The Rat.

The main enemies on the ship are rats and cockroaches, but for centuries the most effective measure to combat this evil was invented on the Soviet fleet: Who collects a three-litre bowl filled with cockroaches, or 50 rat tails, he immediately goes on holiday.
It is clear that all free time sailors hunt rats, because their tails serve as the most stable currency.
Here is my friend Igor, being a salaboon (or, in a float, like "karasem") one day chased the water on the deck, and the grandfathers, or like them there, ran with iron sticks and sacks. It was hunting.
Suddenly, Igor sees that right on him is jumping out a rat fleeing from the pursuit, another second and there will be its destroyers.
This rat suddenly appreciated the situation, ran to Igor, dive under a wide clash and in a second scratched up the foot to the most expensive thing that all seafarers in the world have (and not only seafarers). Chris stood next to him.
“The tomatoes.”
The poor guy was like a wax sculpture of a Soviet sailor from the Madame Tussauds Museum, he did not even dare to breathe, but to the question of the runners who ran: Where are the rats? Uncertainly, he responded with a weak breath, and eyes far away... The crowd fled far away.
Igor stood for five minutes and thought, "If this paddle doesn't catch me there, I swear, I won't crush it with a shoe, but let go peacefully. Well, go down the bastard, I’m even ready to buy a candy “golden key.”
The rat calmly descended and in no hurry began to wait for a candy, staring at his bats. She received a candy (a debt of honor) and quietly went into an invisible hole.
After that, Igor came for interest and folded before the hole sweaters. A week later, the rat started picking up the sweaters with him.

A year later, when the rat became for Igor his closest creature on the ship, he decided to show it to friends, who were interested, but looked somehow without youthful affection. Igor lost his peace and sleep.
He thought painfully how to save the rat's "caras" from his friends who wanted to go on vacation.
Finally he served and did not leave his Karas in Murmansk, brought home.
I remember, Igor went all over the year after the army with a rat on his shoulder (they even slept on one pillow). Karas did not trust anyone but the owner: he spit and scratched his teeth on everyone.
Sometimes my friends were surprised:
“Igorek, what about your rat without a tail?”
I cut him off.
... and why...?? to
Long to explain...