Puschel’s Mishaps · 40

The Boat That Would Not Budge

Large picture story4 scenesabout 2 min
Puschel rows with an oar on each side of the wooden boat while Flauschi sits behind him and the boat remains tied to the dock; both wear yellow lifejackets
Puschel rows and rows, but the dock stays right beside them.

Sunlight sparkled on the lake, and Puschel sat down at the oars, ready to go. Flauschi took her place in the back of the little wooden boat. A lovely trip across the water lay ahead.

Puschel“Hold on, Flauschi! We will be out on the lake in no time!”

Puschel pulled both oars. Water rippled on the left and splashed on the right. He rowed even harder—but the dock stayed strangely close.

Flauschi discovers the rope between the boat and the dock and points at it while Puschel keeps rowing, unaware; both wear yellow lifejackets
Flauschi discovers the rope that still holds the boat to the dock.
Flauschi“Puschel? I think the dock wants to come along.”

Flauschi looked past the side of the boat. There was a rope running from the boat straight to the dock post. She pointed at it and began to giggle softly.

Puschel“The dock? But it cannot swim!”
Puschel pauses his rowing and looks in surprise at the rope Flauschi points out from the rear seat; both oars rest in their rowlocks and both wear yellow lifejackets
Now Puschel sees why all his rowing has not taken them anywhere.

Puschel let the oars rest and followed Flauschi's gaze. First he saw the knot on the boat. Then the rope. Then the dock. His eyes grew wide.

Puschel“Oh. So I moved the whole lake—but not our boat?”
Flauschi“You certainly moved some water. The boat is still waiting for us to untie it.”
Puschel and Flauschi sit in the still-tied rowboat and giggle happily together; both wear yellow lifejackets
They can both giggle about this little mishap together.

Then they both giggled. Puschel grinned at his hasty start, and Flauschi giggled with him. Together they untied the boat from the dock. Only then did their trip begin—with no rope holding them back this time.

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