☔ The Great Puddle Leap

After a morning of rain, the garden was full of puddles. Big ones, small ones, and one enormous one right in the middle of the path, shining like a mirror.

"I'm going to jump over it," said Fuzz, his tongue poking out with excitement. Cola looked at the puddle. Then she looked at Fuzz. "It is very wide," she said, swishing her dark tail.

Fuzz backed up. He wiggled his bottom. Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle. Then he ran, and leaped, and flew through the air like a stripy rocket.

He landed right in the very middle. Splash! Muddy water sprayed everywhere. A worm peeked up to see what all the fuss was about.

Fuzz stood in the puddle, dripping. His big sideways ears were dripping. His whiskers were dripping. Even his bell was full of water, so instead of jingling it went glug.

Cola tried very hard not to laugh. She held it in. She puffed out her cheeks. Then a giggle escaped, then another, and soon she was rolling on the dry grass, laughing.

Fuzz started laughing too. "Okay," he said. "Maybe we build a bridge instead." So they found a flat piece of wood, pushed it across the puddle, and walked over it like a king and a queen.

That evening, after a warm towel rub, Fuzz curled up by the fire. "Tomorrow," he said sleepily, "I'll try the small puddle first." Cola purred. "Good plan."