Chapter first. Eastern wind
If you want to find Cherry Lane, just ask the policeman at the intersection. He moves his helmet slightly to one side, scratches the back of his head thoughtfully, and then extends the finger of his white-gloved hand:
-To the right, then to the left, then again immediately to the right - there you are! Bon voyage!
And rest assured, if you don’t mix anything up, you will find yourself there - in the very middle of Cherry Lane: on one side there are houses, on the other there is a park, and in the middle there are cherry trees dancing in a circle.
And if you are looking for House Number Seventeen - and most likely you will, because this book is about this house - you will find it right away. Firstly, this is the most little house ik throughout the alley. In addition, this is the only house that is quite shabby and clearly needs painting. The fact is that his current owner, Mr. Banks, said to his wife, Mrs. Banks:
-Choose, dear, one of two: either a clean, nice, brand new house, or four children. I cannot provide you with both. Unable.
And, having carefully considered his proposal, Mrs. Banks came to the conclusion that it would be better if she had Jane (the eldest) and Michael (the younger) and John and Barbara (they are twins and the youngest).
That's how it was decided, and that's why the Banks family settled in Number Seventeen, and with them Mrs. Brill, who cooked for them, and Elin, who set the table, and Robertson Hey, who mowed the lawn and polished knives and boots and - as Mr. Banks never tired of repeating - “wasting my time and my money.”
And, of course, there was also Nanny Katie, who, in truth, does not deserve to be written about in this book, because at the time our story began, she had already left House Number Seventeen.
“Without saying hello or goodbye!” as Mrs. Banks put it. “Without warning!” What should I do?
“To make an announcement, my dear,” Mr. Banks replied, pulling on his shoe. “And I wouldn’t mind if Robertson Hey left too, because he cleaned one shoe again and didn’t touch the other.” People may think that I am a very one-sided person!
“It doesn’t matter at all,” said Mrs. Banks. “You still haven’t told me what to do with Nanny Katie.”
“I don’t know what you can do with her, since she’s not here,” Mr. Banks objected. “But if I were her—I mean, if I were you—I would send someone to the Morning Paper to advertise that JANE AND MICHAEL AND JOHN AND BARBARA BANKS (NOT TALKING ABOUT THEIR MOM) NEED THE BEST Nanny WITH THE SMALLEST SALAR, AND NOW! And then I would sit and watch the nannies line up at our gate, and I would be very angry with them for holding up the traffic and creating a traffic jam, so that I have to give the policeman a shilling for his troubles. And now it's time for me to run. Brrr, how cold! Like at the North Pole! Where does the wind blow from?
With these words, Mr. Banks stuck his head out the window and looked towards Admiral Boom's house. The admiral's house stood on the corner. It was the most big house in an alley, and the whole alley was very proud of it, because it looked exactly like a ship. Even in the front garden there was a mast with a flag, and on the roof there was a gilded weather vane in the shape of a telescope.
“Aha!” said Mr. Banks, hastily removing his head. “The Admiral’s telescope says that the wind is east.” I thought so. That's why my bones ache. You should wear two coats.
And he absentmindedly kissed his wife on the nose, waved to the children and went to the City.
The City was a place where Mr. Banks went every day - of course, except Sundays and holidays - and there he sat from morning to evening in a big chair at a big table and worked, or, as we say in England, made money . And the children firmly knew that dad worked all day without a break, cutting out shillings and pence and stamping half-crown and threepence coins. And in the evenings he brought them home in his black briefcase. Sometimes he would give a coin or two to Jane and Michael (in the piggy bank), and if he couldn’t, he would say: “The bank has burst,” and the guys understood that there was nothing they could do - it meant that dad made too little money today.
Well, then, Mr. Banks left with his black briefcase, and Mrs. Banks went into the living room and sat there all day and wrote to the newspapers asking for several nannies to be sent to her as soon as possible; and upstairs in the nursery, Jane and Michael looked out the window and tried to guess who they would send. They were glad that Kathy's nanny left because they didn't like her very much. She was old and fat, and she always smelled unpleasantly of medicine. Whoever came, the guys thought, it would still be better than Nanny Katie, and maybe even much better.
When the sun was about to set behind the park, Mrs. Brill and Elin came to feed the elders dinner and bathe the Twins. And after dinner, Jane and Michael sat again by the window, waiting for dad to return and listening to the east wind whistling through the bare branches of the cherry trees in the alley. The trees bent and twisted so much under its gusts that in the twilight it could seem as if they had gone crazy and were trying to tear their roots out of the ground.
“Here he comes!” Michael suddenly said, pointing to a dark silhouette that suddenly appeared in front of the gate.
Jane peered into the darkness.
“It’s not dad,” she said. “It’s someone else.”
Then the silhouette, bending and staggering under the blows of the wind, opened the gate, and the children saw that it belonged to a woman. She held her hat with one hand and carried a large bag in the other.
And suddenly - Michael and Jane couldn’t believe their eyes - as soon as the woman entered the kindergarten, she rose into the air and flew straight to the house! Yes, it was like the wind carried her first to the gate, waited for her to open, and then carried her straight to the front door.
The whole house shook when she landed!
“Wow!” said Michael.
“Let’s see who it is!” said Jane and, grabbing Michael by the hand, dragged him across the entire nursery to the landing - their favorite observation point, from where everything that was happening in the hallway was perfectly visible.
And then the guys saw their mother leaving the living room, and the stranger was following her. Her smooth, shiny black hair was visible from above. “Like a wooden doll,” Jane whispered. The stranger was thin, with large arms and legs and rather small, piercing blue eyes.
“You will see that they are very obedient children,” Mrs. Banks told her.
Michael elbowed Jane hard in the ribs.
“They won’t be any trouble,” Mrs. Banks continued, not very confidently, since she herself didn’t really believe in what she was saying.
It seemed to the guys that the guest snorted, as if she didn’t really believe it either.
“Well, what about recommendations?” Mrs. Banks continued.
“I have a rule: no recommendations,” the stranger said firmly.
Mrs. Banks was dumbfounded.
“But I think it’s accepted,” she said. “I mean... I mean, all people do it.”
“A very old-fashioned custom, in my opinion!” answered a stern voice. “Very!” Completely outdated and outdated!
I must tell you that Mrs. Banks was afraid more than anything else of seeming old-fashioned and out of date. I was terribly afraid. So she hurriedly said:
-Then very good. Let's not talk about this. I just asked in case... uh... if you wanted to. The nursery is upstairs.
And she walked forward, not stopping talking for a minute. That's why she didn't notice what was happening behind her. But Jane and Michael, watching from the upper platform, perfectly saw what an extraordinary thing the guest had done.
She rose with Mrs. Banks showing her the way. But how! Without letting go of her large bag, she simply sat down on the railing... and... calmly rode along it to the upper landing!
Jane and Michael knew very well that no one in the world could do this. Slide down the railing - please, how many times have they practiced this themselves? But to move upstairs?! It doesn't happen like that!
The amazed guys stared at the visitor...
“Well, that means everything is settled,” said my mother with a sigh of relief.
-Almost. “If, of course, it suits me,” the stranger answered, wiping her nose with a large handkerchief with large red polka dots.
“Are you here, children?” said Mrs. Banks, who finally noticed the children. “What are you doing here?” This is your new nanny, Mary Poppins. Jane, Michael, say hello. And these,” she pointed to the cradle where the babies were sleeping, “are our Twins.”
Mary Poppins carefully examined the children, each one in turn, and seemed to be deciding to herself whether she liked them or not.
“Are we right for you?” said Michael.
“Michael, behave yourself!” Mom said.
Mary Poppins calmly continued to examine the children with a searching gaze. Finally she sniffed loudly, which seemed to indicate that she had made a decision, and said:
-I accept your offer.
“And I swear to you with everything in the world,” Mrs. Banks later told her husband, “you would have thought that she had given us a special honor!”
"Why not?" - Mr. Banks responded, sticking his nose out from behind the newspaper for a moment and immediately hiding it back.
When their mother left, Jane and Michael sidled towards Mary Poppins, who continued to stand as still as a pillar, her hands folded on her stomach.
“How did you come?” asked Jane. “It seemed to us that you were brought by the wind.”
“It is,” answered Mary Poppins. And she unwound the scarf, took off her hat and hung it on the headboard.
It seemed that Mary Poppins was not going to talk about anything else, so Jane also kept quiet. But when Mary Poppins bent down to unpack her bag, Michael couldn't stand it.
“What a funny bag!” he said, touching it with his finger.
“Carpet!” said Mary Poppins, inserting the key into the lock.
-Is there a carpet inside?
-No! Outside!
“A-ah!” said Michael. “I see!” Although, to tell the truth, not everything was clear to him.
Meanwhile, the carpet bag was opened and, to the great surprise of Michael and Jane, it turned out to be completely empty.
“That’s it!” said Jane. “There’s nothing there at all!”
“What do you mean, there’s nothing?” asked Mary Poppins, straightening up looking as if she’d been deeply offended. “You said there’s nothing?”
And with these words, she took a starched white apron from a completely empty bag and put it on. Then she took it out big piece toilet soap, a toothbrush, a bag of hairpins, a bottle of perfume, a folding chair and a box of cough tablets.
Jane and Michael's eyes widened.
“I saw it myself!” Michael whispered. “There was absolutely nothing there!”
“Shh!” Jane whispered.
Mary Poppins took out a large bottle from her bag with a label: “Take a teaspoon before bed!”
“Is this your medicine?” Michael asked alarmed.
“No, it’s yours,” said Mary Poppins, shoving the spoon under his nose.
Michael, stunned as he was, winced and began to protest:
-I don't want! I don't need it! I won't!
But Mary Poppins did not take her eyes off him, and suddenly Michael felt that it was impossible to look at Mary Poppins and not obey. There was something strange and extraordinary about her, which made her both scary and fun!
The spoon moved even closer. Michael took a deep breath, closed his eyes and took a sip.
A blissful smile spread across his entire face. Amazing! He swallowed the medicine and smacked his tongue.
“Strawberry ice cream!” he said in delight. “Wow!” More more more!
But Mary Poppins, with the same stern expression, was already pouring a new portion - for Jane. A silvery yellowish-green liquid filled the spoon. Jane liked the potion too.
“Lemon juice with sugar,” she said and licked her lips. But, seeing that Mary Poppins was heading toward the Twins with a bottle, she tried to stop her: “Please don’t!” They are still small! It's harmful to them!
However, this did not make the slightest impression on Mary Poppins. With a warning, fierce look at Jane, she raised the spoon to John's lips.
He swallowed the drink greedily, spilling a few drops onto his bib, and Jane and Michael saw that this time there was milk in the spoon. Then Barbara got her portion; she smacked her lips and licked the spoon twice.
And then Mary Poppins poured out a new dose and solemnly took it herself.
“Rum punch,” she said, smacking her lips and capping the bottle.
Michael and Jane's eyes literally popped out of their heads in amazement, but they didn't have to be surprised for long, because Mary Poppins, having placed the wonderful bottle on the mantelpiece, turned to them.
“Now,” she said, “go to bed!”
And she helped them undress, and they noticed that the same hooks and buttons that gave Nanny Katie so much trouble, Mary Poppins unfastened on their own as soon as she looked at them.
Not even a minute had passed before the boys found themselves in bed. In the dim light of the night lamp, they continued to watch as Mary Poppins sorted out the rest of her things.
From the carpet bag she took out: seven flannel nightgowns, four linen ones, a pair of shoes, a box of dominoes, two bathing caps, an album of postcards and an umbrella - an umbrella with a handle in the shape of a parrot's head!
Finally, she pulled the trundle bed out of her bag - already made up, even with a coverlet and duvet - and placed it between John and Barbara's cribs.
Jane and Michael sat in their beds, clasping their knees with their hands, and just gawking. They couldn't say anything - they were both too shocked. But, of course, they both understood that something amazing and incomprehensible was happening in House Number Seventeen on Cherry Lane.
And Mary Poppins, throwing a flannel nightgown over her head like a tent, began to undress under it.
And then Michael, completely fascinated by everything that had happened, broke the silence.
“Mary Poppins!” he exclaimed. “You will never leave us, will you?”
There was no answer from under the flannel tent.
Alarmed, Michael could not stand it again.
“You won’t leave us, will you?” he repeated.
Mary Poppins' head appeared above her nightgown. She looked very fierce.
“One more word from this area,” she said threateningly, “and I’ll call a policeman!”
“I just wanted to say,” Michael began, confused, “that we hope that you will be with us for a long, long time...
He faltered and fell silent, all red and embarrassed. Mary Poppins silently looked from him to Jane and back. Then she snorted contemptuously.
“I’ll stay until the wind changes,” she said briefly, blew out the candle and went to bed.
“Then it’s okay,” Michael said, half to himself, half to Jane.
But Jane didn't hear him. She thought about everything that happened and what else would happen now...
That's how Mary Poppins settled in House Number Seventeen in Cherry Lane. And although sometimes some people sighed about those more ordinary and calmer days when Nanny Katie ruled the house, still, in general, everyone was glad that Mary Poppins appeared. Mr. Banks was glad because she came herself and did not hold up the traffic and he did not have to give a shilling to the policeman. Mrs. Banks was happy because she could now tell everyone that her children’s nanny was so modern that she didn’t even accept recommendations. Mrs. Brill and Elin were glad that they could now drink strong tea all day in the kitchen and not have to lead dinners in the nursery. Robertson Hey was glad because Mary Poppins only had one pair of shoes and she cleaned them herself...
But no one knew what Mary Poppins herself thought about this, because Mary Poppins never told anyone anything...

