𝘼 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙜𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨

      One hot summer day on Mount Crumpit, a green who named the Grinch was sitting in a cave with his dog Max. They sat in two red armchairs and thought about where they could go on their day off. They read a lot of magazines, where they suggested different places to relax. Max was reading a recent magazine about two cities Yooks and Zooks, which are still in conflict over how to properly eat sandwiches, but at the same time, every resident from two different cities is friendly to guests and is always happy to see even immigrants or those who will come for a day off from distant countries. At that time, the Grinch was reading a magazine about the recently opened city of Strangville. The name of the city was a little confusing because it was stupid. Even stupider than probably the city of Whoville, next to which he and Max live. Holding the magazine in his left hand and looking at it, the Grinch spun the globe of his planet and stopped and pointed at the point where Whoville was. However, they are currently there and cannot spend a weekend trip in their hometown, much less so close. Throwing the magazine aside, the green one leaned his head against the back of the chair and sighed heavily: — It’s so hard to choose where to go on the weekend. Our world is a world that has long been studied, and all places have been explored for a long time. And we ourselves still can’t decide where to go? — he says to himself and scratching the back of his head, he decided to distract himself from further searches for the place where they would go. The Grinch gets up from his chair and goes to the kitchen to make tea, while Max continues to look for a place for the day off. The green creature brewed tea from pine cones and the shelf take cat crackers. The Grinch wanted to take the strawberry pie from the refrigerator, but it turned out that it has already been all eaten in an one or. — Oh! Max, someone ate strawberry pie yesterday. — Bow-wow. — the dog answers with a bark, explaining that it was the Grinch who ate him yesterday before going to bed, since he had been working all day on a new invention and had not eaten all day since the morning. — A! Well, right. Fine. I'll have to drink tea without cake. So we'll eat crackers with strawberry sausages. — the green one answers to himself, takes strawberry sausages from the shelf and carries it all back to the room where he and Max were sitting. Max continued to read his magazine and ate strawberry sausages, while the Grinch ate crackers, drank tea and continued to read his magazine. He began to think for a very long time, where should they go on vacation? He even looked at the cover and title of his magazine, which described the whole world. Suddenly, the Grinch had a brilliant idea that put a smile on his face from ear to ear. — Surely! Everyone whos has long studied our entire world and everyone has been everywhere for a long time. Our entire who-world has long been studied and explored around. Even when the first whos, many years ago, went on a trip around the who-world and returned to their hometown, having walked around our entire who-world and realized that our entire who-world is round, like a ball. But... — The Grinch raised his right index finger. — Even though our entire who-world has been studied for a long time, no one has yet thought of going to heaven. Everyone whos has been thinking for a long time what kind of strange world is there above the clouds, in the sky. They say that once upon a time, when our who-world almost died, it was saved by a certain elephant named Horton, who lives up there in the sky and who told us all that we all live inside the smallest fluff. — he puts the food and magazine aside and goes to the window, looking at the beautiful blue sky with beautiful clouds. The Grinch even extended his left palm out the window, hoping to touch the sky. — It turns out that we are all actually the size of an atom and all this time we have been living in a kind of quantum world? We don’t even know what kind of strange world of giants is there in the heavens? And so far none of the whos have decided to fly there to study this world personally and open it to all of us in the who-world? — Bow-wow. — Max barked, offering the Grinch an idea: — “Why don’t you invent something like a whocket yourself to go high into the heavens and check it yourself?” The Grinch's eyes widened as if an idea had struck him again. He approaches the dog and takes him in his arms. — You are a genius, Max! It's decided! We will go on a camping holiday in a completely different world, which is in the sky. — he proudly says to himself, confidently looking at the window, and Max only looks at the owner with his tongue hanging out and wags his tail. Then the green one thought about something and put the dog on the floor. — The brilliant idea was given to me by Max and my head. Now we know where will go I and my friend. We must go straight to heavenly world, up there. To a place where no one had ever been before us, but how to do this here? — The green one widened his eyes. — Did I speak in poetry? — Bow-wow. — the dog confirmed. — Oh, this is a stupid habit for everyone whos, those invented by our old and long-departed author! It’s easier to talk normally, without rhyme. — he answers to himself and goes down to the basement, where he sits down with blue drawings, takes a white pen and begins to draw. Before this, he began to think what he could come up with to go to the clouds and above them. While he was thinking, he played a little game of crosses and toes by himself, drawing them forty times on one paper and ending all at once in a draw, since he knew in advance that in order to win, he had to use either the X's or the O's to form a formation in three lines, and so on so that the opponent does not interfere or stand in the way. Simply put, he X's interfered with O's, and with the O's interfered with the X's, and in the end it all ended in a draw, because neither the X's nor the O's stood in the same row. When the first blue paper ran out of space, the green one removed it and decided to pose on the second one. To begin with, he drew a square, and inside it he and Max. The paws, tail, arms, legs and torso were paws. He then added a triangle on top of the square to create a house. Then something dawned on the Grinch again and he added another exactly the same square under the first one. On the sides of the lower square, he added two more slightly strangely shaped triangles, which reached with one end to the bottom, and added a stick at the bottom center of the lower square. Under the bottom square, he added another one, but smaller, and then crossed out something under this square, making an image of a flame or fire. When the Grinch finished drawing and looked at his finished drawing, the green creature smiled again. — Whoreka! — he said, raising his right index finger. — I'll build a whocket!

***

      Accompanied by epic music on the radio, the Grinch began sawing two large and long boards with a grinder, cutting them into short and small ones. Max at this time brought the green one a tray with cold coffee, since it was hot outside and now he should drink coffee cold. The cold coffee even cheered up the green who a little and he placed four long and thick wooden sticks, placing them in dots, forming a square on the floor. Taking the fifth stick, he places one end against the middle of the first stick and drills into it with a screwdriver. Then he bends it slightly and leans a quarter against the middle of another similar stick. This time Max helped drill it. Then the Grinch bends the other quarter to the third and the dog drills it. Then the third quarter to the third and the other end of the stick to the first, where the first end was already drilled. The green creature takes the ladder, climbs to the top with Max, and bends the upper ends towards each other. The Grinch was very physically strong to easily bend these hard sticks without breaking them. Max, although he was a dog, was quite smart and he could handle tools well. He drilled the ends of the tops together. — Well done, Max. — says the Grinch, going downstairs with him. — The frame for our whocket is ready. All that remains is to install a couple of instruments, engines, chairs and monitors with buttons and levers inside. And then all that remains is to cover the whocket with walls and paint it.

