A Treasure You Can Share

“Seven days until Halloween,” said Flauschi. She ran a paw over the little wooden box’s lid. “Yesterday a rest was hidden in here. What will everyone find at the party?”

Puschel put three picture cards beside it. “Something there’s enough of for everyone.”

Flauschi looked at the first card. Two round faces smiled at each other.

“I wish you someone who says a friendly hello,” Puschel explained.

On the second card, two paws passed a green ball between them. “And someone who shares with you.”

The third showed yesterday’s cushion. Puschel slipped all three cards into the box. “A whole treasure hunt full of kind wishes.”

They fastened their five paper paws flat onto the dry garden path again. This time the middle one pointed forwards too. Then they walked together beside the short trail. The box waited at the end, safely on the low garden table.

Flauschi opened the lid and pulled out the card with the two faces.

“They look funny,” she said. “Why do they have such big noses?”

Puschel leaned closer. “Those aren’t noses. Those are their open paws.”

He had drawn the paws right in front of the faces. Now it looked as though two long noses were bumping together.

Flauschi giggled. “Then they’re saying hello with their noses.”

Puschel studied his picture. “That would be rather tickly.”

He took a crayon and added short arms. Now Flauschi could see where the paws belonged. The faces stayed just as cheerful.

“There,” said Puschel. “A hello that won’t make anyone sneeze.”

Flauschi put the card back. Then she looked at the cushion picture.

“What shall we wish someone who doesn’t feel like talking much?”

“An especially quiet hello?”

“That too. And someone who can sit quietly beside them without starting a game straight away.”

She fetched a new card. Puschel drew a second purple cushion beside the first. Flauschi added soft corners and little folds.

“Two places,” she said. “Sitting together can be quiet too.”

Puschel nodded. “And resting on your own is still fine.”

They placed the new card with the others. At the party they could look at the pictures together and explain what they meant. Nobody had to take a card or draw a wish of their own.

“Will the treasure get smaller when we share it?” Flauschi asked.

Puschel peered into the box. “The cards will stay here. But we can give a friendly hello more than once.”

After their practice walk, they collected the paper paws. They took the box somewhere dry as well.

Puschel carried it especially carefully.

“Not because of the long noses,” he explained. “There are four good ideas in here now.”