Little Sleeppy the sunbeam peeked down from the sky. The forest was fast asleep under a white blanket of snow.
One morning Sleeppy peeked down. 'Time to wake up!' he said.
He slipped down from the sky right onto the snow. He touched an ice crystal — it melted. Drip, drop — a tiny stream ran away.
'Ooh, who's there?' grumbled Bear in his den.
He opened one eye. He saw Sleeppy.
'Is it spring already?' yawned Bear.
'Yes!' laughed Sleeppy. 'Get up, sleepy bear!'
Bear stretched and came out of his den. He started washing his face with cold water.
Sleeppy rolled on. He saw a tree. On a branch, Squirrel was curled up sleeping.
Sleeppy gently touched her fluffy tail. Squirrel woke up.
'Good morning!' she squeaked.
She hopped onto another branch. She began looking for nuts she had hidden in the autumn.
Sleeppy rolled to a little stream. Under a leaf, Hedgehog was sleeping.
'Hedgehog, wake up!' called Sleeppy.
Hedgehog stirred. He sniffed the air.
'Mmm, smells like spring!' he said.
He ran off to find beetles in the grass.
Sleeppy jumped from flower to flower. Wherever he touched the ground, snowdrops peeked out.
Little white, delicate flowers.
'Thank you, Sleeppy!' they chimed.
Birds were flying home. They sang happy songs.
Bear picked berries. Squirrel bounced through the branches. Hedgehog scurried along the paths.
The whole forest was awake!
And Sleeppy rolled on and on. He woke more trees, more animals, more flowers.
When evening came, he was very, very tired.
'How wonderful!' whispered Sleeppy.
He climbed back up into the sky. He lay down next to his mummy Sun.
'Well done, little one,' said Mummy. 'Sleep now.'
Sleeppy closed his eyes. He smiled.
And down in the forest, all the animals were getting ready for bed too. They were happy. Spring had come.
The white blanket had melted. Green grass was growing. Flowers were blooming.
And everyone knew: tomorrow Sleeppy would come again to wake the forest.