The Knot Practice

The green cloth bag was still on the low table. The little practice parcel waited beside it. Today Puschel wanted to try tying a bow. He held a soft red ribbon between his paws. Puschel“Two ends. That looks quite straightforward.”

He laid one part across the other, lifted a paw and tried to follow with the second one. The ribbon slipped along too. Suddenly a very determined loop hung between his paws. Puschel studied it. Puschel“I think the bow is practising on me.”

Flauschi giggled kindly and pointed to a loose end. Flauschi“Perhaps we can let everything go loose first.” Puschel opened his paws. The ribbon dropped softly onto the table. Nothing was tied up, and his paws were free again.

Puschel“I already know how to undo it.” Flauschi“That’s part of practising too.” She moved the two ends where he could see them easily. This time Puschel took just one in each paw and paused for a moment.

They carried on slowly. Whenever a loop slipped, they put the ribbon down again. Flauschi waited until Puschel asked for a hint. His bow did not have to be quick or especially tidy today. The parcel could stay on the table without a finished bow, after all.

After a while, Puschel looked at his new, slightly crooked loop. Puschel“Not a champion knot yet. But this time I know where my paws are.” Flauschi smiled. Flauschi“Then we’ve found something out already.”

Autumn leaves glowed beyond the round window. Puschel put the ribbon beside the cloth bag. Tomorrow there could be another little idea to try. His paws had practised enough for today.