Dewey Deer s Love Daisies Elizabeth L Hamilton

Dewey Deer s Love Daisies Elizabeth L Hamilton Character-in-Action an imprint of Quiet Impact Inc

CHARACTER COMPANIONS SERIES Dewey Deer s Love Daisies Copyright 2009 by Elizabeth L Hamilton All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by USA copyright law. Cover design Elizabeth L Hamilton Printed in the United States of America ISBN (pending) Character-in-Action books are an imprint of the publisher, Quiet Impact Inc. www.character-in-action.com

1 Dewey Deer s bad luck started just after mother left him. At the time, it seemed like good luck. Dewey had been born early that morning. Mother let him drink her warm milk. Then she told him to lie down under the tall green tree. She told him not to move. He was not to move his little brown body with the bright white spots. He was not to move his brown and white ears. He was not to move his fluffy brown and white tail. He was not to move even one tiny foot. Lie down, little Dewey, Mother had said. Lie down in the daisies under the tall tree. Stay down. Stay down in the daisies. She had

2 snorted softly, and gently pushed Dewey s shoulders down. Be very, very still and do not let anyone see you. Mother had watched Dewey curl up on the ground among the yellow and white daisies. Then Mother stepped away. Dewey Deer lay very, very still. He could taste mother s sweet milk in his mouth. He moved his tongue inside his mouth, but he did not open his mouth. He closed his eyes. He closed them slowly. He thought, I do not want to be still. Dewey Deer looked down at his little brown foot. It was a tiny foot. It was a front hoof. It did not want to curl under his chin. It

3 wanted to move. It wanted to stretch. It wanted to jump and run. The little hoof wanted to dance. It was itchy. Dewey decided to lick the little brown hoof so it wouldn t be itchy. He let his hoof come out of the daisies, and he licked it. Suddenly, without a sound, Mother Deer was beside him. No, Dewey, she said firmly. She tapped her hoof on the ground. You must be very still. You must hide in the daisies. This time, Dewey asked, Why must I hide in the daisies, Mother? Because I love you, Mother said. Dewey Deer asked, What is love?

4 Love is knowing what is best for the one you love, and always doing it, even when nobody is watching, Mother told him. I love you, and because I know it is best for you to hide in the daisies, I make you do it. Dewey started to ask something else, but Mother had gone away and that s when Dewey Deer s bad luck began. It started with a small voice from the other side of the tree. Love isn t exactly that. Dewey listened, but he did not move. The small voice said, What is best for you is to do what you want to do. My mother loves me by letting me do what I want to do.

5 Around the tree came a strange body. The strange body was purple with a red circle and a white circle. Dewey watched as the purple body walked into his daisies. Do you like my hat? A nose popped from under the purple body, and a mouth giggled. My name is Tuti, said the mouth. I m a fawn, too, but I don t hide in the daisies. I don t like to hide in the daisies. I don t like to be still. I like to dance. Tuti danced, and her hat danced with her. I hide in my hat, she said. My hat keeps me safe so no one can see me. Come and dance. Dewey did not move. He did not speak.

6 If your mother really loves you, she will let you do what you want to do. She will let you dance. Tuti gave Dewey her purple hat. You want to dance. Hide in my hat and dance. Slowly, Dewey Deer put on the big purple hat with the red and white circles. He disappeared under the hat. He felt very safe. He stood up. He took a step. Then he danced. Around and around, he danced. This is what I wanted to do, he shouted. I wanted to dance! What good luck that you came with your hat! Tuti laughed again. It isn t luck, she said. There is no such thing as luck. I love you. That s why I help you do what you want to do.

7 That isn t love, called another voice. Love is when someone gives you the things you want. Through the grass came what seemed to be a tiny fawn, but it was wearing a yellow suit and bright red boots. The suit did not fit well, and it looked odd on the fawn. Dewey gave the purple hat back to Tuti, and they stared at the deer in the yellow suit. I m Runo, and because my mother loves me, she gave me this suit I wanted. The fawn turned slowly so they could see the suit. My suit hides me, Runo said proudly. He handed Dewey the red boots. Try on my boots. Dewey tried on the boots. He liked the red boots. They were bright and shiny.

