Puschel Gets Tangled in the Line

On the meadow beside Wuselwood, Puschel and Flauschi discovered two little cups on a tree stump. One was pale blue, the other peach coloured. A light cotton string joined their bottoms. There were no buttons, no battery and not even an instruction sheet.

Puschel“Two cups and a string. Either this is a very long breakfast or an invention!”

Flauschi“It is a string telephone. We can use it to talk to each other.”

Flauschi picked up the peach cup and Puschel the blue one. He looked inside, then underneath and finally straight ahead with a very important expression. The string hung loosely between them, with part of it resting in the grass.

Puschel“Hello? My cup has not woken up yet!”

Flauschi held the opening of her cup to her ear. Of course she could hear Puschel talking outside, but no clear conversation came through the cup. Puschel gently tapped his cup’s rim and waited. Nothing answered.

Flauschi“The string needs to be clear and gently taut. Let us move a little farther apart.”

Puschel“First I shall sort out all these bends. A telephone needs a tidy line, after all.”

Puschel picked up a length of string. To make the next loop look better, he added another beside it. Then he turned towards the stump and back again. His big tail swept comfortably through an open fold. Now one loose loop lay across his lower belly and another over his tail. Puschel looked down at himself.

Puschel“There. All the bends are with me now.”

He started to take a step, noticed the string and stopped straight away. The loops were wide and loose, but simply walking on was still not a good idea. Flauschi put her cup on the stump and came over.

Puschel“Now I am the telephone cable myself.”

Flauschi“Then we shall pause first. Just stay still; I will help you.”

Puschel held his blue cup still in front of his belly. No string lay near his neck or face. Flauschi checked where the two ends went. Then she lifted the loose loop off the tip of his tail without pulling it.

Flauschi“One moment. I need to unwind you first.”

Puschel“Hopefully into a Wusel with good reception!”

Flauschi laughed softly. She laid the freed string in the grass, guided the next open loop past Puschel’s belly and lifted it off him. Little by little, an ordinary blue Wusel emerged again. This time Puschel did not mind going slowly.

Puschel“I am wireless again!”

Flauschi“And our telephone has a clear line again.”

Flauschi picked up her cup from the stump. They carefully moved apart across the clear meadow. Puschel stopped as soon as the string was straight and gently taut. It touched neither grass nor branches. Neither of them pulled hard.

Flauschi“Hold the opening to your ear. I shall speak into my cup. Then we can swap.”

Puschel held his blue cup to his ear. His other paw almost reached curiously towards the string, but he left it clear. Flauschi held her cup in front of her mouth and spoke softly into it.

Flauschi“Hello, dear Puschel.”

Puschel’s eyes widened. The voice sounded different through the cup, with a little buzzing quality, but the words were clear. He took the cup away from his ear and held it in front of his mouth. Flauschi moved hers to her ear.

Puschel“You sound as though you are right beside my ear!”

They exchanged two more little greetings. Each time, they kept the string clear. Finally, Puschel leaned a tiny bit towards the opening of his cup and spoke especially gently.

Puschel“Thank you for unwinding me.”

Flauschi“You are very welcome. Next time, though, let us work out a plan together.”

Puschel nodded. Afterwards they put both cups on the stump and gathered the string together in big, loose folds. This time it stayed between his paws instead of around his belly.

Puschel“The plan begins with: Puschel stays outside the line.”

Flauschi giggled. And Puschel decided that a string telephone was a wonderful invention. Especially when he was not part of it himself.