Add a fairy tale to Facebook, VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, My World, Twitter or Bookmarks

Pamela Travers

Mary Poppins from Cherry Street

Chapter 1. East wind

Want to get to Cherry Street? It's quite simple. Approach the policeman at the intersection. He will slightly shift his helmet to one side, scratch the back of his head in concentration, extend his white gloved finger forward and say:

– First turn right, then left, right again - and you’re on Vishnevaya. All the best!

Walk, as the policeman said, and you will find yourself on Cherry Street, with houses on one side, a park on the other, and cherries growing right in the middle. You, of course, will look for house No. 17, because this story is about it, and you will immediately find it. Firstly, this is the smallest house on Vishnevaya, and secondly, it is the oldest and shabby. The fact is that Mr. Banks, who lives in this house, once asked Mrs. Banks what she wanted - a new beautiful expensive house or four children? He cannot afford both.

Mrs. Banks thought carefully and decided that she preferred four children. And so Jane and Michael were born, first one after another, and then twins - John and Barbara. That's why the Banks family lived on Cherry Street at No. 17. Mrs. Brill cooked for the family, Ellen set the table, and Robertson Hey mowed the lawn, polished knives and shoes, in short, as Mr. Banks put it, wasted his time and his money. .

And their nanny Kate also lived with them, who is hardly worth mentioning, because by the very beginning of this story she had already parted with house No. 17.

– She left without warning. She announced her resignation and left the same day. What should we do now? – Mrs. Banks lamented.

- Like what? said Mr. Banks, putting on his shoes. - Place an ad in the newspaper. It would be nice if Robertson Hey left without warning. He cleaned one shoe again. Agree, I look a little askew today.

- What importance! You didn't answer what we should do with Nanny Kate.

“An idle question, because Katie is no longer here,” Mr. Banks objected. “If I were you, I would waste no time in placing an ad in the Morning Paper: “Jane, Michael, John and Barbara Banks (not to mention their mother) require the best nanny in the world for the most modest price, and immediately.” A line of the best nannies in the world will immediately form behind the gate. They will block the entire street, block traffic, I will have to pay the police a million, and I will be very angry. Well, I have to go! Phew, it's as cold as the North Pole. Has the east wind blown? With these words, Mr. Banks leaned out of the window and looked at the end of the street, where Admiral Boom's house stood. It was the most magnificent house on Vishnevaya. Cherry was very proud of it - after all, it looked like a real ship. Behind the fence there was a flagpole on which a flag fluttered, and on the roof a gilded weather vane in the shape of a telescope was spinning.

- This is true! - exclaimed Mr. Banks, hastily closing the window. – The Admiral’s weather vane shows the east wind. No wonder my bones ache in the morning. I'll probably put on a second coat.

He absentmindedly kissed his wife on the nose, waved to the children and headed off to the City.

Mr. Banks went to the City every day, except, of course, Sundays and holidays. He sat there on a high chair at a small desk and made money. All day he cut out pennies and shillings, crowns and threepence. And he brought them home in a small black suitcase. Sometimes he gave the children coins, and they threw them into piggy banks. But it happened that there were no coins, and he would say: “The bank is under repair,” and everyone understood that he had cut out very little money that day.

Mr. Banks left with his suitcase for the City, and Mrs. Banks went into the living room and began writing letters to the newspapers, asking them to urgently send her nannies and as many as possible; and Michael and Jane were sitting upstairs in the nursery, looking out the window, waiting for the nannies to appear. They were glad that Kate's nanny was gone. They didn’t like her at all - she was old, fat and smelled of “pearl barley broth”, which she loved to use for treatment. The new nanny will probably be at least a little better than Kate.

It was quickly getting dark outside the window, and the sky above the park became completely dark. Mrs. Brill and Ellen brought dinner to the nursery and washed the twins. After eating, Jane and Michael sat again by the window, waiting for Mr. Banks to return from the City, and listened to the east wind howling through the bare branches of the cherry trees. The trees bent, swayed, seemed to even jump, as if they wanted to tear their roots out of the ground. - It’s coming, it’s coming! – Michael pointed his finger at a figure who had hit the gate heavily. Jane peered into the deepening darkness.

