Soul Searching: Chapter 2
One evening the Groundskeeper returned home from a walk in the woods, carrying a basket filled with different kinds of plants, herbs, twigs and mushrooms.
“I suppose you’re turning vegan?” Tulip said. “Please take note that I’m not joining you in this faddish endeavor.”
“Crick-crick, crick-crick,” the squirrel said, meaning “You could do with eating more veggies, Tulip” in the squirrel language.
While the cat and the squirrel continued arguing about dietary preferences, the old Groundskeeper made a fire in the hearth and put a cauldron to simmer over the fire. He threw the plants and mushrooms he’d collected into the bubbling pot and let it stew for a good while. Next, he tossed his pine-cone figures into the pot.
“Crick-crick, crick-crick,” the squirrel said. (Translation from squirrel tongue: “See what you’ve done, Tulip, you cursed cat! You’ve teased and taunted him to the point that he is now making varnished pine-cone soup!”)
The Groundskeeper kept stirring the pot, and when he was done stirring he fished out the pine-cones with a ladle, and placed them to dry on a terry-cloth towel.
When the pine-cone creatures were fully dry, they started moving. Soon they were tumbling and frolicking with each other, just like happy little puppies.
“Can your French sappers do that, Tulip?” the old Groundskeeper asked.