The Hay Bale Hiccup — Every afternoon after school, Tess tapped the hollow pumpkins, checked the apple bucket, and made the biggest jack-o’-lantern grin before the patch opened. Read the full story →
Every afternoon after school, Tess tapped the hollow pumpkins, checked the apple bucket, and made the biggest jack-o’-lantern grin before the patch opened. She loved one sound best: the little gasp people made when a pumpkin seemed to smile right at them. Until one day, while stacking scratchy hay bales by the barn, she heard a muffled, “Hic!” from the bottom bale.
Because of that, Tess poked the twine and the bale sneezed straw all over her boots. Because of THAT, three chipmunks popped out wearing acorn-cap helmets, pushing a tiny wagon full of candy corn they had hidden where nobody ever checked. “Rent for living under your hay!” squeaked the tallest one. Tess laughed so hard the carved pumpkins seemed to wobble. She rolled their secret wagon to the front, tucked candy corn behind every pumpkin smile, and called, “Free giggles with every gourd!”
By sunset, even the serious crow on the fence had a kernel stuck to his beak. Tess still tapped the hollow pumpkins, but now she listened for hiccups too; next time you spot the hay bales, see if one looks ready to sneeze straw all over your boots.
