Rallo and the Too-Fast Shortcut

Read Aloud

Rallo had discovered what he called the fastest path in all of Gigglewoods.

It started near the blueberry bridge, zipped past the mossy mailbox, curved around the tickle-tree stump, and ended somewhere near snack time.

Rallo believed snack time was the best kind of ending.

"Shortcut!" he shouted, holding his magnifying glass high.

Then he took three very fast steps, bounced off a soft fern, spun in a circle, and landed sitting-down in a pile of fluff.

Princess Willow folded her hands and smiled her calm Princess Willow smile.

"Rallo," she said gently, "are you sure this path is on the map?"

Rallo popped up with a leaf stuck to his ear. "It is on my imagination map."

Lily looked at Princess Willow. Lily was learning to be her Fairy Helper in training, and one thing Fairy Helpers practiced was noticing when someone was moving too fast to think.

"Maybe we should check the real map too," Lily said.

But Rallo was already tiptoeing ahead, which was hard to do because his tiptoes were very loud.

The animals of Gigglewoods were waiting for help carrying tiny lanterns to the night meadow. If the lanterns made it there before dark, every little path would glow just enough for bedtime.

"Do not worry!" Rallo called. "I know a faster way!"

Princess Willow unfolded the map. Lily followed the path with her finger. The map showed one careful road through the willow gate.

Rallo's shortcut showed one raccoon-shaped blur through the bushes.

The shortcut did get them somewhere.

It got them to a puddle shaped exactly like a pancake.

Beside the pancake puddle stood a wooden sign pointing in three different directions.

One arrow pointed left. One arrow pointed right. One arrow pointed right back toward Rallo.

Rallo stared at the sign through his magnifying glass.

"Aha," he said. "This sign is very helpful. It says we should go... all the ways."

He stepped forward to investigate.

Splish.

His foot slid.

Sploosh.

His tail wiggled.

Splap.

Rallo sat right in the middle of the pancake puddle.

For one quiet second, nobody said anything.

Then Lily giggled into her hands.

Princess Willow shook her head softly, but her smile gave her away.

"Rallo," she said, "I think the shortcut found you."

Rallo looked down at the puddle. "Maybe fast was not the same as helpful."

Lily stepped closer and offered him a hand. "Maybe we can solve it together."

Princess Willow nodded. "That is good Fairy Helper thinking."

Rallo took Lily's hand and stood up carefully. A tiny puddle drip slid from the tip of his hat.

"I am now walking at thinking speed," he announced.

Princess Willow held out the map. Lily looked at the three arrows. Rallo looked at the ground with his magnifying glass.

"I found star-shaped pebbles!" Rallo said.

Lily noticed something else. "The pebbles match the stars on the map."

Princess Willow traced the careful road with one finger. "Then we follow the star pebbles, step by step."

So they did.

Rallo walked beside Lily instead of racing ahead. Princess Willow helped count each turn. Lily watched for the next star pebble whenever the path grew twisty.

At last, the trees opened into the night meadow.

The animals cheered. The tiny lanterns were still glowing, and there was just enough time to hang them along the path before dark.

Rallo bounced once.

Only once.

Then he helped carry lanterns, two paws at a time.

When the last lantern was hung, Gigglewoods shimmered with soft golden light.

"Shortcut lesson," Rallo said, squeezing water from the end of his scarf. "Together is faster than lost."

Lily smiled. "And thinking speed is faster than puddle speed."

Princess Willow laughed. "Especially pancake puddle speed."

Rallo nodded very seriously. "Delicious name. Slippery puddle."