“It’s not him,” Jane said. - This is someone completely different.

The unfamiliar figure was bent and even tossed by the force of the wind; the children saw that it was a woman; she somehow managed to open the latch, although she had a large bag in one hand, and with the other she kept holding her hat. The woman entered the gate, and then a strange thing happened: another gust of wind picked up the stranger and carried her through the air to the very porch. It seemed that the wind first carried the woman to the gate, waited until she opened it, picked it up again and threw her at the very porch along with her bag and umbrella. The knock was so loud that the whole house shook. - That's great! Real magic! - said Michael. - Let's go see who it is! - Jane called; Taking her brother by the hand, she pulled him away from the window and led him to the stairs. From here, from the top step, it was clearly visible what was happening in the hallway.

Soon my mother came out of the living room, accompanied by an unfamiliar guest. She had shiny black hair. “Like a Dutch doll,” Jane whispered. And she was thin, with big arms and legs and tiny blue eyes that seemed to pierce right through you.

“You will see, these are wonderful children,” Mrs. Banks said.

Michael nudged Jane with his sharp elbow.

“There are no worries with them,” Mrs. Banks assured her guest, as if she herself did not believe her words. The guest snorted; she probably didn’t believe it either.

“But I thought... it was a common thing...” she stammered. “I mean, I thought everyone did this.”

And I must say that Mrs. Banks was afraid more than anything else of looking old-fashioned.

“Yes, yes, of course,” she hastily agreed. - Let's not talk about them anymore. Why did I start a conversation... uh... what if you need letters of recommendation... The nursery is upstairs.

And she led the stranger to the stairs, not stopping for a second. Maybe that's why she didn't notice what was happening behind her. But Jane and Michael clearly saw from above what the guest was doing, walking behind Mrs. Banks.

Clutching her huge bag to her chest, she sat down on the railing and in an instant found herself on the upper platform. Certainly no one has ever done this before. Down please. Jane and Michael slid down the railing many times. But never up. And they, wide-eyed, looked at the guest.

“Well, then, we agreed,” a sigh of relief escaped from my mother’s chest.

Mary Poppins looked from Jane to Michael and back again, as if she was wondering whether she liked them or not.

- Well, are we coming? – Michael asked.

– Michael, how are you behaving! - Mom got angry. Mary Poppins looked at the children for a long time. Then she snorted loudly and protractedly, which apparently meant that the die had been cast. And she said loudly:

- I stay.

* * *

“She said it like that,” Mrs. Banks later said to her husband, “as if she had shown us a great favor.”

“Perhaps it is so,” answered Mr. Banks, sticking his nose out from behind the newspaper for one second.

- How did you come here? – Jane asked Mary Poppins. “It seemed to me that you were carried by the wind.”

“It’s here,” Mary Poppins answered briefly, unwound her scarf, took off her hat and hung it on the headboard.

Mary Poppins was clearly not in the mood to talk. She snorted every now and then, and Jane suppressed a sigh and fell silent. But when Mary Poppins bent over the bag, Michael could not stand it.

– What a strange bag! - he said and touched it with his fingers.

“Carpet,” answered Mary Poppins and inserted a small key into the lock.

– To wear carpets?

- Made from carpet.

“Ah,” said Michael, “I see.” “Although he didn’t understand anything.”

Finally the bag was opened and, to Michael and Jane's surprise, it was completely empty.

- Oh! There’s nothing in the bag,” Jane said.

- How is it not? – Mary Poppins straightened up and looked at her angrily, as if Jane had offended her greatly. - Are you saying no?

With these words, she took a white starched apron from her bag and tied it over her dress. Then she pulled out a large yellow bar of soap, a toothbrush, a pack of hairpins, a bottle of perfume, a small folding chair and a box of sweet throat pills.

Jane and Michael couldn't take their eyes off her. “But I saw it myself,” Michael whispered. – The bag was completely empty. “Tes,” Jane hissed, watching Mary Poppins take out a large bottle from her bag with the inscription: “One teaspoon before bed.”

There was a spoon tied to the neck of the bottle. Mary Poppins poured a dark red liquid into this spoon.

– Is this your medicine? – Michael asked curiously.

“No, it’s yours,” said Mary Poppins and handed him the spoon.

“I don’t want to drink this stuff,” Michael wrinkled his nose. - I won't drink. I'm not sick! - he shouted.

But Mary Poppins looked at him so much that he realized that Mary Poppins was not to be trifled with. There was something unusual, frightening and exciting about her. As the spoon approached, Michael sighed, closed his eyes, and sucked the medicine into his mouth. A blissful smile spread across his face. Wow, what sweetness! He moved his tongue in his mouth and swallowed.

- Strawberry ice cream! - he exclaimed. - You can still?

But Mary Poppins, with an inscrutable face, was already pouring out the medicine for Jane. A golden-green thick liquid flowed into the spoon. Jane, without arguing, drank her portion.

“Lemon syrup,” she said, licking her lips with pleasure.

And Mary Poppins was already bringing the bottle to the kids.

“Please don’t give it to them,” Jane begged. – They are still very small. It's harmful to them. Please!

But Mary Poppins didn't hear; looking at Jane with the look of a tamer, she shoved the spoon into John's mouth. John swallowed the contents with great pleasure, a few drops fell onto his bib, and Jane and Michael saw that this time Mary Poppins had milk in her spoon. Barbara also got her share and licked the spoon twice.

It was the turn of Mary Poppins herself, she poured herself a spoonful and swallowed the medicine with feeling.

“Rum punch,” she smacked her lips, capped the bottle and tied a spoon to the neck.

Jane and Michael looked at her with wide eyes, the miracles did not end there. Having placed the bottle on the mantelpiece, Mary Poppins turned to the children.

“Now go to sleep immediately,” she said and began to undress them. Nanny Kate groaned and groaned for a long time over every button, over every hook, and Mary Poppins seemed to have everything unbuttoned by itself. Not even a minute had passed before Jane and Michael were in their beds and in the dim light street lamp watched as Mary Poppins continued to take her things out of the bottomless bag. In turn, seven flannelette nightgowns, four simple ones, and a pair of shoes appeared in the light of day. high heels, a box of dominoes, two bath caps and an album of postcards. It all ended with a cot with a blanket and a feather bed; Mary Poppins placed her between John and Barbara's beds and began to settle down.

Jane and Michael sat in their beds, hugging their knees, watching. It was clear to them that in house No. 17 on Cherry Street it had begun. new life.

Mary Poppins began to pull her nightgown over her head and stopped when the top of her head appeared: it looked like a hut, and Mary Poppins began to undress in it. Michael looked fascinated at all her actions.

- Mary Poppins! – he suddenly exclaimed. -You will never, ever leave us?

There was no sound in response. Michael became alarmed.

-Will you never leave us? - he repeated.

Mary Poppins' head appeared from the neckline of her shirt, her eyes flashing thunder and lightning.

“One more word,” she said menacingly, “and I’ll call the policeman.”

“Forgive me, I just wanted to say,” Michael began timidly, “we don’t want you to leave us.” “He fell silent in embarrassment, his cheeks flushed.

Mary Poppins looked at him, at Jane, snorted and said briefly:

“I’ll leave when the wind changes.”

She blew out the candle and went to bed.

“Great,” Michael said, either to himself or to Jane. But Jane didn't hear. She was lost in thought - what happened in their house?

So Mary Poppins settled in house No. 17 on Cherry Street. And although sometimes one of the Bankses, adults and children, recalled with a sigh of regret the quiet, serene reign of nanny Kate, everyone was generally glad that Mary Popline fell to them literally out of the blue. Mr. Banks was glad that Mary Popline came alone, without disturbing the traffic on the street. And the policeman does not have to pay a fine. Mrs. Banks was also happy, she proudly told her friends what an ultra-modern new nanny they had - letters of recommendation for her did not exist at all. And Mrs. Brill and Ellen were simply happy - they sat in the kitchen all day long and drank countless cups of the strongest tea, because now they did not have to feed the entire brood and put them to bed. And the boy Robertson Hey was pleased with Mary Poppins - she had only one pair of shoes, and she cleaned those herself.

But no one knew how Mary Poppins herself felt, because Mary Poppins never revealed her secrets to anyone.

Chapter 2. Day off

“Every third Thursday,” said Mrs. Banks, “from two to five.”

Mary Poppins glared at her.

- IN nice houses“Madam,” she said gravely, “the day off is every second Thursday from one to six.” This is my condition, otherwise I...” Mary Poppins fell silent meaningfully, and Mrs. Banks realized that if she did not agree, Mary Poppins would leave them.