8 This is just what I wanted, said Dewey. I wanted beautiful clothing! What good luck that you came with your red boots! Tuti and Runo both laughed. It isn t luck, they said. There is no such thing as luck. Dewey gave the red boots back to Runo. He watched as Runo ran off in the yellow suit and red boots. He watched as Tuti danced away in the purple hat with the red and white circles. He watched long after they were gone. Suddenly, Mother was there. What did I say, Dewey? she asked. She tapped her hoof firmly on the ground. You must hide in the daisies and stay there. Because I love you, I don t want you to leave the daisies. Do you understand?

9 But mother, said Dewey. Tuti s mother loves her by letting her do whatever she wants to do. Tuti hides under a purple hat and dances. Runo s mother loves him by giving him what he wants. Runo hides under his beautiful yellow suit and red boots. Mother looked sad. Tuti and Runo did not hide well enough, Dewey, she said. An eagle saw the bright hat dancing. It took away Tuti. A coyote saw the yellow suit and red boots. It took away Runo. Both of them are gone. Dewey s eyes grew big. He did not know what an eagle or coyote was, but they sounded bad. He liked Tuti and Runo, but he would never see them again. That was very bad luck.

10 Dewey took a long drink of Mother s warm milk. It made him feel a little better. He curled his tiny reddish-brown body deep down into the daisies. He hid his spots in the daisies. Mother smiled. Love is not about letting you do what you want to do. Love is not about giving you all the things you want. Love is knowing what is best for the one you love, and always doing it, even when nobody is watching. It is best for you to stay in the daisies. Your spots will look like daisies, and help you hide, she said. Then Mother went away. Dewey closed his eyes. He tried to think about love, but he fell asleep. When he awakened, he thought about love again.

11 Love is knowing what is best for the one you love, and always doing it, even when nobody is watching, Dewey told himself. I am safe because Mother loves me. Ha-ha-ha. That isn t love. Dewey wanted to see who was talking, but he was afraid to look. Maybe it was the eagle. Maybe it was the coyote. He lay still. That isn t love, the voice said again. Love means you like someone so much that you want to be together all the time. The voice was close now. Dewey peeked from the daisies and saw a brown deer. It was almost as large as Mother.

12 Who are you? Dewey asked. Are you a fawn, too? Me? A fawn? The larger deer snorted. I m Andre, and of course I m not a fawn! Can t you see? Fawns have white spots. Do I have spots? No! Look! No spots! He turned around to show off his spotless, reddish-brown coat. Andre pushed his nose into the yellow and white daisies. Now about love, he said. Where is your mother? She went away. If she loved you, she wouldn t go away. She d want to be with you all the time. She says she loves you just to make you do what she wants you to do. My mother did that. She told me to stay in the daisies and hide, but of course, I didn t.

13 The eagle and the coyote didn t get you? Dewey s big brown eyes stared at Andre. Eagles and coyotes can t get me! Andre boasted. I sat through a snow storm when I was a fawn. I had to lie on cold, wet grass in a wide field, but no eagle got me. I m still alive! Dewey shook his head. He felt the warm, dry daisies under him. He felt the strong green tree at his back. He smelled sweet pine needles. I think I ll stay in my daisies, he told Andre. You re a silly! Andre snorted. A mother s boy silly! He turned and dashed away. As Dewey settled back into the daisies, he saw another fawn. She was drinking milk.

14 Dewey listened to her drink. Then he said aloud, Love is knowing what is best for the one you love, and always doing it, even when nobody is watching. It is best for that little fawn to have a drink of her mother s warm milk. It is best for me to hide in the white and yellow daisies by my strong tree. Dewey curled his brown and white body as small as small could be. He pulled his little black nose down into the yellow and white daisies. He pulled his brown and white ears down into the daisies. He closed his eyes. What a good boy you are, Dewey. Mother was standing over him. I didn t hear you come, Dewey said.

