In the garden, a tall mango tree dripped gold in the sun. Marnie stretched and stretched up high.
She grabbed one but — thwack! — it bonked right on her head. Marnie giggled and filled her basket until it groaned.
Marnie tottered down the path with her heavy basket. Over the fence, the neighbour peeked and held out her hands.
Marnie hugged the basket tight. She thought, Mine. She marched on anyway.
One orange rolled away — plop! — right into the dustbin. Three fat chickens blinked up from inside.
The eldest chicken stretched its neck — gulp — and swallowed the whole orange.
Then Marnie tipped the basket. Mangoes, oranges, figs — they tumbled everywhere into the grass.
A tiny apple bounced — boing! — right onto the chicken's comb. It stopped, blinked.
Soon the neighbours came. They sat on the stone wall and peeled, bit, and crunch-crunched. The neighbour pressed a halved mango into Marnie's palm.
Marnie took a big bite. Juice ran down her chin. She smiled.