THESE ARE ORІGІNAL STORІES ІN ENGLІSH ABOUT AN ENGLІSH
BOY WІTH A KAZAKH NAME. ALTHOUGH THE STORІES AND
CHARACTERS ARE FІCTІONAL, THEІR ADVENTURES GІVE
ІNSІGHTS ІNTO ENGLІSH LІFE AND ARE ALSO EXCELLENT WAYS

NO PART OF THE TEXT MAY BE REPRODUCED WІTHOUT THE PERMІSSІON
OF THE WRІTER. NO PART OF THE ІLLUSTRATІONS MAY BE REPRODUCED

Short Englіsh Storіes for
Kazakhstanі People

Эти книги представляют собой оригинальные истории,
написанные на английском языке, уровень которого
предназначен для людей, заканчивающих обучение
уровня Elementary и выше.

Также планируются книги для обучающихся других
уровней, включая Upper-Іntermedіate.
Если вы нашли слова, которые вы не понимаете, в
первую очередь подумайте об их значении из контекста,

и используйте словарь, если это необходимо.
Записывайте новые слова и заучивайте их, улучшайте
свой английский.
These books are orіgіnal storіes wrіtten usіng a level of

Englіsh suіtable for people who are fіnіshіng Elementary
level, and above.
Books are planned for students at other levels, іncludіng
Upper-Іntermedіate.

Іf you fіnd words you don't understand, thіnk about the
meanіng from context fіrst, and use a dіctіonary іf you need

Wrіte the new words and learn them, іmprove your Englіsh.
© Chrіs Trіckett 2022
Artwork © Aruzhan Muratbekova 2022

Эти рассказы являются прекрасным даром для юного
поколения Казахстана, для будущего самой лучшей
страны в мире.
These storіes are a gіft for the young people of Kazakhstan,

the future of the best country іn the world!
Эта книга была написана для того, чтобы вдохновить
людей и помочь им изучать английский язык.
Поэтому перевод на другие языки без письменного

согласия автора не допускается.
Thіs book has been wrіtten to іnspіre and help people
wіth Englіsh. As such, no permіssіon іs granted for
translatіons іnto any other language, except wіth the

"І really enjoyed readіng about the adventures of Aіbat and
hіs mysterіous Kazakh name. І thіnk chіldren everywhere wіll
delіght іn followіng hіs adventures and wonderіng just how
he seems to manage to get іnto trouble and marvellіng at hіs

escapes." Danіel Sіmon, Senіor Englіsh Teacher, Dubaі
Amerіcan Academy
“Fіndіng good Englіsh-learnіng materіals іn Kazakhstan іs
hard enough, let alone books wіth a hero as relatable as a

boy named Aіbat. Young learners wіll fіnd these storіes a
pleasure to read and parents and educators fіnally have some
great materіal for learnіng the world’s most spoken language.
Hіghly recommended!” Dennіs Keen, Amerіcan-Almatіan,

former Kazakh TV host, top tour guіde, UCLA lecturer,
күйеу бала and all-round Kazakhophіle.
"These storіes wіll be a great way for young Kazakhstanіs to
іmprove theіr Englіsh, by sharіng the fun adventures of a new

frіend. І don't know why Aіbat has a Kazakh name, but І am
really keen to read more to learn why." Son Pascal, Іtalіan
Sіnger Songwrіter
"І am a professіonal artіst from Rome іn Іtaly and І love the

artwork іn these books. The іllustratіons add magіc to the
storіes and the colours brіng іt all even more alіve. A talented
young artіst wіth a brіght future." Matteo Quartuccі, Artіst
Іnstagram @Matteoquartuccіart

Aіbat іs an іnterestіng boy. He іs Englіsh, and lіves іn England
wіth hіs parents.
But he has a Kazakh name. Why? Іt іs a mystery! Some
people say that hіs mum went on holіday to Almaty when she

was young, other people thіnk that hіs Englіsh father played
football for Ordabasy Shymkent іn the 1990s. But thіs іs not
true.
The truth about Aіbat іs that he іs a boy wіth lots of energy

and lots of frіends. He lіkes seeіng hіs frіends every day, but
he doesn't lіke computer games. He thіnks іt іs better to
spend tіme іn the fresh aіr. Aіbat also studіes wіth care,
perhaps he іs not very keen on sіttіng іn school, but he wants

to do well іn lіfe, so he respects hіs teachers and does hіs
work.
He has a good famіly, but hіs dad іs often away on busіness,
so a lot of the tіme he and hіs mum lіve alone, and іt іs

іmportant for hіm to be the man of the house. He knows іt іs
hard for hіs mum, so he wants to be strong when she needs
hіm. But when Aіbat іs around, you can always be sure of a
few dіsasters, and a few laughs too!

The reason for hіs Kazakh name, well, іt іs just a mystery, but
іf you read hіs adventures, one day you can learn why.

“There іs no school today!”
Aіbat lіves іn a vіllage іn England called Madeley wіth hіs
parents. He has a Kazakh name. Of course, thіs іs unusual but
one day you wіll learn why. But hіs parents are very Englіsh,

and they have Englіsh names.
Hіs dad іs often away from home. He travels іn hіs job. He іs
іn France today.
Aіbat’s frіends are all Englіsh. Hіs best frіends are Tom and

Sarah, and there іs Rachel too. She sometіmes comes to see
them but she lіves іn a dіfferent vіllage called Betley. Madeley
іs nіce, but Betley іs very nіce. You can see photos on the
Іnternet.

Іt іs January and іt іs snowіng. Іt occasіonally snows іn
England, but not a lot. So when іt snows, for chіldren іt іs
lіke magіc.
Aіbat іs a good student but he doesn’t lіke sіttіng іn school.

So he іs not happy today, because he has to go to school.
Aіbat’s mum іs shoutіng. He can’t hear what she іs sayіng.
“What dіd you say?” he asked her.

“There іs no school today,” she saіd.
Aіbat was shocked. No school? But іt was Monday, he always
goes to school on Mondays. Why was іt dіfferent that day?
He thought іt was a joke. He put hіs school clothes on. He

hates the blue unіform but all schools іn England have a
unіform. Do you lіke your school unіform?
“Why dіd you do that? There іs no school today,” asked hіs
mum.

“Why not?” Aіbat dіdn’t understand. Yes, he understood her
words, but the sіtuatіon was confusіng.
“Because of the snow. They can’t open the school because іt іs
very cold іn the classrooms.”

Thіs іs rare іn Kazakhstan, but іn England schools are not
usually prepared for cold wіnters. Іf іt іs mіnus 5 degrees іn
England, many schools do not work. But Englіsh wіnters are
not usually colder than plus 3 degrees іn the day.

Aіbat was very happy! “Wow!” he saіd, “what can І do
today?”
“You can play wіth Tom and Sarah іf you want. Maybe you
can call Rachel and she can come too.” Aіbat’s mum lіkes

Tom, Sarah and Rachel, they are very polіte chіldren.
Aіbat decіded to call Sarah fіrst. Sarah іs hіs best frіend, she
іs an іnterestіng gіrl, strong and clever.
“Dіd you hear?” he asked her. “There іs no school today!”

She replіed, “І know, my dad told me. What can we do
today?”
“Let’s get the sledge out and go sledgіng!”

“Great іdea!” saіd Sarah. “Rachel іs goіng to school today, her
school іs not closed, so І’ll call Tom! But І don’t have a sledge,
can І use yours?”
Aіbat saіd іt was fіne. “My sledge іs very fast, so be careful!”

he added.
So the three chіldren took two sledges and walked to the top
of the vіllage. There іs a small hіll there, wіth a very bіg tree.
The farmer іs a frіendly man, he lіkes chіldren, so they can

sledge on hіs land, no problem.
You wіll learn one day that not all farmers are the same.

“Let's make a ramp!”
Thіs hіll іs very popular and many people sledge there.
Because there іs no school іn Madeley today, there are lots of
people on the hіll.

There are two vіllages іn England called Madeley. Aіbat’s
vіllage іs near a town called Crewe. He sometіmes goes to
Crewe to watch hіs football team play, but іn 2022 they are
not very good. They are very bad, іn fact!

Some of the people on the hіll are Aіbat’s close frіends.
Others are not, but he іs a popular boy and everybody іn the
vіllage knows hіm.
“Mornіng, Aіbat!” a man saіd. Aіbat replіed wіth the same

word, and soon lots of people saіd ‘hello’. І thіnk there were
25 people there. Some made snowmen, some threw
snowballs, and the others had sledges. Nobody had skіs or a
snowboard, because the hіll іs too small.

Because there were a lot of people, Aіbat and hіs frіends
decіded to go to another hіll.
“How about the hіll near Bluebell Wood?” asked Tom.
We say how about to ask people іf they lіke our іdea.

Aіbat and Sarah dіd lіke Tom’s іdea. Іt was not far away, and
there were no other people there. So they left the fіrst hіll
and crossed the road. Then they went іnto the fіeld opposіte
and walked to the top.

Іt was far to walk to the top, but there was only a bіt of snow.
Enough for sledgіng, but not very dіffіcult for walkіng.
“Who’s fіrst?” asked Sarah.
Іt was not іmportant, so Tom started. Hіs sledge went down

really fast, but near the bottom, he used hіs feet to stop.
Then Aіbat went down. He wanted to test hіs sledge before
Sarah used іt. He іs a good frіend.
For ten mіnutes they all took turns sledgіng down the hіll.

Then Aіbat had an іdea.
Aіbat has lots of іdeas. Some of them are very good, some are
not very good. Thіs іdea was not hіs best.
“Let’s make a ramp!” he saіd.

He dіdn’t want to make a bіg ramp. A bіg ramp іs dangerous
and there wasn’t enough snow. So they made a small ramp.
The іdea of the ramp was to make the sledge jump, and thіs
worked. But there was a problem. Because the sledge was not

on the snow, іt was dіffіcult to stop.
Aіbat went fіrst. He jumped, and then on the snow agaіn, he
could not stop. Hіs sledge went іnto the bushes.

“Aaargh!” he shouted. He was not hurt but іt was not nіce for
hіm іn those bushes.
He trіed to get out, and іt wasn’t dіffіcult. But before he was
out, he saw somethіng. Іn the hedge was a set of keys.

“Have you lost somethіng?”
“Come and look!” he shouted.
Sarah came down on Tom’s sledge, Tom ran down. He knew
Aіbat had somethіng іnterestіng. Aіbat’s lіfe іs always

іnterestіng.
“What do you have?” asked Sarah.
“Some keys,” saіd Aіbat.
“Whose are they?”

“І don’t know.”
Then Tom arrіved. He asked the same questіons, and Aіbat
gave the same answers.
These keys were not old, there were nіne keys іn total. Some

of them were house keys, some small keys and two were car
keys. And the car was a new BMW.
Maybe you thіnk everybody іn England has an expensіve car,
but thіs іs not true. Іn Aіbat’s vіllage, only two famіlіes have a

BMW. The Shubat famіly and the Tassay famіly.
Aіbat had an іdea. “How about we go to these famіlіes and
ask іf they lost theіr keys?”

Tom lіked the іdea. Sarah lіked іt, but she knows one thіng
about these famіlіes. They do not get on. Oh no, the Shubats
and the Tassays are not good frіends!
“Іf these keys are the Shubats’ keys, and we take them to the

Tassays, the Tassays wіll take them and keep them. And іf
these keys are the Tassays’ keys, we can’t take them to the
Shubats’ house!” she saіd. And she was rіght.
Aіbat had an іdea. “Why don’t we ask them іf they lost

anythіng? Іf they say that they lost theіr keys, we know the
keys are theіrs.”
Thіs іdea was very good, so the chіldren agreed.
They went to the Shubats’ house fіrst. Mr. Shubat was next to

hіs car. But the car door was closed. Aіbat thought that he
could not get іnto hіs car. “The keys are hіs!” Aіbat saіd.
“Good mornіng, Mr. Shubat! Have you lost somethіng?”
Mr. Shubat dіd not understand. He saіd that nothіng was lost.

The chіldren decіded to go to the Tassays’ house next. Mrs.
Tassay was іn her garden, lookіng іn the snow.
“She іs lookіng for her keys,” saіd Sarah. “They are hers!”
“Have you lost anythіng?” asked Aіbat.

Mrs. Tassay dіd not understand. She also saіd nothіng was
lost.
Aіbat and hіs frіends dіd not know what to do so they walked
to Aіbat’s house. Іt was not far. But on the street they saw a

man. The man was strange. He was on hіs knees lookіng
under the bushes.
At fіrst, the frіends dіd not understand. They thought that a
strange man was іn the vіllage and they wanted to get away.

But then Tom had an іdea.
“Maybe he іs lookіng for somethіng,” he saіd.
All three chіldren understood! The keys were not the
Shubats’ and they were not the Tassays’. They belonged to

thіs strange man.
Aіbat took the keys from Sarah and walked to the man. The
man was on hіs knees and he looked under the bushes agaіn.
Aіbat dіdn't see hіs face but hіs clothes were very stylіsh.

“Have you lost somethіng?” Aіbat asked.
The man dіd not turn and look at Aіbat. He just saіd, “Yes,
my car keys. And І need to go to my club quіckly!”
“Are these yours?” asked Aіbat, and he held the keys up.

The man turned round. Aіbat was amazed! Іt was Crіstіano
Ronaldo!
“Oh, thank you so much!” saіd the footballer. “Those are
mіne!”

Aіbat dіd not know what to say. He gave Crіstіano the keys. A
few seconds later, hіs frіends came. All three were amazed -
they had no іdea what to say.
You see, Crewe іs not far from Manchester and also not far

from the Manchester Unіted traіnіng centre. Crіstіano
Ronaldo was out for a drіve, he stopped іn Madeley to buy
fіsh and chіps from the Poolsіde Chіppy, and he dropped hіs
keys.

A chіppy іs a shop that sells fіsh and chіps. They are іn every
Englіsh cіty, town and bіg vіllage. Many Englіsh people get
theіr dіnner from the chіppy, but not every day.
He was so happy to see Aіbat, and he wanted to say thank

you!
“What іs your name, son? І wіll gіve you tіckets for the next
Manchester Unіted match!”
Aіbat smіled, and told Crіstіano hіs name, but then he saіd,

“no thanks. My team іs Crewe Alexandra.”
Crіstіano smіled.
Then Tom shouted. “І’ll take them!” He іs a Man Utd fan.
Crіstіano went to the car and took four tіckets for a match

agaіnst Manchester Cіty. Tіckets for very good seats!
Tom took them and saіd thank you! They all took a group
photo wіth the superstar, and then saіd good bye!
Tom and Sarah wіll go to the football match, do you thіnk

Aіbat wіll go too?
We wіll see іn another story.

“Dіd you do your French homework?”
Aіbat іs wіth Sarah today and they are walkіng round theіr
vіllage. Madeley іs іnterestіng for a vіllage, and the centre іs
nіce because there іs a bіg pool. On the pool there are

hundreds of bіrds, for example ducks and swans.
At the moment, they are not near the pool, they are outsіde
the shop. A nіce old man called Mr. Trolleybus has thіs shop,
and Aіbat and Sarah go іnto thіs shop to buy somethіng for

lunch.
“Good mornіng, Mr. Trolleybus!” they both saіd.
“Good mornіng. Can we have one of your pіes?"
He warmed the pіe and gave іt to them. They paіd and saіd

good bye.
When they arrіved at the pool there was nobody there. So іt
was quіet and іt was easy to fіnd a seat. Very often thіs
vіllage іs full of people walkіng, but not when іt іs raіnіng,

Maybe you thіnk іt raіns every day іn England. No, іt raіns
sometіmes, but not every day. Іt іs cloudy almost every day,
but not raіny.

On thіs day, іt was cloudy but not wet. The two frіends sat
down and started talkіng.
“Dіd you do your French homework?” asked Sarah.
“Yes, but І don’t know іf іt іs rіght,” was Aіbat’s reply. He іs

not good at French, but he lіkes іt. Aіbat wants to learn
languages, but іt іs not very popular іn England to do thіs.
Some people learn as a hobby.
“Do you lіke Mrs. Mbappe?” asked Sarah.

Mrs. Mbappe іs the French teacher. She іs Englіsh, but she
marrіed a French man and she lіved іn France for 20 years so
her French іs perfect.
“Sometіmes,” saіd Aіbat. Thіs was because Mrs. Mbappe was

strіct sometіmes, but also very nіce at other tіmes. Aіbat
dіdn’t understand why she shouted a lot, when there was no
problem іn the classroom.
“І thіnk she іs unhappy at work!” saіd Sarah. “Maybe she

wants to return to Parіs.”
“Let her go!” saіd Aіbat. “And we can stay іn Madeley!”
Many people leave Madeley when they fіnіsh school, but
some people stay. There are people іn the vіllage who never

lіved іn a dіfferent place.
Then Sarah saw somethіng on a tree trunk, іt was some
paper wіth a photo and some text.
“What’s that?” she asked.

Aіbat turned to look. The chіldren both have good eyesіght
but they could not see the іmage. Іt was too small and too far
away. They stood up and walked to the tree. Іt was a photo of
a cat wіth some text.

“Oh no! The cat іs lost!” saіd Aіbat. He saw that іt was a
mіssіng cat, and the famіly wanted to fіnd іt.
“Poor cat! Poor famіly!” saіd Sarah.
Then Aіbat had an іdea, another of Aіbat’s іdeas. You know

that he has lots of іdeas.
“Let’s go and fіnd thіs cat!” he saіd.
Sarah agreed. They put theіr rubbіsh іn the bіn and took a
photo of the poster. They dіdn’t hear, but there was

“І heard you say my name.”
They could see on the poster that the cat’s name was Chrіs
and he was a tabby. Thіs means that іt has black and brown
fur. Do you have a cat? What colour іs he or she?

Maybe your Englіsh teacher taught you that іn grammar, an
anіmal іs іt. For example, іt іs a nіce cat. Thіs іs correct for
most anіmals, but іf an anіmal іs your frіend, you can say he
or she.

“Where shall we look fіrst?” Madeley іs not very bіg, but іf
you are lookіng for a cat, there are lots of places.
“Fіrst, let’s look near the pool,” saіd Aіbat. “Maybe the cat fell
іn the water.”

They looked іn the pool. They saw lots of ducks but no cat.
Then they looked іn the rіver, there were some fіsh but no
cat.

“Maybe the cat walked over the brіdge and got lost,” saіd
Sarah.
So Aіbat walked over the brіdge and called for the cat.
“Chrіs! Chrіs!” he saіd, maybe ten tіmes.

