Firlefanz at the Glittering Lake
The sun shines warmly, and Firlefanz wants to swim! At the sparkling Glittering Lake, he meets his friends Quabbel and Schildi — for splashing and building sandcastles.
Firlefanz woke up and stretched. A warm ray of sunshine tickled his nose through the window. Outside, everything was bright and golden. "What a beautiful, warm day," yawned Firlefanz. A perfect day for swimming. He thought of the Glittering Lake, where the water sparkled coolly and the sand was soft and golden. His friends were surely already waiting there.
For breakfast, Firlefanz ate a ripe strawberry and a small piece of bread with honey. He drank cool water with a slice of cucumber. While he chewed, he daydreamed. Would the water be nice and cool today? How high could they build a sandcastle? He felt a tingle of excitement in his paws.
Firlefanz ran over to Papalapapp. He was sitting comfortably in front of his house, drinking his morning coffee. "Papalapapp, do you remember the way to the Glittering Lake? I want to go swimming today." Papalapapp smiled. "Of course. The lake is far away — behind seven seas." He set his cup aside. "Come, I'll accompany you."
Firlefanz got ready for the journey. He put on his wide sun hat and took his walking stick. He packed a soft towel, a small bucket, and a shovel for building sandcastles into his bag. Around his belly, he put on his yellow swim ring. "Now we can go!" he called happily.
Together, they set off on the long journey. They wandered over seven blue seas and through seven warm deserts, where the sand shone like gold. They climbed over seven mountains, waded through seven rivers, and walked through seven cool forests. The further they went, the more the air smelled of water and summer.
And then it lay before them: the Glittering Lake. The water sparkled in the sun like a thousand little stars. All around lay soft, golden sand, as fine as sugar. Dragonflies danced over the waves. Firlefanz stopped and marveled. "There it is!" he whispered happily.
"Firlefanz! There you are!" called a cheerful voice. It was Quabbel, a round, good-natured water friend, who was already splashing in the shallow water. Next to him waved Schildi, the friendly turtle, with her shovel. "We have been waiting for you!" Firlefanz beamed. His friends were there!
Quickly, Firlefanz placed his hat in the sand and waded into the cool water. How wonderfully refreshing it was! Quabbel made a big splash, and everyone laughed. They raced each other, dove for sparkling pebbles, and floated on their backs. The water sparkled, and the sun laughed above them.
Afterward, they crawled up to the warm beach. "Now we will build a sandcastle!" shouted Schildi. Firlefanz filled his bucket with damp sand and turned it over — the first tower was already standing. Quabbel dug a deep moat, and Schildi shaped delicate battlements with her skillful paws. Together, the castle grew higher and higher.
Soon the most beautiful sandcastle the Glittering Lake had ever seen stood tall. It had high towers, small windows, and even a bridge over the moat. With a shell and a few colorful stones, they decorated the gate. Then they lay down, full and content, in the warm sand and watched the clouds. It was a wonderful day.
Slowly, the sun turned golden and sank lower. The lake now glowed pink and orange. "It was so nice with you," said Firlefanz, hugging his friends. "Will you come back soon?" asked Quabbel. "Definitely," promised Firlefanz. Schildi waved until Firlefanz and Papalapapp disappeared behind the hill.
The way home felt short and light because Firlefanz was happy and tired. At home, he snuggled into his soft bed. On the windowsill lay the little shell from the Glittering Lake. Firlefanz smiled. He dreamed of cool water, soft sand, and his friends. Good night, Firlefanz.