← Two the Same

The Hollow · The five-night book · ages 3-5

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Read by an AI-generated voice. The words on this page are the transcript.

Two the Same

The hammer rang once. A spark jumped off the anvil and did not go out. It waited. They followed.

Down the path. Into the Hollow.
The old swing had a new rope.
On the seat, a tiny hammer.
Three big leaves lay on the grass.
Who is under a … leaf?

A soft moth floated down. Flitter!
She hid the Moonstone. Where? Shh.

Shh. Under a leaf.

Tí lifted the first leaf.
Long ears! A hare!
"I'm sitting here," said Hopwell.
He sat right in the middle of the … path.

"I'll carry you!" said Tí.
"Everybody moves themselves," said Flitter.
Tí put his hands behind his … back.

Shh. Under a leaf.

What happens when two the same bump?

Tí lifted the second leaf.
Long ears! Another hare!
Skipwell, just the same size.
Hop, hop, hop … bump!
Nose to nose. Ears to ears.
"Same and same, both go home!"
Off they bounced, laughing, all the way … home.

Shh. Under a leaf.
Same and same, both go home!

The path was open.
One leaf left.
Who is under the last … leaf?

Tí walked up. He lifted it himself.
The Moonstone! Shining … bright.

The spark dimmed to a warm dot and settled back on the anvil. The Green was just the Green again.

Back on the Green

Tí and Lan both ran for the swing at the same time.
Bump!
"Same and same," said Lan. "Both go home?"
"No," said Tí. "Both take turns."

Who you met

  • Flitter A secret is kept under a leaf until somebody lifts it from HollowTots
  • Hopwell A hare who looks first, and sits on the path from HollowPals
  • Tí a child of the Green Notices small things; says "again"
  • Skipwell Two the same size bump, and both go home from HollowPals

Every recurring character has a short tune, so you can tell who is on stage before a word is said. The tunes play only when you tap, and the Reading Access sound switch turns them off.

The Honest Page

Which parts of this story are true, stretched or made up?

True

  • In many hidden-piece board games, when two pieces of the same rank meet, both are taken off. In Stratego, two equal pieces both go back to the box. Source
  • Hares are fast runners and can jump a long way, and young hares are called leverets. Source

Stretched

  • The hares go home laughing. What we simplified: In the game, the two pieces just go back to their start. Nobody is hurt, and they play again next game.

Made up

  • The Hollow and the Moonstone are made up. Flitter comes from HollowTots; Hopwell and Skipwell from HollowPals.