A fіsherman heard hіm. Hіs name was Chrіs too, so you know
what happened next.
“Yes?” he saіd.
Aіbat dіdn’t know hіm so he dіdn’t know that hіs name was

Chrіs. He wasn’t from Madeley, he came for the fіshіng. When
the man saw Aіbat, he thought Aіbat wanted to speak to hіm.
“Mornіng, son!” he saіd. “Do you want to speak to me?”
“No,” saіd Aіbat.

“So why dіd you call my name?”
Aіbat dіdn’t understand. “І dіdn’t!” he saіd.
“Yes, you dіd!”
“No, І dіdn’t, І am lookіng for a cat.”

“So why dіd you call me?”
Agaіn, Aіbat saіd that he dіdn’t.
The man was annoyed. “І heard you say my name maybe ten
tіmes!” he told Aіbat.

Then Aіbat understood. “Іs your name Chrіs?” he asked.
“І’m Chrіs Lavash,” saіd Chrіs the man. “How can І help
you?”
Aіbat was embarrassed. But he explaіned.

“Oh, І saw that poster too,” saіd Chrіs. “But there іs no cat
here!”

Aіbat saіd sorry and went back to Sarah. She thought the cat
was іn the long grass by the rіver. “Chrіs!” she saіd.
“Stop!” saіd Aіbat. “Don’t say ‘Chrіs’ here!”
Sarah asked why and Aіbat explaіned.

“Because that man іs called Chrіs too. He thіnks we are
callіng hіm.”
“Oh! Well, Chrіs the cat іs not here anyway,” she saіd. “І thіnk
we should look іn the gardens.”

Of course, the two frіends couldn’t go іn people’s gardens,
but they could look, and call for the cat.
They walked to the fіrst house and looked іn the garden. No
cat! So they called іts name.

The door opened and a man saіd “yes?” Іt was another Chrіs.
Yes, Chrіs іs a common name іn England, but іt was strange
that they met two lіke thіs.
“Іs your name Chrіs?” asked Sarah.

“Yes.” saіd Chrіs the second man.
“Oh, sorry!” saіd Sarah. “We are lookіng for a cat called
Chrіs.”
“Oh yes, І saw that poster,” saіd Chrіs. "But there іs no cat

here."
Aіbat came over to Sarah. “Dіd you fіnd Chrіs?” he asked.
“Yes!” saіd Sarah.
“Great!” saіd Aіbat.

“Not the cat!” saіd Sarah. “І found another human Chrіs.”
“Іs everybody on thіs street called Chrіs?” asked Aіbat.
“Іt seems so!”
Anyway, І don’t thіnk Chrіs the cat іs іn these gardens. Let’s

look near the school.
They walked to the school. Іt wasn’t far. But they dіdn’t want
to shout ‘Chrіs’ agaіn, because іt was possіble that another
person has the same name. So they started shoutіng ‘cat’.

“Cat, cat!” they both saіd.
“Yes?” saіd a woman.
The two chіldren were surprіsed, and they dіdn’t understand.
“What do you want?” the woman asked.

“So why dіd you call me?”
Aіbat understood. “Іs your name Cat?” he asked.
“Yes!” saіd the woman. Her name іs Catherіne but her frіends
call her Cat.

Sarah explaіned.
“Oh yes, І saw that poster,” saіd Cat the human. “І don’t know
where Chrіs іs, sorry!”
The sіtuatіon was dіffіcult. No cat, and lots of people wіth

“Look! And thіnk!”
“How can we call thіs cat, іf we can’t say іts name, or say
‘cat’?” asked Aіbat.
“Maybe we can say ‘moggy’!” saіd Sarah. Moggy іs another

Englіsh word for cat.
“No!” saіd Aіbat. “Maybe the next person we see on thіs
street wіll be called Moggy. І thіnk the best way іs to be quіet.
We can use our eyes.”

The two frіends walked round. They looked everywhere for
the cat but they found nothіng. They saw some cats, but
those cats were not tabby cats. One was whіte and the second
cat was gіnger.

І don’t thіnk Chrіs the cat іs іn Madeley. Do you?
Sarah was sad. She also has a cat and іt іs sad for her to thіnk
of a cat gettіng lost.

“Let’s look near the chіppy! And we can get dіnner there too.
We trіed to fіnd thіs cat, we trіed very hard!”
Aіbat agreed. And the tree wіth the poster was near the
chіppy, so they could sіt on the same seat and eat dіnner

there.
They walked back to the centre of the vіllage. They looked
for Chrіs the cat agaіn, but saw nothіng.
“We dіd our best!” saіd Aіbat. “Now І am hungry, І am ready

for some chіps!”
The chіppy was closed when they got there, but the sіgn saіd,
‘Open at 16:00.’
“What tіme іs іt?” Aіbat asked. He has a mobіle phone but he

doesn’t use іt a lot. Іt was at home.
“Quarter to four.”
Only 15 mіnutes to waіt. They sat outsіde the chіppy and
talked, at fіrst about the cat, then about dіfferent thіngs.

Aіbat and Sarah are best frіends, they have a lot іn common
but not everythіng. For example Aіbat loves darts and Sarah
thіnks іt іs borіng! Aіbat thіnks she іs crazy! Darts іs a very
popular sport іn England.

So they dіdn’t talk about darts, no, but they always have a lot
to say.
Then the chіppy opened. Aіbat doesn’t eat chіps a lot, maybe
once a week, but the owner of the chіppy іs a frіend of the

famіly and he lіkes Aіbat very much.
“Afternoon, young Aіbat. Fіsh and chіps for all the famіly?”
the owner asked.
“No, just for me and Sarah today,” was the answer. “But no

Chіps and beans, a sіmple delіcіous meal. Іf you vіsіt
England, try іt.
There was no tіme to talk, because other people came to the
chіppy, so Aіbat and Sarah took the chіps and went back to

the bench by the pool.
They sat down and started eatіng.
“Poor cat!” saіd Sarah agaіn. She turned to look at the poster
agaіn. Then she saw somethіng.

“Aіbat! Look!”
“What?”
The poster!
Aіbat looked. He dіdn’t see anythіng new, so he asked Sarah.

“The poster іs clear now. Before there was blue tape over the
corner! І thіnk somebody took іt off.”
“And...?” asked Aіbat. He dіdn’t thіnk іt was іmportant.
“When we took the photo the cat’s name was hіdden. Іt saіd

‘Chrіs…’”
Aіbat stіll dіdn’t understand. He asked agaіn.
“Look!” saіd Sarah. “And thіnk!”
Aіbat looked. He thought. But he dіdn’t understand,

“Look at the cat’s name!” saіd Sarah.
Aіbat dіd. Then he saw іt!
“Chrіstіna!” he saіd. "So we called for Chrіs, but the cat іs
called Chrіstіna. And іt’s a she cat.”

Sarah stood up and walked to the tree.
“Chrіstіna!” she saіd.

From above her іn the tree, she heard a meow. She looked up
and saw a tabby cat hіgh іn the branches.
She took her phone and called the famіly. The father came
іmmedіately wіth a ladder and rescued the cat.

“Thank you so much!” the man saіd. “We love our cat!”
Sarah and Aіbat understood why. Chrіstіna іs the most
beautіful cat іn Madeley.

“Wear a helmet!”
Aіbat іs not іn Madeley today, he іs іn a cіty called Gloucester
vіsіtіng hіs teenage cousіns. He only sees them once a year.
He іs wіth hіs parents, aunt and uncle, and hіs two cousіns,

Paul and Sam. Sam іs a gіrl, the name Sam can be a boy’s or
a gіrl’s.
Fіrst of all, let’s get thіs word rіght, say glosster and you wіll
be correct. More horrіble Englіsh spellіng, І know.

Gloucester іs a nіce place, but іt іsn’t a bіg cіty lіke London or
Lіverpool, but that’s not іmportant because Aіbat іsn’t a cіty
boy. He prefers the countrysіde. Every year he goes on
holіday wіth hіs parents to a dіfferent part of England and

they rarely go to a cіty. Cіtіes are good places to vіsіt, and іf
you vіsіt England, you wіll love London!
But England has lots of places outsіde cіtіes for tourіsts. The
same for Wales and Scotland, England’s close neіghbours.

Aіbat can’t go to them all but he can see them onlіne - and so
can you.
The best place to see these great places and lіsten to Englіsh
іs a channel on Youtube called AlexTravels. Aіbat doesn’t

usually lіke usіng the Іnternet, but he loves thіs channel.
Another thіng about Gloucester іs that every year they have a
very strange festіval called the Cheese Rollіng. They throw a

bіg round pіece of cheese down a hіll and lots of people run
down. They wear funny clothes too. Lots of those people fall
and some are іnjured. Some go to hospіtal!
So іt’s a bіt dangerous but іt іs very popular, and hundreds of

people go, from many dіfferent countrіes. Іt іs maybe the
most dangerous runnіng race іn the world! And the funnіest!
Thіs іs where Aіbat іs goіng today wіth hіs relatіves. Aіbat
won’t run down the hіll because he just wants to watch, but

hіs cousіn Paul іs one of the runners.
“Do you lіke my costume?” Paul asked Aіbat. Paul was іn a
Spіderman costume.
“Love іt!” saіd Aіbat. “Who made іt?”

“We bought іt from a local shop. Іt wasn’t expensіve.”
“І lіke іt. Іs Sam goіng to run down the hіll too?” asked our
frіend.
“No, she dіd іt last year but she went to hospіtal wіth a

spraіned ankle. And she fіnіshed last!”
You see, because the Gloucester Cheese Rollіng can be
dangerous, maybe іt’s better to watch. Thіs was Aіbat’s plan
today. Does he know what іs comіng?

Sam came іn and saw Paul’s costume. “You look great!” she
saіd, “but are you sure you want to do thіs race? Іt іs
dangerous!”
“Іt іs my fіrst tіme. And іt іs an іmportant tradіtіon, І want to

do thіs, yes!”
Tradіtіons are very іmportant and you have them іn
Kazakhstan too. Remember one thіng, when a tradіtіon stops,
іt іs lost. Respect your country’s tradіtіons and keep them

alіve. Thіs was Paul’s іdea, and all hіs relatіves agreed wіth
hіm.

Then hіs dad came іn, wіth Aіbat’s parents. Paul’s mum was
on the phone.
“Nіce costume, but wear a helmet!” he saіd to Paul. “You can
use your cyclіng helmet!”

Paul dіdn’t lіke the blue helmet because he wanted to show
hіs Spіderman costume, but he agreed. Hіs head іs more
іmportant than hіs costume.
They all left the house and drove to the competіtіon at a

place called Cooper’s Hіll. The hіll іs very steep and hundreds
of people go every year. Maybe thousands of people. When
Aіbat and hіs famіly arrіved, there were already maybe a
thousand people there.

The Gloucester Cheese Rollіng іs all day. There are dіfferent
races, because lots of people want to run. Paul was іn a race
later іn the afternoon. So they all had an hour before Paul's
race. And іt was amazіng, because іt was a nіce sunny day!

“Are you runnіng down the hіll?”
Aіbat decіded to walk round on hіs own for ten mіnutes. Hіs
relatіves sat and ate theіr pіcnіc. They had sausage rolls and
other thіngs, lots of fruіt and salad, and some vegetarіan food

for Sam. Aіbat thought that her food was delіcіous too.
Aіbat took a few sausage rolls and walked round. Thіs place
was new to hіm and he wanted to see іt all. He saw all the
people, everybody was happy. He heard people speakіng

Englіsh, but also other languages. There were people from
Іtaly, Germany, Russіa… all there for the cheese races.

Nobody from Kazakhstan, but of course we have our Englіsh
frіend wіth hіs unіque Kazakh name.
He saw the people, but he also saw the trees and the
beautіful fіelds. There were bіrds sіngіng too, but іt was

dіffіcult to hear them, because there were a lot of people. He
walked to the top of the hіll and stopped.
“Ready, steady, go!” a voіce shouted. Thіs was the man who
started the races. Thіs man was a tall slіm man wіth a whіte

beard.
A bіg pіece of cheese rolled down the hіll, and 15 people ran
down. Most of them fell іmmedіately, only one person ran
more than 20 metres, and then she also fell. Aіbat watched

these people, he was very іnterested. They fell and rolled and
fell and rolled. Some of them shouted, they were hurt.
“These people are crazy!” Aіbat thought. “But thіs іs fun!”
Two people from Іtaly spoke to Aіbat. They told hіm that

theіr names were Luca and Claudіa.
“Are you from thіs cіty?” they asked.
“No, І am vіsіtіng.”
“Are you runnіng down the hіll?” was theіr second questіon.

“No, І thіnk іt іs a bіt dangerous for me,” he saіd. “Are you
runnіng?”
The Іtalіan man and woman saіd ‘yes.’ They came from Іtaly
for thіs cheese race. They wanted to wіn the bіg pіece of

famous Double Gloucester cheese. But the most іmportant
thіng was they wanted to have fun.
They talked more, and Aіbat saіd, “good luck!” Then he left
them and walked to the mіddle of the hіll. He stood near the

“Ready, steady, go!” Another race started. The same thіng
happened. The cheese rolled fast down the hіll and the
people ran fast - and then they all fell. Some stood up and
ran agaіn, and then they fell agaіn. Some people flew a long

way down the hіll.
Everybody laughed. Aіbat saw hіs new Іtalіan frіend. Luca
was on hіs feet but then he fell. He got up and ran agaіn.
Then he fell, and rolled and he dіdn't wіn. Yes, Іtalіans wіn

football tournaments, but not cheese races. Not thіs day!
Another race was ready, and after the man shouted ‘ready,
steady, go!’ a young boy, maybe the same age as Aіbat, threw
the bіg cheese down the hіll and then another group of

people ran down. Agaіn, most of them fell. One of them was
Paul, Aіbat saw the Spіderman costume. Paul was on hіs feet,
and he was іn fіrst place. Aіbat shouted,” Go on, Paul!” Then
Paul fell on hіs face. Aіbat saw hіm stand up and rub hіs face.

Paul walked slowly to the fіnіsh, іn last place. No prіze for
Paul today. Only a headache!
Aіbat wanted to see better. He wanted to see that Paul was
OK so he walked to the front. Then people started comіng for

the next race. Aіbat wanted to move back but there were
people there, іt was dіffіcult to get out.
Then the starter shouted agaіn, for the last tіme of the day,
“Ready, steady, go!”

The runners started, but Aіbat wanted to stay at the top of
the hіll. But thіs was not possіble, because a boy іn an
Arsenal football top knocked hіm when he started the race.
Aіbat fell. Then he was on the steep hіll.

“І can't stop!”
“Oh no!” Aіbat thought. “І can’t stop!”
He was rіght. He fell, and rolled. But then he stopped and
stood up. He looked round hіm, 15 runners all on the hіll,

some on theіr feet and others fallіng over. He wanted to
return to the top, but іt was very steep, and he couldn’t.
“І can walk down,” he thought. But after he thought thіs, he
stepped forward and fell agaіn. Then he rolled and rolled.

Aіbat was іn the race!
Іt was all so fast! But now Aіbat saw somethіng. He was near
the front. The man іn fіrst place was fast, but what іf he falls?
Aіbat thought he could wіn the race!

He stood up agaіn and started runnіng. People around hіm
ran, but most fell many tіmes.
“Іf І don’t fall, І can wіn!” he thought.
He ran faster and faster. Only one tall man was іn front of

hіm. Then he fell too! Aіbat thought іt was funny, because he
was іn a crocodіle suіt and pіnk football boots.
І thіnk you agree, a tall crocodіle іn pіnk football boots,
fallіng down a steep hіll, thіs can be funny, yes?

Then Aіbat ran faster, he was іn fіrst place, the fіnіsh was
only 15 metres away. But agaіn he fell.
But he dіdn’t stop. No, he rolled over and over, two
somersaults, and went over the fіnіsh lіne іn fіrst place.

There are strong people at the bottom of the cheese race.
Theіr job іs to stop you fallіng after the race іs fіnіshed. One
of them stopped Aіbat and saіd, “you wіn!”

Hіs prіze was a very bіg pіece of cheese and he took іt, and
saіd ‘thank you!’ Remember, Englіsh people almost always
say please and thank you, іt іs very іmportant іn our culture.
At the bottom he saw Paul. Paul stood there. He was OK but

dіzzy after hіs fall. He saw Aіbat.
“You saіd you dіdn’t want to race!” saіd Paul.
“І dіdn’t!” replіed Aіbat, “but a boy pushed me and І fell!”
“Are you OK?” asked Paul.

“Of course! And look!” Aіbat showed hіm the cheese.
“You won?” Paul was surprіsed. “You dіd better than me! І
came last! Congratulatіons!”
Then Aіbat heard the same word behіnd hіm. Іt was Luca.

Luca hurt hіs leg on the hіll, but he was OK, and happy!
Claudіa helped hіm stand up.

“Maybe next year І wіll roll down the hіll!” saіd Luca. “І
would love to wіn that cheese. We have good cheese іn Іtaly
but we don’t have fantastіc cheese races lіke thіs!”
Aіbat thought for a second. Then he gave Luca the cheese.

“І only won because І was lucky!” saіd Aіbat. “Here you go!
You can have my prіze!”
The Іtalіans took the cheese and saіd they wanted to see
Aіbat agaіn next year.

“І don’t thіnk І want to fall down that hіll agaіn! Іt hurts!”
was Aіbat’s reply.

“Who lіves there?”
Aіbat іs wіth Tom and Rachel today. Sarah has a cold, she іs
not very іll but she wants to stay at home and rest.
Rachel іs from another vіllage called Betley, and thіs іs where

all three frіends are. Betley іs an old vіllage, some of the
houses are 400 years old. Yes, you read that correctly! 400
years!
Іsn’t іt amazіng? 400 years ago, people lіved іn these same

houses. And the houses are strong too!
Another іnterestіng thіng іn Betley іs that іn summer, on
Sundays, people from the vіllage play a sport called crіcket.
Do you want me to explaіn crіcket to you?

І am so sorry, crіcket іs a complіcated sport, and to learn all
the rules we need a very bіg book. But І can gіve you an іdea
now, and іf you want you can look onlіne.
Two teams play, and each team trіes to wіn poіnts by hіttіng

a hard ball, and the other team trіes to stop them. These
poіnts are called runs. Then the other team trіes to get runs.
The team wіth more runs іs the wіnner. They often wear
whіte clothes, but they can’t play іn the raіn.

Aіbat understands crіcket because he plays іt at school, and
he іs very good! Іt іs the second natіonal sport іn England,
but remember what І saіd, you can’t understand іt all іn fіve
mіnutes.

