The beginning of the work of the literary program for schoolchildren "Between the Lines" was announced. Deadline February 5, 2015.

Organizer: University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.

Competition summary:

“Between the Lines” is a two-week program for Russian and American high school students and students from Arab countries who are interested in writing as a hobby or in terms of a future career. University of Iowa, City of Iowa (the only Creative Center for Creative Writing under the auspices of UNESCO in North America) and the State of Iowa are working together to create a unique creative environment that will allow program participants to develop their writing skills by participating in discussions, researching literary heritage, and coming up with creative ideas.

Participants will attend a literary workshop (at English language), the purpose of which will be to discuss specially selected literary works in prose and verse from different countries peace. They will also participate in a second workshop in Russian or English, during which they will develop their writing skills and discuss their work with other participants. Classes will be taught by teachers from among the recognized literary figures. Additional meetings and activities will provide participants with the opportunity to better understand the culture of another country through interpersonal communication and getting to know the surrounding community. Following the results of the program, the works of the participants in Russian and English will be published in a special collection.

During the flight to the USA and back, Russian participants will be accompanied by adult specialists. Accommodation will be organized in the university dormitory under the supervision of educators who live there and have undergone special training at the university. The chaperones and educators will work together to create an interesting, creative writing community. International airfare, accommodation, and meals in the United States are covered by the program. It is also possible, but not guaranteed, limited funding for flights within Russia and accommodation in Moscow prior to the start of the program (at the time of the visa interview).

Who is eligible for this Program: Talented, inquisitive, enthusiastic young people writing fiction or poetry who meet the following eligibility criteria:

High school students

• Age - 16, 17, or 18 years old on June 21, 2015;
• Good command of English (reading, writing and speaking)
• The ability to adapt and communicate in an environment that brings together people of different cultures and views.

Important: if you are in grade 11, carefully study USE dates and the university admissions process and consider whether you will be able to participate in the program in June 2015.

Selection criteria for escorts:

Our official group In contact with: , .

• Age - 25 - 40 years old as of June 21, 2015;
• Good command of English (reading, writing and speaking);
• Interest in creative writing – either teaching the subject or as a hobby;
• A serious, responsible person who is ready to take on the responsibility of accompanying a group of teenagers participating in an international cultural exchange program.

Each student must provide the following creative material:

• Questionnaire in .pdf format ();
• 6-8 pages of creative text in Russian (poetry and/or fiction only) *;
• 6-8 pages of creative text in English (poetry and/or fiction only) *; * Works in English and Russian should not be the same.
• 2-5 pages of creative text in Russian or English (poetry and/or fiction only) covering one of the following topics:

1. During breakfast, you are startled by a loud knock on the door. Someone wants to meet with you. Who is it, what does he or she need, and what happens next? Write a story or poem.
2. Write a story or poem that includes the three items listed and one setting. Items: old bicycle, uncomfortable sofa, leaky canoe, sleeping puppy, love letter, truth serum; scene: a cruise ship, a forest with a lake, a deserted street at dawn, an empty dance club.

Each escort must submit:

• Questionnaire in .pdf format ();
• A copy of the passport, if any;
• CV/resume
• A short explanation (one paragraph, no more than 250 words) in English explaining what creative writing means in your life, why you want to take part in this program and what you would like to achieve during it.

All applications must be sent to an email address [email protected] until February 5, 2015. Please read carefully when submitting applications.

Contact Information.

All-Russian competition of presentations for schoolchildren

Each student of grades 1-11 can take part in the event by submitting a presentation or report with a presentation on

• biology,
• geography,
• foreign language,
• informatics,
• stories,
• local history,
• mathematics,
• music,
• social science,
• psychology,
• technology,
• physics,
• ecology,
• economy.

All the details about the event on the competition page and in the position.

The light of knowledge - autumn 2019

All-Russian competition research work for students in grades 1-11

Each student can take part in the event together with the teacher-head or individually.

The competition accepts research papers and projects on:

• astronomy and astronautics,
• biology,
• geography,
• art history,
• foreign languages,
• informatics,
• stories,
• local history,
• literature,
• mathematics and cryptography,
• music,
• the world around
• political science,
• psychology,
• robotics;
• Russian language,
• sociology,
• technology,
• physics,
• physical culture,
• chemistry,
• ecology,
• economy.

You can find exhaustive information about the competition and the Olympiad on the page of the competition and in the Regulations.

Let's Draw Magic - 2020

All-Russian competition of New Year's drawings and crafts, as well as a competition of readers for schoolchildren.

Let your imagination run wild and feel the Christmas magic spreading around! Each student, from grades 1 to 11, can submit crafts to the competition, Christmas tree toy or drawing on a New Year's theme.