“Well, let it be every second,” she nodded, thinking at the same time: it’s a shame that Mary Poppins knows life in good houses to such subtleties.

And so Mary Poppins pulled on her white gloves and put her umbrella under her arm: it wasn’t raining, but the umbrella had such a wonderful handle that you simply couldn’t leave it at home. And you wouldn’t leave it if you had a parrot’s head on your umbrella instead of a handle. In addition, Mary Poppins was a very vain person and loved to look the most spectacular. However, she had no doubt that this is exactly what she always looked like.

Jane waved after her from the nursery window.

- Where are you going? – she asked.

“Please close the window,” Mary Poppins said sternly, and Jane’s head immediately disappeared.

Mary Poppins went out the gate and, finding herself on the street, almost ran, as if she was afraid not to keep up with the passing day.

At the corner she turned right, then left, nodded proudly to the policeman, who responded by complimenting the weather, and only then did she feel that the day off had begun.

She stopped at a car in which there was no one, looked out the windshield, straightened her hat, smoothed her dress and pressed her umbrella tightly with her elbow, making sure that its handle, or rather the head of the parrot, was visible to the entire street. Mary Poppins had a date with the Matchmaker today.

The Matchmaker had two professions. Firstly, he sold matches on the street, like all ordinary matchmakers, but he also drew on the sidewalk. What he was doing at a given moment depended on the weather. If it was raining outside, he sold matches - what pictures! If the sun was shining, he crawled on his knees on the asphalt all day, drawing his wondrous pictures with colored chalk. He drew them quickly: while you walked from intersection to intersection, he managed to cover both sides of the street with the creations of his imagination.

That day it was cold but clear, and the Matchmaker was drawing. He was just finishing two bananas, an apple and Queen Elizabeth, completing a whole gallery of paintings with her, when Mary Poppins tiptoed up behind him.

- Hey! – she quietly called out to the Matchmaker.

He didn’t see or hear anything, he had just made brown dots on the bananas and was now using the same chalk to mark out Queen Elizabeth’s curls.

“Cough,” Mary Poppins coughed, as only true ladies can cough.

The matchmaker shuddered, raised his head and saw her.

Mary Poppins looked down and ran the toe of her shoe twice across the asphalt. Then she smiled at Myk, but the smile was such that Myk admitted with chagrin that this smile was clearly not intended for him.

“Today is my day, Bert,” said Mary. - Day of rest. Don't you remember?

The matchmaker's name was Bert. On Sundays they called him Herbert Alfred.

- Of course I remember, Mary! - he exclaimed. Just see what... - he fell silent and looked sadly at his cap, lying on the sidewalk next to the last picture: only one twopence glittered in it.

“Is that all you have, Bert?” - said Mary Poppins, and her voice was so cheerful that Bert would never have guessed that she was sad too.

“Yes, that’s it,” Bert responded. – Revenue today is very bad. Look, it would seem impossible not to fork out money after seeing such beauty,” and he nodded at Queen Elizabeth. “That’s it, Mary,” he sighed. “I’m afraid that I won’t be able to treat you to tea today.”

Mary Popline remembered the donuts with raspberry jam that she treated herself to every weekend, and almost sighed, but caught herself in time when she saw the Matchmaker’s face. And she deftly turned her sigh into a radiant smile.

“It’s nothing, Bert,” she said. - Don't be upset. I didn't even want to drink tea. What a pleasure it is to drink tea! Waste of time.

Agree, Mary Poppins behaved very nobly - after all, she loved donuts with raspberry jam!

The matchmaker thought so too; he took her white-gloved hand in his and shook it firmly. And together they began to look at the wonderful color pictures.

– Now I’ll show you such a beauty! “You haven’t seen it yet,” he said proudly, leading her to the mountain; The top of the mountain was covered with snow, and the slopes were strewn with huge roses on which green grasshoppers sat.

This time a sigh escaped Mary Poppins, which did not upset her friend at all.

- Oh, Bert! – Mary whispered. - Amazing!

With this word, Mary Poppins wanted to say that Bert’s painting deserves to hang in the Royal Academy (and Bert understood it) - such a large room where people exhibit their paintings. Anyone who wants can come and admire; They look at them for a long time, for a long, long time, and suddenly someone says: “Oh, God, how similar!”

The matchmaker led Mary to the next picture, even more beautiful. It was a landscape - trees, grass, and in the depths - a blue speck of the sea.

- My God! - Mary Poppins exclaimed, bending down to get a better look, but then straightened up: - What's wrong with you, Bert?

The matchmaker took her other hand, he looked unusually excited.

– Mary, this thought occurred to me! Why don't we enter there, into this picture, right now, this minute? Eh, Mary? - and, holding her hands, he pulled her out of this street, away from the cast-iron fence and lampposts. Oh! Now they are already there, in the very center of the picture.

How green it was here, how peaceful, how tender the grass was under their feet! No, It is Immpossible! Why is it impossible? Green branches rustle against their hats, and flowers as bright as a rainbow dance around their feet. Mary and Bert looked at each other - and how they themselves had changed! The Matchmaker was wearing a completely new suit - a green and red striped frock coat and white trousers, and his head was crowned with a brand new straw hat. And he was all shining like a new sixpence.

- Oh, Bert, how handsome you are! – Mary admired.

Bert was speechless for a moment; he himself could not take his eyes off Mary. Finally he caught his breath and exclaimed: “How great!”

And he didn’t add another word. But he looked with such delight that Mary took a mirror out of her bag and looked into it.

She too has changed. Her shoulders were wrapped in a lovely silk cape in bright patterns, and her neck was gently tickled by a long ostrich feather flowing from the brim of her hat. Her best shoes were gone, replaced by shoes of indescribable beauty with shiny diamond buckles. He had the same white gloves on his hands and a priceless umbrella under his arm.

- My God! - exclaimed Mary Poppins. – This is really a day off!

Admiring each other and themselves, they moved deeper into the grove and soon came out into a sunlit clearing. And, imagine, afternoon tea awaited them on the green table!

There are green chairs around the table, in the middle of it there is a mountain of donuts almost reaching to the sky, and next to it is a large copper teapot. But the most beautiful thing is two plates of shrimp and, of course, two forks - you can’t eat them with your hands.

- Pinch me! - said Mary Poppins: her favorite exclamation when she is very pleased.

- How amazing! – picked up the Matchmaker. This was his favorite exclamation.

- Please sit down, madam! – someone’s voice was heard.

The friends turned around and saw a tall man coming out of the grove in a black tuxedo and with a snow-white napkin slung over his arm.

Mary Poppins was so amazed that her knees buckled and she did not sit down, but fell onto the green chair with such a noise as if a firecracker had burst. The matchmaker, wide-eyed, plopped down opposite.

- Shall I pour some tea? – the waiter asked and, without waiting for an answer, poured two full cups of fragrant tea.

Mary and Bert drank two cups each and ate a whole mountain of donuts. Then they stood up from the table and brushed the crumbs off the tablecloth.

“You don’t have to pay,” the waiter said before they could ask for the bill. - Today is your holiday. There's a carousel there. - And he waved his hand towards the lawn. Mary and Bert looked there - and sure enough, wooden horses were circling around the painted pillar.

“It’s still strange,” Mary said to Popline. – After all, they weren’t in the picture either.

“Hmm,” The matchmaker didn’t remember the carousel either. “They were probably in the background.”

We approached the carousel, which immediately slowed down. Mary Poppins jumped onto the back of the black horse, and Matchmaker onto the gray one. The music started playing, and they galloped off - where do you think? - of course, to Yarmouth - after all, they had wanted to see this city for a very long time. The road is long, and they returned when it began to get dark.

And immediately everything changed again: the ostrich feather fell from Mary’s hat, the silk cape came off her shoulders, the diamonds disappeared from her shoes. The bright colors on the Matchmaker's costume have faded, the straw hat has turned into an old, shabby cap. Mary Poppins looked at him and immediately understood what had happened - they returned to the same street, to the same fence. They were standing on the sidewalk. Mary looked at the chalk grove, looking for the waiter. But there was no one in the picture. Everything about her was dead and motionless. The carousels disappeared too. All that remained were trees, grass and a blue speck of sea.

But Mary Poppins and the Matchmaker looked at each other and smiled. They knew what was hiding there, in the depths of the grove behind the trees.

When Mary returned home in the evening, Jane and Michael rushed to meet her.

- Where have you been? – the children shouted vying with each other.

- In Fairyland.

They were going to visit Mary Poppins's uncle, Mr. Curly, and Jane and Michael had dreamed about this for so long that now, naturally, they were worried that their uncle would not be at home.

- Why is his name Mr. Curly? Because he's curly? – Michael asked, barely keeping up with Mary Poppins.

