Puck

In the hiding game, Puck is the smallest piece of all. If Puck bumps into a hare, Puck goes home. If he bumps into a badger, Puck goes home. Almost everyone is bigger than Puck.

"That's not fair," Puck squeaked one evening, sitting on a pebble. "I'm too small to win anything."

Mosswick the owl blinked down at him. "Everyone is bigger than you," the owl agreed. "Except in one special way. What happens when you reach Ursa first?"

Puck's whiskers twitched. He remembered. "I tickle her home!"

"Yes," hooted Mosswick. "The biggest bear in the valley, and only you can do it. But only if you get there first. If Ursa reaches you first, you go home."

So Puck made a plan. He did not run around bumping into everybody. That would only send him home. Instead, he hid behind a mossy log and watched.

He watched the pieces moving across the meadow. One big piece walked boldly, sending a hare home, then a badger. That walks like Ursa, Puck thought. His heart pattered like rain.

He waited. He waited until the bold piece came very close, right next to his log.

Then Puck scampered out and reached her toes first. "Tickle, tickle!"