A feature of our competition is that teachers can make crafts and draw winter landscapes on a par with their students, because the corresponding nominations are also open to teachers.

Young lovers of belles-lettres can read their favorite New Year's poem and send a video to take part in the reading competition.

Based on the results of the competition for the preparation of students, the teacher receives a certificate and / or a letter of thanks from the organizing committee.

In total, the competition provides 5 nominations for schoolchildren and 6 nominations for teachers.

The interim results of the competition and the issuance of award documents are held weekly on Wednesdays, except January 1.

All the details about the competition are on the page and in the position.

The pure brilliance of the stars

All-Russian competition of reports and presentations, essays and research works, as well as a competition of artistic recitation and illustrations for schoolchildren

A new creative competition is dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the birth of poets Silver Age Mirra Lokhvitskaya and Zinaida Gippius. However, the theme of the event is not limited solely to their creativity.

Each student from grades 5 to 11 can submit a report, presentation or research work dedicated to the life and work of a poetess of the 19th - early 21st century of their choice for the competition.

Also, the participant can participate in the competition of essays on the lyrics of the poetess chosen by him.

A reading competition is open for schoolchildren, where everyone can read their own favorite poem Mirra Lokhvitskaya, Anna Akhmatova, Marina Tsvetaeva, Yulia Drunina, Bella Akhmadulina or other poetess.

For those who are addicted artistic creativity, the nomination "Illustration for a poem" is open.

In total, the competition provides for 7 nominations for students and 13 nominations for teachers.

Heroes of history 2019 / 2020

The theme of the competition: the history of Russia and world history from ancient times to the present day.

Each student can submit a report, presentation, research work, essay for the competition. historical theme, as well as take part in an artistic recitation competition by reading a poem, an excerpt from a poem or a fragment of a prose work on a historical topic.

The competition is also open to teachers of history, literature, educators elementary school, teachers additional education and librarians, teachers of colleges and universities.

The competition is divided into 4 streams. Results and issuance of award documents at the end of each stream. Take part in the second stream of the competition and replenish your portfolio of achievements with a new diploma on December 20, 2019.

All the details are on the competition page and in the Regulations.

Thirst for new discoveries

All-Russian competition-marathon for students in grades 1-11 and students, as well as for teachers and teachers.

The theme of the competition: the geography of our planet in all its diversity.

Each student can submit a report, presentation, research work on geography for the competition, as well as take part in the artistic recitation competition by reading a poem or a fragment of a prose work of the adventure genre.

Also, the competition is open to teachers of geography, literature, elementary school teachers, teachers of additional education and librarians, teachers of colleges and universities.

The competition is divided into 3 streams. Results and issuance of award documents at the end of each stream. Take part in the first stream of the competition and replenish your portfolio of achievements with a new diploma on November 26, 2019.

All the details are on the competition page and in the Regulations.

Each student can also take part in distance olympiads our project. You can always find the list of available events in the new section. We have prepared tasks for different age groups, both a first grader and a graduate will be able to find something for themselves. At the moment, there are six Olympiad tests in the Russian language, literature and art. This section is updated regularly, stay tuned.

To answer this question, let us turn to one of the main legislative acts that regulate the work in the field of education in general and the procedure for attesting teachers.

Federal Law "On Education in the Russian Federation" No. 273-FZ of December 29, 2012, as amended on July 26, 2019

Article 77

"2. In order to identify and support persons who have shown outstanding abilities, federal state bodies, state authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, bodies local government, public and other organizations organized and carried out Olympiads and other intellectual and (or) creative competitions, physical culture events and sports events (hereinafter referred to as competitions), aimed at identifying and developing students' intellectual and creativity , ability to practice physical education and sports, interest in scientific (research) activities, creative activities, physical culture and sports activities, promotion of scientific knowledge, creative and sporting achievements.

Article 34. Basic rights of students and measures of their social support and stimulation

“22) development of their creative abilities and interests, including participation in competitions, olympiads, exhibitions, reviews, sports events, sports events, including official sports competitions, and other public events.

The activities of the Open Palms project are carried out in accordance with the above law and are aimed at supporting and developing gifted children.

How can the active participation of children in Olympiads help a teacher in passing certification?

Consider a document titled "Methodology for Analyzing Results Information professional activity applicants of the qualification category (first or highest), who carry out educational activities by the position of "teacher", which guides the experts of the attestation commission of one of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.