“His name is Mr. Curly because that’s his last name.” He doesn't have any curls. “He’s bald,” said Mary Poppins. “And if I hear one more question, we’ll go home right away.” – And she snorted disapprovingly, as usual.

Jane and Michael looked at each other and frowned, which meant: “Let’s not ask her anything anymore, otherwise we’ll really have to go home.”

On the corner near the tobacconist's shop, Mary Poppins adjusted her hat so that it sat straight on her. The window at this shop was very strange: if you look into it, you will see three copies of yourself, and if you look longer, it will soon begin to seem that it is not you, but a whole crowd of strangers. Mary Poppins just gasped with pleasure when she saw three Mary Poppins wearing a blue coat with silver buttons and a matching blue hat. This sight seemed so beautiful to her that she was not averse to seeing a dozen, no, three dozen identical Marys. The bigger, the better.

To the reader

Are you familiar with Mary Poppins?

Very, very strange!

After all, she is extremely famous! Not one, not two, or even three, but FOUR books have been written about her!

And remember - even only one book has been written about such celebrities as Robinson Crusoe or Pinocchio!

About Mary Poppins, first of all, it must be said that...

However, it is not worth talking about it here in the preface. There is a whole book in front of you, and what is not said in the book cannot be told on one page. I will only note that if Mary Poppins seems too strict and even harsh to you at first, do not be alarmed. It is easy to understand that if she had only been strict, she would hardly have been so loved by these mischievous Jane and Michael Banks, and after them by all the guys, without exception, who managed to meet Mary.

It remains to add one more thing.

Firstly, all the books about her adventures were written by the English writer P. L. Travers, for which she Thanks a lot.

And secondly, there are only half of the stories about Mary Poppins (from the first and second books). If you are VERY sorry to part with Mary, then maybe (I don’t promise, but I hope!), maybe you and I will be able to persuade her to come back to us again and tell us about everything else...

Boris Zakhoder

Part one
House No. 17

Chapter first
Eastern wind

If you want to find Cherry Lane, just ask the policeman at the intersection. He moves his helmet slightly to one side, scratches the back of his head thoughtfully, and then extends the finger of his white-gloved hand:

Right, then left, then right again - and there you are! Bon voyage!

And rest assured, if you don’t mix anything up, you will find yourself there - in the very middle of Cherry Lane: on one side there are houses, on the other there is a park, and in the middle there are cherry trees dancing in a circle.

And if you are looking for House Number Seventeen - and most likely you will be, because this book is exactly about this house - you will find it right away. Firstly, this is the smallest house in the entire alley. In addition, this is the only house that is quite shabby and clearly needs painting. The fact is that his current owner, Mr. Banks, said to his wife, Mrs. Banks:

Choose, dear, one of two things: either a clean, nice, brand new house, or four children. I cannot provide you with both. Unable.

And, having carefully considered his proposal, Mrs. Banks came to the conclusion that it would be better if she had Jane (the eldest) and Michael (the younger) and John and Barbara (they are twins and the youngest).

That's how it was decided, and that's why the Banks family settled in Number Seventeen, and with them Mrs. Brill, who cooked for them, and Elin, who set the table, and Robertson Hey, who mowed the lawn and polished knives and boots and - as Mr. Banks never tired of repeating - “wasting my time and my money.”

And, of course, there was also Nanny Katie, who, in truth, does not deserve to be written about in this book, because at the time our story began, she had already left House Number Seventeen.

Without saying hello or goodbye! - as Mrs. Banks put it. - Without warning! What should I do?

“Advertise, my dear,” Mr. Banks replied, pulling on his shoe. “And I wouldn’t mind if Robertson Hey left too, because he cleaned one shoe again and didn’t touch the other.” People may think that I am a very one-sided person!

It doesn't matter at all,” said Mrs. Banks. - You still haven’t told me what to do with nanny Katie.

I don’t know what you can do with her, since she’s not here,” Mr. Banks objected. “But if I were her—I mean, if I were you—I would send someone to the Morning Paper to advertise that JANE AND MICHAEL AND JOHN AND BARBARA BANKS (NOT TALKING ABOUT THEIR MOM) WANTED TO THE BEST NANNY WITH THE SMALLEST SALRY, AND IMMEDIATELY! And then I would sit and watch the nannies line up at our gate, and I would be very angry with them for holding up the traffic and creating a traffic jam, so that I have to give the policeman a shilling for his troubles. And now it's time for me to run. Brrr, how cold! Like at the North Pole! Where does the wind blow from?

With these words, Mr. Banks stuck his head out the window and looked towards Admiral Boom's house. The admiral's house stood on the corner. It was the largest house in the alley, and the whole alley was very proud of it, because it looked exactly like a ship. Even in the front garden there was a mast with a flag, and on the roof there was a gilded weather vane in the shape of a telescope.

Yeah! - said Mr. Banks, hastily removing his head. - The Admiral's telescope says that the wind is east. I thought so. That's why my bones ache. You should wear two coats.

And he absentmindedly kissed his wife on the nose, waved to the children and went to the City.

The City was a place where Mr. Banks went every day - of course, except Sundays and holidays - and there he sat from morning to evening in a big chair at a big table and worked, or, as we say in England, made money . And the children firmly knew that dad worked all day without a break, cutting out shillings and pence and stamping half-crown and threepence coins. And in the evenings he brought them home in his black briefcase. Sometimes he would give a coin or two to Jane and Michael (in the piggy bank), and if he couldn’t, he would say: “The bank has burst,” and the guys understood that there was nothing they could do - it meant that dad made too little money today.

Part two

Mary Poppins returns

Chapter first

It was a wonderful morning - the kind of morning when everything sparkles and shines with cleanliness, as if the whole world had been given a spring cleaning at night.

The clear shadows of the cherry trees lay neatly across the alley; the windows of the houses flashed and blinked - the shutters and blinds were already opening. But not a sound was heard anywhere, only the bell of the ice cream man was ringing as he rolled his cart back and forth.

“Don't pass by! Try!" - read the banner mounted on the cart.

And then a chimney sweep appeared from around the corner and raised his black hand, smeared with soot.

The ice cream man rolled up to him with a clang.

On a penny! - the chimney sweep said laconically.

He leaned on his panicles and began to lick the ice cream with the tip of his tongue.

When the waffle cone was empty, he wrapped it in a handkerchief and hid it in his pocket.

You don't eat waffles? - asked the ice cream man, very surprised.

No. “I’m putting together a collection,” said the chimney sweep.

He collected the brooms and entered Admiral Boom's house through the front door - after all, there was no back door there, unlike Miss Lark's house...

The ice cream man rolled his cart down the alley again, still ringing his bell.

“It’s strange,” he muttered, “it’s never been so quiet here!”

And at the very moment when he looked around in search of customers, a loud scream came from House Number Seventeen.

The ice cream man hurriedly wheeled his cart there, hoping for an order.

I have no strength! I don't have any powers anymore!? - Mr. Banks shouted, running furiously from the front door to the stairs.

What's happened? - Mrs. Banks asked in fear, running out of the dining room. -What are you kicking there?

Mr. Banks kicked again with all his might, and something black repented up the stairs.

My hat! - he grumbled through his teeth. - My ceremonial bowler hat!

He ran up the stairs and kicked his hat again. The bowler hat spun like a top on the tiled floor and rolled at Mrs. Banks' feet.

What happened to him? - Mrs. Banks asked worriedly.

She was privately worried that something had happened to her husband.

Look - you'll see! - he roared.

Mrs. Banks, trembling, bent down and picked up her hat. The whole pot was covered with large stains; they were sticky and smelled of something.

Mrs. Banks sniffed the brim of her hat.

“It smells like shoe polish,” she said.

This is shoe polish! - Mr. Banks barked. - Robertson Hey cleaned my hat with a shoe brush! Navaksil my pot!

Mrs. Banks's face fell.

God knows what's going on in this house! - Mr. Banks continued. - Everything is upside down! Everything is upside down! The shaving water is too hot, the coffee is cold! And now this!

He snatched the hat from his wife's hands and grabbed his briefcase.

I'm leaving! - he announced. - And I don’t know whether I’ll come back or not! Most likely, I will go on a long voyage!

Then he pulled on the ill-fated headdress, slammed the door with a bang and ran out of the gate so quickly that he knocked down the ice cream man, who had been listening with interest to their conversation all this time.

It's your own fault! - Mr. Banks said grumpily. - There’s no point in hanging around here!

And he rushed down the lane into the City, his polished bowler hat sparkling in the sun like a jewel.

The ice cream man carefully got up and, making sure that all the bones were intact, sat down on the edge of the sidewalk and rewarded himself with a large portion of ice cream...

Oh my God! - Mrs. Banks said as the gate slammed shut. - It is so indeed. Everything is upside down! First one thing, then another. Ever since Mary Poppins left us, everything has been going wrong!

