Chapter 1: The Silly Shiny Thing
“Look! Look! What is that?” trumpeted Eddie the Elephant, his big ears wiggling.
Ellie the Monkey swung down from a tree. “Ooo! Did you find a banana, Eddie?”
Eddie shook his head. “No, no! It's shiny! It's round! It's a… thing!”
Pip the Parrot flapped down. “Shiny? Round? Thing? Where? Where?”
Eddie pointed with his trunk. “Here! In the grass! Look, look!”
Ellie jumped up and down. “Is it magic? Is it sparkly? Is it a banana with glitter?”
Pip squeaked, “Let me see! Let me see!”
Eddie held up the shiny thing with his trunk. “It's heavy. It's cold. It's not a banana.”
Ellie giggled. “Try to eat it!”
Eddie put the shiny thing in his mouth. “Bleh! Not tasty!”
Pip laughed, “Is it a hat? Put it on your head, Eddie!”
Eddie placed the shiny thing on his head. It wobbled. It slipped. It fell with a clunk.
All three friends giggled and giggled.
Chapter 2: The Great Jungle Game
Pip shouted, “Let's play a game! Shiny Thing Game!”
Ellie clapped. “Yes, yes! Who can do the funniest thing with the shiny thing?”
Eddie said, “I will try! Watch me!” He balanced the shiny thing on his trunk. He spun around. Around and around. Oops! Eddie spun and spun and spun—until he fell in a soft bush. Boing!
Ellie cheered, “My turn! My turn!” Ellie put the shiny thing on her tail. She wiggled. She danced. She shook her tail too fast—whoops! The shiny thing popped into the air and landed on Pip's head.
Pip shrieked, “Now it's my turn! I am a shiny parrot! Watch me fly!” Pip flapped his wings. The shiny thing flew off and rolled into the grass.
All three animals ran after it. “Catch it! Catch it!” they called.
Eddie tried to pick it up with his big feet. Stomp stomp. “Oops! Too big!”
Ellie tried with her tiny hands. “Oops! Too small!”
Pip tried with his beak. “Oops! Too slippery!”
The shiny thing rolled and rolled. It stopped by a big, twisty tree.
Chapter 3: The Silly Treasure
Eddie said, “Let's look! Maybe the shiny thing is a treasure.”
Ellie squealed, “A treasure! What kind of treasure?”
Pip made his eyes big. “Maybe it is a magic jungle cookie!”
Eddie poked it again. “Let's open it!”
They all tried. Pull. Push. Twist. Turn. Nothing.
Suddenly, Mr. Tortoise poked out his head. “Hello, little ones. What do you have there?”
Eddie smiled, “A shiny thing! We think it's a treasure.”
Mr. Tortoise laughed, “Oh, I know what that is! That's my jellybean tin! I lost it last year!”
Ellie gasped, “Does it have jellybeans inside?”
Mr. Tortoise nodded. “Open it and see!”
Eddie twisted the tin. Pop! The lid came off. Colorful jellybeans tumbled out. Red, green, blue, yellow!
Pip cheered, “Jellybeans for everyone!”
Eddie giggled, “We found a treasure! A funny, sweet, wobbly, shiny treasure!”
Ellie clapped. “Best game ever!”
And so, in the middle of the jungle, the friends sat and munched jellybeans, giggling and telling silly stories, while the shiny tin sparkled in the sun.