***

      At this time, a little who named Cindy Lou climbed Mount Crumpit. She had not visited Mr. Grinch for a long time and decided to go up to him and visit his green uncle. She knocked on the door, but the Grinch did not answer or open. Then she knocked again. — Mr. Grinch! — she called the owner of the house in the cave. However, he did not respond. Cindy Lou immediately came up with an idea that was a little wrong. She grabbed the door handle and pulled. The door turns out to be open. She went inside and began looking for the Grinch throughout the corridors and throughout the cave. — Mr. Grinch, are you home? — she called him again. At that moment, the green one from below still heard her and replied: — I'm down in the basement! Hearing the answer, the girl ran to the Grinch's bedroom, sat down on a red chair, pulled the lever and the chair lowered her into the basement on large springs. She saw several times how the Grinch and Max did this with these chairs and even showed her how to lift and lower her herself. She went down to the basement and the Grinch himself met her: — A! Cindy! Hello, are you on a visit or on business? — Visit, Mr. Grinch. I haven't visited you for a long time. What are you making here this time? — asked the little who, paying attention to the wooden frame of the rocket. Green who explained to her: — This?... Max and I are building a whocket. — A whocket?... Weren’t you and Max planning to go somewhere abroad for the weekend? — asks Lou. — We were going to, but it was difficult for us to make a choice. And all the places throughout our who-world have long been studied. To our entire who-world, except for that strange world of giants, up there in the sky, about which many wonder. And Max and I decided that this weekend we would fly to heaven and temporarily leave our who-world. When the Grinch explained all this to her, Cindy Lou was overjoyed. She even imagined that she and Mr. Grinch would fly on his rocket from a big ball into the night sky with the stars. Having finished dreaming, she turned to the green creature: — Mr. Grinch, can I fly with you too? — You... With us... Why? — Bow-wow? — Max barked questioningly at the owner’s question. — I’m just also wondering what kind of strange world this is in the heavens. Mom always told me about him at night and about that giant elephant that once upon a time saved our who-world from the end of the world. Moreover, I also think, maybe we’ll not just fly to heaven, but so to speak... — after a pause, she laughed quietly to the side and continued the conversation: — Go on a hike in another world and have a picnic there somewhere in one place . Mr. Grinch, will you take me with you? — Well, I don’t even know? — the Grinch honestly tells her, folding his arms over his chest and looking somewhere to the side. When he looked back at Cindy, she did the puppy dog look Max had taught her to do, clasped her hands together and said: — Oh, come on! Sighing heavily to the side and calming down, he answers her: — Okay, Cindy. I'll make extra space for you too. But of course, under two conditions! You will first have to pass several tests so that you are allowed to fly to the same place as Max and I, and also, before you go with me, consult your mother about this. Well, you never know, maybe she will forbid you to fly to heaven with us, since it can be dangerous and there will be a risk that you may never return home again. — Okay, Mr. Grinch. I am ready for anything and will do anything! — the girl said confidently. Afterwards, Lou quickly ran home from Mount Crumpit to warn her mother that the Grinch was going on a hike in the sky and was building a tent for this. And also tell her that she will also go on a hike with him and if she’s lucky, she might return in a couple of days. Miss Lou thought about it and agreed for Cindy to fly with Uncle Grinch somewhere abroad. Moreover, she will be safe with the Grinch, as her mother was always sure. True, Cindy Lou did not say in more detail where she and the Grinch would fly, because of this, my mother mistakenly decided that they would fly somewhere to another city or country in their world.

***

      While the green one was building the tower and finishing it himself, Cindy Lou came to Mount Crumpit every day and trained with Max. Max ran on the treadmill, and Cindy rode a tricycle. At this time, the Grinch removed a large engine and made a hole from below with a large pipe. This was a jet engine for recoil and pushing off the ground. He installed it centrally inside the frame of the whocket. ♪ Heaven is above us. Heaven is above us. ♪ ♪ They fly mysteriously. They fly mysteriously. ♪ ♪ Already heard on the air. Already heard on the air. ♪ ♪ Pre-launch countdown. Pre-launch countdown. ♪ Max pressed the plunger several times, supplying oxygen through the tube to Cindy, who at that time was underwater inside a large pool in a spacesuit and was learning how to repair a model of a whopper in case of an in-flight disaster. Green Who at that time took one large wooden board and drilled two holes in it, through which he looked somewhere into the void and grinned. Then he installs the board itself in the middle above the engine, representing the floor. Taking three more red chairs, he drills them to the same floor inside the whocket frame. ♪ Who said who. Who said who. ♪ ♪ They dream all their childhood. They dream all their childhood. ♪ ♪ Go to heavenly. Go to heavenly. ♪ ♪ Who's flight is far? Who's flight is far? ♪ Cindy Lou jumped with her feet over the tires into the holes, trying not to fall and pulled herself up on the turnstile, and Max watched her and barked, counting how many times Cindy jumped and stretched. At this time, the green creature was attaching the remaining boards to the frame of the quette, drilling them and finishing inventing the whocket. ♪ We will open other who-worlds, ♪ ♪ We'll act stronger and braver ♪ ♪ To get a piece of cloud from the sky ♪ ♪ As a gift for all our whos! ♪ ♪ To get a piece of cloud from the sky ♪ ♪ As a gift for all our whos! ♪ Cindy Lou was running around the red couch in the Grinch's bedroom. Max was lying on the sofa and watching the girl as she ran around. The Grinch himself took out several wires, devices, processors and buttons with levers. To begin with, while inside the whocket, he drilled levers onto the wall and onto the table, which he secured to the window. I took a saw, cut out a few holes and installed glass portholes along with the door. ♪ Cergoblick fantasies. Cergoblick fantasies. ♪ ♪ There are already not enough atoms. The atom is already not enough. ♪ ♪ She needs the highest. She needs the highest. ♪ ♪ Who is the star aerobatics. Who is the star aerobatics? ♪ Max watched Cindy Lou do push-ups and was almost tired, but didn't want to stop. The Grinch installs a keyboard with buttons inside. After the rocket was finished, he gave Cindy Lou and Max a brush with green and red paint and asked them to paint the whocket. ♪ We are told that earlier. We are told that earlier. ♪ ♪ This never happened. This never happened. ♪ ♪ Well, that means he will be the first. Well, that means he will be the first. ♪ ♪ Who is our crew? Who is our crew? ♪ While Cindy Lou and Max were painting the whocket and in just a little playing with the brushes got each other dirty, the Grinch was again busy sewing new clothes and making a spacesuit for himself, and also soldered a glass helmet onto his head. Then he made two more exactly the same new spacesuits for Cindy and Max. The Grinch's suit was red, Cindy's was pink, and Max's was green. ♪ After all, in heaven you can become heroes, ♪ ♪ The envy of the quantum world, ♪ ♪ And get a piece of cloud from the sky ♪ ♪ As a gift for all our whos! ♪ ♪ And get a piece of cloud from the sky ♪ ♪ As a gift for all our whos! ♪ The spacesuits and whocket were ready. The Grinch, Cindy and Max looked at their aircraft with smiles and were proud of their shared work. Now tomorrow they will be ready to fly to the sky into something like space.

