One-sitting stories
Sasa and the Mixed-Up Flower Parcels
Sasa delivers two flower parcels in a flash. But the wrong flowers arrive at the garden gate! What will Sasa say when a quiet repair becomes an enormous bow?
Original fiction · Ages 7–10 · Read together with a guardian
Scene 01
Zip, Tap, Off I Go!
It was a little flower-decorating day in Heart Garden. Sasa the deer pricked up those big ears whenever there was a job to do. The quick front hooves were good at choosing ribbons and filling baskets.
Today there were two flower parcels to deliver. Yellow flowers with a yellow ribbon were for Coco at the garden gate. Pale pink flowers with a pink ribbon were for Mimi in the quiet flower nook.
Sasa set both parcels side by side in a low basket. The end of the teal scarf fluttered. “Zip, tap, off I go!” After the deliveries, Sasa planned to help tidy the leftover flowers too.
Scene 02
Empty Basket, Wrong Places
Sasa took out the nearest parcel and handed it to Coco. The next went to Mimi. After visiting both places, the basket was already empty. “Zip, tap, all delivered!”
Coco watched where to tie the flowers, attaching the first small bunches with their paper still around them. Mimi was busy adjusting the stand's height and had not opened the flowers out either. Both thought Sasa had brought the flowers they had asked for.
But Mimi had the yellow flowers, and Coco had the pale pink ones. Sasa looked proudly at the empty basket. Where the flowers had ended up had not yet been checked.
Scene 03
Pink at the Gate
As Sasa passed the gate, Coco opened the remaining parcel wider. Pale pink flowers peeked out. “Oh? I asked for yellow flowers.”
Sasa stopped. The two parcels suddenly switched places in Sasa's mind. The pink one had gone to Coco! The basket was empty, but that did not mean the deliveries were right.
Sasa's ears drooped a little. What if telling the truth meant no one would trust Sasa with a job again? “Wait. Let me check.” Sasa looked at the ribbon knot for longer than at Coco's face.
Scene 04
A Bow Bigger Than the Flowers
Sasa brought the unused portions of both parcels to the worktable in the flower nook. Perhaps everything could go back to its proper place without mentioning the mistake. First, Sasa untied the ribbons.
But how could the flowers the friends had already arranged be put back too? Sasa's front hooves grew busier. An extra length of yellow ribbon went in, then another loop. The bow grew with every knot.
At last, a bow wider than a flower parcel spread across the table. “Are the flowers wearing a ribbon, or is the ribbon wearing flowers…?” Sasa tried to smile, then stopped. The deliveries were still mixed up.
Scene 05
A Small Voice to Begin With
Sasa called Coco and Mimi over. “I gave you each the other's parcel. I was afraid you wouldn't give me jobs anymore. I tried to fix it alone, and tangled the ribbons too. I'm sorry.” The voice was small, but this time Sasa looked at the friends.
Coco glanced toward the gate. “I've already tied some flowers up. Now I'll have to undo them.” Sasa nodded, without asking Coco to hurry up and say it was all right.
“I want the pink flowers on my stand,” Mimi said. “Do we have to untie every bunch?” Sasa looked over the table. “Could we check what we can keep as it is? I'll carry back the flowers I put in the wrong places.”
Scene 06
What Could Stay Together
Mimi gently lifted the wrapping around the pink flowers. “This part is still tied nicely.” Sasa left the inner bunch together. There was no need to take out every flower, one by one.
They loosened only the tangled outer ribbons. Mimi supported the wrapping while Sasa tied the pink ribbon around it. The enormous yellow bow and extra loose ribbon went beside the table.
Sasa also fetched the pink flowers Coco had untied from the gate and added them to Mimi's parcel. Coco took the yellow flowers from Mimi's nook and began tying them at the gate. Bit by bit, things found their places.
Scene 07
Quick Hooves, One More Check
Sasa's nimble front hooves were useful again. They caught the wrapping before it slipped and neatly secured a loose end. Mimi set the finished pink flowers on the stand.
One last parcel needed to go to the gate. Before lifting the basket, Sasa called to Coco. “Yellow flowers, yellow ribbon. For Coco at the gate. Right?”
Coco checked the flowers, then the ribbon. “Right. Put them on the right side of the gate, please.” Sasa looked at that spot before setting off. “Zip, tap, off I go!” This time, both friends had checked where the parcel was going.
Scene 08
A New Job for the Bow
Yellow flowers stood at the gate, and pale pink flowers filled the quiet nook. Coco supported the last flowers while Sasa fastened the ribbon. Preparations finished later than expected, but both places were arranged as the friends had asked.
Sasa noticed the enormous yellow bow left on the table. “Where could this go?” Coco pointed at an empty flower basket. “There's room for a rather large bow here.”
They tied it around the basket's rim. It looked as though a yellow butterfly had landed there. “Even the ribbon has a place that fits,” Sasa laughed. Coco held the basket while Sasa gathered the leftover petals. This time, they both checked inside.
At the end of the story