Gilda’s Giggle-Leaf Dare — Every day, before the sun made the acacia bark smell warm and dusty, Gilda stamped the safari trail signs: big G for grove, big G for grass, big G for “go this way, not into the mud.” She never stamped the tiny letters. Read the full story →
Every day, before the sun made the acacia bark smell warm and dusty, Gilda stamped the safari trail signs: big G for grove, big G for grass, big G for “go this way, not into the mud.” She never stamped the tiny letters. Those belonged to the quick meerkats with quick paws and quicker jokes. Then one morning, every lowercase g was gone, and the meerkats blamed the wind, the monkeys, and one very suspicious termite mound.
Because of that, the signs looked bossy and lopsided. Because of THAT, the guinea fowl marched in circles, honking, “Guh? Guh? Guh?” Gilda wanted to help, but the stamp basket sat beside a branch that made a sneezy, giggly rustle whenever she got close. She stretched her neck, tapped one leaf with her nose, and whispered, “No nibbling my ears.”
The leaves burst open with a papery flap. Out tumbled every little g, stuck together with sweet tree gum, plus three beetles wearing them as helmets. Gilda laughed so hard her spots wiggled. She pressed the first rescued g beside the tall G herself, and if you check the acacia leaves, you may spot where the giggle-leaf still hides its gum.
