Nille’s Wobbly Harbor Hello — Along the canal, Nille kept one mittened hand on her bicycle bell and practiced her brave word. Read the full story →
Along the canal, Nille kept one mittened hand on her bicycle bell and practiced her brave word. “Hello,” she whispered to the tall boat masts, which clicked and clacked in the salty wind. She wanted to greet Captain Rune by herself when his striped boat slid in, not hide behind Papa’s coat like last week. The café umbrellas flapped, the cobblestones bumped under her shoes, and the bright houses seemed to lean closer to listen.
Then a swan glided up with four fluffy cygnets bobbing behind her. Nille took a small breath, opened her mouth, and the bicycle bell rang by accident: ding! The swan honked back so grandly that two tourists waved, a sailor tipped his cap, and Captain Rune called, “Best harbor hello I’ve heard all morning!” Nille giggled, stood straighter, and tried again, louder this time. Next time you spot the swans by the boats, maybe one of them is still answering Nille’s brave little hello.
