After the rain, the meadow glittered. Drops hung like little pearls on the blades of grass, and the stream at the edge went glug-glug-glug. Leni, the little field mouse, carried a small basket. Inside was a round blueberry cake for Grandma Lotte on the other side of the stream.

"Today I'm taking it over all by myself!" said Leni, wiggling her ears with joy.

When she came to the wooden bridge, she stopped. The bridge was broken. Two boards swam away like little ships. Leni sighed. "Oh no! How will I get across?"

"Chirp! What's wrong?" Pepe, the sparrow, plopped into the grass beside her. His chest was round like an apple, and his eyes sparkled.

"The bridge is gone," said Leni. "Grandma Lotte is waiting for her cake."

Pepe turned his head, looked at the stream and then the meadow. "Look!" He hopped to a huge, green leaf that shone in the sunlight. "That is as big as a little bed."

Leni was amazed. "A leaf boat!" They collected soft stalks and tied the leaf to a short branch. "This way it becomes a rudder," said Leni. She placed the basket carefully in the middle. Pepe tapped on it with his wing. "Stable!"

At the bank, Leni let the leaf into the water. Splash! It floated. The waves tickled her paws. "Are you coming with me?" she asked.

"I'll fly above and watch out!" called Pepe, shooting into the air. "To the right, it is calmer. Do you see the little bubbles? The water is good there."

Leni sat on the leaf. It wobbled, but only a little. With the branch, she paddled. "Left... right... left..." The stream gurgled friendily. A snail on the bank waved with its feelers. "Have a good trip!"

Suddenly Frida, the frog, appeared next to the boat. "Croak! Ahead is a curve. The stream sometimes does somersaults there. Steer in the middle, it's smooth there. Croak!"

"Thank you, Frida!" called Leni. Pepe flew a little ahead. "This way!" he trilled, his voice like a little bell.

The curve approached. The water turned a little, as if dancing. Leni held the rudder tight. "Slowly... that's good." The leaf glided past a gnarled branch. Clack! A drop splashed on her nose. She giggled. "That tickles!"

Behind the curve, the stream became faster. The leaf scurried past shiny stones. Then a large, brown head appeared. It was Bruno, the beaver. His fur was smooth, and his tail went softly splash-splash.

"Well, you two?" rumbled Bruno kindly. "Do you need a quiet path?"

"Yes, please!" called Leni. "Grandma Lotte is waiting."

Bruno nodded. With a strong splash, he pushed a round branch a little to the side. "Now there is a little lane. Follow the shadow there."

Leni steered into the shadow. The water became gentle like a yawn. Pepe did a loop in the air above them. "Do you see the bank? That is Grandma's garden!"

The leaf boat glided past yellow buttercups. A dragonfly pair danced over the water, blue as candy. Leni sniffed. From the distance came the scent of mint and warm hay.

Then it went: shrrr. The leaf brushed against soft mud. They were at the other bank. Leni jumped onto the grass and held the basket high. "Made it!"

Grandma Lotte was already standing at the fence. "My little captain!" She laughed and took Leni in her arms. Pepe landed on the fence post, and Bruno paddled close to the bank.

"Are you coming in?" asked Grandma Lotte. "Cake tastes best together."

They sat under the apple tree. The cake was juicy and sweet, and blueberry stains made blue mouse beards. Bruno told of sticks and dams, Pepe of cloud shadows, and Leni drew a map of the stream with a blade of grass.

"Tomorrow I will repair the bridge," said Bruno, cracking a twig contentedly. "Maybe I'll build a little boat dock as well."

Leni nodded seriously and stroked the leaf boat that was drying in the grass. "Then we can sail again. But today it was just right."

The stream gurgled in agreement. The leaf rustled softly, as if to say: I am ready for the next adventure.