The Switch and
the Magic Tree

High in the evergreen woods, letters R and T tended the campfire. Every night, they helped keep the fire glowing for the Land of Letters.

R was round and loved to laugh. His sound rolled deep in his chest. Rrrrr.

T was tall and steady. He liked to tap sticks into neat little piles. He checked the firewood and watched the sparks. T, t, t.

But one misty morning, something felt wrong.

R woke up, folded the blanket, and counted the firewood. He whispered, "We should make a plan."

T woke up wild. He tossed pinecones in the air, danced around the ashes and shouted, "Let's run before breakfast!"

The two friends stared at each other. Their ways had switched.

Then the campfire gave one tiny puff. The smoke curled into the air and tried to spell the forest word.

R   T

The smoke twisted again.

T   R

Then it faded away. The campfire was almost out.

"We need help," said R. "We need to move," said T, already bouncing toward the path.

Just then, Mr. Snail's bell gave a tiny ring. A note was tucked beneath a pinecone.

"Dear R and T, the campfire needs a word. But the letters must stand in the right order. Follow the river bridge to the Vowel House. The vowels will help you find the missing sound. Slow and steady, Mr. Snail."

They crossed the wooden bridge and reached the Vowel House. The chimney puffed a warm little cloud. The door opened.

Inside, the vowels were waiting. A waved from the window. I peeked from behind a curtain. O rolled across the rug. U painted a sunset on the wall.

And E stood by the fire with another E.

The two E's held hands. "We are vowel twins," they said. "Together, we make one long sound."

Eeee.

"The campfire needs us," said R. "And it needs EE," said T.

So the two E's followed R and T back through the woods.

When they reached the campfire, the smoke curled low again. R rushed to the front.

R  ·  T  ·  EE

Nothing happened. "Wait," said T. "Maybe I go first." R took a deep breath. "That feels right," he said.

So T stood first. R stood next. The two E's stood together at the end.

T  ·  R  ·  E  ·  E TREE

The campfire glowed. The smoke rose straight into the sky and spelled one clear word for the whole Land to see. Green-gold light moved through the branches.

R felt his rolling joy come back. Rrrrr. T felt his steady thoughts settle back like roots. T, t, t. They were themselves again.