Ed Franck & Thé Tjong-Khing Stories of Panda & Squirrel
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Translation © David Colmer 2023 Text copyright © 2020, 2021 by Ed Franck
an accredited
The author and illustrator assert their moral rights to be identified as the author and illustrator of the work. Gecko Press is committed to sustainable practice. We publish books to be read over and over. We use sewn bindings and high-quality production and print all our new books using vegetable-based inks on FSC-certified paper from sustainably managed forests.
This publication has been made possible with financial support from the Dutch Foundation for Literature.
This edition first published in 2023 by Gecko Press PO Box 9335, Wellington 6141, Aotearoa New Zealand
Original language: Dutch Edited by Penelope Todd Cover and typesetting by Spencer Levine in China by Everbest Printing Co. Ltd, ISO & FSC-certified hardback:
14001
printer ISBN
Translation rights arranged by élami agency
© Gecko Press Ltd 2023
Printed
9781776574933 Ebook available For more curiously good books, visit geckopress.com
Illustration copyright © 2020, 2021 by Thé Tjong-Khing
English-languageinfo@geckopress.comedition
Originally published by Infodok/Standaard Uitgeverij nv, Antwerp, Belgium, under the titles Panda & Eekhoorn and Een vriend, wat is dat? Nieuwe verhalen van Panda & Eekhoorn
The Moon 4 Do Not Disturb! 12 A Long Journey 20 Fight 28 Dollop 36 Playing 44 Who Are You? 50 The Secret 60 Homesick 68
“Ah,” Squirrel sighs. “Then it must be fun. I wish we were laughing and singing now.”
“Would you?” Panda can’t believe her luck.
4
“To play with. The moon is a ball. Don’t you see?”
“Can you play with a ball?” Squirrel asks.
The Moon
She stares up at the moon for a while. “Shall I pluck the moon out of the sky for you, Panda?” she suddenly asks.
“Is that fun?” Squirrel asks.
I could pluck it out of the sky,” Panda says. “Why?” Squirrel asks.
Night falls and the birds go quiet. Panda is lying outside her den in the mountains. Squirrel comes down from the nearby tree and settles beside her. Together they look at the“Imoon.wish
“The children in the village at the foot of the mountain play with them all the time,” Panda says.
“The children always seem to be laughing and singing when they throw the ball to each other.”
6
“What about a stick?” Panda calls. “You could knock the moon out of the sky with a stick.”
“Sure. We’re friends, aren’t we? Friends do all kinds of things for each other.” Squirrel runs straight up the tree trunk. As fast as a... well, as fast as a squirrel. At the top of the tree, she sticks her paw up into the sky. “Oh no!” she cries. “I can’t quite reach it!”
“If you stand on tiptoes?” Panda calls back. Squirrel does her best. She stretches as high as she can. “No, I’m still too small!”
Squirrel gnaws through a long, slender branch. Then she swings it so hard she almost falls. “Too bad!” she cries. “It doesn’t help.” She climbs back down to Panda. “Too bad,” she says again. “At least I tried.” Panda thinks it over. “Maybe a ladder,” she says. “People use ladders for climbing. Onto roofs. Or to pick fruit from trees. Come on, Squirrel, gnaw some bamboo!”Squirrel gnaws down at least thirty stalks while Panda munches on the tender leaves.
“My teeth are starting to hurt,” Squirrel sighs.
“You’re too heavy, Panda!” she cries. “You ate too much bamboo. That’s what you get for being greedy!”
She sits down beside Panda. Together they look at the“Wemoon.still don’t have a ball to play with,” Squirrel sighs. “No,” Panda says. “But...we have something a lot better.”Squirrel gives Panda a curious look. “What?” “A friend!” Panda laughs. “I already knew that,” Squirrel says. “But it’s nice to hear you say it.” Panda gives Squirrel a big bear hug.
They tie the pieces together to make a very tall ladder, which they set against the tree. It sticks right up through theSquirrelcrown. scampers to the top and stretches as far as she can. “Oh, no,” she moans. “Still can’t reach.” “Shall I try?” Panda asks. “I’m a lot bigger than you.”
9
“You’re sweet,” Panda says. “Won’t this be enough?”
She starts creeping up the ladder. But it snaps right away and sends Squirrel flying.
10
And then they start singing. A quiet song about the moon.
“Careful!” Squirrel squeaks. “You’re squashing me! I won’t be much of a friend if I’m squashed.”
