Old Floppy Hat, originally uploaded by Thorsten Becker.

“Ha ha ha, he he he,” went Flip.
“Shhhh, no wake him up,” hushed Flap.
“Old Floppy Hat all sleepy, no worry he waking up,” Flip said, dancing around a big old mushroom.
“No, no. Yes, yes, wake him up you will. Shhhh, quiet.”
“Why Flap so afraid? Flap scared of Old Floppy Hat? Can do no harm, will do no hurt.”
“How Flip know? Flip know eeeeevvverrryyything? Flip woken angry toad last night, got chewed good and spit out.”
“Ha ha ha, big fun, big fun. Do again some time.”
“Do again, do again, nah nah nah. Flip know no fear, huh? Flip sooooo smart and daring.”
“No, Flip just have fun. Flap just… Flap. Flappy di flappy di flap. Blaeh,” Flip stuck his tongue out at Flap and wiggled his long pointy ears.
“Flap just cautious, want no trouble. Want make friends, not grumpy Flap chasers.”
“Ha ha ha, Flappy di flappy di flap. Blaeh.”
Suddenly a long drawn out “Uuuuuaaahhhh” came from under the mushroom.
“Who’s there, who wakes me from my afternoon nap? Flip, is that you?”
“No Flap,” said Flip
“No Flip,” said Flap
“Flip.”
“Flap.”
“SILENCE,” blurted Old Floppy Hat, “you kids are always out for trouble.”
“Me no trouble, me told Flip to be quiet. But Flip always poke fun at Flap for being cautious,” lamented Flap.
“Bah, Flip just having fun, not like boring flappy di flappy di Flap,” countered Flip.
“Oh Flip, I know you think the whole world’s a play and you can laugh your way out of every pinch. There are many dangers out there – grave dangers, terrible dangers – deadly danger,” said Old Floppy Hat with a deep foreboding voice. “Listen to your brother, he just has your best interest in mind. Laughing and jumping around and being silly are good fun. But there is a time for laughing and a time for listening. And I see you’re already not listening to me.”
Flip’s ears wiggled excitedly as he watch a millipede walk on by, thinking about how much fun it would be to scare him and once he curled up roll him down a hill.
Reading Flip’s mind Old Floppy Hat decided it was time to teach Flip a good lesson.
“I see. So it shall be,” he said, tipping his floppy mushroom hat.
“Flippediflip, switcheridoo, millipededoo.” And with these words Flip turned into a millipede and the millipede into Flip.
After that Old Floppy Hat turned to Flap saying “Don’t worry, master millipede will teach Flip some valuable lessons and by nightfall we shall meet here again and see about his progress.”
“Yes, Flap wait here and watch master millipede teach Flip lesson. And when Flip back maybe he no be so daring anymore and we’s can have some fun together without scare of being eaten,” Flap said with a little smile on his face.

© Thorsten Becker