Tales

Who are you ?

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, three young people were walking in a forest, under the watchful eye of their nanny, Mrs Owl. Prosper the raccoon and Viky the fox were playing catch by turning around their friend, Milo the badger, who was grumbling after them:

- Go play somewhere other than my paws, or I’ll bite you!

- Come on, Milo, be nice to your little friends! Intervened Mrs Owl.

Suddenly, the little badger stopped straight: There was something in the trees.

- I’ll see, I’ll see! Says Prosper as he begins to climb.

But Mrs Owl stopped him :

- No Prosper, it can be dangerous! Go hide behind a trunk, I’ll see what it is!

And she flew away to the branches. The three friends looked at each other for a short time and began to follow her running. Mrs Owl was agile and flew between the branches. She easily caught up with the little creature who had fled when she saw herself discovered.

- Don’t be afraid, little one! We won’t hurt you!

The three running young stopped at the foot of the trunk where they heard the voice of their nanny.

- Do you see anything? Milo asked.

- No, there are too many leaves in the trees, Viky replied.

– I’m going up! Says Prosper.

He climbed up to the first branch and looked a little higher. From here he could see Mrs Owl, and about a metre from her, a curious animal. He immediately went down to tell his friends what he had seen:

- It looks like me, but it’s red, like you, Viky!

- A fox ?

- No, it really looks like a raccoon, but red! And it knows how to climb trees!

At the same time, Mrs Owl lands next to them, the strange animal descending to meet them, head first! Amazing!

– This is Eloïse. She is a bit shy, so be nice to her!

Viky approached her to smell her.

– It’s true that you look like Prosper! But you’re not gray, like him! And you don’t smell the same, she says. Are you some kind of raccoon?

Eloise shook her head to say no.

- She doesn’t speak well yet, kids.

Prosper, who was the most curious of the gang, had also approached, to look more closely at Eloïse.

- Maybe it’s a fox, so, he says.

- Oh no, I’m sure of it, Viky said. Did you see how she came down from the tree? I can’t even get up!

Eloise emitted a small cry.

- Are you hungry? asked Mrs Owl.

The little creature nodded.

- Yes, we are hungry too! The three young exclaimed at the same time.

- And what do you eat, little one?

- Bam-oo, she tried to articulate.

- Bam-oo? Asked Viky? What is this, Mrs Owl?

- Bam-oo! Said Eloïse, a little stronger this time.

– I think she means bamboo! The nanny intervened.

Bamboo? The three young people opened wide eyes.

- What animal can eat bamboo? Milo asked, who had not yet opened his mouth.

– I know, I know! Viky says. A panda!

- But a panda is black and white, right? asked Prosper.

– Let’s go see Mr. Paulie, children. If anyone can tell us if Eloïse is a panda, it’s him. Come on, Eloïse, Mr. Paulie is a panda. We’ll probably find him in a bamboo grove. You can eat!

Eloïse jumped with joy and the whole little troupe set out for the bamboo grove. Mr. Paulie was actually there chewing a long rod.

- Sorry to disturb you during your meal, Mr. Paulie… We have a short question to ask you, Viky began.

The panda looked at them, continuing to chew his bamboo. Prosper stepped forward a little, and pointing to Eloïse, asked:

- Mr. Paulie, is Eloïse a panda, like you?

Little Eloïse began to eat bamboo leaves voraciously. Mr. Paulie looked at her and said:

– Yes, it is a panda.

- But yet she is not black and white, like you, Viky said.

- No, because it’s a red panda!

– A red panda? Exclaimed the three young people in chorus.

- There are red pandas? asked Viky.

– Yes, you can see that! Now let me eat my meal in peace!

And Mr. Paulie turned to catch another bamboo rod.

Suddenly, Eloïse ran into the grove.

– Eloïse, comes back! Cried Mrs Owl.

All followed her and fell face-to-face with a larger animal, which looked like little Eloïse. It was her mother! She had gone into the grove to feed herself and had left Eloïse hidden in a tree. But Eloïse wanted to follow her mother and came out of her hiding place. It was there that she heard the small group and became afraid. But now, Eloïse had found her mother and was bouncing around her.

- Come on, kids, let’s go home! Said Mrs Owl.

- Will you come for a walk with us again, Eloïse? asked Viky.

The little panda looked at her mother, who licked her forehead in agreement. She then nodded her head, happy to have made new friends.

The end.

A-G Pério