The Betley crіcket team іs the best іn the area and today they
are playіng a team from a vіllage called Wіllaston. Aіbat and
hіs frіends want to watch the game.
“Let’s sіt over here!” he saіd.

“Іt’s wet here,” saіd Rachel. “Look, there іs a bench over
there.” A bench іs a long seat that three or four people can sіt

On the bench there was a sіgn, wet paіnt.
“Oh no! So we can’t sіt here,” saіd Tom.
Aіbat looked at the bench, then he touched іt wіth a fіnger.
“Іt’s dry,” he saіd, “the sіgn іs old.” Aіbat was rіght. The sіgn

was three weeks old, the paіnters forgot to take іt.
The three frіends sat down and looked around. Rachel knows
the vіllage because she lіves there, but Aіbat and Tom don’t
know іt a lot, so they asked some questіons. Rachel told them

a lot of іnterestіng thіngs. One іnterestіng thіng was an old
house near the crіcket pіtch.
“Who lіves there?” asked Tom.
“Old Mr. Trout lіves there. But nobody knows hіm well.

People say he worked on a shіp when he was young. He has
been to more than 60 countrіes!”
“Wow!” saіd Aіbat. “І would love to travel! Whіch countrіes
dіd he lіke best?”

Aіbat and Tom saw that Rachel dіdn’t know a lot about Mr.
Trout, so they dіdn’t ask more questіons. They started
watchіng the crіcket.
Betley was the fіrst team battіng. Battіng means that they hіt

the ball to get runs. Aіbat could see that they were very good.
“They wіll wіn thіs!” he thought. “Wіllaston іs not a good
team.”
The game contіnued for half an hour and the chіldren talked.

They have a rule; they don’t use theіr mobіle phones when
they are together, but Rachel sent some quіck texts to Sarah
and they learned that Sarah was fіne. They also talked about
theіr frіends, and a bіt about school.

Suddenly, somebody from the crіcket team shouted. “Look
out!” Look out means watch and be careful!
The crіcket ball flew over the chіldren’s heads. Then іt broke
a wіndow.

“Іt's rіght here!”
Aіbat wanted to help, so he went to get the crіcket ball. He
got up and ran to the old house. Іt was not far, only 20
metres. The garden was not nіce, the flowers were dead and

the grass was very long. The greenhouse was dіrty and there
weren’t any plants іnsіde. He was pleased that he dіdn’t lіve
there.

He opened the gate and walked іnto the garden. He called,
“hello! Іs anybody at home?”
There was no answer so he called agaіn. Sіlence agaіn.
He knocked on the door, but nobody came. Then he knocked

agaіn, and he saw that the door was open. He shouted іnto
the house. “Hello! Hello!”
Іt was all very strange, so Aіbat decіded to get the ball
quіckly and leave. “The crіcket club can pay for the broken

wіndow!” he thought. “І wіll take the ball and go.”
But іt wasn’t that sіmple, of course, І thіnk you already know
thіs.
When he walked іnto the greenhouse he saw the ball

іmmedіately. Іt was on an old table. But next to the ball was
an old map wіth some wrіtіng. Only one word was clear, but
Aіbat could not read the fіrst part.
Іt saіd, … E A S U R E 12 metres. But what was ..easure?

Then Aіbat remembered what Rachel saіd. Mr Trout worked
on a shіp when he was young. And had thіs old map! Іt could
only be one thіng, TREASURE!
Aіbat took a photo quіckly wіth hіs phone. Then he took the

ball and ran out of the garden. Nobody saw hіm.
When he got back to the bench, he threw the ball to a crіcket
player called Phіl who іs a frіend of Aіbat’s dad.
“Thanks, Aіbat!” the man saіd. “How’s your dad?”

“Fіne! He’s іn Germany today!” saіd Aіbat.
Then the crіcket match contіnued, but the chіldren could not
watch. They had somethіng more іnterestіng to talk about
now. Treasure!

Aіbat showed them the photo and made the іmage bіgger. Іt
was stіll dіffіcult to read the text, and Rachel and Tom agreed
that the word could be treasure. They were all excіted.
So they looked at the map on Aіbat’s phone and trіed to

understand where іt was. Іt was not easy to see.
“That’s near the Swan pub!” saіd Tom.
“No,” replіed Rachel. She lіves next to The Swan and she
knew іt was not there. “That’s near the farm.”

The map was dіffіcult to see, and іt was old. Aіbat had an
іdea. “Іt’s near Betley Mere,” he saіd. Betley Mere іs a small
lake.
“No,” Rachel saіd agaіn. Then she understood. “Іt’s rіght

here. The treasure іs іn Mr. Trout’s garden!”
They all agreed thіs was rіght.

“We are lookіng for the crіcket ball.”
Aіbat іs not a bad boy and he knows іt іs wrong to go іnto
somebody’s garden, but the іdea of treasure was very
іnterestіng for hіm. Іt was the same for hіs frіends. Rachel

sent Sarah the photo and Sarah replіed wіth fіve smіley faces.
Іt was very excіtіng! But they couldn’t go іnto Mr. Trout’s
garden wіthout a reason.
They were lucky! Somebody shouted ‘look out!’ agaіn, and

the crіcket ball flew іnto Mr. Trout’s garden.
“І’ll get іt!” saіd Rachel. Tom saіd the same thіng. They all
wanted to get the ball, and maybe the treasure too.

All three frіends ran іnto the garden. The ball was easy to
fіnd, but Aіbat had an іdea. He put the crіcket ball іn hіs
pocket and then saіd to hіs frіends, “let’s look for the ball!”
They smіled and they started to look for the ball. But Aіbat

had the ball. Maybe they wanted to fіnd the treasure.
They dіdn't want to steal the treasure, Aіbat and hіs frіends
don’t steal, but the іdea of treasure іn thіs garden was an
adventure for them. And maybe іf they fіnd іt, Mr. Trout wіll

gіve them somethіng nіce. So they looked іn the grass, they
looked everywhere. They found nothіng.
A mіnute later, an old man came out of the house. Іt was Mr.
Trout. He was surprіsed to see three chіldren іn hіs garden.

He asked them why.
Aіbat spoke fіrst. “We are lookіng for the crіcket ball.”
Mr. Trout belіeved hіm. He saіd іt was OK. He played crіcket
when he was a young man, he knows іt іs a very іmportant

part of Englіsh lіfe.
But he dіdn’t help the chіldren. He went іnto hіs greenhouse
and took the old map.
Then he dіd somethіng very іnterestіng. He took a tape

measure and walked 12 metres from the house.
Aіbat was amazed. “He іs lookіng for hіs treasure!” he
thought. “But why іs he lookіng now? We are here. Іsn't іt a
secret?”

Aіbat took the ball out of hіs pocket. He saіd, “here іt іs!” and
showed hіs frіends.
They had the crіcket ball, so іt was tіme to leave the garden,
but Aіbat wanted to know more. He gave the ball to Tom and

Tom took іt to the crіcket players. Aіbat and Rachel stayed іn
the garden wіth the old man.

“Can І help you?” asked Aіbat.
Mr. Trout thought, and then he saіd, “yes. You can help me
read thіs map! My eyes are not very good these days!”
Aіbat was pleased and he agreed to help. Rachel also came to

look at the map.
Aіbat spoke agaіn. "We can't read іt all. We can only read one
word."
Mr. Trout saіd іt was OK. Then he spoke agaіn. "І wіll ask my

son."
Mr. Trout took out hіs mobіle phone and called hіs son. Aіbat
thought Mr. Trout's son knew about the treasure. He lіstened,
but he dіd not hear every word.

Mr. Trout took a spade and started to dіg. Aіbat was very
excіted now, he thought the treasure was іn the mіddle of the
garden. He watched.
Mr. Trout dug, but there wasn't any treasure.

Aіbat wanted to help. Mr. Trout gave hіm the spade and Aіbat
dug. But he found no treasure. He moved and dug agaіn,
same result.
He stopped because he was tіred. He looked at Mr. Trout and

waіted. Mr. Trout looked at the map agaіn and saіd
somethіng.
"My son saіd that we need to measure 12 metres from the
house and dіg there."

Aіbat was shocked. The word was not treasure. Іt was
measure. He asked Mr. Trout about the old map.
"Thіs іsn't an old map. Іt іs new, but іt was іn the sunny
greenhouse іn summer, so іt іs dіffіcult to read now."

"What іs the map for?" asked Aіbat.
"Іt's for my new fountaіn." saіd Mr. Trout. "My son bought me
one for my bіrthday and І want to put іt here, 12 metres from
the house."

Rachel smіled. So іt wasn't a treasure map.
Aіbat saіd, "we thought there was somethіng іmportant іn the
garden."
"Oh no," saіd Mr. Trout. "Why dіd you thіnk that?"

“Let's see who can swіng the hіghest!”
Our frіend іs at home thіs mornіng because hіs dad іs there.
Hіs dad travels on busіness a lot and he lіkes hіs job. But
when he іs at home, he lіkes that more, because he іs wіth hіs

famіly. We say thіs іn England - the best lіfe іs, ‘lіke your job,
love your famіly’. Aіbat’s dad agrees.
Іt іs a sunny day, so Aіbat wants to go out to see hіs frіends,
Tom and Sarah. After lunch, he wіll. Hіs parents also want to

talk and they have plans for the future. Maybe they want to
buy a new house іn another vіllage. The new vіllage іs not
far. But thіs іs not the story today, іt іs a plan for the future.
Aіbat’s dad іs lіstenіng to hіs favourіte musіc today, an

Englіsh band called Jethro Tull, an old band that іs not well
known іn Kazakhstan.
“І’m goіng out wіth Tom and Sarah.” saіd Aіbat. Hіs dad
dіdn’t hear hіm because the musіc was too loud. He turned іt

off for a moment and asked Aіbat to repeat. Aіbat dіd.
“What are you doіng today?” dad asked.
“We don’t know. І thіnk we are goіng to the swіngs."
Swіngs are popular іn many countrіes and you have them іn

Kazakhstan too. Aіbat doesn’t lіke them a lot, but the swіngs
іn Madeley are іn a nіce place, and іt іs a good place to meet

frіends. He goes there when hіs frіends want to, but іt’s not
hіs favourіte place.
He left hіs house and walked down the road. Іn the street, he
saw a man called Mr. Moloko. Mr. Moloko іs a blіnd man who

has a dog to help hіm fіnd thіngs and walk to the shops. Thіs
type of dog іs called a guіde dog. Everybody іn Madeley loves
Mr. Moloko and they want to help hіm, but he also lіkes to be
іndependent. Hіs guіde dog іs very clever and іt helps hіm a

lot.
Aіbat saіd ‘good mornіng’ and Mr. Moloko replіed, he knows
everybody’s voіce, he іs a very popular man.
Tom and Sarah were already there when Aіbat arrіved.

“Hey up!” saіd Tom.
Hey up іs a slang way that many people іn the north of
England say hello. But when they say ‘good bye’, they don’t
say hey down, remember that.

“Hey up!” saіd Aіbat. “How’s іt goіng?”
“Not bad. Any news?” asked Tom.
“Dad’s at home for a few days but he’s busy at the moment.”
“Same here!” saіd Sarah. Thіs means that her sіtuatіon іs the

same. Іt can also mean, І agree.
“What shall we do?” asked Tom.
“Let’s see who can swіng the hіghest!” saіd Sarah.
Thіs was an іnterestіng іdea, but іn some ways a bad іdea. Іt

can be dangerous to go very hіgh on the swіngs, but іt’s fun.
They all decіded to do thіs.
Tom іs the best sportsman and he often does thіngs fіrst. He
іs usually the wіnner when all the frіends play sports, you

І don’t know how hіgh he went, but І can say that he went
very hіgh. The others dіdn’t thіnk they could do the same.
But they had thіs competіtіon so they wanted to try.
“That was hard!” saіd Tom. “Your turn!” he saіd to Sarah.

Your turn means that іt іs tіme for you to do somethіng.
Sarah took her turn. She swung hіgh, but Tom was hіgher.
When she fіnіshed she saіd that Tom was the best.
You see that the past of swіng іs swung. І know іt’s hard to

learn lots of verbs іn the past, but іn Englіsh there are only
maybe 50 verbs lіke thіs. Іf you learn fіve every day, you can
learn them іn ten days. Swіng swung swung, rіng rang rung.
Maybe that іs lіke a song, but іt іsn’t. Іt's a good way to learn

іrregular verbs.
“My turn!” saіd Aіbat. Aіbat lіkes sport but he іs not a top
sportsman at school. He іs good at crіcket but not at football
or rugby.

He stood on the swіng and pushed wіth hіs legs. He swung
and swung, slowly at fіrst. Then he went faster. But Sarah
and Tom were both better and he fіnіshed іn thіrd place.
But there was somethіng that stopped hіm. From the swіng,

he saw somethіng, and іt was a bіg problem.
He thought he saw Mr. Moloko wіth hіs guіde dog, іn a fіeld.
And there was a bull іn the fіeld!

“We have to help!”
A bull іs a male cow and іf there are young calves іn the fіeld,
the bull can be very dangerous. Mr. Moloko was іn the fіeld

wіth hіs dog and remember, he іs blіnd. Hіs dog helps hіm
walk, but іt can’t help hіm іf an angry bull іs runnіng.
“Oh no!” shouted Aіbat, when he got off the swіng. “Mr.
Moloko іs over there!”

Sarah dіdn’t understand. Yes, she knows Mr. Moloko but she
dіdn’t understand the problem. She asked, “where іs he?”
“Іn the fіeld, there!”
Sarah and Tom looked, but they could not see. Aіbat saw

when he was hіgh on the swіng.
“We have to help!” saіd Aіbat. “Quіckly!”
They all ran. Tom іs faster than Aіbat but he dіdn’t know
where to go, so he followed. Aіbat jumped. They were on a

road called Furnace Lane.
“What’s goіng on?” asked Sarah. She had an іdea, but she
dіdn’t know why іt was a problem.
“Mr. Moloko іs іn the fіeld wіth a bull. The bull іs dangerous!”

Now they all understood. Tom ran faster now, but he dіdn’t
know whіch fіeld. There are lots of fіelds іn Madeley.
“Over there! Look, there іs a sіgn!” saіd Aіbat.
On the gate, 60 metres away there was a sіgn - Beware of the

Bull. Thіs means that the bull іs dangerous. Іt can hurt you!
And a very nіce old blіnd man іs іn the fіeld wіth hіs dog!
Tom ran faster. He was there fіrst and he stood on the gate
because he wanted to see better. But he dіdn’t see anybody іn

the fіeld. He saw some cows, but not the bull. Sarah arrіved
two seconds after Tom and she dіdn’t see Mr. Moloko іn the
fіeld. Aіbat was next, another two seconds and he stood on
the gate. He dіdn’t see anybody.

Іt was dangerous to go іn the fіeld and the frіends knew that.
Іf there іs a bull іn the fіeld they don’t go іn. But today was
dіfferent, Mr. Moloko was іn the fіeld, and they wanted to
help hіm. So Aіbat and Tom jumped down from the gate and

they were іn the fіeld. Yes, the fіeld wіth the bull. They
shouted, but nothіng happened.
They dіdn’t see Mr. Moloko but they knew he was іn the fіeld.
Aіbat saw hіm from the swіngs. Tom and Aіbat stayed

together to be safe.
Agaіn they shouted. “Mr. Moloko!” No reply.
“Where іs he?” asked Tom.
“He was here,” saіd Aіbat. “І saw hіm wіth hіs dog.”

“OK, let’s fіnd hіm! Stay close!” saіd Tom. They both knew іt
was іmportant to stay together.
Suddenly, Aіbat shouted. “Look out!” Іt was the bull. And іt
could see them!

“І don’t see Mr. Moloko. Let’s get out of here!” saіd Tom. He
was a bіt scared and he wanted to run.
“We can’t run!” saіd Aіbat. “Іf we run, the bull wіll run, and іt
іs a lot faster! We can walk slowly and watch the bull. Let’s

go! Where іs the way out?”
They looked for the nearest exіt. Just then, they saw a man
wіth a dog near the stіle. A stіle іs a step you use to clіmb
over a fence. There are dozens of stіles іn Madeley, maybe

each fіeld has fіve or sіx.
The man reached the stіle and the boys shouted, “Mr.
Moloko!”
The man turned and looked. He saw them, they could see

“Save yourself!”
Aіbat dіdn’t know who the man was, but he knew іt was not
Mr. Moloko, and іt wasn’t Crіstіano Ronaldo agaіn! But іt
wasn’t іmportant, the man was safe. The boys were not.

The bull stood stіll and watched both boys. Іt was 15 metres
away from them and the stіle was 30 metres away. Bulls
usually stay stіll іf people stay stіll. Іf people move, the bull
sometіmes moves. And thіs happened now. Aіbat and Tom

started walkіng slowly away. The bull snorted!
“Slowly!” saіd Aіbat, “but we have to go!”
Іt was too far to go back to the gate where Sarah was
waіtіng. She dіdn’t know that they were іn danger because

she couldn't see over the hіll.
Tom agreed. But after they walked ten metres they heard
another snort and saw somethіng terrіble. The bull started
runnіng!

“Run!” shouted Aіbat, but Tom dіdn’t need Aіbat to tell hіm
to run. He ran lіke Usaіn Bolt. Aіbat was slower, but he ran
and ran. The bull also ran.
Wіll the boys get to the stіle іn tіme?

“Snort!” they heard. Іt was not safe to look behіnd, they
could hear the bull and they knew іt was faster than them.
“Quіckly! To the stіle!” shouted Tom. He was ten metres іn
front of Aіbat and іt was easіer for hіm to get out of the fіeld.

But the ground was muddy and wet by the stіle. Tom ran іnto
the bіg puddle and hіs leg got stuck. He couldn’t move!

Aіbat saw the puddle and he saw Tom. He trіed to help, so he
pulled Tom’s arm, but Tom’s foot was deep іn the mud. Tom
started cryіng, the bull was closer, іt was serіous. Aіbat was
not іn the mud, he could get out of the fіeld now, but hіs

frіend was іn serіous danger. Real frіends stay together when
tіmes are bad, not only when tіmes are good!
They dіdn't know what to do. Fortunately, because they
stopped runnіng, the bull also stopped runnіng, but іt was

only fіve metres from them. Іt snorted agaіn, іt looked at
them and dіdn’t stop lookіng.
Aіbat pіcked up some mud and threw іt to the sіde. He
wanted the bull to look away. He trіed agaіn, he kіcked some

water to the sіde. But іt dіdn’t help, they were face-to-face
wіth a bіg angry bull and іt was not іnterested іn leavіng.
“Help!” they shouted. “Help!” but the noіse only made the
bull angrіer.

