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Gebbe finds something else

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grodan Gebbe

Do you know Gebbe? He is a frog like all the others. Except that his feet are a little darker green. And his body is a little lighter. Gebbe lives in the reeds with his mother, his father, many brothers and sisters and other family members.

Sometimes he finds it enjoyable to be with them. But sometimes he prefers to be alone. That is because he then can think better.

Some days he sets out with his friend Wopp. Today is such a day. Gebbe and Wopp climb out of the reeds. Normally they go and catch flies, but now they want to do something else. But what?

Wopp takes some high leaps. Then he dives into the water. "Here we will find something to do. Come with me", he says. But Gebbe thinks it is too common. There in the ditch they will definitely not find something else. "Oh no," he answers, "we have been there so often. I’ll join you later."

Gebbe turns around and jumps up the ditch side. There, not far behind the grass, is the forest. It is quite dark between the high trees. And it is not that easy for a little frog to find its way in the woods. But Gebbe is brave. Soon he is sitting between the ferns at the edge of the wood. He can still see the grass a little bit.

It smells good here under the trees. Mmmm, great forest air! Gebbe follows his nose. He jumps deeper and deeper into the forest.

Then he comes at a cavern. The entrance is big enough to jump in to. And that’s what he does. Hop, one hop. Hop, another one. Hop, one more. Now he is in the center of the big cavern. It is pitch-dark. And all of a sudden he understands what he has done. There he is, Gebbe. All alone in a dark cavern a long way from home.

He sits, and sits … because he has to think. And that goes very well when you are alone.

It’s completely silent here. Or ... what’s that? Gebbe hears a sound anyway. It comes from one of the corners. A really soft sound. Gebbe takes a little leap. Now he hears it very clearly. It is a soft, humming sound. Another leap. Yes, now he sees something too. His eyes have become used to the dark. He is very close now.

It looks like a ... ball. A ball? Yes. Well, that is not something to be scared of! A ball that sounds. It’s probably punctured.

Gebbe is calm. He decides to take the ball home with him. He brings it to the entrance with soft nudges. Now it is time to find his way back. Fortunately that goes well. Gebbe has a keen nose, hasn’t he? He follows his own tracks back.

In the grass at the waterside Wopp is waiting for him. "What did you take with you?" "I have found something Else," says Gebbe. "It looks like a ball anyway," says Wopp, "but it is very beautiful." Gebbe and Wopp scrutinize the ball. It doesn't seem to be punctured, because it’s still as big as it was back in the cavern. And it is semi-transparent.

Now that the sun is shining on it they can see that there are colours coming up around the sides. Blue on one side. Yellow on the other. Sometimes the yellow becomes orange, then red. The blue side becomes alternately green and purple.

Wopp gives the ball a nudge. And there it starts rolling. Slowly in the beginning. Than faster. And then it bounces to the waterside. In the sunlight it gets different colours.

Every time it bounces they hear a sound too. Move your mouse over the image below. Then you’ll hear it as well.

The ball has got a good speed. It bounces into the water and … sinks to the bottom. Now Gebbe wants to dive into the water, you bet! …

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GT rolls down
 

How does Gebbe's story continue? Will he find his new toy back? Is it actually a toy? The book about Gebbe is available in Dutch and Swedish at the moment. Please contact me if you are interested in an English edition.

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