***

      The next day, Cindy Lou returned to Mount Crumpit and took with her a basket with her things and food, which her mother herself had personally collected for her hike with the Grinch. The Grinch and Max were just waiting for her and were also preparing for the flight. Putting on their spacesuits and helmets, they climbed the stairs to the door of the whocket and went inside. And inside, three beds, a refrigerator and a shelf with books, as well as a radio were added in advance to listen to news or music. Cindy showed her basket with food from sandwiches to jars of jam and butter. And also, just in case, warmer clothes, including jackets, in case they suddenly fly to a place where it will be cold or where snow falls even in summer. Although in reality there are no such places in science. Except perhaps the north and south poles. Max helped the girl make herself more comfortable in the cage, and the green one at that time brought his bags with a supply of his food into the cage. Lou, just now looking at the inside of the aircraft, thought about it and asked the green one: — Mr. Grinch, will this cat really fly? — I'm sure of it! Science and the art of inventing have never failed me. I have provided for everything down to the last detail. Just in case, he even invented a flying sleigh so that we could fly on it further away from the quake at its own speed and return back to it. — the Grinch explained, and Cindy had some more doubts. — Are we really flying to the world of giants in the sky? I wonder how big it is? What if we fly for a very long time and probably get lost on the way home. What if we suddenly run out of tank and are left there forever? — No. Don't be afraid! I foresaw this too. My whocket engine runs not on fuel, but on green yolks from green eggs. We have the most common eggs in the who-world. So our tank will be filled for quite a long time. And I’m sure that in the world of giants there are eggs too. We’ll just find a bigger egg there and use it to refuel if anything happens. Plus, we won’t get lost on the way home, because we also have an electronic compass that equalizes the energy from our world at any distant distance. Therefore, we can fly at least very far. — he answers her and takes out a long cord. Coming out of the box, he attaches one end of the thread inside, moves from the bottom of the box, and moves the other a little further and sets the wick on fire. Afterwards he returned to the whocket and, saluting the dog, said: — There are exactly one hundred and eighty seconds until the whocket launches! Start the countdown! — Woof. — Max answers, sets the alarm clock with his tail and the clock hands begin to count down the time to exactly twelve from eleven hours and exactly fifty-seven minutes. Cindy Lou sat down in her seat and fastened her seat belts, wondering impatiently, what does that world of giants look like up there in the sky? Max sat at the helm and waited for the next command. — Open the hatch! — captain Grinch commands and Max, taking his teeth to the blue lever in the middle among the three to the right of the helm, pulls it down. The top of the sharp end of Mount Crumpit opens slowly, pushing the sharp tip to the sides and thus a hatch opens in the cave onto the beautiful blue sky. The green creature at this time checked the bag with a large supply of green eggs and bulged her eyes. Standing up with his arms outstretched, he said: — Whoamb! We don't have green meat. We forgot the green ham. Max and Cindy widened their eyes at what they heard and looked at the alarm clock, which already had two minutes and ten seconds left. The Grinch quickly went down the stairs, sat down in the red chair and tried to climb up the fixed springs. However, they began to raise it very slowly, which would probably take half an hour. The Grinch spat and jumped from his chair, running up the usual stairs on foot. Max, looking at the green owner, only covered his eyes and forehead with his right paw, blowing somewhere through his mouth, as if he was trying to blow off his forelock. Cindy Lou tried to remain calm and sat to herself and looked at the sky, sometimes changing the direction of her gaze, either at the sky through the hatch, or at the clock, checking the time. — Wait, Cindy Lou, Max! Wait! — the green who says to himself, almost in a panic. He ran to the kitchen, where all the shelves were already empty, since he and Max had taken everything into the stash. He climbs into the refrigerator and quickly takes out all the green meat. After all, everyone knows that green eggs without ham, just like green ham itself without eggs, is not tasty it. And Max and Cindy were still sitting and waiting for the Grinch to return, and checking the time on the alarm clock to see how much time was left before the start of whocket. Now the green man himself, together with a pile of green meat in his hands, is going down the stairs. There are already thirty seconds left on the alarm clock. Cindy notices this and screams in fear. She pokes her head through the porthole and shouts: — Hurry up, Mr. Grinch! We'll fly away without you now! — I'm here now, Cindy! — he answers, walking up the stairs with one left hand and holding a pile of green ham in his right. He barely had time to get up, threw all the meat on the floor inside the whocket, pushed the ladder away from the whocket with his right foot and tightly closed the door behind him, turning the handle counterclockwise. By that time, the wick had already burned out, and the alarm clock reached twelve and rang for a couple of seconds, after which it turned off. But for some reason the launch of whocket didn’t start right away, which is strange. Whocket itself still stood calmly and silently in place. Even mice and rats ran out of their holes and looked at whocket with curiosity and turned up their noses. Even the animals outside, next to Whoville, looked with curiosity at Mount Crumpit in anticipation of something incredible. And the Gree-Grumps ones, which crawled out of their hollows of old tree trunks, and Hakken-Krakks in the swamp, stuck their heads out from under the water and looked, first at the mountain, then at each other questioningly. Even the Grinch themselves stood still and did not move, waiting for the flight, but was a little dumbfounded that for some reason they did not take off. Cindy Lou and Max sat fastened in their seats with their eyes closed and prepared in advance for the flight. However, they still stood in place and there was not even the sound of ignition. Cindy and Max opened their eyes and looked around questioningly. Even the Grinch thought out loud: — Hm. Maybe I just lost co... — he didn’t have time to finish, when suddenly shaking began and the sound of the launch of whocket itself was heard, to which the green one smiled, and Cindy and Max also smiled and closed their eyes again, preparing to take off. The shaking was so strong that everything in the Grinch's basement fell down to the floor. Even the cans of remaining paint fell and spilled onto the floor. The mice and rats watched as whocket shook and as something glowed from below, and was preparing to burst out. They turned their noses and put on sunglasses all at once, preparing to see something like a light show. Even Gree-Grumps ones in the hollows and Hakken-Krakks ones in the swamp looked at how something was glowing on the mountain. Gree-Grumps took welders' masks from their hollows and put them on their faces. Hakken-Krakks ones raised their tails from under the water and put them on their sunglasses, also preparing to see something bright. But whocket stood still and stood. She continued to shake, standing still and letting out only light with the sound of the noise of fire from below. Max didn’t understand why they were still standing still? — Bow-wow. — Why doesn’t it take off? We've been shaking and standing still for two minutes now. — Lou explains. The green creature looked around and noticed a lever pulled towards itself. On the side of the lever at the bottom was the inscription “Brake”. The Grinch, understanding everything, smiled and hit himself on the forehead with his left palm, saying: — Here I am, an old and green whool! I also forgot to remove the clutch from the brake! — he approaches the lever and pushes it away from him towards the floor. The brakes were released and whocket flew upward like a bullet. So much so that all the mice and rats were blown towards the walls. It flew out of the mountain so abruptly, like a champagne cork. From what they saw, the Gree-Grumps and the Hakken-Krakks immediately uttered in a human voice WOW!!! — Woa-a-ah! I said “WOW!!!” Wo. W. — O-o-oh! Ay, okay! And so it will do!

