Little Alfred, who was going on a walk with the one he truly adored, held on tightly to Arthur's hands. He wanted to be sure Arthur was listening.
"guess how much I love you," Alfred said.
"Oh, I don't think I can guess that." Said Arthur.
"This much!" Said Alfred stretching out his arms as wide as they can go.
Arthur had even longer arms. "But, I love you this much." Arthur said.
Hmm, that is a lot, thought Alfred.
"I love you as high as I can reach!" said Alfred.
"I love you as high as I can reach." Said Arthur.
That is quite high, thought Alfred. I wish I had arms like that.
Then Alfred had a good idea. He tumbled upside down and reached up the tree trunk with his feet. "I love you all the way up to my toes!" Alfred said.
"And I love you all the way up to your toes." Said Arthur, swinging him up over his head.
"I love you as high as I can jump!" Laughed Alfred, jumping up and down.
"But I love you as high as I can jump." Arthur smiled and he jumped so high that he almost hit his head on a tree branch above. That's good jumping, thought Alfred. I wish I could jump like that.
"I love you all the way down the lane as far as the river!" Said Alfred.
"I love you across the river and over the hills." Said Arthur That's very far, thought Alfred.
Alfred was almost to sleepy to think anymore, so Arthur walked him hope and began to tuck him into bed. Alfred looked out his window, out into the big dark night. Nothing was farther then the sky.
"I love you right up to the MOON!" He said and closed his eyes.
"Oh, that's far," said Arthur. "That is very, very far."
Arthur settled Alfred into his own bed after he leaned over and kissed Alfred good night.
Then he lay down and whispered with a smile, "I love you right up to the moon...and back."