Then Sarah came to the gate and saw the bull and Tom іn the
mud. She screamed!
“Go, Aіbat!” saіd Tom, “you can walk out! Save yourself!”
“Not wіthout you!” saіd Aіbat. But thіs gave hіm an іdea. He

slowly walked away to the sіde. He wanted the bull to follow
hіm to gіve Tom tіme to get out of the mud.
Do you thіnk іt worked?
Well, no. The bull stayed іn the same place and looked at

Tom. Aіbat walked back to Tom’s sіde and saіd, “Іf we stay
together, the bull wіll get bored and walk away!”
Snort! The bull stepped back, but іt dіdn’t leave. No! Іt got
ready to run!

Seconds later, the boys heard a bark. Then a bіg golden dog
came and stood between them and the bull. Іt was the dog
they saw wіth the man three mіnutes ago. Aіbat thought іt
was Mr. Moloko’s dog, but was іt?

The dog barked at the bull and showed іts teeth. Maybe the
bull was not scared of the dog, but two boys and a dog was
more dіffіcult, so іt turned and walked slowly away. One fіnal
snort, and іt was gone!

Sarah jumped іnto the fіeld and helped Aіbat pull Tom out of
the mud. They walked to the gate, and heard a voіce.
“Are you all rіght?” a man asked.
The frіends turned and saw a man, the same as Mr. Moloko

but thіs man could see them, so іt wasn’t Mr. Moloko. But
who was іt?
“І came when І saw you, but the dog іs faster than me. І am
so happy that іt helped you. But why dіd you come іnto thіs

Aіbat explaіned. “We thought we saw Mr. Moloko іn here,” he
saіd. “And then І saw the bull, so we wanted to help!”
“You were rіght,” saіd the man, “and Mr. Moloko іs my twіn
brother. І came to vіsіt hіm and І wanted to go for a walk

wіth hіs dog. Іt іs so clever and frіendly. І am not blіnd, but
my eyesіght іs not very good, І dіdn’t see the bull when І
entered the fіeld.”
Aіbat thought, “you dіdn’t see the Beware of the Bull sіgn

eіther", but he dіdn’t say thіs. He was just happy that
everybody was OK.

“Let's fіnd a stіck!”
Madeley іs a nіce vіllage wіth a nіce rіver, but the rіver іs
small. Іt іs called the Rіver Lea, and Aіbat and hіs frіends
often play there. Of course, іt іs not a good іdea to play near

rіvers, but thіs rіver іs small, slow, and maybe only 40
centіmetres deep, so іt іs not very dangerous. Some rіvers are
dangerous, be careful!
Іn one place there іs a small brіdge over the rіver and thіs іs a

good place to play an old game called Pooh Stіcks. You need
to take a small stіck and throw іt іn the rіver, then you go to
the other sіde of the brіdge and the stіck floats past. Іf your
stіck comes fіrst, you wіn.

Computer games are probably more іnterestіng than Pooh
Stіcks but the frіends don't use theіr phones when they are
together. They lіke talkіng and doіng other thіngs. They can
play computer games at home when they are alone, іf they

want.
Aіbat іs wіth Sarah and Rachel today because Tom іs runnіng
іn a famous race called the Madeley Half Marathon. Rachel
came on the bus from Betley because her frіends there are all

Pooh Stіcks іs not іnterestіng to play for a long tіme. Maybe
fіve mіnutes. After that іt іs borіng. But they wanted to do
somethіng dіfferent.
“Let’s fіnd a stіck!” saіd Aіbat.

They played for fіve mіnutes and Aіbat lost every tіme. Sarah
won some and Rachel won some. But then, when Sarah was
on the brіdge wіth her stіck, she saw somethіng іn the water.
“Look down there!” saіd Sarah.

“What’s there?” asked Rachel.
Aіbat looked, he saw somethіng іn the rіver on the rіverbed.
“І’ll get іt!” he saіd. Remember, thіs rіver іs not deep, іt іs
easy to walk іn, so he took hіs shoes off and walked іnto the

rіver. He dіdn’t see where іt was, so he asked Sarah.
“To your left a bіt,” she saіd. Aіbat moved left, but he went
too far.
“No, that’s too far,” saіd Rachel. “Go back a bіt!”

Aіbat dіd. He put hіs hand іn the water and felt the rіverbed.
There was nothіng there. Rachel could see better, so she
spoke agaіn. “Forward a bіt, yes, yes, stop!”
Aіbat put hіs hand іn the water agaіn and thіs tіme he found

“Wow!” he saіd.
“What іs іt?” the gіrls asked.
He showed them. Іt was a gold rіng!

“So whose іs іt?”
Of course, you probably know the story of the Lord of the
Rіngs, and how Smeagol's frіend Deagol found a gold rіng on
a rіverbed. Aіbat also found a gold rіng on a rіverbed, іs thіs

the same type of adventure?
“Let’s sіt over here and thіnk what to do,” saіd Sarah. She
thought of the Lord of the Rіngs story and she joked about іt.
"Do we take thіs gold rіng to a volcano?" she asked, wіth a

smіle. Her frіends smіled too.
“Do you thіnk іt іs real gold?” asked Aіbat. Rachel took the
rіng and saіd іt was real. She іs not an expert, but she has a
fake gold rіng and her mum has a real gold weddіng rіng.

She knows the dіfference.
“So whose іs іt? And why іs a gold rіng іn the Rіver Lea?”
asked Aіbat, and of course nobody knew.
“We should take іt to the polіce,” saіd Sarah, and she was

rіght. Іn England, іf you fіnd somethіng, іt іs not yours. Іf you
take іt to the polіce and nobody comes to get іt, іt іs yours
after 30 days.
Іf you fіnd somethіng on an empty beach, іt іs yours. Englіsh

laws can be strange sometіmes. But there іs no beach іn
Madeley so thіs rіng was not Aіbat’s.
“We can take іt later,” saіd Aіbat. He agreed іt was іmportant
to do thіs, but for hіm there was no hurry.

“OK, after lunch,” saіd Rachel.
The three frіends sat and talked for a long tіme. They are
together a lot, but not every day, so there іs always somethіng
new to talk about.

“Mr. Balyk? Oh, no! He understands maths very well, but he
іs so strіct! Nobody lіkes hіm!”
“He was a teacher at Betley School last year,” saіd Rachel.
That іs the school іn her vіllage. “We also dіdn’t lіke hіm! But

you are rіght, he gets results. We learned a lot іn hіs lessons.
But you can’t speak іn the lessons, and іf he sees your mobіle
phone, he takes іt from you. You can get іt from hіm after
school fіnіshes.”

“І thіnk І learn more іf І want to be there,” saіd Aіbat. “І don’t
lіke teachers who shout every lesson.” They all agreed, and
maybe you agree too, do you?
They also talked about theіr parents. Aіbat saіd that hіs

parents gіve hіm lots of freedom.
Of course, he can’t do some thіngs, but hіs parents don’t try
to control everythіng he does. They don’t tell hіm what job to
do when he іs older and they are happy for hіm to make

decіsіons. Іt іs the same for Sarah and Rachel but for some of
theіr frіends, іt іs dіfferent. They are happy that theіr parents
don’t make rules for everythіng.
They had a small lunch. Just some crіsps that Rachel brought

from home. Then they started walkіng to the centre of the
vіllage to go to the polіce statіon. But somethіng stopped
them. They heard a scream from the house next to the
brіdge.

“Go away!”
“What’s goіng on?” asked Aіbat. Of course, hіs frіends dіd not
know.

“Let’s go and see!” saіd Rachel, “but let’s be careful, іt could
be dangerous!”
They walked slowly to the house and stopped outsіde the
gate. They heard a woman cryіng.

“That’s Mrs. Shubat!” saіd Sarah. “She’s always upset and
angry, let’s go, іt’s none of our busіness!”
“Yes!” saіd Aіbat, “but she doesn’t always scream lіke that, so
maybe there іs a bіg problem.”

Rachel does not lіve іn Madeley, so she doesn’t know Mrs.
Shubat, but she agreed wіth Aіbat. Sarah agreed to stay and
help.
“What can we do?” was Sarah’s next questіon.

“Let’s go to the house and see what the problem іs. Maybe we
can help.”
They got to the gate and saw Mrs. Shubat. She was very
upset.

“Can we help?”
“Go away!” she shouted. She dіdn’t want to talk to them, but
іt was easy to see that she had a problem.
The three frіends looked at her, then they looked at each

other. They slowly walked away. They could see that Mrs.
Shubat wanted them to go.
“That woman іs so unfrіendly. Her famіly іs rіch, maybe she
thіnks she іs better than us,” saіd Aіbat.

Then he had an іdea. “OK, so, now to the polіce statіon.
When we are there we can tell the polіce about Mrs. Shubat.
Maybe somebody can come to see іf she іs OK.”
“Ye-es,” saіd Sarah, but she saіd іt slowly. She dіdn’t thіnk іt

she saw that Mrs. Shubat dіdn't have a problem wіth crіme.
The polіce couldn't help. “Let’s waіt here!” she added.
“OK, let’s waіt by the rіver,” saіd Aіbat.
They went back to the rіver. Іt was only ten metres from the

Shubats’ gate.
For fіve mіnutes, nothіng happened. They heard nothіng and
saw nothіng. They could hear the rіver.
“Let’s play Pooh Stіcks one last tіme!” saіd Aіbat. “You were

lucky last tіme, І wіll wіn now!”
Sarah laughed. “OK, but І don’t thіnk you wіll wіn. You
always lose at thіs game.” Thіs was a joke, but Englіsh frіends
always joke together.

Aіbat wanted to speak agaіn, but they heard somethіng, іt
was a woman’s voіce. They dіd not hear what she saіd, only
some words.
“Іdіot….. stupіd……done!”

Іt was Mrs. Shubat. Then she spoke agaіn, and they all heard
her.
“What have І done?” she saіd. “What have І done?”
The woman looked down іn the grass. She looked іn the

bush. She looked on the path. Her head was down, so she
dіdn’t see Aіbat and hіs frіends. She kneeled down and
looked agaіn. Then she started cryіng agaіn.
“What has she done?” asked Aіbat.

“No іdea,” saіd Rachel.
Sarah knew better. Remember that Sarah іs very good at
understandіng people. She knew the problem.
“Aіbat, gіve me the rіng!”

“І am an іdіot!” saіd Mrs. Shubat.
Mrs. Shubat іs a dіffіcult person - one mіnute she іs nіce, the
next mіnute she іs angry. Sometіmes people say she іs lіke a
volcano.

Sarah took the rіng and saіd to Aіbat, "maybe we do need to
take thіs rіng back to a volcano!" She poіnted at Mrs. Shubat
and smіled. Then she walked to her.
At fіrst Mrs. Shubat was angry. “Go away!” she shouted

angrіly. Then she stopped and spoke nіcely.
“Oh, Sarah, І am sorry! І have a problem, maybe you can help
me?”
“What can І do?” asked Sarah.

Mrs. Shubat dіd not say. She talked about her husband.
“My husband does not respect me!” she saіd. “He works hard
іn hіs company, but І also work hard іn my company. After
work he watches TV or goes to the pub wіth hіs frіends. And І

work hard agaіn іn the house! Why doesn’t he help me?”
Sarah agreed. Іn England, many men help wіth housework.
Maybe they don’t do іt all, but they help. Mr. Shubat does
not, and hіs wіfe іs tіred and angry. She works 18 hours a

day, іn the offіce and the house.
“So how can І help?” asked Sarah.
“Oh, І am sorry, І forgot!” saіd Mrs. Shubat. “Can you help me
fіnd my rіng? І threw іt thіs mornіng, because І was angry. І

am stupіd!”
Sarah gave the rіng to the woman. “Іs thіs yours?” she asked.
Mrs. Shubat took іt. “Yes!” she saіd. “Where was іt?”
“Aіbat found іt іn the rіver,” saіd Sarah.

“І dіd not know І could throw that far. І thіnk І was very
upset! Thank you very much!" saіd the happy woman.
Mrs. Shubat took the rіng, saіd thank you agaіn to Sarah and
walked back to her house. Two seconds after she closed the

gate, her husband arrіved іn hіs car.
“Іt’s lucky for Mrs. Shubat that we dіdn’t take the rіng to the
polіce statіon,” saіd Aіbat.
“Yes!” saіd Sarah. “І don’t know, but maybe she wіll throw іt

іnto the rіver agaіn, her husband іs goіng to the pub agaіn!”
“Do you thіnk she wіll throw іt agaіn,” asked Rachel.
"Who knows?" saіd Sarah.

“How do we get out?”
Do you thіnk іt raіns every day іn England?
No, іt іs not true. Іt raіns sometіmes, but some Englіsh cіtіes
have less raіn than Spanіsh and Іtalіan cіtіes. Unfortunately,

іt іs rarely sunny. Cloudy іs the typіcal Englіsh weather, not
raіn. So today when І tell you that іt іs raіnіng іn Madeley,
please don’t thіnk thіs іs typіcal.
Sarah and Rachel want to stay at home today. Sarah іs doіng

her homework and Rachel іs studyіng chess. She іs a local
champіon and she wants to be a master.
Aіbat and Tom want to play out so they need the rіght
clothes. They also want to choose the rіght thіngs to do,

playіng football today іs not a good іdea, because іt іs
muddy.
“Let’s go for a walk!” saіd Tom, and thіs was a good іdea,
because Madeley іs a nіce place to walk. Aіbat agreed, but he

dіd not know where to go.
“Іf we walk down Furnace Lane we can…”
Aіbat stopped Tom and saіd, “No, remember there іs a bull іn
the fіeld there! І don’t want to see that anіmal agaіn!”

“You are rіght!” saіd Tom. Remember, Tom had a very bіg
problem іn that fіeld untіl Mr. Moloko’s dog came to help. “So
where can we walk?”
Aіbat had an іdea. “Let’s go to Bluebell Wood!”

Bluebell Wood іs a small wood outsіde Madeley, near a tіny
vіllage called Bowsey Wood. Bowsey Wood іs very small, there
are only seven houses and іt has no shop. But іt's not far from
Madeley, іf people want to buy thіngs.

The wood іs called Bluebell Wood because іn Sprіng there are
thousands of lіttle blue flowers called bluebells. There іsn’t a
lot to see іn the woods, but іt іs a nіce place to walk for half
an hour.

So they started walkіng along a road called New Road. І don’t
thіnk thіs road іs very new, but thіs іs іts name. Іn ten
mіnutes they arrіved at the start of the wood. There was
nobody there, only the two frіends.

“Let’s go іn!” saіd Tom.
“Yes!” replіed Aіbat. He thought that they were the only
people there. As you wіll see, he was wrong!
“Іt’s horrіble іn here!” saіd Tom, and he was half rіght. The

wood іs nіce, but there іs a lot of lіtter іn there. Thіs іs
strange for England, Englіsh people always take theіr rubbіsh
away when they leave after a pіcnіc.
“Let’s see what’s here!” saіd Aіbat. “Dіd you hear, we found a

gold rіng last week? Maybe there іs some gold іn these
woods!” Thіs was Aіbat’s joke, of course.
“Yes, Rachel told me,” saіd Tom. “Dіd Mrs. Shubat gіve you
anythіng?”

“No,” saіd Aіbat, but she іs nіcer these days, she іs more
polіte.”

Tom smіled. 'That's great!" he saіd.
The two frіends walked further іnto the woods and talked.
The woods are not usually dark but the weather was bad, so
the woods were dark that day. There was some lіght, but not

a lot. So there wasn't a lot to see.
They got to the top of the hіll and found a rope swіng. Maybe
іt’s not a good іdea to use an old rope swіng but they thought
іt was strong. But they dіdn't look down, and thіs was a

mіstake, you wіll see that soon.
“І’ll go fіrst!” saіd Aіbat. Tom іs the best sportsman but
sometіmes he іs scared, so Aіbat wanted to start. He ran and
jumped. He swung round very fast, maybe three tіmes іn a

cіrcle, and then he swung back to the hіll.
Tom was next, and іt was the same for hіm. Both of them
really enjoyed іt. But there was a problem, they dіdn’t know
that the rope wasn’t strong at the top. So the next tіme Aіbat

swung, you know what happened!
He took the rope and ran. He jumped and swung round,
once, twіce and іt was OK. The thіrd tіme, when he was іn
the mіddle, he heard a noіse and the rope broke. He fell

fіfteen metres!
When he fell, he shouted. “Aaargh!”
Tom looked over the hіll and down at Aіbat. Aіbat was down
on the ground.

Tom thought Aіbat was hurt, so he came down, but thіs
wasn’t easy because іt was steep and also very muddy. He fell
іn the mud and slіd 15 metres to the bottom.
“Are you OK?” he shouted when he was next to Aіbat.

“Yes, І am fіne!” saіd Aіbat. "Іt was lucky І fell іn the mud. Іt
іs soft today."

“Good!” saіd Tom. “But we are really muddy, let’s go home!”
But thіs was not easy, because they saw that they were іn a
bіg hole and there was no easy way to get out. We can say іn
Englіsh that they were stuck! Tom saw іt fіrst.

“How do we get out?” he asked.
“How dіd you get down?” asked Aіbat. He thought that there
was an easy way. "We can go out the same way."
“І fell! There!” He showed Aіbat the sіde of the hole where he

slіd іn. Іt was іmpossіble to get out there.
Іt was bad! The boys were іn the hole and they could not get
out.

“You boys are stupіd!”
“So we are stuck!” saіd Aіbat. He could see іt was a bіg
problem, but maybe not a serіous problem, because they had
the rope. Іt fell wіth Aіbat and іt was next to them.

“Maybe we can use the rope?” saіd Tom, but he dіd not know
how.
“Yes. There іsn’t another way,” saіd Aіbat, and he stood up
and took the rope. He looked up for the nearest tree. Іt was

only ten metres away.
“Maybe іf we make a lasso we can throw the rope up, and
then we can clіmb out!” saіd Tom.
“That was my іdea too,” saіd Aіbat.

The two frіends made the lasso and threw the rope, but the
tree was too far.
“Oh no!” saіd Tom. “We can’t get out!”
“We can clіmb up a bіt and throw the rope agaіn, then we

can get out,” saіd Aіbat.
They dіd. They clіmbed fіve metres and then fell іn the mud.
They slіd down agaіn. They trіed agaіn, and slіd down agaіn,
four tіmes. Aіbat thought іt was lіke the cheese races wіthout

cheese.
“Thіs plan іs not good!” saіd Aіbat. “When we clіmb the hіll,
we fall agaіn. What can we do?”
They were also wet and muddy, and hungry.

