The Opossum's Opera

In a woodland of tall whispering trees and soft moss, a small grey opossum carries a large ambition: to sing opera for every animal of the forest. Each evening he climbs a fallen log, tucks his sheet music under one arm, straightens a tiny red velvet bow tie, and sings in a sweet, clear voice, but only while nobody is nearby. Shyness keeps him out of sight, and the moment someone approaches, his music disappears.

One bright morning a cheerful raccoon in a mustard yellow scarf overhears him from behind a bush. Rather than laugh, she gathers his dropped sheet music and offers to help him prepare a woodland performance. Morning scales and afternoon arias follow, and news of the show travels through the trees. The young rabbit with his little drum keeps the beat, and the owl in her blue knitted shawl agrees to announce the evening. Even so, the opossum worries about forgetting the words or hearing laughter. This tale by Ebru Mina TOMURCUK can be read on Onlinemasal Com.Tr.