She sat down on the bottom step of the stairs leading to the nursery, took out her handkerchief and burst into tears.

And, crying, she remembered everything that had happened since the day when Mary Poppins so unexpectedly and mysteriously disappeared.

Shortly after she left, Nanny Green showed up and left without even living a week because Michael spat on her. She was replaced by Nanny Brown, who went for a walk one afternoon and disappeared. And only after for a long time they discovered that all the silver spoons had disappeared with her...

Then came Miss Quigley, the governess, whom I had to part with because she was in the habit of being in the morning - before breakfast! - playing scales for three hours, and Mr. Banks was not particularly fond of music.

And then,” Mrs. Banks sobbed into her handkerchief, “then Jane had measles, and the shower burst in the bathroom, and the cherries were beaten by frost, and ...

Sorry, ma'am!

Mrs. Banks looked up and saw Mrs. Brill, the cook.

There is soot burning in the chimney in the kitchen! - Mrs. Brill announced gloomily.

Oh my God! Only this was not enough! - Mrs. Banks shouted. - Tell Robertson Hey, let him turn it off! Where is he?

He's sleeping, ma'am, sleeping in the closet. And when this guy is sleeping, no one in the world will wake him up - except perhaps an earthquake or a whole regiment of drummers! - said Mrs. Brill, following the hostess into the kitchen.

Somehow they managed to put out the fire themselves, but Mrs. Banks' misadventures did not end there.

Before she had time to have breakfast, there was a terrible knock, roar and ringing on the stairs.

What else is there? - Mrs. Banks jumped out from the table, hurrying to the scene.

Oh, leg, leg! - Elin, the maid, screamed. - My little head is gone!

She sat on the step among a mountain of broken dishes and moaned loudly.

What's wrong with her? - Mrs. Banks asked irritably.

Nonsense! You sprained your ankle, that's all.

But Elin moaned even louder.

Oh, leg, leg! My little head is gone! - she repeated, sobbing.

At that moment, the piercing screams of the Twins came from the nursery. They fought over a blue celluloid duck. At the same time, Michael and Jane, who were drawing on the wallpaper, were furiously arguing about which tail to draw for the green horse - red or blue. And the loudest thing in this sodom was Elin’s uniform moans, like a drumbeat:

Oh, leg, leg! My little head is gone!

Well,” said Mrs. Banks, clutching her head, “this is the last straw!”

She helped Elin to bed and applied a cold compress to her leg. Then she went up to the nursery. Jane and Michael rushed to her.

She should have a red tail, right? - Michael insisted.

Mom, don't tell him to say stupid things! There are no horses with red tails, right? - Jane did not yield.

Well, then show me the horse with the blue tail! Show me! - Michael yelled.

This is my duck! - John yelled, snatching the duck from Barbie.

Mine, mine, mine! - Barbie squealed, snatching the duck from her brother.

Mom wrung her hands in despair:

Children! Children! Shut up or I'll go crazy!

Silence reigned instantly. The boys looked at their mother with great interest. Is she really going to go crazy? And what will she be like then?

“Well,” said Mrs. Banks, “you are behaving terribly!” And poor Elin injured her ankle. There is no one to watch you. Go to the park and play there until tea. Jane and Michael, you must look after the kids. John, let Barbie play with the duck, and you take her in the evening. You can bring your new kite with you, Michael. Now, put on your hats and go!

“And I want to finish drawing the horse,” Michael began stubbornly.

Why should we go to the park! - Jane whined pitifully. - There's nothing to do there!

Then,” answered Mrs. Banks, “that I need peace!” And if you go now and behave yourself, there will be coconut cake for tea!

And before another explosion could break out, she pulled the caps down on the children and drove the entire brood downstairs.

Cross the road carefully! - she shouted after him as the guys came out of the gate.

Jane was pushing the stroller, Michael was carrying his kite.

The guys looked to the left - no one and nothing.

They looked to the right - no one there either, except for the ice cream man who was ringing his bell at the other end of the alley.

Jane moved forward decisively. Michael follows.

What kind of life is this! - he complained to his snake. - Everything is always bad!

Jane rolled the stroller to the pond and stopped.

Come on,” she said, “give me the duck!”

The kids screamed and clung to the duck with all their might. Jane unclenched their fingers with difficulty.

Look,” she said, lowering the duck into the pond. - Look, kids, she sailed to India!

The duck swam importantly through the waves. The twins looked at her and roared. Jane ran around the pond, caught a duck and sent it on its way back.

And now,” she said cheerfully, “she is sailing to England!”

Gemini didn't seem very amused by this.

And now to America.

They roared even louder.

Jane clasped her hands.

Michael, what should we do with them? Give them a duck - they will fight, don’t give it - they will whine!

I'll fly a kite now! - said Michael. - Look, children, look!

He picked up a beautiful, yellow-green kite and began to unwind the twine.

The twins watched him without much interest. Their eyes were full of tears.

Michael raised the kite high above his head and ran. The snake flew up a little and immediately plopped down on the grass.

Let's do it again! - Jane encouraged her brother.

“You hold me when I run,” Michael said.

This time the kite flew a little higher. But his long, tasseled tail got caught in the branches of a large linden tree; the string became entangled, and the kite hung helplessly on the tree.

The twins howled loudly.

Oh my God! - said Jane. - Nothing works today!

Hey Hey hey! What it is? - a stern voice sounded from behind.

The guys turned around and saw a park watchman in a red uniform jacket and cap. He picked up scattered pieces of paper, stringing them onto a pointed stick.

Jane pointed to the linden tree. The watchman looked up, and his face became very stern.

Ah ah ah! You broke the rules! This is no good! Don't you know it - littering is not allowed here! Neither on the ground nor in the trees!

“This is not rubbish,” Michael said indignantly. - It's a snake!

The watchman came closer to the linden tree and suddenly broke into a joyful, good-natured, even slightly stupid smile:

That's right, snake! And I, guys, haven’t flown a kite for a very, very long time - since I was a boy!

He instantly climbed the tree and descended, carefully holding the kite under his arm.

Let's launch now! - he said joyfully. - Let’s wind the string, and he’ll fly like crazy!

He held out his hand for the reel. Michael clutched the reel tightly in his hand.

Thank you, I want it myself.

Let's get together, huh? - the watchman said pleadingly. - I got it for you, don’t forget. And I haven't flown a kite since I was a boy!

Okay,” Michael said, not wanting to be rude.

Well, thank you! - the watchman was happy. - So, I’ll take the kite and walk ten steps along the lawn. And when I say “let’s go,” you’ll run. Is it coming?

The watchman moved, counting his steps out loud:

- …eight nine ten!

He turned around and raised the kite above his head.

Let's go! - he shouted.

Michael started running.

The string pulled tight and the spool spun in his hand.

Let's go! - repeated the watchman.

Michael turned around. The snake was rapidly gaining altitude. He, like a rocket, rose higher and higher into the sky, flicking his tail.

The watchman's eyes widened.

I have never seen such a snake in my life, even when I was a boy! - he muttered.

Here a light cloud covered the sun for a moment. And it began to get closer.

It flies straight towards our kite! - Jane said in an excited whisper.

And the snake kept rising - quickly and confidently.

Now he has become a barely noticeable dark speck in the sky. The cloud slowly moved towards him. Closer, closer...

Gone! - said Michael as the speck disappeared behind a thin gray curtain.

Jane sighed slightly. There was a strange silence. Even the Geminis sat quietly in the stroller. Only the string was torn from Michael’s hands, as if trying to tie heaven and earth together...

The guys waited with bated breath for the snake to appear again.

Finally Jane couldn't stand it anymore.

Michael! - she shouted. - Drag! Bring it back!

Michael turned the spool over and pulled the string hard.

She didn't give in. He tugged and tugged, puffing and puffing.

I can not! - he said. - It doesn’t work!

“Let me help,” Jane said. - Come on!

But no matter how they pulled, the string did not give way, and the snake did not come out from behind the cloud.

Give it to me,” the watchman said importantly. - When I was a boy, we did it like this. - And he grabbed the string above Jane’s hand and gave it a short, strong tug.

The string seemed to move slightly.

Well, everyone took it together!

The watchman threw off his cap, Jane and Michael planted their feet firmly on the ground, and everyone began to pull as hard as they could.

It's coming! - Michael panted.

Suddenly the string loosened, and a small nimble figure broke through the cloud and smoothly went down.

Reel in! - the watchman barked, nodding to Michael.

But the twine was already wound onto the reel by itself. The snake descended lower and lower, dancing some kind of wild dance in the air.

Jane gasped.

What is it? - she shouted. - This is not our snake! This is completely different!

They took a closer look.

Absolutely right. The snake turned from yellow-green to dark blue!

And then Michael gasped.

Jane! Jane! - he yelled. - This is not a snake at all. It's like... I think it's...

