Barnaby Bear was a very fluffy, very cuddly bear, but tonight, Barnaby had a problem. A HUGE problem. He had the hiccups!
Not just little hiccups, mind you. These were giant, booming, earth-shaking hiccups! Each one made his tummy jiggle and his fur vibrate. 'Hic! Hic! Hic!' went Barnaby, louder and louder.
He tried everything he could think of. He drank a whole glass of water upside down (which mostly ended up on his fur). He held his breath until he turned purple (then had to gasp for air...and hic!). He even tried standing on his head (which was quite wobbly and very silly).
His best friend, Penelope Possum, poked her head into his cozy cave. 'What's all the commotion, Barnaby?' she squeaked.
'It's my hiccups!' groaned Barnaby. 'They're driving me bonkers! I need to sleep, but I can't stop hiccuping!'
Penelope, being a very clever possum, thought for a moment. 'Have you tried counting backwards from 100?' she suggested.
Barnaby, desperate, started counting. 'One hundred, ninety-nine, ninety-eight... hic! Seventy-six...hic!...fifty-two... hic!' He got stuck on thirty-seven. The hiccups were too strong!
Then Penelope had another idea. 'Maybe you need a good laugh!' she chirped. She told Barnaby a silly joke about a squirrel who tried to knit a sweater for a hedgehog. Barnaby giggled a little, but the hiccups continued.
Finally, Penelope started telling a long, rambling story about a clumsy caterpillar who tried to climb a mountain made of jellybeans. It was so silly and unexpected that Barnaby couldn't help but burst into laughter. He laughed so hard that he forgot all about his hiccups!
The hiccups were gone! Barnaby snuggled into his bed, feeling sleepy and content. He thanked Penelope for her help and fell fast asleep, dreaming of jellybean mountains and clumsy caterpillars.
And so, Barnaby learned that even the most stubborn hiccups can be cured with a little laughter and the help of a good friend. And Penelope learned that telling very silly stories can be extremely helpful in times of trouble. They both drifted off to sleep, happy and full of giggles.