Student Achievements

Criterion: individual educational achievements of students (results of participation in competitions, olympiads, competitions, scientific and practical conferences, intellectual marathons, projects on the subject (s) of education).
Each educational achievement is taken into account, subject to participation: several students in one event ; the same student in events of different levels; the same student in multiple events.
When participating in face-to-face events held by organizations engaged in educational activities and education authorities
International level	Federal level			Regional level		Municipal level			Level educational organization
Winner = 6 points Prize-winner, laureate, nominee = 5 points	Winner = 5 points Prize-winner, laureate, nominee = 4 points			Winner = 4 points		Winner = 3 points			Winner, prize-winner, laureate, nominee: 1 person or more = 1 point
When participating in face-to-face events hosted by third parties
International level		Federal level			Regional level			Municipal level
Winner = 5 points Prize-winner, laureate, nominee = 4 points		Winner = 4 points Prize-winner, laureate, nominee = 3 points			Winner = 3 points Prize-winner, laureate, nominee = 2 points			Winner = 2 points Prize-winner, laureate, nominee = 1 point
When participating in correspondence and distance events held by organizations engaged in educational activities and education authorities
International level		Federal level			Regional level			Municipal level
1-5 people = 4 points More than 5 people = 5 points		Winner, laureate, diplomat: 1-5 people = 3 points More than 5 people = 4 points			Winner, laureate, diplomat: 1-5 people = 2 points More than 5 people = 3 points			Winner, laureate, diplomat: 1-5 people = 1 point More than 5 people = 2 points
When participating in correspondence, remote events held by third parties
International level			Federal level				Regional level
Winner, laureate, diplomat: 1-5 people = 3 points More than 5 people = 4 points			Winner, laureate, diplomat: 1-5 people = 2 points More than 5 people = 3 points				Winner, laureate, diplomat: 1-5 people = 1 point More than 5 people = 2 points
When evaluating the results of correspondence, remote events, it is necessary to study the regulation on holding a correspondence competition, olympiad, etc., located on the electronic resource of the event organizer. To do this, you must follow the direct electronic link indicated by the applicant in the column "Name of events". In the absence of this information, the AC specialist has the right not to take into account the results of the participation of students in correspondence and remote events. The scores of each participant are not summed up, provided that the team of students wins. The total number of points when evaluating the results of face-to-face events of any level should be no more than 15 points When evaluating the results of face-to-face events at the level of an educational organization, a single mark (1 point) is given for any number of achievements (not a multiple of the number of achievements). The total number of points when evaluating the results of correspondence and distance competitions of any level should be no more than 10 points

Of course, the teacher can get the highest score when passing certification for participating in a full-time competition. international level conducted by educational authorities. Slightly less valued are successes at such events at the federal level, etc. Unfortunately, there are not so many professional competitions and olympiads for schoolchildren of this level, and not every teacher or student can take part in them for many reasons: tough conditions selection, limitation on the number of participants, impossibility to personally come to the competition venue, etc.

At the same time, having prepared a winning student at a federal-level remote competition, during certification, a teacher can receive the same number of points as his colleague with a winning student at a city-level competition conducted by the Department of Education, or a colleague with a prize-winning student at a full-time federal-level competition. The victories of students at school competitions and olympiads, alas, are not highly valued at all.

• The results of the events are stored on the project website in the "Results" section for at least 5 years after their completion (five years is the inter-certification period). Specify the link to the final table in the report when passing the certification, as well as on your personal or school website.
• The position of the completed event is always placed on the page with the results. Any member of the attestation commission will be able to get acquainted with it.
• Each teacher can apply for an unlimited number of students participating in the competition.
• The same student can participate in different competitions.
• Five or more students participating in competitions and olympiads must bring you 3 extra points during certification.

Since 2016, regular competitions for schoolchildren have been opened on our website. These are the competition of research works "The Light of Knowledge" and the competition of reports and presentations "Open Palms". Fans of Russian and world history can always take part in the Heroes of History marathon. Literary competitions, reading competitions, and other creative events dedicated to significant dates are also regularly held. For example, in 2018/2019 academic year The competition “Beauty and life breathes from everywhere ...”, dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the birth of Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev, the competition “Poet and Wise Man”, dedicated to the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ivan Andreevich Krylov, were successfully held. In the fall, we remembered our favorite childhood authors as part of the creative contest “Learning Good,” and in the spring, a recitation contest for the Victory Day “Feast of Peace and Spring” was held.

After analyzing the document that guides the attestation commissions, we can conclude that the remote (correspondence) competitions of the All-Russian level, held by the portal, are an appropriate addition or an optimal alternative to those few events held by education authorities in your city or region.

Summary

1. Competitions and olympiads of the Open Palms project are remote, conducted by a third-party organization, therefore, according to the instructions of the experts of the attestation commissions, they should be taken into account when calculating points for the certification of teachers.
2. All events held have the status of federal, which is confirmed by the Mass Media Certificate with the territory of distribution Russian Federation and other countries issued by Roskomnadzor on February 16, 2016.
3. We invite teachers and students to take part in competitions and olympiads of our project to replenish the portfolio and more confidently pass the certification.

