Pip stepped out of the dark trees and into the bright meadow. Three blue birds landed on a bush and began to sing.
"One, two, three!" Pip tapped his tiny toes. One by one the birds flew away, leaving a bright blue feather on the grass.
Pip followed the feather until he saw two red rabbits nibbling clover near a wooden fence post.
Pip pressed his ear to the warm earth. The rabbits hopped in a wobbly circle around him and zoomed into the wildflowers.
Near a pond, five green frogs sat in a row on lily pads. Pip counted them all — until the fifth frog splashed into a pile of golden apples.
Pip dug through the leaves and found one perfect golden apple. But then a small turtle with a cracked shell waddled out from behind a stone.
Pip looked at the apple, then at the turtle's dry mouth. He broke the apple in half with a loud snap.
Pip slid the bigger half toward the turtle. The turtle munching happily offered Pip a smooth river stone.
They sat together on the warm grass. Pip held the smooth stone and looked up at the sky.
Together they counted the blue birds, the red rabbits, and the green frogs one more time as the meadow glowed orange.