Michael, get it, get it quickly! - Jane gasped. - Otherwise I'll die!

They had every reason to be worried.

Although the unknown object, descending instead of a kite on a string, soared even higher than the very tall trees, it was already possible to discern the strangely familiar outlines of a human figure...

...Dark blue coat...

...Straw hat...

...Umbrella clutched under arm...

...Carpet bag...

She! - Jane shouted jubilantly. - That's her!

I knew it! - Michael shouted, winding up the twine with his hands trembling with excitement.

Fathers! - muttered the watchman, rubbing his eyes with all his might. - Fathers!

...Silver buttons flashed... It became visible how the flowers on the hat swayed... And finally the sun illuminated well-known features - brilliant blue eyes, a snub nose and coal-black hair, like that of a wooden doll.

And when the figure carefully and smoothly sank onto the lawn under the linden tree, there was no doubt left!

The guys rushed there headlong.

Mary Poppins! Mary Poppins! - they shouted.

Both instantly hung on her.

The twins in the stroller crowed like roosters at dawn. The watchman opened and closed his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but could not find the words.

We've waited! We've waited! We've waited! - Michael screamed like a stabbed man, grabbing her hand, then her bag, then her umbrella - he didn’t care what, just to feel that she was really here.

We knew you would come back! We found a letter with an orevoir! - Jane screamed, hugging the blue coat with all her might.

A satisfied smile lit up Mary Poppins' face for a moment. The mouth, nose, and blue eyes smiled. But only for a moment.

You will greatly oblige me,” she said, freeing herself from the child’s arms, “if you remember that you are in public place. This is a city park, not a zoo! How are you behaving? And where, may I ask, are your gloves?

The boys began to frantically rummage through their pockets.

Hmm! Put them on, please!

Trembling with happiness and excitement, Jane and Michael pulled on their gloves and hats.

Mary Poppins walked up to the carriage. The twins cooed happily as she made them comfortable and straightened the blanket.

She looked back.

Who put this duck in the pond? she asked in the stern, stern voice they knew so well.

It's me, said Jane. - For Gemini. She is sailing to America.

Then try to get it out. She is not sailing to America - or wherever you imagine - but home to drink tea.

And, hanging her carpet bag on the handle of the stroller, she rolled the Twins towards the exit of the park.

The watchman blocked her way. The power of speech finally returned to him.

Listen! - he said, looking at her with all his eyes. - I have to write a report! It's against the rules. It is forbidden to fall from the sky here! Where did you come from, I'd like to know, huh?

He fell silent - Mary Poppins looked at him with such a look that he immediately wanted to be somewhere else.

If I were a park watchman,” she said with dignity, “I would put on my cap and button up my jacket.” Let me!

And, arrogantly dismissing him with a gesture, she moved on.

The watchman, blushing, bent down to pick up his cap. And when he looked up again, Mary Poppins and the boys had already disappeared through the gates of House Number Seventeen.

The watchman looked at the path. Then to heaven. Then back to the track.

He took off his cap, scratched the back of his head and put it on again.

I have never seen anything like this in my life! - he said, stammering. - Even when I was a boy!

And he left in confusion, continuing to mutter something.

* * *

Mary Poppins, is that you? - Mrs. Banks met her in the hallway. -Where did you come from? From the blue distance?

Yes Yes! - Michael began cheerfully. - She went down to...

He stopped short because Mary Poppins gave him a scathing look.

“I met them in the park, ma’am,” she said, turning to Mrs. Banks, “and brought them home.”

Are you going to stay with us, then?

Currently yes, ma'am.

You see, Mary Poppins, last time you left us without telling us... without warning. How can I know that you won't do this again?

“No way, ma’am,” Mary Poppins agreed calmly.

Mrs. Banks was taken aback.

But... but... you won't leave like that again, will you? - she asked uncertainly.

I can't tell you in advance, ma'am.

ABOUT! - said Mrs. Banks, because she could not think of anything better at the moment.

And before she could recover from her amazement, Mary Poppins took her carpet bag and led the children upstairs.

Mrs. Banks watched them go.

The nursery door closed quietly.

Then, sighing with relief, she ran to the phone.

Mary Poppins is back! - she said joyfully into the phone.

Is it true? - Mr. Banks said on the other end of the line. “Then I guess I’ll come back too.”

And he hung up.

* * *

Mary Poppins took off her coat and hung it on the hook by the bedroom door. Then she took off the hat and carefully placed it on the headboard.

The children watched this familiar procedure. Everything was exactly as always. I just couldn’t believe that she had disappeared somewhere.

So Mary Poppins leaned over and opened the carpet bag.

What is this for? - Jane asked curiously.

For you! - said Mary Poppins.

I'm not sick! - Jane was indignant. - I’ve had measles for two months now!

Open up! - said Mary Poppins in such a voice that Jane immediately closed her eyes and opened her mouth. And the thermometer immediately slid there. “I want to know how you behaved in my absence,” Mary Poppins said sternly.

She pulled out a thermometer and held it up to the light.

Frivolous and careless,- she read.

Jane opened her eyes wide.

And I'm not at all surprised! - said Mary Poppins and put the thermometer on Michael.

Pulling it out, she read:

Big naughty and mischievous!

Not true! - Michael said angrily.

Instead of answering, Mary Poppins thrust a thermometer under his nose, and he read from the folds:

Big sha...

Do you see? - Mary Poppins looked at him triumphantly.

Capricious and pugnacious- that was John's temperature.

And when Barbie passed the test, the thermometer showed:

Totally spoiled!

Hmm! - Mary Poppins snorted. - I guess I came back on time!

Finally she put the thermometer on herself, held it for a moment and pulled it out.

Complete perfection in every way,- she read, and a smug smile played on her face.

As you would expect,” she said proudly. - Now tea - and sleep!

It seemed to the guys that not even a minute had passed, but they had already drunk milk, ate a piece of coconut cake and had a bath. As usual, everything Mary Poppins did was done at the speed of light. Hooks and loops flew apart on their own, buttons were in a hurry to be undone, soap and a sponge were carried around like lightning, the towel was dried in one swipe.

Mary Poppins walked between the beds, straightening the blankets on the children. Her starched white apron crunched, and she smelled wonderfully of freshly toasted toast.

Walking over to Michael's crib, she bent down and felt around underneath it. A minute later, she carefully pulled out her folding bed, on which all of Mary's belongings were stacked in neat piles: a bar of Suntan toilet soap, a toothbrush, a bag of hairpins, a bottle of cologne, a folding chair and a box of cough lozenges. This was followed by seven flannel nightgowns, four paper ones, shoes, dressing gowns, two bathing caps and an album of postcards.

Jane and Michael jumped up in their cribs.

Where did all this come from? - Michael couldn’t resist. “I’ve probably crawled under the bed a hundred times, and I know there was nothing there!”

Mary Poppins didn't answer. She began to get ready for bed.

Jane and Michael looked at each other. It was useless to ask, of course, because Mary Poppins never explains anything.

Mary Poppins took off her starched white collar and undid the locket on her locket chain.

What's inside? - Michael asked, looking at the small gold medallion.

Portrait.

You will find out in due time. Not earlier.

And when will the time come?

When I leave!

The guys stared at her with frightened eyes.

Mary Poppins! - Jane screamed. - You will never leave us again, will you? Tell me what's true!

Mary Poppins looked at her intently.

“I will have a nice life,” she answered, “if I spend it all on you!”

But will you stay? - Jane begged.

Mary Poppins tossed the locket in her palm.

“I’ll stay until the chain breaks,” she said briefly.

And, throwing a nightgown over her head, she began to undress under it.

“Okay then,” Michael whispered to his sister. - I saw it - the chain is very strong.

He nodded encouragingly to Jane. They both curled up in their beds and lay watching the mysterious activities of Mary Poppins in her shirt tent. They remembered the day of her arrival in Cherry Lane and all the strange, amazing adventures that happened afterwards: and how she flew away on an umbrella when the wind changed; and long, long days of separation from her; and her miraculous return today...

Suddenly Michael sat up.

Snake! - he said. - Where is my kite? I completely forgot about him!

Mary Poppins' head appeared from the collar of her nightgown.

Snake? - she said angrily. - What kind of snake is that? What snake?

My new kite, yellow and green and with tassels! Well, the one you arrived on today! On his string!

Mary Poppins looked at him intently. It was difficult to say what was more in this look - surprise or anger; but both were enough.

If I understand you correctly,” she said slowly through her teeth, “you said that I came down from somewhere on a rope?”

But that’s how it happened! - Michael stammered. - Today. From the cloud. We saw you.

So, on a string? How's the monkey? It's me, right? So, Michael Banks?

Mary Poppins was so furious that she seemed to have become twice her size. Huge and scary, she loomed over him, waiting for an answer.

