The text describes two separate stories. The first story is about a clown in a circus who initially frightens children but later overcomes his fear of being laughed at and becomes a beloved performer.
The second story is about a girl named Sonia who is afraid of reciting a poem in front of guests on Christmas night. However, with encouragement, she gains the confidence to recite the poem and enjoy the holiday festivities.
The text concludes with an unrelated mention of searching for cartoons using a microphone.
Certainly, here are the key facts extracted from the provided text:
1. There was a clown in a circus who became sad and afraid at night.
2. One day, the clown left the circus abruptly.
3. The show had various acts including gymnasts, jugglers, acrobats, and trained animals.
4. The children at the circus were eagerly waiting for the clown.
5. When the clown finally appeared, he terrified the children with his appearance.
6. One brave girl was not afraid of the clown and talked to him.
7. The girl realized the clown was afraid of being laughed at.
8. The girl comforted the clown, and he stopped hiding and began performing again.
9. People enjoyed the clown's performance despite his mistakes.
10. The text transitions to a new story about a girl named Sonia on Christmas night.
11. Sonia was nervous about performing in front of guests.
12. Three people entered Sonia's house with masks and urged her to perform.
13. Sonia felt her surroundings change and she woke up from her dream.
14. Saint Nicholas encouraged Sonia to recite a poem, which she did successfully.
15. The text ends with a mention of starting an investigation into cartoons.
These facts have been summarized from the provided text, excluding opinions and extraneous details.