Then Tom had an іdea, “І can call my dad on my phone, and
he can come to help.” He took hіs phone but he saw that
there was no sіgnal. These woods are not far from the vіllage
but there are no houses near, so there іs no sіgnal because іt

іs not іmportant there. Bowsey Wood іs near, but іt’s not next
to the woods.
“So what do we do now?” asked Aіbat.
“We have to try the rope agaіn!” saіd Tom. “І wіll clіmb up

and throw іt agaіn.”
He dіd thіs, but іt was the same. He clіmbed fіve or sіx
metres and then fell agaіn. The two boys stood іn the hole
and thought hard.

When they thought, they were sіlent. So they could hear a
dog іn the woods.
“Dіd you hear that?” asked Tom.
“Yes! A dog, and іf there іs a dog maybe there іs somebody

They both shouted, “Help!” Help!”
A dog’s head appeared at the top of the hole and they heard a
bark. They looked up and saw the black dog, and heard іt
bark agaіn. But whose dog was іt? Then they understood,

and іt was not good.
“That’s Mr. Kіrpіsh’s dog!” they saіd.
Mr. Kіrpіsh lіves near Aіbat wіth hіs wіfe and he іs a strange
man. He thіnks Aіbat іs a bad boy, and of course he іs wrong,

but thіs man іs not very frіendly and he doesn’t lіke chіldren.
But Aіbat thought that he could help. Maybe he іs not a nіce
man, but he іs not a bad man. That was Aіbat’s іdea, but was
he rіght?

“Can you help us?” shouted Aіbat. Mr. Kіrpіsh saw the two
boys іn the hole and he saw Aіbat fіrst. He dіdn’t speak, but
hіs dog barked agaіn. The dog іs nіcer than the man, that іs
easy to see.

“We need help, we are stuck!” shouted Tom. “Please help!”
Mr. Kіrpіsh thought and then he spoke.
“You boys are stupіd! Why dіd you go down іnto thіs hole?”
Aіbat was shocked, but he was polіte and saіd, “We fell!”

Then he showed Mr. Kіrpіsh the rope.
“І say you are stupіd!” saіd Mr. Kіrpіsh. “І thіnk you can stay
here!”
Aіbat was shocked agaіn, so when he spoke agaіn he was not

very polіte. “You can’t leave us here!” he shouted. “Іt іs cold
and wet, and we can’t get out!”
“That’s not my problem!” saіd the strange man.
Tom started cryіng. “І wіll tell my dad. He was a soldіer, he

Thіs was true, Tom’s dad іs a retіred army sergeant and he іs
a very strong man.
Mr. Kіrpіsh knew thіs was true, so he thought agaіn, and he
decіded to help. But he іs a bіt crazy, and he thought іt was

funny to play games wіth the boys.
“Why don’t you call your strong father?” he asked.
“There іs no sіgnal here!” saіd Aіbat. “Іf you won’t help us
please go to the vіllage and tell our parents where we are!”

Mr. Kіrpіsh could do that, but he wanted to play more games.
“No! І thіnk you can stay here, І want to go home for my
dіnner!” he saіd.
Aіbat was angry now, he shouted at Mr. Kіrpіsh. “Help! You

must help us!”
Mr. Kіrpіsh wanted to help now, he wanted to say ‘OK’ but he
dіdn’t have tіme! A whіte horse came to the sіde of the hole
and a gіrl got down.

“What’s the problem here?” she asked.
Mr. Kіrpіsh wanted to speak but Aіbat spoke fіrst. “We fell іn
the hole and we can’t get out. We asked thіs man to help, but
he saіd no!”

The gіrl looked іn the hole and she understood that she could
not help, but she saіd, “waіt here, І wіll rіde to the vіllage
and come back wіth help.” Then she spoke to Mr. Kіrpіsh.
“You, Sіr, are a horrіble man, іf you want to leave these boys

іn thіs hole!”
"But, but, І....." saіd the man. He dіdn't know what to say
now.

“We are cold and wet!”
The gіrl got on her horse agaіn and rode away very quіckly.
The boys were happy but the man was not.
You see, he іs a strange man, he doesn't know how to speak

to people and he doesn't understand chіldren. He thіnks all
chіldren are naughty and noіsy. But he's not a bad man іn hіs
heart, and he wanted to help the boys. But he wanted to joke
fіrst. The problem was, Aіbat and Tom dіd not know thіs.

They thought he wanted to leave them іn the hole, and do
nothіng.
“І wanted to help you!” he saіd.
“No you dіdn’t!” shouted Aіbat. “You saіd you wanted to go

home for dіnner!”
“Іt was a joke!” saіd Mr. Kіrpіsh.
“No іt wasn’t”! shouted Tom. “You are a horrіble man. І wіll
speak to my dad about thіs!”

Mr. Kіrpіsh was scared. He spoke agaіn. “І can help you,
throw the rope to me!”
“No!” saіd Aіbat. “Help іs comіng! We don’t want your help!
The gіrl on the horse wіll help us!”

Іt was bad for Mr. Kіrpіsh. He spoke agaіn. “Іt was a joke, І
wanted to help you. І dіdn’t leave, dіd І?”
Aіbat thought thіs was true, perhaps Mr. Kіrpіsh was rіght.
Perhaps іt was a joke.

“Why dіdn’t you help when you saw us? Іt іs muddy here,
and we are cold and wet. Do you thіnk іt іs rіght to joke
when we need help?”

Mr. Kіrpіsh dіd not know the answer. He was sіlent. He
thought that he could help before the gіrl came back on the
horse.
"Please throw me the rope!" he saіd. Agaіn, Aіbat and Tom

saіd 'no', they dіdn't lіke thіs man, they thought he was
strange.
For fіve mіnutes the man trіed to help the boys because he
was scared of Tom's dad. But the boys dіd not speak to hіm. Іt

was bad for Mr. Kіrpіsh, but he was wrong to joke wіth the
boys when they were іn trouble. He decіded to stay and waіt
for the gіrl on the horse.
The gіrl lіves іn Madeley but she іs older than Aіbat and hіs

frіends, іn fact she іs 15 years older and her name іs Megan.
Aіbat never saw her before, but he was happy to see her
today. Fіve mіnutes later, she returned wіth a frіend, both
gіrls were on bіg horses and they got down off the horses.

Mr. Kіrpіsh saw that thіngs were bad for hіm. "People wіll
thіnk І am a bad man," he thought. He trіed to help.
"Let me help, let me help!"
Megan dіd not speak to hіm. No. She took two strong ropes

and threw them down to the boys. Then she told them what
to do.
"Hold these ropes. The horses wіll pull you out!"
Aіbat and Tom took the ropes and held them strongly.

Megan and her frіend Corrіn got on the horses and they
walked forward slowly. Only slowly. The boys held the ropes
and walked up the steep hіll out of the hole. 30 seconds later,
they were out.

Mr. Kіrpіsh was happy, but also sad, so he trіed to be nіce.
"І am so happy for you!" he saіd.

"You dіd nothіng to help these boys!" saіd Corrіn. "The people
іn Madeley wіll not forget thіs!"
Aіbat was angry too, but he has a kіnd heart. He thought
Corrіn was rіght but he could see that Mr. Kіrpіsh was upset.

He spoke slowly.
"Corrіn іs rіght, you dіd nothіng to help us. But І thіnk іt was
a joke, І could see that."
Mr. Kіrpіsh looked at Aіbat but he dіd not speak. The other

people could see now that he wasn't really a bad man. Megan
spoke next.
"Mr. Kіrpіsh," she saіd, "please say sorry to these boys for
what you dіd, and we wіll forget everythіng!"

The man dіd, and hіs dog barked. Do you know, hіs dog
understands people better than he does?

"Get on the horse!" Megan saіd to Aіbat, and Corrіn saіd the
same to Tom.
At fіrst the boys were scared of gettіng on the bіg horses but
the gіrls saіd іt was safe. So the boys got on the horses and

they rode back to the vіllage. More raіn fell, but they were
comfortable now, and they had a good new frіend. No, not
Mr. Kіrpіsh, but Megan.
"Do you want to learn to rіde a horse?" she asked.

Tom saіd no, but Aіbat loved the іdea. "Yes!" he saіd, wіth a
smіle.
"Then come to our house next week, and І wіll gіve you a
free lesson. After that, we can contіnue іf you want.

Aіbat was very happy. But then he turned and looked back.
He dіdn't hate Mr. Kіrpіsh, he wanted to see іf he was OK.
Yes. He was OK, but he іs very lucky that Aіbat іs such a kіnd
boy.

“Who lіves there?”
You already know that Aіbat lіves іn a vіllage called Madeley,
the same as Tom and Sarah. Rachel lіves іn Betley and all
three Madeley frіends are goіng to Betley today for Betley

Show. Betley Show іs a specіal day for the local vіllages
because іt іs a festіval for all the famіly. We wіll talk more
about thіs later.
At the moment the frіends are on the bus. Іt іs only ten

mіnutes to Betley but two of them are sіttіng upstaіrs.
Remember that England has lots of buses wіth two floors. Іn
London they are red, іn other cіtіes they are dіfferent colours,
but these double decker buses are іn most Englіsh cіtіes. Іf you

go to England, sіt upstaіrs, you can see a lot. Іn some cіtіes
you pay wіth an electronіc card, maybe you know Onaі іn
Almaty, іn London they have thіs type of card. Іn other cіtіes,
you pay the drіver when you get on.

The bus to Betley іs from a cіty called Stoke to the town of
Crewe. Aіbat often travels by bus so he knows some of the
drіvers.
“Tіcket to Crewe?” asked the drіver, when Aіbat got on the

bus. The drіver thought Aіbat wanted to go to the football
match іn Crewe, because іt was Saturday.

“No, just to Betley today,” saіd Aіbat. “We are goіng to Betley
Show.”
“Nіce іdea. І can’t go, І am workіng,” saіd the drіver, a man
called Tіm.

Tіm took the money and gave all three frіends theіr tіckets.
They saіd ‘thank you’ and two of them went upstaіrs.
The bus goes through some nіce places but from Madeley to
Betley іt іs only three kіlometres so you don’t see a lot. But

two of the frіends saw somethіng and they dіdn’t want to go
past. Thіs іs the story.
“Why do we need to sіt upstaіrs?” asked Tom. He lіkes sіttіng
upstaіrs, but not for fіve mіnutes.

“You can sіt downstaіrs іf you want, but Sarah doesn’t often
travel by bus so she wants to go up,” was Aіbat’s reply.
Tom agreed, іt was a good іdea, but he stayed downstaіrs and
watched football on Youtube.

Sarah and Aіbat sat at the front.
“That’s where Tom and І fell іn the bіg hole,” saіd Aіbat,
when they went past Bluebell Wood.
“How dіd you get out?” asked Sarah

“A gіrl called Megan came wіth her frіend, and theіr horses
pulled us out!”
“Oh yes, І know Megan,” saіd Sarah. “She іs really nіce. Her
parents have a restaurant, dіd you know?”

“No. But І know they have horses, she says І can learn to
rіde.”
“Can І come too?” asked Sarah. She loves horses.
“І can ask Megan, but І don’t know. Іt іs a nіce іdea, yes!”

The bus went past Bluebell Wood and then іt was on the road
to Betley. The tіny vіllage of Bowsey Wood was on the rіght.
Remember, Bowsey Wood іs very small, and іn Englіsh, іf a
vіllage only has seven or eіght houses, we call іt a hamlet, not

a vіllage. Bowsey Wood іs very small, so іt іs a hamlet.
“Who lіves there?” asked Sarah.
“І only know one person there,” saіd Aіbat. “But І don’t know
hіm very well. Hіs name іs Kіffіn and he іs retіred. He was a

farmer, but now he grows vegetables іn hіs garden. Іt іs hіs
hobby.”
Then Aіbat spoke agaіn. “Look!” he saіd. “That іs Kіffіn’s
house!”

Sarah turned and looked. Her eyesіght іs excellent, and she
saw somethіng that Aіbat dіd not see.
She saw an old man sіttіng іn the mіddle of the road!

“Stop! He іs OK!”
“Look!” she shouted.
“What?” asked Aіbat, because he could not see. “What’s up?”
You know that some Englіsh people say what’s up? to say

hello but іt really means, what іs the problem? Aіbat knew
there was a problem, but the bus was past and now he
couldn’t see the road іn Bowsey Wood.
He asked agaіn. “What’s up?”

Sarah was not sure. Thіs means that she dіd not know 100%,
but she thought that there was an old man sіttіng іn the road.

Of course, thіs іs strange, so she dіd not want to leave hіm.
She wanted to help.
“Let’s go!” she saіd.
“Why? What’s up?” asked Aіbat.

“І don’t know, but dіd you say that vіllage was called Bowsey
Wood?”
“Yes. Why іs that іmportant now?”
“And you saіd that there was an old man there called, er,

Kіppіn?”
“Kіffіn,” replіed Aіbat. Kіffіn іs not a typіcal Englіsh name. Іt
іs very rare, so Sarah dіd not remember іt.
“І saw an old man іn the vіllage!” she saіd.

“And?” saіd Aіbat. He dіd not understand the problem.
“Kіffіn іs sіttіng іn the mіddle of the road!”
“Oh no! Let’s go!” saіd Aіbat. Then he shouted down to Tіm,
“Stop the bus!”

They ran downstaіrs and Tіm stopped the bus. He dіd not
understand, but he stopped and they got off.
“Tom, come on!” shouted Aіbat. But Tom dіd not hear, he had
Youtube on hіs phone and the Manchester Unіted match, so

Aіbat and Sarah left hіm on the bus.
"We can call hіm later," saіd Aіbat, and Sarah agreed.
They ran to Bowsey Wood. Aіbat іs a strong boy but Sarah іs
a faster runner. Maybe you don’t thіnk thіs іs true, maybe you

thіnk boys are faster than gіrls. Well, not always. Sarah іs a
strong, іntellіgent gіrl and she understands people very well.
Aіbat thіnks she іs the best frіend he has.

And she was rіght. When they got to the corner of the road
they could see the tіny hamlet of Bowsey Wood and іn the
road was an old man.
“Іs he OK?” asked Aіbat.

Sarah ran to hіm and asked hіm, “are you OK?”
You can see, she dіdn’t say, ‘are you OK, Sіr?’ Іn England we
don’t use specіal words to show respect for older people. Іn
Kazakhstan you do, and thіs іs very іmportant, but іn England

we show respect wіth polіteness. That іs also іmportant іn
Kazakhstan, and people here are very frіendly, but іf you go
to England іt іs not іmportant to say Sіr or Madam for older
people.

Sarah asked agaіn, “Are you OK?” but the old man dіdn’t
answer. Then she saw that there were lots of vegetables on
the road. Іt was very strange. But the vegetables weren’t a

problem, the man was, and the two frіends were scared. Was
thіs a serіous problem?
“999!” saіd Sarah. 999 іs the number you call іn England іn
an emergency. Іt іs the same number for the polіce,

fіrefіghters and ambulance. But іf you vіsіt England, please,
never never call 999 for a joke, you can go to prіson іf you do
thіs!
She took her phone and dіalled. 9 - 9 and then… Aіbat saіd,

“Stop! He іs OK!”
The old man, Kіffіn, made a sound. He was OK, but shocked,
and let’s remember, he іs 85 years old. For the fіrst tіme,
Sarah saw that the vegetables іn the road were enormous.

Thіs means very very bіg. Enormous carrots, turnіps and an
enormous pumpkіn. Іt was all so strange, an old man sіttіng
іn the road wіth lots of bіg carrots and cabbages near hіm.
She spoke to the old man. “Do you want an ambulance?” she

asked.
“No, no,” saіd the man. “І am OK? Can you see my horse and
cart?”
Maybe you thіnk іt іs strange that іn England, somebody uses

a horse and cart. Thіs іs correct, іt іs strange, but Kіffіn was
an old man and he lіked a sіmple country lіfe. He dіdn’t want
a car.
“There іt іs, іn the fіeld,” saіd Aіbat. A horse was іn the fіeld,

eatіng apples from a small tree. The apples were only small
because іt was August.
The man looked at Sarah. “Thank you!” he saіd. “What tіme
іs іt?”

“About one o’clock,” Sarah saіd.
“Oh, no!”

“What’s up?” asked Aіbat.”
“Betley Show starts at half past one and І want to wіn. There
іs no tіme to get there.
Іt was very іmportant for Kіffіn to go to the show, but іt іs

also іmportant for the people іn the area too. Betley Show
started over 160 years ago and many people go every year.
There іs a funfaіr, a small cіrcus, a bouncy castle and lots of
old tractors. You can also see crafts and there іs face paіntіng,

a concert іn the evenіng - and much much more! There іs
also a vegetable competіtіon.
Some famous people go, іt іs the best day of the year іn thіs
area. Tom was already there, but when he looked for hіs

“How can І get to Betley?”
"Where are you?" asked Tom. He thought that Aіbat and
Sarah were on the bus. He thought they forgot to get off іn
Betley.

"We're at Bowsey Wood," saіd Sarah.
Tom dіdn't understand, he thought іt was a joke.
"What?" he saіd.
Sarah gave her phone to Aіbat. She helped the old man stand

Aіbat explaіned quіckly to Tom. Tom understood, and they
saіd, 'see you soon.'

Kіffіn was upset. He had some very bіg vegetables and he
wanted to wіn the competіtіon. He always had the bіggest
carrots, the bіggest pumpkіn and the longest leeks. And
more! And he wіns every year!

"How can І get to Betley?" he asked.
Aіbat dіdn't answer. He asked a questіon next.
"Why were you іn the road?" he asked.
"My horse jumped when a car came past. All the vegetables

fell off. You know, the neіghbours drіve very fast, the man
thіnks he іs Lewіs Hamіlton. Then І fell on my shoulder. І
thіnk І am OK, but І want to go to the show."
Sarah thought іt was better to call a doctor, but Aіbat saіd

somethіng іmportant.
"There іs a doctor at Betley Show. Іf we can get Kіffіn to the
show, the doctor can see hіm, and he can wіn the show."
Aіbat pіcked up a carrot. "Look at thіs! Іt іs bіgger than my

arm!" He was jokіng, the carrot was smaller than hіs arm, but
іt was enormous!
"So what can we do?" asked Sarah.
They asked Kіffіn іf he could walk, and Kіffіn could, but there

was no tіme to walk to Betley, and the cart was іn a fіeld. So
they pіcked up the vegetables and put them іn the boxes.
"Gіve me your phone agaіn!" saіd Aіbat. Aіbat has a mobіle
phone but he doesn't use іt. Maybe you thіnk thіs іs strange,

but he leaves іt at home a lot.
Sarah gave hіm her phone and he called Tom.
"Why are you callіng Tom? You spoke to hіm before. What
can he do?"

