Stoffl Strudel worm

It is summer. The snow has melted on most of the peaks and trickles down into the valley in the form of small and large mountain streams. You can only hear the gentle splashing of water running from stone to stone. But suddenly, children's voices can be heard. It's Anna and Lukas. They were already here in Tyrol last summer and played by the stream. They built dams and cairns. How happy they are. They laugh and cheer and call out, „Stoffl, where are you?“

Stoffl? Who is Stoffl? Yes, the kids asked themselves that last year too.

How it all began...

It was on a day as sunny as today. Anna and Lukas were refreshing themselves by the stream. Lukas was just about to pick up a stone when he heard a voice: „Hey, let me down!“ The boy was startled: „Who's speaking?“ „Stoffl the flatworm,“ the voice replied. „Excuse me, who?“ Lukas couldn't see anyone. „I'm on the stone you're holding in your hand.“ Now the boy was completely bewildered. „Look closely, and you'll see me. I'm small. Only about an inch long and very flat, because I'm a flatworm. My skin is brown-grey and my head is triangular. When you've found me, you can look me in the eyes. I'm a flatworm and my name is Stoffl.“

Now you can imagine how Lukas and Anna examined the stone. And indeed, they discovered the little spiral worm. He told them that this was his favorite stone and that he lived here by the stream. The children and Stoffl became friends and met as often as possible.

One day, Stoffl told the children: „Tomorrow there's a climbing competition at the ‚gnarled wolf‘. It's a difficult climbing rock that stands in the middle of the stream. I would like to participate, but I don't dare.“ Anna and Lukas knew how well Stoffl could climb and encouraged him. Finally, they went to Walli Wasserfee together and registered Stoffl. The next day was the competition. Many whirlpool worms came. Stoffl knew them all. He was nervous because he knew how good the others were.

The starting whistle of Wusel the water spirit sounded, and everyone began to climb. Anna and Lukas watched Stoffl through an underwater telescope and cheered him on. He was doing really well, placing himself among the top three. A girl climbed ahead first. She was fast. But suddenly: „Help!“ she got stuck and couldn't move any further. Stoffl didn't hesitate for a second and quickly climbed to her, freeing her. But she was injured. The Whirlwind Worm boy took the girl piggyback and climbed down with her. The rescue operation was so spectacular that all the spectators stood there with their mouths agape. Walli the water fairy was the first to find her voice: „Come on, you two. Steffi, we'll take care of you right away, and Stoffl, you sit down and rest.“

When all the climbers were back down, the award ceremony took place. The winner received a gift basket with small crabs, insect larvae, and worms – the favorite food of the planarian worms. But then Walli the water sprite said, „Stoffl, you didn't win, but you touched our hearts. You are our hero! Thank you for saving Steffi the planarian worm. As a memento of your heroic deed, you get this blue baseball cap. And you children get glitter tattoos because you believed in Stoffl and supported him.“

How Stoffl, Lukas, and Anna love to remember this story and proudly show off their tattoos and the blue baseball cap. Friends forever!