A round of applause from the city representatives.

Karabasov. Thank you, my friends. Mister Khorkov, our house manager, will give you a tour around the new apartment block. The upper floors of this building command a wonderful view of the river and the forest, and I hope that one day the latter will become our new construction site.

Malyshev. Let us not rush on, mister Karabasov. The city administration has not given its consent to the building up in this forest plot.

Karabasov. Yes, I understand this, mister Mayor.

Malyshev. Trees are the lungs of our city. I don’t intend to lay down environment and citizens’ health at stake for the sake of building of another shopping mall.

Karabasov. All in its proper time, ladies and gentlemen. Maybe we will manage to find a compromise solution one day.

Khorkov. Well then, ladies and gentlemen, I would like you to follow me.

Everyone follows Khorkov to the entrance of the apartment block.

Nyuta. Dad, may I take a walk here?

Malyshev. Alright. Just don’t leave the yard.

Nyuta. Come back soon.

All the adults enter the building. Nyuta is left alone. Yumi comes out of hiding.

Nyuta. Hey, doggo.

Yumi (to himself). Stop! Danger. A human.

Nyuta. Don’t be afraid, little one. Come here.

Yumi (to himself). Right, a likely story. Suppose you bite me?

Nyuta. Here you are, take it.

Yumi. Woof!

Nyuta. A goodie.

Yumi. (to himself). What is a goodie? It smells so nice.

Nyuta. So?

Yumi. Woof!

Nyuta. Don’t be afraid.

Yumi (to himself). Stop! The third rule: never trust people.

Nyuta. Mmm… so tasty.

Yumi. Woof!

Nyuta. Here, take it.

Yumi (to himself). If you are treated to something tasty, it’s a trap! Mmm, this smell.

Nyuta. Take it!

Yumi (to himself). I will just try a tiny bit.

Yumi comes to Nyuta and takes a biscuit out of her hands.

Nyuta. Well done.

Yumi. Woof!

Nyuta. Whose are you?

Yumi. Woof!

Nyuta. Take one more.

Yumi gulps down everything Nyuta gave him.

Nyuta. You are so hungry. What is your name?

Yumi. Woof! (He fawns upon Nyuta.)

Nyuta. It tickles, you silly. I have nothing left.

Yumi. Woof!

Nyuta and Yumi are playing together. Malyshev, Karabasov, Khorkov and other adults go out of the apartment block.

Malyshev. Nyuta! Look out. This dog can bite you.

Nyuta. Dad! It is a puppy. He is so funny.

Yumi. Woof!

Malyshev. Move away from him.

Yumi. Woof!

Nyuta. Dad. Don’t frighten him. He’s nice.

Reporter. That’s some nuisance, mister Mayor. We informed the district administration about the pack of stray dogs, which had made this wasteland their home, many times.

Malyshev. We’ll take care of it, ladies and gentlemen.

Malyshev. Mister Karabasov, how can you explain it?

Karabasov. We will put everything right, mister Mayor! Khorkov, deal with it.

Khorkov. Hey, get out of here!

Khorkov keeps the puppy off. Yumi runs to the wasteland and observes the people through the fence.

Malyshev. Dear journalists! The matter of cleaning the city from stray animals is under my personal control.

Karabasov. Yes, yes! Animal control service will solve this problem in no time.

Nyuta. Why poor animals should be caught and caged in?

Malyshev. Stray animals are dangerous for people, darling.

Reporter. Isn’t it the mayor’s responsibility to protect citizens from this threat?

Malyshev. I agree with you. And I do everything I can to clean our city.

Yumi. Woof!

Nyuta. And who turned them into the streets? Are these animals to blame for the fact some of the townspeople got bored with them, and so they ended up on the street?

Reporter. These savage dogs and cats spread all kinds of diseases!

Nyuta. If every family in our city adopts at least one stray dog or cat, the city won’t have stray animals anymore.

Yumi. Woof!

Reporter. That’s an interesting idea. Mister Mayor, give us a lead. Take this stray dog home.

Yumi. Woof!

Nyuta. Daddy! Let’s adopt this puppy?

Malyshev. Unfortunately, it’s impossible, ladies and gentlemen. I’m afraid I’m allergic to animal hair.

Reporter (to himself). «Tis hard to credit now, though fresh is its renown.

Nyuta. Dad, please!

Malyshev. We’ll discuss it at home. Karabasov, round off with it!

Karabasov. The tour has come to an end, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you, everyone.

Everyone leaves. Yumi is left alone.

Yumi. It turns out that not all people are as bad as my mom thinks. I liked this girl. But she has sad eyes.

Toy runs across the yard and approaches Yumi.

Toy. Hi.

Yumi. Woof! It’s you again.

Toy. Don’t raise a ruckus, tiddler. Here you are, take it. (He gives a big piece of sausage to Yumi).

Yumi. Oh wow! A sausage link!

Toy. And you are another. It’s a meat nut.

Yumi. A meat nut?

Toy. Yes.

Yumi. Are there even such nuts?

Toy. You wet head! These nuts grow in the nearest supermarket.

Yumi. What is a supermarket?

Toy. Oh well, that’s a piece of work.

