Carl the Capybara Keeps His Cool

8 pages · 6 min · ages 5+

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Crunch, crunch, went a juicy green watercress leaf in Carl the capybara’s mouth. He balanced a heavy yellow mango on his snout while Pip the bird sat on his ears. “I want Monkey to have the best birthday ever,” Carl said softly. But Tuck the turtle climbed onto Pip, and Reginald the crocodile rested his chin on Tuck. Then Monkey bounced so hard that the berry cake slid down the muddy bank and floated away. “My cake is sailing down the river!” Monkey wailed, jumping in circles. Carl smelled the sweet berries drifting away. Carl felt quite relaxed despite the chaos. “Hm,” Carl said, and he chewed another leaf.

One, two, three, Carl made a plan. Carl picked up a long, bendy bamboo pole with his teeth to hook the runaway cake plate. “Hold still, everyone,” Carl said. “I will catch the cake with this giant stick!” Monkey cheered, but Pip the bird fluttered down and landed right on the tip of the pole. Boing! The bamboo bent like a bow and flicked muddy water straight into Reginald’s polite face. “Oh dear, that river water is rather muddy,” Reginald said, wiping his scaly nose. The sweet cake floated even farther away into the ripples. Carl knew they had to be quicker. “Hm,” Carl said, and he chewed a leaf.

One, two, three, Carl made a plan. He nudged a wide, hollow log into the water so they could paddle after the cake together. “Hop onto the log, friends,” Carl said. “We will row like a speedy pirate ship!” Tuck the turtle strapped two big palm leaves to his feet. “I am the engine!” Tuck said, kicking his little green toes with a loud slap-slap. The log glided smoothly across the warm, sunlit river for two whole seconds. Carl thought everything was finally working out. But Monkey tried to do a happy backflip on the wet, mossy bark.

Splash! Monkey’s backflip tipped the heavy log upside down with a giant gurgle. Tuck spun like a wet spinning top, while Pip fluttered up into a smelly guava branch. “Now we are all soaked and cakeless!” Monkey squeaked, shivering with dripping wet fur. The berry cake spun in a lazy circle down the river, smelling of sweet honey. Reginald sneezed a fountain of water through his long snout. “Pardon my dampness,” Reginald said, blinking river grass out of his eyes. Carl wanted his friends to stop shivering. “Hm,” Carl said, and he chewed a leaf.

One, two, three, Carl made a plan. He pointed his snout at a tall, stretchy rubber vine hanging over the water. “Reginald, pull the vine back,” Carl said. “We will fling a soft moss ball to nudge the cake to shore!” Reginald gripped the vine with his mighty jaws and pulled with all his strength. “Hold tight, everyone!” Reginald mumbled through clenched teeth. Carl held his breath as the vine stretched out like giant jungle spaghetti. It groaned with a loud creeeak. Carl knew this was their biggest, boldest try yet.

Twang! The rubber vine snapped forward and flung the moss ball backwards into Monkey’s lap. Monkey shrieked and bounced right onto Carl’s head, while Tuck landed on Monkey, and Reginald tumbled on top of them all in a wobbly heap. The red cake drifted near the misty waterfall rocks. “We failed,” Monkey whispered, drooping his furry tail. Carl felt a tiny thumping worry in his chest, looking at his friends sitting on him. Then Carl saw his own wide, floating paws and remembered how well he could swim. “Hm,” Carl said, and he chewed a leaf.

One, two, three, Carl was the plan. “Do not panic, just stay stacked on my back,” Carl said softly. Tuck sat on Carl, Monkey sat on Tuck, and Pip guided from the top like a little captain. Carl slid smoothly into the cool river like a giant, calm ferryboat. “Pardon me, I will be the rudder,” Reginald said, swimming gently behind with his broad tail. With steady, quiet strokes, Carl paddled right up to the cake. Monkey scooped up the sweet, dry plate with a joyful chirp. Carl felt wonderfully proud of his floating paws.

Back on the warm, grassy riverbank, Monkey sliced the delicious berry cake and handed the biggest piece to Carl. “Happy birthday to me, and hooray for Carl!” Monkey cheered, dancing on a flat rock. Pip chirped a sweet birthday song while Reginald dabbed his snout with a giant palm napkin. “Would you like the first bite, Carl?” Reginald asked politely. Carl looked at the sticky, sugary strawberry frosting covering his plate. He smelled the ripe fruit, but he gently pushed the sweet cake away. “Hm,” Carl said, and he ate the napkin.