Chestnut Dolls
Chestnut Mama was walking along the road, followed by her ten chestnut dolls. “Everyone behave and don’t get separated,” she reminded them from time to time as she glanced back.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 — nine of the chestnut dolls were being obedient, walking one after another. Only the youngest chestnut doll wasn’t behaving. He was constantly thinking about running out of line and playing elsewhere.
The group turned a corner and passed through a patch of grass. The youngest chestnut doll jumped out, hopping into the grass. He playfully ran here and there, one moment racing grasshoppers in high jumps, the next mimicking crickets by hopping along.
“Baby, where are you? Come back quickly!” Chestnut Mama realized one of her children was missing and anxiously searched everywhere.
The youngest chestnut doll didn’t want to be found by his mom. He hid under a leaf, waiting for her to pass by before jumping out to play again.
At this moment, a shadow quietly followed him. It was a hedgehog with spiky quills. He wanted to make the chestnut doll his dinner and have a delicious feast.
The chestnut doll had no idea that danger was approaching as he happily wandered around. Suddenly, he spotted a dark little hole in the bushes ahead and, without thinking, dove right into it.
Oh no! The hole suddenly lifted into the air. What was going on? It turned out it wasn’t a hole at all — it was an elephant’s nostril!
The hedgehog, who had been following the chestnut doll, suddenly noticed that the chestnut doll had disappeared. Instead, he saw an elephant rushing out from the bushes, frantically shaking its long trunk.
The chestnut doll was stuck too tightly in the elephant’s nostril, and no matter how much the elephant shook, he couldn’t get him out.
“What’s going on? What’s going on? Elephant, elephant, are you putting on some kind of show?” the hedgehog asked, perplexed.
“A little guy crawled into my nostril, and it’s really uncomfortable! Please help me get him out!” the elephant mumbled.
The hedgehog immediately understood: no wonder the chestnut doll had vanished — he had crawled into the elephant’s nostril!
“Alright, alright! I’ll help you!” The hedgehog reached his hand into the elephant’s nostril, trying to pull the chestnut doll out. As he thought of the delicious meal he was about to get, his mouth started to water. But his arms were too short, and he couldn’t reach.
“Heh heh, I’ve got an idea!” The hedgehog plucked a stem of foxtail grass and poked it into the elephant’s nostril to tickle him.
“Achoo!” The elephant couldn’t take the tickling anymore and let out a huge sneeze. The chestnut doll shot out of the elephant’s trunk like a cannonball, flying over the forest, over the hills, and over a little river. With a loud thud, he landed right on the grassy field in front of his house.
The chestnut doll got up, rubbed his sore bottom, and ran into the house as if nothing had happened. He shouted, “Mom, I’m back! I’m hungry!”
His worried mom saw him and scooped him up into her arms, her face lighting up with joy.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the hill, the hedgehog was still searching everywhere for his lost dinner.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
