Today,
In Little World,
Hazel's Big Surprise.
Today's story begins early in the morning.
The forest is dappled with golden light.
Hazel is awake earlier than everyone.
She tiptoes out of the treehouse,
Carrying a big basket full of twine,
Twigs,
Leaves,
Ribbon,
And all sorts of strange and wonderful bits she's found over the years.
She's got an idea,
A big one.
Hazel whispers to herself as she walks,
Today,
I'm going to make something amazing for everyone.
The best surprise.
All by myself.
No one will expect it.
It'll be perfect.
She reaches a quiet corner of the woods,
A clearing near the river,
Where the trees lean in close like they're listening.
Hazel begins to build.
At first,
It goes well,
Really well.
She ties sticks together to make a little stage.
She hangs ribbon from branches that flutter in the breeze.
She stacks stones into seat shapes for people to sit on and starts weaving flower crowns for everyone.
But then the string gets tangled.
One of the sticks snaps.
A ribbon blows into the river.
And worst of all,
She drops her berry jam sandwich in the mud.
Hazel stares at her mess.
I can't ask for help,
She mutters.
It's supposed to be from me to them.
A surprise.
But now her tail is drooping.
Her ears flop down.
She tries to lift a log too heavy and tumbles into a pile of wet mud.
Splat!
A leaf gets stuck to her nose and her eyes go all watery.
Back at the treehouse.
Pea notices Hazel is missing.
Where's Hazel?
She asks,
Brushing down her wings.
She left with a basket earlier,
Says Moon on his branch.
She looked like she had a plan.
Pea's brow furrows.
Let's go and find her.
And on the way down the tree,
Bob who lives at the bottom,
Was just having a wonderful big morning stretch outside.
So he joins them.
The group arrives in the clearing to find Hazel sitting in a heap,
Covered in mud,
Ribbon wrapped around one ear,
And a pile of tangled twine beside her.
She looks up at them.
Oh,
She says.
Bob walks forward,
Gently untangling the ribbon.
Hazel,
He says kindly.
This is lovely.
But why didn't you tell us you were doing something?
Hazel wipes her nose with a bit of moss.
I wanted it to be a surprise party.
Something I did all on my own.
But now it's ruined.
I've made a complete squirrel of myself.
Mabel pats her on the back with her paw.
You are a squirrel,
She says.
Moon sits beside her.
Hazel,
He says.
You always help everyone.
Remember when I lost my stone and searched for three days?
Or when you actually went and got all that help for me when I was stuck in that fence?
Or when you built Pea her nightlight out of fireflies?
Pea then added.
Or when you found me and looked after me for the whole of my life and gave me the coziest home and the best family ever?
Hazel sniffs.
Yeah.
Well,
Says Moon.
It's your turn now to be helped.
So all the friends pitch in.
Bob makes a proper frame for the stage.
Mabel fetches some more stones for the seats.
Pea makes flower crowns with petals and plays music on her hollow stick flute.
Moon quietly writes a poem for the opening.
And Hazel?
Well,
Hazel beams so brightly you'd think the sun was rising from her eyes.
As everything is finished off,
Hazel stands centre stage and spreads her arms.
I thought a surprise should come from just one heart,
She says.
But now I see.
It's even better when it comes from all of us.
And before she knows it,
Everything is done.
As twilight folds gently over the forest,
The little clearing glows like a lantern.
Fireflies begin to gather above the stage,
Bobbing and blinking like tiny stars.
Pea strings glowing petals into garlands and loops them along the branches as the finishing touches.
Bob brings out a flask of warm cinnamon sap.
Mabel carries a basket of roasted acorns and honey biscuits that Mrs.
Bob and the Boblets had made together.
Bob lights the campfire.
And then with a single puff and a wink,
Everyone is there.
Hazel steps up once again onto the newly finished stage.
Her tail flicks with pride and with a ribbon around each of her ears,
Finally untangled of course,
Twirls in the breeze around her.
I always wanted long hair,
Hazel says.
As she stands there,
The others cheer and clap.
Pea flutters above the crowd in excitement,
Leaving glittery trails in the air.
Even Bob does a small hedgehog hop.
Hazel gestures to Moon and introduces him to everyone.
My dear friends,
Moon Eyes has a poem.
Moon steps quietly up,
Holding a small,
Folded leaf.
His voice is soft,
But it fills the whole clearing like moonlight pouring into a jar.
Ahem.
Sometimes we dream a quiet dream.
Of doing something grand.
Of building sky-high castles with just one pair of hands.
But branches bend and ribbons tangle,
And stars may drift too far.
Until a friend says,
Let me help,
And shows you who you are.
For in a world of moss and light where fireflies dance and sing,
The best of dreams are always those we build while holding wings.
A hush falls over the clearing.
Hazel blinks hard and hugs Moon,
With both arms and her tail.
What a lovely start to the party,
Hazel says.
Then the music begins.
There is dancing and laughter.
Owls hoot in time.
All the boblets shout and knee-slide across the stage.
Mrs.
Bob is dancing with Mr.
Bob.
Hazel is doing some robot dancing.
Moon is bopping along.
All the forest friends passing by join in.
Even Thorn,
The thorny stout,
Shows up with a shy smile and a bag of roasted pine nuts to share.
Which he shyly hands to Hazel with a small bow.
The forest fills with warmth,
Not just from the fire,
But from the feeling of being together.
Of belonging.
Later that night,
As the fire crackles low and everyone is curled up on toadstool cushions and mossy blankets,
Hazel whispers to herself,
Best.
Surprise.
Ever.
And the stars above the little stage twinkle in agreement.
Sometimes we think asking for help means we've failed.
But really,
It means we're letting people care about us.
Hazel had a wonderful idea.
But when things got hard,
She learned that letting others in didn't ruin the surprise.
It made it better.
In Little World,
No one has to do things alone.
Together,
They have lots of fun.
But they also carry stones,
Fix tangles,
Address fears and worries and share sad thoughts as well.
And maybe that's the greatest gift of all.
Bye bye.
