Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Telesyk. He was small and quick, but his mind was sharp as a grown-up's. His eyes sparkled with curiosity about everything in the world.
One day, Telesyk went to the forest to pick mushrooms and berries. He wandered deep among the old pines, and suddenly he saw a strange little hut with tiny windows, like squinting eyes. And by the hut stood a witch—old, bent, with a nose like a hook.
"Hello, boy! Come in!" called the witch. "Help me chop some wood, and I'll give you pies!"
Telesyk was wary. Something told him this wasn't right. But he didn't show it and went inside.
"Sit on this shovel," said the witch, "so I can see if you fit in the oven!"
Telesyk knew the witch wanted to bake him like a pie! But he wasn't scared. He had a clever idea.
"Granny, I don't know how to sit on a shovel," he said innocently. "Will you show me?"
The witch stomped her foot. "Oh, you silly boy! Like this!"
And she plopped herself onto the shovel. Quick as a wink, Telesyk shoved the shovel with the witch right into the oven, slammed the door, and ran out of the hut, racing through the forest.
As he ran, he heard someone crying. He looked around and saw a little girl sitting under a tree, looking very sad.
"Why are you crying?" asked Telesyk.
"I'm the witch's daughter," said the girl. "She made me do bad things, but I didn't want to. Now I don't know what to do."
Telesyk thought for a moment. "Come with me to the village," he said. "There are kind people there who will teach you good things. You can live a happy life."
The girl's face lit up. She wiped her tears, and they left the forest together.
And the witch? She managed to climb out of the oven, but Telesyk was long gone. At first she was furious, but then she thought, "Maybe it's time I stopped scaring people. I'll just sell berries in the forest instead."
So Telesyk went home with a full basket of mushrooms, and the girl found a new family in the village. She grew up to be a kind woman who baked the best pies around, and she always remembered Telesyk with gratitude.
And when the neighbor children asked how to be so clever, Telesyk would smile and say, "Always think for yourself. And if you can help someone—help them. Kindness always comes back."