ents to each other at festivals. I want to give you the hat!”
The Pileloops all clapped so much that the whole clearing
was covered with multi-coloured dust. Bees were jolted out
of flowers and joined in, a ringing sound from thousands of
bluebells filled the air. The old man hugged Peter. Then he
started to jump around, and broke into a jig.
The Pileloops merged together in one huge dance-cloud.
Peter couldn’t conceal his amazement. The Pileloops danced,
danced and danced. The old man, who still couldn’t believe
his good fortune, flew up to the boy. “Thank you, this is a present
fit for a king!”
Pileloop held his hands to his heart.
“Now I have a reason to look after the hat year after year. But
how did you decide? Didn’t you tell me you wanted to own it?”
Peter turned to his friend and said: “It’s me who should be thanking
you! My dreams have come true! I am so happy that I was able
to do some tricks, and what tricks they were! Now I know what it’s
like to be a magician. Pileloop and Peter hugged each other.
Chapter 11
The Pink Pileloop
The festival roared along in high spirits. Peter stood to one
side and shyly watched the Pileloops dance. The girl in the
pink dress flew up to him. “This is Rose Pileloop,” said the old
man. “You have seen her already. She lives in a rose.”
The girl took Peter by the hand and took him into the dance.
The boy felt a bit awkward at first, but Rose Pileloop was
so dexterous with him that he soon forgot that he couldn’t
dance. “Have you got a girl friend?” the girl asked. “N-no,”
Peter was embarrassed for some reason. “I don’t either. I was
only born very recently. In a rose. Maybe I can be your friend?”
Peter’s heart jumped with joy: “Of course!”
Peter was very happy. He soared into the sky, twisted and
turned in a riot of light and colour. He couldn’t believe that
this festival was actually made of nothing but dust, the same
dust that we come across every day at work, at home, in museums,
on the roads, in the fields, forests, workshops, bakeries,
windmills summer and winter, autumn and spring. The
night slowly dispersed and the first rays of dawn appeared.
The old man flew up to him, gave him the hat and shouted:
“Throw the hat upwards, for the last time!” The boy flung the hat
upwards. The Pileloops raised their hands up. Peter’s new friend
raised her hands up. The hat shot upwards to the stars as if it was a
rocket. When it touched them tiny flames began to fall earthward.
“Star Pileloops! Star Pileloops!” Everyone shouted. One by
one, the Pileloops all took off to join the new guests. They dissolved
into the light of the new day.
“Let’s go!” Rose Pileloop took Peter by the hand. What could
be more perfect than touching the stars hand in hand with
such a kind and wonderful girl who was born of a rose!
Eventually, the Pileloops descended back down onto the
clearing. Peter and his new friend held hands and smiled,
looking at each other. It got light.
“Time to say goodbye,” said Rose Pileloop.
Suddenly, without any warning, a grey shadow covered the
clearing. It rose up and took the Pileloops with it. Everybody
was thrown about all over the place. The shadow took the girl
so quickly that Peter lost hold of her. The rose dress flashed
and disappeared together into the grey matter. P
Translated from the Russian by John Harrison