© 2015-2018 Online publication for teachers, educators, schoolchildren and preschoolers "Open Palms" (IP Anisimov P.V.) All rights reserved.

The All-Russian poetic competition "Logo-rhyme" was announced to search for talented authors and form a series of books by contemporary poets. Deadline March 11, 2017.

Organizer of the competition: publishing house "Alkid".

In competition works it is not allowed: - non-compliance with the norms of the laws of the Russian Federation; - obscene language; - unethical, offensive statements.

Contest group in VKontakte:

Summing up, announcement of the winner - April 17, 2017. One winner and laureates of the competition will be determined (the number of laureates is decided by the jury and depending on the number of submitted works, but no more than 10 people).

Competition Prizes:

• The winner of the competition receives as a prize the publication of his own collection of poems with a volume of 100-150 pages, with a circulation of 25 copies (delivery of copies of the collection is carried out at the expense of the organizers of the competition).
• Each laureate of the competition receives as a prize a collection of poems up to 100 pages, with a circulation of 5 copies (delivery of copies of the collection is carried out at the expense of the authors).
• The winner and laureates receive diplomas of winners of the competition.

The collections will be published within six months after the announcement of the winners, provided that the winner and laureates provide poems for publication within a month after the announcement of the winners. Collections of the winner and laureates will be a series of poetry books with a standard layout.

Our official Vkontakte group:,.

Terms of participation in the competition

1. Persons over 18 years of age who write poems in Russian and live in Russia can take part in the competition.
2. The participant of the competition sends a selection of poems with a total volume of no more than 160 lines (including titles and epigraphs).
   Works are sent by participants to email address [email protected]
3. In the column "Subject" it is indicated: the competition of poetry Logorhythm.
4. A text file with competitive works is attached to the letter, in the file name Surname I.O._city (for example, Ivanov V.V._Moscow).
5. At the beginning of the document, the surname, first name of the author and pseudonym (if the works will be published under a pseudonym), year of birth, city of residence, a short creative biography, telephone, address, e-mail address.
6. Attached:
   – a scan or photo of the registration fee payment receipt
   - or a photo of the Sberbank-online page with confirmation of the transfer.
   The work is transferred to the jury with a paid fee.
7. Participation in the competition - 500 rubles.
   Transfer - to Sberbank card No. 5469 6800 1406 9670. In the purpose of payment:
   for reviewing, Last name First name. For example, "for reviewing, Ivanov Vasily."
   If it is not possible directly to a Sberbank card, the transfer is carried out according to the details (see Appendix_Details in the group on VKontakte

