Vegetable heroes: the saga of CartoFan
Funny stories
Алексей Сабадырь

Illustrator Leonardo ai

Illustrator Playground ai

© Алексей Сабадырь, 2025

© Leonardo ai, illustrations, 2025

© Playground ai, illustrations, 2025

ISBN 978-5-0064-2346-6

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

Chapter 1: The Rise of CartoFan

In O-town, where green leaves whisper the stories of the past, vegetables not only grew, but also lived their full lives. This city witnessed the struggle of its ancestors against slavery and lawlessness, and its inhabitants today have continued this struggle. But now their enemy is King Pumpkin, whose greed and tyranny have taxed every corner of O-town, depriving its inhabitants of any hope of a just existence.

Among them was KartoFan, a brave potato warrior who could not put up with injustice. His friends – the onion Taya, the beetroot Rita, the twin cucumbers Dean and Don, the tomato Grinya and the lemon Tik – were ready to support him in the fight for freedom. In their hidden headquarters, where every corner is filled with the scent of rebellion and hope, they planned their next steps.

– Friends, Grinya was arrested this afternoon. He was taken right in the square when he was gathering like-minded people. We must free him, CartoFan said decisively.

– How do we do this? – Tick asked worriedly.

– Maybe we should take it by storm? Security isn’t great, if you think it through well, you can try, – Rita suggested.

– No, that’s impossible. We can make a lot of noise by storming, and then we’ll all be arrested, – KartoFan objected.

– It is located in the fortress. There are two eggplant guards at the entrance, and inside, near the cage where Grinya sits, – Tik added.

– I know what to do, – Taya said, and everyone listened carefully to her plan.

When night fell on O-town and its inhabitants went home, CartoFan and his friends hid around the corner of the house, next to the fortress, and began to wait. Taya, dressed in the clothes of a gypsy, approached the guards:

– Boys, who wants to tell fortunes? What happened, what will happen – I’ll tell you everything, for my betrothed, for money.

– We’re not allowed, we’re guarding a prisoner, – the guard replied.

– Come on, boys. This will take no more than five minutes. By the way, one of you I see has a generational curse, the other has a crown of celibacy. So think for yourself, – Taya smiled.

– Can we really go away for five minutes? I don’t want to walk around with a curse, – said the first guard.

– Okay, go ahead. I also need to get a wife, – agreed the second.

– Follow me, boys! Let’s go around the corner, no one will bother us here, – Taya winked.

As soon as they turned the corner, the twin cucumbers knocked the guards’ heads together and they fell unconscious. KartoFan with twin cucumbers and Rita beets ran inside the fortress and quietly crept up to two guards. KartoFan hit one on the head with a club, and he immediately fell, the cucumber brothers tied up the second and put a gag in his mouth.

– Guys, it’s you! – Grinya exclaimed.

– Yes, we are. I rested a little, I need to know when to stop, – said CartoFan with a smile.

They took the guard’s key and opened the cage. Rita, leaving the fortress, looked around and said:

Everything is quiet.

And they quietly reached the headquarters, after which they went home.

King Pumpkin was angrier than ever today after learning about the tomato escape.

– It’s that upstart CartoFan again. I can smell it with my nose, we couldn’t do without him here. Find him for me, otherwise you’ll be sitting in this cage! – Pumpkin shouted, turning to his advisor Dyna.

– But your Majesty, where should we look for him? The city is large and there are many inhabitants, – answered Councilor Melon.

– You must deal with this issue! Something needs to be done with this rebel, otherwise he will raise the people against us, and then we cannot avoid execution! – the king shouted.

– Maybe we should offer money for him? Then the real hunt will begin for him, – the adviser suggested.

– And what amount should I offer? – asked Pumpkin.

– I think at least a thousand gold pieces, – answered Melon.

– But this is a fortune! Can’t you offer a lesser amount? – asked Pumpkin.

– No, Your Majesty. You understand that it is in your interests to quickly get rid of unnecessary troubles. I will announce your decree in the square tomorrow, – said the adviser.

– I hope you are right, adviser, – said the king.

The next morning, when the first rays of the sun barely touched the roofs of O-town, the council square was already full of people. Councilor Melon, standing on a high podium, was preparing to announce the decree of King Pumpkin. Residents of the city, waiting for news, whispered among themselves, guessing about upcoming events.

– Citizens of O-city! Your great and wise king Pumpkin announces a reward of a thousand gold pieces for the head of the rebel CartoFan! – the adviser’s voice sounded loudly. Whoever brings him alive or dead will receive this amount!

The crowd sighed – the reward was huge, and many were already imagining how their lives would change with that kind of money. But there were those who knew CartoFan and his friends, and understood that they were fighting not for gold, but for the freedom of all residents of O-city.

KartoFan, watching everything that was happening from around the corner, understood that now his life and the lives of his friends were in danger. But he also knew that this announcement would only strengthen their resolve to fight to the end.

– Friends, we must be careful, but also not miss the chance to unite the inhabitants against the Pumpkin. It’s time to show everyone that justice is worth more than gold,” he said, addressing his comrades.

And so, while King Pumpkin and his advisor tried to buy silence and obedience with gold, CartoFan and his friends prepared for a new stage in their fight for the freedom of O-town.