***

      At that time, the cat itself was flying away from Mount Crumpit higher, and higher, and higher. She broke through the clouds and almost rose to the sky. The Grinch was pinned against the wall, and Cindy Lou and Max were pinned to their chairs. The chairs themselves moved away and bent slightly back. It seemed like they were about to come off. All three had their teeth exposed and their cheeks twitching as if in the wind. Max even stuck his tongue out to the right. — NOW I'M BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND, MAX, WHY YOU LIKE MOMENTS LIKE THIS SO MUCH!!! — shouted the green who. — ME TOO!!! — the girl shouted. At this time, whocket almost reached the semblance of huge branches. Only of gigantic size, which at first were not visible in the sky, then they became translucent and it was already possible to clearly see them, that they were yellow and all connected together, as if in a web. Cindy Lou, the Grinch and Max, when they saw these giant branches that appeared as if from the fog and at the same time bulging their eyes, screamed at the top of their lungs. Whocket collided with the branches, and broke through, flew through them, and the whocket itself did not receive a scratch. She flew out safe and sound from a huge semblance of some kind of yellow and fluffy ball. Whocket stopped and flew slowly this time. The Grinch, Cindy and Max were finally able to stand up and move around the whoceship normally. On the radio, which turned on itself due to strong shaking, Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata was playing at that time. Who and the dog looked through the portholes and to their surprise there was no aisle. The whole world of giants around them was similar to theirs, only very gigantic. And judging by the stones around and the light at the end of some tunnel, they were now in some kind of cave. — Wow! — Cindy says, leaning her hands against the window glass. The Grinch did the same and said: — Yes. The world of giants is a little like ours, only huge. I think that judging by the light there and the pile of stones around, we are in some kind of cave. — Bow-wow. — Max called to Cindy and the Grinch, looking out the rear window. He saw a giant flower that looked like a sunflower. But this same sunflower from above, through a small hole, shone a ray of light. And in the center between the petals there was a yellow fluff. Apparently they flew out of it. And it is inside it that their entire world is located, where they were all born, grew up, lived and grew old, and then died elderly. The Grinch and Cindy ran to Max and saw the same thing as him. Both who bulged their eyes and opened their mouths so that it seemed as if their eyes would fly out of their sockets, and their lower jaws would fall to the floor. But fortunately none of this happened. Cindy was the first to break the silence: — So this is what our who-world looks like in this world of giants!... Such a small fluff on a flower. And then, if the flower itself were the size of our finger. We are so small that we are smaller than even the fluff itself. — Yes. It turns out that our ancestors were right about the giant elephant in the sky who said that we all live inside a piece of fluff? — the green who asked himself, looking at the very fluff on the flower so that he was ready to cry with joy. While they were admiring the view of the fluff, which was their home, at that time they flew out of the cave itself straight into the light. At first there was a very bright flash that the trio almost went blind and covered their eyes. When the trio's eyes slowly got used to the bright light and the flash gave way to the usual bright light, the Grinch, Cindy and Max rubbed their eyes and ran to the front window. They saw a huge forest of several trees. Only all these trees looked a little different from those in that who-world. Moreover, the foliage was green, and not, for example, blue, pink, red or yellow. Because of this, the trees were almost the same. The only difference is that it was all gigantic. They themselves, as they noticed from the rear window, flew out of some cave on some mountain. — So this is a world of giants! — the green who was amazed. — I’m shocked myself. — the girl confirmed. — Bow-wow. — the dog confirmed.

***

      Whocket flew on autopilot on its own. Max himself sometimes looked ahead to make sure where they were flying. The Grinch was sitting at his desk and writing on plain paper his scientific investigations into the very world of the giants, in which they were currently located and on which they were flying. Only Cindy Lou sat in front of the right side window and simply admired what this whole world of giants looked like, through which they slowly flew without going anywhere. She admired the beauty of this world and listened to my own song in my head: ♪ Never in my life ♪ ♪ I didn't see ♪ ♪ Nothing like it now ♪ ♪ Everything looks new ♪ ♪ How to get on your feet here ♪ ♪ And will I be able to stand like anyones ♪ ♪ And there’s not enough time for everything ♪ ♪ You will have to live without miracles ♪ Whocket flew past a pair of trees, along which two squirrels in love with each other ran and jumped after each other from one branch to another. Somewhere, noticing a small field, Cindy and the Grinch saw through the porthole four people who were sitting on a tablecloth that had been laid on the grass and a bunch of food had been laid out on it. Apparently, as they both assumed, these four giants were also having a picnic. If, of course, it can be called that in their world. After all, they both don’t know exactly how their world works. Maybe it’s the other way around here, unlike in their world? And there is also a possibility that everything is the same as what most people like, even if the giants also have it, then most likely it can all be called differently by the human giants. ♪ There are all don’t smell whos ♪ ♪ Everyone lives without wools ♪ ♪ Strange clothes here ♪ ♪ Everyone people wears forever ♪ ♪ Everything is completely alien ♪ ♪ How I resist can ♪ ♪ But I have no choice another ♪ ♪ And me will have to get used to here ♪ They continued to fly and fly on the whocket further and further from their home of the fluff. They had almost left the forest and arrived on a huge bow with a huge number of giant ears of wheat. Slightly slowing down the movement of the rocket, and also leaving Max at the controls so that he could fly the whocket around the spikelet, the Grinch and Cindy got out of their flying ship in spacesuits, took one piece of huge grain from that same spikelet for a sample, quickly returned back to the whocket and flew on. At that moment, a butterfly flew past the kitkets, which with its wings was slightly larger than their aircraft and almost accidentally knocked them down with its wing. Cindy was a little scared when she saw such a giant flying by so sharply and hid behind the Grinch. He just laughed quietly at her and patted her on the head. — It was just a giant butterfly, just like in our world! Oh you, little coward! — But her wings were so huge that she almost knocked us down. — Cindy explained. ♪ This strange who-world. This strange who-world. ♪ ♪ I'm trying to find out more. ♪ ♪ This new who-world. This new who-world. ♪ ♪ I want to see and hear. ♪ ♪ This new who-world. ♪ ♪ This strange who-wo-o-orld. ♪ So they continued to fly further and further on the helicopter, not knowing where they would fly if they continued to fly. While the girl continued to look through the side window at the world of giants and admire it. She was very interested in how it was a little similar is world and how huge it was compared to their who-world.

