The Watering Can Passenger: story transcript
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The Watering Can Passenger
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On the family farm, Anwen had one job before lunch: water the bean rows. The sun was already climbing. Anwen filled the can, aimed its spout at the first row, and found a butterfly sitting right on top.
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Mallow opened and closed her pale pink wings. Anwen knew her; she visited the bean flowers most mornings. "Not now, Mallow," Anwen said. "These beans are thirsty." Anwen gave the can a quick shake. Mallow stayed. The water did not.
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Splash! The water landed in Anwen's left boot. Anwen hopped until the boot stopped sloshing, then filled the can again. Mallow settled on its handle. "I can be quicker than a butterfly," Anwen said, and hurried toward the beans.
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Mallow stayed aboard. Anwen tried to pour while walking fast. Water sailed past the beans and gave the farm gate a bath. A drip hung from the latch. Anwen stopped. "The gate doesn't even have roots," Anwen told Mallow.
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Anwen filled the can a third time and tiptoed to the next row. Mallow landed beside the spout. Anwen leaned around her, pouring from a strange angle. The water missed the beans and filled a muddy hoofprint. Plop went Anwen's boot.
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Now one boot sloshed and the other squelched. Anwen looked down the long, dry rows. "We'll never finish at this rate," Anwen said. Mallow lifted off the can and floated just ahead. Anwen followed, carrying the can still for once.
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Mallow stopped on a bean flower. Anwen set the can down and watched. Mallow opened her wings, closed them, and took off again. She had not been waiting for water. She had been stopping for flowers. "Oh," said Anwen. "You have a route too."
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Anwen waited for Mallow to move to the next flower. Then Anwen poured, slowly, at the roots beneath the first. Mallow moved on; Anwen moved on. Flower, roots. Flower, roots. This time, every pour found a bean plant.
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At the last row, Mallow flew back and settled on the empty can. Anwen grinned. "All right, passenger. We're done." Then Anwen stepped toward lunch. Squish, slosh, squish, slosh. Mallow rode all the way home without getting her feet wet.
