Micia’s adventures in the vegetable garden, the hayloft and the farmhouse attic.

• 18 October 2026 #4 The Little Paper Fish The next morning, Micia took the pencil from its cup and slipped two sheets of paper between the pages of an old catalogue. After the oak leaf, she wanted to try an olive leaf. Pucci followed her along the path. In the olive grove they found Franci and Toto: the hen was arranging fallen olives in a wicker tray, while the little pig brought her those he had gathered from the cloth beneath the tree. “We’re looking for a leaf that’s already fallen,” Micia explained. Toto pointed to one beside the twisted trunk. It was narrow, silvery on one side and green on the other. Micia sat on the rust-coloured cloth. She rested the closed catalogue on her knees, put the leaf beneath a sheet of paper and gently rubbed with her pencil. The drawing came out so faint that she frowned. “The oak leaf showed up better.” Toto leaned his snout closer. “Perhaps this leaf is shy.” Franci came over, curious. “Let’s turn it over. The two sides don’t feel quite the same.” Micia lifted the paper and flipped the leaf. This time a thin outline and a long vein appeared. Pucci tilted his head in surprise. “It looks like a little fish without a tail!” Micia burst out laughing. She drew a tail, an eye and three bubbles beside the leaf’s impression. Toto wanted to add a rounder fish: it looked very much like his nose. Before leaving, they put the leaf back beneath the olive tree and helped Franci fold the cloth. At the farmhouse, Micia returned the pencil to its cup. Grandma looked at the two fish on the paper. “Tomorrow you could visit the pond. Who knows how many more drawings are waiting there?” Pucci stared at the bubbles. “Let’s hope we don’t need a waterproof pencil.” Read the tale →

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