***

      The Grinch finished recording his scientific observations on page thirty-seven and decided to switch the radio station, since he was a little tired of Beethoven's music. When he changed the station, unexpectedly, what scared the green creature was that he abruptly caught some other radio wave with weather news: — Plus nineteen degrees Celsius. We will not envy those who perhaps dared to go out for a walk in such heat, because some people still sit at home, drink iced tea and eat cold ice cream. And now about politics... — out of curiosity, at this very moment the Grinch decided to switch the radio station again and he caught another radio signal that was broadcasting a modern song: — A million, million, million, red roses... From the window, from the window, from the window, you see!... The Grinch was very surprised that in this world of giants there are good signals with radio stations. The people, as these giants call themselves, must also have their own radio stations, and it was their signals that their radio accidentally intercepted. In principle, this is not so bad. After all, they can at least listen to their signals and thus also learn more about their world. He switched the station again and the radio picked up another signal, where they were broadcasting an audio broadcast with audio series: — ...But even now our two brave people did not give up and moved on! The green one left this station and, looking more comfortable in his chair, closed his eyes, and listened to an audio series about the adventures of two brave pioneers. — Mr. Grinch! — What, Cindy? — How long have we been flying? — Probably two hours... Hm-m. By the way, it's time for lunch. Only we still haven’t decided where we will land in this world of giants and where we will have a picnic? Getting up from his seat, he went to the helm and looked through the front window. Seeing that the forest was almost coming to an end, and then a large green field of ordinary grass appeared, and even further away a small village of small and not large two-story houses. The Grinch was surprised and turned to the dog: — Do you see the same thing as me, Max? — Bow-wow. — Max confirmed. Whocket flew to the village. Having left the forest, flying over the meadow and reaching the village itself, they began to fly past every house along the road. They flew in the center of the road itself along a white line and various green and orange cars drove past between them. The cars, as well as the houses themselves, gates with fences and trees with gardens on the plots of each house were also gigantic compared to all those known. — Hm. I think we could fly inside one of these houses and have a picnic somewhere there. — says green who. — I don’t even know which house to choose? Everything is so the same and there are so many different colors of houses. And the main thing is that everyone is beautiful in their own way. — Don't worry! Now let's choose a more suitable one. The Grinch directed whocket to the first area, where two grown men were arguing among themselves, as if they had not shared something. When a cat flew past one of them, he decided that it was a fly and began waving his arms to drive it away. — Shoo, shoo! Damn insect! — Hooligan! He almost ran us over. — Lou looked sternly at that man, pointing her fist at him out of anger. — Apparently it’s better for us not to be near this part of the house. Let's fly better to another site of another house. — the Grinch suggested and flew on. Whoketa flew through the next area, where another man, who was fat and cheerful, was singing a song out loud and frying sausages on the grill outside, remembering to turn them over with a meat spatula. The delicious smell from the hot sausages even reached the kitchenette itself and our trio inhaled it through their noses. They even wanted to stop somewhere on the street and try these sausages themselves. However, they decided to fly further when they flew over that fat man's ear and he waved his hand, thinking that they were a fly. Whoketa flew even further to the next section of the house and there was no one on the street. Behind that window was open and near the window there was a small round aquarium with a red fish. The Grinch, Cindy and Max, without hesitation, decided to fly through the window into the inside of this house. Their cat was inside and flying around the kitchen. — Wow! This kitchen looks a bit like our kitchen from our house. — Cindy put her hands on her cheeks in joy. — Hm. Interesting. Are these giants who live in this world looking at everything we have and copying everything from us? Or, on the contrary, did we copy everything similar from them? — Why did you decide that, Mr. Grinch? — asked the little who, and the green who answered her: — I was listening to the radio and caught a couple of signals. I think this is the radio station of these giants. I can assume that when ours created their radios a long time ago, they accidentally picked up signals from the giants and heard on the radio from them a lot of everything that they have, and then ours whos took it all from them on the radio, repeated and accepted, like yours. For example, the same Christmas. After all, before, as I learned from historical books on the history of Whoville, before, everyone whos lived without this holiday and knew nothing about it at all. But with the advent of radio, then they themselves came up with it, maybe they borrowed that same holiday from the radio giants and began to celebrate it every year. — Bow-wow. — Max had no doubt. — And what? In principle, this could very well indeed be the case. — Cindy suggested. While they were talking, the whocket left the giants' kitchen and flew into the living room with yellow sofas and a table between them. On that very table there was a bowl of fruits from pineapple to apples and grapes. The Grinch and Cindy noticed the contents on the table. They decided that they would land there on the table. — So! Stop where there is a giant table between the sofas! — he answers, taking the steering wheel in his hands and pressing a couple of buttons. — Everyone, fasten your seat belts and hold on tight! We will shake a little when landing. Cindy and Max quickly sat down in their seats and buckled up. The shaking began again, but this time it did not last long. Whocket flew up to the table, stood next to the bowl, rose with its nose to the top and very slowly sank to the table, as if to the ground. Despite the shaking, the landing was still soft. After successfully landing the rocket, the Grinch, Cindy and Max donned their spacesuits and left the cage, going outside and taking their first steps on the giant table. Cindy jumped up and down and said to herself: — It looks like the soil here is very hard, like stone. The Grinch grinned. — Silly, this is a giant table, not the ground. — A! Well, yes! It’s just that because everything looks so gigantic, it also seems unfamiliar or something like... Another planet. — Agree. I have the same feeling myself. — Bow-wow. — Max confirmed. — Okay, let's go and look at the table itself, as well as this bowl of giant fruit, and then we can have a picnic! — suggested the Grinch. Max returned to the whocket, took out a smaller aircraft, which looked like a platform with a handlebar for a bicycle, and placed it on the table itself. The Grinch, Cindy and Max stood up on this platform, put down their baskets of food and flew off. The green who was behind the wheel and controlled this vehicle. They flew like a platform high up to the bowl itself and landed on a large and green apple. Having left the lactating platform, they stepped on the surface of this fruit and began to study it. Cindy Lou jumped on the spot and the surface of this apple was a little soft, like a blanket. The Grinch picked up a kitchen knife and cut off a small piece of the apple from the ground. He took a piece himself and decided to try it. But here's the problem! He was wearing a helmet and a spacesuit. Because of the helmet, he could not put a piece of apple in his mouth and taste it. — The helmet prevents me from trying this apple. You need to get it off your head! — he said to himself and just grabbed the edge of his helmet with his free hand to take it off when Cindy stopped him: — No, wait! We have oxygen in our spacesuits from our who-world. What if the air of this world contains toxicity or poison and we will immediately die if we inhale it? — Bow-wow. — Max suggested his own version: — “Or even worse? What if our eyes in our sockets and our tongue in our mouths begin to swell and burst?” The green man thought as he placed the fingers of his free hand against the top of his helmet and rubbed his fingertips against it, trying to scratch the back of his head. — Okay, let's conduct an experiment on me with the air of this world. If I suddenly start to choke and swell, quickly put the helmet on my head. And if I just suffocate and faint, then put a helmet on my head after I lose consciousness. — he suggested. The girl and the dog nodded and the green creature, putting the knife with a piece of apple on the ground of the apple