At the Gaidar Competition 2016

LEADER OF THE ISLAND OF WIZARDS
An excerpt from the story

Every year I look forward to the arrival of spring with particular impatience. As soon as the first warm days set in, our city always announces the start of a sailing regatta. For me and my yachting friends, this is a real holiday. During the winter, everyone has time to miss the smell sea ​​waves and the excitement of racing. And although in the future we take part in various competitions, the first race is always the most exciting, and the victory is considered the most honorable.
This spring, I prepared especially carefully: the fact is that I have never managed to win the first competition, and although I had a large number of cups for victories in numerous regattas on the shelves at home, but without the main prize, I considered my collection is incomplete. When the opening day of the sailing season came, I arrived early in the morning in the harbor to check the equipment again. I felt that this time luck should smile at me. The snow-white beauty-yacht seemed to share my hopes, it even seemed to me that her sides were trembling in impatience to plunge into the sea. I have long treated the yacht as a living being, and it cannot be otherwise, if you do not feel like one with it, then you can not dream of any victories.
And now the moment has come to start. We smoothly glided from the pier and I felt that I immediately caught the wind. How difficult it is, you can understand, going for a walk with an umbrella in inclement weather. As soon as the wind changes direction, the umbrella immediately turns inside out. And if the sail of the yacht sags, then it sharply loses speed and it can be very difficult to catch up. Therefore, during the race it is very important not only to follow the wind, but also to anticipate its whims. On this day, everything worked out for me, as ordered. I never let the sail slack, and the yacht reached its maximum speed. We literally flew over the waves, and little by little the confidence grew in me that this time I would not give up the palm to anyone. However, I did not lose my vigilance for a second and continued to follow the wind so that it did not set up some kind of trick for me. But, apparently, today he was not destined to deceive me. Sometimes I looked back to see how far I had left my rivals behind, and saw with satisfaction that the distance between us was increasing all the time. And when I once again looked back to assess the distance between me and the closest pursuers, I realized that I had broken away from them so much that they were unlikely to be able to catch up. I turned to face the finish line, which was not very far away, and suddenly a silhouette flashed right in the direction of the yacht. I was horrified to see that a boat with a makeshift sail was dangling right in front of me. It is not clear how she could have ended up here, because on the day of the regatta all boat owners received a warning that it was forbidden to appear in the racing area, but I had no time to find out the reasons, since an inevitable collision would have occurred in a second. I made an instant maneuver to go around an unexpected obstacle. To do this, I had to abruptly hang over the water, resting my feet on the side of the yacht. The yacht, obedient to my body, managed to make a turn, and we swept literally a centimeter from the side of the boat. But at the same time, the yacht lay literally on its side, and I even felt that my back touched the water. It was a critical moment, we had to urgently restore the vertical position, otherwise we could roll over. And at that moment a strong wave hit the hull and swept over my head. When I managed to open my eyes, I found that the yacht still capsized, and I ended up in the water. It was a complete disaster. A yacht turned upside down always looks terribly pathetic. Just now she was a proud beauty, carelessly cutting through the waves, and suddenly she turned into a helpless invalid. I even shed tears from resentment. A rescue boat jumped up to me, they asked if I needed help, but I showed that I could handle it on my own. I returned the yacht to its original state, but it was useless to continue the race, my rivals managed to get around me during this time. And then I noticed that the ill-fated boat, because of which all this trouble happened, continues to hang out nearby. I was overcome with such anger that I was ready to tear off its owner's head, but, swimming closer, I saw to my surprise that there was no owner in it. As you can see, the boat was torn off from some pier, and, to my misfortune, was brought here by the current. And I also noticed that the boat was of some unusual shape, at least I have not seen such ones yet. She looked more like a long pirogue. However, at that moment it didn’t matter to me from which shore she washed up to us, the main thing is that because of her I lost a certain victory today. Without hesitation, I pulled the boat to the side of the yacht and thus we returned to the harbor. After setting the yacht in its rightful place, I then briefly examined the boat. It was all covered in seashells, and I realized that I had been on the journey long enough. I even suspected if she was a victim of a shipwreck, in which case her rowers could well have been washed overboard by a wave. From this thought, I even forgot about the failure that had befallen me. I took a closer look at the boat. At the bottom of it lay some rags piled up in a heap. I reached out my hand to stir them up, and suddenly there was some kind of sobbing from there. I quickly threw off the rags and saw that under them, curled up, was a thin boy sleeping. Apparently, he dreamed of something pleasant, because sometimes he even burst into soft laughter. It was this laughter that I mistook for a sob. I was confused, not knowing what to do. However, after a moment of confusion, I decided to wake up the little traveler. I lightly touched him with my hand, and he immediately opened his eyes. For several seconds he looked at me incomprehensibly, and suddenly, recoiling in fright, hid in the corner of the boat.
- Who are you? I asked the boy.
But he continued to look at me with the eyes of a frightened animal. I certainly understood the reason for his fear. Surely, he arbitrarily took someone's boat, and now he was afraid that he would be scolded for the perfect act. But at that moment I was not up to his experiences, after all, the boy should have parents, even if they deal with their offspring. Therefore, I only asked where he lives in order to quickly send him home, and try to forget about the incident. But the boy continued to press his thin body into the sides of the boat and did not answer. Then I said, in as friendly a tone as possible:
“You don't have to be afraid of me. I'm not going to hurt you. Do you believe me?
Slightly hesitant, the boy nodded.
- Where is your home? I continued to inquire.
“Far away,” the boy replied and waved his hand vaguely towards the sea. However, I myself already understood this - after all, the boat, judging by its appearance, dangled in the sea for many days. Fortunately, I had a marine atlas on my yacht and I decided to use it. Taking it out, I asked the boy to show where he came from? I expected that he would show some nearby city, but to my surprise, the boy quickly began to flip through the pages and suddenly pointed to a tiny island in the ocean. I was amazed that even an experienced traveler would hardly dare to set off on such a voyage on such a fragile ship. In addition, in a small boat there was nowhere to place required amount food, and I have already mentioned that the boy did not look at all haggard, which he certainly should have been after such a trip. So to be honest, I didn't believe him. The boy, apparently, felt this, and began to show in detail the route along which he swam. Here I was surprised again, as he accurately showed all the curves sea ​​currents thanks to which he overcame this gigantic distance. Only an experienced sailor who personally traveled the entire sea route could have such knowledge.
