Chapter 1
Once upon a time, there was an Umbrella. She diligently did her job, protecting her owner from the rain, never complained, and seemed perfectly content. Yet, every time the clouds dispersed, the Umbrella would gaze wistfully at the vibrant scenery outside the window. Sunbeams tickled the grass and colorful flowers, whispered secrets to the leaves on the trees, and cast whimsical shadows on the ground and the walls of tall buildings.
In the distance, far from the city, stood a mountain dressed in a sweater of evergreen trees. The owner never visited the mountain, so the Umbrella could only sigh, imagining the incredible views hidden by that massive pile of stone.
One windy day, while her owner was at work, the Umbrella climbed onto the windowsill, peeked outside, and then suddenly opened and soared into the sky. It was incredible! All her dreams and hopes finally felt so real! The wind seemed to read her thoughts, carrying the Umbrella away from the city until she encountered a massive obstacle.
“Move aside!” the Umbrella commanded the Mountain.
“Not a chance,” the Mountain replied with a yawn.
“Why are you so stubborn?” the Umbrella asked more calmly.
The Mountain said nothing, as if deeming the Umbrella a mere bothersome insect unworthy of her attention.
“Let me just take one look at what’s behind you,” the Umbrella pleaded. “Please. I’ve dreamed of seeing the world for so long…”
“You’ve dreamed?” the Mountain laughed. “You can’t dream! You were made just to shield people from the rain!”
“Don’t say that!” The Umbrella was almost in tears.
“Why not? Does it upset you?” the Mountain pressed. “Dreams are for idlers! I bet someone has already taken your place by now!”
“That’s not true!”
The Umbrella waited for a gust of wind and flew back home. But there, she found a surprise waiting for her. The Mountain had been right – she had been replaced. The new umbrella was stylish, colorful, and of high quality. Unlike the Umbrella – just a plain black knockoff hastily bought at a discount store.
A deep sadness engulfed the Umbrella, one that words could not convey. She’d had a normal life but had wanted more, and now she had lost everything because of her fantasies. To see the world? What nonsense! Who needs dreams anyway?
With these thoughts swirling, the Umbrella rolled through the city streets and nearly got run over by a car. But a gust of air lifted her higher, and then the wind caught her again, carrying her back to the Mountain. The Umbrella snagged her handle on the branch of a nearby tree and hung there, awaiting her end.
“So, they replaced you, huh?” the Mountain mocked. “I told you they would!”
“You did…” the Umbrella replied with a note of hopelessness in her voice.
“Then why did you come back here?”
“Because you’re my only friend…”
”I’m not your frie…!”
The Mountain fell silent mid-sentence. A friend. How long had it been since she last heard that word? A year? Two? Longer? Once, she had been covered in trees, teeming with life. Birds sang their songs twice a day, animals foraged for food, and dug burrows in her soil. Then humans had come and cut down most of the trees, leaving only a small “sweater” at her base.
Many years had passed since then. The Mountain had grown accustomed to loneliness, even convinced herself that she was better off without the pesky creatures. Until the Umbrella flew in and disrupted her solitude.
“When did I become so callous?” the Mountain thought. “I used to have dreams too, but I never moved an inch. Everyone thought I was crazy, so I gave up on myself. But this silly thing…”
“Get up!” the Mountain said to the Umbrella.
“There’s no point…”
“So you’ll just give up on your dreams so easily?”
“You said yourself that dreams are for idlers…”
“But only the truly brave have the courage to make them come true!” The Mountain tried to encourage the Umbrella. “I’m sorry for what I said.”
“Do you really think I can see the world? I’m just an ordinary Umbrella.”
“Your dreams have already made you extraordinary!” the Mountain replied. “So how much longer are you planning to hang around here?”
“What about you? Let’s travel together!”
“I’d love to, but I can only move 1–2 millimeters a year.”
“Then I’ll stay with you!” the Umbrella said firmly.
“And who said you could?!” The Mountain summoned a strong wind that lifted the Umbrella high into the sky. “Fly, Umbrella! Make your dreams come true!”
“I’ll come back and tell you everything!”
“I’ll be waiting!”
The Mountain watched the Umbrella for a long time, until she became just a tiny black dot, then disappeared over the horizon. And for the first time in many years, the Mountain felt truly happy.