itself, took the sides of his helmet with both hands, inhaled a little native oxygen, hid it behind both cheeks, and then took his helmet off the spacesuit, pulling it up. At first everything was fine. Holding his air in his cheeks, the Grinch looked around. Then he exhaled his native oxygen through his mouth with a straw. Cindy and Max began to look intently at the Grinch, and the latter only inhaled a little of someone else's oxygen. He still felt good. Gradually the green who began to breathe more and more often. Then he slowed his breathing and said: — Air... Is it not toxic? — Seriously? — Woof? Cindy and Max also took off their helmets and breathed in air from the world of giants. This air turned out to be good and breathable. — Yes. The air is fresh! Just like ours. If you can breathe, can you eat in the fresh air? — Of course. I'll just try a piece of this apple first. — the green inventor answers and takes a knife with a piece of apple. The Grinch put a piece of apple in his mouth, tasted it, chewed it and wrinkled his face a little. — M-m-m... I think it's delicious... A little sour, really. Whonovka it seems? — If this is an Whonovka apple, then I won’t eat it. Lou says, folding his arms over his chest. Suddenly it started like an earthquake. A giant red worm burst out from under the soil of the apple, cutting a hole for itself. The worm paid attention to our smallest and barely noticeable ones with the dog, chewed pieces of apple in his cheeks and spoke to them in a human voice: — Don't eat this apple! It's wormy! After that, the worm crawled back into its hole inside the apple. The green creature, along with the girl and the dog, widened their eyes from what they saw and heard. Then the green man took the girl by the hand and went with her to the platform and said: — Let's try another apple? Maybe it won't be so wormy? They flew from a green apple to a red one on a flying platform. Having ascended to the new land of another apple, they entered it. The Grinch took his knife again, cut a piece from this apple and tasted it. After chewing a piece of this apple, he liked it. This time it tasted sweet. — O! Whonnet! This apple is just right! He said, giving a thumbs up on his free hand. — So we're having a picnic here? — Lou asks with joy. — Yes, Cindy. Now we're about to have a real hike. — he answers, taking a large tablecloth cover and covering it over the apple ground. — Set out treats, drinks and desserts! — HOORAY!!! — Bow-wow! Cindy put her basket of food from her mother on the tablecloth and took out jars of jam, a jar of butter, bread, a bread knife, a thermos of hot tea, a bottle of orange juice, salt and pepper. At this time, the Grinch took out from his basket green ham, strawberry sausages, crackers, a can of whipped cream, a couple of cupcakes, a mini-stove for cooking that runs on a solar panel, red peaches in the shape of eggplants from truffle palms, green eggs and three bottles of milk. Max brought his bowl, dog food and crib in his basket. But besides all this for himself, he also took with him something for the owner. A thermos of cool morning coffee, chocolate chip cookies, coleslaw with tomatoes and a jar of raspberry yogurt. They took out everything they needed, placed it on the tablecloth, and then sat down and began to eat and drink. For one thing, they did not forget to look around. The green creature occasionally cut out pieces of red apples from the ground with his knife and added them to the salad for taste, and he also ate and treated both the girl and the dog. A day off, a picnic or a hike? It doesn’t matter what they call this adventure! The most important thing is that they flew even too far from home and found not just a place, but a real Paradise on Earth. If you can call it that, of course. They lay quietly, ate, drank and rested in their own way. Not life, but the dream of anyone, for the sake of the future, which they sought not only for themselves, but also for the sake of their descendants. After a hearty lunch, the Grinch, Cindy and Max lay on their backs and looked at the empty and gray ceiling, which, although gigantic, was also so far away from them, and also looked a little bulging and blurry. The trio imagined the starry night sky that they always saw inside their fluff. — I still can’t believe that our whole world is just fluff inside this whole world. Interesting! Maybe somewhere very high in the same sky in the world of giants the same thing happens? That is, maybe our entire universe is cyclical? Like, this world of giants is also actually fluff, only even bigger, and there is also another world high up there, only even more gigantic than this one? — Cindy suggested and imagined such horror herself a little creepy. — No, it’s unlikely! — the Grinch waved his hand. — Our world is just fluff and we are the most microscopic, like an atom. According to the theory, of course, there is something that can be even smaller than an atom, but even smaller than it is something that cannot possibly be inside the atom itself. You cannot shrink further than the quantum world! Therefore, it is unlikely that the world of giants is also inside some other giant fluff. Most likely, further than the world of the giants there is already their entire planet, which itself flies like a free ball in space, where there is always only the night and starry sky, as well as other planets like this one, some of which do not even have life, the Moon, the Sun and many other stars. — I know, Mr. Grinch. This is all great, cool and even a little scary. — Cindy kept her smile. — That's it, Cindy! Scary! In a couple, especially now, when we first came here and I studied this world of giants, having also calculated a couple of theories, I thought about the future of not only our world, but also this world of giants too. After all, in space, according to theory, there are still many dangers that can be fatal, both for this world and for ours at the same time. That is, for example, a black hole will arrive and suck this planet in. Or worse! The sun will grow, begin to warm the planet even more, and the entire planet will not only burn out, it will even die. If this world dies, then our world will die along with it. And after ours, all of us will die in peace. — talking about this, the Grinch almost cried, imagining such horrors in his head. — If before I was worried about the future of our who-world, now I am worried about the future of this world along with ours. — Don't make yourself afraid, Mr. Grinch! — Cindy rolled over onto her stomach. — I’m sure, if not you, then at least our other great scientists and their descendants will find solutions to these catastrophes of both worlds. Maybe we will be able to find a way to save our entire world. Or something even better. I am sure there is always a way out of any situation. Even if it seems like there is no way out at all. — I know, Cindy. It’s just not easy for me to live as a couple and realize that you always thought that you were the largest mammal in the universe, and then you find out that in fact you are no more than an atom and live almost in a quantum who-world, but somewhere out there there is a real big world hiding above. — Everything is fine! I am sure that you will find a solution to all this and overcome your doubts. Max even tapped lightly to confirm Cindy’s words. After such a conversation, they got up, sat down again and began to eat again. The green who took his stove, put a frying pan on it and put one green ham, then he broke one green egg and it spilled into the frying pan. Cindy also broke a second similar egg. The green eggs and ham cooked and fried with such a nice aroma. Cindy herself was looking forward to them getting ready, but then she became sad. The Grinch noticed this and asked: — What are you thinking about? Also about the universe and both worlds? — A? No. I just don't understand why when you cook green eggs and ham, you always cook only one green ham and only two green eggs? — Approximately how much would you like? — the Grinch asked and the girl answered: — Well I do not know? Probably like this! Three or four green eggs!... And two green hams!... No, better than three! That's why exactly one ham and two eggs? — Probably that much is needed. — the green one suggested. — Who said that you need exactly two green eggs and exactly one green ham? For example, is this not enough for me personally? Don't you think so? — Yes. Perhaps I agree with you here. — he answers her and takes another green egg, which he breaks. Cindy also breaks the fourth one. Then they place another green ham next to it. There were now four eggs and three hams cooking in the frying pan. For the two who and the dog it seemed fattier and tastier. When the dish was ready, they shared it. The Grinch and Cindy each ate one ham and two eggs, and Max ate one green ham with such good appetite. — Sam-I-AM would have liked the idea you came up with with the amount of green eggs and ham. — the green inventor answers the girl. — Which Sam? — Cindy didn’t understand, and the Grinch waved his hand: — Not really. Do not mind it! This is true. Thinking out loud!

