The Girl and the Little Llama

Maya, with her two puffy hair buns and gap-toothed smile, is always curious and eager to learn. One sunny morning on a farm, she hears a soft hum past the barn and discovers a knee-high llama with cream-white fleece, a caramel-brown patch over one eye, and a tiny brass bell on his blue collar. She names him Pepe, and her adventure in getting to know him begins.

When Maya steps too close, Pepe steps away and flattens his ears, so she stops and takes out her notebook and pencil. From her perch on a low fence rail, she writes down what she observes: ears up and relaxed means he feels okay, a flicking tail and ears back means give him space, a soft hum means he is happy and calm, a sharp hum and flat ears mean he is scared. Step by step, her growing guide helps her test how close she may come, and when she sits still on the grass and lets Pepe approach on his own, he sniffs her fingers and stands right beside her. This gentle tale by Aysel Banu YAVUZAL can be read on Masal İzle.