Yumi. Eh?

Toy. A supermarket is a place where you can find lots of delicious food.

Yumi. My, oh my! How happy my mom will be, when I tell her about this place.

Toy. You shouldn’t do that.

Yumi. Why not?

Toy. Ah… I forgot that you are a tiny tot, mother’s boy.

Yumi. I am not a tiny tot. I am a grown-up!

Toy. If you are a grown-up, keep on the hush. You need to learn how to procure food by yourself. Here, help yourself.

Yumi. And what if you stole this sausage link… hm-mm, meat nut?

Toy. Take my word for it. I didn’t steal it. I took it specially for you.

Yumi. For me?

Toy. Yes. For saving me from that malicious dog.

Yumi. Alright then. I’ll just try a tiny bit.

Yumi quickly eats all the piece away.

Yumi. It was delicious. Thank you.

Toy. Lord was right: hunger fetches the wolf out of the woods. I played even more dewy eyed fools along.

Yumi. Eh?

Toy. I said, enjoy your meal.

Yumi. Ah.

Toy. My name is Toy.

Yumi. Nice to meet you. My name is Yumi.

Toy. Do you want me to teach you how to get food from the supermarket?

Yumi. Yes, I do. It’s not dangerous, is it?

Toy. You’ll make a good job if you are not a coward.

Yumi. I am not a coward.

Toy. Well, it means we can get along.

Yumi. What should I do to get food?

Toy. You will stand close to the backdoor in the supermarket. And watch that nobody comes in while I am inside. In the event of emergency you should warn me.

Yumi. First, I should watch that nobody comes in. Second, in the event of emergency I should warn you. That’s it!

Toy. Can you do this?

Yumi. Yes, I can.

Toy. It’s a deal. We will give a half of our loot to Lord. And then we’ll go halves with the rest.

Yumi. Who is Lord?

Toy. Lord is our boss. A leader, a chief.

Yumi. Oh wow!

Toy. So much for your wow! Lord is the most important one on the block. Do you get it?

Yumi. I do. The most important thing for me now is to get food and provide a meal for my mom.

Toy. Don’t be a chicken, Yumi. We are pulling off a job.

Yumi. Right now?

Toy. Yes. As our boss puts it, time is money. Take the sausage while it’s still fresh.

Yumi. But my mom doesn’t allow me to leave our yard.

Toy. Harping on the same string again! Mom, mom. I thought you are a cool lad. Ugh, nancy.

Yumi. I am not a nancy!

Toy. Can you imagine how happy your mom will be when you present her with a sausage?

Yumi. Mom? Will be happy? Let’s go. Right now.

Toy. Keep up with me.

Yumi and Toy leave. The titmouse comes flying. The mice leave their hole and play along.

In less than two minutes Yumi comes running into the yard. He is followed by Khorkov and Corkscrew with an animal catch pole. Yumi runs across the yard, rushes to the hole under the fence, but the Corkscrew grips hold of his hind feet. The mice come to the aid of Yumi, they pelt Corkscrew with snowballs. The titmouse takes away Khorkov’s attention. Corkscrew lets the puppy go. Yumi runs to the wasteland and hides in his dugout. The mice disappear in their hole.

Khorkov. What a scatterbrain you are, Corkscrew! Could not hold down a puppy.

Corkscrew. And you are another, Khorkov. Come on, help me. He’s somewhere near.

Khorkov and Corkscrew come to the wasteland and look for Yumi. The crow comes flying. It sits on the place where the entrance to Yumi’s hideaway is.

Crow. Caw!!! Caw!!!

Khorkov. Look! Crow. Go see what’s out there.

Crow. Here! He hid here! Caw!!!

Corkscrew. Chuck-chuck. Little doggo, where are you?

Khorkov. We will catch you anyway, pup.

The chasers approach the dugout house. The crow flies away.

Crow (on the wing). Caw!!! You will remember me, pup. You will remember me! Caw!!! Caw!!!

Khorkov. Aha! Here is his hole.

Corkscrew (he pokes the Yumi’s hideaway with his catch pole). There is someone there!

Khorkov. Step aside! I will get him.

Corkscrew. Try.

Khorkov reaches forward and pushes his arm into the dugout, trying to get the puppy.

Corkscrew. Why not to try a pole?

Khorkov. Keep out of the way!

Khorkov gets his arm reeking with blood out of the dugout with a shriek. Greta jumps out and comes for Khorkov. At this point Corkscrew gets a loop of the catcher pole on Greta’s neck and pins the dog to the ground.

Corkscrew. What a taking! Hold still, dog, or it’ll be worse.

Khorkov. Pest of a dog! It has bitten my arm through.

Greta. Yumi! Run! Hide away, son!

Yumi jumps out of the dugout and runs to the thickets of bushes.

Corkscrew. Catch! Catch him!

Khorkov runs after Yumi.

Khorkov. You, little scrounger!

Corkscrew. Come on, Khorkov, catch him!

Yumi hides in the thickets of bushes.

Khorkov. He left!

Corkscrew. Shame on you.

Khorkov comes to the home of Yumi and Greta, pushes a big stone which lies nearby and closes the entrance to the dugout with it.