15 You will learn to hear well as you grow big and strong, Mother told him. "When a pine needle falls in the forest, the eagle sees it, the bear smells it, but the deer hears it." Mother licked a bit of dirt from one of his white spots. Come. We must go to a new daisy bed so eagles and coyotes can t find you. First, Mother took Dewey to meet the fawn that was drinking. Mother greeted the other deer. Then she told Dewey, This is Haruko. Haruko will play with you when you both are older. Right now, you are both too small to play in the open. The eagle or the coyote might see you two little deer. When you are older, you will run together.

16 Dewey smiled. Haruko and I can hide together in the daisies, Mother. That would be love, wouldn t it, to be together all the time? Mother shook her head. Love is not about being together all of the time. Love is not about letting you do what you want to do. Love is not about giving you all the things you want to have, either. Love is knowing what is best for the one you love, and always doing it, even when nobody is watching. It is thoughtful for you to want to share your daisies with Haruko, but it is best for you both to stay hidden alone. Mother nudged Dewey with her nose. Come, we must go, she said.

17 Mother walked until they came to a tree of pink flowers. The ground under the tree was covered with yellow and white daisies. The little fawn was tired from the long walk. He crawled into the daisies and curled up. Love daisies, he said as he closed his eyes. Mother nodded. That s a good name for them, she agreed. Love daisies. Dewey Deer slept much longer this time. When he awakened, the sky was dark. Silver stars twinkled in the dark sky. A round, golden moon gleamed in the dark sky. Dewey wanted to stand up and stretch, but he didn t. Instead, he thought about Tuti

18 and Runo who were no more. He thought about Haruko, who was his age. He had just begun to think about big Andre, and not like those thoughts, when a large animal appeared. It was larger than Andre much larger than Mother. Dewey shivered inside. He kept his outside still, but not his inside. The big brown animal came very close to the love daisies. It bent its head, and Dewey whispered to himself, It wears branches! The big brown animal stopped. It looked at Dewey. Then it spoke in a very deep voice. I am Hakan! I am a deer a buck. I am your father, said the big animal. He shook his

19 head, and looked up. These are not branches, my son, he said. These are antlers. You will grow fine antlers when you become a buck. Dewey gulped. He was not at all sure he wanted to be a buck with fine antlers. Hakan was almost too big! Hakan put one large hoof in the daisy bed. Your mother said you call these love daisies, he said. That is a good name. Have you learned what love is? Dewey nodded his tiny brown and white head. He gulped again and said in a very small voice, Love is knowing what is best for the one you love, and always doing it, even when nobody is watching.

20 Hakan nodded solemnly, and said. Tell me, little one, why you decided to call the yellow and white flowers love daisies. Dewey felt braver as he said, Mother loves me, so she does what is best for me. She leaves me in beds of daisies. That is best for me because my spots look like daisy whites. If the eagle and the coyote see me in a daisy bed, they will think my spots are just more daisies. The daisies show Mother s love. Hakan gave Dewey a piece of a smile. Then he lifted his powerful legs, jumped over a nearby fence, and raced into the distance. Dewey watched until Hakan was out of sight. Then he sighed. He thought it must be a

21 lot of work to be a powerful buck. He was happy to be a little fawn at least for now. A moment later, two little deer popped up from a nearby clump of bright green grass. Hi! These deer were younger than Dewey. Hi, Dewey whispered. Why are you in that bright green grass? Why aren t you hiding in daisies? And what are your names? The two deer answered the last question first. My name is Peppi, said one. My name is Mei-li, said the other. Together they said, We are hiding in grass because green makes us happy. Mother loves us so she wants us to have a happy life. She told us to hide in a place that makes us happy. Grass makes us happy.

22 Dewey shook his head. Love is not about letting you do what makes you happy, he said. Love is knowing what is best for the one you love, and always doing it, even when nobody is watching. Love would make your mother hide you in daisies even if you hate it. Suddenly, there was a rustling sound in the green grass. Dewey Deer pulled himself down into the love daisies, and became very still. He heard two small squeaks. Then he heard nothing. He listened for a long time, and finally fell asleep. Mother awakened him to drink, and told him sadly, Peppi and Mei-li are gone. A coyote found them easily in the bright green grass.