Michael grabbed the sheet for courage.

Michael, shut up! - Jane whispered warningly.

But he went too far.

Well, then - where is my kite? - he said bravely. - If you didn’t go down... uh... like I said, where is my kite then? He wasn't on the string.

Yeah! So I was? - she asked mockingly.

Michael realized there was no point in continuing. You won't achieve anything anyway. He gave up.

She turned away and turned off the light.

“Your manners,” she noted dryly, “have not improved since I left.” On a string! Just think about it! I have never been insulted so much in my life! Never!

She furiously tore off the blanket and lay down in bed, covering her head.

Michael lay very still, still clutching the sheet.

Jane! - he finally whispered. - She really came down? Is it true? We saw it ourselves!

Instead of answering, Jane pointed to the bedroom door.

There was Mary Poppins' coat hanging on a hook. Its silver buttons glittered in the weak light of the night lamp. And from the pocket hung a long rope with tassels. It was the tail of a snake - a yellow-green snake...

The guys looked at him silently for a long time.

Then they looked at each other and nodded to each other.

And what were the words for? It had long been clear to both of them: there was something about Mary Poppins that they would never understand. But she is here with them. It is most important.

Her even breathing came to them from the cot.

They felt good, peaceful and calm in their souls.

Jane! Okay, let her have a blue tail! - Michael whispered.

No, what are you talking about! - Jane whispered back. - I think you're right - red is much better.

And after that, only calm, sleepy breathing could be heard in the nursery.

* * *

P-p! Poof! - said Mr. Banks's receiver.

Click-click! - spoke the knitting needles to Mrs. Banks.

Mr. Banks put his feet on the grate and whistled slightly through his nose.

After some time, Mrs. Banks broke the silence:

Are you still thinking about long-distance sailing?

A? Mmmm... no. I'm a pretty bad sailor. By the way, my hat is in perfect order. The cleaner on the corner waxed it and it looks like new. Even better. Plus, since Mary Poppins is back, shaving water will always be just the right temperature.

Mrs. Banks smiled to herself and continued knitting. She was very glad that Mr. Banks was such a bad sailor and that Mary Poppins had returned.

In the kitchen Mrs. Brill was changing Elin's bandage.

I can’t say that I adored her very much,” she said, “but I won’t lie, the house has become completely different today. It's as quiet as Sunday, and the cleanliness shines like money. I don't mind that she's back.

Yes, I am too! - Elin said.

“Not to mention me! - thought Robertson Hey, listening to their conversation from behind the wall of the closet. “At least now a person will be left alone at least occasionally!”

He made himself comfortable on the overturned coal shovel, put his head on the brush and dozed off again.

But no one ever knew what Mary Poppins thought about all this: after all, she kept her thoughts to herself and never said anything to anyone...

Pamela Travers

Mary Poppins and the house next door

Preface

The Pan Publishing Agency and the translator express their deep gratitude to Dr. P. L. Travers and her representative Anya Corless for their assistance and support in the publication of this book.

Agency “Pan” and translator express deep gratitude to Dr P. L. Travers and her representative Anna Corless for their help and support.

So, in front of you A new book about Mary Poppins.

We all owe our first acquaintance with this extraordinary personality to Boris Zakhoder, who translated the first two books about her adventures into Russian. Mary Poppins and the House Next Door is the sixth and final book in the series. But I hope that in the very near future you will be able to read all the others: book three - “Mary Poppins Opens the Door”, book four - “Mary Poppins in the Park”, book five - “Mary Poppins in Cherry Lane”.

All of P. L. Travers' Mary Poppins books are illustrated by artist Mary Shepard, and her subtle black-and-white drawings are an integral part of the text. This is how readers of England, America and many other countries know Mary Poppins, this is how her creator sees the heroine. This is how you will see her on the pages of this book.

Where did Mary Poppins come from? Where is her home? Once again Jane and Michael ask this question. And once again this question remains unanswered.

“She came from the same well of non-existence as the poetry, myths and legends that filled my entire creative life,” the writer vaguely explains. However, Mary Poppins had quite real prototypes. Here's what Pamela Travers remembers about one of the workers in her parents' house: “At Bella's - or was her name Bertha? - there was an umbrella in the shape of a parrot's head - it fascinated me. On weekends, he would get tangled up in Bella’s frills, as I thought then; she was much more elegant than my mother, and upon her return, the owner would carefully pack him in wrapping paper and at the same time she always told us fantastic stories about what she did and saw. No, not that she told, Bella did better, she hinted. “Ah,” she said with the air of Cassandra, “if only you knew what happened to my cousin’s brother-in-law!” But in response to our pleas to continue, she assumed a magnificently mysterious look and assured that the story was completely unthinkable, and certainly not at least not for children’s ears... What she didn’t talk about was always larger than life.”

One could say that Mary Poppins was invented by the writer Pamela Travers, but she herself categorically denies this.

“I never for a moment imagined that I made her up,” writes Pamela Travers. “Perhaps she made me up, and that’s why it’s so difficult for me to write autobiographies.” For this or another reason, the information that P. L. Travers reports about himself is extremely meager and fragmentary. Its first readers had only the initials: P. L. Travers and did not even know whether the author was a man or a woman. This incognito was deliberate. Pamela Travers did not want her work to be associated with sappy, “feminine” literature for children. “I decided not to let that label of sentimentality stick on me, so I signed my name with my initials, in the hope that people wouldn’t care whether the book was written by a man, a woman, or a kangaroo.” In addition, the writer, according to her own statement, never addressed her work to children. “I always thought that Mary Poppins came only to entertain me...”

Pamela Lyndon Travers herself was born in Australia, into an Irish family. The nostalgic memories of her parents turned distant Ireland into myth, mixing legends, songs and reality into a single beautiful whole. Is this where her ability to so skillfully combine everyday life and magic comes from?

Among the books of her childhood, the writer names the works of Dickens and Scott, Shakespeare, Tennyson; Irish poetry, Lewis Carroll's Alice, Kingsley's Heroes.

In the family it was customary to speak in quotes. Little Pamela believed that Mrs Dombey was one of her names, for, being a “passionately lazy child,” she heard every now and then: “Make an effort, Mrs Dombey!” The misconception was dispelled only when she took up Dickens. And the mother asked her crying daughter: “O knight in armor, what is eating you?” Literature mixed with life, reality with fiction...

The girl began writing poetry and stories early, always in secret, without encouragement from adults.

The first pilgrimage of the grown-up Pamela Travers was, of course, a trip to Dublin, where she met Yeats and Russell (Russell published several of her poems in his magazine). These poets had a great influence on the worldview and work of the writer.

Pamela Travers currently lives in England. About her adult life Almost nothing is unknown - she is in no way inferior to her heroine in her ability to keep secrets. However, we know that the author is looking forward to the publication of the book “Mary Poppins and the House Next Door” in Russian...

“And if you are interested in autobiographical facts,” writes Pamela Travers, “Mary Poppins is the story of my life.”

Alexandra Borisenko

Crack! The cup split in half. Mrs. Brill, who was washing the dishes, rummaged through the sparkling foam and fished out two fragments. “Well,” she said, trying in vain to connect them. “Apparently, someone needs it more.” And, having folded the porcelain halves, painted with roses and forget-me-nots, she threw them into the trash bin.

To whom? - Michael asked. - Who needs it more?

He couldn't figure out who might need the broken cup.

How do I know? - Mrs. Brill grumbled. - An old saying, that's all. You better do your job and sit still, otherwise something else might break.

Sitting on the floor, Michael wiped the plates with a clean towel and sighed quietly as he did so.

Elin had one of her terrible colds, Robertson Hey was sleeping on the lawn, and Mrs. Banks was relaxing on the sofa in the living room.

As always,” Mrs. Brill complained, “nobody helps me!”

Michael will help,” said Mary Poppins, taking the towel off the hook and throwing it to Michael. - We’ll go to the grocery store and buy groceries.

Why always Me? - Michael whined, kicking the chair leg. He would have loved to kick Mary Poppins, but he knew he would never dare to do so. Going to the grocery store was a special treat because every time they paid the bill, the grocer gave everyone - even Mary Poppins - a delicious licorice toffee.

Why not? - asked Mary Poppins, giving him one of her fierce looks. - Jane stayed last time. Someone has to help Mrs. Brill!

Michael knew there was no answer to that. If he had mentioned the toffee, only a short, contemptuous snort would have been heard in response. And after all, he reflected, even a king has to wipe a plate or two sometimes... So he just kicked the other leg of the chair, watching Mary Poppins, Jane with a shopping bag, and the twins with Annabelle in the stroller, move away along the garden path.

There is no need to polish them - there is no time. Just wipe and stack,” Mrs. Brill advised.

Michael sat sullenly next to a pile of plates. Forced to do a good deed, he did not feel good at all.