Zibby’s Giggle-Petal Count — Under the warm buzz of noon, Zibby poked his nose into the flower tangle and set himself a grand challenge: count every daisy without laughing. Read the full story →
Under the warm buzz of noon, Zibby poked his nose into the flower tangle and set himself a grand challenge: count every daisy without laughing. The leaves smelled peppery, the stems tickled his cheeks, and the white petals bobbed like tiny sun hats. “One daisy, two daisies, three daisies,” he whispered, very serious. A breeze curled through the grass and made the tall flowers nod as if they were agreeing with his important work.
Soon Zibby had counted the low daisies, the tall daisies, and the sneaky half-hidden daisy by his left paw. He was up to seventeen when a butterfly fluttered down, all soft wing-whisper and dotty patterns. It landed in the air, if that was possible, and waved its feelers at him. Zibby held his breath so hard his quills stood extra pointy.
Then the butterfly began counting too. “One hedgehog nose, two shiny eyes, three hundred and something magnificent spikes!” Zibby snorted. The daisies shook. The butterfly wobbled. Joy burst out of Zibby so loudly that even the smallest buds seemed to open. Next time you see the butterfly near his nose, try counting the giggles before Zibby does.
