The Pitter-Patter Leaf Umbrella

Pitter-patter, soft morning rain fell over the forest. Little Duri the squirrel peeked out from the hole in the big oak tree. “Today is acorn soup day!” said Duri. The pot did not smell like anything yet, but Duri’s tummy sang, rumble-rumble, in a very hungry way.

Duri picked up one wide green leaf and popped it on top of his head. “Leaf umbrella, off we go!” he said. He bounced down the path, hop-hop, wiggle-wiggle. Rain tapped on the leaf, plip-plop, and rolled away. Wet grass tickled his ankles with tiny chilly fingers.

Then Duri heard a very small sound beside the path. “Oh dear… my home is too far away. ” Duri tiptoed closer and saw Momo the snail, carrying a round little house on his back, sniffling beside a puddle. To Momo, the puddle looked as wide as the sea.

“Hello, I’m Duri. Would you like to come with me?” asked Duri. Momo stretched out his feelers and whispered, “But I am very slow. You will be late too.” Duri thought about acorn soup for a moment. He imagined it warm and nutty, but Momo’s tiny voice tucked itself right into his heart.

Duri tilted the leaf umbrella toward Momo. “Slow is all right. The path feels less scary when we go together. ” Around the puddle they went, splash-splosh, then over a crunchy bridge of fallen leaves. Duri tried not to run too fast, so he made little bounces, boing, boing, while Momo followed slowly, drawing a silver line on the sparkling path.

Suddenly the wind went whoooosh, and the leaf umbrella fluttered up into the sky. “Oh no!” cried Duri. Momo thought quietly, then said, “Come into my house for a moment. It is small, but warm.” Duri curled himself up and tucked under the shadow of Momo’s shell. Outside, the raindrops sang tap-tap-tap.

When the rain stopped, the forest smiled with glittering drops. Duri and Momo went together to the home that smelled of acorn soup. Duri held out a tiny bowl, and Momo tasted one very slow spoonful. “Mmm,” said Momo, “it tastes like friendship!” Duri giggled and giggled.

From that day on, whenever it rained, Duri looked for one extra leaf umbrella. One for Duri, one for Momo. Still, the two friends always walked close under the same leafy shade. Plip-plop, crunch-crunch, boing-boing. Their warm little footsteps stayed on the forest path for a long, long time.