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Liesel thought Tavitt was a terrible pain. Tavitt, likewise, thought Liesel was a bore. And thus, the two of them sat on the ground pouting like great babies as they waited impatiently for their father and mother to return. “Mummy said you ought to be nicer to me, you know,” said Liesel. “Well then, mummy doesn’t know what a nitwit you are, now does she?” replied Tavitt tartly. “I’m not a nitwit! Daddy said I’m smarter than you! You’re just a beast!” “He did not!” “Of course he did! He tells me every night how much better he loves me after you’re fast asleep.” “You’re lying! You always fall asleep before I do! I know that because mummy always brings me cookies in bed.” “No she doesn’t!” “Of course she does! Because she loves me so much more than you!” “No she doesn’t!” What followed was a nasty bout of petty quarrelling such as I’m sure you’re quite familiar with if you’ve ever had a brother or sister about your age, so I shan’t go into great detail about it any further. At length, they had appropriately warn themselves down and resolved instead to lie on the grass in silence, watching as the clouds rolled by. “I reckon that one looks a lot like you,” said Tavitt. “Why?” asked Liesel. “Because it’s quite fat around the middle.” “No. It must be you. It’s rather like a toad.” “Oh, I say, you look very good for a toad then.” Liesel decided that Tavitt talked too much. “You’re such a bother!” she declared emphatically. Fully intending to be the righteous one in the situation, Liesel arose from her seat among the weeds and sauntered off into the woods with no particular course or direction in mind. “Wait!” called Tavitt. “Mummy and daddy told us to wait here for them! If you end up lost in the woods and die in a hole somewhere, I’ll make sure daddy knows it was all your fault and he’ll be so upset with you that he’ll probably beat you to death!” She made no attempt to reply and walked steadily away from him into the darkening forest. “Oh bother!” he grumbled. “Wait up! Don’t leave me alone! Liesel!” Tavitt had never considered the woods to be terribly frightful. The twisted trees cast strange shadows all about but he paid them little attention. He lent a similar respect - that is, none at all - to the rustling leaves above and the hot, sticky wind which whistled past him, heralding the coming storm. “Liesel! You’re being an awful pest! Mummy and daddy won’t like that you’ve wandered off! They’ll be back soon you know!” He spun round. She was nowhere to be seen. “Liesel! Where are you?” “I’m up here, silly!” He jumped. “Where?” he cried in torment. “In the tree! I bet I can beat you to the top!” Tavitt stared upward. The tree was very tall and very wide with many outstretched branches that seemed to go on and on until it met the great grey sky above. His previous loyalties dissolved altogether. “I bet you can’t!” he yelled back up to her. “And I’ll even start from down here to prove it!” “No fair! That’s cheating! I ought to win fair and square, not because you let me!” “Who says you’d beat me?” “Mummy always says I’m nimbler than you! I’m better with my hands, she says.” “We’ll see about that!” cried Tavitt, launching himself with his full force to the nearest branch. And with that, they were off. It can’t be said that they weren’t a little too ambitious in their misguided intent to reach the very top of the tree. Although he was very old - indeed, older than most trees could ever wish to become - he was not reduced in height such as you or I might expect of ourselves should we ever make it as far along in life as he had. At any rate, they soon found themselves quite tired out and nowhere near the crown of the tree and, conversely, nowhere near the ground. “Well, this is a dreadful fix!” started Liesel. “It’s your fault!” retorted Tavitt. “You always have to be better than me, don’t you?” “Of course! It’s only natural, after all.” “Well, I don’t think so…” They sat facing each other for some time upon a thin branch, their legs dangling one on each side. “Oughtn't we to get down?” asked Tavitt. “Mummy and daddy will be back and will begin worrying so.” “I suppose you’re right,” she said as she dismounted her sappy throne and began her descent. It was thus that they learned a very valuable lesson which all children their age must learn at some time or other before they either grow quite old enough for it not to matter anymore or some equally lamentable tragedy occur: “I say!” declared Liesel. “It is so much trickier to get down from a tree once one has already climbed up it, isn't it?”