Read an Excerpt
There was once a big mountain. They were rich, and they worked hard at getting richer. They had a big market where they sold things to each other. The people on one side of the mountain caught fish and mined jewels and grew crops.
The people on the other side of the mountain worked hard too, but their soil was poor, so crops grew less well. They had no sea to fish in or jewels to mine. They grew and made just enough for them all to eat and wear if they shared things. Because they lived together, they loved sharing stories too. They told the same stories over and over again.
But, one day, a child called Pim said, “I want to find a new story. I’m going over the mountain to see what’s on the other side.” So Pim and Tiddle the dog climbed right up to the top of the mountain. Then they looked down and saw … “Wow, look at that, Tiddle!”
said Pim. Pim and Tiddle ran down to the market. There was more stuff there than Pim had known even existed in the whole world!
Pim asked a stall holder, “Please may I eat one of those beautiful fruits?” “What will you give me in return for the fruit?” said the man. “I haven’t got anything,” said Pim. “There must be something that your people have that we don’t,” said a woman. Pim looked at the market people. “I think we have more happiness than you do,” said Pim.“Bring us some of that, then,” said the man.
So Pim walked back over the mountain, thinking about how to carry happiness. I’ll catch some laughter, thought Pim. “Uncle Froddie, please will you sing for us?” said Pim. Uncle Froddie sang, and Tiddle danced. People laughed. Pim carefully caught laughter in a bottle. Some music and love slipped in with it. Pim put the stopper into the bottle to stop the happiness from leaking out.
Then Pim and Tiddle ran with the bottle of happiness back over the mountain. It was light to carry.
“Here’s some happiness,” said Pim, offering the bottle. “Open it up,” said the woman. “I need to see how good your happiness is before I know how many fruits to exchange for it.” “It’s really good,” said Pim. “It’s got laughing and music and love in it.” Pim pulled the stopper from the bottle. Pim tipped the bottle to pour out the happiness, but what came out was…silence and nothing to see.
“What a silly child to think that you could bottle laughter and love and music!” scoffed the man. But, “Listen properly!” said Pim. Because now there was laughter! It was bursting and bubbling and spreading from person to person. They were laughing at Pim for thinking that you could catch happiness in a bottle.“You said there was music, too,” said the man. “I can’t hear any of that. I can’t see the love either.” “Listen and look again,” said Pim.
“Ha, ha, HA! Ho, ho, HO! Prance and dance and be happy! Waggle your bum and stamp your feet. Clap your hands to mark the beat,” sang Pim.
Soon everyone was joining in with the singing and dancing and laughing. When
Pim’s song stopped, they hugged each other and laughed some more.
After that, the market people shared their food and drink with Pim’s people, and nobody weighed-up the weight of fruit against the weight of happiness. They just shared. The market people were amazed to see that Pim’s people still had lots of happiness, even though they had given away a bottle of it.
And when everyone was full of food and drink, there was still a story to share.
Pim began the story, “There was once a big mountain …” And you know how that story goes on, because you have shared it with Pim and Tiddle already.
