There was once a little compost pile. It was such a small compost pile because it was in a yard without any trees. Other yards had lots of trees, and every Autumn their leaves or pine needles would fall, and the people would rake the leaves and add them to the big compost piles. The big compost piles would get larger and larger, and use the leaves to make good fresh compost for their yards.
But not the little compost pile. It never got any leaves added to it. Or dry grass. Or pine needles. It only got some vegetable peels and eggs shells from the kitchen. But that wasn’t enough to start the composting process. So the little compost pile stayed small. And it felt sad because it could not make compost, and help its yard.
One day the little compost pile noticed a squirrel who was sitting nearby. The squirrel was holding his tail in front of his eyes and crying. He looked like a very sad squirrel, his tail wet with tears, and the little compost pile felt bad for him, and wanted to cheer him up. .
“Hello there Mr. Squirrel” said the little compost pile. “Can I ask why you are crying?
“Oh… Ouhhh ” cried the sad squirrel looking up from his tail “I’ve been trying to save some nuts for the winter. But I’m really bad at hiding nuts. I make little hiding spots in the trees. But I’m the worst nut hider of all. The other squirrels always find where I hide my nuts and they take them away. And don’t leave me any. And now I don’t have any nuts stored up for the winter. And I am very very sad.”
“Is there anything I could do to make you feel better?” asked the little compost pile.
“Can you climb with me into the trees and help me hide my nuts better?” asked the sad squirrel.
“No, I am compost pile. I can’t climb any trees. But I stay here all day thinking about things. Maybe I can think of something you can do.”
So they sat together. The little compost pile and the sad squirrel.
“I have a question,” said the little compost pile. “If the other squirrels look for you nuts in the trees, could you hide them somewhere else?”
“Maybe” said the sad squirrel “but where could I hide them? If I just leave my nuts on the ground someone might step on them, or another squirrel might find them.”
“Hm… ” asked the little compost pile “have you ever heard of any squirrels looking for nuts in a compost pile?
“No.” said the sad squirrel. “Squirrels never hide nuts next to compost piles.”
“Well. You could hide your nuts next to me, and the other squirrels wont ever think to look here. Because no one ever hides nuts in compost piles.”
The sad squirrel stopped crying and dried his eyes with his tail. “Really, do you mean it? You will help me hide my nuts for the winter? Could we try it now?” asked the sad squirrel.
“Sure!” said the little compost pile. “Bring as many as you want and we will hide them all.”
So the squirrel ran off to find some nuts, and then they hid them together next to the little compost pile, And it worked! The squirrel wan’t sad anymore. He was a happy squirrel now. And he jumped around the little compost pile feeling happy that he had a safe hiding place for his nuts.
“Thank you!” said the happy squirrel. “You thought of a nice idea, and really helped me. Maybe I can help you with something too. Is there anything that you need?”
“Well…” said the little compost pile. “I really wish I could get some leaves. And then I could make compost for my garden like the other compost piles.”
“Leaves???” said the happy squirrel. “I can get you leaves. That’s easy. I can bring you a few leaves every time I look for nuts.” And he did. The happy squirrel ran around looking for nuts, but he would also always bring back some leaves for his friend the compost pile.
And after some time, the little compost pile wasn’t so little anymore. It a was a nice big compost pile with many many leaves, and he started making nice fresh compost for his yard, while helping to hide the nuts for his good friend the squirrel.
And to this day, the big compost pile and the happy squirrel are the best of friends, and help each other every autumn.
The End.