— What did you eat? I asked intrigued.
Isn't there enough food in the sea? the boy was surprised.
“But I don’t even see your fishing tackle.”
— And this? The boy held out his tanned hands. - None of them can compare with them.
I don’t know why, but this time I believed him, although there was a lot of fantastic in everything he said. I had no choice but to admit that with such abilities, you can swim across any ocean.
While I was thinking about what else to ask him, I was suddenly called. I looked around and saw a young lady hurrying towards me. I immediately recognized her - she was a correspondent for a local newspaper. I even remembered the name - Sofia Marmash. She wrote about all sporting events, and there was nothing surprising in her presence at these races. She had already interviewed me somehow, but now I didn’t smile at all to answer questions, especially since at the moment the fate of the race suddenly became completely indifferent - the story with the traveler boy pushed my own failure somewhere far away. But it was too late to get away from the stubborn lady. Therefore, with a sigh, he began to expect unnecessary questions. The journalist took a voice recorder out of her purse, put it under my nose and chattered:
“I saw you come across a strange boat along the way. Will you challenge the results of the competition?
- Not! I answered briefly.
— But how? – the journalist got excited. You should have taken first place. There is no doubt. It was the clear fault of the organizers that they did not ensure the safety of the voyage.
“I should have noticed myself that a boat was crossing my course,” I replied stubbornly. “Since I missed it, there is no one to blame.
- How is it - no one? - the journalist was indignant. “There has been a clear violation of the rules. Judges must take this into account. File a protest, the results of the race must be annulled.
“I'm not going to do anything. As it is, so it is. I'll win next time, I said.
"Then I'll take care of it myself!" - the journalist said passionately. - Otherwise, the judges are used to being forgiven for everything. It won't happen this time. Don't worry, justice will be done!
“I have no doubt,” I agreed peacefully, hoping to end the conversation there. But it was not there. The journalist suddenly stared at the boat of my new acquaintance.
- Did you pay attention? she asked conspiratorially, lowering her voice.
- For what? I pretended not to understand the question.
"Something's wrong here!" – the journalist got excited. “Look, there’s no boat number or name anywhere. Don't you think that someone planted a pig on you so that you tumbled at the very finish line?
- It's ruled out! I immediately rejected this assumption.
- Why so? This version cannot be discarded,” Sofia Marmash said decisively. - I know well what morals are created in our sport.
She decisively pushed me aside and looked into the boat, and only then I noticed that the boy was not in it. There was nowhere to hide on the shore, so I had no doubt that he again buried himself in his rags so as not to catch the eye of a stranger. I tried to stop the journalist, but to no avail. She resolutely climbed into the boat and began to throw out all the rags piled there. And then, to my surprise, I saw that there was no one under them. The journalist shook the whole boat and said with satisfaction:
- All clear. The boat is homemade. Stores don't sell these. This was done on purpose so that it was impossible to figure out who it belongs to. But now I really have to find out where she came from here? And I will do it! I'm not going to miss out on this intrigue. Well this report will turn out, colleagues will die of envy.
She pulled out a small camera from her purse and, going around the boat from all sides, began to click it diligently. Finally, for some reason, she took a picture of me too, and then hastily left, apparently to prepare a sensational report. When she left, I gathered the scattered things, but suddenly, to my surprise, I saw that the boy, as if nothing had happened, was standing nearby.
- Where were you? I asked sternly.
- Right here! Only I didn’t like your friend, she loves to stick her nose into other people’s business too much, ”the answer followed.
- Don't play me! I said sternly. “I saw with my own eyes that the boat was empty.
“You can’t always believe your eyes,” the boy chuckled. “Especially when someone doesn't want to be discovered.
“But in such a small boat there is nowhere to hide.
- You think so? the boy chuckled. “Come on, back off for a second.
I turned my head to the side, and when I turned around again, I saw that there was no one else in the boat. Moreover, during this period of time it was simply physically impossible to escape anywhere. I decided to make sure the boy wasn't playing tricks on me. Climbing into the boat, I personally checked whether there was some kind of hiding place in it, like a second bottom, but I quickly became convinced that the boat was the most ordinary one. I didn't know what to think. And then I heard a familiar voice.
Well, are you sure now?
What are miracles? was all I said when I saw his sudden appearance.
- No miracles! - answered the boy. People only see what they are used to seeing. If there is a boat, then there must be a person in it. And if he is not in the right place, then he is not here at all. But no one thinks to look up.
Wrapping his arms around the thin mast, he easily climbed to the very top and disappeared behind the sail.
- Really! I agreed. “Even Mrs. Marmash didn’t think of it before.
Is that the lady who was just here? the boy asked. Please don't tell her about me. It can do a lot of harm.
- How? I asked, but the boy did not answer.
I decided not to go into details, and only asked what he was going to do next? The boy shrugged vaguely at this.
"I suppose you should report back home that you've arrived here safely?" I suggested. But he suddenly shook his head emphatically.
- Not! As soon as the sorcerer Catapultz knows where I am, he will immediately send his people to kill me.
- Who is that? I asked. The number of riddles that fell upon me already exceeded all norms.
“He is the master sorcerer of the island. If I hadn't read his mind, I'd probably be dead by now.
"Can you read other people's minds?" I asked in surprise.
- Not all! The boy replied calmly. – Only when a person desires something very strongly, his thoughts spread like waves in the sea, and they are easy to catch. Of course, not everyone succeeds, but I learned this.
"So you're also a sorcerer, aren't you?" I suddenly guessed.
“There can be only one sorcerer on our island,” the boy answered seriously. When I return to the island, I will definitely become one. But while I can't do it, I still don't have enough strength to defeat the Catapultz and take away the sacred belt from him.
And then I decided not to find out anything else. I did not know what in the story of a little traveler can be trusted and what not, so I decided not to go into details for now. And then the boy seemed to guess my thoughts.
“I know this all sounds weird, but trust me, I'm telling the truth. Sooner or later you will be convinced of this.
After these words, I had no choice but to offer my new acquaintance to go to my house so that he could rest from the road. Of course, I tried not to think about how long he would have to stay with me until he was ripe for his return, but I understood that from that day on my life would change dramatically.