23 Dewey thought about what Peppi and Mei-li had said. He told Mother. They said their mother loved them so much that she wanted them to have a happy life. She told them to hide in a place that would make them happy, so they hid in grass. But now they do not have a happy life. Now they have no life. Mother nodded. Peppi and Mei-li have no life and their mother has no fawn. Their mother did not do what was best for them, and they did not do what was best for their mother. None of them showed real love. The little spotted deer frowned, and asked, Does love work both ways? Do I do what is best for you, Mother? Do I show love to you?

24 You are my son, Mother told him. I want my son to be safe. You do what is best for me when you keep yourself safe. Come. We will move you to a new bed. As they walked, Mother taught him The Love Song. She began by humming it. The tune was like the Itsy Bitsy Spider tune. After she hummed, Mother Deer sang these words. Now, when I want to love you, I do what s best for you. Easy or hard, I do what s best for you. If it makes you happy, Or if it makes you glum, Oh, I do what s best for you yes, No matter what may come.

25 Now, when you want to love me, You do what s best for me. Easy or hard, you do what s best for me. If it makes me happy, Or if it makes me glum, Oh, you do what s best for me yes, No matter what may come. Oh, love may sometimes let you Do things you want to do. Love may sometimes give you, The things that you want, too. Love may make you happy Or love may make you glum, But, real love will do what s best yes, No matter what may come.

26 Oh, love may sometimes let you Be with one that loves you. Love may sometimes give you, Both hugs and kisses, too. Love may make you happy Or love may make you glum, But, real love will do what s best yes, No matter what may come. Mother stopped at a new bed of daisies. This one was beside a pretty blue lake. Dewey enjoyed a long drink from the lake, and then he sang the song with Mother. They sang very softly so that no one would hear them and find the new love daisies. Someone did hear them, though.

27 What a beautiful song, said a weak voice. I didn t know that s what love is. Would you sing it again, please? Mother s hoof tapped firmly on the ground to tell Dewey to go down in the daisies. Then she took a few steps toward the voice. Why, you re hurt, Dewey heard her say. Your leg is hurt, little fawn. Where is your mother? What is your name? The hurt deer, whose name was Colin, said that his mother had gone away and left him. He tried to follow her over a fence, but he fell and hurt his leg. Come with me, said Mother.

28 Carefully, Colin got up on three legs. He dragged the hurt leg as he walked slowly behind Mother. She led him away from Dewey. She led him away from the lake. She led him into the forest, and there, in a new daisy bed, she helped him hide. You will be safe here, she said. I will look for your mother. Stay down. And away she went. She could not find the mother deer, though, so Colin became her second son. Dewey and Colin spent a lot of time in their two beds of love daisies for the next three weeks. They rested and stayed very still when Mother was away. When she returned, she told them what she had seen. Once, she told them

29 about a young deer named Ana. A human girl had found Ana all alone and had taken her home. Ana missed the forest, but the girl seemed to do what was best for her. One day, near the end of the three weeks, Mother put Dewey and Colin in the same daisy bed. Then she brought something new to taste. There were two pieces, so each fawn had some, and both of them liked it very much. Mother told them, Those are Love Daisy Twists. Do you remember what love is? Then together, Dewey, Colin, and Mother all said, Love is knowing what is best for the one you love, and always doing it, even when nobody is watching.

30 Love Daisy Twists What you need: Canned, refrigerated bread stick dough (or make your own bread stick dough) rolled into thin, round strips. Green, yellow and white colored sugars Ground cinnamon What to do: ~ Heat oven to proper temperature for bread sticks. ~ Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil, and spray it lightly with cooking spray or rub lightly with cooking oil. ~ Twist a thin piece of bread stick into a small, tight coil for the center of each love daisy twist. ~ Loop thin pieces of bread stick around the coil to make 5 or 6 petals on each love daisy. ~ Attach a small piece for a stem. ~ Sprinkle each love daisy with cinnamon and bake. ~ Decorate while warm with green, yellow, and white sugar.