Eileen, Figurine, Tangerine and Hazelnut are sisters.
Eileen is the eldest. She has yellow hair.
Yellow is also the colour of Figurine’s favourite dress.
The sisters live in an enchanted little house with their moms…
…whose names are Corine and Florine.
Eileen likes to have tea parties in the backyard.
She invites all her sisters and their stuffed friends.
Tangerine’s hair is red.
And Hazelnut’s hair is dark brown.
She calls it “walnut”.
Hazelnut is the youngest of the sisters.
Her favourite pastime is exploring different neighbourhoods.
She loves to watch people,
and run her fingers through bowls of
sparkly beads and jingly trinkets.
Hazelnut also likes to perch in a tall chestnut tree in her backyard.
Sometimes, she sits on a branch to sing a song, just like a bird.
And if Eileen has a tea party beneath the chestnut tree
Hazelnut makes it rain.
Not the kind of rain that requires an umbrella
to keep from getting wet but a rainfall of candy-coated seeds
or green lentils
or brightly-coloured confetti or sparkly beads.
One summery day, Hazelnut went to Chinatown
with her sister Figurine.
Figurine danced a fandango while Hazelnut gazed at shiny
coins and colourful paper lanterns.
Both girls fancied the sweet and sour and gingery aromas, and sounds of laughter and chatter and music.
And the next day…
…it rained Chinese fans.
One fan landed on Eileen’s head as she went to pour some tea.
When Eileen waved the fan back and forth to cool herself, she saw a beautiful golden bird flying through the air.
It was surrounded by pink blossoms.
Lounging in her favourite tree,
Hazelnut munched on candied ginger,
and created a cool breeze with a sapphire-blue fan
decorated with gold stars.
When the party was over, the tired little girls went off to bed.
Each put her special fan under her pillow and dreamt of
golden birds and pink flowers,
saphires and gold stars…
…and many other magical things.
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