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Music spilled through the treetops,
music from a wooden flute. It tickled away Hannah's grumps, and lifted her onto her tiptoes. |
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"Come PLAY-with-me, PLAY-with-me, PLAY-with-me," the music called.
Hannah ran among the trees looking for whoever was playing the music, but she couldn't find anyone except a little brown bird. So Hannah went home and built a boat. As she sawed and hammered and hammered and sawed, the little bird chirped by her side.
Music danced across the lake,
sparkling off the waves. It swooped into Hannah's sail and sent her skimming to the distant shore. "Come DANCE-with-me, DANCE-with-me, DANCE-with-me," the music sang. Next to Hannah's boat, a fish jumped and plopped. A duck came to swim beside her, and the little bird nabbed a mosquito. Hannah beached her boat and clambered over the rocks. She danced a few skipping steps, and a lonely puppy joined her. They started up the nearest mountain, the puppy scampering by Hannah's feet. Music drifted from the rocky peaks where only eagles flew. It fluttered Hannah's hair about her face and made her laugh out loud. "Come FLY-with-me, FLY-with-me, FLY-with-me," the music begged. Hannah spread her arms and soared up, up, UP. She saw a mountain goat nibbling at tufts of grass, and orange butterflies that darted above the alpine flowers. Then, DOWN, down, down she drifted and settled on the shore. The puppy chased the duck. The goat chased the puppy. The little bird sat on the mountain goat's back, and the butterflies sat on the sail. The boat tipped. "Oh no!" cried Hannah. "What should I do?"
Music whispered on the breeze,
far across the lake. It steadied Hannah's little boat and carried them gently along. "HOME again, HOME again, HOME again," the music sighed. Hannah steered her boat. A fish plopped. The duck dived. And high overhead, an eagle watched. Hannah sailed home and sat down by the fire. Music leaped among the flames, swirling in the smoke. It teased away Hannah's tiredness and kissed her toes and cheeks. "Come SING-with me, SING-with me, SING-with me," the music crooned. Hannah sang. The bird sang "Chirp!" and the duck sang "Quack! and the puppy sang "Woof!" and the mountain goat sang "Baaah!" And high overhead, an eagle sang "Skree!" A baby deer heard the singing, and came closer to listen. Hannah searched for just the right branch. Carefully, she carved a wooden flute. When it was finished at last, she sat on a large rock and blew softly. As she played, music spilled from her flute.
It swirled through the treetops
and danced across the lake. It soared to the rocky peaks and then back home again. "Come PLAY-with-me, PLAY-with-me, PLAY-with-me," the music called. Children came running through the trees. "Can we play?" they said. |
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Alison Lohans was born in California, and immigrated to Canada in 1971. She has published 13 books for children and young adults, one poetry chapter-book, and numerous short pieces for adults and children including short fiction, nonfiction articles, poetry, book reviews and academic works.
The copyright to Hannah's Magic Flute belongs solely to Alison Lohans. This use of it is by a generous loan from the author to SillyBooks.net. |
Alison Lohans |