About the book: 1970 / FROM THE AUTHOR Dear guys! You may be aware that in the southern part of Transcarpathian Ukraine, where the Soviet Union borders the Hungarian People's Republic, the population is mixed. Ukrainians, Russians, Hungarians and people of other nationalities live there. The children of Transcarpathia, whether Ukrainians or Hungarians, although they study in different schools - because in our large multilingual state everyone can speak and study in their native language - often meet in the Houses pioneers, pioneer camps, in parks and at home and are strong friends with each other. They don’t need translators - both know Russian, Ukrainian and Hungarian and understand each other perfectly. Pishta Khidi, the hero of this story, lives in a small town wedged into the spurs of the Carpathians and located in an unusually picturesque area. Pishta is Hungarian and studies in a Hungarian school - there are more than a hundred of them in Transcarpathia - but he, like you, is a citizen of the Soviet Union, a pioneer, a social activist, a good, nice boy. Therefore, I would really like you to get to know him and become friends, just like made by Hungarian and Ukrainian children who have already read this book. While reading, you will probably have a question: why do schoolchildren call the teacher “Aunt Piroshka”? Anticipating possible confusion, I will briefly answer: this is the national custom of the Hungarians. Hungarian children address teachers and other adults not by their first name or patronymic, as is customary with you, but by their first or last name with the addition of the words “aunt” or “uncle.” If you have any other questions, I will be happy to answer on them. Goodbye guys! I wish you a pleasant reading. Laszlo Balla