Who Laughs the Loudest?

The school day started for Ilya like any other, but by the third lesson, he noticed that everyone in class seemed a little down. The lessons dragged on, and even Ilya's best friends, Nikita and Lisa, seemed sleepy. Ilya felt that something had to be done to lift everyone’s spirits.

During the break, Ilya, not wasting time, turned to Nikita with a sly smile:

— Do you think you can laugh louder than anyone else? — he asked.

Nikita immediately perked up:

— Of course I can! My laugh is the loudest in the whole class!

Ilya liked the idea and suggested a contest to see who could laugh the loudest and most joyfully. Lisa agreed, and soon several other classmates joined them. Everyone was confident that their laugh could win.

The kids began laughing one by one, and soon the whole classroom was filled with cheerful noise. Even the quietest student, Dima, who usually stayed on the sidelines, caught the joyful energy and joined in.

At that moment, their teacher, Maria Petrovna, entered the classroom. She looked at the children with surprise and a smile:

— What’s going on here? Class hasn’t even started, and it sounds like you’re having a party!

Ilya went over and explained:

— We decided to find out who can laugh the loudest, to cheer everyone up a bit.

Maria Petrovna thought for a moment, then suggested:

— How about we have a joke contest instead? Everyone can tell their funniest joke, and whoever gets the most laughs wins. Agreed?

The children enthusiastically agreed, and the contest began. Nikita went first. He told a story about a cat that got so scared of a mouse that it climbed into a hamster cage. The class immediately burst into laughter, and Ilya patted Nikita on the shoulder:

— Great joke! Now it’s my turn!

Ilya made up a funny story about a little dog who decided to join a race but got stuck in a bush, got scared of butterflies, and ran back to its owner.

Each student took turns telling their funny stories and jokes. Even Maria Petrovna joined in, sharing a funny incident from her childhood. She told them how her little brother once put on her school uniform and went to school in her place while she searched the house for him.

The class laughed until tears came to their eyes, and this time the laughter was genuinely heartfelt. Even the shyest students were smiling, and the whole class seemed to come alive. Lessons didn’t seem so boring afterward, and the time flew by.

When the joke contest ended, Maria Petrovna announced:

— You’re all true champions of laughter! Today, we don’t have just one winner but a whole class of winners! And laughter is the best way to lift our spirits.

Ilya, Nikita, Lisa, and everyone else were thrilled. They felt that this dull day at school had turned into a real celebration of friendship and laughter.

As the lesson ended, the children left for home, still laughing and sharing jokes with each other. Ilya realized that sometimes even the dullest day can become bright and memorable if you just smile and share good cheer with your friends.