Литературный перевод сказки американской писательницы Одри Пенн "Поцелуй в ладошке" (Audrey Penn "The Kissing Hand")

                                        The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn.

 Chester Raccoon stood at the edge of the forest and cried.

“I don’t want to go to school,” he told his mother. “I want to stay home with you. I want to play with my friends. And play with my toys. And read my books. And swing on my swing. Please may I stay home with you?”

Mrs. Raccoon took Chester by the hand and nuzzled him on the edge.

“Sometimes we all have to do things we don’t want to do,” she told him gently. “Even if they seem strange and scary at first. But you will love school once you start.”

“You’ll make new friends. And play with the toys.”

“Read new books. And swing on new swings. Besides,” she added. “I know a wonderful secret that will make your nights at school seem as warm and cozy as your days at home.”

Chester wiped away his tears and looked interested. “A secret? What kind of secret?”

“A very old secret,” said Mrs. Raccoon. “I learned it from my mother, and she learned it from hers. It’s called the Kissing Hand.”

“The Kissing Hand?” asked Chester. “What’s that?”

"I'll show you". Mrs. Raccoon took Chester's left hand and spread open his tiny fingers into a fan. Leaning forward, she kissed Chester right in the middle of his palm.

Chester felt his mother's kiss rush from his hand, up his arm, and into his heart. Even his silky, black mask tingled with a special warmth.

Mrs. Raccoon smiled. "Now," she told Chester, "whenever you feel lonely, and need a little loving from home, just press your hand to your cheek and think 'Mommy loves you. Mommy loves you.' And that very kiss will jump to your face and fill you with toasty warm thoughts."

She took Chester's hand and carefully wrapped his fingers around the kiss. "Now do be careful not to lose it," she teased him. "But do not worry. When you open your hand and wash your food, I promise the kiss will stick."

Chester loved his Kissing Hand. Now he knew his mother's love would go with him wherever he went. Even to school.

That night, Chester stood in front of his school and looked thoughtful. Suddenly, he turned to his mother and grinned.

"Give me your hand," he told her.

Chester took his mother's hand in his own hand and unfolded her large, familiar fingers into a fan. Next, he leaned forward and kissed the center of her hand.

"Now you have a Kissing Hand, too," he told her. And with a gentle "Goodbye" and "I love you," Chester turned and danced away.

Mrs. Raccoon watched Chester scamper across a tree limb and enter school. And as the hoot owl rang in the new school year, she pressed her left hand to her cheek and smiled.

The warmth of Chester's kiss filled her heart with special words.

"Chester loves you," it sang. "Chester loves you."

Поцелуй в ладошке

 Енотик Честер стоял на опушке леса и плакал.

"Я не хочу идти в школу, - говорил он своей маме. - Я хочу остаться дома с тобой. Я хочу играть с моими друзьями. Играть с моими игрушками. И читать мои книги. И кататься на моих качелях. Пожалуйста, могу я остаться дома с тобой?"

      Мама Енот взяла Честера за ручку и поцеловала его в ушко.

"Иногда все мы должны делать вещи, которые мы не хотим делать, - сказала она ему мягко. - Даже если поначалу они кажутся странными и страшными. Но ты полюбишь школу, как только начнешь ходить туда.  У тебя появятся новые друзья. Ты будешь играть с новыми игрушками. Прочтешь новые книги. И будешь кататься на новых качелях. Кроме того, - добавила она. – Я знаю замечательную тайну, которая поможет сделать твои ночи в школе такими же теплыми и уютными как дома".

       Честер вытер слезы и посмотрел с интересом: "Тайна? Какая тайна?"

"Очень старая тайна - сказала мама Енот. - Я узнала это от моей матери, а она узнала от своей. Она называется Поцелуй в  Ладошке".

       "Поцелуй в Ладошке?" - спросил Честер. – Что это такое?"

"Я покажу тебе, - мама Енот взяла левую руку Честера и раскрыла его крошечные пальчики. Наклонившись, она поцеловала ладошку Честера.

Честер почувствовал, как мамин поцелуй пробежал мурашками от его руки к груди, от груди – прямо к его сердцу. От особого тепла покалывало даже в области шелковистой черной шерстки  енота.

    Мама Енот улыбнулась. "Теперь, Честер, - сказала она, - всякий раз, когда ты почувствуешь себя одиноким и тебе будет нужна любовь нашего дома, прижми свою ручку к щеке и подумай: «Мама любит тебя. Мама любит тебя». И мой горячий поцелуй прилетит  к тебе  и наполнит тебя теплыми мыслями».

Она взяла руку Честера и аккуратно сложила его пальчики вокруг поцелуя. «Смотри, не потеряй его, - подзадорила она Честера. – ты не волнуйся. Когда ты разожмешь кулачок или  будешь мыть руки перед едой, я обещаю, что поцелуй останется».

   Честер полюбил Поцелуй в Ладошке. Теперь он знал, что мамина любовь будет с ним везде, куда бы он ни шел. Даже в школу.

Той ночью Честер задумчиво стоял рядом со школой. Вдруг он повернулся к своей маме и улыбнулся.

"Дай мне свою руку", -  сказал он ей.

Честер взял мамину руку в свою и раскрыл ее большие, знакомые до боли пальцы. Затем наклонился и поцеловал ее ладонь.

"Теперь у тебя тоже есть Поцелуй в Ладошке», - сказал он ей. И добавил с нежностью «До свидания!» и «Я люблю тебя», Честер повернулся и танцуя побежал прочь.

Мама Енот смотрела, как Честер  ловко побежал вприпрыжку мимо деревьев и вошел в школу. Крик совы возвестил о начале учебного года, мама приложила левую руку к своей щеке и улыбнулась.

Тепло поцелуя Честера заполнила ее сердце особыми словами. "Честер любит тебя, – пел он. - Честер любит тебя."