Mateo was a little cowboy. He wore a brown hat, a red scarf, and very shiny boots. He lived on a warm farm with yellow hay, round pumpkins, and soft little chickens.
Every morning, Mateo said, “Hello, sun!”
The sun said nothing, but it made the farm bright.
Mateo had a very big friend. Mammoth was fluffy, gentle, and gray. Mammoth had long tusks, a long nose, and tiny kind eyes.
“Good morning, Mateo,” Mammoth said.
“Good morning, Mammoth!” said Mateo. “Let us check the farm.”
They walked past the red barn. Clip-clop, went Mateo’s boots. Squish-squish, went Mammoth’s big feet.
Then they heard a sound.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The apples rolled from their basket. The ducks flapped their wings. The little chickens hid behind Mama Hen.
“Oh!” said Mateo.
At the end of the field stood Giant. Giant was taller than the barn. He had a blue coat, huge socks, and a very grumpy face.
“Who is making that boom-boom?” asked Mateo.
“I am!” said Giant. “I cannot find my golden bell. It is my favorite bell. I looked everywhere. Now I am cross!”
BOOM!
Giant stamped one more time.
Mateo felt a little scared. Giant was so big. But Mateo was a kind cowboy. He put one hand on his hat.
“Please do not stomp,” Mateo said. “The animals are scared. Mammoth and I can help you find your bell.”
Mammoth nodded. “We will look slowly. Slow eyes find small things.”
Giant blinked. “You will help me?”
“Yes,” said Mateo. “Friends help.”
First, they looked by the fence. Mateo looked low. Mammoth looked high. Giant looked very, very high.
“No bell,” said Mateo.
Next, they looked in the pumpkin patch. A pumpkin rolled onto Mammoth’s nose.
“Achoo!” said Mammoth.
The pumpkin bounced into a hay pile.
“Sorry, pumpkin,” Mammoth said.
The farm animals laughed. Even Giant made a small smile.
Then Mateo saw a tiny golden shine near the pond.
“Look!” he cried.
They hurried to the pond. But it was not the bell. It was a golden fish scale.
“Pretty,” said Giant.
The little fish made bubbles. Pop, pop, pop.
Mateo listened carefully. He heard a soft sound from the old windmill.
Ting.
Ting-ting.
“Do you hear that?” asked Mateo.
Mammoth lifted his long nose. “Bell sound!”
Giant took one big step toward the windmill.
“Wait,” said Mateo. “Soft feet, please.”
Giant tried. He tiptoed.
Tip.
His giant toe landed in a mud puddle.
SPLOSH!
Mud went on Giant’s sock. Mud went on his nose. Mud went on Mateo’s hat.
For one quiet second, everyone looked at Giant.
Then Giant laughed. “My sock is a mud sock!”
Mateo laughed too. Mammoth laughed with a big, warm rumble.
Behind the windmill was a small wooden cart. On the cart sat a very busy goat. The goat was chewing a ribbon.
Ting-ting!
The golden bell was tied to the goat’s red ribbon.
“There is my bell!” said Giant.
But the goat did not want to share. “Baaa!” said the goat.
Mateo crouched down. He spoke in a soft voice.
“Hello, little goat. Do you like the shiny bell?”
“Baaa,” said the goat.
“I have an idea,” said Mateo.
He took a blue ribbon from his scarf. Mateo tied the blue ribbon gently around the goat’s neck. Mammoth found a smooth wooden button. Giant gave one bright, round coin from his pocket.
Mateo made a new goat necklace: blue ribbon, wooden button, bright coin.
The goat shook his head.
Clink!
He liked it very much.
“Baaa!” said the goat happily.
Then the goat let Mateo take the golden bell.
Giant held the bell in his huge hand. His grumpy face became soft.
“Thank you,” he said. “I was loud because I was worried.”
Mateo nodded. “Next time, ask for help.”
“I will,” said Giant. “And I will use soft feet.”
Giant put the bell on the farm gate. Ting-ting! It made a cheerful sound when the wind blew.
As a thank-you gift, Giant opened his big blue coat pocket. Inside was a little treasure box.
“For Mateo,” he said.
Mateo opened it. There was a tiny silver cowboy star, with a golden edge.
“It is your Helper Star,” said Giant. “For the bravest, kindest cowboy on the farm.”
Mateo pinned the star on his red scarf. It sparkled in the sun.
Mammoth received a pumpkin cookie as big as a wheel. The goat received crunchy carrots. The ducks got a clean pond. The chickens came out from behind Mama Hen.
At sunset, Mateo sat on the fence with Mammoth beside him and Giant sitting very carefully in the grass.
Ting-ting, sang the golden bell.
“Good night, farm,” said Mateo.
“Good night,” said Mammoth.
“Good night,” whispered Giant, with his softest voice.
And the warm farm slept, safe and happy, under the bright, bright stars.