One evening I was out picking flowers in the garden. After five minutes I got bored, so instead I climbed up into the apple tree. I love climbing trees. I think it’s super fun. I usually climb trees at school. But only small ones. I don’t dare climb big trees. I’m afraid of heights. Really, really afraid of heights. That’s why I like my apple tree. It’s just the right size.
I climbed and climbed. Higher and higher up in the tree. Suddenly I heard a rustle above me.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZdQKksP0k
Rustle, tussle, rustle, tussle, rustle, tussle!
“What’s that strange sound?” I thought. “Could it be a squirrel maybe?”
I climbed higher. The sound grew louder.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68QTon9824
Rustle, tussle, rustle, tussle, rustle, tussle!!!
And then I saw them. Three squirrels. Yes, not just ONE squirrel. Three of them! Three super cute squirrels with fluffy fur and big bushy tails.
But the squirrels didn’t look happy. They looked sad. Really, really sad. I didn’t know why.
“Why are you sad?” I asked.
The squirrels pointed at their tummies. I heard them rumbling. Their stomachs sounded like three broken fans. I understood right away why they were sad. They were hungry. They hadn’t eaten in a really, really long time.
I felt sorry for them. I wanted to help. But I didn’t know how. Then suddenly I got a brilliant idea!
“Wait here,” I said. “I’ll get food for you!”
I climbed back down to the ground and ran into the house. It was quiet inside. Dead quiet. Maybe Mom was napping—she always took an afternoon nap. I tiptoed to the pantry and grabbed loads of food. I took cookies and buns. And I took a giant marzipan cake. In the end the pantry was completely empty. Not a single treat left.
When I came back, the squirrels were overjoyed.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZtyAlWke1
“Look here!” I said, holding up the food. “Now it’s party time!”
The squirrels jumped with joy. They wagged their tails so hard that the leaves swirled around us like green snowflakes. I laughed.
We sat together on a sturdy branch. I laid out all the cookies, buns, and cake like it was a big picnic table. The squirrels threw themselves at the food. They each grabbed a bun first. Crumbs flew everywhere. Then they munched cookies and licked the cream from the cake.
“You eat like three vacuum cleaners!” I laughed even more.
The squirrels laughed too, though their laugh sounded more like squeaky little peeps.
When the cake was almost gone, the smallest squirrel leaned back and patted its tummy. “Mmmmmm,” it squeaked. The others did the same.
I felt so happy. It was the best picnic I had ever been to.
Suddenly I heard a voice from down in the garden.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfvnKqgdBe
“What’s going on up there?”
It was Mom! She stood under the tree looking super angry. Her face was as red as a tomato.
“Where’s all the food?!” she shouted. “The pantry is completely empty! How many times do I have to tell you not to take treats without asking first?!”
I felt my cheeks turn red. I knew I should say sorry. But before I could answer, the three squirrels peeked out. They sat there with creamy whiskers and cookie crumbs all over their fur.
Mom stared at them. At first she looked even angrier. But then she started laughing.
“Oh my! Was it you who ate all the treats?” she said.
The squirrels nodded and squeaked like they were saying sorry.
Mom sighed and smiled. “Well, what can you say… hungry squirrels need food too.”
I was so happy. Everything felt fine again. And Mom even said that next time we could bake extra buns so there would be enough for us and the squirrels.
The squirrels were so happy when they heard that, they started dancing on the branch. They twirled around, waved their tails, and did little somersaults in the air.
“Careful now!” Mom called up. “Don’t fall and hurt yourselves!”
Just then, the smallest squirrel sneezed.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLb0Id4VhS5
“AAAAAH, AAAAH, AAAAAH-CHOOOO!”
And PLOP! It fell straight into Mom’s handbag down on the ground.
Mom stared into her bag. The little squirrel’s nose poked up between her keys, wallet, and lipstick.
“Well,” Mom said, laughing. “I guess I’ll just have to carry a squirrel in my handbag from now on.”
I laughed so hard I nearly fell out of the tree. The squirrels laughed too—or squeaked so much that the leaves shook.
And that’s how it ended. Mom walked home with a squirrel in her handbag, and I stayed in the tree with the other two, eating the last crumbs.
It was the strangest, funniest picnic of my entire life.
THE END53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkri7J00ypZ
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