***

      And at this time, in the very house where our trio had a picnic, two children lived and played — brother and sister, Conrad and Sally. They first played on the second floor, and then went down the stairs into the corridor. Sally was running away from Conrad as they were playing catch up and Conrad was now the one chasing those who were running away. My little sister ran merrily ahead, and my brother also merrily ran after her and tried to grab her. — Stop! Stop! I’ll catch you anyway! — he tells her. — If you don’t catch up, you won’t catch! Na na na! — she teased jokingly. The brother, of course, understood that she was not serious and was not offended. At the turn into the living room, Sally managed to turn out the door in time, and Conrad accidentally slipped and fell. Fortunately, he didn’t hurt himself during the fall and didn’t crash somewhere. Sally at this time ran up to the table, hoping to hide behind it, but suddenly she drew attention to the fruit on the table. The red apple seemed somehow suspicious to her. It was as if she not only saw something, but even felt that something was wrong with the apple. Some very small black dot appeared on the apple. She looked suspiciously at the apple itself, even forgetting that she was playing with her brother. At this time, Conrad managed to reach Sally and grabbed her by the shoulders. — Ha! Gotcha? — Quiet, Conrad! — she shushed him and continued to look more closely. — What are you, Sally? Let's keep playing! — Wait! There's something wrong with the red apple. — What's wrong with him? It seems to be still ripe. We'll still have time to eat. — No. There is some very small dot on it... And it... Moves? Conrad also looked carefully at the place on the apple where Sally was looking, and said: — I’d say she’s twitching a little. — What is it? — asks the sister. — Don't know. — the brother answers. — Wait, I’ll bring a magnifying glass! The boy ran to the room a little further, took the first magnifying glass there, then ran to his dad’s office, took his magnifying glass for sure and returned to the fruit. Brother and sister each took a magnifying glass and tried to increase the size of that very point. First, Sally placed her magnifying glass, increasing the size of the apple, and then Conrad also placed his magnifying glass in front of his sister’s magnifying glass to increase the size a little bit more. This time they were able to see the speck a little. It was a little blurry and moving. — Ugh! What is this, a symbiote? — Sally was scared. She hugged her brother. — Conrad, I'm afraid of him! What if he eats all this apple, and then us? — Calm down, Sally! He can sense our anger and fear! — M-m-m... Well, why did you say that? Now I'm even more afraid of him! — Calm, calm! Now we will poison this living and pointy goo! Where is my mother's insect repellent? — In the kitchen, apparently! — says Sally and runs with Conrad to the kitchen, so as not to be near this point, afraid that she will jump on her from the apple. In fact, this very point was our trinity, which the children could not see properly, since they were atomic to them. They looked questioningly at those children leaving and gulped in fear. — Mr. Grinch, are they talking about us? — asks Cindy. — It seems to be about us. — the Grinch answers. — Bow-wow. — Max suggested that they all get up and it’s better to quickly return to whocket before they come back and slam them. It’s good that they managed to finish the green eggs and ham. Having taken all the dishes, the remnants of food and drink, put them back into baskets and put together several pieces of this apple on which they were sitting, they took the tablecloth and ran to the flying platform. Sitting at the helm in the form of a bicycle handlebar, two people and one dog flew away from the apple. By then Conrad and Sally had quickly returned. — It can fly! Shoot, Conrad! — Sally pointed her finger at a dot that was flying from the bowl somewhere onto the table. The sister stood behind her brother, and the latter took aim with acadedon containing poison against harmful insects. Pressing the button on top, he released a bunch of smoke with a disgusting smell. The Grinch collapses the aircraft, but they still fall under the Adekalon. It’s good that they managed to quickly put their helmets back on so that they could breathe their native air and not set off. Konrad keeps shooting the poisoner at them and shooting. — What kind of tenacious insect is it? It won't die. — Then we’ll shut him down! — Sally replies, taking off her right boot and waving it, trying to catch a point in the air and slam it. The green who began to try to dodge on the fly so as not to get hit by a slipper. He flew around the giant boy and girl. Sally and Conrad were angry and angry at the same time. The brother continued to spray the poison wherever the dot flew, and Sally tried to slam the dot onto her shoe like a fly. At one moment, when the point was between her and her brother, Sally swung her arms strongly out of anger and hit. She was aiming at a point in the air, but accidentally hit Conrad on the nose. The point again managed to dodge at that moment and flew away unnoticed. — AH!!! SALLY!!! — Oh! Sorry, Conrad! While they were distracted, the Grinch came up with nothing but to hide in the kitchen. He flew to the kitchen table and hid inside the toaster. Once inside, the trio began to catch their breath. — What are these crazy giants? We flew to them in peace, didn’t bother anyone and were just having a picnic, but they poisoned us like insects and tried to crush us with their slippers. — Cindy Lou was indignant, and Max also barked indignantly. — Bow-wow! — They called us a point. They themselves don’t really see us and don’t know how we look and that we are friendly. — suggested the Grinch. Cindy sighed heavily and sat down, wrapping her arms around her legs. — Now, if only we weren’t so small and were at least a little bigger, like them! But we are too small for them. Not only will they not be able to see us properly, they will not even hear us, no matter how much we shout and make noise. — Wait! — The Grinch was immediately struck by an idea from Cindy’s words: — If we ourselves were big, like them?... — From the sudden idea that suddenly arose in the green creature’s head, a smile appeared from ear to ear. — I have an idea! — he answers to himself, raising his right index finger and climbing into the iron chest on the flying platform. From there he took out several pieces of iron and instruments. — It’s not for nothing that I decided to take them with me! Now we will invent again. Cindy Lou and Max finished catching their breath, and then noticed that the Grinch began to tinker with something while squatting. — Mr. Grinch, what are you doing? — Bow-wow? — Calm, calm! We will get out of here alive and unharmed. Didn't I give your mother my word that you wouldn't get hurt, Cindy Lou? Since the Grinch gave his word, the Grinch will definitely keep it. — I believe you, Mr. Grinch, but I still don’t understand why you came up with such a thing again? — I’m inventing something that will help us survive and at the same time help us so that these children not only hear us, but also see us better. So that they don't want to kill us at all. — Is it easier? I just don’t understand these grown-up words of yours. — I’m making a remote control that will increase the height of you and me. We will grow to their size, becoming giants like themselves. They will see us, stop hunting us, and then we will explain to them everything about who we are and where we came from. — A! Now I understand. — Ready! — the green who said to himself, holding in both hands a ready-made model of a futuristic remote control with an antenna on the front tip of the remote control. — Now we have to get out of this huge toaster and make the three of us bigger outside? — Why don’t we expand here? It's safer here. — You can't do it here! The toaster is very small and narrow. If we try to grow bigger here, we'll get flattened. — The Grinch explained to her, and then turned to the dog. — Am I right, Max? — Bow-wow. — he agreed with the owner. — But if we get out of here, then these two will immediately see us and slam us on the spot, and we won’t even have time to grow larger. — the girl despaired.

