Sunlight sprinkled the meadow. Mimi the mouse had a secret plan. She wanted to tie a shiny ribbon on the tall bell mushroom, right in the middle of the grass. It was a thank-you ribbon for all her friends. It had tiny stars that winked.
“I must not get caught,” Mimi whispered. “Shh, paws. Be quiet.”
She peeked from behind a daisy. Three geese waddled nearby. They loved to honk, but they were kind. They were also very curious.
“Tip, tip, tip,” went Mimi's paws on the soft ground.
“Honk?” went the geese.
“Nothing to see!” sang a frog on a rock. “Ribbit, ribbit, carry on!”
Mimi smiled and moved again. She tugged the ribbon from her tiny backpack. She wore a leaf like a cape. She put a blueberry on her head. It looked like a round, blue hat.
A rabbit bounced by. “Hello, Mimi! What are you doing?”
“Just… dusting!” said Mimi. She blew a friendly puff. “Puff!”
“Nice dust,” said the rabbit, and bounced away.
Mimi reached a patch of clover. The bell mushroom stood ahead, tall and smooth. It gleamed in the sun. Almost there.
Then a big, bright feather floated down from the sky. The peacock was practicing his fancy dance on the hill. One long feather slipped loose and sailed, slow and twirly.
“Oh no,” Mimi whispered. “Not now.”
The feather landed right on Mimi's nose. It tickled. It tickled so much.
“Chii—” Mimi pressed her whiskers. “—chii!” A tiny sneeze popped out.
The feather drifted on. It tickled a hedgehog's ear. It tickled a duck's tail. It tickled the geese on their long necks.
“Ha-ha-honk!” laughed the geese.
“Quack-quack-hee!” laughed the duck.
“Snick-snick!” giggled the hedgehog.
Everyone laughed and wiggled and wobbled. The meadow turned into a soft, silly dance.
Mimi saw her chance. Giggles are loud. Giggles are friendly. Giggles are perfect.
“Tip, tip, tip,” she went. Quick and quiet. She climbed the little stump. She reached up high. She tied the shiny ribbon in one neat bow. The tiny stars winked even more.
“Ta-da,” she breathed.
The giggles slowed. The friends saw the bow.
“For us?” asked the geese.
“For you,” said Mimi. “Thank you for being you.”
They cheered and hugged and shared berries. The bell mushroom rang a gentle ding.
Above them, a wooden sign wobbled on a branch. It swung once, twice, and slipped free. It floated down like a leaf and landed with a plop.
On the sign, it said: “à bientôt.”
Everyone waved. “See you soon!”