Leaving the harbor, we approached the metro station. Going inside, the boy suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Do you live underground? he asked in surprise when he saw the escalator tape running down.
- No, what are you! I laughed. “Only trains run underground. They are the fastest way to get to the right place.
“But you don’t see daylight at this time,” the boy said worriedly.
- Well, yes! I agreed. But we are used to it. Many people spend several hours a day here.
“Unfortunate,” said the boy suddenly.
- Why so? I didn't understand.
There is no time underground. You cannot understand how long you have been here - a day, a week or a month. Therefore, this time is deleted from life.
- Do you think so? I asked puzzled. “We didn't think about it at all.
- In vain! Everything can be restored. It is impossible to recover only lost time.
Once again I was amazed at what an unusual companion fate had bestowed on me. I was even glad that he got in my way. Now I would not trade it for the victory in the most prestigious race.
At home, the first thing I did was to warm up the kettle, cook some sausage sandwiches, and invite the young navigator to have breakfast. He drank tea immediately, apparently thirsty during the trip, he was still tormented, but he was very wary of the sandwich. He turned it over in his hands, sniffed it, and only then carefully took a bite.
Maybe you don't eat meat? I asked, thinking that perhaps everyone on their island eats only plant foods.
- No, what are you! the boy objected. We are taught to hunt from childhood. I just can't figure out what kind of meat this animal is?
— Oh, that's it! I smiled, realizing that he had never eaten sausage in his life. You don't have to try to guess. This is sausage.
- Sausage? the boy asked. We don't have such an animal.
“Yes, it is a very rare animal,” I said seriously. - But you eat, do not be afraid, it is delicious.
“When I get home, make sure you get me a couple.” I will bring them to my island and set them free.
- Necessarily! I agreed, mentally imagining how great it would be if herds of sausages could graze somewhere in the pastures.
When breakfast was over, I was finally able to start asking questions. And soon found out some very interesting details.
The boy's name was Foliocco. He was the son of a Sorcerer and was to become a Sorcerer himself in the future. From childhood, his father taught him all sorts of witchcraft secrets, which were passed down from generation to generation in their family. He knew how to predict natural disasters, disperse or, on the contrary, drive clouds to control rain, knew the days when there would be successful hunting and fishing, and when it was better to stay at home, and much more that a real sorcerer needs to know. Nothing foreshadowed the Sorcerer and his son any trouble, but one day a man from a neighboring island sailed to them. His name was Catapults. He, too, was a sorcerer, though not as powerful as Father Foliocco. The boy's father was opposed to giving him asylum on the island, but he could not send a man back to the ocean, perhaps to certain death. Therefore, he had to agree to let Catapultz stay with them. The inhabitants of the island complacently accepted Catapultz, not suspecting that he was expelled from the island where he came from, because instead of his direct duties, he was mainly engaged in intrigues and the destruction of his enemies. In a new place, Catapults began to do his usual business, and soon persuaded a group of islanders to seize power, promising them that if he became the Chief Sorcerer, they would receive unprecedented privileges. And one day they came to the Sorcerer's hut and killed the boy's father. They were also going to kill Foliocco himself, but the boy sensed the danger in advance and managed to go to sea on a fragile boat. He was already a good navigator, so he was able to overcome a huge distance until the current washed his boat into our harbor. But he cannot be calm here either, since Katupulz will still try to get him anywhere in order to eliminate him as a contender for his power.
I listened to this story and could not believe that somewhere else there are such corners of the earth where real sorcerers rule. But the boy talked about it as if it were the most common occurrence, so there was no reason to suspect him of excessive fantasy. However, there were more mundane things to think about as well. For example, my guest did not have normal clothes, except for the one in which he sailed. But these things during the trip turned into real rags. So I suggested that he go to the nearest store for new clothes. The boy agreed, and soon we were standing in the huge hall of the supermarket. Entering the room, Foliokko could not hide his surprise. He incredulously touched the clothes hung on the hangers, and then asked:
Why do you need so many things? This OK the whole city can be dressed. Or are there reserves for several years ahead?
