Every autumn, a squirrel named Pip hid acorns.
Under this root.
Behind that stone.
Inside the hollow elm.
Beneath the third fern from the left.
He hid acorns everywhere.
Pat pat pat.
And then winter came.
And Pip was hungry.
And he could not remember a single hiding place.
Not one.
“Oh bother,” said Pip. 🐿️
🌲 The Hunt Begins
He tried under the big root.
Nothing. Just a beetle, who looked annoyed at being dug up.
He tried behind the mossy stone.
Nothing. Just some damp soil and a worm having a nap.
He tried the hollow elm.
A family of mice had moved in.
“Sorry, sorry,” said Pip, backing out quickly.
He sat in the snow and thought very hard.
Think think think.
Think think think think think.
Nothing.
“I shall have to look everywhere,” said Pip.
So that is what he did.
🐿️ Unexpected Treasures
He dug by the old gate post.
No acorns. But a shiny button. He kept it.
He looked under the holly bush.
No acorns. But a pinecone shaped like a star. He kept that too.
He checked behind the waterfall stone.
Two acorns! Finally! And a very surprised frog.
“Sorry, frog,” said Pip. The frog said nothing, because frogs are very dignified in winter.
By afternoon Pip had found: eleven acorns, three buttons, a pinecone star, one very old berry, and a piece of ribbon he had absolutely no memory of ever finding.
Not quite all his acorns.
But enough.
💛 Evelyn Helps Look
Evelyn had been following Pip all morning, because watching a squirrel dig up a forest is one of the best things to do on a winter day.
“Over here!” called Evelyn, spotting a Pip-sized hole under the oak tree that hadn’t been dug yet.
Pip rushed over. Dug. And found seven acorns all at once.
“I knew they were somewhere,” said Pip, not entirely truthfully.
“You remembered eventually,” said Evelyn kindly.
“Yes,” said Pip, sitting down to eat an acorn immediately. “With help.”
He held out one acorn to Evelyn.
Evelyn took it, even though Evelyn didn’t really eat acorns.
It was the thought that counted. 🐿️