Scientific Tales
The Mushroom
and the Waterplant
by Farid Alakbarov
Once upon a time there lived a
Mushroom. It was lazy like all other mushrooms. Other plants
obeyed the Sun and cleaned the air. But the mushroom didn't want
to take the trouble. That's why the Sun got angry and deprived
the Mushroom of the magic green Chlorophyll. After that the Mushroom
couldn't prepare delicious meals of plain water and air. Years
passed. One of Mushrooms came to reason, became sorry for what
he had done and apologized to the Sun:
Oh Sun! - said the Mushroom. Please forgive my being
lazy. I'm admitting my guilt and promise to clean the air. Please
return the magic green Chlorophyll back to me. And let me use
your rays so that I can also prepare delicious meals of water
and air.
I forgive you, replied the Sun. But I can't
return the magic Chlorophyll back to you. Because you are late
already. I've given out the whole Chlorophyll to other plants.
After hearing that the Mushroom became very sad and started looking
for a way out of the situation. Suddenly it dawned on him. He
became very happy, put on his hat and ran to the river quickly.
There were various herbs growing on the river bank. Unlike the
Mushroom, they were all green because they had the magic green
Chlorophyll in their leaves. There were some green Waterplants
in the water. The Mushroom saw one of his fellow Waterplants
and said:
Hello, Sister-Waterplant. How are you doing?
Thanks, not bad replied the Waterplant. I have
the magic Chlorophyll with the help of which I prepare tasty
meals of plain water and air. But unfortunately I don't have
salt, pepper and other spices to add to my meals. I am sick and
tired of eating saltfree food. You know that I live in the river.
And there is no salt in the river. All the salt is in the soil.
You are lucky to live on ground.
When hearing this the Mushroom got very happy and said:
I have a good proposal for you!
What proposal? asked the Waterplant.
Listen, replied the Mushroom. Let's be friends.
You are friends with the Sun, and I am with the Soil. Let's exchange.
I'll give you various salts that I extract from the soil so that
you'll salt your food. And you, in return for that, will invite
me to eat the meals that you'll prepare. For this purpose we'll
have to work in the same kitchen.
It's a good proposal, said the Waterplant.
But I've got one question. Where will our kitchen be? I am used
to living in water, and you are used to living on ground. If
we go in the water, you'll drawn. But if we go onto the ground,
then I'll dry without water.
I've thought over that as well! said the Mushroom.
We'll build our kitchen in a damp, half-dry, half-wet place.
For example, in a marsh or on a river bank. There are lots of
damp places in our forest!
Then I agree! said the Waterplant happily.
From that day on the Mushroom and the Waterplant have been living
and working together. They have become such big friends that
they can't live apart anymore. The Mushroom does its best to
help the Waterplant by extracting the salt from the soil. And
the Waterplant, in its turn, invites the Mushroom to the meals
that he prepares. Scientists call the house that the Mushroom
and the Waterplant live in and the kitchen that they work inLICHEN.
Of course, not all the mushrooms and Waterplants living on the
Earth are friends. Only the cleverest and friendliest of them
have come to this conclusion. The friendship between living beings
is called SYMBIOSIS by scientists.
Translated into English
by Arzu Aghayeva
Web design: Farida Sadikhova
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