Fabienne and the Missing Cake

Fabienne had been thinking about the cake all day long.  It was her favorite cake and there was one piece left.

That's right, one piece left!

Finally, the sun was setting.  Fabienne thought, "Tea time," and time for cake.

Running into the kitchen Fabienne got down her favorite plate and a fork, set her little table and called all her friends.

"Mr. Bear, it's time for tea and cake.  Mr. Rabbit, it's time for tea and cake."

All of Fabienne's friends rushed to the table and got themselves organized all prim and proper.

Fabienne went into the kitchen to fetch the last remaining piece of cake, but when she opened the refrigerator door - she was shocked!

Where the cake should have been was ... nothing.  Nothing at all.  A bare shelf.  She couldn't believe her eyes.  Where could the cake have gone?

Fabienne returned to the table where her friends waited.

"We have a mystery," Fabienne announced seriously, "the cake is gone!"

"Oh, my word!" exclaimed Mr. Bear.

"What he said!" mimicked Mr. Rabbit somewhat flustered.

"A mystery can be solved," Fabienne said to her friends, "will you help me?"

"Yes," said Mr. Bear, "my nose can smell cake for miles and miles."

"Count me in," said Mr. Rabbit, "my eyes can see the smallest crumb."

"Let's go," Fabienne cheered.  And the three of them went in search of the missing case and to solve the mystery.

Mr. Bear soon paused.  Sniffing the air he pointed to the right, down the hallway and said, "I smell cake over there."

Mr. Rabbit looked in the direction Mr. Bear was pointing and reaching down said, "And here is a very tiny crumb.  It looks like a cake crumb."

Mr. Bear said, "It smells like a cake crumb."

And Fabienne said, "It is a cake crumb!  Follow me!"  Fabienne went dashing down the hall.

Soon they were at the end of the hall and out of clues.

Mr. Bear paused.  Sniffing the air he pointed to the left, into a room that was dimly lit.  "In there," Mr. Bear whispered.

Looking to the left Mr. Rabbit bent down and picked something up.  "Another crumb," Mr. Rabbit whispered for no apparent reason.

Fabienne took the crumb and nodded her head, "It's a cake crumb for sure.  Follow me."

Once inside the room Mr. Bear pointed to a table and said, "Look, there's the cake!"

Mr. Rabbit agreed, "Look, there's the cake."

But Fabienne wasn't looking at the cake.  She pointed and said, "Look, Mama!"

Startled, Mama turned around.  She was holding a fork in her hand.

Fabienne looked at the cake, then at Mama, then at the fork and said, "I think we have solved our mystery!  Mama was protecting the cake so we could all share it with tea.

Mama smiled.  Mr. Bear smiled.  Mr. Rabbit smiled. And Fabienne smiled the most.

"Let's have our tea," she said.  And they did.