Chapter 2: Curse and betrayal

When the first rays of the morning sun illuminated the square, the king’s advisor, Melon, standing majestically on a dais, loudly proclaimed a new decree:

“Attention, attention, attention! The one who delivers the rebel and traitor KartoFan to the royal throne, safe and sound, will be given a reward – a thousand shiny gold coins!”

Shouts of surprise and greed flared up from the crowd like sparks from a fire.

Tomato Grinya, having heard this news, flashed like a shadow through the narrow alleys, trying not to catch the eyes of the curious. CartoFan settled in a cozy dugout on the very outskirts of the city, where his presence went unnoticed. Grinya knocked on the door in a special way: one confident knock, followed by two barely audible ones. This was a signal that a friend had arrived.

– Hello, CartoFan, did something unexpected happen? – Grinya asked with concern in his voice.

– I was just in the square and learned about the tsar’s new decree. They promise a whole bunch of gold for your head! – Grinya said, barely catching his breath.

CartoFan just grinned in response: – Well, that means that I still have to live in this world.

– Don’t rejoice ahead of time. Now all and sundry will chase you. You should be extremely careful, – warned Grinya.

– Do not worry about me. After all, if we stick together, we are invincible, -CartoFan answered confidently.

– Gather everyone. It’s time to decide how to proceed, – called CartoFan.

An hour later everyone gathered together.

– The time has come to strike at King Pumpkin’s most vulnerable spots. We need to organize an action that will strengthen the people’s faith in us, – said KartoFan.

– Yesterday I accidentally overheard a conversation from which it became known that the day after tomorrow is the Tsar’s birthday, and five barrels of overseas wine will be brought to our city. Maybe we should intercept them? – suggested Rita.

– Interesting idea, but we need to gather more information. Tik, you will do this, – CartoFan ordered.

– As you say, boss! – Tick exclaimed.

– How many times should I repeat: don’t call me boss! I’m not your boss, not your foreman, and certainly not the Pope. Understood? – KartoFan asked sternly.

– Got it, – Tick nodded obediently.

– Rita, I instruct you to create leaflets so that tomorrow Taya distributes them at the market and other places. Let it be written like this:

– Dear friends! We fight for your rights and freedoms, for equality, and not for a miserable existence. Let King Pumpkin give way, otherwise the time will come when we will overthrow him! Taya, be careful so that you don’t have to be pulled out of prison later, – CartoFan added with a smile.

The next day Tick brought news:

– Two carriages drawn by rats, with two attendants and three squash guards, are carrying barrels of wine. They should arrive this evening.

– So we have two more hours to prepare. What proposals will there be? – asked CartoFan.

– They will drive through the forest, which plays into our hands. We’ll set up an ambush. When the carriages arrive, we will attack them from both sides and take the wine, – Taya suggested.

– Great, but first we need to stop the carriages. Of all of us, only I can shoot well, – noted KartoFan.

– I’ll lie down on the road, pretending to be wounded, so they’ll stop, -Taya suggested.

– And Rita will make your face red to convince them that you’re injured, – CartoFan added.

Meanwhile, in the palace of King Pumpkin:

– Have you invited overseas guests?” – the king inquired.

– Yes, Your Majesty. Among the guests are King Watermelon from Uzbekistan, Queen Pear from Bulgaria, Prince Orange from Turkey and your cousin, Mr. Banana from Africa, – the adviser reported.

– What will the stars say to this, Mr. Astrologer? – asked the king.

– Your Majesty, the stars advise postponing this celebration. Unfavorable changes are planned in your astrological chart, – answered the astrologer Kapusta.

– What insolence! Tomorrow is my birthday, and you’re suggesting we cancel the visiting guests of honor? Send this idiot to a punishment cell for a day, let him cool down, – the king exploded.

– Perhaps we should listen to his words, Your Majesty? He is our best astrologer and has never made a mistake, – the adviser said

Chapter 3: Conspiracy in the Shadows of the Forest

As soon as the evening shadows began to envelop the forest, CartoFan and his brave companions were already in place, preparing for the upcoming conspiracy. Everyone except Rita, who remained to manage the household, like the last guardian of the hearth.

Hidden in the thickets, the twin cucumbers and Grinya lurk on one side, and on the other are KartoFan and Tik, the embodiment of cunning and ingenuity. They set up an ambush, and Taya, like a shadow ghost, had already taken her place, waiting for the signal.

Tomato, always a reliable scout, went on reconnaissance. Returning, he said breathlessly:

– They are approaching!

Taya, light and unnoticeable, like a leaf in the wind, settled down on the road, where her silhouette merged with the darkness, and began to wait.

Meanwhile, on the first carriage, two carrots behaved carefree, singing their song:

We all love the king,

because he’s bad

in short,

he drinks wine by the river,

and we’re taking him to him

overseas wine

him and you together

I have to try it

Having finished their musical performance, one of the carrots began to hiccup, and the other, peering at the road, noticed something unusual:

– Girlfriend, stop, there’s something there! – exclaimed the first carrot.

– We won’t deliver the wine like that, – answered the second one.

As soon as the carriage stopped, arrows flew at the guards. KartoFan, like the spirit of the forest, approached the carriage and said:

– Well, that’s it, women, we’ve arrived. Now you can walk to the king and enjoy the fresh air.

– What about us? – asked the first carrot.

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