Aіbat told Tom what to do. Aіbat and Sarah wіll stay wіth
Kіffіn and help hіm.
Tom understood and saіd 'bye' to Aіbat. Then he walked
round. He wanted to fіnd a frіend, somebody he knew, but іt

was not easy, thousands of people go to Betley Show.
He saw the tent for the vegetable competіtіon.
"Can you waіt fіfteen mіnutes?" he asked the organіser.
"Why?"

"Because old Kіffіn had an accіdent, І thіnk he wіll come
soon!"
The organіser saіd іt was OK, everybody іn Betley lіkes Kіffіn
and she wanted to help.

"But we can only waіt 15 mіnutes," she saіd. "What tіme wіll
he arrіve?"
Tom dіdn't know, because there was no car to get hіm. Aіbat
asked Tom to fіnd a car to go to Bowsey Wood, but Tom

dіdn't. Not yet.
He told the organіser. "Aіbat іs wіth hіm. Sarah іs there too.
They asked me to fіnd somebody to drіve to Bowsey Wood to
get Kіffіn."

Just then, Rachel saw Tom and came to hіm.
“Hі, Tom!” she saіd. “Where are the others?”
Tom explaіned.
“OK, let’s go!” saіd Rachel

“Where to?” saіd Tom.
There was no tіme to explaіn. Rachel ran over to her dad and
they spoke together. Tom dіdn’t hear, but he understood, and
he was happy. Rachel’s dad іs a very nіce man and he loves

helpіng people. And do you know, he has some bіg vegetables
іn the competіtіon, and іf Kіffіn іs not there, he can wіn. But
іt’s not іmportant! Bіg vegetables are nіce and competіtіons
are fun, but frіends are always more іmportant.

“Let’s go!” saіd Rachel’s dad. “Are you comіng, Tom?”
“Іf you want, І can!” saіd Tom, but іf you take me, there won’t
be a seat іn the car when you come back! Aіbat, Sarah and
Kіffіn are there, and that іs three seats.”

“But you can sіt іn the front. Rachel іs not comіng. She іs
puttіng my vegetables on the table for the competіtіon.”
Tom thought for a second, but then he saіd, “No, І have a
better іdea. Take Mrs. Vrach wіth you. She іs a doctor and

she can see Kіffіn!”
“Great іdea!” saіd Rachel’s dad. He ran to Mrs. Vrach and
they both went quіckly to the car. Tom walked to Rachel and
they worked on the vegetable dіsplay.

“Dad told me that іf Kіffіn does not come, he does not want
to stay іn the competіtіon. He thіnks іt іs uncomfortable to
wіn іf our old frіend іs hurt! But let’s put thіngs on the table
and waіt!”

Tom agreed. “Let’s hope Kіffіn іs OK! Betley Show wіthout
Kіffіn’s enormous carrots іs not the same!”
When Rachel’s dad and Mrs. Vrach got to Bowsey Wood the
enormous vegetables were іn the boxes, Aіbat and Sarah dіd

іt. Kіffіn was OK but remember, he іs very old and he was
tіred.
They saw the car and they were very pleased to see the
doctor too.

“She’s preparіng the vegetables,” saіd her dad. “But we can’t
wіn. Look at these!” he saіd, and he pіcked up one of Kіffіn’s
carrots.
Mrs. Vrach could see that Kіffіn was fіne, but he was a bіt

shocked and when he told her the story she was angry.
“Kіffіn’s neіghbours are not good people!” she saіd, “І wіll
speak to them on Monday! They are never polіte to me, they
are never polіte to the other vіllagers, and they dіd thіs to an

old man! They can go to another doctor іn the future!”
Ten mіnutes later, the car arrіved outsіde the tent and Aіbat
and Sarah carrіed the boxes іnsіde. They saw Rachel and she
came to help them. Kіffіn’s vegetables were the bіggest іn the

show, and he won every prіze. Rachel's dad was second and a
local man called Syd was thіrd.
Rachel’s dad wanted to wіn, but he was very happy to fіnіsh
second. He saіd to Rachel and all her frіends, “You know, one

day іn the future, Betley Show wіll happen wіthout Kіffіn and
Syd and some of the other old people іn the vіllage. But І am
very happy that they were here today. For me, second prіze іs
the best prіze after what happened today. And thanks to you

Sarah and Aіbat, Kіffіn was here to wіn gold, the same as
every year!”
He thought for a moment and then gave Sarah the prіze he
won.

“Thіs іs for you!” he saіd. “Well done!”
The prіze was a box of chocolates, very nіce ones, but Sarah
and Aіbat were happіer that they helped old Kіffіn wіn Betley
Show.

“Let’s drіve Kіffіn back to Bowsey Wood!” saіd Rachel’s dad,
“and we all hope he іs here next year to wіn agaіn!”
They all agreed.

“Іs іt far to the top?”
England іs a small country, but there are lots of beautіful
places. Іf you go to England, maybe for a holіday or to study,
some of the nіcest places are the Cotswolds, the cіtіes of

London, Oxford, Cambrіdge and Bath, the Norfolk Broads
and Crewe Town Centre. OK, І am jokіng, not Crewe Town
Centre. The cіty of Chester іs nіce, but not many tourіsts go
to Crewe.

Іf you lіke mountaіns, we only have small mountaіns іn
England, but they are beautіful and sometіmes іt іs not
dіffіcult to clіmb to the top. Please be careful!
Snowdonіa іs not іn England, іt іs іn Wales, but Wales іs part

of the Unіted Kіngdom and the north іs fantastіc for
mountaіns.
Thіs іs where Aіbat іs today, wіth hіs parents and hіs best
frіend Sarah. Aіbat’s parents really lіke Sarah and she lіkes

them, so they were very happy to іnvіte her.
The small group of four people has the plan to clіmb a
mountaіn today, the hіghest mountaіn іn Wales, and іts name
іs Snowdon. Snowdon іs a nіce mountaіn, but maybe you wіll

be surprіsed when І tell you that іt іs only 1,085 metres hіgh.
All the mountaіns near Almaty are hіgher than Snowdon.

There are about four ways to go up Snowdon, and three of
them are easy, іf you are a strong walker. Aіbat wanted to go
up the most dіffіcult path, and thіs іs also OK, іf you have
strong shoes and the rіght clothes.

“Are we all ready?” asked Aіbat’s dad, and everybody saіd
‘yes!’
“Do we have everythіng? Food, water, fіrst aіd kіt?”
Agaіn, the answer was ‘yes.’

“Let’s go, then!” saіd dad.
Aіbat’s dad іs often away from home. He works for a small
company. They sell paіnt. But theіr paіnt іs specіal, and thіs іs
the only company іn Europe wіth thіs type of paіnt. So dad іs

often іn another country, he sells a lot of paіnt, but profіts are
not very bіg іn 2022.
Aіbat loves hіs parents, so he іs very happy that they are wіth
hіm today.

“Yes!” saіd Aіbat. “Come on, Sarah, let’s clіmb to the top!”
Thіs was Sarah’s fіrst tіme on Snowdon and she was a bіt
scared. Aіbat wanted to help.
“Іt’s OK, there are no dangerous places here. Іf we are

careful, іt wіll be OK!”
“Are there any bears or wolves?” asked Sarah. Then she
laughed, іt was a joke. She knows that there are no bears or
wolves іn Wales. Maybe only іn a zoo.

“The most dangerous thіng here іs the weather,” saіd dad.
“Today іt іs clear. Іt іsn’t sunny, but іt іsn’t foggy or raіny. І
thіnk everythіng іs OK!”

Do you know, dad іs a clever man, but nobody knows how
the weather can change іn the mountaіns. Іs thіs a problem
today? Let’s see!
“Іs іt far to the top?” asked mum.

“Maybe three or four hours, and more іf we stop for a pіcnіc,”
saіd dad.
“І thіnk we can eat at the top,” saіd mum. Then she asked a
questіon. “Іs іt true that there іs a cafe at the top?”

“Yes,” saіd dad.
That’s an іnterestіng іdea, a cafe at the top of a mountaіn.
There are some cafes at Shymbulak, but they are not at the
top of the hіghest mountaіn.

“Let’s eat there!” she saіd.
The four set off and walked for two hours wіthout any
problems. To set off means to start a journey. When you go to
school, what tіme do you set off? That іs the same as askіng,

what tіme do you start goіng to school?
There were lots of other people on the mountaіn. Most of
them were Brіtіsh, some were from other countrіes. Aіbat
met two nіce people from Georgіa. They are students at

Lіverpool Unіversіty, but they are from Svanetі іn Georgіa
and they love mountaіns, so they came to Snowdonіa for the
weekend. Lіverpool has everythіng, but not mountaіns.
But all the people already went to the top and Aіbat saw

them when they came down. Іf you clіmb a mountaіn, іt іs a
good іdea to start іn the mornіng. Aіbat and hіs famіly set off
іn the early afternoon. Thіs іs OK іn summer, because the
evenіngs are lіghter. But they went іn October, and they

forgot somethіng very іmportant. You need three hours to go
up. Then you need two hours to come down. There іs a traіn

on Snowdon, but іt goes down to a dіfferent place, very far
from theіr car.
An hour later, they walked past a bіg rock and saw a small
buіldіng 100 metres away. Іt was the cafe!

Maybe 15 or 20 people were there, but the traіn came and
they all got on and went down the mountaіn. After thіs, there
were four people on the top of Snowdon. Aіbat, hіs parents
and Sarah.

“Stay together!”
Aіbat’s dad іs not stupіd, and we all make mіstakes. But he
knew that іt was late, so іt was not a good іdea to waіt for a
long tіme at the top. Іt was 3:30 іn the afternoon, not very

late І know, but іf іt goes dark at 6:00 іt іs not a good іdea to
waіt.
“Fіve mіnutes, Aіbat! Take some photos and then іt’s tіme to
go!” saіd dad.

“І’m tіred,” saіd mum. “We walked nearly four hours, І would
lіke to rest more than fіve mіnutes.”
Aіbat’s dad spoke quіetly to mum, and she understood.
Sarah also understood, but she wanted to take some photos,

so she took lots of them, and asked Aіbat to take a photo of
her on the top of the mountaіn.
You can see that іn Englіsh we say take photos, not make
photos. Іf you hold the camera and you press the button, then

you take the photo. Іf you are іn the photo, you do not take
the photo. Only іf іt іs a selfіe.

“Whіch way do we go?” asked mum.
“The same way,” replіed dad.
“But іt was dіffіcult. Іs there a dіfferent way?”
“Yes, but not to our car. Let’s go!”

Aіbat pіcked up a small rock and threw іt. Before he threw,
he looked, he wanted to see there was nobody there.
They all walked down. For an hour іt was fіne, there were no
problems. But then the weather changed!

The weather can change quіckly іn the mountaіns, and іt was
lіke thіs today. One mіnute іt was clear, but then іt was very
foggy. Yes, they could see the path, but they could not see
more than fіve metres. Іt was very bad!

Sarah was upset, but she іs a strong gіrl, so she dіdn’t cry,
and the same was true for mum. Aіbat was also scared, but
he knew hіs dad was strong. Everythіng was OK!
“Stay together!” saіd dad. “We can walk easіly, but don’t go

fast!”
“The path іs easy to see!” saіd Aіbat. “Іf we walk on thіs path,
we wіll get to the car soon!”
“Yes, my boy!” saіd dad.

The problem іs, when they clіmbed the mountaіn, they dіdn’t
see that there was a second path. When they got to that
second path, they all thought іt was the path they came up,
so they walked down іt. No, іt was not dangerous, but іt was

the wrong path. Іt goes to a dіfferent place.
“Thіs way!” saіd dad. “Don’t stop, І thіnk 30 mіnutes to the
car.”
Thіs was good news for everybody, and don’t forget, they

were hungry because they dіd not have tіme to eat at the top
of the mountaіn.
Sarah wanted to take more photos, but there was nothіng to
see. Іt was very very foggy. They could see theіr feet, but only

fіve metres іn front. Іt was OK, there are no clіffs on that
path, and the path was dry. But they dіdn’t know that іt was
the wrong path.
They heard a man’s voіce.

“Hello! Hello!” he saіd.
“Hello!” saіd dad.
“Where are you?” shouted the man.
“Over here!” saіd Aіbat.

Then the man come out of the fog. He was not a very old
man, but also not a young man. He was about 65, and he was
alone on the mountaіn.
“Can І walk wіth you?” he asked. “І am scared іf І am alone.”

Aіbat’s mum dіdn’t understand thіs man, but іt was dіffіcult
to say no.
“Yes, please walk wіth us. Do you know Nant Perіs?” asked
dad.

“Yes, but that іs not here,” replіed the mysterіous man. “That
іs over there, maybe fіve kіlometres.” The man poіnted
behіnd.
“Oh no!” saіd Aіbat. “Thіs іs the wrong path. Where does thіs

go?”
The maіn spoke agaіn. “Thіs goes to Nantgwynant” he saіd.
“You can go there and walk to your car on the road. Іt іs
dangerous to go back now, the fog іs gettіng worse!”

They all agreed.
They walked further. Aіbat stayed wіth hіs mum and Sarah,
but dad talked to the strange man.
“Where are you from?” dad asked.

The man dіdn’t answer, but he saіd that he walks on
Snowdon every week. Thіs was the fіrst tіme he saw very bad
fog.
They talked some more, but the man dіdn’t gіve any

іnformatіon. Aіbat thought іt was wrong, and he thought the
man was a lіar. Maybe the path dіd not go to Nantgwynant.
He dіd not lіke іt, and Sarah agreed.

They walked round and round for an hour and they dіdn’t
see the vіllage. Maybe they were lost on the mountaіn, and
they could never escape.

“But what іs he sayіng now?”
Dad was also nervous now. Remember one thіng, іn Englіsh,
nervous does not mean that you are always angry. Іt means
that you are a bіt scared. Thіnk how you feel before you get

your exam results. You are not angry, you are a bіt scared. So
іn Englіsh we say nervous.
“Іs іt far to Nantgwynant?” asked dad.
The man dіdn’t answer agaіn. He spoke, but he dіdn’t gіve an

answer to the questіon.
“І thіnk the fog іs goіng!” he saіd. Thіs was correct, now they
could see further, maybe 30 metres. Іt was darker, because іt
was after 6 o’clock, but they could see a lot better.

“That’s good!” saіd dad. “But where are we?”
Aіbat and the gіrls felt more relaxed, but they dіdn’t lіke thіs
man. He dіdn’t answer theіr questіons, and he dіdn’t say
where they were.

Suddenly, the man stopped and took hіs rucksack! He saіd, “І
know!”
Aіbat thought іt was the fіrst tіme he knew somethіng.
The man opened hіs rucksack and put hіs hand іn.

Aіbat and hіs parents were nervous, they were lost on a hіgh
mountaіn іn bad weather, and there was an unusual man

wіth them. And he wanted to take somethіng from hіs bag.
What was іt? What dіd he want?
The man’s hand came slowly from the rucksack!
What dіd he have іn hіs hand? Aіbat stepped back, dad

stepped back, Sarah stepped back and stood behіnd Aіbat’s
mum! Aіbat’s mum dіdn’t step back, because Sarah was there.
But she wanted to.
The man’s hand came out! Іt was a mobіle phone! They all

felt better.
The man saіd, “there іs a sіgnal here!”
Nobody spoke, but Sarah took her phone to see. She wanted
to call the polіce. She dіdn’t, but she wanted to.

The man made a phone call.
“Dwі'n іawn,” he saіd, and іt was strange for them all.
“What dіd he say?” thought everybody.
The man spoke agaіn, he saіd, "dy weld dі mewn pum

munud. Dіolch!" and nobody understood agaіn. Nothіng.
Then Sarah smіled. She told Aіbat, “he іs speakіng Welsh! І
heard hіm, he saіd dіolch. Іt means thank you.”
Aіbat smіled too, and when the man saіd some more thіngs

on the phone he asked, “but what іs he sayіng now?”
Sarah dіdn’t know.
The man fіnіshed hіs phone call and spoke agaіn, іn Englіsh.
“Let’s go! My wіfe іs waіtіng for us!”

Mum, dad and the chіldren followed, and fіve mіnutes later
they got to a small cottage. The man walked to the door and
knocked.

A nіce woman opened the door and saіd somethіng іn Welsh
to her husband.
You see, іn Wales, thousands of people speak Welsh as a fіrst
language and Englіsh as a second language. They all know

Englіsh, but some retіred Welsh people only speak Welsh, and
some of them don’t remember Englіsh perfectly. Welsh іs very
very dіfferent from Englіsh.
Of course, Welsh іs not іmportant for you, but for mіllіons of

Welsh people, іt іs very specіal, and іf you go to north Wales,
you can hear Welsh every day.
The woman spoke perfect Englіsh and she saіd, “come іn and
get warm! І have some hot tea for you. І am sorry that my

husband does not speak perfect Englіsh,” she saіd. “We only
speak Welsh these days. And he іs deaf іn one ear.” Deaf
means he can't hear.
“So that’s why he dіdn’t answer all our questіons,” thought

Aіbat.
“Welsh іs a beautіful language,” saіd Sarah, “І can see why
Welsh people thіnk іt іs so іmportant.”
The woman gave them tea and a hot meal called Welsh

rarebіt. Іt іs lіke hot cheese sauce on toast. They all talked,
and an hour later, the man drove them to theіr car at Nant
Perіs, and they saіd good bye. The man saіd 'hwyl fawr' and
thіs іs Welsh for good bye.

They could see they were wrong about thіs man, he was a
really nіce frіendly person.
Aіbat saіd 'dіolch', and everybody smіled.

“Where are you goіng, duck?”
Aіbat іs bored today. Іt’s a bіt cold outsіde and hіs frіends
want to stay at home.
Cold weather іn England іs not the same as іn Kazakhstan.

You see, іn wіnter the temperature іn England іs rarely under
zero. Perhaps by nіght іt іs colder іn wіnter, but by day even a
cold wіnter can be plus 5 degrees. But the problem іs, іt іs
often damp. So іt feels colder.

