A Cake for Granny May

And then he looked at the dogs. "I could go," said Finn, "I know the stream, and the big hill, and the hut — and Juno knows the way." Juno thumped her tail — thump, thump — and Mum smiled: "All right, but do whatever Juno says." The dogs were not much of a sled team: there was Juno, old and wise and slow, with a little bell that went ting.

Then there were Hop and Skip, the young twins, who chased everything — snowflakes, leaves, each other! And there was Pickle, a sausage dog with teacup-tall legs, who sat in the sled basket and would NOT get out. "Fine," said Finn, "you can be in charge of the cake." Pickle looked at the cake box… and licked his lips.

"In charge of LOOKING AFTER the cake," said Finn. Finn packed a flask of cocoa, two blankets and a torch. "If it snows hard, stop at the shepherd's hut," called Mum, "there are biscuits on the shelf." When he was ready, Mum tucked in his scarf and said, "And Finn — don't let Pickle eat the cake."

Straight after breakfast they set off across the frozen field — shhh, shhh went the runners, and ting, ting went Juno's bell. Finn sang, "Over the hill and over the snow, Juno in front, and off we go! Hop and Skip and Pickle too, Granny May, we're coming to you!" Then a snowflake floated past… Hop ran after it, Skip ran after Hop, and the sled went round, and round, and ROUND!

Juno stopped, turned her head, and gave one deep WOOF — and Hop and Skip's ears went down. Finn untangled the traces, while Hop and Skip stood very, very still. This time, the twins trotted steadily as Finn sang again, "Over the hill and over the snow, Juno in front, and off we go!" At the far side of the field was a stream, frozen right to the bottom — a long, glassy ribbon of blue ice.

Juno stepped onto the ice… and her legs slid apart until her chin was on the ice! Hop and Skip slid into a heap, and when Finn hopped off — BUMP — down he sat too! So Juno did the sensible thing and lay down flat on her tummy. Hop and Skip wriggled down flat too, and Finn lay on the sled with his arms out like an aeroplane.

With a push from Finn, SWISSSH — they slid across, like a row of seals! Once they reached the far bank, Finn said, "Good girl, Juno! And no, you two — once is enough!" Halfway up the big hill, the snow came again, so thick that Juno was just a grey shape. Finn stopped the sled: "The hut… it's here somewhere."

But there was only snow and soft white humps, and even Juno could not find it. Then Pickle hopped out of the basket… and vanished into a snowdrift! Only the tip of his tail showed… and then the tail began to wag. Sniff, sniff, sniff — Pickle ploughed a little trench straight up the hill, and Finn followed it…

At the end was a big white hump — and in its side, half buried, a wooden door! Pickle sat by the door, very pleased with himself, because he had smelled the biscuits. "Pickle," said Finn, scooping away the snow, "you're a genius!" They all crowded into the dark hut, and… click… Finn switched on the torch.

With the dogs pressed close and warm, Finn sipped cocoa and shared the biscuits — Pickle had two. Outside, the snow fell and fell. Finn told the dogs all about Granny May, and how she always fed them sausages under the table. At the word SAUSAGES, all four dogs' ears shot up at once!

When they came out, the snow had stopped, and across the starry sky the Northern Lights rippled, green and pink. Finn stood with his mouth open, and nobody said anything for a long, long time. Then Juno turned, and looked down the other side of the hill… …and there below was a little red house with a crooked chimney and one glowing window.

Granny May was knitting when she heard a little bell — ting, ting — and a small voice singing. "Hop and Skip and Pickle too, Granny May, we're coming to you!" Down the hill, under the Northern Lights, came a sled pulled by dogs, with a boy on the back, waving. And in the front basket sat a sausage dog on a cake box, looking very important.

Granny May opened the door, and Finn said, "Happy birthday, Granny." Granny May put her hand over her mouth… then hugged him so hard his hat fell off! They had cake by the fire, and it was a little bit squashed on one side, from the slide across the ice. And there was a small bite missing from one corner… about the size of a sausage dog's mouth.

"Pickle," said Finn. Pickle looked at the ceiling. Once they’d finished their cake, Granny May gave every single dog a sausage. That night, Finn slept on Granny's sofa, and the dogs slept in a heap by the fire.

And Pickle curled up in Granny May's knitting basket, in a nest of soft red wool. Outside, the Northern Lights moved slowly over the snow. And Pickle snored, very loudly, all night long.