Lanternwood

A Sleepover for the Wind

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Bunny shakes doormat at open cottage door as little Wind curls from a few leaves. One yellow leaf sticks flat to Bunny nose; Bunny peers cross-eyed at it while Wind smiles in curious greeting.
Bunny was shaking out the doormat when a little wind arrived inside a swirl of leaves. One yellow leaf stuck to Bunny’s nose. “Are you visiting?” “Could I sleep over? I’ve never tried a bed.” “I have a spare pillow.”
One spare guest pillow rises above floor with Wind curling underneath after a little puff. Bunny stands beside it, one paw lifted in mildly puzzled explanation; original bed pillow remains on bed.
Bunny laid the pillow beside the bed. The wind curled onto it, wriggled underneath it, then gave a little puff. The pillow rose into the air. “Is this how pillows work?” “Usually they stay lower.”
Blue-gray blanket bulges like mountain from little Wind puff beneath it; Bunny sits safely beside bed as two slippers fly from blanket end: one landing on cupboard top, other in wastepaper basket.
They tried a blanket. It bulged into a hill. It billowed into a mountain. Then Bunny’s slippers shot out of one end. One stood on the cupboard. The other landed in the wastepaper basket. “I think I found your feet.” “Those are only their houses.”
Wind holds puffed cheeks trying to be still; curtain trembles, then sneezy gust has draped one handkerchief across Wind face and Bunny head. Bunny lifts edge calmly while Wind looks sheepish beneath it.
The wind tried lying completely still. Its cheeks puffed. The curtain trembled. At last, a sneezy gust sent Bunny’s handkerchief fluttering onto both their heads. “I can’t seem to stop being windy.” “You don’t have to. Let me think.”
Bunny steadies a bowl of water holding a paper boat with a blue sail, while Wind watches beside the bed.
Bunny lifted the handkerchief. On the shelf stood a paper boat Bunny had folded that afternoon. Its small blue sail leaned sideways. Bunny fetched the washbowl, filled it with water and set it on the floor. “Perhaps your bed needs to move a little.”
Wind blows the paper boat across the bowl, splashing Bunny's raised foot. Bunny holds a towel, and a yellow leaf rests on the floor.
The wind climbed aboard and blew. The boat raced across the bowl. Splash! A little wave washed Bunny’s toes. “Was that a good journey?” “A little shorter next time.” They put a folded towel beneath the bowl. Bunny dried both feet.
Tiny Wind puff sends boat gently across bowl without splash; Bunny kneels beside folded towel underneath, relaxed paws on knees. Same yellow leaf now floats behind as little golden passenger.
This time, the wind made one tiny puff. The boat drifted to the far side. Another tiny puff brought it back. The yellow leaf floated behind like a small golden passenger. Nothing splashed. Nothing flew onto the cupboard. “Oh. This is a very good bed.”
Bunny sleeps under blue-gray blanket in bed, both rescued slippers paired beside bed. Little Wind sleeps curled under blue sail in bowl on towel; yellow leaf floats behind. Pale dawn at round window, one gentle wake line.
Bunny rescued both slippers and climbed under the blanket. The wind fell asleep beneath the blue sail. Its tiny sighs rocked the boat softly from side to side. By morning, neither of them had gone very far. But the yellow leaf had sailed all night.

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