The Fly’s Little House

A little fly built a small house in a meadow full of flowers. She covered the roof with dry leaves, decorated the windows with petals and placed a smooth stone…

A little fly built a small house in a meadow full of flowers. She covered the roof with dry leaves, decorated the windows with petals and placed a smooth stone by the doorstep. When everything was ready, the fly stepped back a few paces to admire her cozy home.

Her first guests were a tiny flea and a little mosquito. They stopped at the door and politely asked, “Who lives in this little house?” The fly introduced herself and invited them in. The guests were so small and friendly that they fitted on a bench made from a single twig.

Next, a hare and a fox came to the house together. They stayed outside so they would not crowd the tiny residents. The fly peeped out of the doorway, and her new neighbors suggested making a shared garden beside the house. The hare brought seeds, the fox brought a ribbon for the gate, and the fly showed them the best places to plant flowers.

Later, a gray wolf arrived. He sat on the grass a little way off and asked the hare whether any help was needed. “There isn’t quite enough room for you inside the house, but there’s plenty for everyone to do in the garden,” the hare replied. The wolf brought water from the stream, and together they watered the new garden beds.

During the night, a strong wind swept in and gently tipped the light little house onto a heap of hay. Everyone got out in time, and no one was hurt. In the morning, the hare brought a sturdy board, the fox decorated the new roof with a wreath of flowers, and the fly watched the building work. The wolf and the tiny guests brought twigs and leaves. Soon a new, stronger house stood in the meadow, with a porch for the bigger friends.