***

      At this time, Conrad and Sally also ran into the kitchen and examined it. — Where did she go? — Sally asked herself. — A second ago she flew here, but now she seems to have evaporated. — Conrad says to himself. — Or maybe he has already dissolved without a carrier and died himself? — the boy suggested. — Maybe! Only then he would have left his corpse. Like those in one movie where they were dying of hunger. — the girl explained. — Okay, let's forget about this slimy infection! — Conrad reassured Sally and patted her on the shoulder. He took the bread from the refrigerator, took out a knife and cut two slices. — Let's make some toast and eat hot sandwiches with jam! — Come on, Conrad. It’s already lunchtime, and we haven’t even had breakfast. — Sally was delighted. While the sister took a chair and moved it next to the high shelf to get out a jar of raspberry jam, her brother at that time put two loaves of bread in the same toaster where those three microscopic fugitives had previously hidden. Having placed the bread there, he pressed the button and waited for them to warm up properly and come out hot. The Grinch, Cindy and Max themselves at this time, being inside the toaster, saw that the walls between them began to glow red, and it also became very hot around them and they began to sweat from the heat. — Bow-wow! — the dog barked, sticking out his tongue and lying on the floor, because he was still thirsty from such heat. — I know, Max. Of course we'll get fried here. — green who answers. — Oof! It has become so hot here, like... Like in our house in the summer, when the air conditioning with the thermostat is turned off. — said the girl, waving her arms and gradually slowing down her movement, because she was also tired of such heat. — And also like on the beach. Maybe we can stay here and rest, Mr. Grinch. — No, Cindy, don't! Don't fall asleep! — The Grinch barely struggled by himself in such heat. They yawned and ran over to Cindy and tried to pick her up. — Get up, Cindy! Get up! Otherwise we will fry here and burn like butter. But the green who was in vain to worry so much. At this moment, two pieces of bread were already hot enough, and the toaster launched the toast upwards like a catapult. For the smallest and microscopic whos, with a dog, it was a strong push that they jumped much higher than pieces of bread. They flew up screaming and flew in different directions. At this time Sally and Conrad were sitting apart from each other. — Look, Conrad! Here it is! It is still divided into three! — But no! Won't leave this time! — the boy says to himself, takes the flytrap and prepares to slam one of the flying dots down. The Grinch noticed that the giant was about to swat them like a fly and decided to activate his remote control, which he had just invented, right now. — Don't let me down, baby! — he spoke his invention and began to quickly adjust the mini-screen on the remote control. Among the options "Who's Size", "Microbe's Size", "Ant's Size", "Apple's Size" and "Planet's Size", he chose "Giant's Size". Then he shot a green beam from this very remote control at himself. As the green who fell down and straight onto the table, he began to slowly grow and when he landed on his feet without breaking any bones, he quickly grew, glowing green and standing on the very table in the kitchen, growing to the size of an adult. The boy and girl bulged their eyes and opened their mouths when they saw such a green creature, somewhat similar to a man and a shaggy camel, which grew sharply from that very small and black dot. The Grinch himself looked at them silently at first and did not understand what to say to them. The only thing that came to his mind was to smile stupidly and say: — Hello. Conrad and Sally were scared of the Grinch and ran from the kitchen screaming: — MOM, THERE IS A MONSTER HERE!!! While the two were running from the kitchen into the corridor, the green who looked around at the table on which he was standing. Finding two small black dots on the table, he also aims the remote control at them and shoots them with the same green laser. Of course, the girl and the dog survived the fall on the table. Then they also increased and became larger. Max became the size of an ordinary dog of normal height, and Cindy Lou also became the size of a human child, as well as the Grinch the size of an adult. — Cindy, Max, how are you? — he addressed everyone in turn. — It's okay, Mr. Grinch. These tables, while we were very huge, were quite soft for us and we landed without pain. — the girl explained, and the dog also confirmed with his barking: — Bow-wow! — These two giants were afraid of you. — Cindy said. — Yes, I noticed.— The Grinch answers and gets off the table first. He picks up Cindy and lowers her off the table onto the floor. Then he does the same with Max and they leave the kitchen into the corridor, looking around. — Wow! Now that you and I are as big as these giants, their houses with rooms for us are now almost the same as ours in our who-world. — the green who admired out loud. At that moment, the children’s mother came down the stairs with them behind her. Mom was a long-haired blonde in a pink dress. When she saw the Grinch, she was also a little scared of him. After looking around, she picked up a mop that was nearby and armed herself with it like a battle pole. She did not pay attention to the girl with the dog, because all her attention was focused on the green who himself. — Stop, monster! Don't come near! The Grinch, Cindy and Max themselves were already afraid of this fighting woman, who, apparently, had never seen anyone like them in her life and was simply trying to protect her children from them. The green creature extended his hands forward and waving them said: — Stop, stop! Don't wave the mop, madam! We won't do anything bad to you. When Conrad, Sally and their mother heard the green creature speak to them, their eyes widened and their mouths agape. — Is it talking? — Sally asks herself. — Is it speaks! Speaks pure English! — Conrad was surprised, at the same time with fear. — Stay there! Do you hear, beast! Stay where you are! — Mom threatened with her mop through her teeth. — Okay-okay! Please don't kill us! If it makes you feel safer, then we will stand still and not whove! — The Grinch explained, continuing to stand in place. — Please don't be afraid of us! We will not harm you. We are just harmless and small whos! — Cindy Lou explained, also extending her hands forward. — Bow-wow. — even Max stood up for the owner in defense, also standing still. — Who you are? — the mother of the children asks Cindy with the dog, to which she replies. — Yes, that’s our name! Whos! Do you understand? You do not understand? Who are we! We are friendly! We will not harm you! — Cindy Lou first calmly explained, and then shouted out of emotion: — But you are inhospitable and evil, unlike us! We just flew here on a whocket to visit you, we wanted to have a picnic and relax, and you almost killed us. -What do you think, Conrad? Can a symbiote take the form of a humanoid without a host and be friendly and calm towards its victims? - Sally asked her brother in her ear. — No. — he answers her. — But since they stand still and really don’t attack us, then... Maybe they are telling the truth?... And it turns out that we are the monsters, since we wanted to kill them... It’s just that when they were so small that without You can’t see them properly under a microscope, they are... So defenseless! — Hey! — The Grinch was a little indignant at what he heard. — For your information, young man, cats are quite a strong people and can stand up for themselves. Even we barely survived when you almost killed us and poisoned us with your colognes and fly swatters. — then the green creature calmed down and turned to his mother: — I beg your pardon, madam! I didn't want to seem too rude. We cats are generally calm, peaceful and polite in our interactions. It's just that your son insulted me a little... And could you put your mop away? It’s just that I’m a little uncomfortable communicating with you in this state. Conrad and Sally’s mother did not trust him at first and continued to hold her semblance of a weapon in her hands. However, he really calmly communicated with her, and as she understood from the stories, they used to be the most microscopic, and her children almost killed them themselves, apparently they got excited, calling them monsters. Maybe they are the monsters themselves, since they almost killed such small creatures that simply grew to their height in order to show themselves to their eyes and calm them down so that they would no longer try to swat them like a fly. Having digested all these thoughts in her head, she stretched her hands forward and, unclenching her fingers, threw the mop on the floor like a weapon, showing herself as a peaceful one. — You will also forgive us and mainly my children, please! — Fine. We forgive. And you, too, will forgive us for flying to your home without an invitation. — Cindy Lou said. — Wait! Why didn't you just shout to us that you were peaceful when you were little? — asked Sally. — They, being so small, had very weak vocal cords. Therefore, no matter how loudly they screamed, we would hardly have heard them, since they were so small. — Conrad explained to her. — Okay, since we calmly agreed with each other and you no longer hold a grudge against us, then we’ll probably go back to our home. — says the Grinch and takes his remote control, preparing to shrink himself, along with Cindy and Max, back to the size of a who. — Wait! — Conrad extended his hand. — What do you say your name is? — We whos. By the way, my name is Grinch. — the green who introduced himself. — My name is Cindy Lou. Just Cindy for you. — the girl introduced herself. — And this is my faithful friend and dog. Name is Max. — The Grinch introduced his friend. — Bow-wow. — Glad to meet you! My name is Alina. — the children’s mother introduced herself. — And my children's names are Conrad and Sally. — And I’m their pet fish. — they all heard a man’s voice at once and turned to the source of the sound. They were approached by a red fish in the aquarium, which was also happy to see three new guests and waved its right fin at them as if with a hand. — Hi all! — Yes, this is our fish. — Sally explained. — It’s a pity that the Cat isn’t here! We would introduce you to him too. — Conrad answers. — Maybe some other time? Otherwise it’s time for us to go home. — says Cindy. — Fine. Farewell! — mom and children waved goodbye. — The next time you decide to fly to visit us again, show up at the front door in advance so that we open it for you and let you into our house. — advised the fish. — Fine. Farewell! — the green who said goodbye and, using his remote control again, shrunk himself, along with Cindy and Max, back to the same microscopic size. Being the smallest whos again, they got on their flying platform, flew on it back to the living room on the table, got into their whocket, launched it and flew up. They left this family's house through the window and flew back to their home using their special compass, which directed them back to their fluff, which was left very far behind. While they were flying, Cindy and Max waved their hands and paws goodbye to the same mother and children for a long time. — You know, Mr. Grinch, I liked this picnic trip. Especially the fact that you created this magnifying remote control and thanks to which we first came into contact with the giants and became friends with them. Maybe, if you and I could, then maybe many others whos in our who-world will also be able to leave it, make contact with the giants, get along among them, and then in the distant future, go with them to plow the real space in the skies of this world? The Grinch just smiled silently and thought in his mind: — “Who knows, Cindy Lou? Who knows?"

***

      Whocket and our trio flew back to the forest, covered the same return path, found the same mountain with a mink, flew there, found the same flower with a fluff on it, flew up very close to the fluff and, like a bullet, crashed through the fluff , between walls made of what looked like huge branches, punching a small hole in the skies of his who-world. Having broken through the clouds, the rocket flies very slowly towards Mount Crumpit, slowing down and turning over with its turbine towards the bottom. The whocket slowly landed next to the entrance to the Grinch's house, the whocket hatch opened and the two, along with the dog, happily ran out of their spaceship. — How nice it is to be home again! It's a shame we spent so little time in heaven! — the Grinch says to himself and takes a deep breath of his native air from their who-world. — Home Sweet Home! — Cindy Lou said to herself and kissed the beloved and native land of her planet, where she was born and lived. Even Max, all so joyful, ran to the grass of this world and lay down on it, rolling around like a log and dangling his paws.