Secret Ingredient..part three...

You could hear a pin drop in the kitchen where all the woodland creatures cautiously and curious tasted the soup ..

Miss Moussie looked with one eye at Gustave ,she didn't know what to expect from this hot brew..

Hmm, that tasted very nice .. and not at all suspicious ... one never knows what one could taste when something is unknown ..it could be awful .. but THIS was delightful .. She tasted a hint of brandy or liqueur ...... Visions of brushes and mops swept the cobwebs from Miss Moussies mind .. A new spring.. a new beginning, and who knows .. a new adventure. . Miss Moussie was ready ..

Sir Hog ... with haste.. took a big spoonful of soup ...then, with his mouth full ,sat very still .... Hmm ... he closed his eyes …Visions of fields filled with Daisies and Daffodils suddenly tumbled through his head ... sunshine and blue skies ... Hmmmmm, he sighed . ... Aah, that was good...just what he needed,a remedy for prickliness ... A little peace and warmth in a bowl.

Mr. C ,at first, didn’t have any vision at all .. the soup was so hot his glasses fogged.. Hmmm.whispered Mr.C..... who saw his surroundings change into a misty mystical haze ... Hmm, peculiar soup ...it makes one imagine oneself in to higher spheres .. I could swear I am drifting off on a cloud. This soup had a strange effect on him. Visions of paintings and sounds of music floated through his head . 'Wonderful soup, for an artist like me'…mumbled C.
Maybe Gustave used some strange mushrooms ..?.

After her first spoonful of soup Elvira got goosebumps ...and that’s very strange for a squirrel.
A strange twinkle twinkled from her head to the tip of her tail ... she uttered an elegant little scream ... ..AHMMMhmhmhm.. Visions of tiny squirrels came in to the picture .. A clothesline full of little red squirrel pants flapping in the wind. How could this be..she didn’t tell anyone that a tiny squirrel was on its way.. was it possible that her friends al ready knew. She looked at all the woodland creatures sitting at the table ... But they were all much too busy with their own visions which were clearly to be found at the bottom of their plates …

Bell and Beauregard ..sitting very close together ..eating their soup from a thimble ...looked at each other, smiling ... visions of wedding bells and wedding cakes hung between them .. a midsummer wedding night ... how enchanting .. There must be magic in this soup said Bell with a soft voice that sounded like a chappel bell..

The Dutchess ,sitting at the head of the table,took a good look at her quests ...they all had a heavenly look on their face ,... how sweet .. and what a marvelous soup ! ..She dreamed away to summer evenings, visions of happy garden friends, laughing, merrily sharing their dreams ...by the light of fireflies dancing ..

After everyone had filled his tummy ... it was time to go home... because, the next day…Monday ..they all had to rise and shine very early..!

Gustave stood by the door ... He friendly wished everyone good night ..

-Goodnight, friend Horatio .... I see that you have your spines back in order .. sleep well ..
-Aah .. Elvira darling .. you look radiant ... you have stars in your eyes ..very promising...tell me your secret..
-Mr. C. ..old chap... watch your step .. your mind seems to be somewhere else ... did you enjoy the soup
-Miss Moussie, my sweet ... always a pleasure to have you at my table ... You do not look tired at all ... are you going to start the spring cleaning any time soon ... Let me now if I can be of some assistant ..
-Bey now everybody ..... see you tomorrow ... and, with a big sigh, Gustave closed the door.

He looked around the kitchen .... goodness,what a mess they made….
'Gustave ...Gustave ...here I am darling ,on top of the cuckoo clock', chimed Bell. 'Thank you for a wonderful evening..we will help you clean up tomorrow.." Bell waved, and then slipped quickly through the clock door. Inside the clock her Beau was waiting... Gustave could hear him say something about,‘a best man’… and then the door closed ..

Now, all was very quiet in the kitchen ....Look at the Dutchess …fallen asleep in her chair..resting her head on her arms on the table ,with a smile on her lips. Gustave decided to go and lay next to her…he didn’t want to wake her up…and with his head on the Dutchess’s arm he dozed away quickly .. The last thought he had before he went to dreamland was..a little bit of parsley ,sage, rosemary, and thyme..can create miracles..!