Play with us
Benny goes swimming! Mummy Tortoise has an idea. "Come on, kids. Lets go for a swim! It’s such a lovely day." "Yeah!" screeches Bella with delight. "Yeah!" says Benny‌very quietly. He has never been swimming before. He is a little bit afraid of being in so much water.
The three of them set off straight away for the pond. Mummy in front. Bella in the middle. Benny lagging behind.
"Stop!" he shouts suddenly and points at two clouds that have drifted in front of the sun. "It’s bound to start raining soon." "I don’t think so," says Mummy, chuckling. "Those two clouds will be gone in a jiffy." And she’s right. In no time at all the sun is shining again in the bright blue sky. "Stop!" shouts Benny, pointing at all the birds flying over their heads.
"Certainly it’s going to be too busy at the pond because everybody wants to go for a swim today." "I don’t think so," says Mummy, laughing. "The pond is big enough for everyone."
"Stop!" shouts Benny desperately. "The water is bound to be far too cold‌" But there’s no stopping Bella. She races up to the pond and flops into it with a great, big splash. Mummy Tortoise stands still.
"Benny, how would you like to climb onto my back? Swimming is much more fun together." "Oh yes," says Benny, nodding his head.
Mummy and Benny slowly slip into the water. They rock from side to side. Curiosity gets the better of him and Benny stretches his head into the air. Then along comes a wave and splash!
he slips into the water and goes under. He kicks his feet. Swimming is so easy with a tortoise shell. Mummy’s shell makes the best slide. Benny and Bella slide down her back into the water again and again. Even the birds are watching them.
Then time is up. "Come on, kids," says Mummy. "It’s time to go home." "No!" they both squeal, and paddle away from her quickly. Okay then, thinks Mummy. We could stay another hour. Or two. It’s such a lovely day.
At the playground Every day the animals meet at the playground. They sing, play and laugh together. It never gets boring! Carlo Fox creeps up quietly on his soft padded paws. Remo and Moira, the two squirrels, sit comfortably in the meadow. And what’s that chirping up in the tree? Of course it’s the birds Sheena, Lena and Seraphina. But someone is missing… Bob, the owl. Bob is the smallest of them all, so his dad comes along with him to the playground. Besides, Daddy Owl is great at thinking up games and he is also the referee.
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"First one up the tree wins," he shouts. Before the birds are even able to stretch out their wings, Remo and Moira are already waving down from the top of the tree. Bob is impressed. Only Carlo can’t climb. He is now sniffing around two mushrooms and snap – they’re gone.
"First one to run around the playground...," calls Daddy Owl. Carlo Fox zooms off with his tail stretched out. Remo and Moira are right behind him. But whoa! There lie two nuts that they had wanted to bury and crack – they’re gone.
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wl.
Sheena is the best at hopping. Seraphina is the most beautiful singer. And no-one is as good at counting clouds as Lena. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven," she says, merrily rocking to and fro. Daddy Owl is just thinking of a new game to play when thud something drops from the tree. What’s that? "First one to get to the apple…" squeaks Bob, landing on the apple, "…is the winner!" Bob has won his very first race. His friends congratulate him. And because such things deserve to be celebrated, he invites them all to a great feast. Apples are very tasty. One, two – and it’s gone.
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n e.
Olga won’t go to sleep Olga, the little owl, should have been asleep a long time ago. But needless to say, she’s anything but tired now.
"I really have to fly around the big cherry tree three more times," she says excitedly. "It might loose all its blossoms by tomorrow and that would be a real shame."
"Okay," grumbles Daddy in his deep owl voice. "But then it’s time to go to sleep." Olga takes off. Once, twice, three times around the cherry tree and then back again. Quickly she’s back and perches on the branch beside Mummy and Daddy.
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"I really have to catch a fat worm. Otherwise I’ll be hungry and won’t be able to go to sleep." Daddy himself wouldn’t mind a little nibble of worm himself! "But then you’re going to sleep!" he says in a stern voice.
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Then Olga’s friends Robbie, Ruth and Dominic come fluttering by. Playfully, they land on Olga’s tree. And then the bird concert begins. With tweeting and warbling and chirping and singing. What a racket!
"I really have to..." But Mummy Owl holds her wing up to her beak and whispers, "Shush. Be quiet. Otherwise you’ll wake Daddy up."
It’s true! Daddy has fallen asleep. All of a sudden his eyes had become heavy and had closed. And now he is sitting there snoring away. Olga suddenly feels tired too. Very tired in fact. She yawns. She rubs her eyes. Then she remembers something. "I really need to cuddle with you," she murmurs. Happily she snuggles into Mummy’s warm feathers. And then she falls asleep.
Text by Bruno Hächler 113410/12BF
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