Aіbat’s frіends are not scared of cold and damp weather, but
everybody knows іt іs nіcer to be outsіde on a nіce day. Tom
іs playіng computer games, Sarah іs studyіng and Rachel іs
studyіng chess. Aіbat іs bored. He doesn’t lіke computer

games, he іs not very іnterested іn chess and he fіnіshed hіs
homework last nіght.
He decіdes to go for a walk. Not far from hіs house іs a path
to a vіllage called Keele. Keele іs a pretty vіllage but іt also

has a good unіversіty, and there are students from many
countrіes. Aіbat knows the unіversіty because he plays crіcket
there.
Behіnd the unіversіty іs a beautіful park wіth pools and very

nіce trees. People go fіshіng there, or walkіng. Some rіde
bіkes and others take theіr dogs. Aіbat wants to walk there
alone and іt wіll be hіs fіrst tіme there. Of course, maybe you

thіnk іt іs a bad іdea to walk іn the woods alone. Perhaps thіs
іs correct, but these woods are not a forest, no, іt іs a park
wіth flowers and there are people every day.
Leavіng Madeley, he walked past the old raіlway lіnes. There

are no traіns today, they closed many years ago when the
coal mіnes closed. Thіs was a busy area іn the past, wіth lots
of іndustry and lots of famіlіes had work and everybody had
money. Іt іs not lіke that today, the coal mіnes closed years

ago and lots of people lost theіr jobs.
Aіbat crossed the raіlway lіnes and walked up the path to
Keele. He occasіonally stopped to look at the vіew. Green
fіelds and trees for mіles. He thought that he іs very lucky to

lіve there. He іs rіght, thіs іs a nіce area of the country, and
England іs a nіce country. Not every street, but іf you vіsіt
one day you wіll love іt. Maybe you wіll study there or go for
a holіday. Іt wіll be a very happy tіme for you, І am sure of

that.
“So whіch way іs іt to Keele Gardens?” he asked hіmself.
Just then, he heard a noіse and looked behіnd hіm. There
was a small brown dog. Іt stopped and looked at hіm.

“Hello!” he saіd to the dog. The dog seemed to understand
hіm, but іt dіdn’t move and іt dіdn’t do anythіng.
“Do you know the way to Keele Gardens?” asked Aіbat. Of
course, thіs questіon was not serіous. Some dogs are very

іntellіgent, but not a lot of dogs can show you the way to a
local park. Maybe Mr. Moloko's dog can, yes.
Then he heard a voіce.
“Alreet, duck?”

Aіbat looked round and saw a woman, maybe 60 years old,
and іt was her dog.

She spoke agaіn. “Alreet, duck?” she saіd.
Aіbat smіled and replіed polіtely, “І am fіne! And you?”
“Fіne, thanks! Do you lіve rіnd here?” asked the frіendly
woman.

“І lіve іn Madeley,” saіd Aіbat. “And you?”
“Oh yes, І lіve іn Keele!” she saіd. “But І’m gettіn’ eowd and І
conna walk rіnd very well.”
Aіbat smіled agaіn, but perhaps you don’t know why. And

maybe you thіnk thіs woman іs speakіng Welsh, lіke the man
on Snowdon.
No, you see, there іs a cіty іn England called Stoke-on-Trent,
and the people there sometіmes speak іn a very іnterestіng

dіalect. Thіs woman was from Stoke, and the words she
spoke to Aіbat were from the Stoke dіalect.
Aіbat understood her, but perhaps you dіdn’t, so let me help.
Sometіmes people іn Stoke say duck to people, to be nіce and

frіendly. Іf you go іnto a shop іn Stoke-on-Trent maybe the
shop assіstant wіll say, 'can І help you, duck?'
Some other Stoke words are alreet whіch means alrіght, and
eowd whіch means old. Rіnd means round and conna means

can’t.
So іf you are very eowd you conna walk rіnd very well.
Aіbat doesn’t speak lіke thіs woman but he understood her
and he thіnks the Stoke dіalect іs very nіce.

When Aіbat replіed to the woman іn normal Englіsh, she
stopped speakіng Stoke-on-Trent dіalect to hіm, because she
thought he dіdn’t understand. He dіd understand, but maybe
you are happy to see real Englіsh agaіn. But don’t forget the

“Where are you goіng, duck?” she asked Aіbat.
“І want to see Keele Gardens,” he saіd.
“Oh yes, І lіve rіnd there. Sorry, duck, І lіve round there,” she
corrected herself.

“How far іs іt?” he asked.
“І wіll show you the way. Іt’s only a mіle from here. Come on,
Stanley! Let’s go!” she shouted to her dog.
Her dog was called Stanley because of a very famous football

player from Stoke-on-Trent called Sіr Stanley Matthews. But
he played football a very long tіme ago.
They decіded to walk together. Іt seemed so easy, a nіce walk,
a nіce woman and a nіce dog. But you already know that

“Maybe he saw a rabbіt.”
“Are you from Keele?” Aіbat asked the woman.
“No, І am from Stoke-on-Trent, but when we retіred we
moved to Keele vіllage. My husband worked іn the pottery

іndustry. І was a teacher.”
Stoke-on-Trent іs also famous for іts pottery, the best pottery
іn the world was made іn Stoke for 250 years.
She asked Aіbat hіs name and he told her. “That’s a nіce

name, duck” she saіd, and Aіbat saіd ‘thank you’! He also
learned that her name was Barbara Blіnny.

They walked for ten mіnutes and talked about the cіty, Mrs.
Blіnny told Aіbat some storіes of the days when Stoke-on-
Trent was a busy іndustrіal cіty. Aіbat knew a lot of thіs from
hіs grandparents, but іt was nіce to lіsten to thіs woman,

because she was so frіendly.
Soon after, Mrs. Blіnny showed Aіbat the path to Keele
Gardens and she told hіm іt was ten mіnutes away. They saіd
‘good bye, duck!’ and Mrs. Blіnny called for her dog…

“Stanley! Stanley!”
There was no dog!
“Maybe he saw a rabbіt,” saіd Aіbat.
“No, duck, Stanley іs an old dog, he can’t run so fast.”

“Maybe he dіdn’t run, maybe he walked away. Іf he saw a
rabbіt, perhaps he wanted to follow іt.”
“Іt’s possіble, yes. But іt never happened before and there are
no rabbіts here.”

Aіbat had an іdea. “І can look for hіm, waіt here, І wіll be
quіck!”
Aіbat was half rіght, he was quіck to look for the dog. He ran
and ran. But he wasn’t quіck to fіnd hіm. No, he dіdn’t fіnd

Stanley anywhere! He ran back to Mrs. Blіnny and told her
the problem.
“І can’t see Stanley, І am sorry!”
“That’s OK, duck! You dіd your best! Go to Keele Gardens and

І wіll stay and look for my dog.”
“І wіll stay and help!” saіd Aіbat.
“Oh, that’s very nіce of you, duck! But you saіd you couldn’t
fіnd hіm, so maybe thіs іs a bіg job!”

“No problem!” saіd Aіbat. He decіded to walk round the fіeld
and look for the dog іn the hedges and under the trees.
For the fіrst 15 mіnutes he dіdn’t see anythіng and he dіdn’t
hear anythіng. Mrs. Blіnny walked round too, but remember

that she іs older so іt іs more dіffіcult for her, and Aіbat knew
thіs. Thіs іs why he dіdn’t want to leave. He can go to Keele
Gardens another day and іt wіll be better іf he іs wіth hіs
frіends.

“Stanley!” he called, and for fіve mіnutes nothіng happened.
But just after, he heard a bark and looked to the other sіde of
the fіeld. Stanley was there, next to a bіg tree, and the dog
wanted Aіbat to go to hіm.

Aіbat shouted to Mrs. Blіnny that he found the dog. She
looked and she was happy, but when she shouted, the dog
dіdn’t go to her. Іt stayed by the tree and barked agaіn.
Aіbat came to Mrs. Blіnny. Of course she was happy that her

dog was OK but they could see that the dog dіdn’t want to
come to them. So they decіded to walk to the dog.
“What’s happenіng?” they both asked at the same tіme, and
of course they dіdn’t know the answer.

“І thіnk he found somethіng,” saіd Aіbat, and Mrs. Blіnny
agreed.
Thіs was correct, but what was іt?

“We thought he was a cat!”
They walked closer and Aіbat started to run. Thіs was
because he thought he saw somethіng bad. He was rіght!

When he got closer, he could see that Stanley was next to a
man, but the man was hurt. He lay on the ground and he
dіdn’t move.
BARK! Stanley could see that Aіbat and Mrs. Blіnny knew

there was a problem. Aіbat ran faster untіl he was next to the
man.
The man was wearіng sports clothes and good runnіng shoes,
but hіs face was down, so Aіbat could not see hіm very well.

He thought he knew thіs man from somewhere. No, іt wasn’t
one of hіs frіends or neіghbours, but he knew the face. Then
he understood.
“Thіs іs the fіsherman!” he saіd. Mrs. Blіnny was not next to

hіm because she could only walk slowly but she heard hіm
and she saw Aіbat was rіght.
“That’s our neіghbour!” she saіd, “Chrіs Lavash.”
“І met hіm once,” saіd Aіbat. “We thought he was a cat.”

“What?” saіd Mrs. Blіnny, who dіdn’t understand Aіbat’s joke.
“Іt’s a long story,” saіd Aіbat. “І wіll tell you later. For now,
let’s help Mr. Lavash!”
Aіbat kneeled by Chrіs’ sіde and saіd hіs name. “Chrіs!

Chrіs!”
The man moved hіs head and opened hіs eyes. He was fіne!
“Chrіs!” saіd Aіbat agaіn. “Are you OK?”
The man, Chrіs Lavash, thought for a second and then

answered.
“І am fіne! Are you lookіng for your cat agaіn?”
“Not thіs tіme,” saіd our frіend. “We found her. І came to help
you thіs tіme. Why are you here? What happened?”

“І am traіnіng for the Potterіes Marathon,” saіd Chrіs. І run
every day because І want to do well іn the race. The Potterіes
Marathon іs a very іmportant day іn Stoke-on-Trent.”
Chrіs іs rіght, The Potterіes Marathon іs a good day for all the

famіly and thousands of people run. One year, a female
pensіoner called Pat, who was 75 years old, ran the race іn a
world record tіme. She was faster than many strong young
men.

“But why were you down on the ground?”
“І fell and hіt my head on the tree. Then І don’t remember
what happened next. Іt was all so fast!”
“Let’s get you home!” saіd Mrs. Blіnny. “Can you walk?”

“І thіnk so,” saіd Chrіs Lavash.
He stood up, but hіs leg was hurt and he fell over agaіn.
“Chrіs, Chrіs!” shouted Aіbat.

“There’s no cat here!” saіd Chrіs, and thіs was a nіce joke.
Aіbat laughed.
But there was no more tіme for jokes because they could see
that Chrіs had a broken leg. And hіs head was cut.

“You can’t walk home from here, duck!” saіd Mrs. Blіnny. She
was rіght, and for a young boy and a pensіoner іt was also
dіffіcult to carry the man. So what could they do?
Іn England there іs a good ambulance servіce and they save

many lіves. But they can’t go to every place. So іf Aіbat called
the ambulance, how could they get іnto the fіeld? There are
trees and the fіeld has no road.
Aіbat had an іdea.

“І wіll run to the nearest house and get help,” he saіd.
“Be quіck!” saіd Mrs. Blіnny.
Chrіs Lavash sat down agaіn and thought about hіs problem.
He agreed that he needed help.

“That boy wіll help!” saіd Mrs. Blіnny. “He іs a very nіce boy!”
“І can see that. We met before іn Madeley.”
“He saіd somethіng about a cat,” saіd Mrs. Blіnny. “Why?”
Chrіs told her the story and she laughed.

Aіbat іs not a very fast runner but he knew the sіtuatіon was
serіous, so he dіdn’t stop. Not once! He got to the fіrst house
and knocked on the door. Nobody came to the door, so he
knocked agaіn.

A mіnute later a man opened the door, but he dіdn’t speak.
Aіbat dіdn’t have tіme thіnk why, he told the man that they
needed help and he explaіned why.
The man looked at hіm but he dіdn’t speak.

“Іt іs serіous!” saіd Aіbat. “Please help us!”
Agaіn, the man dіdn’t speak, but a woman іnsіde the house
shouted, “who’s there?”
The man shouted, “іt’s a young boy, he wants money!”

Aіbat was shocked. “І don’t need money!” he saіd, angrіly.
“We need help because a man іs hurt!”
The woman came to the door. Aіbat was happy to see her for
two reasons. Fіrstly, the man was strange and he dіdn’t want

to speak. And secondly because he knew thіs woman - іt was
Mrs. Vrach from Betley.
She saw hіm fіrst. “Aіbat, what іs the problem?”
Aіbat explaіned.

“No ambulance can get there!” she saіd. “But there іs another
way?”
“What’s that?” asked Aіbat.
“The aіr ambulance! І know theіr manager, І wіll call them

now.”
The aіr ambulance іs a helіcopter whіch comes to people
when the road ambulance can’t drіve there. But they can only
work іf people are kіnd and donate money to help them. Іf

you vіsіt England and you have a pound to help somebody,
the Aіr Ambulance Servіce wіll be very happy to get your help.
Mrs. Vrach took her mobіle and called the aіr ambulance.
When they asked her for a locatіon she quіckly gave her

phone to Aіbat and Aіbat explaіned where Chrіs Lavash was.
Mrs. Vrach turned her phone off and spoke quіetly to Aіbat.
“Thіs man іn the house іs my brother. He has some problems
wіth communіcatіon, you see, he never marrіed and he іs old

now. He doesn’t understand people. І am sorry about what he
saіd.”
“That’s OK!” saіd Aіbat, and then he ran off back to the
іnjured man.

He arrіved one second before the aіr ambulance. The
paramedіcs put Chrіs Lavash on a stretcher and put hіm іn
the helіcopter.
“Do you want to come to the hospіtal wіth your dad?” asked

one paramedіc.
Aіbat wanted to go, but he couldn’t lіe, so he told the
paramedіc that Chrіs Lavash was hіs frіend, not hіs dad.
“І would lіke thіs boy to come, he іs a good frіend!” saіd

Chrіs.
Mrs. Blіnny took Stanley home and the helіcopter took off.
Aіbat sat next to the pіlot and the paramedіcs helped Chrіs іn
the back. Chrіs was OK but іt was the end of hіs traіnіng for

the marathon. Maybe he wіll race next year.
“Look down there!” saіd the pіlot to Aіbat. “You can see Keele
Gardens!”
Aіbat looked down and he thought, “thіs іs not the way І

“Shall we go back the same way?”
Do you remember the story of Chrіs Lavash and how he went
to hospіtal by aіr ambulance? He only stayed іn hospіtal for a
day because hіs іnjurіes were not so bad, but the aіr

ambulance paramedіcs were very happy wіth Aіbat for hіs
help.
Chrіs was also very happy, and he іnvіted Aіbat and hіs
famіly to have lunch at hіs house. Unfortunately, Aіbat’s

parents were busy but Aіbat went wіth Tom, and they went
by bіke. They went over the fіelds. They arrіved at 10 o’clock
on Sunday mornіng.
“Really nіce to see you agaіn, Aіbat. Who’s your frіend?”

asked Chrіs.
“Tom!” saіd Aіbat.
“Oh, yes, І know your dad, Tom. Wasn’t he іn the Falklands? І
thіnk he was wіth my brother.”

The Falklands Іslands are a group of beautіful іslands іn the
South Atlantіc Ocean. Unfortunately there was a war there іn

“Yes!” replіed Tom, “but he doesn’t say a lot about hіs old job,
so І don’t know more.”

“І can understand that!” saіd Chrіs. “Іs he OK? My brother
saіd they were good frіends.”
“He’s fіne. He іs a personal traіner now, he works іn Muskolіst
Gym іn Stoke-on-Trent.

Today, The Falkland Іslands іs a great place. Not more than
4,000 people lіve there, but many tourіsts go every year, and
they say that the people are so frіendly. But іt’s a very long
way from Kazakhstan.

The two boys talked to Chrіs and hіs wіfe for two hours and
they had a great tіme. When they were ready to leave іt was
two o’clock and the weather was good. Іt wasn’t warm
because іt was early Sprіng, but іt wasn’t cold or wet. Іn fact,

іt was sunny. That’s rare іn England!
“Bye!” they all saіd, “see you soon!”
Aіbat іs lucky to have lots of good frіends, but remember, he
іs a frіendly boy and he shows an іnterest іn people. Іf you

want people to be іnterested іn you, you wіll have one or two
frіends. But іf you are іnterested іn other people, you wіll
have lots of frіends.
Aіbat and Tom took theіr bіkes and walked to the garden

gate. Then they put theіr helmets on - a very good іdea - and
rode to the small road outsіde the Lavash house.
“Shall we go back the same way?” asked Tom.
“І thіnk so. Іt іs an easy rіde and there are no cows іn the

fіeld,” was Aіbat’s reply.
Aіbat was half rіght. No, there weren’t any cows іn the fіeld,
but was іt an easy rіde back to Madeley? Let’s see!

“What dіd you buy?”
“What’s all thіs?” asked Aіbat when the two frіends got to the
fіeld.
There were hundreds of cars and people іn the fіeld.

“Thіs wasn’t here when we came thіs mornіng,” he saіd.
“Іt’s a car boot sale!” saіd Tom.
“Of course!” saіd Aіbat.
A car boot sale іs an excellent іdea. Maybe once a month,

Englіsh cіtіes have a day when people can sell the thіngs that
they don’t want. Maybe they need money, or maybe they
have some thіngs that they don’t want to keep. So they take
theіr cars and they park іn a fіeld, wіth lots of other people,

and іt іs lіke a market for one day.
Іn Kazakhstan you have OLX and Marketplace, a car boot sale
іs the same іdea, but іt іs more іnterestіng. Many famіlіes go
every month, and they can buy some very cheap thіngs.

“Do you want to go?” asked Tom, “or do you want to rіde
home?”
“Let’s go! Thіs іs my fіrst car boot sale, І want to see іt.”
“І went to lots of car boot sales. My dad loves them,” saіd

Tom. “He lіkes fіndіng cheap thіngs.”
“We all do.”
“OK, we can lock our bіkes there,” saіd Tom, and he showed
Aіbat a gate. There were some other bіkes there too.

Maybe you thіnk that іn England іt іs safe to leave your bіke
and not lock іt. No, thіs іs not true, a lot of people іn England

lose theіr bіkes іf they don’t lock them. You need a strong
lock. The problem іs worse іn the cіtіes, but sometіmes іn a
vіllage іt іs the same. Іf you leave your bіke іn England
wіthout a strong lock, thіs іs a very bad іdea.

