ROOSTLINGS · STORY 06
Maple Reaches
By Lars & Luc · Ages 3–5
Obi and Maple visit the Lighthouse. A high-up problem needs a tall friend, a gentle ask, and help from the team.
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Late in the day at the Roost. Obi held an apple up high. Maple's neck came down, and down, and down. Gone.
Dax and Waffle sat by the Slide. "Not yet," said Dax. Waffle's feet would not keep still. "Only when Fig says go."
"She'll go," said Ivy. "She won't," said Dax. "She's learning to wait." Hana looked at Waffle's feet. "Her feet aren't."
Ding-dong-DING! Obi put the apples down. Waffle stood up. "Not yet," said Dax.
"Roostlings! The Bell!" called Fig. "Up and out!" called four kids. Fig had the big glass up. "The Lighthouse lamp is out, and the ladder is broken," she said. "And the sun is nearly at the sea."
Up to the Bell went four kids and four friends, Waffle first, and everybody sang. "Ivy and Pebble, push and pull!" Hrrmph! "Hana and Kite, see and fetch!" Tik-tik!
"Dax and Waffle, run and find!" Chirrup! "Obi and Maple, reach and lift!" Hmmmm. "Little ones. Big help!"
"A lamp that has to go up," said Fig. "That's a tall thing." She looked along the row. "Who's the one for a tall thing?"
"Obi and Maple!" "Maple, you'll reach," said Fig. "Kite, you'll see. Dax, you hold Waffle." Dax held Waffle. "Got her."
Down the Slide. Wheee! And go!
Maple put Obi on his neck, and off they went, slow and tall. Kite went over the Town, Hana under him. Then one more came down the Slide. Wheee! Dax ran down and carried her back up. "Not yet."
The Lighthouse was tall and white. At the top, at the rail, stood the Lighthouse-keeper. "Up here!"
On the grass lay the ladder, in two pieces, and a box. "The new lamp is in the box," she called. "The boats look for it by dark. It's too wide for my stairs. The ladder broke first."
Maple's neck came down, and Obi slid off. He stood in front of Maple, hands behind his back, and waited. "Maple, will you reach?"
Hmmmm. Maple's neck came down. "That's a yes!"
Obi and Hana pushed the box onto Maple's neck. Up went the neck, and the box, along the white wall.
Then the box stopped. Maple had no more neck. The Lighthouse-keeper reached down. Not near enough. The gap was as tall as Obi. Maple put the box down.
Kite went round the top once. Tik-tik! He bobbed his head at a big hook above the rail. "Rope over the hook," said Hana. "Then pull. Kite, will you fetch one more?"
Tik-tik! He bobbed his head. "That's a yes!" Up he went, and round the Roost twice. Round twice means one more.
Fig saw Kite go round twice. "One more. A pulling thing. Ivy and Pebble, down you go." Down went Ivy. Pebble took the trunk-path. Dax held Waffle. Down went Waffle. Wheee! "Waffle!" said Dax.
First at the Lighthouse was Waffle. She sat on the ladder. Ivy held the rope up. "Round Maple's neck," she said. "Then Pebble pulls, and up goes Maple."
Obi shook his head. "Help, don't hurt." Ivy looked at Maple's neck. "Round the box, then." She tied it there. Kite took the rope's end up. The Lighthouse-keeper put it over the hook and let it down.
"Pebble, will you pull?" Hrrmph! Pebble's frill came down. "That's a yes!" Ivy put the rope over Pebble's shoulders. "Not the neck," said Ivy.
Down came the neck. Up went the neck, box and all. Maple reached. Pebble pulled. Up went the box one Obi more, into the Lighthouse-keeper's hands. "Got it!"
She carried the lamp in. Round went the light, and round. The sun was still up. She came down with a tin. "Ginger cookies. Thank you." Obi waved. "Ring the Bell, and we'll come."
Up the Lift. Creak. Clunk. Up came the basket, Waffle in it. The sky was gold.
"Big Book, open." Fig found the page with the long neck. "Three true things about the Brachiosaurus."
"One," said Obi. "His front legs are longer than his back legs. His name means arm lizard."
"Two," said Hana. "A grown one is as tall as a house with four floors. He eats the leaves at the top of the trees."
"Three," said Ivy. "He has a bump on top of his head. His teeth are shaped like little spoons." Fig shut the book. "Written down. People found the bones, and looked, and looked."
"Dax. Waffle," said Fig. "Go." Waffle did not go. Waffle was asleep in Dax's lap. Her feet were still. "She's learning," said Dax.
"Ivy and Pebble, home. Hana and Kite, home. Dax and Waffle, home. Obi and Maple, home. And Fig makes nine. All home."
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