Hupp, the little bunny, hops across the meadow with big, soft ears. After the morning rain, the grass glimmers, the smell of the earth is fresh, and the dandelions seem to smile. Hupp carries crunchy carrots in a woven basket for Grandma. The sun shines warmly; the puddles are tiny mirrors in which white stripes of clouds float. Hupp's ears twitch because he is in a big hurry.

At the end of the path, however, a huge puddle stretches, like a small lake. On the edge of the water, frogs sit and listen as drops still trickle from the branches. The leaves of the sedge nod. Hupp stops. The puddle is wide and impossible to jump over.

Then Cini, the little mouse, arrives with a picture book under her arm. Then Bubu, the turtle, arrives slowly, seriously, like a rolling little house. Panka, the ladybug, circles over the water; the sunlight glitters on her spotted wing. All of them would like to continue on the path. But the puddle says: only through water!

– Oh, what should we do now? – complains Cini. – My Grandma waits for the story. – And me? – sighs Bubu. – Today I would like to nap in the clean grass. – And I would like to count new flowers – rustles Panka. – I help! – says Hupp, and his ears stand up happily.

Hupp first pushes a big burdock leaf onto the water. – Boat! – he shouts. Cini stands on it, but the leaf slowly tips down and, with a quiet splash, sinks. Cini skips onto a pebble. A water drop vibrates on her whiskers, then she starts laughing. – No problem – says Hupp. – Let's try differently! Let's work together!

Panka flies up high. – There! – she points to a thick but light branch that the wind broke. Hupp and Bubu pull the branch together; it creaks softly on the ground. Cini, meanwhile, looks for flat, round stones that don't wobble. – These can be stairs – she says. Along the shore, they also collect pine cones and wide burdock leaves so their feet don't get muddy.

The building begins. Hupp puts the stones in a row, like little islands. Bubu pushes the heavier pieces into place; his shell clunks only gently. Cini lays the branch on the stones, while Panka watches and directs: – One more stone to the left! – Good like this! – Slowly! The puddle splashes patiently, as if watching curiously what is being made here.

When the branch gets into place, it suddenly tips, and a tiny snail, Spotty, almost slides off it. – Oh! – gasps Cini. Hupp supports the branch with his paw, while Bubu finds two fork-shaped twigs and presses them against the two sides of the bridge. – Now it's stable – he says and smiles. Panka wipes the water off Spotty's back with a petal. – Everything is alright – she winks.

The time for the test comes. – Me first, because I'm heavy – declares Bubu. Slowly, very slowly, he ambles across; the branch doesn't move. – Hurray! – claps Cini. Then Cini steps on it with tiny steps, then Panka flies across, just for fun. Hupp takes the basket, and he goes across last. Under the branch, the water splashes once, then calms down.

On the other side, a mama hedgehog stands with three prickly, curious hedgehogs. – Thank you for the bridge – she sniffs. In a row, toddling, they cross bravely. The frogs croak as if clapping, and the reeds rustle. Everyone smiles.

Hupp puts down the basket. – Let's eat! – he says and shares crunchy carrots. Cini shows a picture of bridges from her book. Bubu leans comfortably against his shell, while Panka pins a tiny flower petal to the end of the branch as a flag. – Let its name be Friendly Bridge – suggests Hupp. – Let it be! – they shout at once.

When they move on, the bridge stays there and waits for those passing by. Since then, if it rains, no one gets scared of the big puddle. The Friendly Bridge helps everyone: feet, paws, padded feet, and spotted wings too. And Hupp reaches Grandma happily, who hugs him and asks what took so long. – We just helped – says Hupp. – And that feels good.