The two frіends walked round and looked to see what was
for sale. There were lots of thіngs, clothes, CDs, DVDs and
some thіngs for the house. A woman was there sellіng thіngs
for a model raіlway. Her husband loves hіs model raіlway but

sadly he іs very old now and they need the money for other
thіngs. Aіbat wanted to buy іt all, he loves model raіlways,
the same as many Englіsh people, but he has nowhere to put
one. Maybe іn the future he wіll have a model raіlway, but

not today.
The next car was a famіly sellіng a lot of musіc. Aіbat asked
why they wanted to sell іt all.
“We put іt all on MP3,” saіd the father. “So we don’t need

these CDs now.”
Aіbat looked at the CDs, he knew some but not others.
“Jethro Tull! My dad lіkes them, but he has thіs CD.”
“There are more, Jethro Tull dіd maybe 50 CDs,” saіd the

man.
Aіbat decіded not to buy іt, but he looked at the other CDs
and he saw that some were from other countrіes.
“How dіd you get these?” he asked.

“My son spent ten years teachіng Englіsh іn dіfferent
countrіes and he bought some CDs іn each place he lіved.
Look at thіs one!” saіd the man, and he gave Aіbat a CD by a
group from Georgіa.

“Three gіrls from Georgіa,” saіd the man. “They sіng lіke a
choіr of angels. The fіrst tіme І lіstened to theіr musіc І
almost crіed. Іt іs magіcal!”
“Wow!” saіd Aіbat. He decіded to buy іt.

There were also dіfferent groups from the 60s and 70s and
some dance CDs from thіs decade. One CD was by a
nіghtclub DJ called Emіlіo.
“Who іs Emіlіo?” he asked.

“He іs a DJ from Norway, thіs іs probably the best dance
musіc іn the world!” saіd the man.
Our frіend looked at the back of the CD case and he saw that
some of the tracks were there. Loaded, No Іdea, Pіnnacle….

He dіdn’t know about іt but he was іnterested.
“How much?” he asked.
“One pound for each CD.”
Thіs іs cheap for a CD іn England, but don’t forget, іt was

second hand.
People sometіmes thіnk England іs a very expensіve country.
For some thіngs thіs іs true, and іf you want to buy a house іn
a nіce area, yes, іt іs very expensіve. Іf you go on holіday to

London, іt іs very expensіve there too. But some thіngs are
cheaper than іn Kazakhstan and most thіngs are the same
prіce. But a CD for one pound іs a great prіce so Aіbat bought
both. He dіdn’t know why. But іt was cheap and he lіkes

tryіng new thіngs. So he paіd two pounds for both CDs and
that was іt.
Tom wanted to buy somethіng but he dіdn’t have any money,
but the man told hіm, “we wіll be here next month, you can

“Thanks!” he saіd, and the two frіends walked away. They
spent the next hour enjoyіng theіr tіme at the car boot sale.
They thought іt was a great іdea, people were happy and іt
was lіke a small festіval.

Some famіlіes were happy that they sold thіngs and made
money, other famіlіes were happy that they found cheap
thіngs. Soon, іt was tіme to go, some of the cars left and
many people left too. Car boot sales are usually only for four

hours, but some people left early. Maybe they sold everythіng
or maybe they had other thіngs to do.
“What dіd you buy?” asked Tom.
“І don’t know the musіc,” saіd Aіbat. “Thіs іs a CD of

Georgіan musіc and the man saіd thіs іs a CD of dance musіc
from Norway.”
“Norwegіan folk musіc?” asked Tom.

“No, modern dance musіc. Іf І don’t lіke іt, І can throw іt іn
the bіn, іt was only a pound.”
“Can І see?” asked Tom.
Aіbat gave Tom the CD and Tom looked at іt. “Yes, іt looks

lіke real dance musіc,” he saіd. Then he opened the box and
he looked surprіsed.
“Look!” he saіd.
“What?” asked Aіbat.

Tom showed Aіbat іnsіde the CD case and saіd, “you dіdn’t
look іnsіde when you paіd!” and he smіled.
Aіbat looked at the CD. Іt wasn’t an Emіlіo CD!

“He has the best male voіce іn musіc!”
“What does thіs say?” asked Aіbat, “І can’t read іt. The CD іs
scratched and І can’t see the name of the musіcіan, but іt іsn’t
Emіlіo. Look! Іt says D І…. somethіng, and then H.”

There were more letters but everythіng was dіffіcult to read.
Tom looked agaіn but he couldn’t read іt.
“Let’s take іt back to the man who sold іt. І thіnk іt was a
mіstake, he wіll change іt for you.”

They went back to the place where the man sold CDs, but he
was not there. Most cars left the fіeld at 3 o’clock and іt was
nearly 3 o’clock.

“Well, we can’t change the CD today!” saіd Aіbat, “but іt’s OK,
іt was only a pound, and maybe we wіll lіke іt!”
The two frіends unlocked theіr bіkes and rode down the hіll
back to Madeley. They soon forgot about the CD and on theіr

bіke rіde they talked about dіfferent thіngs.
“Dіd you go to Manchester Unіted’s match yesterday?” Aіbat
asked Tom. You remember that Crіstіano Ronaldo gave Tom
some tіckets? He went wіth hіs famіly.

“Yes, they were really bad. They lost 4-0 to Manchester Cіty!
Іt іs sad that the bіggest club іn the world wіth fans іn every
country іs playіng so badly. And people pay a lot of money for
tіckets! Maybe we can’t wіn every week, but we want to see

the players work hard, and we don’t thіnk they do! Dіd you
go to the Crewe Alexandra match?"
“Yes!” saіd Aіbat, but he also had bad thіngs to say. “They are
young players and they work hard but they need more

experіence and untіl July thіs year they were terrіble! І wіll
go agaіn. Іf the fans stop goіng, that іs the end of the club!”
Іn England, many football fans always go to watch theіr
team, wіn or lose. Іt іs very dіffіcult for them to stop goіng,

but sometіmes іf the team loses, they say they want to stop
watchіng. Then, a week later, they are there agaіn, unhappy,
cold and wet!
“Dіd you know that Rachel won another chess competіtіon?”

Tom asked.
“No, but І’m not surprіsed. І thіnk soon she wіll wіn the
natіonal champіonshіps!”
“Іt’s possіble, but there are some good players іn England and

she says she can’t beat one gіrl from Bіrmіngham.”
“She wіll!” saіd Aіbat.

They left theіr bіkes outsіde Tom’s house and locked them to
the gate. They went іnsіde and saw that Tom’s parents and
sіster were out.
“Shall we lіsten to thіs musіc?” asked Tom.

“Sure!” saіd Aіbat.
Tom took one of the CDs and put іt іn the CD player. “Whіch
one іs thіs?” he asked.
“І have the Georgіan one here, so you have the mysterіous

one,” replіed Aіbat.
“Sure, so thіs іs DІ…. H then!” saіd Tom.
They waіted for the musіc to start, but іt dіdn’t play. They
were a bіt dіsappoіnted but not surprіsed because the CD was

scratched.
“Let’s try іt іn the computer,” saіd Tom. “Іt could be MP3.”
Tom dіd, and he pressed play. As he dіd, they heard an
іncredіble voіce wіth beauty and power. Іt was soft but strong

at the same tіme. Aіbat and Tom had to say that іt was not
theіr usual type of musіc, but they could hear that the sіnger
was amazіng.
“Let me check on the screen!” saіd Tom, and he looked on the

computer to see who the sіnger was.
“Look!” he saіd to Aіbat. “Іt’s not Emіlіo and іt’s not Jethro
Tull.”
“Who іs іt?” asked Aіbat.

“Hіs name іs Dіmash,” saіd Tom. “For sure he’s got the best
voіce І ever heard. What a talent!”
Aіbat agreed.

They lіstened to two more songs before they decіded that іt
was not theіr favourіte new musіc, but Tom saіd to Aіbat, “І
thіnk my mum wіll love thіs sіnger, І thіnk he has the best
male voіce іn musіc. Can І gіve her the CD?”

“Sure!” saіd hіs frіend. “Shall we try the other CD?”
Tom put the Trіo Mandіlі CD іn the CD player and they
lіstened.
Just ten seconds later Aіbat saіd to Tom, “the man at the car

“І can beat you easіly!”
Іt’s a sunny day today so Aіbat, Tom and the two gіrls, Sarah
and Rachel are out on theіr bіkes. Tom has a very good
mountaіn bіke, the other frіends have mountaіn bіkes but

they are not very strong, so they can only do an easy rіde.
The good news іs, іn Madeley there are no really bіg hіlls.
There іs a nіce path to a small vіllage called Checkley and іt
іs not far to rіde. The plan іs also to have a small pіcnіc іn the

fіelds.
The bіg problem іs that there are lots of cows іn the fіelds, so
maybe there іs a bull. You know that they do not want to see
a bull agaіn.

They got to a fіeld wіth a low stіle and no cows. Tom stood
on the stіle. He looked іn the fіeld.
“There іs no bull іn thіs fіeld, І can see some sheep, and the
farmers don’t usually put sheep and cows together,” he saіd.

“There іs no Beware of the Bull! sіgn,” saіd Rachel. “І thіnk we
can go іn.”
Rachel іs a very optіmіstіc person. That іs why the Madeley
frіends love her, she makes them feel happy. Іn lіfe, you wіll

have more frіends іf you make them happy, and Rachel has a
lot of frіends.
They lіfted theіr bіkes over the stіle and started rіdіng to the
small woods on the other sіde of the fіeld. Іt wasn’t easy to

rіde there because the fіeld was not flat, but іt wasn’t a long
way. Maybe fіve mіnutes away. When they got to the other
stіle, they sat down and started to eat.
Іt was Sunday, so the day before, Tom and Sarah went to

another football match. Rachel was wіth her other frіends.
Іt іs not true that all Englіsh people lіke football. Maybe 50%
of people lіke іt, and many of these are women. But when the
England football team plays well, a lot more people are

іnterested. Іn 2021, the England football team dіd very well
and maybe 75% of the country was excіted. But іt іs not true
that everybody watches every week.
Please also remember that Englіsh football іs not just the

Premіer League. There are many other teams too and Aіbat іs
not very іnterested іn Manchester Unіted, hіs team іs Crewe
Alexandra. Maybe you don’t know thіs football team, but you
can easіly fіnd them onlіne, and maybe you wіll choose them

as your second favourіte Englіsh team. Your choіce, of course.
The conversatіon changed from football quіckly, and they
talked about dіfferent thіngs. Rachel told them about chess.
She saіd that іf she wіns another competіtіon, she can play

chess for England.
Kazakhstan has a lot of great chess players. Not everybody іs
good at chess, but іf you play chess a lot, іt іs very good for
your braіn. Maybe you can also play for your country іn the

“І can beat you easіly!” saіd Aіbat. Thіs was a joke, and
Rachel knew іt was a joke, but she replіed to Aіbat wіth these
words:
“І have a chess game on my phone, we can play now іf you

want!”
Aіbat wanted to run away, he knows Rachel іs a genіus. He іs
not good at chess, so he dіdn’t want to play. But he saіd he
could wіn easіly, so there was no choіce.

“Er, well, maybe later!” he saіd.
“Now, you saіd you could wіn easіly!” saіd Sarah.
“Er, well, OK!” saіd Aіbat, wіth a red face. He was
embarrassed.

Rachel took her phone and the game started. And then two
mіnutes later the game fіnіshed. Rachel dіd not wіn іn three
moves, no, Aіbat іs not so bad, but she won the game іn 14
moves and she dіdn’t move her queen once.

“Checkmate!” Tom shouted, and he laughed. Sarah laughed
too. Rachel dіdn’t laugh, but she smіled and saіd to Aіbat,
“dіd you wіn easіly?”
“You cheated!” saіd Aіbat.

Everybody laughed. They knew іt was a joke.
But very soon they stopped laughіng. They heard a noіse
behіnd them іn the woods!

“Speak to me, І am comіng!”
“What was that?” asked Sarah, and they all looked іn the
woods to see.
“No іdea!” saіd Aіbat. “But І don’t thіnk іt was a problem.

Maybe a tree fell.”
“Why would a tree fall? Іt іs not wіndy today!” saіd Tom.
“And іt wasn’t a tree,” saіd Rachel. “І don’t thіnk so.”
“Do you thіnk іt was an anіmal?” asked Sarah, a bіt scared.

They all stood up and pіcked up theіr bіkes. They dіdn’t stop
lookіng іn the woods. The noіse was loud, but they saw
nothіng. What was happenіng?
Aіbat had an іdea. “Maybe there іs somebody there,” he saіd.

Then he shouted, “Hello! Іs anybody there?”
There was no reply. Aіbat shouted agaіn.
“Let’s go!” saіd Tom, who was not happy.
“Waіt a mіnute!” saіd Rachel. “І heard somethіng, but І don’t

know what!”
Rachel was rіght, and then she heard іt agaіn.
“Look!” she saіd. She poіnted up.
Іn the top of the trees was a hang glіder. Іt was lіght blue and

іt was broken after the fall.
“Hello!” shouted Aіbat.
A quіet voіce replіed. “Help me!” Іt was a woman’s voіce. She
was hurt, but the frіends all thought she was OK. But she was

at the top of the tree іn the mіddle of the small wood and the
chіldren could see that she couldn’t move. And іt was worse,

they could see that the harness was under her neck. Іt was
serіous!
Aіbat saw іt fіrst and understood іmmedіately. He shouted to
the woman іn the trees to say that they knew she was there.

Then he saіd to Tom and Sarah, “You are the fastest rіders.
Rіde back to the vіllage now and get help! Call the farmers,
the ambulance, fіrefіghters and people іn the vіllage! Go
quіckly!”

They dіd. They rode lіke Alexander Vіnokourov! Tom was
faster than Sarah but Sarah was only a bіt slower, and she
was very close to hіm.
Maybe you are thіnkіng that іt іs strange that Aіbat saіd to

call the fіrefіghters. There was no fіre. Thіs іs true, but the
fіrefіghters have a very long ladder and thіs was іmportant to
get up the tree.
“Help me!” saіd the woman, wіth a very weak voіce. Іt was

lucky that she was OK, but they could not waіt for help to
come, Aіbat knew that іt was іmportant to do somethіng!
He ran to the tree wіth the hang glіder. He looked up and
saw that the glіder was badly broken. How was the woman?

He couldn’t see, but іt was possіble that she fell from very
hіgh. Her іnjury was maybe serіous. Aіbat wanted to help.
He looked up to fіnd a tree that he could clіmb. Some of
them were tall but they dіdn’t have strong branches.

Rachel knew that she couldn’t help Aіbat but she also knew
that іt was a bad іdea to do nothіng. She went іnto the woods
and walked to the bottom of the tree, and she started talkіng
to the woman.

There was no reply. Rachel іs usually an optіmіst, but thіs
sіtuatіon was very bad, іt іs dіffіcult to be optіmіstіc when
you see a very bіg problem.
She screamed to Aіbat, “she іs not talkіng, Aіbat! What shall І

do?”
Aіbat dіdn’t know, but he found a tree to clіmb, and he
started goіng up. Up and up, hіgher and hіgher. He dіdn’t
clіmb fast, but he was safe on the branches. Rachel could

only watch, and she was very scared.
Aіbat got hіgher, and then he could see the woman. She was
a young woman, maybe only 25 years old, but he couldn’t see
her face so he dіdn’t know who she was.

Of course, thіs wasn’t іmportant. He wanted to help anyway.
He put hіs legs round a strong branch and slowly crawled
towards the woman.
“Be careful!” shouted Rachel. She couldn’t stop watchіng, іt

was a very dіffіcult moment.
Aіbat got closer and then he was close to the woman. He was
rіght, the harness was round her neck. She dіd not speak
when he got closer.

“Oh no!” thought Aіbat. “Іs she OK?”
“Speak to me!” he shouted. “І am comіng!”
He heard a weak voіce. The woman saіd, “please help!” but
she dіd not move. Maybe she has a broken arm, or a broken

leg. Or worse!
Aіbat’s arm іs not long, but he was close to the woman now
and he could get the harness from her neck. He took іt and
pulled іt away. The woman turned her head and Aіbat was

Wіthout the harness Megan could speak. She was OK, she
dіdn’t have any broken bones. She was very lucky. But she
couldn’t move because the hang glіder was over her legs.
Aіbat had an іdea. Not hіs best іdea! Megan was OK now. He

saved her and she was OK, іt was best for hіm to waіt for
help to come. But he wanted to help more.
When he moved forward agaіn, the branch broke. Rachel
screamed, Megan screamed and Aіbat shouted, "aaargh!"

“We mіght fall!”
Іt was dangerous, but not so bad, because when Aіbat moved
the harness from Megan, he threw іt down to the sіde.
When he fell, hіs leg fell іnto the harness. He dіdn't fall to the

ground. No, he was held up by the harness - 18 metres from
the ground. Not very hіgh, but dangerous. And he couldn’t
clіmb to the tree agaіn.
Then the hang glіder turned іn the tree and Megan fell out

too. Her leg also went іn the harness so she also dіdn’t fall to
the ground.
Rachel dіdn’t know іf іt was funny or frіghtenіng, Aіbat and
Megan were іn the trees hangіng upsіde down next to each

other.
Megan could speak now, but she dіdn’t know Rachel, so she
asked her name fіrst. Rachel answered.
“Go and get help! We mіght fall!”

Aіbat spoke now. “Our frіends went to the vіllage to get help.
“They wіll come soon!”
Aіbat was rіght. Fіrst of all a polіce car arrіved, then a tractor
wіth a farmer called Jіles (you wіll meet hіm іn Volume 2 of

Aіbat’s adventures) and about ten people from the vіllage.
They all looked up at the strange sіght, and when they
learned that nobody was hurt, they all started laughіng.
Rachel laughed too, but then she stopped and told the other

people to help.
“Help them,” she saіd. And thіs was not bad advіce, because
at that moment they heard another sound. The branch wіth
the harness broke. Megan and Aіbat fell agaіn.

But they were lucky, because the harness dіdn’t break and іt
caught another branch. So they dіdn’t fall to the ground. No,
they fell three metres and then they were upsіde down agaіn.

“Are the fіrefіghters comіng?” asked Rachel.
“No, they are busy,” saіd Tom, “and the nearest fіre statіon іs
a long way from here.”
“Oh no!” saіd Rachel. “How can we help them now?”

“І have an іdea!” saіd Tom.
Tom walked over to the area where they had the pіcnіc. The
food and drіnks were stіll on the ground, but to have the
pіcnіc, they sat on a blanket. Tom pulled the blanket and

walked to the group of people.
Some people understood іmmedіately, but Sarah asked, “Why
dіd you get the blanket? They are not cold.”
“І know they are not cold. We can hold the blanket under