DANIELLE CHOOSES A PUMPKIN FOR HALLOWEEN

When Aba was overseas on business, Saba came to help Mommy look after Danielle. In the morning when Danielle woke up, after having a short snuggle with her mommy, Danielle would run to Saba’s bed. Saba would then read Danielle a book. Their favourite book was 'There was an Old Lady'.  

 pumpkin

Saba would also bathe Danielle and give her breakfast. Most mornings Saba took Danielle to Day-care.

  One day, just before Halloween, Saba asked Danielle if she would like to go to the zoo. Of course Danielle wanted to go. So, after breakfast Saba put Danielle in her car seat and drove to the zoo. The car was warm and the ride was long; Danielle fell asleep. When they reached the zoo Saba didn't want to wake Danielle, so he drove around and around. Because she slept so soundly, Saba decided to return home and go to the zoo another day. As he parked the car in front of the house, Danielle woke up and excitedly cried, "Zoo! Zoo!"  Saba said, "No Danielle, we're back home." Danielle became somewhat upset. What could Saba do? He got back into the car and drove again to the zoo.
 pumpkin


They walked around looking at the animals, but what really interested Danielle were the pumpkins.
 In a corner of the zoo there was a stand with hundreds of pumpkins. The pumpkins were all
 different sizes, some big and some small, all of them glowing like orange moons.  Each child
 could choose one pumpkin, a Halloween gift from the zoo.  Danielle walked around looking
 carefully at every pumpkin. She chose the biggest pumpkin that was there. It was so big that
 she couldn’t even lift it. She wanted Saba to carry it but he told her that he wouldn't carry
 her pumpkin. She had to choose one that she could carry by herself. Danielle then choose
 a beautiful orange pumpkin that she held very carefully in her arms.

 


pumpkin




They walked to the cafeteria for lunch. Danielle wanted a hot dog, a bagel
 and orange juice. But when Saba brought the food Danielle wouldn’t let go
 of her pumpkin and just looked at the food. Eventually Saba and Danielle
 agreed that if she put the pumpkin on the table right next to her, she
would be able to eat and look after the pumpkin at the same time.




Afterwards they walked to see the farm animals. By the enclosure of the goats and sheep Danielle very gently put the pumpkin in her stroller so she could pat the animals through the fence.

 pumpkin

Even when Danielle got tired, she wouldn't sit in her stroller. That was for her pumpkin. They walked back up the hill, Saba pushing the stroller with the pumpkin, and Danielle lagging behind. Danielle stopped. As Saba turned around to help her the stroller started to race down the hill.

By the time Saba caught the stroller the pumpkin had popped off the stroller and rolled down and down the road. The road ran alongside a farmer's field that was fenced off. The pumpkin suddenly bounced off the road and rolled straight towards the fence and disappeared. There was one little hole in the fence. The pumpkin made straight for this one hole, rolled through it and came to rest right in the middle of the farmer's field.

pumpkin


 

"I want my pumpkin. Pumpkin! Pumpkin!" wailed Danielle.
Saba and Danielle looked to the left and to the right, but there
 was no way to cross the fence. Danielle was so unhappy that
 they walked back to the pumpkin stand and very soon Danielle
 found a pumpkin almost identical to the pumpkin that she had lost.





While Saba drove home Danielle held the pumpkin very close to herself.  When they arrived home Danielle took the pumpkin to her doll’s house and put it on the little table where it stood until Halloween.

 pumpkin

  (Story related by Saba Written by Granny, Hanukkah 1997 


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