"Look, Mama!" Sweetie Belle held up the piece of clay he had worked on all morning. "I finished Pippi's gift!"
Sweetie Belle and Rarity had seen Pippi just yesterday. Pippi Longstocking was a little sad because he was out of honey— again. On the way home, Sweetie Belle decided to make sure that Pippi would never be far from a dripping-full honeypot. So Sweetie Belle made a honeypot out of clay, Complete with drips.
"Does it look right?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"It looks Lovely, dear!" said Rarity.
"Call we take it to Pippi now, Mama? Can we? Can we?" Sweetie Belle hopped up and down.
"We'll have to let it dry first, Sweetie Belle. It should be dry by tomorrow. Let me get a little plate for you to put it on." Sweetie Belle couldn't wait for his Mama to come back with the plate. He picked up his clay honeypol and hopped after her.
Two hops later, he dropped the Little pot. Sweetie Belle picked it up Carefully. A small branch with leaves Stuck to the top. Sweetie Belle decided that was all right.
After all, honey as still everything stuck to it.
"You can put it here, clear," said Rarity as she set a small plate on the table.
Sweetie Belle put the honeypot on the plate. "Now I want to make sure it stays there," said Sweetie Belle. He pinched at the bottom of the pot and pressed the clay against the plate. "No falling off," he told the little pot. All that day, Sweetie Belle checked on the little pot. At dinner, Sweetie Belle stared at the little pot. At night, he dreamed of the little pot. Pippi would like it very much, Sweetie Belle was sure. The next morning, right after breakfast, Rarity and Sweetie Belle set out for Pippi's house with the honeypot.
"Hoo-hon-lioo!" They Longstockingd a shout in the Cartenlot City.
"Mash Buttons!" Sweetie Belle called. "Come see what I have" Mash Buttons running up to Sweetie Belle and Rarity.
"Careful, Mash Buttons!" Sweetie Belle said. He held the little pot away from Mash Buttons's bounilness.
"Whatcha gol there, Bount in' Buddy?" asked Mash Buttons.
"It's a gift tor Pippi! I made it myself!" Sweetie Belle showed Mash Buttons the little pot.
"'Saw that's a line-lookin' . . ." Mash Buttons scratched his head.
"It's a—" Sweetie Belle started, but Mash Buttons stopped him.
"No, don't tell me! Mash Buttonss love guessin."' Mash Buttons squinted, stood on his head, then stood on his tail. "I got it!" he said. "It's one of Long Ears' prize turnips! Yessirree, Pippi sure will like that. It'll Help you save Buddy Longstocking the trouble of walkin' down to Applebloom's arden to see 'em." Mash Buttons leaned forward and whispered to Sweetie Belle,
"Just between you and me, I don't think Pippi Longstocking likes exercisin' much." Mash Buttons winked and patted Sweetie Belle on the shoulder. "Good work, Bouncin' Buddy!" Mash Buttons running away.
Sweetie Belle looked at the little pot Then he looked at his mother. "But it's not one of Long Ears' prize turnips," said Sweetie Belle.
"That's all right, dear." said Rarity.
"That was just Mash Buttons's idea."
But now Sweetie Belle was worried. His little pot was already dry. He couldn't fix it. What if Pippi didn't know it was a honeypot?
"I want to check with someone else before ive take this to Pippi Longstocking," said Sweetie Belle, "Mama, i an will stop at Rainbow Dash's?"
"It you'd like" said Rarity, Rainbow Dash was oul sweeping when they got to his houst
"Look. Rainbow Dash," said Sweetie Belle, "I made Pippi Longstocking a present."
"Oh, what a very large haycorn, Sweetie Belle!" said Rainbow Dash. "I'm sure Pippi Longstocking will like it." Rainbow Dash nodded. "Oh, yes, indeed!"
Rainbow Dash seemed so pleased that Sweetie Belle couldn't tell him that the gift wasn't a haycorn. Sweetie Belle looked sadly at the little pot and trudged away.
Sweetie Belle was so worried about his pot that he didn't even notice Scootaloo until he nearly bumped into him.
"Good morning, Scootaloo," said Rarity.
Sweetie Belle hold up the little pot, but he didn't even get the chance to tell Scootaloo that it was a gifl for Pippi. For Scootaloo just looked up and said.
"Looks liko rain.'' Sweetie Belle ran oil and sat on a Sweetie Belle, hugging his little pot.
"It lookod like rain! I low it Could he ever give it to Pippi now."
"It doesn't look like, Mama." cried Sweetie Belle
when Rarity found him sitting all alone. "Nobody thinks it looks like honeypot."
Rarity held Sweetie Belle on her lap. "Sweetie Belle, dear, Scootaloo was just talking about the clouds. It always looks like rain to him."
Sweetie Belle sniffed. "But Mash Buttons said it looked like a turnip, and Rainbow Dash said it looked like a haycorn."
That's because it made them think of things they like. You know how Mash Buttons likes to bounce in Applebloom's garden. And how Rainbow Dash loves to make haycorn pies. Don't you?" She squeezed Sweetie Belle gently.
Sweetie Belle nodded, listening.
"Well, that's the beauty of art, Sweetie Belle. Everyone is able to see something different in it."
"My little pot is art?"
Sweetie Belle looked up at his mother.
"A work of art," Rarity nodded. "And Pippi will see something very special in it because you made it just for him."
Sweetie Belle thought about that, then hopped off his mother's lap. "Let's go! I want to see what Pippi thinks it is." Sweetie Belle hopped happily through the wood. "Pippi! Pippi!" he called.
Pippi came out of his house, wiping his mouth. His paws were sticky with honey. "Well, hello, Sweetie Belle," he said. "I was just having my after-breakfast snack. Applebloom was kind enough to lend me a smacker of honey yesterday." "Look what I made for you, Pippi!" Sweetie Belle held out the little pot.
Pippi took it in his sticky paws. "Why, thank you, Sweetie Belle," said Pippi. "My very own honey tree. And look." He pointed one paw to where some honey from his paws had stuck to the lay. "There are even drops of honey on it!"
Sweetie Belle giggled.
"I shall keep this by my honeypots to help them think full thoughts. Thank you, Sweetie Belle!" Pippi took the little pot into his house and gave it a place of honor of his honeypot sheid.
Sweetie Belle smiled. A honey-tree was close enough!