Ollie the Pookoo was a tiny fairy with blue wings and a round, warm hat. Ollie lived in the Enchanted Forest, under a mushroom with a red roof.
Every morning, Ollie waved a little twig wand and said, “Good morning, trees! Good morning, flowers!”
The trees whispered, “Good morning, Ollie.”
The flowers went, “Pop, pop, pop!”
Ollie was kind. Ollie was also a little shy. Big sounds made Ollie’s wings wiggle.
One sunny day, Ollie heard a small sound near the silver pond.
“Peep?” said the sound.
Ollie looked behind a fern. Nobody.
Ollie looked under a pebble. Nobody.
Ollie looked inside a pink flower. Nobody.
“Hello?” said Ollie softly. “Are you lost?”
“Peep!” said the sound again.
Then a purple tail floated past Ollie’s nose. It had yellow dots. A pair of green ears floated beside it. Two orange paws bounced in the air.
“Oh!” said Ollie. “You are an Imaginary Animal!”
The invisible little animal gave a happy squeak. Only its tail, ears, and paws could be seen. The rest was hidden like a secret.
“My name is Pippa,” said the animal. “I was playing hide-and-seek. But now I cannot find my way home.”
“I will help,” said Ollie. Ollie’s voice was quiet, but Ollie’s heart was brave.
They walked through the Enchanted Forest. Step, step, step.
Pippa’s orange paws went hop, hop, hop.
Soon they came to a bridge made of soft vines. Beneath it, a stream sang, “Trickle, tickle, tune!”
But on the bridge stood a gray Wolf with a fluffy tail.
“Who goes there?” growled Wolf.
Ollie’s wings wiggled very fast.
“It is me, Ollie,” said Ollie. “And Pippa. We are finding Pippa’s home.”
Wolf sniffed. “I smell purple tail. I smell orange paws. But I cannot see this Pippa.”
Pippa hid behind Ollie’s hat. “Peep,” she said.
Wolf’s growl became a frown. “I am not trying to scare you,” he said. “I am trying to cross the bridge. The vines are tickly. They tickle my feet. Achoo!”
“Achoo!” went Wolf. The bridge shook. Leaves flew up like green butterflies.
Ollie had an idea. Ollie tapped the twig wand. “Twinkle, twinkle, tiny shoes!”
Pop!
Four blue shoes appeared on Wolf’s paws.
Wolf took one step. No tickle.
He took two steps. No tickle.
Wolf smiled. “Thank you, little fairy.”
“You are welcome,” said Ollie.
Wolf looked at Pippa’s floating ears. “I know where Imaginary Animals live. Follow me.”
So Wolf walked slowly. Ollie flew beside him. Pippa hopped between them.
They passed the sleepy oak. They passed the giggling berries. They passed a field where fireflies played blink-blink.
At last, they reached a cloud of rainbow mist.
“Home!” cried Pippa.
Inside the mist was a tiny door. It had a moon-shaped handle. Pippa pushed it open.
There were little beds made of feathers. There were toy clouds. There was a bowl of star-shaped biscuits.
Pippa’s family rushed out. A floating nose, six dancing paws, and three curly tails zoomed around Ollie.
“Thank you!” they cheered.
Pippa gave Ollie a present. It was a small golden bell on a blue ribbon.
“It is a Find-a-Friend Bell,” said Pippa. “Ring it if someone is lost.”
Ollie rang it once.
Ting!
The bell made a tiny rainbow. The rainbow landed on Ollie’s hat.
Wolf clapped his blue-shoed paws. “You were brave,” he said.
Ollie smiled. “I was scared a little.”
“That is all right,” said Wolf. “Brave can be scared and helpful at the same time.”
Ollie flew home as the sky turned soft pink. The golden bell jingled at Ollie’s neck.
Ting, ting.
From far away came a happy sound.
“Peep! Good night, Ollie!”
“Good night, Pippa!” called Ollie.
Under the red mushroom roof, Ollie hugged the new golden bell and smiled. The Enchanted Forest was big, bright, and full of friends.