- Well, what are you! I explained condescendingly. “In a month, nothing you see will be left here.
Are you tearing things up so fast? The boy didn't believe.
- Not! We just don't like walking in the same place. Therefore, people try to update their wardrobe more often.
But you feel much more comfortable in old clothes. And the new one seems like a stranger for a long time. It's like skin, only snakes change it every year. Do you take a cue from snakes?
- I do not know! I answered honestly. “I think we're really overkill here. But everyone is used to living like this.
“You must have a lot of unhappy people,” the boy suddenly suggested.
- Why? I didn't understand.
“You can't have too much of something. From a couple of things you can choose the best. And when there are a hundred of them, then, as a rule, they don’t like anything at all.
"You're right about something," I agreed. “But nothing can be done about it.
- Let's get out of here! Foliocco said suddenly. - I don't like it here. Do you have other stores?
- There is! - I said. - But there are no less goods than here.
— How do you live here? the boy sighed.
- I'm surprised! I agreed with him.
We went out into the street, and suddenly Foliocco pulled me by the sleeve.
- That's what we need! - he said.
I looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a small shop.
- But here people rent mostly old clothes. There are almost no new things here,” I warned.
- That's good! Folio agreed. Every item must have its own history. I heard that there are collectors all over the world looking for antiques everywhere. They are valued much more than modern products.
“I don’t think that this applies to ordinary clothes,” I doubted.
Foliocco did not argue, but resolutely headed towards the shop. Unlike the store, all the things here were piled side by side, and it seemed to me that it would be quite difficult to find something I needed. However, Foliocco quickly selected a few items from the pile and handed them to me.
- It suits me.
I wondered what my new acquaintance liked about these things, but before I could ask, he explained himself:
“The boy who wore them is seriously ill with something, and all his clothes are soaked with pain. I want to find him.
“It’s unlikely to succeed,” I hesitated. - People who donate things do not leave their addresses.
“If I see him, I will immediately recognize him,” Foliocco said decisively. - Since I feel his pain, it means that we are almost like brothers.
I did not argue, although I did not really believe in the possibility of such a meeting. After that, I paid the owner of the shop, and we went home.
No sooner had we crossed the threshold of the apartment than the phone rang. By the excited voice, I immediately recognized the journalist Sofia Marmash.
“I figured it out,” she screamed excitedly, barely hearing my voice. “Like I said, it was no accident that the boat got in your way. It was a real conspiracy. I looked at what bets were made on this race. Yes, yes, these competitions were in the sports sweepstakes. And most of the fans considered you the favorite. But, apparently, someone needed a completely different winner. And now they grabbed a solid jackpot, and you were left without a well-deserved victory.
“You must be mistaken,” I tried to reassure my interlocutor. “Someone always wins, someone loses. There are accidents in sports. This time I was out of luck. Nobody is immune from this.
- Nonsense! the journalist shouted triumphantly. - I have evidence. Someone was driving the boat!
“But you yourself saw that there was no one in it,” I objected.
- In fact of the matter! When I spoke to you, there really was no one in it. But I also looked at other pictures. And what do you think I found?
Is it an unidentified flying object? I was surprised.
- Exactly! Sophia Marmash happily announced. - Unidentified object - that's for sure! There was a man on the boat!
“Something I didn’t notice,” I tried to wriggle out.
- No wonder! Sofya Marmash stated authoritatively. - You were upset, and you might not notice it. Moreover, he is so small, nondescript, like a child.
"Where do you think he's gone?" I asked. - Dissolved in the air?
No, he immediately ran away. I thought no one would find it. But it's not the first time I've been investigating. I have a trained eye. I immediately see that there was a well-thought-out plan.
“But it didn’t occur to you that the owner of the boat was in it all the time and, for example, just slept at that time.
- Do you think I'm stupid? Sophia Marmash snorted contemptuously. “Everything was precisely thought out, and now the attackers are counting the money and laughing at you.
- And what are you going to do? I asked cautiously.
- Continue investigating! Sofya Marmash declared decisively. This is my journalistic duty.
“Okay, go on,” I said, puzzled. Maybe you need my help?
- No, what are you! I can manage myself. This is my journalistic duty. Don't worry, we will definitely bring these crooks to clean water. Bye!